You know, asides from cling film, checkout assistants and faulty DVDs that stop the film seconds from the end, there aren't that many things that drive me up the wall.
And then there are my so-called friends.
I might have seen them earlier today, or 10 years ago, but I never EVER realised they were THAT superstitious.
I have to admit a large percentage of the 'junk' emails I receive at work and at home are from my friends.
And they always begin a little like this: "PLEASE don't delete this, this is wonderful and it works."
Yet more dribble later (usually with with some nancy picture)... is: "Keep the chain going...."
Who really gives a flying whatsit?!
Is little Jessica going to die if I don't send the email on to 20 people who will ultimately hate me for doing so?
Will I be better in bed for not sending another chain email within 15 minutes?
I think not.
It's not bad luck if you 'break the chain'.
The way I see it, it's bad luck to receive chain letters. And even worse luck for the so-called friend who sent it when I see them again.
WAKE UP PEOPLE! Focus the time spent on reading the email on something useful.
Such as telling friends to NEVER bother you with such tosh again.
I have to admit I was once the sort of person who would forward these chain letters on, but then I left primary school and decided I knew right from wrong. Only now through this blog can I reveal how annoying they are.
And here's the interesting bit...
There are currently no laws in existence to ban chain letters. Yes they are generally regarded as a nuisance simply because they clog up inboxes.
In fact, Himmelsebriefe ('Heaven letters') date back to the Middle Ages.
According to some sources you can even look at the Egyptian Book of the Dead as a chain letter as it promised resurrection to those entombed with a copy.
REVIEWS:
Title: Wario: My Word Coach
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £19.99
Hit count: 3/5
"It's like scrabble but way cooler," a friend's son said after 10 minutes of fevereshly testing out My Word Coach.
Having grabbed the DS out of his hand to try it out myself, I tend to agree.
I have to admit, the thought of most development titles bores me to tears but I actually really like this one.
A particular feature I like is the way the title automatically adapts the difficulty level to match the skill of the individual user.
Rather than going through a series of levels where you are forced to spell two letter words, you can almost immediately really test yourself and, ultimately learn.
Boasting more than 16,800 words, My Word Coach will actually help the user to adapt and develop their vocabulary. Users can also choose from four different personal coaches to guide them through the learning process.
The game's developer, Ubisoft, also boast that it will 'develop your ability to express yourself with confidence and persuasion'. Now that, in my case, is still to be proved.
Nonetheless, every little helps right?
Surely it's only a matter of time before teachers allow students to bring in their consoles to use as learning tools...? The way of the future perhaps.
Title: My Horse & Me
Platform: Nintendo Wii
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
When My Horse & Me landed on my desk my immediate thought was 'developers are really scraping the barrel now...'.
However having jumped on (sorry...) and given it a go, I have to say the title is one of the most imaginative and refreshingly fun games out there.
Whether you want to simply gallop around at your own free will, train and take part in championships or simply care for your horse, every option is open.
Many of the world's well-known championship locations are featured making it as realistic as possible.
The title also looks lush with colourful and rich graphics enhancing the experience.
Me? I'm not a horsey person having (in my childhood) perfected the art of planting my face in the ground rather than successfully horse 'riding'.
But I can still enjoy this title and those with and without a passion for equestrian sports will feel the same I'm sure.
Title: Imagine Pet Vet
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
Continuing with the animal theme, Imagine Pet Vet is another innovative title which makes good use of the DS' capabilities and tools.
The idea behind this title is for the user to start up a vets business and learn and acquire new skills to become a master vet and develop the practice into a hospital.
Users can take care of a variety of animals including cats and dogs, pigs, rabbits and horses.
Throughout the game users use the Nintendo DS stylus as a stethoscope, a thermometer and even a microscope to examine and treat the poorly animal.
Can you save poor Jess in time? You hold the key to her life.
Possibly best suited to the younger gamers, Imagine Pet Vet is a lot of fun, and - as most Nintendo DS titles seem to be - educational.
Thursday 29 November 2007
Thursday 15 November 2007
Spam, spam, spam...
As I sit here tip tapping away trying to compose my latest celebrity perfume launch, sorry blog, I'm finding it more and more difficult to stay focused on the commercial mortgages and sex games, eek, sorry again... I meant task in hand.
You see, I know what I want to say, and I know how I want to say it.
The problem is not even with me, it's with those bloody PR types and Spam mail senders.
Every few seconds my 'new email indicator' box pops up telling me of another drab PR stunt that has nothing to do with anything remotely interesting.
Each and every time I'm distracted. My attention now spans a few seconds.
Whether it's actual 'spam' mail or a PR company trying some insane stunt to rouse public consumption, they're all as bad as one another.
But I know I'm not the only one. Any idea how many 'spam' emails are sent out every single day...?
Have a guess. Now I'd put money on the fact that you're not even close to the actual estimated figure.
In February this year it was estimated that 90 billion spam emails were sent out and received. Back in 1978 that figure was around 800.
The rise in use of the internet has bred a beast in the form of spam or 'junk' email.
As you might guess the Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, is one of the world's worst hit people.
While I might complain about receiving a few spam emails every day, it is estimated that he receives four million emails every year - most of them spam. Now THAT, is what I call a problem.
Counteracting the problem is not the easiest solution in the world as we all know (Bill Gates very much included).
In America the US Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Committee has provided specific countermeasures against electronic mail spamming.
Some popular methods for filtering and refusing spam include email filtering based on the content of the e-mail, DNS-based blackhole lists, greylisting, spamtraps or checksumming systems to detect bulk email.
However, as any IT expert will tell you, each method has its strengths and weaknesses and each is deemed 'controversial' due to its weaknesses.
In a sense spam is direct marketing. It aims to advertise, and does that by targeting anyone and everyone with an email address.
The spammer might have millions of email addresses on a database that are targeted with each and every send out.
More recently spammers hell bent on destruction have also begun adding viruses to spam emails designed to take out a computer's hard disk upon opening.
The website Wikipedia describes spam as being the "abuse" of electronic messaging systems to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages.
It adds: "Spamming is economically viable because advertisers have no operating costs beyond the management of their mailing lists, and it is difficult to hold senders accountable for their mass mailings."
If you think about it, it's already starting to spread with spam texts to mobile phones. And you get the feeling it's just the beginning...
One thing we absolutely know for sure is that spamming is a). illegal and b). INCREDIBLY annoying!
=================================================
Reviews:
Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Platform: PS3
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Ok, part of the reason for the delay in my latest blog is the fact that I was off poorly sick. The second is because of this title.
When THE envelope arrived on my desk, angels began to sing (or was that my next door neighbour William Telford?!). As I opened it up I began simultaneously counting down the minutes until I got home and booted up the PS3.
And was it worth the wait...? In a word, yes.
Graphically, the title is a step forward with intricate moves and responses from the players. The big step in this, the latest in the series, is the artificial intelligence of the individual players who react to your play to create an altogether more realistic feel.
Long gone are the days when you could only shoot from certain angles. You can now launch shots from anywhere on the pitch.
Other plus points are that the players play like their real selfs; the tackling and hustling for the ball is much more realistic and players actually dive to win penalties.
Also long gone - and not before too long - are the commentators. Peter Brackley has been replaced by Mark Lawrenson and John Champion and they are pretty good. The classic lines are still there but it's an altogether more pleasant experience - AND they actually remark on things that actually happen!
My only real gripe with the game is the music which has never been anything more than pants.
But still, with so many plus points PES is still at the top of its game.
Title: The Simpsons
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Ever fancied a free roam of Springfield, nipping in to Moes Tavern or The Simpsons' house or the Kwik-e-Mart. Well here's your chance.
The Simpsons have diversified from the little screen, to the big screen, and now the um, computer screen in their first proper outing in console land.
Like the film the game has been fairly widely accepted as being really quite good with a player's ability to play as any of the main Simpsons characters.
It does rip off playing styles from the likes of Star Wars and Grand Theft Auto but it is a lot of fun wandering around Springfield in great flowing graphics.
All in all The Simpsons is good fun but it hasn't got any real lasting playability.
Title: Cheggers Party Quiz
Platform: PC
RRP: £19.99
Hit count: 1/5
Review: Awful. Firstly Cheggers doesn't actually look like Cheggers, he actually looks like a cross between Jabba The Hutt and my uncle. Secondly this sort of thing has been done a thousand times before. Answer questions on a range of subjects to gain points. Um, 10/10 for originality there!
The 1 out of 5 rating is for the sheer audacity of it.
You see, I know what I want to say, and I know how I want to say it.
The problem is not even with me, it's with those bloody PR types and Spam mail senders.
Every few seconds my 'new email indicator' box pops up telling me of another drab PR stunt that has nothing to do with anything remotely interesting.
Each and every time I'm distracted. My attention now spans a few seconds.
Whether it's actual 'spam' mail or a PR company trying some insane stunt to rouse public consumption, they're all as bad as one another.
But I know I'm not the only one. Any idea how many 'spam' emails are sent out every single day...?
Have a guess. Now I'd put money on the fact that you're not even close to the actual estimated figure.
In February this year it was estimated that 90 billion spam emails were sent out and received. Back in 1978 that figure was around 800.
The rise in use of the internet has bred a beast in the form of spam or 'junk' email.
As you might guess the Microsoft founder, Bill Gates, is one of the world's worst hit people.
While I might complain about receiving a few spam emails every day, it is estimated that he receives four million emails every year - most of them spam. Now THAT, is what I call a problem.
Counteracting the problem is not the easiest solution in the world as we all know (Bill Gates very much included).
In America the US Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Committee has provided specific countermeasures against electronic mail spamming.
Some popular methods for filtering and refusing spam include email filtering based on the content of the e-mail, DNS-based blackhole lists, greylisting, spamtraps or checksumming systems to detect bulk email.
However, as any IT expert will tell you, each method has its strengths and weaknesses and each is deemed 'controversial' due to its weaknesses.
In a sense spam is direct marketing. It aims to advertise, and does that by targeting anyone and everyone with an email address.
The spammer might have millions of email addresses on a database that are targeted with each and every send out.
More recently spammers hell bent on destruction have also begun adding viruses to spam emails designed to take out a computer's hard disk upon opening.
The website Wikipedia describes spam as being the "abuse" of electronic messaging systems to indiscriminately send unsolicited bulk messages.
It adds: "Spamming is economically viable because advertisers have no operating costs beyond the management of their mailing lists, and it is difficult to hold senders accountable for their mass mailings."
If you think about it, it's already starting to spread with spam texts to mobile phones. And you get the feeling it's just the beginning...
One thing we absolutely know for sure is that spamming is a). illegal and b). INCREDIBLY annoying!
=================================================
Reviews:
Title: Pro Evolution Soccer 2008
Platform: PS3
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Review: Ok, part of the reason for the delay in my latest blog is the fact that I was off poorly sick. The second is because of this title.
When THE envelope arrived on my desk, angels began to sing (or was that my next door neighbour William Telford?!). As I opened it up I began simultaneously counting down the minutes until I got home and booted up the PS3.
And was it worth the wait...? In a word, yes.
Graphically, the title is a step forward with intricate moves and responses from the players. The big step in this, the latest in the series, is the artificial intelligence of the individual players who react to your play to create an altogether more realistic feel.
Long gone are the days when you could only shoot from certain angles. You can now launch shots from anywhere on the pitch.
Other plus points are that the players play like their real selfs; the tackling and hustling for the ball is much more realistic and players actually dive to win penalties.
Also long gone - and not before too long - are the commentators. Peter Brackley has been replaced by Mark Lawrenson and John Champion and they are pretty good. The classic lines are still there but it's an altogether more pleasant experience - AND they actually remark on things that actually happen!
My only real gripe with the game is the music which has never been anything more than pants.
But still, with so many plus points PES is still at the top of its game.
Title: The Simpsons
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: Ever fancied a free roam of Springfield, nipping in to Moes Tavern or The Simpsons' house or the Kwik-e-Mart. Well here's your chance.
The Simpsons have diversified from the little screen, to the big screen, and now the um, computer screen in their first proper outing in console land.
Like the film the game has been fairly widely accepted as being really quite good with a player's ability to play as any of the main Simpsons characters.
It does rip off playing styles from the likes of Star Wars and Grand Theft Auto but it is a lot of fun wandering around Springfield in great flowing graphics.
All in all The Simpsons is good fun but it hasn't got any real lasting playability.
Title: Cheggers Party Quiz
Platform: PC
RRP: £19.99
Hit count: 1/5
Review: Awful. Firstly Cheggers doesn't actually look like Cheggers, he actually looks like a cross between Jabba The Hutt and my uncle. Secondly this sort of thing has been done a thousand times before. Answer questions on a range of subjects to gain points. Um, 10/10 for originality there!
The 1 out of 5 rating is for the sheer audacity of it.
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