Entertainment

Who could have imagined that Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, with its never-to-be-forgotten scene of a ravenous alien emerging from John Hurt’s stomach, would be the instigator for a massive industry of follow up films, games and other creative offerings. Not me for one.

If you are of mature years – old – like me then you think of Sound Blaster for sound cards and speakers but of course they do a lot more. Here I am looking at two headphone amplifiers and the second one is also a DAC as well.

Adding to the Dark Parables series of games is an offering with mermaids and a tide that destroys everything in its path,

These are powerful headphones designed predominately for gamers as they are 7.1 channels, so you should be able to hear the slightest noise from far away and for a gamer this is possibly the difference between life and err death.

Here I am looking at two different portable speaker systems. The first a retro design called Jam Rewind. The second from a company that has a broad field of products Lindy, this like the Jam Rewind is both Bluetooth and Auxiliary input.

The Empress of the Deep returns for the third instalment of this Hidden Object Adventure game as twin sisters take on the faces of good and evil.

Put your investigation powers to the test as you solve a mystery that it seeped in magic.

When stage magicians meet in competition you can expect magic to be in the air along with some trickery.

The TREK A26 wireless portable speaker is a robust unit having Bluetooth and NFC connectivity that has been designed to withstand the elements and so should be able to survive the weather at a music festival.

Sennheiser is one of the few affordable brands sold in top end shops whose diet normally consists of brands costing a great deal more. However do not think of Sennheiser as a cheap brand as they are not and the quality is good.

Dark Mysteries is another offering from Avanquest’s GSP 4-Play series. The four titles making up this collection are The Beast of Lycan Isle, The Soul Keeper, The Sleeping Palace and Ghost Painting. All four titles belong to the Hidden Object Adventure genre. As usual with the various 4-Play collections, each of the titles has to be installed separately from the same front end menu of offe

Take a journey into space in one of two roles as you tackle Match-3 levels.

The MiniDrones are coming. Leading the aerial force is the subject of this next review.

Almost exactly 3 years ago one of the most exciting pieces of kit I had seen for some time crossed my desk. It was the ViewSonic PLED–W500, a tiny but surprisingly bright projector that used cool-running LEDs for illumination instead of a hot lamp. Designed primarily for business presentations, its XVGA resolution and extended color gamut made it perfectly suitable for movies. Unfortunately, it soon disappeared from the market. But the good news is that it's back again, reborn a

This is one of those occasions when I missed out on the original title of a game. In this case the game was called Runaway. The follow up offering, from the same development team, is entitled Hidden Runaway. Featuring the same two main characters of Brian and Gina, Hidden Runaway belongs to the Hidden Object Adventure genre.

As you would expect from a 4 Play title, this next offering considers of four games that have a treasure hunting theme.

While an inch might be considered a small amount, it can make a difference with a portable device.

This is certainly the thinnest soundbar I have seen. It does however have a separate rather meaty sub woofer. So any thought you may have of a thin or sub standard sound reproduction should immediately be banished from your mind.

For those looking for a book reader then the Aura H20 from Kobo could well be something to consider. The bright white background makes it seem just like what one used to take off the bookshelf to read, the main advantage is that text size can suit your eyesight.

The popular Ivy Restaurant was the location where I first cast eyes on the subject of this next review.

This unit arrived shortly after the Humax YouView unit, at the same time as a brilliant Humax Sound Bar (review to follow). Things did not start out well but after a couple of conversations things improved and I now trust it.

A trip back in time, both in the style of game play and the period setting, takes you off to America for this next title.

This is a wireless (Bluetooth) Boombox that is able to get reasonably wet and has an uncanny look like a sculptured shape with its fourteen upward facing edges which are there to project the sound, twelve of them have a speaker grill finish.

Everybody enjoys their private moments and the next product allows you these moments when listening to your favourite music.

In this next game you play not one but two different characters with one investigating the other.

This next product could give you the opportunity to improve your street cred as you wear a music output device on your hip.

Avanquest has gathered together four Match-3 games for this next offering from the company’s GSP label.

This is a rather nice square speaker from Polk; it can be used with Bluetooth or via a 3.5mm lead to connect to older music devices. This has an internal battery so in Bluetooth mode no cables are required so it can be placed almost anywhere.

Described as a dark and mysterious Hidden Object Adventure game, Small Town Terrors: Pilgrim’s Hook sets you the task of saving your twin brother from the evil presence that has invaded the community of Pilgrim’s Hook.

For a gamer hearing a sound a fraction of a second earlier can be a matter of life and death. So the quality of the headset is almost as important as the speed of the processor and the graphics card that show what they are doing on the screen.