My new blog

Hello everyone, check out my new blog at gaspyweb.com

iPhone Game Review: Zombies & Me

This week I have been playing with a new iPhone game called “Zombies & Me” by EA and I really like the game overall. The game starts with the main character outside while his mom is inside their house while hordes of zombies are coming from every direction and there is a live bombs are falling and exploding all around your house and you are like WTF!

The object of the game is to draw the zombies away from your mom’s house and get them to follow you underneath the markers for where the bombs are about to fall and getting out of the way on the last second so the bomb does not kill you. Oh, did I forget to mention that the zombies will tear you apart if the catch you for too long?

The longer you survive and the more Zombies you kill, the higher “Panic Level” you will reach.

The game mechanics work very good and I have made it to level 8 without noticing  any lag. The graphics are cartoonie and work very well with the game. The sound’s are also very well made. Over all the game is pretty well made.

You can purchase this game in the iTunes App Store for $0.99, which is a very good deal for a game this well made.

You can get the game following the iTunes link.

New Banner

I pulled this banner out of nowhere. Really impressed in GIMP, since that’s what I used to make it. Allot easier to use than Photoshop.

iPhone app reviews

I’m thinking about orienting this blog more for iPhone and iPod Touch app reviews. Hit me up with comments on what you would like to see more in this blog. Thanks.

iPhone OS 3.0 out now – Go get it!

courtesy of apple.com

Apple has now released their new update to the iPhone.

The iPhone OS 3.0 can be downloaded from iTunes. Connect your iPhone and then check for updates.

Review will soon follow.

UPDATE: Here is the direct link for the iPhone 3G (http://appldnld.apple.com.edgesuite.net/content.info.apple.com/iPhone/061-6578.20090617.VfgtU/iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw).

Photo courtesy of Apple.com

Introducing The iPhone 3G S – The “S” Is For Speed!!!

iPhone 3G S Keynote - Courtesy of Engadget.com

Yesterday Phil Schiler introduced a new iPhone to the market during WWDC ‘09 – The iPhone 3G S (try saying that 3 times fast). The new iPhone will look like the original iPhone 3G, but will have a faster processor, video recording capabilities, voice control, a magnetic compass, longer battery life among other things. The new iPhone will come in 16gb and 32gb versions. In addition to this the iPhone 3G S will come with inline remote for music control. The price for the iPhone 3G S will be $199 for the 16gb and $299 for the 32gb version. In addition to this, the iPhone 3G (none “S”) will come with 8gb version and will cost $99 with contract. The new iPhone 3G S is already available on the Apple store now.

The new iPhone 3G S - Courtesy of Apple.com

Both the new iPhone 3G S and the regular iPhone 3G will be coming with the new OS 3.0. Existing iPhone users can get the new OS 3.0 on June 17 from iTunes for free, but iPod Touch users will need to fork out an additional $9.95 to get it (Seriously Apple, this needs to stop!)

For more information on the Apple Key Note go here and here.

For more information on the iPhone OS 3.0 go here.

For more information on the iPhone 3G and 3G S go here, here and here.

Basics
	iPhone 3G	iPhone 3G S
Price	$99 8GB ($299 for ineligible upgraders)	$199 16GB, $299 32GB ($399 and $499 for ineligible upgraders)
Processor	412MHz ARM 11	Unknown, “on average up to twice as fast”
Graphics capability	OpenGL ES 2.0	OpenGL ES 2.0
Camera	2.0 megapixel fixed focus	3.0 megapixel autofocus with macro mode and auto white balance
Video recording	None	30fps VGA with on-device editing capability
Voice control	None	Dialing, music control
Nike+ support	No	Yes
Wireless technologies	3.6Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR	7.2Mbps HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
Water- and oil-resistant finish	No	Yes
Integrated magnetic compass	No	Yes
Included headphones	Standard	Inline remote for music control
Battery life	Up to 5 hours talk time / data on 3G, 10 hours on 2G	Up to 5 hours talk time / data on 3G, 12 hours on 2G
	Up to 6 hours data on WiFi	Up to 9 hours data on WiFi
	Up to 24 hours audio	Up to 30 hours audio
	Up to 7 hours video	Up to 10 hours video
Dimensions	115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm	115.5 x 62.1 x 12.3mm
Weight	133 grams / 4.69 oz.	135 grams / 4.76 oz.

Hot new wireless mice appear at BestBuy.com

Best Buy apparently has a new line of wireless mice from HP with hot new designs. They look rather sharp. Some of these mice use laser technology and are performing at 1200 dpi, while the others will be optical performing at 1000 dpi. Unfortunately they are not for sale yet.

Check out the mice here.

Windows 7 RC1 Review

I used to be a huge believer that Microsoft would not be able to improve on the raw potential that Windows XP had, and that this would be my main OS for a long time, but I downloaded Windows 7 RC1 last week and I have been playing with it since then, and I must say I love it!

Yes, I said it! I love Windows 7!

I do not consider myself a fanboy by no means since I’ve never had a #1 OS. Linux, OS X, and Windows XP have their own little things that make it the best in some fields while the worst in others. For a while Windows was getting left in the dust by the Linux and OS X universes, until now.

Windows 7 is what Vista really should be (I know I’m not the first one to say this, but it’s obvious).

I tested this OS using Sun’s Virtual Box, because it allows me to specify multiple hardware configurations and unlike Microsoft’s Virtual PC 2007, it allows you to use your USB ports; it’s also free.

I was really impressed that Windows 7 would allow me to run just fine on a PC with just 512mb of Ram and 64mb of video memory, it was a little slow, but still faster than even the great XP.

The installation was extremely easy, but I did not like the aspect that Microsoft again wait’s until the end of the installation to ask for the registration key; this is really ass backwards since you have already wiped your computer’s hard drive with your OS as part of the installation, so if there is a problem with the key that came with your copy of Windows, then you would be in real trouble since your computer is dead until you give it a good key. Microsoft, why don’t you create a registration key app that can check your key before you install Windows 7 for users who are upgrading from another OS and incorporate it to the installation DVD along with a hardware compatibility wizard (useless at this point, but you never know).

Another very important thing about Windows 7 is the worry that your hardware will not work correctly, but I have tried apps and drivers and if they where made for Vista, then they will run in Windows 7.

Windows 7 is very clean and professional looking. The Quick Launch icons or Pinned Programs keep the windows in the icon and it will display a popup menu so you can choose or individually close individual windows.

Other interesting changes have been made that make this OS allot better than Vista. It’s much more functional and retains that eye candy aspect without filling up the desktop. The side bar has been removed, but if you liked the whole widgets, you can go to the control panel and open them up individually. The “Show Desktop” icon has been replaced with a bar at the far right end of the system tray.

Instead of having hundreds of little icons in the system tray next to the clock, you now just have the volume, network connectivity, warnings, and a hidden icons button.

What's antivirus?

 

The applications that run from the system tray will automatically be hidden in the “hidden icons” arrow button, and will not fill up your task bar at all, leaving more room for the open window icons that just show up like an icon in the task bar.

I really can’t wait for this OS to come out. Rumors have it confirmed by the holidays this year, but if Microsoft want’s to delay it, then I will not be upset. Microsoft, take you’re time, but make it right this time!

You can download Windows 7 RC1 here, but you better hurry since it will only be available until July 2009. The release candidate will be good until July 2010.

Look below for more pics.

NIN app is now in the iTunes Store!

Today, Trent Reznor has Tweeted that his iPhone app that was originally denied by Apple’s inconsistent app’s store approval process, was now approved by the same people at Apple.

The app is already in the app store, it looks really cool and it’s free. I have already downloaded it and will probably write a review soon. Congrats to Trent Reznor on his achievement against the frustration of putting an app in the App’s Store (that does not make any sense, but congrats!!!).

Are you a student programmer? Get a free copy of Visual Studio 2008 Pro!

Microsoft is committed to getting more developers in using their tech, so if you are currently a student and you’re major is a computer programming related degree you can get a free copy of the following applications directly from Microsoft:

• Visual Studio 2008 – Professional Edition
• Visual Studio 2005 – Professional Edition
• Microsoft Expression Studio 2
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Server 2008 – Standard
• SQL Server 2008 – Developer
• XNA Game Studio 3.0
• Robotics Developer Studio 2008
• CCR and DSS Toolkit 2008
• Express editions of their developing software (already free)

The program is called Microsoft Dreamspark and the best part is that all of these applications are free. You can even get free and discounted trainning and certifications with this program.

Not a student, well Microsoft will still give you a discount. Right now, Microsoft is giving discounts to developers when they purchase Visual Studio 2008 copies and add-ons from them, for more information click here.

You might preffer Linux or Apple for your developing platform, but just remmember who has the majority of the market when it comes to preffered OS ;-D.