Skyrim – Dawnguard Expansion
For a title boasting more than 300 hours of gameplay from the main story line, side stories alone, Bethesdas Elder Scrolls Skyrim has received it’s first official expansion. Dawnguard adds at the very least an additional 20 hours of gameplay to rummage through with a story line based on an old Vampire Lord that has come back to wreak havok, searching for the Elder Scrolls to blot out the sun. It’s your choice to either rally against him or help him out in his quest.
Before we get to the technical improvements of the game Bethesda has announced that they will not be porting the game over to the PS3 until the bugs with the game and the overall performance of the game are improved on that system. Skyrim had its share of bugs all platforms but the PS3 suffered one of the largest with a bug that prevented the game from rendering at all.
Quote from Bethesdas blog
“We are not satisfied yet with Dawnguard’s performance on the PS3. We would like for everyone to have a chance to play Dawnguard, but we aren’t going to release it for PS3 knowing that some people’s experience in Skyrim will be worse. We do everything we can to have our content available to all; from our free updates, to user mods, to paid DLC. We’re as disappointed as our fans when that isn’t the case, but we’ll continue to push for that reality.”
Dawnguard brings in a few features both character skill wise, enemy wise and item wise that became popular on Elderscrolls ever growing custom mod community, namely the ability to use dragon bones for weapons. It was a bit of a curiosity why this forge skill was never included with the game on its release but it has become one of the more popular downloads for the PC version.
Dawnguard boasts some of the following additions to the game.
1. The ability to become a Vampire
2. Skill trees for both the vampire and werewolf classes
3. 19 new weapons to choose from.
4. 60 New characters
5 . 23 new locations
6. 12 new quests
Dawnguard also comes with a technical significance. It marks a continuation in a series of games that have community driven content that directs production of official releases that are reactionary to the desires of their customers. Bethesda has been able, with consistency, to create gaming experiences that are deeply interactive with a tremendous amount of longevity.
Source - 1
Source - 2
Hosted VoIP
Nuvosys Solutions, they really do make IT happen. “Manage both voice and data services with one provider with little up-front capital, all at a low, predictable monthly rate as low as $30.00 a month per user.”
You can’t beat the price with these special features:
Unlimited Calling
Call Waiting
Call Conference
Caller ID and many more special features included in the bundle.
Voicemail Features
- Password Protected Voicemail
- Voicemail Greeting Options
- Voicemail to Email
- Remote Access
- Multiple Mail folders
- Visual Waiting Indicator
And amazing Virtual Receptionist Features.
You can’t beat the price and you most definitely can’t beat Nuvosys Solutions.
via Nuvosys Solutions
Leaked iPhone 5 Images and Video!
image via techcrunch.com
Techcrunch recently posted an article on about the newly ancitipated iPhone 5. Courtesy of Macotakara, we have iPhone 5 images and video leaked for all of us to enjoy. The video seems to confirm all our speculations we have of the highly anticipated product. The taller screen, speakers on the bottom, and front centered Facetime camera. (Techcrunch.com)
The new images and video seem to confirm all the rumors we’ve had this past year. Because of Apple’s secrecy and mystery behind everything, we usually always find out what it looks like at the big unveil at Apple Inc in California.
We are never really sure if this is exactly what the iPhone 5 will look like, but this is a big lead on our suspicions. What we do know is that the iPhone 5 will have a higher resolution screen provided that this is the biggest rumor out there.
It seems as though the iPhone lost its glorified glossiness. Do you agree? Will you be picking up the iPhone 5 this Fall?
Sources by:
New iPod Touch to Match New iPhone
(Credit to Apple)
Can it be that the new iPod Touch will follow the iPhone in screen size? Well, sources say that the fifth generation iPod Touch will have a four inch LCD display. Is that too big for apple's target audience? Is our eyes used to the the beautiful 3.5 in display? I know we are all wondering on how it will turn out. Best to read on and let our imagination run with us.
"The next iPod Touch may join the next iPhone is bumping up its screen size, according to new reports."
"Citing its "Asian sources," Japanese blog site Macotakara claims that the fifth-generation iPod Touch will offer a four-inch LCD display, just like the upcoming new iPhone. But that's not all."
"The next iPod Touch could be equipped with the same processor found on the iPhone 4S, say Macotakara's sources, which means an upgrade from the A4 to the A5 chip. Other specs may match that of the iPhone 4S as well. The next model will reportedly have a different back-case style -- buffed aluminum instead of the polished stainless steel mirror design. And potential buyers may get a choice of black or white".
"The next-gen iPod Touch also has an extra hole on the lower part of the back case, but the sources had no clue as to its purpose."
"Adding further fuel to the fire, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued a report yesterday saying that a new iPod Touch is in the works, as reported by MacRumors. The next model will be equipped with the same in-cell touch display technology reportedly slated for the next iPhone. Such technology helps keep the device thin and light."
"Kuo believes Apple will launch the new iPod Touch in September or October, the same time the next iPhone is expected to debut."
With the new iPod Touch set to be coming out in September or October and before we start saving our money up, let's just waited out and see what apple has in store for us.
Source:
OUYA: A change in television gaming
- The controller to the OUYA System
This new video game system is unique from any other popular video game system. Its group of creators are really exited about its launch. But the catch is that they need your help to launch it.Ouya revolutionizes how we play video games on the television.
You can pledge money to the group. $10 to $10,000!
This group of inventors are really excited because guess what, they love video games.
This system is powered by Android. This present is hitting us with nostalgia.
The most exciting part is that it’s opened to all hackers.
Here are more specifications:
Tegra3 quad-core processor
1GB RAM
8GB of internal flash storage
HDMI connection to the TV, with support for up to 1080p HD
WiFi 802.11 b/g/n
Bluetooth LE 4.0
USB 2.0 (one)
Wireless controller with standard controls (two analog sticks, d-pad, eight action buttons, a system button), a touchpad
Android 4.0
Source:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ouya/ouya-a-new-kind-of-video-game-console
Software Detects Motion that the Human Eye Can’t See
The Video technique could lead to remote diagnostic methods, like the ability to detect the heart rate of someone on a screen.
“A new set of software algorithms can amplify aspects of a video and reveal what is normally undetectable to human eyesight, making it possible to, for example, measure someone’s pulse by shooting a video of him and capturing the way blood is flowing across his face.”
“Durand and his colleagues plan to make their software code available to others this summer.”
Source:
http://www.technologyreview.com/news/428498/software-detects-motion-that-the-human-eye-cant/
What are those entrepreneurs up to?
Forbes recently held a contest for startups, each company making an elevator pitch of their product. The winner gets some furniture or a computer. You might think, given such low incentives, the best and brightest might want to sit this one out, and you would be mostly right. The ideas are uninspired and what you might expect from tech Cloud computing comes up a few times in the entries, as does social networking and apps. Ideas include information for mapping the human genome uploaded into a cloud, social networking for parents, a retraining program for use on apps, an app for organizing your emails so you receive less spam and promotional emails, and an app that listens to what you’re saying and searches the web for words you bring up and weaves that into a story somehow.
You get the sense that the real prize here is entrepreneurs exposing their ideas to readers of Forbes, trying to get investment and exposure for generally uninspiring ideas (a spam filter, in the form of a third party’s app? Who wants to use that?). But everyone has to be thinking about Instagram. Years ago, if you told me that an app that applies Photoshop filters to Photographs was a billion dollar idea i should really get in on the ground floor on, I would have politely declined and looked to invest in someone that had a good or service they could charge money for. And I would have then gone into a mighty depression some time later, looking at what I spend on lunch everyday know that that wouldn’t even be an issue if had believed in Instagram back in the day.
The judges at Forbes agree with hypothetical me from years ago, and pick for the winner ‘Axonify,’ the program that wants to provide an innovative and quick way to train workers. A service people want, and would pay money for? Makes sense, but someone there is looking at ‘afterschool.me’ and wondering if providing a social network service for parents, and having revenue come later, is the real safe thing to invest in.
Read the article here.
Checking for a skin cancer from your phone
Now is possible to scan your skin with your phone to check if you have any symptoms of skin cancer. Many of those symptoms are visible with out necessity of MRI or CT scans. With this application many people can save money and time instant of going to clinic for those scans. The University of Michigan designed an iPhone app that let you check yourself for skin cancer. You just need to take 23 nude pictures. The application gives you examples of bad skin for comparison and certain reminders to take more pictures.
Internet Security in the News
This is worrying news. Me, the anonymous writer of this blog post here is a Yahoo Mail user, and apparently they just got hacked and over four hundred thousand accounts were compromised using basic hacking techniques. The results of the hack were posted on a public hacking website at proof that it could be done and more security was needed. CNET looked at the passwords and found many were simple, easy to guess passwords like the word password itself or 12345. Luckily I don’t have an easy password and work at a company that is a recognized leader in information security and technology.
The attacks were directed specifically at Yahoo Voices, a service described of as a content dump, churning out lots of poorly written content in an effort to get attention and page views.
Read the article here.
TOP 50 PICKS OF ANDROID APPS
TOP 50 PICKS OF ANDROID APPS
SOCIAL
ANDMADE SHARE Free
FOURSQUARE Free
GLANCEE Free
GOOGLE+ Free
PATH Free Instagram for Android has only just been announced.
LINKEDIN Free
WHATSAPP MESSENGER Free
ENTERTAINMENT
7DIGITAL MUSIC STORE Free
ESPN GOALS Free This sounds too good to be true for football fans, but it isn’t. ESPN’s app delivers video highlights of Premier League goals just minutes after they’re scored, as well as live scores and stats. It’s free, and funded by ads.
SHAZAM Free Are you listening to a tune on the radio or in a club, but can’t quite place it? Shazam is your friend. It identifies tracks, then enables you buy them, watch the YouTube videos or start them playing in Spotify. It can also display lyrics.
SKY GO Free to Sky subscribers Sky’s live TV app offers up to 23 channels, although how many exactly depends on which you have access to through your home subscription. They stream over 3G or Wi-Fi and you can register up to two devices.
TED Free Californian conference Ted is famous for its thought-provoking technology talks, as big thinkers grapple with the future of… everything. Its Android app serves up its archive of videos, many of them genuinely mind-changing.
GAMES
ANGRY BIRDS RIO Free You can’t escape Angry Birdson any smartphone these days. The game sees you catapulting the miffed birds at nefarious pigs, with the addition of characters from animated movie Rio and boss battles to spice up the action.
WHALE TRAIL £1.49 Another excellent iPhone game that has found its way on to Android. Willow the Whale soars through the clouds as he seeks to escape the evil Baron Von Barry. The soundtrack comes from Super Furry Animal Gruff Rhys.
WORDS WITH FRIENDS Free Words With Friends is basically Scrabble under a different name: you make words with tiles on a board with rows and columns. Here, though, you’re competing with your Facebook friends, taking turns at your leisure.
WORLD OF GOO £2.99 Having started life as a PC game,World of Goo has become one of the stickiest Android games. It sees you squeezing and stretching goo balls to build objects to get you through a succession of puzzle levels. Tactile and wonderful.
READING
THE GUARDIAN Free Excuse us this one self-interested entry. This app puts a slick, mobile interface on theGuardian website, complete with podcasts, videos, the ability to save articles for offline reading and customise the homescreen categories.
PULSE NEWS Free Pulse is one of a clutch of news aggregation apps for Android. You tell it what websites you like and it pulls down the latest stories, while also letting you search for keywords of specific topics you’re interested in.
LIFESTYLE
AA ECO DRIVE Free An app that aims to save you money while also helping the planet? That will be AA Eco Drive, which uses GPS to track your driving style, then provides useful tips on how you can be more efficient at conserving fuel.
ANDROIDIFY Free One of Android’s strong points is its striking robot logo, something capitalised on by Google’s own Androidify app. It lets you create your own Android avatars, complete with accessories, to store and share with friends.
BUILDAPP Free This app is still in beta, but if you are thinking of moving house or redecorating, it could still prove invaluable. Buildapp enables you to design your rooms in 3D and then move virtual furniture around to see how it might look.
GOOGLE MAPS Free Google Maps remains, hands down, the best maps app for Android. Hardly surprising – it’s easy to use and the maps are clear and detailed. Although built into Android, this standalone version is updated more frequently.
MET OFFICE WEATHER APPLICATION Free The UK’s Met Office has an official Android app and it’s very good indeed. It provides five-day forecasts and daily weather maps, as well as severe weather warnings and favourite location forecasts.
TOUCHNOTE POSTCARDS Free Picture messaging, Facebook and email might be good ways to share your photos, but sometimes you have to get physical. Touchnote turns your pics into postcards, sent to any address for £1.49 a time – in the UK or beyond.
SHOPPING
BARCLAYS PINGIT Free Barclays’ new mobile payments app is an innovative and impressive idea: send money direct to friends’ bank accounts from your phone. For now, only Barclays customers can send, but that will change in the future.
APPSFIRE Free Appsfire is an app to help you shop for… apps. It lets you browse your own collection and, crucially, recommends other app downloads you might like, based on your tastes. Appsfire offers a good way to keep on top of the latest apps.
AMAZON MOBILE FOR ANDROID Free Still think people won’t shop on a phone? They said that about websites once. Amazon’s app is fast and efficient for browsing and buying products, with barcode scanning to get more details on something when in a real-world shop.
TESCO GROCERIES Free Tesco’s shopping app is a model of simplicity and effectiveness, as you create and manage shopping lists, book delivery slots and switch between the mobile and web shopping services. You can also scan products in-store to add them to your list.
TOOLS
ADVANCED TASK KILLER Free If you’re experiencing performance issues with your Android smartphone, it may be because too many apps are running in the background. Advanced Task Killer is the antidote, helping you shut down those you don’t need.
DROPBOX Free Wonder why there’s so much excitement around cloud services? Dropbox should help you understand. When installed on your computer and Android, you can swap files between the two at will – photos, videos, documents…
EVERNOTE Free Another good advert for the power of the cloud, Evernote wants to help you “remember everything across all of the devices you use”, storing and synchronising notes and to-do lists, while adding photos for visual memory aids.
GOOGLE DOCS Free It should come as no surprise that Google’s own online office suite works very well as an Android app. You can create, edit and share Google Docs with it; it also uses the camera to convert snaps of printed text into documents.
ONAVO Free You may know that your mobile tariff provides 500MB of data a month, but do you know how that data gets used by different apps? Onavo will show youhow, monitoring data traffic and displaying it as easy-to-understand charts.
OPERA MINI Free Looking for an alternative to Google’s preloaded Android web browser? Opera Mini is well worth a look. It uses compression technology that ensures websites load faster and cost you much less in data usage – a godsend when roaming abroad.
SKY MAP Free Originally made by Google, this app has just been open sourced for other developers to work on. It’s an excellent showcase for Android phones: point your device at the sky and it will tell you what the various stars are.
