Gladget Magazine May 2012

Which Book?

More than just Laptops

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HP Z1 Workstation

I

n an age where smartphones, tablets, and ultrabooks get the lion’s share of attention, powerusers are often neglected. After all, imagine a world without movies like “Avatar”, Kung Fu Panda”, Slumdog Millionaire”, and the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise.

Enter the HP Workstation Business.

No compromises were made on the Z1: It combines the capabilities of a workstation with the elegance of an all-in-one to meet the demanding visualisation and computing needs of power users.

HP workstations are designed to meet the needs of some of the most computer-intensive industries, including animation, film/video editing, graphic design, CAD, architecture, photography, high-definition video, manufacturing, finance, healthcare, scientific imaging, and oil and gas exploration. HP Z workstations are being used to design everything from running shoes and race cars to animated characters and deep-sea submersibles. They are also used to manage research labs, mission-critical IT environments, and billions of Rands of tradable securities.

The Z1 is the only all-in-one workstation with quadcore Intel Xeon processors. Your work can further be enhanced with the HD Webcom, SRS Premium Sound processing and whisper-quiet acoustics. The Z1 Workstation gives you all the customisability options you need. You have a choice of optical drives, like the slot-load Blu-ray Writer, not to mention a variety of storage types including 7.2K and 10K SATA, SSD options, and optional RAID configurations.

Easily add a hard-drive, upgrade memory or access the graphics card by snapping it open and enjoy the control of easily swapping out parts on your own!

Starting from R18 999, the Z1 features a 27-inch LED-backlit display that has an impressive 178 degree viewing angle. It features professional NVIDIA Quadro graphics for blazing fast renders and performance so you can focus on giving your creativity free reign.

So what are you waiting for? Come and flex the Z1 Workstation’s muscle and see what you are capable of doing in front of a computing powerhouse.

More information available at:

www.hp.co.za/workstation

Inside 6 From the Editor

THIS MONTH’S COVER They’re more than just laptops these days...

See the feature on page 18

8 Devil Made Me Do It Are violent video games really to blame?

14 Photography Primer A fragrant desktop 18 Which Book?

They’re more than just laptops these days...

22 Reviews Some essential items...

60 DVD Seen What’s out on DVD? 68 Money to Burn The biggest picture 70 Inner Workings Disposing of old tech 72 PC Builder The brains Competitions 39 Kaspersky ONE Universal Security

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Reviews

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Corsair Vengeance 1500 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset

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Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook

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Logitech M600 Touch Mouse

GLADGET Volume 2 Issue 19 May 2012

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Corsair Vengeance 1300 Alanog Gaming Headset

Editor: Walt Pretorius walt@1337-media.com

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Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S Handset

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Samsung NC215S Solar Powered Netbook

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HP Officejet Pro 6800 Plus All-In-One

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Corsair Vengeance 1100 Gaming Communication Headset

Writers: Alex Scanlon Charlie Fripp Dylan Bouch Rob Edwards Letters: letters@gladgetmag.com Competition Entries: competitions@gladgetmag.com Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gladgetmag.com Design & Photography: 1337 Media cc

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In Win BP671 SFF Computer Case

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Prototype 2 (PS3)

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Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 (X360)

50

Kinect Rush (X360)

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Silent Hill: Downpour (PS3)

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Trials: Evolution (X360)

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Ridge Racer: Unbounded (X360)

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

technology. simply.

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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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Copyright © 1337 Media CC 2009 - 2012

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The Last Minute...

From the Editor

by Walt Pretorius

T

here’s something exciting about overseas travel, particularly when it carries the unmistakable odour of exclusivity to it. And, being in this game, there is potentially a lot of it. But the jet-setting comes with a little bit of a price... it rarely involves a lot of preparation time.

An impending Far East trip with one of our regular product suppliers has been on the forefront of my mind during the production cycle of this particular issue of Gladget Magazine.

But those thoughts haven’t been stemming from the excitement of seeing a new place, or from the prospect of getting information firsthand from one of the world’s top technology providers. Rather, they have been all about getting things done at the last minute - thanks in no small part to an expired passport on my side, which just added more pressure. I will know that everything will be fine for the trip literally two days after writing this article. and I will go on the trip two days after that.

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It is, quite honestly, something of a rush, although I must admit that, as exciting as every aspect of the trip is, I cannot allow myself to get excited just yet.

But, before jetting off to places far away, there is also the matter of getting this issue ready to rock and roll. Admittedly, this is the last thing I need to do - write this Editor’s Note.

But it still needs to get done before the whirlwind three day trip. I have been a little worried about jet-lag, but I honestly don’t have time for feeling tired, so it will have to wait until the crew and I can take a breather.

It’s not just really cool international trips that can be last minute in doing what we do; in fact, with almost every issue there is some kind of ‘last minute’ activity. It can range between anything from a ‘must-have’ review that cannot wait a month through to technical problems leading to delays.

We might not leap out of aircraft or perform death-defying stunts, we might not be heroes in life-or-death situations, or even break too much

of a physical sweat doing what we do... but the work can still be really exciting. Actually, those examples aren’t all exactly true... every now and then we do get to do exciting physical activities, like take a tour around Jo’burg in a light aircraft, courtesy of HP. And, not wanting to sound like a wimp, but those babies are a little scarier than they look, particularly when you’re doing a slow circuit of the Johannesburg Zoo while it appears that you may be - just a little - losing altitude.

OK, not the most death-defying of activities, but I guess what I am trying to say is that part of the reason we love doing what we do is because, every now and then, it gets pretty exciting... whether it’s opening up a box that contains an awesome piece of hardware, going to a well planned event or even heading over the waters to parts unknown (or, at least, un-visited) there is a joy in the process taht we wouldn’t trade for anything.

I love my job! g

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Distributed Exclusively by Apex Interactive Tel: (011) 796 5040 www.apexint.co.za Email: sales@apexint.co.za All rights and trademarks and logos are copyright of their respective owners.

www.apexactive.co.za

Devil Made Me Do It Video games are still the new violent crime scapegoat Feature

By Walt Pretorius

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n the 22nd of July, 2011, a car bomb detonated in Oslo, Norway, resulting in eight deaths. A few hours later, the bomber opened fire on youths attending a Labour Party Camp, killing 69 innocent victims, the youngest of whom was 14 years old.

When SWAT police arrived on the scene the gunman, Anders Breivik, surrendered without any struggle, and was taken into custody. Almost a year later, his trial is full of mentions of delusion, racial hatred and personality disorders. In fact, a psychiatric evaluation of Breivik showed numerous traits that could have resulted in his actions, including paranoid schizophrenia, psychosis and criminal insanity. A later evaluation overturned some of these findings, diagnosing him instead with a narcissistic personality disorder.

Whatever the case may be, there is a lot of evidence that points towards Breivik’s mental instability, both in psychiatric evaluation and in hiw 1 518 page manifesto, 2083: A Declaration of European Independence, which was emailed to more than a thousand recipients an hour and a half before the Oslo bomb exploded. In the manifesto he speaks of cultural conservatism and nationalism, promoting the ideas of a monocultural society and speaking out against immigration, and particularly Muslims. Breivik used the document to describe the preparation he underwent for the attacks, beginning as far back as 2002. Included in this document are several statements that allude to right-wing extremism and Islamophobia.

And yet, during his court case, all of these (and many, many more) facts suddenly seemed utterly unimportant as soon as six words were mentioned: World of WarCraft and Modern Warfare 2. The press immediately began printing sensationalised headlines about how Breivik had used video games as a method to train him into killing all those innocent victims. Yes, Breivik did play these games – he mentions them twice in the 1 518 pages of his manifesto. He even notes that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is, in his opinion, an effective military training method.

Perhaps more disturbing, though, is his description of his legal acquisition of firearms in Norway, even undergoing mandatory training in their use. Or the long description he gives of preparing the explosives he used, even though he claims to not be adept at chemistry.

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Or how about the fact that he describes how he legally acquired the lethal chemical he used to lace his hollowpoint bullets, as well as the fertiliser to make his car bomb. But all of this has been seemingly ignored by a large number of mainstream press outlets, because they have been given a glimpse of the new bogey-man: video gaming.

For more than two decades, video gaming has often been attacked as leading to violent behaviour. Numerous cases of violence have been attributed to video games.

The Virginia Tech Shootings, which took place on the 16th of April, 2007, were blamed on the influence of video games. In fact, before the shooter, Seung-Hui Cho had even been identified, notorious anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson was already on air, blaming the influences of video games like Counterstrike and laying the blame for this terrible massacre directly at the feet of the people who made them. But later investigation showe that Cho had little interest in video games. The most recent game he apparently played was Sonic the Hedgehog, more than a decade old at the time.

Instead, a number of deep-seated psychiatric issues were revealed as being the cause of Cho’s actions.

Incidentally, at the time of this tragedy, Jack Thompson was already undergoing disbarment proceeding, which were finalised in July of 2008.

But while the press and ambulance chasers have identified video gaming as a convenient scape-goat, as yet no causal link between video games violence and real-world violent behaviour has been established.

Despite numerous studies, a link between the two, devoid of other factors like mental health and social situation, cannot be drawn. Because the industry is still relatively young, long term effects have not been studied in-depth as yet. But as the situation currently stands, there is no evidence that violent video games cause violent behaviour.

With the lack of scientific evidence, one must then turn to logic; the question becomes one of numbers. If taking the example of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, so conveniently provided to the press in the case of Anders Breivik, the mathematics display a form of evidence for themselves. There were, at the game’s height of popularity, an estimated 25 million unique players of Modern Warfare 2. How many violent crimes have been g l a d g e t fe at u r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

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blamed on the game? Our research came up with one definite case in which the game was mentioned… that of Anders Breivik. The question must then be asked: if violent video games cause violent behaviour, why has only one case been reported, when 25 million people are playing the game?

There are a few other numbers that are pertinent.

According to a survey by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in the USA, the average gamer is a 34 year old male that has been playing video games for around 12 years. 81% of gamers are over the age of 18.

And 91% of American parents are present when their kids buy or hire video games. In addition, crime rates in the USA have declined, while the sales of video games have increased. The correlations become all the more tenuous.

Still, there is long term research that needs to be completed, so acting responsibly when it comes to video gaming – particularly where children are involved – is important. To this end, we have age restrictions to guide us. Pay attention to them, and ensure that youngsters do not spend too much of their time playing games. While the psychological effects are still being studied, there are physical dangers that stem from a sedentary lifestyle.

To end on a positive note, there are several researchers who believe that video games can have a positive effect of psychological well-being. Benefits being researched include improved hand-eye coordination, resistance to distraction, stress relief and improved problem solving.

There is no reason for video gaming to not form part of a healthy lifestyle, even if the mainstream press would have us believe otherwise. But, in trying to achieve that, responsibility needs to be exercised, and healthy habits undertaken. And perhaps, one day, the bogeyman will be identified as being a beneficial activity, with the real underlying causes of violent behaviour properly revealed. New media often suffers from witch-hunts… even modern music has had its fair share of accusations.

Charles Manson claimed to be inspired by The Beatles.

In the fullness of time, though, video games will likely take their rightful place as a new expression of creativity, and will receive the position of art form, just like music and movies. Until then, reasonable, logical thought needs to be applied to the question of violence in video games.

After all, numbers don’t lie. g g l a d g e t fe at u r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

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Photography Primer

Frangipani A fragrant desktop...

by Walt Pretorius

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g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

PRESENTED BY

Adobe CS5

MASTER SUITE

F

lowers make for great photographic subjects. Their very structure is extremely ordered, with forms that follow mathematical guidelines. And yet, within that structure, elements of chaos come into play, meaning that while they all follow the ‘rules’ every flower is still unique. Aside from that, they offer striking colours and interesting textures.

Take this frangipani flower, for instance. Its five petals conform to a near perfect angle, yet each petal has subtle differences. The waxy texture of the petals allow the bright yellow heart of the flower to be bright, while the outer white borders appear soft. It is one of those flowers that is almost unearthly, simple in ‘design’ and yet complex in detail.

This photograph was taken as a ‘long distance’ macro photograph. Using a 300mm lens at its longest, it was possible to get close in without actually having to bash through the bush. But with this kind of image, particularly when a long lens is used, camera shake is a huge problem. To this end, pushing the ISO up a little (ISO 400) allowed for a faster shutter speed – 1/500thof a second, in this case. And, because it if a macro photograph, the depth of field shortened automatically, giving a decent foreground and background blur, even at an aperture of f/8.

Flower images are great for computer desktops and even as conversation piece artworks. But, because flowers generally grow in groups (whether naturally or because they are cultivated that way) there needs to be a very definite focal point, normally in the form of a single bloom. The natural processes of macro photography help in this regard.

Adding a little saturation and contrast using a photo-editor is also a great idea, but be careful to adjust too much. The point is to accentuate colours, not make them seem unrealistic.

A quick crop and a little more green pulled up gave us the end result. Now if only we could get a photograph to capture the magnificent scent... g

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ÂŽ

Š 2012 Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Diablo and Blizzard Entertainment are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc., in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks referenced herein are the properties of their respective owners.

Which Book?

The various kinds of laptops.

Feature

by Alex Scanlon

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o, you have a computer that you carry around with you. Some people call it your laptop, others call it your notebook. Some may even call it your netbook. So what is it, exactly? With so many classifications out there, how can you be sure what kind of portable computer you are using?

There are many classifications of portable computer, but for our purposes here we will concentrate on those that don’t fit in the palm of your hand, and make use of a ‘clam-shell’ design, with the upper portion (housing the screen) able to close over the lower portion (which houses the input controls and components). What you would call a laptop. Or Notebook. Or… ok, you get the picture.

The term laptop has been used for a long time to cover the broad category of which we speak. But this is a catch-all term, in the same way that ‘bird’ can refer to a wide variety of feathered, winged creatures. Just like birds, though, there are ‘species’ of laptop, with the most common being notebooks and netbooks.

Most common is the notebook. These are among the larger laptops, and include what are called ‘desktop replacement computers’. They feature full keyboards, and a threshold of at least 11 inches across has been suggested for the classification. In short, they are the largest models of portable computer.

Included, as mentioned, are the desktop replacement computers, also called gaming laptops or media centre laptops. These are very large machines, and have standard specifications that rival top of the line desktop computers… hence the name.

The next classification is the netbook. These are small devices, designed to be light-weight and energy efficient. Their main purpose is connectivity, email and internet usage, so the specifications of these devices are often lower than those of the larger notebooks.

One of the defining featured of a netbook is the lack of an optical drive. This increases the device’s reliance on internet connectivity. In terms of size, they range from around 5 inches to as much as 12 inches, but the most common sizes range from 9 inches to 11 inches.

Their weighs range from just under a kilogram to around one and a half kilograms.

In 2011, CPU manufacturer Intel announced a new classification of laptop computer. The classification has a set of guidelines that must be adhered to for a device to be called an Ultrabook, and to take advantage of a US$300 million fund that Intel has set aside to promote

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the classification and associated devices.

In October 2011, the specifications required to qualify as an Ultrabook were as follows: an Intel Core CPU, making use of Sandy Bridge microarchitecture; a maximum closed height of 18mm for 13.3 inch (or smaller) displays and 21mm for 14” (or larger) displays; a minimum 5 hour battery life; and a seven second resume time from hibernation.

From June 2012, it is expected that Intel will refine the specifications, to go hand-in-hand with the release of their Ivy Bridge chips. It is expected that the specs will look like this: an Intel Core CPU, making use of Ivy Bridge microarchitecture; a maximum closed height of 18mm for 13.3 inch (or smaller) displays, 21mm for 14” (or larger) displays and 23mm for convertible tables; a minimum 5 hour battery life; a seven second resume time from hibernation; 80MB/s transfer rate; a minimum of 16GB of storage; and USB 3.0 ports.

If you crunch the numbers, you will find that Ultrabooks sit somewhere between notebooks and netbooks. Commonly, they don’t have optical drives either, and the average screen size of model released thus far is 13.3 inches. But they have more powerful hardware, and include larger amounts of RAM (the common total is 4GB) than the average netbook.

In addition, they use lower-powered CPUs (around 1.6GHz is average) and their thin profile means that they feature fewer external ports. Another hallmark is the common use of solid state drives for data storage, which enhances speed of operation while still retaining the thin profile.

In creating this classification, Intel has not only given rise to a new breed of laptop, but also hopes to stimulate the PC market, which is being challenged by other portable devices, including tablets.

Thanks to numerous innovative ideas, the laptop market is constantly evolving, with new ideas resulting in better devices on an almost daily basis. This means that, as a consumer, you are spoiled for choice.

But it should always be remembered that, as with any computer purchase, getting the right device is something that should be thoroughly researched, lest you end up with a machine that is underpowered or, on the other end of the scale, spend too much money on a machine that will provide more power than you need.

At very least, after this brief look at the classifications of the various types of laptops, you will be able to correct those around you with confidence. g g l a d g e t fe at u r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

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Reviews Highlights 24 Corsair Vengeance 1500 Dolby 7.1 Headset Good solid sound 26 Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook Go anywhere 28 Logitech M600 Touch Mouse Unbuttoned...

36 HP Officejet Pro 6800 Plus All-In-One All-in-one monster

W

hile things are a little quiet on the new gadget and device market at the moment, there are still some fantastic items to take a look at.

Like a buttonless mouse, or a range of awesome headphones.

Or how about an ultrabook, or a printer that does everything but make coffee?

They’re all here - and more - in this edition of Gladget… g

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18 MAY ©2004 - 2012 Rockstar Games, Inc. Rockstar Games, Max Payne, and the Rockstar Games r marks and logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Take-Two Interactive Software. “2”, “PlayStation”, “PS3”, “Ã ” and “À” are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. KINECT, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies and are used under license from Microsoft. Bullet Time is a registered trademark owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. All other marks and trademarks are properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved

Corsair Vengeance 1500 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset

Behind You!

Directional audio is great for gaming!

by Walt Pretorius

M

eadsets have come a long way, and they fall into various classes these days. From the small, sleek in-ear buds through to big and bulky, from stereo to 7.1 channel virtual surround sound, they come in all manner of configurations. The Corsair Vengeance 1500 headset falls into the upper bracket of both; it offers 7.1 surround sound, and it is on the bulky side of things.

The sturdily constructed 1500 falls beautifully into the metallic aesthetic of the Vengeance range, of which we have reviewed a keyboard and a mouse before. The brushed metal look extends into this headset, which features side ‘arms’ made of the same material. Or, at least, finished with it – the arms themselves are durable plastic, which is a good thing, because pure metal arms might have made the headset too heavy.

As it stands, though, the 1500 is a very comfortable headset to use. It is surprisingly light, considering its bulk, and the headband is finished with a soft pad for added comfort. The generous ear-cups sit around the

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ear, rather than on it, and are finished with velvety, cloth covered pads. They can also be fully adjusted to fit just about any head, which is a bonus.

On the right ear-cup, a boom mic can be positioned however the user desires, adding voice functionality to the head-set.

In terms of sound, the 1500 is a little bit of a mixed bag.

Because of the virtual 7.1 surround sound, it connects to the PC via a USB plug. This means that it is restricted to PC use only, but that’s quite alright… the quality of the surround sound makes it well worth it to use a more specific device like this. The sound quality is crisp and clear, although the bass levels could have been a bit better. The bass is there, but it would have been better if it was a little more prominent.

Volume is controlled by an in-line volume switch, part of the generous 3 meter cable, which offers + and – buttons for volume control, as well as a mic mute switch. And boy, do these guys get loud! Even at high volume levels – which is really loud, trust me – there is no distortion from the g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

50mm drivers.

Despite the slightly lack-lustre bass performance, and the fact that this headset is a PC only affair, it will serve the user well.

Unlike the 1300 and 1100 headsets (also reviewed in this issue) this one is intended for those who make use of their PC for entertainment, and the 1500 delivers in games, movies and music equally.

Thanks to the design and comfort features, you will be able to make use of this headset for hours on end, with little or no discomfort.

The stylish looks help, too – the 1500 looks the part, particularly when teamed up with other devices in Corsair’s Vengeance gaming range.

While they may not be the perfect headphones for audiophiles (who probably have theirs specially imported, to go along with the super expensive, vinyl based sound system they are using) their performance as a PC oriented headset is solid enough to make them a strong contender in the market. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Comfortable • Good looks

CONS:

• A little light in the bass department

Manufacturer: Corsair Distributor: Frontosa Online: www.frontosa.co.za

TECH SPECS: • • • •

7.1 audio USB connector Positionable mic In-line volume controls • Padded headband • 50mm drivers

Score

A great option for those wanting a dedicated PC headset.

86 25

Acer Aspire S3 Ultrabook

Early Entrant But is SA ready for the trend?

by Rob Edwards

B

andwagons… while they generally have something of a negative spin to them, sometimes people jumping onto one can be a good thing. And it seems that the latest bandwagon is the Ultrabook.

As mentioned in our feature earlier in this issue, Ultrabooks need to conform to certain specifications to claim the name. And, as the market grows, the challenge to produce these light, slim portable computers will get tougher, what with competitors working better technology into each new model.

The Acer Aspire S3 is one of the earlier Ultrabooks – which, considering that they are still a new concept, isn’t saying anything negative. It weighs in at a paltry 1.35 kilograms, making it extremely light to carry around. In addition, when closed, it is only 18mm thick, adding even more to its potential portability. The 13.3 inch screen helps keep its overall size down, too.

Under the hood the Aspire S3 packs an Intel i5 1.6GHz CPU, along with 4GD of RAM and a 320GB

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HDD capacity, either split between a traditional drive a solid state drive, or pure solid state. The solid state delivers a better performance than the combo unit, as is to be expected.

The S3 certainly looks the part of a no-nonsense, business machine. It’s sleek, brushed metal exterior is echoed one the lid is opened, with a grey keyboard – almost full, thanks to the inclusion of directional keys, but no number pad – and touch-pad. Even the Intel and Windows stickers are colour coded to the device – they are also a metallic grey. Mounted above the screen is a 1.3 megapixel webcam.

As is common with Ultrabooks, the S3 offers no optical drive. In addition, the ‘trimmings’ seem rather sparse; a power jack, HDMI out port and 2 USB ports are mounted in the rear of the unit, and an SD card reader in one side, while the other side sports a headphone port. There is no LAN port, but the S3 does offer wireless and Bluetooth connectivity to compensate.

On the whole, the Acer Aspire S3 is a solid workhorse that meets the requirements of the Ultrabook label. But g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

those requirements do raise an interesting question: is South Africa ready for Ultrabook computers. Certainly, the higher end of the market is, but the lack of optical drives in these devices is just one of the factors that raises the question. Our market is still very dependent on physical media. The shift towards better Internet connectivity is going ahead, sure, but many people are still hampered by poor infrastructure and expensive bandwidth. This is one of the aspects that may see a slower uptake in Ultrabook sales locally.

Still, if you’re after an Ultrabook, the Acer Aspire S3 is worth looking into. They’re not devices that will appeal to everyone; these are computers that are more work oriented than aimed at leisure, although the S3 does perform both kinds of tasks well. As an earlier entrant into the Ultrabook race, it speaks of great things to come. The miniaturisation of components will see more and more powerful machines arise, and improved infrastructure will see their popularity increase locally. At very least, it’s a good computer, and a decent start for Acer in this market. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Good looking • Capable • Very portable

CONS:

• Is SA ready for Ultrabooks?

Manufacturer: Acer Distributor: Acer Online: www.acer.co.za

TECH SPECS: • • • • • •

1.6GHz CPU 4GB RAM 320GB HDD 13.3” screen 1.3mp webcam 1.35kg

Score

A great start for Acer in the Ultrabook race

80 27

Logitech M600 Touch Mouse

Unbuttoned Minimal working parts

by Alex Scanlon

U

nification is an idea that has permeated technology for a while, but it seems that the trend is taking on a new direction. At one time, it was all about tying as many different devices as possible together. Printers are the obvious example; they went from being just plain old printed to be printerscanner-fax-copier combos.

But there seems to be a new trend surfacing, and one that is a slightly less obvious concept to the previous example. This could only really be called the “unification of experience”, and it is something that Logitech seems pretty keen on. A couple of issues ago we looked at a touch pad for use with any PC that they came up with.

This latest device takes things even further… it is a touch sensitive mouse.

The surface of the M600 Touch Mouse is touch sensitive, much like the screen on a cell phone or tablet computer. It has, quite literally, no moving parts; no

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buttons, no scroll wheel. Instead, this sleek device reads inputs from the user much like a touch-screen would. A finger tapped in the right place is either a left or right click, and swiping motions give instruction to scroll.

It seems, at first, a bit of an odd idea, perhaps even a gimmick. But it seems that Logitech is onto something here. Aside from adding that “unified experience” which results from the fact that this mouse almost feels as though you’re working on a touch-screen device, it also brings up the idea that this kind of device is built to last.

Most input devices fail thanks to mechanical issue – their working parts give out. But this mouse has none… so in theory, it will last a long time.

Sadly, we cannot put that theory to the test. We simply do not have the time to perform a review that takes years (by the time we would have finished, there would be many new devices on the market, as is the nature of technology these days.) But we think the logic is fairly sound. g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

In terms of performance, the M600 is just as one would expect from Logitech. A good quality laser combines with their nano-receiver technology, and delivers a good level of input. The mouse will likely not appeal to gamers and the like, because its functionality is still limited to a few buttons. But it is a fantastic start to what might become a mainstream idea.

The only real downside we found was that the device is not rechargeable. It makes use of two AA batteries, and these do deliver a great battery life, but it would have been nice to be able to dock the wireless mouse and recharge it. That’s always a better option.

It might be a gimmick for now, but the beautiful design, solid construction and funky new ideas that embody the M600 speak a lot about the kind of design and innovation that Logitech are known for. It’s a great device, and if you’re not a power user, it is an effective, not to mention striking, complement to any computer set-up. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Great to use • Good quality • Looks very cool!

CONS:

Not rechargeable

TECH SPECS: • Touch surface • Nano-receiver • 2 AA batteries

Manufacturer: Logitech Distributor: Logitech Online: www.logitech.com

Score

A funky new idea, and a decent mouse to boot.

80 29

Corsair Vengeance 1300 Alanog Gaming Headset

In the Middle A ‘sound’ investment for stereo fans

by Walt Pretorius

O

ur second Corsair headphone review sits in the middle of their gaming headset range… at least, that’s what the code number in the device’s name implies.

The Corsair Vengeance 1300 forms part of the Vengeance gaming range, obviously.

Where the 1500 offers a USB only, virtual 7.1 surround sound experience, the 1300 moves away from digital delivery and towards a more recognisable analogue system.

This has pros and cons. While the 1500 delivers a great surround feel to the sound it plays, the 1300 heads back to the older pastures of stereo. This isn’t a massive problem for many, but those that want that immersive sound feeling delivered by 7.1 audio will need to consider the 1500, rather. On the upside, though, the analogue connection, with its familiar 3.5mm jacks for both headphones and microphone, is far more versatile.

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The device can be used with things that don’t have USB ports, in other words, and the generous cable means that it can be used in almost any situation.

The Vengeance 1300 is a very comfortable headset, with a broad, padded headband culminating in adjustable ear cups. That’s up or down, for size, and rotation, for people with weird ear positions. The ear-cups are lined with fabric coated pads and, although the headset is fairly heavy, it still feels light on the ears when you’re using it. The ear-cups are generous in size too, so your ears won’t be squashed while you wear this headset. On the right hand ear-cup an adjustable mike can be swung into position, for that increasingly vital in-game communication.

The 1300 is made out of sturdy black plastic, and looks great in an understated way. Lacking the metal parts found on the 1500, this headset is almost all black – just a stylish blue ring on each ear-cup breaks the monotone.

In terms of performance, the 1300 delivers crisp, clear g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

audio, although it could have been just a little punchier on the bass side of things. Not that the bass is bad… it just lacks that throaty roar that one sometimes comes across when blowing up lots of stuff in a game. The volume is good too, with an in-line volume control adding to the overall convenience of the device. It is a simpler control than can be found on the 1500, with a scroll wheel for sound level and a switch to mute the microphone.

On the whole, you could do a lot worse than using the Corsair Vengeance 1300 headset for your gaming (and thanks to its connectors, more general audio) needs. The sound quality is good, the device sits comfortably and is sturdily built. It is a bit on the bulky side, but this is one of those trade-offs that needs to be made in order to get hold of decent headphones.

If you don’t mind the stereo, or are not willing to spend the extra cash to get the 1500 headset, this one is a very safe bet. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Analogue connectors • Good audio • Comfortable

CONS:

• Bass is a little light

Manufacturer: Corsair Distributor: Frontosa Online: www.frontosa.co.za

TECH SPECS: • Analogue connectors • In-line volume control • Stereo • Positionable mic • Padded headband • 50mm drivers

Score

Unlike the ‘bigger’ 1500, the 1300 offers stereo audio and analogue connections.

80 31

Sony Ericsson Xperia Arc S Handset

Hot Pink A bigger Arc for SE fans

by Alex Scanlon

A

h, yes, Sony Ericsson technically are no more, having been bought out by Sony entirely.

One of their swansongs is the Xperia Arc S, yet another phone in the rather vast range of Xperia products. It is an upgraded version of the Arc, but you would really need to be a true Sony Ericsson aficionado to fully understand what that means. Their series of phones is, after all, very similar, all being android-based smart phones.

That said, this Arc S is a rather nice phone to use. The metallic hot-pink finish on the review unit we saw was a breath of fresh air, too, as their devices tend to have an overarching aesthetic that leaves them all looking a little too similar.

The inclusion of things like the Mobile Bravia Engine (for video) and 3D Sweep Panorama function (for use with the 8,1 megapixel camera) all help to ake this device stand out a little among the other Xperias. The 4.2 inch screen is a great size, and the added HDMI functionality adds even more benefit.

On the whole, the Arc S is a responsive, if rather big, cellular handset, and one that Xperia fans will likely enjoy using. g

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AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Good response • Great image recording • Powerful CPU

CONS: • Big

Manufacturer: Sony Ericsson Distributor: Sony Ericsson Online: www.sonyericsson.com

TECH SPECS: • • • •

1.4GHz CPU 4.2” screen 8.1mp camera HD video recording • Bravia Engine • 3D Sweep Panorama

Score

Another day, another Xperia… but the Arc S delivers great performance none the less.

79

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Samsung NC215S Solar Powered Netbook

Bright Light!

Still no freedom from chargers, though…

by Rob Edwards

E

veryone who uses, or has used, a laptop, notebook, netbook, ultra book or whatever else manufacturers are choosing to call their portable computers these days knows that the device is only as portable as the nearest power-point.

Battery-life has always been a bugbear with these devices; you’re going to have to recharge at least once a day while you are on the go, more if you use the device a lot.

Samsung have an answer for that in the form of the NC215S netbook, a small, extremely portable computer that claims a battery life of around 14 hours. Now, if you are one of the aforementioned users, your first question will be “how, exactly, does a small netbook like this one, weighing in at just 1.32kg and a little more than 25cm at its longest side, manage to get a battery life that would propel it into near-legendary status?” We’re pretty sure that will be your exact wording, too…

The answer is a massive solar panel built into the lid

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of the device. The thinking here is that, once the battery is fully charged using mains power, supplemental charge will be supplied by the solar panel, giving the battery enough fresh juice to keep ticking over for a longer time.

In theory, that’s sound, but in practice there are a number of factors that can affect the idea. Quality of light, for example, plays a massive role with all solar panels, meaning that not enough good light will diminish that battery life. Also, usage… going all out is going to chew through power faster than letting the thing play screensaver animations all day.

Still, we did see a difference, and we love the thinking here. And we would love to see it implemented in some slightly bigger systems.

See, the NC215S isn’t a very powerful notebook – probably because it is a netbook. It packs a 1.66GHz Intel Atom processor, a rather low 1GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive. That, along with the 10.1 inch screen, makes the device extremely portable, but you’re not going to be g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

doing huge amounts of work on it – not quickly, anyway – beyond using word processors, sending some email and perhaps surfing the ‘net for a bit.

What this device essentially is, then, is a bit of a ‘girl Friday’. It’s great to carry around, particularly on long trips, if you need access to functions like Internet connectivity and email. It doesn’t pack a lot of power, and is less responsive than we would have liked, but it does the job well enough for those kinds of tasks. Using it to keep in touch is preferable to using it for getting any hardcore work done. Unless you’re a writer, of course…

The solar panel is a great idea, but the technology is not yet well enough established to free us from the need for a power-point. In this case, though, it can be a little further away. Like in the hotel room, while you do your surfing on the beach – web surfing, of course. n fact, that’s probably the best situation for this device… bright sunlight, and a lack of urgency. That’s a really cool idea. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Some extra juice when the sun is shining • Very portable

CONS:

• Not extremely powerful

Manufacturer: Samsung Distributor: Samsung Online: www.samsung.co.za

TECH SPECS: • • • • • •

10.1” screen 1.66GHz CPU 1GB DDR3 RAM 320GB HDD 1.32kg Solar panel

Score

A great idea, but this is better for keeping in touch while on holiday than hard work.

78 35

HP Officejet Pro 6800 Plus All-In-One

Awesome!

Yes, we get excited by cool printing devices…

by Walt Pretorius

I

tend to be one of those annoying enthusiastic sorts, but doing what I do, it’d impossible not to get a little jaded. It is very rare these days that I go through any form of ‘wow’ moment when I unbox a piece of review hardware, because I have come to expect a lot from technology and tech manufacturers, and disappointment is little more than a badly placed control switch away. But when I pulled the HP Officejet Pro 6800 Plus out of the packaging, one of those rare moments came along. This, friends and neighbours, is what a multifunction office printer should be.

Right from the word go, the sleek lines and smooth curves of this big unit are impressive. The only real downfall here, in all honesty, is the fact that it is a rather large unit, but it’s not the biggest offering we have seen from HP. And, with the power packed into the unit, giving it a little more space is well-justified.

On the surface, the Pro 6800 Plus is yet another multipurpose machine; printing, faxing, scanning, copying and web-connectivity, which seems to be

36

becoming a standard when it comes to HP all-in-one devices. But there is more here than just that, something which this device’s looks imply.

One of the better features that it has on offer is automatic double-sided printing. Should the user so desire, both sides of a sheet of paper can be printed on, which is quite the boon for anyone who wants to create professional looking documents (without the hassle of exhausting page collation and reloading) or just wants to do their bit for the environment by consuming less paper.

This functionality comes into play for more than just printing, too, which is great.

Also, this device makes use of a four cartridge ink system, making it cheaper to maintain in the long run… and saving some cash is always a bonus.

The print quality is of the expected high HP standard, both for document and photographs, and borderless printing makes the latter even better. And the printing is surprisingly quick, too, making the 6800 even more efficient.

In addition, it sports a card reader with support for pretty g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

much every memory card under the sun, as well as that web connectivity for convenient e-printing. Scanning is up to 4800dpi, and colour faxing is also an option with this very capable office work-horse.

Incorporated into the front of the printer is a tiltable touch screen control panel, which features the usual user-friendly HP control scheme.

Although you’ll pay more for this all-in-one than many other devices – including a number from the same manufacturer – its capabilities are well worth the asking price. It performs well under strain and delivers a good level of economy in terms of ink consumption, too, which is always a benefit.

And it looks the part. HP really have outdone themselves with the aesthetics of the 6800, making it look like it means business while still retaining a rounder, smoother look.

If you’re looking for a great office all-in-one that will save you time and money, without compromising on quality – as well as adding some great extra functions not commonly found – look no further. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Great quality • Good looks • Efficient

CONS: • Big!

Manufacturer: HP Distributor: HP Online: www.hp.co.za

TECH SPECS: • E-printing • 4 cartridge ink system • Card reader • Web connectivity • Double sided printing

Score

A truly brilliant all-in-one, with great functionality and performance.

92 37

Corsair Vengeance 1100 Gaming Communication Headset

The Small One Small, but great

by Alex Scanlon

A

t the lower end of the Corsair Vengeance headphone range we find the Vengeance 1100 Gaming Communication Headset. While the name might seem long, this is the smallest headset in the range, leaving behind the bulky headband for a more ergonomic ‘behind the head’ design.

While this headset is not near as comfortable as the 1500 or 1300 models, it surprisingly delivers sound that is a little better, particularly in the bass department. The drivers are smaller, but the sound is still of a marginally better quality.

In terms of connectivity, it offers more options, too, with 3.5mm plugs for headphones and microphone able to plug into an included USB adapter. This adds a massive amount of versatility to the device.

The headset is also rather stylish, with a sleek black and blue band connecting the two foam covered ear phones. A positionable mic arm is attached to the right speaker, and the long cord is complemented by an inline volume control.

While less comfortable than the other models, the excellent sound, versatility and easy portability of this headset makes it a great option for those who want their sound on the go. g

38

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Versatile • Small and light • Great sound

CONS:

• A little less comfortable

Manufacturer: Corsair Distributor: Frontosa Online: www.frontosa.co.za

TECH SPECS: • Analogue connectors • In-line volume control • Stereo • Positionable mic • USB Adapter • 40mm drivers

Score

Although less comfortable than its big brothers, the 1100 offers great sound and versatility

83

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

c ompe t i t io n • c omp eti ti o n • c om pe tit ion • com pe t ition • com pe t it ion

Stay Safe!

WIN

a Kaspersky ONE Universal Security software bundle Courtesy of Kaspersky Lab TO ENTER: Send an email to competitions@gladgetmag.com Tell us one of the devices this software will protect Insert ‘Kaspersky Competition’ in the mail’s subject line Subscribe to www.gladgetmag.com Become a fan on Gladget’s Facebook Page Competition closes 31 May 2012. Gamecca subscribers only. South African residents only.

Prizes may not be exchanged for cash. Competition closed to employees (& employee’s family) of 1337 Media CC, Kaspersky Lab, Phoenix Software & Orange Ink. The judges’ decision is final.

In Win BP671 SFF Computer Case

Little Box

An SSF case for all occasions

by Rob Edwards

W

hile we don’t see small form factor cases often, there certainly is a market for them. The In Win BP 671 is a good option for those that are looking for a smaller PC case, for whatever reason that might be.

The solidly constructed case offers a single optical drive bay, as well as a single HDD bay on the inside.

When used with a mini-ITX motherboard, it offers a single card expansion slot, and is cooled by a top mounted 20mm fan.

The sleek black exterior looks like it means business, which is likely where you will find the box used. It features a shiny black front panel, half of which flips up to reveal two USB ports, as well as headphone and microphone ports. Access to the optical drive is also behind this panel, which is opened by pressing on one corner of it.

Naturally, this case is not for everyone. It would not allow the kind of components needed for a high end computer to be built into it, but as a stylish case for a work-station, the BP671 is an excellent choice. g

40

AT A GLANCE: PROS:

• Solidly built • Attractive

CONS:

• Limited in use

Manufacturer: In Win Distributor: Pinnacle Africa Online: www.pinnacle.co.z

TECH SPECS: • 265 x 100 x 310mm • 1 optical drive bay • 1 HDD bay • 2 USB ports • 80mm fan

Score

Those who may need a small form factor PC case would do well to consider the BP671

75

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Prototype 2

Oh, Heller…

Promises of awesomeness undelivered.

H

ere’s the thing about sequels; they need to take what came before and improve on it. We don’t expect that from movies. Most of the time cinematic sequels are generally worse than the first film, but there are a few times that the second movie is as good as, if not better than, the original. But when it comes to gaming, it’s a different matter. A sequel had better be an improvement, of we do not forgive it. It’s simply the way it is in the video game world. And rightly so, really, because the march of technology is inexorable; if game developers don’t keep up, they shouldn’t be doing what they are doing (or, at least, that’s what the average gamer seems to think.)

The improvements aren’t just technological, either.

Other elements need to be worked on, too, including all

42

by Walt Pretorius

the little niggles and bugs that may have occurred in the first game. It’s the way of the industry.

But every now and then, even with improvements, a sequel comes along that somehow just doesn’t seem to make any sort of grade. Perhaps improvements to game dynamics allow previously unnoticed flaws to become apparent. Maybe seeing more of the same just isn’t enough. And it is into this category that Prototype 2 falls.

I wanted to love Prototype 2, I really did. To be honest, I did enjoy playing the game but, sadly, there are enough chinks in this title’s armour to take it from a level of potential brilliance and bring it down a few notches. The original game – coincidentally the first game to be featured as a Gamecca Magazine cover – did a lot of things right, but also showed some issues. These, oddly, were sorted

g ga m l a edcgceat rvei vd ieeow g•a m i ses u•e i s1s7u e• 1 N9 o v •e m Mba ey r 22001120

out to a large degree, only for a whole bunch of others to creep in.

The story revolves around Sgt James Heller, who comes back to New York after a tour of Iraq, only to find his wife and young daughter murdered by those infected with the horrific Mercer virus. The virus, of course, is named after Alex Mercer, the protagonist of the first game. But the developers saw fit to put Mercer on the opposing team this time around, and Heller swears bloody revenge on the mutated anti-hero. And then, for some or other reason, Mercer infects Heller, giving him similar powers.

Yes, that’s right – the wall-running, high-jumping, fastgliding action is back, this time with Heller armed to the mutated teeth with biological enhancements that include claws, blades and shields. And, in that matter, it once

g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

again shows a crack. It might be personal opinion, but Heller, like Mercer, is just too powerful. There is very little that can stop this ‘superhero’, unlike the other great origin tale lead, inFamous’ Cole McGrath (in my opinion a much better, more believable character.) Instead of giving us a character that we can actually like, the developers once again have presented us with a near psychotic killing machine to try and identify with. Heller is brutal, foulmouthed and single-minded in his quest for vengeance against Mercer, making him a somewhat one dimensional character. Hating to bring the comparison up again, but the player had some modicum of control over McGrath’s personality in both infamous titles. Here, you get what you get.

So, let’s set aside the lead character for a bit – put it

43

down to accepting him – and look at what the game has on offer. Prototype 2 tasks the player with careening around the city and causing mayhem, pretty much. The main missions follow a formula, for the most part, that gets a little old quite early into the game; take on a disguise by ‘consuming’ an enemy, infiltrate a base, and break stuff, before dashing out to make your escape. Nine out of ten, that’s what you will get.

To break the monotony of the main missions, a number of collectable and side quests have been included. Sadly, each group of them follows formulaic patterns too. Field Ops missions, for example, involve beating up bad guys in a specific location. Blackbox missions involve finding a recorded message. Hive missions… well, you have to destroy an infected hive. And //Blackwatch missions involve hunting down a character, getting information by

44

absorbing them, and then undertaking one of a handful of different missions as a result. This all comes down to breaking a monotonous pattern with other monotonous patterns. Hardly variety… but at least the rewards are tangible, with each set of side quests and collectable missions rewarding Heller with a new mutation. Also, most collectables’ locations are hinted at on the map, so you can do a bit of power-gaming early on.

Control-wise, things have been trimmed up. The fingergymnastics and crazy button combos that needed to be memorised in the first game are a thing of the past, making the overall experience slicker. Blasting your way around the city feels a little more measured, a little less chaotic than in the original, which is great.

Graphically, the game is a mixed bag. It looks good, for the most part, until a bad texture or clipping snaps you

g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

of a building shouldn’t help you evade attention… it should draw even more attention. Oh, well.

As it starts out, Prototype 2 is filled with promise, but it never really delivers on that. It manages to flirt with awesomeness, without ever really taking itself in that direction. Instead, it grows repetitive and a little long winded, despite only offering around 14 hours of game play. The plot is a bit thin, too, so don’t go looking for depth there.

Basically, this game can be a lot of fun to play, with its over-the-top action and fast paced, free-roaming movement, but it won’t stick in your memory as a great gaming experience.

One play-through is probably all you’ll ever give it, which is a bit sad, considering that it could really have been awesome. g

AT A GLANCE: Prototype 2 is a lot of fun, but it missed being awesome because of a few chinks in its armour.

Developer: Radical Publisher: Activision Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

out of the visual illusion every now and then. The voice acting, too, leaves a bit to be desired, with particularly Heller seeming capable of only angry exhortations liberally punctuated with the F-word.

And then there’s the AI. It’s pretty smart, for the most part.

The player will feel that they are being hunted, and that nasty habit that people on the streets had in the previous game of not reacting when Mercer landed on the ground with a resounding thud after a long fall has been more or less taken care of. But they still don’t seem to be able to look up. You can go gliding right over the heads of soldiers without them noticing, and suddenly running up a vertical surface seems to draw little, if any attention. It just breaks the illusion that the game could have created, once again making it far too easy to play Heller. Running up the side

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

78 45

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13

Tiger’s Journey

Relive every stroke from the once-great player

T

he Tiger Woods PGA Tour franchise has been turning couch-players into professional golfers since 1998, and really needs no introduction. So it came as no surprise when gamers found that the latest iteration, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13, was shipped with all kinds of added-extras, changes and a new direction of gameplay.

The title was shipped in two different versions - a standard one, and a Masters Collection edition. The standard game has all the functionality of the normal Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13, but lack some courses and special equipment that was included in the Masters Edition.

It is by far better for any couch-golfer to get the Masters Edition, as it includes a set of Masters golf clubs, which will give any player a real boost in terms of strength and accuracy.

46

by Charlie Fripp

The most striking difference between Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 and the other games in the franchise is that this title focuses rather heavily on online content and being constantly connected to the EA Servers.

When players first start the game, they have the option of creating a new golfer from scratch or to import their own character from Tiger Woods 12 and using the EA servers to make use of EA’s Game Face functionality. The process takes quite a while, and there have been reported problems with importing character faces from the servers a number had their faces all mixed up with weird blotches covering their face.

If players import an experienced character from Tiger Woods 12, they will receive a rather generous 75 000 XP to boost their base skills. This is very handy, as the beginning rounds of golf can be rather tough to get through without going over par. More XP is gained

g ga m l a edcgceat rvei vd ieeow g•a m i ses u•e i s1s7u e• 1 N9 o v •e m Mba ey r 22001120

throughout the title for things like long drives, close approaches and hitting the green in regulation.

In previous versions, players were able to master courses by simply playing them a number of times and achieving a number of set goals. While this is still possible for TW13, players must now be online and logged into the EA servers to gain Course Mastery. The whole system has also been refined, where player will now be able to buy rounds at downloadable courses with the coins they earned. Once they have mastered a downloadable course, they will have access to unlimited rounds at that course effectively playing the downloadable course for free.

Players also need to be online in order to gain these coins and status point. Coins are awarded after each round and the amount depends on how well the round was played. These coins can then be used to buy Boost packs and other goodies from the title’s in-game store.

g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Status points are linked to yet other new feature - online country clubs. Players will be able to create their own or join an existing country club, and earn status points for their club depending on how well they play. When players are a member of a club, they will be able to quickly play against other members, access the club’s leaderboards and earn status points, which will push the club further up the worldwide club lead board. But once again, to access the country club or earn status points, gamers will have to be signed into the EA servers.

Besides the normal “Play Now” and career mode, TW13 included Tiger Legacy Challenge, where gamers can relive Tiger Woods’ greatest golfing moments - from 5-yearsold right through to the present and beyond. It’s rather fun and disturbing at the same time to swing a golf club playing a 6-year-old Tiger, but it does give a wonderful backstory to his life and how he became one of

47

the best golfers in the world. Each section in Tiger Legacy Challenge is beautifully illustrated with a video in which Woods explains the period in his career, and it’s actually amazing to learn that he won the Under-10 Junior World Golf Championship when he was only eight.

But while the game’s presentation has changed and a few added aspects were included, the biggest difference in TW13 from any other Tiger Woods title is the new swing mechanic. The three-click system has been completely eliminated from this one, and the only way to swing a club is with the analogue stick.

Players will have to set up their shot using the same button configuration as from the previous version, but the magic happens in the swing. Once the shot has been set up, gamers will see a swing plane (the path that the club will take during the swing) and a little bit extra at the end

48

for a boost, display in relation to their golfer.

Players will have to pull down on the left analogue stick perfectly straight so that the club will travel on the prefect plane, and once the desired strength for the shot has been reached, players push forward on the stick to initiate the full swing.

Playing on amateur difficulty will always be a lot easier to swing than on others, as any shot will always be at full power - no matter the club or the distance. Playing on anything other than Amateur is where the real test comes in and things start to become a bit tricky.

Where the shot will always be at full power for Amateur, other difficulties retain the full power of the swing plane, but make a mark in it as to where players should stop and make the backswing. Go over the recommended mark, and players will most definitely hit the ball too hard and see if

g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

faults.

Sometimes the wind speed and direction can be very inconsistent and putting power can be irregular.

Other than that, the graphics have been given a fantastic boost and the new swing mechanic is the best we have seen thus far. It’s just a pity that Electronic Arts shamelessly make use of in-game currency and the need to be constantly connected to the internet in order to reap the benefits from certain aspects. But while the game is incredibly engaging, there is a worry that it won’t have the longevity it needs, as it can quickly become monotonous after extended periods.

It’s a very pleasing and well-planned title from Electronic Arts, with a great amount of real-world courses, some new playable golfers from around the world and it should definitely be on every golfer’s shopping list. g

AT A GLANCE: It is by far the best Tiger Woods game the market has seen Developer: EA Tiburon Publisher: Electronic Arts Distributor: EA South Africa

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

10+ g l a d g e t v i d e o g a m e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

flying over their intended target area. Putting is done in the same fashion, but is slightly harder to do compared to other versions.

Tee-off boosting has also been removed, but players will still be able to spin the ball in mid-air to gain an extra advantage over a shot or wind direction. One of the biggest delights is that the Caddie Mode can now be disabled completely.

TW12 introduced a rather persistent on-course advisor, which became a bit much after a while, but luckily players can now turn him on permanently, activate him manually or opt to turn him off completely. When engaged in manual mode, he will only give on-screen direction, having no voice or character on screen.

While Tiger Woods PGA Tour 13 is definitely one of the best golfing simulators on the market, it’s not without its

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

89 49

Kinect Rush

A Rush to the Finish?

While fun, Kinect Rush could have been so much better

by Iwan Pienaar

A

t first glance, Kinect Rush is yet another Disney title designed to appeal to the younger set.

After all, how good can a title be that combines five classic Pixar movies (Toy Story, Up, Cars, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille) into a series of platformthemed challenges?

The answer is surprisingly fun. Sure, the little ones will love being able to jump into many of their favourite Pixar movie worlds with a fairly intuitive Kinect control scheme. But the nice thing is that even parents will enjoy joining them in a two player co-op mode with split screen – not to mention getting a good workout to boot as the pace is quite frenetic at times.

At its most basic, each of the games entails solving a set of time-based challenges by jumping, running, dodging, ducking, climbing, and so on. In single-player mode, you work with one of the characters from the

50

movies to accomplish the challenges for that particular level, unlocking more levels and secret areas as you go along.

As with any platformer, you need to collect coins as you progress for additional points and rewards at the end of each level. In co-op, you and a friend will work together in the aforementioned split-screen mode. Thankfully, each player can pretty much do his or her own thing and is not pulled into any specific direction. This helps with coin collecting as the players can go on their merry ways. This is great for younger children who each have their own idea of how to do things but ultimately progression does rely on following the marker arrows.

The length of the levels can vary between anything from four to 20 minutes depending on how much you care about collecting every coin and finding every hidden area. Of the five Pixar movies, the most enjoyable seem to be Toy

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to only a handful of levels, the game can be finished fairly quickly in a few intense sessions.

On the one hand, the shorter levels are good for the young ones but even my boys got annoyed when a level would finish just as they were getting into the hang of things.

The other frustration is the control scheme. Moving around is done by jogging on the spot with players turning by making subtle shoulder movements to the left or right.

As children tend to have exaggerated movements it will probably take them a while to get into the habit of making these smaller movements.

Despite the frustrations, Kinect Rush is an enjoyable title that will keep the children busy for a good few hours. The lack of replay value is a bit problematic but enough time between gaming sessions should take care of that. So if you are looking for something for the next school holiday, consider Kinect Rush. You could do a lot worse. g

AT A GLANCE: The children will definitely enjoy this one but the replay value ultimately lets it down.

Developer: Asobo Studio Publisher: Microsoft Distributor: Microsoft

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

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Story, Cars, and Up but all of them have their own charm.

The graphics are decent without being amazing. But there are some nice touches in the background if you keep your eyes out for them. The South American scenery of Up and the Parisian backdrop of Ratatouille really shine and succeed in drawing the players in.

However, the audio really lets Kinect Rush down, especially the voices of the characters. This really becomes apparent in the Kinect Park, which acts as a sort of a holding area where players can choose which Pixar adventure to go on. In the Park, there are a host of other avatars wandering around with their repetitive chatter bound to drive you up the wall.

Unfortunately, replay value is also very limited as the short levels do not endear themselves to being played multiple times. In fact, all the games in Kinect Rush feel just too short. What is more, with each movie being limited

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

74 51

Silent Hill: Downpour

Rain, Rain Go Away!

We revisit Silent Hill as the storms hit.

S

ilent Hill Downpour is the latest in the survival horror Silent Hill franchise title, and the eighth game in the series.

As usual, you must solve puzzles, explore the surrounding environments and fight frightening nightmare monsters.

You play as escaped convict Murphy Pendleton, who is stranded in Silent Hill when the transport bus he’s aboard crashes and falls down an embankment. Murphy escapes and makes his way into Silent Hill, only to find out that all roads out of Silent Hill are closed.

As in the other games in the series, you must solve puzzles, fight monsters, meet weird characters that inevitably have something to hide and constantly collect and then refer to your maps to figure out where the hell you need to go.

Like so many games released these days, Downpour has a karma system that affects the ending of the game, all of which are dependant on the good or bad moral choices you make throughout. While this always adds a

52

by Pippa Tshabalala

replayability factor to any game, it’s not really an original feature as they are quite basic and lack subtlety, but if you’re persistent you might get two, maybe three playthroughs, in order to see the multiple endings.

Another system introduced in Downpour is, quite aptly, the rain. Or rather, the dynamic weather, which not only transitions from day to night, but also affects the actual weather conditions such as sunshine and rain. As a storm approaches, know that you better be heading inside to safety or be prepared to run fast and battle it out with the beasties as they surface, emboldened by the bad weather, to hunt you down.

Visually, Downpour’s graphics are crisp and beautifully rendered, and the style has remained consistent across the series whilst at the same time still improving in accordance with the times. As always, there is an attention to detail that immerses you in the world. The fog that has always permeated the town of Silent Hill returns once again. This time however, the fog is enhanced by the recurrent rain

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ineffectual and most definitely sub-par to the experience many gamers have come to expect from the survival horror genre.

Even worse, the PS3 version has some frame rate issues on occasion that make for an irritating and laggy experience.

Overall, the game’s story is engaging and the visual production quality is of a high standard, but the technical performance is below what we have come to expect from both the series and the genre as a whole. The combination of these binaries means that whilst Silent Hill is better than some of the previous Silent Hill games, ultimately the verdict is that it becomes slips slowly into mediocrity. The earlier games in the franchise remain the better examples of Silent Hill survival horror.

Silent Hill Downpour is a worthwhile journey, and in so many respects harkens back to the Silent Hills of old. Unfortunately the overall experience is ultimately forgettable. g

AT A GLANCE: Convict Murphy Pendleton must escape from Silent Hill like so many others before him. You know the drill.

Developer: Vatra Games Publisher: Konami Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

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and dynamic lighting.

Coupled with these changes in visual atmosphere, the sound design and music, as always, play a big part in setting the tone of the game. In many respects Downpour is reminiscent of the atmosphere in Silent Hill 2, probably one of the best games in this franchise. The atmosphere is tense and frightening, keeping you on a knife’s edge throughout the game. Moments of dead silence, which only occasionally fall flat, keep things wonderfully suspenseful. When there is background music, it sets your nerves on edge and heightens the anticipation of combat to a point where it is almost painful, and when that monster leaps out at you, it doesn’t matter whether or not you die, it is almost a relief to not be waiting for their eventual appearance.

While Silent Hill is successful in some respects - its suspenseful atmosphere, its dynamic weather system, its detailed and beautiful graphics - unfortunately it fails in many others. The combat system is clunky and rather

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

68 53

Prototype 2 Kinect Star Wars Ridge Racer: Unbounded Silent Hill: Downpour Twisted Metal Trials: Evolution Catherine and more...

The Virus

Fighting Mercer in Prototype 2

A New Swing

New ideas in Tiger Woods 13

He’s Back!

The tale of Sanctuary continues in Diablo 3

I S S U E 3 5 / Vo l . 3 M ay 2 0 1 2

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

www.gameccamag.com Taking fun seriously!

Trials: Evolution

The Bike Trial Frustration can be a lot of fun

T

he original Trials games had millions of downloads, so when the sequel, Trails Evolution, was announced fans knew that they would be in for an awesome game. The title might be a bit overwhelming for players who haven’t played the first game, but with a bit of persistence and a strong tolerance for frustration, the title can be mastered.

The crux of the title is that players use a variety of trial bikes to race, ride, jump and manoeuvre over obstacles on a course in order to finish it in the least amount of time and with the fewest possible retries.

When a track is completed within a certain time frame in single player, a medal (bronze, silver of gold) is awarded. The more medals players unlock, the more tracks will become available. The number and strength of the bikes available will also depend on how many tracks the gamer has managed to beat.

In terms of graphics, the game upped the graphical

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by Charlie Fripp quality a little bit, but generally stuck with the tried-andtested method of game presentation. There really isn’t a point in making the title as pretty as it can be, as the scenery whizzes by at break-neck speeds anyway.

At a 1.3GB download on the Xbox Live market, the graphics couldn’t be pumped up as much as traditional games, as it would push the download size even further.

Something that took a bit of a backseat in the first Trials game is the fact that gamers will now be able to customise their rider and bikes in a variety of ways. After completing a track successfully, the player will be given a sum of cash (depending on the type of medal awarded), and this can be used to buy decals and different bike parts. The parts won’t upgrade the bike’s capabilities, but they will sure make it look a bit more fearsome.

A major part of the game is the user-generated content, which probably spans into the thousands of created tracks.

Players have the choice of using a Lite editor or the Pro

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After each race, players will be awarded points for their position, and the number of retries will be subtracted from that.

At the end of the championship, the player with the most points will be crowned the winner.

In terms of longevity, the multiplayer is the portion of the game that will probably suffer the most, as there isn’t much to do beyond the setting up of a race and competing against friends and others players. Granted, the multiplayer races was never punted as being a sellingpoint, but it would have been good to see a game have all its elements in check.

Trials Evolution is definitely one of the best games available on XBL at the moment, and it provides gamers with a fantastic challenge in self-control, patience and problem-solving.

The controls are great, the graphics are as good and the fun just never stops. g

AT A GLANCE: With the follow-up from the original title, developer Red Lynx has outdone themselves in the fun department.

Developer: Red Lynx Publisher: Microsoft Studios Distributor: XBLA

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

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Editor, and with it they will be able to create any track imaginable.

Gamers will have a choice between creating a Trial or a Supercross track, and their imagination is the only thing standing between them and a great way for other gamers to experience the might of the game’s editor.

Some gamers have even gone so far as to create a track based on the popular games Portal and Angry Birds, where riders have to go through the same motions as the real titles. The possibilities of track design are really epic, and it will be a strong driving point for the game going forward.

The title does have a multiplayer aspect to it as well.

Gamers can choose between Trial tracks or Supercross and race against each other on them. Before the race begins, the host of the game can queue up a number of tracks in succession, and will form part of a small championship.

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

90 57

Ridge Racer: Unbounded

Burning Out?

A new direction… but is it the right one?

T

he Ridge Racer franchise started in the early 90s with the arcade style racing and over the last two decades. Ridge Racer has kept to its familiar racing style and presentation, which has made the series so popular amongst gamers. The story of Unbounded follows a group of racers lead by the mysterious Kara Shindo, where you’ll have to prove yourself as you race for pride, and glory… all while demolishing the city, tearing the streets of Shatter Bay apart and racing where no car has gone before, because everything that lies before you can be destroyed.

Races take place in the city. Start from last position and beat all your opponents to claim glory, all while you boost to stop speed, destroy the city and take down your opponents before they take you out. The controls are very simple; accelerate, handbrake and boost. Although the series has come a long way, the game hasn’t really

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by Dylan Bouch

evolved much, but that’s the reason why it appeals to its fans and has been so successful. Although the game has stuck to its original style of racing and drifting, handling doesn’t seem to change much with the different cars.

Modern racing games like Forza give gamers an accurate feel of the car, where this title seems far from reality.

This title is fully automatic and doesn’t require any gear changes but you’ll notice that the vehicles seem to have 10 speed gear boxes; during a race you can hear the car gear up a good few times then down once, and the up again a few more times.

The burnout series worked really well with a boost system and driving extremely fast, dodging cars and so on; Ridge Racer has the player driving as fast as the car can go, but when boosting, the car doesn’t go much faster.

However, when it comes to destroying the city, if you’re not boosting, you won’t be demolishing anything but your

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the job done while racing. Most of the cars look similar to each other, with similar rear lights for some odd reason.

The cities look like real cities would and demolishing them looks even better.

There are few great ideas that were implemented in this title; the driver position and lap times, for example, are displayed on the buildings or overhead bridges, and the player will be able to see them while driving past.

Ridge Racer: Unbounded introduces a cool feature where players can create their own cities to race in and destroy with friends, but the system is a little clunky. The career modes consist of various races (race, time trial, checkpoints) in different city areas and there are nine areas to visit, which makes for a short but tough career.

Most of the fun will take place online, where the RR community will share new tracks or at least new tracks available on DLC. g

AT A GLANCE: This title is a arcade racer, only Ridge Racer fans will really enjoy it.

Developer: Namco Bandai Publisher: Namco Bandai Distributor: Megarom

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

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Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

X360 Platforms

vehicle. When the player crashes, he really crashes, and hard. The lack of damage model doesn’t prevent accidents from destroying the player’s chance of winning.

The soundtrack isn’t the best I’ve heard. All the cars sound the same, even though they look different and are supposed to be different. The music style in this title is what I call TransFormer Music (shryllics and wub wub) which does get annoying after a while and the supporting sound effects are simple. The voice acting for Kara Shindo is also not too impressive… she is always talking with a loud whisper, like a late night phone stalker.

The better half of this title are the graphics, from the intro to the races and all the way to the menu – they look great. The surrounding environments in each level look similar to each other but are still good overall.

The cars aren’t the best I’ve seen and can be compared to those in Burn Out. The cars aren’t licensed, but will get

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSV DS 3DS

Score

60 59

Movie of the Month DVD Seen

The Bad Side...

60

g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Straw Dogs “Heaven and earth are not humane, and regard the people as straw dogs.” - Lao-tzu Sam Peckinpah’s 1971 Straw Dogs was so controversial and considered so disturbing that the BBFC (British Board of Film Censors) had this film banned from being released on video and DVD from 1984 to 2002.

Rod Lurie’s 2011 version of this conflict-filled thriller has been modified and modernised to today’s standards. Opposed to the original setting in England, the remake is set in the small Southern town of Blackwater, Mississippi, where screenwriter David Sumner (James Marsden) and his wife Amy (Kate Bosworth) decide to relocate and renovate the fieldstone house that Amy grew up in.

Amy is no stranger to the ways of the south, but David soon begins to realise that his new surroundings are not so accepting and welcoming of strangers. His compliant, submissive nature is passive-aggressively poked, provoked, and challenged by a horrendous set of disturbing and conflicting circumstances. “Everyone has a breaking point”!

With excellent performances by Alexander Skarsgård, James Marsden and Kate Bosworth this version of Straw Dogs is beautifully paced, with a cast that has an incredible chemistry and dynamic set of acting skills. If you are a thriller fan, this is definitely worth the watch! g DIRECTOR: Rod Lurie DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: 16VL Score

STARRING: James Marsden Kate Bosworth Alexander Skarsgård

89

MOVIE

OF THE MONTH g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

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DVD Seen

Dear Mr. Gacy

After the cancellation of their mission, the crew members of Apollo 18 are informed that the mission has not actually been cancelled but the astronauts can’t tell anyone about it because this is a top secret mission for the government and the American people can’t know about it. While on the moon placing the “detectors”, the two astronauts find footprints that are not theirs. Following the footprints, they find a Russian space shuttle, abandoned… that is when things start to go bad.

The movie was filmed very well and resembles real footage you would see from NASA; the shuttle scenes, as well as the moon landing, look great . Some of the footage is replayed at certain scenes and circled to show the viewer what seems to be an alien, which sounds very similar to the Predator.

The actors did a great job playing distressed and scared in the beginning, but it soon feels as if it is over-acted at times. The aliens look like stupid spiders which crawl under your skin and kill you… meaning this sci-fi horror is not really scary; it looks great until they reveal the aliens. The camera work and style it was filmed in is really the best part of this feature but it is still an interesting watch. g

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DIRECTOR:

Gonzalo L.Gallego

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 10LV Score

STARRING: Warren Christie Lloyd Owen Ryan Robbins

60

This film is based on the true story of Jason Moss, a college student who reaches out to serial killer John Wayne Gacy in attempted to uncover information about the notorious murders and write his final term paper about the psychotic killer.

Moss sends misleading letters to Gacy in order for the disturbed killer to let go and trust him a little, and share sensitive information.

Chilling performances by Jesse Moss (no relation to Jason Moss) and William Forsythe help bring a thrilling story of actual events to life. Jesse Moss does well as Jason, starting off confident and slowly losing his cool, slowly losing his mind, while Gacy (William Forsythe) tears him apart from the inside. Forsythe, too, is superb in his role, and the film provides a scary look at how Gacy really was.

Director Sveozar Ristovski (this being his third film) does a respectable job portraying this horrifying true story, complete with a decent soundtrack to back it all up. This is a great film too see if you’re interested in American serial killers, a different view of the J.W Gacy killings and the story of Jason Moss, which indeed is a chilling one. g

STARRING: Jesse Moss William Forsythe Emma Lahana

DIRECTOR:

Sveozar Ristovsk

DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16LV Score

Apollo 18

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g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Immortals

Megan (Hillary Duff’s sister, Haylie Duff) is found in the woods, distressed and confused. Taken in by the police, she reveals that six of her friends have been murdered and she is the only one still alive. While she regains lost memories, the detectives interrogate her to discover what has happened to the other students while they were all on spring break, on a paradise island.

Hillary Duff’s sister isn’t a very good actor and the only real standout was Aaron Ashmore, twin brother of Shaw Ashmore from the X-Men trilogy. Aaron Ashmore is best known for his role in Smallville, but doesn’t present an award winning performance this time round.

The film felt choppy at times, jumping back and forth with no real rhythm or much of a story to hold on to.

The best feature of the film is the sound track, with different genres of music perfect for the scenes.

Although the acting isn’t top class and the method the killer uses to kill his victim is quite amusing, the plot’s ending will also shock the viewer as it has quite a twist. g

DIRECTOR: Michael Storey DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

FPB Rating: 16LV Score

STARRING: Aaron Ashmore Hilary Duff Lucy Hale

55

Before humankind, there were immortals and during their time they fought for the position to be the Greek gods. (Mickey Rourke) is a king in search of the virgin oracle Phaedra (Freida Pinto) to help him find a weapon of the gods, a bow which can help him release the Titans, those Immortals defeated during the great wars. All his efforts are for his lust for revenge and his hate towards the gods Theseus (Henry Cavill ) is a mortal chosen to help the fight against Hyperion and his army, and stop him from releasing the Titans from their immortal prison. Henry Cavil is also known for his role as Charles Brandon in the popular series The Tudors. He is very good actor but did not live up to his full potential in this film, shouting in every fighting scene where he yields a sword against his enemies. Even in non-combat scenes he still lacks confidence and seems to weak for this role… but otherwise the general acting was fairly good.

Director Tarsem Singh presents a good film with help from producer Mark Canton, who also produced 300.

Immortals has a strong influence of Greek mythology but is not necessarily correct; from ‘fact’ to wardrobe, there is a lot of fault with the depiction of Ancient Greece. But the fights are fun. g

STARRING: Henry Cavill Mickey Rourke Freida Pinto

DIRECTOR: Tarsem Singh DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: 16V Score

Fear Island

70

63

DVD Seen

Mother’s Day

Brooklyn, 1975: two Irish brothers live a life of crime to get by, but Brian (Nick Thurston), the younger brother, doesn’t want to follow his older brother Danny’s (Geoffrey Wigdor ) path of crime. He is a gifted artist forced to hide his work in their basement, away from his violent drunk father and older brother. The struggling Irish family go through their difficulties trying to get by. Brian is not interested in following his dream or studying like his friends; he has no dreams to leave Brooklyn – thinking he is destined to stay there forever, like his family.

This was one of the best DVD’s I’ve seen this year, an incredible story with brilliant sub-plots. Nick Thurston was brilliant in his first appearance, and the supporting cast all delivered strong performances, particularly Stephen Lang as the emotionally wrecked and drunk father.

The soundtrack was just as good as the story and acting, ‘70s rock and roll from start to finish with a few Irish pub songs thrown in, as well as a huge dislike for disco is this film. Director John Grey, who also directed some episodes of Ghost Whisperer as well as Helter Skelter (a chilling story about Charles Manson) did a brilliant job brining the story to the audience. The only minor issue I had with this film was the shaky hand filming style in some scenes. Overall, this is a top movie all round which will appeal to a wide variety of viewers. g

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DIRECTOR: John Grey DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16VLNSD Score

STARRING: Nick Thurston Geoffrey Wigdor Stephen Lang

85

From the director of Saw II, III and IV, Mother’s Day is a compelling remake of the classic that was banned by the BBFC in the 1980s.

Mother, portrayed by Rebecca De Mornay, is malevolently calculating, passively controlling and vindictively sadistic. Abducting four children, Mother has manipulatively raised them as psychologically dependant criminals that rely on her as their aid.

When three of her sons rob a bank and the youngest gets himself shot, they retreat back home, only to find a young couple living there and having a party with some close friends.

Terrorising the new owners and the house guests, the confused and traumatised brothers call Mother who, upon arrival, takes charge of the situation.

There were certain moments where I felt that the movie’s creative pace became a little predictable and almost clichéd, but one can forgive these scenes and continue to be thrilled by what was to come next. As a whole, even though this is a low budget movie, director Darren Lynn Bousman goes to town in creatively setting the mood for a psychopathic thriller that keeps you engrossed from start to finish. g

STARRING: Rebecca De Mornay Jamie King Patrick Flueger

DIRECTOR: Darren L. Bousman DISTRIBUTOR: Ster Kinekor

FPB Rating: 16VL Score

White Irish Drinkers

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Tower Heist

Puss In Boots

DIRECTOR: Brett Ratner

DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

FPB Rating: 13L Score

STARRING: Ben Stiller Eddie Murphy Casey Affleck

79

Antonio Banderas (Puss in Boots), Selma Hayek (Kitty Softpaws), Zach Galifianakis (Humpty Dumpty), Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris (Jack and Jill), come together in this charmingly adorable adventure telling DreamWorks’s modern interpretation of Puss in Boots.

Originally a French literary fairy tale written in the 17th Century by Charles Perrault, the tale from which the film’s main character originally hails is about a crafty cat who manipulates circumstances to gain power, wealth and a royal marriage for his low-born penniless master. One would also find it interesting that Humpty Dumpty was historically a large cannon, mounted on the protected wall of St. Mary’s Wall Church in Colchester England, which “tumbled down” after a shot was fired from a Parliamentary cannon.

In the 2011 version, produced by DreamWorks, Humpy Dumpty and Puss in Boots are brothers in an orphanage who share an impressionable dream which leads to their adventure. As with Shrek, DreamWorks have once again meshed the fairy-tale concept into completely different flavour of tangled adventures by introducing Humpy Dumpty, Jack and Jill, magic beans, golden eggs and kitty romance.

Perhaps not for the puritans, this animation is beautifully presented and entertaining. Besides, this pussycat can charm the boots off anyone! g STARRING: Antonio Banderas Selma Hayek Zach Galifianakis

DIRECTOR: Chris Miller DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: PG Score

We haven’t seen Eddie Murphy for a while. His career, in fact, seems to be non-existent. But despite flagging fortunes, he returns in Tower Heist.

Thankfully, Murphy was worth watching in the movie, although lead funny-man Ben Stiller puts in a much better performance. Sadly, the two actors both fail to establish a very strong chemistry on-screen…

Tower Heist tells the tale of a group of disgruntled exclusive high-rise staff members who want to steal money from the man who defrauded their retirement plan… the owner of the penthouse in the very building where they work. But the rag-tag bunch of would-be criminal masterminds need some help, and approach a ne’er-do-well petty thief to help them out.

Tower Heist offers a few good laughs as it swings between slightly silly comedy and action adventure, all under the skilful control of director Brett Ratner (who brought us the Rush Hour trilogy.) There is a lot going for this film, but it does fall short in some areas, too. At least it gives Casey Affleck the opportunity to once again show that he can out-act his more famous brother Ben, and other cast members, including an aging Matthew Broderick and a very old looking Alan Alda, all put in better than average performances. It’s not the best comedy Stiller has ever been in, but Tower Heist is not one to skip, either. It’s light and fun. g

80

65

Collectables DVD Seen

To take the Iron Throne...

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Game of Thrones (Season 1) Based on the fantastic book of the same name by George RR Martin (the first book in the ever-growing Song of Ice and Fire saga), the first season of Game of Thrones manages to create such a splendidly believable world, and tell such an awesome story, that it simply has to be this month’s Collectable DVD. Set in the Kingdom of Westeros, Game of Thrones tells the complex tale of political intrigue behind the apparent peaceful front of a massive medieval-style kingdom. When the king asks Eddard Stark (skilfully played by the excellent Sean Bean) to be his closest advisor, Stark dare not refuse. But as he takes up the post, he discovers a treacherous truth that could dump the kingdom into a brutal war. He must reveal the truth to the king before those that would do him harm can find a way to stop him… but Stark has many powerful enemies to contend with.

With excellent script-writing, a cast that is nothing short of stellar (including the diminutive Peter Dinklage, who won an award for his performance), excellent production values and a strict adherence to the original written work, Game of Thrones Season One is something that is well worth watching, and deserves a place of pride in any DVD collection. g

CREATOR: Various DISTRIBUTOR: Nu Metro

FPB Rating: 18LVNS Score

STARRING: Sean Bean Lena Headey Peter Dinklage n

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COLLECTABLE OF THE MONTH

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The Biggest Picture

Money to Burn

B&O go huge…

by Walt Pretorius

I

t’s one thing to spend a ridiculous amount of money on something that is gold plated and diamond encrusted. But it’s a whole different kettle of fish when the cash you are forking over actually buys something that has value beyond crazy amounts of bling. The very first thing we looked at in this section, several months ago, was a rather plain TV surrounded by gold and diamonds. Now we’re going to look at another TV, and one that won’t have people looking at you as if you’re an escaped mental patient… even if you did pay more than R1 000 000 for it.

OK, well actually, they might still. But you could, at very least, argue the technical merits of the Band & Olufsen BeoVision 4. Yes, it might sound like a cross between a robot and a character from Norse mythology, but this baby is really impressive.

At its heart is a picture panel that measures 103 inches. That’s, what, a little more than 2.5 meters from one corner to the opposite? Everyone will agree that the screen is almost at overkill levels.

The panel is a plasma screen that comes equipped with Automatic Colour Management, that helps hide

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the effects of age that all plasma TVs eventually show.

This system uses a tiny camera to monitor your TV’s performance every 100 hours, and make adjustments accordingly.

Other automated processes measure ambient light and make picture adjustments. It even has a motorised floor stand. And you need that, because this baby weighs 265kg. That, in itself, is an insurance policy, because you would need some pretty brawny burglars to make off with a TV that heavy. When the TV is off, it automatically lowers so as to be less obtrusive (who are they kidding, right?) and then rises up when it’s turned on. The screen also turns and tilts, according to your preferences.

This high definition TV is finished with a diamond-cut brushed aluminium frame, so at least the screen itself is worth more than the outside in this case. And, as an added treat, you can get it in a range of colours, because no-one wants to spend that kind of money to just to end up with a décor clash, right?

We’re pretty sure that this thing must have a remote that makes a Boeing cockpit look simple… but that screen really is an awesome size. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

Destruction or Disposal?

How to get rid of old electronics

Inner Workings

by Charlie Fripp

T

he way in which electronics operate and their inner workings can be very exciting and rather eye-opening at times. How knew exactly how WiFi worked, or how a bladeless fan keeps us cool in the summer? The Inner Workings section has traditionally been about how thing work and what makes them tick, but for this month’s edition we’ll be doing things a bit differently.

Kind of sticking to the “how stuff works” theme, ever wondered how do you get rid of electronic junk?

How many of us have broken pieces of electronics lying around the house but we have no idea what to do with them or how to dispose of the correctly? So this month’s feature will focus on the Inner Workings of electronic disposal.

One thing that will never get old or go out of fashion is good rock and roll, but we have been playing Guitar

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Hero for a number of years - there has to be an old guitar peripheral out there that does work too well anymore.

Well, what do you do when the green button thinks it’s a blue and the red pretends to be a yellow?

For starters, the students at John Hopkins University have taken it upon themselves to repurpose old Guitar Hero controllers to help train bionic arms. A user could either ship their old controllers to the good folks at John Hopkins University, or they could use the plastic body to repurpose it into a real, functioning guitar instrument.

There are a number of websites that will show users exactly what they need and how to program it, which should breathe some new life into old Betsy.

The other alternative is to sell the broken guitar on an online shopping portal such as eBay for scrap parts. There are quite a few people who require just one or two extra parts to modify their sweet axe into something different, g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

and selling them the broken unit will work out cheaper for everyone.

Another, and somewhat older technology that has fallen by the wayside, is the old floppy disk. There is absolutely no computer on earth that still requires a floppy drive to operate, so those black disk are pretty much useless. Or are they?

A company called Greendisk specialises in the recycling of floppy disks and just about any other technological gadgets that reached the end of their lifespan. They will gladly take the installation files of Indiana Jones and the Quest for Atlantis off anyone, and help make the earth a greener place in the process.

For the serious old-school geek, there are a set of instructions on the website Instructables on how to turn the 5” stiffy into a rather useful bag. In another post they show users who to line the bag with canvas to make g l a d g e t r e g u l a r • i s s u e 1 9 • M ay 2 0 1 2

it even more user-friendly - and keep all your shopping inside.

There are also several more posts on what can be built from floppy parts, such as earrings, rings and necklaces.

Speaking of necklaces, there is a pretty sweet how-to on making a necklace from an old keyboard’s keys as well as another 101 uses for a dead keyboard.

Disposing of electronics and music albums can be a lot more exciting than just throwing them away in the bin. There are environmentally-friendly ways to dispose of them, while others will bring the user a bit of extra cash. Whichever way a user chooses, just think about the possibilities before chucking it in the bin - and find a new and exciting way to repurpose of dispose of the muchloved electronics.

Or they could be dropped from 5 stories up to see how much punishment they can take... g

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It Takes Brains The CPU figures everything out…

PCB

by Alex Scanlon

I

f the motherboard of your computer is it’ backbone, then the brain is the Central Processing Unit (CPU).

The function of the CPU, as the name implies, is to process all the information that makes up the various programmes that the user has installed. Every programme, every game, every function that the computer performs, is handled by the CPU. So, then, it would be easy to assume that buying the best possible CPU is a step in the right direction. And, for once, the assumption proves correct.

But a balance still needs to be struck between potential power and budget. If you can save a bit of cash in purchasing a CPU – which is one of the more expensive components, generally speaking) then it might not be a good idea to consider what kind of processing power you

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might need.

That, in itself, isn’t the easiest exercise, because it is largely theoretical. Still, trying to ascertain what the right kind of processing power required is will help your decision – and possibly your pocketbook. Keep in mind, though, that more power may equate to more speed in processing abilities. Spending as much as you can on a processor won’t hurt.

The internet is full of research material related to CPU abilities, so researching the topic – while potentially needing to wade through some very technical terminology – is not that difficult. But there are certain things that can be considered without that research, too.

The first is the type of CPU you are going to buy. It is a lot

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simpler than it seems, because compatibility between CPU and motherboard is the main component-based consideration.

An AMD motherboard, for example, won’t work with an Intel CPU. That goes further, though – there are various models of CPU out there, and while a motherboard will normally support multiple different models, it won’t support all of them. Ensure that your motherboard and your CPU will work together. If they do, any other component that works with your motherboard will be compatible with the CPU you buy (except, perhaps, in extreme cases… always cross-checking is a good idea.)

The number of cores that a CPU has determines how many processes it can handle. A dual-core CPU will handle two at a time, in theory, while a quad core will handle four. There are other aspects that come into play, of course, but this guideline

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works in the simplest terms. Therefore, a CPU with more cores will potentially perform faster than one with fewer cores, even if they run at the same clockspeed (expressed in GHz).

There are other factors, like technologies that boost core performance and enable cores to handle more tasks, that also come into account. Generally speaking, the more the processor can handle, and the quicker it can handle it, the more it will cost.

Even while trying to save money on a CPU, it is a good idea not to skimp on the purchase. If there is one decision in which spending more money makes sense, it is here.

Next month we will look at RAM, the processing storage memory needed by your ever-growing bundle of computer components. g

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