This week on the Sunday Night Showcase –

We will be joined in IRC  by

Dakesis (Da-key-sis)

 

Dakesis are a five piece Progressive-Power Metal band from Birmingham, UK. Considered by some as one of the UK's fastest rising independent artists, they have come a long way since their formation in 2008.

 

Mixing European power metal influences with home-grown heavy metal, a heavy dose of tongue–in-cheek cheese and a fair dash of contemporary Prog to create a unique blend of modern melodic metal.

The band will be joining us in IRC this evening, answering you questions from IRC, Facebook and twitter

Make sure to join us aswell to get some requests in! The Live request system both on the website and in IRC @ irc.sanitarium.fm port:6667 #sanitarium.fm for live show discussion

Also, keep an eye on this thread for future youtube videos and info about the band and for any ramblings from the band themselves

Yes indeed, Sunday Night Showcase LIVE!!! with your host, LoneSamurai!

Sunday 24th June, 9pm til Midnight GMT, 4pm til 7pm EST.

See you there

~Lonesamurai

ArenaNet will be hosting a stress test on Wednesday, June 27th. The event will also include a replay of the BWE#2 finale event for those that missed it.

We were very pleased with how our servers performed during our second Beta Weekend Event, but we want to gather additional data on how they operate under load before the next one.

 

That’s where you come in.

 

All players who have pre-purchased Guild Wars 2 are invited to participate in our upcoming stress test. This four-hour test event will run on Wednesday, June 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PDT (GMT-7).

 

We won’t wipe characters for this event, so if you played in our previous betas, you can pick up right where you left off. All we need you to do is log in and have fun—leave the stress to us!

Microsoft have made it clear during development of the next version of their popular Windows operating system, Windows 8, that the company is looking to expand beyond the traditional PC market and offer "one system for any device", including Tablet computers and phones. To this extent, Windows 8 is being developed in two distinct flavours and a number of sub-flavours – as well as the traditional Windows builds PC users will be long familiar with, Microsoft are also developing Windows 8 RT (short for Runtime), which is a version of Windows geared specifically towards ARM-powered devices (a first for the company) and designed to give a more mobile-centric feel, with focus on an App Store and iPad-like functionality.

Naturally, many people expected Microsoft would announce they had been working on their OWN tablet device to sell at the time of Windows 8's launch in order to give this new system a fit-for-purpose home – and on a mystery press conference by Microsoft, held in Los Angeles, these suspicions were confirmed correct. However, the company surprised everyone by revealing that there will actually be TWO tablets, one for each Windows experience.

Image Courtesy Engadget

CEO Steve Ballmer revealed the two variants of Microsoft tablets, dubbing them 'Microsoft Surface' tablets. Surface for Windows RT will be the entry-level version, released on or around Windows 8's launch. Powered by an ARM-based chip produced by NVIDIA, this will run the RT version of Windows 8 and is intended as more of an iPad competitor. It comes with a 10.6-inch ClearType HD Display and a 31.5 W-h battery and there is a choice of 32 GB or 64 GB of storage on board. As for expansion, you'll get one each of HDMI, microSD and USB connectivity – although interestingly, it supports only USB 2.0.

The real eye candy is expected to be released around 90 days after Windows 8's launch according to Microsoft's own press release, and is known as Windows 8 Pro. Unlike the RT, Windows 8 Pro is Intel-based and intended to be a full-blown desktop Windows experience like you'd get on a traditional computer, but within the smaller and sleeker form factor of a tablet. The Windows 8 Pro tablet packs a 10.6-inch ClearType Full HD display with Gorilla Glass, USB 3.0, a 42 W-h battery, and a choice of either 64 GB or 128 GB of storage; with an Ivy Bridge Core i5 processor powering it.

Both tablets will come with an extra dubbed the "Touch Cover". Intended to be used as a cover for the tablet's screens when not in use and as a work surface when in use, the Touch Covers feature a wireless keyboard and trackpad, which when connected to the tablet via a magnetic clip allow the tablet to be used in a style more akin to the traditional laptop. Only 3mm thick, the Touch Covers contain "unique pressure-sensitive technology" which allow them to "sense keystrokes as gestures, enabling you to touch type significantly faster than with an on-screen keyboard"; and will be available in a variety of colours. The tablets also come with an integrated kickstand to help you stand them up vertically on surfaces; and dual wi-fi antennae for wireless connectivity.

With the announcement of these two new tablets Microsoft expects to give iPad and the Android tablets a run for their money. The fact that these tablets run Windows is a huge advantage, if leveraged properly by Microsoft, over rival competition because of the ability to create a harmonious ecosystem with our traditional computers – and they certainly do appear an exciting prospect for both users and developers. However, it is really up to the future to decide whether the Microsoft tablets will live on or die out.

Originally posted on Technically Motivated under the same title.

For those who don't understand Technology; and those who do. Our Motivation is Highlighting Tech Innovation

Unaware of the wider Heresy and following the Warmaster’s increasingly cryptic orders, Roboute Guilliman returns to Ultramar to muster his Legion for war against the orks massing in the Veridian system. Without warning, their supposed allies in the Word Bearers Legion launch a devastating invasion of Calth, scattering the Ultramarines fleet and slaughtering all who stand in their way. This confirms the worst scenario Guilliman can imagine – Lorgar means to settle their bitter rivalry once and for all. As the traitors summon foul daemonic hosts and all the forces of Chaos, the Ultramarines are drawn into a grim and deadly struggle in which neither side can prevail.

Another Horus Heresy novel and this time finally bringing the spotlight on Guilliman and his Ultramarine legion!  Dan Abnett reminds us just HOW badass Guilliman truly is.  BUT, theres not enough of him, this is a novel about his Legion, his transhuman sons and NOT Guilliman himself, unlike Deliverance Lost, which is all centered around Corax, we know who Guilliman is, we know the Ultramarines and we also know that Know No Fear is the direct follow up to The First Heretic and following the betrayal  and near destruction of the Ultramarines by Orgar and his Word Bearer Legion, after the Emperor chose Guilliman and the Ultramarines as his honour guard to bring the Word BBearers to heal about the over zealous nature that they revered the Emperor as a god.

The other side of things this book expertly sums up for 40k fans, and more importantly, fans of Uriel Ventrus from Graham Mcneill's Ultramarine novels, is how Calth became the underground culture is is in the 41st millenium! 

But the big thing about this book, is showing Guilliman (and the other primarch's) for just HOW badass they are, especially in their armour!  This 10 foot tall Demigod can survive WITHOUT a helmet, on the skin of his ship and the slight atmosphere that clings to the hull because of the gravity the ships mahoosive size actually creates! 

Know No Fear has epic space battles, land battles, stories of death, loss and hope.  But mostly, it's a tale of betrayal, while the Iron Hands, Raven Guard and sAlamanders are being near to wiped out on Istvaan 5, Lorgar sends the Word Bearer's to calth to take out the Ultramarines, the only legion truely big enough to single handedly turn Horus' betrayal away from Terra and with the Space Wolves off taking out the Thousand Sons for Magnus' flouting of the Nikea Edict, only the Ultramarines are the last enemy chess piece that needs removing from the board and Lorgar manages it and shows Guilliman why the Nikea Edict needs to be abolished to destroy the Daemons the traitor legions are using!

The one thing that show's through out Dan Abnett's books, is that there is an incredible amount of detail, he knows this universe inside and out, he fleshes out characters and places and draws you in.  If you haven;t read a dAn Abnett novel, they can be slow, but in a good way, they draw you in and as this is a Horus Heresy novel, its a good intro into Dan Abnett's writing aswell (although you've read one or two already by him if you are reading the Heresy novels in order anyway)

Fantastic novel, great follow up from The First Heretic and ties up lots of knowledge about the Ultramarines, how they fight, how they live and even how they die.  It gives more information about the scale of the Heresy and just how planned it all is by the traitor primarchs and Horus!

Utterly fantastic, a must read!

9 outta 10

The Man of Steel finds himself outshone by a new team of ruthless superheroes who hold his idealism in contempt.

Ok, this was a fantastic Superman adventure.  But with a twist, Superman, being bought upto date with current events and tensions that effect us all on a daily basis int eh really real world and the speed that peoples opinions can shift

Superman is Superman, we all know he would lay his life ont he line to save even those that don't deserve saving, BUT, what if the people cry out for blood, even from him?  What if a new group of "super heroes" on the scene are willing to take the next step and kill those that, at first break the law, but then go too far…  How far can Superman be pushed, how much can he take and will he survive?

George Newbern reprises as voice talent for Superman From Superman/Batman and does a great job of an old school Superman, doubting his place in a modern world.  Pauley Perrette (the only reason I watch NCIS anymore) voices Lois Lane and is fantastic, a brilliant juxtaposition to Supermans old school, out of touch nature and shows she wears the trousers in this relationship, even if Superman wears the tights and cape (I can't believe I put it that way…  so corny)

Unlike the Prometheus review, no spoilers here, so watch it! 

Superman vs. The Elite is out June 12, 2012 on DvD/Blu-Ray double pack

9 outta 10 guys, grab it!