General Gaming Article

General Gaming Article


SanDisk Offers to Soothe Your SSD Upgrade Fears for $40

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 02:57 PM PDT

A helping hand

SanDisk Concierge

Most of you reading this would have no trouble swapping out a pokey 5400 RPM mechanical hard drive for a blazing fast solid state drive, and doing so could reinvigorate an aging laptop. But for those who are inexperienced at such things, SanDisk is offering a $40 SSD "Concierge Service" that aims to give users the support and tools they need to complete the task from from start to finish.

The $40 support kit comes with a quick start guide, magnetic screwdriver, a USB-to-SATA cable to clone your hard drive, and contact information to get live help. What the user needs to bring to the table is a laptop in need of an upgrade, a smartphone (for video chat), and a SanDisk SSD.

Once a user has copied over the data from the drive being replaced to the SanDisk SSD, he or she can schedule a live video chat with SanDisk (SanDisk's support team is available Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 7 PM Pacific). This is where a smartphone comes into play.

SanDisk says it uses Cisco's WebEx Meeting Center and that process should take no more than 15 to 20 minutes.

"Many customers understand the benefits an SSD can bring to an aging laptop but they also feel anxious about performing an upgrade by themselves," said Philippe Willams, director of product marketing, SanDisk. "The SanDisk SSD Concierge Service's step-by-step live support will give consumers the confidence to install an SSD and enjoy the benefits of speed, performance and reliability."

SanDisk is offering its $40 service for SanDisk SSD Plus drives (120GB to 240GB), SanDisk Ultra II SSDs (120GB to 960GB), and SanDisk Extreme Pro SSDs (240GB to 960GB).

The concierge service is available from Amazon and TigerDirect.

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Newegg Daily Deals: HP 128GB USB 3.0 Drive, Asus 23-Inch Monitor, and More!

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 12:54 PM PDT

Hp 128gb

Top Deal:

It never hurts to have a bit of storage in your pocket, but if you're still carrying around a paltry 8GB or 16GB flash drive, it's high time you upgraded, don't you think? Don't worry, big size flash drives don't cost and arm and a leg like they used to -- just check out today's top deal for an HP x755w 128GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive for $27 with $1 shipping (use coupon code: [EMCAWKW57]). This drive has an integrated slider (no more lost caps!) and lots of storage space.

Other Deals:

MSI Z97A Gaming 7 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.1 USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard for $150 with $3 shipping (normally $180 - use coupon code: [EMCAWKW35])

Asus VX238H-W White 23-inch 1ms LCD Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers for $140 with free shipping (normally $160 - use coupon code: [EMCAWKW47]; additional $20 Mail-in rebate)

AMD A10-5800K Trinity Quad-Core 3.8GHz FM2 100W Desktop APU/CPU for $80 with free shipping (normally $90 - use coupon code: [EMCAWKW32])

Acer S241HLbmid Black 24-inch 5ms Monitor w/ Built-in Speakers for $120 with free shipping (normally $130 - use coupon code: [EMCAWKW39])

Microsoft Keeps the Windows 10 Preview Builds Comings

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 10:26 AM PDT

Colorful update

Windows 10

Even though Microsoft released Windows 10 to the public on July 29, more features and changes are expected. That's how it goes with the new Windows-as-a-Service (Waas) model, and to ensure that Windows 10 remains an experience that people will enjoy, Microsoft is continuing to dole out preview builds to Windows Insiders.

"Feedback from Windows Insiders not only helps us build Windows 10 – it also helps us shape how we run the program. For example, Windows Insiders have asked us to improve the flighting cadence and to keep the Windows Feedback app in the product – which we have done. We're also evaluating the Windows Insider rings, and considering whether we should make changes there," Microsoft stated in a blog post.

Microsoft said it received a lot of feedback on the default color for Start, Action Center, Taskbar, and Title bars, so that's something it addressed in the first new preview build (10525) since Windows 10 launched. To play with the new color options, you need to go to Settings > Personalization > Colors.

Build 10525 also includes Memory Manager improvements. One of those improvements is a new concept called a compression store, which is an in-memory collection of compressed pages. This allows the Memory Manager to compress unused pages instead of writing them to disk when the need arises. According to Microsoft, this will result in better responsiveness across all of Windows 10.

Being a preview build, there are some known issues. Mobile hotspot doesn't work, and an update to the Movies & TV app from the Windows Store will need to be applied to fix an issue with video playback. Microsoft also said that optional language packs won't be available until later this week.

Windows Insiders who have been running preview builds will receive the update automatically. If you want to join the fray, you can opt into the program by going to the Settings app > Update & Security > Advanced options under "Get Insider Builds."

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Vaio Brand Books Return Trip to U.S. as 12.2-Inch Laptop

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 09:36 AM PDT

Vaio makes a comeback

Vaio Canvas Z

We thought the Vaio brand would disappear forever from the U.S. market when Sony sold off its PC business to a Japanese investment firm last year so that it could focus on mobile. Well, we were wrong.

Vaio will return to the U.S. this fall as the Vaio Z Canvas, a Surface-like 12.2-inch laptop with a detachable display. A photo of the Vaio Z Canvas is posted on a teaser page in which you can enter your email address to receive future updates, otherwise there's not a lot of info being provided directly to the public.

However, Vaio boss Yoshimi Ota did reveal to The Wall Street Journal that it's planning to sell laptops in Microsoft's retail stores in the U.S. He also noted that the Canvas Z will be a premium product, as his strategy is to target high-end niches rather than mainstream users like Sony did.

The new Vaio is building a reputation as being pricey. Vaio machines start at about $1,600 in Japan, while the Canvas Z will debut at $2,199 in the U.S. That's gaming laptop territory and could be a tough sell for a system that resembles a Surface Pro 3.

Interestingly, Vaio is going after graphic designers, photographers, and other users entrenched in Apple's camp. The way Mr. Ota sees things, there aren't any decent Windows-based alternatives to Apple's higher-end Macs.

Beyond PCs, Mr. Ota also wants to get into Vaio-branded robots, which can be "humanoid or dog-shaped" or whatever, along with wearables, communication devices, and factory-automation machines with artificial intelligence.

Sounds ambitious to us, and perhaps even overly ambitious.

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Lian Li and Asus ROG Tag Team PC-Q17 Mini ITX Case

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 08:53 AM PDT

Wonder twin powers, activate!

Lian Li PC-Q17

Lian Li and Asus Republic of Gamers (ROG) have joined forces to create a small form factor (SFF) case designed for mini-ITX motherboards, the PC-Q17. Naturally, the duo are pitching the ROG Maximum Impact line of premium mini-ITX motherboards as perfect fits for the PC-Q17, though any brand mini-ITX board should work just fine.

From the pictures we've seen, the PC-Q17 blends Lian Li's brushed aluminum aesthetic with Asus ROG's aggressive styling, resulting in a sloped brushed aluminum front panel and a trapezoid side profile.

There's a large window on the side panel to show off your build and cable management skills, the latter of which will likely be put to the test. A glowing ROG logo on the drive/PSU cage adds a bit of extra bling.

The case can fit up to three 3.5-inch and five 2.5-inch drives, plus a slim optical drive (or an additional 2.5-inch/3.5-inch drive).

Cooing is handled by a 140mm fan on top. You also have the option of adding a 120mm fan up top along with two more 120mm fans in the base of the case. Alternately, you can liquid cool with support for up to a 240mm radiator.

Graphic card selection is a bit limited in the PC-Q17 -- it supports graphics cards up to 27cm (the GTX 980 Strix is 28cm and the GTX 980 Ti STrix is 30.5cm long). CPU coolers can be up to 14cm in size, and PSU can be up to 15cm.

Lian Li didn't say when the PC-Q17 will be available or for how much.

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How To Make Windows 10 Faster

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 12:00 AM PDT

Squeezing out that extra bit of performance

Now that Windows 10 has gone public and is making its way to consumers, we thought it would be a good time to provide some tips that will help speed up your Windows 10 experience. Some of these are new and some are already well known. So, whether you're new to Windows 10 or an old hat already, you can keep these tweaks (listed here with instructions on how to access them in Windows 10) handy. More tips will be added as they're discovered.

Transparency

Disable Transparency Effects

Transparency effects can often add unnecessary effects to things just for the sake of special effects. If you want that classic solid look, turn off the transparency effects, and get a decent increase in responsiveness.

1. Right-click the desktop and choose Personalize
2. Choose Colors
3. Turn off "Make Start, taskbar, and action center transparent"

Startup

Disable Programs at Startup

Startup is a great place to poke around to see what kind of programs have wedged themselves in there, slowing boot-to-desktop times and loading up unnecessary CPU cycles. You'll often find things you don't actually want automatically turned on. Programs should launch when we ask them to, not because they think they're privileged!

1. Right-click the Start button
2. Click Task Manager
3. Click Startup
4. Highlight a program and click Disable

Services

Disable Unnecessary Services

Services are very much like programs in Startup, except they can be much more crucial to the overall operation of Windows. There are lots of Microsoft-specific features that are enabled, but there are some that most people don't need. Have a look through the Services tab and read the description of each one. You can stop a service to see if it impacts anything, and reenable it if necessary. You can also permanently disable a service from starting at all.

1. Right-click the Start button
2. Click Task Manager
3. Click Services
4. Right-click a specific service and choose "Stop"

Animations

Shut off Shadows, Animations

Again, special effects can be largely useless. Animations can slow down your system. Shadows can be a nice touch, but all these things add up to CPU cycles, which by today's standards aren't really a big deal. But still, when you want everything to be swift, disable the fluff.

1. Right-click the Start button
2. Choose System
3. Click "Advanced system settings" on the left
4. Click the Advanced tab
5. Click the Settings button under Performance
6. Click "Adjust for best performance" or manually disable each effect
7. Note: there's also a switch in Settings / Ease of Access / Other Options that turn off animations

Fast Startup

Enable Fast Startup
1. Right-click the Start button
2. Choose Control Panel
3. Click System and Security
4. Click Power Options
5. On the left, click "choose what the power buttons do"
6. At the bottom, click "Turn on fast startup" under Shutdown settings
7. Click "Save changes"

Uninstall

Uninstall Unused Programs

This one is self explanatory! Remove stuff you don't use!

1. Right-click the Start button
2. Click Programs and Features
3. Select the unwanted software and click "Uninstall/Change"

Defrag

Defragment Your C: Drive

Defragmenting C: drive is more applicable if you're still booting off a spinning disk hard drive and not a SSD. SSDs don't need defragmentation, and unless you're using a more advanced file system format like EXT4, you're going to need to do some defragmentation.

1. Click the Start button, then click the File Explorer link
2. Right-click Local Disk C: and choose Properties
3. Click the Tools tab
4. Click "Optimize and Defragment Drive"

Cleanup

Perform Disk Cleanup

The built-in Disk Cleanup tool in Windows actually does a decent job of removing unnecessary files. If you want to go further though, like finding duplicates, you'll need a third-party tool.

1. Click the Start button, thenclick the File Explorer link
2. Right-click Local Disk C: and choose Properties
3. Under the General tab, click the Disk Cleanup button
4. Click "unnecessary files (temporary internet files, etc.)," then click OK
5. Note there's a "Clean up system files" button for advanced users

MMORPG News

MMORPG News


Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft: Grand Tournament to Launch August 24th

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 09:21 AM PDT

Grand Tournament to Launch August 24th

Hearthstone players have a lot to look forward to with the release of the Grand Tournament expansion on Monday, August 24th. The expansion comes packed with 124 new cards along with the new Joust feature.

Elder Scrolls Online: Housing? Factions? A Long Wait, But ESO May Do It Right

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 03:08 PM PDT

Housing? Factions? A Long Wait, But ESO May Do It Right

With the Imperial City, we're getting a look at some of the new districts coming to the DLC. Zenimax released a guide to the new areas, with each faction's base operating out of different districts. With bases of operations, especially ones with distinct theming, even as the game demands functional similarity, The Elder Scrolls Online is taking another step in distinguishing itself that should also carry over in another promise for upcoming content: housing.

Magerealm: New Mini-game Added in Latest Update

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 08:55 AM PDT

New Mini-game Added in Latest Update

Magerealm players will have a new light-hearted mini-game to play the next time they log into the game. GTArcade sent word that Mage Poker is now live and gives players a trio of chances per day to play and to score some nice rewards.

League of Angels: German & French Versions Launch

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 08:48 AM PDT

German & French Versions Launch

GTArcade has let us know that League of Angels: Fire Raiders is now more accessible to the worldwide community than ever. Both French and German versions of the game are now available. In addition, the v2.2 patch brings the new Friend System into the game as well.

Guild Wars 2: Torch-Wielding Warrior Elite Specialization Teased

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 08:20 AM PDT

Torch-Wielding Warrior Elite Specialization Teased

The Guild Wars 2 Facebook page was updated yesterday with an image that appears to be teasing the Warrior Elite Specialization. Of particular note is the inclusion of a torch. What it signifies remains to be seen. What are your thoughts?

WildStar: Cosmic Rewards Program Laid Out

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 08:15 AM PDT

Cosmic Rewards Program Laid Out

The WildStar team is prepping players for the upcoming free-to-play conversion by posting several topics of interest. In today's, the Cosmic Rewards program is detailed with information about how players can 'level up' through the tiers by making purchases from the WildStar store or from the upcoming in-game shop.

The Secret World: Issue 12 Is All About the Dungeons

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 03:15 PM PDT

Issue 12 Is All About the Dungeons

This week, The Secret World players will get a chance to sink their fangs into the first part of Issue 12: The Dark Tower Below, the next expansion in The Secret World's roughly biannual update schedule. With a focus on challenging group content and tidying up some of the loose ends in The Secret World's design, Issue 12 feels pretty substantial. Yesterday, I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek of that content, and I came away very impressed.

World of Warcraft: Blizzard Fights Off DDOS Attack on NA Servers

Posted: 19 Aug 2015 04:38 AM PDT

Blizzard Fights Off DDOS Attack on NA Servers

Up to thirty North American World of Warcraft servers were down earlier today during an apparent DDOS attack. At this time, all servers are back online after a Blizzard representative confirmed that Network Technicians were handling the issue. European servers were not affected as they were undergoing weekly maintenance at the time of the attacks.

Dream of Mirror Online: Free Steam Sheep Gift Keys!

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 04:39 PM PDT

Free Steam Sheep Gift Keys!

MMORPG.com has teamed up with Wicked Interactive to present a unique gift key event for our community. These keys will grant players the in-game vanity pet 'Steam Sheep' - this cute little guy will be by your side bearing its shorn in Steam logo. Get your key now!

Star Citizen: Roberts & Ex-Employees Speak Candidly About Delays

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 02:33 PM PDT

Roberts & Ex-Employees Speak Candidly About Delays

Kotaku has a new interview with Star Citizen's Chris Roberts with some informative answers to questions about the game's delay. It may be remembered that developers were targeting a November 2014 release date. Nearly a year past that hoped-for date, many have started to question Roberts' about where the nearly $90M in crowd fund dollars has gone.

Crowfall: Legionnaire's Combat Animations & Powers Video

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 01:15 PM PDT

Legionnaire

The Crowfall team has released the latest in a series of videos to spotlight archetypes that will be included in the game. The subject of the latest combat animations and powers preview is the mighty Legionnaire. Check it out!

Albion Online: A Modern Blast From the Past

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 11:09 AM PDT

A Modern Blast From the Past

I don't remember much about the Albion Online booths exterior. I can't. It's all drowned out in a shared memory with the team from Sandbox Interactive GmbH. Someone is playing a trailer of some description. We're trying to talk about a medieval sandbox MMO. All we can hear is someone insisting voiciferously that we should "Come to mama!"

Devilian: Korean Version to Shut Down September 21st

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 01:04 PM PDT

Korean Version to Shut Down September 21st

Ginno Games and HanGame have parted ways for publishing Devilian Online in Korea. As of September 21st, HanGame will shut down the Korean version of Devilian, with all user data handed back to Ginno Games pending finding a new publisher and relaunching the game.

Heroes of the Storm: Monk Kharazim Released in Latest Patch

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 12:53 PM PDT

Monk Kharazim Released in Latest Patch

Blizzard has deployed the NA version of the latest Heroes of the Storm update that includes the Diablo 3 monk, Kharazim. In addition, new Dynamic Bundles have been placed in the item shop and ranked play alterations.

Trove: Millions of Voxels, Millions of Players

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 08:22 AM PDT

Millions of Voxels, Millions of Players

Trove, since launching last month officially on Steam and Glyph, has quickly become the #4 title on Valve's store, and Trion just today is announcing that 1 million active monthly users log into the voxel-based MMORPG. In short, Trove is a certified hit, and even Trion was caught off guard with its success.

Das Tal: New Enemy AI to Shine in Forthcoming Public Event

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 10:41 AM PDT

New Enemy AI to Shine in Forthcoming Public Event

On August 29th, anyone interested in helping the Das Tal development team test the game are invited to do so in a special event in which new enemy AI will take center stage after a series of improvements to the feature. The event will take place at 11:00 am Pacific / 2:00 pm Eastern.

Destiny: Find Out More About The Taken King Tomorrow

Posted: 18 Aug 2015 10:37 AM PDT

Find Out More About The Taken King Tomorrow

The Destiny team will be on hand for a special live stream event on Wednesday, August 19th during which they will explore the way characters will grow more powerful when The Taken King expansion launches.

General: The Five Most Significant Korean MMOs

Posted: 17 Aug 2015 04:44 PM PDT

The Five Most Significant Korean MMOs

Here in North America, anyone who is even a semi-serious MMOG enthusiast is well aware that Korea is a major producer. We can all name a number of titles developed there, and probably at least a couple of leading publishers and/or developers. That said, it's pretty safe to assume that few of us are closely familiar with the industry there. So you might find that this list of the five releases I feel have had the greatest impact on the global landscape includes one or more you wouldn't expect.

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