Spec Tech

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Apple v. Samsung: Let's Get Ready to Rumble

Welcome back to a new school year! I’m here to report on the hottest tech news around. This week, the patent war between Apple and Samsung heats up, HTC loses $40 million, and Sony is ready to release a new phone.

First off, AT&T will no longer offer subsidized pricing on tablets. This means that you will no longer have to sign a two-year contract with the company. The drawback is that it will be more expensive with no commitment pricing. The data plans have decreased by $5. You can get 250MB for $15, 3GB for $30 or 5GB for $50.

The cloud-gaming service, OnLive has sold its assets to an unnamed company. It had to lay off most of its staff, but they promise no interruptions for service. HTC had invested $40 million in the company and has lost off of this money.

Sony has revealed the Sony Xperia SL. It is just like the Xperia S, but with a new 1.7Ghz Snapdragon S3 processor chip and is upgradable to Android 4.0: Ice Cream Sandwich. The Xperia S was criticized for being sluggish; the new processor should fix this issue.

Wednesday Samsung will be holding an event to announce the Samsung Galaxy Note II. It has a teaser trailer on its official YouTube page. It is rumored that this phone will have a 5.5-inch screen with a quad-core processor.

During the entire summer, Apple and Samsung have been fighting about who stole what. Apple has sued Samsung for stealing designs from the iPhone and iPad. Apple has had several previous employees testify that when given a Samsung device, they thought it could have been designed by Apple. Studies were also shown that Samsung performed tests to see if people could tell the difference between a Samsung tablet and an iPad.

Apple has now been given permission to look at all of Samsung’s devices and choose which designs were stolen. Apple even had to share its prototypes of the first iPhone.

I would like to announce that I will be using the SpecTech Blog for a special video series. For this semester I will do a Top 5 Countdown of my favorite video games of all time. I will post the first video next Thursday. You can watch the countdown only at vsuspectech.blogspot.com

My question of the week is, “Do you ever get confused between Samsung and Apple devices?” Email your answers to smsetser@valdosta.edu or post on vsuspectech.blogspot.com/

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Save the City from Zombies as Juliet Starling

Lollipop Chainsaw Review

This review will not have a video review for fear of offending the audience. Read this article with caution, there are no spoilers, but please do not send e-mails telling me that you had not been warned. I censored this as much as possible.

From studio Suda 51 comes his first HD game for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. Is this fast action zombie slaying game a home-run or is it a huge let down?

In story mode you control Juliet Starling, a normal 18-year old cheerleader, who happens to be a zombie hunter. You are accompanied by your recently decapitated boyfriend who helps you defeat football jockeys, cheerleaders, and punk rock wannabies. During the story you learn that a student has opened up a portal to Rotten World and will soon take over the whole world. It is up to Juliet, Nick (her boyfriend), and Juliet’s family to save the day.

The gameplay plays out like most hack-n-slash games. You run to one point in the level and cannot pass until all enemies are defeated in that area. The game may look similar to God or War, Devil May Cry, or Bayonetta, but it plays much differently.

To kill zombies Juliet must first weaken them with her light pom-pom attacks, and then finish them with a heavy chainsaw attack. Every time a zombie is killed Juliet will be awarded gold coins to purchase items. If Juliet can decapitate three or more zombies she is awarded bonus money and a set number of Platinum Coins for the skilled kill. There is a super meter that will grant Juliet super strength for a small period of time. This feature is almost useless as I often forgot it was even available for use.

The dialog between Nick and Juliet almost always had me laughing as they do it so well. Tara Strong gives a great performance as Juliet. If you don’t know Tara, she has played characters such as Bubbles from The Powerpuff Girls, Raven from Teen Titans, Ben Tennyson from Ben 10, and Twilight Sparkle from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

The game also has many mini-games to break up the repetitive action. Juliet’s chainsaw gains new abilities as the game progresses. She can shoot bullets out of it and use Nick’s head as a projectile. There are several quick-time events in levels and sports themed games, such as Zombie Basketball.

Scattered through every level are shops to acquire upgrades. These range from buying new attacks, upgrading Juliet’s strength, buying in-game music, or costumes. Gold Coins will buy skills, while Platinum Coins buy costumes, music, and concept art.

The soundtrack for this game is filled with licensed music, from Julius Dixson’s “Lollipop” to Sleigh Bells’ “Riot Rhythm” and even Skillex. The original score for the game is nowhere near as good as the official music. The good part is that the game lets you program what six songs you would like to play during your run through a level, with the exception of music in scripted sequences.

There are many problems with this game. First off, the difficulty is way too easy, even on hard mode. The only thing that gets more difficult is that all of the enemies will spam the same move at the same time, so that while you are recovering, you will still get hit by another enemy. The bosses are also a joke, but they are still fun to fight. The lock-on system is also terrible.

The beginning of the game is very boring. The game does not become enjoyable until you unlock several combo moves which can kill zombies quicker than just using the light and heavy attacks. The beginning was so boring that I replayed the first two levels several times to unlock these good combos so that I would not be bored with the rest of the game.

The game relies heavily on pop-culture, but I did sometimes feel offended as they made a joke about the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers. Also, some of the jokes feel forced and not played through very well.

I know this game is obviously made for a specific audience, but the game keeps reminding you that you are playing as an “attractive” female. The cutscenes constantly show an upskirt shot or show maximum cleavage. You know it gets ridiculous when there is an achievement for looking up Juliet’s skirt for ten seconds. It just comes off as cliché.

This game is not for everyone. If you are easily offended by sexy cheerleaders, cursing, and killing zombies, this game is not for you. If you have a good sense of humor, like pop culture references, and like the costumes from the popular anime High School of the Dead, then this game is for you. I give Lollipop Chainsaw for the Xbox 360, a 7 out of 10. As a last note, I got all of the achievements in a week, and haven’t played the game since, so let that factor into your decision of purchasing or renting this game or skipping it all together.

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Miles "Tails" Prower Helps Sonic in Sonic 4: Episode II

Warning, Minor Spoilers!!!!!

It has been a year and a half since Episode I was released and it couldn’t have come at a better time. This title included a new graphics engine and fixed physics, but is it enough? This episode continues the story of Episode I and helps incorporate the story of Sonic CD into the main Sonic the Hedgehog games (I.e. Sonic 1 through 4:2)

The story begins four months after the events of Episode I with Sonic having recruited his best friend Tails to help him defeat Metal Sonic and prevent Dr. Eggman from completing a new Death Egg. This new machine is built around Little Planet, which will create a time traveling Death Egg. Sonic and Tails arrive at Sylvania Castle Zone and the adventure begins.

The game plays like Episode I in that there are 4 levels, each with three acts and a boss act. The fifth level has one act and a final boss act. The gameplay is similar to Episode I; Sonic still retains his spin dash and homing attack but he gains a few new moves too. Sonic and Tails can perform new combination attacks at anytime. If it is activated on the ground Sonic and Tails will perform the rolling combo, a super Spin Dash which is faster and more powerful than the regular attack. Copter combo is activated in the air; Tails will fly and carry Sonic. If it is activated underwater, the submarine combo allows Tails to carry Sonic and will spin his tails to propel both of them forward. There is even a new item box which allows Sonic and Tails to destroy all enemies on screen, gain a large number of points, and collect lots of rings as a reward. Collectables in this game include the seven Chaos Emeralds as well as a hidden Red Star RING in each act; the RINGS serve no other purpose than to get an achievement.

The special stage from Sonic 2 returns, well it’s also from Sonic Heroes, and Sonic Rush, and Sonic Colors, and Sonic Generations. To enter a special stage the player must reach the goal sign with 50 rings or more, just like Episode I. The goal is to collect the set amount of rings within three rounds. The special stages differ in that there are not only bombs which make you lose ten rings, but also eclectic bombs which slow you down. Sonic and Tails can also use the Sonic Boost technique from Sonic Rush and modern Sonic games, but it is a gradual speed boost rather than an instant boost. There is even an item in the special stage that creates a line between Sonic and Tails; all rings that touch this line are collected. There are even springs that can take you to alternate pathways for better or worse.

The best thing about this is during single player mode. In Sonic 2 lots of people were cheated out of collecting a Chaos Emerald because Tails got hit; not only in this game does Tails follow you more precisely, but if he gets hit the player is not penalized. These special stages are actually fun and I love playing them.

Once all the Chaos Emeralds have been collected Super Sonic is unlocked and can be played in all stages, including boss acts this time. Interestingly, when the combo moves are activated with Super Sonic, he will return to normal and will not transform again until the player activates it again.

The graphics in this game are not groundbreaking, but they are pretty amazing. It really shows itself off in Sky Fortress Zone Act 3 and that boss fight. It takes place during sunset and you are able to see all the light and shadows from the characters and even the rings. I love that environmental damage is back. In Episode I the only thing that could hurt you was an enemy. In Episode II avalanches from White Park Zone and fire from engines in Sky Fortress Zone can hurt and even cause instant death, which is awesome!

This game isn’t without its faults, however they are minor. I dislike how there are plot holes in the story. In the opening Sonic and Tails arrive on the Tornado and jump off of it. In Act 1 of Sky Fortress Zone they are back on the Tornado, they then land it on the fortress in Act 2. Then the boss fight takes place with the Tornado, which they ran away from in the previous two acts. Also, they ditched the Tornado on the falling fortress, so the Tornado is destroyed?

Also, I don’t understand why the Chaos Emeralds are as big as Sonic’s head! It just doesn’t look right; when he transforms the emeralds are smaller than his head again.

Even though there are fewer speed boosts and springs, there are still plenty of them. DIMPS needs to stop doing this and allow the player to gain speed, not give it to them.

I don’t like how the stage results are handled. In every other Sonic game the points are totaled in real time, while in this game the stage is blurred and this huge score tally is presented and blocks everything behind it. Also, I hate how the animals are rescued from the capsule. In every past Sonic title the animals jump around in excitement for freedom, here they slowly escape and even sometimes trip on the ground. It just looks odd to me.

I also didn’t really like how the game ended because it did not have a proper conclusion like episode I or any past Sonic title, although this could be that the ending cutscene may be the opening scene for Episode III or Sonic 5, much like how it happened in Sonic 3 as it led into Sonic & Knuckles.

Overall, this is a huge improvement over Episode I and does deserve the title of Sonic 4. I wish they had made lock-on technology for this to connect to Episode I and replace Episode I’s sprite with Episode II’s. This game is very fun and has lots of replay value. There is even a local and online co-op mode, this is the first console Sonic game built for online connectivity. I give Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II an 8 out of 10.

Episode II in available now on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Playstation Network, Nvidia Tegra 3 Android devices, Steam, any Android device, and iOS. It will be available for Windows Phone sometime in July.

Monday, June 18, 2012

Microsoft and Apple dominate the Tablet Market

ANYTHING THAT IS TEAL IS A CLICKABLE LINK

Apple announced many new features for iOS 6.0 at this summer’s WWDC. First off, Siri is getting smarter. She can now be asked just about any sports question as well as movie trivia. She can also launch apps. Siri is also coming to the iPad 3 only. Facebook is now integrated in the iOS much like Twitter was in iOS 5.0.

Apple also announced their new maps app, yes Apple dumped Google Maps. Their new map app looks much like Google Maps but now has 3D models and can be used as a GPS with voice activated Siri control. It will also monitor traffic and use detours when the user activates Siri.

FaceTime can now be made over a 3G network, not yet 4G. It will be slower than on WiFi, but WiFi isn’t available everywhere. There is a new “Do Not Disturb” mode that will not notify you of any notifications. You can program it so that certain people can contact you; this will be great for sleep so you won’t be woken up by Facebook or texts every five minutes.

Passbook is a new app much like a wallet. It can contain virtual gift cards and tickets for movies or sports events. If you had a Best Buy gift card, your phone would remind you that you have that card when you enter the store and tell you the remaining balance. They also introduced the Smart Case, a smart cover that covers your entire iPad. This will work with the iPad 2 and 3.

iOS 6.0 will come this fall, also expect the new iPhone, but this will be available only in the iPhone 3GS, 4, and 4S, the iPad 2 and 3, as well as the iPod Touch 4^th generation. (Apple is no longer supporting my iPod Touch 3^rd generationL) Not all of the features are coming to every device though. Click here to view which specific devices get what features.

Apple launched new MacBook Airs and MacBook Pros. They are pretty much the same but with better graphics and speed. They also get USB 3.0. The star of the show was the Next-Generation MacBook Pro. This is a hybrid of both devices into one super device. It only comes in the 15-inch model with the Retina Disply, Intel i5 quad-core Ivy Bridge processor, USB 3.0, two Thunderbolt ports and HDMI out. It also sports a 720p HD front camera. The device starts at $2199.

Microsoft announced its own tablet, the Surface. This comes in two different versions of Windows 8. It is a 10-inch tablet with a ClearType HD display. It has a microSD slot, USB 2.0/3.0 and comes in various storage sizes. The coolest part of this was the Touch Cover. It connects to the tablet much like the Smart Cover on the iPad, but when this is peeled back it turns into a keyboard. This device really aims to create the laptop/tablet hybrid. There was no price or release date, but it won’t come out until Windows 8 does. Here is a video of the device.

The Xbox 720 may have been leaked (again) but there is a 56 page document to back it up. This shows that there is a new Kinect sensor for four player fun, focuses on tablet integration with SmartGlass, and a Blu-ray disc drive. There were even talks of glasses that would give the player a heads-up display/HUB, which is dubbed Fortaleza. It would launch in 2013 with a $300 price tag.

A new app was released for Android devices called “Robin.” She is a voice assistant for the GPS function of your phone. She acts much like Siri will in iOS 6.0, telling you about traffic and speed traps. It is available now in beta form, but will not work with the HTC MyTouch 4G or HTC Evo 4G LTE.

Lastly, the Samsung Galaxy S III will be coming to all major U.S. carriers, AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, T-Mobile, and U.S. Cellular. It will be available June 21^st at $199.99 for 16GB or $249.99 for 32GB of storage. None of the networks will have the quad-core processor found in the European version.

The question of the week is, “Does the Microsoft Surface tablet interest you at all or are you interested in a different tablet?” You can comment below or e-mail me at smsetser@valdosta.edu. In the next few days I will post my review of Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Metal Sonic returns in Sonic 4: Episode Metal

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal is a free downloadable title for owners of both episodes of Sonic 4 on the same device/console. This episode puts the player in Metal Sonic’s shoes and explains his return from his defeat from Sonic the Hedgehog CD.

The story begins with Metal Sonic’s defeat in the Stardust Speedway from Sonic CD. It shows that much time has passed and Little Planet is returning into orbit of Sonic’s world. Dr. Eggman sends a device that reactivates Metal Sonic and he barely flies back to Eggman’s base in Mad Gear Zone. It is here that Metal Sonic is restored and his adventure to defeat Sonic begins.

The gameplay puts Metal Sonic in four different acts from Sonic 4 Episode I. Each act is essentially a hard mode from act 1 of each of Sonic’s levels. Metal Sonic’s levels also play in reverse order, Mad Gear Zone being the first zone and Splash Hill Zone being the last. The graphics are the same from Episode I, but the physics are taken from Episode II. It is nice that this took the time to explain why most of the levels returned in Episode I, as it didn’t make sense before why all the levels were rehashed. This is the first time a villain has ever had his own game, so it is funny to see when Metal Sonic passes the goal plate at the end of a stage the sign turns from a picture of Sonic to a picture of Metal Sonic.

What I don’t like about this game is it is too short. There is nothing to do except beat the game. There are no Chaos Emeralds or Red Star RINGS to collect. The episode can be completed with watching every cutscene in about 15 minutes. I know it is free DLC but I wanted a little more than a 15 minute game. I also don’t like that the game has the same enemy placement issues as Episode I did; it just feels cheap every time you get hurt.

Overall this is a little entertaining game that mostly will only get a few playthroughs from me. I give Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode Metal a 5 out of 10. It is not a bad game, but there is just nothing to do and it isn’t much fun playing it.