New Eco kids web game launched – Save Planet Blue

To ease your conscience a little when the kids are parked in front of the PC or games station, you can now encourage them to play a new 3D interactive virtual environmental world. The web based Planet Blue game has been released just in time for the long summer holidays which for parents who struggle to find things to occupy their inquisitive minds it will be a boon. The web based Planet Blue game allows young people to play an exciting game whilst learning about crucial environmental issues that will affect their lives as they grow older.

The Planet Blue website is aimed at the 4 to 14 age group, and provides a safe environment for them to explore, play and learn about the environment we live in, and the issues that affect all the inhabitants of the world from the smallest to the biggest. Planet Blue allows children to travel a virtual world enjoying various eco-systems, playing all the exciting games such as a recycling game and a memory game as well as learning and socialising. Players earn merit badges along the way as an incentive to complete the tasks and these merit badges provide players with that little bit of kudos with the other players when they have earned them.

The safety of the children playing is paramount and so there are strict restrictions on subjects that the children can chat about and certainly there is no possibility of exchanging sensitive personal information with other players. Planet Blue’s message is an important one that to save the planet is vital. It is done in such a way that the children are not made to feel they are being preached to. Planet Blue players (called savers) can create a personal avatar, can chat and add friends, providing an ideal first step into the more adult world of social networking but in a safe, and non-threatening way.

Because the site is an American creation it is more than a little cheesy, and although the target audience is 4 to 14 it is probably not going to do much for the older kids in the age range. The sophisticated gaming tastes of the teenager are not likely to enjoy the la-la-la sing song tune in the trailer or the cutesy kids introducing the Planet Blue game. However if your kids love Club Penguin then this site is going to appeal to them, though we would recommend only paying out the 3 months trial price of $4.95 which is about £3.00 before parting with the $22.95 (£14.00 approx) for a six month membership or $38.95 (23.67) for a full year.

Blu Rays Of The Month June 2009

So you’ve got your new HD TV, a Blu-Ray disc player or a PlayStation 3 and you’re looking for the best new titles to enjoy? You’ve come to the right place, let’s run down the top Blu-Ray releases that are coming your way in June 2009.

Defiance
Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell take on the Nazis by going back to nature in this period war piece. Whilst their portrayal of characters is based on real life events and has had some critics complaining that the characters lack historical accuracy and humanity, this is certainly an interesting film. At times it can be hard going for the viewer as the terrible suffering which the Jewish outcasts endured during the war is depicted without shying away from the gory details. There’s a lot to like if you can get past the slightly hammy accents that some cast members put on.

 

 

Revolutionary Road
This is a brilliant adaptation by director Sam Mendes and features the powerful onscreen pairing of Leo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. This social drama set in the 1950s looks at relationships, marriage, infidelity and abortion and the period is flawlessly recreated. An immersive and impressive film.

 

 

 

Bruce Almighty
This 2003 hit comedy gets a Blu-Ray release in early June, and Jim Carey is back in his face pulling element as a deified Morgan Freman endows him with the powers of God himself. It’s family fun in the same vein as Bewitched although people who’ve disliked Carey’s other exploits won’t find much to enjoy here.

 

 

 

Ghostbusters
A comedy classic from the 80s gets an HD makeover with full 1080p resolution supported. Hopefully you won’t notice the slightly dodgy special effects which by today’s standards are underwhelming, but silly enough to keep you watching. It’s also very well written with some good gags, and noticing how often every character lights up a cigarette in what is ostensibly a kids’ movie is a sign of how quickly times change.

 

 

Falling Down
This is an early 90s action classic with a political heart. Featuring Michael Douglas as a disgruntled defence worker who snaps in LA morning traffic and goes on a vengeful rampage through the sweltering heat of a dying society. Though the film tries to be poignant and has Robert Duval as a soon to be retired cop chasing Douglas, much of the impact feels dated by today’s standards, and the incredibly rude populace of LA that he encounters are both frightening and funny.

 

 

Punisher: War Zone
This is a brilliantly over the top action flick which shouldn’t be missed by fans of the comic or of cinematic ridiculousness in general. Featuring Dominic West as a facially mutilated villain, you can really see him enjoying the chance to let his hair down and clown about on camera, and The Punisher is also played by an Englishman, perpetuating the British invasion of the Hollywood mainstream.

 

 

Gran Torino
This film was a critical and commercial success earlier in the year and puts Clint Eastwood back at the top of his game. Eastwood plays a Korean War veteran living in a growing ethnic neighbourhood who manages to put his prejudices aside and stand up for his foreign neighbours. This movie packs more laughs than the average comedy as well as commenting thoughtfully on the state of modern American society, and the Blu-Ray release is simply a must-buy.

 

 

Vicky Christina Barcelona
Like Clint Eastwood, Woody Allen has made an awesome directorial comeback with this sexy, Mediterranean infused film. The film takes an irreverent look at two travelling Americans who fall for the same troubled artist, who himself has an insane, suicidal ex-wife played by Oscar winner Penelope Cruz. As long as you are aware of Allen’s narratorial style and see his tongue in his cheek as he mocks the faux-intellectualism displayed by the characters then you’ll have a great time, and maybe even a few laughs.

 

Milk
Sean Penn got an Oscar for his portrayal of the first openly gay man to win public office in America, and the film is touching and powerful in equal measure, though the politics and methods of Milk himself are blurred slightly by his martyred status. Josh Brolin provides support in another great role for this late blooming star, and the San Francisco of the 1970s that director Gus Van Sant recreates is compellingly real.

 

 

Slumdog Millionaire
This is the true success story of 2009, clearing up at the Oscars and putting India and British film back on the radar. Though the main character, Jamal, has an intricate and unique story to tell, this is an ensemble piece that relies on the slums of Deli as much as on the actors themselves to get the message across.

Games Of The Month For June 2009

The Summer gaming period is fast approaching and there are some new faces in amongst the usual smattering of old titles.

Red Faction: Guerrilla
The original Red Faction was one of the most interesting if not the best early release for the PlayStation 2, bringing in the first fully destructible environments in a First Person Shooter. This, the latest in the series, takes things away from dank space corridors and into wide open battle arenas, but again with a focus on big scale destruction and space bound madness.

 

 

 

 

The Sims 3
The thirds in this incredibly popular series which has in the past relied on user generated content to power and perpetuate its popularity. It’s the ultimate life simulator, and you can control the fate of whole neighbourhoods from the cradle to the grave. For some, heaven, for others, tedium.

 

 

 

Prototype
Getting a cross platform release in June, this is an interesting third person action title starring a shape shifting protagonist. Players will be able to take on the abilities of everyone they meet, and whether this will result in too much variety and not enough character empathy remains to be seen.

Batman: Arkham Asylum
There hasn’t been a good Batman video game in years, but with Arkham Asylum the Dark Knight is expected to show his dark side once more. Taking on all of his famous foes once more in a lunatic asylum should at least add an edge to what could just be another third person action title.

 

 

Ghostbusters: The Videogame
Another famous franchise from the silver screen gets a reboot in June, this time with most of the original cast adding their voice and writing talents to the mix. With plenty of over the shoulder Gears of War style action, this time with anti-ghost plasma guns, the main story should at least provide a few laughs. There’s also multiplayer which should hopefully keep people coming back for more after the single player campaign has run its course.

 

 

Street Fighter 4
Having already been released on console a few months ago, the PC audience is finally getting a taste of old school fighting with a new school look. Expect the controls to be rubbish on anything other than a USB Xbox 360 controller, and don’t expect a lot of game modes. However, I’m sure you’ve already made up your mind as to whether you want this game or not.

 

 

 

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
With the release of the new movie this summer comes the game of the same name. The first game which attempted to recreate the spectacle of the first movie fell on its face because of bland gameplay and boring missions, but this second attempt will hopefully learn from past mistakes. Even PS2 owners will be able to get a part of the mass destructive action, though only the latest consoles will be able to do the visuals any HD justice.

 

Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil
I’m sure many Wii owners will despair as yet another rehash of an old game is released on their system, though this time it’s a remake of a remake with added Wii controls. Taking the excellent Gamecube re-envisioning of the original 1996 title and whacking on motion controls may seem lazy, but at least it’s being done to an already decent title.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overlord 2
Taking fantast action to owners of all platforms, this sequel promises plenty more demons at your bidding in an evolution of the genre that Dungeon Keeper created over a decade ago. Incorporating elements of role playing, strategy and action packaged with tongue firmly in cheek this will appeal to more people than you might think, though whether this will translate into sales remains to be seen.

 

 

Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction
This series has gone through so many twists and changes that it’s hard to tell who the lead character Sam Fisher works for any more. This time it’s all about daylight stealthing to help uncover a mole within his organisation as well as keeping his nearest and dearest safe from harm once more. Despite the convoluted plot stealth fans will be glad to see the genre back on track after Metal Gear Solid 4 forgot what kind of game it was trying to be.

 

 

Tales of Vesperia
Japanese style RPGs are struggling to find a foothold in the already crowded Western RPG market, though this Xbox 360 exclusive hopes to change all that. Art design and character development go hand in hand with action and magic in what critics are already hailing as a break through game. The phrase ‘don’t count your chickens’ comes to mind.

Icebar, the completely waterproof case for your Nano with speakers

We recently told you all about the Otterbox, a nifty little gadget for the iPod Nano which give the ultimate in protection for your much loved iPod, no matter what life can throw at it. Well we think that we have found an alternative that has another added advantage, not only will the Icebar keep your iPod Nano clean and dry but it will also allow your Nano to pump out the sounds from inside its protective little box via the integrated speakers.

The Icebar with its waterproof casing will protect all iPod Nano’s that are 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation from wind, rain, sand and complete immersion in water. So if you enjoy listening to your sounds on the beach, or in the shower or bath then the Icebar is the perfect solution. The sound quality is pretty good for such a small unit and there is a stand that will allow the iPod Nano with its Icebar cover to stand safely, and if you are using by the pool the Icebar also has a float that will attach to the unit by a lanyard to save losing it in the depths.

The Icebar has two neodymium speakers, a headphone input that is also completely waterproof, a rubber loop for hanging if used in the shower and a special sealed click dial membrane that allows for operation whilst your iPod Nano is safely encased in the Icebar. The outer casing is shatterproof so there should be protection from any accidental damage too.

The Icebar costs £39.99 which for an ordinary case for a Nano might be considered a bit on the pricey side. However because the Icebar has speakers then you can feel more satisfied with the price tag as you have a portable docking sound system included in the price.

EA Sports Active for Wii not for the couch potato

The latest must have for the energetic Wii user is the EA Sports Active, and boy when it says sports active, it really means sports active. No sitting on the settee pretending you are doing it as with some of the other Wii games. No this is a title most definitely for the ex-couch potato, fitness fanatic or masochist! If all three descriptions adequately fit you then you will certainly be over the moon with the punishing list of boxing, jogging, squats, rowing and curls all dictated by the on screen trainer (or bully) to get you dripping with sweat (or glowing if you are a lady!).

The game comes complete with a resistance band and a special nunchuck attachment that can be strapped to the leg, so that the EA Sports Active knows exactly if you have decided to take a crafty sit on the settee. None of the luxury of the Wii Fit where you can sit there pretending that you are participating waving the hand control in the air, the EA Sports Active has your card marked and knows if you decide to have a crafty rest.

Add to the fact that the EA Sports Active gives the user a punishing list of activities that is bound to make you lose weight or get toned just thinking about it, the EA Sports Active also acts like the Gestapo and give you a grilling about how much you indulge – only eating and drinking of course! The EA Sports Active will give you regular information on how many calories that you have burnt whilst exercising so that you can tell if you have earned the right for that pint of lager after your workout.

The EA Sports Active retails for about £45 quid so quite a bit cheaper than a years subs to your local gym, now if you can just get the energy to get the thing out of the box and get started!

Do you want to scribble on your iPhone or iPod Touch?

Phatware Corporation have just published a press release giving the exciting information that they have developed a special text editor App designed specifically for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players. This sophisticated technology will allow users to write directly onto their Apple smartphone or iPod screen in either portrait or landscape using their finger. The text editor will analyse and recognise all types of handwriting from print, mixed and cursive styles, and will provide a full editing suite including spell check, cut and paste etc. The Writepad will learn your writing style as you go but should you encounter any problems there is a full tutorial to help when using it.

It does take a little bit of playing with at first but you soon get the hang of it. For users with poor eyesight this is a godsend for sending quick emails, writing notes etc without the need for glasses. As you write directly on the screen in what ever handwriting style you please your messages will appear before your eyes without the need to use the keyboard – although you can mix and match should you prefer. At the moment the Writepad 1.8 Demo is a free App for the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players so it is well worth downloading and having a play. We have all tried it today in the office and think it is great. . Phatware have a range of other Apps all based around the same theme for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch MP3 players including WritePad Events, WritePad Notes and WritePad Affairs which are all currently priced at £1.79 each on the Apple iTunes App store.

OLED televisions the future? At 5k we think not!

It seems a strange time to expect the general public to fork out £5,000 on an entertainment system however in a recent report in the Independent that is precisely what is predicted. The report states that Sony will launch an OLED television by the end of the year and the writer states that insider experts believe there will be a positive stampede by the public to get their hands on the new super skinny OLED or Organic Light Emitting Diode televisions.

The contrast between more recent technology and the latest OLED screens is reputed to be phenomenal with the slightly older LCD screens providing a contrast of 30,000 to 1 and the new OLED screens providing 1,000,000 – 1 ratio. This provides colours that have a depth that has never been experienced by the more conventional televisions and blacks that are true black and not the dark grey that the previous technology could provide.

The new HD OLED’s televisions are regarded as the next generation television sets and will be the more dominant product on the market by the time that the next Olympic games is held. As the products become more available it is likely that the price will reduce, and it is hoped that the new OLED technology will stimulate the public into buying televisions again which retailers are reporting have more recently slumped in sales due to the recession.

The new Sony OLED’s are reported to be only 21” visible screen so with such a hefty price tag, it remains to be seen if the report is correct that the general public will be beating the door down on Sony to purchase. Clearly the benefits are many with enhanced visuals, rich colours and superb picture quality, and of course not forgetting the super slim ‘panel’ style screen which is likely to fit into most homes without too much of a fight, but will we all go OLED mad!

What’s super sexy, super charged and super priced? The Jaguar XFR

There are not enough complimentary words available in the English language to fully describe the beauty of the Jaguar XFR. This car looks good both inside and out, it has the head turning appeal that will make anyone driving it feel like they are a film star or that there is an invisible sign on the roof that says ‘sex god driving this’. Jaguar has been accused of staying in a bit of a design bubble and that a lot of their stable of cars has not evolved over the last 20 years, well that is certainly not the case with the Jaguar XFR. This is a car that has definitely broken out of the previous Jaguar mould and is pulsating with ‘drive me’ appeal.

The Jaguar XFR offers effortless luxurious driving and oozes class with every small detail having been considered to show the quality of the car. Details such as the embossed ‘R’ that can be found on the soft black and red leather seats and the ‘Supercharged’ which has been stamped on the air vents of the bonnet. The car growls into life when the red pulsating button is pushed to start the engine and the rotary gear selector rises gently to allow for ease of operation. Once on the road the Jaguar XFR offers a choice of driving modes using Jaguars special Drive Control feature, there is Winter mode which enables safe controlled driving in icy or snowy conditions and Dynamic mode which allows for a more confident driver to really take control of ‘the beast’ in suitable driving conditions.

The Jaguar XFR is every bit the sports car wrapped up in a sophisticated luxurious saloon body, the supercharged 5.0L V8 engine and ZF 6 speed automatic transmission offers a top speed of 155 mph and goes 0 to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Don’t expect to get many miles to the gallon as around town you are only going to get about 15 mpg at best. The price tag, as you might expect hits you in the bread basket at just short of £60,000 for this object of desire, but if price is no object then buy it, drive it and enjoy it, this is a car that makes you proud to be British!

Gaming news expected to be huge at E3 early June

The E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo takes place from June 2nd to June 4th at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, and is expected to be full of new gaming announcements and details of new games consoles. There is a huge buzz around this year’s event which is expected to be one of the best events ever and packed with much more industry news than usual.

As expected Microsoft will be exhibiting and there is much industry gossip that they will unveil their latest bit of kit ZuneX, whether the gossip is true or not we will just have to wait and see but if there is any element of truth then industry insiders are saying that it is expected to be a rival to the iPhone. Another exhibitor that is expected to unveil their latest gaming product is Konami, who also appears to be teasing gamers with hints of what is to come. There is much speculation that it will indeed be Metal Gear that is unveiled but we shall just have to wait and see.

Of course there is one noteable absence from the 2009 E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo, OnLive, the ‘cloud’ based gaming service accessed via a broadband connection. The team at OnLive do not see their product as a good fit for exhibition at E3, seeing the Expo as more of a retail orientated exhibition. OnLine may be staying away because they don’t see the need to exhibit, however some are staying away because, of all things, Swine-flu! Capcom the Japanese games developer are one such company, deciding that the threat of swine-flu is too much of a risk at the moment.

Of course those that do decide to attend the E3 Exhibition will give us all an idea of what will be the Christmas must have at the end of the year, what will we all be hunting for in the shops this year on Christmas Eve? We wonder if the current economic crisis is going to have an effect on the development of games and consoles. How are the manufacturers and developers going to entice us to buy; now we are all very much watching our purse strings? This is likely to be a great year for consumers because developers know that they are going to have to offer something so special to make us all part with our cash.

Itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny Apple iPod Shuffle

Apple have launched their new, and well rather diminutive third generation iPod Shuffle at a rather awkward time, companies and families are cost cutting to save money in what is a rather bleak economic climate, so it must therefore be a difficult job to try to add value to your products whilst still making them saleable. The general public are becoming a little more shrewd and not parting with their hard earned cash quite as freely, therefore Apple clearly had a bit of a brainwave with the development of the new iPod Shuffle.

The reason why the latest iPod Shuffle is such an interesting design concept and a likely success for Apple is that they have managed to shrink the product down to half the size of its predecessor, yet still whack the price up to £59. Adding to the genius is that the whole novelty value of the tiny, tiny iPod Shuffle which will undoubtedly make consumers want to rush out and buy one to replace their previous model.

The tiny body of the Apple iPod Shuffle doesn’t even have room for the buttons to operate the gadget so these have been added to the headphone cable. It is possible to change track, turn volume up and down, change playlist etc all from the iPod shuffle headset, although it has to be said that it is not possible to use any other headset to operate the iPod Shuffle other than another special Apple headset which uses the same technology but comes at a hefty additional price of £54. Another moot point is that Apple no longer include the mini docking USB charger for the iPod Shuffle instead there is another tiny piece of equipment a roughly 2” long USB connector that links the iPod shuffle headset to the PC for charging and synching.

The new iPod Shuffle will allow up to ten hours of playback on one single charge, will allow for synching to other playlists and will store up to 1,000 songs. There is also a clever voice over technology included in the tiny package which will tell the user what the playlist is and the song being played.

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