Gizmos | Apple iPad

This thing had been rumored for quite some time now, so when Apple officially announced the iPad several days ago, it hardly felt like a surprise at all. And that name! The iPad name is actually quite underwhelming, and is guaranteed to be made fun of by everyone in the days to come--already some are associating it with sanitary pads, LOL.
As for the device, the best description of it would be a bigger and heavier iPhone without the phone thingy, heh. It looks like one half of a MacBook--the screen part. The design is actually quite nice, and adheres to the typical Apple design trademark, which is simple and minimalist.

The iPad's display, like most Apple displays, is bright and brilliant. It runs a modified OS used for the iPhone, which means that it can run most of the iPhone apps as well. From the videos and demos, the touch screen response time is excellent, but I can't help cringing when I see all those unavoidable smudgy fingerprints on the screen.

And just like the iPhone, Flash can't be displayed on the iPad. Since Apple & Adobe seem to be at each other's throats regarding this issue, I don't think the problem with Flash will be solved any time soon.

But all shortcomings aside, the iPad is here to stay--I'm pretty sure this device will be greedily snapped up by a lot of people, even though they don't really know what's it for, and they don't sure as heck need it. I don't think I need one; I have a difficult time typing without tactile feedback, and Apple products are so damned expensive and overpriced here.

Of course, if someone gives me one...heh.

Gaming | The Best of 2009

After spending most of 2009 playing a somewhat diminished number of noteworthy games for handheld systems, I made a return to console gaming during the last part of November with the PS3. Ah console gaming, how I missed thee--no more trying to read teeny, microscopic lettering on handhelds, which I am loathe to admit eventually ruined my eyesight. Unfortunately, with the return to consoles came the return of not-having-time-to-do-anything-else-except-play all day, LOL.

1. Dragon Age: Origins [PS3] - My Game of the Year, and by far the best new RPG I've played this year, as you get to play main characters with different backgrounds in a typical save-the-world scenario. Dungeons are never boring, and battles are always satisfying, but it's the writing that makes this a winner, with every character having a distinctive personality that made for great interaction. While the game is riddled with bugs and glitches, that hasn't stopped me from playing it nonstop, finishing it, then replaying it as different characters, not to mention buying and getting all available downloadable content. Dragon Age: Origins is the reason why I haven't been updating and finishing my blog entries, heh.


2. Scribblenauts [DS] - As far as ground-breaking concepts go, Scribblenauts was clearly awesome--type or write anything, and it'll do its darndest to create it for your use in the game's numerous puzzles. It would've been my number 1, save for the bizarre controls that weren't that intuitive, which made me die many times than I'd like to count.

3. LittleBigPlanet [PSP] - This handheld version of the PS3 game is every bit as charming and engrossing as the original, but without the multiplayer options. Still, it's a worthwhile addition to the PSP library, and gets bonus points for including Stephen Fry's snotty-sounding narration, which mostly added to the charm of the original PS3 game.

4. Flower [PS3] - Another innovative game from the creators of flOw, with a concept so jaw-droppingly simple but breathtakingly beautiful in its execution, as you guide flower petals flying through the air across a serene, grassy field. Almost mesmerizing to look at, and an excellent use of the PS3's Sixaxis Controller technology.


5. Pokemon Platinum [DS] - The enhanced version of Pokemon Diamond and Pearl offered the same 493 Pokemon, the same world, and the same scenarios, but with added plot elements and features. So what's not to like, LOL. Oh wait, I hated one thing about this game--it takes a long, long time to save games, something that I'm dreading will become a feature of the later games.

6. Half-Minute Hero [PSP] - One of the most original concepts to come out last year, where you get to play a fairly typical RPG with the usual bunch of character stereotypes, but you only have 30 seconds to defeat the Big Bad or else the world is destroyed. And with the retro, pixelated 2-D look, everything comes together for a fun and often hilarious experience. Great writing as well.

7. Resident Evil 5 [PS3] - It's not the Resident Evil I'm familiar with, even though it has some RE characters from the past games. Not that scary as well, though the battles and sparse ammo will often leave you flailing around. Where RE5 excels is the multiplayer aspect, as you really need a good teammate to play this one and slaughter the bad guys. The upcoming DLCs show a lot of promise though--bring back Jill, hehe.
8. Rhythm Heaven [DS] - At last, a worthwhile music rhythm game for the DS, composed of tons of minigames where every control system is different. There are notable gems in the mix, particularly Glee Club, but holding the DS vertically for an extended period of time is kinda awkward for me, and can really tire you out.

9. Buzz! Quiz World [PS3] - The well-known Sony Quiz Game host returns, and he's brought a lot of new stuff in this latest incarnation. It's actually fun to play with as many as 8 players online, but the huge buzzer controllers take some time getting used to. Buzz can now say your name aloud, provided it's in the database, and since my name's not really your typical name, I'm stuck with using the closest-sounding one, which is "Ace". Meh.

10. The Legendary Starfy [DS] - One of the strangest yet hilarious games I've ever played; Starfy seems like a mix of Kirby and SpongeBob SquarePants, and that unusual sound he makes will either endear him to you or fill you with murderous rage, LOL. Everything seems to be designed by a kid heavily drugged with acid--yup, it's that bizarre, but fun.

Film | Zombieland

The zombie apocalypse film genre seems to have been beaten to death, but every once in a while something comes along and provides a fresh spin on a tired concept.

Zombieland is one such movie, and while it still retains most of the cliches presented in most zombie films, it's the way it presents it that makes it so new and appealing. It's still about a group of survivors trying to find their place in a zombie-infested world, but emphasis is placed more on the humor rather than the grim, hopeless future.

The movie doesn't provide explanations on what happened or why it happened; rather, we jump right in and follow main character Columbus as he goes on a road trip and meets other survivors, who are all referred to with area names: Tallahasee, Wichita, and Little Rock.

But perhaps the main attraction of Zombieland are the Rules--simple little rules that Columbus follows to the heart to ensure his survival, like "Beware of Bathrooms," "Cardio," and "Don't be a hero." In a manner very similar to The Losers and the TV series Fringe, the Rules are shown in huge 3D letters that appear to be part of the actual scenery, giving Zombieland a unique visual style that's to be commended.

I always like it when a movie or TV show manages to come up with something different and distinctive, and Zombieland succeeds with regards to creativity, aided by a witty script and fine performances by the actors. Highly recommended.

Music | Linda Ronstadt - Frenesi

Linda Ronstadt is probably one of the most prolific and versatile female singers of our time. Starting out as a folk rock artist in the 1970's, she's gone on and tried out every known musical genre, from pop to opera, and more.

During the 1980's, Linda recorded a trio of standards with the legendary Nelson Riddle, paving the way for other artists to follow suit. She went through a Latin phase after that, recording three albums of Spanish and Mexican songs.


Frenesi is the last of those Latin albums, and it's by far the best, with lively music that was popular during the era of the rumba, mambo and cha-cha. The title song is a classic, and I remember hearing it lots of times when my Dad used to listen to his records.

I've been recently playing Afro-Cuban music lately, and Linda's Frenesi album is often in my playlist. It's amazing how she nails every song, despite her inability to speak Spanish. Of course, the music helps too, as it's a timeless genre that never goes out of style.