John Wick 3: Parabellum STUNTS!

John Wick is back and he is badder than ever, we liked the first instalment. Also we loved the second instalment and we absolutely LOVED the third one. It was full of action from start to finish, incredible amounts of fun! The third instalment John Wick 3: Parabellum is out in cinemas and it looks incredibly cool. I mean John Wick chasing down a bad guy on a horse, you can’t get much cooler than that!

Plot for John Wick: Parabellum is below:

In this third instalment of the adrenaline fuelled action franchise, super-assassin John Wick (Reeves) returns with a $14 million price tag on his head and an army of bounty-hunting killers on his trail. After killing a member of the shadowy international assassin’s guild, the High Table, John Wick is excommunicado, but the world’s most ruthless hit men and women await his every turn. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Our very own Marcus Bronzy recently attended a special event set up by the guys at Lionsgate. But what was it doing? Well, there’s lots of stunts in John Wick 3 and as a result lots of action. We wanted in on the action. So Paul Swift (A very cool and very talented stuntman) took Marcus around in a Mustang and showed him what it’s like to be John Wick. Just like the movie, it was a lot of fun and we think we’re going to leave the stunts to Paul.

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Sonic

This is how you Sonic!

Sonic The Hedgehog movie came and went before it even hit theatres this year. Why? Well, it was due to Sonic himself looking really bad, and we mean really bad! It received so much backlash, so much had and so many meme’s were created that Paramount themselves decided to go back to the drawing board with their design. He looked wayyy too human! Sonic The Hedgehog has now been pushed back to a 2020 release from it’s initial November 2019 release.

Aside from the fact that the movie itself will not get any better, regardless of how well it’s received by critics. Changing the design of Sonic won’t change a thing. However, it does look much better than what was on offer before.

How do we know this?

Well animator and artist Artur Baranov uploaded a catoony version of Sonic in a reworked movie trailer. Yes, a complete re-cut of the movie but with a better, more Sonicy version of Sonic. We came away from this version of the trailer wanting to see the film, as the first attempt by Paramount, really put us off.

Let’s just wait and see if Paramounts re-work is a good as Artur’s. We’ll hold our judgement on that one until we see it. Either way we’re really excited to see the outcome!

Will it make us want to see it? Will we be pining for more amateur animators to just make it for Paramount, I mean, if you go online there’s loads available!

Here’s hoping!

(UniLad)

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Episode 327 Travis Jay

Volvo XC40

Volvo XC40

No Space? No problem Check out what types of techy tricks Volvo Cars XC40 – has up it’s sleeve!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Tuesday, 23 April 2019

 

The Volvo XC40 is an award winning SUV, it’s small but BIG in technology. The Volvo XC40 has an impressive design and has storage in places you wouldn’t believe. Plus it has something we love here at How To Kill An Hour, smart technology.

Share you car

First up in this amazing car is the fact that you can share your car. Remotely. That’s right. Remotely. The XC40 has an innovative system that allows you, for a set time period, share your car remotely. This way you can allow a friend, a family member or a colleague access to your car. Wherever you are in the world and wherever your car is.

Easy Living

The Volvo XC40 is crammed full of tech and it’s designed to make your life a lot easier. Firstly the car has a 360 degree camera on it. It uses several cameras to create a view of the car as if it seen from above. Therefore allowingyou to clearly see where your vehicle is in relation to what’s around you.

While there is also wireless charging capabilities beneath the touch screen of the car. Allowing you access to your phone once you are parked and a place to charge your phone on your trip. Furthermore the XC40 has Apple CarPlay and Android auto. Allowing smartphone functionality on the centre touch screen. It even has Siri or Google Assistant.

Safe Tech

That’s not all the tech that’s inside the Volvo XC40 either. It has plenty of safety focused tech as well! It will act as your co-pilot so to speak. Helping you to avoid accidents and alert you if someone is about to crash into you.

Firstly, Crash Safety will monitor what is in front of you, it will identify a whole manner of things. Such as vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists even large animals. Warning you if a collision is imminent. If you don’t react in time, the car will even brake for you!

If there is crossing traffic when you reverse out of a space, the Cross Traffic Alert System will give you audible warnings. From the left or right side of the car and by displaying graphics on the centre display.

Plus Pilot Assist, with adaptive cruise control will help give you gentle steering support to keep you in the centre of lanes, at a set speed or distance from the vehicles in front.

Always Connected

You are always connected to your car with the companion app. You are able to find out where you are parked, control the cabin temperatures temperature. Furthermore you can lock and unlock remotely! Plus if you were to be involved in an accident a Volvo On Call operator will automatically contact you to help.

What is very impressive is once you get into the car in the morning, the car is heated or cooled depending on the ambient temperature. The car will tell you how much fuel you’ve got in correlation to how far it will take you, so no more guessing!

Where available, In Car delivery allows online shops to deliver to the boot of your car where it’s parked too!

Non-Tech impressive features

The Volvo XC40 has a gorgeous, beautiful panoramic windscreen allowing you to enjoy the view and the sunshine whilst driving. Plus the design of the car is just something to behold! The inside is made from 100% sustainable materials and has Harmon Kardon premier sound, sound systems installed.

Storage space is what sets this SUV apart. It has storage space in the door which will hold a laptop and 3 large water bottles. Under the centre armrest there’s an area for your things of course, but it also comes with a handy little bin. Plus if you like a takeaway there’s a hook on the glove compartment to hold it! The luggage compartment even features a folding floor which is lockable and allows for much more space to carry things. Even fold the backrest with a simple touch of a button.

This compact SUV may be small but it definitely impressed us, the tech side of this car is very very good. We love everything about it. The most innovative and impressive is the fact that you can SHARE your car. How cool is that?!

See the video above for our more!

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Luxury Tunes

When you’re looking at luxury cars, sure you could get sucked into engine size, handling and performance. The interior styling is definitely worth some consideration and types of headlights count for something, but when you spend hours on the road, what you really need to know is how the in-car infotainment system stacks up.

 

In this blog, for people looking for that next luxury car purchase, we take a look at five infotainment systems and what they offer you for your money:

 

Audi

 

This so-called “virtual cockpit” is definitely up there when it comes to enhancing your driving experience. Featuring controls that translate to either steering wheel or the mounted interface, the Audi’s system is easy to access while you’re driving.

 

You’ll also benefit from Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and functions that allow you to limit interaction from teen drivers and impressive voice control.

 

BMW

 

With a long standing reputation for affordable luxury, the BMW’s infotainment system matches its impressive track record.

 

Easily integrated with your smartphone and smartwatch, the BMW system also connects to Amazon Echo and offers wireless smartphone charging.

 

You’ll find a few minor differences between the 5 and 7 series models but the concept remains the same and is a solid option both for entertainment and navigation.

 

Jaguar

 

At the top end of the range we have the Jaguar. With its famed design and performance power, the Jaguar doesn’t scrimp on the tech side either. The InControl Touch interface offers drivers customisable voice controls, talk-to-text functions, Spotify and Stitcher streaming Apps.

 

Naturally, you’ll be able to sync it to all your smart devices, which makes the New Jaguar F-Type well worth a look at.

 

Alfa Romeo

 

The more basic of these options, the interface still offers three USB ports with all controls featured on the central console.

 

A larger screen option is available in some models.

 

Land Rover

 

If you’re a fan of these luxury SUVs then you’ll be pleased with the options the Land Rover’s infotainment system offers you. In fact, this one needs no further explanation except to say that Land Rover and Jaguar share their interfaces, so you’ll find the same model in the Land Rover and Land Rover Sport as you would in many Jaguar saloon models.

 

It’s a great piece of technology and it’s no wonder these two giants have opted to install it in their vehicles.

 

We know that a great system isn’t the be all and end all when it comes to choosing your luxury car, but it is important. You’re looking for smart integration between your smartphone or watch and your car. For so many people, the car is an extension of the office so having access to your contacts by voice control is essential when you take those calls on the road.

 

If you’re willing to spend out on a luxury vehicle then don’t compromise on your tech. Find a vehicle that gives you the best of all worlds, with powerful performance, sleek curves and technology to match.

 

Boosted Rev – Rethink How You Get There

The Boosted Rev!

Can Boosted Boards make the electric scooter cool? Well we just had to find out!

Posted by How To Kill an Hour on Tuesday, 21 May 2019

Boosted Boards are moving in to a new direction! They’re adding a brand new mode of transportation to their family of Boosted Boards. Meet the Boosted Rev. An electric scooter and it is very fast! Boosted are well known for creating light, easy to use, electric personal transportation devices and the Boosted Rev is no different. Unlike the Boosted Boards you can ride the Rev in the rain too! (Well, you can use the Boosted Board in the rain but it’s not advisable)

It is very durable and each of the components on the Boosted Rev have been custom designed and manufactured. Including the very impressive proprietary powertrain technology of the Rev. Therefore delivering unbeatable performance and quality. Much like their Boosted Boards.

When we say the Boosted Rev is quick. We mean it. It is unbelievably fast! The Boosted Rev boasts incredible performance for an electronic scooter. It has got powerful dual wheel drive and proprietary drivetrain. Which allows for top speeds fo 24mph, futhermore, it will handle 25% grade hills with absolute ease! This powerful electronic scooter has instant acceleration and very powerful breaks. Giving the rider peace of mind that not only will the scooter get up to speed quickly, they are very safe when riding. Not only that, the Boosted Rev has 22miles worth of charge in it, it has been designed to get you there and back on a single charge. No need to charge it up when you get to your destination!

Stats

  • Price: $1,599
  • Range: 22 miles
  • Top Speed: 24 mph
  • Weight: 46.0 lbs
  • Braking: Electronic and mechanical disc brake rear fender brake
  • Hill Climbing: 25% grade
  • Ride Modes: 3
  • Charge Times: 3 hours
  • Lights: Front headlight / rear brake light
  • Display: Speed, battery level, ride mode

Safety in Mind

The throttle wheel allows for insane ease of use, it’s simple and very intuitive. You can also break using this very same wheel. The LED display and custom designed folding mechanism also allows anyone to pick up and play! The effective brakes are very powerful and can react to any situation, whether you are going up hill or down hill. The Rev is very stable due to the custom designed wide tires and strong body work and frame geometry. We felt very confident riding the Boosted Rev and we think you will do.

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Rage 2 Wasteland Superhero

Is Rage 2 worth an hour?

 

This is “Worth an Hour” where we ask whether something is “Worth an hour of your time” – today we are taking a look at the highly anticipated Rage 2!

Rage 2’s Plot

Rage 2 is set around 30 years from 2011’s Rage. The game is described as post-post apocalyptic. So, the world that we all knew from RAGE 1 has changed slightly. If we remind ourselves that in the first Rage, about 120 years prior to the events in the first game the earth was hit by a massive rock. Wiping the majority of mankind out. Leaving behind a wasteland, littered with factions, bandits and mutants.

Skip forward to 2019 and Rage 2, the wasteland is now booming with life. While there is the dusty deserts and wrecked ruins. Living, breathing areas such as swaps and colourful forests are apparent. There is life starting to emerge from the devastation.

Walker

You take on Walker. A special kind of ranger. SPOILER ALERT! Well, it’s in the first mission and it’s a tutorial mission, so can it be classed as a spoiler? Anyway, Aunt Prowley takes him on and raises him after the death of his parents. She get’s stabbed by General Cross. You then find yourself in an area where a holographic version of Prowley informs you of special powers that you possess.

Walker is one of the last remaining rangers in the wasteland of Rage 2. Walker is an Arkist. An Arkist is one of a select few who, from the old world, was frozen in freezers before the huge rock hit. He was infected with Nanotrites. A Nanobot which prolongs his life and gives him special abilities.

The Nanotrites are also responsible for the main villains in Rage 2. The Authority and General Cross. The Authority aren’t a pushover either. They’re highly equipped and have their sights set on the Nanotechnology to have complete control over the wasteland.

It is now your job as Walker to prevent General Cross and the authority from making everyone’s life a misery. You must take down the dictatorship of General Cross.

Although Rage 2 continues the story of Rage 1, I, personally don’t think that it is necessary for a play through. It’s a completely different story. 

Huge thanks To GameGator for the breakdown of the plot, you can find a very impressive write up of Rage 2 by clicking here!

Graphics

Firstly the game looks FANTASTIC, I played this on a Playstation 4 slim and not the Pro, on a 55” HDTV and it looks beautiful and despite the wasteland that it is set in, the colours really do POP!

The graphics are incredible and the level of detail is something to be in awe of. But what sets Rage 2 apart from the rest of the shooters out there is the sheer colour that is in this game.

Think Mad Max went crazy and start playing with your little brothers finger painting kit and got luminous paint EVERYWHERE. That’s Rage 2. Think Coachella and the 70’s had a baby. That’s Rage 2.

There’s lots of luminous and florescent pinks, blue’s, purples, it’s everywhere and it’s a breath of fresh air. Especially when you activate the game’s OVERDRIVE feature. (Which you get by eliminating members of the authority in quick succession, which gains you combos, get enough combos to build up the overdrive meter and boom you’re like a kid in a candy shop after drinking 2L of soda. Your health get’s a slight increase, which increases as you go up the upgrade tree.) The whole screen gets colourful and you’re off wrecking havoc like there’s no tomorrow. – Though despite the vast amounts of colour in this game, there is a lot of gore!

Characters

Now understanding all the different characters within the game can be a little difficult for some. But what I especially liked in Rage 2 is that each time a character of relevance was introduced to you, before they tell you what they want from you, there’s a very short breakdown from Walker himself. Detailing who this person is and why they’re important.

Where to next?

Rage 2 is NOT linear. It is much like Grand Theft Auto. That’s not just because it is open world. It’s because there are your main missions which you could complete and be done with it. But, Rage 2 kind of forces you to complete side missions to increase your Walkers level before you move on to the next main mission. Therefore increasing the life of the game. There’s no rushing this one!

There’s also a range of projects that each of the three main characters give you that also need to be levelled up before you move on. Projects are perks that you can upgrade Walker with. They can help upgrade things like damage, how many grenades you can carry or how accurate your Wingstick is.

Rage 2 does NOT hold your hand, you have got to figure things out by yourself. That’s how I found it. The missions are listed above on kind of like a mini-map/compass which details where the next mission is and how far you are away from it. Plus along the way you will encounter things that aren’t listed on the map. They’re simply shown as a “?” A great way of promoting discoverability and not just rushing through from point A to point B.

Now, as I said previously Rage 2, does NOT hold your hand. Which is a great thing and makes playing this game more rewarding. On an early mission you have got to go back to the Winner’s Lounge after finishing a race. I found myself asking myself “Where on earth is the WINNERS LOUNGE?!” It weren’t until I wandered around aimlessly, opening the map a few times that I found it. Whether or not that’s indicative of how good of a gamer I am. I’ll let you decide that one.

Rage 2: Bosses

Speaking of how good you are as a gamer. Bosses are HUGE, MEAN and UGLY! They usually take form of monsters and they can be quite difficult to kill. I think it’s all down to how good you are as a gamer. I didn’t find them too difficult to kill. It was more the little minions around them that were more difficult. I got my rear end handed to me on more than one occasion.

As I did when trying to take over various strongholds, I made the mistake of trying to take out a higher difficulty of enemy. (The difficulty is listed before you decide to take them on, as kind of a warning to say. You may want to think twice about this) – I did find myself giving up on more than one occasion here. Sorry John Cena.

Rage 2: Vehicles

Lastly Vehicles. You will be using them a lot! You can fast travel. But I think it’s better to use a massive monster truck or a gun enabled car. It’s just so much fun to drive around in a barren wasteland and doing whatever you want! Point to note. Use your nitrous. I didn’t realise there was a boost button for a while and was wondering why the car feels so SLOW.

Rage 2: In Conclusion

Overall RAGE 2 is definitely worth an hour of your time. Many many many hours of your time in fact. It’s fantastic, frantic, hectic and crazy. But my god it’s insanely fun to play. I cannot stress that enough. It is a breath of fresh air and a blast to play.

Pick Rage 2 up this week. You will not regret it!

So, what are you waiting for? Purchase Rage 2 by clicking here!

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Old Honda How To Kill An Hour

Turning An Old Banger Into A Tech-Lovers’ Dream Whip

Old Honda How To Kill An Hour

 

It’s easy to feel embarrassed about the car you drive, nowadays. Even vehicles which fall into the budget category have far more features at their disposal than those which were found just a few years before. When you have something which has been around for a couple of decades, though, this only gets worse, and can leave people feeling bad about their only mode of transport. To help you out with this, this post will be exploring some of the work which can be done to give your banger an edge against even techiest of cars.

 

Finding The Car

 

The first stage in this journey will involve finding the car you want to transform, unless you already have one. Companies like Foxhayes Car Sales have been in this business for a very long time, making them a good direction to go in for anyone working to get their hands on a secondhand car. It’s always worth reading reviews for both the dealership and the car model you’re considering before you buy.

 

Giving It A Brain

 

Modern cars will have more than one computer at the heart. These systems control anything from entertainment to braking and steering, but you won’t need all of that. Instead, a single computer should do the trick, and there are loads on the market which are designed to occupy your stereo slots. You may need to buy a fascia to replace this in your car, but this will be worth it to give yourself a touchscreen, sat nav, and a range of other features.

 

Letting It Speak

 

This next option is a bit of a double whammy. While most cars have decent speakers, it will be a good idea to swap these out, with most models having convenient kits and guides available online. Along with speakers, though, having a tool like Google Assistant can also be very helpful. This can either be handled through your phone or the computer itself, but this will require an internet connection.

 

Connectivity

 

Next up, it’s time to think about connectivity, and how you’re going to keep your digital life moving forwards in a stone-age vehicle. WiFi hotspots are a good place to start, with loads of cell phone companies offering data packages which will be perfect for your time on the road. Along with this, it will also be worth converting the car’s 12v lighter port into a couple of USB connections, as this will make it easier to charge your devices.

 

The Gift Of Sight

 

One of the key features found on a lot of modern cars are sensors. Being able to avoid collisions, making it easier to park, and offering security in the case of an accident are all great benefits, and all of them can come from installing a simple camera system into your car. It will take some work to do this, but this will be well worth it.

 

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to take on the challenge of turning an old car into something worthy of a tech-lover’s dream.

6 Effective Ways To Combat Car Depreciation

A car is a significant investment. In fact, it’s one of the largest you’ll likely make throughout your entire life, usually second only to real estate. However, unlike many other investments, a vehicle won’t hold it’s value. Instead, it begins to depreciate the moment you drive it away. This means that, if you were ever to sell your car, you’d lose a lot of money in the process. There’s no way to avoid this, but you can reduce it. With that in mind, here are six ways to combat car depreciation.

Choose A Neutral Color

Bright colors and bold patterns may reflect your personality, but they’re not to everyone’s tastes. This means that they could affect the resale value of your car, or, worse still, make it incredibly difficult to sell. Because of this, you should stick to neutral tones when purchasing vehicles or, if you can’t, give your car a standard color paint job before putting it up for sale.

 

Pick The Right Modifications

Most would assume that modifications and customizations are an effective way to increase the value of your car, but that isn’t always true. Although some do this, like upgrading the engine or replacing the number plate, many more that fail to carry their value. These include larger wheels, costly sound systems, and other typical boy racer type add-ons.

 

Follow The Maintenance Schedule

The very best way to increase your car’s resale value is to look after it. This means sticking to the maintenance schedule in the owner’s manual. Ideally, your vehicle should be serviced by a specialist. If you have a Land Rover, for example, that would mean a company like LRC 4×4 Limited. Their diagnostic equipment and knowledge mean your car would be in safe hands.

 

Keep A Low Mileage

The number of miles that your car has seen plays a big part in its value. Because of this, it’s vital that you keep the mileage of the vehicle as low as you can. The simplest way to do this is to avoid long distance journeys. Use your car for driving to work and around your city alone and rent a different one if you need to go any further. At the very least, you should steer clear of road trips.

 

Watch How You Drive

Unfortunately, it’s not just how far you drive, but how you drive that affects depreciation. Cars that have been driven badly are usually discovered during test drives. They don’t brake, accelerate, or turn corners effectively, which would naturally put off any buyers. To avoid this, you must learn how to drive better. This means stopping any harsh braking and sticking to the speed limits.

 

Credit

Store In The Garage

Cars that are left on driveways or roads are put at a lot of risks. They could be stolen, vandalized, or damaged by other drivers and the elements. For this reason, you should keep your vehicle in the garage instead. This is particularly important if you live in an area with high crime or harsh weather. If you don’t have a garage, then consider renting one or investing in better security.

 

No car owner can avoid depreciation completely, but with the advice above, you can significantly reduce it.

Tesla How To Kill An Hour Car

It’s “Game, Set, Match” For Tesla, Says Musk

Elon Musk likes to extol the virtues of his car company. But this month, the billionaire mogul has gone a step further, claiming that it’s “game, set, match” for the firm in the race to develop autonomous tech. Musk is convinced that no other players in the industry can catch Tesla in the race to develop cars that drive themselves, thanks to the company’s unique position.

 

Game, Set, Match Tesla

 

Musk points out that Tesla is the only company in the world to make cars, develop autonomous tech in-house and collect vehicle data. It is, in his opinion, a slam dunk, which means that Tesla will continue to outcompete the rest of the market for at least the next five years.

 

Credit: www.diggita.it/v.php?id=1623397

 

What does this mean for the “traditional” automakers like BMW and Ford? Are we looking at the end of the traditional auto industry as everyone switches to Tesla’s superior tech?

 

It’s worth pointing out that other players could cobble together some form of response. Ford, for instance, could team up with Google’s Waymo and start producing cars with the search giant’s powerful software onboard. Likewise, BMW could pair up with another third-party provider and install all of the autonomous apparatus it needs as the cars come off the production line. It wouldn’t take a genius to work out that part.

 

The Competition

 

But all companies, including Waymo, have a problem that Musk’s Tesla has solved: the data collection issue. Waymo, the second most driven AI system in the world, has collected about 10 million miles of real-world data through its various testing initiatives. Tesla, on the other hand, says that it has more than 2 billion, meaning that it just has way more data to train its algorithms.

 

The cars you can find on sites like  Emerald House Of Cars today still offer some pretty decent autonomous technology. Many, for instance, offer lane assist, parking assist, lane warning, blind spot assist and smart cruise control. But these are low-hanging fruit: it’s relatively easy to make a car do what you want in controlled conditions and set pieces. It’s when the vehicle has to make decisions itself when things start getting complicated. Just reacting isn’t too hard, but being proactive is something that machines struggle to do.

 

How Long Before We Get Autonomy?

 

Will we get autonomous tech anytime soon? Musk seems to think so. In the interview in which he declared that it was “game, set, match” to Tesla, he said that his cars would be “feature complete” with regards to autonomous driving by the end of 2020, so about 18 months from now. That’s the point, he says, where he’d feel comfortable travelling in a Tesla autonomous vehicle.

 

That’s not to say, however, that regulators will agree. Tesla might be ready to go as early as next year, but regulators could spend upwards of a decade working out whether they think autonomy is a good idea. Many conservative regulators may always want a human in the loop. The delay could allow other manufacturers to catch up and overtake Tesla, which isn’t what the company wants.