Halo 2 All-Nighter on XBL

Well I picked this past weekends Halo 2 All-Nighter event for my first time on Xbox Live and I have to admit I'm quite impressed with how easy the original Xbox connected online for the first time. I had no problems setting up XBL or getting the Halo 2 updates for online play, getting the expansion maps took a little longer, but before I knew it I was right in the thick of the action.

Things are really fast paced, or at least they appear to be now. It's been almost 6 years since I really played a first person shooter style game and that was on a PC. For a first time outing, having not played Halo 2 online and not really knowing the maps, I did alright and managed to take down a few targets. Yes they took me down more than I took them down, but I'm playing against the Halo 2 faithful, those who fight on a regular nightly basis.

The Console connection
I'm borrowing the Xbox Console that a friend has offered and his Halo Game Collection. It's the special Halo Edition and has three controllers and he threw in a few extra games too. The whole time he has had Xbox he never once took it online for any multiplayer game play. So I was thrilled that he offered it and said I could take her out for the first time. It's hard for me to think that this machine is as old as it is and still performs as well as it does. My eyes are firmly set on getting an Xbox 360, but in the meantime I'm having so much fun playing on a game console again.

So far I've played the past two nights online and it's funny how it calls to you, just sitting in the living room you hear the faint call to pick up a controller and log into XBL, I hit the ground running and begin to seek out the targets before they find me.

And the Winner Is?

eBay User randlecurtis is now the proud owner of the first Xbox 360 Elite that has gone up for auction. Somehow retailers let slip the Elite unit and a lucky person snagged it up and posted it on eBay for sale. Eight days before the regular release date of the Elite and we now have the first owner with a winning bid of $5100.

At that price you really have a very Elite 360 in your hands. I'm amazed the price went as high as it did. I mean I know these are cool and should be the best 360's to date. Sure you might have a hard time finding them at first, but come this fall and if the 65nm processor makes its way to these, you could not only see lots of these, but perhaps even a price drop.

It just shows that some people have way more money than they know what to do with and clearly want to be one of the first to own something. I on the other hand don't fit in that world, at least at this stage of my life. I'll wait till I have the money and get one when its not as crowded.

That thing got a HEMI in it?

Not exactly, but the new Xbox 360 Elite does have a Hitachi GDR-3120L FK78 DVD drive, a Fujitsu MHW2120BH 120GB hard drive, a new HDMI port with HANA Image scaler chip, and both the CPU and GPU show different revision information on their chips, this points to a lower power consumption as shown by some of the missing capacitors & transistors, having been removed on this revision of the motherboard and implying that a possible 65nm core, is in fact inside.

Thanks to the kind folks at Llamma.com for getting their hands on a new Elite and checking out what makes it really tick inside. It sure looks like Microsoft has made some much needed changes to help improve the 360. We can only hope that these changes are also taking effect on any future Core or Premiums that come out. Once again, if your thinking about getting a new console, take a good hard look at what the Xbox 360 Elite has to offer, its really set up for the first time game owner and in my mind its the Best Bang for the Buck!

Embeded with Company C

It's the early spring of 2014 and the Ghosts of Company C prepare for another mission and I'm embedded along with the unit on a very rare opportunity, to observe & report back on the recent rebel threats along the 1,900 miles long completed wall of the U.S./Mexico border.

The small three man team of Company C is made up of Coondy, Double Bead, & Major Chaos and they have been working together since the beginning of the year on recon in Mexico. Coondy takes the lead and suggests the plan of action for the Op and we drop into the Hot Zone.

I'm following along with Major Chaos, who provides support for both Coondy & Double Bead as well as keeping me alive and we quickly take out engaging hostiles. The sudden bursts of rapid fire grow from over the hill as we approach and Chaos lobs three Grenades and a series of explosions help Coondy & Double Bead take out the hostiles. Company C works well together and takes out their targets and completes their mission.

It's a job well done and we make our way back home and to safety on the other side of the wall. I can't go into any of the specifics for the mission, but I can say that things on the other side of the wall are very hot and I'm glad that the Ghosts are on the job.

After a short rest, I follow Company C in some 3 on 3 training missions against another Ghost company. The exercise is for the groups to work on their tactics against each other. Its a series of fast paced rounds where both sides take each other out. Once tagged you move back and then work to get back to your unit and engage the enemy again.

I finally say goodbye to Coody & Double Bead and that's when Chaos decides its time to for me to see what its really like to become a Ghost and puts me through some basic training. I learn quickly how the HUD system works and move out learning how to take cover first. They give me a couple small targets to take out and then its time for me to put some of my training to work.

Hostiles are near the area and they need me to take them out. I move around the corner and see two of them as they turn and take notice of me. Amazing how time feels like it stops, as we face each other and then bullets begin to zip by and I take on fire. Cover... that is what I was suppose to be doing as I raise my weapon and take out one and then the other.

Over the com I'm reminded that my score will go down for taking on fire. In a real OP, I'd be dead! I complete the mission and I'm told that I'm unfit and need more training. I tell Chaos thanks for keeping me a live and showing me what its like to become a Ghost, its time for the long trek back home now.

More on the Xbox 360 Elite

The latest in Game Consoles will hit the streets on April 29th, 2007 from Microsoft in the form on the Xbox 360 Elite. On March 28th Microsoft announced the release of their latest gaming system and Xbox Live's Major Nelson Radio helped break the news with a special Podcast and interview from Albert Penello on the Elite. You can also check out Tina Wood's excellent video interview with Albert Penello, featuring the Xbox 360 Elite, from On10.Net.

So what's new and who should buy the Elite? At first glance, not much is different from the first two 360's on the block. They are almost the same machine on the inside. It has been stated that the motherboard is more and likely redesigned and this has to do with the changes for adding the HDMI ports. Claims have been made that the inside has been reworked a bit to help with keeping it cooler inside too. It still uses the same 90nm processor chips as the existing 360's, so we will not see those improvements till later in the year.

What is different then is the larger Hard Drive for one and as mentioned the addition of the HDMI port. Next is the cost for the Elite, coming in at an extra $79 compared to the Premium addition. So you'll get an extra 100 gig of space, HDMI, and perhaps some possible improvements on the way the insides are put together.

Who should buy it then? This is really for the new game console buyer, the person who doesn't have a console and is looking to get into a game console. This a perfect upgrade for a first generation Xbox user, who can leap from the existing 360 and move into the Elite. This is a really an answer from Microsoft to stop someone from thinking about moving into a Sony PS3 as well.

Microsoft has also stressed that the quality of the Elite is suppose to be of the highest for what they plan as their latest and cutting edge Game Console option. So although the Elite is very close to the existing 360's out there, the improvements should be considered a viable option for someone that has been interested in the Xbox 360 platform and playing online games.

Newsflash: Microsoft Unveils Xbox 360 Elite

Redmond, Washington—Microsoft Corp. today announced the upcoming availability of Xbox 360™ Elite, a new model of the video game and entertainment system that includes a 120GB hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console, wireless controller, and Xbox Live® headset.

The sleek Xbox 360 Elite is a digital entertainment powerhouse.

Xbox 360 Elite has enough space for a library of Xbox Live Arcade games and thousands of songs, as well as downloadable high-definition TV shows and movies available on Xbox Live Marketplace. The new 120GB hard drive also will be sold as a stand-alone accessory to give current Xbox 360 owners greater choice and flexibility in their games and entertainment experience.

Additional Xbox 360 Elite accessories, such as the black Xbox 360 Wireless Controller, Xbox 360 Play & Charge Kit, and the Xbox 360 Rechargeable Battery Pack, will be available separately. The Xbox 360 Elite and its accessories are expected to begin arriving in U.S. stores on April 29.

"Today's games and entertainment enthusiast has an insatiable appetite for digital high-definition content," said Peter Moore, corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "Xbox 360 Elite's larger hard drive and premium accessories will allow our community to enjoy all that the next generation of entertainment has to offer."

Distinguished by its black finish and signature metallic detailing, Xbox 360 Elite will have an estimated retail price1 of $479.99 (U.S.), and comes packed with components and accessories for the ultimate high-definition entertainment experience.

The Elites prepare for launch

Microsoft is about to release news on the latest version of the Xbox 360. More and more news begins to surface and from people that have the ears of Microsoft too. Its harder and harder for those to respond with its not official or this will be another April Fools joke.

Dean Takahashi writes for the Mercury News and wrote the books Opening the Xbox and Xbox 360 Uncloaked and is someone that has the contact with key players at Microsoft. So when he released his latest story about the Xbox 360 Elite, I think we all should take note that this is coming and is for real.

The Xbox 360 Elite is an improvement on the current versions and should help boost sales of the Xbox 360. Coming out in a limited cycle and for only $80 more than the current version. It should do quite well and if it had the cooler 65nm processor, it would be a slam dunk for Microsoft. Here is what we should expect from the Elite.

• The Elite will be limited quantities only; that may be as much or as little as a couple hundred thousand.
• The case, controller, and Live headset will all be black. It will have all new packaging.
• Elite will cost $479, and will be a 3rd SKU; it will be sold alongside Premium and Core packs.
• Eventually Elite hardware (in white plastics) will take the role of the Xbox Premium. That is to say, after the Elite is launched and sold out, future Xbox Premiums will have 120GB / HDMI.
• We do not yet know exactly when 120GB / HDMI will become the standard for Premium, but it is loosely estimated to be late summer or fall.
• Elite models run cooler than normal 360s, but they are not yet confirmed to have 65nm chips.
• Prices may remain the same with the 120GB / HDMI hardware upgrade in the Premium Xbox, but we may still see a price cut on the line when 65nm chips start shipping.
• The HD DVD drive will not be internal or bundled -- Microsoft never did or nor does not currently have plans to put an HD DVD drive in the 360.
• There are no current plans to integrate WiFi into the Elite or future Premiums (although that can always change).

Part of me wants to go ahead and get an Elite, but at the same time I'm thinking I should hold of just a bit and wait for the cooler 65nm processor. The new processor could help cut costs and will keep the Xbox cooler and keep crashing down and the need to send it off for repairs. No matter what, good things are coming between now and the end of the year.

I wanna Rock! Rock!

If you know the words to Twisted Sisters, I wanna Rock!, then it could help explain one of the latest crazes to hit the video game world. Guitar Hero & Guitar Hero 2, from RedOctane software, places you at center stage and Rocking out to some of your favorite rock songs.

My buddy told me this game was awesome and to hear him talk along with my co-workers, and even hearing the interviews from RedOctane staff, about the upcoming Xbox 360 version, I was still skeptical about the whole thing. So my friend kept telling me I just had to see it to really grasp how much fun it can be.

Last night I took center stage and had my first lesson and I was about to throw the guitar mentally across the room. The notes came flying down the screen and I barely made it out of the tutorial and into the first set of songs. I butchered my first couple tries at Shout at the Devil and barely recovered. I used to listen to this stuff and I could hold my own with the air guitar, so what was my problem here? Could it have been a little stage fright? Why did I have a death hold on the simple Green, Yellow, and Red frets?

Perhaps this is something that all Rock Stars go through, the nervousness I suppose. I wasn't about to become a No-hit Blunder. I wanna Rock! Time to reload the song and rock my way to the next song. I found if I relaxed a bit and just listened to the song, it would help out a lot, in most cases. I did alright and he was correct, this was a lot of fun.

The Xbox 360 will release RedOctane's version of Guitar Hero 2 around April and with the exclusive Gibson Explorer guitar. All of the standard songs from Guitar Hero 2 will be available on the Xbox 360 with an additional 10 bonus tracks exclusive to the 360 only.

Xbox 360 exclusive tracks
01 "Possum Kingdom" - Toadies
02 "Salvation" - Rancid
03 "Life Wasted" - Pearl Jam
04 "Billion Dollar Babies" - Alice Cooper
05 "Hush" - Deep Purple
06 "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" - Rick Derringer
07 "Dead!" - My Chemical Romance
08 "The Trooper" - Iron Maiden
09 "Drink Up" - Ounce of Self
10 "Kicked to the Curb" - Noble Rot

Lots of extras should also be available for download from Xbox Live and help provide hours upon hours of rocking entertainment.

Back in Black?

'Cause I'm back! Yes, I'm back!
Well, I'm back! Yes, I'm back!
Well, I'm baaack, baaack...
Well, I'm back in black,
Yes, I'm back in black!"

As it appears to be the next move from Microsoft and the Xbox 360. Yes its not official and it's still just a rumor, but it's getting harder and harder to....

'Stop (Stop) spreading those rumors around...'

I'm not about to just go into song after song here, but in my quest for all things Xbox 360 and what will be coming around soon. Sources claim that a new Xbox all in black is being to show up as a SKU and the details claim it to have HDMI and a very nice size 120 Gig HD. One can only expect this will also have the ultra quiet Benq DVD player and I'm crossing my fingers, the cooler 65 nm processor and the end of the 3 red rings of death.

To help with adding fuel to the fire here, a black HD DVD player was spotted doing the rounds, apparently sent to all the developers that produced the hardware, as a way of saying thank you. The original source was from a blog on the MSDN pages and was latter removed, but not before the photo was snatched. After all, if your going to buy the 360 in Black, your going to want your accessories to match now, Right?

The price tag is slightly higher than what I was planning to spend, but I also find it hard to spend at the current price, knowing something better is Knocking at the door... No I said I wouldn't do another song here.

It's also rumored that the core system could be at the end of the road here and that the current models could see a price drop and become the lower priced core. The new all in Black model could be sold as an Entertainment package to fit in with the future launch of Microsoft's IPTV and allow people to take advantage of the extra HD space to store Movies & TV shows. If the rumors are true, we could see something happen as early as May 1st. I just have to hold off till then and at least hope that something comes up by the Fall release of Halo 3.

The Xbox 360 is born

Microsoft released the Xbox 360 in November 2005 and something began to stir inside me. The white console from Microsoft looked like a slim line PC and was a straight game console. Not only did I start to take a little more notice in some of the new games, I began to hear about the online gaming abilities. It appeared that the Xbox and gaming from Microsoft was hear to stay.

I still had other interests and gaming was more of a casual thing to me. On the same note, I didn't know anyone that had one and I still wanted to spend my time with the family and just didn't see getting one. This would appear to be a wise move on my part as a year passed for this console; a lot can happen in a year.

A co-worker decided to pick up an Xbox 360 and was ready to say goodbye to the Play Stations and Sony for good. I had tried to get him into PC games and he tried to get me into the Play Station. With the delays on the Play Station 3, he finally made the switch and began singing the praises of Microsoft and the Xbox 360. The work place was infected at this point and would begin to spred like crazy

I began to research the Xbox 360 around the end of 2006 and I started to learn all I could about them. Another co-worker picked up one and then another and at this point I was sold myself from what I began to learn. It was shortly around the end of the year that I heard about some upgrades that might becoming down the pipe from Microsoft. I also tried a demo of MotoGP 06 at Best Buy and it was not a question of if I would make a switch from the PC, as much as a question of when I would purchase the Xbox 360.

Microsoft looks beyond Windows

Microsoft has always looked through Windows and wanted to be apart of other things. For a software company that helped launch the Computer World as we know today, they did not stop with just the OS and soon created other Software titles or acquired other companies for themselves. But its been the beyond Windows products that has been really interesting over the years and why a Software Company chose this route.

One of the first out of the box products that I owned from Microsoft was the Timex Datalink watch. A digital watch that would send your contacts and calendar information from Microsoft Outlook, via the Monitor to your watch. It was by all means one of the first PDA devices. I just held the watch towards the screen, hit the synch button and watch the monitor spaz away as it sent my information to the watch.

Another product they came out with was a Cordless Phone and answering system. This is about the point I started to shake my head. I can't figure out why they wanted to get into the telephone business. Sure it sounded like a cool idea for us and we could use it along with our Computer, but something told me to stay away from this all together. I think it had a hefty price tag at the time as well. The phone did not take off and slowly went away with in a year or so.

That brings me to the launch of the Xbox system in November 2001 and I found myself shaking my head once again. What are they thinking here? Sony has such a huge market share, why would Microsoft even look at jumping into this? They already have people using computers with their OS and the PC games are doing really well on Windows. What possible motive could they have for trying to get into the Console business? Could this be another Phone deal that would fall apart in a year?
The Xbox in my mind did not look appealing at all and it had only one title that appeared to draw my attention. Why would I even think to leave my PC games for a new console just to play Halo? I was still an online PC gamer for the most part and I really thought this would not last. I also had other priorities, being a first time Dad and I slowly began to see my time playing games drift away from me. As my daughter began to get older, I didn't even want to play the games in front of her and let her see some of the action of those games. I also reached a point where I just stopped upgrading or buying the new PC games. The gamer in me had finally gone to sleep over the next 5 years all together.

Online PC Games Rock!

So about the Spring of 1995, I was lucky enough to build my first PC and thanks to a friend, began beta testing Windows 95. It was at this time that I got my very first PC game and being the huge Star Wars fan that I am, I quickly picked up a copy of Dark Forces. Doom was the popular game of choice at the time, but this was clearly the Star Wars fans answer to a first person shooter game.

A few years later, another very popular game called Quake II was launched and a number of my friends had started playing this game. It was really cool to login from home and play online against your buddies or even meet new gamers. And with the start of high speed connections, it would only improve online game play. We also would lug our huge PCs & Monitors over to each others houses from time to time for a LAN Party and night of gaming.

I soon got into an RPG called Diablo II and played this for the longest. This 3rd person game reminded me of a cross between Dungeons & Dragons and Gauntlet. The game is clearly more violent than the very tame game of Gauntlet and I enjoyed playing this online. Most of my friends only played the 1st person shooters though, so Diablo was only a change of pace from the shooter games.

We soon moved on from Quake II to the newer games like SiN, Quake III, and even Half-Life as far as the 1st person shooter games go. The LAN parties drifted away over time and I don't see much of those friends. Many years later, I was lucky to meet someone through my wife and was invited to try out a new game called Call of Duty. Meeting him at his place of work and using their Networked machines was really cool. The first person shooter was set in WWII and a lot of fun, clearly these games have evolved over the past years.

My PC is a lot older now and I'm not able to play the cooler games like Call Of Duty. I'm pretty much in need of a new computer at this stage, but I'm also having to rethink this whole online gaming option and if a PC is really the way to go. I remember when Xbox first came out and said to myself, "This will never fly... a new console with only 1 cool game and a handful of others... what are they thinking?" If I only knew what I know now today. The sleeping gamer will awaken.

The Birth of Video Game Rentals

Somewhere around the mid to late 80's the Nintendo NES system made its way into the household and the Atari was now left behind. PONG must have had a smile on his face to finally see some company and a chance to say, "How's it feel?"

Super Mario & Duck Hunt was the standard game that came along with the NES System. A new craze was beginning to take place and Video Rental Stores jumped on board with the ability to rent games to its members.

For the most part we only purchased a few games and elected drop a few dollars for a few days of rented game play, then we just returne the game for another selection. About this time we had found a game for rent called Tecmo Bowl, a really cool Football game for its time.

Tecmo Super Bowl was released around the early 90's and my brother had full claim to the NES and it went with him when he moved out. I really liked playing the game, so around the mid 90's I purchased my own NES game system and a copy of Tecmo Super Bowl. The Super Nintendo was already out and prices had dropped on the original NES, besides I was stuck playing the games I loved. I also purchased a few other games for the NES, but I really gave the NES a work out from playing season after season, with the Oakland Raiders... Go, Bo Jackson, GO... Touch Down!!!

About this time a really good friend of mine purchased the Sega Genesis as a gift for me. I have to say that was a really great gift and the game Sonic the Hedgehog was now released in the home. I purchased a few additional games for the Sega and enjoyed that system too.

For awhile I'd switch back and forth between the NES and Sega. It all depended on the game I wanted to play at that time.

The gaming world was about to change in multiple ways again and Sony was about to release a new console and take a huge market share chunk for itself. The NES still remained an overall favorite of mine, but the gamer in me was about to change towards a new platform once again.

It's all in color

Sales of the Atari 2600 skyrocketed during the Holiday season of 1980 as families rushed out to by game units in order to play the hottest new games. The color game system was now in full force for the home and the poor, old, Black & White Pong system was left standing all alone.

The Atari 2600 came out with Combat, a series of War type games where you shot your enemies tank, blasting them away with all your might. The funny part of the game was allowing you to roll off one side of the screen towards the other or if your lucky blast your target back and near your side for the next shot. It also came with Jets to fight and battle ships. The very simple block shapes provided hours upon hours of war game enjoyment.

Space Invaders placed the Atari firmly in the home, allowing you to move your laser gunner around and blast these Invaders out of the sky. Sadly for the invaders they adobted to fight in straight lines, like the early British and moved back and forth as they prepared to land, speeding up as they drew closer to Earth. With luck and perhaps and nice hole between one of your floating walls, you might squeeze off a round taking out the Invader or a bonus ship flying by.

The 2600 also allowed you to change out games with other games through the use of small cartridges. You could bring your games over to friends and swap them if you like. The system came with a Joystick and a simple red button & a paddle wheel with another simple button.
Many years have passed and the nostalgia of these old games now lives on. You can now find a collection of these games all hidden inside a simple Joystick controller that with batteries and an RCA connection, will allow you to play some of these games again. I only wish it came with Combat.

Simple and no cords attached

Building on the simple blips and dashes of Pong, game systems became mobile with handheld units during the late 70's. The Electronic Quarterback was the bigger brother of an Electronic Football game and showed a simple field, that allowed you to move a small dash across the screen in hopes of scoring a touch down. The game allowed you to run, kick, and pass your way to simple glory, the pass feature was an addition the little brother did not have.

The next game we loved to play was Merlin, with the simple blinking red LED lights, that allowed you to play games like Tic Tac Toe, Music Machine, Echo, Blackjack 13, Magic Square, and Mindbender. It also had a Music Machine game function that turned the handheld game into a musical instrument.

The last of these early handheld games was the Microvision and one of the first to feature removable game cartridges. Still very simple in function and with basic black & white and shades of grey graphics. You still enjoyed playing games like Block Buster, Bowling, Mindbuster, and Star Trek: Phaser Strike to name a few.

We still played a lot of PONG at the TV, but we liked taking these games around with us on trips, passing time in the car, or even out to the school yard during brakes. Little did we know, but the world of color gaming was about to explode on the TV sets and take off running.

Back to the present

I'm reminded of the scene in Back to the Future (1985), with Marty McFly sitting around his Mom-to-Be's dinner table and seeing his Grandfather roll over the families first TV set. Having grown up with TVs... seeing the game system PONG for the first time was along the same feeling most of the characters in that scene experienced.

I have a few instances of first time experiences like my Parents taking us to see Star Wars (1977) in the theaters for example. I had never seen anything like this and had no clue about a Princess flying in space, but for me, it was a free movie and we decided to give it a whirl. I was blown away and that has become my favorite movie of all times.

The white blip, flicks back across the screen, sent back from the paddle along the TV edge... Back to my story and the birth of a gamer (me). Such a simple game unit & form of entertainment, capturing the eyeballs of thousands of people. If they only knew where this was going to lead them. Who would have guessed that this simple Black screen, with a white bouncing box and two longer paddles, moving up and down the sides of the screen, would be the start of something huge.

I've marked the past and where it began around 1975 and I'll set my course for the present and perhaps even the future, as I relive some of those cool games and systems from the past.

Good things come to those that wait

Codename Zephyr is what its called so far and it appears to be closer to fact than fiction. What is expected to come out sometime this year from Microsoft is none other than the Xbox 360 v2. A system that is expected to make use of the new and much cooler 65nm processor, an HDMI port for full 1080p game enjoyment, a new "HANA" scaler, and a larger 120GD drive for more storage space.

See I'm in a research phase at this point and if you've read my earlier stories you would know that I have some expensive WANTS, not NEEDS. The Xbox fever that I have captured from co-workers is more and likely the cause of this. I think exposure is a better word for it and I really became fully infected at a local Best Buy. Something about the Moto GP 06 game called to me and at the moment I held a control in my hand for the first time, I was doomed. Well I welcomed capturing the fever just the same.

Engadget released the first bit of news, along with X-Scene reports, telling me its really good to wait at this time and not buy. Not only did I have concerns about over heating from extended game play; a co-worker had to send his 360 in for repair service. I still wanted to learn more about the unit and what all was possible from the system and games. I had a few questions about which package to purchase and did I really need to get a Hard drive with the system to begin playing games.

Research has told me that not only does it sound like a number of the games have been created with the aspect of No hard drive being available and that games should perform just as well. I also found out about the new units might be coming down the road soon. Which is great news for those of us waiting to buy or just not able to really buy at this time.

Now I have a lot more to look into and who knows perhaps more expensive toys could come from it, like a really nice HD TV for example. Hopefully more information will come soon and in the meantime I plan to keep my eyes and ears open as I form a plan to save money towards my new WANTS. If I could some how just find a way to justify them as a NEED... not a chance.

Too many toys and where to begin

You know your in trouble when the toys on your list all come in around the $100 to $500 dollar price range. It's not so bad when you have only a single item in this price range. But when these start to add up and become two and three items at the same cost, it becomes harder to decide which to pick first in the list of big boy toys.

If I place them in order by Needs I would have the following items... Ok, do I really need any of them to begin with. This will be a hard argument to prove that I really need a new Cell phone, a new Computer, and an Xbox 360 game system with Moto GP 06. Wanting the items is easy to prove or I wouldn't even talk about them to begin with. So the need these is not the best route to take here.

The Treo 700 series cell phone is a really nice Phone/PDA combo and my current phone has seen its better days and served its purpose to a degree. But as I've said earlier, need is not an option. I've stopped dragging the Palm PDA around in hopes that this would cause me to buy a PDA style phone sooner. It's not really working, since I haven't made the $200 to $300 leap for a new phone.

I use to build my own computers from scratch. I'd select all the parts and spend the time hooking it all up and installing all the software. With the sudden drop in prices, its crazy to even think about doing something like that these days. Someday I'll tell my daughter I use to build these things, until the stores started giving them away. Ok, still around $400, its almost a giveaway in my mind.

Xbox 360, is a want for sure. I could make a lame attempt at stating, its relaxing to sit and play a game ever so often and the girls will love it at some point, sure it will take longer for the infant to even master holding a control, but the eldest is getting close to the age to play some of the family style games. Oh no, I will not play any of those shooter style games in front of them, I promise.

Lucky or unlucky for me, I just don't have enough to act on any of these toys at this time. The real hard part is when I get close, making a decision on one over the others.

Kakuro kraze

So it was about a year ago when my mother-in-law introduced the game of Sudoku to the whole family. I had seen the books all over and had no clue what it was all about and in fact she bought a book as a gift for her son. He wanted nothing to do with this game an set the book back down. I picked it up to see just what it was all about and my interest kicked in.

It's really a cool game that can be played everywhere. I started to learn more and after a few games was hooked. I even enjoyed the picture game versions as well. My wife started playing around Halloween time with a picture version from eBay and now she's wanted to play more and more and even moved on to some of the books.

A few books later and even a version that plays on her iPod, she's really enjoying the game. So I looked around during the holidays and thought about getting her a new book. That is when I came across this new game called Kakuro and decided to investigate it some more.

It's known as the bigger/harder brother to Sudoku. It uses a little math and is somewhat like a crossword puzzle. For example the box to the left with a 5 is a the sum for the two boxes across. You can have a 1+4 or a 2+3 combination. The key here is only one combination will work and you can't have multiple numbers in the same runs. That being said the 7 down would make use of the numbers you select.

I decided to mention this game to the family and it seems that most of them are satisfied with Sudoku and will stay away from this game for the time being. Something about it just keeps calling me to check it out and try some of the games. I think I'll keep playing Sudoku, but I have a feeling that Kakuro will get some of my time this year.

Times ticking away...

Time to close the books on 2006 and look towards the new year. Spent the final hours at home with the family. Last year it was just me and my oldest, as my wife was out working and pregnant with our second child. I'm thankful that this year we all could be at home together. I spent part of it with the baby asleep in my arms as I read my last book for 2006. Now with minutes to spare, I finished the book and I'm watching the count down for us here. So long 2006 and hello 2007. I wonder which book I should pick up and start reading next.

hmmm....