IT News HeadLines (ComputerWorld) 30/01/2011

Office 2010 sales power record Microsoft quarter
Sales of Office 2010 -- especially to consumers -- fueled Microsoft's record quarter, the company and analysts said last week.
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ShmooCon 2011: Your Android's dirty little secret
Smartphone security has been a major focus at ShmooCon in the last couple years, with talks about flaws in BlackBerry and iPhone devices. This year, two researchers targeted all their firepower on the Android. Here's what they found.
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BI, value creation key for CIOs: Gartner
Increasing enterprise growth, reducing costs and attracting new customers are the three areas CIOs are focusing their attention on in 2011, according to the latest research from Gartner.
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IT News HeadLines (Guru of 3D) 30/01/2011

Dirt bikes
For the first time in my life, I got the chance to use a dirt bike. It was a friends. I really enjoyed it and was thinking of buying one. It was a...
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Should i step up?
Hello I have a EVGA SC GTX 570 and i have 40 days left in the step up program. Will it be worth it to step up to a EVGA GTX 580?
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Best ram for 890fx and 1090T motherboard.
Can anyone suggest the best or at least extremely good ram that will go well with the hardware written in topic, also how much you recommend? I plan...
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Soundcard and Home Cinema set
I hope this doesnt sound stupid :bang:. If you use an Home Cinema connected too an soundcard through an optical cable, does it use the sound...
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LA Noire facial animation!!
a whole new level of realism! **** i am so getting this game. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON6o1QhTjgs&feature=related
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Shogun 2 Total War Expectations
Ok next month we will be facing a true game that will take our rigs to its best (at least that is what i think). Will it be a CPU-Hog or a GPU-Hog,...
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Rampage III Extreme FAIL MSi Big Bang XPower WIN
I purchased an Asus Rampage III Extreme about a month ago. I was impressed with what it had to offer. Too bad it did not live up to it. I started...
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Open graphical interface (hdtune.exe)
Hello. By mistake I closed the explorer.exe, and without realizing that he was looking external HDD errors HDTune program, I can not open the...
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Shooters
Name about 5 or 6 shooters from each of the last couple of years...I want to play what I have missed....thanks I have played most I think...but a...
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Corsair CMPSU-620HX
Mate of mine has recently been experiencing significent amount of lag and drop of fps in games after upgrading few parts. He orginally had ...
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HELP i7 860 OC'ing Pointers
Hi guys, I have a p7p55d-e deluxe and i am oc'ing my i7 860 in my bios. I am just asking for any tips anyone may have with this setup to...
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Mountain Climber falls 1000 ft and is found alive..
reading a map! ---Quote--- A climber who fell 1,000ft (305m) down a mountain and survived was found by his rescuers standing up reading a map....
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P5Q Deluxe boot issues
Hi! I put together a 755 rig today from some old spare parts I had lying around and problems aroused as soon as I hit the power button!! When I...
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Could I revive my AMD rig?
I joined mainly to find out if I can revive my old gaming computer. About a year ago it started having major problems, so I replaced the M3A...
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Anyone notice that only one core is utilized in Dead Space 2?
Anyone notice that only one core is utilized in Dead Space 2? How annoying is that?! I hate it when games don't use more than 1 core. Has anyone...
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IT News HeadLines (HardOCP) 30/01/2011

Verizon Buys Terremark for $1.4B
Verizon is buying cloud-service provider Terremark for $1.4 Billion. The purchase will increase Verizon's cloud computing capabilities and increase its ability to compete against Amazon and other cloud based businesses. Terremark has done the "hard work" in building the data center, assembling the team and developing relationships, said McAdam. "We can provide the jet fuel to take off, to kick this into a higher gear," he said. Comments
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PayPal in India is 'Close to Dead'
Beginning March 1st, PayPal in India will fall under new Reserve Bank of India restrictions to PayPal that will severely affect the individual account operations. Check out the PayPal.Com article link for the gory details. PayPal has taken all these steps to comply with the RBI guidelines so we can't really blame them but this is real bad news for their customers in India. Comments
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Driving Simulator Helps ADHD Teens Drive
Researchers at the University of Buffalo are utilizing video game simulation to help teens with ADHD learn to drive safely. The project is in its first year of a five year study and so far the research indicates texting and driving is bad. Dig a little deeper guys, I think you will find more to the problem than that. While texting and driving is dangerous for the average teen, adding the layer of a disorder on top of that makes it particularly hazardous. Comments
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$1.50 per Gallon Synthetic Gasoline
Cella Energy has developed new technology for alternative fuel. It utilizes hydrogen based compounds that can be produced at a projected cost of $1.50 a gallon. "Early indications are that the micro-beads can be used in existing vehicles without engine modification." Comments
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Microsoft Considering Apple's App Store
Microsoft may be joining the App Store bandwagon, selling its Office Suite and components through Apple according to Amanda Lefebre of Microsoft. Hell is freezing over. Presented a choice between accepting a 30 percent cut in revenue, or risking having that revenue not exist at all, 70 percent sounds pretty good Comments
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iPad Digital Newspaper Launches
We reported several weeks ago about The Daily, the joint digital newspaper venture between Apple and News Corp would be delayed for an indefinite amount of time. Looks like Steve Jobs and Rupert Murdoch put aside their differences and looked more at the bottom line. Should the Daily prove successful, it could open the door to other publications attempting their own iPad-only model. Comments
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Facebook: Pay Our Way or Get Out
Beginning July 1st, Facebook will require App developers to deal in Facebook Credits for all transactions in virtual goods. What may upset the developers more than the use of Facebook's official currency, is the 30% cut Facebook receives from every credit. They have you coming and going. Thanks to Lethal for the link. Paying friends back online; buying goods from vendors; wiring money as soon as it's needed. That's PayPal, but there's no reason it can't become Facebook, and there's no reason Facebook, with its social features, wouldn't be a better at it. Comments
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Banks to Be Targeted by Wikileaks?
In a transcript of an upcoming 60 Minutes interview, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said that banks will probably be targeted this year by internal document releases and admitted he liked to watch the banks squirm under the scrutiny. I believe this guy is beginning to creep out more than just a few people. Assange had told Forbes magazine that WikiLeaks planned a "megaleak" by releasing tens of thousands of internal documents from a major U.S. bank in early 2011 that he expected would lead to investigations of the bank. Comments
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PlayStation 3 Releases Security Update 3.56
Sony has released yet another in a long line of security updates to beef up security in PlayStation 3. This update addresses measures to deter hackers which were supposedly covered in Update 3.55. Wait. What? Sony has to this point refused to change its procedures in lieu of customer complaints. So far, all of PlayStation's updates have been hacked again within days, sometimes hours, of the patch's release. Comments
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Angry Birds Flock to Rio
It would be a rare news day indeed if there wasn't at least some small mention of Angry Birds. This day will be no different. An announcement on Friday by Rovio Mobile and 20th century Fox heralded the creation of a new game based on the wildly popular Angry Birds and the yet-to-be-released CG movie, Rio. Comments
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BBC's 1923 Silent Newsreel Piracy Warning
If you think piracy is a new invention of the computer age, think again. The BBC put out this newsreel back in 1923 to warn would-be wireless pirates from stealing their broadcast radio transmissions. Stop stealing their hertz or you have to answer to the chimp Comments
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Regal Theaters to Double Number of 3D Screens
If you are in the camp that hates 3D and awaits the day it will go away, Regal Cinemas is raining on your parade. Theater giant Regal Entertainment Group is doubling the number of 3D screens in its theaters to 3000. Looks like Regal is betting big bucks on 3D technology being around for a while. Currently, some theaters are forced to phase out movies faster than they'd like, even if they're still profitable, to make room for new 3D movies. There just aren't enough screens for most of them to let three or four 3D movies be playing at the same time. Comments
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Happy Birthday, Apple iPad!
Love it, hate it, kick it or cuss at itÂ….but you have to admit a certain admiration for the device that set off a technological revolution. The iPad celebrates its first birthday this weekend and what a year it was for Apple. Early reviews of the iPad praised the device for how easy and fun it was to use, though questioned where exactly it fitted into the market. Comments
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IE9 RC Ready to Launch
Microsoft is gearing up for a media event launching IE9 RC on February 10th in San Francisco. The launch party is meant to draw media attention to IE9 to help it maintain its lead over rival browsers. Microsoft announced earlier this month that the beta version of Internet Explorer 9 has surpassed 20 million downloads, making it the most downloaded beta release of Internet Explorer ever Comments
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IT News HeadLines (Yahoo News) 30/01/2011

Expo Notes: How developers on the floor feel about the Mac App Store (Macworld)
Macworld - The Mac App Store may already feel like an old friend, but in fact, it’s only been around a scant three weeks. That’s still enough time for various Mac software developers around the Macworld 2011 conference floor to form some firm opinions about the store and its impact on their business.
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Expo Notes: Boom boosts Mac audio beyond 10 (Macworld)
Macworld - The show floor at Macworld Expo is a noisy place. It can be difficult to hear a person talking to me, or hear a Mac’s sound during an audio demo. But when I visited Global Delight, I was able to hear their Macs clearly, because they were showing their new software utility called Boom.
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Expo Notes: Boinx Software launches BoinxTV Home (Macworld)
Macworld - If you ever dreamed of producing your own live-to tape style productions—or maybe just want to zoom through your video podcast or tutorial—BoinxTV Home aims to be the easiest and fastest way to go. Available exclusively from Apple’s App Store for $50, BoinxTV Home is live-video production software designed to convert your home location into a professional TV studio for the real-time Web video creation.
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Expo Notes: Dolly Drive marries Time Machine to the cloud (Macworld)
Macworld - Cirrus Thinking is a developer who released Dolly Drive on Wednesday at Macworld Expo. When you use the Dolly Drive software, it shows cloud storage provided by the developer as available drives in Time Machine. When it’s time for Time Machine to run, encrypted files are saved to the cloud.
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Exclusive: U.S. asks about search fairness in Google/ITA (Reuters)
Reuters - The U.S. Justice Department's review of Google Inc's planned acquisition of airline ticketing software company ITA Software is focusing on making sure ITA's products remain available, even to Google's rivals, according to a source close to the deal.
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Expo Notes: MacPractice updates medical software (Macworld)
Macworld - MacPractice is showing off its updated line of medical record-keeping software at this week’s Macworld Expo 2011, touting its new certification that lets doctors and hospitals receive federal subsidies to adopt electronic record-keeping.
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Expo Notes: It's not for spam! Really! (Macworld)
Macworld - Before Macworld 2011 began, our editors got together to look over the list of exhibitors. One of the vendor blurbs boasted that the company made software for creating and managing e-mail newsletter campaigns. In other words, we all thought, the company enables spam.
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Microsoft's Windows disappoints on lukewarm PC sales (Reuters)
Reuters - Sales of Microsoft Corp's Windows software fell short of outsized expectations, rekindling fears that the spread of mobile gadgets will erode its main PC-focused business.


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Strong Microsoft Sees Tablets Bite Into Windows Sales (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - Microsoft's record income of $19.95 million for its second fiscal quarter of 2011 was higher than analysts' estimates, thanks to strong holidays sales of Kinect video-game devices and robust interest in Office business productivity software.
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Expo Notes: Miraizon announces Cinematize 3 Pro (Macworld)
Macworld - Miraizon has announced Cinematize 3 Pro, an upgrade of its DVD clip extractor and converter. The software lets users extract audio and video clips from DVDs and save them in formats compatible with popular applications and devices, including QuickTime, iMovie, Final Cut Pro, iDVD, DVD Studio Pro, Keynote, PowerPoint, iTunes, and iPods, iPhones, and YouTube.
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Expo: Pocket Informant 2.0 coming in April (Macworld)
Macworld - Web Information Systems hopes to prove in April that good things really do come to those who wait. That’s when the software maker expects to deliver a major update to the iPhone and iPad versions of its Pocket Informant productivity app that offers more features and improved functionality.
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Expo Notes: OWC Mac mini-based home media system (Macworld)
Macworld - Creating a Mac mini-based media center and finding the right combination of hardware and software can be a lot of hard work. At Macworld 2011, OWC demoed its attempt to simply the process.
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Google's Android tablet software inches closer (AP)
AP - Google Inc. is getting closer to releasing a version of the Android software meant for tablet computers, one that will include a fresh look and updated Web browser and keyboard.
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Microsoft 2Q earnings edge down on slow PC sales (AP)
AP - Microsoft Corp.'s net income for the latest quarter fell slightly from a year ago but the software giant still beat Wall Street's expectations despite the weak personal computer market.


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Expo Notes: Cross-dressing (Macworld)
Macworld - CodeWeavers seems to be feeling ignored. Like its two chief competitors, VMWare and Parallels, the company makes software that lets you run Windows apps on a Mac. But all too often, when the discussion turns to Windows-on-a-Mac, those other two hog all the attention, and CodeWeavers is left out. That could be why the CodeWeavers booth at Expo is staffed with cross-dressers and celebrity impersonators.
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Plantronics Adds Unified Communications To Headset (NewsFactor)
NewsFactor - Plantronics unveiled a Bluetooth-enabled headset Thursday that offers unified communications capabilities such as being able to detect presence as well as automatically communicate with the user's PC applications. Available for use on Bluetooth-enabled laptops and mobile phones, the Voyager Pro UC integrates software and smart sensors that enable the device to automate and otherwise streamline voice-calling processes.
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Intel Gives Away FCOE to Simplify Data Centers (PC World)
PC World - Intel has eased the migration to a single network infrastructure throughout data centers by introducing Open FCOE, a free software stack for Fibre Channel Over Ethernet.
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Microsoft Financials Buoyed by Gaming, Office Software (PC World)
PC World - Microsoft tallied US$19.95 billion in revenue for the quarter ending Dec. 31, a record second-quarter high for the company, it said Thursday.
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Instant view: Microsoft profit dips, Amazon disappoints (Reuters)
Reuters - Microsoft Corp's quarterly profit fell slightly as the world's largest software maker was hit by slower-than expected growth in computer sales.
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AT&T CEO: We'll push Android phones (AP)
AP - The CEO of AT&T Inc. on Thursday said the company will start "very aggressively" marketing smart phones based on Google Inc.'s Android software now that it will no longer be the exclusive carrier for Apple Inc.'s iPhone in the U.S.


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IT News HeadLines (DriverHeaven.net) 30/01/2011

NVIDIA Chips Comparison Table @ Hardware Secrets
If you don't follow almost daily the video card market it is really complicated to understand the differences between the several different NVIDIA...
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Hardware Round-UP (30/01/11)
*Read Full Story Here*. (http://www.hardwareheaven.com/news.php?newsid=2124) _________________________ A Collection of hardware reviews.
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Sunset over the docklands
Image: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/hs025.snc6/165509_10150122133886005_582926004_8230109_1273318_n.jpg captured this one while...
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Audigy2zs Win 7 64bit latest kxdrivers crashing
I recently installed Win 7 64 on my pc and I'm having a hell of a time with KX drivers. They worked fine when I had Win Vista 32bit...ocassional...
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Monitor colours
I've had a small play around with the settings on my monitors and came across the colour intensity. The default is 6500k but at 9300k the picture...
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Realtek ALC1200 or SB Audigy 2 ZS Platinum Pro ?
hi, until last month, i used my realtek ALC1200 Chipset and it has got a very good sound quality compared to other onboard chips or Soundblaster...
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IT News HeadLines (I4U News) 30/01/2011

Super Bowl XLV Gear is on Sale on Amazon
The Super Bowl XLV is only one week away. On Sunday, Feb. 6 the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers playing the big game. Of course to watch the Super Bowl in style you need to wear the...

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Apple iPad is on Sale with $30 Discount on Best Buy
Since the Apple iPad is on the market I have it seen only once on sale. That was during the Apple Black Friday sale were you could save $41 on each iPad model. Now Best Buy offers the Wi-Fi 3G iPad...

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Verizon iPhone 4 pre-order starts on Feb. 3 for Existing Customers
Verizon customers, you can trash your Droid on Feb 3. 3am. Verizon will open the pre-sale for the Verizon iPhone 4 on Feb. 3 at 3am EST in the morning. Verizon has published a countdown page for the...

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Could Your iPhone Be Your Pregnancy Test?
You can't spend ten minutes flipping through tech blogs without reading something about Near Field Communications chips and readers. The most noted feature of the  technology allows smartphones...

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Honeycomb Announcement Feb 2nd Means Mid-Feb Xoom Launch?
This has been a good week for everyone longing to get their hands on an Android tablet. The developers gave us a huge Android 3.0 SDK preview the other day, and now a full reveal / launch is just...

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IT News HeadLines (PC Perspective) 30/01/2011

What Laptop Video Card to get??
I am looking to buy a new laptop in the next month. My question is what would be a good graphics card to get? I do not want a high end card. I...
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Memory Advantage or Disadvantage
We've always been told that if you want a quick boost in performance add memory. Now that I'm getting parts together for a second system, I sold my...
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Russia is still developing new nukes?
wwlXllNkjtY So Russia makes a new nuke to defeat a missile defense shield. And discloses its existence. And they are trying to accomplish? I know...
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Post pics of your Lian Li PC-V354!!!
I just got my Lian Li PC-V354 and I wanted to start a thread for others who have built an epic Micro super machine. Hope to see some sweet setup's!
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question about AHCI and SSD install
I'm about to switch from a platter SATA II HDD to an SSD. I don't currently have AHCI enabled but am planning to when I do a fresh install with the...
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Front connectors
Thermaltake Swing VB6000SNS (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811133166) MSI P55-GD65...
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Corsair 120 Sandforce 174.99
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233125 Fast drive cheap, I bet clearing out inventory for the new sandforce :)
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A Tale of Two Tuners
Hello, I presently use Windows XP MCE with 2 MSI tv tuners. One is based on an ATI Theater 650 Pro in a PCI-E slot. The other is based on an ATI 550...
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$250-$300 To Spend on new Video cARD
Very simple question, I have the above amount to spend on a new card that will not be overclocked unless it comes that way from the manufactuer. No...
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X-Box Cooling TR-360
I didn't know where to put this post, but since it deals with cooling I thought this was a good a place as any. In speaking with Eve at JCL Company...
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Dead Space 2
I just finished Dead Space 2 in around 8-10 hours. Great storyline, a direct sequal to Dead Space 1. I am taking a liking to multiplayer, but usually...
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IT News HeadLines (TweakTown) 30/01/2011

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective Nintendo DS Review

There is no doubt that the Phoenix Wright series is not only one of the most popular DS games around, but also one of the weirdest. Coming from the land of the rising sun, the Phoenix Wright games took gamers into virtual court rooms playing as a lawyer trying to gather evidence to prove the innocence of your clients. Well, the designer behind that game is back with Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, and on our evidence it is sure to be a hit as well. It is a game that suits the DS hardware perfectly as well as on the go gaming, and that is the key to DS success.
Ghost Trick puts you in the role of Sissel, a young man who has unfortunately just been shot dead. Shortly after his death, Sissel discovers he has obtained powers of the dead upon his death, but has no idea why he died or how. Before daybreak when Sissel becomes lost forever, he must find out why he was shot and by whom. To do this you will have to save the life of characters throughout the night who have key clues, whilst also trying to find your own intel.

Ghost Trick is a puzzle game in which you manipulate the environment. As you come across people who have died you are transported to four minutes before their death. By manipulating the environments as a ghost, you can change the fate of these characters and keep them alive. For example, you can take control of a boom gate and use a trick with that gate which will send it skywards, knocking a hitman over. That's just one of the early puzzles in the game and as the game wears on through its seventeen chapters it becomes more and more intricate and difficult. The game is definitely a title you can pick up and play for a few minutes during a coffee break or ride home.
The game is split into two worlds; the ghost world and the real world. In the ghost world you as Sissel can move between objects, however there is a limit to how far you can move. For example, you may need to manipulate an object such as opening a door to be able to reach another object. Manipulations can only occur in the real world. The other challenge of the real world is that time is ticking and the game is not paused, so you have to think quickly. Whenever you change the fate of a character in the game, that represents a checkpoint, so the trial and error format of the game is not as frustrating as it could have been and there is certainly a sense of satisfaction when you figure out what to do.
One area where the game is somewhat annoying is the presentation of the story. Like the Phoenix Wright series of games, it is very text heavy with conversations and monologues sometime stretching for minutes on end. This can be very frustrating, especially when playing on the go and you just want to get on with the game.
Thankfully the story is actually quite interesting, so it's not all bad news on this part. The other disappointing element is that it does have a fairly strong learning curve. Once you get accustomed to the gameplay mechanics, you will be finishing chapters in no time, but the first hour or so you may wonder just what on earth you need to do next.

In terms of the visuals in the game, it does unsurprisingly remind us of Phoenix Wright. Bright colours, strange characters and cartoon style graphics are the order of the day here. The animations are done as well as you can expect on a DS. Although there is no voice acting, the music suits the game quite well. However, given how funny some of the script is, it is a real shame no voice acting is present.

Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a game that somewhat came out of nowhere. Phoenix Wright fans will adore this title. It's a game which tests your thinking skills while also offering some very enjoyable gameplay. The fact the story is interesting just adds to the fact that Ghost Trick is one of the most unique games recently made and one of the best available on the Nintendo DS system. If you have a long haul flight or cross country bus trip coming up, you could do a lot worse than picking up Ghost Trick before you leave.

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