Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts

So I got an iPod Touch...

for my birthday.



I ended up getting the 16 GB so I don't overload it and have to change things out more often. After playing with it for a few hours, I am already in love. I like the free apps I downloaded so far, and I think once I get the navigation down (it's hard for a shortcut-key mogul like me to switch to point and swipe) I'll be in heaven.

I went with the iPod Touch instead of the iPhone because they were identical in the features I wanted, except the Touch has wi-fi instead of 3G. I do need an excuse to be unplugged every now and again and I treat my phones like crap. Plus, with the $20/mo additional fee on the cell bill, this seemed like the best choice for now. The only thing it really lacks in my mind is an integrated camera, which the iPhone does have. However, I just got an awesome digi-cam for Christmas and I can hold back on uploading until I am in proximity of my laptop.

What this means for you readers - all two of you. I have decided to make this blog mobile-friendly by setting up a mobile mirror at http://nodisintegrations.mofuse.mobi/. You can get there by clicking the "Mobile Friendly" icon at the top of this blog. It also means that come Comic-Con this year, there will be nothing stopping me from posting mid-action. We'll have to see if this blog or Twitter wins out on that. I may have finally found a use for Twitter after all this time following others. I can already tell that some sort of stylus would be a benefit.

Here's a quick run down of my initial impressions:



  • Video: Much, much better than I expected. So far I've only tested with video purchased via iTunes, but the quality is extremely sharp.
  • Audio (built-in speakers): It's audible, but not loud enough to make out over a din of noise. Turning it up full blast sounds very distorted
  • Apps: So far, decent free ones and fairly easy to use
  • Navigation: Very difficult for keyboard addicts. I have small fingers too and found it hard to always hit the right spot, so I can't imagine what people with sausage fingers do. I think a soft stylus should fix that issue.
  • Safari web: Decent. Not anything super surprising, but again, the navigation is not intuitive.
  • Orientations: Okay. Many apps and other features don't support landscape when it would make them much easy to use.
  • Keying data: The keyboard is decent with a QWERTY structure and some shortcuts depending on what you are entering. Still, it's very easy to mistype.

Overall, I'm pleased and impressed with this device. This is my first Apple hardware purchase (I have been using iTunes at a novice level for a while), but so far I'm not seeing any issues - even with the proprietary data transfer, which the wi-fi helps resolve. As I learn more, I'll post more.
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Brief Castle Review





I'm going to keep this short and sweet. I DVR'd Castle last night and finally watched it tonight. I wasn't show how this new procedural would fair, especially since it's on ABC (which I haven't watched a show on for many, many years). The premise is that a mystery writer is questioned about his books and fan mail after two murders are committed that replicate murders that take place in his novels. It definitely sounded like a one show deal or a Murder She Wrote remake from that description.
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Indiana Jones and the KOTCS



I'm not sure what to say about this movie except that I really, really enjoyed it. It's not groundbreaking, it's not different, and it's not another "Phantom Menace". It's familiar and strange and comforting all at the same time.

Harrison Ford is great as Indy (not like anyone else could ever fill those shoes, which should hit you over the head when you see it). Shia LaBeouf wasn't as bad as people will say he was. His character wasn't Short Round or Young Indy - he was a decently portrayed combo of Indy and Marion.

The plot was okay (the first half hour was great!), but there were some questionable scenes and some huge leaps in suspension of disbelief. I didn't mind it being a little askew to the older films though. It was nice to see something completely and totally unbelievable and in action during an Indy film. The expanded universe books always had better quests and artifacts than the three original movies (the artifacts were harder to obtain and carried graver consequences), so it was nice to see the film step away from Christianity and Hinduism (which for the unenlightened was the basis of the much loathed Temple of Doom) and turn to another religion we know even less about but couple it with something (aliens) that is familiar.

People will probably crush this movie down (most reviews I've read so far are reluctant to give a final rating until after a second viewing). I was so worried it would be another PM that I may have had really low expectations. Also, I am definitely a huge fan which biases me in its favor. However, for people who like the Indy movies and want to jump back into what Dr. Jones has been up to, this movie is awesome. If you can relax and enjoy it instead of analyzing it, it's a great movie: humor, adventure, wit, and a great cast. I definitely recommend seeing it.
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Reaper Outlook Not So Grim



I've been watching Reaper since the season premiere because it seemed like it had a decent premise (for a CW show). I love tales of dealing with the Devil, and an hour-long episode each week sounded great to me. After the last two episodes, I'm glad I tuned in.

The pilot was better than most new shows. It wasn't awkward or grasping, although it did have plenty of the "getting to know the show" scenes. The next three episodes (Charged, All Mine, and Magic) all followed the same format and made sure to ground the viewer in the premise. At this point, I began to wonder if the show would be able to transition enough to stay on the air. Episode 5, What About Blob, managed to pull that first transition step off by adding a darker and more sinister tone to the show, which was desperately needed. Hopefully, the sub-plot revealed will become a longer story arc that is revealed throughout the season.

This week was the Halloween episode, Leon, and while it lost most the darkness that was brewing in What About Blog, it managed to mix the framework up enough to show the show has real potential. In this episode, Ray Wise, AKA the Devil, was shown smoking a cigarette (rare these days) and acting really depressed about the commercialization of evil, while Sam, played by Bret Harrison, showed some real character growth by getting a backbone and feeling some sympathy for the Devil's emotions. Comedian Patton Oswalt's performance as a soul trapped in a snow-globe at the show's beginning also added some extra depth to the show's premise and gave viewers a chance to learn more about Sam and Sock's (played by Tyler Labine) friendship. This episode also brought up some philosophical points about the real meaning of forgiveness, repentance, and sin. Way heavier stuff than the previous episodes.

Reaper recently received an order for three new scripts, which may indicate that additional scripts will be requested to make it a full season. Hopefully, the writers can continue to add more depth to the characters and the scenarios they face, since that is definitely the show's main selling point. So far, the story-lines about the escaped souls and their new Earthly forms have been decent, but they could use some fine tuning and less attention. They should be the backdrop of the show and the focus should, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Smallville, be turned to character development and relationships. If the show moves in that direction, it may be one of the best new shows this television season. If not, then it's still more believable and pleasurable to watch than some other now defunct shows with similar mythical premises.

If you've ignored this one until now, you can still catch up and watch old episodes at The CW website. Reaper airs Tuesdays at 9 pm EST on The CW.
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Origins 2007 Games Round-up



(Because every post should start with a picture of Neil Gaiman cuddling a panda)

Better late than never I (apparently) always say (because I’m always behind). Last month I attended the Origins International Game Expo, in scenic Columbus, Ohio. Here is where the gaming geeks get a first look at the Spiel des Jahres winners and runners-up, as well as the new releases of many, many gaming companies. Four fun-filled days of board games and non-CCG card games were on the agenda for my group. During this pilgrimage, I had the opportunity to play several new games, and I thought for your reading pleasure I’d review them. I’m not going to give you the details such as how many players, etc., but I will tell you what I thought of them and give you the gist of what the premise for each is.



Megastar

Megastar

A non-CCG where you are a radio exec trying to promote a band by spinning their CD on your station. The more times you play the band, the more popular they become. This game basically has you drawing cards, choosing cards, playing cards, and then switching the bands’ rankings at intervals. At the end, if you score the cards you kept. This game is quick, easy, and only requires light strategy. I’m designating this as a “filler” game.

Rating:



Amazonas



This is a Euro-game where your goal is to connect two villages in the Amazon together while scoring points along the way. Very reminiscent of Ticket to Ride and other such destination based games. This one incorporates events that limit your options each turn. While this keeps the game play fresh (for the one sitting I played) it also means that there can be many rounds where you do nothing during your turn. This makes the game slow and boring. The artwork is very good and it looks like it’s a fun game, however, I’m designating this as a “pass” game.

Rating:



Stack Market



This is a manipulative game in the American style. Your goal is to create corporations by rolling and stacking special die. To be honest the theme didn’t make much sense when I demoed it and after careful reflection it still doesn’t make sense. The game is fun because it involves bidding on your stacking abilities, and stacking wood blocks. This is definitely one to take a look at if you like manipulatives, so I’m designating this as a “try, then buy”.

Rating:



Fishing for Terrorists



This is a non-CCG based on the staple Go Fish. Fishing for Terrorists has you doing exactly what the title says, and don’t worry, they took into account the current NSA practices. This game isn’t as boring as Go Fish because like most Slugfest Games, the cards tell you how to play as you’re playing. These games are very theme heavy, so if you aren’t playing with a good sport who’ll go along with enjoying the theme, you may find it disappointing. Personally, I enjoyed playing cards like “We’ll take it from here,” which lets you steal a terrorist someone else is in the process of capturing. I’m designating this as a “filler” game.

Rating:



Zooloretto



This is a tile-laying game based on the non-CCG game Coloretto (which is also a great filler game). This game involves some strategy as you plan which animals you want to add to your zoo and how to get them in the enclosures so you can score the most points. As an added twist, some animals are male or female (the others are neutered apparently) and when you place them in a field, they immediately have a baby. (If only endangered species breeding were just that easy). This is a great game for any audience and is this year’s Spiel des Jahres winner.

Rating:



If Wishes Were Fishes



This is a standard Euro-style board game. In this game you are fishing. You can either keep your wish or use the wish the fish is thinking. Your goal is to have the most money from selling fish at the end of the game. This game has great pieces including rubber worms and wooden fish. The illustrations are great and very comical. I recommend this game for any audience that wants to have fun.

Rating:



Thebes



This is another great Euro-style board game. Finally, a game that shows that education can pay you off later in life. In Thebes, you are excavating treasures from several different destinations – however, your knowledge of the area and the time you spend excavating determine how well you’ll do. This game has amazing pieces, plus a fully detailed insert telling you the back-story of all the treasures you might excavate. The treasures are based on actual archaeological finds at these locations. This is a great game for adults and is this year’s Spiel des Jahres runner-up.

Rating:





As a side note, No Disintegrations is approaching its 100th post (including the posts under the former name Shawed), and this is the 98th post. The 100th post will kick off a mini-blog-athon, 1 blog post every hour on the hour for 24 hours, starting at 12 AM on 8/30/07. Come celebrate two years of blogging nonsense with us at No Disintegrations.
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Star Wars Celebration IV: An Epic Blog

WARNING: The following post strictly focuses on Star Wars related news and a summary of my trip to Star Wars Celebration IV in Los Angeles. If you are not a Star Wars fan, but like Family Guy or Robot Chicken, you may want to keep reading to find out about the creators and their upcoming Star Wars specials. If you’ve already lost interest: “We don’t need to see your identification. Move along, move along.”
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Spider-man 3 Review (Spoiler-free)



Friday night I went to see Spider-man 3. It was opening night at an off show time, but the theater was still packed with fans. Spidey's got his work cut out for him in this one as he faces three enemies: Venom, Sandman, and New Goblin. The movie is very fast paced, almost too fast at times to fully absorb what's happening.
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