Tomb Raider is a reboot of the mega popular adventure game on the PSOne. It features a young, and naive, version of the pixelated beauty Lara Croft. I finished the XBOX 360 version and absolutely loved it. But it’s not without its faults, let’s dig in.

Uncharted Comparisons

It’s kind of ironic, when Uncharted was originally released, a lot of people (including myself) dismissed it as a Tomb Raider clone. When I heard about the Tomb Raider reboot, I immediately thought, “Oh great, an Uncharted clone.”

Obviously, the games have their similarities, but there is a stark difference. Uncharted is a series that focuses on a strong set of characters to support the main protagonist Nathan Drake. The main focus of Tomb Raider is Lara Croft. You’ll be playing most of the game solo, which makes it a more isolated experience.

What I Liked

The first thing that stuck out were the amazing graphics. What I saw in previews looked too good to be true. Initially, I thought I was being tricked by fancy CGI trailers claiming to be actual gameplay. The animations, character models, and environments, are stunning. Usually, it's open world games like Oblivion or Skyrim, where I pause to admire a beautiful landscape.

Although Tomb Raider isn't truly open world, you can always take a break from the story and go back and explore different areas. This gives you the opportunity to level up your character, and acquire all the achievements. Like Mass Effect, there will be a clear point in the game where you can’t go back.

When you control Lara, everything feels fluid, and realistic. Throw in some amazing voice acting, music, and sound effects. Wow.

The game felt so natural I didn't even notice until the end that there was no hud.

No hud should be incorporated in every game.

Game devs Crystal Dynamics did a great job of connecting you with Lara, and I found myself immersed in the dark and violent story. As you would expect in a Lara game, there are puzzles. The puzzles were reasonable enough, and never seemed to get in the way -- although there were one or two that I had to look up on You Tube.

What I Disliked

The games focus on realism is prominent in the initial levels. Lara’s first kill is depicted in a very real way, and can be downright disturbing. This is not a bad thing, but in just a few hours she’s plowing through bad guys like Rambo. Then she has to kill a deer in order to eat, but never has to eat the rest of the game. And by the time she gets a melee weapon, the executions are as brutal as Gears of War. There’s some sort of disconnect here.

As amazing as the single player is, the multiplayer is plain boring. I was hoping it would be on par with Uncharted’s multiplayer, but it’s not even close. With games like Gears of War Judgement and Uncharted’s Free-To-Play multiplayer, I doubt I’ll stuck with it for very long.

The Bottom Line

If you’re a Tomb Raider or Uncharted fan, this is a game you don’t want to miss. This is exactly how you reboot a game. I have very high expectations for the sequel, especially if it ends up on a next gen console. I’d like to see some improvements to the multiplayer, and more tombs to raid in an slightly more open world.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

On this months You Tube episode I talk about Gears of War, God of War, Roku 3, and 24. w00t

What I’m Saying is a video post. Maybe I’m too lazy to write, maybe I want to actually say something, or maybe I just want to see myself on camera.

I recently attended a Network After Work for Professionals event in Philadelphia, PA.  Network After Work is a national business and social networking event company. Presently, they host events in ten cities across the US: Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Washington DC, Detroit, Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis and Philadelphia.

The events are for business professionals interested in expanding your network, collaboration, and exploring new business opportunities.  

Thanks to social media, it's never been easier to meet with peers and colleagues outside of the internet, and Network After Work provides a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere to make this happen.

I met engaging professionals from various industries and career levels.  As a technologist and a blogger, I was a little skeptical on whether or not I would meet like minded peers.  My fears were unwarranted because there were quite a few IT Pros present. In addition to an open mind, you need to have a lot business cards on hand.

Upon entering the event you receive colored name tags, sorted by industry.

 It never felt uncomfortable to simply walk up to someone and get into a conversation.

Some were looking for jobs, others were looking for services, some were selling services, and there were a few recruiters out and about.

Network After Work hosts events nationally, take a look at their web site, and look for your city.  I will definitely be attending future events and I hope to see you there!

Events is a segment about geek and tech events I cover. If you like what you see, you should check it out. If not, then stay home and tweet on your Flipboards. Or play video games.

The end is near for Google Reader. On July 1st, Google is going to retire the famous RSS reader. I admit, I don’t use Google Reader much, but I still use it. It’s like that old, reliable, rusty screwdriver you always default to.

Whether or not you agree, doesn't really matter. Google is pulling the plug. Time to move on.

Why would Google do this to me?

Even Google admits that it has loyal following, but its use has declined. This is the age of social media. In the old days, social media was strictly for fun. It was a great way to communicate with friends and family. But now, it’s use has grown far beyond posting funny pictures, political soap-boxing, and a snooze fest of un-inspirational quotes.

Social media has evolved. People, like me, use it for work and collaboration. I once interviewed with a company that utilizes LinkedIn as their main HR resource for prospective employees. Not having an account would have seriously reduced my consideration for the position.

What alternatives are there?

Some time ago, I wrote a post about Feedly. The best feature of Feedly, is its versatility. You can use it directly on your web browser, add a chrome extension, or install the app on your tablet or smart phone. Although Flipboard has a cooler, cleaner, and more modern style, it lacks a browser based solution. It's tablet or smart phone only.

There are a ton of RSS readers out there, but it’s hard for me to recommend anything other than Feedly or Flipboard.

What if I’m done with RSS readers?

The other alternative is to succumb to the inevitable, use social media. You don’t have to sign up for anything. I’m sure you already belong to one of the major social media sites: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Google +.

Follow your favorite sites on Twitter and Google +, Like pages on Facebook, and join groups in LinkedIn. Something I have recently been getting into is Google + Communities. It’s little known, but I suggest you check it out. You can join communities that appeal to you. My favorites are Skyrim, Sci-Fi, and Geeks.

On a side note, this is a hilarious.

How To is a segment where I show you how to do something. I spend a lot of time coming up with new ways to do things and I’m happy to share it with you.

Welcome to the March edition of What I'm Saying, a recap of the month of March. On this You Tube episode, I talk about my new gigantor Galaxy Note II smart phone, Tomb Raider, God of War, and Grumpy Cat.

Enough chit chat, watch the video.

What I’m Saying is basically a VLOG entry. Maybe I’m too lazy to write, maybe I want to actually say something, or maybe I just want to see myself on camera.

It has taken me many months to reach the end of this journey, my success is now complete. I finished watching the entire Star Trek The Next Generation series. I loved this show as a kid, and I can still picture the tube TV with wood paneling. Thanks to the magic of Netflix, VUDU, and Amazon Instant Video, I watched the episodes in order, from beginning to end, followed by the movies.

The first few seasons were funny --collarless outfits, beardless Ryker, primitive effects-- but by the time I got to the last season, I wanted more.

I spent an entire weekend binge watching the rest of the movies. There was such a difference in production value from the TV show to the movie, I was completely taken aback by the effects. There is nothing more beautiful than seeing the Enterprise NCC-1701-D in full widescreen HD. I could only imagine how amazing the show would look if it was filmed today.

If you’re a old Trekkie, or maybe a new Trekkie thanks to the reboot, it’s totally worth watching the old Star Trek TNG. With only a handful of ridiculous episodes, the show still holds up after all these years. Now, onto Enterprise!

What I’m Watching is a segment about a show or movie that I absolutely love, or hate. In every case the video is streamed through some technological service. This IS a tech blog for Pete’s sake.

If you're a Systems/Network Administrator you've got an infinite amount resources available to you and it's easy to get overwhelmed. I consume most of my sysad knowledge from podcasts, forums and RSS Feeds. Everyone has their favorites, but I wanted to share mine.

A sysads job is very busy and essential to an organization. I can't stress how important it is to be on top of Technology. Any chance I get, I research the industry as much as I can.

Time to face the fact: In order to stay competitive in the market, you need to have your finger on the pulse.

Sites and Blogs

Every modern systems admin has some sort of Feed Reader so be sure to add these sites to your collection.

• Windows IT Pro
• Petri IT Knowledgebase
• Windows Server Blog
• Supersite For Windows
• ISAserver.org
• MSExchange.org
• Virtualization Admin
• Windows Networking
• Windows Networking Knowledgebase
• Windows Security
• Terminal Services

Forums

When faced with problems, in addition to Google research, post your issue on forums. Why troubleshoot a problem as one person, when you can have hundreds of IT Admins from all over the world to collaborate with. I can't tell you how many times this has saved me from disaster.

• Technet Forums
• Tech Guy
• Tech Support Forum

Podcasts

While you're working do you just sit there in silence? Stop doing that! Listening to tech podcasts, especially while you're doing mundane tasks or eating lunch, is a great way to jam even more knowledge into your brain.

• This Week In Enterprise
• The Tech Guy

Do you have any sites you absolutely cannot live without? Share them in the comments section below. I'd love to check them out.

A funny video that speaks for itself. A Montana TV station was hacked and an Emergency Alert was broadcasting a Zombie Attack. I can only imagine what people were thinking as they were watching this live. I love it when he says:

The bodies of the dead are rising from their graves and are attacking the living.

Funny Vids is a segment where I showcase funny videos I happen to come across. It’s guaranteed to give you laugh or at the very least, a chuckle. If you don’t laugh, you have no soul.

If you haven’t heard of The Walking Dead by now you probably shouldn’t be reading this blog, or you don’t care about anything awesome. Presently, The Walking Dead comes in 3 forms: the comic book, the TV Show, and the video game. Unfortunately, I have not read the comic or watched the TV show... yet. I decided to go straight for the video game.

When the game originally came out in 2012, it was episodic. Telltale Games followed the same formula as it’s Back To The Future game, by releasing The Walking Dead one episode at a time, until the final conclusion of Episode 5.

It doesn't matter if you’re a core or casual gamer, The Walking Dead is refreshingly different. It finally brings back the point and click adventure that once dominated PC games.

For those who aren't experienced with old school adventure games, the point and click control scheme is simple and uncomplicated, even on a controller. That doesn't mean the game is easy, I racked in countless deaths myself, but it’s challenging in different ways. For example, in one scene the main character had to jump quickly before falling to his death. If you weren't paying attention because you thought it was a cut scene, as I did, it’s game over. In another scene, one of the characters was accidentally locked in a jail cell with a zombie, and it’s your job to get that character to safety. It was very intense.

The Walking Dead made use of the dialog tree, in a unique, simple, and effective way. They added a timer to conversations and, depending on the situation, the countdown could be as quick as a few seconds, or a little bit longer. Initially, I was extremely angry about this. I spent long minutes in Mass Effect dialog trees, I even had the time to look up outcomes online. I wanted to take my time and read through all of the available options carefully, before making a decision. However midway through the game, I saw the light.

The extra tension added to an already intense game was exhilarating, and exciting.

Somewhere around Episode 3, I got a little bored of the game. I had some doubts about finishing it, but after giving it a short break, I decided to come back and finish what I started. Let me tell you, I am glad I decided to come back. The build up from Episode 4 to the finale of Episode 5 was totally worth it. I was glued to my PS3 controller. The building could have crashing down around me and I still wouldn't have stopped playing.

I wish I could discuss the story in detail but I don’t want to give anything away. I will say after finishing the game, I literally jumped out of my chair. I couldn’t even sleep for a good 2 hours as the story permeated my thoughts. I ended up with crazy dreams that night.

One week ago if you were to ask me my favorite game 2012 , I would have said Journey. Now, I will be telling people it’s The Walking Dead. I’ll definitely be watching the show and I might even get the comic on Kindle. I just have to be patient until The Walking Dead game Season 2, which is going to use your old save, so don’t delete it.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

Winter is here and I’ve grown sick and tired of my 15 year old leather gloves. I’ve had these old man gloves for far too long and I’m ready move on to something modern. It’s been awhile since I shopped for gloves and I picked up a pair of Northface E-Tip gloves.

The form fitting Northface E-Tip gloves are designed by the premium designers of winter wear, and cost a teeny bit more than a standard pair of gloves. Trust me when I say, it’s worth the price. The end of the thumb and index finger contain a special material which allows you to navigate your smart phone.

If you’re constantly checking your phone, this feature is awesome, you never have to take your gloves off again.

I also discovered an optional feature, it works wonderfully on an ATM touch screen.

My only complaint are the grip dots. For a product designed to be used with a mobile device, it feels too slippery. I tried my best to be extra careful, however I still dropped it a couple of times. I also have no case on my phone, which may have exacerbated the issue.

If you’re ready to move on to a modern pair of gloves, be sure to pick up a pair of Northface E-Tip gloves, you won’t regret it.

My Geek Gear is a segment about cool and nerdy stuff I wear. I don’t just talk the talk, I wear the walk.

Funny Vids is a segment where I showcase funny videos I happen to come across. It’s guaranteed to give you laugh or at the very least, a chuckle. If you don’t laugh, you have no soul.

In case you were wondering what happened to Master Chief, well... he’s back. What a shock. Halo 4 is the latest game in the Halo franchise, and the flagship title for the XBOX 360. The original developers, Bungie, have gone independent and passed to the torch to 343 Industries.

This is a huge gamble for Microsoft, they need to get this right. Turning over a major franchise to another developer is scary, and the future of the XBOX needs it’s flagship title to be amazing. Cast your fears aside friend, this is game is amazing.

How is the story?

Simply put, it’s my favorite single player story of the series and quite possibly my favorite single player shooter experience. Generally, I am not a huge fan of single player in shooters, I love the multiplayer competitive experience. But the continuing story of Master Chief blew me away.

If you’re not into Halo lore, previous Halo games can an be a little complicated to follow. All you need to know is you're Master Chief, you kill aliens, the Halo is a weapon of mass destruction. What separates Halo 4 from the rest, is the focus of the story.

Sure you’re saving the galaxy from a new alien threat, but the goal of this game, is to save Cortana. You can forget the rest, because this is a sad, dark story about friendship, loyalty, and love.

How is the presentation?

Halo 4 has gone through a major overhaul. The graphics, and music, are best in the series, and make other shooters look dated. It’s quite an accomplishment, and a great way to put an end to the last year of this console generation. The characters and story are fleshed out through amazing voice acting to back up the graphics. I actually found myself caring about about Master Chief and Cortana. The last time I felt this way, was playing Uncharted 2.

I have to mention that the new theme song is awesome. Sometimes I turn on the game and let it play for a bit. The song is beautiful, dark, and eerie -- it truly captures the essence of the game.

What about the Multiplayer?

Prior to release, I was a little worried about the multiplayer experience.

One of the major annoyances about previous Halo games was the inability to join games in progress. Finally, this was fixed in Halo 4.

Sprint is also mapped to the controller. On previous games Sprint was a power. Now, you can run all you want, well... until you get tired. This makes the game flow much faster and gives you greater control over your Spartan. The weapon balancing is excellent, you can pretty much pwn using any weapon, as long as you practice.

Everything feels tighter and, as you would expect for a Halo game, the controls are polished. As someone who plays Halo online casually (due to the number of games I own and how little time I have), I randomly found myself in first place on the best team, and worst player on the losing team. Most of the time, I end up somewhere in the middle. Unlike Call of Duty, Halo 4 is more casual friendly.

What’s this I hear about a new cooperative mode?

In addition to the standard multiplayer competitive modes, Halo 4 features story driven, episodic, and cooperative content. At the time of this writing 5 of the episodes have been released, and there is more to come. This is a brand new concept, and shows that Microsoft and 343 Industries are ensuring Halo 4’s longevity.

Closing Comments

Halo was never known for it’s graphical superiority, but Halo 4 changes that. It is arguably the best looking game on the XBOX 360 to date. I can’t say enough about how beautiful the game looks, especially the new character design for Cortana. The gripping presentation pulls you into this world, and in many ways it feels like the perfect shooter. Don’t even think about getting Halo 4. If you own an XBOX 360, you must have this in your collection.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

Like most techies, industry types, and internet geeks--I’m a huge fan of RSS feeds. They say social media is killing the RSS feed. Maybe so, but I love my feeds, and I don’t have to go through tons of social media just to get to the news that I want.

After picking up a few tablets this year, I was in desperate need for a decent RSS reader that would work on all my devices.

Google Reader has served its purpose, but I want a modern, digital magazine view.

Clearly the most popular app for tablets is Flipboard. Flipboard is a sweet app, with wonderful design. You can even integrate your social media sites. The only problem is, it doesn't work on a PC. What a bummer. I want my reader to be synced on all my devices, not just mobile.

My prayers were answered with Feedly. Not only do I have it running on my Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 Android tablets, it runs on my PC via a Google Chrome extension. It even syncs with Google Reader therefore I didn't have to configure it. As you would imagine, Feedly is best on a tablet.

If you’re still an avid RSS reader, check out Feedly. While Flipboard might have a better design, the lack of a PC app may turn off users who want just one feed to manage.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

After selling some some old games and hardware, I was finally able to acquire a Nexus 7. Sporting a 7” display and quad core Tegra processor, the Nexus 7 is known as a mini tablet. The smaller size tablet makes it more portable and easier to hold. Its direct competitors are the Kindle Fire HD, Nook HD, and Apple’s new iPad mini. Since it is essentially the size of a book, it makes reading easier on the go. And with the Amazon Kindle app, you instantly have access to Amazon’s gazillion books.

After just a few weeks of using the Nexus 7, I realized my new iPad (Gen 3 w/ Retina) was no longer a device I wanted to own. It’s superiority over the iPad is clear, and I sold my iPad to get a Nexus 10 at launch.

The Nexus 10 is a 10” tablet that has a dazzling 2560x1600 display with 300ppi. In comparison, the new iPad has a 2048x1536 resolution with 264ppi. It’s also slightly wider than the iPad and the speakers line each side facing toward you. The iPad speaker, while exceptional, has questionable placement on the corner, a design that has seriously annoyed me.

Since the Nexus line is made by Google, you are getting the purest Android experience. The Nexus 7 uses the latest OS, Jelly Bean 4.2. The OS is an amazing leap forward and finally allows multiple users. That's right, you can have your own login. For the iPad user, you know it was truly designed for a single person. This becomes apparent once you configure your apps and social networks. This was the vision of Steve Jobs, and so far, the Apple iOS has remained that way.

Allowing multiple users on a single tablet is an amazing feature. It no longer matters which tablet I take, it's just a matter of personal preference.

To clear some initial confusion, the Nexus 7 is made by Asus and the Nexus 10 is made by Samsung. Both are very powerful and anyone who has used Androids in the past may remember strange hiccuping and slowdown. Thanks to the new hardware and Jelly Bean 4.2, those pains are a thing of the past.

Why even bother having 2 sizes of tablets?

At first, I thought a 7” tablet would be a waste of space. We’re always taught bigger is better right? Clearly this is not always the case. When it comes to gaming, especially if you’re into shooter games like Modern Combat 3 and Nova 3, the 7” tab is much better. The smaller size makes it easier to hold and utilize the virtual joysticks and buttons. Gaming on the Nexus 10 is pretty, but quickly leads to hand cramps.

Portability. As funny as it sounds, the Nexus 7 can be put in your pocket. In fact, when I purchased mine from Gamestop, the sales guy had it in his pocket. It shocked me for a moment, but I suppose there are people who will carry it this way.

If you really need the real estate, the Nexus 10 is the way to go. I’m a huge fan of Feedly for viewing my RSS feeds in a magazine display, and the Nexus 10 is perfect. If you are used to the Retina display of the iPad, you will not be disappointed. This thing is gorgeous. It’s also slightly wider than the iPad and has nice rubber back which gives you good grip.

In terms of apps, the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 use the Google Play store.

Making purchases are a breeze and you can even link accounts so you don’t have to buy multiple apps for the different users that log in.

For example, if I buy the BeyondPod app, each user can share the app. No need to re-purchase.

Are the Nexus 7 and Nexus 10 are iPad killers?

I already sold my iPad and I can’t imagine going back. The masses may stick with iPad since most people want to retain their purchased apps and prefer a more simpler and singular experience. Not me.

Google has shown that it has not only taken over the phone market, but has prizefighters worthy of taking over the tablet market as well.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

I was introduced to Lindsey Stirling and Peter Hollens from the Skyrim cover that was done earlier this year. What’s amazing about the cover is that the entire song was done with one voice and one violin.

I’m a huge fan and I often listen to their music while I'm writing or just browsing the net. If you like their music, I suggest you subscribe to their You Tube channels or buy the albums on iTunes. If you need more convincing, watch Elements - Dubstep Violin below the Skyrim video, it’s one of my favorites.

Cool Vids is a segment where I showcase cool videos I found on the internet. The internet is a very busy place and there’s a lot of cool and strange stuff on the web. I save you the trouble of finding it.

I've wanted a quality wireless gaming headset for some time now, but didn’t want to pay quality price. I mainly game on the XBOX 360, but I play a little PS3, a headset that worked on both consoles, was a must. After researching the net and trying out a few headsets at local stores, I ended up getting the Turtle Beach X42. This thing is rad.

One of main reasons I went with the X42 over the X32, is the X42 uses optical inputs. This not only increases the quality of the sound, it makes it easier to set up. I use HDMI cables for both the XBOX 360 and the PS3, and I hate dealing with analog lines. Had I gone with the X32, I’d be stuck with RCA cables. What a mess.

Sound

After placing these gigantic 50mm speakers around my head I popped in Medal of Honor Warfighter. What a HUGE difference. Everything was clear and the 360 audio was amazing.

I could hear bullets wizzing by me, and discover enemies sneaking up behind me.

For shooter fans, this is a must. Knowing the location of an enemy is the difference between a frag and getting tea bagged.

Not Truly Wireless

If you want to get technical, the X42 is not truly wireless. If you plan on chatting on the XBOX 360, you need to plug a speaker cable from the headset to your controller. If you want to go truly wireless, then you should look at the Turtle Beach XP400 or XP500. Keep in mind you’ll be paying premium prices.

Running on the PS3

Since the X42 was engineered for the XBOX 360, I was a little worried it wouldn't work for the PS3. Thankfully, it does work. However, keep in mind that you will not be able to get the mic to work. Should you require this feature, look at the XP400. I almost never chat on the PS3, so this wasn't a concern for me.

You need to go into the audio settings of the PS3 to set up the headset. This is not a step you have to do on the XBOX 360. Mine is set up to play audio on both the speakers and the headset. This prevents the need to constantly adjust the settings.

AAA Batteries

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on the person, this headset runs on AAA batteries. If you want to save some money, get yourself some rechargeable batteries. If you want a built in rechargeable headset, go with the XP400 or XP500.

Final Say

Overall, I love my Turtle Beach X42 headset. Sure it’s missing a few features such as being truly wireless, no chat on PS3, and no built in rechargeable battery. If you can live without these features, then this is the best XBOX 360 (and PS3) headset around. If you need the extras, go with the Turtle Beach XP400 or XP500.

Review is a segment about my opinion on things. I like things, and you like things too. Before you run off and buy something, you should check out my review. Chances are if I like it, it’s probably awesome.

Technology moves so fast it’s hard to keep up. As an enthusiast, gamer, tech blogger, and IT professional, the technology I use changes quite frequently. When asked why I have so much technology, I usually respond, "I play with expensive toys for a living." Understanding technology brings home a paycheck.

That said, it’s time to do a tech check. This is a list of the tech that I currently own, and why I use it.

ASUS A53SV-EH71 running Windows 8 RP

This is my main laptop, the flagship of the Federation, the Enterprise. It’s an i7 2.2 GHZ laptop. It’s a hyperthreaded quad core CPU, so your looking at 8 CPUs on the Task Manager. I have 6GB DDR3 RAM and, unfortunately, I don’t have an SSD drive. At the moment I’m running the Windows 8 Release Preview, but my Windows 8 Pro is pre-ordered and should be arriving at the end of the month.

2011 MacBook Pro running OSX Mountain Lion

The main reason for getting a MAC is to satisfy my curiosity, and to give my wife her own computer. Honestly, I hardly use this thing other than for "educational purposes." After recently updating to OSX Mountain Lion, I found that it’s a great backup laptop.

Toshiba Satellite A305 running Windows 7 Pro

Ah, my old main laptop, This was hot stuff some years ago. Intel Core 2 Duo Processor 2.10GHz, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3650 with 512MB video memory. This was my first Wireless N device. Man I loved it. Today, it still holds up, and can easily fulfill anyone’s needs. Currently, it sits idly as my Windows 7 PC and I use to use it as a Netflix streaming device on my bedroom TV, and a file server.

Sony Vaio PCG-6F1L running Ubuntu 12.10

This is an OLD 7 year old laptop that runs Linux. First of all, I love Linux, and anyone who runs an old workstation (or new) should run Ubuntu. Prior to tablets, this little guy was perfect for travelling, and computing in bed. Unsurprisingly, Sony makes amazing hardware that just won’t die.

XBOX 360 Elite

My 250 GB XBOX 360 is my main gaming console and the greatest entertainment device to date. It also streams Netflix, You Tube, Crackle, and all the movies I own from my Asus laptop. Nuff said.

PS3 Slim

Recently I have been playing a lot of PS3. I moved it to the bedroom and it’s main role is streaming movies to the bedroom TV. Since it has built in Wireless, I don’t have any problems using it as a set top box. Because it is in the bedroom, I use it to play single and multiplayer games while lying in bed. I love me some Walking Dead under the covers.

3DS

My original 3DS is dead to me. I barely even turn it on and i’m ready to sell the damn thing. Sorry Nintendo, I think I just outgrew your generation of games. I think it’s a great system, just not for me.

PS Vita

Another dedicated gaming device that’s sitting in limbo. From a hardware aspect, this thing is a beast. Gaming wise, it just sits there. Third party support is lacking, and although there are ton of PS One and PS2 games available, but I need new stuff. I’m a little worried that this might end up on the selling block soon.

New iPad running iOS 6

Wow, my first Apple device that I truly love. As much as I don’t like the Apple OS, the hardware is amazing. For gaming, and browsing on the go, nothing compares to the iPad at the moment. Google and Microsoft need to step up if they want to take over the tablet market. I use this daily to consume content.

Samsung Focus running Windows 7.5 Mango

I love my Windows Phone. After owning a Blackberry, iPhone and Android, I can honestly say this is the best phone I ever owned. It’s getting old and I can’t wait to get a new Windows 8 phone next year, but this thing is still amazing.

Nokia Lumia 900 running Windows 7.5 Mango

I am jealous because I got this phone for my wife. Coming from iPhone, I wasn’t sure she would get it, but she did, and fairly quickly to boot. At this point she loves her phone and everywhere we go, she gets compliments. Everyone thinks it’s a fancy Android phone. I love telling people it’s a Windows Phone and seeing blank faces as they ask “What’s a Windows Phone?”

My Technology is a segment about my current hardware devices: PCs, phones, tablets, gaming consoles, etc. I own a lot of tech and this segment provides a quick review of why I am addicted to owning all this stuff.

Red Sand is a Mass Effect fan film starring the voice of Commander Shepard himself, Mark Meer. It was produced by the students and faculty of the Digital Video Program at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe, Arizona.

The short 14 minute fan film serves as a prequel, and takes place 35 years before the Mass Effect video games. The film is well acted and has a good dose of sci-fi action and suspense. The CGI, film style, and special effects are high quality. The story does a great job of explaining the discovery of the Prothean artifact, how humans used biotics, and the Mass Effect Relay. If you never played any of the Mass Effect games, you probably want to watch this anyway, because the film is superb.

If you’re a casual gamer who hasn't played Mass Effect yet, the film does a great job of capturing the video game experience.

I wish this was a series, I love me some Mass Effect.

Cool Vids is a segment where I showcase cool videos I found on the internet. There’s a lot of cool stuff on the web and I save you the trouble of finding it.

First of all, let me preface this post by saying I’m not an Apple fanboy. In my 12 years of experience working in the IT industry, I found the overwhelming majority of hardcore tech enthusiasts are not into Apple. Apple’s easy to use proprietary products, visually stunning hardware, and hyped marketing clearly caters to a mainstream and consumer audience.

There is nothing wrong with that, by the way, because this is exactly what Steve Jobs wanted. However, most enthusiasts end up owning the products anyway, simply because we love technology. But for many of us, like myself, it’s also part of our job.

I’m also not an Apple hater, I simply like other products better. Windows and Linux (Android is a Linux based OS) are far superior operating systems mainly for its versatility. Thankfully, all three are quite different and it’s great to be have choices. Competition breeds innovation.

That said, I own a Macbook Pro and got the New iPad, which also happens to be my first tab. This weekend I updated my iPad and Mac to the latest OS, iOS 6 and OSX Mountain Lion.

Friday Night

I unboxed the iPad and started my OSX Mountain Lion update for the Mac. It took over 3 hours to get the Mac updated and I didn’t spend any time on it. I did, however, spend a lot of time with the iPad. I am presently in the honeymoon phase with the iPad and i’m completely enamored with it.

Saturday

I woke up bright and early for my Apple weekend and let me tell you, lying in bed with the iPad is far superior experience than the laptop. By pure design, physically holding a tab is much more comfortable. My wake up routine is a heck of a lot easier: checking emails, social networking, and reading Tech news on Feedly.

The lacking feature, by pure design, is when I had to do typing on the iPad. Typing on a virtual keyboard is a painful experience. But it’s a small complaint, I don’t intend on doing major content creation on the iPad anyway.

I spent some time on the Mac to see the amazing updates that I keep hearing about. After some time, I didn't notice much difference, although I do admit I don’t use the Mac very often to notice these things. The lack of versatility brings my use to a minimum.

I spent a majority of the day on the iPad, which seems to have a magical battery life. As an online shooter fan, the best games on the iPad (and iPhone) are the Nova and Modern Combat series. It’s amazing how these games look and feel just as good as their console cousins, Call of Duty and Halo (or Crisis). As you would expect, controlling shooters on a tablet is clumsy.

As awesome as it is to play an online shooter on a tablet, the lack of physical buttons drove me nuts.

What did seem to work best are strategy games such as Magic The Gathering 2013 and Hero Academy. In fact, these games work better on a tablet than a PC or Console. Games of this genre are where the touch interface rules supreme. On a side note, you really need to get Magic The Gathering 2013.

Sunday

I spent the last day of my Apple Weekend figuring out how the updated Mac and iPad fit in my technology fused life. The Mac goes back to the life it once had, as a secondary laptop that I seldom use. The iPad now becomes my goto device for consuming content and mobile gaming. I’m already thinking about selling the Nintendo 3DS, and the PlayStation Vita is starting to look a little worried.

I had forgotten all about the YouTube app on the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3. Having spent some time with the app on both the 360 and PS3, I found the PS3 to be just a smidge better.

The metro look of the XBOX is visually nice, but the overall navigation is cleaner on the PS3.

I have quite a few channels I subscribe to, and a ton of playlists. A clean interface is very important to me. It’s great to have a large playlist of music videos to play when you have some friends over, or when you’re doing house chores.

One thing I noticed on the XBOX 360 is that you can’t use the Kinect Voice to search for videos, you have to use the on screen keyboard. Bummer, guess we’ll have to wait for Smart Glass. The PS3 YouTube app can be controlled via your smartphone. Now that’s a plus.

If you haven’t gotten a chance to link YouTube with your consoles yet, you should give it a shot. Now you can spend time watching kittens playing with yarn and double rainbows in the comfort of your couch.