June 27

"Would you mind turning your bag down..." I said to a rock chick in a North Hill bar with a rather confused look on my face. I mean, it's not something you really hear yourself say too much is it? But there, on that Tuesday night last week, I found myself asking her to adjust the volume on her handbag.

Technology amazes me, like other people, at the best of times. It's cool to be surprised by the latest gadget or toy, and it's even cooler to be completely unaware that a certain gadget exists in this day and age.

In that North Hill student bar that chick was celebrating her 19th birthday and showing off her favourite present from friends.



From a distance it looked just like any other girls' accessory. But on closer inspection it was far more than a simple carrying tool.

This bag had two huge speakers underneath the flap with a connector for an iPod. The built-in amp pumped out some extreme sound.

The obvious question was 'why?' would anyone want one of those, but then I guess people like to go with the fashion flow. If you can combine something fashionable (the bag) with something cool (the iPod) then people will always buy it.

The week prior to that and I had been laying on a sun lounger on an island off the coast if Italy having one of those random discussions with a complete stranger about how technology has changed our lives.

You know, you're lying there listening to your iPod (which contains your whole music library) while taking photos on your camera phone and sending them back home for immediate viewing.

You pay for everything on your credit card - no signatures anymore, all pin codes - and you book a cab back to the airport online via email. Even on this tiny island in comparison to the world, it is as hi-tech and updated as central Europe.

Now sat up on that lounger and seriously discussing the topic, I found myself pondering what life must have been like, say 30 years ago.

I mean, when I think about it I got my first mobile phone aged around 19. Two years prior to that I had a pager, and before that I had nothing but the payphone at the bottom of our Dousland street.

At that time I also owned a tape walkman and a rather awful 'step' haircut. How times have changed.

The walkman has been replaced by the iPod mini, I have a pretty impressive Sony Ericsson phone and that horrible haircut has been banished to old pictures in a drawer somewhere best forgotten.

One thing's for sure in this new world we live in, you can't stop the juggernaut, you've just got to jump aboard for the ride.

That aside, Game On has teamed up with our friends at Indigo Pearl to offer one lucky reader the chance to win not only a copy of Touchmaster boasting 23 classic games - but also a fab Nintendo DS Lite console.

The wide variety of highly interactive mini-games that made Midway's Touchmaster a favourite in bars and arcades across the country are now available whenever, wherever with Touchmaster for Nintendo DS, exclusively for Nintendo DS.

Touchmaster is a natural fit for the touchscreen and stylus of Nintendo DS, and is perfect for a quick gameplay session.

There's something for everyone to choose from, with a wide variety of 23 of Midway's classic Touchmaster games, including Trivia, Solitaire, Gem Slide and Mah Jongg.

With the Nintendo DS WiFi connection, players can connect to the Midway Tournament Network for high score rankings, tournaments and daily rankings.

To win a Nintendo DS Lite and a copy of Touchmaster all readers have to do is answer a simple question and email me the answer - together with your address and phone number - to tnichols@eveningherald.co.uk with 'Nintendo competiton' written in the subject line.

Couldn't be simpler!

And here's the simple question - How many Midway classics are featured in Touchmaster?

a). 23?

b). 25? or

c). 30?

When emailing in an entry please, please, PLEASE also include your daytime telephone number.

Closing date for entries is Monday 9th July. Only one entry per household is permitted. The editor?s decision is final, and the first correct entry chosen will win the prize as stated. No correspondence will be entered into. The Herald accepts no responsibility for any damage or injury caused by competition prizes. Any inquiries should be directed to the manufacturer or retailer. Employees of South West Media Ltd and their families are ineligible to enter. The promoter is Indigo Pearl, and you are advised to retain this information.

REVIEWS:



Got a minute? Try your hand at one of these...

Title: Monster Madness

Platform: Xbox 360

RRP: £49.99

Hit count: 4/5

This game looks like a game that I lost many of the hours of my youth to. What the developers have done with this title is use the best of what the Xbox 360 has to crank up the graphics, create some stunning characters and locations and unveil a weird and wonderful world of fun!

The story goes that Zack, Carrie, Andy, and Jennifer were all looking forward to a party when Zack's parents left town for vacation. Unfortunately, some uninvited guests soon arrived... and the madness soon ensued.

Monster Madness is all-out action shooter with plenty of weapons to get your hands onto and plenty of hours of life to lose.



Title: Colin McRae: DIRT

Platform: Xbox 360

RRP: £49.99

Hit count: 3/5

The legend returns in a new guise. One might be excused for thinking that this is simply another racing game starring... yep, you've guessed it... Colin McRae.

However, on closer inspection the game actually boasts a far greater number of vehicles, environments and challenges than many of the other titles in the now long-running series. The intricate detail of the tracks and vehicles is impressive and you will be addicted by the third race.

While Mr McRae might well now be a well-established brand in himself and his games, it would be interesting to see how the game would stand without his name on it. Personally I prefer Motor Storm on the PS3.



Title: Everybody's Tennis

Platform: PS2

RRP: £29.99

Hit count: 2/5

Firstly it's worth stating that if you have tend to go for the whole cutesy sort of game then this game is definitely for you. Personally its mere existence makes me feel rather sick. Too many colours, too much flowery music and not enough realism.

However, if that sounds appealing then you'll love it. The gameplay is actually quite good and after a few goes you will feel like you've got the hang of it.

June 8

Bored of queuing up for hours on end at a festival waiting to charge up your phone at the Nokia tent?

Well scientists might just have made a breakthrough.

Brain boxes in the UK have demonstrated a simple way to transmit electricity through the air, raising the prospect of a world of wireless gadgets.



In the experiment, researchers lit a 60-watt light bulb from an energy source 7ft away using no power leads.

The research heralds a future in which mobile phones, MP3 players, laptop computers, and other appliances can be charged up without having to plug them into a wall socket.

Some devices may even be able to operate without batteries at all.

Now I don't mean to sound so nerdy because believe me, I'm not. I just like to know that small improvements are being made to deal with life's frustrating annoyances.

Festival goers will know exactly what I mean when I mentioned the Nokia phone charging tents.

Picture the scene... you arrange to meet your mate next to the blue tent in the big green - sorry - brown, field.

You say you'll text them and then 'doo-dull-beep' (pronounced) your phone battery dies. What to do, what to do! One of the few things you can do is go to a charge tent and wait patiently while it charges up. Nightmare!

Anyways, just imagine a world with no leads to trip up on! Or indeed having a world where the likes of Nokia wouldn't be able to charge you an extortionate amount of money for a replacement charger. OR indeed being able to charge your electric toothbrush while you clean your teeth without fearing it will conk out mid-brush. (okay that last one's a slightly pants example).

Anyways... I'm off on hols for a coupla weeks. Gonna give my PS3 a damn good thrashing (does that sound wrong?!)

Got a few moments out of the office and away from the hassle? Try this little beauty:

Title: Smash Court Tennis 3

Platform: Sony PSP

RRP: £24.99

Hit count: 4/5

Game, set and match... At last, a tennis game on a handheld worth owning! Smash Tennis 3 is the Pro Evo equivalent to tennis games.

It rocks and it rolls and it provides endless hours of fun in the sun!

Armed with a variety of rackets and sportswear, you can choose from a variety of top world-ranking players as you attempt to score game, set and match against your opponents.

As you progress through the game you can also develop new swings and learn to hit harder and faster.