PlayStation 3 - Did you know?

So a while back, I considered getting an Apple TV. It was $99 and it allowed me to stream anything on my iPhone or iPad to my HD TV. That way, I could watch YouTube, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Instant Video and view my photos and listen to my music all through my TV. Awesome! Then, my PlayStation 3 got jealous and quickly notified me that I CAN DO ALL THAT THROUGH THE PS3 FOR FREE.  

Sorry, no hard feelings.

As I looked through the PlayStation Store, I noticed a free Netflix application, so I downloaded it. Then I noticed a free MLB.TV application, so I downloaded it.  Then I noticed an Amazon Prime Instant Video application, so I downloaded that as well. 

All this was well and good, but my heart was still into watching YouTube videos, where I didn't need to pay monthly or yearly to be entertained. Then, wouldn't you know it, I found a YouTube application for my PS3 and guess what? I downloaded it.  See the pattern. 

I was already aware that I could transfer videos, photos and music to my PlayStation 3 through a flash-drive, but that was cumbersome at best. I preferred not to involve my aging Dell Inspiron 1525 (which I am using right now, as a matter of fact).  But with the ability to have all my instant streaming desires fulfilled on my PlayStation, I think I can suck it up and transfer multimedia if  really want to view it on the big screen.  

~ But the coolest thing about all this....

• I just discovered I can open a YouTube video on my iPhone/iPad and have it instantly stream to my TV through the PlayStation application!. That completely blew my mind, and yes, I'm aware it doesn't take much.  This is a lot simpler than typing out the names of videos in the search bar of the YouTube app, unless your rich enough to waste money on one of theses...

Got to admit though, pretty cool.

That just makes me love my PS3 that much more.  It would be the perfect gaming device, if it had a real alternative to the Xbox Kinect

I gotta say, I've tried this out and it... is.... AWESOME!

I own the PlayStation Move and it's not bad, but it's no Kinect.  The motion controller is very responsive, but you could just sit on the couch and wave it like a magic wand. There is no need to really stand up and 'move' around.  With the Kinect, you HAVE to be up and active because the sensor really responds to your movements.  

Still, with basically every game available on both platforms (minus Halo...sad face) and the convenience of free access to the PlayStation Store (instead of playing monthly for Xbox Live), I would pick the PlayStation 3 over the Xbox 360 every time.....I think. 

Anyway, if you have a PS3 or you are looking to get one....GET  IT! For those you want the most up to date stuff (I'm on that bandwagon), the PlayStation 4 won't be released for at least another full year, although Sony executives have been on record saying the PS3 was built to be a 10 year device, and it came on the market in 2006, so who knows when they're going to update it.  

There's so much the PlayStation 3 can do which most people don't realize. I hope my blog has enlightened you to the truth....APPLE AND SONY BOTH ROCK.

Best Disney Movies of the 1990s Part 1

BEST DISNEY MOVIES OF THE 1990s Part 1

Today, I want to jump away from technology and give my opinion on the best Disney movies of the 1990s. Yes, I'm a little scatter-brained.  

My list includes, in chronological order for now:

• The Little Mermaid (1989, close enough)
• Beauty and the Beast (1991)
• Aladdin (1992)
• The Lion King (1994)
• Toy Story (1995)
• The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
• Mulan (1998)
• Tarzan (1999)

That's a lot to get through, so I'm doing this in 8 separate posts.  At the end, I will compile the final scores and see which movie wins my ultimate affection.  (I will explain why Pocahontas is not here at the end.)  I have creating my own ranking system with 4 categories: Plot, Animation, Characters, and Music; each out of 10 points (10 = phenomenal, of course).

Let's rank them starting with the oldest and watch the evolution to see if the movies get better, worse or stagnant. 

The Little Mermaid

~Plot ~ 6 out of 10

• Some reviewers, such as one of my idols, the Nostalgia Critic, view the plot and message of 'The Little Mermaid' to be "If I want something real bad, I can get it by misbehaving." I disagree, to a degree (the degree being 'dis').  When analyzing the plot of any Disney movie, we have to remember it caters to a young audience.  There were some good messages, namely that true love can defeat any obstacle (like not being able to talk) and dreams can come true (a staple in any Disney flick).  There is some good complexity in the plot itself.  It moves from a young girl longing to escape the ocean to an overbearing father angering her into make a deal with the devil - a drag queen devil. Then she tries to woo the man she loves without being able to speak and is sabotaged by the drag queen devil, who is then defeated by being stuck like a pig after she attains all the power of the oceans and Ariel can live happily ever after with her new hubby. I'm giving it a 6 out of 10 because the main character helplessly looked on while Ursula completely ignored a massive ship coming towards her.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KayUKqw5aTg

~Animation ~ 6 out of 10

• For 1989, this was very good animation. It was much better than Disney's blockbuster failure, 'The Black Cauldron' or anything that came before.  Having to draw splashing waves and moving bubbles would have been very challenging, not to mention sea storms and drag queens.  The colors were also bright and lively, just like the sea itself. 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8OBlq_svBY
• Overall, as you can see from the clip, while the animation is really good, it still shows signs of lesser technology.  The images and figures could be sharper and clearer. When you compare it to what we have today, it gets a 6 out of 10. Maybe a little unfair, but 'thems the breaks.'

~Characters ~ 6 out of 10

• Ariel shows bravery and daring, while being loving and gentle.  But she is also naive, which is necessary for there to be a plot, I suppose.  Anyone with common sense would know to avoid this person.

• That being said, Ariel is still a strong female protagonist.  Facing the complete uncertainty of being able find her prince and make him fall in love with her, she boldly goes where no mermaid has gone before. Sure she does this on a whim under the pretense of 'love at first sight,' but she acts on her passions, which is more than many of us can say.
• Ursula is one of the better Disney villains. She devises a plan that has a high probability of success, if she would just pay attention to her surroundings, DBB (death by boat). She not only gives Ariel an impossible task (falling in love without a voice in three days, good luck with that), but she also attempts to crush Ariel's spirit by stealing the man she loved and easily convince the Arnold Schwarzenegger of the Sea to give up his steroids (in a matter of speaking).  But like all Disney villains, attention to detail was not her strength and her demise was unavoidable.  
• Sebastian is my favorite supporting character. He's a complete stick in the mud and tough to deal with, but he is also loving, funny, and a great singer.  He really isn't as annoying as he could be, maybe because of the cool accent, maybe because he's a crab, I don't know. But he is sure more tolerable than this guy.

Yes, I do act exactly the same in all my movies, thanks for asking

Sorry, I meant Scuttle.

• I think Scuttle's voice, which should have been funny, is just intolerable. I get a splitting migraine every time I hear his voice.... Maybe that's just me.  Anyway, Flounder is a cute little guppy and a steadfast friend, but not a very interesting character.  
• King Triton is tough as nails when he needs to be, but he does love his daughter.  I still don't understand why he allowed Ursula to live unchecked in an evil lair WHERE ANY OF HIS 7 DAUGHTERS COULD RUN INTO HER.  Again not a very deep character. And Eric is just a pretty boy. End of story. 
• Overall, the supporting cast is not very deep (this will be a theme for future Disney movie critiques), but the main character is well flushed out and we connect emotionally with this princess's struggle to find true love in three days. Not an easy task.  There seems to be a pattern here...6 out of 10.

~ Music ~ 8 out of 10

• There are some GREAT songs in this movie, including "Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," "Poor Unfortunate Soul" and "Kiss the Girl (the weakest of the bunch)."  My personal favorite is "Poor Unfortunate Soul" because firstly, I love the villains, but also because it does a superb job of building to an epic climax. You can hear the frustration in Ursula's voice as she urges Ariel to 'go ahead, sign the scroll.'  Combined with the striking visuals in this scene, this song alone puts 'The Little Mermaid' high on any list. 
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oU85k7oOCo
• Combined with the upbeat "Under the Sea" and the heartfelt and touching "Part of your World," I give this music an 8 out of 10. 
• Disney don't play when it comes to music.

So in the end, "The Little Mermaid" gets 26 out of 40. We'll have to see how this compares to my other reviews as they are posted. I'm not even sure how the rankings are going to turn out! 

Quick thoughts on the Microsoft Surface

Is something better than the iPad on its way on October 26? 
Maybe, but probably not. I just watched part of the extensive announcement of the new Microsoft Surface tablet. Part of my initial impression was 

Don't ask, long story...

But part of me was exasperated. The Surface is definitely a power house. I mean, look at this add!

Microsoft Surface

It has a built in metal stand,
A built in keyboard to the magnetic cover (Apple Smart-cover?),
A 10.6 inch display with their own Retinal Display
A weight of 676 ounces for the basic model
A thinness of 9.3 mm

It looks to be just as good as the iPad, but with a version of the new Windows 8 operating system that could be more comfortable for people who are really comfortable with the software.

But I am not so confident in Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his claim that people want a full PC experience 'on the go.' Ultrabooks today have all the power of this new tablet WITH A BIGGER SCREEN and JUST AS THIN. The Surface can only fit in very big pockets, otherwise it would be stored like a laptop, but without a good size keyboard and screen.  If you need the power that the Surface offers, an ultrabook is still the better option.

The only thing that can make the Surface worth while would be the price, which as not been revealed as of yet.  Still, if your the type of person who needs a full power PC, I don't think money will stop you from getting a $1200 ultrabook instead of a $700 or $800 Surface tablet. 

Surface cannot be much cheaper than $700 for all the tech specs that have been released, which includes a new thin fanning system that surrounds the entire device (hard to explain). 

We'll see what happens.....

My Thoughts on the iPhone 5

HELLOOOOOOOO! (Seinfeld reference)

I want to start my first actual post with my thoughts on the

I was one of "the few, the proud, the people who stayed up until 3am on September 14th to pre-order the iPhone and then waited all day on the 21st for it to be delivered."

Here is my reaction as I opened the box containing this incredible smartphone.

But in all seriousness, the iPhone 5 is a significant upgrade from any previous iPhone.  Even if you have an iPhone 4s, you should seriously consider this. Here's why:

1. The physical design
• Somehow, Apple continues to make each new device thinner and more powerful (the new iPad is an exception to the 'thinner' category, but I'll get to that in another post).    Holding the iPhone 5 feels more comfortable than holding a 4s due to a combination of the longer 4 inch screen, the angled cut along the sides of the device and the weight.  This article from cnet.com breaks down the specifics, but what is impressive to me is that the weight was reduced from 4.9 ounces to 3.95 ounces. This is a BIG difference when holding the device in your hand.
2. 4G LTE
• I did not originally consider 4G LTE to be a big factor in my decision to purchase the iPhone 5, but it should have been. Everyone on the web is praising the lighting fast speed of 4G LTE and I completely agree. 3G was not slow by any means, but it looks VERY slow now. Here is a few quick demonstrations of the speed.
 
3. A6 Processor
• Speed over cellular is certainly important but so is the hardware inside. I am thoroughly impressed by the A6 processor chip. I first witnessed its power when I looked on my iPhone for usage statistics. The results usually took a good ten seconds on my iPhone 4, but it was only 2-3 seconds for the stats to show on the iPhone 5. Now I notice the power and speed boost when I open every application, from the camera, to Pages, to MLB At Bat.
4. Grandfathered in to UNLIMITED DATA
• This is something not everyone is aware of, but if you have an unlimited data plan with AT&T you can keep it with the iPhone 5 when you renew your contract! Verizon will not allow this, but AT&T will not allow FaceTime over cellular without a Family Data Plan. That's definitely a bummer for me, except that I currently only have one other friend to FaceTime on an iPhone 5.
• I am not totally against the AT&T policy.  Sure, its a way to promote their new data packages and make more money, but it also could be a issue how much data is being downloaded these days. I believe that most cell phone companies were finding they just didn't have the processing power to deliver unlimited data to everyone who was willing to pay for it. In any case, I still have unlimited data and I intend to keep it as long as possible. 

All in all, this is an amazing device that I have absolutely no regrets in purchasing.  If you're on the fence, don't be! You'll love it as much as I have for one whole week.

Feel free to comment with any thoughts about this post. I LOVE talking technology!

My First Post!

Hey Everyone! (ok, so maybe like 5 people will view this first post)

What I want to establish here is the focus of my blogging and the topics I am most interested in.

• Firstly (and unfortunately) I am a New York Mets fan and a good part of my blogs will discuss my opinions on the team's performance this year and its future prospects.....they lost yesterday....
• BUT David Wright did tie Ed Kranpool last night for the most hits as a Met 
• Secondly, I have become notorious for waking up every morning and checking Twitter and other online sources for news about Apple and other cool tech. This will constitute another large chunk of my blogging. 
• Thirdly, comedy. Through the wonder that is YouTube I have found hilarious videos ranging from 'Dragonball Z Abridged' to 'Bad Lip Reading' and I intend to provide links to some of my absolute favorites. Like this

Pictures will also find themselves on my blogs, such as...

(From the Salem Dungeon Museum)

And with that, I leave you all to wait in nail-biting anticipation as I prepare my 2nd blog. What will it be about? God only knows. (I'm Catholic by the way)

LET'S GO METS!