Technitarians' Blogzone

5 Popular Toys for Men in 2009

2009-12-23T22:32:00.004+05:30

The mean machine is ready to hit the track, with the most popular wheels men loved in 2009. Take your pick now.

Honda Odyssey: Its complete redesign is due next year. but Honda Odyssey is definitely a flavor in the minivan segment.

Toyota Sienna: It's the favorite choice of larger families with its impressive features. Space is taken care while focusing on comfortability.

Jeep Wrangler: Talk about heritage and image, Jeep Wrangler promised off-road abilities with full efficiency although its power could not beat other SUVs.

Honda Civic: Already a star in the small-car segment, Honda Civic is smartly designed and offers some of the best deals in configuration.

Audi A4 The best, as I like to say, is definitely the redesigned Audi A4 Sedan and Avant wagon boasting sufficiency in space, gadgets and better driving stylistics.

Check out the latest entries in the luxury, comfortable and small car segments for the coming year. Meanwhile, wish you a happy Christmas and a wonderful new year. Drive safe.

NBA 2K9 Tips for You

2009-07-02T14:23:00.002+05:30

Overview
NBA rules. Fans of the undisputed NBA basketball always have the right reason to celebrate. The NBA 2K series features NBA 2K9, which is a premier basketball PC game delivering you the most realistic and feature-rich NBA experience. This is the first Windows release of the NBA 2K series. From gameplay to graphics, and presentation to features, the PC game is quite intriguing and popular in the video game fraternity. The basketball action game becomes quite fun when you get to experience true-to-life crowd reactions and celebration sequences. All you need to know is the defensive strategies and control tips to earn more points as well as more acclaims from the audience by winning the game. Following are some of the useful tips that help you score higher in NBA 2K9 and be a winner.

Defensive strategies
Getting more score is not so difficult in NBA 2K9. But it requires players to devise a strong defense. Before the start of each game, it is important for you to do a little study on your team and assign your best defenders to the best scorers of the opposition. You need to set defensive pressure on each player as well as set matchups for higher rated players so that your defender can easily build up pressure on the oppotion players. There are various defensive pressure and matchup settings in the PC game. For instance, if you set your matchup to Tight, your defender will close out all the way to his man once he gets the ball. When you set your pressure to Sag Off, your man will stay in front of the ball as long as possible, thus challenging the opposition to take the outside shot. Again, if you set your matchup pressure to Deny Ball, it will keep your teammates attempt to stop a player from even seeing the ball. This is relevant for guarding players with high outside or mid range driving ability.

Controls
It is important for you to know your players well before building any strategic plan for the game. Because, the defense skills will only be effectively prepared for players when the strengths and weaknesses of the players are recognized well and worked upon. Note that you need to play to the strength of every individual player as well as of the entire team. Players may find it a common temptation to block very single shot as it is an important part of defense. However, stay alerted and try not to abuse it. Sometimes, you may get called for a foul; you may also get caught completely out of position.

Conclusion
Smart play is the most required strategy for playing safe and strong in NBA 2K9. Once you are clear about the defensive pressure and matchhup settings, it becomes easier for you to pull them all together in order to play to your team's strengths as well as the opposition's weaknesses. Besides, you need to go through the tutorial
mode of NBA 2K9 to know more about these settings.

Cool iPhone Games for You

2009-02-07T23:27:00.008+05:30

iPhone is getting bigger and more popular with its cool applicaitons and games. Indeed, the games make the iPhone a great multifuntional device. Here are some cool iPhone games for you. Check them out.

Geisha
You can keep your own pocketsize Geisha and watch her do the graceful moves on your iPhone. The iPhone game is amazing when it comes to the beauty and elegance of the Geisha. Its useful features make the game more popular among those who are interested in learning the sophisticated Geisha dance. Pay just $1 and get your Geisha from iTunes Store.

Totomi
Engage yourself in exciting totem-building puzzle action. Totomi offers you different game modes - which is interesting enough to make a great puzzle game on your iPhone. It makes you think more to become a master in solving puzzle games. $4.99 for such an interesting puzzle game won't be a bad bargain.

Gemmed
Maybe a little less money on iPhone game can also win you exciting game options. Gemmed is a nice buy at $2.99. The game has 50 levels that offer challenging as well as interesting gameplay. With a great interactive environment, Gemmed provides more than just a puzzle game.

Explore these iPhone games and you will become an addictive in iPhone gaming. Good going for you!

Guide to Guardian's Crusade

2009-02-03T13:45:00.005+05:30

Tech info:
Developed by Tamsoft and Activision, Guardian's Crusade is a role-playing game with single player option. The developers team rightfully deserves all the praises for the brilliant translation and dialogue interaction between characters. What makes an RPG a success story is its narrative, and the developers have left no room for disappointment in the description of Guardian's Crusade.

Overview:
Guardian's Crusade is a wonderful rol-playing game with a young knight and his adventures. The most specific thing about the RPG is its excellent translation from Japanese, thanks to the developers. The dialogue delivery between the knight and the baby monster is really amazing. It is not an epic game, but its plot and the graphics make the game a lot more fun than other RPG games.

Graphics:
Guardian's Crusade contains sharp 3D graphics. The backgrounds are clearly visible. Characters are also bright and colorful. But as you proceed further, you will find the game too colorful. This distances the game a bit from reality. However, this is not a major issue in the RPG as the game wonderfully creates its characters. You can rotate the view to look carefully into every specific details of a room or the surrounding background. You will eventually fall in love with the beautiful backgrounds and the vibrant characters. The baby monster in pink looks really cute and lovable. Indeed, all the characters in Guardian's Crusade are very cute.

Important Specs:
Guardian's Crusade is available exclusively on the PlayStation gaming console. The support functions in the PS game are Memory Card, DualShock Support and Vibration, along with Analog Controller compatibility. You need a processor of Pentium 900 Mhz along with 256MB of RAM.GeForce2MX based graphics card and integrated AC97 based sound card are also required. At $49.95, the price value is not that high.

Gameplay:
Guardian's Crusade includes a very delightful storyline, although there is nothing new in the plot. The story starts with a knight from a Japanese monastery, who is on quest to find an orphaned baby monster named Baby its home. The knight effectively fights against the evil forces met on his way. The monsters are scattered on the map.
The baby monster is his battle companion. He also takes care of the baby monster, feeds it and guides it through the battles. Nurturing of the baby monster is important. Proper care of the baby monster determines how well it fairs in the battle ground. The game boasts of a wonderful camaraderie between the knight and the baby monster.

Another interesting factor in Guardian's Crusade is the choice of battle companions the player gets. There are about 70 choices of 'Living toys' each of which are capable of its own specific abilities. The toys are quite expert in skills like ninja skills and healing, which can be of great help in the battles. The player has to collect as many toys as possible. These toys are quite helpful in the battles. The more you collect them, the closer you get to your goal. It is really interesting to find your enemies shrinking gradually when you become more and more powerful. But the moment you find yourself more involved in the game, it just comes to an end. I am disappointed to say that expert RPG gamers will find it a bit too short.

Sound:
I found the musical scores of Guardian's Crusade a little confusing. The background music hardly complements the sophisticated ambience of the game. Nevertheless, the music goes perfectly alright with the action. There is not even a single situation where the music sounds repetitive.

What makes the game more fun and enjoyable is the interchange of conversation between the characters. Dialogue delivery is pretty impressive.

The chosen - Well of Souls: Action-based RPG

2009-02-03T13:39:00.004+05:30

Tech info:
Publisher: Meridian4
Developer: Rebelmind
Genre: Action role-playing

Overview:
Developed by Rebelmind, The Chosen is an action-based RPG game where the player can play upto three characters against a powerful sorceror. The army of the sorceror includes demons, devils and resurrected alchemists. The player can make his character stronger with more power. He can also choose to fight against bigger and tougher enemies. However, the game is repetitive to some extent.

Graphics:
The visual elements of The Chosen are not that great, but they are just fine. Its 3D plot is interesting enough. The atmospheric effects are good.

Audio quality:
The voice quality of the RPG game is somewhat disappointing. The words in the script are not that great as they describe a cliched plot. The voice acting is really pathetic.

Conclusion:
Try out The Chosen if you want to play a simplified RPG. The price tag is quite cheap. At $20, you can almost ignore the cost.

Gameplay:
The Chosen is a role-playing game, where the player is sent on a mission by monesteries to free God's Envoy taken hostage by a powerful Alchemist Marcus. The storyline is simple and yet full of actions.

The best part of the PC game is the choice of characters the player gets to play. The choices are a monk, a hunter and an alchemist. The plot is a familiar one. The hero follows a linear path, fights the enemies to death on his way and collects the loots. The player is given NPCs to assist in his quest. Two monsters are also there to help you. The monsters improve their power and strength as the game moves on.

The cash you earn from killing the enemies is not much. It can hardly leave an option for you to purchase new weapons or repair the old ones. The problem increases along with the game. Even buying an equipment can cost you much. You can revive your assisting monsters if they are dead. But the revival fee is too high. You are seldom
lucky with the loots your enemies leave behind.

The particular thing about The Chosen is its skill system. The game offers three sets of skills called 'offence', 'defence' and 'other'. Each set comprises a series of passive abilities to fight the enemies. However, the player can choose only one ability from each set at a time. The upgradation of the abilities is also not so
impressive.

You can summon powerful demons and creatures in the game. But this happens much later in the game. There is not much variation in enemies. You get only a few choices to select your enemies. You will find most of them repeating in the entire gameplay. Only their sizes vary at different levels of the game. Besides, you will go almost clueless about time changing from day to night. As there is no multiplayer option, the game can be boring for some.

Recommended system requirements:
Windows Vista
1.6 GHz Dual-core Processor
2GB RAM
DVD drive
120GB HArd Disk
GeForce Go7600

City of Heroes - Try it

2008-11-08T13:23:00.003+05:30

Fantasy Recreated

Players get to strike their fantasy chords here. Think of how many time you have fantasized about being a super hero. Here is your chance to play one. The game allows so many different character customization features. So you can easily customize the look of your hero and give it a shape of the picture in your imagination. I prefer Spiderman!!

It's so Easy to Pick up and Play!!

You can learn the basics of this MMORPG game by quickly rushing through the tutorial area at the beginning. The tutorials will prepare you for the main game. Here you can learn to use the powers of the hero - fire, ice, energy, stone, dark powers, etc. Once you get use to the hero's powers, it'll be easy for you to enter the main game world.

Play it Your way

Once you enter the starting city, you need to select a class among several options - scrappers, fire-fire tankers, etc. You can check if you want to keep your selected class. The classes are stable and well-balanced. I like to explore the game with fire-fire tanker. You can also get to play solo if you wish. If you want to go for fun group play, the City of Heroes contains the classes with different roles to play. The fire-fire tanker attracts mobs easily due to its capacity to cause damages by far. But scrappers and blasters are better damage dealers anyway.

Too Many Repetitions

One of the main shortfalls of City of Heroes is that it gets repetitive too quickly at times. There is a lack of depth in this MMORPG game that disappoints players. Besides, there is no PvP element in the game - one of the most sought features by MMORPG gamers.

Overall

City of Heroes is, without doubt, the best MMORPG game. It is available for a monthly subscription fee of $14.95. A bit hefty, but there's a bonus too. You can get a free comic book of City of Heroes Universe worth $2.95. In all, this is the best deal about playing your superhero character your own way.

Midnight Club: Los Angeles - Try it

2008-11-07T14:11:00.002+05:30

Video games have come a long way, now on the streets for fast speed racing games. The brainchild of Rockstar Games, Midnight Club Los Angeles includes arcade racing with a variety of smart vehicles like tuners, trucks, muscle cars and motorcycles. With a little story into it, you can now get to play as a new guy looking to race around the streets of Los Angeles. The game has a day/night cycle which means you are no longer stuck racing at one point of time during your playtime. The city of Angels looks fantastic. The action is fast. Landmarks are clear and easily recognizable. In all, your racing experience is simply terrific.

Once you get into the game, you start racing and making lots of money. In most of the racing games, all you do is drive around the city looking for people to race. You can identify them on your map or radar. Or you can accept challenges and missions through your text messages. Remember one thing, more races means more money and higher rep. Winning the fist place in a race is important as it opens for you new challenges and more races along with new vehicles. You've got other play options as well. There are time trials, checkpoint and freeway races around the city. There is a police presence. Everytime you race out of the way, it will chase you down.

When you finish a race, you get money as well as higher rep. There are missions where you get money after damaging target vehicles and delivering cars across LA in a very short span of time. The control keys in the game are simple and easy to handle. You can easily handle tuners. However, muscle cars and motorcycles are faster and consequently more difficult to handle. Practice is all you need to become a better racer in LA streets.

Midnight Club Los Angeles can be a bit frustrating as the game involves uneven and excessive difficulty. There are color-coded races with easy, medium and hard playing options. But sometimes, even easy races can become as challenging as the hard ones. Even minor scrapes with cars, walls or fences can send your car spinning. Besides, parked cars don't have their lights on, which can be really hazardous at times. But then, where's the fun without risks and challenges? Midnight Club Los Angeles brings all the fun and thrill of racing to you.

Nokia N96 is Finally Ready for the US Market

2008-11-06T17:00:00.003+05:30

Nokia's most advanced multimedia gadget N96 has already hit the Indian and UK market. Now it's getting ready to be introduced in the US market.

The Nokia mobile phone sports a 5 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and dual LED flash. Its memory storage accommodates a comfortable 16GB which can be further expandable upto 24GB. So yuo can store around 18,000 songs and 20,000 images on your device. With just a touch of buttons, you can get your music, pictures, videos and games.

The mobile phone incorporates built-in 3D stereo speakers along with Windows Media Video and Flash Video. The music player supports multiple formats for your songs. The gadget also supports a number of wireless networks which provide high-speed connectivity.

Motorola ZN5: Inspire Your Inner Photographer

2008-11-03T16:37:00.004+05:30

Motorola's ZN5 is a wonderful camera on the go. The superb camera phone unleashes the photographer in you. Take it along wherever you go, and you can capture the most special moments of your life.

The mobile phone integrates a 5 megapixel camera with Xenon flash. It provides excellent photo and video quality. The camera offers all the useful features available in a digicam - auto timer, low ligh setting, focus and white balance settings. The memory storage capacity of the phone is 1GB which can be expanded upto 4GB. You can upload photos on the Web using Wi-Fi and GPRS.

Other important features of Motorola ZN5 are stereo Bluetooth, USB, PC syncing, instant messaging and POP3 email. The music player supports a number of formats including WMA and MP3 files. The HTML browser is fast enough to download your favorite tracks, videos and games. The battery life is also reported to be impressive. Check it out.

Macbook is Eco Friendly Now

2008-10-24T15:50:00.004+05:30

Apple unveiled three new notebooks with enrionment-friendly versions in Mumbai, India on Thursday. The three new models are - Macbook, Macbook Pro and Macbook Air. The fresh models are environment friendly and comsume less power with better performance, claims Apple.

The new notebooks are crafted from a single aluminum plate that offers slimness, durability and more innovative design. The models incorporate NVIDIA graphic cards, LED backlit screens and Multi Touch track pads. A new four-finger swap feature is added for easily opening applications, files and folders.

Besides, LED Cinema Display has been also introduced - a 24-inch glossy glass screen made specifically for Macbooks. It features an internal power adapter, microphone and in-built camera.

LG Introduces Prada II

2008-10-14T15:57:00.003+05:30

LG has teamed up with Prada Group to launch a newer version of the already successful Prada handset. Prada II is endowed with an ultra-thin QWERTY keypad in silver along with the additional on-screen call and hang-up buttons.

The interesting features of LG Prada II include 3G compatibility with video calling, Wi-Fi accessibility, HTML browser, 7.2Mbps HSDPA and a powerful 5 megapixel camera.

Priced at 600 euros, Prada II will be out in the markets of the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands before the year end. Wait for the gorgeous Prada II.

HTC G1 Android: Wait for the Latest Gadget not too Far

2008-10-13T18:14:00.007+05:30

HTC unleashes the first smartphone that uses Google's Android mobile OS. The new HTC G1 Android is a stiff competitor to the iPhone. The collaborated team of HTC and T-Mobile now feels confident of selling 700,000 G1 units by the end of this year.

The beta version of the Android Marketplace, Google's own alternative to the Apple App store has already been prepared for G1's release. The Android opertating system will be installed on future smartphones. Now it will be interesting to see if the HTC G1 Android can really give a tough competition to Apple iPhone 3G.

Priced at $179, the G1 will start shipping from the third week of October.

Nokia 5800: Feel the Power

2008-10-10T18:24:00.003+05:30

The new Nokia 5800 will be available in the market by the end of this year. The price is assumed to be about $300.

What makes the mobile phone more attractive is its 8GB internal memory and the multi-formated media player. The music player also supports Windows Media Player and Nokia Music Store files. The 3.2 inch touchscreen offers virtual keyboard and pen-input mode.

Other interesting features of Nokia 5800 include a 3.2 megapixel camera and built-in GPS receiver. The 3G-enabled mobile phone has Wi-fi networks with high-speed connectivity. Wait for the powerful multimedia gadget.

Blackberry's Answer to iPhone 3G

2008-10-08T11:59:00.004+05:30

Reseasrch in Motion (RIM) has finally unleashed its iPhone competitor, Blackberry Storm. The new Blackberry Storm incorporates Click Through technology and QWERTY hardware keyboard that enable you to mechanically click the entire screen. RIM's mobile phone is both shorter and thicker than Apple's.

The gadget has 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, autoflash and video capture facility. The Storm has 1GB of internal storage which is expandable up to 8GB. It also includes Blackberry's first-rate email features. And Storm has one more thing that iPhone 3G users miss out - it can cut and paste text.

The price of Blackberry Storm is not yet specified. Check out the gadget.

Samsung INNOV8 Launched in India

2008-10-01T19:21:00.003+05:30

Samsung has launched the latest mobile gadget in India, Samsung INNOV8. The mobile phone has 8 megapixel camera, providing the ultimate mobile experience. With pre-embedded 3D games, high-speed data transfer, and much more to offer, Samsung INNOV8 has everything to enjoy a wonderful multimedia experience.

With a massive 32GB internal memory, Samsung INNOV8 can accommodate whatever you want. The mobile phone is priced at Rs 45,999 in India. Make the most of mobile photography with Samsung INNOV8.

Nokia N85: Entertainment Guaranteed

2008-09-30T13:11:00.005+05:30

Nokia brings to you N85, the all-in-one entertainment package. Designed with a two-way slider, the mobile phone incorporates some of the latest features. It has 74MB internal dynamic memory which can be expandable upto a maximum of 8GB. For high-speed connectivity and synchronization, Nokia N85 includes Bluetooth 2.0, USB 2.0, GPRS, EDGE, WLAN, TV Out, UPnP support, etc.

N85 has easy-to-use multimedia messaging options along with various email support features. For Web browsing, it supports XHTML and WAP. The gadget also contains Nokia Maps 2.0 application with GPS and navigation.

Coming to the entertainment features, Nokia N85 is endowed with a 5 megapixel camera and dual LED flash. It offers a number of cool options for impressive still and video imaging. Its digital music player supports a couple of music formats so that you can play your favorite songs on any format you want. The Internet experience allows you to download songs, videos and games as many as you want.

Nokia N85 is soon coming to India.

Samsung YP-K3QB MP3 Player

2008-09-23T11:20:00.003+05:30

Samsung's YP-K3QB is an amazing MP3 player with its stylish slim mechanism. The music player has 2GB storage space that can easily accommodate up to 500 songs.

The sophisticated K3 is simple yet substantial. Its touchscreen pad is user-friendly. You can also view JPEG photos or tune into your favorite music stations through its itegrated FM radio. The battery back up is simply awesome (up to 25 hours). Samsung K3 is available at just a few bucks more than five grand. Try it once.

Delivery of the New Nokia N96

2008-09-22T17:47:00.002+05:30

Now you can pre-order for the delivery of the new Nokia N96 from 26th September onwards. The mobile phone is available for online purchase at the price of £535.00. The price tag includes 3 months Nokia Maps and an N-gage game.

Designed for high quality TV and video entertainment, N96 comes with 16GB storage space, 5 megapixel camera and built-in GPS receiver.

Creative GigaWorks HD50

2008-09-19T15:09:00.003+05:30

Creative unleashes high definition audio system with GigaWorks HD50. The speaker boasts incredible power and performance from Creative High Definition Drivers. It also includes cutting-edge BasXPort technology for a wonderful music experience.

GigaWorks HD50 is an incredibly compact-sized speaker system with great audio facilities. Check out the features. And the price too.

Sony Ericsson G705

2008-09-16T18:19:00.003+05:30

Sony has brought to you a juggling mobile experience with its smooth sliding concept. The new Sony Ericsson G705 is capable of anything and everything you want to download from the net. The mobile phone is YouTube compatible. So you can download and view all the video clips, music videos on your gadget.

With G705 at hand, you won't get lost. It comes pre-loaded with WayFinder Navigator. Other impressive features of G705 are video blogging option, 120MB in-built memory with expandable storage ability, 3.2 megapixel camera with PhotoLight and PhotoFix features, EDGE, Bluetooth, Email and MMS, multiple music format support, music recognition feature, FM radio, 3D games, and so on. Check it out.

Zen X-Fi with Wireless WLAN

2008-09-13T01:16:00.007+05:30

The new Zen X-Fi with Wireless WLAN from Creative is a wonderful MP3 music player with incredible sound quality. It's the first one to restore the quality of compressed music with with award-winning X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity Audio Technology.

You can stay in touch with your friends on Yahoo Messenger or Windows Live Messenger. Set up your Zen X-Fi chat account and start chatting right away.

Zen X-Fi supports a number of music and video playback formats for your songs and videos. The capacity of its expandable storage space is up to 16GB and 32GB, allowing you to easily save 4,000 and 8,000 songs respectively.

Check out the prices of Zen X-Fi 16GB and 32GB. I heard the MP3 player costs around $199.99 and $279.99 respectively. With all the latest features included, Zen X-Fi can give Apple iPod a run for money any day.

The Nano Revolution Yet Again

2008-09-11T12:32:00.005+05:30

Apple introduces the new fourth generation iPod Nano. Available in all-aluminum and glass design along with nine vibrant colors, the latest Apple iPod Nano also flashes cutting-edge features. It now accommodates 8GB and 16GB of storage space.

The new iPod Nano is your highly intelligent personal DJ. With its Genius feature, you can create a Genius Playlist from your iPod library. Shake your iPod to shuffle your music. The gadget comes with the accelerometer. You can play games according to your moves.

Apple iPod Nano starts at $149 (8GB Nano) and $199 (16GB Nano). Get high on music now.

Apple Introduces World's Thinnest Notebook

2008-09-10T23:06:00.003+05:30

Apple has introduced MacBook Air, the world's thinnest notebook. Talk about technology innovation or breakthrough design, the new MacBook Air has got everything - nearly as thin as your index finger! It weighs just 1.36kg. Can it get any better?

MacBook Air includes built-in AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless networking, Bluetooth 2.1 and iSight camera. It has a micro-DVI port that supports DVI, VGA, composite and S-video output. The new MacBook contains a trackpad with multi-touch technology - an input already successful on iPhone and iPod.

With integrated 2GB RAM and 80GB hard drive (with an optional 64GB solid-state drive), MacBook Air provides plenty of storage space. Go for the slimmest revolution.

Nokia N79 - Share Your Passions in Style

2008-09-09T18:00:00.004+05:30

Nokia is bringing yet again, the perfect blend of style and substance. The new Nokia N79 has a state-of-the-art design with great feel. The memory card can be expandable up to 8GB. So the mobile phone can accommodate all your favorite music, pictures, videos, games and much more.

The camera is of 5 megapixel with 20x digital zoom and dual LED flash. The music player enables you to enjoy 24 hour playback with multiple format support. There is a number of multimedia messaging options. You can also enjoy high speed data transfer through Bluetooth, GPRS, EDGE and WLAN. Try out the gadget.

Sony Ericsson F305: Your Game Console

2008-09-08T19:45:00.004+05:30

Mobile gamers, Sony Ericsson F305 is coming soon. The mobile phone comes pre-loaded with 11 exciting games. Now you can play bawling on the bus, go fishing or be a jockey in the coffee shop. It also has high quality stereo speakers to boost your gaming experience.

F305 incorporates 2 megapixel camera with up to 2.5x digital zoom. Its music player includes track recognition and PlayNow features. Other useful features are Bluetooth, USB, FM radio and EDGE. With its memory capacity expandable up to 4GB, you can store anything you want. Wait for its release.