Chances are, if you watch a YouTuber by the name of MKBHD, you've probably heard of a company called RED. RED makes high-end cameras used to film tv shows, movies, and MKBHD's YouTube videos. Now, RED is venturing into a new market, smartphones. Today, RED announced that they will be releasing a smartphone, with an expected release early next year. The phone is called the RED Hydrogen One. It is currently available for pre-order, through RED's website. There are two models available, one is made of aluminum, the other of titanium. The aluminum model will cost you $1,195, and the titanium model will cost $1,595.
If you're wondering what you get for such a steep price tag, you're not the only one. The only information given by RED, is that the phone will feature a 5.7" display, that can switch between 2D and 3D content. Also, there will be modular components available, similar to the current Moto Z line of phones. Considering that RED has built their reputation by making high-end filming equipment, I think that the Hydrogen One will be similar to the LG V10, focusing primarily on the camera's photo and video capabilities. If interested, you can checkout the available information, or pre-order the RED Hydrogen One HERE.
0 Comments
If you own Injustice 2 Deluxe Edition or Ultimate Edition, or have purchased the Fighter Pack 1 DLC, then the first downloadable character should now be available. That character is the highly anticipated Red Hood. He was officially released yesterday (Tuesday, June 13th). But, some people have reported installation issues. Now, if you've already made the necessary purchase (as listed above), then Red Hood SHOULD have already been installed automatically. But, if this is not the case for you, then you might need to install him manually. PlayStation 4 Installation
On your PS4 system, you will need to go to the Injustice page of your consoles home menu. From there, you will need to go to the My Addons section and manually download your available DLC. If you've already made the necessary purchases - either bought Fighter Pack 1, or if you own either the Deluxe or Ultimate editions of the game - Red Hood should be available to install with a "free" pricing. Xbox One Installation On your Xbox One console, go to the My Games and Apps section. From there, go to the Injustice 2 icon and select Manage Game. Once here, you will be able to manually install Red Hood. After following these steps, on either console, you will need to restart your game. Red Hood should now be available to play. Thank you for reading. I hope this helps. With the not so successful runs of the Nintendo Wii (launched 2006) and Wii U (launched 2012), many people were beginning to question Nintendo's place in the consoles race. Consumers started to question whether or not Nintendo could keep up with Microsoft's XBOX or Sony's Playstation line-ups. Now, fast forward a few years to 2017, we have the launch of Nintendo's latest "console"; The Switch. And, it looks like Nintendo is ready to go toe-to-toe with the giants, once again. But, is the excitement over Nintendo's latest product justified? Nintendo Switch: Build Quality The Nintendo Switch definitely doesn't follow in its predecessors' footsteps when it comes to build quality. The Wii and Wii U, in my opinion, felt cheap. They felt like toys that could easily be broken, if handled just a little too firmly. The Switch, however, has a nice solid feel to it. It is lightweight, but doesn't feel flimsy. Even with the Joy-Con controllers connected to the tablet. Once the controllers slide into place, they are securely locked in. Nintendo Switch: Display The Switch comes with a 6.2" capacitive touch screen, with a resolution of 1280X720. For some people this aspect of the Switch was a bit of a let down. However, I've had no issues with this resolution. When it comes to gameplay on the Switch offers sharp image quality and vibrant colors. Nintendo Switch: Battery Life The Nintendo Switch has a 4310mAh lithium-ion battery. Nintendo says you will get anywhere between two and a half to six and a half hours of screen-on time. While playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild I've been getting a little over three hours of play time. It is estimated that it takes the Switch three hours to fully charge, while plugged into the dock. Apart from the tablet, the Joy-Con controllers are estimated to run for about twenty hours on a single charge. Now, I have not used the Joy-Cons on a single charge longer than the few hours that the tablet lasts. So I cannot confirm this. Nintendo Switch: Controls The Joy-Con controllers are, in all honesty, surprisingly comfortable to use. when I first saw the controllers, I thought they were going to be too small to use comfortably. I was expecting to use the controller grip, whenever i had the Switch connected to my TV. This turned out not to be the case. Using the Joy-Cons separately, while playing with the Switch docked is easily my favorite way to play. The Joy-Con grip is very lightweight, and fairly comfortable in the hand. For a more traditional gaming experience, the Joy-Con grip is a great way to start off, but the Switch Pro Controller is probably recommended for longer gameplay. Nintendo Switch: Titles
For many people, there was one big downside to the Nintendo Switch. The number of launch titles. The Nintendo Switch launched with around nine titles (a big step-down from the 32 that launched with the Wii U). I never saw this as an issue, because I figured a majority of my time would be spent getting lost in the Zelda game. However, now that the Switch has been out for a few weeks, there are now 24 games. And, the library is still growing. At the time this was written, the next major title set to come out is Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The game is going to launch on April 28th, 2017. There are also several other games set to come out, before then. For example, Lego City Undercover will be released on April 4th and Puyo Puyo Tetris on April 25th. With an ever-growing library, I don't see the selection of Switch games being an issue. There will also be lots of big titles scheduled to launching this Holiday season. From Super Mario Odyssey, Splatoon 2, and NBA 2K18. You can also expect to see Minecraft, Dragonball Xenoverse 2, FIFA and much more on the Switch, in the future. Nintendo Switch: The Verdict The Nintendo Switch is a solidly built piece of hardware. It has solid controls, and a great display (even with the "low" 720 resolution). The gameplay is very enjoyable and extremely diverse, with the console and portable styled game modes. I have really enjoyed playing on my Switch. I've probably enjoyed the Switch more than I've enjoyed playing on my other game systems lately. The portability factor is a huge plus, for me. I would definitely recommend at least checking out the Nintendo Switch. I believe it is a great console, all around. There will probably be some things that will take some getting used to, like the feel of the controls. Have any of you tried out the Nintendo Switch? How do you like it?
"An iPod, A Phone, and An Internet Communicator...This Is One Device"
When Steve Jobs said these words...the world of technology was forever cahnged. On January 9th, 2007 Steve Jobs and the people of Apple, introduced the first iPhone. When announcing this device at 2007's Macworld coference, Steve Jobs broke it down into its three base components, saying it was "an iPod, a phone, and an internet communicator."
Ten Years Later: The World of Technology, Forever Changed
Now, the iPhone is so much more than what it was introduced to be. It has also paved the way for other companied to follow and push this form of mobile technology even further. For many, their smartphone is their primary source for information, how they communicate and interact with friends and family, and their main method of consuming media. This all started with the iPhone. What is the one thing we all look for in a pair of headphones? Sound quality. We want a pair of headphones that deliver rich, vibrant sound. For the past week now, I have been using the Koss Porta Pro Limited Edition. And, I have to tell you. I was genuinly surprised by these lightweight on-ear headphones. What Are They? The Koss Porta Pros are a small ultra-portable pair of headphones with a retro style to them. The first thing I thought when I saw these headphones, was that they would be perfect for Star-Lord ('Guardians of the Galaxy'). That is what the style of these headphones seemed to emulate. They are small, compact, durable and offer a retro, minimalistic design. With these Limited Edition Porta Pros, you get the headphones (with an inline mic, play/pause button and volume control), a hardshell case, and a carrying pouch. How Do They Sound? Now, the Porta Pro heaphones aren't just pretty to look at. The sound quality, as I said earlier, is the most important aspect of a pair of headphones. When it comes to this department, the Porta Pros definitely take it to a whole new level. I was immediately surprised by the sound packed into these compact headphones. The Porta Pro headphones offer a deep, rich sound. They offer a great balance between the highs, mids, and lows. The Porta Pros offer an amazing listening experience that you can take anywhere. THE DOWNSIDE? Overall, the Koss Porta Pro are a great pair of headphones. I would even give them the title of my favorite pair of headphones (dethroning my Sol Republic Master Tracks). BUT, there is one [small] thing that I don't like about these headphones. The cable. First of all the cable, the cable is non-removable. Which, honestly wouldn't be a big deal if it wasn't so thin. The cable feels fragile, and could potentially break easily. The Conclusion
Like I said, the cable is my only issue with these headphones. Aside from that, I love them. They are beautiful, they are extremely comfortable, they are portable, and they sound great! Have you tried the Koss Porta Pro? If so, what do YOU think about them? If not, will you? I think you should. What's Changed in Eleven Years? Eleven years. That's how long it has been since I last owned a Nintendo decice. That decice was the original Nintendo DS, which was released in late 2004. So, how much has Nintendo's handheld console changed? The New 3DS XL: First Impressions In all honesty, for a long time I had lost some interest in Nintendo's handheld consoles. The only things that kept my interest were the Pokemon games. I have had the New 3DS XL for the past few days. So far, I am enjoying it, a lot. Using the New 3DS XL, I have really been enjoying the larger screen size, and much improved graphics. Now, when I say much improved, I do mean on select games. For example, the change in graphics from the Pokemon games for Nintendo DS to the Pokemon games for the New 3DS were far greater (in my opinion); than the changes from the GameBoy Advance games to the Nintendo DS games. Some games, such as the Super Mario games, didn't see as drastic of a change in graphics quality. Another big change from the DS to Nintendo's current handhelds, is the online capabilities. The DS line did not get Wi-Fi capabilities until almost a full year after it's original release; and even then you needed an external device to use it. The New 3DS XL, however, has a broad range of uses for its online functions. Everything from; online multiplayer gaming, exchange in-game item, and even watching YouTube videos on your console. As I said earlier, I have only been using the 3DS for the past few days. So I will be posting a full review at a later time.
What are your thoughts on Nintendo's latest handheld console? Do you think they've made changes worthy of an upgrade? First Time For Everything
It looks like the pressure is on, over at Apple. The Cupertino based company has reported its first dip in iPhone sales the products initial release in 2006. This is also the first dip in Apple's sales since 2003. iPhone sales have dropped 16 percent, this quarter, compared to the same quarter last year. Overall sales dropped by 13 percent, down to $50.6 billion. In China alone, iPhone sales plummeted 26 percent. This is no surprise, considering the increase in foreign phone companies offering powerful devices, at much lower prices. No Signs of Getting Better? According to Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at the Bernstein brokerage firm, "there's no question that Apple's best days are behind it. The company grew at astronomical rates, and it's now so big that its ability to grow at those rates doesn't exist anymore." According to forecasts of the current quarter, things are not looking up for Apple. Projected revenue for this quarter is expected to go from $41 billion to $43 billion. This is a lot lower than what Wall Street was expecting. Will things get better for Apple? When? According to Tim Cook, this drop in sales is due to the regular two-year product cycle of the iPhone. Tim Cook went on to say, "If you look at our installed base of iPhones today versus two years ago, it's increased 80 percent." For some time now, rumors had been circulating about Apple's March, 2016 event. It seemed like we were getting more and more info on Apple's latest devices on a daily basis. So much so, that the event seemed almost unnecessary. But, as always, nothing is "confirmed" until Apple says it is. Well, today all of those rumors were finally confirmed. As many were expecting, we saw the "all new" iPhone SE and and The New [9.7-inch] iPad Pro. iPhone SE The iPhone SE is Apple's solution to bringing back the 4-inch smartphone. This was one of the rumors that was a toss-up. There were sources stating that the SE would be a "smaller, thicker iPhone 6s", and then there were those saying it would be " a revamped iPhone 5s". Unfortunately, the latter has turned out to be true. The iPhone SE takes [most] of the specs from the iPhone 6s, and puts them in an iPhone 5s casing. It seems like the only thing that the iPhone SE didn't inherit from the iPhone 6s is the 3D Touch display. For me, the biggest "issues" I have with the iPhone SE are;
The New iPad Pro
Along with the iPhone SE, Apple also announced a smaller version of last years powerhouse tablet, the iPad Pro. This new iPad (still just iPad Pro) takes all of the power of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and puts it in a 9.7-inch housing. The 9.7-inch iPad even comes complete with the 4 stereo speakers, smart connector, and Apple Pencil Support. The smaller iPad Pro even comes equipped with something that its larger sibling doesn't. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro has a "True Tone Display". This means that the iPad Pro display will adjust the lighting of the display in response to the lighting of the environment, similarly to the way paper does when it reflects different light. Another big upgrade that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is the camera. The new iPad features the 12-megapixel iSight Camera found on the iPhone 6s/6s Plus. The one downside (for some) is that with the new camera, the 9.7-inch iPad Pro also inherited the infamous camera bump found on the latest iPhones. I personally prefer the size of the 9.7-inch iPads over the size of the pro. I think that it's a much more practical size for those that aren't looking to use the iPad as a laptop replacement. My only complaint with the new iPad Pro (which might end up not being a problem at all) is the True Tone Display. After seeing this feature demoed I am willing to test it, but I'm not thrilled about it. So, as long as that feature gives you the option to turn it off, all is good. What do you think about Apple's "new" devices? Are they necessary? It looks like LG has stolen the show at this year's WMC event. Their latest flagship, the G5, seems to have even overshadowed the likes of Samsung and their latest Galaxy phones. This is with good reason. The LG G5 seems to have drastically changed LG's idea of a flagship smartphone. Reinventing The Wheel? Although LG did keep a few of their much favored features (the removable battery and expandable storage are here to stay) with the G5, they made even more changes. Design In the past, LG's flagship smartphones featured plastic builds that were, on occasion, somewhat disappointing. With this year's update, however, LG opted for an aluminum unibody for the G5; a drastic change from the previous models. Another, change LG made to exterior of the phone, is the placement of the volume buttons. The volume buttons on the G5 are located on the left side of the phone rather than the back. Display The G5 comes with a 5.3" IPS LCD display, with a resolution of 2560 X 1440. The display also features an Always-on function. According to LG, this feature is why they opted for the IPS display rather than an AMOLED display. They stated that showing information all the time on an AMOLED display would lead to a burn out. Camera(s) Like the building material of the phone, the cameras are one of the biggest changes to the G5. The LG G5 features an 8 megapixel from facing camera, and in the back is where it gets really interesting. On the rear of the phone there are two cameras; one is a standard operating 16 megapixel sensor, the other is a wide-angle 8 megapixel sensor. These two cameras offer a wide range of functions that you wouldn't be able to find on a standard smartphone setup. For example, you can record video and shoot stills at the same time. Power
The G5 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, onto-core processor and 4GB of RAM. For storage, there is 32GB built-in and a Micro SD card slot to expand. The 2800mAh battery isn't particularly impressive on its own, but when you take into consideration that the phone has a removable battery and Quick Charge 3.0 with USB Type-C. Modular Build The LG G5 also has another feature that radically operates it from any other smartphone currently on the market. The G5 features a modular design that allows you to add additional parts to your phone. LG currently has two models for the G5. The Cam Pro, which enhances your photography experience, as well as expand your battery to 4000 mAh. The other module is the LG Hi-Fi Pro, which offers a 32-bit DAC and amp meant to offer an audiophile experience through your handset. Thoughts Personally, I think that the LG G5 has a lot of great features that make it an amazing flagship. The metal build is a much needed enhancement. I felt that the G3 and G4 were too light, they almost felt like they were nothing more than mock-ups of a phone. The ability to add additional parts to the phone, and change the overall capabilities of your device. That is something truly unique at this time, and I hope that other phone manufacturers follow the lead. For me, the only downside to the G5 is the screen size. I know that a 5.3" display isn't the smallest screen currently on the market, and with its resolution offers a higher pixel density; but I would prefer at least a 5.5" display. What do you think about the LG G5? Did it hit the mark, or is it lacking anything else you would like to see? We already know when we are getting the new LG G5, we might even have an idea of what it it looks like. Now, thanks to the twitter page of LG South Korea, we have a hint at another feature that will be included in the companies latest flagship. As you probably already know, last years LG V10 featured a secondary "always on" display. This display is located at the top of 5.7-inch primary display. The "always on" is meant to give you constant access to notifications, frequently used apps/contacts, as well as certain controls (media controls, flashlight, wifi, bluetooth, etc.) without having to unlock your phone. Well, it appears that LG will be applying this "always on" function to their latest flagship, with a slight twist. It appears as though the LG G5 will feature an Always-On Primary Display. So, rather than having an additional thin display on the top of the phone, the G5 will give you those same controls throughout the entire display. As I said earlier, this feature was hinted by LG, in a tweet sent out earlier today. This tweet was also accompanied by a GIF that-in all honesty-didn't provide much additional information, but does seemsupport the conclusion of an Always-On primary display. If LG is planning on making an Always-On Primary display, it would be interesting to see how that affects other aspects of the phone, such as battery life. Will LG be sticking with a removable battery as rumored before. I guess we'll see on the 21st.
|
Archives
July 2017
Categories
All
|