by Tech Talk | Feb 22, 2023 | Articles
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the number of gamers has more than doubled in the last five years to top 186 million people. With 95% of those gamers relying on a smartphone or tablet to get the adrenaline pumping with the latest titles, it’s hardly surprising that the industry is growing at such a rapid rate.
Of course, people play mobile games for a variety of reasons. There’s the convenience factor, a mobile game can be played anywhere and anytime. It’s also a great way to pass the time, whether you’re waiting for an appointment, commuting or simply need a quick break from the daily grind, mobile gaming provides a wonderful diversion.
Some titles are designed to be relaxing and stress-free. Others, like multi-player games, provide a social component. These players connect and play with friends or other players from all over the world. There is the competitive aspect to consider as well. Many mobile games offer competitions, giving players the chance to test their skills against others and see who comes out on top with Esports tournaments held both locally and abroad where big prizes can be won.
Connect and compete with friends through gaming.
PUBG Mobile is a case in point. One of the most popular multiplayer games of all time, PUBG delivers intense free-to-play action, drop in, gear up and compete. Survive epic 100-player classic battles, payload mode and fast-paced 4v4 team death-match and zombie modes. Survival is key and the last one standing wins. No wonder this game is played in Esports competitions around the globe.
Give your cognitive skills a boost
Mobile gaming can have a massive positive impact on our behaviour. For one, it can improve our cognitive functions. Certain mobile games, such as puzzle and strategy games, can challenge the player’s mind and improve skills like problem-solving, memory and decision making. Take Puzzles & Survival as an example. With more than 30 million downloads worldwide, this strategy title sees gamers solve puzzles to kill zombies. There’re any number of strategies that can be employed by combining tactical know-how with a title that offers a lot, even for the casual gamer.
Gaming for Stress Relief
Another benefit is stress relief. Mobile gaming can be a form of escapism, allowing players to relax and take their minds off worries and responsibilities. This can lead to reduced stress levels and improved overall mood. Gardenscapes is a wonderful example of this. Gamers solve puzzles to restore a wonderful garden to its former glory! They get to embark on a fun journey to restore and decorate different areas in the garden, get to the bottom of the secrets it holds and enjoy the company of amusing in-game characters.
Give your self-confidence a boost.
Additionally, mobile gaming can provide a sense of accomplishment and boost self-esteem. Completing levels and achieving high scores in games can give players a sense of pride and satisfaction, which can improve their confidence and overall well-being. Klondike Adventures delivers all this and more. Gamers get to build a flourishing city with factories and farms, mine for resources and craft everything they need for travels, quests, new buildings and orders from the locals dropping by their town. Gamers can also compete with neighbouring farm owners and take as many craft and farm orders as they can during the timed events held among all the players.
So, if you’re keen to take on the mobile gaming life and capitalise on all these benefits, head over to AppGallery. Have a browse through a dizzying variety of gaming categories that Huawei has to offer and join in the fun.
Editor@tech-talk.co.za
by Tech Talk | Feb 22, 2023 | Articles
Console gaming is one of the most popular forms of gaming, with record stats showing there are 800 million console gamers around the world. Impressive yes, but even more awe-inspiring is the new technology coming to the fore to fuel the gaming craze. Consoles nowadays are designed to give gamers the best possible experience with revved-up graphics, high frame rates, and super-fast gameplay. But without a top-quality display to go with their consoles, gamers simply won’t experience their games’ full potential.
The LG OLED C1 was unveiled in 2021 and quickly positioned itself as one of the best, most innovative TVs ever created, especially when it comes to gaming. Now, LG has released the OLED C2, which has been designed for an even more mind-blowing experience.
Mister Flak, South African gamer and YouTuber, knows all about the incredible gaming experience the C1 has to offer, so who better than him to put the brand-new C2 through its paces? Keep reading for his full account on the latest OLED available in stores and online now.
First impressions
Mister Flak was blown away by the gaming experience on the OLED C1, and now, after some time playing around with the OLED C2, we want to know what his verdict of the new model is.
What was your overall experience of the OLED C2?
“The C2 feels phenomenal. I already said the C1 was the best gaming TV on the planet. The C2 is everything the C1 is, with added sprinkles. And not just for gaming but for movies and series, plus its built-in software and apps too. An absolute polished work of art and I hate that I can’t fault it. I’m a realist, so I love finding faults. But on this one, I got nada.”
What games did you play on the OLED C2?
“All my games – Forza, Rust, Apex Legends. I’m even playing games I don’t usually play because the C2 makes everything feel completely different from my normal gaming screen. I’m loving the high-speed games; those fast-moving pixels on the 120 hz OLED are such a treat for the eyes.”
Brighter than ever before
The OLED C2 offers infinite contrast thanks to self-lit pixels that illuminate individually. Taking this technology to the next level are the α9 Gen5 AI processor and Brightness Booster, which delivers 20% more luminance.
How has the brighter display impacted your gaming experience?
“The C1 was already very bright; the C2 is somehow brighter. I found the C2 better in darker games – the extra oomphreally helps.”
How did you experience the contrast and colour quality in darker scenes?
“On traditional gaming screens, darker scenes felt very washed out. The OLED naturally excels at dark scenes, so everything feels better, sharper, clearer, darker. It’s very difficult to describe with words. One has to witness it to experience it.”
Brains and beauty
Upgrading from the α9 Gen 4 AI Processor chip to the Gen 5 allows the system to be even smarter when analysing behaviours and optimising your content. The processor uses Body and Object Enhancing to detect and sharpen objects. Foreground and Background Enhancing maximises the field of depth for lifelike images.
How would you describe the visuals? Could you feel the difference of the upgraded processor?
“Yes. Other than the brighter OLED panel, the webOS interface on the C2 is faster, menus are snappier. The C1 was already perfect, so finding improvements on the C2 wasn’t easy. As I said before, the C2 is like the C1, with added sprinkles, turned to 11.”
With a response time of 0.1 ms, gamers can always expect clear visuals. Low latency means buttons pressed on your controller result in near-instantaneous action on screen. VRR (a certified specification of HDMI 2.1) keeps up with changes in frame rate to reduce image tearing, and NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD Freesync Premium also keep images smooth without tearing or stuttering.
Did you notice any tearing or stuttering?
“Nothing. I love to brag about the C2 being the world’s best gaming TV. I adore showing my gamer friends games on it. Every time it’s just adoration and dropped jaws. 120 hz refresh rate, less than 1 ms response time, G-Sync – all of it absolutely destroys any choppiness.”
Stylishly sleek and modern
OLEDs are known for their seamless design and ability to enhance your space. Luckily, the OLED C2 comes in a variety of sizes (42” to 83″) to best suit the dimensions of your home.
What size TV would you recommend to your followers for the best immersive gaming experience?
“Definitely 48”! While I love my 55” C1, it’s too big for shooters. 48” is big enough to enjoy but small enough to be effective for shooters. 48” is the sweet spot.”
Does a great gaming TV really make a difference to your performance?
“Having an actual gaming screen is the single most important upgrade a gamer can make. An office screen and a gaming screen are worlds apart, and so are a TV and a gaming TV. The former in both examples are 60 hz, meaning they display 60 frames per second. Consoles now display 120 frames per second, so if you use a regular TV, you’re losing half the game info to a slow screen, making games feel sluggish. Consoles have only recently reached the 120 hz mark. The TV market hasn’t completely caught up yet, so even new TV models are coming out in 60 hz. If you aren’t running 120 hz in 2023, you’re basically playing on old console specs.”
Editor@tech-talk.co.za
by Tech Talk | Nov 7, 2022 | Articles
Gaming technology will serve as the biggest driving force for the metaverse’s evolution in the near term as augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) hardware enables users to engage in virtual worlds in and outside of work.
This is according to a new S&P Global Market Intelligence report, 2023 Technology, Media and Telecommunications (TMT) Industry Outlook, published as part of S&P Global Market Intelligence’s Big Picture 2023 Outlook Report Series.
The new report highlighted the implications of the metaverse in gaming and the enterprise, datacenter sustainability amid a worsening energy crisis, and the rise of fintech as a service. It also explores video streaming competition and broadband transformation as forces of disruption in 2023.
“The foundational shift of the global economy to a digital footing – a shift that has been underway for over a decade and accelerated during the pandemic – continues. This is creating enormous opportunities for new value creation and disruption,” says Eric Hanselman, chief research analyst for TMT at S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Key highlights from the report include:
- AR and VR device adoption will grow steadily over the next five years as big tech companies underline the hardware’s potential as a conduit to the metaverse. As of the end of 2021, S&P Global Market Intelligence estimates there were 28,5 million AR/VR headsets installed worldwide across consumer and commercial settings, and forecasts that base to grow to 73,6 million by 2026.
- The global energy crisis may push datacentre operators to test and install new equipment more quickly than expected. While hyperscale datacentres attract attention because they are so large, S&P Global Market Intelligence’s models show that cloud deployments can be up to 80% more efficient than typical enterprise IT deployments.
- The fintech as a service sector is rapidly attracting venture capital, with private startups in this sector raising more than $ 5 billion since the start of 2021.
- Rising inflation and cost of living crises may force some consumers to pare back streaming subscriptions, which in turn could prompt the pack chasing Netflix and Disney to focus on profitability instead of scale.
- By 2030, global pay TV penetration is predicted to slip to 51,2% of residential households, from 57.7% in 2021. Moreover, the number of fixed broadband subscribers globally is forecast to hit 1,13 billion by 2023, exceeding the 1,09 billion traditional pay TV subscribers for the first time. Editor@tech-talk.co.za
by Tech Talk | Nov 3, 2022 | Articles
Acer’s gaming division, Predator, will be participating at the rAge Expo, which is happening at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Midrand this December.
“Because Acer’s committed to advancing the future of gaming and eSports in South Africa, we’re particularly excited to see local gamers back in action again doing what they love. We have so many talented gamers in this country, which is why rAge Expo has such an important role in the gaming community,” said Bobbi Nyamane, Marketing Lead at Acer Africa.
Given that rAge Expo is South Africa’s most prominent and action-filled esports event, it’s also the perfect opportunity to reveal the latest Predator gaming laptops, desktops, monitors, accessories, graphics cards, and chairs. Visitors to the Predator stand can look forward to exclusive deals on Predator products and an “Ultimate Predator Gamer” competition where fans stand a chance to win a gaming set-up valued at R130 000.
Join representatives of Goliath Gaming, and ACGL (among other gaming influencers) at the Acer stand as they explore the latest Acer Predator technology from 9 to 11 December 2022.
For more information on rAge Expo 2022 or to buy tickets, click here.
Editor@tech-talk.co.za
by Tech Talk | Oct 12, 2022 | Articles
Acer today debuts its first Chromebook optimized for Cloud gaming – the Acer Chromebook 516 GE. With it, customers can enjoy a top-tier gaming experience with instant access to full PC and console games powered by the Cloud Link to Google’s announcement here. The new Acer Chromebook 516 GE is powered by the latest technology and features that matter most to gamers – 12th Gen Intel® Core™processors, a fast 120Hz display, an RGB keyboard with anti-ghosting technology, advanced DTS audio, and most importantly, support for leading cloud gaming platforms including the highest performance tier of NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW, Xbox, and Amazon Luna.
“The Acer Chromebook 516 GE sets the stage for a new era of Chromebooks with the focus squarely on gaming; it combines the ideal collection of gaming hardware, game-streaming support for NVIDIA GeForce NOW’s top tier and easy access to popular game titles from the leading cloud gaming platforms,” said James Lin, General Manager, Notebooks, IT Products Business, Acer Inc. “Chromebooks have secured their position as an indispensable tool for education, work, entertainment and personal productivity, so now it’s time to have more fun.”
Powerful Performance and Graphics with a Vibrant 120Hz Display
Every aspect of the Acer Chromebook 516 GE is designed for customers to venture into a new world of gaming. The new Chromebook supports the highest performance tier of NVIDIA GeForce NOW to enable next-generation cloud gaming on the Acer Chromebook 516 GE. Streamed from NVIDIA GeForce NOW’s SuperPOD, a powerful gaming supercomputer in the cloud, the highest performance tier of NVIDIA GeForce NOW enables games to be streamed at 1600p and 120 frames per second with cutting-edge graphics features like ray tracing and more.
To amplify these new graphics, the Chromebook is powered by up to 12th Gen Intel Core i7 “P-series” processors for the latest in responsive performance and video decoding technology, ideal for cloud gaming. The Acer Chromebook 516 GE also utilizes 16GB LPDDR4X RAM and up to 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD storage to further boost responsiveness, making it one of the best Chromebooks for gaming to date.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE showcases stunning game visuals on its ultra-smooth 120Hz high-resolution WQXGA (2560×1600) IPS display. The fast refresh rate enables high FPS gameplay, so players don’t miss a millisecond of action. Its 16-inch narrow-bezel and 16:10 aspect ratio vivid display bring immersive visuals to life, while the 100% sRGB color gamut support delivers a wide range of accurate and vibrant colors.
Gaming-Focused Design and Unparalleled Audio
Gaming on Chromebook is further enhanced with the unparalleled audio capabilities of the new Acer Chromebook 516 GE. DTS audio delivers high-quality, distortion-free sound on the two upward-firing speakers and two downward-firing speakers. Unwanted sound vibrations are also eliminated by the force-canceling woofers that project in opposite directions in perfect unison.
The Chromebook 516 GE’s gaming keyboard features anti-ghosting technology to register fast and accurate keyboard inputs and key combinations. The keyboard also offers vibrantly colored preset backlight color modes to add excitement to users’ gameplay. Users can select from one of seven colors or a predefined 4-zone color option.
Connectivity for Gaming and More
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE ensures a stable and super-fast connection for an uninterrupted Cloud gaming experience with its RJ-45 2.5G Gigabit Ethernet LAN port. In addition, fast and reliable Wi-Fi 6E makes it a powerful on-the-go device to stay connected while enjoying the latest Cloud games. The Chromebook features the latest connectivity ports for connecting to larger displays and more, including dual USB Type C, USB Type A, HDMI, and Bluetooth 5.2 enabling wire-free accessory connections.
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE’s long 9-hour battery[i] ensures the continued enjoyment of gaming. The Chromebook also features a full HD flare-reducing webcam with temporal noise reduction technology to increase visual fidelity. The dual microphones complement the quad speakers to ensure high-quality input matches the audio output.
Access to full PC and Console Games
Acer Chromebook 516 GE customers can enjoy thrilling gameplay right out of the box since it does not require any installations or downloads. With access to full PC and console games in the cloud, via the Everything Button, Acer customers can simply tap, search and stream games to their Chromebook 516 GE. Additionally, more games and bundles will be added, bringing increased value and excitement to all gaming enthusiasts.
In addition, to support cloud gaming on ChromeOS, Google is also providing for a limited time with the purchase of an Acer Chromebook 516 GE, a 3-month free trial[[ii]] of NVIDIA GeForce NOW’s highest performance tier, and Amazon Luna[iii], giving everyone a chance to try out selected games at no cost and experience just how easy cloud gaming can be.
Pricing and Availability
The Acer Chromebook 516 GE laptop will be available in South Africa in the Q1 2023 plan only starting at R 19 999.90 excluding Vat.
Exact specifications, prices, and availability will vary by region. To learn more about availability, product specifications and prices in specific markets, please contact your nearest Acer office via www.acer.com.
