Thursday, November 29, 2007
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Popcorn poll results
Super Mario stomped on the competition in Popcorn's recent poll.
Popcorn asked which video game franchise people preferred. Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. took more than 75 per cent of the votes. Halo was No. 2, followed by Call of Duty and Guitar Hero.
Words to live by...
The first time I heard this song, I was inspired. Called 'How you live' by the band Point of Grace, the lyrics are beautiful.
Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don’t hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don’t spend your life looking back
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won’t regret it
Looking back from where you have been
Coz it’s not who you knew
And it’s not what you did
It’s how you liveSo go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don’t run from the truth
‘Cause you can’t get away
Just face it and you’ll be okOh wherever you are and wherever you’ve been
Now is the time to beginSo give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
Even when you don’t think that you can
‘Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
‘Cause in the end there’s nobody else‘Cause it’s not who you knew
And it’s not what you did
It’s how you live
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
One ring to ruin them all
One Ring to ruin them all, One Ring to fry them, One Ring to bring them all (in for repairs) and in the darkness bind them.
Xbox 360 owners fear Microsoft's infamous "red ring of death" - the sign that the expensive gaming console's insides are fried beyond repair - more than Samwise Gamgee fears the Eye of Sauron.
It's a fate that my Xbox 360 suffered late last week ... and something I've feared since buying Microsoft's second-generation console.
Now let's put this particular system meltdown into context. I'm a recreational gamer. I play for less than four hours a week on average. I own an intercooler to pump up the console's cooling system. Yet... my Xbox died at eight months old, extremely young for a $499 device to kick the bucket.
So I mourned. I wailed. I cried until there were no more tears.
Then I packed up my 360 into the original box, dug up my carefully filed receipt proving my purchase of a $100 one-year replacement warranty and headed for EB Games.
(Before I go any further, let's put the cost of the warranty into context: It cost me one-fifth of the purchase price ... for one year. I just bought a brand new video camera and accessories for about $1,500 from Future Shop. The warranty cost me just over $200, and covers the camera and all the accessories for four years.)
As soon as I walk in the door toting my system I get a dirty look from the guy behind the counter.
I get into line. It's very busy in the store. Finally, I get to the counter and before I can even say, "My Xbox suffered the red ring of death," the EB Games guy says, "That's not my problem. Send it to Microsoft."
"Uh, actually, I have a warranty with EB Ga..."
"We don't honour those. Send it to Microsoft."
"You don't honour them?" I asked in disbelief. I can only imagine he was confused by recent news stories saying EB Games was no longer selling warranties on 360s. "You don't understand; I bought a $100 replacement warranty from your store when I bought my 360."
I'm wildly flaying the receipt in his face, as several customers watch.
"I bought the warranty already. That means you replace it," I add, hoping he understands my message.
"Fine," he said abruptly. "We'll give you a refurbished one. But we have to order it in, so it may take a while to get here."
"What?" I said, my voice rising. "You're telling me I paid $100 for a warranty so you can order me a refurbished Xbox that I have to wait for? I bought the warranty so I wouldn't have to ship my console to Microsoft and wait for them to send me a refurbished one - which costs nothing."
I continued, a little louder so everyone in the store could hear me: "I was promised a new Xbox to replace the Xbox I bought new from you. That's what a $100 'replacement warranty' means."
Clearly annoyed, he grabs my Xbox and roughly places it on the counter next to him. "Fine. Wait until I'm done with the customers."
So I wait and he gets me a new Xbox 360 off the shelf, adding he'll give it to me this time, but next time I have to send it back to Microsoft. I leave the store flustered, but happy that I raised serious hell in front of a store full of customers - something I've never done in my life.
The experience showed me just how frustrated Xbox 360 owners and gaming industry workers are with Microsoft's fatal product flaw. The red ring of death better fade into oblivion soon; otherwise Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii will start to look extremely attractiveto those long considered faithful to Xbox.
And here's a little math: A 360 costs $399, plus $75 to get on to Xbox Live, plus $more than $200 for an HD DVD player. A PS3 now costs $399, online play is free and the system comes with a blu-ray player.
I know what I want for Christmas.
Xbox 360 owners fear Microsoft's infamous "red ring of death" - the sign that the expensive gaming console's insides are fried beyond repair - more than Samwise Gamgee fears the Eye of Sauron.It's a fate that my Xbox 360 suffered late last week ... and something I've feared since buying Microsoft's second-generation console.
Now let's put this particular system meltdown into context. I'm a recreational gamer. I play for less than four hours a week on average. I own an intercooler to pump up the console's cooling system. Yet... my Xbox died at eight months old, extremely young for a $499 device to kick the bucket.
So I mourned. I wailed. I cried until there were no more tears.
Then I packed up my 360 into the original box, dug up my carefully filed receipt proving my purchase of a $100 one-year replacement warranty and headed for EB Games.
(Before I go any further, let's put the cost of the warranty into context: It cost me one-fifth of the purchase price ... for one year. I just bought a brand new video camera and accessories for about $1,500 from Future Shop. The warranty cost me just over $200, and covers the camera and all the accessories for four years.)
As soon as I walk in the door toting my system I get a dirty look from the guy behind the counter.
I get into line. It's very busy in the store. Finally, I get to the counter and before I can even say, "My Xbox suffered the red ring of death," the EB Games guy says, "That's not my problem. Send it to Microsoft."
"Uh, actually, I have a warranty with EB Ga..."
"We don't honour those. Send it to Microsoft."
"You don't honour them?" I asked in disbelief. I can only imagine he was confused by recent news stories saying EB Games was no longer selling warranties on 360s. "You don't understand; I bought a $100 replacement warranty from your store when I bought my 360."
I'm wildly flaying the receipt in his face, as several customers watch.
"I bought the warranty already. That means you replace it," I add, hoping he understands my message.
"Fine," he said abruptly. "We'll give you a refurbished one. But we have to order it in, so it may take a while to get here."
"What?" I said, my voice rising. "You're telling me I paid $100 for a warranty so you can order me a refurbished Xbox that I have to wait for? I bought the warranty so I wouldn't have to ship my console to Microsoft and wait for them to send me a refurbished one - which costs nothing."
I continued, a little louder so everyone in the store could hear me: "I was promised a new Xbox to replace the Xbox I bought new from you. That's what a $100 'replacement warranty' means."
Clearly annoyed, he grabs my Xbox and roughly places it on the counter next to him. "Fine. Wait until I'm done with the customers."
So I wait and he gets me a new Xbox 360 off the shelf, adding he'll give it to me this time, but next time I have to send it back to Microsoft. I leave the store flustered, but happy that I raised serious hell in front of a store full of customers - something I've never done in my life.
The experience showed me just how frustrated Xbox 360 owners and gaming industry workers are with Microsoft's fatal product flaw. The red ring of death better fade into oblivion soon; otherwise Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii will start to look extremely attractiveto those long considered faithful to Xbox.
And here's a little math: A 360 costs $399, plus $75 to get on to Xbox Live, plus $more than $200 for an HD DVD player. A PS3 now costs $399, online play is free and the system comes with a blu-ray player.
I know what I want for Christmas.
+++
Postscript: When I got home and plugged in the controller to my "new" 360, I noticed the front casing had a large crack in it. So I had to take it back again.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Saturday, November 10, 2007
National Novel Writing Month
Are you writing a novel this month? NaNoWriMo (Click here) has been gaining steam with more users and more budding writers. If writing a novel is your dream then this is a site for you.
Call of Duty 4
Call of Duty 4 is certainly a masterpiece. It feels like a Hollywood movie that you have the chance to control. And, of course, it's refreshing that the Call of Duty franchise had finally stepped away from the Second World War, while keeping the feel of the previous titles. The game is both fun to play and fun to watch. 4 stars.
Graphics: ****
Controls: ****
Sound: ****
Fun: ****
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