Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273969385?client_source=feed&format=rss
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Monday, December 31, 2012
Russian activists detained at protest for free assembly
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police detained a prominent opposition figure and several other people holding unauthorized protests in Moscow and St Petersburg on Monday to defend the right to assembly.
Police grabbed Eduard Limonov, a leader of the Other Russia opposition movement, as he spoke to journalists shortly after arriving with a few dozen activists in Moscow's Triumph Square.
Under a brisk snowfall, demonstrators chanted "Russia without Putin!" and slogans calling for the right to free assembly, as Muscovites shopped for the New Year holiday in the capital's main street nearby.
Witnesses saw several other people detained by the heavy contingent of riot police and regular officers. Opposition activists said at least 28 people were detained. Police could not immediately be reached for comment.
About 10 protesters were detained on the main thoroughfare in St Petersburg, Nevsky Prospekt, Ekho Moskvy radio reported.
For several years, a movement called Strategy 31 has called protests on the last day of every month that has 31 days to draw attention to what opponents of President Vladimir Putin say is Kremlin suppression of the right to free assembly.
Freedom of assembly is guaranteed in Article 31 of Russia's constitution, but activists say the government restricts that right by requiring organizers to get official permission, which is frequently denied.
A law passed in 2012 increased fines for organizers and protesters deemed to have violated the rules, part of what Putin's critics say is a crackdown on dissent accompanying his return to the presidency for a six-year term in May.
The Strategy 31 protests are separate from the opposition protests that followed Putin's party's win in December 2011 parliamentary elections which critics said was marred by fraud and which brought tens of thousands of people into the streets.
Putin called for unity in a traditional New Year address, televised across Russia just before midnight, saying it was needed if Russia is to be strong and successful, but made no mention of his political opponents.
(Additional reporting by Alexander Reshetnikov, Valery Stepchenkov and Igor Belyatsky; Writing by Steve Gutterman; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russian-activists-detained-protest-free-assembly-164149761.html
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A graduate mentee of mine at the University of Asia and the Pacific, Luis Montes...
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Source: http://www.facebook.com/southkoreanews/posts/511011805596293
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Players Needed!!!
A new RPG has just opened up. We are looking for members to play pretty much any role they want. We are based on a place called "The Isle of Sho Shen" its a mystical island full of supernatural characters. Set in the Medieval times where anything can happen. Best of all there is no game master to tell you what to do. We just play for the sheer joy of playing. There are rules to be followed, even if they are just in place to make sure everyone is having fun. So check it out and tell your friends. Are you ready to be part of the non Game Master era? All graphics arent up yet, the site is still being built but rps have begun and New members are welcomed. Come find your new Rp family in the Isle of Sho Shen.
http://isleofshoshen.freeforums.net/index.cgi
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RolePlayGateway/~3/8mnDBCXrDkc/viewtopic.php
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NHL, union spend day on conference calls
NEW YORK (AP) ? Lots of questions, but still no answers in the NHL labor fight.
The league and the players' association spent much of Saturday talking to each other via conference call. The conversations were strictly for the purpose of sharing information regarding the new contract offer the NHL made to the union late Thursday.
The initial thought was that the sides would get together Sunday in New York to hold official negotiations for the first time in weeks, but those weren't scheduled before discussions ended Saturday.
Staff level calls were expected to resume Sunday, which could include face-to-face talks at some point, but no actual bargaining meetings have been set.
"Some more informational sessions in the morning," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told The Associated Press regarding Sunday. "Nothing planned beyond that."
The union pored over the latest NHL proposal aimed at ending the lockout that reached its 105th day Saturday and saving the delayed hockey season. The league would like to reach a deal no later than Jan. 11, which would allow training camps to start the following day, and a 48-game season to begin Jan. 19.
Saturday's conference calls were scheduled Friday night so the union could ask league officials questions about the nearly 300-page proposal. Whether enough progress will be made to lead to face-to-face talks remains to be seen.
The sides haven't gotten together since Dec. 13 with federal mediators. Bargaining sessions with only the NHL and union involved haven't been held since Dec. 6, when talks abruptly ended after the players' association made a counterproposal to the league's previous offer. The league said that offer was contingent on the union accepting three elements unconditionally and without further bargaining.
The NHL then pulled all existing offers off the table. Two days of sessions with mediators the following week ended without any progress made.
The players' association's executive board and negotiating committee went over the new proposal during an internal conference call Friday.
A person familiar with key points of the offer told The Associated Press that the league proposed raising the limit of individual free-agent contracts to six years from five ? seven years if a team re-signs its own player; raising the salary variance from one year to another to 10 percent, up from 5 percent; and one compliance buyout for the 2013-14 season that wouldn't count toward a team's salary cap but would be included in the overall players' share of income.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the new offer weren't being discussed publicly.
The NHL maintained the deferred payment amount of $300 million it offered in its previous proposal, an increase from an earlier offer of $211 million. The initial $300 million offer was pulled off the table after negotiations broke off earlier this month.
The latest proposal is for 10 years, running through the 2021-22 season, with both sides having the right to opt out after eight years.
The lockout has reached a critical stage, threatening to shut down a season for the second time in eight years. All games through Jan. 14, plus the Winter Classic and the All-Star game already have been called off. The next round of cuts could claim the entire schedule.
The NHL is the only North American professional sports league to cancel a season because of a labor dispute, losing the 2004-05 campaign to a lockout. A 48-game season was played in 1995 after a lockout stretched into January.
It is still possible this dispute could eventually be settled in the courts if the sides can't reach a deal on their own.
The NHL filed a class-action suit this month in U.S. District Court in New York in an effort to show its lockout is legal. In a separate move, the league filed an unfair labor practice charge with the National Labor Relations Board, contending bad-faith bargaining by the union.
Those moves were made because the players' association took steps toward potentially filing a "disclaimer of interest," which would dissolve the union and make it a trade association. That would allow players to file antitrust lawsuits against the NHL.
Union members voted overwhelmingly to give their board the power to file the disclaimer by Jan. 2. If that deadline passes, another authorization vote could be held to approve a later filing.
Negotiations between the NHL and the union have been at a standstill since talks ended Dec. 6. One week later, the sides convened again with federal mediators in New Jersey, but still couldn't make progress.
The sides have been unable to reach agreement on the length of the new deal, the length of individual player contracts, and the variance in salary from year to year. The NHL is looking for an even split of revenues with players.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/nhl-union-spend-day-conference-calls-220544751--nhl.html
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Sudan's oil production rises to almost 140,000 bpd: minister
KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan has managed to boost oil production to almost 140,000 barrels per day and plans to add another 10,000 bpd next year, its oil minister said on Saturday after the African country launched a new oilfield.
Sudan has been stepping up oil and gas exploration after losing three-quarters of its former output, or 350,000 bpd, when South Sudan seceded last year. The loss of oil revenue, the main source of state income and the hard currency needed to fund imports, has thrown the economy into turmoil.
"Our current production is between 136,000 and 140,000," Awad al-Jaz told reporters, adding that new discoveries had been made. Sudan last put its output in October at 120,000 bpd.
Chinese-owned Petro Energy E&P recently launched production at the Hadida oilfield in western Sudan with a daily output of 10,000 bpd.
For next year, Sudan plans to reach 150,000 bpd, Jaz said. "This is our budget (plan)," he said.
Initially Sudan had planned 180,000 bpd by the end of this year but missed the target after fighting with South Sudan in April damaged the key Heglig oilfield and its central processing plant on the Sudan side of their disputed border.
In July, Sudan signed oil exploration and production-sharing deals with Canadian company Statesman Resources Ltd as well as with Chinese, Nigerian, Australian, Brazilian and French companies.
Jaz said Sudan wanted to boost oil cooperation with Brazilian firms, especially to explore for oil and gas in the Red Sea.
Norway is helping Sudan improve its pumping recovery rate, but analysts are skeptical about any big output jump soon because new fields need first to be explored. A scarcity of the dollars is hampering efforts to bring in better equipment.
The minister also said South Sudan's oil exports could resume once both sides reach an agreement on border security. "There is no problem," he said, when asked whether from a technical point of view exports could flow.
South Sudan, which has no export pipelines or access to the sea, needs to export its oil through Sudan. It shut down its output of 350,000 in January after failing to agree with Sudan on fees.
In September both countries agreed to resume oil exports, but they have failed so far to set up a demilitarized zone at the disputed border, a condition for crude flows.
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/sudans-oil-production-rises-almost-140-000-bpd-082105848--finance.html
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Let Change Happen | MomsGetReal
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Getting Real With +Shadra Bruce, Owner of +MomsGetReal
How often have you dreamed of change but decided it was too hard ? or that you could only start working for the change on Mondays or the first of the month?
Change doesn?t happen because we think about it; it happens because we choose to take action.
It?s simply a matter of getting up.
Whether you want to lose weight, write a book, get a new job, or pay off debt, it all begins with you choosing to do more than simply think about taking action and actually taking the action.
Most people, when they think about change, get overwhelmed at the distance between where they are and where they want to end up. It?s not about arriving, though?it?s about the steps you take each day to get where you want to be.
You may want to pay off your credit cards, but the overwhelming debt may seem to be too much to face. But you can pay $5 or $10 more per month on a card and shave years and thousands of dollars off what you owe. A $10,000 credit card bill might seem like too much, but $5 a month is not overwhelming. (At 18% interest, an extra $5 per month can save you more than $20,000 in interest and cut more than 10 years off the repayment time).
Losing 50 pounds might seem like an enormous battle, but making one small change to having a salad instead of potato chips every day is manageable ? and effective. Exercising 30 minutes every day might seem like more than you can do, but taking the stairs rather than the elevator, or parking as far away from the entrance as possible is not.
Change happens when we stop putting mental barriers in the path of our journey through change.
Get up.
Source: http://momsgetreal.com/2012/12/let-change-happen/
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Saturday, December 29, 2012
Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer
The Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer is a handsome and well designed multifunction printer (MFP) primarily for home use. It's a joy to use, and it prints very good text; otherwise its output quality is solid if unspectacular. It is relatively slow, which may not be an issue if your printing demands are light.
The MG6320 can print, copy, and scan. It can print from and scan to memory cards, scan as an attachment to an email; to a PC; or a network drive. You can preview images on its 3.5-inch LCD touch screen.
This is a handsome MFP, glossy black with beveled front and side panels and rounded corners, and a lid concealing the flatbed on top. (A white version with black trim is also available.) The front panel's centerpiece is the touch screen. The only other button, also a touch-sensitive virtual button, is the on/off switch.
The MG6320 measures 5.9 by 18.4 by 14.6 inches (HWD) and weighs 18.3 pounds. It's considerably more compact than the Canon Pixma MG5320 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-in-One , though it lacks much of that MFP's 300-sheet paper capacity. The MG6320 has a 125-sheet main paper tray plus a 25-sheet photo tray that fits 4-by-6 paper, and a built-in automatic duplexer.
This model includes the ability to print on printable optical discs, or on CD, DVD, or Blu-ray cases. The two paper trays are stacked together right underneath the fold-open output tray, a design that makes efficient use of space. The MG6320 has 6 ink tanks: pigment black; yellow; cyan; magenta; dye black; and gray; the latter two to enhance photo quality.
A program in the software suite lets you set the text and images for printing on optical disks, and offers a choice of layout templates. My Image Garden lets you organize photos and easily use them in creative projects.
Mobile Printing
This AirPrint compatible MFP also provides access to Pixma Cloud Link, which lets you print pictures from online photo albums; and Google Cloud Print, which lets you send documents to your printer from any Web-connected computer, smart phone, or device. You can print photos directly from your camera with its PictBridge WLAN. It has memory-card slots for a variety of formats in the CF, SD, and MS Duo families.
Connectivity
It offers Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and USB connectivity; I tested it over a wired network with drivers installed on a PC running Windows Vista. Along with a host-based driver, which installs by default, one can optionally install (by checking a box) an XPS driver, which lets you print out documents created in the XML Paper Specification (XPS) document format that Microsoft developed. Most users will only need the host-based driver, which is the one I tested it with.
Print Speed
The Canon Pixma MG6320 printed out the latest version of our business applications suite (as timed by QualityLogic's hardware and software) at a speed of 2.4 effective pages per minute (ppm), which is slow for an inkjet MFP in its price range. Two less expensive models, the Epson Expression Premium XP-600 Small-in-One and the Editors' Choice Kodak ESP 3.2, turned in speeds of 4.9 and 3.2 ppm, respectively. The Canon Pixma MG5320, which I reviewed two years ago, tested at 3 ppm. The Editors' Choice Epson Expression Premium XP-800, which adds fax and other office-centric features to a good mix of home features, tested at 5.2 ppm.
Output Quality
Overall output quality was typical of an inkjet, with text quality a little above average, graphics quality on the low side of average, and photo quality average for inkjets. Text quality may be good enough, depending on how picky you are, for documents such as resumes with which you want to create a good visual impression, but not for uses that require very small fonts such as demanding desktop publishing applications.
As for graphics, some of the illustrations looked a bit muted, with under-saturated colors. Very thin colored lines were barely visible. Many illustrations showed dithering in the form of fine graininess and dot patterns. Posterization (the tendency for abrupt shifts in colors in places where they should be gradual) was visible in one illustration.
Overall, photo print quality is about what you'd expect from drugstore prints. Even with the extra black and gray ink tanks, our monochrome test photo showed traces of red in some light gray areas.
Running Costs
The cost per printed page for the MG6320, based on the most cost-effective cartridges, is 4.6 cents per monochrome page and 13.5 cents per color page, a little on the high side. ?Although these ink costs are in effect identical to those of both the Epson XP-600 and XP-800, they can't compete with the ESP 3.2, for which Kodak claims 3.2 cents per monochrome and 9.5 cents per color page.
The Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer is a handsome and well designed home-centered MFP. It has solid output quality, with above-par text for an inkjet. It is slow for its price; we've seen faster MFPs such as the Editors' Choice Kodak ESP 3.2 for considerably less. The ESP 3.2 also has significantly lower running costs. The Kodak has better photo quality than the MG6320, but has lower (100-sheet) paper capacity and lacks Ethernet connectivity.
In outputting our business applications suite, the Epson Expression XP-600 finished in less than half the MG6320's time. It had slightly better photo quality, though not as good text.? Its feature set is similar to the Canon's, though it adds a port for a USB thumb drive.
The MG6320 may not be the fastest, nor the most cost-effective printer, and there are others that surpass it in output quality. I do give this MFP points for user experience and design, with handsome appearance, responsive touch screen, and efficient placement of paper trays and other features. It's certainly up to the needs of most home users, and has a touch of style.
More multifunction printer reviews:
??? Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Photo All-in-One Printer
??? Dell C1765nfw Color Multifunction Printer
??? Epson Expression Premium XP-600 Small-In-One Printer
??? Epson WorkForce WF-3520
??? Epson WorkForce WF-2530
?? more
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/qiP7kvjCiro/0,2817,2413614,00.asp
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Verizon cuts HTC Windows Phone 8X to $99.99
Producers of Katie Holmes's Broadway play Dead Accounts, a dark family comedy by Theresa Rebeck, have announced that the show will be closing nearly two months early, wrapping up on January 6 instead of the planned February 24. Obviously the press release about the matter doesn't mention any reasons, but we can assume the show is closing because of poor ticket sales. January is a notoriously difficult frozen tundra for many a Broadway show to traverse, and Dead Accounts just didn't have it. So the cast is being spared the agony of trying. ...
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/verizon-cuts-htc-windows-phone-8x-99-99-130037921.html
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Aliens! Gangsters! Superheroes! 10 video games for 2013
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1 day
The holiday shopping season is officially over?and that means the spasm of big game launches is over as well,?right? Well, no. In some ways, the rush of video?game releases?is just getting started.
For a variety of?reasons, some of the games we were most looking forward to getting our thumbsticks on in 2012?had launch dates pushed back into early 2013. Quite a few hotly?anticipated games are stacked up for a debut in?the new year?... and?some are just weeks away from arriving on shelves.
And while the spring game line-up is crowded, the rest of the ?year is looking pretty packed?as well. Quite a few?best-selling game franchises will make a big return in 2013 while some brand new titles are getting ready to tempt players with original stories and?intriguing new?gameplay.
Below you'll find 10 of the games we're most looking forward in 2013. Stop by the discussion section?to let us know which titles you're saving your?hard earned?gold coins for.
"Dead Space 3," ?Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC?-?Feb. 5
The?space-faring fright?fest that is the "Dead Space" series gets a new entry in the next few weeks. But while the?previous games dropped players?into terrifying solo mission filled with grotesque?creatures known as Necromorphs, this newest game?encourages players to?experience these monstrosities (and the fear they inspire)?with a friend.
Two-player, drop-in/drop-out co-operative play is the name of the?game as?you and buddy head to the icy planet of?Tau Volantis to discover the source of the Necromorph plague. Sure, you can go it all alone, but you'll get more out of the?survival horror?story if you partner up. Also, you'll have someone to hug when the undead leap at you from the dark.?
"Aliens:?Colonial Marines," Wii?U,?Xbox 360, PC, PlayStation?3?-?Feb. 12
Speaking of a good space-faring scare, the "Alien" franchise is about to get another installment, in the form of a?video?game.?Not only has?Gearbox Software billed?"Aliens: Colonial Marines" as the spiritual sequel to Jim Cameron's?"Aliens"?? the second "Alien"?movie ??but the game?is even considered part of the canon by 20th Century Fox.
InGame editor Todd Kenreck got an advance look at "Aliens: Colonial Marines." Check out his video?above.
As the name suggests, you get to play a U.S.?Colonial Marine on a mission to investigate the U.S.S. Sulaco spaceship, and?find out what happened to Ellen Ripley and?her crew.?As you play, you'll get to visit some of the most famous?locations from the films and wield some of their?most iconic weapons and equipment. And?we're hoping that, at some point in the game, we'll also get to utter the phrase, "Game over man, game over!"
"Rayman Legends," Wii U?-?Feb. 26
The bright, colorful, zany platforming game "Rayman Origins" was one of my very?favorite games of 2011. And "Rayman Legends"???a direct sequel to that game???looks like it will offer even more?music-filled, action-packed, wacky fun???but with a new twist.?That is, "Rayman Legends"???originally scheduled to arrive in November???will launch exclusively for Nintendo's new Wii U game machine in February instead. And since it's a Wii U exclusive, that?means it will be putting the machine's unique tablet-style GamePad?controller to use.
I gave?"Legends" a try at the Penny Arcade Expo earlier this year and loved the way?one player could use?the GamePad controller ??and?its touchscreen ??to assist up to four other players using standard?Wii Remote controllers. You can use the GamePad to do?things like grab and pull creatures out of the ground, open secret paths and knock enemies out of the way. I dare say "Rayman Legends" is a very good reason to pick up a Wii U if you haven't already.
"Tomb Raider,"?Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC?-?March 5
The forthcoming "Tomb Raider" game is another title?that found itself?delayed from 2012 to 2013. But hopefully that extra time will mean extra polish for?this reboot of one of the most famous series?in video?game history.?
The action-adventure/platforming?game is set to?re-imagine leading lady Lara Croft's early, formative years. And while it has already inspired its fair share of controversy?due to an alleged sexual assault scene, we can't wait to see the new places the?developers take this storied franchise. From what we've seen so far, Croft has been given a darker, grittier backstory (a la the?character reboot we've seen in?the new Batman/Dark Knight?films). It's a backstory that makes her more human and less of a (top-heavy)?caricature. And to that we say: It's about time.
"Bioshock Infinite," PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC?-?March 26
Earlier this year, the team at Irrational Games told?us we'd have to wait until next year?to get our hands on "BioShock Infinite" because they wanted more time to make it "even more extraordinary."?Needless to say, after all this waiting, our expectation for this game???the third in the critically acclaimed?BioShock franchise???are very high.
And, indeed, "Infinite"?will take us back in time and?high up into the sky, as we play?agent Booker DeWitt, a man sent on a mission?to the airborne city of Columbia. His mission: to find a young woman named Elizabeth (recently?modeled by Russian gamer/costumer?Anna Moleva). This first-person shooter promises to?drop players into a intrigue-and-adventure-filled?alternate vision?of America during the Age of Steam, while bestowing upon?us?some unique powers.
The waiting isn't over yet, but in the meantime you can check out the new?video above, which offers a preview of the first few minutes of "Bioshock Infinite."
"Injustice: Gods Among Us," Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii U - April
There is an age-old question asked by geeks of all ages: Who would win in a fight ... ?Batman or Superman? Flash or the Green Lantern? Catwoman or Wonder Woman? The forthcoming fighting game "Injustice: Gods Among Us" will, at last, provide us with the answers we seek.
The game drops many of your favorite heroes and villains from the DC Comics universe into "a world where the lines between good and evil are blurred." And it's here that the developers at NetherRealm promise "Injustice" will give us "heroes and villains engaging in epic battles on a massive scale." A look at the trailer above shows they aren't kidding. When superheroes collide, mere mortals better run and hide.
"The Last of Us," PlayStation 3?-?May 7
Brought to us by the developers behind the critically acclaimed?Uncharted games, "The Last of Us" not only promises to?blend survival and action gaming?elements in unique ways, but to take us on a story-driven journey with deep, well-crafted characters.
The game takes place 20 years after a plague decimated the population, leaving civilization in ruins and the survivors?not only fighting off?infected humans but fighting with?their own fellow survivors as well. It's in this setting that we meet the grizzled survivor?Joel and the?14 year-old girl, Ellie, that he's charged with protecting. "The Last of Us" is the kind of game aimed at?grown-up players looking for thoughtfully?crafted,?grown-up gaming. Fans of "The Walking Dead" should definitely be?lining up for this one.
"Grand Theft Auto V,"?PlayStation 3, Xbox 360?-?Spring 2013
At long last, Grand Theft Auto?is hitting the road again. The?GTA games have pioneered open-world gaming, giving players the freedom to roam immense digital landscapes filled with crime,?adventure and?some very colorful characters. And Rockstar says that "GTAV" ??which takes place in and around?the fictional Southern California city of Los Santos???will be its?biggest game?yet.
"Grand Theft Auto V"?will allow players to switch between three friends/partners in crime and will?center around performing heists.?We'll get to play?Michael, a wealthy ex-gangster; Trevor, a wise-cracking crazy man with a short fuse; and?Franklin, a professional repo man. Sounds like a recipe for?trouble?... and lots of crime-filled?fun. Meanwhile,?"GTAV" developer Rockstar Games?recently revealed that the game will head underwater as well. And as the new?screenshot above indicates, that means we better get ready?for ...?sharks!
"Pikmin 3," Wii U?-?Spring/Summer 2013
Nintendo recently announced that it was delaying its?highly anticipated real-time?strategy game until the second quarter of 2013. And while waiting is a bummer, we're used to it when it comes to this delightful series.
It's been?eight long?years since "Pikmin 2" let us control swarms of the?adorable?little ant-like creatures?as they try to survive in the big BIG world. With "Pikmin 3,"?we'll be able to control these delightful Pikmin using either the GamePad or Wii Remote controller as we?set them to various tasks such as breaking down barriers, harvesting food and?taking out enemies. And?for the first time ever, we'll?get to see these creatures and their strange, wonderful?world in gorgeous HD.
"Beyond: Two Souls,"?PlayStation 3?- Late?2013
"'Beyond' will be unlike anything else you've experienced before," David Cage, the director for this forthcoming PlayStation 3?game has promised. And we have good reason to believe him. "Beyond: Two Souls" is being made by the team at?Quantic Dream, the development company that brought us the surprisingly compelling and emotionally mature cinematic game "Heavy Rain."?
"Beyond: Two Souls" is described as?a "psychological action thriller;" and it will star the excellent Academy Award-nominated actress?Ellen Page?as Jodie Holmes,?a young woman who possesses strange, supernatural powers thanks to a?psychic link to an invisible entity.?Cage says the?game will take players on a journey through?15 years of Holmes'?life as it explore themes of?death and the afterlife.?Your decisions will?determine her fate. Very intriguing indeed.
?Winda Benedetti?writes about video?games for NBC?News. You can follow her tweets about games and other things?on Twitter?here?@WindaBenedetti?and you can?follow her?on?Google+.?Meanwhile, be sure to check?out the?IN-GAME?FACEBOOK PAGE?to discuss the day's?gaming news and reviews.
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750,000 Android apps invade OS X thanks to BlueStacks App Player
BlueStacks App PlayerEarlier this year, BlueStacks App Player made headlines by allowing?Android apps run on Microsoft?s (MSFT) Windows 8?platform. The company announced on Thursday its App Player is now available in beta form for free on Mac, giving OS X users access to 750,000 Android apps normally reserved for smartphones and tablets.
[More from BGR: Google names 12 best Android apps of 2012]
BlueStacks uses patent-pending virtualization software called ?Layercake? to allow Android apps to run on other platforms. It works virtually the same as running Windows within OS X using software such as Parallels or VMWare. The Windows 8 version of BlueStacks has been out since March and has been installed on more than 5 million PCs, which is a good sign that people want to run mobile apps on their computers.
[More from BGR: Samsung looks to address its biggest weakness in 2013]
BGR tested BlueStacks on a mid-2011 MacBook Air running OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion and found performance to be hit or miss. Android apps can be searched and it will list which app stores to download them from, but sometimes apps won?t install properly because of missing code, especially from the Google Play store.?Downloading apps from the Amazon (AMZN) Appstore seems to be a better bet, though. If it?s any consolation,?Jetpack Joyride?and Fruit Ninja?are perfectly playable.
BlueStacks works as mostly advertised, but honestly, why bother running Android apps on your Mac? A mouse or trackpad isn?t a better substitute for a touchscreen. But if you must do so, it?s reassuring to know BlueStacks is available.
This article was originally published by BGR
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/750-000-android-apps-invade-os-x-thanks-231050664.html
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Mad Lust Envy's Headphone Gaming Guide: (Updated: 12/28/12 ...
Let me make this clear as day. This quick guide is for Headphone gaming WITH virtual surround (I personally use Dolby Headphone). NOT stereo, so those looking at this guide as a headphone guide for stereo gaming will be wasting their time looking here. I ONLY play with Dolby Headphone virtual surround, so I CAN'T and WON'T make suggestions to those who wanna play in plain stereo. That is all.
Intro on how I came to start this guide and why. (Click to show)Before I start, let me get a few things out of the way. Everything I say is PURELY personal opinion. If you don't like it, well... tough. I'm not a professional. I have clearly stated that is is all my opinion, so don't get butthurt about anything I write. Okay, now moving on.
Fun: 7.5/10
Fun: 7/10
Competitive: 1/10
Fun: 5/10
Fun: 6/10
Fun: 5/10
Fun: 1/10
Fun: 8/10
Fun: 4/10
Fun: 5/10
Fun: 7.5 (Pretty good. They really did a great job in finding a great balance between fun and balance. Very impressive for this price)
Fun: 7/10
Fun: 6/10
Fun: 4/10
Fun: 6/10
The Nameless Guide To PC Gaming: For PC Gaming Audio advice, I highly recommend you guys read this guide, which is written by NamelessPFG, and specializes in the PC related side of gaming audio, which I am 100% not knowledgeable of. I'd consider it a great extension to my own guide for those who aren't console gamers.
Last Update: 12/28/2012
Astro A50 (*wireless headset*) added
12/24/2012
-External amp section added after the Virtual Surround Devices section. Fiio E9K, Objective O2, and Schiit Magni listings added
12/21/2012
-Skullcandy SLYR added
12/20/2012
-Edited first post for easy browsing
11/12/2012
-Sennheiser HD650 added
I found the video to demo Dolby headphone. EVERYONE can hear this, so try it! If you can't hear the surround cues at the time stamps I mention, then Dolby Headphone may not be for you, or your headphones don't pair up well with it.
NOTE: At 1:08, this is pretty much how Dolby headphone sounds on the Mixamp. The 5.1 DH: On section at 0:54 sounds like a weaker version, which honestly doesn't sound like the Mixamp's DH, but it still showcases positional cues. Now, if you didn't believe in DH before, you probably will now. Remember: At 1:08-2:00 is pretty much how the Mixamp sounds.
Mad Lust Envy aka. Shin CZ's Gaming Headphone/Headset Guide
Intro on how I came to start this guide and why. (Click to show)Before I start, let me get a few things out of the way. Everything I say is PURELY personal opinion. If you don't like it, well... tough. I'm not a professional. I have clearly stated that is is all my opinion, so don't get butthurt about anything I write. Okay, now moving on.
Hello everyone. I wanna make an introduction on my journey into headphone gaming, and pretty much headphones in general. I myself actually got into this audiophile hobby BECAUSE I fell in love with the sound of the AD700 when I paired it up with my Mixamp. I first started this journey when I looked for a discrete solution for gaming during the night time, where my home theater at the time (Pioneer HTS-G1) was just too much for my roomates and neighbors. Being someone who reads up on the things he buys before making purchases, I read up about how good the A40+Mixamp combo was, and that it would be all I would ever need. It was $250, which was extremely expensive for me at the time (at least I thought such a thing was too expensive back then). I caved in and went for it, as long as it delivered as promised.
Once I got it, I have to say that I was somewhat underwhelmed. I was expecting something that mimicked my surround sound. I wasn't feeling dolby headphone in the least. I was so underwhelmed that I barely used it, and decided to just play my games really quietly, which to me hurt, as I like to be immersed, and concentrate quite a bit when I game online. Fast forward to a few months later, where I decided to give it another try. Much to my dismay, my practically brand new A40s (very rarely touched back when I did use it) had lost the right side audio. I was so peeved that I didn't bother contacting Astro. I tossed them... just like that.
So there I was back again, with a seemingly useless Mixamp, and no headset. I went back online and read up on ACTUAL headphones that worked very well with gaming and the Mixamp in general. I, like many of you, heard how grand the AD700s were especially for games like Call of Duty 4, which was my favorite game back in the days I got into this hobby. So what the hell, I went for it. When I got it, I was somewhat turned off by the color, and they didn't exactly sit well on my head. It was slippery as hell, and it just sorta pissed me off. I then did the rubberband mod and then felt it was good enough to try.
I then hooked them up to the Mixamp, and fired up Call of Duty 4... let's just say... my mind was BLOWN. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I was hearing EVERYTHING. Sounds were coming from all around me. I could hear exactly where people were around me. A pin drop was easily distinguishable for me. I did notice the distinct lack of bass, but for this game, I couldn't care less. I felt like I had an unfair advantage against those who DIDN'T wear a headset. Bass was the last thing on my mind. My speakers sounded like pure crap next to this ridiculous soundfield I was suddenly enveloped in. Dolby Headphone and Headphones in general showed me what a miraculous combo they could be, and I told myself I would never seriously game without either of them ever again. I had converted. This was just but the first step into this disease called upgraditis.
Since then, I have somewhat gone through literally COUNTLESS of headphones, both for gaming, and for music/movies. I knew I'd have to own at least two pairs: One for direct hardcore gaming, where bass was on the lighter side so I could focus on the more important sounds like a grenade pin being released, footsteps, or claymores being placed. The other would be for more, non-competitive gaming where I could enjoy what audio as a whole has to offer. I wanted a nice boost in bass, to feel the explosions. Something to directly contrast the sound of the AD700 but still work well with the Mixamp. I was also a budget headphone hunter. I loved what cheap headphones had to offer: bang for the buck. So I have bought my share of garbage, and gems.
Enough of that, I'm now going to attempt to remember ALL the headphones I have bought and used since the beginning of my journey. One criteria HAD to be met at first: The headphones would have to work well with Dolby Headphone, or they were gonna be returned or sold. It was that simple to me.
Okay, I'm gonna list my share of WORTHY headphones, especially for gaming. By worthy, I mean worthy of being discussed (some may be added to let you know they are NO GOOD for gaming with DH). This list doesn't include headphones I bought/used that were never intended to be used for gaming (for example, my HAS700, ES7, ESW9, though I did try them with meh results, obviously). I couldn't begin to remember them all anyway. Also rating them based on how good they are for 'fun' gaming (anything not taken too seriously, where sound accuracy isn't a huge concern), and competitive gaming (where sound is incredibly important, specifically positional accuracy and ability to pick up the finer details). The scores aren't scientific. It's just MY opinion on how they score from a scale of 1-10 by their own merits, and not how they compare to other scores whether higher or lower, so don't whine about scores, lol.
INDEX, RATINGS, MY TOP CHOICES
Use this for quick searching (highlight/copy what you're looking for, Ctrl+F, then paste)
Lists (Click to show)
HEADPHONES
D: $0-$50
Koss KSC35
Koss KSC75
Koss UR40
Philips SHP2500
Sennheiser HD201
Steelseries Siberia V1 (*headset*)
Turtle Beach Z2 (*headset*)
C: $50-$150
Audio-Technica AD700
Audio-Technica M50
Creative Aurvana Live! (aka "CAL")
HiFiMAN RE0 (IEM)
Sennheiser HD280 Pro
Skullcandy SLYR (*headset*)
Sony XB700
Tritton AX720 (*headset*)
Turtle Beach PX21 (*headset*)
B: $150-$300
AKG K701 (K702)
AKG Q701
Astro A50 (*wireless headset*)
Beyerdynamic DT770 (Premium)
Beyerdynamic DT770 (Pro 80 ohm)
Beyerdynamic DT880 (Premium)
Beyerdynamic DT990 (Premium)
Sennheiser HD598
Sennheiser PC360 (*headset*)
Tritton AX Pro (true 5.1 *headset*)
A: $300+
Denon D7000
HiFiMAN HE-4
HiFiMAN HE-400
Sennheiser HD650
Ultrasone Pro 2900
Ultrasone Pro 900
Virtual Surround Devices
Astro Mixamp Pro
Astro Mixamp 5.8
Beyerdynamic Headzone (Base only)
Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D USB
Tritton AX 720
Turtle Beach DSS (old version)
Victor SU-DH1
External Amps
Fiio E9K (aka E09K)
Objective O2
Schiit Magni
How to get Dolby Digital signals from DTS only Blu-Rays off your PS3
External Microphones
AntLion ModMic
DX Mini Clip-on Microphone (aka DealExtreme Mini Clip-on mic)
Labtec LVA7330
Final Notes
Ratings
10: Legendary
9: Amazing
8. Great
7: Good
6: Okay
5: Medicore
0-4: Bad to worthless
MY TOP CHOICES (for quick reference)
Competitive:
K701
Q701
HD598
PC360
AD700
Pro 2900
DT990
D7000
HE-400
Fun:
D7000
DT990
Pro 900
HE-400
DT990 Pro 250ohm
HE-4
HD650
Creative Aurvana Live
DT770 Pro 80
DT880
Pro 2900
SLYR
All-rounders (for both uses):
D7000
HE-400
Q701
DT990
HE-4
Pro 900
Pro 2900
HD650
DT880
PC360
Creative Aurvana Live
KSC35
KSC75
Special notes: All-rounders are based on how worthwhile they are in that they perform well enough for all uses. So this list is somewhat separated from the individual fun/competitive lists. If the headphones are on there, it's because I feel they are great choices for ALL uses, even if they may not necessarily excel in either category alone. The Q701 I would still say is the best headphone for both competitive and fun, so if you were only getting one headphone, the Q701 would be pretty damn hard to beat. As for the DT880, they didn't make the list for competitive because of how they just don't do rear positioning well as mentioned time and time again. If you can get over that glaring issue, they would be damn good for competitive. Also, although the DT770 Pro 80 has an amazing sense of virtual sound placement, the bass is just too much to take them seriously for competitive gaming. The Pro 2900 is a headphone I can recommend for all purposes, though not at the price range. The HE-400 is a fantastic all rounder, but only when you give it sufficient power. Using the Mixamp alone closes in the soundstage depth, and makes it positioning inferior to when it's properly amped.
HEADPHONES
Tier D: $0-50
Koss KSC35 (*clip-on*)
Sells for $45.
Review (Click to show)
How do they perform for gaming? Obviously, this is what you'd guys wanna know, and fortunately, they are pretty good performers, just the way the KSC75 is, but just a tad bit better. I played Black Ops for several hours today, and Dolby Headphone truly worked well together with the KSC35. There were sounds that would make me think were outside of the game. Soundstage with DH isn't huge, just like the KSC75, but it's not small either. It felt natural. Directional cues were quite easy to identify, so no complaints. All in all, it's a solid sounding headphone, that does work very well for gaming. Bass was strong but quick due to the open nature of the headphones, but slower than the KSC75. Based on sound alone, I'd say the KSC35 is a headphone you could use for hours without fatigue. Kind of like a smaller, more bassy PC360. Nice tonal balance that I don't think anyone would dislike.
My biggest complaint is the price. I'd put them at $25 at it's highest point. $20 would be perfect. For $45, I don't think I can recommend them since the KSC75 can be found for $15, are are just slightly inferior. However, if money is no object, and you want a great clip-on, the KSC35 is definitely worth the upgrade from the KSC75, and the difference between them with their respective stock clips is significant enough to warrant purchase.
Comfort-wise: compared to the KSC75, the KSC35 is quite noticeably lacking in comfort. The KSC75 has those very comfortable rubberized clips, that once you get used to, it's as if they weren't there. The KSC35 has some hard, slightly sharp plastic clips, that will never truly disappear off your head. At times, they can get bothersome, but with time, they're fine for several hours use.
Now, if you use the KSC75 clips on the KSC35 for comfort, you will lose a bit of SQ, and it will put them very close to KSC75 sound, with just a very slight hint of warmth (literally 90% alike). I'd say that it's worth the minor discomfort to use the stock plastic clips as it boosts SQ maybe 25% better than the KSC75, IMHO.
Fun: 7.5/10
Competitive: 7/10
Comfort: 7/10
Koss KSC75 (*clip-on*)
Sells for $13-$20. Review (Click to show)
It belongs here. Most of you already know what a bang for the buck these are, and I'm more than happy to say that they are pretty good gaming headphones. Directionality is accurate, detail is fantastic for their price, and treble is sparkly and energetic. The bass is also no slouch, assuming you are in a decently quiet atmosphere. The KSC75 is very picky about what is around you, so the quieter the place you're in is, the better they perform. If you want to game on a budget, these should be not be taken lightly. I use them when I wanna relax and lay back, since I don't ever have to worry about them sliding off or out of position. They stay in place no matter what. I love them so much. You couldn't get me to give mine up unless it's for another pair. You get a lot of performance for the price, and everyone should pick some up.edit (6/2/2012): Just want to add that the way to present sound is considerably different from full-sized headphones. They are like a bridge between IEM and Full-sized cans, in which they don't have a FULL sound that envelopes you the way full-size cans do, but they project farther out than IEMs.
Fun: 7/10
Competitive: 7/10
Comfort: 9.5/10 (after initially getting used to clips, they are just amazing)
Koss UR40
Sells for $25-30.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise: Personally, I couldn't get them to sit right on my head, as they were too short. The net style headband didn't do anything for me either. This one is for small heads.
Fun: 2/10 (give you an extra point for the obsecene bass... if that's a good thing...)
Competitive: 1/10
Comfort: 3/10
Philips SHP2500
Sold for $20 (discontinued?). Review (Click to show)
Very comfortable, and has a surprising decent sized soundstage for gaming. Not bad AT ALL for gaming with Dolby Headphone. Won't top the KSC75, but if you need isolation when gaming for the least amount of cash, this is a fine choice.Comfort-wise, they are pretty comfortable, the only issue that even with their velour padding, they quite hot due to a very good seal. No air escapes = sweat galore.
Fun: 5/10
Competitive: 6/10
Comfort: 7/10
Sennheiser HD201
Sells for $20.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, it's not very comfortable. The pleather is cheap and plasticky, and the seal causes discomfort quite quickly. Like bad pressure to the head. Not as bad as the HD280 pro though.
Fun: 6/10
Competitive: 6/10
Comfort: 3/10
Steelseries Siberia V1 (*headset*)
Sells for around $35-50 (discontinued).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise... quite possibly the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. Seriously. The self adjusting headband is just AWESOME. Very light, and very open, so your ears breathe quite a bit. Looks like a budget Sony MDR-F1. The only area they lack in comfort-wise is that the pads are a bit too small to give them a perfect score.
Fun: 5/10
Competitive: 4/10
Comfort: 9.5/10
Turtle Beach Z2 (*headset*)
Sells for around $50.
Review (Click to show)
The sound: Hmm... not good. Really. it's weak. Now I will tell you why I think that is: the pads. It uses neoprene pads that don't isolate, and don't form any sort of seal. I'd think that some pads that seal properly would probably make the Z2 sound a little better. I'm not a fan of the neoprene pads. They lose the isolation of pleather, and the comfort of velour. Really, no reason why I think neoprene should be used.
If you really want me to tell you how it worked with Dolby Headphone, well... not even remotely good. Lack of soundstage and positional accuracy. Actually, I think it's the very worst I have ever used with Dolby Headphone.
Comfort-wise, don't remember, but as with the PX21, the neoprene pads weren't great.
Fun: 1/10
Competitive: 1/10
Comfort: N/A
Tier C: $50-150
Audio-Technica AD700
Sells for around $100 (more or less).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, the pads are super comfortable, but the cans are way too loose for some people, and your ears may touch the drivers which a shock prone person like me couldn't handle anymore.
Fun: 6/10 (the soundstage is it's own brand of fun, but soundstage and clarity aside, they're not going to wow you.)
Competitive: 10/10
Comfort: 3/10
Audio-Technica M50
Update: I feel that because the M50s are one of my fave headphones, they deserve a bit more in the listing.
Sells for $120 (more or less).
Review (Click to show)
Mids: The mids are ever so slightly recessed due to slightly more prominent bass and treble. However, the mids aren't THAT recessed, and is well in line with the rest of the sound.
Treble: the treble is emphasized, energetic, and sparkly, They can get harsh, but it's nothing too worrisome, compared to other headphones on the list. The M50's treble gives you a crisp sound overall.
Comfort-wise, the M50 is the most comfortable pleather-padded headphone I have ever owned. You have to do the stretch mod, but once that is done, they are just godly in comfort.
edit: HERE is my thread with how to do the stretch mod.
As far as isolation goes, the M50's do extremely well keeping sounds from leaking out, and a great job isolating from the outside.
Gaming: the M50s don't do very well with Dolby headphone. Their issue is their soundstage, which sound congested and doesn't give you a big enough virtual space to let Dolby headphone work it's magic. I feel that even the Hifiman RE0s (the IEMs) do it better. I'd say if you want a good headphone for plain stereo gaming (like say with a Vita, DS, phones, etc), the M50s will be just fine. Just don't take them seriously for console/PC gaming.
Fun: 7/10
Competitive: 4/10
Comfort: 9/10
Isolation: 8
Creative Aurvana Live! (aka "CAL")
Sells for $100 (or less).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I love them. For a pleather padded headphone, they are AMAZINGLY comfortable. Those pads are very soft and feel wonderful. The discomfort comes from my personal distaste for non-velour pads, which is just personal gripes, due to the heat/stickiness it causes. I'll keep that out of the scores though, as that would bog down all pleather headphone scores. The pads however, aren't that deep and may cause an issue for those who don't like to feel your ears pressing against the driver padding. They may not be big enough for those with large areas, so it may feel like an on ear, instead of an over ear headphone to some.
Fun: 8/10
Competitive: 7/10
Comfort: 9/10
HiFiMAN RE0 (IEM)
Sells for $79.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I'm not a huge IEM fan, and these weren't notably superior or inferior to any other IEM in comfort. The stock tips weren't great, and they would constantly fall out of my ears. I much prefer the JVC Marshmallow's tips for comfort, but not sure what they'd do to the sound, as I didn't own them at the same time.
Fun: 4/10
Competitive: 7/10
Comfort: 6.5/10
Sennheiser HD280 Pro
Sells for around $100.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise.... uhh, no. Just...no. Sennheiser loves it's clamp, and the HD280 Pro is a TORTURE device. It's a vice grip on your head, and the really 'perfect' seal adds heat and sweat on top of that painful clamp. Probably the worst I've used in terms of comfort.
Fun: 5/10
Competitive: 1/10
Comfort: 1/10
Skullcandy Slyr (*headset*)
http://www.skullcandy.com/shop/slyr-black-yellow
Sells for $79.95
Review (Click to show)
I'm sure that pretty much anyone interested in headphones know the Skullcandy brand. Their name is instantly recognizable, and their headphones can be found in many stores, ranging from their very entry level headphones, to their higher end Aviator and Mix Master headphones. They do not have a shortage of headphones, and as such, have been the target of a lot of criticism for not catering to audiophiles but to the domestic market. Personally, I can easily say that I do not have a lot of experience with Skullcandy products. My first pair of Skullcandy headphones were a pair of Ink'd IEMs that I bought ages ago loved. I didn't know a thing about headphones back then, but I do remember liking their sound signature, and their cheap price. The next product I had some time with was the Lowriders...a PINK pair, I had bought for my then girlfriend, hahaha. I have never been a fan of on ear headphones, and the Lowriders couldn't stay on my head. I honestly couldn't tell you if they were halfway decent or not. I have a slippery dome it seems, lol. I wasn't exactly pleased with them, and their build quality was quite lacking from what I'm used to today, but they were very inexpensive, and my girlfriend liked them well enough.
Anyways, my point is, I don't have a bias for OR against Skullcandy. What I DO know is that they have made great strides in improving their line and becoming more serious about the quality of their products. I can surely appreciate any company doing that. With the arrival of the SLYR, PLYR, and PLYR2 (with help from Astrogaming, which is well known in the gaming community, and which they now own), it's hard to not be curious about what Skullcandy has up their sleeves for us gamers.
So I'm approaching these headphones with a completely open mind. Okay, maybe not completely open. I do have ONE bias: I don't expect much from headsets. With as many headphones as I have owned and tested, gaming headsets have been, for the most part, disappointing. Save for the Sennheiser PC360 (which remains the best headset I have used, and still among the best competitively even among the amazing headphones I have owned), the next best headset for me was the Tritton AX720 which was decent, but not 'good' overall. They are excused as they come with a Dolby Headphone decoder box which more than makes up for their lack of pure sound quality. Everything else was borderline forgivable to 'blegh'. So, with that bad taste in headsets overall, the SLYR had an uphill battle, and that's before I even opened the package. Still, I was excited.
Hmm, the Skullcandy SLYR (pronounced Slayer). Upon opening the package and taking them out, I was still neutral. They were unassuming, and relatively stealthy in a dominantly matte black finish with sort of yellow/green 'windows' on the cups. From what I have seen of earlier Skullcandy designs, they tend to be fashion statements, with lots of urban/street flavors, etc. The SLYR is humble looking in comparison. I actually like this. I tend to prefer a more classy approach to my headphones, rather than ones that scream at you. The SLYR still has an edgy design to them with sharp angles, but it's not 'loud'. It's hip for the younger crowd, but still reserved enough for adults.
So that was my first impression on looks. Looks are not my top priority in a headphone. Comfort and sound first. How did they fare? Well, as soon as I put them on, I immediately thought: "Crap, these are on ear." I'm not a fan of on ears. Still, the pads were very soft, and they weren't pleather. Things I DEMAND in a headphone nowadays. I absolutely avoid pleather/leather like a plague. Then I realized, with a little bit of adjusting, the SLYR is actually circumaural/over ear! YES! Very happy about that. Certainly not the biggest cups, but they did fit my ears well enough (bigger openings than the Creative Aurvana Live, and much deeper pads). The SLYR is off too a good start, and I haven't even heard them yet.
As with every headphone I buy, my first listening test is ALWAYS music. Gaming comes later. I fired up some songs, let my ears adjust to their sound signature and soon after, I knew; Skullcandy meant business. These don't just sound like a good headset. They sound like a good headphone. PERIOD. I absolutely did not expect this sound coming from an $80 headset. The first thing that I immediately noticed was the balance between the bass, mids, and treble. I am not exaggerating in saying that headphones costing 3x the price of the SLYR can't manage to find such a great balance between fun and balance the way the SLYR does. I mean it. With the Sennheiser PC360, you get a really good and overall neutral-ish tonal balance, with not much sticking out of place, but not being exciting tonally. The SLYR on the other hand manages to sound balanced, with the right amount of bass emphasis and energy to make them exciting. They are forward sounding headphones, with not a hint of boredom in it anywhere. The Creative Aurvana Live sounds considerably more reserved in direct comparison, darker, and warmer. (which I had on hand at the time of review). While the CAL was still more refined overall, I have to say, I preferred the sonic signature of the SLYR. It was immediately more engaging and exciting. The SLYR isn't the fullest sounding headphone I've heard, nor the most refined, but they definitely got the balance right for my ears.
Bass: To be honest, I expected to have more bass than they did. I expected bloated bass. Bass that gets in the way of detail. This is NOT what I got. Instead, I got punchy, impactful, energetic bass that is quite present, but never overwhelming. It also has good speed and decay. Quite impressed with the SLYR's bass. A very good start. If I had to give the bass a quantity, I'd give them an 8. Plenty of bass for me. Not perfectly in line with mids and treble, but it's a GOOD emphasis.
Mids: I'm used to v-shaped curves, with bass and treble emphasis, and recessed mids. Yet, the SLYR has some pretty up front mids next to the typical v shaped can. Can't pinpoint if it's the smaller soundstage, or just the mids in general, but they certainly weren't what I consider really recessed. Maybe just slightly so next to the bass, but I'd say they're pretty in line with the treble. They are pretty forward in the sense that vocals are near you basically at all times unless a song purposely mixes them further back.
Treble: You either expect dull, veiled treble, or treble that is too sharp, too spiky, too peaky. Again, the SLYR surprises in it's sonic characteristics. The treble is energetic, but it's not harsh. It's very close in balance to the mids for me. It is RARE for treble to be in the safe zone between too soft, and too harsh. The SLYR is DEFINITELY in that safe zone. I honestly wish the DT990's treble had a similar line. That's right.
Amping: As to be expected, the SLYR is a very efficient headphone, and I didn't feel they needed any extra amping.
Soundstage: This is definitely the only aspect of their sound that I was personally not entirely happy with. Part of it is because I'm grown so accustomed to open headphones, with an airy, wide/deep soundstage, and going back to a closed headphone's soundstage and typical closed headphone signature is a bit jarring. After getting used to the closed headphone sound, I'd still say the SLYR's weakest aspect is the soundstage. It's relatively small even comparing other closed headphones. I have VERY little experience with closed headphones, and I feel that out of the few I have on this guide, the SLYR is near the bottom in terms of soundstage. Thankfully, everything else is so good, so this drawback doesn't hurt as much. Still, it is small, and everything sounds pretty packed together next to other headphones in direct comparison like the CAL and A40s (the two main headphones I had on hand).
Positioning: Now that we're getting into the gaming side of this review, the first thing to discuss is positioning. Since I feel that positioning is very dependent on soundstage, I feel they did suffer just slightly compared to my faves. That is the nature of closed headphones (with the exception of the D7000, and DT770s which have some truly large soundstages for closed headphones), and the Pro 900 which, with the aid of S-Logic helps give a sense of depth not typically found on closed headphones, though not by much. The SLYR does place positional cues properly around you, though with the lack of soundstage, there isn't much space between you and the virtual space to make pinpointing easy. Still, it does a good job. Not great. I was able to dominate pretty easily in Call of Duty 4, and didn't feel lie I was at all hampered by the SLYR's positional cues. I didn't feel like they gave me a huge advantage compared to some of my fave headphones, but they did their job well. Again, good. Bear in mind, the SLYR was definitely marketed as a stereo headset with a mixer that plugs into RCA cables. I'm fairly certain that those who play in stereo will have VERY little to complain about.
Clarity: The SLYR is a warm headphone, but with enough crispness to say that they are plenty detailed for gaming. The closed design hurts clarity again only compared to open headphones like the PC360 and K701. As a closed headphone, I found them to have a nice balance between fun and detail-whoring, so I'd say that if I had to rate clarity separately, they'd get a 7 (good). I doubt there will be any complaints about clarity, especially at their price range.
Comfort: Pads? Soft, deep, comfy velour. They could definitely be bigger as larger ears MIGHT make these on ear ear headphones. Clamp? Not too loose, not too firm. I find them just right. Weight? Very light. Check. They stay relatively in place at all times, with not a lot of readjusting needed. A huge win here.
Microphone: The microphone is permanently affixed to the SLYR, but like the PC360, you swing it upwards. Unlike the PC360, the mic on the SLYR tucks away nicely into the cup, and is relatively well hidden when not in use. it's also small, but sensitive enough to pick up my voice quite easily. My voice came through clearly on my PS3 device settings, so I have very little to say about it, other than it does it's job well. It may be just a little too sensitive for my setup, as I have a large, noisy fan near me, and the mic picks it up unless I sit further back than what I'm used to. Still, that shouldn't be an issue for most people.
Build Quality: The SLYR is made out of all plastic. The plastic feels sturdy enough for my taste, somewhat reminiscent of the PC360 plastic. I have more faith in tossing these around than I would the Creative Aurvana Live. Assuming you're not abusing the hell out of the SLYR, I don't see these breaking with normal use.
Accessoriers: The SLYR comes with a stereo mixer. Think of it as a stereo alternative to the Mixamp, with the ability to mix voice/game audio at your desired levels, with three different EQ presets. One bass heavy, one flat, and the other treble heavy. I personally don't have much use for the Mixer since I own the Mixamp and prefer gaming in Dolby Headphone surround, but I did test the mixer and found the presets to work relatively well, and the mixer to also work pretty well in mixing game and voice without a lot of distortion. If anything, the closest alternative to this Mixer is the Steelseries Spectrum Audio Mixer, which retails for $40 and is for the 360. The SLYR's mixer works for both the 360 and PS3 (as well as PC). I didn't find a need for the EQ presets as the SLYR already has such an agreeable sound signature.
The Mixer has a very lengthy cable terminated in RCA jacks with piggyback female inputs. The Mixer is powered by a standard USB plug, and comes with a 3.5mm input for ANY headphone, as well as the 2.5mm input for the 360's controller for chat audio. The SLYR comes with a detachable 3.5mm male/male cable (a bit on the short side, IMHO) that carries chat audio. You can indeed use your own 3.5mm male/male standard audio cables, though the entry on the headset side may not accommodate thicker plugs. I found that the CAL's extension cable fit, but the first gen Astro 3.5mm cables didn't. I used the CAL's extension on the headset side, and my own 3.5mm male/male cables on the female end of the CAL's extension cable when using the SLYR for music on my main headphone setup (non-gaming). Basically, you will want cables with thin 3.5mm plugs if you want a lengthy cable for the SLYR. I don't know where to get lengthy ones that also carry voice audio, unfortunately.
Value: $80 gets you a damn good headphone that just so happens to actually be a headset. Convenience, comfort, and a relatively forward, engaging, and still balanced tone makes the SLYR the very first headset in the sub-$100 bracket that I recommend to anyone who absolutely needs a headset.
Final Impressions: While the SLYR isn't perfect, and aren't as refined as to what I'm personally used to (hello "Head-fi standards"), I must say that even with my higher end tastes, I really, REALLY like the SLYR from the sound, all the way to the comfort. These are great for music, pretty good for fun gaming, and good enough for competitive use. Skullcandy's first serious gaming headset gets a solid B from me, and have made me a true believer. I can't wait to see what else Skullcandy has up their sleeve. If their $80 headset is this good, I have high hopes for their higher end models. One last thing that you will want to know: I prefer the SLYR over the A50s.
Final Scores...
Fun: 7.5 (Pretty good. They really did a great job in finding a great balance between fun and balance. Very impressive for this price)
Competitive: 7 (Good. They absolutely do their job. I'd say stereo gamers will particularly love them, kind of like how I personally see the M50s if a little better in terms of positional cues. For us virtual surround gamers, I'd still say they are worth looking into if you absolutely need a headset.)
Comfort: 7.5 (Very good. Those with larger ears may have to use them as on ear as mentioned before, though they are still comfy in that way.)
Sony XB700
Sells for just over $80.
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, the XB700 is a hit and a miss. The headphone is luxuriously comfortable...until all that padding makes the surface area it made contact with, incredibly hot and sticky. Then that comfort takes a large step in the wrong direction. Seriously, they get hot and sticky in a hurry. Considering how much surface area the pads take up... it's not a pleasant feeling at all. They'd be perfect for near freezing temperatures though.
Fun: 7/10
Competitive: 1/10
Comfort: 5/10
edit: XB500 info. The XB500 is even muddier and bloated in bass than the XB700. I'd give them similar scores, except the fun score gets a solid 3/10... 
Tritton AX720 (*headset*)
Sells for $129 (Best Buy).
Review (Click to show)
Comfort-wise, I didn't find them bad or great. They do their job, though for a sealed headphone, they are comfortable.
Fun: 6/10
Competitive: 7/10
Comfort: 7/10
Turtle Beach PX21 (*headset*)
Sells for $80 (or less).
Review (Click to show)
All this tells me is that you should not use headphones that have in line amps, especially with another amp like the Mixamp.
Comfort-wise, don't remember much, but the neoprene pads weren't amazing.
Fun: 4/10
Competitive: 5/10
Comfort: N/A
Tier B: $150-300
AKG K701 (K702)
update: my impressions are for an older K701 (7 bump version). New K701s (8 bumps on headband) MIGHT sound close, or the same as the Q701. Too many conflicting reports to say who is right, and who is wrong. All I know is that my old K701 sounded different enough from the newer Q701s.
Sells for around $250-300.
Review (Click to show)
Now I already know how volume =/= driving force, but for gaming with dolby headphone, you WON'T think about that or notice. Trust me, the Mixamp is enough for the K701 if again, you don't add voice chat. If you do, you WILL need to attach an amp to the Mixamp's headphone out, just to juice the K70x and voice chat audio. Yes, they do scale with good amping, but for the purpose of gaming, I don't deem it necessary, asides from when you're in need of voice chat.
Comfort-wise, quite polarizing. A lot of people have issue with the headband's bumps. I won't lie, they take getting used to. However, once you've beared with it enough, your head will get desensitized by that particular sensation. The bumps no longer affect me in the least. I find them extremely comfortable. My only complaint now is that I wish the headband extended just a little more. I have to fully extend them to fit me properly, and it's quite noticeably felt, though it's not a real discomfort.
Fun: 6/10
Competitve: 10/10
Comfort: 8/10
AKG Q701
Sells for around $250 (more or less).
Review (Click to show)
Competitive: I can't directly compare the two for competitive use, but no one should pass these up for the slight decrease in score. They are essentially just as good, but the K701 lacks a warmth I deem necessary for overall use, so you end up really focusing on details, which is the main strength in the K701. The emphasis on detail retrieval is what makes the K701 just beastly. The Q701 is tuned for more enjoyment FWIH, though they are still detail monsters, just not as glaringly obvious. As far as positional cues and accuracy, they are every bit as good as the K701. Soundstage may be just a smidge smaller, but I attribute that to the fuller sound. Soundstage to me is bigger on headphones that lack a lower end, letting the space breathe more, if that makes sense.
Seriously, get the Q701 over the K701. Its just an overall better can. If you seriously just want detail whoring for gaming, the money is better spent/saved on some AD700s. The K701 is overkill for that specific need, as the Q701 can be just as good, and be enjoyable outside of gaming. I didn't like the K701 for anything other than competitive gaming. I like the Q701 for most purposes. I tend to use them over the D7000 when watching my favorite shows, due to comfort (love me open+velour pads), and voices are clearer, or playing games that aren't reliant on bass. My D7000 is mostly for music, action movies, and intense games.
As far as my second fave balanced can (DT880) compared the Q701, the DT880 slightly edges out the Qs in fun due to having a more appreciable amount of low end which makes them better to me for music and fun gaming, but falls short on competitive for the lack of positional accuracy. Still, for the uses that I need my balanced can for, the Q701 is still a better fit due to richer mids, better comfort (one of the few who doesn't take Beyers well comfort-wise), and just great all-purpose gaming cans.
Comfort-wise, quite polarizing. A lot of people have issue with the headband's bumps. I won't lie, they take getting used to. However, once you've beared with it enough, your head will get desensitized by that particular sensation. The bumps no longer affect me in the least. I find them extremely comfortable. My only complaint now is that I wish the headband extended just a little more. I have to fully extend them to fit me properly, and it's quite noticeably felt, though it's not a real discomfort.
I need to mention that while the Q701 is a better overall can than the K701 to me, the difference is not night and day. They essentially sound VERY similar, with a slight tonal difference. The difference was definitely enough for me to say it's worth choosing the Q701. Need to clear that up, in case people are expecting a big difference. Think of the Q701 as a very slightly EQ-ed K701, with added warmth and very slightly more bass. If anyone has ever used the Fiio E7, you can say the Q701 is somewhat like using the K701 with EQ-1. EQ-1 on the Fiio E7 is really just a slight nudge upwards for bass (slight), and a warmer/fuller sound.
Like the K701, they desire amping when using voice chat. The sound also scales with amping, but isn't really necessary.
Fun: 7.5/10
Competitive: 9.5/10
Comfort: 8/10
Astro A50 (*wireless headset*)
http://www.astrogaming.com/a50-wireless-system
Sells for $300
THIS REVIEW IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION!
Review (Click to show)
The Astro A50s. The first venture into fully wireless headsets for Astrogaming. Prior to the A50's inception, Astro released the discontinued, rare, and very sought out Mixamp 5.8. The Mixamp 5.8's main selling point was that any standard headphone or headset terminated with a 3.5mm plug could be attached to the Rx unit (receiver), essentially making them wireless. As you guys may know, I'm a humongous fan of the Mixamp 5.8, and it remains as my main gaming device when using my audiophile headphones. While it wasn't truly wireless (you still have your own headphone's wires to deal with), it did remove the tether always necessary between the console and yourself in wired setups, making it a more elegant, and cleaner solution than anything else before.
Unfortunately, Astro didn't find the Mixamp 5.8 to be a big seller, and sought out other solutions. This is rather unfortunate, as with more improvement and functionality, future iterations of the Mixamp 5.8 could have been a huge success in my eyes. Ah well, them's the breaks. So now Astro steered their focus away from the 5.8 and towards fully wireless headsets, the first being the Astro A50s.
Upon opening the freshly designed package, you are greeted with the A50, the transmitter (that shares the same body as the Mixamp 5.8's Tx unit, though different inputs/functionality), parts of a headphone stand (which is VERY nice of Astro to supply), and the necessary cables (which I will edit into this review later, as I have a mess of cables from 3 products at the moment).
Now onto the headset itself. Upon first listen, I was immediately attacked by a relentless assault of bass. Seriously, it absolutely surprised the hell out of me. My prior experience with an Astro headset was the first gen A40s, which was anything but bassy. For a $300 headset, I EXPECTED a well balanced, competitive oriented headset with nowhere near as much bass as the A50s have. In truth, I was quite put off by it.
The A50 has 3 presets:
Preset 1: Bass heavy.
Preset 2. Balanced/flat,
Preset 3: Enhanced details (not sure if EQ-ed for less bass, or added mids and treble)
In reality it sounded more like:
1. Boomy, muddy, and completely useless.
2. Boomy, and veiled
3. Bassy with extra detail
No, I'm not kidding. I found the only preset worth using was Preset 3, which wasn't bass light to begin with, but at least I could actually hear the details, and it was quite decent sounding, though ultimately catering more towards fun than competitive, and not exactly sounding balanced. It's honestly not even worth mentioning the other two in this review past this point, because quite frankly, they're quite terrible sounding. In my future review of the Astro A40s (w/Mixamp 2013 Edition), you can see Astro's presets CAN be useful and maintain some clarity. Just...not here.
I'm not even sure whether to fault the presets, the fact that it's wireless, or if it's the A50's drivers themselves. I plugged in the transmitter to my PC in which the transmitter functions as a USB dac/amp (as well as microphone). The presets as well as Dolby Headphone are disabled, allowing you to hear the drivers work at their most natural state. Well, it seems to be the drivers. They are quite bassy. I am quite literally confused as to why Astro decided to use such bassy drivers for their most expensive gaming headset.
The A50s weren't down for the count yet, though. While 2 of the three presets left a really bad taste in my mouth, I still had one functional preset. Firing up CoD4 (and later on MW2) revealed that the A50s were decent gaming performers albeit on the disappointing side in terms of sound quality. It does perform fine when getting down to the nitty gritty, with a little more bass than I'd prefer out of competitive gaming cans. While the audio quality isn't great, positional cues and details were decent to good. The problem is that it's a closed headset, and everything sounds congested. The A40s sound more open, airy, and balanced, even with the speaker tags on. As far as the wireless capabilities, I find it to be great, where it takes quite a bit of distance for the A50's to drop the audio. I didn't notice and snap, crackles, or pops, nor did I get any hiss until you crank the volume quite a bit past the point where I'd say it's humanly necessary.
I'll get to the specifics in the break down.
Build Quality: The Astro A50 shares the same body and aesthetic design of the A40s, which is to say, they look/feel great for a headset. There are a few key differences from the A40s.
1. The microphone is permanently affixed to the left earcup. The A40's is removable.
2. The cups are closed, and unlike the A40s, can't be removed for a semi-open design. They are now fully closed.
3. The right cup can be pressed on the sides to adjust voice/game volume, similar to the Mixamp's voice/game knob, with the exception that it's two hidden buttons you press, not turn.
4. On the rear of the right cup is where the
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