All of us from Rumournal HQ have put together a slideshow of the best images that we've seen this year. The pictures will keep being updated until the December 31st, so hopefully by the end of the year, we will have a large collection of photos - you are also welcome to add your pictures to the album to, by displaying them in the comments below or by emailing us at rumournal@gmail.com and title it as "Photo for Rumournal's Favourite Pics of 2012".

We hope by the end of this year we will have a huge collection of pictures to show of to the world from us and our readers.

2012· Best photos· Photography· Rumournal

Rumournal's Favourite Pics of 2012

All of us from Rumournal HQ have put together a slideshow of the best images that we've seen this year. The pictures will keep being updated until the December 31st, so hopefully by the end of the year, we will have a large collection of photos - you are also welcome to add your pictures to the album to, by displaying them in the comments below or by emailing us at rumournal@gmail.com and title it as "Photo for Rumournal's Favourite Pics of 2012".

We hope by the end of this year we will have a huge collection of pictures to show of to the world from us and our readers.

Not to be outdone by the AFP, The Wall Street Journal has served up its own collection of the images that best portray the year of 2012. The large roundup — comprised of 338 photos so far — spans a huge variety of locations and topics across the year, including the US and French presidential elections, protests and violence in the Middle East, and everyday life in countries such as China and India. Not every photo has captured such serious subjects, though: there are some more lighthearted examples, like the sofa made of sand sitting idly next to the River Thames, as well as the famous photo of a Colorado bear’s fall from a tree after being tranquilized. All in all, it's a stunning collection waiting to be perused, and the year isn’t even over yet.

2012· Best photos· Photo· Photography· WSJ

The best photos of 2012 as picked by The Wall Street Journal

Not to be outdone by the AFP, The Wall Street Journal has served up its own collection of the images that best portray the year of 2012. The large roundup — comprised of 338 photos so far — spans a huge variety of locations and topics across the year, including the US and French presidential elections, protests and violence in the Middle East, and everyday life in countries such as China and India. Not every photo has captured such serious subjects, though: there are some more lighthearted examples, like the sofa made of sand sitting idly next to the River Thames, as well as the famous photo of a Colorado bear’s fall from a tree after being tranquilized. All in all, it's a stunning collection waiting to be perused, and the year isn’t even over yet.

As you can see, we have rebuilt the website from the ground up all focused on your feedback. This new web design is the biggest one yet. 

Trending Now:

Trending Now is a complete new feature for Rumournal. It is designed with 9 uniquely sized grids that when you scroll over, it is highlighted showing the full image. Clicking it will allow you to see the article that is trending Every time you refresh the page, the 'Trending Now' will change to new articles that are trending. 

Latest Posts:

Scroll down some more and then you reach the new (redesigned) 'Latest Posts' section. This section is so lovely and clear compared to the old design. From feedback, you guys said it was a little squished together, but now, its all nicely spread out and just easier to read which article you are clicking on. 

Sharing Pictures with Lightbox
We have also integrated Twitter and Facebook into the picture viewing tool; so now you can easily share the pictures with your followers, friends or family. 

Amazing New Shapes and Images

The content and the art all throughout Rumournal is now better than ever. You will be impressed by the amount of time and energy went in to try to find the best and important shapes that fit well with the website. 

Sharing Articles

We also now have new sharing icons at the bottom of each post. They are more fluent and you can easily see them to share the awesome posts that we make for the internet and our audience. 

           

Search Faster, Better and Easier 

Based on your feedback, we have made an extremely large improvement to the new search bar. Now you can search for what you want easily. Just type in a word or key-phrase into the search bar and click enter. Once you have clicked enter, the new drop down box will appear linked with the keyword, article name, etc you have typed in without leaving the page. 

Other Amazing Features

• The new 'back to the top' feature that can you can easily click and boom, you are straight back to the top again. 
• Popular, Recent and Archive now has a new design which is more simple to use. 
• Rumournal is now fluid so that whatever size window you have open, the website will automatically adjust to the size of the window. 
• and Much much more

Mobile

Feedback
We got a lot of feedback from the mobile website and that we needed to update the mobile design and that you guys would like it to be a lot more simpilar and similar to the desktop version. So, we read all of the feedback, and we also thought that this is very true. We have taken on all the feedback and created a gorgeous design for Mobile and Tablets that also looks similar to the desktop version. This is the biggest design on the mobile version of the website since we have started. 

New Design: Beautiful, Unique, and Faster Than Ever

We have came up with a complete redesign for the mobile site. Everything that is on the desktop version is on the mobile version, but redesigned so that it is so amazingly beautiful, unique, and fast. 

The trending article feature is also on the new mobile design, with the beautiful grid design but redesigned for the Mobile. Everything looks pretty much the same for the Mobile but redesigned to fit on to the smaller screen. We have even done the same for tablets.

Latest Posts

Scrolling through looking for Rumournal's new articles has never been so much easier with the new mobile website. Everything is clear, rich and just simply beautiful. 

Articles Have Never Looked So Amazing

Articles on the new amazing Rumournal Mobile have never looked so good! It feels magical just scrolling through the beautifully new designed website. Even the titles of the Articles are just amazing and crisp. 

Related Posts Is Now Even

 More Beautiful

Related posts has never looked so good, it has the same unique designed as the 'Trending Articles Grid' but fit for Related Posts. 

Next and Previous

Next and Previous is now beautiful. It doesn't have the ugly text like last time. Now, it is super clear, amazingly beautiful and just looks so good!

There are plenty of more new cool things and lots of improvements too! So what are you waiting for? Try it out! :-)

2012· Amazing Website Design· Beautiful· Design· New Website· Rumournal· Simple

The New, Better, Faster, More Beautiful Rumournal

As you can see, we have rebuilt the website from the ground up all focused on your feedback. This new web design is the biggest one yet. 

Trending Now:

Trending Now is a complete new feature for Rumournal. It is designed with 9 uniquely sized grids that when you scroll over, it is highlighted showing the full image. Clicking it will allow you to see the article that is trending Every time you refresh the page, the 'Trending Now' will change to new articles that are trending. 

Latest Posts:

Scroll down some more and then you reach the new (redesigned) 'Latest Posts' section. This section is so lovely and clear compared to the old design. From feedback, you guys said it was a little squished together, but now, its all nicely spread out and just easier to read which article you are clicking on. 

Sharing Pictures with Lightbox
We have also integrated Twitter and Facebook into the picture viewing tool; so now you can easily share the pictures with your followers, friends or family. 

Amazing New Shapes and Images

The content and the art all throughout Rumournal is now better than ever. You will be impressed by the amount of time and energy went in to try to find the best and important shapes that fit well with the website. 

Sharing Articles

We also now have new sharing icons at the bottom of each post. They are more fluent and you can easily see them to share the awesome posts that we make for the internet and our audience. 

           

Search Faster, Better and Easier 

Based on your feedback, we have made an extremely large improvement to the new search bar. Now you can search for what you want easily. Just type in a word or key-phrase into the search bar and click enter. Once you have clicked enter, the new drop down box will appear linked with the keyword, article name, etc you have typed in without leaving the page. 

Other Amazing Features

• The new 'back to the top' feature that can you can easily click and boom, you are straight back to the top again. 
• Popular, Recent and Archive now has a new design which is more simple to use. 
• Rumournal is now fluid so that whatever size window you have open, the website will automatically adjust to the size of the window. 
• and Much much more

Mobile

Feedback
We got a lot of feedback from the mobile website and that we needed to update the mobile design and that you guys would like it to be a lot more simpilar and similar to the desktop version. So, we read all of the feedback, and we also thought that this is very true. We have taken on all the feedback and created a gorgeous design for Mobile and Tablets that also looks similar to the desktop version. This is the biggest design on the mobile version of the website since we have started. 

New Design: Beautiful, Unique, and Faster Than Ever

We have came up with a complete redesign for the mobile site. Everything that is on the desktop version is on the mobile version, but redesigned so that it is so amazingly beautiful, unique, and fast. 

The trending article feature is also on the new mobile design, with the beautiful grid design but redesigned for the Mobile. Everything looks pretty much the same for the Mobile but redesigned to fit on to the smaller screen. We have even done the same for tablets.

Latest Posts

Scrolling through looking for Rumournal's new articles has never been so much easier with the new mobile website. Everything is clear, rich and just simply beautiful. 

Articles Have Never Looked So Amazing

Articles on the new amazing Rumournal Mobile have never looked so good! It feels magical just scrolling through the beautifully new designed website. Even the titles of the Articles are just amazing and crisp. 

Related Posts Is Now Even

 More Beautiful

Related posts has never looked so good, it has the same unique designed as the 'Trending Articles Grid' but fit for Related Posts. 

Next and Previous

Next and Previous is now beautiful. It doesn't have the ugly text like last time. Now, it is super clear, amazingly beautiful and just looks so good!

There are plenty of more new cool things and lots of improvements too! So what are you waiting for? Try it out! :-)

On the first day of the WWDC announcements, there were multiple breathtaking additions to Apple's repertoire. One of the most significant of them was the new addition to the MacBook Pro family. Apple have released a MacBook Pro with a Retina Display. A Retina Display means that the screen that you are looking at is at such a high quality, you are not able to see the pixels that are on the screen. It is capable of a 2880x1800 resolution which is 220 PPI (Pixels Per Inch), this means that you will not be able to see any of the pixels on the screen, unless you start zooming in on the page that you are on. Also with this new MacBook Pro they have discontinued the disc drive, and seemed to have replaced it with an SDXC card slot. Also Apple have added two USB 3 ports, a HDMI port, an extra thunderbolt port. There are also many internal components that have been changed, one of the main changes is the fact that they have now added a solid state drive instead of an hard disk drive. Overall, I do like the look of this new MacBook Pro, I do think that it is a tiny bit expensive, and by a tiny bit, I mean substantially. The internal spec from both varieties of the new MacBook Pro are very intriguing, I think Apple have really pushed the boat out with the capabilities of a notebook this size.

2012· Apple· Mac· Macbook Pro· Mountain Lion· OSX· WWDC

New MacBook Pro Retina Display

On the first day of the WWDC announcements, there were multiple breathtaking additions to Apple's repertoire. One of the most significant of them was the new addition to the MacBook Pro family. Apple have released a MacBook Pro with a Retina Display. A Retina Display means that the screen that you are looking at is at such a high quality, you are not able to see the pixels that are on the screen. It is capable of a 2880x1800 resolution which is 220 PPI (Pixels Per Inch), this means that you will not be able to see any of the pixels on the screen, unless you start zooming in on the page that you are on. Also with this new MacBook Pro they have discontinued the disc drive, and seemed to have replaced it with an SDXC card slot. Also Apple have added two USB 3 ports, a HDMI port, an extra thunderbolt port. There are also many internal components that have been changed, one of the main changes is the fact that they have now added a solid state drive instead of an hard disk drive. Overall, I do like the look of this new MacBook Pro, I do think that it is a tiny bit expensive, and by a tiny bit, I mean substantially. The internal spec from both varieties of the new MacBook Pro are very intriguing, I think Apple have really pushed the boat out with the capabilities of a notebook this size.

Diablo III is one of the most anticipated MMORPG games for a long time, even more so than World of Warcraft. Diablo is one of the games that made Blizzard what they are today. It's been 12 years since the last Diablo was released, and the fans have been eagerly awaiting this game. The third instalment is much the same as the last game at its basic level, but there have been major improvements in the skill systems that also encourage you to keep on altering your hero as you progress through the game. Your hero can be anything that you wish for him to be. It is similar to World of Warcraft in the repeat that you can choose classes at the beginning and they are as follows; Monk, Mage, Demon Hunter, Barbarian and a Witch Doctor. Obviously with the amount of customisation that there is available, you will be able to make the class that you house completely different from everybody else that you meet online. One of the stand out points of this game for me is the fact that it is a one off payment, unlike Warcraft where you pay for the physical game, and then you have to pay £9 each month. This is unlike Diablo where you pay for the game as a one off cost which varies between £40-£45.

This game is absolutely brilliant, anything that I say cannot do it justice. If you do not trust my opinion of this absolutely breathtaking game, then please Click here for a review from the IGN team. IGN give an extremely fair review, not just to Diablo III but to any game that they review. To sum up quickly their verdict on this game, IGN gave it a 9.5, which I believe is extremely accurate. I believe this game is worthy of a 10 because, apart from 1 or 2 bugs, it is perfect, there is no other word for it.

2012· Blizzard· Diablo 3· Games· MMORPG· World of Warcraft

Diablo III

Diablo III is one of the most anticipated MMORPG games for a long time, even more so than World of Warcraft. Diablo is one of the games that made Blizzard what they are today. It's been 12 years since the last Diablo was released, and the fans have been eagerly awaiting this game. The third instalment is much the same as the last game at its basic level, but there have been major improvements in the skill systems that also encourage you to keep on altering your hero as you progress through the game. Your hero can be anything that you wish for him to be. It is similar to World of Warcraft in the repeat that you can choose classes at the beginning and they are as follows; Monk, Mage, Demon Hunter, Barbarian and a Witch Doctor. Obviously with the amount of customisation that there is available, you will be able to make the class that you house completely different from everybody else that you meet online. One of the stand out points of this game for me is the fact that it is a one off payment, unlike Warcraft where you pay for the physical game, and then you have to pay £9 each month. This is unlike Diablo where you pay for the game as a one off cost which varies between £40-£45.

This game is absolutely brilliant, anything that I say cannot do it justice. If you do not trust my opinion of this absolutely breathtaking game, then please Click here for a review from the IGN team. IGN give an extremely fair review, not just to Diablo III but to any game that they review. To sum up quickly their verdict on this game, IGN gave it a 9.5, which I believe is extremely accurate. I believe this game is worthy of a 10 because, apart from 1 or 2 bugs, it is perfect, there is no other word for it.

Halo 4



Halo 4 begins a fresh new game in the Halo saga, it begins where the last one left off. 343 Industries is now the ringleader of production in the Halo series since Bungie decided to leave Microsoft after the last halo. Since 343 Industries announced the confirmation of the making of the new Halo 4, the team immediately returned to work in continuing Spartan's story. The teaser trailer (Link Below) reveals that the Spartan is starting where he was left at the end of Halo 3. This will make us wonder, what has 343 Industries got on offer to us in this epic game? I for one can not wait for this.

Overall, Halo 4 will pick up where Halo 3 ended. Rumour has it that Halo 4 will be completed and released by fall this year.

Link to trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iQiHNXgMU

Link to gameplay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWzhpjS62I

2012· E3· Games· halo· Halo 4· Microsoft· must have· PC· PlayStation 3· PS3· rumoural· xbox· Xbox 360

Halo 4

Halo 4



Halo 4 begins a fresh new game in the Halo saga, it begins where the last one left off. 343 Industries is now the ringleader of production in the Halo series since Bungie decided to leave Microsoft after the last halo. Since 343 Industries announced the confirmation of the making of the new Halo 4, the team immediately returned to work in continuing Spartan's story. The teaser trailer (Link Below) reveals that the Spartan is starting where he was left at the end of Halo 3. This will make us wonder, what has 343 Industries got on offer to us in this epic game? I for one can not wait for this.

Overall, Halo 4 will pick up where Halo 3 ended. Rumour has it that Halo 4 will be completed and released by fall this year.

Link to trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9iQiHNXgMU

Link to gameplay - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWWzhpjS62I

The new version of Apple's iOS 6 platform is expected to be unveiled at Apple's developer Conference which takes place next week in San Francisco.

We heard that iOS 6 will feature a completely redesigned version of Apple Maps which will no loger rely on Google's back-end. We have also heard rumours that Facebook will be deeply integrated in iOS 6.

One of the key areas where Facebook integration will be featured is inside the iOS Photos application. You'll be able to easily upload and tag your photos to Facebook from inside iOS photos, like Twitter.

We also think that Facebook will also be integrated into the browser, so you can easily share links and "Like" web-pages. Additionally, Apple are introducing Facebook integration into the App Store which enable users to "Like" applications so there Facebook contacts can see what applications they've been enjoying.

Apple have been rumoured to be working very closely with Facebook employees so we'll be interested to see if any other new features arise.

2012· Apple· Facebook· iOS· iOS 6· Rumours· WWDC

Facebook To Be Deeply Integrated Into iOS 6

The new version of Apple's iOS 6 platform is expected to be unveiled at Apple's developer Conference which takes place next week in San Francisco.

We heard that iOS 6 will feature a completely redesigned version of Apple Maps which will no loger rely on Google's back-end. We have also heard rumours that Facebook will be deeply integrated in iOS 6.

One of the key areas where Facebook integration will be featured is inside the iOS Photos application. You'll be able to easily upload and tag your photos to Facebook from inside iOS photos, like Twitter.

We also think that Facebook will also be integrated into the browser, so you can easily share links and "Like" web-pages. Additionally, Apple are introducing Facebook integration into the App Store which enable users to "Like" applications so there Facebook contacts can see what applications they've been enjoying.

Apple have been rumoured to be working very closely with Facebook employees so we'll be interested to see if any other new features arise.

Apple is already starting to decorate Moscone with lovely banners in preparation for WWDC 2012. The first banners show a collage of app icons and the wording: "WWDC2012: Where great ideas go on to do great things."

WWDC Kicks off this Monday with a Keynote address. Apple is most likely to introduces a number of new products and likely preview of iOS 6. 

Rumournal will have a live blog feed of the WWDC Keynote. Click here to see it

2012· Apple· Apple Maps· iOS 6· Mac Mini· Mac Pro· Macbook Pro· Moscone· Retina Display· WWDC

WWDC 2012 Banners: "WWDC2012: Where great ideas go on to do great things."

Apple is already starting to decorate Moscone with lovely banners in preparation for WWDC 2012. The first banners show a collage of app icons and the wording: "WWDC2012: Where great ideas go on to do great things."

WWDC Kicks off this Monday with a Keynote address. Apple is most likely to introduces a number of new products and likely preview of iOS 6. 

Rumournal will have a live blog feed of the WWDC Keynote. Click here to see it

Minecraft, since it was released as an alpha version in May 2009, there have been over 5 million purchases (based in February 2012). On May 9th 2012 it was released on the Xbox marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points (equivalent to £13), currently it is the most purchased game on the marketplace followed by Trails Evolution. If you wish to view the trailer for the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft Click here. I have both versions of Minecraft (Mac, Xbox) and currently there are advantages and disadvantages for both. Firstly, depending on the specification of your computer (the stuff inside that makes it work) determines whether it runs smoothly or slowly. I have a 2010 13 inch MacBook Pro, and it runs fairly smoothly if I have all of the settings on medium, but once I put them all on very high quality, thats when things start to go wrong. So when I realised that my battery was only lasting 1 hour 30 minutes (usually lasts 4 hours watching a video) I decided not to play it as much.

When I downloaded the version on Xbox, two things hit me, one it was unbelievably smooth, there was no lag whatsoever, and also the graphics were in a different league compared to the capabilities of my Mac. Obviously this will be different for everybody, if you have a top spec Mac, or any computer with a superior processor and graphics card, then the graphics will not be as different. Also the version on Xbox has some differences to the computer version. Firstly the map on the game is only limited to 1024x1024 blocks, as apposed to the computer version where the computer version has a map which is unlimited. The crafting is also different on the Xbox version, when you have the items necessary to make another item, you do not need to place them into a specific area on the crafting table like you have to in the computer version. Minecraft 360 is several versions behind the current 1.2.5. update on the computer, although 4J studios have said that in due time they will release updates for the Xbox so that it will have all of the features that the most up to date version on the computer has such as clay (which is currently not available on the Xbox version).

Minecraft is extremely popular, within the first week of its release on Xbox, 1 million people downloaded it, and on the first day there were reportedly 400,000 users playing it. I think that Minecraft, whatever platform you play it on, is a fantastic game, there is only one fault that I have found with the Xbox 360 version, and that is eventually, you will come across a world hole, this is where the path in front of you is a sheer drop when it shouldn't be there. If you just stand there it will eventually load, but I would imagine that the next update will remove this problem. Overall I think that it is a fantastic game, and in my opinion it is better on the Xbox for several reasons. The ease of using an actual controller, the fact that you can play with 8 people via Xbox live, the graphics, and also the endless fun that you can have on any platform.

2012· 4J studios· Games· Mac· Minecraft· Mojang· PC· xbox

Minecraft Xbox vs PC

Minecraft, since it was released as an alpha version in May 2009, there have been over 5 million purchases (based in February 2012). On May 9th 2012 it was released on the Xbox marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points (equivalent to £13), currently it is the most purchased game on the marketplace followed by Trails Evolution. If you wish to view the trailer for the Xbox 360 version of Minecraft Click here. I have both versions of Minecraft (Mac, Xbox) and currently there are advantages and disadvantages for both. Firstly, depending on the specification of your computer (the stuff inside that makes it work) determines whether it runs smoothly or slowly. I have a 2010 13 inch MacBook Pro, and it runs fairly smoothly if I have all of the settings on medium, but once I put them all on very high quality, thats when things start to go wrong. So when I realised that my battery was only lasting 1 hour 30 minutes (usually lasts 4 hours watching a video) I decided not to play it as much.

When I downloaded the version on Xbox, two things hit me, one it was unbelievably smooth, there was no lag whatsoever, and also the graphics were in a different league compared to the capabilities of my Mac. Obviously this will be different for everybody, if you have a top spec Mac, or any computer with a superior processor and graphics card, then the graphics will not be as different. Also the version on Xbox has some differences to the computer version. Firstly the map on the game is only limited to 1024x1024 blocks, as apposed to the computer version where the computer version has a map which is unlimited. The crafting is also different on the Xbox version, when you have the items necessary to make another item, you do not need to place them into a specific area on the crafting table like you have to in the computer version. Minecraft 360 is several versions behind the current 1.2.5. update on the computer, although 4J studios have said that in due time they will release updates for the Xbox so that it will have all of the features that the most up to date version on the computer has such as clay (which is currently not available on the Xbox version).

Minecraft is extremely popular, within the first week of its release on Xbox, 1 million people downloaded it, and on the first day there were reportedly 400,000 users playing it. I think that Minecraft, whatever platform you play it on, is a fantastic game, there is only one fault that I have found with the Xbox 360 version, and that is eventually, you will come across a world hole, this is where the path in front of you is a sheer drop when it shouldn't be there. If you just stand there it will eventually load, but I would imagine that the next update will remove this problem. Overall I think that it is a fantastic game, and in my opinion it is better on the Xbox for several reasons. The ease of using an actual controller, the fact that you can play with 8 people via Xbox live, the graphics, and also the endless fun that you can have on any platform.

GTA V, it is arguably the most anticipated games of all time, and there are several reasons as to why this is the case. Firstly the Grand Theft Auto franchise has been developed by Rockstar since 1997 when they helped DMA design release GTA london. Rockstar have been constantly praised on their skills of creating games. Most recently they have released Max Payne 3 on May 18th. I was eagerly anticipating this game, and purchased it on the day of release, and I believe that Rockstar have once again outdone themselves. The graphics are incredible, the multiplayer is so addictive, there are so many different types of customisation for the avatars and also the weapon load outs. Single player wise, this is without a doubt the best game that I have ever played, the level of detail, followed by the way that the story is told is unique, fresh, and just mind boggling.

Anyway, on the subject of the new Grand Theft Auto, it is going to be arguably one of the best games of all time, and I could leave it there, but your here for the details, so I shall provide them to you. Firstly GTA V should be released (according to Rockstar) in October 2012, whether this actually is going to happen remains to be seen. In October of 2011 a trailer for the game was released. If you have been living under a rock for 5 years and haven't seen the trailer then you need to Click here. As you can see from the trailer, although it is not a gameplay trailer, there is a significant improvement on the graphics, and if all of the aspects of the trailer are playable through the game, it will be simply unrivalled. One of the major differences to the game this time around, looks to be the fact that you are able to control aeroplanes, this (in my opinion) was one of the greatest downfalls of GTA IV, the fact that you could only use helicopters, but not aeroplanes. Also in the trailer you see a car in the middle street with it's roof being lowered whilst it is stationary, this is also a new feature (if it will actually be featured in the final game is yet to be confirmed) and the picture of the convertible is below.

I simply cannot wait for this game, it is a must buy for anyone with an Xbox or a Playstation, if Rockstar do as good a job as they normally do with any game that they produce, it will be mind-blowing.

2012· Games· GTA 5· November· Rockstar· Xbox 360

GTA 5 What to expect?

GTA V, it is arguably the most anticipated games of all time, and there are several reasons as to why this is the case. Firstly the Grand Theft Auto franchise has been developed by Rockstar since 1997 when they helped DMA design release GTA london. Rockstar have been constantly praised on their skills of creating games. Most recently they have released Max Payne 3 on May 18th. I was eagerly anticipating this game, and purchased it on the day of release, and I believe that Rockstar have once again outdone themselves. The graphics are incredible, the multiplayer is so addictive, there are so many different types of customisation for the avatars and also the weapon load outs. Single player wise, this is without a doubt the best game that I have ever played, the level of detail, followed by the way that the story is told is unique, fresh, and just mind boggling.

Anyway, on the subject of the new Grand Theft Auto, it is going to be arguably one of the best games of all time, and I could leave it there, but your here for the details, so I shall provide them to you. Firstly GTA V should be released (according to Rockstar) in October 2012, whether this actually is going to happen remains to be seen. In October of 2011 a trailer for the game was released. If you have been living under a rock for 5 years and haven't seen the trailer then you need to Click here. As you can see from the trailer, although it is not a gameplay trailer, there is a significant improvement on the graphics, and if all of the aspects of the trailer are playable through the game, it will be simply unrivalled. One of the major differences to the game this time around, looks to be the fact that you are able to control aeroplanes, this (in my opinion) was one of the greatest downfalls of GTA IV, the fact that you could only use helicopters, but not aeroplanes. Also in the trailer you see a car in the middle street with it's roof being lowered whilst it is stationary, this is also a new feature (if it will actually be featured in the final game is yet to be confirmed) and the picture of the convertible is below.

I simply cannot wait for this game, it is a must buy for anyone with an Xbox or a Playstation, if Rockstar do as good a job as they normally do with any game that they produce, it will be mind-blowing.

As some of the Virgin Media customers across the UK have now discovered, The Pirate Bay is now blocked. The reason being is because the courts in the UK have decided that it would be best to attempt a block of The Pirate Bay from the ISP's (Internet Service Providers). Virgin Media have been the first to act. And all of the people out there who use The Pirate Bay may be worried, because this maybe a website that you use heavily to download an album from it to see whether you like it, rather than purchasing the album, and then finding out that you dislike it. This is the use I have for The Pirate Bay, I like to consider it as 'borrowing' the music from the Internet, and if I like it, go out and purchase it, and if not, remove it from my computer.

Although I do not have Virgin Media broadband, it is inevitable that my ISP will eventually attempt to block The Pirate Bay, and I am not worried at all, and you should not be either. The reason for my confidence is because it is almost impossible for an ISP to completely block a website, there are always different ways to get on to said website, and people have already discovered that you can still get on The Pirate Bay by using this link: http://www.pirateproxy.net/. This is using a proxy, and going around (so to speak) the Virgin Media blockage.

I don't know if the courts realise it, but by blocking the website and posting it all over the news websites, people who did not know that the site existed will then attempt to get on The Pirate Bay, thus resulting in more downloads, so in the long run, the courts decision has completely backfired on itself, more people now know of The Pirate Bay than they did this time last year. Although it is one of the most visited websites on the Internet, some people did not know of its existence before this.

Although I use this website, I can understand why they are attempting to block it, because the amount of money that has been lost by the music industry, the film industry, and the software industry is absolutely unfathomable. I can see the meaning behind the courts decision, but they have got this all wrong, people will always be able to go on any website that they want, if they are prepared to try hard enough.

2012· Courts· ISP· Proxy· The Pirate Bay· UK· Virgin

Virgin Media Vs The Pirate Bay

As some of the Virgin Media customers across the UK have now discovered, The Pirate Bay is now blocked. The reason being is because the courts in the UK have decided that it would be best to attempt a block of The Pirate Bay from the ISP's (Internet Service Providers). Virgin Media have been the first to act. And all of the people out there who use The Pirate Bay may be worried, because this maybe a website that you use heavily to download an album from it to see whether you like it, rather than purchasing the album, and then finding out that you dislike it. This is the use I have for The Pirate Bay, I like to consider it as 'borrowing' the music from the Internet, and if I like it, go out and purchase it, and if not, remove it from my computer.

Although I do not have Virgin Media broadband, it is inevitable that my ISP will eventually attempt to block The Pirate Bay, and I am not worried at all, and you should not be either. The reason for my confidence is because it is almost impossible for an ISP to completely block a website, there are always different ways to get on to said website, and people have already discovered that you can still get on The Pirate Bay by using this link: http://www.pirateproxy.net/. This is using a proxy, and going around (so to speak) the Virgin Media blockage.

I don't know if the courts realise it, but by blocking the website and posting it all over the news websites, people who did not know that the site existed will then attempt to get on The Pirate Bay, thus resulting in more downloads, so in the long run, the courts decision has completely backfired on itself, more people now know of The Pirate Bay than they did this time last year. Although it is one of the most visited websites on the Internet, some people did not know of its existence before this.

Although I use this website, I can understand why they are attempting to block it, because the amount of money that has been lost by the music industry, the film industry, and the software industry is absolutely unfathomable. I can see the meaning behind the courts decision, but they have got this all wrong, people will always be able to go on any website that they want, if they are prepared to try hard enough.

There are several ways in which you are able to store data in a cloud, and there are services like Onlive that allow the streaming of games directly to your computer, without the need to download them; Box.com, ft.com, Dropbox, etc. For extensive amounts of storage space, you will have to pay your storage provider a certain amount of money, depending on what storage provider you are using. Although Google Drives main rival is SkyDrive, which is owned by Microsoft. Microsoft have recently improved SkyDrive, so from standard (which is the type of account that you don't have to pay for) you have 7GB storage space, compared to Google Drive which allows you 5GB from standard.

A representative of Google said the following:

"Today, we're introducing Google Drive - a central place where you can create, share, collaborate and keep all of your stuff. Whether you're working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive," 

Although if you are willing to spend some money, and you will be storing vast amounts of data on the Internet, then with SkyDrive, you will be able to add 100GB to the current storage that your account already has. And if you were prepared to pay more or less the same amount ($50) then you would be able to have 1TB of data with GoogleDrive. This is currently the highest amount of storage that one person can currently buy (without purchasing online storage for a company with servers etc.). This is as near as makes no difference 10x the amount of storage space that SkyDrive offers,  Both of the services are both extremely good, although if I had to choose between the two of them, it would have to be google. The reason for this is because of the amount of storage space that Google have to offer, and I have experienced both of these services, and I used Safari to upload a 50MB file to both of the services, GoogleDrive took 120 seconds, and SkyDrive took 160 seconds. As you can see just from this test, there is a significant difference in the speed of the uploads. I also conducted a download test, and found that it was the same story.

100GB· 1TB· 2012· Google· GoogleDrive· Microsoft· Skydrive· Technology

Google Drive or SkyDrive?

There are several ways in which you are able to store data in a cloud, and there are services like Onlive that allow the streaming of games directly to your computer, without the need to download them; Box.com, ft.com, Dropbox, etc. For extensive amounts of storage space, you will have to pay your storage provider a certain amount of money, depending on what storage provider you are using. Although Google Drives main rival is SkyDrive, which is owned by Microsoft. Microsoft have recently improved SkyDrive, so from standard (which is the type of account that you don't have to pay for) you have 7GB storage space, compared to Google Drive which allows you 5GB from standard.

A representative of Google said the following:

"Today, we're introducing Google Drive - a central place where you can create, share, collaborate and keep all of your stuff. Whether you're working with a friend on a joint research project, planning a wedding with your fiancé or tracking a budget with roommates, you can do it in Drive," 

Although if you are willing to spend some money, and you will be storing vast amounts of data on the Internet, then with SkyDrive, you will be able to add 100GB to the current storage that your account already has. And if you were prepared to pay more or less the same amount ($50) then you would be able to have 1TB of data with GoogleDrive. This is currently the highest amount of storage that one person can currently buy (without purchasing online storage for a company with servers etc.). This is as near as makes no difference 10x the amount of storage space that SkyDrive offers,  Both of the services are both extremely good, although if I had to choose between the two of them, it would have to be google. The reason for this is because of the amount of storage space that Google have to offer, and I have experienced both of these services, and I used Safari to upload a 50MB file to both of the services, GoogleDrive took 120 seconds, and SkyDrive took 160 seconds. As you can see just from this test, there is a significant difference in the speed of the uploads. I also conducted a download test, and found that it was the same story.

The iPhone 4/4s, if you have either one of them I am pretty sure that you want to take as much care with it as possible. So you need to make a decision on what case you want to place your iPhone in. Obviously different cases appeal the different people, and different cases offer different levels of security to the iPhone. Personally I am not a fan of the plastic cases because from previous experiences they do not offer sufficient enough protection, and they are such a hassle to remove from the phone, and when you remove the phone, there is a chance that the case could leave a noticeable scratch or mark on the corner of your iPhone. This would infuriate me, because it's supposed to be protecting your iPhone, instead of causing damage to it!

The picture below is of the new Vans iPhone 4/4s case, as you can see, it uses the same pattern on the back of the case as Vans use on the majority of their shoes. I think that this is an extremely well thought out design, because it is in keeping with traditional Vans products. Unfortunately when the cases were released, they were only released in America, so if you live anywhere else in the world it is extremely difficult to buy them. And then if you found one to purchase on eBay for example, it could cost you up to £50 including the post and packaging (cheapest listing that I found). They are due for general sale towards the end of 2012, and i'm seriously debating whether to purchase one now, or wait until the end of the year when they will drop in price. If you wish to spend your money now and you simply cannot wait Click here for the listing on eBay that I mentioned, or if they have all sold and it has ended, all you have to do is eBay "iPhone Vans case". Overall I think that the design of this case is un-matched, and it is definitely worth the purchase, but for £50... maybe not. I think that I am going to wait until they get generally released in late 2012.

2012· 4· 4s· Apple· Case· iPhone· Vans

iPhone 4/4s Vans case, to buy or not to buy?

The iPhone 4/4s, if you have either one of them I am pretty sure that you want to take as much care with it as possible. So you need to make a decision on what case you want to place your iPhone in. Obviously different cases appeal the different people, and different cases offer different levels of security to the iPhone. Personally I am not a fan of the plastic cases because from previous experiences they do not offer sufficient enough protection, and they are such a hassle to remove from the phone, and when you remove the phone, there is a chance that the case could leave a noticeable scratch or mark on the corner of your iPhone. This would infuriate me, because it's supposed to be protecting your iPhone, instead of causing damage to it!

The picture below is of the new Vans iPhone 4/4s case, as you can see, it uses the same pattern on the back of the case as Vans use on the majority of their shoes. I think that this is an extremely well thought out design, because it is in keeping with traditional Vans products. Unfortunately when the cases were released, they were only released in America, so if you live anywhere else in the world it is extremely difficult to buy them. And then if you found one to purchase on eBay for example, it could cost you up to £50 including the post and packaging (cheapest listing that I found). They are due for general sale towards the end of 2012, and i'm seriously debating whether to purchase one now, or wait until the end of the year when they will drop in price. If you wish to spend your money now and you simply cannot wait Click here for the listing on eBay that I mentioned, or if they have all sold and it has ended, all you have to do is eBay "iPhone Vans case". Overall I think that the design of this case is un-matched, and it is definitely worth the purchase, but for £50... maybe not. I think that I am going to wait until they get generally released in late 2012.

Halo, one of the most successful gaming franchises that we have ever had the pleasure to play. And on November the 6th the start of the brand new Halo trilogy, which will still feature Master Chief as the main character. Although it is Halo 4, it will not be created by the same company that created the first trilogy. Bungie (the company that made the first trilogy) have now joined Activision, who are responsable for creating Call Of Duty games. So because Bungie are now a part of Activision they were no longer allowed to be a part of the Halo franchise, which is a catastrophic error, because they have lost out on one of the biggest grossing game franchises ever! 

Even though Halo is one of the most popular games on Xbox, when it is released in November it will have fierce competition. Supposedly the new Grand Theft Auto will be released nearer the end of October, and Assassins Creed 3, and also Resident Evil 6. The Halo franchise has sold over 40 million copies the world over, and the next three Halo games (4,5, and 6) will all be released within the next decade. Halo 4 is set four years after Master Chief famously cryogenically froze himself in space, and the Chief will apparently "confront his destiny and face an ancient evil".

Within the trailer of Halo 4, there has been much discussion of "taking their time" with this game, to make it the best they possibly can. If you Click here you will be able to see the trailer, and information directly from the employees from 343 studios. I personally cannot wait for this game! I am a huge fan of the series and have had all of the games that have been released. The only thing I am having slight doubts about, is the change in company, will it be to big of a change? Will the elements of Halo that we know and love no longer be there? Well in November we shall find out. 

2012· 343· gaming· Halo 4· Microsoft· November· Technology· xbox· Xbox 360

Halo 4, November 6th 2012

Halo, one of the most successful gaming franchises that we have ever had the pleasure to play. And on November the 6th the start of the brand new Halo trilogy, which will still feature Master Chief as the main character. Although it is Halo 4, it will not be created by the same company that created the first trilogy. Bungie (the company that made the first trilogy) have now joined Activision, who are responsable for creating Call Of Duty games. So because Bungie are now a part of Activision they were no longer allowed to be a part of the Halo franchise, which is a catastrophic error, because they have lost out on one of the biggest grossing game franchises ever! 

Even though Halo is one of the most popular games on Xbox, when it is released in November it will have fierce competition. Supposedly the new Grand Theft Auto will be released nearer the end of October, and Assassins Creed 3, and also Resident Evil 6. The Halo franchise has sold over 40 million copies the world over, and the next three Halo games (4,5, and 6) will all be released within the next decade. Halo 4 is set four years after Master Chief famously cryogenically froze himself in space, and the Chief will apparently "confront his destiny and face an ancient evil".

Within the trailer of Halo 4, there has been much discussion of "taking their time" with this game, to make it the best they possibly can. If you Click here you will be able to see the trailer, and information directly from the employees from 343 studios. I personally cannot wait for this game! I am a huge fan of the series and have had all of the games that have been released. The only thing I am having slight doubts about, is the change in company, will it be to big of a change? Will the elements of Halo that we know and love no longer be there? Well in November we shall find out. 

The Coachella festival in California annually occurs, and the acts play over the space of two weekends (which includes Friday). Although this year, something extraordinary happened. Dr Dre. and Snoop Dogg headlined the Sunday, and they had a special guest. It was Tupac, well his hologram anyway. When I saw this on YouTube I was amazed! There was no other words for it. I was only watching the video and I genuinely believe that he was real. He was on stage for a whole 5 minutes, and for 2 of those minutes he was on stage with Snoop Dogg. Also during the performance Dr Dre was mentioned by Tupac, Shakur's mother was contacted by Dre and Snoop for the permission to use Tupacs image, she allowed them, and she was "positively thrilled" with the results.

Until the festival has finished it is very secretive as to how the hologram works in specifics, but there are people out there who have their opinions on how it could work. The video has been uploaded, and has gone viral on the Internet ('Click here to watch'). Holograms have been used before, for example, the Gorillaz live are holograms (not the same type as Tupac, but similar) but having seen them both, I believe that this is in a different league! The time that they must have spent creating this masterpiece is quite hard to fathem!

It has been reported that Dre and Snoop gave a blank check to AV concepts (who are also responsable for the animation of the Gorillaz, and the curious case of benjamin button) so that they could create the Tupac hologram with the technology that they had. It reportedly cost $400,000 dollars to create the hologram, and many of the fans that were at Coachella I would imagine it would be a dream come true to see Tupac perform once again.

2012· California· Coahcella· Dogg· Dr· Dre· Hologram· Snoop· Technology· Tupac

Is That Tupac? No It's a Hologram!

The Coachella festival in California annually occurs, and the acts play over the space of two weekends (which includes Friday). Although this year, something extraordinary happened. Dr Dre. and Snoop Dogg headlined the Sunday, and they had a special guest. It was Tupac, well his hologram anyway. When I saw this on YouTube I was amazed! There was no other words for it. I was only watching the video and I genuinely believe that he was real. He was on stage for a whole 5 minutes, and for 2 of those minutes he was on stage with Snoop Dogg. Also during the performance Dr Dre was mentioned by Tupac, Shakur's mother was contacted by Dre and Snoop for the permission to use Tupacs image, she allowed them, and she was "positively thrilled" with the results.

Until the festival has finished it is very secretive as to how the hologram works in specifics, but there are people out there who have their opinions on how it could work. The video has been uploaded, and has gone viral on the Internet ('Click here to watch'). Holograms have been used before, for example, the Gorillaz live are holograms (not the same type as Tupac, but similar) but having seen them both, I believe that this is in a different league! The time that they must have spent creating this masterpiece is quite hard to fathem!

It has been reported that Dre and Snoop gave a blank check to AV concepts (who are also responsable for the animation of the Gorillaz, and the curious case of benjamin button) so that they could create the Tupac hologram with the technology that they had. It reportedly cost $400,000 dollars to create the hologram, and many of the fans that were at Coachella I would imagine it would be a dream come true to see Tupac perform once again.

John Lewis... One of the most recognised retail companies within the UK. And this month they have announced their own broadband! I found out about this only today from my very own mother! As she works for John Lewis, she received a news pamphlet which included information on it. Partners who work for John Lewis (All Employees) will be able to get any of the packages available for a discounted price. John Lewis have combined together with Plusnet (The Internet service provider) to provide Broadband (which also includes line rental with all packages). There are 3 different packages that you have the option to choose from, one of them being fibre optic.

I have created a table which tells you the costs, and the features that come with the option that you have chosen. As you can see from the table, all of the packages include the bottom five aspects. It may look as if that fibre is the fastest option, but there are two things that you need to consider. Firstly, it is the most expensive package that they offer, so altogether you will be forking out £38 a month on your Internet and line rental, which is similar to some of the leading providers Virgin, BT etc. ANd also it has a limit as opposed to the 'Unlimited' option. What this basically means, is that if you download albums or films (legally of course) then this will count towards your total allowance. Unlike the 'Unlimited' option which you will not have the worry whilst you are downloading. And also there is the possibility that you live in an area where fibre is not an option, this is unlikely, but I live in a street where you can't get fibre from Virgin, so before you lean towards purchasing fibre, you will need to check on the John Lewis Broadband website, and enter in your address, to see if your house is able to have a fibre connection. 

'Features'

I personally, am going to purchase the unlimited broadband, and sacrifice the speed of the fibre. I currently have Sky broadband, and it is absolutely horrific! We pay for 5mbps and we get 0.1mbps! It is a catastrophe, and seeing as this broadband has now come along it seems like the logical option, and I shall be posting a review on it as soon as it has been installed.

2012· April· Broadband· john· John Lewis· lewis· Technology

John Lewis Broadband?

John Lewis... One of the most recognised retail companies within the UK. And this month they have announced their own broadband! I found out about this only today from my very own mother! As she works for John Lewis, she received a news pamphlet which included information on it. Partners who work for John Lewis (All Employees) will be able to get any of the packages available for a discounted price. John Lewis have combined together with Plusnet (The Internet service provider) to provide Broadband (which also includes line rental with all packages). There are 3 different packages that you have the option to choose from, one of them being fibre optic.

I have created a table which tells you the costs, and the features that come with the option that you have chosen. As you can see from the table, all of the packages include the bottom five aspects. It may look as if that fibre is the fastest option, but there are two things that you need to consider. Firstly, it is the most expensive package that they offer, so altogether you will be forking out £38 a month on your Internet and line rental, which is similar to some of the leading providers Virgin, BT etc. ANd also it has a limit as opposed to the 'Unlimited' option. What this basically means, is that if you download albums or films (legally of course) then this will count towards your total allowance. Unlike the 'Unlimited' option which you will not have the worry whilst you are downloading. And also there is the possibility that you live in an area where fibre is not an option, this is unlikely, but I live in a street where you can't get fibre from Virgin, so before you lean towards purchasing fibre, you will need to check on the John Lewis Broadband website, and enter in your address, to see if your house is able to have a fibre connection. 

'Features'

I personally, am going to purchase the unlimited broadband, and sacrifice the speed of the fibre. I currently have Sky broadband, and it is absolutely horrific! We pay for 5mbps and we get 0.1mbps! It is a catastrophe, and seeing as this broadband has now come along it seems like the logical option, and I shall be posting a review on it as soon as it has been installed.

I have recently purchased an iPhone only a week ago, and as soon as I obtained it I wanted to find out what the best possible way was to take advantage of the amazing 8MP (Mega-Pixel) camera that there is on offer. And I would like to say that I have found a truly awesome app that is able to create a panoramic view. A Panoramic view is a piece of specialist equipment or software (software in this case) that you can use to capture an image, with elongated fields of view. This basically means that you are able to create one single picture that spans a whole 360 degrees. The App that I purchased that allowed me to do this is called 360 Panorama, and on the App store it is £0.69 or $0.99 (depending on which country you live in). I have to say, even though I only purchased the application today, it has completely grown on me. It was an impulsive buy, but I have completely no regrets whatsoever. To show the capabilities of this application, I have created a panoramic photograph of my own room ('Click Here'). Obviously I was in a rush, so there are 1 or 2 errors with the photo (which I solely take the blame for) but apart from that, the results are spectacular!
Also that fact that you can automatically upload your Panorama to either Twitter, or the website that the application uses to store all of the photos for the people who do not have/wish to upload on to Twitter/Facebook. Overall I believe this is a fantastic app, and for 69p you really can't go wrong. I have also linked the page to the app which is for iPhone/iPod only, there is a version available for Android.
('Panorama App')

2012· 360· Android· Apps· Bedroom· iPhone· iPod· Panorama· Reviews

360 Panorama... Is Awesome!

I have recently purchased an iPhone only a week ago, and as soon as I obtained it I wanted to find out what the best possible way was to take advantage of the amazing 8MP (Mega-Pixel) camera that there is on offer. And I would like to say that I have found a truly awesome app that is able to create a panoramic view. A Panoramic view is a piece of specialist equipment or software (software in this case) that you can use to capture an image, with elongated fields of view. This basically means that you are able to create one single picture that spans a whole 360 degrees. The App that I purchased that allowed me to do this is called 360 Panorama, and on the App store it is £0.69 or $0.99 (depending on which country you live in). I have to say, even though I only purchased the application today, it has completely grown on me. It was an impulsive buy, but I have completely no regrets whatsoever. To show the capabilities of this application, I have created a panoramic photograph of my own room ('Click Here'). Obviously I was in a rush, so there are 1 or 2 errors with the photo (which I solely take the blame for) but apart from that, the results are spectacular!
Also that fact that you can automatically upload your Panorama to either Twitter, or the website that the application uses to store all of the photos for the people who do not have/wish to upload on to Twitter/Facebook. Overall I believe this is a fantastic app, and for 69p you really can't go wrong. I have also linked the page to the app which is for iPhone/iPod only, there is a version available for Android.
('Panorama App')

In the past few years technology has evolved so much and so fast, that if you buy a laptop or any electrical gadget today, then in 6 months time it will be outdated (meaning there will either be a newer version out, or another company has bought out something better). Apple are extremely good with this, they have released an iPhone every year without fail since the first iPhone was released back in June of 2007, so if you brought an iPhone with a contract (which usually lasts 18-24 months) it would be outdated mid contract.

Well as you can clearly see from the video 'Here', the Rolltop is due this year, although there is no hard evidence that it will be released this year or at all, but if it is released I can assure you that it would be a resolution in the way that we think of standard laptops, and the standard technology that is used in all of our electronic devices. I cannot stress enough, that if this laptop is released it will be able to provide mobility like no other laptop would be able to provide. The last laptop that was considered revolutionary was the MacBook Air which was released in 2008, and until the end of 2011 it was the slimmest laptop ever made, and then other companies began the era of ultra-books. I truly think that this has the potential (if it is actually released) to be an inspiration for all of the future portable computing machines in the near future! I literally cannot express this enough about how revolutionary this will be, it will be on the same level that the MacBook Air was back in 2008!

MacBook Air Vs Toshiba Ultrabook

2012· Gadgets· Google· Laptop· Roll· Rolltop· Rumours

A New Kind Of Laptop?

In the past few years technology has evolved so much and so fast, that if you buy a laptop or any electrical gadget today, then in 6 months time it will be outdated (meaning there will either be a newer version out, or another company has bought out something better). Apple are extremely good with this, they have released an iPhone every year without fail since the first iPhone was released back in June of 2007, so if you brought an iPhone with a contract (which usually lasts 18-24 months) it would be outdated mid contract.

Well as you can clearly see from the video 'Here', the Rolltop is due this year, although there is no hard evidence that it will be released this year or at all, but if it is released I can assure you that it would be a resolution in the way that we think of standard laptops, and the standard technology that is used in all of our electronic devices. I cannot stress enough, that if this laptop is released it will be able to provide mobility like no other laptop would be able to provide. The last laptop that was considered revolutionary was the MacBook Air which was released in 2008, and until the end of 2011 it was the slimmest laptop ever made, and then other companies began the era of ultra-books. I truly think that this has the potential (if it is actually released) to be an inspiration for all of the future portable computing machines in the near future! I literally cannot express this enough about how revolutionary this will be, it will be on the same level that the MacBook Air was back in 2008!

MacBook Air Vs Toshiba Ultrabook

Samsung, a gargantuan company which is recognised the world over (for TV's, Fridges, Laptops, etc.) have created something ingenious. They have created something called the Samsung Smart Window. If you watch some of the videos that have already been released on YouTube, you can clearly see that there is something revolutionary occurring ('Click here for preview'). When I watched the preview on this fantastic piece of engineering I was in awe! I still cannot comprehend the technology that is used in the window, quite frankly it boggles my mind.

The transparent LCD touchscreen can fit into a window frame of any size up to 46 inches, and it is capable of delivering a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It allows you to connect to the Internet via your home broadband connection, and would not take any more bandwidth than a standard computer. One of the major USP's (Unique Selling Points) of this is the fact that whilst you are able to see out of the window, people from the outside will not be able to see into your house, this is a brilliant idea! the fact that you would not even need to shut the blinds to bask yourself in privacy. 

Another fantastic idea that the developers have spawned is the use of this smart window as a car windscreen. Samsung said that it is extremely possible that it could be used to display all of the readouts that you would usually see in front of the steering wheel (Petrol gauge, Speedometer, Rev-counter, Oil pressure gauge, etc.) would be on the screen. Obviously for this feature to be used, there would be a vigorous amount of testing that would be carried out to ensure that it is safe to use in cars, because the obvious argument that there is is the distraction that it could cause to the driver.

I can imagine waking up half heartedly on dull, degrading, demoralising Monday morning, realising that I have over-slept and I am in a rush to complete all of the tasks that need to be done first thing in the morning (brushing of the teeth, breakfast, etc.). And whilst I am downstairs consuming my breakfast, I feel the urge to check the weather, or update my Twitter, and all I would have to do is swipe my finger across the window to update any of my social networking pleasures. There has been no definite price for the product, but Samsung anticipate that they will have a smart window out before the end of 2012.

2012· General· Reviews· Samsung· Smart Window· Technology· Twitter· Weather· Windscreen

Samsung's Clear Future?

Samsung, a gargantuan company which is recognised the world over (for TV's, Fridges, Laptops, etc.) have created something ingenious. They have created something called the Samsung Smart Window. If you watch some of the videos that have already been released on YouTube, you can clearly see that there is something revolutionary occurring ('Click here for preview'). When I watched the preview on this fantastic piece of engineering I was in awe! I still cannot comprehend the technology that is used in the window, quite frankly it boggles my mind.

The transparent LCD touchscreen can fit into a window frame of any size up to 46 inches, and it is capable of delivering a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels. It allows you to connect to the Internet via your home broadband connection, and would not take any more bandwidth than a standard computer. One of the major USP's (Unique Selling Points) of this is the fact that whilst you are able to see out of the window, people from the outside will not be able to see into your house, this is a brilliant idea! the fact that you would not even need to shut the blinds to bask yourself in privacy. 

Another fantastic idea that the developers have spawned is the use of this smart window as a car windscreen. Samsung said that it is extremely possible that it could be used to display all of the readouts that you would usually see in front of the steering wheel (Petrol gauge, Speedometer, Rev-counter, Oil pressure gauge, etc.) would be on the screen. Obviously for this feature to be used, there would be a vigorous amount of testing that would be carried out to ensure that it is safe to use in cars, because the obvious argument that there is is the distraction that it could cause to the driver.

I can imagine waking up half heartedly on dull, degrading, demoralising Monday morning, realising that I have over-slept and I am in a rush to complete all of the tasks that need to be done first thing in the morning (brushing of the teeth, breakfast, etc.). And whilst I am downstairs consuming my breakfast, I feel the urge to check the weather, or update my Twitter, and all I would have to do is swipe my finger across the window to update any of my social networking pleasures. There has been no definite price for the product, but Samsung anticipate that they will have a smart window out before the end of 2012.

The creators of World of Warcraft (Blizzard) are in discussion about whether to create a mobile Application. The reason that they have not created an application so far is because Blizzard believe that there would be a major problem with the shrinking of the interface. If the developers at Blizzard were able to officially release a mobile version of WoW, it would boost the companies profit margins drastically! The only official World of Warcraft app that is currently on the market is the armoury. This allows you to check your characters on your account and find out all of the information about them etc. This is a helpful application (Here is a link to 'World of Warcraft Armoury') and you are able to check your guild, create auctions, and most importantly customise your character.

'Example of what a World of Warcraft
would look like when it is on a mobile'.

Since the 12 million subscriber peak in 2010, the World of Warcraft franchise has managed to lose nearly 2 million subscribers. One of the more recent reason why they have fallen is because other MMORPG's (Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) such as SWTOR (Star Wars The Old Republic) have been released, and many people are not able to afford the subscription fee for both of the games. I believe that some of Blizzards subscribers wanted to try another MMORPG experience, so they cancelled their subscription to WoW and then decided to purchase a subscription to SWTOR. Although soon more people could be returning to WoW, as there is a new expansion pack being released which could possibly tempt previous fans to re-subscribe to WoW just to see what the new add-on is like.

I definitely think that they should take the time to make this game run on a mobile platform, because it would just appeal to such a wider audience, being able to play WoW portably, and take it round your friends house if you wished, otherwise two of you will be around the same screen, whilst only one of you will be able to play it. I cannot express enough how fantastic this idea is, if Blizzard are able to adapt the interface to work on mobile, it would be truly revolutionary. People have already foreseen how successful this could become, and a gaming company has already attempted to compatible with HTC phones. I do hope in the future that this idea becomes a reality, and maybe then, it will tempt me enough to re-subscribe.

2010· 2011· 2012· Android· Apps· Blizzard· Games· HTC· iOS· iPhone· Rumours· SWTOR· WoW

World of Warcraft Developers Debating Mobile App

The creators of World of Warcraft (Blizzard) are in discussion about whether to create a mobile Application. The reason that they have not created an application so far is because Blizzard believe that there would be a major problem with the shrinking of the interface. If the developers at Blizzard were able to officially release a mobile version of WoW, it would boost the companies profit margins drastically! The only official World of Warcraft app that is currently on the market is the armoury. This allows you to check your characters on your account and find out all of the information about them etc. This is a helpful application (Here is a link to 'World of Warcraft Armoury') and you are able to check your guild, create auctions, and most importantly customise your character.

'Example of what a World of Warcraft
would look like when it is on a mobile'.

Since the 12 million subscriber peak in 2010, the World of Warcraft franchise has managed to lose nearly 2 million subscribers. One of the more recent reason why they have fallen is because other MMORPG's (Mass Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) such as SWTOR (Star Wars The Old Republic) have been released, and many people are not able to afford the subscription fee for both of the games. I believe that some of Blizzards subscribers wanted to try another MMORPG experience, so they cancelled their subscription to WoW and then decided to purchase a subscription to SWTOR. Although soon more people could be returning to WoW, as there is a new expansion pack being released which could possibly tempt previous fans to re-subscribe to WoW just to see what the new add-on is like.

I definitely think that they should take the time to make this game run on a mobile platform, because it would just appeal to such a wider audience, being able to play WoW portably, and take it round your friends house if you wished, otherwise two of you will be around the same screen, whilst only one of you will be able to play it. I cannot express enough how fantastic this idea is, if Blizzard are able to adapt the interface to work on mobile, it would be truly revolutionary. People have already foreseen how successful this could become, and a gaming company has already attempted to compatible with HTC phones. I do hope in the future that this idea becomes a reality, and maybe then, it will tempt me enough to re-subscribe.