Amazon.co.uk is running an unmissable late summer DS deal! Buy a Black, White or Pink console and a top game for only £109.99 GBP! This discount runs until December 31st, 2007. Don't forget to pre-order The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass, considered by some gaming critics as the best entry in the franchise! And Heroes of Mana.
Tuesday, 4 September 2007
DS Deal
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Sunday, 2 September 2007
Grecians Goal!
In my never-ending quest to be at the vanguard of multimedia, and in anticipation of new Apple iPods (6G) on September 5th, I've uploaded my video clip of Exeter City FC's one and only goal during their Conference "play-off" final against Morecombe at the new Wembley Stadium.
Don't forget that iTunes UK now features hit television shows such as Lost and Desperate Housewives. I'd be most surprised if Apple doesn't announce movies to coincide with the launch of new iPods this week!
Don't forget that iTunes UK now features hit television shows such as Lost and Desperate Housewives. I'd be most surprised if Apple doesn't announce movies to coincide with the launch of new iPods this week!
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Friday, 31 August 2007
Wii Breaks UK Sales Record
Nintendo’s Wii system has become the fastest-ever selling console in UK history, racking up over 1 million sales in just 38 weeks.
According to figures released Thursday by sales data trackers Chart Track, Nintendo’s Wii passed the 1 million sales mark 11 weeks faster than the previous record holder, Sony’s PlayStation 2, which took 50 weeks to achieve the feat, and 22 weeks earlier than Microsoft's Xbox 360, which took 60 weeks to hit one million UK sales.
The Wii now reportedly claims a 68 percent share of the UK home console market, while Nintendo’s DS system also has an 86 percent share of the UK handheld console market.
"The non-stop demand for Wii even in the traditionally slow sales periods for video games in the UK is clearly behind this record breaking achievement,” said David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK.
“The performance of both systems appears to indicate that unprecedented interactive entertainment experiences, provided by a combination of the revolutionary nature of DS and Wii with the increasing number of unique software titles for the system from Nintendo and third parties, are being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages.
“With more great games such as Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 and Endless Ocean launching in 2007, Wii, together with Nintendo DS, will continue to be the main driving forces behind the expansion of the video game market this year."
According to figures released Thursday by sales data trackers Chart Track, Nintendo’s Wii passed the 1 million sales mark 11 weeks faster than the previous record holder, Sony’s PlayStation 2, which took 50 weeks to achieve the feat, and 22 weeks earlier than Microsoft's Xbox 360, which took 60 weeks to hit one million UK sales.
The Wii now reportedly claims a 68 percent share of the UK home console market, while Nintendo’s DS system also has an 86 percent share of the UK handheld console market.
"The non-stop demand for Wii even in the traditionally slow sales periods for video games in the UK is clearly behind this record breaking achievement,” said David Yarnton, general manager of Nintendo UK.
“The performance of both systems appears to indicate that unprecedented interactive entertainment experiences, provided by a combination of the revolutionary nature of DS and Wii with the increasing number of unique software titles for the system from Nintendo and third parties, are being enjoyed by both avid and new gamers of all ages.
“With more great games such as Super Mario Galaxy, Metroid Prime 3 and Endless Ocean launching in 2007, Wii, together with Nintendo DS, will continue to be the main driving forces behind the expansion of the video game market this year."
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Transforming Scribes
Dorling Kindersley (DK) and myself are offering one lucky reader a chance to win a copy of the terrific Transformers: The Movie Guide book, which sports an eye-catching lenticular hologram morphing from Autobot insignia to Optimus Prime.
This hardback book is a backstage pass to the "Transformers" movie. Get under the metal and discover more about the Robots in Disguise in this spectacular guide to the earth-stopping film.
Packed with incredible images, this book enables you to check out transport and locations from the Transformers universe and come face-to-mask with all your favourite characters from Optimus Prime to Megatron. Plus, get a fascinating insight into all the bots and take a serious look at their unstoppable powers (but keep your distance!).
To enter for a chance of winning this prize, please leave a comment. Good luck. Special thanks to DK for supplying the competition prize.
Explore the Star Wars galaxy through DK books.
About DK books
Since 1974, Dorling Kindersley has published an extensive range of internationally acclaimed titles in 51 languages for adults and children. As the UK's market leader in illustrated non-fiction, we pride ourselves on creating books that combine comprehensive information and superb design.
Over the years, as the world's leading family illustrated publisher, we have inspired and informed readers who find DK books to be educational, distinctive and of consistently high quality. We value this reputation and will continue to create reference titles that are, without question, exceptional.
This hardback book is a backstage pass to the "Transformers" movie. Get under the metal and discover more about the Robots in Disguise in this spectacular guide to the earth-stopping film.
Packed with incredible images, this book enables you to check out transport and locations from the Transformers universe and come face-to-mask with all your favourite characters from Optimus Prime to Megatron. Plus, get a fascinating insight into all the bots and take a serious look at their unstoppable powers (but keep your distance!).
To enter for a chance of winning this prize, please leave a comment. Good luck. Special thanks to DK for supplying the competition prize.
Explore the Star Wars galaxy through DK books.
About DK books
Since 1974, Dorling Kindersley has published an extensive range of internationally acclaimed titles in 51 languages for adults and children. As the UK's market leader in illustrated non-fiction, we pride ourselves on creating books that combine comprehensive information and superb design.
Over the years, as the world's leading family illustrated publisher, we have inspired and informed readers who find DK books to be educational, distinctive and of consistently high quality. We value this reputation and will continue to create reference titles that are, without question, exceptional.
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Add Chitika to Facebook
Chitika has launched iBought:
iBought is our newest Facebook application that lets you show off the cool gadgets & items you've bought. Watch out because your friends will rate your purchases by giving you a thumbs up or down. (Don't worry you will get a chance to rate them back!) The best part is you will get $1.00 every single time you get someone to add the Facebook application, whether you use Facebook or not!
Promote this application in your blog or website or add a referral banner. All they have to do is add the application and you get $1.oo:
Don't wait - you could lose your chance to earn!
This promotional offer will be given to the first 10,000 downloads only. That means Chitika is giving away $10,000 in total for referral revenue on Facebook! Example: 20 referrals = $20.00. Grab your code now for your chunk of cash before someone else does and it is gone!
iBought is our newest Facebook application that lets you show off the cool gadgets & items you've bought. Watch out because your friends will rate your purchases by giving you a thumbs up or down. (Don't worry you will get a chance to rate them back!) The best part is you will get $1.00 every single time you get someone to add the Facebook application, whether you use Facebook or not!
Promote this application in your blog or website or add a referral banner. All they have to do is add the application and you get $1.oo:
Don't wait - you could lose your chance to earn!
This promotional offer will be given to the first 10,000 downloads only. That means Chitika is giving away $10,000 in total for referral revenue on Facebook! Example: 20 referrals = $20.00. Grab your code now for your chunk of cash before someone else does and it is gone!
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Friday, 24 August 2007
Elite Launch
Xbox 360 Elite launches today! It may lack the razzle-dazzle of a true next generation console release (this is a marketing relaunch). But, is significant in so much as Microsoft can now begin aggressive price reductions, in earnest and much to Sony's chagrin, and introduce the feted Falcon - the internal codename for their updated Xbox 360 motherboard housing smaller, cooler, 65nm Xenos and Xenon chips - and improve product reliability!
The "red ring of death", as it's known to gamers, has fuelled consumer anxiety and resistance since the Xbox 360 debuted, overheating, in holiday 2005. Subsequently the console has attained the brand diluting reputation of an alleged 33% hardware failure rate. With the benefit of hindsight it appears that I was wise to cancel my pre-order!
The Elite includes a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller, and Xbox Live headset.
A welcome iterative upgrade, the Elite still falls short compared to the PS3's multimedia credentials! The form factor remains unchanged, the Falcon isn't in mass production yet, and there's no Wi-Fi or HD DVD out-of-the-box. And, perhaps a deal breaker for some, US-based gamers are already reporting that the Xbox 360 Premium console is now sporting HDMI too!
This calls into question the Xbox 360 Elite's desirability and value. However, I'll leave that vexing conundrum to you and daydream about playing Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360) on a redesigned machine using 45nm chips. Have a good weekend y'all.
The "red ring of death", as it's known to gamers, has fuelled consumer anxiety and resistance since the Xbox 360 debuted, overheating, in holiday 2005. Subsequently the console has attained the brand diluting reputation of an alleged 33% hardware failure rate. With the benefit of hindsight it appears that I was wise to cancel my pre-order!
The Elite includes a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller, and Xbox Live headset.
A welcome iterative upgrade, the Elite still falls short compared to the PS3's multimedia credentials! The form factor remains unchanged, the Falcon isn't in mass production yet, and there's no Wi-Fi or HD DVD out-of-the-box. And, perhaps a deal breaker for some, US-based gamers are already reporting that the Xbox 360 Premium console is now sporting HDMI too!
This calls into question the Xbox 360 Elite's desirability and value. However, I'll leave that vexing conundrum to you and daydream about playing Virtua Fighter 5 (Xbox 360) on a redesigned machine using 45nm chips. Have a good weekend y'all.
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Sunday, 19 August 2007
BioShock Boot Camp
BioShock (Xbox 360) is the "genetically enhanced" first person shooter that lets you do things never before possible in the genre: turn everything into a weapon, biologically mod your body with plasmids, hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques in an incredible and unique underwater city.
You are a cast-away in Rapture, an underwater Utopia torn apart by civil war. Caught between powerful forces, and hunted down by genetically modified splicers and deadly security systems, you have to come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way.
BioShock is loaded with some of the greatest, most modifiable weapons to ever blast their way into a shooter. But guns alone won't be enough to defeat the devious AIs of Rapture. There are literally hundreds of other strategies players can use to take out their enemies.
Here are just a handful of reviews for this landmark video game:
Official Xbox Magazine (UK) 100/100
"Amazingly written and beautifully constructed, it's a complete emotional rollercoaster which we can't draw any parallels with. . . You'll be playing this game for months to come, exchanging story elements to build up the bigger picture, and arguing about what it all means."
Eurogamer Review 10/10
"It takes the tired, worn-out FPS genre by the scruff of the neck, reinvents and bends it out of shape in such a breathtaking fashion that it's going to take something very special to top this in the months and years ahead."
Gameinformer 10/10
"It’s ingenious, enthralling, and a masterpiece of the most epic proportions. In terms of delivering chilling atmosphere, dynamic combat, and startling revelations, games just don’t come any better than BioShock."
Gametap 10/10
"BioShock is one of the few games that I’ve reviewed in my entire career that I feverishly want to go back through and play again."
1up 10/10
". . . . . an experience that's richly and utterly complete, and one that engages the player in a constant dialogue, BioShock is virtually unassailable."
Games Radar 10/10
"A mesmerising masterpiece of horror, the only glaring weakness we can find in BioShock is that it may be too unusual, too original, too artistic and too genius to be embraced by the general public."
GamePro 5/5
"It leaves its mark on a genre that has its fair share of memorable titles and it does it with style and panache. It is easily one of the best games of the year."
Gamespy 5/5
"An unparalleled achievement. No other game comes even remotely close to it in terms of raw emotional connection."
UGO.com A
"There's nothing which will make you ever want to stop playing; you'll simply curse under your breath and get on with killing Splicers and hunting Little Sisters."
IGN 9.7/10
"BioShock stands as a monolithic example of the convergence of entertaining gameplay and an irresistibly sinister, engrossing storyline that encompasses a host of multifaceted characters. This is an essential gaming experience."
Teamxbox 9.5/10
"It's inventive and entertaining, with a number of twists and unexpected situations that'll have you on the edge of your seat. . . It's rare to find a game that has both quality in its engineering and quality in its gameplay."
PC Gamer (UK) 9.5/10
"Succeeds so stunningly on three fronts: narrative, emergence, and a sense of place. If another game did just one of these as well as BioShock, it would immediately qualify as a classic. When a game comes along that does all three, we can only be baffled and thankful."
Xbox World 360 9.4/10
"It's a gruelling game of resource management, and as the ammunition dries up, you end up having to improvise. And more often than not, Bioshock will reward you heavily for thinking outside the box."
Such unanimous praise, from the upper echelons of the gaming press, has convinced me to pre-order BioShock (PC), thus proving the maximum that 'Boot Camp is for Games' too! The more adventurous, amongst you, may even go as far as buying an Xbox 360 Elite to play this on!
You are a cast-away in Rapture, an underwater Utopia torn apart by civil war. Caught between powerful forces, and hunted down by genetically modified splicers and deadly security systems, you have to come to grips with a deadly, mysterious world filled with powerful technology and fascinating characters. No encounter ever plays out the same, and no two gamers will play the game the same way.
BioShock is loaded with some of the greatest, most modifiable weapons to ever blast their way into a shooter. But guns alone won't be enough to defeat the devious AIs of Rapture. There are literally hundreds of other strategies players can use to take out their enemies.
Here are just a handful of reviews for this landmark video game:
Official Xbox Magazine (UK) 100/100
"Amazingly written and beautifully constructed, it's a complete emotional rollercoaster which we can't draw any parallels with. . . You'll be playing this game for months to come, exchanging story elements to build up the bigger picture, and arguing about what it all means."
Eurogamer Review 10/10
"It takes the tired, worn-out FPS genre by the scruff of the neck, reinvents and bends it out of shape in such a breathtaking fashion that it's going to take something very special to top this in the months and years ahead."
Gameinformer 10/10
"It’s ingenious, enthralling, and a masterpiece of the most epic proportions. In terms of delivering chilling atmosphere, dynamic combat, and startling revelations, games just don’t come any better than BioShock."
Gametap 10/10
"BioShock is one of the few games that I’ve reviewed in my entire career that I feverishly want to go back through and play again."
1up 10/10
". . . . . an experience that's richly and utterly complete, and one that engages the player in a constant dialogue, BioShock is virtually unassailable."
Games Radar 10/10
"A mesmerising masterpiece of horror, the only glaring weakness we can find in BioShock is that it may be too unusual, too original, too artistic and too genius to be embraced by the general public."
GamePro 5/5
"It leaves its mark on a genre that has its fair share of memorable titles and it does it with style and panache. It is easily one of the best games of the year."
Gamespy 5/5
"An unparalleled achievement. No other game comes even remotely close to it in terms of raw emotional connection."
UGO.com A
"There's nothing which will make you ever want to stop playing; you'll simply curse under your breath and get on with killing Splicers and hunting Little Sisters."
IGN 9.7/10
"BioShock stands as a monolithic example of the convergence of entertaining gameplay and an irresistibly sinister, engrossing storyline that encompasses a host of multifaceted characters. This is an essential gaming experience."
Teamxbox 9.5/10
"It's inventive and entertaining, with a number of twists and unexpected situations that'll have you on the edge of your seat. . . It's rare to find a game that has both quality in its engineering and quality in its gameplay."
PC Gamer (UK) 9.5/10
"Succeeds so stunningly on three fronts: narrative, emergence, and a sense of place. If another game did just one of these as well as BioShock, it would immediately qualify as a classic. When a game comes along that does all three, we can only be baffled and thankful."
Xbox World 360 9.4/10
"It's a gruelling game of resource management, and as the ammunition dries up, you end up having to improvise. And more often than not, Bioshock will reward you heavily for thinking outside the box."
Such unanimous praise, from the upper echelons of the gaming press, has convinced me to pre-order BioShock (PC), thus proving the maximum that 'Boot Camp is for Games' too! The more adventurous, amongst you, may even go as far as buying an Xbox 360 Elite to play this on!
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Tuesday, 14 August 2007
Wii Board
Have you downloaded Wii firmware 3.0E, via software update, yet? If not, you're missing out on the following improvements and today's fix for the Opera browser and Wii LAN Adapter stability!
Channels:
*Digital Clock added to the Wii Menu right under the channel bar
*Forecast Channel now displays the current condition directly in the Wii Menu in the Forecast Channel box
*News Channel can now show 2 scrolling headlines at a time in the Wii Menu, 3 when you click on the button
*Message Board now has the "Today's Accomplishments" message as a white message which allows it to stand out from other messages
*Address Book entries can now be shifted around using A+B but only to empty spaces.
*Calendar in Message Board no longer shows "Today's Accomplishment"
*Scrolling messages in the Message Board now uses a different sound
Wii Shop Channel
*New Welcome screen detailing 4 Recommended Titles and the points they cost. The title bar can be clicked on to bring up a list of 20 recommended games.
*Titles You've Downloaded was moved to the main shop menu
*New ways to browse
*Popular Titles
*Newest Additions remains the same
*Search for a title which can use partial names
*Search by Category
*Search by Publisher
*Search by Genre
*System shows the different systems and how many titles have been released under each
Settings
Pre-system update warning details that technically modified consoles may cease to function upon being updated. Also the only way to not accept an update is to power down the console by holding the button for 4 seconds.
The most exciting unconfirmed development, specifically for peripheral junkies, is purported support for a USB keyboard within the Wii Shop! Time to connect my Apple keyboard to Wii.
Channels:
*Digital Clock added to the Wii Menu right under the channel bar
*Forecast Channel now displays the current condition directly in the Wii Menu in the Forecast Channel box
*News Channel can now show 2 scrolling headlines at a time in the Wii Menu, 3 when you click on the button
*Message Board now has the "Today's Accomplishments" message as a white message which allows it to stand out from other messages
*Address Book entries can now be shifted around using A+B but only to empty spaces.
*Calendar in Message Board no longer shows "Today's Accomplishment"
*Scrolling messages in the Message Board now uses a different sound
Wii Shop Channel
*New Welcome screen detailing 4 Recommended Titles and the points they cost. The title bar can be clicked on to bring up a list of 20 recommended games.
*Titles You've Downloaded was moved to the main shop menu
*New ways to browse
*Popular Titles
*Newest Additions remains the same
*Search for a title which can use partial names
*Search by Category
*Search by Publisher
*Search by Genre
*System shows the different systems and how many titles have been released under each
Settings
Pre-system update warning details that technically modified consoles may cease to function upon being updated. Also the only way to not accept an update is to power down the console by holding the button for 4 seconds.
The most exciting unconfirmed development, specifically for peripheral junkies, is purported support for a USB keyboard within the Wii Shop! Time to connect my Apple keyboard to Wii.
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Monday, 13 August 2007
Pimp Daddy Destro (PDD)
In the early hours I successfully made an offer on SDCC 2007 Exclusives: Alternator Rodimus and Titanium Menasor! The eBay seller agreed to sell both limited edition Transformers, highly prized by collectors, for £39.99! That's a bargain given that Alternator Rodimus has been fetching over £50 and UK importers are charging £29.99 for Titanium Menasor!
Now I'm on the look out for the SDCC 2007 Exclusive Pimp Daddy Destro or PDD as he's known in the collecting community. Pimp Daddy Destro has been reissued as part of Hasbro's celebration to mark the 25th Anniversary of the G.I. Joe franchise.
Destro (originally known as Red Jackal - a member of The Red Shadows - in the UK) remains one of my all-time favourite action figures. Again, if readers could help me with acquiring either a gold or silver variant, I'd be most grateful. Thank you.
Now I'm on the look out for the SDCC 2007 Exclusive Pimp Daddy Destro or PDD as he's known in the collecting community. Pimp Daddy Destro has been reissued as part of Hasbro's celebration to mark the 25th Anniversary of the G.I. Joe franchise.
Destro (originally known as Red Jackal - a member of The Red Shadows - in the UK) remains one of my all-time favourite action figures. Again, if readers could help me with acquiring either a gold or silver variant, I'd be most grateful. Thank you.
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
Saturday, 11 August 2007
Requesting SDCC Exclusive Alternator Rodimus
This author needs your help!
Can someone please assist me in procuring a Transformers Alternator Rodimus, which was an exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2007 and only sold at HasbroToyShop.com?
Hasbro has sold its entire online consignment and eBay prices are, invariably, too high!
Any tips, suggestions and assists regarding acquiring an Alternator Rodimus, leave a comment.
Thank you in advance.
Can someone please assist me in procuring a Transformers Alternator Rodimus, which was an exclusive at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) 2007 and only sold at HasbroToyShop.com?
Hasbro has sold its entire online consignment and eBay prices are, invariably, too high!
Any tips, suggestions and assists regarding acquiring an Alternator Rodimus, leave a comment.
Thank you in advance.
Through the good times and bad, Star Wars is the defining film in my life. Thank you, George Lucas!
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