Tech Blog

I have another homescreen for you today. A little bigger than an iPhone or iPod touch too. We have Gadjo Sevilla’s Blackberry Playbook to check out today. Interesting, and rather sad, device the Playbook. One of those “it could have been a contender only if…” stories. By all accounts it’s a solid device that was hampered by RIM itself. Pity. Regardless we’re here to see how someone uses one so let’s get too it.

The digital wallet is closer to becoming a reality in Canada. Rogers and CIBC recently announced plans to offer customers the ability to pay with their CIBC credit card at the checkout counter using their Rogers "Near Field Communications" (NFC) enabled smartphones

Admittedly it can be hard to shop for a tablet at times if you have particular needs. For example Apple and Android tablets aren’t for everyone. Many users specifically need a tablet with Windows on board, particularly business users. As good as some of the alternatives can be, there is still no real substitute for a full windows working environment. Thankfully Toshiba’s WT200 is here to fill that niche.

It’s been a long time since the last Diablo game was released, 2000’s Diablo II. Finally, twelve years later, at midnight this past Monday, Diablo III, the follow-up to one of the most popular RPGs of all time, was released. That’s a long time to wait for any form of media (imagine if your favourite band took that long to release their next album), so the hype surrounding the launch both surprises me (you’d think people would have given up hope by now that it would ever come out), and pleases me (I am glad that people are so devoted to a game on the platform that people keep referring to as “dead”).

Blizzard fans sure are a patient bunch, but their patience has been rewarded with an ultra-polished, super-balanced end product. Blizzard are perfectionists, who subscribe to the “it isn’t done till it’s done” philosophy of game design, and we are all better off for it. While I haven’t had time to get into the full game myself, from the time I spent with the beta a few weeks ago, I am confident Diablo III will probably end up being one of the best games, on any platform, that I play this year.

To celebrate the launch of Diablo III, Future Shop opened all their stores across Canada (apart from those in Sudbury, ON, and Quebec) at midnight to throngs of passionate Blizzard fans. In Toronto, Edmonton, and Vancouver, Future Shop also hosted special launch events, with cosplay contests and plenty of prizes to give away to happy fans. I was on-hand at the Yonge and Dundas Toronto event, and you can check out the pictures I took at it after the break.

Mention the name Daniel Radcliffe and Harry Potter fans around the globe know he is the iconic face behind the circled glasses and wizardry. For 10 years, Radcliffe has been the face of Harry Potter, one of the biggest grossing movie franchises ever. Now that Potter has ended the 22 year old actor has moved on, and hopes his audience will follow along.

During a conference call yesterday afternoon, THQ revealed the final release date of Darksiders 2, August 14. "We look forward to launching Darksiders 2 beginning on August 14 in North America," announced THQ CEO Brian Farrell. While the Horsemen of Death was originally set for a June release, THQ cautiously chose mid-August as a more favourable time because of their "commitment to quality."  

In the first post in this series I talked about the easiest (and most basic) of the iPad keyboard options—the Apple Wireless Keyboard. This post takes things a step towards the convenience and portability side of things, but also steps up the cost factor a little. This post is about the ZAGG keyboard for iPad (it’s the one XL was talking about in the comments in the first post).

So. James Bond, eh? That guy. Let's be honest: when it comes to video games, the guy has not had the best of luck. I remember a bunch of incredibly ropey versions of James Bond films hitting home computers in the UK during the eighties, and really it seems an absolute fluke that GoldenEye for N64 was as good as it was. Of course, as we know Activision, current owner of the James Bond license, and not the most inventive fellows, got Eurocom out to remake GoldenEye for Nintendo Wii a while back, and well recieved it was too. Hang with us, we'll get to the point soon.

We’ve already taken a look at Intel’s new Ivy Bridge CPUs last month. Now AMD is sending a return volley in their battle for CPU dominance. The latest and greatest from AMD - the Trinity APU is here now. Its fast, cool, and efficient. It's got some graphics tricks up its proverbial sleeve. Most of all its here to give Ivy Bridge a run for its money. 

Today is certainly a very big day for video game fans, marking the release of multiple hotly anticipated titles. One of the new games you’ll see on shelves as of today, and one of the more original ones, is the new Game of Thrones RPG which I previewed briefly last week.  Unlike the other games coming out today, this one isn’t a sequel or part of a long running game franchise. It is something relatively fresh and new. It's an opportunity to explore a particular vision of a game world for the first time, which is always an exciting prospect.

I enjoy making smoothies but dread the part of cleaning the blender afterwards. Here’s a fast and easy tip on how to clean your blender in less than 30 seconds.

Smoothies are a great way to jump-start your day. We have some great recipes to match with the right blender.

Piecing together a home theatre can be a rewarding experience. Sitting back to watch your favourite movie in glorious 5.1 or 7.1 surround in the comfort of your home for the first time can be well worth the time and effort spent setting it up. That's not to say it doesn't take some work. Careful planning and research is needed to make sure you purchase the right components. For those who don't want the hassle, a home theatre in a box may be the solution.

LG is certainly known for its televisions and smartphones, but the Korea-based company has made huge strides in the home theater department over the past few years. It was one of the first companies to introduce apps such as Netflix to their line of Blu-ray players, and this year the company looks to improve features and drive down the cost without sacrifice.

12:01AM, May 15^th 2012, is a very important time for millions of PC gamers across the globe. It is when the long awaited Diablo III launches. However, console gamers don’t have to feel left out. At midnight tonight, Max Payne also returns after a long absence. Max Payne 3, developed by GTA developers Rockstar Games, will be available for both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (the PC version is coming later this month).

Hey! Another iOS Games round-up, to follow up the way my dirty sinful home screen was exposed to you all.