The time is nigh – GTA V

GTA VSo we only have to wait until September 17th now to get our hands on the latest GTA instalment! The end of September will see me go into semi hibernation as I get to grips with the new game. It looks epic, massive and full of fun. I feel like a giggly school boy when new games come out, and especially excited at the new GTA V game.

I watched a couple of trailers back in 2011 and 2012. But since then nothing else has been mentioned until now! You can see s number of new trailers including the characters. There are three leading characters to play; you can swap between each during play so really can get the most from the game. The main thing I have taken from the videos is that it looks epic. So much area to cover which was lacking from the last game and that it’s not as real to life so you can do some crazy kick arse stuff.

The characters are; Michael, bad guy gone straight, but bored with his family high life and misses the excitement of his bad days. Franklin is a black kid stuck in gang violence wants more than just being a drug pusher. And finally crackpot Trevor, a red neck hillbilly with what seems like anger issues. Should be fun!

New Samsung Launch for the S4

There seems to be so much hype and fanfare when a new major handset is launched, I blame Apple, new handsets never got so much coverage since they started making mobile phones. Now the likes of Samsung, Nokia and HTC are also vying for the same media coverage.

Anyway last night the new Samsung Galaxy S4 was launched at New York’s Radio City (long gone are the days where a press release would suffice). The new handset doesn’t offer anything ground breaking, but does improve on the last edition and so much more on Apples iPhone 5. However there will be a new iPhone out this year, so that could surpass this one.

The Samsung Galaxy S4: The handset is 136.1 x 69.8mm x 7.9mm and weighs 130g and it has a Super OLED 441ppi, full HD 5-inch display. It is made out of polycarbonate and has metallic banding around the side. There is a 13-megapixel camera which shoots high-res shots and also records Full 1080p video. The Dual Shot camera shoots pics from the front and back and there also is updated image software and a new on board camera setup (which mimics the menu system on Samsung’s Galaxy Camera).

Inside you will find a 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor which is eight cores, however some territories there will be a Qualcomm Snapdragon in the S4’s. It also has 2GB of RAM, which is twice the amount you get in the iPhone 5. There are two storage size options; 16, 32 and 64GB. The S4 will run on Android Jelly Bean 4.2.1 alongside Samsung’s TouchWiz user interface, which has also been given a update. It has Wi-Fi connectivity, GPS and Bluetooth connectivity as well as an IR LED (Remote Control), MHL 2.0, Sensor Accelerometer, RGB light, Proximity, Gyro, Barometer, Temperature & Humidity sensors.

The Samsung Galaxy S4 will go on sale on 26 April and you can buy it free on the top-level contracts. Three and EE have already stated that they will stock the new handset. It will come in ‘White Frost’ and ‘Black Mist’ with additional colour options available later this year.

This will be another phone I add to my list, as I am due an upgrade. I just want to make sure the best have come out before I decide, however I just can’t see myself getting an iPhone.

Lazy Leeds

Not much to report this weekend was a bit too cold to be outside, and the rain on Saturday meant I confined myself to my games room, playing Crysis 3. Time well spent if you ask me. I kept abreast of the Leeds game though.

We haven’t built on our Millwall wine, only drawing with Leicester and Crystal palace, so we are still languishing in 10th place. I am not that hopeful now of making it to the playoffs; we have Peterborough tomorrow night, then Huddersfield and Ipswich, in March. Not the hardest teams, but we don’t seem to have much power at the moment. Peterborough is in the relegation zone so could be hard to play and Ipswich isn’t much further away, both teams there have a lot to lose. Hopefully Huddersfield won’t be too hard.

On another note, the FA Cup tie Manure and Chelski was a good game, thought Manure would run away with it but after the second half they decided not to turn up! Thus Chelski equalised, and they nearly got a winner in the last minute but Manures saving grace De Gea nipped it out of the way. Very lucky, that poor keeper has to really work hard! Anyway they get to play again and the winner will play unsurprisingly Citeh. Boring, but at least one of the PL teams will play a Championship team if Blackburn or Millwall beat Wigan. I have a feeling that Citeh will get through, to be fair Manure and Chelski can be equally rubbish at times! Hard to call at the moment.

I noticed that the release of SimCity has been rubbish, server problems, honestly why games manufacturers think DRM loading ever works. Millions of people having to log on to play single player will probably crash even the best servers. Why they think this will ever be a good thing is beyond me, I can see console games moving this way too, so not just to play multiplayer games. They say it’s to stop piracy but it’s just to control us, and make it so we have to buy endless add on just to enjoy game play.

I did note some reviews for SimCity stated that it’s a lot smaller than previous versions and should be call SimVillage. I reckon like the Sim games it’s so they can sell you extra content so you can keep playing. Thieving buggers, anyway I will be avoiding it now!

New HTC Handset

Taiwanese mobile giant HTC have finally announced their new handset; the HTC One. There have been a number of rumours buzzing around the internet, but finally we get to see what they have actually done.

Now I am not that into my mobile phones, I don’t get a new one every year but I am in the market for one this year. I haven’t had much look with my previous smartphones. My current handset the Motorola Razr, the latest version anyway not original, has started playing up; well it actually started to play up about two months before I could get a new one on contract. I don’t like Apple devices so that is ruled out and my previous handsets have been HTC so I think I may just look at this new HTC handset.

The new HTC One has an all-aluminium body and it has a Super LCD 3 high-res 4.7-inch HD screen and it comes in weighing 143g. The device runs on Android 4.1.2 and uses an upgraded version of Sense, unofficially dubbed Sense 5.0 which is HTC operating system as such. It also has a new multimedia social network service called BlinkFeed. This consists of large tiles which automatically update with information and photos from news sites and social networks.

The camera on the HTC One is a 4MP sensor; this differs from a 4MP camera, as it has a smaller sensor but much larger pixels which allow in more light and data. This method called Ultrapixel means that your pictures will look better. It also has HTC Zoe which is for photos; it takes a photo 0.6 seconds before you press the shutter button then waits three seconds afterwards to capture far more information. This results in a quick high res video every time you take a picture which can be easily edited on your phone.

There is nothing stand out that much apart from the camera and functions, however there really isn’t anything new being developed yet anyway. We have been lucky in recent years to have so many updates and new technologies coming through mobile technology, it’s expected that there may be a bit of stagnation for a while.

The HTC One looks like it’s pretty functional with some really great touches, as long as it’s reliable and works easily that’s me sold. I will wait a few months yet and see what other people and reviewers think and also see what else is out there, but for my money the HTC one looks like it could be the one for me.

New Xbox Games

There have actually been a number of rumours recently about the next Xbox console they are working on. So far I haven’t really liked what I have heard but, these are just rumours, perhaps all the bad news will come out and be found not to be true just before they release a super-awesome new console.

Anyway that’s still a long time away so I have had a look at some new and future game releases for the Xbox to keep you going until then.

The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct

Now I am a fan of the TV show, but in general not a fan of cross over games because they are never as good as they could be. Normally put together in rush. I don’t know how long they have been working on the game, we are now in the third season so perhaps a while. In the game you take on the part of crossbow-wielding survivor Daryl Dixon as he travels with his brother Merle. The game looks like it starts prior to what we saw in the first season, before the original group was formed, which is probably the best way to play the game. It’s out on 22nd March, however I am not sure if I will pre order it, I may see if love film have it or wait a few weeks and get it second hand. If you watch the video the video the graphics don’t look amazing so I am not sure about it yet.

Crysis 3 – Hunter Edition

I normally get Crysis games, they are generally entertaining. In the latest instalment you return to fight as Prophet, he is the Nanosuit soldier on a quest to rediscover his humanity and exact brutal revenge. The Crisis games are normally spot on when it comes to graphics and controls so I am hoping this one will follow suit. In this game you battle through the seven wonders of New York’s Liberty Dome. To do this you have new high-tech bow and alien weaponry to hunt the human and alien enemies. I have already re-ordered this game, its out next week 22nd February and I am pretty excited to get stuck into it. I will do a review after [playing it, so if you are on the fence about buying it then you should check that out. Anyway as a taster here is a video of Crysis 3 – Hunter Edition:

New Camera Lenses

A couple of years ago I bought myself a Canon EOS 550D as a replacement for an old Canon analogue camera (you know the one that takes film!) It came with a standard lens and I had another one from my old EOS that fitted too. Now I managed for a couple of years as I was only taking standard pics, you know holiday ones etc. However I want to do a bit more with photography so I have opted to get a couple more lenses with my Christmas money.

The first lens I bought is the Macro lens, EF 180mm f/3.5L Macro USM. It basically bring small things into full-sized vie and covers a large amount of detail on a small subject. The one I went for has telephoto capabilities which mean I don’t have to be really close to the subject matter to get the same quality. It’s a bit like a two in one lens. Once some of my plants grow in the garden over the next few months I can get some basic practice in, without having to go far. There were cheaper options to buying the lens, however if you really want quality photos then the macro lens the way to go. I compared close ups taken with my wife’s digital camera and you really do get better detail and improved perspective.

The second one I have added to my repertoire is a wide angle lens, with fixed focal length, the EF 14mm f/2.8L II USM. This lens will give a greater angle of view, which means you can capture a greater perspective, ideal for large scenes (thinking holiday pictures!)This lens will ensure a greater depth of field in your pictures so more of your subject is in focus. Plus it’s not heavy or bulky which means it’s easy to carry around.

Alternative Christmas Songs Res Hippy

So I like a good Christmas tune as much as the next man but sometimes you find that you are saturated with the same songs all the time, so recently I created an Alternative Christmas List:

Mason Jennings – Santa Claus is Coming To Town
Jack Johnson – Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer
Pet Shop Boys – It Doesn’t Often Snow At Christmas (New Version)
Sufjan Stevens – Sister Winter
Sufjan Stevens – Silent Night
The Flaming Lips – Christmas At The Zoo
Mother & The Addicts – Oh God It’s Christmas
blink-182 – I Won’t Be Home For Christmas
The Fall – Hark The Herald Angels Sing – Peel Session 17/12/94
The Ramones – Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight)
Galaxie 500 – Listen, The Snow Is Falling
The Smashing Pumpkins – Christmastime
Hurts – All I Want For Christmas Is New Year’s Day
The Killers – Boots
Pearl Jam – Let Me Sleep (It’s Christmas Time)
Glasvegas – A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like A Kiss)
RUN-DMC – Christmas In Hollis
The Futureheads – Christmas Was Better In The 80′s
Lucky Soul – Lonely This Christmas
Poly Styrene – Black Christmas
Hot Club De Paris – Will You Still Be In Love With Me Next Year?
Idiot Glee – Baby, It’s Cold Outside
James Yuill – Winter Wonderland
Slow Club – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Sufjan Stevens – O Come, O Come Emmanuel
Julian Casablancas – I Wish It Was Christmas Today
The Waitresses – Christmas Wrapping (Single Edit)
The Raveonettes – The Christmas Song
Low – Just Like Christmas
The Long Winters – Christmas With You Is The Best
Leona Naess – Christmas
Jimmy Eat World – Last Christmas – Studio Version
Eels – Christmas Is Going To The Dogs

Many of them are covers of well-known Christmas songs, but they have added their own vibe which I like. Some are also original Christmas songs, which again is great and makes a change from the usual Christmas songs you are inundated with.

Hopefully I can have this on over Christmas and on Christmas Day if the wife lets me, but she is a sucker for the usual Christmas songs.

All the fun of the football and my Xbox

I was a bit tired last night, so all I did was sit on the sofa and watch TV, luckily Champions League was on and I watched Real Madrid v Manchester City. T’was a good game, quite exciting although I forgot how much I hate ITV commentary! Real held most of the game, I had a suspicion though that Man City would score first though. They don’t always dominate but then manage to get a goal when you least expect it. Once they opened proceedings well into the second half the game and pace really got going.

It didn’t take long for Real to level the score but yet again Man City went ahead. Never deterred, Real followed suit minutes later levelling the score again and leaving Man City to keep the pace as a draw or get another goal. Unfortunately though Man City never saw the goal again and Real kept pushing forward until the 89th minute when Ronaldo scored the winner. In the 3 minutes of extra time it did look quite like Man City had given up and left the Bernabeu deflated after a good little fight.

Other Premier League team playing last night was Arsenal who beat Montpellier away from home. It does seem they can keep going somewhat without RVP let’s just see what they can do when the pressure is really put on them!

Leeds play Notts Forest at home hopefully we should be able to get a result from this game. We are back down to 13th after losing against Hull and Cardiff. I don’t have much to say on this matter as I am still seething from the result last night, which saw Hull go up to 4th place grrr!

On Friday I should get delivered F1 2012 for Xbox which I pre ordered back in July. It’s one of a list I have pre ordered and I am excited to have a go at this year’s F1 offering. I’ll have a good week of playing it before FIFA 13 comes out, so I will let you know next week what I think of the game!

New iPhone

It’s been eagerly anticipated in the press and tonight the new iPhone 5 was unveiled. I’m not really an Apple fan boy but I do like not keep on top of new technology and as Apple like to think they are keen innovators I am always intrigued to see what they come up with!

This time however it doesn’t seem to be much. Last week I read about the new Nokia Lumina and how it can be charged wirelessly. Now that’s some keen tech innovation for mobiles. Apple however hasn’t gone this route yet, instead all they have changes is their charger connecter to less pins. The Lightning dock connector is a smaller connector port which for many means buying adapters (from Apple only) so they can use their chargers and music docking stations. Apple has also shrunk the size of their sim card as well so a new one of those is needed if you are buying the phone sim free.

The new iPhone 5 will have 4G capabilities, at the moment only Everything Everywhere offers this and it’s still only in the trial stages. If you buy the phone sim free you can probably move to EE once it’s all up and running if your contract is over a year if you’re not with EE.

The iPhone style as always is great. It always looks smart and tidy, if not the same now. This time though they have made the iPhone 5 bigger than previous versions. Other versions had a 3.5 inch screen the new model has a 4 inch screen. This extra point five of an inch means you can fit an extra row of app icons on your home screen. Apple also gave the new sized screen a resolution boost too, you still get 640 pixels horizontally but now you get 1136 vertically to make it sharper.

Apple also added a 8 mega pixel camera although it probably won’t be the best on the market, they have never led with the camera aspect anyway. They do say their technology inside does make picture quality better but again other handsets also boast this so it’s nothing new.

Anyway there is a fair bit more inside these devices but as this isn’t really a review I can’t be bothered to say anymore. Well other than I won’t be getting one, not at over £500 sim free!

Ten best Android Apps

So there are hundreds of lists out there, but I have decided to make my own of the ten best Android Apps that I like/use. Cause well my opinion counts!

This last year I only really got into using my apps, I got the Motorola Razr at Christmas but I don’t really like it anymore. However I do use many apps on it. I think the reason I don’t like it anymore is that it feels dated already and well Nokia announced a new Windows phone and plus there is a new Apple iPhone due out which just gets me excited for new technology!

Anyway going off point a bit here, these are my top ten apps:

10. Sky News, BBC News – These are together because I use both regularly. Both are quick and easy to use and not too many bugs.

 

9. Instagram, Flickr – I’ve put these together because they are picture/photo apps. Instagram is great for fun photos and Flickr for serious ones. Both are easy to use and great to follow family and friends.

8. Spotify – After a, to do with my iPod I now use Spotify. I have a premium account which means I can stream music advert free though my handset when online and I have downloaded playlists for offline.

 

7. Sky+- Great when I’m in the pub and have forgotten to record something or I’m coming home later than I thought and may miss something.

 

6. WordPress - I use the app to access this blog, which is really easy and it means I can easily update, write and alter my posts. Plus check what comments all my fans are leaving!

 

5. Cloud WiFi – Because I have Sky I can get their free WiFi and use this app to locate ‘hotspots’ need 3G first though so you can find said ‘hotpots’.

 

4. Pingit – Barclays little gem of an app, can easily check balance and transfer small amounts of money to friends through your phone book.You can also get their online banking app as well but I don’t use that often as I use my computer for online banking more.

 

3. Tripadvisor – Use for a reference when out and about especially places I haven’t been before.
2. Amazon – Just because I can’t always be arsed to switch on my computer to buy something. Like when I’m in bed and think of something.

1. Sky Sports Football, London 2012 – Both together because sports orientated, London 2012 is only while the Olympics/Paralympics are on. I like a quick way to keep track of footie scores whilst out and about or at home when on Xbox!

If you look at my wife’s apps, most of them are to do with shopping, and silly girlie stuff! I do have quite a few more apps but these are the ones I use weekly and some daily. (I haven’t included social media because those apps are a given). I do wish though I could get Sky Go on my handset but it’s not out on Motorola devices, adding to why I am going off this phone!