Two weeks ago, I reviewed the album of 2006 American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and deemed it great. But, who was I really rooting for throughout American Idol? Blake Lewis of course!! I was so dismayed to see him lose American Idol, even with his beatboxing. But, if he signed with the record company behind American Idol, his album would be much different, and in turn, probably worse.
With Blake Lewis, as previously mentioned, comes his beatboxing. And on quite a few tracks, this is very prevalent, such as "Gots to Get Her" and the ever-so-addictive great choice of a single "Break Anotha". But, as many of you saw on American Idol, Blake's voice can also get really smooth. On his album, "How Many Words" and "Without You" are some examples of this. Some of his songs are also more on the pop side of soul, like "Hate 2 Love Her" and "Here's my Hello". And then, out of nowhere, Bshorty (Blake Lewis' alter ego) grabs the mic and beatboxes his way through an interlude. Any other rap appearance on the album? One of the more alternative rappers in the game, Lupe Fiasco. What a great fit for Blake Lewis. The diversity of this album is amazing. The production on this album is also very good, giving Blake robot-like sounds, helping him on the beatboxing, and just being great beats. Listen to "What'cha Got 2 Lose" and "She's Making Me Lose It" for a great example of these. Yet, with all of that diversity, I like the fact that Blake decided to end a majority of the songs with some sort of beatboxing effect. It seemed very creative for some reason, yet uncreative at the same time.
My favorite two tracks on the album are "Break Anotha" and "End of the World". "Break Anotha" has really started to grow on me mainly because of Blake's sync with the tune , aswell as it being sort of reminiscent of Maroon 5's "Wake Up Call". Does anyone else see that similarity? As for "End of the World", it has a different to it than the rest of the songs. It seems like more of a positive-melodic song, which I like a lot. Especially when it comes to Blake Lewis. And for some reason, I also like the Outro a lot.
Grade: A- - Diversity, great singing, and beatboxing all in one album?
Tracks to get: Break Anotha, End of the World
Well, I bid you adieu with this message:
I hope all of your DayDreams are sweet after listening to this album!
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Monday, December 3, 2007
Crayon Physics turned into an iPhone app
Many people over the past few weeks have been looking frequently at YouTube amazed at a game known as Crayon Physics. And I am one of them. The main point of the game is to draw bridges and circles to get a blue ball to hit a star. But how do you draw these? With a stylus on a touch screen computer of course!! Watch this video to see how Crayon Physics works:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QsTqspnvAaI
Now, why am I posting about this? Because along with looking at this YouTube vid a few times, iPhone and iPod Touch fans have been thinking about how to get this game onto their Apple devices. Now, this is possible. People have made a program for the iPhone and iPod Touch called iPhysics that is extremely similar to Crayon Physics. And instead of the broing levels in Crayon Physics, people have hade custom levels with designs!! For instance, there is a Mario level pack available for iPhysics. In that pack of levels, you go from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Bros. 3. Of course, there are some glitches in the game, such as the fact that you can't really draw a circle and the fact that the star is a red box, but I am sure that updated versions will have even better quality. On that note, catch ya tommorow with an awesome album review!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=QsTqspnvAaI
Now, why am I posting about this? Because along with looking at this YouTube vid a few times, iPhone and iPod Touch fans have been thinking about how to get this game onto their Apple devices. Now, this is possible. People have made a program for the iPhone and iPod Touch called iPhysics that is extremely similar to Crayon Physics. And instead of the broing levels in Crayon Physics, people have hade custom levels with designs!! For instance, there is a Mario level pack available for iPhysics. In that pack of levels, you go from Super Mario Bros. to Super Mario Bros. 3. Of course, there are some glitches in the game, such as the fact that you can't really draw a circle and the fact that the star is a red box, but I am sure that updated versions will have even better quality. On that note, catch ya tommorow with an awesome album review!!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Album Review: Justin Timberlake - FutureSex/LoveSounds (Deluxe Edition)
To commemorate the success he had with the album, Justin Timberlake has rereleased his hit album FutureSex/LoveSounds. So, for this week, I am going to take a look back at 2006 by reviewing one of its most successful albums. FutureSex/LoveSounds has spawned an amazing six singles to mainstream radio, aswell as two of them getting a suprising mass amount of play at Urban stations. And the deluxe edition is even better!!
From the first moment your hear FutureSex/LoveSound (the first track on the album) to Sexy Ladies (Remix) (the last one), you can hear great production on this album. Whether it's from the trio of Timberlake, Timbaland, and Nate Hills, Will.I.Am, or Rick Rubin, the production on this album is outstanding. The beats are amazing ear candy in my opinion. They go from extremely technical-sounding (Sexy Ladies, My Love, Summer Love) to smooth (What Goes Around........Comes Around [Interlude], Until the End Of Time, Set the Mood Interlude, [Another Song] All Over Again). One thing I noticed about the songs is that some of them (ex. Summer Love/Set the Mood Prelude) are split into two parts, one being a prelude or interlude and the other being the actual song. I think that this is in spirit of the title being split into two parts by a slash mark. The guest spots on the album also help a bit. Timbaland, T.I., 50 Cent, and Three 6 Mafia put a little more edge into their album with their rapping, aswell as their random appearances in songs in the case of Timbo. On the other hand, Beyonce puts a little more R&B flavor into Justin's current hit, Until the End of Time and Will.I.Am puts more of a hip-hop flavor onto the song he produced, Damn Girl. The one thing that I really dislike about the album is that pretty much all of the songs are about love and sex, with the exception of Losing My Way (in which Justin talks about an addiction to crack cocaine and asks if anyone out there understands him and hears him). But what can you expect from an album titled FutureSex/LoveSounds?
My favorite two tracks on the album are My Love and What Goes Around....../Comes Around Interlude. I like My Love for the amazing production on it, aswell as the T.I. guest spot. Justin is also taking his voice to the limits on this song, which I really admire. I especially like What goes Around because it is essentially a story in one song! The "story" talks about how when the girl Justin like rejects a relationship with Justin, it will all come back around at her and that it isn't fair. As for the argument on which is better, out of the regular Until the End of Time and its remix, I would say that Beyonce beats Justin on his own song. The remix is truly an amazing combination, with the princess of R&B and the prince of Pop (even though he really wants his music to be titled R&B music, not Pop). Plus, their voices harmonize so great.
The production of this album, along with the smoothness and versatility of Justin's voice, make FutureSex/LoveSounds a great album in my opinion.
Grade: A-: Spectacular production, amazing singing and rapping. The only drawback was the unoriginality of the tracks.
Track to Get: My Love, What Goes Around.../...Comes Back Around Interlude, Until the End of Time (duet with Beyonce)
From the first moment your hear FutureSex/LoveSound (the first track on the album) to Sexy Ladies (Remix) (the last one), you can hear great production on this album. Whether it's from the trio of Timberlake, Timbaland, and Nate Hills, Will.I.Am, or Rick Rubin, the production on this album is outstanding. The beats are amazing ear candy in my opinion. They go from extremely technical-sounding (Sexy Ladies, My Love, Summer Love) to smooth (What Goes Around........Comes Around [Interlude], Until the End Of Time, Set the Mood Interlude, [Another Song] All Over Again). One thing I noticed about the songs is that some of them (ex. Summer Love/Set the Mood Prelude) are split into two parts, one being a prelude or interlude and the other being the actual song. I think that this is in spirit of the title being split into two parts by a slash mark. The guest spots on the album also help a bit. Timbaland, T.I., 50 Cent, and Three 6 Mafia put a little more edge into their album with their rapping, aswell as their random appearances in songs in the case of Timbo. On the other hand, Beyonce puts a little more R&B flavor into Justin's current hit, Until the End of Time and Will.I.Am puts more of a hip-hop flavor onto the song he produced, Damn Girl. The one thing that I really dislike about the album is that pretty much all of the songs are about love and sex, with the exception of Losing My Way (in which Justin talks about an addiction to crack cocaine and asks if anyone out there understands him and hears him). But what can you expect from an album titled FutureSex/LoveSounds?
My favorite two tracks on the album are My Love and What Goes Around....../Comes Around Interlude. I like My Love for the amazing production on it, aswell as the T.I. guest spot. Justin is also taking his voice to the limits on this song, which I really admire. I especially like What goes Around because it is essentially a story in one song! The "story" talks about how when the girl Justin like rejects a relationship with Justin, it will all come back around at her and that it isn't fair. As for the argument on which is better, out of the regular Until the End of Time and its remix, I would say that Beyonce beats Justin on his own song. The remix is truly an amazing combination, with the princess of R&B and the prince of Pop (even though he really wants his music to be titled R&B music, not Pop). Plus, their voices harmonize so great.
The production of this album, along with the smoothness and versatility of Justin's voice, make FutureSex/LoveSounds a great album in my opinion.
Grade: A-: Spectacular production, amazing singing and rapping. The only drawback was the unoriginality of the tracks.
Track to Get: My Love, What Goes Around.../...Comes Back Around Interlude, Until the End of Time (duet with Beyonce)
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Game Review: Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games for Nintendo Wii
Ah. What a beautiful day at the 2008 Olympics!! Such a great breeze, the sun is shining, and what's this?!!??! The competitors are entering the stadium!!!!! But wait, it can't be!!! Mario, the heroic plumber and mascot of Nintendo, and Sonic, the hedgehog or heroicness and mascot of Sega, are entering the stadium in one competition together!!!! And they are being followed by such heroes and villains like Luigi, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, Bowser, and Peach, to name a few!! This, is Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games!!!
The main selling part about this game is the fact that this is indeed the first game in which Mario and Sonic clash!! Many people that are fans of both protagonists have been waiting for them to be together in a game, and this is their chance to see them together. Of course, this isn't really what fans were expecting. I would think most people would have wanted the two to have their own epic journey in which they face annoying pests such as Dr. Eggman and Bowser. Atleast this is a start of possibly a big game including Sonic and Mario. Anyways, this game sets Mario, Sonic, and their comrades (and your Miis) as contestants in the 2008 Bejing Olympics.
And with the Olympics come a wide array of sports events! These events range from Swimming to Athletics (Track and Field) to even Table Tennis!! The games are divided into six categories, each utilizing either just the Wii Remote or the combination of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck. I think that this game is much similar to Wii Sports, except a wider choice of characters and different activities. The most fun out of the activities, in my opinion, is the Trampoline. This event, classified in teh Gymnastics category, has you first trying to jump a certain distance, and then peforming tricks by pressing the A and B buttons and twisting the Wii Remote. Speaking of the Wii Remote, this event uses only the Wii Remote. It is pretty tricky to get all of the buttons and tilts in time. I always keep getting in the low to mid-7s for my score on the performance!! As for those who played Wii Sports for a fun way to sweat off some pounds, I would recommend the Swimming events. the events in this category have you moving the Wii Remote and Nunchuck in different ways to swim with your character. Some of these characters make you move the pair of controllers up and down to swim with them. i have found that by rapidly doing this method of swimming, it is easy to break a sweat. As for those who want a mental challenge, I would recommend the Fencing game. In this event, you use the Wii Remote held vertically to block, fake, and fence at your opponent. It takes a good mind to know what the opponent will do and how to counter it. Mabye you're thinking that the opponent is about to fence at you. Block the shot to leave your opponent open for a fence. Or, go backwards and dodge the shot. There are also many games that I didn't talk about that are fun, so try them out!!!
Overall, I would say that this is a great game that utilizes all of the motion-sensory features of the Wii, whether it's aiming the Wii Remote at flying disks or quickly alternating the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to run. And it's also a bonus for those Mario and Sonic fans.
Gameplay: 8.5/10 - Pretty bad concept, but very nice gameplay in my opinion.
Graphics: 8.25/10 - Not really detailed, like most other Wii games, but just as crisp and clear as an Olympic day!
Also, I want to say that for my album review this week, be prepared for a blast from the near-past!! I am Jaykk, signing out!
The main selling part about this game is the fact that this is indeed the first game in which Mario and Sonic clash!! Many people that are fans of both protagonists have been waiting for them to be together in a game, and this is their chance to see them together. Of course, this isn't really what fans were expecting. I would think most people would have wanted the two to have their own epic journey in which they face annoying pests such as Dr. Eggman and Bowser. Atleast this is a start of possibly a big game including Sonic and Mario. Anyways, this game sets Mario, Sonic, and their comrades (and your Miis) as contestants in the 2008 Bejing Olympics.
And with the Olympics come a wide array of sports events! These events range from Swimming to Athletics (Track and Field) to even Table Tennis!! The games are divided into six categories, each utilizing either just the Wii Remote or the combination of the Wii Remote and the Nunchuck. I think that this game is much similar to Wii Sports, except a wider choice of characters and different activities. The most fun out of the activities, in my opinion, is the Trampoline. This event, classified in teh Gymnastics category, has you first trying to jump a certain distance, and then peforming tricks by pressing the A and B buttons and twisting the Wii Remote. Speaking of the Wii Remote, this event uses only the Wii Remote. It is pretty tricky to get all of the buttons and tilts in time. I always keep getting in the low to mid-7s for my score on the performance!! As for those who played Wii Sports for a fun way to sweat off some pounds, I would recommend the Swimming events. the events in this category have you moving the Wii Remote and Nunchuck in different ways to swim with your character. Some of these characters make you move the pair of controllers up and down to swim with them. i have found that by rapidly doing this method of swimming, it is easy to break a sweat. As for those who want a mental challenge, I would recommend the Fencing game. In this event, you use the Wii Remote held vertically to block, fake, and fence at your opponent. It takes a good mind to know what the opponent will do and how to counter it. Mabye you're thinking that the opponent is about to fence at you. Block the shot to leave your opponent open for a fence. Or, go backwards and dodge the shot. There are also many games that I didn't talk about that are fun, so try them out!!!
Overall, I would say that this is a great game that utilizes all of the motion-sensory features of the Wii, whether it's aiming the Wii Remote at flying disks or quickly alternating the Wii Remote and Nunchuck to run. And it's also a bonus for those Mario and Sonic fans.
Gameplay: 8.5/10 - Pretty bad concept, but very nice gameplay in my opinion.
Graphics: 8.25/10 - Not really detailed, like most other Wii games, but just as crisp and clear as an Olympic day!
Also, I want to say that for my album review this week, be prepared for a blast from the near-past!! I am Jaykk, signing out!
Friday, November 23, 2007
In my opinion, the top 3 electronic must-haves
As all of you know, today was Black Friday, the start of the holiday season. To celebrate the start, many people shop for holiday gifts! To acount for the start of the holiday season, I wanted to make a top three list of must-haves for this holiday season:
3. Super Mario Galaxy
It has been awaited since even before the Wii was released. And now, Super Mario Galaxy makes is descent onto Earth. This is the must-have game for all people with a Wii. For some good information on this game, you can refer back to when I posted about Super Mario Galaxy in an article. And with the success it has had already, I am sure that one out of atleast every 100 houses will have this in their bundles of gifts.
2. Rock Band
Ever since the release of Guitar Hero, some people have wondered, could you ever have a digital band? Well, with Rock Band, that is very possible indeed. Rock Band has a great selection of songs that focus on the whole band, and is rapidly adding to the list with downloadable content. Some examples of great songs are Dani California, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Wanted Dead or Alive, by Bon Jovi. I would say this also is a must for families. With the main game needing 4 people, This is a game the whole family can love and enjoy playing.
And........................
1. iPhone
When I was in the Apple store two days ago, I swore I saw atleast five iPhones being purchased. Plus, with the commercials still running in maximum of the product, the iPhone is the must-have on any wish list. The versatility that it has is amazing. Plus, it means that instead of getting a phone, laptop, and iPod for someone, you can just get them an iPhone. Nothing much else to say, as most of you should know what the iPhone does.
Well, that's all for today. I hope you have had a good time shopping today! See you back here on Monday, and possibly sooner!!
3. Super Mario Galaxy
It has been awaited since even before the Wii was released. And now, Super Mario Galaxy makes is descent onto Earth. This is the must-have game for all people with a Wii. For some good information on this game, you can refer back to when I posted about Super Mario Galaxy in an article. And with the success it has had already, I am sure that one out of atleast every 100 houses will have this in their bundles of gifts.
2. Rock Band
Ever since the release of Guitar Hero, some people have wondered, could you ever have a digital band? Well, with Rock Band, that is very possible indeed. Rock Band has a great selection of songs that focus on the whole band, and is rapidly adding to the list with downloadable content. Some examples of great songs are Dani California, by the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Wanted Dead or Alive, by Bon Jovi. I would say this also is a must for families. With the main game needing 4 people, This is a game the whole family can love and enjoy playing.
And........................
1. iPhone
When I was in the Apple store two days ago, I swore I saw atleast five iPhones being purchased. Plus, with the commercials still running in maximum of the product, the iPhone is the must-have on any wish list. The versatility that it has is amazing. Plus, it means that instead of getting a phone, laptop, and iPod for someone, you can just get them an iPhone. Nothing much else to say, as most of you should know what the iPhone does.
Well, that's all for today. I hope you have had a good time shopping today! See you back here on Monday, and possibly sooner!!
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Can it be alright to lipsync?
First of all, I would like to say happy turkey day to all of my blog readers! It has been a great holiday for me so far, and I hope it has for you too. Secondly, I wanted to talk about an important topic in music today, lipsyncing.
As I finished watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I started to wonder about the musical performances. I realized while listening to them that they were all lipsynced. So, for my blog article, I was thinking about when its alright to lipsync. Of course, I came up with the obvious places where it is horrible to lipsync. But, I also came up with a couple times in which its fine to lipsync.
The place in which you want to lipsync the least are most televised performances and concerts, in my opinion. Televised performances are one of main sources of exposure for digital download success. But, if an artist lipsyncs a televised performance, then that will get a possible customer of the digital single mad at the artist and most likely cause him or her to not buy the single. Also, if that performance was really talked about beforehand, then the artist would most likely get a lot of bad media if they lipsynced a televised performance. For a good example at this, look at Britney Spears' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Her performance was extremely hyped up. Then, the performance comes. Britney messes up, and every single pop culture TV show is giving her bad press. As I said before, another bad place to lipsync is at concerts. Most concertgoers want to hear the music of the artist they are seeing in a different perspective, that perspective being live. If an artist lipsyncs at a concert of theirs, you can expect the crowd to boo them to death and leave the concert.
But, in some cases, it is alright to lipsync. For instance, take Chris Brown's performances at the MTV Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards. He did lipsync, but made up for it by doing some amazing dancing. So, if you do something else in your routine to make up for lipsyncing, like dancing and the such, then you can lipsync and people won't give a care. Another place I find it alright to lipsync is the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since the performance is shortened anyways, most people won't care if you lipsync or not.
Well, I am gonna stop here and go to my thanksgiving feast. So, with my goodbyes, I wish all a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!
As I finished watching the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, I started to wonder about the musical performances. I realized while listening to them that they were all lipsynced. So, for my blog article, I was thinking about when its alright to lipsync. Of course, I came up with the obvious places where it is horrible to lipsync. But, I also came up with a couple times in which its fine to lipsync.
The place in which you want to lipsync the least are most televised performances and concerts, in my opinion. Televised performances are one of main sources of exposure for digital download success. But, if an artist lipsyncs a televised performance, then that will get a possible customer of the digital single mad at the artist and most likely cause him or her to not buy the single. Also, if that performance was really talked about beforehand, then the artist would most likely get a lot of bad media if they lipsynced a televised performance. For a good example at this, look at Britney Spears' performance at the MTV Video Music Awards. Her performance was extremely hyped up. Then, the performance comes. Britney messes up, and every single pop culture TV show is giving her bad press. As I said before, another bad place to lipsync is at concerts. Most concertgoers want to hear the music of the artist they are seeing in a different perspective, that perspective being live. If an artist lipsyncs at a concert of theirs, you can expect the crowd to boo them to death and leave the concert.
But, in some cases, it is alright to lipsync. For instance, take Chris Brown's performances at the MTV Video Music Awards and the American Music Awards. He did lipsync, but made up for it by doing some amazing dancing. So, if you do something else in your routine to make up for lipsyncing, like dancing and the such, then you can lipsync and people won't give a care. Another place I find it alright to lipsync is the Thanksgiving Day Parade. Since the performance is shortened anyways, most people won't care if you lipsync or not.
Well, I am gonna stop here and go to my thanksgiving feast. So, with my goodbyes, I wish all a wonderful Thanksgiving!!!!!
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Album Review: Jordin Sparks - Jordin Sparks
Hello fans =). Today, I am here to review the not-so-long, but awaited debut from Sixth Season American Idol winner Jordin Sparks.
After her first single, "Tatoo", didn't do amazingly on the charts, I was having doubts about Jordin Sparks' self-titled debut album, Jordin Sparks, doing good on the charts. But, after hearing the rest of the album, I can say with all my heart that this album will debut at #1. Just as she said, Jordin's album has a pop feel like Kelly Clarkson, but yet smooth like Beyonce. More on the smooth side though, especially with tracks like "One Step at a Time", "Permanent Monday", and "Next to You". There are some tracks that sound more pop though, like the techno-beat "Shy Boy". Plus, Jordin chose a great track to end the album with, "This is My Now". Putting such a powerful track like that makes a really good last impression on the listener.
Personally, I really like the album. First and foremost, Jordin has an undeniably great voice. Secondly, I think her album appeals to people who listen to more mainstream, yet also people who like listening to urban radio stations. As for my favorite tracks, well, the majority of them are good, but a track that really got my ears tuning in was "No Air". The Chris Brown guest spot on the track does make me like it, but it's also the theme of the song that gets me. The song is about how a boy can't live without their girlfriend beside them and how a girl can't live without their boyfriend beside them. Jordin and Chris alternate lines, and then sing the chorus together. I think their voices go along great together, especially when they're combined in a meaningful chorus.
Overall, the album is very good in my opinion. Mabye not enough to convert me to a state of Jordin Sparks obsession, but good nonetheless.
Grade: B+
Tracks to Get: "No Air"
After her first single, "Tatoo", didn't do amazingly on the charts, I was having doubts about Jordin Sparks' self-titled debut album, Jordin Sparks, doing good on the charts. But, after hearing the rest of the album, I can say with all my heart that this album will debut at #1. Just as she said, Jordin's album has a pop feel like Kelly Clarkson, but yet smooth like Beyonce. More on the smooth side though, especially with tracks like "One Step at a Time", "Permanent Monday", and "Next to You". There are some tracks that sound more pop though, like the techno-beat "Shy Boy". Plus, Jordin chose a great track to end the album with, "This is My Now". Putting such a powerful track like that makes a really good last impression on the listener.
Personally, I really like the album. First and foremost, Jordin has an undeniably great voice. Secondly, I think her album appeals to people who listen to more mainstream, yet also people who like listening to urban radio stations. As for my favorite tracks, well, the majority of them are good, but a track that really got my ears tuning in was "No Air". The Chris Brown guest spot on the track does make me like it, but it's also the theme of the song that gets me. The song is about how a boy can't live without their girlfriend beside them and how a girl can't live without their boyfriend beside them. Jordin and Chris alternate lines, and then sing the chorus together. I think their voices go along great together, especially when they're combined in a meaningful chorus.
Overall, the album is very good in my opinion. Mabye not enough to convert me to a state of Jordin Sparks obsession, but good nonetheless.
Grade: B+
Tracks to Get: "No Air"
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Album Review: Alicia Keys - As I Am
Well, today I am here reviewing Alicia Keys' newest album, released on Tuesday. The title, for those who don't know, is "As I Am". This is her fourth release (The others, in order being Songs in a Minor, The Diary of Alicia Keys, and Unplugged). Onto the review!
Personally, What I like about the album is that all of the songs have that Alicia sound. But, each song has it in a different way. She sounds different of each and every song, whether she sounds as if she is in the 60's or today. Now, the bad part is that the album sounds a little too bland for me. No song extremely stood out. I mean, the album is good, just no noticeable tracks. Well, only one. The most noticeable track for me was the Intro. It's a great start to such a soulful album in my opinion. So, nothing else really to say about the album, unfortunately.
Grade: B
Tracks to Get: As I Am (Intro), No One
Personally, What I like about the album is that all of the songs have that Alicia sound. But, each song has it in a different way. She sounds different of each and every song, whether she sounds as if she is in the 60's or today. Now, the bad part is that the album sounds a little too bland for me. No song extremely stood out. I mean, the album is good, just no noticeable tracks. Well, only one. The most noticeable track for me was the Intro. It's a great start to such a soulful album in my opinion. So, nothing else really to say about the album, unfortunately.
Grade: B
Tracks to Get: As I Am (Intro), No One
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Gonna do it tomorrow, post it later that night + Really cool iPhone/iPod Touch App!!
Well, with such a swamped day today, I have to delay the album review to tomorrow. Lucky for me, my brother got "As I Am", making the album review all the easier. In other Alicia news, she sold 160,000 copies of "As I Am" in her first day, beating out Celine Dion by over 100,000 (she sold 58,000 copies of "Taking Chances").
Well, for today, I want to talk about an iPod Touch/iPhone application that I got through Jailbreaking my iPod Touch. The game is pretty reminiscent to Guitar Hero. But, by looking at the title of it, you would first think Dance Dance Revolution. The application is called Tap Tap Revolution.
Tap Tap Revolution has you trying to hit all of the notes to a song on three strings. Unlike Guitar Hero, there is no strumming involved. You just press the note you want to hit. Also, instead of a limited song library, the songs you play are the ones that you have that have TTR note spreads. Of course, you need Wifi to see which ones have TTR note spreads. So, try and stay as close to the Wifi source as possible. And how does the application have so many songs already? You can make TTR note spreads for any song in your library and then send them to the Internet for others to try out!!! It makes the application a whole lot better in my opinion.
So, if you need a good game application and don't want to go through the process to put ROMs onto your iPod Touch, Tap Tap Revolution is great!! I certainly love it!! The concept of a widely-played console game on a portable device is amazing!!
Well, for today, I want to talk about an iPod Touch/iPhone application that I got through Jailbreaking my iPod Touch. The game is pretty reminiscent to Guitar Hero. But, by looking at the title of it, you would first think Dance Dance Revolution. The application is called Tap Tap Revolution.
Tap Tap Revolution has you trying to hit all of the notes to a song on three strings. Unlike Guitar Hero, there is no strumming involved. You just press the note you want to hit. Also, instead of a limited song library, the songs you play are the ones that you have that have TTR note spreads. Of course, you need Wifi to see which ones have TTR note spreads. So, try and stay as close to the Wifi source as possible. And how does the application have so many songs already? You can make TTR note spreads for any song in your library and then send them to the Internet for others to try out!!! It makes the application a whole lot better in my opinion.
So, if you need a good game application and don't want to go through the process to put ROMs onto your iPod Touch, Tap Tap Revolution is great!! I certainly love it!! The concept of a widely-played console game on a portable device is amazing!!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Review tomorrow!!!!!
I am pleased to say that after the dismay of last week, the album review of the week shall be posted tomorrow or Thursday morning!!! This week, I am reviewing "As I Am" by Alicia Keys. This album has spawned two singles so far, them being the soulful "No One" and her latest single, "Like You'll Never See me Again". If I were to judge from those singles, then I would have to say that "As I Am" is a great album. This week, Alicia will have to face Celine Dion, with her newest album "Taking Chances", in the album battle ring. Personally, being a fan of Alicia from the start, I hope Alicia can pull out the win. Besides, she has a very successful single, while Celine has a mildly-successful single.
So, come back here tomorrow for a very soulful album review!!!! I think I will be very impressed with the album.
So, come back here tomorrow for a very soulful album review!!!! I think I will be very impressed with the album.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Great news for Guitar Hero 3 players on Xbox 360 and PS3!!
Have you ever wanted to get new songs on Guitar Hero, without the wait of a new game? Well, now is your chance to do so!! If you have Guitar Hero 3 for Xbox 360 or Playstation 3, then with Wifi, you can buy Trax Pax!!
These Track Packs contain 3 songs. Each of these songs shares the same artists. For instance, the first two Track Packs available at the moment are the Velvet Revolver one and the Foo Fighters one. The former contains three tracks, like "She Builds Quick Machines" and the song from the Guitar Hero 3 commercial, "Slither". The latter contains two of Foo Fighters older hits, and their latest hit, "The Pretender". Each Track Pack is set at quite a good price at $6.25.
Overall, I would say Track Packs are a great investment. I would definitely want all of them.
These Track Packs contain 3 songs. Each of these songs shares the same artists. For instance, the first two Track Packs available at the moment are the Velvet Revolver one and the Foo Fighters one. The former contains three tracks, like "She Builds Quick Machines" and the song from the Guitar Hero 3 commercial, "Slither". The latter contains two of Foo Fighters older hits, and their latest hit, "The Pretender". Each Track Pack is set at quite a good price at $6.25.
Overall, I would say Track Packs are a great investment. I would definitely want all of them.
Friday, November 9, 2007
I guess it was made to be a no. + What I want on the iPod Touch
Sadly, after making the time to do the album review I wanted to do, I couldn't find the tracks. I think it has to do with Jay-Z not putting "American Gangster" up on iTunes. So, I will not be posting a review this week, sadly.
Now, onto the actual article....
When I got the iPod Touch, I felt as if it wasn't complete. So, for today, I wanted to post some ideas for Applications for Apple to consider when making future iPod Touch models.
First of all, the iPod Touch comes with no communication applications whatsoever. I think that just as how they did with Youtube, Apple should partner up with a company like Facebook and make an application on the iPod Touch that lets you check your Facebook profile and those of your friends, as well as your News Feed and Notifications. This idea might even convince family members to buy iPod Touches, just to keep in touch at all times with Facebook.
Secondly, the applications that were iPhone-exclusive need to get onto the iPod Touch. There is no reason as to why they can't, due to the iPhone and iPod Touch having the same internal features. Some of those applications were very handy on the iPhone. I think I would like to know where I am going (Maps) or the weather (Weather).
Finally, it may take some modifications to the shape and size of the iPod Touch to do, but I think a Radio application should be made for the iPod Touch. Apple could apply the same technology that they used with the iPod Radio Tuner with the iPod Touch. Besides, the iPod Touch can already connect to the Internet, so why not a satellite? This is good if your in a moment in which you want to listen to a variety of music, but don't want to do the work for yourself via On-The-Go.
So, there's my input on future iPod Touch features. I hope you, the readers, can cope with no album review for this week, and I am terribly sorry for not writing for the past two days. I have just had so much things to do, that I couldn't fit in time to blog. Well, see you tomorrow!!
Now, onto the actual article....
When I got the iPod Touch, I felt as if it wasn't complete. So, for today, I wanted to post some ideas for Applications for Apple to consider when making future iPod Touch models.
First of all, the iPod Touch comes with no communication applications whatsoever. I think that just as how they did with Youtube, Apple should partner up with a company like Facebook and make an application on the iPod Touch that lets you check your Facebook profile and those of your friends, as well as your News Feed and Notifications. This idea might even convince family members to buy iPod Touches, just to keep in touch at all times with Facebook.
Secondly, the applications that were iPhone-exclusive need to get onto the iPod Touch. There is no reason as to why they can't, due to the iPhone and iPod Touch having the same internal features. Some of those applications were very handy on the iPhone. I think I would like to know where I am going (Maps) or the weather (Weather).
Finally, it may take some modifications to the shape and size of the iPod Touch to do, but I think a Radio application should be made for the iPod Touch. Apple could apply the same technology that they used with the iPod Radio Tuner with the iPod Touch. Besides, the iPod Touch can already connect to the Internet, so why not a satellite? This is good if your in a moment in which you want to listen to a variety of music, but don't want to do the work for yourself via On-The-Go.
So, there's my input on future iPod Touch features. I hope you, the readers, can cope with no album review for this week, and I am terribly sorry for not writing for the past two days. I have just had so much things to do, that I couldn't fit in time to blog. Well, see you tomorrow!!
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Now I am getting agrivated >=(
I really want to, but once again, I cannot review the album today. But, It is 100% going to be tomorrow, which is just in time for the weekend. So once again, I am terribly sorry, but see you tomorrow for the so-called stupendous album of a true American Gangster.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
I am really sorry =[....
....but once again I have to delay the album review for personal reasons. So, expect it tomorrow. Thanks guys!!!!!
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
First Look: Super Mario Galaxy for Nintendo Wii
Before I start this article, I am dismayed to say that the album review will be coming tomorrow. I just don't have enough time to do one today and I am terribly sorry about it.
Anyways, I was at the mall today. While I was there, I went into Gamestop, looking for Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games, which actually comes out tomorrow. But, what I did find there was a demo of a Nintendo Wii title coming out next Wednesday (November 14th), Super Mario Galaxy. I wanted to write a little bit about the game today.
This game is different from the past 3D Mario titles for a few reasons. First of all, while Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine take place on land, Super Mario Galaxy takes place in space!! The graphics of space are much imporved from the graphics of 64 and Sunshine. Second and most importantly, this game has much different gameplay from its 3D Mario preceders. This is because Super Mario Galaxy makes full use of the Wii Remote/Nunchuck combination and the motion-sensory of the Nintendo Wii. For instance, you use the Nunchuck control stick to move around, press A to jump, and spin the Wii Remote to use a spinning attack.
From playing the in-store demo, I can tell you that I look forward to playing Super Mario Galaxy. First of all, the graphics look amazing compared to any other Mario game. The settings look all polished up and Mario's looks have improved. Secondly, the gameplay is so creative, which I really like. Finally, it's a Mario game, and who doesn't love playing as the Nintendo mascot trying to beat the big, bad Bowser and save the stunning Princess Peach?? Of course, I wasn't able to get even one star with the time I had playing the demo, but I am sure I can do it when I get the game. Besides, with the added bonus of unlocking Luigi after 150 stars, you would probably want to get the first one as soon as possible.
As you can see, I am really awaiting the landing of Super Mario Galaxy to the US. The game seems like it really did deserve the title of second most awaited Wii game (First went to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess). Catch you tomorrow!!!
Anyways, I was at the mall today. While I was there, I went into Gamestop, looking for Sonic and Mario at the Olympic Games, which actually comes out tomorrow. But, what I did find there was a demo of a Nintendo Wii title coming out next Wednesday (November 14th), Super Mario Galaxy. I wanted to write a little bit about the game today.
This game is different from the past 3D Mario titles for a few reasons. First of all, while Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine take place on land, Super Mario Galaxy takes place in space!! The graphics of space are much imporved from the graphics of 64 and Sunshine. Second and most importantly, this game has much different gameplay from its 3D Mario preceders. This is because Super Mario Galaxy makes full use of the Wii Remote/Nunchuck combination and the motion-sensory of the Nintendo Wii. For instance, you use the Nunchuck control stick to move around, press A to jump, and spin the Wii Remote to use a spinning attack.
From playing the in-store demo, I can tell you that I look forward to playing Super Mario Galaxy. First of all, the graphics look amazing compared to any other Mario game. The settings look all polished up and Mario's looks have improved. Secondly, the gameplay is so creative, which I really like. Finally, it's a Mario game, and who doesn't love playing as the Nintendo mascot trying to beat the big, bad Bowser and save the stunning Princess Peach?? Of course, I wasn't able to get even one star with the time I had playing the demo, but I am sure I can do it when I get the game. Besides, with the added bonus of unlocking Luigi after 150 stars, you would probably want to get the first one as soon as possible.
As you can see, I am really awaiting the landing of Super Mario Galaxy to the US. The game seems like it really did deserve the title of second most awaited Wii game (First went to The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess). Catch you tomorrow!!!
Monday, November 5, 2007
Guitar Hero 3 for Playstation 2: The Review Part 2.
Hello again. I am back with the rest of the review of the amazing game known as Guitar Hero 3. The setlist and career mode are pretty different this time around. So, I decided to talk about those things today.
First, the songs for this game are different that the past Guitar hero games. The most exciting part about the songs is that a lot of them are recorded by the artists that originally made them instead of some cover band. This makes the in-game songs sound much more like their in-real life versions. For instance, in Guitar Hero 2, I was pissed off that the Guitar Hero version of Avenged Sevenfold's "Beast and the Harlot" was different from the original. Now, my favorite song in Guitar Hero 3, "Knights of Cydonia", doesn't have to go through that. this is because Muse rerecorded KoC for Guitar Hero 3. Another change is that frets come earlier in this game, starting to appear widely in the last 3 levels of Medium.
Another difference in this game is the Career mode. The career mode in this game has you as a band trying to succeed in the music business. Then, you get this wild manager named Lou, who guides you through all of the shows and such. But, after the band has fully broken out, the boss really insults them by calling them hasbeens. This causes the band to "can", or get rid of, the manager. Then, the bad part comes. Turns out, when you signed a contract with the manager, you didn't read the last part, which states the following:
Your souls are mine.
Ouch. So, you go to hell and after completing the final level of songs, you face your manager in a Boss Battle that will keep you playing Guitar Hero 3 for a while. Now, about the boss battles. In Career mode, you have 3 boss battles. Your opponents are Tom Morello, Slash, and Lou (in that order respectively). The first one is pretty easy, once you get the hang of Battles. Slash seems like a huge challenge, but once again, he is somewhat easy if you are good at Battles. Then comes Lou. Lou is pretty hard. here are my three tips on beating him:
1. If you keep missing a lot of notes, try not focusing on one note and just try and hit the rest. That is, unless you need to hit that note for a Power Gem.
2. Time your Power Gems so that Lou won't get his Power Gems. Otherwise, he will time them perfectly and wreck you.
3. This one might have been pure luck, but use Slash. Every time I used Axel Steel, I failed against Lou. But, once I used Slash, I found myself beating Lou on the first try.
So overall, I think Guitar Hero is a great game to follow up Guitar hero 2, which was also good, but not on caliber with its sequel.
First, the songs for this game are different that the past Guitar hero games. The most exciting part about the songs is that a lot of them are recorded by the artists that originally made them instead of some cover band. This makes the in-game songs sound much more like their in-real life versions. For instance, in Guitar Hero 2, I was pissed off that the Guitar Hero version of Avenged Sevenfold's "Beast and the Harlot" was different from the original. Now, my favorite song in Guitar Hero 3, "Knights of Cydonia", doesn't have to go through that. this is because Muse rerecorded KoC for Guitar Hero 3. Another change is that frets come earlier in this game, starting to appear widely in the last 3 levels of Medium.
Another difference in this game is the Career mode. The career mode in this game has you as a band trying to succeed in the music business. Then, you get this wild manager named Lou, who guides you through all of the shows and such. But, after the band has fully broken out, the boss really insults them by calling them hasbeens. This causes the band to "can", or get rid of, the manager. Then, the bad part comes. Turns out, when you signed a contract with the manager, you didn't read the last part, which states the following:
Your souls are mine.
Ouch. So, you go to hell and after completing the final level of songs, you face your manager in a Boss Battle that will keep you playing Guitar Hero 3 for a while. Now, about the boss battles. In Career mode, you have 3 boss battles. Your opponents are Tom Morello, Slash, and Lou (in that order respectively). The first one is pretty easy, once you get the hang of Battles. Slash seems like a huge challenge, but once again, he is somewhat easy if you are good at Battles. Then comes Lou. Lou is pretty hard. here are my three tips on beating him:
1. If you keep missing a lot of notes, try not focusing on one note and just try and hit the rest. That is, unless you need to hit that note for a Power Gem.
2. Time your Power Gems so that Lou won't get his Power Gems. Otherwise, he will time them perfectly and wreck you.
3. This one might have been pure luck, but use Slash. Every time I used Axel Steel, I failed against Lou. But, once I used Slash, I found myself beating Lou on the first try.
So overall, I think Guitar Hero is a great game to follow up Guitar hero 2, which was also good, but not on caliber with its sequel.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Guitar Hero 3 for Playstation 2: The Review Part 1.
I know there wasa big delay for this article, but it was worth it, trust me. I just finished the Career Mode of Guitar Hero 3 on Medium, and I have to say, it is awesome.
Just as I said for the Wii version, this Guitar Hero has upgraded graphics for a lot of things. First, the graphics for the Note Streak, Multiplier, Star Power Gauge, and Crowd Enjoyment Gauge have been changed around and upgraded. Then, the characters' appearances have changed. For instance, Axel Steel looks a little more scruffy now, while Xavier Stone looks less formal in his groovy purple getup. Plus, there are new guitars and finishes in this game. All of the new guitars look very cool, even the Guitar Hero guitar that you can buy in-game. Finally, the arenas. The arenas include a Japan-themed one, a space-themed one, a wooden outdoor haven, and Hell. The one annoying graphic that is in the game is the lead singer of the band. But, after you get over that, the graphics for this Guitar Hero are better than any other one so far.
Another addition to Guitar Hero in this version is the new Battle Mode. This mode is played by two people, in which they try not to outplay the opponent (like Face Off), but to make the opponent fail by making their song harder for them. Instead of Star Power in this mode, there are Power Gems. Each Power Gem has a power that makes the opponent's song harder. Some of those Gems include a Increase Difficulty Gem and a Double Note Gem. Then. there are gems that disable notes until you press that fret a few times or do other stuff. These Gems are the Cut Note Gem and the Whammy Gem, which makes you shake the whammy bar to enable the notes. Of course, the effects of the Gems last only for a few moments, so use them at the right time, or else your opponent can get them and strike you with the Gems' mighty power and cause you to lose all control of your notes. This mode is used to battle against the bosses, so you might want to practice beforehand with your friends.
Well, since Guitar Hero 3 is so amazing, it needs 2 days for review!!! So, see you tomorrow, with more details on the greatest Guitar Hero game yet!!!
Just as I said for the Wii version, this Guitar Hero has upgraded graphics for a lot of things. First, the graphics for the Note Streak, Multiplier, Star Power Gauge, and Crowd Enjoyment Gauge have been changed around and upgraded. Then, the characters' appearances have changed. For instance, Axel Steel looks a little more scruffy now, while Xavier Stone looks less formal in his groovy purple getup. Plus, there are new guitars and finishes in this game. All of the new guitars look very cool, even the Guitar Hero guitar that you can buy in-game. Finally, the arenas. The arenas include a Japan-themed one, a space-themed one, a wooden outdoor haven, and Hell. The one annoying graphic that is in the game is the lead singer of the band. But, after you get over that, the graphics for this Guitar Hero are better than any other one so far.
Another addition to Guitar Hero in this version is the new Battle Mode. This mode is played by two people, in which they try not to outplay the opponent (like Face Off), but to make the opponent fail by making their song harder for them. Instead of Star Power in this mode, there are Power Gems. Each Power Gem has a power that makes the opponent's song harder. Some of those Gems include a Increase Difficulty Gem and a Double Note Gem. Then. there are gems that disable notes until you press that fret a few times or do other stuff. These Gems are the Cut Note Gem and the Whammy Gem, which makes you shake the whammy bar to enable the notes. Of course, the effects of the Gems last only for a few moments, so use them at the right time, or else your opponent can get them and strike you with the Gems' mighty power and cause you to lose all control of your notes. This mode is used to battle against the bosses, so you might want to practice beforehand with your friends.
Well, since Guitar Hero 3 is so amazing, it needs 2 days for review!!! So, see you tomorrow, with more details on the greatest Guitar Hero game yet!!!
Friday, November 2, 2007
Jaykk's Guide to Making a Good Mii on Your Nintendo Wii
Today, after school, I was playing my Nintendo Wii and decided to make a Mii. Then, after doing a lot of complicated stuff with the Mii Channel, I had a new, but very creative Mii that sort of looked like a Koopa from the Mario games. There are different types of Miis, being Portrait, Crazy, and Creative.
Most of the time, when you make a Mii on the Nintendo Wii, it would be one that looks like someone you know. To make a good Portrait Mii, the person you are making it of should be right near you or you should have a picture of them. This helps for detail like the size of the head, size of the nose, shape of the eyebrows, and more. I would really suggest that the person is there with you when you make the Mii so you can get personal preferences from the person about them. For instance, when I made a Mii for my friend, he was there to tell me that he wanted to be skinnier than I made him and taller. Or, you can make a Mii of a celebrity. The one thing with that is that you have to put in the right smile to fit theor personality.
A lot of people also like to make really weird Miis with things such as makeup, funny eyes and nose, and gray hair. The key to making a Crazy Mii is to use as many of these funny and weird things as once. I personally like to use the shortest and fattest figure possible for my Crazy Miis. One Mii of mine, Zupahdisko, has a grey hair afro and big glasses, which are both weird in my opinion.
Finally, the very skilled people at making Miis would know that you can make very creative Miis using the Mii Channel. The key to doing so? Moving around and resizing the facial parts (eyes, eyebrows, mouth, nose, etc.). One example is when I made my Koopa Mii, I moved his eyes to the top left and right of his head, his eyebrows to where his nose would be, and his mouth in between the eyes and the eyebrows in their positions now, so it looks like as if the Koopa has a beak-ish thing on his face, like all Koopas. Another way of making creative Miis is by making images in the face. But, this needs more moving. For instance, I made a Goomba Mii with an image of a Goomba from the Mario games on the face of the Mii by moving and resizing the eyebrows, nose, mouth, and eyes of the Mii.
As you can see, there are many ways to make a Mii. Whether your Mii is very creative like my two, a portrait of a friend, or some crazy looking thing, you should know how to perfect it and even how to make it in the first place. Sadly, I will not have an article tomorrow, due to a certain event I am going to, so see you right back here on Sunday!!!
Most of the time, when you make a Mii on the Nintendo Wii, it would be one that looks like someone you know. To make a good Portrait Mii, the person you are making it of should be right near you or you should have a picture of them. This helps for detail like the size of the head, size of the nose, shape of the eyebrows, and more. I would really suggest that the person is there with you when you make the Mii so you can get personal preferences from the person about them. For instance, when I made a Mii for my friend, he was there to tell me that he wanted to be skinnier than I made him and taller. Or, you can make a Mii of a celebrity. The one thing with that is that you have to put in the right smile to fit theor personality.
A lot of people also like to make really weird Miis with things such as makeup, funny eyes and nose, and gray hair. The key to making a Crazy Mii is to use as many of these funny and weird things as once. I personally like to use the shortest and fattest figure possible for my Crazy Miis. One Mii of mine, Zupahdisko, has a grey hair afro and big glasses, which are both weird in my opinion.
Finally, the very skilled people at making Miis would know that you can make very creative Miis using the Mii Channel. The key to doing so? Moving around and resizing the facial parts (eyes, eyebrows, mouth, nose, etc.). One example is when I made my Koopa Mii, I moved his eyes to the top left and right of his head, his eyebrows to where his nose would be, and his mouth in between the eyes and the eyebrows in their positions now, so it looks like as if the Koopa has a beak-ish thing on his face, like all Koopas. Another way of making creative Miis is by making images in the face. But, this needs more moving. For instance, I made a Goomba Mii with an image of a Goomba from the Mario games on the face of the Mii by moving and resizing the eyebrows, nose, mouth, and eyes of the Mii.
As you can see, there are many ways to make a Mii. Whether your Mii is very creative like my two, a portrait of a friend, or some crazy looking thing, you should know how to perfect it and even how to make it in the first place. Sadly, I will not have an article tomorrow, due to a certain event I am going to, so see you right back here on Sunday!!!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
First Thoughts: Guitar Hero 3 for Nintendo Wii
After a fun-filled night of trick or treating last night, our group of trick or treaters went back to one of their houses. The best part? I got to play a couple songs on Guitar Hero 3, the Wii version.
The Most notable difference between 2 and 3 that I saw was the graphics. The graphics for the Wii version are very reminiscent of Guitar Hero 2 on Xbox 360. Another difference I saw, that I think is only for the Wii version, was that to hit the note, you had to play it like a quarter of a second before you are supposed to. But as I said, that is most likely only for the Wii version. A very cool thing I saw was that Guitar Hero 3 for Wii utilizes the Wii Remote's speakers. Whenever you miss a note, you hear the missing noise from the Wii Remote in your Guitar.
Now, about the songs I played. The two that I chose were When You Were Young and of course, Knights of Cydonia, both on medium and then KoC again on easy. When You Were Young wasn't that difficult. Of course I did get a pretty bad score on it, due to not playing Guitar Hero in a while. Then came Knights of Cydonia. It was pretty hard for a Medium song. The song throws a lot of notes at you, one by another. There are also a lot of frets. Sadly, I only got through 61% of the song, but there's always next time, when I play Guitar Hero 3 on my PS2. On the other hand, I got through the Easy version, which was much easier. Now I have at least one goal for GH3 on PS2: Beat Knights of Cydonia on Medium, and possibly try it on Hard.
Well, I hope this short review was helpful! I absolutely loved playing Guitar Hero 3, and I hope you do too!!!! Expect a full review of the PS2 version in the next week or so =).
The Most notable difference between 2 and 3 that I saw was the graphics. The graphics for the Wii version are very reminiscent of Guitar Hero 2 on Xbox 360. Another difference I saw, that I think is only for the Wii version, was that to hit the note, you had to play it like a quarter of a second before you are supposed to. But as I said, that is most likely only for the Wii version. A very cool thing I saw was that Guitar Hero 3 for Wii utilizes the Wii Remote's speakers. Whenever you miss a note, you hear the missing noise from the Wii Remote in your Guitar.
Now, about the songs I played. The two that I chose were When You Were Young and of course, Knights of Cydonia, both on medium and then KoC again on easy. When You Were Young wasn't that difficult. Of course I did get a pretty bad score on it, due to not playing Guitar Hero in a while. Then came Knights of Cydonia. It was pretty hard for a Medium song. The song throws a lot of notes at you, one by another. There are also a lot of frets. Sadly, I only got through 61% of the song, but there's always next time, when I play Guitar Hero 3 on my PS2. On the other hand, I got through the Easy version, which was much easier. Now I have at least one goal for GH3 on PS2: Beat Knights of Cydonia on Medium, and possibly try it on Hard.
Well, I hope this short review was helpful! I absolutely loved playing Guitar Hero 3, and I hope you do too!!!! Expect a full review of the PS2 version in the next week or so =).
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
My opinion on the title of Nas's next album
It is a known fact that in the rap game, the usage of the "N" word is a very controversial topic. Well, things become even more controversial when a rapper's album name is the "N" word. Nas has named his December release Nigger.
Many rappers and others have opinions on this title. Some of them support it, while others do not. For example, L.A. Reid, Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman, said on Nas's album, "We support everything our artists do, everything! We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with pleasure. Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him. Nas is prolific, he's prophetic, he's a genius, an amazing artist of respect. So, while I'm not sure exactly all that [the title] entails, I know it's smart, so I stand behind him. That's real." Some others to stand behind L.A Reid are Common and Akon.
Others, although, like 50 Cent and Reverend Al Sharpton, disagree with the title. About the title, Al Sharpton, who is trying to totally abolish the "N" word, said, "Again, I'm opposed to anybody using the term. We're in an age where they are hanging nooses, they're locking our kids up in Jena and Florida. We do not need to be degrading ourselves. We get degraded enough. I think we need artists to lift us up, not lock us down."
Nas says that the reasoning behind this title is to soften the meaning of the "N" word. But, after Al Sharton heard Nas's statement, he replied, "What they're doing is, as we're fighting to make [using the N-word word] a hate crime, they're making it not a hate crime, which is helping out the racists. You don't see [people from] any other race trying to take the power out of names being called to them. People [who use the term in their music] wouldn't put out a record against whites or cops or Jews because they ain't got the guts to do that. They only got the guts to beat up on their own."
In my opinion, I agree with Nas and I think that he likes to be controversial. Nas likes attention, and he is surely getting a lot of it from the title he has made.
Many rappers and others have opinions on this title. Some of them support it, while others do not. For example, L.A. Reid, Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman, said on Nas's album, "We support everything our artists do, everything! We stand firmly behind and beside our artists with pride and with pleasure. Anything Nas wants to do, I completely stand beside him. Nas is prolific, he's prophetic, he's a genius, an amazing artist of respect. So, while I'm not sure exactly all that [the title] entails, I know it's smart, so I stand behind him. That's real." Some others to stand behind L.A Reid are Common and Akon.
Others, although, like 50 Cent and Reverend Al Sharpton, disagree with the title. About the title, Al Sharpton, who is trying to totally abolish the "N" word, said, "Again, I'm opposed to anybody using the term. We're in an age where they are hanging nooses, they're locking our kids up in Jena and Florida. We do not need to be degrading ourselves. We get degraded enough. I think we need artists to lift us up, not lock us down."
Nas says that the reasoning behind this title is to soften the meaning of the "N" word. But, after Al Sharton heard Nas's statement, he replied, "What they're doing is, as we're fighting to make [using the N-word word] a hate crime, they're making it not a hate crime, which is helping out the racists. You don't see [people from] any other race trying to take the power out of names being called to them. People [who use the term in their music] wouldn't put out a record against whites or cops or Jews because they ain't got the guts to do that. They only got the guts to beat up on their own."
In my opinion, I agree with Nas and I think that he likes to be controversial. Nas likes attention, and he is surely getting a lot of it from the title he has made.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Actually, 2 Album Reviews = No
On second thought, I don't really think reviewing the planned for album is necessary, especially after today's great album. It was Britney's album, Blackout, by the way.
Album Review: Avenged Sevenfold - Avenged Sevenfold
This week, I am going to review not one, but two albums! The first out of the bunch is Avenged Sevenfold’s self-titled fourth album, Avenged Sevenfold. Avenged Sevenfold is from Southern California. Now, onto the album.
The album starts with some hardcore screaming and rocking out in such songs as “Afterlife” and their first single, “Almost Easy”. Also, Synyster Gates proves he is a guitar beast in these songs. Then, it gets a little softer with “Gunslinger”. After that track, the hardness of the tracks comes back with “Unbounded (The Wild Ride)” and “Brompton Cocktail”. Finally, the hardness comes and goes on the last three tracks. I could guess you can sort of call this album a roller coaster, going from hardcore rock down to not as hardcore then back up and finally back down with the ending track, “Dear God”. And then there’s the completely outrageous “A Little Piece of Heaven”, which lasts roughly 8 minutes and is very different from all the other tracks, but also similar. It uses trumpets and violin, unlike the rest of the tracks.
Overall, there were no bad tracks on this album (except maybe the last one) and a few good ones. The one that I like the most is “Critical Acclaim”, the starting track of the album. “Critical Acclaim” extremely bashes the government of today and how people complain about the government, yet never participate in it. I love the guitar riffs in the song, as they are very reminiscent of “Bat Country”, which has awesome guitar playing, thanks to Synyster Gates. The one track that seemed very good, yet unique at the same time to me was “Lost”. What I really like about it is the vocal edits that you can hear in the song. It goes very well with the melody.
I think that Avenged Sevenfold deserve a clean A for this for sure. It's awesome guitar, drums, bass, and vocal in one album. Basically, Avenged Sevenfold is a great band in my opinion.
Grade: A
Tracks to Get: “Critical Acclaim”, “Lost”
My next album review will probably be posted later today or tomorrow. Thanks for looking!!!
The album starts with some hardcore screaming and rocking out in such songs as “Afterlife” and their first single, “Almost Easy”. Also, Synyster Gates proves he is a guitar beast in these songs. Then, it gets a little softer with “Gunslinger”. After that track, the hardness of the tracks comes back with “Unbounded (The Wild Ride)” and “Brompton Cocktail”. Finally, the hardness comes and goes on the last three tracks. I could guess you can sort of call this album a roller coaster, going from hardcore rock down to not as hardcore then back up and finally back down with the ending track, “Dear God”. And then there’s the completely outrageous “A Little Piece of Heaven”, which lasts roughly 8 minutes and is very different from all the other tracks, but also similar. It uses trumpets and violin, unlike the rest of the tracks.
Overall, there were no bad tracks on this album (except maybe the last one) and a few good ones. The one that I like the most is “Critical Acclaim”, the starting track of the album. “Critical Acclaim” extremely bashes the government of today and how people complain about the government, yet never participate in it. I love the guitar riffs in the song, as they are very reminiscent of “Bat Country”, which has awesome guitar playing, thanks to Synyster Gates. The one track that seemed very good, yet unique at the same time to me was “Lost”. What I really like about it is the vocal edits that you can hear in the song. It goes very well with the melody.
I think that Avenged Sevenfold deserve a clean A for this for sure. It's awesome guitar, drums, bass, and vocal in one album. Basically, Avenged Sevenfold is a great band in my opinion.
Grade: A
Tracks to Get: “Critical Acclaim”, “Lost”
My next album review will probably be posted later today or tomorrow. Thanks for looking!!!
Monday, October 29, 2007
The Huge Difference Between Super Smash Bros Melee and Super Smash Bros Brawl, and how it Changes the Smash Bros Community as a Whole
As many of you should know, the long awaited sequel to Super Smash Bros Melee is coming out on Febuary 10th, 2008, called Super Smash Bros Brawl. There are many differences between the games, including character selection, a new adventure mode, and more. But the main diffwerence that makes Brawl that much better is the system it is for. That gaming system would be the Nintendo Wii.
If you are a Smash bros fanatic like myself and have been checking the updates in the Smash bros Dojo, you should see that Brawl really puts to use the fact that it is on the Wii. For example, like Melee, Brawl lets you take snapshots. Although, in Brawl, the pictures can be saved onto an SD Card, which makes them viewable on your camera and better yet, uploadable to your computer. So in stead of getting your friends to come over to see you Smash Bros pictures, you can share funny pictures of your fights with others around the world on your computer!!
Another way in which Brawl utilizes the Wii is with Wifi. Brawl has may Wifi features, including modes such as Wifi Home-Run Contest and of course, Wifi brawls. Plus, you can send videos of your best fights to your friends via Wifi. So, no more need for Youtube to view Smash Bros fights ^_^. What can be better than that, you ask? The Create-A-Stage mode, which applies both the SD card factor and the Wifi factor. First, you can save stages that you have made onto an SD card to show others. Second, you can get the top stages that people have made through Wifi and submit yours to possibly chosen as the best stage! Isn;t that fanatstic!!!
Overall, being on the Nintendo Wii makes this Smash Bros game much different than any other, in my opinion. Hope all of you are waiting for this awesome game!!!!
If you are a Smash bros fanatic like myself and have been checking the updates in the Smash bros Dojo, you should see that Brawl really puts to use the fact that it is on the Wii. For example, like Melee, Brawl lets you take snapshots. Although, in Brawl, the pictures can be saved onto an SD Card, which makes them viewable on your camera and better yet, uploadable to your computer. So in stead of getting your friends to come over to see you Smash Bros pictures, you can share funny pictures of your fights with others around the world on your computer!!
Another way in which Brawl utilizes the Wii is with Wifi. Brawl has may Wifi features, including modes such as Wifi Home-Run Contest and of course, Wifi brawls. Plus, you can send videos of your best fights to your friends via Wifi. So, no more need for Youtube to view Smash Bros fights ^_^. What can be better than that, you ask? The Create-A-Stage mode, which applies both the SD card factor and the Wifi factor. First, you can save stages that you have made onto an SD card to show others. Second, you can get the top stages that people have made through Wifi and submit yours to possibly chosen as the best stage! Isn;t that fanatstic!!!
Overall, being on the Nintendo Wii makes this Smash Bros game much different than any other, in my opinion. Hope all of you are waiting for this awesome game!!!!
Sorry for the delay of some sorts..
Today, I will be posting the article closer to nighttime EST. So sorry for the delay =(.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
My review of the Guitar Hero 3 setlist and more!!!
Hello people. With the release of Guitar Hero 3 today, I want to review the setlist (or at least the songs I know). Also, I want to share some songs that I think should be in Guitar Hero. So, let's start with the setlist:
1. Starting Out Small
* "Slow Ride" – Foghat
* "Talk Dirty to Me" – Poison † (Vocals re-recorded by Bret Michaels)
* "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benatar
* "Story of My Life" – Social Distortion
* "Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss (Encore)
2. Your First Real Gig
* "Mississippi Queen" – Mountain
* "School's Out" – Alice Cooper
* "Sunshine of Your Love" – Cream
* "Barracuda" – Heart
* "Guitar Battle vs. Tom Morello" (Original composition)
* "Bulls on Parade" – Rage Against the Machine (Encore)
3. Making the Video
* "When You Were Young" – The Killers
* "Miss Murder" – AFI
* "The Seeker" – The Who
* "Lay Down" – Priestess
* "Paint It, Black" – The Rolling Stones (Encore)
4. European Invasion
* "Paranoid" – Black Sabbath
* "Anarchy in the U.K." – Sex Pistols †
* "Kool Thing" – Sonic Youth
* "My Name Is Jonas" – Weezer
* "Even Flow" – Pearl Jam (Encore)
5. Bighouse Blues
* "Holiday In Cambodia" – Dead Kennedys
* "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions
* "Same Old Song and Dance" – Aerosmith
* "La Grange" – ZZ Top
* "Guitar Battle vs. Slash " (Original composition)
* "Welcome to the Jungle" – Guns N' Roses (Encore)
6. The Hottest Band on Earth
* "Black Magic Woman" – Santana
* "Cherub Rock" – The Smashing Pumpkins
* "Black Sunshine" – White Zombie
* "The Metal" – Tenacious D
* "Pride and Joy" – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (listed as Stevie Ray Vaughan in game) (Encore)
7. Live in Japan
* "Before I Forget" – Slipknot
* "Stricken" – Disturbed
* "3's & 7's" – Queens of the Stone Age
* "Knights of Cydonia" – Muse
* "Cult of Personality" – Living Colour † (Encore)
8. Battle For Your Soul
* "Raining Blood" – Slayer
* "Cliffs of Dover" – Eric Johnson
* "The Number of the Beast" – Iron Maiden
* "One" – Metallica
* "Guitar Battle vs. Lou" (The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Steve Ouimette)
Bonus tracks
* "Avalancha" – Héroes del Silencio
* "Can't Be Saved" – Senses Fail
* "Closer" – Lacuna Coil
* "Don't Hold Back" – The Sleeping
* "Down 'N Dirty" – LA Slum Lords
* "F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X." – The Fall of Troy
* "Generation Rock" – Revolverheld
* "Go That Far" – Bret Michaels Band
* "Hier Kommt Alex" – Die Toten Hosen
* "I'm in the Band" – The Hellacopters
* "Impulse" - An Endless Sporadic
* "In the Belly of a Shark" – Gallows
* "In Love" – Scouts of St. Sebastian
* "Mauvais Garçon" – Naast
* "Metal Heavy Lady" – Lions
* "Minus Celsius" – Backyard Babies
* "My Curse" – Killswitch Engage
* "Nothing for Me Here" – Dope
* "Prayer of the Refugee" – Rise Against
* "Radio Song" – Superbus
* "Ruby" – Kaiser Chiefs
* "She Bangs the Drums" – The Stone Roses
* "Slither" – Velvet Revolver
* "Take This Life" – In Flames
* "The Way It Ends" – Prototype
* "Through the Fire and Flames" – Dragonforce
Of course I don't know the majority of these songs. So, let's reduce it to the very few that I do know:
* "Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss (Encore)
* "When You Were Young" – The Killers
* "Miss Murder" – AFI
* "Knights of Cydonia" – Muse
* "Ruby" – Kaiser Chiefs
As I said, very few =(. So, let's review!
Rock and Roll all Nite: Widely known song from a great band. That is all I can say.
When You Were Young: I would never have expected this to get onto Guitar Hero, considering it's not that kind of song that goes along with terms like guitar shredding and the such.
Miss Murder: Great punk song. Uses the guitar really well in m opinion.
Ruby: Also uses the guitar well. And, I think Ruby is very catchy after hearing it a few times.
Knights of Cydonia: When I heard that this song was in Guitar Hero 3, I was like, "Folks, we have the new Crossroads/Freebird!!!" This song is amazing, and a perfect choice for Guitar Hero due to the song mostly being guitar solo. Sadly, though, KoC is only on level 7 out of 8. Now I wonder how hard it shall be...
Just a few quick reviews there. Now, I want to share some songs that I think should be in Guitar Hero:
Bat Country - Avenged Sevenfold: This song MUST be on Guitar hero 4, or I will probably destroy my guitar controller. This song has one of the best guitar solos I have ever heard in my life. It would make for a really hard song on Guitar Hero in my opinion. And a really awesome one. Also, look out for an album review of Avenged Sevenfold's newest album on Tuesday ;)
Icky Thump - The White Stripes: Icky Thump has some really crazy guitar playing. This makes me think that it would be a good song to be on Guitar Hero due to its uniqueness.
No More Sorrow - Linkin Park: I think No More Sorrow would be good on Guitar Hero due to its long chords. This could easily be a song in the 1st group. NMS seems like an easy song to play, making Guitar Hero a better time for newbies to the Guitar Hero franchise. Plus, Linkin Park has sold the most albums worldwide out of all albums released in 2007. Now is that an impressive feat or what?
Party Like a Rock Star - Shop Boyz: Now this may be pushing it, but I think Party Like a Rock Star does deserve some spot in Guitar Hero. This song would give the people behind Guitar Hero a chance to widen the genres of music in Guitar Hero. Plus, don't rock stars play guitars?
Well, that's all for now. See you tomorrow, my fans!!
1. Starting Out Small
* "Slow Ride" – Foghat
* "Talk Dirty to Me" – Poison † (Vocals re-recorded by Bret Michaels)
* "Hit Me with Your Best Shot" – Pat Benatar
* "Story of My Life" – Social Distortion
* "Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss (Encore)
2. Your First Real Gig
* "Mississippi Queen" – Mountain
* "School's Out" – Alice Cooper
* "Sunshine of Your Love" – Cream
* "Barracuda" – Heart
* "Guitar Battle vs. Tom Morello" (Original composition)
* "Bulls on Parade" – Rage Against the Machine (Encore)
3. Making the Video
* "When You Were Young" – The Killers
* "Miss Murder" – AFI
* "The Seeker" – The Who
* "Lay Down" – Priestess
* "Paint It, Black" – The Rolling Stones (Encore)
4. European Invasion
* "Paranoid" – Black Sabbath
* "Anarchy in the U.K." – Sex Pistols †
* "Kool Thing" – Sonic Youth
* "My Name Is Jonas" – Weezer
* "Even Flow" – Pearl Jam (Encore)
5. Bighouse Blues
* "Holiday In Cambodia" – Dead Kennedys
* "Rock You Like a Hurricane" – Scorpions
* "Same Old Song and Dance" – Aerosmith
* "La Grange" – ZZ Top
* "Guitar Battle vs. Slash " (Original composition)
* "Welcome to the Jungle" – Guns N' Roses (Encore)
6. The Hottest Band on Earth
* "Black Magic Woman" – Santana
* "Cherub Rock" – The Smashing Pumpkins
* "Black Sunshine" – White Zombie
* "The Metal" – Tenacious D
* "Pride and Joy" – Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble (listed as Stevie Ray Vaughan in game) (Encore)
7. Live in Japan
* "Before I Forget" – Slipknot
* "Stricken" – Disturbed
* "3's & 7's" – Queens of the Stone Age
* "Knights of Cydonia" – Muse
* "Cult of Personality" – Living Colour † (Encore)
8. Battle For Your Soul
* "Raining Blood" – Slayer
* "Cliffs of Dover" – Eric Johnson
* "The Number of the Beast" – Iron Maiden
* "One" – Metallica
* "Guitar Battle vs. Lou" (The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Steve Ouimette)
Bonus tracks
* "Avalancha" – Héroes del Silencio
* "Can't Be Saved" – Senses Fail
* "Closer" – Lacuna Coil
* "Don't Hold Back" – The Sleeping
* "Down 'N Dirty" – LA Slum Lords
* "F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X." – The Fall of Troy
* "Generation Rock" – Revolverheld
* "Go That Far" – Bret Michaels Band
* "Hier Kommt Alex" – Die Toten Hosen
* "I'm in the Band" – The Hellacopters
* "Impulse" - An Endless Sporadic
* "In the Belly of a Shark" – Gallows
* "In Love" – Scouts of St. Sebastian
* "Mauvais Garçon" – Naast
* "Metal Heavy Lady" – Lions
* "Minus Celsius" – Backyard Babies
* "My Curse" – Killswitch Engage
* "Nothing for Me Here" – Dope
* "Prayer of the Refugee" – Rise Against
* "Radio Song" – Superbus
* "Ruby" – Kaiser Chiefs
* "She Bangs the Drums" – The Stone Roses
* "Slither" – Velvet Revolver
* "Take This Life" – In Flames
* "The Way It Ends" – Prototype
* "Through the Fire and Flames" – Dragonforce
Of course I don't know the majority of these songs. So, let's reduce it to the very few that I do know:
* "Rock and Roll All Nite" – Kiss (Encore)
* "When You Were Young" – The Killers
* "Miss Murder" – AFI
* "Knights of Cydonia" – Muse
* "Ruby" – Kaiser Chiefs
As I said, very few =(. So, let's review!
Rock and Roll all Nite: Widely known song from a great band. That is all I can say.
When You Were Young: I would never have expected this to get onto Guitar Hero, considering it's not that kind of song that goes along with terms like guitar shredding and the such.
Miss Murder: Great punk song. Uses the guitar really well in m opinion.
Ruby: Also uses the guitar well. And, I think Ruby is very catchy after hearing it a few times.
Knights of Cydonia: When I heard that this song was in Guitar Hero 3, I was like, "Folks, we have the new Crossroads/Freebird!!!" This song is amazing, and a perfect choice for Guitar Hero due to the song mostly being guitar solo. Sadly, though, KoC is only on level 7 out of 8. Now I wonder how hard it shall be...
Just a few quick reviews there. Now, I want to share some songs that I think should be in Guitar Hero:
Bat Country - Avenged Sevenfold: This song MUST be on Guitar hero 4, or I will probably destroy my guitar controller. This song has one of the best guitar solos I have ever heard in my life. It would make for a really hard song on Guitar Hero in my opinion. And a really awesome one. Also, look out for an album review of Avenged Sevenfold's newest album on Tuesday ;)
Icky Thump - The White Stripes: Icky Thump has some really crazy guitar playing. This makes me think that it would be a good song to be on Guitar Hero due to its uniqueness.
No More Sorrow - Linkin Park: I think No More Sorrow would be good on Guitar Hero due to its long chords. This could easily be a song in the 1st group. NMS seems like an easy song to play, making Guitar Hero a better time for newbies to the Guitar Hero franchise. Plus, Linkin Park has sold the most albums worldwide out of all albums released in 2007. Now is that an impressive feat or what?
Party Like a Rock Star - Shop Boyz: Now this may be pushing it, but I think Party Like a Rock Star does deserve some spot in Guitar Hero. This song would give the people behind Guitar Hero a chance to widen the genres of music in Guitar Hero. Plus, don't rock stars play guitars?
Well, that's all for now. See you tomorrow, my fans!!
Saturday, October 27, 2007
The Aftermath of Jailbreak.
Recently, I have Jailbroken my iPod Touch. Jailbreak is a program that lets you hack your iPhone or iPod Touch so you can put third party applications onto it.
Overall, I like a lot of the new programs, including the ones that let you keep in touch with others. Mail, which was previously unavailable on the iPod Touch, is convenient for keeping in touch with my email on the go. Same goes for Apollo. Apollo is an instant messaging program for the iPhone/iPod Touch that lets you use MSN, Yahoo, or AIM on your iPhone/iPod Touch. Now, I can easily keep in touch with my friends while I am away.
Customizing the Home page on your iPod Touch is very fun indeed. A program by the name of Summerboard lets you do this. Summerboard lets you customize the icons and background for the Home page (also known as the Springboard). My Summerboard theme is set as Retro neon. It looks really cool =).
Finally, what entertain me the most are the games on my iPod Touch. First of all, there is iBlackjack. That is a automated Blackjack program for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Next, I can entertain myself with puzzle games like 15 and Lights Out. Finally, there is the NES Emulator. I have a lot of fun with this most of the time, playing games such as Donkey Kong and Pacman. The only problem I have with it is the fact that it is hard to press the buttons correctly, due to them being on the touch screen. Otherwise, the games are really fun.
As you can see, I have a lot of fun with my hacked iPod Touch. Plus, the process is extremely easy. All you have to do is get the program Jailbreak (or iJailbreak for Mac)! And it's all legal!!So go hack away!!!
Overall, I like a lot of the new programs, including the ones that let you keep in touch with others. Mail, which was previously unavailable on the iPod Touch, is convenient for keeping in touch with my email on the go. Same goes for Apollo. Apollo is an instant messaging program for the iPhone/iPod Touch that lets you use MSN, Yahoo, or AIM on your iPhone/iPod Touch. Now, I can easily keep in touch with my friends while I am away.
Customizing the Home page on your iPod Touch is very fun indeed. A program by the name of Summerboard lets you do this. Summerboard lets you customize the icons and background for the Home page (also known as the Springboard). My Summerboard theme is set as Retro neon. It looks really cool =).
Finally, what entertain me the most are the games on my iPod Touch. First of all, there is iBlackjack. That is a automated Blackjack program for the iPhone/iPod Touch. Next, I can entertain myself with puzzle games like 15 and Lights Out. Finally, there is the NES Emulator. I have a lot of fun with this most of the time, playing games such as Donkey Kong and Pacman. The only problem I have with it is the fact that it is hard to press the buttons correctly, due to them being on the touch screen. Otherwise, the games are really fun.
As you can see, I have a lot of fun with my hacked iPod Touch. Plus, the process is extremely easy. All you have to do is get the program Jailbreak (or iJailbreak for Mac)! And it's all legal!!So go hack away!!!
Friday, October 26, 2007
How does the Internet affect Trading Card Games?
Would any of you think that that children’s card game that was created in 2002 known as Yu-Gi-Oh is still alive and well today? Well, as an avid player of the game, I can say with much happiness, that it is in fact even better than the beginning nowadays. If it wasn’t for the internet, cards games such as Yu-Gi-Oh would be dead nowadays.
The internet allows for easy communication between the various amounts of players of any card game. This leads to discussions of new ideas, easier spread of news on new cards being released, and more! The internet also gives people a chance to see coverage of Yu-Gi-Oh events, like national tournaments and such. Another good thing about the internet is that it gives an infinite amount of sources to buy cards if nowhere near you sells them. For example, back in 2004, I was a n00b (not newbie, but a person pretty bad at the game). Then, I discovered my first Yu-Gi-Oh message board. Getting opinions on my deck and hearing other strategies helped me become more interested and more involved in the game.
Another thing the internet can do for you in the Yu-Gi-Oh environment is let you meet people that may live near you. So, you can find out information on the local tournaments and make new friends. I have certainly made quite a few friends in Yu-Gi-Oh from them living close to me. I can meet up with them at various tournaments and such.
As you can see, the internet plays a big role in the liveliness of Trading Card Games like Yu-Gi-Oh. In my opinion, as long as the internet lives, Trading Card Games will live on longer than expected by the public.
The internet allows for easy communication between the various amounts of players of any card game. This leads to discussions of new ideas, easier spread of news on new cards being released, and more! The internet also gives people a chance to see coverage of Yu-Gi-Oh events, like national tournaments and such. Another good thing about the internet is that it gives an infinite amount of sources to buy cards if nowhere near you sells them. For example, back in 2004, I was a n00b (not newbie, but a person pretty bad at the game). Then, I discovered my first Yu-Gi-Oh message board. Getting opinions on my deck and hearing other strategies helped me become more interested and more involved in the game.
Another thing the internet can do for you in the Yu-Gi-Oh environment is let you meet people that may live near you. So, you can find out information on the local tournaments and make new friends. I have certainly made quite a few friends in Yu-Gi-Oh from them living close to me. I can meet up with them at various tournaments and such.
As you can see, the internet plays a big role in the liveliness of Trading Card Games like Yu-Gi-Oh. In my opinion, as long as the internet lives, Trading Card Games will live on longer than expected by the public.
Thursday, October 25, 2007
The "Download Up" Theory
Hello again. Today, I want to share a theory in music that my brother and I have thought about. I call it the “Download Up” Theory.
For the Billboard Hot 100 positions, a song has to have good radio airplay, single sales, digital streams, and digital downloads. Our theory is about the reason artists wait to release a song digitally. We say that the artist waits until the single they released is at its peak of success, and then release it digitally. This allows for huge digital sales, meaning an pretty easy top spot on Billboard. Well, in the cases in which you release it at the exact peak of success. For instance, when Sean Kingston and Rihanna released their singles “Beautiful Girls” and “Umbrella” respectively at their peak of radio success, they shot up to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sometimes, this is not the case, as a single may flop, or just not get enough attention. For instance, the Akon single “Sorry, Blame it on Me” did not get enough attention prior to digital release, causing it to debut at a depressing #7 (as in depressing for Akon, who has had 2 #1 singles) and falling ever since. Another example of this is Jay-Z’s latest, “Blue Magic”. Just after about 3 weeks of release, “Blue Magic” was released digitally. Because of the lack of attention, it debut below number 50.
To conclude this article, I shall put in my hopes of “Kiss Kiss (featuring T-Pain)” by Chris Brown debuts this week at number 1, as it was just released digitally last week. Thanks for reading! Also, think of this theory next time you look at past Billboard number ones.
For the Billboard Hot 100 positions, a song has to have good radio airplay, single sales, digital streams, and digital downloads. Our theory is about the reason artists wait to release a song digitally. We say that the artist waits until the single they released is at its peak of success, and then release it digitally. This allows for huge digital sales, meaning an pretty easy top spot on Billboard. Well, in the cases in which you release it at the exact peak of success. For instance, when Sean Kingston and Rihanna released their singles “Beautiful Girls” and “Umbrella” respectively at their peak of radio success, they shot up to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
Sometimes, this is not the case, as a single may flop, or just not get enough attention. For instance, the Akon single “Sorry, Blame it on Me” did not get enough attention prior to digital release, causing it to debut at a depressing #7 (as in depressing for Akon, who has had 2 #1 singles) and falling ever since. Another example of this is Jay-Z’s latest, “Blue Magic”. Just after about 3 weeks of release, “Blue Magic” was released digitally. Because of the lack of attention, it debut below number 50.
To conclude this article, I shall put in my hopes of “Kiss Kiss (featuring T-Pain)” by Chris Brown debuts this week at number 1, as it was just released digitally last week. Thanks for reading! Also, think of this theory next time you look at past Billboard number ones.
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
My take on Wii Fit
The Nintendo Wii has revolutionized exercise, with Wii Sports. Now, the exercise isn’t only in your arms. Introducing Wii Fit:
http://e3nin.nintendo.com/wii_fit.htm/
Wii Fit uses the Wii Balance Board (included with Wii Fit) to make you use all of you body, instead of just your arms, like with the Wii Remote. The Wii Balance Board can measure you body mass index aswell as your center of gravity. Wii Fit will have over 40 different activities. These activities are such things as yoga, head butting a soccer ball, and hula hooping. Also, just like Wii Sports, this game integrates Miis into it as the characters.
Personally, I dislike the fact that Nintendo is putting fitness into a game. Then, people will just think they can lose weight and stay fit by playing Wii Sports and Wii Fit. I think that to be fully fit (exercise-wise), you have to go outside and play some sports or go on a treadmill for like 30 minutes. I mean, games such as these can definitely help, but they aren’t a full exercise.
Overall, I think this is a great investment on Nintendo’s part. Many people wanted the Wii for Wii Sports. So, this gives another game to those people. Going for $75.00, Wii Fit comes out on the 1st of January here in the US. Hope you guys get it and enjoy it!! Mabye not as exercise, but as a fun, creative video game!!
http://e3nin.nintendo.com/wii_fit.htm/
Wii Fit uses the Wii Balance Board (included with Wii Fit) to make you use all of you body, instead of just your arms, like with the Wii Remote. The Wii Balance Board can measure you body mass index aswell as your center of gravity. Wii Fit will have over 40 different activities. These activities are such things as yoga, head butting a soccer ball, and hula hooping. Also, just like Wii Sports, this game integrates Miis into it as the characters.
Personally, I dislike the fact that Nintendo is putting fitness into a game. Then, people will just think they can lose weight and stay fit by playing Wii Sports and Wii Fit. I think that to be fully fit (exercise-wise), you have to go outside and play some sports or go on a treadmill for like 30 minutes. I mean, games such as these can definitely help, but they aren’t a full exercise.
Overall, I think this is a great investment on Nintendo’s part. Many people wanted the Wii for Wii Sports. So, this gives another game to those people. Going for $75.00, Wii Fit comes out on the 1st of January here in the US. Hope you guys get it and enjoy it!! Mabye not as exercise, but as a fun, creative video game!!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Album Review: Serj Takian - Elect the Dead
As most of you know, the music week starts on Tuesday, with the release of many albums. Every week, I will review at least one album that has my interest. So, for this week, I chose to review the solo debut from System of a Down lead singer Serj Tankian, called Elect the Dead:
After hearing the both slow and fast-paced 1st single from Elect the Dead, Empty Walls, I thought this whole album would be crazy. But I was somewhat wrong. Sadly, most of the songs are the same style, going from slow paced lyrics, to loud, quick melodies. Although, this album is still pretty good. Serj’s very unique voice fits the instrumentals well. For instance, on Empty Walls, the instrumental goes at the same pace as him, going from soft piano, to hard guitar playing. Two tracks on this album that I recommend are Feed Us and Baby. Infectious guitar on the former has gotten me to like it, along with how synced the guitar is with Serj’s voice. As for Baby, it starts out as a soft ballad, and rapidly changes into a hard guitar song, which I like very much. Overall, I think this album is good. Don’t worry; it’s the same old Serj from System of a Down ;).
Rating: B - Pretty good, but not well enough to hit an A mark.
Download This: “Feed Us”, “Baby”
After hearing the both slow and fast-paced 1st single from Elect the Dead, Empty Walls, I thought this whole album would be crazy. But I was somewhat wrong. Sadly, most of the songs are the same style, going from slow paced lyrics, to loud, quick melodies. Although, this album is still pretty good. Serj’s very unique voice fits the instrumentals well. For instance, on Empty Walls, the instrumental goes at the same pace as him, going from soft piano, to hard guitar playing. Two tracks on this album that I recommend are Feed Us and Baby. Infectious guitar on the former has gotten me to like it, along with how synced the guitar is with Serj’s voice. As for Baby, it starts out as a soft ballad, and rapidly changes into a hard guitar song, which I like very much. Overall, I think this album is good. Don’t worry; it’s the same old Serj from System of a Down ;).
Rating: B - Pretty good, but not well enough to hit an A mark.
Download This: “Feed Us”, “Baby”
Monday, October 22, 2007
My review on the iPod Touch
It may be a little after the release of the iPod Touch, but here is my review for it:
When I heard that the iPod Touch was coming out, I thought it was a bad move on Apple's part. That was before I tried it out. Now, I have found that the iPod Touch can be described as modified version of the iPhone, without the Phone part.
There are quite a few advantages that this new iPod has over the iPhone. First of all, being more of a music device than a communication device, the iPod Touch has a Wi-Fi iTunes Store. Besides for the lack of video products (Music Videos, TV Shows, etc.) and Pre-Order albums, I would say that this Wi-Fi iTunes Store is very cool and very handy if you either aren't near a computer or don't have one. Also, for this reason, the iPod Touch comes in both 8GB and 16GB, while the iPhone only came in 8GB. Next, the iPod Touch is much thinner than the iPhone, probably due to it not being a phone. Finally, with the lack of phone service, comes a lack of AT&T. This means that unlike the iPhone, you don't have to pay $50 a month for service on the iPod Touch.
Sadly, with advantages, come disadvantages, even without counting the obvious not being a phone thing. Firstly, the iPod Touch, unlike the iPhone, does not have a camera feature, which I was very dismayed about. Secondly, it doesn't have speakers, like the iPhone did. Maybe Apple couldn't make good speakers for the iPod Touch, as the ones for the iPhone were not so good. Finally, some of the applications on the iPhone do not exist on the iPod Touch (such as maps). Besides for these differences, the iPod Touch and the iPhone are pretty much the same.
Overall, I think the iPod Touch is a very cool device. I love using it to go on my favorite websites through Safari and to check what's new on iTunes. So, if you would like to have a very cool, sleek iPod, the iPod Touch is what you need.
When I heard that the iPod Touch was coming out, I thought it was a bad move on Apple's part. That was before I tried it out. Now, I have found that the iPod Touch can be described as modified version of the iPhone, without the Phone part.
There are quite a few advantages that this new iPod has over the iPhone. First of all, being more of a music device than a communication device, the iPod Touch has a Wi-Fi iTunes Store. Besides for the lack of video products (Music Videos, TV Shows, etc.) and Pre-Order albums, I would say that this Wi-Fi iTunes Store is very cool and very handy if you either aren't near a computer or don't have one. Also, for this reason, the iPod Touch comes in both 8GB and 16GB, while the iPhone only came in 8GB. Next, the iPod Touch is much thinner than the iPhone, probably due to it not being a phone. Finally, with the lack of phone service, comes a lack of AT&T. This means that unlike the iPhone, you don't have to pay $50 a month for service on the iPod Touch.
Sadly, with advantages, come disadvantages, even without counting the obvious not being a phone thing. Firstly, the iPod Touch, unlike the iPhone, does not have a camera feature, which I was very dismayed about. Secondly, it doesn't have speakers, like the iPhone did. Maybe Apple couldn't make good speakers for the iPod Touch, as the ones for the iPhone were not so good. Finally, some of the applications on the iPhone do not exist on the iPod Touch (such as maps). Besides for these differences, the iPod Touch and the iPhone are pretty much the same.
Overall, I think the iPod Touch is a very cool device. I love using it to go on my favorite websites through Safari and to check what's new on iTunes. So, if you would like to have a very cool, sleek iPod, the iPod Touch is what you need.
Intro
Come one and all, to the MusikTek blog. My name is Jaykk, and i will be writing on this blog about gadgets, video games, and most importaintly, music. Hope you <3 the blog, becuase it is gonna get really good :).
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