iPod Touch 4G Review

In a world with many music players, one company introduced a device that  has changed the way we think about music devices. ladies and gentlemen,  Apple has updated one of their revolutionary products in September of 2010, called the iPod Touch 4G. Today we will be going over the internal and external parts of the device. We will also look at some of the great features of the iPod.

Inside the hood, there is a blazing fast 1GHz Apple A4 Processor and 256MB of ram. You can buy the 8GB, 32GB or 64 GB sizes. It has 2 Cameras, a rear and  front facing. The front facing camera is 0.3 MP, and it records video at 480p. The rear facing camera is 0.8 MP,  and it will record video at 720p HD. The Mic is in there top too, and it has fairly good sound quality, but not the best. There is, of course, a battery in this device which will give you 40 hours for music, and 7 hours for video, games and browsing the Internet. Last, but not least, one of the most revolutionary parts of the device is the screen. The screen has a resolution of 960-by-640, and it is 3.5 inches. Apple calls this the Retina Display. It is one of the best looking displays out in the market, as of January 2011. The bad part of the screen is that it is not IPS, which means from some angles the screen looks a little washed out. The iPhone 4,   however, has an IPS display so its screen does not look washed out from any angle. That was basically the inside of the device.

The internal parts of the device were amazing, but what about the external design? The front of the magnificent device holds an excellent glass panel, which protects the display. It is not Gorilla Glass, but it is still very good.  The front facing camera is there too. On the left side of the device, you see the volume rocker, which is fairly easy to use. On the devices back, you see your rear facing camera and mic. On the right side of the device, you see nothing but chrome. Without the bottom, this would be a useless device, because the bottom has your speaker, dock connector, and headphone jack. The top of the device has a really useful button and that button is called the sleep/wake button. That was the external design of the device. Next stop is features so hold on for the ride.

Now, what are some amazing things that an iPod Touch 4G, can actually do? I guess it is time to find out. One feature that it has uses the front facing camera and it is called FaceTime. FaceTime lets you video chat with other iPod Touch 4G users, iPhone 4 users and of course Mac users. If you like watching videos, you'll love this app: YouTube. It lets you watch your favorite YouTube videos, straight from your iPod. Of course, you can search for anything, view the featured content, and login to your own account. If you like to game with other people, you'll enjoy this app: Game Center. Game Center lets you challenge other people around the world, to see who is better at a game. You can also browse the Internet,  and check your Email with this device. If you like Music, TV Shows, and Movies, you should know that you can rent or purchase them straight from your iPod, with the iTunes application. One feature everyone loves about the iPod Touch is the App Store, which lets you get hundreds of thousands of apps. They could be free, or paid applications. Let’s say you were playing a game and you got an email? You would have to close your app and check your email,  right? Now, with the iPod Touch 4G, you can check your email without closing the game. The feature that will let you do that is called multitasking. Those were some of the main and exciting features about the iPod Touch 4G.

We have talked about a lot of great things that are in the iPod Touch 4G. We talked about the internal parts of the device, the external design of the device, and about the main features of the device. One thing you might be thinking about asking, is do I recommend this iPod? The solid answer is, yes, I do, because it offers so many features for such a sleek looking, portable device. It also lets you explore an ever changing world of apps.  This would be a great device for anyone because of it's features, and it would especially be great for a pre-teen or a teen, because it would let them talk to their friends face to face. This is an amazing device and I highly recommend everyone go out and buy it.

Review: iCarbons Skin for iPad 2

Apple's Smart Cover for the iPad 2 is a great product, but it's one disadvantage is that it leaves the back of the iPad completely open to scratches. Thankfully, a new skin has emerged from iCarbons that not only protects your device, but also makes it stand out in a crowd.

Skins are available in a variety of colors including black or white carbon fiber, and dark or light wood grain. A full kit including the front, back, Apple logo, and home button can be purchased for $29.95 and a kit including only the back and Apple logo can be purchased $19.95.

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iPad 2: A Broken Verse?

To say the least, the March 7th announcement was a dispositive settlement of all those knavish rumors that embroidered the front covers of some uninformed tabloids. But the metaphysics have taken their course back to the tilt-a-whirl, working sound, in cahoots with somewhat of a realistic measure. Indeed, Apple pulled out the big gun like Barney Fife from the The Andy Griffith Show, and dismissed its previous retort back at a CNET reporter, to which Apple claimed that camera on a tablet is like inscribing a lilliputian perforation in a well-preserved Rosetta Stone. But then again, the heifer is back to the ridge, and hypocrisies reprise themselves like Nixon’s little taradiddles.

I’m not gonna lie, but as the provoking title of this ‘treatise,’ more felicitously a rant,  implies, the iPad 2 resembles a broken verse of sorts. I’d gladly lay up a warm-handed accolade to Mr. Jobs, had it been packed with more features, like a corpulent child on a hammock on a spree of gobbling a steamer-trunk size Sasquatch pizza. At the original iPad’s inquest, we see its ‘counterpart’ rehash the advantages, which run the gamut from aluminum chassis to lightweight enclosure, take a very leery effort in trying to retain that fleeting battery life, and rub up on the speed department, in which Apple claims the graphics performance improved by nine times, and the overall speed clock by two. Having said that, I’m a stringent gendarme. I have a slight inkling that something is missing, though I could be jumping on the bandwagon here. However, with my stevedore-likened mouth, I would like to ask why the iOS 5.0 announcement was temporized. At this point, I do reckon it’s an irreducible fact that 5.0 would be strikingly similar to the current firmware, for it has long been established an insidious fact that Apple would not change its contraptions and softwares on the score of simplicity. Then again, from a circumstantial standpoint, austerity has shied away from my palate. 

When the Big A’ gives you that come-hither look, beware of its hoodwink. When you the buyer is sauntering around the hinterland, flummoxed by how bland the Dixie-horticulture is, Steve Jobs along with Apple Execs would be sitting on the lap of luxury at Cupertino, afield from you, glazing over the fact how gullible you are. They feel the pulse of the public, like they were voting for Alvin Greene on a rigged voting machine. But if you have a liability to build a credence that the new iPad is the next Holy Grail, fine. Have at it, but I do not concur. I can reel off a long parchment of a modern-day Pharisees, but that drib-and-drab approach would be rendered obsolete once you, perched on a comfy mattress, gamboling around with your expensive gimmick, come to a conclusion that you’d be better off shopping at a haberdashery. And once more, you’d inhale the redolent whiff of insularity, like that moment when you decided to supplant your iPhone 3G with iPhone 3GS, just because the brand “Apple” has become your new pas de deux, and Steve Jobs is your head capos, covertly an Attila-like existence that’s trying to hack your cynical minds away. 

Review - GoldenEye 007 (Wii)

In this currently filmless Bond-time is a game like Goldeneye 007 for the Wii really satisfying? Or not?

Well, one thing is for sure: you should not expect a one-on-one transformation of the classic Nintendo 64 game of 1997 and much less a transformation of the movie.

Activions and Eurocoms reinterpretation of the Goldeneye-topic differs in many respects from the prototype. It starts with Bond itself, because Pierce Brosnan was abruptly replaced by Daniel Craig. Not to say I have anything against Daniel Craig, but when I think of Goldeneye I think of Pierce Brosnan. Even Tina Turners theme song was re-recorded by Nicole Scherzinger.

Overall it’s difficult to accept this new Goldeneye, there are too much childhood memories I have in my mind about this movie and also about the game.
Sean Bean as 006?? No chance! Gottfried John as Ouromov? I also have to negate that, instead there is only a off-the-rack general , that has a valued number of thousand medals on his chest. At least Xenia Onatopp and Natalya Fyodorovna Simonova rudimentarily remind of their real life models Famke Janssen and Izabella Scorupco.

The basic background story is widely the same as in the movie, though it is set in modern times. Simultaneously some scenes and events were moved. The EMP-resistant helicopter isn’t stolen in Monaco but on a arms fair in Dubai. Bond is locate Severnaya when the first satellite explodes, and the showdown takes place in Nigeria not in Cuba.
That’s more or less a matter of taste. For some it is a welcome change of the plot, but personally I can’t acquire a taste for it.

But let’s get to the actual game, that is very impressive on Nintendo’s little white one. With GoldenEye Eurocom brought a very interesting and - by Wii-standards - best-looking shooter to the screen - this is only blurred by small slowdowns in some situations. When it comes to controlling Eurocom gives you free choice between Classic-controller, GameCube-controller, Wii-Zapper and of course the combination of Wiimote and Nunchuk. Last option works as expected: you aim and shoot with the Wiimote and move around with the Nunchuk. If you bring the crosshairs to the screen-edges, the perspective turns to this direction, but slightly up and down. Nothing out of the ordinary. Whether you want to spurt, crouch or zoom in, everything is possible and works well. By the way there is a activated target-guidance as a standard feature. If requested you can turn this little feauture off anytime and depend on your own skills.

GoldenEye often provides several ways to solve a situation. On every occasion you can proceed quietly and try to eliminate your enemies silently - weapons with silencers and knockouts form behind are your best friends in those situations. Since the dead bodies disappear after a certain time, you don’t have to worry about being spotted. If someone hears your steps or sees you, there is still a small time slot to neutralize this particular target, otherwise the alarm will be set off.
But you don’t pervade this sneak missions quite consistent. Even if you huddle in a dark corner or squat in a bush, after a few seconds your enemies know where you are, if they were alarmed by one of their colleagues. Also when they didn’t look in your direction previously. In those situations you are forced to fire yourself through the remained opponents. In those struggles you’re not safe anywhere. Small concrete blocks, wooden boxes or similar objects fall apart at heavy bombardments, so that you can’t stay for a longer time at one place.

It’s also conspicuous, that Eurocom injected the game a dose of Call of Duty. Whether it is the presentation, like you ran through a boat, while a helicopter attacks you with rockets, or if it are certain moments, where you break doors and eliminate enemies in slow motion, it benefits the game and provides a necessary thrill from time to time. In addition, you witness all cutscenes in ego-perspective and consequently are in the middle of the action.

The tank mission, where Bond rushes through St.Petersburg in a tank, by contrast seems a bit strange. Indeed also in the movie some surroundings broke but in the game dozens of cars and helicopters explode after you shoot them. Even russian jet fighters drop their bombs into the middle of the town and destroy parts of the streets, just to stop Bond. That seems exaggerated and admittedly and not much Bond-like: a wake of devastation through St.Petersburg.

The entire gaming time of the campaign, depends on the difficulty level. If you choose lowest level you will need about 6 hours to finish the game, but this also depends on whether you solve every situation inconspicuous or if you want to rush through the whole game. The higher the difficulty level the more objectives will be added. Thereby the game relies on the familiar system of regenerating health, except for the Classic 007 difficulty.

Now let’s come to the Multiplayer, which offers a good variety of modes, including classics such as the Paintball mode or the Golden Gun mode. On the other hand the maps are all new and don’t come from the original game. Besides you earn experience points for every kill. Headshots, kill streaks and such bring you extra bonuses, increase your level and unlock new weapons and configurations.

Although I don’t like the reinterpretation of the story, GoldenEye still is a good shooter, that uses some elements from Call of Duty to pep up the presentation. You can proceed quietly or suspicious. But sometimes Eurocom has a propensity to exaggerate in terms of action. In this case less is more. As a Bond-fan I’m not completely satisfied, but if you're looking for a good shooter for Nintendo’s console you can’t do anyting wrong with this game.

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A Must Have Mac App: Hazel

Hazel is a maid for your Mac! Hazel goes through your Mac to clean and organize.

Hazel, by Noodlesoft, is a simple, but oh so powerful, app that runs through System Preferences as a pane. Hazel is capable of organizing and cleaning anything you need. Hazel works completely in the background giving you complete ease of use with no need to worry. By setting rules for Hazel to follow, the app will act on files with your given commands. You can move files to new locations based on any certain characteristics you choose and so much more. With Hazel you can also maintain a clean trash bin on your Mac. The app will go through your Trash and clean it with your given presets. Some of the things you can do are adjust the time in which you want files to delete and even set your Trash to "Secure Empty". One amazing feature in Hazel is the App Sweep capability. Many applications charge money to just completely delete all remaining files of an app, but Hazel has it built in. 

Overall, I cannot recommend Hazel enough. Hazel is one of the must have apps available for Mac OS X. I really suggest for you to give it a try on the Noodlesoft site for a 14-day free trial. 

 Here is my video demonstration of Hazel and all of the goodness!