I know what you're going to be thinking... another week, another blog, another mention of Facebook.
The fact is I - like 98 per cent of my friends and, in fact people I know - still can't get enough of the social networking website.
I like to think I'm not addicted, that I'm able to last a few hours without wondering who's poked me (so to speak), or which friend from yesteryear is eager to rekindle a lost friendship.
Sadly I hold my hands up and admit... I'm a slave to the page.
Anyway, I haven't brought you here to brag about my latest addiction, I want to tell you about Facebook's brand new feature - Facebook Chat.
Working the same way as Microsoft's MSN messenger, at the click of a [mouse] button FB Chat allows you to open a new window and 'chat' to your mates. It also tells you how many of your friends are online at that time. Handy huh?
With way more features than msn messenger and its associated hotmail, it's sure to stoke up the fire in the war between the two.
Having used it I have to say it is much more user friendly - and it doesn't take ages to load up.
Meanwhile Google announced a new web chat service earlier this month.
HuddleChat (www.huddlechat.com) was designed to help people work together on projects.
It had been up for only a day before bloggers started complaining that it ripped off a similar service called Campfire (www.campfirenow.com); so HuddleChat was promptly taken offline.
Still, it did the job of advertising Google’s new App Engine system for building web-based software.
Also this week with the release of Grand Theft Auto 4 just under days away, games retailers are beginning to see how they can make the most of the hype surrounding the game, by bundling other items onto it.
Sony has already announced they’ll be releasing a special GTA IV PS3 bundle, and online retailer play.com has since said that for under £200 you’ll be able to get your hands on an Xbox 360 Premium console and a copy of GTA IV.
Expect more retailers to follow suit!
In the run up to GTA IV why not give these titles a blast?
Title: The World Ends With You
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action/RPG
Price: £29.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Taking inspiration from modern-day Japan, The World Ends With You is one of those fabulous games that combines cool graphics with slick game mechanics to produce a unique DS experience that turns the setting of traditional Action/RPGs on its head.
Gloriously garish graphics, funky Japanese pop tunes and a cracking storyline combined with creative combat sequences make for a must-have title on Nintendo’s dual screen that has style in abundance to make it stand out from the mediocre on game store shelves.
Title: UEFA Euro 2008
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Football
Price: £49.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Perhaps there would have been a little more excitement around the release of this title ahead of the big football event this summer had any of the home nations qualified for it.
But with EA’s FIFA engine behind this branded release there’s still cause for optimism as you can try to qualify your favourite nation, captain your country in pursuit of individual glory or enter in online tournaments.
It’s a great interim release ahead of FIFA 09 later this year and should keep football fans more than happy while they watch the real tournament unfold.
Title: Emergency Mayhem
Platform: Wii
Genre: Action/Driving
Price: £39.99
Hit Count: 2/5
Feel the fast-paced action with the emergency services as you take control of the police, fire and paramedic departments, dashing around a city that has a strange kind of interpretation of what constitutes an emergency.
Whether it’s quelling the activities of out-of-control monkeys or bouncing escaping prisoners back into jail on a trampoline, the light-hearted mini-games that await you when you’ve dodged and weaved your way through traffic are amusing enough first time ’round.
However beyond that the simplicity of Emergency Mayhem will bore serious gamers soon enough, so it’s best left to young kids to tackle.
Title: Teenage Zombies: Invasion of the Alien Brain Thingys!
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Adventure
Price: £24.99
Hit Count: 4/5
Firstly, top marks have to go to the person who came up with the name of this title. Not too serious, just fun - which is exactly what a game should be after all.
And we're delighted to report the gameplay is just that. The game has classic B movie and comic book style looks which provide the perfect backdrop to an amusing - if a little barmy - storyline.
The side-scrolling adventure game sees three teenage zombies awoken from their graves by a particularly robust alien invasion.
They clamber out of their shallow graves yearning for a spot of lunch and find the invaders more than a perfect match.
Boasting a variety of mini games and brain teasers, the title is a sure fire hit.
Title: Time Crisis 4 (with gun)
Platform: PS3
Genre: Shooter
Price: £69.99
Hit Count: 4/5
A well-oiled franchise that has fairly successfully made the leap from arcade to living room is now into its fourth offering, tying in with the release of the Guncon accessory for the PS3.
A match made in heaven? Well, it’s not a bad start.
The game itself offers a familiar premise, stay-on-the-rails shooting with oodles of enemies, the usual reload-and-cover system and a timer to keep you on your toes.
It’s all executed extremely well, although the introduction of a few off-rails, first-person-shooter levels could have been better.
The Guncon peripheral works really well – but only if you spend the time configuring it to your TV correctly! Do this, and you’ve got a cracking interactive shooter to tuck into.
Title: The Sims 2: Kitchen & Bathroom Interior Design Stuff
Platform: PC
Genre: Life Simulation
Price: £9.99
Hit Count: 3/5
It’s amazing what lengths people will go to to create the perfect virtual life on their PC, when they already have a real one to get excited about.
However, if you can’t make a go of it as a real-life interior designer, this expansion pack will give you everything you need to lead the lifestyle of Laurence Llewellyn Bowen!
Stylish refrigerators, graceful countertop basin sinks, designer rugs and much more are only the click of a mouse away for your Sims, and as long as you don’t get jealous over how much better their house is compared with yours, this is a valuable addition to your Sims collection.
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Friday, 4 April 2008
Blu-Ray entertainment has a price
So another day another hugely expensive and pointless report telling us things we already knew.
The basis of this morning's report by Interpret LLC, a supposed leading new media research firm, is that people in the UK (as well as the US and Japan) are still preferring to buy normal DVDs rather than Blu-Ray hi-def discs.
And how long did it take for this concensus to be determined?
Given the massive difference in price between the two (you can pick up five standard DVDs for £30 while a single Blu-Ray disc costs around £30 to £40), it's pretty obvious this would be the case.
I have a Blu-Ray player and and a DVD player and I still buy normal DVDs. The price is reason enough.
Okay, Blu-Ray picture and sound quality is far superior but I'm not sure I want to pay so much more for it.
Besides, to gain the optimum Blu-Ray experience you need to spend thousands of pounds on a an HD TV, a cinema surround sound system, and a Blu Ray player itself.
The research surmises that 'increased title availability may be the key to increasing Blu-ray buy rates' but fails to mention the obvious factor.
Meanwhile, further proof of life imitating video games has come with scientists adopting the Nintendo Wii remote controller to operate military robots.
The 'Wiimote' control system detects the controllers’ movement in three dimensions using wireless technology.
It is used to detect players’ motion on games from golf and tennis to shoot-em-ups and fighting simulators.
Now two scientists in the US have adopted the technology for real-life warfare, a leading science magazine reported last week.
The US Department of Energy centre has adopted a mine-clearing robot to be directed by the Wii controller.
The Packbot, used by the US military, disposes of bombs and can even carry a machine gun.
The scientists found traditional controllers took up too much of the operator’s attention.
But they found using the Wiimote was more instinctive, allowing them to concentrate on the data the robot gathered.
The scientists also plan to use the Apple iPhone for military use. They say it could replace the laptops carried by soldiers to receive data from the robots.
A new strategy has also announced that video games will be forced to carry cinema-style age classifications to improve children’s safety in the digital age.
A psychologist has called for an overhaul of games classification.
At present, only games showing sex or gross violence require an age rating from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and less than 2 per cent carry an 18 certificate.
A new legally-binding system would ensure that every game is rated in the same way as films, with U (Universal), PG (Parental Guidance), 12, 15 and 18.
Here are the best games of the week:
Title: Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Platform: PS3
Genre: Survival Horror
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
A spine-tingling sequel to the Xbox 360 smash-hit, Condemned 2 is another trip down a dark, supernatural storyline in the shoes of Ethan Thomas, the hero of the first title.
It won’t take you long to find out that this game is all about creepy scenarios, frenetic melee combat and a story with more paranormal bits and pieces to it than an episode of Most Haunted.
Combine the spooky ambience with improved forensic investigatory areas and you have a fine survival horror title on your hands, best played in the dark with the sound turned right up!
Title: Dark Sector
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Third-person shooters have to be pretty special to stand out from the crowd these days, and Dark Sector has a couple of tricks up its sleeve to make it well worth spending some time with.
The super-sharp steel Glaive (or boomerang) makes a refreshing change from guns galore as you battle your way through the usual host of marauding monsters before facing various big, bad bosses.
The control and cover system works extremely well, and this weapon is a dream to play with.
Couple that with some of the best graphics you’re likely to see on Xbox 360 and you have more than enough to make this worth seeking out.
Title: M&Ms Kart Racing
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 1/5
Let’s get one thing straight from the off, no matter how bad this game is, it won’t stop the chocolates tasting as good as good as they always have. And there is the start and end of the good news.
This is a shocking kart-racer, stuck a decade behind its time, offering gamers absolutely nothing that they haven’t seen before, though no doubt more flawed than any comparison titles.
Confusing racetracks, but still ridiculously easy to win, and with a single-tuned sound track that will send you mad. Please just stick to eating M&Ms, rather than racing with them.
Title: Dora Saves The Mermaids
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
With both eyes firmly on the pre-school market, Dora is on a mermaid-saving mission, stopping an evil octopus from dumping rubbish in the ocean.
How can the under-5s achieve this? By completing a series of pretty simple mini-games, including obstacle courses and treasure-hunting, of course.
All of which is pretty simple, harmless fun, but is still unlikely to hold the attention of its target audience for too long.
The DS is capable of so much more, and this feels a little light for the price.
Title: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
Cracking characters, a wonderful world to explore and the kind of RPG adventure we’ve come to expect from the Final Fantasy stable, Ring of Fates is a welcome addition to Nintendo’s DS.
Although many of the battles are relatively straightforward in terms of hacking and slashing, there’s so much more on offer in the vast world you have to explore, backed up by some truly amazing handheld visuals and DS audio to die for.
Fans of Final Fantasy will already have this game earmarked, but everyone else should seriously consider a trip into this hugely enjoyable fantasy universe.
The basis of this morning's report by Interpret LLC, a supposed leading new media research firm, is that people in the UK (as well as the US and Japan) are still preferring to buy normal DVDs rather than Blu-Ray hi-def discs.
And how long did it take for this concensus to be determined?
Given the massive difference in price between the two (you can pick up five standard DVDs for £30 while a single Blu-Ray disc costs around £30 to £40), it's pretty obvious this would be the case.
I have a Blu-Ray player and and a DVD player and I still buy normal DVDs. The price is reason enough.
Okay, Blu-Ray picture and sound quality is far superior but I'm not sure I want to pay so much more for it.
Besides, to gain the optimum Blu-Ray experience you need to spend thousands of pounds on a an HD TV, a cinema surround sound system, and a Blu Ray player itself.
The research surmises that 'increased title availability may be the key to increasing Blu-ray buy rates' but fails to mention the obvious factor.
Meanwhile, further proof of life imitating video games has come with scientists adopting the Nintendo Wii remote controller to operate military robots.
The 'Wiimote' control system detects the controllers’ movement in three dimensions using wireless technology.
It is used to detect players’ motion on games from golf and tennis to shoot-em-ups and fighting simulators.
Now two scientists in the US have adopted the technology for real-life warfare, a leading science magazine reported last week.
The US Department of Energy centre has adopted a mine-clearing robot to be directed by the Wii controller.
The Packbot, used by the US military, disposes of bombs and can even carry a machine gun.
The scientists found traditional controllers took up too much of the operator’s attention.
But they found using the Wiimote was more instinctive, allowing them to concentrate on the data the robot gathered.
The scientists also plan to use the Apple iPhone for military use. They say it could replace the laptops carried by soldiers to receive data from the robots.
A new strategy has also announced that video games will be forced to carry cinema-style age classifications to improve children’s safety in the digital age.
A psychologist has called for an overhaul of games classification.
At present, only games showing sex or gross violence require an age rating from the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) and less than 2 per cent carry an 18 certificate.
A new legally-binding system would ensure that every game is rated in the same way as films, with U (Universal), PG (Parental Guidance), 12, 15 and 18.
Here are the best games of the week:
Title: Condemned 2: Bloodshot
Platform: PS3
Genre: Survival Horror
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
A spine-tingling sequel to the Xbox 360 smash-hit, Condemned 2 is another trip down a dark, supernatural storyline in the shoes of Ethan Thomas, the hero of the first title.
It won’t take you long to find out that this game is all about creepy scenarios, frenetic melee combat and a story with more paranormal bits and pieces to it than an episode of Most Haunted.
Combine the spooky ambience with improved forensic investigatory areas and you have a fine survival horror title on your hands, best played in the dark with the sound turned right up!
Title: Dark Sector
Platform: Xbox 360
Genre: Shooter
Price: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Third-person shooters have to be pretty special to stand out from the crowd these days, and Dark Sector has a couple of tricks up its sleeve to make it well worth spending some time with.
The super-sharp steel Glaive (or boomerang) makes a refreshing change from guns galore as you battle your way through the usual host of marauding monsters before facing various big, bad bosses.
The control and cover system works extremely well, and this weapon is a dream to play with.
Couple that with some of the best graphics you’re likely to see on Xbox 360 and you have more than enough to make this worth seeking out.
Title: M&Ms Kart Racing
Platform: Wii
Genre: Racing
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 1/5
Let’s get one thing straight from the off, no matter how bad this game is, it won’t stop the chocolates tasting as good as good as they always have. And there is the start and end of the good news.
This is a shocking kart-racer, stuck a decade behind its time, offering gamers absolutely nothing that they haven’t seen before, though no doubt more flawed than any comparison titles.
Confusing racetracks, but still ridiculously easy to win, and with a single-tuned sound track that will send you mad. Please just stick to eating M&Ms, rather than racing with them.
Title: Dora Saves The Mermaids
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: Action
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 3/5
With both eyes firmly on the pre-school market, Dora is on a mermaid-saving mission, stopping an evil octopus from dumping rubbish in the ocean.
How can the under-5s achieve this? By completing a series of pretty simple mini-games, including obstacle courses and treasure-hunting, of course.
All of which is pretty simple, harmless fun, but is still unlikely to hold the attention of its target audience for too long.
The DS is capable of so much more, and this feels a little light for the price.
Title: Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: Ring Of Fates
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
RRP: £29.99
Hit count: 4/5
Cracking characters, a wonderful world to explore and the kind of RPG adventure we’ve come to expect from the Final Fantasy stable, Ring of Fates is a welcome addition to Nintendo’s DS.
Although many of the battles are relatively straightforward in terms of hacking and slashing, there’s so much more on offer in the vast world you have to explore, backed up by some truly amazing handheld visuals and DS audio to die for.
Fans of Final Fantasy will already have this game earmarked, but everyone else should seriously consider a trip into this hugely enjoyable fantasy universe.
Monday, 24 March 2008
To blog, or not to blog...
WIKIPEDIA describes a 'blog' as being a 'website which provides commentary or news on a particular subject'.
The University of Oxford, responsible for providing us with - so it seems - the only real dictionary in the world, has it down as a 'personal record that people put on their website to give an account of their activities and their opinions'.
Personally I describe a blog as being an 'opportunity'.
You see, what was once called a diary entry is now called a 'blog'. In my eyes a blog is a rant, an opinion or indeed a tribute. It's everything the creator wants it to be, and indeed nothing if it's misunderstood.
The influx of bloggers on the web has created a whole new generation of people who think:
a). Not only that they can write; but b). They are writing something that is of interest to people.
It has also bred a whole bunch of loonies with a grudge, but we won't go into that now.
The majority of people, it seems, are egotistical - or bored in equal amounts - and have nothing better to do than to spurt out jargon about nothing in particular.
Now at this point admittedly, your minds are thinking 'pot', 'calling', 'kettle' and 'black' but I urge you to consider... I'm getting paid to do this.
I'm far from being a great writer, I still stumble on spellings and, even on a cloudy day, I don't really enjoy ranting.
But this small space entitled 'Game On' allows me to throw some thoughts out there, share experiences and ultimately enlighten people in some shape or form.
I'm not told to do it. I do it because I enjoy it.
And that's the thing about the internet nowadays. I reckon there must be something of interest for every single person in the world. Like grains of sand on a beach, one person's blog will be read, and enjoyed, by at least one person.
Wikipedia believes there are 112 million blogs being tracked online.
I'm still yet to find that one person who enjoys mine. Most blogs gain comments. Mine does not. Game On has generated two comments so far... and they were both colleagues taking the mickey about something.
What do they say? One person's rubbish is another man's treasure... I'll leave you to decide.
Here's the best of the latest game releases:
Title: Asterix at the Olympic Games
Platform: Nintendo Wii
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: First things first, when this game landed on my desk I immediately put it in a draw and thought 'I'll pick that up when I'm bored'.
Games which tie in with films are very often pants. Not disrespect, I'm sure every effort is made to do it justice... it's just that they don't work.
Transformers was a prime example. Although the film was awful too.
Anyhow, with that in mind I found myself already hating the title. But, within seconds my mind had changed.
For once it appears the developers have got it right. It looks the business and some thought has gone into its make up.
It is a game that you can actually enjoy playing. As well as the main storyline of Asterix's (and Obelix's for that matter) appearance in the games, you can try your hand at a number of mini games which are all fairly enjoyable without going over the top.
The main fun is had in running round bashing the Romans. But with the mini games and the main story to play as well, it's actual worth the money and the effort.
The Wii controllers are also used well with the ability to pick up a Roman with the Wiimote before using him as a whip to attack other Roman's by shaking the nunchuck. Okay, it's not real life is it? But is sure is fun.
Title: Army of Two
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
Review: Following in the wake of Gears of War and Call of Duty is no easy task but Army of Two holds it's own.
Alright it will never be as good as the two former but it is pretty nifty in its ingenuity and gameplay.
As the manufacturer's description states, co-op gameplay is no longer an option with this title. It is a necessity.
Like the title suggests, Army of Two sees you take hold of not one but two characters working as a team in various modern day scenarios.
At the very least it's a decent shoot em up. But it's got so much more to offer.
When you shoot people the two dudes high five each other. And they swear! Like all good shooters you can upgrade your weapons and bling your kit to the max.
It is hard to see any flaws in this title.
But the bestest best thing about it? The ability to take it to Xbox Live with a partner. Rock on!
The University of Oxford, responsible for providing us with - so it seems - the only real dictionary in the world, has it down as a 'personal record that people put on their website to give an account of their activities and their opinions'.
Personally I describe a blog as being an 'opportunity'.
You see, what was once called a diary entry is now called a 'blog'. In my eyes a blog is a rant, an opinion or indeed a tribute. It's everything the creator wants it to be, and indeed nothing if it's misunderstood.
The influx of bloggers on the web has created a whole new generation of people who think:
a). Not only that they can write; but b). They are writing something that is of interest to people.
It has also bred a whole bunch of loonies with a grudge, but we won't go into that now.
The majority of people, it seems, are egotistical - or bored in equal amounts - and have nothing better to do than to spurt out jargon about nothing in particular.
Now at this point admittedly, your minds are thinking 'pot', 'calling', 'kettle' and 'black' but I urge you to consider... I'm getting paid to do this.
I'm far from being a great writer, I still stumble on spellings and, even on a cloudy day, I don't really enjoy ranting.
But this small space entitled 'Game On' allows me to throw some thoughts out there, share experiences and ultimately enlighten people in some shape or form.
I'm not told to do it. I do it because I enjoy it.
And that's the thing about the internet nowadays. I reckon there must be something of interest for every single person in the world. Like grains of sand on a beach, one person's blog will be read, and enjoyed, by at least one person.
Wikipedia believes there are 112 million blogs being tracked online.
I'm still yet to find that one person who enjoys mine. Most blogs gain comments. Mine does not. Game On has generated two comments so far... and they were both colleagues taking the mickey about something.
What do they say? One person's rubbish is another man's treasure... I'll leave you to decide.
Here's the best of the latest game releases:
Title: Asterix at the Olympic Games
Platform: Nintendo Wii
RRP: £34.99
Hit count: 3/5
Review: First things first, when this game landed on my desk I immediately put it in a draw and thought 'I'll pick that up when I'm bored'.
Games which tie in with films are very often pants. Not disrespect, I'm sure every effort is made to do it justice... it's just that they don't work.
Transformers was a prime example. Although the film was awful too.
Anyhow, with that in mind I found myself already hating the title. But, within seconds my mind had changed.
For once it appears the developers have got it right. It looks the business and some thought has gone into its make up.
It is a game that you can actually enjoy playing. As well as the main storyline of Asterix's (and Obelix's for that matter) appearance in the games, you can try your hand at a number of mini games which are all fairly enjoyable without going over the top.
The main fun is had in running round bashing the Romans. But with the mini games and the main story to play as well, it's actual worth the money and the effort.
The Wii controllers are also used well with the ability to pick up a Roman with the Wiimote before using him as a whip to attack other Roman's by shaking the nunchuck. Okay, it's not real life is it? But is sure is fun.
Title: Army of Two
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 4/5
Review: Following in the wake of Gears of War and Call of Duty is no easy task but Army of Two holds it's own.
Alright it will never be as good as the two former but it is pretty nifty in its ingenuity and gameplay.
As the manufacturer's description states, co-op gameplay is no longer an option with this title. It is a necessity.
Like the title suggests, Army of Two sees you take hold of not one but two characters working as a team in various modern day scenarios.
At the very least it's a decent shoot em up. But it's got so much more to offer.
When you shoot people the two dudes high five each other. And they swear! Like all good shooters you can upgrade your weapons and bling your kit to the max.
It is hard to see any flaws in this title.
But the bestest best thing about it? The ability to take it to Xbox Live with a partner. Rock on!
Monday, 17 March 2008
The end of paperbacks...?
VIDEO they say, killed the radio star... and it seems a new gadget could pave the way for the end of paperback books.
Internet giant Amazon has just launched its latest gizmo known as the 'Kindle'.
This handy electronic book e-reader is a handheld gadget which allows users to download book titles from an Amazon library boasting 100,000 titles.
Slightly larger than a Gameboy and actually around the same size as a hardback book, the Kindle has a large grey screen and several buttons to allow you to flip the page forward or backward.
Dubbed by many as the iPod of reading, it is apparently easy to use and it will eventually connect to the web in much the same way as today's mobile phone or iTouch.
While I can almost hear the groans "I don't like change" from the older generation among us, I'll ask just one question.
Is anyone really surprised?
Technology is moving at such a pace now that it's difficult to gauge how anything will not be outdated within weeks, months or years.
I mean, they're now giving away laptops with phone packages?! (Further evidence of a tech world gone mad...) Anyway while the Kindle surely won't completely replace paperback and hardback books it is inevitable that it will change how we read and the whole process of how we go about obtaining a book.
I mean, the prospect of being able to use your credit card to get a copy of the new Harry Potter book within seconds of its release without leaving your home... the possibility is simply staggering.
According to research, in Japan around 50 per cent of the best-selling novels in the latter part of 2007 were originally released as page-per-day serials sent directly to mobile phones.
I'm afraid to say the writing has been on the wall for sometime and that the change is not only possible, it is happening before our very eyes.
To date the Kindle has only been released in the US priced at around $400. While Amazon's e-reader might not be the only one on the market, it could well be the (so far) most widely recognised and easiest to use. The jury's still out on this one I'm afraid.
Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle.
Meanwhile last month another epic store battle ended with Toshiba announcing it would stop manufacturing HD-DVD products such as HD-DVD players in favour of Blu-Ray. Toshiba's announcement, which had been widely predicted in the manufacturing world, cemented forecasters vision that Blu-Ray would be the preferred platform for the High Definition future.
For PlayStation 3 console owners, the news came as a welcome relief given the platform's built-in Blu-Ray player. For those with HD-DVD players I can't help but feel that it's money wasted.
Internet giant Amazon has just launched its latest gizmo known as the 'Kindle'.
This handy electronic book e-reader is a handheld gadget which allows users to download book titles from an Amazon library boasting 100,000 titles.
Slightly larger than a Gameboy and actually around the same size as a hardback book, the Kindle has a large grey screen and several buttons to allow you to flip the page forward or backward.
Dubbed by many as the iPod of reading, it is apparently easy to use and it will eventually connect to the web in much the same way as today's mobile phone or iTouch.
While I can almost hear the groans "I don't like change" from the older generation among us, I'll ask just one question.
Is anyone really surprised?
Technology is moving at such a pace now that it's difficult to gauge how anything will not be outdated within weeks, months or years.
I mean, they're now giving away laptops with phone packages?! (Further evidence of a tech world gone mad...) Anyway while the Kindle surely won't completely replace paperback and hardback books it is inevitable that it will change how we read and the whole process of how we go about obtaining a book.
I mean, the prospect of being able to use your credit card to get a copy of the new Harry Potter book within seconds of its release without leaving your home... the possibility is simply staggering.
According to research, in Japan around 50 per cent of the best-selling novels in the latter part of 2007 were originally released as page-per-day serials sent directly to mobile phones.
I'm afraid to say the writing has been on the wall for sometime and that the change is not only possible, it is happening before our very eyes.
To date the Kindle has only been released in the US priced at around $400. While Amazon's e-reader might not be the only one on the market, it could well be the (so far) most widely recognised and easiest to use. The jury's still out on this one I'm afraid.
Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle.
Meanwhile last month another epic store battle ended with Toshiba announcing it would stop manufacturing HD-DVD products such as HD-DVD players in favour of Blu-Ray. Toshiba's announcement, which had been widely predicted in the manufacturing world, cemented forecasters vision that Blu-Ray would be the preferred platform for the High Definition future.
For PlayStation 3 console owners, the news came as a welcome relief given the platform's built-in Blu-Ray player. For those with HD-DVD players I can't help but feel that it's money wasted.
Wednesday, 23 January 2008
Apple as the core of the new world
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.
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.
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Give the developers a hand...
Fans of the Nintendo Wii are sure to be delighted with the news that a new computer chip will allow people to control DVD playback by simply waving their hands around.
Developers are obviously jumping on the bandwagon in a bid to attract the new generation of frontroom flappers.
Imagine having a particularly energetic argument with the girlfriend or wife in front of the DVD player... before you know it you'll have maxed out the volume, skipped to the nail biting end and chosen to view the deleted scenes all in a few waves of the hand.
Apparently the new chip allows viewers to stop, skip ahead and give other commands by pointing their thumbs at the screen from up to 10 feet away.
The processor, demonstrated today by Toshiba on laptop computers, can also manipulate 3D images.
In a demonstration the laptop camera put the subject’s face on screen, then allowed her to choose hairstyles and types of makeup.
The computer put the changes on the image in 3D, which could then be moved to check out the new look from different angles.
Jointly developed by Toshiba, IBM and Sony, the 'SpursEngine' processor is not yet on the market and a launch date is still to be announced.
If you ask me we are fast becoming a nation of flappers - not least vegetables.
Whatever next?! Boil a kettle by blinking, get a Hoover to hoover the house by telling it to or stoke up the fire by clicking?
It's all going mad if you ask me.
Reviews:
Title: Eternal Sonata
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Promising to be the RPG game Xbox 360 gamers have been waiting for, Eternal Sonata delivers on all counts with its gorgeous next generation graphics, a truly unique battle set up and a convincing (if a little pansy-ish and random) storyline.
The game scores highly on the imagination front. I mean, it's based on the last dream of the dying composer Chopin and the age-old good vs evil theory.
It also scores massively on the visual side. With its divine graphics many of the scenes wouldn't look out of place in a Disney film.
The downside (and isn't there always one?) is the moral side to just about every twist and turn in the game.
Not even half way through I became fed up at being preached to by a console!
Put bluntly it is the best RPG out there and well deserved of the praise it's received.
Title: Chronos Twin
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5
The same storyline set in two different time zones on two different screens featuring the same character. Confused? I was.
Surprisingly, it works. It's a idea is fresh and innovative idea which ultimately lends itself to the console with its two screens.
The storyline sees our hero 'Nec' jumping back in time to defeat a monster who later invades his planet set about destroying the world.
A key part of the title is the fact that it doesn't throw you in the deep end.
The game develops and becomes more challenging as you progress enabling the user to get to grips with the twin settings.
Title: Pokemon Battle Revolution
Platform: Nintendo Wii
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Pokemon Battle Revolution is sure to be the game all Pokemon fans have been waiting for.
It may also be the title which propels the Wii to the forefront of the must-have list this Christmas.
The gist of it is this... forget about all other previous Pokemon games. This is the real deal.
Grab yourself a battle pass, customise your trainer and battle your way to the rank of Poketopia Master!
The title allows you to choose various versus modes and select numerous Pokemon.
You can also wirelessly transfer your characters from your Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl from your Nintendo DS.
Developers are obviously jumping on the bandwagon in a bid to attract the new generation of frontroom flappers.
Imagine having a particularly energetic argument with the girlfriend or wife in front of the DVD player... before you know it you'll have maxed out the volume, skipped to the nail biting end and chosen to view the deleted scenes all in a few waves of the hand.
Apparently the new chip allows viewers to stop, skip ahead and give other commands by pointing their thumbs at the screen from up to 10 feet away.
The processor, demonstrated today by Toshiba on laptop computers, can also manipulate 3D images.
In a demonstration the laptop camera put the subject’s face on screen, then allowed her to choose hairstyles and types of makeup.
The computer put the changes on the image in 3D, which could then be moved to check out the new look from different angles.
Jointly developed by Toshiba, IBM and Sony, the 'SpursEngine' processor is not yet on the market and a launch date is still to be announced.
If you ask me we are fast becoming a nation of flappers - not least vegetables.
Whatever next?! Boil a kettle by blinking, get a Hoover to hoover the house by telling it to or stoke up the fire by clicking?
It's all going mad if you ask me.
Reviews:
Title: Eternal Sonata
Platform: Xbox 360
RRP: £49.99
Hit count: 4/5
Promising to be the RPG game Xbox 360 gamers have been waiting for, Eternal Sonata delivers on all counts with its gorgeous next generation graphics, a truly unique battle set up and a convincing (if a little pansy-ish and random) storyline.
The game scores highly on the imagination front. I mean, it's based on the last dream of the dying composer Chopin and the age-old good vs evil theory.
It also scores massively on the visual side. With its divine graphics many of the scenes wouldn't look out of place in a Disney film.
The downside (and isn't there always one?) is the moral side to just about every twist and turn in the game.
Not even half way through I became fed up at being preached to by a console!
Put bluntly it is the best RPG out there and well deserved of the praise it's received.
Title: Chronos Twin
Platform: Nintendo DS
RRP: £24.99
Hit count: 3/5
The same storyline set in two different time zones on two different screens featuring the same character. Confused? I was.
Surprisingly, it works. It's a idea is fresh and innovative idea which ultimately lends itself to the console with its two screens.
The storyline sees our hero 'Nec' jumping back in time to defeat a monster who later invades his planet set about destroying the world.
A key part of the title is the fact that it doesn't throw you in the deep end.
The game develops and becomes more challenging as you progress enabling the user to get to grips with the twin settings.
Title: Pokemon Battle Revolution
Platform: Nintendo Wii
RRP: £39.99
Hit count: 5/5
Pokemon Battle Revolution is sure to be the game all Pokemon fans have been waiting for.
It may also be the title which propels the Wii to the forefront of the must-have list this Christmas.
The gist of it is this... forget about all other previous Pokemon games. This is the real deal.
Grab yourself a battle pass, customise your trainer and battle your way to the rank of Poketopia Master!
The title allows you to choose various versus modes and select numerous Pokemon.
You can also wirelessly transfer your characters from your Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl from your Nintendo DS.
Thursday, 29 November 2007
Chain reaction
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)