Gladget Magazine May 2014 by Gladget Magazine

I S S U E 4 3 / Vo l . 4 May 2014

www.gladgetmag.com

New View

How the internet is changing marketing

What to do when viruses strike

Fighting Infection

R e vie w s inc luding Cruc ial, As us , L ogit ech, MS I and more. . .

Sky Power New African internet solutions?

Print Your Life New technology revolutionises printing...

Free Online Mag

I S S U E 5 9 / Vo l . 5 M ay 2 0 1 4

w w w. g a m e c c a m ag . c o m

LEGO:The Hobbit Diablo III: Reaper of Souls Child of Light Mercenary Kings and more...

Blocky Burglar

LEGO:The Hobbit reviewed

The Other Side

A New Field 8Frag incoming...

Wolfenstein:The New Order rewtires history...

Hack the World! Fight the establishment in Watch_Dogs

Free Online Mag

Taking fun seriously!

www.gameccamag.com

Inside 6 From the Editor

8 Print the World

New technology to change the way we live...

14 Ad Nausea

Internet marketing is not the same...

18 Combating Virus Infections

How to beat malicious files

20 A Droning Connection

Internet for Africa... from the skies

24 Looking Back: 1985

Blowing hot and cold

26 A New Field

A new way to play online

32 Reviews

Some awesome stuff you need to have

This Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cover Printing is entering a brave new era... See our feature on page 8.

56 Did You Know?

More facts about technology

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Reviews

Sony MDR-XB920 Stereo Headphones

Logitech Powershell

MSI Twin Frozr GeForce GTX 750 Ti Gaming Graphics Card

Asus Cube Media Streamer

Asus Essence STX II 7.1 Sound Card

MSI Z87M Gaming Motherboard

Olympus Stylus 1 Camera

Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 RAM Kit

Razer Naga Expert MMO Gaming Mouse (2014 Edition)

GLADGET Volume 4 Issue 43 May 2014

Editor: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

Razer Kraken Forged Edition Elite Analog Music & Gaming Headphones

Writers: Alex Scanlon Charlie Fripp Iwan Pienaar Lein Baart Rob Edwards Suvesh Arumugam Walt Pretorius Letters: letters@gladgetmag.com Competition Entries: competitions@gladgetmag.com

MSI A88XI AC Mini-ITX Motherboard

Crucial M500 240GB SSD

Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gladgetmag.com

Seasonic Platinum 760W PSU

Design & Photography: 1337 Media

LEGO: The Hobbit (PS4)

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls (PC)

Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn (PS4)

Child of Light (X360)

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil (X360)

Don Bradman Cricket 14 (PS3)

Marketing Contact: Katia Taliadoros katia@1337-media.com

technology. simply. All rights reserved. No content may be reproduced, copied or transmitted without the express permission of the publishers. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editors and publishers. All Trademarks and Registered Trademarks are the sole property of the respective owners.

GLADGET is published by 1337 MEDIA

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Transformation by Katia Taliadoros

From the Editor

e are, by our very nature, frail beings. If humanity had not evolved the way we have, we would have been far lower on the food chain. We have no fangs or claws, no armour-plated skin or horns, and our grasp of our natural instincts is ever-decreasing. Our only two true “weapons” for surviving what might have been a much harsher world are arguably the most powerful elements any living being could possess: adaptability and ingenuity. The combination of these two elements has resulted in something that is all around us, something that protects us and something that enriches our lives… technology. Even the simplest things that form part of our daily lives – our crockery and cutlery, our furniture, our clothing – were once developed and improved through means that can only be described as technology. It might not seem like it today, but back when the wheel was first invented, it was pretty much the biggest technological breakthrough ever. It revolutionised the world. Today, of course, wheels are commonplace, and how we got them doesn’t seem to matter anymore. Older generations

complain about how kids take all the new gizmos and gadgets for granted, but they themselves have been taking other advancements for granted too. The invention of the wheel, or the loom , or the printing press (among countless other developments that have almost been lost in the mists of time) changed the world almost immeasurably at the time they came about, but have been taken for granted ever since. Our ingenuity manifests them, our adaptability assimilates them into our lives and lets us not think about the fact that a simple shirt was once a true marvel. Our technology – the child of our adaptability and ingenuity – clothes us, feeds us, protects us and heals us. It prolongs our lives, makes it easier to communicate and travel, and provides us with entertainment and comfort. It enhances every aspect of our lives and makes us both stronger and weaker. And yet, in this modern age, with technological advancement becoming so fast, we tend to ignore it or take it for granted. We have taken massive leaps in just the last few years – leaps that make the advances of our ancestors over centuries pale by comparison – and yet we

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don’t seem to really, truly notice. We use words like “cool” and “awesome” to describe these rapid advancements, but do we really acknowledge the fact that something like printing has advanced more in the last few decades that it had in preceding centuries? Perhaps it is too difficult to truly comprehend these changes. Maybe we have reached a point of saturation, in an age where printing a house to live in, or an organ to prolong a life, or a meal to feed a hungry family is so fantastic that we have little choice but to simply accept it, say “cool” and move one with our daily existence. And yet these concepts – these new applications of one aspect of our vast repository of technological knowledge – either already exist, or will exist within a few short years. Could it be that our way of coping – our way of surviving – has advanced so far and so fast that it is almost impossible to now accept, and even cope, with what it now presents us with? Has our ingenuity and adaptability advanced so far that we now battle to adapt to the products it produces, or are we embarking on a world that will take us to a whole new level? g

Print the

Feature

Printing is entering a brave new phase 8

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e that could change the world forever. gladget4 23 5

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rinting isn’t exactly a new idea. In fact, mass reproduction of images and words using methods involving ink and paper (and a variety of negative presses) goes back much further than you might think. And, at certain points in history, changes in the way printing occurred did not only revolutionise the production of such materials, but the whole world. We are, once again, at something of a crest in printing technology, with new ideas ready to propel mankind even further into a brave and technologicallyadvanced new world. Early examples of printing were

made using woodblock printing, which uses a carved block of wood as a printing template, and have been dated to Roman Egypt in the fourth century. That means that the idea of printing, and mass reproduction, is more than two thousand years old. Paper as a print medium kicked off around the seventh century, and became extremely popular by the ninth century. Early surviving examples of printing originated in China. Fragments of printed silk, dating back to the Han Dynasty (before 220 AD) show three coloured images of flowers created using woodblock printing. In Europe, woodblock printing of cloth had become popular by

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1300, and by the mid-fifteenth century items like books and playing cards were being created using woodblock printing. But the biggest revolution of printing came from Johannes Gutenberg, who created a moveable type printing press and produced the relatively inexpensive Gutenberg Bible in 1455. It was a high quality product that became available to the masses. Although Gutenberg didn’t invent moveable type printing, which involves the laborious task of rearranging precast letters in a special frame, his creation of the world’s first printing press changed society forever. Over the next handful of

centuries, printing advanced through many different methods, making printed material cheaper and more accessible with each step. But it still sat in the hands of professionals trained to do the work. What would bring it to the hands of the common man was the computer printer. Computer printers are almost as old as computers themselves. In fact, the original computer printer was built by the same man that was credited for creating the first computer: Charles Babbage. He created a mechanically driven device that worked with his famous difference engine. And, as computer technology advanced, so did printing. It moved through

phases that used ribbons and impact systems (quite similar to the equally obsolete typewriter) and similar ideas until the next major step came alongâ&#x20AC;Ś Dot matrix printing made use of pins, rather than preset letter shapes, to transfer data to a page. This meant that simplified images could also be printed. Although it is considered an obsolete technology, dot matrix printers can still be found in service in many places, thanks to systems that enabled ideas like easy invoicing using pre-printed forms. Numerous companies and practices still make use of dot matrix technology, which is simple to employ and relatively

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inexpensive. Other ideas would soon enter into the market, with the two strongest competitors for domination being toner-based printers (or laser printers) and liquid ink printers. These two technologies have stood strong and now form the major part of computer printing, however as far as consumer printing goes, liquid ink, or inkjet, printers are by far the most popular. Technology within these fields has, of course, advanced through the years, with better inks, more economical systems and improved papers constantly driving towards improved print quality and higher efficiency. And thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s where we

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stand today, for the most part… but you probably already knew that. However, there is a whole new idea that has been bubbling and bouncing around for a few years now, and it stands to once again revolutionise society with its undeniably massive impact: 3D printing. It’s like something out of a scifi movie; using a 3 dimensional computer model, a 3D printer uses an additive process to create a solid, 3D object. The technology behind this process is fairly complex, and there are a number of additive processes that are employed. The end result, though, is a perfect,

palpable recreation of an object. That, in itself, is pretty amazing. What’s even more astounding is where this technology could lead. However, equally impressive is the fact that 3D printing technology is actually more than 30 years old. But it wasn’t until this decade that it became something that consumers could truly access, because it was mainly tied to extremely expensive industrial robotics. Now, though, 3D printing is set to burst onto the consumer market in a big way. And it’s not just something for hobbyists and enthusiasts – it can benefit a great number of people in a wide variety of ways. Think, for

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example, of retail implications and costs. Let’s say you wanted to purchase a particular item. These days, whether in physical retail or online, you pay for production, packaging, shipping and a whole bunch of other costs. This inflates the cost of virtually every consumer item out there. Imagine a system, however, in which the part of the item that you purchase is the design, rather than the physical object. You then print that design on your own 3D printer, effectively eliminating a number of costs while getting the item you want in a much shorter time, and with much less effort. Yes, there are issues inherent with that kind of system.

“Piracy” of goods would be rife, and more complicated items (like electronics) would not be available (yet) for that kind of distribution. Objects would require little assembly initially, too – all of these factors would currently limit that kind of system. But such a system would, if employed, doubtlessly go through changes, making it a viable, affordable option for consumers. And the technology is advancing. Future applications for this kind of technology are massive, and varied. Already, areas like medical technology have benefited from the precision of 3D printing, and joint and bone replacements can now

be specifically customised for patients. Even living human organs are being researched as viable printing projects, and food printing technology is very close at hand. The implications are massive. We could, in our lifetimes, see houses, vehicles, organs, meals and all manner of consumer products produced perfectly, quickly and sometimes at lower costs, all thanks to this new technology. The impacts on society and the environment are potentially enormous, both in social and economic terms. There are dangers, of course; freely distributed designs for weapons have already surfaced,

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and employment levels may well be affected negatively if manufacturing plants move towards an even more automated system. Yet the technology behind this idea – a technology that could heal the sick, feed the hungry and house the homeless, to name just a few potential applications – is undeniably exciting, and even more proof that our world is becoming more and more like a work of science-fiction. One cannot help but wonder what those original artisans, meticulously carving their wooden blocks, would think of the world we live in today, and where their original ideas have brought us. g

Ad Nausea Ad Nause Security

The changing face of marketing

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by Suvesh Arumugam

a ea

he TV Industrial Complex is Dead. Well, that’s what marketing guru Seth Godin says, and many people believe him. In his book, the Purple Cow, he talks about how media is changing and broadcast advertising mediums have saturated people’s minds and attention spans that we’re all literally haemorrhaging ad jingles and regurgitating clever puns, even though we’re probably not likely to ever buy or be interested in the product or tell other people about the product or the great ad you saw. This article is mostly bad news. Firstly for marketer’s who have their hopes pinned on the internet as the next extension of TV based advertising. Secondly, for those consumers reading this thinking the ad clutter plaguing their lives is going to improve – sorry, it’s not (and it may get worse). Advertising didn’t really exist before the 1920’s – or at least not in its current form. Firstly, the only real formats in those days were bill posters and print in newspapers and magazines. Considering the time period in question, many people (especially working class majority) were illiterate. So products had to be easy to understand, and sellers relied heavily on retailers to discuss the benefits of the product with potential buyers, and for customers to tell each other about a potentially good product on the market. So in other words, companies spent more money on developing great products, and less on telling people about why their product was the best. It was only after the First World War, when people like Edward Bernays spent way

too much time thinking how to adapt the propaganda techniques used in the war to inspire soldiers or demoralise POW’s, that advertising started to be viewed as a tool of influence, rather than information. Bernays used the experiments conducted by his uncle, Sigmund Freud, to form an idea around planting psychological seeds in the minds of consumers – such that buying products were not so much about what you needed, but who you were (or more specifically who you were like). This was

us” rather than whether it’s a better product than it’s competitor. This has been the genius of advertising; harnessing emerging technologies like radio and television to broadcast and cement the idea that products and consumption define individuality and relevance, when in actual fact the consumption of mass marketed goods is probably the very opposite. Seth Godin’s TV Industrial Complex was basically a very simple formula that every advertiser knew – that whoever buys the most TV ad space (in the most prime time slots) wins. It didn’t matter whether your product was better, or whether it even suited the requirements of the consumer. If your ad was flashy and appeared between the most popular episode of Magnum PI or Knight Rider, success was a given. And the biggest brands profited heavily on this by utilising their ad spend to make sure their portfolio of brands always rose to the top. Then the internet arrived, and everything started to fall apart. Think about it this way, you’re watching your favourite TV show, and during the break you see an ad for a new video game or generation of smartphone. If you’re like the other 7 billion people on Earth (or most of them) the first thing you’ll do is Google it. If the first thing you read is a negative review, you’ll be more likely to abandon the idea or at least keep researching until the online positive mentions outweigh the negative ones. But chances are that

Bad News for marketer’s the early beginning of the concept of social currency, which we’ll chat about later. I won’t go into the full evolution of advertising, but if there was a timeline that one could follow visually (like the famous one of early man starting from a primate and eventually walking erect), you’d see an evolution from adverts starting to hint that products could suggest more about you and represent your aspirations (like Bernays’ famous smoking campaign in 1929 for Lucky Strike with women, who were previously banned from smoking in public areas, holding cigarettes as symbols of freedom), to where we are today with adverts playing on our most basic emotions and desires, and targeting us specifically using teams of psychologists, behavioural scientists and neurological techniques. Most people nowadays choose a product based on what “it says about

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negative review will leave a more lasting impression than the ad that got you interested. If you thought that the advent of the internet would change the landscape and delivery of advertising, you’d be wrong. If anything, marketers are trying even harder to put their product in front you, whether it’s through banner advertising, targeted popups through social media or, of course, the ever-popular email spam. The mentality is exactly the same; the more times you see the product, the more people the product is exposed to, the more successful the product would be, right? Except it’s not working. If you don’t believe me, ask any brand marketer how the cost of banner ads on websites have plummeted in the last couple of years. Where it once cost thousands to have a banner on a popular site, it now costs less than a dollar or so most of the time. That’s my first promise to marketers, the way you’ve been advertising for the last 20 years doesn’t work any more. Another big mistake that marketers make is treating the internet like another TV. Second screen advertising is exactly the kind of concept that shows that the ad industry is trying to keep the status quo going. If you haven’t heard the term before, it’s basically advertisers realising that people largely tune out or discard information they receive in ads, but marketers are hoping that some residual impression will remain, so they buy ad space on

Twitter or Facebook to correspond with their TV ads, since that’s the other screen that’s holding your attention, and will most likely result in a sale. So, that addresses my second promise, that you’re not going to get any less bombarded by ads. Let’s go back to what I said earlier about social currency. Most people nowadays (whether they’re marketers, philosophers, artists or just selfie-addicts) want more followers, likes and views of their social media (for this article, that would include blogs and personal websites). While people may not speak about it in these terms, the most important brand to just about everyone is their personal brand. And how do you invest in a personal brand? With social currency. You need content that is relevant, interesting and makes people want to

Like or Share your message. The future of marketing is to convince people that your brand is good for their personal brand, and creating the conditions for social currency trading. It also means that everyone needs to go right back to basics – making products better so that they are good enough to talk about, and that your social sharers will create social currency (and credibility) when the messages they see add value to what they share. Another part of that is transparency. If your social sharers end up getting caught with their pants down because you forgot to mention the child labour aspect of your product, their credibility is affected, and they will most likely never trust your brand again. Not because they don’t like your product, but because it’s dangerous to their reputation to be caught unawares – so you have to be honest with them. Being honest and selling better products is against everything we’ve been led to believe about good advertising – but it’s literally everything that good seller/ buyer behaviour is all about. You’d think it would just be common sense, and somehow over the last hundred years we’ve managed to re-programme our logic to believe the opposite. We see more brands like Amazon being transparent, giving honest reviews of a product (even if it kills sales) and other brands spending more than their bean counters tell them to in order to make a great product that’s worth tweeting about.

Social sharers end up getting caught with their pants down

Security

repeat what you have to say. For many that means talking about products first, building credibility amongst your followers, and creating an aura around yourself that shows (without being snobbish) that you’re a cut above the rest. So to the marketers scratching their heads, this is the direction you’ll need to look at for the future. But the answer is not broadcasting messages to the world, targeting people through personal social media info, or posting content begging people to

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by Iwan Pienaar

t seems inevitable that the moment we all fear would arrive sooner or later - getting infected by a virus despite having security software installed. Just like no home can be completely safe against break-ins, so too can no computer be completely protected against malicious software, irrespective of the anti-virus or security solutions installed. If your computer does get infected, you need to first determine whether it is a real infection, identify the infected file, and then send it to the vendor whose product missed the malicious program and failed to protect your computer in the first place. In this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s security article, we sit down with Kaspersky Lab and discuss what users can do who suspect their computers might have been infected.

Things to look for

Most people will not be able to detect that their computer got infected unless aided by antivirus solutions. By their nature, many worms and Trojans typically do not reveal their presence in any way. So what are the symptoms? If you are suddenly using a lot more bandwidth than usual then that is a good indication of an infection (unless you are looking for those open source torrents but that is a discussion for a different day). Numerous advertisement windows popping up while visiting Web sites may signal that adware is present on a system. If a computer freezes or crashes frequently, this may also be related to malicious activity. Certainly, some of these things can point to hardware or software issues but it is best to check your system thoroughly if they do occur.

What to do

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The first thing to do is make sure that the antivirus database is up-to-date and scan your computer. If this does not help, antivirus solutions from other vendors may do the job. Many manufacturers of anti-virus solutions offer free versions of their products for trial or one-time scanning. If it detects a virus or a Trojan, make sure you send a copy of the infected file to the manufacturer of the antivirus solution that failed to detect it. Not only will this help to protect other users but it will also strengthen your anti-virus solution as well. If an alternative antivirus does not detect

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any malware, it is recommended that you disconnect your computer from the internet, disable your Wi-Fi connection, and the modem. Do not use Web payment systems or internet banking services under any circumstances. Also avoid referring to any personal or confidential data; and do not use any Web-based services that require your screen name and password. Be very careful of any incoming emails (as they might be a result of the infection) and be sure to check your outgoing mail frequently to see if you have not sent any suspect files.

Finding the infection

Detecting a virus or Trojan in your computer in some cases may be a complex problem requiring a technical qualification. Fortunately, in others it is actually fairly straightforward. The vast majority of worms and Trojans need to take control when the system starts. The Windowsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; system (and system 32) catalogues and root directories are the most convenient place to set worms and Trojans. It is recommended to use any file manager that can sort file by creation/modification date, and sort the files located within the above catalogues. This will display all recently created and modified files at the top of the catalogue. Most likely, the most recent files will be the ones that should give cause for concern. Advanced users can also check the open network ports using netstat, a standard utility. It is recommended to set up a firewall and scan the processes engaged in network activities. It is also recommended to check the list of active processes using dedicated utilities with advanced functionalities rather than the standard Windows utilities. After all, many Trojans successfully avoid being detected by standard Windows programmes. However, no universal advice can be given for all occasions. Advanced worms and Trojans occur every now then that are quite difficult to track down. In this case, it is best to consult the support service of the IT security vendor that released your antivirus client, a company offering IT assistance services, or ask for help on specialised Web forums. So be vigilant, remember to frequently update your virus definitions, and scan your system often. g

Combating

Virus Infections Keeping safe for the rest of 2014

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Africa

A Dron Connec

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ning ction

Internet from the skies by Nthato Morakabi

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Africa

nternet connectivity is one of the most sought after commodities, due to the fact that the entire world is connected via this intricate network of computers. All sorts of information lies right at the fingertips of those able to utilize this amazing technology, whether the user is from a firstworld or a third-world country. According to Internet.org, only a third of the world’s population has access to the internet, which is about 2.7 billion people and this number continually grows by 9% percent every year. This kind of technology, of course, comes at a price, whether it be infrastructure, economy, services or just plain availability. Looking at Africa as a whole, we can see that many of the countries are lacking in almost all of the above, but it is due to those very constraints that innovation takes place. Organisations, such as Internet.org, are dedicated to bringing corporations, companies, groups and governments together, in order to tackle the challenges that face not just Africa but the entire world; they believe that power lies in connecting the world. That is why Ericsson, Mediatek, Facebook,

Nokia, Samsung, Opera and Qualcomm have joined forces, building the very organisation that hopes to bring affordable, efficient connectivity to billions of people. As each part of the world is at various stages of development, different technological solutions will be required in order to meet the needs of each type of community. Approximately 80 - 90% of the world’s population is using 2G or 3G networks as primary means of connectivity, through the use of Cellular and Fiber infrastructure constructed by mobile operators; the biggest challenge that these mostly urban or semi-urban areas face, is the economical aspect of connectivity. The other 10-20% faces not only the economic difficulties of the others, but due to the fact that these areas are in remote places on the earth, physical access to the communities is difficult and therefore impractical to employ similar infrastructures to these areas; unfortunately, most of Africa falls under this percentage. Facebook, as one of the founders of Internet. org, has seen the challenges that face these remote areas and has latched on to a specific

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innovative idea that looks to use regulated airspace as a means for providing network coverage. The idea is for unmanned, high altitude, solar-powered drones and satellites to provide fast, efficient network access to regions that are unable to utilize traditional methods of connectivity. These drones and satellites will cruise above ground, transmitting data via infrared lasers which will then be received by an “Internet Box” that any sort of facility can house. During this process the aerial vehicles will be conserving and generating power through their attached solar panels in order to be used for overnight transmissions too. These drones will be built by the Facebook Connectivity Lab engineers, comprised of the world’s leading experts in aerospace and communications technology. These engineers include researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, NASA’s Ames Research Center, the National Optical Astronomy Observatory and the company Ascenta, who specifically helped create the world’s largest solar-powered unmanned aircraft. The technology that will

allow data carried by these drones and satellites, to be sent via infrared laser beams, utilises Free Space Optical (FSO) communication. This is a way in which light is used to transmit data through space, and this light, in the case of the unmanned aerial vehicles, will be invisible laser beams in the infrared part of the light spectrum. FSO technology has the potential to dramatically boost the speed of internet connections, provide extremely high bandwidths and capacities while consuming less power. However, the narrow optical beams need to be aligned properly as the level of accuracy required has been described as “trying to hit a dime from 10 miles away (16.0934 km)”. As it stands, no costs have been mentioned for the building, deploying and running of the drones, satellites or infrastructure to link the aerial vehicles to users; nothing relating to an estimated price or percentage that internet connectivity can be reduced to or any other fiscal numbers. What has been revealed shows a basic outline of the production itself, the constraints that affect the project and the goals

that need to be reached. Firstly the drones themselves must be built to endure relatively high altitudes while flying low enough to endure strong winds, able to draw enough solar energy to keep going but keeping small enough that it requires minimal energy to stay in the sky. There is also the need for a plane’s structure to be large enough to harvest the required energy effectively, and for the structure to remain as cheap as possible and be reusable so that production can be cost effective for multiple productions and deployments. Satellites being deployed to areas that would be impractical to drones proves to be a more difficult challenge due to various constraints, as even relatively cheaply built satellites can cost millions of dollars to send to space and the regulations as well as ITU (International Telecommunication Union) licensing can take between five and seven years before approval. Regardless of these constraints and costs, it is easy to see how the combination of these two technologies can benefit the entire planet, providing

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the internet access, speeds and connectivity beyond anything provided currently. Deloitte, a corporation housing independent firms from around the world, recently ran a study that revealed the economic growth that developing countries can experience by expanding internet access – not that the access is the means to the end but rather the tool leading towards the end. The study showed that 140 million new jobs could be created, 160 million people could be pulled out of poverty and child mortality rates could be reduced by hundreds of thousands of lives. As amazing a technology as this is and with much effort going in to the project, Internet. org’s dream to connect billions of people through affordable, efficient connectivity has taken quite a leap forward with this initiative but the challenges that face them are also quite significant. This, however, should not dampen the hope for amazing, fast, reliable connectivity right at our fingertips as the core founders of Internet.org continue to push past the norms to reach every part of the world, even us right here in Africa. g

By Lein Baart

1985 Hot and Cold

Looking Back

t was a year that saw the world blow both hot and cold, a time of paradoxes in which the global community eased a sigh of relief only to be confronted with yet another disaster. While the likes of Madonna, The Cure and David Bowie blasted through the radio and Back to the Future and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome lit up the screen, disasters such as the Mexico City earthquake and the Flight 123 crash reaped a massive toll in human lives. Likewise, while Mikhail Gorbachev ascended to supremacy in the USSR and would work to end the Cold War, terrorist hijackings of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro and Flight 847, as well as the Rome and Vienna airport murders, caused faceless fear to rise amongst the populaces of the world. In some ways the world of technology in 1985 mirrored the highs and lows of the social realities of the world around it. This was the year that saw

the first AIDS test licenced by the US Federal Drug Administration, an obviously significant step in the fight against the disease. Using a variation of the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test, which detects specific antigens used to fight a viral infection such as HIV, the method was quickly adopted by blood blanks in an effort to screen out infected donations. It was a bitter sweet achievement for sufferers though, as life insurance companies soon picked up the technology as well, causing outrage among civil liberties groups as policy applications began to be turned down due to the illness. The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;80s was a decade that saw computing take on a far more recognisable form to the modern observer, and in this 1985 was no different, being the year that saw the first registration of the now widespread .com domain, specifically symbolics.com. While the company that registered it may not actually exist anymore, the

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effect of the creation of the top-level domain has been such that it now is the de facto standard; despite it originally being intended only for commercial sites (.biz was later created to fulfil this function). Indeed such is its proliferation that .com domains accounted for approximately 74% of all the active websites registered by 2009. The second event that was to shape modern computing was the release of Windows 1.0, the first operating environment released by Microsoft with a graphical user interface (GUI). The first iteration of Windows was not in fact an operating system, instead acting as a middleman for MS-DOS, which it required in order to run. That’s not to say that it wasn’t without its own innovations however, beyond the graphically obvious, as it introduced a whole suite of modifications including device drivers and virtual memory, all of which have become the norm in computing since. Surprisingly,

considering the prevalence of Windows now, the first iteration was not met with overwhelming enthusiasm, due in part to heavy hardware requirements, a lack of software support and an overreliance on mouse-driven input, a feature many reviewers at the time bemoaned. Above all else though this year should hold a spot in every gamer’s heart for one thing: the American release of the Nintendo Famicom, or the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) as it was known in the west. Even diehard PC gamers have to acknowledge the effect of the console, which almost single-handedly revived a market that had nearly faded into nothing after the video game crash of 1983. Through a combination of superb marketing, rigorous quality checks and brilliant developmental support, the NES cemented Nintendo’s grip on the market worldwide, and just five years after its western launch would eclipse the PC market (both gaming and non-gaming machines) entirely. g

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A New

Interview

And a more level one, at tha

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w Field

atâ&#x20AC;Ś

There is, in the view of many, a large disparity between the way online gaming is implemented and the desires of those who make use of these platforms. Forum boards and news sites often level complaints at the apparent disconnection between the people who make the games, and the people who play them, leading to numerous issues with services. This, combined with accusations of mismanagement towards both platform providers and official gaming bodies, makes online gaming â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whether

competitive or otherwise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something of a hit and miss affair at times. Entering into this market is 8Frag, a team of people who see things differently. Being a third party provider, 8Frag wants to revolutionise online gaming, bridging gaps between competitive and casual play and rewarding players in ways unlike anything we have ever seen before. We had the opportunity to chat with David Eini, Managing Director of 8Frag, about what the service will provide and what users can expect.

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GM. So what is 8Frag exactly? DE. 8Frag is a team of passionate people who have come together to develop a new standard within online gaming arenas. The core focus is building a platform which bridges the gap between casual and competitive gaming on a global level.

Interview

GM. What prompted the creation of the 8Frag platform? DE. Being an avid gamer myself, as well as an active member in a variety of league based gaming platforms, I found that there was something missing in the way that players interact and play online games currently. Combined with the stand point that many corporations’ take of “profit-overpeople” and limiting innovation by way of not allowing employee interaction in decision making is what prompted me to take the reins myself in providing a platform that satisfies the need in the market. GM. What are some of the benefits that users will derive from using 8Frag? DE. Ultimately, 8Frag focusses on bridging the barrier between casual and

competitive gaming by developing a platform where every player has an equal opportunity to benefit from the rewards that our system offers. GM. What gaming platforms will 8Frag support? DE. Our primary focus is on the PC market but we do have future plans to open this system up to console platforms. We’ll definitely be taking into consideration new technology and community feedback when deciding where to branch out next. GM. Which games will be available for play using 8Frag? DE. Upon launch, we will be providing Team Fortress 2 as well as Counter Strike Global Offensive. Future games include DOTA 2 as well as providing support for up and coming games yet to be released GM. What kind of research went into developing the 8Frag system? DE. Extensive research was put into a variety of topics that relate to the success of this system. While the list of items is far beyond the scope of this discussion I can tell you that

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we have foremost researched, brainstormed and innovated upon ideas to address the needs of gamers, stressing on creating an environment that is fun and easy to use. In the future we look forward to expanding and improving on the system even more with feedback from the community. GM. What can you tell us about 8Frag’s ranking system and fair-play mechanics? DE. We spent many months working on this system as it is a very important feature of this project. In the end we developed a complex algorithm that is based on existing sound economic principles. How this effects our users is that, simply put, it ensures that each player is challenged by opponents of the same skill level. GM. What kinds of game modes can users expect? DE. There are two primary game modes on our system currently and they are “Point for Kill” & “Tournament Match”. A “Point for Kill” match will consist of a player being rewarded a point for every kill they make and losing a point

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for every death. Our “Tournament Match” will see players grouped together in a lobby to participate in a single round where rewards will be given to the best performers of that specific round. As the list of games that we offer grows, so will the modes that we offer for each game.

the community. Instant chat, in-game communications as well as various other social media interactions are all included within the 8Frag website.

GM. Can you tell us about player rewards for using 8Frag? DE. Our reward system is based on an AfroPoint which is at a 1-1 ratio with the Euro. This point system is Master Card accredited and allows users with a certain balance of points to be eligible to receive a Master Card. The player’s balance of points can then be exchanged at any time at an accredited Master Card facility.

GM. What does the future hold for 8Frag? DE. We will be waiting on community feedback after our launch period before deciding on a specific direction to follow but our initial focus will be on the development of our own games that will tie in to our system. One of our future projects in the pipeline will help facilitate both international and local indie game developers as well as providing a platform for content creators. And there you have it – a unique service for those that want to not only gain rewards from playing online, but who also want their needs and desires met by service providers. 8Frag will be going live soon – subscribe to their newsletter at www.8frag.com for more details. g

Interview

GM. What kind of social interaction will be available to users? DE. Our website will consist of a News page which will be kept up to date with a variety of game and game related articles. There will also be a leader board where players can compare their stats against other player’s within

GM. Will 8Frag be available internationally? DE. It will be available to every gamer on planet earth!

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Reviews Highlights 34 Sony MDR-XB920 Stereo Headphones Heavenly sound 40 Asus Cube Media Streamer All the entertainment 46 Olympus Stylus 1 Camera Full of surprises 52 MSI A88XI AC Mini-ITX Motherboard A smaller solution

e have a great spread of stuff to look at this month, including headsets, cameras, graphics cards, motherboards and sound cards. So if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking at building a new PC, taking great photographs, hearing some awesome sound of even looking for an easier way to play games on your iPhone, we have something for you in this 43rd issue of Gladget! g

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Audio su pr e

Sony MDR-XB920 Stereo Headphones

Fantastic so und an d

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Review

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by Walt Pretorius

lthough there have been excellent advances in headphone driver technology, particularly in the area of 40mm drivers, there are many people who still insist that 50mm is the way to go. Those extra 10mm make a lot of difference, particularly to rich performance across the whole sound spectrum. And if they put a set of MDR-XB920 headphones on your head to prove their point, you’re going to be extremely hard-pressed to counter their argument. Where you might come to blows, though, is when they ask for the headset back; they’re so comfortable and produce such good sound that parting with them would be difficult, even after the shortest exposure. At their core lie a set of remarkable 50mm drivers, which act with a specialised structure. This structure not only provides a great acoustic seal, for good sound isolation and a boosted bass, but also features an optimised diaphragm front chamber that delivers a lot of punch in those all-important (and often-forgotten) mid tones. The result is sound that is truly rich and diverse, and well apportioned across the full sound spectrum. And then there’s the comfort thing. This headset is all about comfort, even if it might not seem so at first glance. Leather-covered urethane ear pads ensure a comfortable, “custom” fit, while the well-padded headband ensures little pressure, despite the fact that this headset is a bit heavy. The headset’s bold looks hide some very clever design ideas. The ear-cup supports, for example, extend in such a way that “naked” bits aren’t exposed, keeping the headset looking impressive. Additionally, they are fully foldable for easy portability, and the earcups feature a wide range of movement. And for those that want to carry this headset around with them, it comes with two detachable cables… one for “normal” use and one with an integrated microphone, for mobile use. Each is tipped with gold-plated 3.5mm jacks, for even better performance. These lock into place on the headset, so accidental disconnection is not a factor. One oversight that Sony made in constructing this otherwise excellent audio device is the lack of controls on the device itself. It is wholly dependent on the source for things like volume and playback control. It’s a small oversight, but adding some kind of control to this headset would pretty much have made them as close to the ultimate stereo audio device as we have seen to date. That may, or may not, be a small thing, depending on your view and usage requirements. Another slight problem arises from the fact that the flattened, tangle free audio cables are a touch on the short side. They’re fine for general use, but PC users and the like may find that a little more generous cable length would have served better. But that’s just a small mark against an otherwise great personal audio device.. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

Despite one or two little quibbles, this headset comes pretty close to perfect for stereo personal audio.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

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Incredible sound Very comfortable Easy to transport

50mm drivers 3.5mm jacks Mobile compatible Urethane ear pads Foldable

Sony Sony www.sony .c om

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

No integrated controls

Score

98 35

Logitech Powershell

Contr

A Review

problem exists for those that want to do some gaming on their mobile phone. It’s not a massive problem, mind you, but it is still there none the less. See, most games – all games, actually – on mobile require screen swiping and presses for input. What that means is that the screen is often obscured by the player’s hands. Add to that the fact that the controls can sometimes be fiddly and small on a smart phone screen, and the result is that more complex games simply don’t feel right. Enter Logitech, who have on numerous occasions created some extremely innovative products. This time around they have a solution for those that want to do some gaming on their iPhone 5, iPhone 5s or iPod Touch (5th generation). It is the Powershell, and it serves the dual purpose of protecting your phone and adding controls for games that are far more familiar

than those used by game developers who are assuming touch-screen operation. The Powershell is a great idea on many levels. For example, it comes with a built-in 1500mAh battery, which increases the overall battery life of the phone. And, it’s primary function, it adds console style analogue controls to the phone that make gaming much simpler. And, of course, there is the protection that it adds to your phone, too. But there are some areas in which the idea is not as great as it could have been. First off, it makes your phone a lot larger. A lot. Which means that easy portability is only really an option if you keep taking the phone out of the Powershell. Bang goes the extra protection. It also adds a bit of weight to your phone, which is less than ideal. You can use the phone normally with the Powershell, of course, but that’s a little beside the point.

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by Alex Scanlon

Additionally, it only allows for games to properly be played in “landscape” mode. With numerous titles developed to take advantage of the phone’s vertical screen orientation, that leaves some titles out in the cold. The sad thing about the Powershell is that it is intended to work with devices that can have varied screen aspects, but doesn’t allow for that variation itself. How exactly that could be done is something that Logitech should investigate, because it would add a lot of versatility to the device. Also, even though the phone can be used normally with the Powershell attached, I have never come across anyone that obsessed with cell phone gaming that they would rush out to buy one. Those kinds of folks buy consoles and computers. It’s a good idea, when all is said and done, but it is possibly a little too niche for its own good. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

The Powershell has all the right kinds of ideas and motivations driving it, but it falls a bit flat in final execution.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

•

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Great for iPhone game addicts Works well

Analogue controls 6 buttons D Pad 1500mAh battery Battery status indicator

Log itec h Log itec h www.log itec h.c om

Pros •

• • • • •

Cons

•

Won’t work for every game

Score

75 37

Considered All

Review

MSI Twin Frozr GeForce GTX 750 Ti Gaming Graphics Card

ack in the day – and this wasn’t all that long ago – overclocking PC components was something that seemed to be akin to mad science. There were smoking chemicals and expensive experiments galore, and ideas like watercooling had many enthusiasts pulling faces in dismay. Times certainly have changed, with overclocking being something of a norm these days. There are very few products – particularly graphics cards – that do not come standard with some kind of overclocking ability and protection built in. While there may be users out there who still balk at the idea of potential damage and shortened lifespans, the truth is that overclocking just gets easier and simpler with almost each passing day. MSI’s OC Genie software is a standard with every higher end graphics card, like this GeForce GTX 750 Ti. This company’s Gaming series of components is all about squeezing as much performance out of a PC as possible, and they provide the user with every tool to do so. But in this case, OC Genie has evolved into a Gaming App, which allows the user to switch between Silent, Gaming and Overclock modes easily, as well as tweak settings as they go. This means that the higher noise levels of high performance can be combatted when they’re not gaming (on those rare occasions) while – at the other end of the scale – the card can really be pushed to its limits in a relatively safe and extremely controlled way. As is the norm with MSI products, this ability is – in part, at least – due to high grade components and clever design. For example, this card uses Military Class 4 components. These components, which include Hi-c CAPs and Solid CAPs, not only stand up to the rigorous conditions that a heavy gaming session can put a graphics card through, but also tend towards less vibration (so less noise) and generally improved stability. Additionally, systems like MSI’s Twin Frozr IV system means that cooling of the card is much more effective, leading to better performance with less risk. Sure, with a GTX 750 GPU at its core, it’s a step away from being top of the line, but the processor still delivers the goods in a great way. And the 2GB of VRAM that supports it helps to delivery smooth frames through even the toughest conditions and most demanding gaming sessions. The performance and stability of this card certainly do not disappoint, and while it may not be the ultimate, top of the line in terms of GPU, it comes very, very close – enough so that you will need software to tell you the difference, in all honesty. Yet again, a great graphics card from MSI. g

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by Rob Edwards

Summary

Tech Specs:

• • • • •

It might not have the ultimate NVidia GPU, but this card will still leave you squealing with glee.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

HP HP www.hp.c om

Pros

• •

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GeForce GTX 750 GPU 2GB VRAM Twin Frozr IV technology Military class 4 components Gaming App

Great performer Awesome software

Cons

•

Not top of the line – but who cares?

Score

88 39

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Review

Asus Cube Media Streamer

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by Walt Pretorius

he biggest problem that one encounters with media players is that they don’t take every eventuality into account. While they may be able to effortlessly stream media from your PC, say, they don’t have any form of connection with your digital TV decoder. Well, fret no more! Asus have a great way for you to ensure that you get the most out of your media player, even if it doesn’t quite jump through all the hoops we would like it to. The added connectivity comes from a simple addition – an HDMI input. Sure, it has an HDMI output – it would have to, naturally – but the fact that it can receive signal from other HDMIcapable devices is actually something of a win. This means that you can connect a set-top box, Blu-Ray player or any other similar device to the Asus Cube, and have it act as even more of an entertainment hub. It would have been great if there was more than one HMDI input into the device, but you can still save on HDMI ports (by one) if your TV or monitor is a little short on them. In addition, it offers two USB ports (for those all-important external drives that everyone denies are full of downloaded movies) and a LAN port. It is Wi-Fi capable, too. That Ethernet connection is one of the Cube’s biggest strengths, as it allows for various online services to be piped right to your TV. Support for PrimeTime for Google TV, Netflix and YouTube all help make this media player a great way to watch things you source online. It also supports Google Chrome, the Google Play store and Google Search, and comes with 50GB of online storage, courtesy of Asus. Wait, what? Searching? Web browsing? How can this be? Well, thanks to a very clever remote, all of these things are at your fingertips. The remote has a touch pad, supports voice search and features motion control. Flip it over, and it has a full QWERTY keyboard for you to enter written words with. And it can even be used as a game controller for motion games. There is also a Netflix button on the front, and a search button on the back. What this adds up to is an extremely versatile and intuitive entertainment experience, right there in your living room. Sure, you’ll need a chunky internet connection and will have to make a few sneaky moves to get that Netflix account, but if you’re after that kind of thing and need a way to get it to your TV, here’s your answer… all packed in a discrete, stylish cube with a remarkable remote. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

A great device for those who want a powerful, versatile media streaming device hooked up to their TV.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

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Awesome remote HDMI input Great interface

HDMI input HMDI output 2 USB 2.0 ports Netflix Support Google TV support YouTube support QWERTY keyboard

A sus A sus www.a sus.c om

Pros • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

More connection options would have been great

Score

93 41

Crystal

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Review

Asus Essence STX II 7.1 Sound Card

ost of us are completely satisfied when it comes to the on-board sound that our PC motherboards provide. But there are folks out there – true enthusiasts who appreciate the importance of impressive sound – that know that an extra component in the form of a sound card can make huge amounts of difference. It might take up another PCI slot on your motherboard, but adding a great sound card to your system will never hurt. Asus have an excellent option in the form of the Essence STX II 7.1 sound card. This board makes use of great components and excellent technology to squeeze that extra bit of sound performance out of your PC’s audio. This is done through a number of systems. First of all, the board (much like a graphics card) requires a power connection, to ensure clean power to the card directly from the PSU. Then, by employing numerous ideas, like high fidelity LDO (low drop-out) regulators for smooth power, topnotch digital to analogue conversion and high-grade MUSES op-amps for awesome clarity, the Essence STX II 7.1 delivers exactly what it promises: crystal clear audio. The card also comes equipped with a high-grade headphone amplifier on-board, and sports an S/ PDIF output, as well as stereo RCA and 6.35mm jack and mic ports (and comes with 3.5mm jack adapters for both). But, I hear you ask, what about the 7.1 surround sound? Well, Asus boxed very clever in that regard. Because not everyone is going to want 7.1 surround sound, that component of the board is taken care of by a daughter-board that slots into the main Essence STX II unit. This adds six more RCA ports for all that surround sound goodness, but it will consume the place of another PCI slot at the back of your machine, literally sitting above the standard ports (which means that you still have easy access to those, too, if you employ the daughter-board). And for even further customisation, it comes with an op-amp swap kit, which is comprised of three additional op-amps and the tools required to swap them out. When used with its additional software, the Essence STX II delivers truly excellent audio. The headphone amp boosts audio across all ranges beautifully, and the 7.1 option is really superb. The question must be asked, though: is it a necessity? The answer to that comes from your own personal requirements. Sure, on-board sound – particularly on higher-end motherboards with dedicated sound chips – can be great, but adding a component like this truly elevates audio quality to new levels. So if you’re happy to settle for on-board sound, you won’t need one. But if you are after audio that is not just good, but absolutely great, then this component is something you really should have.g

Going beyond the norm...

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by Alex Scanlon

Summary

Tech Specs:

If you demand more from your audio than onboard sound delivers, the Essence STX II 7.1 sound card is a fantastic option.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

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Awesome audio Versatile

Stereo output 7.1 output Headphone amplifier Jack adaptors Swappable op-amps

A sus A sus www.a sus.c om

Pros • • • •

• • • • •

Cons • • • •

Takes up a bit of space

Score

96 43

MSI Z87M Gaming Motherboard Review

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Gaming

But great for other stuff, too!

T T

here has been, in the last while, a massive move by PC component manufacturers towards creating products that are better suited for gaming. Sure, manufacturers have always been aware of the value of the PC gaming market (and the obsession that drives upgrading as regularly as possible) but these days they really are taking the bull by the horns. The products they produce aren’t lip-service, either; rather than just having all the right labels and key-phrases on the packaging, these components really do make a difference. It’s great to see that gaming is taken more and more seriously by those that essentially power our machines. Like MSI, for example. Their gaming range of components – mostly aimed at graphics cards and motherboards – has seen some fantastic products released, all with an eye at making the lives of gamers a bit better. One such product is the Z87M Gaming motherboard, which takes full advantage of the Intel Z87 Express chipset at its core to deliver a great gaming experience. Let’s be honest, though… it all comes down to added features. Motherboards, in principle, have been pegged for years. The days of one board outperforming another at a basic level are long gone. Rather, now, it’s the extra benefits that a board brings to the table that makes all the difference. And while things like Military Grade components and the like still sound very impressive, they’re now so common that they almost don’t enter into decision-making. They’re pretty much a given. So what makes this particular motherboard a good option for gamers who want to put together an Intel flavoured machine? Well, quite simply, it’s in those added features. Some are more impressive than others, of course, but the inclusion of ideas like triple-gold plated, high frequency ports specifically for gaming devices doesn’t hurt at all. Neither does the use of high grade components. What really impressed us here though were ideas like the Killer E2200 ethernet system. This is networking built specifically for gaming, which intelligently prioritises gaming traffic and cuts out latency and ping spikes. That’s pretty great for a competitive gamer who wants to maintain an edge. Another great feature is the ease with which this board can be overclocked, thanks to OC Genie 4 software. And intelligent implementation of SLI and Crossfire technology makes upscaling graphics with multiple GPUs pretty simple, too. With features like these, as well as sound support from Sound Blaster Cinema and a few others, the MSI Z87M Gaming motherboard manages to deliver beautifully on promises of power and efficiency. It’s stable, too, and good looking, thanks to MSI’s gaming brand aesthetics worked into its design. A gamer wanting great performance could do a lot worse than this very decent motherboard option. g

by Rob Edwards

Summary

Tech Specs:

As a gaming focussed product, this motherboard really delivers the goods.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

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Great performance Stable Special features

Intel Z87 Express Chipset Killer E2200 ethernet Sound Blaster Cinema chip Multi-GPU support 8 USB 3.0 ports 6 USB 2.0 ports

M SI Corex www.c orex.xo.za

Pros • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons

• •

Fiddly install

Score

90 45

of Surpri Olympus Stylus 1 Camera

T Review

he pocket camera market has changed almost completely. These days, finding a camera that is simply a point and shoot is a little more difficult, because the market is steadily moving towards fully functional photographic devices (that include point and shoot options). It is becoming easier to take better control of photographic results obtained with pocket cameras, and that’s a great thing… provided the person using the camera is willing to learn the ropes, of course, and not just leave it almost glued on automatic settings. Olympus’ Stylus 1 is such a camera. It is very compact, yet is full of features that simply make taking great photographs (with a little knowledge and effort) a breeze. It is one of the breed of pocket cameras that comes armed with RAW image capture capabilities – that alone demonstrates the already massive potential

that this camera has. But there are other pocket cameras that already take RAW images. What sets the Stylus 1 apart? Quite frankly, it could be considered a run of the mill modern pocket camera, but it does have a few features that are fantastic. It is great under a wide array of lighting conditions, for example, with a maximum ISO of 12800 (which produces images with surprisingly little noise). That low-light versatility is extended by an f2.8 aperture that extends all the way through it’s 10.7x optical zoom. At the other end of the scale is an f8 aperture. Shutter speeds extend from 1/2000th of a second right through to a remarkable 60 minutes. This kind of long time exposure is normally only available with a bulb function (which the Stylus 1 has, too, just in case you need to take a photograph for longer than one hour). Yet the Stylus 1 is only a 12 megapixel camera, which

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seems like a bit of wasted potential. 12 megapixel images are large, granted, but they could have been just that bit punchier in terms of size; that would have added massive value to the device. The Stylus 1 is compact and sturdy, with a slightly small (but angle-able) 3 inch LCD display on the back. Its controls are fairly sensibly placed, and include a manual focus ring which doubles as a shutter speed adjustor. Some control ideas, like the fact that it has zoom controls at the shutter button as well as next to the lens barrel, seem a bit odd – after all, two sets of controls to govern the same thing is a redundancy. As it stands, the Stylus 1 is a very decent, extremely capable camera that offers some great ideas for different approaches. It’s also great with low light. But other aspects mire it in the middle range, rather than letting it attain the better position it richly deserves. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

The Stylus 1 has some awesome features attached to it, but also manages to underperform in some areas. Still a great camera, though. M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

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Great in low light RAW images Good zoom

12 megapixel 10.7 x optical zoom 12800 max ISO 60 minute max shutter 3 inch LCD SD card compatible RAW capable

O ly mpus Tudortec h www.tudortec h.c o.za

Pros • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons

•

Average megapixel rating

Score

80 47

Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 RAM Kit

by Rob Edwards

Racing y

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Review

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reat RAM, as we have said before, is essential for truly top notch PC performance. And the Ballistix by Crucial range of RAM products is shaping up to be rather good. Last month we took a look at some notebook RAM, but this month we have an 8GB kit of Ballistix Sport DDR3 on test. Although the Sport products are at the bottom of the Ballistix range (below Tactical and Elite) these RAM units still deliver an exceptional level of performance, showing better speeds and less latency than some other brands. Additionally, they are equipped with large, vented heat sinks to help keep things cool under pressure. If you’re looking to build a PC that truly performs at its best, every component (including RAM) needs to be carefully considered; those who want great quality RAM will certainly be pleased with this particular product. g

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Summary

Tech Specs:

Even if it is the bottom of the Ballistix pile, this RAM does the trick very nicely.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

Fast Great heat sinks

2x 4GB DDR3 – 1866 Heat sink

Cruc ia l Sy ntec h www.sy ntec h.c o.za

Pros

• •

• • •

Cons

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Not the cheapest RAM around

Score

88 48

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Razer Naga Expert MMO Gaming Mouse (2014 Edition)

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by Rob Edwards

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Summary

Tech Specs:

It’s an updated Naga mouse, and it brings with it a few improved ideas...

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

Great sensitivity Good button placement

19 programmable buttons 8400 dpi 4G laser 1000Hz ultrapolling Green backlight Synapse 2.0 enabled 2.1m braided cable

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.xo.za

Pros • • • • •

• • • • • • •

Cons • • • • •

Not ambidextrous

Score

84 49

Review

MO gamers all love their complicated mouse devices. Having more buttons is always a better option for MMO gaming, because it means more macros for smoother play. Razer are well aware of this… but sometimes they haven’t got the button placement quite right. The result is a product like this; a revamped version of a mouse we have seen before. But the Naga 2014 Edition also has a few tweaks (other than button placement) that make it something of an improvement over older Naga models. With a total of 19 sensibly placed and fully programmable buttons, the latest Naga should provide for all of an MMO gamer’s needs. 12 of those are positioned near the thumb for right handed players (lefties are out of luck). It also features an 8400 dpi 4G laser, so it is sensitive enough for the toughest tasks. In all, it’s a great mouse from Razer… as usual.. g

Razer Kraken Forged Edition Elite Analog Music & Gaming Headphones

Naile

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azer have been a pretty much exclusive gaming brand since their inception many years ago. If something bore the Razer brand, you could be pretty sure it was meant for gaming and gamers. But there has been a shift evolving within the company, a move towards a more mainstream market that was evident in devices like the Ferox speakers. And now the shift is extremely evident, in a field that Razer has done very well in in the past, and is relatively simple to shift towards a broader audience in: headsets. Rather than going with a slower shift, Razer have introduced a number of headsets aimed at a broader market, including one that still bears a very strong gaming heritage â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Kraken Forged Edition. Using the reputation garnered as a great gaming headset, the Kraken Forged Edition enters into the market as a stylish music and gaming headset. It fills two roles that

many people need a headset to, and sets itself up as a reliable multimedia device in doing so. The most notable difference is the Forged Editionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s looks. They have moved away from the stark blacks and greens that the brand is known for, rather presenting the user with a stylish black and brushed-metal look that is as at home in a night club as it is at a gaming desk. Even the traditionally green Razer logo is now finished in metal, adding a stylish element where previous headsets from the company could have been called garish (even though they were striking). But good looks are pretty much secondary to other aspects when it comes to personal audio solutions. Performance and comfort are, as they should be, king. Thankfully Razer knows that too, and they have produced a headset that is comfortable and produces good sound. The 40mm drivers that power the Kraken Forged

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d ntrant into a broa od e m

azer

Edition are very decent, and the audio quality is good, if not the best we have come across. The bass could be a touch fuller, but it is not absent to a great degree, either. Mid tones are great, but the audio mix does seem to tend towards highs that are a bit excessive. In the modern world, bass is all-important, and the Kraken Forged Edition may leave some music lovers wanting. Still, the overall sound quality is good, and the comfort levels of the fully foldable forged edition are great. Well-padded over-ear cups and headband provide a comfortable fit, although greater rotation (there is almost none) in the ear-cups would have been a sensible addition. As one of Razer’s first entrants into a broader market, the Kraken Forged Edition is not disappointing at all – but some design ideas and implementations could have been better. g

Summary

Tech Specs:

The Forged Edition is a decent headset, but Razer have missed one or two marks in its overall design.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

gladget43

Decent sound Very comfortable

40mm drivers Over ear cups Foldable Interchangeable cords Smartphone compatible

Ra zer Corex www.c orex.xo.za

Pros

• •

• • • • •

Cons • •

Bass could be higher No ear-cup rotation

Score

79 51

S S

Review

MSI A88XI AC Mini-ITX Motherboard

o you want to build a smaller computer? Well, that’s getting easier and easier, thanks to components like MSI’s A88XI AC motherboard. The days of Mini-ITX being a more niche, potentially less powerful product are pretty much done – products like this one prove that dynamite can, indeed, be squeezed into small packages. We have seen a number of Intel flavoured Mini-ITX boards recently, but this particular one marks our first look at an AMD board. And, just like the Intel powered boards, this is a superb backbone for any Mini-ITX system you’re planning to put together. Naturally, going Mini-ITX means that you may face some limitations not present in larger formfactor systems. But one thing you won’t come across is a lack of power or performance. The basis of this board is much like the larger form factor boards that use similar chipsets – the only real difference is that, due to its smaller size, you may not be able to plug as many components into it. In fact, as far as internal components go, a suitable graphics card is pretty much all you’re going to get in. That said, the board does offer everything you need built right in, including LAN and stereo sound. It also features a built-in Wi-Fi option, using a really fast 876Mbps connection. The board bristles with Military Class 4 components, which result in stable and quiet operation. The Military Class Essentials systems that MSI have built in also provide the user with protection against humidity, electromagnetic interference, high temperatures and electrostatic discharge. And it performs pretty well under strain, too, meaning that it can form the backbone of a Mini-ITX gaming system, too. Armed with four USB 3.0, six USB 2.0 and four SATA 6Gb/s ports, it is capable of pretty quick performance. Even the boot-up (provided your OS is nice and clean) is extremely quick, weighing in at about two seconds. And it comes with OC Genie 4 software, for those tweaks that will squeeze a little more performance out of an already rather nippy component. Fast Wi-Fi, fast booting and top rate components are all part of what makes this little motherboard such a wonderfully responsive device. Sure, it has limitations, but those are endemic to its form factor, rather than its manufacture and design. In truth, if you’re going to go with a small form factor, and you want an AMD processor at the heart of it all, the MSI A88XI AC motherboard is really an excellent option. It’s quick, stable and reliable, as one would expect from MSI, and if set up correctly (with proper cooling and so forth) it will provide a wide array of users with many years of sterling service. g

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Freak Sm

alle

r do

esn

’t m

ean

ake

r…

Summary

Tech Specs:

If you’re after an AMD powered Mini-ITX system, this MSI board is a great way to go.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

gladget43

Great performer Very stable

AMD A88X chipset 1 PCI Express port 867Mbps Wi-Fi Military Class 4 components 4 USB 3.0 ports 6 USB 2.0 ports 4 SATA 6Gb/s ports

M SI Corex www.c orex.c o.za

Pros

• •

• • • • • • •

Cons

• •

Mini-ITX has some limitations

Score

89 53

w an ho se

fol low t

SS Dr

ou te…

Crucial M500 240GB SSD

go od

op tio n

fo rt

ting

by Rob Edwards

Really

S Review

SD drives are slowly becoming more and more common, and make a great boot and OS drive for any PC system, adding speed and reliability to these crucial functions. But you knew that already. The problem with these drives is that they don’t seem to be getting bigger (in terms of data capacity) at any great speed. In fact, we haven’t seen a major increase since just after they started becoming mainstream products. That said, if you’re going to use one for boot, OS and a few essential programs, then a 240GB drive, like the M500 from Crucial, should offer more than enough space (provided you augment storage with either more SSDs or HDDs). This Crucial option is reliable and quick, and is built into a metal housing for even greater protection. It’s a decent option for those wanting to go the SSD route. g

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Summary

Tech Specs:

It’s a 240GB SSD, like many others we have seen. But it is a good one.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

Quiet Fast Reliable

240GB 2.5 inch drive Hardware data encryption Adaptive thermal protection

Cruc ia l Sy ntec h www.sy ntec h.c o.za

Pros • • •

• • • •

Cons

•

We want bigger SSDs!

Score

Super Power Even at 760W

Seasonic Platinum 760W PSU

by b

Ro ds

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Summary

Tech Specs:

Stable, reliable, quiet and generally awesome... just like any other Seasonic power supply.

M a nufa c turer Distributer: O nline:

Great stability Clean power Very quiet

760W Modular Gold high current terminals 3 speed fan

HP HP www.hp.c om

Pros • • •

• • • •

Cons

•

760W may not meet all your needs

Score

84 55

Review

60W may seem like a strange number for power output from a PSU, but if it’s the right amount, you shouldn’t worry about a small thing like that – this is a Seasonic PSU, and it comes with the great features and performance you would expect from this brand. The 760W modular PSU comes with everything you would expect from a Seasonic device, including multiple fan speeds (and an advanced, quieter fan), high quality components and gold high-current terminals. In short, everything that makes Seasonic a fantastic option for power supplies is right here. Getting a “smaller” power supply (we consider anything under 1000W as small) is a great idea if you need to conserve power or cash. And this option allows you to do both, without compromising on the quality that can also be found in their more powerful PSUs. The more we see from Seasonic, the more we love the brand.. g

Did You

Know? 11. …that Afro-centric emoticons were launched last month?

It seems almost hard to believe, but as far as emoticons go, there is nothing that caters for ethnically diverse users – until now. The Afro Emoticons from Oju Africa have had the world abuzz, with over 12 000 downloads of the free app from Google Play in just 4 days, of which the majority of those downloads have originated from the United States. “Oju” literally means “faces” in the Yoruba language from Nigeria, and features a full range of 65 Afro Emoticons.

…that a South African game is on Steam?

Cape Town developer Free Lives announced recently that their title Broforce is now available on Steam Early Access. Steam is an international digital game store for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms, and attracts millions of users a month. The title is being made available on Early Access for PC and Mac for $14.99 from both Steam and Humble via broforcegame.com. “The team is excited to join forces with our fans over the next few months of Broforce development and get feedback on how they want to see the game grow and expand,” said Evan Greenwood, Director at Free Lives.

3…that aerial drones will monitor

Johannesburg traffic?

Regular

South Africa’s Kagiso New Media and radio station Jacaranda FM recently announced plans to run a proof of concept project that will see the two companies investigate the viability of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as a means of providing real-time, reliable traffic updates to Johannesburg residents. Many radio stations deliver traffic reports during broadcasts, but have to rely on third-party information or make use of expensive helicopter services. This initiative is one of the first uses of UAVs in South Africa’s media industry.

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Expressing emotion, monitoring traffic and liking Kenyan comedians... by Charlie Fripp

4…that a Kenyan has 1-million

‘Likes’?

Kenyan comedian turned entrepreneur Daniel Ndambuki has reached a milestone for individual Kenyans on Facebook, as he recently hit the onemillion mark in ‘likes’. And by doing so, became the first Kenyan to reach the amount. After surpassing the milestone, Ndambuki thanked his supporters on his Facebook account, by saying “Thanks a million. We have #onemillion reasons to smile.” The only competition Ndambuki has for ‘likes’ on Facebook is Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, who currently has 920,000 “Likes”, and Kenyan Hollywood sensation Lupita Nyong’o with 826,000 followers.

5…that Google Glass was made

available to the public?

Well, it’s a bit of a half-truth. Technology giant Google did indeed make its Google Glass wearable technology available to the public, but only for one day as a once-off special. The interest in the device will pretty much guarantee that Google will sell out of their limited-availability stock, but other users have said that the $1500 price tag is a bit steep. Previously, Google Glass has only been available to the select few, such as developers and people who know the right people. “We’re expanding little by little, and experimenting with different ways of bringing new Explorers into the program,” Google explained.

6…that Belgium has banned

online taxi service Uber?

Uber is a really great service, where users access the app and order a taxi online – delivered straight to your door. The company operates in numerous locations across the world, including South Africa, but Belgium has had enough of it. A Brussels court has declared Uber to be illegal as the Uber drivers aren’t subjected to pricey licenses – which normal taxis have to pay. The court ruled that Uber will be fined 10 000 Euros for each pickup, and the government even started to seize vehicles in February.. g

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LEGO: The Hobbit

An Incomplete Journey Two-thirds of the movie trilogy gets the LEGO treatment.

by Walt Pretorius

retailer’s shelf. But there is another element to LEGO games that keeps things pretty fresh; they evolve. If you were to put one of the original titles – let’s say LEGO Star Wars – next to LEGO The Hobbit, you will see many changes, and most of them for the better. That’s one thing that keeps this already huge franchise evergreen – the fact that the developers are willing and able to implement effective new ideas in the games. And the changes are happening more regularly now. Back in the day, only certain titles (like the first LEGO Harry Potter) brought out changes, but now almost every new game adds something new to the mix. LEGO The Hobbit adds a few, in fact, as well as borrowing something from LEGO The Movie Videogame (and all the LEGO titles that came before). But we’ll get to that. Let’s start, rather, at the beginning…

Review

he variety of subject matter in the LEGO stable is ever-increasing. Hang on, let’s rephrase that; the franchises that the LEGO franchise is based on are ever-increasing. It seems that these days there is nary a big budget sci-fi or fantasy film (particularly from Warner Bros) that doesn’t get a LEGO makeover. And even if there isn’t a direct movie tie-in (like LEGO Marvel Super Heroes) the movie influence is still more than visible in the way the characters are created and portrayed. This is not necessarily a bad thing, though, because the LEGO games tend to be much better than other titles based on movies. That, combined with the recognisability of both the LEGO property and the familiarity in game dynamics established over a wide number of titles means that you pretty much know what you’re getting when you take a LEGO title off of a

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LEGO The Hobbit is based on the films by Peter Jackson. I say based on the films, because they follow the extended story line that Jackson has crafted for his Hobbit movies (why make one when you can cash in on three, no matter what the source material, right?). The game covers the first two films and, as such, ends as abruptly as you might expect. Whether there will be a LEGO The Hobbit 2 to cover the third movie remains to be seen. Along with this abrupt ending comes the fact that the game assumes you have seen the movies. In all likelihood everyone playing the game will be doing so because they have seen the films, and enjoyed them, but anyone tackling the title without first seeing the movies will find rather large holes in the plot that the developers seem to have assumed the player will be able to fill in effortlessly. That might be a bit problematic for

some players, particularly considering that the game’s roughly 16 hour main story line likes to jump back and forth in time, filling in the history behind events as well as presenting the more familiar tale told in the movies. The title likes to present the player with a variety of scenarios. In some, a larger complement of characters will be available, while others will restrict the player to a maximum of two. These really vary according to the requirements of the level, and characters that are playable at certain times generally need to be there for a reason. And that ties in to something that Traveller’s Tales have done very well for this game; special abilities. The dwarves that form the main part of the player’s troupe all have different abilities that will be called on to get through levels. While some abilities are shared, others are restricted to one character only. It works well –

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a tool. The game will intelligently switch to the needed tool as a character approaches a particular hotspot, but if necessary the player can also switch the equipped item of the currently selected character. Another part of this inventory system is the gathering of raw materials. There is a pretty wide variety of stuff to collect, and these are consumed during crafting. Yes, crafting, another new element to the game. It’s not as free as it could be, though, so don’t expect RPG-esque upgrading of equipment, and the like. It’s more of an excuse for mini-games, really. Speaking of which, the game has a wide variety of mini-games, which help add variety to what would otherwise be a somewhat merciless button-mashing experience. Most of them are based on some kind of timed button input system, and they tend to be quite

Review

particularly in co-op gaming – but can also lead to some fumbling, thanks to the fact that the dwarves all look very similar. And their names aren’t that different either. Co-operation between the characters, even in a single player game, has also been ramped up. Not only will the player need to cleverly use the different characters co-operatively to achieve certain goals, but a “buddyup” system has been introduced, in which two dwarves team up to take on tougher enemies and obstacles. It works pretty well, except that, at times (particularly in the heat of some of the pitched battles the game throws at the player), the controls for teaming up can get a little fidgety. Another big new element that LEGO The Hobbit introduces is the idea of an inventory. Most dwarves will, for example, carry two weapons, or a weapon and

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forgiving. Whether it’s juggling plates in Bilbo’s kitchen or mining for precious gems (which, of course, are needed for certain crafting tasks) there is a fair bit of variety in LEGO The Hobbit. One mini-game returnee from LEGO The Movie Videogame is finding the missing pieces during massive constructions. These are a bit more complex this time around, and the pieces are sometimes less obvious to spot (because they may be presented at different angles from the main image) but it still adds to the fun. Additionally, most of these super-builds also require resources to kick them off, but there is really no shortage of these in the game. Another welcome addition is extra events – sort of side quests that are unlocked as the game progresses. This adds quite significantly, not only to the play time,

but also to the open-world aspect of the title. Using a camp-fire checkpoint system, the player can travel back and complete these extra tasks at pretty much any time, adding to the enjoyment of the title. Although it does have an issue or two – particularly in the disjointed way it presents the storyline – LEGO The Hobbit is a fun, lively and sometimes challenging experience that the whole family can enjoy. It features a slightly more muted palette than other LEGO games, but the world is still beautifully realised and integrated into the building block universe. And so, when all is said and done, this is an excellent addition to the franchise, with the right levels of evolution and familiarity balancing each other out very well. If you enjoyed previous LEGO titles, it borders on a “must play” status… just watch the movies first, OK? g

AT A GLANCE: Adventure

Reviewed on:

It has a few quirks, but for the most part this is as enjoyable as any other LEGO title... even though the end is a bit abrupt.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Traveller’s Tales Warner Bros Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory

7+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS4 Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

84 61

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls

A New Threat …and lots of reward.

by Walt Pretorius

that was good and makes it great. The first new addition that RoS brings to the table is a new character class, in the form of the Crusader. These modified Zakarum Paladins are the shield-bearing power-houses that the Barbarian wanted to be, but never quite came close to. Imbued with the power of light, these holy warriors are battlefield tanks, while still providing support when used in groups. It’s a great combination, and the short-to-medium range Crusader adds a great new choice when it comes to character creation. In addition to the new character class, the expansion also ups the level cap to 70. That means all those old characters that you maxed out once again become viable, with new adventures to challenge them. These new quests come in two flavours, but we’ll get to that later. Also, higher levels mean more skills, as well as an additional

Review

xpansions can be a mixed bag, but if there is one company that seems to get them right, it’s Blizzard. When Diablo III first launched it was a great experience, but it missed a few marks that fans of the franchise really wanted to see… However, over the time that it has been running, several patches managed to sort out a few of the issues that people were having with it. And now, with the release of the first expansion, Reaper of Souls, Blizzard have created a whole new feel to the game that breathes some fresh air into the experience, and turns the whole affair into something more like what we would have liked to have seen from the initial release. Combined with the dropping of the Auction House, the Paragon system and the recent Loot 2.0 patch, the content added by Reaper of Souls takes an experience

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passive skill slot – which really can make a big difference. There’s a new crafter as well, in the form of the Mystic. For a price, the Mystic will alter the look of equipment, so that players can build something of a “personal style”. In addition, she will change the abilities of equipment… it’s a gamble, because each change has a variety of things that may happen. But it is a limited gamble, and generally yields good results. In terms of quests, RoS adds a lengthy fifth act, which starts off in the drab and depressing street of Westmarch (which, stylistically, look more like what we’d expect from a Diablo game than anything in the original release). This act is entertaining enough, and provides extra plot and setting information – but the real winner in terms of things to do is the new Adventure Mode. This allows the player access to any of the game’s waypoints (yes, you need

to complete Act V to unlock it) and spawns randomly generated dungeons and areas at each one. In addition, there are marked quests at random points, which allow the player to earn the right to enter Nephalem Rifts for even greater challenge and reward. And there are rewards aplenty, particularly in Adventure mode. Aside from the fact that it pretty much makes the game perpetual – there is now always something to do – it also gets pretty generous with treasure and items (thanks, in part, to Loot 2.0). It also offers a lot of intense action, particularly within the chaotic Nephalem Rifts. So there is no doubt that RoS has improved the Diablo III experience greatly. It allows for non-stop adventuring, adds significantly to the tale, introduces an excellent new character class and allows further equipment modification. If you’re a Diablo III fan, what more could you ask for? g

AT A GLANCE: Action adventure

Reaper of Souls (combined with recent patches) turns Diablo III into the game we wanted when it first launched.

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Blizzard Activision Blizzard Megarom

Parental Advisory

16+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Reviewed on:

PC Platforms

Genre:

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

92 63

Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn

A Whole New World Well, no, not really…

by Walt Pretorius

The challenge, then, is for this particular release to live up to its PC counterpart. The good news is that it does, quite beautifully, in fact. And it manages to set itself up, in some ways at least, as being a definitive MMO for the PS4. This pay-to-play Final Fantasy game presents the player with a new world and a new mythology (as is often the case with this increasingly disjointed franchise) and pretty much sets them loose to wreak havoc (or not) as they see fit. There is a lot of freedom here, and a hell of a lot of customisation. Even the character classes, after a certain level, can be hybridised with a sub-class, or secondary class. This makes for a wide variety of character choices, considering that the game offers eight different character classes. That’s a lot of combinations.

Review

e have seen more than a few games slowly make their way onto next generation platforms – well, ok, the PS4 for us South Africans, who still have somewhere around five months to wait for the Xbox One. Many of them have been titles released just slightly before the release of these newer consoles; games like Tomb Raider, for example, already have a definitive PS4 edition, and The Last of Us has one on the way. But this particular title – Final Fantasy XIV Online: A Realm Reborn – is one that didn’t land just before the PS4 did. In fact, the PC version of this game is almost a year old, and has already had some rather big tweaks applied to it. The original FFXIV is even older. Sure, a year is not a very long time, but a lot can happen to a game in twelve months in terms of patching and tweaking.

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But how does Final Fantasy’s traditionally more pedantic combat system (even after they tweaked it and sped it up) translate to an MMO world, where things tend to be a lot faster? Well, by speeding up again. It’s a lot quicker to fight in this game than in other FF titles, but the trick comes down to timing. The player will, with some practice, learn to read and take advantage of the ebb and flow of combat in this game, and will find it to be a really rather fun experience… even those who aren’t crazy about Final Fantasy should find it enjoyable. That brings us to controls. It is really rather remarkable how much customisation Square Enix have built into this aspect of this sprawling title. The player can tweak pretty much anything, and the Dualshock 4 controller becomes the perfect complement to their experience. Even the touch pad is implemented

well, with the player having the ability to use it as a mouse pointer when needed. This adds up to making this particular game a great example of how modern consoles are as viable as PCs for MMO gaming. Sadly, this particular title suffers from the same bloated, convoluted plot that all Final Fantasy games are infected with. Sure, it keeps the player guessing, but it can be a bit confusing, too – you need to keep careful track of things here, and the way that the player fits into the world – as a sort-of “chosen one most important individual” type – doesn’t really work well in the context of an MMO (where everyone else is that same kind of character, really). But that’s a small issue in this vast game, which offers the player absolutely tons to do in a varied, interesting and rich fantasy world. g

AT A GLANCE: Genre:

MMORPG

Reviewed on:

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Developer Publisher Distributer

Parental Advisory

16+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

PS4 Platforms

It’s massive, it offers the player absolute tons to do, and it’s a great fit on the PS4.

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

86 65

Child of Light

The Ethereal World This one is all about artistry…

by Walt Pretorius

a beautifully artistic style that is both haunting and alluring) and throwing in cheesy rhyming-couplet speech for all characters. The story is simple enough. A young princess falls ill in the real world and, through her illness, enters the fantasy realm of Lemuria. Here she must return the sun, moon and stars (which have been stolen by the game’s villain) to the sky, as well as try restore her father in the real world, who is getting sicker with worry by the day. The game dynamic is simple and fun. Even if the combat system seems a little complicated at first, using Aurora (that’s the princess) and her various helpers in combat becomes a joy before too long. Combat can get pretty strategic, too; the player can only have two party members in combat at a time, so choosing fighters with the right abilities for a given situation is pretty

Review

ometimes a game comes along that tries to elevate the whole idea of games to a new level, or at least drag it – kicking and screaming, mostly – in a new direction. Child of Light is such a game. It is a fairy tale that provides the player with a unique world and a touching story, but it does so in a way that may make some gamers (those that prefer headshots to substance) want to shy away from it. Child of Light takes many elements from many influences and mashes them together in a game that is endearing, entertaining, challenging and beautiful to behold. It borrows some ideas from JRPG games, like turn based combat, while using 2D-platformer style game dynamics for exploration. It then combines those with a distinctly Westernised art form (shying away from glitzy 3D animated graphics towards

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important. A third character, Aurora’s faithful spirit companion Igniculus, also helps in combat with healing and other buffs. Igniculus is also playable and can be controlled with the right analog stick, or by another player in a limited co-op fashion. Child of Light does fall short in some ways. It offers fifteen hours of play, which is fairly good, but the end does seem a little abrupt. Add to that the whole rhyming couplet idea (which can, I am sad to say, get on your nerves pretty quickly) and it develops a few problems that some people won’t like. Others may not like the art style but, truthfully, Child of Light really is a beautiful game. It looks as though it has been lifted gently from the pages of a beloved story-book, and the UbiArt engine does a great job in keeping it visually

stunning. While it certainly won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, Child of Light is a game that can be charming and more than a little endearing. It presents the player with quite a lot to do, including platform exploration and puzzling, as well as more than a little combat. The characters level up frequently, too, adding an RPG element in the form of upgradable skills. Initial levels are pretty simple, but as the game progresses it develops a wonderful complexity that is challenging as well as highly entertaining (except for the damned rhyming). Most of all, Child of Light is a breath of fresh air in an industry that seems far too focussed on headshots and explosions. It is a unique game, thanks to its almost ethereal presentation, and it is fairly inoffensive fun for the whole family. g

AT A GLANCE: Genre:

Adventure RPG

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Ubisoft Ubisoft Megarom

Parental Advisory

7+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

X360 Platforms

Child of Light’s unique looks and inoffensive nature make it a joy for the whole family.

Reviewed on:

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

84 67

2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil

Sun, Shade and Football The Beautiful Game comes to Brazil

by Charlie Fripp

title a while back. A lot of the same technology has been employed to deliver this one, so gamers can look forward to action that they are already familiar with. But no good game would be worth its salt if it was just a carbon-copy of a previous title, and EA did at least incorporate some changes. The most notable differences are that players now have greater control when it comes to dribbling, the passing accuracy has been increased and there has been a number of small changes in the firsttouch mechanics. In all, it aims to make the action on the pitch as smooth as possible. Even with the changes in the mechanics, the biggest draw card for a game of this nature is in the game play modes. It wouldn’t be a World Cup game if teams couldn’t at least compete for the most coveted cup. In Road to the FIFA World Cup, players take their

Review

very four years, the Beautiful Games kicks into world Cup mode, and while fans only see a fraction of the hard work that goes into it, teams often train and compete many months in advance in order to progress as far in the tournament as possible. And because Electronic Arts is arguably the king when it comes to football video games, it was no surprise to learn that this year would be no different – with the launch of the video game simulation of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. While the official tournament is only kicking off on 21 June, EA decided to release the accompanying video game a good two months before the teams line up for the biggest trophy on the football calendar. In terms of the actual game play mechanics, not much has changed since EA’s release of the official FIFA 14

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chosen team on a whirl-wind ride through the actual qualification stages which started as far back as 2011. It is the first time in the history of World Cup video games that the entire qualification series is playable – a feature that only included the UEFA and CONMEBOL groups in the 2010 version. The Captain Your Country mode is probably the mode in which players will find the most benefit – but be forewarned, it’s incredibly long. Just as with the Road to the FIFA World Cup, players aim to take their team through the friendlies, B-side internationals, the qualifications and World Cup. But instead of players controlling the entire team, as with Road to the FIFA World Cup, gamers only control an individual player on their side, or their own character which they created and inserted into the team. It’s World Cup

football on a much more personal level, as the ultimate goal of the gamer would be to be selected as the national captain that goes on to win the World Cup. The title also features a number of other modes, which all in one way or another end up with the player competing in the World Cup finals – be it against computer-controlled AI, or online multiplayer opponents. As a football title, 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil does its job rather well, and fans of the tournament won’t be disappointed – but it also can become laborious rather quickly. As a World Cup title, EA opted to again include small aspects which make the game a lot more believable and actually feel like a World Cup companion – like cheering fans, cutting to outside broadcasts in fan parks, and different commentary streams. g

AT A GLANCE: Genre:

Sports

Reviewed on:

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

EA Canada Electronic Arts EA South Africa

Parental Advisory

3+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

X360 Platforms

It’s a great companion to the Beautiful Game’s tournament

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

82 69

Don Bradman Cricket 14

With Bat and Ball Cricket goes for another spin

by Charlie Fripp

themselves to be used in the Career mode. But with the player creator – which can be shared with the online community – users are able to download full squads with the correct names and likeness of almost all the teams in the game. In Career Mode, players will start their cricketing journey as a 16-year-old player in a Country side. They will be able to select their preference in position (bowler, batsman or all-rounder), and select which County they would like to play for. From there, gamers will play through 20 seasons, culminating in the player captaining his own national side. Tournament Mode and Casual should be selfexplanatory, where players can play or create a tournament for themselves to play in. In Casual Mode, users will be able to set up a single game in all the

Review

ricket is an incredibly tough sport to develop into a video game title, and is almost on par with rugby in that respect. There are so many aspects and actions that need to be accounted for, and if developers aren’t careful, it could all go horribly pearshaped. Don Bradman Cricket 14 is the latest title that is taking on the sport, and while it does get some aspects of it right, it is lacking in some of the fundamentals of the game. It is clear that developer Big Ant spent a good deal of their time on the menu and the back-end of the title, and this is really where it shines. The title is only licensed to make use of the names and likeness of Australian players, so users are able to create their own squad members and teams – and even a character for

gladget43

varieties, such as Five Day, One-Day International, T20 and the likes. The mechanics of the title is where things start to go a bit weird. At the start of any game, the two captains will toss for who elects to bat or bowl first. As a warning for potential players: do not enter the title without going through the tutorial first, which is hidden in the Practice, and then Field Practice menu. Bowling and field work are the easier of the two to master, but it still takes some practice to get through. Depending on the type of bowler, the control system will vary, but for the purpose of this explanation, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll explain how the fast bowler works. Before making a run-up, players need to select the type of ball they want to bowl and where it will be at normal pace, fast ball or a slower ball. During the run up, the left

analogue stick is pressed in the direction of the delivery type, after which two bars will start to fill two gauges (jump input and release). Once the needles are in the sweet spot, the corresponding analogue sticks need to be moved to execute the bowl. It can get extremely confusing, even at the lower difficulty levels. Fielding can luckily be automated so that fellow players do their own fielding, instead of the player having to control everyone on the team. Batting makes use of a similar system, where the right analogue is used for direction, left stick for front- or back foot selection, and triggers for aggressive or defensive shots. But the most difficult thing about the batting is getting the timing right, which can be tough. While the title isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t brilliant, it is probably the better (not the best) cricket game that gamers have seen in a while. g

AT A GLANCE: Genre:

Sports

Reviewed on:

Developer: Publisher: Distributer:

Developer Publisher Distributer

Parental Advisory

3+ gladget43

Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

PS3 Platforms

While not great, it does provide a good foundation

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PC X360 X0 PS3 PS4 Wii U PSV 3DS AND iOS

Score

72 71

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November 2013