SAMSUNG LAUNCHES THE GALAXY NEXUS WHITE

Samsung’s latest Android device coming to UK shores 13^th February

6th February 2012, London, UK – Samsung has today confirmed the availability of a white variant of the Galaxy Nexus in the UK. The first smartphone to feature Android™ 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Nexus White can be bought in a range of stores across the country from 13^th February.

Simon Stanford, UK & IRE Telecommunications & Networks Division said: “After much speculation, we are pleased to announce the availability of the Galaxy Nexus White which follows the great reception the phone has received since it was launched back in November. One of the things we at Samsung pride ourselves on is the choice we offer customers, and we’ve enjoyed huge success to date by introducing white variants of our most popular models to our product portfolio.”

The Galaxy Nexus™ White offers customers all the features found in the original Galaxy Nexus, from the 4.65’’ HD Super AMOLED display which boasts a market-leading resolution of 720p (1280×720), to the 5 megapixel camera and super-fast 1.2GHz dual core processor and HSPA+ connectivity so owners can connect to and browse the internet quickly and easily when they’re out and about.

As the first smartphone to run on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, the Galaxy Nexus White offers customers an entirely new look and feel, including a redesigned user interface with improved multi-tasking, notifications, Wi-Fi hotspot, NFC support and a full web browsing experience. In addition to a rounded slim design, the Galaxy Nexus White also introduces new innovations such as ‘Face Unlock’, which uses facial recognition to unlock the phone. Whilst integration with Google+™ means owners can easily stay in touch with friends and family and talk over Google+ Messenger.

– Ends –

GALAXY Nexus WhiteProduct Specifications:

I’ve tested four Win 7 phones, from the Omnia 7 to the HTC Mozart.  My biggest gripe is that there’s no real difference in the GUI/feel between the different handsets, quite literally they all are seemingly (at least GUI wise) the same.  Microsoft needs to allow for flexibility in its platform, let hardware manufacturers have some degree of tweaking the look and feel of the OS rather than insisting that they all follow suit to one strict guideline.

Nokia continues to break the monoblock monotony with its latest Lumia 800 smartphone

A stunning white Nokia Lumia 800 with a new finish will be available from March

London, 6 February 2012 – Nokia today announces the latest addition to its Lumia Phone range with the introduction in March of the Nokia Lumia 800 in a stunning glossy white finish.

With Windows ® Phone 7.5 software, the white Nokia Lumia 800 features a head-turning design matched with the best social and Internet performance, with one-touch social network access, easy grouping of contacts, integrated communication threads and Internet Explorer 9.

“Since we began selling it late last year, the Nokia Lumia 800 has received rave reviews around the world,” said Ilari Nurmi, Vice President of Product Marketing, Nokia. “Now in white, the Lumia 800 brings with it a more premium look and feel with its gloss finish, and is packed with power and performance underneath its sleek body.”

The Nokia Lumia 800 in white features a 3.7-inch AMOLED ClearBlack curved display that blends seamlessly into the body, and is packed with power with its 1.4 GHz processor with hardware acceleration and graphics processor. The Nokia Lumia 800 provides an instant-share camera experience based on leading Carl Zeiss optics, HD video playback, 16GB of internal user memory and free SkyDrive storage for keeping images and music.

Lumia smartphones include signature Nokia experiences optimised for Windows Phone, including Nokia Drive, which delivers a fully-fledged personal navigation device with free, turn-by-turn navigation and dedicated in-car user interface; and Windows Marketplace also provides Lumia users with more than 55,000 apps to choose from.

To celebrate the launch of the white Lumia 800, new and existing Lumia users can find a special ‘White’ selection on Nokia’s unique music service, Mix Radio, featuring free music from the likes of White Stripes, Barry White, and a whole host of ‘white’-themed and influenced hits.

Available to pre-order from Phones 4u today, the Nokia Lumia 800 in white will be available FREE from £20.50 a month on a choice of networks from early March.

STREAM 105

There is nothing more relaxing, more entertaining, than listening to some  great music on the radio. With the likes of John Peel and a whole host of iconic DJs long gone who played the kind of music I love and Bob Harris on at an ungodly time of the night on Radio 2 FM  and add insult to injury it isn’t easy to get a good clean reception the best alternative is DAB Radio …. WRONG. Living in a part of Kent or to be more precise in an area that offers variable reception -  good downstairs but nothing upstairs, frustration is never far away. The digital revolution may be with us soon but there is still huge pocket, with a dense population that cannot get a constant digital signal  stream but that is another subject for another day. Which brings it all down to digital radio………with internet radio offering the best option for connoisseurs  of world radio.

Roberts over the last few years has appeared to be at the forefront of radio always presenting a new option to explore especially if you are a DAB fan and their latest offering Wifi Internet Radio with Music Player Stream 105 will certainly interest many. Relatively small and compact, offering mains and battery 6xLR14 (C size), 1.6 Watt output, 77mm loudspeaker, it fits  the  needs of the average radio listener who want a little bit more than what is offered from a standard or DAB radio.

Setting the radio up could not be easier for within 2 minutes I was exploring the world of radio – literally! Simply turn it on and it will find what connectivity you have instantly and just place in your home hub code and you are away, yes it was that easy and unlike many other similar radios each time you turn it on it goes through your settings at speed and no time is wasted retuning or having to input code, as this has been a problem I have experienced with others.

The real fascination with internet radio is you are soon immersed into the extensive breakdown of countries and fantastic music genre lists and more time is spent tinkering, sampling, listening to tiny snippets of  new stations from Australia or Canada than actually tuning to one station, saving it as a preset and listening. That however is the fun of World Radio, so many stations to check out, over  5000, prob more.

The radio’s control panel/the central interface – consists of 4 press buttons – on/off – mode – menu/back and preset, together with the central tuning wheel  where most of the functions will be executed. A large brightly lit LED gives the date and time and all the information you need as you delve through the various settings.

The simple process – switch on and the internet radio option  will appear along with a list denoting  locations, press the wheel down and a long list of countries will appear and you can select any, next on the list would be genre which ranges from ambient to blue grass to business news  to folk to rock, RnB, talk radio,  with over 40 to choose from. Selecting ALL in some circumstances will give a longer list and in some instances you could end up with over 200 stations in one genre – i.e. 200 plus worldwide classic rock stations to traverse. One button you will constantly be pressing is the menu/back as this will move you back through all your last moves so once you have found a favourite and added to the pre-set, you can retrace the sequence. If you are unsure that you wish to save a station to one of the pre-sets you can decide at a later date and add the station as a  favourite which  are unlimited, but of course the more you save you will find your list soon grows in the directory but I found saving podcasts to favourites a great alternative as they tend to be periodical.

Once a station has been found, its description will be displayed – genre, show, country and reliability. The all important kbps, codec and sampling rate will give the full rundown, all retrieved by  pushing down the main wheel once you are on the station of your choice. A playback buffer line is also displayed and the longer the line the more reliable the signal. Scrolling down the long list of selected stations,  pushing down the wheel when you wish to listen to another could not be more intuitive or  quick.

So far,so good, right? For the real technophiles this may lack a little bit of sophistication in the packaging front for its single speaker and plastic casing is functional, even cheap, but the sound quality is remarkably solid and Stream 105 packs a lot of punch on full blast which many will not dare to use for annoyance of their neighbours!

Roberts Stream 105 offers  many extensive features that will delight those that want a little bit more than a mere radio as the clock has with 2 multi-function alarms and you can stream your music collection from your PC, which is easy to do and well explained in the concise manual that accompanies it. The 10 station presets will also be enough to please most. In addition, an aux-in port allows you to listen from your MP3 player or through headphones.

The functionality of the radio from music player, to alarm, to creating your own playlists, to setting and using the presets offered are all a radio /music lover would wish for. Some of the technical features, be it  understanding the network profile or controlling playback are simplified by the intuitive manner of both the manual and the radio’s interface. The acid test must always be in the time it would take the average user to be up and running using most of the functions instantly and to my delight Roberts Steam 105 passed all tests with flying colours. The most gratifying feature was that at no point was there any drop out of any station; which although has more to do with internet connection and signal can always happen outside of these boundaries. Roberts Stream 105 does exactly what it offers World Internet Radio without fuss!

All positives, so what of the negatives? If you like your sound ‘bassy’ or prefer sharp treble to get a nice crisp sound then there are no options to change the default set-up. The 105 version does not offer FM or DAB but there are models from Roberts that do although more expensive.

Although listed at a RRP of around £100, with the current sales and looking around the internet I spotted the average of £86 which would make this REAL value.

Available from www.robertsradio.co.uk 01709 571 722

‘This time, next year Rodney…’

Turn your iPhone into a music studio with PocketLoops!

Set to become the must have accessory for the iPhone, this brand-new product from GEAR4 means anyone can now become a music producer. Simply download the free app, dock your iPhone into the PocketLoops pad and let the fun begin.

At the touch of a key the PocketLoops allows wannabe producers to start creating, remixing and sharing their own music instantly, straight from the revolutionary, easy to use PocketLoops app.

With it’s advanced looping technology, users can select from different genres, then layer rich sounding tracks, sound effects and heavy base lines in a matter of minutes. Users can even share it with their friends instantly, straight from the app.

Whether you’re into pop, heavy metal, house, hip hop, dub step or drum ‘n bass, PocketLoops offers beats, rhythm and synths to suit every type of music fan!

RRP: £49.99

Stockists: www.gear4.com

“Today’s news that Virgin Media is to double most of its customers speeds, and increase its fastest product from 100 Meg (Mega bits per second) to 120 Meg reflects a history of the company progressively increasing speeds.

Once the 18 month programme is complete, it means that around a quarter of Virgin Media customers will be meeting the basic speed requirement of 30 Meg which is an EU target for 2020, many years ahead of time. Thus the news is good for UK broadband as a whole and should highlight that the UK is not the internet backwater sometimes it is portrayed as.

Most important for consumers the upgrades are free, and with investment in the core network will ensure that families can all be online at the same time, watching video on demand from the wide variety of sources now available in the UK, and with the improved upload speeds the ability to generate content and be an active part of the Internet increases.”

Andrew Ferguson, editor of Thinkbroadband.com

World renowned eSports and gaming gear company QPAD has made quite a name for themselves over the years, as provider of innovative top of the line gaming gear, targeted at pro gamers and demanding enthusiasts. With the release of the MK-50 and MK-85 Mechanical Gaming Keyboards, QPAD now offers both unique and affordable technology.

Those of you who know me well know that apart from the PS3 Xbox and Wii I am predominantly an avid PC FPS gamer, I have destroyed many a keyboard in my lifetime as a PC gamer, I have tried most major brands but with all of them so far I have I have found are that the keys don’t seem to react when you press W and D plus SPACE together to run strafe and jump. Or keys just simply stop working due to wear and tear. In this review I will be putting the QPAD MK-85 Pro Gaming Keyboard through its paces and seeing how it fairs to the other keyboards that have graced my harsh gaming fingertips.

QPAD MK-85 key Features:

• Key switch: Cherry MX mechanical switch technology
• N Key Roll over:Full N-Key roll over via USB
• Key strokes:50 Million
• Lighting: Individual LED backlight on every key for enhanced visuals
• Lighting features:Four levels of brigthness allow you to locate keys easily
• Connectors: Gold plated USB connectors for extremly low latency
• Media keys:Media keys for volume control, play, pause and skip tracks
• USB Hub: Two high speed USB 2.0 ports
• Audio ports:3.5mm headphone-out and microphone-in jacks
• Cable: 1.8 meter braided cable
• Extras: 4 extra orange key caps and key cap puller
• Dimensions:Keyboard: 44,8 x 14,9 x 3,5 cm (17,6 x 5,8 x 1,37 inch)
• Wrist pad: 44,8 x 6,6 x 1,7 cm (17,6 x 2,48 x 0,66 inch)
• Weight:1.27 Kg (2.8 LBS)
• Warranty: 2 year
• Software: Customizable profiles, programmable keys and macro recording

I will be testing the keyboard on the following rig:

Machine name: GAMINGPC
Operating System: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit (6.1, Build 7601) Service Pack 1
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
Motherboard: ASUS
BIOS Date: 11/22/10 21:59:47 Ver: 08.00.15
Processor: AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1100T Processor (6 CPUs), ~3.3GHz
Memory: 8192MB Corsair XMS3 RAM
Graphics: ZOTAC Geforce GTX 560ti AMP!
DirectX Version: DirectX 11

Ok on with the un-boxing, first thing I notice is that its very well packed with quality cardboard packaging and quality foam inserts, within you have the keyboard itself plus hand rest and also some replacement “orange” keys with an key extractor tool. Within you have the QPAD MK-85 software CD which is complies with Windows XP / Vista and Windows 7 operating systems and as quick set-up guide.

The keyboard itself has a USB hub built in for USB 2.0 devices and also a headphone and microphone 5mm jack sockets which enable you to extend your microphone or headphones to save trailing cables around your feet. The connectors are all gold plated. The cable that comes out of the back of the keyboard is a well made braided cable that just oozes quality.

Along the top of the keyboard you will see the 5 programmable profile keys which can be switched by holding down the Fn or function key then pressing the required PF key. Rather than having dedicated macro keys the MK-85 can control all keys by software.

Within the software you are able to set-up different profiles for each one to run with different tasks, all you need to do is click the key you would like to change within the profile and then you can assign a use for the key such as record a macro, launch a program or simply disable it if you keep catching a certain key whilst gaming or carrying out a certain task.

Alongside the profile keys is a G/PC key which enables you to switch between Gaming and PC profiles, the far right LED marked G is lit when you are in gaming modes. Another nice to have feature of the keyboard is the media keys which are standard these days on most keyboards. The keys are available even during game by pressing the (Fn) key and whichever key you need for the task in hand.

The backlit function of the keyboard has 5 different settings and you can access them by just pressing the function key (Fn) and on the num pad either 8 or 2, you can set the keyboard to “pulsate” where the backlit keys will gradually get brighter then darken on a nice slow pulse or you can have it set to off or 4 other brightness settings to suit your way of computing. I personally have it set on medium brightness as I like to game within darkness so I only have the light from the monitor normally and backlit keys are a must to see what’s going on.

Ok moving on, after plugging in and setting up the software I set about first typing a few words, this took a little getting used to as you don’t have to press the keys all the way down for it to register, if your anything like me and a sloppy typist you tend to catch another key it will register. On the upside to this it does make you be more precise when you type.

Now down to the science of the keyboard itself and the reason why its such a great keyboard for any gamer who wants a keyboard that will last and also give them the edge whilst in a battle.

The QPAD MK-85 is the world’s first mechanical keyboard offering full N-key roll over via USB. Since the PS/2 connector is being phased out and several manufacturers of computers and motherboards do not offer this option, many gamers are left with no way of utilizing the benefit of the full roll over feature, because their gaming rig does not support that type of connection. With the MK-85, this will not be a problem. No more need for dual cables or a PS/2 to USB adapter. The ground breaking technology of the MK-85 allows all the functionality of the board, such as USB hub, the red back light and the full N-key roll over, through the use of just one single USB cable.

Cherry MX Red mechanical switches

QPAD has decided to use the Cherry MX Red switches for both the MK-85 and the MK-50. The Cherry MX Red switch is basically a lighter version of the MX Black switch. It operates with an actuation point of 2mm and requires a pressure of 45g for the key to register a stroke. Furthermore, the actuation point and release point of the switch are identical, which will facilitate precision and control in games that require multi tapping.

Unlike the Cherry MX Blue switches of the MK-80, the Cherry MX Red switches are not tactile and do not offer any audible feedback. Some gamers prefer audible and tactile feedback, and some prefer none. The important thing here is that QPAD now offers a keyboard for both groups. The red back light of the MK-85 is produced through individual LED:s for every key.

The average keyboard operates with rubber domes under the keys. It’s a cheap but not very precise, comfortable nor durable solution. It forces you to press each key all the way down in order for the circuit in the keyboard to close, and the stroke register. These boards normally have a short life span and wear out quickly, resulting in unresponsiveness, delays and a dull, clunky feel to the keys. Typically, for gamers, the WASD – block and space-bar will wear out long before the expected life span of a keyboard has ended. For most gamers, as well as professional typists, it’s all about the feel, and that is where the QPAD MK- series with mechanical switches truly shine!

Cherry MX – switches: Red, Blue, Brown & Black

The QPAD MK- series mechanical keyboards offer a selection of true mechanical switches with unmatched accuracy and feel. No more pressing cheap plastic bits with full-force in order to activate the keys. The QPAD keyboards will respond to your every move in an instant. Each key is built to last 50 million strokes, and the Cherry MX-switches of the QPAD MK-series offer a variety of features, from the distinct tactile and audible feedback of the Cherry MX Blue switch of the MK-80, to the silky smooth, linear functionality of the Cherry MX Red offered in the two new boards, the MK-50 and the MK-85.

QPAD has decided to use the Cherry MX Red switches for both the MK-85 and the MK-50. The Cherry MX Red switch is basically a lighter version of the MX Black. It operates with an actuation point of 2mm and requires a pressure of 45g for the key to register a stroke. Furthermore, the actuation point and release point of the switch are identical, which might facilitate precision and control in games that require multi tapping. Unlike the Cherry MX Blue switches of the MK-80, the Cherry MX Red switches are not tactile and do not offer any audible feedback. Some gamers prefer audible and tactile feedback, and some don’t. QPAD now offers a keyboard for all groups and tastes.

The QPAD MK-85 also boasts full N-Key rollover with anti ghosting technology which I will explain below and how its helped me improve my FPS gaming capabilities.

What is Anti-Ghosting? I hear you say well imagine you’re playing an FPS, dashing forward, strafing, dodging bullets. You spot the enemy, but he’s so close you decide to use a melee attack. As you press down the key, you smile, because you know you’re gonna own him. And nothing happens, no knife, no dog-tag, nothing. The enemy quickly turns on you, finishing you of with a quick burst. Ownage for sure, but not the way planned. In this scenario, you might not be the victim of a better player, but a victim of ghosting!

Ghosting is when your computer fails to correctly register strokes on the keyboard when certain combinations of keys are pressed simultaneously. A gamer may experience this as keys registering extremely slow, or failing completely, or even, one key being registered as a completely different one! To understand the problem of ghosting, one needs to know a little about how most keyboards are designed, since ghosting is purely a logical problem in the line/column matrix switching system used by most keyboard manufacturers.

The solution: Full n-key rollover (NKRO)

Full n-key rollover, or NKRO, means that every key on the board is scanned completely independently, and that the keyboard is capable of communicating all of the keys simultaneously to the computer. This is the only way of truly eliminating ghosting, loss of input, or erroneous input from your keyboard. It ensures that each key press is correctly detected regardless of how many other keys are being pressed at the same time. The QPAD MK-50, MK-80 and the MK-85 all support full n-key rollover.

Beware of fakes: Multi key rollover and Anti Ghosting.

Quite a few manufacturers that want to reduce cost and complexity of their boards, but still brag about anti ghosting features, do not implement true anti ghosting, but a fake, or limited version of it. This is done simply by calculating the most common combinations of simultaneous key presses (usually the WASD-block) and apply individual scanning on these keys only. Naturally, the WASD-keys will indeed support anti ghosting, but whenever other keys are involved, ghosting may very well appear. Many gamers prefer using the ESDF-block instead of WASD, and in such a case, a keyboard that boasts “Anti Ghosting” or “Multi Key Rollover” may still prove worthless in regards of the anti ghosting feature.

Multi key rollover, often abbreviated 3KRO or 6KRO, is a devalued version of the full feature. As the abbreviations imply, 3KRO allows 3 simultaneous key strokes, and accordingly, 6KRO supports 6 strokes. In the past, only boards communicating through the PS/2 port were able to sport full n-key rollover, and the boards connected via USB only, supported 3KRO or 6KRO. This changed with the release of the QPAD MK-85, being the world’s first mechanical keyboard offering full n-key rollover with the use of a USB-connector only!

Microsoft offers an online application where users can test the anti ghosting capabilities of their keyboards. Check out your keyboard on http://www.microsoft.com/appliedsciences/content/projects/KeyboardGhostingDemo.aspx

Using the above web based keyboard ghosting demo I found the MK-85 to register every single and multiple key press combination that I threw at it further impressing me with its abilities.

Full n-key roll-over through USB!

The QPAD MK-85 is the world’s first mechanical keyboard offering full n-key roll-over via USB. Since the PS/2 connector is being phased out and several manufacturers of computers and motherboards do not offer this option, many gamers are left with no way of utilizing the benefit of the full n-key roll-over feature, because their gaming rig does not support that type of connection. With the MK-85, this will not be a problem. No more need for dual cables or a PS/2 to usb adapter. The ground breaking technology of the MK-85 allows all the functionality of the board, such as USB hub, the red back light and the full n-key roll over, through the use of just one single USB cable.

Below you find a selection of online articles offering more information on Anti Ghosting and full n-key roll-over

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mechanical-switch-keyboard,2955-6.html
http://www.microsoft.com/appliedsciences/content/projects/AntiGhostingExplained.aspx
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rollover_(key)

My main game of the moment is EA’s Monster game Battlefield 3, up to this point I have been doing OK, so I thought would see how it fairs against my Microsoft Sidewinder X6 which I normally use. As soon as I headed into the game and hit my first battle the differences were obvious, I instantly noticed the differences when coming face to face with one of my gaming buddies who has a better rig than me and normally owns me.

I found when in close combat the keystrokes were much more responsive and found myself actually starting to run rings round him, could my previous games of being owned just be down to the keyboard? I carried on playing and for the past 2 full weeks of playing can confirm that the difference is down to the keyboard and quality of key-presses.

Ok further into the game, lets look at flying; I am the first to admit I am not a flyer I suck big time as tend to crash more than fly, firstly I tried jets normally I will take off and fly around for a short time and not have much control on where I go and am always owned in the air by some other gamer within the server, I got the bird in the air using the normal thrust and boost keystrokes normally used.

Getting into the air seemed as normal but the big difference seemed to be when I pulled back on the mouse plus accelerated and strafed on the keyboard, normally when I did this using my other keyboards I ended up sluggishly turning or end up facing upwards within the cockpit staring at sky but this was different It was more responsive and my ability to manoeuvre was so much better than before I can hold my own in jets now although I have still not managed to win a dog fight with one yet.

Ok next on the agenda is copters, first test used the MI-28 HAVOC I like this attack copter as it is quite difficult to handle and you need to be responsive when you are flying around in an all out air battle on Battlefield 3′s Caspian Border map, just getting into the manoeuvrability of the HAVOC made a huge difference with the keyboard, I feel more confident within the game to try that extra tight turn or to get through the trees as I know the vehicle will respond to what I want it to do with this keyboard attached to my fingers, I have had quite a few dog fights now with the helis within the game and I can say my win loss ratio is way above what it used to be, I actually enjoy flying now but predominantly I prefer to be infantry.

My game has picked up so much in the past couple of weeks with the QPAD MK-85 that I often get accused of hacking as when your in that last split second where someone is shooting you at close range and you turn and “STAB” they are down, it takes milliseconds to make a huge difference to any gamers advantage during battle and now the QPAD MK-85 has proven to me its a world class keyboard in giving me that advantage. You certainly get the responsive key presses you need when in the battlefield. The only downside to the keyboard is the £150 price tag but if you think that the keyboard will last you 10 times longer than any other keyboard then its well worth the extra few quid not only to give you the edge within gaming but to give you the longevity and quality you need as a demanding gamer.

I have in the past used several well known well reputed manufacturers sub £150 gaming keyboards and all of them have not lived up to the gaming experience I have found with the QPAD MK-85, I am now a convert and will be using the MK-85 for all my gaming / office needs its simply a stunning keyboard and is one of the best keyboards ever made and thus after my testing it gets the Manicgamer.net GOLD award for PC Hardware.

How are you finding the game?  Has it lived up to your expectations?

10 MILLION COPIES OF ‘GAME OF THE YEAR’ WINNER

THE ELDER SCROLLS® V: SKYRIM™ SHIPPED

Sales and Numerous ‘Game of the Year’ Awards Underscore Worldwide Popularity

December 15, 2011 (Rockville, MD) – ZeniMax® Media Inc. today announced that 10 million units of Bethesda Softworks’® The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim have been shipped for the Xbox 360® video game entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and PC, representing approximately $650 million in retail sales since its release on November 11. The PC version of Skyrim in North America outsold all other PC games by a factor of over three to one in the month of its release. Large retail reorders across all platforms and record-breaking digital sales reflect the ongoing global demand by consumers excited to explore this extraordinary fantasy epic.

Bethesda Softworks’® Skyrim has already garnered over two dozen ‘Game of the Year’ awards from major outlets worldwide, including winning the top honor of Game of the Year at the 2011 Video Game Awards which are voted on by a panel of editors from the industry’s most respected magazines and websites. In addition, Skyrim has received ‘Game of the Year’ awards from numerous other game critics, which, to date include such respected media outlets as G4TV, Official Xbox Magazine and Machinima.com. Skyrim was named ‘Most -Played Game of 2011’ by Raptr, based on research data which confirms its highly popular gameplay experience.

“We are gratified that Skyrim continues to garner high review scores and accolades around the world,” said Robert Altman, Chairman and CEO of ZeniMax Media. “We are most grateful to our fans for their support and enthusiasm for the game, and their love of the hundreds of hours of gameplay it offers. We continue to strive to deliver the highest quality entertainment experience for everyone. 2012 will be another huge year for our fans, with the release of the Creation Kit, as well as exciting DLC which will add to the richness of this epic adventure.”

“Skyrim is the fastest selling title in Steam’s history” said Jason Holtman, Director of Business Development at Valve Corporation. “Bethesda’s commitment to and understanding of the PC as a gaming platform shows in the great review scores, spectacular launch, and continued high player numbers that Skyrim has received. We are delighted that Bethesda chose to use Steamworks to support Skyrim both at retail and digitally.”

Skyrim Is the third consecutive game developed by the team at Bethesda Game Studios® to earn ‘Game of the Year’ honors. Bethesda Game Studios, which was named ‘Studio of the Year’ at the 2011 Video Game Awards, also created the 2006 ‘Game of the Year’, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, and the 2008 ‘Game of the Year’, Fallout® 3.

To date, Skyrim has received well over 200 perfect review scores worldwide, earning the highest praise from some of the industry’s most influential critics including: USA Today, G4TV, The New York Times, GameSpy, Wired, Eurogamer, Destructoid, GamePro, Official Xbox Magazine, Joystiq, The Guardian, Famitsu and GamesRadar. G4TV describes Skyrim as “one of the greatest games ever” and Eurogamer was one of many outlets to call it a “masterpiece.”

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been rated M for Mature by ESRB. For more information on Skyrim visit http://elderscrolls.com.

The Opus

This is something totally different and a bit whacky really. Imagine an alarm clock that doesn’t rely on the traditional styled beep/bell ringing to wake you up. Think of being gently awoken by the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee, accompanied with soft lights and sound. This is what the Opus promises and I, for one, can’t think of a gentler way to be awoken from my slumber. Not only does the Opus output the frangrances, but it’s also a mini humidifier, an ioniser and an air purifier. Quite the litle all-rounder!

Available for a mere £79.99 for the actual Opus itself and £3.99 for the fragrances from Made By Zen why not give a gift to a loved one this Christmas, that’s different, quirky and really quite funky.

Duracell have some interesting products this year, guaranteed to help keep the gadget obsessed happy. From recharging on the move to a ‘speedy charger’, that promises to recharge 4 AA batteries in a mere 15 minutes! Everyone needs batteries, especially at Christmas, so why not consider something that’s not only practical but also quite cool too?

Speaking on a personal level, the ability to recharge my smartphone on the go is an absolute godsend. As the CPU power increases, seemingly battery life decreases; so to be able to simply plug your phone in to an external battery and recharge could not only be handy but also potentially life saving!

Duracell Portable USB Charger 1800mAh

(Also known as the Portable 5-hour smartphone Charger)

RRP £39.99

New to the range and providing enhanced mobile device charging in a compact design, this is an ideal option for those with multiple devices on the move, able to provide extra power anytime, anywhere.

Key benefits:

Up to 5 hours of extra talktime for smartphones[1]
Charges two devices on the go
Features a power-check button for added convenience
Micro-USB cable (and Micro-to-Mini Tip adapter) included

15 Minute Charger

RRP £39.99

When time really is of the essence, the new Duracell 15 Minute Charger helps minimise the hassle of losing power, with an upgraded design that provides the fastest charge, guaranteed.

Key benefits:

Charges 4 AA cells in 15 minutes, guaranteed
Battery health indicator to show when the batteries are ready to go

UNDER £30

WOMEN & FRIENDS

Duracell Portable USB Charger 1150mAh

(Also known as the Portable 3-hour smartphone Charger, formerly ‘Instant Charger’)

RRP £29.99

Sleek, convenient solution for charging devices on the go to ensure you can keep texting, gaming and listening to music wherever you are.

Key benefits:

Up to 3 hours extra talktime for smartphones1 making it ideal for a quick top-up while out and about.
Instantly charges all micro- or mini-USB compatible mobile devices.
Slim, lightweight and easy to transport

Rechargeable Portable Power

For those seeking rechargeable power solutions at home and whilst on the go, Duracell has revised its line-up and reduced its range of 8 chargers down to 6, based around consumers’ differing recharging needs. Updated packaging makes the benefits clearer than ever, and two new chargers provide quick, convenient recharging for AA batteries, whether they’re needed in an hour or in 15 minutes. The new Staycharged batteries come charged up, ideal to put in toys as they come ready to use and can be recharged 100s of times and retain their charge for up to a year when not in use.

WHOLE FAMILY & FRIENDS

NEW Speedy Charger

RRP £29.99

The new Duracell Speedy Charger is a compact charger that can be taken anywhere to provide you with quick recharge, anytime, anywhere,

Key benefits:

Standard 4 cell charge in 2-3 hours
Fast charge mode recharges 2 AAA/AA batteries in 1 hour

http://www.duracelldirect.co.uk / http://www.amazon.co.uk

For further information go to: http://www.Facebook.com/duracellUK

As we get older, we leave the realms of technology and tend not to keep up with the Joneses. Grandparents especially, tend to get confused with their new television or mobile phone, often leading to confusion and frustration. Take my Mum for example, every time she purchases a new phone, she literally takes a few months to get used to the new one and is constantly comparing it with her older model. To save some of the aforementioned confusion and frustration this Christmas, why not think about buying your Mum, Dad or Grandparent an Emporia RL1?

The Emporia RL1 is a fully functional mobile phone, specifically designed for the older generation. Featuring enlarged buttons, a screen with text size that’s adjustable and a high volume ring, this could be exactly what they’re looking for!

Features on the emporia RL1 have been deliberately kept to the essentials but there is an alarm clock, a calculator and a birthday reminders tool.

Reliability and practicality are key, and emporia RL1 has already been described as an ‘eight day wonder’ – with one full charge, the phone has a standby time of more than eight days, and a talk time of up to 180 minutes. The phone comes with a charging cradle that can sit on a table or be wall mounted. The emporia RL1 is available from Vodafone on both pay monthly and pay as you go.

For prices and more information please visit www.vodafone.co.uk/emporia free on pay monthly plans from £10, 24 month price plans including 100 minutes and 500 texts, or £75 RRP on pay as you go

And now, for something completely different! There’s always someone who quite literally, has everything. Buy them an album or a videogame, they’ll have it, buy them a gadget and they’ll have it. So it begs the question, what do you buy the person who seemingly has everything? Here’s an idea, the USB man. Ok, so it’s a bit tight on the capacity side of things but the design & overall fabulousness of this wee fellow will soon have you forgiving his storage limitations!

For the man truly responsible for making things happen, why not break from the norm with an elegant USB flash drive (2GB). After all the excitement of Christmas and New Year is over,why not present him with this nifty looking fellow containing all of the photos and stuff from the festive period make him smile for years to come. Using the fastest USB2.0 ‘plug and play’ technology, this original looking flash drive is presented in a draw string pouch and a fabulous gift box. Priced at £55.00 it is both a practical and stylish gift.

Available from www.mad4gifts.co.uk

Don’t forget the pooch, this Christmas. They are easy to overlook, afterall! Problem is, what to get them? If they’re anything like our dog, they’ll chew threw a plastic/nylon ball or toy in minutes. Soft toys are ok but more often than not, it’s pretty hard to work out what’s safe to give them. Especially with some of them having eyes that are easy to remove or even worse, stuffing!

Crazy Critters, £9.99 from ASDA, Robert Dyas and www.JMLdirect.com

Crazy Critters are ultra durable and realistic looking plush toys that will provide your best friend with hours of playful fun. What makes them different from other dog toys is that they are stuffing-free, you’ll never have to clean up the mess from a ripped stuffed animal again, plus your pet won’t ever be tempted to eat the stuffing, which could be harmful to its health. Crazy Critters are also machine-washable, so you can use them indoors or outside over and over again.

Table gifts can be a fantastic way to really make the most of the day; who doesn’t want another present to open after dinner? For the little ones, the Nanoblocks selection is ideal. Even better considering that they’re able to make small and detailed models that really are fantastic Christmas ornaments.

Nanoblocks, £7.99 from www.JMLdirect.com

Nanoblocks are cool micro versions of Lego. But why so small? Well, smaller blocks mean smaller projects, greater detail and more realism. Plus you can fit finished models in the palm of your hand. Despite their diminutive dimensions, Nanoblocks are just as precise as regular sized building blocks. This is down to a clever double-ridged backing system that makes clicking them together a cinch. And because each brick is flat, models are built up in successive layers. You even get a base plate on which to plonk your tiny creation. Satisfying? You’ll be addicted to Nanoblocks in seconds. There are special Christmas editions of Santa Claus and a snowman.

UDraw

Christmas really is the time of year when family spends as much time as possible together, often resulting in arguments, boredom and over eating!  Board games are all fine and well, but the novelty soon wears off, Christmas TV is, more often than not, a series of repeats and pure rubbish and games that are aimed at the family playing together don’t fare as well as their single player kin.  So what can you do together, this Christmas?

How about Pictionary, but digitally?  All play is through a digital tablet that’s hooked up to your beloved console?  PS3, 360 or Wii, uDraw’s available on each platform and offers a multitude of activities that the various members of your family will adore and even better, Pictionary’s an ideal game that all the family can sit down and enjoy together after eating too much turkey!  We’re currently in the process of reviewing the uDraw Tablet & so far, we’re loving the whole ‘bringing the family together’ aspect.

The revolutionary uDraw GameTablet® that has allowed nearly 2million Wii owners to unleash their inner artist, will be available to Xbox 360® and Playstation® 3 owners for the first time on November 18th, making the uDraw GameTablet the perfect gift this Christmas.

The only gaming experience to combine art and gaming with technology and creativity, the uDraw GameTablet offers endlessly imaginative and immersive hands-on game play. The entire family can enjoy a social game night and budding artists can create anything in their mind’s eye. From the skilled artist to the casual doodler – uDraw GameTablet offers limitless versatility and infinite ways to play.

Fantastic new games and improved functionality all presented in an exciting new HD design will ensure that the uDraw GameTablet is the ideal present for all the family this festive period.

For its worldwide November debut on the Xbox 360 and PS®3, uDraw™ will adopt an entirely new look: a sleek, contemporary design that also incorporates console controls directly into the uDraw GameTablet. The new HD tablet not only looks incredible, it also has a host of new features crammed in to the sleek design. New features include:

· High-definition art creation and gameplay

· A stylus with greater sensitivity for more detailed results

· Tilt and motion features

· Direct touch-screen control that incorporates pinch-and-stretch and rotation features

If you’re looking for something quirky and a little different, especially for an iPhone/iPad nut, you could always consider one of Gear4′s funky Angry Bird docks. Available in a range of styles, from Red Bird, to Black Bird and there’s even their cunning enemy, Helmet Pig! These are one of the must haves this festive season!

Everyone’s favourite Angry Birds are back! But this time they’re taking a break from reigning down slingshot destruction to bring music to your ears as a new range of speakers.

The ever-raging Red Bird, explosive Black Bird and even the egg thievin’ enemy, Helmet Pig, are all available as officially licensed speaker and dock stations.

They’re the perfect gift for parents and kids this Christmas, but watch out, for while they might fill the room with soothing sounds, they’re bigger and angrier than ever before!

Black Bird compatible with: All generations of iPod, iPhone and iPad

Red Bird compatible with: Any music player, smart phone and tablet

Helmet Pig compatible with: All generations of iPod and iPhone

RRP: from £49.99 – £69.99

Stockists: All major retailers and www.gear4.com