Gladget Magazine January 2011

w w w. g l a d ge t . c o. z a

issue 4 / vol 1 J a nu a r y 2 0 1 1

Cloud Power All Access Computing

Inside 6 From the Editor

8 In the Clouds Is Cloud Computing the answer?

14 Photography Primer Getting the light right with ISO and white balance 20 Reviews From high end to kid’s stuff 56 How To Using your Xbox 360 as a media extender 58 Same Difference The two Xbox models go toe-to-toe 62 Inner Workings WiFi explained 66 Dead End Nokia’s ill-fated gaming experiment

THIS MONTH’S COVER Cloud Computing offers many solutions, but is it really computing Utopia?

See the feature on page 8

cover art by Katia Taliadoros

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gladget contents • issue 4 • January 2011

Reviews

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MSI P55A Fuzion Motherboard

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Toshiba Qosmio X500 Notebook

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GMC H-80 PC Case

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Aerial 7 Tank Graffiti Headphones

Editor: Walt Pretorius walt@gladget.co.za

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MSI Wind Top AE 1920 Computer

Sub Editor: Charlie Fripp

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Orb 2M USB Cable

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iHome iP1 Dock

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PlayStation Move Navigation Controller

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Logic 3 TimeCube Dock

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Thrustmaster Toy Story 3 Nintendo Accessory Round-Up

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Kodak PlaySport Video Camera

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Viliv S5 Pocket Computer

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Orb PlayStation 3 Accessory Round-Up

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Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)

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Epic Mickey (Wii)

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God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP)

GLADGET Volume1Issue 4 January 2011

Writers: Brian Murdoch Dion Scotten Richard Bingham Alex Scanlon Letters: letters@gladget.co.za Competition Entries: competitions@gladget.co.za Newsletter Subscriptions: www.gladget.co.za Design & Photography: 1337 Media Technical Support: Brian Murdoch Marketing Contact: Katia Taliadoros katia@gladget.co.za

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gladget contents • issue 4 • January 2011

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5

Utopian Dreams?

From the Editor

by Walt Pretorius

A

nd so the new year is finally getting some momentum.

The holidays may be over, but the first two weeks of 2011 might as well have been part of the holiday period. Getting much done was difficult – like trying to sprint through a swimming pool filled with syrup.

That, combined with the fact that there haven’t been a hell of a lot of new products released in the last few weeks, means that our mag is a little skinnier this month. Never fear, though… we have big plans for the next twelve months. Gladget will grow in leaps and bounds, if we have anything to do with it (and we do have quite a lot to do with it, in fact.)

As the magazine grows, so will our coverage; there are a lot of great bits of technology, hardware and gadgetry out there, and we want to cover it all!

This month’s cover story is all about Cloud Computing, a term that is becoming more and more popular amongst technology companies (and their marketers) these days.

In putting the story together, I got

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to thinking… how far away are we from a global network that provides low cost computing and access to all kinds of information really? Yes, we have the Internet, and it already serves this purpose, but the Utopian ideal of truly expansive computing that I am talking about is still a few steps away.

The Internet is an amazing resource, yes, but it is also filled with – let’s be honest – lots of fluff and rubbish. You can find what you’re looking for on the ‘net, but you need to know what you’re doing.

Researching any given topic – say, the migratory habits of swallows – will bring up lots of information.

Which of that information is the best?

It’s pretty hard to tell, at times.

Even trusted information sources like Wikipedia don’t always have all the answers, and articles are sometimes in need of editing and fact checking.

The reason for this is that anyone with a bit of knowhow and something to talk about can have a website. In fact, for a long time, the deregulated

nature of the Internet, and that fact that anyone with a PC could have a website made a lot of journalists in the print industry look down on the concept. In this country there is still a level of distrust of some of the websites out there. And there should be, to a degree.

But the unregulated nature of the Internet is exactly the way it should be. It really is up to the end-user to determine whether what they reading is worthwhile or useful. This results in more research and comparing the information… which, in itself, is a good thing.

But the true ideal that people are striving for is still a long way off. In the meantime, though, we do have access to a wonderful source of information, and a great step in the right direction.

Enough mental meandering. Let’s get on with the issue, which features reviews on a broad range of things, ranging from high-end gaming laptops though to fun gadgets for the kids to enjoy. g

gladget column • issue 4 • January 2011

In the Clouds

Easy access computing for the masses… more or less.

Feature

by Walt Pretorius

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gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

T

he home computer has been with us for a few decades now, and every year has seen exciting new advancements take place in the field. But keeping up with the demands of home computing – or any computing, for that matter – can be rather expensive. New software requires new hardware, and new hardware means that software advances make older programs obsolete, at worst, or archaic and slow at best. Keeping a PC up to date – whether you are a home user or someone doing so in a work environment – requires a lot of cash.

And let’s not forget about the time commitment. Aside from installing new hardware, installing new software can be time consuming. Additionally, in a work environment, the software likely needs to be installed onto several machines, which will often necessitate multiple copies or licenses being purchased… once again, time consuming and expensive. And to stay current makes it even more so.

The result of a situation like this, particularly on the PC platform, is a lot of piracy.

While companies try valiantly to hamper the efforts of pirates, it still is a major problem… and one that further increases costs for legitimate users.

The rise and constant growth of the Internet and associated systems is providing a solution, not only to piracy, but also to the problems of constant upgrading and expensive software purchases. One of the newer catch-phrases being bandied about by Internet users and technology companies is “Cloud Computing”, which offers numerous solutions for computer users, as well as people working in conditions that are becoming increasingly decentralised.

The core concept behind cloud computing is that computer users access programs and files stored in a “cloud”, a situation in which the programs and related data are not stored in specified places.

In fact, the locations of the software and related data is – in the Cloud Computing theory – in unspecified, unknown and non-static locations.

Cloud Computing is dependant on a certain architecture.

The two principle components of this are the front end, which is basically the computer used to access the cloud, and the cloud itself as the back end; a collection of computers, servers and data storage devices. The user accesses programs using a web interface, which then relays information back and forth to the cloud.

gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

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gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

The magic happens in the cloud itself.

The systems that make up the cloud will allocate resources to each user as they are required, allowing for flexible and scalable usage.

There are numerous advantages to Cloud Computing.

Because the infrastructure running the programs used is not dependant on the user, but rather on the cloud itself, a more flexible and agile work-flow is created. This is further improved by the fact that using computers in a cloud system is not dependant on location, or the system being used.

This is because the data for both the programs and the users saved files are located in the cloud. The user only needs Internet access to use the programs – theoretically, any web-capable device, be it a desktop, notebook or mobile phone, can be used to access the programs and data.

Naturally, costs are also believed to be much lower when using Cloud Computing. The end user needs a web-capable device, and does not have to consider technical hardware aspects when making use of programs.

The programs themselves are also cheaper, with most companies using either a metered system (in which the user pays for the amount of usage in a given time period) or subscription systems. Instead ofWWW users paying for software suites that may contain programs they do not use, Cloud Computing allows for a more efficient “pay only for what you use” economy.

The programs are also available to anyone who has internet access, meaning that decentralised companies – those not using an office – can use the same software and access the same data, even if they are spread across the globe.

This idea spreads further, entering the realm of program maintenance. Since the programs are not housed on the user’s computer, maintenance time on them – installing and upgrading, for example) is virtually non-existent.

Also, support for the programs happens in a very short time… rather than calling a support person and having to be walked through a process of fixing a program, the user can report faults directly to those maintaining the cloud. Changes that are made in terms of upgrades and maintenance also reach the user virtually instantly.

This brings up the idea of reliability. If the cloud is properly set up at the back end, the reliability of the programs offered should be very high, and system failures gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

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virtually non-existent. That said, there have been instances of cloud systems going down, leaving the end user or IT managers of companies using cloud systems pretty much helpless in sorting out the problem. When it works – which is most of the time – it’s fantastic, but in the rare event of a system problem, the user is at the mercy of those who work directly on administering and maintaining the cloud.

Another question that arises regarding Cloud Computing is security. It’s a complex situation… on one hand, having data stored in a central location (that is, data from numerous different users) could lead to good security, with the company administering any given cloud able to focus on effective and specific security for the cloud. Also, the security, in this situation, could be much better than the general end user could afford for their own system.

However, there are many concerns about storing sensitive data in what could essentially be an uncontrolled space.

Most Cloud Computing providers track user data and access logs, but this may still not be enough for some

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users to consider saving sensitive data to cloud systems.

While Cloud Computing has many fans, and large companies and universities are dedicating a lot of research to the idea, the concept has a lot of critics, too. Some have accused companies of making use of systems that already exist, rebranding them under a new catch-phrase to try and maximise marketing potential. Richard Stallman, a leading software freedom activist and programmer, said the following in an interview: “It’s stupidity. It’s worse than stupidity: it’s a marketing hype campaign.

Somebody is saying this is inevitable – and whenever you hear somebody saying that, it’s very likely to be a set of businesses campaigning to make it true.” Oracle Corporation CEO Larry Ellison had a different angle for his criticism, saying that Cloud Computing represented everything his company already did, and that the only effect it would have on Oracle would be to change the wording on some of their advertisements. Forrester Research VP Frank Gillett believes that Cloud Computing could be revolutionary in the long term, but is over-hyped gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

and misunderstood in the short term. His belief is that it needs to be a transitional shift in thought-patterns and computing habits, not a sudden transformation.

Whatever the case may be, there is a lot of energy going into this idea. Cloud Computing will inevitably become more and more popular, as people try and change their working habits to fit their lifestyles, or even look at more economically viable solutions to IT. While Cloud Computing certainly won’t be for everyone, and some programs and functions may only become available via these ideas in a somewhat distant future, there is a lot of attention being paid to the concept from both the public and private sectors.

In South Africa, too, the ideas behind Cloud Computing are a little less than viable at present. With current infrastructure, including expensive, capped Internet access, Cloud Computing certainly won’t solve everyone’s problems. But we have seen many changes to Internet access provision over the last few months and, considering high software costs, Cloud Computing may become a very gladget feature • issue 4 • January 2011

viable solution for many South African businesses.

In the end, Cloud Computing comes down to whether you’re going to want to use it or not. While it may grow into the standard way of doing things a few decades from now, the end-user still has the luxury to decide which course they wish to follow for themselves.

Whether the whole world will adopt Cloud Computing one day, eliminating the need for store-bought software and making everyone’s access to information virtually limitless… well, that idea seems a little Utopian and rather unlikely. But the fact remains that this powerful asset will empower many people, saving them time, money and effort, as well as granting them easier access to resources they may not have been able to get to before. The effects it could have on education and disadvantaged communities alone could be massive. But idealism should be avoided, too – the companies providing Cloud Computing programs and services make things cheaper, but not free.

If Cloud Computing will become the powerful, all-access solution that it is supposed to be, or it will become a

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Photography Primer

The Right Light Adjusting to every condition

by Walt Pretorius

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gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

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t seems, these days, that there are a lot of photographers about. The rise of digital photography, along with lower prices on equipment, has meant that almost everyone has a decent quality camera, and many of those people consider themselves to be professional photographers. But the true mark of a photographer is not in just being able to get a few lucky pics amidst a great many snap-shots. If that were the case, the world would be populated by photographers. Rather, the real photographer is the person that understands not only the composition and spatial relationships of their subject matters, but also understands how to manipulate the resulting images with the tools at hand. A true photographer does not need the biggest camera and the most lenses… they will certainly benefit from good equipment, but they will be able to take a good picture with virtually any kind of camera.

If that sounds elitist, it probably is. Way back when, before all the automated functions which are now built into cameras, photographers had to work hard to get the best pictures and become renowned capturers of beautiful images. These days, people just stick the camera on automatic and fire away. While automatic functions have their place, a true understanding of photography does not start with the camera’s A setting.

And that’s why we have worked through various aspects of how the camera understands and uses light to create images. We know what focus is about, and how we can play with it compositionally. We understand that the aperture does not only govern light passing through the lens, but also regulates the image’s depth of field. We know that shutter speed can be used to create wonderful photographic illusions, while still governing exposure.

These are all important to the process, and will have a massive effect on the end result.

If you have tried any of the concepts we spoke about before, you will also know that balancing the process can be tricky. Sure, if you know that you will have more of a dependence on shutter speed, you can set your camera to allow manual adjustment of just that aspect, while all the other itty gritty is taken care of. If you want your aperture to take priority, same thing. Working with both, though, gets a little trickier.

Some folks use the ISO setting on the camera as a balancer, allowing them to get closer to the desired results. While this certainly does work, it isn’t necessarily the best idea…

gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

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Photography Primer

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gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

When people were still using film in their cameras, it was rated using a system called ASA. You would have to specifically request a particular type of film (say 100 ASA) and they were stuck with it for the next 24 or 36 shots.

The ASA setting determined how sensitive the film was to light; a lower rating meant less sensitivity, requiring brighter lighting conditions.

Why have the different ratings, then? Why not just work with super-sensitive film all the time? Well, the flipside was that the lower ASA ratings featured less grain, and reproduced colour more effectively. So, for clearer, brighter pictures, a lower ASA was essential.

These days, digital cameras also have a sensitivity setting, in the form of the ISO setting. It works pretty much the same way: the higher the number, the more sensitive the camera is to light. On the up-side, the setting can be changed from one image to the next, allowing for greater versatility than film offered.

The reason why using ISO settings to balance out aperture and shutter speed issues stems from the fact that, like film, higher ISO settings produce more noise in the image, and don’t handle colour quite as well as they should. The effect is minimised, though – it’s not quite as apparent as it was in the days of film. And it can also be used as a valuable tool: noise, or grain, might suit certain images.

Playing with different ISO settings will allow you to see the differences that they can have on your images.

If you, for example, take the same picture over and over again with different ISO settings, you will be able to see how aperture and shutter speed are affected, as well as investigate the clarity of the final images.

Another setting that is important to lighting conditions is white balance. Your camera purely records light waves as they reach it – it doesn’t have a brain to interpret and adjust what it sees. While our visual abilities will compensate for anomalies in light waves, a camera cannot do that – which is why some pictures may seem too blue or yellow under certain kinds of light.

Most cameras operate on an automatic white balance setting, and even have presets for different kinds of light – typically for incandescent light, and a few options for fluorescent light. But there’s more to it than just using a preset… how strong is the light source? How old is it?

Does it have a layer of dust on it? What kind of fluorescent light bulb is being used?

There’s a very simple way to get around all of these

gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

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Photography Primer

issues: custom white balance settings. Once again, this can be changed from one picture to the next, and is very simple to do. Simply use a piece of white card or paper, under the exact light conditions that you will be shooting in. Most cameras require a snapshot of the white surface to set the white balance… quite simply, this process tells the camera what white light waves look like under the lighting conditions, allowing it to compensate and capture all colours accurately, no matter what the light source may be. It’s a relatively quick and painless procedure that will save you a lot of heartache later.

We have now covered the basic principles of how your camera captures light and forms images, and have looked at ways that you can modify the end result. Once again, refer to your specific camera’s manual to find out how to make changes to aperture, shutter speed, white balance and ISO settings. Try to combine these settings, along with effective use of focus, to create images that you have in mind – pre-planning the images is a great idea.

From next month, we will start looking at a few more advanced concepts, as well as looking at specific examples of photographs to further illustrate and expand on what we have already covered. If you have missed any of the previous articles, feel free to browse or download the back issues of Gladget at www.gladget.co.za. g

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gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

Reviews Highlights 22 MSI P55A Fuzion Motherboard Crossing borders 24 Toshiba Qosmio X500 Notebook Big notebook, big power 36 PlayStation Move Navigation Controller The other half 42 Kodak PlaySport Video Camera Make movies anywhere, any time

S

o many toys, so little time. Yes, that’s really how we look at technology and gadgets here at Gladget... as toys.

There’s nothing better than getting a brand new device and putting it through its paces. It very much is like a kid who gets a new toy and plays with it ceaselessly, until it’s broken.

OK, so we don’t like to break things, particularly not when they cost a pretty penny. But we do enjoy puttings things through our rigorous reviewing process as much as possible.

Evertyhing we review is hands on, tested by the Gladget team.

That way you can rest assured that the opinions expressed in our reviews are based on personal experience, rather than speculation. g

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gladget review • issue 4 • January 2011

MSI P55A Fuzion Motherboard

Versatility Keep your upgrading easy

by Walt Pretorius

M

otherboards are an important decision, as we have pointed out time and again. Choosing the right board is vital, not only because it affects the way your PC will work initially, but also because it determines the upgrade potential of your machine in future.

And then there’s considering what exactly you’re going to be doing with your machine. You don’t want to get a board that will shackle you in terms of options, but you don’t necessarily want to get something that is going to be “too much board” because of the costs involved.

The secret, then, is finding a board that provides you with potential, without breaking the bank. Depending on your requirements, the MSI P55A Fuzion might just be that board.

This board provides potential for mid to mid-high range gaming, without many of the possibly redundant bells and whistles that bigger (more expensive) boards have on offer.

What makes this board so wonderfully versatile is the Fuzion technology that makes up part of its name. Fuzion technology breaks the boundaries that one would expect

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to find with other motherboards that support multiple graphics cards. Normally, a board would support NVidia’s SLi system, or ATi’s Crossfire. This one supports both.

N-Mode, which runs the Nvidia protocol, will give a 25% performance boost, even with non-identical graphics cards (another break from tradition, particularly for SLi.) A-Mode runs the Crossfire system at a 33% performance increase, also with non-identical ATi cards (which Crossfire is pretty much known for.)

It’s X-Mode, though, that makes things even more interesting. The user will be able to squeeze up to 15% more power out of their graphics performance in this mode, and they’ll be able to do it with virtually any combination of Nvidia and ATi cards. Yes, that’s right – cross-breeding of graphics between the two competitors.

These three modes mean that the user can upgrade pretty easily… they can hang on to their older graphics card, and add a new one to the system. It saves money, and even reduces concepts like e-waste to a degree. It is, in short, an awesome idea, and it works… we tried a few combinations, with solid results.

CPU performance can also be upped, by as much as g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

36%, thanks to onboard and software based overclocking solutions. MSI’s OC Genie and Super Unlock systems work very well together, delivering generally safe and stable overclocking to those that want to go down that road.

Further, the board uses military grade components (something that is fairly common with new motherboards these days) to ensure better lifespan and better cooling across various component groups.

The P55A is a great board, but it does have one or two niggles that may (or may not) be problematic, depending on what the end-user requires. Actually, there’s only one issue that springs to mind immediately, and that is that the board is a little shy on card slots. It offers 2 PCI Express 2.0 x 16 slots for graphics cards (which are nicely spaced), 2 PCI Express 2.0 x 1 slots and 2 PCI Express 2.2 slots.

You’re not going to be sticking a whole bunch of cards into your PC with this boards, but it does have all the things like on-board LAN and sound, so you shouldn’t have to.

MSI’s performance is generally great, and the P55A Fuzion is a good motherboard for those who want to push a few limits and enjoy versatility in performance and upgrade options. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: The Fuzion technology makes this board great for using multiple graphics cards.

Score

88

Manufacturer: MSI Distributor: Pinnacle Africa Online: www.pinnacle.co.za RRP: R1495 Tech Specs: • Fuzion Technology • i7, i5 and i3 compatible • 4 x DDR 3 RAM slots • 2 x USB 3.0 ports • 9 x USB 2.0 ports • Intel P55 chipset

Pros: • Versatile for GPUs • Easy overclocking Cons: • Only supports 2 GPUs

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Toshiba Qosmio X500 Notebook

The Player

Big specs in a little (sort of) package

by Walt Pretorius

T

he trend towards building powerful gaming machines into notebook shells is still going strong.

As a matter of fact, it’s likely to get stronger before it dies down… if it even does die down. And there’s nothing wrong with having a powerful notebook – machines capable of running modern games will likely run almost any other program you throw at them. It’s just the way of the computing world at the moment.

One thing that does suffer a little is the portability of the device. Sure, you can still carry these notebooks around, but they are really big in general. Take the Toshiba Qosmio X500 as an example. It’s a massive machine, bulky and heavy. That, though (along with the price, which is also pretty bulky and heavy) is more or less the only criticism we can level at this Toshiba powerhouse.

The Qosmio X500 looks the part, with a faux carbon fibre finish complemented by deep red trim. Once you have opened the notebook, it’s all shiny black surfaces and red metallic trim. This is topped off by a beautifully clear 18.4 inch display.

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Another plus is that a full keyboard, complete with num-pad, fits beautifully onto the lower deck of the notebook. Just below that is a beautifully sensitive touch pad controller, supported by 2 generous buttons flanking a finger print reader. The on-board control set-up is beautifully laid out, stylish and sensible. And, as an added bonus, a touch-sensitive multimedia control panel takes care of multimedia needs, including volume and muting.

And, on top of it all, the touch pad can be deactivated by a discreet button at the base of the keyboard.

Speaking of volume, the X500 delivers sound by way of a pair of crystal clear, high quality Harman Kardon speakers, mounted right at the far end of the lower deck (and rimmed with, you guessed it, metallic deep red trim.

Under the hood, the X500 packs an Intel Core i7 that runs at 1.6 (or 2.8 Turbo ) GHz. Backed by a standard 6GB of RAM out of the box (upgradable to 8GB) that’s a lot of punch in what is still a relatively small package.

Graphic performance is taken care of by an Nvidia GeForce GTS 250M, employing CUDA technology and g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

1GB of VRAM (which can be varied using TurboCache technology, based on your OS.) Storage comes in the form of 1TB of disk space, thanks to two 500GB hard drives. A DVD drive takes care of the optical side of things.

As far as ports go, the X500 only offers three USB ports, which is not a lot. Additionally, a card reader can interface with numerous card types (including SD).

HDMI and eSATA ports are also included, as well as a VGA port and LAN port (although the system’s built in WiFi and Bluetooth can sort out networking and other connections.)

As a package, the Qosmio X500 is a great gaming notebook. It packs quite a punch and performs well. It won’t out-do a big desk-top, sure, but for a laptop to play games on, it performs really, really well.

The big prohibition in this one is the price. At almost R22000, it is expensive.

Then again, if you’re after a device of this nature, it is comparable to other gaming notebooks. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: It’s big and it’s heavy, but portable PC gaming is perfectly viable with the X500.

Score

90

Manufacturer: Toshiba Distributor: Toshiba Online: www.toshiba.com RRP: R21999 Tech Specs: • Intel Core i7 • 6GB RAM • 1 GB VRAM • 1TB HDD • 18.4” screen • Harman Kardon speakers

Pros: • Powerful • Stylish • Well designed Cons: • Big • Heavy • Expensive

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GMC H-80 Computer Case

Super Cool!

Let your PC chill…

by Walt Pretorius

I

am not really easily impressed by computer cases.

Yes, they are important, from both a practical and aesthetic point of view but, essentially, they amount to roughly the same thing. Or so I thought.

See, the most important thing a computer case does, besides housing and protecting all those components you spent so much money on, is deal with heat. All the cooling fans on your mother board and graphics cards don’t mean squat if the case doesn’t effectively remove heat from around the components. And these days, most cases use a very similar system: one 120mm fan in the front, one in the back, and a 80mm fan mounted in the side. This creates an effective system, keeping the case relatively cool while not going ape on the fans.

This set-up works well for most PCs, but really highperformance rigs – like ones running multiple graphics cards – need a bit of extra cooling power to stop the system from overheating. Very few options allow for that, though.

The H-80 is pretty different in that respect. It comes

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standard with four fans, rather than three. In the front, a 120mm fan, in the back, one more. Nothing unusual there. But a third 120mm fan is mounted in the top of the unit, pulling air away from the power supply, which also generates massive amounts of heat. And, in the side panel, one of the biggest fans I have seen in a PC case… a monster 250mm fan that blasts air into the system. Additionally, the box can house two more fans in brackets at the bottom, but the user will need to buy these separately.

Additional cooling is made possible by ports to allow water cooling apparatus to the system, and an extensive venting system helps drag air through more effectively.

The front fan, for example, is housed behind a door that can be opened or closed, depending on whether the user wants a little more cooling power.

The stylish box also features two doors for optical drives, as well as one for a floppy drive (does anyone still use those?) The top front of the case features four USB 2.0 ports, as well as an eSATA ports and space for g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

a firewire connection. This is rounded of by a relatively unobtrusive LCD screen that indicates power, hard drive activity and system temperature.

The overall design is reminiscent of most GMC cases.

There is no side window, and the box has a chunky, feral look. They have cut down on the many hard edges and corners that some of their other cases feature, making the box look less over the top.

The H-80 is a great case. It’s interior is spacious and screwless, with a “toolbox” neatly fitted to hold all the parts that one would need in putting the case together.

The hard drive bays are also side-mounted, for easier access.

On the whole, it looks impressive and delivers cooling straight out of the box that blows many competitors right out of the water. With the added options for additional cooling, things look even better.

If you have an extreme gaming system, or you just want to make sure that your PC will never overheat, this box is an excellent option. GMC have delivered a really high quality case at a great price in the form of the H-80. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: Fans galore, and options for more, plus a bunch of other bells and whistles.

Score

96

Manufacturer: GMC Distributor: Pinnacle Africa Online: www.pinnacle.co.za RRP: R635 Tech Specs: • 3 x 120mm fans • 1 x 250mm fan • 4 x USB 2.0 ports • 1 x eSATA port • 2 optical drive bays • LCD display

Pros: • Excellent cooling • Screwless • Looks good Cons: • No PSU supplied

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Aerial7 Tank Graffiti

Storming Forward The Tank leaves no sound behind

by Charlie Fripp

H

eadphones aren’t something that people invest an awful lot of time in exploring when they are in the market for a new pair, but having the right pair to do the job can make a huge difference in the overall happiness and sound quality.

In the last issue we had a look at Aerial7’s Phoenix headphones, and while they produced some of the best sounds, they had another card up their musical sleeve.

Aerial7’s Tank Graffiti stormed its way through the big sound, delivering something special for any music lover.

For a DJ, it’s incredibly important that the sound quality is of the utmost best, and that is exactly where the Tank delivers more than what one could possibly hope for.

The bass is rich and deep, but it’s not overbearing and it actually compliments the treble, mid and high tones.

In order to deliver the perfect pitch and sound, the cups of the headphones also need to match the quality of the sound. The cups are incredibly comfortable, and although they sit on the ear, instead of over, they won’t irritate the ear lobes more than usual.

They also feature the same swivel ability as most Aerial7 headphones, loaded with a spring return for single-sided monitoring. The ear cups are dressed with a rubberised, soft-touch material, making the listening

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experience just that bit more comfortable.

In order to keep the headphones steady on the wearer’s head, the headband is rather thick and sturdy, making sure that it will fit snug and comfortably, but also contributes to the overall heaviness of the gadget.

That is probably to only downside to the Tank headphones – they might be a bit heavy and robust for the average user. Granted, they aren’t the type of headphones that one will use when jogging, but they are ideally used for stationary activities, such as DJing, listening to music or playing games.

Like almost every headphone set made by Aerial7, the Tank also ships with a couple of extra goodies inside the box. Most importantly, they included a good helping of different cables like a thick coiled one for standard music players and a thin straight cable with a microphone when they are used with any cell phone or device that has a standard 3.5mm audio jack.

You won’t have to cart the headphones around in the box, as a nifty drawstring bag is neatly packed away inside, which is big enough to house the headphones and all the cabling. The bag isn’t terribly big, but that is because the headphone’s cups can swing inward and greatly reduce its size. g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

But the box and the general presentation is of such a high standard, that it might be difficult to actually throw it out. Without blowing Aerial7’s horn too much, they do tend to go the extra mile when designing the box art and packaging. It shows that they are a company who is serious about its products.

With that said, the Tank Graffiti are headphones that should be taken very seriously, and since the Tank range comes out with a lot of really funky designs, not only do they do the job perfectly; they will also look extremely cool in the process.

No complaints can actually be levelled against the headphones, as sound quality is the most important factor, but although the coiled cable is a great addition to the bundle, it becomes very tight when stretched out far – which can restrict basic movements when used with a games console.

But other than that minor flaw, there isn’t anything else that might be detrimental to its use. Besides for the size and weight, it’s one of the best headphones that we have come across in a long time. The sound is crystal clear and the bass is enough to shake loose a few strands of hair.

It might be a bit pricy for some pockets, but a good pair of headphones is never something that should be g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

skimped on. Sure, there might be more expensive or better headphones out there, but the Tank Graffiti is excellent value for money well spent. g

AT A GLANCE: It might be a bit bulky, but they sure deliver a big sound and deep bass.

Score

85

Manufacturer: Aerial7 Distributor: KNR Flatrock Online: www.aerial7.com RRP: R899 Tech Specs: • Driver diameter: 57mm • Impedance: 64Ω • Frequency response: 5-20KHz • Sensitivity: 108±3dB

Pros: • Great sound • Fits securely • Packs away neatly Cons: • Heavy and bulky • Bit pricey • Not for everyone

29

MSI Wind Top AE1920 Computer

Space Saver

Not very powerful, but handy none the less…

by Walt Pretorius

T

he face of personal computing changes so often these days that one would be excused for comparing it to an aging actor fighting off the ravages of time with plastic surgery. OK, maybe the comparison is a little extreme, but you get what I’m saying, right. Technology pushes on, sweeping the world of computing along with it, resulting in an almost constant state of change.

That’s not a bad thing. If fact, it’s a very good thing, because each new step makes our lives just a little easier, a little more convenient.

One of the latest ideas – or, more accurately, more popular ideas – that is pervading the world of computing is touch screen control. Touch screens are hardly new tech… they’ve been around for ages, actually. But new advances in the field have made them more accessible, more effective, and less prone to being damaged or delivering inaccurate (or even accidental) readings.

Another technological idea that has been around for a while and adds to the constant change we see is the idea

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of miniaturisation and consolidation. This works for some devices, while others don’t do so well with it.

The MSI Wind Top AE1920 is one of the devices that benefits from both of these ideas. It is a desk-top PC with notebook aspirations, an amalgamation of stationary and mobile computing that aims to deliver the best of both worlds. But, in doing so, it sacrifices aspects of both styles of computer use that are more or less definitive of the experiences.

While the Wind Top AE 1920 is portable, it is not extremely so. It lacks the ability to fold up, leaving the screen vulnerable to damage. And while it offers a neater, more space-friendly alternative to desk-tops, it sacrifices some of the power and versatility that big table-top rigs offer.

Still, in the right set of circumstances, it is a good PC. It’s ideal for regular users who don’t necessarily fall into the power-user category, like students and home users who need a PC, but don’t really want a monster. And, at the price, it’s a fantastic option for anyone falling into g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

that broad zone of end-users.

The AE 1920 is consolidated, in so much as it appears to be a bulky monitor. But everything is built into this larger “screen” housing, meaning that, aside from the optional mouse and keyboard, the unit takes up very little space.

While it does come with more or less standard hardware, it can be upgraded in the same way that a laptop can, so there is some versatility in the device. And, if space is a real problem, the mouse and keyboard can be set aside, because it has a fairly accurate and capable TFT touch screen built right in.

The screen measures 18.5 inches, meaning that it takes up the bulk of the device’s 210mm x 197mm size. It runs with optional single or dual-core processors, at a speed of 1.8 GHz. Up to 4GB of RAM can be installed (the model we tested was running half of that). Our test model also had a 250GB hard drive, and a standard 512MB GPU. It’s not a powerful machine – it may run older games – but it is a good option for those that are strapped for space and need a fairly capable computer. And, at the price, it’s worth looking at. xt. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: A space saving option for those who don’t need a massively powerful PC

Score

79

Manufacturer: MSI Distributor: Pinnacle Africa Online: www.pinnacle.co.za RRP: R4499 Tech Specs: • Up to 4GB RAM • 1.8 GHz • 512MB GPU • 250GB HDD • Touch Screen • 18.5” Screen

Pros: • Space saver • Excellent price Cons: • Not very powerful • Not very portable

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Orb Multiformat HDMI cable

Picture This!

Seeing the difference in cabling

J

ust like many components of modern-day media centres and game consoles, the HDMI (HighDefinition Media Interface) cable is something the most of the users take for granted.

We might look at the cable as only a by-product or another expense when it comes to setting up a number of compatible home theatre products, but few actually realise how important a good HDMI cable can be, and what difference it brings to the visual quality.

HDMI cables are used to transmit uncompressed digital data (audio and visual), and is a great alternative to normal cabling like a coaxial cable, composite video, S-Video, SCART, component video, D-Terminal, or VGA. While the HDMI cable supports and carries a wide variety of data, the most important part is that it will make a huge difference in HD televisions and surround sound.

While testing out Orb’s mammoth 2-meter long cable, the difference in screen quality was immediately visible when the cable was connected to a Sony Playstation 3 and a HD television.

While the supplied PS3 cables did the job sufficiently, the HDMI cable just gave it that bit extra, providing the crispness and excellent sound quality that one craves when watching Blu-ray films.

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by Charlie Fripp

The cable itself has anti-corrosive gold plated connectors, and while being 2-meters long, the entire length of the cable is braided in strong mesh. g

AT A GLANCE: Since 2-meters is more than enough, the HDMI cable will definitely reach all your components.

Score

80

Manufacturer: Orb Distributor: Sensation Lab Online: TBC RRP: R159 Tech Specs: • Anti-corrosive gold plated connectors • 2-meters in length • True HD signal transmission • Braided cable

Pros: • 2-meters in length • Anti-corrosive gold plated connectors Cons: • 2-meters is long • Cable not very flexible

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

PRINT FROM ANYWHERE FROM ANY MOBILE DEVICE.1

HP Photosmart e-All-in-One TOUCH THE WEB. PRINT THE WEB.2

Get more information: hp.com/go/ePrintCenter 1 May require an Internet connection to the printer. Feature works with any Internet- and e-mail-capable device. For details hp.com/go/eP hp.com/go/ePrintCenter 2 Requires a wireless access point and Internet connection to the printer. Apps availability varies by country. Services may require registration. registra For details hp.com/go/ePrintCenter 4AA3-0982EEE, August 2010

iHome iP1

House Party Bringing big sound to the iPhone

by Charlie Fripp

W

ith the steady growth of almost every technology imaginable, simple things in life just aren’t what they were a couple of years ago. Take the cell phone for example. In the last 10 years or so, the little communication device has gone from being a simple talking tool, to having colour screens, internet connectivity and the ability to take pictures.

And as technology grows and expands, the clever folk who make these devices have come up with even better ways to entertain ourselves by adding things like video players, music players and games.

But the regular cell phone, even with all its bells and whistles, can only go so far before an external element is needed in order for it to realise its full potential. And that is exactly where the iHome iP1 comes in – a full-service media centre of sorts.

The iP1 is the latest in the Studio Series by iHome, and users won’t believe their ears when they hook it up with an iPhone or iPod. The device, in essence, functions as an audio amplifier for all the favourite tunes stored on the iPhone. So yes, in layman’s terms, it’s a boom box or external speakers for an audio device.

But this is no ordinary set of dinky speakers – the sound quality and bass response is incredible – up to the

34

point where it actually hurts one’s hears before it even reaches full tilt. But the true beauty of the speakers is that they don’t distort even in the slightest.

That is a major factor when considering the purchase of speakers for an iPhone or iPod, as the sole purpose of these devices are to reproduce sound and song at exactly the same quality no matter the volume or content.

It features a highly efficient 4-Channel amplifier solution that is complimented by the patented Bongiovi Acoustics’ Digital Power Station technology, making sure that all the sounds come out exactly the way they should.

With the aforementioned Digital Power Station technology, the speakers’ sound stay so crisp and clear that it quite possible to throw a decent party with the device – that is the sort of loudness and quality that we are talking about.

From the official line on their website, Bongiovi Acoustics’ Digital Power Station technology is real-time digital signal processing that extends audio bandwidth and adds missing harmonics without adding peak output to the signal. Sounds impressive.

In terms of design, the unit rest neatly on the back of the main speakers, while providing a slanted look with the help of the clear glass panel in the front. The two main

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

speakers (4-inch honeycomb woofers) are located square in the middle of the panel, while two smaller speakers (1inch silk dome tweeters) sit flush on either side.

In the centre, where the music device rests, are a series of buttons to control the song selection, volume and power, but the device can also be operated hands-free.

Well, that’s not entirely true, as the unit is equipped with a remote control, so a hand is still needed.

But not only music can be enjoyed on the unit, as it supports component/composite video for video to be streamed or watched through the iPhone on any television at home. Although they don’t support surround sound, the overall quality is of such a standard, that it will hardly make a difference.

Since it’s a full-service music station, no such unit would be complete if it didn’t have an equaliser built in. Luckily the unit has just such a feature, and through it users will be able to manually set the bass and treble.

As far as a set of speakers go for the iPhone or iPod, these are by far the best that one could hope for. Sure, there are others on the market that serve the same purpose, but the iP1 delivers an incredible amount of sound and bass, while keeping it crystal clear.

The only problem with the unit is that it’s a bit on the heavy side, but that is expected. There is also no ability g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

to power the unit with standard batteries, running on AC power all the time. This simply means that you can’t take it on the road with you if you don’t have a power supply readily available. g

AT A GLANCE: As far as home speakers for the iPhone or iPod goes, these are some of the best.

Score

88

Manufacturer: iHome Distributor: KNR Flatrock Online: www.ihomeaudiointl.com RRP: R3499 TECH SPECS • 16.3” W x 6.9” H x 7.9” D • 2 4-inch honeycomb woofers • 2 1-inch silk dome tweeters

Pros: • Great sound • Remote control • Looks good Cons: • A bit heavy • No battery support

35

PS3 Navigation Controller

The Sidekick

An essential part of the Move controller system

by Alex Scanlon

T

he first peripheral (and possibly the most important one) for PlayStation’s Move system is the Navigation Controller. Like the Wii Remote’s Nunchuck peripheral, this gadget allows for greater control over games that make use of the Move system.

Unlike the Nunchuck, though, the Navigation Controller is wireless, and requires recharging.

The Navigation Controller is slightly shorter than the black part of the Move controller, and features an analogue stick, directional pad, two top mounted triggers and an X and O button. It frees up some of the responsibility from the Move controller (the X and O buttons specifically) and is meant for games in which the player needs to move their character around, as well as make motions with the Move controller.

Like the original controller the Nav controller is solidly built and comfortable to use. Folks with smaller hands may have to hold the controller slightly higher up to comfortably reach the analogue stick, which is right at the top of the controller’s ‘front’. This will make using the D-Pad a little uncomfortable. The positioning on the other buttons is fine but, once again, small hands may have a little difficulty.

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This is a good addition to the Move system – actually, it’s pretty much a necessity. g

AT A GLANCE: This is a must for those who like using the PlayStation Move control system.

Score

80

Manufacturer: Sony Distributor: Ster Kinekor Online: www.playstation.com RRP: R349 Tech Specs: • Analogue stick • D-Pad • 2 ‘face’ buttons • 2 triggers • Rechargeable • Cordless

Pros: • Greater control • Long battery life Cons: • Tough for small hands

g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

Broken remote?

Confusing remote?

Too many remotes?

Introducing the Logitech Harmony® 300i® The replacement remote that’s simple yet powerful. Quick and easy set up. Works with over 5,000 brands. And press just one button to start watching TV. Start simplifying at Logitech.com

i-Station TimeCube

Cheery Mornings Complete with the tunes of your choice

by Walt Pretorius

T

here are good ways to wake up, and there are bad ways to wake up. The latter includes a bucket of ice water, a cold dog nose under the duvet, and construction workers starting up at 6 am. The former… a lazy, slow Sunday morning, or a few good tunes. In fact, waking up to good music – whatever your taste may be – can set you up to be in a good mood for the whole day.

Logic 3, who make generally great gadgets that go along with the whole range of iPods and iPhones, have a solution for letting you wake up with exactly the kind of sound you want to hear – be it radio, an alarm tone or your favourite song played from your iPod. And, just as a bonus, it acts as a charging station as well.

The i-Station TimeCube is described as an FM clock radio for iPhone and iPod. As such, it does it’s job perfectly. Just around 90mm on each side, it features a big display none the less, which shows time and date at a glance, as well as the day (handy for those confused mornings that find you half way to work before

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you realise it’s a Sunday) all in a clear but unobtrusive orange display. The display can be set for three levels of brightness, too, so you won’t be blinded by an overlybright digital time display in the dead of night.

In terms of music playback, you have three choices – FM radio, auxiliary sound (by way of a 3.5mm jack port) and, of course, tunes saved on your iPod. Sound is delivered by way of a single speaker mounted in the side of the cube. While stereo is obviously not an option, the sound quality is surprisingly good. Even at the loudest volume, there is absolutely no distortion from the speaker.

OK, so it’s not loud enough to have a party with, but the volume gets up to a pretty impressive level, all things considered. The sound range is also surprisingly good.

The bass doesn’t thump, but it certainly is present.

A sleep function has been built in, which will allow you to drift off to dream-land while being lulled into sweet slumber by your favourite music. It’s a great idea, even though it isn’t particularly new – I, for one, have been g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

roused many times in the middle of the night by the music I left playing while falling asleep.

The FM radio is also a handy feature. The user can set up to six preset stations on the Cube, making finding the right station easy.

In all, it’s a very sweet little package. In fact, the only problem we found was that setting it up takes a bit of time (particularly if you’re going to make use of all the station presets.) Still, this isn’t a problem if you have a steady supply of electricity (which can sometimes be an issue here in sunny South Africa.)

Overall, the i-Station TimeCube is a good quality, reliable and really useful device that goes miles beyond being “just a clock radio”. It offers as much versatility as a device like this could, to be honest, and is aesthetically pleasing enough to fit in with virtually any environment. It only has one alarm setting, but seeing as how it’s meant to wake you up, and not travel around with you, that’s not too much of a problem. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: A reliable, well-built and versatile clock radio, made especially for your iPod

Score

80

Manufacturer: Logic 3 Distributor: Apex Interactive Online: www.apexint.co.za RRP: R1199 Tech Specs: • iPod dock • FM radio • Auxiliary input • 6 station presets • 90mm cube

Pros: • Great sound • Versatile • clear display Cons: • Set-up • Only one alarm setting

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Thrustmaster Toy Story 3 Nintendo Range

To Infinity…

Get the kids all a-Buzz…

by Brian Murdoch

W

ith the release of Toy Story 3 on DVD and Blu-ray, the inevitable merchandise has hit the market. The Nintendo consoles are aimed at everyone in the gaming scene and who likes to play games more than kids, so many new accessories are covered in Toy Story branding and sold. We here at Gladget received some of them and found that, while some are just the standard accessories branded for the kids to beg their parents to buy, others actually have incredible value.

There is a Buzz Lightyear branded stylus for the DS that, besides the soft tip to protect your screen, has some other features. There is a light projector at the back on a pivoting head and it projects an image of a flying Buzz on the surface it’s pointed at. This, combine with its jet like shape, will have some kids pausing their games to give it a quick twirl in the sky, or the younger non-gamers steal it away to do that.

The Buzz Lightyear space ship Wii remote charger and

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DS charger have their pros and cons. The Wii remote charger can only take one remote at a time but can be used while keeping the remote strap on. It is also interchangeable with other Thrustmaster charging kits.

While the LED to indicate the charge status are nice on the Wii remote charger, the DS charger space ship disappointingly does not have one. The DS Lite sits snug in the ship and a hatch on the side is opened to plug in the charger but to see if it’s done charging it needs to be fully opened. Opening both is done in style which will have children continually opening and closing them; pull back the wings and the air lock style compartment release the contents.

The DS carry case is not the most practical in the range and relied more on fan appeal. The watch-like strap that stores up to 4 DS games is fun to play pretend with and would also be convenient if it could somehow clip to the DS bag. Other than this the cool logos and branding will make any child happy enough to resurrect their DS if it’s g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

become dusty.

The true piece of absolute brilliance comes in the form of a Wii bag. Most Wii bags can fit the bare essentials; we are talking about one Wii remote and maybe a game if you squash the power supply in right. This bag has space for all the required pieces and more. To top it off inside the bag are compartments to place the pieces in so they don’t get in a mess and you don’t need to pull everything out to get to something at the bottom. Two Wii remotes, two nunchuks, Wii console, sensor bar, power supply and connection cable, with two games… all inside the bag.

There are an extra two side pouches and a front zipper mini pouch to keep some spare batteries in. I take my Wii into the office almost every day and besides the Toy Story logo on the outside I am quite proud and happy with the bag.

Although the products are all sold separately, getting this collection is a good idea for Wii or DS owners with kids to keep happy. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: Although branded merchandise, some of these goodies are excellent.

Score

79

Manufacturer: Thrustmaster Distributor: Sensation Lab Online: TBC RRP: Varies Tech Specs: • Wii remote charging dock • DS charging dock • Soft-tip stylus • DS carry case • Multi-pocket rucksack.

Pros: • Kids love ‘em • Some great ideas • Awesome rucksack Cons: • Some gimmicky items

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Kodack PlaySport Video Camera

Action Movies A rugged video camera for any occasion

by Alex Scanlon

T

hings just keep getting smaller. That isn’t a bad thing – more powerful, compact devices are perfect to meet the needs of consumers that are increasingly demanding more and more from the gadgets they own.

Smaller is generally good, although sometimes limitations do creep in thanks to the miniaturisation of parts and components. Still, convenience is king these days, and if you have a video camera that you can stick in your pocket, great.

That is essentially what the Kodak Playsport is; a video camera that slips right into your pocket. This device is not much bigger than a large mobile handset (by today’s standards, not the bricks of yesteryear.) It’s a compact, sleek little device that will allow you to shoot HD video anywhere. That’s right, it can capture video at 1080p, or at 720p (with an option for 60 frames a second, which makes for great slow motion.) And it can literally shoot anywhere.

See, the “Sport” part of the name implies a rugged device that can take a beating. And it can. The device is

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sturdily constructed, and is waterproof to a depth of three meters. It even has an underwater filming mode, which trumps any mobile handset with HD video capabilities.

And all of this gets captured on SD cards, meaning that storing tons of video is easy and economical in terms of space.

Best of all, it costs much less than other video recording devices. But the adage of getting what you pay for does come into play in a few instances.

The lens is fixed, so virtually all zoom is digital, which can lead to a loss in picture quality. The microphone generally does a good job, but high wind or shooting underwater will result in some pretty nasty noises coming from the device. And sometimes – although not too often – bowing occurs when shooting in 1080p. This means that straight vertical lines may look curved when panning.

None of these are deal breakers, though, when you consider that you are getting a generally effective, extremely versatile camera that doesn’t take its own set of hand-luggage to transport. You’ll fit around 45 minutes of full resolution video onto a 4GB SD card, so you may g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

want to carry a few of those around with you, but they’re not exactly huge either.

The Playsport has a very simple control set that anyone will master in a few minutes. Additionally, it downloads directly to your PC via a USB cable (which is also used to recharge the device’s battery) and can interface with a TV or monitor via an HDMI cable. It also takes still pictures at 5 megapixels, which seems a little shy when considering its video capabilities.

The unit also allows clear video playback via a fairly large LCD screen (which is also used as the “viewfinder” while filming. The screen tends to scratch a bit easily, though, which goes against the generally rugged grain of the device.

For the money it costs, the Kodak Playsport video camera is a good deal. It has limitations, sure, but the general quality is good. It even has a fitting for mounting it on a tripod, for a bit of a professional approach. The software that comes with it is decent, too.

If you’re after a camera that’s more for capturing awesome moments than high art, it’s a great choice. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: It’s has a few shortcomings, but for casual film-makers with active lifestyles, this is a great, versatile video camera

Score

79

Manufacturer: Kodak Distributor: Kodak Online: www.kodak.com RRP: R1699 Tech Specs: • 3m waterproof • Up to 1080p • 5mp still camera • Rechargeable • USB port • HDMI out

Pros: • Versatile • Waterproof • Small • Rugged Cons: • Microphone • Some video problems

43

Viliv S5

Pocket power

Putting the power of a PC in your pocket

by Charlie Fripp

I

t has been proven time and again that, as technology grows, so too will the same technology get smaller and smaller. This has been evident with almost all forms of entertainment, ranging from walkmans becoming iPods, cell phones becoming more pocket-sized and laptops packing more punch in a smaller housing.

So keeping up with that trend, Viliv recently launched their latest pocket-sized PC. The S5 is an Ultra Mobile PC, making it literally a PC in your pocket, although you will need some really big pockets to store it in. Ok, it’s not that big, but it will make your pockets look like you are hiding a small brick.

The little device comes packed with all the features that one would expect from a normal desktop PC, making it the right gadget to take on the road. But before we delve a bit deeper under the hood, that is exactly the problem with the PC. Although it’s very cute and user-friendly, users might struggle a bit to find a real-world application for it. Fair enough, it has all the bells and whistles that a normal PC has, but that’s just it. A laptop can serve the same purpose, even though it’s much bigger in size. Most cell phones today have the same technology built in that powers the device, so it does tend to lean towards the

44

toy than tool category.

To set up the PC when powering it on for the first time, one will also need a full-size keyboard. As the pocket PC makes use of a touch screen, the functionality isn’t enabled when the initial Windows set-up is done.

But redundancies and usefulness aside, the PC sets out to do a certain job, and it does it rather well. Under the shiny hood is an Intel Atom Silverthorne 1.33 GHz processor with 1GB DDR2 533MHz RAM. That is enough for most people who just want to surf the net, watch videos and occasionally type out the odd Word document.

The screen is big enough to see what is going on, and although it’s very clear, small text will be… well, small. It integrates a high-quality 4.8-inch LCD WSVGA screen, which in effect gives it a resolution of around 1024x600.

That is an odd resolution, but it works rather well.

As mentioned before, the screen is touch-sensitive, but don’t expect to be using a finger or a thumb to scroll around. The device comes with a stylus that looks very similar to a guitar plectrum, and this only doubles as a rudimentary replacement for the mouse. There is, however, another option of getting by.

On the side, a sort-of directional pad has been built into the housing, which allows users to manually move the g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

cursor around. In terms of typing, a click of a button will bring up a virtual keyboard, but it’s by no mean efficient enough to start typing a novel. Here a problem also crept up, as it’s impossible to type something when the Windows Start button is pressed, as it covers most of the left-hand side of the keyboard.

Furthermore to the screen, it does have the wonderful ability to playback HD videos in all its 720p glory, supporting almost all popular video formats without additional codecs.

For connectivity, the device features a host USB port so that additional hardware can be connected, such as a fullsize mouse or keyboard, or a 3G modem. It also features a link USB port and a Multi I/O port. For power, the device can run off the internal battery (delivering about 6 hours of normal use) or it can be plugged into the mains for more prolonged use.

As we have mentioned before, and from what is evident in the technical specifications, the device is a nice toy, but that is about where its functionality ends. It’s great to have if you would like a small computer on stand-by, but most phones can also give you Wi-Fi, word processors and video playback.

Although the device is solidly built, looks really good and g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

performs fantastically, the only little niggle is the practical application of it. But if a true pocket PC is what you are after, there isn’t a lot of better on the market, so you can’t go wrong with the S5.. g

AT A GLANCE: In terms of functionality, the pocket pc is incredibly powerful.

Score

74

Manufacturer: Viliv Distributor: Pinnacle Africa Online: www.myviliv.com RRP: R7999 Tech Specs: • Intel Atom Silverthorne 1.33 GHz processor • 1GB DDR2 533MHz RAM • Windows XP Home operating system

Pros: • Plays HD video • Ultra compact • Looks good Cons: • Limited usefulness • Touch screen

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Orb PS3 Roundup

PS3 Bling

Cool toys to enhance your gaming

by Walt Pretorius

T

hird party peripherals and enhancements are very popular – not every console maker gets everything right, after all, and generally good pricing on these items make them a great bet. Many of them, though, are poor quality or gimmicky. And once a user has fallen victim to that kind of thing, they’re probably going to be put off for life.

Orb, for the most part, do not fall into that category.

Orb produce third party products that are top quality, useful and, above all, very well priced.

Let’s take a look at what Orb can do to enhance your PlayStation 3 experience. Purchasing three ORB products will change the way you play, without a doubt.

The first product is Orb’s Analog Thumb Grips pack.

Each pack contains two pairs of rubber thumb grips that fit easily over the PS3 controller’s analogue sticks. One pair features an indented surface with four dots (one at each side, one on the bottom and one on the top) to help the player find the direction they want to push the sticks

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in more easily. This makes the sticks feels a little more like those used on the Xbox 360 controller.

The other pair of grips are convex, with circular patterns of raised dots on the surface. While feeling more like the normal PS3 analogue stick surfaces, these allow for better grip when playing. Both sets of grips are durable, non-slip rubber, and are really a joy to use.

The likelihood, though, is that you will only use one of these pairs of grips. That said, the price isn’t going to stop you from buying the set anyway. And, if you have two controllers, the secondary unit can be used with the grips that you don’t prefer… both options still make using the analogue sticks much more comfortable and accurate.

The next purchase is the PS3 Dual Charging Dock.

This device allows two controllers to be charged simultaneously, and is powered by a single USB port. This frees up one port on the PS3, and, as an added bonus, keeps things really neat.

In addition, two LEDs built into the unit indicate the g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

charge status of the controllers, which is pretty handy overall. On the downside, you cannot use the controllers while they are docked – if you want to charge up while you are playing, you will still need to plug a cable directly into the controller.And that, partly, is where the third set of goodies comes in. This is the largest purchase of the three, and comes in the form of the Orb PS3 Gamers Accessory Pack. This pack contains four items: a 2 meter HDMI cable, a 3 meter charging cable, a Bluetooth headset and a set of controller triggers.

The real gem of this set are the triggers. These fit onto the L2 and R2 shoulder buttons of the controller, enhancing their shape and making them easier to use.

Instead of the standard convex shape of the shoulder buttons, these clip-on triggers make them concave – which makes for more comfortable gaming all round.

Orb’s products really are fantastic. They offer good value for money and make very smart, practical additions to your gaming kit. g g l a d g e t h a r d wa r e • i s s u e 4 • J a n u a r y 2 0 1 1

AT A GLANCE: Orb’s peripherals are a great way to enhance your gaming at a low cost.

Score

80

Manufacturer: Orb Distributor: Sensation Lab Online: TBC RRP: Various Tech Specs: • 3m charging cable • 2m HDMI cable • Charging dock • Bluetooth headset

Pros: • Good quality • Excellent price • Useful Cons: • Separate purchases required

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Gran Turismo 5

The Real Driving Simulator Six years in the making.

I

n 2005 Gran Turismo 4 released on the PlayStation 2. Five years later, we finally have its official sequel, Gran Turismo 5. A lot of things can happen in five years. A lot of things have happened in the last five years. We’ve seen the introduction of the PS3 and the Xbox. We’ve seen hundreds of new games, and many new franchises. And we’ve seen three Forza Motorsport titles.

This spells trouble for gaming’s most treasured racing franchise.

Gran Turismo games have always set the benchmark for graphics, car selection and realism, but the Forza series has really turned up the heat. The latest version even has full in-car views, hyper-realistic sound and a proper car tuning options. GT5 has its work cut out…

Let’s start with the visuals, then. It’s sad that exceptions have to be made, but such is the case with GT5. When its graphics are good, they’re fantastic. It has everything GT5 Prologue had, but with a bit more polish. Sadly, of the 1 031 cars in the game, only around 200 have been given the balls-out “premium” treatment.

These premium cars are highly detailed; they also feature full interior views, more realistic crash damage and even

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by Richard Bingham sound better. That’s only one fifth of the cars in the game, though. The other 800 cars – the “standard” models – simply feel like they’ve been ported over from previous Gran Turismo games. They are flat, lifeless boxes with no extra polish and, sometimes, even pixelated textures.

On the other hand, Forza 3 has more than 500 cars now, including the downloadable content, and all of those have interior views. With full damage on all of them.

Trackside scenery also varies in its presentation. There are some gorgeous views to be had in GT5. Having spent a lot of time in cars, in many conditions, I can attest to how terrifyingly realistic it is when you get into a car and drive at night on some of the courses. Add rain to the equation and I’m literally too scared to drive quickly.

One of the tracks in the game is a bit of automotive perversion: two 10-kilometer-long stretches of Tokyo highway connected by offramps. And it’s set at night.

Driving along this, under clear skies, you see the lights in the Japanese capital twinkling in the distance. There are even fireworks going off in the night sky. Then it can start raining and the lighting from the buildings reflect on the wet tar, while your (premium) car’s wipers furiously

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sashay left and right to keep visibility optimum. You can even switch your headlights to bright, for better visibility.

But then you get some tracks with rinky-dink scenery.

Two-dimensional trees and cardboard cut out spectators.

Worse, still, is that the spray effect from the rain-soaked tracks seriously messes with the aliasing on the car models: put simply, drive through the rain and the edges of your car look like they’re made of LEGO. It’s all very… inconsistent. I can’t help but wonder if this is stuff that was still being worked on when Polyphony was forced to ship the game – conveniently – in time for the 2010 Christmas rush.

Audio is another let down. Technically it’s very good.

Sound comes from where it’s supposed to, the surround effects are fantastic if you have a compatible home theatre system. I even like some of the music they’ve included (the My Chemical Romance track used in the intro video is a guilty pleasure). However, when I’m bombing down the long straight at Le Mans, in France, I don’t get the feeling that these cars are the real deal. Here is where Forza 3 blows GT5 into the weeds. Its cars sound almost exactly like their real-life counterparts, while Gran Turismo’s cars

gladget video game • issue 4 • January 2011

sound good at idle and low revs, but pile on the revs – as you’re bound to do in a game about driving – and the exhaust notes become monotonous and synthetic. Believe it or not, cars – especially supercars – are very much about the aural experience. Engine and exhaust notes are organic and dynamic. Cars in Gran Turismo 5 sound like, wait for it, they’re in a video game. From the 90s.

So some of the cars look very good and the locations can look good depending on the weather. Not everything sounds great, but that can be overlooked if Gran Turismo 5 passes the most important test of all: driving.

While the first four Gran Turismo games were lauded for their “realistic” driving physics, it’s simply because there was no real point of reference. Unfortunately for Polyphony Digital, Turn 10 studios released Forza Motorsport around the same time as Gran Turismo 4 and gamers soon discovered that the Xbox racer had a more realistic feel to its driving. Tyres would progressively let go of the road when pushed hard, and cars could be manipulated more easily using driving knowledge taught in professional driving schools.

Gran Turismo 5 definitely has a very good physics model

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compared to its predecessors. For once it’s possible to push a car’s handling to the limit and not immediately be flung off the track. Assuming you’ve turned off all the driving assists, it’s possible to get a feeling that’s close to driving a real car, but there are still some caveats.

Push too hard, and your car will be sent into a terminal slide. The important word there is terminal: the end of; death; irreversible. When you get down to it, and having spent an inordinate amount of time studying these things and playing with real physics, the cars in Gran Turismo 5 have no weight.

Take a front-wheel drive car like the Golf GTI: in real life it’s possible to drive this around a tight bend by entering a tad too quickly and lifting off the gas. This causes the weight to shift to the front of the car, which helps tighten the line and maybe even lets the back end step out a bit. It’s not the fastest way to drive the car, but a great example of something GT5 doesn’t replicate.

I’m not averse to playing racing games with unrealistic

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physics (see: Burnout, Need for Speed, Test Drive Unlimited) but when a game calls itself “The Real Driving Simulator” and fails to really simulate driving, I’m going to be very critical.

In short, Gran Turismo 5 can at times offer a compelling driving experience. In the right car, at the right time, through the right corner at the right speed, you’ll feel very drawn in. It’s not consistent. If this game were a car, its temperamental nature would make it an Alfa Romeo – and that’s arguably the marque with the most passion.

There are other issues, too. Load times are inexplicably long. This review was written during loading screens. The artificial intelligence is still terrible: computer-controlled cars will happily slam into you. Menu layout and navigation is atrocious, with loads of confirmation screens before you see any progress (or more loading screens).

Crash damage is supposed to be in the game, but it’s not realistic. Hit a wall at 200km/h and your bumpers just get scratched. There is talk that this might be fixed in a patch.

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Work in Progress At the time of writing, GT5 has had four updates issued on the PlayStation Network. The first three were around 130MB, each. The most recent (v 1.05) was 660MB. That’s around 1GB worth of updates to get the game to its current, slightly better state of playability.

The first two enhanced some of the game’s online bits, as Polyphony’s servers crumbled under load. Version 1.03 added mechanical damage in online races, while 1.05 added an online car dealer and tweaked many other things.

No doubt there will be more patches, with the game’s creator promising all manner of possible fixes and additions via his Twitter feed. He’s already entertained notions of including motorcycles and offering premium versions of the standard cars – but what I consider its biggest flaws seem to go unmentioned. It’ll be interesting to revisit GT5 a year from now to see how far things have progressed.

AT A GLANCE: A labour of love, with some very ragged edges. Pretty to look at, but a pain to play.

Developer: Polyphony Digital Publisher: SCEE Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

3+ gladget video game • issue 4 • January 2011

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PS3 Platforms

Nothing confirmed, though.

The online lobby system is the worst in existence: I was able to join my American friend in a race, and a British friend came too, but in the race the Brit and I could not see one another, while the American saw us both on track.

It’s terribly broken.

It’s also cumbersome to collect a party and find your friends playing online, since it lacks an invite system. This, for a game that makes a big song and dance about having support for sixteen player multiplayer races.

Gran Turismo is the franchise that has sucked away more hours of my life than any other. It’s the series that introduced me to many cars I love today and something I have the fondest memories of, and perhaps this is why I’m so disappointed with 5.

I want it to be better than Forza, but I have to face the facts: it’s not. Here’s hoping that Kaz can issue some online updates to better realise his vision. g

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

76 51

Epic Mickey

Paint or Thinners?

Not a masterpiece…

E

pic Mickey sees none other than Mickey Mouse in his own game. The game, at the beginning, does seem like just another 3D platformer, with the added extra of painting (creating) and thinning (erasing) the surroundings and environmental objects to help Mickey on his journey, but after playing through these it opens up into another Disney theme park where all the forgotten cartoon characters have now made their home. These characters will not be recognised by most because they only formed the background of the Disney Stories and were outshone by the more popular main characters. This, combined with the multiple endings and paths, will have players coming back to the beginning and playing through again to see what happens if they paint a different picture.

The series of unfortunate events shown in the first part of the game explains how the world, as it is, came into being. Starting before Mickey was a star, he was working

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by Brian Murdoch in a Wizard’s house, watching and learning. He sneaks up to find out what the Wizard is doing and sees him painting a master piece with paint and thinners. This is no ordinary paint and thinners and the things that it creates come alive. He then leaves and Mickey tries his own hand at the painting, which does not turn out so well and after Mickey spills everything together and makes a noise, the Wizard returns… too late to save the situation. He misses the monster that Mickey accidentally created, which hides in the painting.

Years later Mickey becomes famous… but then one day the Monster comes out the painting and captures him. In the commotion Mickey grabs what he does not know at the time will save him - the paint brush - and falls into the painting world with it.

The instructions seem to be missing narration. I know there are some that want every word in a game to be voiced and most of these are the people that too lazy to

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weapon. The combat does not overpower the game and is not the main focus… puzzles and choices are more common and the real power of the game. There are also very creative ways to destroy or recreate the environment in the game to help those cartoons in the world call it a better and more beautiful home.

Helping the locals and doing a few simple quests will grant Mickey with power sparks that open up portals to other locations, to continue with his journey.

The extras that are unlocked are a necessary and excellent addition to the game. Watching through some old reels of film and other fun unlocks will have player sweeping the stage to get them all.

Disney fans will eat this title up and it will make player extremely happy when they correctly identify the characters and where they are from. The game is a gem but I would hesitate to call it epic. g

AT A GLANCE: Epic Mickey is a good game and delivery well with only a few short comings. Disney fans particularly will look past its shortcomings.

Developer: Junction Point Publisher: Disney Interactive Distributor: Prima Interactive

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

7+ gladget video game • issue 4 • January 2011

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

Wii Platforms

read. But there is no spoken instruction here… just a lot of reading. Even this style of explanation sometimes does not help clearly explain what is going on and the choices the Mickey has to make. Ending up thinning or painting the wrong thing with does not end the game, but makes the player’s task difficult at times.

The camera angle could have been done better and controlling it with the DPad can be an issue. You’ll need to do it, though, as the automatic angle just does not seem to be good enough or is purposely trying to make the game harder in not showing you the next ledge or the floor.

The basics of the game stem from the paint brush and as the player chooses to paint or thin things out in the game, they paint the path to continue on with the story.

The main enemies running around are called blotlings can be either thinned out or painted (to make them allies for Mickey). The paint brush also doubles as a close combat

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

78 53

God of War: Ghost of Sparta

Small Screen Carnage Here’s a reason to buy a PSP…

I

t’s always dangerous to go out on a limb. It speaks of being reactionary, at times, or even of rampant fanboy-ism. While a journalist shouldn’t be a fanboy, or reactionary, there are times when going out on a limb is necessary. And the limb I am about to clamber out on is pretty much sturdy and safe… so here goes: there is no such thing as a bad God of War game.

The first two titles that hit the PlayStation 2 were near revolutionary, while the third edition, which arrived on PS3 to the delight of fans last year, took everything to a new, much higher level. Even the Chains of Olympus release, which hit PSP in 2008, was something that made the Sony handheld shine.

Now, with the release of God of War: Ghost of Sparta, also on the PSP, the series has enjoyed yet another high quality release – and one that takes previous achievements on the PSP and improves on them even further.

The story in Ghost of Sparta takes place between God of War and God of War 2. Kratos, newly enthroned as

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by Walt Pretorius the god of war after defeating Ares, is troubled by visions of his past. He decides to rid himself of these visions by travelling to Atlantis but, on his arrival, discovers that he needs to go much further than the doomed city to ease his ever-troubled mind. So starts another epic adventure for the brutal hero, but unlike previous games, he almost comes across as human in several rather emotional moments in this title. The story also gives some fascinating insights in his past, which is a treat for those that want more than just action.

The action is exactly what fans of the franchise would expect: massive bloody battles against throngs of relentless foes. Kratos gets access to two weapons in this game – the familiar Blades of Athena, which can be augmented with fire, and a spear and shield combo that proves to be very versatile.

In the first instance, the fire is a useful addition, because it allows Kratos to not only destroy the armour of certain enemies, but to break through doors and destroy key elements of the environment. The spear and shield

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overly frustrated by it.

The actual game-play feels better, too, with tons of action delivered by slightly improved controls. Quick time events are now prompted by button requests at the applicable edges of the screen. While this could sometimes be a bit tricky in God of War 3, the smaller PSP screen makes this system work beautifully. Also, less reliance has been placed on the analogue controller during these sequences, which eliminates much of the frustration that came up in Chains.

The scope and scale of the game is also much grander, with bigger bosses and more detailed environments elevating the overall experience.

Once the game is completed, the player can unlock monsters that can be used in an arena mode, which allows the player to fight bad guys to their heart’s content.

This second PSP instalment by Ready at Dawn is a real triumph. It not only shows what the PSP is capable of, but delivers a valuable, high grade addition to the overall franchise. g

AT A GLANCE: This second PSP God of War game is nothing short of brilliant – it’s a must-play for fans of the franchise.

Developer: Ready at Dawn Publisher: SCEE Distributor: Ster Kinekor

Parental Advisory Violence Language Sex Drug Use Prejudice

18+ gladget video game • issue 4 • January 2011

Accessibility Hard-Core Medium Casual

PSP Platforms

allow for both ranged and close attacks, and the shield even allows the character to traverse dangerous terrain.

In addition, two magical effects are also available to the player. The first is a pretty standard lightning based attack, while the second generates an orb that sucks enemies into it.

The overall dynamic is made up of the previously mentioned combat, combined with some light puzzle solving. It is exactly what the doctor ordered, all neatly crammed into a pocket-sized package.

When compared to the previous PSP release, Chains of Olympus, the improvements are quite obvious. The first one lies in the graphics department. Ghost of Sparta looks much better than the previous title, with added detail and a newly built model of Kratos adding to a spellbinding visual experience. Sure, the graphics don’t quite compete with the HD God of War 3, but they shine on the small screen of the PSP, delivering clear and crisp visuals. The camera gets a little annoying at times, because of its fixed position, but it never gets to the point that the player gets

PC X360 Kinect

PS3 Move

Wii PSP DS PS2

Score

94 55

Teach Yourself!

Set up Windows Media Center on your Xbox 360

How To

by Richard Bingham

Y

ou may or may not have a hard drive with some movies stored on it. Those movies may or may not have come from “the IT guy at the office” – in fact, they could just be backups or rips of your own DVDs. Either way, a lot more people have digital video content now than ever before. Sitting at our PCs and watching it on Windows Media Player is not really that

convenient, especially if we have HDTVs and modern consoles. Those two, combined with your existing PC and a home network, can bring your digital video to the big screen.

In this how-to, we will show you how to use your Xbox 360 as a Windows Media Center extender, with your Windows 7 computer, g

Step 1 The Xbox 360 doesn’t have built-in support for many of the file formats that video might be stored as. There are ways around this, though. Since we’ll be using a Windows 7 PC as an extender, all we need to do is make sure the Windows computer has the right stuff to read those files. This will enable the Xbox to see the files and read them without a problem. To do this, download the Shark007 codec pack for Windows 7 (www.shark007.net). If you are using a 64-bit version of Windows, you’ll need to get the additional 64-bit pack from the same site. Be careful when installing the codec pack – it wants to install a third-party affiliate app, just make sure to opt out of this, as it’s not needed.

Step 2 Once the Shark007 codec pack is installed, you’ll need to fire up Windows Media Center – it comes as standard with Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate. If this is the first time you’re running Windows Media Center, it will ask you for an initial setup. It’s safe to click on Express Setup.

Make sure that your Xbox 360 is turned on, and connected to the same network as the PC you are using for this.

When Media Center is open, navigate down to the Tasks menu and find the option to add an extender.

Select this option.

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gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

Step 3 At the same time, you’ll want to start up the Media Center application on your Xbox. Make sure that your Xbox has the latest Dashboard software (if you’re connected to the net, chances are it has asked for an automatic update). The Media Center application can be found in the My Xbox tab. It will walk you through the process of connecting it to the Media Center on your PC. Start the wizard, let it discover the Media Center PC on your network, and then write down the 8-digit code it provides you.

Step 4 Enter the 8-digit setup key, given to you by the Xbox setup wizard, into the setup window on your PC. Click next, and this will start the pairing process. Once this is complete, it will automatically build a library of all your media. You might still need to add more folders with your media, but this is easy to do using the Media Center interface. Usually this takes place in the background, so allow for a bit of time before you get around to watching movies through your Xbox.

Your Movies!

If you’re feeling a bit industrious, you can make things even better. The interface used to present movie files can be enhanced by installing a Windows application called MyMovies (www.mymovies.dk). When set up correctly, MyMovies will download info and artwork for your movie gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

collection and when you browse the collection through the Media Center interface it will show the artwork with snazzy info and buttons. It does slow down the interface when browsing, especially if you’re on a wireless network, but that’s the price you pay for prettiness.

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Which Box? The Xbox models toe-to-toe

Same Difference

by Brian Murdoch

S

o everyone else is getting a new Xbox and they can plug their Kinect directly into the box… but do I need to go buy a new one? Is it any different?

Hopefully by the end of this article you will be able to answer those questions.

Let us go through the things that are the same about these two black and white versions of the Xbox 360 (with exceptions, Elite and special). They both play the same games and use the same controllers. There is no newer version of disc or coding with the games so other than a few minor changes in load time, better and worse, the games will play on both types of 360 consoles. The new version does say that is it Kinect ready but even the consoles bought on the day needed a small update.

Plug your older console into the internet, Xbox Live Gold account or not and the updates will flow. Microsoft is

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always free and giving with their updates.

The new Xbox 360 is said to battle the complaints of heat and sound, but in my experience the older Xbox generated the same amount of heat… it was just pushed out the sides and not the back. This made putting things on top of the Xbox (which you should not do) unlikely and even having the Xbox on its side a bad idea. It did seem to be more quiet which is a good thing because I always play my games on mute.

I was very excited to embrace the new console version when I got it and not just play some of my games on it, as I only had this sample model for few weeks.

I was ready to transfer my save games and profile with the handy 512mb memory card that I always take to LANs and friend’s houses to move things around. Microsoft feels that this is not important and no memory card slots are

gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

found on the new version. I had to sync my profile online and “restore” it on the box right next to it! Yes you can plug a USB stick into the console (knock the stick down to 20% of its capacity) and, only if you are lucky with the correct brand name, will your external stick be a new memory card.

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 was previously the only console that did not have built in wireless technology but they upgraded this in this version, so you don’t have to go out and buy another USB port blocker. The new version has enough USB ports for this and four cabled controllers, but does not need it. I actually can’t figure out what will happen if you use all 5 USB ports at the same time… (I’ll think of it after the article is printed) Those that like to split visual and audio and don’t just use one connection into the Xbox will either have to

gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

still buy the audio only cable or use the optical audio connection added to the new version.

Instead of having a big chunky grey piece of plastic to hide the HDMI port they now show you that there is actually nothing behind it and just have a small black flap to stop the use of the HDMI port for video and standard cable for audio.

Newer models, most of the time, mean better when it comes to Microsoft so if it’s support on new accessories and cutting edge technology that you want (sparing no expense) then you’ve already throw the old console out the window and bought a new 250GB bundle with Kinect.

If you got this far in the article and still can’t make up your mind then just keep the old one buy the Kinect separate and continue on ‘til the new generation Xbox is released. g

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Xbox 360 “Phat” Games: HD DVD Memory Card Units A and B 3 USB Ports Optical Audio through connection Wi-Fi external (unit sold separately) Hard Drive Options: removable 20, 60, 120, 250GB

Xbox 360 Slim Games: HD DVD No Memory Cards 5 USB Ports + 1 Custom port for Kinect Optical Audio plug at the back Built in Wi-Fi Hard Drive Options: internal 4GB or 250GB

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gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

Connection!

Taking the mystery out of Wi-Fi

Inner Workings

by Jimmy Glue

H

ow many of us have sat at an airport or coffee shop, and picked up a Wi-Fi signal? These little hotspots of heaven can be very useful in today’s capped internet world. Granted, there are some really awesome uncapped internet plans out there, but not everyone carries their internet router around with them.

The world has become increasingly connected, and it’s almost unheard of for someone not to have an email address or a Facebook account. And as the world edges closer to becoming one mass of interconnectivity, the need arises for people to stay connected wherever they go.

So coffee shops, airports and hotels provide internet users with the ability to connect to their individual Wi-Fi hotspots, which provide instant internet access. Some of these connections are secure, meaning that you will need

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a password or passkey to access them, while others are open to the public.

But what exactly is Wi-Fi and how does it work? Well, the name Wi-Fi is actually a trademark by the Wi-Fi Alliance, and any device that supports the connectivity function is able to connect to the desired network.

Wi-Fi has many uses, but the most important of all is that it gives internet access to devices like laptops, video game consoles, smart phones and digital audio players that are in range of the wireless network.

Speaking of range, the hotspot usually only functions properly if the connected devices are in close proximity of the router, which is normally no more than about 30 or 40 meters indoors. But with the installation of sophisticated civilian towers, Wi-Fi can be made to spans vast areas, gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

covering whole neighbourhoods.

Out of interest, the record in terms of distance covered by one Wi-Fi signal is held by Ermanno Pietrosemoli and EsLaRed of Venezuela, transferring about 3 MB of data along a 382km stretch of mountain tops, using non-standard devices. The Swedish Space Agency went one step further, and reached an overhead stratospheric balloon some 420km up in space.

So in layman’s terms, it allows information to travel through the air, similar to Bluetooth, but also provides internet access. But how it works is a bit more technical than that, and actually works on the similar basis to cell phones, televisions and radio.

When it comes to unseen forces at work, it’s often difficult to faithfully explain how something works without gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

physical parts, but for a rudimentary explanation, the connection is divided into two steps.

First, a device’s wireless adapter translates data into a radio signal and transmits it using an antenna, then connects to the wireless router, which receives the signal and decodes it. The router sends the information to the Internet using a physical, wired Ethernet connection. This process gets repeated over and over, and also in reverse, which allows for the internet information to be sent back and forth.

The insides of a Wi-Fi router shares another similarity to normal walkie-talkies, in the sense that they can transmit and receive radio waves, can convert binary 1s and 0s into radio waves and convert the radio waves back into 1s and 0s.

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But there are, however, a bunch of special qualities to the Wi-Fi router. They transmit at a much higher frequency than televisions and walkie-talkies, which allows the signal to carry more data. The 802.11b networking standard has the slowest connection speed, while the 802.11n is the newest and fastest standard today, with an improved speed and range.

But for the purpose of just connecting your everyday gadgets to a Wi-Fi network, not a lot is needed actually.

The most important thing a router and a device that can connect, and the new Xbox360S is a perfect example of home use.

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The 360S comes supplied with a Wi-Fi receiver, and once the router is switched on, the Xbox will pick up the signal and connect to the internet in order to use Xbox Live.

There might be some setting up first on the part of the Xbox, but it’s usually hassle-free and fairly painless.

Wi-Fi is one of the greatest modern inventions; not only does it allow people to cheaply connect to the internet, it’s also great for disadvantaged communities which can’t afford an internet bill or monthly charges. Hopefully one day the entire globe will be interconnected with free and affordable Wi-Fi. g

gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

Jumping Ship Nokia’s ill-fated gaming expedition

Dead End

by Alex Scanlon

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here are lessons that can be learned every day from watching the way that big business operates. Just because they’re big corporations doesn’t mean that they always make good decisions – that’s something that we have seen in the last three editions of Dead Tech. And this fourth instance is no different.

But where most companies mostly stick to what they know – even if that is a broad base of operations – you’ll occasionally hear of a company that tries to jump ship onto a new juggernaut, only to fall flat in the process.

This was most certainly the case when Nokia decided to take on the hand-held gaming market with the N-Gage.

Now one would be excused in thinking that this might be an easy step to take, moving from what is essentially one hand-held electronic device to another. But Nokia, who were, realistically speaking, inexperienced with the video gaming market, were taking on the champion of handheld gaming… Nintendo. Had Nintendo decided to make

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cellular handsets, the case would probably have been the same, only the Japanese giant would have been on the losing side.

This kind of thinking doesn’t seem to have occurred to Nokia or, if it did, they didn’t let it bother them. This is probably because they thought they had an edge… their gaming device would also be a cell phone.

It might be prudent to note, at this point, that Nokia aren’t the only company with this idea. Lately there has been a lot of talk about the PlayStation Phone, which will be a collaboration between PlayStation and Sony Ericsson.

But there’s the difference that may save the Sony device – it’s a collaboration between people who know hand-held gaming and people who know cell phones.

But back to Nokia and their ill-fated N-Gage. The original phone was launched in October 2003, with a large screen and a distinctive look. As a phone, it didn’t do well.

The speaker and microphone were placed at the edge of gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

the phone, so that the person talking on it had to turn the device sideways. It was uncomfortable to hold and looked ridiculous.

As a gaming device, things weren’t much better.

Changing game cartridges meant taking the back of the phone off, and removing the battery to access the game card slot.

The screen had a vertical orientation, rather than the more traditional horizontal shaping. And the game control buttons were hidden among the numeric keypad, making playing games rather frustrating.

Only a year later, the original N-Gage was replaced by the N-Gage QD, but it seems that the damage had already been done.

The original device was received very poorly, and didn’t have a lot of games. Sales were poor: while Nokia claimed 400 000 sales in the first two week of the unit being available, it was later revealed that only 5000 units gladget regular • issue 4 • January 2011

had been sold in the US, and 800 in the UK. Speculation over the discrepancy suggested that Nokia counted units shipped, rather than units sold. The company admitted later that this was, in fact, the case.

Nokia’s next move was to abandon the idea of a device, and turn N-Gage into an on-board function of several of their hand-sets… a gaming service, as it were. Initially announced in 2005, the N-Gage mobile gaming service suffered numerous delays, only seeing release in 2008. It was to last 2 years.

Nokia shut down the N-Gage service for good at the end of 2010.

Whether it was initial failures that scuppered the whole deal, or whether Nokia just couldn’t pull it together in time to save the project, N-Gage fell victim to inexperience, odd design and iffy marketing.

Let’s hope Sony do a better job, because it is a cool idea. g

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