Tech Blog

Oh man! I've been absolutely shattered from my trip to Los Angeles, but I should probably try and sum up some of the more interesting things that came up either during E3 or after, eh? Today's random game news round-up includes Global Agenda, Final Fantasy XIV, Capcom's 3DS output and more. Read more...

Long in development, the creators of Alan Wake have made a lot of grandiose promises over the years. We were told that the game is an "intense psychological thriller" with a "deeply engaging and suspenseful story line" that "immerses the gamer in the intense emotion and suspense of Alan Wake’s thrilling adventure". I couldn't help but think going into the experience that it couldn't possibly live up to the artificially high expectations all this over-the-top hyperbole mustered up, and yet, the game surprised me. A lot. Read more...

I've been blogging for a long, long time (some days it feels even longer) and hitting the wall of blogger's block is something that no self-respecting professional blogger likes to have happen. When I hit the wall, I have a few tricks up my sleeve, but the service Plinky is supposed to help you break your block by asking you a question…something that might help get things going. The service has been around for a bit, but today it was announced that Automattic scooped up Plinky to help all of us just a little bit more…

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We all know that Mac OSX is based on UNIX, which means that under the polished interface is … Terminal. There is very little that you can't do through Terminal, but the fact of the matter is that very few Mac users take advantage of it. MacLife has some great Terminal tips, but I wonder if most of these are too geeky for people. Still Terminal is a great tool. Me? I use it almost everyday. I know there are a lot more Terminal tips out there…which are just a Google search away. Read more...

As HTML5-savvy browsers get more common, more of the services that we use (and love) are going to start adding features to take advantage of them. Scribd and Gmail (at least if you use Chrome) have new features like drag and drop (things that required Flash before if they could be done at all), now web-based Twitter client has joined the fray... Read more...

I just picked up a copy of Microsoft Office 2010 Professional and have had a chance to play with it for a couple of days. Overall, it’s a nice little upgrade from Office 2007. Not too drastic, but some better integration of the ribbon, and reintroduction of some more familiar functions. But there’s also emphasis on some newer features. Here are some first impressions.

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I’ll be the first to admit that I like the idea of Google Reader, simply because I’m curious about what goes on in the world we live in, no matter how far away it may be. But I’m not sure I share the same enthusiasm for Reader as a platform, and though I think Google makes great products, I don’t want to use everything they have, either.

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Today marks the official launch of the iPhone 4 in a handfull of countries across the globe. The new phone boasts video chat, high definition video and sharper screen, but many of those who received their handsets a day early are reporting the device is flawed.

The "Retina" screen which is the highest resolution screen ever seen in a cell phone is the first area of concern. Owners are reporting yellow lines and blotches on the screen when it displays lighter colours. Some suspect the yellowing is due to the heat being put out by the device.

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All the talk on the techblog recently about Monitors and cool things on the desktop got me thinking about the three desktop applications I use to make my desktop truely ‘mine’. Read more...

How gaming has gone from arcade pong, to living room volleyball... Read more...

Kevin Garcia knows gaming, so get to know Kevin Garcia. Kevin is one of Canada's top pro gamers and we're excited to welcome him aboard for the next few weeks to share his unique POV on the world of gaming. Read more...

I’m a big fan of BBC documentaries. There’s something about them that’s so uplifting, so utterly positive, that even in a world where the Gulf of Mexico is disappearing, possibly forever, and the Great Barrier Reef is being chipped away at year by year, and the East coast of Africa is a toxic dumping ground, you can still take a moment and appreciate the beauty that this planet does have left.

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Today EA Sports made public the star athlete that will be gracing the cover of the next entry of their best selling hockey franchise, naming Canadian-born Jonathan Toews as the face of NHL 11. Read more...

We’re rapidly approaching the half-way point in the year. Almost six months completed in this year, and we seem to be approaching an event of significant corporate importance -- the end of the second quarter (Q2). Projects are being wrapped up, deliverables being delivered, and milestones being met. As my wife pointed out today, it seems that as we approach the end of Q2 every piece of technology in our somewhat connected life has... Read more...

Yeah in my last post I talked about having three screens for my MBP. How about Four screens and two machines! Thanks to my friend Catherine Winters I think I have some real motivation to clean out my closet! Read more...

Looking at my desk (as cluttered as it is), I wondering what's the most useful piece of tech on it. You might think that my MacBook Pro would be the hands down winner, right? I'm not so sure about that though. I've used lots of laptops over the years. I'm thinking of something that regardless of setup, I'd always have. At this moment I'd have to say: an extra monitor. Or in my case, two. Read more...

Today Apple unleashed IOS4 onto a world of iPhone users. Check that, onto a world of iPhone 3G and 3GS users. Have the iPhone? You've just been made obsolete. Greed is good. Read more...

Yikes! A whole week went past and this weekly roundup is late! Well, I could put it down to World Cup madness, or overindulgence on E3 coverage, but really, it's just that we had such a nice weekend here in Edmonton that it was a shame to not enjoy it -- which I did to excess But now, with my apologies for tardiness and without further adieu, here's the Week that Was... Read more...

A few of us bloggers here have been keeping up on how Facebook has tried — and failed — to assuage fears over the social network’s privacy policies, and I would just like to include one more method that can be used to keep you safer on the site.

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Mortal Kombat is one of those games that holds a special place in my heart. I still remember crowding around the Mortal Kombat cabinet in the arcade (dating myself now) watching, waiting and hoping to catch a glimpse of a Fatality! Those ever so secret over the top finishing moves that only true Mortal Kombat players could pull off. After all, you had to know the secret combo to execute the move.

Over the years the franchise became watered down as it moved from arcade to console. First Nintendo pulled the blood and changed the finishing moves so they were more family friendly. The Fatalities never did recover. Sure Midway introduced "Stage Fatalities" but they lacked the sizzle of the original killer combos. Then the franchise went 3D and...well...the rest is history. Mortal Kombat lost it's hard core fan base.

Warner Bros is now stepping in to revive the franchise, and if what I say at E3 is any indication, the series may make the comeback it deserves. Read more...

Much is being made about the new iPhone 4’s front-facing camera, which Apple is calling FaceTime. The era of true video calls on smartphones is now set to begin and reach new heights as other players in this game come out with their own renditions of this type of functionality. Read more...

I'm a terrible photographer so I didn't take any photos while I was in LA, but I did know some people who did. What follows is a little taste of my experience at the Electronics Entertainment Expo 2010. Read more...

If you’ve picked up a Future Shop flyer this week you’ll notice that fans of the Halo universe can get a massive break on titles they don’t already own. Both Halo Wars and Halo 3 ODST are on for $19.99.

If you haven’t played Halo 3 yet you’ll find that it, too, is $19.99. So why is Halo 3 ODST the best value in gaming? In short you’re getting a brand new Halo 3 campaign (which is, in my opinion, an excellent campaign) as well as $30 worth of Halo 3 Multiplayer DLC on top of access to Halo 3 Multiplayer for free.

What’s that, you say? How can it be worth that much?

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