At some point between late Saturday night and Sunday morning I swear the whole world went mad.
Like the clearing of static from a television screen to reveal a crisp, clear picture, my view of the world became clear as I skipped through the pages of the Observer's Music Monthly magazine.
And where did proof of the globe's new-found craziness come from...? An ad feature for the new George Foreman iGrill. (www.igrillwithgeorge.com)
'For god's sake, when is it going to stop?!' I cried out.
In between chews of his piece of toast, my housemate replied: "It's the way the world is going..."
And he's absolutely right. New technology is taking over our lives like a consumer hungry virtual juggernaut.
Currently only available in the US, the George Foreman iGrill is an electronic barbecue which boasts ipod connectivity and 10-watt speakers. Ok, smart idea but what the hell?!
Is there anything left that the ipod can't connect to?
How about the iBed? Imagine, connect an ipod up to the amped up bed to play pre-set songs to get you and your partner in the mood, complete with vibrating mattress.
Or what about the iCar where the ipod acts as a key and stereo system so when you slot in the unit into a USB slot, it starts up the car and kicks out the tunes.
It could also act as a hands free phone.
To Apple, the generators of the ipod, the possibilities are indeed endless.
Further proof of madness was clearly evident on visiting the new Stormfront store at Drake Circus' shopping centre. I love that store with all its weird bits of kit, but what really threw me was some sort of iGuitar which plugs into an Apple mac allowing you to play through the system recording or amplifying the sound.
Weird.
I consider myself to be fairly up and at em when it comes to new technology. I cut through the dribble to give my mum the layman's term on new tvs, phones, mp3 players, computers or whatever.
But walking through these new gadget shops even I'm getting lost in the system. In my years I've now nearly convinced myself that it is indeed pointless spending more than a couple of hundred quid on something technological because it will become outdated by the time you get it home and get it unpacked.
Saying that though, the excitement lies in something new - the challenge of a new experience and a fresh glimpse of the future.
Title: Tabula Rasa
Platform: PC
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
Combining a vast gaming world, a streaming storyline and action-packed gameplay, Tabula Rasa is a welcome addition to the online gaming world.
The title allows players to explore lush forest planets, volcanic moons, and exotic alien civilizations with the chance of facing off against powerful alien soldiers, armored mechanoids, and vicious predators.
The graphics and gameplay are the plus points of this title which is sure to appeal to the masses. The game allows players to create their own characters equiping them with an arsenal of weaponry and powers.
