Rumour Has It: Project Glass, by Google

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=9c6W4CCU9M4

What is Project Glass?

Imagine Siri, except a) by Google, and more differently/importantly b) instead of looking at an iPhone to get your information, you just look - through a pair of Google-powered glasses.

Welcome to Project Glass, Google’s foray into augmented reality. In a world with smartphones, smart cars, and even smart TV’s, the concept of smart glasses may seem unconventional, but not as strange as the fact that people actually watch Big Brother.

Project Glass is essentially a pair of glasses wherein the glasses can perform some of the basic functions of a smartphone, but the information is displayed when you look through the lenses. The glasses are said to include a processor, microphones, a speaker, a camera, a touchpad and button on the side, memory, and sensors such as an accelerometer, compass and gyroscope.

What can you do with Project Glass?

In terms of what you can actually do with the glasses, whilst Google is continuing to develop their capabilities, what they have revealed certainly looks promising. If only for the possibility of getting directions via Google Maps straight to your eyes, this is technology worth looking in to. Factor in the ability to take photos of whatever you’re looking at by… well, looking at it, as well as other things like getting weather forecasts simply by looking out the window, checking into places online just by looking at a sign, and even simply receiving text messages and notifications directly to your field of vision, and this could change the way we view technology.

When will it be released?

According to Google X leader Sergey Brin, a developer version of the hardware estimated to cost around $1,500 will be released early next year, with a consumer release expected to follow a year later, and with a lower price tag, although it probably won’t be cheap.

It’s just like having Jarvis deliver information to Tony Stark inside Iron Man’s helmet, only sans helmet.

If only the glasses looked just as cool…

Sony's PS Vita - Why Isn't It Selling?

Image from sony.com/vita

The Sony PS Vita has to be on of the most underrated pieces of hardware out there on the market. But why is this so? In this article I want to express my opinions on why I believe Sony’s portable device is failing.

The Vita is an extremely powerful portable gaming device, but not only for games, as it is also a media tool.  For its hardware the device uses ARM Cortex- A9 core (4 core) processor, more or less this is a quad core, something you would find in a high end PC. Graphics wise the device is amazing, it literally looks like carrying your PlayStation 3 games with you on the go, it is insanely impressive. Based on all this however the Nintendo 3DS is currently destroying the vita in terms of sales, despite the vita being more powerful and having a greater graphical capability.

My first theory would be price, the vita is $349 AUD, while Nintendo's handheld is only $249 AUD. Price is a large factor in this market and most casual gamers looking for a basic gaming experience would take Nintendo’s device as all they care about is simplistic gaming and nothing too impressive.  This leads to factor #2…..games.

Uncharted the only decent title on the system

The Vita has literally no decent titles for the device, I guess its like having a Ferrari car but nowhere to drive it at top speed. There have only been about 2 decent titles since launch. Uncharted an almost Indian Jones-inspired adventure game, the graphics are once again amazing and it looks like a high end PS3 title. 

The second title offered is Little Big Planet Vita. This is a platforming game with colourful visuals and a quirky sense of humor. Apart from that there are really no titles worth mentioning. If development in titles were a focus on the vita I’m sure it would have no problem competing with the 3DS. After all the 3DS has a wide rang of fun game with gaming icons such as Mario and Link. 

So ultimately I believe it there was a price readjustment and more quality titles the Vita would dominate the handheld market. 

Dropbox - Software Review

https://www.dropbox.com/

If you find yourself frequently transferring files between different people and computers via email or USB drives, then Dropbox is the perfect software for you.

Dropbox is a free and extremely easy-to-use software for sharing files and syncing them between computers. In the past 6 months I have been a delighted user of Dropbox syncing my files between my laptop and my main desktop. The most appealing feature of this software is the simplicity of it.

All you simply have to do is install the software program (which can be found on Dropbox’s official website) and from then on, you'll have a special folder inside the ‘’My Documents’’ folder. As a result, anything you place here will be automatically synced in the background with your public Dropbox profile and therefore accessible online. Additionally, it is also a great way to collaborate your work with friends, co-workers and family.

Concerned about privacy issues? Don’t be. Logging in to Dropbox requires your specified email address and password.

Final word: Dropbox is a reliable online data backup service that enables you to conveniently access your files virtually anywhere.  This software is highly recommended for busy people on the go. 

Borderlands 2 Review

image from http://gamereuphoria.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Borderlands_2_Skill_Tree.jpg

Borderlands is one of the most fun first person shooters I have ever played, and I’ve have played a few in my time. What makes the game so intriguing is that it is a single player game, not multiplayer. It appears to be a multiplayer title set in the desert with vehicles and guns but its not. It is easily one of the biggest single player games ever made. It is available for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.

In the game itself it you can choose from four basic characters, each have their own skills and abilities. Once chosen you are immediately place right in the game, there is no slow built up you are placed straight in the action. Perhaps the biggest part of the game's success as a story is the vivid recreation of Pandora. Video Game developers know that building a world is one of the best ways to tell a story, especially in a FPS. It's easily one of the video game medium's biggest strengths, and Borderlands 2 knows this. The environment is called Pandora and is like a western era however it has lots of sci fi elements to it, it is a sandbox game (which means you can explore where ever you want with no time limit or being forced down a single path), it’s a huge beautiful open world.

Image from: http://www.borderlands2.com/us/#media

Graphically the game has a unique almost comic book art style, each texture in the environment has been hand drawn much like a living breathing comic. The gameplay itself is a shooter and you can access vehicles to travel across the broad land. Now it is after all a shooter which requires you to kill large waves of enemies, this can be difficult at first. As you character slowly levels up the game becomes much more easier, encouraging players to rank up to the ultimate Level 50. This game also supports co op over a network connection which allows another player to jump in and instantly start playing.  Overall Borderlands 2 is easily one of the most fun and most beautifully designed games I have played in a while.

Vodafone Pocket Wi-Fi Pro: Better Performance Than Expected

Images from: http://www.vodafone.com.au/personal/wireless-internet/mobile-broadband/wireless-modems/pocket-wifi

I have to admit that I was skeptical prior to purchase but due to my budget, I had to use Vodafone. This little gadget is easy to set up and the Wi-Fi speed has been pretty decent and stable.

The Vodafone Pocket Wi-fi Pro is a small Wi-Fi hotspot device that is capable of connecting up to 5 devices with wireless internet simultaneously. The device's LCD display shows signal strength, battery life, the amount of data used, network status, unread messages, roaming indicator and how many devices are currently connected to the unit.

Overall the Vodafone Pocket Wi-Fi Pro was a handy little device that functioned well for me. Though, it should be noted that experiences would vary depending on the network coverage. Fortunately, I reside in a reasonable well-covered Vodafone area so I have managed to receive great speeds.

However, always make sure that you have adequate coverage from any specific provider before making purchasing decisions. If you live in a well-covered Vodafone area and are after an easy solution for providing 3G to multiple devices, then considering something like the Vodafone Pocket Wi-Fi Pro may be an option.

Rumour Has It: The Fujitsu Lifebook

http://www.gizmag.com/concept-fujitsu-lifebook-2013/21183/

Imagine your boss has asked you at the last minute to go on a business trip. You need your laptop to work on your presentation, your tablet to catch up on the latest season of Mad Men during your flight, your camera to take photos of your trip when you’re off-duty, and your smartphone because you’re not a caveman. So many items to pack, and we haven’t even mentioned clothes yet. If only there was a way to combine all of these gadgets in to one, easy-to-pack gadget.

Well, thanks to Fujitsu, there may soon be one gadget to rule them all.

Forget Macbooks and Ultrabooks – Fujitsu are reportedly working on the Lifebook. At its core, it’s a laptop, with a removable widescreen tablet as its keyboard, a removable compact digital camera integrated into the lid, and a removable smartphone housed in its base, similar to the Asus Padfone.

Whilst all components of the Lifebook (the tablet, camera and smartphone) are removable and can function as separate devices, they have all been designed to use the same operating system to allow for greater integration across devices. For example, it would be possible to share and sync photos and multimedia from the camera or smartphone with the laptop simply by inserting them into the laptop component of the Lifebook. Similarly, the tablet can be used either as a tablet in its own right, as a keyboard for the laptop, or as a second display screen, similar to what is seen with the Nintendo DS and upcoming Wii U.

Fujitsu haven’t given any indication of when we can expect this product to become available, or if they’re even considering pursuing its production, but if they can actually pull it off, the Fujitsu Lifebook could become famous and gain a lot of support and popularity as the Swiss Army Knife of Technology.