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Big games coming to small devices, technology is great!

Look at that game on Xbox! What amazing graphics and detail it has. Look at that game on the iTouch, is that even a head? These big game designers have been a hit on the Xbox, PS3, or Wii, but how about the iPods? Need for Speed has been one of the hottest racing games in the App. Store. I have Need for Speed Shift and let me just say, it is quite stunning. I love playing the game because it is very exciting and suspenseful. For quite some times, I thought that these five dollar games weren’t worth it. I thought what the upside can be to these five dollar games compared to the .99 cent ones. The first ever high end game I ever bought was Home Run 3D, I have never looked back on the game. The 3D affect on the game lets me know why I paid a little bit more to get this game. The graphics were literally stunning and you get more out of your money, usually you would read the reviews before you buy a five dollar game compared to a .99 cent game. I know for a fact that the .99 cent games are really addicting, but you don’t get the full advantage of the game. Sure it comes with levels here and there, but with a three to five dollar game, you get so much more. Take Street Fighter 4, what an incredible game. It comes with many characters and you get the ability to play head to head with your friend. Street Fighter is surely one of those games that you have to have the money willing to spend it on, but once you do, man will it blow you away. I got addicted to that game the minute I bought. The only reason I have to stop playing is to do homework and once I’m done, right back to the game.

I’m not necessarily saying don’t buy the .99 cent games, I’m just saying, you get so much more out of the five dollar games. Sure many will say the graphics aren’t as good as the Xbox or PS3, but take a look at the difference in size and resolution. Many players with an Xbox will be playing with an HDMI cable with an HD T.V. Let alone you are also playing with a game that takes up about 9 GB of your memory compared to 100-300 MB. What can you really expect between the graphics of the two devices? One is handheld and the other is made for large T.V. screens. They also take a longer time to load and once you load it, your amusement is already gone. I believe that the designers of these games have done a really good job in promoting and making the game the best they can. It is not easy to bring such a big profile game from the T.V. screen to a handheld device. You have to be precise in order to get the dimensions correct and I applaud the developers for making my boring days fun. I can’t wait to be able to buy another new game from a high profile game designer.

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News Reviews

iPad Game Controller

We all know how hard it is to play games on iPads. Sure, games like Angry Birds or Cut the Rope do not get any harder, but more complicated games like Bad Company can be near to impossible. The minute you have a game that you have to control every second of, like Bad Company, Need for Speed, or even simple games like Snake, if you want to do well, you have to have a controller.

Well, now you do. TenOneDesign announced their game controller that basically takes your iPad and gives it analog sticks that attach to the string by using suction cups. These suction cups can be placed anywhere along the screen. The actual device is ready to buy in late January, and costs $25 for one, and $38 for a two-pack.

Now whether you get one or two, whether you get them to beat all your fiends on blue-tooth or wi-fi, or even if you just want to be able to beat that impossible level, these small joysticks are definitely worth the small price. They give you the joy and easiness of having your console, and allow you to go to the next level with your gaming,

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Reviews

Review: Bowers and Wilkins MM-1 Desktop Speakers

Bowers and Wilkins Hi-Fi speakers, once again raising the standard even higher for brilliant sound quality. The MM-1 speakers are the latest product in their tradition of excellence. The difference between these and their other speakers lies mainly with the fact the MM-1s are designed for desk use. Before we start, let’s begin with the breakdown:

  • Dimensions: 3.9 in x 3.9 in x 6.7 in
  • Connection type: USB
  • Includes: Speakers, Remote, Audio Cable, USB Cable, Power Supply
  • Weight: 1.9lbs

Point Scaled Grading

Style: 1-25 Given: 23
Price: 1-15 Given:12
Quality materials: 1-15 Given: 14
Brand name: 1-10 Given: 9
Modern technologies: 1-15 Given: 15
Compatibility: 1-15 Given: 13.5
Ease of use: 1-5 Given: 3

OVERALL: 89.5

Set up: Setup for the MM-1s is simple, just plug and play. In the box, a small, black, pebble shaped remote is included for easier control, which is a very useful tool.

Style: Needless to say, the MM-1s have style. Jet black, and chrome silver, they truly are a statement to the way quality speakers should look. In addition to being known for their Hi-Fi sound, Bowers and Wilkins are also known for the appearance of their products.

Price: At the retail price of $500, the MM-1s are definitely pricey. Although the MM-1s have incredible sound quality, you have to ask yourself, do you really want to pay $500 dollars for a set of desktop speakers? If the answer is yes, then go for it. But for the average consumer $500 seems to be way too much.

Quality Materials: Quality materials? Yes. The MM-1s are very sturdy speakers, and have a nice weight to them. They do not have that light and cheap feel that many other speakers have, but they sport a very solid build.

Brand name: It’s Bowers and Wilkins, what else is there to say?

Modern Technologies: The MM-1s use new technologies, such as the USB connection, which gives better quality fed through the speakers. They also boast two drivers, one for bass, and one for treble. The MM-1s also use digital signal processing, that keeps the bass and music sounding good at whatever volume played at.

Compatibility: There’s nothing really here to complain about, these speakers are compatible with Macs, as well as PCs. They also include an audio jack on the back for headphone compatibility.

Ease of Use:  The MM-1s are unique, in the way that they are specifically designed to be desktop speakers. The audio from the two speakers converge at around two feet from the speaker, ultimately giving the user musical bliss. The downside to this is if you move away from the center of the speakers, the sound seems faded. One solution is to move the speakers according to your position in the room.  Although this seems to work, it still is an inconvenience to reposition every listening session.

Continued Evaluation

Bowers and Wilkins MM1s have crisp vocals, strong bass , but they cost the hefty price of $500. The MM-1s are truly revolutionaries to the field of desktop speakers, giving Bowers and Wilkins’ signature Hi-Fi sound. I would recommend the MM1 speakers for hard core audiophiles, as well as any consumer wanting great quality speakers and is willing to pay $500 up front.

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Average Joe's Tips News Reviews

Tracking your iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch

One of the key features of the mobile me software extra for iPhones, iPad’s, or iPod touches’ was the ability to remotely locate it. This extra is now free for all 4th generation versions of these devices that run ios 4.2. This means that if you lose your phone anywhere, you can always go onto your computer at home, and find where your phone is. Along with finding your phone, this service also allows you to lock it with a special password, to wipe the memory, or to display a message and play a sound. Now here is a walkthrough that can also be found in <<http://www.apple.com/iphone/find-my-iphone-setup/>> .

For the sake of this walkthrough, you are trying to install the tracking software onto your iPhone.

  1. First of all, check if your iPhone is running iOS 4.2, which is the latest software update possible. If you are not sure if you are running this, try to Sync your iPhone and click the button marked with “check for updates”. On another note, if this is the first time you are creating a free account, you would need an iPhone 4.
  2. For the next step, you should turn on your iPhone, and click on the Settings App, which looks like a large gear. Inside that App, choose the Mail, Contacts, Calendars bar.
  3. Inside that, select the Add Account, which will be the first option you get. Inside the Add Account menu, click on MobileMe. On a side note, MobileMe is the software that you would normally buy, and includes many more extras on top of tracking.
  4. Inside MobileMe, follow the instructions and enter your Apple ID and password. If you do not have an Apple ID, click on the Create Free Apple ID on the bottom of the screen. If you are already a MobileMe user, enter your “me.com” or “mac.com” address and password.
  5. Now you have to verify. If your MobileMe account says “not verified”, then check you email that you provided to Apple. Inside, there should be a message from apple. In that message, click verify now, and sign in. If there is no email, click on your MobileMe account and select the option to Resend the Verification Email.
  6. With that done, return to the MobileMe screen. Inside there, switch “Find My iPhone” from off to on. When a permission email appears, tap “Allow”.

Once you have done this, your iPhone is ready for action. Sign in to me.com from a computer, and you will see your phone, where it is, and a list of options. This entire process can be used for iPads and iPod Touches. This amazing software just became free, and if you have the right generation and the right software, it would be a shame to pass up the opportunity.

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News Reviews

iLife ’11

Apple has recently upgraded its iLife package in the new iLife 11. This new package allows for many new options. Inside the package are the upgraded forms of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand. These upgrades include full-screen views and a multitude of other improvements. For example, in iPhoto, you can now see all your works in an easy to use display, as well as a one click editor for photos. Also, in iMovie, you can create movie trailers out of home videos, and only have to drag and drop to make a movie and edit audio. In GarageBand, you can use GrooveMatching and FlexTime to create new music and you can test your skills while you are learning how to play an instrument. All of these features come together to create the new and improved iLife. Basically, this years update is well worth the money because of all of these new features.