At last... the news every office-bound worker has been waiting to hear!
A new report has found that banning workers from using the internet for personal use could actually be hitting productivity because staff need a break to help reduce stress.
A study of 1,700 employees by computer games firm PopCap Games showed that people felt refreshed if they had an 'ebreak' during the working day.
Most of those questioned said they would rather spend some free time surfing the internet to unwind rather than having a cigarette or tea break.
And I have to agree. The company pays for the internet service in any case and besides, smokers are in the minority now - and they smell.
The report said that taking five minutes off to make a cup of tea was accepted, but using social websites (such as Facebook and Myspace) was frowned upon.
Dr Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic of London’s Goldsmiths University, who helped with the research, said: "Tea breaks and fag breaks have long been the most common types of break within office culture but the report shows that ebreaks are fast becoming the most popular choice of break for British workers.
"The report proves that a 10 minute ebreak a day can have significant benefits but, despite this, many bosses are banning them in the fear that they distract employees.
"By factoring in a dedicated slot for an ebreak bosses are fostering a more trusting working environment, boosting productivity and ultimately increasing their profit which surely makes good business sense."
In other news GTA IV is still firmly holding the No.1 spot in the gaming charts. No. 2 is the new Wii Fit title which - as I've said in previous blogs - I can't quite get my head around.
While I can appreciate, to a certain degree, women (and I guess some men for that matter) working out to an Elle Macpherson DVD, the thought of interacting with a computer game is still so so weird to me!
While I am a certified fan of the Wii (it does make for a killer night in with a bunch of people), I still can't quite get to grips with the whole image of people peering in through your lounge window and seeing you do star jumps or stretches. It's just weird!
Maybe I'm just vain or nervous. I guess people do go to the gym and work out in front of people...
Anyways, here's the best of this week's new releases:
Title: Race Driver: GRID
Platform: PS3
Genre: Racing
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Fans of racing games are often disappointed if a game proves to be either too arcade-y or too much of a plodding simulation.
Race Drive: GRID does a fantastic job of juggling both balls, offering over-the-top thrills and spills for the casual racer, coupled with an intense on-track experience that looks as good as anything on the market right now.
It may be jostling for space with the likes of Gran Turismo, Burnout and Project Gotham, but this baby qualifies pretty high up the grid, even if the car count feels a little on the low side.
Title: WSC Real: 2008 World Snooker Championship
Platform: Wii
Genre: Snooker
Price: £34.99
Hit Count: 3/5
The simulated sports keep on coming on Wii – this time the world of snooker gets the motion-sensing treatment. With 32 of the world’s greatest players on offer, you can grab a Wii Cue extension and start doing impressions of Rocket Ronnie and er... Steve Davis on your dining room table.
It handles pretty well and does give a good feeling of the real sport. Graphics handle well in 3D as you’d expect on a next-gen console, but there’s nothing really out of the ordinary here beyond the initial novelty of having another piece of plastic stuck to the Wii controller.
Title: Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis
Platform: PC
Genre: Adventure
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Step into the world of the eponymous sleuth and his assistant Dr Watson as you puzzle your way through the game to protect five of the country’s most valuable treasures.
This is a traditional point-and-click adventure that will offer up some pretty challenging logic puzzles – even for hardcore adventure fans – and it’s all presented in an engaging and carefully constructed 3D world.
It’s not going to set the world of interactive PC puzzling alight, but for fans of the character and those looking for a retreat into 19th century London, this could be a real find.
Title: PDC World Championship Darts
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Darts
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 3/5
Gaming can be considered a pretty sedentary pastime, and darts has never really been known as the most physically demanding of sports either.
The two combine reasonably well here for pretty entertaining simulation of the classic pub game. It’s fairly easy to pick up but tricky to master.
Working your way through the various game modes that take a twist on traditional darts is fun enough, but the best way to see an evening shoot by is to get some mates round for multiplayer.
It gives the game more of a down-the-pub social feel – and, let’s be honest, who wants to play darts on their own?
Title: Commando: Steel Disaster
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Shoot ’em up
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 3/5
As the heroic Storm you’re out to put an end to an evil organisation called Rattlesnake in this side-scrolling shoot ’em up that reeks of the classic Metal Slug series.
You get to tackle this challenge with a range of heavy weaponry and pick-ups - each with its own attack method and power.
Games in this genre generally deliver on the button-bashing to nullify the incessant wave after wave of enemies, and Steel Disaster doesn’t disappoint, with some top boss battles to boot.
It’s a stylised shooter that requires no small measure of skill.
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