The 3D of Nintendo 3DS

The future is here. 3D technology is on the rise, with movies like Avatar being the torch holder. Personally I love 3D technology; I think it enhances the movie experience ten fold, and is going to be a main foundation for the future entertainment industry. It's just the most suitable next step. After 3D, well... Star Trek holodeck anyone?

The gaming industry is also taking notice of this recent rise in 3D popularity, with Nintendo trying to grab hold of the reins. Recently it was announced that a new DS would be coming out later this year, and it would be a DS that was 3D.

Initial reactions?

This won't work. This is the end of the DS. What is Nintendo thinking?

Kind of sounds like the reaction when the Wii was announced, doesn't it? If we've learned anything over the years is that Nintendo usually knows what its doing. The company always knows when to seize the moment. If Avatar was the catalyst for movies, then the 3DS is that same thing for the gaming world.

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Time to look at the different aspects of the 3DS. The most notable question everyone is asking is what kind of 3D will the DS posses? Will it require glasses?

The 3D of Nintendo 3DS

• The 3D technology of the DS is called Lenticular Viewing. This type of 3D technology does`t require glasses. Let me repeat. Does. Not. Require. Glasses. Anyone cheering yet? That was the biggest concern when the system was announced, and Nintendo was shrewd enough to know that if they wanted to have any kind of success they needed to not have glasses.
• So what is Lenticular Viewing? It uses a 3D technology that causes the image emitted to be emitted in two different ways. The eyes then receive each image and the brain is given the illusion of depth and 3D. Kind of like looking through a window. The problem, or downfall, of this technology is that the user has to hold the DS a certain distance away, and can't move or shake the DS in any wild manners. Talk about a very subdued gaming experience.
• The games so far look promising, although a little gimmicky. They don't try and do any pop-outs like early 3D movies, but instead try to enhance the experience, like Avatar. There is much promise, though. Nintendo has announced that some remakes will be made for the DS. Smart marketing move, especially since the flagship of the remakes in none other then The Orcarina of Time.

The 3DS looks promising. Time will tell how promising it really is.

The Best iPhone Games

Here is a list of the five best iPhone games. (No order - but from five different categories.)

1. (Action/Arcade)

Doom Classic :You can't go wrong with this one. A classic 3D game brought into the palm of your hand and only for five dollars. Sometimes nostalgia is a great thing.

2. (Music and Puzzle)

Trism :This little game has taken the iPhone app store by storm. Now one of the most popular iPhone applications of all time, Trism - for only $3 - is a unique puzzle game that is both simple and addicting.

3. (Racing and Sports)

Tiger Woods PGA Tour :Without a doubt the best sports game on the iPhone. For $5 you can get access to dozens of different courses and playable course, and with a control scheme that is simple - as well as great graphics - the game is a must have.

4. (Strategy and Simulation)

Flight Control :One of the most addicting game you'll ever play on the iPhone. Use your fingers to control the path of planes as they come into an airport. The goal? Land all of them smoothly without any collisions. It's easy as first but can get very hard. The best part? Only $1 in the iPhone application store.

5.(Role Playing)

Vay :Classic dungeon crawling. Magic. Monsters. Enough said.

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Check out the Best iPhone Apps, and the Worst iPhone Apps.

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The iPad as an eBook Reader

Let's talk about the competition. The Apple iPad has just recently been released, and with it comes an application that allows you to read eBooks. In fact, it has a Kindle application that plays all Amazon eBooks.

So it asks the question: "With the iPad is there any point of the Kindle?"

Let's find out:

iPad

Price: $500

Pros:

• The first color eBook reader. This is great for books that are filled with illustrations and diagrams. It handles all the colors wonderfully.
• Apps for the Kindle store as well as Barnes and Nobel. Memory that can store thousands of books from either marketplace; therefore more variety.
• Beautiful touch screen that allows you to flip pages cleanly and concisely.
• The biggest selection of periodicals over any other reader. Great for the daily news, and other little information avenues.
• Other than being an eBook reader is also able to play music, photos and has access to thousands of other applications.

Cons:

• Very, very glare prone. Outside in the sun it is nearly impossible to use as a reader.
• Doesn’t have a 3G network yet, unlike the free one that comes with the Kindle.
• No ability or annotation and other kinds of notes on the books you are reading.
• Battery life dies out quickly.
• Isn’t specifically as eBook reader therefore lacks the same kind of care and attention the other ones have.

Besides the fact that the iPad is full of color and looks great without the sun, it's still - for a great reading experience - is not up to par with the Kindle. It's still a great purchase, but it's not something that should be bought for the reasons of having an eBook reader. For that I still suggest the Amazon Kindle.

For more comparison, check out:

The Best eBook Readers

Amazon Kindle - Review

Books, books, books... who needs 'em? It seems with the this new, grand, age of technology many other mediums are becoming obsolete. One of these dying worlds is that of books, and how we read the words they possess. We used to love holding a hard copy book in our hand, rummaging through the pages, just smelling the new paper; the key word is used to.

Now all we care about are eBooks, the new medium for reading. They're digital, they're convenient, and above all they're cheap. Not to sound overused, but in this kind of economy... who wouldn't prefer eBooks?

The fact is eBooks aren't going away and neither are the eBook readers. There are many different kinds of eBooks readers, some with extra features, and some lacking.

Here is a Review on the Amazon Kindle:

The Amazon Kindle:

Price: $250

Pros

• Has a vast network of eBooks to choose from over the ‘Whispernet’. This is gives exclusivity to the content it has, but can also prove to be limiting. The Kindle International expanded that network to include over 100 countries. No PC needed to download new content, therefore very portable.
• It can store up to 1500 books at one time, but there is not option for an external hard drive. So if you ever got enough books to fill up the memory, and you wanted more, you would have to delete some books.
• Keyboard for making notes.
• Option to change the font size to whatever wanted. No more too small fonts, or overly large fonts; you can find exactly the size for you. A nice customization feature.
• Read aloud text. Great for driving, or for kids to learn how to read.

Cons:

• No Wi-Fi included.
• The downside of it now becoming international is that some countries will charge you an extra fee to download extra content.
• Battery is built in and cannot be removed.
• It’s eBook format is exclusive and therefore limiting if you ever want content outside of the Kindle store.

The Bottom Line: The Kindle in the king of eBook readers. It has the most features and s the most accessible. If you really think it's time to indulge into the digital medium, I suggest you take the plunge with the Amazon Kindle.

For more information on other eBook Readers, and a comparison between all of them, check out:

The Best eBook Readers