Sketch Theme Go Launcher Ex

Sketch Go  Launcher EX theme is for Android users who don’t like fancy things. If we have to sum up the whole theme in a few words, then we could just say that it is a nice sketchy theme. Of course, as we mentioned above, in order to use it, you will have to have Go Launcher EX installed on your device. This theme has been designed by the developer crew of Go Launcher EX, so you can’t rest assured that it will work perfectly fine. We are telling you all this, because there are many customized themes which are created by various Android developers, and in most of those cases there are certain bugs that are not yet fixed. But enough with the small talks, if you need a really simple theme which looks like sketched, then Sketch Theme is the one you have been seeking for – download it and give it a try.

Glass Go Launcher Ex Theme

The name of this theme might give you a clue. As you might have already guessed, once you apply this theme on your phone, all your icons will look like made of glass. Nothing unusual here again, however, you might want to give it a try, because it makes the phone look really great. Plus, if you are sick and tired of your home screen, this theme will freshen it up and make you attracted to your device once again. The effect Glass Go will apply to your smart phone is really stunning, especially if you customize it a little bit. So again, if you need a theme which is not too fancy but looks really sharp at the same time, you might want to download and start using Glass Go. Surprise your friends with the new look of your phone with the help of Go Launcher EX and Glass Go theme.

Cloud 3D Theme Go Launcher Ex

Are you looking for an extraordinary theme? If yes, then why don’t you give a try to this one? Cloud 3D is the type of theme that will turn the look of your phone’s interface upside down. First of all, theme is completely free and you can download it from Google Play Store along with Go Launcher Ex (because you will need it, in order to apply the theme). One of the greatest advantages of Cloud 3D is that the icons of one of the most commonly used applications such as Twitter, Gmail, Facebook, etc. are entirely changed and look really sharp. So in case you are looking for a cloud theme that will spin your head and make your device really great, then the above mentioned is the one for you. Changed icons, new interface, great performance – those are just a couple of the features that Cloud 3D will give to your phone.

Go Launcher Ex UI 3.0 Theme

The icons within this theme are entirely changed. If you take a look at them, the first thing that will attract your attention is the rounded corners. Probably this is the main thing that makes this theme so sharp and preferred by many people. It is really sweet looking and bright. Plus, one of the things that might help you realize this is the motive for you is the fact that it has been developed by Go Launcher EX team. You can rest assured that the theme will always stay up to date, because the developers never abandon any of their works. So if you spot any bugs or things that don’t work properly, just write a report, and everything will be fixed as soon as possible. If you have already liked the theme, give it a try – it is completely free, so you can download it anytime.

Classic Theme Go Launcher Ex

Last, but definitely not least, we can’t help but mention the classic Go Launcher Ex theme. Actually, it is really great looking and if you are not looking for something really special, then you can be sure that this one will make your phone look sharper and more interesting. The reason for here is in the fact that there are more than 35 different color icons that will brighten your mood and make your day cheerful.  However, keep in mind that if you install an application which doesn’t have a special icon assigned, you will see its normal icon. Pay attention to the wallpaper, it is really sick, especially the function where it scrolls with the homepages. This is definitely one of the best themes for Android phones, so if you are still wondering whether or not to try it – just download it and see its beauty on your own.

ZTE Anthem 4G

One of the most popular phone by the company is ZTE Anthem 4G that comes with impressive list of specification. The phone is powered by dual core Qualcomm Snapdragon processor which is clocked at 1.2 GHz and it runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS.  Physically the phone measures 130.1 X 68.1 X 13.7 mm in size with weight of 189.9 grams and comes along with TFT capacitive touch screen that measures 4.3 inches.  Accelerometer sensor and proximity sensor are also present for the convenience of the users.  In terms of storage the phone features 512MB RAM, 4 GB internal memory and expandable memory up to 32GB.  The 5 MP snapper present in the handset features LED Flash and AF so that clear images can be captured even when there is low light.  VGA front camera for video calling is also present for the users.  ZTE Anthem 4G is fueled by 1780 mAh of battery that provides talk time of around 4 hours and standby time of 244 hours.  Music lovers can keep themselves entertained with the presence of multi music player that supports multiple audio formats including MP3, eAAC+ and WAV .  Additional features of the phone include 3.5mm audio jack, WLAN, Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP+EDR, microUSb 2.0, HTML 5 browser, GPS with AGPS, predictive text input, multi format video player, HDMI port and others.

ZTE Warp Sequent

ZTE Warp Sequent is another mobile phone by the company that finds a place for itself in the list of Best 5 due to its list of specifications.  The performance on the device is quite smooth, thanks to the latest Android ICS OS and 1.4 GHz of processor that comes along with Adreno 205GPU.  The pictures, videos and other content appears bright and clear on 4.2 inches of TTFT capacitive touch screen of the phone as it is capable of supporting 256K colors ad 540 X 960 pixels resolution.  The multi touch feature further facilitates smooth navigation for the user’s convenience.  Storage space will not be an issue with this phone as its microSD card slot can be used to expand the external memory by up to 32GB.  Connectivity in the phone is provided through basic options of WiFi, microUSB 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP and HTML 5 Browser.  For capturing decent quality images, a 5 MP camera with touch focus, LED Flash and AF is present. Along with images, the camera can also record 720p videos.  Additional features that comes packed with the device include 4GB internal memory, 768MB RAM, push email facility, organizer, 1650 mAh battery, access to YouTube and Google, photo viewer /editor,  multi format video player, music player and others.

ZTE Grand X LTE T82

Another name in the list of top 5 phone by ZTE is the name of ZTE Grand X LTE T82 which is also known as ZTE Easy Touch 4G for Telstra. Physical measurements of the phone stand at 130.9 X 65 X 11.2mm in size with weight of around 151grams.  The 4.3 inches of capacitive touch screen in the device supports 16M colors along with 540 X 960 pixels.  The display also features multi touch, accelerometer sensor, proximity sensor, compass and gyro sensor.  Grand X LTE T82 comes packed with 4GB of internal memory, 1 GB RAM and supports external memory expansion by up to 32GB.  The dual core 1.5GHz of Qualcomm Snapdragon processor powers the phone and it runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. On multimedia front, the handset comes along with impressive specifications including 8 MP camera with AF and LED Flash, 1080p video recording, 1.3 MP front facing camera, FM Radio, multi format music player, video player and access to YouTube/Gmail/Google Talk.  The Li-ion 1900 mAh of battery supports talk time of around 6 hours and 30 minutes and standby time of 300 hours. Additional specifications include 3.5mm jack, Dolby mobile sound enhancement, GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, microUSb 2.0, Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP, GPS with AGPS, voice memo, document viewer and others.

ZTE Era

ZTE Era is another phone by the company that comes in the family of best rated devices.  The model is powered by 1.3 GHz of Quad Core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, runs on Android 4.0 ICs OS and features ULP GeForce GPU along with 1GB RAM.  With thickness of 7.8mm the phone is a sleek device that comes along with 4.3 inches of TFT capacitive touch screen that offers pixel density of 256ppi.  The 8 MP of camera present in the phone is capable of capturing images with resolution of up to 3264 X 2448 pixels along with 1080p videos at 30fps.  The Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP+EDR feature provides connectivity with other compatible devices so as to facilitate data sharing between them. Other connectivity options include GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, microUSB 2.0 and HTML5/Adobe Flash Player Browser.  Internal memory of the handset is 8GB whereas in time of need the external memory can be expanded up to 32GB through microSD card slot.  The music lovers can enjoy their favorite tracks even on the go with the presence of FM Radio with RDS and multi format music player.  Additional specifications include Dolby mobile sound enhancement, GPS with AGPS, 3.5mm jack, TV out, SNS integration, document viewer, video player, Li-ion battery and others. The phone will be available in color options of Black.

ZTE PF200

Android 4.0 ICS ZTE PF200 is another top rated phone launched by the company that comes along with array of specifications to take care of all your communication needs.  The phone is powered by dual core processor that is clocked at 1.2 GHz and sports 4.3 inches of capacitive touch screen.  The display offers clear and bright content as it supports 16M colors along with 540 X 960 pixels resolution.  The GPRS and EDGE feature of phone enables internet connection whereas its Bluetooth 2.1 with A2DP enables connectivity with compatible devices.  For capturing your special moments, the phone features 8MP camera that comes along with LED flash, Geo tagging and AF.  Along with images, the rear camera is also capable of video calling.  For video calling, a front facing 2MP camera is also present in the phone. The music player of the phone supports multiple audio formats including MP3, AC3, WAV and eAAC+ so that users can enjoy their favorite tracks without changing the format.  Additional specifications that comes loaded with ZTE PF200 include 3.5mm jack, WiFi 802.11 b/g, DLNA, WiFi hotspot, NFC, Java via Java MIDP emulator, HTML/Adobe Flash Player, Push email facility, accelerometer sensor, compass, proximity sensor, organizer, predictive text input, access to Google Search/Picasa/Google Talk, Li-ion battery and others.

Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos (I9082)

Samsung Galaxy Grand GT-I9082 is one of the most popular dual SIM compatible phone that runs on Android OS version 4.1.2 Jelly and is powered by dual core processor clocked at 1.2GHz.  Physically the phone measures 143.5 X 76.9 X 9.6 mm in size and weighs around 162 grams.  The capacitive touch screen present in the phone measures 5 inches in size and features TouchWiz UI and multi-touch.  When it comes to storage, the handset comes loaded with 1 GB RAM, 8 GB internal memory and microSD card slot that makes external memory expansion possible by up to 64GB.  Data sharing between compatible devices is made possible with the presence of Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP + EDR whereas the feature of GPRS along with HTML 5 browser enables internet connection.  Other connectivity options include EDGE, WiFi, hotspot and microUSB 2.0.  For capturing all your memorable moments in form of pictures, the phone comes packed with 8MP snapper that features LED Flash, image stabilization, AF, smile detection, touch focus, 1080p video recording at 30fps and Geo tagging. Video calling is made possible with the presence of 2 MP secondary camera.  Galaxy Grand GT-I9082 features Li-ion 2100 mAh of battery that is capable of providing talk time of 10 hours 10 minutes and standby time of 440 hours. Additional specifications include FM Radio with RDS, GPS with AGPS and GLONASS, music player, video player, document viewer and others.

HTC Desire U

Another popular phone in the category of dual SIM Android smartphones is HTC Desire U which is recently announced by the company and comes with wide array of features.  The 1GHz of processor in the phone along with Android ICS OS and 512MB RAM offers decent performance to the users. Along with dual SIM compatibility the phone also features dual standby and has 4 inches of Super LCD capacitive touch screen that can support up to 480 X 800 pixels resolution along with 233 ppi. The music player present in the phone supports multiple formats including MP3, WAV, WMA and eAAC+ so that users can enjoy their favorite piece of music in its original format.  The 5 MP of camera in the phone can capture images with resolution of up to 2592 X 1944 pixels and WVGA videos. Additional camera features include LED Flash, Geo tagging and AF.  Decent connectivity options are provided in the handset which includes GPRS, EDGE, WiFi, optional NFC, Bluetooth 3.0 with A2DP and microUSB 2.0. Additional features include Li-ion 1650 mAh battery, video player, Beats Audio Sound enhancement, 3.5mm jack, 4GB internal memory, SNS integration, organizer and others. The phone will be made available in color options of Orange, White and Black.

Sony Xperia E Dual

Sony Xperia E Dual is one of the latest phone announced by the company that features dual SIM compatibility and is powered by 1 GHz of Cortex A5 processor. The device runs on Android OS version 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich and sports 3.5 inches of TFT capacitive touch screen that has multi-touch up to 2 fingers and features Timescape User Interface.  The presence of 3.15 MP camera in the phone enables the user to capture images and VGA videos even on the go.  For the music lovers, FM Radio with RDS and multi-format music player is made available by the company.  You can store all your favourite videos, images, music files, documents and other data without bothering about the space as the presence of microSD card slot enables expansion of external memory by up to 32GB.  The internal memory and the RAM stands at 4GB and 512MB respectively.  Physical measurements of the handset are 113.5 X 61.8 X 11mm which along with 115.7 grams of weight make it easy to carry in pockets and purses.  Additional specifications include microUSB 2.0, EDGE, WiFi, GPRS, Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR, accelerometer sensor, proximity sensor, document viewer, video player, photo viewer/editor, Li-ion 1530 mAh battery and others.

Karbonn S1 Titanium

Karbonn is one of the growing mobile phone companies that is launching phones with impressive specifications and among its family of dual SIM handsets, the latest addition is Karbonn S1 Titanium.  Measuring 134.6 X 66 X 9.3mm in size the phone sports IPS LCD capacitive touch screen of 4.5 inches that features multi-touch and deliver vibrant contents.  The OS of the phone is the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and it is powered by Quad core 1.2 GHz of processor.  The internal memory of the device is 4GB and it comes with 1GB of RAM. For providing storage space for all important data, the external memory can be expanded up to 32GB when needed.  Connectivity is provided through features of GPRS, WiFi, EDGE, microUSB 2.0 and Bluetooth with A2DP.  One can capture decent quality images as well as videos with the help of 5 MP camera present in the phone. A secondary camera for facilitating video chatting is also present.  If you wish to entertainment yourself with your favorite music track or radio programme then FM Radio and multi-format music player of the phone will be of great use to you.  Additional specifications of S1 Titanium include 2G and 3G network support, GPS with AGPS, Video player, Li-ion 1600 mAh battery, document viewer and others.

Micromax Canvas 3 (A116)

The mobile phones of Micromax is giving tough competition to all the other established names in the market and the company has recently added a new member to its list of dual SIM smart phones in the form of its latest model called Micromax Canvas 3 which is also known as Micromax A116 Canvas HD.  The company has packed the device with Quad Core 1.2 GHz of Cortex A7 processor and Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean OS which is expected to get upgraded to 4.2 Jelly Bean OS.  The 5 inches of its IPS LCD capacitive touch screen display is capable of delivering quite bright and clear contents through its support of 720 X 1280 pixels resolution, 294 ppi and 16M colors.  The presence of microSD card slot enables the user to have an expansion of external memory by up to 32GB so that there is enough space for all needed documents and data.  The internal memory of the phone stands at 4GB out of which 1.77 is user available.  With Canvas 3 you will now not have to worry about carrying your digital cameras to outings as its 8 MP camera is capable of capturing good quality pictures as well as 1080p videos. The additional camera features that further enhance the image quality includes dual LED Flash, face detection, AF, Geo tagging and touch focus.  2 MP secondary camera, FM Radio, music player and video player are the other multimedia options.  The phone is fueled by Li-ion 2000 mAh battery that supports 5 hours of talk time and 174 hours of standby time. Additional specifications include 3.5mm jack, GPRS, Bluetooth 4.o with A2Dp, WiFi with hotspot, 1GB RAM, access to Google Talk/ YouTube/Google Search and others.

Just as every previous expansion, you can expect that the Mists of Pandaria will introduce a ton of new content – but the fact of the matter is that this particular expansion also has other features that transform certain areas of the game too.

1. New Race: Pandaren

Pandaren have appeared in Warcraft games of the past, and Warcraft 3 players who played the expansion to that game will remember the neutral hero known as the Pandaren Brewmaster. Now, Pandaren have finally made their way into World of Warcraft and players from both the Alliance and the Horde can start their own Pandaren character and choose which faction they wish to join.

2. New Class: Monk

The Pandaren signature class that is being added to the expansion is the Monk that specializes in bare-handed combat and can whip out weapons for finishing moves. According to the information released it is apparent that the monk is to be a hybrid class that can take on the role of a healer, melee DPS or even a tank.

3. Revamped Talents and Spells

One of the areas that is going to definitely feel rather alien to World of Warcraft players will be the revamped structure of talents and spells. For starters, instead of getting one talent point per level to invest in talent trees after level 10, you’ll now be choosing a specialization at level 10 and then choosing one out of three available talents at level 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, and 90. Also, based on your specialization you will gain different spells from other specializations of the same class. The glyph system introduced in Cataclysm remains, but instead of prime glyphs there are now only major and minor glyphs.

4. Pet Battles

Ever since the vanilla version of World of Warcraft, pets have been a ‘vanity’ item that give you creatures that follow you around but don’t do much else. That is set to change in the Mists of Pandaria and now you can level your pets up, teach them abilities and have them compete against other pets. Apart from purchasing pets, you’ll now also be able to capture them in the wild by having your pets fight and defeat them.

5. Black Market Auction House

Although the normal Auction House will remain the same, there will now be a separate ‘Black Market’ Auction House available as well. Players won’t be able to sell items on this auction house, but they will be able to browse through some rare recipes, mounts, pets and armor that will be made available from time to time and bid on them. For example the Ashes of A’lar from Tempest Keep which is an extremely rare mount may be put up for auction.

6. Challenge Mode Dungeons

To reward true dungeon specialists, a special challenge mode will be included in Mists of Pandaria for all normal dungeons. By activating this mode, players will race against the clock to complete the dungeon within a specific time to qualify for either a Bronze, Silver or Gold medal. Some of the rewards that can be unlocked by completing challenge mode dungeons and gaining medals include unique mounts, armor art, and even new titles.

7. Cross Realm Zones

Some areas tend to suffer from low population in almost all servers and it can be a bit of a depressing experience to find yourself as the only player in a particular zone. To fix that, Blizzard have added cross realm zones to this new World of Warcraft expansion and so you will find that zones with low population are automatically ‘merged’ between realms so that there are more players there. The same feature can also allow you to play with your friends from other realms.

8. Scenarios

Right now very few details about scenarios have been made available but what is known is that they’re set to be short instanced adventures for 3 players or so that reward Valor points as well as some random loot. Apparently there are set to be numerous scenarios scattered throughout Azeroth that will all have different objectives, some may be somewhat like battlegrounds but with PvE instead of PvP, while others may require that you complete several objectives in quick succession in order to finish the scenario.

9. Updated Scholomance and Scarlet Monastery

Long-time World of Warcraft players will be happy to know that two vanilla dungeons have been updated for Mists of Pandaria: Scholomance and the Scarlet Monastery. Apart from the difficulty being ramped up and the loot improved you’ll also notice that both of these dungeons have had changes made to their layout. The former low-level versions of these dungeons will also be available, but now level 90 players can run through them again and reap the rewards for doing so.

10. Graphics Engine Upgrade

Although this is really a relatively small change, the graphics engine for Mists of Pandaria has been tweaked slightly and so the environments and really everything about the game are going to look slightly better than you remember in past versions of World of Warcraft. These improvements are further accentuated by the lush and beautiful surroundings that you’ll find your character journeying through in this expansion, and sometimes you won’t be able to stop and marvel at how the smallest changes can still be so noticeable.

Long story short, the Mists of Pandaria expansion is set to unleash considerable changes that will alter some parts of World of Warcraft and introduce other new features that many players will be dying to try out. The first bout of these changes will become available in the pre-expansion 5.04 patch, but most of the content will remain locked until the expansion is officially made available and Pandaren appear for the first time in the game.

Although some people may be disappointed that they didn’t get another update full of new filters (as was the case with Instagram 2.0), when you try out Instagram 3.0 you’ll see just how the new features really do have a huge part to play.

If you’ve glanced over Instagram 3.0 already, you’ll know that there is one big change in particular that really adds a new dimension to the service, but apart from that you’ll also find that there are numerous other changes that will undoubtedly play an important role as well.

1. Photo Maps

There is no mistaking the fact that the crown jewel of the 3.0 update is the Photo Maps feature that (as the name itself implies) displays your photographs on a map. Of course for this to happen you need to have geo-tagged your photographs, either at the point where you took them or later on. Once you’ve done so and you enable Photo Maps you’ll immediately be able to select which of your geo-tagged photographs you’d like to display on the Photo Maps interface.

In itself, the Photo Maps interface will just show all the photographs you’ve selected on a map. It will group together photographs that share the same location and allow users to browse among them by tapping that location. After the initial selection of which photographs to include in this new mode, every subsequent photograph you take using Instagram will prompt you to decide whether or not it should be added to Photo Maps or not. At any time you can choose to remove Instagram photos from showing up on the Photo Maps as well, and as the app itself will warn you: Be mindful of what you choose to share.

2. Updated Profile Pages

Along with the inclusion of Photo Maps, Instagram 3.0 also has updated the Profile Pages in order to include the new mode of viewing photographs and to improve the overall experience. When you go to any profile page, you’ll now have the option to choose between three different types of views: Grid view, list view, or maps view. It should go without saying that the last option on that list is the one that ties in with the new Photo Maps feature.

Another important change in the updated profile pages is the fact that the grid view now displays larger photographs. Frankly speaking this is one change that has been a long time coming and it should allow people to browse through their archives a lot easier since they should be able to actually see the pictures in question without squinting and trying to make out the details.

3. Infinite Scrolling

Tired of constantly having to tap the ‘Load More’ button when you get to the bottom of every screen? The good news is that with Instagram 3.0 the ‘Load More’ button is a confined to being a relic of the past and instead you’ll find that the pictures that you’re browsing just keep on scrolling and scrolling onwards until you finally get to the end. To be honest the ‘infinite scrolling’ feature isn’t all that revolutionary and you’ve probably seen it included in many websites already (such as Facebook), but having it on the Instagram app should definitely reduce the hassle of browsing through large collections of photographs. The only real surprise here is that it took Instagram this long to actually incorporate it into their app!

4. Comment Moderation

Most people who update to the new Instagram 3.0 app may not notice this neat little feature right off the bat, but you’ll soon find that you have a lot more control over the comments that are appended to your photographs. Considering the attention that Instagram seems to be getting from various bots, this is a timely move and users can now delete comments, report comments for spam, report user profiles for spam, and so on. Also, you can help to moderate your friends’ photographs as well with these features.

Long story short, you should now have full control over what comments appear with the photographs that you upload and also finally have a way to combat the lurkers, stalkers, and creeps that may be posting inappropriate comments on your photographs.

5. Cosmetic Improvements

Last but certainly not least, Instagram 3.0 comes with various cosmetic improvements as well that should make it easier to use the app. The biggest of these improvements has got to be the larger caption box which will definitely make writing and editing captions a lot easier since you’ll no longer have to scroll as soon as your caption gets a little bit too long. Also, the share interface has been altered slightly as well with buttons included instead of a list that names each and every site individually.

Apart from these top 5 new features, there are a lot of others in the works as well. Anyone disappointed that there were no new filters included in Instagram 3.0 will probably be happy to know that Systrom announced that there is definitely ‘stuff cooking’ in that department. Additionally when asked about possibly including video sharing via Instagram as well, he said that they’re definitely looking at it but the timing needs to be right.

For now, Instagram 3.0 is in line with the photo editing and sharing’s platform to present their photographs in a way that can make them more easily accessible. It is safe to say that Instagram doesn’t want to be a ‘timeline’ of photographs where older photographs are relegated to dusty archives where they are rarely viewed. Instead, it seems as if the service recognizes that all photographs are equally important memories and should be presented in a way where they are just as easy to access.

If you haven’t already updated to Instagram 3.0 – now would be the perfect time to do so!

In a nutshell, at Gamescom developers are vying against one another to get the attention of gamers: Which is why most generally bring their best games to the trade fair!

1. Tearaway

Considering how often gaming trade fairs are dominated by ‘serious’ entrants, it is nice that this year the most interesting game was a ‘cute’ and almost whimsical game by Media Molecule that is being designed for the Playstation Vita. The 3D folded paper art that forms the backdrop of this game is attractive, but what really makes it stand out is the gameplay itself that borders on being revolutionary! In Tearaway, you’ll get to literally ‘reach in’ and help out the main character by pushing, prodding and poking to help him overcome the obstacles in his way. Feel like being an omnipotent ‘god’ figure and blowing gusts of wind to clear the path ahead? Want to turn the wold upside down and shake it around? All of that and more is possible in this game.

2. Dishonored

A new stealth, supernatural, assassination game from Bethesda, Dishonored is a brutal romp through a unique setting that will have you at the edge of your seat. The gameplay mechanics has contributed to the anticipation for the release of this game, and the creative ways in which you can merge your powers to kill your target without anyone realizing is nothing less than impressive.

3. Remember Me

Previously Remember Me was known as Adrift, and although many wrote it off after it was canned it seems as if Capcom took an interest with it and decided to release it – with a few tweaks. Expect the unexpected in this science fiction action game where you control a memory-stealing, mind-altering heroine who is trying to find out who she is after her own memory was stolen.

4. The Last of Us

Not much is known about The Last of Us except for the fact that it is an action game and it has cinematics that would rival some of the best movies in the world. As the name implies, it is set in a post-apocalyptic world and if as much attention has been paid to the game as the cinematic, it is definitely one to keep an eye out for.

5. Puppeteer

Despite apparently being designed with children in mind, Puppeteer is a title that intrigued many adult gamers at Gamescom due to its innovative approach to the age-old platformer genre. In this game you control a puppet (no surprise there) that is part of a puppet theater production. All of the action takes place within the confines of that theater, and so you’ll hear the audience gasp, applause and react in other ways while the scenery mechanically changes – just like a real puppet show.

6. Call of Duty: Black Ops 2

Part of the reason why the Black Ops 2 reveal at Gamescom was such as big surprise was the fact that it departed from the ‘tried and tested’ Call of Duty formula in many ways. The first of these is the futuristic setting, elements and technology that no other game in the series has ever embraced, and the second is the revamped multiplayer features. Add to that the already high anticipation levels for the latest installment of this first-person-shooter franchise and it is easy to see why it caused so many waves at the event.

7. DmC: Devil May Cry

Some quarters are calling the new DmC game a reboot of the Devil May Cry franchise, but as Gamescom illustrated it is really more of an ‘alternate dimension’ type game instead. Response to this sequel has been muted, but at Gamescom the it managed to win over many fans with the demo of a boss fight that showed just how visually-stunning the game would be.

8. Rain (Working Title)

Whether or not this game will be called ‘Rain’ when it is eventually released is unknown, and in fact no one even knows when it will be released for that matter. Still, this intriguing little game by Sony Japan involving an invisible boy who can only be seen in the rain had a trailer that got a lot of people interested in it.

9. Total War: Rome II

It is still pre-Alpha, but the much-awaited sequel to Rome: Total War looks amazing in no small part due to its graphics and the scale of its battles. The level of detail also seems to be just as impressive, and you can opt to participate in the fighting as a soldier, or a division commander of a particular siege, or even an overall general commanding the entire battle. Expect this game to really blow away most of its rivals in the genre when it is eventually ready to be released.

10. Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Not only does the latest incarnation of Need for Speed look phenomenal, but it also feels utterly real as you blaze through urban landscapes in one of the many speedy vehicles that you opt to steal. Yes – that’s right, in this game you don’t need to ‘unlock’ vehicles, but instead you steal them from unsuspecting owners and put them to good use as you race away from cops and stay ahead of the law.

All in all, despite the absence of some ‘big names’ from this years’ Gamescom, the developers that did make it to the event really did have a lot of surprises up their collective sleeves and have left gamers with a lot to look forward to in the coming months.

Time to start attempting to scheduling some free time if and when you can to try out these games when they hit the shelves!

Although not all of the features of the Big Picture mode are available just yet, even what little is known has been enough to get many gamers excited about the potential of this new release.

Frankly speaking there is nothing standing in the way of a person who wishes to plug in their PC into their big-screen TV and run the current version of Steam once they do so. The only drawback is that the current Steam interface is to rely heavily on mouse-and-keyboard input and so you’ll find that in order to browse and select games you will need to use both. Let’s face it, the entire mouse-and-keyboard option isn’t exactly conducive to kicking back on a couch and playing games – which is why that entire idea tends to fall flat on its face.

Keeping that in mind, it should come as no surprise that the main advantage of the Steam Big Picture mode is the user interface that has been optimized to cater to game controllers. Details about exactly how it will be optimized tend to vary, but the bottom line is that you should be able to use Steam with an interface that supports the directional keypad and 4 action buttons.

2. Bridges the Gap Between PC Gaming and Consoles

At the end of the day, the most exciting feature of the Big Picture mode lies in the simple fact that it bridges the gap between PC gaming and console gaming. Over the years the two have developed into fairly distinct markets but now they seem to be contracting especially considering in the modern day gaming environment there is very little to actually differentiate consoles from PCs except for their UI that is optimized for controllers.

In the past that was important because it meant that you needed to be sitting at a desk with a surface for your keyboard and mouse in order to game on the PC, whereas for a console you could kick back on your couch instead. Since that divide no longer exists with Steam’s Big Picture, gamers may even begin to re-think the need to buy a separate console just to hook up to their TV.

3. Allows Access to Full Library of Steam Games and More

It goes without saying that when you use Steam’s Big Picture you’ll be able to access all of the games that you have on your Steam account, and purchase more as well if you want to. Considering the amount of games that are available via Steam nowadays, that translates into a huge library of games that you can choose from. More importantly however, you can add links to other games to your Steam client and then access them through Big Picture as well.

As you probably well know, some PC games support controller-based play a lot better than others and it is likely that those that do will be more popular on this platform. Still, when you add non-Steam games into the mix you’ll find that your options increase dramatically.

4. Runs on Both Windows and Linux

In recent years Steam has been adapted to work on both Windows and Linux, and that functionality is expected to extend to the Big Picture mode as well. The fact that it will run on both operating systems is really just one that opens up a few options for gamers who may prefer to run Linux over Windows. Also it has been reported that some developers are having doubts about whether or not Windows 8 will be well-received by customers and so extending the Big Picture support to include Linux is a good contingency.

5. Rumored Future Console

It must be noted from the start that Steam has continuously denied reports that they may eventually come up with their own Steam-based gaming console, but that hasn’t stopped the rumor mill from churning. That being said the initial pictures that seemingly hinted at a Steam console have now been revealed as really being of the Steam Big Picture mode instead – but that doesn’t mean that a console isn’t possible.

With the optimizations included in Big Picture, Steam could come up with a console that is really just a regular gaming-oriented PC that runs on either Linux or Windows and boots up right into Steam to provide all of its content. Non-steam applications could be linked as shortcuts, but considering Steam is also apparently going to be selling non-gaming content soon, that might not even be necessary. As of right now there is no sign regarding whether or not the rumored future console will actually materialize, and depending on your perspective you could say that the Big Picture reinforces that rumor, or dismisses it.

One thing is for certain: This new option that Steam is set to unleash should alter the manner in which people use their PCs for gaming. It is not an entirely new idea and in the past there have been several attempts to make PCs have console-like functionality, but none have ever taken off. Steam is counting on the fact that its existing popularity among gamers and the fact that it has one of the largest library of games around will propel it forward where other similar attempts didn’t catch on.

The bottom line is that at very least Steam players will now be able to kick back and relax on their couch while they blast their enemies to pieces using a controller, instead of having to sit at the desk that their PC is on in order to do so. Assuming you like to play PC games, there is no need to emphasize on just how big a plus point this change could be and the impact it will have.

Although Windows 8 isn’t officially released just yet, there are already a number of interesting apps that should be ready to go by the time it hits the market. Check out the top 10 upcoming apps that will feature the Windows 8 Modern UI to get an idea of what you can expect.

1. Microsoft Office 2013

Over the years Microsoft Office has almost become a ‘must have’  suite of applications and despite competition from other free, open source options such as Google Docs and Open Office, that does not seem set to change. Matter of fact with the scheduled release of Office 2013 the ‘ribbon UI’ that Office has become so renowned for is gone and in its place is a much cleaner and streamlined Modern UI as well as a host of other integrated changes. Long story short, this is definitely going to be a ‘must have’ Windows 8 app.

2. Skype

Considering Microsoft officially owns Skype nowadays it should come as no surprise that they’ve decided to update its UI to their new Modern standard. Unlike Skype apps of the past that often appeared cluttered and confusing, the new Skype app is much cleaner and makes good use of colors to provide a distinction between people involved in a conversation. As you’d expect, it also uses tiles to separate various elements.

3. TweeTRO

It is a safe bet that you’re going to want to access Twitter from your Windows 8 device, and TweeTRO is one of the most visually exciting apps for Twitter that you’ll probably ever come across. No doubt about it, this app highlights the advantages of the Modern UI extremely well in its clean and yet extremely elegant and stylish interface that organizes everything so that it is accessible without being cluttered.

4. Mozilla Firefox

A number of months ago Mozilla had already announced their intention to come up with a Modern UI version of Firefox for Windows 8, and the project seems to be going well considering they recently released images of what appears to be an early version of it. So far it appears to make good use of the tile-based elements inherent to the Modern UI design, and of course the elements are nicely spaced out so that it looks clean and should do well on a touchscreen device.

5. SigFig Portfolio

As one of the winners of the first Windows 8 apps contest, the SigFig Portfolio app certainly does highlight some of the best features of the Modern UI. Essentially it is an app that will track all of your investment accounts in a single platform and allow you to view up to date information about how those investments are faring. Unlike similar investment porfolio apps that often appear daunting, SigFig’s use of the Modern UI really does organize an amazing amount of information in a very streamlined manner.

6. Slacker Radio

What is life without music? If you feel that way too, you’ll find that the Slacker Radio app is another ‘must have’ upcoming Windows 8 app simply because it will provide you with free music across numerous different genres that you can listen to as you putter around on your PC or tablet. With its Modern UI you’ll find that playing, pausing, and selecting tracks is ever so easy, and when you’re not viewing the full app it will nicely snap into a sidebar partial screen view so that you can still control it as you go about your other tasks.

7. USA Today

The recent reveal of the USA Today Windows 8 app has made a lot of people realize just how attractive a news app can be with the Modern UI. It is beautifully designed in a tile-based interface that has numerous adjustable options and can be skimmed through quite easily to look for content.

8. Elements Weather Forecast

Another winner of the first Windows 8 apps content, the Elements Weather Forecast is a nice and tidy weather forecast app (as you probably guessed). Any of its tiles can be pinned onto the Start Screen and so it will provide a constant, handy and up to date weather forecast for whatever area you’re interested in. Of course it also runs extremely nicely in the sidebar partial screen view, and really does provide pretty much every feature you’d want in a weather forecast app.

9. Cocktail Flow

To put it simply, Cocktail Flow is an intelligent little app that will let you know how to make various cocktails. The real kicker however is that it will keep track of the contents of your liquor cabinet and advise you on the cocktails that you can make with what you have in stock. Add to that the clean and garnish-free Modern UI and it should be readily apparent why Cocktail Flow is going to be a winner.

10. Fresh Paint

Microsoft Paint is getting a bit of a makeover in Windows 8, and is going to be known as the Fresh Paint app. It is still a very basic drawing app, but it now comes in Modern UI style with a complete selection of brushes, pencils, and sprays along with an easy-to-use color wheel. Despite its fairly simple nature, it also has 6 different styles of canvas’ that should be a lot of fun to dabble with.

All of these Windows 8 apps are in various stages of development, and some are actually already available on the Windows 8 Apps Store. Based on what you’ve seen here, you should be starting to realize just how the Modern UI can transform and improve some of the types of apps that you’re already familiar with.

As the release date for Windows 8 approaches, you can bet that even more apps with their own Modern UI twists are going to crop up.

Just check out its top 10 features and you’ll start to understand what makes it so desired.

1. Price

The biggest advantage that the Roku LT media player has going for it is its price. At $49.99 it is definitely one of the cheapest streaming media players out there. Granted it may not have some of the features that other more expensive streaming media players have, but honestly you’ll find that in most cases that isn’t even an issue. As a comparison, the Apple TV costs $99 and the only advantages it provides is the ability to use Airplay to connect other Apple devices to it, and stream movies from your PC if you want to do so.

2. Size

In tandem with its tiny price, the Roku LT media player has an equally tiny size and you’ll probably be shocked to find just how small and light it is when you take it out of its box. Frankly speaking this is one of the smallest streaming media players out there and is even considerably smaller than the Apple TV. The Roku Lt measures up at 3.3 x 3.3 x 0.9 inches and weighs just 3 ounces so it should fit in relatively easily anywhere you want it to.

3. Remote Control

If you’re tired of complicated remote controls that have tons of buttons that you never seem to use then you’ll find the Roku LT remote control to be a breath of fresh air. It is a small and simple clicker that provides everything you really need: A home button, a back button, a directional keypad with an ‘ok’ button in the middle, a pause/play button, a fast-forward button, a rewind button and an asterisk that brings up a menu with additional options. There is another version of the remote that is the same except it has a dedicated Pandora button.

4. Easy Set Up

Getting the Roku LT all set up and ready to stream movies really isn’t that difficult. The device will direct you to various websites where you can acquire passcodes and then enter them into your settings (once you enter them, the passcodes will be saved). Also you’ll need to create a Roku account as well that will be linked to your credit card or Paypal so that you can purchase premium channels – but that is really as simple as signing up for anything online. After that you should be all set and ready to go.

5. All Important Channels Preloaded

When you first run the Roku LT you’ll find that it comes with Hulu, Netflix, Pandora and Amazon Instant preloaded. These are probably the biggest and most popular sources of streamed TV shows and movies, so it is nice that they are already there.

6. Both HDMI and Minijack Output

Unlike many modern day streaming media players that only come with HDMI output, the Roku LT has minijack video output as well for those iconic red, white and yellow cables that older TVs require. If you have a TV cable of HD then you’ll want to use the HDMI output since the minijack output only supports a maximum of 480i resolution. That being said, if you have an older TV it is nice to have the option to be able to hook it up to the Roku LT if you really want to.

7. Extensive Additional Channels Available

On top of the channels that come preloaded with the Roku LT, accessing additional channels is as easy as heading over to the Channel Store where you’ll be bombarded by tons of options. Some of these options include mainstream apps such as HBO Go, NHL GameCenter, Crackle, Epix, Picasa, and so on but there are other more niche channels too such as CNET, TED Talks, NASA, and others. Also, you’ll find that there are many unsupported ‘private’ channels that use third party developer apps to access international TV broadcasts, YouTube, and even adult content.

8. Simple Interface

Everything about the Roku LT is intentionally simple – including the interface. The advantage of this is that you’ll find that most of the scrolling menus are easy to navigate and you should be able to find content really easily. But on the flipside, it also means that when you do come face to face with tons of content (such as in the Channel Store) it can sometimes be a little bit overwhelming and hard to find specific content that you may be looking for.

9. 720p Video

For HD fans out there (which is pretty much everyone nowadays) the good news is that the Roku LT does support HD video but the ‘bad’ news is that it only supports 720p resolutions as opposed to ‘full HD’ which is 1080p. That being said it is important to note that most online video streams that say they stream in ‘HD’ tend to only do so in 720p instead of 1080p and so in most cases you won’t even notice the difference.

10. Stereo or 5.1 Surround Sound

Last but not least, you’ll be glad to know that the Roku LT supports both stereo or 5.1 surround sound. For the majority of speaker systems and TVs that should be more than sufficient and so that really is what most streaming media players offer as well.

The bottom line is that the Roku LT is a small and cheap option that has all the features that you would want out of a streaming media player. It doesn’t attempt to be any more than that like some other streaming media players do and so it focuses on being good at what it does instead of being mediocre at secondary functions.

If you’re looking into getting a streaming media player, you will want to look long and hard at the Roku LT.

Make no mistake, although these devices may be ‘budget’ smartphones, they strike a good balance between value for money and usability.

1. Micromax A75

With a 3.75 inch TFT touchscreen that sports a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, the Micromax A75 is the most popular smartphone they’ve released this year. In part, that is due to the fact that it has two cameras: A rear 3.15 MP camera equipped with a LED flash and a front VGA camera for video calls. Although its 650 MHz processor isn’t exemplary, it is still more than capable of handling Android 2.3 Gingerbread. Aside from the normal bells and whistles such as WiFi, GPS, and microSD card support, the A75 also caters to Bluetooth 3.0 which allows much faster data transfer and is a dual-SIM device.

2. Micromax Q5

In many ways the Micromax Q5 is a device that straddles the line that separates smartphones from regular mobile phones. It is important to note that the Q5 is not a 3G capable device and so it relies on EDGE and GPRS networks for its internet connectivity. That being said, the Q5 does come with a 2.2 inch 320 x 240 TFT screen, full QWERTY keyboard, trackball as well as a 2 MP rear camera and is fully capable of letting you browse the net. It does support Bluetooth and microSD cards, but has no WiFi or GPS. All in all, this is a device that is really barely a smartphone by today’s definitions.

3. Micromax Q80

The Q80 may not have a touchscreen, but its full QWERTY keyboard and optical trackpad combination makes up for that to a degree. It features a 2.4 inch 320 x 240 resolution TFT screen and a 3.15 MP rear camera as well as a VGA front camera. As you would expect, it supports WiFi, Bluetooth, and microSD cards but unfortunately there is no GPS feature available on this smartphone. Still if you’re looking for a budget smartphone with a full QWERTY keyboard, the Q80 is Micromax’s solution for you.

4. Micromax A70

Despite running on a rather dated Android 2.2 Froyo, the A70 is a decent smartphone with a 3.2 inch TFT touchscreen that has a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, a 600 MHz ARM11 processor and an Adreno 200 GPU. It only has 256 MB of RAM, and 160 MB of storage but since it has microSD support for an additional 32 GB that shouldn’t be an issue. The good news is that Bluetooth, WiFi, and GPS are all provided for, and the A70 also has a 5 MP rear camera complete with autofocus and a VGA front camera for video calls.

5. Micromax Superfone Ninja 2

Bearing a 800 MHz processor along with 256 MB RAM and 512 MB internal storage, the Superfone Ninja 2 pulls off running Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread rather smoothly on its 3.5 inch 320 x 480 display. It features WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS support and has a 3 MP rear camera too. Granted it may not be groundbreaking, but the Ninja 2 is a nice and stable dual-SIM device.

6. Micromax A52

One thing that the A52 has going for it is its 1 GHz processor that is really rather speedy, all things considered. It sports a 3.2 inch  TFT touchscreen with a 240 x 320 resolution, and comes with a 2 MP rear camera. Although it only has 160 MB internal storage, it does support microSD cards and also caters to WiFi, Bluetooth 3.0, and GPS. Just like the Superfone Ninja 2, the A52 is also a dual-SIM smartphone.

7. Micromax A45 Punk

Yet another dual-SIM smartphone, the A45 Punk has a 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen with a 320 x 480 resolution and runs on a Android 2.3 Gingerbread. It features a 650 MHz processor, 160 MB internal storage, a 2 MP rear camera and supports microSD cards, Bluetooth as well as WiFi but does not  have GPS. The smartphone itself comes with a set of headphones that is part of Micromax’s effort to bill it as a music-oriented device.

8. Micromax A50 Superfone Ninja

The Superfone Ninja is a dual-SIM smartphone but 3G functionality is only available via the first SIM card. Apart from that, the device is a decent entrant from Micromax with a 3.2 inch  TFT touchscreen, 650 MHz processor, 2 MP rear camera, all of which complements its Android 2.3 Gingerbread OS nicely. Also, it supports microSD cards, Bluetooth, and WiFi support too.

9. Micromax A73

Although similar to the A75, the A73 has a slightly smaller 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen with a resolution of 360 x 480 pixels. It does however feature the same 650 MHz processor and runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread, but has only a 2 MP rear camera with a LED flash and a VGA front camera for video calls. It has 256 MB RAM and 50 MB of internal storage, but does feature microSD support in addition to the standard GPS, Bluetooth 3.0, and WiFi support as well.

10. Micromax A78

On top of a 3.5 inch TFT touchscreen with a resolution of 320 x 480 pixels, the A78 also comes with a full QWERTY keyboard. It features dual-SIM capabilities, a 650 MHz processor, 256 MB RAM, a 3.2 MP rear camera, and a VGA front camera as well. Of course, as you’d expect it also supports microSD cards, GPS, Bluetooth and WiFi. All in all it closely resembles the A75 as well, except with the addition of a keyboard.

See just how varied all of these top 10 Micromax smartphones are? Despite being designed for the budget market, Micromax has covered a number of bases to ensure that customers have a very wide choice of smartphones that they can choose from depending on their likes, dislikes, and preferences.

It is up to you to figure out what sort of Micromax smartphone you think would suit you best, but this list of the top 10 best Micromax smartphones of 2012 should provide a valuable starting point that you can use to arrive at a decision.