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By April 16, 2016 Read More →

Homido Virtual Reality Headset review

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Homido Virtual reality headset

Get the virtual reality party started…

You will have heard of the virtual reality wave that is causing quite a stir with high end devices with high prices preparing to launch during 2016; Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Playstation VR to name but a few, all these devices come at a costly price. Google cardboard is a cheap alternative step into the VR world although it does have its limitations.

With thanks, the people at mobilefun.co.uk have sent us the Homido Virtual reality headset for smartphones. Homido have produced a quite robust well designed headset to let you enter the world of VR with your smartphone. Out of the box you will notice straight away the adjustable strap attached to the headset no more holding your headset to your eyes like you would have done with Google cardboard. Homido recommend downloading their own app ‘Homido Centre’ for you to get the best experience possible.

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The headset is completely adjustable for you needs, the head strap allows you to make sure the headset is comfortably tight. There are a number of lenses included to help the best possible viewing – Short cone – short sighted people, Medium cone – people with normal vision, Long cone – long sighted people. There is a slot to slide your phone into, currently I am using the Honor 7 with 5.2 inch screen which is about the right size of screen to insert, any larger than 5.7 inches may find it difficult for you to get the full benefit of the headset.

Once you have your app ready and the phone inserted all you need to done then is use the adjustable buttons on the side to move the screen closer or further away from your eyes until the screen you are looking at inside the headset is at the right distance, and breathe, be prepared to journey into the world of VR.

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The Headset it made of hard plastic and feels solid, however I would be afraid that if dropped or accidentally damaged its lifespan could be short. There is a nice soft sponge cushioning your face from the hard plastic body of the headset which is a bonus. Priced at £47.99 this headset is cheaper than that of the Samsung headset at £89.99 but does cheaper mean better?

I found through usage of the headset that the lenses do get dirty, hence the lens cleaner cloth included in the box. I had also experienced the lenses steaming up a few times although I was getting the cold at that time. There is currently a wide range of virtual reality 360 degree videos available on Youtube accessible through the Google cardboard app, also the Homido app lets you watch 360 videos as well as download some virtual reality games. Unfortunately I did not have a Bluetooth control to connect to my phone I did find the Homido space abduction app really enjoyable. When sitting at my table I was told by the app installed to look at the box of the Homido headset, this enabled Augmented Reality. The app was using my camera enabling me to view the room around me i focused on the Homido box and boom, before me appeared a farm landscape with cows.

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The box turned into a video displaying information about the Homido headset and then the aliens began to invade and started to try and abduct the cows. By looking at the alien spaceships it unleashed a fury of gunshots to bring down the alien crafts. Such a simple game yet really effective.

The Homido virtual reality was my first time using a VR headset. I would definitely recommend purchasing a headset for the novelty and for the kid in me that always dreamed of a time when virtual reality would be a reality. At £47.99 this is significantly more expensive than the cheaper alternatives however you do have a more superior robust headset. Why Buy?

You can purchase the Homido Virtual Reality Headset here for £47.99

● Experience the virtual world through your smartphone

● Universally compatible

● Huge range of VR apps already available

● Lightweight and comfortable

● Adjustable display

● Protective case included

● Compatible with 4 – 5.7″ smartphones with iOS or Android

Posted in: Accessories, Gadgets, gaming, Reviews, Wearables
By January 20, 2016 Read More →

AOC curved 35″ monitor immerses gamers more than ever before

C3583FQ-BS_front_to_right_yellow_designAOC, one of the top global brands in the display market, presents a 160 Hz curved gaming monitor that gives users a fully immersive experience for games, streams, movies and more – the AOC C3583FQ. When gamers feel surrounded by their virtual world it is a more complete viewing experience. That is exactly what the AOC C3583FQ does: With a radius of 2000 mm it is more curved than other conventional curved monitors, providing an outstandingly high level of immersion to gamers.

This exciting new experience is supplemented by an extremely fast refresh rate of 160 Hz, Adaptive-Sync technology (compatible with FreeSync™, with a 45 to 160 Hz range out of the box) and Wide Full HD resolution (2560 x 1080 pixels), which results in an ultra-smooth gaming experience without image tearing, stuttering, input lag or blur. In addition, this monitor features two HDMI (MHL) ports and two DisplayPort inputs, thereby meeting cutting-edge connectivity standards.

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More enhancements for eyes and ears
Equipped with an MVA panel that displays a deeper black and higher contrast of 2000:1, the way that all types of content looks is further enhanced when compared to TN panels, while still maintaining a considerably quick response time of 4 ms. Once the gaming mode colour profile is switched on, brightness and contrast will be optimised even more for games. Furthermore, the larger viewing angle of 178° is comfortable not only for the respective user, but also for spectators watching from behind at LAN parties and other offline events. Additional comfort features include the powerful built-in stereo speakers and the audio connectors.

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The AOC C3583FQ will be available in February 2016 for an MSRP of £579.

Posted in: Desktop Computing, gaming, Press Releases
By October 30, 2015 Read More →

4 Recent Innovations in Video Game Development

Screen Shot 2015-12-15 at 00.44.05The global video game industry is estimated to be worth £80bn and is one of the fastest growing sectors, overtaking the movie and music industries; in part due to an influx of new technologies and developments. We have looked at some of the recent trends and innovations that are shaping the video game industry:

 

Preview Programmes

Preview programmes are a new trend becoming popular with game studios, which allows gamers to feedback into the development process. Steam Early Access and the Xbox preview programme allow gamers to access new titles before they are finished so that they can have a say in the finished product. Small studios are breaking away from the traditional publishing models and incorporating gamers’ opinions into the development process to create a better gamer experience. 

Some studios are even live-streaming the development of their video games, making the whole process more transparent for gamers. Dutch independent game studio Vlambeer has 12,000 users subscribed to its live-stream; the closer audience interaction also means that there are more gamers advocating the game even from the early stages of development.

 

Virtual Reality 

A number of virtual reality gaming headsets are set to hit the market in 2016, including the much talked about Oculus Rift, Sony’s Project Morpheus and Microsoft’s HoloLens. The virtual reality field has so far been dominated by headset technology, but some companies are exploring different technologies; two Amazon patents recently released have revealed their plans to develop AI technology that avoids the need for a headset. This new take on virtual reality uses a projector and single light source to map a room in 3D space.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

According to Microsoft, video games and AI research are ‘mutually beneficial’; AI technology can be used to create virtual characters that behave realistically and intelligently within the game world. 

For the gamer, this means that non-player characters are capable of planning and learning in a way that more closely mimics real-world situations. Google has already contributed by creating a network that can look at a complex image and describe in natural language what is happening.

For developers, this means utilising some of the new resources for game development that incorporate AI technology into the process. Recent versions of game engines such as Frostbite 3 for PlayStation and Xbox, or FPS creator Reloaded for Oculus Rift incorporate artificial intelligence into their development framework to create more realistic in-game experiences for the gamer.

 

Computer-Developed Games

Moving on from artificial intelligence within video games, a researcher at the UK University of Falmouth has created an AI program that develops its own games. The program is called ANGELA – ‘A Novel Game-Evolving Labrat I’ve Named Angela’, and it uses parameters set by its creator to develop video games.

It is essentially a computer algorithm that learns to make a game; as time goes on, ANGELA requires less and less input from its creator. So far, the games created by ANGELA don’t compare to human-developed video games, but as the program learns more over time the aim is that it will be able to write its own code and develop independently.

 

 

Posted in: Editorial, gaming
By September 10, 2015 Read More →

Lenovo – Making the heart go boom

P1020076For many a year Lenovo has had been a go to brand for a robust business solution with this Thinkpad line of laptops and desktops. A serious name that lead to serious solutions. This year we are getting a whole new Lenovo, whilst possessing the straight and serious edge that gained a prestigious reputation over the year we have been shown a lighter, fresher and altogether more cuddle side.

Entering from stage let is the new Lenovo, a Lenovo with a quickly design concept, a grasp on the modern tropes and an aim to please. Wearing a new badge that many will find hard to recognise Lenovo are engaging the public with an attitude to propel themselves into the heart of their customers to pull them back for more.

They are listening to what people want and making massive efforts to provide almost every desire coupled with an alternative, without pushing the customer to pay over the odds. This change is happening across the board, not just a simple flip over to pushing out a few more phones.

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Take the Y Series brand. Taking care to pay attention to the hardcore gamers in the world Lenovo have developed a line of gaming rigs called the Ideacentre that will appeal to both the customer and the system builder. Kitted out with the latest hardware Lenovo have taken the extra step to keep the machine accessible for the inevitable upgrade and or replacement with with their desktop case. There will be two tiers a Y900 and Y700, the main difference being the Y900’s ability to take dual graphics cards.

Lenovo have recognised that gaming on the PC has a massive consumer base and are trying to make the most flexible gaming system, out of the box, that a hardware manufacturer can provide.

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Pushing the focus to portable gaming the same attitude has been worked into the Y-Series gaming laptops. The IdealPad Y700 is designed to appeal to a gamer and added extras to make things a little more suited like backlit keys, QHD display and a Realsense 3D camera and a range of gaming accessories to not only keep things colour coordinated but push the best quality for the money.

Whilst still retaining the Thinkpad business approach Lenovo have made some solid updates to their gaming end and there is a lot to like in these machines. Expect to see the IdeaCentre Y900 in November should cost around £1,039 and Y700 £649. The IdeaPad Y700 will land in October at £617.

Posted in: Desktop Computing, Editorial, gaming, Laptops
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By August 27, 2015 Read More →

YouTube Gaming gets an app

downloadYouTube Gaming has finally shifted to live, directly competing against Amazon’s Twitch. Sure enough the platform has now become completely accessible as well as launching an official application for YouTube Gaming is now available for download. However, those who love playing numerous games anywhere and anytime could go directly to their Google Play Store and look for the Sonsaur Games app.

For those of you not familiar with YouTube Gaming, this is Google’s take on the live game streaming industry. While the focus is primarily on live streaming of gameplay, recorded content will also be available which includes past broadcasts, recorded gameplay, and Video on Demand. In fact all gaming related content  currently on YouTube will also available from within YouTube Gaming. And if you prefer to create your own channel on a platform like Amazon Fire TV, then you might need help from amazon fire tv developers to walk you through the technical process.

The idea is to make it as easy  as possible to stream gameplay on YouTube Gaming, so that anyone who wants to do it can easily pick it up and go for it. For content creators, and most YouTube accounts, the button to Go Live should be up in the top right when signed into your account. The layout for the application is pretty much identical to the YouTube Gaming portal in browsers as well. Flipping between the two should be pretty easy once you’ve learned where everything is.

One step Youtube Gaming may have over Twitch is that anyone with access to the streaming dashboard and monetize their stream, allowing the gamer to earn some money from their gaming experience. Twitch requires a certain amount of viewership before you can be partnered with Twitch, once down ads are used to generate revenue. With YouTune Gaming, as long as you can access the streaming dashboard, you can monetize your stream as well as enable Fan Funding cards.

Posted in: Apps & Games, Desktop Computing, gaming
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