The iPhone. The shiny, beautiful device has always mocked me, laughing at how I couldn't afford one. Until last week I acquired some money (it isn't as dodgy as it sounds... honest) and decided to go out and make a purchase that would change my life forever!!! OK, I might be exaggerating a little, but either way - I've got an iPhone WOOOHOOOO!!!!

So, what do you think think of your new iPhone, I disillusionally imagine you shouting at your screen? Well, that's what this blog is about (you'd have never guessed that from the title, would you), so get comfortable, put on your reading glasses and prepare for a roller coaster ride of iPhoney goodness.

After spending a small fortune on the phone, I rushed home to get using it. It reminded me of when I was a kid, and I'd rush home to play a new playstation game. Anyway, I got home and opened the box, and there it was, looking just as beautiful as I expected. When I picked it up, it was lighter than I expected, I was expecting something on the heavier side, like my ipod c.lasic, but without a hard drive there is no need for it to weigh so much.

I then read through the instructions, in attempt to find out where I was supposed to put the SIM card. Despite having a well concealed SIM card slot, they don't provide anything to explain where you put it. After googling it, I found how, only to find I'd lost the little poking device that you use to pull out the SIM holder. After spending 10 minutes searching for a paperclip to use as a replacement, I managed to get the SIM in, and begin actually using the phone.

So, all that was left to try was the features. All of the standard phone features work fine. The phone is good, texting works fine, the calendar does all the standard things you expect from a phone calendar, as does the clock. The camera is competent. It's nothing special like the 8 Mega Pixel camera's you get on some phones. It's 2 Mega Pixels, which is all I need really, and takes pictures fine. There are no additional features though, all it does is take a basic photo, no zoom, no effects, no video recording. Now, onto the main reason I got the phone - The web browser.

The web browser works brilliantly. It browses the web really fast for a phone. It's perfect for checking things when on the go. The only issue I have with it is that I can't post on giant bomb with it. Everything loads perfectly, I can sign in, look at everything, but I cant type in any of the text boxes. With using the web browser comes using the keyboard. The keyboard is a bit weird to get used to. Early on I was pressing the wrong keys all the time, but after using it for a little less than a week, I'm already used to it, only occasionally hitting the wrong key, and I'm sure I'll get even better.

Some of the additional features are cool too. The Google maps works fine, and will find your location, which I'm sure is very useful if you get lost. The youtube video's play fine. The Music player is exactly what you expect from an apple ibranded device, it works brilliantly. One of the things I really like about the iPhone is the ease of taking screenshots. But these out of the box features are only the beginning. The App store is full of really cool features that you can download straight to your iPhone, so I'll provide my brief impressions of a few of them. I plan on writing full reviews for some of the games in the future, so keep an eye out for them.

Tweetie

Tweetie is a fantastic twitter app that does everything you want from a twitter app, and more. Obviously you can send and receive tweets, but you can also view web link, post photo's, log into multiple accounts, follow, unfollow, block and unblock users. It also has a cool location feature, where you can see tweets from people who are near you.

Shazam

Are you ever in a pub, or club, or anywhere, and a song comes on and you want to know what it is? Then Shazam is the app for you. Shazam will listen to 10 seconds of a song, spend 5 seconds figuring out what it is and then tell you. It'll also provide links to youtube video's of the song, and the song in the itunes store, and will save all the information for reference in the future. I've already found this really useful, and I've only had it a couple of days. And the best part of all, it's free!!!

Real Football 2009

Real football is a fantastic little football (soccer) game. It has fantastic 3D graphics, really great controls, and even features online play. Any fans of football games will love this. It's brilliant. Definitely the best game I've played on the iphone so far.

Rolando

A fantastic little puzzle game, similar to the PSP's Loco Roco. Definitely one of the best games on iphone. You have to control your rolando's by tilting your iphone to get them to the end, but with obsticles in the way you'll have to puzzle-solve your way to victory

Hero of sparta

I haven't played too much of this, but I definitely plan on playing it more. It's a really cool 3D brawler that has really good graphics, and really good controls.

SimCity

Another game I haven't played too much of, but it's basically SimCity 2000, but on the iphone. The controls seem fine so far, but the size of the screen seems like it might be a bit of a hindrance when I get really into it.

After allot of rumour and speculation about Call of Duty 5 (now called Call of Duty: World at War) we finally have something solid. It turns out that most of the rumours were true, but its not all bad news.

Firstly as expected, Treyarch will be developing it. Despite this though, it might not be the disaster that CoD 3 was. Activision gives the reason for the poor quality of CoD 3, is that it was only in development for 11 months. This time, they will have had the full 2 years to work on it.

Next, the series is returning to its World War 2 roots. This is very disappointing to some, after Activision announced it would take place in a "new theater". This new theater turns out to be the battle of the pacific, between America and Japan. European frontline action will also be included in the form of the Russians advancing on Berlin.

There is also news that no one will consider bad news. It is using the Call of Duty 4 engine, which will hopefully make the game feel similar to CoD 4, and should help bring the fast, action packed experience everyone expects from a Call of Duty game. And with more destructive environments hopefully adding to the experience, the future is looking better for the game which has already been subject to much criticism.

Also coming straight from CoD 4 is the online multiplayer element. Apart from adding new vehicles and a new leader system (where more perks will be unlocked for staying close to the leader) the multiplayer experience should stay true to that of the hugely popular CoD 4.

Other additions to the game include a 4 player online co-op aggressive Japanese tactics (such as ambushes) and the introduction of a flamethrower!!!! But the important question, is do people really care?

World War 2 shooters seem to have been milked for everything possible, so why do we need another one? Sure, these new features seem interesting, but is it really enough to revive an overused genre? I don't think so. What does everyone else think?

Source: OXM UK

The first episode of the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC will has been delayed until Q1 2009 according to an investor conference call with Take-Two CEO Ben Feder.

OK, so what does this mean? Well firstly, do not completely despair. We may not have to wait until 2009 for the content. Since it was announced to investors, this means Take-Two's fiscal year, not the proper year (why do business people have to make it so complicated for everyone else?), which means November 1st 2008 until January 31st, so it is still likely to be released this year.

So I suppose you're wondering why it is delayed? Maybe rockstar are working on something really huge? Like a new city, as has been rumored. Nope, Ben Feder explains:

"The reason we moved it is more about portfolio balance than anything else... the delay is not about development issues."

Now, I don't know what portfolio balance is, and quite frankly I don't care, but I know its nothing to do with game development thats for sure. I can understand the men in suits controlling retail releases, since that can be quite complicated, but DLC? I want my DLC when its ready, not when it it balances some damn portfolio!!!!!!

So, will I still care about GTA by then. I think so, but many people will have moved onto other things, and might not get it right away, especially since it will be in the Christmas rush of games releases. I suppose the business men know what they are doing with regards to sales, but it still seems pretty stupid to me. Unless they plan on leaving it till the end of the fiscal quarter, when Christmas is over and we're in a games drought, which would mean we will have to wait until '09.

Either way, I'm not a happy bunny.

Source: Kotaku

(Well, yestardays blog post was my first in nearly 2 years. Now I have done 2 in 2 days. I won't be doing daily posts, but I do intend to update it semi-regularly)