Showing posts with label know. Show all posts
Showing posts with label know. Show all posts
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Apple iPad 2 12 things you need to know
So Apples latest worst-kept secret is out – its released a new iPad to keep the Android pack at bay.
And while its a stunner visually, youll see that iPad 2 is an iteration in terms of its core specs. Heres everything you need to know about the new iPad 2.
1. iPad 2 is lighter and thinner
Apple called it an all-new design. And it is. The main physical thing is that the new iPad is thinner - 33 per cent thinner, clocking it at 8.8mm. Incredibly, thats thinner than the iPhone 4 which clocks in at 9.3mm. Its also 15 per cent lighter, which is welcome. You wouldnt want it to be completely lightweight, but a bit less weight is good. Its also available in white as well as the original black.
2. The iPad 2 has FaceTime
The new iPad has the expected front-facing VGA camera (as well as one on the back). Whats the point of the one on the back? Like the iPhone 4s rear snapper, it takes 720p video (though has no flash unlike other tablets). And thats enough for us.
3. The iPad 2 battery life stays the same
The iPad 2s battery life is apparently not limited by the new design - it has the same 10 hour battery life as before, with a month of standby time (tsk, real-world figures please). Still, thats quite impressive when you think about the reduced size of the unit.
Our colleagues at T3.com grabbed some video footage of the iPad 2 which you can watch below.
4. As does the iPad 2 display
The new iPad has a 9.7-inch display which, yep, is exactly the same. So the large-scale retina display wasnt ready as we suspected. iPad 3 should sort that one out.
5. iPad 2 goes dual-core
A few months ago, a dual-core processor would have made headlines. Now theyre 10-a-penny and in many an Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet. The new processor is called the Apple A5 and is based on ARMs Cortex-A9 design. And its probably clocked at 1GHz again.
6. iPad 2 graphics will be awesome
All Steve Jobs said was that the graphics capability would be 9x that of the current iPad. WOW! All he said? That promises serious gaming awesomeness (and it helps that the device now also has the gyroscope from the iPhone 4 and latest-gen iPod touch). The graphics will still be some version of Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX graphics technology.
7. iPad 2 has iOS 4.3
The latest version of iOS ships with the iPad and will be available for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch on 11 March. Theres faster Safari browsing performance; iTunes Home Sharing and thankfully an enhancement to AirPlay. Lets hope it works now. (By the way, iPhone 4s can act as Wi-Fi hotspots too).
8. The stupid button problem has been fixed
When the first iPad came out, the switch on the side locked the orientation. Super cool, everybody thought. Except Apple did a typical Apple thing and changed it to become a mute button. When there was already a volume control on the other side of the device. iOS 4.3 gives you the choice about what to do. Thats what happens when you listen to your customers. Thanks, Apple.
9. The iPad 2 has HDMI out
It will set you back around £30 for the cable, but you can connect your iPad up to the TV and charge it while doing so. Whats more you can have HDMI Video Mirroring that lets you mirror your iPad screen on an HDTV. Cool for presentations and the like – or just playing movie content.
10. The iPad 2 features HSUPA
The iPad 2 also features HSUPA support. That means faster uploads over 3G. Like mobile broadband. Its only available on the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, naturally. Expect this to come to the iPhone in the next update too.
11. The iPad 2 UK release date is 25 March
Apple has announced that the Apple iPad 2 UK release date is 25 March. T-Mobile and Orange told TechRadar they are stocking iPad 2 "when it becomes available later this month". O2 told us it wouldnt be selling the new tablet but would be offering data plans for it, while Vodafone offered a stern "no comment". Thanks for the clarity there. As iPad 2 costs the same in the US as the original iPad, expect the models to start at £439 here.
12. iPad 2 sees Apple come out fighting
As well as some serious gnashing of teeth at competitors during Steve Jobs keynote, even the press release gets nasty. "While others have been scrambling to copy the first generation iPad, were launching iPad 2, which moves the bar far ahead of the competition and will likely cause them to go back to the drawing boards yet again." Unfortunately though, its just not true. In terms of specs – if not looks – the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets are a match for the new iPad.
And while its a stunner visually, youll see that iPad 2 is an iteration in terms of its core specs. Heres everything you need to know about the new iPad 2.
1. iPad 2 is lighter and thinner
Apple called it an all-new design. And it is. The main physical thing is that the new iPad is thinner - 33 per cent thinner, clocking it at 8.8mm. Incredibly, thats thinner than the iPhone 4 which clocks in at 9.3mm. Its also 15 per cent lighter, which is welcome. You wouldnt want it to be completely lightweight, but a bit less weight is good. Its also available in white as well as the original black.
2. The iPad 2 has FaceTime
The new iPad has the expected front-facing VGA camera (as well as one on the back). Whats the point of the one on the back? Like the iPhone 4s rear snapper, it takes 720p video (though has no flash unlike other tablets). And thats enough for us.
3. The iPad 2 battery life stays the same
The iPad 2s battery life is apparently not limited by the new design - it has the same 10 hour battery life as before, with a month of standby time (tsk, real-world figures please). Still, thats quite impressive when you think about the reduced size of the unit.
Our colleagues at T3.com grabbed some video footage of the iPad 2 which you can watch below.
4. As does the iPad 2 display
The new iPad has a 9.7-inch display which, yep, is exactly the same. So the large-scale retina display wasnt ready as we suspected. iPad 3 should sort that one out.
5. iPad 2 goes dual-core
A few months ago, a dual-core processor would have made headlines. Now theyre 10-a-penny and in many an Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet. The new processor is called the Apple A5 and is based on ARMs Cortex-A9 design. And its probably clocked at 1GHz again.
6. iPad 2 graphics will be awesome
All Steve Jobs said was that the graphics capability would be 9x that of the current iPad. WOW! All he said? That promises serious gaming awesomeness (and it helps that the device now also has the gyroscope from the iPhone 4 and latest-gen iPod touch). The graphics will still be some version of Imagination Technologies PowerVR SGX graphics technology.
7. iPad 2 has iOS 4.3
The latest version of iOS ships with the iPad and will be available for iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch on 11 March. Theres faster Safari browsing performance; iTunes Home Sharing and thankfully an enhancement to AirPlay. Lets hope it works now. (By the way, iPhone 4s can act as Wi-Fi hotspots too).
8. The stupid button problem has been fixed
When the first iPad came out, the switch on the side locked the orientation. Super cool, everybody thought. Except Apple did a typical Apple thing and changed it to become a mute button. When there was already a volume control on the other side of the device. iOS 4.3 gives you the choice about what to do. Thats what happens when you listen to your customers. Thanks, Apple.
9. The iPad 2 has HDMI out
It will set you back around £30 for the cable, but you can connect your iPad up to the TV and charge it while doing so. Whats more you can have HDMI Video Mirroring that lets you mirror your iPad screen on an HDTV. Cool for presentations and the like – or just playing movie content.
10. The iPad 2 features HSUPA
The iPad 2 also features HSUPA support. That means faster uploads over 3G. Like mobile broadband. Its only available on the iPad 2 Wi-Fi + 3G, naturally. Expect this to come to the iPhone in the next update too.
11. The iPad 2 UK release date is 25 March
Apple has announced that the Apple iPad 2 UK release date is 25 March. T-Mobile and Orange told TechRadar they are stocking iPad 2 "when it becomes available later this month". O2 told us it wouldnt be selling the new tablet but would be offering data plans for it, while Vodafone offered a stern "no comment". Thanks for the clarity there. As iPad 2 costs the same in the US as the original iPad, expect the models to start at £439 here.
12. iPad 2 sees Apple come out fighting
As well as some serious gnashing of teeth at competitors during Steve Jobs keynote, even the press release gets nasty. "While others have been scrambling to copy the first generation iPad, were launching iPad 2, which moves the bar far ahead of the competition and will likely cause them to go back to the drawing boards yet again." Unfortunately though, its just not true. In terms of specs – if not looks – the latest Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablets are a match for the new iPad.
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Five Things You Didn’t Know About the Gaming Industry
One of the most commonly misunderstood fields is the gaming industry. Many people think they know what to expect when moving into video game development, and yet they frequently over estimate what they will be paid, and underestimate how much work they will have to do. That’s not to say it’s a bad job, but for anyone considering a career in game testing or development, here are five things you probably didn’t know.
1. Game Testers Work in House – You won’t get to sit at home and play whatever game arrived in your mailbox each week. Some testers are permitted at home time when needed but most of the time, especially when deadlines loom, you’ll be at the office testing on proprietary testing consoles and PCs.
2. You Don’t Need a College Degree – You don’t need to have a college degree to be a game developer. In fact, if you have the skills needed and can prove your expertise, most game developers would prefer someone with real world experience over education alone. It allows you to jump into your new role faster. That said, education can definitely help you stand out and will immediately show that you have the knowledge needed. In getting interviews, a college degree is a big help.
3. Many Developers Hire for the Long Term – Despite what you’ve heard, developers don’t hire and throw away programmers from week to week. What happens is most developers are operated by a larger publisher. If a game doesn’t do well or if the publisher consolidates its holdings, the developer may be disbanded and you’ll need to find a new team. But, as far as the developer is concerned, having the same people working together from project to project is ideal.
4. Almost Any Skill Can Be Useful – Yes, programming skills are a huge plus in this industry, but they are not the only way in. Good writers are in high demand, as are multilingual workers, artists, and people with project management experience. Game development involves hundreds of skilled workers with diverse backgrounds. If you can provide a unique skillset, you will be valuable.
5. You Don’t Need Prior Game Development Experience – You need some form of experience, but working in the game industry isn’t necessary to land a job. Frequently, people with little or no experience start in the game testing department and work their way up to other, higher paying positions.
If you’re interested in getting into game development, know that there are a lot of opportunities for people of all skillsets, experience levels and ages. It’s a vast industry with a lot of potential. Be persistent, be patient, and most of all, show them how much you’ll enjoy your new job – trust me, it may not happen overnight, but you will land a job eventually.
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