Despite console developers repeatedly assuring consumers that the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 would last for a ten year lifespan, it appears that some analysts were correct in predicting that 2013, not 2015/2016, would be the year of the next-gen video game console. Sony has already announced the next iteration of the Playstation, and Microsoft is expected to do the same for the Xbox soon. Come E3 in June, we can anticipate a lot of next-gen content set to culminate in commercial releases this holiday season. So why not go ahead and start asking the inevitable question: which console will be superior? So let me preface this post by saying that some of what is to follow is based on speculation and rumor, not hard facts. There is yet time for details to change, but based on what we do know it is possible to get a good idea of where things are heading in the console market. Hardware Console hardware is a funny thing. It always has been. Rarely has a console been powerful by desktop PC stan...

It would appear that the digital realm has gotten bit by the nostalgia bug as of late. Coverage is hot for Ubisoft’s upcoming 80’s sci-fi shooter, Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, Square Enix can’t seem to stop re-releasing the Final Fantasy games of yesteryear, and now Google has joined in as well with a special effect for YouTube that you won’t want to miss. At least you won’t if you’ve been around a few years. Sound mysterious? Let’s take a look. Google is well known for its sense of humor. From epic April Fool’s gags to interactive search terms , the Mountain View company has well demonstrated its affinity for playing around with its user experience. And now, although we can’t be sure for how long, we have YouTube Tape Mode. The option for Tape Mode is somewhat finicky. Certain URL codes (such as playlist or referral info) will cause the little VHS icon will not appear. Certain videos don’t appear to have the effect at all (this could be related to the YouTube Partner program). But once...

With an increasing number of PC users no longer finding an optical drive necessary, it has become common to offload tasks normally given to writable CDs and DVDs to more flexible and portable devices like USB flash drives or SD cards. However, there is one operation that still almost universally relies on some form of optical storage: installing an operating system. With so many tools out there available to (attempt to) carry out the task of transloading OS installation files to portable media, how is one supposed to know what tool is right for them? Today we will take a look at the top tools for the job, examine why each one is great, and hopefully get you on the road to installing that brand new OS, pronto. Imgburn So, first things first, right? Most tools out there for transloading OS installation files don’t actually operate on the original optical disk. Instead they transload files from an ISO file, which is basically a compressed folder containing an exact copy of all the informa...

Steampunk is one of those wonderfully odd genres that we just don’t see enough of. For those who aren’t aware, it basically takes modern-age technology and sticks it in an old-age context, operating in the form of steam powered machinery. The genre works especially nicely for games because, well, who doesn’t want to swing around a weapon like an Axegun? And with Edge of Twilight – Athyr Above, developer FuzzyEyes brings the genre to iOS and embarks upon a new series set to release on both mobile and console platforms over the coming months/years. Will it be the big boost Steampunk has been waiting for? Edge of Twilight – Athyr Above opens with two beautifully rendered, console-quality cutscenes complete with full voice acting, which is actually quite well done. As they explain in-depth, the world has been divided into two realms: the world of day, and the world of night. Only Lex, a “half-breed” and the plot’s main character, is capable of moving between these two realms. Within the da...