The Best Flash Games 2013

Now that computers have made our working lives so much more efficient (ha!), what are we supposed to do with all that extra time we’ve created for ourselves? There are only so many paperclips you can unbend, only so many rubber bands to be made into a ball...

Bright Idea

Luckily, someone had the bright idea of using Adobe’s Flash technology to allow us to play games within our browsers – and now the sheer variety of instantly available, often free games means there’s very little time left to actually do the stuff we came to the office to do in the first place. Let’s have a look at a few of the best ones...

Top Games

Happy Wheels, despite the innocuous-sounding name, is a gore-soaked platformer in which you attempt to conduct your vehicle to the finish line without loss of limbs or decapitation. It’s extremely unlikely that you’ll succeed, based on my experience. Very funny; not very nice.

At the other end of the spectrum are educational games such as Eight Letters In Search Of A Word. This is one for Scrabble players and fans of Countdown; make the longest word you can from the random letters, with an eight letter anagram every five rounds.

Crashing one’s balloon in a wasteland at night, and having to fend off weird creatures with increasingly advanced weaponry: it’s something we’ve all done, and at last there’s a Flash game that reflects our experiences. It’s called Balloon In A Wasteland, as you may have guessed.

Online bingo is a good way to use up those empty office hours. At bingo.com you’ll find all the bingo-related thrills you’ll need to keep you going until hometime. Bonuses are available for new players, and there’s a chat function.

Old people (i.e. people born in 1981 or earlier, like me) will be thrilled to hear that classic shooter Doom is now available as a play-for-free Flash version. Prepare to be sacked, as the chances of you stepping away from the game are exactly the same as they were twenty years ago, i.e. zero.

Learn Stuff!

There’s a profusion of poker sites of course, but if you want to practise before you play for hard cash, you could do worse than either Poker Practise or Learn Texas Holdem, both available at Flashgamepoker.com.

Finally, another brain-tester that’ll maybe teach you something. Flags Of The World is fast and attractively designed, and really quite addictive as you battle the clock and other players to identify as many flags as possible. It’s online at Geography-map-games.com. Enjoy!

(Images via Wikipedia, totaljerkface.com, bingo.com, geography-map-games.com)

Entertainment on the Move

When the iPad was originally launched, tablet devices were launched into the limelight. It goes without saying that Apple were not the first, but they made this category of device sexy and created an experience that many did not know they wanted, until they had handled one of these new wonders. Since the first generation iPad was so successful, many other manufacturers frantically played catchup.

To a certain degree they have, with many manufacturers backing the Google Android platform. Whilst the hardware may not be as sexy, the ecosystem is definitely developing. The selection of apps on the Google Play Store is now more than acceptable, making the myriad of devices from the likes of Samsung, Asus and Acer (to name just a few) very viable options. My personal opinion is that they are not quite as tied in service-wise, whereas the Apple iPad is very good at synchronising with the likes of an Apple desktop or laptop.

This new category, for a long time, has been thought of as an ideal way of consuming media, but not necessarily creating. Things are pretty good, with regard to photo manipulation, simple spreadsheets, text documents and the like, but anything more than that is often a compromise. I do take notes on my iPad, but anything more than that and I grab my laptop, or sit down at a desktop computer.

Whilst these two platforms battle it out, Microsoft is sitting in the wings. It dipped its toe into the water with the Surface RT and Surface Pro, which were a hard sell due to lack of apps. However, with their most recent offerings, the Surface 2 and Pro 2, things have improved. Apps that were missing first time around are now appearing with around half of the mainstream titles not available at original launch, now in the Windows App Store.

Whichever platform you choose, all of these devices have something in common. They are all great entertainment devices. Awesome for playing back videos, music, playing games etc. The internet browsers add yet another dimension and allow you to play online games. You might even be able to increase your riches too, by trying your luck at Blackjack, Slots or Roulette on Casino.com who, like many websites, have enriched their experience for mobile devices. So whether it's online shopping, emails, surfing the internet or staying in touch with friends & family, this new breed of tablet device is here to stay and I am certainly thankful that Apple made this category popular again.

Microsoft Office for iPad Awaiting Completion of 'Touch First' Interface for Windows Version

Dating back to the launch of the original iPad in early 2010, Microsoft has been considering the possibility of releasing a version of its Office productivity suite for the tablet platform. But despite repeated claims of an imminent launch, the only iOS release so far has been an Office Mobile app for iPhone available for subscribers to the company's Office 365 service...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Virus Protection on Windows

It is a well known fact that viruses are more common on the Windows platform. This is purely because of the larger user-base. There are many steps you can take to protect your computers & devices from these threats. In the video below, not only do I share some advice, but also some interesting real-world examples.

I am the 'Geek Ambassador' for Hotspot Shield ...

Get behind the Shield here.

Microsoft Purchases Nokia's Device and Services Division to Unite Windows Phone Hardware and Software

Microsoft and Nokia today announced that Microsoft will acquire Nokia's Devices and Services unit, allowing Microsoft to unite its Windows Phone software efforts with its primary hardware partner in Nokia. The deal also includes a licensing agreement to provide Microsoft with access to Nokia's mapping services and patents...

Read the full story here... Source: Mac Rumours

Microsoft Forced to Slash Surface RT Prices Despite Vigorous Anti-iPad Ad Campaign

Microsoft is planning to drop the prices of its Surface RT tablets by $150, reports The Verge. The lower prices, which will go into effect on Sunday July 14, are likely the result of lackluster sales. 

Bloomberg reported in March that Microsoft had sold just 1.5 million Surface RT and Surface Pro tablets since they debuted in October of 2012 and February of 2013, respectively, with 400,000 of those sales attributed to the Pro. HP experienced similarlypoor sales with its TouchPad, which was heavily discounted and then discontinued.

The Surface pricing change comes just after Microsoft announced a restructuring of the company, aiming to enhance collaboration and unify its product lineup. Microsoft has heavily marketed Windows 8 tablets in recent weeks, pitting several different tablets against Apple's iPad in a series of ads that highlight the iPad’s inability to multitask and its lack of built-in productivity software. 

With the discount, Microsoft's pricing will be as follows: 

- Surface RT 32GB: $349.99 
- Surface RT 64GB: $449.99 
- Surface RT 32GB with Touch Cover: $449.99 
- Surface RT 64GB with Touch Cover: $549.99 

Staples has confirmed the pricing cut in a weekly promotional ad that says the new pricing will be available as of Sunday. Despite the pricing cuts, Microsoft has suggested that new versions of both the Surface Pro and the Surface RT are in the works, along with a number of new accessories.

Source: Mac Rumours

Microsoft to launch Kinect for Windows sensor in 2014

Microsoft will finally deliver a Kinect sensor for Windows sometime next year.

The company announced Thursday that the Kinect for Windows sensor will use the same set of technologies key to the new Kinect sensor for the Xbox One, both of which will allow people to issue commands using voice and gestures.

The sensor will include a high-definition color camera and a noise-isolating multi-microphone array. Also part of the system will be a technology called Time-of-Flight, which measures how long it takes for photons to bounce off a person or object. Combined, these features promise greater accuracy and precision in detecting your movements and voice commands...

Read the full story here. Source: CNET

Xbox One Unveil Video

Introducing Xbox One, the all-in-one entertainment system.  This is the unveil video for the Xbox One, showcasing the console, the new Kinect sensor and the new Xbox One controller, as well as the new experiences that will be coming with Xbox One, including the personal homescreen, cinematic gaming, Live TV and Skype.  Welcome to a new generation of games and entertainment.

XBox Anthem … a celebration

The Xbox One Anthem is a celebration video of the Xbox community. It features users, creators and innovators who make Xbox what it is and guide where it is going. Their collective voice tells Xbox's story and hint toward its future. This is a taste of the 48 million users that comprise our community and that made Xbox what it is and that will make Xbox One the most exciting gaming and entertainment system on the market.

Microsoft’s Next Xbox to be Revealed on May 21st, 2013

Just think, in less than a month’s time, Microsoft will give us a reason to call the next Xbox something other than the Xbox 720. That might just be better news than anything they could possibly reveal at their upcoming showcase.

Both Game Informer and Kotaku have now confirmed that Microsoft is sending out invitations to select members of the press for their next Xbox unveiling. The presentation is set for 10am on May 21st, 2013 at Microsoft’s Redmond headquarters.

We have reached out to our contact for more information. Until that happens, this is all we’ve got.

Update: Our contact directed us to Major Nelson’s blog. This is what he writes there:

On Tuesday May 21^st, we’ll mark the beginning of a new generation of games, TV and entertainment. On that day, we’ll be holding a special press event on the Xbox campus and we invite you to join us via the live global stream that will be available on Xbox.com, Xbox LIVE and broadcast on Spike TV if you are in the US or Canada.

On that day, we’ll share our vision for Xbox, and give you a real taste of the future. Then, 19-days later at theElectronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, we’ll continue the conversation and showcase our full lineup of blockbuster games.

We are thrilled to pull back the curtain and reveal what we’ve been working on.

What do you want Microsoft to announce for their next console? For me, I just don’t want the thing to require an internet connection in order to play games.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]

Microsoft Surface Pro coming to the UK in May

Microsoft's proper Windows 8 tablet, the Surface Pro, is coming to the UK "before the end of May", according to a company blog post. The software behemoth has yet to announce prices.

The last we heard about the delayed Pro was several weeks ago, when Microsoft said it was due "in the coming months". It'll arrive in other countries next month too, covering much of Europe -- Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland -- and further afield in Australia, Hong Kong and New Zealand.

The Surface Pro runs full Windows 8, rather than the cut-down Windows RT on the Surface. That means you can run any Windows-compatible software, whereas the Surface is stuck with whatever's available on the Marketplace app store. Manufacturers including Samsung have criticised RT for being hard to understand, but it's due to get Outlook at some point this year.

While a British price for the Pro is yet to materialise, it sells for $899 (£560) in the US. The £399 Surface is cheaper in the States than in the UK, thanks to our swingeing 20 per cent VAT. Plucking a number out of thin air, I reckon the Surface Pro will be £700 here.

But that's just for the basic 64GB model, which doesn't have much free storage, and no keyboard cover. Upgrading to the 128GB model, which our CNET.com colleague Scott Stein calls "essential", and adding the cool keyboard will set you back $1,200 -- nearly £800, plus VAT. Cripes.

If you can't wait for a Windows 8 tablet, we can recommend the £600 Acer Iconia W700 and £400 Asus VivoTab Smart, both four-star machines.

[Source: CNET]

Microsoft Hints It’s Working on 7-inch Surface

Microsoft CFO Peter Klein on Thursday confirmed the company is looking into smaller touch devices, further fueling speculation we’ll see a 7-inch Surface later this year. During an investor call, Klein said Microsoft is working closely with OEMs to create small touch-based Windows devices, which are expected to land with competitive pricing. Klein’s comments add more weight to a previous report from Intel CEO Paul Otellini about cheaper Windows 8 devices.

The Redmond-based company has been quietly inching its way toward smaller tablets, backed up by Microsoft changing its minimum tablet hardware requirements down to a resolution of 1024 x 768. Smaller tablets such as the Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD 7 and iPad mini have all proved enormously popular over the traditional 9-inch and above size. They’re not only cheaper, but offer greater portability, making them easier and more pleasing to use in most cases.

Klein also noted during Microsoft’s earnings call on Thursday that he is departing the company at the end of the fiscal year.

Microsoft’s own Surface tablets haven’t exactly lit the market on fire, and OEMs have found it difficult to hock devices running Windows 8 and RT, so a change is definitely in order. While Klein’s comments don’t specifically call out tablets as a point of interest, it’s certainly a logical next step for the company to take. A Microsoft spokesperson said the company doesn’t have anything more to share right now, so perhaps we’ll see an announcement over the busy summer months.

[Source: TechnoBuffalo]