Category: General Articles

PC Gaming Vs Console Gaming

Video gaming is nearly a modern sport. It is incredibly popular in just about every age group, from pre-teens to forty year old veterans. Nintendo Wii has even made progress in the senior citizen market by offering our older citizens a very accessible way to have fun and stay a bit more active. There is at least one television channel purely dedicated to video gaming, available from any cable or satellite television provider which carries Voom HD Networks. Even professional leagues and sanctioned video game competitions, not just for the glory of the frag but also cold hard cash.

So, with all this gaming the question is out there waiting to be asked: What’s the best platform? You shouldn’t be disappointed to learn there is no easy or straightforward answer to that question. In fact, the reasons so many platforms exist and enjoy their own success is because each has something to offer. Depending on your needs, personal tastes, and gaming style you will likely find that one platform has more to offer you personally than the others.

The Microsoft Xbox 360 has a solid catalog and is really the gold standard all around. It’s not the best at any one thing but the system does everything well. Sony’s PlayStation 3 was touted to have better graphics than the Xbox 360 but even at launch it was hard to tell. These days some games might look better on one system or the other, they’re considered pretty equivalent.

Unfortunately, Sony lacks some of the intuitive features Microsoft incorporated into their system. It’s not about the hardware, it’s about the overall experience. If you are strictly gaming, chances are you will have a better gaming experience on the 360. That being said, Sony’s machine is much more than just a game console. It’s a unique sort of computer. You can access media files over a network, browse the web, and best of all you can watch high definition Blu-Ray movies with the integrated Blu-Ray disc player. In other words, if you want more than just gaming, the PS3 beats the 360 fairly handily.

Nintendo’s Wii system offers a unique experience that really can’t be equated to any of the other systems. Technically it is inferior, but the motion controls Wii is based around can be so intuitive it offers a completely new way to game. This game system is extremely appealing to people who have never found video gaming appealing before. For veteran gamers, some may find it appealing and some may not. All will agree it’s a different sort of experience.

PC gaming is where the REAL hardcore gamers go, though. Being a PC gamer can be expensive because you are frequently choosing to buy upgrades to get the most out of the latest games. PC gaming also isn’t as straightforward as console gaming. You don’t simply put a disc in the drive and play, you have to go through an install process. You can get …

Three Reasons Why You Fail at Social Media

There’s no shortage of information out there about how to do well with social media, I thought I would look at things from a different perspective. Here are three things you must not do if you wish to succeed in social media.

You Try To Automate It.

I see so many people who think using social media is about the right tools that automate the experience. If a family member invited you to their wedding would you automate your interaction with them and your presence at their wedding? Too often we get caught up in growing our numbers that we forget how important our impact with those followers is. Automating your social media experience will undoubtedly lessen your impact on your followers. Spending more time making real connections will build you up faster than any automation.

You Pimp Too Many Links.

We’ve all seen these people on Twitter and Facebook, every update is a link to their website and if you dig deep enough (most people don’t bother) you will see that they are actually repeating the same links over and over. While this might get you a few clicks here and there certainly won’t ignite anyone or make them want to suggest you to their followers. The people who do get away with link pimping are the ones who interact and offer value 9/10 times while pimping a link less than 10% of the time.

You Follow And Unfollow To Try and Look Popular.

One of the biggest problems with Twitter is that the common misinformation out there suggests that you build up your following by following people and then subsequently unfollowing them. All this does is make people dislike you. You may look popular from a numbers perspective but your followers think you’re a douche bag.

The people who do well, follow those whom they respect and wish to receive updates from. Those people may or may not choose to follow you back, that should be irrelevant to you. The way to get more followers is to interact with the people you follow publicly as much as possible. Social media is here to stay and you should really consider what kind of reputation you are building for yourself online. Ask yourself this question every time you consider a new move. Would this fly at a party or business meeting? If the answer is no don’t do it on social media.

What Are The Disadvantages Of Using A Gaming Laptop?

Some people love using laptops but also like playing games. Most know that playing games on standard laptops doesn’t always give that great of performance. Because of this you might have the temptation to go buy a gaming laptop. While it sounds nice to have a laptop that could play high end games on it, you really should consider the disadvantages of these first.

These machines cost some serious money. They aren’t cheap at all. You could purchase a gaming desktop and a very good laptop for the same price as just one gaming laptop. You are really cutting out many options by investing this kind of money in hardware like this.

The weight of it is a huge problem. While you might think it’s portable because it’s a laptop, it really isn’t that portable. It will be too heavy to carry around all day. Additionally, you will need a gaming mouse to go along with it which adds to the weight and makes it more complicated.

The battery life of these machines are fairly worthless since it’s running high power hardware. You will be stuck near a plug if you want to do anything more than an hour of gaming. This really defeats the purpose of using a laptop. Most people purchase laptops so that they can be portable.

There is a huge risk with these laptops. The parts on them tend to go bad quickly. You will have to service the whole computer versus repairing a part or two yourself like on a desktop. This will also up the cost of owning this type of computer over the long haul.

You can’t upgrade that easily. As a gamer you know it’s best to have frequent upgrades. A gaming laptop will become old much faster than a desktop that you can upgrade. Most gaming computer laptops have most of the upgrades already installed when you purchase if you are serious about gaming. This limits future upgrades which would require you to purchase a new model in order to upgrade.

Heat will make it uncomfortable to use and eventually kill your hardware. There is a limited life span with these devices compared to a desktop that can deal with heat better while playing games.

A gaming laptop is something that many want to buy. Find out the disadvantages to this and why you might avoid buying a computer like this. Ask you friends if they think it would be a good investment before you go out and purchase one of these gaming laptops.

Manners and Social Media Marketing

Right and wrong is evident in social media marketing. The critical path to creating a following starts initially by being a follower. Participating in the process is integral in growing those relationships necessary to share your ideas and products. Opportunities present themselves to those who learn what works in the environment of social media marketing.

What will work for social media marketing is presenting yourself, along with your idea or product, to the community as a willing participant within the confines of the industry. Along with being a follower in the process of collecting followers, you should interact often with those whom you wish to share your opportunities and experiences. This shared learning from all parties leads to positive interaction within the community.

On the other hand, if you insist on spamming, you are not going to further your efforts. Another negative would be to do a hard sell of your idea or product prior to building the relationship side of the equation. People in social media marketing are well aware of posers and others who are out more for themselves than for creating a lasting relationship to share ideas or products. Your relationship building must be done prior to presenting your idea or product. Insisting on the inverse will adversely affect your reputation within the community. And without the opportunity to interact within the community, there will be no reward for your efforts.

As social media is about interacting and creating relationships, it is important to develop opportunities to share your ideas and products. Of course this does take time, and does not happen overnight. You should expect to devote the time and expertise necessary to nurture these relationships. If you do not have the time yourself, find someone to assist you. This aspect of social media marketing is possibly the most important asset you have to promote your ideas or products.

PlayStation 3 Deals That People Cannot Resist

A lot of people resort to searching on the web to source for the best PlayStation 3 deals, and in our era on online shopping, the large online retailers are often able to provide a better price for these gaming consoles as compared to traditional brick and mortar gaming stores, due to their lower cost of doing business.

But first, why would you want to get a PlayStation 3 now? While motion gaming has become the new standard for gaming these days brought by the advent of the Wii Console, the PlayStation 3 is undeniably still standing strong. One important reason is because there are many, many games such as strategy, action-adventure, and a whole plethora of other genres that do not go well with motion gaming yet. A lot of traditional gamers including myself still rather sit down to play our game. This is why there are still many people hankering after a ps3 for their household, contrary to popular belief.

Besides, the ps3 is good, not just for playing games. It can also be used to watch high quality blu ray DVDs, as well as to play songs and video. It can actually also be used to store your photos if you want to do so. Therefore, on top of the great gaming experience it gives to gamers, the extra invaluable functionality of it is also a major draw as to why demand for them is still going strong.

Also, there are actually some parents who get it to use it as a carrot or stick for their children. Parenting requires flexibility, and some parents have used the PS3 to either reward their child when they have done something outstanding, or deprive their child of playing when he or she does something wrong. Not to mention, the PlayStation 3 can allow for parent and child bonding if the parents take the initiative to join their child in the game.

Now, the basic PlayStation 3 with the least specs (160 GB hard disc storage) easily retails above $250 USD online. However, if you’re serious on getting one and can afford it, it is highly recommended to get the ones with at least 320 GB hard disc storage because with the variety of games and the large utility of the console, the smaller models may not pack enough punch to fulfil your needs. However, you ought to bear in mind that these larger memory consoles could easily cost more than $350, so you should carefully consider if it is worth it.

In order to get the best PlayStation 3 deals, always look for those that comes with games thrown in together as a package with the console. This would make it considerably cheaper for consumers as you need the games to play anyway, and the games that are just released usually comes at more than $50 a pop. When they are thrown into the package, they would most definitely be cheaper as compared …

One of the significant challenges many enterprises face is having an effective information technology department, especially regarding Wi-Fi installation. There are several reasons you should always ensure your IT section is in its best condition by considering procuring professional services, such as those offered at Vann Data. Nonetheless, as explained below, it is critical to understand some of the vital considerations to ensure you get the best services when installing the internet in your enterprise.

The Contractor’s Professionalism

Getting the best results by installing your business Wi-Fi starts with working with professionals. This is why it is critical to consider how professional a particular expert is before hiring them. Putting up Wi-Fi in your business is not simple, making it necessary to check how professional the installer is.

The Charges

There are many business internet providers, but they all have varying charges for their services, depending on several factors. It is critical to understand where your budget ranges to ensure you get an internet connection that does not harm your profits. Take time to compare different Wi-Fi prices to pick one within your financial capabilities.

Speed

The Wi-Fi you install in your organization must offer top speed for effective operations. It is essential to confirm with your installer and provider about the best internet speed for a business. Nonetheless, the Wi-Fi speed you choose depends on how many devices and people will be connected to it.

Security

Online data breaches are among the top threats to many enterprises today, and some of them come through the internet you connect to your business systems. Therefore, it is vital to consider the security measures your Wi-Fi provider has implemented.

Having a reliable internet connection in business ensures smooth communication, detailed research, and easy data storage and access. Wi-Fi has become the king in the provision of business internet, but you must ensure you pick the best by making the above-explained considerations.

Final Fantasy VIII – How To Get GF Bahamut

Bahamut is one of the best GF’s in the game with many useful abilities and commands. However it is an optional side quest to get Bahamut and many Final Fantasy VIII players miss out on the opportunity.

The earliest point in the game to get Bahamut is on disk 3 once you have acquired the Ragnarok. Before setting out to get Bahamut make sure you have some good junctions and abilities. Don’t worry about your characters levels as almost all monsters and bosses in Final Fantasy VIII (Bahamut included) level up as your party levels up, so in essence the stronger you become the stronger your enemies become. Meltdown, meteor, triple, flare, holy, ultima etc are good to have before setting out.

Once you’re ready set out to the deep sea research center which is located in the far South West of the map (bottom left hand corner), you can’t see it on your map. Once you find a small floating island, land the Ragnarok and walk inside. You will notice a glowing, blue core in the middle of the room. Walk toward it but pause when the glow intensifies, not doing so will cause you to enter a battle with Anacondaur’s and Blood Souls. Encounter None and Encounter Half have no affect unfortunately.

Once you reach the core you will be given an option of what to answer, choose “It is not our will to fight”. You will now enter a battle with a ruby dragon, they can be quite tough so be careful. If Quistis is in your party kill it instantly with a “degenerator”. After you have beaten it you will be given another option of what to say, select “Never”, you will enter a battle with a second ruby dragon. Once defeated you will be given a third and final question to answer, select the third option (it’s blank, you can’t see it). After a bit of dialog you will fight the big boy himself, Bahamut.

Hopefully you took my earlier advice and have equipped some decent junctions and abilities. Begin by casting meltdown on Bahamut then aura on your best characters. Limit breaks like Irvine’s shot (AP or pulse ammo if you have it), Zell’s combos and Squall’s Renzokuken work well. Heal with X-potions or Curaga spells or Quistis’s white wind, her mighty guard works well too in buffing your characters up. His HP is dependent on your party’s average level so the length of the battle will likely be dependent on what level your characters are at. Eventually he will go down and you get this great GF as well as his card (which converts into 100 megalixers using card-mod).

Now that you have Bahamut you are free to go get Eden which can be drawn from Ultima Weapon at the bottom of the deep sea research center, just make sure you’re prepared!

Sky Drift PlayStation 3 Review

Since the release of Super Mario Kart in 1992 kart racing games have been flooding the market and so many of them have been released that the genre has almost been killed. Let’s face it, kart racing isn’t exciting anymore.

Sky Drift, however, is a kart racing game that puts all others to shame and breaths new life into the genre. The tracks are fabulous and although there are not many, you will fall in love with the few that are present. The races are exciting and full of action. Throughout the race there are signs pointing you in the right direction. If you should lose control and spin off the track and crash you are instantly re-spawned and thrown back into the race. Most of the time you start from where you left off. The game is quite easy and most kids will love it.

There are many things you can collect which will enhance your racing skills and give you better enjoyment as the game progresses. You also have weapons to take down opponents and other stuff to protect you from getting hit. If you love speed this game is what you need.

There are three different modes to choose from and all of them offer something unique and satisfying. In survivor mode you race for a certain time and when the timer stops the person in the last place is eliminated from the game. This goes on until there is only one player left.

In campaign mode you have to race several tracks. All of them are different and you have to adjust your strategy in order to overcome really hard obstacles. Unfortunately, you can’t customize the tracks and must choose one that is available in the game. However, it’s nice to play against other real humans and you will have plenty of excitement in your living room. Play too long and it can become rather tedious and mundane. Because of the limited tracks available, you will spend many hours racing too familiar territory and yawning all the way to the finish line. It’s best to play the game once and put it away for good, or swap it on eBay.

Sky Drift takes kart racing to new heights. It has everything to make the game wholly satisfying. The good looking tracks and non stop action make this a fun game for kids and adults alike. The limited tracks to race are a serious flaw, but won’t affect your fun too much. But another downside is the high price the developers are asking. $15 is a bit high for such limited content. Sometimes selling at a reasonable price isn’t only fair, but allows you to sell much more and in the end your profit margin is bigger. Far too many gaming companies are just out to make a quick buck.

Gaming Notebook – Knowing the Pros and Cons of a Gaming Laptop and Gaming Desktop

If you go to a computer shop, you will notice that there are now selling gaming notebook from various brands like Dell, HP and so on. For a person who loves gaming, he may feel that laptops are not meant for playing games. Desktop computers are considered to be very powerful for playing games. However, the recent laptops that are mainly designed for enjoying high-end games seem to be equally efficient.

Let us study the pros and cons of gaming notebook and desktop computer and try to find out which one is better:

Pros

1. It is a portable device. You can carry it wherever you want. You can take it to your college, to your pal’s house, etc.

2. Since it runs on battery and can connect to the web wirelessly, you are free from the hassles of cables

3. Before you purchase the device, you can customize it by asking for the processor, RAM amount, and video card of your choice.

Cons

1. At the price of a gaming laptop, you will be able to purchase even more powerful desktop PC for playing games.

2. Because of its size, laptops tend to get heated up quickly. Some systems get so hot that you will not able to place it on your lap.

3. Size of the keyboard is also a matter of concern. Desktops give you full sized keyboard, however on laptops you are restricted to small sized one.

When you compare the pros and cons, you may think that desktops have slight advantage. However, problems like heating and keyboard size among laptops can be solved easily. With practice you will be type quickly and for playing games, you can make use of a gamepad. As far as heating is concerned, you can connect a USB cooling fan. Also keep in mind that all laptops do not get heated quickly. As far as price is concerned, you can customize the laptop according to your needs and purchase a system that best fits your buck.

In order to promote, gaming notebook, many retailers also give away many freebies like gamepad, USB pen drives, free games and software. The best thing such kind of laptops brings to you is the power mobile gaming. You can be at a coffee shop or at your friend’s place and start gaming wherever you want.

Acer Predator G5 Gaming PC Review

Acer Predator G5 gaming PC is one if not the industry leading top gaming PC out there. The G7 might have all the nitty gritty performance extras as would with any high end system but the G5 comes with some impressive features and a drop dead look. The G5 with its overall black look with some orange trimming makes it quit an attractive PC. A handle is fitted at the back of the case and a carefully placed sloping top. When you pop, open the DVD drive you are greeted by two Predator like mandibles. However, the mandibles seem to be too much of plastic and pose the question of their long-term durability.

So how is the hot swapping on the G5? Located at the bottom front fascia of the G5 is a panel that opens to let you access two hot swappable hard drive cages. A lever is available to allow you the ease of access to these cages and you can place your 3.5-inch hard disk that you can secure using tiny mounting studs. Fitting your new hard drive in there will not be much of a problem… more on that some other time.

The G5 for its size packs in some impressive performance attributes. If you are to set the resolution to its maximum of 1920?�1080 with most games today it will deliver as promised. I recently tested out Cyrsis since I was having heavy lagging issues on my other PC. The G5 with high graphic settings together with 8x anti-aliasing it performed pretty good with frames averaging from 39fps and if I have the resolution reduced and in game settings lowered I get frames as high as 59fps. I intend on carrying out more performance tests and see how this G5 handles but so far, I am impressed.

One of the great things about the G5 is that it makes little or no noise when you are throwing all your system demanding games at it. When you consider purchasing the G5 know that it does not come with a monitor. Now for a quick breakdown on other features you will get on the G5: a multi-format memory card reader along side a 1TB Hitachi hard disk. It gives you connectivity options, with a gigabit Ethernet, VGA, DVI, an HDMI port and incredible choice of 10 USB 2.0 ports. However, they fell short by not including a USB 3.0. It is shipped in with a clean installation of Windows Home 7 Premium not to forget a basic budget mouse and keyboard are bundled with the base unit.