North Korea is making a lot of noise but what message is it trying to send? The HTC One undergoes reviews and surprise surprise, it’s 2012 all over again. Age of Empires 2 was a game that took the gaming world by storm in 1999. It will be back in ‘full HD glory’ come 9 April 2013. If you had to pick just one, would you take a benevolent dictator over a democracy? Also, why women founders have it tough in Silicon Valley.
#1: What are North Korea’s Intentions?
Things are escalating on the northern end of Korean but what exactly is Pyongyang trying to do? It does look like DPRK is throwing a bigger tantrum than usual. Threats in the past were disguised requests for aid that would come as soon as North Korea showed some form of reversal. This time, things are getting a lot more heated than usual. Check this info graphic on what their intentions may be. [via National Post]
#2: HTC One Review
Reviews of the HTC One were released today, just 2 days before the announcement of Samsung’s Galaxy S4. So how did the successor to the One X fair? Mostly similar to the One X. The phone is beautifully designed, has a stunning display and is the most powerful smartphone you can buy (for now). The same old weaknesses do show as well. Battery life that doesn’t last past a day plus a camera undone by software. Will this phone save HTC? You might want to give yourself 72 hours before deciding. [via The Verge]
#3: Age of Empires II HD
I have very fond memories of Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings and The Conquerors expansion. This was one of the first games I bought and I had hours and hours of fun with it. My school friends and I took part in a national competition after which we hosted our own in school with Microsoft sponsoring us. That was about 12 years ago. AoE2 is back and is ‘remastered in HD’. What this simply means is that the resolution has been bumped up and you can download it off Steam and host multiplayer games over Steam. There’s no other change to the game. If you want to relive the memories, you can do so for US$17.99 on 9 April 2013. [via Steam]
#4: The Importance of Benevolent Dictators
It’s a long drawn old argument. Which is better? A mass democratic vote or a decision made by the best mind? Whatever the scale, may it be country or firm, opinions are divided. Some see a benevolent dictator as the right model. Many names spring to mind. This of course includes Steve Jobs in the tech world right to Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. One brilliant man can make the right calls but the question is – can we risk it all on one person? [via Both Sides of the Table]
#5: The Struggle of Women Founders in Silicon Valley
The tech world is fast moving, relentless and savage at times but here is one thing you’ll probably not hear very often. The techno-sphere is often littered with sexism as well. This interesting editorial takes a plunge into the depths of Silicon Valley and relates the many problems that women leaders find. Are these problems unique to the tech world or are they pretty much the same in other industries? You decide. [via The Verge]