Review

Chromebooks are one of the fastest growing computing categories. Small, lightweight and inexpensive these Google Chrome OS-powered notebooks have proven ideal for many users including students and small business. They’re great for home too. But what if you want the touchscreen experience that’s become a standard feature on Windows 8 Ultrabooks? You were pretty much out of luck on the Chrome side. Acer has filled that gap quite nicely with the new C720P Chromebook, an 11.6-inch device that combines the advantages of Google’s Chrome OS with a multi-touch display. It’s available now at Best Buy, but if you want a preview of what it’s capable of, I’ve spent some time putting a C720P Chromebook through the paces for a review.

A world defined by death and dying, filled with horrible monsters big and small, you stand poised at the beginning of an unimaginably long journey, every step you take fought for, stained with the blood of your opponents, and all too often, your own hollowed corpse.  Interested?  Me too!  It’s Dark Souls 2, that unforgiving, punishing, wonderful, amazing gaming experience that not everyone is cut out for.  Are you?  Lets find out.

There are two things you need to know about Fat Tire Electric Bikes – one, they’re unlike any bike you’ve ever ridden before and two, they’re so fun they’ll make you forget about every other bike you’ve got in your garage. I’d go as far as saying you’ll be hooked on Fat Bikes with just one ride – at least that’s what I discovered when I toured the Surface 604 factory and rolled away on a Surface 604 Element Electric Bike myself.

The game Putty Squad has a pretty screwy life cycle.  Originally released in 1994 for the Super Nintendo in PAL (outside North America) regions, it had review copies released for the Amiga, but Ocean Entertainment started to move away from publishing, and never released it.  Almost two decades passed, and Putty Squad was almost released for Playstation 3 and Playstation Vita and then FINALLY debuted for Amiga last year.  Putty Squad is now available in North America for Playstation 4, having been a rest of the world launch title.  Then, it will be released on Playstation 3 and Vita at the end of this month.  Was that confusing enough?  Hopefully the review isn’t.  Click on to read about Putty Squad.

Last year, HTC had a hit with its HTC One, considered by many to be the best-looking Android smartphone ever released, not to mention a solid performer. Samsung’s Galaxy S4 ended up running away with the Android sales crown in 2013, but HTC is back this year with the One M8, a successor that’s bigger, looks even better and offers solid performance combined with an innovative new dual camera system. I just spent a few days with HTC’s new flagship and this is probably the best Android smartphone I’ve laid my hands on. And it’s coming soon to Best Buy!

    Roku recently announced the launch of their new streaming stick, which looks similar to the Google Chromecast dongle so I researched both and wrote a  comparison of the two, to figure out which one is better.  In my opinion they are both good, but felt the Roku Streaming Stick is a better value device. I now have my hands on one of the first Roku Streaming Sticks and can provide you a proper review to let you know if it lives up to those expectations.

The Sony DSC-H300 is a point-and-shoot camera with a DSLR-style body. It packs a very impressive 35x optical zoom and SteadyShot technology which gives you the ability to take photos over a quite incredible distance. But as photographer Justin Morrison discovered, it also has some features that let you get some really fun and stylish portraits  

Long before Mario was super, he was transported as a baby to Yoshi Island where the Yoshis had to protect him from the wizard Kamek.  Your adventure is as the various Yoshis in 6 different worlds protecting Baby Mario from being snatched into the hands of evil, as it is believed he will be trouble for Bowser as a grown-up.  Kamek got one thing right:  Mario IS going to be trouble for Bowser, but can you get him to safety and adulthood where he can then save the world?  Yoshi’s New Island is the latest installment of the franchise, and is available now.  Click on to read the review of this family friendly title.

Every once in awhile I see something that brings the kid out in me – poprocks and gold rush candy, plush stuffies, and Lego are just a few of my favourite things, but nothing makes me want to gear up and get outside to play more than a power toy.   The good news is that Gio has an amazing lineup of electric scooters and electric bikes that are fun, fun, fun, for both you and your kids, and they’re now available on Bestbuy.ca. Just in time too, because spring and summer are right around the corner.

One of the cool aspects of this job is being able to try out a hotly anticipated new device before it’s officially available. What’s even cooler is when a manufacturer sends you a whole box of new gadgets to review. That was the case when I cracked open the shipment from Samsung to find the new Galaxy NotePRO 12.2, Galaxy TabPRO 8.4 and Galaxy TabPRO 10.1 tablets. You can buy all three now at Best Buy, but I had the opportunity to get to know them before they hit the shelves. While I was especially impressed by the Galaxy NotePRO 12.2 (with its massive 12.2-inch, four million pixel display), all three PRO models are likely to please Android tablet fans, and offer a solid choice for prosumers and those looking for a business-friendly option.