Check out Google's answer to the Apple iPad [Google Chrome Tablet]

Google seems to be developing a rival to the Apple iPad. It has shown mockups of a tablet device running its own Chrome operating system. A video and some pictures showing a mock-up of the Google Chrome OS running on a tablet device have been posted on the search company’s Chromium Website. 

 

Glen Murphy, Google Chrome’s UI lead designer has designed the concept himself.

 

 

 

The mockups show a possible tablet device with an on-Screen keyboard and a touch interface. It also depicts an outstanding thing that the Apple iPad seems to lack - the ability to multi-task. This Google Chrome Tablet device will be able to launch multiple browsers at the same time and might also prove to be a fantastic e-book reader, with Google’s access to millions of books via its Google Books service.

 

The possible tablet’s screen’s format will be 4:3 and it will also offer 10-finger multi-touch navigation that will enable a user to use all his 10 fingers simultaneously. The 11.6-inch screen will be capable of displaying 1920x1080, which is full HD so it might be the first company to introduce such a high resolution on a small screen. According to some sources, HTC, the same company that built the Nexus One, might also build the Google Chrome Tablet.

 

Interestingly, the prototype came only a few days after the launch of Apple’s iPad and one can not help but notice a number of similarities as well, from the screen format to the thick bezel and the round edges. Many think that Google’s decision to wait until after the launch of the Apple iPad might have been voluntary.


At the end of the day, the internet-connected tablet market is getting hot and not only Apple and Google but many other companies are fighting to get to the top. The question is, whether Google’s tablet will be different enough to survive the increasing competition.

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Mass Effect 2 Review - Games | Gaming Reviews Online In India


 

 

BioWare continues the chronicles of Commander Shepard, humanity’s poster child in the science fiction world of Mass Effect. The sequel has one of the more ominous starts to a game with you and your ship being blown to bits. Cerberus—the alleged bad guys from the first game, recover what is left of Sheppard’s remains and spends two years and truckloads of money to resurrect the Commander. Cerberus shares a common enemy with Sheppard and they have a mission for you — saving the universe from Reavers, the antagonist alien race from the first game. When you think about it, the main plot is not a lot different from the first game. The only thing that has changed in the sequel is that your character will be aligned with Cerberus and not the Alliance.
 


The big thing about Mass Effect 2 (ME2), at least for me, was that you could import your character from the first part and continue with it in the sequel. This for me is something of a novelty for a console RPG. Unfortunately, an imported character’s experience level is reset at the onset and you pretty much start from scratch. My level 46 Shepard was reduced to a level two character and apparently the highest level you can start the game with is level five; that is if you import a level 60 character. Perhaps to avoid a riot of angry gamers in Edmonton, BioWare decided to give at least some bonus for importing - by way of credits, research resources, and basic weaponry.


Since Cerberus spent a lot of time and money on putting your pieces together, they pretty much own your ass and the player is not given a choice about working for the people with whom he has fought in the past. The consolation is that it’s for the greater good of preventing a cosmic disaster of epic proportions. And besides it could have been worse; you could be working for the Geth. Inspite of the catastrophe at the end of the first game the existence of the Reapers still not officially accepted; so Cerberus is preparing to wage a secret war and Sheppard is their newest recruit. In the first game Reapers used Saren as their pawn and this time it’s a race elusive aliens known as the Collectors
 


A bulk of the game is about building up a team for an assault on the Collector base. The best thing about Mass Effect 2 is that you get to assemble a team of ultimate bad-asses from across the cosmos. You can recruit up to eleven members for your team; however this seems a bit excessive since there isn’t enough in the core game play to effectively accommodate all the characters. The recruitment missions and the side-quests of each member are short, quick-fixes. The plotline lacks the steady development like it did in the first game. The upside is that Mass Effect 2 has a much more dramatic climax with multiple possible outcomes. The sequel has inherited engaging the storytelling from the first game, all thanks to robust voice acting, a decent script, use of dynamic camera and interactive cutscenes. Even though narration in Mass Effect 2 is an improvement over the first game, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Visually, this game is much richer than its predecessor due to improved texture and lighting, and this further enhances the story presentation.


There are a couple of major changes in the combat system, like use of ammo system instead of weapon-heating and introduction of auto-healing, which means that the most common use of medi-gel (healing item) is to revive fallen party members. Mass Effect 2 has also completely done away with weapon proficiencies, grenades and mines. A significant addition to the weapon’s system is heavy weaponry that can be very effective at turning the tide of battle. Unfortunately, the cover system is still inconsistent and AI controlled party members continue to suck at finding cover.


When you think about some of the changes in the game system, you begin to see a pattern. Most of the major gripes that players had with Mass Effect have not been improved on, but rather they have been completely eliminated. The suspiciously long elevator rides have been replaced by a loading screen; Mako (the planetfall vehicle from the first part) does not make an appearance in ME2 and it has no replacement. The cumbersome inventory screen has also been completely eliminated and instead missions start with a load-out screen, mostly limiting your choice of arsenal on a mission. I completed about five planetary exploration missions and none of those had anything to write home about. ME2 has a taken a different approach to resource gathering. Activating a planet on the Galaxy Map brings up a 3D model of the planet, which can be used to scan the surface for valuable metals. This is essentially a mini-game that uses Left-Trigger to initiate scanning and right trigger to send a probe to collect the resources. I found this to be a tedious exercise; so between the two games, I am not sure which system is better.


Gathering of resources is not something that can be completely ignored as the game requires huge quantities of metals for upgrade research. And even though upgrades are not necessary for combat, having them has a significant impact on the game’s ending. Due to this, upgrades in Mass Effect 2 are not easy to come by and they require a lot of credits and metals.
 


 After you have successfully gathered most of your team and gained their loyalty, the game really starts to get interesting. Unfortunately, by this time you are nearing the end of the game and the best is saved only for the last few hours. After finishing the main quest, the game continues and gives you the opportunity for exploration of completing side-missions. Alternately, you can start a New Game+ with additional bonuses. From the main menu of the game you can access the Cerberus Network, which is a fancy name for EA’s DLC distribution system. This requires a redeem code to unlock (or a toll of 1200 MS Points) and since we did not receive a code with the review copy, we really could not explore the system. This was kind of depressing because we could not download the free day-one DLC or the Blood Dragon armor from Dragon Age Origins.

Just like the first game, Mass Effect 2 is not particularly impressive; however it’s not a bad game either. With the sequel you will find more of the same with a coat of polish - a trademark EA release. As mentioned earlier, many of the issues from the first game have not been effectively addressed in the sequel. So if you enjoyed the first game, there is a good chance that you will feel the same way about Mass Effect 2. As long as you are not expecting anything revolutionary or radically different, you should find ME2 a worthwhile experience. 

 

 

 

 

Rating: 8.0/10

Details
Genre: RPG, Third person shooter
Platforms*: PC (Microsoft Windows), Xbox 360
Studio: BioWare
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Distributor: Excel Home Videos (PC), Redington (Xbox 360)

Price
PC (Standard Edition): INR 999
PC (Collector’s Edition): INR 2,999

Xbox 360 (Standard Edition): INR 2,499
Xbox 360 (Collector’s Edition): INR 2,999


*Reviewed on Xbox 360

 

PC System Requirements

 

Minimum
OS: Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7 
Processor: 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or equivalent AMD CPU
Memory: 1 GB RAM for Windows XP / 2 GB RAM for Windows Vista and Windows 7
Graphics: 256 MB (with Pixel Shader 3.0 support)
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c August 2008
Hard Drive: 15 GB
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible
Supported Chipsets: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or greater; ATI Radeon X1600 Pro or greater. Please note that NVIDIA GeForce 7300, 8100, 8200, 8300, 8400, and 9300; ATI Radeon HD3200, and HD4350 are below minimum system requirements. Updates to your video and sound card drivers may be required.

Recommended
OS: Windows XP SP3 / Windows Vista SP1 / Windows 7 
Processor: 2.6+ GHz Cure 2 Duo Intel or equivalent AMD CPU
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT, or better recommended
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c August 2008
Hard Drive: 15 GB
Sound: DirectX 9.0c compatible

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10 reasons why the iPad fails to impress

The iPad has finally arrived, like the punchline of a poorly constructed joke gone on too long. It's too late to even laugh at the effort. Starting with the very name, which is embarrassingly close to a certain women's hygiene product and became a laughing stock as soon as it was unveiled

 

The iPad Jobs claims is "more intimate than a laptop, and it's so much more capable than a smartphone." Certainly one can understand that the device would be more intimate than a laptop, being operated entirely via a touch screen, however it isn't more capable than one. Is it even more capable than a smartphone?

Comparing it with Apple's own smartphone, the iPhone, and what do we see, a larger screen hence an interface to support the larger screen, thanks to the large screen we now have a larger keyboard, a larger screen enables better use of productivity software — which by the way you have to pay for — and a better multimedia and internet experience. Kinda like an iPod avatar in a, well, larger body. Might as well call it an iPhoneNot.

Sure, the faster processor means it is more capable technically, however as more smartphones come in the market with 1Ghz and faster processors, this point becomes moot. The Nexus One itself features a 1GHz processor, and does not come with the shackles surrounding the iPhone OS store. 

Matching the iPhone and the iPad feature for feature, the iPad actually comes out on the losing side. Quite obviously, the device is not a phone, yet when comparing it with the iPhone you come to realize that is is just an oversized iPhone which can't make calls. Connect your iPhone to a larger display and what can't you do? 

How is this different from an Android-based tablet? 

With great derison Jobs discards netbooks as cheap laptops, yet the iPad is still to show any multitasking capabilities. It does not come with the free ecosystem of application and development as the netbooks have. Instead you are pointed to the 140,000 application which exist in the Apple store, many of which will irrelevant for a device which is not a phone, and the others will have to go through the painful process of updating their applications for the new screen size and getting their updates pass through the gatekeeps for the App Store. 

For a device which claims to provide the best internet browsing experience, support for Flash is essential, and yet the iPad shuns Flash. This does more to hurt the iPad than it does Flash. For an internet centric device which boasts of 3G and WiFi connectivity, the lack of suppot for the full and rich interent experience is a blunder. A large sumber of cloud applications rely on Flash, and it is not just restricted to web-video. While shunning Flash from the iPhone might have worked out fine since no one expects a full interent experience on a phone, however when you are buying a device which is supposed to bring the "best web experience" you expect more. 

Better than a netbook really? The iPad fails to be better than even an iPhone. 

So here are 10 reasons why we think the iPad sucks, if we haven't made that clear already: 

 

  1. No multitasking. Remember, it's meant to be better than a netbook. 
  2. No Flash support. "The best web experience"; indeed 
  3. Screen is not widescreen. Well, innovation sometimes take us a few steps backwards 
  4. No HD output. Who watched HD these days anyway? 
  5. No camera. So much for video chat... 
  6. No USB port. Don't want to be too much like a netbook now do we? 
  7. No SD card slot. Cause 64GB ought to be enough for anybody... 
  8. Essential peripherals sold extra: keyboard, USB, SD card dongles, each sold for $30! 
  9. Another iPhone-like operating system. Read closed system. This seems to be Apple's game plan 
  10. You need to pay $10 per app for the iWork productinvity applications suite. It's like Apple didn't want you, or expect you to be productive on it by default

 

Even so, the iPad has a chance for success, and for many of the same reasons that the iPhone is a success. It is a beautiful product, with a dedicated developer community which just won't give up dispite the constant abuse. It has hundreds of thousands of applications which give it an edge over new platforms which have lesser applications. The iPhone continues to be a favourite of many because it is a pleasure to use despite its many flaws. Apple may not have done anything new here, but just given a more of the good old stuff that they already know works.

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Check out this hot new Bioshock 2 - Games | Gaming Reviews Online In India

2K Games, the developer of BioShock 2, gave American viewers of NBC’s Late Night with Jimmy Fallon a 3 minute 15 second launch trailer to salivate over on Tuesday. Offering a piece of Rapture - a nice bit of cut-scene footage, the trailer is filled with breathtaking action set in the decaying underwater world of Rapture, and will really whet the appetites of BioShock fans.

 

The clock is ticking, BioShock 2 - one of the most eagerly awaited games of 2010 - will release on February 9th, giving fans and first-timers alike the chance to test their trigger fingers and berserker-mindsets on the game’s explosive first-person shooter combat and a brand new multiplayer section, while being drawn-in to the world of Rapture with BioShock’s compelling storytelling. Get your copy quick, and step into the boots of Big Daddy, traversing Rapture in search of answers while fighting to survive.

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35 Creative Twitter User Profile Designs

One of the most important aspects of attracting followers on Twitter, in addition to quality tweets, is your Twitter page profile design; it has to be creative and attractive to show that you take tweeting seriously. This collection of Twitter user profile designs follows up on an earlier showcase that we published called 50 Beautiful & Unique Twitter Profile Designs.

In this collection, you’ll find some of the great Twitter user profile designs out there.

1. @Doubleolee

@Doubleolee

2. @captivamktg

@captivamktg

3. @mayhemstudios

@mayhemstudios

4. @drewwilliams27

@drewwilliams27

5. @bongobrian

@bongobrian

6. @marekuk

@marekuk

7. @dani

@dani

8. @envato

@envato

9. @webprosys

@webprosys

10. @kgrz

@kgrz

11. @osvaldas

@osvaldas

12. @t_kawai

@t_kawai

13. @abduzeedo

@abduzeedo

14. @bartelme

@bartelme

15. @AndrewAckroyd

@AndrewAckroyd

16. @rogieking

@rogieking

17. @naldzgraphics

@naldzgraphics

18. @bittbox

@bittbox

19. @tamar

@tamar

20. @MCGSTUDIO

@MCGSTUDIO

21. @studio3k

@studio3k

22. @dickieadams

@dickieadams

23. @zenabobena

@zenabobena

24. @collis

@collis

25. @AdrianApan

@AdrianApan

26. @UkSama

@UkSama

27. @CiaoBella50

@CiaoBella50

28. @designcritique

@designcritique

29. @EcoCandles

@EcoCandles

30. @NickHanophy

@NickHanophy

31. @theroyaltyclub

@theroyaltyclub

32. @arsenalrayen

@arsenalrayen

33. @diesellaws

@diesellaws

34. @KrisColvin

@KrisColvin

35. @LisaWorsham

@LisaWorsham

R

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Facebook Passes the 400 Million User Mark

Facebook is celebrating its 6th birthday in style, with yet another traffic milestone: 400 million users served.

Two months ago the social network hit 350 million, and CEO Mark Zuckerberg reminds us that number was less than half of today’s 400 million mark a year ago. It took the site about three months to climb from 300 to 350 million users and only about two months to gain another 50 million, indicating FacebookFacebookFacebook’s explosive growth is actually still accelerating.

Zuckerberg also mentions some upcoming announcements followed by an all-night Hackathon coding session. We’ll be on the ground at Facebook HQ to cover the upcoming new features, so sit tight for more birthday news on the way.

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