Latest Tech Updates: Nintendo 3DS: review

Latest Tech Updates: Nintendo 3DS: review: "The Nintendo 3DS has finally arrived and with it, the next generation of handheld gaming. With glasses-less 3D and graphics that rival tha..."

Nintendo 3DS: review

The Nintendo 3DS has finally arrived and with it, the next generation of handheld gaming. With glasses-less 3D and graphics that rival that of Nintendo’s own Wii console, the 3DS is certainly going to turn some heads and gain a lot of attention.

 The 3DS is roughly the same size as the Nintendo DSi, but the long-time DSi faithfuls will notice that the 3DS has more bulk. The two screens on the 3D handheld are not the same size, instead the top screen (which utilizes the new 3D technology) is longer and is used to feature a wide screen aspect ratio. One of the biggest differences about the 3DS’ layout is the addition of a (well-needed) joystick. The stick feels loose but is very precise.

 The glasses-less 3D technology is obviously the key selling point of the Nintendo 3DS and for the most part it works pretty well. Once you’ve established a “sweet spot,” the 3D effects really do work quite well.

While the Nintendo 3DS’ 3D is indeed its biggest feature, people won’t be able to enjoy it for elongated amounts of time, not because of the 3D strain on your eyes, but because the 3DS’ battery life lasts only three hours. After the battery dies it takes roughly three hours to completely recharge the unit.

Nintendo has also finally implemented online and a friends list which is a nice addition. The ability to see when your friends are or aren’t online is a much needed feature, but it’s certainly not the best online interface there is. One major downside to the new online setup is the inability to send messages to friends who are online.

 The Nintendo 3DS is truly a step into the next generation of gaming, but that doesn’t mean it’s without any problems. My recommendation to those who are still on the fence about the 3DS is to just hold off a little bit longer. That way they’ll be able to enjoy some of the Triple-A titles that didn’t make it in time for launch, as well as purchase some old-school classics from the GameBoy and GameBoy Color era on the eStore. The system is going to be a must-own in the very near future, but right now it just doesn’t live up to the price it’s been given(300 bucks).

Latest Tech Updates: New PSP, the Next-generation Portable

Latest Tech Updates: New PSP, the Next-generation Portable: "The new PSP codenamed NGP will revolve around five key concepts: Revolutionary User Interface, Social Connectivity, Location-based Entertai..."

New PSP, the Next-generation Portable

The new PSP codenamed NGP will revolve around five key concepts: Revolutionary User Interface, Social Connectivity, Location-based Entertainment, Converging Real and Virtual (augmented) Reality.

Specs include a quad-core ARM Cortex-A9 processor, 5-inch touchscreen OLED display with 960 x 544 resolution, dual analog sticks (not nubs as on the current generation), 3G, WiFi, GPS, a rear-mounted touchpad, the same accelerometer / gyroscope motion sensing as in the PlayStation Move, an electronic compass, and cameras on both the front and back. Though games will come on "new media", not UMD's.

At Sony's live event some demos of pretty popular games were played; games including: Killzone, Resistance, Little Big Planet, and Uncharted -- with the latter serving as a demo platform to show off how the NGP's rear touchpad can be used to more intuitively climb up some vines.

The new console's UI will be called LiveArea, which has a bunch of vertically navigable home screens and built-in social networking through PlayStation Network. You can jump between games and the LiveArea without losing your progress and comment on your buddies' great feats of mobile gaming.

In closing its presentation, Sony trotted out Hideo Kojima to show off a cutscene from MGS 4 rendered in real time on the NGP. It was pulled directly from the PS3 version of the game and ran at 20fps, which looked very smooth.

Latest Tech Updates: Top ten cell phones

Latest Tech Updates: Top ten cell phones: "1) Motorola Atrix 4G This dual-core phone is fast and boasts solid data speeds, but the Atrix-powered laptop accessory is a good idea poorl..."

Top ten cell phones

1) Motorola Atrix 4G
This dual-core phone is fast and boasts solid data speeds, but the Atrix-powered laptop accessory is a good idea poorly executed.

 2) HTC ThunderBolt
The well-appointed ThunderBolt is the phone to buy if you want to see what 4G can do.

 3) Samsung Epic 4G

The standout of the Galaxy S phones, the Epic 4G offers some enticing features like a physical keyboard front-facing camera and 4G network support.

 4) T-Mobile myTouch 4G
The powerful myTouch 4G delivers when it comes to multimedia and performance, but make sure you live in an HSPA+-supported area before purchasing it.

5)  HTC EVO 4G
The speedy HTC EVO 4G packs in some powerful specs and a variety of multimedia features into a stylish, minimalist design, but not everybody will get to enjoy one of its best features--4G connectivity.

 6) Apple 32GB iPhone 4
The iPhone 4 is a major upgrade from its predecessor, the iPhone 3GS, in everything from the camera quality to data speeds.

 7) Motorola Droid X
Motorola Droid X shines at multimedia playback, network performance, and features; but the interface can occasionally be sluggish.

8) Samsung Galaxy S 4G
The Samsung Galaxy S 4G is a solid, yet powerful phone, but it doesn’t have the specs to compete with the next generation of smartphones.

9) HTC Droid Incredible
The HTC Incredible is one of the most impressive Android phones available with a gorgeous display, slick user interface, and lightning-fast processor.

 10) Google Nexus One
The Google Nexus One impresses with a stunning AMOLED display, speedy performance, and cool tweaks to the Android OS; but some network issues prevent it from being a superphone.

 

Latest Tech Updates: PS3's biggest secrets finally revealed!!

Latest Tech Updates: PS3's biggest secrets finally revealed!!: "PS3 and PS3 slim Have a PlayStation 3? If that's the case then below are five tips and tricks that you won't find in the user manual. 1)..."