FathomNation

Google TV: It's Actually Awesome, and Here's How to Get the Most Out Of It

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 21:38:00 +0000

Do you have Google TV? Here are some tips that will help maximize your Google TV experience.

Resident Evil 6

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 01:30:00 +0000

Resident Evil 6 has been confirmed. Here is the trailer Capcom-Unity to get you excited until launch. I'm sure there will be a lot more coverage soon.

Final Fight

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 04:15:00 +0000

By Kurt Kalata

By Kurt Kalata

Everyone remembers Double Dragon, the two-player side scrolling beat-em-up that had companions using their mad martial arts skills to beat up evil gangs. But while Technos Japan was busy doing crazy things with their sequels (Backward attack buttons? Evil mummies?), Capcom revolutionized the genre with Final Fight.

Hardcore Gaming 101: Final Fight:

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Soul Calibur 5 - Algol & Edge Master Confirmed

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:08:00 +0000

Soul Calibur V

General: Soul Calibur V is set 17 years after Soul Calibur IV, taking the Siegfried's ending from SC IV and expanding on it. Siegfried, now 39 years old, no longer wields the Soul Calibur sword. The main character of SC5's story is Patroklos, the son of Sophitia. Patroklos is inspired by Sophitia's fighting style, but is sharper, more agile, and has many new moves. The soul swords have also been transformed into short swords, which will be covered in the story.

SC5 is described as a "generational shift", complete with new characters but manySC4 veterans will return. Since Soul Calibur 2, the series has become known for including guest characters such as Link, Spawn, Heihachi, Darth Vader and Yoda.SC5's highly anticipated guest character will be none other than Ezio Auditore from the Assassin's Creed series.

Zwei looks to bring the badass factor... and he uses a freakin' stand like Jotaro.

The developers describe Soul Calibur 5's gameplay style is said to be "lighter, sharper, and more elegant". The pace of the game has been "improved" and combos will be easier to perform. The Soul Gauge has been added, which looks like a colored gem and is located beside the characters' Health Gauge and allows players to store up to 2 bars. The gem will change color when the player guards and is attacked. The color gradually changes from blue to green and eventually to red and then flashing red. The player's own Soul Gauge will regenerate if the he or she makes an attack and hits the opponent, guarding or otherwise, gradually changing from blue to flashing white. Additionally, performing a Guard Impact will actually damage the attacking player's Soul Gauge, and can even result in a Soul Crush. Namco stated that they developed the Soul Gauge to decrease the benefits from constant guarding, thus giving the game a faster pace and making for more offensive battles.
If the character manages to empty the opponent's Soul Gauge, he or she will get a short chance to perform a powerful Critical Finish move, which will defeat the opponent instantly. Each character has his or her own personal Critical Finish move. Regardless of whether or not one performs the Critical Finish, Equipment Destruction occurs upon the area that the crushing attack landed. The Soul Gauge itself also becomes cracked, depleting much more rapidly in subsequent rounds. A small portion of the Soul Gauge can also be used to perform Brave Edge, a powered up version of a standard attack. By pressing A+B+K after the input of certain character-specific moves, players can enhance the moves with additional attacks. Each use drains half of the Soul Gauge. The properties vary depending on the move, such as: increased damage, adds additional attacks, gives advantage on block, changes hit property, etc.

In addition to the new offensive gameplay mechanics, there are 3 defensive systems featured in Soul Calibur 5. Quick Move can be performed by tapping the same direction twice, and is said to be a faster version of the 8-way Run. It's similar to Evasion from Soul Calibur 2 but doesn't have invincible frames. It's said to be easy to perform and can even be used by beginners.

Looks like Soul Calibur IV you say? ...is that really a bad thing? :)

A staple of the series since the first Soul Calibur, Guard Impacts have returned inSoul Calibur 5. Pushing forward and block will result in a "counter", while pushing back will execute a "parry". Both variations will cause the opponent to suffer a significant loss in Soul Gauge, while the defender sustains no damage. However, it appears that Guard Impacting will now cost 1/4 of a bar (and I personally don't like the idea of that one bit). Guard Impacting is one of Soul Calibur's most fun and skill-demanding gameplay mechanics, and I'm hoping that the GI will stay effective in tournament play... even though it will cost 1/4 of a bar from the Soul Gauge.

Just Guard is the last defensive element of Soul Calibur 5. In execution it is similar to just-frame moves, implying that the guard input must be given just as the opponent's attack is about to the hit the player. If successful, Just Guard is indicated by a blue color effect and gives the player a frame-wise advantage, especially against powerful moves with a huge pushback. It is also supposed to make attack strings more interruptible.
Soul Calibur 5's online mode will see an overall improvement over SC4's and will contain new features as well. Create-a-character Mode will also return and will also be improved, although no details have been given yet. Soul Calibur V will be released on North America on January 31st, 2012 and February 3rd, 2012 in Europe. A collector's edition has also been revealed which features an exclusive book box case, artbook, soundtrack, "making of" DVD, and Character Creation Mode DLC.

Click Here for more screens!

The Fighters Generation:

How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need -- Engadget

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:57:00 +0000

Displays, Home Entertainment, HD Displays

How to connect and set up your new HDTV: all the cables, content, and calibration you need

By Richard Lawler posted Dec 30th 2010 3:18PM

Feature

Whether you're taking the wraps off of your first HDTV or your fifth there's a few easily avoidable hurdles that can prevent you from enjoying that brand new display at its best. Now, with new internet connected TVs and 3DTVs in the mix, there's even more to consider, but we'll walk you through the minefield of figuring out how to hook that new TV up, what to connect it to and even throw in a few suggestions on where to find the stuff you like to watch most.

Cables

First on your list? Making sure everything is hooked up correctly. Surveys show an appalling number of HDTV owners have the right TV and the right services, but despite thinking they're watching high definition television, they actually aren't. When it comes to HD video cabling, these days you have two options, HDMI or component (red/green/blue) and in most cases, HDMI is going to be the only one you need/can use. If you haven't purchased a new display or receiver yet, figuring out how many HDMI inputs you'll need going in is one of the most important questions to get answered. HDMI carries audio and video on the same cable, so if you go that route, you'll just need one cable per device. Make sure they're long enough and able to fit your setup -- specialty connectors like ones with 90-degree L shaped heads designed for wall mounted displays are easy to find as long as you check before you order.

Once you're committed to procuring the proper connectors, the biggest danger is being ripped off on the pricing. While any experienced buyer will tell you to stick to online sources (Monoprice, Amazon) for cheap wiring, if you're pressed for time you can look locally but beware -- for HDMI, if you're paying more than $10 for a typical 2-3m cable you've overpaid, if the pricetag is over $20 you're being robbed and the same scale applies for most analog component wires. In the case of HDMI, its digital signal will either work or not work, it doesn't get "better" because of what the cable is made from, and unless your wiring is stretched an incredible distance the only one who sees a benefit from premium wires is the person selling them. Feel free to go back and review our mentions of various forms of cable scams but just remember -- friends don't let friends buy Monster.

Wondering about plugging in one of the new 3D capable TVs? Don't worry, your old HDMI cables will likely still work just fine (component works for older devices, but for any sources of 3D, you'll want to go digital.) During our roundup we threw more than one set of the cheapest, specless wires we could find at 3DTVs and none of them broke a sweat. Your main consideration could be elsewhere in your home theater, if you have a receiver that's not HDMI 1.4a compatible, it won't be able to pass through the 3D video properly and you'll need to replace or work around it.

Source

Just as important as how you plug in your new HDTV is what you're connecting to it -- more than a decade after high definition first came on the scene there's more ways than ever to watch. If all you want to do is watch broadcast TV, there's antenna (try AntennaWeb to see what your options for reception are like), or cable (don't assume you need a set-top box everywhere, most HDTVs have integrated tuners that can pull a few stations directly from the coax, though which ones you get will vary by area and service provider check out our explanation of what QAM means for more details) and of course satellite. Even if you have it set up by your service provider or another professional, you'll need to make sure it's been done right.

Did they use the right cables? (See section above) Yellow composite video or S-video won't get the job done.
Are you tuned to HD channels?

They should be marked in the channel guide, and HD programming will usually say so as well
Make sure they're truly widescreen, and not just the standard definition channels stretched to fit -- faces and logos are the easiest indicators. (note - channels like TBS, TNT, FUSE, HGTV and far too many others frequently stretch video by themselves, so pick one of the major network, movie or sports channels to check.)
Check if you're seeing the whole picture and that it's not cropped, station IDs and tickers should be all the way within the viewable area
If you have surround sound, is it activated, is there any sound coming from the rear channels?

Blu-ray players are actually easier in their basic setup since they're designed specifically to work with HDTVs. There's remarkably little chance of messing things up and in almost all situations they'll automatically detect the capabilities of whatever you plug them into and deliver the appropriate content. If you're ready for the best in audio quality, make sure you've selected the lossless audio tracks on Blu-ray discs that include them. For the most part this applies for videogame consoles as well -- with one centralized setting for HD, every game you play afterwards will follow it on Xbox and PS3 without having to check the configuration each time. The only thing to be wary of is that neither console ships with HD cables in the box, so if you didn't grab some already then guess what, you're not playing in high definition.

If you're making the jump to 3D, things get a little more complicated. As mentioned above, cable requirements won't be any different but each device in the chain (source, receiver, display) will need to support 3D for it to work. Many of the new Blu-ray players released this year support 3D out of the box or after an upgrade, all PS3s do 3D gaming and Blu-ray 3D (with a few restrictions) and HDMI-equipped Xbox 360s will play 3D games. Getting 3D via satellite or cable can require a new box, but it doesn't always so check with your provider first. Newer hardware like the PS3, DirecTV's satellite receivers and most Blu-ray players will automatically detect and configure your display to play whatever form of 3D content you're watching so all you have to do is put on the glasses and lean back, but some older cable boxes and the Xbox 360 won't. This means manually selecting the right format each time, which can vary from one channel or game to another.

The most common and yet avoidable 3D mistake we've seen novices make? Switching on 2D-to-3D conversion on your display and thinking that's real 3D. While many TVs -- most notably those from Samsung but also newer ones from other manufacturers support the feature -- it just won't compare to anything that was originally made in 3D. Double check your settings to make sure you're getting the real thing -- The Daily Show isn't in 3D...yet.

Calibration

Once you've got the right hardware and it's all connected correctly, the next big step to make sure you're getting the most out of your TV is to calibrate it all properly. The easiest choice you can make is to be sure your TV isn't set to the wrong display mode. While some displays have decent settings out of the box, it's possible yours arrived in a mode probably marked "vivid" or "bright." While cranking up the brightness might help it stick out on store shelves under huge halogen lights, it's just blowing out the picture and wasting electricity in your more reasonably lit living room. Switching to "natural" or "movie" mode when applicable is the absolute least you can do, although you probably already have the tools to go a step or two further. THX certified DVDs and Blu-ray like the ones from Pixar come with calibration software built in that can help get all the settings at their best levels, while gamers can look for calibration help in the menus of many games they play (preferred settings often vary widely from one title to another) and Xbox 360 owners can find a calibration app in the indie game marketplace.

One other wrinkle for gamers is processing lag, while some screens are faster than others, check to see if your has a game mode that should minimize the time between when the video signal arrives and it appears on screen as it could add a kill or two to your score and definitely make a difference in games like Super Street Fighter IV. If you're not sure whether or not lag is affecting your setup, music games like Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Def Jam Rapstar all have built in tools to measure the difference that can come in handy.

If you have one of the new connected TVs with widgets or other internet features built in, it's probably best to check for the latest firmware updates before doing anything else. Not only can it potentially affect the results or options available to you, but with some manufacturers updates can wipe out your customized settings (Samsung we're looking at you here.) Another function to look out for is motion processing, while 120Hz and 240Hz TVs often have technology that can blend one frame into another,over 50% of our readers say they prefer life without it, so unless you like "soap opera effect" -- turn it off.

The next step beyond that is to use a special purpose calibration disc to configure all aspects of your home theater and there's more than few options to choose from. The Spears & Munsil, Digital Video Essentials and Disney: World of Wonder discs come to mind as effective options usable even by relative novices. If seeing helps you get an idea of the benefits of calibration better than just us telling you about it, in the following video, our friend Robert Heron from HDNation goes over some of the options available, using the free AVS HD 709 test disc to check for 1:1 pixel mapping and measuring colors.

Content

So what do you have to look forward to once your display is connected and configured? Say hello to your choice of all the high definition content that has hit shelves, both real and virtual, over the last few years. If you're wondering which Blu-ray discs look and sound the absolute best we've got a few suggestions right here. When it comes to broadcast TV content, check the reviews of your local providers on a site like AVSForum or DSL Reports to see which one is passing the best video quality. Verizon's FiOS promises to pass signals with the least compression, but in reality sometimes you'll be at the mercy of your local affiliate to keep all the bits and bytes in order before they hit your display.

If you want to know how to connect your PC to your HDTV, a lot has changed since we last updated or guide, but the fortunate part is that whether you're on OS X or Windows it's become pretty simple. Many laptops ship with HDMI ports on them for easy connection that way, and even older desktop PCs usually have a DVI-out that can go via a converter. Throw on an interface like Windows Media Center or Boxee, add in a WiFi remote app from your mobile device, and you're in business with a minimal amount of effort or hassle.

When you want the absolute highest quality in downloadable or streaming movies, finger that VUDUicon on your HDTV, PS3 or (soon) Boxee Box. Netflix brings the widest library for the lowest price with its all-you-can-eat viewing for less than $10 but despite upgraded quality on the PlayStation 3 and gems like Exit Through the Gift Shop, overall, quality and selection are definitely more Golden Corral than fine dining. Other VOD services like the Xbox 360's Zune Marketplace, PlayStation Network, iTunes, various CinemaNow-powered outlets and Amazon VOD tend to fall somewhere in between in terms of selection and quality.

If you're trying to tune into some 3D programming, Blu-ray 3D movies will have the highest quality and are already widely available. The selection's still limited to a few dozen flicks but many of the big names form 2010 are already available with more on the way soon -- just don't hold your breath for a retail release of Avatar, which is a Panasonic-only exclusive until 2012. Other sources for flicks include your TV provider's video on-demand package or the PlayStation Network store, at least until a few more linear channels launch like the one on the way next year from Sony, Discovery and IMAX. ESPN 3D drops in events at a pace of one or two a week, currently consisting of a steady stream of NBA games plus the Fiesta Bowl and BCS Championship over the next week or so.

Conclusion

While that should be enough to get most started on the HD path there's plenty of other options to dig into: audio setup, seating, feng shui, and how to leave enough space for your new Kinect / PS Move related activities. We're sure plenty of you have done the necessary homework already -- feel free to shout out any suggestions in the comments below.

Google Currents Moves Away from the Open Web - Forbes

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Google Currents is a lovely new app for Android and iOS devices.

Google Currents Moves Away from the Open Web - Forbes:

Want to Build a New App? There's an App for That, Too

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 22:58:00 +0000

"App Cooker: A hot new iPad app that makes sure other apps have the right ingredients in place before any development begins.

Want to Build a New App? There's an App for That, Too:

How to Compile Android from Source Code – XDA TV

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:37:00 +0000

How to Compile Android from Source Code – XDA TV | xda-developers:

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15 Awesome Things You Can Do With Android

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:35:00 +0000

Google’s Android platform is fast becoming a powerhouse of amazing features, some of which you may not be aware of.

15 Awesome Things You Can Do With Android:

LG unveils 84-inch 'ultra definition' 4K TV it's bringing to CES 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

LG let us know at CES 2011 that it had 4K LCD televisions in the pipeline, but unfortunately they didn't make it out this year. Expect for that to change in 2012, as the company just announced it's bringing an 84-inch "ultra definition" (3840x2160) TV to Las Vegas...

LG unveils 84-inch 'ultra definition' 4K TV it's bringing to CES 2012 -- Engadget:

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Why Nobody Will Play Nice With Windows Phone 7

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:26:00 +0000

Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7 software has a unique, modern design that many say is superior to Android’s more rugged, computery look. But a former Microsoft employee says looks alone are not enough to make Windows Phone succeed.

Why Nobody Will Play Nice With Windows Phone 7 - NYTimes.com:

Apple Prepping 32-inch And 37-inch TV Sets For Fall 2012 Release [Rumor]

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:22:00 +0000

With rumors of a standalone Apple television set ramping up, Digitimes is reporting that Apple has told suppliers to begin prepping for the manufacturing of an Apple TV set

Apple Prepping 32-inch And 37-inch TV Sets For Fall 2012 Release [Rumor] | Cult of Mac:

Review: HP TouchPad Go

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:06:00 +0000

webOS Nation gives us a review of what might have been.

Review: HP TouchPad Go | webOS Nation | The #1 HP webOS, TouchPad, Pre, and Veer Community:

The Man Who Created Street Fighter from 1UP.com

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:04:00 +0000

Takashi Nishiyama, who designed the original Street Fighter at Capcom before leaving to run SNK's development division, putting games like Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, and Samurai Shodown under his belt.

The Man Who Created Street Fighter from 1UP.com:

FN Sports Daily

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:57:00 +0000

Here's your sports daily brought to you by FathomNation Sports.

FN Sports Daily:

New Twist in the Search for Dark Matter | Wired Science

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:51:00 +0000

New research using observations from dwarf galaxies has set a lower limit on the mass of dark matter particles.

New Twist in the Search for Dark Matter | Wired Science | Wired.com:

OnLive Adds New “Touch Playable” Section To Website, Some Games Left Out Of The Mix

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:34:00 +0000

OnLive has added a new section to their Games category on their online websites. Navigation to the Games tab on either OnLive US or [...]

OnLive Adds New “Touch Playable” Section To Website, Some Games Left Out Of The Mix:

The History of 3D in Games, The Opening Exhibit of the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:28:00 +0000

“The History of 3D in Games” is the opening exhibition of The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, a new museum in Oakland that is...

The History of 3D in Games, The Opening Exhibit of the Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment:

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How to Get Started with Usenet in Three Simple Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:13:00 +0000

Usenet is a wonderful service for finding and downloading digital media, giving you speed

How to Get Started with Usenet in Three Simple Steps:

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The first rule of Skyrim is, you do talk about Skyrim

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:07:00 +0000

You start Skyrim in the back a cart, as an unnamed prisoner bound for execution.

The first rule of Skyrim is, you do talk about Skyrim. — TweetFindTV:

Skyrim Trailer:

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Using iTunes Match to get rid of DRM-protected music

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:00:00 +0000

Want to finally get rid of those low quality, DRM infested music tracks you bought from iTunes back before DRM free tracks arrived? Now you can.

Using iTunes Match to get rid of DRM-protected music | Gravitational Pull:

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aTV Flash (black) leaves beta, grants your Apple TV media-playing super powers

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:56:00 +0000

aTV Flash (black) leaves beta, grants your Apple TV media-playing super powers - Engadget:

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‘Ghost Rider’ sequel promises ‘darker, nastier, meaner’ anti-hero

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:40:00 +0000

The filmmaking team behind “Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance” are hoping for a redemption story both on and off the screen.

‘Ghost Rider’ sequel promises ‘darker, nastier, meaner’ anti-hero | Hero Complex – movies, comics, fanboy fare – latimes.com

Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance Trailer #2

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Techblitz: An Interview with Joshua Topolsky

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:33:00 +0000

The Verge has already become one of the leading technology news sites on the internet today. It’s not hard to see why; headed by editor and chief Joshua Topolsky, The Verge is simply the most informative and intelligent website on this fantastic world wide web.

Techblitz: An Interview with Joshua Topolsky:

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RAM: What it is, how it's used, and why you shouldn't care

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 03:28:00 +0000

Jerry Hildenbrand has a great write up about RAM in android.

RAM: What it is, how it's used, and why you shouldn't care | Android Central:

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