Size does matter

While it may not compare to standard cinema screens or the gargantuan 18.8 metre by 26.3 metre IMAX in Manchester, Samsung is the current record holder for the largest commercially available 3D-capable TV on the market. Measuring 75 inches from corner to corner, this imposing black monolith would need a pretty big living room to house it. But this isn’t all the Samsung D9500 has to offer, with an internal software system that renders 2D broadcasts into that all important third dimension.

A resolution solution

As theatres across the UK upgrade their projection technology with the likes of Sony’s incredible 4K system, which offers the highest picture quality possible, 1920 x 1080 pixel  high definition televisions have almost become the standard for most homes.

In May 2011, however, Sharp unveiled its latest ‘Ultra High Definition’ panel – capable of a screen resolution of 7680 x 4320 pixels. While it isn’t expected to hit the mainstream market until 2022, it certainly seems like soon ‘full HD’ won’t quite mean the same thing.

Sounding out the competition

There are a whole raft of Dolby Digital, 5.1, 7.1, SDDS and DTS-enabled sound systems you can have in your home nowadays and it really only comes down to how much you are willing to spend. Of course, a home cinema kit that rivals something you would hear in the cinema isn’t going to come cheap, but it’s important to remember that, unless you are a Premiership footballer, you’re probably not going to have the same kind of space to fill.

At the end of the day, audio quality can be very subjective… so there’s no reason why you can’t have theatre quality in the comfort of your own home.

Universal release dates

One of the biggest obstacles there seems to be around having a home experience that rivals what is available in theatres is content. It seems like Hollywood will never truly be able to have a universal format release for its films, as the knock-on effect for cinemas large and small could be fatal. Just last year, film news websites were reporting that certain chains were threatening to boycott Disney’s Alice in Wonderland after its DVD and Blu-ray release was brought forward.

There’s been talk of universal releases that allow people to pay a premium to download films the day they come out in cinemas, but this has yet to materialise. Fingers crossed for this one – but don’t hold your breath.

But here’s the thing: no-one else would be dressed up. It’d be like going to work in a wedding dress; it’d only be so long before that nice lady in human resources suggested I see the ’special mentor’ once a week.

So, scantily-clad ‘booth babes’ at a gadget show in Las Vegas is an equal measure of craziness. And writers, editors and tech engineers have been typing fury over all the mandatory female models hired to sex-up gadgets at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2012 show.

CEO of CES, Gary Shapiro, told the BBC, “Sometimes it’s a little old school, but it does work,” saying people like to gravitate towards “things” that are pretty. He added that the BBC’s efforts to get a story about CES’s sexism was “cute but irrelevant”.

One of the ‘booth babes’ said: “There are women who are into it [ie. technology] but I don’t know any that would choose tech world over shopping or cooking or taking care of kids.”

I’m going to bypass the dark-cave comment. I hope either the BBC spent an entire day tracking down someone to give them the quote or CES paid her a good whack to say it.

But it’s not just across the pond that scantily-clad women are paraded around at tech shows. I’ve experienced much worse in the UK at four o’clock in the afternoon, in the basement of a London hotel for a datacentre conference. And trust me, there’s not much that can be done to sex-up datacentres.

It wasn’t the models that were the problem for me. It was like they were simply dressed up for a hen party and out for the night to have fun. It was the fact they’d been hired, essentially, as titillating eye-candy that was so uncomfortable. The male attendees seemed embarrassed they were being unwillingly targeted in such a way. And the female attendees felt equally so.

Months after the event, a woman working in tech told me how embarrassed she was and how uncomfortable it made her, saying she wouldn’t be going to the conference again. This is the damage done. In an industry that desperately needs women to enter its workforce, it’s not doing a good job at making women welcome.

The real joke’s on the tech industry. Hopelessly trying to sell, sell, sell and alienating half their audience (yes, women buy gadgets and tech too). Get your marketing right and you might just sell a bit more and make a bit more progress.

I mean, the face of Iceland isn’t Kate Middleton, it’s Stacey Soloman. And Benedict Cumberbatch isn’t in L’Oreal’s TV ad trying to sell hairspray to women – Cheryl Cole is. Otherwise, it’s just not appropriate.

Booth babes shouldn’t be banned. A bit like enforcing a quota for women in company boardrooms would be on the wrong side of positive discrimination, forcing CES to stop hiring in booth babes isn’t needed.

According to Lady Geek and Forrester research, four out of 10 high-end gadgets are bought by women. Women already have a grip on the tech world, which is almost certainly going to increase as more and more females enter into technology industry careers.

The tech companies that fail to wake up from the 1970s will soon be as out-dated as its old-school gender perspectives and have no customers to sell to.

HTC has released its new smartphone, the Sensation XL, which runs on Google’s Android operating system (OS) with HTC Sense’s user interface (UI).

At its press bash last week, Cheryl Cole, Lady Gaga and Wil.i.am all turned up to support the release. The Sensation XL has bigged up its screen-size, camera mega-pixels and audio.

The smartphone will be released on the UK market in late November. Pricing and network provider details haven’t been released yet.

Here are Witch Tech’s top five features:

1. HTC Watch

Being first available on HTC’s Flyer tablet, the Sensation also includes HTC’s video streaming technology, HTC Watch. This application allows users to buy movies and stream them on the phone without waiting for the film to download first. Really cool feature but I imagine users will struggle to use it via Wi-Fi until 4G broadband is rolled out across the UK.

2. Quick snap camera

The eight mega-pixel camera has an instant capture feature, which removes the delay between clicking snap and taking the photo. The camera also has a 28mm lens and panorama feature to take wider sky-line shots – and fit everyone in on group photos.

The Action Burst Scene is also good to capture a series of shots in quick succession.

3. Beats Audio

The smartphone comes with a specially-designed ‘Beats’ headset as part of the team-up with Beats Audio. According to HTC, the Beats Audio technology optimises music tracks to match the smartphone’s hardware so you get a better sound.

The Sensation XL also syncs with iTunes accounts.

4. Video recording

The Sensation XL also has a 4.7-inch screen, SRS surround sound and two built-in microphones to improve HD video recording. It also includes LED lights to capture video in low-light environments, although I’m not sure how well this will work considering camera LEDs usually blind their subjects rather than illuminate them.

5. Dropbox cloud storage

The smartphone comes with additional Dropbox cloud storage to let you access your music from anywhere.

Recently, I’ve noticed more and more people are using Flavors.me. But is it really the simplest way to build a homepage?

I’ve noticed Flavors.me URLs starting to creep into more and more email signatures. But as its userbase grows, what is the point of Flavors.me? Is it really the simplest way to build a homepage?

Flavors.me claims to be a way of making a homepage in minutes. The best way to describe is probably as an online business card – it brings all your social media feeds onto one page.

So what is the point of that?

It is super easy to set up a homepage. The menu is easy to navigate and it’s easy to pull in Twitter, Flickr and LinkedIn streams. The simplicity and limitations of Flavors.me are exactly it’s differentiating selling point.

For a start, Flavors.me needs a UK branch so I don’t look like I can’t spell if I make use of it.

The other problem I have with Flavors.me is its overall use. I use different social networking platforms for different groups of people, such as work colleagues on Twitter, school and uni friends on Facebook and professional contacts on LinkedIn. Having all those streams brought together on one homepage isn’t something I’m necessary after.

I found it difficult finding the right size image to upload to fit the page. A little of guidance for uploading images wouldn’t go amiss. A tip if you’re adding a RSS feed link from Safari browser – replace “feed” at the start of the URL with “http”.

[Another annoyance -  you can add Instagram feeds. Instagram needs to develop apps for platforms other than Apple.]

However, I have created my own Flavors.me page. And it is a great replacement at the bottom of my email signature for all the profile links. I get it. Flavors.me is pretty cool.

I’d be interested to hear what you think about it. How are you using Flavors.me?

Here are some examples:

Last week, Amazon launched an attack on the tablet market with its new Kindle Fire tablet. Alongside the release of new versions of its Kindle e-book reader, the seven-inch Kindle Fire tablet has a colour touch screen, can play videos and runs on a custom version of Google’s Android operating system (OS).

So what are the pros and cons of Amazon’s first tablet device?

Pros

The price

It’s retailing at $199, which is very cheap compared to Apple and other Android competitors. The price is set to shake up the market in so far as other Android tablet manufacturers will have to lower prices significantly to compete with Amazon.

The Silky browser

I know, another browser. But I think this is the most interesting part of Amazon’s announcement. Its new ‘Amazon Silk’ web browser is going to speed up web browsing by using Amazon’s EC2 cloud services to power web searches by caching pages.

The Amazon content

Kindle Fire users will benefit from Amazon’s wealth of content, including books, music, video and magazines. It’s what Amazon does best.

If you have a Kindle, you’ll know how easy it is to upload new books using Amazon’s wireless Whispernet technology. Using the same technology, tablet users will benefit from Amazon’s wealth of content, including books, music, video and magazines (let’s hope publishers have used responsive design to cope with another screen size for its content). It’s what Amazon does best.

Cons

Amazon lockdown

There’s been a lot of talk about Apple locking-down its iOS operating system to its App Store and iTunes platform so users can only run Apple-approved content.

With only 8GB of storage, it looks like Amazon is locking down tablets users in a different way.Users will make use of Amazon’s cloud storage to access content.

In addition, users may be tied to apps from Amazon Appstore. It’s still unclear if the tablet will be able to run Android apps from Google’s Market or just Amazon’s Android Appstore. While you could still run Angry Birds, it might be a version of Angry Birds created especially for Amazon users, which means some Android apps won’t make it into Amazon’s Appstore.

Lack of productivity

It’s going to be especially good for e-books and video content. But, compared to the Apple iPad, its seven-inch screen is going to limit the ability to create content

This tablet is all about media consumption. It’s going to be especially good for e-books and video content. But, compared to the Apple iPad, it’ seven-inch screen is going to limit the ability to create content. It even lacks a microphone and camera – as well as 3G connectivity.

The UK

While the US release date is set for 19th November 2011, few UK release dates and details have been announced yet. Some services, like Amazon’s Instant Video service, which will power video streaming on the tablet, is only currently available in the US. Therefore, the UK version of the tablet might have limited content offerings when it’s first released. It could also be more expensive.

Gadget Glamour is Witch Tech’s website of the week. Having proved popular in the US, Gadget Glamour has finally launched in the UK. The skins for Apple’s iPads, iPhones, iPods and Macs have matching downloadable wallpapers and come in a range of 30 artwork designs. Designs can even be custom-made.

The adhesive skins are made from vinyl and come with a matte or gloss finish. This protects your gadgets from scratches too, which is a godsend for my poor iPhone, which always ends up at the bottom of my handbag.

Prices start from £10 for an iPhone 3GS or iPhone 4 skin.

VERDICT: Witch Tech got sent a couple of skins to try out. I’m always a little wary of sticking stickers on my preciousgadgets. Not only am I completely clumsy and anticipate to make a bodge job of glamming up my stuff, what if I change my mind about the design?

What’s good about Gadget Glamour’s stuff is it comes with idiot-instructions on how to apply them. The vinyl skin actually does more than look good, it protects gadgets from scratches (which is a godsend for my poor iPhone that always ends up atthe bottom of my handbag).  AND, the skins peel off beautifully so they won’t leave a sticky, gluey residue behind when you want to change it up again.

I reckon Gadget Glamour should extend beyond Apple products, though.

COMPETITION TIME: Witch Tech is giving away one iPad and one iPhone skin from Gadget Glamour. Details on how to enter will be posted on Friday 21st January 2011.

So far, it’s making me think about games in a whole new way.

Until I get a review up, take a look at Jane’s 20-minute TED talk:

Join the movement here.

As EA readies to launch Dead Space 2 at the end of the month, Witch Tech guest blogger Hannah Bradshaw retraces her highs and lows in the evolution of survival horror games

Dead Space 2 will be in stores on 28th January 2011. Source: EA

I played the Dead Space 2 demo recently and it got me thinking about the survival horror genre and how it’s developed over the years. So while I figure out a way of simultaneously hiding behind a sofa whilst playing a video game, I leave you with the highs and lows of the survival horror genre.

The highs

Resident Evil

The original Resident Evil game was a classic; the first zombie encounter had me trembling in fear. At the time, the idea of being trapped in a zombie-infested mansion was an original one (which really shows how old the game is), the characters were believable and the gameplay was smooth. The game cube re-make is even better that the original and the enhanced graphics help the atmosphere immensely.

Alone in the Dark

Before the awful re-make, and before the film, was the original, Alone in the Dark is thought to be the first survival horror game. The story is well-written and of novelistic while the scary bits are genuine and more than just ‘things jumping out from behind a corner’. The graphics are, of course, not up to 21st century standards but it’s a classic and still a must-play.

Silent Hill 2

The best of the Silent Hill games, the atmosphere is created perfectly with a great balance of fantastic gameplay and heart-stopping moments. The sound effects are creepy, the puzzles are actually difficult and certain levels are so brilliantly built that they are far too scary to enter.

Amnesia: The Dark Descent

There is one level in this game that I cannot play out of fear; the whole game is genuinely terrifying. The gameplay mainlyconsists of running away from an unseen enemy; a mechanic that works so well that at certain points you can’t tell if you’re running away from the monsters in

the game or the ones in your head. It’s hard to explain the plot without giving too much away but if you do plan on giving it a go I warn you; don’t play it at 2am, on your own and with the lights off. That’s what I did; I didn’t sleep for a week.

Dead Space

The atmosphere in Dead Space is so thick that you could cut it with a butter knife, the gruesome sound effects, graphics and monsters all add up to a truly horrifying game. This is not for the faint-hearted as it has the most ways to die than you’ve had hot dinners, it’s so bad that many people, including myself, cannot play it for more than a couple of hours at a time.

The lows

Silent Hill 4: The Room

The idea of being only able to move around in a small claustrophobic space for an entire game is a good one in theory, after the first hour it just gets dull. There have been some real lows in the Silent Hill franchise but this is the lowest.

Alone in the Dark

Yes, this time I do mean the terrible re-make. Honestly, there was nothing about this game I liked. The plot seemed to keel over and die in the first few minutes, the characters where one-dimensional and annoying and the soundtrack set my teeth on edge.

The original Alone in the Dark was a thing of beauty; I wish I could un-play this.

Resident Evil: Outbreak

Also known as ‘How not to do a zombie game’, the story was unispiring, the graphics were worse and the controls had more bugs than an anthill. I’m sure no one will mind me saying that this is the worst Resident Evil game ever.

Fancy trying out a survival horror game without actually buying one? Ben ‘Yatzee’ Crowshaw has made a brilliant series of games called the Chzo Mythos series. Not only the best free games I have ever played but it’s up there in the best series of games ever.  Start with ‘5 Days a Stranger’. Trust me, it’s worth it.

Download the demo of Dead Space 2 here.

As we say a fond farewell to 2010 and all the games it brought us, it seems like the perfect time to look forward to 2011.  So I bring you my five most anticipated games for the next year.

1. Portal 2

PS3, X-Box 360, Mac and PC

If you have never played Portal then stop reading. Go to the Steam website, buy it, play it, take a moment to bask in its glory then return here to carry on reading. Done? Good, I’ll continue. I’m going to put Portal 2 at the top of my ‘Games I cannot wait for list’ as, in my opinion, Portal is the best game ever made. From the trailers released so far Portal 2 may actually beat Portal in terms of originality and levels of fun. The sequel will have a longer playtime, a more developed storyline and a multiplayer option as well as more physics puzzles and Valve’s own special brand of dark humour. Honestly, even if you have never played a video game in your life you still should be looking forward to the release of Portal 2.

2. Bioshock Infinite

PS3, X-Box 360 and PC

Unlike the ground breaking original and it’s mildly disappointing sequel, Bioshock: Infinite is no longer set under the sea; it’s taken to the air. Very little is known about 2K’s new venture but if the announcement trailer is anything to go by, it’s going to be awesome. As far as game play goes it doesn’t look like much has changed from the original, it’s a first-person shooter with a side dish of genetically enhanced super powers and that’s fine by me – don’t fix something if it’s not broken. The super-powers themselves (plasmids) have had a serious upgrade since Bioshocks 1 and 2; the player can now control a huge range of things from the elements to a whole murder of crows.

If you liked the original Bioshock, Deus Ex or System Shock 2 then this is certainly something you should be looking forward to.

3. Batman Arkham City

PS3, X-Box 360 and PC

Stealth Games are a dying breed so it’s always nice when a new one steps up to the plate. Batman: Arkham Asylum managed to perfectly combine the ‘hiding in dark spaces’ elements with the ‘punching a guy in the face’ elements to make some pretty perfect stealth game play. The story was pretty spot-on as well and had enough nerdy references to keep any hard-core batman fan pointing and nodding at the screen for hours on end. In short, if Arkham City is half as good as it predecessors then we’re in for a treat, and if Rocksteady Studios have managed to work out the game play kinks (especially the cape mechanics) and add some real boss fights then get ready for the best stealth game since Thief.

So, if you liked Batman Arkham Asylum and The Thief Series, or you’re a major batman nerd, then go grab your cape and cowl, you’ve pulled.

4. Asylum

PC

Survival horror is a genre that has been taken over by action and first-person shooter based game play, so much so that it’s no longer about the scares or the atmosphere but more about the weapons and the combat. Asylum appears to be a game that is taking survival horror back to its roots: dark corridors, things jumping out at you and a lack of any real weapons. The game is based, as the title suggests, in an insane asylum, you have the ability to roam around as you please as well as delving into the dark storyline.

If you liked Penumbra, Amnesia: the Dark Descent or Silent Hill 2 then you are probably much braver than me. Oh and you may like this game.

5. Sims Medieval

PC and Mac

I have spent many hours playing the Sims thinking: ‘If only there were more dragons in this game’, well my dreams have finally come true. The Sims Medieval allows the player to create a huge number of characters from knights to wizards and then go out on quests to save the princess, defeat the bad guys and find the Holy Grail (that may have been Monty Python). The Sims franchise may have been going on for about a decade now but in my opinion it has yet to go stale. EA always manage to bring something new to the games and it looks like Medieval is no different.

If you liked the Sims or Black and White, get ready for the pure schadenfreude that the Sims always brings.