Publication History For : Michael Fereday
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Along with the recently purchased PC Tuneup software, AVG has added software for the Mac and Android devices to offer an all-round performance boost.
AVG Performance is a collection of software titles designed to tune up various devices. Making up this package are PC TuneUp for Windows, Cleaner for Android and Cleaner for Mac. The product, consisting of a CD and Installation Guide booklet with an activation code printed on the front cover, comes with a one-year licence for use on unlimited devices that are for your person and home family use.
This is one of those occasions when I get the opportunity to check out the debut title of a software development team. In this case the title in question is Runes of Camelot from Fingerpunch Games. This game is available as a download from the Avanquest GSP gaming arm.
Runes of Camelot is a game that belongs to the Match-3 genre. It is set, as its title indicates, in the land of Camelot. In this game you have the choice of taking on the role of Arthur or Merlin’s apprentice Amelia. This is one of the two choices you get when playing this game. The other choice involves whether you opt to play the game with the sometimes rather loud audio turned on or off.
Modern technology consumers, of which you and I are committed members, are always demanding and constantly on the look out for more power, increased functionality and a wider range of connectivity. NETGEAR believes it has a product that could help satisfy our needs.
Adding to its Nighthawk series of products, NETGEAR has developed the X4S model. This product is an AC2600 WiFi Modem Router that offers both ADSL and VDSL functionality across the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bandwidths. The unit’s built-in VDSL / ADSL modem facility comes with the claim of working with DSL ISPs such as BT, Talk Talk, BT Infinity and Talk Talk Fibre.
As users now own different devices capable of Internet access with its associated dangers, companies are now offering protection covering a range of devices.
Unlike the product box for Kaspersky Internet Security, which contained a Quick Start Guide pamphlet and nothing else, the DVD case for Kaspersky Total Security Multi-Device 2016 hold a DVD along with the Quick Start Guide. As its title implies, this product can be installed on multiple devices depending upon the package that is actually purchased. This review is based on the three device version that is supplied with a one year licence.
In the past I have checked out various products designed to allow the streaming of media content to various smartphone and tablet devices. One feature that these products, from companies such as Kingston, Verbatim and PNY, had in common was that the user needed to provide the storage for the media being streamed. However this next media streaming product comes with its own storage. This is the Buffalo MiniStation Air or is it version 2?
Let me explain why there was some initial confusion regarding this particular product. While I had requested to review the new version of the product, entitled MiniStation Air 2, the package that arrived from Buffalo indicated that I had been sent the version of the product launched last year. Yet opening the box revealed a sheet of illustrated instructions referring to the MiniStation Air 2 and the unit’s appearance was that of the version 2 of the product.
Described as the Future of Prehistoric, the MiPosaur Robot has been developed by WowWee. As the prehistoric reference might provide a clue, the MiPosaur is a mechanical dinosaur designed in the style of a miniature T-Rex with its default stance being that of a begging position. This powered and controllable dinosaur is aimed as being suitable for those aged eight years and older.
Releasing the MiPosaur Robot from the packaging, a task that can be a little time consuming due to the presence of a fair amount of sticky tape, reveals a kit consisting of the MiPosaur robot, with a height of 24cm and measuring 38cm from the nose to the tip of its tail, and a Trackball with a diameter of 8cm. A Quick Start Guide and User Manuals in English, French and Spanish are included.
Just in case you need a last minute present for the man in your life then Gillette has a suggestion that could help smooth relations.
According to received information, SPECTRE, the 24 James Bond adventure, brought in $300 million worldwide within the first two weeks of its release. $73 million of this poured in during the initial weekend period of the film’s launch in America while the UK added $21.3 million to this cash cow. I am sure that Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment must be rubbing their financial hands in glee.
Ensuring your computer is protected from outside attacks is your responsibility. This next product provides one way of adding this protection.
Maybe I am being a touch old fashioned but when I receive a DVD case clearly labelled with the name of a particular piece of software, I do expect the DVD case to contain a disk. However in the case of Kaspersky Internet Security this was not to be. Instead of media stored on a silver coloured disk, I found a folded sheet of paper entitled Quick Start Guide. This document featured a 20-character activation code on the front of the paper.
While not the only brand on the market, when it comes to referring to an ebook reader many people tend to think of a Kindle device a bit like calling a vacuum cleaner a Hoover.
Amazon has released a number of Kindle ebook reader devices. The latest offering of this product to come my way is the new Kindle Paperwhite model. I mention “new” because this 2015 version of the product is an upgrade of the original version that was launched in 2012, some five years after the original Kindle device was released to the public. My review sample of the Kindle Paperwhite 2015 is the 3G WiFi model that has 4GB of RAM.
Walking through an underground car park, following a shopping trip, you are mysteriously transported to another world under attack from the Four Horsemen.
Some of the bonus items, such as wallpapers, music and concept art, are available immediately. Others require a certain amount of progress to be made before they become accessible. In one case, that of a bonus chapter, you will need to complete the main game first. You do, however, have immediate access to a Strategy Guide that provides appropriate screen grabs and step-by-step instructions. In this game the kingdom of the Lost Lands is under threat from an evil force.
Carrying a safe in your pocket might not seem possible but it can happen with a product from Buffalo.
While the capacity of flash sticks (sometimes referred to as thumb drives) has increased considerably since those early days of single figure MB. Or even smaller, modules, they have yet to approach even close to the capacity offered by portable hard drives. One example is the Buffalo MiniStation™ series of devices. Recently added to the company’s portfolio of hard disk devices is the Buffalo MiniStation Safe.
Along with available storage space, one aspect of my computer system that has grown in size is the monitor with 24-inch being a popular choice.
Adding to its range of Style-line display units, AOC has introduced its I2481FXH model. Arriving as a one-piece unit, this LCD monitor comes mounted on an asymmetric, matte silver metal stand. The combination of display panel and stand has dimensions of 541 x 403 x 150mm (W x H x D) as it sits on the workspace. Immediately drawing your eyes to this panel is the presence of, one could state the almost lack of, the unit’s black bezel.
It is up to you to make sure your computer is protected from malicious threats with appropriate software.
It is that particular time of year in the Fereday household when messages start to appear on my various computers advising me that my anti-virus and Internet protection software was approaching or had already reached the end of its subscription period. This memory prompt allows me to either renew my existing subscription or opt to try another product.
The Moochies Phone Watch has been designed to provide children with certain mobile phone features while, at the same time, giving parents a degree of control over the telephonic activity of their children.
Available in a choice of Black, Orange, Blue and Pink colours, the Moochies Phone Watch combines mobile phone, watch and GPS tracking elements within a single unit. Bright, some might go as far as saying gaudily, coloured with a child friendly image alongside the watch face, compressed non-toxic silicone rubberised casing, and capable of encircling a wrist with a circumference of between 12.5 and 16cm, this device could not be mistaken for anything else other than a child centric product.
While not as high profile as some of the other products from the Corel stable, Pinnacle Studio is well established and comes with numerous bonus offerings.
Now up to version 19, the Pinnacle Studio package has been around for quite a few years. I first came across this software offering when it formed part of the AVID family of graphics based software and hardware. However, more recently, Pinnacle Studio has become part of the Corel family. With version 19 of the product you get a choice of Standard, Plus or Ultimate editions.
Aldous Huxley may have foreseen the Big Brother scenario but he does seem to have ignored the possibility of Little Brother. I am referring to the current trend of installing security devices within our homes to provide notifications of any unauthorised activity when you are away for any reason. One such device is Canary No this is not the yellow caged bird found in some households although both the company and its flagship product is named after the bird used by miners to warn them of the presence of deadly gases found underground
Canary is yet another entry into the home security camera sector. Basically tubular in shape, the Canary is available in a choice of white, black or silver with my white review model reminding me of an inside-out liquorice all-sorts sweet. The Canary device has rear-mounted connection sockets for power, security audio and Ethernet. Supplied with this main unit are a 3-pin mains plug with USB connection; black micro-to-standard USB lead; yellow lead with 3.
Continuing my look at various Brother devices, it is the turn of a colour laser All-in-One model.
Forming part of Brother’s latest line up of All-in-One or multifunction devices is the company’s DCP-9015CDN model. This combination of colour laser printer and A4 flatbed scanner delivering print, scan and copy features. The DCP-9015CDN also provides the user with Duplex printing and a choice of connectivity options made up of USB, wired or wireless linking. There is also support for remote print features through the use of AirPrint and Google Cloud Print.
Who would have thought it! Dracula teams up with Van Helsing to thwart an attack on humanity in this next title.
Developed by the Waterlily Development Game Studio, Dracula: Love Kills is a Hidden Object Adventure game. This game, as you have probably surmised, deals with the activities of the blood sucking Count so beloved by horror writers. However it is not Count Dracula (that’s your role) who is the villain of the story for that role falls to the Queen of the Vampires who is intent on destroying the human world.
Joining the Vodafone series of handsets is a 4G budget offering.
Bucking the trend somewhat with regards to smartphones, and it must be said that tablets follow this same pattern, a new Vodafone offering takes the opposite direction with regards to screen size. While smartphone manufacturers are busy offering users handsets with screens that grow larger in size and features more pixels with each new release, the Vodafone Smart Speed 6 4G comes with a 4.5-inch touch screen. This product is available in a choice of Anthracite grey or silver.
A trip down Londons Brick Lane introduced me to a new smartphone from Huaweis Honor range.
Following the release of its top-of-the-range P8 smartphone, Huawei has now refreshed its Honor range which is aimed more at the budget section of the market. The Honor 7 is a 5.2-inch smartphone that comes with the tag line of “For The Brave”. In appearance, this smartphone certainly fits the bill with its fully metallic body that has been air-brushed with a ceramic coating.
If available space on your desktop is at a premium then this next monitor might be able to squeeze into a small gap.
While hardly the most descriptive of titles, the 227E6E model number is the one given to a Philips SoftBlue 22-inch monitor. Actually if I was being really picky then it should be made clear that the panel size for this monitor is 21.5-inches or 54.6cm. However to the naked eye (or even wearing glasses as I do) I would not be able to notice the 0.5-inch difference in size. Having cleared up the slight size issue, I should explain about the SoftBlue aspect of this product.
While I have heard them referred to as vanity sticks, especially in the hands of certain individuals, manufacturers and many users prefer the term Selfie for this type of device which allows users to grab a self portrait of themselves in various locations. The latest product of this type to arrive for testing is the Selfie Pole from Kaiser Baas.
I have to admit that until the arrival of the Selfie Pole, I had never heard of the company known as Kaiser Baas. Not surprisingly, due to the company’s name, I could be forgiven for thinking that this was a German company but that thought would be well wide of the mark. Kaiser Baas is actually an Australian company that has been involved in the design and development of innovative gadgets since 2006.
As part of the latest refresh of its Business Printer line up, Brother has released the MFC-L2700DN model. This All-in-One device combines a mono laser printer with copy, scan and Fax capabilities. The letters DN, forming part of the products model number, indicate that Duplex printing and Network connectivity are part of this units feature set.
Befitting its business status, the MFC-L2700DN has a solid appearance with a predominately gun-metal grey colour scheme that would probably not be acceptable in a home environment. The only exception to this mass of grey is the front mounted control of which more a little later. Considering it is meant to be used in an office, this All-in-One is reasonable compact with dimensions of 409 x 398.5 x 316.
Since its first appearance, many years ago, as the software of choice for many users when it came to burning content to disc, Nero has developed into a HD Multimedia Software Suite of tools. Nero is now available in its 2016 version with Classic and Platinum flavours depending upon your needs. I have been looking at the Premium product which comes with a Content Pack that is made up of video effects and themes for use to enhance your own projects.
When installing Nero Platinum, there are separate routines covering the main program, requiring the entry of a 39-character serial number, and the bonus Content Pack. In both cases you do have the option to join the Nero Product Improvement Program which collects anonymous data regarding the use of the software. The installation of the product can prove to be rather time consuming, giving you time for a cup of coffee and a chance to raid the biscuit barrel.
New from MAGIX is the latest version of the companys video editing software. This 2016 version of MAGIX Movie Edit Pro is available in Standard, Plus and Premium editions. My review is based on the basic Standard offering.
When installing Movie Edit Pro 2016 you have a choice of custom or standard procedures with the former allowing you a degree of choice in the modules that will be included in the process.
Bringing together the Dragon and Phoenix Kingdoms is the task set you in this Hidden Object Adventure game.
Spirits of Mystery: Song of the Phoenix is a Hidden Object Adventure game available for downloading from site such as GameHouse and Big Fish Games. My review is based on the Collector’s Edition version of the game which includes bonus game play that becomes available once the main game has been completed. These bonus items include music, concept art, wallpaper, screen saver and an additional chapter. As usual with such games, you can create profiles for individual players.
The Kurio Tab 2 is a tablet that has been designed for young children to use. Arriving with the claim of being the safest tablet for kids, the Kurio Tab 2 is a 7-inch Android device that is supplied preloaded with 40 educational and fun apps that should appeal to its targeted audience.
Providing visual evidence that the Kurio Tab 2 tablet has been designed specifically for young children is the presence of a protective, blue, compressed rubber jacket that fits over each end of the tablet. The back section of this jacket features cut-out areas so as not to obstruct the rear-mounted 2.1MP camera and a detachable plate whose purpose is to act as a stand for the tablet when it is inserted into a slot in the jacket.
Rather than concentrating on audio features, this next speaker also promises a visual attraction but then failed to deliver.
The Thumbs Up! Infinity speaker is an oval shaped unit that arrives attractively packaged in a solid box that helps inspire some confidence in the enclosed product. Included in the box, with the speaker unit, are a micro-to-standard USB lead for charging purposes, an audio lead with 3.
Combining stylish appearance with quality audio, this next headphone product offers support for iOS, Android and Windows mobile devices.
With the promise of being the world’s lightest closed-back planar magnetic headphones, the OPPO PM-3 product belongs to the over-the-ears style of headphones. Weighing 320g, the OPPO PM-3 brings together a brushed metallic frame with plush padding materials surrounding the headband and ear pieces. The padding is encased with durable synthetic leather that helps add to the comfort of this product when worn for lengthy sessions of entertainment.
Computer gaming has come a long way since those early days when blocky monochrome pixels, simplistic sound effects and a storyline that could put a great deal of pressure on the players imagination. Nowadays, with photo-realistic graphics, smooth fast animated action, Dolby surround sound and an all-engulfing storyline set in an atmospheric environment, the game provides us with a virtual world to inhabit. This next title comes somewhere in between these two extremes.
Entitled Retro RPG Bundle, this offering, part of the Avanquest GSP game catalogue, brings together three retro role-playing adventure games in a single package. The titles in question are Deadly Sin, Skyborn and Deadly Sin II. I was rather surprised to discover that the earliest of these titles only dates back a mere six years – I expected it to be far older than that. Each of the titles needs to be installed separately from the same front-end menu.
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