Gadget review: BlackBerry Curve 8900

Finally! Another gadget review from yours truly!

One of the best gadgets I've had over the years--the RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900. I've only been a BlackBerry user for over a year and I totally fell in love with the platform and the benefits of owning one! Aside from the fact that a regular BlackBerry lets you keep in touch with your friends, family and colleagues in numerous ways, the Curve 8900 stands out because of its smaller form factor gaining the distinction of being the thinnest full QWERTY BlackBerry to date. Though the body is still made of plastic, RIM made a couple of finishes and paint applications to make the device classier and more durable. However, I noticed that the battery cover gets loose over time and shifts a lot especially when I hold the device. One of the most common complain with the Curve 8900 is its lack of 3G but from where I live, EDGE seems to cater to my needs well enough that I hardly feel this shortcoming. Besides, if you're always on WiFi, who needs 3G? The Curve 8900's display is bright and crisp--I love how the display adjusts to the environment lighting, enabling me to read my emails and text messages even under direct sunlight. Navigating through the phone's menus is done by a trackball which gets dirtier over time but since my unit sports a black trackball, it looks like I won't have a problem. Coming from a BlackBerry Pearl, I didn't have a hard time adjusting to the new QWERTY keyboard lay-out as well. Another thing I love most about this device is its 3.2MP camera and the fact that it can perform auto-focus functions. My only dissatisfaction with this device is that the battery drains fast if you're located on a deadspot (like my house, for example)--the device continuously looks for a signal and switches between GSM to EDGE intermittently. When this happens, the battery could be drained from a full charge in just 2 hours. I'm not sure if this issue was already addressed in a software upgrade because I haven't upgraded my device's firmware since I got it but I was able to solve the problem by rebooting my device occasionally. The Curve 8900 runs on OS 4.6.1.114 and the package contains a travel charger, a USB cable, wired headset, a 256MB MicroSD card, a leather case and a software CD.

PROS: auto-focus 3.2MP camera; ultimate-messaging device; bright and crisp screen; full QWERTY keyboard that's still easy to use; lightweight

CONS: continuously looks for a signal if you're on a deadspot, thus draining battery fast; loose battery cover; lack of 3G

Verdict: Highly recommended! :)

Batman: Arkham Asylum

Batman: Arkham Asylum--a must play!

Back to my regular blogging stint! First up is XBox 360's Batman: Arkham Asylum. This game was released a few months ago and I highly recommend it not just for Batman fans but for Third-person action-adventure game fans as well. Batman: Arkham Asylum brings you fast-paced action against Arkham's deadliest in-mates like Joker, Killer Croc, Poison Ivy, Scarecrow and more!

Batman: Arkham Asylum have highly detailed crisp graphics, nifty controls and smooth cut-scenes! There are dozens of combo moves for Batman to perform and there are over 8 different kinds of weapons included--all taken from Batman's amazing utility belt. The game did a great job of showing Batman's different angles--as Bruce Wayne, his family, friends and of course--as Batman, the Dark Knight himself. However, Batman: Arkham Asylum does not include enough online and multiplayer features and built mostly for single player action. I got so hooked in the game that I started collecting DC's Batman comics after completing the campaign! A must play!

From Flowers to Ponkans

I remember when I used to write emails to Phoebe, continuously text her and send her flowers. Now its different--emails turned to morning chats, continuous texting turned to doing things together and flowers turned to ponkans. Yes we're expecting, and I'm so excited that I'm going to be a daddy soon! Way back in high school I knew I wanted to marry earlier and build my own family. Things changed after college graduation because career kicked in. I lost track of my ultimate goal and it was just recently when I realized that I still want it and I've always wanted it! I love you baby and I'm blessed to have you in my life! And I never imagined I would write any cheesier than this! :)

P.S. Struggling to get back to my blogging...

A tragic day...

Photo borrowed from theglobeandmail.com

September 26, 2009 marks a tragic day in Philippine History as super typhoon Ondoy breaks the record for bringing in the most rain. The two day non-stop rain accumulated over a meter of water which caused flash floods all over Metro Manila. It was a sad moment as the death toll count rises to 243 and around 80% of Metro Manila was submerged in flood water. Please help our fellow Filipinos by sending your donations to Red Cross via Paypal--give@redcross.org.ph. Please pray for all the victims and their families. God bless us all.

Mr. and Mrs. Garayblas!

Mr. and Mrs. Garayblas: September 8, 2009 11:30am. :)

Ready for more?

My upcoming iPhone simulation game--SOW.

After releasing my first ever iPhone game weeks ago, I'm now cooking up a bigger game. SOW is a plant/business simulation game which lets you grow plants right on the small screen! Yeah, this game has been keeping me busy for the past several days and now that we're almost close to a final beta, I can't wait to release it on the AppStore! Also set for release soon is a huge update for Card Drop--version 1.1.0! The update sports several new features and one that I liked the most was the addition of Joker cards! I'm not gonna spoil everyone here, just watch out for it! The update will be free for everyone who bought the original version. If you haven't gotten a copy yet, grab one now for an introductory price of just $0.99!

In addition to all these exciting stuff, what really kept me more hooked is the fact that I'm exploring a new platform and market. The iPhone market is definitely a lot different from the markets I was accustomed with (Windows Mobile, Palm OS and PC). The community is much bigger and more active, and it grows by the thousand every month. Releasing a small game like mine would be like throwing a needle in a haystack. I have to come up with creative ways to market my flagship title, pitching it endlessly to various news/game sites, sending out press releases to every media partner I know and discussing it on different online forums. It's a huge task but I'm enjoying every minute of it! I'll be sure to post my experiences on marketing my first game soon--all the hurdles, tips, leads and rewards. Fun times ahead!

Braid

Braid's title screen will blow you right away!

Okay enough with the shameless plugs for the past few days. Let me get you back on track by convincing you to play yet another game that has struck my imagination for the past weeks. I make games for a living and yes, I get inspiration from them too. This has become more like a cycle for me for the past several years. I think this routine will stay forever with me until I can't play games anymore.

Just look at the surreal level details!

I've recently downloaded Braid from XBox Live Arcade and all I can say is WOW! Everything about the game is so surreal and stunning! Have you ever played a game where you can go back in time, correct your wrong moves and try it again? Braid lets you do just that--go back through time, correct your moves instantly and achieve your goals. Behind the game is a deep love story between Tim and his lost girlfriend and the game pits you on a quest to save her. What's even more surprising is that Braid is actually made by an independent developer--Jonathan Blow. When you see the game in action, you would think right away that its a high budget title but its not, yet it compares to high profile titles on XBox Live's Marketplace. Braid will set you back for only 1,200 MS points which is around US$15.00. Go indie!