Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Blackberry App Review - Arsenal FC

 A must have for any Arsenal fan, the Arsenal Football Club App keeps you up-to-date with the latest goings on in ‘Gunner’ land. Read news, fixtures, player bios, watch highlights, check out injury news, and much more. You can even pull up image galleries from past games.

The app itself pulls content from the official website, so this app serves as a ‘bridge’ of sorts, connecting you to the site when you’re away from your computer’s web browser. However, you may like this app so much, it may be all you use to stay on top of all news and info on the Gunners.



The app also features links to ticket purchasing information, Arsenal TV Online, Junior Gunners and membership information as well as O2 and other hospitality offers.


The Arsenal app is compatible with Android, Blackberry, Nokia, Palm, Symbian, Windows Mobile, iPhone and iPod Touch devices. Unfortunately like all license products, this app is not free and cost USD4.99
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Sunday, September 26, 2010

TV Series Review - Rizzoli and Isles

Whether she's playing a hard-as-nails assistant district attorney on "Law and Order" or a homicide detective on "Women's Murder Club," there's something about Harmon that undeniably captures the archetypal image of the tough but lovely enforcer. Her appeal was not enough to save ABC's "Women's Murder Club" but it might just make TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles," based on the books by Tess Gerritsen, a light, bright addition to the network's cadre of female cops.

Boston police detective Jane Rizzoli (Angie Harmon) and medical examiner Maura Isles (Sasha Alexander) are two mismatched lone wolves with some social issues whose friendship is just beginning to bud -- a working-class gal (Rizzoli) with a tough demeanor who vacuums when she's thinking and a glamour gal (Isles) with a pet tortoise who grew up dying to dissect. The two still are tiptoeing around their connection but have a mutually admiring, believable chemistry.

In an interesting decision, the series kicks off with a plot that's more season finale than pilot: A serial killer who once held Rizzoli captive escapes and, along with an apprentice slasher, goes after her again. The gore count is high -- this is cable, after all -- but so is the character development; there's more here in just one hour than many series get to in a season's worth of episodes.

To top it all off, there's the comic relief of Rizzoli's over-involved family. Her mother (played brilliantly by Lorraine Bracco) and brother (Jordan Bridges) are deeply invested in her police work and safety, and it's nice to see a cop whose job hasn't ruined her family. (Although where their Boston accents have disappeared to is another mystery altogether.)

So there is much to admire in the first hour of "R&I," but it ends oddly. Having spent most of the episode building to an important resolution in a primary character's life, the show backs away from the crisis ... leaving Rizzoli focused on cleaning up her apartment. The abdication of repercussions from the earlier goings-on is strangely off-key in a show that otherwise hits all the right notes. But perhaps this is where Episode 2 begins. Let's hope so, because "Rizzoli & Isles" is a beat that's well-worth walking.
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Friday, September 24, 2010

Movie Review - Resident Evil Afterlife

Resident Evil: Afterlife is the fourth installment in the zombie-apocalypse franchise based on Capcom’s survival-horror video game series. The original Resident Evil  film was a forgettable but enjoyable action-horror adaptation. The plot was convoluted but kept the focus tight, limited to a group of survivors as they escaped from a zombie-infested underground research facility. A twist at the end of the movie split the franchise from the video game source material – detonating the manageable focus into an over-the-top global apocalypse.

Resident Evil: Afterlife is the first of the sequels to be shot in Avatar-style 3D. The first film's director, Paul W.S. Anderson, is back at the helm for this sequel, which takes Alice – once again played by Milla Jovovich – from Tokyo to Alaska and finally to a zombie-ravaged L.A.

Resident Evil: Afterlife continues the story of Alice as she attempts to enact revenge on franchise-favorite, Albert Wesker and the Umbrella Corporation – a bio-engineering company responsible for genetic experimentation that led to the global zombie apocalypse. The first forty-five minutes of the film are the equivalent of Anderson taking a red pen to everything that made the previous Resident Evil installments slapdash and soulless – a lot of the more absurd-threads get purged and the story settles into a more manageable narrative: Alice’s investigation of Arcadia – a zombie-free zone, where survivors attempt to rebuild human civilization.

In her search, Alice is reunited with Claire Redfield (Ali Larter) and the two travel to Los Angeles where they meet zombie-food, I mean the supporting cast. The new survivors are mostly Hollywood caricatures, literally: Bennett (Kim Coates) is a smarmy movie producer, Kim Yong (Norman Yeung) is Bennett’s over-eager intern, Crystal (Kacey Barnfield) is an aspiring actress, and their leader, Luther West (Boris Kodjoe), is a star basketball player. They’re not terrible characters but their cookie-cutter design reveals the biggest problem with the film, as well as the Resident Evil film franchise: the films aren’t about people trying to survive in a zombie apocalypse, they’re about finding the most intense, over the top, ways to kill zombies in an apocalypse.

While the story's a bit slow at times, Resident Evil: Afterlife  ultimately delivers what fans of the series crave: plenty of unbridled zombie-killin' action. The film holds a few surprises for fans (be sure to stay for a very special cameo during the end credits), and promises of yet another sequel.
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Friday, September 17, 2010

iPhone App Review - High Noon




High Noon is a realistic westerns-based online game featuring the addictive rpg qualities that gamers already know and love mixed with some wicked gunslinging action.
Like similar games, High Noon is based around the concept of ‘energy’, which permits you to duel with other people a certain amount of times before you have to let it recharge. However, rather than fighting in a strictly textual way ala 'Mafia Wars', High Noon actually incorporates some real time action into it. Because of this, you want to make sure you’re in an area with good internet connectivity; else the game will spit out a warning about how you need a strong connection to play.
Dueling in the game involves tilting your phone to control your aim and tapping to shoot. To reload, simply tilt your device forward.  Rather than gaining experience points to level up, the High Noon uses a system of gold bounties on an enemy’s death. If you successfully slay your enemy in mortal combat, you’ll get a tidy sum of gold toward gaining your next level.
The bad side about this game is that it can be a little repetitive especially when you need to collect a substantial amount of gold to reach your next level. While you can liven up battles by purchasing items for one-time use, High Noon can tend to get dry when you have a gallery of enemies to shoot through.
All in all, High Noon is a strong, addictive game. And since it’s free, be sure to give it a download if you’re interested, and leave your thoughts about the game in the comments.











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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Blackberry App Review - Evernote

The great thing about of Evernote is in its simple and easy to use interface and more importantly the organization of my notes images, websites, text, video, etc. Previously its usefulness was only limited to the desktop or laptop pc's. However,with the mobile application Evernote has given me both access to my notes as well as additional possibilities for my trusty little research organizer. The most importantly thing of all, the app is free.

Using the application is as easy as clicking around through the different parts of the interface. A handy info screen gives you details about your account, upload limits, etc. I anticipate using Evernote quite frequently now that I’ve downloaded and used the application for a variety of different functions. What you can accomplish with Evernote will vary depending on your needs. Because the application is so flexible the application can do more than you can initially anticipate. As this is the case you will feel as if you’re not getting 100% out of the application until you’ve used it for a while.

If you’re looking for an application that is a robust utility for organizing your data on the go or giving you access to your notes on the go you’ll find nothing as easy to use or as well designed as Evernote.

(This review is for the Blackberry. The Evernote app is also available for the iPhone, Android OS and Windows Mobile.)



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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Movie Review- Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Michael Douglas reprises the role that brought him an Oscar after he encapsulated the Eighties in three words.GREED IS GOOD.

Now the actor himself and director Oliver Stone is taking another shot at Wall Street, this time dealing with the financial market meltdown from 2008.

The film is centered on a thrusting young trader Jake Moore, played by Shia LaBeouf. He is a specialist in renewable energy deals and the place he works bears an uncanny resemblance to Bear Sterns.  He has a beautiful girlfriend, Winnie (Carey Mulligan), who runs a green news website, and as the plot unfolds, also happens to be Gordon Gekko's daughter.

Jake’s bank crashes and is bought out by Churchill Schwartz , bringing Jake’s mentor down with it. Soon Jake is working for Churchill Schwartz and looking for revenge. Gekko,  now out of prison after his scams from the first movie is there to help, in exchange for Jake arranging a reconciliation with Winnie. Jake goes into battle with the bank’s head honcho, the cunning and deceitful Bretton James (Josh Brolin).

Scenes of corporate bailouts and destroyed businesses dominate the movie. Gekko, too, is a broken man – unable to get back into the game he owned in the 80s or to reconcile with his daughter.

Indeed, for most of the film, which runs for more than two hours, he is almost unrecognizable as the man who once said, ‘Greed is good’. But as the film twists midway through, we’re dragged straight back into his deceitful games. And they’re just as captivating now as they were in the first one.

Douglas and LaBeouf spark brilliantly, and Mulligan once again proves her talent as Gekko’s daughter. There’s no doubt Stone has injected his film with plenty of politics about the state of the finance industry, but the script is fortunately fresh and enduring to the audience.

I must admit I didn't see a sequel for this movie but after 23 years, it is something worth waiting for.


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Monday, September 13, 2010

In my opinion, there are two types of catchy tunes in the world: The one with pop hooks so well-crafted you’ll want them replaying in your head until the end of time ( case in point “Umbrella,” “Just Dance”), and then there’s the obvious, derivative kind of catchy that causes you to itch which Katy Perry falls into.

Take for instance one of the summer’s biggest singles, “California Gurls.” The track is little more than a direct rip of BFF Kesha‘s superior drunk-pop anthem, “Tik Tok,” yet it’s managed to thrive nonetheless.

Perry’s shtick is obnoxious and, at times, hypocritical. Bolstered by a devoutly religious upbringing (and short-lived run as a Christian rock artist), she has the gall to criticize her fellow pop stars for being blasphemous sluts while simultaneously shooting whipped cream out of her tits and posing topless for Rolling Stone and Esquire.

But Katy Perry delivers good pop,and that is what her fans want the most

Teenage Dream is Katy Perry’s follow-up to her massively successful 2008 debut, One of The Boys. The album, like the one before, is a veritable “who’s who” of the top pop producers in the game, including Max Martin, Tricky Stewart, Greg Wells, Benny Blanco, Dr. Luke, and Stargate.

The album begins with its title track, which also happens best song. “Teenage Dream” is not only a masterfully crafted pop tune with a smart hook, but a rare moment of tenderness for the otherwise bratty bombshell: As the lyrics goes “You think I’m pretty without any makeup on / You think I’m funny when I tell the punchline wrong,” Perry whispers on top of the song’s setting sun guitar strums.
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“Last Friday (T.G.I.F.),” in contrast, feels entirely inauthentic, very much a replica of everything you might have heard from Kesha's tune, Animal. Say what you will about Kesha’s aesthetic , but any and all talk of drunken hook-ups and glitter on the floor are strictly within her domain at the moment. Any other attempt to emulate her drunk-pop revelry? Well, it just comes off sounding cheap.

The slap-happy silliness is pervasive throughout Perry’s record, including the stomping ode to the penis, “Peacock.” Scribed by one of the naughtiest names in popular songwriting at the moment, Ester Dean (“Rude Boy”; “Drop It Low”), “Peacock” is a most infectious, cheer-tastic celebration of the male member hidden behind the thinnest of veils: “Are you brave enough to let me see your peacock?


“Circle the Drain” is the result of such desire, one of the album’s most impressive numbers. The song contains the best, most biting lines of the entire record: “Wanna be your lover, not your fucking mother,” Perry explodes with a vitriolic, shaking-with-anger kind of enunciation while exorcising her ex-flame’s demons.

“E.T.” and “Who Am I Living For?” follow along a similarly angst-ridden path. Still, Perry’s self-searching offerings are a bit too modern/major production (excessive instrumentation; squeaky-clean studio sounds) to be dubbed worthy of an Alanis Morrissette comparison.

At best, Teenage Dream is a top heavy collection of party pop anthems and occasionally good, often schmaltzy slow numbers. Aside from the occasional moment of sugary sweet brilliance however (“Teenage Dream”; “Firework”), the party balloons deflate rather quickly, resulting in a record that feels about as fluffy as the pink cotton candy swirled around Perry’s naughty bits on the cover.
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Sunday, September 12, 2010

iPhone App Review - Babel Rising

Babel Rising, from Bulky Pix and White Birds Productions, takes a page from the Bible, almost literally, as you play God and take control of the weather and attempt to stop mankind from building a tower that will reach to heaven. The weapons at your disposal are simply crushing puny humans with a tap, striking them down with a bolt of heavenly lightning, immolation by fire storm, washing them away with a tsunami, blow them away with the divine winds, or crush them all with a mighty earthquake.

Each power has a recharge time which means you have to use them sparingly and as best as you can. The more powerful the power, the longer the recharge. The game becomes frantic tapping and sliding fairly quickly and I have had games lasting around 10-15 minutes so it’s not very time consuming to play. A couple a day and your finger might be a little sore 


In addition to the gameplay, Babel Rising also provides achievements and high scores through the hugely popular OpenFeint system. Social gaming is almost a given in the iPhone market and its nice to see such a great game including this functionality. I would have been very disappointed if it had been left out. Social gaming and achievements add so much more replay potential to any game that it’s hard to figure out why any game would do without it.


So in case it isn’t obvious already, I adore this little app. The premise is interesting, the game play is varied  and the interface simple and easy to learn. It doesn’t try to make anything complicated while presenting a game that will keep you coming back for more. The only flaw I could find with the game is the lack of stages or environments. Gameplay occurs in only one setting. Although I understand this is consistent with the mythology the game is built on, having differing stages or environments that can be selected or progressed to would be a nice addition to this already great game.

Babel Rising is a solid game that shouldn’t be overlooked. Playing God and unleashing your wraith has never been so much fun!


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Thursday, September 9, 2010

TV Series Review - Justified

I had been following the tv series "Justified" which just ended it's run on Star World, and I strongly recommend the program. The series, which starts Timothy Olyphant as a cowboy hat wearing no-nonsense US Marshall, is extremly entertaining in a laid back style that is Kentucky.

Olyphant plays US Marshall Raylan Givens, who is transferred back to his home state of Kentucky after shooting a drug kingpin in Miami (As Givens would say, it was Justified). There, he reports to his ex-trainer in the academy, father-figure Art Mullen (Nick Searcy) and have two side kicks  Rachel Brooks (Erica Tazel) and Jacob Pitts (Tim Gutterson).Unbeknowing to him, his ex-wife has also settled down in Lexington, Kentucky, where his office is based. To top off the complications, there is also the ex-love interest who happens to be a homicide defendant and a key witness for one of Given's cases.

Throughout the series, Marshall Givens tangles with the Crowders, a bunch of rednecks running the roost in Kentucky. The Crowders are also split into two factions, one led by father Bo and the other by son Boyd. There is also the small matter of Given's father Arlo, who happens to be another hustler serving time.

This series is adapted from the Elmore Leonard short story and runs for 13 episodes in the first season. It has since been renewed for the second season.
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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Iphone App Review - Astraware Casino

Casino and card games usually sell very well for mobile applications but not many are worth the money. The apps usually under perform and do not make for enduring gameplay. However, this may change with the Astraware Casino app.

Although the app suffers from the same lacklustre graphics and ultra simplistic gameplay, what it does have is the variety. In finding a casino game worth purchasing on iTunes, this app is my pick for the many games that you would probably be familiar should you have visited a casino before.

The app not only covers traditional games like Blackjack, Baccarat,  Craps, Slots, Roulette but includes the more popular games found in casinos: Three Card Poker, Texas Hold Em, Video Poker, Keno and Horse Racing.

Standard gaming rules and payout apply in this app, and if you run our of money, just go to the bank for an overdraft.

Although there are tons of casino/card games around in the App Store, i definitely recommend this app for the sheer value for money benefit. It's 10 games in 1 app. what more can you ask for!


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Sunday, September 5, 2010

Album Review - Kylie Minoque's Aphrodite

After more than 20 years at the top of the music scene, Kylie Minogue shows no sign of slowing down. And why should she? With the new album, Aphrodite, her 11th to date, features her signature dance tunes capable of matching any from Lady Gaga or Katy Perry.

For this album, Kylie worked with top notch producers such as Stuart Price, Calvin Harris and Nervo and the result is spectacular. The first single, All the Lovers, a definite hit on the club floors, is a sweet, fizzy pop tunes much similar to her previous hits. Others that will bring out your dancing shoes are the party piece Put Your Hands Up, Get out of the Way, and the disco inspired piece, Too Much. For this album, she also includes several more mellow numbers namely Everything is Beautiful, a real gem of a piece that explores her own phsyche after her battle with breast cancer.

I have been a fan of Kylie's since the days of the first hit, I should be so lucky, all those years ago (kinda gives away my age here) and she does not dissapoint me at all with this album. Her seamless transition from pop princess to matured diva definitely ensures her place in the music world for years to come.
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Friday, September 3, 2010

Iphone App Review - Remind Me


If you are like me and have a very forgetful mind, then this app is definitely one for keeps. It’s an app to remind you of whatever that you need remind off, be it a shopping list, to do item and the like.

Once you enter the app, you can start to fill in the index cards which is the place where you put in the information that you are trying to remember. There are 6 different background designs and 8 different note styles for you to choose from as your index card. Once you have finished customizing your index card, just save it, go to settings, choose the new wallpaper and voila you have your reminder sitting on your iphone. Everytime you look at your phone, you will be reminded of your item.

I find this app extremely useful and worth the $0.99 that you are going to pay for it.
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Thursday, September 2, 2010

I have always like Neil Humphrey's writing ever since he published his first book ‘Notes from a small island” where wrote about the travails in his transplanted home of Singapore. Now with “Match Fixer”, Humphrey’s take a dig at the world of Asian football and the disease that has plagued the game in many Asian countries: match fixing.

The story follows Chris Osborne, a former West Ham player as he plies his trade in the Singapore Professional Football League, the S-League and how he gets caught up in a web of bookies, karaoke lounges , drugs and a host of seedy characters.
Humphrey’s in-depth knowledge of underbelly of Singapore and the way of life in this city state makes the novel an entertaining read. His observations from his stay in Singapore gives the story a local flavor without overdoing it and alienating readers not familiar with the culture or country.

There are very few books on Asian football and you can hardly find one that touches on match fixing so this book is both enlightening and educational. This book is a must read anyone who likes football in particular the Asian football fan.


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Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Game Review - Mafia 2

Mafia II ‘s story follows Vita Scarletta, an Italian American (is there any other) youth trying to climb the ranks of the mob after returning from the Second World War. The plots take place in Empire City, an obvious replica of New York and spans 2 decades in our protagonist’s life in organized crime.
The game seemed very real and when playing, you really feel like you are in a movie ala “Mobsters” or the “Godfather Trilogy”. The cut screen presentation is absolutely flawless and captures the mood of the plot and the city realistically. The inclusion of period music from that era for added authenticity is also a nice touch.
Now on to game play, missions run consecutively in a rigid storyline so exploring the open world will not gain you anything other than adding time to your mission. As this is an open world situation similar to GTA, I would have thought a certain amount of incentive for self exploration would be a nice addition.
Similar to its predecessor, Mafia II is a combination of driving, shooting and hand to hand combat. The stages are not repetitive and can be fun with good mechanics and nice design. However, these missions are pretty easy to complete and you should be done with the game in about 15 hours max.
There is one thing that irks me about the game and it is the main character. Vito seem a bit staid and does not possess the character of a wise guy. Again I had hoped that the developers injected some humor and presence to this character. Maybe for the next one.
All in all, playing this game brings you into the world of the Italian mob in America, and your experience although short, will be and engaging one.
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