For Tekken addicts out there...

Just to satisfy your thirst on Tekken information and the like, here's the site for you:

http://www.tekkenpedia.com

There you go. :)

Nokia launches the 5630 XpressMusic model

Source: www.cnet.com.au/mobilephones

(Credit: Nokia)

Expanding its line of music-focused mobile phones, Nokia today announced the 5630 XpressMusic handset.

Most may not associate this series with high-end handsets, but the 5630 could challenge that notion and may even be an inexpensive alternative to some E- and N-series devices. This slim candybar runs the Symbian S60 operating system and comes with so many features it will make you wonder how they kept the dimensions at 112x46x12mm.

Connectivity-wise, the 5630 comes with HSDPA as well as HSUPA for high-speed uploads (depending on whether your operator supports this, of course). Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are both included, with the latter supporting A2DP for wireless stereo headsets. Storage is in the form of microSD cards with a 4GB capacity included in the box. The breadth of features is pretty impressive, rivalling the high-end N- and E-series devices with the only notable absence being GPS. Being an XpressMusic device, it also comes with a standard 3.5mm audio jack so you can plug in your favourite pair of headphones.

Interestingly, the Home screen on the 5630 looks different from other S60 phones. An additional Contacts Bar at the top makes it appear similar to what's found on the new S60 5th Edition touchscreen phones from Nokia. If this works the same way as the 5800 XpressMusic, you will be able to access all the details of your favourite contacts conveniently from the Home screen.

According to Nokia's press release, the 5630 will be available in selected markets in Q2. The Nokia Conversations blog states that it will sell for about €199 (AU$390) before taxes and subsidies.

***

My note on this one: wow, I just received my very own 5800 XpressMusic, and now we have a brand new model on the works. That's quite fast for Nokia, eh? Anyway, I guess this model will be able to compete with other music-themed phone models, most particularly with Samsung's music phone brand and Sony Ericsson's Walkman brand. Well, I guess we just have to wait till' Q2 of this year to have a definitive review on this phone.

Notebooks to save and crave for this 2009..

Alright, in this post I'll be discussing about some hot notebooks as of date. My last visit at SM North Edsa's Cyberzone showrooms prompted me to post something about them, given the fact that I was impressed by these digital notebooks and how they evolved alongside today's environment.

So, before I discuss those laptops of my choice, let us first discuss the latest trends on notebook technology.

Notebook computers of 2009 will have touchscreen interface and will also have sim card slots placed on them, enabling their users to connect to the internet with the use of just a sim card.

2009 will also usher in Intel's 2 new processors: the Atom N280 and the Medfield. Solar powered notebooks will also be rampant this year.

So there you have it. Now I'll be discussing 4 hot laptops as of date and why it is worth buying them.

1. MacBook Pro Unibody

Announced just recently, a new model for the MacBook Pro series will be released very soon. The Unibody MacBook Pro will have a sleeker design and adaptability than its previous iteration. All of its ports were shifted on its left side and the optical card reader was placed on its opposite side. The DVI port was replaced with a Mini DisplayPort receptacle. The FireWire Port 400 was removed as well, but the FireWire Port 800 remains for your convenience.

Here are the specifics for the Unibody MacBook Pro.

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 9400M + 9600M GT 512Mo
Display: 17" glossy glass covered screen, 1920x1200 with LED backlighting
Hard Drive: 320GB Serial ATA at 5400/7200 rpm.
Processor: 2.66GHz/2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9550/T9800 with 6 MB on-chip L2 cache
Memory: 4GB of 1066MHz PC3-8500 DDR3 SO-DIMM SDRAM (can be expanded to 8GB)

So there you go. It's a great choice for a notebook I should say, but it has a hefty price. You'll need to work your butts off to buy this one.

2. Dell Inspiron Mini 10

This is actually not the Mini 10, but rather my very own Mini 9.

Alright, so I apologize if I'm unable to show a pic of the Mini 10. Nuff' with that. So the Inspiron Mini 10 was actually released last Thursday with a base price of $399. It is a netbook with a 10.1" screen, and was designed to fill in the gaps between the Mini 10 and the Mini 12. Dell actually used the moniker Mini 10 to show that its abundance of features deserves to be given a perfect rate of 10. As announced by Dell, it's going to have a TV Tuner and a HD feature which will be added on a future date.

Now, let's have its known specifics as of date.

Display: 10.1" LCD with 1024x576 screen resolution and 1280x720 HD Widescreen resolution
Processor: Intel Atom Z520/Z530

Known Ports: HDMI Port
Extra Feature: Integrated TV Tuner

3. Dell Latitude XT2

Announced recently, Dell will launch its updated version of its Latitude Touch-Tablet convertible models. Dubbed as the XT2, it will be having a capacitive touch screen interface, which can also be used with an EM stylus and comes loaded with Bluetooth 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet connectivity.

Here are its other specs.

Display: 12.1" 1280x800 capacitive touch screen interface
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo ULV processor running at 1.2/1.4GHz
Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet
Known Ports: eSATA port, FireWire Port 400/800, VGA out port and two USB ports

I am hoping that this latest iteration of the XT series will be able to solve the problems and the flaws exhibited by the previous Latitude models. Knowing Dell, I am sure they have come up with something to combat these issues.

4. Acer Aspire One 10" Model

Alright, here's the final laptop in this post's list: the Acer Aspire 10" model. As the moniker suggests, it has a 10 inch screen with updated specifics and features, and is running with Windows XP/VIsta, although it is not known if a Linux Edition will be offered.

Let's have a rundown of its specifics.

Display: 10" with 1024x600 screen resolution
Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom Processor
Hard Drive: 160GB Hard Disk Drive
Known Ports: SDHC Slot, Bluetooth receiver, optional 3G/WiMax ports and 3 additional USB ports

Its only downside is its wireless connection. Some users have complained that they're having a hard time working out with its connectivity. Guess Acer has to solve this issue out, but nonetheless it is a worth purchase for your penny.

And there you have it. My mini-review about some of the hottest notebook computers as of date. Hope I am able to help you out with regards to these latest notebook models. Before you log-out, please do make sure you'll subscribe to my feeds or follow my blog. Until then!

Sources: http://infochatnews.wordpress.com, http://wikipedia.org :)

My new phone!

That's not my actual phone, haha. I'm so much lazy to take a pic of it.

At last, I received a new Nokia 5800 XpressMusic from my mom. It was a cool gift, a reward for all my academic achievements so far.

Maybe it just got a little bit early, concerning the fact that this term yet has to end, but hey who could deny such a cool gadget like this one?

Anyways, I'm still trying out its capabilities. I am not that used to this phone as of now but as far as it goes, I can say in all-honesty that this phone rocks.

For those who are not yet familiar with this phone, let me give out its basic specifics:

OS: Symbian S60 Touch Edition
Camera: 3.2 MP AF Carl Zeiss lens, dual LED flash and geotagging support
Radio: FM Radio 87.5-108 MHz with RDS
Quad Band
Memory Capability up to 16GB, with an 8GB microSDHC
Networks: HSDPA, A-GPS, GPS, EGRPS, WCDMA
Connectivity Options: WLan, Bluetooth 2.0, Micro USB

There you go. I'll be giving a full-review about this phone sometime next month, so watch out for that. :)

For more updates, please do subscribe to my feeds or follow this blog. Till' then. Ciao!

Goodbye to my so-emo days...

Well, I guess I don't have to be sad at all...

Just last night, in a surprising fashion, he made me smile and feel comfortable with all the pressures and feelings that I am dealing with lately.

He even helped me a bit with my term paper and gave away suggestions about it. That made me a little bit comfortable.

Guess I don't have a reason to be depressed after all..

So, let's wave our goodbyes at my emo state as we tune in to regular blogging here in Princess Journal. :)

For this week, I'll be making a review about the latest trends regarding laptops as well as their hottest models as of late. I'll be also shedding away some news about Red Alert 3, and a little preview on the upcoming Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII compilation by Square Enix.

Thank you so much for those people who cheered me up last night. I appreciate it so much. :)

So, till' next time. I have to do my project at this very moment. Before you log-out, make sure you'll subscribe to my feeds or follow my blog for updates. Ciao!

So much for my wish...

Hoping smile..

Hai, so much for my own wish of being truly happy..

How I wish that I'll be able to find my one true prince..

So much for those wishes I guess. It's been a while since I broke up with Rei. For almost one year I was unable to get away from that lingering feeling- an evident sign of how traumatic our breakup was. It was so much painful to the extent that I thought of quitting all my dreams and ending my journey here.

Ironic as it seems, guess I am unable to do those things.

One at a time, all my wounds healed.

The past was sealed shut, giving way for me to search for happiness.

And now, I have found it.

In a form of an optimistic boy whose hopes have lead me to believe in that thing called love once more.

For a time, I was so happy..

I am glad being his Puffy...

Now, I want to wish for happiness again..

But as it seems to me, it'll be a little impossible for me to be able to take grasp of that wish of mine.

He loves someone else- that's a fact.

But still, even with that one undeniable fact, I can still feel how much I mean to him as his Puffy. I am contented already as one of his best friends..

No matter how bleak it may seem, I'll still hold on to my wish...

...
..
.

=(

Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen Official Trailer

Alright, so this is it: the trailer for the much awaited sequel to 2007's Transformers is here. Transformers 2: Revenge of The Fallen is set to be released this June 2009.

Here's the trailer:

Transformers II: Revenge of the Fallen -

To explain things in a nutshell, the second film will depict the discovery of Sam Witwicky regarding the ancient Cybertronians, and their visit on Earth a millenia ago. Meanwhile, the Decepticons, headed by Starscream, plans to take revenge by resurrecting Megatron and involving one of the 13 original Cybertronians: the enigmatic The Fallen.

Another new feature included in the film is the Transformer fusion, which is exhibited in Transformers: Armada. According to the movie's staff, the autobot Jetfire will be able to combine with Optimus Prime in order to unleash a more powerful mode for the latter.

Let's just wait till' the movie comes out to decide if it's worth the hype.

And so...

It's quite peculiar isn't it that a girl like me would love these kinds of stuff: playing video games, collecting gadgets, being techie and so forth.

Yah, I know. These kinds of stuff exist only within a guy's world.

But the fact is, isn't these things created for almost everyone?

I just got irritated kasi by this colleague of mine who criticized my craving for these things. Who would thought that a talented and smart girl-next-door like me would like these kinds of stuff?

He even told me that I'm geeky daw because of the things that I know. Guess being an adept IT student with sufficient techie knowledge has its cons, isn't it?

Well, for the love of it, let me tell you dear bloggers: every one of us have his/her own dibs on the things that he/she wants.

Liking something that's kind of weird or peculiar for your type does not necessarily mean that you're strange or something.

It's just that every one of us are unique in his/her own way.

Besides, all of us have this innate weirdness anyway, don't you think? Isn't it time we stop criticizing as such?

That's all that I have to say for now.. :)

PS: Thank you so much Puffy Yuri. Mwahh!

Prince of Persia on PS3

Alright, now I am making a quick review of the new Prince of Persia on PS3. As of the previous games, this was developed by Ubisoft and was released for a variety of formats last December 2, 2008.

Now, to summarize it all in a nutshell, the game is set in ancient Persia, although the exact century is not revealed. In the game, the player assumes the role of the Prince, whose name is not revealed in the game. The Prince is accompanied by a girl named Elika, whom he met after a large sandstorm diverted him from his course and he ended up in a mysterious land. Players traverse many different environments using the Prince's acrobatic abilities to scale walls and even crawl on the ceilings. Throughout the journey, players combat various enemies as they attempt to cleanse the land of corruption. The game's storyline and setting borrow heavily from Zoroastrianism.

Don't be confused by this anyway. This was actually a revamp of the main story itself, meaning it's not actually connected with the main trilogy.

Let's now discuss the gameplay. It was non-linear, meaning you can interact anywhere in the game in any time. The usual acrobatic moves as well as its controls have become more intuitive and sleek, making you have that in-game feel so to speak. The timing combat's been overhauled as well in order to cope up with its AI.

I've got no problems with the story. It's kind of good. It's not that bad nor great at all, it's just plain fine. But I must say, I can compare its story to that of a high-budget hollywood movie. I love the animation and the artwork as well.

If you're not yet initiated into the game then here's a trailer for you:


I am giving Prince of Persia an 8 out of 10. :)

Phantasy Star Portable

This game's one of my reasons why I love to stay up late at night after doing a load of school works and projects.

Yah, I am talking about Phantasy Star Portable.

It was released at Japan July last year. However, it would be released worldwide by next month. Actually, I have played its japanese version and by all honesty, I can say that this game's so much cool, albeit you have to learn japanese and remember a denizen of characters from the game's roster.

Here's the trailer by the way:


I'll be giving a more definitive review of it the time its international version arrives.

Gadgets and techie bits to crave for this 2009.. :)

Now, let's have a quick capture of what to crave for inside the techie world this 2009:

1. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3

Sony just unveiled a new Wi-Fi enabled DigiCam- the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3. This cam features a built-in web browser, allowing the user to connect to any Wi-Fi network. Sony is also setting up a web-portal for use with this device, which will let users upload directly to a number of websites, including Picasa, Youtube, mySpace and Shutterfly and send email notifications when you upload.

This new cam also comes in with high-res 921,000 3.5 LCD, built-in 4GB memory, 10 megapixel sensor and 4x zoom.

2. Lenovo H200

Lenovo launched its first nettop- the Lenovo H200 desktop. The H200 is Lenovo's first desktop to utilize the low power Intel Atom processor. It runs using 1.6Ghz Intel Atom rocessor with 512KB of cache, can have up to 2GB of RAM and comes with Windows Vista Home Basic. It will also include up to 160GB of hard drive storage, a DVD-R/W drive and Intel integrated graphics controllers.

Additionally, the H200 desktop features a fan-less design, helping make it Lenovo's quietest consumer design.

3. Google Android-powered phones

Just lately, there was this hype about Google's upcoming OS- the Android. To explain things in a nutshell, Android is an OS made by Google currently supported by 47 members of the Open Handset Alliance, which include HTC, Sony Ericsson, Samsung, Motorola and more. With this huge alliance, I am pretty much sure that these upcoming Android-phones will feature a myriad of functions unseen among previous releases of smartphones.

The first phone to use the Android OS is the HTC Dream. It has an intuitive mini-keyboard, a sensitive touch-screen monitor, a 3.2 megapixel camera with Auto Focus, GPS function, a built-in Web Browser powered by WebKit and up to 32GB memory capacity.

Now that's sure a treat for techie guys out there. It's just that I am not that comfy with the mini-keyboard placed upon the phone. Or it's just me? Anyway, we have to wait for the HTC dream to be fully released in Asia this first quarter of 2009.

4. The "Wi-Max"

So, let's now talk about the very-much hyped Wi-Max. Short for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, it's a telecommunications technology that provides wireless transmission of data using a variety of transmission modes, from point-to-multipoint links to portable and fully mobile internet access. The technology provides up to 72 Mbit/s symmetric broadband speed without the need for cables. The technology is based on the IEEE 802.16 standard (also called Broadband Wireless Access). The name "WiMAX" was created by the WiMAX Forum, which was formed in June 2001 to promote conformity and interoperability of the standard. The forum describes WiMAX as "a standards-based technology enabling the delivery of last mile wireless broadband access as an alternative to cable and DSL".

It is also said that Wi-Max will provide a faster and much-wider reach than that of GPRS and Wi-Fi networks. For sure, it's gonna be a treat for net-holics out there.

***

So, that's about it for me. Hope that I'm able to at least give you an idea of what's hot upon the techie world. So til' then, and oh before you log-out make sure that you'll follow my blog. Ciao!

Sources: wikipedia.org, www.infochat.com.ph. :)

Rihanna injury pic released by TMZ...

Rihanna's pic after her dispute with Chris Brown.

Last Thursday, TMZ.com released this alleged injury pic by Rihanna following her controversial dispute with singer Chris Brown. As you can see from this picture, you can assume that Rihanna, or whoever this girl is, took such a brutal beating from the hands of Brown.

I don't want to assume things about this matter, primarily because we don't have the right to have our dibs about it, am I right folks?

It's their thing. Let it be. Let their parties as well as the persons concerned deal with it.

The problem with media today is, they overexagerrate such issues about these personalities for the sake of getting high sales, TV ratings and the like.

Well, let's just hope for the best for the both of them.

Sarcastic fake gadget reviews...

If you are looking for sarcastic reviews about gadget imitations, gaming disasters and the like, I suggest you tune in to ashens.com's youtube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/ashens

Embedded above's a sample video of one of his reviews. :)

iPhone gamers increasing..

iPhone users are about ten times more likely to download games for their phones than other smartphone users, according to a new ComScore report helpfully summarized by MacRumors: "32.4% of iPhone users have downloaded a game, compared to a market average of only 3.8% amongst other manufacturers. In all, iPhone users were responsible for 14% of all mobile game downloads last year." Who had the bright idea to make gaming a cornerstone of the iPhone platform? Some credit must be given to Apple's head of iPhone software development, Scott Forstall, who reports directly to Steve Jobs and has an impressive team under him. Last year, Forstall showed the iPhone's game capability with a demo that let the user fly a Star Wars-style spacecraft by using the entire phone as a steering wheel, rather than pressing buttons or handling a joystick. If that's the case, then it'll be all good for Apple, since almost 70% of all the techie guys out there are merely gamers-including me.

Four of a Kind...

They are my closest friends. Love them or hate them, it'll be always the same whenever they're around.

Here we go again. I can't help but reminisce all the good times the four of us had together back then. It suddenly flashed back to me like a string of polaroids after the four of us together with our other close friends celebrated Yuri's 18th birthday yesterday. It was a fun day. Being with them again was like eternity.

It was all but priceless.

The only thing now perhaps that hinders those chances of being with each other's company was of course, the pressures of college life.

But I have to admit it: it does not feel like all of us have that certain distance.

Indeed I have to agree with Yuri's statement: Friends are FRIENDS no matter what.

So, let me describe my three closest friends.

Yuri: The silent, but optimistic leader of the bunch. He was our big brother, because of how he cares and treats us. He's smart, deep and loyal. He also loves to hang-out very often. Like me, he is also a Tekken fan and a techie guy. What I love about Yuri is his capacity to look out for an extra time for his friends and loved ones, no matter how crazy and hectic his schedule could be. Let us not forget the fact that this guy's overly-versatile at almost anything.

Ian: Mr. Smiling Face I should say. He loves to crack out jokes and cheer us up everytime we're in trouble. He's your smart and kind boy next door. It's no doubt why a lot of girls are crushing over this guy. He loves to strut his stuff, but don't get him wrong: he is a 2nd yr. MAS regular at Mapua, something he does not brag about. He is also a loyal friend.

Leanne: The music lover. She was my best friend since we're kids. She was probably my deepest friend. She has this exceptional musical talent, which moved her to study music and become a musician just like her aunt. She was sweet, sincere and sensitive. Oh, let us not forget the fact that she and Ian were fraternal twins. :)


No matter how they'll be, I'll always love them. Indeed, a friend would always be a friend.

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

As I promised, I am now posting my own review of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, the "final" chapter of the Metal Gear saga. It was released worldwide 7 months ago, but I bought this one just last Christmas. This game plays only on the PS3 platform.

As the story goes, the game is set five years after the events of Metal Gear Solid 2. Most of the world's armies were replaced by private armies, who in turn wage wars and chaos for business purposes. Nanotechnology became prominent as well, and is utilized by these armies in order to enhance their mercenaries' abilities as well as to ensure their loyalty. The nanotechnology system that the five strongest PMCS use was the "Sons of the Patriots" or the SOP, which Outer Heaven- the mother organization of all the PMCs- desire to take over for their own gain. Possessing power that can rival a superpower country, Liquid Ocelot wants to use Outer Heaven as a means to actuate a worldwide insurrection. Knowing the latter's plot, Roy Campbell sends an aging and disilussioned Solid Snake to take down Ocelot and stop this insurrection. However, as the mission goes, a group of cyborg mercenaries wants him dead. Snake must strive to survive all these and finish his mission before it's too late.

Now, let's talk about some new things here in this game. The system itself was revamped, making it more intuitive than ever. The player now has the option to switch between third-person or first-person view, as well as a close-shoulder view. You can also communicate with the other characters in the game in two ways: first is the usual ad-hoc system that we usually use within all the Metal Gear games, and through the robotic drone Mk II/III, whom you can also use as a means to repel nearby enemies. The game also utilizes flashbacks by using still images from the previous games in order to see how they are connected to each other, as well as to put down all the pieces or fragments rather behind the game's events. Most of the series' characters are revamped as well, ranging from the rapidly aging Snake, whom is now possessing an unknown and deadly virus, to the now-turned cyborg ninja Raiden. It's always a treat to see these characters again srtut their stuff in order to cope out with the current situation.

The most noticeable feature in the game is the meter and index. Replacing the stamina bar, these two new bars play out just like the previous meter, but with a little difference though. The index tells Snake's current fighting condition as well as his current standing, while the meter itself monitors the latter's moods, and how it affect his current condition.

Well, in all honesty I can say that this was one of the greatest games that I have ever played in my entire life. It's the first time that a certain game like this gave me this feeling of a constant climax. It was the same haunting feeling that I've felt when I watched The Dark Knight. It's like you don't want to be removed from your seat, simply because you don't want to miss what's gonna happen next. The AI became a little bit difficult a well, meaning you have to stretch down a little more if you are to beat your enemies. However with the new stuff being placed here in the game, it's gonna be relatively easy for you. It's also good to know that this game culminates all of the past games' events, solving altogether one heck of a puzzle that looms upon each of the game in the series.

Just like how Batman puts it, "It all ends up."

I give MGS4 a 10 out of 10. :)

My definitive review on Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion

Alright, this time, I'll make my own short but definitive review of Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion. Since my last post about the latter was kind of a preview, I decided to play the game more thoroughly in order to have a more broad view about it. Let's not also deny the fact that I am a huge Tekken fan, and missing a game as such is like missing an entire decade of my life.

So let's start with the improvements. First, the controls underwent a huge overhaul as it became mush easier than its predecessor. It was a bargain made in order for us to compensate for its difficult AI. Delivering such moves and combos were relatively easy. Next is the graphics. It has became more smooth and realistic than before. The frame rate became much quicker, making the game look more sleek than ever. Let us not also forget the fact that each character in the game got a new move to brag upon the stage.

Another sure treat is the arrival of its 2 newest characters: Lars Alexandersson, whose moves were identical that of Devil Jin and Heihachi Kazama, and Alisa Bosconovich, Dr. Bosconovich's cyborg daughter(I presume).

However, some characters still have the glitches that they suffered upon the game's last iteration. But due to the difficult AI and the game's vast improvements, it can be left unnoticed.

So, I'm giving away Tekken 6: BR a 9 out of 10.

I'm Back!

I am deeply sorry if I am unable to post something on my blog lately. I've been quite busy for sometime now. I have to deal with multiple school works, projects, organization stuff and the like.

That's what we call defying pressure.

Now, as a treat, I'll be posting this week my complete review of Tekken 6: Bloodline Rebellion and Metal Gear Solid 4, some bits about my fan-fic as well as my experiences during my absence.

I'll be also posting some of my own compositions here and expositions if I may say.

Anyway, make sure that before you logout you'll follow this blog of mine! Thankies!