PSP Games for Christmas

I was lucky enough to get two games for my Sony PSP for Christmas.I got Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command and Gripshift.Squad Command is a strategy based game which will be very familar to those who play the Warhammer 40000 miniatures game.

Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command marks the first time that the brutal, war-ravaged world of Games Workshop’s Warhammer 40,000 universe will be playable on the PSP. Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command features fast, action-packed combat through turn-based strategy and an engaging, authentic single-player storyline. Gamers play as the elite Space Marines of the Ultramarines chapter and strive to combat the encroaching evil of the ruthless and daemonic influenced Chaos Space Marines through 13 cinematically-tied missions. With a robust multiplayer mode featuring 9 unique missions, gamers will team up and go head-to-head with other gamers worldwide as either the Imperium of Man or Chaos Space Marines, ensuring hours of unique replayability. Warhammer 40,000: Squad Command will also fully utilize all the portable functionality of the PSP and Nintendo DS, including the dual-screen and stylus, bringing the Warhammer 40,000 universe to life on handheld.

For those looking for an action game you would be better off looking elsewhere. I am enjoying the game and find it tactically stimulating.Gripshift is a different game altogether, a driving puzzle game which I am also enjoying. Basically there are various tracks which you drive over.

GripShift is the first video game for the PSP portable entertainment system to combine high-flying stunt driving and unique puzzle-solving action in an all-out, pedal-to-the-metal driving experience.

Players race as one of six unique characters in supped-up vehicles as they stunt their way through insane twisting levels while collecting power-ups, avoiding traps, beating the clock and challenging friends.Featuring enhanced aerial physics with an intuitive control system, players perform awesome aerial jumps for massive hang time in puzzle-like driving challenges with multiple routes, short-cuts, loops, jumps and power ups. Compete in single player race mode against the CPU, or enjoy multiplayer action with your friends in head-to-head wireless multiplayer. Create and design custom levels to share with your friends or play in one of eight bonus games for outrageous fun.It’s an original break-thru combination of stunt driving, platform action and puzzle solving, designed exclusively for the PSP system.

BBC iPlayer on your PS3

Amid all the news about BBC iPlayer on the Mac and Linux, you may not realise that it is possible to watch BBC iPlayer on a range of devices, including the Playstation 3 (PS3).

You need to be running the latest firmware, I upgraded mine to version 2.53.

Find out more here.

Free MP3s from Amazon.co.uk

Seems iTunes is not the only place giving away free stuff over the festive period.

We’ve got an extra gift for you this Yuletide: £3 to spend on anything in our MP3 store on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Visit us on December 25 or 26, then just add your chosen MP3s to your Shopping Basket (you need to use the Shopping Basket rather than 1-Click) and enter code FREEMP3S at the checkout–£3 will be deducted from the total.

Get your free MP3s.

Remember this offer runs out on the 26th December 2008.

12 Days of Christmas iTunes Giveaway

Apple’s iTunes Store is offering twelve days of giveaways from the 26th December to the 6th January.

For iTunes 12 Days Of Christmas, we’ve delved deep into our catalogue to pull out some real treats for the holiday season. Check back here every day for rare singles, exclusive live tracks and free music videos from some of the biggest artists in the world today. Plus classic TV programmes that you just won’t want to miss. Consider them little stocking fillers for your new iPod.

Find out more.

BBC iPlayer on the Nokia N810

So can you watch content on your Nokia N810

No it doesn’t work as you would like it to, in the main as I guess the processor on the N810 is not powerful enough.

The Flash player on the N810 is the full version which means unlike the iPhone it can access Flash content easily on the web, like BBC iPlayer, but alas though it can access the content, it can’t play it properly.

You can play video on the Nokia N810, but generally you need to encode it specifically for the N810 otherwise it either won’t play or stutters a lot.

Unlike the iPhone, the iPod touch and Google’s G1, as the N810 uses (a variant) of the Firefox browser, the BBC don’t supply the mobile Mp4 files which work on the iPhone and G1 and therefore the N810 is reliant on the Flash versions which (as they are higher quality) require more processing power.

I am going to see if I can play an iPhone BBC iPlayer file on the N810 which should give me an idea if the processor is powerful enough. Will keep you informed.

BBC iPlayer now available on Mac and Linux

Well I know you are thinking that you could access BBC iPlayer already on your Mac or Linux PC!

Well what we’re talking about here is not the Flash based web BBC iPlayer, but the iPlayer which allows you to download BBC programmes and watch them while offline.

Not tried it yet, but thinking it could be useful for train journeys.

Read more on BBC News.

The BBC has created a version of the iPlayer that works with both Mac and Linux computers.

The two systems, which have been able to stream BBC programmes via the iPlayer for a year, will now be able to handle downloads.

The BBC, working with Adobe, has developed the new version, known as BBC iPlayer Desktop.

Nokia N73 “broken”

After some testing I have come to the conclusion that there is a mechanical problem with my Nokia N73, after seeing it “crash” after placing it on my desk, it just turned itself off. I thought it might be the battery contacts, but they seem fine, but I think it might be another technical problem, maybe a loose connection somewhere.

Seadragon Mobile

In an interesting move, Microsoft Labs have released an application for the iPhone.

Seadragon

Seadragon is designed to provide next-generation visual experiences, regardless of the size of the screen, size of the file or speed of your network. It’s already available on a number of platforms, including Microsoft Surface, and in Photosynth and Silverlight. Now we’re bringing that same graphical smoothness right to the iPhone in your pocket.

Probably the best way to describe it, as a Google Maps but for any large scale image.

Find out more.

Download the app from the iTunes Store.

New phone

Well my Nokia N73 is “broken” in the sense that it keeps turning itself off on a too regular basis. Upgrading the firmware hasn’t helped and as a result I am thinking about a new phone.

Obvious choice would be the Nokia N97, but it’s not out yet, so can I wait, or do I go for the E71.

Hmm. Decisions.