Review

DJ Hero review

By Tim Hanlon

01:38 October 29, 2009 PDT

It's safe to say that Activision has never been an innovator in the music game genre. It bought its way in by purchasing Red Octane, and the rights to the Guitar Hero franchise along with it. Harmonix, the original developer of Guitar Hero, went on to create Rock Band, which Activision subsequently cloned with Guitar Hero World Tour. So just how successful could DJ Hero be with nothing to base it off? According to a surprised Tim Hanlon, very. Read More

Wildcharge review - is wireless power worth it?

By Paul Lester

20:29 October 25, 2009 PDT

It seems strange to think that in today’s age of ever advancing technology, it’s been over 100 years since Nikola Tesla began developing theories for wireless power, and though researchers at MIT have picked up the baton in recent times, we’re still waiting for an efficient, mass-market way to abolish reams of unsightly cables from our homes. The Powermat, demonstrated at CES 2009, is one product that threatens to kick-start this revolution. Another early mover in the market is WildCharge and we've been testing one of these devices to find out first hand what all the fuss is about. Read More

REVIEW: Mobiu Smart Key offers secure, remote data access on the move

By Paul Lester

05:00 October 22, 2009 PDT

USB keys are a boon to those who need to carry data around with them, and with capacities always on the rise it’s becoming more and more likely that sensitive data will be stored on what is, at the end of the day, an inherently losable little gadget. Various security measures are now available that bring more to the table than standard encryption, but it’s not often we see something as all-encompassing as Mobiu’s Smart Key. We took the 1GB version of the secure Flash drive for a spin to see what it has to offer. Read More

PSP Go review

By Tim Hanlon

23:44 October 19, 2009 PDT

The original PlayStation Portable (PSP) was released in December 2004 and has since seen two hardware refreshes (the PSP Slim & Lite and the PSP 3000) with combined sales of more than 55 million units. The PSP Go is the latest and most radical hardware update for the PSP, shedding the UMD drive of old in preference of 16GB of internal storage, with games and other content provided via download from the PlayStation Network. Read on for our full review. Read More

Nexto eXtreme ND2700 review

By Tim Hanlon

07:04 September 19, 2009 PDT

The Nexto eXtreme ND2700 is a 320GB 2.5" SATA drive in an enclosure with two memory card slots, enabling the backup of CompactFlash, SD/SDHC, MMC/MMCPlus, MS/MS Pro-HG/MS Pro MagicGate, and xD cards (and more, with an optional adapter) without a computer. It can also backup straight from your camera using the USB OTG port, and features USB 2.0 and eSATA connectors, the latter of which means you can pull data off the drive at an average of 60 megabytes per second. Read More

Tested: Sennheiser HD 800 vs beyerdynamic T1 audiophile headphones

By Tim Hanlon

06:46 September 17, 2009 PDT

At IFA earlier in the month I had the opportunity to test a pair of Sennheiser's HD 800s and beyerdynamic's newly-announced T1 headphones, neither of which are your average set of headphones. Both are their respective companies' flagship products, and represent extensive research and development, the goal of which is to reproduce the source material as accurately and naturally as possible. And they don't come cheap - starting at around $1,300 US dollars. Read More

Logitech C600 webcam and Vid calling software review

By Darren Quick

17:01 August 13, 2009 PDT

Logitech recently released a raft of new webcams and we've spent the last week putting the C600 through its paces. Despite the fact that the unit offers superior imaging capabilities over the little black circle above the screen on my laptop, it wasn’t the webcam itself that impressed most, but the included Logitech Vid software. But we’ll get to that. First to the webcam. Read More

BenQ's PC-less, lamp-less portable projector reviewed

By Kate Seamer

05:17 July 7, 2009 PDT

For those who just can't wait for the convenience of a projector built into their phone, the BenQ Joybee GP1 may be the answer to your portable projection prayers. Small enough to fit neatly in a suitcase (or hand bag), the GP1 can project from a range of portable devices, including iPhones and USB thumb drives. The GP1 has a sleek and modern design, and feels sturdy and light enough to be carried around all day - making it perfect for the modern mobile office, which often excludes a PC. Read More

HTC Magic review

By Gizmag Team

03:15 July 2, 2009 PDT

The first Android-powered phone to market, the T-Mobile G1 (HTC Dream), was an awkward device with its main appeal derived from the fact it was Android-powered. The HTC Magic is the second Android device to reach consumers, and in terms of hardware, it’s largely the same as its predecessor. The key difference is the move from a slide out, physical QWERTY keyboard to an iPhone-style on-screen keyboard. If you have your doubts as to whether this is enough to make the Magic an attractive device in an iPhone-crazed world, you might be surprised after reading Tim Hanlon's review of the HTC Magic over at The Mobiler. Read More

Review: Logitech's premium Wireless Guitar Controller for PS2 and PS3

By Tim Hanlon

00:24 June 29, 2009 PDT

If you're comfortable with the thought of dropping another $200 on a superior controller for games like Rock Band 2 and Guitar Hero World Tour, check out our full review of Logitech's premium wireless guitar controller for the PS2 and PS3. Read More

Recently on The Mobiler - Nokia E71 review

By Tim Hanlon

23:20 June 15, 2009 PDT

If you haven't checked out The Mobiler recently you might've missed Samsung's TouchWiz 2.0-powered Jet, the IRS planning to tax employees for their business phones, Nokia working on the ability to charge phones using ambient electromagnetic radiation, Samsung's inexpensive Crest Solar E1107 for emerging markets, and our review of the Nokia E71. Read More

Today on The Mobiler - The CrunchPad nears completion

By Tim Hanlon

05:00 June 4, 2009 PDT

Things aren't slowing down over at our mobile blog The Mobiler, with news of Mike Arrington's CrunchPad tablet nearing completion, a (French) review of a pre-production Nokia N97, cell phone use being linked to cubital tunnel syndrome, RIM patching a BlackBerry PDF vulnerability, INQ planning a Twitter phone, BenQ's latest 12-inch Joybook, Qualcomm's Snapdragon chipset getting bumped to 1.3GHz and the Sony W995a getting a price and release date. Read More

VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: Leonard Grigoryan tests Paul Kinny's Stereo Acoustic Guitar

By Loz Blain

01:43 June 3, 2009 PDT

The regular acoustic guitar is such a familiar and effective shape that it's hard to get past the bizarre looks of Paul Kinny's 'Stereo Acoustic' guitar - but rest assured, it's built that way for a good reason. While standard acoustics have a sound hole that faces forward, projecting the sound to a listening audience, the Stereo Acoustic's two sound holes are pointed directly up at the player. That means that it's an instrument you play for yourself, sitting right inside the sound, enjoying a huge dynamic range and the natural stereo and chorus effects it produces. We took the opportunity to put these unique - and remarkably affordable - acoustics in the hands of classical guitar god Leonard Grigoryan for a video review. Then we locked Lenny in a cage of microphones to take some studio recordings and demonstrate the gorgeous sounds these oddball guitars can produce on tape. Read More

Hands-on: LG's BD370 Blu-ray player

By Loz Blain

01:12 May 27, 2009 PDT

LG clearly has a vision where home entertainment is going and it is pressing ahead into the connected TV world by making sure that even its affordable entry-level products are shipping with some very cool new features. We've just spent a week with the LG BD370 Blu-ray player, which features LAN and USB connectivity, YouTube video streaming, Netflix downloads and BD Live content downloads. It's a fair swag of add-ons for a simple Blu-ray player, but perhaps the BD370's greatest strength is how well it does the basics. Read More

Netbook feature: Asus Eee S101H vs HP Mini 2140 vs Kogan Agora Pro vs Sony VAIO P

By Noel McKeegan

00:54 May 11, 2009 PDT

Less than two years ago, the arrival of a tiny, obscurely-named Asus laptop caused quite a stir. It was affordable, portable, and “good enough” to do most of the things people do with computers that cost several times as much. These small form factor laptops geared for web browsing and email usage have exploded into the marketplace since then, with seemingly every PC manufacturer adding at netbook to its lineup. Over at The Mobiler, Tim Hanlon has been putting four recently released netbooks to the test - the Asus Eee S101H, HP Mini 2140, Kogan Agora Pro and Sony VAIO P (although Sony doesn't use the the term netbook) - and unlike our last showdown between the iPhone 3G, BlackBerry Bold and T-Mobile G1, a clear winner has emerged. Read More

Resident Evil 5 review (Xbox 360)

By Tim Hanlon

17:55 March 23, 2009 PDT

Capcom released the first Resident Evil game on the PSone back in 1996, and coined the term "survival horror" to describe it. The game was a critical and commercial hit, and spawned countless sequels (which sold over 34 million units) and a trilogy of live action movies starring Milla Jovovich. Resident Evil 5 is the first game of the series released for this generation of consoles, and the first game to be designed for co-operative play. Read on for our full review. Read More

Street Fighter IV review (PlayStation 3)

By Tim Hanlon

19:04 February 24, 2009 PST

Back in 2005, an obscure developer by the name of Harmonix released a game called Guitar Hero for the PlayStation 2. In the four years since, we've been bombarded with copycats from rival developers, and sequels that remain remarkably similar to their predecessors. If we turn the clock back to 1991, we can find a similar situation kicking off with the release of a game called Street Fighter II, whose copycats and sequels became the royal family of arcades and home conversions for years to come, before vanishing into obscurity (along with the arcade itself) in the face of the first-person shooter craze. Now, ten years after the last "original" Street Fighter, we have the fourth game that even Capcom didn't think would happen, until they saw the sales figures for the Xbox Live Arcade release of Street Fighter II: Hyper Fighting. But is there anything on offer here other than nostalgia for those of us who grew up playing six-button fighting games at the arcade? Read on to find out. Read More

X-Arcade Dual Joystick review (PC/PlayStation 3)

By Tim Hanlon

18:47 February 24, 2009 PST

The dual-analog controllers of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have their moments, being particularly suited to first-person shooters, but certain arcade games like shoot 'em ups and fighting games just aren't the same without the six buttons and a stick of an arcade machine. With the release of Street Fighter IV, millions of gamers are coming to terms with the fact, and clamoring for a quality arcade stick to complete their home arcade experience. We've spent some quality time with an X-Arcade Dual Joystick - read on for our full review. Read More

Game review: Flower (PlayStation 3)

By Darren Quick

18:22 February 15, 2009 PST

Anyone who has played thatgamecompany’s previous offering, flOw, will know that they march to the beat of a slightly different drum, aiming to produce games that touch players on a different emotional level than the majority of video games on the market. Their new game "Flower" certainly achieves this with its beautiful graphics, relaxing soundtrack and instantly accessible control system combining to give players a memorable and unique gaming experience. Read More

Killzone 2 Review (PlayStation 3)

By Tim Hanlon

00:18 February 2, 2009 PST

It's no secret that the PS3 needs a Halo/Gears of War to call it's own. Haze and Resistance 1/2 have tried to take the crown, but ultimately failed. Sony and Guerilla Games certainly have a lot to live up to with Killzone 2, having turned the hype up to 11 way back in 2005 with their now-infamous pre-rendered trailer at E3. So is this the system-selling franchise Sony need? Read on for our full review. Read More

Ears-on with Beats by Dr. Dre Studio headphones

By Tim Hanlon

00:15 January 10, 2009 PST

While we covered the Beats by Dr. Dre headphones back in July 2008, it took a trip to the Monster Audio booth at CES 2009 for Gizmag's Tim Hanlon to get his ears on a set. So how do they compare with the benchmarks set by the German engineering coming out of companies like beyerdynamic and Sennheiser? To put it bluntly, he was blown away. Read More

Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 Reviewed

By Tim Hanlon

19:36 November 25, 2008 PST

Netbooks are typically a "me too!" product, created by manufacturers who think their Intel Atom-based, small form factor notebook is going to stand out from the countless others, despite little to no attention being paid to the areas that could differentiate their product from the rest. Lenovo's IdeaPad S10 is a welcome deviation from the norm that's just as suited to the touring musician as it is to the couch surfer. Read on for our full review. Read More

Spiderman 3 Review (Xbox 360)

By Tim Hanlon

May 22, 2007 Movie licensed games are typically horrible, and should be avoided at all costs. The precedent was set way back in 1982, when lengthy licensing negotiations left a single Atari programmer with just 5 weeks to conceive and develop the entire "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" game. Despite being widely regarded as the worst game ever made, it sold 1.5 million copies - making it the eighth best selling game for the Atari 2600. For obvious reasons, countless movies have been turned into games since 1982, and a mere few gems like Goldeneye 007 and Star Wars Episode 1: Pod Racer have emerged from the noise. Did the developers of Spiderman 3 get enough development time to deliver a polished game in time for the movie? Our Games Editor has the full story. Read More

Guitar Hero 2 Review (Xbox 360)

By Tim Hanlon

April 30, 2007 As you might imagine, we're surrounded with technology at the Gizmag office...and we thought we'd learned to do a pretty good job of soldiering on despite all the distractions the wired lifestyle brings. Alas, those times are over now, and we refer to the period as BG (Before Guitar Hero). For the uninitiated, Guitar Hero is rock and roll condensed into a video game, complete with plastic guitar controller and a drummer who always turns up to practice on time (and doesn't hit on your girlfriend). The original Playstation 2 game sold over one million units in its first year, and the sequel sold over 1.3 million units in 2006 - 800,000 in December alone - and it's hooked everyone from the neighbors seven-year-old to members of the prog-rock super-group Tool. Now it's here on the Xbox 360 in crisp 720p resolution with 10 additional tracks - if you've listened to guitar music at all in the last thirty years, read on for the full review, video and track list. Read More

Blazing Angels: Squadrons of World War II Review (Playstation 3)

By Tim Hanlon

April 10, 2007 When this landed on my desk to review, I had my doubts - of the forty million or so World War II games released during my years of gaming, I can count the ones I've enjoyed on one hand. Thankfully, Blazing Angels stands out from the noise just by not being a first-person shooter, and rekindles the almost forgotten air-combat genre. If piloting one of 50 authentic World War II era aircraft through several key battles over historic sites like Dunkirk, Pearl Harbor, Midway and Berlin sounds like your thing, read the full review. Read More