The Last of Us

   When a game comes along and the competition says that a game is great, then you know that your game must be the bomb. If you don't know, I am referring to Larry Hryb or major nelson of Xbox (or Microsoft) talking about the last of us which is a PlayStation only game (http://www.dashhacks.com/xbox-one/general/microsofts-larry-hryb-praises-the-last-of-us.html). This is the last of us.
 
   First impression of the game are as follows in this order, awesome, so awesome, this is super awesome. I am a person who pay attention to the little things and so far this game is really impressive. An example of the little things would be when you look around in the car, your not just looking, but your looking as if you were the child going from window to window trying to figure out whats going on. Most games just have u look left and right, but you actually move to add to the situation.

   Another thing I like so far is the dialogue. So far its people talking over people as if they are really in a traumatic situation. Trying to find which route would be the best way to go amongst two people in a traumatic situation while also trying to sound calm and focused for the sake of the child is also present. I will continue to play more I am at the title screen, very sad game so far. (it is 6:33pm).

   So yesterday was Sunday the 18th and today is Monday the 19th (happy birthday today goes out to my daughter who is in the picture with me with the dress) and after spending all last night (this morning) playing The Last of Us, I can honestly say that this game is a must and not just one of the best games I have played this year, but one of the best games I have played in about the past 10 years. This is easily the best game (or top 3) on current gen consoles, seriously. I know people are going to hate when I say and they will call me biased or a fan boy, but truth is, what it is. PlayStation has the better exclusives and they use every bit of that blu-ray disc to get the most out of their games. There is nothing on Xbox that they make, that touches this game. I feel bad for PlayStation people getting (seems like) ports of Xbox games or dumbed down versions that seem like more could have went into the game had they had blu-ray disc's instead of DVDs. But that is an argument for another day.

   But back to The Last of Us. The game is gripping, intense, emotional and any other thing you can say about it. I will say that the controls need just a bit of tweaking, but other than that, the camera is just close enough to keep you entertained and I promise you that this game is worth every bit of $60. I didn't play the multi-player mode, didn't want to ruin the story but it is a very good game. this game actually made me want to stick with consoles. About a week ago I was going to Best buy to get my money back from my PS4 reserve and use that to grab some piece's for the custom PC I was going to build. I was debating on leaving the consoles behind me as I have been playing consoles forever and just get into PC gaming or just focus on more of the other tech and leave video games alone in general. But after playing this game, this game made me realize all the great games that I would be missing out on and have played in general. Heavy Rain was a fantastic game not to mention the story was awesome. But then you look at games that are coming, still on this console even with the PS4 coming, like Beyond Two Souls (game looks better than this game) and even The Puppeteer. There is still some quality gaming left and I think I need and want to be apart of that.

I am not stating that this game will change your life, or anything like that, but I did make me respect what the console can still do and what's to come. This game is easily a 10/10 in my book, but for the sake of argument and because it is not perfect, 9.5/10 is not bad. What I will say about the game that is bad, bump mapping, collision detection, The A.I. is smart but almost too smart and the controls at times will piss you off but not enough not to enjoy the game. Finally I will say this, this game is not for those of you who cannot understand what a great game is. There are people out there who honestly believe that Call of Duty is the best GAME ever made (I am not joking either) and that is terrible. This game is not for those who cannot expand their horizons beyond any FPS or sports games. But then then again I honestly believe that this game may be good enough to even change the minds of those said people, closed mind gamers and even.....dare I say it.....Xbox 360 lovers! This is a really good game and it deserves a place on your shelf.

The Last of Us 9.5/10

Great Game!

Vizio Bluetooth Stereo Headphones (XVTHB100)

Vizio Bluetooth Stereo Headphones

   I have had these headphones for a little minute now and up until recently, they were just extra headphones. Now these are my (one of) most used headphones. This is the Vizio Bluetooth XVTHB100 Stereo Headphones.

   So these headphones manage around 3 devices, that being my iPod touch 5th gen, Nexus 7 FHD and my favorite, my PlayStation 3. These headphones are registered to all three devices so no need to re-register every time you use, just turn on and go. I play a lot of Battlefield 3 on PS3 and when I am talking junk or getting schooled or even working with my teammates, these are the headphones I use. You can get all of your specs and more info here: (http://store.vizio.com/xvthb100-free-shipping.html).

   The design of them are not bad. I got these from a site my girl uses where its like one a day sales and I got these real cheap, but I think they are around $50 - $60 now if you can find them. I will have a link to Amazon where you can find them there as well. So again, the design is not bad. Not super great either, but they get the job done. The coolest part about them is that you forget after awhile that you are wearing them. 

Volume up & down with power in the middle

   They charge kind of long but when fully charged, can hold a charge for a real decent amount of time. I have not charged these things in weeks and they cool still now as is. I lime to use them i the night time when the misses is trying to sleep and I am watching the Time Warner Cable app or playing games in the bed. I also use them to cut the grass and as far as it connecting, its not bad.

 
   Speaking of connecting, let me tell you this. It connects via bluetooth and while using Google Music All Access, I would leave my Nexus in the house and just where the headphones outside to cut the grass. That works real well until you get about 35-45 feet out from where the Nexus is located. So if the Nexus was in the car, I could go a little further out almost being able to go anywhere outside. I found to just keep the Nexus on me and then there was no problem.

Reverse, Skip & Play/Pause

   Sound is kind of hit and miss. I say that because if you use gaming headsets to really get that full game feeling, then these may not give what you are looking for. They are excellent for chat, and the music that plays through them are loud (not to loud) but they do kind of hit a sweet spot. They are not Beats headphones or Harman Kardon (so much better than Beats) but they do again get the job done.

This port is for charging and 3.5mm wire

   One of the best features that these headphones have is that there is a built in phone receiver to use to take calls as well over bluetooth. When I used to connect these to my Galaxy Note 2, I would just walk around all day with headphones on or around my neck waiting for a call or just being prepared. They worked really well and didn't breakup sound or have a lot of distortion in them. People said they could hear me very well and didn't know they were on headphones.

   So after all that, I would say that these headphones are pretty good. In the words of Flossy Carter, they are a go! These headphone are inexpensive and can serve you multiple purposes if you let them. They can be your gateway into wireless listening if you have never had anything like this before. They come with the headphones, charger, charger cable (micro usb), "tangle free" cord for wired listening and a very nice velvet like carrying case. Think Crown Royal bag.

(Amazon Link) http://www.amazon.com/Vizio-XVTHB100-Bluetooth-On-ear-Headphones/dp/B00A3SL14S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376786236&sr=8-1&keywords=vizio+bluetooth+headphones

This it connected to my PS3

Vizio Headphones Overall 8.5/10

The Moga Pro Controller

The MOGA PRO Controller

   What's going on everyone. I have a backlog of things that I have been wanting to review but have not gotten a chance to until now. So today, I will be reviewing the Moga Pro Controller for use for the Android platform. 

   First things first, this controller is awesome. The feel of the controller is pretty impressive. It almost feels like an off-brand Xbox 360 controller, but in a very good way. There are no batteries in this version (the other Moga controller had batteries and that's why I no longer own that one) and charging is very fast. It connects through Bluetooth and the Moga Pivot app which is free. The triggers and bumper buttons feel solid as well and playing games on an android platform is actually a blast.

    I use the controller to play games on my Nexus 7 FHD. I normally play Grand Theft Auto 3/Vice City, Dead Trigger (which makes the game 100%'s better), Modern Combat 4 and SG: Dead Zone. I also have Football and Soccer but rarely play them. The Moga Pivot app has a ton of games in there, paid and free, that will keep your tablet or cell phone rocking for awhile. I forgot to mention that the little bar in the middle of the controller is for your cell phone or if you have a galaxy player, for that as well. So if you have a older small android phone or the huge Galaxy Note 2, then everything will workout fine.

   The controller is light and very comfortable to hold in the hand. As for the negatives for the controller I would have to say that it dosen't work with everything. There are a ton of games I would love to use this controller for, but it's not compatible (out of the box that is. This is Android, there is always a work around.) I am not even sure what else you could say about it but it's not bad for $49.99 if you do a lot of tablet or phone gaming like I do. So again, $50 is not to bad when it's something you do, well at least that's what I paid for it. If there's anything else you would like to know about it or anything else I review or have suggestions, then send in some questions or requests and I'll definitely get back to you. Remember to click that plus 1 button and to follow me @titostech.blogspot.com and long live tech.

MOGA PRO Controller Overall 8.5/10

Just Showing how your phone would look

I know it's an iPod (I am no Fanboy lol)

This Game is still great! Where is San Andreas

Injustice and PvZ 2. Two of the best games on iOS

Logitech 650 with the photobomb!

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The Innovation of Apple (and sports)

     I got an email this morning and in this email it talked about how the MacBook Air was a hit and this and that. I sat back in my chair and I started to think about how all these people say that Apple is not innovative and its this and its that. So my question I asked myself is, "What does it matter that they are not "innovative" or moving at the speed of say Samsung or Android (Google)"? Honestly to me, we have all heard the saying if something is not broke don't fix it, I agree with that but want to add in don't fix it, tweak it to make it better. Don't make dramatic changes and keep going for eye candy because it will be just that, eye candy.

     Anyone who knows me, knows I am a sports nut. I love all sports from basketball (my fav) all the way to rugby (almost love it as much as football) and cricket (which I just started to get into about a year or two ago). To me, I think tech is like sports and the championship teams don't always dramatically change, they just retool and tweak. Look at basketball and go to the San Antonio Spurs or in Football with the New England Patriots. Two championship teams at any time, but they don't always drastically change, they retool and tweak to get the kinks out to go for all the glory in the end. A lot of these devices are a lot like these pro sports teams. Look at the Miami Heat right now, to me, they are Samsung.

     They are at the top of the food chain because they have blown every one's expectations and have managed to capture the hearts of those who will follow to the depths (mainly the people in Miami). You have the S3 and S4 (Lebron James because it is the best thing they got) and then the Note series (which I think is the second best player they got and he would be the Note 2). I don't want to leave the other things Samsung kicks out like TVs and refrigerators and not to mention PCs. That is what I think Bosch is, he is their PCs and other things that are reliable and many different things to choose from. Lastly, the Galaxy series has been around for awhile and at one point was the head on man to take on the iPad. The Galaxy Tab 2 is a great tablet (my step son has the 10.1) and that is where I see Ray Allen and the rest of the Miami Heat.

     This line-up is impressive but how long will it stay at the top? In a year or so, man of the top talents will either leave or retire and then it will a team of rebuild. Teams like the Pats or the Spurs just retool and re-tweak. That then leads me to what Samsung plans to do when all their gimmicks and "awesome innovation" runs out of the door? Half of the features that my phone has I don't use. But all of the features that my iPhone had, I used (maybe Siri not as much but still used it). People think Apple doesn't innovate because they don't pack 20 to 40 new features to go along with the other 50 features that their last device had and that's not okay to the mass. Truth is that when iOS 7 comes out, they will keep everything the same but retool everything (or overhaul), but the main formula. Siri didn't get dropped or not talked about, they worked on it and retooled it and are making it better over time.

     See if you follow me on this. The Galaxy S3 came out and was an awesome, awesome phone that had features to the roof. great processor and things under the hood. They marketed all those features and they were breathing down Apple's neck. The next year, the Galaxy S4 comes with more features and better processor and even the international version had an 8-core processor. They marketed all those features as well and it went on to dominate the cell phone/mobile charts. Apple drops an iPhone 4s and new possessor and all that jazz and also introduces Siri to the mobile world. Siri was kind of well received and they marketed the new 4s based on Siri (famous actors using it) and normal Apple easiness. Then they dropped an iPhone 5.

     Now, notice what happens here. Apple dropped the 5 and added new processors and all that, but they talked about upgrading the features that people always used from the last phone or tweaks and retools. That was a dramatic change to nobody but the features were welcomed and made the iPhone 5 that much better. I'm not trying to sound like a fan boy or anything like that, but if your product is good, then it is what it is (whatever it is). Apple's so called lack of innovation could be just that, a lack of innovation to those who always want something more. We as people always want the latest and greatest and also want something that works all-day, everyday and to me Apple does that over and over. Apple is a "championship team" that doesn't need flash and awe every time out. To get the win by one point or thirty makes no difference. A win is a win, period.

      I think Samsung is the here and now, but in a year or two they will be where they were a few years ago, trying to get to the top. There are other great phones (like the HTC One) that surprised people and became great instantly. They are my Memphis Grizzlies or my Golden St. Warriors. They are turning peoples heads with the products that they are putting out there and soon they will be at the top of the mountain. But when they finally do get there, that Apple team will still be there as well because silently people want to dethrone them, and that's fine. Flash and and a few ohh's and awe's only get you so far (Steve Nash Phoenix Suns).

     I think Apple doesn't need to be flashy or over innovative or even change what they do. I think people think Apple is boring (like the Spurs) and hate that they can get the job done. The MacBook Air is a fantastic notebook that has all the power to do what you need to do. The MacBook Pro is the same way if the Air is not enough for you. The desktop (and the new one) is a powerhouse (on paper) and most artist and movie companies use Apple products to get their things done. It's simple and it's easy. That is the innovation. Why can't other companies make something simple and easy as well? Where is their innovation for simplicity? Hmmm.... only time will tell.

The Console War

Update: The Xbox is called Xbox 1 and not infinity. This was made on 5/20/2013

          
Let's be honest, your an Xbox Fan boy or you’re a Playstation Head or even a Nintendo fanatic. So what! When the new systems (well Wii U is already out) come out you will be the first ones on your block with the system. For the average gamer or the person who is still trying to understand what the need for the new system is anyway, selling to that group of people is key in this battle that is the console wars. Why do I need a new Xbox/PS4? Honestly, I couldn't tell you...other than the graphics will be so awesome and it will really fast and this and that. But with great games coming up in September and going forward, why would I buy Call of Duty Ghosts on my Xbox 360 and then again on my Xbox Infinity (I think that is what they will call it)? Oh, you’re saying I wouldn't buy it twice; I would just buy it for the newer system right? No? Oh because I want to play with my buddies and they don't have the new Xbox Infinity yet, so I will just get it for the 360 then. There that settled that. Well wait, what was the reasoning for buying the Xbox Infinity then? Again refer to underlined statement above.

            I use that reasoning because people were so critical of the Wii U when it came out as to what it actually was and it's not really "Next-Gen" and this problem and that problem. The truth is, the 360 and the PS3 are still awesome systems that probably have at least another year in them both to milk it for everything that it's worth. But if I have to choose between the Xbox Infinity and the 360, I am going to choose the 360 until most of my friends get one as well. Everybody I game with is on the 360. So when the new 2K14 comes out, i will have it for the 360, even if it is on the Infinity as well because I want to play with my boys (friends) and my family online as well.

            My point is, will there be these same conversations surrounding the Infinity and the PS4 when they launch, because the fan boys of both will get their respective systems upon release but the other gamers out there, are they just going to be stuck in the old days or 360/PS3 days? Will the two power systems really sellout or achieve those big numbers that they covet so much? I just want to know what the point is. I will get the PS4 when it comes out or a few days later and then in about a couple of months I will get the Infinity.

            I am a gamer. I love to play games. So me having all 3 "Next-Gen" systems will be in the cards as I had all 3 of the previous gen systems as well (Wii, PS3, & 360). The reality is, I just keep thinking that the games that are coming for both PS3/PS4 and 360/Infinity will be ports of the equal or lesser parts and that is what really sucks to me. Call of Duty Ghosts and even FIFA 14. They will be playable on both next gen systems but which one will be the lesser of the two? Will FIFA 14 be better on Infinity or 360? Is it a port that was upgraded or down scaled? I hope it is neither and the development went into each individual game. That is why I ask, what is the point of the new consoles? If they did do it on an individual basis, then why spend all that time and money on making the same game different when you could be working on something else or making the other so great that it flops (in its own terms that is)?

            I know between these two systems there will be more than $1000 spent, and is on just the consoles alone. That's a lot of money just for better graphics and sound. I guess I could just get a custom made computer and keep it updated and never worry about these pesky consoles again! 

The Nexus 7 FHD (2013)

                     

The Google Nexus 7 was my favorite tablet last year (even more than my iPad mini) and it was with reason why. The thing is, as soon as 2013 rolled in, my favorite tablet of 2012 was starting to show you don't give such titles out until they have earned them in more ways than one. My Nexus started showing its true colors by sluggish performance and very sluggish transition speeds. By May of this year, I was just about burnt out on my Nexus 7.

My Home Screen

                        In May, I ended up selling my Nexus 7 on Amazon and that was the end of my Nexus 7 life. Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I was watching the Google Breakfast on Youtube and I seen the greatest thing I could have ever seen, a new Nexus 7! Everything I loved about the old one was there and everything I hated about the old one has been changed, added on or replaced. First and foremost the first thing I have to talk about, is the screen. The old Nexus had a screen that was ok ( it was better than the iPad mini's, that screen was terrible) but it could have been better. This year's Nexus 7, has a screen that is so great, crisp and clear that it just brings a tear to my eye.

                        To be fair, I am not comparing the iPad mini, Nexus 7 (2012) and the Nexus 7 (2013), but I am just trying to explain to you in my own words should this be something you spend you money on or not. Honestly the iPad mini's screen is a sad and lonely 163 ppi or 1024 x 768. The old Nexus 7 was a lot better at 216 ppi, but this year's Nexus 7 just shot past that for a blazing 323 ppi! So you see why this is such a big thing for me, because the Nexus 7 was my favorite tablet last year. So again, the screen on the Nexus 7 FHD is super awesome. If you own a Nexus 10, then you know what I am talking about.

My speedtest on the 5.0 bandwith

                        Google made the tablet thinner while keeping the same form factor. Buttons are in the same place and the headphone jack went from the bottom to the top now. When you go inside the new Nexus 7, you will see the new standard (it seems to me) in an Snapdragon processor. So you got an 1.5GHZ Snapdragon S4 Pro with a much needed 2GB of RAM and an Adreno 320 GPU. You can get either the 16GB or 2 versions of the 32GB. All the Nexus 7's are wifi only except the other 32GB version which is 4g LTE for about $350. No word yet on if you can use or if it has a dialer in it, but this is Android, you can find away.

                        I have had the new Nexus FHD for about a week now, and I wish that I could say that I have seen some problems yet, but honestly I cannot. The 2012 edition I had a problem with it the first 3 days I had it. It wasn't a deal breaker by any means, but I did notice a few things early on. The biggest problem that I had with last year’s version is that it kept slowing down on me and it felt like 1GB of RAM was either not enough or it wasn't really 1GB of RAM in the first place. This year they have upped it to 2GB of RAM and threw a different processor in there as well.

                        Is this tablet for you? Should you upgrade from a Nexus 7 (2012) to a (2013) Nexus 7? Well here is the thing. Yes you should upgrade or get a new one.........if you are tired of your 2012 model, time for a new tablet in general, or you really just want the latest and greatest from Google. If you have never owned a tablet, this is the one to get. If you're looking for a great tablet for a birthday or anything like that, this is the one to get. You DO NOT want to get this tablet if you're 2012 version is just fine (and because Jellybean 4.3 is there now as well) or you don't want to spend $30's more for all the upgraded amenities. The 16GB version (the one I got) is $229 and the 32GB is $269.

Geekbench Scores

                        You can wonder why I didn't get the 32GB version again like I had last year and honestly I didn't need the extra space. Last year, I had so much stuff on my Nexus 7, I thought all the stuff on there was slowing it down (in a since it was). I can't tell you how many times I formated or cleared everything out of my Nexus. What I did differently so far has been taking advantage of everything Google has to offer. Let me explain. Google Drive is what I use all the time now. I have my pictures there, documents and things like that. I have most of my music in the cloud with Google music (the other music I have is on my iPod). When it comes to watching movies however, I use an OTG cable that I got from Amazon, and plug that into the bottom of the Nexus 7 and then plug my flash drive or my 500Gb hard drive up to it and watch movies on it. No need to put them on the actual Nexus anymore. There are also Box and Dropbox that will let you put movies and music there (even skydrive or whatever they have to call it now).

Geekbench still says Tegra 3 lol.

                        The best thing about the new Nexus is that it is HDMI out via Slimport adapter. So when I put my games on the Nexus 7, I connect it to a monitor or TV and play on a bigger screen. Honestly, I got a great set-up. Nexus 7 with Modern Combat 4, a MOGA Pro controller (they are awesome) and a Slimport with an HDMI. It doesn't look clunky or very junky on my desk, so that is a good thing as well. I only keep a few games on my tablet anyway because I have so many, I only keep what I play on there and then just download when I want to play the others. Simple.

                        All in all, the Nexus 7 FHD is the best 7 inch tablet out there (as of now). With Amazon set to drop a new Kindle Fire soon (it sounds nice too) and Apple presser for the fall is right around the corner (rumors of iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, and iPad mini with a retina or high def display) as well, the new Nexus may only hold the crown for only so long anyway. But as of now, today, it has taken over again as my new favorite tablet this year...............so far!

The Nexus 7 FHD (2013) Overall 9/10

The day I got the Nexus 7 Androbench Test.

One week from the day I got it Androbench Test.

Running Tests

Final Results

The new 5 megapixel back camera. It's not the best, but a welcomed addition.

The bottom of the Nexus 7 FHD

Surface Tablet R/T

     One of my favorite tablets of last year was the Microsoft Surface Tablet R/T. I know a ton of people have rendered this tablet useless because most people just go for the Surface Pro because it has the ability to run real computer applications and actually function as a laptop computer. The screen is better on the Pro and if I'm not mistaken I believe you get a touch cover with it as well.

     So with all these great features, how can you sell someone on the "watered down" version? Well it goes like this. It depends on what your needs and wants are and can you sacrifice with this and that. That could be the argument for all things but this one is just a little bit different. I will tell you what the difference for me was in actually buying this over other tablets.

     The Surface tablet, for me, was a great tool for school. I had the surface for about 27 weeks and used it for school for about 18 or 20 weeks. That was about 2 and a half classes for me (9 week classes) and it served a huge purpose for me. At the time there were not a ton of apps for the tablet (still hear there are not many) but I wasn't focused on that. What sold me really was Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. I did my class work in Word (real Word) and did projects in PowerPoint (didn't use spreadsheet or Excel, so I cannot comment on that.

     I also had a touch cover (I will get into that later) and doing work was a breeze. One of the other things I liked about it was that there is a USB reader on it  (and a micro hdmi out) and I hooked up one of my 500gb HDD and was able to watch movies and move pictures back and forth from the HDD. The stand that is built into the back of the Surface is a nice touch as well. Multitasking was easy and fluid. I was not a fan of Windows 8 in the beginning but after using the Surface and it on my Desktop, Windows 8 became second nature pretty fast for me.

     The camera on the back of the unit was OK at best, as was the one on the front. Didn't take a lot pictures with it but I did take a few and they were again OK at best. The unit I had was a 32gb version and with the ability to read thumb/flash drives and HDD's, micro SD cards as well, there was no reason to ever run out of space. You can also hop on to Sky drive and save your things to the cloud as well. Here are some of the good and bad things I seen with the device.

     The price was good for the tablet with all of it's features and saving options but the price was bad because other tablets have more support for them and their ecosystems with their said app stores. That and the fact that this runs Windows R/T and not Windows 8, kind of leaves you hanging or wanting to install more things to it. The price was good because it did the things that I wanted out to do without problem and the fact that it feels very well built. But again the price was bad because you could probably find another tablet and have it do the same things for you that you wanted this one to do and maybe more (again app stores play a huge role here).

     This tablet to me is for a person who has never had a tablet and needs one for school, or a person who wants to try something different and are tired of the new Android tablets every other week or the same old boring (but very reliable) iPad. I was the person who wanted something different and to try other things. I had just gotten a Nokia Lumia 920 about a week before (and they work great together) and wanted to engage in a Microsoft ecosystem.

     In the end, it was one more f my favorite tablets but the bad thing for it, was that lack of everything else. The ecosystem is so small for the R/T operating system and it is very limited in what it can and cannot do. It's not an everyday driver like an iPad or a Nexus 7/10, but it is for the person who just has one goal in mind and needs it to serve a great purpose or for school functionality. I needed it for school and it was a great sidekick to my desktop, but in the end I think a Surface Pro would eliminate a desktop and serve the sidekick purpose (the portable service) at the same time. Now all I have to do is try to afford one...

Surface Tablet R/T Overall 7.5/10