New games show real court sense
College Hoops and March Madness have authentic feel to them
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
EA Sports 'NCAA '08 March Madness'With college basketball in full swing (and with the big Duke-North Carolina game coming up Feb. 6), I've been playing a lot of NCAA hoops video games.
Last month, I tested 2K Sports' College Hoops 2K8 and rated it an A. As I played EA Sports' NCAA '08 March Madness over the holidays and the past few weeks, it was hard to not compare the two.
Both games really get the look and sound of college ball.
In NCAA '08's case, the arenas, player models and uniforms have been re-drawn to look more realistic. EA Sports also utilizes the best announcer in college basketball, Dick Vitale; the commentary from Vitale, play-by-play man Brad Nessler and sideline reporter Erin Andrews lend credibility to the proceedings.
NCAA '08 has emphasized the big men this year with something called "Dynamic Post Control," giving players more control over post play. The big men have more tons of moves, although there are too many guys who come off like the second coming of Kevin McHale. I'd like to see average players have abilities more commensurate with their real-life counterparts.
But that's a small quibble.
The game has more than 70 classic teams, like the 1982, 1993 and 2005 Tar Heels teams, the '92 and '94 Duke teams, and even the N.C. State squad from 1983. You can pair them up and go at it.
I also liked having custom playbooks in NCAA '08 for every team, plus a new "Lockdown Stick" feature that allows you to play tough defense. But again, this could be more realistic, as I found some benchwarmers able to lock down other team's No. 1 options.
In NCAA, you'll notice players reacting differently to crowds at home and on the road. Your stud freshman might get 15 points per game at home but struggle in a tight road game. All this adds to the realism.
There's also a new feature called "Impact Moment," where you can direct your player to interact with his team, the other team, the crowd or the cheerleaders. You can use it only when your team's intensity meter is full. It can change the direction of the game -- for good and bad.
A deeper dynasty mode allows you to take over a team and run it from top to bottom over many years. That extends this game's shelf life immeasurably. You can also take control of simulated games at any point, play the high school McDonald's All-America game, or play in an online league with up to 32 players.
In the end, picking between 2K8 and NCAA '08 is a tough call. I think player movement is a little smoother in 2K8, while graphics and details are a little better in the EA Sports version. I rate them both an A and suggest you rent them first or try them in the stores before making a decision.
I don't think you'll go wrong either way.
Watch `Madden' on Gameplay
• DISH Network subscribers can watch the 2007 EA Sports Madden Challenge on Gameplay HD, a full-time gaming channel, beginning Feb. 2.
The 1 p.m. broadcast will introduce contestants; subsequent episodes will also air 1 p.m. Saturdays.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Technology makes golf easier for beginners
Golf gains thousands of new players each year.
But it loses just as many. The reason is simple: the game is hard. And frustrating.
Good news for newbies. Golf technology is on the way to make the game easier. Cobra Golf's new LV4 driver uses an extra large clubface to inspire confidence and technology is built into the clubface so golfers get good distance no matter what part of that face they hit the ball with.
Very few high handicappers hit a driver -- or any club -- in the center, where most have been designed to play best from. The result is low shots, shots that fly far right of the target, or shots that simply hit the ground quickly and roll to a stop about 30 yards in front of you.
Callaway Golf and TaylorMade have new drivers out where golfers can actually remove the shafts with what amounts to a screwdriver. This allows the golfer to use a really soft shaft to help hit the ball high or a stiffer one to keep it low, or something in between.
The beginning golfer could swap shafts out as he gets better, using an extra light, extra soft stick to hit it out there a little bit, and tailor it to his game as he (hopefully gets lessons) and improves.
Ball technology is also improving. TaylorMade's new line helps encourage off-center hits to fly further. Titleist has a line of balls designed to roll more and another in the same family designed to fly higher.
You can read more about golf equipment in my golf gear column by clicking here.
You can read the latest installment here.
But it loses just as many. The reason is simple: the game is hard. And frustrating.
Good news for newbies. Golf technology is on the way to make the game easier. Cobra Golf's new LV4 driver uses an extra large clubface to inspire confidence and technology is built into the clubface so golfers get good distance no matter what part of that face they hit the ball with.
Very few high handicappers hit a driver -- or any club -- in the center, where most have been designed to play best from. The result is low shots, shots that fly far right of the target, or shots that simply hit the ground quickly and roll to a stop about 30 yards in front of you.
Callaway Golf and TaylorMade have new drivers out where golfers can actually remove the shafts with what amounts to a screwdriver. This allows the golfer to use a really soft shaft to help hit the ball high or a stiffer one to keep it low, or something in between.
The beginning golfer could swap shafts out as he gets better, using an extra light, extra soft stick to hit it out there a little bit, and tailor it to his game as he (hopefully gets lessons) and improves.
Ball technology is also improving. TaylorMade's new line helps encourage off-center hits to fly further. Titleist has a line of balls designed to roll more and another in the same family designed to fly higher.
You can read more about golf equipment in my golf gear column by clicking here.
You can read the latest installment here.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Soulja boy not as fun and wholesome as you think
If you're a parent of young kids, like me, chances are your kids have come home singing the catchy "Crank That" song by 17-year-old Atlanta rapper Soulja Boy, who is scheduled to be in town this weekend. Soulja Boy self-published "Crank That," which later ended up at No. 1 on Billboard's Top 100 charts.
Soulja Boy's got a dance that goes with the song that entire teams and cheerleaders are doing on college and high school sidelines.
I guess I'm getting older because I couldn't figure out what Soulja Boy was saying in the song. I kept thinking it was "Soulja Boy ol'-N-E-oh" or something. At least that's what I heard my kids saying.
So when I checked out the lyrics I was surprised that "Crank That" was really a song about Soulja being sexually frustrated with a date. Keeping it as clean as possible, he talks about doing something called "Superman," which is basically performing a retaliatory solo sexual act on the date while she is sleeping.
And the nonsensical lyrics I thought I heard are repeated bluntly over and over again throughout the song. The version of this song too dirty to play on radio is even worse.
I get that rappers rap about what's going on in their lives and 'hoods. That's fine. I get that sex is part of life, but the way Soulja is being promoted as a wholesome figure with a fun dance -- particularly how young kids are picking it up -- bothers me.
I'm going to put the brakes on my kids singing and listening to Soulja Boy. Just thought you all might want to know what your kids are really singing about.
Soulja Boy's got a dance that goes with the song that entire teams and cheerleaders are doing on college and high school sidelines.
I guess I'm getting older because I couldn't figure out what Soulja Boy was saying in the song. I kept thinking it was "Soulja Boy ol'-N-E-oh" or something. At least that's what I heard my kids saying.
So when I checked out the lyrics I was surprised that "Crank That" was really a song about Soulja being sexually frustrated with a date. Keeping it as clean as possible, he talks about doing something called "Superman," which is basically performing a retaliatory solo sexual act on the date while she is sleeping.
And the nonsensical lyrics I thought I heard are repeated bluntly over and over again throughout the song. The version of this song too dirty to play on radio is even worse.
I get that rappers rap about what's going on in their lives and 'hoods. That's fine. I get that sex is part of life, but the way Soulja is being promoted as a wholesome figure with a fun dance -- particularly how young kids are picking it up -- bothers me.
I'm going to put the brakes on my kids singing and listening to Soulja Boy. Just thought you all might want to know what your kids are really singing about.
"Circuit-based" contact lens = superhuman vision?
Engineers at the University of Washington have created a flexible, biologically safe contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights.
They showed off their latest invention at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' international conference in Livermore, Calif.
How could it change your life? Imagine tossing your flat screen and looking at truly hi-def TV in your eyes or playing a videogame that way. You could surf the internet, without a laptop, virtually anywhere.
The prototype device contains an electric circuit as well as red light-emitting diodes for a display, though it does not yet light up. The researchers tested the lenses on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no adverse effects.
The prototype does not correct the wearer's vision, but the technique could be used on a corrective lens, and all the gadgetry won't obstruct a person's view.
And researchers say a basic version of this technology could be ready fairly quickly.
They showed off their latest invention at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' international conference in Livermore, Calif.
How could it change your life? Imagine tossing your flat screen and looking at truly hi-def TV in your eyes or playing a videogame that way. You could surf the internet, without a laptop, virtually anywhere.
The prototype device contains an electric circuit as well as red light-emitting diodes for a display, though it does not yet light up. The researchers tested the lenses on rabbits for up to 20 minutes and the animals showed no adverse effects.
The prototype does not correct the wearer's vision, but the technique could be used on a corrective lens, and all the gadgetry won't obstruct a person's view.
And researchers say a basic version of this technology could be ready fairly quickly.
Monday, January 14, 2008
New Honda Pilot full of techno-gadgets
For years, Honda's Pilot SUV has been a staple of Americana. It has earned Car and Driver Magazine's prestigious "5 Best Truck" award six straight years, from 2002-07. It's big, with room for eight and wasn't too terrible on gas. Monday, Honda unveiled a prototype for the newly redesigned Pilot that debuts late this spring at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
The prototype is boxier than the old Pilot and brings to mind several U.S. SUVs. Honda claims the new version has more interior room and some gas-saving gadgetry.
Honda claims a 6-foot man can comfortably park himself in the third room thanks to a redesigned platform. All 2009 Pilots will feature Honda-exclusive Advanced Compatibility Engineering (ACE) body structure and the most extensive use of high-strength steel in any Honda product to date.
The ACE body structure enhances frontal collision compatibility with vehicles of different sizes and bumper heights. A pedestrian injury mitigation design in the front of the vehicle is designed to help absorb energy in the event of a collision.
The Pilot's V^ entine will operate in a six-cylinder mode for power and four and three-cylinder modes during cruising to improve gas efficiency.
The interior is very futuristic with XM radio and iPod ports, satellite based navigation and Honda has also moved the gearshift to sit next to the radio controls on the dash, away from the steering wheel.
50 Cent, Mary J Blige in steroid controversy & Michael Jackson's new single
Came back to work today with my inbox full of emails.
Seems the New York Times released a story today saying that several prominent celebrities, including singer Mary J. Blige, rapper 50 Cent and movie producer Tyler Perry are among thousands of people whose names are turning up in an investigation into obtaining steroids or human growth hormones, an Albany newspaper reported on Sunday.
The Times said the Albany Times Union broke the story while reporting on an investigation conducted by the Albany County district attorney, P. David Soares.
A Blige spokesperson told the Times that Blige has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids or any anti-aging steroids. HGH is sometimes used as an anti-aging drug. I'd hold off on making any judgments here, guys. Let's let this play out.....
Also making the rounds is a new single by Michael Jackson called "Don't You Walk Away." It's a slow club-burner with a nice midtempo beat. I think Jackson will have a hit with this one. It was distributed to several club DJs in the last few weeks. A reader sent me a link to a download of the song. No idea when it might be released.
Seems the New York Times released a story today saying that several prominent celebrities, including singer Mary J. Blige, rapper 50 Cent and movie producer Tyler Perry are among thousands of people whose names are turning up in an investigation into obtaining steroids or human growth hormones, an Albany newspaper reported on Sunday.
The Times said the Albany Times Union broke the story while reporting on an investigation conducted by the Albany County district attorney, P. David Soares.
A Blige spokesperson told the Times that Blige has never taken any performance-enhancing illegal steroids or any anti-aging steroids. HGH is sometimes used as an anti-aging drug. I'd hold off on making any judgments here, guys. Let's let this play out.....
Also making the rounds is a new single by Michael Jackson called "Don't You Walk Away." It's a slow club-burner with a nice midtempo beat. I think Jackson will have a hit with this one. It was distributed to several club DJs in the last few weeks. A reader sent me a link to a download of the song. No idea when it might be released.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Blu-Ray vs. HD-DVD...does it even matter?
There's a big battle going on between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD to see which format consumers will use to view HDTV movies in the future.
Blu-Ray now has more than twice as many major studios behind it and has a clear advantage. Sony, which lost VHS vs Beta in the '80s, looks like it is going to win a rematch.
Blu-Ray is Sony's baby.
But does it really matter which one wins?
In a recent USA Today interview, Microsoft head man Billy Gates believes that direct downloads over broadband are the future. His company's Xbox Live recently signed an agreement with ABC to allow customers to download ABC programming one day after it airs.
Netflix has plans to create a set-top box to allow customers to download movies over the internet instead of renting them in a store or via mail.
New Flash technology now emerging will allow people to store these HDTV films on a tiny high capacity hard drive, like the thumb drives some people wear around their necks now like necklaces. Some of the newer TV sets are already being made with USB ports in them.
You could, I'd imagine one day, download "Rambo 27" off the internet in high def onto your flash drive, walk over to the TV, plug in the drive and go. And, of course, these drives being smaller than HD-DVDs or Blu-Ray discs -- and with the ability, potentially, to house multiple movies on one drive -- could kill whichever disc format ultimately wins.
Gates seems to see it that way. He told USA Today he believes direct download over broadband, "over time will be the dominant way that people get their movies."
Blu-Ray now has more than twice as many major studios behind it and has a clear advantage. Sony, which lost VHS vs Beta in the '80s, looks like it is going to win a rematch.
Blu-Ray is Sony's baby.
But does it really matter which one wins?
In a recent USA Today interview, Microsoft head man Billy Gates believes that direct downloads over broadband are the future. His company's Xbox Live recently signed an agreement with ABC to allow customers to download ABC programming one day after it airs.
Netflix has plans to create a set-top box to allow customers to download movies over the internet instead of renting them in a store or via mail.
New Flash technology now emerging will allow people to store these HDTV films on a tiny high capacity hard drive, like the thumb drives some people wear around their necks now like necklaces. Some of the newer TV sets are already being made with USB ports in them.
You could, I'd imagine one day, download "Rambo 27" off the internet in high def onto your flash drive, walk over to the TV, plug in the drive and go. And, of course, these drives being smaller than HD-DVDs or Blu-Ray discs -- and with the ability, potentially, to house multiple movies on one drive -- could kill whichever disc format ultimately wins.
Gates seems to see it that way. He told USA Today he believes direct download over broadband, "over time will be the dominant way that people get their movies."
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Positive "Feedback" should zoom Jackson back up the charts
Earlier today, I posted a little commentary and two videos of Britney Spears latest song.
Apparently a lot of you out there are music fans. I've gotten tons of requests to post Janet Jackson's new music video, "Feedback," from her upcoming "Discipline" CD. The song has received critical acclaim and the video I'm sure will receive that as well. I haven't seen anything like it, and there's a little tribute to her brothers' pyrotechnical "Victory Tour" in there.
The video has Janet dancing in space and on planets. Gotta admit it's kind of catchy.
The video looks expensive and is different than anything in current rotation on VH-1, BET or MTV, and I'd say the single is one of the better songs to come out in the past 12 months. Janet's music, of course, hasn't been much of an issue, since she got away from her "Dream Street" sound of the early '80s and released "Control."
Each of her albums after that then have been solid.
Since the infamous Super Bowl incident, Janet has struggled to get heard the same way she used to. Whether or not "Feedback" will get her into rotation on MTV or heavy play on major radio airwaves is still a question.
The quality of this single and the wonderment of this video -- which got the internet abuzz the way Michael Jackson videos that postponed prime-time programming got folks talking in the late '80s -- is certainly not.
So here you go:
Britney's new video sad commentary on her life
Britney Spears' new video was originally controversial because some people believe her figure was digitally altered to look slimmer.
Britney's body is fine. It was fine at MTV's Music Awards. Too many of these starlets (see: Alba, Jessica) are told they need to be extra-thin and then begin to look too much like pre-preggo Nicole Richie instead of more like a healthy full-figured Britney.
Her new video, Piece Of Me, though ultimately is a sad commentary on her life. In it, she talks about how everybody wants a piece of her, and it's been that way since she became the it girl at 17.
Here's hoping Britney gets a break and gets her life back together.
Here is the official video:
Here is the remix video:
Britney's body is fine. It was fine at MTV's Music Awards. Too many of these starlets (see: Alba, Jessica) are told they need to be extra-thin and then begin to look too much like pre-preggo Nicole Richie instead of more like a healthy full-figured Britney.
Her new video, Piece Of Me, though ultimately is a sad commentary on her life. In it, she talks about how everybody wants a piece of her, and it's been that way since she became the it girl at 17.
Here's hoping Britney gets a break and gets her life back together.
Here is the official video:
Here is the remix video:
Monday, January 07, 2008
Next up: "Desperate Housewives" on Xbox Live
Coming to an XBox 360 near you, "Desperate Housewives" downloads.
At the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft head man Billy Gates and Microsoft President of the Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach announced partnerships with Disney-ABC Television Group, NBC Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
As part of that agreement, Xbox Live subscribers will be able to download hit ABC programming like "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" directly to their Xbox 360 in high definition.
That service should be available later this month. It is essentially like a video-on-demand service from cable TV, and I'd expect Gates to try to continue this digital download push with other networks. It's a wise move that will help set up Xbox 360 as the center of the home entertainment network and gives it a boost over competition from Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3.
ABC content from ABC Family, ABC News, Disney Channel and Toon Disney will also be available. In all, more than 500 hours of content, in standard definition and high definition, will be available at launch. Viewers can download episodes the day after they air on TV.
-- Under the agreement with MGM, Xbox 360 will offer MGM’s movie library on demand, including “Rocky,” “Terminator,” “Legally Blonde,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Barbershop.” United Artists, an MGM sister company, will also make select films available on demand.
At the 2008 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Microsoft head man Billy Gates and Microsoft President of the Entertainment & Devices Division Robbie Bach announced partnerships with Disney-ABC Television Group, NBC Universal and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.
As part of that agreement, Xbox Live subscribers will be able to download hit ABC programming like "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" directly to their Xbox 360 in high definition.
That service should be available later this month. It is essentially like a video-on-demand service from cable TV, and I'd expect Gates to try to continue this digital download push with other networks. It's a wise move that will help set up Xbox 360 as the center of the home entertainment network and gives it a boost over competition from Nintendo's Wii and Sony's PlayStation 3.
ABC content from ABC Family, ABC News, Disney Channel and Toon Disney will also be available. In all, more than 500 hours of content, in standard definition and high definition, will be available at launch. Viewers can download episodes the day after they air on TV.
-- Under the agreement with MGM, Xbox 360 will offer MGM’s movie library on demand, including “Rocky,” “Terminator,” “Legally Blonde,” “Silence of the Lambs” and “Barbershop.” United Artists, an MGM sister company, will also make select films available on demand.
New driving games heat up virtual track
Few video games can provide the pure thrill of road racing.
THQ's "MX vs. ATV" (available for most gaming systems) pretty much succeeds.
About my only complaint was the sound of the thing -- the engines were too car-like.
This was my first go-round with this series, which has won acclaim for its "Rhythm Racing" physics engine. I can say it's smart.
When you're trying to jump over things, you can't take a heavy vehicle over an area only a small motorbike would cross.
Driving and turning, the little things, seemed real. The vehicles seemed very real.
I didn't get the feeling that I get from many racing games, after about five minutes, that I'm moving an object across a screen from the right to the left and back again. I was engaged with this one, which allows you to take real-life riders from the MX and ATV circuits and go head-to-head.
The terrain looks good and the tricks you can pull off are pretty fun, too, but for me, this game came down to the racing and the driving.
Grade: B; rated E for everyone.
Review: Indianapolis 500 Legends
I put this one into the Wii and instantly I was thrown back to the '60s, one of the most revolutionary Indy 500 eras ever.You play as one of 15 famous drivers. The cars made me nostalgic; there are 34 to choose from. Tom Carnegie, who has called the Indy 500 for 61 years, handles play-by-play.
The attention to detail was dramatic, as was the racing itself. You get 33 cars on the track at one time. I got to race as old favorite A.J. Foyt in a 500-lap race. You can even pick which year you want to race in, from 1961 to 1971. You can choose "mission mode" and race in real-life situations that came up in past Indy 500s.
This is one of the best in this genre of the past two years.
Grade: A; rated E for everyone.
Review: Game Show
A cool online sports trivia game that I've enjoyed watching as much as playing. It's easy to join in. Sign up at eagameshow.com and find out when the next game goes live.
You create a logo for yourself and play and unlock tokens to access equipment to create more personalized logos. (It's cooler to do than read about.)
There are leader boards where you can see how well you're doing against players nationally and regionally, answering the sports trivia questions. There are also raffles where you can use your tokens to win prizes.
Grade: B.
Review: Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
I think the PSP is the best handheld game mainly because it comes the closest to re-creating the console and TV experience in the family living room.That allows you to play a complex fight game like this and not be left with crude action or crude graphics.
You're part of Capital City's special police force, the Pursuit Force, and you're trying to rid your city of crime, mainly five notorious gangs, including three new ones.
These gang bangers will have you chasing them over land, air and sea in 50 criminal cases covering seven district environments. I counted 12 vehicles to use. Sony claims 20 hours of game play. I wouldn't doubt it.
It'll take you awhile, even with 30 weapons, to clean up your city. Each gang has its own stronghold and one of them is a rogue police group.
Grade: B; rated T for teen.
THQ's "MX vs. ATV" (available for most gaming systems) pretty much succeeds.
About my only complaint was the sound of the thing -- the engines were too car-like.
This was my first go-round with this series, which has won acclaim for its "Rhythm Racing" physics engine. I can say it's smart.
When you're trying to jump over things, you can't take a heavy vehicle over an area only a small motorbike would cross.
Driving and turning, the little things, seemed real. The vehicles seemed very real.
I didn't get the feeling that I get from many racing games, after about five minutes, that I'm moving an object across a screen from the right to the left and back again. I was engaged with this one, which allows you to take real-life riders from the MX and ATV circuits and go head-to-head.
The terrain looks good and the tricks you can pull off are pretty fun, too, but for me, this game came down to the racing and the driving.
Grade: B; rated E for everyone.
Review: Indianapolis 500 Legends
I put this one into the Wii and instantly I was thrown back to the '60s, one of the most revolutionary Indy 500 eras ever.You play as one of 15 famous drivers. The cars made me nostalgic; there are 34 to choose from. Tom Carnegie, who has called the Indy 500 for 61 years, handles play-by-play.
The attention to detail was dramatic, as was the racing itself. You get 33 cars on the track at one time. I got to race as old favorite A.J. Foyt in a 500-lap race. You can even pick which year you want to race in, from 1961 to 1971. You can choose "mission mode" and race in real-life situations that came up in past Indy 500s.
This is one of the best in this genre of the past two years.
Grade: A; rated E for everyone.
Review: Game Show
A cool online sports trivia game that I've enjoyed watching as much as playing. It's easy to join in. Sign up at eagameshow.com and find out when the next game goes live.
You create a logo for yourself and play and unlock tokens to access equipment to create more personalized logos. (It's cooler to do than read about.)
There are leader boards where you can see how well you're doing against players nationally and regionally, answering the sports trivia questions. There are also raffles where you can use your tokens to win prizes.
Grade: B.
Review: Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice
I think the PSP is the best handheld game mainly because it comes the closest to re-creating the console and TV experience in the family living room.That allows you to play a complex fight game like this and not be left with crude action or crude graphics.
You're part of Capital City's special police force, the Pursuit Force, and you're trying to rid your city of crime, mainly five notorious gangs, including three new ones.
These gang bangers will have you chasing them over land, air and sea in 50 criminal cases covering seven district environments. I counted 12 vehicles to use. Sony claims 20 hours of game play. I wouldn't doubt it.
It'll take you awhile, even with 30 weapons, to clean up your city. Each gang has its own stronghold and one of them is a rogue police group.
Grade: B; rated T for teen.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Warner Bros deals HD-DVD a big blow
The war for the next generation DVD may be nearing an end.
Warner Bros will be Blu-Ray exclusively beginning in May 2008. Currently, the studio releases high defintion movies on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Those two formats -- Sony behind Blu-Ray and Toshiba behind HD-DVD -- are in a VHS vs. Betamax fight for the living room.
Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said his company's Blu-Ray switch is a "strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want."
Meyer also said one format must win soon.
"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."
Currently Universal and Paramount are the two studios that are HD-DVD exclusive. Warner, Sony, 20th Century Fox, New Line, LionsGate, MGM, Fox Searchlight, Miramax, Warner and Buena Vista are now behind Blu-Ray.
Warner Bros will be Blu-Ray exclusively beginning in May 2008. Currently, the studio releases high defintion movies on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Those two formats -- Sony behind Blu-Ray and Toshiba behind HD-DVD -- are in a VHS vs. Betamax fight for the living room.
Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Barry Meyer said his company's Blu-Ray switch is a "strategic decision focused on the long term and the most direct way to give consumers what they want."
Meyer also said one format must win soon.
"Warner Bros. has produced in both high-definition formats in an effort to provide consumer choice, foster mainstream adoption and drive down hardware prices," said Jeff Bewkes, President and Chief Executive Officer, Time Warner Inc., the parent company of Warner Bros. Entertainment. "Today's decision by Warner Bros. to distribute in a single format comes at the right time and is the best decision both for consumers and Time Warner."
Currently Universal and Paramount are the two studios that are HD-DVD exclusive. Warner, Sony, 20th Century Fox, New Line, LionsGate, MGM, Fox Searchlight, Miramax, Warner and Buena Vista are now behind Blu-Ray.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Spend more $ at Blockbuster
If you have Blockbuster's DVD-by-mail service, you may have noticed an increase in your bill.
Last month, the company -- which has been losing money on online movie orders -- raised prices for new customers and some existing ones.
Highest price hikes? Up to 40 percent. The hikes were from $2 to $10and leaves Blockbuster offering plans ranging from $3.99 to $34.99 monthly. Some of the more expensive plans also allow customers to pick up movies in stores.
Blockbuster declined to comment when asked by the Associated Press as to how many of its 3.1 million online subscribers are facing rate increases.
Blockbuster lost half a million online customers in the July-September quarter. Chief Executive James W. Keyes said last month that many of those subscribers were costing his company more than they were worth.
As Blockbuster shed customers, rival Netflix cut costs and added more than a quarter million new subscribers, giving it more than seven million total.
Netflix pioneered the online ordering and mail delivery of rental movies in 1999. Blockbuster followed in 2004, and cut into Netflix's lead during late 2006 and early 2007.
Blockbuster offers several plans for subscribers who order movies online and receive them in the mail. The most popular plan lets customers keep three DVDs at any time and exchange up to five DVDs per month at a local Blockbuster store for a free rental.
That plan rose from $17.99 to $19.99 per month for new customers and some existing ones on Dec. 27, the AP reported.
The top-of-the-line plan, in which customers can keep three DVDs out and get unlimited free in-store exchanges, went from $24.99 to $34.99 per month, a 40 percent increase.
A basic plan that lets subscribers keep one DVD but doesn't entitle them to free in-store exchanges will drop from $4.99 to $3.99 per month.
Netflix plans range from $4.99 to $23.99 per month.
Last month, the company -- which has been losing money on online movie orders -- raised prices for new customers and some existing ones.
Highest price hikes? Up to 40 percent. The hikes were from $2 to $10and leaves Blockbuster offering plans ranging from $3.99 to $34.99 monthly. Some of the more expensive plans also allow customers to pick up movies in stores.
Blockbuster declined to comment when asked by the Associated Press as to how many of its 3.1 million online subscribers are facing rate increases.
Blockbuster lost half a million online customers in the July-September quarter. Chief Executive James W. Keyes said last month that many of those subscribers were costing his company more than they were worth.
As Blockbuster shed customers, rival Netflix cut costs and added more than a quarter million new subscribers, giving it more than seven million total.
Netflix pioneered the online ordering and mail delivery of rental movies in 1999. Blockbuster followed in 2004, and cut into Netflix's lead during late 2006 and early 2007.
Blockbuster offers several plans for subscribers who order movies online and receive them in the mail. The most popular plan lets customers keep three DVDs at any time and exchange up to five DVDs per month at a local Blockbuster store for a free rental.
That plan rose from $17.99 to $19.99 per month for new customers and some existing ones on Dec. 27, the AP reported.
The top-of-the-line plan, in which customers can keep three DVDs out and get unlimited free in-store exchanges, went from $24.99 to $34.99 per month, a 40 percent increase.
A basic plan that lets subscribers keep one DVD but doesn't entitle them to free in-store exchanges will drop from $4.99 to $3.99 per month.
Netflix plans range from $4.99 to $23.99 per month.
Best games of '07
On the final day of 2007, let's look back at the best games of the year.
1. "Bioshock": It's got a dazzling story, set underwater and involving a social experiment that has gone terribly wrong.
It's a first-person shooter, but it calls on the player to make moral choices. It's a lot different than most of today's bang-bang games, which typically have little consequence -- beyond how many pieces you can blow the bad guy into.
2. "Halo 3": The most hyped game of the year marked the end of a trilogy of great games.
Its opening-week grosses rivaled that of blockbuster films and made a fictional video game character (Master Chief) into a household name for the first time since Lara Croft of the "Tomb Raider" series. Some critics didn't think the third edition did enough to satisfy. I thought it was brilliant.
3. "Rock Band": This next evolution of "Guitar Hero" includes lead and bass guitars, drums, a microphone and a varied catalog of songs to perform. Get some buddies, add another guitar and a few singers, and check out the best multiplayer game of the year.
I'd like to see future "Rock Band" titles include other genres of music, like country and R&B, even rap.
4. "The Orange Box": You get five PC games in one, each painting a pretty bleak and descriptive picture of Earth after it has been devastated by aliens. It was too much quality gaming in one box to leave off this list. And call it the PC title of the year.
5. "Super Mario Galaxy": Yes, it's simple to play. Yes, the storyline is a retread (Mario saves the world). But bouncing around the galaxy with everybody's favorite plumber is still fun. And Nintendo managed to make him feel fresh again by changing his environment.
6. "Madden 08": A huge improvement over recent years.
Better news is that EA Sports promises to concentrate on atmosphere next year, to make the experience feel more realistic. Hopefully, that includes bringing back John Madden and Al Michaels to handle play-by-play and some pre- and post-game shows.
7. "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare": A great shooter in a year of good ones. You play as a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S, fighting in real locations around the world. Everything looks authentic.
8. "Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass": The best handheld game of the year showed up on the Nintendo DS. How in the world did Nintendo put this much "game" in a handheld? Lead character Link battles pirates at sea and land, searching for hidden treasure.
9. "Mass Effect": You're the only human agent in a galaxy-wide police force that doesn't trust humans. You're also fighting a threat that could destroy life as you know it. Full of "Star Trek"-like moral choices and exploration. Beautifully drawn, too.
10. "College Hoops 2K8": This is college basketball done about as well as I've seen. This was the best-looking sports game of the year, with realistic sound effects and lifelike players and coaches.
System of the year
Microsoft Xbox 360: Although it was threatened by Nintendo Wii and a faster-charging PS3 -- which is finally getting the software it needs -- Bill Gates' favorite box persevered.A lot of this had to do with the release of several great exclusive games (like "Halo 3"). And it helps having the best online experience for a console, by far.
Duds of the year
"Beowulf"; "Tenchu Z"; "Transformers: The Game"; "Star Trek: Conquest"; "Vampire Rain."
1. "Bioshock": It's got a dazzling story, set underwater and involving a social experiment that has gone terribly wrong.
It's a first-person shooter, but it calls on the player to make moral choices. It's a lot different than most of today's bang-bang games, which typically have little consequence -- beyond how many pieces you can blow the bad guy into.
2. "Halo 3": The most hyped game of the year marked the end of a trilogy of great games.
Its opening-week grosses rivaled that of blockbuster films and made a fictional video game character (Master Chief) into a household name for the first time since Lara Croft of the "Tomb Raider" series. Some critics didn't think the third edition did enough to satisfy. I thought it was brilliant.
3. "Rock Band": This next evolution of "Guitar Hero" includes lead and bass guitars, drums, a microphone and a varied catalog of songs to perform. Get some buddies, add another guitar and a few singers, and check out the best multiplayer game of the year.
I'd like to see future "Rock Band" titles include other genres of music, like country and R&B, even rap.
4. "The Orange Box": You get five PC games in one, each painting a pretty bleak and descriptive picture of Earth after it has been devastated by aliens. It was too much quality gaming in one box to leave off this list. And call it the PC title of the year.
5. "Super Mario Galaxy": Yes, it's simple to play. Yes, the storyline is a retread (Mario saves the world). But bouncing around the galaxy with everybody's favorite plumber is still fun. And Nintendo managed to make him feel fresh again by changing his environment.
6. "Madden 08": A huge improvement over recent years.
Better news is that EA Sports promises to concentrate on atmosphere next year, to make the experience feel more realistic. Hopefully, that includes bringing back John Madden and Al Michaels to handle play-by-play and some pre- and post-game shows.
7. "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare": A great shooter in a year of good ones. You play as a U.S. Marine and a British S.A.S, fighting in real locations around the world. Everything looks authentic.
8. "Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass": The best handheld game of the year showed up on the Nintendo DS. How in the world did Nintendo put this much "game" in a handheld? Lead character Link battles pirates at sea and land, searching for hidden treasure.
9. "Mass Effect": You're the only human agent in a galaxy-wide police force that doesn't trust humans. You're also fighting a threat that could destroy life as you know it. Full of "Star Trek"-like moral choices and exploration. Beautifully drawn, too.
10. "College Hoops 2K8": This is college basketball done about as well as I've seen. This was the best-looking sports game of the year, with realistic sound effects and lifelike players and coaches.
System of the year
Microsoft Xbox 360: Although it was threatened by Nintendo Wii and a faster-charging PS3 -- which is finally getting the software it needs -- Bill Gates' favorite box persevered.A lot of this had to do with the release of several great exclusive games (like "Halo 3"). And it helps having the best online experience for a console, by far.
Duds of the year
"Beowulf"; "Tenchu Z"; "Transformers: The Game"; "Star Trek: Conquest"; "Vampire Rain."
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
PBS-HD coming to DirecTV
DirecTV will soon add public television station signals across the country in high definition, the company said today.
DirecTV, the nation's HD leader with 87 national high-def channels, has a carriage agreement with the Association of Public Television Stations and the Public Broadcasting Service. DirecTV viewers will have access to other Public Television content as well.
DirecTV currently offers local HD programming in 68 markets, representing more than 72 percent of U.S. TV households. Charlotte is one of those markets, though viewers here cannot get the local CW affiliate, WJZY, Channel 46, and Channel 55 in HD without an off-air antenna.
Los Angeles recently added two new HD stations and DirecTV began carrying them this week, marking the fourth area nationally where it carried all six major commercial network affiliates.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with APTS and PBS to offer our customers award-winning HD programming from local Public Television stations across the country," said DirecTV president Chase Carey. "This agreement is the result of a cooperative effort that will utilize innovative technology to deliver the highest quality local content to DIRECTV viewers."
APTS President & CEO John Lawson said: "This is a forward-looking, innovative agreement for the digital age. It means the great HD programming from PBS and local Public Television stations will be available to DIRECTV customers in every market where DIRECTV carries any local HD. We will also work together to make available a vast library of on demand content from local Public Television stations across the country. This is a great day for public service media in America."
DirecTV, the nation's HD leader with 87 national high-def channels, has a carriage agreement with the Association of Public Television Stations and the Public Broadcasting Service. DirecTV viewers will have access to other Public Television content as well.
DirecTV currently offers local HD programming in 68 markets, representing more than 72 percent of U.S. TV households. Charlotte is one of those markets, though viewers here cannot get the local CW affiliate, WJZY, Channel 46, and Channel 55 in HD without an off-air antenna.
Los Angeles recently added two new HD stations and DirecTV began carrying them this week, marking the fourth area nationally where it carried all six major commercial network affiliates.
"We are thrilled to be partnering with APTS and PBS to offer our customers award-winning HD programming from local Public Television stations across the country," said DirecTV president Chase Carey. "This agreement is the result of a cooperative effort that will utilize innovative technology to deliver the highest quality local content to DIRECTV viewers."
APTS President & CEO John Lawson said: "This is a forward-looking, innovative agreement for the digital age. It means the great HD programming from PBS and local Public Television stations will be available to DIRECTV customers in every market where DIRECTV carries any local HD. We will also work together to make available a vast library of on demand content from local Public Television stations across the country. This is a great day for public service media in America."
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Your official HDTV buying guide.....with video
If you're about to go out and buy the family that 50-inch flat screen you've been eyeing, I say congratulations. You'll love your new HDTV.
But wait. There is lots of confusing lingo out there. Do you want Plasma, LCD or DLP? What about all those numbers you hear about: 720P or 1080i or 1080P? And how much to spend? You'll see some $1,000 50-inch sets and other 50-inch sets that cost upwards of $6,000.
In HDTVs, as with most anything else, you get what you pay for. That $1,000 Costco model is not going to look as good as the Pioneer Elite you get from a high end store (with the high end price). But unless you have that super high end model in your home or are a real videophile, you're probably not going to know the difference. So don't get caught up in side-to-side comparisons at Best Buy between the one you want and the one you should buy. The one you want does look better. At home, you'll only have one and it will blow you away. Now, if you're upgrading to a new HDTV and coming out of an older one, your equation certainly changes.
My guess is everyone knows where they fall there.
For most newbies, though, upgrading to HD will be a quantum leap over that's 27-inch 250-pound behemoth sitting on that 10-year old stand (with the glass casing cracked or missing).
Here's a few easy basics. Choose the progressive TVs (1080P or 720P) over interlaced ones (1080i). They look better. If you're buying 40 inches or larger, buy plasma, they look better. If you have an extra bright room, consider LCD.
DLP sets are cheaper but are bulkier. You cannot hang them on the wall and they don't look as good as plasma or LCD.
Last, people will tell you there's no difference between 1080P and 720P, at least at longer distances. Yes and no. The 1080P set costs more and can render full resolution HD from videogame and HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sources. And while your eye cannot see a huge resolution difference from 8 feet between competing 720P and 1080P models, the newer 1080Ps can render more colors, better blacks and simply look better.
And now to the video. Get your notebooks ready.
But wait. There is lots of confusing lingo out there. Do you want Plasma, LCD or DLP? What about all those numbers you hear about: 720P or 1080i or 1080P? And how much to spend? You'll see some $1,000 50-inch sets and other 50-inch sets that cost upwards of $6,000.
In HDTVs, as with most anything else, you get what you pay for. That $1,000 Costco model is not going to look as good as the Pioneer Elite you get from a high end store (with the high end price). But unless you have that super high end model in your home or are a real videophile, you're probably not going to know the difference. So don't get caught up in side-to-side comparisons at Best Buy between the one you want and the one you should buy. The one you want does look better. At home, you'll only have one and it will blow you away. Now, if you're upgrading to a new HDTV and coming out of an older one, your equation certainly changes.
My guess is everyone knows where they fall there.
For most newbies, though, upgrading to HD will be a quantum leap over that's 27-inch 250-pound behemoth sitting on that 10-year old stand (with the glass casing cracked or missing).
Here's a few easy basics. Choose the progressive TVs (1080P or 720P) over interlaced ones (1080i). They look better. If you're buying 40 inches or larger, buy plasma, they look better. If you have an extra bright room, consider LCD.
DLP sets are cheaper but are bulkier. You cannot hang them on the wall and they don't look as good as plasma or LCD.
Last, people will tell you there's no difference between 1080P and 720P, at least at longer distances. Yes and no. The 1080P set costs more and can render full resolution HD from videogame and HD-DVD and Blu-Ray sources. And while your eye cannot see a huge resolution difference from 8 feet between competing 720P and 1080P models, the newer 1080Ps can render more colors, better blacks and simply look better.
And now to the video. Get your notebooks ready.
Monday, December 17, 2007
Here's the HD trailer for Batman, the Dark Knight
Here is the high definition trailer for the new Batman movie, due summer 2008. Looks pretty good.
What do you think?
(Thanks to reader Joe C. of Weddington for the link).
What do you think?
(Thanks to reader Joe C. of Weddington for the link).
NFL Sunday Ticket special promotion
OK football fans, you can get a pretty cool deal right now.
If you sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket for the last few weeks of this season, you'll also get the entire 2008 season for $269.
Sunday Ticket allows customers to see out-of-market NFL games weekly. Most games are also available in HDTV, for those with HDTV channels and packages through DirecTV's satellite service. To get the HD games, customers need to subscribe to a special $99 package that is an addition to the regular Sunday Ticket sub.
If you sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket for the last few weeks of this season, you'll also get the entire 2008 season for $269.
Sunday Ticket allows customers to see out-of-market NFL games weekly. Most games are also available in HDTV, for those with HDTV channels and packages through DirecTV's satellite service. To get the HD games, customers need to subscribe to a special $99 package that is an addition to the regular Sunday Ticket sub.
New `America's Army' has look, feel of real warfare
There are so many tactical shooters on the market right now that I wasn't very excited when another showed up for me to review this week.
But "America's Army: True Soldiers" (Rated T for Teen) -- which was co-developed with the U.S. Army -- saved me from being burned out.
This Xbox 360 game is brought to you by publisher Ubisoft and developer Red Storm Entertainment. Red Storm is best known for its work on Tom Clancy's "Ghost Recon" and "Rainbow Six" franchises, and I think it has another hit on its hands.
Game cover man Tommy Rieman, a sergeant who won a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq, worked with Red Storm to create a high level of authenticity in "True Soldiers' " real-world scenarios.
Essentially, this game offers a pretty good taste of what joining the Army might be like. Graphics are spot-on, and the action is fast. In the single-player mode, you can go from basic training to fighting the war on terror -- and it takes real skill to move up to rifleman or sniper.
But what's coolest about this game is that when you and your soldier are good and ready, you can take that specific character onto Xbox Live. Also, online players can reward you with points for honorable actions that help you move up the Army ranks. (As with most war games, "True Soldiers" is more fun with multiple players.)
One other thing worth noting: Parents can tailor settings to make the game appropriate for a range of ages.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset
The latest trend in Bluetooth wireless headsets is models that are small enough to fit snugly without needing to actually wrap around your ear.The S-800 will do that, but I found it more comfortable with the ear loop attached. The headset dampens outside noise very well, so the experience is perfectly fine when talking to friends via cell-phone -- or the PS3's gaming network (the S-800 pairs easily with the console).
The unit comes with a standard AC adapter and a USB cable to charge from a computer, which is a nice touch. It weighs less than half an ounce. It'll swap easily between two mobile phones and the PS3. You can also auto-answer calls, switch to a conference-call mode, or dial the last number called by using buttons on the headset (so you don't have to touch your phone).
My favorite feature is a headset location buzzer that you can activate from your paired phone when you lose the thing -- and I briefly lost the thing. Retail is $90, but it can be found for less than $50 online.
Grade: A.
Review: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Rated T for Teen, this sequel to last year's hit fighting game is all about more fighting and fast thumb-twitching.
There are more than 150 heroes and villains to fight with. There are 20 levels. You can also re-create some of the battles from the TV show.
I tried the Wii version, and this year, it has online capability (though I had trouble getting a game -- a problem I never have via Xbox's or Sony's online systems).
This title brings back the fun of those side-scrolling fighters we loved so much on Sega Genesis and Dreamcast. Nothing exceptional, but still thoroughly enjoyable.
Grade: B.
But "America's Army: True Soldiers" (Rated T for Teen) -- which was co-developed with the U.S. Army -- saved me from being burned out.
This Xbox 360 game is brought to you by publisher Ubisoft and developer Red Storm Entertainment. Red Storm is best known for its work on Tom Clancy's "Ghost Recon" and "Rainbow Six" franchises, and I think it has another hit on its hands.
Game cover man Tommy Rieman, a sergeant who won a Purple Heart for his service in Iraq, worked with Red Storm to create a high level of authenticity in "True Soldiers' " real-world scenarios.
Essentially, this game offers a pretty good taste of what joining the Army might be like. Graphics are spot-on, and the action is fast. In the single-player mode, you can go from basic training to fighting the war on terror -- and it takes real skill to move up to rifleman or sniper.
But what's coolest about this game is that when you and your soldier are good and ready, you can take that specific character onto Xbox Live. Also, online players can reward you with points for honorable actions that help you move up the Army ranks. (As with most war games, "True Soldiers" is more fun with multiple players.)
One other thing worth noting: Parents can tailor settings to make the game appropriate for a range of ages.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Cardo S-800 Bluetooth headset
The latest trend in Bluetooth wireless headsets is models that are small enough to fit snugly without needing to actually wrap around your ear.The S-800 will do that, but I found it more comfortable with the ear loop attached. The headset dampens outside noise very well, so the experience is perfectly fine when talking to friends via cell-phone -- or the PS3's gaming network (the S-800 pairs easily with the console).
The unit comes with a standard AC adapter and a USB cable to charge from a computer, which is a nice touch. It weighs less than half an ounce. It'll swap easily between two mobile phones and the PS3. You can also auto-answer calls, switch to a conference-call mode, or dial the last number called by using buttons on the headset (so you don't have to touch your phone).
My favorite feature is a headset location buzzer that you can activate from your paired phone when you lose the thing -- and I briefly lost the thing. Retail is $90, but it can be found for less than $50 online.
Grade: A.
Review: Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3
Rated T for Teen, this sequel to last year's hit fighting game is all about more fighting and fast thumb-twitching.
There are more than 150 heroes and villains to fight with. There are 20 levels. You can also re-create some of the battles from the TV show.
I tried the Wii version, and this year, it has online capability (though I had trouble getting a game -- a problem I never have via Xbox's or Sony's online systems).
This title brings back the fun of those side-scrolling fighters we loved so much on Sega Genesis and Dreamcast. Nothing exceptional, but still thoroughly enjoyable.
Grade: B.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
College Hoops 2K8 rocks, baby
It's college basketball season. Time for late-night West Coast games, buzzer-beaters, Billy Packer and Dick Vitale.
It's also time for college basketball video game simulations. And after an impressive season of NBA games, I was curious to see what we'd get with the college versions.
The first one I've tried this year is 2K Sports' "College Hoops 2K8" (rated E for Everyone), which is the follow-up to the top seller in this category last year. I tried the Xbox 360 version, but it's also available for PS2 and PS3.
I tried it out in my friend's basement, where he's got a 58-inch 1080p Panasonic plasma HDTV (the best TV reasonable money can buy) and a state-of-the-art sound system with seven speakers.
The graphics just keep getting better and the frame rate is excellent. This game, like many of the recent sports titles, can really fool you into thinking you're watching a real game. Part of that was the TV. Part of it was the attention to detail utilized by 2K Sports, which has completely redesigned its game arenas to make them look deeper, bigger and more realistic.
It also sounded great in Dolby Digital, from the pep bands and announcers right down to the sneaker squeaks.
The thing that most impressed me was the gameplay. The players move like the real thing, and don't slide around. If you ask the controller to turn left, you turn left -- sharply, without any oversteer. And home-team advantage really plays a role: You get it going, and the crowd can get loud.
The hard rap soundtrack may bother a few gamers, but that's about the only thing I could find wrong at first blush. It gives you nearly everything you can ask for.
Grade: A.
Review: `The Golden Compass'
Sega has released this for all game console platforms and PCs. The game (rated E for Everyone) is based on the new movie of the same name.
You play as Lyra, a young girl out to rescue her uncle and her kidnapped best friend. Lyra takes off on her mission with her pet, Pan, and a huge polar bear, Iorek -- plus a golden compass, a truth-telling device that gives you crucial information and unlocks bonus content.
There are 11 universes to explore, and this game is awful deep. It plays, to me, as a slightly more mature Mario game that should enthrall younger and older gamers alike.
Grade: B.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Janet Jackson uses 'net "gadgets" to drop hot new single
Eschewing a direct to radio release of her new song, "Feedback," pop icon Janet Jackson has released her track directly to the internet. It's expected to hit radio this weekend.
After disappointing sales of her previous two albums, "Damita Jo" and "20 Y.O." Jackson is making sure to come out with a stronger first single, in terms of radio appeal. Her previous two albums met critical success but did not receive a lot of radio support or Virgin record label support, as she still suffered from backlash from her infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction. Her videos got very little play on MTV.
Janet is now with Island Records and the new single, Feedback, is a classic club banger with a memorable chorus. It may be just the thing to get her old audience back. It's loud. It's catchy. It's very, um, Janet.
Her last two albums were very very good and perhaps after some folks get a taste of this new single, which will be followed by a world tour in the spring, it may whet their appetite for Jackson's new album, due in February. While they wait, they can check out the past two CDs which most people didn't get a chance to hear.
Click here to hear "Feedback."
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Beyonce', DirecTV and MSG-HD
A lot of folks are emailing me asking if DirecTV's new HD upgrade commercial with Beyonce' is any good, or is cheesy, or unnecessary.
I think it hits the mark. Guys are your primary target for this, and not too many guys are going to turn away from this spot or DVR past it. It gets the message across well.
DirecTV is fast approaching 90 HD channels now, and the quality is still remaining high. This week, the satcaster added MSG-HD and Fox Sports NY-HD, both full-time (NY Knick fans rejoice!).
Right now, cable is a distant, distant third and DISH is getting further and further behind in second place while it waits to launch new satellites early next year that will allow it to upgrade its offerings.
I think it hits the mark. Guys are your primary target for this, and not too many guys are going to turn away from this spot or DVR past it. It gets the message across well.
DirecTV is fast approaching 90 HD channels now, and the quality is still remaining high. This week, the satcaster added MSG-HD and Fox Sports NY-HD, both full-time (NY Knick fans rejoice!).
Right now, cable is a distant, distant third and DISH is getting further and further behind in second place while it waits to launch new satellites early next year that will allow it to upgrade its offerings.
Monday, December 03, 2007
Shirtless and red eyed, actor Gary Coleman auctions his GameCube
I'm not sure what to make of this, but a reader sent me an ebay auction link where actor Gary Coleman, famous for his line "What'cha talkin' 'bout Willis" in the hit "Diff'rent Strokes" sitcom, is selling his Nintendo GameCube, topless and red-eyed.
Coleman looks like he needs to go join that group of celebrities trying to kick the drug habit on reality TV.
The auction's initial bid is $165 for a signed GameCube with several games.
Viva Pinata for Windows is smart move
Microsoft Game Studios has done a smart thing this holiday season.
It's ported over the popular "Viva Piñata" from the Xbox 360 to Windows XP and Windows Vista-enabled PCs.
The game, which I enjoyed on the 360 and PC, challenges players to start as a character from the popular Saturday morning cartoon. You then create a world of your own that you use to attract up to 60 piñata species.
Once you have a few "inhabitants," you can personalize your community. Piñatas can get their own name and a tag put on their home turf within your world. You can also customize with costumes and accessories.
I know it may sound simple and boring, but you find yourself constantly tweaking your world and your inhabitants -- and the more inviting your environment, the more elaborate the animals you attract will be. Then, when you do attract newcomers, you have to work to keep them happy.
It's like being a landlord, of sorts, and of course there are some rather evil characters in the game that do their best to make your life difficult.
This is simple, fun and rather addictive.
Grade: B.
Review: `Ghost Squad'
This was a big hit in the arcades in 2004. Now it's available from Sega for the Nintendo Wii. The game supports the new Wii Zapper accessory, and using it here you can easily target on-screen enemies. The game is designed for up to four players and has three mission areas, 25 weapons and 14 uniforms.You play as a member of the Ghost Squad, a Special Forces unit secretly established by the United Nations to combat terrorism. In this game, you have some real-life type missions: releasing hostages, stopping bombs and rescuing the U.S. president.
The game's missions are divided into levels. In each level, you can take different routes, each with differing degrees of difficulty. And the further you advance in a level, the tougher your competition gets. Enemies attack from everywhere. Graphics are good, and the action's fast.
I'm not big on recommending gun games to kids, but for older teens and adults, this one's pretty intense.
Grade: B.
Review: `Masters of Illusion'
I didn't think much of this game until my 7-year-old, Trey, kept playing it on his Nintendo DS. I figured it had to be pretty good.
I tried it and saw that early on the game teaches you to do some simple card tricks and has step-by-step tutorials for 20 different tricks.
You can take the game with you. It acts as an assistant for some of your stunts, and it comes with a magic deck of cards.
Kids learn these tricks quickly, and even I was having fun trying to fool the wife.
Trey thinks it's great. I can't argue.
Grade: A.
Review: `Medal of Honor Airborne'
Electronic Arts claims this multi-platform title is the only first-person shooter that lets players airdrop into combat and land anywhere in an open battlefield.
To me, it just felt like "been there, done that."
The game is well done and beautifully drawn. You're part of a team in World War II tackling some historically true missions. Enemies will advance or retreat depending on how well you do; so will your allies.
The combination of impressive visuals and outstanding AI makes it fun to watch the computer-controlled guys take cover, jump into a building through a window, or leap over a wall.
Kill shots produce real results, and guys will now actually run from grenades instead of just waiting for it to blow up in their faces. (So hold it a little bit, or "cook" it and then toss. Much better results.)
Another hot feature: As you improve your skill with a particular weapon, you gain access to upgrades within that weapon, making it more powerful.
I feel like I've played too many games like this lately. But, then, I can't really say anything was lacking.
Grade: B.
VIDEO GAMES Langston Wertz Jr.
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
It's ported over the popular "Viva Piñata" from the Xbox 360 to Windows XP and Windows Vista-enabled PCs.
The game, which I enjoyed on the 360 and PC, challenges players to start as a character from the popular Saturday morning cartoon. You then create a world of your own that you use to attract up to 60 piñata species.
Once you have a few "inhabitants," you can personalize your community. Piñatas can get their own name and a tag put on their home turf within your world. You can also customize with costumes and accessories.
I know it may sound simple and boring, but you find yourself constantly tweaking your world and your inhabitants -- and the more inviting your environment, the more elaborate the animals you attract will be. Then, when you do attract newcomers, you have to work to keep them happy.
It's like being a landlord, of sorts, and of course there are some rather evil characters in the game that do their best to make your life difficult.
This is simple, fun and rather addictive.
Grade: B.
Review: `Ghost Squad'
This was a big hit in the arcades in 2004. Now it's available from Sega for the Nintendo Wii. The game supports the new Wii Zapper accessory, and using it here you can easily target on-screen enemies. The game is designed for up to four players and has three mission areas, 25 weapons and 14 uniforms.You play as a member of the Ghost Squad, a Special Forces unit secretly established by the United Nations to combat terrorism. In this game, you have some real-life type missions: releasing hostages, stopping bombs and rescuing the U.S. president.
The game's missions are divided into levels. In each level, you can take different routes, each with differing degrees of difficulty. And the further you advance in a level, the tougher your competition gets. Enemies attack from everywhere. Graphics are good, and the action's fast.
I'm not big on recommending gun games to kids, but for older teens and adults, this one's pretty intense.
Grade: B.
Review: `Masters of Illusion'
I didn't think much of this game until my 7-year-old, Trey, kept playing it on his Nintendo DS. I figured it had to be pretty good.
I tried it and saw that early on the game teaches you to do some simple card tricks and has step-by-step tutorials for 20 different tricks.
You can take the game with you. It acts as an assistant for some of your stunts, and it comes with a magic deck of cards.
Kids learn these tricks quickly, and even I was having fun trying to fool the wife.
Trey thinks it's great. I can't argue.
Grade: A.
Review: `Medal of Honor Airborne'
Electronic Arts claims this multi-platform title is the only first-person shooter that lets players airdrop into combat and land anywhere in an open battlefield.
To me, it just felt like "been there, done that."
The game is well done and beautifully drawn. You're part of a team in World War II tackling some historically true missions. Enemies will advance or retreat depending on how well you do; so will your allies.
The combination of impressive visuals and outstanding AI makes it fun to watch the computer-controlled guys take cover, jump into a building through a window, or leap over a wall.
Kill shots produce real results, and guys will now actually run from grenades instead of just waiting for it to blow up in their faces. (So hold it a little bit, or "cook" it and then toss. Much better results.)
Another hot feature: As you improve your skill with a particular weapon, you gain access to upgrades within that weapon, making it more powerful.
I feel like I've played too many games like this lately. But, then, I can't really say anything was lacking.
Grade: B.
VIDEO GAMES Langston Wertz Jr.
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
Monday, November 19, 2007
A thinking Man's "Halo"
It's been a great fall for video games.
"Halo 3" turned out to be just as good as the hype. The latest round of sports games, especially the NBA titles, was outstanding.
This week, we get another major title that delivers in "Mass Effect" from Microsoft Game Studios. It's another Xbox 360 console exclusive.
The game tells the story of a special agent named Commander Shepard, who basically is the sheriff for the galaxy. As Shepard, you'll battle a force that seeks to destroy not only your world, but all worlds.
Developed by BioWare, the studio that made the excellent "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," "Mass Effect" is amazingly deep. Even expert gamers will play this for weeks.
Turns out that Shepard is the only human agent in a police-like group called Spectre, but being the only human in a galaxy where humans are not always trusted, his life can get, well, complicated.
To me, this game felt like a "Star Trek" film, where Shepard and his team are faced with many moral decisions as they explore the universe, find the threat and figure out ways to stop it. You can destroy entire alien races, or keep them alive, with choices you make.
As you seek your ultimate goal, you can also explore uncharted worlds and meet all manner of uncharted life. In battle mode, you can choose to focus on the action (like in a "Doom"-style game) or to use the squad-based combat schemes to use more strategy. Ultimately, this is a thinking man's "Halo."
When fighting, look for areas to take cover; this will help keep you alive. I'd also suggest using grenades often and saving the game often, too. Unlike many titles in this genre that force you to reach certain stages to save, you can save "Mass Effect" almost anywhere.
The game is simply gorgeous, and the character voiceovers and movements are very realistic. You can get lost in this title, which is rated M for blood, language, partial nudity, sexual themes and violence. It's for adults and it's a big winner. One of the best for '07.
Grade: A-plus.
Review: Call of Duty 4
There's nothing like a really good first-person shooting game, and "Call" definitely fits the bill.I tried the PS3 version and the graphics were very, very good. You play as a U.S. Marine and a British SS solider -- each character advancing the same storyline -- and you get technology and firepower that would make James Bond jealous. Stuff like a AC-130 Gunship, which flies above the battle and fires 105mm rounds into your enemy. Talk about clearing a field fast.
The game puts you into some intense fights going on around the world to try to stop a rogue terrorist agency that's gotten some Russian nuclear devices. And this is the most intense fighting game I've ever tried. Enemies are plentiful and smart. There are some plot twists that come so fast and so suddenly, they really will shock you. But the fun here is the fighting. And there's lots of it. Rated M for Mature.
Grade: A.
• I also tinkered around the Nintendo DS model. The game lost some realism due to the graphics, sound quality and screen size, but it's essentially the same story. I just preferred such a big game on a regular TV screen.
Review: Orcs & Elves
Electronic Arts' title for the Nintendo DS brings a cell phone hit to the 3D world. It looks better obviously, but it was kind of boring and too old-school.
Characters don't really move fluidly and battles aren't really battles; you merely get to find out after the fact what your chosen strike has done to the enemy. Rent this one before you buy. Rated T for Teen.
Grade: D.
Review: Super Mario Galaxy
I didn't get to spend as much time with this game as I'd like because of other work duties (yes, covering video games really qualifies as work for me).
But at first blush, it appears to be as fun as advertised.
In this latest Mario adventure, you have to try to stop Bowser, who has stolen something called Star Power from a comet (stay with me here) and has used it to rip Peach's castle apart and take its inhabitants into space. Your job? Get your friends back.
From there, it's basic Mario -- collect objects, topple bad guys, get the girl -- save for one twist: Mario is given the ability to perform spinning attacks thanks to the motion-sensitive Wiimote.
I was grinning while I was going at it. Best of all, I could let my kids play, too. Rated E for Everyone.
Grade: B-plus.
"Halo 3" turned out to be just as good as the hype. The latest round of sports games, especially the NBA titles, was outstanding.
This week, we get another major title that delivers in "Mass Effect" from Microsoft Game Studios. It's another Xbox 360 console exclusive.
The game tells the story of a special agent named Commander Shepard, who basically is the sheriff for the galaxy. As Shepard, you'll battle a force that seeks to destroy not only your world, but all worlds.
Developed by BioWare, the studio that made the excellent "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," "Mass Effect" is amazingly deep. Even expert gamers will play this for weeks.
Turns out that Shepard is the only human agent in a police-like group called Spectre, but being the only human in a galaxy where humans are not always trusted, his life can get, well, complicated.
To me, this game felt like a "Star Trek" film, where Shepard and his team are faced with many moral decisions as they explore the universe, find the threat and figure out ways to stop it. You can destroy entire alien races, or keep them alive, with choices you make.
As you seek your ultimate goal, you can also explore uncharted worlds and meet all manner of uncharted life. In battle mode, you can choose to focus on the action (like in a "Doom"-style game) or to use the squad-based combat schemes to use more strategy. Ultimately, this is a thinking man's "Halo."
When fighting, look for areas to take cover; this will help keep you alive. I'd also suggest using grenades often and saving the game often, too. Unlike many titles in this genre that force you to reach certain stages to save, you can save "Mass Effect" almost anywhere.
The game is simply gorgeous, and the character voiceovers and movements are very realistic. You can get lost in this title, which is rated M for blood, language, partial nudity, sexual themes and violence. It's for adults and it's a big winner. One of the best for '07.
Grade: A-plus.
Review: Call of Duty 4
There's nothing like a really good first-person shooting game, and "Call" definitely fits the bill.I tried the PS3 version and the graphics were very, very good. You play as a U.S. Marine and a British SS solider -- each character advancing the same storyline -- and you get technology and firepower that would make James Bond jealous. Stuff like a AC-130 Gunship, which flies above the battle and fires 105mm rounds into your enemy. Talk about clearing a field fast.
The game puts you into some intense fights going on around the world to try to stop a rogue terrorist agency that's gotten some Russian nuclear devices. And this is the most intense fighting game I've ever tried. Enemies are plentiful and smart. There are some plot twists that come so fast and so suddenly, they really will shock you. But the fun here is the fighting. And there's lots of it. Rated M for Mature.
Grade: A.
• I also tinkered around the Nintendo DS model. The game lost some realism due to the graphics, sound quality and screen size, but it's essentially the same story. I just preferred such a big game on a regular TV screen.
Review: Orcs & Elves
Electronic Arts' title for the Nintendo DS brings a cell phone hit to the 3D world. It looks better obviously, but it was kind of boring and too old-school.
Characters don't really move fluidly and battles aren't really battles; you merely get to find out after the fact what your chosen strike has done to the enemy. Rent this one before you buy. Rated T for Teen.
Grade: D.
Review: Super Mario Galaxy
I didn't get to spend as much time with this game as I'd like because of other work duties (yes, covering video games really qualifies as work for me).
But at first blush, it appears to be as fun as advertised.
In this latest Mario adventure, you have to try to stop Bowser, who has stolen something called Star Power from a comet (stay with me here) and has used it to rip Peach's castle apart and take its inhabitants into space. Your job? Get your friends back.
From there, it's basic Mario -- collect objects, topple bad guys, get the girl -- save for one twist: Mario is given the ability to perform spinning attacks thanks to the motion-sensitive Wiimote.
I was grinning while I was going at it. Best of all, I could let my kids play, too. Rated E for Everyone.
Grade: B-plus.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Guitar Hero rocks
The biggest box in video games belongs to Activision's "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock."
The new Nintendo Wii title (which is also available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) comes with a life-size wireless guitar in a three-foot-long cardboard box. The guitar has swappable face plates, and you can remove the neck to make storage easier.
The game itself has a fun action battle mode where you can play against a friend. But I enjoyed career mode most. You try to play your way out of the garage onto the big stage, mainly by playing against "bosses" in "American Idol"-esque competitions. When you do well, you earn money to buy better equipment, outfits and instruments.
But to do that, you have to master the controls, which can take awhile. Even the best of you are not going to replace Eddie Van Halen or anything, but you can get to where you can strum pretty well. And if you hit a few great notes in a row, your "star power" meter lights up and you can use it to increase your score -- and beat down your buddies.
The guitar controller has a hole for the Wii remote to snap into and connect via the Nunchuck port. This allows the guitar to be wireless and use the Wii controller's rumble feature and the speaker. So when you're playing, the guitar will give you real feedback.
Graphics are ramped up over older "Guitar Hero" games. Rock guitar legends Slash, Tom Morello and Bret Michaels spent hours in motion-capture suits so that the in-game characters look and move realistically. And if you can beat a "boss" like Slash in a battle, you can unlock him for future use (like in the next song, having him play lead on "Welcome to the Jungle").
A few hints: When you play, stand up and look toward the top of the screen as much as possible, because the "notes" for you to play drop from the top of the screen. And if you get lost, stop playing and find the beat again. Bad notes can make the game stop faster.
On the Xbox and PS3 versions, you can download new songs, but Wii fans get an incredible song list from groups like Aerosmith ("Same Old Song and Dance"), Guns N Roses ("Welcome to the Jungle") and tracks specially recorded for the game. The Sex Pistols re-entered the studio for the first time in 30 years, Activision claims, to record "Anarchy in the UK."
This is going to be a big holiday hit.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Lost-Cauze Gaming Headphones
Parents of gamers, you know what it's like when the kids are going at it and you have to keep telling them to turn it down, right?Good news. AblePlanet's new Lost-Cauze Gaming Headphones will give you some peace and allow your kids to play without having the sound up really loud -- where it could hurt their eardrums.
The headphones, which are large and comfortable, cancel background noise almost too well. You don't hear much of anything except the music you're listening to or the game you're playing. I couldn't hear the phone or the doorbell even with the volume on 2 or 3. The company says its proprietary "linx audio" technology enhances sound quality and improves speech clarity while filtering out undesirable sound, and increases perceived loudness without increasing volume.
And I'd agree it does all those things well, plus it comes with an extension cord, so you don't have to sit 2 feet away from your TV.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Nyko Wii Charge Station
Game controllers are constantly sucking batteries dry. But Nyko's new charge station for the Wii can keep them fresh.
And this is clever: Using specially designed covers that replace the original battery covers, the dock allows you to charge the batteries while they are still in the remotes.
The station comes with two rechargeable NiMH batteries, the two covers and a 6-foot power cable. You can charge one controller or both controllers at the same time. Now I'd like to see a similar product for the Xbox 360.
Grade: B.
The new Nintendo Wii title (which is also available for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360) comes with a life-size wireless guitar in a three-foot-long cardboard box. The guitar has swappable face plates, and you can remove the neck to make storage easier.
The game itself has a fun action battle mode where you can play against a friend. But I enjoyed career mode most. You try to play your way out of the garage onto the big stage, mainly by playing against "bosses" in "American Idol"-esque competitions. When you do well, you earn money to buy better equipment, outfits and instruments.
But to do that, you have to master the controls, which can take awhile. Even the best of you are not going to replace Eddie Van Halen or anything, but you can get to where you can strum pretty well. And if you hit a few great notes in a row, your "star power" meter lights up and you can use it to increase your score -- and beat down your buddies.
The guitar controller has a hole for the Wii remote to snap into and connect via the Nunchuck port. This allows the guitar to be wireless and use the Wii controller's rumble feature and the speaker. So when you're playing, the guitar will give you real feedback.
Graphics are ramped up over older "Guitar Hero" games. Rock guitar legends Slash, Tom Morello and Bret Michaels spent hours in motion-capture suits so that the in-game characters look and move realistically. And if you can beat a "boss" like Slash in a battle, you can unlock him for future use (like in the next song, having him play lead on "Welcome to the Jungle").
A few hints: When you play, stand up and look toward the top of the screen as much as possible, because the "notes" for you to play drop from the top of the screen. And if you get lost, stop playing and find the beat again. Bad notes can make the game stop faster.
On the Xbox and PS3 versions, you can download new songs, but Wii fans get an incredible song list from groups like Aerosmith ("Same Old Song and Dance"), Guns N Roses ("Welcome to the Jungle") and tracks specially recorded for the game. The Sex Pistols re-entered the studio for the first time in 30 years, Activision claims, to record "Anarchy in the UK."
This is going to be a big holiday hit.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Lost-Cauze Gaming Headphones
Parents of gamers, you know what it's like when the kids are going at it and you have to keep telling them to turn it down, right?Good news. AblePlanet's new Lost-Cauze Gaming Headphones will give you some peace and allow your kids to play without having the sound up really loud -- where it could hurt their eardrums.
The headphones, which are large and comfortable, cancel background noise almost too well. You don't hear much of anything except the music you're listening to or the game you're playing. I couldn't hear the phone or the doorbell even with the volume on 2 or 3. The company says its proprietary "linx audio" technology enhances sound quality and improves speech clarity while filtering out undesirable sound, and increases perceived loudness without increasing volume.
And I'd agree it does all those things well, plus it comes with an extension cord, so you don't have to sit 2 feet away from your TV.
Grade: B-plus.
Review: Nyko Wii Charge Station
Game controllers are constantly sucking batteries dry. But Nyko's new charge station for the Wii can keep them fresh.
And this is clever: Using specially designed covers that replace the original battery covers, the dock allows you to charge the batteries while they are still in the remotes.
The station comes with two rechargeable NiMH batteries, the two covers and a 6-foot power cable. You can charge one controller or both controllers at the same time. Now I'd like to see a similar product for the Xbox 360.
Grade: B.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Tuesday, November 06, 2007
Mom takes PlayStation away, son tries to kill her.
There's a trial going on in the Washington, DC-area right now where a 17-year-old has admitted hiring someone to murder his Mom -- partially because she wouldn't let him play videogames.
This is a sad, sad story.
Cory Ryder admitted "involvement" last week to solicitation to have his mother and stepfather killed. That was one of four counts against him. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 27.
Shannan and Joey Troiano worried about their son's bad behavior and bad grades at school.
Cory walked out of middle school classes, smashed a fire extinguisher case and once broke into a county fairgrounds and vandalized property. He was sentenced to supervised probation. Later, he dropped out of school, stole $45 from his sister's piggy bank and fought with his mother, who kicked him out of the house.
Cory told police officials he was upset about being thrown out, which led to the contract he tried to take out against his parents.
Throughout his troubled childhood, the Troianos would ground Cory for weeks and eventually took away his PlayStation and banned him from watching television.
On June 2, the mother of one of Cory's friends told the Troianos that she'd heard their son, then 16 years old, say he wanted his mother killed. The Troianos called the police and a detective set up a sting. Police lured Corey to a Days Inn hotel and Ryder made a "formal agreement" with an undercover office to have the man kill his mother and stepfather. He was going to pay for the murders with his soon-to-be-deceased stepfather's new pickup truck.
This is a sad, sad story.
Cory Ryder admitted "involvement" last week to solicitation to have his mother and stepfather killed. That was one of four counts against him. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 27.
Shannan and Joey Troiano worried about their son's bad behavior and bad grades at school.
Cory walked out of middle school classes, smashed a fire extinguisher case and once broke into a county fairgrounds and vandalized property. He was sentenced to supervised probation. Later, he dropped out of school, stole $45 from his sister's piggy bank and fought with his mother, who kicked him out of the house.
Cory told police officials he was upset about being thrown out, which led to the contract he tried to take out against his parents.
Throughout his troubled childhood, the Troianos would ground Cory for weeks and eventually took away his PlayStation and banned him from watching television.
On June 2, the mother of one of Cory's friends told the Troianos that she'd heard their son, then 16 years old, say he wanted his mother killed. The Troianos called the police and a detective set up a sting. Police lured Corey to a Days Inn hotel and Ryder made a "formal agreement" with an undercover office to have the man kill his mother and stepfather. He was going to pay for the murders with his soon-to-be-deceased stepfather's new pickup truck.
Monday, November 05, 2007
Wireless N, Powerline Routers boost signal speed
More and more games are dependent on fast Internet connections: for online play, to download updates, to download games or movies.
And these things can be taxing on most wireless routers.
But a new type of wireless standard, called Wireless-N, promises faster speeds and greater coverage in the home.
I recently tried a new Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N router and another new Netgear product, the Powerline HD Adapter.
Combined, these new products could make your life easier.
The Wireless-N router absolutely stomped my standard Netgear Wireless-G router that I've been renting from Time Warner Cable for several years. The wireless signal would often drop out in our house, and you could forget about gaming or downloading anything.
Some mornings, I'd walk into our office, where the modem is, and find my wife, Whitni, on the floor, her laptop wired to the router like an IV because she couldn't get a signal.
With the new N router, I got strong coverage throughout the house. The N routers are said to work better if you buy an outboard Wireless-N card, which I did not have, so my speed might've been better (they would also drive up your costs). The signal, though, was always solid and didn't drop via built-in cards. I was pleased with that.
As for the Powerline? It blew me away. It's plug-and-play simple, and fast. The adapter plugs into your wall socket, and you connect it directly to your router via an ethernet cable. Then you take the second Powerline and plug it into any wall socket in your home, connect your device via another ethernet cable and you're humming.
It sends signals over existing electrical wiring (I'm guessing the better your wiring, the faster your speed). I got speeds nearly as fast as a hardwired connection from all corners of my house. Back yard? No problem. Front yard? Great. Speeds were more than twice as fast as via wireless, which again might be faster with an N card. Xbox Live HD downloads were a snap.
I have a friend who was considering a $2,000 full-house wiring option who, when he saw what he could get for less than $300, couldn't get to CompUSA fast enough.
For heavy Internet users, this is a great setup. You have a great wireless signal throughout the home with Wireless-N, and for times when you really want to scoot across the Net, plug into the Powerline.
The only drawback is cost. The Powerlines are $79 each and the Wireless-N is $129. You will also need a switch (another $40 or so) if you're sending signals to a wireless hub, where you might have a DVR, game console and other devices hungry for an Internet signal.
Given that many Wireless-N users would want the N cards to maximize speed, I would sub out that cost and go Powerline. If need be, you can take one to any room in your house.
Later this month, DLink will offer another solution: a new Wireless-N router that will mate with what the company calls a "Media Bridge," essentially another Wireless-N router with multiple ports to allow you to hook up your gear in a "home run" setup.
The bridge, the company says, will amplify the original signal as well as give you a dedicated signal for media applications like HDTV downloads.
The new DLink router will go for $219. The router should be about $150.
More video game notes
One with everything
Back in the previous century, when I was an editor at Games magazine, we published a fake ad for a device that would play any kind of electronic game -- from PC disks to Nintendo cartridges to "Simon." We got hundreds of letters from people wanting to buy it, and the dream still lives.The ball got rolling again when Gerhard Florin, Electronic Arts' head of international publishing, told the BBC, "We want an open, standard platform, which is much easier than having five which are not compatible." Florin envisions a single set-top box that would have a Nintendo channel, a PlayStation channel and an Xbox channel, which each company developing technology for the unified console. He acknowledged that such a fantasy device is probably about 15 years away.
Dennis Dyack, founder of the Silicon Knights studio ("Eternal Darkness," "Too Human") chimed in with a column in Official Xbox magazine. The current console battle makes it impossible for publishers to decide which platform to focus on, he wrote; a unified console would make games "better in quality, cheaper and more widely available." Dyack added: "It can happen. Better yet, it's inevitable." -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
I'm with the band
Activision's "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" is in stores this week, and most of the serious shredders we know have already plowed their way through its hefty playlist. They'll probably finish up the expert level around Nov. 20 -- just as the competition, Electronic Arts/MTV Games' "Rock Band," arrives.
EA and MTV want you to do more than just buy their game, however. They see "Rock Band" players as a potential community and intend to relaunch the rockband.com Web site as a hub for wannabe rock stars to create sites, blog about music and post "photos" of their virtual bands.
The publishers are also trying to duplicate one real-life aspect of the road to rock 'n' roll glory: the "musicians meeting musicians" classified page. The rockband.com classifieds will let you advertise your own skills or search for talent to fill out your own lineup. And since players around the world can hook up, a singer in Omaha could end up with a drummer in Osaka. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
-- Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
And these things can be taxing on most wireless routers.
But a new type of wireless standard, called Wireless-N, promises faster speeds and greater coverage in the home.
I recently tried a new Netgear RangeMax Wireless-N router and another new Netgear product, the Powerline HD Adapter.
Combined, these new products could make your life easier.
The Wireless-N router absolutely stomped my standard Netgear Wireless-G router that I've been renting from Time Warner Cable for several years. The wireless signal would often drop out in our house, and you could forget about gaming or downloading anything.
Some mornings, I'd walk into our office, where the modem is, and find my wife, Whitni, on the floor, her laptop wired to the router like an IV because she couldn't get a signal.
With the new N router, I got strong coverage throughout the house. The N routers are said to work better if you buy an outboard Wireless-N card, which I did not have, so my speed might've been better (they would also drive up your costs). The signal, though, was always solid and didn't drop via built-in cards. I was pleased with that.
As for the Powerline? It blew me away. It's plug-and-play simple, and fast. The adapter plugs into your wall socket, and you connect it directly to your router via an ethernet cable. Then you take the second Powerline and plug it into any wall socket in your home, connect your device via another ethernet cable and you're humming.
It sends signals over existing electrical wiring (I'm guessing the better your wiring, the faster your speed). I got speeds nearly as fast as a hardwired connection from all corners of my house. Back yard? No problem. Front yard? Great. Speeds were more than twice as fast as via wireless, which again might be faster with an N card. Xbox Live HD downloads were a snap.
I have a friend who was considering a $2,000 full-house wiring option who, when he saw what he could get for less than $300, couldn't get to CompUSA fast enough.
For heavy Internet users, this is a great setup. You have a great wireless signal throughout the home with Wireless-N, and for times when you really want to scoot across the Net, plug into the Powerline.
The only drawback is cost. The Powerlines are $79 each and the Wireless-N is $129. You will also need a switch (another $40 or so) if you're sending signals to a wireless hub, where you might have a DVR, game console and other devices hungry for an Internet signal.
Given that many Wireless-N users would want the N cards to maximize speed, I would sub out that cost and go Powerline. If need be, you can take one to any room in your house.
Later this month, DLink will offer another solution: a new Wireless-N router that will mate with what the company calls a "Media Bridge," essentially another Wireless-N router with multiple ports to allow you to hook up your gear in a "home run" setup.
The bridge, the company says, will amplify the original signal as well as give you a dedicated signal for media applications like HDTV downloads.
The new DLink router will go for $219. The router should be about $150.
More video game notes
One with everything
Back in the previous century, when I was an editor at Games magazine, we published a fake ad for a device that would play any kind of electronic game -- from PC disks to Nintendo cartridges to "Simon." We got hundreds of letters from people wanting to buy it, and the dream still lives.The ball got rolling again when Gerhard Florin, Electronic Arts' head of international publishing, told the BBC, "We want an open, standard platform, which is much easier than having five which are not compatible." Florin envisions a single set-top box that would have a Nintendo channel, a PlayStation channel and an Xbox channel, which each company developing technology for the unified console. He acknowledged that such a fantasy device is probably about 15 years away.
Dennis Dyack, founder of the Silicon Knights studio ("Eternal Darkness," "Too Human") chimed in with a column in Official Xbox magazine. The current console battle makes it impossible for publishers to decide which platform to focus on, he wrote; a unified console would make games "better in quality, cheaper and more widely available." Dyack added: "It can happen. Better yet, it's inevitable." -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
I'm with the band
Activision's "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" is in stores this week, and most of the serious shredders we know have already plowed their way through its hefty playlist. They'll probably finish up the expert level around Nov. 20 -- just as the competition, Electronic Arts/MTV Games' "Rock Band," arrives.
EA and MTV want you to do more than just buy their game, however. They see "Rock Band" players as a potential community and intend to relaunch the rockband.com Web site as a hub for wannabe rock stars to create sites, blog about music and post "photos" of their virtual bands.
The publishers are also trying to duplicate one real-life aspect of the road to rock 'n' roll glory: the "musicians meeting musicians" classified page. The rockband.com classifieds will let you advertise your own skills or search for talent to fill out your own lineup. And since players around the world can hook up, a singer in Omaha could end up with a drummer in Osaka. -- ASSOCIATED PRESS
-- Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133; lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
DirecTV On Demand Hits Charlotte
DirecTV's new on demand service officially hit Charlotte today. Customers who have an broadband connection to their HR-20 receiver, should be able to access the service by visiting Channel 1000, or by pressing the menu button and choosing "On Demand."
The service downloads programming from many providers onto your DVR. You can begin watching as soon as downloads start, though depending on your speed, your programming may be interrupted until it is finished.
DirecTV has downloaded a five minute tutorial to view, but this is pretty easy to use. You can search by show, actor or genre. There's no HD yet, but it's coming. Picture quality is pretty good, about on par for standard HD fare. It'll be interesting to see what 1080i or 720p look like -- and how long it'll take to download.
The service downloads programming from many providers onto your DVR. You can begin watching as soon as downloads start, though depending on your speed, your programming may be interrupted until it is finished.
DirecTV has downloaded a five minute tutorial to view, but this is pretty easy to use. You can search by show, actor or genre. There's no HD yet, but it's coming. Picture quality is pretty good, about on par for standard HD fare. It'll be interesting to see what 1080i or 720p look like -- and how long it'll take to download.
Monday, October 29, 2007
PS3 Price Drop Coming & It's A Good Move
The PlayStation 3 is getting another price drop.
Last week, Sony announced a 40-gigabyte model that will sell for $399 and come bundled with the new "Spider-Man 3" Blu-Ray disc.
The 80-gigabyte model is dropping $100, to $499.
Sony needs to do something to kick-start sales of the PS3, which struggled in September. According to the NPD Group, which tracks the videogame industry, Sony sold only 119,000 PS3s last month.
By comparison: Bolstered by the excellent "Halo 3," Microsoft sold 528,000 Xbox 360s last month, up 50 percent from August. The Xbox unit got more affordable recently; it's now $349.99 for the regular 360 unit and $449.99 for the Elite model.
And Nintendo moved 501,000 Wii units, which run out of stores for about $250.
Overall, I think Sony is making a smart move with its new pricing model.
Although I'm often branded a "Sony fanboy" by some posters at my blog (http://langstonwertz.blogspot.com), I truly believe the PS3 is the best of the newest consoles. Sure, Sony needs to improve its online service, which cannot touch Xbox Live. But it is the most powerful of the current consoles and provides the most eye-popping graphics, which help games seem even more realistic.
Sony plans to release a rumble-enabled controller in the U.S. early next year, which is smart, and there's potential in the Wii-mote-like motion-sensor feature that hasn't been tapped yet.
One caveat? While the 80GB version will have backwards-compatibility with PS2 games, the cheaper PS3 model will not. I'm sure Sony is counting on one of either two things: 1) Most people who will have interest in a new PS3 already have a PS2 to play those old games on; or 2) they are new Sony PlayStation customers who don't have any PS2 titles.
The cheaper PS3 will, however, maintain the Blu-Ray player, the built-in hard drive, integrated Wi-Fi, an Internet browser and Sony's Cell Broadband Engine.
(By the way, the Blu-Ray player on the machines is as good as any high-definition DVD player you can find, and could make the unit appealing to members of your family who don't game. Watching Blu-Ray -- or HD-DVD on so-equipped 360s -- is a totally different experience from watching standard DVDs. The movies almost appear in 3D, with eye-popping color and better sound.)
So whereas the original PS3 seemed to be making consumers pay a premium for bells and whistles like Blu-Ray, the new lower price gives the distinct feel that consumers are getting some great features as a bonus.
Finally, Sony appears poised going into this holiday season and next year to make up some ground in the number of titles available, which has been disappointing.
Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, said the company's big upcoming games include "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction," "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" and "Assassin's Creed."
It looks like Sony is finally trying to get it right.
Last week, Sony announced a 40-gigabyte model that will sell for $399 and come bundled with the new "Spider-Man 3" Blu-Ray disc.
The 80-gigabyte model is dropping $100, to $499.
Sony needs to do something to kick-start sales of the PS3, which struggled in September. According to the NPD Group, which tracks the videogame industry, Sony sold only 119,000 PS3s last month.
By comparison: Bolstered by the excellent "Halo 3," Microsoft sold 528,000 Xbox 360s last month, up 50 percent from August. The Xbox unit got more affordable recently; it's now $349.99 for the regular 360 unit and $449.99 for the Elite model.
And Nintendo moved 501,000 Wii units, which run out of stores for about $250.
Overall, I think Sony is making a smart move with its new pricing model.
Although I'm often branded a "Sony fanboy" by some posters at my blog (http://langstonwertz.blogspot.com), I truly believe the PS3 is the best of the newest consoles. Sure, Sony needs to improve its online service, which cannot touch Xbox Live. But it is the most powerful of the current consoles and provides the most eye-popping graphics, which help games seem even more realistic.
Sony plans to release a rumble-enabled controller in the U.S. early next year, which is smart, and there's potential in the Wii-mote-like motion-sensor feature that hasn't been tapped yet.
One caveat? While the 80GB version will have backwards-compatibility with PS2 games, the cheaper PS3 model will not. I'm sure Sony is counting on one of either two things: 1) Most people who will have interest in a new PS3 already have a PS2 to play those old games on; or 2) they are new Sony PlayStation customers who don't have any PS2 titles.
The cheaper PS3 will, however, maintain the Blu-Ray player, the built-in hard drive, integrated Wi-Fi, an Internet browser and Sony's Cell Broadband Engine.
(By the way, the Blu-Ray player on the machines is as good as any high-definition DVD player you can find, and could make the unit appealing to members of your family who don't game. Watching Blu-Ray -- or HD-DVD on so-equipped 360s -- is a totally different experience from watching standard DVDs. The movies almost appear in 3D, with eye-popping color and better sound.)
So whereas the original PS3 seemed to be making consumers pay a premium for bells and whistles like Blu-Ray, the new lower price gives the distinct feel that consumers are getting some great features as a bonus.
Finally, Sony appears poised going into this holiday season and next year to make up some ground in the number of titles available, which has been disappointing.
Jack Tretton, president of Sony Computer Entertainment, said the company's big upcoming games include "Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction," "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" and "Assassin's Creed."
It looks like Sony is finally trying to get it right.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
$199 HD-DVDs & VOD on DirecTV
OK, that's a lot of acronyms, right, but there are two big developments in the electronics world this week.
There's a new sub-200 buck HD-DVD player in stores now, and DirecTV has launched its video-on-demand service as it tries to separate itself even further from cable and DISH network competition.
WAL-MART ADDS $$198 HD DVD PLAYERS
The battle for the next-generation of HD DVD players got a big push this week when Wal-Mart started carrying HD-DVDs for $198. It's a Toshiba model and is more than $100 cheaper than the best price I've seen for a Blu-Ray player.
If you haven't heard, there are two types of players for high definition content via DVDs: Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Like VHS and Beta a long time ago, the two formats are not compatible with each other and some companies only release on one format or the other. So if you like Spider-Man 3, you can only see it on Blu-Ray. Like Transformers? It's only on HD-DVD.
Now, you cannot get high definition pictures through your regular DVD player, even if you have a high def TV. Yes, most standard DVD players, when connected through HDMI or component video connections (the cords with the red, blue and green connectors), the picture will look better than you have seen. Going hi-def is a whole 'nother world.
Wal-Mart's promotion of HD-DVD is big. About as big as when Blockbuster decided to only rent Blu-Ray movies. You can rent HD-DVDs from Netflix, however. At one point, I was thinking Blu-Ray -- with its support from Sony and its PlayStation 3 -- would win this war. With Wal-Mart on the scene, I don't know anymore. I do know several companies with interests in either format or starting to line the pockets of retailers and film studios to support their brand.
So if you're thinking about making the jump to next-generation DVD, which creates an amazing experience, I'd suggest studying which companies are putting out the movies you want to see or looking at how you get your content. I have a few friends who already had PS3 (and Blu-Ray) and are now planning to do the $198 player at Wal-Mart or add the Xbox 360 HD-DVD player. But that's a lot of money.
I wish we could get to one format.
DirecTV adds DirecTV-On-Demand
Last week, DirecTV began to deploy its video-on-demand service called "DOD" or DirecTV on Demand. The service allows viewers to download programming to their receiver via satellite or internet connection.
To get it your HR-20 receiver (or newer) has to be connected to a broadband internet connection. Your receiver also has to have the latest software downloaded to it, and DirecTV was still deploying that software, version 0x1B4, around the country -- and to the Charlotte area. When you get it and are connected to the internet, you'll see a DOD option in your main menu as well as channels in the 1000s.
So far most of the channels in the service are free, though there are some that have charges. The content is available 24/7/365 but you cannot access the entire program when you select it, unlike cable. You have to wait for the program to download, which will depend on your internet connection speed and type of program you download (HDTV or not). You can start watching the program shortly after you start the download, similar to watching a recording on a DVR while it still taping.
Here are the current channels available via DirecTV's new DOD program:
1000 DTV
1101 The 101
1202 CNN
1235 Style
1236 E!
1245 TNT
1246 Court TV
1247 TBS
1249 Comedy Central
1250 Fox Reality
1256 Turner Classic Movies
1263 LOGO
1265 A&E
1269 History
1276 National Geographic
1277 Travel
1278 Discovery
1279 Discovery Health
1280 TLC
1282 Animal Planet
1284 Discovery Science
1285 Discovery Times
1287 Military
1294 Discovery Kids
1295 PBS Kids Sprout
1296 Cartoon Network
1297 Boomerang
1298 Noggin
1300 Nickelodeon
1303 The N
1327 CMT
1329 BET
1331 MTV
1333 MTV2
1335 VH1
1337 VH1 Classic
1339 Fuse
1354 G4
1416 MTV Tr3s
1419 CNN in Español
1520 Starz
1526 Encore
1605 Golf
1607 Speed
1608 Versus
1801 Anime
1802 Eurocinema
1829 Concert.TV
1886 Adult Swim on Demand
1994 Octane
There's a new sub-200 buck HD-DVD player in stores now, and DirecTV has launched its video-on-demand service as it tries to separate itself even further from cable and DISH network competition.
WAL-MART ADDS $$198 HD DVD PLAYERS
The battle for the next-generation of HD DVD players got a big push this week when Wal-Mart started carrying HD-DVDs for $198. It's a Toshiba model and is more than $100 cheaper than the best price I've seen for a Blu-Ray player.
If you haven't heard, there are two types of players for high definition content via DVDs: Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. Like VHS and Beta a long time ago, the two formats are not compatible with each other and some companies only release on one format or the other. So if you like Spider-Man 3, you can only see it on Blu-Ray. Like Transformers? It's only on HD-DVD.
Now, you cannot get high definition pictures through your regular DVD player, even if you have a high def TV. Yes, most standard DVD players, when connected through HDMI or component video connections (the cords with the red, blue and green connectors), the picture will look better than you have seen. Going hi-def is a whole 'nother world.
Wal-Mart's promotion of HD-DVD is big. About as big as when Blockbuster decided to only rent Blu-Ray movies. You can rent HD-DVDs from Netflix, however. At one point, I was thinking Blu-Ray -- with its support from Sony and its PlayStation 3 -- would win this war. With Wal-Mart on the scene, I don't know anymore. I do know several companies with interests in either format or starting to line the pockets of retailers and film studios to support their brand.
So if you're thinking about making the jump to next-generation DVD, which creates an amazing experience, I'd suggest studying which companies are putting out the movies you want to see or looking at how you get your content. I have a few friends who already had PS3 (and Blu-Ray) and are now planning to do the $198 player at Wal-Mart or add the Xbox 360 HD-DVD player. But that's a lot of money.
I wish we could get to one format.
DirecTV adds DirecTV-On-Demand
Last week, DirecTV began to deploy its video-on-demand service called "DOD" or DirecTV on Demand. The service allows viewers to download programming to their receiver via satellite or internet connection.
To get it your HR-20 receiver (or newer) has to be connected to a broadband internet connection. Your receiver also has to have the latest software downloaded to it, and DirecTV was still deploying that software, version 0x1B4, around the country -- and to the Charlotte area. When you get it and are connected to the internet, you'll see a DOD option in your main menu as well as channels in the 1000s.
So far most of the channels in the service are free, though there are some that have charges. The content is available 24/7/365 but you cannot access the entire program when you select it, unlike cable. You have to wait for the program to download, which will depend on your internet connection speed and type of program you download (HDTV or not). You can start watching the program shortly after you start the download, similar to watching a recording on a DVR while it still taping.
Here are the current channels available via DirecTV's new DOD program:
1000 DTV
1101 The 101
1202 CNN
1235 Style
1236 E!
1245 TNT
1246 Court TV
1247 TBS
1249 Comedy Central
1250 Fox Reality
1256 Turner Classic Movies
1263 LOGO
1265 A&E
1269 History
1276 National Geographic
1277 Travel
1278 Discovery
1279 Discovery Health
1280 TLC
1282 Animal Planet
1284 Discovery Science
1285 Discovery Times
1287 Military
1294 Discovery Kids
1295 PBS Kids Sprout
1296 Cartoon Network
1297 Boomerang
1298 Noggin
1300 Nickelodeon
1303 The N
1327 CMT
1329 BET
1331 MTV
1333 MTV2
1335 VH1
1337 VH1 Classic
1339 Fuse
1354 G4
1416 MTV Tr3s
1419 CNN in Español
1520 Starz
1526 Encore
1605 Golf
1607 Speed
1608 Versus
1801 Anime
1802 Eurocinema
1829 Concert.TV
1886 Adult Swim on Demand
1994 Octane
Thursday, October 25, 2007
"24" Season 7 Trailer; say it ain't so Tony
With apologies to Theoden James and his excellent Just You Watch blog, I had to post the new official trailer for "24," one of my favorite shows on TV.
This year could be the best ever and could signal a real battle for Monday night supremacy with "Heroes."
Let me know what you think.
This year could be the best ever and could signal a real battle for Monday night supremacy with "Heroes."
Let me know what you think.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Atari founder: today's games are trash
(Screen shots from Xbox 360 version of Virtual Fighter 5 due this month).
The big news in the industry this week comes from Atari founder Nolan Bushnell, who also made a mint with the Chuck E. Cheese pizza franchises.
Bushnell told the trade magazine Electronic Design that today's videogame titles are "pur unadulterated trash."
"Video games today are a race to the bottom," Bushell told ED, "and I'm sad for that."
Bushell thinks there's a lack of fun family games and most everything is concentrated on one or two players.
"Social games represent something that has been missing," he told the magazine. "Most of the board games are purchased by women for families. It is this gaming world that can be re-energized. We used to have families sit down and play a game together. A lot of video games today are very isolated. You don't see mom and dad, sister and brother, sitting down like they used to play, say, Monopoly. That represented good mentoring time for families that just isn't happening now."
Notes
-- Majesco Entertainment shipped "Zoo Hospital" for the Nintendo DS today. It lets players become a zoo intern who must examine and treat 40 different species of birds, mammals and reptiles.
-- Rock band Korn has written and recorded an original song inspired by Ubisoft's upcoming Haze video game. The song will be launched to radio and video in November 2007, to coincide with the launch of the Haze video game. The single, entitled "Haze”, will be available for purchase via online music download sites.
-- “Battlestar Galactica” comes to Xbox LIVE Arcade Wednesday. Inspired by the hit television series of the same name, “Battlestar Galactica” lets players choose their own path – be the hero and defend Galactica or join the dark side with the ruthless Cylons.
-- Blue Raven Technology (www.blueravengear.com) has introduced three new iPod accessories: an iPod Voice Recorder, an iPod Wireless FM Transmitter and an iPod Home Theatre Dock.
The new FM Wireless Transmitter allows you to listen to your favorite iPod music wirelessly on any frequency of your FM radio, in the car or in the home. Using Blue Raven's iPod Audio Recorder, anyone can now turn their iPod into a digital recorder. The Home Theatre Dock allows users to transmit audio and video to your stereo or television.
-- DreamCatcher Inc today released "Painkiller: Overdose," the next installment in the critically-acclaimed and award-winning franchise Painkiller, has shipped to retail stores.
The popular high-energy, frantic-styled gameplay is back in full force to continue the frenzy started among FPS fans in 2004 with the release of the original Painkiller. This sequel to the eventual prequel is packed with tons of fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled single player and multiplayer levels of mayhem. Painkiller: Overdose brings with it 8 innovative demonic weapons, mind-bending physics, lightning-player maps, over 40 demented and sickly-twisted monsters from Hell and gigantic end bosses.
Monday, October 22, 2007
Dish vs DirecTV
The two satellite giants are now far and away the leaders in high definition programming. But how do they compare to each other?
There's a neat little spreadsheet online that is getting many folks talking. It's not completely up to date, but it is a great starting point.
What do you guys think?
There's a neat little spreadsheet online that is getting many folks talking. It's not completely up to date, but it is a great starting point.
What do you guys think?
Madden 08 En Espanol
Coming this December: "Madden NFL 08" ... en Español.
It's a brilliant idea.
Electronic Arts announced last week that it will make "Madden 08" available in Spanish for the PS2 and Xbox 360 in time for Christmas.
The game will be fully translated into Spanish, and its box cover will feature San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo, the second player from the Dominican Republic to be drafted (and to start) in the NFL.
Álvaro Martín, the first Spanish-language play-by-play broadcaster for ABC Sports' "Monday Night Football," is lending the broadcast voice to the game.
The Spanish "Madden" will have three exclusive Spanish songs added to the regular soundtrack: "Los Que Luchamos" by Kinto Sol, "Blame Me" by Molotov and "Relax" by Maná.
I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner.
American football is growing in popularity within Latino communities, and the game's announcement was made at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, piggybacking on other outreach initiatives the NFL is planning for the Latino market.
"This launch is a real coup for the Hispanic community," says Paul Estevez, CEO of Kinetix Integrated, a Latino-focused marketing company. "Not only does this show the increasing influence Hispanics have in the NFL, but it's indicative of a wider trend in branding and marketing: The Hispanic market is no longer fringe, but firmly in the mainstream."
Review: `Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull'
This neat little detective game focuses on the search for the artifact in the title, which has the power to protect its owner from death.Of course, everyone is hunting for it -- including the previous owner's nephew -- and the journey can be dangerous.
I loved the location in historic New Orleans, the sets (an eerie mansion, a cemetery) were cool, and fighting alligators and spiders was fun. It's fun and easy to play.
The game is rated for ages 10 and up, although it should be more like 15-and-up. A PC with at least a 1-gigahertz Pentium processor is required.
Grade: .
Note: Her Interactive, which published this game, has partnered with the six Boys & Girls Clubs in Southeast Louisiana, an area still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As part of the program, each club will receive a complete set of Her Interactive "Nancy Drew" PC games, as well as financial support.
Review: `Rockstar Games Table Tennis'
Every now and then, a new title comes out that reminds you why the Nintendo Wii is the top-selling console game system in America.
This is such a game.
You choose from one of 11 characters, each with different strengths and weaknesses. There are 19 "arenas" to play in, and the crowds will sometimes chant your character's name.
The single-player mode is fun. You can put spin on the ball by pressing the Wiimote's directional buttons (in exactly the places you'd expect). You can hit soft shots, or put lots of topspin on big overhand shots.
It's easy to play. It's realistic. It works.
Grade:
It's a brilliant idea.
Electronic Arts announced last week that it will make "Madden 08" available in Spanish for the PS2 and Xbox 360 in time for Christmas.
The game will be fully translated into Spanish, and its box cover will feature San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis Castillo, the second player from the Dominican Republic to be drafted (and to start) in the NFL.
Álvaro Martín, the first Spanish-language play-by-play broadcaster for ABC Sports' "Monday Night Football," is lending the broadcast voice to the game.
The Spanish "Madden" will have three exclusive Spanish songs added to the regular soundtrack: "Los Que Luchamos" by Kinto Sol, "Blame Me" by Molotov and "Relax" by Maná.
I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner.
American football is growing in popularity within Latino communities, and the game's announcement was made at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, piggybacking on other outreach initiatives the NFL is planning for the Latino market.
"This launch is a real coup for the Hispanic community," says Paul Estevez, CEO of Kinetix Integrated, a Latino-focused marketing company. "Not only does this show the increasing influence Hispanics have in the NFL, but it's indicative of a wider trend in branding and marketing: The Hispanic market is no longer fringe, but firmly in the mainstream."
Review: `Nancy Drew: Legend of the Crystal Skull'
This neat little detective game focuses on the search for the artifact in the title, which has the power to protect its owner from death.Of course, everyone is hunting for it -- including the previous owner's nephew -- and the journey can be dangerous.
I loved the location in historic New Orleans, the sets (an eerie mansion, a cemetery) were cool, and fighting alligators and spiders was fun. It's fun and easy to play.
The game is rated for ages 10 and up, although it should be more like 15-and-up. A PC with at least a 1-gigahertz Pentium processor is required.
Grade: .
Note: Her Interactive, which published this game, has partnered with the six Boys & Girls Clubs in Southeast Louisiana, an area still dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. As part of the program, each club will receive a complete set of Her Interactive "Nancy Drew" PC games, as well as financial support.
Review: `Rockstar Games Table Tennis'
Every now and then, a new title comes out that reminds you why the Nintendo Wii is the top-selling console game system in America.
This is such a game.
You choose from one of 11 characters, each with different strengths and weaknesses. There are 19 "arenas" to play in, and the crowds will sometimes chant your character's name.
The single-player mode is fun. You can put spin on the ball by pressing the Wiimote's directional buttons (in exactly the places you'd expect). You can hit soft shots, or put lots of topspin on big overhand shots.
It's easy to play. It's realistic. It works.
Grade:
When ZZZs are worth the $$$$$
When zzz's are worth the $$$$$
People who own foam mattresses say they offer sweet sleep, sweet relief
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
Related Content
* Blog | Give foam a try?
When former Carolina Panthers quarterback Frank Reich left the NFL seven years ago, he retired with an unwelcomed penalty: excruciating back pain.
Reich was considering risky back surgery when he heard about 74-year-old Pineville furniture dealer Charles Tyndall.
For five years, Tyndall has sold a custom-made memory foam mattress and boxspring called the Tyndall-Pedic. Many area residents say it gives them relief from pain like Reich's -- and others say it's helped them sleep better.
After a few weeks with his new mattress, Reich was feeling good enough to play golf for the first time in three years.
"It's hard to believe that my back pain is gone. This is so amazing to me," Reich said.
There's no science to back it up, but plenty of customers like Reich are true believers in foam, which conforms to the body where traditional mattresses wrap cloth around coiled metal springs that push against the body for support.
Today, foam mattresses are a fast-growing segment in the worldwide bedding industry, which accounts for more than $13 billion annually, according to the World Mattress Industry Report.
The foam has its origins in the NASA space program, developed to help astronauts relieve G-force pressures in space travel.
The customer review Web site, epinions.com, has reviews for 91 brands, including Sealy Posturepedic and Simmons, popular spring mattress makers.
Although there are cheaper brands for less than $1,000, most are $2,000 or more. And industry experts say, like with traditional mattresses, you get what you pay for.
Foam mattresses can be made of a solid core or of several layers of different types of foam laminated together.
The higher end models have more of the special visco memory foam on top, which provides body-contouring comfort, and should help increase user life.
Karin Dillner of the International Sleep Products Association said it's especially important for consumers to take time to test a foam mattress before buying.
"When purchasing a mattress," she said, "you should always lie down with your partner, if you have one, in your typical sleeping position for at least 5-10 minutes."
Dillner said often consumers will "just poke and prod" the corner of the mattress and not get a true feel.
"Some people say foam beds tend to sleep `hot' and they don't care for it, while others love it and say it soothes tired, aching muscles," she said. "Some don't notice a temperature change at all. You won't know if you like it until you try it yourself."
Quality can equal pricey
Lexington, Ky.-based Tempur-Pedic is the Kleenex of the foam-bedding segment, accounting for nearly $1 billion in worldwide sales in 2006. In the U.S., Tempur-Pedic sales were up 16 percent last year to $622 million.Tempur-Pedic beds, available in many Charlotte area bedding stores, range from $1,499 to $6,299 for the mattress and foundation. Tempur's most popular version, the DeluxeBed, sells for $2,499. Tyndall-Pedics, which include a memory foam-topped base, range from about $3,000 to $3,900.
Both Tyndall-Pedic and Tempur-Pedic use thick amounts of the visco memory foam at the top of the beds, overtop of regular foam below. This provides comfort, longevity and quality, Tyndall said.
Some foam models, which sell for as little as $800, skip on some of those things.
Tyndall says you see the same thing with traditional mattresses, which can run from $100 to $7,000 depending on size and model.
Tempur-Pedic has a three-month return policy, which amounts to a test drive, so long as you buy directly from the company.
If you don't like it, you can return it for a refund, minus shipping costs -- though it's important to know that the mattresses are very heavy.
Tyndall sells his Tyndall-Pedic bed at his store in Pineville and his new 44,000-square-foot store in Indian Land, S.C., about three miles south of Ballantyne.
He says his foam beds are particularly beneficial for those with chronic pain and other sleep problems.
He says as many as 70 percent of his clients have some type of sleep problem.
"Springs (in mattresses) give you pressure," Tyndall said. "Foam will cradle the body. The man who says coil is the best way has never experienced foam."
Trinity, N.C.-based Sealy Posturepedic has a foam line but has also introduced a latex foam bed. Industry magazine Furniture Today said it expected latex foam bed sales to double next year.
Unlike memory foam, which conforms to your body, latex foam gently pushes back.
Latex foam is breathable and is designed to keep owners warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Improving on the standard
Tyndall, who's been in the furniture business since 1983, started watching the growing popularity of foam beds around the turn of the century.
He won't reveal everything, but says he drew up designs five years ago with more foam support in the corners than his competition, allowing customers to use every inch of mattress surface. He heard complaints about the foam mattresses retaining heat so he added a material on the top and inside to help control that.
Customers interviewed by the Observer said it works.
Tyndall also offered a full 20-year warranty, minus shipping costs.
Tempur-Pedic, for example, has a 20-year limited warranty. After the 10th year, customers pay a prorated amount.
Tyndall also had his proprietary beds built to different firmness types and offered custom versions where, say, one side could be firm and the other soft. Tempur-Pedic spokesman Mike Mason said his company offers one style of firmness.
Winning over skeptics
Charlotte flight attendant Pauline Thomas said she'd been all over the city trying mattresses last summer when she heard about Tyndall's. She said it didn't take long for her to decide it was the best."And I've slept on tons of beds in my travels," she said. "You sink into it. It was just more comfortable than the other foam beds I tried.
"They were all good. This one is a little better."
South Charlotte chiropractor Steven Jackson bought a foam mattress from Tyndall 19 months ago and had a similar revelation.
"At first, I was thinking, `Maybe I'm just tired,' " said Jackson, of Better Health Chiropractic. "I didn't want to see the hype in all that kind of stuff, but to be honest, it just worked."
What to Consider Before Buying
PROS
• Fans say they're more comfortable than springs.
• Precise contouring to body.
• No flipping.
• Less likely to aggravate allergies.
CONS
• Price: Twice as much, or more, than most conventional mattresses.
• Heat: Some complain they retain body heat.
• Firmness: Can vary depending on room temperature.
• Durability: Can lose ability to rebound from compression over time.
• Odor: When new (usually found in cheaper models)
• Mattress Buying Guide: bettersleep.org.
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133
People who own foam mattresses say they offer sweet sleep, sweet relief
LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
lwertz@charlotteobserver.com
Related Content
* Blog | Give foam a try?
When former Carolina Panthers quarterback Frank Reich left the NFL seven years ago, he retired with an unwelcomed penalty: excruciating back pain.
Reich was considering risky back surgery when he heard about 74-year-old Pineville furniture dealer Charles Tyndall.
For five years, Tyndall has sold a custom-made memory foam mattress and boxspring called the Tyndall-Pedic. Many area residents say it gives them relief from pain like Reich's -- and others say it's helped them sleep better.
After a few weeks with his new mattress, Reich was feeling good enough to play golf for the first time in three years.
"It's hard to believe that my back pain is gone. This is so amazing to me," Reich said.
There's no science to back it up, but plenty of customers like Reich are true believers in foam, which conforms to the body where traditional mattresses wrap cloth around coiled metal springs that push against the body for support.
Today, foam mattresses are a fast-growing segment in the worldwide bedding industry, which accounts for more than $13 billion annually, according to the World Mattress Industry Report.
The foam has its origins in the NASA space program, developed to help astronauts relieve G-force pressures in space travel.
The customer review Web site, epinions.com, has reviews for 91 brands, including Sealy Posturepedic and Simmons, popular spring mattress makers.
Although there are cheaper brands for less than $1,000, most are $2,000 or more. And industry experts say, like with traditional mattresses, you get what you pay for.
Foam mattresses can be made of a solid core or of several layers of different types of foam laminated together.
The higher end models have more of the special visco memory foam on top, which provides body-contouring comfort, and should help increase user life.
Karin Dillner of the International Sleep Products Association said it's especially important for consumers to take time to test a foam mattress before buying.
"When purchasing a mattress," she said, "you should always lie down with your partner, if you have one, in your typical sleeping position for at least 5-10 minutes."
Dillner said often consumers will "just poke and prod" the corner of the mattress and not get a true feel.
"Some people say foam beds tend to sleep `hot' and they don't care for it, while others love it and say it soothes tired, aching muscles," she said. "Some don't notice a temperature change at all. You won't know if you like it until you try it yourself."
Quality can equal pricey
Lexington, Ky.-based Tempur-Pedic is the Kleenex of the foam-bedding segment, accounting for nearly $1 billion in worldwide sales in 2006. In the U.S., Tempur-Pedic sales were up 16 percent last year to $622 million.Tempur-Pedic beds, available in many Charlotte area bedding stores, range from $1,499 to $6,299 for the mattress and foundation. Tempur's most popular version, the DeluxeBed, sells for $2,499. Tyndall-Pedics, which include a memory foam-topped base, range from about $3,000 to $3,900.
Both Tyndall-Pedic and Tempur-Pedic use thick amounts of the visco memory foam at the top of the beds, overtop of regular foam below. This provides comfort, longevity and quality, Tyndall said.
Some foam models, which sell for as little as $800, skip on some of those things.
Tyndall says you see the same thing with traditional mattresses, which can run from $100 to $7,000 depending on size and model.
Tempur-Pedic has a three-month return policy, which amounts to a test drive, so long as you buy directly from the company.
If you don't like it, you can return it for a refund, minus shipping costs -- though it's important to know that the mattresses are very heavy.
Tyndall sells his Tyndall-Pedic bed at his store in Pineville and his new 44,000-square-foot store in Indian Land, S.C., about three miles south of Ballantyne.
He says his foam beds are particularly beneficial for those with chronic pain and other sleep problems.
He says as many as 70 percent of his clients have some type of sleep problem.
"Springs (in mattresses) give you pressure," Tyndall said. "Foam will cradle the body. The man who says coil is the best way has never experienced foam."
Trinity, N.C.-based Sealy Posturepedic has a foam line but has also introduced a latex foam bed. Industry magazine Furniture Today said it expected latex foam bed sales to double next year.
Unlike memory foam, which conforms to your body, latex foam gently pushes back.
Latex foam is breathable and is designed to keep owners warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.
Improving on the standard
Tyndall, who's been in the furniture business since 1983, started watching the growing popularity of foam beds around the turn of the century.
He won't reveal everything, but says he drew up designs five years ago with more foam support in the corners than his competition, allowing customers to use every inch of mattress surface. He heard complaints about the foam mattresses retaining heat so he added a material on the top and inside to help control that.
Customers interviewed by the Observer said it works.
Tyndall also offered a full 20-year warranty, minus shipping costs.
Tempur-Pedic, for example, has a 20-year limited warranty. After the 10th year, customers pay a prorated amount.
Tyndall also had his proprietary beds built to different firmness types and offered custom versions where, say, one side could be firm and the other soft. Tempur-Pedic spokesman Mike Mason said his company offers one style of firmness.
Winning over skeptics
Charlotte flight attendant Pauline Thomas said she'd been all over the city trying mattresses last summer when she heard about Tyndall's. She said it didn't take long for her to decide it was the best."And I've slept on tons of beds in my travels," she said. "You sink into it. It was just more comfortable than the other foam beds I tried.
"They were all good. This one is a little better."
South Charlotte chiropractor Steven Jackson bought a foam mattress from Tyndall 19 months ago and had a similar revelation.
"At first, I was thinking, `Maybe I'm just tired,' " said Jackson, of Better Health Chiropractic. "I didn't want to see the hype in all that kind of stuff, but to be honest, it just worked."
What to Consider Before Buying
PROS
• Fans say they're more comfortable than springs.
• Precise contouring to body.
• No flipping.
• Less likely to aggravate allergies.
CONS
• Price: Twice as much, or more, than most conventional mattresses.
• Heat: Some complain they retain body heat.
• Firmness: Can vary depending on room temperature.
• Durability: Can lose ability to rebound from compression over time.
• Odor: When new (usually found in cheaper models)
• Mattress Buying Guide: bettersleep.org.
Langston Wertz Jr: 704-358-5133
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Foam beds may be worth a lay
The first time I heard about foam mattresses, I thought they were a gimmick. I was watching a late night infomercial. A lady had a glass of red wine sitting on a bed.
The lady gets off the bed. The glass doesn’t move.
It looked cool, but I thought it was a parlor trick. I surfed over to Golf Channel or something and fell asleep.
I didn’t think about foam mattresses much after that until my mother, Robena, bought a Tempur-Pedic earlier this year after she moved to Mint Hill.
I smugly told Mom that the whole foam thing was a fad, like bell bottom pants and flat-top haircuts. I just knew my 11-year-old old Sealy Posturepedic was still the Cadillac of the go-to-sleep industry (even though it has a crevice in the center so deep you can race marbles to the bottom).
My opinion changed the first day I sunk – and I mean sunk – into Mom’s new foam bed and took a nap.
You feel like you’re supported everywhere, almost like you’re floating. You don’t bounce. You wake up in the same position you dozed off in.
This was to sleeping what the color TV was to entertainment. That experience led me to do the story in Sunday's business section that goes along with this column. I figured more folks ought to know how good these foam beds really are.
They are technically based on something called visco elastic foam, which was developed by NASA for use by astronauts.
The foam conforms to the body and redistributes the body’s weight. More of you is contact with the bed than with traditional mattresses.
It makes your back feel better. It makes your legs feel better. It makes your neck feels better.
When you get up, the elastic foam returns to its original shape. You never have to flip it.
The only drawback is cost.
Foam is about twice as expensive as most high end inner-spring mattresses.
Throughout the summer, I tried many different foam bed brands in furniture stores in Atlanta, Orlando, Charlotte and Hickory. Then I became interested in a version only available locally while researching the accompanying story.
I talked to more than 20 customers who’d bought the Tyndall-Pedic from Pineville’s Tyndall Furniture Galleries and heard story after story about how the bed changed their lives.
Then I heard more, like former Carolina Panther Frank Reich being able to return to golfing because the bed helped relieve his football-related back pain.
I met a local flight attendant, Pauline Thomas of Rock Hill, who had tried several memory foam beds and concluded the Tyndall was the best.
“And I’ve slept on tons of beds in my travels,” she said.
Curious, I visited the Pineville Tyndall location and literally laid down. For hours.
The beds were amazing. Even better than Mom’s foam model. As I switched from bed to bed, I saw two patrons walk up to hug owner Charles Tyndall and tell him how much a bed had changed their lives.
I don’t think I’ve ever thought that while sliding down the center of my Sealy.
Read the Business story by clicking here.
The lady gets off the bed. The glass doesn’t move.
It looked cool, but I thought it was a parlor trick. I surfed over to Golf Channel or something and fell asleep.
I didn’t think about foam mattresses much after that until my mother, Robena, bought a Tempur-Pedic earlier this year after she moved to Mint Hill.
I smugly told Mom that the whole foam thing was a fad, like bell bottom pants and flat-top haircuts. I just knew my 11-year-old old Sealy Posturepedic was still the Cadillac of the go-to-sleep industry (even though it has a crevice in the center so deep you can race marbles to the bottom).
My opinion changed the first day I sunk – and I mean sunk – into Mom’s new foam bed and took a nap.
You feel like you’re supported everywhere, almost like you’re floating. You don’t bounce. You wake up in the same position you dozed off in.
This was to sleeping what the color TV was to entertainment. That experience led me to do the story in Sunday's business section that goes along with this column. I figured more folks ought to know how good these foam beds really are.
They are technically based on something called visco elastic foam, which was developed by NASA for use by astronauts.
The foam conforms to the body and redistributes the body’s weight. More of you is contact with the bed than with traditional mattresses.
It makes your back feel better. It makes your legs feel better. It makes your neck feels better.
When you get up, the elastic foam returns to its original shape. You never have to flip it.
The only drawback is cost.
Foam is about twice as expensive as most high end inner-spring mattresses.
Throughout the summer, I tried many different foam bed brands in furniture stores in Atlanta, Orlando, Charlotte and Hickory. Then I became interested in a version only available locally while researching the accompanying story.
I talked to more than 20 customers who’d bought the Tyndall-Pedic from Pineville’s Tyndall Furniture Galleries and heard story after story about how the bed changed their lives.
Then I heard more, like former Carolina Panther Frank Reich being able to return to golfing because the bed helped relieve his football-related back pain.
I met a local flight attendant, Pauline Thomas of Rock Hill, who had tried several memory foam beds and concluded the Tyndall was the best.
“And I’ve slept on tons of beds in my travels,” she said.
Curious, I visited the Pineville Tyndall location and literally laid down. For hours.
The beds were amazing. Even better than Mom’s foam model. As I switched from bed to bed, I saw two patrons walk up to hug owner Charles Tyndall and tell him how much a bed had changed their lives.
I don’t think I’ve ever thought that while sliding down the center of my Sealy.
Read the Business story by clicking here.
Friday, October 19, 2007
Halo 3 helps Xbox 360 dominate sales
A lot of gaming fans say the big mistake Sony made with the PlayStation 3 was not creating enough great software to go with the great hardware.
Maybe they're right.
Look at what the excellent "Halo 3" game has done for Xbox 360. The game, which set U.S. sales records, was largely responsible for driving the biggest month in US video game history.
The NPD Group, which tracks the videogame industry, said Xbox 360 was the top-selling console in terms of sales in September. Xbox 360 outsold PlayStation 3 at a rate of five to one.
The Xbox 360 also benefitted from a recent price point drop -- to $349.99 for the regular 360 and to $449.99 for the Xbox 360 Elite series.
Xbox 360 sales sales shot up 50 percent in September, to more than 528,000. Nintendo sold 501,000 Wiis and Sony moved only 119,000 PS3 units.
PlayStation 3 sales were down 27 percent in September.
Other notes from the NPD report:
-- Xbox 360 software revenue at retail outsold PS3’s software portfolio 8:1 and Wii’s 4:1, selling 3 times more than both platforms combined.
-- For the month of September according to NPD, Xbox 360 software represented 74 percent of total software sales for the next generation market compared to 17 percent for Wii and 9 percent for PS3. Even without the sales of “Halo 3” the Xbox 360 portfolio outsold the PS3 portfolio 2:1.
-- According to the world-wide authority in entertainment reviews, Metacritic, Xbox 360 has 80 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher compared to just 31 for PS3 and 11 for Wii.
-- In September, Xbox 360 held six spots in the Top Ten Console Games. The $130 “Halo 3: Legendary Edition” alone sold twice as many units as the top title for PS3 “Heavenly Sword” (SCE)
Maybe they're right.
Look at what the excellent "Halo 3" game has done for Xbox 360. The game, which set U.S. sales records, was largely responsible for driving the biggest month in US video game history.
The NPD Group, which tracks the videogame industry, said Xbox 360 was the top-selling console in terms of sales in September. Xbox 360 outsold PlayStation 3 at a rate of five to one.
The Xbox 360 also benefitted from a recent price point drop -- to $349.99 for the regular 360 and to $449.99 for the Xbox 360 Elite series.
Xbox 360 sales sales shot up 50 percent in September, to more than 528,000. Nintendo sold 501,000 Wiis and Sony moved only 119,000 PS3 units.
PlayStation 3 sales were down 27 percent in September.
Other notes from the NPD report:
-- Xbox 360 software revenue at retail outsold PS3’s software portfolio 8:1 and Wii’s 4:1, selling 3 times more than both platforms combined.
-- For the month of September according to NPD, Xbox 360 software represented 74 percent of total software sales for the next generation market compared to 17 percent for Wii and 9 percent for PS3. Even without the sales of “Halo 3” the Xbox 360 portfolio outsold the PS3 portfolio 2:1.
-- According to the world-wide authority in entertainment reviews, Metacritic, Xbox 360 has 80 titles with a Metacritic review score of 80 or higher compared to just 31 for PS3 and 11 for Wii.
-- In September, Xbox 360 held six spots in the Top Ten Console Games. The $130 “Halo 3: Legendary Edition” alone sold twice as many units as the top title for PS3 “Heavenly Sword” (SCE)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
DISH expands HD lineup, chases DirecTV
DirecTV has been making all the headlines in multichannel news lately launching new HDTV channels. Wednesday, DirecTV added two more regional sports networks in HD.
Thursday, DISH responded in the war for the high-end customer, adding NHL HD. The company says that gives them 75 HDTV channels, one more than DirecTV.
"For the past two years, DISH Network has pioneered the HD revolution by offering consumers the most HD channels -- a fact that still holds true today," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "The addition of NHL Network HD is a score for hockey fans, who will benefit from the amazing graphic picture quality DishHD brings to the home viewing experience and who are now guaranteed to never miss a hat trick with the best HD DVR on the planet."
NHL Network is the first national network dedicated entirely to hockey giving viewers unprecedented 24-hour access to the most comprehensive hockey coverage, both on and off the ice. NHL Network will broadcast 50 live regular-season games in addition to classic games, documentaries, instructional shows, highlights and more.
Now, who's the real HD leader?
Well, DirecTV has 47 national channels, 11 regional sports channels, eight distant network signal channels and pay-per-view channels. That's a total of 74 and Charlotte customers can see 66 of those. Charlotte customers cannot get the distant network channels because DirecTV carries local channels for this market, including HD versions of local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates for a total of 70 HD channels.
On Sundays, subscribers to Sunday Ticket can see about 10 more HD NFL games on DirecTV.
DISH has 15 VOOM channels, which have proprietary content, 22 regional sports networks, plus 38 national channels and local channels in HD for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. The local customer in Charlotte could get access to all 80.
But DISH's regional stations fire up per game while DirecTV's are full-time. From what many owners are saying at various forums around, DISH's picture quality is not on par with what DirecTV is pushing.
DISH has an advantage in that it gives new customers a free HD-DVR and DirecTV charges up to $200 for one. But DISH charges $20 for HD access and DirecTV $10.
For years DirecTV has taken a beating in the media and on forums about their lack of HD choice and quality. The company kept saying "Wait until fall 2007." They delivered. Cable's not close anymore and DISH is falling further and further into the rear view mirror.
Right now, DirecTV is emerging as the undisputed champion. If it starts giving away a free HD-DVR, that might be the killer blow.
But what do you think?
Thursday, DISH responded in the war for the high-end customer, adding NHL HD. The company says that gives them 75 HDTV channels, one more than DirecTV.
"For the past two years, DISH Network has pioneered the HD revolution by offering consumers the most HD channels -- a fact that still holds true today," said Eric Sahl, senior vice president of Programming for DISH Network. "The addition of NHL Network HD is a score for hockey fans, who will benefit from the amazing graphic picture quality DishHD brings to the home viewing experience and who are now guaranteed to never miss a hat trick with the best HD DVR on the planet."
NHL Network is the first national network dedicated entirely to hockey giving viewers unprecedented 24-hour access to the most comprehensive hockey coverage, both on and off the ice. NHL Network will broadcast 50 live regular-season games in addition to classic games, documentaries, instructional shows, highlights and more.
Now, who's the real HD leader?
Well, DirecTV has 47 national channels, 11 regional sports channels, eight distant network signal channels and pay-per-view channels. That's a total of 74 and Charlotte customers can see 66 of those. Charlotte customers cannot get the distant network channels because DirecTV carries local channels for this market, including HD versions of local ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC affiliates for a total of 70 HD channels.
On Sundays, subscribers to Sunday Ticket can see about 10 more HD NFL games on DirecTV.
DISH has 15 VOOM channels, which have proprietary content, 22 regional sports networks, plus 38 national channels and local channels in HD for ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. The local customer in Charlotte could get access to all 80.
But DISH's regional stations fire up per game while DirecTV's are full-time. From what many owners are saying at various forums around, DISH's picture quality is not on par with what DirecTV is pushing.
DISH has an advantage in that it gives new customers a free HD-DVR and DirecTV charges up to $200 for one. But DISH charges $20 for HD access and DirecTV $10.
For years DirecTV has taken a beating in the media and on forums about their lack of HD choice and quality. The company kept saying "Wait until fall 2007." They delivered. Cable's not close anymore and DISH is falling further and further into the rear view mirror.
Right now, DirecTV is emerging as the undisputed champion. If it starts giving away a free HD-DVR, that might be the killer blow.
But what do you think?
Can Technology bring families closer? Panasonic says yes.
Panasonic, which makes some of the best HDTVs going, thinks technology can be used to unite the American family.
Today, the company launched its new "Bring Bring Back Family Time" Campaign. To participate, family members of all ages can visit www.LivingInHD.com and get tips on how families use technology to spend more quality time with each other.
A new survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation looked at adults’ and teenagers’ perceptions when it comes to spending quality time together with their family.
It showed 91 percent of parents feel that spending quality time with their families is a meaningful experience and four out of five describe it as fun, educational and exciting. But 57 percent say they don’t have a dedicated family night.
“Pick a night of the week for family time that works for everyone and stick to it… no excuses,” suggests Dr. Cindy, a nationally recognized family therapist and founder of the Mommy and Me Association. “Start planning these nights when the children are young to lay the foundation that family night is an important ritual. It is also important to allow communication to occur in a natural environment that revolves around an activity that is engaging to everyone.”
The survey also found that eating a meal together, taking weekend trips, watching movies together and talking to each other all top the list as activities parents and teenagers would most want to participate in when spending quality time together.
So how to use technology to accomplish these goals? Well, more than 70 percent of parents and teens surveyed said watching a movie was a great way to spend family time together.
(The following tips are from Dr. Cindy and Panasonic)
Tip #1: Host a movie night where everyone is a critic. The act of watching the movie is entertaining, but the real family connection stems from the discussion afterwards. Talk about various themes in the movie and how they apply to family situations. Be sure to ask open ended questions to avoid “yes” or “no” answers and prompt meaningful dialogue.
Tip #2: Use a video camera to record a day-in-the-life. Gather as a family after dinner and show the video to elevate the discussion. Be sure to alternate family members each time to help paint a picture of everyone’s day.
Tip #3: Create a digital family album. Assign everyone one family time activity to document and after everyone has had a chance, spend the next family night viewing all of the photos and rganizing them into a photo album. Be sure to discuss each photo because they will provide an insight into how the family member perceived the day.
Tip #4: Plan a cooking night. There are hundreds of cooking shows and DVD’s that demonstrate how to cook amazing meals. Gather as a family and watch how a well- known chef cooks a meal then try to recreate it. Assign each family member a different task so everyone feels they played a critical role. Better yet, video it and create your family cooking show.
Of course, Panasonic would prefer you watch those movies and cooking shows on their new state-of-the-art 1080P plasma television, but the ideas, I think, are sound.
Today, the company launched its new "Bring Bring Back Family Time" Campaign. To participate, family members of all ages can visit www.LivingInHD.com and get tips on how families use technology to spend more quality time with each other.
A new survey conducted by the Opinion Research Corporation looked at adults’ and teenagers’ perceptions when it comes to spending quality time together with their family.
It showed 91 percent of parents feel that spending quality time with their families is a meaningful experience and four out of five describe it as fun, educational and exciting. But 57 percent say they don’t have a dedicated family night.
“Pick a night of the week for family time that works for everyone and stick to it… no excuses,” suggests Dr. Cindy, a nationally recognized family therapist and founder of the Mommy and Me Association. “Start planning these nights when the children are young to lay the foundation that family night is an important ritual. It is also important to allow communication to occur in a natural environment that revolves around an activity that is engaging to everyone.”
The survey also found that eating a meal together, taking weekend trips, watching movies together and talking to each other all top the list as activities parents and teenagers would most want to participate in when spending quality time together.
So how to use technology to accomplish these goals? Well, more than 70 percent of parents and teens surveyed said watching a movie was a great way to spend family time together.
(The following tips are from Dr. Cindy and Panasonic)
Tip #1: Host a movie night where everyone is a critic. The act of watching the movie is entertaining, but the real family connection stems from the discussion afterwards. Talk about various themes in the movie and how they apply to family situations. Be sure to ask open ended questions to avoid “yes” or “no” answers and prompt meaningful dialogue.
Tip #2: Use a video camera to record a day-in-the-life. Gather as a family after dinner and show the video to elevate the discussion. Be sure to alternate family members each time to help paint a picture of everyone’s day.
Tip #3: Create a digital family album. Assign everyone one family time activity to document and after everyone has had a chance, spend the next family night viewing all of the photos and rganizing them into a photo album. Be sure to discuss each photo because they will provide an insight into how the family member perceived the day.
Tip #4: Plan a cooking night. There are hundreds of cooking shows and DVD’s that demonstrate how to cook amazing meals. Gather as a family and watch how a well- known chef cooks a meal then try to recreate it. Assign each family member a different task so everyone feels they played a critical role. Better yet, video it and create your family cooking show.
Of course, Panasonic would prefer you watch those movies and cooking shows on their new state-of-the-art 1080P plasma television, but the ideas, I think, are sound.
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