I'm an Uncle!

The Big News

Well, It's a pretty much Ronseal blog post... I'm am now the proud uncle of Amber Jade Foster, born 19/09/2010 at 21:19. Weighing in at just 5lb 13oz. She's a little angel

 

In other news...

I recently got the new Xbox 360 Slim, and an arduous task it was to get a satisfactory one, after the cosmetic problem with my first purchase and a refund later, I went to HMV only to find that one's hard-drive wasn't connected, so i take it back and a console savvy worker fixed it for me. Now I'm happy, and just need to send my still in warranty Xbox to Germany for a refurbished replacement.

Then I'll acquire an HDMI cable for the bedroom and my composite HD cable should be downstairs in time for Kinect.

New Tattoo & First Thoughts of FFXIII

The Tattoo

I’ve bitten the bullet,  gone and got a web on my elbow as I realise I am pretty much hooked on getting inked. Having read many definitions of web tattoos signifying killing people and time spent in prison. I decided to dismiss that somewhat dated ideology as in modern times a tattoo is a personal representation of a time in a person’s life.

Stepping away from the standard webs you see donned on the elbow I’ve gone for a more line-oriented approach with anti-clockwise shading to make the spokes more defined.

Final Fantasy XIII

Having only just scratched the surface on this game I can’t say too much about it. However, from what I’ve seen I can say it has definitely changed my perspective on the whole JRPG genre. not being one for the whole  Turn-Based Combat system this has used similar principals in terms of selecting commands and combined it with a more real-time battle system where attacks aren’t just a simple back and forth.

I’m hoping there is more to the game than walk, engage battle, walk, engage battle, walk, engage battle, upgrade, repeat. Other than that I can’t complain.

Next gaming report – Alan Wake.

Xperia X10 vs iPhone?

I’ve recently been seriously considering a smartphone as an upgrade from my, be it incredibly sturdy, reliable and brilliant in every way, k850i candybar style phone.

Obviously, the iPhone is a choice that crosses the mind of every mobile user on the planet, using Apple’s bespoke operating system and the vast number of apps available for the device, plus being an iPod make it a very attractive device. Capacitive touch brings responsive control and Apple’s pinch control for zooming in and out on websites. Not to mention the ways in which the device can be upgraded with apps to make the camera a tad better.

However, SonyEricsson have brought a flagship Android device to the horizon, complete 8.1 megapixel camera, perfect for printing your house-sized photos with face recognition, and the ability to save names so the people can be, in theory, recognised again in future photos, thus tagging your snaps along with an LED camera light, which can only be expected to be used when it really matters. Capacitive 4” touch screen and, like the iPhone, no solid keyboard meaning everything is on-screen. Contacts and social networks are brought together through TimeScape, while MediaScape brings all your entertainment to you at the touch of an icon. There is also the tiny benefit of REMOVABLE storage, so you can keep your files if or when you upgrade.

As far as I can see, there are many features leading towards Sony, and having used a lot of Sony devices previously I may follow those instincts. The big factor is “dockability” which Apple seems to hold the market for, even Sony make limited devices that support their own products unless Bluetooth connection suits. The question is, do you think you could trade out docking for open source software, a stunning OS and plenty of free apps through the Android Market?

Maybe a Hands-On will decide.