A tad over-excited?

The final episode of Battlestar Galactica's third season was a complete triumph. Some fantastic writing, and huge secrets revealed. It certainly makes the wait for the new season in January next year a long and hard one Fnarr.

However, as exciting as it was, it certainly didn't leave me as breathless and exciteable as this chap...



Bless him.

I think he might be a bit gay too.

Playstation 3: First Impressions

It's flippin' heavy!

Once you get past the loveliness of its sleek, shiny black curves, the first thing you notice about Playstation 3 is its weight. Imagine holding a really fat baby.

Initial set up was a doddle, and it was hooked up to my HD telly within five minutes of leaving its box. If you've got a PSP, you'll be familiar with the interface on PS3 - they're calling it the Cross Media Bar, or XMB. It's easy to navigate, but I have to say it doesn't feel as solid as the 360's Blade system.

Getting it online was easy too. Scan for a wireless connection, enter your WEP key and you're done. The first thing to do is download the system update, then on to registration. This took FOREVER! Entering text using a controller is a nightmare, and it must have taken a good 20 minutes to get everything set up.

Once that was all done, the fun really began. Exploring a new console is always exciting... "ooh, I wonder what that does", and PS3 is no exception. One of the best features is Remote Play, which works in conjunction with your PSP. This function allows you to watch video content and listen to music that's stored on your PS3 on your PSP. Using bluetooth, it works surprisingly well. You can even access the PS3's web browser, and buy stuff from the Playstation Store. This is a smart feature, and makes me wonder why Nintendo aren't exploiting the link between the Wii and DS yet.

Getting content on to the PS3, especially video, is tricky if you're a beginner. Best thing to do is download a free application called PS3 Video 9 on to your computer and use that to convert video files. Then just copy into a folder called VIDEO on to a USB memory stick, stick it into the USB slot on your PS3, and Bob's your uncle. I've already chucked 3 episodes of Lost and Battlestar Galactica on to the PS3, and with Remote Play, it means I can watch them in bed at night on my PSP! Marvellous.

Accessing Playstation Store will give you access to loads of free, and paid for, content. You'll find games, demos and videos, as well as in-game content to download. My recommendations? Blast Factor is worth a shot, and is very similar to Geometry Wars on the 360. You can also download a full version of the classic Lemmings for only £3.49, which is a bit of a bargain really.

So, what about the games? I'll do a couple of small reviews of Motorstorm and Resistance:Fall Of Man soon, so keep checking back. In a nutshell though, they're both great titles. Motorstorm looks amazing (better than anything on 360 at the moment), and Resistance? To be honest, nothing special and I've seen better on the 360...

All in all, it's a great machine with a lot going for it. The problem is though, that it's going to take a while (at least a year) before it can really take off. If it even does. The price point is way too high, and although there are a high number of launch games, there are just no must-have titles... yet. The sooner they get Home and LittleBigPlanet launched, the better.

THE GOOD
- Remote Play
- Media Handling
- XMB interface
- Playstation Store
- Online play
- Massive storage space
- Motorstorm!

THE BAD
- The price!
- The lack of killer games
- No rumble in the controller

Overall? If you can, you should ;-)

My iMix

Through the wonder of the internet and iTunes, I've created my very first iMix!

It's a selection of my favourite electronic tunes of the last few weeks, so why not click on the link below and have a listen? And if you like it, you can even buy it! It's only £8.69. Not a penny of which I receive, by the way.

Humph.

The Arrogance of the Geek

I'm old enough to remember schoolboy arguments around Spectrum versus C64 versus BBC Micro, etc. You know the score... "My machine is better than yours... blah blah blah." Twenty-five years later, very little has changed.

Fans of gaming and technology (let's just cut the crap and call them geeks - that's what we are, and I'm proud to be called one) can be an arrogant bunch. They take brand loyalty to the Nth degree, and can be almost fanatical in their hatred of 'rival' products. It's utterly pointless of course, completely small-minded, and serves no useful purpose at all, but I guess it has something to do with the sizeable financial outlay we have to make to fuel our obsessions. Nobody wants to be made to feel ashamed about the £425 they've just spent on the latest gaming console, do they?

For me, it's a constant soure of annoyance. As a Mac owner, I often hear from PC owners about how much more powerful/reliable/upgradeable/nicer a PC is. I really don't care. Really. I don't. I own a PC too. I can see the benefits of Macs AND PC's (by the way, those Mitchell and Webb ads are the epitomy of geek arrogance). My Mac is fantastic for the design work I do, and it pays my bills. And my PC is a workhorse when it comes to the copious amounts of downloading I do. I love them both. Equally.

Similarly, we've now got the arrogant billionaire brawl between Murdoch and Branson. The whole Sky versus Virgin Media thing is an embaressment to their industry and, most importantly, is taking the piss out of both companies customers. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, and both companies are behaving like school children. Actually, taking one look at the childish goading on Digital Spy forums, the customers aren't exactly conducting themselves with much dignity either.

And most recently, with the arrival of Playstation 3, we now have the bitter rivalry between Xbox360 owners, and PS3 owners rearing its ugly head. There's no denying that Sony have ballsed up the launch of PS3 in Europe, but let's not forget the trauma of Xbox360's launch over a year ago. Neither company has cause to boast. Both of these consoles though, will usher in a new era of gaming. They're powerful and capable of serving up hours of quality entertainment Equally, they'll both have their fair share of disasters and mis-steps. I almost fell into the geek-trap of slating Sony before I'd had a chance to weight up what they were offering. And when I learnt what was coming up in the future for PS3, I decided I'd like to have a go. Simple as that really.

And - you might want to take a seat for this - but, for the last few hours, an Xbox360 and a Playstation 3 have been sharing space in my living room, and the planet hasn't imploded.

So if you're a geek like me, why not stop being a sheep and embrace difference? Support choice, and stop throwing tantrums at each other. Let's face it, if you had £425 going spare (who has right? But bear with me), tell me with a straight face you wouldn't be running to Game tomorrow to pick up your new games console.

And if that comes across as arrogant... well, I guess I rest my case.

Would you?

As has now become traditional, here is a sneak preview of the cover of the new issue of outnorthwest. As regular readers may know, I am the editor and designer of this north west based LGB magazine. I finished the cover, quite literally, two minutes ago.

Cover stars this month are Infernal. They did that annoying From Paris To Berlin nonsense last year. They have an album coming out. Hurrah. Also in this issue is one of the best features we've ever run - Would You Take A Straight Pill? Well, would you?

Anyway, thought you'd like to see it. It comes out on Wednesday 28th March.

That is all.

I admit it, I'm a turncoat.

I guess a lot of people (and by people, I mean the geeks like me) who decided they weren't going to buy a Playstation 3 can identify with the latest Penny Arcade strip (click on the strip above to see).

I was dead set against getting one. Far too expensive, backtracking on promises such as PS2 back compatibility; and the pure arrogance of Sony on the whole launch issue. But now, they go and preview two 'killer apps' for the PS3 which - fickle as I am - have turned me completely around.

Today I pre-ordered a Playstation 3. I feel dirty. And because demand is so low, most retailers are guaranteeing availability on launch day - 23rd March.

It's all because of Home and Little Big Planet. If you've caught the trailers online, you might have an idea just why these two applications could save the Playstation 3. Proper interactive entertainment. 'Creative gaming' is what Edge magazine is calling it. It could be a whole new genre of gaming.

Home is the PS3 equivalent of the Nintendo Mii. Only on a larger (much larger) scale, and incorporates a dizzying array of customisation options, and a virtual environment that encourages interaction and sharing. I can't wait to be a part of it.

Little Big Planet kind of defies description. Instead, I'll let this You Tube video go some way towards explaning it. Whatever it is... it looks mighty.



So, call me a traitor. Call me two-faced, but at the end of the day, if any company is going to produce electronic entertainment that looks this... entertaining.... then count me in.

Roll on 23rd March.