ZyXEL Communications Inc., a leading provider of secure broadband networking, Internet connectivity and routing products, today announced the MWR222 Mobile Wireless Router, a portable device that offers individuals and business travelers high-speed Internet access anywhere. The MWR222 is a 2010 CES Innovations Honoree in the Home Networking category.

The MWR222 is a rugged, pocket-sized, 11n-compatible portable Wi-Fi router that users can take with them wherever they go. It can support fixed (DSL/Cable) and mobile broadband (3G/4G) connectivity for a true, always-on, anywhere connection. The MWR222 is Ideal for travelers in hotels, airport and for in-vehicle Wi-Fi sharing. It is also great as a hotspot access for trade shows, seminars, business demos, camping and outdoor social gatherings.

Broadband fail-over protection with 3G / 4G support and rechargeable battery back-up that can last for more than two hours make the MWR222 perfect for uninterrupted Internet access. It can even take advantage of faster next generation mobile broadband technology, such as 4G (WiMAX / LTE), as it becomes widely available. It is also scalable as being a true Wi-Fi router for overcoming limitations in connecting more than five simultaneous users. The MWR222 can also monitor the bandwidth usage and send alerts when the bandwidth quota is reached to help users avoid pricey overage fees.

“The MWR222 is the logical next step in high-performance, personal router technology,” said Dana Patrick, director of North American channels for ZyXEL. “Offering the ultimate in mobility for individuals, families or small workgroups, the MWR222 packs today’s best-performing mobile broadband technology into an elegant, portable and affordable package.”

MWR222 Features at a glance:

• Dual Ethernet and dual USB ports support fixed or mobile broadband connection with fail-over protection
• Built-in, rechargeable battery can support more than two hours of operation
• 802.11n standard compatible, with data transfer rate up to 150 Mbps, and backward-compatible with 802.11b/g standards
• WPS button for quick and easy wireless security set-up
• Robust security provisions including firewall and WPA / WPA2 wireless security with easy one button set-up. Also available is support for OpenDNS subscription service that offers content filtering and protection against anti-spamming and anti-phishing

In addition to the MWR222, ZyXEL’s mobile wireless router series includes two other products – the MWR211 and MWR215. The portable MWR211 offers single USB and Ethernet ports for 3G/4G support and 150Mbps, 11n compatible wireless connectivity. The MWR215 offers 300Mbps, 802.11n wireless connection for power users and single USB and Ethernet ports for 3G / 4G connectivity and WAN backup. Both MWR222 and MWR211 are available with a rechargeable battery for the ultimate in portability and anywhere access.

Availability

The MWR series will be available in Q1 of 2010. Pricing is as follows: MWR222 – $299.99 MSRP, MWR211 – $199.99 MSRP and MWR215 – $99.99 MSRP. For more information about the MWR222, please call 1.800.255.4101.

About ZyXEL Communications

ZyXEL offers a high-performance, carrier-grade suite of access and security solutions. Through our partner alliances, we provide businesses with complete solutions and seamless support. With expertise in diverse technologies like wireless, security, Powerline, Ethernet and xDSL, ZyXEL offers integrated, secure network solutions to SMB, SOHO, residential and service provider markets. In addition, ZyXEL’s North American Channel Program offers industry-leading incentives with its full line of products.

ZyXEL’s North American headquarters are located in Anaheim, California. For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at http://www.us.zyxel.com.

ZyXEL Announces Multi-Functional Mobile Wireless Router is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Must resist buying these… but I can’t… these are awesome!

Tyme Machines, makers of licensed USB drives, is pleased to announce the release of its Series 1 sculpted 3D Star Wars character USB thumb drives.  The drives are sculpted replicas of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, Storm Trooper and Yoda.  Available for sale now on www.tymemachines.com, they range from 4GB to 16GB for $29.99 to $59.99. 

“We at Tyme Machines thrive on bringing beloved characters such as these to life in full 3D to fans across the world,” said John McDaniel, Chief Marketing Officer of Tyme Machines.  “We are working continuously to bring Star Wars fans more collectables they can use in their everyday lives.”

This 3” commemorative designer drive is perfect for any Star Wars fan to backup and share files in style.  Weather your looking for a place to store your work, photos, your favorite MP3s, this is the perfect addition to any collection. 

About Tyme Machines
Tyme Machines is a worldwide maker of licensed USB drives.  Tyme Machines is a division of Global Holdings, which was established 12 years ago.  The company has built a strong relationship with national retail chains around the globe.  Global Holdings prides itself on its extensive list of clients, which span a multitude of markets. 

Tyme Machines Unleashes the Force with Star Wars Sculpted USB Drives is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

The Demo is out… I can’t wait to play this game!

Spend the holidays in hell! Visceral Games™, the award-winning developers behind the  critically-acclaimed Dead Space™ franchise and a studio of Electronic Arts Inc. today announced a demo for Dante’s Inferno™. Coming this December, the ‘Gates of Hell’ demo includes the entire opening level and gives gamers a taste of Visceral Games’ blockbuster adaptation of Dante Alighieri’s epic poem, The Divine Comedy.

The ‘Gates of Hell’ demo will introduce players to the game’s hero, epic story and intense action gameplay, tracing Dante’s battles from the surface all the way to the Gates of Hell. Players will experience fast-paced hack-n-slash combat as they fend off waves of enemies before taking on the ultimate battle against Death. After defeating this boss, Dante will be armed with Death’s scythe, a powerful holy cross, and will be ready to tear open the Gates of Hell. The demo also features two stunning cinematic movies made by Blur, the award-winning visual effects, animation and design studio.

“Our main goal from the start of this project has been to create a journey that will make gamers truly feel like they are going through hell,” said executive producer Jonathan Knight. “The demo will give everyone some insight into how we are treating the story and a taste of the gameplay. And with nine more circles of hell to explore once the game comes out in February, we are literally just scratching the surface.”

EA’s Dante’s Inferno is an epic descent through Dante Alighieri’s nine circles of hell – limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, anger, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery. At a blazing-fast 60 frames per second, each circle features unique environments, all new creatures, terrifying demons, story elements and are scored distinctly to set a tone that fits each circle of sinners.

Gamers will get to go to hell in North America beginning February 9, 2010 and in Europe on February 12, 2010 for the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system, and the PlayStation® Portable (PSP®). The Gates of Hell demo will be available on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Dante’s Inferno has not yet been rated by the ESRB or PEGI. For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please follow the Dante’s Inferno team at Visceral Games on Twitter at www.twitter.com/danteteam and visit the game’s official web site at www.dantesinferno.com where the team explores a new circle of hell, with new content and updates on the ninth day of every month.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA™, EA SPORTS™, EA Mobile™ and POGO™. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

Visceral Games Invites Players to Tear Open the ‘Gates of Hell’ with Dante’s Inferno Demo is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Do I really need to even post this? I think everyone knows what today is right?

It’s time to gear up for all-out, high-speed action and epic combat, as Activision Publishing, Inc. announced today that the most anticipated game of the year, developer Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is now available at retail stores everywhere. Following a record-setting number of North American midnight openings, Modern Warfare 2 has begun to unleash a new threat upon the world, putting gamers on the front lines of an epic, global battle that has advanced onto American soil, proving that no one is safe from an impending invasion.

"From day one the goal was to bring our fans around the world the most riveting and authentic experience we’ve ever created in Modern Warfare 2," said Vince Zampella, CEO of Infinity Ward. "Every design from the smallest detail was crafted to place gamers in the center of their own epic, action movie — with the suspense, excitement and adrenaline as if they were starring themselves."

"By all indicators, we anticipate Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. As of today, the number of pre-order reservations we’ve taken for the game is the highest for any title we’ve ever sold in our 6,200 store network," said Tony Bartel, executive vice president, merchandising and marketing, GameStop Corp.

Following an unprecedented number of pre-order reservations across the globe, the sequel to the best selling first person action game in history kicked-off its worldwide invasion earlier today with a series of midnight celebrations from Sydney to London, Paris to New York. In the U.S., more than 10,000 retail outlets opened doors precisely at midnight to sell the much sought-after title.

Picking up following the historic events of Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®, Modern Warfare 2 completely immerses players in one of the most intense storylines, filled with unexpected plot twists and death-defying battles set in exotic locales across the globe. As gamers fight to save the world from annihilation, the soundtrack of Academy Award®, Golden Globe® Award and Grammy® Award winning composer Hans Zimmer sets the dark and ominous tone for a truly cinematic gaming experience. Modern Warfare 2 marks the first time that the legendary artist has scored a video game.

Delivering the complete package, in addition to the heart-racing intensity of the single player campaign, Modern Warfare 2 also offers an entirely new gameplay mode, "Special Ops," which supports 2-player co-operative play via online or split screen dropping gamers into a surplus of time-trial and objective-based missions. As players rank-up, ever challenging missions are unlocked, including highlights from the single player campaign, fan favorites from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and all new, exclusive missions. While, the all-new Multiplayer mode raises the bar even higher from the world-record setting online play from its predecessor delivering new capabilities, customization, gamestates and modes, including customizable killstreaks, accolades and new create-a-class features.

Modern Warfare 2 is rated "M" (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language and is available now for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Windows® PC for a suggested retail price of $59.99.

Gamers have numerous options to enhance the Modern Warfare 2 experience with the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Console featuring a 250GB hard drive, Xbox 360 headset, two wireless controllers and a standard edition copy of the game. Xbox LIVE gamers will also be the first to get their hands on two Modern Warfare 2 map packs coming first to Xbox 360. Also available now for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 system are the Modern Warfare 2 Collector’s Edition packages, including the Hardened Edition, which contains a token to download Call of Duty® Classic, a limited edition SteelBook(TM) case and the "Behind the Lines" collector’s artbook, and the individually numbered, one-time only limited quantity Prestige Edition, which includes the Hardened Edition plus a pair of fully functioning night vision goggles and an individually numbered "Soap MacTavish" night vision goggles collectors’ stand.

Also available today for Nintendo DS(TM) is Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®: Mobilized. Developed exclusively by n-Space, the DS title delivers a unique storyline and an arsenal of handheld features. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Mobilized is rated "T" (Teen) by the ESRB for Blood, Mild Language and Violence with a suggested retail price of $29.99.

Additionally, for Wii(TM) fans Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® Reflex Edition is also now available. A port by Treyarch of the record-setting and award-winning, original Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the title is rated "M" (Mature) by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence and Strong Language and has a suggested retail price of $49.99.

Web Site: http://www.activision.com/
http://www.modernwarfare2.com/

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Storms Into Retail Stores is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory and flash-based storage as an alternative to hard disk drives (HDDs), today announced its collaboration with SandForce on OCZ’s next generation of mainstream and enterprise solid state drives (SSDs). Based on the highly-anticipated SandForce SSD Processor family, OCZ’s new line of SSDs will be the pinnacle of storage options designed to optimize complex IT infrastructures as well as the computing experiences of everyday consumers.

To accommodate a wide range of consumer and enterprise storage applications, OCZ’s impending solutions will feature various configurations of SandForce’s innovative SF-1500 and SF-1200 SSD Processors and multi-level cell (MLC) and single-level cell (SLC) NAND flash memory, all with the objective of providing best-in-class storage with exceptional performance, reliability, endurance, and power efficiency. The SandForce-based SSD line will be available in multiple interfaces including 3Gb/s SATA and 6Gb/s SAS in capacities ranging from 50GB to 400GB, addressing an assortment of storage and infrastructure requirements.

“OCZ is committed to delivering SSD solutions to our enterprise clients and also has a strong following for our consumer solid state products; partnering with SandForce enables us to offer an even more robust offering to both these markets,” said Ryan Petersen, CEO of the OCZ Technology Group. “Together with SandForce we are focused on making enterprise-class MLC-based SSDs which offer excellent reliability and performance coupled with superior total cost of ownership for all our customers.”

“OCZ has a proven track record in the design and manufacture of solid state drives and is in a distinctive position to deliver SSDs to both the enterprise and consumer space,” said Thad Omura, VP of marketing at SandForce. “SandForce SSD Processors reliably enable the usage of low cost, MLC-based SSDs in volume, mainstream enterprise applications.”

The OCZ Technology Group aims to take storage to the next level with SandForce SSD Processors, further increasing the advantages of SSDs over traditional hard disc drives for Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), enterprise clients, and enthusiast consumers who place a premium on performance, total cost of ownership (TCO), and efficiency. Product announcements will be made in the next few weeks leading up to the 2010 International CES show.

About OCZ Technology

OCZ Technology Group, a member of JEDEC, designs, develops, and manufactures ground-breaking, high performance memory and premium computer components, including solid state drives and computer power supplies. OCZ products are the first choice for enterprise and consumers needing high-reliability, premium-grade solutions. OCZ’s continually invests in R&D to continuously push the limits of performance, speed, and value for consumers, system integrators, and OEM clients. For more information visit our website at www.ocztechnology.com.

About SandForce

SandForce is transforming data storage by pioneering the use of commodity Flash memory in enterprise and client computing applications with its innovative SSD (Solid State Drive) Processors. By delivering unprecedented reliability, performance, and energy efficiency, SSDs based on patent-pending SandForce DuraClass technology unleash the full potential for mass-market adoption of SSDs using NAND Flash memory. Founded in 2006, SandForce is funded by leading venture capital investors and first tier storage companies. For more information, visit SandForce at www.sandforce.com.

SandForce, the SandForce logo, DuraClass, DuraWrite, and RAISE are trademarks of SandForce, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

OCZ Technology to Deliver SandForce-based Solid State Drive Solutions for both Enterprise and Consumer Applications is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Today the long awaited and anticipated game Call of Duty Modern Warfare two is launched, but quietly Glu Mobile has also released their own Cll of Duty game for your mobile phone:

Glu Mobile Inc. a leading global publisher of mobile games, today announced the launch of the latest installment in the critically acclaimed Call of Duty® franchise for mobile phones, Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare®: Force Recon. The title was developed and published through Glu’s exclusive worldwide partnership with Activision Publishing, Inc.

Since the first Call of Duty mobile release in 2007, the series has consistently turned out top hits, selling a combined 3.7 million copies between Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare® and Call of Duty®: World at War.

“We are excited to bring gamers another battle of intense action as told through the thrilling events of the original story that lead up to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Force Recon,” said Alex Galvagni, CTO & SVP Global Product Development, Glu. “The amazing graphics and authentic storyline immerse players in the gritty action of a cinematic war zone, making this an extreme mobile gaming experience.”

Features include:

• Riveting Narrative – New conflict takes place a few years after the end of the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare story
• Variety of Missions – Engage in a mix of exhilarating military objectives including area defense, stealth, hostage rescue and escort duty
• Modern Weapons – Cutting edge weaponry and vehicles create an authentic combat environment
• New Vehicles – Jump into a high-tech helicopter to unleash devastating damage on terrorist strongholds
• Sniping – Players can steady their aim through a scope to eliminate their enemy targets

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Force Recon is now available on all major carriers worldwide. For more information, go to www.glu.com. For live updates, follow Glu Mobile on Twitter at www.twitter.com/glumobile or become a fan on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/glumobile.

About Glu Mobile

Glu (NASDAQ:GLUU) is a leading global publisher of mobile games. Its portfolio of top-rated games includes original titles Bonsai Blast, Brain Genius, Glyder, Stranded, Super K.O. Boxing! and titles based on major brands from partners including Activision, Atari, Fox Mobile Entertainment, Harrah’s, Hasbro, Konami, Microsoft, PlayFirst, PopCap Games, SEGA, Sony and Warner Bros. Founded in 2001, Glu is based in San Mateo, Calif. and has offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, England, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Spain. Consumers can find high-quality, fresh entertainment created exclusively for their mobile phones wherever they see the ‘g’ character logo or at www.glu.com.

About Activision Publishing, Inc.

Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision is a worldwide online, PC and console game publisher with leading market positions across every major category of the rapidly growing interactive entertainment software industry.

Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, China, South Korea and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision Blizzard and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activisionblizzard.com.

BONSAI BLAST, BRAIN GENIUS, GLU, GLU MOBILE, STRANDED, SUPER K.O. BOXING! and the ‘g’ character logo are trademarks of Glu Mobile Inc.

(C) 2009 Activision Publishing, Inc. Activision, Call of Duty and Modern Warfare are registered trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Glu Arms Mobile Phones Worldwide with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare: Force Recon is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

The Nintendo Wii is the basically the first console that truly allows you to get interactive with your gaming. The Wii really let’s you get into the games and get involved with what’s going on in many ways. The Wii though has many, many titles that are aimed at children, it is, after all, a family type console so that’s to be expected. The problem with children’s games is the reviews you’ll find of them, they don’t take into account who the game is aimed at, they look at it from a gamer stand point, and usually they’re older gamers who are doing the reviews. I’m an avid gamer with three young children, I love my Xbox, but I like my Wii and PC as well for gaming, but I understand that games for children cannot be reviewed the same way as an adult game can. The game I have for review today is Drawn To Life The Next Chapter, it’s a kids game, there’s no doubt about it, but looking around you’ll see it got a relatively low scores, about an average of a 6 out of 10, and I don’t understand that as it’s a pretty good kids game. Then I looked around and started reading these reviews, there’s no children involved in the reviews, only the reviewers themselves and their professional opinions, and I feel that’s a big flaw in their reviewing process. How can you review a children’s game without actually having a child play it? How can you formulate an opinion and score of a game without actually including the target audience in the process of reviewing it? With kids games I play them myself to get my own opinions of them and then I let my kids have them and I watch and observe and even ask them questions about the game, what they think of it, was it too hard etc and then I can give you an honest and thorough review of the game and let you know if it’s worth your money or not.

So today we have Drawn To Life The Next Chapter from THQ and I have to say that I never played the first Drawn To Life game so there’s not going to be any comparisons made in regards to the first game, but I can tell you that I had a lot of fun playing this game and so did my kids. It’s a game that I think a lot of people will like, especially children, Drawn To Life is a game that truly allows you to get involved with the game and actually create the gaming world. The interface does take quite a bit to get accustomed to, drawing with the Wii remote can be hard, but in the end it’s a lot of fun.

So, here’s some box shots for you, THQ not only sent me the game but also a special edition box of branded Crayola Drawn To Life The Next Chapter sidewalk chalk which my children very much appreciated.

Specifications:

Drawn To Life : The Next Chapter

Experience an all-new Drawn to Life adventure in the first Wii game that lets you draw your own hero!  Play as your hero and use the Wii Remote to draw customizable weapons and tools designed to help you stop an evil thief before it’s too late!

* Customize your hero and game universe: Draw your own hero and create over 100 unique items though out the game such as a jet pack, a sword and wings.

* Create without limits: Explore your artistic freedom with robust drawing tools that provide you with many templates, colors, brush types, guides and stamps. You can quickly draw a simple figure or create a masterpiece.

* Action drawing:  Draw objects directly into the game-play to help you advance through the levels.  Special ink powers mean drawing with certain colors gives your creations unique properties.

* Extensive action adventure game-play:  Journey through 4 unique worlds, each with a different style of play including skating and flying.

* Play with Friends: Draw your team’s players, equipment and more as you compete against friends and family in multi-player mini games including Soccer, Hockey & Basketball.

Drawn To Life The Next Chapter is a game where you get to drawn parts of the game. When you first start out you’ll drawn your character, the planet and the moon. You can of course use pre-made versions as well if you’re drawing isn’t up to par, but that’s the fun part of the game, to draw your won stuff, even if they’re goofy looking. When drawing you’ve got a pre-sized canvas to work with, your art should fill the area to work with the game. There are points where if you don’t fill it in you’ll end up with invisible spaces and you character will walk across those invisible spaces like he’s floating. Yes it is hard to draw with the Wii remote, it takes  very steady hand to get anything that looks half decent, but part of this game’s charm is the fun and goofy things that you end up drawing that become part of the game.

The game is meant to be bright and colorful and cute, it is something that is aimed at children, so colors and the cuteness factor play a big part.

Drawn to Life is a side scrolling plat former at it’s heart, and that’s not a bad thing, especially where children are concerned, this way they know which way to go basically. As you’re playing you’ll find dotted line boxes where you can draw things in, essentially you’ll need to create your own path from point A to point B with just a line, or several lines that allow you to get higher up in the level or collect things like coins or bonus items..

At many points in the game an easel will be there indicating a place where you’ll need to draw something, it could be a piece of the background like a flying butterfly, or maybe a platform like a log that you’ll use to get across the water, or it could be a trampoline so you can jump and bounce higher up to reach the next section.

The idea behind the game is that you’re the hero and you need to stop the villain from stealing things in your little town, it’s a basic idea that does sound kind of boring but it’s the getting there that is the fun part.

Here’s a couple game play videos for you, they’re a couple minutes each.

This one here start out with drawing something actually, drawing logs to help you get across the waterfall actually.

This video shows basic gameplay and drawing several platforms to help get through an area:

So I have three boys ages 4, 7 and 8. Obviously the older ones can play the game fine, but my youngest really likes Drawn To Life The Next Chapter even though he can’t play it himself really, he asks me to play so he can watch me play the game. He thinks it’s just great, he’ll sit there and just watch and watch, he just thinks it’s great. My older kids love to play it as well, they think it’s funny to draw goofy looking things and see how they turn out on the screen, and they really like the fact that they’re actually creating part of the game. For the most part they picked it up very quickly and were happily playing and enjoying themselves. After watching me play they just jumped right in really. As you progress in the game the lines that you can draw are physics lines where they’ll fall and move around if you knock into them, that was the only part where they didn’t quite grasp it. Once I showed them though what to do and how it works they were fine with it and were drawing with no problems and continuing on with the game. My kids like this game a lot and to me that’s what counts, they can play it, it’s not violent, and it’s fun and I can let them play without worrying about what their doing or just what it is they’re playing.

To go back the beginning here where I mentioned the other reviewers and their techniques, I disagree with them and most of their scoring really. Yes it’s not an adult game, but it’s not meant to be either, it’s kids game plain and simple and that’s where it shines, it’s bright, colorful and just fun to play. My kids where smiling and laughing and just having a good time playing Drawn To Life The Next Chapter. I even like this game myself honestly, I think it’s great little fun game to play, but my children love it and that’s what counts!

Conclusion:

Drawn to Life The Next Chapter is not a game that many adults will like, but that doesn’t matter too much as it’s aimed at children and not adults.  Don’t get me wrong though, adults can like this game, myself included, but kids will love it, it’s bright, colorful and just plain fun for children. If you’ve got small children then you might want to seriously consider getting this game for them, if they’re anything like mine then they’ll love it.

Pros:
+Great kids game
+Lots of fun
+A truly interactive game where you get to design the game itself

Cons:
-Most older and adult gamers will not care for this title

Grades:
Overall
Design
Performance

Drawn To Life : The Next Chapter Nintendo Wii is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Hello world! We’ve got news from our friends for you:

No particular order today, just the news:

Title: Nintendo Wii Review
Link: http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/858

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Windows 7 Installation & Boot Comparison vs Vista

In this review we take a look at how long it takes to boot install and boot from Windows 7, Windows 7 takes about the same time to install on many standard hard drives, SSD drives or Booting from a mem stick is faster. Follow along on Youtube.

Review Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdl5-7TVRSU

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PC Games Hardware ran benchmarks with twelve CPUs to check their performance in Left 4 Dead 2. During our test with the cut version of the action game we found out that the Source Engine title benefits from multi-core processors but also runs well on any CPU that is about as fast as a C2D E6600 or an Athlon X2 6400+.

http://www.pcgameshardware.com/aid,699110/Left-4-Dead-2-CPU-benchmarks-Phenom-II-very-strong/Practice/

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Join us for our special 10th-anniversary episode as we look at the history of The Tech Report. Panelists include Scott, Cyril, Geoff, Adam, and in his first-ever podcast appearance, Andy Brown.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/17920

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Asus G51J Core i7 Mobile Gaming Notebook Review
http://hothardware.com/articles/Asus-G51j-Gaming-Notebook-Review/

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ASRock P55 Deluxe Motherboard Review

ASRock is not well known in the enthusiast community as they often have niche motherboards based on esoteric chipsets with unique features found nowhere else. This board is the first board I’ve seen with the new SATA 6Gb/s interface and has good features and great performance, making it a solid choice for a Hot Product award. The board overclocked to 4.0GHz from the default 2.66GHz on the Core i5 750 CPU, making it a decent overclocker as well. You also get features like a 16 Phase Power Design and Intelligent Energy Saver in the mix making this a solid board.

Review Link: http://www.motherboards.org/reviews/motherboards/1953_1.html

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Title: OCZ Agility EX 60GB SSD @ Phoronix
Direct Link: http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=14358

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Article Title: Tritton AX 720 Dolby Digital Surround Gaming Headset @ Legit Reviews
Article URL: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1123/1/

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NEW CONTENT (Motherboards) – ASUS P7P55D Deluxe (P55 Express) Motherboard
QUOTE: "ASUS has always been at the forefront when it comes to new technologies. Lynnfield is no exception. At Computex we were lucky enough to see just how well this new technology would work and from there the birth of the new Lynnfield processor and P55 chipset has already caused a stir in the hardware community.
On show for you today we have the P7P55D Deluxe board aimed at the mainstream segment. Hitting the shelves at $219.99 USD over at Newegg, Nehalem architecture now becomes more affordable and with plenty of style to boot."
For more information, please visit – http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3001/asus_p7p55d_deluxe_p55_express_motherboard/index.html

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LINK: http://www.techwarelabs.com/via-artigo-a2000/
Title: VIA ARTiGO A2000 @ TechwareLabs

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Title:  Thermaltake Toughpower XT 850W – A Second Look @ JonnyGURU.com

Summary: Not too long ago, I took my very first look at the Thermaltake Toughpower XT 850W unit and found it wanting. Thermaltake was anxious to improve on things, and so they did; as I found in my last review when I saw what the new and improved 750W Toughpower XT could do.

Today, I’m looking at the 850W model once more. Has this one also been improved enough to bring home a recommendation? Come on in and see.

Articles URL: http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=172

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Intel DP55KG “Kingsberg” Extreme Series Motherboard Review

When the LGA1156 Lynnfield Processor launched, we touched on the basics of the reference DP55KG Extreme Series Motherboard. At launch, it was the standard and the board to beat as we’ve reviewed other comparable P55 motherboards along the way. Essentially, if another platform can’t emulate, match, or improve upon its performance, we really aren’t interested.

Direct Link:

http://www.futurelooks.com/intel-dp55kg-kingsberg-extreme-series-motherboard-review/

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NEW CONTENT (Video Cards) – Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 1GB Vapor-X Video Card
QUOTE: "The main focus of the Vapor-X series is cooling. With that said, though, it doesn’t mean Sapphire can’t have a bit of fun with the clock speeds. What we’ll do before we have a closer look at those clocks is check out what’s going on in the bundle. After that we’ll then take a closer look at the card and see the new cooler that Sapphire is giving us.
If all that wasn’t exciting enough, the HD 5870 Vapor-X from Sapphire is the first card that’s going to be taken for a spin on our new benchmark setup. While the hardware hasn’t changed due to the simple fact it’s still some of the best on the market, we have moved to the new DirectX 11 enabled Windows 7 and also added a whole slew of new benchmarks including some new synthetic ones and real world games."
For more information, please visit – http://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/3000/sapphire_radeon_hd_5870_1gb_vapor_x_video_card/index.html

==

Gigabyte TweaKING Overclocking Event Paris Fall 2009

On October 27th Gigabyte organized their TweaKING event in Paris, France. The conference room of the Le Meridien Hotel in Paris was transformed in an overclocking combat-zone where teams from 22 European countries went head-to-head in an attempt to set the best score in SuperPi 32M and 3DMark01. Power users from Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, UK and Ukraine went to Paris for this event.
http://www.madshrimps.be/gotoartik.php?articID=964

==

Today we look at the Gigabyte GeForce 210.
SNIP:
Over two years have passed since Nvidia dived into the low end graphics card market. Today we have Nvidia’s latest entry, the G210. This card features a 64 bit bus, 512 MB of GDDR2 memory, and a 40nm die. The smaller die size means lower temperatures, which is great for low ventilation cases, which is probably where the card will go since it is a low profile card. So far this card is shaping up to be a great combo for a low power computer.
Today we have the Gigabyte version of the G210. It of course has all of the features of the reference G210, but Gigabyte has decided to make it their own to differentiate it from the crowd. This includes Gigabyte’s great software, and a gold plated HDMI port for a better signal. Lets jump right in and explore more of this card.
http://www.bjorn3d.com/read.php?cID=1712

==

Title:
In Win AMMO 2.5 inch RFID Enclosure

Link:
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/InWin/Ammo

==

Article Name: HIS Radeon HD4890 iCooler x4 Videocard Review @ Tweaknews
Article Url: http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/his_radeon_hd4890_icooler_x4_videocard_review/

==

Everything USB is pleased to announce our in-depth review on Logitech Anywhere MX Wireless Mouse.
No stranger to the ubiquitous pointing device, Logitech boasts an impressive 20+ year history building mice and computer peripherals. Having surpassed the one billion mouse mark back in 2008, they are the undisputed leader in electronic rodent computer peripherals. New for 2009, the Logitech Anywhere MX wireless mouse combines wireless connectivity with unique "Darkfield" tracking technology for a mouse that is said to be able to track on pure glass and other highly reflective surfaces. Designed to be a fully-featured portable workhorse, the Anywhere MX also brings a rather unique scroll wheel to the party. How well does it all work in the cold, cruel world? Come to our glossy new labs to see if the Anywhere MX can track straight and true.
http://www.everythingusb.com/logitech-anywhere-mx-wireless-mouse-17966.html

==

TITLE: Noctua NF-S12B FLX @ LanOC Reviews
DESCRIPTION: Most people don’t give the fans in their PC any thought, even most enthusiasts worry about colors and led’s not the noise level or performance. Noctua is in the minority when it comes to fan manufactures because they design their fans to be as quite as possible with no concern for LED’s or special colors. Today I have the chance to test out their newest fan the NF-12B FLX. Similar to the NF-P12 that we tested before, but with a few updates. Let’s take a look to see how their changes effected the fans performance.
ARTICLE URL: http://lanoc.org/review/hardware/cooling/2111-noctua-nf-s12b-flx

==

Titel: Noiseblocker NB-TwinTec
Text:
Fast zwei Jahre ist es mittlerweile her, als Noiseblocker ihren letzten Kühler vorstellten. Der CoolScraper 3 setzte, wie auch seine beiden Vorgänger, auf eine Super-Conductor-Pipe anstatt der bis dahin meist genutzten Heatpipes. Der NB-TwinTec verbindet die beiden Techniken von damals und besitzt so neben der Super-Conductor-Pipe auch zwei 6-mm-Heatpipes. Mit dieser Kombination und dem beigelegten NB-Multiframe M12-P wollen Noiseblocker ein gutes Silent-Paket auf den Markt bringen. Ob dies gelingt, erfahrt ihr auf den folgenden Seiten.
URL: http://www.dexgo.com/index.php?site=artikel/view.php&rubrik=Hardware&id=435
English translated by Babel Fish: http://babelfish.altavista.com/babelfish/trurl_pagecontent?lp=de_en&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dexgo.com%2Findex.php%3Fsite%3Dartikel%2Fview.php%26rubrik%3DHardware%26id%3D435
English translated by Google: http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dexgo.com%2Findex.php%3Fsite%3Dartikel%2Fview.php%26rubrik%3DHardware%26id%3D435&sl=de&tl=en&hl=de&ie=UTF-8

==

Title: Sapphire Radeon HD 5870 Vapor-X @ Techgage
Link: http://techgage.com/article/sapphire_radeon_hd_5870_vapor-x/

==

TITLE: CM Storm Sniper Black Case SGC-6000-KKN1-GP @ Benchmark Reviews

DESCRIPTION: Déjà vu is a funny thing. At first you’re not sure it’s real; then you’re absolutely convinced; finally, it fades and you’re not sure anymore. The CM Storm Sniper, first shown to the public when Cooler Master launched the CM Storm brand in 2008, started out life with a full "Black Ops" paint job. Black on the outside, black on the inside and the first gaming case to feature three massive 200mm cooling fans, it was an instant hit. Somehow, the production version ended up without the black interior, but it was still a rousing success when Benchmark Reviews looked at it in January of this year. Its ten months later, coming up on the holiday season, and what better (and easier) way to kick it up a notch than to bring back the black: The CM Storm Sniper Black Edition SGC-6000-KKN1-GP.

ARTICLE URL: http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=398&Itemid=61

==

Article link:
http://www.insidehw.com/Reviews/Graphics-cards/All-DirectX-11-Graphics-Cards.html
Title:
All DirectX 11 Graphics Cards @ InsideHW

==

Title: Logitech Harmony 1100 Remote Control Review at CCE Reviews

Link: http://www.ccereviews.com/reviews/logitech-harmony-1100-remote-control/

==

Title: Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad Review @ Verdis Reviews

Briefing: “The ability to stay connected to the net whilst on the move is becoming more and more popular with netbooks being the latest must-have gadget. With more power and quicker speeds combined with a decrease in product size, the need for efficient and effective cooling is an ever-greater necessity. One way to supply extra cooling potential is through a notebook cooler; the marketplace has been hit with a wave of these coolers released left, right and centre and all claiming to offer effective cooling.

In reality though, many coolers just couldn’t hack it in terms of raw performance and just weren’t worth it. That said, added features such as USB hubs and such like have made some coolers a more tempting purchase. One such product that includes a hub to bolster its marketability is the Choiix Mini Air-Through Notebook Cooling Pad. Let’s take a look…”

URL: http://verdisreviews.com/reviews/choiix-mini-air-through-notebook-cooling-pad-review/

==

TITLE: Noctua NH-D14 CPU Cooler Review @ Vortez.co.uk
DESCRIPTION:
"Last week Noctua announced the release of their brand new CPU cooler the
NH-D14. In our hands today is that very heatsink. In the first english
written review of this brand new release from Noctua we investigate how
strong a performer it is when we put it up against some of the giants in the
world of cooling."
LINK: http://www.vortez.co.uk/review.php?id=88

==

News and Reviews for 11-9-09 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

AT&T* today announced a new 3G LaptopConnect device from Sierra Wireless, the AT&T USBConnect Lightning, will launch in retail stores, business channels and online nationwide beginning November 22. The Lightning delivers enhanced mobile broadband performance on the nation’s fastest 3G network for quick and easy Internet access while on the go. It will be compatible with AT&T’s High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) 7.2 technology, which provides a considerable speed boost to the 3G mobile broadband network where deployed.

For customers with the need to access email, the Internet and business applications from their laptop while away from home or work, the Lightning offers the perfect solution. AT&T 3G mobile broadband speed built into a small and elegant design that includes an illuminated face plate and USB hinge for use with different laptop designs provides an ideal mix of form and function. Connecting in more places is now even easier with AT&T’s global network compatibility and access to AT&T’s more than 20,000 Wi-Fi hotspots.

"The Lightning is a high-performing device compatible with our latest HSPA technology," said Michael Woodward, vice president, Mobile Phone Portfolio, AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. "As we continue our 3G network evolution, we are building a solid portfolio of HSPA 7.2 devices to meet the future needs of our customers."

With the upgrade to HSPA 7.2 technology, AT&T continues investments to deliver the nation’s fastest 3G network. AT&T plans for initial deployment of HSPA 7.2 in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami by the end of the year. The company plans to deploy HSPA 7.2 in 25 of the nation’s 30 largest markets by the end of 2010, and to reach about 90 percent of its existing 3G network footprint with HSPA 7.2 by the end of 2011.

"The USBConnect Lightning offers an innovative, eye-catching lighted design with a swivel hinge for flexible use in horizontally or vertically oriented USB ports, and we are pleased to offer it exclusively to AT&T customers as the company deploys HSPA 7.2 coverage," said Dan Schieler, senior vice president of Worldwide Sales for Sierra Wireless. "People continue to expand their use of mobile broadband in their everyday routines wherever they are, and the evolution of the AT&T 3G network and devices like the USBConnect Lightning provide them with the flexibility and freedom to do so."

The Lightning comes pre-loaded with AT&T Communication Manager (ACM) 7.0 software to help customers manage their connections. The newly revamped Communication Manager will automatically connect users to an AT&T Hot Spot at no cost on eligible rate plans when the application is running. Customers can also download the latest version of AT&T Communication Manager at www.att.com/communicationmanager. ACM 7.0 is compatible with Microsoft Windows 7.

AT&T DataConnect plans offer consumer, small business, and enterprise subscribers access to the nation’s fastest 3G mobile broadband network, along with access to more than 20,000 AT&T Wi-Fi Hot Spots nationwide with eligible rate plans and Wi-Fi equipped laptops. Options include a 200 MB plan option for a newly reduced price of $35 per month or a 5GB plan for $60 per month.

The Lightning will be available at no cost after a $100 mail-in rebate with a DataConnect Plan of at least $35 a month. Pay $99.99 after two year agreement and receive a $100 AT&T Promotion Card. The device will be sold at AT&T retail stores nationwide, online and at http://www.wireless.att.com.

For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com

For more information and detailed disclaimer information, please review this announcement in the AT&T newsroom at http://www.att.com/newsroom.

Find more information online:

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest 3G network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet and voice services. AT&T offers the best wireless coverage worldwide, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse(SM) and AT&T | DIRECTV(SM) brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T’s Yellow Pages and YELLOWPAGES.COM organizations are known for their leadership in directory publishing and advertising sales. In 2009, AT&T again ranked No. 1 in the telecommunications industry on FORTUNE® magazine’s list of the World’s Most Admired Companies.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATTNews. Find us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ATT to discover more about our consumer and wireless services or at www.facebook.com/ATTSmallBiz to discover more about our small business services.

© 2009 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. 3G service not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

AT&T Announces New 3G LaptopConnect Device is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Active Media Products, manufacturer of SSDs and endangered species series USB drives, today released a new line of Windows® 7 compatible SaberTooth S4 SATA Mini PCIe SSDs that achieve sequential read speeds up to 130MB/sec. Available now in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, these drives are guaranteed compatible with many models of Asus Eee PC including 900, 900A, 901 and 1000 models.

The company posted a detailed Benchmark Report on the SaberTooth S4 tested on an Eee PC 1000 under Windows XP here. The benchmark results show the S4 soaring to read speeds over 120MB/sec, nearly four times faster than the default SSD in the Eee PC 1000. "We optimized the SaberTooth S4 for exceptional read performance", explained Active Media Products Vice President of Sales, Jerry Thomson. "But it also runs circles around the default SSD in write speeds, scoring about 2X faster than the default SSD in write tests."

N16G-SATA-S4
16GB SaberTooth-S4 SATA Mini PCIe SSD, 130R/50W MB/sec

$59.95

N32G-SATA-S4
32GB SaberTooth-S4 SATA Mini PCIe SSD, 130R/50W MB/sec

$99.95

N64G-SATA-S4
64GB SaberTooth-S4 SATA Mini PCIe SSD, 130R/50W MB/sec

$169.95

SaberTooth S4 SSDs have ECC, wear leveling and bad bit management features built in to provide lasting endurance with high performance and reliability over the lifetime of the drive. The S4 series have a mini PCI Express (Mini PCIe) connector with a SATA-II 3Gbps interface. SaberTooth S3 series SSDs, measuring 2.7 x 1.3 inches (70 x 32 mm), are available today through Amazon. The 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models will retail for about $59.95, $99.95 and $169.95 respectively, but will be offered at a 20% discount for a limited time as a launch promotion.

ABOUT ACTIVE MEDIA PRODUCTS
Based in the heart of Silicon Valley, Active Media Products LLC is dedicated to developing creative new media products that improve performance and enhance the user’s experience. We envision unique new mobile storage devices that are vastly more interesting than traditional storage bricks, and we apply our product design and engineering talents to developing exciting new storage products. Our focus on innovative product development enables us to launch new ideas into the market a step ahead of the competition.

Product Specifications >>

Active Media Products Delivers 130MB/sec SATA Mini PCIe SSDs for Asus Eee PC Upgrades is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

I’m sure a lot of you will find this interesting, but me personally, I’m not into the whole pay to play thing of these MMORPGs…  I prefer to pay for my game once and then enjoy it, not continue paying for it..

Atari, Inc., one of the world’s most recognized videogame publishers, and Cryptic Studios(TM), creators of the acclaimed Champions Online, City of Heroes and City of Villains, announced today the highly anticipated Star Trek Online for PC is set to release on February 2, 2010 in North America and February 5, 2010 across Europe and Australia. This first-of-a-kind massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) will offer space and ground gameplay to fans and players.

"Star Trek Online is poised to become the ultimate Star Trek gaming experience," said Jim Wilson, CEO of Atari, Inc. "Throughout the last four decades, Star Trek has been a mainstay in pop culture, influencing legions of fans through television, film, and more. Star Trek Online opens a whole new chapter and expands upon this incredible universe in 2010."

Taking place in the year 2409, continuing the story of the latest film installment, Star Trek Online boasts extraordinary features and lets fans both new and old experience unparalleled adventures. Players will have the opportunity to become a high ranking Starfleet officer and will participate in missions that will take them into the depths of space, across exotic planets and even inside other starships. Star Trek Online offers total customization, where every ship players command can be customized, from color to construction. Additionally, anyone can create their own species in Star Trek Online, as well as customize the look of their avatar’s uniform.

  For more information, please visit: www.startrekonline.com

  ABOUT ATARI, SA

Atari group is a global creator, producer and publisher of interactive entertainment for interactive game platforms that include PC, online, consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony and advanced smart phones (i.e. iPhone). Divisions of Atari, SA include Cryptic Studios, Atari London Studio, Eden Studios, Atari Interactive, Inc. and Atari, Inc.

Atari benefits from its global brand and an extensive catalogue of popular games based on classic owned game franchises (Asteroids, Centipede, Missile Command, Lunar Lander), original owned franchises (Test Drive, Backyard Sports, Deer Hunter), MMO games from Cryptic Studios (Star Trek Online, Champions Online) and third party franchises (Ghostbusters, Project Runway, Dungeons and Dragons).

  For more information please visit www.atari.com.

  © 2009 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.

  Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

  About Cryptic Studios

Based in Los Gatos, CA, Cryptic Studios is a leading developer of massively multiplayer online games committed to delivering the next level of MMO gameplay. Cryptic develops AAA titles for PC and consoles, including Star Trek Online and Champions Online. For more information on Cryptic Studios, please visit the official website at: www.crypticstudios.com.

Source: Atari, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.startrekonline.com/

Atari to Ship Star Trek Online on February 2, 2010 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

It’s time to gear up for all-out, high-speed action and epic combat, as the most anticipated game of the year, developer Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will be available at retail stores everywhere as of midnight, November 10th. Modern Warfare 2 unleashes a new threat upon the world, putting gamers on the front lines of an epic, global battle that has advanced onto American soil, proving that no one is safe from an impending invasion.

In anticipation of the launch of Modern Warfare 2, Activision, along with GameStop and Microsoft, hosted a major first-to-play event in New York City’s Union Square where hundreds of fans gathered to be among the first-to-play the game before its midnight release and witness a grudge match for the ages, as Philadelphia Phillies star pitcher Cole Hamels guided a Modern Warfare 2 multiplayer team against a squad led by New York Yankees CC Sabathia and Jerry Hairston.

Several celebrity guests along with entertainment and gaming industry VIPs were on-hand to play the game and enjoy music by DJ Jazzy Jeff and DJ Questlove.

For more, Visit: http://www.modernwarfare2.com

CALL OF DUTY: MODERN WARFARE 2, MICROSOFT AND GAMESTOP TAKE OVER UNION SQUARE is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) today announced it has acquired Playfish™, a leading creator of social network games. The acquisition accelerates EA’s position in social entertainment and strengthens its focus on the transition to digital and social gaming. Playfish will operate within EA Interactive, a division of EA focused on the web and on wireless.

EA has acquired Playfish for approximately US$275 million in cash and approximately $US25 million in equity retention arrangements. In addition, the sellers are entitled to additional variable cash consideration, up to a maximum of US$100 million, contingent upon the achievement of certain performance milestones through December 31, 2011.

“Social gaming, with its emphasis on friends and community, is seeing tremendous growth and this is the right time to invest to strengthen our participation in this space,” said Barry Cottle, Senior Vice President and General Manager of EA Interactive. “EAi has been successfully leading the charge for EA, and with the addition of proven expertise from Playfish, their broad consumer base and strong game brands, we’re moving ahead aggressively in our plans to lead in the category of cross-platform social entertainment.”

"The industry is undergoing dramatic transformation and joining EA is the ideal opportunity for us to push forward our goals to lead in the social entertainment evolution on a faster and much larger scale," said Kristian Segerstrale, CEO and Co-founder of Playfish. “EAi’s vision and entrepreneurial culture are consistent with our own, and together, we are in position to be the company that defines new and innovative connected experiences that will change the way people play games.”

Playfish is one of the world’s largest and most respected social gaming companies with more than 150 million games installed and played worldwide on platforms such as Facebook®, MySpace™, Google™, Bebo, iPhone™ and Android. Playfish currently has over 60 million monthly active players across its ten titles – including Facebook hits Pet Society, Restaurant City, and Country Story – driving more than 1 billion game play sessions every month.

EAi is a division of EA focused on digital business, including EA Mobile™, Pogo™ and social gaming. Pogo is the #1 casual gaming destination in audience engagement across North America and Europe. And EA Mobile is the world’s #1 mobile games publisher with 34% market share in the U.S., and the leading games publisher on Apple’s App Store with such Top Paid Apps as Rock Band®, Madden NFL10, The Sims™, and Tetris®.

About Electronic Arts

Electronic Arts Inc. (EA), headquartered in Redwood City, California, is a leading global interactive entertainment software company. Founded in 1982, the Company develops, publishes, and distributes interactive software worldwide for video game systems, personal computers, wireless devices and the Internet. Electronic Arts markets its products under four brand names: EA SPORTS^TM, EA^TM, EA Mobile^TM and POGO^TM. In fiscal 2009, EA posted GAAP net revenue of $4.2 billion and had 31 titles that sold more than one million copies. EA’s homepage and online game site is www.ea.com. More information about EA’s products and full text of press releases can be found on the Internet at http://info.ea.com.

EA, EA SPORTS, EA Mobile, Pogo and The Sims are trademarks or registered trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Rock Band is a trademark or registered trademark of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc., an MTV Networks company. Tetris is a registered trademark of Tetris Holding LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About Playfish

Playfish leads the social gaming industry in innovation and creativity with award-winning, category-defining games designed for friends to play together. The company has changed the way people play games by creating more social and connected experiences. To date, more than 150 million Playfish games have been installed and played by millions of people worldwide on platforms such as Facebook, MySpace, Google, Bebo, iPhone and Android. The company’s games are amongst the most acclaimed and popular online, including Pet Society, Restaurant City, Country Story and Who Has The Biggest Brain? Playfish has development studios in London, San Francisco, Beijing and Tromso, Norway. Playfish is backed by Accel Partners, Index Ventures and Stanhope Capital.

Electronic Arts Acquires Playfish is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

iFrogz has some great stuff as I came to find out when I reviewed their iPod case, now their coming to At&t stores just for you!

-iFrogz (www.iFrogz.com), a leading developer of accessories for the iPhone™, iPod™ and other consumer electronics, announces the MyFrogz line of customizable Luxe cases. Available in all AT&T stores nationwide, customers can purchase the MyFrogz Luxe case program in store and then customize their case for immediate delivery.

The MyFrogz in-store packaging includes a customization code, as well as a clear protective case to use until the customized case arrives. To customize, users can either download the free MyFrogz app or visit www.iFrogz.com/myfrogz.

“Our Luxe cases have been widely popular and customers were asking for a customizable option,” said Scott Huskinson, President and CEO of iFrogz. “Providing customers with the ability to create ‘Different Cases for Different Faces’ is a great next step for us and we are confident it will take in-store demand for the Luxe case to the next level.”

Hundreds of unique cases can be created by choosing from more than 20 color options for both the top and bottom pieces. Options include new colors in the classic metallic look and a new Luxe “Frost” series has also been introduced to provide a semi-transparent look.

Once customers design their case and submit their personal customization code, a unique case will be created and shipped immediately. There is no extra cost for customization or for shipping and each case is expected to arrive in less than one week.

Retailing for $34.99, the MyFrogz customizable Luxe cases are now available in AT&T stores nationwide. For more information, please visit www.iFrogz.com.

About iFrogz

iFrogz (www.iFrogz.com) develops innovative accessories for the iPod™ and other consumer electronics. iFrogz iPod™ accessories utilize unique design and innovation, allowing customers to individualize the look of their iPods™ as much as their music and video. iFrogz iPod™ accessories are distributed globally at various retailers and online. A subsidiary of Reminderband Inc., iFrogz launched in March 2006 and is based in Logan, Utah.

iFrogz Announces New MyFrogz Customizable Luxe Cases at AT&T Stores Nationwide is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

The Asus EeePC 900a is a great little netbook with one big flaw, it comes with a tiny little 4gb SSD drive that is very slow. Actually there’s two flaws, the second would be how Asus handled the updates of the operating system, they’re automatic and they fill that tiny SSD to the point where the system slows to a crawl. The OS that is on the SSD is ok for just messing around, but let’s face it, most everything is Windows and to be any kind of productive with the EeePC you’ll need to install Windows on it. This isn’t a Linux vs Windows or even vs Mac rant, so I don’t want to hear about it, this is a review of the Runcore 64gb SSD for the EeePC 900a that will turn that little netbook into not only a speed demon, but something that can be a more productive machine.

The Runcore SSD comes in a small plastic box, included with it is a screwdriver to help you install the SSD and some Runcore stickers to show off that you’ve got a Runcore brand SSD in your netbook.

Looking at the Runcore, it doesn’t look like much really, nothing like an SSD that most of use are familiar with:

Looking at bit closer we see chips branded Samsung, Elpida and Indilinx on the Runcore:

Specifications:

RunCore 64GB Pro IV 70mm PCI-e SATA II Solid State Drive SSD

Part#: RCP-IV-S7064-C
Brand Name: Runcore
MB/GB Size: 64GB
MSRP: $299.99

RunCore PRO IV: A Small Price to Pay for a More Productive Life.

In RunCore’s pursuit of the ultimate solid state drive (SSD) upgrade, a full new line of SSD products have been developed, boosting computer performance 5x to 40x. The RunCore Pro IV SSDs provide speed increases in startup, application launch, multitasking between programs, opening/rendering/saving large files, and shutdown. The RunCore PRO IV SSD also offers silent operation, longer battery life, heat reduction, reliability, and durability making it the perfect solution for all applications.

The revolutionary new SSD design not only boosts your sustained performance but it also focuses on random small file Read and Write speeds, the speeds that create bottle necks in current and past PATA, SATA HDDs, and some SSDs. With Operating system and application consisting of thousands of small files, the RunCore Pro IV SSD can process these files at nearly 10X write and 50X read while creating a more efficient and satisfying user experience.

The Pro IV 70mm miniPCIe SATA SSD has become an ideal choice for the storage media of the ultra mobile PC. With its small footprint and industry-standard design, the format of miniPCIe SSD is ideal for embedded solid state storage because it allows for high capacity and high performance while ensuring compatibility in ultra-mobile application.

To install the Runcore SSD you’ll need to open up your Asus EeePC 900a, this is simple with the provided screwdriver.

If you’ve looked at your EEEPC then you would have noticed the little door on the bottom, behind that door is where you’ll find access to the SSD and ram.

Here’s a comparison shot of the Asus SSD and the Runcore:

Getting it in the EeePC is easy really, just unscrew two screws on the old SSD and then it just slides right out, reverse the process to install the Runcore SSD and you’re ready to go.

Now I don’t have another SSD like this to compare the Runcore to, and honestly it’s a bit difficult to install anything but Linux on the little 4gb SSD that came with my EEEPC. You can install Windows on the 4gb SSD, but it takes quite a bit of work and work-arounds to get it to work, the average person with little or no technical knowledge will find it a daunting task surely.

There are two main reasons to upgrade the SSD in the 900A, the first is capacity obviously, and the second is speed. The SSD that comes with the EEEPC is slow as molasses, even running the ASUS Linux operating system. For whatever reason automatic update is turned on and when you power up the EEEPC it will start to download updates even if you don’t need them, and even if they aren’t for that particular model of EEEPC. There’s also really no way to delete the updates either, at least not an easy way. So when all of this happens the system bogs down to the point that you’re waiting upwards of 30 seconds sometimes for the system to respond because there’s just no more room on the SSD. I ended up having to re-install the OS actually and make sure I did not connect to the internet before turning the automatic updates off. This somewhat solved the space issue but not really, once you do get the required updates you’re left with very little space at all to do anything or allow the system to run smoothly. It’s a great little netbook, but flawed in the way ASUS handled the updates.

I ran ATTO Disk Benchmark once I got Windows 7 installed on the EEEPC and came up with some fast speeds.

Now I can’t install one of my other SSDs in the EEEPC or vice versa for a true comparison, but I’ve got two other netbooks that are very similar in specs, the Acer Aspire One D250 and the OCZ Neutrino. At the base these are all similar computers really running the Atom processor. In the Neutrino I’ve got the OCZ Agility SSD and in the Aspire One I have the Patriot Warp, so I ran Atto again on them to give us a general comparison idea.

According to ATTO the Runcore is a bit slow with the write speeds, but the read speeds are super fast. This little Runcore easily bests the Patriot Warp SSD overall, and even has some faster read speeds than the OCZ Agility.

I also ran SiSoft Sandra 2009 SP4a on the Runcore, specifically I ran the File Systems benchmark, it gives us a nice breakdown of the performance of the SSD:

Detailed Benchmark Results
Buffered Read : 123.31MB/s
Sequential Read : 126MB/s
Random Read : 109.3MB/s
Buffered Write : 116.7MB/s
Sequential Write : 80.88MB/s
Random Write : 86.69MB/s
Random Access Time : 1.2ms

We can see some very nice speeds with the Runcore for everything really.

Yes you can argue it’s not a proper comparison,I said that myself, but it does give us a nice idea of the performance of the Runcore SSD.

Originally the Asus EeePC 900a just sat around not doing much, I used it every once in a while to access the internet and that was even a chore really for it to handle, but now it’s actually something that has become a usable netbook for me.

Conclusion:

The Runcore 64gb SSD is truly something that will turn the little EeePC into something you never thought possible, a real computer and not a toy!

Tossing the Runcore SSD into the EeePC 900a truly brings new life to this little PC and makes it much more usable.

The difference is night and day between the little Asus SSD and the Runcore SSD.

There is one flaw to this product, and that’s the price, coming in at about $250, it costs more than the netbook itself even new. But if you don’t have deep pockets and want the best of both worlds speed and space you may want to take a look at the 32GB model coming in at only $139.99. I am told they are selling faster than Runcore can make them and they ship 1st come 1st serve so if you want one don’t be afraid to get your order in now The price might be high, but it’s well worth it for what you get in terms of making the EeePC 900a that much more usable and productive.

Pros:
+Fast
+Easy installation
+Adds new life to the EeePC 900A

Cons:
-Price maybe

Grades:
Overall
Design
Performance

RunCore 64GB Pro IV 70mm PCI-e SATA Solid State Drive SSD is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog