E3 2014 seemed to arrive quicker than normal this year and with current consoles thriving, June 9, 2014 shined bright on the calendar like a treasure loot marker on a map. The treasure? Hopefully a bountiful supply of new games, release dates for favorite and anticipated titles and a unique surprise or two that makes the year between E3 conferences worth the wait.

How the conference starts really sets the tone for the week. Microsoft’s 2013 presentation was at best average and by the end of the day demolished by Sony’s PS4 presentation.

But 2014 is a new year. The Xbox One is selling well and Microsoft has again produced a high quality console that gamers are enjoying. Microsoft has taken great strides towards making Xbox One a console that everyone can enjoy while delivering all the home entertainment features Microsoft wants families to have. Two immense moves show just how Microsoft Finally Gets It.

Microsoft Xbox One without Kinect package: $399.00

Only recently was the Kinect made an optional choice. The cries from fans that the Kinect be removed and price lowered accordingly were heard. Many hardcore gamers don’t like or want the Kinect and forcing users to buy it was a bad move from the beginning. The reasons behind not wanting Kinect vary, but the end point is that Microsoft Finally Gets It!

Streaming Apps no longer require Xbox Live Gold Membership

Another recent update from Microsoft involves the dissolution of Xbox Live Gold requirement for accessing media streaming apps on the Xbox. That was always an absurd requirement. If a user is paying for Netflix, then they should be able to access Netflix without paying an additional Gold membership fee to access the app on the Xbox. Microsoft no doubt made a ton of money from that little “pure profit” fee, but alas, Microsoft Finally Gets It.

E3 2014 – Microsoft Finally Gets It

Those two major improvements lead us directly into E3 2014. Microsoft’s goal seemed to align perfectly with the wants and expectations of fans and gamers. Games, games, games! Microsoft’s entire media presentation focused on one thing – games. Microsoft Finally Gets It!

During the presentation there was no mention of the previous positive changes to Xbox packaging or Xbox Live Gold memberships. There was no mention of smartglass or other hardware features. There was no mention of future software, hardware or collaborative ventures for the Xbox. There wasn’t even mention of Xbox 360. No, Microsoft made it very clear – E3 2014 was about games for the Xbox One.

The Games [2014]

Microsoft promised a lot for 2014, but we cautiously remind you that these are projected dates which can change at any time.

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

It’s Call of Duty, what more is there to say? However, it may be that COD is becoming tired. There doesn’t appear to be much new aside from the few new, almost sci-fi like gadgets. COD is still an incredible franchise just don’t expect to have your world turned upside down when Advanced Warfare makes its way to your console.

• Release date: 11/4/2014
• Exclusive game add-ons first on Xbox One

Evolve

Evolve is one of the new games worth checking out. FPS style gameplay where a unit of four act as hunters and track down an ever-growing monster. There are 3 monsters with more than a dozen maps to explore. Players can either play as one of the four in the hunter party or play as the monster which adds a unique and exciting twist. Graphics are on par with current Xbox One titles.

• Release date: 10/21/2014

Assassin’s Creed Unity

The AC franchise exploded with gamers and still resonates as one of the most popular, current franchises available. Unity takes place in 18th century Paris, France during the French Revolution. Don’t expect much change in the way of game physics or gameplay, but AC Unity does bring a new 4 player co-op angle to the game. Like COD, Assassin’s Creed may becoming stale with some gamers (this guy included) which means don’t expect wildly different mechanics in AC Unity.

• Release date: 10/28/2014

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Huge open world environment is a running theme for E3 2014 games and Dragon Age: Inquisition is no different. The gameplay is fantastic while overall the environment, graphics, battles, cut scenes, etc. are gorgeous. You are part of a 4 person pre-defined party of Inquisitors battling dragons and demons. This is one of our ‘Top Picks’ and should definitely be on your radar.

• Release date: 10/7/2014
• To be released first on Xbox (typically 30 days).

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Wild Hunt is likely the game to watch come February 2015. It promises an immense open world environment with 100 hours worth of gameplay, half of which are through the main storyline. If you’re a fan of RPG style games like Skyrim, then The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt looks to be the next epic adventure. It’s also one of our ‘Top Picks’ that we label as a must have title.

• Release date: 2/24/2015

Halo The Master Chief Collection

Imagine all 4 Halo games on one disc, playable in sequence, running their original engines and multiplay settings and all available for the cost of 1 game. Imagine that and you know what Halo The Master Chief Collection is. Full 1080p 60fps and as epic as you remember. This package is no doubt expected to ease the wait for Halo 5 Guardians which is slated for 2015, though beta play is available in December.

• Release date: 11/11/2014
• Xbox exclusive.

Other Notable Games from Microsoft’s Presser

• Sunset Overdrive – If you like cartoon mayhem with a touch of sarcasm, then this is for you.
• Dance Central
• Project Spark – Xbox Live
• Ori and The Blind Forest – Xbox exclusive.
• Inside
• Rise of the Tomb Raider
• Phantom Dust
• Tom Clancy’s The Division
• Scalebound
• Crackdown
• Fable Legends – Beta available Fall 2014. Gorgeous environment; Option to play as villain.
• As well as a number of smaller titles from independent developers.

Wrap Up

Microsoft planned well for E3 and announced their kinect-less Xbox One package and the end to Xbox Live paywall for streaming apps in advance of the big conference. While those two changes are significant, the benefit from announcing them early provided Microsoft a clear path to ensure games dominated their E3 presentation.

When all was packed up and done at E3, Microsoft came out on top because they focused on what gamers really want – Games.

Problem:

You want to create a calendar event that occurs yearly, on the same day, but not necessarily on the same date.

Solution:

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Our top tech picks for 2013 include several pieces of hardware, some apps and a few old favorites that continue to make waves.

Hardware 2013

Without a doubt it was a big hardware year. Tablets are saturating the market while tech enthusiasts and investors search for “the next” gadget to disrupt the market.

Google Glass

While Google Glass is little more than an interesting sideshow at the moment, its reality shows what future tech may hold. Envision if you will average glasses or sunglasses with Google Glass type function. Complete with internet browsing and presumably dictation through a microphone in the frames for text, email and the like.

Yes, Google Glass looks ridiculous and that’s okay because it’s simply the first in what’s sure to be a line of wearable tech moving forward.

Smartphones

Without a doubt the best smartphone of 2013 is the HTC One. It can be debated until smartphone owners are blue in the face, but we stand behind that statement. Samsung and Apple seem to always share the spotlight when it comes to popularity, but the market needs competition to further innovation. For all of HTC’s struggles as a company the last 12+ months, they deserve immense credit for delivering what is an absolutely brilliant piece of hardware in the One.

Gaming Consoles

We could debate Xbox One versus Playstation 4 all day long and one will always outshine the other depending on how they’re viewed. Fact is, this may be the last true gaming console generation. Xbox One is already much more than a gaming console and many would say a detriment to itself. Sony has integrated more online social aspects that are maturing now with Playstation 4. By the time gamers and console makers are ready for the next generation of consoles, it simply won’t be enough to be ‘just a gaming console’.

Should we feel sad that this may be the last true gaming console generation or perhaps nostalgic about past generations? Yes, though there’s no need to panic. Game makers are delivering games at an unreal pace to every tech device they can. Mobile gaming is exploding, PC games are resurgent and new manufacturers such as NVIDIA (Shield) are delivering dedicated gaming units.

It’s impressive to see what Microsoft and Sony have delivered and we commend them for delivering possibly the last true gaming consoles. There’s no doubt each are worthy of mention for top hardware in 2013.

2014 Watchlist

Keep an eye out for Steam Machines. Steam is moving forward, if not slowly, with their own gaming device. They’ve labeled it “a powerful new category of living-room hardware” which points to more than gaming, but that remains to be seen.

Tablets are shifting towards larger models. Don’t be surprised if 7” tablets begin to fade away as new larger models flood the market.

PCs aren’t dead despite news to the contrary. However, Google’s Chromebooks are now starting to realize their potential and others are noticing. With everything online and cloud based, the Chromebooks offer a distinct advantage for some. That number will grow as cloud adoption continues.

Another watch item from Google is the Chromecast. Sure it’s getting a ton of hype now, but let’s watch what happens when it starts to hit its stride or better yet spawn something more from the minds at Google. Either way, grab a Chromecast now for $35 and enjoy inexpensive cable-like viewing.

Apps 2013

Mobile apps are an absolutely immense category to narrow down and dissect. The fact is, the app market is saturated both in iOS and Android. To stand out and make an impression you’ve either got to have a monumentally grand idea or improve tenfold over similar apps. We picked a few of our favorites from 2013 and hope you get the same kind of warm fuzzy feeling from them.

Simplenote

Not new in the traditional sense, it was new to Android in 2013. Long an app on iOS, Simplenote is, as you’d expect, a note taking app. As many of you know, we’re huge fans of productivity type apps and Simplenote falls into that category. It comes from Automattic, Inc., the makers of WordPress mobile. There are several key reasons Simplenote makes our top apps for 2013 list.

1. It’s super lightweight. Leave the fluff and extra junk at the door because Simplenote has none of it. At less than 600k, this app is like a feather compared to some.
2. The interface is nearly prestine. It’s so clean you almost feel bad cluttering it with notes.
3. If you’ve tried Evernote and didn’t care for it or even found it to be too much for your needs, then Simplenote is the option you’re after.

We won’t harp on it too much, but if you haven’t tried it yet, then start 2014 out with a new app.

Download for Android

Download for iOS

Cal

Cal comes from Any.do, the makers of ..well.. Any.do. If you’re not familiar, Any.do is a to-do, reminder, sort of productivity type app to keep you on target with tasks. Cal is basically a replacement for your other calendar apps. It’s still new so it lacks a few features that a true Google Calendar has. And while we aren’t huge fans of Any.do, Cal manages to improve on something every smartphone has – a calendar.

It’s attractive interface is super clean and sharp. It uses just enough graphic to spice things up and of course syncs nicely with Any.do to wrap your tasks into your calendar with ease. If you’re someone who likes to have their schedule at the ready and appreciates a very legible interface, then Cal should be on your list.

Download for Android

Download for iOS

Game Apps

We could literally go on forever with all the game apps. Needless to say, there were some standouts.

Real Racing 3

EA’s racing game has enjoyed plenty of ridicule for their freemium model and some of it deservingly so. However, their Real Racing 3 is visually fantastic and has sparked numerous copy cats in the mobile markets. With nearly 80 vehicles, RR3 has given gamers plenty of variety to play with. Fairly regular updates have provided new tracks and competitions and continued to keep the game interesting.

Real Racing 3 gets high marks for guiding the racing category of the market in the right direction (aside from the freemium in app costs that is).

Download for Android

Download for iOS

Injustice: Gods Among Us

Meant as a companion app to the console version. Injustice is quite fun on its own for those that don’t have time to spend in front of a console. Again, based on a freemium type model – Injustice provides achievement based reward with expensive upgrade options. The system is done well and not nearly as overwhelming as some other freemium games. The graphics are slick and for the most part gameplay is consistent.

Download for Android

Download for iOS

Old Favorites 2013

Evernote

We might be beating a dead horse with this one, but the fact is there is no better note-taking, productivity app than Evernote. It is an all encompassing tool that anyone can use. One of our readers spoke up about their experience and how they struggled to find a “practical use” for Evernote. Turns out it was easy once they stopped thinking so much about it. Now their Evernote account is used for storing warranties, manuals, recipes (in conjunction with Evernote Food) and a slew of other everyday things.

The real surprise from Evernote this year was their foray into physical goods. The Evernote gear is somewhat cheesy, but at the same time a testament to it’s popularity and following. Another physical good is their ScanSnap scanner. They partnered with Fujitsu to deliver a high quality device for taking all those loose piles of paper and sending them directly to Evernote notes. Although pricey it’s a real godsend to those looking to go completely paperless.

Download for Android

Download for iOS

Apps Everyone Should Be Using

Pocket

Save anything and everything for reviewing later. Don’t have time to read it now, but the headline looks interesting? Share it to Pocket and view it later. Need to follow a how-to found online, but need it later not now? Share it to Pocket and it’s there.

Download for Android

Download for iOS

TuneIn Radio Pro, Spotify & iHeart

TuneIn, Spotify and iHeart complement each other perfectly. iHeart has most radio stations and those it doesn’t are likely found on TuneIn. TuneIn is also great for radio broadcasts of sporting events, something any fan can appreciate. Spotify delivers everything those two don’t by way of user selected music. Spotify’s new free Playlists playback allows for greater control over selection of songs played. With their immense library of music, there’s very few songs missing.

Download iHeart for Android

Download iHeart for iOS

Download Spotify for Android

Download Spotify for iOS

Download TuneIn Radio Pro for Android

Download TuneIn Radio Pro for iOS

Any Cloud Storage App

If you aren’t using a cloud storage service, then what are you waiting for? There are literally a half-dozen excellent choices with more than a dozen other quality options. Every smartphone owner should be utilizing one to save those precious photos and other data accumulated on mobile devices.

For ease of use you can’t go wrong with Dropbox. Want something closer to your everyday routine? How about Google Drive (for Gmail users) or SkyDrive (for Outlook.com users). Our other favorite is Box although we’re disappointed they don’t give Linux users more love.

Security

Wondering where all the security apps and info are? We intentionally left that info out. Reason being that users need to dedicate more attention to security, not a passing thought in a “best of” list. With this year’s revelations and events, 2014 is going to be a pivotal year for users in securing their information. Look for an early year 2014 Security Checklist post with a bunch of suggestions for keeping you and your information out of other’s hands.

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Celebrating the preview launch of Microsoft’s flagship products System Center 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 and SQL Server 2014, Firebrand Training decided to pay homage to the Tech giant by creating a guide for their existing enterprise technology portfolio.

Check out the graphic below, for a full size version head to Firebrand’s site.

A guide to Microsoft’s Enterprise Technology

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Among the biggest news at E3 inevitably surrounds the console makers. Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony all have their own time to showcase offerings and unique content to wow fans and intrigue gamers. This year much of the surprise was already delivered via pre-E3 events both by Microsoft and Sony which unveiled new consoles from both companies.

Why Sony Looks Like A Winner

Up until E3, both consoles appeared very similar in terms of hardware and for the most part what we’d expect from this round of next generation systems. Microsoft took a great deal of heat over some of their decisions while Sony had a huge question mark hanging over its head with no console images or diagrams.

Console & Controller

For Sony, all that changed when they took the stage at E3 2013. Sony teased viewers for the first third of their presentation with, for the most part, lackluster details and information. However, the reveal of the PS4 couldn’t have gone better. Its sleek style with slanted front and back edges make the two-tone black console a definitive and unimposing piece of hardware. In addition, the slightly larger PS4 controller is sturdy and includes a touch panel for increased control and options.

Vita

Sony continues to support and push out new games to the Vita. The handheld Playstation option has slowly but surely won over the hearts and minds of many gamers. The long list of games coming to Vita include Killzone, Counterspy, The Walking Dead 400 and more. Sony hit all the right buttons (pun intended) to keep Vita in the mobile gaming discussion.

Games

While Sony’s PS4 isn’t a clear winner in the games department, they did provide them in equal amount and quality to that of Xbox One. Titles such as Destiny, Tom Clancy’s The Division, The Order: 1886 and others lead a long list of over 140 games in development for the PS4 right now.

PS3

As with the Xbox 360, the PS3 will continue to receive many games. Although much of the focus, in the media, will be on the PS4 there are a great deal of high quality games making their way to the PS3 including The Last of Us, Beyond Two Souls, Batman Arkham Origins and others.

Pricing & Restrictions

The main reasons for Microsoft taking a beating from fans leading up to E3 was the restrictions they plan to put on gamers with regards to used games, internet access and kinect integration. After their E3 presser, there was even more heat sent their way with the added shock of a $499 price tag on the Xbox One.

Sony whether by design or just plain good fortune absolutely clobbered Microsoft by imposing zero restrictions on used games and connectivity. Gamers won’t need to be constantly connected to the internet, check in regularly or have a camera always on monitoring their moves. It was just the sort of news gamers wanted to hear and needed to be told.

As if that news wasn’t enough to ingratiate Sony to gamers, they unveiled the price of the PS4 to the tone of $399 – a whopping $100 less than Microsoft’s Xbox One. Without a doubt after those declaration were made, Sony was well on their way to enjoying a pleasant week at E3.

Entertainment

Where Microsoft focused too much on entertainment and TV during their pre-E3 event and soured many fans, Sony discussed the PS4’s entertainment offerings during the E3 presser. While much more subdued than the gaming portion, Sony showed they are willing to provide options like Netflix, Flixster, Hulu+ and others via the PS4 console.

Original programming is in the works from Sony of the PS4 with Music Unlimited and Video Unlimited read on day one. The brilliance is that Sony will provide much of the same entertainment offerings through the PS4 that the Xbox One will provide, but Sony chose to downplay that aspect which was marketing genius.

Summary & Highlights

Though we would have liked to have seen more original IPs come out of the Sony presser, it’s almost impossible to say anyone other than Sony won this year’s popular vote. The slick console, attractive price point, restriction free gaming, improved entertainment and overall willingness to give gamers what they want undeniably put Sony on a pedestal for the others to reach.

Highlights

• Square black matte/gloss finish with angled edges at front and rear
• Sturdier controller design with touch pad
• Release Date: Holiday 2013
• Price Point: $399
• Restrictions (games & connectivity): None
• TV & Music services integrated: Yes
• PSN Memberships Transfer?: Yes
• 140 games in development
• Cloud gaming with access to PS3 titles: 2014
• Pre-order: PS4

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Gaming

Let’s start with the core of Xbox origins, gaming. Though we saw little, the previews shown were exquisite. Graphics have never appeared more realistic and game engines look primed to take advantage of the new Xbox One hardware. Expect more from E3 in June along with actual gameplay footage.

Used Games

This seems to be a sore spot as it appears patrons of Gamefly and others will be left wondering for a bit longer if Microsoft has a defined plan for rental discs. As for purchase/trade-in of used games, Microsoft seems to be trying to reinvent the wheel with some sort of licensing program via retail outlets and online. More details on this are expected, possibly at E3 and surely before launch.

Backwards Compatibility

None. Xbox One will not be able to play Xbox 360 or earlier titles. Not surprising, but somewhat disappointing. Titles like Skyrim and other blockbusters will simply be left to collect dust once adoption of One begins.

Profiles

Gamerscores will transfer, again no surprise considering they’re tied to an email account. Digital games however are a no go, which means money spent on digital titles is tied to 360.

Entertainment

If you’re looking for a new cable box, then Xbox One is something to consider. We’ve been fearful that Microsoft’s move to be more entertainment-friendly in the living room would cause a serious downside in gaming. This may have just occurred in the Xbox One. Granted, it’s still early and we have E3 yet to come, but the Xbox One reveal presentation focused on entertainment – no one can deny that.

From fantasy sports with NFL games to live TV viewing, entertainment was front stage at the reveal. Here’s the problem with Microsoft’s path to entertainment, they aren’t providing very much for what they’re asking. Let’s break down the costs:

[list style=”square” color=”cobult”]

• Microsoft is likely to ask somewhere in the neighborhood of $400-$500 if not more for the Xbox One
• Use of Entertainment Apps require you to purchase an Xbox Live Gold membership at no less than $5/month to access apps like Netflix, Hulu Plus and others.
• Many of those same apps additionally cost just shy of $10 monthly.
• If you want to watch live TV, Microsoft insists that you have a cable subscription in order to watch it, which as we all know can be hundreds of dollars per month depending on your service level.

To compensate for those endless and partially unnecessary (Xbox Live Gold) charges, users get Kinect. More gestures and voice recognition, in a nutshell. Voice recognition is spiffy, no doubt about it and gestures are fun for about the first 5 minutes. After that, the shine loses its luster and we’re left with constant nickel and dime charges. For the last time – users aren’t looking for another way to access cable, we’re looking to replace it.

Otherwise, Xbox One is the end all be all of entertainment devices thus far.

Operations Q&A

Internet Connectivity

Is it required? Yes. That isn’t to say you can’t be offline for a period of time, but the system must have access once every 24 hours to stay updated. We speculate that this requirement is to authenticate your cloud account and game ownership with your console. Unfortunately, those without a constant internet connection won’t be enjoying anything on Xbox One.

Borrowed Games

Can you have a friend over to play HIS copy of a game? Strictly speaking – No. Playing the game isn’t an issue, but you’ll need to be signed in under your friend’s account. That means, no more leaving the game at a friend’s house to let them try it out for a couple days.

Game Installation

Is it required? Yes. All games must be installed in order to play them. This is a somewhat odd approach by Microsoft though necessary considering the use of blu-ray. Trouble is likely to occur when space becomes limited. Each unit will ship with 500GB of storage, but honestly that’s about half of what should be standard. 1TB isn’t exactly expensive anymore. We’d like Microsoft to rethink this particular hardware option and up the storage space to avoid space conflicts.

Kinect Required?

Yes. Kinect is now an intregal part of the Xbox landscape and it isn’t going away. Kinect itself is fantastic and a marvelous addition to an entertainment box. Whether the Kinect can add rather than detract enjoyment from the gaming side of Xbox One is to be determined.

Final Thoughts

The Xbox One event looked like an E3 presentation, but in reality was a prelude to the big event which starts on June 11, 2013 (Microsoft’s presser scheduled for 6/10/2013). The live Redmond event stood out because of what it lacked, not what it delivered. Lacking were gaming details, games themselves and an overall commitment to loyal Xbox gamers. The very thing each and every console needs in order to survive is its gamer base and Microsoft nearly ignored them.

The Xbox One looks like a state of the art entertainment console, though when you break it down is slightly more than a glorified cable box. The Kinect, TV integration, add-on apps, internet browsing and music player are directly targeted to those who think the Xbox is merely a gaming device. Sounds great in theory except that those same people likely won’t bother to even look at the Xbox One as more than a gaming device. A catch-22 that Microsoft will be hard pressed to get by.

Is it worth the cost? Unknown until we actually see the price point on the One. However, with all the extra fees involved in order to take advantage of all the bells and whistles, it seems highly unlikely (at least at launch).

Final judgment is being withheld until we see what Microsoft delivers at E3 2013. Here’s a tip for the Xbox One team – Bring the games!

Expect a follow-up from us following E3 and in the coming months leading up to the Xbox One release.

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This new twist involves more brains than brawn to save players from inevitably sore fingers.

Tekken Card Tournament

For those unfamiliar, Tekken is a fighting game where it pits opponent versus opponent in a duel to the finish. Tekken Card Tournament (TCT) is similar in that players use cards to determine their action, whether it be Focus, Strike or Block.

TCT is more of a strategy game than a fighting game. Players must not only decide their next move, but also anticipate their opponents. Countering and receiving acceptable damage during turns is integral to mastering the game.

The rub is this, TCT has issues. Some issues are bigger than others, but let’s take a look at what works in TCT first.

The Good

Graphics

While the graphics aren’t groundbreaking, they are sufficient. Battle scenes are mediocre, but not choppy or fragmented. Could they be better? Yes. Are they detrimental to the game? Not in the least.

Cards

Each deck is quite large. Players can only use 15 at any given time, but the decks themselves are more than triple that. Collecting cards is a bit of a side mission and of course the more cards collected, the larger the character’s skill set.

Each set is character appropriate and though the variety could use some work, they are different enough to make things interesting.

Player versus Player (PVP) multi-player

TCT almost had to have PVP built-in to be worth the download. Thankfully it is.

Card Fusion

The process of combing multiples of the same card to form a new, more potent card. The fusion outcome is predetermined, but the feature still delivers a bit of fun and achievement.

The Bad

TCT from day one has had some recurring problems that the developers are working on. We acknowledge that and expect many of the PVP problems to be resolved completely very soon. Having said that, TCT was released before it was ready and those who jumped in early have had to live with the pain for the gain.

PVP Server downtime

For the first week following the official release, the server was up and down more than a yo-yo. That meant no PVP or if there were server hiccups during a PVP match, loss of points. [notice type=”blue”]Note: TCT developers have consistently been addressing this issue and significant improvements have been made.[/notice]

Credits

TCT is full of in app purchasing to improve characters. Chief among them the use of credits which can be used to buy card packs and stamina refills. Prices range from .99¢ to $99.99 for batches of credits.  If you plan to pursue lengthy gameplay in TCT, then get ready to invest some money.

Credits are showered onto new users in the beginning with bonuses and early level perks.  After that, they are extremely rare.  Players can expect to receive them at each new level and the infrequent random reward bonus.

All those things would be fine, except that the pricing for Stamina refills and Card Packs are overpriced.  Stamina (more on stamina below) for example can cost 18 credits to refill 100%, but players don’t start receiving 18 credits for a new level until after 15.  Card Packs cost between 150 and 400 credits.  Do the math and it’s easily visible that collecting cards and improving characters will be a mind-numbingly long process.

Gold

For many of the same reasons as Credits.  Simply put, the rewards are too small per battle.  Card packs cost 3k gold, while specific card purchases start at 5k gold.  Card Fusion starts at 5k gold.  Per battle gold reward for a Medium level battle?  A mere 144 gold.

To be fair, there are a lot of gold bonuses and rewards. Even so, purchasing a single card at 5k depletes the bank fast, not to mention the 50k for more potent cards.

Stamina

This has to be the most ridiculous feature of TCT.  What its purpose is, we can’t say.  Essentially each character has a Stamina bar which decreases after every battle.  Players can only play 5 battles in succession without refilling or waiting for Stamina to refill on its own.

Battles last roughly 3 minutes.  Each Stamina bar (5 in total) takes anywhere from 20-30 minutes to refill on its own.  So 15 minutes worth of play and 125 minutes on average of waiting.  Players can opt to refill their Stamina with credits, but they are rare and are better used on Card Packs and additional decks (100 credits each after 3 free decks).

The whole idea of Stamina is baffling.  Perhaps it’s a measure put in place to curb server overload by artificially forcing players to stand down and not play.  That should only be a temporary measure though.  Stamina appears as though it’s a fixed part of the game.

Real World Card Purchases

It appears TCT will have the option to scan in real world cards purchased from retailers.  We see this as a non-starter and think Namco Bandai should revisit the cost of shipping, packaging and factory maintenance versus delivering more varied Card Packs in game.

The thinking is that, real world cards will add something to the game or make it more desirable.  It won’t.  Move on.

Download Tekken Card Tournament

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Now there’s an app for that!

Toy Story Live Wallpaper

If you’re unfamiliar with ‘Live Wallpapers’, they are backgrounds for mobile devices and generally have animation whether it be constant or intermittent and some have an element of interaction which is the case with Toy Story.

The scene is Andy’s room, complete with desk, bed, shelves, posters, bulletin board and other typical boy’s room décor. Throughout the room are different elements which add to the atmosphere such as a globe which users can spin, a bounce-able ball and bulletin board where a message can be written with colored block letters. The live wallpaper also tracks the local time of day and adjusts the environment (outside window) accordingly for nighttime and daytime.

Characters

What would a Toy Story app be without characters like Woody, Buzz and the gang? An empty one. Which is the default for the live wallpaper. Characters are unlocked via two methods.

First, users can purchase bundles and unlock them. Second, characters are unlocked through a collection of points which are accumulated through capturing army men and dartboard bulls-eyes. Total points collected are display on a laptop within the wallpaper. The first method is much faster, but way less fun than the second.

Each day users can throw darts in an attempt to hit the bullseye. The dartboard can only be accessed once a day. Army men on the other hand can be captured repeatedly, all day long. The points vary, but the process is always the same. Army men parachute in to the screen and users must tap them to gain points.

Character list:

[list style=”square” color=”cobult”]

• Woody
• Buzz
• Hamm
• Rex
• Aliens

What’s Missing

Toy Story Live Wallpaper is exactly what you’d expect from Disney. A fun little escape for your mobile device and safe for all ages. There could be more from this little app, so these are the things that we’d like to see added in a future update.

More Characters

Even Toy Story purists would insist on Slinky Dog and Mr. Potato Head being included in the app. Both would be great additions to the live wallpaper and it’s easy to imagine their own unique animations on screen. Beyond the original cast, the app could benefit from Jessie, Bullseye, Bo Peep, Wheezy, RC, Etch, Mrs. Potato Head, Lenny and plenty of others to choose from. We’d even be open to seeing Stinky Pete the Prospector and Zurg.

For The Girls

Another thing we’d like to see is a girl’s room option. While not strictly Toy Story storyline material, it would give girls a more appropriate option. Of course any girl’s room could be decorated with the likes of Jessie, Mrs. Potato Head, etc.

More Live Action

Aside from those two major additions, Toy Story Live Wallpaper could do with a bit more Live factor. Perhaps RC cruising across the floor at random or Etch propped up on a shelf with a random sketch after an unlock or device shake. There are a number of possibilities and we hope the app crew over at Disney open up their imaginations in future updates.

Final Notes

As it is, Toy Story Live Wallpaper is an excellent little app that is sure to please even the biggest of kids. It is free and available now.

Download Toy Story Live Wallpaper

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This week Todoist launched Karma, which is a sort of point system for tracking your productivity. Completing tasks boosts your Karma score, while postponing or delaying tasks will impact Karma scores.

The positive Karma is Todoist’s way of making task completion and productivity fun. Regardless of fun factor, no one likes to see their scores go down so this new feature could potentially compel users to accomplish more with increased frequency.

Additional Karma boosting methods include:

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• Regular task management
• Completing tasks early
• Use of advanced Todoist features (labels, reminders, etc.)

The less you use Todoist, the more your Karma score will decline. Score can also be impacted by allowing tasks to exceed 4 days overdue. Here’s a video look at what Karma can do for you:

Todoist is one of the most frequently updated and managed productivity apps we’ve reviewed. With developers constantly refining and improving the app, there’s always something impressive happening at Todoist.

What does Karma mean long term? Hard to say, but we’re speculating that integration of Karma could lead to much larger scale productivity integration for business users who want to track their team’s output. Once a standard has been set, there’s no doubt Karma could provide serious insight into team member’s productivity and success rate.

Todoist is already an app that can be utilized for team project management and is definitely worth the short time investment of installing the app. You can read more about Todoist and the Todoist app in the following related articles:

Todoist Android App Review
Get More Done By Using Todoist

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