Sony Cybershot, Olympus mju1040 Crystal, Panasonic DMC-G1

Fashionable cameras

There's an unwritten rule book on cameras that states that cameras must either be silver or black, until recently that is.

Sony started the move towards more fashionable cameras with its Cybershot range. Even Panasonic has experimented with red, blue and a safe black for its DMC-G1 dSLR with matching lenses.







Olympus caught on the trend with the mju1040 compact, sporting a multitude of colours from silver, red, yellow, black and recently, a crystal over black by partnering with Swarovsky on its mju1040 Crystal. It's not exactly diamonds, but does look the part.

The mju1040 Crystal decked in midnight black has an arrangement of 98 Swarovski crystals on the slider.

WORLD OF GOO, ART STYLE:ORBIENT,TETRIS PARTY,MABOSHI'S ARCADE, STRONG BAD'S COOL GAME FOR ATTRACTIVE PEOPLE

PUZZLE GAMES THRIVE ON WiiWare

When Nintendo started its WiiWare download service last May, the range of its original games was laudable, with the action, puzzle, strategy and stimulation genres all represented. The games themselves weren't all that great, but the promise was there.

Eight months later, the WiiWare library has over 60 titles, some first-rate, some mediocre and some just awful. It's a decent selection, particularly if you like puzzle games, which comprise over a third of the offerings.


WiiWare still trails both Microsoft's Xbox Live and Sony's Playstation Network as fas as original games are concerned. And the Wii hardware creates another issue : It's limited memory means that you can only store four or five games on its hard drive.

Here are some of the highlights of WiiWare's first eight months.

• Worlds of Goo (2D Boy, US$15/RM55)

This independently developed gem is by far the most buzzed-about game on WiiWare. It's a puzzle game whose "characters" are a bunch of suprisingly endearing blobs of black oil, and the challenge of each level is to guide them to an inconveniently placed pipeline.

You can manipulate the blobs to form towers and bridges, but the structures are wobbly and all too prone to collapse. Many of the levels appear impossible until you figure out the physics of the goo balls, and it's rewarding when you reach one of those seemingly unreachable goals.

• Art Style : Orbient (Nintendo US$6)

There are three Art Style games on WiiWare, all featuring minimalist of graphics and mellow soundtracks. Orbient is the most addictive of the three. You control a star moving across the galaxies; using gravity and anti-gravity, you can absorb stars, attract satellites or avoid black holes. Using only two buttons,it's simple yet challenging.

• Tetris Party (Tetris Online, US$12)

The latest version of the block-dropping classic adds two compelling new solo modes. In Shadow, you're given a sillhoutte, and you have to fill the space without letting blocks go beyond the edges.

And in Field Climber, you have to use the blocks to build a tower that a tiny animated man can climb.

Add online competition and the option to use the Wii Fit Balance Board and you have a keeper.

• Maboshi's Arcade (Nintendo, US$8)

Here are three simple-perhaps too simple -games based on geometric shapes. Three people can play three different games once, and what makes this arcades interesting is that actions in one game effect objects in the other two. It's a fascinating, if not entirely successful, experiment.

• Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People (Telltale, US$10 per episode)

This series, now up to five episodes, features characters from the beloved Homestar Runner web comic. The stories are very funny, and the pint-and-click puzzle solving will appeal to fans of the "graphic adventures" of the 1980s and 1990s.

TREO PRO Palm

USER-FRIENDLINESS MAKES IT STAND OUT

Some companies include a customised user interface sitting on top of the Windows Mobile operating system, but not Palm for its Trei Pro smartphone. INstead, you will see the regular Windows Mobile start page.

Surprisingly, this doesn't have to be considered as a drawback; this Palm can still stand out from the competition, and it lies in its user-friendliness. For example, I liked the convenience of being able to mute the sound and go online.

Probably the most frequently used buttons are the Ringer Switch at the top which made it easy to switch off all sounds, and the dedicated Wi-Fi button on the side which at just one push switches the Wi-Fi connection on (or off) and attempts to connect Wi-Fi network. So, going online is a quick and easy affair.

Another feature that I liked is, when in standby mode I can still see the time and date on the screen without having to make the screen brighter. And when there are missed calls or unread messages, an icon shows up.

Despite the lack of an alternative user interface and pre-installed software and applications are easy to find and equally fast to load up.

The overall design of the unit is also simple. It basically looks like a box with curvy edges and features a shiny piano finish for the body material. Below the 320-by-320-pixel display are the shortcut buttons: the Call button, shortcut keys for the Start Menu, Calendar and Message, and OK button, which also include closses an application.

In addition, there are two soft keys on the screen which lead to Contacts and the Web browser.

For navigation, the Treo Pro offers a few options. There is the regular five-way controller in between the shortcut buttons and a stylus for the touch-screen.

For input, there is also a Qwerty keypad, but its key are a tad small.

The volume button and speaker are on the side while the standard 3.5millimetre headset jack and microphone are at the bottom.

I found that I have to charge the battery every other day when used just for making calls and checking e-mail. When going online for a longer period of time, the battery had to be charged every day.

In terms of multimedia playback, it is average. The speakers are acceptable for a mobile phone. Then again, I could plug in standard headphones into the 3.5 mm jack for better sound.

The Treo Pro also offers a two-megapixel camera with 8x digital zoom, but, unfortunately, just average picture and video quality. You can change the picture size and quality and resolution, white balance, brightness, effects and metering mode as well as opt fopr either a two-second or 10s self-timer. You can also take videos and even a three-panel panoramic picture.

In a nutshell, although the Treo Pro does not have a customised homepage or software sitting on top of Windows Mobile 6.1, this doesn't put the device at a disadvantage.

Its easy-to-use interface and shortcut buttons and keys easily make up for the shortfall.

Sure, the battery life and keypad could have been better, but the device gets back to basics and takes care of what really matters - communication, going online at a push of a button, and fast access to the Web and e-mail.

THE CA-IP500 : Now You Can Dock iPod in car radio

PRE-IPOD, drivers who wanted to listen to music had little alternative to turning on their radio or manually inserting CDs (or cassette tapes) into a player. After Apple's music layer arrived, drivers who wanted to ditch those options for the iPod largely had to be content with an external iPod setup, complete with cords, brackets and other unwieldy arrangements.

Fusion Electronics has created an AM-FM car stereo, the CA-IP500, which also is an internal dock for your iPod. Once you've secured your iPod in the dock, the CA-ip500 lets you select songs, change the volume and generally control our device through an easy-to-read fully integrated iPod interface because of an organic LED display. Your iPod is being charged at the same time.

The CA-IP500 does not need an adapter sleeve to dock your iPod, but the sleeve comes in the package. It's compatible with the iPod Touch, classic and Nanos (a full list is on the company's Web site at fusioncaraudio.com), and is available for US$250 (RM875). The head unit is also comes with a detachable faceplateto fol would-be thieves.

THE ULTRA BACKUP USB FLASH DRIVE

Backing up computer files is important. But because of the cables, software downloads and clunky external drives involved, it's no wonder many users don't do it.

Of course, all it takes is one waterlogged laptop to make users wish for the day when they were smart enough to make a copy of their data. SanDisk, the make rof flash storage cards, has introduced what it hopes will be a more inviting solution.

Instead of cables, its Ultra Backup USB flash drive relies on a dedicated and clearly marked backup button. Press it and the job is done. The USB drive does the rest by searching your computer for the necessary updates.

In addition to its one-step backup, the drive offers to layers of protection for your files by using password-protected access control and Advanced Encryption Standard technology.

The Ultra Backup USB flash drive is available in models from eight gigabytes (US$40/RM140) to 64GB (US$200) and will be released in April -just in time for digital spring cleaning.

ACCESSORIES THAT ADD STYLE TO YOUR PHONE

You may have the latest and greatest phone of the moment, but it will only be regarded as a geeky tech gadget unless it is carried with style. Finnish phone maker Nokia understands this very well and it is reflected in the accessories the company has made available-though not in all parts of the world.

The Nokia Phone Jewellery Collection CP-313, for example, allows you to not only keep your device close to hand, but also add a personal touch with a collection of 14 fashionable jewellery accessories comprising ornamental chains or a sturdy unisex leather strap.

To add a dash of pizazz, check out the Carrying Case CP-249, which is termed by the company as a purse with personality. In a choice of dark pink or grey, it also includes an optional wrist strap.

Sports lovers can wear the Wrist Band CP-218 to keep trim and in touch. The cotton wristband holds most Nokia devices as you stay in shape. Listen to music, stay in touch, and when you're done put it through the wash with the rest of your kit. It is available in grey or black and white designs.

The availability of particular products, services and features may vary by region. Please check with your local Nokia dealer for further details. These spesifications are subject to change without notice.

CRAYON PHYSICS SEQUEL SHOWS MORE PROMISE

Crayon Physics, a video game something like a childhood daydream come to life, has gooten its eagerly awaited sequel.

The simplicity of the Crayon Physics Deluxe is reminiscent of Tetris and other abstract mass-appeal games.

Using a virtual crayon, the player mus guide a ball to a target, typically on the other side of some obstacles. The shapes the player draws behave like real-life objects, tumbling to the bottom of the screen and hopefully pushing the ball towards its goal.

There is more than one way to solve most of the levels, increasing the game's replay value. When players are tired of the puzzles that come with the game, they can use its intuitive "level editor" to create and even share their own.

Crayon Physiscs Deluxe builds on its predecessor with several new features, including pins that can be used to anchor swinging hammers and other items, and ropes for pulling objects.

A free demo version of the game is available for download for Windows users from crayonphysics.com. The full version, with more features and over 70 levels, is available for US$19.95 (RM70).

LUXURY SERIES - LG KF900 PRADA, MOTOROLA RAZR2 V8, ARMANI SAMSUNG

Over the years, Motorola cashed in on the various incarnation of the Razr, from the typical gold-plated and diamond-studded version to the celebrity-endorsed, AIDS-fighting Motorola Reds.

The Motorola Razr V8 Luxury Edition has 18K gold plating on the keys and hinge, as well as a snakeskin-feel on the back with a matching gold-coloured Motorola Bluetooth headset.

Not wanting to miss out on all action, the big names in the fashion industry tied up with phone manufactures, Armani tied up with Samsung while Prada with LG.

Save for the bold Armani branding on the sides and back, the Armani Samsung phone looks just like any other candybar phone on the market, while the LG KF900 Prada is currently in its second incarnation, dubbed the Prada II, that comes complete with matching Bluetooth wrist watch that allows you to monitor incoming phone calls as well as read entire SMS.

NOKIA 8800 SAPPHIRE ARTE

Nokia's first foray into the world of premium phones started out with the 8810 as an over-the-top chrome-plated slider phone which turned many users onto compulsive fingerprint cleaners !

The 8810 then evolved into the 8850 with a matt aluminium skin, the titanium-skinned 8910 and currently a brushed stainless steel of the 8800-series, available in multitude shades of black, grey and red, as well as polished glass, stainless steel and carbon fibre.

Nokia left nothing to chance, even the screen is made of a scratch-resistant sapphire-coated glass, while ringtones and wallpapers are designed by renowned composers and artists.

Some variations of the 8800-series include those made from titanium and carbon fibre. The innards, however, had left those who crave more technology wanting, as the 8800-series is a compromise between existing technology and size.

HP MINI VIVIENNE TAM EDITION

FASHION MEETS TECHNOLOGY



Launched weeks before Christmas last year but only available this month, I suspect HP and Vivienne Tam had other plans for the HP Mini 1001TY Vivienne Tam Edition, as it looks set for the Chinese New Year.

The entire notebook is cast in red while a peony decorates the lid, symbolising prosperity, good fortune and happiness. The New York-based fashion designer also dubbed the Mini as the new digital clutch.

Obviously, the Vivienne Tam Edition is for the ladies, but HP also has a black Mini 1001TU with spiralling silver prints on the cover for a matching Yin and Yang combo.

The difference between the 1001TU and 1000TU is that one comes with a 60GB hard drive while the later, a 16GB solid-state drive. The Vivienne Tam Edition Mini retails at Rm1,699.

POPULAR MP3 PLAYER MODELS

Music on the ego

Listening to the music on the go has never been easier with the introduction of MP3 formats many years ago. And with it comes portable MP3 players hat have now become part of our lives, and to some, it can even be as important as that of the credit card or even handphone, depending on what role music plays in your life.

While there are many brands out there, retailers say that local music lovers prefer players from established names such as Apple (iPod), Sony (Walkman), Phillips (GoGear), Creative (Zen and Muvo), Apacer and Samsung for their reliability.

While the quality output is a top priority, storage size, design and on-board features are also important factors to consider when looking for MP3 players.

For instance, if you do a lot of dictation, you might want to consider one with a recording function. Or, if you listen to the radio as much as your music, you might want to check out players that have radio tuners as well.

While it is possible to listen to music while on the go using your handphone, it makes practical sense to use a dedicated MP3 player. The reason is simple - longer battery life and you can certainly pack more songs into a single player than you could a handphone for instance.

So, what do you have out there? Here's a list of popular brands and their prices.




POPULAR MP3 PLAYER MODELS ;




Product/ Capacity /Price
........................................................................................
Apacer AU120 2GB RM90
Apacer AU232 2GB RM95
Apacer AU240 1GB/2GB RM 75/RM95
Apacer AU351 1GB/2GB RM90/Rm110
Apacer AU581 2GB/4GB RM130/RM160
.........................................................................................
Apple iPod Shuffle 1GB/2GB RM189/RM259
.........................................................................................
Creative Muvo T200 2GB RM229
Creative Zen Stone Plus 2GB RM179
.........................................................................................
Phillips GoGear SA2420BT 2GB RM299
Phillips GoGear SA2422BT 2GB RM299
Phillips GoGear SA2825BT 2GB Rm189
........................................................................................
Sony Walkman NWZ-B133 1GB RM149
Sony Walkman NWZ-B135 2GB RM229
Sony Walkman NWD-E023 1GB RM219
Sony Walkman NWD-E025 2GB RM269
.......................................................................................

THE BLACKBERRY PEARL FLIP 8220 SMARTPHONE

Now You Can Flip BlackBerry

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220 smartphone is the first in its series to feature the popular clamshell or flip design. It has funstions such as voice calls, multimedia applications, text and e-mail messaging and Internet browsing.

The device comes in a sleek black finish and a chrome frame surroundung its smooth, luminescent face.

It features two high resolution, light-sensing colour displays. An external screen allows the user to view incoming calls, e-mails and text messages without having to open the device while an internal 320-by-240-pixel resolution screen easily displays messages, video and Web browsing results.

As part of the BlackBerry Pearl series, it also includes the popular SureType Qwerty keyboard, which makes typing messages and dialling numbers fast and easy.

Wireless options for the Flip 8220 include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.0 with A2DP support.

For mobile productivity, DataViz Documents to Go is pre-installed, enabling the user to edit Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files on the phone.

There is also a built-in-two-megapixel camera with flash and video recording capabilities.



The Flip 8220 is available at Maxis Centres nationwide at RM1,199 if purchased with a Value 150 postpaid plan and a BlackBerry service package which comes with a 24-month contract. Without the contract, the phone retails at RM1,199

Polaroid is back-in digital INTRODUCING PoGo !!!

A strange little ritual used to go along with Polaroid cameras. The shooter would grab the print as it came out of the camera and wave it in the air, as if that would stimulate the chemicals and make the picture appear faster. It didn't. Yet, it felt dumb to just stand there, waiting for the picture to develop.

Polaroid stopped making film packs last year, so this little piece of tech culture will soon be just memory. But just as the film-based Polaroid camera is fading away, along comes its digital replacement.




At the recent International Consumer Electronics Show, the company introduced a digital camera which produces prints right on the spot. You can even call them "instant" prints, but they take nearly a minute to appear, so they're only as "instant" as the old film prints.

The US$200 (RM715) PoGo has a built-in colour printer. It produces two-by-three-inch photos by selectively heating spots on specially treated paper. It has nothing to do with the old chemical Polaroid process, but the prints convey some of the same Pop Art charm. They are grainy and the colours are slightly off, with faces having a deathly blue-green tint.

The camera is successor to a standalone printer Polaroid put out last summer, designed to connect to camera phones and digital cameras. It was noted that if Polaroid combined the printer with an image sensor and an LCD screen, it would be a resurrection of the instant camera. It turned out that's exactly what Polaroid was working on.

Unfortunately, you;ll have to wait to get your hands on the camera. Polaroid says it will go on sale in late March or early April.

The camera is a fun product, and people who have been lamenting the death of the Polaroid will find solace in ti, its print can be peeled apart to reveal a sticky back, which makes them easy to paste on fridges, doors, books, computers, cell phones and other surfaces you want to personalise. For a colleague's going-away party, this writer took a photo of him, printed out a couple of copies and pasted them on soda cans for an instant "commemorative edition".

The PoGo also has crucial advantages over the old film cameras. You can look at what you shot on the LCD screen, then choose whether you want to print it. You can produce multiple prints of an image, or print something you shot sometime ago.

The standalone printer and the new camera use the same paper, which costs US$5 for a 10-pack, or US$13 for a 30-pack. It's expensive compared to inkjet paper, but about a third of the price of Polaroid film (there are still stocks in stores.) No ink or toner is needed.




Despite its high points, the PoGo has the feel of a first-generation product, with noteworthy shortcomings.

As a camera, it's primitive. It doesn't have auto-focus, just a swith for infinity or close-up shots. The resolution is five megapixels, far below that of these things matter much for the quality of the prints, which are small and of low resolution anyway, but hey do matter if you want to use the digital captures for other purposes.

Like some other cheap digital cameras, there is a substantial lag from the time you press the shutter to when the picture is actually taken, making it nearly impossible to capture action or fleeting expressions.

GAME FOR WII, PLAYSTATION 2, XBOX

Drawing inspiration from varied media

Like so many American creations, baseball, comic books, rock 'n' roll-the video game is a mongrel art form. Literature, music, art and film all get jumbled together in this relatively new medium, but even that isn't enough: Designers have to figure out how to make the whole package interactive as well.

While Fallout 3, for example, is rooted in post-apocalyptic science fiction, it also draws from 1940s music, splatter movies and Dungeons & Dragons. The less ambitious games reviewed here display their influences right in their titles.

• Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party:

Ubisoft's screaming, madcap rabbits have become regularson the Wii over the last three year. Like too many other Wii products, the Rabbids titles are collections of mini-games, but they bring welcome doses of character and chaos to the increasingly stale genre.

This time, the bunnies have invaded Rayman's TV set, careening through an assortment of TV parodies, from trashy realtity shows to music videos to dramas such as Prison Fake. There are a few duds such as an inspired Project Runway knockoff, but about 90 per cent of the mini-games are keepers.

Some of them use the Wii balance Board, which you may be asked to sit on. Yes, at long last you can control a game-say, tobogganing down a mountain on a wildebeest-with your rear end.

(The game by Ubisoft is designed for the Wii and priced at US$ 49.99 / RM 185 )

• You're in the Movies :

Mini-game anthologies are less common on the Xbox. This one builds on a gimmick : the Xbox Live Vision Camera, which lets you insert a video of yourself into the game. (The camera is included in the package)

The premise here is that you're performing in a B-movie, so you need to obey the director's demands, perhaps swatting at monsters or running from villains. The problem is that the camera doesn't do a very good job of separting players from background objects, so you usually end up by disconnected body parts floating around the screen.

Even if you have the patience to sort out the technical issues, the games in You're in the Movies are slow-paced, repetitive and just not much fun.

(The game by Codemasters is designed for the Xbox 360 and priced at US$ 69.99)

• Hasbro Family Game Night :

Hard to believe, but there was once a time when people played games that weren't connected to a TV set. Perhaps you;re curious about such pre-Atari artifacts, or you're a parent who wants to share childhood favourites with your kids.

Family Game Night bundles electronic versions of Connect 4, Yahtzee, Boggle, Sorry! and Battleship, each with an assortment of interesting variations. They're not much fun to play solo, though and Bogge doesn't quite work in this format. Still, it's a good package for families who don't already have these games in their closets.



(The game by Electronic Arts is priced at US$ 39.95 for the Wii, and US $ 29.95 for the PlayStation 2)

NEW MYVU CRYSTAL

Just Wear Them For Gaming or Computing

The new Myvu Crystal worth US$300 (RM1,100) entry part of a line of personal media viewer glasses at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show. The device features VGA resolution and two LED screens which allow he user to do mobile computing, play games and watch video and television from various devices, including most portable DVD players, iPhones and iPods, PlayStation Portables, Zunes and Wiis.

NOKIA 5800 XPRESS MUSIC

Sweet Music To The Ear

Meet Nokia's latest music phone, 5800 XpressMusic. Featuring a 3.2inch touch-screen, comprehensive audio and multimedia tools, a wide range of connectivity options and a special bundling of 1,000 songs, the new model is designed to entice local music enthusiasts.

The 5800 XpressMusic is Nokia's first S60 touch screen device.

The phone's interface is enhanced with the addition of the Media Bar drop-down menu that accommodates quick access to music and entertainment materials, including songs, videos and photos.

Another addition to the interface is the Contacts Bar, which works like a digital RSS feed on four of the user's favourite contacts.

Enjoying music is made more convenient with the incorporation of a graphic equaliser, support for multiple music file formats, eight gigabytes of memory, stereo sound speakers and a 3.5 millimetre jack. Audo controls arlso include a graphic equaliser with bass booster and stereo widening.

Customers who buy the 5800 XpressMusic also will get to download 1,000 songs from a catalogue that features local and international artists under One Stop Music, EMI and Warner Music.

(More information is available at www.bimbit.com/nokiamusic/)

Apart from music, the 5800 XpressMusic features motion-sensor gaming, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss Tessar lens, built-in A-GPS with Nokia Maps, Bluetooth, wireless LAN and High Speed Downlink Packet Access connectivity, and an internal memory of 81 megabytes, expandable through Micro Secure Digital slot.

The design is also includes a stylus and handwriting recognition utility.

FREE APPLICATIONS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD

Free apps for work and play
Freeware can never be one too many since they are free anyway. These are four of my choices for you to keep.

• http://www.anytvplayer.com

AnyTV is a video player similar to Joost, an Internet TV service created by Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis (founders of Skype and Kazaa). It provides a list of TV shows which can be streamed for free. No fuss, no mess.

• http://text-mining-tool.com

Text Mining Tool is an application for ripping text out of Portable Document Format or HTML files without copying the embedded codes.

For instance, you can copy and paste text from a .doc file which has an embedded image in it into your blog. If you didn't upload the image, the image will not appear in the blog, but the code for the images is still there. The code will appear when you switch to Edit HTML. The worst part is when that code changes your blog post's outlook and you don't even know that the code is the culprit.

This is where Text Mining Tool comes in. Just open the .doc file and it will automatically mine put the text. This tool needs the .Net 2.0 framework.

• http://www.bitsum.com/prolasso.shtml

Normally, one should not mess with the Process Window of the Task Manager since ending a vital process may crash Windows. But Process Lasso takes the Process Window feature to a new level. You can control process priorities, auto-terminate suspected illegal processes such as viruses, and monitor and login in real-time CPU usage and process.

• https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/201/

Firefox users, rejoice! Those who need to download images or file links on a page can do so now with DownThemAll. This application will list all the file links on that page and you can choose what you want.

DVD GAME THE POLITICAL MACHINE 2008

Running a campaign the way you want it !

Last year, the world was on fire with American politics. Will the president be white or black? Man or woman? Democrat or Republican ? Thankfully, all that is behind us and now we can focus on the more depressing state affairs. Or can we ?

Think you know how to run John McCain's campaign better than he did? Want to show the world the first US female president? Then The Political Machine 2008 is the game for you.

The games starts off fairly simple; you can pick the political candidate who suits you best, or you can create a candidate to run for President. If you create a candidate, you can customize his or her appearance and fund-raising ability.

And just like any real politician during the campaign, you can change your platform to take advantage of public sentiments. You can change your ad campaign's focus, how you reply to issues talkshow hosts ask, or get backing from various groups which support the issues you want to cover. If all else fails, smear your opponent.

In this turn-based game, you spend action points, or stamina points, by indulging in various activities for that turn.

While campaigning hard, you will notice that your success can bring in plenty of cash, which can be channeled towards bulding up your infranstucture in various states. You will also gain public relations clout as another way to boost your hold among the voters.

The artificial intelligence for the other candidates running against you will attempt to counter your moves. But if you hit them where it hurts, you will reap some benefits. This part is easy since we all know where Barrack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the others stand and what they will most likely use in their campaigns.






And if you are bored with the current political scene in America, why not give 1860s America a try? Or Europe, form the viewpoint of high school students? Or a planet full of murderous alliens Or play online against other players?

The game is fairly easy to get acquinted with. Its layout of information windows is simple and presents quick statistics so you cam see your fare at a glance.

More importantly, the game is interesting and worth replaying just to see how things would turn out if you were to try a different approach.

The Political Machine 2008 is not different from other turn-based strategy games, except it used politics instead of bullets.

TITLE : The Political Machine 2008
Publisher : Kalypso
Developer : Stardock
Availability: New Era Interactive Software Sdn Bhd (Tel : 603-77298777)
Price : RM 119.90
Package : 1 game DVD, Manual

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
Windows XP SP2/Vista
1GHz CPU
512MB RAM
64MB DirectX 9.0c graphics card
1GB hard disk space

SONY VAIO P "Pocket - Style PC"

A PC IN YOUR POCKET

The Vaio P "pocket-style PC" from Sony is a compact lifestyle notebook featuring an eight-inch ultra-wide scren encased in a premium glossy, magnesium body.

More of a PC organiser than a netbook, the device comes with Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500, wireless LAN, a Memory Stick slot and a host of intuitive interfaces.

With casing options of Garnet Red, Olivine Green, Obsidian Black and Crystal White, the device has a unique capsule-shaped body measuring 245 millimetres by 20mm by 120mm.

To cater to different user needs, the Vaio P comes in two different spesifications.

The VGN-P15G is powered by an Intel Atom Z530 processor and Windows Vista Home Premium operating system. It features a 64-gigabyte (GB) solid-state drive and weighs 594grams.

The VGN-P13G, on the other hand, is slightly heavier at 620 g and features an Intel Atom Z520 processor, Windows Vista Home Basic operating system and a 60GB hard disk drive.

The battery can last up to three hours, but Sony offers a larger-capacity battery as one of the available accessories.

Customers can pre-order the Vaio P from now until Feb 14 and enjoy a package that comes with a matching colour carrying pouch, RM150 worth of Levi's voucher and a free Sony workshop.

The VGN-P15G and VGN-P13G are priced at RM3,788 and RM2,799 respectively.


Sony Vaio P DEMO;