Tech Blog

I recently posted about Alan Wake, and with that and Deadly Premonition I've found myself very drawn to the idea of strange small-town mystery games, particularly those that reference works like Twin Peaks. So when Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent was announced by Telltale Games I knew I wanted to give it a shot from the trailer alone. Read more...

Since the launch of eBook readers and the iPad, all the talk has been about enjoying books in electronic form. Having entire book collections at your fingertips and turning pages without ever touching paper. It’s a value proposition that’s already taking off, and it’s pretty much followed the same footsteps set by music and photos. But comic books have been around in the same form for a long time, so how might tablets change the way we enjoy those?

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While most of Canada is either a) talking about getting an iPhone 4, b) talking about not getting an iPhone 4, or c) waiting in line to get an iPhone 4, there is an interesting rumour out about what could be coming next year: OS 10.7 with a revolutionary new feature. Maybe more interesting is that no one is even speculating as too what the new feature is or could be, just that Apple is looking for people to help make it. So, what could it be? Read more...

In case you hadn't heard, tomorrow the iPhone 4 comes to Canada. Beyond the extreme coolness of it all, it's also interesting for another reason: Canada will be one of the few places where you can buy an unlocked iPhone. The thing is though, that unlocked phones are rather expensive, so the question is: will people buy them?

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This week, as expected, Apple announced a slew product updates including the cool looking Magic Trackpad—Apple introduces the Magic Trackpad—however, like the folks at TUAW, I think the new Apple Battery charger is the product people should run out and buy—Apple's new battery charger is deceptively cool - Apple (Canada) - Apple Battery Charger - The energy-efficient way to power your accessories.. Here's why. First at less than $30, the charger itself is a bargain. Second, it comes with six batteries! Third, the batteries are listed to be good for ten years. Finally, Apple says that its charger is the most power efficient chargers out there drawing only 30 mW compared to the industry average of 315 mW. Still not sold? Read more...

Teddy K had a great review of the Valet Home Hotspot - it's a great device for those who want an incredibly easy experience. But what about those of use who want power and control? Say hello to the Linksys E Series - a router with serious muscle to flex. Read more...

Routers may be the devices that help feed us our Internet access, but they can be a hassle to set up for the average person. And after setup, what is there really that someone can do with a router anyway? More advanced users take advantage of port forwarding and other features, but for everyone else, Cisco’s Valet Plus router is probably the easiest router to get up and running.

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Well now! after some time umming and aahing--even with Graham's explanation of why he subscribed immediately--I decided to finally join PlayStation Plus last night because I wanted to get my hands on Wipeout HD, which at $20 has always struck me as pricey, but as a first bonus for a $50 dollar subscription (plus tax, remember) seemed like as good a reason as any. Plus, the first month wasn't up, right?

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The third annual summer of Arcade delivers the biggest and most anticipated Xbox LIVE Arcade blockbuster hits of the season. Summer of Arcade 2010 features the release of one highly anticipated title each week beginning July 21 and ending on August 18. And lucky for you, dear reader, we’ve got the details as to which titles will be taking over your life this coming July. Read more...

The most germ filled thing you touch everyday isnt the rails on the bus, the toilet handle at the gym or the keyboard at work. It's your phone. Here's the shocking truth about skanked up your handset is and how to keep yours clean. Read more...

So finally, should I jump on board this new camera trend, or just stick with the more traditional entry-level DSLRs? When testing the camera, a friend posed this question: "but there has to be something this [NEX-5] can't do that a fully fledged DSLR can do?" "True", I said. "It cannot make that clunking sound of the mirror going up and down that a DSLR makes, simply because there is no mirror. That's about it". Read more...

Most notably, the digital trimmings on the NEX-5 include a HDR and panorama function. These probably appeal more to point & shoot audience buying the NEX-5 than DLSR users buying the camera. My main grief with these kinds of shooting modes (on any camera) is that the original footage is processed in-camera and thrown away, so you only have the finished image. Read more...

Regardless of the fact if you currently shoot with a point & shoot or DSLR, the image quality of the NEX-5 is fan-tas-tic! Sony's 14mp EXMOR sensor does not disappoint. Read more...

Jet-lag is gone, laundry is done, and the biggest problem of the day is no longer if you want a drink before going in the pool, or have that drink after being in the pool. Back from a two and half week vacation where Sony kindly lent me their new interchangeable lens camera, the NEX-5, I have now had a chance to go through 45gb of video material and 1,258 photographs, and draw my conclusions on this new camera from Sony. Read more...

When you buy a new computer, or other digital device, or you install a new operating system from scratch and have a nice shiny-clean and empty hard drive, you’ve actually just started what can be a somewhat lengthy and problematic process to update and customize your device. Unless you do a little work ahead of time... Read more...

I always crack a smile every time I tether my iPhone to my laptop to gain elusive Internet access from just about anywhere. But lately, I’ve been thinking to myself that it would be great to tether my iPhone to my iPad — or even better, just share the 6GB data plan I have with both devices. Read more...

Back in 2006 the producing triumvirate of Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. Animation made a decision to begin production on a new line of direct-to-video PG-13 films entitled DC Universe Animated Original Movies that have proven to be among the most exciting comic book movie adaptations to date. It's been five long months since the last title in the animated series, Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths, and following the tradition of earlier films in the collection it was loosely based on a storyline that appeared in the print comics. Here we are on July 27, 2010, which happens to be the release date of the next animated original, Batman: Under the Red Hood, a title based on two of DC Comics' Batman storylines, 1988's "A Death In The Family" and 2005's "Under The Hood". Read more...

I have seen the future and it is gorgeous. If you have an iPad and are a rabid consumer of content from Twitter and Facebook and the web in general, you need Flipboard. Read more...

The first DLC episode for Alan Wake hit this morning, and people who purchased a new version of the game (either normal or collector's edition) get it for free while those who purchased the title second-hand will have to stump up the princely sum of 560 points for it. I downloaded (and played it through) this morning, so the question for either party is--is it worth it? Read more...

Over the weekend at the San Diego Comic-Con game maker Harmonix delighted fans after announcing a list of new songs for Rock Band 3 and Dance Central during their "Faux Fun to Real Rock" panel discussion.

The new tracks revealed for Rock Band 3 are:

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Earlier this week it was rather warm in Edmonton. So much so that my wife and I moved our home office outside to our shaded patio. With our dogs, and a few adult beverages (some of you can already see where this is going). Read more...

Rumours are getting pretty thick about a refresh to iLife—Rumor: iLife '10 coming with new application—and while some sites say iLife '10 and others iLife '11 and there are more rumours of a "new application" (iSendYourMoneytoSteve?), I think there is a good chance of seeing something new soon from Cupertino. It is back to school time and with the success of the iPad, I think beyond getting those in the hands of students, now that more and more people are familiar with Apple stuff (and by all accounts loving it), why not sweeten the pot?

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Web.AppStorm profiled 15 of their favourite web-based app alternatives—15 Web Alternatives to Popular Desktop Software | Web.AppStorm—and while I was thinking I'd review them, that's not really that interesting. What is interesting might be if we've progressed to a point where you could work for a week using only web-based apps. Rather, let me make this more specific: work for a week without major disruptions using web-based apps. My gut tells me that I think you could do it, but it a) wouldn't be easy and b) would take planning to pull off for the long term. Read more...

Are we starting to take the internet for granted? It's ubiquitous and, most times, can be had freely and cheaply. It's to the point that when we are charged outrageous rates for internet access, even overseas, we tend to bristle a bit at the charges. Read more...

The CRTC has opened a new survey, asking for your opinion and views on five questions pertaining to ... This is your chance to make your views known and help make these services better for everyone.

That is, of course, unless the results are completely ignored like they were with the copyright surveys conducted last year. You might want to ask MP James Moore about that one, if you ever get the chance. (ah, democracy!)

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At the San Diego Comic-Con, renowned game publisher Capcom confirmed the existence of the thunder god Thor and the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu in their upcoming game Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds. Their appearance in the game had been leaked days prior to the official announcement after their likeness appeared on the official MvC3 image gallery on Marvel's website. Read more...

In which I use my dictionary to help me insult people I'll hopefully never meet, and also finally expose to the world how much of a comic book geek I am by making fun of Jeph Loeb. Read more...

Today in front of thousands of Street Fighter fans at the San Diego Comic-Con, Capcom producer Yoshinori Ono had his "Street Fighter IV and Beyond" panel crashed by Tekken series Director, Katsuhiro Harada, to make a special announcement that two brand new Street Fighter vs Tekken crossover fighting games are in the works at Capcom and Namco. Both titles are in development for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Read more...

Things seem to be calming down as we get to the mid-summer tech doldrums. Unless you're Apple, in which case you're finding yourself giving away free iPhone 4 cases, discussing antenna issues, and giving software to museums. Read on, gentle reader... Read more...