A game about making games

Gagan Gupta mirrorfeedback@indiatimes.com


Want to run your own game development studio Of course you do! Game Dev Story on the iPhone allows you to do just that virtually of course.Game Dev Story puts you in control of an up and coming studio with minimal resources.You start your game dev journey making games for PC,but with time and success,you move on to the real market share by making games for consoles.
You have to hire the right team and train them regularly to keep yourself ahead of the competition.Even selecting the right console to develop games for plays a big role in your success.The higher the consoles market share,the bigger your audience.The good thing is that the game draws parallels from the real-world console history,so if you just figure out that the Game Kid is actually a GameBoy,you can figure out how successful it will get with time.

The game development process itself consists of using the right resources to plan the game,design it,and do the soundtrack.Of course the cheapest option would always be to use in-house resources,but you also can outsource particular parts to more talented individuals outside your company.Its all about making the right decisions.Eventually,once youre successful enough and have the right capital,you can also launch your own gaming console.


The games presentation is simplistic,yet effective.I never had to struggle through the interface to figure out any of the options.You can simply touch through all the menus,or if you have big stubby fingers like me,then theres also a very useful option to turn on the on-screed directional pad.Game Dev Story is incredibly addictive.Its the kind that youd want to pick up and play at any opportunity you get.The simplistic nature and the variety of options you have to develop a better game or get better market presence are enough to get you trying out different permutations and combinations for weeks,which adds to its longevity.Everyone whos ever wanted any part of the gaming industry should definitely try Game Dev Story.
 

MORE TABLETS FOLLOW THE IPAD

 

This year saw some new releases for IPAD's  and is going bigger, smarter, faster with release of TABLE's

 

 

 

Models display the new line of Galapagos multifuncion tablet computers from Sharp during a press preview in Tokyo.Sharp said it will launch the computers on December 10,2010,featuring a 5.5-inch screen and a larger 10.8-inch screen

website of the day

www.y-tunes.com

This Web site combines two icons,iTunes and YouTube to get y-tunes.com.The site lets users access videos from YouTube.com in an interface that looks like iTunes.The site also lets you play videos uninterrupted while searching for new ones on Youtube 

MULTITOUCH TABLE COMPUTER LAUNCHED

Employees of TouchMagix Media demonstrate the companys flagship product the MagixTable.The table features a 32-inch HD LED display,WiFi and multitouch detection of up to 40 simultaneous points of contact.It will retail in India for Rs 6.5 lakhs 

The MagixFone is a combination of hardware and software allowing any user to engage with a display using their mobile phone, with a simple local phone call. Yes, it does sound quite nebulous and curious, we are not sure how this will play out, as more details about the MagixFone concept are not available yet.
As per the use cases described in the release, the MagixTable could act as an interactive surface and and engage with consumers, in hospitals and hotels, besides other possible uses like schools, malls, conferences, games, and so on. Initially, the company sees it as being applicable in brand visibility and corporate communications.

TouchMagix claims to have a rich application suite with easy customization tools, and provides SDK tools for third party application developers, who wish to design content for use on the MagixTable multi-touch surface.

Acer 10-Inch Android Tablet

Acer announced not one, but three tablets . Even the company's CEO admitted that the 5-incher it also unveiled is primarily a phone. All these devices were in scarce supply at Acer's downtown Manhattan product unveiling.

Roughly a half-inch thick and somewhat long longer (or narrower—it has a 16:9 aspect ratio) and heavier than the Apple iPad, the Acer tablet runs Android, though it wasn't clear which version. Acer execs said its release schedule for these Android tablets is dependent on when the tablet version of Android (code-named Honeycomb) is ready.

The device offers no front button, but does have power and screen lock on one side, an SD slot on another, and a docking port for the optional, full-sized keyboard dock. There are two cameras, one on the back and another on the front. Acer didn't announce the resolution, though we know the camera on the 5-inch smartphone is 8 megapixels, so it might not be a stretch to assume the same about this device's primary image capture hardware. The company also left out details on the exact screen resolution, though we can report that it's bright, sharp, and highly reflective. There's also a mini HDMI port for playing back content on your HDTV. The gray, brushed metal device is easy to hold and, unlike the Samsung Galaxy Tab, didn't feel as if it might slide out of your hands.

Powered by an Nvidia Tegra 2 CPU, the tablet has some serious graphics chops. We saw it play a 3D game during the on-stage demo and then watched as it effortlessly handled 1080p HD video streaming from a nearby Acer laptop. Both devices feature DLNA-enabled Clear.fi, Acer's new WiFi-based content streaming and sharing technology. Acer execs said Clear.Fi. will help users create a "personal cloud.

MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 Lightning Extreme Video Card Unboxing & First...

MSI has launched its flagship custom GeForce GTX 480 video card! The MSI N480GTX Lightning is here to give Fermi fans their Extreme Overclocking fix with its special LN2 features and military class hardware. Does it stand above the average GeForce GTX 480? How far does it outperform the now more than a year old ATI Radeon HD 5870? We'll find out with the help of five of today's hottest games!

Launched on March 25, 2010, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 is NVIDIA’s first DirectX 11 GPU. The GTX 480 is built on a 40nm process and boasts 480 CUDA cores. It also packs 60 Texture units and 48 Raster Operators . The reference Graphics Clock is 700MHz, while the CUDA cores are supposed to operate at 1401MHz. The GTX 480 utilizes GDDR5 memory, and NVIDIA’s reference design calls for 1536MB of it to be configured at 3.696GHz on a 384-bit bus. This gives the GeForce GTX 480 a maximum theoretical bandwidth of 177.4GB per second. The GTX 480 is rated to run at a maximum of 250 Watts, and the GPU’s thermal threshold is 105 degrees Celsius.

Since its launch, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 480 has been roundly criticized for its immense power draw and high thermal output. As true as those points are, the GeForce GTX 480 is still the fastest single-GPU video card on the market.

The GeForce GTX 480 launched with an MSRP of $499 USD. Since then, etail prices have fallen only about $50 with rebates.

Fractal Design Define XL Titanium Grey Tower Computer Case Unboxing & Fi...

Great cabinet to have for advance gaming buddies.

Slayer Exciter 20F cap.

Future Phones 2010 - 2014

Upcoming phones Fall 2010, Spring 2011

This is what smart phones have got for you in 2011

Patriot SSD Boot time with win XP Pro and windows 7 Ultimate

Top smartphones of 2010

Top 10 wireless security camera

 Please read its reviews before buying them.

Top Smartphone

Smartphones offer greater functionality than regular cell phones, with the ability to access the Internet, download email, work with document attachments, sync data with personal and corporate computers, send instant messages, play music, show streaming video and scout out locations with GPS - in addition to making phone calls.

Now lets check the top 10 smartphone in market.


1. T-Mobile myTouch 3G Slide

An Android smartphone for first-time users

• Superb QWERTY keyboard
• Easy-to-use interface
• Good call quality

• Clunky slider mechanism
• Sub-par camera
• Weak battery

  
Review:
The T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide is an entry-level Android device geared for first-time smartphone users. Reviewers praise its midrange feature set, top-notch QWERTY keyboard and exceptional ease of use. Chris Ziegler at Engadget.com considers it "among the best" QWERTY Android sliders, and CNET's Bonnie Cha says T-Mobile's customized user interface "brings a more consumer-friendly look and feel" to Android. However, experts also say the Slide's features can't compete with powerhouses like the HTC Droid Incredible (Free with contract) or HTC EVO 4G (*Est. $190 with contract). Nevertheless, for those transitioning to smartphones, the MyTouch 3G Slide may be a sound choice.
Thanks to a hardware redesign and a software makeover, the MyTouch 3G Slide is "more than just a re-warmed" MyTouch 3G, says Lisa Gade at MobileTechReview.com. The Slide has a larger 3.4-inch touch-screen display with pinch-to-zoom support, a new QWERTY keyboard and bigger 600 MHz processor. Critics praise the bright, responsive screen, and Kenneth Butler at Laptop Magazine says the QWERTY keyboard "hits the sweet spot." Cha likes its spaciousness, but says the slider can be clunky to open. The Slide runs on Android OS 2.1 (Eclair) with two user interfaces: one from HTC and the other from T-Mobile, which users say is more user-friendly. In addition to a guided set-up process, the Slide has Android's multi-panel home screen, Google apps and MS Exchange support. The HTC Sense interface adds five customizable home screens and apps like Friendstream, which combines Facebook, Twitter and Flickr updates. The T-Mobile interface features My Modes, which lets you personalize the home screen for work or home, the Faves Gallery (which keeps track of your 20 favorite people), and the Genius button for voice-recognition searching and messaging, a barcode reader and an bundle of recommended apps.
Focus on messaging
For the most part, the enhancements impress reviewers. MobileTechReview.com's Gade says "it's a pleasure to see a midrange phone get the current goods," while PCMag.com's Sascha Segan likes how it focuses on messaging. But Laptop Magazine's Butler says the Motorola Cliq (Free with new contract) does "a better job of integrating social networking."
The Slide is also a good multimedia phone, according to Segan. It includes a standard Android music player, free DoubleTwist syncing software, a 3.5 mm headphone jack and a YouTube video player. While the 5-megapixel camera gets lukewarm reviews for sub-par image quality, the Slide's browser "notched decent page load times," says Butler. Reviewers report excellent call quality with clear volume and reliable 3G coverage, but battery life -- the most common complaint among users at CNET -- falls short of its rated 7.5 hours in tests at CNET, Laptop Magazine and PCMag.
Laptop Magazine's review provides the most complete comparison to rival smartphones such as the Google Nexus One and HTC Evo 4G. Other professional review sources, including MobileTechReview.com and PCMag.com, make fewer comparisons with rival smartphones but nevertheless deliver thorough evaluations, while user reviews at CNET help to illustrate some of the Slide's drawbacks.


2.  T-Mobile Garminfone

An Android smartphone with excellent Garmin GPS

• Outstanding navigation
• Navigates even in dead zones
• Easy user interface
• Includes dash mount/charger

• Older version of Android
• Runs slowly at times
• Blurry photos and video in some tests
• May be too basic for advanced users

A phone that combines great Garmin navigation with a smartphone that's at least passable is bound to be a sought-after option. The Android-based T-Mobile Garminfone has its flaws as a smartphone, testers say, but if you want the best possible phone navigation, this is it -- and it's far better than Garmin's last attempt, the widely panned Garmin nuvifone G60 (Free with contract).
Navigation is "fantastic" with the Garminfone, says Tim Stevens at Engadget.com, and other testers agree. While other Android phones such as the Motorola Droid (Free with a new contract) include free turn-by-turn Google Maps Navigation, testers say the Garminfone is a better, more full-featured navigator -- especially since it can navigate regardless of dead zones, unlike the Google Maps version, which must be connected via cell signal to work. The Garminfone comes loaded with North American maps and 6 million points of interest. In a test at Laptop Magazine, it gets a stronger GPS signal than the Droid and is "pretty much identical to a dedicated in-car unit," reviewer Mark Spoonauer says. Directions in your own voice
The Garminfone speaks directions loudly, its 3.5-inch touch screen is easy to see, and testers appreciate the free dash mount/charger that comes in the box. Free traffic reports, weather information, gas prices and movie times are also included. Reviews say the Garminfone has a couple of neat extra features to play with, too. Garmin Voice Studio allows you to record directions in your own voice. And if a friend sends you a text message with an address in it, you can navigate directly there. The Garminfone even remembers where you parked. "This is brilliant stuff," says Jamie Lendino at PCMag.com.
As for handling calls while navigating, reviews say the Garminfone does a smooth job. When you hit the answer button, the Garminfone switches to speakerphone and mutes its navigation prompts while you're talking, although the screen keeps navigating. Everything switches back to normal once you hang up. Call quality is fine in Laptop Magazine's test, although PCMag.com's Lendino says that while callers sounded clear, they "complained that I sounded a little thin and distant."
Smartphone a bit poky and outdated
Smartphone features are where the Garminfone falters in reviews. It's not as powerful as other Android smartphones, such as the Motorola Droid X. With just 256 MB of RAM, "some operations felt sluggish" in PCMag's test. The Garminfone has 4 GB of memory, expandable via microSD card. It runs the older Android 1.6, not the current version, which means it can't run some of the latest Android apps. On the plus side, testers say the Garminfone's simplified interface makes it easy to use, although advanced users will miss some of the usual Android customizations; Engadget.com's Stevens says this is "not a phone for power users." The touch-screen keyboard with haptic feedback works fine in tests.
Lackluster camera
Web pages load quickly over T-Mobile's 3G network in Laptop Magazine's test -- four seconds for NYTimes.com, five seconds for CNN.com, six seconds for ESPN.com -- although sites without mobile versions take longer. Video and photos range from "decent" to "blurry," with a 3-megapixel camera that lacks a flash that Spoonauer calls "far from the cutting edge." PCMag.coms Jamie Lendino neatly sums up reviewer sentiment: "The Garminfone is the nation's best navigation phone, but there are better choices for a general-purpose smartphone."
Reviews of the Garminfone at Laptop Magazine, PCMag.com and Engadget.com are exceptionally thorough, giving the reader an excellent idea of how the phone performs and how it stacks up against the competition. A video review at CNET expertly critiques the phone and shows it in action.


3.  Motorola Droid 2

Droid 2 incorporates much-needed updates, but offers few new features

• Android 2.2 improves web browsing
• Easy, responsive navigation
• 3G mobile hotspot for up to five devices
• Improved slide-out keyboard
• 5-megapixel camera

• Stiff keyboard buttons
• Mobile hotspot costs extra

 While it certainly raises the bar for performance and features compared to the original Droid (Free with new contract), the Motorola Droid 2 for Verizon "takes only baby steps forward from the original, struggling to keep up with new titans like the Droid X," says Stewart Wolpin of DigitalTrends.com. What sets the Droid 2 apart is the addition of Android's 2.2 Froyo software, which adds support for Adobe Flash and 3G mobile hotspot capabilities for up to five devices. Hotspot capability will cost you an additional $20 per month for 2 GB of data. Internal changes include an upgrade from a 550 MHz processor to a 1 GHz processor, 512 MB of memory and better battery life (almost 10 hours of talk time, according to PCMag.com tests).
The Android 2.2 "perfectly replicates the desktop experience," PhoneArena.com editors say, thanks to support for the Adobe Flash player. (Most Android smartphones will get this update automatically.) Reviewers praise the Droid 2's toned-down Motoblur interface. PCMag's Sascha Segan says that it's "much less intrusive than Samsung's or HTC's" and will appeal to those looking for a "sparer Android interface." PhoneArena.com calls the Droid 2's screen "nothing that exciting" since the display hasn't changed from the original, but editors are pleased with its responsiveness. Segan rates performance "somewhat faster" than the HTC Droid Incredible (*Est. $80 with new/renewal contract) but "probably be a little slower" than the Samsung Fascinate, another Verizon Android phone.
Responding to complaints about the original Droid, the Droid 2 features a redesigned slide-out QWERTY keyboard that sheds the troublesome D-pad and incorporates bigger, raised keys. It's a bit of a letdown, however, as the keyboard is still "tight" compared to phones such as the Samsung Epic 4G, says PCMag's Sascha Segan, and it still has the "same stiff feeling keys," according to editors at PhoneArena.com. The Droid 2 retains the original Droid's 5-megapixel camera, 720-by-480-pixel video resolution and 3.7-inch TFT capacitive touch screen (854 pixels by 480 pixels). Segan notes that the camera "overexposes shots," though they're still sharp, and finds that the improved 30 frames-per-second video recording (up from 24 fps on the original) presents "smooth and sharp" videos. CNET's Bonnie Cha agrees that pictures are "bright," but feels video quality is "very hazy" even at the highest resolution.


4. Motorola Droid X

Verizon's Droid X leads the Android pack, but may be too big for some

• Huge 4.3-inch display
• Roomy virtual keyboard
• Speedy 1 GHz processor
• Excellent noise-canceling microphones
• Long battery life

• Too big for small hands
• No front-facing camera for video calling
• Sluggish Motoblur interface

Everything about the Motorola Droid X is big: its 5-inch chassis, 4.3-inch display, roomy virtual keyboard, fast 1GHz processor and long battery life. "It's a beast, but in a good way," says CNET's Bonnie Cha, while Lisa Gade at MobileTechReview.com calls it "lustworthy." Other reviewers are equally smitten. At PCMag.com, the Droid X snatches the best smartphone crown from the HTC Droid Incredible, while Engadget.com's Chris Ziegler says it "steals the spotlight" from Verizon's other smartphones (such as the Incredible). But David Pogue at The New York Times puts the Droid X's "best" title in perspective: "In this business, the state of the art changes as often as Lady Gaga changes outfits," he says, pointing out that several phones have been proclaimed the "best" Android phone in the past year.
The Droid X is slightly taller than the HTC Evo 4 (*Est. $190 with contract), Sprint's flagship Android phone, but it's a tad lighter thinner. "You feel as if you're talking into a frozen waffle," says Pogue, while Ziegler says it's "definitely not for the small of hands." The huge 4.3-inch touch-screen display appears "truly cinematic," says Gade. It packs a higher resolution and a wider aspect ratio than the Evo (16:9 vs. 5:3), says Ziegler, but experts say the Super AMOLED display on the new Samsung Galaxy S, another Android phone due out this fall, may be tough to beat. The Droid X's spacious virtual QWERTY keyboard has optional Swype technology, which lets you type by sliding from key to key, rather than typing. Critics say it's fast and accurate -- albeit a reach for small hands. Most reviewers say that the Droid X is a great choice for most, but note that users with small hands may prefer the slimmer Droid Incredible (*Est. $150 with new contract).

5.  HTC EVO 4G

4G Android smartphone hits a few speed bumps

• Huge 4.3-inch display
• First 4G network device
• Fast downloads and media streaming
• Doubles as a personal Wi-Fi hotspot

• Bulky
• Limited 4G coverage
• Extra monthly fees
• Convoluted video chat app
• Paltry battery life

The HTC EVO 4G "offers a big, beautiful, and powerful window" to the online world, says Sascha Segan at PCMag.com. As the first 4G (fourth generation) network device in the U.S., the EVO raises the bar with "much faster" web pages, e-mail and skip-free Internet video, says David Pogue at The New York Times. It also touts massive specs: a 4.3-inch display (larger than the iPhone's), hotspot abilities, speech recognition, Flash Lite, dual cameras, video calling, HD video and an HDMI port. Most reviewers regard the EVO as the most powerful Android smartphone, putting it in the pantheon with the HTC Incredible (*Est. $150 with contract) and Apple iPhone 4 (From $200 with contract). Still, the EVO isn't flawless, and Pogue says the "groundbreaking features come with enough fine print to give the White Pages an inferiority complex."
Sprint brands the HTC EVO as the "first" 4G device, even though only 32 metro areas have such coverage and the smartphone switches over to 3G otherwise. The phone uses WiMAX technology to access 4G, but it's solely for data downloads and not phone calls, and WiMAX technology fizzles in urban landscapes. Chris Ziegler at Engadget.com says "we found ourselves getting four bars of 4G walking down the street, then ducking into a coffee shop and dropping to just one or even no bars at all." Sprint also charges EVO owners an additional $10 a month for WiMAX. CNET's Bonnie Cha considers the extra fee reasonable, but says that "making it mandatory for everyone, regardless of whether you live in a 4G market or not, seems unfair."

6.  Apple iPhone 4

Apple iPhone 4 leads the smartphone pack, but not by much

• Brilliant high-contrast display 
• Powerful 5-megapixel camera
• Unrivaled app store
• Easy FaceTime video calling

• Limited multitasking
• Unreliable reception
• FaceTime restricted to iPhone 4 owners

Reviewers agree the iPhone 4 is the best yet, with huge upgrades to the iPhone 3GS (*Est. $100 with contract). Though its prowess remains undisputed, few critics are willing to peg it the absolute best out there, however. "The iPhone 4 deserves its place in the pantheon of cellphone gods, but as part of a distinguished group, not as a single overlord," says Sascha Segan at PCMag.com. With a level playing field, many critics feel that choosing the right smartphone boils down to a matter of personal preference. "iPhone is no longer the only worthy contender," says David Pogue of The New York Times. The iPhone 4 is available in 16 GB (*Est. $200) and 32 GB (*Est. $300) configurations. 
The buzzworthy feature this time around is FaceTime video calling, which allows you to make face-to-face calls using the VGA camera on the front of the iPhone 4 or the 5-megapixel shooter on back. The technology isn't new, but experts say Apple gets it right. "It's the first phone to make good video calls reliably, with no sign-up or set up, with a single tap," Pogue says, while other critics report it's easier than Android's Fring or Qik apps. However, FaceTime works only on Wi-Fi, and both callers must have an iPhone 4. "That makes FaceTime a special-occasion parlor trick rather than a general purpose solution," says Segan.