The Asus Eee PC’s designer seashell edition from the Karim Rashid collection was created for women who appreciate aesthetics and are into designer gadgets. At just one inch thick and weighing 1.1kg, the netbook is encased in a techno-chic organic “digi-wave” rippling design, which comes in Hot Pink and Coffee Brown.

The netbook has a 10.1-inch frameless LED backlight screen, with a resolution of 1 024 x 600 pixels, which is ideal for a portable mobile work solution. Dimensions are 262mm (W) x 180mm (D) x 26.2mm (H). All models come with Windows 7 Starter edition.

What makes this netbook easy on the eye is that all the ports are neatly hidden in the chassis. To the left, you will find a VGA out, 1 x USB and a card reader (MMC/SD); to the right, a 1 x LAN, 2 x audio jacks (mic-in and headphone) and an additional USB, all conveniently tucked away. At the base is the mini VGA out cable. The stereo speakers are located at the bottom too, which might not have been the best idea, as sound is muffled.

Additionally, the netbook has a 1.3-megapixel camera, wireless LAN and Bluetooth. Connecting wirelessly to the internet and working with e-mail should yield about 3.5 hours. That’s only slightly better than the 900 series.

The keyboard is a decent size but the spaces between keys could have been eliminated for a more flowing feel. The unit has a matte finish, which is completely fingerprint-resistant – a definite plus.

The netbook ships with Intel’s second generation Atom N450 processor and when combined with Asus’ Super Hybrid Engine (SHE), which reduces energy consumption, battery life is extended. The battery is also removable, unlike the 1008HA model.

The 1008P Seashell Karim Rashid Eee PC is definitely not a netbook for the average student or for someone looking for a portable mobile work solution. It is more suited to a fashionista.

Written for Digital Life April / May 2010.

Nintendo’s most successful game for two decades was Super Mario Bros., which was outsold in 2009 by Wii Sports. Easily one of the most recognisable characters in gaming history, Nintendo’s mascot Mario is back.

In the latest game to be released in the franchise, New Super Mario Bros. Wii (NSMB) proves to be challenging, hours of fun, and lets up to four players play at once. To highlight how special the title is considered, it is boxed in a red casing; it’s thus one of only two games ever to come in a non-white casing.

The storyline needs no introduction to die-hard fans. Princess Peach is kidnapped by Bowser on her birthday, leaving Mario, Luigi and the Toads to rescue her, passing through different levels and worlds, all while collecting coins along the way.

Most notable are the 2.5D effects. The game is in 2D, while some characters and objects are displayed in 3D, which is rendered on a 2D background, resulting in a 2.5D effect.

Players can choose to play as Mario, Luigi or one of the two Toad characters. Player 1 is always Mario in multiplayer mode, and if a character dies, he will re-emerge in a bubble and can be freed if any other player touches the bubble. NSMB includes Nintendo’s new ‘super guide’ feature, which guides a player through a level, after said player has failed eight consecutive times; this feature will probably attract new fans.

Game control on the Wii is no different to the original games, with the option to connect the Nunchuck for analog stick control. It might be easier playing with the Wii remote alone, held horizontally. The remote has to be shaken to launch spin attacks or pick up objects.

Power-ups from the old games are still in place, with the addition of new ones, such as the Ice Flower, which freezes enemies, and the Penguin Suit, which lets you throw ice balls and swim easily.

The game can be finished quickly but with hidden stages and alternate routes, it will keep you coming back for more. It’s a must for die-hard fans and all Wii enthusiasts.

Written for Digital Life April / May 2010.

Spore, one of the most popular PC titles of 2008, has finally made its way to the Wii. The spin-off, called Spore Hero, is similar to the PC game but has been adapted for a younger audience.

Spore Hero allows players to create their hero, while the main objective is to save their world from destruction. You can custom-design the creature, which then evolves as the game progresses. While the PC game has a vast number of galaxies, the Wii has a set storyline that you have to pretty much follow without straying too much.

Once you hatch, you appear in the simplest form – as a ball with legs, and not much else to customise yourself. As you progress, more body parts will become available to you, which can be changed when you get back to the nest or other nests you come across. The first body part you will add is a mouth, as this will allow you to eat fruit in order to maintain your health. The interface is user-friendly and highlights new parts and talents to add to the creature.

Continue the quest by befriending locals as they help you complete the mission. When encountering another creature, you have the option to socialise with them or engage in combat. A quest log keeps track of all current and completed missions.

The game is engaging mostly because of the little rewards you earn as you go along, which is motivation enough to carry on playing.

Written for Digital Life Feb / March 2010.

Wii Fit Plus is an enhanced version of the extremely popular Wii Fit, which is the second best-selling game (not bundled with a console) in gaming history. The title can be purchased individually or together with a Wii Balance Board.

The game features all activities from its predecessor as well as 15 new balance games and six new strength-training and yoga activities.

Some new features thrown in include a calorie counter, the option to create a custom fitness plan as well as creating a profile for your pet.

You will notice ‘My Wii Fit Plus’ once you log into your profile, which allows for customising a fitness plan. There’s the option of the Wii Fit Plus Routines, My Routines and Favourites. My Routines lets you personalise a workout to include favourite games and exercises while Favourites just displays the frequent, recent and rarely played activities.

In here, you can also check the calorie count for all meals and see how many calories are being burned as each activity has a MET count. The more intense the activity, the higher the MET count, e.g. Super Hula equates to 4 METS. To calculate calories burned, use the following formula: MET x your weight x time spent on activity x 1.05 = calories burned.

New games can be found under Training Plus, like Snowball Fight, Rhythm Kung Fu and Obstacle Course, all of which should keep you entertained for quite some time. Slightly advanced ‘Plus’ games include Table Tilt, Balance Bubble and Jogging.

The Wii Fit Plus is definitely worth buying if you’re serious about burning those calories or staying fit in front of the TV. Of course, this has to be coupled with a healthy eating plan.

Written for Digital Life Feb / March 2010.

The HTC Hero is not as pretty as its predecessor, the HTC Magic. It has a chin that juts out, which isn’t as noticeable when in use. It weighs 135g, has dimensions of 112×56.2×14.35mm, which isn’t too big or too small and a decent screen size of 3.2 inches.

It’s the first Android-based handset to offer multi-touch capability, support Adobe Flash and offer the HTC Sense experience, which is more of a design experience that allows the user to customise the look and feel of their phone.

The Hero is widget-ready, and offers seven customisable home screens. In essence, the phone is pretty much useless without being connected to the internet. This handset was definitely made with the business person in mind and would be most cost-effective if taken out on a contract, with a data bundle.

From a consumer and prepaid point of view, having seven home screens is a bit ambitious. If on prepaid and using the Hero, your credit will be sapped faster than international bandwidth on a Friday night. Within two days, R60 worth of credit was gone. The weather on the main home screen updates in real time, automatically, which was probably the cause of it depleting so quickly.

Setting up Google accounts like Gmail, Gtalk and Calendar is fairly straightforward. Switch the phone on for the first time, and you’re prompted to log into various accounts ranging from personal e-mail to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

There’s also one-touch access to the Android Marketplace that has loads of free downloadable content, ranging from useful applications like Facebook, WikiMobile and YouTube, to rather pointless ones like an LED Scroller, DailyHoroscope and Pull My Finger.

With most smartphones, battery life is an issue. The HTC Hero just about lasts the day. It makes a huge difference logging out of applications that aren’t necessary from a cellphone, like your IM client.

SPECIFICATIONS
Screen: 3.2 inches (81mm), 320×480 pixels
OS: Android 1.5 with HTC Sense
RAM: 288MB
ROM: 512MB
Memory: expandable MicroSD (in the box)
Camera: 5MP with autofocus
Connectivity: WiFi, Bluetooth, HSDPA, 3G

Written for Digital Life January 2010.

You might think twice about buying the metallic pink Sony Vaio netbook, especially if you prefer regular (non-girly) gadgets. The very feminine Vaio W Series is Sony’s attempt at breaking into the netbook market. Thankfully, the netbook is also available in brown and white.

Carrying the device around is no hassle, as it’s lightweight at 1.19kg. With dimensions of 179.6mm x 32.4mm x 267.8mm, it could easily fit into a big handbag. The netbook has a smooth finish, with rounded edges, giving it a stylish look.

It comes standard with Windows XP, wireless, webcam and microphone and VGA Out. What we really liked about it is the crisp 10.1-inch LED-backlit screen with a 1 366 x 768 resolution. This netbook, unfortunately, does not support high definition playback. We were disappointed by the quality of the sound from the built-in speakers, located beneath the keypad. A set of portable speakers or earphones on hand will make listening to audio more bearable.

The battery life was also disappointing, to say the least. If planning on working remotely at a coffee shop, make sure there is a plug point nearby because connecting wirelessly and surfing the internet provides about two hours, 15 minutes. The keyboard size is ideal if you don’t have very large fingers and keys are neatly spaced out. The right Shift key is smaller than the left; chances are you might miss it and hit Up instead.

The netbook comes with a VGA Out, memory stick and SD card slots, and only two USB slots. Connectivity options include integrated wireless LAN, Bluetooth and Ethernet.

While the Sony Vaio W Series may not be the best netbook on the market, it will appeal to the younger generation, especially fashion-conscious ladies.

SPEC BOX
Processor: 1.66GHz Intel Atom
Display: 10.1-inch WXGA
Screen resolution: 1 366 x 768
Weight: 1.19kg
Memory: 1GB
Storage: 160GB
OS: Windows XP Home
Connectivity: WLAN, ethernet, Bluetooth

Written for Digital Life, September / October 2009.

Wii Sports Resort is the sequel to Wii Sports, Nintendo’s launch title, which came bundled with all Wii consoles in South Africa.

The game takes place on Wuhu Island, with 12 activities available for play: archery, frisbee, basketball, cycling, canoeing, power cruising, table tennis, air sports, bowling, swordplay, golf and wakeboarding.

Each game has its own variation and multiple levels of difficulty, which are unlockable. One remote can be used for up to four players in all games except canoeing, where a remote is required for each player.

For the Wii Motion Plus, an expansion to the Wii remote is provided, for more accurate gameplay. The sensor on the Motion Plus enhances the accelerometer and sensor bar on the Wii remote, which depicts identical movements on-screen and in real-time. Movements during swordplay may cause the Wii remote to lose synchronisation with the Wii Motion Plus.

The most enjoyable and truly challenging game is undoubtedly archery, which provides hours of fun. The Wii remote is used as a bow while the Nunchuck is used for drawing. Starting at beginner mode, gamers will end up playing until they reach expert level, it’s that addictive!

One-on-one basketball is fast-paced as there’s just one minute to shoot the most hoops. It’s a little tricky initially, but once you get the hang of it, it will leave you wanting to top your previous score.

Wakeboarding is fun at the beginning, but once all the tricks have been figured out, interest is lost. Of course, it’s nothing like wakeboarding in real life. The least exciting game – maybe not surprisingly – is bowling.

Wii Sports Resort comes nowhere near the Wii Fit, one of Nintendo’s best-selling titles. Unlike the Wii Fit, Wii Sports Resort cannot be played over and over. It’s only exciting in the beginning of each of the various levels of difficulty. Once they’ve been mastered, the game quickly loses its appeal.

Written for Digital Life, September / October 2009.

The Lenovo ThinkPad SL300 is somewhat chunky for a small, entry-level small business notebook. It’s an effort to lug around, weighing in at 2.1kg. The screen is 13.3-inches, which is a decent enough size to watch movies or for some casual gaming. It handles high-definition movies beautifully in full screen mode. Unfortunately, this particular model does not come with an anti-glare screen.

The one thing we couldn’t get around to was adjusting to the keyboard layout. It took us a while to figure out the ‘@’ sign was actually above the key as the number 2, although indicated with a “. The keys are fairly large and the user might end up hitting the wrong key every now and then.

Battery life on the SL300 is average. Using it for basic browsing (while connected to the internet wirelessly), occasionally watching the odd Youtube videos and listening to music yields about three hours. If used solely for email and internet, it should last longer. The notebook comes standard with three USB ports, an Ethernet jack and a FireWire port. There’s also an SD/MMC memory card reader, webcam, a VGA output and an HDMI port, making it ideal for connecting an external monitor or projector for business presentations. The built-in stereo speakers offer good sound, again ideal for presentations.

As far as connectivity goes, it has WLAN, Ethernet, Bluetooth and optional 3G/HSDPA. Connecting to the internet on our home network proved to be a little challenging. The notebook picks up wireless networks within range but drops a short while later and displays the message that no connections are available. That’s a major setback if working at public hotspots or connect wirelessly within the office environment. Security shouldn’t be an issue as the notebook comes integrated with a finger print reader, located at the bottom right.

In Summary
Digital Life says: not impressed, better business notebooks available.
Plus: watching high-def movies.
Minus: awkward keyboard, irregular connectivity, too heavy.
Contact: Lenovo – 011 911 2000
Price: RRP R11 999

Specifications
Processor: 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Screen: 13.3″ WXGA (16:9 ratio)
Dimension: 12.5″ width x 9.4″ depth x 1.5″ height
Resolution: 1280 x 800
Memory: 2GB
Storage: 160GB
OS: Windows Vista Home Premium
Connectivity: WLAN, Ethernet, Bluetooth

Written for Digital Life magazine, Aug-Sep 2009

Unless you’ve run out of Wii games to play, you won’t be rushing out to buy this title. I found this game such a chore to play. Perhaps it was the freaky-looking creepy crawlies that were off-putting or maybe it had something to do with me being female. Whatever the reason, I didn’t enjoy it.

To start playing Deadly Creatures, you have to select what you want to start off play as, a scorpion or a tarantula. Each of these creatures has different fighting styles. The tarantula is quick but vulnerable and cannot block attacks while the scorpion is slower, packs more punch and has an advantage of brutal finishing moves but isn’t as agile as the tarantula. Once you’re done with your selection, all you have to do now is start fighting insects, spiders and reptiles. And they’re not pretty looking, so consider yourself warned.

Gameplay requires the use of both the Wii remote and the Nunchuck. The Wii remote is used to attack and the Nunchuck is used for movement. The game has ten stages which alternate between the tarantula and the scorpion. In other words, there are five scorpion stages and five tarantula stages. Each stage has multiple goals, like getting to a specific location or exploring a certain area. Every time you complete a goal, the next one pops up. You are tasked with completing goals by using the character’s abilities. The scorpion, for example, is able to cut through grass and reach new areas, while the tarantula is able to jump through webs, something the scorpion can’t do.

There is a story to the game, but it seems a bit pointless as the main focus of Deadly Creatures is engaging in brutal combat. If you think you can play a game like this for hours on end, then by all means go out and get it. But, it’s not a fun, family-oriented game that everyone can participate in and certainly cannot be played over and over.

Written for: Digital Life

Nintendo has gone all out in their latest instalment of the Super Smash Bros. franchise with Super Smash Bros. Brawl. This much-anticipated title has finally reached our shores and the good news is that the Brawl roster boasts a remarkable 35 playable characters, of which 14 have to be unlocked. New characters that fans would love to see squaring off against each other are Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog, Metal Gear’s Solid Snake and Diddy Kong from Donkey Kong.

There are initially 29 stages available for play, with 12 more needing to be unlocked. The stages vary and may take place on floating islands, battleships and roofs. Playable stages are based on games like Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros and Mario Kart DS, which gives the player a sense of familiarity. Players have to make sure they don’t fall off the platform during battle, which will result in a KO or loss of a life.

During combat, items will be made available on the field for the first player who picks them up. These include containers, battering & shooting items, and performance & recovery items. Familiar items can be found, like the fire flower, which allows you to spit fire, and the super mushroom, which makes your character bigger.

Sticking to one character has its advantages as you become familiar with their strengths and weaknesses, while slowly building the character. This ultimately gives you an advantage if you play against your mates.

Fans will love the introduction of the ability to play online with friends, family or even strangers worldwide with up to four players via Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection.

Players are given the option to chat to each other and share screen shots or replays.

A Spectator mode is available and allows you to bet on an existing match using your coins earned from battle. The winner earns all coins wagered.

Once you’re familiar with the way the controls work, you are ready to play. The Wii remote is held horizontally, which may be confusing at first. Depending on your preference, the Nunchuck can also be used with the Wii remote. Playing extensively using the Wii remote (minus the Nunchuck) may result in very sore thumbs, which you will soon discover.

Who says gaming has to be anti-social? Invite your friends over for a competitive, action-packed, fun-filled evening of Nintendo goodness.

Written for Digital Life – Nov 2008