iPod Line Up 2010 - mixed bag

So, today Apple announced their new lineup for the 2010 iPod line. I have very mixed reviews about it. Here's my opinions on the various models.

Shuffle - A great and much needed step back to the previous generation shuffle. The last form looked great, but very much still needed physical controls on the unit itself. Now only offered with 2GB of memory??? What happened to the 4GB model?

Nano - An interesting little unit, but now lacking a video camera or video playback altogether? Not an upgrade in my opinion. While I wouldn't use the camera a whole lot, the appeal was that it was included. The most important seller for the nano line for me was that it allowed video playback. It might have been small, but if you needed to watch a movie, the option was there. This new model is nothing but a downgrade for me. Yeah, it has a touch screen, but why? The videos I have seen of the touch screen in action make it look very cumbersome and frustrating. Definitely not what I was hoping for.

Touch - I have wanted a touch for some time now, but being a big fan of having almost my entire collection of music with me at all times has caused me pause from going ahead with a purchase. I was hoping this new generation would boast a higher storage capacity, but to no avail. Again, we are stuck with the same 8GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities. I am sorry, but it looks as though I'll be still using my old 160GB iPod Classic for another year. The addition of video and photo functions seem appealing, but not as much of a seller to me personally if it didn't have the cameras but had a higher memory capacity.

My analysis of the line is that the Nano has pretty much been ruined to an extent. Honestly, they should have billed the new Nano as the new Shuffle. I understand why they couldn't though, considering the Nano pricing starts at $149. If I had my ability to make changes to these units, I would have a higher capacity model shuffle back in the lineup, make the Nano widescreen and still incorporate video playback features, and my biggest change to the line would be to incorporate more capacity into the touch line. I have seen it on many other blogs that there are many others like myself crying out for a higher capacity Touch.

Me, I am pretty sure I'm skipping this generation of iPods. The line changes were not enough for me to yet pick up a Touch and enough that a Nano no longer appeals to me at all. I did hear that Microsoft is planning a full overhaul of their Zune HD that is possibly incorporating their Windows Phone 7 OS. I cannot wait to see what Zune has in store.

Out of Nowhere

So, It's been a damn long time since I've even looked at this blog. What better time than now to make a new update. So, since I had today off, I ran to my local music store and picked up the new album by The Sword entitled Warp Riders. Recent events in my life have thrown off my internal clock something fierce, and for some reason I had it stuck in my mind that the album was coming out today rather than the week ago that it had.

I was aware that this album was in ways a "concept" album. In knowing this, I set my expectations toward something maybe a bit sonically spacious more dragged out and echoey considering that the theme of this album had shifted away from the mythical battles that took place eons past into a setting more sci-fi in nature. Apparently that was not the case, and it's not all together a bad thing either. It has the familiar sound of The Sword's previous releases and this album has a much stronger and appealing sound than Gods of the Earth, which I felt had fell a tad short of the mark if only so slightly.

There are ten tracks to Warp Riders, and after just listening to it, I cannot find a single track I didn't like immediately. The album begins with something more akin to my initial expectations. Something more spaceoperatic, but after a brief silence, the wall of familiar Sword sound takes flight and the album never falters, never fails to deliver. The story throughout Warp Riders is a fun stride back toward the crafted stories of what come to my mind when someone mentions the science fiction of the late sixties or early seventies. Even the album cover itself is flawless in its conveyance of this dedication to such a period. This album is so filled with guitar rifts and thundering drums that you wouldn't need anything else consuming that space. Then somehow they slide in the vocals that blend perfectly into the heavy beats and screaming guitars with an almost svelte ease.

This album is a must-have for anyone who is either a fan of science fiction from ages past, or just want an amazingly created hard rock album. Having listened to this album a few times now, I am so glad my initial presumptions about this album were far off base, as this feels like an album from the Sword. Let that spacey theremin driven rock opera I was looking forward to come from someone else. The sword has delivered Warp Riders and it is about perfect in every way.

"she makes a fold in space, we slip
between the curves
Sacrifice of the sisterhood to do for those
they serve
To cross the Universe in hyper-spatial flight
We ride the warp of space into the
womb of night"

the video for Tres Brujas (the second track on the album) is a tad corny, but very much a fun watch...

HALO 3 vs. Call of Duty 4 [my opinion]

I play both Halo 3 and Call of Duty 4. I like them both. I'm starting to get friends though that are taking sides one way or another. Here's my take on it.

HALO 3. HALO 1 and 2 were my all-time favorite first person shooter games. Halo 3 continues that tradition and brought some added features sweetening the deal even further. Heavy weapons, customizable maps and game variants. It's got a lot going for it. The campaign version of the game was pretty good, but the online multiplayer is where it is at. In my opinion, the matchmaking system is damn near flawless. It is easy to navigate, join friends and get into games. The only drawback is that you can't randomly join custom games.

While filled with a thousand vulgar juveniles, HALO 3's matchmaking came prepared and is more enjoyable by using the mute function so you can only hear your teammates. Heavy Weapons, as I'd mentioned before, really enhanced the H3 experience. Being able to pick up a large weapon and move, albeit slow as hell, around the map providing heavy support. The other great aspect of H3 is the vehicles. I love driving the Warthog. The Banshee is a bit broken this go around. One Banshee can dominate a map with its speed, maneuverability, rapid firing guns, bombs and ability to splatter ground troops. They need to tone it down a bit. Otherwise, all of the vehicles are great this go around. They add an element that is just unmatched by other FPSes.

Call of Duty 4. I played COD2 and liked it a lot. Unfortunately the multiplayer matchmaking was abysmal and that ended the experience for me shortly after completing the campaign. I skipped COD3 because i heard it was just more of the same. Upon raves and positive reviews, I decided to grab up COD4 when it was on sale for only $40. I'm glad I did. The game is amazing. It has a much more realistic combat feel than H3 and so far the players I've encountered haven't been as obnoxious. With the last couple of games I've played though, they're getting there. Hopefully that was just a couple bad experiences.

As far as the campaign of COD4 is concerned, it is what HALO 3's campaign should have been. The ever stoic Master Chief and the grizzled tone of Johnson and Hood did nothing to get the blood pumping and the adrenaline rushing. The only emotion came during the cut scenes where you witness main characters being killed. Sad, but you seem very disconnected from it since you aren't in control. It was still a decent story and was well worth working through. I am glad H3 came out before COD4, otherwise I would've really disappointed by its campaign. COD4 has an amazing campaign. A great show. It's like living a movie. Emotions run high as you feel invested in the goings on. At one point, a character you are playing gets killed by a nuclear explosion. The whole pacing and drive of the game puts you in it. It is short, but still one of the finest experiences I've had playing through a video game.

The multiplayer aspect can either be frantic and fast or slow and stealthy. You can't just run and gun and hope to make it through alive. You have to be aware of your surroundings and use your UAV or airstrikes well. Sure, that shrub might shoot you from 300 feet away, but it's actually some ghillie suit wearing sniper. hiding in there. The only problem I have with the multiplayer is the perk where if you are killed you drop a grenade. It is such crap and a cheap way to get a kill. Often, I kill someone and am in too confined of a space to get out and get to safety or there is another unsuspecting teammate blocking my escape. The other thing that could have been done better is the map design. It is very well constructed and looks pretty realistic, but there isn't any great landmarks that help differentiate between one side or the other. I wouldn't want anything too obtrusive, but maybe some propoganda posters, graffiti or flags on the map to give some point of reference. Without it, it makes pointing out enemy positions rather difficult.

In conclusion, I like them both. I think both have great aspects and are a worthwhile play. While Call of Duty 4's campaign takes the cake, hands down, HALO 3's use of vehicles and tactical team communications in multiplayer give it the advantage. Granted, this is my opinion based upon my likes and dislikes. I can fully understand why someone would like COD4's game play better in multiplayer. I just like the vehicle additions and the easier to navigate maps of H3. There is also more emotion and satisfaction gained from playing H3's multiplayer for me.

I will say H3 needs Neutral Flag back!!!

Of course neither of them have anything as cool as the Assassin's Creed glitches.

I know what I know. I like what I like.

This blog is going to be about my interests and whatever I feel like ranting about. Here is what this blog will primarily revolve around:

• Comic Books
• Toys
  
• Music
• Video Games
• Movies

I will post some reviews of these things, talk about new and upcoming news that I find out about. Opinions. I have 'em. Hell, I'll share 'em too.

First, I should address why this blog is called "SPACE UNICORNS". The title pretty much sums me up. Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Fiction, Space. These all relate to my interests. Me. My life. It is more involved than that, but those are the nuts and bolts of it all.

I just ran across this quote while writing the preceding lines. It in no way refers to you, dear reader. I just thought it was funny, appropriate and should be shared because it is profoundly true.

"A word to the wise ain't necessary - it's the stupid ones that need the advice."- Bill Cosby


What the hell? Now we had a tornado tear up our fair city. That's right, a tornado. Not a common occurrence in the Pacific Northwest. Odd day.