WEEK 28, JULY 11 - 17, 2013
AN AL ROYA PRESENTATION
OMAN’S FAVOURITE MAGAZINE, NOW A TABLOID
TECH@DEEN ARMEDIA .COM
APPS, essential, Tech Selection, games and more...
the next heir
Macbook air boasts a solid state design
neon sound
The Beats MixrS are light but loud
muscle Rule
entertainment remastered
Chevorlet shocks with 2014 Camaro z/28
sony gives you An audio-visual treat you have never experienced before
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Issue
52
Home Sc reen
Power packed? Produced by
It is only four months until PS4 goes on sale and the PlayStation 4 made its debut on UK soil last week, with Sony’s retail partners and key press invited to a location in London to see the new console in action and play the new games.
Deenar Press and Publishing LLC PO Box 139, PC 102, Al Qurm, Sultanate of Oman Tel: + 968 24696868, Fax: +968 24693569 E-mail: info@deenarmedia.com
At the event, was Fergal Gara, the VP and managing director at Sony Computer Entertainment UK and Ireland.
Printed at Ruwi Modern Printers 2013 © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers; while every care has been taken in the preparation of the magazine, the publishers cannot be held responsible if factual errors in product and pricing occur. MSRP (Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price) listed only as a suggestion. Actual prices are set by dealers and are subject to change at any time. The publishers regret they cannot accept liability for errors or omissions contained in this issue. Please check any quoted hardware specifications and pricing with your supplier before purchase.
Was it true that Sony had changed its plan to bundle the PlayStation Camera in order to undercut the cost of the Xbox One? IGN reported that was the case last month, citing multiple sources. But Gara denied this, saying the PS4 price was in place long before the Xbox One cost was revealed. “It can’t be true because we couldn’t possibly have known what the Xbox was going to cost,” he said.
“What I’ll say is, lots of ideas were considered you know, lots of different combinations and of course price was I think fairly clear from a very long time out but you know everything about PS4 is about giving gamers choice. So if you don’t want a camera you don’t have to have a camera. If you want to trade in games, you can trade in games. So there’s been nothing in the whole proposition that is overly restrictive and I think the reaction has proved that people value that.” Gara reiterated that Sony’s main goal with the PS4 was to deliver the most powerful console at a price that gamers consider to be acceptable, underlining its perceived status as the next-gen games console designed exclusively for gamers. Word from retailers thus far has been that the PS4 is well ahead on pre-orders, and Gara confirmed he was hearing the same information.
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4
NEWS WEEK 28, july 11 - 17, 2013
Photography workshop organised by Photocentre Dell PC sales shift Struggling computer maker Dell is considering a move into the “wearable computing” space, as it grapples with the effects of a shrinking PC market. The idea of computers that can be worn on the body has become one of the hottest spaces in the technology business. Google has thousands of people testing its head-mounted Glass system, while the Californian company Pebble has sold more than 85,000 of its Bluetooth-connected “smart watches”. With Dell preparing to take the company private in a USD24bn leveraged buyout as the PC market – the field which its founder and chief executive Michael. Dell’s PC revenues shrank by nine per cent to USD8.9bn in the three months ending in May compared with the year before, and income slumped 65 per cent to USD224mn. It has also been pushed into third place in the global PC market by China’s Lenovo, which is now just behind the largest PC maker, HP.
Mouse inventor dies
Photocentre, the official dealers for Fujifilm in Oman, organised a day long photography workshop for professional photographers and photography enthusiasts at the Bait Al Zubair museum last week. The event saw internationally acclaimed professional photographers share their experiences, knowledge and their work with the local community. The guest speakers at the event were Skyle Burt and Bob McCaffrey who shared insights into the art of photography. Skyle is a co–founder of Yellow Street photos and strives to create dynamic images that give his viewers a deeper connection with his subjects. Clients and publications such as Forbes Traveller, Lonely Planet, The National, Time Out, Hallmark, Shangri-La Resorts, British council and Sony have used his photography. Bob is a photographer with more than twenty-five years experience and during that time he has covered many large global sporting events and worked on international shoots for a wide range of global corporations. He has recently started a creative business here in Oman (Infin8Creative) with a modern and well equipped photo and design studio and together with his team they combine all elements from design, web design and corporate branding, through to Wedding, family portraits, location and advertising photography. The workshop was well attended by photographers of all levels and from various sectors of the society including the government, photo society, studios, freelancers, wedding photographers and more. The workshop covered four primary topics – the first of which was a general
workshop and training followed by a session on food photography and another on portraits; concluding with a session on model photography. Also included was a familiarization session on the new Fujifilm X-Series range of cameras. The multi-award winning Fujifilm X-Series range is geared towards professional and keen enthusiast
photographers and offers a unique combination of exceptional lens quality, solid chassis build and revolutionary sensor designs. This provides users with the flexibility, performance and top-class optical quality for practically any application regardless of how demanding it may be. Key models in the range include the award winning X-E1, X-Pro1 and X20.
Apple iWatch It is the first official hint that Apple has a new gadget in the pipeline: the notoriously secretive company has applied to register the iWatch name as a trademark.
Doug Engelbart, a visionary who invented the computer mouse and developed other technology that has transformed the way people work, play and communicate, has died. He was 88. Engelbart conceived the computer mouse so early in the evolution of computers that he and his colleagues didn’t profit much from it. The mouse patent had a 17-year life span, allowing the technology to pass into the public domain in 1987. That prevented Engelbart from collecting royalties on the mouse when it was in its widest use. At least a billion have been sold since the mid-1980s.
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The anticipated wrist-computer – which may be akin to a television, so little firm information about it is available – will be Apple’s first new product of the post Steve Jobs era. Apple has filed for ownership of the “iWatch” trademark in Japan and, assuming it is a watch, it would be a further demonstration of Silicon Valley’s growing interest in wearable computing.
Manufacturing liver Stem cell research has resulted in several important breakthroughs in medicine, such as rebuilding the larynx and regenerating spinal cord connectors. Now the liver, one of the most highly sought after organs on the donor transplant list, could get some serious stem cell assistance as well. The liver “buds,” as they’re known, measure 5mm
long and are the sort you would find in human embryos shortly after fertilization. When implanted in mice, the baby livers managed to perform all the functions of their adult equivalents. The researchers’ next step would be to generate liver buds that are a touch closer to normal liver tissue -- like the addition of bile ducts -- and to see if they can mass produce them by the tens of thousands. Don’t go
wasting your liver just yet though, as it’ll likely be years before the likes of you and me will be able to have a lab-grown liver in our bodies.
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NOTEBOOKS
6
WEEK 28, juLY 11 - 17, 2013
Reinventing notebooks The world’s best laptop just got a whole lot better
New features
A
pple has unveiled the MacBook Air, the first of a next generation of notebooks that will replace mechanical hard disks and optical drives with Internet services and solid-state flash storage.
Solid state flash storage is up to twice as fast as hard drive storage
Available in 11-inch and 13-inch models and weighing as little as 2.3 pounds, the MacBook Air is Apple’s lightest and most portable notebook ever. MacBook Air uses the same solid-state storage technology as iPad to deliver instant-on responsiveness, up to seven hours of battery life and up to 30 days of standby time.
Up to 90 per cent smaller and lighter solid state flash storage than hard drives
With its aluminium unibody enclosure, the new MacBook Air measures an incredibly thin 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest, and weighs just 2.3 pounds for the 11inch model and 2.9 pounds for the 13-inch. Like iPad, MacBook Air was designed from the ground up to use flash storage exclusively. Apple’s custom-designed flash storage is 90 per cent smaller and lighter than a conventional notebook hard drive, contributing to MacBook Air’s mobile, featherweight design. MacBook Air’s
Hard drive crashes are eliminated
flash storage also provides faster data access and is more reliable than notebook hard drives due to its solidstate design. MacBook Air features a full-sized keyboard for typing comfort and productivity, as well as the acclaimed glass Multi-Touch track pad found on Apple’s MacBook Pro, so you can scroll through web sites, flip through photos, and resize or rotate images all from the track pad. The built-in FaceTime
camera, mic and stereo speakers are perfect for video calls with iPhone 4, iPod touch and other Macs. Flash storage combined with powerefficient Intel Core 2 Duo processors and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics delivers an ideal balance of mobility, battery life and performance. MacBook Air features an 11.6-inch or 13.3-inch high-resolution LED-backlit display and Mini DisplayPort to connect your 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display, projector or HD TV. Ultra-fast
802.11n WiFi networking allows you to download music and movies from iTunes, back up data to Time Capsule and store or share files with MobileMe and iDisk.0. MacBook Air includes Bluetooth 2.1+EDR for wireless peripherals and two USB ports making it easy to sync and charge an iPad, iPhone or iPod while using another device. The 13inch MacBook Air also includes an SD card slot.
HEADPHONES
Mix in up The Beats by Dre Mixr’s only purpose is to provide a pair of headphones DJs can do everything with The Beats by Dre Mixrs Price: USD335 (RO129)
T
he Beats by Dre Mixr headphones are a unique product of their already wellestablished line-up. With competition like the Philips Fidelio L1 and the B&O BeoPlay H6 the company has been fighting hard to release better audio accessories. The Beats Pill is one example of this by moving from headphones to the portable speaker market. The Mixr is another. While they are still headphones these are the first Beats headphones with a target audience in mind, the DJ. With a brief to create a pair of superstrong, ultra-portable headphones that still provide the same sound quality as their Studio range the company were certainly up against it.
Design
them being just as important. Thankfully the Beats by Dre Mixrs are comfortable enough with the soft cushions providing ample support for your ears.
Sound quality Beats by Dre have declared the Mixr one of the lightest and loudest headphones ever created and while we might argue with the lightest we certainly can’t argue with loudest.
Verdict The Mixrs are an odd proposition. Created with the DJ in mind they’ve also been designed to be available and accessible to the average person. The sound quality is undeniably good whilst the build quality is excellent, where they fall short though is the price, these headphones cost USD335 (RO129).
The first thing you’ll notice about them is the size, these are probably the smallest and most compact Beats yet looking like a scaled down version of the Beats by Dre Solo headphones. There’s also an increased rigidity in the design, despite the fact they’re surprisingly flexible when pushed and feel like they’d withstand a fair amount of daily rough and tumble.
Comfort Of course the design is only half of the equation with the feeling of wearing
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COVER STORY TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
Visual treat S
ony continues to stun consumers with its expertise in television technology. Unique to Sony, X-Reality PRO image processing engine enables you to experience great picture quality regardless of its source. Various connectivity options also allow you to share content from your mobile devices easily on Bravia KDL-W804’s big screen.
Picture Quality Experience crisp picture quality whether you are watching movies on Blu-ray Discs, regular TV broadcasts, web videos or even low-resolution smartphone clips. X-Reality PRO image processing engine draws on a vast database of shapes, patterns, textures and colour to give you beautifully re-mastered images that are richer in colour and detail.
Audio This ultra-slim speaker delivers powerful sound to enhance your TV enjoyment. Exceptionally thin, it houses two individual driver units, one for low frequencies, one for high. A sophisticated acoustic isolation design prevents sound energy from being distorted or lost inside the TV cabinet, so you can enjoy full-range, distortion-free sound with all your favourite shows.
View Smartphone Content Sony’s Bravia TVs create a new level of usability, combining the capabilities of your hand-held devices with the impact of the big screen. Connect wirelessly
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The Sony Bravia range promises you breathtaking visuals and good-quality sound, irrespective of the source
through a host of features that allow you to browse the Web or share data between your TV and compatible devices.
lightweight and comfortable glasses so you’ll both enjoy the whole picture on a big screen.
With no complicated pairing required, Sony’s exclusive One-touch mirroring allows you to view exactly what’s on your smartphone on a Bravia screen wirelessly. Your videos, photos, apps and games will look great when shared on TV, with sound amplified clearly through Bravia ‘s speakers. Just tap your NFC-enabled Xperia to Bravia’s onetouch remote controller and a wireless connection is established instantly.
On-Screen Movement
Share videos, photos, apps, web pages, games and other content from your smartphone on Bravia’s big screen wirelessly. Screen mirroring* connects your phone or tablet to Bravia, supersizing whatever’s on your phone’s screen for all to enjoy. Audio content is also reproduced loud and clear through Bravia’s speakers.
3D Experience Kick your 3D experience into overdrive. The Sony Full HD 3D TV delivers smoother, clearer and more lifelike pictures for a truly immersive experience. Slip on a pair of comfortable and lightweight 3D glasses to enjoy a natural depth of field.
Gaming
7
On conventional TV, fast moving action scenes can sometimes be hard to follow. Motionflow XR 400 technology delivers smoother, less blurry images by inserting transitional frames between the standard frames of a video.
Multi-Format Play Bravia TVs offer you the convenience of multimedia versatility. With 37 different video codec formats available, you can enjoy all your favourite digital media content regardless of file format.
55-inch 3D LED TV Resolution: 1920x1080p 3D (Passive) X-Reality PRO Picture Engine MotionFlow XR 400 Bass Reflex Box Speaker 4xHDMI 3xUSB Passive Simulview MHL Enabled
Multi-core processor
Internet TV
Enjoy an enhanced TV performance, reduced power consumption, and more efficient simultaneous processing of multiple tasks on the Bravia. You can browse multiple Internet pages simultaneously at fast speeds.
Optional NFC Remote Built-In WiFi
Sony Bravia 3 Internet LED TV KDL55W804 Price: RO855 at Emax, Muscat City Centre
Say goodbye to split screens. Now you and a friend can both experience a full screen view of action as you challenge each other in exciting games. SimulView presents two separate pictures, each player watches independently through
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SELECTION
This section showcases our selection of electronics in the market today. Let us know if you have any favourites on tech@deenarmedia.com
Smartphones
RO270
RO80
RO200
RO200
RO280
60
8
Blackberry Q10
Huawie Ascend W1
Nokia Lumia 920
Sony Xperia ZL
Samsung Galaxy S4
Blackberry 10 OS, Dual Core 1.5GHz, 2G/3G/4G, 8MP primary and 2MP secondary camera, 16GB storage
Windows 8, 1.2GHz, Dual Core, 4GB storage up to 32BG, 3G, WiFi, 5MP camera, GPS
MS Windows 8 OS, Dual Core 1.5GHz Krait, 8MP camera, Dual LED flash, 32GB storage, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS, NFC
Android V4.2.2 OS, 1.3GHz Quad core, 512MB RAM, 13MP camera, 16GB storage up to 64GB, 3G, WiFi
Android V4.2.2 Jelly Bean OS, Quad Core 1.6GHz Cortex-A15 & Quad Core 1.2 GHz Cortex-A7, 13MP camera, 16GB storage up to 64GB, 2GB RAM, 3G, WiFi, A-GPS
Tablets
RO100
RO210 30
RO285 Surface – Microsoft Windows
Samsung Galaxy Note 8
10.6-inch screen, MS Windows 8 OS, Quad Core 1.3GHz, Intel Core i5, 2GB RAM, 32GB HDD, NvidiaTegra 3, WiFi, Bluetooth, 8MP camera
8-inch 1280x800 screen, Android 4.1.2 OS, Samsung Exynos 4 Quad Core 1.4GHz, 2GB RAM, 5MP camera, Bluetooth, WiFi, 3G, A-GPS
RO200
RO315 Asus PadFone 2 4.7-inch 1280x800 screen, 1.5Ghz Quad core, 32GB Storage, Bluetooth, 13MP camera
Amazon Kindle Fire HD 7-inch 1280x800 screen, Android 4.0 OS, 1.2GHz Dual Core, 16GB storage, WiFi, Dual Speaker Dolby, HD camera
iPad Mini 4G 16GB 16GB, 7.9-inch LED-backlit, multi-touch with IPS technology, 1,024x768p, Dual-core A5, Bluetooth, built-in 16.3-watthour rechargeable lithiumpolymer battery
Computers
RO600
RO630
RO500
RO580
Sony SVJ20215CAB
Apple Mac pro MD212
Samsung XE700T1A
HP Spectre 13 2110
20-inch, Windows 8, Intel HD Graphics 4000, Intel Core i53317 1.7GHz with Turbo Boost up to 2.60 GHz, 500GB HDD, 4GB RAM, Shared graphics, WiFi
13.3-inch Retina display LED backlit, 2.5GHz Dual Core Intel i%. 8GB RAM, 128GB flash storage, Intel HD graphics 4000, OS X, iLife
11.6-inch LED HD, Windows 7 HP, Intel CORE i5, shared graphics, 4GB RAM, 64GB SSD, WiFi, Bluetooth
13.3-inch LED HD, Windows 8 Pro, Intel Core i7-3317u 2.4GHz, 6GB DDR3 SDRAM, 128GB Hard disk, webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth
RO210 Acer Aspire V3 571G 5324G 15.6-inch HD LED screen, Windows 7, Intel Core i5-3210M 2.3GHz, 4GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth, Nvidia GeForce GT 640M Graphics
Compact cameras
RO111
10
RO280
Sony WX200
Canon G15
18.2MP, 10x optical zoom, 2.7inch LCD, Full HD movie, CMOS Sensor, WiFi, DLNA
12.1MP, 5x Optical zoom, 3-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, RAW format option
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RO170
RO141
Samsung Galaxy camera GC100
Canon PowerShot SX260
16MP, 21x optical zoom, 4.8-inch LCD touch screen, Full HD movie, Android, WiFi
12.1MP, 20x optical zoom, 3-inch screen, Full HD movie, GPS, CMOS sensor
RO60 Olympus VR 350 16MP, 10x Optical Zoom, 3-inch LCD, Full HD movie, magic filter
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Disclaimer: Prices quoted in this tabloid may be subject to change. Please check with your local dealer for the current costs. Lists are not in any particular order. Prices as of July 3, 2013.
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Products TECH Recommends
MMEN
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RO822
RO560
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Pro cameras
RO400
RO640
N
RO300
Canon 7D
Fujifilm X-E1
Samsung NX20
Nikon D7100
Sony A 37
18MP, 8FPS, APS-C CMOS sensor, 3-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 19-point AF system, Eye-level Pentaprism viewfinder, 63-zone SPC TTL metering exposure, 30 seconds to 1/8000 shutter speed, 18-135mm lens
16.3MP, 6FPS, 2.8-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 1920x1080p, ISO 200-6400 and 100-25600 expanded, Ultra Sonic Vibration, Single AF / Continuous AF / MF Distance Indicator, 1855mm lens
20MP, 8FPS, WiFi, 3-inch LCD screen. Full HD movie, 1855mm lens, Micro Four-Thirds/ Mirrorless, SD, SDHC, SDXC, 614,000 dots resolution
24.1MP, 6FPS, 23.5mmx15.6mm CMOS sensor, 3.2-inch LCD screen, Full HD movie, 51 auto AF-S/AF-C selection, ISO 100-6400, Eye-level Pentaprism viewfinder, 1/8000 to 30 seconds shutter speed, 18-105mm lens
16MP, 7FPS, 3-inch LCD screen, CMOS Sensor, ISO100-16000 equivalent, All Sony DSLR lenses and A-Mount bayonet lenses from Minolta and Konica Minolta, Charge protection coating, Exmor CMOS Sensor
Televisions
N
RO300
LG 42LM6200 42-inch LED 3D, 2MP Full HD, 4HDMI PC in/AV in, 2 USB port, DIVX HD, 400Hz True Motion, Intelligent sensor, Energy Saving, 2D to 3D converter
RO220 Samsung UA40EH5000 40-inch LED 3D, 1920x1080 Resolution, 2MP Full HD, 2 HDMI, 100Hz clear motion rate, USB Ports
RO855 Sony KDL55W804 55-inch Dynamic Smart LED 3DTV, 2MP Full HD, 400 Hz motion plow, WiFi, 3 USB port movie ply, NFC share 4 HDMI, PC Input, 2D-3D converter
RO500 Sanyo LCE 55R68HD3D
RO950 Samsung UA46ES8000
50-inch LED 3D TV, 2MP, full HD, USB movie playback, 3 HDMI, 100HZ Motion rate
46-inch 3D LED Smart TV, 2MP, Full HD, Smart interaction (face, voice, motion), Smart evolution and content, micro dimming ultimate, built-in camera, 800Hz, Dual Core processor
audio systems
RO211
RO211
RO75
RO280
N
RO64
Denon AVR 1713
Sony BDV E690
Philips HTS 3551
Bose Sound D10
Yamaha NS B500
5.1 Channel AV receiver, 120 watts (per channel), Internet radio, wireless streaming, 6 HDMI, USB
3D Blu-ray, 5.1 channel home theatre, DVD, CD, MP3, DIVX playback, 1000watts RMS, USB port play
Blu-ray home theatre, DVD, VCD, MP3. CD-R, DIVX playback, surround sound, 300watts RMS, HDMI input, USB port
Compact sound dock for iPod and iPhone with Bluetooth option
2 way acoustic suspension speaker, Max input 120W
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Accessories MMEN
RO28 RO25
RO70
RO83
Rapoo T6 Wireless touch optical mouse
Samsung Blu-ray Writer
Logitech Solar Keyboard Folio
Multi-Touch Technology, 3 months battery life, reliable 2.4GHz wireless connection, Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win8, USB port, 59x114mm
Slim Portable, supports all major optical formats, including tripleand quad-layer Blu-ray XL, AV connectivity, built-in 2D to 3D conversion and DVD up scaling
For iPad 2, iPad (3rd and 4th generation), Dye-sensitized solar cells, Bluetooth 3.0, Key Travel: 1.5 mm, 428x17.8x253 mm, 460 grams
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N
RO191
N
Beats Portable
Sennheiser HD 65 TV
iPod dock, portable, wireless, 2 channels, 20 watts RMS per channel
3.5 / 6.3 mm straight, 25 - 20000 hz frequency response, (spl) 112 db sound pressure level, supraaural, 0.8m + 5.2m cable length, transducer principle dynamic, closed
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ESSENTIAL
10
WEEK 28, july 11 - 17, 2013
The staple
MUSIC
West bound Yeezus, Kanye West’s latest album sits at billboard’s top this week
Your weekly dose of good cinema, music, ebooks and more television Genre: Comedy Rating:
including six Emmy Awards and one Golden Globe and has attracted a cult following, including several fan-based websites. In 2007, Time listed it among the magazine’s ‘All-TIME 100 TV Shows.’ In 2008, the show was ranked 16th on Entertainment Weekly’s ‘New TV Classics’ list. In 2011, IGN named Arrested Development the funniest show of all time.
Arrested Development: Season four
A
rrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz that originally aired on Fox for three seasons from November 2, 2003, to February 10, 2006. A fourth season of 15 episodes was released on Netflix on May 26, 2013. The show follows the fictitious Bluth family, a formerly wealthy and habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating handheld camera work, narration, archival photos and historical footage. Ron Howard serves as an executive producer and the series’ uncredited narrator. Set in Newport Beach, California, Arrested Development is filmed primarily in Culver City and Marina del Rey. Since its debut in 2003, the series has received widespread critical acclaim,
GAME RELEASES
Despite acclaim from critics, Arrested Development received low ratings and viewership on Fox, which cancelled the series in 2006. Rumours of a fourth season and a feature film persisted until 2011, when Netflix agreed to license new episodes and distribute them exclusively on its streaming video service. These episodes were later released in 2013. The script of an Arrested Development film has also been in development, with the main cast purported to reprise their original roles.
Season four
Filming for a revived fourth season began on August 7, 2012, seven years after the series had been cancelled by Fox. The season consists of 15 new episodes and they have all debuted on Netflix. Each episode of the season occurs over approximately the same stretch of time, but focuses on a different character. Information on events depicted in a given episode is often partial and filled in in a later episode.
eBOOKS
Ride to Hell: Retribution
Cockpit Confidential
Xbox. 360, PS3
Patrick Smith
Action
USD10
DVD RELEASES The Host
Fantasy
Xbox, PS3, PC
West gathered various artists and close collaborators for work and production on the album, including Mike Dean and Daft Punk. Yeezus also features guest appearances from Chief Keef, Assassin and King L, as well as previous collaborators Justin Vernon, Frank Ocean, Chief Keef, Assassin, Kid Cudi, King L and Charlie Wilson. West enlisted the help of producer Rick Rubin a mere 15 days shy of its due date to strip down the record’s sound in favor of a more minimalist approach. West was primarily inspired by architecture and was particularly interested in the works of Le Corbusier and visited The Louvre several times while in Paris. Musically, Yeezus is dark and sonically experimental, combining elements of Chicago drill, dancehall, acid house and industrial music. West continues his use of unconventional samples including, most notably, the vocal refrain from Nina Simone’s cover of ‘Strange Fruit.’ Yeezus has no album artwork, and the physical CD edition of the album was released in a clear jewel box with little more than a strip of red tape and sample credits. Initial promotion of Yeezus included worldwide video projections of the album’s music and lives television performances. The album received rave reviews from music critics; however, it was met with mixed reactions from the public. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, selling 327,000 copies in its first week of release. ‘Black Skinhead’ was released as the album’s first single on July 4, 2013.
Closer Than Blood
Borderlands 2: Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon Keep
Yeezus is the sixth studio album by American hip-hop recording artist and producer Kanye West. Def Jam Recordings released it on June 18, 2013. The album began production in the living room of a loft space at a Paris hotel.
Gregg Olsen
Dead Man Down
USD7
Action
Action
Abe HD
Kill Me if You Can
Xbox, PS3
James Patterson
Crazy Kind of Love
Adventure
USD11
Romance, comedy
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Get the Album Yeezus, Kanye West USD11 (RO4)
7/7/13 10:54 AM
dashboard TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
11
Muscle in a bow-tie
Chevrolet shocked the world by introducing the Camaro Z/28 for the 2014 model year. We take a look at what they have unleashed
C
amaro has been a nonstop force in the industry, dominating the sports car segment with its impressive power and distinguished style for years. The 2014 upholds the bold and recognisable design that make Camaro a Camaro, while adding touches of new styling cues that will continue to enthuse. Camaro Z/28 has aerodynamic treatments designed to produce downforce — specifically at track speeds. A large splitter connects to an underbody panel to
further reduce lift. Fender flares over the front and rear wheels and extended rocker panels contribute to aerodynamic stability. Z/28 also features an aggressive rear spoiler and functional diffuser to complete the fully integrated aerodynamic package. A hand-assembled LS7 engine, the most-powerful normally aspirated regular production small block V8 ever, is the force that propels
Camaro Z/28. Highest-quality parts and precision assembly elevates the redline level to 7000 rpm.
Durable, lightweight components such as titanium intake valves and connecting rods coupled with a forged-steel crankshaft make the LS7 engine incredibly robust. The standard 10.5-quart, drysump oiling system distributes pressurized oil from an external reservoir to protect vital components under high-g driving conditions. At all four corners of Z/28 are lightweight, forged aluminum wheels wrapped in massive Pirelli PZero Trofeo 305/30ZR19 summeronly tires — ideal for lateral motions, like corner entry and exit. Camaro Z/28 features lightweight Brembo Carbon Ceramic Matrix rotors and fixed monoblock calipers. The huge 394x36 mm front rotors are paired with 6-piston calipers, while the 390x32mm rear rotors are paired with 4-piston calipers.
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12
wishlist WEEK 28, juLY 11 - 17, 2013
Superlative experience Samsung has debuted their newest products that intend to make your tech experience better than it already is
• Intel H77 Core i5-3470T • 2.90 GHz 3 MB Processor • 8GB DDR3 RAM • 1TB 5,400rpm HDD • 23.6-inch LED Full HD, 1920x1080p • 16:9 Touch screen Display
All-in-One PC
• Windows 8
DP700A3D-X01 Price: RO500
This brilliant PC offers features are unconventional to your standard desktop experience. It possesses five-handgesture recognition functions that conveniently let you stay in control with just a flick of the wrist from 1 meter away, while enjoying home entertainment or cooking. You can enjoy consistently superior picture clarity at any angle within 170 degrees horizontally and 160 degree vertically, without any colour distortion thanks to innovative wide
viewing angle technology. Powerful AMD Radeon HD 7690M graphics deliver smooth video playback, so you can play even the most demanding games with the maximum detail and resolution and without any delay. It accentuates your home with a modern and minimalistic look. Its clutterfree and space-saving design features a uniquely stylish metallic arch stand, ultra slim display with a durable metal edge and an edge-to-edge glossy black screen.
• Compacts smart camera • 16.2MP • CCD image sensor • 5x optical zoom • 3.0-inch TFT QVGA LCD Screen
• USB 2.0 • BP-70A Rechargeable Battery
NP540U4C-K01 Price: RO360
• Intel Core i5 processor 3317U
With this camera, you can instantly send photos to social networks like Facebook or email them to a small group of people, directly from the camera. The dedicated ‘Direct Link’ hot key helps you quickly connect to WiFi networks. You can access your uploaded content on supported connected devices as well as store images and video directly from the camera to Microsoft SkyDrive. ST150F gives you the ability to simultaneously send pictures you take to your mobile phone via a WiFi connection to make back up and share your photos easily. You can set up AutoShare once and the camera saves it as the default setting. AutoShare also GPS tags your photos with your Smart Phone. The five-way button to quickly move the cursor up, down, left and right to intuitively navigate the menu and make selections. Alternately, when you want to enter text, you can input the characters on the touch screen.
• 1.7GHz, 3MB L3 cache, Intel HM76 • Intel HD Graphics 4000 • 13.3-inch SuperBright 300nit HD LED with touch screen panel • 8GB DDR3 system memory at 1600MHz • 500GB S-AT all slim hard drive with express cache 24GB • Windows 8
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ST150F Price: RO45
• WiFi
5 Series Ultra Touch Laptop
Samsung’s 13-inch Series 5 UltraTouch has effectively bridged the two with an upscale, metallic body, an Intel Core i5 CPU and good battery life for a reasonable price. Not having any secrets up its sleeve, the Series 5 ultra-touch is reasonably solid and is almost looks like the Samsung’s Series 7 and 9 models that are high-end. Its convenient touch pad and a keyboard with separate buttons is a great advantage as well. Unlike some other Windows 8 laptops that were designed from scratch,
Smart Camera with WiFi
this Series 5 looks and feels a lot like the pre-Windows 8 Series 5 laptops. Its matte brushed-aluminium finish does a great job of resisting fingerprints and looks sharp and classy. The front edge of the system creates an illusion that it is thinner than it actually is.
Available at SARCO, 24593025
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tech radar TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
tech radar
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Get the scoop of the latest releases and rumours in the tech world
Firefox OS
Leaked picture
The new mobile operating system, which hopes to defeat its robotpowered foe using the power of super-cheap smartphones, has landed in Spain. The first phone to carry the operating system will be the ZTE Open. As you might expect, the phone itself is rather basic. You get a 3.5-inch display and a single-core processor, as well as a 3.2-megapixel camera. Not too exciting, but then the Open is ridiculously cheap at just USD91 (RO35). It may, however, risk being too similar to Android, which is also available on some very cheap phones.
iPhone leaks French technology site NoWhereElse shows off photos of the exterior purporting to be the rumoured cheaper iPhone. The plastic body casing appears in red, yellow and green that are most apple-coloured but most un-Apple: if this is the heavily rumoured cheaper iPhone, it’s the first time Apple has offered
Google Nexus 7 2 details An Asus representative, who confirmed rumours about the new Android tablet, has disclosed specifications for the next Google Nexus tablet. The next generation of the Google tablet will apparently feature a 7-inch high-definition screen with the choice of an extra fast 4G Internet connection. The details haven’t been ‘officially’ confirmed but the new specs would match previous expectations for the successor to the Google Nexus 7. The liberal and most likely regretful, Asus representative apparently spoke to a customer via Asus’ live chat support where he passed on the new device’s specifications. Unfortunately for him the customer print screened the entire conversation and posted it online himself.
a mobile in any colour other than black or white. It’s also the first time Apple has unveiled two different new iPhones at the same time. Previous leaks show the cheaper phone in blueprint form, revealing the alleged iPhone Light name and altered exterior. The two phones are roughly the same size, but the cheaper iPhone Light is slightly bulkier with a flat plastic rear and curved edges. The new iPhone 5S and iPhone Light are expected later this year, complete with Apple’s new iOS 7 software on board. What do you think of the colourful iPhone? Tell us your thoughts our Facebook page.
Nokia 208 and 207 3G phones These two new budget-friendly 3G phones that Nokia says will be the “the most affordable yet” are traditional candybar devices, with a comfortingly old school nine-button keypad beneath the screen. They come in Nokia’s signature colourful casings in red, blue, yellow, white and black. The smaller screen and lower power means longer battery life up to 33 days of standby time for the Nokia 207. But it’s not all old school: the phones connect to the Internet with 3G HSPA so you can access your Exchange emails and social networks such as WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter. The 208 even has a camera and dual SIM feature. As for prices, Nokia promises the 207 and 208 will be “our most affordable 3G devices yet”. Nokia hasn’t confirmed as to when the pones will be available, but they are expected to cost USD68 (RO26).
MovieS
The Colony Forced underground by the next ice age, survivors of Colony 7 struggle below the worlds frozen surface
M
other Nature casts an icy spell over the earth, driving humanity deep underground. In 2045, the Earth faces extreme cold conditions that force survivors to live in underground bunkers. Their challenges are controlling disease and producing sufficient food. Under the leadership of Briggs (Laurence Fishburne), the inhabitants of Colony 7 have managed to endure against all odds. Two soldiers, Briggs and Mason (Bill Paxton) are the leaders of one such bunker, Colony 7. Briggs, Sam (Kevin Zegers) and Graydon (Atticus Dean Mitchell) travel to nearby Colony 5 after receiving a distress signal, only to find it besieged by cannibals. By the time Briggs and his crew discover exactly what they’re dealing with at Colony 5, however, their own base may have already been compromised. Briggs ignores the objections of his vocal rival Mason, assembles
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a team, and ventures out to investigate. Upon returning to Colony 7, Briggs must confront Mason who in the meantime conducts a hostile take-over of the bunker. Critics considered the film to consist of old science fiction ideas. Jay Stone of Postmedia deemed the film had “too many clichés and half-developed characters to make us care enough.” The Globe and Mail’s Liam Lacey also panned the recycled nature of the plot, although noting the scenes appeared to be “authentically chilly throughout.”
Director: Jeff Renfroe Writers: Jeff Renfroe, Svet Rouskov, Patrick Tarr, Pascal Trottier Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Bill Paxton, Kevin Zegers Genre: Action, sci-fi, thriller
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gaming WEEK 28, juLY 11 - 17, 2013
In this game, realistic gunfire, large explosions and realistic radio chatter accompany battles Score Plot 8/10 Gameplay 8/10 Visuals 8/10 Overall 9 This real-time strategy set during a Cold War-era WWIII is one of those all-in games that comes forth with all complexity when you fire it up for the first time. Even though this game is initially daunting, you want to begin your time with the game by studying Clausewitz. The design is so smooth and the combat so deviously
Publisher: Focus Home Interactive Genre: Real-time Developer: Eugen Systems Platforms: PC ESRB Rating: Teen challenging that you can’t help being drawn into its what-if web pitting the Warsaw Pact against NATO. The modes are straightforward enough. You get a suite of tutorials. There are four solo/multiplayer campaigns, each
covering different theatres of World War III in Northern Europe circa 1985. These play out like board games, in that you manoeuvre units on big turn-based tactical maps of Scandinavia before getting in close on detailed strategic battlefield maps when the guns start
going off. Era-specific events pop up during the campaigns as well that alter battle conditions and add flavour to the Cold War setting. As much as the game can be viewed as a complicated depiction of contemporary warfare, it remains somewhat simplistic on the surface. Tanks, fighter planes and so forth are fully featured and realistic, with all of the battlefield strengths and weaknesses that you would expect. Anyone with even rudimentary RTS or wargame experience can figure out the basics just by using common sense. Smart and rewarding, Wargame: ALB is one of those rare strategy games that give more back to you the more you put into playing them. It isn’t exactly userfriendly, although it is easier to sidle up to than most games of this type because of the elegant design that blends combat basics with the depth that comes with the detailed modeling of hundreds of different units from the Cold War. It is an impressive design in just about every way, remaining at least somewhat accessible for all manner of strategy fans while not compromising any of its depth or details for more hard core players looking for a serious wargame.
WEBsite scifi.stackexchange.com
Sci-fi Q and A
S
cience Fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for science fiction and fantasy enthusiasts. It’s built and run by you as part of the Stack Exchange network of question and answer sites. They are working to build a library of detailed answers to every question about science fiction and fantasy. The nifty Stack Exchange is mostly a knowledge-sharing network where programmers help one another out with gnarly coding challenges. But the geeks who gather there have a deep interest in fiction and film starring Hobbits, Jedis, vampires, mutants and other fantastic creatures. At Science Fiction and Fantasy Stack Exchange, they engage in spirited discussion of questions from the purely practical like, “Should I watch The Avengers before going to see Iron Man 3?” to the profound, “Why was the Balrog unconcerned with the fate of Middle-earth?”
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The site that is all about answers, no chitchat or discussions
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APPS TECH@DEENARMEDIA.COM
Apps this week
The apps that made it to our top five list
Platforms: iOS
Magic Shutter
(USD3)
H
ave you ever seen shots of cities taken at night with headlights streaming across the landscape? These photos were taken by setting a long shutter speed on a camera; something you think can’t be done using an iPhone, unless you own Magic Shutter.
Worldy Platform: Windows phone USD5
Wordpress for Blackberry Platform: Blackberry
Magic Shutter is a creation making camera in iPhone. It can easily let you use your iPhone to take long exposure and repeated exposure photos. The photo can be taken at the same time as viewing. After shooting, you can immediately adjust the creations and through the Internet to share your creations with your family and friends. With this app, you have a few options available; you can alter the type of exposure you wish to work with and the length of time you want the shutter to remain open, from one second to infinity. The latter is the default setting and you manually stop the shot by tapping on the record button again.
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If you are a fan of world, you are going to love this app. Wordly is a finely executed cross between an old-school word search and Countdown
The application from the blogger on the go who likes to use the BB keyboard to tap out some thoughts
Free
Deezer Platform: iOS
You’ll get much better results it you fit a tripod to your device, though you can still create very impressive works of art without one, which you can then share from the app over email or Facebook. You have more features on the iPhone (such as locking the focus), but the iPod touch also yields very good results.
(Free)
The Room Platform: Android
Crackle
Platforms: BB10, Android (Free)
S
It’s also compatible with the Q10’s teeny, 3.1-inch screen, so if you hate your good eyesight, you can devote an hour or two to reliving the opus that is Bad Boys II. Sure, popular apps like Instagram, Hulu Plus and Netflix have yet to make their way over to BB10, but you can’t fault the Waterloobased outfit for getting users what it can.
lowly, but steadily, BlackBerry’s building its BB10 app catalogue with some major gets. Today, that burgeoning list grows by a very important one with the addition of Sony’s Crackle. The free, ad-based streaming video service, which culls together content from Sony’s various TV and film studios, is available to download now from BlackBerry World.
Deezer is a music streaming service that surpasses Spotify in just about every way
A brilliantly compact, well-constructed and atmospheric puzzler that’s likely to give you chills
(USD2)
Sports Tracker Platform: Nokia
Keep tabs on your running, cycling, walking and more with this GPS sports app
(Free)
Enter to win two Panasonic portable chargers. Please send in your entries by July 22
TW52
Fax: 24693569 / Email: quiz@deenarmedia.com
1 What country was Apple started in? A
USA
A
OS
B
Germany
B
Educational tool
C
France
C
Programing language
3 What is another name for a screen capture? TW50 Winners:
2 What is Visual Basic?
4 What modifier key is used to capitalise characters?
1. Sophia Prabhu
A
Screen recording
A
Alt
2. Ricky Bhatia
B
Desktop photo
B
Shift
Last week’s quiz answers: 1 – B, 2 – A, 3 – A, 4 – B
C
Screenshot
C
Control
NOTE: Employees and family members of Deenar Press and Publishing cannot participate in the quiz. Judge’s decision is final. Please email the answers to tech@deenarmedia.com or fax this page to 24693569 by the deadline. Correspondence after the deadline will not be entertained. PLEASE WRITE CLEARLY. Incomplete or illegible entries will be disqualified. Winner must provide valid ID to claim the prize. Allow up to two weeks to process.
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Full Name _________________________________________ Age ______ Mobile __________________ Email ______________________________________Occupation _________________________________ Company ______________________________________________________________________________
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