April 12

Ding ding... Round two. What's worse than the microphone going in your mobile phone handset so no-one can hear you talking...? Why having insurance with Lloyds TSB Bank's Lifestyle Services Group of course.

Not content with having four days off at Easter, the insurance department at the UK's super bank have decided (it seems) to take a little longer off thus avoiding picking up my claim form and subsequently fixing my phone.

It's now been 17 days since they received the claim form - and about that time since I last made a call.



While I don't mind missing the occasional 'I haven't seen you in ages, you don't care about us anymore' (mum) call or indeed the 'you're due for an upgrade on your bank account' call (Lloyds), it is possibly the most annoying thing I've experienced in a while.

Example: "ring ring... ring ring (in fact like most others who like to personalise their phone it my doesn't actually ring anymore - it actually plays Sweet Home Alabama, um anyways...) "hello...", "hi, it's Tristan here...", "hello...", "hello...?" Annoying.

This problem is not a new one for me though. Ask any of my mates and they'll tell you that I have the WORST luck with mobile phones.

There was the LG flip phone a couple of years ago which decided it didn't want to be a phone anymore and was more happy being used as a calculator (again a microphone problem), then there was the Motorola E1000, which again wanted a career change. (Again, a microphone problem).

After those two I decided to return to the trusty Nokia handset. "Oh, they never break," friends liked to tell me. "You could drown it, throw it against a wall and let it spend six nights in the Falklands and it would still work as good as new," they add.

Our survey says... "Eeh ehhh!!!" The Nokia N91 might look the part and act the part but when it comes down to the principle reason why it is in existence (i.e. to be a phone) it fails.

Sigh, how I dream of just owning one of the old bricks which never failed.

Anyway, I know I'm not the only one. One can only hope that Lloyds soon remember that I pay for the privilege of having mobile phone insurance and get in contact (although hopefully on a landline).

Anyhow that aside, who decided to fork out a small fortune and buy a PS3? Anyone? I'll bet not as many as Sony first thought.

Sales have been ok but knowhere near the amount they expected. I, like many others, have decided to wait for the smaller unit to come out to save... well, hundreds of pounds.



Here's the greatest of the latest games:



Title: Brian Lara Cricket 2007

Platform: PS2

RRP: ?39.99

Hit count: 5/5



Review: Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 expands the series' trademark fluid, dynamic gameplay mechanics to deliver a thoroughly entertaining and competitive game that captures all the tension, skill and intensity of world-class international cricket.

Thanks to the official ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 content, Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 features licensed players, including world cricket stars Andrew Flintoff, Ricky Ponting, Mahendra Dhoni, Muttiah Muralitharan and of course, Brian Lara himself.

In addition to players, the game leads with a dedicated ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 mode featuring all the official teams, stadia, kits and equipment of the tournament. Further modes include a fully licensed ICC Champions' Trophy competition and exhibition matches including One Day Games, Test Matches and exciting 20-over run fests.

Brian Lara International Cricket 2007 adds extra depth to the series' complete batting, bowling and fielding experience whilst retaining its trademark accessible playability.

The acclaimed batting play sees the introduction of subtle edges, sweepshots and the ability to use your feet to dance down wicket and smash the ball over the boundary for six. Bowling sees a much-improved set of delivery types, thanks to changes in the way the ball swings in the air and reacts off the pitch, showcasing Shane Warne's huge variation of spinning deliveries and Steve Harmison?s raw pace and even reverse swing as the ball degrades.

In Fielding, there's a new reflex-testing slip catch system and players can now be run out at both ends and be stumped by alert wicket keepers.

A striking advancement is the photo-realistic visuals; with hundreds of real player likenesses being modelled in high detail, complete with animated facial expressions to capture the intensity and emotion of international cricket.

Stadia, including all eight official World Cup venues, have also been created with a new level of textured detail and they make use of proprietary shader technology for realistic, subtle and changing lighting effects, such as time of day and weather.





Title: Medal of Honor: Vanguard

Platform: PS2

RRP: ?39.99

Hit count: 5/5





Review: Medal of Honor: Vanguard is the latest video game from EA's acclaimed Medal of Honor franchise, credited with pioneering the WWII first-person shooter genre after its debut in 1999.

Join the ranks of the elite 82nd Airborne Division as Corporal Frank Keegan in Medal of Honor: Vanguard.

From Operation Husky on the shores of Sicily to your Operation Varsity airdrop inside Nazi Germany, you'll jump behind enemy lines to fight the epic WWII battles that turned America's first paratroopers into heroes of WWII.

Choose from a variety of authentic, customizable weapons at your disposal, each with distinct characteristics.

Featuring spectacular graphics and all-out combat intensity, Medal of Honor Vanguard makes you the driving force in the struggle to liberate Europe.

The Medal of Honor: Vanguard development team continues to ensure that the ideals and integrity of the prestigious congressional Medal of Honor are accurately reflected in the game.

The producers sought counsel from numerous expert sources to make certain the game is historically accurate and as true to the WWII experience as possible.



Title: Samurai Warriors 2: Empires

Platform: Xbox 360

RRP: ?29.99

Hit count: 2/5



Review: The Empires games have long been regarded as the deepest most tactical installment in the Warriors' series.

Samurai Warriors 2 Empires takes these strategic foundations even further with more choices and opportunities for the player to shape policies and build an army capable of uniting all of the warring states within Japan under one ruler.

This game balances the political and tactical machinations of preparing an army for battle with the spectacular battlefield action that the Warriors games are renowned for to provide an incredibly involving tactical action experience. Samurai Warriors 2 Empires combines the most exciting aspects of Action, Fighting and Strategy games.

Japan is divided into 25 warring states and it is up to you to resurrect a nation using equal amounts of strategy and strength! Before each battle, you will meet with their war council to discuss military and political affairs; then it's time for combat.

Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is a tantalizing blend of strategy and true warrior action.

With a stylized recreation of Japan's Sengoku or Warring States era, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires is sure to captivate anyone fascinated by Samurai culture. Special events in the game chronicle major turning points in Japan's history including The HonnMji Incident where the powerful warlord Oda Nobunaga, met his demise, and The Battle of Kawanakajima, considered the largest and most prolonged encounter of the Warring States era.

In addition to the game's main Empire Mode, Samurai Warriors 2 Empires includes a Free Mode, which allows you to choose any stage and fight through it using any officer in the game.

The game's Archives offers an extensive gallery overflowing with rare artwork, CG sequences, and detailed information on tactics and formations, as well as visual and voice samples of all officers and troops within the game.