Product Reviews Net |
- NASCAR The Game: 2011 – New Patch on Way – List of Changes
- Verizon to offer White iPhone 4 in both 16GB and 32GB versions
- Best Buy Launching an iPad 2 Promotion on Sunday
- Wii 2 console has Project Cafe codename, and rumors of touchscreen controller
- MotorStorm Apocalypse out in the US in May
- Dragon’s Den: The Official Game – New App Announced for iOS
- Nintendo 3DS sales figures for US launch
- Total War: Shogun 2 Update / Patch 2 in May Will Bring DX11
- Find out who’s snooping on your iPhone with gotchacha 1.0
- Asus Eee Pad Transformer: UK Customers Facing Shipping Date Delay
- Windows 8 Build 7850 Is Old, Milestone 3 Will Show Major Changes
- Zoo Story: New Social Game Coming to iOS
- GTA 5 Release Date: Could be January 2012
- Apple’s Stubbornness, A Problem for iPhone 5 Specs & Features?
- Nintendo 3DS: Will It Flop?
- Portal 2: Countdown Clock Hints at Possible Early Release
- Google Doodle: Charlie Chaplins birthday
- Gmail now allows users to create custom backgrounds
| NASCAR The Game: 2011 – New Patch on Way – List of Changes Posted: 16 Apr 2011 04:22 AM PDT We have some great news now for those of you that bought a copy of NASCAR The Game: 2011, as the developer Eutechnyx has recently announced that a new patch is on its way. Not only will the upcoming update fix several bus that have been reported, but it will also improve the overall game. Ipfisher over at thegamershub.net has provided a list of changes that should be included in the new patch. For example, the Hardcore mode has now been enabled on the Xbox 360, the loss of save issue has been fixed and the bug in which the Spotter said 'Clear' too often is now sorted. The patch has also fixed the issue in which the Lobby Race Start Counter was freezing, the issues with the Lucky Dog rule and the bug that made the player's car roll away during a celebration. It's also added a number of improvements, including the ability to turn the HUD completely off. Support for the Porsche GT2 wheel on the Xbox 360 has also been added in the patch, as well as the ability to change your online car, support for the T500 wheel and a proximity indicator to split-screen. Manufacturer logos and Taillight / Headlight stickers have now been added to the Paint Store. You can read what other changes have been made in the upcoming patch via thegamershub.net website. Have you been experiencing many issues with the NASCAR The Game: 2011 title? For more coverage:
      |
| Verizon to offer White iPhone 4 in both 16GB and 32GB versions Posted: 16 Apr 2011 03:54 AM PDT We told you recently that the White iPhone 4 was finally going to show itself and be available later this month. We were not sure if the device would be on both AT&T and Verizon, but it looks to be heading to Verizon customers as an internal inventory from the carrier has been leaked. Mark Gurman from AppleInsider is reporting that according to the inventory Verizon are to offer the White iPhone 4 in both 16GB and 32GB versions. Apple have been saying for a while that the devoice will be available in the spring, but latest reports are pointing to an April release. AppleInsider have a screen shot of the inventory, and based on the numbering system and other sources, the numbers are for the white iPhone 4. The model number for the black handset is MC678 and the white iPhone 4 is MC679. This is the same as the numbering system for the iPad 2s, where the white model number is one higher than the black model. Regardless of whether the white iPhone 4 could be out pretty soon, will many people actually want it now after all this time? Sometime this year we should see the iPhone 5, so is it advisable to sign up to a new two year contract and then see a new device be released? Will you wait for the iPhone 5 now? For more coverage:
   |
| Best Buy Launching an iPad 2 Promotion on Sunday Posted: 16 Apr 2011 02:49 AM PDT If you are still looking to buy an iPad 2, retailer Best Buy is launching an iPad 2 promotion on Sunday. Recently we told you of some rumors that the retailer had annoyed Apple by holding on to iPad 2 stocks, but this was then denied. Well it looks like stock was being held back for the promotion which is starting tomorrow. Josh Ong from AppleInsider is reporting that a leaked internal memo indicates that Best Buy is planning a promotion push for the iPad 2. It is also thought the retailer will restart taking reserve orders for the device for at least a week after the sales promotion. The memo which was originally leaked by Engadget states the promotion will begin on April 17, and ordering system for reserving the iPad 2 will also be switched back on. It is thought that some stores will have a minimum of three iPad 2s. People who have an iPad 2 already reserved still get priority over any iPad 2 stocks that the company has, and as soon as any remaining stock has sold the stores will begin taking reserve orders for the tablet PC. The memo states that reserved units will not be held for longer than 48 hours and also staff at Best Buy are now allowed to buy an iPad 2. What isn't known about the Best Buy promotion is what else they will be offering; it is highly unlikely that there will be any discounts on the iPad 2. Maybe the store will be giving away some goodies with the device like a free case or something. Will you be heading to your local Best Buy tomorrow? For more coverage:
   |
| Wii 2 console has Project Cafe codename, and rumors of touchscreen controller Posted: 16 Apr 2011 01:10 AM PDT Recently we told you that Nintendo could be showcasing a new Wii console at this year's E3, and later we had more rumors suggesting that the new console will be more powerful then the PS3 and Xbox 360. Since then more rumors have surfaced, and we are now hearing the Wii 2 console has the codename Project Café, and a rumor of a touchscreen controller. The Sixthaxis are reporting that a French website is claiming the new console will feature a custom three core IBM PowerPC CPU. Other features alleged to be coming in the console are an ATI 700 GPU, and a half a GB of RAM or maybe more. There is talk the new console will be able to play Wii games and those from the GameCube. But it's the new rumored controller that could be the groundbreaking piece of kit. It is being speculated that it will feature a 6-inch touch screen with a front facing camera, as well as the normal control buttons. IGN are looking at the possibility of the controller in more detail, and mention that the display is said to feature HD resolution. But the costs of any such device could be quite high, and could come in at around $80. Nintendo could decide to make less money on each unit to keep prices down. It is thought that games will be streamed to the controller from the console, but how would that affect battery life? Many different sources are all pointing to the same concept from Nintendo, who could soon be offering the world something totally different. Head over to IGN and read what else they have to say about the Project Café controller. Do you like the idea of a controller with a touchscreen? For more coverage:
   |
| MotorStorm Apocalypse out in the US in May Posted: 15 Apr 2011 02:16 PM PDT We told you towards the end of last month, that Sony had delayed the release of MotorStorm Apocalypse because of the natural disasters in Japan and New Zealand. Today we have some good news for you as Sony has decided to announce an official release date for the game. Pete Davison from GamePro.com is reporting in an article that Sony announced the news via the PlayStation Blog. In the Blog post they said the much anticipated game would be speeding into North American stores from May 3. Sony have also said that to say 'thank you' for gamers being patient for the release, every copy of the new game will also feature a free voucher for the Premier Pack DLC bundle. The bundle in question includes two vehicles and some other goodies apparently. The company has also mentioned that anyone who pre-orders the game will receive one of the Carbon Edition vehicles free. The special packs not only have a car for use in the game, but also there are some designs that can be attached to any vehicle in the game, as well as a dynamic XMB theme and PSN avatar. There is currently no information about a release date for Europe or the rest of the world, but that will surely be following soon. Are you pleased to finally get an official release date for the game? For more coverage:
   |
| Dragon’s Den: The Official Game – New App Announced for iOS Posted: 15 Apr 2011 11:18 AM PDT Are you a fan of the Dragon's Den TV show? If you are, we have some news that could be of interest to you. DR Studios – the developer behind games such as Tycoon City: New York and Monopoly Tycoon – has just announced that it is currently working on an iOS game based on the hit series. According to a recent article by Kev J. at electronictheatre.co.uk, Dragon's Den: The Official Game will be arriving on the Apple App Store very soon, and will be compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Unfortunately, not many details were revealed about the upcoming app. However, it's being suggested that Dragon's Den: The Official Game is a management type game, in which the player takes on the role of one of the 'Dragons.' Players will then be tasked with choosing which products and business ideas they should invest their money in. The Dragon's Den TV series originally started off as a Japanese show back in 2001, but since then it has been produced in many other countries including Australia, Canada, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, the United States (known as Shark Tank) and of course, the UK. Are you a Dragon's Den fan that owns an iOS device? If you are, will you be downloading the upcoming game? For more coverage:
   |
| Nintendo 3DS sales figures for US launch Posted: 15 Apr 2011 09:43 AM PDT Despite some people complaining of problems with their Nintendo 3DSs, the company managed to shift around 400,000 of the units during the first week in the US. The company experienced quite a good month during March in the country. Adam Rosenberg from Digital Trends is reporting that March was a really good month for Nintendo in the US. They also managed to shift 460,000 DS units, and 290,000 of its Wii console which brought the hardware total for the month 1.1 million. The 3DS fell short of the 500,000 that the DS achieved in its first week of release in 2004, but the DS was launched during the holiday season and at a time when there was more money around. The Nintendo Wii was also launched around the same time of year. Despite what people may think about the 3DS, to sell 400,000 units in one week under the current financial market is quite an achievement. If Nintendo had a better lineup of launch games it could have sold even more. Surely as better 3D titles become available the consoles popularity will grow. What do you think of the sales figures for the 3DS? For more coverage:
   |
| Total War: Shogun 2 Update / Patch 2 in May Will Bring DX11 Posted: 15 Apr 2011 09:20 AM PDT Earlier this week we confirmed that Crytek would be releasing an update for Crysis 2 which will add DirectX 11 support, now we can also confirm that an update will soon launch for Total War: Shogun 2 which will add DX11 support to the title, this news comes roughly a month after the game’s release date. A recent post on the Total War forums says that substantial fixes are coming in the week and months ahead, patch 2 should arrive in early May and will add DirectX 11 compatibility, this allows compliant PCs to feature enhanced shadowing and hardware tessellation, also we have heard that it will bring anti-aliasing support. The statement posted on the forum suggest that the game’s makers are aware of ongoing issue raised by the community and the developers seem keen to smooth out lots of multiplayer problems, however there was no mention of issues being resolved for the game’s single-player elements. As we hear more about the changes this patch will bring we will keep you posted, the good news is that visuals should be better (for DX11 compliant rigs) and the multiplayer elements should be improved, what other changes would you like to see? For more coverage:
   |
| Find out who’s snooping on your iPhone with gotchacha 1.0 Posted: 15 Apr 2011 09:05 AM PDT Has someone been playing around with your devices without asking again? Well you can find out who's snooping on your iPhone with gotchacha 1.0 the new fun app available for the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. Released for iOS this app can help you monitor those parents, partners, relatives and friends that are constantly taking your device without consent. The gotchacha 1.0 will simulate other apps and an alert sound will activate when the screen is touched, by applying the settings you can have alert messages appear. This chance to investigate snooping has been introduced by Girapha Studios as their ultimate prank application. If you own an iPhone 4 the camera at the front will take a photo so you can prove you findings. You can fool your friends by making your mobile seem abandoned. Use the smart angel and devil design available, just apply a mock screen, sound mode and alert message then tap and gotchacha is ready to go. Using gotchacha could stop those unwanted nosey people tampering with your stuff by making them jump, or use it help you find out who's constantly snooping without you knowing. For more information visit the App Store. For more coverage:
   |
| Asus Eee Pad Transformer: UK Customers Facing Shipping Date Delay Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:39 AM PDT If you're one of the many UK residents that are waiting to get their hands on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet, then I'm afraid we have some disappointing news for you. It looks like you'll have to wait a little longer than expected, as the shipping date has now been delayed. According to a recent article by Stuart Dredge over at crave.cnet.co.uk, Asus previously revealed that the Android 3.0 Honeycomb run device would be available as from April 6th in the UK, but it appears that the initial limited amount of tablet PCs have sold out rather quickly. This of course means that retailers have unfortunately had to delay their shipping dates until June 1st. Amazon has apparently emailed their customers with a brand new shipping date, which is also displayed on the Asus Eee Pad Transformer's product page. However, the much-anticipated tablet is sure to be worth the extra wait. As a reminder, the Asus Eee Pad Transformer – which can be purchased with the additional keyboard dock – is powered by a dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and features a 10.1-inch display and dual cameras. The Transformer will set you back £380 on its own, or £430 with the keyboard dock. Were you hoping to get the Asus Eee Pad Transformer tablet soon? For more coverage:
   |
| Windows 8 Build 7850 Is Old, Milestone 3 Will Show Major Changes Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:21 AM PDT Recently we told you how Windows 8 Build 7850 had leaked and was available to download on many different bit torrent trackers etc, now we have looked into the build and can reveal that if you were disappointed by the lack of difference in the screenshots you do not have to worry. Multiple sources are suggesting that build 7850 is roughly 6 months old and the Milestone 1 build of Windows 8, Microsoft‘s developers are currently working on Milestone 3, apparently this is when we will really begin seeing some vast changes. We would love to tell you about all of the neat new features and interface tweaks, however as you would expect people are staying quiet, in fact if you are an employee or contingent staff Microsoft warn you very strictly against leaking any details, if you are caught leaking Windows 8 screenshots etc you may be sacked. This news does at least confirm that the early Windows 8 screens should not be studied too much as they are from an early build, this means that if Milestone 3 screenshots leak we should be in for a real treat… that’s if anyone is brave/stupid enough to leak them. If and when we come across more Windows 8 screenshots and details we will keep you posted, what new features / changes would you like to see? For more coverage:
   |
| Zoo Story: New Social Game Coming to iOS Posted: 15 Apr 2011 08:06 AM PDT After seeing just how popular its 'Fashion Story' and 'Nightclub Story' games have become on the Apple App Store, mobile social game developer TeamLava has recently announced that its new social game 'Zoo Story' will be coming to iOS devices very soon. As noted over on the ign.com website, the 'Zoo Story' game – which will be compatible with the iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad – sees players become zookeepers, who are then tasked with the job of breeding, managing and caring for a whole host of different animals. Players begin the 'Zoo Story' game by finding wild animals from places such as the jungle and the ocean. They are then tasked with harvesting crops in order to keep the little creatures well fed and happy. However, running a zoo isn't just about keeping the animals happy. It is also important to keep your zoo visitors happy, which you can do with exciting theme park attractions, tasty amenities and plenty of animals. Just like with other 'Story' games, players are able to design the layout of their zoo and decorate it to their liking. Zookeepers are even able to invite other players to visit their zoos, and earn prizes by completing special tasks. Are you a fan of the 'Story' games? If so, will you be downloading the 'Zoo Story' game? For more coverage:
   |
| GTA 5 Release Date: Could be January 2012 Posted: 15 Apr 2011 07:59 AM PDT Previously we have had rumors that the next installment of the Grand Theft Auto series could be coming out sometime this year. But today we have news that the GTA 5 release date could be January 2012, according to some reports coming out today. An article by Tom Ivan over at Computerandvideogames is reporting that a German retailer called GameStop, has a listing for Grand theft Auto 5 which suggests the release date will be January 15 2012. This could mean that at the E3 Expo in June, Rockstar games could finally reveal the next installment of the franchise. Last year there was some job ads posted which seemed to be for the game, and some people have suggested the title is well down the road in terms of development. Analyst Michael Pachter commented last year that the GTA 5 should be released by the final quarter of 2012 at the very latest. Some of Rockstar's most important people to do with the development of the game are out of contract during January 2012. Many fans would like to hear an official date for the game, but won't be too pleased if they do have to wait until 2012 before the game hits the stores. Will you be hoping that GTA 5 comes out before 2012? For more coverage:
   |
| Apple’s Stubbornness, A Problem for iPhone 5 Specs & Features? Posted: 15 Apr 2011 07:29 AM PDT Many are hoping that Apple will release the iPhone 5 in 2011, previous iPhone releases have taken place in late June / early July, however there is talk of a possible release in September, but will Apple stick to their guns and snub certain technologies and features this time around? The iPhone 4 was and still is a great smartphone (ignoring the signal issues), however you are lucky if you get much more than 24 hours of battery life from a charge, also there is no Adobe Flash support, no removable battery and no memory card slot, we wonder if this will be the case with the iPhone 5. 2011 has seen lots of of high-end smartphones release already, therefore this year is arguably the hardest year for Apple to stay dominant in the high-end smartphone market, will Apple cave-in and offer features which the iPhone has never offered before to stay competitive? We expect the iPhone 5 to be much faster than the iPhone 4 and may even feature the dual-core Apple A5 SoC, if this is the case the battery capacity is very important, if you can’t get much more than a day from the battery it may be an idea to offer a removable battery, this has never been seen with any previous iPhone release, however could be essential this year. Many think that the iPhone 5 will run iOS 5 out-of-the-box, there is talk of integrated cloud storage which is great for data security, however if there is no cloud storage people may want to see some form of removable storage. No iPhone has ever featured a memory card slot and Apple charge a lot for higher capacity models, you have to pay an extra $100 for an extra 16GB of storage for the iPhone 4, whilst many retailers sell 16GB microSD memory cards for just $20-$30. Finally Apple has been very stubborn regarding Adobe Flash support, Apple claim that Flash is detrimental to battery life and Adobe’s security credentials are questionable, however with Android already offering Flash support and Windows Phone 7 receiving it soon it may be an idea to offer Adobe Flash support for the iPhone 5. Perhaps upon installation iPhone 5 owners could be prompted with a clear warning of why Apple recommend that you do not install it, this leaves the end-user with a clear choice. If Apple stay stubborn and snub all of the previously mentioned technologies and features we think that lots will go for an Android or Windows Phone 7 smartphone instead, will you? What other technologies should Apple’s next iPhone feature? For more coverage:
   |
| Posted: 15 Apr 2011 06:58 AM PDT Since the release of the Nintendo 3DS we have heard lots of reports of people feeling ill due to the 3D effect, whether these stories are exaggerated or not is hard to tell, however a recent article posted on VG247 lists a lot of other reasons why the Nintendo 3DS could be a failure. Over the years lots of video games consoles have failed, previously Nintendo’s GameCube and Virtual Boy flopped, could the 3DS be their next lead balloon? If you check out VG247′s article there are lots of reasons why the Nintendo 3DS could fail, obviously the bad press from the reports of headaches etc are not helping the situation, however VG247 suggest that the 3DS appeals to just three kinds of people die-hard Nintendo fans, casual gamers and regular gamers, but what launch titles will entice these potential customers? Regular gamers will be looking forward to the release of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, casual gamers may have already bought Street Fighter IV but apart from these titles VG247 feel that there is not much else on offer (Ocarina of Time 3D arrives in late June). One other thing which does not bode well for the 3DS is battery life, VG247 claim that with everything turned down you can get 5 hours of usage, but if you are turning the 3D capabilities off you might as well be playing games on the DS. Another things which is not in the 3DS’ favor is the upcoming competition that the Sony NGP will bring, also the DS was a success early on as there weren’t many handheld devices on the market which offered rich gaming experiences, now pretty much every Android, WP7 and iOS-based device we see released is capable of producing impressive visuals and intuitive controls for great gameplay. In this day and age it looks as if people just don’t need a separate handheld device for their gaming needs, they have a console at home and a smartphone for on-the-go gaming, for kids and Nintendo fans the 3DS is great, but is its mainstream appeal great enough for it to be a success? We’re not sure… We would love to hear your opinion on the future of the Nintendo 3DS, therefore let us know whether you think it will flop or succeed in the long run below, also feel free to answer the poll question. For more coverage:
   |
| Portal 2: Countdown Clock Hints at Possible Early Release Posted: 15 Apr 2011 05:51 AM PDT There appears to be a few rumors circulating online at the moment, suggesting that Valve Corporation's much-anticipated Portal 2 game could well see an early release. These rumors are being fueled by a mysterious countdown clock that has recently surfaced on the Aperture Science website. According to a recent article by Jessica Citizen over at vg247.com, the site appears to have been updated with a countdown clock, which is counting down the seconds until 9:00 AM (PDT) on Friday morning. So could the Portal 2 game be arriving before its scheduled release date? An Australian Kotaku reader was the one that spotted the update, while keeping a close eye on the Valve ARG wiki. All the recent signs appear to be pointing towards a possible early release for the Portal 2 game, although some gamers hope that Friday’s update will refer to Half-Life 2: Episode 3. The website also provides a message underneath the countdown clock (which at the time of writing is at just over 3 hours), which simply reads: 'you have done well, humans. Very well. Acceptable well, even.' Do you think that it is a hint towards an early release for Portal 2, or perhaps something entirely different? For more coverage:
   |
| Google Doodle: Charlie Chaplins birthday Posted: 15 Apr 2011 05:47 AM PDT Google has continued its trend of celebrating special events with a special Doodle on its home page. The search engine giant has put up a special Doodle video today, to celebrate one of the world's most famous comedy actors from before the First World War. One day early, today's Google Doodle is celebrating what would have been Charlie Chaplin's 122nd birthday. The English born comedy actor was born on April 16 in 1889 but sadly died in 1977. He was most famous for his early work during the silent film era, and Google are paying tribute to the star in their usual classy style with a video. You can see the video below or by going to the Google home page, and in it there is someone dressed as the star doing some comedy sketches with the Google logo appearing every now and then. This not the first time Google has made a video in tribute to a famous person, back in October last year they had a video paying tribute to John Lennon on what would have been his 70th birthday. You can find out more information about Charlie Chaplin by visiting Wikipedia. Have you watched the Charlie Chaplin Google Doodle video? For more coverage:
   |
| Gmail now allows users to create custom backgrounds Posted: 15 Apr 2011 05:02 AM PDT Google have announced that Gmail now allows users to create custom backgrounds for their e-mail inboxes. This comes after Google recently introduced the capability to change the way your Gmail looked with a variety of themes. Mike Luttrell over at TG Daily is reporting in an article, that before this latest change users were limited to just a few available themes. But now users can use any photo they want for the background of their inbox. Google announced the news in a blog post and said that using themes in Gmail was great with many to choose from. It went on to say that they had "heard from many of you who thought it would be even better if you could give Gmail an even more personalized look and create themes completely on your own". You can use the new option now by using the option menu in Gmail. Under Mail Settings you will find the option of Create your own Theme. With this you can then upload your own photos and as many as you want. Now every time you go to check your emails you can see your children or loved ones, and even your favorite pet if you desire. Users can even change Google’s home search page with a picture or background to create a personalized version of Google.com. Have you used the new feature yet? What sort of background have you chosen? For more coverage:
   |
| You are subscribed to email updates from Product Reviews: To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment