The Legend Of Zelda: What We Know So Far

The new Legend Of Zelda for Wii U is being developed by Nintendo and has been teased since its announcement in 2013 during a Nintendo Direct video stream.

and has been teased since its announcement in 2013 during a Nintendo Direct video stream. And, though it’s been a long few years, fans are ready for one of the most progressive Legend Of Zelda games to release in the series’ history.

It's unknown what game engine it's being created in, but I’m sure it’s something like Unreal Engine 4. Nintendo has been pretty tight-lipped on the game, aside from releasing interviews and gameplay videos showing off the new game. We’re still waiting on an official release date and more information on in-game characters and story. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Legend Of Zelda game.

The Legend Of Zelda was originally supposed to be released in 2015, but the date was pushed back to 2016. The Legend Of Zelda also did not show up at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2015, either, and this was because of claims that it wasn’t in a ready state and the developer didn’t want to lead fans on by having them think it was almost done. While there is no official release date just yet, developers have confirmed that there will be a 2016 release. As for what season in 2016, it's still unknown.

Maybe the most important part of this new installment of the Legend Of Zelda series is the map style. The map in the game will be completely open-world, which means the player will be able to walk in any direction and explore. Want to head for the mountains in the distance? Keep walking and you’ll eventually reach them. There are many high places in the map, like cliffs, so that the player can get a beautiful view of the world from above. The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker kind of introduced an open-world map, but there were still limitations, and Nintendo wanted to go further. So in The Legend Of Zelda , they believe they have achieved the open-world style they were really pressing for.

The map that you will carry around with you will actually be visible on the Wii U game pad. This makes it easy so you can still control the character while walking around with the map.

Epona

As seen from many of the teaser trailers and gameplay videos from the developer, Epona is back and better than ever. Link can choose to walk around the map or simply ride his horse, Epona. Epona automatically steers clear of obstacles so that the player doesn’t have to worry about minute annoyances like that; the focus is strictly on the gameplay. Link can do things like jump off of Epona’s back and line up a shot at an enemy.

Link

There has been some speculation about whether or not the character in the teasers is actually Link, or female. Producer Eiji Aonuma shut down those rumors by saying, "You have to show Link when you create a trailer for a Zeldaannouncement.” So, because this is a Legend Of Zelda game, we can safely assume Link will be one of the main playable characters.

Zelda

There has been no video or images of the other protagonist, Princess Zelda. As we get more information, we’ll continue to update this section.

Unknown Enemy

In the gameplay trailer in 2014, there was an enemy that was spotted with tentacles and a glowing spot on its head. Beyond that, we don’t have any other info on the enemies in-game.

Weapons

At E3 2014, there were two kinds of weapons showcased. More importantly, they were two different types of arrows. One arrow dropped bombs on the enemy while the other arrow transformed into a bird shape to take out the enemy. In the past Zelda games, the weapons ranged from arrows, bombs, hammers, shields and swords. So even though a couple arrows have been revealed doesn't mean that's all that's going to be available in the new game. Hopefully we can expect around the same range of weapons with a serious upgrade, but that's just hoping.

Sailcloth

The Sailcloth is an important piece of Legend Of Zelda history and was sewn by Zelda herself. It was given to Link after he won the Wing Ceremony. Luckily, we see Link using the Sailcloth in the gameplay trailer, confirming that it will be of great use in this new installment. Aonuma has noted that there will be a lot of high cliffs overlooking the map, so it will be nice to just jump off a cliff and be on your merry way.

The Tutorial

In this version of The Legend Of Zelda , producer Eiji Aonuma said in an E3 interview that the tutorial process would be reviewed in this installment. If you aren’t familiar with The Legend Of Zelda tutorials, they can be a long pain in the butt, especially if you already know how to play. Tutorials can either be completely necessarily or totally unnecessary in the video game world. But with how long Zelda has been around, it's safe to say long-time fans can be granted access to skip the tutorial. He said in the interview with Kotaku:
When we created Skyward Sword, I really felt the need to make sure that everyone playing the game understood it. But I also understand now, in hindsight, that when you go out and buy a game, you buy the game because you want to play it, and you don't want to have any obstacles in the way.
So, though it hasn’t been totally confirmed, it’s safe to say Nintendo will be looking at greatly changing the tutorial process, or shortening it so that players can cut straight to the gameplay.

The Art Style

When you look at The Legend Of Zelda: Wind Waker on the Wii U, it’s obvious to see a difference in the art style. Link looks more cartoony, almost like a Super Mario Brother. But in the new installment coming out this year, The Legend Of Zelda is getting another new look, and this time it’s a cel shaded art style. This means the art in the game will appear more graphical, kind of like a comic book, but not really. It will be completely different than any other artistic style in a Zelda game.

Multiplayer Mode

It hasn’t been confirmed yet, but there is a strong possibility for multiplayer mode in this installment of The Legend Of Zelda. Producer Eiji Aonuma has said on the topic of multiplayer, that it's possible it could be something we see next year. So while multiplayer isn’t even close to being a definite for the game, what’s exciting is that it’s not ruled out either.

Wolf Link Amiibo

Alongside the announcement of Amiibo functionality in Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD game, it was also announced that any data that is saved on the Wolf Link Amiibo would also transfer over to the new Legend Of Zelda game.

The Trailer

The above trailer was the trailer that was released during E3 in 2014. The trailer really shows off the open-world concept that Aonuma has been pushing for in the new Legend Of Zelda game. What we can see in this trailer is Link riding on top of Epona, so it's easy to confirm those two characters for the game, but as for other characters, it's hard to say. For example, we still haven't seen Zelda yet. Near the end of the trailer, we see a fight between Link and some unknown enemy, which is explained in more detail above. Nintendo has made sure to keep very hush-hush about the project when it comes to the little details, but hopefully we can expect to hear more information at this year's E3 2016.

The Gameplay Trailer

A little later in the year during 2014, Nintendo released a gameplay video which showcases not only some view of the open-world map, but also the use of the Wii U gamepad with the game. This is the most recent trailer we've seen so far of The Legend Of Zelda for Wii U. And since then, all has gone quiet. Many are hoping that the silence on content will pass once E3 2016 rolls around and fans are waiting for an abundance of details and information on the game that is supposed to be launching this year.

Nintendo EPD

Nintendo Entertainment Development and Planning is developing The Legend Of Zelda for Wii Uand have developed other games, like the upcoming The Legend Of Zelda: Twilight Princess HD and Miitomo. Nintendo is publishing the game and the project is being headed by producer Eiji Aonuma. If you aren’t familiar, other Legend Of Zelda games that Nintendo has published are The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time and The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask .

Expected Release

The Legend Of Zelda For Wii Uhas a broad release window of 2016 with little information on what portion of the year and no official release date. But the developer has firmly stated that 2016 will be the year that The Legend Of Zelda for Wii U will be available.

Recently, we gained information that the new Legend Of Zelda for Wii U could be releasing alongside Nintendo's newest handheld console this year, the Nintendo NX. The NX is supposed to release this year and new information points to a holiday release alongside the new Legend Of Zelda for Wii U. But this is all just speculation. If Nintendo was smart, they would release both during the holidays so that they could take advantage of the holiday rush. Can you imagine how many Nintendo-obsessed kids would be begging for an NX for Christmas? But nothing as of right now as been officially confirmed. We will probably know more once E3 2016 rolls around.

There have also been rumors of a movie coming out called The Legend Of Zelda: Shadows Of The Past , which is posted on IMDB, but there is no real information on the title — so for now it’s all rumor and speculation. For more information, you can check out the wiki for The Legend Of Zelda and stay up to date with updates on the official Legend Of Zelda website.

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RollerCoaster Tycoon World Finally Gets An Early Access Release Date

Hard to believe, but it's been more than a decade since the most recent RollerCoaster Tycoon hit the market.

hit the market. Atari is finally dusting the franchise off for the latest entry, RollerCoaster Tycoon World , which is heading to Steam Early Accessnext week.

As if it were coming at us from around a hairpin turn, RollerCoaster Tycoon World 'slaunch date on SteamEarly Access snuck up on us. Developer Nvizzio Creations, publishers RCTO Productions, and Atariannounced recently announced on the game's official websitethat it'll actually arrive on March 30 for Windows.

If you've never played RollerCoaster Tycoon , it's a lot like Sim City , only on a more microscopic sale. Rather than take charge of an entire city, you're trying to build the best theme park. From the rides to the stalls to the layout of the park, your job is to create a fun experience for your visitors, give them plenty to do, and make it so that congestion isn't a problem. Here's a look at the new game in action.



So why is it launching for Early Access? Because RollerCoaster Tycoon World will hit the virtual market with all of the standard bells and whistles, but the developers want to keep working on the game following player feedback, as well as implement new additions in the coming months. The park has been closed for business for over a decade, after all, so it makes sense they'd want to take it on a trial run before fully opening to the public.

As for features, it sounds like RCTW will have lots of great creation tools. You'll be able to design your park down to the detail or, if you'd rather build quickly, you can use “snap-to” tools or “brush” environments onto the turf freely.

The 3D track editor will let you craft the most detailed rides to date, and fully deformable terrain and water will allow you to make a park that fits your wildest fantasies. You'll also be able to take advantage of detailed park management tools, dive into various game modes, and watch as the guests and environment adjust to your on-the-fly changes.

And for you coaster-heads out there, you'll of course be able to jump behind the cart of your favorite coastersand experience them from the first-person view.

But the world has become a bit more competitive since we last saw RollerCoaster Tycoon , so you better believe you'll be able to visit a friend's park, compare your stats and share user-created content. There will also be native Steam Workshop support, so expect future mods to come rolling in, too.

All of that gets rolling this Wednesday, March 30.

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Final Fantasy 15: What We Know So Far

Final Fantasy , like many other beloved and long-running series, has developed a strong and dedicated following.

, like many other beloved and long-running series, has developed a strong and dedicated following. At this rate, with 15 titles and years of development and reliable results, it’s terrifying to think of the day when there will never be another Final Fantasy game. It’s kind of like the day I found out Silent Hill was officially cancelled. It’s heartbreaking. But, put those feelings aside, because the end of the Final Fantasy series is not here. Instead, we’ve done our research and this is what we know so far about the newest addition to the Final Fantasy lineup, Final Fantasy 15 .

It was recently announced that Final Fantasy 15 would be releasing sometime this year, but an official release date still hasn’t been announced. Hopefully, more details will come out around the Electronic Entertainment Expo, which happens in June. The Vergementioned that the official release date is supposed to be announced at a special event on March 30, so we’ve got a few more days before we find out for sure.

This time, the story follows Prince Noctis, who rules over The Kingdom of Lucis and has been matched with Princess Luna for marriage. On the day of their wedding, The Empire of Niflheim pops in for an unexpected invasion to nab the last-known crystal that will give them ultimate power. It is, of course, up to Noctis and his trusty sidekicks to battle their way to retrieve the crystal back from the hands of the Niflheim in order to save the kingdom.

Trailer

The most recent trailer for Final Fantasy 15 is titled “Dawn 2.0.” The trailer focuses on the backstories of Lunafreya and Noctis. The game will, of course, center around those two characters, but Noctis will be the main protagonist. In the trailer, you can see Noctis as a little boy and Lunafreya as a younger woman. The trailer was released last September, and we haven’t heard much since. Because this year is supposed to be the year it finally releases, hopefully there will be some news at this year’s E3 in June.

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The Ratchet And Clank Reboot Just Took A Big Step Forward

Well Ratchet & Clank certainly snuck up on us.

certainly snuck up on us. Not only is the movie set to hit theaters in about a month, but it looks like the new PS4 game is hot off of the presses, too.

Insomniac Games, the folks behind the Ratchet & Clank series as well as the last-gen shooter series, Resistanct , took to Twitterthis weekend to share their good news with the world. There's perhaps no better way to announce that a game has gone gold than to just show off a picture of it.

You know it's almost Launch Day when the first disc proof arrives: https://t.co/hc73S6lkRc pic.twitter.com/Gvcdynozyo

— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) March 25, 2016
The fact that the Ratchet & Clank title doesn't have a number or a sub-title following it is a bit confusing, that's because this is technically something of a reboot for the series. Ratchet & Clank has been around quite a while, after all, dominating the past two console generations with fun-filled platformersaplenty.

The first commenter on Twitter even states this confusing, with Insomniacstepping in quickly to clear the air. According to their tweet, this Ratchet & Clank is a whole new game “based on the elements” of the first game, which is itself the basis for the upcoming film. The game is set to launch on April 12, with the movie set to hit theaters on April 29. And in case you somehow missed the fact that a movie is inbound, here's a refresher on what you can expect.



So, yeah, this is sort of a unique situation. We've got a game that's based on a movie that's based on an older version of the same game. Given the fact that Ratchet & Clank games have been compared to Pixar films a number of times, it seems natural that the team would want to finally make a movie based off of the lovable characters from this bizarre universe. And since Insomniac already has a long history with the series, it makes sense they'd want to develop a new game to tie the whole package together.

But when it comes to this new Ratchet & Clank , we have ourselves a bit of a problem. When having typical nerdy discussions, it's possibly the first pair of products that are able to pop up as both a movie based on a game and a game based on a movie at the same time. It's sort of a chicken and egg scenario. Feel free to discuss below.

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Attack on Titan: What We Know So Far

If you’re a fan of the hit anime series Attack on Titan , rejoice!

, rejoice! The new Playstation exclusive gamebased on the anime is being released this year, and if the news coming out after the Japanese release is any indication, you’re in for a lot of fun.

The new actiongame shares the same name as the manga and anime - Shingeki no Kyojin, or literally translated, ”Advancing Giants.” The paraphrase translation which has been widely adopted for English is, of course, “ Attack on Titan.”

Released in Japan on February 18 simultaneously with its official website, NA and Europe to be released sometime in 2016, probably in Spring. Its development may have possibly been delayed due to promotion of Koei Tecmo’s producer, Hisashi Koinuma.

The game has already sold well over 200,000 copies in Japan and seems to be well-received. The first trailer and Collector’s Edition information were released November 6 of last year. Attack on Titan has been licensed by Funimation in the United States, Manga Entertainment in the United Kingdom, and Madman Entertainment in Australia.

The previous Attack on Titan : Humanity in Chains for 3DS didn’t do so hot, and only scored a 46 on Metacritic. Gamers said it had great combat but was way too grindy, with unsatisfying side missions. The whole thing was a bit hard to follow for those who don’t already know the story. Spike Chunsoft’s effort was rated M for graphic violenceand an overall disturbing feel. It had sweet attack chaining and a co-op mode available, yet was visually unimpressive. When released there wasn’t yet a second analogue stick, heavily limiting the movement abilities the show/manga rely on.

Attack On Titan

Attack on Titan comes to us from the Omega Force (Dynasty Warriors) production team, a subsidiary of Koei Tecmo, the game’s publisher. It is a collaboration with Koei Tecmo’s producer, Hisashi Koinuma (Kessen, Samurai Warriors), and director, Tomoyuki Kitamura (Samurai Warriors, as well as a host of anime series).

The game is based on the original manga written and illustrated by Hajime Isayama (Heart Break One, Orz) for Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shonen Magazine, made into a hit TV show that’s done well in its first season, with Attack on Titan season 2 currently in development.

A parody spinoff manga and subsequent anime began in 2012 in Bessatsu Shonen Magazine, featuring young chibi versions of characters from the original story. A Nintendo 3DS game, arcade game, and two live action movies have also been based on Attack on Titan .

While Attack on Titan will be a Playstationexclusive, it will allow cross platformingon PS3, PS4, and PSVita.

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Suicide Squad: What We Know So Far

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Brainwavz Omega Review

Brainwavz is known for making budget audio products.

Brainwavz is known for making budget audio products. We've tried quite a few of its modelsover the years, and have always found them to offer excellent value. The latest to join that list is the Brainwavz Omega, which is one of the more affordable pairs of in-ear headphones in India. Does it offer good sound for its price? Read on to find out.

Specifications, design, and comfort
The Brainwavz Omega uses 6mm dynamic drivers and has a frequency response range of 20 to 20,000Hz. Sensitivity is rated at 98dB, while impedance is 16Ohms. The Omega has a 1.2m Y-shaped cord with a slider to help keep it untangled. We found the cable to be relatively tangle-free in our day to day use as well.

The casings of the Brainwavz Omega are partly metal and partly plastic, with a distinctive look that makes the Omega stand out. This pair is pretty light, and as a result, it is comfortable even after long listening sessions.

( Also see : Things You Need to Know Before Buying Headphones)

The inclusion of the excellent Comply foam tips deserves a special mention. The tips cost around Rs. 799 for a pack of two pairs if you buy them separately. We find foam tips to be very comfortable, far more so than standard silicone tips, and three pairs of these are included in the Brainwavz Omega box. There's also a shirt clip and a velcro cable tie; handy accessories for those who need them. While we found the Omega to be very comfortable, we had to loop the cables over our ears in order to avoid cable noise, even when using the shirt clip.

This pair of in-ear headphones has a three-button inline remote with a mic - one button is to accept/ reject calls and play/ pause music, while the other two are for volume control. This is convenient if you plan to use the Brainwavz Omega with your smartphone. The headphone plug is another visually distinct feature of the Brainwavz Omega, angled somewhere between 90 degrees and completely straight.

Performance
We listened to music and podcasts and played videos with the Brainwavz Omega plugged in. Our audio sources were primarily an iPhone 5s, a Fiio X1, and a Windows laptop. We used Riders on the Storm by The Doors as the focus track for this review, but we did listen to a wide range of music from western classical to EDM during our testing period.

Riders on the Storm is a slightly tricky track because it has recordings of rain in the background, an echo effect on the vocals, and a variety of other sounds across the frequency range. The Brainwavz Omega had a tendency to surface the sub-bass in a way that it almost overshadowed the piano instrumental parts of the track. The higher frequencies also sounded a little shrill on this track.

However, that was the only time when we weren't all that happy with the Brainwavz Omega. It sounded great when listening to bass-heavy tracks, and was surprisingly good with most other genres such as western classical, rock, and jazz. We were happy with the separation of instruments, especially given its low price tag.

At times though, we felt that the reproduction of finer details was lacking, compared to what we were able to hear from more expensive reference earphones. The Omega also doesn't deliver a very wide soundstage, which we missed particularly when listening to live concert recordings. Note that these are minor quibbles, and nothing you should worry about when shopping for headphones in this price range.

If you're switching from a more neutral-sounding pair of headphones, it'll take you a while to get used to the Brainwavz Omega, as we realised when listening to podcasts. Immediately after switching from a different pair, it felt as though the podcasters' voices were a bit hollow. We got used to this in time, so that was nothing to worry about.

Verdict
If this is the first time you're buying a pair of in-ear headphones, you can't go wrong with the Brainwavz Omega. At just Rs. 999, it offers terrific value for money thanks to its comfort level, good sound, and the inclusion of Comply foam tips in the box. If your playlist isn't dominated by bass-heavy tracks, you might want to consider the Panasonic RP-TCM 125 Ergo Fitinstead, as that headset isn't as noticeably biased. However, if you like your music tight and bassy, or listen to a wide range of genres, the Brainwavz Omega will serve you well for the price.

Price (MRP) : Rs. 999

Pros
- Very comfortable thanks to foam tips
- Good overall sound
- Works well with a wide range of genres
- Excellent value for money
- 3-button inline remote with mic

Cons
- Slightly shrill highs; tends to favour bass
- Prone to cable noise

Ratings (Out of 5)
Design: 4
Performance: 3.5
Value for money: 4.5
Overall: 4

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Power Rangers: Everything About The New Movie

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Arduino Wind Speed Meter Anemometer Project

If you are interested in creating an Arduino wind speed meter or anemometer to monitor the wind strength in your location, you might be interested in this quick tutorial I have put together to create a very basic Arduino wind speed meter, that my family use on a daily basis to capture wind meter readings in mph and record the fastest speed since the last reset.

Having recently moved to a coastal location the winds now play a larger role in our everyday life than they did when we lived more inland and it wasn’t long after moving in that we all wondered how strong the winds actually were that were battering our house during the recent winter storms.

Arduino Wind Speed Meter – Research

A quick bit of research online provided a wealth of ready-made weather stations you can purchase ranging from £40 or $50 up to and above $500. Although they provide a quick and easy way to start monitoring wind speed, most of the installations monitored other variables such as rainfall, which at the moment we are not interested in. They also recorded the wind speed at quite long intervals which and nearly all didn’t provide any way of tinkering or modifying the data output in any way, only viewing it on the provided screen or purchasing additional hardware to explore the data to a computer. So I decided to create a simple Arduino wind speed monitor that we could tweak over time and eventually upgrade to a Raspberry Pi and send the data to a website wirelessly.

The first stage of this project however was to create the basic Arduino wind speed monitor to check that the parts functioned as required and write the code. A quick look online revealed that a number of wind speed meters or anemometers were available to purchase, ranging in price from just a few dollars up to over $200. I initially opted for the budget end of the scale and purchased a Maplin Anemometer (pictured above) which is sold as a replacement part for the Maplin weather station in the UK and is available to purchase price at around £3.

Arduino Wind Speed Meter – Anemometer

After receipt of the Maplin Anemometer it soon became obvious that you get what you pay for, and the quality of the anemometer would not have lasted long in the conditions in our coastal location. Finally after some more research I opted for a much more robust anemometer from the Adafruit website (product ref: 1733 pictured below) which cost around $45 or £39 and provides a rugged wind speed meter anemometer that has been designed for outside use and easily allows you to measure wind speed using a wide variety of different mini PCs and micro-controllers.

As you can see from the image above the Adafruit anemometer is supplied with a length of 3 core cable and three connections. A black wire to power and signal ground, a brown wire for power which can be anything from 7-24v DC depending on your needs and availability, and a third blue wire that provides measurements via analog voltage. The Adafruit anemometer is capable of measuring wind speeds up to 70 m/s or 156mph which should be adequate for our location and if the speeds ever get that high will probably blow our house down before the anemometer breaks.

For the micro-controller part of the project I used an old Arduino Uno development board that had been collecting dust in a drawer and combined it with a £2.50 16×2 LCD screen I had previously purchased via eBay for a readout.

The next stage was to create the Arduino code which I created by modifying code already available from the Hackerscapeswebsite to record mph rather than m/s and added extra code to support the 16×2 LCD display. After the initial setup was wired together and the family were staring at the screen for some time to catch a glimpse at the fastest wind speed. I made another alteration to the code that now recorded the highest wind speed since the last reset of the Arduino Uno, and positioned this in the lower right hand side of the LCD as the max wind speed, while still showing the real time wind speed on the left of the screen.

I mounted the anemometer on one of our fences away from any buildings to try and provide it with enough space to be able to get a clean wind speed reading and connected it to the Arduino Uno which was positioned inside the house using a 15 m length of cable. The Arduino Uno is powered by a mains 12v adapter and now provides us and visitors with hours of fun trying to guess how fast the speed will be during the night or when any storms hit us during the day.

Arduino Wind Speed Meter – Code /*
Arduino Wind Speed Meter Anemometer mph - Adafruit anemometer (product ID 1733).
Modified code created March 2016 from original code created by Joe Burg 11th November 2014
At http://www.hackerscapes.com/ with help from Adafruit forum user shirad
*/

//Initialise LCD display

#include
LiquidCrystal lcd(8, 9, 4, 5, 6, 7);

int serial_in;

//Setup Variables

double x = 0;
double y = 0;
const int sensorPin = A1; //Defines the pin that the anemometer output is connected to
int sensorValue = 0; //Variable stores the value direct from the analog pin
float sensorVoltage = 0; //Variable that stores the voltage (in Volts) from the anemometer being sent to the analog pin
float windSpeed = 0; // Wind speed in meters per second (m/s)

float voltageConversionConstant = .004882814; //This constant maps the value provided from the analog read function, which ranges from 0 to 1023, to actual voltage, which ranges from 0V to 5V
int sensorDelay = 2000; //Delay between sensor readings, measured in milliseconds (ms)

//Anemometer Technical Variables
//The following variables correspond to the anemometer sold by Adafruit, but could be modified to fit other anemometers.

float voltageMin = .4; // Mininum output voltage from anemometer in mV.
float windSpeedMin = 0; // Wind speed in meters/sec corresponding to minimum voltage

float voltageMax = 2.0; // Maximum output voltage from anemometer in mV.
float windSpeedMax = 32; // Wind speed in meters/sec corresponding to maximum voltage

void setup()
{

//Setup LCD display with welcome screen

lcd.begin(16,2);
lcd.print("Geeky Gadgets");
lcd.setCursor(0,1);
lcd.print("Windspeed Sensor");
delay(2500);
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0,0);
Serial.begin(9600); //Start the serial connection

}

//Anemometer calculations

void loop()
{
sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin); //Get a value between 0 and 1023 from the analog pin connected to the anemometer

sensorVoltage = sensorValue * voltageConversionConstant; //Convert sensor value to actual voltage

//Convert voltage value to wind speed using range of max and min voltages and wind speed for the anemometer
if (sensorVoltage = y){
y = x;
}else {
y = y;
}

//Print voltage and windspeed to serial

Serial.print("Voltage: ");
Serial.print(sensorVoltage);
Serial.print("\t");
Serial.print("Wind speed: ");
Serial.println(windSpeed);

//Display Wind Speed results to LCD with Max wind speed

lcd.setCursor(0,0);
lcd.print("Wind Speed mph");
lcd.setCursor(0,1);
lcd.print(windSpeed);
lcd.setCursor(7, 1);
lcd.print("Max=");
lcd.setCursor(11, 1);
lcd.print(y);

delay(sensorDelay);
}

I have embedded the code above which you are free to use and please if you do see any more tweaks that can be made please let me know in the comments below. The Arduino wind speed monitor has been created to provide a rough estimate of the wind speed and should not be used for any important meteorological calculations.

Arduino Wind Speed Meter – Components :

– Adafruit Anemometer (product ref: 1733) – £39 or $44
– Arduino Uno or similar such as the new Arduino 101 or Genuino – £28 or $40 (cheaper clones are available)
– Arduino 16×2 LCD screen with keypad £2.50 or $3.60
– 15m of 3 core cable – £10 or $14
– 12v Mains Power Supply £5 – $7
– Arduino IDE software loaded on to a PC or Mac – Free

In the next stage of the project I hope to develop the system even further during my spare time and upgrade the Arduino Uno to a Raspberry Pi, which will then be capable of transmitting the wind speed data to a website for logging. As soon as this is completed that stage of the build I will keep you updated and add a link to it here once complete. Below is a list of components you will require to complete this easy to build Arduino wind speed meter. As questions about the build please leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them.

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Finding Dory: What We Know So Far

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The Angry Birds Movie: What We Know So Far

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X-Men: Apocalypse - What We Know So Far

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Creative Outlier Review

Creative was a big name when CD-ROM drives and after-market soundcards were relevant, but recent years haven't been kind on the Singapore-based company.

Creative was a big name when CD-ROM drives and after-market soundcards were relevant, but recent years haven't been kind on the Singapore-based company. Today, Creative is more focused on audio products such as the Sound Blaster Roarand Sound Blaster FRee, which have been its more interesting recent launches.

With the popularity of Bluetooth devices, the company launched the Rs. 6,499 Outlier headphones last month. Apart from wireless connectivity, these headphones also pack in some interesting extras that make it one of the most feature-filled wireless headsets around. Read all about it in our review.

Design, specifications, and comfort
The Creative Outlier is primarily an on-ear wireless headset, but it can also be used in wired form either using a standard stereo cable or through USB. A 3.5mm socket on the left earcup will let you keep using the headphones in case you run out of battery power. Alternatively, connecting an ordinary Micro-USB cable will also let you use the headset with PCs and gaming consoles, utilising its own in-built DAC. Both cables are included in the box.

That's not all - the device can also be used as a standalone audio player with a microSD storage card. It supports common audio formats, which makes this one of the most versatile headsets we've seen. There is no shortage of connectivity options, and the Creative Outlier is pretty much equipped for any listening scenario. There's also a microphone and audio controls on the device.

The headphones weigh about 100g, and are powered by 32mm dynamic drivers with a frequency response range of 20-22000Hz. Bluetooth connections use the A2DP profile, and battery life is acceptable at about eight hours on a full charge. Additionally, you can also install the Buddy app, which reads out notifications on the headset from supported apps such as Line, WeChat, and Whatsapp.

The headset itself is entirely plastic, with a dull finish on the headband and around the sides of the ear cups. The outward-facing side of the ear cups have a glossy, reflective finish that is not only a grime magnet, but also scratches easily. The right ear cup has the power button, controls, microSD slot, Micro-USB port, and NFC sensor, while the left ear cup only has the 3.5mm socket for connecting a stereo cable.

The Creative Outlier feels a bit cheap and tacky in our opinion. It isn't very comfortable to wear either, as the padding is inadequate and the band clamps down on your head a bit too hard. The adjustment mechanism felt loose and needed constant fiddling.

The only interesting aspect of the appearance of the headset is the ability to change the rubber 'acoustic' rings. The package includes six pairs of colourful rings, which can be put in place to change the accent colour of the Outlier. Having no rings in place exposes vents in the ear cup which changes the sound ever so slightly, by making it more open. We generally preferred the sound with rings on. All six pairs of rings have exactly the same effect on the vents, so you can even mix and match colours. This adds a little bit of flavour to an otherwise bland and cheap look.

Performance
We used the Creative Outlier headphones with an Android smartphone and a Windows PC during our testing, and also tried it with music loaded onto a microSD card through its in-built audio player. Focus tracks for the review were Calvin Harris' How Deep Is Your Love, Shpongle's Brain In A Fish Tank, and Skrillex's The Reason.

Starting with How Deep Is Your Love, we found the sound of the Outlier to be very biased to the low-end. The sonic signature is excessively geared towards promoting the lows, and feels a bit too warm as a result. The lows tend to sound a bit droning and overbearing at times. While we'd expect there to be great bass response as a result, the truth is that there's absolutely no tightness in the bass whatsoever.

Moving on to Brain In A Fish Tank, we studied the frequency responses in more detail. Apart from the aforementioned lack of oomph in the bass, there was also no actual strength or feeling in the mid-range or highs. The droning of the lows affects clarity and definition negatively, and there's barely any audible openness or detail. Vocals sound a bit recessed, and the result is a sonic signature that is unlikely to suit anyone.

Finally, we listened to The Reason, but this time we used the stereo cable for audio transmission. This made an immediate difference to sound quality, which not only opened up a bit but also had a bit more definition and drive. There was also noticeably more attack and thump in the bass, which could be heard with other tracks we listened to as well. Soundstaging and imaging were audibly better as well, and you can feel the openness in the sound immediately.

This brought us to the conclusion that the internal digital-analogue converter (DAC) on the headphones is simply not up to the mark. The DAC, which is used when audio is being transmitted over Bluetooth or when a microSD card is used with the in-built player, is poor and muddies the sound considerably. The use of a more capable DAC such as the ones on our phones and computers made an immediate difference. This is disappointing, because one poor component essentially ruins the sound quality on the Outlier and defeats its primary feature.

Verdict
The Creative Outlier is a bit of a mixed bag, with some aspects that will please you and others that will leave you thoroughly unsatisfied. It's got lots of connectivity options, including the all-important Bluetooth, USB audio and standalone functionality through microSD, but a poor internal DAC means that sound quality is simply not up to the mark.

Furthermore, build quality is a bit poor, and comfort leaves a lot to be desired. The only good thing about the look is that the coloured rings can be swapped to give the headset a bit of flavour, but this is a rather inconsequential pro among more critical cons. While the Creative Outlier had the potential to be a good product, it has been let down by one poor component that makes the entire package weak and therefore not worth the price.

Price (MRP) : Rs. 6,499

Pros
Bluetooth, USB, 3.5mm and standalone audio player capabilities
Good sound with 3.5mm stereo cable
Coloured rings add some customisability

Cons

Internal DAC is poor Bad performance with Bluetooth, USB and microSD
Build is cheap and tacky
Not very comfortable

Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 2.5
Performance: 2.5
Value for money: 3.5
Overall: 2.5

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Huawei P9 Lite Spotted on Retailer’s Website in Europe

Earlier this month, Huawei introduced their latest flagship device, the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus at a press event in London.

Earlier this month, Huawei introduced their latest flagship device, the Huawei P9 and P9 Plus at a press event in London. The company is also reportedly working on the “Lite” version of the handset, which we’ve already seen in a hands-on demo.

The company is yet to make the Huawei P9 Lite official, and it has now popped up on a retailer’s website in Europe, listing the price and the specifications.

Romanian retailer Cel.ro apparently has the device in stock in gold, white and black color options, costing around $300 (after conversion).

As far as the specifications are concerned, the alleged handset comes with a 5.2-inch Full HD display, a Kirin 650 processor paired with 2GB of RAM, 16GB of internal storage and a microSD card slot for expansion. The handset is also said to come with a 13MP camera, 5MP front-facing camera, a 3,000 mAh battery, 4G LTE connectivity, dual-SIM support and ships with Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box.

There’s no word from the company about the handset, but we’ll update you as soon as we hear anything.

Source: GSMArena

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Fiio A1 Portable Headphone Amplifier Review

Fiio's product range is interesting to audiophiles for a number of reasons.

Fiio's product range is interesting to audiophiles for a number of reasons. This Chinese electronics manufacturer is known for personal audio products and accessories, including portable media players, specialised audio cables and portable headphone amplifiers. In fact the company only recently revealed its first pair of headphones, the Fiio EX1 in-ears.

Something that Fiio likes to focus on is its line of portable headphone amplifiers. A portable headphone amplifier is small and plugs in between your source device and headphones, boosting the analogue signal before it makes its way into your ears. They can help you get the most out of your headphones by amplifying the sound, which not only makes them sound louder, but can also contribute towards making them sound better. Headphone amplifiers are particularly useful in fixing any volume issues you may be facing, and also serve as a great first upgrade to your listening setup.

Covering everything from the entry level to the high end, Fiio's portable headphone amplifiers are some of the more popular options in the market. Today we're reviewing the affordable Fiio A1, which retails for Rs. 2,000. Find out everything there is to know about this pocket-sized amplifier in our review.

Design and specifications
The Fiio A1 is compact and simple, with a basic but functional design. It's small enough to fit in your palm, and has only the required buttons and ports. The casing of the amplifier is entirely metal, with a dull silver finish. It's about as thick as the average smartphone, and will sit comfortably in your pocket when in use. Alternatively, it's light enough to clip to a shirt or belt as well, weighing just 20g.

There is a clear removable plastic strip along the top which can be replaced with one of the included belt-clip strips if you intend to keep the device clipped. There are three buttons on the top: one to control power and the equaliser setting, and two to adjust volume. Also on the top is the 3.5mm output for your headphones. The bottom has a port and a 3.5mm input, and you can use either of the two included auxiliary wires to connect the A1 to your source device. Also in the box is a standard USB Type-A to Micro-USB cable for charging, but no mains adapter.

The amplification unit powering the Fiio A1 is a Texas Instruments TPA6130A2, which can drive headphones with impedance ratings anywhere between 16Ohms and 100Ohms. Frequency response ranges from 10-90,000Hz, and the device claims to have a total harmonic distortion of less than 0.05 percent through the normal listening range. It is powered by a 160mAh battery, and ran for an impressive 12-13 hours on a full charge.

Performance
We used the Fiio A1 with our reference Fiio X1high-resolution audio player, a Windows laptop and an Android smartphone. We used the Evidson AudioSport W6 and Trinity Atlasheadphones for the review. Focus tracks were Foster The People's Life On The Nickel and Gotye's State Of The Art.

Starting with the Trinity Atlas and State Of The Art, we immediately found that the A1 manages a serious amount of amplification for a device this small. The listed 3.65dB gain can really be felt, and with the volume maxed out on both the source device and the A1, it became far too loud for normal listening. You aren't going to need all of that sensitivity gain, but it's good to know that this device can effectively solve any volume problems that you might have with your headphones and source devices.

It's also noteworthy that when the 'Bass 0' equaliser preset is used, there's practically no change in the sonic signature whatsoever. The Fiio A1 retains the sonic characteristics of both the source device as well as the headphones themselves, simply adding volume. The Trinity Atlas sounded much better with amplification than without, since every element across the range was given a slight but equal boost. This vastly improved sonic separation, imaging and clarity, apart from the obvious sensitivity gain.

With the low-cost Evidson AudioSport W6 and Life On The Nickel, we heard more of the same overall improvements, but the difference in sound quality was even more noticeable. The track's powerful, bass-happy drumbeat sounded absolutely fantastic with the addition of the A1, and imaging felt vastly improved as well. The amplifier definitely has the capacity to turn a budget sound into a mid-range one.

We also tried the other equaliser settings on the Fiio A1. 'Bass 1' boosts the sub-bass and mid-bass frequencies without affecting the top-end, which is an interesting tweak to the sonic signature for quick and exciting tracks. 'Bass 2' boosts sensitivity in the low-end, but forces a drop in the mid-range going up to the highs, while 'Bass 3' causes an equal sensitivity drop through the range. The latter two settings didn't appeal to us very much, but they may suit some listeners' preferences.

Verdict
The Fiio A1 is an incredibly simple device that does what it claims to do. It complements your headphones and source device remarkably by giving them a decent boost in sound, without messing with the sonic signature. You can of course play with the equaliser settings and tweak the sonics as well, but at its most basic level, this device is about improving volume and sound quality, which it does in a big way.

At Rs. 1,999, the Fiio A1 represents tremendous value, and has the potential to improve sound quality no matter what kinds of headphones and source devices you use. You can also use it with a computer if you have volume problems (though not as a USB DAC), and battery life is decent as well. The Fiio A1 is an excellent portable headphone amplifier if you don't have a big budget.

Price (MRP): Rs. 1,999

Pros
Compact design and good build quality
Decent battery life
Boosts volume significantly
Improves clarity and imaging Maintains the sonic signature

Cons

Some unnecessary equaliser modes

Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 4
Performance: 4
Value for money: 4.5
Overall: 4

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Amazon’s One Hour Prime Now Delivery Comes To Leeds

Amazon has been expanding its Prime Now one hour delivery service throughout the UK this year and now the company is launching the service in Leeds.

The company will charge you £6.99 for a one hour delivery or your can get it with free delivery within two hours, this is available to members of the company’s Prime service.

Prime members already benefit from One-Day Delivery on millions of products on Amazon.co.uk, access to thousands of popular movies and TV episodes through Prime Video, access to one million songs to stream and download through Prime Music, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Cloud Drive, 30-minute early access to Lightning Deals on Amazon.co.uk, and access to one million Kindle books to borrow.

“Prime Now is our fastest delivery option ever and from today Prime customers in Leeds can get the items they need quickly delivered right to the door in under an hour,” said Jason Weston, director of Amazon’s Prime Now service in the UK. “Whether its essentials like fresh milk, nappies or even a last minute gift, customers love the convenience of delivery straight to their door in less than sixty minutes.”

You can find out more details about Amazon’s Prime Now one hour delivery service over at the company’s website at the link below.

Source Amazon

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Google Remains Most Attractive Employer in India, Says Randstad

Google India remained as the most attractive employer in the country followed by Mercedes-Benz in the second place, according to leading human resource consultancy Randstad.

According to the 6th edition of Randstad Award 2016, GoogleIndia emerged as the most attractive employer for a second consecutive year.

The sectoral specific special recognition awards this year was awarded to DellIndia for IT, SamsungIndia for consumer electronics and AmazonIndia for e-commerce.

"In today's fiercely competitive job market, recruiting top talent, engaging and retaining them is fundamental to a company's ability to grow. It is also a proven fact that companies that are capable of attracting the right talent for the right job simply perform better," Randstad India Moorthy MD & CEO K Uppaluri said.

Randstad Award, instituted globally by Randstad, is hosted each year to encourage best practices for talent attraction and to identify the best 'Employer Brand' in the country based on perceived attractiveness of a company.

In India this year, the survey captured the views of around 7,500 respondents, who chose the nation's most attractive employer brand for 2016.

Meanwhile, Randstad Award survey, that covered over 2,00,000 respondents across 25 countries worldwide, said salary and employee benefits continue to be the top driver among the Indian workforce while choosing an employer, followed by long-term job security, financial health of the company, working atmosphere and work-life balance.

However, the importance of salary has decreased from last year as it has seen a decline of 6 per cent from 2015.

The survey findings also reflected that the Indian workforce prefers to work or move to sectors like IT & Communication, followed by Automobiles and FMCG, retail & e-commerce.

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Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE will receive a special edition

Today Nintendo announced that the upcoming role-playing game, Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE, will receive a special edition when it releases in June.

The special edition package (seen below) will come with a copy of the game, an artbook, a six-song soundtrack CD featuring a selection of the game’s music, six “song cards,” and a sheet of stickers. The package will also come with codes for five pieces of downloadable content, which will be priced at $1.99 each. The special edition package will set you back $79.99, and is exclusive to Amazon and GameStop.

Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE will release on June 24th. The game will release on the Wii U.  The game is heavily inspired by the Fire Emblem and Shin Megami Tensei franchises. The title is set in modern day Japan, and pairs “shamelessly over-the-top RPG” action with the “adrenaline-fueled fun” of a Japanese pop idol concert, Nintendo stated. The North American version will include the original Japanese-language voice over track with English subtitles when it releases.

Mr. Robot Returns for Season 2 in June

Highlights
Season 2 will air in the US on July 13.

Sam Esmail will direct all 10 episodes. The show will chart “ramifications” of Elliot’s crime.

Mr. Robot, the cyber-drama-thriller starring Rami Malek as security engineer Elliot Anderson, will return to television screens on July 13, USA Network has announced.

Created by Sam Esmail, the critically acclaimed drama - one of the best shows from last year- took a different approach to its debut last year, providing the premiere episode to multiple streaming video platforms towards the end of May 2015, a full month before its network debut in June.

The show proved to be a surprise breakout hit, and was afforded praise not only for its writing and acting - owing to Malek and Christian Slater as Mr. Robot - but also the realistic portrayal of hacking, something most shows absolutely avoid getting right.

It also picked up two Golden Globe awards for best drama series and best supporting actor (Slater). And at the Critics' Choice TV Awards, it won for the two same awards as before, along with a best actor in drama nod for Malek.

In India, the show's first season was aired by Colors Infinity last year. A Viacom 18 representative told Gadgets 360 that Colors Infinity would carry Mr. Robot's second showing, but no exact timeline had been determined yet.

The network also said that Esmail would be directing all ten episodes of the second season, unlike the first where he was in charge of just four. At the show's panel at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, US last month, Esmail talked aboutwhere the show is headed: "Elliot committed a crime and we're going to see the ramifications of that this season. That's why you see that introduction of law enforcement, which you deliberately didn't see the first season."

Joining the show will be Grace Gummer as "Dominique DiPierro, a young federal agent investigating the hack", Craig Robinson as Ray, a neighbourhood local, Joey Badass as Leon, Elliot's new friend and Chris Conroy as "Derek, the young and attractive new man in Joanna Wellick's life".

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