Gladget Magazine February 2013 by Gladget Magazine

Data security is not just for your PC...

Lenovoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yoga 13 bends over backwards

Mobile Safety

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Two Canon pocket cameras on review

R e vie w s inc luding R azer, M SI, Sams ung, Canon, L enov o and more.. .

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Cutting edge mouse design

I S S U E 2 8 / Vo l . 3 February 2013

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DmC: Devil May Cry Omerta: City of Gangsters Epic Mickey 2 Anarchy Reigns and more...

Grab â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;em! 20 must-plays for early 2013

Cutting Edge

Ninja Gaiden comes to the Wii U

The Devil You Know DmC reviewed

Confirmed Kill More precision hits with Sniper: Ghost Warrior 2

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Inside 6 From the Editor 8 Did You Know?

Did you know these tech facts? 10 Tshabablabber

Back into shape... 12 Sharp!

Razer has a fresh take of the peripheral market... 16 Mobile Protection

Your portable devices are also at risk 18 TV ot not TV

Coming full circle with the tube... 22 Helping Hand

Helping SMEs reach their full potential 28 Search: Health and Fitness

Apps to help you stay healthy 30 Lookng Back: 1947

FOundations laid... 32 Reviews

All the tech goodness... Competition

This Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cover

53 Norton 360

Razer keeps mouse design innovative... Read our feature on page 12.

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Reviews

Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 Ultrabook

MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning

Asus ET2411 All-in-one PC

Razer Ouroboros Gaming Mouse

Editor: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

Canon PowerShot SX260 HS Camera

Norton 360

Sony Xperia Go Smart Phone

Writers: Alex Scanlon Andy Taliadoros Charlie Fripp Iwan Pienaar Lein Baart Pippa Tshabalala Rob Edwards Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius

Parrot Zik Wireless Headset

Samsung DA-E750 Wireless Audio with Dock

GLADGET Volume 3 Issue 28 February 2013

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Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Camera

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Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge (Wii U)

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two (Wii U)

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Design & Photography: 1337 Media Marketing Contact: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

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Batman: Arkham City – Armoured Edition (Wii U)

Just Dance 4 (Wii U)

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SteamyUpgrades

by Katia Taliadoros

From the Editor

t is certainly that time of the year when we are hopefully building the momentum of our new year’s resolutions. Some of us we are looking forward to improvement and upgrade. Whether it is in ourselves, our relationships, our jobs or in our lives in general, sometimes along with the desire for improvement in our lives comes the psychology of wanting new toys to express the change. Spending some time focusing on all the upgrades tends to trigger the desire for something new that express these lifestyle changes. And new toys are no different. Isn’t there a feeling, a sense of improvement, whenever we upgrade a device in our lives, especially one that we constantly use? There certainly is an intense feeling I get when I am about to receive a brand new device that is absolutely mine, to do with as I please. I always feel that when I make my choice and spend my money, the time comes to receive my

reward. As a personal self-enforced rule, ever since I can remember, every purchase that requires a manual has become an unfolding ritual of very careful unwrapping. It always begins with placing the beautifully stylish package on a smooth surface… and yes I am a masochist as I always end up torturing myself by prolonging the anticipation of opening the perfectly designed package. I will look at it from a far, flirt with the idea of taking a peek, only to find myself procrastinating even more. The moment arrives that I can’t resist any longer and so I make myself a hot cup of something before sitting down in front of my new prize. As I boil the water I know that the item is untouched and I get to be the first to play with it, so after making my steaming beverage and taking a sip, I sit down, pause for a moment and begin the process of slowly

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and carefully opening my bewitching new package. As the package unwraps, my excitement unfolds and an overwhelming sense of curiosity and expectation overcomes me and I force myself to pace the process. Containing the urge of wanting to rip the package, with as much discipline as I can muster, I continue to remove the lining and plastic from the shiny new product. I now know I am close when that particular new smell hits me and I immediately have the sensation that something new is about to become a part of changing my life. So when Walt walked into our office today, stating that it is time for an upgrade of our phones…you can only guess what my thoughts were on the matter. Only thing is, before I get to indulge in opening my beautifully stylish new package, I now have to go through the pain of deciding which choice to make. Life is so hard!

DID YOU

KNOW? 1

…that it takes up to 8 trees to fill a CD? The Compact Disc, or CD, is one of those technological marvels that completely transformed the way in which the world works. From music, data storage to films and videogames, everything started to be imprinted on CDs. While we now have DVDs and Bluray disc, back in the heyday CDs used to be the primary mode of storing data. How much? Well, it hasn’t changed an awful lot, but CDs can store up to 680 megabytes of data. That is the equivalent of 500,000 pages of A4 text – and 8 trees are needed to make this. Speaking of music, the songs on a disc is imprinted in the form of pits on a spiral track that could be as long as 5.66 kilometres.

…that the White House turned down a petition to build the Death Star? Star Wars has been ingrained in many tech and sci-fi lovers minds (even movie buffs for that matter), and there are very few children today who hasn’t heard of Luke Skywalker, C3PO and Darth Vader. Combine that with an initiative by the US government to give people the opportunity to petition the White House for almost anything, and you get a serious petition from the people to build Darth Vader’s deadly Death Star. In order for any petition to enjoy the eyes of a government official, it needs 25 000 signatures, and naturally the online petition got 10 000 more than what was required. So is the US going to build the most menacing space ship ever? Well, no. Their official response was stacked full of Star Wars references, but the gem came from two points: “The Administration does not support blowing up planets”, and “Why would we spend countless taxpayer dollars on a Death Star with a fundamental flaw that can be exploited by a one-man starship?”

Regular

…that the fear of not having a mobile phone has a name? People have fears of many things. Some fear spiders, while others fear dogs or missing out on something - which has been coined last year as Fomo (fear of missing out). Naturally there are fears that seem a bit irrational to others, but completely normal to those who have them. But there is one fear that most of us could suffer from without even knowing it – the fear of not having a mobile phone. We have all been there: you get a cold feeling that something is missing and you search your pockets. For a second you thought you lost your phone, but upon discovery calm comes over you. Well, that fear actually has a name and it’s called Nomophobia. It’s an abbreviation for no-mobile-phone phobia, and according to research “53% of mobile phone users in Britain tend to be anxious when they lose their phones, run out of battery, credit or have no coverage.” Do you suffer from it? Well, just ask yourself if you could go a day without a mobile phone…

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More fun facts from the world of tech, with some holiday gaming flavour... by Charlie Fripp

…that Donkey Kong got its name by mistake? Donkey Kong is one of Nintendo’s most well-known characters, and almost any gamer has tried to defeat the big monkey at the top of the tower at least once in their life. But the game’s name has a rather strange origin. The title’s creator, Miyamoto, wasn’t fluent in English and through his broken knowledge of the language, he was under the impression that Donkey meant stupid. In his thinking by naming the game Donkey Kong, he thought English-speakers would understand the title be to Stupid Ape, which it obviously isn’t. The origin of the game itself also draws inspiration from none other than Popeye. Nintendo wanted to create a Popeye game but couldn’t secure the rights, so they decided to create their own game. Taking into account the love triangle between Popeye, Bluto, and Olive Oyl, they drew inspiration from it and created Donkey Kong by having it feature an ape, carpenter, and a girlfriend.

…that on the internet, humans are in the minority? Except for severely developing countries, almost everybody is connected to the internet in some shape or form. While some are connected directly on a laptop or smartphones, others might make use of the net through applications or gaming consoles. But even will all the traffic and hours that we use spend surfing the net for the cat photo, humans are actually in the minority when it comes to internet traffic. According to Incapsula research, 51% of all website traffic is non-human and is generated by automated software programs. The cloud-based service company also provided a breakdown of an average site’s traffic, and revealed that 19% is the result “spies” collecting competitive intelligence and 20% is derived from search engines, while only 49% of all traffic is generated from people browsing the specific site.

…that Space Invaders created a coin shortage? For those who didn’t grow up in the ‘80s and ‘90s, they will never understand the joy of huddling around a games arcade on a Saturday morning or late Sunday afternoon to watch some kid from the block try to beat the high score. The sounds of the coin popping into the slot and making its way down the chute into the coin box below was a things almost all kids were familiar with. But in one country the obsession with arcade games got a little out of hand when a new game hit the streets - Space Invaders. The game was released in Japan in 1978, and was operated by inserting a 100 Yen coin. The game was so popular that Japan suffered a nation-wide shortage of the coins, and the government actually had to increase production of it. The same almost happened in the US when the title was released there in 1981. At the time $1 billion worth of Quarters were used to stop the alien invaders, and the figure doubled a year later. g gladget28

Motivation “

Tshabablabber

t’s that time of year. Yup, get fit time. When we all feel suitably guilty for the amount of food we’ve consumed over the holidays and make resolutions to lose that holiday weight, tone up, get fitter, build muscle, blah, blah, blah. And some of us might stick to those goals, and by mid year will be sporting six packs the likes of which have never been seen by tech geeks anywhere. Yes perhaps this is a generalisation, I certainly know of many gamers and geeks who do actually go to gym, but on the whole I know far more who get it in their head to get fit, and then this idea fizzles out after about a month when we all realise that this actually means we have to get up off the couch and sweat. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not mocking. I too have put on a couple of kilos over the festive season, and although I currently have the kind of metabolism that means when I go back to my usual eating habits I’ll lose them, it nevertheless makes me feel a little depressed as we enter the new year.

Author’s photograph by Adrian Louw

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Pippa Tshabalala

The difference is that while many people that aren’t too tech savvy might turn to magazines like Men’s and Women’s Health, tech geeks turn to apps. Yeah I caught you out didn’t I? You know you’ve at the very least searched for a pedometer app on iTunes or Google Play because you read somewhere that 10 000 steps a day helps you lose weight. If you’ve gone a step further you’ve done a little search for fitness apps and browsed through them to see what appeals to you. Now I will at some point go in to the different fitness apps out there, but I want to make a point about that first. The major problem with sticking to any exercise and dietary programme is motivation. It’s hard! Who wouldn’t rather reach for that bag of chips than get up off the couch and go and make themselves a healthy snack? It requires effort. Fast food is convenient and we pay for that convenience with the added preservatives and fat content that ends up in that food. Should we avoid chips and sweets at

all costs? I certainly don’t think so. My philosophy has always been along the lines of everything in moderation. Nevertheless, I have made a vague attempt to eat healthier, as it’s all too easy to grab fast food for lunch when you’re sitting at your desk working than to make an effort to eat well. So yes, I will admit I have downloaded the odd app, and in fact I have an app that plays to my gamer side, making the whole working out, meal logging thing like a game and lets me level up depending on what activities I complete every day. I’m currently a Level 5 Battle Mage (ok, the Battle Mage is just in my head), being challenged to walk 3000 steps a day (not a lot I know, and it’s quite easy to hit this target) and log at least 3 meals a day to see how many calories I consume. And yes I do check the app regularly to log my meals and my exercise – and I’m currently trying to decide if this qualifies as obsessive or just conscientious. Now if you’ll excuse me I need to go level up some more...g

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Sharp!

Feature

Razer has a keen focus on gaming

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n 1998, Min-ling Tan and Robert Krakoff started a company in a small office in San Diego, California. Their aim was to produce top notch gaming peripherals for computer games. The company grew, as these things so often do, and today Razer is a multinational, with offices in nine cities worldwide, including San Francisco, Hamburg, Seoul, Shanghai and Singapore. Their ambition, even when they started out, was to produce the best gaming oriented PC peripherals that they possibly could, and they do this through a unique approach, determination, and an attitude that is very different from the normal peripheral manufacturer. According to Razer’s official website, “we believe that truly great products are based on technology, designed with extensive human factors and user ergonomic studies and then tested by the top professional gamers. In simpler terms, our own world class scientists and engineers develop cutting edge technology in-house or with partners, design phenomenal products around core technologies - and test the hell out of them in the field with our pro-gamers before we launch them. “We are the only gaming hardware company in the world with dedicated gaming user interface research and development labs, and our technology and designs are incubated in three dedicated design centres located in facilities in California, Singapore and Shenzhen. No other company boasts of technology like we do - because we’re the only guys who have what it takes under the hood.” That’s quite a claim, and a rather unique approach. Razer proudly state that they “tell it like it is”. Their process does not include design in partnership with top gamers, as many other companies say they are doing. Instead, Razer leaves the designing up to designers and scientists, and the testing up to the pro gamers. A unique approach is often accompanied by unique products and from the very beginning Razer have set themselves apart not only in performance, but also in looks. 1999 saw their first mouse hit the market in the form of the Razer Boomslang. The Boomslang was a revolution at the time. It was the first mouse to have a 2000dpi sensitivity, even though it was a ball mouse. The 2003 release of the Boomslang saw the dpi go up to 2100, but it would also be the last ball muse that Razer developed. The very next year saw the release of the Viper optical mouse. Razer’s vision extended beyond just making

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Feature

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products, even in those early years. They became one of the first companies in the world to sponsor gamers and esports events. Once again, according to their website: “We pioneered the eSports movement with the world’s first $100K tournament back in 2000 and we have continued to give back to the community by sponsoring top eSports athletes who give back to Razer by beta-testing our products. We remain one of the largest sponsors of eSports community sponsoring top global eSports teams worldwide.” Their contributions in this arena, including the sponsorship of Jonathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, created a greater prominence for their products. In addition, access to the expertise of sponsored pro-gamers helped them create products that were sought after by all sorts of PC game players. Between 2004 and 2008, Razer extended their range from just mouse products to include mouse surfaces, keyboards and audio solutions. In the following two years, they extended even further, taking on the console market with Xbox 360 peripherals. And at 2013’s CES, they showcased the Razer Edge, a Windows 8 tablet computer designed specifically with gaming in mind. Through all of that, though, Razer have never forgotten their roots; they continue to produce excellent mouse products to this day. Most recently they released the Ouroboros (reviewed on page 40 of this issue). That brings their total of mouse model to 35 and, although the Ouroboros shows some fantastic new ideas, the spirit of Razer’s approach to this product can be seen in many of their previous products. This includes the idea of accessibility through ambidextrous design (a feature in a number of their mouse products) as well as a commitment to the highest possible design standards and cutting-edge technology. If you’re a gamer, you certainly have heard of Razer – their focus on the gaming market has allowed them to produce products that stand out, and their commitment to giving back to the gaming community in the form of sponsorships further engenders the motivation to produce products, as their motto states, ‘for gamers, by gamers’. As the company expands into new fields and continues to set trends rather than follow them, Razer will remain a name that often springs to the forefront of gamers’ minds. Their sensible approach, often innovative ideas and dedication to gaming has allowed them to establish themselves as one of the world’s best peripheral brands. g

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Mobil Protection by Iwan Pienaar

Prevention... better than cure.

Feature

obile devices (smartphones, feature phones, tablets, and so on) have become an essential part of our daily lives. Even in South Africa where internet penetration is very limited, the majority of people who own mobile devices use them to access information of some kind online. In fact, many entrepreneurs run their businesses solely from their trusty <insert mobile brand name here> without giving it a second thought. Unfortunately, the reality is that one in three mobile device users who have had a device lost or stolen have put their sensitive information at risk. Not many people are even aware of the need to protect their mobile device in the same way as they would their desktop or laptop. And yet, this is the age where

our mobile devices contain probably more personal information than any other piece of technology equipment we own. Today, we use tablets and phones for anything and everything. They can be used to interact on social networks, access a corporate calendar and email, and having a detailed address book containing not only the names and telephone numbers of our contacts but also their email addresses and physical addresses. And then there is the family photo album, your identity card, and even the fact that it is a mobile wallet that should start giving reason to pause for safety concerns. Some might argue that the only way you can keep your mobile device (and data) completely safe is to

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le ensure that it never leaves your sight. However, this is hardly a perfect world and people might leave their phones by their desk or have their tablets stolen out of their cars while they are out at a meeting or doing some shopping. Even if you have security software installed on your mobile device, you have to assume that all the data on it is compromised when it goes missing. This means that you have to change all your online passwords, including your banking login details, to ensure that the potential damage is limited. What is more is that the memory cards inside mobile devices are the first to leave the device and effectively become additional sources of information for malicious users. While you can remotely wipe the data from your mobile device and even lock it so it is

totally unusable by a thief, the memory card is still left completely open. So while security software can definitely help to protect your mobile device always remember to take it with you wherever you go. Always be aware of your surroundings when using a mobile device and only activate your wireless connections such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when you are using it. Quite often these â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;openâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ports prove to be a very quick and easy way for malicious users to get in to your system. Be vigilant out there and always look for security software that can not only protect your laptop and desktop but also offers the option to protect your mobile devices. And for the rest just make sure common sense prevails.

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by Suvesh Arumugam Feature

hen I was a kid, we had one very special Christmas when my Dad took us to the local Hyperama House & Home to buy a personal computer. In those days, it was pretty uncommon for schools to have computers, though I was lucky enough to go to a school that did. Our school had a room full of Commodore 64s, which we mostly used for LOGO. We had an especially bright teacher who had managed to create a robotic turtle that could recreate the LOGO moves (and drawings) that we programmed into the computers. We’d always beg him to bring it out so we could mess around with it. The more well-off kids in our school had C64s at home, which turned out to be the single biggest selling personal computer model of all time, outselling IBM and Apple at the time (as well as Atari consoles). So anyway, there we are sitting at House & Home, and I was praying for a C64, so I could finally play the games my friends were talking about. The C64 had an 8 bit processor, with 64kB of RAM, which didn’t really mean much to me those days. So walking the aisle with my Dad, the choice was pretty limited, it was the C64, the ZX Spectrum or the Spectravideo. I wish I remembered what they cost back then, but I remember it seeming like a lot, and in the end the Spectravideo (SVI) was the only one we could afford. Though slightly disappointed, it was still an awesome moment, which became an amazing Christmas. Despite not being able to share games with my C64 friends, it was awesome to be able to say I have a personal computer. Not many people would know the games I got to play Livingstone, Moonlander and Mini-Golf. Those days you loaded games by cassette, which took about 30 minutes, and the TV was the centre of pretty much everything. Aside from games though, the most amazing part was being able to write basic programs that could draw, play music and even create basic games. The TV became a seemingly infinite media centre where any entertainment was possible. From my 34kB of RAM on the SVI, of course, personal computing evolved beyond the capabilities of TVs. And eventually gaming specifically splintered off into consoles again, which has pretty much dominated tech talk for the last five years or so, and TVs were only allowed to make a small cameo in growing canvas of personal devices. But it was pretty interesting to me to follow this year’s Consumer Electronic Show (CES) held in Las Vegas from 7th to 10th January; the winds of change are a-blowing. There was almost no mention of gaming consoles and the focus was mainly on smartphones and tablets, and consumer electronics integration. And that’s when I started to realise, TV’s are making a comeback. Smart TV’s are nothing new, but for the last year or so, people have mostly been trying to figure out what else they would do on their TV’s aside from watch YouTube videos or check gladget28

Coming full circle... gladget28

Feature

their Gmail. This year’s CES saw a whole lot of new gadgets for Smart TV’s. Everything from wireless keyboards, apps for mobile devices to work with your TV. Nuance, the team who brought us Dragon Naturally Speaking years ago which made voice recognition a reality for home users, have developed Wintermute, a Personal Assistant which organises your life across multiple devices, but can be accessed through your Smart TV. TV Manufacturers like Samsung and Sony have been preparing for this for some time. Samsung released their motion-controlled TVs early in 2012, which didn’t make much of a splash. Even with the inclusion of Angry Birds, people just didn’t seem to get the advantage. But as App integration starts making more sense, especially with devices running on Google’s Android, interfacing with pretty much everything through your TV seems to be making sense again. Even Apple is putting more emphasis on Apple TV (and could also be looking at developing their own range of Smart TV’s). It could be that people are interfacing with iTunes and downloaded media more and more through their TVs, after all, why watch a movie on a 7 inch or even 14 inch screen, when you can do it on a 55 inch high definition screen, and in full surround sound or even in 3D. It’s pretty different from those days of sitting around the TV with joysticks. Now it’s about multiple devices interacting, and multiple streams of information converging. From a business point of view, now it makes sense to have Smart TVs in every office that can share presentations, web pages and media wirelessly. But home is where the real heart is, where gaming, movies, music and the internet can al potentially converge into one stream. It’s a common sight nowadays, especially at my house, to have a movie playing, while one person is watching something entirely different on an iPad, while someone else is playing Mario or another game on the Wii U gamepad, and whoever else is in the room is either checking their Gmail, or WhatsApping their friends. And of course, I’ll usually have my laptop or iPad open to see what’s trending on Twitter. Somehow, we can handle this massive stream of information, so pretty much everyone is interfacing with at least 2 mediums at once, and occasionally sharing these intermittently. I’m pretty sure it won’t be long before we can watch TV or movies, have a social media feed, and have multiple “windows” on your TV powered by mobile devices for whatever else is holding your attention. As TV’s get bigger and bigger (Samsung’s 110 inch Ultra HD 4K Ultra model was one of the big showcases this year), it just makes more sense that we want to be able to do more on them. So while the processing power is moving away from the personal computer era, we’ll still be right where we started – sitting in front of the box. g

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Helping H Interview

Achieving IT success in the SME sector

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We often hear economists and politicians talking about the importance of small and medium enterprise business here in South Africa. With our country being defined as an emerging market, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hardly a surprise; while big business is important and foreign investment plays an important role in moving 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 1our 0 1 0economy 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0forward, 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0SMEs 1 0 0 1are 0 0 0 responsible 1 for vital job and wealth creation. But the world can be a minefield for small companies trying to edge their way into a highly competitive market, not least in terms of IT infrastructure and services. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where companies like CPC Plus Solutions enter the picture â&#x20AC;&#x201C; their services are aimed at helping smaller businesses thrive in what can often be a costly and complicated technological world.

Hand

We recently spoke to Craig Campbell, the CEO of CPC Plus Solutions, about the challenges facing the South African SME operator, and how his company helps address them.

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Interview

Q. What are the biggest IT challenges facing the South African SME business? CC. Generally, the biggest challenge that SMEs face is that they don’t have the much needed resources, knowledge and critical purchase power to bring down IT costs than what the larger enterprises do. Ironically the SME’s have a far bigger requirement for this and they have a far more limited budget and as a result struggle to source these fundamentals with much more difficulty than the larger enterprises. Q. How does CPC Plus Solutions address these challenges? CC. We at CPC have identified that as explained there is a gap in the market to address these deficiencies in the SME market. There are plenty of “IT Support” companies out there. But most of these companies have not moved with the times and only offer a “break/fix” type of service and are not correctly equipped to be the required “Managed Service Providers” (MSP)as in the true sense of the meaning. As a result

000000001111101010101011000000000010101010100000001 101010101010 00001111101010101011000000000010101010 these Providers are not our catalogue of Q. What trends do0 1 0 1 0 1 providing an efficient turnaround service or recommending the correct and most cost effective solutions that are out there available to the SME. These IT support companies often align themselves with downstream Service Providers that best benefit them through their reseller programs a opposed to providing the best solution for the end user or client. Having identified that the SME really is at the mercy of this dynamic, we at CPC concentrate on a giving these SME’s a complete consultancy together with a Service Level Agreement attached with target turnaround times on our response and resolution to IT incidents and requests. We position ourselves in the market so that we are not aligned to anyone particular Service Provider, but rather independent consultants to the client. And we ensure that we always have an ear to the ground and constantly are doing Proof of Concepts on any new technologies and offerings. If we feel a new product is released and has worth and is correctly priced, we then adopt into

services offered to our clients, which means we develop a correct delivery of the product give the necessary training to our technical team that needs to support it to our clients. This ensures that when we do recommend a solution, because of this due diligence process we have undertaken, our clients know that the solution offered is a correct fit for their requirements and is most importantly priced correctly. Q. Are South Africans generally tech-savvy, particularly when it comes to business? CC. We are finding that South Africans are extremely tech savvy. And very well aware of what a lot of the technology is available out there, and often not even available locally. A few years ago SMEs would totally be at IT consultant’s mercy and were mostly informed about technology through their friends and colleagues. Today through Internet awareness they already have a good idea what possibly could be their solution before engaging with their MSP for their advice or delivery of such services.

you see in SME IT activities? CC. More affordable Internet provisioning, therefore allowing more internet based or cloud hosted applications available to the SME into the future. Smaller SMEs who are not too concerned about security and confidentiality of data will host their data and applications in the public cloud and as a result benefit form multi-tenant achieving reduction in costs, and bigger SME’s and enterprises who have a larger budget and are more concerned about the security of their data will set up more secure confidential Private Cloud Services. Q. Providing a ‘one-stop’ solution is certainly a good idea when dealing with SME IT solutions. What exactly does CPC Plus Solutions offer its customers? CC. Yes, as I touched on above, the industry is so vast and become so “clouded” with products and services out there, it is essential for a SME to choose a trustworthy Managed Service Provider that ensures the client always is running

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Interview

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1110101110001111100000011010111010001010101010101 the “best of breed” needs to change in technologies are 00 technology at the order for the Service essential for these 010 lowest cost possible. It is also critical that there is a long going relationship with this partner, so this partner gets to understand the SME’s business and requirements and advices according to this historic data. Q6. How do you think the changing face of South African internet service provision will affect the SME operator? CC. It will mean that the SME no longer has invest in physical infrastructure as much as in the past, and will empower the SME to allow for its workforce to be more mobile and bring down capital expenditure on premise based costs Q. Does South Africa have the necessary skillsets in place to be competitive on a global scale? CC. Yes, however in the current climate there is a very small percentage of highly IT skilled individuals doing most of the work. Unfortunately the demand of support required in IT puts unnecessary pressure on this minority expertise. And this is often where we see services from our Service Providers falling short. This

Providers to offer proper, effective service. The good news is there are lots of young people hungry to learn these skills. We, through our skills development program, are trying to get these skills transferred to these scholars. But we feel the country firstly needs to identify how the SMEs contribute to the economy and change the approach on how they incentivise all companies in South Africa to achieve this task of distribution of knowledge. We feel that if companies were incentivised, as opposed to them absorbing risk when attempting this, it will be to the benefit of the whole nation. Q. Why is a strong IT solution important to the SME operator? CC. Because currently the SME business is such a big driving force of the economy in this country; they are always under extreme stress and pressures. The employees of the SMEs are often operating at their maximum. So often the SME employee has to work at least a 12 hour work day. Remote, cloud and reliable internet based

employees to operate at their ultimate. Q. In terms of technology, particularly with reference to SME enterprises, is South Africa current? CC. This is an interesting question, as what seems to happen is as consumers we are hungry for the latest technology but, as service providers, we are often very late adopters of brand new technology. However when a new technology does arrive on our shores, it is very quickly absorbed and consumed, especially by SMEs and consumers. A typical example of this is our mobile phone and tablet market. And often have been amazed when travelling abroad how more tech orientated we are than the average consumer over there. Perhaps it is this unusual unsmooth “staccato” dynamic that makes the SME and consumer accelerate or absorb new technology faster than our oversees counterparts? Or perhaps it is that we see technology as part of our status in society. I do not really know. But it does mean

when the country does implement a new technology, even though late on a global scale, the technology is the correct technology and does have less “teething” problems as the technology has been tested and running oversees for some time. Q. Do you have any advice for the SME operator? CC. Yes, as there are so many IT products and services out there. And this number will only increase. This will make the market far more competitive for the SME, so having a long standing relationship with a good trustworthy Managed Service Operator with an attached Service Level Agreement of their service and product offerings is a must. Aligning oneself with the correct Managed Service Provider that offers the most powerful and cost effective technologies will ensure that the SME has the competitive edge overs its competitors. So make sure you choose your advisors and Service Providers carefully and make sure they are dynamic and always current with these ever changing offerings out there.

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Search : Health & Fitness Feature

A gym in your poket

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by Pippa Tshabalala

’m not ashamed to admit that I hate gym. I don’t hate working out, I hate gym. I simply don’t like the gym culture and much prefer alternate forms of exercise. Having recently gotten back into the whole “exercise” thing, I’ve revisited forms of exercise that I actually enjoy and can do comfortably without people watching over me. I’ve started running again, I do yoga, and although I’m not as fit as I used to be, I’m getting back there slowly but surely. But I am a tech geek. And tech geeks looking to get fit, even if they’ve got gym memberships will likely at some point turn to their relevant App store to help them feel like they’re being all conscientious and stuff. And this means that I have trawled through the plethora of apps available claiming to help you get fit, such as “Loose Belly Fat” (their spelling not mine, and if you can’t see what’s wrong with that you need to go back to school), “Fitness Buddy” or “Daily Butt Workout”. Either way, I have come across a number of reasonable apps that will actually help you get fit, and perhaps even motivate you to transform your sedentary lifestyle. First up is an app I really like because it transforms the whole weight loss, exercise thing into a game. Noom, even with its stupid name, tailors your weight loss goals to you based on what activities you do every day, and what kind of food you consume. You also level up. This immediately appeals to the gamer in me, as any opportunity to be able to complete tasks and get points for it is a win in my books. If you read my column this month you’ll already know that I consider myself a Level 5 Battle Mage of

um… fitness. Or something. And I’m well on my way to reaching Level 6. Hooray for me! It awards you additional points for weighing in, for extra fitness activities over and above your daily workout regime, for logging your meals, and awards you points for tasks such as cleaning out your fridge. It’s slick, it rarely crashes, and most importantly for me, it doesn’t make you feel guilty for not achieving all those daily goals if you have a bad day. There is of course a Free version, and I firmly believe that with fitness apps this is absolutely essential. You MUST be able to try these kinds of apps out before you spend money on them, because they need to cater to your lifestyle, and Noom is actually one I might spend the cash on. Up next is an app that I originally had on iPhone, and when I switched to Android was grateful that it was available on the Play Store as well. Even better, not only is Zombies! Run! Available cross platform, but they’ve released an additional app called Zombies 5K, which trains you over a period of weeks to get up to 5kms. I’ve mentioned Zombies! Run! before and on many levels it’s similar to Zombies 5K so I’m not going to distinguish too much between them, suffice it to say that Zombies 5K will prepare you fitness wise for the more demanding levels of Run. You play as a new Runner, tasked with collecting supplies in the zombie infested town where you and a number of other survivors are holed up. Obviously when you make these excursions you’re frequently being chased by zombies, and hearing them breathing and moaning behind you can be all kinds of motivating if you

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have a good imagination. Both of them are fun, and while they might not have you sprinting for long periods of time, your heart-rate will certainly be thumping. There’s no free version of either of these apps, but Zombies 5K comes in at around R9.00 and Zombies! Run! is frequently on sale so it’s not going to break the bank even if you decide it’s not for you. Workout Trainer is another free app, although it does have a PRO option that is also a worthwhile addition to your arsenal of fitness apps. With loads of workouts (you will need to have an internet connection to load them for the first time so I would recommend a WiFi connection) that cater for all fitness levels, Workout Trainer not only shows you a video of the exercise, but you can choose which workout set you want to do, what kind of equipment you want to use (if any, bodyweight is also an option) as well as the duration. For some reason this app appeared to work better on my iDevice than it did on my Android devices, forcing me to create yet another stupid account that sends me spam, rather than being able to log in to my Facebook account, but if you can get over this irritation then you’ll enjoy the app. It does have certain limitations but the pros far outweigh the cons if you’re looking for a good home exercise app with customisable workouts. If you’re like me and are not a fan of gyms in general, use some of these to motivate you this year, get up off the couch and find a workout that works for you. No one is asking you to enter a body building competition, but we could all stand to be healthier. In moderation of course! g

Foundations

1947 Looking Back

947 was a year the world, most of it at least, took to catch its breath. It was not a time of inaction though, as just two years after the most horrific war in human history had ended, plans were being hurriedly made to rebuild what had been shattered, while lines were being drawn that would ultimately define the largest ideological tension of the century, the Cold War. It was the year that the saw the Kashmir War between the nascent nations of India and Pakistan, a conflict that still has ramifications in our time, while in America the Truman Doctrine was announced, a policy of communism containment that would eventually culminate in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. World War 2 had left the world of science and technology drastically changed, and while these effects would take decades to filter down to the general population, astounding developments were happening apace. The first of these was the breaking of the sound

barrier, which had been a significant problem to wartime aircrafts. Composed of a series of largely distinct problems caused by the compressibility of air, the sound barrier (roughly 343 m/s) had eluded propeller-based airplanes, and it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until the development of the Bell X-1 that the record was officially broken by Charles â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chuckâ&#x20AC;? Yeager, though there are claims to the contrary. Computing technology had seen a massive leap forward during the war, particularly with the British codebreakers of Bletchley Park and the Colossus computers they employed, the first digital computers in history. From these technological marvels sprang the first forays into modern computing, with one of the first being the Automatic Computing Engine, or ACE, designed by Alan Turing, which some regard as the father of the modern computer. Considered too ambitious a project, in part due to the secrecy surrounding Bletchley Park, the initial development of

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the computer began in 1947 as the Pilot ACE, a small scale version which was only completed in 1950. It was the world’s fastest computer, with a staggering speed of 1MHz, and was the first computer to make use of Abbreviated Computer Instructions, essentially a precursor to programming languages. 1947 also saw a number of crucial steps in the development of modern life. Critically, this year saw the GLEEP station run for the first time, which was the first nuclear reactor in Western Europe. Standing for Graphite Low Energy Experimental Pile, GLEEP was never used to provide commercial electrical power, as it only had a power output of 3 kilowatts. Instead the reactor was used in experimental designs and instrument calibrations and was only shut down in 1990, having an operating life of 43 years. This was the year of the creation of the instant camera (the humble ancestor to the modern internet idiocy of Facebook and

Instagram) as well as the first time the word “bug” was applied to a modern computer, where a moth trapped in a relay caused the malfunction of the Harvard Mark 2 computer. This year is a special year however, as it marks a beginning. A genesis, if you will. It was the year that the world’s first interactive electronic game was patented, the (rather dull-named) Cathode Ray Tube Amusement Device. Whether this was the first video game is a matter of debate however, as there was no actual video display, and the game was entirely mechanical. Designed to simulate a WW2 radar display, a cathode ray tube (CRT) was positioned on screen as a dot, and was then required to manoeuvre the dot in order to hit a target on a transparent screen overlay. By modern standards it does not sound terribly amusing, but it was a first, THE first, in an industry that now out-strips Hollywood. g

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Reviews Highlights 34 Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 Ultrabook Bending over backwards 40 Razer Ouroboros Gaming Mouse Ultimate comfort 42 Canon PowerShot SX260 HS Camera A small package... 50 Samsung DA-E750 Wireless Audio Dock Sounds like heaven

his past month sae CES take place in Las Vegas, USA, and there were tons of absolutely awesome items on display at the event. But it will take a little while for all those fantastic electronics and gadgets to hit the market. In the meantime, though, there is still a lot out there that one can get excited about. This month we look at a great audio dock, a funky headset, a supremely customisable mouse and more. g

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a r e

t h e

s w a r m

12.03.13 s ta r c r a f t 2 . c o m ÂŠ 2013 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Heart of the Swarm is a trademark, and StarCraft and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the properties of their respective owners.

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Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 Ultrabook

Backwards A fun, funky and effective Ultrabook option

Y Review

oga… the word conjures up painful poses and twisting the body in all kinds of uncomfortable ways for most regular PC users (read as sedentary couch-potatoes) but, thanks to Lenovo, it will soon take on a new meaning. The Lenovo Ideapad Yoga 13 comes from multiple directions all at once, with the influences of several technologies and factors coming together in a rather unique Ultrabook design. The Yoga 13 will literally bend over backwards to please you… Thanks to an innovative hinge design, the Yoga’s top section goes all the way, swivelling from closed to having the top flush against the other side of the base. Motion sensors and gyroscopes will automatically readjust the screen orientation, letting the unit go from a notebook configuration to a presentation style stand, and even a tablet style “flat” unit. That adds a ton of

versatility to the device. This is a device built for Window 8 and to that end it features a multi-touch, capacitive 13.3 inch display. That allows the aforementioned versatility to really come to the fore, turning it from a run-of-the-mill notebook into a device that is great for presentations, media and a host of other functions. The screen is bright and clear, running at a maximum resolution of 1600 x 900, and the response from the touch controls is excellent. Under the hood, the Yoga 13 comes with three flavours of CPU; i3, i5 or i7. RAM comes in two varieties as well, with either 4GB or 8GB available. Visuals are taken care of by an on-board Intel HD Graphics 4000 chipset, and the top of the screen has a 1 megapixel integrated camera. Aside from the touch controls, the unit also features a generous touch pad and standard notebook keyboard.

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by Walt Pretorius

The Yoga 13 is a little light in certain areas. It’s drive space might be all SSD, but at the moment, it’s only 128GB (with a 256GB variant on the way.) That’s not a lot of space for some users, although it does serve a purpose. I/O ports are also a little thin, with only one USB 2.0 and one USB 3.0 ports, as well as audio ports and an integrates 2-in-1 card reader. It also has an HMDI output, but no LAN port, so connectivity is either wireless or Bluetooth. The Yoga 13 also comes with a host of software preinstalled, including some very handy applications ready to go. With an eight hour battery life and 1.5kg weight, the Yoga 13 makes a lot of sense, particularly if you need that multipositional versatility. It’s a little light on some specs, as many Ultrabooks can be, but the overall performance is good, and the funkiness factor is off the charts. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

Though some specs could be a little higher, the good performance and versatility of this Ultrabook make it something of a winner. M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Very versatile Great control Perfect for Windows 8

i3 / i5 / i7 CPU 128 GB SSD 4GB / 8GB RAM 13.3 inch screen Mutltitouch screen 1.54kg 8 hour battery life

Lenov o Lenov o www.lenov o.c o.za R14 000

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Some specs are a bit low

Score

89 35

Review

A ve ry

MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning

fa st cs

gr ap hi tio n

so lu

Speed De

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by Alex Scanlon

emon I I

t’s starting to get difficult to keep up with the latest and greatest in graphics cards, particularly if you are a PC user who wants to keep their machine running at the best possible speeds all the time. The truth is that new tech comes out almost every day, and short of spending a fortune on a new card every few months, it does require a bit of luck to strike at just the right time. On the upside, new technologies don’t go away – not if they’re good ideas, at least. And MSI’s GPU Reactor technology is a very good idea. What this is, quite simply, is an additional device on the back of the card that increases the voltage capacity of the GPU. The result is more juice through the chip, and a resulting faster performance. That, in effect, means that the overclocking capabilities of a card like this is higher, and more stable in execution. So, in essence, the inclusion of the GPU Reactor on the GeForce GTX 680 means that the card can perform quite a lot above its outthe-box specification. But let’s be honest – there really isn’t anything too shabby about the default performance of this graphics monster. With an Nvidia 680 chipset and 2GB of GDDR5 memory, it really doesn’t break a sweat in most conditions… even under strain. Even if you don’t enter the competitive world of overclocking, this card’s performance will shine. But, if you do intend to push the device to its limits, you can do so with quite a lot of confidence; MSI have built this card to handle a heavy load. Aside from the Military Class III components on the card, there are numerous systems that allow simple and effective – even safe – overclocking. In addition to software for overclocking, the GTX 680 comes with triple overvoltage technology (allowing the GPU, memory and PLL to be tweaked), as well as triple heat monitoring systems and voltage check points. On top of all this, MSI have built an extremely good, quiet cooling system for this device. Using independent heat sinks for the front and the back of the card is just one aspect, and the generous 100mm heat fans, which use turbine style blades, work with those and the nickel plated copper base to keep the card running surprisingly cool. The fans also spin in reverse for 30 seconds after start up, to help reduce dust build up. A card like this means that keeping up with the crazy upgrades won’t be as much of a problem. It is reliable and powerful, and will give the user a long period of hassle free graphics… and if you want more power, it’s easy to tweak. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

With lots of power and reliability, this card should keep you going for a good long while.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Fast & reliable Easy to tweak Top of the range

GeForce GTX 680 2 GB GDDR5 RAM 2 DVI ports 1 HMDI port 1 DisplayPort Afterburner Software

M SI Pinna c le A fric a www.pinna c le.c o.za R7 759

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Comparatively Expensive

Score

85 37

Asus ET2411 All-in-one PC

All There...

I Review

magine a friend tagged you in a Facebook picture, with you pole dancing half naked with your boss’ wife at a night club and that this friend was unaware of your recent acceptance your boss’ friend request. We all lead categorised lives and the two that stand out the most are business and pleasure; separating the two is very necessary in leading a more uncomplicated life. Which brings me to my point: if we indeed lead different lives and require the use of personal computing, then having one PC is not enough, especially when you need a clear distinction between entertainment and work. One way to accomplish this is the All-in-One PC, specifically the Asus ET2411. A lot has been said about All-in-One PC’s as stand-

alone units, but I love them for how they expand my personal computing space. Connect the ET2411 to your existing desktop rig and use it as a monitor and then at the push of the “Mode” button, turn your monitor into a second PC, allowing you to have two PCs share the same physical space. Or, of course, you can use it on its own. The main body of the Asus ET2411 is an LED full HD (1080) 23.6” display, housing the entire contents of a very decent PC. Under the hood the unit sports an i5-3450 processor, supported by 6GB of DDR3 RAM. Visuals come by way of a GeForce GT630M chipset, with 1GB of RAM. Storage is provided by a 1TB SATA HDD, which is not too shabby considering the size of the unit. On the sound front, the ET2411 Has a Sonic Master DTS chip, which is helped along by a sub-woofer that can be plugged in for that extra bass boost. Overall, the sound is rather good, particularly with that subwoofer hooked

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Everything you need in one handy package

by Andy Taliadoros

up. The screen is touch enabled, but only on two simultaneous points at one time, which feels more like a gimmick than an actual usable function, since a lot of the work would still be done using the tried and tested keyboard and mouse option. The unit comes with a wireless mouse and keyboard, too. In terms of inputs and outputs, the unit offers what could be considered standard fare for a larger laptop: two USB 3.0 ports, four USB 2.0 ports (one of which is an eSATA combo) and an SD card reader. In addition, the user has access to audio ports, HDMI in and out ports, a VGA output and a LAN port. And, of course, it has an optical drive in the form of a Blu-Ray reader and DVD writer combo. It is not only a great standalone PC but it could also make a decent additional PC to your existing desktop set up. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

Decent All-in-One PC and a great expansion to an existing desktop set up.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Complete system. Can be used as a monitor. Reasonably priced

i5-3450 CPU NVIDIA GeForce GT 630M 1TB SATA Hard Drive 6GB DDR3 RAM Blu-Ray reader /DVD Writer Combo

A sus A sus www.a sus.c om TB C

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Only two point simultaneous touch screen. No upgrading options.

Score

79 39

Razer Ouroboros Gaming Mouse

Comfort, no matter what!

Shape-

W Review

hen one talks about the ability to customise a mouse, they generally mean programming the buttons and sensitivities – maybe even the colour of the lights. But Razer have taken the idea of mouse customisation further with the Ouroboros, a new flagship in their gaming peripheral stable. Purely on specifications, this is a good device. It runs at 8200 dpi, using a 4G dual sensor system. With 50g of acceleration and twelve programmable buttons, as well as full Razer Synapse 2.0 software support, it really does the trick of being an effective gaming mouse. But any gamer prone to long sessions knows that pure performance isn’t enough; looks and, more importantly, comfort are also extremely important. The angular Ouroboros has looks in spades; it looks like a stealth alien craft bent on destruction. The visual

aspect of the mouse is rather unique, part by design and part thanks to its unique customisation options. Finished in durable, non-slip black plastic and finished with brushed silver and the expected glowing green accents, it certainly looks the part of a vicious, err… mouse. And the looks can change, thanks to the ways that the user can customise the mouse. Quickly and easily, might I add. The most obvious way is by switching out the side panels. There are plain options, as well as options with extended bases, adding support for the user’s hands. These can be used in four different configurations, depending on what is most comfortable. Next up, the length of the mouse. It can be lengthened or shortened to a degree, making it larger or smaller in effect. The effect is very noticeable, and finding the most comfortable length is relatively easy. As a result, a gap in the middle of the mouse body gets larger or smaller, but instead of being an eyesore, Razer have cleverly worked

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by Alex Scanlon

this aspect into the overall visual design of the unit. Lastly, the back plate (once the right length has been found) can be varied in angle with an easy-to-use thumbscrew system. This adds even more comfort to the whole deal. Best of all is that all of this can be done with an ambidextrous mouse. Yes, the Ouroboros is lefty-friendly, too, something which is nowhere near common enough in high performance mouse devices. Oh, wait, there’s one more thing. The Ouroboros can be used as a wired or wireless mouse. A strudy docking cradle allows it to recharge but, if the charge runs out (or if the user prefers) the USB cable cab be plugged directly into the mouse. And it’s not a cheap, dodgy plug either; the cable literally slides into the mouse before it locks in place, enhancing the looks and reaffirming the cleverness on the Ouroboros’ design. In short, it’s a little bit of mousing-awesome. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

This really is the most customisable mouse around, with options for every play style, grip and hand size.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Very sensitive Awesomely comfortable Ambidextrous

8200 DPI 4G dual sensor Wired / wireless Tiltable back plate Variable length Variable side panels Ambidextrous

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.c o.za R1 500

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

No weight variations

Score

97 41

Pocket Epic Canon PowerShot SX260 HS Camera

Everything you need in your pocket!

C Review

anon have produced cameras for a very long time and, even as the market starts getting more and more populated with new brands and models (thanks to the digital photography concept) they still manage to produce top notch photographic devices. They show a strong understanding of the needs of photographers – both casual and enthusiasts – and offer a wide range of options. But a look at their pocket cameras shows that they also realise that just because a camera isn’t a DSLR doesn’t mean that it should skimp of features or quality. Because of this, the diminutive PowerShot SX260 HS is a rather capable camera that will be a perfect device for casual snappers, as well as a great backup camera for the more serious photographer. In keeping with Canon’s philosophies, the camera is easy to use and quick to respond.

Although the 12.1 megapixel images that the 260 produces are not the largest we have seen from pocket cameras, they are clear and crisp (and, let’s be honest, 12.1 megapixels is plenty). Images are displayed via a generous 3 inch LCD display on the rear, which is flanked by a number of easy-to-access and sensible controls. In fact, easy access and sensible implementation is pretty much what this camera is all about. When turned off it is quite compact, with a metal shutter closing over the allimportant lens. When it is turned on, the lens barrel extends from the body of the camera. And here is one of the 260’s greatest strengths: the optics. See, when a camera uses lens pieces that move in relation to each other, zooming is always better. And, thanks to the extending lens barrel – which lengthens and shortens as the user varies zoom distances – the 260 manages a fairly impressive 20x optical zoom.

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by Walt Pretorius

Aside from a good zoom and great picture quality, the 260 offers a host of other features. Among these are a number of shooting presets (including 58 Smart Auto Scenes) that range from full automatic to full manual. This great degree of control is what makes this camera appealing for the more serious photographer, and allows casual photographers to learn through experience. Exposure values are displayed in real time via the LCD screen, which makes this camera as much a convenient learning tool as a photographic one. Other features include full HD (1080) video recording, Face ID, Advanced Subject Detection and GPS capabilities (perfect for the globe trotters out there). In fact, it really is a feature rich camera. If you’re looking for something that’s quick and easy without it being fast and nasty – and like the idea that it offers a lot more than just a point and shoot solution – the PowerShot SX260 HS is a good way to go. g

Summary

Tech Specs: • • • • • •

A great camera for all kinds of photographers, from full auto to full manual.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

Ca non Ca non www.c a non.c o.za R2 999

Pros • • • • •

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Great images Full function Nice zoom

12.1 megapixel Full HD Video 20x zoom Face ID Advanced subject recognition

Cons • • • • •

None

Score

89 43

The Shield Lots of protection for your PC…

Norton 360

by Rob Edwards

N Review

orton doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to resource consumption, but this security package being a system hog really seems to be a thing of the past. In fact, Symantec are so confident about the fact that Norton 360 won’t slow you down that the program even has a built-in resource monitor. Smoother operation and less invasion are the order of the day. Unless a warning about some virus or spyware crops up, you may even forget that you have this excellent suite running in the background. It’s not just an antivirus, though – the 360 edition, which is the top of the line, also offers the user PC tune up tools and backup tools. Considering that you get excellent, unobtrusive protection for a rather reasonable price – as well as three one year licenses with each purchase – it becomes a very good solution for those needing to protect their PC. And that’s everyone. g

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Summary

Tech Specs: • • • • • •

An effective, unobtrusive and complete security system for your PC.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

Sy ma ntec Norton www.norton.c o.za R899

Pros • • • • •

Three licenses Not resource intensive Very effective

Antivirus Anti-spyware Antispam System tools Backup Parental controls

Cons • • • • •

None

Score

Review

Sony Xperia Go Smart Phone

A phone for people on the move

the Go

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by Walt Pretorius

T T

he smart phone phenomenon has now reached a point – quite quickly, in fact – that if you don’t have a smart phone, you’re severely out of the loop. Older types of mobile handsets went through similar processes, and it is around this kind of time that users start demanding more variety in terms of the devices they want. With older phones, they started becoming smaller and even specialised (music phones, camera phones and what-not). But this kind of specialisation with smart phones is a little different, because they almost all have the kinds of functionality that demanded specialisation before as standard features. And so we see a phone like the Sony Xperia Go hitting shelves. It is more specialised than most smart phones out there, but instead of the specialisation going towards one kind of functionality or another, it heads in the direction of a particular lifestyle. And that’s hardly a surprise – smart phones give us pretty much everything we need in portable communication; specialisation needs to be an extended idea in the case of these devices. The lifestyle in question is an active one, which is hinted at by the fact that the phone is smaller, a bit tougher (including water resistance) and offers apps that include things like pedometers (to see how many calories you burn while walking around with the phone). The Go is armed with a 1GHz dual core processor, and is powered by the mobile BE Mobile Bravia Engine. The xLOUD audio enhancement engine helps with clearer sound, and the device’s fitness application is supported by DLNA certification. The Go sports a 3.5 inch screen, which is rather small when compared to other smart phones. Additionally, the 5 megapixel camera and 720p video recording capabilities don’t measure up to a number of the other brands out there. Arguably, though, these features aren’t of the highest importance when the phone’s specialisation is taken in to account. On the up-side, the device’s memory can be expanded using microSD cards. With additional connectivity in the form of Bluetooth and WiFi, the Go runs off of the popular Android operating system. The phone obviously sports a modified version of the OS, and presents the user with numerous options for menus, icon arrangement and application set-up. As far as being a communication device goes, this one does the job rather nicely. It is fairly rugged, too, despite being light in weight. When considering that this phone is designed for a more specific lifestyle than most, the Xperia Go makes sense. But as an everyday phone, for users who are not going to make best use of its focus, it may leave a few things to be desired. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

It has a strong focus on a specific lifestyle and, with that in mind, does the job it is meant to do.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Light Small Some nice included apps

Android OS 3.5 inch screen 1GHz CPU DLNA certified WiFi Bluetooth MicroSD slot

Sony Sony www.sony mobile.c om R3 799

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

May not quite be what you are looking for

Score

79 47

Sublime!

I I

Review

Parrot Zik Wireless Headset

t’s pretty easy to see a set of headphones and assume that it’s just another set of headphones. The market is pretty saturated with these kinds of devices, thanks to the proliferation of phones, personal music systems and other toys that make sense with a good set of stereo headphones. But the Parrot Zik is not just another headset, and this shows right out of the box. The oddly named Zik is stylish, with matt black, brushed steel and leatherlike finishes. It is pretty clunky, at first glance, and weighs quite a bit. But the on-ear pads are wonderfully comfortable, and the headband allows for great support for the headset. The ear-cups can also be rotated to allow for the best possible positioner, according to each user’s ear position and shape. Still, nothing much new there… but the proof is in the pudding as far as the Zik is concerned, and the pudding is really sweet. See, this is a Bluetooth wireless headset designed to work with the various i-Pod and i-Phone products that have flooded (and continue to flood) the market. It does, of course, work with other Bluetooth enabled devices, too. And you will want it to, because what you have here is a headset that is so simple, and yet so awesome, that any music lover will certainly want one. Aside from the easy-as-anything Bluetooth pairing process, the Zik has a few bells and whistles that are really clever. There is nothing here that is really new in terms of technology, but the Zik uses existing ideas in a great new way. While using the headset, all the controls are integrated into the shell of the right ear-cup. Nothing strange there either, until you consider the face that the right ear cup is touch-sensitive. Swipe upwards, and it increases the volume, and down to decrease it. Swipe forwards, and you skip to the next track… a backward swipe restarts the current track, while two in quick succession starts the previous song. And taking the headphones off, thanks to motion sensors, pauses the playback. This nifty control scheme is not all that the Zik offers, either. It can be used to make calls, thanks to an integrated double microphone, and features top noise cancellation technology. The battery offers a long life, and can be recharged via a USB cable. Even when it is flat, the user can still make use of an included 3.5mm cable for a direct connection. And, on top of all of that, the Zik produces great sound. With clever ideas and implementation, and a desire for quality, Parrot have created a really great headset in the form of the Zik. g

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by Rob Edwards

Great id eas mi xe d wi

g th t rea sound Summary

Tech Specs:

The Zik has it all- good looks, good sound and funky technology.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Great control system Comfortable Excellent noise cancellation

Bluetooth Rechargeable Touch sensitive controls Noise cancellation 3.5mm cable option Motion sensitive

Pa rrot SM A C www.sma c .c o.za R3 999

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Fairly heavy

Score

90 49

Rich & Full

Samsung DA-E750 Wireless Audio with Dock

It doesn’t get much better than this…

T Review

he term “retro” is one that gets bandied about fairly often, used to refer to a whole bunch of things that seem to pop back into style every so often. For the most part, retro seems a bit dull, but when a retro look is combined with top notch technology, the results can be surprising. The Samsung DA-E750 – one of several devices that bear the “Wireless Audio with Dock” name – makes use of retro very nicely in terms of looks, and combines it with high tech gadgetry to make it cool. But what makes it special is that the audio technology of this device makes use of ideas that could also be called retro: it is fitted with vacuum tubes. There are tons of guitar players out there that try to get their hands on amplifiers using vacuum tube technology, for the rich, full sound that this system

delivers. There are even audiophiles out there who love the warm notes and timbres that this tech gives the music they listen to. And now, with the DA-E750, the concept is within easy reach of just about anyone who can afford one of these stylish devices. The looks of the unit combine old and new beautifully. It is finished with a rich red wood look, combined with uncovered speakers done in black and silver. On the top there is a touch control panel, as well as a raised glass dome under which the vacuum tubes glow warmly when the unit is in use. Get to the back, and it starts looking all high-tech. A dual dock system is housed in the rear, and is compatible with Samsung and Apple music players. There is also a LAN port and a USB port in the back, as well as a spot for a 3.5mm jack to plug in (for auxiliary music sources, of

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by Alex Scanlon

course.) And there’s a Bluetooth option for those that feel wires are just too retro… And the whole lot is held up by rubberised feet that reduce vibration. The sound is further supported by a bottom mounted sub-woofer, which fills out the richness of the sound with a good degree of bass. The audio quality here is exceptional, with rich fullness across all tonalities. The output of the speakers is also great, with high volumes attainable with next to no distortion. In short, it look beautiful and it sounds absolutely brilliant. The look even extends into the brushed finish of the remote control. Here we have an effortless combination of stylish design, solid technology and truly brilliant sound. It certainly is not the cheapest dock around, but short of going all out on a top-of-the-line vinyl set-up, you likely won’t get better sound than this. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

When it comes to audio docks, you’re going to have to go a long way to beat the rich vacuum tube audio that’s to be found here. M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

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Absolutely awesome sound Looks good Dual dock

iPod / iPhone compatible Samsung Galaxy compatible Vaccuum Tube technology Bluetooth enabled

Sa msung Sa msung www.sa msung .c o.za R6 999

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Pricey

Score

98 51

by Walt Pretorius

GPSless Canon PowerShot SX240 HS Camera

Better for some…

P Review

icking the right camera can come down to one or two unnecessary features being left out, and as a result saving you a bit of money. Canon’s PowerShot SX240 HS is, pretty much, the same as the SX260 HS (reviewed on page xx) but it lacks one or two of the features. Actually, it only really lacks one notable feature, and it’s one that’s usefulness depends completely on the photographer in question: GPS support. Other than that, it offers the same 12.1 megapixel image size, and the same 20x optical zoom, made possible by a nifty adjusting lens barrel. Unless GPS is an absolute must for you – and personally, I battle to think why it would be – the SX240 HS is as good an option as the SX260 HS. And it’s a bit cheaper, which always helps. It’s good to see Canon making these variations available for this range of rather nice pocket cameras. g

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Summary

Tech Specs:

Virtually identical to the SX260 HS, except that it won’t tell you where in the world you are...

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline: RRP:

Great images Full function Nice zoom

12.1 megapixel Full HD Video 20x zoom Face ID Advanced subject recognition

Ca non Ca non www.c a non.c o.za R2 499

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Better Price No GPS

Score

com p eti t io n • c o mp eti ti on • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

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DmC: Devil May Cry

Tears of Joy One of the best reboots ever!

by Walt Pretorius

Vergil. But instead of being half-human and half-demon, these guys are more in the new game – they’re half-demon and half-angel. Dante, the character that the player will control for the roughly ten hour run of this game, is a rebellious, fun-loving nihilist who gets recruited into an organisation called the Order by Vergil. It is this organisation’s goal to put a stop to the evil machinations of Mundus, a powerful demon who controls the world though debt and the media, among other things. Dante is the muscle of the operation, able to shift into Limbo, where he can fight off hordes of demons with guns and blade. The concept is very similar to that of the older games, but the similarity really is only skin-deep. The red coat, suave attitude and white hair of the old Dante is gone, replaced by a hero that is tough, cocky and far more

Review

hen Capcom announced that Ninja Theory, the team behind titles like Heavenly Sword and Enslaved: Odyssey to the West, would be taking up the development reigns on the next Devil May Cry title, there were a few grumbles from fans. When it was announced that the new game would be something of a series reboot, dropping the numbering system and opting for the name DmC: Devil May Cry, the grumbles turned into outraged claims of sacrilegious tampering with one of Capcom’s greatest franchises. But Capcom and Ninja Theory forged ahead, unperturbed by raised voices among the fans. And it’s a good thing they did; the Devil May Cry we see now is leaps and bounds ahead of the older games in many ways. At the core of the tale are the two brothers, Dante and

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believable. He has a bad attitude and a mouth to match, and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tolerate demons. Even as he learns about his past and heritage, his hatred for demons (who have plagued him his entire life) only intensifies. This new character is at the core of something else that Ninja Theory have improved by huge strides in this new DMC: the storytelling. The over-the-top, stylised narrative that was the hallmark of the previous games is gone, replaced by a more modern-feeling plot. The game comes down to lots of combat, as well as fast-paced movement challenges. As said before, Dante is armed with twin guns and a sword. As h progresses, though, new weapons are added to his arsenal, which can basically be categorised as angelic and demonic weapons. Demonic weapons are slow and hard hitting, while angelic weapons deliver less damage, but are much quicker.

Activating them is as easy as holding down the left trigger for angelic weapons, and the right trigger for demonic. Combined with the face buttons, these trigger inputs allow Dante to very quickly switch between the three weapon sets (remembering to count his â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;normalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; weapons, of course). The result is very quick, flowing combos that allow the player to string together a vast variety of moves and effects. This kind of action is rewarded with typical DMC style bonuses, which give additional points that count towards getting new powers and other upgrades. Each weapon has its own set of upgrades, too, so the player can trim their progress to suit their preferred playstyle. The various weapon sets also allow for a spatial element to the mostly melee combat, either pulling enemies towards Dante, or moving him towards them. Combining

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game will even tell the player how long they have been playing since the last check point – a nice touch. Adding to the extremely stylish and elegant game mechanics are great graphics. The world looks real, even when entering Limbo, and the inventiveness of the various settings is often not only smart, but rather amusing. Attacking a tower that exists in Limbo as it’s reflection in a real world river, for example, sees the player moving through an intricate upside-down world. The visuals here are stunning, as they are through the bulk of the game. It does challenge the PS3 every now and then, with a few frame rate drops, but these are widely scattered – enough so as not to negatively impact the title overly much. Supporting the good looks is excellent voice acting and character animation. The plot is deeper than one usually expects from a Devil May Cry title, and is delivered

Review

this idea with the already flowing combat makes the game fast paced and lots of fun. In fact, this is one of the slickest, most intuitive control schemes for a third person action game we have seen in a very long time. Even if you don’t use every combo in a fight, you’ll still look like a pro as you blast through hordes of enemies. Certain sections of the game will also ask the player to perform movement challenges. Some of these can be extremely complex and will require deft finger work in switching between angelic and demonic skill sets with split second precision. They can get frustrating, but DmC doesn’t punish the player very much when deaths take place. In fact, deaths due to movement mishaps don’t count towards negative score tallies applied to combat deaths, and the checkpoint system is fairly generous in its spacing of automatic save points. When paused, the

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beautifully by excellent voice acting, facial animations and motion capture. Dante becomes a likeable rogue before long, with his bravado and wry sense of humour shining through in almost every cut-scene. To sum it all up: those that were concerned about rebooting something as well established as the Devil May Cry franchise need no longer fret. Ninja Theory did an exemplary job with this title, pulling the franchise into a more modern, slicker approach that not only reintroduces the universe to a whole new set of players, but does so with skill, style and grace. Sure, the game is not without its problems. It is a little short (although unlocking new powers does make the levels replayable), and the lack of a dedicated lockon button can make some of the larger combats quite challenging. Additionally, every now and then the camera

may betray the player by performing an unpredictable swing at a bad time – like when they’re trying to perform a tricky jump or dodge. But these issues are actually quite minor in the greater scheme of things, and don’t show up often at all. Aside from the length, everything is easily forgivable, particularly when you’re basking in the afterglow of a massive, complex boss battle. If you enjoy third person games crammed with action and challenge, and enjoy a good plot line that transcends the norm, DmC: Devil May Cry should be near the top of your must-play list. Its stylish execution and fantastic control scheme make it a joy not only to play, but also to witness in action. Fans can rest assured – DMC is safe and sound in the capable hands of Ninja Theory, a team that has not only produced a great game but has also revitalised a great franchise. g

AT A GLANCE: Third Person Action

Reviewed on:

Ninja Theory have not only revitalised the DMC franchise, but they have injected gallons of style into it with this new take on the classic universe. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Bayonetta, Darksiders Local

Network

Online

Ninja Theory Capcom Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory

16+ gladget28

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

89 57

Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge

Chop Chop! Making a mess on Wii U

by Rob Edwards

The player will spend most of the game in control of the super-ninja Ryu Hayabusa, the staple of the series. There are a few missions in which the player will use the sexy Kunoichi Ayane, too, which adds a change in the pace of the game. She’s quicker than Ryu, and the action is blisteringly quick in her missions. But while the pace changes, the action does not… all you’re going to be doing in Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge is part bad guys from their limbs, over and over again. The violence is bloody and brutal, with no punches pulled in its extremely graphic nature. Ryu has a number of weapons that can be unlocked, and each has its own strengths, weaknesses and move sets. The thing is, though, that the game follows an anachronistic formula of “run a bit, beat up bad guys, run some more, beat up more bad guys.” Aside from some of the very difficult boss

Review

he Wii U is opening opportunities for developers to add another platform to their release schedules… and is allowing developers to rerelease titles that have been reworked for the console. Thanks to the Wii U’s increased power (over the Wii) and control ideas that feature more traditional, controller style inputs, the violent, bloody and definitely adultsonly Ninja Gaiden 3 has made its way to a Nintendo platform, in the guise of Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge, complete with some improvements over the original release. It really is a bit of a mixed bag, though; while the game does bring yet another hard-core gaming experience to the Wii U, helping to foster the idea that this console isn’t the usual, family friendly Nintendo fare, it is a game that has a few problems.

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battles, it’s the same thing over and over again. That’s not a problem if you’re after a bit of mindless, combo-based action, but the lack of depth makes the game feel rather dull after protracted periods of play. It can deliver a lot of fun, though, particularly if you’re using the Pro Controller. In fact, the game pad isn’t best suited for this title, and the touch screen implementation feels tacked on, providing the player with little more than menu short cuts and a move list for the currently equipped weapon. It really is a wasted opportunity, on one hand, but it is obvious that the developers intended this game to be played with the Pro Controller (which would mean that any fancy game pad controls would not be accessible). The controls are fairly responsive, though, no matter which controller you use, which is a good thing. The player will get swarmed by enemies, and a typical fight will see

several grunts and armoured foot soldiers taking on the player character, while their buddies fire rockets into the fray from a distance. This can get pretty frustrating… if the player keeps moving, cheap deaths aren’t really a problem. But it’s almost always the same pack of bad guys that attack. Graphically, it is not the prettiest Ninja Gaiden game we have seen, but it’s not too much of a slouch, either. The frame rate stays nice and fast, and the blazingly-quick action in well represented, even if some of the textures and environments feel a little bland. In short, it’s fun and action packed, but it is hardly revolutionary, or even mildly impactful. The story is cheesy (of course) and leaves the game relying on the buckets of blood it liberally splashes around to keep the player engaged. g

AT A GLANCE: Third person action

Reviewed on:

It’s violent, bloody and fast paced – but beyond ton of action, this game offers little depth. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Ninja Gaiden, Devil May Cry Local

Network

Online

Team Ninja Tecmo Core Group

Parental Advisory

18+ gladget28

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii U Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

73 59

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Toon Rescue Two Returning to Disney’s epic history…

by Alex ScanLon

game play won’t really get the setting. This time around, Mickey gets joined by Oswald the Lucky Rabbit (essentially Disney’s earliest form of Mickey Mouse himself). The two characters experience the whole adventure together which, as you might guess, implies that Epic Mickey 2 has a strong co-op flavour. In fact, two players playing at the same time is the way that the game is meant to be played, with each character having strengths that complement the other. In fact, playing solo means that the player will have to contend with an AI controlled Oswald, who managed to get a case of the stupids every now and then. You can do it, but it gets frustrating. On the Wii U, the player controlling Mickey uses the game pad, while the player controlling Oswald uses a Wii remote. This is sort of odd, considering that Mickey’s

Review

hen the original Epic Mickey hit shelves it presented its target audience (read as younger players) with a fun adventure that had them controlling Mickey Mouse in a world crammed with Disney history and memorabilia. But the game did get some criticism, and so the developers tried to do something about that in the second title. Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two sees Mickey return to Wasteland, once again to save the day for the longforgotten and discarded toons who live there. It does raise an interesting question – the game is clearly aimed at Disney fans, who are likely to be older. Yet the game is also squarely directed at younger players. It’s a bit of a strange mix; those that enjoy the references and glimpses of past Disney characters and scenes will find the game dynamic trifling, while those who enjoy the

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painting and erasing style of game play is far better suited to the remote, while Oswald’s more attack oriented actions would have worked better with the game pad. And there are no options to switch. This is made more annoying by the fact that the game pad really serves little purpose in the game, aside from basic controls and a map displayed on the screen. When you get down to it, Epic Mickey 2 is a fairly mediocre platformer with a few good ideas. The areas that players can explore are large, and are crammed with hidden nooks and crannies, as well as side quests. This is where the game shines the most – the story quests actually pale in comparison, and the often overlylong boss battles don’t add enough to mitigate that. Additionally, the game play gets pretty repetitive just a few hours in, with the bulk of the game being made

up of fetch and carry missions, interspersed with a bit of combat and a few movement based puzzles (none of which are overly challenging.) It’s fun to play, but it won’t change your life, and play sessions are likely to be shorter. Even younger players will probably head out to go kick a ball around after relatively short sessions, rather than continue with what starts feeling like a bit of a grindsession. The graphics are bright, colourful, and filled with references to and hints at Disney’s rich history. Despite the great visuals, the camera manages to once again be a bit off in this title. Sure, it’s better than the first time around, but it still isn’t great. In the end, even the most ardent Disney fan may find that only short bursts of Epic Mickey 2 are tolerable. It’s a pity, because this game could have been so much more. g

AT A GLANCE: Platformer

Reviewed on:

Wii U

While it does have its charm and fun factor, Epic Mickey 2 could easily have been much more than it turned out to be. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Epic Mickey, Super Mario Bros Wii Local

Network

Online

Junction Point Disney Interactive Prima Interactive

Parental Advisory

7+ gladget28

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

65 61

Batman: Arkham City – Armoured Edition

Bats and Cats Some new toys for Batman fans

by Alex Scanlon

Skins Pack. That’s a fair amount of added content, and a bonus if you haven’t played any of them before. There are one or two other additions to the game that make varying differences. Both Batman and Catwoman have had visual overhauls, for example, and now wear suits that are chunkier and look a lot meaner. It does nothing for the game dynamics, but looking good is important for any video game. Additionally, Batman has a new Battle Armoured Tech (yes BAT) mode that can be activated during combat. His new suit stores up kinetic energy during fights, which can be unleashed when fully charged up. The result is that, for a few seconds, Batman is tougher and hits harder. Sometimes it make quite an impact on the game, while at others it feels like it hardly makes a dent. But I can be useful in a sticky situation.

Review

e have seen a number of previously released games getting an overhaul and rerelease for the Nintendo Wii U console. These include Mass Effect 3 (called the Special Edition for the Wii U release) and Ninja Gaiden 3 (Razor’s Edge edition). Another such rerelease in Batman: Arkham City – Armoured Edition, which brings the latest Batman free-roaming action adventure to the Wii U, with a bunch of added extras. The game itself is nothing different (in terms of setting and plot) from what was released before, just like the other games on this list. However, Armoured Edition also includes all the DLC that has been released to date: the Catwoman missions, Harley Quinn’s Revenge, the Robin and Nightwing Bundle Packs, the Challenge Map Pack and the Arkham City

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The biggest change here, naturally, is that the game is now controlled by the game pad, which adds an extra control element in the form of the touch sensitive screen. The implementation of this idea delivers mixed results. The player can, for example, fairly easily access various menus and equipment lists via the screen, and the fact that all audio transmitted to Batman’s communication devices come via the game pad’s speakers adds an authentic feel to things. But scanning an area that needs investigating by physically moving the game pad around feels a little odd in a game like this. Thankfully you can use the analogue sticks to do the same thing. Likewise, having a map available on the pad’s screen is extremely handy, but the accessing of various menus and equipment lists feels awkward and clunky at times… one might as well just use the original menus to do the same

thing. Still, the intentions are good, and the game pad works well as a control system overall. It also helps maintain a feeling of immersion and continuity, by not pulling the player out of the action to access menus and option. There are also a few gadgets designed specifically to take advantage of the game pad and, like with many Wii U titles, the game can be played right there on the game pad’s screen – no TV necessary. In the end, the action and story is of the same high calibre as the original release (because it is still pretty much the same game, with a few added extras.) That’s not a bad thing, because the original game is great. But if you have played it before, the Wii U version doesn’t add much. That said, this is a welcome addition to the growing selection of Wii U titles available. g

AT A GLANCE: Action adventure

Reviewed on:

Wii U

Although the game is the same, a few of the new features and the included DLC make it a great action game for Wii U owners. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Batman: Arkham Asylum, Splinter Cell Local

Network

Online

Rocksteady Warner Bros Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory

16+ gladget28

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

86 63

Just Dance 4

A Bad Trip

Visuals right out of the bad acid repository… by Alex Scanlon

hand about. In fact, some dance moves are tracked so poorly that vague waving will be enough to get a passable score. How exactly Just Dance will move past this weakness I cannot say. But when it is faced with other titles and other platforms doing the whole dance thing much better, Just Dance on the Wii U needs some serious rethinking. As does the art design. Just Dance has always been known for bright, colourful and sometimes odd visuals, but this fourth outing really takes the cake. Whether it is foxy ladies dancing on orange slices floating in a large cocktail or a superhero boogying along while Godzilla attacks in the background, the visuals look more like a bad acid trip than funky, hip imagery. And the same goes for the dance steps. As to be expected, the player is guided by static prompts that

Review

ance games were something that the Nintendo Wii really brought to prominence. In fact, one of the most popular dance franchises – Just Dance – started out as a Wii title, and the popularity of the series sky-rocketed. In fact, it has spread to every other platform that has a motion control system and, in some cases (like the Xbox 360’s Kinect system) the Wii version has been left chewing some dust. That’s because the Kinect reads full body movement, and judges dancing accordingly. The Wii remote is the only measurement for the Wii, and that means it’s all in the player’s right hand… Sadly, this weakness follows the series as it makes its transition to the Wii U, too. Relying heavily on the Wii remote once again, the game can be beaten by a player sitting on a couch and waving their right

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show what the next move will be. But, in practice, they only seem to suggest what the next step might be. They can in no way keep up with the complexity of the choreography in this game. In fact, even veterans of the Just Dance series will need to go through each routine a few times to learn it off by heart – that’s how little use the prompts are. And the routines can get crazy in their difficulty from time to time. While all of this may seem superfluous, the meat-andbones of this game – which is supposed to be a fun, accessible party game – are sorely affected by these strange elements. The game seems to lack flow, and the level of fun anyone is likely to have is almost totally dependent on how much alcohol they have consumed prior to playing. Anyone taking the game remotely seriously is bound to get extremely frustrated, extremely

quickly. As a totally non-serious party game, Just Dance 4 can work, provided none of the players have any serious embarrassment issues. The multiplayer can lead to even more hilarity, but it can also devolve into a pseudosadistic, chaotic mess, too. With up to four players dancing with Wii remotes, the fifth player controls the choreography via the game pad. This puppet master mode is a great idea and can, at times, lead to lots of fun, but it feels flimsy in its execution. Just Dance 4 does not show enough progression – particularly not in a franchise that is so popular. It feels more like a rushed out cash-in, which is rather sad. The developers should have put more in here, for the fans, rather than releasing a title that feels a little like it is taking advantage of its name. g

AT A GLANCE: Dancing

Reviewed on:

For the first time, it really feels like the Just Dance franchise has taken a step in the wrong direction. Similar to: MaxPlayers Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Just Dance, Dance Central, Dance Evolution Local

Network

Online

Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Parental Advisory

3+ gladget28

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii U Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii U Wii PSV 3DS DS

Score

68 65

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