Review
Twitter For Mac OS X Review
February 24, 2011
It was a long time coming, but Twitter for Mac OS X, also known as Tweetie 2, was finally brought to the masses with the introduction of the Mac App Store earlier this year. After using it virtually all day long for a couple of months, I thought it was time to put my thoughts down on paper, so here we go!
Twitter for Mac retains many aspects of Tweetie‘s user interface that made it so popular. The navigational buttons are present on the left hand side of the window, and allow you to toggle between your timeline, mentions, messages, lists, profile and search for tweets as well as see what’s currently trending.
Continue reading »Kinect Adventures Review (Xbox 360 Kinect)
February 23, 2011
As you all know by now, Microsoft have released their Xbox Kinect motion sensor ‘controller’, and bundled with the peripheral is Kinect Adventures.
Nobody expects amazing things from release titles, let alone one that’s part of a bundle on release, but occasionally you can hit oil. Unfortunately, this time around, Kinect Adventures is a good, but average title for your Kinect-equipped Xbox 360.
I saw this as merely a game that would get you used to how Kinect works and to help players get used to playing games without a controller in your hand. Don’t get me wrong, the game works well and is enjoyable, but I found myself getting a bit bored after 20 minutes or so.
Continue reading »HTC Wildfire Review
February 23, 2011
HTC has gone through somewhat of a surge in terms of success in the last couple of years with phones like the HTC Desire and the Desire HD impressing many of us and setting great standards in terms of Android-based smartphones and now have they done it again with the HTC Wildfire?
As we saw in the announcement of the HTC Wildfire is very much a budget Android-based smartphone aimed at those who want the more out their phone for a smaller price tag than the likes of the iPhone 4, HTC Desire or Nexus One, and the £160 that you will have to shell out for one is certainly that. But have sacrifices been made for this price?
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Xbox Kinect Sensor Review – Should I Buy The Xbox 360 Motion Controller?
February 22, 2011
I was quite excited when I first starting reading about Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect. A motion controller gaming system without the actual controller sounded like futuristic stuff and ever since it was first announced to the world as Project Natal, it was something I just had to have, it really came across as actual future technology that until then you’d only seen in sci-fi movies.
I was excited when I did finally got my hands on Kinect after we’d already seen a Xbox Kinect/Project Natal Preview, even more so through the setup as it felt strange not to be using a controller apart from my very own hands to lead the way.
Continue reading »BBC iPlayer iPad App Review
February 21, 2011
It’s been a long time coming, but the BBC iPlayer finally came to our iPads this month as a free application on the UK App Store! Following months of setbacks and blocking of the application by the BBC Trust, UK viewers are now finally able to catch up with BBC programs and watch live without being in front of a traditional computer or internet enabled TV.
Is the BBC iPlayer iPad App everything we’d hoped it would be? Does it make us want to watch Match of the Day on Apple’s tablet every Saturday night instead of on the big screen? Let’s check it out and see for ourselves, shall we?
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Bluelounge CableClip Review
February 19, 2011
Cable management is most probably one of the worst tasks I have to cope with on a daily basis. Looking at the desk I’m working on whilst typing this post I can see 6 cables straight away, which makes for one hell of a spaghetti junction.
Admittedly, cable mess is going to build up on a working day but I still like to keep things as organised as I can and we’ve seen previously, items such as the Cable Drops can help with that.
However, recently I decided to finally invest in a few little gizmos that would help me better manage my workspace. One of these purchases was a set of the Bluelounge CableClip Holders, which allow you to wrap around your cables and easily store them so you aren’t left with a plethora of cables, not knowing which one’s which.
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Sony Ericsson Live View Software Update Review
February 15, 2011
Last month we had a look at Sony Ericsson’s watch-cum-phone accessory ‘Live View’ and although we had some initial reservations we found it was quite a fun device to use and that it could be even better if it wasn’t held back by a few simple flaws; however just as was promised in our Sony Ericsson Live View Review, they’ve now brought out an update which hopes to eradicate the worst of these and make the product even more attractive.
For those of you that already own one you can wander over to www.sonyericsson.com/support to get hold of the update, but for everyone there are a few additions to the Live View that are worth pointing out as they will probably make the device itself a lot more appealing (and a lot less frustrating!).
Continue reading »Androidify Android App Review – Create Your Very Own Mobile Avatar
February 14, 2011
Forget about your Mii’s everyone – there’s a new avatar king in town! Google has just released the Androidify app on to the Android Market, a really simple, but really fun, application that’s free to download.
The concept of the app couldn’t be simpler: give users a base template of that loveable green Android we’ve been seeing so much of lately, then allow them to change everything from the colour of its skin (paint?) to the hat on its head.
Continue reading »iPerfumer iPhone & Android App Review – Find The Perfect, Last Minute Valentine’s Gift
February 14, 2011
I’m sorry what’s that? It’s February 14th today? Already?! For men all over the country that can only mean one thing: a sudden dread following the realisation that they haven’t bought their significant other something nice for Valentine’s Day. Don’t worry, though! All is not lost just yet. If you’re wondering what to get for the missus then look no further; I have an app that may just save your day…
iPerfumer is an app for iOS and Android which helps you choose a fragrance for either yourself or someone else, by asking you what kind of scents you prefer and choosing a fragrance for you. The concept is quite simple, but may just help a lot of guys that don’t know the difference between, well, good perfume and bad perfume. (As you can see, I am most probably one of ‘those’ guys).
Continue reading »Things Review (Mac OS X)
February 7, 2011
I procrastinate. A lot. When it comes to getting things done, I need all the help I can get, so when I heard about Things for Mac OS X, I couldn’t wait to get my (virtual) hands on it and try it out for myself.
Things is a task management system that makes sure you always know what you’ve got coming up, whether it’s in the next day or the next year, and keeps you as productive as possible by alerting you when tasks are due.
The concept of Things is fairly simple: you input any details of a task that you have to complete, either by using the main application window, or the system-wide quick entry window, give it a due date if it has one, and tag it with any additional information you deem necessary. You can even add links to files and email attachments that are relevant to your to-do.
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Nintendo 3DS Preview Event Review – Is This Handheld 3D Console A Game-Changer?
February 6, 2011
This weekend has seen a number of preview events for the upcoming Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming console in cities around the UK and I had the opportunity to attend one (thanks to Dom “The Hodge” Hodgson), so I went along to one of the Manchester sessions.
The Nintendo 3DS has been long-anticipated ever since it was first announced and will be the latest in the long line of handheld gaming console updates from the iconic gaming company, some of which include the Game and Watch LCD games, Gameboy(s), DS, DSi, DSi XL – they even had a few of these historic gaming devices on show at the start of the event.
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TruLink Wireless USB To VGA Adaptor Review
February 6, 2011
Wireless USB technology has always excited me, with all the possibilities it offers. Wireless printing, scanning, remote data access through a hub in another room. Another potential use for the technology is to transmit audio and video data to nearby monitors for wireless access to your computer, and that’s exactly what the TruLink Wireless USB to VGA Adaptor does. Kind of.
You see, being USB to VGA (VGA being the key term here), it’s incapable of transmitting any audio signals to a monitor or television, only video. Unfortunately this problem cannot be overcome either; VGA was designed only for transmitting video, like a DVI cable does. Another, separate cable would be required for audio transmission, and unfortunately there’s no sign of one from the TruLink folks in this package.
Continue reading »iDisplay iPad / iPhone App Review – An Extra Monitor For Your Computer!
February 6, 2011
The iPad can do a lot of things. It can play games, help you to communicate and keep up with the latest news. One thing I haven’t yet used my iPad for, however, is a second monitor.
iDisplay allows you to do just that, turning your tablet in to a second monitor for any Mac or PC that you have. Wirelessly. Simply download the iDisplay app from the app store for £2.99, and then head over to the SHAPE services website to grab yourself the corresponding software for your Mac or PC. The software runs on Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7, as well as Mac OS X Leopard and Snow Leopard for Apple users.
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TruLink Wireless HD Kit Review – Transmit 1080p HDTV & Gaming Content Wirelessly!
February 6, 2011
Take a second to look around you. How many devices are connected to your TV right now? Four? Five?
It’s easy to get lost in the mess that surrounds our devices, and with so many peripherals connected to our TVs you could be dealing with a serious spaghetti junction problem before you know it.
The only problem is, achieving a truly neat, cable free (or cable hidden) experience is tough; you can’t just start drilling holes everywhere y’know, you’ll lose track of everything in no time. Want a better solution? The TruLink Wireless HD Kit may just tickle your fancy…
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Boxee Box Review (UK)
February 5, 2011
Following its announcement at CES 2010, anticipation of the Boxee Box’s release has been high amongst the many media lovers in the world. It’s unique external design, powerful hardware which promises to play anything you can throw at it, as well as software that many will have used before make this accessory the one to beat on paper, but how does it work in practice? And can it stay ahead of its competition with a relatively small team of developers? Let’s take a look!
Hardware
The design of the Boxee Box is best described as ‘quirky’. If you’re looking for another modular, black box to hide discreetly next to your TV, then you may have to look past this particular one! That’s not at all a bad thing, though. Looking at the press shots of the box, you’d think it was a mile high, but it fits nicely underneath my TV without any problems.
Continue reading »Postbox 2 Email Client Review (Windows & Mac OS X)
February 5, 2011
If there’s one thing that we have an abundance of in the world, it’s e-mail clients. There’s Apple’s built in Mail application, Microsoft Outlook, Thunderbird… the list goes on, so when a company enters the market with a client that costs $39.95 (approx. £25 at the time of writing), how does it compete with its rivals?
Postbox is actually based upon Mozilla Thunderbird, but it packs in a lot of additional features that are nowhere to be seen in its free counterpart. When you first launch Postbox, you will be greeted by a setup wizard that guides you through the setup of your email account. You can, of course, choose to connect through either POP or IMAP, and for most popular providers, this will be a mostly automated and pain-free process.
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Edifier Prisma Speakers Review
February 4, 2011
The market for desktop PC stereo speakers is somewhat saturated these days, and that’s not at all a bad thing. It means we have choice. Choice of style or substance, to splash out or to be conservative with our cash or vice versa in both cases.
Sure, you could go down to your local electronics store and pick up a pair of basic, but decent sounding speakers, for about £20-30, but that’s all they’ll be: decent. That’s why I like having the choice of going a little bit more premium, if you will, and that’s why I was eager to take a look at the Edifier Prisma Speakers after enjoying the Soundbar from the same company, so much late last year.
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Laptop Bags for Girls: Review of the Brenthaven Elite Sleeve
February 4, 2011
As a girl geek I’ve struggled for a long, long time to find a) a laptop bag that’s isn’t made for expeditions to the other side of the world and b) something perhaps, dare I say it, a little feminine and smart that I could take to a business meeting.
No such ideal laptop bag exists.
Or so I thought.
Until, I came across the Brenthaven Elite Sleeve last month. The Mocha colour in particular caught my eye instantly – a stylish brown on the outside, with plenty of girly pink on the inside.
Continue reading »‘The Daily’ Newspaper iPad App Review
February 3, 2011
Reading on the iPad is a big business. Whether you’re checking out the latest comic book, your favourite magazine or the daily newspaper, there is an abundance of apps to cater for your needs.
Most of these publications, however, already existed in one form or another before the iPad came along. In this respect, The Daily is something completely different, something completely new and unexplored. It’s an iPad-exclusive daily newspaper from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation.
Currently available only on the U.S. app store, The Daily contains stories in six main categories: News, Gossip, Opinion, Arts & Life, Apps & Games, and Sports. When you open the application, the latest issue of the newspaper will be downloaded on to your iPad. Over Wi-Fi, the paper took no longer than 2 minutes to be downloaded on to my device, but it may take significantly longer over a 3G connection due to the contents inside each issue, such as high resolution images and embedded video.
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Little Big Planet 2 Review (PS3)
February 1, 2011
In the wake of the roaring success of Little Big Planet, Media Molecule stated that there was no need for a sequel, only content updates through DLC, due to the extensive toolset offered in game. Nevertheless, last week saw the release of Little Big Planet 2, which we were assured, was in fact worth the effort, and not simply developed at the behest of the money men at Sony HQ.
Having exhaustively fiddled, tweaked and tinkered with MM’s sequel since before Little Big Planet 2 was announced, I can safely say that this is no cash grab (not that such thoughts usually enter the mind when thinking of Media Molecule regardless), rather that under the surface, this is a whole new kettle of tweedy, cuddly fish.
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