Windows Vista released to Businesses

Today Microsoft released the business version of its new OS, Windows Vista. This is the first major OS update from M$ since Windows XP came out, so it’s been pretty widely anticipated. Vista sports a new look for windows, called Aero, and a lot of other cool features. Nobody I know is planning on upgrading just yet, and not just because the home and ultimate editions won’t be released until January 30th. I only have one friend saving to buy Vista, but everyone else I know just doesn’t care.

And don’t look at me, I’m happy with OS X.

Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny

I recently saw The Pick of Destiny with a bunch of friends, and I must say I was actually slightly disappointed. I’m a huge fan of Jack Black and his band Tenacious D, but the movie was just not as good as I had hoped it would be. I really liked the beginning and the rock training, but after they officially form and name the band (I love the ass mark scene) there are very few good parts, the highlights being the shroom scene and the break-in. The duel with Satan was great, and the very end was awesome if you liked the song Tribute, which I did. The drama about their breakup and getting back together seemed like drama for drama’s sake, and didn’t add to the story at all, same with the car chase.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a great movie. It just didn’t accomplish what I expected of it.

Happy Gobblz!

Happy Turkeyday, my friends! :D I’m in Connecticut with my extended family until saturday, but I’ve got my computer and a WiFi connection, so I might post about the Tenacious D movie I saw yesterday… ’twas awesome. ;)

Updated Release Stuff

I’ve updated my various Maj Release galleries, plus I added a Wii gallery, you can check them out here:

• PS3 Gallery
• Zune Gallery
• Wii Gallery

And I added more footage for the PS3 and Zune over at Youtube:

Enjoy!

Wii Release

Today Nintendo released the Wii, their fifth generation video game console, and the final console in the current generation lineup. Best Buy didn’t have one on display (apparently their demo kiosk was broken or something), so I didn’t get to try one out. I did get some photos of the game rack and the Legend Of Zelda: The Twilight Princess box. Oh well, a bit disappointing. Speaking of which, the console’s specs are a tad on the low side, but the $250 price tag looks mighty fine next to the PS3’s $500 minimum.

The Wii’s claim to fame is its revolutionary controller design. It is based (I don’t know why I’m saying this, if you are interested in this you already know this) on a TV remote, but is completely motion-sensitive. There’s a “sensor bar” which is placed on top of your TV, and it can detect where all the Wii controllers (or “Wiimotes”, as they’ve been dubbed) are at once. They also have force feedback and a built-in speaker, which is pretty cool, plus it’s extendable (with extensions like the “nunchuck,” a joystick held in the left hand which is connected by a wire to the wiimote).

Well, I’ll post more (and pix) when I get a chance to play one myself. :) Happy gaming to those of you who got one!

Casino Royale Released

I went and saw the new Bond movie today, and despite the fact that it had a new actor as Bond, and payed no attention to some of the classic traditions of the Bond films, it was pretty good.

First of all, it doesn’t start with the revolver barrel-POV-shot like every single other Bond movie does, but it does explain where that actually comes from about 3 minutes into the movie, and then it shows it, so that tradition is partially upheld.

The second tradition smashed is the usage of the Bond Song. You know the one I mean. It’s used twice in the whole movie, at the very beginning and very end. Not cool, man. Not cool. That song needs to be weaved in every time Bond does something kickass.

The third tradition is the Girls. There are 2 girls in the whole movie (average number, yes), but one is a serious relationship (not that I’m promoting objectifying women or anything) and the other dies less than halfway through the movie. Actually, they both…nah, that’s a spoiler! :D But anyway, there’s very little action on the shallow-minded romantic front, which is a main theme of the Bond movies.

I must give them credit for the kick-ass parkour-style chase scene at the beginning. That ruled.

Oh and destroying that AM was not cool, guys. It did not deserve that death…

PlayStation 3 Release

Today, Sony’s third generation video game console was released. And what a beast it is. I went to Best Buy to try it out, and got some pictures and a video.

Let me just say this. Wow. And I mean that totally sincerely. Wow. I expected it to be amazing (well, with a $500 core model and $600 full, it pretty much has to be), but this is ridiculous. The graphical quality is freakin’ amazing. It looks insanely photorealistic. The images it produces on the fly are like images pre-rendered by Pixar or something. I feel like I’m preaching here, but I really believe this stuff.

The new controller design (as in, redesigned l2/r2 buttons) is awesome. I really like the trigger-style buttons. They move much faster and more fluidly.

I took some photos of it at Best Buy, go to this gallery to check ‘em out.

And here’s the video I took (pardon the quality, youtube ruins movies…):

(check out this photo for an idea of what the footage actually looked like)