If you’ve got a super techy person or PC gamer in your life, one of the biggest factors in the performance of their PC is the video card they’ll be using. These days theres a whole range of options at a wide variety of price points offering value no matter where along the performance spectrum  you’re looking to hit. Zotac video cards have been proving themselves in this respect with a pretty diverse line with something cated to everyone along that spectrum.

Future Shop has announced that all of their stores nationwide will open early for the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops II, the latest entry in the blockbuster Activision franchise.

DOOM 3 is one of those games that feels like nothing else on the market.  Even in the crowded spaces of first-person shooters and horror, DOOM 3 stands apart as one of the most visceral, carnage-soaked experiences possible on any gaming platform.  Eight years after its original release comes the brand new DOOM 3: BFG Edition, a compilation packing featuring fully re-mastered versions of DOOM 3 and the Resurrection of Evil add-on pack. Is it enough to warrant a revisit into Hell?  The answer is yes, if you’re a console gamer.

Celebrity endorsement isn’t going to make a pair of headphones great on its own, and consumers are certainly astute enough to know that, yet that’s not stopping the trend from continuing on. Beats by Dre is naturally the most recognizable and most popular, but there are others doing the same thing, like 50 Cent. The rapper apparently put his own mark on these headphones, so let’s see what he considers to be good sound.

Now is a great time to start looking at all-in-one desktop PCs.  They  have really come in to their own lately, with the newer chips available to give them plenty of power in a compact package. With Microsoft’s Windows 8 now available too, the all-in-one desktop PC scene is really set to explode even more now with a wide range of great touchscreen models now available.

An 875 watt receiver, the Marantz SR-7007 is a formidable device aimed primarily at consumers who demand huge performance out of their home audio systems. Let’s walk through the finer details of this multi-zone receiver, and see if it’s the right choice for you this holiday season.

The ingenuity in accessories for iOS devices is something easy to acknowledge when you see just how the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch are utilized for any number of nifty gizmos. Ion Audio is one company that looks for these unique and consumer-friendly opportunities to turn an iOS device into something else. The iCade Mobile gives the iPhone or iPod Touch the traditional handheld gaming treatment, while the All-Star Guitar makes the iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch the main part of a toy guitar.

When I first heard about the Skylanders series a little over a year ago, I wasn't sure what to think about the concept.  Merging toys and video games seemed novel enough, but we've seen these ideas come and go so often that I couldn't help but be a little skeptical about the whole thing.  It wasn't until I sat down and played Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure that I realized how touching the game truly was, and how it went above and beyond in its overall quality.  I never ended up picking up Spyro's Adventure, but when the sequel, Giants, was released I couldn't help but snatch a copy.  With my Starter Kit firmly in hand, I was confident that this would be a compelling new adventure for me, maybe even a step back into my childhood.

Founded by a coalition of audio industry veterans, ZVOX has built a solid reputation thanks to the quality of their home audio components. Hailed as a Consumers Digest Best Buy, ZVOX offers consumers a generous variety of competitively priced, high-end sound bars. Compact and aesthetically unassuming, these single cabinet surround sound systems offer the simplicity of a one-cable setup... but what kind of performance can they deliver?

There are certain perks about living in a home with a garden. You have space to plant your own herbs and vegetables. Having a herb garden in your apartment is quite challenging, but there is a futuristic solution. Plus, a brilliant cooking tip to help preserve your favorite fresh herbs in the winter months. 

Future Shop has started expanding its offerings to include items like luggage and…bedding…yes bedding. And while you might think of bedding as a “low tech” kind of thing, really the science of sleep is very interesting—and essential to your health and wellbeing. Believe it or not, if you don’t get enough sleep you start losing IQ and driving tired is considered as bad as (and maybe more common than) driving drunk.

The Office Suite, which is composed of Word, Excel and Powerpoint, is Microsoft's biggest software product and many have been expecting to see Office on the iPad and the iPhone as well as on myriad Android smartphones and tablets. It looks like 2013 is the year when Microsoft finally puts the most popular office suite into the leading mobile platforms.

I know it seems early to write this post, but it’s always a good idea to plan ahead since we’ve already finished the first week of November and Chrismas is just around the corner. Plus, we can all admit that time does fly, FAST. Delicious baked good make a thoughtful gift during the holidays. Plus, you can spread the sweet love to all your friends and family (while being cost-effective for that Christmas budget).  Here are some great home made recipes everyone will love. 

If you missed it, here are the launch events that were held in Toronto and Vancouver Monday night.

Elliott Chun, Paul Hunter and my self were on location to cover the events.

For everyday, casual style, one watch maker who caught my eye recently is Phosphor. This American-based company became the first watch maker to use Electronic Ink, or "E Ink," to display time, dates and more on its watch faces. 

In 1964, Amar G. Bose founded his own speaker company. He still sits as chairman, even today. Bose is a brand we’ve come to associate with quality components – from car stereos to home theatre, they're a definite presence in the audio world. Recently, the Bose Corporation decided to join the television market with the VideoWave line – and their 46” VideoWave II has now arrived. Join me today for a first look.

If you have a Sony Reader device, or even just an account, you can now read eBooks through the brand new free app Sony just released for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch. Transfer over your entire account settings and library of titles over to your iOS device by logging in, but you won't be able to actually buy any new ones through the app.

With Windows 8 finally here, we’re starting to see a lot of great new PCs hit shelves across the country. Sony, always known for their premium hardware, is no slouch in this respect either. They’ve got a whole range of VAIO Touch PCs available, like this Sony VAIO 17.3” laptop.

If you’ve got a new Windows 8 touchscreen PC and you’re looking to have some fun with it you’ll be happy to know that game will start increasingly support touchscreen controls. For now your options are somewhat confined, as touchscreen PCs and Windows 8 are still in their early days, but there are already some great fun options available in the Windows Store to let you take advantage of your new touchscreen PC as a gamer.

Nike recently teamed up with Microsoft to bring their Nike+ technology to the Xbox 360 with Nike+ Kinect Training, a new fitness video game developed with professional athletes and trainers. Think of it like your very own personal trainer with all the athletics expertise of nike, living inside your Xbox 360. It tracks every move you make for accurate real-time coaching as you progress towards your fitness goals.

The wait is over.  Halo 4 has finally arrived and with it comes a sleek new Xbox 360 320GB Limited Edition Console releasing day and date with the game. We've had a chance to unbundle the contents and can't wait to tell you what's inside.

At the beginning of Halo 4 when Master Chief awakes from his nearly five year cryo-slumber, it might as well been symbolic of the entire Halo franchise waking up to what made the original title such a captivating experience.  Not since Halo: Combat Evolved has a Halo game given us such a sweeping sense of scope and exploration of the unknown, alleviating all doubts that new developers 343 Industries can successfully helm the franchise.

The young at heart love things filled with a fun and whimsy. As serious as life can get, they’re always up to stop and enjoy something leisurely. There are a lot of great high tech toys out there for  just this sort of person. If theres someone in your life who seems like they’ll always get excited by the latest, coolest toys no matter how old they get, then shopping for gifts can be pretty easy.

Yesterday, Protest the Hero (as heard on the EA and 2Ksports NHL franchises) dropped by the downtown Future Shop store at Robson and Granville streets and made a commotion as they scoured the gaming aisles and picked up PlayStation Vitas, games and accessories to keep them occupied as they travel from city to city. 

Getting ready to find the camera that'll take the best holiday snaps? These are the features you want.

Probably one of the coolest additions to Nintendo's upcoming console, the Wii U, is the Gamepad controller.  The Gamepad removes the barriers between you and your game, making the experience that much more involving during playtme.  It makes us think about the way we play our games and how we can branch off from the traditional norms and create something fulfilling. 

Aside from offering a companion screen (i.e. maps and menus) while playing a video game, the Wii U Gamepad boasts many more unique features worth getting to know.  Here's what you can expect. 

While LittleBigPlanet PS VIta's heartwarming narrator Stephen Fry uses words like "wonderful" and "magnificent"  with obvious and intentional exaggeration to describe just about everything in Sackboy's latest adventure, he might as well be saying it with a straight face.  Simply put, LittleBigPlanet PS Vita is such a joy to play that it's basically LittleBigPlanet 3 in the palm of your hand.