Microsoft Security Essentials
Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 09:29PM 
- What? Antivirus software from Microsoft
- How Much? FREE
- When? Public beta available now
- Where? You can download it here
- Why is it cool? Although there are many free antivirus applications available such as AVG or Avast, Microsoft Security Essentials is available directly from Microsoft and offers protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. It's easy to use, doesn't take up a lot of your computers memory, and updates automatically. You'll need a free Live.com account to download it but it only take a few seconds to set one up if you don't already have one. Reviewers seem to like it and free is better than paying annually for Norton or McAfee, so check it out.
Paper Toss
Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 07:33PM 
- What? A game for iPhone or iPod Touch
- Where? You can download it here(iTunes Link)
- How Much? FREE
- Why is it cool? Paper Toss from Backflip Studios Inc. is a highly addictive and fun game where you try to throw a ball of paper into a trash can. Sounds easy enough but a desk fan stands between you and your goal. With each throw, the fan changes speed and position forcing you to adjust your aim. It's a fairly basic game with only three difficulty levels. The harder the level, the further you are from the trash can. The goal is to see how many shots you can successfully make in a row. You can see it in action here.
tagged iphone, ipod touch in Apps
iphone, ipod touch in Apps Apple iPhone 3GS
Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 10:19PM 
- What? Apple's latest iPhone
- When? June 19, 2009
- Where? Apple or AT&T retail or online stores
- How Much? 16GB $199, 32GB $299
- Why is it Cool? The iPhone has been a juggernaut in the smartphone market since it was released in 2007 and has been slightly upgraded each year. This year, Apple is focusing on speed(that's what the "S" stand for). The processor and memory have been upgraded to make using the device even faster than prior models. Opening applications, viewing pictures, finding music, and pretty much every process is now up to two times faster. Also, the camera has been upgraded to a 3.0 megapixel with auto focus and video recording capability. The recorded video can even be edited directly on the phone and uploaded to YouTube. MMS(picture messaging) has been added but will not be supported by AT&T until late summer. A digital compass, voice dialing, and search round out the new features. Even though the design is the same, the new iPhone 3GS is a nice upgrade to this insanely popular device. You can find out more here.
Castle Crashers
Thursday, June 18, 2009 at 09:57PM 
- What? A downloadable game for Xbox 360.
- Where? Right on your Xbox Live Arcade Marketplace.
- How Much? 1200 points (about $15 in real money)
- Why is it cool? Castle Crashers is a great little game from the people at Newgrounds. It is a silly little romp through a medieval fantasy world in search of the captured princesses. It can be played by up to four players either on the same console or online. Campy toilet humor abounds and the art style and quirky music just add to the experience. The gameplay is very good for a game of this type and replay value is given with the ability to unlock new characters as the game progresses. Not much new content has been added on the Xbox Live Market but you can download two new characters, some new weapons, and a new pet for a few bucks. I haven't finished it yet so I can't comment on game length but it seems like a good value so far. Altogether this is a fun time to be had by all for a lot less than a game bought at the store. Pick it up and have fun storming the castle. Find out more about it here.
in Games
Games HP Mini from Verizon Wireless
Saturday, May 23, 2009 at 06:32PM 
- What? A netbook with Verizon Wireless mobile broadband built-in
- When? Available now
- Where? Verizon Wireless retail stores or online
- How Much? $199.99 with 2 year agreement
- Why is it cool? Netbooks have become very popular thanks to their low cost and portability. The HP Mini from VZW enhances these benefits with it's subsidised price and built-in broadband internet. It features a decent processor, 80GB hard drive, 1GB of RAM, WiFi, webcam, 10.1 inch screen, two USB ports, almost a full size keyboard, and Windows XP Home. These specifications are pretty standard for netbooks and should be adequate for most users needs. Don't expect to edit video or play extensive games on this machine but it can easily handle daily tasks such as surfing the internet or editing word documents. The best feature of this HP Mini is the built-in broadband internet connection that works anywhere you have Verizon Wireless coverage. The two available plans are $39.99/month for 250MB of data usage or $59.99/month for 5GB. The 250MB plan might be enough for very light internet users but we suggest the 5GB plan which should be enough for even heavy web surfers. You can get even more details by reading Engadget's hands-on review here.
Fallout 3
Monday, April 20, 2009 at 10:31PM 
- What? A post-apocalyptic, role-playing/shooter hybrid from Bethesda.
- When? Out now.
- How much? $59.99
- Why is it cool? Bethesda Softworks is best known for their work on the Elder Scrolls series. This series really blew up when they made a port of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind for the original Xbox console. Oblivion, the latest offering from that world, has gone on to further their reputation on both consoles and computers. When they announced that they were taking over the Fallout series, people were understandably hyped. Fallout is the story of our world after a future nuclear war. The original installments were pure roleplaying games. With Fallout 3, Bethesda has turned this world into a full 3-D game experience. You wander in the wastes of our nation's capital searching for your father after he disappears from the underground vault you grew up in. You will meet a diverse group of wasteland inhabitants in your search for him. The combat is cool with the V.A.T.S targeting system that allows you to stop the game and target individual parts of your enemies. It also tends to be fairly graphic, so you may want to play it after the kiddies are in bed. This game really shines though with it's story. The writing is great and the characters really come across as individuals. The story lines are well put together and there are lots of choices that will set you on a particular path. This really adds to the replay value of the game. Additionally, they have released Xbox Live downloadable content on that console and even more content on the PC version. Bethesda has really taken an established name in gaming and written some wonderful new chapters in it's history. Visit the official site here.
in Games
Games Chumby
Friday, April 17, 2009 at 07:01PM - What? An alarm clock and interactive media player
- Where? Various online retailers or Chumby.com
- How Much? $199
- Why is it cool? In short, this alarm clock does everything. It operates as a fully customizable alarm clock, allowing multiple alarms on different days/weekends at different times. You can to wake up to a song, video, radio show, beep, crickets, beach surf or almost anything. After its initial function as an alarm clock comes widgets for pretty much everything on the internet. Such as, traffic, news, stocks, twitter, RSS, weather forecasts, eBay, and much more.....all on your bed side table. Like I said, it does everything! Well, it doesn't make you pancakes. You can learn more about Chumby here.
Lacie iamaKey
Friday, April 17, 2009 at 10:42AM 
- What? A USB flash drive from Lacie
- How Much? $26.99 or $36.99
- Where? Various online retailers or Lacie.com
- Why is it cool? The Lacie iamaKey offers exactly what you want in a USB flash drive. Its small, durable, transfers data quickly, and has plenty of storage space. It's about the size of a standard house key and is made of solid metal. Its USB connector is water and scratch resistant. The iamaKey comes in two capacities, 4GB or 8GB priced respectively and has a two year limited warranty. If you need a new flash drive, add this one to your cart today. You can find more details here.
