Orders for the Norte Americano version of Wii Fit has started arriving from Amazon.com, and just in time for the holiday weekend in the United States!
The balance board is a bit sturdier than I remembered, which is a good sign.
I’ll post more photos (videos if possible.I think I’m coming down with a sore throat) of the opening in a few hours.In the mean time, this is what the box looks like (pictures taken with my iPhone).
Be sure to come back later to check out more pictures!
UPDATE (May 26, 2008): MORE UNBOXING PICS HERE (http://esrb.blogspot.com)
UPDATE 2 (May 26, 2008): For explanation on the "Not Legal For Trade" sticker at the bottom of the balanace board, see Some Life's explanation. Thanks for the information.
Tired of waiting for your Netflix DVDs in the mail? The wait is over. Netflix has the new "Watch Instantly" feature now that allows you to watch unlimited hours of movies and TV series on the Netflix website. This feature is basically free, since anyone with a Netflix account can use it, regardless of the type of plan the user has. Just this past weekend, I watched the whole first season of "The Office" using my dad’s Netflix account.
Below is a laundry list of all the things I like and dislike about the new Netflix streaming feature:
The Good
Unlimited viewing time online, which is good for watching TV series episodes or previewing movies.
The embedded Windows Media Player in browser is pretty neat, can also go to full-screen mode if needed.
Quality is decent if you have good internet connection, but isn’t so great on slower connections. For example, I use Yahoo! Basic DSL service at home, and I can only get one bar on Netflix’s network connection quality indicator.
You can pause a movie in the middle and Netflix will remember the position, so the next time you watch the same movie again, it will start from where you left off.
Decent collection of movies and TV episodes for you to choose, and this collection is growing everyday.
The Bad
Currently, you can only watch stream the movies if you have a Windows XP or Vista PC. I guess Mac users are left out of this one.
Not all the movies can be watched online, but Netflix is adding new titles constantly and hopefully soon all of the Netflix library will be watchable online.
Of course the quality of online viewing is not comparable to watching on your 50" HDTV. If movie quality of utmost importance to you, then you will likely be disappointed.
Netflix Player
This set-top box will cost you $99, and it works similar to the Apple TV. You can stream the Netflix library directly to this box and hook it up to your big-screen TV. For more detail this player, visit their website. Apple TV will cost you money for each movie you want to rent or buy, Netflix Player let’s you watch all the movies free of charge.
Conclusion
A thumb’s up for Netflix "Watch Instantly". Online movie watching will be the norm in a few years, and its good to see that the people at Netflix understand this, and is putting their resources on this great new technology.
The different artistic styles between Japanese and American animation, to put it mildly, is like day and night. Anime offers a realism one typically finds in movies.And often, the storylines are geared towards a more matured audience.It’s not to say that American cartoons don’t have an audience. Just ask Pixar and Disney.In recent years, the two styles have been much closer.
How about comic book characters and their cartoon incarnations?The mileage on the depth of the stories and character developments has varied over time. So what about this “bat-man” character?
On July 8, 2008, Warner Brothers will release Batman: Gotham Knight, an anime-styled DVD with six stories to take place between the last Batman movie, Batman Begins and this summer’s new bat movie, The Dark Knight.
The DVD set can pre-ordered from Amazon for $20.99, a 30% saving over the retail price.
Come back for an exciting review on July 8th! Meanwhile, let your eyes salivate a bit with the trailers:
You might have already known this, Java is omni-present in an average person’s life, from desktop, web, mobile devices, to a simple pen. This trend seems to be accelerating due to the rise of Web 2.0, and people’s appetite to be connected to each other 24/7. The web is moving closer and closer into our lives, and Java is the technology that enables this. Innovation becomes easy when using Java, because developers only have to write code once, and this code will run on any of the existing platforms supported by Java, no extra effort required. The same code can be run on Windows, Linux, web browser, or a mobile phone. There are also tons of Java libraries and frameworks out there, most of them free of charge and open source.
The key theme of this year’s Java One is "Java + You", and by "you", it represents how Java affects your daily life. Let’s see some key examples below:
JavaFX and JavaFX on Mobile
Sun’s new highly productive, statically typed scripting language for rich multi-media content. The JavaFX demo showed at Java One involves a Facebook photo-sharing application written in JavaFX script language, and the app runs on both desktop and mobile device. Need to mention that the demo application did crash twice in front of thousands of Java One attendees, and they have to quickly switch the big screens away from the demo to something else, otherwise, it did look pretty good. There are also a lot of technical sessions related to JavaFX technology, and they all drew high attendances and interests. It will be interesting to see how JavaFX will compete against Adobe Flex and the likes in the future. If I am a betting man, however, I wouldn’t put my money on JavaFX.
Amazon demoed its popular Kindle reader at Java One. Did you know that Kindle has Java embedded in it? Me neither. It was a short demo, but at least its high-profile.
Java and Blu-ray
Neil Young likes Java. His is going to release all the music from his entire career on Blu-ray discs, and with the help of Blu-ray Java technology, user can easily browse through the contents on each disc.
Livescribe Smart Pen
It’s a pen. It’s a computer. It’s a Livescribe Smart Pen. This pen allows you to write some words on a piece of paper, and it will record the voice associated with these words, so later when you look back at your notes, you can just tap the pen on the words you wrote, and the pen will playback the voice recording from that moment. This is perfect for college students taking notes at lectures, the students can use the pen to playback parts of the lecture that correspond to the notes taken.
Real-time Java
One drawback in the past for Java is the unpredictability of its execution time; you cannot say for sure that when a trigger event happened, your program is able to generate a response within 5 milliseconds, for example. This is due the design of garbage-collection in Java, since garbage-collection can run at anytime and take any length of time, thus the unpredictability. With real-time Java, however, this problem is solved and as a result Java can be used in things such as robotics, mission control, etc.
CERN
Quantum physics, relativity, Big Bang. That’s right, Java can be a part of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)’s daily operation too. Java is used everywhere in CERN, including business process in various departments within CERN, and also analysis of petabytes of data from particle collisions conducted by the research team at CERN.
There are many other things happening at Java One, and there is no way to mention all of them here. Topics such as REST, Ruby, SOA, Web 2.0, and Spring are all very popular. If you are interested to find out more about Java One visit the links below, there are many webcasts and session material posted online.
Don’t want to miss an NBA game on the road? No problem.
You can sign up for a free account with NBA.com’s All Access account which will give you the NBA Audio League Pass. With it, you can listen to all the current playoff games left.
Just in time for the playoffs. I recently switched programming on my Dish Network and lost TNT (trying to save a few bucks. I didn’t know that was going to happen). So I had to revert to listen to the games on an old Sony Walkman. And in certain parts of my house, the AM reception was just awful so I decided to sign up for an account with NBA.com thinking that I’d have to pay.
To my surprise, I didn’t! Woohoo! All you have to do is sign up for an account. It said it’s free for the 2007-08 season. No word for the 2008-09 season though.
And after the game, if you want to check out the highlights, they’ve got that too, http://www.nba.com/video. To my knowledge, there isn’t a way to watch it online for free.
Having said that, if you have AT&T DSL in your hotel or wherever you’re staying at has AT&T as the broadband provider, you can access ESPN 360 to watch a lot of sports games. So far I’ve managed to watch a few of the NBA games since I lost TNT.
I’m also interested in NHL and MLB games so if anyone else has tips for that on the road, let me know.
In general, Wii Fit was not granted the initial "wow" factor afforded Wii Sports based on the initial reviews and hands-on experiences. Nonetheless, the reviews are still very good.
Here are some main points to know about Wii Fit before making the $90 plunge:
It comes with the wireless balance board. Batteries included (don't hear that too often).
Games including an exercise program that tracks the user's development.
Ability to track weight, body mass index.
Allow for aerobics, strength training, and yoga.
Games for the little ones.
POTENTIAL USES for the balance board to be paired with future games - UNLIMITED.
There are more specifics about Wii Fit but those are what's important to know.
PERFORMANCE
Essentially, Wii Fit isn't going to turn the user into an Olympic-class athlete (unless he or she already is one). What it is is a fun stay-at-home fitness program with a lot of entertaining elements thrown into it for the family.
From the demos and official Nintendo videos, there is a little of everything for everyone. Balance games, exercise games, hula hoops, body toning, and even jogging. There is supposedly more than 40 different activities. Not bad really. Like Wii Sports, Fit is a fitting game to introduce what the balance board is capable of.
It's just that Fit does leave you wishing for a bit more flexibility. For example, it doesn't allow you to create your own exercise regiment. The game play and user interface is simple and doesn't get in the way of the user. Overall, it works well enough for a majority of the casual gamers and people who want to use Wii Fit to start a fitness schedule without having to go to the gym.
But it doesn't replace having to go to the gym or leaving the house. Sorry, guys. No six-pack solution provided.
BALANCE BOARD
What's more interesting is the balance board. There is not a lot about what forthcoming games will take advantage of it nor was there a lot written about the board itself. However, the wireless board worked as advertised. The technical magic Nintendo put in there to work with the Wii is simply a great leap from using merely the hands to control the game play. Already, Nintendo's legendary Wii Nunchuks broke from the simple hand controllers and the balance board with the nunchuks has take the game to the next level.
REVIEWS
Here are the game reviews available online so far:
The potential for Wii Fit lies in the peripheral, the balance board, and the games that coming out for it. Fear not, Wii Fit is only a demonstration of what the balance board is capable of. There are sure to be more exciting and flexible games.
Just like more sophisticated tennis games than the one in Wii Sports came out, for those who are looking to use the board for more strenuously exercise, there are likely more sophisticated workout programs in development.
Now, the question is: Is the balance board with the Fit games worth the admission price of $90? You bet. What you're getting is an excellent exercise program with Nintendo-approved fun added. Beyond that, the user is buying potential. Forthcoming games. Multiplayer features. Downloadable materials.
Some developers have announced their plans for the balance board. More details from Nintendo surely come very soon. And it's a given that Nintendo has games ready to come out in support of their exciting new peripheral and their games are usually among the best of the lot. Expect Mario and Company to make appearances for the board.
Update
Great news! Wii Fit is hours away from being released into the wild. But only for those quick and fortunate enough to have pre-ordered. Even better news. If you don't already have a Wii, you don't have to worry about the Wii Fit because you can't find the Wii anywhere. How's that for a twist?
That't right, folks. Wii is still in short supply, will be in short supply, and will only be available from time to time as bundles.
Also look for retailers to start bundling Wii and Wii Fit together in the near future. You just know that it't going to happen. That stimulus check from the government that't going out to certain people will now come in quite handy.
And if you really want, some of the big retailers do have Fit or Fit accessories pages up. It’ll give you a feel for what Nintendo has planned for the balance board.
Note: Ebay has it (standalone with no bundle) available for "Buy It" at $200. Bidding has reached $157.50 with 6.5 hours to go. Let us know if you've got a winning bid.
May 21, 2008 Wii Fit Update:
Early morning recon has show that Amazon is very optimistic about fulfilling it¢s promises of getting out all the Wii Fit its customers have pre-ordered. Below is a direct quote from Amazon¢s Wii Fit product page:
Attention "Wii Fit" Pre-order Customer:
Please note that we are in the process of receiving all "Wii Fit" product from Nintendo and are working to ship out your orders. We anticipate that all orders will ship on or before May 21. As we begin to ship products, your delivery estimates will be updated. Check your order status for the most up-to-date information. Also, please note that Nintendo officially changed the release date of "Wii Fit" to May 21 a few weeks back. For those who have been unable to order "Wii Fit," we are actively seeking more of this product from suppliers. Please, check back soon to see if more are available.
Best Buy and CircuitCity (and Walmart, Kmart, & Target) are both sold out online but it is possible the Fit was provided with a placeholder page and has not been available for online ordering. A cursory check with different California zip codes as of 8:30am PST showed that Circuity City has the Wii Fit in stock in store only.
Supplies are likely to be limited so maybe it¢s a good idea to go out take that coffee break around 10am when most stores open.
Here are the numbers to call:
Best Buy1-888-BEST BUY (1-888-237-8289)
Circuit City1-800-843-2489
Walmart1-800-WALMART (1-800-925-6278)
Target1-800.591.3869
Kmart1-866-KMART-4U
Gamestop 1-800-883-8895
Toys 'R Us1-800-ToysRUs
KB Toys1-877-5KBTOYS
Another option is to go to the websites and find a local store and give them a call.
If you know of any other places where the Fit is available, drop us a line. Your input on the best way to get the Wii Fit is greatly appreciated so that we may share this information with other readers. Remember, sharing is care!
Since Pong and the early days of the Atari 2600, gaming has changed dramatically. What hasn't changed is the hours millions spent sitting in front of the tube (or plasma or LCD) each day trying to get to the next level or to simply trying to get a drop on your enemies before they blow you into pieces.
So, how is this good for the body and mind? A majority of the gamers are boys or young men who really can spend more time doing physical activities or even dating. Well, we can't help with the dating part but we can point out a few things that you can do make playing console or computer games healthier.
Look for our in depth article on healthy gaming while even stay a step ahead of your opponents. Stamina is important but so is being able to stay sharp after hours of driving, trekking across various realms and space, or playing hide-and-seek with zombies and alien bloodsuckers. If you're playing against AI elements, they don't get tired but if you're playing against your roommate or some punk half way around the world, you need all the help you can get.
Also, sitting around playing games isn't all that different from the throng of company warriors who man their cubicles every day for eight hours or more Monday through Friday.
We'll go through some topics that will help you get started on your way to dominating those puny Orcs! Stay tuned!
Tired of waiting for your 
This set-top box will cost you $99, and it works similar to the Apple TV. You can stream the Netflix library directly to this box and hook it up to your big-screen TV. For more detail this player, visit their 
You might have already known this, Java is omni-present in an average person’s life, from desktop, web, mobile devices, to a simple pen. This trend seems to be accelerating due to the rise of Web 2.0, and people’s appetite to be connected to each other 24/7. The web is moving closer and closer into our lives, and Java is the technology that enables this. Innovation becomes easy when using Java, because developers only have to write code once, and this code will run on any of the existing platforms supported by Java, no extra effort required. The same code can be run on Windows, Linux, web browser, or a mobile phone. There are also tons of Java libraries and frameworks out there, most of them free of charge and open source.
It’s a pen. It’s a computer. It’s a Livescribe Smart Pen. This pen allows you to write some words on a piece of paper, and it will record the voice associated with these words, so later when you look back at your notes, you can just tap the pen on the words you wrote, and the pen will playback the voice recording from that moment. This is perfect for college students taking notes at lectures, the students can use the pen to playback parts of the lecture that correspond to the notes taken.
Don’t want to miss an NBA game on the road? No problem.
