Microsoft E3 Coverage

               

IF YOU CLICK ON ANYTHING THAT IS TEAL, IT WILL TAKE YOU TO A VIDEO OF THAT GAME!!!!!

                Many things happened in the hour and a half Xbox 360 conference at E3.

                The show started with a new trailer and demo of Halo 4.  It showed off interesting new enemies which seem to be smarter than past enemies.  These creatures seem to be like robotic bugs.  They can teleport and even throw your grenades back at you.  It will be released on November 6^th of this year.

                SplinterCell: Blacklist was announced; it will have use of the Kinect to give commands to NPC’s and even shout at enemies to distract them.  It will be released in the spring of 2013.

                EA Sports announced that both Madden 13 and FIFA 13 will get use of Kinect.  A player can give orders and create strategies with the voice option.  Madden is out August 28^th and FIFA will debut this fall.

                There were new trailers for titles like Fable: The Journey, Gears of War: Judgment, Forza Horizon, Ascend: New Gods, Loco Cycle, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Matter.

                Microsoft showed that Bing will now be able to search not just by title but also genre and will also show what different apps a movie can be viewed on be it Vudu or Netflix.  They also announced that they will have 35 new service providers and announced four of them; Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Machinima, and Univision. 

                For sports entertainment they announced NBA and NHL for Xbox.  ESPN will also become 24/7 with content.  Nike+ for Kinect was also announced as a personal fitness game.

                The biggest announcement was Xbox SmartGlass.  This uses devices with screens to interact with the Xbox.  This means all smartphones, tablets, and computers will use this app.  This means that you may be playing a game and the app on your smartphone will reveal more information about it.  The app on a phone or tablet can also act as a remote control for the Xbox dashboard.  They also announced Internet Explorer for Xbox, which can also be controlled by SmartGlass.

                A new demo was shown for Tomb Raider, Resident Evil 6, and Wrecketeer. 

                The show wrapped up with the reveal of Dance Central 3 with a surprise performance by Usher and a demo of Call of Duty: Black Ops II.

                Check back later for more E3 coverage here on the Spec Tech blog!

Nintendo Breaks the Silence. New Wii U Details!

Well this is a surprise, Nintendo has announced new features of the Wii U before E3.  At E3 they want to focus more on the content coming to the console.

  Some changes have come to the Wii U is the Game Pad.  They have replaced the circle pads with traditional analog sticks.  It will also have Near-field Communication technology.  This has not been explained, but a leaked Rayman Legends trailer showed a player scanning real world objects into the game, similar to the Milo tech demo of the Xbox Kinect.  The button layout has changed slightly, but they have added a TV button; this allows the player to control their television with simple tasks like INPUT, channel surfing, and volume control.

                Nintendo also announced the Wii U Pro Controller, with looks like the Classic controller from the original Wii.  There were no other details given.

                Miiverse was also announced as a social network app.  This will allow a player to communicate with other players of the same language.  It will show what everyone is playing and even have text bubbles of people communicating.  This is similar to what the Xbox 360 dashboard and PS3 Home screen can do, but this is much more interactive as you can even send hand drawn images as comments.  Nintendo announced that this will eventually come to the 3DS, PC, and mobile devices as an external app. 

                Breaking news! The Wii U comes in White or Black!!!!!!

                Thanks for reading.  Come back tomorrow for news from the Microsoft and Sony press conferences and other gaming news! E3 2012 baby!

Many E3 Trailers

Well, it’s the Friday before E3 starts and we already have trailers for highly expected titles such as Tomb Raider, Metal Gear Rising: Revengance, Sonic and All-Stars Racing: Transformed, Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, and more! Check them out below and come back on Monday for more news from the Microsoft and Sony press conferences; will the Xbox Durango or PS4 show up? 

All sources from YouTube, Gametrailers.com, and IGN.com

Tomb Raider

Metal Gear Rising: Revengance

Sonic and All-Stars Racing: Transformed

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Dishonored

Summer Stories

                I’m sad to report that no one entered in my contest, so there is no winner.  


I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone good luck on their finals and to have a great summer.  During the summer, check back on the Spec Tech blog for special stories like a video review of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II, a video review of Lollipop Chainsaw, and complete coverage of E3 as well as keeping you up to date on all things tech. 

New Wii U rumors surface

Hello and welcome back to a regular edition of Spec Tech.  This week, Facebook buys Instagram, rumors from Wii U, Samsung Galaxy III launches, and the largest tablet screen is presented.
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Facebook bought the very popular app, Instagram for $1 billion.

 No one knows exactly why this deal was made, but it could be that Instagram wanted to spread to an even wider audience. Facebook not wanting competition could also be a factor.
 I will report more on this story as information becomes available.

 A rumor has surfaced that Nintendo’s new home console, the Wii U, will launch with a $300 price tag later this year.    More information about the Wii U should surface at E3 this summer with the debut of a new Super Mario Bros. game and Pikmin 3.

 Another rumor has surfaced on the next Nvidia Tegra 4 chip.  Officially called the Cortex A15, this chip will make quad-core tablets even faster.

 A Q1 2013 release is expected to debut in a 10-inch tablet.

 Take this next bit of news with a grain of salt.

 A Foxxcon employee revealed that the iPhone 5 will release in October.  It is rumored to be 4G and come with a 4.6-inch screen.

 The next Samsung Galaxy, rumored to be the Galaxy 3, is hosting an event in London on May. 3.

 Some say it will be completely different from the Galaxy 2, while others say it will be a minor update. 

 Stay tuned for more information.

 How would you like to carry the largest tablet being sold in bulk?  The Toshiba Excite 13 has a 13.3 inch screen with 1600×900 resolution.  It will launch with Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich.  It is only 0.4 inches thick, weighs
2.2 pounds and has two cameras.  The internals are a Tegra 3 CPU, 1GB of RAM, Micro-HDMI and an SD slot.

 It will be available in June with 32GB for $650 or a 64GB version for $750.

 Intel has read my mind and answered my prayers.

 In my reports I try to keep my opinion out, but not this time.  I, personally, think that tablets are dumb.  I don’t understand why there is such a strong demand for them when laptops are much better and can do so much more. I always thought that tablets and laptops should combine, and at last they will!

 Intel introduced a hybrid ultrabook; both a laptop and tablet.  With the help of Windows 8, it is much easier to create a device like this. No other details were given.

 I would like to remind everyone that my video review contest is still running.  You have until May.1 to submit your video reviews to be the story for Spec Tech on May 3. 

  Post your videos on YouTube and email me the link at smsetser@valdosta.edu.

 The question for this week is, “Would you buy an ultrabook hybrid?”  Submit your answers online at vsuspectech.blogspot.com or email me at smsetser@valdosta.edu.

Video Review Contest!!!!!

            This week is not going to be a usual Spec Tech article; instead I’m announcing a contest.  It is a video review contest!  You can make a video review of anything tech/video game related and do it however you want it.  It can be a video of you just talking about the product or you can use footage of the product in use.  To enter, you need to upload the video on YouTube and e-mail me the link.  The winner will be posted on the Spec Tech blog as the final story of this semester on May 3rd!  Please make sure you do it yourself, don’t use a professional’s video review.  My email address is smsetser@valdosta.edu.  You have until May 1^st to submit your videos.  Good luck!

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I review

Welcome to this week’s review; I hope you guys didn’t get pranked too hard on Sunday.

          
            After 16 years of waiting and begging, fans finally got a sequel to Sonic 3& and Knuckles.  This was the first time Sonic has had a purely 2D platformer on a home console since.

            The story takes place right after the Death Egg is destroyed from Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Sonic parts from Tails and Knuckles and starts to explore new areas of the world, but Dr. Robotnik, A.K.A. Dr. Eggman, survived and is recreating his past inventions to hopefully defeat Sonic once and for all. Sonic travels through four zones and one final zone in space.  The game ends with Sonic celebrating in the game’s first level, Splash Hill Zone, with all the rescued animals, much like Sonic 1.  If the player collects all the Chaos Emeralds, they get a secret ending revealing some information about Episode II.  Also, Sonic has his modern design, not his Genesis design; the same goes for Dr. Eggman.

            Gameplay feels very fun and fast.  Sonic is armed with both his Spin Dash and the homing attack.  The homing attack helps Sonic to reach higher areas of levels.  In the game there are five levels, Splash Hill Zone, Casino Street Zone, Lost Labyrinth Zone, Mad Gear Zone, and E.G.G. Station Zone.  These zones are modeled after past zones, Green Hill Zone, Casino Night Zone, Labyrinth Zone, and Metropolis Zone.  All of the zones, except the last one, have three acts as well as a boss act.  Each act has its own gameplay gimmick.  For example, Splash Hill Zone Act 1 is very simple with speed and platforming, Act 2 has vine swings, and Act 3 has zip lines.  The special stages to collect the Chaos Emeralds are back and they feel both old and new.  To get to the special stage Sonic must collect 50 rings and jump into the giant ring at the end of the stage, much like Sonic 1 and Sonic CD.  These stages are modeled after Sonic 1’s special stages, but instead of controlling Sonic, the player controls the stage.  You have to move the stage to allow Sonic to get to the Emerald safely.  Once a player has collected all of the Emeralds, Super Sonic is playable in all acts except boss acts and the E.G.G. Station Zone.  This is the first time this has happened since Sonic 3 & Knuckles

Sonic is sometimes difficult to control.  The physics in this game are much different than the Genesis games.  Sonic tends to have a “floatyness” about him.  This game also doesn’t have the momentum based gameplay from before.  What this means is that if you jump and stop holding a direction, Sonic will reach the peak of his jump and drop straight down.  Sonic also “uncurls” which happens when he rolls up a hill and into the air; he comes out of his ball form and makes himself vulnerable.  Sonic will also occasionally stick to a wall. You can actually stand vertically and then perform the Spin Dash.  He can also walk up vertical walls.

I feel that this game is not a sequel to Sonic 3 & Knuckles, but rather Sonic 2.  Each of the past Sonic games changed so many things after the previous game.  Sonic 1 was simple.  Sonic 2 introduced the Spin Dash, Tails, larger zones, a new special stage, and an even harder final zone.  Sonic 3 & Knuckles introduced Knuckles, the Super Emeralds, the Master Emerald, environmental shields, larger levels, continuality of levels, bonus stages, the insta-sheild, and a new special stage.  Sonic 4 just feels like Sonic 1 and 2 put together, almost ignoring all the things that Sonic 3 & Knuckles introduced. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I is a good game; it will take a while for classic Sonic fans to get used to, but it is a lot of fun when one does.  I feel like the game completely ignored Sonic 3 & Knuckles other than story elements and I hope the physics will get an update as Episode II is changing lots of issues that Episode I had.  I give Sonic 4: Episode I a 7 out of 10.  Sonic 4: Episode I is available now on Xbox LIVE Arcade, WiiWare, PlayStation Network, iOS, Android Market, Steam, and Windows Phone 7.  Look forward to Episode II on Xbox LIVE Arcade, PlayStation Network, iOS, Steam, Windows Phone 7, and Tegra 3 Android devices this May and June. Check out the trailer below for release dates for each system.

The question this week is, “Are you excited for Sonic 4: Episode II?”  Email your answers to smsetser@valdosta.edu or answer at http://vsuspectech.blogspot.com/

SKIP to 1:00 to avoid any possible spoilers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!