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PC builder: The boxes

Written by Strategist on the 10th of October 2013 at 20:13

I've decided to get a new gaming computer. And naturally I'm going to build it myself.

I've already ordered all of the components for my new gaming build, and most of my orders have already arrived in the mail. Consequently my tiny apartment is currently stacked with boxes containing PC components:

PC builder: The boxes

This is even before I've picked up my largest order, with the motherboard and most of the components, which is currently awaiting my coming to pick it up at the local post-office. And the largest box by far, the one with the my new full tower case and some other components have yet to arrive at all. It's currently in the Netherlands where it's being shipped from. I expect it to arrive here on Tuesday. I can't wait.

HQ

My newest gadget

Written by Strategist on the 8th of October 2013 at 21:13

Nothing is quite like the feeling of having a brand new piece of technology in your hands. I got my new smartphone four days ago, and have been playing around in Nokia Lumia 920's Windows Phone UI for the last few days. It's a unique experience, and I feel like a kid on Christmas Day. The phone is responsive and has a lot of useful features. And it doesn't hurt that it looks good as well.

My newest gadget

I've already found tens of useful apps on Microsofts App Market, all free so far, and I've tested a lot of the phones features. Despite Windows Phone's lesser popularity and consequent smaller app market I haven't yet missed any applications from m previous Android phone. Quite the opposite I've found some of Nokias free and included apps very useful. Nokia's maps and GPS services in particular is superior to almost all other similar apps for mobile phones. They're all you're going to need if you use GPS on your phone. If you need a better GPS than that you'll have to buy a dedicated GPS device.

I'm really liking Microsoft's UI with tiles. On Windows Phone it works brilliantly. And it looks way better than iOS's and Android's icons and widgets.

Unfortunately I'm still waiting for a micro-SIM which my operator was supposed to send to me so I can use the phone as a phone. Right now it's just a tiny tablet without SMS or calling capabilities (except through Skype an Viber). The micro-SIM has taken longer to arrive than I was promised and I'm getting impatient.

HQ

Inspector Gadgets

Written by Strategist on the 28th of February 2013 at 09:36

Do you like drawing? Would you like your art to stick out from the paper and become alive?

3Doodler seems to be the most amazing concept for a drawing tool yet. WoobleWorks is behind the hand-held 3D-printer which allows you to draw 3D drawings, in mid air.

The product is still in development, but through their Kickstarter campaign you can join legions of others to support their work and ensure you'll get your own 3Doodler before everyone else.

The campaign can be found here: http://kck.st/Yt7maS

I coughed up 109 dollars last week to get my own pen by December, and just since then the number of pledges have increased by 3000 and more than $200k. If you think this seems like an interesting concept to you, you should check out he campaign and the Youtube-videos they have created.

Inspector Gadgets

Image: http://xkcd.com/924/

Shroud of anonymity

Written by Strategist on the 26th of February 2013 at 19:22

I just changed my profile picture. It's the first time in here that I use a picture as an avatar that's actually and identifiably of me, and not some image I found on Google.

I was hesitant about it.
First of all I'm not one for changing profile photo very often. I've been on Gamereactor (Norway) for almost six years now, and I've had five different profile photos. I get attached to them. They're me online, and how I present myself to the world. And people immediately recognize me in the forum by my avatar without having to check my nickname, just like I do with others. And I don't see the point in having a new profile photo all the time.

Secondly, I'm fond of the anonymity a generic photo from Google Images lends me. Nobody knows how I look or who I am IRL. I can make my own, separate persona online. I don't have to be me. I can be creative in my writing and in how I formulate myself.

So why did I change to a photo of me this time? Well. With the new design to this page I thought I was up for a change. And as quite a few users in the Norwegian forums already know who I am from being featured both online and in the magazine, there was hardly a point anymore. So I decided to try it out.

But I'm not shredding my shroud of anonymity lightly. I think in many cases it's important to put a wall between your online persona and your IRL self, especially when you're younger and more vulnerable. Any mistakes you make just affects your fake persona, and doesn't haunt you IRL. And there are people out there who might not have good intentions towards young, vulnerable people.

How about you? What's your perspective on your online anonymity? Or do you openly go by your real name and real face all over online?

Shroud of anonymity

Source: http://www.explosm.net/comics/3089/

Vorfreude: Rome 2

Vorfreude: Rome 2

Written by Strategist on the 9th of December 2012 at 07:23

The game that I am most keenly anticipating at the moment is Total War: Rome II.

While I have yet to acquire quite a few of this falls major titles and there are several more exciting titles coming out before October next year, when Rome II is scheduled for release, my attention is squarely focused on this one game. There are games that I look really forward to trying, like Assassin's Creed 3, but my most devoted interest is for Rome only.

I am usually not a sucker for the PR bursts of gaming companies. Trailers, teasers, screenshots. I avoid them, or I take a merely polite interest in them. However, there is one game about which I have read all about till now. Rome II.

I loved Rome when I first played it, and I have been a fan of the series ever since. For all its faults the series is still brilliant. Rome was the game that showed me the strategy genre. Arguable it was the game that made me a gamer. Before Rome I was only a casual gamer at best. Rome stole hundreds of hours of my time, and I stole myself time to play it. Right after school, before starting on homework. All the way until I heard my mum enter through the garage, every day, and then I had to hurry up and shut down the game and the computer to hide my naughty behavior.

When they are now making a new Rome I'm sold. I've read most of what's been leaked of information about the game they are making. Latest of all are the factions of the game that they have started to reveal, along with hints about the size of the new campaign map. I can't wait to get my hands on this game.

http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Factions