Electricpig.co.uk - tech news fast! |
- Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition revealed
- iPhone NFC: Stars align to make it the perfect digital wallet?
- Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review
- Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Story
- Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Gameplay
- Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Multiplayer
- Blackberry Torch 9800 sales struggle: how would you fix it?
- Nokia box opened early to reveal Nokia C6
- Flight Control HD joins PlayStation Move line-up
- Top 5 unusual Audioboos
| Fallout: New Vegas Collector’s Edition revealed Posted: 17 Aug 2010 07:30 AM PDT 
Just like Old Vegas, the post-apocalyptic world of Fallout: New Vegas is gambling crazy. The Collector’s Edition has therefore gone with a poker theme. Die-hard fans (or just those who accidentally pay way over the odds due to an admin error) will get a copy of the game, a customised deck of Fallout: New Vegas cards, some “Lucky 7 ” poker chips and a replica of the platinum “Lucky 38″ chip that is a highly sought-after quest item in the game. The now-traditional making of DVD makes an appearance, of course, although we are disappointed to report that there is no soundtrack CD on offer. A shame, considering the high quality of the Fallout 3 OST. There is a graphic novel, however. “All Roads” fills in crucial backstory to the game and is illustrated by top comic artist Geoff Darrow. Out Autumn | £TBC | Bethesda Softworks (via CVG) Related posts:
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| iPhone NFC: Stars align to make it the perfect digital wallet? Posted: 17 Aug 2010 07:00 AM PDT 
Benjamin Vigier is one of the leading NFC experts in the world, and Apple has just hired him as its Commerce Product Manager. Are Apple up to something? The answer to that question is usually, “Yes, obviously” but what could it be? Here are a few of the Apple patents that we think might add up to make the ultimate digital wallet. The iTravel patent details a system where an iPhone or similar device could use an NFC chip to store your flight booking and hotel details, enabling you to not only arrange your travel plans on your phone, but to use it as a ticket to sail through the airport and check in desk. Similar functions are detailed in the iTune Concert Ticket + patent. This describes using an iPhone to hold your ticket to an entertainment event a dispenses with the need for a printed document. The phone then becomes a one-stop solution to both buying tickets and getting in to a venue. By tying it in with iTunes you can make following your favourite band an almost effort-free proposition. Apple is also working with shopping malls and big-name stores to develop ideas it patented in 2009 for a multipurpose shopping app. This app will create ‘heat maps’ of shopping centres that show popular shops or ones that the user might be interested in. The phone will contain localised maps and could guide the shopper around, even locating a parking space if required. Other patent filings exist for three payment options – iPay, iBuy and iCoupons. iCoupons automatically provides discount coupons for special offer, while the other two are variations on the digital cash idea, possibly allowing you to buy goods using iTunes credits. Like any big tech company, Apple tends to file patents for ideas as much to stop rivals getting their hands on them as anything else. With the hiring of Benjamin Vigier, however, we can’t help but think that NFC technology is something that Apple takes very seriously indeed. TBC | £tbc | Apple Related posts:
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| Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:37 AM PDT  Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is the ultra violent sequel to the underwhelming Kane and Lynch: Dead Men. This time round it brings non-stop action right to the end in this locomotive of unrelenting violence and revenge. But with so many AAA grade games knocking around right now, will it be enough to force its way into your gaming wishlist? Find out in our full Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review.
Prior to its release, the original Kane and Lynch suffered somewhat from the hype surrounding it. A credible title it was, but for the most part it largely flattered to deceive, only really establishing itself as a cult favourite thanks in part to the introduction of two unforgettable protagonists. So unforgettable in fact, that both will be hitting Hollywood next year, with Bruce Willis starring as Kane, with Jamie Foxx playing the schizophrenic, unhinged Lynch. But before then it’s still reassuring to see them both return to gaming in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days in what is an an improvement on its prequel. The story revolves around an insane 48 hours that sees the world of Kane and Lynch turn upside down almost instantly, after the daughter of Shangsi, Shanghai’s biggest gangster is accidentally killed. Soon an organised hit is placed on their heads as they’re propelled from mere criminals to Shanghai’s most wanted under the orders of Shangsi. Soon even those close to Lynch (the character you take control of) aren’t safe and the themes of revenge and betrayal override everything else as shootouts occur between new foes and former friends. To delve any more on the plot of Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days would be to spoil things because there isn’t a lot of it. The result is that Kane and Lynch need to get out of the mess they find themselves as quickly as possible. That’s not to say the plot isn’t well executed. It is, as familiar as it will be to fans of gangster films. What follows is non stop action from start to finish. It’s both a plus point and a negative. Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days developer IO Interactive has, for the most part ignored set-pieces in favour delivering as many gun ho shooty bits as possible. While the intentions are good, at times you’ll feel as if you’re playing the same stage over and over, minus the setting. There are some stand out scenes and levels, particularly one torture scene and the level immediately after it, simply because it arrives almost unexpectedly. Another that has you piloting a helicopter is the only real set-piece of the game, and will make you wonder why there weren’t more to mix things up. While Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days’ controls have been improved from the original you can’t help but feel that the aiming and shooting still need minor tweaking. It’s still difficult to fire accurately without dawdling on the controls. Moving your cursor from one target to the next is still sluggish. Likewise even the most heavy duty weapons feel like peashooters, and enemies take an age to kill, even after being pumped full of sub machine gun fire at close range. Most of the improvements seem to have been made to moving the characters. Another complaint is that Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is pretty short. You could easily clear it on medium difficulty within eight hours, as we did. Though some will argue that eight hours is standard these days, so make of that what you will. Not to be too harsh, firefights in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days are still exhilarating, particularly on the more difficult modes as increasing enemy fire has you bobbing and weaving behind cover like a madman, with barely as much as a pause for breath as the more destructible cover gets blown to smithereens, forcing you to find new protection. An aside on the visuals. The aesthetics of Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days are heavily influenced by the YouTube generation, and it shows. Just like from a knock off camera the graphics appear deliberately grainy. The camera angle judders all over the place owing to the over the shoulder documentary style viewpoint. The effect works better in some levels than others, but for the most part it really adds to the miss en scene and atmosphere, giving you the sense that you’re as much accompanying Kane and Lynch as being a voyeur into their sick world. Another area Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days immediately stands out is in multiplayer. IO Interactive has continued its policy of doing away with traditional deathmatch modes in favour of its own brand of cops and robbers style multiplayer. Arcade Mode and Fragile Alliance mode have players teaming up as robbers to escape with $4 million dollars, with teamwork essential to racking up the highest scores. But with players able to kill their teammates and make off with the loot it makes for some interesting dynamics as you’re constantly watching your back. If you can’t trust your teammates who can you trust? The Cops and Robbers mode pits one faction as cops, and the other as the law as the cops attempt to stop the criminal multiplayers stealing the booty. Just as intriguing is the Undercover Cop mode. The same applies as with Fragile Alliance, but this time one player is randomly designated as an undercover policeman. It’s inspired and a good fit within the game’s context, rather than feeling tacked on like so many multiplayer modes do. Die-hard fans of the franchise can rest easy that Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days delivers much of the same. Aiming issues remain, and shootouts, though enjoyable, are repetitive. It’s a short campaign, but it’s a thrilling ride nonetheless, backed up by an original multiplayer mode. If you loved the original and have mates to play it with, Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is definitely worth considering. This is how the first game should have been. There is enough about Dog Days to convince non-fans but some of the minor niggles still remain. Read the rest of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review Related posts:
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| Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Story Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:36 AM PDT  Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days wears its violent badge of dishonour with pride. It’s a tale of greed, betrayal and revenge. It even says so on the box. While we’re not ones to indulge in PR buzzwords, it’s difficult to ignore just how central these narrative pillars are in everything that happens in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days. But did the Dog Days storyline leave us wanting to exact our own revenge on its writers? Read on to find out.
For a series that has you hot on the footsteps of its characters through thick and thin throughout you’d think developer IO Interactive would have attempted to make them a little likeable. But no. Kane and Lynch are two of the most detestable individuals you’ll ever have the pleasure (or displeasure) of playing as. They’re vile, single-minded, murderous convicts embroiled in gangland activity whether they like it or not – though you imagine they wouldn’t have it any other way. But that’s all part Kane and Lynch’s morbid rogue appeal. Just as in the prequel to Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days, Dead Men, the dirty duo find themselves in deep trouble throughout. But no matter their predicament you’ll still struggle to feel totally sorry for them, even when they’re stripped down and bloodied from a few flesh cuts short of a thousand and struggling to survive after being tortured. Having to play as a man, Lynch, who thinks nothing of civilian collateral damage, or killing cops (albeit bought cops bribed by gangster overlords) does that to you. But should you care? Heck no. This outing finds Kane and Lynch, who were supposed to have undertaken an arms deal, up a rudely named creek without any steering implements after it all goes wrong. A bullet-driven bloodbath ends in the daughter of Shangsi – Shanghai’s most dangerous ‘businessman’ – accidentally being shot and killed. The death of the criminal overlord’s daughter sets off a disastrous chain of events that never quite lets up. Before long both Kane and Lynch have a bounty placed on their heads, and even those close to them aren’t safe from danger. When allies start turning on them things get even worse and they must find any way they can to get out of danger. To natter further would be to spoil things. There’s little in the way of complex narrative in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days, but what little there is, is fast-paced throughout, with each event leading onto the next with no pause for breath in between. Predictable as they are, the twists and turns in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days play out well enough to at least make you want to find out what happens next. Most of the time you’ll find yourself doing the same things over and over as you shoot, take cover and shoot at baddies some more. There are some standout moments – a gruesome scene midway through being the game’s first, as Kane and Lynch find themselves running through Shangai with somewhat fewer clothes than when they started. Another, involving a helicopter late on is the only real attempt at a story-driven set-piece, as Lynch mans a machine gun turret. Not that the nature of events calls for many set-pieces, with most of the action calling for you to get from point A to B on foot, leaving little room for logistical diversions. Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days story won’t make you think, nor will it give you time to pause and take it all in. It’s relentlessly paced and unashamedly so. Its story won’t win any awards for being original, but it doesn’t pretend to be. It’s very well executed. But with around only eight hours worth, we just wish there was more of it. Read the rest of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review Related posts:
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| Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Gameplay Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:36 AM PDT  Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is a frenetically paced story of revenge and betrayal that never quite slows down. Right from the off it’s action aplenty in this brutal follow up to Dead Men. But what’s it like to play? Is it shock and awe, or shock and bore? Read this section of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review to find out.
The original Kane and Lynch caper was an admirable effort but it was impossible to play through it without thinking there was something missing. As a piece of gaming cinema it worked a treat. That characters Kane and Lynch popped up from nowhere and became two of gaming’s most well known, and well liked protagonists is a credible achievement on the part of developer IO Interactive. The gameplay wasn’t quite there, but you got the feeling it was all but a few tweaks short of doing something special. Fans will be pleased to know that Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is an improvement in the gameplay department. Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is a story about two ex-convicts out to do a job for a gangster named Glazer. But things soon get hairy once the daughter of a criminal overlord is killed, setting up the game’s violent events. Within a couple of minutes play you’re already in hot pursuit of a gangster as a typically brutal shootout occurs. From the moment you start running Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days immediately feels different from the original. IO Interactive has used reality television and the YouTube generation as its inspiration for the look and feel of Kane and Lynch 2. As you soon as you start running the camera judders all over the place from an over the shoulder perspective, trailing behind our duo. You play Lynch, by the way. He’s a psychotic ex-con prone to panic and anger attacks. With the camera angle you sometimes feel you’d rather be a voyeur into his world than in his world. If that’s what IO Interactive intended, they have succeeded. Far from being an aesthetic it adds a dimension and feel to Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days’ gameplay seldom seen elsewhere, despite not making a difference to the controls. Weird huh? Gears of War fans will tell you it’s a tad like hitting the run button in Gears of War. Crossed with Cloverfield. It can be turned off by toggling the Steadycam option from the options menu, but rushing through corridors isn’t the same experience without it. Though we should warn you, some will find it headache inducing – motion sickness sufferers be warned. Away from the cinematography an effort has clearly been made to make the movement of the players that bit more fluid than the original with some much needed virtual WD40. Almost every movement is slicker in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days. Almost. Moving around feels lighter, without being too light. It’s still on the slightly heavy side, but in a much more tolerable manner than the prequel. However, we still have some quibbles with the shooting and aiming. It’s an improvement, no doubt, but there will be times when attempting to shoot an enemy between the eyes feels like trying to score a bullseye with a safety pin. Precise aiming is still slow, particularly on more difficult settings when you’re ducking and diving into cover, and your enemies are doing the same. Aided targeting (which can be turned off) helps but it’s not ideal, and sometimes you won’t know when you’ve caught an enemy with a bullet because it takes so many shots to kill them. You can pump an enemy full of submachine gun bullets and they’ll still stand firm. As Kane and Lynch 2 goes, it’s our biggest bugbear for a title influenced by reality. The grim reality of death is firmly captured in one scene in particular (which we won’t spoil) but you wouldn’t think it from the amount of shots it takes to put down enemies in-game. Throughout you’ll find flammable objects to throw at enemies that you can shoot at to make explode, and we’re relieved to report that these seem to do the job. Not to be overcritical of what is still a fun diversion, the cover system fares much better. Popping in and out between cover seems much more instinctive and smoother than before. Peering from left and right between walls before popping a few bullets off and retreating is a joy. It’s not quite up there with the fluidity of the Uncharted games, but it’s more than capable. Sometimes the action in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days is so unrelenting that you’d be forgiven for not having the time to think about some of the minor niggles. Developer IO Interactive has done away with all but one major set-piece to concentrate on giving you as much time with Kane and Lynch as possible, meaning all you’ll be doing throughout is taking cover and shooting almost non-stop. Don’t expect any puzzles, side quests or otherwise. It’s a rather linear affair, not that it matters too much here. Ignore the fact enemies are made from kevlar and the gameplay certainly has a lot to offer fans and those new to the franchise. Despite a couple of needy tweaks more, it’s a clear improvement on the original. Read the rest of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review Related posts:
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| Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review: Multiplayer Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:36 AM PDT  Whatever you think about Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days, there’s no denying that its multiplayer mode is something out of the ordinary. If it’s Capture the Flag and Deathmatch you’re looking for, you’re in the wrong place. Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days does things differently. Does it deliver the goods? Read this part of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review to find out.
Despite the first Kane and Lynch game getting mixed reviews, most critics agreed that its Fragile Alliance multiplayer mode was inspired. With no sign of Deathmatch and other clichéd multiplayer modes it was admirable on the part of developer IO Interactive to put its own stamp on multiplayer. Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days follows the same vein, and yes, Fragile Alliance mode returns, along with a few more. But before we explain what that is, let’s establish some of the ground rules in Kane and Lynch 2’s multiplayer modes. Each mode is centred around two factions – cops and robbers. For the most part players will find themselves as the robbers trying to conduct a robbery, with the aim of escaping with a million dollar booty. Players have the choice to work together, or selfishly watch as their teammates do all the work for them. Unless you’re cunning, traitors can be punished and the loyal rewarded handsomely. But it’s not always as simple as that. Think the opening bank heist scene of The Dark Knight and you’re not far off. Arcade Mode is a Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days multiplayer mode that can be played offline with CPU controlled bots. It sees players having to co-operate with untrustworthy partners to detonate a bomb and make off with a hefty wad of cash. Collecting the cash is the simple part. From then on things get tricky. If you happen to have a large amount on you, all well and good. But beware, your teammates might get greedy, and try to assassinate you with the aim of taking it all for themselves. Funny thing is, you’ve got no choice. Fail to grab any loot and your team is unlikely to help you out, maybe even kill you. The same applies in the aforementioned Fragile Alliance mode. Here you work with a team of online players with the aim of nabbing $4 million dollars and escape in a van within four minutes. You can choose to steal loot from killed enemies at the beginning yourself, but you’ll branded a traitor and mercilessly hunted down by your peers. Dispatching traitors reaps rewards. If you happen to be a traitor and shoot someone you’ll get a yellow card and your entire team will be alerted to your scummy ways. Getting killed isn’t the end of it though. Die in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days multiplayer and you’ll respawn as a cop attempting to stop the bandits. The tables aren’t so much turned as they are hurled into the faces of those you once called partners to add a genuinely exciting twist to things. Do you lie in wait till the robbers make the drop to put them away, or seek revenge on a player you don’t like the sound of? It’s up to you. Just as robbers can work together, so can cops. Stopping a robbery is just as rewarding as taking the loot. You can be a loser one minute and a winner the next. It’s actually sometimes possible to predict just who will be loyal before you’ve even started playing in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days multiplayer. Each player has a loyalty level. Your loyalty level is shaped by your motive to shoot a teammate. Those who’ve shot teammates when they’ve been traitorous will score high here, those who shoot for greed will be named and shamed as the least trustworthy before you’ve even played together, so you’ll know exactly who to keep a safe distance from once the going gets criminal. Other more cop focused modes in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days include Undercover Cop and Cops and Robbers. In Undercover Cop a player gets picked as a cop at random. His/her aim is to stop the heist, while masquerading as one of the gang, but he must wait until the crime has been committed to stand the best chance of rescuing the loot. Taking part as a robber, knowing that someone alongside you is waiting to take you down is an unusually thrilling experience best played online with people you actually know. Cops and Robbers mode is a little more straightforward. You take part in a twelve-player team as either the cops or the robbers as the criminals attempt to steal the $4 million, while the cops try to stop them any means they can. Robbers share the loot, while surviving cops share scores. Each mode is a refreshing take on multiplayer when played the way they’re meant to be, teaming up when necessary, before deciding whether to make off with as much of the bounty for yourself before your getaway van leaves, or leave the van with other players to share the spoils. Gameplay-wise, each mode in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days plays just as it does the single player story mode. This does have its problems. As in the single player game slight niggles with precise targeting remain. Don’t expect to be pulling precision headshots with too much regularity. Another annoying trait carried over from the story mode is that enemies seem to take an age to die. You can pump someone full of bullets for what seems like an eternity before they start doing the same to you, yet thanks to Sod’s law you’re the one who’ll come worse off. It’s not uncommon to spot bizarre looking close range shootouts with both parties just standing there firing point blank at each other in the hope they won’t have to be the first to reload their weapon, like a bad Yakuza movie. Another complaint would be that the routes to the goals can appear linear, and at times feel more like part of the single player mode than a multiplayer mode. There are some alternative routes to clearing multiplayer missions but these mostly consist of the odd staircase or corridor. Though the niggles are likely to affect the enjoyment of the multiplayer in Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days it should not detract too much from what is a commendable online experience, particularly when played with friends. It’s not quite as addictive as online modes found in other stellar titles, but if you’re a fan of the original Kane and Lynch, or are looking for something different, Kane and Lynch 2’s multiplayer mode is worth a look in. Read the rest of our Kane and Lynch 2 Dog Days review Related posts:
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| Blackberry Torch 9800 sales struggle: how would you fix it? Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:35 AM PDT 
The Wall Street Journal reports estimates from analysts at Stifel Nicolaus and RBC which peg the opening Blackberry Torch 9800 sales at around 150,000. Apple's iPhone 4 sales hit 1.7m in its first three days on the shelves while Global Equities Research estimated that the Droid X hit 300,000 sales in its launch weekend.  It's not necessarily terrible news for the RIM. When the Blackberry Storm launched back in November 2008, early sales estimates suggested between 100,000 and 200,000 devices were snapped up. However, supply shortages then led to queues which made the device seem more in demand than the Blackberry Torch 9800. During our Blackberry Touch 9800 hands on, we weren't exactly bowled over by its looks. Placing the 3.5mm jack on the side of the phone was also a big black mark against the slider and the universal search smarts of the Blackberry 6 OS seemed wanting compared to webOS. We were impressed with the new web browser when we played with the Blackberry Touch 9800 but it did recently take a licking from Windows Phone 7. And while we were taken with the slide-out QWERTY keyboard, the lack of a wow-factor didn't leave us wanted to hightail it out of there with the Blackberry Torch 9800 in our back pocket. From what you've seen of the Blackberry Torch 9800 so far, what features would you change to turn it into the ultimate emailer? What features should RIM have included? Hit the comments and let us know. Out TBC | £TBC | RIM (via WSJ) Related posts:
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| Nokia box opened early to reveal Nokia C6 Posted: 17 Aug 2010 06:05 AM PDT 
The Nokia C6, concealed by the Nokia Box lids in a post on the WOM World blog, is a 3.2in touchscreen phone packing Symbian S60 5th Edition. It was unveiled in the UK back in April and is already available unlocked and on contract from several networks. It looks like the Nokia Box challenge taking place tomorrow in London, Singapore, New York and India will be a global launch for the Nokia C6. The event will apparently put participants through challenges using the phone. The identity of the mystery Nokia in the Nokia Box was spilled by WOM World which has been organising the Nokia Box event. The picture it posted of the boxes hiding the phones was tagged with "Nokia C6". It's slightly disappointing to discover that the Nokia Box wasn't hiding anything new for us to see. But perhaps Nokia will have some surprise announcement to wow us with tomorrow. We'll be keeping an eye out in case the Nokia Box has hidden depths. Out now | From £free | Nokia (via Nok Nok) http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2010/04/27/nokia-n8-official-all-the-details/ Related posts:
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| Flight Control HD joins PlayStation Move line-up Posted: 17 Aug 2010 05:30 AM PDT 
Fans of the game in mobile from will have to shell out on a PlayStation 3 in order to excperience Flight Control HD in its full 1080p glory when the game launches next month. The Move support is optional however and you will be able to use a normal DualShock controller if you don’t have one of Sony’s magic wands to hand. We can’t imagine this will be that easy to control with an analog stick, mind you. The game will also support stereoscopic 3D if you have the correct kit and you will be able to play with up to three other mates at the same time. We never though of Flight Control as a party game but given the right crowd we suppose anything is possible. An exclusive ‘metropolis’ map and a night/day cycle round off what could be a pretty fun experience. Flight Control HD will be downloadable from PSN on September 15th, pricing to be confirmed. September 15th | £tbc | Flight Control HD (via Joystiq) Related posts:
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| Posted: 17 Aug 2010 05:23 AM PDT 
A little like audible tweets, Audioboos are packed with personality, sent on the spot with no editing, and every now and then we stumble across a truly weird one. Here are our favourites. Got any to share? Shout up in the comments section at the end, or head over to Audioboo.fm to mooch through even more. Kryten Audioboos Steve Brookstein's son demands silence BBC News Duck Watch Stephen Fry's group boo Be nice to him, sneeze the boss Related posts:
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