I got the chance to play around with the Galaxy Nexus for a few moments and I must say that sucker is fast. Really fast! I was zipping along through all the apps and opening and closing and swiping – it was all such a breeze. By now, you know all the specs already. The screen was pretty large and the fact that there are no buttons really made a difference in the screen size since Samsung was able to capitalize on the extra space. The glass was indeed curved, but you had to look for it. It wasn’t hugely noticeable. The device felt really solid, but I can’t stand that flimsy back cover that Samsung has been adding as of late, but it did cut the weight down. I didn’t mind it so much since the device itself was so sturdy.
I managed to snap a few pictures, and the there really was no shutter lag. You have to use it for yourself to really understand how blazingly fast taking a picture was. I tried panorama out, but I couldn’t really think of too many cases for when I might use it, but it was still cool to have, and I’ll take it.
All-in-all, Android 4.o is a good forward step. The upgrade definitely feels like a true upgrade and not just Honeycomb 3.5. Everything is re-done, but it still somehow doesn’t feel finished. I would definitely make the Galaxy Nexus my next device, but I’m really looking for the next iteration. Jelly Bean is it?
If you are a guy who enjoys “guy” movies and haven’t seen the Expendables than your definitely missing out on a special treat. No seriously, the movie is awesome. Its a 2 hour testosterone trip. They had a Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Sylvester Stallone, and a great cameo by Arnold Schwarzenegger. There was fighting, breaking of bones, and blood. Need I say more? Now check the below:
You no doubt have some questions. I’ll answer them.
Yes – That is chuck Norris. Yes – that is the very same Jean-Claude Van Damme from delightful movie delicacies such as Blood Sport and Double Impact.
I had the XBox360 for quite some time, however, there were a few things I was missing from the repertoire. Namely, another system. Having procured both major systems ensures that I will have access to the top games for both platforms at my whim. I can also choose which online community I want to interact with. If the person your thinking of purchasing for has one system and loves it chances are they will enjoy another game system as well unless they are just rabid fan-boys of a particular platform. That said, getting a bundle will provide the most “bang” for your buck. You can get a game as well as the cool features that come along with the motion controllers for the PS3 or the XBox360. They also don’t have to go out and purchase those items later. You would do well to note that both platforms support apps like Netflix and music/movie downloads however Xbox Live costs about $60.00 per year while the Playstation Network is free.
Gadgets:
iPad2 – from 499.00
Kindle Fire: 199.99
Asus Transformer Prime: from 499.00
You can read our brief write-up on these tablets here. The iPad 2 is the most prestigious of the bunch and comes with the most apps tailored for the tablet experience. However, if the iPad doesn’t quite satisfy the palet, you can choose from other tablets most of which run some derivative of Android’s operating system. The Kindle Fire has a completely tricked-out user interface and is centered around its Amazon store. You can purchase reading material and store your purchases in the cloud. The Asus Transformer Prime will be the first Quad Core Tegra 3 device. It will also be upgraded to Google’s latest flavored OS called Ice-Cream Sandwhich.
Tools:
Ryobi 18 Volt Tool Combo Kit, 5-Piece- $119.00
You can find the deal here. It’s a great starter kit that has pretty much everything that the wannabe do-it-your-self guy in your life will need. It’s got 5 pieces including a saw, drill, and sander.
Grooming:
Philips Norelco SensoTouch 3D – $199-299
Art of Shaving – $20.00+
I’ve actually got a SensoTouch 3D myself and I will definitely recommend this product. It’s also a little gentler than a razor in that it doesn’t irritate the skin as much if your skin is sensitive. They are also waterproof so you can rinse them or use them in the shower. If you want to get fancy, one of those bad-boys has a touch screen. If your looking for something a little more old-school you can find what your looking for at The Art of Shaving. They have creams and oils and razors of all sorts.
Ladies, hope this will give you some ideas on what to get that special guy in your life. Happy shopping!
Boom Boom Revolution is getting people into the spirit of committing random acts of kindness through their new app for the iPhone and iPod Touch. I think it’s a pretty nifty idea and a little kindness goes a long way. They are calling these acts of kindness “Everyday Boom Boom” or EBB for short.
The way it works is anytime you commit an EBB or are the recipient of a kind act you are to post the picture online using the app to the Boom Boom! stream. People can share their stories and keep the good Karma flowing. You can download the app in the apple app store or via iTunes. Nice idea, but is there still time to work on the name?
I think you will be hard-pressed to find a better Batman game, and dare I say, a better superhero game anywhere. I’m trying to think and I’m honestly drawing a blank. Superman, Spiderman, Wolverine…they all fail to come up to the lofty standards that the Rocksteady crew has put forth in this game. There are tons of walk-throughs and tidbits you can find around the web so I won’t waste too much time there. I’ll just break it down into pros and cons and let you do the math.
Likes:
Gadgets
Winning
Side Missions
Combat
Voice Acting
Catwoman
The gadgets are just as great this time around as they were for Arkham Asylum. In fact, you start off with most of the gadgets in tact. You’ve got the cryptographic sequencer, explosive gel, the batclaw, smoke pellets, and of course batarang. You get more as the game progresses and most of the items are actually upgradeable.
All of those gadgets make for an awesome experience playing the Dark Knight. The gadgets with the fight system really make you feel great when beating up the baddies.
Completing side missions also offer perks by giving you access to better weapons. You can play straight through the game without them, but you have a better time with a couple of extra goodies.
The Voice acting is top notch and reminds me of the good ole Batman Cartoon days. This is because many of the voice actors from then are present in this game as well. Kevin Conroy is back as Batman and Mark Hamill is doing the Joker.
Lastly, Catwoman is hot.
Dislikes:
Detective Mode
Riddler Trophies
It was hard to find anything to complain about with this game since there were so many things that were spot on. However, I did get weary of Detective Mode. It was annoying having to use it as often as we did. This was mostly because I’m convinced it was tearing up my eye site. The colors are all crazy and its cool for the first hour or so, then gets really annoying the rest of the time. I just wish it didn’t change the color of the world. It would be great if Detective Mode just helped you find clues and highlighted weapons. Or it may have been better to toggle different Modes in Detective Mode so that you weren’t stuck with the weird colors all the time.
The Riddler Trophies, while fun, are annoying. Most of the city is painted with question marks. It can be a little overwhelming and quite frankly is the only thing that doesn’t feel right in this universe. I could see the Riddler hacking in from time to time or as more subplots, but really just hiding gems all around the city? I felt like the Rocksteady crew could have changed the direction a little bit there rather than just adding more trophies.
Overall:
Overall, this game is stunning. They completely nailed the sequel which is really hard to do with movies and, in my opinion, even harder to do with games. Batman is even cooler, the enemies are cooler, the stage is bigger, the fighting is better, and the story line is top notch. Other than the annoying Riddler Trophies and needing Detective Mode on all the time this game is definitely worth springing for if you like super hero games.
