Publication History For : Michael Fereday
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Like big red buses, you do not see one for ages and then two arrive in close proximity. This type of situation arose with two Epson multifunction devices.
With a model number that is similar to the previous Epson All-in-One I reviewed, the Epson Stylus Office BX305FW does have a strong sense of de je vu about its appearance. While not as identical as two peas in a pod, you could be forgiven for mistaking the BX305FW for the BX320FW at first glance. Both models provide print, copy, scan and fax capabilities for the home office / small business user.
If your car broke down would you venture into a cemetery for help? Maybe not but that is what the central character did in this next game.
Described as a Hidden Object Adventure game,Redemption Cemetery: Curse of the Raven is now available as the Collector’s Edition from Focus Multimedia. As well as the main game, this Collector’s Edition contains a bonus adventure, strategy guide, concept art, wallpaper and a screen saver. For some of the extra items, you will need to complete the main game before they become available. When playing the game you have a choice of Regular or Expert mode.
As we own more and more mobile devices, so the logistics regarding recharging can increase. Belkin has a solution for this problem.
Acronis has a well-earned and long-established reputation for developing disk imaging and back-up software. Recently the company has brought out a new version of its Backup & Security title which, not surprisingly, is identified by its 2011 suffix.
Installing Acronis Backup & Security is, perhaps, not the easiest procedure that I have worked through. After deciding whether to opt-in or not with the Acronis Customer Experience program which assists Acronis in its future development program for its software, you will need to supply a valid email address and password so that your Acronis account can be set up giving you access to various features.
Combining functionality with stylish appearance is becoming increasingly important as computer set-ups are often to be found in the living rooms of many users. One product following this concept is a router from Linksys.
A Cop Named Hector
Published in Entertainment
on
18 May 2011
Way back when adventure games with a wicked sense of humour were all the rage. Now thanks to ex-employees of a company that led the way in this field we could see a resurgence of the genre.
Telltale Games is a company that was set up by ex-employees of LucasArts. It therefore should come as no surprise to those familiar with the work of LucasArts, to discover that this new company had chosen to follow a similar path by producing cinematic style adventure games with more than a touch of near-the-knuckle humour as part of the storylines behind its titles.
Handwriting notes stuck on objects might do the job but they hardly look professional. A new Dymo printer produces stick on plastic labels that could be the answer.
Many years ago, around about the time programmable calculators were the hop topic, I purchased a DYMO labelling device. Shaped like a futuristic ray gun, this hand-held device had a circular component which you turned to get the alphanumeric character you wanted and a pistol-grip handle that would emboss the current character on a piece of plastic tape when you squeezed the handle.
Missing girls, strange behaviour and tales of witchcraft are just some of the elements that can be found in a game based on Salem in the late seventieth century.
The year is 1692 and rumours are beginning to spread regarding the strange behaviour of four young girls in the village of Salem. In order to dampen down the hysteria that the rumours are causing, the Governor of Massachusetts sends one of his agents, that’s you as the player, to investigate and bring matters to a successful conclusion.
One of the first names that spring to mind when considering the subject of computing security is that of Norton with its range of anti-virus and Internet security titles.
The launch of the latest version of the company’s Norton 360 product was an event that I had planned to attend. However, despite arriving at the correct location at the designated time, the security was such that that I was unable to find the actual event in the vast expanse that is the Westfield shopping centre in London’s Shepherd Bush.
It all began, as can sometimes happen, with the act of a simple favour. But I am getting ahead of myself with a tale of magic and hidden object adventure game play.
Hidden from the sight of mere mortals, such as you and I, is the Magical Realm. This is a land where dragons and humans live in perfect harmony. However old prophecies state that there could arise a situation when the magic disappears completely forever. In order to forestall this state of affairs from happening, the King orders that all the magic should be stored in a Dark Crystal. Yet still danger threatens. The only hope is for a second prophecy to be fulfilled.
Having recently been introduced to Lenco, I was given the opportunity to test a DVD player while on my travels.
While watching movies is made more enjoyable when a large screen and all-round sound system is the delivery medium, this type of equipment is not always available or appropriate for some circumstances. For example when travelling by car, bus, tube or train to various locations, compromises will need to be made with regards to the method used to watch your choice of entertainment. This is where the portable DVD Player can come to your aid.
While your computer is capable of providing a multitude of features, they are not always required for every task. Sometimes they can slow down the computer in certain circumstances. This next product offers to help alleviate this type of situation.
A new netbook from Asus comes with two "firsts". One was to do with Asus while the other was a first for me.
As part of its Seashell range of products, Asus has released the Eee1015PEM. Available in a choice of white or black (the review model), this netbook is the first Asus model to feature Intel’s dual-core Atom processor within its slim line casing. With dimension of 262 x 178 x 23.6mm (W x D x H) in its closed state and weighing 1.27kg (6-cell battery included), this netbook should not inconvenience the user too much in its role as a travelling companion.
When casting the role of Robin Hood, who would you select? The developers of this next game obviously would have a different take on the matter.
Having recently seen the St Trinians 2 movie which offers the theory that Shakespeare was a woman, I should not have been too surprised with the opening sequence of Robin’s Quest. This Gogii developed Adventure game has a similar gender switch as the popular folk hero, or should that be heroine, turns out to be a woman who stands up for the poor against the power and might of King John and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.
Not everybody can afford the premium price being asked by the market-leading video editing titles. Serif has a solution that might appeal.
While 3D technology struggles to make the hoped for impact with customer buying decisions, High Density (HD) has quickly been accepted by many as being a must-have feature. As a result numerous video editing packages now have built-in HD capability alongside all their other features. A recent addition to this software genre is MoviePlus X5 HD from Serif.
Rise and Shine
Published in Entertainment
on
30 Apr 2011
Sometimes a products title can leave you completely in the dark as to the functionality offered. Take for example the PIS4.
As I take my regular morning walk a new set of headphones have been keeping me company. This headphone set allows me to listen to the music stored on my Sansa Clip+ MP3 player.
While the company Lenco might be unfamiliar to you, this situation could be about to change. Lenco has a long history in the field of Hi-Fi and electronics. Included amongst the company’s range of consumer electronic products are turntables, micro and mini audio systems, portable DVD players and TFT television screens. Well known in the Netherlands where it has its head office, Lenco has now added the UK to its targeted territory.
One of my often visited locations is that of Egypt. I hasten to state that all these visits have been of the virtual kind and have involved numerous game titles that have been based on this particular geographical area. Taking on the role of tour guide on more than one occasion has been the Luxor series. The latest such excursion has involved Luxor 5th Passage.
While there is a downloadable version of this game available from various sites, this review is based on the Mumbo-Jumbo CD package which does include four bonus games of earlier Luxor titles. Along with Luxor 5 Passage, you also get the original Luxor title, Luxor 2, Luxor 3 and Luxor Quest for the Afterlife.
While I rarely play my collection of LPs, I would be loathed to loose their content. Fortunately MAGIX has a solution.
When, many years ago, we purchased our favourite music on vinyl and magnetic tape, little did we think that this type of media would not last for ever? How wrong we were. As new technology introduced new methods of storing and distributing the music that we love, so more traditional methods were consigned to the scrap heap with the result that devices required to play vinyl and tapes went the way of the dinosaur and were not longer produced.
While hard disk sizes have increased and Broadband allows for faster download speeds, the need to compress files is reduced. However I still feel there is a place for produces such as WinZip.
Over the years, and involving numerous computers running various flavours of Windows, a regular, you could almost say “permanent”, resident application on my system has been WinZip. Unlike a number of other titles in its portfolio, Corel has taken the decision with WinZip to retain the traditional numbering method rather than replace the “10” with an “X”.
While multi-function devices tend to be based on an inkjet printer, this is not always the case. For example the Brother DCP 7055 is a multi-function device that provides print, scan and copy features based around a laser technology for providing hard copy.
Decked out in a fairly standard computer grey, the DCP 7055 expands from a base measurement of 375 x 365mm out to 405 x 398.5mm at the top. Brother has fitted a paper tray, laser printer and an A4 flatbed scanner into the unit’s height of 268mm. Although larger, especially with regards to the height aspect, than an inkjet multi-function device, the increase is not too excessive. Setting up the DCP 7055 is relatively straightforward.
While the description Hidden Object Adventure has a nice ring to it, sometimes a better description for a game would be Adventure with Hidden Objects.
Love Chronicles: The Spell describes itself as a Hidden Object Adventure game. Unlike other games of this type, which tend to concentrate on locating a list of items within a scene, Love Chronicles: The Spell puts its main emphasis on the Adventure aspect. In this game you need to travel through a kingdom that is held captive by a witch’s spell and collect objects that form the tools required to complete tasks as you set about rescuing a beautiful princess.
As one of the survivors of the software developers, Serif continues to produce applications that provide functionality at a price point that should not break the bank.
If, twenty years ago, you were interested in DTP (Desktop Publishing) then you would have needed to hand over a very sizeable wedge of your disposable income for the necessary software to run on your hardware. Fortunately for those interested in creating their own magazines, brochures, flyers, catalogues and the like, along came a company entitled Serif with a software product that could handle these types of task at an economical price. That product was PagePlus.
During a visit to the BETT educational show held each year in London, I was introduced to the latest animation software from Reallusion.
Many more years ago than I care to remember, I took my first faltering steps in the field of computer graphics animation. The software being used for this purpose was entitled “Do It On Your Desktop” from Moon Valley Software. Designed for use on the Windows 3 platform, this software allowed the user to create animated icons made up of a series of GIF images.
Computerised assistance in helping you get from point A to point B when travelling has come a long way (no pun intended) since the days when Auto Route was introduced. Incidentally Auto Route was the first product that I came across which required the user to activate the software with a phone call.
Now we have a number of GPS products that can provide almost instant feedback as to the route and current position plus offer details about points of interest, speed camera locations, traffic updates and different viewing modes. One of the companies offering this type of technology is Prestigio with its GeoVision range of devices. Recently the GeoVision 5120BT model has been taking on the role of my driving assistant. The results form the basis for this review.
Rescuing captured fairies and defeating a pirate named BlackLore is the name of the game with a title developed by BC Soft Games.
As its title indicates, The Magician’s Handbook II is a follow-up to the original offering that set you the task of exploring and rescuing a valley that was seeped in evil. This time you need to embark on a quest to release fairies that have been captured and held prisoner by the evil magician pirate BlackLore which explains why this game is subtitled BlackLore.
Combining your existing electronic cabling set-up and WiFi is the approach of the latest HomePlug product from devolo.
In the past I have looked at a couple of products from the dLAN HomePlug series that has been developed by devolo. Now it is the turn of the dLAN 200 AV Wireless HomePlug AV Starter Kit. This latest devolo product combines Powerline technology, whereby you make use of the already existing electric power cables running through your establishment to provide networking linking, and WLAN capability.
It is time for another dip into the bag of hidden object games as you investigate a large house with an air of mystery.
Adding to the list of young female investigators of popular fiction is Becky Brogan. A resident of Old Haven and a pupil at the High School, Becky loves solving puzzles and has ambitions to become a detective when she is older. As part of her latest homework project, Becky needs to discover more about the history of the mysterious Meane Manor. This is the opening premise of a Mumbo-Jumbo game developed by the unusually named Let It Rain So I can play games all day.
A visit to a press event introduced me to a Hitachi product that attempted to combine style and an innovative approach to hardware and software.
I am not sure how to classify this next product. Is it a docking station? Or perhaps it could be referred to as a portable hard drive. Then again there is a 4GB USB key device that actually acts as a standard flash drive. Combining everything together is the media management software which deserves a mention as does the back-up capability of this product. So how best to define this LifeStudio Mobile Plus product from Hitachi.
With this next title you get two games that involve mechanical puppets, hidden object sessions and puzzle solving.
As part of the Hidden Mystery series, Focus Multimedia has bundled together two PuppetShow titles from Big Fish Games. These Hidden Object Adventure games are entitled PuppetShow Mystery of Joyville and the sequel PuppetShow 2 Souls of the Innocent. Separate installation routines are required for each title from an initial opening menu. You can run either game from the Big Fish Game Manager or directly from its own desktop icon.
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