Apple iPhone and iPod Touch WebApps

Apple, known to host many huge press releases and announcements, seems to have forgot to announce one. That would be the introduction of WebApps for the iPhone and iPod Touch on the Apple Official Site. This announcement went by unnoticed by many, many people including me, until I happened to come across it when looking at the official site on my iPod Touch. I was planning to look at the Apple Store when I saw apps which shot out at me and upon further investigation I found these notoriously hidden WebApps.
These apps range from useful things, such as a Mobile Banking application from Bank of America, to absolutely useless crap, such as iMug Shots which lets you "view mug shots of famous and notorious people". There are already over 400 of these applications and definitely more to come. If you would like to sign up to actually build one of these apps there is more information on the site. The actual site's URL, that you can access through your iPhone or iPod Touch (or computer for that matter), is http://www.apple.com/webapps.
Now these apps aren't brilliantly designed. Some of them are just a couple things thrown together. But, it is a step forward. The biggest problem with viewing them on an iPod Touch is that you can only go to places with Wi-Fi access otherwise you lose connection with the app. The iPhone makes it a little more easy with the Edge network, but you cannot use the app if you are out of the network.
Oh yeah there's another big problem...NOBODY KNOW'S ABOUT THE APPS. Jeez Apple, if your going to take that much time to make these things at least make sure people know about them. But hey, if you don't want to do it Apple, I'll be happy to.

360 Dashboard Update Next Week!!

Microsoft has officially announced (through Major Nelson) that the Fall Dashboard update will (finally) be released on December 4th. It will add, previously posted, Xbox Originals and a new Friend of Friends feature. This feature allows you to view the friends list of people on your friends list. You can enable or disable this through privacy measures. Overall it looks to be a much more substantial update than that released in the Spring. As soon as I get a tv I will tell you what its like. Wow this tv issue is seriously hurting my blogging capabilities.

Rock Band Chosen

I have made my decision. I can cross Guitar Hero III off of my list of games I'm getting this holiday and add Rock Band onto it. After watching them play it on The 1up Show and listening to remarks about the game on various podcasts it looks like Rock Band will be getting my money rather than Guitar Hero.
One huge reason it will be is that I have two other gamers in the house. I don't want to have to fight with them over who gets to play now. It will be better pool our money to get Rock Band and we can play at the same time.
Another reason is I want to play other instruments. Don't get me wrong I will probably spend much of my time with the game with the guitar, but I would love to try the drums and singing. The drums look hard but could be very fun if you learn how to play them.
Well as soon as I get the game (see post below) I will post my personal review.

NEED a TV

I feel like a starving person in a buffet that I'm not allowed to eat. There are so many good games out right now but I can't play them. And that is because my damn tv is broken. I haven't even bought the games yet because they may drop in their price as soon as my tv comes in. I have a little 20" SDTV downstairs but I really want to wait till I get my big HDTV back to enjoy the games. Some of these games are supposed to have great graphics and I don't want to ruin their quality by playing them on a crappy tv. I'm also planning to get Rock Band (see next article up) and I have a 5.1 Dolby Digital Sound System with my big tv so I want to enjoy that as well. God I really hope we get one soon.

Unreal Engine 3 Coming to Wii

Unreal Engine 3 is to be ported to the Nintendo Wii, but not by who u would expect. Epic's Vice President Mark Rein has repeatedly said that they would not port the Unreal 3 Engine to the Nintendo Wii. The Engine has been known for great games such as Gears of War and Rainbow Six:Vegas. This Engine will be ported over by an unnamed licensee.
He said, ""It's their own port, in the same way Ubisoft brought Unreal Engine 2 to the Wii (Red Steel). I just don't see a big market there to bring this big hulking memory intensive engine over to a much smaller system."
Now the only question is how much better will the graphics be. Obviously the Wii isn't the powerhouse that the 360 and PS3 are but is it possible for the graphics to be substantially better than the graphics for earlier Wii games (you better hope so)

Favorite Podcasts

Well, I've been traveling a lot the past few weeks and nothing keeps me more entertained on a long car ride or flight than podcasts. Currently, my favorite is 1up Yours which has great discussion on video games. I also like the Video Game Outsiders, Podtacular, Gamespot Presents the Hotspot, Major Nelson, and Mugglecast. All of these are great podcasts. Leave comments with your favorites.

Play Miniclip on your Wii

I recently found out that Miniclip.com has a section optimized to use on your Wii's Opera web browser. I didn't realize this till just now. It seems like these games will be used with the Wiimote. Some games include: Black Knight, Hot Air 2, Sub Commander, etc. Miniclip did a great job putting these up. If you are bored with your Wii collection (hard to believe now that Mario is out), check these out. They may not be world-class titles but we salute Miniclip for its effort.

Top 5 Apps for iPhone/iPod Touch

Since the iPhone and iPod Touch (called iTouch by strange people) will soon have third party application support, here are my top 5 most wanted apps for the iPhone/iPod Touch (I'm going to just refer to the iPhone for the rest of the article even though the apps would be for both).

5. Art App

This application would basically be paint on the iPhone. Could you imagine flicking your finger across the touch screen and see pretty colors pop up (ahh). This would be a kid favorite and a good way to keep the kids occupied for a while. It would be even more amazing if you could mix the colors. Imagine all of the masterpieces you (or your kids) could make.
4. Shopping App

This application could be basically an online store similar to Amazon. Actually it could even be Amazon but in an easier to use User Interface than the online Amazon store on Safari. This would be even better for Apple as they could negotiate with Amazon for a percentage of the revenue. As if they needed any more money.
3. Games App

This application should have been implemented in the iPhone since launch. It seems ridiculous that the other models of the iPod, which have smaller screens and more limited user controls have games while the users of the iPhone have absolutely no games. Most of the games would be even better with touch controls and a huge screen that the iPhone has. Oh yes and there is also an accelerometer in the iPhone for a six-axis like experience.
2. Game Emulation App

This app would be a bit more shady than the other apps as emulators are known to use illegal digital copies of games on their emulation systems. But think how cool it would be to play your favorite SNES, N64, and PS1 games on your iPhone. I'm sure the iPhone processor could handle it as it isn't that hard.
1. Streaming Music from Personal iTunes Library App

Yeah, I couldn't think of a short name for this one so I had to describe it in the title. Basically this application would allow you to stream your content in your iTunes Library onto your iPhone. This is important because Apple has only given you 8 gigs (16 for iPod Touch) and most peoples' libraries are much bigger than that. If the EDGE network couldn't handle it, it could only happen when connected to Wi-Fi. This is a must have in my opinion.

Well there you have it, my most wanted apps on the iPhone. Let's hope that these will be implemented in due time.

Halo 3 Soundtrack Playable on Guitar Hero III

Tomorrow, you will be able to download the Halo theme from the Xbox Live Marketplace to play on Guitar Hero III. It was rumored to be on the Guitar Hero II song list but never appeared there or on Guitar Hero II's downloadable content. It was again rumored to be on Guitar Hero III's song list but again did not show up to the party. Thankfully, it decided to come to this party even though it's late. And the best part: It costs absolutely nothing. Just go to the Live Marketplace and download it.

Haze delayed till 08

Haze, a first person shooter for the PlayStation 3 (and other consoles) was originally set to be released in December. It has now been delayed to first quarter 2008. Since that was moved to the first quarter, Rainbow Six Vegas 2 has most likely been pushed out of that quarter. Another major Ubisoft release for next year, Splinter Cell: Conviction, still looks like it will come out first quarter but it is uncertain.

New Halo 3 Maps December 11th

Bungie is set to release the "Heroic Map Pack" for their insanely popular game Halo 3 on December 11th. It includes three maps and will sell for 800 MS points (10$). That seems a bit steep to me as I was hoping for a price of around $6-8. I mean the Halo 2 maps were usually priced about $2 a piece so why can't these?

Trip to the Past

This Thanksgiving, I'm in (on?) the Cayman Islands. This small island is owned by the U.K. Since it is owned but a modern country you would think it would be modern, but it really isn't. Technology is very much absent here. The only technology here is that of American tourists who are here on vacation as I am. These people have no radios in their cars or high tech computers or anything. And do not think they are in poverty these people aren't. It's just a different way of life. A way of life without much dependence on technology as we are in the U.S. Many stores don't even accept credit cards here. It's strange to come to a place where everything dealing with technology that you take for granted is absent.
I recently went to someone's house that resides on the island for dinner. They still had an old 20" tube television with a 9" tv in the kid's bedroom. I, being used to 50" flat panel plasma televisions, found it disconcerting. It was almost like a trip to the past. At my house I'm looking at a huge tv with high definition graphics playing on the latest game console (only Xbox 360 as of now) online with many of my friends. At this house I was playing the original Tony Hawk (Tony Hawk without any numbers behind it, just imagine) on the PlayStation 1 on a tiny tv squinting to see which person I am. I also managed to check out their computer. It was probably three years old by our standards but fairly new by theirs.
The only reason there is any technology here is because this place is a huge tourist destination. If it weren't for the influx of tourists arriving almost daily these people would be totally isolated from everyone else in the world.
Now I'm not saying you should pity these people but rather you should admire the culture of people not as privileged in technology areas as we are. You should also realize you can live without the latest technology (for a month or two) and you shouldn't wine about. Just think about the people in less developed areas. I know I will never forget these people from my trip to the past.

Tons of Games arriving this week

Wow there is a ton of games coming this week. Great time for my frickin tv to stop working right? The highlights of this week for me are Rock Band and Mass Effect. Rock Band has changed my opinion as I thought I was getting Guitar Hero III but after watching The 1up Show and listening to 1up Yours Rock Band looks amazing. I don't want to buy both and now Rock Band looks like it will get my money. I have two siblings and it will be perfect to play this game with them. I can't wait to get my hands on the drums. As previously stated on this blog, I am ecstatically excited about Mass Effect. It looks like a Game of the Year contender (so does Rock Band now that I mention it) and I want that tv to be fixed and in my house right this instant.

COD4 outpaces Gears of War on Xbox Live

Gears of War, a tenth month Xbox Live most played game leader, has slipped to third in the matter of a month. It was obvious it could not stand in the way of Halo, but a little more surprising is the fact that Call of Duty 4 has now outpaced it and is in second place right behind Halo 3 on the most played games on Xbox Live. Maybe I will have to check it out.

Super Mario Galaxy best rated game of all time!?!?

Super Mario Galaxy is now the best rated game of all time on gamerankings.com.  It edged out Ocarina of Time as it has an average 98.8 score and OoT has an average score of 98.6.  One bad review will kill this score though.

Xbox Originals on Xbox 360

Microsoft announced that starting in early December you will be able to download original Xbox games and play them on your Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Marketplace as part of their Live is 5ive celebrations. There are a total of seven games on the list as of now. They include:

• Burnout 3:Takedown
• Crash Bandicoot:Wrath of Cortex
• Crimson Skies
• Fable
• Fuzion Frenzy
• Psychonauts
• (of course) Halo: CE

One major dissapointment in these games is that they don't have achievements in them that we have come to love with regular Xbox 360 games. This is done "In order to preserve the integrity of the original gaming experience they provide" so "they will have the features available at the time of their initial release" according to Major Nelson. Hopefully these will be available to add later on via a patch or something. Oh yeah, they cost $15 a piece, which is reasonable I guess, although you could pick up these games in a local Gamestop for less.

PS3 Outsells Wii in Japan?!?!?!

Yes, the PS3 has done the previously unthinkable: It has outsold the Nintendo Wii in the land of the Rising Sun. Apparently the PS3 sold 55,924 units compared to the Wii's 34,456 units. The rest of the sales go as follows:

Nintendo DS: 78,884 units
PSP: 58,964 units
PS3: 55,924 units
Wii: 34,456 units
PS2: 9043 units
Xbox 360: 5817 units

The Wii's sales went down 10% while the PS3's went up 38%. Super Mario Galaxy couldn't even help them I guess.

1up Review of Assassin's Creed

Wow I may have to think twice about picking up Assassin's Creed after looking at this review of it. It seems like the biggest problem with the game is that it is repetitive and doesn't change that much. Also it looks like there should be a sequel coming out sometime. Well I probably still will get it but this is making me hesitant.

Xbox First Party Game for 08 Canceled?!?!?

I just got my fix of juicy gossip today when I was listening to the 1up Yours Podcast (amazing podcast by the way) and Shane Bettanhausen, one of the hosts, suggested that a big first-party Microsoft Xbox title for 2008 has been canceled. He said, "a big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for, sounds like it's being canceled." We will have to wait and see how this turns out. Alan Wake, Too Human, Halo Wars, and Banjo Kazooie 3's developers have all come out and said that it isn't their game. What else could it be? Discuss at will

COD4 Train

Whoa, I am officially hit by the Call of Duty 4 hype train now that it is released. Everywhere I look I find great things about the game. It looks amazing. Again due to the fact my TV is broken I can't pick it up right now, but I look forward to getting this game soon. Wow, another game to my extended list. So far the list goes:
Assassin's Creed
Mass Effect
Guitar Hero III
Call of Duty 4
Orange Box

These are the games that are a MUST BUY for me in no particular order. I'm sure I'll be picking up other games this holiday season but these are the most important ones to me. God, I'm gonna need to find some more time for gaming, I mean look at this lineup!

Super Mario Galaxy released!

Well the new Super Mario Galaxy was just released. I still don't have a Wii since I can't find the dang thing. Come on Nintendo make more. But I did have a Gamecube and had Super Mario Sunshine. My only gripe with Sunshine was its camera but it was one of my favorite games on the system. I loved that game... Anyways, this game looks to be even better than Sunshine was and I can't wait to get it once I get a Wii (whenever that will be).

Sorry for the wait... again

Yah another lapse between posts. Sorry about that I was trying to make a gaming website but it didn't work out.
Oh yes there will be a slight delay in the Guitar Hero III, Assassin's Creed, and Mass Effect reviews due to the fact that my tv is broken. Again, I'm sorry, but i promise to make them extra huge and detailed when it is fixed.
Speaking of Assassin's Creed, some of the reviews are starting to filter out and they look great so far. The only things that have been worrying me so far is that the game looked amazing when they revealed it, then the problems with the game starting showing up, disappointing combat, repetitiveness, but it looks like they pulled it together with this one. All of the reviews look very positive and I can't wait till my tv is repaired to pick this and Guitar Hero III up.
And it looks like I could go to K-Mart and get Mass Effect right now if I wanted to as there have been numerous reports of K-Mart breaking the street date and selling Mass Effect to consumers ten days early. All I can say is, is it really that difficult?

Time's Invention of the Year goes to: The iPhone

Time Magazine announced their daily Invention of the Year for the year 2007 in their latest issue and it went to the Apple iPhone, which was released in late June. It was cited as a major development for the computer industry in general. Apple has been one of the most influential tech companies of the 21st century.

Oblivion Online?!?!

I've heard a couple rumors swirling around the internet dealing with the Elder Scrolls turning into an MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online). I have never played any MMO before, such as World of Warcraft, as I don't want to get sucked into that world that I have heard is very addicting and hard to turn away from. I don't have enough time to sit in front of a computer for that long. But this news story interests me. I loved the Elder Scrolls IV Oblivion and would love to see where an online version would go but I, being stingy with my money, would probably not buy it unless it was a new iteration and had a quality single player too. This probably won't come out for several years so we have time to wait.

Guitar Hero III

Guitar Hero has come out and the reviews are out as well. 1up gave them a 9/10 and gamespot gave them an 8/10. Those seem like pretty decent reviews. And seeing as how I've never owned a Guitar Hero game (only played them in Best Buy and was hooked on them) I'm looking forward to getting it and then another guitar for co-op play. My personal review should be up any day now as I should be getting that. I really want to also pick up Orange Box, which got amazing reviews but I need to save up my money for Assassin's Creed and Mass Effect. I'll probably pick it up later this year after its on a slight discount price. I can't wait to play Portal.

SAT!!!!

GAHH SAT tommorrow. We'll see how that goes. I'm not too worried about it but we'll see