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Showing posts from 2014

Impulse Controller on Android Review

It started on Christmas morning.  As I joyfully shuffled through the various boxes in fancy gift wrap, I came across one with a width smaller than a 3DS game box, and about as thick at two neatly stacked CD cases.  Wasting no time, I furiously tore at the packaging, and wondered what hidden goodie was just out of my sight.  Then, there it was! The Impulse controller pocket remote & keyfinder. The Impulse next to my car key fob.   It's tough to really describe just how small this device is.  Sure, I can give you the Dimensions, (2.7" long x 1.3" wide x 0.6" high) but actually using the diminutive device actually doesn't feel as cramped as you'd think.  As long as you keep your expectations realistic, (it's not going to be as comfortable as a PS4 or XB1 controller) then you're in for a treat.  The controller is small, but manages to keep a tactile feel to the buttons.  Each of the five front facing buttons in addition to the Dpad has a nic

Moto 360 Review FULL Review (Updated with lots of pics!)

The Moto 360 is easily the most attractive smartwatch in the current market.  Not only does it look and feel the most like an actual watch in comparison to its competition, but its design is simple, elegant, and beautiful.   From the stainless steel case, to the Horween leather band, and even the fancy packaging, this "watch" is the most impressive, and comfortable device that I've ever worn on my wrist. Left: ipod Nano - Middle: Moto 360 - Right - Accutime standard Watch In terms of size, the Moto 360 is comparable in size to many standard watches.   Next to my normal watch, its just slightly thicker, and actually feels lighter.  It's very close in size to Apple's ipod nano, but with a much bigger screen.  Speaking of that display, it's a 1.45" 320 x 290 backlit LCD display with a ppi of 205, and covered with Corning Gorilla glass 3.  The weight is a very light 49g, and itls rated at ip67 for water resistance.  It will survive the rain, and

The Nexus 9 is a huge disappointment

Perhaps I expected too much out of this tablet, since it does not seem like it was rushed to market.   Today, Google has announced the Nexus 6, 9, and player, and out of the three devices, it seems like the Nexus 9 really got the short end of the stick.  Not that it's a horrible device by any means, after all, it has a powerful 64bit processor that should be great for gaming, and the device itself is slim and slated to weigh under a pound. Unfortunately, for a Google device that is priced at a premium, it falls short of modern expectations.  Let me explain: The first problem is that a $400 tablet in 2014 is going to be released with a measly 16gb of storage.  To top it off, it's going to max out at 32gb of storage at $599 for the LTE version.  The Nexus 6 will max out at 64gb.  Meanwhile, Google continues to dodge questions about adding Micro SD support and with this being a tablet, there aren't really any physical space restrictions.   Matias Duarte did attempt to gi

Retron 5 hacked to launch RetroArch and play ROMS off your SD card

It appears that a someone going by the screenname of  RetroN Labo  on Youtube has successfully hacked the Retron 5 console to run the full version of  Retroarch.  In the video shown, various emulators that are not part of the original firmware are playable including the PC Engine, Playstation One, Nintendo DS, and Wonderswan.  As the stock firmware from the Retron 5 is programmed to load games from an original cartridge when it is inserted, this hack appears to run ROM and ISO files, most likely from the SD card slot built into the back of the console. In most of instances shown in the video, emulation appeared to run smooth, and the games previewed looked playable. Currently, Hyperkin (Retron 5 manufacturer) is in hot water with Retroarch's creators due to using their emulator cores without permission.  After being discovered, Hyperkin has shared their code, and claims that they have removed any infringing code from their console.  The Retroarch group feels diffe

Retron 5 Review: How does it stack up to the original consoles?

One amazing trend throughout history is how everything old becomes new again at some point.  With the average computer, tablet, smartphone, and even watches having more than enough power than the average person knows what to do with, it is absolutely amazing that retrogaming is making a comeback of sorts. As a child of the 80's and 90's, I was fortunate enough to live through an era of unprecedented innovation within the home entertainment market.  From VHS tapes to computing, and gaming,  this era shaped the current day by providing us all with so many options for our TV sets. Starting with the Atari 2600 to the Gameboy and so forth, many of my childhood memories were spent playing a console around my TV, on my couch, or over at a friends home with a group. Unfortunately, as technology has advanced, many of these older systems are not fully compatible with our modern era television sets.  In most cases, the best connection that you can get is S-video, which most current