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Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword

Zack Stern — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:27:57 -0600

Beyond the Sword is the Costco of expansion packs: You’ll get more than you asked for, and for a really top-notch experience, you’ll have to suss out pockets of quality rather than stuffing yourself with sheer quantity. There’s a lot going on in this game--and there’s a lot to like.

This Civilization IV update twists the game’s global-dominance strategy with new nations, buildings, and other alterations. Changes to the franchise’s fundamental gameplay turn this iteration of Civilization into various new games, from space conquests to fantasy adventures. Without a good index, the add-ons can feel overwhelming, but with persistence you’ll find new favorite ways to play.

Boldly go beyond a typical Civ game in one of many completely converted modes.

Beyond the Sword’s basics are similar to Civilization IV’s, but some clever changes improve an already excellent game. As before, you use a turn-based strategy model to build up a society from meager beginnings. In the end, you can win by defeating others with a military, getting the most votes in a U.N. popularity contest, dominating the world economy, and more.

A single game, made up of tiny turns that last between seconds and minutes, can stretch to 10 or 15 hours. One of the new updates lets you begin in a later stage, moving past some of the dull opening turns. It can be a lot more fun to buy cities, units, and technologies from a fixed allotment, instead of earning your way up from the dawn of civilization.

Beyond the Sword adds additional victory conditions too, although most are moderate updates. For example, instead of just being the first to launch a spaceship to colonize a foreign planet, you now have to add enough engines to be the first ship to reach Alpha Centauri. The upshot is that a faster ship can win even if launched after an opponent’s.

Outside the standard games, a dozen new scenarios provide overwhelming variety. You can play in space with altered rules, swapping the global map for a star chart. Tactical combat scenarios add dozens of new units re-create historical situations (such as WWII) or take fighting into a sci-fi future.

Shure SRH240 & SRH440

Ray Aguilera — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:27:23 -0600

Shure’s been building pro audio equipment for forever. Chances are, if you’ve seen a band perform in the last 75 years, you’ve seen some Shure gear at work. While the company is well known for its microphones, it has recently begun expanding into the headphone market. Shure has brought its considerable audio know-how to bear on the SRH240 (not shown) and the SRH440 (pictured) headphones, both of which offer studio-level sound at prices that make them attractive for home use as well.

Both the 240s and 440s are over-the-ear headphones, meaning that the ear cups surround your entire ear. This offers increased noise isolation, both for the listener who wants to mute outside noise and for everyone around you who isn’t interested in your Ace of Base dance remixes. The headphones feature stereo miniplugs, which will work with your iPod, as well as screw-on adapters for full-size headphone jacks like those on home stereos.

Shure's new headphones deliver for a wide range of listeners.

The sound quality on both models is excellent. The lower-priced 240s have a slightly narrower frequency range (20Hz to 20kHz) than the 440’s (10Hz to 22kHz), but both feature a fairly flat audio profile--meaning you hear the music as it was recorded, with natural reproduction across the audio spectrum. Bass response is good, and highs are crisp without being fatiguing. Both headphones are comfortable for extended wear.

The 440s feature a fuller sound, largely due to increased padding around the earcup and better outside noise isolation overall. Unlike the 240s, they also fold up for travel and can be stashed in the included drawstring bag. The 440s are also 5.7 ounces heavier than the 9-ounce 240s, making the latter better for use on the go. The earcups on the 440 have a wider swivel range, making them more comfortable, and we appreciate the heavier replaceable coiled cable, which ultimately makes the 440s more durable in the long run.

Apple Soundtrack Pro 3

David Biedny — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:37:56 -0600

Soundtrack Pro is a multitrack audio editor intended to be used as part of a video workflow, though it’s equally adept at standalone audio projects. It was once sold separately, but for the last few years, it’s been available exclusively as part of the Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio bundles. The latest incarnation, version 3, offers a wide range of fine-tuned interface tweaks and a few new tricks that will make anyone who produces pro audio take notice.

The most significant new feature is audio-level matching, which allows you to raise the overall volume levels of one track and match them to another, a boon for podcasters and anyone who works with multisource audio. The big caveat with this new feature is that it only works with isolated voices on separate tracks. Anyone recording an interview with a single recording device, or via Skype, won’t be able to use the feature.

Audio-level matching equalizes the sound of two different tracks.

Field recording enthusiasts are often stymied by ambient noise in anything but the most isolated environments. Soundtrack Pro 2 had some noise-removal filtering and version 3 significantly improves upon it. The software allows you to select multiple harmonics of the base frequency--audio-geek speak for “it catches all the hum.” Previously, users often turned to third-party noise reduction plug-ins to handle these problems, but the new built-in stuff does a great job. And if you still need specialized third-party add-ons, advanced users will be pleased to see that their plug-ins show up in the same pane as Apple’s built-in tools--a great practical touch.

Time-stretching is a key aspect of creative audio editing, and you’ll be thrilled to find some new time-remapping mojo in Soundtrack Pro 3. There are three different remapping options, making us think it’s based on the tools in the new Logic 9 software, which we totally dig, because it produces some very nice, transparent results. Another feature ostensibly lifted from Logic is the ability to edit audio directly in the Multitake editor, a seemingly minor improvement that will make folks using this feature very, very happy.

Scosche TapSTICK

Ray Aguilera — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:05 -0600

One of the big reasons we didn’t have a gadget-crush on the third-gen iPod shuffle (3 out of 5 stars, Jun/09) is its reliance on Apple’s earbuds to control the device. Without any buttons on the shuffle’s chassis, the inline remote on the included ’buds is the only way to navigate tracks, play, pause, or make volume adjustments. But now Scosche’s tapSTICK aims to improve your shuffle experience by adding back the third-gen shuffle’s missing buttons.

Rather than make a headphone adapter, Scosche built a hard plastic case that integrates rubberized control buttons. While we’re not sure the aluminum shuffle really needed any more protection, integrating the controls into a case makes a lot of sense and eliminates the overly long headphone cables that you end up with using an add-on inline remote dongle. At two-tenths of an ounce, the tapSTICK doesn’t fundamentally alter the shuffle’s ultraportable profile much, making it about 1/8 inch wider and adding about 5/8 of an inch to the shuffle’s length.

The tapSTICK brings buttons back to your iPod shuffle.

After docking your shuffle into the tapSTICK, the three buttons on the case replicate the functions of Apple’s inline remote. Tapping the center button plays or pauses and kicks in navigation and VoiceOver the same way it does with the standard Apple controls. The real win, though, is that now you can plug in your favorite headphones to tapSTICK’s headphone jack and still have full control over your shuffle. The tapSTICK also sports Volume Up and Down buttons, and the back of the case is open to allow use of the shuffle’s metal clip. The buttons themselves are decently sized, and the raised markings make them easy to find while the shuffle is stashed in a pocket. Unfortunately, raising or lowering the volume more than one increment requires you to tap the appropriate button repeatedly--holding the button down registers as only a single click.

The tapSTICK obscures both the status LED and the Off/Shuffle switch on the iPod. The shuffle’s single LED also serves as the battery gauge, so you can’t see how much juice you have left without removing the shuffle from the tapSTICK. You’ll need to do the same in order to switch the shuffle on or off or change the play mode. And due to the way that Apple built the shuffle, to use the same pin on the headphone jack for charging and remote control signals, you’ll have to remove the shuffle from the tapSTICK in order to charge the battery. Extremely fashion-conscious users should note that the tapSTICK comes in black or white, neither of which match the shuffle’s available hues.

MacHeist Gives Away Free Software

Arvind Srinivasan — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 21:36:40 -0600

We really like free stuff. Any time we go to the mall, we spend half our time at the Apple store, and the other half sitting in the free massage chairs at Brookstone. However, you don't often get expensive things for free on the internet (those "free ipod" scams don't count).

MacHeist would like that to change. The MacHeist Bundle is a software bundle released annually, coupled with an online puzzle-esque event that gives you a bunch of free software and discounts on the final bundle. The puzzle itself is pretty interesting, albeit incredibly complex, but this year, they are offering a free "nano-bundle" of software for those who don't want to attempt the puzzle.

To put it simply, anyone can go to www.macheist.com, create an account, and download 5 applications, normally worth $154, for free: WriteRoom, Twitterific, TinyGrab, ShoveBox, and Hordes of Orcs. If 500,000 people end up downloading the bundle, they will add another app -- Mariner Write. Overall, this is a great deal, and you should check it out here.

Cradlepoint PHS300 Personal Wi-Fi Hotspot

David W. Martin — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:53:48 -0600

If you're like most people, you probably spend a great deal of time away from your home Wi-Fi network. Free open Wi-Fi networks can be few and far between these days so if you have an iPod touch, a MacBook, or even an iPhone this can be inconvenient to say the least. There are solutions available to help (like the MiFi 2200) but if you already have a USB 3G modem or a phone that supports tethering, there's no reason to pay twice for data access.

The Cradlepoint PHS300 personal Wi-Fi hotspot can take your existing 3G device and create a personal WiFi hotspot to connect other devices to the Internet.   The CradlePoint is a compact, rechargable-battery powered Wi-Fi router.   The device works with practically any USB modem or tethered cell phone. We tested our PHS300 with a Sprint Sierra Wireless Compass 597 USB 3G dongle. We plugged it in and the CradlePoint automatically recognized our device and created a WiFi hotspot. No additional software is required to use or access the CradlePoint, which is administered via a web interface like a standard router.

Security can be as simple as a password or more advanced using WEP/WPA/WPA2 security. The replaceable Li-ion battery can pump out a Wi-Fi signal for a little more than three hours. It can also run off AC power, with or without a battery connected. A case ($15), extra batteries ($25), and car power adapter($25) are available as optional accessories.

The form-factor was a bit cumbersome, with the USB modem hanging out of the side, but certainly not a deal-breaker. And we definitely like the ability to change cellular providers or 3G devices without having to buy a new Wi-Fi device. Cradlepoint frequently updates the firmware, so it works with a growing number of 3G modems and cell phones. We're still waiting for AT&T's mythical tethering plan to materialize, so no word yet on iPhone compatibility.

STM Evolution

Ray Aguilera — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:56:35 -0600

Yes, messenger bags are stylish. But after several years of schlepping our MacBooks and their accoutrement around in one, we were ready for something easier to carry. Backpacks--and laptop versions in particular--certainly aren’t known for being particularly fashion-forward, but we are pleased with Evolution’s sporty good looks, as well as its full complement of pockets.

STM sells the Evolution in two sizes, built to fit 13- or 15-inch MacBooks. The outdoorsy styling strikes us as somewhere between one of those ubiquitous hydration backpacks and a trail-running shoe. It’s not necessarily our favorite look, but we have to give STM credit for breaking out of the plain-black-computer-bag mold that reminds us of conventioneers and/or The Man. There are a couple of extra straps on the bag for both compression and stabilization across your chest, but we found them to be more aesthetic than useful or necessary, and they tended to snag on things as we hauled the Evolution around.

Evolution offers some heavy-duty protection for your trusty sidekick(s).

The bag’s main compartment is divided into two sections: a padded sleeve-like cubby for your laptop and a larger section for books, file folders, and the like. There’s also a large-ish rear compartment subdivided into different-sized pockets for power adapters, business cards, pens, and other small items. On the outside are two mesh pockets meant to hold water bottles, newspapers, or umbrellas. And speaking of umbrellas, the Evolution features a rain shell that stows away in a hidden zipper compartment in the bag’s base. While it doesn’t really rain enough where we live for that to be necessary, residents of wetter climes (cough, cough, Seattle) will certainly appreciate it.

The shoulder straps are fairly well padded, and there’s a waist strap that can be stowed away, although the bag’s modest size only allows for a certain amount of extra gear anyway, making the strap somewhat superfluous. That said, the bag’s construction is durable, and it doesn’t scream “Hey! There’s a laptop in here!” which is useful for avoiding muggings on the street. There’s plenty of padding, both in the laptop section and on the panel that rests against your back, but the trade-off is that the bag itself doesn’t compress much when it’s empty.

Shaun Inman Fever

Ray Aguilera — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:09:33 -0600

The biggest challenge of the Web is finding information you want. For a while, bookmarks sufficed, giving users an easy way to quickly return to their favorite sites. As bookmark lists grew, Really Simple Syndication (RSS) became the preferred tool of Internet power-users. An RSS reader makes it easy to track a large number of sites, but eventually, you’re subscribed to so many feeds that finding the good stuff becomes a challenge. Enter Fever, a Web-based RSS reader that tries to solve this info overload by sorting your news by importance.

Fever is Web-based--but it’s strictly BYOS (bring your own server). If you’re comfortable setting up blogging software like Movable Type or WordPress, installing Fever is a snap. Unfortunately, there’s no trial period or live demo, so you can’t really try before you buy.

Fever's Hot List is a great feature, but it can quickly get overrun by one or two high-traffic topics.

Fever’s killer feature is the Hot List, where stories are ranked by importance, rather than listed in chronological order. You’re asked to separate your feeds into Sparks or Kindling. Sparks are the sites that you read frequently. Kindling are sites that are less important, such as blogs that repost lots of links on your favorite topics. The Kindling concept encourages large numbers of subscriptions, which can improve your Hot List, without cluttering up your main view. Stories that get a lot of mentions across all your feeds rise quickly on the Hot List--a clever way of helping you find the most important news stories, and it works quite well with larger numbers of feeds.

Our biggest problem with Fever is the lack of granularity. We subscribe to tons of tech-related RSS feeds, but we’re also interested in other topics. But since the tech feeds outnumber the others, our Hot List is mostly tech news. You can use Fever as a traditional feed reader, grouping feeds into folders, but the Hot List feature does not apply to specific folders. Another solution could be setting up multiple profiles geared to different interests, each with its own Hot List, but Fever is strictly a single-user affair.