Saturday 18 July 2015

Master of Orion

Master of Orion

Andrew Whitehead feels bad for being so excited about so many upcoming reboots

So this one came out of nowhere. Arguably the finest galaxy-conquering simulator ever made, Master of Orion is back and looking better than ever after more than a decade long absence.

Right off the bat Jacob Beucler, director of global operations at Wargaming, made it clear how much his team and developer NGD Studios love the first two Master of Orion games, and that they all pretend that the third game never happened – a statement that should definitely please diehard fans.

Cooler Master Cosmos SE

Cooler Master Cosmos SE

Eagle-eyed readers will immediately spot that the Cosmos SE is a midsized version of Cooler Master's venerable Cosmos series of chassis. It uses the same signature rigid metal bars running along the top and bottom, both for ease of transport and to act as a sturdy stand, aided by rubber feet. It packs a considerable amount of features into a mid-sized chassis too, with plenty of space for internal storage and fans, plus brackets for radiators.

Getting started with desktop publishing

Getting started with desktop publishing

Designing a newsletter on your PC is easy, but making it look professional takes a bit more effort. Ben Pitt reveals the dos and don’ts of DTP

Publishing was the first creative industry to undergo a digital revolution, and today anyone can design a printed document with the humblest computer hardware. Desktop publishing (DTP) isn’t just a matter of having the right tools, though. Like any creative process, there’s a skill to getting great results, not to mention lots of rules and conventions involved in good design. You may wish to ignore them, but it’s nonetheless a good idea to get to grips with them first.

Now we bring you a bluffer’s guide to producing a newsletter or marketing brochure that looks like it’s been put together by a design professional.

Cougar 700M

Cougar 700M

Adjustable mice can be very hit or miss when it comes to ergonomics and comfort, but that hasn't prevented Cougar from deciding to allow its flagship gaming mouse, the 700M, to offer a modicum of adjustable surfaces. The 700M isn't as adjustable as some mice we've seen, though, such as those from MadCatz’s R.A.T series. Only its palm rest can be moved, via the built-in adjustment screw, but Cougar includes an alternative rest, so whether you're small or big-palmed, or use a palm grip or claw grip, you should be able to move the palm rest up or down to roughly suit your needs.

HP Omen 15-5012na

HP Omen 15-5012na

HP's latest Omen laptop looks distinctly different from your everyday gaming laptop. The lid and base are decorated with a sleek dotted pattern, with dramatic lines and angles, and the interior is no less striking: the speaker grilles glow with a red backlight, and the sunken keyboard is similarly illuminated. Those red lights even appear in the two exhausts on the Omen's back edge.