Friday 13 November 2015

Argus Review

Hey Guys,

Today I've got another app review, but not for a game. Argus is a life-tracking app, that I mainly use for a pedometer, but can also be used to track things such as bike rides and other exercises. It puts all recent exercise into a cool looking hexagonal formation like so:


This formation is good looking, neat and easy to read. The items are a bit hard to determine what dey they are part of, as the dates are just another hexagon, but apart from that the view is excellent. The app automatically creates step battles against random people daily. One of the problems with this is that quite a lot of the people you can see here are inactive, with no steps for that day. This is probably because they have deleted the app and their account is still there.


One way to fix this problem would be to make it so that only people that had at least some steps the previous day get put in a face-off. One of the cool features of Argus is that it will recognise if you are doing a certain activity (eg. running) and start a running activity, gps tracking the run as well.

Thanks to the TWiT network (twit.tv) for recommending this app to me - I emailed a question in about what they would recommend as a pedometer app, and they mentioned this.

All in all, I would greatly recommend this to anyone that wants a pedometer app that will work well, have a social aspect and as well as being able to track a wide range of other activities.



Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Friday 11 September 2015

Slack Review

Hey Guys,

So if you've read my IFTTT review, you will know that lately I have been testing a free online application called Slack. Slack is a messaging service intended to be used by companies and their teams, but can be used for other things. As an example, I am currently in 3 slack groups (or 'teams') - the Geek Circle, a group of my school friends, and a group for my family. The Geek Circle is currently just me and Theo (another blogger from this blog), but anyone can join if they want to (just email me at thegeekcircle@gmail.com ). My school friends use it to talk to each other (or at least I'm trying to get them to!), and my family uses it to plan events and other things.



The interface, as you can see, is very good looking and polished, and it's easy to find your way around. This is a shot of the desktop app, that is also very similar to the web interface, but there's also an iOS and Android app.

One of the reasons people go for Slack is the integrations. You can integrate slack with many different programs and apps, such as Google Calander, IFTTT and many more (full list can be found here). Integrations allow you to make slack do more, and you can even write your own. I have IFTTT set up to automatically publish the weather daily, and Google Calendar gives me a daily roundup. 

All in all, I think that Slack is a better option of a messaging service, weather you want it for communication with your family, or managing your project at work. I would greatly recommend it to anyone.




Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Wednesday 9 September 2015

New Website!

Hey guys,

So if you've been following me on twitter, you'll know the official Geek Circle Site is now up! It can be found at http://thegeekcircle.com/. It contains all links to all my latest content (youtube and blog posts), as well as other stuff about me (my setup, cubes etc.).

Also, sorry that I've not posted in a while, but I've been on holiday, and after that I've been quite busy making YouTube videos.




Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Wednesday 26 August 2015

IFTTT Review

Hey Guys,

So I'm sure a lot of you saw my test IFTTT post a few days ago, as I was trying out one of the functionalities of IFTTT. So - what is IFTTT? It stands for If This Then That. No, it doesn't have some sort of crazy hidden meaning - It is just an app and webpage where you build recipes for if a certain thing happens, do another certain thing.

You are able to connect certain channels to your IFTTT account, for things such as Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox etc. (For the full list check out this page) and then use these channels in your recipes. The recipe I was testing was this:




If it detects a new post on this very blog (yes, this one!) it posts a Buffer Tweet to @TheGeekCircle following the template shown on the second photo. Another one of my recipes is to post the weather of the next day to my family Slack. Slack is a collaboration/messaging service, and there should be a review of that coming out soon.




I would definitely recommend IFTTT to anyone, especially if they find themselves doing the same thing whenever a certain thing happens. It's free, so... Why not give it a go! You would be surprised at what it can do!

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Sunday 23 August 2015

IFTTT Test

Hey Guys,

This is just a test for a hopefully upcoming post about IFTTT.


Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Mazecraft Review

Hey Guys,

So today, I'm reviewing another free mobile app, but this one’s a bit different. Mazecraft is, as the name would suggest, a maze building game. You build mazes, share them, and play other people’s mazes. You can collect coins in people’s mazes, and these coins can be used to build other mazes. This aspect I like, as it makes sure that you play mazes as well as build them. However, this can also be a bit of a problem, as some people just created empty levels with paths to all the coins.



This is one of my mazes that I have made, with many aspects such as doors, saws and spikes. You can see the total cost of the maze in the top right corner. When people play your levels, they can tip it 1-5 coins. this determines the rating of the level, that can be seen by other players.

All in all, I think this game is excellent for anyone that likes puzzle games, as well as building.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Thursday 20 August 2015

King of Thieves Review

Hey Guys,

Sorry that I haven't posted in a while, but I've been on holiday in California. I've been vlogging about it on my YouTube Channel, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t done so already. Today I’m going to be reviewing King of Thieves. King of Thieves (or KoT) is the mix of a platformer and a PvP multiplayer, free for Android or iOS. Below is a screenshot of my current base design.


You can see the 3 different traps of my base: the Red Guy, the Green Cannon and the Fly one. This is my defence: the way you protect your gold and gems. You can edit the layout of your base so that is more difficult for attackers to get your loot. You also have the statue (centre top with 3 gems and a progress bar). This is what attackers have to get to when attacking, and the dungeon door (below and to the right of the statue with the key holes). Before attacking, the attackers must use up their lock picks to open your door (a slowly regenerating nanocurrency). Only one of the locks is the correct one, so it is chance to how many lock picks it takes to break in.

Once you are in, you have to complete their dungeon. Your character moves when it can, but if it hits a wall it stops. The only way to change direction is to wall-jump, and while on a wall, you would slowly slide down it. You have to dodge the traps: the cannons shoot, the flies follow you and the red blobs fly repeatedly between two points.

Like most games in this style, there is a ‘supercurrency’ for players who pay extra to build up their character quickly. As well as this, there are two other currencies. Gold is the thing you use to upgrade your traps and other misc. items such as the speed your lock picks take to regenerate. Gems are the items that define your status. Every so often, you get a gem from a gem mine, and these gems have a value. When you collect the gems they go into storage, and you use these gems in rituals to combine them, making bigger gems. The risk of this, though, is that when you have a ritual ongoing, other players have a chance of stealing your gems after attacking you. Your personal overall gem value is the sum of every gem you have, defining your rank and status. Here is a photo of my current gem collection.


One of the very well-made parts of this game is the collaboration with other players. When a gem is stolen off you, you are able to try to retrieve it by attacking the player that stole the gem originally. If you fail, people in your alliance are able to also attack that person, giving you a higher chance that you will get your gem back. You also compete in wars, where you have a few day’s battle with another alliance, and the group that gains the most gems during that time wins some of the supercurrency.

All in all, I think that this game is excellent for anyone that wants a game they don’t want to be playing all the time, but can play occasionally. People that like platformers such as Mario and multiplayer games like Clash of Clans would enjoy this game.


Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Friday 7 August 2015

Moyu AoLong Review

Hey Guys,

So recently I ordered a Moyu AoLong V2 from Amazon, but it was from China so I expected not to get it before I went on holiday (check out my YouTube Channel for videos on that soon!). I got the cube a week or so ago, and have had some time to get used to it. First of all, I don't think what I was sent was an AoLong V2 - I heard one of the main changes in the V2 was that it reduces corner twists, yet my cube has frequent corner twists.



The turning is good along with corner cutting, although there are infrequent minor locks. All in all, I think that this is one of the best speedcubes on the market, and is definitely worth the £12 ($18).


Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Thursday 6 August 2015

Moyu LingPo 2x2 Review

Hey Guys,

Sorry that I've not posted recently, but I've been very busy working on the new Geek Circle website that should be up soon. If you want to check that out, you can download the latest release here. I've recently had the Stickerless Moyu LingPo delivered, and after using it a bit, decided to write a post about it.



The LingPo has extremely fast turning - the best I've ever seen on a cube. Corner-cutting is good, at 45° and 15 reverse. When the cube came, it needed a bit of work - tensioning and lubing, but after that it was fine. Pops and lockups are non-existent, apart from the occasional minor catch. 

All in all, I'd greatly recommend this 2x2 to absolutely anyone that wants a good 2x2, wether you're a beginner or the new Feliks Zemdigs - especially as it is only £12 (~$18).

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Sunday 26 July 2015

Moyu Skewb Review

Hey Guys,

So I've recently bought a few cubes, the Moyu Skewb being one of them. This is  my first Skewb, so I had to also learn how to solve it. I used Monkeydude1313's 1-algorithm method, which allowed me to solve Skewb easily. When I first tried to solve the Skewb, I had a lot of trouble, and even with the tutorial I was struggling to understand how it worked. After watching the tutorial a few times, I got my head around how the Skewb worked and I am now able to easily solve it. 



Onto the cube itself. The cube was out of the box tensioned, but needed lubing. The stickers are bright and easily recognisable, as well as being thick and sturdy. Corner-cutting is ok, but is not needed due to the ball bearings that click the pieces into place. Pops are non-existent, along with lock-ups - making the cube reliable and lets you feel more free.

All in all, I would greatly recommend this cube to anyone who wants a high quality Skewb, as this is probably the best on the market and is only £11 (~$15) so good value for money.

Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Tuesday 21 July 2015

Logitech C270 Webcam Review

Hey Guys,

So another thing I got for my birthday is a Logitech C270 Webcam, for use in my YouTube videos. It was £20 (~30)) and is can be seen here:

It has a clever stand for clipping to screens etc. and looks good with it's polished shiny plastic. It does 720p 30fps video and 3 megapixel stills, which is perfect for me. The software is easy to use and polished, allowing for recording, stills, and motion detection.



It also allows me to add it as a source in OBS so that if I stream or record, I can use the webcam too.

All in all, I think this webcam is useful and extremely good value for money, so I would greatly recommend this one if you have a need for one.


Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Monday 20 July 2015

iOS 9 Review

Hey Guys,

So recently the open beta of iOS 9 came out, and so I decided to give it a test. The installation process was not difficult - I just had to go to the webpage, and put my apple ID in. I then was able to download the 'profile' onto my device, enabling the option to update to the latest version of iOS 9.

The aim of iOS 9 is all about learning about you - what webpages and places you visit, what news and books you like to read etc. This ties in with the new Apple Music service, which learns the music you like and gives you new recommendations of what to listen to next.

There are also some graphical changes - the multitasking screen looks slightly different, as well as the siri graphic and a new default font. Here is images of some of he new graphical additions:


The news app was useful when it worked,  but it has stopped functioning and crashes every time I try to open it. I have submitted this as a bug report, along with other bugs I have found. There is a new "mode" to put your phone in - power saver mode. Power saver mode reduces power consumption until you fully charge your iPhone by turning of mail fetch, background app refresh and automatic downloads, and reducing some visual effects.

All in all, I think that iOS 9 is a good thing but only if you are prepared for the bugs and crashes. Due to this, I would only recommend it if you have a use for it for example to review it (like me!) or if you are a software developer.



Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Sunday 19 July 2015

Mic Boom Arm Review

Hey Guys,

So if you've read my previous posts, you will know that I have got quite a lot of tech for my birthday. One of the pieces of equipment I got was a boom arm for my mic. his allows my mic to be closer to me, so I am not leaning over into my mic. Here is a picture of the arm in action:


It is clamped onto the shelf that my monitor sits on - the perfect place for it to be held, as it is accessible and at the correct level. The mic attaches to the arm via an included piece that allows certain other mic types to attach. The arm is also the perfect place to screw my pop filter to, as it has perfect sized bolts to hold it in place.

All in all, I would recommend this boom arm to anyone that needs a functional but not too professional boom arm, as it is one of the cheaper ones on the market at only £10(~$17).



Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Saturday 18 July 2015

Blue 'the Pop' filter review

Hey Guys,

So if you didn't know already, I have a YouTube channel that I post mainly cubing and Minecraft videos (feel free to check it out here). On my videos, I have commentary, and so need a mic. I have a Blue Yeti mic, and have recently been given the official Blue 'the Pop'. This is a pop filter, and if you didn't know a pop filter is to stop the sounds of Ps and Bs as well as breathing from being too loud in the footage. The pop filter looks very nice, and can be seen here:


I have it screwed onto my mic boom arm through one of the arm's attaching bolts, as I tried to use the clamp provided and it wouldn't stay on and dented the arm. The filter consists of two gauzes - a fine gauze on the front to be the actual filter, and a rougher gauze on the back to hold the front one in place.

I would recommend this to anyone with a mic that wants a pop filter that is aesthetically as well as physically functional, as it is £25(~$40) - quite a lot for a pop filter.


Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Friday 17 July 2015

QJ Speedtimer Review

Hey Guys,

So If you've read any of my earlier posts, I've recently had a birthday, and have got plenty of technology. One of the cubing related things is a QJ speed timer. This is a timer for things such as cubing or cup stacking, but mine is made by QJ - a speedcube manufacturer. It has two pads to put your hands on, and when you take your hands off, the timer starts. You then solve the cube, and once you are done you put your hands back on the pads. Here is a picture of the timer:


One of the problems with the timer is that the green and red ready lights flash while you are solving. This can be distracting and can mess up your colour recognition. Also, I occasionally have times where I finish, but the timer doesn't stop - I have to take my hands off and put them back on the timer.

Other than that, I would recommend this timer if you are a cuber wanting some practise for competitions.

Keep checking up here for the latest in geek!

Wednesday 15 July 2015

2000 Views + Blog Shout-Out

Hey Guys,

So recently we've hit 2000 views on this blog, and I want to thank you all for that - it really has been a great experience. Secondly, I want to just give a shout out to my friend Hannah, who has just started her blog here. It is more of a life blog - less like mine as this blog is a lot more factual, and so feel free to check that out.


Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Monday 13 July 2015

The Geek Circle Gear

Hey Guys,

So yesterday it was my birthday, and some of the smaller presents were items with the Geek Circle logo on them. These came from visaprint, and were not expensive. I got a mousemat that was £5 (~$7.50) and a t-shirt that was £12 (~$18). These can bee seen in the photos here:

I have also been able to use the mouse mat as a cubing mat, that can be seen in this really cheesy photo of me...


So all in all, I am very happy with my new Geek Circle things.



Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Friday 10 July 2015

DotVPN review

Hey Guys,

So I've recently been recommended a chrome plugin called DotVPN by Will Melbourne. It is a blocker for an array of things, such as ads, trackers and firewalls. I use this program for blocking the firewall at my school, as for example I wanted to use a bit of CSS from a page, but I couldn't get to the page as it was blocked. I wouldn't use this program all the time, as I have been told there are few servers, and with few servers dealing with all of the requests, the speed isn't brilliant. One of the features I like is the colourfulness of the icon and main page of it. It is a small touch, but very nice, and as a kid I think this is cool. I also find the movement of the graph in the icon satisfying, as if I'm physically doing something, and it's giving a live feed of my activity.

All in all, I think that DotVPN is a useful tool if you have a use for it, but I wouldn't just use it as an ad blocker. 


Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Monday 6 July 2015

New Geek Circle Website

Hey Guys,

So lately, I have just been having a bit of a go at some modern-looking html. I started writing a new website to be a central meeting point for all of the geek circle content. I wanted a modern-looking website, as I think that is what makes a site appealing. I found a good-looking css navbar that can be found here. I liked the dark modern look contrasting with the light body, making a stylish, modern look. I added the Geek Circle logo to the navbar and the tab at the top, making it look much more, well, geeky...

I then changed all the content of the navbar to have it things to do with the geek circle. my tabs are: Blog, YouTube and Cubes. Cubes is a drop-down menu with all of my cubes in it.

The current webpage shows in blue, as well as the link that you are hovering over. When one of the pages in the drop-down is currently viewing, it will make not only the actual text when you open the drop down, but the + sign next to Cubes. this indicates that there is more to be shown in the drop down. I made a basic template for the main body of each page with text on the left and a YouTube embed on the right, allowing for both text and visual-based content. I wrote a bit about what I do for the homepage, and for the pages on cubes, I wrote about the respective puzzles. I have contacted the owner of my local CoderDojo, as the CoderDojo foundation can provide free web hosting and domains for kids that want them. I also asked whether I could have a sub level domain for a minecraft server etc. If you want to take a look around the website, check it out here (you will need to edit some of the file paths to suit your system). 

Other than that, keep checking up here for updates on the website!


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Saturday 4 July 2015

Laser-etched Fisher Cube

Hey Guys,

So a few days ago, I was lucky enough to be given a very old but pretty cool-looking puzzle, as a friend had it but didn't want it. I think it is a "fisher cube" but I am not totally sure as it is not the same as most. It actually has 10 different colours, two for the top and bottom, four for the sides and four for the edge pieces. The stickers are also laser-etched, giving them shiny patterns of colour. The 4 different sides can be seen here:






This colour scheme with 10 different shades confused me, but I managed to work it out eventually. I also had some problems with getting impossible 3x3 parities, but I think this was due to me putting the corner colours in the wrong arrangement - there is no centre piece to tell what colour goes where. Eventually, I got fed up of scrambling and solving it, as it is so tight and my fingers started to hurt. I had to open the cube and fix the parity manually. I put a bit of lube inside the cube, that improved the turning a bit, bit it's still pretty bad. This is a nice cube but only as a collector's item - not a cube for solving often.

Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Friday 3 July 2015

Moyu HuaChuang 5x5 Review

Hey Guys,

So I was lucky enough to be given a Moyu HuaChuang (Can be bought here) as an early birthday present. The HuaChuang is Moyu's latest 5x5, and is a highly commended one too. The cube is pre fluorine-modded like the Yuxin 4x4 (if you have not already, check out my post about it here) the colors are very nice, and the stickers are very thick and sturdy - not like normal factory stickers. This can be seen here:

The size of the cube is a bit more than the Yuxin and can be seen next to a standard 55mm DaYan ZhanChi here:


The corner cutting is just under a piece, and the turning is extremely smooth. One of my only problems with this cube is the fact that it can get out of shape if you try to corner-cut with is too far. This can be seen here: 


It happens fairly frequently when trying to speedsolve it, and can be a pain to resolve. For anyone who was wondering, here is a photo of the mechanism: 

All in all, I think this is a good cube for anyone wanting a quality 5x5, the only problem being the disforming issue. If you just want a 5x5 but not for speedcubing, I do not recommend this as it is quite expensive - ~£28 ($38). 

Keep checking here for the latest in geek!

Tuesday 30 June 2015

Yuxin 4x4 Review

Hey Guys,

So this is my second review of the cubes I got from theCubicle.US, and today it's going to be about the Yuxin 4x4 (can be bought here). The Yuxin is a medium-speed and very stable puzzle, as I have never had a pop. The shades of the cube are very similar to that of a Rubik's brand and can be seen here:


The inner layers are smoother than the outer ones, with the outer layers having slight lockups regularly. The corner-cutting is OK, with both layers cutting 1/2 a piece and a full piece with force. There is no inverted cutting at all. This puzzle is pre florain-modded, meaning it has rounded off edges on the insides of pieces, making the smoothness and corner cutting better. Here is a picture where you can see the roundness of the edges easier.

The mechanism is fairly simple, not like an old 4x4 mechanism I have seen. This can be seen here: 

There is no corner twists at all, and I have even tried turning and it gets 80% of the way then when you let go it just pops back to it's original position.

All in all, I think this is a great cube for anyone with prior cubing knowledge, as a 4x4 is not a good cube to start with. This cube is a brilliant bargain at only £10 ($14) and I would definitely recommend it. 

Saturday 27 June 2015

Shengshou Pyraminx Review

Hey guys!

So a few days ago I got a delivery from theCubicle.us containing 3 items - a tube of cube lube, a Yuxin 4x4 and a Shengshou pyraminx. Today, I am going to be reviewing the Shengshou pyraminx (can be bought here). First of all, a pyraminx is a four sided pyramidal puzzle simmilar to a 2x2 in difficulty. This is what a pyraminx looks like:
It had two ways of moving per axis, the tips and the main segment. This can be seen in the next picture:
Here you can see the base layer, the middle turned layer and the tip. The center pieces (the blue pieces) can be seen here:
The centers, unlike a 3x3 or other odd numbered cube, have three showing faces, and can rotate so are not always the same. Although the pieces may rotate, they cannot actually move relative to the other faces of that piece as they are fixed to the core. The pieces between two centre pieces are the moving pieces like edges on a 3x3, and are what you have to solve.

Onto the review. The puzzle turns extremely fast, only partially hindered by the ball bearings to keep the layers in place. This problem is not relevant, as you would never need to turn a pyraminx more than one as it has only three possible places to turn to. The ball bearings in the sides of the pieces add speed to the turning as well as lock the pieces into place so that you don't have to be as accurate with turning. For a size comparison, here is a picture of the pyraminx next to a standard 55mm ZhanChi:

One piece on the pyraminx is the size of one and a half pieces on the ZhanChi. The corner-cutting is a third of a piece and no inverted, but this is not needed due to the ball bearings. Locks and pops are both non-existent, as the puzzle turns very well. I have brought my average down to 20s and my PB is 12s

I would greatly recommend this cube to anyone with a previous puzzle knowledge, as a pyraminx is not the best puzzle to start with. This puzzle is extremely cheap at only ~£8 (~$12) at theCubicle.us and is definitel worth it.

Monday 22 June 2015

Adobe Premiere Elements 13 v.s. Movie Maker

Hey Guys,

So if you are subscribed to me on YouTube (if not please feel free to do so here) you will know that my latest video was edited with Adobe Premiere Elements 13. This is not normal, as I usually use Movie Maker as it is the only editing software I had access to. This has now changed, as my Dad recently bought the Photoshop Elements 13 and Premiere Elements 13 Bundle, containing licences for two computers. The second license for both has been installed on my computer, so I now have free access to both pieces of software. This post is going to be a comparison between Adobe Premiere Elements 13 and Movie Maker.


Accessibility

So first thing first: Who can access them? Movie Maker is made my Microsoft, so is a Windows-only program. Premier, however, is for both PC and Mac users. Movie Maker is free, but Premiere is £40 (~$60) when bought alone, the bundle containing Premiere and Photoshop being £65 (~$100). This makes Movie Maker more accessible to most, and for Mac users the free option is iMovie. 

Features

Premiere has more features than Movie Maker, as you'd expect, but what are they? Premiere is much more detailed, with more options for colouring of the main screen e.g. hue, saturation, whereas Movie Maker just has pre-set filters. One of my favourite features of Premiere that Movie Maker doesn't have is the ability to have multiple pieces of content (video, photo etc.) on screen at once. This would be needed if you were using a facecam or something like it, as you would need to be able to put your second piece of footage on screen as well as your first piece.

Usability

As you would expect, Movie maker is easier to use as it is available to anyone and needs to be user friendly. Premiere is a bit more difficult to navigate, but once you've got the hang of it, you can easily navigate it's menus. Premiere does run quite a bit slower than Movie Maker, but that is to be expected as it has more features to be running. 

The Verdict

So all in all, I think that Premiere is for people that are more professional that Movie Maker users as it costs. Movie Maker is good for amateur people, as it is free so easily accessible. Premiere Elements also would not be for complete professionals editing videos daily, as for that you would want the more advanced Premiere Pro


Make sure to keep checking here to see the latest geek news!

Saturday 20 June 2015

How a cube works

Hey Guys,

So today I'm going to be doing a less review - like, more mechanical post. In this post I'm going to be explaining how a cube works. All of the pictures in this post will be of a DaYan ZhanChi cube. My review of this cube can be found here and the ZhanChi can be bought here. So as we all know, A cube has six faces, with nine different "cubies" on each face. There are three different types of piece - a corner, edge and centre cap. The centre caps never move as it is an odd numbered cube, they can only rotate. This can be seen here:

The beige bit can never be seen, but the caps are visible. You can pop of the front of the caps to change the tensions on the springs in the core if your cube is too loose or too tight. Here is a picture of the pieces of a cube:


You can see the two types of pieces that you can get on the top - the three-coloured corner piece and the two-coloured edge piece. Both pieces are made of three parts, but in some cubes the edge piece only consists of two parts. The second row of pieces makes up the edge piece, the two outer pieces enclosing the middle 'torpedo' piece. This torpedo is not in all cubes and is not necessary at all, but is used to prevent pops. The bottom row of three pieces creates the corner piece. You can see how the cube goes together in the next picture: 



In the left section, you can see how the edge pieces fit into the core, with the torpedoes in the gap between the parts of the core. In the right-hand section, you can see how the edge pieces attach to the corners, with the torpedoes holding the edges in place. I hope that this post has better helped you understand how a cube works, and expanded your cubing knowledge.


Make sure to keep checking here to see the latest geek news!

Super Hexagon on offer!

Hey Everyone,

So this is just a quick post to let you all know that Super Hexagon is on offer at the moment on steam: it used to be £1.99 ($3.16) and it now only costs £0.67 ($1.07) If you haven't already, feel free to check out my review of Super Hexagon. The offer ends on the 22nd of June, so you'd better be quick!


Make sure to keep checking here to see the latest geek news!

Tuesday 16 June 2015

War Thunder Review

Hey Guys,

So today I'm going to be doing another game review, and today I'm going to be checking out War Thunder (Can be found here). War Thunder is a free-to-play World War 2 third-person fighter. You get a mission objective, such as to destroy all ground units. You are in teams of about 12 people, battling the other side. Here is a picture of the gameplay: 


You can see the names of all of the other players, blue being friendly, red being hostile. The map is at the top right, your stats such as speed and throttle at the top left. Once you complete that game, you get a report like this: 


It tells you what you destroyed, how long the battle was and what rewards you got. You can then use these rewards to research and buy new aircraft. My problem with the game is that there is nothing to do, and I get bored after a few games. Unlike Minecraft or Terraria, you don't have any free building abilities, it's just a war game.

All in all, I think this is a good game for people that like war games or aircraft, but not for me as I am more of the creative type.



Make sure to keep checking here to see the latest geek news!

Monday 15 June 2015

PC Specialist Review

Hey Guys,

Today I’m going to be reviewing PC specialist. PC SPECIALIST is a website that allows a custom build without the hassle and as cheap as possible. Their website can be found here.

From gaming to editing from work to holiday from small money to huge money, they will make any kind of computer/laptop for you.I have ordered myself a ‘mini PC’ from PC specialist for mild gaming and office work and possibly a bot setup if I get a new PC in years to come. My experiences with this company were great and their PC customization software was easy to use and had many options. I am looking forward to getting this computer because I will be able to access more programming languages as it will be much better than my old laptop.

Below will be the specs for my PC


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I also have bought a wonderfully cheap mini PC with these specs;
Processor (CPU)
Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core G3260T (2.9GHz, 3MB Cache) + HD Graphics Card
Case
Inwin Mini-ITX BQ660 Case + 120W PSU
Motherboard
ASUS® H97I-PLUS: Mini-ITX, LG1150, USB 3.0, SATA 6GBs
Memory (RAM)
16GB KINGSTON DUAL-DDR3 1600MHz (2 x 8GB)
Graphics Card
INTEL® HD GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR 4000
1st Hard Disk
500GB SERIAL ATA II 2.5" HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE (5,400rpm)
Processor Cooling
INTEL STANDARD CPU COOLER
Sound Card
ONBOARD 6 CHANNEL (5.1) HIGH DEF AUDIO (AS STANDARD)
Wireless/Wired Networking
WIRELESS-N (150Mbps) 3dBi HIGH GAIN USB ADAPTER
USB Options
2 x USB 3.0 PORTS + 4 x USB 2.0 PORTS AS STANDARD
Operating System
Genuine Windows 8.1 64 Bit - inc DVD & Licence (£79)
Windows 10 Upgrade
FREE Upgrade to Windows 10 with all Windows 7 & Windows 8.1 Purchases*
Office Software
FREE 30 Day Trial of Microsoft® Office® 365
Anti-Virus
BULLGUARD INTERNET SECURITY - FREE 90 DAY TRIAL

New Blogger!

Hey Guys,

So this is just a short post to let everyone know that there is going to be a new author on this blog. Theo Templeton is definitely a geek, so perfect for the job. His first post is going to be a review of PC Specialist (can be found here), a custom PC builder, as Theo has bought a "Mini PC" from them. This does not mean that I am going to stop posting, but Theo is going to be posting as well.

Finally, I just want to say a big thanks for 1000 views on this blog, which we hit a few days ago.


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Sunday 14 June 2015

Game of War: Fire Age Review

Hey Guys,

So today I've got another game review, but today it's a bit different. Today I'm going to be reviewing Game of War: Fire Age - a free (with in-app purchases) mobile game available on Android, iOS and Amazon (Kindle Fire). It is a MMO quite similar to Clash of Clans, but it is much more complex with much more strategy involved. It has many more features, and is built around the idea of alliances, even more though than Clash of Clans. 

Your "Base" is unlike Clash of Clans, as it is not one flat area with free movement of the buildings to no cost, but you have many set spaces for buildings (all the same size) and you have to pay in-game money to move them. You have buildings for troop training, silver production, hospitals, forges etc. inside your walls. This is what my base looks like at the moment:


You also need a way to generate resources, and this is why you have a section outside of the walls of your village for your wood, food, stone and ore production. 



The last main view is of the world map. This is where you can see other players' empires, dungeons and resource tiles. This is also where the battle aspect of the game comes in. You can attack all of the things I mentioned previously, as well as compete in wars with your alliance and trade resources.


All in all, I think this is an excellent game for people like me, who enjoy games such as Clash of Clans but want a bit more strategy and thinking involved. The only problems with the game that I have found is that it runs very slowly on my phone (iPhone 4S) but is fine on my computer. It is also constantly putting ads for gold etc. in front of you, such as every time the game launches. Other than that, I would highly recommend this game to you.


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