The Growing Popularity of Multi-Player Gaming
If you are over a certain age you’ll remember the fun of playing against your friend on your favourite game. The problem with this of course is that it restricted the amount of people who could play to two, or in special cases maybe four. Looking at games now, the times have changed with some games offering a huge amount of players to play at the same time.
With console gaming and the growth of the internet we’ve seen multi-player games become easier to play. These games on the latest consoles can have eight players or more playing at the same time. The PC of course is the king of multi-player allowing a huge number of people to play.
The number of people you play against depends on the game. If you go with no deposit bingo for an example, then there won’t be that many people playing at the same time. You’ll be able to play with your friends though and enjoy the experience just like a more traditional version of the game.
If you want to play an online game where you are in an open world, like World of Warcraft or The Division then the number of players grows based on the limitations of the game. These numbers can be huge though, as the name massively multi-player online game (MMO) suggests.
One of the most popular style of multiplayer of course is the first-person shooter which normally have teams up to sixteen players. Overwatch is an example of these type of games where it is a four vs. four battle structure and focuses on team work.
With games like this, it could be easy to forget the single-player games, but there will always be the need for this type of game. We don’t always want to play against other people, sometimes it is nice to play alone. Even when we play solo though the internet allows us to challenge other people in various ways.
Multi-player games will get stronger the more processing power we get and the faster the Internet gets. With no sign of the evolution of either of these technologies slowing down anytime soon, multi-player games will get better and better.
Tablets Becoming the Number One Mobile Gaming Device
While smartphones have led to the rise of mobile gaming and led to a surge in the play style, one problem it has is the size of screen. This is why tablets are starting to claim dominance with gamers and is becoming the mobile gaming device of choice.
What the tablet brings is the versatility of the smartphone, including the ability to do online gaming but most importantly it offers more power and bigger screens. Gaming is evolving at a rate that even mobile gaming is requiring more graphical power, and the games are becoming more complex. It comes as no surprise that gamers are now looking to the tablet and their increased size to give that needed screen space for their games.
What tablets hold is the ability not only to host graphically complicated games, but also the versatility to play many types. If you like to create chance with bingo sites, or slots, or the latest version of Candy Crush Sage, the choice is there. While some games may not happily sit well on the smartphone, the tablet gives the ability to play whatever you want.
Another aspect of the tablet is game streaming, and this has been made possible by the NVidia Shield. What makes this tablet different than most is the fact that not only is it designed to be an Android tablet, but it is also designed to allow streaming of PC games onto the tablet device. This includes controls that make it easy for the player to play the game, which is obviously important.
With the rise of tablets as the mobile device of choice it is likely that we’ll see this trend grow. The smartphone will always sit next to the tablet, offering a more pocket friendly device that can be used on the move, but the tablet offers that needed versatility for true gaming pleasure.
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for tablets, and how the innovation in processors and GPUs improve the world of mobile gaming. What we do know is that tablets are here to stay, and mobile gaming is set to reach all new heights.
Gaming Gadgets of the Future
Gaming technology is moving at a fast rate right now, and it’s a very good time to be a gamer. With this in mind we’ve decided to take a look at some of the big trends heading our way in the next few years, and look at how they’ll shape the future of gaming.
VR and AR Headsets
If you have an Xbox One, PlayStation 4, or PC you’ll know that virtual reality and augmented reality is the new technology that is creating a buzz. It may be expensive right now, but with the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive on the market, you can now experience the world of virtual reality. You just need a high-end PC and lots of cash to do it. It should be noted that hope is on the horizon with PlayStation VR though that offers the experience at a cheaper price.
Microsoft are also offering HoloLens which is more of an augmented reality headset. Adding computer generated graphics onto the environment around you, the results are very impressive. While many games that use these technologies do feel like technical demonstrations right now this will soon change. It won’t be long before you are shooting zombies in your favourite FPS, or even stepping into a virtual casino , or get more with bingo.
Gaming Vests
One of the problems with virtual reality is how to add some feedback to the user so that they feel the world they are playing in. with vests like the Kor-FX gaming vest the user will be able to feel the world around them, making the experience even more real.
Advanced Gaming Mice
Moving away from virtual reality, there are also advanced coming to input devices. One example of this is the Naos Quantified Gaming Mouse. This mouse has in-built sensors that take reading tracking your heartrate, skin responses and your overall gaming speed. This kind of data can have many uses, including manipulating horror games based on how scared you are.
There are many new advances coming in the world of gaming, and these are just some that caught our eye. With these kind of new technologies on the way, the world of gaming is set to become very interesting indeed.
House of Marley Get Together portable audio system is worthy of your One Love (review)
One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel all right
Hear the children cryin’ (one love)
Hear the children cryin’ (one heart)
Sayin’ give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right
Sayin’ let’s get together and feel all right
(opening lyrics from Bob Marley’s One Love)
Bob Marley was a legendary musical artist that inspired his listeners with his unique style and lyrics. Sadly Bob Marley was taken from this world at age 36 in 1981, yet he lives on through his music that brings happiness to anyone who listens to it. If you have listened to his music, you can feel his love and passion for togetherness and even though he moved on, his message holds as much power today as it did when he first created the music.
AndroidGuys is far from a site that takes a politcal stance, yet with all of the tragedies that have occurred in 2016, you would hope that people listened to his music and learned to use love over violence to solve the world’s problems.
Bob Marley also lives on through a company called House of Marley, which was founded by the Marley family to spread Bob’s values of equality, sustainability, and charity. It continues to carry on the message through electronic accessories like headphones and speakers, and from my experience, does a pretty great job.
I’ve been using the House of Marley Get Together wireless audio system, and it is my new One Love when it comes to portable speakers.
Let’s check it out.
Sustainable design
The House of Marley Get Together speaker isn’t something you would expect when you think of Rastafari and Jamaica which is what we associate with Bob Marley. Instead the Get Together speaker is more of a modern design. It has a clean front and back made from bamboo, surrounded by an eco friendly exclusive fabric called REWIND which is made from cotton, hemp and recycled plastic bottles.
Out of the box, the first thing I noticed was how heavy the speaker is weighing in at six pounds. Looking at the speaker you can see why it is so heavy – it has two 3.5″ woofers with two 1″ tweeters installed in what looks like half an inch of bamboo at the front.
The exterior is neatly covered in gray REWIND fabric with four touch controls at the top right. The controls include the +/- symbols for controlling the volume, a Bluetooth button for pairing to your favorite device, and a power button. There is also an LED indicator which lets you know if you’re paired to a device and powered on.
On the back of the Get Together is a bass port, DC in charging port, USB out, and an auxiliary 3.5mm audio input.
The Get Together is a typical speaker in design, but it uses environmentally friendly resources to build it. House of Marley used responsibly harvested certified wood, and recycled materials to minimize the environmental impact which is a rarity amongst manufacturers who make disposable electronics. It typically requires much more planning and engineering to use eco friendly materials, yet House of Marley engineers did that while keeping the cost in line with similar spec’d devices at $199.99.
Usage
What you notice first about the Get Together audio system is its incredible look. The gorgeous bamboo front and back, mixed in with the REWIND fabric give this speaker an ultra modern look that sets itself apart from the crowd of silver, black and white speakers we are all accustomed to. What I love about the high quality bamboo is that no two speakers will ever look alike. All wood grain has unique characteristics, and this speaker looks like it belongs in a penthouse loft.
At six pounds, this speaker isn’t quite as portable as ones that you can throw in your back pocket. The weight has a purpose where it has two 3.5″ drivers with two full tweeters at the corners that give the Get Together sound that even Bob Marley would be proud of. While many speakers today put a lot of emphasis on bass, House of Marley opted to focus on clear and detailed sound versus going with overpowering lows. The bass comes from the bass port in the back, so if you want to hear more bass in your music, all you have to do is put the back of the speaker closer to a wall and the bass will reflect.
The lack of protective grills for the 3.5″ speakers is another sign this speaker isn’t designed to be taken with you on all of your excursions. 
It’s made for picnics, hanging out at the park, or outdoors at a party. While it isn’t as portable as pocketable speakers, it uses that weight and size to pump out very loud sound that is crisp and balanced, but detailed at low and max volumes. When I compare the sound to the identically priced Bose Soundlink Mini II, it is a sound that is worth carrying the extra five pounds for. The Get Together was made to enjoy with friends, whereas the Bose Soundlink Mini II is more of a personal speaker. If I was stuck with one speaker for the next five years, I would take my $200 and spend it on the House of Marley Get Together 10/10 times over the Bose Soundlink Mini II.
Classic rock, reggae, country, jazz, rap, R&B and even classical all sound fantastic on the Get Together. It’s a speaker made for all music, and is one that will be my goto over all other portable speakers unless I need one that is rugged and waterproof.
The USB out port on the backside of the speaker can also charge your phone while it streams music through the speaker. I’ve consistently averaged eight hours of battery life at 50-75% of the max volume.
Overall I couldn’t be more pleased with the House of Marley Get Together speaker.
Conclusion
In a world of disposable electronics, I love that House of Marley is focused on taking care of the environment by using sustainable materials. And in a world of tragedies, hate, violence and poverty, I love that House of Marley uses the name and brand to give back to children through its 1love charity.
Bob once said, “The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” These are the family-run charities dedicated to that idea.
Bob Marley’s passion for making this a world a better place lives on through his music and the gadgets that House of Marley makes like the Get Together speaker. As I’ve been listening to music from Bob Marley while I write this review, I could imagine him being very proud of his family for representing him the way he would have wanted. The Get Together not only looks unique and luxurious, but it also sounds fantastic. Highs and mids are extremely detailed from the 1″ tweeters, and lows are deep but not overpowering.
If you have $200 to spend, you won’t find a more well rounded speaker than the Get Together.
You can pick up your own House of Marley Get Together at http://www.thehouseofmarley.com, Amazon.com, Best Buy, and B&H Photo.
Clarito headphones: Another great set of headphones from Rock Jaw (Review)
Last month my colleague, Josh Noriega, reviewed a set of headphones from a British company called Rock Jaw. Based on his review, I was eager to try out another set of in-ear headphones the company offers called Clarito. This set runs about $20 cheaper than the Alfa Genus pair that Josh reviewed. But does it live up to the high standard that the Alfa sets? Let’s take a closer look.
Design
First impressions are always important when it comes to technology. As soon as I laid eyes on the box for the Clarito headphones, I was impressed. It’s not that it has amazing packaging, it’s the fact that the headphones were presented in a clean and neat way that showed Rock Jaw cared about its product.
Right out the box, the Clarito headphones scream quality. With a shiny lightweight aluminum casing, it has first class written all over it. It comes with four different sized ear tips that are sure to fit comfortably in almost every ear.
While the headphones are comfortable, I must confess that it didn’t pass my running test to see if it would fall out. On a short run, I found myself constantly pushing the tips back into my ear; however, I seem to always have trouble with that, aside from a couple of rare exceptions.
The headphones sport a roughly four-foot-long cord that is by far my favorite cord I have seen. It’s made of a thick rubber that isn’t heavy but feels like it would take a lot to tear. On the cord, it has an adjustment clip that you can attach to your shirt to keep the cable from moving around while walking.
Rock Jaw is kind enough to include a nice felt bag to carry your headphones in. After all, you want to make sure you protect your new headphones.
Sound
I’ve had a number of pricier headphones throughout my life that were muddy, bassy, and muffled. On the other hand, I’ve had some that were inexpensive while also sounding like I was at an actual concert. The truth is you never know what you will get at any price point, but the sound the Clarito headphones deliver will make you happy that you dropped the $30.
Clarito rocks a crisp dynamic sound that you hear with every cymbal, bass kick, and note. The highs and bass are perfectly balanced and deliver an enjoyable experience whether you’re listening to your favorite album or watching the new Star Wars movie.
Summary
Rock Jaw has proven itself worthy to be a contender in the audio market. It only has a few headphones in its portfolio at the moment, so I’m eager to see how much more it grows in the future and the products it will develop.
Buy from Rock Jaw or Amazon
Adobe Lightroom for Android adds pro mode to built-in camera
An update is now rolling out to Adobe Lightroom, bringing mobile photo editing aficionados an all new pro mode for the built-in camera. This update also packs a couple of other notable tweaks that should make using the app much nicer.
Here’s the full skinny on what’s new in Adobe Lightroom version 2.1 for Android:
- New and improved in-app camera. The new interface makes it even easier to capture photos at their best, providing a modern mobile capture experience. When supported by the device, take control over the shutter speed, ISO, white balance, and focus.
- Improved full resolution output. Images that were added through Lightroom on the web or Lightroom mobile can be exported at their native resolution.
- Support for latest Adobe Camera Raw functionality
- Various bug fixes
In addition, there’s a new Lightroom Camera widget that will let you launch Lightroom directly into the built-in camera from your home screen.
If you’re interested in checking out everything that’s new, you can grab Lightroom 2.1 on Google Play now.
Catch a new Pokémon wallpaper this Wednesday
Don’t let your home screen fall into a rut — switch out your wallpaper!
You don’t have to pull out a complex new theme like Spider-Man to bring a breath of fresh air to your home screen. A new wallpaper can do wonders, and launchers like Action Launcher can re-theme your entire home screen around a good wallpaper. In our effort to help brighten your device — and maybe your day — we’re compiling some wallpapers for you to try out. And since everyone’s been killing their battery turning their phone into a Pokédex, we thought we’d share some wallpapers to help bring that Pokémon feel to your home screen.
If you’ve got a wallpaper you use everywhere, share it in the comments below! We’re always looking for something new. Now get your wallpaper picker ready and see what’s in store this week.
Wild Pokémon Living in the City by Ninja-Jamal
There are Pokémon living all around us…
Okay, maybe they aren’t quite this plentiful in the city, and maybe we only have 140 Pokémon from Kanto right now, but it’d be nice to image all these Pokémon are sitting in an alley, waiting for us right now. Especially that Snorlax in the back. Or that poor Jigglypuff that just needs a hug… Don’t cry, Jigglypuff! I’ll sing with you!
Wild Pokémon Living in the City by Ninja-Jamal
Team Mystic
There are 3 teams that players choose from once they reach Level 5 and are eligible to fight in the gyms. Team Mystic, aka Blue Team, has picked up some Game of Thrones style lore, which has spread like Articuno’s Blizzard across reddit and the rest of internet. They know no team but the Bird in the North, whose name is Articuno!
Download
Moltres by Tharalin (Team Valor)
Team Valor can be a bit intense. It’s the team that focuses on strength, and defines itself by it. Their emblem and their bird is Moltres, their ‘Lord of Light’. If you see a circle of Pokémon GO trainers who shout “Fire and blood!”, that would be Valor. It’s an intense team, but maybe you’ve got what it takes…
Moltres by Tharalin (Team Valor)
Zapdos by MrRedButcher (Team Instinct)
There is no shelter from the storm
Yeah, Instinct may not be quite as popular as Valor or Mystic, but can we all agree that the Zapdos above is freaking terrifying? And a legendary bird that commands lightning is not the kind of bird you want to mess with, because unlike the water-hating Moltres or the temperature-challenged Articuno, Zapdos could be anywhere just waiting to short out your phone when you finally corner that Pikachu.
Zapdos by MrRedButcher (Team Instinct)
Entei Flat Design by ibeagra
While we’re stuck with Kanto right now, I have faith that we’ll get a more expanded Pokemon world soon. And when it comes, I will climb a volcano to find myself an Entei.
Entei Flat Design by ibeagra
Galaxy Note 5, S6 edge+ receiving July 1 security patches from Verizon and T-Mobile
Verizon and T-Mobile are currently pushing the July 1 security patch out to both the Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge+. Beyond updating to the most up to date Android security patch, the two carriers just cite general performance enhancements in each build.
Additional details of the Galaxy Note 5 update from Verizon can be found here (T-Mobile here), and information for the Galaxy S6 edge+ from Verizon are here (and T-Mobile here). If you happen to own either of these, you can head into your Settings, then About device and finally check for the update if you haven’t already received a notification for the update.
Discuss the update in the forums
Thanks for the tip, Erik!
Samsung Galaxy Note 5
- Read our full review
- Get the latest news
- Note 5 vs. Note 4: What’s the difference?
- Galaxy Note 5 specs
- Join the discussion
- Check out Note 5 cases
AT&T
Sprint
T-Mobile
Verizon
Best Buy
These awesome wooden Android figures will be available later this year
Dead Zebra, the company known for its unique Android figures, has teamed up with a woodworker in NYC to create a small batch of figurines that will be made of solid wood. A small number will be available at Comic-Con, with another release coming later this year. The company also recently announced plans for a limited edition release of a Bear collectible in the coming months.
From Dead Zebra’s announcement:
Over four years ago we got together with Queens NYC-based woodworker and toy maker NoliNoli (aka Ken Como) to discuss bringing a the Android character to life in a variety of natural woods. Over the years we produced two small batches, most of which ended up in the hands of friends at Google, but never made their way into the world at large.
I’m happy to finally get some of these guys out into the hands of fans and collectors, starting with a few that will be available at Comic Con (Dumbrella, Booth #1335!) This edition is made from a combination of regionally sourced FSC certified white oak and maple woods, finished with a natural shellac and bees wax for a nice soft sheen.
If you will be attending Comic-Con in California, you’ll be able to stop by the Dumbrella booth to try and get one, but if not you’ll have to hope to secure one in the release later this year. In the meantime, be sure to check out the rest of the awesome Dead Zebra Android collectibles.
See at Dead Zebra
ZTE Axon 7 goes up for pre-order in Canada for $529
ZTE has announced that the Axon 7, its follow-up to the Axon and Axon Pro, will be released in Canada on July 27th for $529.99. Distribution will begin exclusively with Newegg, the well-known computer hardware outlet, but may expand beyond it at some point in the future.
ZTE calls itself the fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer in North America behind Apple, Samsung, and LG (though Alcatel also likes to make that claim), and is attempting to grow its business in the high-end phone market. The Axon 7, with its metal body, close-to-stock software and powerful specs, is a worthy showcase of that ambition.
More: ZTE Axon 7 Hands-on
ZTE also notes that the Axon 7 will be one of the first phones to support Google’s Daydream VR platform, as well as boast high-fidelity sound, a 20MP dual-stabilized rear camera, a QHD AMOLED display, and dual SIM slots. It will go up against the OnePlus 3, which sells for $519 CAD. While the OnePlus 3 boasts 6GB of RAM to the Axon 7’s 4GB, they’re pretty evenly matched in other areas; the Axon 7 has a larger 3,250mAh battery, a higher-resolution OLED display, and what appears to be a superior audiovisual experience.
The phone is available for pre-order starting July 13 at Newegg.
See at Newegg
AIVAnet 