News
Xbox Product Review
14 June 2006
While Xbox 360 may be getting most of the publicity at the moment, her older brother the original Xbox is still making Microsoft very happy. Sales are strong and gamers rub their hands with glee at the NVIDIA graphics and multimedia music capabilities. But the real selling pint is Xbox Live, letting you hook up with likeminded games fans across the globe. It's an online gaming experience like never before and you can even talk to other players with a stylish lightweight headset.
There's always a great range of games coming out for the Xbox too and we'll guide you through some of the latest to emerge, starting with Rainbow Studios' Cars, which is inspired by the latest animation from Pixar. Better than your average movie adaptation, this is genuine fun with lots of extra features that sets it apart from other driving games out there. The thrill of racing is ramped up with moves like making the car jump in the air, and there are loads of other mini games and missions spread across a large game world. There's a simpler version of the game for children too, but even the standard format is fairly easy so you may find you finish it or become bored sooner than you'd like. Other than that, a few graphic glitches aside, this is a humorous hit. Priced at £24.99 Gamespot UK gave it 7.6/10.
Next up it's Hitman: Blood Money from IO Interactive, the fourth in the Hitman series and possibly the best yet. New features make the stealth format more accessible, while the graphics are also greatly improved. More controls and contact-sensitive objects are just two of the gameplay enhancements, speeding up the action by making simple procedures easier. There's also a training level and the dialogue is done particularly well, with cutscenes that explore issues surrounding real-life clones on which your very own assassin, Agent 47, is modelled. The music and graphics are both really good quality too, winning 8/10 from IGN.com
And finally it’s the first person shooter Urban Chaos: Riot Response from Rocksteady. With a riot shield and a bunch of bad-ass weapons, your mission is to tackle large-scale organised crime in the form of a bunch of arsonists. There are well-rendered news bulletins to show you how the public rates your riot response team and you can use these to gauge your success. But it's the riot shield that is the game's real selling point, giving you cover to really take on your enemies and turning up the heat in terms of action. Possible negatives are a barrage of bad language and some really gruesome scenes that won't do anything to silence those who say video games breed real-life violence. Some of the missions may be a bit on the boring side too, but the possibility of online play for up to eight prompted a score of 6/10 from Pro-G.
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DVD recorder Product Review
14 June 2006
If you're one of the few people left who still haven't made the move to DVDs, it might be worth thinking about getting a DVD recorder as well as a DVD player when you eventually splash out. You'll then be able to transfer a vast video collection onto DVDs, as well as record digital TV, for a superior visual and audio experience you can enjoy anytime, anywhere.
Of course many home entertainment systems offer the multimedia experience these days, some with music players and even internet access thrown into the mix. Some models still prefer to do one thing well though, the Panasonic DMR-ES25S being one. Price being one of its most promising features, this model is ideal for first-time buyers being the most basic design in Pansonic's 2006 new releases. It basically just records videos to DVD, with a really good LP-recording mode that makes all the difference. Pretty standard in design, it could have done with some chapter-skip controls on the front, but is pretty easy to use otherwise. A flexible recording length is also fantastic, letting you maximise quality depending on a film's duration. There's even a video editing option, leading CNET to award it 7/10.
Staying with Panasonic, it's most recent model is able to record to DVD+R/RW discs as well as DVD-R/RW and DVD-RAM. Picture quality on the DMR-ES15 DVD recorder is strong in both two-hour and eight-hour mode, while a "chasing playback" feature lets you start to watch with the recording ongoing. A small quibble is the slightly confusing navigation options, but at £200 that's unlikely to put you off for long. Ultimately T3 found it faultless, awarding the full five stars.
And finally we have the Topfield TF5000PVRT Masterpiece. The company could be accused of blowing its own trumpet a bit, but the stylish machine certainly delivers the goods complete with a really well-designed remote control. The 160GB hard disk lets you record up to 80 hours of TV, with twin tuners for recording two channels together and simple time recording instructions. The only problem is that fast-forward just isn't fast enough, but this sleek little number only just misses out on being a true masterpiece. CNET's verdict: 7.6/10.
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| Home cinema system Product Review
13 June 2006
If there's one thing guaranteed to make your mates go green with envy it's a top-of-the-range home cinema system. These really are the ultimate in multimedia entertainment, letting you watch films with sound quality just like in the cinema. Add to this a place to store your entire music collection and you may never have to cross the room again.
But you'll want to feel sure you're getting the best deal before forking out, so here are some of the latest models to hit the market with their particular pros and cons.
First in today's home cinema line up is the Jamo A102 HCS10, a £500 machine with a handy USB connection point and four-in-one memory card reader. A sexy, stylish design, this means you can view JPEG photos and listen to MP3s as well as play DVDs. The tiny five speakers pack a powerful punch too, with genuinely cinematic surround sound. Dolby Pro Logic II processing will also convert bog standard stereo into surround sound, great for feeling caught up in the atmosphere of the football in your very own living room. A razor sharp picture from the component video outputs is the cherry on top. T3 awarded four stars for a fantastic effort.
Next we're looking at the much pricier but still promising Bose Lifestyle 48. You'll certainly miss the compact slickness of Jamo's little gem, as the Tower PC provides some serious weight. The DVD player is smaller though, as are the five speakers. Again, these are supremely powerful considering their size, while the whole thing turns in a great performance, all centrally controlled. The uMusic media centre hard drive can store up to 340 hours of music and even pick up your personal tastes to compile playlists, according to Pocket-lint. But then for a rather eye-watering £4,000, would you expect anything less?
Finally, for those who may not be so hung up on surround sound there's the more wallet-friendly Philips HTS8000S. This compact home cinema system would be best off in the bedroom, offering a DVD with 2.1 speakers and DivX support as well as playing MP3s and video games. It's sleek, stylish appearance would be a good match for a flat screen TV, while the subwoofer is the only problem – sticking out like a bit of a sore thumb. At £360 and with strong sound quality it's hard to complain though. CNET certainly though so, awarding a very good 7/10.
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| PS2 Product Review
13 June 2006
Sony has cause to celebrate this week, as we learn that the PS2 has outsold the newer Xbox 360 in the US for six of the last seven months. Back on form, the PS2 shipped 232,000 units in May, compared to 221,000 for the Xbox 360, snatching the top position back from Microsoft which triumphed in April for the first time since Xbox 360's launch.
The NPD Group has calculated an average monthly total of 473,000 consoles sold for the PS2, compared to 246,000 for the Xbox 360. This surely suggests Sony can take its time a bit with the PS3. With 1.5 million consoles snapped up in December alone, Ars Technica's figures find there's still plenty of PS2 demand out there, price differences aside.
So what new games can the proud PS2 owner buy this month? Well just when you thought it was safe to get back in the water, along comes Jaws Unleashed by Majesco. The concept simply can't be faulted. Playing the glorious Great White himself, you have to swim around devouring people foolish enough to cross your path. However, just in case the morality of this seems a touch dubious, your prey is the evil polluters from great big corporations, destroying the local fish with their foul fumes.
In terms of gameplay, there are certainly some nice touches too. Top of the list is a "dismemberment system" that awards different numbers of points depending on the limb you mange to latch your teeth onto. You get the original Jaws theme tune thrown in too, but confusing controls and an annoying camera are just two of the bugs that forced GameZone to award just 4.5/10 for this one.
Next up it’s the sensation that is Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code PS2. Let's just hope the game doesn't get the same drubbing the critics gave to the film. An average adventure game in approach, this is a successful adaptation that delivers results. Staying faithful to the original, the game adds enough new content to keep you gripped for a prolonged period of time. The puzzles are sufficiently perplexing and there's a good pinch of punch-ups thrown in for good measure. The characters and dialogue are a bit dull and drawn out, but for Brown buffs this will be a hit. GameSpot UK gave it the thumbs-up with 6.5
And finally today it’s a new effort from Atlus called Steambot Chronicles. Another adventure game, what really marks this one out is the customisation. The crazy vehicle for your quest is called the "trotmobile", which can be decked out with a wide variety of weapons and parts from cannons to cuckoo clocks. You can dress your characters in different clothes too, keep him well fed to speed the game up and learn how to play musical instruments. The biggest problem is the slow pace, with crazy traffic congestion in the city centre settings and dialogue that threatens to grind to a halt entirely. The graphics aren't great either, but it still succeeded in getting 7/10 from website Worth Playing.
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| Toy and gadget Product Review
12 June 2006
Shopping isn't everyone's bag. And if trawling around the shops looking for that special unusual present fills you with dread, then don't panic. Today we're looking at some of the latest weird and wacky gadgets and toys to hit the shelves, sure to be a hit with friends and family alike.
Firstly today, remember Mr Potato Head? He's the classic children's toy who looks like a big potato - with arms and legs and attachable facial features - and he had a cameo appearance in the movie Toy Story. Well now, he's been re-released with a set of surreal Star Wars costumes in the toy Star Wars Mr. Potato Head. For just £9.95, you get various helmets, weapons, shoes and face-plates, to transform your lump into the likes of Darth Tater, SpudTrooper and Artoo-Potatoo! Darth Tater comes equipped with a lethal light saber, but SpudTrooper is forced to make do with a potato masher, according to Firebox. All in all, this toy looks like marvellous madcap fun.
From the utterly useless to the almost indispensable for some, our next gadget is the Loc8tor tracking device, designed to help you find things you've "misplaced" for a moment. Similar in size to a mobile phone, the Loc8tor lets you tag things you're likely to lose such as phone or keys and can then guide you to within an inch by letting out regular beeps. With a range of 183m, this gadget can also send you an alert if you move out of that range, allowing you to turn back and retrieve your valuables before it's too late. Up to 24 items can be tagged at a time, with a choice of settings and a panic tag to activate an alert if necessary. The only pitfall is the £99 price tag, but a price worth paying if you're extremely scatty. Pocket-lint gave this great little gadget an impressive 8/10.
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| Game Boy Advance Product Review
12 June 2006
Nintendo's Game Boy console set the standard for all the handheld devices that have followed. Every kid wanted one - and then found that Dad was the one who usually spent hours playing on it. The cartridge games and black and green Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) were an instant hit, as was the multiplayer mode, since taken up by many of the other players in the gaming world.
But Game Boy didn't stop there. Game Boy Color introduced a "backwards compatible" system for playing original Game Boy games in partial colour, then Game Boy Advance (GBA) brought the same colour and console quality to the handheld form. The buttons were well spaced-out and the sides comfortable to hold, paving the way for game gadgets like Sony's PlayStation Portable (PSP).
Still popular today, here are some of the latest games to appear for Game Boy Advance, starting with Dr. Soduko, the first time this crossword-alternative craze has come to the GBA. Just £24.99, this Mastifff game could be a really good one for the kids, educational and entertaining at the same time, with some handy help features including a demo and the option of making notes as you go. You can even create your own puzzles, but with about a thousand ready and waiting it'll take a while to work your way through. The sound effects could get severely irritating, but then this is the Game Boy and Gamespot UK gave it a respectable 6.8/10.
Next up we have an old favourite originally designed for the PC, The Tower. Like SimCity, where the aim was to build up a city from scratch, encouraging businesses and residents to move in while dealing with crime and the occasional alien invasion, The Tower does just what it says on the tin. You build an office-style tower.
This is an obvious game for a handheld platform, addictive but easy to pause when necessary and then come back to. The two-dimensional graphics might seem a bit past it and the sound is pretty nondescript, but there are some good building options that increase in sophistication as the tower gets higher. You start by setting rent rates and encouraging people to move into offices and your business should blossom from there. Easy to learn initially, it’s time you'll really need to get to grips this one, making it ideal for otherwise tedious train journeys to the relatives. GameZone gave it a half-hearted 6.4/10 overall.
Finally, in what could be the last in the GBA's series of Yu-Gi-Oh games before heading for the DS, we have Ultimate Masters World Championship Tournament 2006. Essentially a card game, the graphics could do with some work, while the interactive mode from previous incarnations is largely absent. The user interface is also quite confusing, stopping you from dealing with your deck as dexterously as you'd like. You'll also need to squint or use the view command to be sure what card you're playing with. On the plus side there's more card variety, but digital entertainment news found it an ultimate disappointment: 6.5/10.
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| Projector Product Review
09 June 2006
If you really want to get the full cinema experience in your very own living room, make sure you pick up a projector that really packs a punch. But be warned - these things get seriously pricey so it's wise to choose with care. Fortunately, we’re taking a look at some of the latest models on the market to give you a better idea.
The first machine today is the very reasonably priced Optoma HD72i HD, offering a maximum image of 300 inches and a promising 3,000 hours of lamp life. It's a stylish design, producing rich colours that aren't spoilt by a lot of fan noise. With a 5000:1 contrast ratio, the only real problem is the lens. As there's no horizontal lens shift it's a bit difficult get the picture straight and a short zoom range means you need a larger room to appreciate the full force of the impressive resolution. With a price of £1,500 it'll be hard to resist though, T3 awarding three stars for superb value for money.
For £100 less you could opt for the Sanyo PLV-Z4 instead, simple to set up and capable of some seriously stunning images with rich contrast. As with the Optoma, pictures can reach a full 300 inches and it’s HD-ready with a 16:9 aspect ratio. A motorised lens cover certainly makes a difference, the only drawback being a poor performance with TV signals. Nevertheless, full of features this projector got a four-star thumbs-up from T3.
Lastly this month it's the Sony VPL-HS50, also for £1,400 and about as smooth and sexy as projectors can possibly get. HD-ready, set up is easy, with a good lens shift unlike the Optoma. Again, performance was weaker with TV signals, but a slick design, quiet operation and good HD colour were enough to secure three stars from T3.
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| World waits for Cup kick off
09 June 2006
Over one-and-a-half billion people are preparing to watch the opening game of the 18th football World Cup in Munich, Germany.
After a half hour opening ceremony, hosts Germany will clash with Costa Rica at the mammoth Munich Allianz arena.
Prior to the big match more than 100 top players from years past will parade onto the pitch, including Argentine Diego Maradona and Brazil's Pele. The latter will carry the cup onto the pitch himself, accompanied by German supermodel Claudia Schiffer, according to reports.
Following the first game the next two teams to face the spotlight are Ecuador and Poland, but England fans will be waiting with baited breath for their first game in Frankfurt tomorrow.
The fans and their flags continued to arrive in the German city throughout Friday, some 30,000 expected to arrive in total, with many congregating in the historic Romerberg Square to begin the revelries early.
More than 10,000 fans without tickets will also be able to watch the game live on a giant screen in the River Main that runs through Frankfurt.
Mayor Petra Rogh welcomed the fans, saying she was looking forward to the coming "party", while the English in Frankfurt are clearly excited ahead of the match, drinking in the city's bars and bursting into spontaneous boisterous chanting.
England's high hopes got a further boost last night, with star striker Wayne Rooney given the green light to play following the latest scan of his famed fourth metatarsal.
Over six million Brits are expected to fill England's pubs tomorrow, as the week of scorching sun hits a high of 29 degrees C in parts. Some 11 million extra points of beer are likely to be bought as a result.
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| PSP Product Review
09 June 2006
The day has finally arrived. As the 2006 World Cup prepares to kick off, Sega simultaneously announced that Football Manager 2007 will be available from Christmas this year. The new version of the classic game will include around 100 new features, with feeder clubs for loan players and a better talent scouting system just two of the improvements.
The game will be available on the PC, Mac, Xbox 360 and the PlayStation Portable (PSP), but the PSP version also lets you pit your team against other players over a network. Tomorrow (June 10th) PSP gamers can also get their hands on the latest Tomb raider title, Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Legend, from Eidos. In addition to the usual action excitement, the PSP offers special modes such as going head-to-head over WiFi. Eidos also promises bonus reward content.
But in the meantime, let's have a look at what else is out there for the PSP this month. First today it's the long-awaited debut of Lemmings on the PSP, brought to by Team 17. Spruced up a bit, this schoolboy favourite keeps the 2D gameplay graphics and the aim is identical - to guide your loveable little lemmings through the various difficulty levels without killing them. The trouble is they follow each other in a line regardless, falling from a great height to be unceremoniously squashed if you don't do anything to stop them.
Also like the original, the lemmings can be made to do different tasks: blocking others to stop the falling, climbing up walls, floating down with umbrellas and even exploding to make more passages. A level editor lets you create you own 3D difficulty levels, which you can also use to challenge friends in gamesharing mode. Simple to play and brightly coloured, this one will be sure to bring back the memories. The sound and graphics aren't the best, but it's an amusing way to pass the time and PSP Extreme saw fit to award it 7.2/10.
Leaving the lemmings behind to plummet to their peril, we move on to the latest Bond game, From Russia With Love starring Sean Connery. This offering from Electronic Arts follows the film for the most part, but Bond spends most of his time shooting the Soviets wherever he spies them. A lot of the subtlety and stealth is missing, as are some of the features that made the PS2 version pretty good fun. With just one analogue stick on the PSP, Bond is also a bit difficult to steer and the baddies are quite badly drawn. Sure it's only £29.99, but Sony PSP Review still gave From Russia With Love a lukewarm 6/10.
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| Bad credit mortgages mounting
08 June 2006
Borrowers are taking out adverse credit mortgages when they could probably qualify for cheaper deals from high street lenders, according to new research.
Adverse credit, or "non-standard" mortgages are offered to people with less than perfect credit ratings, charging a higher interest rate to reflect the higher risk that the borrower will be unable to repay.
However, online financial data comparison site, Moneynet, says it has witnessed a 20 per cent rise in the number of borrowers taking out adverse credit mortgages.
It is concerned that with the much-publicised personal debt problem, many borrowers may believe they will not be able to buy a house by following the usual route.
In fact, many lenders might be persuaded to lend to people with a poor credit score at a lower interest rate if the case can be forcibly made, particularly if they are "hungry" for the business.
Moneynet chief executive, Richard Brown, said: "Whilst we believe that the adverse mortgage market is important and, for more serious cases, the only way that many people can borrow money to buy a house, the premiums being charged on the interest rate make these deals look unattractive when compared with the mainstream market.
"We are concerned that some borrowers are being pushed into these more expensive deals when they could be eligible for mainstream deals at normal rates."
He added that homebuyers should consult an independent financial advisor before reaching a decision about whether to opt for an adverse credit mortgage.
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| PC game Product Review (08 June 2006) | | Digital Camera Product Review (07 June 2006) | | Nintendo DS Product Review (07 June 2006) | | Photo printer Product Review (06 June 2006) | | Xbox 360 Product Review (06 June 2006) | | MP3 player Product Review (05 June 2006) | | Plasma screen Product Review (05 June 2006) | | Nintendo's Wii wins the day (02 June 2006) | | TV show goes hunting for health (02 June 2006) | | Nintendo reaches out to new customers (01 June 2006) | | LED back lit TVs set for early adoption (01 June 2006) | | Visto joins Vodafone to push PDA email forwards (31 May 2006) | | Motorola maps next move (31 May 2006) | | Tesco makes play for PC market (30 May 2006) | | Slingbox: worth its weight in gold (30 May 2006) | | Xbox offers cut price classics (26 May 2006) | | First time buyers face same frustration (26 May 2006) | | Toshiba unveils new mini memory card (26 May 2006) | | Eastenders scrubs up best at Soap Awards (25 May 2006) | | Sanyo shows off new digital camera (25 May 2006) | | Sony chief backs Blu Ray potential (24 May 2006) | | GTA makers turn to Table Tennis for Xbox360 (24 May 2006) | | Students support disclosing debt (23 May 2006) | | LG to launch an MP3 player (23 May 2006) | | Nintendo newborn to arrive in UK (22 May 2006) | | Toy car that works by water (22 May 2006) | | Console claims to rival PSP (19 May 2006) | | Big Brother wannabes unleashed (19 May 2006) | | Mortgage market moves to favour trackers (19 May 2006) | | BT to roll out wireless cities (18 May 2006) | | Pure Digital debuts cut price camcorder (18 May 2006) | | Mustek delivers DVD player (17 May 2006) | | Move to Blackburn for fast mortgage payments (17 May 2006) | | Women making more use of MP3s (16 May 2006) | | Sony shows off Blu ray laptop (16 May 2006) | | Microsoft reveals brain behind gestures (15 May 2006) | | Motorola launches red mobile (15 May 2006) | | Xbox Monthly Product Review (12 May 2006) | | Gadget Monthly Product Review (12 May 2006) | | Nintendo DS Round Up (11 May 2006) | | DIY Power Tool Round Up (11 May 2006) | | PC Round Up (10 May 2006) | | Wireless Round Up (10 May 2006) | | DVD Player Round Up (09 May 2006) | | Camcorder Round Up (09 May 2006) | | Photo Printer Round Up (08 May 2006) | | Home Cinema System Round Up (08 May 2006) | | Speaker round up (05 May 2006) | | Plasma screen round up (05 May 2006) | | PDA Round Up (04 May 2006) | | Vacuum Cleaner Round up (04 May 2006) | | LCD Round up (03 May 2006) | | Game Boy Advance Round up (03 May 2006) | | Mobile phone Round up (02 May 2006) | | MP3 player Round up (02 May 2006) | | PSP Roundup (28 April 2006) | | PS2 Round up (28 April 2006) | | GPS Round up (27 April 2006) | | DVD Recorder Round up (27 April 2006) | | Digital Camera Round up (26 April 2006) | | Media Player Round up (26 April 2006) | | Plasma Screen Round up (25 April 2006) | | Projectors Round up (25 April 2006) | | XBOX360 Games Roundup (24 April 2006) | | Sky and Sony team up for HD cash back (24 April 2006) | |
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