iPhone/iPod Firmware v2.2 Released
Apple has released an update for all iPhone/iPod Touch owners today. It’s available through iTunes of course, so you’ll have to connect your device and hit “Check for Updates” to start up the installation. The update seems to improve the devices significantly. Read more to find out what’s included in the update.
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My NXE Avatar.
I like it. It looks alot like me. I was afraid that the details would be limited and would force me to make something ridiculous. But it fit’s my look and style perfect. Enjoy, and if you have one, link to it in the comments!
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Apple App Of the Week
Here’s a new segment I’m going to start that features great applications for the iPod Touch/iPhone, chosen by me. None of them will be “jailbroken” apps since I chose not to jailbreak my iPod Touch. Some of them I may feature are probably well known already and some may be fairly new, But that won’t prevent me from showing them off to our readers. I plan to give the apps close review with a unbiased state of mind.
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Whoa, after such long silence
I got rid of my laptop, long story, but I ended up with the iPod Touch and I thought I could blog from there but it’s very tedious. So I stopped that for awhile and now I have a PC again! With Norton 360 2.0 Security on it. I should be good to go on blogging very soon, just have alot of files to delete, repair, get, etc. I’m not dead or gone! Woo!
I’m giving in…
I’m putting away my Creative Zen Vision:W and I’m buying a second generation 16 gig iPod Touch. I never thought I would get another iPod but Apple products are so appealing. I’ll post pictures and videos soon.
Creative, you still ma wifey, yo. Stay fresh, I luh yoo.
Tech In Hiding Game Review: Castle Crashers (XBLA)
Castle Crashers
The Xbox 360 is an amazing console. Whether you love it or not, You know it’s great. And unknown to most owners, there’s more great games out than they would expect. The Xbox 360 has a marketplace called the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) where you can download small games for a fee. Recently, a game called Castle Crashers was released for 1,200 Microsoft Points. Castle Crashers is one of the most highly anticipated XBLA titles to date due to it’s long development and beat-em –up gameplay. Happen to have a 360? Have an Xbox Live Account? Need a new game to liven up you life fill of boredom? Check out this review for Castle Crashers and see if it fits your liking.
Plot: Without giving away much about the main story, It’s pretty straight forward and simple enough to understand. You’re a knight. You save Princesses. You kick ass. After finishing the games story mod I can tell you this isn’t the strongest point of the game. The story doesn’t sell the game but hey, You kick ass, so who needs a story anyway? 2/5
Graphics: Here’s the sweet part of the game. The graphics are basically like your average Flash game but with a wicked artstyle provided by Mr. Don Paladin. The animation has a comedic yet cute look to it. It’s graphic nature puts the thought of Gears Of War fans chain-sodomizing teletubies to shame.It’s just too damn fun to see you and your friend’s cut some head off over and over again. If this game had the Unreal engine on it, I’m sure it wouldn’t be as fun as it is now.5/5
Gameplay: It’s your basic hack-n-slash 4 Player fighter, with a little flavor on it. A hint of magic, an unlockable weapon system and animal orbs that assist you throughout the game. The game allows you to level up and upgrade your magic, strength, defense and speed/archery. Pretty simple but very in depth for a Arcade title. 4/5
Controls: It seems to fit the Xbox controller well. X is a light attack, Y Is a heavy attack. Mix them up for some good combo kill action. A Is to jump and B lets you use your items that you switch back and forth with LB and RB. Hold RT and pressing Y releases your magic. 4/5
Castle Crashers is a must buy . I wish I could say more to sum it up but It’s just really, really good. If you have a Xbox 360, Go buy it. Now. Go get your Microsoft points and get to it. If your not convinced, Send me a message on Xbox Live and I’ll buy the game for you.*
(* = No I won’t)
Is Gamefly Really Worth Your Cash?
So first off, I know I said I was going to post a review of the Xbox 360 game Dark Sector. Ultimately, I decided against it because the game is old. Not too old if you really think about it, but It’s not a new release. So with that, I joined Gamefly so I can rent new releases. I attempted to rent Infinite Undiscovery and Viva Piñata but I ended up with Eternal Sonata instead. I’ll explain why later. So while I wait, I’ll review Gamefly’s rental service for those unfamiliar to it’s true terms.
Gamefly is a online video game rental service that let’s you, well…rent games for any console. Any console being anything current-gen (PS3, X360, Wii), Last-gen (PS2, Xbox, Gamecube), and recent handheld (GBA, DS, PSP). At sign up, your offered a one game out at a time rental plan for $15.95 a month. First month is actually $8.95, with the option to cancel anytime. You can rent out up to 4 games at a time, but higher rates apply.
They require you to make a list called “My GameQ” where you tell them which games you want and in what order, since they ship each game as soon as you return you have out. Since they have a limited stock of games, the availability of each game is detailed on your Game Q in several forms.
- Not Available
- Very Low – Less than 25% chance they ship it first day. (Won’t Ship)
- Low – 25 to 49% (Won’t ship)
- Medium – 50 to 74% (Could Ship)
- High – 75% or greater (Could Ship)
- Available Now – Will ship
What you need to keep in mind is that they ship six days a week, excluding Sundays, from 4 different locations. Their warehouses are in California, Florida, Philadelphia and Texas. From what I’ve been told, the Florida warehouse seems to only ship in that state alone and the one in Philadelphia ships only to the following:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Maine
- Michigan
- North Carolina
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Virginia
- Vermont
- Washington, D.C.
- West Virginia
As I signed up for Gamefly, I originally thought that I would recieve any game I chose. I was proven wrong, as they have limited supply of each game in every warehouse around the United States. The actual turn around time from sending in a game to recieving your next one all depends on your location and which warehouse it’s shipped from.
In my case, I’m currently in Houston, Texas. The first game I rented was ‘Available Now’ on a Friday, so it shipped From Austin, TX that day and arrived on Tuesday afternoon. Not all games will ship from your nearest location. When I rented Eternal Sonata on Sept. 4th, It was shipped from the Los Angeles, CA warehouse because the game at that moment was only available there. Gamefly states shipping takes 2-4 days so I should be expecting Eternal Sonata today, if not then tomorrow.
That’s basically the gist of Gamefly’s service. Join at your own risk, if you can afford the monthly payments. Make sure you’re pretty close to a warehouse if you want your games quick, otherwise I personally think it’s a waste of your time. They do charge tax with the monthly fee’s and they only ship within the United States.
Small Update
Hey all, we’ll its been awhile since my last post. It’s because I’m taking my time doing this lovely bloggeroo on my vacation time with family since ‘I loves me that ‘der internet’. But there comes a time where My family and I decide to do things socially and it doesn’t involve technology at all. Which means I have no blogging time! Argh. Soon, I’ll have my personal review of the Creative Zen V Plus and a few Xbox 360 games. For now, follow me on Twitter!
A Rant In Honor of Weezer
As I spent the last few hours listening to Weezer on my Creative Zen W, the idea of letting out my thoughts and opinions on the band came to my head. So I thought “Where else would I be able to speak my mind about them and have others do the same? TechInHiding of course!”. Simple thoughts of their music became reminders of the past and logical reasoning’s of their history. It may not make much sense now but I am glad to say Weezer played a major in my life.
Back when they debuted their first release, The Blue Album (1994), I was stuck on the average hip hop music that was out at the time. Great dance moves and smooth “dopeness” possessed my mind, making me think that was the only music around. Till my brother was handed a copy of The Blue Album on cassette. Surely I had no idea what rock was at the time (I was only 7!) but I needed to have what he owned.
So he let me borrow this cassette simply titled Weezer, with these 4 weird looking guys on the cover. I had no intention to like them but with lyrics like “…I’ve got Kitty Pryde/And Nightcrawler too/Waiting there for me/Yes I do, I do… In the garage/Where I belong/No one hears me sing this song/In the garage…”, The band quickly stuck onto me, resulting in nerd-gasms just for having my then favorite superheroes in music.
Then I quickly found out that they released an ultra cool music video for their song Buddy Holly, based in the world of the hit tv show Happy Days. At first glance I thought Weezer defied the laws of time (Remember, I was only 7!) but technology played a major hand in the making of the video. My curiosity on this awkward group grew as the years passed, But It was a sure thing to say that they were my first favorite Rock band.
For the next 7 years, Weezer seemed to have slipped my mind. They managed to quietly release their less-than-stellar (according to critics) sophmore album Pinkerton in 1996. I never got to hear the album until 2 years ago but it’s clearly one of their finest. The songs, in comparison to The Blue Album, show Singer’s Rivers Cuomo struggle to branch out on his own writing techniques. They prove that no matter what the subject is or mood can be, music can still be made.
Within the decade, Weezer seems to be on a roll with new music as if nothing were to stop them. With a few bumps on the road, they seem to be similar to an ordinary family. They’re better than ever and nothing will break them apart.
Gaming: Braid, To Buy or Not to Buy
Lately, there has been complaints and arguements about the value of a game called Braid. It is an exclusive title to the Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace which is priced at 1200 Microsoft Points. Let it be known that this is above the average price of a normal XBLA title, but this is no ordinary game. With a length of about 6 hours, a unique puzzling gameplay, and a comfortable control scheme, This title seems to be well worth the “$15″.
I have yet to play this game due to my Xbox 360 being repaired at the moment (Killed by it’s own dreadful suicide cased as the Red Ring of Death) but as soon as I get it back, I plan to buy and review the game on this blog. But for now, Check out impressions of the game here.
If you need any more convincing, check out this article from my friends at X3F by clicking here.
