Bashing Windows 8: A Lack of Knowledge and the Unwillingness to Change

It's not often that a simple editorial on a blog would cause me to begin a multi-paragraph response, but with a constant flow of writers talking about Windows 8 it shocks me how misinformed they and the general public can be about some of the most important aspects of the OS. I recently came across an article posted on ZDNet about a week after the release of the Windows 8 Release Preview. Titled "Final thoughts on Windows 8: A design disaster" the writer brought up many of what he considers to be problems with Windows 8. I can say firmly that I do not agree.

Gnome 3

If a writer has trouble searching for apps in the Metro interface then they really have no purpose writing about technology, let alone using beta software. Windows 8 does all that is has changed to make it easier to use for everyone. To start an application you simply start typing the name of the program on the start screen. This is the same as what has been done in Ubuntu Unity and Gnome 3 on Linux. Both of these desktops have made Linux much easier for average consumers to use, it is only the hardcore geeks afraid of change who have had problems with it and stuck with the terribly old-fashioned Gnome 2. The same way of launching apps is how a large number of people have done so since Windows Vista with the Start Menu Search functionality. And how else people launch apps? Pinned icons, desktop shortcuts - they're all still there.

This is only one of the misconceptions about Windows 8. It never forces you to use Metro. Some people when trying Windows 8 the first time try to stay in it all day only to find themselves on the desktop. That is how it is supposed to work. Of course on a tablet you will be using full screen apps - most better designed than any iOS or Android app ever created - and will spend much more time in Metro than you would on a desktop. The start screen (as it says in the name) is just the place where you go to start. It replaces the start menu to launch programs entirely, and does so in a much more beautiful manner. It also offers a bonus of providing you useful information through the use of live tiles as well as easy searching of apps, settings, and files. Speaking of full screen apps, Windows 8 will be the first tablet OS to naively support true multitasking with multiple windows - third party solutions include Onskreen's Cornerstone for Android.

Some people are also criticizing other important features of Windows 8. There are several "hidden" menus that are very import to the experience: the charms bar, the app bar, and the Metro task switcher. On a tablet these menus are accessed from swiping for the edge of the screen, much like accessing multitasking and app switching on the BlackBerry PlayBook OS. On the desktop these menus can be displayed by moving your mouse to the appropriate corners or by using a variety of keyboard commands - thus, making is usable for beginners and advanced users. These bars unify the experience on Windows 8 by being able to use the same menus on all apps. We see this problem on Android often, and even on iOS, when  the method of finding settings differs from app to app.

Many beta testers are also complaining about the simplest aspects of the OS that have changed. To "unlock" your computer if you were on a tablet you would swipe, but on the desktop people begin to freak out. Microsoft has made it very easy to unlock your computer with a keyboard and mouse. Your options:

• Click the mouse
• Move the mouse scroll wheel
• Press any key on the keyboard

Obviously, it shouldn't be difficult to unlock your computer from sleep, yet people who are slow to change somehow can not get past it. These same people also don't understand how the Metro interface works with Horizontal scrolling. The secret is...scroll. Yes, just move your mouse wheel and you'll be flying across that scary UI in no time!

The desktop itself has also gained many improvements. Aside form being a generally faster experience than Windows 7 (even more so with the upcoming removal of Aero), certain improvements like the addition of the ribbon bar in Explorer makes many options available for the items you have selected known to novice users. Those who do not prefer a simpler experience can simply collapse the bar in all windows with a single click.

I wouldn't call Windows 8 perfect, but I feel that it is better than Windows 7 in almost every way. The metro UI may just be an evolution on the desktop, but it is a revolution on a tablet.

Read More

Total War: Rome II Coming 2013

Hey there folks, Atzunew here for some strategy game news.  The creators of the Total War series, Creative Assembly have confirmed yesterday that they plan on releasing the next installment of their series next year.  Rome II will return to one of the most intriguing eras of history.  Below are some comments from the developers themselves on the game as well as the series.

"Our games have always encompassed a grand vision.  But we’re now pushing that vision at both ends of the spectrum. From the immense reach of the sandbox campaign right down to the human-level drama of a single warrior on the battlefield, we're aiming for an unprecedented level of detail and scale".

Now we all wait holding our breath for what this game will entail.  Will it have a grand scale such as it's predecessor or will this game focus on the Apennine Peninsula. Also we raise questions such as what time during the empire are we taking part in.  All these questions will be answered and more once details come through, and follow AnythingGeek.net for those developments as they come.

Read More

Rovio teases first new IP since Angry Birds

Yesterday the creator of Angry Birds, Rovio released a teaser trailer for their newest IP Amazing Alex. The trailer for this game shows no game play but the website has lots of information about the game. From what the website says the basis of this game is to build your own levels that have  creative solutions for your friends to solve.


When building these levels, you have the choice of 35 different interactive objects to use to make it as challenging as you like. Within the main game there is 100 challenging levels, that you must complete solutions for that being said Rovio encourages you to do really creative solutions. Rovio has not yet set a release date for their latest IP but on the trailer it say's "soon". This game will be launching on iPhone, Android and iPad.

Read More

Anime Spotlight: Hiiro No Kakera

Continuing on with my Springtime Anime Spotlights, with the season finale having just premiered I thought I'd share my thoughts thus far, on this series - Hiiro No Kakera.

Brief Summary
Based on a Japanese Visual Novel of the same name, released exclusively on the Playstation 2, this series follows a girl by the name of Tamaki Kasuga who after coming to stay at her grandmas realizes she's descended from the Tamayori princess blood line. Since she has this blood in her she becomes responsible, along side her five guardians that are sworn to protect her, for keeping the Onikimaru sealed. The Onikimaru being an extremely powerful sword. At the same time there is a group called the Logos that are trying to unleash the Onikimaru, which if accomplished would destroy the world.

Pros
The biggest pro of Hiiro No Kakera that I've found, is that its got an extremely wide range of content. There's lots of fighting scenes, there's a lot of mystery, a lot of supernatural elements, and there's even some mild romance. Being set in Rural Japan, there's also plenty of nice landscape shots, and the animation in general is quite nice. Nothing special, but nice nonetheless.

Cons
To me the biggest con would be the lack of character development and romance especially in the early episodes. Although this could be seen as a benefit because it makes way for more fighting, without the proper development of characters the fighting seems hollow. In the series defence the amount of character and romantic development does pick up around episode 10, but that doesn't help the first nine. There's also a number of background characters who seem to be important, but who don't get any air time, like Tamaki's highschool friend Kiyono. They could be saving the development of these characters for season 2 though.

Bottom Line
Even though there could have been more character development in the early episodes, near the end of the season it does step it up, and hopefully the second season continues in the same way. Besides this minor flaw, Hiiro No Kakera is a very good show, with lots of entertaining fight scenes and interestingly mysterious content. There's even a few laughs (pic Related).

Read More

Company of Heroes 2 First trailer

Today Relic Entertainment released the first trailer for their upcoming game Company of Heroes 2. This game is set to be released in 2013. The trailer features no footage of game play. All it features is CGI effects the lack of game play is disappointing. Along with this trailer they also released two new screenshot's of the game which you can see down below.

Read More