Tech


Time To Throw Away Your Xbox? OnLive Brings You High End Gaming Via The Cloud

By Rob Golding [AttackMonkey250] on March 12th, 2010

OnLiveNow I have to be honest, I have largely been in the dark recently with regards to server based gaming, unintentionally dismissing it as a window of opportunity of 3D chess lovers and Doom fanatics seeking a more sociable platform to play together and coexist with modern systems.

Imagine the shock then when I read that using the median of the imminent OnLive (albeit for US games only) I could potentially play Crysis through my TV with little more than an internet connection, therefore cutting out the fat, expensive, fragile middle man with a short lifespan that is any tangible hardware to run my favourite titles. I tell you, it was like a frying pan to the face.

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4 Free Applications Every Nokia Smartphone User Should Use

By Ben Norman [n0rman0] on March 3rd, 2010

Applications for Nokia PhonesMention the iPhone and people can’t help but talk about ‘apps’. What many people don’t seem to realise is that similar applications have been available on Nokia’s smartphone OS – Symbian (s60) – for years. The problem is they’ve never really had an App Store equivalent, even the recently created Ovi Store doesn’t do much mustard cutting.

This doesn’t mean there aren’t great applications out there for Nokia phone owners in 2010, they’re just harder to find. Once you’ve found them though, you’ll be pleased to know that s60 supports multitasking (so you can laugh at iPhone users who have to quit one application if they want to check something in another :) ). I’ve included a list of applications I feel everyone should use (all of which are free), and if you’re the proud owner of a new phone which runs s60 you really should check them out. All the applications I suggest work for the E71, I’m sure they’ll be fine on the majority of others as well but I don’t own the phones to check!

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Facebook App Released For Zune HD – Doesn’t work

By Ben Norman [n0rman0] on March 2nd, 2010

ZuneHDSo Microsoft has finally got around to releasing a Facebook app for the Zune HD, something I think all owners have been clamouring for since its release. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work, well at least not yet. At the moment all I can access through it are my notifications, the albums I’ve uploaded and my basic info. Microsoft are certainly aware of the problem as you can see from Zune’s twitter feed, so fingers crossed it shouldn’t be that long until it’s fully functional.

I’ll do a proper review once the app’s up and running in a way that’s actually works but initial impressions are good. The UI is nice and clean, as you come to expect when using the Zune, and as far as I can tell includes all the functionality you’d want from an app like this.

Now come on Microsoft, as far as I understand it the reason you’ve not opened up third party app support is so you can control the quality of the apps. I imagine someone’s getting a fair old face-slapping somewhere right about now!

P.S. To all you iPhone/iPod Touch owners, I know you’ve had a Facebook app since time began, forgive me for getting excited about something so mundane! :)


Windows Phone 7 Series Released

By Ben Norman [n0rman0] on February 16th, 2010

Taking obvious hints from the Zune HD’s interface, Microsoft have managed to create a clean and modern OS. If it is based on previous incarnations they’ve hidden it well enough that no one would care.

Definitely aimed more at the casual user than the older versions, great emphasis on integration with social networks and Xbox Live is evident. This as well as a media player based on the Zune and lots of swanky graphics certainly markets it as a device for pleasure as well as productivity. Assuming they manage to keep the old functionality they’ve done well to encompass two very different markets.

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Zune HD; No Need To Convert Your Videos Any More

By Ben Norman [n0rman0] on February 9th, 2010

ZuneHDA couple of weeks ago the Zune software was updated to include support for a vast array of new video formats. I for one completely missed it, so I figured it was worthwhile pointing it out.

Don’t get too excited quite yet, it’s not the Zune HD’s hardware itself which is supporting the files – just the software. When you add your video library folders to the software, all the files show up, and if you then choose to sync one it converts it on the fly. There are also rumours of a purported update for the Zune HD itself, later this spring to natively support these files… we can only hope!

The conversion speed itself is about as fast as the methods I’ve used before the update and the quality is at least as good. Obviously this solution is much nicer than converting the files yourself, eliminating the need to have two versions of everything on your computer. That, and the fact that simply clicking ‘sync’ is a lot easier than messing around with format changers.

Personally I think this is a fantastic update, only made better if the Zune HD does indeed start supporting these files natively, eliminating time wasting conversion completely. It certainly adds a plus point for Microsoft’s player when trying to decide whether to get a Zune or an iPod.

What do you think? Impressed like I am, or do you think it’s not actually all that fantastic? Let us know in the comments below.


Linux. So what’s that all about?

By Euan Cowieson [BE77Y] on February 8th, 2010

Linux Distributions - which one is right for you?An operating system that’s able to be run from a pen drive? Yes, please! Ok, so right out of the gate it already sounds like I’m trying to ‘sell’ the idea of Linux to you. Scratch that. I do, however, think it is a very interesting concept, and the Operating Systems that are developed using the open-source Linux kernel are in themselves very intriguing, and altogether worthwhile.

Now then, to give you a brief overview, we have to go back to the 80′s. Its not been long since the founders of Apple Inc. and Microsoft went their separate ways, and home computing is still in its infancy. In 1983, Richard Stallman creates the GNU Project, with the vision of creating a free, open-source, UNIX-like operating system. However, even after years of development and an almost-complete operating system, the GNU kernel failed to get the required attention from developers to be completed. Enter Linus Torvalds (c1991). Linus took what was previously done under the GNU Project and created another project, that eventually became the Linux kernel. It’s that kernel that is still under development and iteration today, and that all Linux ‘flavours‘ must build upon.

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