General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article

Fujitsu Launches Lifebook E544 and E554 at Business Users

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 01:22 PM PDT

Fujitsu E554A pair of purpose-built laptops with interchangeable parts

Fujitsu is hoping to win over IT admins and business users with a couple of new enterprise-class E Series Lifebooks. They include the 14-inch Lifebook E544 and 15.6-inch Lifebook E554, each of which sport "numerous" interchangeable components intended to help IT admins manage large-scale roll outs by simplifying maintenance and management when things go wrong (or upgrades are needed).

"Rolling out and maintaining hundreds to thousands of notebooks in an enterprise environment can be challenging for IT professionals," said Kevin Wrenn, senior vice president, Fujitsu America, Inc. "Fujitsu is dedicated to helping its customers reduce enterprise costs and time through the optimization of their ICT systems from end to end, and the new Lifebook E Series notebooks, which are all purpose-built with interchangeable parts, helps fulfill this mission."

Both systems feature 4th Generation Intel Core i3/i5 processor options. They're also both equipped with the same port replicator, as well as shared components and accessories, like some modular bay elements. By making the parts interchangeable, Fujitsu says it's easier for businesses to deploy different size laptops without having to maintain a bunch of different corporate images of software or keep track of a wealth of drivers.

No word yet on price or availability.

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15 Awesome Tips and Tricks for Google

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 11:32 AM PDT

You think you know Google, but just wait

You have been using Google and all its related tech for years, but we're willing to bet there's still a thing or two you could learn from a seasoned expert or even a newbie about the way the search engine functions, how it recalls information, and even how it can scrub specific websites for data in place of an on-site search option.

That's where we come in. We've rounded up some helpful tips and tricks by way of Google to make your searching, browsing, and overall web experience a much neater one. And don't be afraid to admit you learned a thing or two along the way. There's no shame in that.

Google Puts Quickoffice Apps Out to Pasture

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 10:02 AM PDT

QuickofficeGetting rid of redundancies

If you're a fan of Google's Quickoffice apps, download them now while you still can. Google's planning to pull its Quickoffice apps from Google Play and iTunes over the course of the next few weeks, as the company feels they're no longer needed after recently overhauling its Docs, Sheets, and Slides, which are now available as standalone apps rather than being lumped together.

"With the integration of Quickoffice into the Google Docs, Sheets and Slides apps, the Quickoffice app will be unpublished from Google Play and the App Store in the coming weeks," Google announced in a blog post. "Existing users with the app can continue to use it, but no features will be added and new users will not be able to install the app."

Google acquired Quickoffice two short years ago. Android and iOS users could use Quickoffice to view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files from their mobile devices, and it even came preloaded on several devices that shipped with Android 4.4 KitKat.

However, Quickoffice quickly became expendable when Google separated its Docs, Sheets, and Slides into separate apps and attached them to Google Drive. Using Google Drive, users can access each one from their mobile device.

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Newegg Daily Deals: Windows 8.1 64-Bit, MSI Gaming N760 Graphics Card, and More!

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 09:29 AM PDT

Windows 8.1newegg logo

Top Deal:

After spending all that time putting your system together and strategically routing the cables, it's time to pick an OS. Otherwise, you'll spend long days staring at the BIOS screen -- not so fun. Lucky for you, today's top deal is for Microsoft's Windows 8.1 64-bit OEM for $85 with free shipping (normally $100 - use coupon code: [EMCPDHD97]). Windows 8 caught quite a bit of flack when it first came out, though with the Windows 8.1 release and subseqent updates, it's slowly but surely becoming more friendly for power users.

Other Deals:

Crucial M550 CT512M550SSD1 2.5-inch 512GB SATA 6Gbps MLC Internal Solid State Drive for $270 with free shipping (normally $280 - use coupon code: [EMCPDHD25])

MSI Gaming N760 TF GeForce GTX 760 4GB 256-Bit GDDR5 PCI Express 3.0 SLI Support Video Card for $240 with free shipping (normally $270 - use coupon code: [EMCPDHD225]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) 240-Pin DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory for $144 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCPDHD37])

Asus VS Series 23-inch 2ms HDMI LED Backlight Widescreen LCD Monitor for $120 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCPDHD43]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

What's Up with Microsoft's Rumored Surface Mini Tablet?

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 08:56 AM PDT

Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and MiniDon't hold your breath waiting for a smaller size Surface tablet

Leading up to the launch of Microsoft's Surface Pro 3, there were several rumors suggesting the Redmond company was planning to announce a Surface Mini tablet during the press event. Even Microsoft teased such an unveiling by inviting members of the press to a "small gathering" on May 20. Instead, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Pro 3 and the Surface Mini is still nowhere to be seen. That might not change any time soon.

According to Digitimes and its sources entrenched in the upstream supply chain, Microsoft has called off plans to mass produce the Surface Mini. Microsoft is reportedly hesitant to jump into the highly competitive small-size tablet market where there's a flurry of products, including Amazon's Kindle Fire line, Google's Nexus 7, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab line, to name just a few.

The Surface Mini was rumored to sport a 7.5-inch to 8-inch display powered by an ARM processor. It would come with OneNote and Windows RT 8.1, but nothing really exciting to make it stand out among all the other similar sized tablets available.

While the Surface Mini was never announced, there was at least one third-party company that began selling Surface Mini cases on Amazon. Interestingly, the listing is still on Amazon, though the accompanying picture appears to show the cover wrapping around Lenovo's ThinkPad 8 tablet.

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Facebook May Have Secretly Messed with Your Head for Science

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 08:33 AM PDT

FacebookNot cool, Facebook

Ever wondered how social networks can impact your emotions? So did a Facebook data scientist and two other researchers who conducted a study that was recently published by The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Facebook's controversial study has drawn outrage from many of the site's members because it played with people's emotions without their knowledge or consent.

The study was conducted over a one-week period in 2012 and included about 689,000 unwitting participants. What the researchers wanted to find out is "whether exposure to emotional content led people to post content that was consistent with the exposure -- thereby testing whether exposure to verbal affective expressions leads to similar verbal expressions, a form of emotional contagion," according to an excerpt from the study, USA Today reports.

Sure enough, the study discovered that users with less postive content in their news feed used more negative words in their status updates. According to James Grimmelmann, a law professor at the University of Maryland, one of the experimental groups had positive words like "love" and "nice" filtered out of their news feeds.

"This, however, was not an observational study. It was an experimental study—indeed, a randomized controlled trial—in which participants were treated differently. We wouldn't tell patients in a drug trial that the study was harmless because only a computer would ever know whether they received the placebo," Grimmelmann states in a blog post. "The unwitting participants in the Facebook study were told (seemingly by their friends) for a week either that the world was a dark and cheerless place or that it was a saccharine paradise. That's psychological manipulation, even when it's carried out automatically. This is bad, even for Facebook."

The fallout from the study prompted one of it's co-authors to offer additional insight into why it was conducted, and an apology to those angered by it.

"The goal of all of our research at Facebook is to learn how to provide a better service. Having written and designed this experiment myself, I can tell you that our goal was never to upset anyone," study co-author Adam Kramer wrote on Facebook. "I can understand why some people have concerns about it, and my co-authors and I are very sorry for the way the paper described the research and any anxiety it caused. In hindsight, the research benefits of the paper may not have justified all of this anxiety."

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Microsoft May Start Using Lumia Brand on Tablets, 'Nokia by Microsoft' for Smartphones

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 07:50 AM PDT

MicrosoftThe next generation of Surface tablets might get a name change to Lumia

After successfully acquiring Nokia's Devices and Services business (basically the company's mobile division) for around $7.2 billion, Microsoft's next task is to figure out how to juggle its different brands. The Redmond outfit might already have it figured out -- word on the web is that Microsoft is planning to market its smartphones as "Nokia by Microsoft" and use the Lumia brand for its tablets.

News of the brand strategy comes from Twitter user @evleaks, who it's worth pointing out is often correct about such things. According to @evleaks, Microsoft is in the final stages of licensing the Nokia brand. Previous reports about the takeover deal stated that Microsoft would be able to utilize the Nokia brand for 18 months.

Microsoft just recently used the Nokia brand to launch its first Android phone, the Nokia X2. Depending on what other Android plans Microsoft has, the company may want to be careful with its branding to prevent confusion between phones built on Google's platform and Windows Phone devices.

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Android KeyStore Vulnerability Affects Vast Majority of Devices

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 12:14 AM PDT

Android Keystore Vulnerability

Over 86 percent of all Android devices remain vulnerable

The flagrant fragmentation that has come to be associated with Android is once again in focus, with IBM Security researchers shedding light on a major vulnerability (CVE-2014-3100) affecting the all-important Android KeyStore service, which is used for storing cryptographic keys and other sensitive credentials. Although the said vulnerability has been fixed in the latest version of the operating system (Android Kitkat 4.4), the problem is that the vast majority of Android users don't have the latest version.

According to the security advisory issued by the IBM security researchers, they discovered this Android KeyStore stack buffer overflow vulnerability over nine months ago, and in keeping with their responsible disclosure policy, quietly reported it to the Android security team. They refrained from going public for so long mainly due to the seriousness of the vulnerability and "Android's fragmented nature."

Per the advisory, an attacker can use the vulnerability to execute malicious code under the KeyStore process on devices running Android 4.3 or lower (around 86 percent of all Android devices), with the successful exploitation having the potential to expose the device's lock credentials, leak cryptographic keys, and enable unauthorized "crypto operations (e.g., arbitrary data signing)."

However, the advisory notes that exploiting the flaw isn't exactly a cakewalk, as Android has a number of built-in safeguards against such malicious code execution, including data execution prevention (DEP) and address space layout randomization (ASLR).

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Gigabyte Adds Gaming Mini PC to BRIX Family

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 11:02 PM PDT

Gigabyte Brix Gaming Mini PC

Small yet powerful

A new member is all set to join the BRIX DIY mini PC range Gigabyte debuted last year. Available in green and black, the new "BIX Gaming" PC kit combines a 4th generation Intel Core i5/i7 processor with a dedicated Nvidia graphics card to deliver what the company claims is a "miniature gaming powerhouse."

Initially, the BRIX Gaming small form factor (SFF) PC kit will initially be only available with an Intel Core i5 4200H (2800 - 3400 MHz) processor, with a Core i7 variant following in August. However, based on the press release, it appears the Nvidia GeForce GTX 760 GPU (with 3GB/6GB GDDR5 VRAM) will be common to both Core i5 and Core i7 SKUs. Further, the BRIX Gaming PC will come with four USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet port, one Mini DisplayPort, Mini-HDMI port, and a Mini PCIe module with IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and the latest Bluetooth 4.0. A power adapter and cable will also be part of the kit.

Two things it won't come with, though, are RAM and storage. According to the company, the kit includes two SO-DIMM DDR3L slots, one mSATA slot and one 2.5" SATA HDD slot.

"The GIGABYTE BRIX Gaming is the perfect showcase for Intel and Nvidia's exceptional technologies," said Henry Kao, VP of GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. "The BRIX Gaming packs a high-performance, desktop-class processor and GPU that is highly suited to processor-intensive creative applications and 3D gaming titles. It is a great example of the type of innovation GIGABYTE is delivering for the desktop PC space."

There's no word on pricing and availability yet.

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Windows 8.1 Sleep Study: A Tool for Analyzing Standby Mode Battery Usage Patterns

Posted: 29 Jun 2014 10:48 PM PDT

Windows 8.1 Sleep Study

See what's draining your Windows 8.1 PC's battery in 'InstantGo' standby mode

Windows 8.1 devices, as long as they've the right hardware, can be put into a network-connected standby state called InstantGo (known as Connected Standby in Windows 8 and Windows RT), allowing for apps and tiles to retain Internet connectivity and remain updated even when the system is in standby mode. It's undoubtedly a great feature, but it's easy to see how a few battery-hogging apps and system activities could combine to ruin its usefulness. Enter Windows 8.1 Sleep Study, a diagnostic tool for analyzing battery usage during InstanGo sessions.

A few days back, Microsoft detailed this feature in a post on the Windows Experience blog. Available only on Windows 8.1 and Windows RT 8.1 systems with InstantGo support — to check, enter "powercfg/a" into a CMD window and look for "Standby (Connected)" — Sleep Study can be invoked from an elevated command prompt by entering "powercfg sleepstudy." The report itself is an HTML file that can be found inside the current directory. It includes battery drainage info of all connected standby sessions lasting more than 10 minutes over a 3-day period.

"Sleep Study tells you how well the system slept and how much activity it experienced during that time. While in the sleep state, the system is still doing some work, albeit at a lower frequency," the company said in a blog post Thursday. "Because the resulting battery drain is not easily perceptible (you can't see it draining), we built the Sleep Study tool in Windows 8.1 to allow you to track what is happening. We thought of simply using traditional logging to do this, but ironically, the logging itself would drain the battery. With this in mind, we designed the Sleep Study tool to minimize its own impact on battery life, while tracking the battery draining activities."

"You can use Sleep Study to see which apps and devices are most active during a sleep session. Sleep Study reviews all the sleep sessions longer than 10 minutes and provides you with a report that color codes each session according to its power consumption.  A session is defined as the period from Screen Off to Screen On. In cases when the system is plugged into AC power, the policies are less stringent than when on battery power. While the tool still tracks connected standby activity on AC power, it is more useful to identify unexpected drains on battery, or DC power."

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Posted by Shri Krishna

MMO Updates

MMO Updates

SOE explains PlanetSide 2 patch scheduling

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 10:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Have you ever wondered why MMO studios patch their games when and how they do? Well, wonder no more, at least in PlanetSide 2's case. SOE producer David Carey recently took to Reddit to explain why the MMOFPS' server downtime typically starts during European prime time.

PS2 is a worldwide game, Carey says, and so bringing the EU shards down independently isn't feasible. "We can't have multiple client or server versions out in the wild at the same time," he explains. "Another reason is that we update once a week or more on average," Carey continues. "We need people to run the patches, so we really can't just say 'hey you guys are working overnight tonight and maybe two other nights this week, we'll let you know.' I mean, they have families and that's just not fair. So that rules out some time slots like 2:00 a.m. local other than for emergencies."

MassivelySOE explains PlanetSide 2 patch scheduling originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bluehole's not developing a TERA sequel after all

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 09:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , ,

Korean MMO maker Bluehole Studio officially shot down long-circulating rumors about an in-development TERA sequel this week. While the firm is working on two new games -- currently codenamed Project W and Project EXA -- they "will only be similar to TERA in terms of western fantasy design," according to MMO Culture.

The studio is also developing a mobile TERA spin-off tentatively titled Elin Expedition which features turn-based combat and additional Arborean lore and backstory.

MassivelyBluehole's not developing a TERA sequel after all originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Guild Wars 2 composer talks live orchestras and season two sounds

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 08:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , ,

If you're into MMO music, Guild Wars 2, or both, you'll want to have a look at the latest ArenaNet video that goes behind the scenes on the music production for season two of the game's "living world." The clip is hosted by composer Maclaine Diemer, who explains how working with a live orchestra enhances both the music and the gameplay experience.

"When you hear live music while you're playing, you feel it on a much more visceral level," Diemer says. "What we recorded matches the aesthetic already set in Guild Wars 2, and I also think that it stands on its own as something unique and fresh."

Click past the cut to watch the vid.

Continue reading Guild Wars 2 composer talks live orchestras and season two sounds

MassivelyGuild Wars 2 composer talks live orchestras and season two sounds originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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WildStar's Strain update promises something for everyone

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 07:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , , , , , , ,

WildStar
There's something for everyone in the Strain ultra drop, promises the latest WildStar Devspeak video, "no matter how you love to play." Except if you love to play PvP; for that, you'll have to wait until the next drop.

The just-released video follows the exploits of an obsessive lorehound, a spazzy explorer, a creepy homebody, and a hardcore lootmonger as the narrator wisecracks about how each of their playstyles will benefit from the upcoming patch. Even if you don't fall neatly into one of those categories, you'll no doubt pick up some clues about the new content or at least be impressed by the visuals.

Enjoy the new vid below. Skinny-dipping sold separately.

Continue reading WildStar's Strain update promises something for everyone

MassivelyWildStar's Strain update promises something for everyone originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Daily Grind: Are you a RuneScape vet?

Posted: 30 Jun 2014 06:00 AM PDT

Filed under: , , , , ,

The other day Justin asked how many of you were playing TERA, based on the fact that it doesn't get a lot of press or MMO blog coverage. Today I'd like to pose a similar question about RuneScape. The game has been out forever but in my MMO travels I've talked to very few people who have played it.

Obviously someone's playing it, though, and probably a lot of someones judging by Jagex's consistent update pace and its fan conventions. So, how about it, Massively readers? Are you a RuneScape vet?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you a RuneScape vet? originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Jun 2014 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    MMO Week in Review: Draenor drops

    Posted: 29 Jun 2014 06:00 PM PDT

    Filed under: , ,

    WoW
    At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. If you missed a big MMO or WoW Insider story last week, you've come to the right post.

    Blizzard has frustrated players with its penchant for wide content gaps between World of Warcraft expansions, but this week, the Warlords of Draenor closed beta finally got underway, suggesting it might make its December deadline after all. The studio also slashed prices on the current version of WoW, revealed new character models, previewed a new zone, and was helped along by a friendly Pandaren player.

    Read on for a look at the rest of this week's top MMO stories.

    Continue reading MMO Week in Review: Draenor drops

    MassivelyMMO Week in Review: Draenor drops originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jun 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Neojac is looking to put Atavism MMO creator on Steam

      Posted: 29 Jun 2014 02:00 PM PDT

      Filed under: , , ,

      Raise your hand if you've ever thought you could do better than a professional MMO dev. Good, now, all of you go and click the link at the bottom of this article that leads to something called Atavism Online. Atavism is billed as an "MMO creator" on its preliminary Steam Greenlight page, and it's essentially a Unity game development environment that handles all the pesky programming, networking, and server administration tasks while enabling creative types to jump in and start developing the actual game.

      You might recognize the company behind Atavism, as Neojac is also building an MMO called Neo's Land using this very toolset.

      [Thanks omedon666!]

      MassivelyNeojac is looking to put Atavism MMO creator on Steam originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jun 2014 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      You could write the next Darkfall quest

      Posted: 29 Jun 2014 12:00 PM PDT

      Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

      Yes, Darkfall has quests, smart-aleck, it's not all-gank-all-the-time. In fact, Agonian group PvE is some of the most enjoyable I've experienced in 15-plus years of MMO playing. In any case, Aventurine kicked off a quest-writing contest this week, and you can enter it by sending your stories to the firm's submission email address.

      The devs ask that you limit your stories to 1500 words or less and that you make sure they're based on "anything Agonian." Aventurine notes that it is currently crafting "some fairly long and epic stories" of its own, so the winning submissions will be used for sidequests in the world of Darkfall. The best story will net its author a unique in-game item, and the contest runs through July 20th, so you better get cracking!

      [Thanks Dengar!]

      MassivelyYou could write the next Darkfall quest originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jun 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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      Posted by Shri Krishna

      MMORPG News

      MMORPG News

      Guild Wars 2: New Soundtrack for Season 2

      Posted: 28 Jun 2014 06:09 PM PDT

      New Soundtrack for Season 2

      ArenaNet has released a video that features a look and listen to some of the new Guild Wars 2 Living Story Season 2 music. Season 2 will hit live service on Tuesday, July 1st. ANet composer Maclaine Diemer gives viewers a behind the scenes look at the recording process. Check out the video and let us know what you think of the new tunes.

      WildStar: Latest DevSpeak Talks 'Ultra Drop', The Strain

      Posted: 28 Jun 2014 06:18 PM PDT

      Latest DevSpeak Talks

      Carbine Studio is excited about the imminent WildStar update, The Strain. The team has taken to the airwaves with a brand new DevSpeak to introduce players to The Strain, what they can expect to find in game and much, much more. See what you think and tell us about it in the comments.

      Divinity: Original Sin: Roleplaying Depth and Adventure

      Posted: 30 Jun 2014 04:33 AM PDT

      Roleplaying Depth and Adventure

      Let me start right off by saying that Divinity: Original Sin is unlike any Kickstarter game that I have ever personally played before and I mean that in the best way possible. Throughout my experience with the game, I never once caught myself thinking, "Yeah, this works well...for a Kickstarter game." Divinity: Original Sin is, thankfully, a high-quality product in all aspects and deserves to be judged among the upper-echelon of isometric RPG greatness, from Ultima to Baldur's Gate.

      General: Knights Fable Gift Key Giveaway!

      Posted: 30 Jun 2014 12:19 AM PDT

      Knights Fable Gift Key Giveaway!

      MMORPG.com and GTArcade have teamed up to bring you a free gift pack offer for Knights Fable! Each gift package will give you cool items like free silver, cards of wisdom and other in-game goodies. Get your key now!

      Rift: Explorer Pack Giveaway!

      Posted: 29 Jun 2014 03:17 PM PDT

      Explorer Pack Giveaway!

      Prepare for the newly-announced RIFT expansion, Nightmare Tide, with an Explorer's Pack on us! MMORPG.com is giving away 5,000 bundles filled with boosts plus an Explorer's Cape and Vault. See below for pack details and gear up while supplies last!
      Posted by Shri Krishna
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