Category: Not Reviews

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on The Avengers Movie

The Avengers is everything a summer movie should be — big and loud and fast and fun. As a comic-book nerd, I was cautiously excited for the movie. Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America were lots of fun. Joss Whedon knows comics and action. That said, team movies are tough to pull off. It’s hard to give multiple characters time to shine while moving a central narrative forward. My fear was that an awesome idea on paper would stumble in execution. I shouldn’t have been worried at all. The Avengers was the most fun I’ve had in a movie theater in a long, long time. Here are some random thoughts (spoilers ahead!) on The Avengers movie.

– Every character had a chance to shine. Tony Stark had the best lines. Captain America had an awesomely dramatic run through Manhattan. Hulk and Thor had amazing power moves. Black Widow and Hawkeye did super-cool spy things. More importantly, each character had a purpose. Stark and Banner had science and tech covered. Thor was the supernatural authority. Black Widow was used for interrogations. Hawkeye called out strategies as the eye in the sky. Naturally, the team was led by Cap. It was a stark contrast to the X-Men movies, which had several characters that made you wonder, “Why are you here exactly?”

– The issue I had with screen-time distribution was that there was too much Black Widow and not enough Captain America. Yeah, I know it sounds insane to complain about excess Scarlett Johansson scenes, but as a comic-book nerd it just didn’t make sense. I know that Scar is hot and adds sexiness to the movie (and my dream in life is for her to own me), but in the grand scheme of the Marvel Universe, Black Widow isn’t all the important. Captain America, on the other hand, is like the father of all superheroes. I would have liked a few more scenes that established his natural leadership skills and the sense of paternal authority he conveys.

– On the plus side, Cap’s lack of scenes prevented a ridiculous man-out-of-time montage. My friend Paul was afraid that there was going to be a silly sequence of Cap acclimating to modern times. The first thing that popped into my head was Austin Powers trying to play a CD with a record player. Personally, I’d love to see a deleted scene of Steve Rogers doing the same thing. Ha!

– The Hulk was a big unknown going into the movie. Mark Ruffalo had the unenviable task of following Eric Bana and Ed Norton. For the most part, he was very good as Dr. Bruce Banner. He was somewhat believable as a science guy that could carry a high-level conversation with Tony Stark. He was definitely believable as someone struggling with the mother of all anger-management issues. Banner was very good…but the Hulk was outstanding! The CG was fantastic. The Hulk looked powerful and menacing. His fight scenes were extraordinary. He even had two bits of show-stealing comedy. I loved his sucker punch to Thor in Grand Central Station. Watching him beat the crap out of Loki as if the Norse god were a rag doll was hilarious and viscerally thrilling at the same time. It left you thinking, “Yes! That’s how Hulk rolls!!!”

– Speaking of Loki, Tom Hiddleston was a charming bad guy. His version of Loki was cool. You’d want to hang out with him…if you weren’t afraid of his maniacal plots, never ending lies, clever schemes, and immense power. Paul and I agreed that he felt like more of a threat in The Avengers than he did in Thor. With all the cool characters and big names in the movie, Hiddleston is likely to get overlooked. Pay attention to his performance. He was a great baddie in the movie and great heroes need great baddies in order to shine.

– As with most modern, mainstream movies, there was a lot of product placement in The Avengers. Most of it wasn’t bad, but there was one scene in Manhattan where it felt like the camera was focused on an Acura for like ten seconds. Giant-sized battle with aliens in the greatest city in the world?!? Let’s take some time to stare at this Acura as we transition between scenes. *groan*

– Clark Gregg was fantastic in his role as S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Phil Coulson. This made-for-the-movies character appeared in all the recent Marvel superhero films and served as the galvanizing agent for the team. His deadpan humor was spot-on and his banter with Pepper Potts — with Tony Stark wondering why they’re so familiar with each other — was fantastic.

– The mid-credit teaser totally made me mark out. Frickin’ Thanos?!? I love it!!! That’s definitely one way to go even bigger. The one problem with Thanos is that you need some space-oriented heroes in the mix. Silver Surfer’s rights were tied up with Fox, which is why he wasn’t in the Planet Hulk animated movie. I’m not sure if the Fox deal has expired. I love me some Adam Warlock, but he’s probably too weird for a mainstream movie…and he also has feathered hair. Captain Marvel would make sense and Whedon would be free to kill him off. How about Michael Clarke Duncan as Thanos? He certainly has the voice for it.

– As the credits for The Avengers rolled, I was left totally satisfied. Was it the best superhero movie ever? Probably not, but it’s up there and leaves room for future Avengers adventures. The best thing I can about it is that I’m totally willing to pony up $10 to see it again. Like I said in the intro, The Avengers is big and loud and fast and fun.

Two Weeks With the Razer Tiamat Elite 7.1

I have high expectations of Razer products. The company makes some of the best keyboards and mice I’ve ever used. Its audio products are generally impressive. Every now and then, a Razer product disappoints me (see the Razer Onza controller for Xbox 360), but that’s largely because the vast majority of my experiences with the company’s products have been superior. With all of that in mind, I was quite pleased with my experience with the Razer Tiamat Elite 7.1. Here’s a rundown of my two weeks with this fine product.

Build Quality: Like most Razer products, the build quality of the Tiamat is top notch. You can feel the product’s quality the second you pull it out of the box (great packaging, btw). It feels substantive and the heft of the drivers is immediately evident. The audio cable is of the braided cloth variety, which guards against tangles and interference; it has a more luxurious feel than standard plastic cords. The ear cups are heavily padded for long gaming sessions.

The retractable microphone is great in that it’s easy to stow when you don’t need it. That said, the mic was my only quibble as far as build quality and construction go. I prefer flexible mics to hard, plastic ones. The retractable microphone on the SteelSeries 7H is one of my favorites, for example. Aside from my minor issue with the mic (totally personal preference), the hardware quality is outstanding.

Comfort: You would think that a relatively heavy headset would be uncomfortable, but that’s not the case with the Tiamat. I already mentioned the heavily padded ear cups, but the winner here is the suspension strap that goes between your head and the headset’s plastic frame. It distributes the weight of the headset so that it doesn’t feel heavy. I wore the Tiamat for several multi-hour gaming sessions. Once I had it on for three hours just to see if it would get uncomfortable (and also because it made me feel like Lobot). It didn’t. It’s a safe bet that some of you will be shocked by how light the Tiamat feels on your head.

Sound Quality: For the most part, the sound quality of the Tiamat is great. Obviously it’s targeted towards gamers, but it’s fantastic for mainstream movies too. By default, I found the the bass to be hopped up, which is ideal for action games and action movies. Explosions, gunfire, Michael Clarke Duncan’s voice, etc. sounded magnificent. Any game with an emphasis on sound design gets a boost from this headset.

For music, I had to tweak some EQ settings to get a flatter response. Again, this is a personal preference. Mainstream consumers generally favor exaggerated bass (see Beats by Dre), but I prefer an even response (see Etymotic) for music. For non-action movies, you’ll probably want to tweak the audio too…but this headset wasn’t really made with viewings of Sense and Sensibility in mind.

As for the 7.1 surround sound effect, it’s very good, but no match for a true 7.1 speaker setup. Of course most gamers don’t have enough room for a full 7.1 surround sound speaker setup, so headsets like the Tiamat are the only way to get that kind of experience. For action games or stealth games where pinpoint audio helps determine your success, the Tiamat is a winner.

Volume Box: The Tiamat’s volume box is worth mentioning. This breakout box lets you control a multitude of features. For convenience, it allows you to switch between the headset and your PC’s speakers, switch between 7.1 and stereo sound, mute sound entirely, control the master volume, and more. It also allows you to tweak the individual speakers in the headset for an insane amount of control. It’s just a really, really impressive and powerful unit that rounds out the Tiamat’s overall offering nicely.

Conclusion: Yes, the Tiamat is on the expensive side of gaming headsets, but you’re getting top-of-the-line features. The sound quality is very good. The comfort is outstanding. The 7.1 sound is as good as it gets in terms of headsets. As far as gaming audio goes, it doesn’t get much better than the Razer Tiamat Elite 7.1.

One Month With the Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon)

I’ve been using a Samsung Galaxy Nexus for the last month on Verizon’s 4G LTE network. For the most part, I love the phone. It’s one of the few products I’ve reviewed where I was so enamored with it that I quickly bought one for myself. That said, it’s not really a flagship phone like previous Nexus models (arguably) were. It’s more like a reference model instead of a champion product with top-of-the-line features across the board. More importantly, there are some quirks and deal breakers that make this phone a no-go for some users. Here’s my (not a) review of the Samsung Galaxy Nexus.

[nggallery id=84]

User Interface: Like previous Nexus phones, the Galaxy Nexus is the first to offer a new version of Google Android, in this case Android 4.0, also known as Ice Cream Sandwich. This is a pretty huge update for Android, much bigger than the previous phone update (Gingerbread). Everything looks better, partially because of improved design and partially because of a font that’s actually good looking. Everything also feels faster thanks to improvements in hardware acceleration.

The phone’s core apps have a modern look that fits in with the redesigns of Google’s web products. For example, the new Android Gmail has a look and feel that’s similar to the new web-based Gmail. The changes are mostly great, but there are some UI quirks that make you have to press more buttons than you ought to in order to achieve something.

I’m going to write a separate piece on Android 4.0 later, since I want to focus on the hardware. For what it’s worth, it was difficult going back to using the Galaxy S II, which runs a skinned version of Android 2.3. The aesthetics and UI enhancements of Android 4.0 are definitely a win.

Screen: I love looking at the Galaxy Nexus’ screen. It’s big (4.65-inches) and gorgeous (1,280 x 720). Although it only uses Samsung’s Super AMOLED technology, as opposed to Super AMOLED Plus, this is one of the best screens I’ve ever seen on a phone. It has the deep blacks and vibrant colors found across the Super AMOLED line. Text on a 720p phone screen looks brilliant. Surprisingly, the whites looked very good too. They’re not quite as bright as those found on IPS LCD displays, but they don’t have that grayish dullness that bugged me on the Galaxy S II’s Super AMOLED Plus screen.

Right now I would say that this is one of the three best phone screens on the market in terms of image and text clarity. I’d put it up there with the iPhone 4/4S’ vaunted “Retina Display” and the gorgeous screen on HTC Rezound. The display on the Galaxy Nexus is bigger and has a higher resolution than both, but there are some that would prefer the more accurate color reproduction and truer images found on those screens.

Form Factor: Of course a giant screen makes for a giant phone. When I reviewed the Galaxy S II, I noted that its large size makes it difficult for some people to use. The same applies to the Galaxy Nexus. It’s longer and thinner than the Galaxy S II. Users with small to medium-sized hands will struggle to use the phone one-handed…as far as content consumption goes.

For such a large phone, the Galaxy Nexus is deceptively comfortable to use for making calls. Part of it is its long-and-thin dimensions. A bigger reason is that it’s slightly curved. It’s pretty subtle, particularly on the Verizon version which is a tad thicker than its international GSM counterpart, but the concave shape of the phone goes a long way in terms of call comfort.

Build Quality: As many of you know, I’m not a huge fan of Samsung’s build quality. Its phones can take a beating, but feel cheap. I love the feel of the iPhone 4/4S glass sandwich and several HTC phones that feature a lot of metal. Compared to the Galaxy S and Galaxy S II, the Galaxy Nexus is a slight step up. Externally, it’s all glass and plastic, but the company claims that it uses an internal metal frame to give it more rigidity and a better feel.

While I didn’t open up the Galaxy Nexus to see how much metal it contains internally, I found that it does have a better heft than the Galaxy S II — even the 4.5-inch versions. The extra bit if weight makes it feel better in hand. That said, it’s still plastic on the outside with a battery cover that feels like it’s going to rip every time you take it off. While this phone dazzles in many areas, build quality is not one of them.

Performance: When the Galaxy Nexus’ specs were first announced, a lot of tech enthusiasts were underwhelmed. The phone’s 1.2GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4460 is a good processor that’s great at multitasking, but not the best in the graphics department. The PowerVR SGX540 is clocked higher than in previous versions, but it’s still an old GPU compared to what’s in the Galaxy S II and iPhone 4S.

If you like to play 3D games that require a lot of GPU resources then this might not be the best phone for you. All the games I played ran fine, but you’ll get better performance out of a Galaxy S II variant with an Exynos processor. As games get bigger and require more GPU resources, there’s a chance that the Galaxy Nexus will lag behind competing phones with more powerful processors.

The good news is that for everyday tasks, the OMAP 4460 performs like a champ. Part of it has to do with TI’s efficient memory solution and part of it has to do with Android 4.0 taking better advantage of hardware acceleration. Like I said before, using the phone is a smooth experience. If you don’t play a ton of games on your phone then you’ll quite pleased with its performance.

Battery Life: As expected, this is the phone’s biggest weak point. After a month of use, I averaged about 11.5 hours per charge. This includes a lot of web browsing, tweeting, Google Voice texting, and Foursquare check-ins, as well as a few minutes of phone calls each day. While 11.5 hours isn’t nearly as bad as the 8.5 I was getting on the HTC Thunderbolt (also LTE), it wasn’t nearly as sweet as the 16.5 hours I enjoyed on the Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile (HSPA+ radio).

The big offender is the LTE radio. That’s, by far, the biggest battery drain on the phone — not the large screen or the dual-core processor. Getting crazy-fast mobile-Internet speeds sucks up a lot of juice. There are a few solutions that can help extend battery life, but they’re all varying degrees of inconvenient. Turning on the LTE radio only when needed or sticking to WiFi as much as possible greatly extends battery life. If those options don’t work for you then I suggest getting an extra battery or two. I picked up two Hyperion batteries and an external battery charger for my Galaxy Nexus…but I wish I didn’t have to.

Battery life is easily the phone’s biggest weakness, but if you’re familiar with LTE phones then you already knew that would be an issue.

[nggallery id=78]

Call Quality: Though some reviewers have reported signal problems, I didn’t experience that on either Galaxy Nexus I used. Calls were very clear on the earpiece and the people I spoke with all said that I sounded clear. The noise canceling works well, though not as good as the solutions found on some Motorola phones I’ve used.

I do wish the earpiece had an additional level or two of volume. If you make a lot of calls using speakerphone then you will likely be disappointed in the Galaxy Nexus’ somewhat weak output. Overall, I was very satisfied with this phone’s call quality. As always, you call quality will depend on how well Verizon covers your area.

Camera: Google and Samsung touted the camera’s speed and unique features when it unveiled the Galaxy Nexus. The camera software is certainly fast and allows for rapid shots. The sensor is five-megapixels, which really doesn’t mean much other than its lower than most high-end phones. What’s more important is image quality. This phone has been getting bashed for its camera and I think it’s being overblown. The camera is definitely not as good as the one found on the iPhone 4S or several HTC phones that feature a backside-illuminated sensor. However, it’s still very good. I was happy with the photos I snapped outdoors and in low-light situations. It’s not a cutting-edge camera or even a great one, but it’s still a very good shooter.

Internet Speeds: I’m a big fan of Verizon’s LTE network. It offers a great combination of blazing Internet speeds and broad national coverage. Check out the speed tests I ran at various locations in the Los Angeles area to see the broadband hotness. AT&T’s LTE speeds are faster at the moment, but the company has very few LTE phones on its network (theoretically speeds will decline as more AT&T users pick up LTE phones) and its 4G coverage isn’t nearly as good as Verizon’s. As for Sprint’s WiMax and T-Mobile’s HSPA+, Verizon LTE is in another echelon. Of course your mileage may vary depending on how well Verizon covers your area.

Closing Thoughts: The Galaxy Nexus has a lot of top-notch features and a few that are very good. Like I said in the intro, I see it as more of a reference phone than a true flagship. A true champion product would kick ass in every area. The Galaxy Nexus only does that in some.

Having said that, I was impressed enough with the overall offering that I made the switch to Verizon and bought a Galaxy Nexus of my own. The screen is fantastic, it runs a vanilla version of Android with updates provided by Google, the Internet speeds are brilliant, the 4G coverage is the best in the country, and the performances is great for my needs (I have an iPad and consoles for “real” games). As long as you’re not a heavy 3D gamer and can deal with the battery life issues then I highly recommend giving the Galaxy Nexus a look. It’s the best Android phone you can get today and will remain so for a good while.

A Month With the Samsung Galaxy S II (T-Mobile)

The Samsung Galaxy S II is one of the most popular lines of Google Android phones. Released internationally in May 2011, the phone wowed tech enthusiasts with its gorgeous screen, powerful processor, and unique twist on the Android UI. Unfortunately for Americans, the phone wasn’t available on major carriers until Fall 2011.

I’ve been using the T-Mobile variant of the GSII for the last month. It differs from the stock model in that it has a slightly larger screen (4.5-inches vs. 4.3-inches), a faster Internet radio (HSPA+ 42), and a slightly less capable processor (Qualcomm APQ8060 vs. Samsung Exynos). Overall, I was extremely pleased with the phone’s performance, but there are a few areas where it loses out to the competition. Here are some assorted thoughts on my month with the Samsung Galaxy S II on T-Mobile.

Screen: The Galaxy S II’s Super AMOLED Plus screen is easily it’s most eye-catching feature. The 4.5-inch screen, with a 800 x 480 resolution, is big and beautiful. The black levels and viewing angles are some of the best out there. The colors are extremely vibrant and really pop. Most general consumers will love the screen, but tech enthusiasts that crave cutting-edge displays and those with a discerning eye might have some issues with it.

On the downside, the vibrant colors are over-pronounced compared to those produced by LCD screens. It’s not as bad as the previous Super AMOLED tech, but the screen has a tendency to make everything brighter than it ought to be. If you took a photo of an overcast day in London, the IPS LCD screen of the iPhone 4S would make it look appropriately dreary, while the Galaxy S II would make it seem like Kauai (I’m exaggerating, but you get the point). The phone’s whites have a grayish tint to them compared to LCD, no matter the brightness level. This is noticeable when viewing web sites with white backgrounds (you know, most of them). Both the overly bright colors and grayish whites will only bother those with a discerning eye or have spent a lot of time color correcting photos/video. Some consumers won’t notice, while others will be happy to trade off these characteristics for the deep blacks and power saving inherent with Super AMOLED Plus.

The 800 x 480 resolution was cutting edge when the phone was released globally in May. Unfortunately, the T-Mobile variant was released in October 2011. As of this writing, there are a handful of phones with 1,280 x 720 resolutions and several more 720p phones slated for release in the near future. The Galaxy S II’s screen is still great, but it pales in comparison to the 720p screens found on the HTC Droid Rezound and the Samsung Galaxy Nexus. I’ve been using a Galaxy Nexus for the last two days and it’s hard going back to the GSII’s screen. Text, pictures, and video look better on a high-res 720p screen.

Form Factor: The trade-off to having a 4.5-inch screen is usability. I wrote a little bit about this in October. Playing games, watching videos, and looking at pictures is absolutely brilliant on a screen this big. One-handed operation, on the other, can be a chore for those with average-sized or small hands. My hands are average sized; I’m able to to comfortably use an LG G2x (4.0-inches) and HTC Evo 4G (4.3-inches) with one hand. The GSII’s screen is simply too big for me. There are times when my left thumb struggled to reach the upper-right corner of the screen. Sometimes I simply had to use it with two hands. Naturally, your comfort with this phone totally depends on your hand size.

The phone’s size is comfortable for making calls and its weight is super light. The weight was mostly a non-issue for me. I gladly would have taken an extra ounce for higher quality build materials, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s roll to the next section!

Build Quality: The build quality of the phone is typical Samsung, which is to say that it’s an all-plastic affair that features very good construction. On the plus side, going with all plastic makes the phone light and durable. However, it just feels cheap compared to phones like the iPhone 4S (mostly glass) or several HTC phones (lots of metal). The plastic frame feels budget and the battery cover feels downright flimsy. In most respects, the Galaxy S II is a high-quality product. One of its few mediocre features is its build materials.

Performance: In order to take advantage of T-Mobile’s fast HSPA+ 42 network, Samsung had to switch from its own 1.2 GHz Exynos processor to a 1.5Ghz Qualcomm APQ8060. For the most part, I don’t think people will notice the difference in performance. As far as day-to-day tasks go, performance is about the same. This reflects the comparable power between the two CPUs. GPU performance is another matter. When it comes to gaming, the Qualcomm chip is very good, but the Exynos is outstanding. Most users will be satisfied with the zippy performance this phone offers, unless they’re a hardcore mobile gamer.

Battery Life: Despite the big screen and fast performance, the GSII offers stellar battery life. I was actually kind of shocked by how good it was. I averaged 16.5 hours of use on a single charge of the 1,850 mAh battery. My typical daily use includes pulling from four Gmail accounts, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, as well as heavy web browsing, some Foursquare check-ins, a few dozen messages, and a few minutes of phones calls. This was easily the best Android phone I’ve used when it comes to battery life. While the GSII was mostly inline with my expectations, its battery life was one of the few areas that surprised me.

User Interface: UI is a highly subjective area. Some people like Android skins and some don’t. In general, there’s only one Android skin I’ve liked: HTC Sense. The first three versions of Samsung TouchWiz have advanced from crap (1.0) to dreck (2.0) to meh (3.0). Given its spotty history, I was shocked by how good TouchWiz 4.0 was. It actually enhances Android 2.3 and adds a lot of clever functionality without drastically altering the feel of Android. I still like HTC Sense a little bit better, but TouchWiz 4.0 is the first Samsung skin that’s a great choice. Keep in mind that Android 4.0 is out and is drastically different from Android versions 2.0 through 2.3. It will be interesting to see how Samsung melds TouchWiz and Android 4.0. Imposing TouchWiz on Android 4.0 could be problematic and/or take a long time (especially with carrier involvement).

Call Quality: Voice calls on the GSII were very, very good. The people I spoke with all said I sounded very clear, while they sounded great on my earpiece (though a bit more volume would have been nice). This was the best voice phone (an odd concept, I know) I’ve used in 2011. Prior to this phone, the Motorola Droid X was my favorite as far as voice goes. The GSII’s call quality was only slightly behind it. I’m going to chalk that up to Verizon’s CDMA network proving better call clarity than T-Mobile’s GSM network, which has been my experience in general. I know that most of you RPad.tv regulars use more data than voice, but if you’re concerned about call quality then you’ll be happy with the GSII.

Internet Speeds: T-Mobile’s HSPA+ 42 speeds are very good. Click here to see how it compared to T-Mo’s HSPA+ 21 phones. Unlike LTE phones, HSPA+ 42 doesn’t have a huge impact on battery life. Download speeds are fantastic, though upload speeds and latency (ping) are mediocre or bad. For users looking for an optimum blend of Internet speeds and battery life, the T-Mobile GSII is worth a look. If pure speed is your priority then you’re better off with an LTE phone from AT&T or Verizon.

Closing Thoughts: T-Mobile’s Samsung Galaxy S II is a fantastic phone — easily one of the best Google Android handsets released in 2011. It offers a great blend of a beautiful display, fast performance, and great Internet speeds. There are some trade-offs when it comes to one-handed usability and color accuracy, and the build quality isn’t the best. However,  some of those factors come down to personal preference and the phone’s strong points clearly outweigh its deficiencies.

Having said that, the GSII was released a tad too late thanks to American carriers and their propensity for customization. Remember, the original model was released in May 2011. If the American carriers released the GSII in Summer 2011, it would have ruled the roost. In Q4 2011, the market is much more competitive. The Galaxy S II is still a marvelous phone, but it’s tough not to consider newer models like the Droid RAZR, Droid Rezound, and Galaxy Nexus.

Hands On With Google Music (Not a Review!)

I’ve been playing with Google Music and Google’s Music Store on Android Market for the last day. It’s a mix of cool features and annoying quirks. There are some aspects of the experience I really like and some areas where Google Music puts Apple iTunes on its ass. There are also some aspects of the experience that are stupid and annoying. Let’s break it down!

Buying and Browsing: I love the shopping and browsing experience of the Google Music Store. It’s bright, there are lots of pictures, and the big-time acts have sweet videos. Most of what you want can be found, as Google has signed up three of the four major companies (Warners is still holding out). There’s lots of free music and a “free song of the day” that encourages repeat visits. Buying is a snap if you already have a Google Wallet or (the soon to be dead) Google Checkout account. Compared to iTunes and Amazon’s MP3 store, I prefer the shopping experience of Google Music.

Listening: After you’ve purchased your music, it’s available in seconds on the web-based player or your Android device. The instant gratification will make you want to kiss the cloud (which isn’t actually a tangible thing you can kiss). Listening on my PC was great thanks to my zippy cable Internet connection. Listening on a Samsung Galaxy S II through T-Mobile required a little more waiting because of the slower connection, the sound quality was still good. I did have some quirks with the HTML 5 version of Google Music on my iPad, but that’s something I’m going to talk about more on Padvance.com.

Downloading: If you want to download a few individual songs onto your PC then you can easily do so on the web-based player. If you want to download a large batch of purchased music then you’re better of using the Music Manager app. The app works fine for uploading and downloading music to and from the cloud, but it’s way to slow. The upload speed I can understand, but downloads should be much faster. Hopefully this will get better in the future, but for now the Music Manager app’s sluggishness is disappointing and annoying.

Social: Google Music features heavy Google+ integration. You can post a song or album through “+1” buttons. People that read your post get one free listen and a link to buy the song or album. Compared to the extremely weak Ping features on Apple iTunes, Google Music’s social aspect is deep and robust. I love how it can lead to discovering new music. There are also some potentially great music discssions that can be generated by Google+ and Google Music.

Verdict: I can easily see myself visiting the Google Music Store several times a week, similar to how I visit the Amazon Android App Store daily to see if there are any good freebies. As for purchasing, it’s all about the price and convenience for me. Apple iTunes is the easiest way for me to buy music, but it’s often the most expensive. Amazon is usually cheaper and its software makes it easy to sync with all my devices. The Google Music Store has a ton of freebies and some sweet deals, but the Music Manager could be better. I like Google Music a lot and will definitely give it a look every time I’m thirsty for new sounds, but the experience isn’t good enough (yet) to push Amazon and Apple off my menu.

If you’ve been tinkering with Google Music, I’d love to hear about your experiences. Please let me know what you think of Google Music and the Google Music Store on Android Market when you have a chance.

Razer Chimaera 5.1 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

Here’s a video review of the Razer Chimaera 5.1 wireless gaming headset. Although it can be used with any console or PC, it only allows for chat on Xbox 360. It’s a high-quality product from Razer, a company that’s known some of the best mice and keyboards for gamers…

Here’s a video review of the Razer Chimaera 5.1 wireless gaming headset. Although it can be used with any console or PC, it only allows for chat on Xbox 360. It’s another  high-quality product from Razer, a company that’s known some of the best mice and keyboards for gamers.

Here’s the Cliff Notes version:

Like

  • Super Comfortable — I wore the Chimaera for several gaming sessions of two hours or more and found it perfectly comfortable the whole time.
  • Great Sound — Although it’s not as impressive as headsets with multiple drivers, I really enjoyed the sound output. At the very least, it blows away TV speakers in terms of clarity and detail.

Didn’t Like

  • Microphone — The mic isn’t noise-cancelling, which could be a deal breaker for gamers that play in crowded living rooms, doorms, etc.
  • Possible Interference — I’m positive that interference won’t be an issue for most people, but if you live in a crowded apartment complex (like me) with lots of 5.8GHz devices fighting for signal then you’ll probably experience occasional dropouts. At home, I experienced a few dropouts but when I brought the Chimaera to my friend’s house in the suburbs I didn’t have any.

Kindly watch the review when you have a chance and let me know what you think! Is the Razer Chimaera 5.1 something you want this holiday season?

Still More Quick Hits (Not a Review!) on DC Comics New 52

After two weeks of “The New 52”, I’m thoroughly addicted to the rebooted DC Universe. In fact, I picked up more comics this week than the previous two weeks. This time around I’ll be sharing my opinions on the first issues of Batman, Catwoman, Green Lantern Corps, Legion of Super-Heroes, Nightwing, Red Hood and the Outlaws, Supergirls, and Wonder Woman. Let’s get to it! (Minor spoilers ahead.)

Batman #1: This was easily the most complete book of the week. Greg Capullo’s art was fantastic. Scott Snyder’s writing was sharp. It worked as a standalone issue and the first chapter of a story arc. Snyder did a great job at portraying how Batman and Bruce Wayne try to serve Gotham in very different ways. Great stuff all around!

As a Nightwing mark, it was cool to see him make an appearance in this issue. Hell, it was cool to see some of Batman’s other “sons” (Tim Drake, Damian Wayne). My one minor criticism is that the Bat-tech is way out of hand. Yes, Batman has cool and technologically advanced gadgets, but he’s best as a ruthless hero with unmatched detective skills and a strategic mind that’s second to none. Using E.M.P. masks and contact lenses that can remotely access supercomputers takes away from that. Having said that, this is a great comic book.

Catwoman #1: I wasn’t planning to pick up this book, but then I saw that Judd Winick was writing it. I really dig his stuff from Green Lantern, The Outsiders, Titans, Batman, etc. He’s great at getting people to care about his characters and his books always have a fun vibe. Catwoman definitely shows off his strengths. Winick made the character cool and fun, but also vulnerable enough that you feel for her. Guillem March’s did a fantastic job at complementing Winick’s vibe by using a style with slick action and slight exaggeration.

The first issue of the book wasn’t as strong a standalone as Batman, but it was good for setting up the vibe of Winick’s version of Selina Kyle both in and out of the costume. The cliffhanger isn’t a traditional one, but it completely works. Instead of wondering what happens to Catwoman as she’s left in a life-threatening position, readers can look forward to issue #2 revealing what pillow talk between Batman and Catwoman is like the morning after.

Green Lantern Corps #1: Wow. The first few pages of the book were shocking. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all. Green Lantern action usually consists of big space explosions, elaborate energy constructs, and giant green boxing gloves. I was stunned by the brutality that kicked off this book. I definitely wasn’t expecting one character to get decapitated and another sliced in half. I suppose that’s the peril of being a nameless member of the GLC. It’s like being a nameless ensign that gets beamed down for a mission with Captain Kirk.

Meanwhile back on Earth, it was fun watching Guy Gardner and John Stewart try to work civilian jobs. Not having secret identities can be bad for leading a normal life. After both their ventures failed, it was time for them to resume being space cops…and they found one helluva case to solve. I’m intrigued by the mystery assailant. He hasn’t shown his face yet, but he’s proven to be brutal, cruel, twisted, and powerful. I’m anxious to see how the showdown develops!

Legion of Super-Heroes #1: This book is definitely not for everyone. Legion gets a bit wacky for most mainstream readers and there are too many characters to keep track of. That said, I’ve always enjoyed Legion, particularly Mark Waid’s version. I love the wide variety of characters. I think Durlans and Daxamites are cool. 31st-century slang amuses me (sprock it all to hell!!!). With that in mind, I enjoyed this book and am on the hook for at least a few more issues.

That said, this book will definitely be confusing to newcomers and those only vaguely familiar with Legion. Unless you can name 10 Legionnaires off the top of your head, the basic plot will get drowned out by the large cast. Additionally, there are also several new recruits and I found myself flipping back so I could get their powers straight. I can’t imagine going into this book blindly. It’s way too overwhelming and weird. If you’re not a Legion fan then I can’t recommend this book.

Nightwing #1: Most of you know that I’m a Nightwing homer. Of course I loved this book! It had Dick’s excellent acrobatic skills, a brush with his Circus-life past, a new villain, and new lady to further establish him as the biggest man-whore in the DC Universe. It was a strong start to what will definitely be one of my favorite series.

What was unusual about this book is that it wasn’t quite optimized for tablet reading. There were a few two-page spreads that featured a lot of small, diagonal panels. These spreads definitely work better for a physical comic book than a digital one. Everything I’ve read from the first two weeks of The New 52 looked perfect on my iPad 2. This was the first book with some awkward pages. Still…it’s Nightwing. He’s awesome.

Red Hood and the Outlaws: This was another book that I knew I was going to love. Tweener heroes — former sidekicks that aren’t yet the primary heroes — are my favorites.Ex-Robin Jason Todd is one of the most fascinating characters in the DCU. The same goes for former Green Arrow sidekick Arsenal. I’ve always had a crush on Starfire; aliens with golden skin and glowing green eyes are hot. This book had nice action, great humor, and sharp dialogue.

There were two things that bugged me about this issue. Similar to Nightwing, it had those diagonal panels that don’t work well on a tablet. I’m also not sure what to make of the new version of Starfire. Hopefully there’s something wrong with her or her sister is taking her place, because her characterization is weird. She’s being written as a sexually aggressive Tamaranian princess with no long-term memory. While it would be awesome to meet one of those in real life, she’s so different from the Koriand’r I’ve enjoyed over the years.

Supergirl #1: This was another book I was on the fence about. I’m not sure what pushed my over, but I’m glad I picked it up. It starts with Kara Zor-El crash landing on Earth. She has no idea where she is, doesn’t speak the language, holds no currency, and finds herself under attack. I enjoyed watching her deal with a crazy situation and discover that Earth’s yellow sun gives her powers.

Part of the reason I’m interested to see where this book goes is because the new Supergirl will help define the new Superman. Kal-El appears on the last page and it’s a killer hook for the next issue. I definitely want to find out what he knows about Kara and how she deals with him. What is their relationship going to be like? How the hell does Kal know how to speak Kryptonian? Why are they wearing traditional Kryptonian graduation outfits for superhero adventures?

Wonder Woman #1: I wasn’t looking forward to this issue, but felt obligated to pick it up. After all, Wonder Woman is one of the three pillars of the DCU along with Batman and Superman. When I found out that Brian Azzarello was writing it, I did a total 180. He’s a fantastically edgy writer and his first issue of Wonder Woman was boss.

Wonder Woman feels fresh again. It mixes Greek mythology with a modern, somewhat occult, twist. The art was really striking and surprisingly violent. Seeing a horse get decapitated, watching a god take an arrow in the gut, and seeing a Marilyn Manson-like take on centaurs really stuck in my head. Cliff Chiang’s art is very unique and stands out, but Azzarello’s edgy take on Wonder Woman is cool and I’m really looking forward to more.

More Quick Hits (Not a Review!) on DC Comics New 52

My coverage of DC Comics “The New 52” continues! This week I picked up five comic books from DC’s universe-wide reboot: Green Lantern, Batman & Robin, Deathstroke, Grifter, and Mr. Terrific. Were these relaunches exciting and new (like Love Boat)? Or did they stray too far from the source material. Read on and find out! (Minor spoilers ahead.)

Green Lantern #1: Hal Jordan has been stripped of his power ring! Sinestro is now wielding it! That was a helluva cliffhanger at the end of the last GL series and a fantastic way to kick off this book. I really, really enjoyed watching both characters adjust to their new lives. Sinestro is unsure what to make of the Guardians of the Universe allowing him to serve in the Green Lantern Corps and has a most interesting confrontation with a member of the Sinestro Corps. Hal pretty much sucks as a civilian. He misinterprets a situation and tries to save a girl, but ends up in the slammer. His longtime on-again off-again girlfriend Carol Ferris thinks she’s getting a marriage proposal…but Hal asks her to co-sign a car lease with him. Bwahahahaha!!!

This was a fantstic start to what’s surely going to be a great book. More importantly, the strong writing and great art help erase that crap Green Lantern movie from my mind.

Batman and Robin #1: While Bruce Wayne was off traveling in time during a nonsensical Grant Morrison adventure, his sociopath of a son Damian (the latest Robin) was wreaking havoc with the rest of the “Bat Family”. I loved watching Damian interact with Nightwing and Red Robin. While this book was very good, the dynamic between father and son just isn’t there yet. It was more interesting watching Dick Grayson’s Batman interact with Robin. The father-and-son relationship doesn’t feel distinct. Damian acts like the annoying dick he has always been. Bruce comes off as being too soft and giving his son too long a leash. I suppose it’s tough being a single father that doubles as a vigilante. Then again, perhaps it just feels old. I’ve watched Bruce raise Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, and Tim Drake. Hmmm, perhaps this makes Damian Problem Child.

As for as this particular storyline, I’m intrigued by the new villain and love how Bruce is changing the way he honors his parents. I see myself enjoying the rest of this run, but also getting annoyed at Bruce for not chucking a batarang at his son.

Deathstroke #1: This book begins with, “Deathstroke the Terminator–the scariest badass on the planet.” And that’s precisely what Slade Wilson is. He’s clearly a bad guy, but he’s so cool, calculating, harsh, and brutal that he’s fascinating. It was awesome watching him kick ass in this book. It was also awesome watching him work with upstart youngsters in the mercenary business. The book ended with people questioning whether Deathstroke still has the goods. That opens things up for all sorts of exciting possibilities…but I have to question the sanity of anyone that doubts Deathstroke. Just look at the panel below to see how wicked he is.

Objectively, this was probably my favorite book of the week (but I’m too much of a Green Lantern mark to really accept this). The writing, action, art, and dialogue were fantastic.

Grifter #1: Cole Cash was always my favorite member of the original WildC.A.T.s., so I thought I’d give his book a shot. It had some interesting panels, but there was too much setup and not enough of what makes Grifter cool. The plot has Grif captured by aliens and subjected to a malicious process. Before the procedure can be completed, he breaks out. The good news is that he can now detect the aliens. The bad news is that he constantly hears their voices in his head (which makes him the Randy Orton of the DC Universe). The worse news is that he’s the only human that can see the aliens; while he’s trying to kill the baddies, the rest of the world thinks he’s a murdering psychopath. The worst news is that the government has sent his brother in Spec-Ops, Max Cash, to bring him down.

Although I was mildly disappointed in this book, I’m probably going to give it another few issues. I love the Grifter character and hope there will be some cameos by other Cats in the future. Majestros and Zealot are cool.

Mister Terrific #1: The Michael Holt version of Mister Terrific was a wonderful modernization of one of DC’s most dated characters. This book makes him even more current. I love where writer Eric Wallace is going with this. Mister Terrific blends superhero action, one of DCU’s most eligible bachelors, and crazy science that almost seems mystical. It was fun jumping from Mister Terrific pounding a baddie to Michael Holt talking science to having a morning-after conversation with Karen Starr (Power Girl) to hosting a political fundraiser. It would be easy to dismiss Holt as an African-American Tony Stark, but he has a much different feel. So much of Mister Terrific is rooted in tragedy. Losing his wife at a young age impacts the lives of Michael Holt super scientist and Michael Holt as Mister Terrific.

If you’re going to take a chance on a character that hasn’t gone solo then I suggest Mister Terrific. Despite the goofy name and having the words “Fair” and “Play” tattooed on his arms, this is a cool book with a lot of soul (and no, I’m not saying that because he’s black!).

Quick Hits (Not a Review!) on DC Comics New 52

I picked up six issues of DC Comics’ “New 52” universe-wide reboot. I enjoyed the initial kick-off, Justice League #1, and was anxious to see what other changes would be made to the DCU. The six books I picked up on my iPad 2 (via the outstanding Comixology) were Action Comics #1, Animal Man #1, Batgirl #1, Detective Comics #1, Green Arrow #1, and Justice League International #1. Here are some random thoughts (not a review) on these six comic books. Light spoilers ahead!

Action Comics #1: I’m more of a story guy than an art guy, but I was totally captivated by Rags Morales’ artwork in this book. Grant Morrison’s writing is really hit or miss for me. He can be brilliant (New X-Men, Justice League) and he can be all over the place (Final Crisis, Batman R.I.P.). Action Comics is definitely the “good” Morrison. It’s a fresh take on a young Superman that’s just starting out. While Superman’s character development is going to take a few issues, the new Lex Luthor came off as a bad-ass through a handful of pages. There have been some awesome portrayals of Luthor over the years and I have a feeling that Morrison’s new Luthor will be one of the best ever.

Animal Man #1: This was one of my two favorite updates from this week’s batch. I absolutely love what Jeff Lemire is doing with this character. Animal Man is a reluctant, semi-retired superhero that’s trying to balance marriage, raising kids, being a superhero, and being a celebrity. Making AM a hero to liberals is a fresh and modern twist given the political climate in America today. I can totally see him being interviewed on The Rachel Maddow Show or being a frequent commentator on Morning Joe. I’m really looking forward to seeing how Animal Man juggles all of his responsibilities with his wants. Hmmmm, perhaps I’m projecting.

Batgirl #1: Gail Simone is one of my favorite writers (very underrated) and Adam Hughes is one of the best cover artists of all time. Also, redheads that can beat you up are sexy as hell. With that in mind, I knew I’d enjoy the new Batgirl. I’m completely lost as to how Barbara Gordon went from the wheelchair-bound Oracle back to the dynamic Batgirl, but I can’t wait to find out. I really enjoyed Babs’ inner monologue — her self doubt and flashbacks to getting shot in the spine by the Joker gave her an endearing sense of vulnerability. Plus…red hair and spandex!

Detective Comics #1: This was a good, but not great, start for the new Detective Comics. That said, I can see the first issue setting up a great arc. I loved the gritty feel of this book. Even though he’s the hero, I felt a little bit scared of Batman. The Joker felt revoltingly evil. It was cool seeing Batman’s relationship with the Gotham P.D. and how Jim Gordon seems to be coy about their  one-on-one dealings (despite his giant Bat Signal). This single issue didn’t blow me away, but I’m pretty sure the entire arc will.

Green Arrow #1: Similar to Animal Man, I love this modernization of Green Arrow. Imagine a young Steve Jobs that uses his technological prowess and connections to fight crime — that’s Green Arrow! He’s definitely similar to Marvel’s Tony Stark/Iron Man, but writer J.T. Krul is making the character and tech easier for real people to identify with. For example, Green Arrow’s alter ego Oliver Queen is the founder of Queen Industries, makers of the hugely popular Q-Phone and Q-Pad. *snicker* I’m really digging this fresh, modern, and relevant take on Green Arrow. I’m also pleased that the new version is not sporting that ridiculous Errol Flynn mustache.

Justice League International #1: This was the only book that disappointed me. It was definitely fun and entertaining, but I was expecting more. The original JLI is my favorite series of all time. While I knew this book wasn’t going to be all “Bwahahahaha!!!” and Martian Manhunter addicted to Oreos, I just wanted…something better. This is more of a straightforward action book featuring B- and C-listers. It’s fun and I dig the international aspect of JLI (it’s great watching Russia’s Rocket Red and China’s August General in Iron interact). I’m also intrigued by the horny nature of Britain’s Lady Godiva. I’m definitely going to keep reading this series and I’m sure that I’ll enjoy it in the long run, but I sincerely doubt I’ll love it as much as the original JLI.

Random Thoughts (Not a Review!) on Justice League #1

I’ve read Justice League #1 about a dozen times since I downloaded it earlier in the week. As some of you know, this comic book kicks off the DC Universe reboot. Characters are getting modernized, costumes are being updated, origins are getting revamped…and it all starts here (Goonies?). While I’m still not sure about the entire reboot, I can say for sure that I enjoyed Justice League #1. Here are some random thoughts on the issue (with minor spoilers).

– The image above is one of my favorite panels in the book. I love how it shows off Hal Jordan’s brashness. I also love the slight smirk on Batman’s face. And really, this is what’s cool about the reboot and Justice League in particular. Seeing how superheroes react when they meet each other for the first time is cool.

– You can tell that this comic book was made with tablets in mind. A lot of the older books I’ve downloaded have some awkward panels that make scrolling on a tablet feel awkward. Obviously the artists and editors didn’t think about tablets when they were making these books a decade ago (or more). Justice League #1 was completely smooth on my iPad 2. While I miss some of the creative things artists can do with odd-sized panels, the new style works much better on tablet computers.

– The new costumes are pretty cool so far. The Green Lantern one isn’t too different, but Jim Lee’s take on Batman and Superman is fresh and modern. A lot of the little details, such as Batman’s lobster-like gauntlet, look cool and make sense. Superman’s costume, with its built-in cape, is definitely interesting. He only had a splash page and I can’t wait to see more of the new outfit. Wonder Woman didn’t appear in the first issue, but I’m pleased to see that the revamped Wonder Woman knows that it’s easier to fight evil in pants than in a bikini.

– I’m probably in the minority here, but I love where Geoff Johns is going with Victor Stone. As some of you know, I’m fascinated by tweener superheroes and I can’t wait to see how they revamp Stone’s origin as Cyborg.

– Justice League #1 did what it was supposed to do — get me interested in the new DC Universe. I like the direction this book is going in and I’m curious to see how the rest of DC shapes up. I’ll definitely pick up a few other books — definitely Justice League International — and will probably buy more than I planned on simply because this issue was so intriguing.