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	<title>Techerator &#187; Kevin Schulte</title>
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	<link>http://www.techerator.com</link>
	<description>Techerator is an excellent source of tips, guides, and reviews about software, web apps, technology, mobile phones, and computers.</description>
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		<title>Valve Releases Steam Mobile App for Android and iOS</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2012/02/valve-releases-steam-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=valve-releases-steam-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2012/02/valve-releases-steam-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:34:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iOS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPad]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPhone]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[iPod]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steam]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Valve]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=16864</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Steam, Valve&#8217;s powerhouse digital distribution service for PC and Mac, is finally making its way to mobile devices. Don&#8217;t get too excited yet, though, they aren&#8217;t selling any mobile specific games. Instead, the Steam mobile app acts as a much-needed mobile portal for the multitude of services Steam offers. Getting logged in is as simple [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/02/valve-releases-steam-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios/">Valve Releases Steam Mobile App for Android and iOS</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/apple-reigns-as-largest-smartphone-manufacturer-android-still-rules-mobile-os-marketshare/' rel='bookmark' title='Apple Reigns As Largest Smartphone Manufacturer; Android Still Rules Mobile OS Marketshare'>Apple Reigns As Largest Smartphone Manufacturer; Android Still Rules Mobile OS Marketshare</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/10/a-quick-look-at-the-new-firefox-mobile-beta-for-android/' rel='bookmark' title='A Quick Look at the New Firefox Mobile (Beta) for Android'>A Quick Look at the New Firefox Mobile (Beta) for Android</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/05/first-look-fennec-for-android/' rel='bookmark' title='First Look: Fennec (aka Firefox Mobile) for Android'>First Look: Fennec (aka Firefox Mobile) for Android</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Steam, Valve&#8217;s powerhouse digital distribution service for PC and Mac, is finally making its way to mobile devices. Don&#8217;t get too excited yet, though, they aren&#8217;t selling any mobile specific games. Instead, the Steam mobile app acts as a much-needed mobile portal for the multitude of services Steam offers.</p>
<p>Getting logged in is as simple as you&#8217;d expect, and Steam mobile even has support for Steam&#8217;s relatively recent Steam Guard account protection. Whenever you try to log into Steam on a new device Valve sends an e-mail containing a one time activation code to the address they have on file. You can&#8217;t log in without first entering that code. It adds an appreciated level of security for a service that many users have sunk hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars into.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16867" title="steam_guard" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/steam_guard-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>Instead of trying to navigate Steam&#8217;s desktop-minded website on your phone you can now access Steam&#8217;s most useful features with an interface that has mobile devices in mind. Chat with your friends, check out active deals, or browse Steam&#8217;s entire catalog, all from your phone. You can even buy games directly from the app. If you don&#8217;t mind the extra icon in the status bar Steam will run in the background, making you available for chat no matter where you are (this service can be disabled in the Settings menu, where you can also set your preferences for receiving chat messages).</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16869" title="steam_deals" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/steam_deals-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>The Steam mobile app had a short closed beta period, but is now available for everyone who wants it. Get it for free from the official store <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/mobile">for your preferred platform</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/02/valve-releases-steam-mobile-app-for-android-and-ios/">Valve Releases Steam Mobile App for Android and iOS</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/apple-reigns-as-largest-smartphone-manufacturer-android-still-rules-mobile-os-marketshare/' rel='bookmark' title='Apple Reigns As Largest Smartphone Manufacturer; Android Still Rules Mobile OS Marketshare'>Apple Reigns As Largest Smartphone Manufacturer; Android Still Rules Mobile OS Marketshare</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/10/a-quick-look-at-the-new-firefox-mobile-beta-for-android/' rel='bookmark' title='A Quick Look at the New Firefox Mobile (Beta) for Android'>A Quick Look at the New Firefox Mobile (Beta) for Android</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/05/first-look-fennec-for-android/' rel='bookmark' title='First Look: Fennec (aka Firefox Mobile) for Android'>First Look: Fennec (aka Firefox Mobile) for Android</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>First Look: Using Windows 8 on a Tablet</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/a-quick-look-at-windows-8-on-a-tablet/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=a-quick-look-at-windows-8-on-a-tablet</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/a-quick-look-at-windows-8-on-a-tablet/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 15:40:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hardware]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Microsoft]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[tablet]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows 8]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=16418</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Microsoft is aiming high with Windows 8. Not only will Windows 8 be their next flagship desktop operation system, Microsoft is also looking to make it their first OS that&#8217;s actually usable on a tablet (anyone who has used any version of Windows on a tablet up to now will tell you that it makes [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/a-quick-look-at-windows-8-on-a-tablet/">First Look: Using Windows 8 on a Tablet</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/how-to-make-your-windows-tablet-look-like-windows-phone-7/' rel='bookmark' title='How to make your Windows tablet look like Windows Phone 7'>How to make your Windows tablet look like Windows Phone 7</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/the-asus-eee-slate-with-windows-7-a-tablet-computer-on-steroids/' rel='bookmark' title='The Asus Eee Slate with Windows 7: A Tablet Computer on Steroids'>The Asus Eee Slate with Windows 7: A Tablet Computer on Steroids</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/11/when-will-we-see-a-chrome-os-tablet/' rel='bookmark' title='When Will We See A Chrome OS Tablet?'>When Will We See A Chrome OS Tablet?</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Microsoft is aiming high with <a href="http://www.techerator.com/tag/windows-8/">Windows 8</a>. Not only will Windows 8 be their next flagship desktop operation system, Microsoft is also looking to make it their first OS that&#8217;s actually usable on a tablet (anyone who has used any version of Windows on a tablet up to now will tell you that it makes for a less than stellar experience).</p>
<p>I recently had the good fortune to play around with a tablet (specifically the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SBI2PW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004SBI2PW">Acer Iconia Tab W500</a>) running the <a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516">Windows 8 Developer Preview</a>. While the developer preview is still a very early build (and it shows), it&#8217;s showing a lot of promise.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004SBI2PW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004SBI2PW"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16438" title="SONY DSC" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_tab-585x389.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="389" /></a></p>
<p>Right away I was impressed with Windows 8&#8242;s boot time, Microsoft is finally paying attention to an area it has struggled with in the past. With the help of the W500&#8242;s solid state drive I clocked the time from pushing the power button to staring at the log in screen at around <strong>five seconds</strong>. Compared to the 30+ seconds you&#8217;ll see on a Windows 7 desktop with a standard spinning drive that&#8217;s quite an improvement, and a necessary one for a portable device like a tablet.</p>
<p>In Windows 8, Microsoft added the option of tying your Windows Live ID to your standard log in. This allows you to sync things like browser bookmarks and passwords across all of your devices and facilitates downloads from the upcoming Windows Store. It&#8217;s similar to both Apple&#8217;s and Google&#8217;s approaches to tying your device to an account with the added bonus of syncing things you&#8217;d normally find in a roaming profile on a Windows-based network. Most everyone has a Live ID lying around for something or other, may as well put it to good use!</p>
<p>My favorite addition to Windows 8 is the expanded Task Manager. It&#8217;s actually useful! All of the stats you could ever want are available at a glance. Instead of just CPU and memory activity you can now see which processes are hogging disk or network access. Ever wonder how many threads are currently active, or how many open file handles there are? Probably not, but it&#8217;s there for you to view. The Task Manager also integrates the useful Startup (previously found in msconfig) and Services (previously services.msc) tabs, making them easier to get to.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_task.png"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16436" title="tablet8_task" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_task-392x400.png" alt="" width="392" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>Windows Explorer has also seen a welcome update with the addition of the ribbon interface found in recent versions of Microsoft Office. Gone are the days of having to dig through a menu just to do something simple like show hidden files and folders, you can now make it available right on the main screen by pinning it to the ribbon.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_explorer.png"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16434" title="tablet8_explorer" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_explorer-585x365.png" alt="" width="585" height="365" /></a></p>
<p>But enough about Windows 8 features in general, how does it work on a tablet? Pretty well, actually.</p>
<p>The main tablet interface will be familiar to Windows Phone 7 users as it&#8217;s basically an expansion on that. Big friendly buttons make it easy to go where you want to go, and standard touch screen rules apply (for example, to move an icon long press on it and drag).</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_main.png"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16435" title="tablet8_main" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_main-585x365.png" alt="" width="585" height="365" /></a></p>
<p>Windows 8 also features a browser optimized for tablet browsing. If you&#8217;ve used other mobile browsers it shouldn&#8217;t take much getting used to. In normal mode, the whole screen is dedicated to website viewing, with additional options like the URL bar or tabs available at the swipe of a finger.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_web.png"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16433" title="tablet8_web" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_web-585x365.png" alt="" width="585" height="365" /></a></p>
<p>The most useful feature of Windows 8 on a tablet, in my opinion, is the fact that if you end up needing to do something that a traditional tablet can&#8217;t handle there&#8217;s still a full Windows operating system to fall back on. Sure, it&#8217;s just as clunky to use as past versions, but the important thing is that it&#8217;s there. For example, it wasn&#8217;t too long ago that Android was hurting for a full-featured video player that could handle such things as a wide variety of codecs or subtitles. On a tablet running Windows 8 that&#8217;s a non-issue, just install <a href="http://www.videolan.org/vlc/">VLC</a> and play whatever you want.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the benefits of a full desktop OS also add something you might not want: weight. To handle an OS like Windows a tablet needs powerful hardware. That desktop processor and solid state drive don&#8217;t come light, and the W500 weighs in at around 3.5 pounds, compared to the iPad 2&#8242;s 1.3 pounds. If you have something to rest the tablet on it isn&#8217;t so bad (or if you&#8217;re using a &#8216;transforming&#8217; tablet like the W500 that can plug into a keyboard attachment), but holding it up can get annoyingly tiring.</p>
<div id="attachment_16439" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 595px;  border: 1px solid #dddddd; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin: 10px; text-align:center; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img class="size-large wp-image-16439 " title="tablet8_control" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/tablet8_control-585x365.png" alt="" width="585" height="365" /><p style=' padding: 0 4px 5px; margin: 0;'  class="wp-caption-text">Windows 8 also features the obsession with whitespace that seems to be sweeping the design community</p></div>
<p>As previously mentioned, the familiar Windows 7-like portions of Windows 8 still don&#8217;t handle a touch interface very well. Right clicking is done by long pressing, icons and menu options are small enough to make them difficult to click with a finger, and convenient keyboard shortcuts are impossible to use. Hopefully the Metro portion of Windows 8 will be up to handling most tasks, because while a Windows desktop is useful as a fallback option trying to use it for more than short period of time is an exercise in frustration.</p>
<p>Windows 8 still has a way to go before it&#8217;s ready for prime time, but that&#8217;s understandable as it&#8217;s still early in development. A beta version is expected to be available sometime in February of this year which will hopefully address many of the faults found in the Developer Preview. Windows 8 probably won&#8217;t be a necessary upgrade on a desktop or laptop running Windows 7, but as a tablet OS it&#8217;s showing plenty of promise. And who knows, with Android being <a href="http://www.android-x86.org/">ported to x86 architecture</a> and Windows 8 supporting ARM processors maybe we&#8217;ll see tablets dual booting Windows 8 and Android.</p>
<p><em>Special thanks to my dad for letting me borrow the tablet used in this article.</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/a-quick-look-at-windows-8-on-a-tablet/">First Look: Using Windows 8 on a Tablet</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/how-to-make-your-windows-tablet-look-like-windows-phone-7/' rel='bookmark' title='How to make your Windows tablet look like Windows Phone 7'>How to make your Windows tablet look like Windows Phone 7</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/the-asus-eee-slate-with-windows-7-a-tablet-computer-on-steroids/' rel='bookmark' title='The Asus Eee Slate with Windows 7: A Tablet Computer on Steroids'>The Asus Eee Slate with Windows 7: A Tablet Computer on Steroids</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/11/when-will-we-see-a-chrome-os-tablet/' rel='bookmark' title='When Will We See A Chrome OS Tablet?'>When Will We See A Chrome OS Tablet?</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Transfer files and control your phone wirelessly with AirDroid for Android</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/transfer-files-and-control-your-phone-wirelessly-with-airdroid-for-android/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=transfer-files-and-control-your-phone-wirelessly-with-airdroid-for-android</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/transfer-files-and-control-your-phone-wirelessly-with-airdroid-for-android/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:46:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AirDroid]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Android Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Remote Desktop]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[vnc]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=16446</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Managing files and data on an Android device can be a chore at times. To move files back and forth you have to keep a micro USB cable handy. Not only that, in order to move files to your phone&#8217;s SD card it has to first be unmounted from your phone, which can take a [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/transfer-files-and-control-your-phone-wirelessly-with-airdroid-for-android/">Transfer files and control your phone wirelessly with AirDroid for Android</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/move-files-between-your-android-phone-and-your-computer-without-wires/' rel='bookmark' title='Move Files Between Your Android Phone and Your Computer Without Wires'>Move Files Between Your Android Phone and Your Computer Without Wires</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/' rel='bookmark' title='Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android'>Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/use-bubbles-and-your-android-phone-to-create-memorable-phone-calls/' rel='bookmark' title='Use Bubbles and Your Android Phone to Create Memorable Phone Calls'>Use Bubbles and Your Android Phone to Create Memorable Phone Calls</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Managing files and data on an Android device can be a chore at times. To move files back and forth you have to keep a micro USB cable handy. Not only that, in order to move files to your phone&#8217;s SD card it has to first be unmounted from your phone, which can take a while if you&#8217;re still using an ancient phone with limited internal memory (like me) and have tons of applications installed to the SD card.</p>
<p>Enter <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sand.airdroid">AirDroid</a>.</p>
<p>AirDroid not only makes it easy to manage your files, but also do other managerial tasks on your phone, all wirelessly!</p>
<p>Setting up AirDroid is pretty painless. After connecting your Android device to the same wireless network as your computer, just open AirDroid on your phone. Hit the &#8220;Start&#8221; button (if it doesn&#8217;t start automatically) and type the displayed IP address into your favorite web browser on your computer. Then just enter the four digit password. You&#8217;re in!</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16794" title="airdroid_airdroid" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/airdroid_airdroid-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>Everything on the main AirDroid &#8216;desktop&#8217; is pretty self-explanatory. From here you can browse text messages (and send new ones), uninstall apps from your phone, install new apps if you have the APK file handy on your computer, share clipboard contents between your computer and phone, and much more.</p>
<p>One of my favorite uses for AirDroid is to move files to and from my phone. File transfers are a bit slower over wireless than over USB, but if I&#8217;m feeling extra lazy the convenience of AirDroid wins out. Even better, through the magic of VNC I can start AirDroid, connect to my computer through a VNC client (I use <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=android.androidVNC">android-vnc-viewer</a>), connect from there back to my phone, and transfer files without ever physically needing to touch my computer. Theoretically you could take it a step further and set up a VPN to transfer files from your home computer even when you&#8217;re out of the house, but that isn&#8217;t something I&#8217;ve personally tried.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-16802" title="airdroid_desktop" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/airdroid_desktop.png" alt="" width="358" height="587" /></p>
<p>AirDroid might not completely revolutionize the Android experience, but it certainly makes managing your phone more convenient. Best of all, it&#8217;s free!</p>
<p>AirDroid can be downloaded free of charge from the <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.sand.airdroid">Android Market</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/transfer-files-and-control-your-phone-wirelessly-with-airdroid-for-android/">Transfer files and control your phone wirelessly with AirDroid for Android</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/move-files-between-your-android-phone-and-your-computer-without-wires/' rel='bookmark' title='Move Files Between Your Android Phone and Your Computer Without Wires'>Move Files Between Your Android Phone and Your Computer Without Wires</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/' rel='bookmark' title='Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android'>Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/use-bubbles-and-your-android-phone-to-create-memorable-phone-calls/' rel='bookmark' title='Use Bubbles and Your Android Phone to Create Memorable Phone Calls'>Use Bubbles and Your Android Phone to Create Memorable Phone Calls</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>An Introduction to Flight Simulators Part 1: Getting Started</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/an-introduction-to-flight-simulators-part-1-getting-started/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=an-introduction-to-flight-simulators-part-1-getting-started</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/an-introduction-to-flight-simulators-part-1-getting-started/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:00:06 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flight sim]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[flight simulator]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[introduction to flight simulators]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[My mission is simple: Fly over the enemy&#8217;s fortifications and snap some reconnaissance photos. Resistance should be light, and I&#8217;m one of a three-man flight group. Fly there, fly back, land in time for breakfast. Easy, right? As my Spad XIII lifts off from the makeshift runway, Earth&#8217;s features slowly blending together beneath me as [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/an-introduction-to-flight-simulators-part-1-getting-started/">An Introduction to Flight Simulators Part 1: Getting Started</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/07/an-introduction-to-ubuntus-personal-package-archives/' rel='bookmark' title='An Introduction to Ubuntu&#8217;s Personal Package Archives'>An Introduction to Ubuntu&#8217;s Personal Package Archives</a></li>
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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>My mission is simple: Fly over the enemy&#8217;s fortifications and snap some reconnaissance photos. Resistance should be light, and I&#8217;m one of a three-man flight group. Fly there, fly back, land in time for breakfast. Easy, right?</em></p>
<p><em>As my Spad XIII lifts off from the makeshift runway, Earth&#8217;s features slowly blending together beneath me as I gain altitude, I relish in the flight. This is where I was meant to be. Kilometers above firm ground, the wind loud in my ears.</em></p>
<p><em>Explosions fill the air as we pass over enemy territory. It looks like their AA gunners have spotted us. I veer left and right, hoping to create a more difficult target. As we pass the enemy&#8217;s main encampment I dip my wings slightly, pull out my camera, and snap a few quick photos. My work here is done.</em></p>
<p><em>We turn towards home, our mission a success. Off to my left I notice a small speck, and I roll towards it for a closer look. The form of an enemy zeppelin slowly emerges from what was, just a few seconds ago, an amorphous blob of nothingness.<br />
</em></p>
<p><em>I look over at one of my wingmen and I can tell he&#8217;s thinking the same thing &#8211; we&#8217;ve already accomplished what we set out to do, but why not go for a little extra? I follow him in his dive towards the zeppelin, firing in short bursts as he pulls out of his strafing run.</em></p>
<p><em>Success! The zeppelin ignites as I pull out of my dive, and I can&#8217;t help but grin as adrenaline pumps hard in my veins. My grin fades as I feel a sharp pain in my chest. Dazed I look down and see blood trickling out of several bullet wounds. Looking behind me I finally see the enemy bandit that managed to sneak up on me while I was preoccupied with the zeppelin. My arms slump and my plane stalls, entering a nosedive that can only end one way.</em></p>
<p><em>Spiraling helplessly towards the ground only one thought fills my slowly fading mind: I should have left that stupid zeppelin alone.</em></p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16250" title="sim1_rof" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sim1_rof-585x365.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="365" /></p>
<p>So ended the career of Gerard Girard (hey, the computer picked the name, not me), Italian nobleman and World War I fighter pilot. The story above was an actual mission I flew in the career mode of the combat flight simulator <a href="http://riseofflight.com/en">Rise of Flight</a>.</p>
<p>Flight simulators attempt to replicate the physics of flying as closely as possible. Things like weather, air flow, the aircraft&#8217;s engine performance, and even the buildup of ice on the wings or rotor are continuously monitored and simulated. Flight sims have tremendous learning curves, but the payoff is oh-so-rewarding.</p>
<p>Because of their complexity, flight simulators can be intimidating. Just watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Q_XNf4elAI">this video</a> for a &#8216;quick and dirty&#8217; startup for the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamov_Ka-50">Ka-50 Black Shark</a>. Sure, you don&#8217;t have to manually flip all those switches yourself if you don&#8217;t want to (there&#8217;s a simple key combination that does it all automatically for you), but there&#8217;s no feeling quite like starting it up by yourself for the first time without a checklist. You feel like you&#8217;ve actually accomplished something worthwhile. It&#8217;s a skill that has no applicability to real life (unless you somehow manage to get kidnapped by Russians, taken to a Russian airfield, and need to make quick escape), but the feeling is there all the same.</p>
<p>Through a series of articles I&#8217;ll attempt to ease you into the complexities of flight simulators. First up is a preflight checklist of sorts. I&#8217;ll go over everything you need before venturing into the wonderful world of simulated aviation.</p>
<h2>Getting started with flight simulators</h2>
<h3>Your computer</h3>
<p>The first thing you&#8217;ll want to consider before getting into flight simulators is your computer&#8217;s hardware. Most recently released flight simulators require a reasonably powerful computer unless you want to play them on the lowest graphical settings. I&#8217;d recommend at least a  dual core processor (Core 2 Duo for example), 2GB of RAM (more is better), and an Nvidia 8800 GT/ATI 4850. You can probably squeak by with less if necessary, but by doing so you&#8217;ll have to seriously sacrifice graphical quality.</p>
<p>If your computer isn&#8217;t up to snuff, don&#8217;t worry! Along with the latest and greatest flight simulators I&#8217;ll also be recommending some older sims that run fine on almost any hardware.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16246" title="sim1_flight" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sim1_flight-585x331.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="331" /></p>
<h3>Input devices</h3>
<p>Next up you&#8217;ll want to get your hands on a decent joystick. Most flight simulators are technically playable with just a keyboard and mouse, but at that point why even bother? If you don&#8217;t mind spending a bit of extra money, go ahead and get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00030GSJY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00030GSJY">Saitek&#8217;s X52 HOTAS</a> (hands on throttle and stick). It&#8217;s generally considered to be the de facto mid-range joystick. If money isn&#8217;t an issue at all you can go crazy and get yourself something like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00419ZUXS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00419ZUXS">Thrustmaster&#8217;s A-10C Warthog replica HOTAS</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00419ZUXS/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B00419ZUXS"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16244" title="sim1_warthog" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sim1_warthog-507x400.jpg" alt="" width="507" height="400" /></a></p>
<p>There are plenty of lower end joysticks that work just fine if you&#8217;re on a budget. If you decide to pick up one of these, you&#8217;ll want to make sure it has a few things:</p>
<ol>
<li><strong>A twist axis.</strong> If you opt not to get rudder pedals (more on those later), a joystick&#8217;s twist axis is generally used for the pedals&#8217; functions.</li>
<li><strong>A throttle lever.</strong> Throttle control can be relegated to the keyboard if necessary, but the importance of the fine control provided by even a simple throttle lever cannot be understated.</li>
<li><strong>A hat switch.</strong> Some people like to use the numeric pad on the keyboard to look around in-game while others prefer the hat switch on a joystick. If you aren&#8217;t yet sure which camp you fall into, you might as well get a joystick with a hat switch just in case.</li>
</ol>
<h3>Extra peripherals</h3>
<p>Lastly we come to any additional peripherals you might want to pick up to enhance your experience. None of them are by any means necessary, but if you have the cash to spend they can certainly make your simming life easier. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000H67DDY/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000H67DDY">Rudder pedals</a> are much less awkward to use than the twist axis on a joystick. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029M6VKA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0029M6VKA">TrackIR</a>, while expensive, completely changes the way you play sims by using head tracking software to map your real life head movements to in-game head movements. Saitek also makes a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004ING99Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004ING99Q">wide</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VLNXRU/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B000VLNXRU">range</a> of <a href="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&amp;bc1=000000&amp;IS2=1&amp;bg1=FFFFFF&amp;fc1=000000&amp;lc1=0000FF&amp;t=techerator-20&amp;o=1&amp;p=8&amp;l=as4&amp;m=amazon&amp;f=ifr&amp;ref=ss_til&amp;asins=B001EYU1WS">additional</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002DUCF7Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002DUCF7Q">peripherals</a> for you to play with.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16248" title="sim1_a10c" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sim1_a10c-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" /></p>
<h2>What&#8217;s next?</h2>
<p>Once you start playing around in simulators you will invariably have questions. Sims are complex beasts by nature, and some things would be near impossible to figure out on your own. Thankfully the simming community is welcoming to newbies and generally happy to answer your questions. Most games have forums set up by their publishers, or you could check out <a href="http://www.flightsim.com/">FlightSim.com</a> or <a href="http://www.simhq.com/">SimHQ</a>. Both websites publish excellent simulator-related articles, and both have forums set up for game discussion.</p>
<p>That covers all the basics you&#8217;ll need to start flying (in the virtual world, at least)! Keep an eye out for part 2 of my Introduction to Flight Simulators series, in which I&#8217;ll be discussing various non-combat flight simulators that are available.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2012/01/an-introduction-to-flight-simulators-part-1-getting-started/">An Introduction to Flight Simulators Part 1: Getting Started</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/01/google-earth-secret-flight-simulator-mode/' rel='bookmark' title='Google Earth Secret: Flight Simulator Mode'>Google Earth Secret: Flight Simulator Mode</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/07/an-introduction-to-ubuntus-personal-package-archives/' rel='bookmark' title='An Introduction to Ubuntu&#8217;s Personal Package Archives'>An Introduction to Ubuntu&#8217;s Personal Package Archives</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/03/essential-wordpress-plugins-part-1-security/' rel='bookmark' title='Essential WordPress Plugins Part 1: Security'>Essential WordPress Plugins Part 1: Security</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gamer&#8217;s Edition</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-gamers-edition/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=holiday-gift-guide-2011-gamers-edition</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-gamers-edition/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 12 Dec 2011 16:33:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[gifts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday 2011]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[holiday 2011 gift guide]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo 3DS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nintendo DS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Playstation 3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PSP]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wii]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Xbox 360]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=16173</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Temperatures are slowly creeping towards sub-zero. Radio stations and malls everywhere are switching on the holiday music. Pine trees and other decorations are going up all over the world. And once again millions of people are procrastinating on their holiday shopping. Lucky for you, gamers are an easy bunch to buy gifts for. Skip the [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-gamers-edition/">Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gamer&#8217;s Edition</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/12/techerator-holiday-gift-guide-gamers-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Techerator Holiday Gift Guide: Gamer&#8217;s Edition'>Techerator Holiday Gift Guide: Gamer&#8217;s Edition</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-build-a-gaming-pc-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Build a Gaming PC Edition'>Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Build a Gaming PC Edition</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-camera-and-photography-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Camera and Photography Edition'>Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Camera and Photography Edition</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style=' float: right; padding: 4px; margin: 0 0 2px 7px;'  class="size-medium wp-image-16201 alignright" title="gameguide_controller" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gameguide_controller-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" />Temperatures are slowly creeping towards sub-zero. Radio stations and malls everywhere are switching on the holiday music. Pine trees and other decorations are going up all over the world. And once again millions of people are procrastinating on their holiday shopping.</p>
<p>Lucky for you, gamers are an easy bunch to buy gifts for. Skip the throngs of mad shoppers and harried store clerks and order everything online!</p>
<p>While buying the games themselves may be simple, deciding which ones specifically can be a bit trickier. To help you out, I&#8217;ve compiled a list of recently released, universally acclaimed games which almost anyone should be able to find some joy in.</p>
<p>Let&#8217;s get started!</p>
<h2>PC: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HYIAPM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004HYIAPM"><em>The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</em></a></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HYIAPM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004HYIAPM"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16182" title="gameguide_skyrim" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gameguide_skyrim-585x329.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="329" /></a></p>
<p style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=techerator-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B004HYIAPM" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><em>Dragons</em>. A word that evokes images of majestic, fearsome, flying creatures. And in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004HYIAPM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004HYIAPM"><em>Skyrim</em></a> you get to stab them in the face.</p>
<p><em>Skyrim</em> is the fifth installment in the incredibly popular <em>Elder Scrolls</em> series. The <em>Elder Scrolls</em> games are all about freedom, and <em>Skyrim</em> proves to be no exception. Once past the relatively brief introductory quest you&#8217;re free to roam the province of Skyrim&#8217;s roughly 16 square miles of digital land mass. Exploration is encouraged, with dungeons littering the landscape and NPCs just aching to hand out quests. It&#8217;s pretty much expected that on your way to finish one quest your journal will fill up with five new ones.</p>
<p>Five years have passed since the release of the last game in the <em>Elder Scrolls</em> series, <em>Oblivion</em>, and it shows. <em>Skyrim</em> is packed with tons of little details that will continue to surprise you. Not to mention it looks gorgeous. With high-end hardware and a bit of tweaking you can capture some <a href="http://deadendthrills.com/?cat=314">pretty amazing looking screenshots</a>, but even on default settings with middling hardware you&#8217;ll often catch yourself staring in awe at <em>Skyrim&#8217;s</em> beautiful landscapes.</p>
<p><em>Skyrim</em> is without a doubt one of the best games released this year, and pretty much anyone will be able to find dozens of hours of entertainment within its wintry borders.</p>
<p><em>Note: While the PC is probably the premiere platform to own Skyrim on, it is also available for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. If your giftee&#8217;s <a href="http://www.bethblog.com/2011/10/25/skyrim-system-requirements-announced/">PC isn&#8217;t powerful enough to play Skyrim</a>, or if you aren&#8217;t sure, it&#8217;s still certainly worth playing on either of the other two platforms.</em></p>
<h3>Alternate suggestions:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.minecraft.net/">Minecraft</a> (again)<br />
<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/app/107100/">Bastion</a> (also available on Xbox 360)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O6G5TW/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003O6G5TW">Battlefield 3</a> (also available on Xbox 360 and PS3)</p>
<h2>Xbox 360:<em> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O6E986/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003O6E986">Forza Motorsport 4</a></em></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O6E986/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003O6E986"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16183" title="gameguide_forza" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gameguide_forza-585x329.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="329" /></a></p>
<p style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=techerator-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B003O6E986" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>Like last year&#8217;s <a href="http://www.techerator.com/2010/12/techerator-holiday-gift-guide-gamers-edition/"><em>Gran Turismo 5</em></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O6E986/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003O6E986"><em>Forza Motorsport 4</em></a> attempts to bring the expensive and dangerous sport of car racing into your living room in as realistic a fashion as possible, and for the most part it succeeds.</p>
<p>Similar to its predecessors, most of your time in <em>Forza 4</em> will be spent in its extensive career mode, traveling the globe, winning races, and building up your impressive stable of cars. <em>Forza 4</em> boasts an impressive roster of more than 500 fully modeled cars, so you&#8217;ll have your hands full trying to collect them all.</p>
<p>If you happen to own the Kinect add-on you&#8217;ll see some integration with that as well. Ditch the controller completely and steer with just your hands (I&#8217;m guessing it&#8217;s just as uncomfortable as it sounds), or use it to augment your existing experience and let it translate your head movements while still using traditional controls.</p>
<p><em>Forza 4</em> also features an in-depth paint job editor. Now you can finally own that <em>My Little Pony</em> themed Lamborghini Gallardo you&#8217;ve always wanted!</p>
<h3>Alternate suggestions:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002I0JAVK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002I0JAVK">Batman: Arkham City</a> (also available on PC and PS3)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SYY5E/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0050SYY5E"> Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QEV0MI/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004QEV0MI"> Saints Row: The Third</a> (also available on PC and PS3)</p>
<h2>Playstation 3: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EQCCI4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004EQCCI4"><em>Uncharted 3: Drake&#8217;s Deception</em></a></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EQCCI4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004EQCCI4"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16184" title="gameguide_uncharted" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gameguide_uncharted-585x329.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="329" /></a></p>
<p style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=techerator-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B004EQCCI4" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004EQCCI4/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004EQCCI4"><em>Drake&#8217;s Deception</em></a> has you once again stepping into the shoes of Indiana Jon&#8230; I mean, Nathan Drake, as he circles the globe searching for some lost treasure or other. Along the way you&#8217;ll encounter the usual baddies out to kill you, scale crumbling walls, and generally experience the action and explosions of a standard Michael Bay film. The <em>Uncharted</em> series might be getting a bit formulaic at this point, but that doesn&#8217;t make it any less fun.</p>
<p>At its core the <em>Uncharted</em> series is a cover-based third person shooter, but there are some other gameplay elements like hand-to-hand combat and stealth sections that help to break up the monotony of shooting people in the face. While I may a joke about <em>Uncharted&#8217;s</em> striking similarities to Indiana Jones, there really isn&#8217;t anything wrong with that. <em>Drake&#8217;s Deception</em> perfectly captures that wonderful Indiana Jones-y feeling of adventure and intrigue.</p>
<h3>Alternate suggestions:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003O6E67A/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B003O6E67A">Resistance 3</a><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NRN5EO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B004NRN5EO"> Dark Souls</a> (also available on Xbox 360)<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0050SX97I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B0050SX97I"> Metal Gear Solid HD Collection</a> (also available on Xbox 360)</p>
<h2>Wii: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BSC54I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002BSC54I"><em>The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword</em></a></h2>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BSC54I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002BSC54I"><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16185" title="gameguide_skywardsword" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/gameguide_skywardsword-585x328.png" alt="" width="585" height="328" /></a></p>
<p style="float: right; margin-left: 5px;"><iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=techerator-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B002BSC54I" style="width:120px;height:240px;" scrolling="no" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p><em>The Legend of Zelda</em> is one the longest running currently active video game series, and holds a special place in many gamer&#8217;s hearts. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BSC54I/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002BSC54I"><em>Skyward Sword</em></a> manages to shake up the traditional Zelda formula a bit, but many people are calling it the best game in the series since <em>Ocarina of Time</em>.</p>
<p>The biggest departure from previous <em>Legend of Zelda</em> games is how <em>Skyward Sword</em> controls. It requires the Wii <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TOQ8NO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B001TOQ8NO">MotionPlus controller</a> add-on, and instead of just wildly flailing your arms to swing Link&#8217;s sword like you might have done in <em>Twilight Princess</em>, in <em>Skyward Sword</em> your arm movements are mapped directly to Link&#8217;s movements on-screen. Enemies in <em>Skyward Sword</em> are designed in such a way that you usually have hit them in a certain manner to do damage.</p>
<p>With its charming art style and top-notch gameplay, <em>Skyward Sword</em> makes an excellent gift for anyone on your list, regardless of their age.</p>
<h3>Alternate suggestion:</h3>
<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BSA388/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=techerator-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=B002BSA388">Super Mario Galaxy 2</a></p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>There you have it, four games that any gamer would be happy to find under the Christmas tree. If you have any additional suggestions, feel free to leave them in the comments below!</p>
<p><em>Image credit: <a href="https://secure.flickr.com/photos/tsmall/4114257354/">tsmall</a></em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-gamers-edition/">Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Gamer&#8217;s Edition</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
<p><strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/12/techerator-holiday-gift-guide-gamers-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Techerator Holiday Gift Guide: Gamer&#8217;s Edition'>Techerator Holiday Gift Guide: Gamer&#8217;s Edition</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-build-a-gaming-pc-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Build a Gaming PC Edition'>Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Build a Gaming PC Edition</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/holiday-gift-guide-2011-camera-and-photography-edition/' rel='bookmark' title='Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Camera and Photography Edition'>Holiday Gift Guide 2011: Camera and Photography Edition</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:30:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Android Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Apps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Windows Phone 7]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=15239</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Windows Phone 7 may not have caught on like Microsoft was hoping it would, but it does present some interesting ideas. One of those is its minimalist, tile-based homescreen. Thanks to the wonders of Android, you can now get that same experience on your Android phone with Launcher 7. Windows Phone 7 (and by proxy [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/">Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/06/unlock-real-multitasking-on-your-android-phone-with-quickdesk/' rel='bookmark' title='Unlock REAL Multitasking on Your Android Phone with QuickDesk'>Unlock REAL Multitasking on Your Android Phone with QuickDesk</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/01/create-custom-application-groups-in-windows-7-with-jumplist-launcher/' rel='bookmark' title='Create Custom Application Groups in Windows 7 with Jumplist Launcher'>Create Custom Application Groups in Windows 7 with Jumplist Launcher</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/tag/windows-phone-7/">Windows Phone 7</a> may not have caught on like Microsoft was hoping it would, but it does present some interesting ideas. One of those is its minimalist, tile-based homescreen. Thanks to the wonders of Android, you can now get that same experience on your Android phone with <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=info.tikuwarez.launcher3">Launcher 7</a>.</p>
<p>Windows Phone 7 (and by proxy Launcher 7) eschews the familiar rows and columns of icons used by stock Android and iOS in favor of two columns of tiles. You get less information on the screen at one time, but it certainly looks nice while still remaining usable.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16167" title="launcher7_main" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/launcher7_main-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>Like most Android homescreen replacements, Launcher 7 is dead simple to start using. After installing, just hit the Home button on your phone. You&#8217;ll get a list of your installed homescreen replacements, and if you wish you can set a default at this time. If you end up trying out a bunch of homescreen replacements simultaneously, consider installing <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=ymst.android.homeswitcher">Home Switcher</a>. It simplifies the process of launching your various homescreen replacements and changing which one to use by default.</p>
<p>Launcher 7 keeps things simple with only two &#8220;main&#8221; screens. The tiles screen is where you&#8217;ll find your most-used applications. You can also simulate Windows Phone 7&#8242;s active tiles by adding standard Android widgets through the Add Special Tile menu option (due to space limitations only 1&#215;1 and 2&#215;1 widgets can be added).</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16168" title="launcher7_widget" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/launcher7_widget-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>Swiping to the right brings you to a list of all your installed applications. If your list is as extensive as mine you can jump to any other letter by tapping a visible letter on the screen. Turning one of these applications into a tile on your main screen is as simple as dragging it over.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-16169" title="launcher7_applist" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/launcher7_applist-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>If the default color scheme isn&#8217;t to your liking it can be modified from the Launcher 7 Settings menu option, along with a host of other customizations. Individual tiles can be modified, rearranged, and deleted by long pressing on them.</p>
<p>Launcher 7 is available in the Android market in both a <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=info.tikuwarez.launcher3">free ad-supported version</a> and an <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=info.tikusoft.launcher7">ad-free version for $2.</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/">Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/06/unlock-real-multitasking-on-your-android-phone-with-quickdesk/' rel='bookmark' title='Unlock REAL Multitasking on Your Android Phone with QuickDesk'>Unlock REAL Multitasking on Your Android Phone with QuickDesk</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/01/create-custom-application-groups-in-windows-7-with-jumplist-launcher/' rel='bookmark' title='Create Custom Application Groups in Windows 7 with Jumplist Launcher'>Create Custom Application Groups in Windows 7 with Jumplist Launcher</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Spice Up Your Android Wallpaper With Astronomy Picture of the Day</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/10/spice-up-your-android-wallpaper-with-astronomy-picture-of-the-day/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=spice-up-your-android-wallpaper-with-astronomy-picture-of-the-day</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/10/spice-up-your-android-wallpaper-with-astronomy-picture-of-the-day/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:54:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Android]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mobile]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Science]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[astronomy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wallpaper]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=15093</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Once you&#8217;ve grown tired of Android&#8217;s multitude of live wallpapers, or if (God forbid) you&#8217;re still rocking whatever default wallpaper your phone came with, it might be time for a change. Add some science to your day and keep your wallpaper fresh with Astronomy Picture of the Day. Astronomy Picture of the Day scrapes the [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/10/spice-up-your-android-wallpaper-with-astronomy-picture-of-the-day/">Spice Up Your Android Wallpaper With Astronomy Picture of the Day</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

<strong>Related posts:</strong><ol>
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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/' rel='bookmark' title='Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android'>Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a></li>
</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style=' float: right; padding: 4px; margin: 0 0 2px 7px;'  class="size-medium wp-image-15097 alignright" title="astronomy_saturn" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/astronomy_saturn-250x250.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="250" />Once you&#8217;ve grown tired of Android&#8217;s multitude of live wallpapers, or if (God forbid) you&#8217;re still rocking whatever default wallpaper your phone came with, it might be time for a change. Add some science to your day and keep your wallpaper fresh with Astronomy Picture of the Day.</p>
<p>Astronomy Picture of the Day scrapes the <a href="http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/">NASA webpage</a> of the same name and makes it easy to set the current day&#8217;s picture as your wallpaper.</p>
<p>As you would expect from an application used to set your wallpaper, Astronomy Picture of the Day is simple to use. From the main page you can see the current day&#8217;s picture, or scroll through a list of previous days&#8217; pictures. Once you find the picture that catches your fancy, just click on it, hit the Menu key, and click Auto Set Wallpaper (note that there are a few other options in this menu as well).</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-15096" title="astronomy_main" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/astronomy_main-224x400.png" alt="" width="224" height="400" /></p>
<p>On the picture&#8217;s page you can also click the little &#8216;i&#8217; button in the upper right hand corner to learn more about that picture.</p>
<p>Astronomy Picture of the Day&#8217;s coolest feature is its ability to auto-update your wallpaper every day. From the main page hit Menu, then Preferences. Here you can set the time of day that the application should update, as well as set a few other options.</p>
<p>Astronomy Picture of the Day can be downloaded from the Android Market <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.blork.anpod">here</a> or by scanning the QR code below. If you really enjoy the application consider <a href="https://market.android.com/details?id=com.blork.anpodpro">donating to the developer</a>, which also removes advertisements from the main application.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-15091" title="astronomy_qr" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/astronomy_qr1.png" alt="" width="150" height="150" /></p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/10/spice-up-your-android-wallpaper-with-astronomy-picture-of-the-day/">Spice Up Your Android Wallpaper With Astronomy Picture of the Day</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2010/08/android-app-roundup-rainy-days-weather-radar-and-extended-controls-widget/' rel='bookmark' title='Android App Roundup! Rainy Days (Weather Radar) and Extended Controls (Widget)'>Android App Roundup! Rainy Days (Weather Radar) and Extended Controls (Widget)</a></li>
<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/12/launcher-7-brings-the-windows-phone-7-experience-to-android/' rel='bookmark' title='Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android'>Launcher 7 Brings the Windows Phone 7 Experience To Android</a></li>
</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>The Unnecessary Complexities of Video Game Pre-order Bonuses</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/the-unnecessary-complexities-of-video-game-pre-order-bonuses/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=the-unnecessary-complexities-of-video-game-pre-order-bonuses</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/the-unnecessary-complexities-of-video-game-pre-order-bonuses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2011 15:56:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[News]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Batman]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Battlefield 3]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[preorder]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=14162</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In recent years, game companies have started offering incentives for pre-ordering their games. If the game is sold in a physical package, these incentives might include something tangible, like a cloth map or figurine. Digitally downloaded games generally see bonuses of a similarly digital nature. You might get an exclusive in-game weapon that&#8217;s unavailable through [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/the-unnecessary-complexities-of-video-game-pre-order-bonuses/">The Unnecessary Complexities of Video Game Pre-order Bonuses</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

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</ol>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>In recent years, game companies have started offering incentives for pre-ordering their games. If the game is sold in a physical package, these incentives might include something tangible, like a cloth map or figurine.</p>
<p>Digitally downloaded games generally see bonuses of a similarly digital nature. You might get an exclusive in-game weapon that&#8217;s unavailable through any other means. If the game is sold through <a href="http://store.steampowered.com/">Steam</a> you might get one of the infamous <a href="http://tf2wiki.net/wiki/Hats"><em>Team Fortress 2</em> hats</a>.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-14191" title="preorder_hat" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/preorder_hat-400x400.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="400" /></p>
<p>Recently, we&#8217;ve started to see a trend towards more complex pre-order bonuses. For instance, it is common to receive different bonuses depending on where you pre-order the game. Pre-ordering a game from one retailer might net you a completely different exclusive weapon than if you pre-order from a different retailer. This complexity has reached a critical point with the hotly anticipated upcoming shooter <em>Battlefield 3</em>.</p>
<p>Last week, EA Games, the publisher of <em>Battlefield 3</em>, made a <a href="http://blogs.battlefield.ea.com/battlefield_bad_company/archive/2011/08/04/presenting-all-pre-order-offers-for-battlefield-3-limited-edition.aspx##">blog post</a> detailing the game&#8217;s many pre-order bonuses. <em>Battlefield 3</em> has <strong>seven different pre-order bonuses</strong>, all with different sets of stipulations on availability and exclusivity.</p>
<p>Here is just a taste of the complexity:</p>
<p>Everyone who pre-orders the game, regardless of retailer, will get the <em>Back to Karkand</em> expansion pack for free. This expansion won&#8217;t be available on the game&#8217;s launch date, and everyone who didn&#8217;t pre-order the game will be able to buy it for $15 when it launches to the public.</p>
<p>If you order the game at specific unnamed retailers you&#8217;ll get the <em>Physical Warfare Pack</em>, consisting of early access to three in-game items and a weapon. Those who don&#8217;t pre-order will get access at a later date.</p>
<p>Pre-ordering the game through EA&#8217;s own digital distribution service Origin, or if you bought specific versions of one of EA&#8217;s previous <em>Medal of Honor</em> titles, grants you early access to the game&#8217;s open beta. Four other bonuses are also available by pre-ordering through more unnamed retailers, and these bonuses don&#8217;t appear to be obtainable in any other way.</p>
<p>If you have specific pre-order bonuses in mind that you&#8217;d like to get, buying the game turns into a combinatorial problem. Can you match the bonuses you want to one specific retailer? If you can&#8217;t, which bonuses are you willing to give up? Does ordering from one retailer net you more bonuses than ordering from a different retailer?</p>
<p>Sure, there are plenty of people who will look at the bonuses, say, &#8220;Screw it,&#8221; and just order the game from whoever they&#8217;re most comfortable with. For everyone else, EA is expecting an awful lot from us just to get the privilege to give them money.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-14192" title="preorder_sniper" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/preorder_sniper-585x329.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="329" /></p>
<p>The upcoming game <em>Batman: Arkham City</em> suffers from similarly complex pre-order bonuses. It too has a<a href="http://community.batmanarkhamcity.com/forums/showthread.php/2741-Where-to-pre-order-Announced-list!?p=64366#post64366"> pre-order guide</a> that can be found on the game&#8217;s forums, and the guide&#8217;s author even acknowledges how complex the bonuses are in the very first line.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m not saying that pre-order bonuses are inherently bad. By pre-ordering a game a consumer shows that they believe the developer will produce a game worth paying full price for. It&#8217;s nice to get a bonus for that sign of faith. By mucking up the pre-order system, publishers are making it more complicated for gamers to give them money, which seems counter intuitive. Shouldn&#8217;t the buying process be as simple as possible? I shouldn&#8217;t have to spend half an hour doing research just to decide which version of the game I want to buy.</p>
<p>Both <em>Battlefield 3</em> and <em>Arkham City</em> will almost assuredly be financial successes, reinforcing the idea that these complex pre-order systems are beneficial. Where does it end? In the future, will we be poring over convoluted Excel spreadsheets just to decide where to buy a game? Only time will tell.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/the-unnecessary-complexities-of-video-game-pre-order-bonuses/">The Unnecessary Complexities of Video Game Pre-order Bonuses</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
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<li><a href='http://www.techerator.com/2011/02/mobile-game-review-nba-jam-for-ios/' rel='bookmark' title='Mobile Game Review: NBA Jam For iOS'>Mobile Game Review: NBA Jam For iOS</a></li>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Friday Fun! Fulfill Childhood Dreams With Kerbal Space Program</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/friday-fun-fulfill-childhood-dreams-with-kerbal-space-program/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=friday-fun-fulfill-childhood-dreams-with-kerbal-space-program</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/friday-fun-fulfill-childhood-dreams-with-kerbal-space-program/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:27:02 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Friday Fun]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kerbal Space Program]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PC]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=14153</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Space: the final frontier. Many children dream of becoming astronauts when they grow up. If that happened to be you, now&#8217;s your chance to fulfill that fantasy. Not only will you be piloting your (hopefully) space-bound craft in Kerbal Space Program, you also get to design it! Kerbal Space Program tasks you with getting the [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/friday-fun-fulfill-childhood-dreams-with-kerbal-space-program/">Friday Fun! Fulfill Childhood Dreams With Kerbal Space Program</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img style=' float: right; padding: 4px; margin: 0 0 2px 7px;'  class="alignright size-full wp-image-14159" title="kerbal_kirk" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/kerbal_kirk.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="230" />Space: the final frontier.</p>
<p>Many children dream of becoming astronauts when they grow up. If that happened to be you, now&#8217;s your chance to fulfill that fantasy. Not only will you be piloting your (hopefully) space-bound craft in <a href="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/">Kerbal Space Program</a>, you also get to design it!</p>
<p>Kerbal Space Program tasks you with getting the titular Kerbal race into orbit. In order to accomplish this monumental feat you need to design, build, and fly the rocket yourself.</p>
<p>The design phase, easily the most important, also happens to be the most fun. Your design needs to be sound in order for your rocket to go anywhere, so it&#8217;s usually best to start with something based on a real life design. Too little thrust and it won&#8217;t even get off the launching pad, while too much thrust will make it uncontrollable. It sounds intimidating at first, but after a bit of trial and error you start to get a feel for what might work and what won&#8217;t.</p>
<p>Since the game is still technically in the alpha stage of development, the choice of spaceship parts is a bit thin. Even with a limited inventory to choose from there are still enough variations on designs to keep things interesting. The promise of a wider variety of machinery in future versions certainly is appealing, though.</p>
<div id="attachment_14155" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 595px;  border: 1px solid #dddddd; background-color: #f3f3f3; padding-top: 4px; margin: 10px; text-align:center; display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;"><img class="size-large wp-image-14155" title="kerbal_spaceship" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/kerbal_spaceship-585x364.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="364" /><p style=' padding: 0 4px 5px; margin: 0;'  class="wp-caption-text">Needless to say, this design wasn&#39;t very stable</p></div>
<p>Once you&#8217;ve constructed your monstrosity&#8230; ahem&#8230; your masterpiece of modern engineering, it&#8217;s time to head to the launch pad. After providing your own countdown and hitting the ignition switch, your next task is to guide your baby into space. Depending on the robustness of your design, this may or may not be easy. A quick crash and burn might be more likely for your first few spaceship designs.</p>
<p>What happens once you reach space? Well, nothing, really. No fanfare greets you, there isn&#8217;t any confetti or champagne. If you like you can manually set yourself into orbit around the planet, or, if you have enough fuel, simply turn around and try to land safely back on Earth.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-14156" title="kerbal_space" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/kerbal_space-585x336.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="336" /></p>
<p>Kerbal Space Program might still be in the early stages of development, but it manages to capture the magic of space travel perfectly. Designing and constructing rockets gave me a childlike giddiness I haven&#8217;t felt since I started playing with Legos. I&#8217;m really looking forward to seeing where the game goes from here!</p>
<p>Kerbal Space Program can be downloaded for free from the <a href="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/download.php">official website</a>. If you&#8217;re having trouble getting started, give the <a href="http://kerbalspaceprogram.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page">official Wiki</a> a look or check out some of the design videos players <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=search_videos&amp;search=Search&amp;search_sort=relevance&amp;search_query=kerbal%20space%20program">have posted on YouTube</a>.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/08/friday-fun-fulfill-childhood-dreams-with-kerbal-space-program/">Friday Fun! Fulfill Childhood Dreams With Kerbal Space Program</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
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</ol></p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Midweek Fun! Unleash Your Inner Speed Demon In &#8216;Proun&#8217;</title>
		<link>http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/midweek-fun-unleash-your-inner-speed-demon-in-proun/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=midweek-fun-unleash-your-inner-speed-demon-in-proun</link>
		<comments>http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/midweek-fun-unleash-your-inner-speed-demon-in-proun/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:35:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kevin Schulte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Gaming]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[free]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PC]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Proun]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.techerator.com/?p=13598</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[A popular trend emerging in the world of independent gaming is the idea of gamers paying what they want for a game. It&#8217;s a daring move, but can pay off big for the developers. The Humble Bundle, which has gone through three iterations to date, has raised millions of dollars for developers and charities alike. [...]<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/midweek-fun-unleash-your-inner-speed-demon-in-proun/">Midweek Fun! Unleash Your Inner Speed Demon In &#8216;Proun&#8217;</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>

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			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A popular trend emerging in the world of independent gaming is the idea of gamers paying what they want for a game. It&#8217;s a daring move, but can pay off big for the developers. The <a href="http://www.humblebundle.com/">Humble Bundle</a>, which has gone through three iterations to date, has raised millions of dollars for developers and charities alike. The latest big name independent game to employ this strategy is the high speed racer <a href="http://www.proun-game.com/"><em>Proun</em></a>.</p>
<p><em>Proun</em> takes a few cues from popular high speed racing series like <em>F-Zero</em> and <em>Wipeout</em> while also managing to inject some charm of its own. Controls are extremely simple; up makes you go fast, down makes you go slow (but really, who&#8217;s ever going to use it?), left and right steer, and shift activates a turbo boost. Instead of racing on a traditional track, <em>Proun</em> takes place on a cylindrical track with various geometric objects serving as obstacles.</p>
<p>As you steer you wrap around the track, which can be a bit disorienting at first as obstacles fly wildly around the screen. There are other competitors as well, but it&#8217;s impossible to interact with them. No knocking your opponents into walls here.</p>
<p><img style=' display: block; margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto;'  class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-13600" title="proun_game" src="http://www.techerator.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/proun_game-585x365.jpg" alt="" width="585" height="365" /></p>
<p>Like most racing games, <em>Proun</em> is all about racking up fast times. There are only three tracks (plus a bonus track), but <em>Proun</em> can be played at four different speeds. The lower speeds are nice and leisurely, perfect for learning the tracks and game mechanics. Supersonic will have you tearing your hair out in no time. After each race your time gets posted to the online leaderboards, where you can see how you stack up against the rest of the world.</p>
<p>Best of all, <em>Proun</em> can be had for whatever price you decide. <a href="http://www.proun-game.com/Buy.html">Download the full game</a> (minus a bonus track) without paying a cent. If you like it, I strongly suggest supporting awesome independent game developers and paying whatever you think is fair.</p>
<p><em>Proun</em> is still a bit rough around the edges (there doesn&#8217;t seem to be a way to change the resolution, and there have been a few issues with the high score server), but overall it&#8217;s a brilliant concept that&#8217;s a blast to play, and well worth your time and money.</p>
<p>If for some reason you still can&#8217;t decide if you&#8217;re interested, check out the game&#8217;s promo video below.</p>
<div style="margin-left:20px;">
<p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh2uBxie3Kc&#038;fmt=18">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nh2uBxie3Kc</a></p>
</div>
<p><a href="http://www.techerator.com/2011/06/midweek-fun-unleash-your-inner-speed-demon-in-proun/">Midweek Fun! Unleash Your Inner Speed Demon In &#8216;Proun&#8217;</a> is a post from <a href="http://www.techerator.com">Techerator.com</a>.</p>
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