Daft Punk forced me to buy this game...

For Christmas, I got a decent amount of gifts, but much like every year, the video games were always the ones that entice the most fun. So one of the gifts my wife got me was DJ Hero. Maybe you have heard of the game, it's published by Activision ( who is now the IP owner of the Guitar Hero series after acquiring it from Harmonix, who now makes the Rock Band series blah blah blah) and the game itself is made by Freestyle games. Now, question is if the game is good. The answer is a resounding yes and double yes.
In my personal opinion, I believe the Guitar Hero series as a whole has become as stale as the Dance Dance Revolution series (don't get me wrong, I loves me some DDR, but there has been no real innovation in the series in a while). The Guitar Hero series reached it's height with Guitar Hero 3, but then they just started making rehashes of GH3 with different band labels (Mettalica, Aerosmith, etc), and I think DDR has shown us that tactic can only last so long. So, Activision has made a whole new IP with a completely different rhythm game peripheral, which I might add is another genius game add-on by Red Octane. As a matter of fact let's talk a little about this required controller for the game:
The DJ Turntable has one "wheel of steel" (read:hard plastic, but durable) that can rotate 360 degrees with 3 multi-colored buttons. It also has a crossfader bar and an effects knob. Alright that sounds simple enough, so how does the game play? This is where the real innovation comes in, as you "tap" to the beat of the music, "scratch" the wheel to scratch up the mix, use the crossfader as a music gate for the mixes for fading and whatnot, and more time than not you will be doing these tactics at the same time. Also, much like in the Guitar Hero series, there is Star Power, called Euphoria Power in this game, that doubles you score and multiplier, plus it does automatic crossfades. It actually gets even more complex than this, but that's in the harder modes and I may cover them later.
On to the music, which is the best part of most rhythm games. I gotta stab at Guitar Hero with this, because not only are the overall controls actually more difficult than Guitar Hero's, but the game uses 120 original mixed up songs from over 90 songs. This is a breathe of fresh air compared to Guitar Hero and Rock Bands license cramming for all of their games. If you are a fan of the DJ scene, you will notice some favorites and greats maikng guest appearances in the game, from Grandmaster Flash to Daft Punk to DJ Shadow, all with their own original mixes added to the game.
I want to say the game is without flaw, but here they come. First,off, not all of the music is great, but I suppose that's going to happen wtih any rhythm game. Some of the tracks are awesome, while other mixes leave me glad I never have to play it again. Next is the failure system in the game, which is when you don't do so well in a song in a rhythm game and the game basically says "game over". So, that doesn't exist in DJ Hero, which is a good and bad thing. It's bad because it takes the credibility out of the difficulty of the game, but it's good because it lets casual players enjoy the game without being forced to become hardcore players just to play harder songs. Another bad deal is the sample effects zone that occasionally comes down on the red button side of the screen. I really wish there was a way to disable this feature, because the truth is it's pointless. It sounds cool throughing in a set of samples into the song, but it doesn't add to your score, multiplier, nothing. It really just kinda shows up as more of a distraction than anything else. Question to Activision or Freestyle Games: Why leave in a useless feature to a final product? Did the alpha testers actually agree to a useless feature being left in?
My last and final gripe is the actual price of the game. Now granted, I got the game as a Christmas present, but for everyone else that has to purchase it, you gotta pay up. The game comes with the DJ Turntable and costs $120, which equals out $60 for the game and another $60 for the controller. I have this contoller in front of me, and a $60 pricetag is maybe a bit high, but I must admit it is really durable and the button presses are spot on for accuracy. But truth is, even the gaming economy is in a bit of a recovery, so expensive games can stand the potential for not selling so well, hurting this game in the short run. Let's not get started on the Jay-Z & Eminem Special Edition pack, which may come with a stand plus some extra stuff, but $200 for a single-player game and controller (multiplayer if you buy more games and controllers)....didn't the industry try this already with both Steel Battalions, with minimal results. Truth is, average customers don't like to drop a system's worth of money on one game.
All complaints and kudos aside, it's a great game with a fresh concept. Consider this a review for the XBox 360 version, as I haven't touched the Wii or PS3 versions and have no intention to. As for those that need a numeric score for the game, just consider it an 8 or 9, 8.5 if you will, great but the price of admission, certain mixed songs and for those that like country music (btw, I hate country music), this may not be the correct game for them. I say give it a try and hope for a sequel. A Belated Happy Holidays to All!

From Z to A.

So surprise, surprise, Microsoft gave me the finger. Allow me to explain.
I cleared my XP computer and added Windows 7 on to it (sidebar, go to Microsoft.Com and look up how to get Windows 7 for $30 if you are a student. It's legit, safe, and they mail you a back-up disc). So I had to do a clean swipe of my hardrive to install it, with hard drive back-up of course. This worked out quite well, and I am most pleased with 7, it's fast and very efficient. Unfortunately, Zune Marketplace no longer wants to work... Apparently, Zune Marketplace doesn't like to to load on to certain computers for apparently no reason at all. Worst yet, you can't load anything or take anything from one's Zune without Marketplace installed on your PC somehow.
Now, this is a known problem to Microsoft, but unfortunately, their only reccomendation to resolve this issue is to either buy a new Zune HD, which comes with the installation DISC, or buy a new computer. That's it. No other options. So my 30GB Zune I specifically bought for ease of use over anything Apple shells out, is now incapable of loading or unloading anything in it, save for the content inside it already.
To Microsoft, I say this, "You fu**ed up." I had real faith in the Zune market, but no more. So, since I like podcasts and needs me music, I decided I may as well try out an iPod Touch. The day I was going to buy one, I saw a new item that was being sold at ye olde local RadioShack, the Archos 5 Internet Tablet. After a bit of research through ye olde intarweb, it seems it's has an Andriod OS installed and apparently a decnt media player running the Linux kernal. Sold!
So here is what I thinks of the device, it is a powerful media player. It has WiFi, a large ( I do mean large) 4.8" resistive touch, some pre-installed, somewhat useful apps (like Twitdroid, a music mixer, Browser, amongst others), and a video player. Now, it says the built-in speaker is supposed to play sound out-loud, I don't know if mine is not workin' but it seems the Android one just records through the speaker. It really hasn't bothered me that much since it comes with headphones and I have an auxillary cable to play it through my car speakers. Now, you can put podcasts on the thing, but you basically have to download an app for it. I have been using A-Cast, it seems to work out pretty well, but it won't find like iPod or Zune exclusive ones. Something annoying, though it is running the Andriod, Google Marketplace is not on the device, though it can be hacked on there. I tried hacking it on there, but it's a little more complicated than the instructions make it out to be. I will try again later, and give an ecstatic woo once it works. But for right now, it comes with Appslib, which I guess stands for Application Library, and there are loads of free apps on there, but it's nothing compared to the over 10,000 on the Andriod Marketplace. It's open development, too, much like the Andriod marketplace.
All in all, the device is responsive, easy to throw lot's of apps on, the 8GB internal flash drive is expanadble with a microSD card slot, so you never really loss that much space. My one complaint is the lack of speaker, but with my headphones, it's not terrible. Bonus, it has a DVR and channel tuner, but you have to pay extra for the HD DVR stand. Also, it has a GPS reciever with voice guided directions, but you have to pay an extra $39.99 for that, unforunately. You do get a seven day free trial, but I haven't tested it to give my true opinion. Extra bonus, if you don't have an auxillary port in your car, it comes with an FM transmitter built-in. As for mention of the battery life, if you only play music, you'll get about 22 hours out of it. If you listen to music while using the WiFi for web browsing, ahorten it to around 8.

All in all, I'd say it's an excellent purchase for someone looking for a good media experience, a good browsing experience, but don't rely on it it to replace your smartphone, or netbook, just for entertainment and very lite workload.

It's a Coverage Issue.

Have you maybe seen the new Verizon commercials, well that's putting it lightly, I mean attack ads against the AT&T's Apple iPhone. They are pretty funny and to the point. It shows some chap or gal trying to access their internet on their devices, one has a random Verizon phone and one has an iPhone. The one with the Verizon phone can access the interwebs wherever they go because Verizon has “The Nations Largest 3G Network”, plus a map of Verizon's network keeps popping up over the person's head. The person with the iPhone is having some trouble, and to prove this a map of AT&T's 3G coverage pops over the other's head. End commercial with Verizon sayiong they have a larger data coverage network.
So, here comes the good stuff, AT&T is now suing Verizon for attacking their network and giving false information to potential customers. Many AT&T customers, thought this the correct thing to do since AT&T's coverage isn't that bad...or is it? Here is a nice bit of homework, go to www.wireless.att.com, try and find the coverage locator. Don't worry, it's there, you just have to FIND it. Once you have, see if you can find their 3G coverage on their map. I will save you the time, you can't You can switch between voice coverage and data coverage, but please keep in mind that AT&T is including 2G and 3G in their data map. You can't break it down to 3G on their data map. Actually, if you really want to know what it is, go to Verizon's site, www.verizon.com, select their wireless then coverage options, and they will tell you what the 3G coverage is for all of the carriers. You will also find AT&T's, and then you will see why they don't really brag about it. Their true 3G map is small, offering coverage in most major cities, but nothing outside of that. Actually, my wife has AT&T, a Blackberry to boot. It's only 2G though, and when she did have a 3G phone, it dropped it's 3G coverage when we visied me mother, who lives in a major Ohio city about 20 miles away from us. Actually, when we visited Missouri back in June, she couldn't make any calls at all. I could (I have Sprint and they convieniently don't charge me for roaming, nor do the charge me for calls to cell phones anymore, come to think of it), but that's beyond the point of Sprint being better overall and thus making this post of two overpriced companies kinda pointless.... EITHER WAY!
So during the court case, AT&T lost. Verizon didn't actually say any scathing lies, nor did they say anything that didn't display a proper use of friendly capitalism. This just goes to show you that you can't sue someone for telling the truth, and then showing a visual display of it. Now, I don't mind AT&T, but I do not like Verizon at all (Their phones and plans are ridiculously priced! Why does anyone agree to such huge prices?). Speaking of prices, do you ever see an add for Verizon displaying their prices? No, and you never will, they know they are the most expensive carrier in the US and they don't care. AT&T did make an ad to counter the Verizon attack ads, but it's kinda weak. Hoorah for casting Luke wilson to play the role of tool, but the ad really doens't address the coverage attack. As a matter of fact, to the trained ear and eye, it sounds like AT&T kinda accepts the attack and says, “So? We have better phones!” Truth is, they are right, when it comes to overall handsets, Verizon has some gems but is struggling.
I applaud Verizon for pointing out the falacy of a major company. Sprint has been doing it for years (price comparisons and what not), if everyone does it, then maybe we wouldn't have so many stupid customers flocking to verizon because they assume it's the best based on commericials.

Modern Warfare: part 2, A My thoughts.

Having played Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and loving every aspect of it, the very idea of the same developer, Infinity Ward, making a sequel had me reserve my copy the second I got the chance. All of the trailers and websites could not satiate my hunger to shoot someone in the face. Oh, sure, I tried playing COD: World at War, a very nice WWII sequel and I even replayed the first Modern Warfare, yet it was not enough. I patiently awaited the game's release on the 10th of November. And then it came out....and if I may use an old adage, the wait was well worth it.

Single Player

Let me start with the single player campaign, amazing. That's really all I should need to say, but I guess I can go on. Infinity Ward really shocked the FPS world with their last game's epic telling of two men fighting for the safety of the world, and the hidden war that happens behind the scenes while other sleep at night. The way the campaign flowed, as if you were saving the world from over ambitious terrorists and not only was your life on the line, but the lives of millions. The sequel picks up 5 years after the first game and goes into another plot of espionage and terrorism abroad. I really cannot go too much into the single player campaign, because every detail is pretty crucial and discussing it can ruin the experience. I can say that there are even more sniping sequences (because how can you hate those?), a wider variety of weapons and attachments for said weapons, and a larger focus on the sheer scale of the “war” you spec ops group has gotten itself into. As for the difficulty yeah, ummm....hard. I beat the game on normal, and albeit it'll only take you a solid, I dunno, four to three hours playing the game, depending on how many times you die. So the game is relatively short, but there is enough content to make it a very enjoyable. But, the single player campaign is about, I dunno, 10% of the reason I bought the game.

Multiplayer

The real meat of this game is its multiplayer. It's everything the first game was and so much more. The depth of the weapons, the perks even have upgardes to better perks. Your killstreak is now even customizable to your liking and playstyle, but you still have to unlock the good stuff and actually earn the killstreak bonus. For instance, the AC-130 gunship is now a killstreak bonus, but you have to get 11 kills in a row to use it, but when you do, the enemy has about 30 seconds of shear airborne terror to deal with. Then there's the 25 killstreak unlock of a tactical nuke....I haven't been hit with that that, but it ends the game if someone uses it. The weapons from the last game got a noticeable boost, also. For Instance, I am using an M4A1 with an Holographic sight, my sidearm is the PPMS (I think that's what it is, I am typing this away from the game), frag grenade and flashbangs with the following perks: Steady Aim-Sleight of Hand-Stopping Power-Painkiller and my Kill Streak perks are UAV-Care Package- and Predator (just unlocked Sentry but haven't used it yet). Now this is a very basic loadout and still I am having no trouble laying the smackdown on enemies from near or far. So anything thats fits you play style, their will probably be a weapon for it. As a matter of fact, my gamertag is ExploderBlade, so feel free to challenge me and I will show you that a simple loadout is just fine. I was completely enamored by how simple the UI is now while in multiplayer (there's an XP bar at the bottom!) and even the point system has been tweaked. I swear, you get points for just standing there, but really, you get points for shooting someone from more than 200 meters, bonus for headshot kills, bonus for one shot kills (even if it's a headshot) bonus for killing the person that killed you, the list goes on. And all these points can be used to level up and get some new unlocks and rank.

To wrap it up, my one complaint about the game is how addicting it is, about killed one Sunday morning playing the game. I mean, if you like FPS, you may end up dedicating time to this lovely gem.

We All Saw This Coming....Don't Lie, You Knew it was Coming.

Has anyone tried one of the new Android phones? The selection is rapidly growing rapidly, so each quarter the opportunity presents itself on each provider. T-mobile has the most with the HTC G1, the HTC MyTouch, and recently the Motorola Cliq. Sprint has nicely jumped on the Andriod bandwagon with first the HTC Hero and now the Samsung Impression. Finally, Verizon is the last to join in the line-up with the Motorola Droid and another HTC Droid Eris on the way. Anyone notice something? The Android phones are the one of the best ideas on the market, and with an app store that has other 10,000 apps (since they are all open-sourced, so anyone can put anything on there) and 70% of them are free! The iPhone can't even offer that. Bonus over the iPhone, you aren't restricted to JUST signing a contract with AT&T, you can get an Android powered phone on any major carrier now. Bonus to the providers and manufacturers, Google's Android is absolutely FREE to put on any phone powerful enough to run it.
So, the question to Blackberry, Apple, and even Windows Mobile, is how do you compete? The Blackberry App Store and Windows Marketplace just recently came out (within the last six months) and though I think Apple may always have its diehard followers, the companies have to pay a large premium to use the device on their network. Even Blackberries and Windows phones are used by businesses just because they are familiar and easy to link up with their enterprise servers, but once the advantage of Andriod's easy linking with enterprise servers is realized, even those m,ight not stand a chance. Since Google's Android is running on the Linux kernel, it's easy to use, easier to modify, and, well, freakin' cheap.
We all knew Google is trying to take over the world, but this is a way no one expected. I give it another two years, you know, when contracts start expiring and upgrades become available, before Android phones completely flood and overwhelm the smartphone market share. And by the way, no, I don't have an Android phone, I have a Windows Mobile actually, but it even I can see the writing on the wall. I am sure Apple is a little scared themselves, as they watch their market of customer that have had it with their MP3 player with a wireless radio built in crap out time and time again. Is this the revolution the smartphone market has been waiting for? I think so.

Welcome to our future

     For decades our society has speculated at what the future is going to look like. Flying cars, jetpacks, integrated cerebral cortex manipulators for communication, and a much feared cybernetic military force. Since the computer became a more popular home entity, we have wondered when we would reach the limit of our own ingenuity. Well, I am here to say that I is here. Many of the things we have postulated about have not only come to be (though in ways we didn't exactly predict) and I am also here to say that ignorance in the strives of the technological field should really no longer be appreciated.
How many times has one heard the phrase much a somewhat older person saying “ Oh, I don't get that new technology”, when the topic of computers comes up? Well, the fist commercialized computer was the IBM 5100 and the Apple II in 1975 and 1977 respectively. This means that the technology for your average consumer to both buy and figure out how one of these “new” devices has been around for the last 34 years. My own mother was 7 back then, and she herself is somehow still not that tech savvy.             Let me reiterate this; 34 years, almost three and a half decades. You average person has, at this day and age, more has had enough time to learn how a computer works. Heck, the technology itself dates all the way back to the late 30's, let alone when people could buy it.
      Let me also say that I understand that you basically had to have a minor in computational technology to use some of the first PCs and Apples, but every year the User Interface only gets easier for one to use. I mean, can you believe more people still don't understand the process of computers when pretty much all of our financial assets, from you check at your job to stock holdings, are handled by these machines. This proceeds on if you mention the internet, which some people still refer to as “New Technology”. Now the internet has been actually been globalized to the public since 1981, but the internet as we know it has been truly popularized since 1994. So, 15 years of this life changing technology that forces us to rethink the entire process of communication through text....and to this day a large portion of the populace still ignores it. I have wondered, what is it truly going to take for everyone to catch on to this?

     Though this is a Tech Blog, it should be noted it took 20 years and massive reinventions for the freakin' car to take hold of the populace of the world. It has now been 35 for the computer, and yet with it's many price reductions and Microsoft's latest marketing campaign of an adorable 7 year old using both Vista and Windows 7, how difficult can it really be? For decades mankind demanded the future, and when it arrives it scares the crap outta them, so much so they just pretend it doesn't exist. Well, I have had enough. I am done pandering to the minority that refuses to advance because they think it is an inconvenience to recognize convenience.

    Please, take interest in the tech world, for if you so like the ideals of a society that strives to progress in making the future not only a reality, but a better reality, then let us unite and let the world know that you cannot hold us back.