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Monday, 24 December 2012
Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt DLC for Borderlands 2 gets release date
Gearbox has announced the release date for the next major DLC for Borderlands 2. The DLC, titled Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt, will be out on the Xbox 360 and PC on January 15, and on the PlayStation 3 on January 16. It is set to cost $10 on the PS3 and PC, and 800 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360.
The DLC revolves around a hunting expedition that goes sour when the players are caught between a new villain and his dastardly plans. The new villain's plans are to restore the legacy of the main antagonist of Borderlands 2—Handsome Jack. "Irresistible new loot, memorable new quests, a variety of challenging and exotic new enemies, a new vehicle and more await players as they fight their way through the never-before-seen lands of Aegrus to give this evil-doer the old one-two!" the Borderlands 2 blog said. 
Sir Hammerlock... sitting like a boss
The existence of Sir Hammerlock's Big Game Hunt was originally revealed via trophy names in a Borderlands 2 patch. Soon after the leak, Gearbox confirmed the DLC. There isn't much information that was revealed through the trophies though, other than the name of the DLC and the existence of trophies for completing some missions. The trophies mention hunting side missions, discovering 'named locations' and the 'Fall of Nakayama". Here is what Gearbox said about the DLC: "There are still two add-on campaigns scheduled to release as part of the Borderlands 2 Season Pass and we are really looking forward to sharing news about our third add-on campaign and other downloadable content soon. A recent update addresses many of the issues brought to our attention by the community, including a fix to restore lost Badass Rank. Full details of this patch are available at support.gearboxsoftware.com and further updates are in the works. Thank you to all the gamers who took the time to contact us and provide feedback about their experiences. 2K and Gearbox have some of the most passionate fans in the world and it's their passion that drives our team to keep improving Borderlands 2." Back in November, Gearbox had released the Mr Torgue's Campaign of Carnage DLCalongside a trailer that showed some of the aspects of the DLC. The trailer shows many of the new features making their way into the game. The DLC features new zones with new quests and revolves around a tournament that Mr Torgue is holding. The aim of the tournament seems to be to find the most badass person in all of Pandora. The game also features new weapons and one major character from the first game – Mad Moxxi – is making her comeback. Gearbox had earlier confirmed the DLC through a tweet on a fake Twitter account for Mr Torgue."Are you badass enough to survive 'Mister Torgue's Campaign of Carnage?" read the tweet. "I'm legit curious cause I dunno you that well." The account later added, "here's a picture of me throwin up the horns like a badass." The price for the DLC is the same as that of the previous DLC, Captain Scarlett and her Pirate's Booty. The DLC will cost 800 Microsoft Points or $9.99 (approximately Rs 546), depending on the platform you buy it on. |
4A Games releases screenshots for Metro: Last Light
While THQ may be dying, according to Games Thirst, new screenshots of 4A Games' upcoming survival horror FPS Metro: Last Light have emerged. The screenshots show a variety of things such as how messed up the world has become in the wake of World War III, and flamethrowers.
The trailers also show the engines capabilities of rendering impressive lighting effects. Lighting plays a major role in Metro games as the atmosphere of the games demand well done lighting. The screenshots also give a glimpse of one of the interior zones in the game, with (presumably) friendly NPCs.
The trailers also show the engines capabilities of rendering impressive lighting effects. Lighting plays a major role in Metro games as the atmosphere of the games demand well done lighting. The screenshots also give a glimpse of one of the interior zones in the game, with (presumably) friendly NPCs.
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Earlier this month, THQ had announced the release date for Metro: Last Light. The game will see a release in March 2013 on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PC. Initial copies of Metro: Last Light will be sold as a Limited Edition and will include exclusive content. The game is now available for pre-order from THQ at $59.99 (approximately Rs 3267) for all platforms.
The Metro: Last Light Limited Edition will include a standard retail copy of the game with ‘Ranger Mode', the fan-favourite game type from Metro 2033 that represents the ultimate, immersive Metro experience. Additionally, the Limited Edition includes the Ranger load-out, containing bonus military grade bullets to spend on weapon upgrades and equipment, and the deadly AKS-74U modified Russian rifle.
“‘Ranger Mode’ provides the definitive Metro experience,” said Huw Beynon, Creative Strategist, THQ. “It’s deservedly regarded as one of the most immersive, atmospheric challenges in gaming and we think fans will be very happy to see its return in the Metro: Last Light Limited Edition.”
Recently, THQ had released a trailer for Metro: Last Light that showed some of the gameplay. Judging from the trailer, the game will be sticking to its survival horrror roots, but will also have extensive outdoor areas to explore and kill monsters in. The game also seems to be sticking to being as atmospheric as Metro 2033 was with claustrophobic levels and messed up mutants.
Back in November, the company had released a live action trailer for Metro: Last Light. The trailer doesn't show any gameplay or in-game graphics, but aims to flesh out the world of Metro instead. It is the story of some of the survivors of the Armageddon. According to the developers,"They fled to the refuge of the Metro and escaped Armageddon. Now beneath the toxic wastelands, these lucky few adapt to survive in this new and inhospitable world, an unrelenting purgatory."
Metro: Last Light takes place several months after the first game. All the major factions of the underground Metro system are preparing to fight over the D6 bunker. Last Light is set to be a direct sequel to 2033 and will be seeing a release on the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3 and the PC in March 2013.
The Metro series takes place in a post-apocalyptic Moscow. The first game was notable for being highly atmospheric and having a unique economy where bullets were the currency. This opened up questions to the player about whether any given bullet is more useful when being shot, or when being traded for either a few better bullets, or a lot of worse bullets.
The Metro series takes place in a post-apocalyptic Moscow. The first game was notable for being highly atmospheric and having a unique economy where bullets were the currency. This opened up questions to the player about whether any given bullet is more useful when being shot, or when being traded for either a few better bullets, or a lot of worse bullets.
Far Cry 3 Review
This generation has seen no lack of open-world games ever since The Elder Scrolls series showed devs the ropes with Oblivion. The biggest problem that open world games face is that the world often feels empty with only a few missions or a couple of side quests to do at any time. Ubisoft has tried to remedy that with its latest offering, Far Cry 3. Does it manage to succeed where many others, including the previous game in the series, have failed? Let’s find out.
The tropical island setting is brought to life
The answer, to put it simply, is a resounding yes. Far Cry 3 comes packed to the brim with stuff to do and places to explore, and you’re rarely left with a lack of rewards. With FC3, Ubisoft has gone back to the series’ roots, the tropical island setting. While the first game had a similar setting, Far Cry 2 ditched it in favour of the more serious setting of a war torn African country. Far Cry 3 goes back to the jungle on a tropical island and gives you new tools, along with new flora and fauna, with all the dangers associated with them.
The game brings the tropical jungle setting to life with wild animals running everywhere and trees as far as the eye can see (well, not really that far, but you get my point). The graphics are gorgeous and the only problem I found with them was that the PlayStation 3 (the system used to test the game) couldn’t handle the draw distance like a PC could. This isn’t really a fault of the game as much as it is the fault of the aging hardware in the seven year old consoles. The aesthetics are really beautiful too, with lush green forests and blue oceans. There’s also a dynamic weather system that might need you to change your play, depending on, for example, how heavy it’s raining.
Stealth is just as viable as run-and-gun
On the gameplay side of things, Far Cry 3 has ditched many of Far Cry 2’s idea while retaining others, for better or for worse. The major idea retained is that of enemy checkpoints. Only, instead of like FC2 where the enemies would just respawn after 15 or so minutes, this time, once you capture an enemy outpost, you keep it for good. This completely removes the presence of enemies (pirates or privateers) in the area and gives you new side-missions to do, like the Wanted Dead quests or the Trial of the Hunter quests. .However, this gave way to a new problem in the form of lack of anything to fight once you capture everything. This takes away a lot from what makes the game fun when you first start playing it, as there isn’t anything to fight or hide against anymore after you capture every outpost.
When it comes to the story, the game has a simple revenge plot that manages to become thoroughly deep thanks to the excellent writing. While there are issues with the typical “white man saves natives” story, the redeeming factor is mostly a major antagonist, Vaas. Vaas is like the Joker as a pirate. He’s got some great moments and is basically one of the best antagonists that gaming has seen since the likes of GlaDOS. Vaas is what makes the otherwise horribly linear and sometimes boring story missions of the game worth playing. The game also has some great music, which can occasionally cause some dissonance. The soundtrack ranges from moody ambient music to catchy dubstep.
One of the most memorable villains in a long time
The game has a very deep crafting system that lets you upgrade your stuff. For example, you can only carry one weapon with you in the beginning of the game. But, spend enough time hunting and you’ll basically be a walking arsenal. Don’t be fooled, though. This is not a survival game like S.T.A.L.K.E.R. This is a straight out action game where you’re basically John Rambo. Even the leveling system is built specifically to support this. Levelling up lets you pick a new skill from one of the three skill trees – the Heron, the Shark and the Spider. They stand for raw power and damage absorption, high-caliber distance fighting and mobility, and stealth and hunting, respectively. It also seems like the trees aren’t mutually exclusive and you can eventually get every skill in each tree.
Most of the fun you’ll have in the game comes not from the story missions. In fact, the most epic moments come from the open world. You can go around taking out enemy outposts in the most badass ways possible, including being completely undetected and killing everyone with a knife. Another way to do this would be to just run in with a flamethrower and burn everything and everyone you see. Yet another way to do this would be to somehow lure a tiger or bear into the enemy outpost and let the animal take them out. The game’s mechanics are specifically built to make you look as badass as possible. It benefits from having mechanics that seamlessly meld into each other, letting you switch between stealth, action and exploration at will.
The characters are thoroughly unlikeable at first
The story missions are where the game falters due to their extremely linear nature. Very rarely are you left to your own devices in the story, and many missions are plagued by what seems to be a standard in Ubisoft’s games these days – the instant fail condition. An early mission comes to mind where you have to sneak round a boat graveyard. The moment you are spotted, you have to restart the mission.
All in all, Far Cry 3 is the perfect example of what an open world game should be. It never leaves you without things to do and lets you tackle most of the objectives in whatever way you may want. Despite the weak main story, the game does have some deep meaning when you consider that it is essentially about a normal person’s descent into madness. One of the best games of the year, it could definitely teach Bethesda a lesson about how to do open world games. Far Cry 3 is a definite must-buy.
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Video Games Releases: October 2012
The month of October sure is chock full with an impressive number of promising AAA titles. What's more, this month users also get a new IP in the form of Dishonoured, which is a rarity in an age where the industry plays it safe with formulaic sequels. While plenty of franchises in vogue such as Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed, and Forza get their periodic instalments, oldies such as XCOM will be receiving the current gen treatment too. It's a pity that there are far too many promising games this month than most gamers have the time or money to spend on. Here are some of the notable ones from the lot.
Disappointing
Resident Evil 6
Released on: 2nd October
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
After a great showing with Resident Evil 4, the long-running franchise seems to have dropped the ball with subsequent instalments. Gamers had hoped for a richer, back-to-the-roots Survival-Horror experience with RE 6, after the debacle that was Operation Raccoon City. However, Capcom ultimately exacerbated the series' problem by adding even more gratuitous set pieces and banal action sequences. The game was universally panned by critics and gamers alike, who couldn't stomach its vapid Michael Bay-esque action marked with frustrating, repetitive and predictable boss fights. Don't forget to check out the review to know exactly what makes the game so infuriatingly incompetent.
Steampunk, stealth and open-ended gameplay—or a recipe for greatness
Dishonoured
Releasing on: 12th October
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
This has to be the most exciting launches for this month. This is not just because it's a brand new IP, which is a rarity these days, but because it's a stealth FPS game in the vein of the sublime Thief series garnished with a smattering of RPG elements. The awesomeness continues with its 17th century setting incorporating a distinctive steam punk look, and a brand of gameplay that's heavily influenced by magic and obscura. The game mechanics are reminiscent of Deus Ex with an emphasis on mission goals bearing multiple solutions, where the player can choose between using brute force, stealth, or a pacifist approach. If you enjoyed Thief and Deus Ex, and who didn't, you might want to keep a close eye on Dishonoured.
A promising reboot to a classic franchise
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Releasing on: 12th October
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Firaxis is all set to come back with a bang, thanks to a remake of one of its finest Turn-Based Strategy games. Like the original XCOM, you play the role of a commander of an elite military team tasked with neutralising an advanced alien threat. The original was known for its eerie atmospheric feel and an excellent turn-based tactical approach to strategy. The remake leverages modern technology to update the traditional fixed isometric view with dynamic camera angles and a new Third-Person viewport. The original's winning formula will be updated with a new-fangled cover system, class specialisation for XCOM units that dictate perks and abilities, in addition to tactics such as suppressive fire, cloaking and more. It will be interesting to see how the old-school classic holds up in its new avatar.
Expect gameplay to be optimised for Kinect
Fable: The Journey
Releasing on: 12th October
Platform: Xbox 360
Microsoft's Kinect motion controller has largely been relegated to casual titles on the X360, with an odd exception involving token motion controlled gimmicks shoehorned in the rare AAA title (here's looking at you Forza Motorsport 4). Fable: The Journey will be one of the few big-budget titles to incorporate the motion controller on a fundamental level. It's a first-person game that does away with a gamepad and instead makes you wave your hands around to cast spells, craft items, and interact with the game world. Motion games in general tend to be a hit and miss affair, so Fable: The Journey, will have to bring its A-game to keep things from going wrong with a radically new control scheme.
Will second time be a charm?
Medal of Honor: Warfighter
Releasing on: 23rd October
Platform: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Critics didn't hold EA's modern reboot of its long running World War shooter franchise Medal of Honor. However, that hasn't stopped it from spawning a sequel that takes up from where the last game left off. Medal of Honor: Warfighter now includes a class-based gameplay incorporating Assault, Sniper, Demolitions, Point Man, Heavy Gunner, and Spec Ops disciplines to spice up the formula, which had turned out to be quite banal in its last outing. Combat is focussed around a two-man fire team, with a greater emphasis on tighter cooperation in the heat of battle. Let's hope these changes manage to make this instalment more engaging than the last one.
When in doubt, go open world
Forza Horizon
Releasing on: 26th October
Platform: Xbox 360
Forza racing games are known for their simulation leanings, and have carved out a niche for themselves as the premier racing franchise on the X360. Forza Horizon isn't considered a proper Forza game, but as an open world spin-off that borrows a leaf from Test Drive Unlimited. The game won't be developed by the traditional team, but by Playground Games, which i comprised of members that have worked on various quasi-simulation, arcade, and open world racing games such as Project Gotham Racing, Driver, and Burnout. Although Horizon promises to incorporate Forza's brand of impressive vehicle selection and realistic physics, one can't help but wonder if the new development team will instead deliver an arcade romp through a sprawling city. At any rate, that still sounds like a lot of fun.
This time the action comes to a colonial America
Assassin's Creed III
Releasing on: 31st October
Platform: PS3, Xbox 360
Considering its popularity and the sheer amount of buzz the brand generates, the Assassin's Creed franchise has become the open world equivalent of Call of Duty. With this sort of brand loyalty and thirst for content, Ubisoft has steadily released sequel after sequel—each reimagining different historical events with a dash of sci-fi thrown in for good measure. This time around, you play Connor Kenway—an unwilling participant in the American Revolution. The action will be interspersed with a corresponding story arc that gives more play time to the series protagonist Desmond Miles, as he saves the present-day Earth from the 2012 apocalypse.
The temporally twisted plot will be backed up with a brand new game engine that will introduce naval combat to the series. Needless to say, irrespective of how the game eventually turns out, enough fans will have bought it to ensure commercial success. That's how big the Assassin's Creed brand has become. However, being the insufferable, money-grubbing control freak we all know it to be, Ubisoft has delayed the PC version till November.
Capcom announces PC release date and requirements for Resident Evil 6
Capcom has announced the release date for the PC version of the latest game in its Resident Evil series, simply titled Resident Evil 6. The game is set to come out on the PC on March 22, 2013. Along with this, Capcom has also announced the PC requirements to be able to run the game.
Coming to PC in March
Here are the minimum required specs to run the game:
- OS: Windows Vista/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
- Processor: Intel Core2 Duo 2.4GHz or better, AMD AthlonTM X2 2.8GHz or better
- Memory: 2GB RAM
- Hard Disk Space: 16GB free hard drive space
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS or better
- DirectX: 9.0c or greater
- Sound: Standard audio device
Here are the recommended specs to play the game:
- OS: Windows Vista/XP, Windows 7, Windows 8
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad 2.7GHz or better, AMD PhenomTM II X4 3GHz or better
- Memory: 4GB RAM
- Hard Disk Space: 16GB free hard drive space
- Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560 or better
- DirectX: 9.0c or greater
- Sound: Standard audio device
The PC version of Resident Evil 6 will be released on Steam and will have Steamworks features like cloud saving, Steam achievements, friends support, in-game overlay and leaderboards.
Capcom earlier caught flak for its inclusion of on-disk DLCs in copies of Resident Evil 6. The company later released a statement that made some clarifications about the DLCs and talked about the free ones. According to Capcom Unity, the No Hope Left difficulty setting revealed by modders to be on the disk is set to be a free piece of DLC, along with a new character that adds co-operative gameplay to Ada Wong’s campaign. Capcom also announced that the character skins found on the disks are part of the game’s RE.net service and are meant to be unlocked through completing challenges. Additionally, this update will make Ada's campaign available from the start; currently you must complete all three of the primary campaigns to unlock this bonus.
Capcom issued a statement earlier about the inclusion of on-disk DLC. Speaking with Eurogamer, a Capcom spokesperson admitted that one piece of Resident Evil 6 DLC requires downloaded data and on-disc data to work, but declined to offer specifics. "We still have an unannounced DLC for RE6 that will be revealed in the coming months and while virtually all such content will not be on the disc there will be one piece of content, that for technical reasons, requires the use of a combination of newly downloaded data and data that is included on the retail game disc," the spokesperson said.
The company received flak for a similar move earlier this year with its fighting game – Street Fighter X Tekken. The game included many of the characters that were planned as DLC, on the disk of the game, which irked players a great deal as the characters were already made and playable, and should’ve been included in the game from release without the payment barrier.
DICE releases teaser trailer for Battlefield 3: End Game
DICE has released a new trailer for the last DLC for Battlefield 3, titled End Game. The trailer doesn't reveal much, but it does reveal a major new feature that will be making its way into the game—bikes.
End Game will be the first time that Battlefield 3 will have bikes. This comes with other things you'd expect, like having the person riding behind the main bike rider shooting people. With this, players are bound to end up with high-speed chases across maps on bikes and other vehicles. One can also imagine special servers created only to have bike races with guns. The DLC will be released in March 2013 and subscribers of Battlefield 3: Premium won’t have to pay for it.
The previous DLC, Aftermath, was released back in November. The release of the DLC was commemorated with a launch trailer for Aftermath. The trailer shows nothing new, except for some interesting possibilities in the new maps. One of these possibilities is the ability to fly through half-destroyed buildings if the pilot is good enough. Some gameplay with the new crossbow is also shown. The DLC is now available to Battlefield 3: Premium subscribers on the PlayStation 3. It will be released in December for PC and Xbox 360 players.
Information about the Aftermath DLC was revealed through an interview of DICE's Niklas Fegraeus. The new maps that will be in the DLC are Markaz Monolith, Epicentre, Talah Market and Azadi Palace.
End Game will be the first time that Battlefield 3 will have bikes. This comes with other things you'd expect, like having the person riding behind the main bike rider shooting people. With this, players are bound to end up with high-speed chases across maps on bikes and other vehicles. One can also imagine special servers created only to have bike races with guns. The DLC will be released in March 2013 and subscribers of Battlefield 3: Premium won’t have to pay for it.
The previous DLC, Aftermath, was released back in November. The release of the DLC was commemorated with a launch trailer for Aftermath. The trailer shows nothing new, except for some interesting possibilities in the new maps. One of these possibilities is the ability to fly through half-destroyed buildings if the pilot is good enough. Some gameplay with the new crossbow is also shown. The DLC is now available to Battlefield 3: Premium subscribers on the PlayStation 3. It will be released in December for PC and Xbox 360 players.
Information about the Aftermath DLC was revealed through an interview of DICE's Niklas Fegraeus. The new maps that will be in the DLC are Markaz Monolith, Epicentre, Talah Market and Azadi Palace.
Time for the end game
Markaz Monolith was a financial district before the earthquake that caused the titular aftermath happen. The map is set to have a tower in the middle, where the insides have collapsed. Epicentre is another part of the city, which was a big traffic centre. The area has seen heavy destruction because it was very close to the epicentre of the earthquake. The Talah Market is on the outskirts of the city and has a lot of old architecture. The map has an old village setting that gives contrast to some modern buildings. The Azadi Palace is a large urban landscape and has a parliament building. This gives two different battles going on – one inside the building and one outside.
Earlier in November, DICE had released a trailer that showcased the new weapon that will be in the Aftermath DLC – the crossbow. The crossbow is described by DICE as a weapon made with salvaged parts – the weapon of a survivor. The weapon is shown to be incredibly versatile, with uses ranging from regular killing to taking out vehicles like helicopters with well-aimed shots and explosive bolts. Most of the versatility of the weapon comes from the fact that it can have any scope attached to it, as well as the different kinds of bolts you get to use for it.
Apple iPhone 5 Review
It’s not like Apple has reinvented the wheel completely with the new iPhone. The sophistication and elegance that embodies the device is every bit as evident as the previous additions. But the overall finesse has definitely been taken up a notch or two with the slightly new design. Here’s a closer look at the overall handling of the handset and our take on the all-new Apple iPhone 5.
Form factor
Even if it was one of the most anticipated devices of the year, the expectation of a drastically different iPhone hasn’t really been met—to an extent. While the iPhone 5 is certainly slimmer (7.6mm) than the previous versions and longer, with a larger display at 4 inches (still Retina intact at a 640 x 1136 pixel resolution at 326 ppi and 800:1 contrast ratio), the overall design looks very similar to the 4 or 4S. The display also features a fingerprint-resistant oleophobic coating that serves its purpose to an extent. Smudges will still need to be dealt with the old fashioned way – a quick wipe on your sleeve or shirt. The elongated shape does, however, make for better handling and the ultra lightweight (112g) handset makes portability much better. But it feels a bit like it isn’t all there. The aluminium and glass casing, although looking quite premium, lacks a certain mechanical weight we’ve come to expect from feature rich high-end handsets. All that being said, just like those that came before it, one will still have that feel-good-factor that comes with owning an Apple device, even if they can’t afford it.
Intricately crafted buttons
The buttons beside the little switch-to-silent option as well as the power key are still by far the best example of premium furnishings for a handset. There’s zero play with the fixtures and even though the handset feels quite delicate, it has a pretty solid structure. But if anyone says that the rear panel is scratch resistant, they’re lying. After a few trysts with keys and coins in my pockets, the handset emerged with a few bruises. The new Lightning connector fits snugly into the socket and stays put quite firmly. This new standard Apple has decided to unleash upon us will be the cause for some concern till these adapters become a little more affordable. But would it kill the multi-billion dollar company if it includes a small adapter with the box? I think not!
Warning! Not scratch Resistant!
Shrinking down to the nano SIM wasn’t really a problem, but we’d nevertheless suggest getting a professional to do it for you. A set of adapters are available with most mobile phone vendors for about Rs. 200 that allow you to switch between different-sized cards. Looking at it from a consumer’s perspective, the iPhone has always been a device that stood out in the crowd simply because of the design and ridiculously simple-to-use UI. The fundamental design is still retained but tweaked to be slimmer, lighter and slightly longer. It’s still a great looking device, but it is not, we repeat, it is not completely resistant to scratches. So much for the design. Moving on...
Features and performance
Interface
The latest iPhone iteration ships with the latest iOS version, i.e. version 6.0. iOS 6 has brought some much needed features to the iPhone/iPad/iPod line-up, but this pretty much covers all Apple devices and is not unique to this specific model. Features like FaceTime over 3G, a Do Not Disturb option that can be handy when you need a little private space, photostream, heavier Facebook integration and, of course, the infamous iOS Maps. Most of the people we showed the device to were eager to know just how different the iPhone 5 is to their existing devices, and not in terms of what they can see, i.e. design. The simplest explanation is that the new A6 CHIP from Apple is of the dual core variety in the 1.2GHz range, while the 4S was only 1GHz in Apple’s A5 series. This would make functionality much smoother, faster and graphics (triple core graphics) would really pop! However, 3 out of 5 people didn’t really seem to take much notice of the speed boost. Hardcore techies, reviewers and those with a keen eye for detail managed to see the difference when the two devices were held side by side and used. Most average mobile users we showed it to, simply said both are quite fast.
What the A6 chip does, however, is circulate the usage better than some of the previous chips and those from some competitors. Apple has custom designed the chip to work well with iOS6 to be more power efficient and boost the device's battery life to a large extent. Naturally, we had to test it, so read on to find out how the battery tests went.
Slicker, sleeker, slimmer, lighter
The truth of the matter is, with an OS that now transcends through pretty much all of Apple’s current mobile devices, speed is the one thing that was never an issue. The iPhone 5 simply makes a great OS that was already pretty darn fast to begin with—a little faster. Features are constantly being updated with new versions and updates, and again, this is released to everyone. It’s not unique to this device but serves it very well nonetheless.
Media
Apple’s media prowess in the iPhones and iPod touches have been surpassed by the likes of Beats Audio and Dolby Mobile Surround found in Android and some other OSes and devices. The iPhone 5 did not impress us too much in the media department. Although the new layout of the Music Player app is very engaging, the audio quality even with EQ tweaks was quite average at best. Apple did not see it fit to send us the new EarPods, so we’re afraid we can’t say much about them at this point. With earphones ranging from Harman Kardon to Sennheiser and those in a lower range like Creative or Panasonic, audio quality proved to be decent. Higher tones were a bit on the sharper side and lower tones could have been a little stronger.
Audio quality could certainly be improved
Thanks to ardent Apple developers we’re now seeing quite a few multi-format supported video players on the app store in the “Free Zone”. This allows you to drag and drop video files of any and all sizes and resolutions and formats onto your iDevice. Of course, you will still need to use iTunes as the medium. Thanks to the iPhone 5’s brilliant graphics processor, speedy A6 chip and fantastic and vibrant Retina display, HD videos in either 1080p or 720p look superb. If you’re upgrading from the iPhone 4 or 4S and have already purchased AV Out (HDMI supported) adapters, you’ll have to buy a converter to use them with the new Lightning connector. Or, you could just get an app that’s designed for DLNA.
Connectivity
Just like the last two iPhones, the iPhone 5 is also readily equipped to service your connectivity needs, with a few extras. With the addition of LTE support, the iPhone 5 can support 4G speeds if and when you can find it. And naturally, you can still easily fall back on the good old 3G and EDGE when required. Wi-Fi with the ability to create a personal hotspot is also on board along with Bluetooth 4.0 with A2DP support. Apple is still restricting Bluetooth file transfer; however, iOS6 does include Bluetooth sharing to a small extent via the Privacy option in the Settings menu. It’s designed to work with a few third party apps for a variety of purposes like multiplayer games and transferring certain details between compatible apps. Thanks to this persistent closed-off way of thinking, features like Wi-Fi file transfer will also probably be kept at bay for a while longer. For some reason, Apple has also chosen to leave out NFC from the iPhone 5’s make up.
iOS Maps, still not at par with Google's offering
GPS with GLONASS and A-GPS to assist could also have been a real asset had Apple’s Maps been more functional. 3D maps for India and Turn by Turn Navigation are yet to arrive as well.
A few extras thrown in for good measure
Misc. apps/features
Built-in apps like FaceTime (with HD support now), a voice recorder, Find my iPhone, News Stand and all new Passbook app are thrown in. The Passbook app is a location and time-based app that provides quick access to details like boarding passes for journeys, gift cards etc. Siri is still as talkative as usual and with her recent update via iOS6, she’s able to provide much more information than a simple to the point answer.
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