The Nokia Lumia is designed to attract new fans to the Windows Phone ecosystem, and one of its key targets is gamers.
2011 has been the year when smartphone gamers have been able to pick from a wide selection of large-screened devices to make it easier to play games in greater detail in sharp focus. As a Windows Phone, the Nokia Lumia also has greater integration with Microsoft products; Xbox Live support makes it easier for gamers to pick up a game on their console and then their phone, or to check their status remotely when away from their Xbox.
Two of the most popular games so far for the device are Jet Car Stunts and Burn the Rope.
Jet car Stunts comes with 3D graphics, perfectly utilizing the AMOLED screen with 800 x 480 pixels and the ClearBlack technology reducing reflection glare. With a fast 1.4 GHz processor and 512 MB of memory, the device is more than capable of keeping gameplay speedy.
The 3D graphic accelerator is put to good use as well in Jet Car Stunts. With colourful tracks, which increase in difficulty the more your progress riders jump through hoops, leap over divides and ramps using 3D graphics to enhance gameplay and the experience. The handset is held like a steering wheel so users tips and turn to navigate the tracks. To speed up or slow down there are large buttons on the screen that only needs users to move their thumbs while playing. The game is available at the Windows Phone Marketplace for $2.99
Burn The Rope again utilizes the Lumia’s fast processor to incorporate movement of the device into gameplay. The aim of the game is to set fire to a rope and then twist and turn the phone to guide the flame until the rope has burnt away. The flame has to be directed upwards so while it may sound simple the phone needs to be tilted to make sure the flame is heading the right way, or it will burn out. The path of the flame gets faster and more intricate as users pass through the different levels. The game is available from the Marketplace for $2.99.
The speedy processor and screen resolution, along with the 3D capability means the Lumia 800 has a real potential for the gaming market. The new device marks the first delivered in the new partnership between Nokia and Microsoft, suggesting a desire to make a greater splash in the smartphone market. Whereas the App Store and the Android marketplace have made a big splash in encouraging gamers to turn off their console and instead play on their smartphone, Windows Phone has not had a similar appeal. Some critics blame this on a limited number of apps in the Windows Phone Marketplace but it could be more to do with a focus on the Xbox as one of the main Microsoft gadgets on the market. The interactivity and integration between the Nokia and the Xbox suggests this is definitely a target market for the Windows Phone. Their existing dominance in the gaming market, and the appeal they already garner amongst gaming fans, suggests Apple and Android may well be looking over their shoulder.
Simon writes on behalf of Best Mobile Contracts, the UK’s leading mobile phone comparison website, where you can find the cheapest mobile phone contracts for the new Nokia Lumia.
Just when you thought all the weird stuff came from Japan. UK company Captive Media has unveiled a video game console that installs above a modified urinal with sensors that you use to control the action of the game with your stream. See it for yourself in the video below.
One thought here is that the video games will help guys with their aim, but I think it make work in the opposite way. Just one of the games offered is a skiing game, and my video game skiing history tells me that might involve a lot of flailing left and right. I’d hate to be the person who has to clean the bathrooms at those pubs. To be fair, the games they use seem to be calibrated more to their need, which may alleviate some of my concern. Perhaps more effective – though arguably less fun – are products like the Urinal Fly which have been out for some time.
Stranger, still, you can post your scores to Twitter via the Captive Games Twitter account. I’m guessing the logistics behind inputting your own Twitter username and password were a bit much.
I’m not sure if this urinal video game console is a good or bad idea. What do you think?
What do you do with your games when you’ve beaten them or you upgrade to a different console? In the past, I’ve found myself making my way up to the game shop to get their trade-in value or sometimes have my older games turned away completely. Then there’s eBay, where I’ve been known to take my chances on it selling at all. But now I’ve found a new way to sell old games. Some ex-eBay employees have harnessed their knowledge about online markets and user experience into Glyde, a site made specifically for buying and selling things like your games.
Sell Old Games Online
Glyde’s selling process is a little different from what I’m used to. To sell your old video games, you just have to start typing in the name of a game, select it when Glyde finds it for you, and click the Sell button. Then you tell Glyde the condition of your game and it will auto-set the market price for you. You can raise or lower the price and then list the item. Although you have to fill out some required information for your first listing, the process is a lot faster and easier than most sites.
To review this site, I figured the best thing to do would be to create an account and start selling. In a test scenario where I might sell the Halo 2 XBOX game in Excellent condition gave me a suggested selling price of $2.25. After the $0.27 transaction fee and $1.25 mailer cost, the total money made from the sale comes out to $0.73. My first thought was that this seems like a pretty low price to let go of my game for. Despite it being an older game, I found it to be a bit low compared to other online shopping sources, as well. I next checked out how much I’d get for Halo Reach, which fell a lot more in line with the average selling price on other sites at $11.51 after fees.
The thing that I found most appealing about the selling process is the shipping procedure. Once someone has purchased your game, Glyde sends you a pre-addressed mailing envelope to ship your game in. All you have to do is pop it back in the mail and you’re done. This is a vast convenience over the way I have to ship things I sell elsewhere, which usually includes a lunch hour wasted at the post office.
Buy and Sell Anything Online
While Glyde may be well-suited for selling old games, you can buy, too, and they don’t stop at just games. I found the iPad, iPhone, Nook, Kindle, and even books. The selling process is pretty similar throughout, but the questions displayed on the selling page are geared towards what you’re selling. When selling an iPhone, for example, you’re asked about if it works and the amount of scratches on it. With a game, you’re asked more generally about the condition of the game.
Buying is pretty straight forward, but the feature that stands out is that Glyde shows you the item that is closest and cheapest for your search. This seems like it would be a no-brainer, but sadly, eBay, Amazon, and Google don’t default to such a listing. In addition, I like that the packaging isn’t suspect to the whim of the seller. You can pretty well expect your item to be delivered in what Glyde deems adequate packaging.
Conclusions
Where Glyde may occasionally fall short in seller earnings on a sale, it doubles up on convenience and ease of use over all. The shipping system stands out in a way that promises to quietly eliminate the usual shipping concerns most buyers and sellers face on other platforms. Personally, I will definitely look to Glyde when it comes time to sell games or some of the books I have sitting around here.
Although the preceding was a sponsored review, as always I strive to provide an honest opinion of the product or site reviewed.
I’ve had a lot of fun reviewing RC toys in the past, and the Swann Micro Hornet R/C helicopter I received was no exception. From what’s in the box to price to how easy it is to fly, I’ll introduce you to one of my newest toys in this review.
When I opened up the packaging, I found the Micro Hornet, a remote control unit, a spare set of main rotor blades, and a screwdriver to open up the battery compartment on the remote control. I like when the manufacturer includes that little screwdriver. It’s just enough to get the job done and I hate getting all excited about a toy, opening it up, and then having to hunt around for tools first. The helicopter came fully assembled and just needed a quick charge (about 30 minutes) to get up in the air. These small indoor helicopters charge pretty quickly but only give you about five to eight minutes of flying time on a charge. For anything else, that might be a problem, but for a beginner toy like this, five minutes is just about enough time for a little practice session. Also in the box was a USB charging cable so you don’t have to use up the batteries in the controller between flights and, of course, the user’s manual.
How To Fly The Hornet
If you’ve never flown an R/C helicopter before, the idea of it can be a bit menacing, even for an easy one like this. Unlike R/C cars, you’re in the air, untethered. If you mess up, it could crash to the ground, smashing into bits. That’s what I thought, anyway. When I got it in the air, it wasn’t long before it came back down, a few times, but took no damage at all. This durable little helicopter took a few falls from me. It was also easier to maneuver than other R/C choppers I piloted. Like every helicopter I’ve flown, steering is the easy part and the hard part is applying just the right amount of finesse to the controls to keep from hitting the ceiling without plummeting to the ground. It only took a few practices to get that down, though. The controls on this were more complicated than other R/C helicopters, offering movement in six directions: up, down, forward, backward, left, right. The additional control took a little longer to get comfortable with, but ultimately made smooth flight easier to accomplish.
Specifications
Rotor Diameter – 4.5″ / 115mm
Dimensions – 5.5″ x 4.5″ x 2.75″ (Including rotors)
Weight – 0.53 oz / 15g (Helicoptor only)
Helicopter Battery – Built-in 3.7V 130mAh Li-poly
Remote Control – Infrared
Remote Control Batteries – 6 x AA
Conclusions
Priced around $35-$50, the Swann Micro Hornet is a great entry level R/C helicopter for anyone who has ever wanted to try flying one. It’s tiny enough to fly in a small room comfortably but offers all the controls to get smooth flying down to an art. You’ll need to pick up a 6 pack of batteries before you can have any fun, though. This helicopter is priced higher than the last one I reviewed, but seemed a bit more durable and includes more advanced controls. If you don’t mind paying a little more, you’ll get what you pay for with the Micro Hornet.
