Asian Mobile Makers Squeeze Apple's Global Smartphone Share To Its Lowest For 3-Years In Record 230M Unit Q2

More proof, if proof were needed, that Apple needs a low cost iPhone to get its smartphone momentum mojo back: Cupertino's share of the global smartphone market fell to its lowest for three years in Q2, according to Strategy Analytics, with just 31.2 million iPhones shipped in the quarter and Apple's second place ranking declining to a 14% market share - this despite the overall smartphone market growing 47% annually to reach a record 230 million units shipped.

"The current iPhone portfolio is under-performing and Apple is at risk of being trapped in a pincer movement between rival 3-inch Android models at the low-end and 5-inch Android models at the high-end," said Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, in a statement.

Mawston told TechCrunch it's not just a low cost iPhone that Apple needs to return to growth, although he agrees that is a requirement for Apple to drive extra volume. Cupertino's top priority should be a new type of flagship to compete with Samsung's phablets, he said.

"Apple's first priority should be a premium-tier phablet with a 5-inch screen because that is where the largest new revenue pool is located," he said via email. "Apple is losing profit share to Samsung partly because of a lack of presence in the phablet segment. Apple's second priority should be a lower-cost iPhone to win back some of the customers it is losing to cheaper Android models in Asia, Africa and Latin America."

"A 5-inch iPhone would generate extra value for Apple, while a cheaper iPhone would deliver extra volume," he added.

Overall, the analyst said smartphone market growth is being driven by demand for 4G handsets in developed markets such as the U.S. and 3G devices in emerging markets such as India. Asian mobile makers, who predominately use Google's Android OS, are now clearly dominating the surging smartphone market, with Samsung still in kingpin position - shipping 76 million devices in Q2 to capture one-third of all smartphone volumes worldwide in the quarter - and LG, ZTE and Huawei in third, fourth and fifth place respectively.

The analyst described LG as a "star performer", with its global shipments doubling year-over-year to hit 12.1 million units in Q2 to take a 5% share. "The popular Optimus and Nexus models have been the main drivers of LG's success. If LG can expand its retail presence and marketing in major countries such as the US or China, LG could quietly start to challenge Apple for second position," Analyst Linda Sui added in a statement.

Chinese mobile maker ZTE also took a 5% share in the quarter, shipping a record 11.5 million smartphones to take fourth place for the first time, while Huawei shipped 11.1 million handsets to also grab 5% and take fifth.

Android 4.3 Includes Hidden App Permissions Manager That Could Bolster Privacy & Security

As expected, Google officially confirmed Android 4.3 at its event on Wednesday with Android chief Sundar Pichai. Among the new features/improvements in the update are a redesigned camera interface, Bluetooth Low Energy support, performance improvements such as smoother animations, and multi-user restricted profiles. But there's apparently something else that Google didn't talk about. Android Police has unearthed a hidden app permissions manager that allows users to selectively disable certain permissions for apps.

The feature is apparently called App Ops, and lets users toggle app permissions - such as location and the ability to post notifications - on and off for individual apps. Android Police notes that a developer has already created an app (available here on Google Play if you have Android 4.3 installed) that foregrounds App Ops, and has been having a play around with it.

The basic idea of the feature is apparently to give Android users more flexibility over what apps can and can't do, allowing them to choke off battery draining features, say, or rein in irritating notification behaviour. If Google does decide to fully implement App Ops as a user-facing feature, there are potential big benefits here, from a security and privacy point of view, being as it could give users fine-grained control over what each app can do.

Apps they might otherwise have been tentative about installing could presumably be fine-tuned to fit their tastes now - which may also have some developer benefits, if it helps drive overall installs.

However Android Police notes that while App Ops does work, the feature is clearly not ready for the prime time yet - while testing it with the Facebook app they found certain app permissions only appeared in the permissions list once the app had made use of them, for example. Such messiness likely explains why Google has hidden App Ops and wasn't ready to talk about it on Wednesday. We've reached out to Mountain View to ask for its plans for the feature and will update this story with any response.

Another possible complication attached to the feature is user confusion if a user doesn't realise that the reason a particular in-app feature isn't working is because it has been toggled off at source. A similar problem can occur on some Android devices with the quick settings in the notification tray overriding the main setting for things like silencing sounds/ringtones. Add in per app permissions and the potential user confusion is enormous. Android Police notes that one way for Google to get round could be to include some kind of system notifications warning users when App Ops is limiting app permissions. Although that would get old pretty quick if users get nagged every time they open an app with restricted permissions.

It is also possible that the App Ops feature has been created by Google to power the multi-user restricted profiles feature it did announced on Wednesday, which allows for parental controls to be implemented on Android devices.

The Android platform also has the most malware activity associated with it of all the mobile platforms, so the App Ops feature could be something Google is lining up to help bolster security concerns attached to Android. For instance, the feature could allow users to block apps from making calls - to kill off premium rate phone call/SMS malware - or trace which apps have been making calls to identify rogue software.

Boombot Rex review: Great sound meets durability in this life-proof Bluetooth speaker

Let's talk about Bluetooth speakers for a moment. The simple fact is that most of them suck. A lot. There are some notable exceptions, such as the Jambox and Big Jambox from Jawbone, but they're definitely the exception and not the rule. I've tested no fewer than 20 different Bluetooth speakers for TNW, and most of them never see the light of day on the site, so you can understand my hesitation when the guys from Boombotix got in touch to ask me to review the Boombot Rex. But I've been pleasantly surprised, so I thought it was time to tell you why.

A couple of things set the Rex apart from the competition. The first thing is that it's considerably more durable than other speakers I've tested. That's done so that you can clip the Rex onto your backpack, belt or even your bike so you can take sound with you. I've thrown my demo unit around quite a bit, and I've not had any durability issues with it. I even went so far as to "accidentally" leave the Rex on top of my car when I was driving off, and then I admired the fact that it survived a 15 mile-per-hour impact onto the road.

The next factor is that it has a built-in microphone, so that essentially means that it's a Bluetooth speakerphone. Boombotix touts this as "Siri integration", but chalk that up to marketing speak. At any rate, it works well and the microphone sounds plenty good enough for telephone conversations.

The final factor that sets the Rex apart from the competition is the biggest one - It sounds good. It's easily on par with the Jambox, but not quite up to the Big Jambox. You're not going to replace your home stereo with a few Rex devices chained together (though plugs on the back would allow for that), but you'll be more than happy with it in a hotel room or while riding down the street.

The clip is heavy duty, allowing for secure placement of the Rex anywhere that it will attach. With the wealth of accessories, you can replace the clip, the grille, add even more protection and get a mount for your bike's handlebars. The Rex ships with a 3.5mm audio cable, as well as a micro USB charging cord. Replacements for either of these will only run you about $6, and kudos to Boombotix for not using proprietary cabling.

At $119, the Rex isn't the cheapest Bluetooth speaker on the market, but its performance matches its price. I've not found a better one for less money. It also has the distinction of being featured in Apple retail stores, which should help boost sales and keep the company on its toes. If you want to pony up $10 extra, there are some limited edition Rex designs that you can grab as well.

In all, I'm duly impressed with Boombotix and the Boombot Rex. Great sound, a rock-solid design and customization make for a killer combination.

The Boombot Rex, from Boombotix

Photo-editing app Hipstamatic Oggl lands on Windows Phone 8 with direct sharing to Instagram

Hipstamatic Oggl is out now for Windows Phone 8, providing somewhat of a stop-gap for handset owners still craving for an official Instagram app.

The photo-sharing service has been available for iOS devices for a couple of months now and expands upon the original Hipstamatic app with a refreshed interface, social features and vintage filters.

The Windows Phone 8 version, announced in May alongside the Lumia 925 is much the same, enabling users to mix and match various analog-inspired lenses and films. Square crop photos are a requirement here, again taking after its hugely successful rival Instagram.

There's no official Instagram app for Windows Phone 8 at the moment, but Hipstamatic does offer users the ability to post images directly to Facebook's wildly popular photo-sharing service. That's a huge step forward for Microsoft's mobile platform and should enable users to side-step third-party clients such as Instance.

Hipstamatic is also offering a PRO version of its new Oggl app for Nokia Lumia 1020 owners. It's almost identical to the entry-level version, but packs in some impressive new manual controls including exposure, white, balance, IOS and shutter speed adjustments. Users also have the ability to reframe shots thanks to the handset's monstrous 41-megapixel sensor, as well fix framing problems with an auto-leveling feature.

Video aside, these features actually push Hipstamatic Oggl far beyond Instagram's native apps for iOS and Android. By blending both a professional camera interface and stylish photo-editing options, this could truly be the silver bullet for Windows Phone 8 users. Even for those who are disinterested in the Lumia 1020, it's still a solid replacement for Instagram - albeit without the huge community.

Both the standard and pro versions of Hipstamatic Oggl are free. They come with 5 preset lenses and films, with additional filter packs requiring a premium subscription. Anyone that creates an account before August 9, however, will have access to the entire library over the next 60 days. Once that's over, it costs $2.99 for three months or $9.99 for the year.

Is it Instagram? No. Hipstamatic Oggl is a robust alternative though which Windows Phone 8 users should check out without question. Pick it up in the Windows Phone store now.

Hipstamatic Oggl | Windows Phone 8
Hipstamatic Oggl PRO | Windows Phone 8 (Nokia Lumia 1020 exclusive)

Watch the new Lego Marvel Heroes trailer. Sneak peekage!

Some of us fans have been waiting for a Marvel Lego game and were happy to hear the announcement that we would be mini-figing it this fall as our favorite Marvel heroes. Not much has come out since that spectacular Game Informer reveal until now that is.

Okay really we found out that there will be some spiffy pre-order bonuses. The coolest of the bonuses lie at your local Wal-Mart where you can snag an exclusive Iron Patriot mini-fig. Woot! Heading to the old Gamestop and plunking five bucks down will get you the pretty sweet Spider-Man keychain. Powerup Rewards members will almost score a free DLC pack. Lastly, pre-ordering at Amazon gets a fresh $10 games credit.

Hit the break to check out the trailer, pay attention to the shadow at the end! Marvel Lego heroes will hit consoles and PC this fall.

Angry gamers pursue class action lawsuit over Aliens: Colonial Marines.

It was bound to happen really, gamers have banded together to show just how pissed off they are about Aliens: Colonial Marines. Turns out people don’t take to well to demos not being the final product they paid hard, cold cash for.

"Each of the 'actual gameplay' demonstrations purported to show consumers exactly what they would be buying: a cutting edge video game with very specific features and qualities. Unfortunately for their fans, Defendants [Sega and Gearbox] never told anyone - consumers, industry critics, reviewers, or reporters - that their 'actual gameplay' demonstration advertising campaign bore little resemblance to the retail product that would eventually be sold to a large community of unwitting purchasers." -Polygon post

Both Sega and Gearbox Software are named as defendants in the lawsuit and neither have bothered to comment on the news. Can’t say that I blame those folks, it certainly looks like both companies misled fans. We’ll watch and see if this goes all the way, hopefully it does. Publishers and developers should be held accountable for this horrible mess.

The Moment You Have Been Waiting For, Plants Vs Zombies 2

Plants Vs Zombies was a phenom with the casual and hardcore gamer alike.The game first attacked the PC and Mac crowd before the zombie invasion took over our iOS devices and soon spread to every console and gaming device known to humans. Now PopCap games has finally revealed that a sequel is set to be unleashed in July.

Not much is known about the sequel to the tower defense game but the title even pokes fun about the long wait, Plants Vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time. Hit the break for PopCap’s teaser trailer for Plants Vs Zombies 2: It’s About Time.

Call Of Duty Ghosts Will Be Haunting Gamers In November

Activision has officially announced the next installment of Call Of Duty and its name is, Call Of Duty Ghosts. As far as COD reveals go, Ghosts was actually pretty lackluster. A short teaser trailer with a press release stating COD Ghosts is “An All-New World, Story, Characters and Experience, All Powered By A New, Next Gen Call Of Duty Engine from the Developer that started it all, Infinity Ward“.

November 5, 2013 is the release date and COD Ghosts will be available for Xbox 360, PS3, PC and next generation consoles. We will get to see the first gameplay later this month at Microsoft’s event and announcement of their next console, May 21. No word yet if it will appear on Nintendo’s Wii U.

I, like so many assumed Ghosts would have something to do with the character, Simon “Ghost” Riley from Modern Warfare 2. Given the title and the fact that the official Call Of Duty website teased an image of a skull infused balaclava, it was an honest mistake. In a way I’m kind of glad, Ghost belongs to a COD of the past. As far as I’m concerned he died with MW2 as did much of what I loved about COD. Silly Activision, everyone knows the developer who started it all have mostly “Respawned” elsewhere.

I’m still a fan of the franchise, or maybe I’m just a slave to the COD machine but I hope to once again be amazed by it. As we wait for more information, I present you with the teaser trailer followed up by Activision’s official press release.

Activision Announces the Next Generation of Call of Duty with Call of Duty : Ghosts
Call of Duty: Ghosts will set a new Benchmark for the Next Generation
All-New World, Story, Characters and Experience, All Powered by New, Next Gen Call of Duty Engine from the Developer that started it all, Infinity Ward
For an Exclusive First Look at the Game, Tune in to Xbox: The New Generation Revealed, May 21 at 10AM PDT on Xbox.com, Xbox Live or SPIKE TV
Groundbreaking Title Lands on November 5
SANTA MONICA, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Prepare for the next generation of Call of Duty . The franchise that has defined a generation of gaming is set to raise the bar once again with the all-new Call of Duty : Ghosts. Published by Activision Publishing, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), and developed by Infinity Ward, the studio that created the original Call of Duty and the seminal Call of Duty : Modern Warfare series, Call of Duty: Ghosts ushers in the next generation of the franchise. The new title delivers a riveting all-new gameplay experience built on an entirely new story, setting and cast of characters, all powered by a new, next generation Call of Duty engine that redefines the series for the next generation.
“Infinity Ward set the gold standard for first-person action for a generation, and they’re going to do it again with Call of Duty: Ghosts,” said Eric Hirshberg, CEO of Activision Publishing, Inc. “Ghosts delivers an all-new story, all-new characters, an all-new Call of Duty world, all powered by a next generation Call of Duty engine, which is a leap forward for the franchise. Infinity Ward is going all-in to create the next generation of Call of Duty worthy of the world’s greatest fans.”
“Everyone was expecting us to make Modern Warfare 4, which would have been the safe thing to do. But we’re not resting on our laurels,” said Mark Rubin, executive producer of developer Infinity Ward. “We saw the console transition as the perfect opportunity to start a new chapter for Call of Duty. So we’re building a new sub-brand, a new engine, and a lot of new ideas and experiences for our players. We can’t wait to share them with our community.”
To see an exclusive first look at Call of Duty: Ghosts tune in to Xbox: the Next Generation Revealed on May 21 at 10AM PDT on Xbox.com, Xbox LIVE or SPIKE TV for the debut of the all-new game from Infinity Ward.
“We are consistently thrilled with the overwhelming response received from critics and consumers alike to the Call of Duty series, which has firmly established its home on the Xbox 360 with the game’s largest and most engaged community,” said Don Mattrick, president of the interactive entertainment business at Microsoft. “With Call of Duty: Ghosts, we have no doubt that our longtime partners, Activision and Infinity Ward, will raise the bar higher than ever before for this incredible franchise.”
Starting today, fans can begin pre-ordering their copy of Call of Duty: Ghosts at retail outlets worldwide.
“There’s no other video game property like Call of Duty. It’s the biggest game franchise on the planet that has had some of the biggest game entertainment launches in history,” said Tony Bartel, president of GameStop. “We are very excited for the launch of Call of Duty: Ghosts, as we transition to next generation consoles.”
Call of Duty: Ghosts will release on Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system and PC on November 5. Call of Duty: Ghosts will also be available for next generation platforms. For the latest intel, check out: www.callofduty.com/ghosts, www.facebook.com/CODGhosts, or follow on Twitter @InfinityWard. Call of Duty: Ghosts is not yet rated.
About Activision Publishing, Inc.
Headquartered in Santa Monica, California, Activision Publishing, Inc. is a leading worldwide developer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment and leisure products.
Activision maintains operations in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Australia, South Korea, mainland China and the region of Taiwan. More information about Activision and its products can be found on the company’s website, www.activision.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Statements: Information in this press release that involves Activision Publishing’s expectations, plans, intentions or strategies regarding the future, including statements about the expected Call of Duty: Ghosts release date of November 5, 2013, are forward-looking statements that are not facts and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Factors that could cause Activision Publishing’s actual future results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements set forth in this release include unanticipated product delays and other factors identified in the risk factors sections of Activision Blizzard’s most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon information available to Activision Publishing and Activision Blizzard as of the date of this release, and neither Activision Publishing nor Activision Blizzard assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements believed to be true when made may ultimately prove to be incorrect. These statements are not guarantees of the future performance of Activision Publishing or Activision Blizzard and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, some of which are beyond its control and may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations.
ACTIVISION, CALL OF DUTY, CALL OF DUTY MODERN WARFARE and CALL OF DUTY GHOSTS are trademarks of Activision Publishing, Inc. Microsoft, Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. All other trademarks and trade names are the properties of their respective owners.

Geeky Game Review: Dead Island: Riptide

Once more into the breach my fellow geeks! We have zombies monsters to slay! After Dead Island dropped in 2011, zombie killing fans were left wanting more, much more. Well here we are, stuck in another island hell hole fighting off hordes of undead monstrosities and were we given the sequel we needed, the sequel we deserved?

Dead Island: Riptide is a psuedo-sequel to Dead Island. You could call it an expansion pack pretty much, a huge expansion at that. The same four heroes from the first are back with a new immune survivor in the mix. The game starts off exactly after the end of the first, with our motley crew escaping the infested Banoi. The gang ends up on a ship in the ocean where they find more hardship. Abducted, they become the focus of experiment after experiment. As with all things science, an outbreak occurs and the ship crashes. Not back on Banoi thankfully but an all new section of the cluster, Palanai.

More…

Palanai is its own creature, separate from Banoi but yet strikingly familiar. It’s a lush tropical paradise but so was Banoi and I believe that’s what starts the downfall of the game. Riptide feels much like its predecessor in every way, the good with the bad. Every thing that was wrong with the original is still wrong in Riptide. We’re talking the poor, stuttering frame rate, the stilted “I got a load in my pants” walk of your chosen avatar, the clipped sound and horribly repetitive fetch quests. It’s almost like Techland didn’t listen to anything the fans said and kept on with business as usual. And they brought along some new glitches to irritate fans.

Did you rely on the quest marker to lead you to the next destination, to help you bypass the throngs of brain hungry foes? Yeah, you can forget that bad boy in Riptide – it’s fundamentally broken. It works when it wants to, which isn’t very often mind you. Routinely you will become over run and murdered by the Left 4 Dead type hordes, by the constantly respawning zombies, by the ninja-like wretches that will appear behind you. It is pure frustration on an epic scale. Something I never encountered in DI but are present everywhere are insta-killing enemies. They throw one tiny knife and full health bar or not, BAM! you’re dead. Utter rubbish.

Not all is bad in Riptide, there are some improvements to be found, some additions to make it stand out. Something I thoroughly enjoyed was the hub defense for the various hideouts the gang holes up in. The zombies will swarm in from a scattering of weak spots in an attempt to swallow up the survivors. Each time I played, I had a blast laying down traps, rushing to a friend’s aid and cutting off little pieces of the horde. That brings up another new and fun item, mines and bombs. It’s delicious fun to drop a mine and watch some schmuck walk into it, set it off and then burn down to the ground. Fun, fun!

Beyond the usual quests, the team now has a set of fetch quests to achieve. Grabbing x number of whatever and bringing them back to a survivor grants newer weapons, cheaper prices at stores and more helpful friends during the hub defense. I handed off 4 blankets to one guy and next thing I knew, he was wielding a monstrous, multi-edged zombie slicer instead of his puny bat.

Techland introduced a few new monsters to the core set. The biggest pain is the Screamer, a monster that..screams. The scream is so deafening that your hero is instantly incapacitated by it, usually knocked to the ground. The Wrestler is a slow and deadly hulk of a monster that can kill in one blow. Also new to the game is the Dead Zones. Dead Zones are chock full of monsters as well as a boss monster. You got to be good and you got to be tough to clear the zone, which includes killing the tough as nails boss. It’s worth it though as Dead Zones usually have something rare for you tucked away in them.

I’m not here to say Riptide is utter trash because it’s not. It does have some serious issues that were never fixed from the first game and it has some new issues that impact gameplay but if you can look past them you’ll find a competent zombie slasher with real potential. There is plenty of real fun to be had in crafting new weapons and busting monster skulls with them. Each kill is a satisfying kill, especially when you’re surrounded by more ready to die – again.

I give Dead Island: Riptide a 6 out of 10 and would gladly bump that up if they can issue a patch to fix some of the technical problems. Hopefully Techland goes ahead with a full-blown sequel and fixes the complaints.

Many thanks to out pals at Deep Silver for the Xbox 360 review copy! May I never hear “I gotta find another way in” again!

Ahead of I/O, Google triples GMail, Drive storage.

Let’s be honest, Google has been wicked awesome at the amount of storage they offer us for free. 5 GB to split among GMail, Google Drive and Google+ pics is pretty damn fair compared to the paltry 2 GB Dropbox serves its free users. Google clearly wants to stay waaaaaaaay ahead of the competition as they just tripled the amount of available cloud storage.

15 GB of cloud love is slowly rolling out for all of us that rely on the Google train. What’s even better is you can decide if you want an even split or if you want more space devoted to Google+. Maybe you don’t use Drive that much, you can just adjust the settings so you have more room for your cat photos in G+. Google Apps users are also seeing a bump up – from 25 GB to 30 GB.

Don’t forget, you can also purchase more space if you tend to be a storage hog. $5 a month will score you a 100 GB online storage shed while a Weasly measly 10 smackers a month can rent out a reception hall sized 200 GB.

Makes you wonder way, mere days before Google I/O, they pumped up the storage. Do they have some shenanigans ready for the annual developers conference? Stay tuned geeks, we’ll find out!

Geeky Game Review: Metro Last Light

For the past few years I’ve been meaning to finish 2010′s Metro 2033. I was instantly drawn to the post apocalyptic story driven shooter but have always found the clunkiness of its controls a major deterrent. As Metro 2033 found itself further back in my ever growing backlog of games, the future of its sequel looked as bleak as the post apocalyptic Russian setting that is Metro.

In 2012 it was no secret that THQ, Publisher of the Metro series was in financial trouble. Several games on THQ’s roster faced delays while the iconic publisher of video games tried to come up with a solution to their financial woes while still maintaining a level of commitment to the hard work developers like 4A invested into their games. In the end THQ filed for bankruptcy and their games were auctioned off to the highest bidders. Eventually Metro Last Light ended up at Deep Silver and now is available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Metro Last Light picks up where Metro 2033 left off, if you are new to the series be sure to watch the beginning cutscenes that will fill you in on the story thus far. The Metro universe is inspired by the books of Dmitry Glukhovsky and follows our hero Artyom through the devastation and consequences of a nuclear holocaust in his once beautiful Russia. Artyom is a Ranger and is sent to find the last known remaining “Dark One“. The Dark Ones were the species Artyom chose to call in a missile strike on in Metro 2033 and is therefore responsible for their extinction.

There is dissent amongst Artyom’s fellow survivors as to what is to be done with the last remaining Dark One, who is just a child. Of course, once Artyom finds the lone Dark One, we soon learn that a few other political factions are also on the hunt for the Dark One and have their own agendas as to why. Our hero Artyom has one distinct advantage, he can communicate with the dying race. In doing so Artyom starts to doubt his decision of helping commit genocide against the misunderstood Dark Ones.

Metro Last Light is best described as a shooter / horror-survival hybrid. The nicely paced campaign unfolds with both political upheaval and scary mutants all struggling to control the Metro. The story is very intriguing and well written despite a few weak spots in the plot. It has inspired me to dust off my copy of Metro 2033 and place it at the beginning of my backlog. The Metro world is one I can’t wait to revisit.

The setting of post apocalyptic Russia is one of great tragic beauty. 4A’s eye for detail and use of light and darkness gives the feel that the most important character of the game is the Metro itself. I found myself adjusting my eyes to adapt to the dark of the underground tunnels and cringing while wiping the imaginary cobwebs away as if my video game surroundings were my reality. Turning off a light will help you hide from human A.I. but will impede your ability to navigate around the Metro and might also catch you off guard from creatures of the dark.

Gameplay was incredibly smooth and much improved from the first Metro. Controls felt natural and were easy to learn, my biggest complaint would have to be the A.I.. Often I could sneak up on a group of 2 or 3 video game enemies and stab all of them in a very un-stealthy fashion without being detected. Non human or mutant enemies were a different story and were much more relentless in their pursuit of Artyom.

Weapons and ammo are plentiful in Metro Last Light as not only were they lying all around, human A.I. almost always had some on them that you could scavenge from their dead corpses. Above ground movement requires the use of a gas mask for survival but once again filters to extend your clean breathing were fairly abundant.

Metro Last Light’s gameplay while still challenging at times is easier than I remember its predecessor to be. Most of my in-game deaths resulted from my own stupidity or lack of paying attention. One other issue I had with the game was a few of the automatic checkpoints were inconveniently located, like the time I kept respawning with very little air left on my filter, no replacements in sight, and a great deal of travel left to get to my destination. However, on the subject of checkpoints, kudos for them being frequent especially in long battles or boss fights, unlike some current games I know. That’s right, God Of War Ascension and Crysis 3 I’m talking about you!

I played the game on a PC running it at the ultimate settings and if you have a powerful gaming rig, I recommend doing the same. The graphics of Metro Last Light are stunning and despite its devastated Russian setting, it’s quite beautiful. If you are playing it on a PC with an AMD video card, be sure to turn PHYSX off in the settings. I played a few hours without incident before I experienced any problems with the graphics. I didn’t notice any more issues after turning PHYSX off and the game looked just as amazing with it off as it did on. Also, if you turn PHYSX off mid gameplay you will have to quit to your desktop and restart the game before the setting will change.

I experienced a few minor glitches with the A.I. and for whatever reason during the last battle my weapons would not fire at times, despite having a full magazine. I also had issues with the night vision goggles and never once got them to work. Overall though, my experience with Metro Last Light was very enjoyable. I’d give it an 8 out of 10. In a year where Tomb Raider and Bioshock Infinite have raised the bar on video games, I’d say that is quite impressive.

A very special thank you goes out to the amazing PR department at Deep Silver for supplying me with a review copy of Metro Last Light as well as advice on optimal settings for my PC.

Metro Last Light was developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. The game is now available on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

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  Deep Silver opens the gates to Moscow’s underground: Metro: Last Light is now available

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  Metro: Last Light doesn’t treat you like a moron

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Calling All Cat Ladies, CatLand Needs Your Help

Cue up the Sarah McLaughlin music and imagine a lonely virtual kitten in need of your assistance. Lost And Found Games are seeking funding for CatLand, an interactive pet app, and have started a Kickstarter campaign. Your donation can save the lives of many virtual cats and will help them find homes on the smartphones they deserve.

Catland is similar to the Tamagotchi‘s that were so popular a few years back. If you are unable to have a pet for any reason, why not have a virtual pet? CatLand also features a check in feature that offers entertainment and a change of scenery for your fake feline friend.

Check out the video below and remember being a cat lady is only crazy if you are found out. Keep your secret safe by being a virtual cat lady with CatLand.

Verizon ‘Edge’ Gives Customers Early Upgrades on Mobile Phones

Verizon has echoed the new pricing models of rivals T-Mobile and AT&T with its very own, called Edge. The plan will offer customers more frequent upgrades, and also ease the cost of smartphone subsidies on Verizon's balance sheet. Verizon says the Edge device payment plan spreads the retail price of a smartphone over 24 months, and allows customers to upgrade their phone after just six months, if they've paid 50% of the retail price of the phone. The 24-month payment period then begins again. The program works with all of Verizon's available smartphones, including the iPhone, and becomes available to its Share Everything customers on August 25. Shares of Verizon were down 1.7% to $49.87 on Thursday afternoon in New York. On a conference call Thursday Verizon's chief financial officer Fran Shammo described Edge as "yet another choice" for Verizon customers, though he was light on details about how the plan would work.

Read the full story at Forbes.

Tech Giants Send US Government Letter Seeking Transparency Over Data Requests

A letter signed by some of the most prolific US-based technology companies such as Apple, Facebook and Google has been sent to the Obama administration and Congress today asking for greater transparency over national security-related data requests. The alliance, rumored yesterday to be readying the document, is now urging the US government to give them permission to publish regular reports that would indicate at least some of the type and quantity of information being collected. This would include the number of requests for information - related to their users - submitted under specific legislation such as Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act and Section 702 of the FISA Amendments Act. It would also cover the number of individuals, accounts and devices that were requested by each authority, as well as the total amount of requests for data related to user messaging or calls.

Read the full story at The Next Web.

Electronic Arts ditches Online Pass finally.

At long last Electronic Arts has seen the light, they have listened to the scathing fans, they have reached some form of common sense in their corporate minds. The Online Pass a.k.a. Project Ten Dollar is finally being scrapped, no seriously, it’s over. The witch is dead. She can’t get you nor your little dog now.

After 3 ridiculous years of budget minded shoppers getting the shaft on buying used games, EA will no longer shove those stupid little codes inside each new copy of their blockbuster titles. Originally envisioned as ”an effort to package a full menu of online content and services,” otherwise none as “OP Jack the Consumer” the program morphed into a way to cut used games out of the system. Instead “many players didn't respond to the format.” And rightly so. Some people can’t drop $60 bucks down for every title and either have to wait for a sale (in which a significant time passes and often rendered the Online Pass invalid) or buy used.

“We've listened to the feedback and decided to do away with it moving forward." Say what? You guys listened? I guess being named “The Worst Company in America” will do that to you, just maybe. Although let’s be real here, there are far worse companies here than Electronic Arts. Of course now we have to sit back and wonder how they’re going to gouge us. $70 games? $30 map packs? It boggles the mind!

So what you geeks think? About time or too little too late?

Manhunt kills its way to PSN.

Holy bloody plastic bags geeks! Rockstar has announced the controversial “murder simulator“, Manhunt, is now available for purchase on the PSN. Ten bucks will nab you one of gaming’s bloodiest, vicious games to see the light of day. A game where life is a hunt and you’re the prey, where cameras watch your every move and record every brutal kill you make.

I remember getting game on launch day and playing till 3 in the morning, it hooked me. My geek queen of course couldn’t understand my disturbing fascination with it but to each his own, right? My favorite kill object was the plastic bag, sneaking up on a gun wielding nogoodnik and wrapping it around his head was quite exhilarating. I am not a serial killer by the way, just so you know.

The PSN version of Manhunt has been modified but it isn’t a remake. No trophy support here just a PS2 classic on PSN. I can confirm it is already loaded into the PSN so you can go get your murder on now if you want.

Nintendo consoles are now the official home of Sonic the Hedgehog!

If you played video games in the 90′s, you knew there were two mascots fighting for your gaming dollars: Nintendo’s Mario and Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog. Both starred in awesome games, both had cameos in comics and both, both were damn endearing. Once Sega bowed out of the console market that left Sonic a free agent. Since then, we’ve seen him on the Xbox 360, PS3 and even a Nintendo console or two. That was shocking but the latest from Sega is even more shocking.

Sega and Nintendo have struck a deal to make Nintendo the official home of Sonic! That’s right geeks, long time rivals Mario and Sonic will now permanently live under the same console roof. Sega will still make the games but they will only be on anything Big N, at least for the next three titles.

Back in my childhood gaming I would have never thought, I imagined it, that the foes would become BFFs. Now they can braid each other’s hair, make pies and chase after evil doers together forever. Chalk this one up to the strangest exclusive ever!

SEGA of America Inc. and SEGA Europe Ltd. today announced details of an exclusive partnership with Nintendo of America Inc. and Nintendo of Europe GmbH for the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. The new agreement will make Nintendo consoles the number one destination for Sonic gaming over the next three titles. The first two titles of the deal were announced today via Nintendo Direct, and details of the third Sonic title will be revealed at a later date.

"Sonic the Hedgehog has performed incredibly well on Nintendo platforms and this exclusive partnership is a natural fit for the next evolution of Sonic games" commented Jurgen Post COO SEGA Europe Ltd. "The Wii U and Nintendo 3DS are ideal platforms to showcase Sonic and we are looking forward to working with Nintendo on these three exciting adventures."

Sonic the Hedgehog first appeared as a videogame character in June 1991 and instantly became an icon for a generation of gamers. Defined by his super-fast speed and cool attitude, in the years since he first raced on to videogame consoles Sonic has become a true global phenomenon with over 75 million videogames and smartphone apps sold worldwide. SEGA's iconic blue blur has also gone on to enjoy incredible success in many licensed areas, such as toys, apparel, comics and animation.

Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection gets release date!

How much Metal Gear Solid can Konami fit into one package? We’re going to find out with the Metal Gear Solid: The Legacy Collection. Crammed into two blu-ray discs will be the ultimate Metal Gear fan’s dream line-up: Metal Gear Solid, MGS2, MGS3, MGS4, MGS: Peace Walker, MGS: VR Missions (all HD’d up), the original MSX versions of Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 and two Ashley Wood digital comics. Also featured will be an expansive 100 page art book covering the 25 years the franchise has been captivating gamers.

The PS3 exclusive set is now officially set to drop on July 9th for $49.99. Quite a bargain when you consider how many Metal Gear games you get and all the trophies you can acquire! Stay tuned as this Metal Gear geek is craving some Legacy.

Ultimate Line-Up of Fan Favorites Available in PlayStation 3 Package

Konami Digital Entertainment, Inc. today announced METAL GEAR SOLID: THE LEGACY COLLECTION will be available in North America and South America on July 9, 2013.

Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the METAL GEAR SOLID franchise, this PlayStation 3 exclusive package will include METAL GEAR SOLID, METAL GEAR SOLID 2: HD Edition, METAL GEAR SOLID 3: HD Edition (which includes the original MSX versions of METAL GEAR and METAL GEAR 2), METAL GEAR SOLID: Peace Walker HD Edition, METAL GEAR SOLID: VR MISSIONS, METAL GEAR SOLID 4: Trophy Edition and two Ashley Wood digital graphic novels which will be released for the first time in North America. In addition, the collection will include an all-new 100 page art book highlighting marketing art from across the globe, spanning the profound 25 year history of the esteemed franchise.

The METAL GEAR SOLID series is the seminal work of Hideo Kojima, Japan’s master game creator, and the progenitor of the stealth action game genre. With more than 33 million units sold to date, the METAL GEAR series has become a global phenomenon. The player controls a secret agent from an elite special forces unit who is sent on solo stealth missions through enemy installations, vast jungles, and sometimes even the thick of battle. Alone and surrounded by the enemy, even a special forces agent will find it tough to come out alive. But that is the secret behind the series’ popularity-the cerebral challenge of figuring out how to avoid combat, and the thrill of sneaking through enemy territory undetected.

METAL GEAR SOLID: THE LEGACY COLLECTION will be available on July 9 for $49.99 for the PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system.

PS3 Wireless Headsets Will Be Compatible With The PS4

It is a little surprising that older Xbox 360 headsets will not be compatible with the new Xbox One console. Though Microsoft is working on an adapter. The good news for PlayStation 4 buyers is that the new console will work just fine with your old PS3 headset.

Panasonic and Sanyo Fined over $56 Million for Price Fixing

Price fixing in the technology world is nothing new, multiple companies have been fined for fixing prices for various items such as LCD screens in the past. Both Panasonic Corp. and Sanyo Co. have each agreed to pay a portion of a massive fine for price-fixing in the battery and auto part markets. Each company will pay a portion of a fine totaling $56.5 million.

Nap Anywhere is a new kind of travel pillow

I have a lot of trouble sleeping in places that aren't a bed or a couch. The main issue is that I can't ever seem to get my neck comfortable. I've tried travel pillows, bundling up a coat or sweatshirt under my head, but nothing really seems to work. And if I do manage to get to sleep, I tend to regret my decision once I wake up. But now there's a new kind of travel pillow that hopes to change all of that.

The Nap Anywhere is a strange looking travel pillow, that doesn't look very comfortable at first glance. When not in use, it just appears to be a rather strange-looking flat disc. However, once it's bent to the appropriate position, it actually rests against your shoulder, and provides an area to comfortably rest your head. The end result is something that looks like half of a neck brace (though I imagine it's a lot more comfortable to wear). There is also an included strap that will help ensure that the Nap Anywhere stays in place while you're sleeping.

The nice thing about this is how thin it becomes when not in use. It only appears to be around an inch thick, and weighs about 8 ounces. This will be easy to slip into most carry-on bags, if you take it with you on the plane. It is reversible, so you can choose between a warm-feeling fabric like fleece or suede, or a cooler-feeling one, such as nylon or leather (they haven't stated the final fabrics just yet). If you want to get yours, all you need to do is pledge $44 to the Kickstarter fund, which still has a few days left to meet its goal.

Source: OhGizmo
[ Nap Anywhere is a new kind of travel pillow copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

Rice Cube lets you spice things up in the kitchen

"Sign up for Uncle Sam and you are in for three square meals a day!", or so that is what I have been told concerning wartime propaganda in the past. Life was a whole lot tougher then, especially when nations are warring against one another. Well, there was no way to induce such a literal meaning to your meals back then, but here we are in the 21st century, and there is very little concerning food that we cannot do. With the 9.99 Rice Cube, you can literally turn your meal of rice into a square one.

If you tend to host plenty of folks in your home every single week, and want to offer something that will result into a conversation starter, then the Rice Cube makes plenty of sense, as your everyday serving of rice is turned into art. Talk about composing cool cubic culinary creations, and it allows you to churn out sexy looking sushi, desserts as well as snacks in a matter of seconds. Simple in form and function, but devastatingly cool utensil if you want to rack up the compliments from your guests for your creativity. Made from food safe plastic, it is dishwasher safe and is also 100% recyclable.
[ Rice Cube lets you spice things up in the kitchen copyright by Coolest Gadgets ]

The next Xbox is now the Xbox One!

We finally have an official name for the successor to the Xbox 360 legacy, the Xbox One. Microsoft unveiled the sleek console today during their hour-long press conference in Seattle. The company gave us all a shot of the future and the future looks good.

I’m digging the sexy look of the console, it looks like a modernized companion piece to any living room set up. I wish they would have dropped the piano black finish though, that tends to collect more dust and grime than a matte finish. The new controller is a sexy beast, something that would be imagined for a sci-fi show instead of real life. MS didn’t change the Xbox One controller so much but yet it looks so fresh. They do claim they’ve redesigned the infamous D-pad.

What we know so far about the Xbox One is it has 8GB of RAM, an 8 core custom-built CPU, blu-ray drive, USB 3.0, WiFi Direct, HDMI Kinect 2.0 and happily a 500GB hard drive. No word on if we can swap out bigger drives but I would say it’s a given. Good out of the gate specs for the “future”.

Backwards compatibility is a no go for the Xbox One due to the brand new architecture running the system. The system is powered by three separate operating systems, the new Xbox gaming system, the Windows kernel and a custom-built OS to get those two to play nice. After seeing it run, I’ll gladly lose BC for the features being brought forth. One thing is the deeper integration with the new Kinect sensor. Plop down in front of the One and say “Xbox On” and it instantly starts up for you. Using Kinect to flip channels, switch to different sections of the console was breathtakingly swift.

We didn’t see much of the games slated for the Xbox One which is sad and makes me feel as if Microsoft is forgetting why they’re #1 right now. We got a glimpse of Forza 5, a new game from Remedy called Quantum Breaker and at the end of the show was a big show off of Call of Duty: Ghosts. The trailers looked amazing but no actual game play. We’re told that we will get more of the games at E3. We do know that achievements will transfer over the One.

Launch is a tentative “this year” and no price is yet set. I expect it to drop at $399 personally. We’ll keep digging up the juice for you geeks so stay tuned!

Game installs will be a mandatory thing on Xbox One.

No, no, no, not this again. We’re hearing from sources that the Xbox One will require gamers to be installed on the hard drive before playing is allowed. If for some reason you want to take that new game over to a buddy’s house, you would have to pay a fee to MS just to play it. The game will be tied to one Xbox Live account, no mention yet if it can be unlinked for another account.

Yeah I hate installing games to my PS3. I have a puny 80GB hard drive and it fills up quick with all the mandatory installs. Plus who wants to buy a brand new game, rush home and then wait while 5GB of data is slowly transferred to their deck? Not I that’s for sure. The Xbox One may have a 500GB drive but that sucker will fill up very fast with games, here’s hoping for TB drives.

What this seems like is Microsoft’s use of the Xbox One against the used games market. Sure EA ditches Online Passes but then someone still has to pay to play used. Stay tuned geeks as more info will eventually emerge.

Apple TV 2 – Latest iPSW 4.3 (8F455) + MainMenuSlideShow How to

Today Apple Launched there latest version of software for Apple TV 2, The 8F455 Please Do NOT UPDATE since there is no Jailbreak out for it, and if you have ...
Video Rating: 4 / 5

13.3 inch Notebook Laptop Case Apple MacBook PRO Shoulder Messenger Bag – Light Grey Rainbow Cats

13.3 inch Notebook Laptop Case Apple MacBook PRO Shoulder Messenger Bag - Light Grey Rainbow Cats

• Adjustable / detachable shoulder strap [Brown]
• Two-way top zipper closure for easy access
• Interior and External Compartments for Your Cell Phone, Business Cards, Pens and Files
• Internal supporting velcro band to secure your laptop in place
• Fits laptop size up to 15 - Approximate dimensions 15 W x 12 H x 3 D

None OEM Toshiba 15.6 inch Notebook Laptop Nylon Case with Outside Pockets for Cellphone and Accessories. Detachable shoulder strap included along with internal pockets for extra accessories. Velcro straps holds laptop securely in place. Distinguish yourself carrying your everyday laptop on this unique patterned durable bag.

Steven Spielberg + Halo = Halo: The Television Series.

Holy geekgasmic! During the Xbox One unveiling, the amazing Steven Spielberg made a cameo to announce he would be working with 343 Industries to bring forth an all new Halo television series!

Spielberg’s role in the project is still unknown, when the series will come out is unknown and even the scope of the series is unknown. So all we really know is that a Halo series is coming and Spielberg will somehow be involved, most likely as a producer.

When we know more, you geeks will know more.

OZombie: We’re Not In Kansas Anymore

American McGee‘s Spicy Horse has revealed that it’s working on a re-telling of the Oz story called OZombie. Dorothy, Toto, the lion and the tin woodsman are the games protagonists while the scarecrow is now a villain still seeking brains! Dorothy abandons her basket and now wields a repeater.

Described as an “Oz not of our remembering”, OZombie mixes the undead with the perfect setting of the beloved Oz that has captured our hearts and minds for many years.

OZombie will possibly be the first of two new projects Spicy Horse has on tap. The other being, Alice: Otherlands. The studio is hoping to gain the Alice rights from EA and if an agreement is met, they may go ahead with the familiar Alice setting next and perhaps try a Kickstarter campaign for OZombie. Fan response to OZombie is strong, and American McGee has even stated he’s possibly leaning towards Oz first.

Call Of Duty Ghosts: The Reveal Trailer

Today’s Xbox One reveal brought with it our first look at Call Of Duty Ghosts. As a long time fan of the series I must admit I’m intrigued by the shooter’s arrival on next generation consoles. While only a small glimpse was given, it appears as if the campaign will attempt to do something COD hasn’t done in years, offer up a touching story complete with characters we will care about. To help pull off this feat, Infinity Ward hired Oscar-winning screenplay writer Stephen Gaghan to pen the Call Of Duty Ghosts script.

Infinity Ward designed a new engine for COD Ghosts which will be a launch title for Xbox One and much to my dismay will continue the timed exclusive tradition of DLC first on Microsoft’s consoles. I guess we’ll have to wait for E3 to find out what role COD Ghosts will play on Sony‘s rival console, the PS4.

There’s a new A.I. system that will show up in everything from enemies to the fish that swim by you during underwater scenes. Dogs will take on a new role in Ghosts and act as a an integral part of your team and were modeled after real life dogs. I seriously hope Infinity Ward and Stephen Gaghan do not use the dogs for emotional leverage. I have built up enough guilt through the years having to kill several dogs called in from enemy killstreaks. I do not need my virtual pet and brother in arms to die for the sole purpose of pulling my heart-strings.

Multiplayer was not today’s main focus but we did learn that COD Ghosts maps will be “dynamic” including earthquakes, floods and player-triggered traps which will offer unique multiplayer experiences.

Far too little information was given today for me to form any kind of solid opinion on COD Ghosts. I’m excited to see what the new generation brings to a franchise I’ve been playing for nearly 10 years. Yet I’m also pessimistic that the COD franchise has what it takes to lead the FPS genre onto bigger and better things.

Here’s the official trailer released today and be sure to stay tuned to Don’t Hate The Geek for all things Call Of Duty.

More Saints Row IV shenanigans!

The Saints are back at it again with a new video for your viewing pleasure. It’s a tad on the short side but it does give you a taste of the telekinesis power your presidential gangsterness will have at your disposal. What’s that, you didn’t realize you were the president in the next Saints Row game? Shame on you. Hopefully you know that this time around you fight aliens and have super-duper powers that make the game go to 11 on the crazy scale.

We also get a good look at the “Commander-in-Chief” box art. The sunglasses tell it all, the action is going to be intense. Saints Row IV will hit Xbox 360, PS3 and PC on August 20th. Get your purple swag ready now geeks, it’s going to a blast! Hit the jump and check out the quick snippet in the Saints Row IV Hail to the Chief video series, just watch it all the way.

Metro: Last Light getting Season Pass and DLC.

Metro: Last Light was just released and publisher Deep Silver is making sure they keep that disc tucked inside your system of choice well after you’ve beaten it. A Season Pass is now available and, like all before it, gives faithful fans a savings over buying the individual DLC packs.

Some of the upcoming DLC includes the Tower Pack, said to be a challenge for Metro Vets, The Chronicles Pack, The Faction Pack and the Developer pack which will grant players a unique set of skills for them to wander the devastated world. What’s notable is that theses will all be single player as Metro has no multiplayer. A single player shooter, oh the humanity!

Hit the break and peep the full deets on the Season Pass. You can get yours now on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC for $14.99 or 1200 Microsoft Points.

Deep Silver reveals DLC plans and confirms Season Pass for Metro: Last Light

Larkspur, Calif., May 22, 2013 – Deep Silver today announced that 4A Games will support the critically acclaimed Metro: Last Light with a series of original single player content packs throughout the summer.

The Faction Pack and the Chronicles Pack will include new, original single player gameplay that expands on the Metro: Last Light universe and story

The Tower Pack will present a unique solo challenge to Metro veterans

Meanwhile, the Developer Pack will give creative players some interesting tools with which to explore the world of Metro…

Artyom s story may have been concluded in Metro: Last Light, but there are other characters with stories to tell, some familiar locations that fans of the Metro series wanted to revisit, and some new challenges that 4A wanted to explore, said Andrew Prokhorov, Creative Director at 4A Games. Since completing the game we have been working on these new stories and hope to release them throughout the summer.

The Metro: Last Light Season pass is available to download now from Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Steam for $14.99 / 11.99 / 14.99 or 1200 MSP now.

The first chapter will be the Faction Pack , set for release in June 2013.

Metro fans can pre-purchase all future DLC at a discount with the Season Pass, now available on Steam, Xbox LIVE Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the PlayStation Network. The Season Pass also grants an additional weapon, the deadly Abzats, a semi-automatic shotgun rifle with a devastating secondary fire mode that unleashes six shells in one blast.

PlayStation Plus subscribers are entitled to an additional 25% discount on the Season Pass through June 4th in the US and through June 5th In Europe and the rest of the world.

Metro: Last Light is available now for PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, and Windows PC and has been critically acclaimed by the gaming media.

For more information about Metro: Last Light, visit EnterTheMetro.com, like us atFacebook.com/MetroVideoGame or follow us on Twitter @MetroVideoGame.

About Deep Silver
Deep Silver develops and publishes interactive games for all platforms, seeking to deliver top-quality products that provide immersive game experiences driven by the desires of the gaming community. The company has published more than 200 games worldwide since 2003, including the critically-acclaimed, best-selling zombie action game, Dead Island . Upcoming titles include the side-scrolling arcade brawler, Sacred Citadel, the isometric action RPG, Sacred 3, the next game in the Dead Island franchise, Dead Island Riptide, Metro : Last Light and Saints Row IV . Deep Silver is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koch Media, GmbH, and includes the renowned development studio Deep Silver Volition, based in Champaign, IL. For more information, please visitwww.deepsilver.com or follow us on twitter at @deepsilver.

About 4A Games
4A Games is a computer game development studio based in Kiev, Ukraine. The studio was established in December 2005 by the veterans of Ukrainian game industry, with the aim of developing premium quality computer games for high-end PCs and next generation consoles supported by the in-house developed “4A Engine”.

At the heart of the company are around 80 talented designers, programmers, artists, sound specialists and writers, with years of experience in software development and computer games in particular.


Deep Silver, a division of Koch Media GmbH, Austria

Windows, Xbox, Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE are trademarks or registered trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation and PS3 are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Bad Bots, Bad Bots, Whatcha Gonna Do When They Come For You

Bad Bots is currently available on Steam for PC and Mac. For a limited time you can pick it up at a 25% discount, making Bad Bots $7.49 down from its usual cost of $9.99.

The retro indie Bad Bots will have you running and gunning through 170 exciting rooms, including the Evacuation Bay, Mechanical Shafts and Robot Workshops. Battle against over 2,000 psychotic robots made up of various types of bots, all with the intent to kill you. This includes 7 Bosses all with distinctive attacks including the fire-spitting Flamebot, electrified orbs and the death grip of the Spider.

Fight against your enemies with 8 different weapons such as an axe, rifle, shotgun and a grenade launcher. Bad Bots also serves up a variety of gameplay options such as the challenge mode where you must survive 60 seconds against endless enemies as well as the Sci-Fi story based campaign.

For gaming sessions from the couch, Bad Bots offers full controller and Steam’s Big Picture support. Bad Bots was developed by Vanni Del Moral (Point Five Projects) and published by Digital Tribe.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini set to debut on June 20th.

It seems Samsung has invited key members of the press to a special gala on June 20th in London. On tap for eyeballing will be many different Samsung products and rumors are allegedly confirmed the Galaxy S4 Mini will show up.

The miniature version of the mega-selling S4 is expected to run a 1.6 dual core processor, Android 4.2.2, an 8 megapixel rear camera and a 4.3″ qHD display. All of this will of course be coated with the latest TouchWiz interface. No pricing has been spoken but expect $199 with two year contract as always.

It’s our own fault the Xbox One is so media heavy!

I’ve complained, many peeps have complained, journalists have complained – the Xbox One event was way too centered on the media aspect of the console versus the gaming side. Not even a handful of games were presented last week but boy did Microsoft go crazy on the TV watching, the NFL happening and the sports playing. Sure we’re angry but we really have only ourselves to blame.

It’s a pretty simple thing, Microsoft is only giving us more of what we’ve been doing. I have a relatively small friends list (I’m pretty anti-social) and do you know what I see 70% of the time? People watching Netflix! Not playing Halo 4 or Skyrim but watching movies on the Netflix app. Watching videos on the dashboard, booting up Xbox video.

When you add up all the people who willingly, myself included, have spent any amount of time using the Xbox 360 for anything other than gaming then it really is no wonder why MS went full tilt on bringing more media options to the table. Major Nelson always has a list ready of the weekly top Live games played but I wonder what it would look like if they tabulated everything used on the 360. I have a feeling Netflix would reign supreme.

More…

If you want Microsoft to start banking on the games, start playing them more than watching Warehouse 13 on your Xbox. Get some buddies together and go looting in Borderlands 2. Just play some damn games and refocus the console to a gaming machine. Just my 2 .