General Gaming Article

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• 5 Things To Do Before You Give Back Your Work PC
• Lenovo CEO Gets $3 Million Performance Bonus, Gives It Away To Employees
• Comcast Reportedly Prepping 305Mbps Broadband Tier To Compete With Verizon FiOS
• Amazon Prime Instant Video's Getting Time Warner Shows, Some Exclusively
• This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar
• AMD Blames Revenue Woes on Weak Economy, Soft Consumer Spending
• Firefox 15 Beta Goes Live, Goes Gold on August 28, 2012
• DirecTV, Viacom End Bitter Programming Squabble, Reach Long Term Agreement
• U.S. Appeals Court Denies Samsung's Request to Allow Galaxy Tab 10.1 Sales

5 Things To Do Before You Give Back Your Work PC Posted: 20 Jul 2012 01:28 PM PDT With today's ever-changing job scene, chances are you will end up moving from one company to another at some point. Turning in your work PC will be an inevitable part of the process, but irresponsibly doing so may jeopardize your personal security, leave you ill-prepared for your new job, and unknowingly burn bridges. Here are five essential tips to avoid these pitfalls. 1) Backup Your Documents You'll never know when old files might come in handy. Chances are if your old Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and Excel Files were once important, they could serve to bolster your resume or help prepare you for a future presentation. How: Some obvious ways to backup these files would be through external hard drives, CD-Rs, or USB thumb drives. If those are not available to you, no problem. While you could certainly email these documents to your personal email account, you can use an online storage solution like Google Drive which provides users with five gigs of data for free that can easily be accessed from almost any device. 2) Keep Helpful Programs Chances are you've probably downloaded some useful, free office tools suggested to you by your coworkers (or by Maximum PC). If you're moving to a similar job, these programs may become invaluable to you in the future. But remembering all these tools to re-download can be a pain, so it's a good idea to make sure you have them ready to go with you on day one. How: As with the solution in tip one, you can easily upload these install files to an external hard drive or store them on Google Drive. 3) Save Old Contacts and Emails While backing up your old Word documents is important, saving your email logs and contacts can be equally vital for looking up information, references, and networking. How: Chances are your company has been using Microsoft Outlook as its email client. There are two ways to save emails/contacts from Outlook. The first way is to manually drag and drop the email/contact name you wish to save to your desired folder. In case you wanted to copy everything over, select the File drop down menu > "Import and Export..."> "Export to a file"> choose "Personal Folder File (.pst)" > Select "Personal Folders" and make sure to click the "include subfolders checkbox" to copy all of your data into a folder of your choosing. Doing so will allow you to easily import all of your old Outlook content to different computers. 4) Clear History Internet history, cookies, cache, passwords, bookmarks...make them all disappear. You wouldn't want some unknown goober easily accessing your logged-in amazon.com account would you? How: Web browsers like Google Chrome, FireFox, and Internet Explorer make it pretty easy to clear this data. Using Internet Explorer as an example, you can delete all this info by hitting the tools button > internet options > hitting the "delete..." button under browsing history > and check everything before hitting the "delete" button. To delete individual bookmarks, click the star button to access the favorites tab and then select "organize favorites" from the drop-down menu. 5) Delete Personal Programs and Files The idea here is to return the computer as it was given to you. This means deleting all the personal junk and extraneous programs you may have left on the computer. Also, doing so will ensure that any personal documents (photos of yourself/family) won't be left in the hands of some stranger and that the company won't know you spent the majority of your work time playing Barbie Horse Adventures.   How: Make sure to search the Desktop, Downloads, and My Documents folders in addition to any other popular save destinations you might have used. If you can't find a particular file you're dying to delete, make sure to use Windows' helpful search feature to look for incriminating jpgs, bmps, mp3s, etc. And remember to empty out the recycle bin! As for deleting programs, going into Windows 7's Program and Features or Windows Xp's Add or Remove Programs menu will allow you to easily sift through and uninstall applications.

Lenovo CEO Gets $3 Million Performance Bonus, Gives It Away To Employees Posted: 20 Jul 2012 11:01 AM PDT Usually, when you hear about CEO compensation, it's in relation to how mind-blowingly much executives make, or how a dismissed honcho left riding on a golden parachute. Not at Lenovo. The PC provider has been on a tear in recent months and is on the verge of supplanting HP as the number one computer manufacturer in the world. That top-notch performance made CEO Yang Yuanqing eligible for a big fat bonus check. Rather than keeping the cash for himself, he divvied up the $3 million performance-related bonus into 10,000-ish slices and distributed it to the everymen (and women) who make up the bulk of the company. The shared bonus only went out to junior-level employees, such as receptionists and factory workers, rather than managers or other executives. Each employee received the equivalent of $314, CNN reports. That would be nothing to sneeze at in the U.S., but it's a staggering sum in China, where Lenovo is based. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the average rural Chinese resident only earns 6,977 yuan per year, or the equivalent of $1,094. Urban Chinese residents make out better, pulling down a 2011 yearly average of 23,939 yuan, but that still only works out to $3,762. Basically, $314 can mean a world of difference for Lenovo rank-and-file employees. Lenovo's CEO pulled down an additional $2.2 million in bonuses from other incentives and earned a total compensation of right around $14 million.

Comcast Reportedly Prepping 305Mbps Broadband Tier To Compete With Verizon FiOS Posted: 20 Jul 2012 10:23 AM PDT What, a 100Mbps cable broadband connection isn't fast enough for you? Then you've only got one choice, my friend: switch to Verizon FiOS and bask in the 300Mbps fiber-tastic service the company unveiled a few months back. What, even 300Mbps isn't fast enough for you? Then maybe Comcast's apparent plans to launch a competing 305Mbps offering might wet your whistle, instead. (And if not, what the heck are you using all that speed for?) BroadBandReports, which broke the news, says that Comcast hopes to have the blazing-fast connection available by the end of the year. There's no word on the potential pricing, though Verizon's 300Mbps FiOS Quantum plan will set you back a cool $210 a month. GigaOm points out that even if Comcast does manage to launch a 305Mbps service sometime soon, Verizon still holds a significant ace in the hole if costs end up similar between the two services: Comcast has a data cap and has plans to charge heavy users extra fees, whereas Verizon's FiOS lets you gobble down all the data your high-speed connected heart desires.

Amazon Prime Instant Video's Getting Time Warner Shows, Some Exclusively Posted: 20 Jul 2012 10:04 AM PDT Netflix may still be the go-to service when it comes to streaming video, but Amazon's doing all it can to make its Prime Instant Video an attractive deal for $80 a year. Today, Amazon announced that it has signed a deal with Warner Brothers to bring its shows to Prime, including an exclusive deal for Fringe and The West Wing. Netflix doesn't stream either of those shows, but Hulu lets its users watch the last five episodes of Fringe for free online. Seeing as how Amazon's Time Warner deal announcement touts that  Fringe is going to be a Prime and Kindle Fire exclusive, expect that Hulu availability to go the way of the Dodo sometime soon. Dark Blue, Alcatraz and The Whole Truth are among the other Time Warner shows coming to Prime Instant Video, but since I've never watched or even heard of any of those shows, I can't talk too much about them. The Time Warner deal brings Prime Instant Video's total of on-demand titles to over 18,000, with many of them also being available on either Hulu or Netflix.

This week's hottest reviews on TechRadar Posted: 20 Jul 2012 08:46 AM PDT We're really quite taken by the Nintendo 3DS XL. We liked the original 3DS, and while the XL's screens are less sharp, the extra size makes it a much more comfortable to game with. So do check out our review and the rest of the week's most exciting kit! Nintendo 3DS XL review While the stretched screens on the Nintendo 3DS XL can in fact look less detailed than the original, improved comfort and battery life mean these imperfections wouldn't put us off choosing the 3DS XL model over the last. If you spend most of your day staring at the new iPad's gorgeous Retina Display - or even the rival PS Vita's glorious OLED screen - the 3DS XL's screens may put you off a purchase. For existing 3DS owners looking for an upgrade there are plenty of reasons to trade in for the XL; it's more comfortable over long periods and increased battery life means it lasts for hours or even days in Street Pass sleep mode. Couple in a stylus you can actually reach and there are plenty of reasons - screens aside - to call the XL the definitive 3DS model. Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 review After the blockbuster entrance by the original Galaxy Tab 10.1, the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is a more muted affair, offering little in the way of an upgrade from its predecessor and seemingly happy to nestle into mid-range obscurity, instead of setting itself up to challenge the new iPad. That said, it's pleasing to see Ice Cream Sandwich is making it onto devices out of the box these days, even if Jelly Bean is just around the corner, and Samsung has done a good job of implementing Android 4.0 onto the Galaxy Tab 2 10.1. But the thing is that even at £299, this isn't the cheapest premium Android tablet out there – the gorgeous Google Nexus 7 may only be 7-inches in stature but the £159 price point is a lot more attractive for those looking for a convenient touch device without breaking the bank. Samsung NX20 review The Samsung NX20 is quite an interesting proposition, since it delivers very good quality images, especially at high ISOs. The combination of Wi-Fi connectivity with the ability to share images direct from the camera is currently unique to Samsung. Since extra value is added to these features by owning compatible Android mobile devices, the true value of this connectivity may not be realised without the appropriate additional hardware. Overall the Samsung NX20 is a great camera to use, and it is more than capable of delivering great quality images. Although the Wi-Fi connectivity features may grab headlines, the underlying camera is a quality piece of kit that should win over many fans. It offers an exciting feature set, excellent quality at high sensitivities, good ergonomics and features to satisfy the needs of both experienced and novice photographers alike in a compact body. Microsoft Office 2013 review If you look at a list of the new features in Office 2013, you might not see any one feature you can't live without, but after even a few days of using the new applications there are plenty of features you'll miss. This is another big advance in usability, combined with some extremely clever new tools. Sony Alpha a57 review The Sony Alpha a57 boasts a number of upgrades - as well as a few impressive new additions - that elevate it above the older Sony a55 that it replaces, while maintaining the same ethos for making the shooting process as streamlined and simple as possible. Other reviews on TechRadar this week: Cameras Panasonic G5 review Olympus TG-1 review Hands on: Panasonic LX7 review Samsung WB850F review Laptops Samsung Series 5 Chromebook review HP Pavilion dv7-6c55sa review Acer Aspire V5 review Mobile phones LG Optimus 4X HD review Samsung Exhibit II 4G (T-Mobile) review Samsung Galaxy Ace 2 review Hands on: Sony Xperia Tipo review Hands on: Sony Xperia Miro review Hands on: Sony Xperia Go review Hands on: ZTE Grand X review Motherboards Intel DZ77RE-75K review NAS drives G-Technology G Raid with Thunderbolt review Projectors Viewsonic Pro6200 review Routers AVM FRITZ!Box 7360 review Software OnLive Desktop review Storage OCZ Vertex 4 256GB review Tablets Arnova 10b G3 review

AMD Blames Revenue Woes on Weak Economy, Soft Consumer Spending Posted: 20 Jul 2012 07:10 AM PDT Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) didn't give investors much reason to celebrate yesterday when announcing its second quarter financial results. The Sunnyvale chip designer reported revenue of $1.41 billion in Q2, which is representative of an 11 percent drop sequentially and a 10 percent decline year-over year. AMD pointed to a weak market as the reason why the numbers dropped the way they did. "Overall weakness in the global economy, softer consumer spending and lower channel demand for our desktop processors in China and Europe made the closing weeks of the quarter challenging," said Rory Read, AMD president and CEO. "We are taking definitive steps to improve our performance and correct the issues within our control as we expect headwinds will continue in the third quarter as the industry sets a new baseline." While AMD remains "optimistic" about its "core businesses" and the ability of its Accelerated Processing Units (APUs) to compete in the market place, the company warned that Q3 is likely to see a 1 percent sequential drop in revenue, plus or minus 3 percent. The numbers don't get any better when breaking things down by business segments. AMD's Computing Solutions business decreased 13 percent sequentially and year-over-year, a decline the chip designer blamed primarily on lower desktop channel sales in China and Europe, and AMD's graphics revenue "was down sequentially and remained flay year-over-year." GPU revenue dropped 5 percent in what AMD called a seasonally down quarter. Image Credit: Flickr (nayukim) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Firefox 15 Beta Goes Live, Goes Gold on August 28, 2012 Posted: 20 Jul 2012 06:38 AM PDT Just three days after Mozilla released the final version of Firefox 14 to the general public, the browser maker announced that Firefox 15 is available to download in beta form. With Mozilla's rapid release schedule in place, you won't have to wait long for the new build to go gold. Just over a month, in fact, assuming Firefox 15 is released on August 28, 2012 as currently scheduled. Should you wait for the final build to upgrade? For most people, the answer is yes. A side effect of these rapid fire browser releases is that groundbreaking changes are few and far between. According to the release notes, Firefox brings just three new features to the table for general users, including: Preliminary native PDF support (Aurora/Beta only) Support for SPDY networking protocol v3 WebGL enhancements, including compressed textures for better performance Also included in Firefox 15 is optimized memory usage for add-ons. Beyond that, everything else that's new or changed is aimed at developers, like integrating a JavaScript debugger into developer tools and adding native support for the Opus audio codec. If those don't excite you, neither should Firefox 15. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

DirecTV, Viacom End Bitter Programming Squabble, Reach Long Term Agreement Posted: 20 Jul 2012 06:24 AM PDT Satellite TV provider DirecTV and Viacom have finally reached a long term agreement to restore 17 channels to DirecTV customers, ending a bitter dispute that neither side could afford to let drag on. Be that as it may, the disagreement over financial terms of a contract renewal went on longer than it should have, resulting in a blackout of popular channels like Comedy Central, MTV, BET, Spike, CMT, and TV Land, along with ten others, while customers were used as pawns in contract negotiations. Things turned ugly when the previous programming agreement between Viacom and DirecTV expired. DirecTV claimed Viacom was trying to force feed additional channels into a renewed agreement and charge a 30 percent premium for doing so, which the satellite TV provider said amounted to $1 billion over five years. Viacom countered that it was only seeking fair compensation in a new deal, one that would amount to DirecTV absorbing a couple of pennies per day per subscriber. Contract negotiations happen all the time, only usually they're handled behind the scenes and customers never know about them. In this case, the failure of the two sides to hammer out a new deal in a timely fashion resulted in Viacom pulling 17 channels from DirecTV's programming. Even worse is the way both sides used satellite TV subscribers as pawns in their dispute. DirecTV encouraged subscribers to view Viacom content online where the programming is free, and Viacom responded by yanking online content and telling subscribers to ditch DirecTV and find another provider. With the new agreement in place, all that bickering is in the past, but bitter feelings remain. "It's unfortunate that Viacom took the channels away from customers to try to gain leverage, but in the end, it's clear our customers recognized that tactic for what it was," said Derek Chang, executive vice president of Content Strategy and Development for DirecTV. "The attention surrounding this unnecessary and ill-advised blackout by Viacom has accomplished one key thing: it serves notice to all media companies that bullying TV providers and their customers with blackouts won't get them a better deal. It's high time programmers ended these anti-consumer blackouts once and for all and prove our industry is about enabling people to connect to their favorite programs rather than denying them access." Viacom's short announcement was without vitriol, stating simply that it's "extremely pleased to bring its programming to DirecTV subscribers, and thanks everyone affected by the disruption for their patience and understanding during this challenging period." In addition to restoring Viacom channels, DirecTV subscribers now have the ability to view Viacom programming on tablets, laptops, handhelds, and other personal devices via the DirecTV Everywhere platform, DirectTV said. Financial terms of the new deal were not disclosed. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

U.S. Appeals Court Denies Samsung's Request to Allow Galaxy Tab 10.1 Sales Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:51 AM PDT One step forward and two steps back. That must be how Samsung feels as it dances with Apple in various courts around the world defending its Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet and other products the Cupertino outfit claims infringes on the look and feel of iPad and iPhone devices. The latest setback took place in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, which denied two of Samsung's motions related to the preliminary injunction levied against the Galaxy Tab 10.1. According to Foss Patents, the Federal Circuit squashed Samsung's motion to the stay the preliminary injunction for the duration of the appellate proceedings, effectively barring sales of the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the U.S. until the case is closed. In addition, the appeals court denied Samsung's motion to expedite the appeal; the only way Samsung can speed up the trial at this point is to file its own brief as quick as possible. The trial is scheduled for July 30. This is in stark contrast to what's been going on in the U.K., where a judge recently ordered Apple to post a message on its overseas website for six months stating Samsung didn't copy the iPad's design. The judge also ordered Apple to print the same message in newspapers and magazines. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

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• Motorola Reboots the Atrix, Gives it a Killer Screen
• NoSQL Rebels Aim Missile At Larry Ellison’s Yacht
• Darpa Funds Hack Machine You’d Never Notice
• With Mayer at Helm, Will Geeks Give Yahoo a Second Glance?
• Review: Motorola Atrix HD Smartphone for AT&T
• RIM Wants Your Friends to Know When You’re Rage Texting
• RIM Wants Your Friends to Know When You’re Rage Texting
• With Mayer at Helm, Will Geeks Give Yahoo a Second Glance?
• Preview: Warlock: Master of the Arcane multiplayer beta
• Lenovo CEO Gets $3 Million Performance Bonus, Gives It Away To Employees

Motorola Reboots the Atrix, Gives it a Killer Screen Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT Motorola's Atrix HD smartphone has a nice price at $100 on contract, but its killer feature is the 4.5-inch touchscreen, which offers an iPhone-rivaling level of clarity.

NoSQL Rebels Aim Missile At Larry Ellison’s Yacht Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT In Silicon Valley and beyond, a new kind of database is rising. Dubbed "NoSQL" by its proponents, it sprang out of Google, Amazon, Facebook, and other web giants, who used it to run their massive online operations, but now it's moving into the rest the world, backed by a growing number of startups. And this means trouble for Larry Ellison and Oracle.

Darpa Funds Hack Machine You’d Never Notice Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT If you saw this bad boy under your desk, would you say anything? It may look like a surge protector, but it’s really a remote access machine that corporations can use to test security and log into branch offices. Called the Power Pwn, it’s a stealthier version of the little box that can hack your [...]

With Mayer at Helm, Will Geeks Give Yahoo a Second Glance? Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT The surprise announcement this week that Yahoo had tapped Google geekstar Marissa Mayer as its new CEO got a lot of people talking about the troubled web portal. But would any of them actually want to work there?

Review: Motorola Atrix HD Smartphone for AT&T Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT Motorola revisits its popular Atrix smartphone line and finds success. The Atrix HD has a beautiful screen, a pleasantly uncluttered user interface and an attractive $100 price tag.

RIM Wants Your Friends to Know When You’re Rage Texting Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT A just-surfaced patent application from Research in Motion (RIM) details a smartphone feature that determines a sender's emotional state while texting. It all keys into accelerometers, cameras and galvanic skin-response sensors.

RIM Wants Your Friends to Know When You’re Rage Texting Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT A just-surfaced patent application from Research in Motion (RIM) details a smartphone feature that determines a sender's emotional state while texting. It all keys into accelerometers, cameras and galvanic skin-response sensors.

With Mayer at Helm, Will Geeks Give Yahoo a Second Glance? Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT The surprise announcement this week that Yahoo had tapped Google geekstar Marissa Mayer as its new CEO got a lot of people talking about the troubled web portal. But would any of them actually want to work there?

Preview: Warlock: Master of the Arcane multiplayer beta Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT Back in May I reviewed Warlock: Master of the Arcane, a delightful magical 4X game which tasks mages with building empires and generally kicking the crap out of each other and the hordes of unfriendly NPC monsters that roam the landscape. The title wasn't without its issues, but there was more than enough there to keep me occupied for many hours. Conspicuously missing from the package was a multiplayer mode. Ino-co Plus promised that they were working on it, but wanted to get the game out first. Well, they've come through on that promise and now the beta version is available to everyone who owns the game. There are still a few bugs and the occasional hiccup, but it adds a fun new dimension to the game. A wee while ago I got to take a look at it and fight some actual humans. Those humans being Paradox's Jakob Munthe, the game's producer and my guide (and eventual nemesis); Paul Dean of Shut Up and Sit Down; and Adam Smith from Rock, Paper, Shotgun. On that fateful day in June, a Swede, a Scot, and two Englishmen fought on fields of lava to take home the crown of top mage.  Warlock: Master of the Arcane (PC) Publisher: Paradox Interactive Developer: Ino-co Plus Released: May 8, 2012 (Multiplayer beta released on July 17) MSRP: $19.99 Before we even started up the game the plotting had begun. Adam was delayed and that gave Jakob, Paul, and I a bit of time to make a quick alliance and agree to gang up on Johnny-come-lately. This put me at ease, I hadn't played the game since I reviewed it and one of my opponents was the bloody producer. Early alliances would be important to my continued survival, I assumed. Diplomacy isn't really working right now, Jakob explained, so while you can make alliances using the in game mechanics, there's nothing stopping the actual players from just breaking them instantly. There's no way to get anyone to stick to deals. This was something they were still working on. When Adam showed up, we jumped in-game. Our battlefield was to be a small one, the logic behind this was that it would make for a quicker session. Jakob had a group of American journalists to show the game to later and so we couldn't battle for countless hours. That was okay, I thought, I'll probably get destroyed by fire elementals within the first ten turns. Bloody NPCs.  I opted to play as a two-headed dragon overlord, ruling over silly little humans. The first couple of turns had us each explore our surroundings. I spotted a neutral city in the east, very close to my capital. Perfect for safe expansion. Jakob also discovered a neutral city to his west. A turn later I was raining down a fire spell on the unsuspecting town of rats. Jakob asked "Who is fighting a neutral city?" Bollocks. We'd both been talking about the same city. It became a race to see who conquered it first. I claimed that victory.  At least I knew where Jakob's city was, or at least the general direction and that it must have been fairly close. I still had no idea where Adam or Paul were. They seemed to be having troubles of their own. Paul's capital was being punched by a giant tree, for instance. His wooden aggressor was unrelenting and it seemed like it would keep him busy for some time. Several turns had passed and there had still been no confrontations between us. We were all fighting the environment, which remains just as aggressive in multiplayer is it did in solo mode. The wandering monsters are one of the things that I found so enjoyable about the game initially, and they certainly spiced up our session. Then, just as I was getting comfortable, I'm notified that Jakob has declared war on me. He laughs. It's an evil laugh. I become concerned. It's the laugh of someone who knows something that I don't. "I'm rich!" I exclaim, "Do you need money? I can give you gold." Jakob explained that I could indeed bribe him, but he'd still continue his war against me. "Bugger." Our alliance against Adam was short lived.  I had bears and wolves invading my territory from the north, Jakob to the east, and the unknown factors of Adam and Paul god knows where. Jakob boasted that he had now constructed a Minotaur Palace and he would soon be fielding his man-bulls soon, ready to conquer my two towns. Perhaps to compete with Jakob's boasts, Adam mentioned that he now had ships. I must admit that it was the minotaurs that worried me, not sailors. He was also at war with bears. Then again, we all were. Paul was still having problems with big trees. Separating my territory from my despicable enemy's was a huge plain of lava. This was the best thing that could have happened to me. His forces had a hell of a time making their way through it, as it slows movement by 50%. It gave me more than enough time to spend all that money I had been saving for bribes. I spent it on a vast army. Now it was my time to laugh evilly. I even splashed out on a new city to expand my northern borders. That's where the bears were coming from. Screw those guys. My war with Paradox's cruel mage-producer wasn't going badly. It wasn't going well either. It was a stalemate. He was confident that as long as he could keep me on the defense for the time it took for him to get his minotaurs then I'd be royally buggered. I thought that he was probably right. Then there was a flash near my capital. Imps appeared. "Are those NPCs or...?" I asked to nobody in particular. Adam chuckled. "Seriously?" Yes, he was sending one solitary unit of summoned imps to take on my well defended capital city. He thought he could at least harass me and do some damage. He was wrong. They were dead in one shot. We were now at war. "I now have minotaurs." I was anticipating the worst. I'd be waiting for these minotaurs for at least two hours, if not more. Actually, probably more. I'd actually started to think that it was just a big bluff. At least I didn't have to worry about Adam trying to attack me any more. He was being eaten by a kraken. When the hairy bipedal bulls appeared out of the fog of war we emitted a collective "Ohhhh." Jakob had been on the level. I was now in serious trouble. As they made their painfully slow progress across the swelteringly hot fields of magma, I did the best I could to slow their march. I moved all my archers to the border and refused to let up. One minotaur died. I cast a fireball and then attacked the unit with several warriors. Another went down. "How are they so strong!?" The shoe was on the other foot. Thank you, leveling up mechanic. Jakob tried to retreat. I disagreed with his tactics. As the last minotaur fell I let out a great whoop. Not only had I destroyed his beloved unit, I'd done it before it even reached my territory. "I'm clearly winning." Pride before the fall my friends, pride before the fall. Our session was coming to a close. Jakob had to entertain our cousins across the Atlantic. I felt smug. Surely I'd be hailed as mage-supreme. Then -- because bad luck always happens at the worst of times -- archers appeared in the north. Paul, the tree victim, turned out to be this session's dark horse. Another archer appeared. Then a warrior. My northern frontier was barely defended at all, I'd sent all my troops to deal with Jakob. Paul didn't actually realize how big my army was, however, and so he was slightly surprised when reinforcements started to arrive. Too little, too late. My city was still fairly new and weak. As Paul's forces marched through my streets I was crestfallen. He was hailed victor and we parted ways. From nature fodder to champion. It was quite the climb.  Warlock's multiplayer thrives on the stories that will undoubtedly be told by players. Other than diplomacy, most of the game is unchanged, but that human factor makes a lot of difference. The issues with waiting for conflict that plagues quite a few similar titles is deftly dealt with thanks to the hostile environment. Our session on the small map lasted for almost five hours; five hours that flew by. This is a real shot in the arm for a game which was already a lot of fun.  If you've had a chance to try out the beta, let us know your stories of conquest and stolen victories in the comments. I also feel I should apologize for letting Destructoid down and not claiming victory. If it makes you feel better, I slaughtered the most units. Also, I had a cold, and a sore neck, and I'd just quit smoking, and there was a baby crying next door. If it hadn't been for those things, I would have most certainly defeated my foes. Totally.

Lenovo CEO Gets $3 Million Performance Bonus, Gives It Away To Employees Posted: 20 Jul 2012 05:01 AM PDT Usually, when you hear about CEO compensation, it's in relation to how mind-blowingly much executives make, or how a dismissed honcho left riding on a golden parachute. Not at Lenovo. The PC provider has been on a tear in recent months and is on the verge of supplanting HP as the number one computer manufacturer in the world. That top-notch performance made CEO Yang Yuanqing eligible for a big fat bonus check. Rather than keeping the cash for himself, he divvied up the $3 million performance-related bonus into 10,000-ish slices and distributed it to the everymen (and women) who make up the bulk of the company. The shared bonus only went out to junior-level employees, such as receptionists and factory workers, rather than managers or other executives. Each employee received the equivalent of $314, CNN reports. That would be nothing to sneeze at in the U.S., but it's a staggering sum in China, where Lenovo is based. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, the average rural Chinese resident only earns 6,977 yuan per year, or the equivalent of $1,094. Urban Chinese residents make out better, pulling down a 2011 yearly average of 23,939 yuan, but that still only works out to $3,762. Basically, $314 can mean a world of difference for Lenovo rank-and-file employees. Lenovo's CEO pulled down an additional $2.2 million in bonuses from other incentives and earned a total compensation of right around $14 million.

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