I stopped by Razer’s E3 2013 booth to check out the new Razer Blade and Razer Blade Pro. The former is a thin-and-light gaming laptop that doesn’t sacrifice power for portability. It’s a 14-inch model that features top-of-the-line chips from Intel (Haswell) and Nvidia (GeForce GTX 765M). The second iteration of the Razer Blade Pro features the same chips in a 17-inch body. It features the Switchblade UI for added flexibility. Switchblade has been updated to include features for professional applications like Maya and Photoshop. For those that lament the loss of the 17-inch MacBook Pro, the Razer Blade Pro is a compelling alternative.
Check out the video above for more details on the stylish and powerful gaming laptops.
Thanks again to Rich Brown for his great camera work!
Nvidia made quite a splash when it announced its Shield portable gaming system at CES 2013. At E3 2013, I interviewed James Wang from Nvidia product marketing to get more details on the system and got some hands-on time with the console. Shield will be the first Tegra 4 device on the market, according to the company. Nvidia’s latest and greatest mobile chip should take mobile gaming to the next level. In addition to being able to run Android games, Shield allows gamers to stream PC games (GeForce GTX 650 or higher required). Of course it runs non-gaming apps as well, which is handy for people that want to update their Facebook status with one of the most menacing Android devices ever created.
Shield sports a solid gamepad that will feel familiar to most gamers. The buttons and sticks are solid, but I needed a few minutes to get used to the flat feel of the system. It was very much a mental thing on my part; I know that portable gaming systems are supposed to be flat, but Shield’s shape and color scheme reminded me of Xbox 360 so I was thinking curves. Of course I need to spend more time with the controller and use it with a variety of games before I can judge it, but my initial feeling was like, not love.
While Shield has a lot of power and a lot of features, it also has a lot of competitors — traditional handheld systems, Android phones and tablets, and several other Android-based consoles. It’s certainly unique, but I’m not sure what the demand will be for a $349 portable Android gaming system. That’s where you come in! As always, I want to hear your thoughts on Nvidia Shield, now that you have more info on it and have seen more footage of the system. Share your feelings like a Care Bear in the comments section when you have a chance (please).
At E3 2013, I spent some time with Sunflex vice president of business development Nicki Repenning to talk about the UNU tablet. At a glance, this seven-inch tablet is one of the most unique and diverse Android devices I’ve seen. In addition to being able to use it as a standard tablet, UNU comes with software and accessories that help you use it as a smart TV or videogame console.
On the smart TV side, it uses docks and an air-mouse controller. The controller is particularly novel. It features motion controls for menu navigation and for casual games (think Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja). The back of the controller has a QWERTY keyboard for a familiar and comfortable typing experience. One dock and controller are included in the standard UNU tablet bundle, which will retail for $199.
For hardcore Android gamers, there’s a $249 bundle that includes a full-sized gamepad, a travel pouch, and everything in the standard bundle. The controller has a good feel, thought not as impressive as the Nyko PlayPad Pro 2 that I tried at E3 2013. The gamepad makes sense for Android users that play a lot of traditional games ported to Android.
On paper, UNU looks like an inexpensive Android tablet that does many things very well. However, I want to spend more time with Sunflex’s custom UI and learn the exact chipset under the hood before I pass judgement. Hopefully I’ll get to do so before the product’s late-summer release. I’m intrigued by UNU, but I want to see more!
How about you guys and gals? Any of you interested in the UNU tablet?
[Thanks again to Rich Brown for his great camera work in this video!]
At E3 2013, I spent some time with Sunflex vice president of business development Nicki Repenning to talk about the UNU tablet. At a glance, this seven-inch tablet is one of the most unique and diverse Android devices I’ve seen. In addition to being able to use it as a standard tablet, UNU comes with software and accessories that help you use it as a smart TV or videogame console.
On the smart TV side, it uses docks and an air-mouse controller. The controller is particularly novel. It features motion controls for menu navigation and for casual games (think Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja). The back of the controller has a QWERTY keyboard for a familiar and comfortable typing experience. One dock and controller are included in the standard UNU tablet bundle, which will retail for $199.
For hardcore Android gamers, there’s a $249 bundle that includes a full-sized gamepad, a travel pouch, and everything in the standard bundle. The controller has a good feel, thought not as impressive as the Nyko PlayPad Pro 2 that I tried at E3 2013. The gamepad makes sense for Android users that play a lot of traditional games ported to Android.
On paper, UNU looks like an inexpensive Android tablet that does many things very well. However, I want to spend more time with Sunflex’s custom UI and learn the exact chipset under the hood before I pass judgement. Hopefully I’ll get to do so before the product’s late-summer release. I’m intrigued by UNU, but I want to see more!
How about you guys and gals? Any of you interested in the UNU tablet?
[Thanks again to Rich Brown for his great camera work in this video!]
Last month I paid a visit to Five Pawns HQ in Irvine. In my interview with company president Rodney Jerabek, I learned about the company’s history and the story behind its fantastic e-liquids. In this video feature, Rodney and I talk about the Five Pawns tasting room. Blending high comfort and high style, this is one of coolest and classiest vaping lounges I’ve ever been to. The tasting room has super-cushy bar stools, a comfortable couch, art by Shepard Fairey, and some rare mechanical mods. Naturally, customers can sample and purchase Five Pawns e-liquid — including the barrel-aged Reserve Line — but they’ll also be able to try flavors that are in development. The company will use the tasting room for focus groups, allowing customers to try new flavors as they’re being fine tuned before they hit store shelves.
Check out the video above to see and hear more about the Five Pawns tasting room.
I stopped by the Nyko’s E3 2013 booth to check out a bunch of accessories for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nvidia Shield, and Android. The new PlayPad controllers for Android were particularly impressive. The PlayPad Pro 2 is great for Android users that are heavy gamers. It has a rubberized grip for a solid feel and Alps analog sticks for precision control. It’s definitely one of the best Android gamepads I’ve ever tried. For Android users that are more into multimedia, there’s the PlayPad Media, which features a row of media-specific controls along the top of the gamepad. The PlayPad Media is no slouch in the gaming department either, using the same body as the original PlayPad for Android.
Kindly check out the video above and let me know what you think of Nyko’s E3 2013 lineup.
Special thanks to Rich Brown for his excellent camera work!
Ovale USA has released three replacement tubes for the popular eVic vaping device. The tubes are available in black, white, and glossy chrome. The tubes currently cost $11.99 and are a great way to spruce up your eVic.
The replacement tubes are made from the same material as the original tube, so they maintain the eVic’s thin-and-light feel. Some people love how light the eVic is, while others believe that the thin metal tube feels a bit cheap. Yes, there are third-party tubes made from stainless steel and aircraft aluminum, but they’re much more expensive than these tubes. For the price, I think these are a great way to give your eVic a different look.
All three colors look great. Personally, I like the white model best, closely followed by the black one. The black and white tubes have a matte finish that feels good in your hand and resists fingerprints. While the glossy chrome finish looks sweet, it’s a fingerprint magnet (totally expected). Those that are anal with their mods will probably spend a lot of time wiping prints off the glossy chrome tube.
Even though I wish my eVic had more heft (I was particularly envious of my friend Andrew’s stainless steel eVic tubes by Kir Fanis), I’m a fan of these Ovale USA replacement parts. They’re inexpensive and a nice way to change your eVic’s aesthetics. They’re especially nice for people that like accessorize or mix-and-match.
If you’re a vaper that enjoys 0mg nicotine juices or someone that’s looking to eventually reach 0mg then you should give American eLiquid a look. The company sells juices that are made in the USA, using American-sourced ingredients. One unique American eLiquid practice is that its 0mg juices cost less than ones with nicotine — $10 less than 36mg juices and $5 less than juices at lower nicotine levels. A company rep told me that this was a “job well done” reward for 0mg vapers.
I recently vaped three of the company’s juices: Pineapple, English Toffee, and X1. While none of them blew me away, I enjoyed two of the juices and was surprised by the uniqueness of the third. Read on for the breakdowns and steeping notes.
Pineapple: This is a simple and straightforward flavor that I enjoyed. When vaped in a carto/tank or clearomizer, it tastes like grocery store pineapple juice. When dripped directly into an atomizer, it tastes closer to a fresh pineapple, though not quite. Flavor strength and sweetness are moderate, making it suitable for all-day vaping.
English Toffee: This was my favorite of the three e-liquids. It has a moderate sweetness and decent complexity. The caramelized sugar is complemented nicely by a buttery savoriness. Candy heads might find the sweetness lacking, but to me, toffee isn’t supposed to be overly sweet the way that children’s candy tends to be. I believe the company got the sweetness level just right — sweet enough that you can taste it, but not so much that it overshadows the buttery richness.
X1: This is one of the most unique juices I’ve tried this year, but it’s also not for me. It’s a tobacco juice mixed with various sweet flavors and a noticeable kick of anise. There’s a bit of cocoa (not chocolate) that’s well done too. The end result, for my tastebuds anyway, is a funky RY4 laced with anise. While I enjoy small amounts of anise in e-liquid, X1 had too much for me. I’m glad I tried the juice and I recommend giving it a shot if you’re looking for something different, but it just wasn’t my thing.
Steeping Notes
On the advice of Wlad from Ahlusion, I’ve been trying a new steeping method starting December 27, 2012. When the e-liquids arrive, I leave them uncapped for five minutes. Previously, I left them uncapped for about two days. After the liquids are given a few minutes to oxidize, the caps are put back on. The bottles are shaken every day for at least two weeks before vaping.
Pineapple
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 25, 2013 5:33PM
Vaped: April 28 – May 4, 2013
English Toffee
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 25, 2013 5:33PM
Vaped: April 28 – May 4, 2013
X1
50/50 PG/VG ratio, 0mg nicotine
Uncapped: February 25, 2013 5:33PM
Vaped: April 28 – May 4, 2013
Review Process (Updated February 17, 2013) RPad.TV e-liquid reviews focus on the flavor of the e-liquids, since throat hit and vapor production can be altered by the PG/VG ratio and nicotine level selected. Each juice is vaped over a period of days in an atomizer, a cartomizer/tank setup, and a clearomizer. The exception is naturally-extracted tobacco (NET) juice; since those are known to clog up cartomizers quickly, those are vaped in atomizers and clearomizers.
Here’s an interview I conducted with Five Pawns president and founder Rodney Jerabek. I first came across Five Pawns e-liquids at Vaping Ape LA and was immediately impressed. The company makes some really delicious juices that are unusually rich and complex. It was great spending time at Five Pawns HQ and learning more about the company. In the video above, Rodney talks about the company’s origins, what goes into a Five Pawns e-liquid, why the juice costs what it does, the wood-barrel steeped “Reserve” line, and more.
There are a few things that make Five Pawns’ offerings unique. Let’s start with the e-liquids themselves. They’re made with natural ingredients, including some that are sourced locally. Many e-liquids use one, two, or three flavors in addition to the standard ingredients of propylene glycol, vegetable glycerol, and nicotine. Five Pawns juices contain up to 11 ingredients. This makes for some of the most distinct, complex, and flavorful juices I’ve tried.
Most e-liquid vendors have dozens of flavors available and it’s extremely rare for an e-liquid company to do many different types of flavors well. Off the top of my head, the only juice maker that excels in so many different areas is Ahlusion. Jerabek compared Five Pawns’ approach to In-N-Out Burger, a (glorious) fast food chain that offers a simple menu with everything on the menu done really well. To kick things off, he wanted the company to offer five juices that are all done really well.
Similar to fine wines and scotches, Five Pawns e-liquids are made in small batches. Typically, each batch results in 160 30ml bottles of juice. The bottles have the mixing date, lot number, and bottle number printed on them. The juices are pre-steeped so they’re good to go when you buy them in a store or receive them in the mail.
Jerabek’s background is in design, which is obvious from the company’s packaging. Five Pawns e-liquids come in clear glass bottles with some of the best labels I’ve seen. The bottles are placed in handsome cardboard tubes that remind me of liquor or perfume boxes. It makes for a high-end experience, similar to how Apple packaging enhances the experience of a great product.
Some vaping enthusiasts had sticker shock when they saw that Five Pawns’ online prices were $27.50 for a 30ml bottle. Jerabek was very honest about the pricing. First, he noted that he doesn’t want to compete with his retail partners; the prices available on the Five Pawns web site are the same that you’ll find in stores. He’s also positioning Five Pawns as a high-end e-liquid company, which is completely understandable considering the top-notch ingredients and packaging. With all of that in mind, $27.50 is a reasonable price for these great juices. I’ve seen mediocre and less-than-mediocre e-liquids sell for $25 for 30ml at retail — stuff that wasn’t 1/10 as good as Five Pawns juices.
As a Southern California resident, I’m jazzed that Irvine-based Five Pawns is off to a great start. The company makes some fantastic juices and the people I’ve met from there are super-cool. I also love the company’s artisanal approach to making e-liquids. I’m a fan of companies that excel while being different and I believe that Five Pawns fits that description. Stay tuned for a Five Pawns juice review and a video feature on the company’s awesome tasting room.
(Also, please excuse my horrible voice in the video. I’m even more nasally than usual. Ha! I was horribly congested that day. Actually, I still am…. Hmmmm, I need to fix this before E3 2013. Oy.)
Here’s an interview with Reverb Publishing executive producer Ted Lange on Sanctum 2. The game was developed by Coffee Stain Studios for PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360. It combines tower-defense strategy and first-person shooter action. Lange talks about improvements made over the original Steam-only game, the different types of levels, the various characters and classes, and more. Check out the interview and let me know if Sanctum 2is something that interests you!
On a side note, I think this is the first videogame interview I’ve done that incorporates vaping. I’ve known Ted for a few years (I think we first met when he was working on the first Guitar Hero games) and I’m thrilled that he has made the switch from smoking to vaping.
