Skullcandy Titan Review

The Skullcandy Titan is a a pair of earbuds that retails for $39.99.  Skullcandy is a name to know in the audio business.  They have produced decent audio products for sometime, and they are starting to become the next Bose of headphones.  As such, the Titan, a mid-level pair of earbuds, is not something to be scoffed at. 

The Titan has a rich sound for a mid-level pair of earbuds which is likely due to the 11mm drivers which power them (10mm is standard).  The bass is also relatively impressive, but seems to cause a tintiness that is not uncommon among earbuds.  This is slightly annoying considering the $39.99 pricetag, but the quality of the earbuds remains good nonetheless.  The earbuds also feature a great deal of noise-cancellation which works extraordinarily well if you are planning on flying or taking public transportation.

If you are looking for a solid pair of earbuds, and you absolutely have to have noise cancellation, look no further than the Skullcandy Titan.  Otherwise, consider your options carefully.  The Skullcandy Titan may not be a bad option, but its $39.99 pricetag and its mid-line flaws, should encourage you to look elsewhere before purchasing the Titan.

Elder of Scrolls V: Skyrim (1 Month Away)

Skyrim, the next sequel in the Elder of Scrolls series, will be released in about one months time.  I have been keeping track of some of the features which have been announced.  So far, it appears that Skyrim will feature:

-A similar massive enviornment to Oblivion and Morrowind
-A full-3d-rendered world-map.
-Dual spell casting and weapon wielding
–Two of the same spells will summon a greater version of the spell.
–Some spells can cause weather pattern changes (confirmed with Storm Call in the Gameplay Demo by Bethesda)
—Some of the more powerful spells (like Storm Call) will require Dragon Souls to cast
-Over 70 voice actors (Oblivion only had only 20-30)
-A ton of content.  The game is guaranteed to be longer than Oblivion.  (Accurate time-figures have not been confirmed, but the side quests have been placed at a “few hundred hours” of gameplay)

In addition to the new features which Bethesda has been showing-off, the game engine for Skyrim is beautiful.  The lighting is particularly good, and the huge rendering distances are even more impressive than those in Oblivion.  Bethesda have mastered the “level of detail” so that high levels of detail are only rendered up close, and low levels of detail are rendered at a distance since the objects can not be seen easily.

But don’t take my word for it, checkout some of the previews online, and do not forget to watch the official gameplay demos by Bethesda.  You can find their first official three part demo on the Skyrim website.

Skyrim can now be preordered on steam.

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Jedi Knight Outcast was one of the few Star Wars games that really did a first person shooter “well.”  It combined force powers and lightsaber fights, without feeling as clunky as its predecessor, or as scripted as the later Forced Unleashed games.  It balanced its weapons well: sure a lightsaber could be used to deflect incoming laser blasts and was an all around “good weapon,” but some situations simply called for a good blaster, or a handy thermal detonator, and Outcast did its best to encourage the use of all its weapons.

But if Jedi Outcast was simply a good first person shooter, it would never have been popular.  Star Wars has always been about story, and the story in Outcast was superb.  The player could play as Kyle Katarn, the rebel hero of Dark Forces I and Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight.  The plot begins shortly after Kyle had given up his jedi-power back to the Valley of the Jedi, and throughout the game, Kyle rediscovers his Jedi roots in an effort to stop Desann, a dark Jedi, who continually annoys Katarn by illuding him and capturing someone very special to him.  Although the plot in Outcast may not have been deep, it was a fully developed plot for a first person shooter.  The supporting character animations and cinematic sequences, developed using the Quake 3 Engine, made Outcast one of the best games of its time.

Jedi Outcast also provided a surpsingly addictive multiplayer, a multiplayer mode which allowed for incredible lightsaber duels and battles.  The quality of the lightsaber and force-power play remains one of the best features of Outcast multiplayer to this day.  But don’t let that fool you, trip mines, rocket launchers, and heavy repeaters still add some fun to the game.

Given that Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast was a top-grade Star Wars first person shooter, it is still a game worth playing.  The story still remains complex, even when compared with modern video games, the maps are still large, and the music, as with all Star Wars games, will never be paralleled.  Best of all, it is on Steam!  (I encourage you to buy the pack, as the prequels are at least as good)

At the time of release:

Graphics: 9
Music/Sound: 10
Story: 10
Multiplayer: 8
Replayability: 9
Total: 46
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Score: 9.2
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Gamerankings: 86.8

NK2Edit

Anyone who has ever worked with Outlook knows that the cached .NK2 contacts file is one of the most support-intensive and annoying files associated with Outlook.  NK2 files store cached contacts that are useful to the user, but they can be terrible to admins who findout that their employees are still sending emails to an old address because they are relying on cached contacts.  Even from a Desktop Support/Help Desk perspective, cached contacts are annoying to locate and manage. Because cached contacts are not backed up by exchange, they are also dangerous to rely on.  Given the mystery and proprietary nature of cached contacts, I was surprised to find out that there is an inexpensive tool that allows you to edit the cached contacts file.  This is great for exchange administrators who are sick of hearing that a user’s address has not changed (when it has), and it is great for Desktop Support groups who can actually check the addresses in the cached contacts list that users are sending emails to.

The tool I have been using to edit cached contacts is called NK2Edit.  The interface is as simple and self-explanitory as the name of the application.  The file can be downloaded below.  Please keep in mind that you must purchase licensing if the product is used for business use. It is only free for personal use.  Please be sure to read their terms, and please know that we do not control this program nor are we affiliated with the company.  Anything downloaded from this site should be done so at your own risk.

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/outlook_nk2_edit.html

Razer Megladon Review

The Razer Megladon is a simulated 7.1 surround sound gaming headset, and with a price tag of $149.99, it is one of the most expensive gaming headsets around.  Given the price tag, you might expect that the simulated 7.1 surround would work well, but it is the worst surround sound  I have ever experienced.  Because the surround is simulated, the headset must use a USB interface and the OS must have the appropriate drivers.  Luckily, Windows 7 and Ubuntu recognize the headset as a 7.1 surround sound device, and they appear to have drivers, but the surround sound sounds like audio echoed through a large cathedral.  In certain games (like Battlefield Bad Company 2) the Megladon provides a better directional sense than traditional 2.1 headsets,  but the quality of the audio seems to suffer. 

In traditional 2.1 mode, the Megladon is a very decent sounding headset, but it is not worth $149.99 without surround.  The microphone on the headset never seems to work properly, and there is always static “wind” noise whenever audio is recorded through it.  Many individuals have complained about static on the microphone, and Razer’s forums are filled with posts from irrate customers, but Razer has found a way to blame everything on computer settings,  64 bit compatibility issues, and driver problems.  Their fix-all solution is to run a firmware update, but the firmware update does not appear to do anything.  I have never seen a single customer reply that claimed this resolved the issue with the microphone.  I am not certain everyone will suffer from these microphone issues, but it is obviously not a random defect with my headset given the number of complaints online.

The surround sound and microphone may be devastating to the practicality of the product, but the Megladon makes up for its faulty inner-workings by showing off some great exterior design.  As with all Razer products, the look of the packaging alone is worthy of artistic legend, and the case and headset’s appearence are no less legendary.  The physical design of the headset is grand: there is a micro fiber like cloth that surrounds the ear, a solid but flexible plastic/cloth/fabric frame, and metal slides for the speakers of the headset which protects one of the more annoying breakable-zones of a headset.  The microphone looks like it is a solid piece, but it is actually a soft plastic that can be bent into the appropriate position near the mouth.  The controller-box, which allows volume adjustment, also allows: channels to be adjusted, adjustment of volumes of specific channels, mutes, and microphone sensitivity levels.  It is all done using a wheel that feels much like the wheel on the original IPods.  Given the braided cabling, and an amazingly solid and beautiful case, Razer could not have done better to disguise the dieing internal workings of the headphones with a luxurious coffin.

Given the quality of the Megladon, the additional features like the click volume control box and braided cable, and the overall comfort of the product, the Megladon is definitely worth something, but in light of recent issues with the microphone, bugs with the drivers, and the disappointing 7.1 surround sound experience, I would stay far away from the Megladon, particularly the $149.99 retail cost.  Instead, look for Megladon’s working 2.1 brother, the Razer Carcharias, and save yourself 60-70 dollars. 

Bastion Review

Every now and again, a game comes along that does everything differently, and Bastion is certainly one of those games.  From the very start, the game’s world comes to life as blocks of 2d art that assemble around the player. A narrator begins telling the tale of the “calamity,” the basis for the games plot, and with every move of the character, the narrator makes comments in real time.  When the keyboard is used to “wake” the character, the narrator will respond “He gets Up”  If you destroy boxes and collect as many items as possible, the narrator will respond “And he goes crazy for a while…”  These minor trigger-based commentaries, and commenatries like these, fill the gaps between the primary commentary which plays while the character moves from location to location.  The overall feel of the commentary and world assembling art makes the game worth its cost.

Aside from the art and narration, the game’s music is a unique blend of synth, and various cultural music.  At times it feels like music from a quirky old western and at other times it feels like music from the middle east.  The variety of styles complements the very different worlds which the player must traverse.  From structures, to forests, to icey lands, there seems to be a musical theme for each enviornment.

Even without the unique visiuals, sound, and music, the gameplay could still stand on its own.   The feel of the gameplay is like any other action/adventure 2d-game, but what makes it different is the ability to purchase items, upgrade items, and complete challenges to earn materials for future upgrades.  Additionally, the use of Idols allows the player to optionally increase the games difficulty at a benefit to score bonuses.  The ability to earn higher scores fuels the use of Bastion as an arcarde game as well as a traditional action/adventure game.  It it is possible to keep items should you decide to play through it a second time, allowing you to score even higher points on the second, third, or fourth run-through.  This blend of purchases, upgrades, and idols increases the replayability of the game.

As for the overall plot of Bastion, it can be confusing at times, and it can be a bit slow, but the threads of the story weave themself together, and you will find yourself wishing the game will never end.

Mass Effect 1 Review

I apologize for missing the hardware post yesterday, I will post one over the weekend, and I promise it will be a good one.

Mass Effect was a well received game released in November of 2007.  It featured a scifi universe that was as refreshing as it was massive.  Like the scifi on-screen universes of Star Trek and Star Wars, Mass Effect featured unique storylines, believable races, and political alliances.  The game feels a bit short, particularly when compared against newer rpgs like Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2, but the quality of the game, the revolutionary universe, and the character relationships will still pull the player into the game and refuse to let go.

In Mass Effect you are Commander Shepard, an officer and soldier of the SSV Normandy, an experimental ship.  You command the Normandy in an effort to collect resources, meet new friends, and discover the mystery of a long lost ancient civilization.  Players who have played the sequel to Mass Effect may find that the story of Mass Effect 1 is more linear than a traditional rpg-tree, which offers various different branches of non-related story line.  As a result, Mass Effect 1 feels less like a roleplaying game filled with unnecessary choices and more like a movie video game with one very well developed plot.  Some may find that a lack of side-stories is negative, but the game does well to throw occasional curve balls at the main story line to keep things interesting.

I keep mentioning that the “Universe” of Mass Effect is “massive” and “revolutionary”  It is hard for me to demonstrate how massive the universe is, so I would encourage you to Google Mass Effect and explore the amount of wiki articles, forum threads, and stories which have been either officially or unofficially made. The Mass Effect wiki currently has over 1,000 pages on the topic. It is hard to explain how the game is “revolutionary,” but as soon as you play the game, you will meet Kaidan, a fellow marine who is the only one who seems to understand you. You will encounter Ashley Williams, a particularly fiery Gunnery Chief who later becomes a romantic interest. You will feel the courage of the Armored Krogan Battlemaster, Urdnot Wrex, who at first dislikes your humanity, but will learn a respect for you and fight without complaint. You will earn the respect and loyalty of a highly skilled tech-specialist, Tali Zorah. Yet her past will remain a mystery, as she is from a species who leaves their home for decades in their youth to explore the universe and return the flotilla with resources and knowledge. You will be honored by the skills of Garrus, a Turian who, as a former investigations officer, will stop at nothing to uncover truth, even if it means breaking the rules. You will learn what it means to respect cultures from Asari Liara, a researcher and archeologist of ancient Prothean technology who will stop at nothing to preserve their ancient ruins. And you will forever rely on your former Normandy captain, David Anderson. A man shaped by his principles and his duty, yet forced to choose between them.

Given my love for well developed stories, RPGs, and science fiction, it is hard to put an unbiased rating on a game which combines these so well, but I couldn’t possibly give it less than a 9/10. I should also mention that I disagree with those that say Mass Effect 2 is better than Mass Effect 1. Mass Effect 1 may be shorter, and more linear, but it is incredibly polished, and it was the first to develop such a grand universe. Finally, if you haven’t played this game, please, PLEASE, buy it and play it. (It is currently 20 dollars on Steam)

5 Great Android Apps

1) PewPew is an excellent 2d shooter.  You take command if a small ship and attempt to destroy shapes that fly around and often times crash into you.  The best way of describing PewPew is asteroids for modern handheld devices.  Unlike asteroids, PewPew contains score achievements and unlockable ships. Since only lines and shapes are rendered, PewPew makes an excellent addition to any Android device as screen size does not impact play.  Best of all, the first PewPew is both free and ad free.

2) MyTracks is a great GPS program that can be used to track distance, elevation, and time while walking or driving.  The graphs of elevation and speed are also useful when exercising, and since the program uses Google Maps, you can be sure the maps are absolutely accurate.  Just like PewPew, it is 100% free.

3) Advanced Task Killer is a must have for any Android device.  As the name suggests, it is a task killer application which lets you quickly select and end tasks, such tasks are often running in the background, slowing down your device.  There are some additional programs associated with Advanced Task Killer, including a very useful application which ends all tasks as soon as you tap the app.  Without Advanced Task Killer, programs are often harder to end, and the Android device slows down.  Since it is free, it is a hard app to resist.

4) Battle for Wesnoth is a fantasy turned based rts that became known for being free on PC.  Although it became popular among fans of hex fantasy games, it never did very well.  Now that it has been released for Android, it is likely to gain much greater popularity.  A touch screen seems perfect for a turn base rts, and a lack of effects shouldn’t bother anyone who is using a phone or budget tablet.  The gameplay may seem slow, but the game feels polished, the music isn’t bad, and there is a decent story line. Best or all, multiplayer will become available in September or October (The free and paid versions claim different dates of release).  There is a free version which is more like a small demo, but it allows you to determine if it is worth buying.  The full game is $3.99.

5) Galactic Core is a live wallpaper which uses OpenGL to render a Galaxy.  I am not the type of person to recommend unnecessary processes, I have even gone as far as disabling all Windows visual effects on my desktop to free up 10mb of RAM, but this live wallpaper is absolutely amazing.  It isn’t as laggy as some wallpapers, and it is incredibly polished.  It tilts as you page through the home screen, and it even reacts to touch.  The free version is really all you need, but you can buy the full (donation) version if you would like to unlock some configuration settings and donate some of your cash to the creators.

Acer Iconia A500 Review

(The images above were taken with the rear/front camera on the Iconia A500)

The Acer Iconia A500 is a Wifi only Android tablet which retails for $399.99.  If you know where to look, you can get a new one for even less.  Amazon offers it for 10 dollars below retail, and Best Buy is offering a free $50.00 gift card to those who purchase the tablet.  Since I was feeling guilty for buying a second tablet, I opted to buy it from Best Buy and use the gift card on the Targus Truss leather case.  The final sale was around $424 with PA sales tax, and I even had 8 dollars left on my gift card!!

My initial impressions of the tablet were negative.  It was thicker and slightly heavier than similar tablets like the Galaxy S2.  It also looked slightly cheap as if it was made out of plastic (I found out later that the majority of the device is made of thin aluminum, and the only significant plastic is found around the upper and lower edges of the screen, presumably where the antenna is for the wifi)  If this were not enough, the floor model screen lagged like my Galaxy tab 7 inch running Android 2.2.  Given the increased hardware specs over the small, old, inferior Galaxy Tab, including the Nvidia Tegra 2 Processor and twice as much RAM, I was almost depressed at its performance.  Even opening applications seemed to cause the tablet to lag, and the web browser, which I always struggled to use on the old Galaxy tab, was not snappy.  Something, however, told me that the floor model could not have been a good demonstration of performance.  I saw several unknown applications, tons of stuff running including an animated wallpaper and several widgets, and all sorts of open applications.

After my great disappointment, I left Best Buy empty handed.  Upon visiting some family, I researched some more on the A500 and discovered that it boasted near identical specifications to the more expensive Galaxy S2 and the Motorola Zoom.  I also found out that it had a USB port and a mini HDMI jack capable of outputting 720p.  What really sold it for me was a video review which demonstrated smooth screen transitions and snappy web browsing.  The first proof that it was capable of “looking pretty”  I was also greatly impressed by the quality of a HD video on the tablet which I had seen in Staples earlier that day.  Further research had revealed that the YouTube app for Honey Comb tablets was absolutely epic.  It felt like I was in a stadium of videos.

Upon going back to Best Buy, and having to deal with 3 different Sales people, I finally got the tablet.  (I also managed to confuse them with my double transaction, gift card, free case deal).  I rushed home to open the tablet and was greeted with a pleasantly solid device.  I powered it on and the initial setup did not take long. I also appreciated that Google seemed concerned with privacy enough to ask whether I wanted to turn on location services.  The first thing I immediately tested was the page turning, and just like the video, it was smooth!!

It has been two days now, and I can’t be happier with the device. Besides lacking Netflix, which is Netflix’s fault, I have very very few complaints.  If I were to complain about the size, I wouldn’t say it is too large, but I would complain that it is too heavy, particularly with my case.  It actually registers as 2lbs, but I can’t be sure as my only scale is a normal weight scale.  One thing is for sure, I will not be playing any steering racing games any time soon.  Another complaint I have is that some of the Tegra games, which are built for Tegra 2 android tablets, seem to be a little laggy.  It isn’t the tablets fault, it is the fault of the developers trying to create games that are too pressing for the processors.  They are more worried about showing off the capabilities and less worried with functionality.  My final complaint is that some of the interface still tends to lag.  I can’t understand this as the original IPad was far smoother yet was 1/2 (if not a quarter) as powerful, but I accept it given the freedoms and money saved with an android device.

Again, I am very satisfied with the device and being able to type at 40-50 wpm has allowed me to use it for this entire WordPress post.  This is surprising given I can type at at least 50% my normal keyboard speed (80wpm).  There are plenty of great apps out there, and with the prettiness of Honey Comb you may almost think you are on an IPad.  Except, of course, it isn’t nearly as restrictive.  As a matter of fact, it beats Apple in a Flash^TM!

Welcome to Haxxorz Daily

*I updated this post on 9/29 to reflect changes in the category topics. I have had some time to think them over. I changed Tuesdays to be about applications and software in general, rather than focusing just on updates. I also revised Thursdays to be game reviews for classic games, given I will not have nearly enough time to review all of the games I would like to with just one weekday. I would still like to do a post on professional gaming, as I am very interested in the subject, but for the moment I am holding off on this. If anything, the pro-gamer update may occur, unofficially, on weekends*

This is my first post on the Haxxorz Daily, a site where I plan on posting once everyday about a computer topic, even if the post is extremely small.  My focus will be different depending on the day of the week:

Mondays will focus on consumer computer products. This includes products like laptops, tablets, and mobile broadband cards.

Tuesdays will focus around upcoming or recent updates, fixes, and modifications for all software products including operating systems, applications, and video games.

Wednesdays will center around hardware component, benchmarks, reviews, and news.

Thursdays are reserved for professional/amateur gaming updates. This includes major events, LAN parties, analysis of players, and match results. Classic Gaming Reviews. These games must be older than 2 years to make this category.

Fridays are reserved for Gaming Reviews/Previews. All Gaming Reviews in this category must be newer than 2 years.