3DS: In a slump or over the hill?

Hot off the heels of the highly successful DS and Wii systems, Nintendo has a high bar set for itself. But the much anticipated and recently released 3DS handheld hasn't sold as well as its predecessor did in the early going, likely not helped by a weak launch game lineup. However, the tech landscape has undergone quite a change over the last few years, as iPhones and Android phones have been widely adopted. Casual, as well as hardcore gamers, can now whip out their phone and play anything from Angry Birds to ports of popular DS/PSP games such as Grand Theft Auto and Phoenix Wright. Further bolstering Nintendo's competition is the game pricing on phones. While 3DS games are $40 a pop, iOS and Android games can usually be had from $1 to $5. Are specifically gaming handhelds such as the 3DS losing relevance in the face of such smartphones?

An elegant weapon...

...for a more civilized age!

My Obi Wan Kenobi Force FX lightsaber has arrived. =]  This is one of the new ones that features a removable blade.  They say a picture says 1,000 words, so I imagine a video says even more.  Here it is:

My thoughts on paid Halo Reach DLC

So, yesterday it was announced that the first map pack for Halo Reach will be landing on November 30th.  The Noble Map Pack will cost $10 and include 3 new multiplayer maps.  Since the announcement there has been a lot of discussion on whether or not charging for the pack is justified.  I have always been a Halo fan and have supported Bungie by buying the games & the subsequent DLC.  But this time I have to admit that I am a little disappointed in this being a paid pack, especially at that price.  Here's why.

Some useful free iPhone/iPod touch apps

I've decided to put together a list of a few useful iPod Touch/iPhone apps that I use on a regular basis.  These apps listed here are all completely free.  Some are very widely used, but others are lesser known and it is my hope that this list might help you discover a new app or two.  I may be following up with some more apps soon, and I definitely will make a list of my favorite iOS games next.

Jailbreak awesomeness

I'm sure most of you "in the know" have heard that a jailbreak was released for iOS 4.1 devices (iPod touch 4g, iPhone 4, etc).  After successfully doing the limera1n jailbreak on my device I have been able to rediscover the world of homebrew on the iPod.  Or discover it fully for the first time I suppose.  I especially like all the customization options it opens up.  The springboard (main UI for iOS) can be custom tailored with different themes and hacks.  Amongst others I installed SBSettings, which is a useful tool that allows you to quickly toggle things like WiFi on and off and change your brightness.  Emulators are also fun to play around with, but not especially practical.  SNES A.D.X. was intriguing since it allowed Wii Remote control (very nifty), but was a bit disappointing on the performance side.  I haven't really tried a whole lot else out yet, but I would like to try my hand at making an app or two myself.  If anyone has any jailbreak app suggestions, be sure and let me know!  I may end up making a list of favorites.