Minggu, 30 September 2012
Googles Next Nexus Handset to Arrive in October
Google has been long rumored to plan the release of a new Nexus smartphone, and it appears that the device could become official before the end of October.
Previous rumors did suggest that Google might be set to launch the new device in time for the celebration of Android’s five-year anniversary, but nothing has been confirmed on the matter for the time being.
According to Android and me, the next Google phone might indeed be released in October, yet the info comes only from unofficial sources.
The new rumor also suggests that the next Nexus smartphone will be based on LG’s Optimus G handset that was unveiled to the world only recently.
The new device would pack an upgraded flavor of Android, yet that won’t be the 5.0 version rumored before, but a 4.2 variant. The OS iteration has already started to emerge in statistics, as testing is underway.
Via: Googles Next Nexus Handset to Arrive in October
Scythe Launches Handy USB 3.0 Compact Flash Card Reader
Scythe has just launched a new Compact Flash card reader that comes with a protective rubber case and a handy ring for using it as a key chain trinket. The fast USB 3.0 interface comes is very useful considering just how fast CF cards have become these days.
The company claims that the new gadget works with Microsoft’s Windows operating systems as well as Apple’s OS X without the need to install any new drivers.
The card reader supports CompactFlash Type I and Type II cards and is compatible with the classic UDMA mode.
Scythe’s new device is officially named SCCFR-1000 and the pricing is slated at 16.70 EUR ($21.5).
Via: Scythe Launches Handy USB 3.0 Compact Flash Card Reader
AsRock Prepares Impressive AMD Trinity FM2A85X Extreme6 Motherboard
Well-known ex-ASUS subsidiary is getting ready to launch its own top of the line FM2 motherboard for AMD’s new Trinity APUs. The new motherboard comes with high quality components and usefull features such as Lucid’s Virtu MVP.
The official name of the motherboard will apparently be ASRock FM2A85X Extreme6 and it will feature three PCI-Express x16 slots that will be able to work in x8 + x8 + x4 mode.
The motherboard is thus 3-way CrossFire capable, but also reportedly comes with two PCI-Express x1 slots and one classic 32-bit PCI slot.
USB 3.0 ports are also there along with seven SATA 3 ports and one eSATA on the backside I/O panel.
This is an overclock oriented device and thus comes with lots of useful features such as a POST LED indicator, 2600+ DDR3 frequency support, Power, Reset and Clear CMOS buttons as well as X-Boost automatic overclocking technology.
Via: AsRock Prepares Impressive AMD Trinity FM2A85X Extreme6 Motherboard
Icy Dock Launches Handy MB981U3S-1S USB 3.0 HDD Dock with eSATA
Icy Dock is launching yet another useful storage bay that allows the user to mount a slim 2.5” laptop HDD or a normal sized 3.5” desktop drive inside it. The interesting part is that the new dock is also coming with an eSATA connector next to the SuperSpeed USB 3.0 one.
The eSATA connector will allow the system to see the drive as a normal / internal HDD and will boot from it with the same speed and performance as from an internal HDD.
The user will have its own programs available and will not depend on the software set from work and will also have all his documents available no matter if he works at the office or at home.
Using USB 3.0, the dock will be compatible with any other computer that comes with the classic USB 2.0 connectors or a fast USB 3.0 port.
Here are the official key features of the Icy Dock MB981U3S-1S USB 3.0/eSATA HDD Dock:
* Completely screw-less / tool-less design for any type of SATA drive
* Allows docking of 2.5”/3.5” SATA HDD & SSD connected via USB 3.0, USB 2.0 or eSATA
* 2 part anti-dust cover protects internals even when small 2.5” SATA drive is used
* Easy access On/off button allows hard drive life expendability and energy conservation
* Plug & Play USB 3.0 with backwards capabilities to USB 2.0 for quick connection for
any computer system
* Exposed working HDD stands in the air vertically for fast heat dissipation.
* USB 3.0 connectivity with up to 5 Gb/sec transfer rates
* eSATA connectivity with up to 3 Gb/sec transfer rates
* Large eject button for hassle free drive removal
* Low profile power adapter for 3.5” drives
* USB bus power for 2.5” drives
* Great for DIY users and IT Professionals
* Compatible with Macbook Air & Macbook Pro
* Designed for PC & Mac systems
Pricing has not been made available yet, but the product is backed by a full 3-year warranty.
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Via: Icy Dock Launches Handy MB981U3S-1S USB 3.0 HDD Dock with eSATA
How to Install Thunderbird Beta on Ubuntu Linux
The following tutorial will teach Ubuntu users how to install the latest Beta release of the popular Mozilla Thunderbird email and RSS client on their systems.
The current Beta channel contains Mozilla Thunderbird 16, which will bring support for background, silent updates, support for Box.com to the Filelink functionality, as well as various other performance improvements and bugfixes.
The Beta release of Mozilla Thunderbird is supported and can be installed on the following Ubuntu operating systems: Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal), Ubuntu 12.04.1 LTS (Precise Pangolin), Ubuntu 11.10 (Oneiric Ocelot), Ubuntu 11.04 (Natty Narwhal) and Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Lucid Lynx).
WARNING: We should warn you that the stable release of Mozilla Thunderbird that you have installed on your Ubuntu machine will be replaced by this Beta version. You have been warned!
Step 1 - Add the Thunderbird Beta repository
No matter what Ubuntu operating system (see above supported OSes) you are running, open a terminal and paste the following command:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/thunderbird-next
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We don’t know if this collaboration with Rockchip is enough to get GlobalFoundries back to profitability, but it’s a serious step in the right direction.
As we said, Rockchip now powers almost 80% of the tablets manufactured in China.
While this may seem impressive on a national scale, we must also mention that it is just as impressive on an international level as around 80% of all tablets manufactured in China are exported.
Rockchip powers tablets manufactured under well-known brands such as Samsung, Philips, Sony, Toshiba and Archos and therefore GlobalFoundries will likely get a good piece of all that action.
Via: GlobalFoundries to Conquer 80% of the Chinese Tablet CPU Market
Security Brief: Cyberattacks on US Banks, Incidents
This was a busy week for the world of information security, with hacktivists attacking US banks, major vulnerabilities being discovered, and some other incidents that made a lot of headlines around the world.
The main events of this week were the attacks launched by Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters. After disrupting the websites of Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase, allegedly as a form of protest against the Innocence of Muslims movie, the hacktivists released another statement threatening Wells Fargo, US Bank and PNC.
In the meantime, some controversial theories have emerged. Some US officials and even some security experts rushed to point the finger at Iran, claiming that these attacks are most likely a response to the restrictions imposed by the United States.
Iran quickly denied being involved, but to no avail. More and more voices stress that the blasphemous movie featuring the Prophet Mohammed is only a cover-up.
The controversial hacker known as The Jester (th3j35t3r) came forward saying that Anonymous might be involved in the attacks.
Now, it remains to be seen what other organizations will be targeted by the hacktivists who threatened to keep launching attacks until Innocence of Muslims was removed from the Internet.
Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Cyber Fighters weren’t the only hacktivists who made headlines. Anonymous Global decided to join the anti-austerity protests in Spain by taking down the website of the National Police.
Another interesting topic from this week relates to Adobe’s decision to revoke a Windows code signing certificate on October 4. The company considers this a necessary step after identifying a couple of malicious applications signed with the compromised certificate.
On Wednesday we learned from researcher Radu Dragusin that the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) had been inadvertently exposing the usernames and clear text passwords of over 100,000 users for more than a month.
Many of the affected individuals are said to be working for major companies such as Apple, Google, IBM, Oracle and even NASA.
We also reported about an incident that affected phpMyAdmin users. They were warned by SourceForge and phpMyAdmin of a corrupted distribution served from a Korean mirror on SourceForge.
A malicious file planted inside the archive could have allowed remote attackers to execute their own malicious commands.
As far as vulnerabilities are concerned, experts from Security Explorations have identified yet another flaw in Oracle’s Java SE. Oracle confirmed its existence and promised to patch it up in a future CPU.
However, in the meantime, around one billion users are at risk of falling victim to cybercriminals.
Let’s not forget mobile security. This week, researchers showed us not only how to ride the San Francisco subway without paying a dime, but also how to remotely wipe Samsung Galaxy S3 phones, or any other Samsung devices running TouchWiz.
Via: Security Brief: Cyberattacks on US Banks, Incidents
A Gamers Week: September 30
With the return of my colleague Andrei Dobra to game playing duties we have two full Softepdia reviews to deliver this week: one for the highly expected Borderlands 2, the stylish shooter from developer Gearbox and publisher 2K Games, and one for Shad’O, a tower defense title preoccupied with the issues of memory.
We also have a number of Quick Looks this week: one for the demo version of the turn- based strategy XCOM: Enemy Unknown, one for a Starcraft II inspired indie called Tryst and the last one for FIFA 13.
In the area of Gamer Diaries we have a new one which details my space-based adventures in FTL, the Kickstarter funded roguelike that is inspired by everything from Star Trek to Firefly.
We also offer an EndWeekGame piece and a selection of the most significant news of the week that passed us by.
On Monday Blizzard suggested that multiplayer for Starcraft II might become free-to-play, while Treyarch talked about the way team cooperation changes the multiplayer in Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
On Tuesday Black Ops 2 was again in the news as the leading multiplayer designer talked about possible nerfs to the perk system, and Borderlands 2 had some issues soon after launch.
On Wednesday BioWare leaked the details for the coming downloadable content linked to Mass Effect 3 and Nintendo talked about the millions of players that might still buy the original Wii.
On Thursday the developers talked about terminal use in Halo 4 and a rumor suggested that Valve might be purchased by Nexon.
On Friday BioWare revealed that it had special plans for female Shepard in the upcoming Mass Effect Trilogy, while the creator of Minecraft announced he was refusing to port its game to Windows 8.
On Saturday a former Ensemble employee talked about Halo Wars and Nintendo offered info on new content for New Super Mario Bros. 2.
Via: A Gamers Week: September 30
Modern UI-Style File Manager
Immersive Explorer is a file manager designed to replace the default solution provided by Microsoft in Windows 7 and 8 operating systems. What stands out is the fact that all items are displayed as tiles, just like in the Modern UI environment in Windows 8, and it uses graphical hardware acceleration.
Immersive Explorer does not take over Windows Explorer's functions because it is designed as an alternative solution, just like other file managers on the market. Its focus is on content rather than options and menus.
Once started it occupies the entire desktop area, only the taskbar being available. You can resize it to a smaller view as well as make it full-screen. Worthy of mention is the fact that downsizing does not automatically shrink the content and if there are plenty of elements you will definitely not have them all in the same window; the horizontal scroll bar will help you get to them, though.
Just like in the Windows’ file manager, the default initial view shows the group of libraries, favorites and the drives. If the first two are lively colored, the third batch of items is differentiated only by the information in the tiles, which is exactly the same as in Windows Explorer (drive letter, partition size and amount of free space).
In the upper part of the interface thee are the navigation controls that allow you to move back and forth and go up one level or return to the initial screen with all the drives. In the lower part there are the Browse, View and Edit menus, which include options for handling selected items.
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As soon as you make your selection a new set of options pops up, allowing you to view the properties of the chosen items, delete or rename them. These are the highlighted possibilities and not all of them work, proof that the application is still in an early stage of development.
During our testing we could not check the properties of a folder; the dialog would come up blank. Things were different with files because we could see information like size, creation and modification dates.
Also locked is the delete function. Although the option is highlighted upon selecting an item you won’t be able to complete the operation. Trying to achieve this with Immersive Explorer seems to be impossible because the application does not support keyboard input either.
An interesting option is displaying the MD5 and SHA1 hash. These are not shown by default, since with larger files it would greatly delay the display of the properties. However, the option to calculate the values is available if you’re willing to wait for the operation to complete. With smaller items the values are calculated very fast.
Another special ability available in Immersive Explorer is that it comes with a built-in image viewer. It is a basic tool that offers a minimum amount of options: full-screen, zoom in/out on mouse click and scroll, returning to the fit-to-window view and moving to the next and previous picture.
The clock is displayed at all times in Immersive Explorer, even when the image viewer is running. It is a very discreet on-screen element, which, depending on what’s displayed, might pass unnoticed.
The image viewer also lets you view the pictures in film strip mode, thus allowing you to view the thumb preview for each item.
Built-in support for audio files is also available in the application. Just like in the case of the image viewer, activation is done by simply clicking on the desired item. During our tests we were able to play MP3, WAV, WMA and OGG audio straight in Immersive Explorer. The same is available for video files.
In the current stage of development Immersive Explorer seems more like a concept rather than a file manager ready for usage. On the other hand, with a little effort it could become a feasible solution, especially on Windows 8 tablets.
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The Good
It looks great and support for media files (image, audio and video) is a big plus.
The Bad
Development is ongoing and any flaws pointed out in the review might be fixed in the stable release.
The Truth
Immersive Explorer has a long way to go to become a file manager with minimal functionality. Lack of keyboard support combined with plenty of options missing make it quite difficult to handle even by beginners.
For future versions the developer promises optimization for touch screens and a better experience for desktop users as well.
Note: Immersive Explorer is in alpha stage of development, hence a project in progress. As such, our rating will remain set to the default three stars until the stable version is evaluated.
Via: Modern UI-Style File Manager
Sabtu, 29 September 2012
How to Get Google Maps Back on iOS 6
Apple has released a short guide for customers looking to replace the iOS Maps application with an alternative solution, advising users to simply save the site as a web app to the iPhone’s Home screen.
Apple CEO Tim Cook released a statement this week regarding the poor performance of his company’s new Maps offering in iOS 6.
Cook revealed the reasons why Apple was forced to pull away from Google’s services, as well as that customers have searched for nearly half a billion locations using the new solution so far.
Finally, the Apple boss advised users to simply visit the App Store and download an alternative solution until the bugs get ironed out. He also suggested adding Google and Nokia maps as web apps to the iOS Home screen.
“While we’re improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app.”
A short guide is now available on Apple.com to show iPhone owners how to do that. Interestingly, the company uses an icon featuring the Apple logo as an example, rather than Google Maps and Nokia Maps icons.
Tim Cook ended his open letter to the Apple fan base noting that, “Everything we do at Apple is aimed at making our products the best in the world.”
“We know that you expect that from us, and we will keep working non-stop until Maps lives up to the same incredibly high standard,” he said.
Via: How to Get Google Maps Back on iOS 6
Need for Speed: Most Wanted on PC Supports Many Graphics Features
Need for Speed: Most Wanted is out at the end of October and developer Criterion Games has confirmed that the game’s PC version comes with support for a variety of graphics options and even for DirectX 11, ensuring a high quality performance, provided you meet the system requirements.
The upcoming NFS: Most Wanted, however, changes this, as Criterion’s Leanne Loombe has talked with Games.on.net and confirmed that the new game supports DirectX 11 as well as a variety of other features.
“We’re primarily leveraging the increased efficiency of DX11 to give improved performance. The move to DX11 from DX9 has given us around a 300% improvement in rendering performance. This has enabled us to provide an improved image based lighting model over the console version, as well as allowing us to run with higher detail shadows and reflections."
"The increased power of DirectX 11 hardware has also allowed us to implement features such as real-time ambient occlusion, and light scattering algorithms which are absent in the console version,” she said.
Besides DirectX 11, plenty of other features are supported by Most Wanted and can be toggled on and off through a dedicated menu section.
“PC supports a number of advanced graphical features including SSAO, light scattering, high dynamic range motion blur, high resolution textures, advanced specular lighting models, headlight shadow casting, enhanced VFX quality, and enhanced shadow quality levels. We also scale geometry detail and level of detail switching according to screen resolution.”
Considering how powerful modern PCs have become, it’s good to hear that developers are beginning to dedicate more time to their games in order to make them shine on the platform.
Via: Need for Speed: Most Wanted on PC Supports Many Graphics Features
Digg Released as iPad App with Reading Sync
Digg, the one-stop shop for trending stories on the web, is now available as a native (Universal) iPad application. The new version also includes enhancements that apply to all iOS devices.
When Digg relaunched its first iOS client last month, the company pledged that it would ultimately build an experience that is native to each device. “The tablet is quickly becoming an important device for Digg users, and the iPad is leading the way, at nearly 30% of mobile visits to digg.com,” the company said in a blog post.
In other words, introducing Digg for iPad was a no brainer.
Digg 3.1 is now a universal app that works with all iDevices, and has been optimized for the iPad’s 10-inch display.
It arrives with “Reading Sync,” a feature that lets you pick up where you left off, a new ability to share articles via text, improved performance, and simplified navigation.
The app also displays full-screen on the new iPhone 5.
Download Digg iOS (Free)
Via: Digg Released as iPad App with Reading Sync
iPhone 5: Apples Toughest iPhone Yet [Video]
Multiple endurance tests conducted on a single iPhone 5 unit indicate that Apple’s new smartphone is likely to withstand even the worst case scenarios in every-day usage.
The people at Android Authority have released an unbiased video featuring three durability tests conducted on the same iPhone 5 they used for drop tests in Hong Kong about a week ago.
The already-damaged iPhone 5 faired extremely well in scenarios where the tester poured an entire cup of hot coffee over the handset, crammed it between edgy pieces of metal in a bag, and finally submerged it in a water tank for 15 seconds.
The video embedded above shows how the phone incurred little to no substantial damage immediately after the tests were carried out. Only after 24 hours of sitting in rice (to absorb the moisture) did the phone finally come its demise.
While not scientific, the tests done by Android Authority are substantial enough to declare the iPhone 5 as one of the most durable smartphones out there, and arguably the toughest iPhone ever released by Apple.
Via: iPhone 5: Apples Toughest iPhone Yet [Video]
Samsung Galaxy S III Arrives at C Spire
Wireless carrier C Spire has made available for purchase on its network a new highly appealing smartphone, namely the Galaxy S III.
The handset lands on shelves at this operator in time for the company’s 4G LTE rollout, and should prove a worthy rival to Apple’s iPhone 5, which has just been launched at the carrier too.
In fact, C Spire already announced a few weeks back that it would launch Samsung’s high-end smartphone, when it unveiled its 4G LTE rollout plans, along with the release of Motorola PHOTON 4G on its network.
The smartphone is available in Marble White and Pebble Blue and packs 16GB of internal memory, complemented by a microSD memory card slot with support for up to 64GB of additional storage space.
Packing a large touchscreen and a fast and powerful application processor inside, the handset is said to be the best Android-based smartphone of the year.
“See more of your world with the Samsung Galaxy S III and its 4.8-inch SUPER AMOLED touch screen,” the wireless carrier notes.
“Do more with its 1.5 GHz Snapdragon dual-core processor. Share more with excellent front and rear cameras. The Galaxy S III is the next big thing.”
The mobile phone comes to the market with an 8-megapixel photo snapper on the back, capable of recording video in full HD resolution, complemented by a front camera for making video calls.
It also sports Wi-Fi connectivity (802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4/5GHz), Bluetooth v4.0, GPS turn-by-turn navigation featuring Google Maps, support for CDMA 850/1900 MHz connectivity, and a 2100 mAh Li-Ion battery that can deliver extended usage times.
Those of you who are interested in the purchase of Galaxy S III at C Spire should head over to the wireless carrier’s website to learn more on the available offer.
Via: Samsung Galaxy S III Arrives at C Spire
AeroCool SilentMaster 200 mm LED Case Fans Debut
AeroCool did not provide the prices of the upcoming case fans, but they shouldn't be too high, even though the spinners do have colored LEDs.
The SilentMaster 200 mm LED case fan series runs on, at most, 3W of electrical power. The current needs to be in the 9-12V range, something easy to accomplish for any desktop power supply.
It is interesting to note that, this being a 200 x 200 x 20 mm fan, it could fit in cases with tighter inside spaces than other 200 mm fans, which have 30mm thickness. Then again, the extra 10mm would have given them a higher airflow.
Fortunately, these are case cooling implements, not CPU or VGA coolers, so they don't really need to be all that mighty. As long as they keep changing the air in the case, they are good, and they should have no trouble thanks to the 800 ± 200 RPM (76 CFM airflow).
Unfortunately, though the ETA is known (October 2012), the price is not.
Via: AeroCool SilentMaster 200 mm LED Case Fans Debut
Valve Denies Nexon Acquisition Rumors
Valve has made a public statement concerning the company's rumored acquisition by large South Korean games publisher Nexon, with one of its writers, Chet Faliszek, saying that it’s pure fabrication.
As such, you can imagine that quite a lot of other companies would like to own Valve.
The latest publisher rumored to be thinking about acquiring Valve was Nexon, one of the biggest Korean companies in the online gaming space, which recently purchased a majority stake in one of its rivals, NCsoft.
The company held a meeting behind closed doors to make an offer to Valve but, according to the studio, this is just a rumor, as one of its writers, Chet Faliszek, dismissed the whole thing.
The Valve veteran explains everything as speculation, similar to when EA or Apple were being rumored to acquire Valve.
"It's weird, because Gabe [Newell, Valve boss] just gave that interview to the NYT which everyone was quoting - it's weirdly twisted how they took it,” he told GamesIndustry. "They were asking if we were going to sell out to someone and Gabe was like, we're not going to do that. The guy made the question to be about, 'how's this going to end'.”
According to Faliszek, everyone at Valve likes working there and there’s no need for an outside investor to disturb its balanced structure.
"There's no thoughts about that - everyone likes working there, we like working together we like. The culture we have and the way it works because of all the parts of it. We're not changing any of that, we're pretty happy. We're doing OK."
Considering how much Valve owes to its independent nature, it’s great to hear that the company will continue to stay that way in the future.
Via: Valve Denies Nexon Acquisition Rumors
Wine 1.5.14 Fixes Alan Wake
Alexandre Julliard announced on September 28th a new development version of the Wine app, which brings assorted bugfixes and improvements, among which we can mention:
• The URL cache behavior has been vastly improved;
• GIF image support has been improved;
• More parser features have been added in the shader compiler;
• Optimizations in JavaScript have been implemented;
• Various bug fixes.
Wine 1.5.14 also brings bug fixes for the following Windows games: Dawn of War, Homefront, Alpha Protocol Endless Space, Alan Wake, Oblivion, League of Legends, Dark Scavenger, Starcraft: Brood War, and many others. For more details check the official announcement.
Download Wine 1.5.14 right now from Softpedia. Remember that this is a development release and it should NOT be installed on production machines. It is intended to be used for testing purposes only.
Via: Wine 1.5.14 Fixes Alan Wake
Download Slackware Linux 14.0 Final
Slackware Linux, a complete 32-bit multitasking "UNIX-like" system that is currently based around the 3.2 Linux kernel series, is now at version 14.0.
Following months of testing and a year after the previous stable version, the new and improved Slackware Linux 14.0 is finally here, featuring some interesting updates.
Highlights of Slackware Linux 14.0:
• Linux kernel 3.2.29 LTS is now used in the distro;
• X.org has been updated to version X11R7.7;
• Mozilla Firefox has been updated to version 15.0.1;
• LLVM/clang compiler has been added;
• NetworkManager has been added for easy setup and management of wired and wireless networking;
• The desktops and window managers have been updated to more recent versions.
A complete changelog that encompasses all the changes and the updates can be found in the official announcement.
Download Slackware Linux 14.0 right now from Softpedia.
Via: Download Slackware Linux 14.0 Final
Open webOS Gets Ported to Galaxy Nexus
HP has made the final version of its Open webOS platform available yesterday, and a port for Galaxy Nexus is already making it to headlines.
The availability of this platform on the latest Google phone out there is the result of a few months of development, though it seems that a lot of improvements need to be made to it.
While the OS does run on the handset, and can even access the WiFi, support for phone functions is not ready just yet, and it might take a while before it is provided.
The port also needs hardware acceleration, as the software is almost unusable at the moment.
However, the first steps in bringing the Open webOS to the smartphone have been taken, and things could evolve in the right direction soon. More info on the software can be found on webOS ports.
Via: Open webOS Gets Ported to Galaxy Nexus
FTL Diary: The Giant Threat of Space
The biggest problem with space is that it’s pretty much infinite and that there’s no way of knowing what’s out there.
FTL, the roguelike title from Subset Games, understands that any man who has the size and the unknowingness of space pressed upon his mind will feel fear and the game then manages to use that feeling to great effect.
Soon after the sense of discovery is replaced by constant dread, a fear that’s deep inside my gaming mind every time I get ready to push the bright yellow Jump button and then move to a new area.
Each star system inside a larger sector can contain a straight up battle, a multiple choice situation, a merchant or nothing at all.
As the game progresses, the encounters with enemy ships become much more difficult, the choices are starker and the feeling of dread increases.
I had moments when the only thing I wanted was to get to a store in order to repair my hull and get some more missiles only to get into a sector where I was boarded and my whole crew was killed.
I had one game where I had more scap (FTL’s main resource) than I knew what to do with and very weak weapons, yet I was unable to get to a store that sold weaponry for three sectors and I was destroyed by a much more powerful enemy.
The randomness and the roguelike permanent death combine to create a game where every choice and every move is scary but that keeps me coming back after each death, hoping for better star layout and better overall results.
Via: FTL Diary: The Giant Threat of Space
Mac Game Store - A Dedicated App Store for OS X Games
Regardless of what Apple’s marketing materials will tell you, Macs still have a long way to go to become a gamer’s dream machine. But they do run games, and now they have a Mac Game Store that makes it dead easy to install the latest Call of Duty in a click.
The looks
Using the standard App Store system pioneered by Apple (and Valve), Mac Game Store is a digital distribution system focused solely on games. Everything that the Mac supports gets added to the growing list of titles on a daily basis, and the download experience couldn’t be more intuitive.
The Store tab is the main destination for anyone looking to see what’s new at a glance. Just like Apple’s solution, the Mac Game Store offers a reeling preview banner that displays the latest / most popular additions. Clicking a title takes you straight to the description, screenshots, system requirements and, of course, the download.
You then have My Games, which lists all your purchases, demos, and in-progress downloads, followed by the News tab, which lists the latest game releases, pre-orders, specials, reviews, game updates, and the developers’ blog. Community includes a handy forum, polls, links to social networks, and a very reliable chat system where you can contact the administrators to troubleshoot any issues that may arise during use.
Support offers even more help, including knowledge base articles and a list of frequently asked questions. Finally the Settings tab enables you to manage your account and tweak some preferences, such as the default downloads folder for all your games, toggling the news notifications on and off, and much more.
Those who enjoy a distraction-free experience have the handy Full-Screen toggle right at the top right of the window. Although the system requirements for Mac Game Store go as low as Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), this feature only works on OS X 10.7 Lion and newer versions of the Mac OS.
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The interface is very straightforward and responsive. You can hover with your mouse pointer over any title and it will instantly show a preview of the game, complete with the developer’s asking price, a Demo download button, a thumbnail image, a short description and the Buy button, in case you already know you want it.
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The game rating system is appropriately visible (for those customers who don’t have time to waste), and if you squint hard enough you’ll notice a hyperlink for your game’s genre (at the top left of the window when you’re previewing a game). Click it and you’ll instantly get a list of all the shooters, RPGs, hidden object games etc.
The works
The Mac wasn’t really in desperate need of an app store for games, but it does seem that the Mac Game Store is better thought out even than Apple’s Mac App Store and Valve’s Steam put together. You download games with a single click and they install automatically. Double click the title in your list of downloads and the game launches instantly. It’s really the simplest solution of its kind so far.
It’s got a very useful system requirements checker that either gives you the green light to download a game, or highlights in red what your Mac is missing. As the screenshots below show, I’m short on video RAM for Call of Duty Black Ops.
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I had a troublesome experience with the downloads. A Mac Game Store representative analyzed my situation and concluded that the issues were most likely location bound. In general, the app works well for everyone, he said. Unfortunately, this is something a regular customer would frown upon. So I’m giving the Mac Game Store less points in this department until they iron out the bugs.
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The platform handles all your updates automatically, so whenever there’s a patch for any of your games, you’ll get a notification. Speaking of which, the News section also pops up notifications, such as when a game goes on sale, or when a highly-anticipated title makes its debut. If they’re too naggy, you can just turn the notifications off in the settings with a click.
Another positive thing I’d like to mention about the Mac Game Store is their incredible customer service. Whatever your problem is, they’ve got someone in front of a computer ready to help you get up and running with your favorite game. That may not sound like much to those who only play games occasionally, but for avid players of online shooters and RPGs, this service is almost as important as the game itself.
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The good
Offering a single-stop solution for OS X games, the Mac Game Store is off to a great start. Thanks to its system specs checker, every gamer will now know for sure whether it’s safe to press the Buy button. The customer service is spot on, and you can also download demos, something which Apple’s Mac App Store, for example, doesn’t offer.
The bad
With a rather small list of good quality titles and constant download-related glitches, the Mac Game Store failed to make a very good impression on this particular reviewer. Had it not been for its impressive architecture, this game platform wouldn’t have been worth my time. I truly hope they mend it soon.
The truth
All in all the Mac Game Store is a promising project. While it may borrow a tad too much from existing solutions out there, as far as the customer is concerned, this new product is well worth looking into. If not for everything else it offers, then at least for that incredibly handy compatibility checker.
Via: Mac Game Store - A Dedicated App Store for OS X Games
Hitman: Absolution Contracts Multiplayer Gets Showcased in 18-minute Video
IO Interactive has released a brand new video with its upcoming Hitman: Absolution game, this time showing off the special Contracts multiplayer mode, with one of its developers creating a mission from scratch and then uploading it online for others to try out.
Hitman: Absolution once again features everybody’s favorite bald assassin – Agent 47. Besides going through a solo campaign, players will guide the Agent through various challenges as part of the Contracts asynchronous multiplayer mode.
Here, players can create their own mission based on a variety of scenarios, set bonus objectives and then upload it on the web so that others can try it out.
In order to properly show off this mechanic, IO has posted a rather lengthy 18-minute video that shows off how a Contract is made, with the developer choosing a level, a target, a weapon, and adding extra rules.
The whole footage is quite interesting so check it out above.
Via: Hitman: Absolution Contracts Multiplayer Gets Showcased in 18-minute Video
Even Apple Doesnt Use Its Own Maps
Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, you've probably heard about the recent iOS Maps fiasco. While the media always exaggerates in reporting these blunders, Apple itself has admitted that more work is necessary to bring the iOS Maps up to par.
While Apple prides itself on offering in-house developed solutions, the company is still forced (for now) to display Google Maps on its web site for whoever is trying to locate a store.
Pictured above is Apple’s Google-powered store locator in San Francisco, USA.
The Cupertino, California-based computer giant cannot risk misguiding customers looking to pay them a visit, whether it’s for buying something new, or even for returning a product.
CEO Tim Cook has promised that his company’s Maps service will get better in time. When that happens, Apple.com is likely to start using the new Apple Maps too.
Via: Even Apple Doesnt Use Its Own Maps
Emacs Vulnerability Fixed in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 11.10
Canonical has published in a security notice details about an Emacs vulnerability for its Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 11.10 operating systems.
According to Canonical, Emacs could be made to run programs, as your login, if it opened a specially crafted file.
Hiroshi Oota and Paul Ling discovered that the Emacs package incorrectly handled search paths and it incorrectly handled certain eval forms in local-variable sections. A local attacker could execute arbitrary Lisp code with the privileges of the user invoking the program.
The security flaws can be fixed if you upgrade your system(s) to the latest emacs23 and emacs23-common versions. To apply the update, run the Update Manager application.
In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes. A system restart won't be necessary to implement the changes, but Emacs needs to be restarted.
Via: Emacs Vulnerability Fixed in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 11.10
Surround Voice Chat for Gamers
There are a lot of voice chat utilities out there. Some of them target specific areas, such as home or business, but there aren't that many created especially for gamers on Mac OS X. Dolby Axon tries to fill in the gamer requirements by providing surround sound, permanent chats and very good audio quality.
Dolby Axon is a free application that you can take for a spin if your Mac can run OS X 10.5 or later. Dolby Axon's most interesting feature is simulated positioning, an audio characteristic that successfully recreates the atmosphere of a crowded room.
Because it has been designed for gamers, the app drops support for video chat and also lacks the ability to send files. Nonetheless, it makes up for it with other gaming-oriented, features, like permanent chat rooms.
The Looks
Dolby Axon also comes with 3 skins: Default, Classic and Silver, which can be accessed via the Tools menu.
The Works
All you have to do is create an account on the application's website, open it and then add some friends via the Users menu. Similar to other voice chat applications, it allows you to find other users with the help of a built-in search engine and add the ones you know.
Dolby Axon's main interface is designed just like a chat client. You can access online/offline users, create groups, access current and missed calls or read alerts.
After adding friends, you can find more information about them via the View Profile option accessible from the Users menu. The profile includes their user name, ID, city, and it even shows how much time has passed since you added that person as a friend.
The Users menu also allows you to group your friends – a very useful feature if you want to manage your friends based on the games you play with them. I’ve created separate friend lists for my MMOs and coop games since I tend to play each type of game with different friends. The fact that I can organize my friends list this way is just great.
There is also a feature that brings a social side to Axon, called Introduce, which enables you to present one of your friends to others included in your list. Since a game chat is all about talking, coordinating and having a good time with your friends, the developers made a great decision when they came up with this feature.
You can initiate a new chat with any user by double clicking his/her name in the friends list. You can also invite your friends to a text chat, create a permanent chat or remove them at any time just by right clicking on their name.
The chat window is simplistic, you can instantly move inside the virtual room and choose the position that suits your play style. The rooms are surround enabled so if a friend joins and moves around, you will surely hear each change in position.
Needless to say, Dolby Axon was created with stereo headphones using Dolby Headphone technology in mind. This creates a wonderful experience, since the application allows you to change your position on the map at any time during the game, and it's great for squad-based games where you need to command your team and organize it on the battlefield.
The map can be divided into up to four different areas and the virtual room can be visualized from 2 perspectives, isometric and 2D. I think 2D is the best since it gives a clearer view of each user's position.
You can create up to five different channels and switch between them using the CMD + the number of the channel; you can talk in all channels at any given time or mute one or two of them. This kind of customization is what makes Axon a great gaming chat utility.
Although I'm not an expert, I thought Dolby Axon also provided the best sound quality I’ve encountered while using voice chat apps on Mac. Of course, there are some occasional problems, but those are rare and without any great impact on the overall experience.
Dolby Axon includes voice activity detection technology, which detects real speech, and reduces echo and noise. These two features combined provide better sound quality by removing from your game's audio environment additional sounds picked up by the microphone.
Microphone leveling is also present and enables Dolby Axon to automatically adjust the microphone level based on your voice, soft or loud. This removes the need for calibration and makes the in-game chat a much more enjoyable experience.
Axon supports up to 50 players in a single chat, so you can invite your friends to have fun playing an online game.
The Good
Dolby Axon gets the best out of various voice chat tools, adds surrounds support, great audio quality, enables you to manage your team using the integrated map and it even allows you to create permanent chats, so you can quickly immerse in the game with your friends.
The Bad
Even if Axon is geared towards gaming, the lack of features (like file transfer or keyboard shortcuts for sound effects) can be noticed at times. It could also use a recorder and a better alert system, since the audio notifications aren't that loud, so you can ignore them by mistake while playing.
The Truth
Dolby Axon is a great choice for any gamer who needs a voice chat solution. It's stable, providing good sound quality and a lot of customization options. Try it now and take your gaming experience to another level.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
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Via: Surround Voice Chat for Gamers
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