Internet Explorer: Is it Really Dead?

March 25, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

There has been a lot of talk as of late concerning the future, or better said the nonexistent future of Internet Explorer. Speculations regarding the browser’s premature demise was only fuelled by the comments made by Chris Capossela, who is none other than Bill Gates’ former assistant and an executive at Microsoft. Many internet users from around the world flooded Facebook and Tweeter with messages saying the “Internet Explorer is dead” or “Long live Spartan”.

But is Internet Explorer really dead? The answer is “no”. Following Chris’s comments, Microsoft was contacted by Mashable.com and confirmed that Internet Explorer is alive and well. They said that their new browser (codenamed Spartan) will be constructed and implemented in Windows 10, but that they will continue to make IE accessible “with Windows 10 for enterprises and other customers who require legacy browser support.”

A lot of people from around the world, including a few Hollywood celebrities declared that they use Internet Explorer 11 as their primary web browser. To be fair it is not as bad as a browser as critics made it out to be. It has, in most part, the same features other browsers offer, it is not slow and has an outstanding graphic processing. It is true that it’s not as polished or as responsive as Chrome or Firefox but it isn’t terrible either.

If you were to take a look at NetMarketShare.com you will be surprised to find out that Internet Explorer 11 has the highest market share concerning browsers. It holds the first position with 22.29% and it is followed by Internet Explorer 8 with 19.08% while Google Chrome occupies the third position with only 15.10%.

But why does “everybody” hate Internet Explorer?

I think that in order to answer that question we’ll have to take a step back into the past and revisit the earliest version. Many people do not know that Microsoft didn’t actually create Internet Explorer. They just purchased “Spyglass Mosaic” from a company called Spyglass in the early 90s, slapped a shinny new sticker on in and renamed it Internet Explorer.

A brilliant marketing campaign from Microsoft made Internet Explorer the number one browser in a very short time outclassing “Netscape Navigator” and managed to mention that spot for many years to come.

On November 9, 2004 a new, free and open-source web browser emerged called Mozilla Firefox or simply known as “Firefox”. It was the new best thing and everybody was using it, praising it and calling it the “browser of the future”. But it had a lot of its own problems and by the end it failed to deliver. I used it for a little while and threw it away as soon as Chrome showed its magnificent head.

I think that it was that exact market dominance that made Internet Explorer so hated, the fact that it was always forced on us by developers. There are still programs to this day that will use Internet Explorer exclusively, just take a look at SopCast.

I prefer Chrome, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t use Internet Explorer too. As a matter of fact I use them both on a daily basic and I think that in the end, it is a question of preference. After its public release on December 11, 2008, Chrome rapidly became the most used browser in the world. Its clean and slick interface made it a favorite for developers and ordinary users alike. Google understood how important accessibility was so they made it so Chrome can be accessed from any computer, smartphone or tablet, by simply entering your Google user name and password.

It saves all your bookmarks, all your settings and browser history so you only have to configure it once and you will never have to do it again. It keeps your information even if you reinstall your OS or format your Hard Drive or SSD. But for everything that it does well you can always find something that Chrome doesn’t do so good. Take third party apps for example and you will find out that Chrome struggles with them. Just count the number of times Shockwave Player will crash during a week and how much it will slow down your computer.

Do not get me wrong I’m not saying Internet Explorer is better or that Chrome is, all I want to say is that when it comes to their bare minimum and you strip them down to the core they are not as different as you might think. Sure, both of them have issues but there is no such thing as a perfect web browser. Who knows, maybe Spartan will be the knight in shining armor we’ve all been waiting for, the one that will rescue us from the endless crashes and debates about what is the best browser.

You may congratulate Google for designing a very solid web browser but never underestimate Microsoft and their desire to finally catch up. With a powerful name like Spartan I can only look forward to it and hope that it will be faster, more stable, better secured and at least as accessible as Chrome is at this time. The competition can only benefit the customer in the end and nobody can say for sure where our browser architecture would be today without the existence of Internet Explorer.

Image Source: 1

Heroes of the Storm – a new take on the MOBA genre

March 25, 2015 By Roxanne Briean 6 Comments

Heroes of the Storm is a new MOBA game, multiplayer online battle arena, from Blizzard, creators of Warcraft, Starcraft, Diablo, HearthStone and the MMORPG phenomenon called World of Warcraft.

If you are somewhat of a gamer you have definitely heard of the craze that has made eSports cool again – League of Legends, and Dota 2. But before we get started on what we see today, let’s take a ride on memory lane and remember where it all started.

Where did it all start?

In 1998 a fairly little company named Blizzard Entertainment released a real-time strategy game that sold over 11 million copies to date – Starcraft. Besides having a great campaign story-line, refreshing game mechanics, and addictive multiplayer, Starcraft was also bundled with a map editor. By giving the community the tools to create whatever they dreamed in their made-up world, Blizzard struck a chord, a gold-chord.

Fast-forward to 2002, with Blizzard realizing that they have the secret formula to engage their fans. Releasing another RTS – Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos, accompanied of course with a better map editor, made the modding community go crazy. Eul, a modder that was also active in the Starcraft community, took the most popular map and converted it so it could be playable in Warcraft III – with some major tweaks here and there and improving substantially the quality of gameplay.

Defense of the Ancients, or short Dota, was immediately loved by newbies, and RTS veterans alike. The map pinned 2 teams, each formed of 5 champions, against eachother – the end goal of the game was to destroy the enemy’s main building located in their base; going through 3 tiers of towers, on 3 separate lanes, or just snowballing on one side and rushing victory.

But only with the release of the last Warcraft expansion, Frozen Throne, did it astound, and shocked players to gather around it and give it a try. Eul with Steve “Guinsoo” Feak, and IceFrog managed to garner 1 million fans for the War3 modded map and from there on it only got better.IceFrog went on and helped create Dota2 for Valve, and Steve ” Guinsoo” Feak brought us, with Riot Games, League of Legends – one of the most played and loved MOBA games in the past 5 years.

Can Heroes of the Storm manage to do something different?

Heroes of the Storm has some big shoes to fill. First off it needs to bring something new to the table, something refreshing – game mechanics that are easy to understand, but also hard to master; objectives that make the player experience the game differently, and not be just a copy of a copy of a modded map from ’98. Well Blizzard had the best idea – they united characters from their most loved games such as Warcraft, Diablo and Starcraft, and also added some new ones, and they pinned them against each other in an arena that has a new view on how to achieve victory. Their new way is addictive and fun, and it feels like you are a part of a bigger plan. Let’s take a look at some unique battlegrounds:

Sky Temple

Capture the Temples – Temples will periodically awaken. Stand within their grounds to capture their power!
Hold the Temples – Remain firm and the temple will unleash a blistering onslaught on your enemy’s forts!
Defend The Temples – Guardians will try to wrest control of their temples from your team. Hold them off to keep the temple’s power for yourselves!

Garden of Terror

Fight the Shamblers – At night, Shamblers will rise from the Gardens!
Collect Seeds – Kill the Shamblers and collect seeds for your team!
Control Garden Terror – With 100 seeds, control a garden terror and destroy your enemies!

Black Heart’s Bay

Collect Doubloons – Attack treasure chests, mercenaries, and skeletons to collect doubloons!
Turn in Doubloons – Hand your doubloons over to BlackHeart or you will drop them all when you die!
Bombard your enemies – After receiving enough doubloons from your team, BlackHeart will bombard your enemy’s forts!

Easy to understand, hard to master!

The beautiful thing about Heroes of the Storm is how anybody can try it and actually help out their team. You don’t need to read guides, or figure out what certain items your hero needs, you don’t even need to read the tooltips for your spells – although I highly recommend you to read them. Blizzard chose to forget about the traditional way you buy items by completely removing them from the game.

You don’t have items to buy, you just level up – your hero in-game levels up, and also your account levels up. By reaching a higher level you unlock different spells, and different skins for your heroes. For example you can dress Kerrigan up as a countess, or Thrall, the Warchief of the Horde as a demonic Orc from the Outland – HellHammer Thrall. A greenhorn can have tremendous fun in this game just by playing one game after another without worrying that he is a noob.

You have probably played a MOBA game once, and it felt lackluster not only because you had to stay put and read everything about items, and your spells, and your spell’s range, but also because of the toxic community that spews only cesspool when a new player wants to learn the game. Heroes of the Storm doesn’t have a chat bar, and it somehow alleviates the stress and fury of other players that will rage if you don’t react within a millisecond of what they were thinking. The chat bar only comes up at the end of the game where you only have time to write a ” GG”, or ” Nice playing with you!”.

Another ” hats down to you, dear sir!” to Blizzard for changing how the team scores its kills. If an ally of yours kills an enemy, the team scores; if you and an ally kill an enemy, the team scores; Their motto ” There is no I in teamwork!” stands clear to everyone that wishes to individualize this game, and doesn’t make others feel bad. Every single member is a part of the win, or loss.

But if you want to snowball and win gloriously on the battleground, if you want your name to be forever remembered in the hall of fame you will need to exercise your play-style, work out a strategy with your team members, know when and how to react to an enemy’s spell, and most importantly of all – map control.

Map awareness is constantly being aware of who is moving on the minimap, where is that hero going, and what could be the outcome – could he get ambushed by some enemies? could you ambush an enemy that is blindly moving towards his doom? Is the whole enemy team missing in action from the minimap? Well they must be planning a team fight and you’d better watch yourself!

Instead of a replica, we have something new and fun!

Kudos to Blizzard Entertainment for not jumping on the band-wagon and creating something more that stands out in the seas of replicas that we are accustomed to. At the current moment, Heroes of the Storm is in its beta stages – some things will mostly change, while others will remain the same. Their top priority is adding more content to the game – more heroes to choose from, more battlegrounds to play on, more spells to use against your enemies, and more pretty little dresses ( they are called skins and they only influence the game visually, and not how the mechanics work).

At this time we don’t have an official release date for Heroes of the Storm, but what we do have is a Founder’s Pack that can be bought directly from their website. Being in its beta stage means that it isn’t available unless you have an invite, or a key. Buying the Founder’s Pack, that costs 35 EUR will automatically give you entrance to this ethereal and amazing world – it consists of 2,500 gold pieces, permanently unlocking Diablo, Raynor, and Tyrande, three bonus skins for Lurkablo Diablo, Commander Raynor, and Blood Elf Tyrande, and also a golden cyber wolf mount.

If you are eager to find out how a match looks like you can watch one right here. Most LOL, or Dota2 are time wasters – you can have a match that goes on for 60 minutes, or others that are only 20 minutes long, but usually, the average playtime is 30 minutes. Heroes of the Storm doesn’t make it feel like a marathon, but instead it wishes to be short and sweet – 20 to 25 minutes long for your daily dose of fun!

If you’re a gamer let us know your take on Heroes of the Storm. Will it be the LOL killer? or will it be forgotten? I for one can’t wait to get my hands on it tonight!

Image Sources: 1,2,3,4,5,6

Kingston launches HyperX Predator

March 25, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology Company, just released a new SSD called Predator. This top-notch solid state drive has whooping speeds of – 1.4GB/s to read, and 1GB/s to write. Predator will be available in 240GB for the price of 230$, and in 480GB for the price of 460$. Kingston.com is stating that a 960GB version is in the works, and will be available for the public starting Q1/Q2 .

They are not cheap, and they are also not expensive at all, considering the fact that it also comes with a 3-year warranty and Kingston claims that it can write up to 805GB per day, and still maintain a , tech-wise, healthy aspect – it’s more than the usual user writes on a drive on a daily basis.

“As enthusiast desktop users and datacenter customers seek greater performance to break through 6Gb/s SATA limitation, Marvell’s X4-lane PCIe SSD Controller 88SS9293 provides lightning fast, next-generation SSD performance,” said Mike Chen, director of product marketing, Storage BU, Marvell. “We are proud to work with the HyperX team to deliver higher bandwidth and throughput for client systems and datacenter customers seeking to maximize storage performance.” It’s the first time we see Marvell 88SS9293 controller being used on a shipping product, and I, for one, can’t wait to see what other boundaries Kingston, working hand in hand with HyperX and Marvell, will break.

The PCIe interface in M.2 form factor, with an optional HHHL adapter, will ensure next-generation platform support with an M.2 PCIe slot, and also for existing motherboards without an M.2 socket.

“HyperX is happy to unleash its fastest HyperX SSD to date. The PCIe form factor showcases extreme speeds while processing both compressed and uncompressed data,” said Lawrence Yang, business manager, HyperX. “We worked closely with Marvell to engineer this HyperX Predator PCIe SSD for higher performance and it more than delivers through its ultra-responsive multi-tasking and faster system performance.” HyperX is revolutionizing the industry with their high-performance products targeted not only towards businesses, enterprises, home users, but also towards die hard gamers – sponsoring over 20 eSports teams all over the world, and being the main sponsor of Intel Extreme Masters.

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LG G2, G3 and G Pad users will get Android 5.0 Lollipop

March 25, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

LG G2 with Android 5.0 Lollipop The LG G2, G3 and their entire line of G Pads will receive the Android 5.0 Lollipop update at an undisclosed time – South Korea being the first country that will have it pushed; the rollout is to be expected to finish by mid-April, following releases in May for the U.S and certain parts of the world. A major carrier is being hinted to take on G3 smartphones – at this date nobody knows for sure who it will be or what their marketing strategy is.

It seems to be a great week for LG owners around the world. AT&T and Sprint have already released their 5.0 Lollipop update for the G3, and T-Mobile software’s update page states that it’s in the final stages of testing.

Although it seems to be a great week for LG, UK Tech forums are being swamped with bug issues regarding the new update. UK managed to push out the 5.0 Lollipop, for the G3, back in December 2014, and the general population thinks that it should have had stayed a little bit more in ” Manufacturer Development”.

Also the LG G2 has the lowest price that it has had in its history – it’s only 189$ and you don’t need to worry about committing to a certain carrier because you’ll receive it unlocked. The LG G2 seems to be a must get phone at that price.

Its specifications include a 13 MP (4160 x 3120 pixels) camera, that can also record video at 1080p with 60fps, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 quad-core processor at 2.26 GHz, Adreno 330 GPU, with 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of storage without the possibility of adding an microSD card.

True-HD IPS+LCD display at 5.2 inches, a resolution of 1920×1080 pixels, 424 ppi, protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3. Some owners have complained about the battery life that it doesn’t last too long – 790h in stand-by, and up to 16 h 30 min talk-time. The battery isn’t really top-notch, and you can mark it as mediocre – non-removable Li-Po 3000 mAh battery.

And if you are among the owners of the discontinued G Pad 8.3 Google Play Edition you can rest assured you can download the new Android 5.0 Lollipop – it has been made available months ago.

Image Source: 1

Newest Virtual Reality Gadgets at the Beginning of 2015

March 24, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

If you are looking for an experience as close as possible to the real world, then a Virtual Reality gadget is the only thing you need. None if the activities that you are seeing or hearing are really happening while you are wearing a virtual-reality device, but you could swear that you are already there.

In such scenarios, you are affected by these immersive destinations and all of them are unveiling right in front of you. To the outside viewers, you are only a person with a technological system who sees the world through it.

1. Google Cardboard

The more down-to-earth device based on VR experiences that we encounter is Google Cardboard. It is, simply put, a virtual-reality headset designed for anyone of us. And it allows everyone else to have fun while being lost in their own world for just a little while, but without spending a lot of cash.

Google Cardboard is designed for use in brief sessions, so it does not have attaching straps to keep it on for a longer interval. Its viewing experience is also shown on your smart phone’s display. Different sounds come from the main sound system designed into the phone and it is functioning with the Android operating program and devices based on it, such as Android version 4.1 (Jellybean) and newer, and software especially designed for Google Cardboard.

The iOS from Apple is also working, but it is not fully supported, so activities might vary for different users. In addition, there are more then 250 applications for Cardboard available in the Google Play store, in contrast to a much wider variety of iOS programs listed in App Store especially for VR devices.

Rather than being designed from high-end components and materials, Google Cardboard carcass is made from darkish and corrugated pieces of cardboard and a few elements that can be bought in any shop. The DIY users can follow online tutorials for making one of their own. Complete offers, with a set of recommendations printed right onto the carcass, can be found in the specialized stores on the Internet.

Google specialists designed this device during their freethinking time — the time when the company encourages its employees to spend it for creative projects that present an interest to them.

In the place where the smart phone is used to perform as a VR viewer, Google Cardboard has its near field communication (NFC). When the telephone with NFC is inserted in the slot, the tag is able to recognize it. A distinct sound beeps in the Cardboard application that is used, and the software immediately switches on viewer mode, displaying two images on the stereoscopic landscape’s viewpoint. The phone is kept in its place with a Velcro band that is attached to the VR device.

2. Gear VR

Gear Virtual Reality, or Gear VR, has a large fan base in gamers or techies who are willing to pay for the latest gadgets, since they analyze every detail about devices like Galaxy S6 or Facebook’s Oculus Rift. VR technologies like these are advanced, for the passionate ones and might cost up to a couple of hundred dollars — but starting at reasonable prices without the extra elements —, while headsets from other top companies are still in a developing stage.

Gear VR is a gadget used in the tests presented in tech conferences and it is incredibly fun during its use. You can experience exclusive trips like walking through places in different locations at your choice and doing fun stuff live driving sports cars and traveling in entire unknown places.

The resolution and perception problems found in the previous versions of Samsung’s VR devices are reduced in the latest edition of Gear VR. While, at a brief glance, this new version does not seem to be very different from the others compatible with Galaxy Note 4, after the device is attached to its owner, the experience is indeed much improved.

To begin with, the whole device is significantly lighter, due to the aspect that Galaxy S6 is weighing less than Galaxy Note 4. The ties are more relaxed but still fit firmly, and there is a release on the left part of the headsets that decreases lens’ clouding. Overall, the company has really achieved the sensation of complete comfort for the person wearing it.

The other main problems resolved by VR Gear and Facebook’s Oculus is improving the display’s quality, which is a serious problem for all creators of VR devices, since there is needed a larger resolution for today’s gadgets, and even more in the future. But, for now, the 1440p in Gear VR looks really excellent.

Galaxy S6 has 5.1” screen that is smaller than its 5.7” predecessor inserted into the Galaxy Note 4, but this improvement indicates the pixels’ density is clearly greater — a 577 ppi in comparison to only 515. It might not seem like a lot, however it makes quite a difference when it is used in real life.

3. Morpheus

Last but not least, Sony reveals a prototype for a new VR headset, called Morpheus, that will be launched in 2016, this being model of the ear phones that will bring significant developments as opposed to previous models that have been released last year.

This version model has an improved display RGD OLED of 1920 x 1080 with a refresh rate of 120Hz for very low latencies and more ergonomic appearance for a simpler and relaxed use.

The gadget will be functioning with the PlayStation 4 console. The company is normally looking for creating a VR game that can be compatible with their Project Morpheus and they already have a VR movie studio room.

As a little drawback shown for this prototype is that things can bring light headaches sometimes when they are used, and redirecting in some programs can be a bit tricky without some experience.

Plus, the VR software might be consuming for the owner due to its massive technological advancements.

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4

USB Type-C has Arrived on the Tech Market

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

Finally, USB Type-C is the new connector that was created for huge production. It will be made with reversible ends, presenting the same little connector on both of these ends. However, this tiny piece of technology is a lot more for modern smart phones, laptops or tablets.

Right now there are several primary categories:

Type-A – the unique and rectangle-shaped type used by many USB keys or external drives, basically almost everything
Type-B – a little used rectangle model generally found on the rear of printers. This is a dying model
Micro USB – small and near-universal type used by mobiles and tablets. It is an increasing trend in today’s industry of portable devices

The modern Type-C represents a decrease in charging time, quicker transfer of data between devices and, thanks to its little connections, a smaller scaled mobile phone can now be created by those interested. The plug of Type-C is suitable for the USB 3.1, this meaning a very quick data transfer. Since now Apple has made a Type-C slot on the new MacBook, we can only anticipate seeing it on every device.

The big offer for most customers is going to be the much faster charging. USB Type-C can provide energy up to 100 W at 20 V. This means that a bigger gadget will be charged now from the USB, such as a laptop or a monitor. Say farewell to the funky AC plug that we have been carrying around for so long until now.

In the day to day use, this means quicker charging for any device that can be connected to a power source. The USB is suitable for compatible smart phones, tablets and now even desktops or laptops. This can be performed while transferring large chunks of information at the same time, a feature that previous devices many times could not handle.

This might also mean that the technical need for an individual energy slot (with its large innards integrated) will now be gone, enabling producers to make even more compact models of laptops.

The only issue with a new USB is its need for any other device to be compatible with it. While such gadgets will be smaller, due to the more compact slots for the USB, it will also mean that the older kits become obsolete.

USB will provide an adapter, but if the connector based on Apple’s Lightning takes more spaces on the market, these adapters will not be used for a very long time. And, just like the Lightning, Type-C must work either with a connector end of 8.4mm x 2.6mm.

There will be so many adapters, so the USB Type-C will become suitable for anyone who is willing to use it instantly. Type-C is made with similar-sized end as the little connectors of the USB 2.0 cables used today, except they will be like this at both ends. It is the 18-pin connectors that, as it was stated by their producers, will last at least 10,000 cycles in the same way the Micro-USBs do.

USB Type-C has perfect compatibility with 10Gbps bandwidth transfers. In other words, it means that extremely large files that would take several DVDs, such as full movies or full gaming installer kits, can now be moved from one device to another in literally a single second. With Wi-Fi information being used more but still being limited, a new type of USB conventional technology will cause a revival of wire connection use, since extremely high-speed transfers are needed for current activities such as game playing or mobile devices linked to TVs. The Type-C connectors have been made so they can be compatible with future improvements in data speed, so the product itself does not need to be modified again for a long period of time.

The USB Type-C is already making its appearance in our life. The new 12” MacBook from Apple, for example, is missing all but a couple of slots: for the new Type-C and a 3.5 mm headsets port. The users concerned that this move indicates that no other device will be able to be linked to the MavBook must not be so worried, since there are other USB Type-C plugs that can help them obtain the most of their old wired equipment, like the simple USB to USB Type-C adaptors.

Also, Google has recently revealed its modern Chromebook Pixel with exclusive features for Type-C. However, it does not have just a single Type-C slot, but it has one on every side, this making this gadget more practical than the MacBook. The company has already promised that they will upgrade these USBs as more producers worldwide begin to look at the Type-C as a conventional tool for multiple uses and integrate it into their leading devices.

Image Source: ArsTechnica

A Comprehensive Review of the New Chromebook Pixel

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean 2 Comments

Google’s previous Chromebook Pixel represented an amazing model of laptops. But, they were extremely expensive too — so costly that they became the laughing stock for technical specialists. Now Google is offering us the new model Chromebook Pixel, and what do you know: this is a better, less costly and so tempting laptop for a passionate fan.

General Design

We could say that this piece of technology is stunning, but not in the sense that you would expect. Just like its previous versions, Chromebook Pixel is an incredibly simple gadget of steel with essentially no marketing anywhere.

Instead of its logo, Pixel has small little bars of vibrant lighting along the edges of the lids, and small marks that are labeled with “chrome” on a very minimalist hinge.
However, make no error regarding this type of easy to use gadgets: the Chromebook is not something you can call “fragile”. The thicker and squared model is made in a very obvious way that places it apart from the teardrop design of similar products.

Chromebook Pixel is a rather rough looking, but still handsome piece of engineering, a laptop that is satisfied to have a little extra weight if this means enough space for USB slots.
Speaking of slots, you will discover on it elegant Type-C USB slots on each of the sides — the same type that you can see on the newly released MacBooks. These little details make a big difference: if you have not found out, Type-C USB represents the future of ports, connecting almost everything on the market.

Like a traditional USB slot that is incorporated on every gadget, the Type-C can take care of energy and information, but in an improved way. It is as quick as the USB 3.0, but it can be also used to charge the computer instead of powering only peripheral gadgets.

Technical Specifications

Pixel, basically, is the Chromebook concept in its ideal type: this is a completely developed, very attractive device with a resolution of 2560 x 1700 assuring high quality display for the touch screen, 8 GB of RAM with an i5 Intel Core processor from the fifth generation, all of them on an affordable platform under 1,000 dollars.

For those who are willing to pay more, there is also a $1,300 edition (Pixel’s initial starting point) that has incorporated the i7 version and 16 GB of RAM on it. Both of these products are available from now on in Google’s online store and they seem to be a great offer for a device that is mainly an Internet browser.

Like the MacBook, Chromebook Pixel does not have DisplayPort and HDMI, since Type-C USB can also manage video display. But, if MacBook has just one slot and the remedy for issues like simultaneous slow charging and external display is an impossible one, Pixel has a couple of Type-C slots, one on each part of the device.

You can use any of them for powering the laptop, while you connect the other to video gadgets — however you have to buy the Type-C-to-HDMI and DisplayPort adapters to connect them to the monitor.

You do not need extra plug-ins for the other peripheral devices, though: Pixel has also two fully functional USB 3.0 slots, the 3.5mm headset connector and the SD cards reader to use at maximum capacity the 32 GB of hardware space on the basic model (and 64 GB on a more costly version). That might not seem like it is enough for tons of programs, but, usually on the Chromebooks, the users prefer to not save a lot on the memory disk.

Chromebook Pixel has a Type-C USB charger (with approximately the same dimensions as MacBook chargers, with the Type-C slot on the side, instead of the MagSafe) that provides enough energy to take the device from zero to full capacity in under 1.5 hours. For the most patient users, they can even use adaptors and Type-C-to-3.0 wires to charge the laptop, but the whole operation will take a lot more.

For its display, Chromebook Pixel has a screen of 2560 x 1700 PPI, just like its previous versions. The specialists are saying that this device presents an enhanced sRGB color range that can create the most detailed shades.

It also has the non-traditional aspect ratio of 3:2, which is rather unusual when you observe it at first glance. Google says that Pixel (and other Chromebooks) is usually used for surfing the Internet, and it is more efficient to have a different display when you are regularly scrolling through sites.

The display can also be used as a touch screen, even if it is simple to ignore this feature. Since the original Chromebook came out with rather poor touch sensitivity, the new model reacts easily and completely, even if you do not have many uses for it.

As extremely high quality as it is, Chromebook Pixel’s development raises an important dilemma: Is an online browser all that you need? Are you ready to pay more than $1,000 for a machine using mainly a browser? Has Chrome’s platform evolved to the point where the price range is not an option anymore?

Especially with its reliable power source that can withstand lengthy browsing sessions during the day, this represents the ideal device for web specialists and passionate Internet surfers.

User Experience

This gadget is quite attractive, to say the least. To begin with, the laptop’s key-board and the touchpad are probably some of the best on the market. Many users have said that these are definitely the most comfortable they have ever used and are probably better peripherals than those of regular computers.

For example, the touchpad has an ideal semi-glossy surface, but even more important than this, it is the fact that it clicks rapidly and precise. Compared to other similar products found these days that need quite an effort to press, this touchpad lets the users to click just anywhere and anytime with ease.

Merge that with its display that beats away all the older laptops and you will find out that Chromebook Pixel provides a really positive impact for any new buyer, even if some persons make unpleasing sounds when they use it initially, but after a short while they see that this is a device extremely well-built.

That feeling of fulfillment keeps increasing when you are involved in many projects at once, too. Compared with the inexpensive Chromebooks, here you do not have limitations for a certain number of tasks which can be performed simultaneously.

And, though it is quite known that on other laptops you can encounter difficulties when using different browsers, on this Pixel running on an Intel Core processor of 2.2 GHz i5 such problems are long gone.

Using this laptop that serves mostly as an online browser, you are forced to keep only the Chrome applications (and the improved, but still restricted choice of Android apps) on your hard drive. Honestly, this apparent problem is less restricting than it was just some time ago and it is awesome to see how often you find Chrome extensions for every task you need.

For example, you can have your AIM client and the web apps that can modify any movie clip. Chrome has now its (basic and with limited options) versions of Photoshop. Even downloading a torrent is relatively simple with Chrome nowadays, even if you will have to pay here and there for its best applications.

In reality, ChromeOS will only make you problems in a couple of ways: legacy applications and games. These can be quite tricky based on your skills, but even if you are used to it, you could be experience some emotional discomfort. By going from another operating system to ChromeOS, now you are actually leaving behind a whole range of programs running on Linux, OS X and Windows.

And the advantages that are obtained in exchange for the missing software are the online browser applications, but some users might consider them a little unreliable and inexpensive during the evaluation.

A few applications — such as a high performing calculator able to deal with even the most difficult mathematical operations, Google Keep and any of the large number of Android OS applications that now can be executed on Chrome’s system — have little windows to access them easily. But other programs, like Google Sheets or Schedule and the downloaded applications, appear as basic tabs in the browser.

They all perform in an excellent way, but it is a lot more complicated to separate different areas of the processing programs into several windows which can be minimized instantly and then arranged on the display when a large part of these applications appear as just another tab in the browser.

The battery life is rather high for a portable device. When you connect Chromebook Pixel to a conventional power analyzer, it shows approximately 8 hours. But in a regular type of use surfing 10 tabs for around 6 hours it will never consume the battery’s energy below 50 %, plus it maintains a reasonable temperature for the owner’s lap.

Advantages of the Product

The laptop’s style is easy to identify in the stores. The Chromebook Pixel is a wonderful product and offers great satisfaction for its use and price, especially considering that this is an exclusive gadget. The display is awesome, while the keyboard and pad are versatile in your hands, being an all-around excellent device for even the most delicate fingertips.

Charging slots on both sides is a huge advantage for the user’s mobility. Never let again your notebook’s power slot determine where you sit. The battery’s lifespan is rather long, it is enough to tap twice on the side of the laptop to see the small bar that lets you know much energy you have left.

Disadvantages

This is not an extremely convenient laptop. With its heavier weight compared to other notebooks, Chromebook Pixel might seem large and bulky, not razor-thin as a MacBook.

It operates only on Chrome and when you are searching for a device that costs only a few hundred dollars, it is easy to consider it as a bargain until you get a more performing and pricey laptop. But when you are purchasing notebooks over the thousand dollars staple and with excellent specifications, this should be just a personal choice.

Conclusion

If you want just a simple web-browsing and writing gadget, then Chromebook Pixel is among the best out there in its top class and surely one of the best created in recent years. The main function-over-form strategy brings an exciting and eye-catching alternative version to something well-known, like the thin new MacBook — a notebook that chooses a more highly effective operating system, but a processor that could eventually cut off some of its potential performances.

Image source: notebookreview.com, 1, 2, 3

Apple TV Streaming Service to be Launched in September 2015

March 21, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

The Apple TV streaming service announced some time ago will be presented to the general public most likely this June, as the mass-media sources have found out. The US giant is currently building an offer comprising approximately 25 channels from all over the country, including here major broadcasters such as CBS, Viacom, ABC, Discovery and Fox.

This package will be launched in September 2015 and will be compatible with Apple TV. iPhones, iPads and every type of iOS device. The streaming service might also include other major American channels, like FX and ESPN, since one of Apple’s goals is to address to larger on-demand virtual libraries, however it leaves out plenty of the smaller broadcasters.

Recently, Apple made a huge deal in mass-media, by earning the exclusive rights for HBO’s streaming services for several months, this leading to a significant decrease in Apple TV’s price.

Older rumors regarding new TV technology and devices from Apple, such as set-top boxes or even new types of TVs have constantly emerged for several years; but it seems that this year many of these speculations will become reality and, thus, major players on the market.

A package designed to fit any pocket

Apple is now discussing with programmers to have a much slimmed-down offer of TV networks, compared to what was predicted some time ago, due to the fact that several broadcasters did not accept the contract terms of the deals wanted by Apple.

Some specialists still believe that it will be quite hard for this brand new TV streaming service to have the recognized success without famous American channels, like NBC Universal for example, but Apple is currently negotiating with the majority of the other media corporations, including CBS, Disney or 21st Century Fox.

It is said that the predicted cost for this package of service will be an extremely affordable one, since it is aimed to cover a large area of potential customers. This news is linked to the previous reports from a few moths ago about Apple getting ready to launch a significantly innovated model of TV box that has attached to it a redesigned and much improved user-interface, but also a new type of remote control that could revolutionize this type of technology.

So, now it makes sense for the company to release its pair of streaming services and hardware in tandem during the course of this year. You might have a preview of what can be expected from this mutual package in April, when Apple’s exclusive contract with HBO will be presented in a common press conference.

Image source: appletvhacks.net

Final Fantasy Type 1 – A New and Exciting Sequel for FF Aficionados

March 19, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

With the great success in media and positive reviews that Final Fantasy XV trial is receiving, it is quite simple to ignore that there is a finished game released together with it. Final Fantasy Type-0 may not have the same social impact as the main-series, but this is a powerful game in the real sense, with a great storyline and some fulfilling fights focused on action. Besides this, Final Fantasy Type-0 has been under the guiding of Hajime Tabata, a man who succeeded in doing an excellent job, since Square Enix made him the director of the awaited sequel of this famous series.

This brand new stuff is enough to gather all players in exploring the rest of the story. Like every respectable sequel, the game provides enough hints and difficulties for the gamers who are playing both on their own or in groups and gives valuable lessons to initiate them into the whole universe, lessons aimed to unravel just a little this very dense story.

The History of Final Fantasy Games

Final Fantasy Type-0 began its virtual life as the main title for PSP and portable devices, known as Final Fantasy Agito XIII, being initially developed as an immediate sequel of Final Fantasy XIII. During its development, the edition for mobiles was removed and the title was relabeled to differentiate it from the console counterpart. The final game was published a few years ago, and had a wide range of opinions, as well as a quite decent sale number. Final Fantasy Type-0 took the fourth place in best selling games ranks in Asia during that season, defeating out Final Fantasy XIII.

The initial PSP game has never seen an European launching, although the current slot Final Fantasy Type-0 will be released in America in only a couple of days. The new edition of this game gets rid of many PSP multi-player facilities for its improved display, but the rest of the game itself has been left almost untouched. But, Square Enix has made one huge modification and without further going into details regarding this spoiler, the finishing short movie offers a clue that players might see a lot more stuff from the vast universe of Final Fantasy.

This is quite accurate, considering Tabata’s latest statements during the meetings with the fans, where he hinted that he would like to create Final Fantasy Type-1 prior to the creation of he created Final Fantasy XVI. Even if the ending of the respective clip does not use actually the exact terms, the idea is quite obvious: Final Fantasy Type-0 marks the beginning of something fresh and exciting. When the gamer finishes all missions by exclaiming triumphantly, “We have arrived” this appears to be less a conclusion, but it sounds more like promise.

Obviously, any prospective sequel of Final Fantasy Type-0 is a lengthy process; since Tabata first must finish Final Fantasy XV, this task might take quite a while. The director reports that the future part of the series is at around 60% completed (keep in mind that this project began from nothing when Tabata signed up with the venture approximately two years ago), plus there is not a planned launch time frame.

However, the storyline of Final Fantasy Type-0 that revolves around a number of students at academy of magic seems a fresh start for a few further stories, so there is true hope that the fans will receive them rather earlier than later. The commercial version of Final Dream Type-0 HD has been released these days both for XBOX One and PlayStation 4.

Image Source: Ytimg, NicheGamer

iPhone 6s Display Rumors

March 18, 2015 By Roxanne Briean Leave a Comment

iPhone 6s rumors are beginning to surface and several details regarding the iPhone 6s display have already started to make their way on the Internet.

The new Apple smartphone saw the biggest upgrade regarding its screen, increasing its size from a 4-inch display to the current 5.5-inch one present on the iPhone 6 Plus and the 4.7-inch display on the iPhone 6. Despite this change in size, the screen uses the same LCD found in previous models, meaning that consumers are pretty excited about a possible change in technology in the new iPhone 6s.

Here are some exciting iPhone 6s display rumors.

iPhones were always built with great displays and were one of the first smartphones to have high resolutions, ever since the iPhone 4 which launched in 2010. Since that model, Apple offered the Retina display in all its phones, the biggest one being the 1080p Full HD one inside the iPhone 6 Plus.

Now it seems like things are about to get even more exciting as a lot of rumors are regarding the display inside Apple’s next generation phone.

OLED Technology

There are rumors that Apple will use an OLED display inside the iPhone 6s. It’s a known fact that OLED displays are better than LCD ones but they cost more to make. Time will only tell how the price of the new iPhone 6s will be affected by the possible use of an OLED display.

OLED displays use a technology that allows each pixel on the screen to be built with an organic material that lights up when electrical current passes through it. This means that OLED displays (Organic Light-Emitting Diode) don’t need any backlighting and thus are a lot lighter and thinner than traditional LCD ones. This also means that OLED displays can be curved and bent, which will allow Apple to experiment with numerous designs.

This kind of technology is more popular nowadays and many TVs use OLED screens as well as some smartphones. That being said, it’s still a new technology and it’s understandable that Apple waited a bit before using it in its iPhones. However, this might be the perfect time for Apple to use this screen inside the iPhone 6s.

iPhone 6s Force Touch

Many people claim that this technology included in Apple Watch will also be used inside the new iPhone.

Force Touch on the Apple Watch lets users trigger actions depending on how much pressure they apply to the screen. For example, a light tap can be used to select an item, while a heavy press can display a menu or a set of options. It’s pretty similar with how a right and left click function on a mouse and it wouldn’t be surprising if Apple decides to use this technology in its new smartphone.

A similar technology was revealed earlier this week in the new MacBook. The laptop’s trackpad was improved upon and even though it’s manufactured out of glass, it’s now pressure sensitive which will allow the user to click anywhere on its surface. Up until now, the user could have only clicked from one side on the trackpad.

This technology is used by Apple for what it calls “force clicks” which, for example, will let users click harder on an address inside the Mail app to get a location of said address. Apple also showed how you can use it inside Finder to get a preview of what a folder contains.

It looks like Apple is expanding this new technology to be used inside different devices and it wouldn’t come as a surprise if it will also make its way onto the new iPhone 6s.

Glasses Free 3D

To be fair, this is pretty far-fetched, but it’s not entirely impossible. There have been rumors that the next generation iPhone will feature a glasses-free 3D display.

The new report claims that this kind of technology can’t be used with the display found in the iPhone 6, which means that an entirely different screen must be used in order to take advantage of it. It’s unlikely that Apple will redesign the iPhone this year and it’s safe to assume that if in fact a glasses-free 3D technology will be used inside the iPhone, it won’t be used until 2016 when the iPhone 7 will be released.

A 3D screen is possible but if the Amazon Fire Phone has taught us something is that consumers aren’t all that excited about this kind of technology. The Amazon Fire Phone wasn’t such a great hit.

It’s a rumor that has to be taken lightly but Apple did experiment a bit with 3D with the Parallax Effect option present in iOS7 and iOS8. The Parallax Effect gives the illusion that the display is 3D and it was first introduced in Apple’s iOS 7 and was eventually used in iOS 8 as well.

It seems a bit odd that Apple would wish to put this technology inside its iPhone, seeing how consumers aren’t all that keen on it. However, the company is known to improve upon technologies in such a way that they become unique and useful to the user. That being said, it’s not completely crazy to expect a next generation iPhone to come with a glasses-free 3D display.

So there you have it. This was our list of iPhone 6s display rumors. Only time will tell if Apple will indeed use any of these inside its new smartphone or not.

Image source: 1

Where did it all start?

Can Heroes of the Storm manage to do something different?

Easy to understand, hard to master!

Instead of a replica, we have something new and fun!

1. Google Cardboard

2. Gear VR

3. Morpheus

Right now there are several primary categories:

General Design

Technical Specifications

User Experience

Advantages of the Product

Disadvantages

Conclusion

A package designed to fit any pocket

The History of Final Fantasy Games

OLED Technology

iPhone 6s Force Touch

Glasses Free 3D

Categories