Review: Nintendo DSi XL

Short version: Nintendo’s new DSi XL is aimed squarely at the older generation of casual gamers. People that appreciate something that’s a little easier to read. The people who wear their reading glasses while they sit down for their morning glass of fiber and read their copy of the AARP Journal. And heaven help me, I like it.

Features:

• A larger screen
• Full size stylus
• Comes pre-loaded with Brain Age Express: Math and Brain Age Express: Arts & Letters
• MSRP: $189.99 (regular DSi is $169.99)

Pros:

• Large screen is easy to read
• Games still look great
• Case size easier to hold

Cons:

• Large size reduces portability
• Nowhere to put stylus
• Uncomfortable for people with small hands

I like Nintendo’s portable gaming consoles. I had a Game Boy, Game Boy Color, DS phat, and a DS Lite, but I never saw the point in the DSi. So when Nintendo sent me a DSi XL to review, I was pleasantly surprised by the functionality. Would I buy a DSi XL to replace my DS Lite? Probably not – but I do like the DSi XL, and would recommend it to someone looking to get into portable gaming.

Build quality is as you would expect it to be. Nintendo knows these things are going to be knocked around, and build them so they can take it. The unit I was sent is the bronze color, with the majority of the device having a matte finish. The top of the cover, however, is glossy and picks up finger prints. Not fingerprints like you’d see on a PSP but they are present.

I’m not going to reinvent the wheel here as far as reviewing the DSi functionality. Yeah, it’s a DSi, only bigger. It’s designed for the older crowd that play those little $10 blackjack games from Radio Shack, and if they market it properly it’ll be huge. I have large hands. I like the DSi XL because I like the larger form factor, and the larger screens. My wife isn’t as much of a fan. She’s got smaller hands and found that the DSi XL made her left hand start to cramp after playing Zelda: Phantom Hourglass for about 30 minutes. I saw another review mention issues with screen clarity. I definitely didn’t notice this issue. I love playing RTS games like Civilization Revolution, and if the screen was fuzzy I’d definitely notice it. The screen was crisp and clear, and it didn’t feel like the games were designed for a smaller display at all, which was one of the things I was concerned about when I first read about the DSi XL.

Should you buy a DSi XL? Sure, if you don’t already have a DSi. I’d just suggest that you check one out at your local game shoppe first to be sure that the size won’t be an issue. Is it a reasonable upgrade from the DS or DS Lite? Absolutely. Should you buy one for your mom for Mother’s Day? Only if you are a huge geek and you’re sure she’ll like it.

Article Via Techcrunch

Flash Player To Come Bundled With Google Chrome, New Browser Plugin API Coming

The rumors were true: Adobe and Google are tightening their partnership, seemingly both warily eying Apple in the process – and Mozilla plays a role in this story as well.

Concretely, Adobe has announced that its Flash Playerwill be included with future versions of Google Chromeright out the gate, so users will soon no longer be required to download and install a third-party plugin to make it work with the open source browser built on top of Chromium.

Furthermore, updates to Flash Player will be delivered directly via Google Chrome’s updating system, ultimately minimizing security risks that tend to surface when using outdated software and components.

You can download the dev channel build now, and yes, you can easily disable the built-in Flash Player if you like.

In addition, Adobe says it is working with Mozilla and Google and the “broader community” to create a new API for browser plugins. This new API, which will build off Mozilla’s NPAPI, which has been designed from the start to be both operating system and browser neutral. In essence, the goal of the new API is to allow plugins to more tightly integrate with host browsers, which in turn should benefit users in terms of performance and security.

The new browser plugin API will allow add-ons to directly share more information about its current state to its developers and the makers of the host browser it was made for, and it could also allow for a more secure browsing experience as the process of unifying security models and collaboration on techniques to defend against hackers (e.g. sandboxing) will be made easier.

Indeed, Chrome’s “sandbox” has already been extended to Web pages with Flash content.

From the Chromium blog:

Improving the traditional browser plug-in model will make it possible for plug-ins to be just as fast, stable, and secure as the browser’s HTML and JavaScript engines. Over time this will enable HTML, Flash, and other plug-ins to be used together more seamlessly in rendering and scripting.

You can read the respective announcements regarding the partnership directly from Adobe’s Flash Player team and on the Chromium blog.

I inquired about plans to integrate Flash Player with Google Chrome OS too, but was unsurprisingly told that there are no announcements to be made right now. Adobe did say Google is a close partner in the Open Screen Project, which I translate to “yeah, probably”.

Twitter Launches A New, Dynamic Homepage

Twitter has just rolled out a new homepage that’s a marked improvement over the current offering, and does a much better job at capturing what the service is all about. The new site features a ‘See who’s here’ section that introduces new Twitter users to some of the celebrities and brands they can find on the service. It also includes a new, constantly updated section for Top Tweets, which are algorithmically selected interesting tweets (Top Tweets also has its own Twitter account here).

Twitter’s homepage is important because it’s typically the first thing people see when they visit Twitter for the first time (once you’ve created an account and signed in, the service automatically directs you to your Twitter feed). Twitter last refreshed its homepage last summer, when it started featuring its search engine front and center (you can see a screenshot of the old page below). This introduced users to the site’s powerful real-time search, but it didn’t do a particularly good job explaining exactly what Twitter was.

I suspect the new page will do a better job enticing new users to explore Twitter, as they’ll be more quickly exposed to interesting tweets (via the Top Tweets section) and will immediately see a smattering of the major brands and celebrities using the service. And they’ll have something to look at other than tweets talking about Justin Bieber.

Note that the page only appears to be showing up sometimes (I just reloaded and no longer see it).

Update: Twitter has just posted a blog post talking about the change. Here’s an excerpt:

All of our recent changes embrace the notion that Twitter is not just for status updates anymore. It’s a network where information is exchanged and consumed at a rapid clip every second of the day. With so much being shared, we know that there’s something of value for everyone. People who internalize the value of Twitter understand the power of this simple medium. But it hasn’t been easy to make that value transparent or obvious for curious folks coming to Twitter for the first time.

Yep, Chrome OS Is Getting Deep Flash Integration Too

Earlier today, Adobe and Google announced a partnership that integrates Flash right into future builds of Chrome. At a time when Flash is under fire from both Apple and HTML5 advocates, this is a huge win for the technology. But one thing that wasn’t clear from Google’s post on the matter (and Adobe’s comment to us) is what this means for the upcoming Chrome OS. So I asked.

“We plan to bring these benefits to Chrome users across all platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Google Chrome OS,” a Google spokesperson tells me. In other words, yes, this deep Flash is coming to Chrome OS.

Here’s why this is significant: when Chrome OS-based netbooks launch later this year they will not only compete with Windows-based netbooks, they will also compete with the iPad. The iPad, of course, will not run Flash. This could be a major differentiating factor when people are deciding which machine to buy this holiday season. Especially if those people are addicted to Farmville (which is, of course, Flash-based).

“Netbooks aren’t better at anything,” Apple CEO Steve Jobs said while unveiling the iPad back in January. This deep Flash integration may give some users reason to disagree.

And don’t forget, eventually, there will be Chrome OS-based tablets as well. That Apple/Google rivalry keeps getting more interesting.

iTunes 9.1 is live, iPad syncing, modded Genius Mixes added

Tunes 9.1 just went live. I’m digging through to see what’s new in this version, but iTunes just updated to 9.1. It seems you actually have to go to the Apple.com/itunes site to download it because my System Update and the Update Software command in iTunes didn’t catch it.

As we suspected, it’s very iPad oriented with the following list of updates:

What’s new in iTunes 9.1

iTunes 9.1 comes with several new features and improvements, including:

• Sync with iPad to enjoy your favorite music, movies, TV shows, books and more on the go

• Organize and sync books you’ve downloaded from iBooks on iPad or added to your iTunes library

• Rename, rearrange, or remove Genius Mixes

You can see the KB article here. Interestingly, the icon for Audiobooks has turned into “Books” but all audiobooks still appear there. I was also able to change the Genius mix names.

Kyte Jumps On the iPad’s HTML5 Bandwagon And Prepares An App SDK

When Steve Jobs tells the technology industry to get in line, it gets in line pretty quick. All the initial hair-pulling and angst surrounding Apple’s decision to not support Flash on the iPad is already mattering less and less. At least for video, most of the major online video platforms such as Brightcove and Ooyala are supporting HTML5 playback in the iPad browser. YouTube might eventually get there as well.

Now Kyte is jumping on the HTML5 bandwagon. Kyte videos will stream in an HTML5 player in the iPad browser using the same embed code that triggers a Flash player on other computers. But Kyte is also going to release a software developer kit (SDK) in the next couple weeks which will let its media partners create apps specifically for the iPad. The SDK will also let them create versions of the same apps for the iPhone and the iPod Touch. This will replace the iPhone framework Kyte released last year.

The SDK will customize apps for the larger screen of the iPad, allowing for a larger video player and more room for chat and show guides. In the mockup above from Om Records, you can see how there is more room for the various elements of the app on the iPad.

Kyte’s main customers are media brands, music bands, and brands such as ABC, Fox News, MTV, Lady Gaga, Alicia Keys, and Calvin Klein who want to publish videos to their Websites and mobile apps all from the same system. Kyte’s new Apple “universal” SDK will allow developers to create apps for both the iPhone and the iPad, and send out the correct version depending in the user’s device. They can also charge once and deliver different versions of the app to multiple Apple devices.

Might The iPad And iPhone HD Be Apple’s Parting Gifts For AT&T?

The rumors keep circulating. The latest came yesterday when the Wall Street Journal reported that Apple was working on a CDMA version of the iPhone. To most people, that means one thing. No, not a Sprint version of the iPhone (though I suppose that’s possible too), a Verizon version of the iPhone.

The problem is that these rumors have been circulating almost as long as the actual iPhone itself. And the WSJ report isn’t exactly a slam dunk by only citing the ever-anonymous “people briefed by the company.” But, more so than ever, the timing does appear to be right for Apple to break its AT&T exclusivity.

First of all, this Verizon iPhone would not launch alongside the other new iPhone hardware due this Summer. The WSJ report has manufacturing on the CDMA iPhone ramping up in September, but also notes that the phones may not be available to consumers immediately. This means at the earliest, we’re looking at a Fall release, or possibly even a holiday release for the device (if not later depending on several factors). That means that AT&T would still get the supposed “iPhone HD” all to itself for several months at least.

Then you’d have to wonder if Apple would dare announce that it would be bringing the iPhone to other carriers “later this year” at its WWDC event (where it traditionally launches the new iPhone hardware)? If they did that, they risk people sitting out for several months, waiting for the Verizon version to hit before buying an iPhone. They’d be putting customers in a tight spot: do you upgrade to the sleek new hardware now, locking yourself into a new 2-year contract with AT&T? Or do you wait? If Apple in in fact planning a CDMA version of the iPhone, I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t say anything about it at WWDC.

Apple is also giving AT&T a nice little present in the form of the iPad. While the version hitting stores this Saturday will not have 3G connectivity, the one coming at the end of April will. And yes, it will be exclusively provided by AT&T. There was some speculation leading up to the iPad launch that it may launch with Verizon connectivity, but the chances of Apple building a second CDMA version of the iPad anytime soon seem pretty slim at this point. Especially with AT&T giving them an unheard deal for customers: $15 for 250MB-a-month of data usage and $30 for unlimited data. As anyone with a 3G card will tell you, this is basically half-off of the normal data rates the carriers charge.

Apple is not stupid. They hear all of us bitching about AT&T’s sub-par service, and word is that they’re not too happy about it either. But the fact of the matter is that because of the exclusive agreement, AT&T is paying them a ridiculous fee for each iPhone solid — something to the tune of $600 a phone. At the end of the day, that equals billions of dollars in revenues for Apple. If Apple were to branch out to other carriers, this deal would likely have to be renegotiated because Verizon has some leverage as the nation’s largest carrier and probably won’t give Apple the same kind of deal.

So despite all of our bitching, Apple is only likely to move beyond exclusivity if it makes sense for the bottom line. That is, if Apple feels like the iPhone can’t grow any further in the U.S. under one carrier, they will extend it to others. Or, if Apple feels that Android is gaining too much momentum because it’s on several carriers, they will extend it to others. The latter appears to be starting to happen, while the former is still unclear. At one point, it was believed that Apple would wait out going to multiple carriers in the U.S. until the 4G networks (which will be a much more unified technology) were ready. But as the WSJ article states, delays in that process may have forced them to change their minds.

So perhaps Apple is dangling the iPad and early access to the iPhone HD as signs of good faith towards AT&T. Maybe they want the carrier to know that even though the time of exclusivity is coming to an end, they intend to give them certain perks in exchange for keeping the same terms of their current deal.

Imagine for a second that the iPhone is available on AT&T and Verizon — but AT&T gets access to the new hardware several months before Verizon. You might think most people would wait to buy the new iPhone, believing Verizon is the better network. But going forward, once Apple initially offloads a few million customers over to Verizon (which I don’t think is an unreasonable number for how many current iPhone owners would switch if given the option), some of AT&T’s horrific networks problems (which are related the the network being under too much strain) may be miraculously solved.

It seems like a win-win for everybody. Or at least Apple will paint it that way. And, as usual, they will be the real winner in the end.

Article from Techcrunch

I'm Back!!

Hey guys.

I bet you have all missed me

The reason for my absense is simply because I havent felt like blogging but not Im back and hopefully back forever. Lets hope my spelling gets better soon!

I have missed a load of news such as the iPad and iPhone rumours, but I will get you up to date.

Also I have started a Modern Warfare 2 clan called Xtreme Hull Gaming - check it out

Thanks guys