Blog about Gaming, Computers and Technology

Generally, when we think of good aerobic activity, the kind that experts agree leads to a healthier lifestyle, we don’t think of video games. However, with the recent release of the Wii Fit (for the, ahem- Wii), everything we know may be wrong.

First of all, let me make it clear that you wont ever (EVER) get as good of a workout from a video game as you would in a gym with motivated people all around you. That’s not to say that the Wii Fit isn’t a good idea, it’s just not designed to give you a great workout. The Wii Fit is designed to sell, and to do that, it needs to be fun. The game (yes, it’s a game) is certainly fun on many levels, getting 80% reviews on average from gamerankings.com.

The problem I see with the Wii Fit is that it is trying to combine two things into one that really shouldn’t be mixed, in my opinion. It is trying to combine video games, a typically un-aerobic activity that is certainly fun, with exercise, a healthy activity that isn’t generally fun.

Right when it was released, I was thinking that the video game reviewers would bash it as being cheesy and not fun at all. I also thought health experts would criticize it as being a terrible workout, and really a cop-out.

Man, was I ever wrong. Game reviewers generally liked the Wii Fit, and health experts, while not recommending it as an awesome workout, definitely accepted it as a decent attempt.

The point I am really trying to make here is that if you play video games a lot, and are thinking of starting to exercise, don’t get the Wii Fit. You will find yourself ‘cheating’ a lot at the games, and you won’t get more than a halfway-decent workout. You would be much more successful if you strapped on some running shoes and went for a jog. No, I know its not going to be fun, that’s my point! At the same time, people who exercise a lot and have never played a video game, skip the Wii Fit. You will definitely have a bad opinion of video games if the Wii Fit is the first one you play.

You dont just play Wii, you experience it!

Since its launch in 2006, the Wii has quickly revolutionized the console gaming market. Not only have its motion sensitive controls grabbed the excitement of avid gamers, but Wii has truly been the first console to say Games are for the whole family.

To truly understand how Wii revolutionizes gaming, you have to try it for yourself. Quite simply, Wii is for everyone. The ease of use and interactivity of the Wii remote and Nunchuck allows for a unique social gaming experience for the whole family. You dont just play Wii, you experience it!

The Nintendo Wii utilises a unique control system for unparalleled interaction with a wide range of innovative games. The ergonomic Wii remote uses a three-axis motion sensor to detect physical movement and translate them into control commands. Why press a button when you can make the action yourself; the Wii remote becomes  your table tennis paddle, golf club, steering wheel, drumstick and sword, letting you control your gaming experience as if you are really participating in the event itself. A range of optional add-ons for the Wii controller such as gun, tennis racket and baseball bat attachments add even more realism to this interactive experience.

Combine the Wii remote with the innovative Nunchuk control to take this interaction even further; gain two-handed control, wield both sword and shield in adventure games and get an even more immersive experience out of sporting games.

Wii Connect 24

With WiiConnect24 you can use the Ninetendo Wii for more than just paying games. WiiConnect24 keeps you connected to the internet even when the power is off, downloading new content and delivering unique new experiences everyday. The Wii Message Board utilises WiiConnect24 to help you keep in touch with friends, relatives and other Wii users the world over; you can even receive messages from the games you are playing, adding a new depth to the interactive experience provided by the Wii.

Entertainment & Media

Wii Channels is a content menu, divided into Channels, that uses WiiConnect24 to extend the interactive capabilities of the Nintendo Wii. Keep up to date with the latest news and weather forecasts with news and weather channels, create a photo channel with personalised images to share with family and friends, stay in touch with the Wii Message Board Channel and settle disputes with the Everybody Votes Channel. A Wii Shop Channel gives you access to games for the Virtual Console feature (see below), software updates and additional Wii channels.

A Virtual Console feature provides downloadable access to classic favourites from the NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, Sega Mega Drive, NEOGEO and TurboGrafx games consoles. A Classic Controller is available to provide the ultimate in nostalgic gaming experiences (sold separately).

Wii Connectivity

The Nintendo Wii can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi connectivity (IEEE 802.11b/g) or an optional Ethernet LAN adaptor. Two USB 2.0 ports provide connections for a range of peripheral accessories and compatible devices.

Bluetooth technology allows up to four Wii remotes to be connected wirelessly. Wireless communication is also possible between the Nintendo Wii and the Nintendo DS hand-held system.

Wii Accessories

A host of creative accessories help to further enhance the unique levels of interaction provided by the Nintendo Wii. The Wii Zapper combines the Wii remote and Nunchuk controllers in a single housing to add unrivalled depth to first person combat games while the Wii Wheel and Wii Balance Board put you right in the thick of racing and sports games.

The Wii LAN Adapter attaches to the Wii via USB to provide internet access for any Wii users that do not have a wireless internet connection.

Other Wii Features

The Nintendo Wii features 512 MB of internal flash memory that can be expanded via a SD memory card bay. Nintendo Wi-Fi provides a fast, free and safe way to play games online with other Wii users. All you need is an existing internet connection.

The Nintendo Wii is backwards compatible with Nintendo GameCube media, allowing you to play your old favourites on your new system. It provides connections for up to four GameCube controllers and two GameCube memory cards.

A study conducted in the U.K. found that primary school children improve their math scores and concentration levels by playing online educational games, according to an article released in the BBC last month. Thirty primary school children between the ages of nine and ten, played a game called “Dr. Kawashima’s More Brain Training” game every morning for about 15 minutes before their lessons started. The game consists of several mini-games including reading tests, number challenges, memory puzzles and problem-solving exercises. At the end of the study, the children were tested in math and the results compared to a control group. Children who had played the games increased their test scores by more points than those who did not play, even though the test scores for both groups increased.

So what does this mean? With educational games popping up by various manufacturers all over the world, a trend is emerging. Combining a child’s “play” time with education, seems to have positive results. Making learning fun-as in part of a game-increases a child’s desire to learn. The repetition of playing is more enjoyable than simply working math problems over and over and the concentration needed, as well as the child’s own competitive desire to beat the game, adds to the beneficial outcome.

So is it time to buy a computer for your kid? Possibly.

Setting up a computer desk and computer in your child’s room or play room may help. Give your child his/her own space with a computer desk at the proper height for comfort. We found fully customizable computer desks at excellent prices on Versatables’ website.

A computer just for your child can also be the way to go. Giving him/her his own computer allows you, as a parent, to lock off inappropriate features like internet websites and pop-ups, and download fun games and colorful desktops and screen savers.

Customize your child’s computer work area with fun mouse pads or a mouse (Target sells a Hello Kitty mouse for under $10). Versatables’ computer desks can also be customized with shelves, speaker platforms, and locking CPU holders and cable management systems that provide a safer environment for children.

Stickers can be used to decorate the outside of the monitor and the keyboard, or use the computer and desk to create a themed room. For example, an aquatic themed room would look great with a fishbowl screensaver, or a princess-themed room could have a photo slide show of Disney’s princess characters.

When picking computer games, be sure to do your research. Many have been tested and are endorsed by schools and learning centers. Keep in mind, anyone can put out educational software, and just because it says it’s educational, doesn’t mean your child will learn from it. Choose games that are age-appropriate and that your child enjoys playing. Give your child time to play before studying, as increased blood flow to the frontal cortex (which happens during game play) can increase memory and concentration for hours afterward, making them ripe for learning.

While much of what you hear about computers and kids is negative press, keep in mind that computers allow us to do much more than we could without them and with proper parental control, they can be key in giving your child the educational edge.

Most of the complaints leveled at online game rental companies fall under three general headings.

Top choices not sent, instead games from lower down the user rental queue are sent instead meaning if you want the latest releases, you still need to head off down to the video store.
Long delays between sending back a rental and receiving the next one in your list.
Poor customer service and support levels.
After free trial customer still charges

Let’s look at each in turn…

Top choices not sent
This is pretty much standard across the board and is really no different to taking a trip down to your local video store only to find the game is already rented. Online rental companies have thousands of customers and many more copies of each game than your local video store but still, there are going to be delays. Now, you can minimise the delay by pre-reserving the titles you are interested in before they go on release or you can exercise a little patience. Bigger companies like Netflix & Blockbuster tend to carry more copies of each title so you’ll get to rent newer games, faster but you pay a little more for the priviledge. Cheaper rental services typically carry less copies and you’ll wait longer. Simple as that.

Every company recommends you build a lengthy wishlist and keep it that way. This ensures they always have something to send you. if you put five choices on your list and they are all rented out already then you’ll not receive any games…same as going to the video store and finding your top five choices are rented. If waiting isn’t your thing, build a bigger list.

Long Turn-Around Times
In the United States, the location of distribution centers is an important aspect when chosing a rental company. Choose Online Rental websites with multiple distribution centers.

Poor Customer Service
Research before you get involved with a company (read our reviews on freedvdtrials.com). In the case of online rental websites we have done the research for you but these are just our opinions and experiences and you should still read around the net for further information.

Cancel Free Trial
A few days before the free trial ends make sure to return the DVDs and then close your account. Closing you account is a piece of cake and usually involves putting a tick in a box in the account details section of the website or email the company. Just to be on the safe side ask them to send you a confirmation. Your account will then be closed and your credit card will not be charged.

Go to Online Game Rental UK
Go to Online Game Rental USA

I don’t see why anyone would buy this one over the PS3 HDMI 120gb. The price difference is around £40, which is the cost of a 250 GB hard drive. Therefore you could buy a PS3 HDMI 120gb and a 250GB hard drive and have spent the same amount of money as buying a PS3 HDMI 250GB, but you have an additional 120GB hard drive. there’s no other difference in the two versions of the PS3 HDMI. Other then that, this bit of kit is just as good as the PS3 HDMI 120GB. I’ve has a PS3 HDMI 80GB and believe me, it’s worth getting rid of for one of the slim versions. The slim version may not have the shinny finish (which gets scratched up very easily) or the extra USB slots, card readers and PS2 capabilities, which the 60GB version has, but it is quieter, drinks less electric and spews out less heat and the main thing is that it is smaller and lighter.

PS3 HDMI – Great Configuration, Great Console

A lot of people have written about the pros and cons of the PS3 HDMI vs. XBOX 360 vs. Wii. I’m not bothering with that, and assume you can find that information at elsewhere. I’m also assuming you can read all about why the PS3 HDMI would or would not fit your needs. Instead, I’d like this review to explain what exactly this configuration is (there’s a lot of confusion about that,) and why I think it hits the sweet spot. Basically, there are currently 2 versions of the PS3 HDMI on the market now. Ignoring the size of the drive for a second (because you can always swap the drive anyway, and it has no real bearing on the rest of the specs) think of them as Version A (currently available – or not as the case may be – in the PS3 HDMI 80 GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Pack) and Version B (this one.) The first thing that you need to understand is that there are three relevant differences between these two versions besides the included bundle and the price (the MGS one is $499 from amazon, more from third parties.) Difference #1: Version A (MGS pack) is backward compatible with PS2 games while this one is NOT (they are both backward compatible with PS1 games however.) Difference #2: Version A has 4 USB ports as well as memory card slots, while this version has only 2 USB ports and NO memory card slots. Difference #3: AND THIS FOR ME IS BIG: Version A has the older and larger 90nm Cell processor, while this one has the smaller (and some say more reliable) 65nm Cell processor. Power consumption on this unit is lower as well, dropping from 200 Watts to 135 watts. The end result is a machine that runs cooler and, according to all reports as well as my personal experience, much quieter. An extremely relevant factor if you watch movies with it. For those that have been looking for a while, this is basically the 40GB machine that was offered recently, with a larger hard drive and an upgraded controller – they replaced the basic sixaxis controller with the Dualshock 3 controller (which means it has rumble.) Now Version A is packaged with Metal Gear Solid. It has an 80GB drive like this one, and the same controller. The big differences are listed above. Until this configuration was released, the larger hard drive and Dualshock controller were 2 of the 4 reasons many people felt the MGS pack was worth the additional $100. Those two factors are now eliminated. The remaining differences are the backward compatibility with PS2 games and the MGS game itself, which can of course be bought separately. So to sum it up, if you NEED PS2 compatibility, you might want to grab the MGS pack if you can get one – that or keep your old PS2. For new buyers though, and for all of the people that are going to just play PS3 games, as well as avid movie watchers, this particular configuration is fantastic. You get the big drive, the good controller, PLUS the cooler running chip, a quieter machine and a system that uses about 33% less power. And ok – just to satisfy the basic requirements of a review, I’ll list some other nice stuff: It includes a Blu-ray DVD player (one of those runs almost as much as, or more than, this entire box), the online play is FREE, wireless connectivity is built in (you don’t have to buy an additional piece as with some others), reliability has been quite good (much better than some others), there are some great PS3 HDMI -only titles, and you can stream media to it from your PC. There’s more, but there are plenty of people outlining it. As always, do your research and see what’s best for you. Maybe the 360-only titles are must haves for you, or maybe your family fits a Wii. We have a Wii and I love it. But I also love my PS3, and in my opinion this configuration is the one to get (this month anyway.)

More Detail…

When starting the DVD/video game rental business the right choice of software is the key to your success. It is important to know whether your rental system is powerful and efficient enough before proceeding to serious investments.

So what are the must have’s for the online video game/DVD rental system? Here is a simple checklist:

These are more important things to consider before starting your online rental business. However there are other special treats that a rental software development company may offer you such as online + offline rental solution, free life-time technical support, rather cheap hosting specially configured for the rental system, complete exclusive web site and business logo design, branding, SEO and translation services. So make sure you choose the best rental system developer and enjoy your business!

I have been gaming since the original atari came out and have owned almost every console out since nes,64,ps1 and the ps2. I never owned the xbox since the ps2 was so good (my personal experience). I took the plunge and tried the 360 when it came out since the PS3 Consoles was being delayed. Well I recently purchased a ps3 and was unfortunately disappointed that I ended up returning it. My first issue being that I was a early adopter of the HDTV movement since I have had my HDTV for about 6 years now.

But the problem lies with the fact that back then hdmi was a pipe dream. Well up to this point every hdtv product I have purchased would output at 1080i over component except for the PS3 Consoles. If I play a game that is 720p which is not compatible with my tv it down resolutions the picture quality to 480p which is what my ps2 already outputs. Now my 360 does the opposite it upconverts the 720p games to 1080i which is compatible with my tv. I loved the look of the PS3 Consoles unit its self and the fact that it plays bluerays but it again down rez’s the picture to 480p because it’s over component.

This seems to get over looked in alot of reviews and since it is a big neagative for me there may be others that need to know this information as well. I hear people say, oh buy a new tv and I personally think it not a smart investment to replace a 64 inch tv that has a great picture, still better than most the new sets for a gaming console. I have to admit that I am more of a 360 lover at this point which is sad because I loved my ps2 so much. I have to admit that after using the 360 GUI agianst the PS3 Consoles GUI, I prefer the 360.

I don’t like that xbox live is not free like the PS3 Consoles online but I don’t do alot of online gaming anyway so I wait to find the xbox live 13 month cards for $29. Maybe someday sony will make this work better or my tv will die and I will have a good reason to replace it, I might try the PS3 Consoles again but right now for my situation it is not the best console and if u don’t have a hdmi connection u may have the same issues.

PS3 Consoles

I have owned the PS3 Consoles for about a year now along with the Wii and Xbox360 and consider it a very good purchase. I originaly bought it for Blu-Ray and also purchased a Samsung 40″ 1080p LCD for the PS3 Consoles. I have noticed since watching alot of Bu-Ray movies over the last 4 months that majority of the movies I watch look more like upscale DVD’s. I also noticed from certian production companys like Disney for example tend to make good Blu-Ray movies.Also from news I have heard from multiple sites is that Blu-Ray is expected to last till 2012. For the gaming aspect everything is great.

The Online gaming capibilities tend to get better as time goes on. The controller’s battery life does not last that long. Also I thought I would note this down, my boss at work also has the 80g PS3 Consoles and has had issues such as frezzing and not recongizing discs to where he was not able to play games. He had to send it in twice and had a horrible time with customer service. I had my PS3 Consoles freeze once but it has been good to me since. I still consider the PS3 Consoles a good buy.