Thursday, January 31, 2013
AT&T Announces Galaxy Note 2 Multi-Window Update
AT&T is the last of the four major carriers in the US to deliver the Multi-Window feature for the Samsung Galaxy Note 2, and you know what they say about it - better late than never. This Multi-Window feature will come in an Over The Air (OTA) update, so that means you will just have to be patient and wait it out of it has yet to arrive on your phablet. Performing a manual check might help, but I strongly suggest you let things be, and when it comes, it comes. After all, you have already waited so long, so a little bit more patience is not going to hurt.
Just what does Multi-Window bring to the table? For starters, Multi-Window functionality will allow one to run a couple of applications side-by-side, or you can opt to have them run one on top of the other, it is entirely up to you. This paves the way for a true multi-tasking experience, and you might as well do so with the kind of processing muscle that the Galaxy Note 2 affords, not to mention having 5.5” of viewing real estate to play around with helps a whole lot, too.
So far, we have no word on whether this much awaited ROM will be pushed out in phases in order to minimize the impact on AT&T's servers, but as we mentioned earlier, being patient is the key. You can check out AT&T’s official statement with regards to the Multi-Window feature below.
AT&T plans to begin rolling out a software update for Samsung Galaxy Note II customers that includes the Multi-Window feature, which allows the user to divide the screen into two active "windows" creating a split screen that enables fluid multitasking between applications. The update will be available for download over the air beginning Dec. 27.
Sony Xperia Z And Xperia ZL Press Images Leaked Ahead Of CES 2013
Sony Mobile looks set to rock CES 2013 (which is happening in just a week’s time actually) with their fair share of smartphone announcements, where two of them would definitely be the high end Sony Xperia Z and the Sony Xperia ZL. In fact, the press images for both smartphones have already been leaked as you can see above.
Just in case you get that sense of deja vu when you look at the Sony Xperia Z and the Sony Xperia ZL, that is because the former has been bandied about with the moniker “Yuga”, while the latter has been referred to as the Xperia X “Odin” in the past. Good to know that both smartphones have been confirmed officially, where you can see the Xperia Z here, while the Xperia ZL can be spotted here.
Just because the Xperia ZL and the Xperia Z share a very close naming convention, you would think that one is a variant of the other for a different market. You would be right on that account, and while the Xperia ZL does look a bit different compared to the Xperia Z, the former actually has an edge over the latter as the Xperia ZL sports a dual SIM carriage, allowing you to carry two functional numbers in your pocket simultaneously using a single device.
As both devices will feature a Full HD 5-inch display, the dimensions should be pretty much the same, although the Sony Xperia ZL does seem to be a wee bit smaller, seeing how its top and bottom bezel are narrower.
Rumor has it that the Xperia Z is dust- and water-proof, but the Xperia ZL will not be that robust. Shared specifications include NFC support, a quad-core 1.5GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon processor, 2GB RAM, and a high resolution camera (most probably 13-megapixels) at the back, all running on Android 4.1.2 Jelly Bean as the operating system of choice.
We await further information on both devices as CES 2013 dawns on us, and hope to bring you details such as pricing and availability.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Countdown to the End: Death Dome
Whether you call it the T-virus, the Z-virus or the M-virus it makes no difference, they all have the same thing in common. Every one of those viruses transform human beings into something sinister, something primal.
Zombies are played out, so I’m glad this next game doesn’t actually do the whole zombie apocalypse thing.
The game for today is called Death Dome. It’s a post-apocalyptic hack and slash that has a lot in common with Dragon Slayer. In fact, if you’ve played Dragon Slayer then you already know how Death Dome plays, considering they use the same battle mechanics.
The “M” virus… Most people who showed symptoms were dead within days…but others weren’t so lucky. Mutations were showing up all over the city. The infected were quarantined in a bio-dome force field that encased the city of Palamira. Some called it a “safe zone”, but most know it as the Death Dome. The M virus grew stronger inside the Death Dome and eventually became strong enough to live on its own without a host. Strong enough to become…The Behemoths!
It goes without saying that Death Dome story takes place after the world has been ravaged by the M-virus. You play as a Phoenix, a strong woman who has been affected by the M-virus mutations. The common goal is to eliminate all the mutated baddies, and behemoths so that you and the rest of the survivors can escape the Death Dome.
The main gameplay in Death Dome is the hack and slash battles that you will participate in. Just like in Dragon Slayer, you attack enemies by slashing the screen in different directions with your finger. You can also dodge attacks, deflect them and block. By blocking, parrying or dodging at the appropriate times the enemies, you are facing become more vulnerable. When they’re exposed, you’re free to attack them with a whole slew of combos.
As you battle, you also build up a unique energy bar called Flux. Once your Flux capacity reaches 100%, you can unleash a Flux attack (very original terms here). A Flux attack essentially allows you a few seconds to unleash attacks on your enemies while they are stunned, and at the end you can perform a powerful finishing attack.
Obviously, Death Dome isn’t just about the intense hack and slash battles. Before each enemy appears, you are given a few seconds to scavenge the levels for coins and resources. This is done by tapping continuously on an icon that displays on the screen.
Behind the scenes, you can upgrade armor, weapons, and equip unique charms to gain special abilities and statistics. Leveling your character is fairly straightforward, as each level you achieve more HP is automatically added to Phoenix.
Like the other games I’ve talked about in the Countdown to the end series, Death Dome is free. That also means that the in-game segment sees a freemium sales model. There are portions of the game that will require you to grind for extended periods of time to get enough money so that you can buy better equipment to progress. That is, of course if you don’t want to spend any real world cash for in-game currency.
Dragon Slayer uses the same exact freemium model for digital goods, so if you’ve played that game then you know how Death Dome operates.
Personally, I think the battles are compelling enough to warrant the long hours of grinding that is required to advance. For others, this may not be the case.
Still, it’s hard to deny the usefulness in Death Dome. It’s a brilliant way to prepare for the impending apocalypse. You can chop and cut all kinds of baddies with weapons like a stop sign, and shields like a car door. While this may not be the most realistic form of equipment ever included in a game, it clearly teaches you to utilize your surroundings and take advantage of whatever resources you can.
Of course, you’re not actually scavenging for any resources in Death Dome so you’ll have to build up those skills another way.
If you'd like to give Death Dome a try, you can find it in the Google Play store.
Death Dome Trailer
Samsung GT-I9500/GT-I9505 Might Be High-end Tizen/Android Smartphone
The good people over at SamMobile have received a tip from an anonymous reader that Samsung’s next generation high end device would go by the model numbers GT-I9500 and the GT-I9505, where the latter will most probably be an LTE enabled device.
Before we continue any further, let us examine some facts that we are already aware of. For starters, Samsung’s maiden Tizen outing relied on the GT-I9500 as it’s model number, so with what was tipped today, it could mean that the next version of a Tizen-powered device is very near. Either that or Samsung could have played some mischief here by changing the model number of the next-generation Galaxy S device.
After all, the number 4 is widely believed to be a bad omen for the superstitious in South Korea, and not only that, Samsung has never used the number 4 as its product code when it comes to their high-end devices. Coincidence or just not tempting fate? I leave that guess to you.
The other rather unorthodox manner of Samsung doing things would be this - rolling out two versions of this device, which would certainly dash my hopes of seeing Samsung introduce just a single global flagship device. It has also been confirmed that Samsung has begun to run software tests of its new flagship model of Tizen or Android. Time will reveal all eventually though, so stay tuned!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Countdown to New Beginnings: The End App
Well, it’s Friday December 21, 2012, and we’re still alive. There are no catastrophic changes in the Earth’s climate, and there have been no world ending incidents. Where I am, located in Sunny Florida within the United States, it rained early this morning, but that was it.
As far as we’re concerned it’s a just another beautiful day. That means our Countdown to the End series was actually a countdown to new beginnings.
In light of our current predicament, which is the world will trudge on in a normal fashion, I will close out this series with one final game. This next game is a real treat, of course, it still maintains the apocalyptic theme.
The End is a free running game on rails, very similar to Temple Run, albeit with a unique twist. You play as a lone survivor, trying to outrun the apocalypse.
The world comes to an end; run like hell, collect duct tape, and buy goodies for your survival camp. Once the streets are deserted, everything is covered in lava, and you are alone. Yet, you hear the call… and even in the middle of the Collapse, you know it is time to run, to survive!
Run!
The End App challenges your reflexes and offers infinite game play with progressive level design and multiple environments. Jump over the burned down police car and reach the hidden duct tape while running through the deserted city. You will be guided through 28 days with 5 challenges for each day. Practice with free-runs for a challenge or buy boosters to take the edge off, but never, ever take your eyes off the duct tape! Collect them!
The controls are easy to learn. To jump, you swipe up on the screen, to slide you swipe down and to turn you swipe left or right respectively. As your character runs through each level, you just have to avoid all of the obstacles and navigate the course.
While running through each level you just have to tilt your device to move left and right on the screen. The tilt controls seem to be just right; they aren’t too sensitive or sluggish.
You collect green duct tape, which can be compared directly to collecting golden coins in Sonic. Except in The End you can use the duck tape as currency to purchase new powerups and character upgrades.
There are three different parts of the “city” to explore, which all essentially comprise a destroyed urban environment that serves as your running terrain. One of the sections is labeled as the “Pro” running course, and you have to spend money to unlock it. Like in Angry Birds though, there is plenty of material included for free if you don’t want to spend any money.
You can either freerun through each course, or complete various challenges while doing so. Challenges include doing things like collecting a certain amount of duct tape rolls, or doing a select number of slides. There is an endless supply of challenges to complete so you won’t get bored as long as you don’t mind repetition.
The freerun game mode essentially plays like an arcade title where you just go through the track to see how long you last.
There isn’t much to this game seeing as it’s not incredibly deep or engrossing so I’ll stop here. Take my word for it though, The End is a lot of fun, but it is best played in spurts.
You can find The End via the Google Play store for free.
The End App Game Trailer (Trailer has no sound)
The world may not have ended, but I can certainly pretend like it did thanks to the long list of games that I’ve promoted this week. I’m off to play some more post-apocalyptic titles.
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