I told you so

Remember my last blog post? How I said that I know everyone is working on there next console? Well, I knew Nintendo is working on their next console, and now Iwata has just confirmed it.

I through in some of my thoughts on the next Nintendo console in the article too.

Wii's tech is very far behind the 360 and PS3. And after seeing some consumers complain about that, and truly seeing we are in a High Definition era, I would not be surprised if Nintendo released there next console early to keep up with competition.

Iwata himself said once before depending on consumer response, the next Nintendo console will have complete full HD support, and likely sport the same tech as the competitors. I know I'm sounding like a complete graphics whore here, but it just sucks that no one will really take Nintendo seriously unless they have a powerful machine.

The next generation

My recent blog posts have really been showing me losing my faith in Nintendo. Of course, I always love looking at games like The Conduit and MadWorld, just to bring back my faith in Wii. And it's always good when Miyamoto confirms Mario and Zelda for Wii.

I know everyone says "it's waaay to early." But I can seriously not wait till Nintendo announces their next console. Why? Because I know it had to be incredble. Nintendo is finally getting into the console war with voice chat and online games and such, but I know that the next console will have everything.

Graphics? I don't think the 360 or PS3 could, nor should go any further they where they are in terms or visuals. I feel it's getting to the point to where games do look good, but where almost to the point to where they look too good.

I know Wii 2, or whatever new name they come up with, needs to be at least as strong as the PS3. Nintendo knows that we are in the HD era, so they will definitely try and push the limits for there console. Plus, we already know they are working on there next console.

Every company starts working on there next console almost right after there current console released. We know Microsoft is working on a new Xbox. Nintendo said they wanted to be the first in the next generation with an early console, which obviously means they are working on a new console. Sony? To be quite honest, I don't know. They are seriously going for that "10 year plan." So they may not be working on there next console yet, but they should be soon.

Some recaps

Nice to know Nintendo still cares.

As happy as I am, I know this announcement was out or pure pity. The simple words "We're making Pikmin." Just does not live up to a big announcement.

I can almost see how Nintendo likes to do things now. They show off what they want to show off at there official E3 Press Conference, then wait for the response on what everyone thinks of it, and then they might end up announcing something after wards if the response is just not good enough.

In this case though, this was just out of pity for the core audience. It is everywhere on the internet that Miyamoto was not supposed to announce Pikmin 3 when he did, but he did because he knew there was a distinct lack of core games Nintendo announced at the conference.

We know Kid Icarus is being worked on, we know that either a new Mario or Zelda is being worked on. But why do you choose not to reveal anything about them? I understand Animal Crossing is a big game, but is it really the game you want to address to the core audience?

After that press conference, I don't know how I still have the respect I do for Nintendo, nor do I know why I still support them after what they showed off. I guess it's just who I am. I can stop supporting them.

What a day.

Well I have to say, it was a little hard for me to post as much news as I did, but I guess I did a better job then I expected.

Although Nintendo's E3 Conference was a little on the disappointing side, they showed off some pretty cool things. And at least we finally get voice chat.

I'm pretty tired, so that's all for today's post. I might post more stuff later or tomorrow.

Work starts today

Today is day. E3 starts 1 PM EST, starting it all off with Microsofts Press Conference. Am I excited? Of course I am. But it seems like it's going to be some serious work.

I'm not sure if I'm going to be posting a lot of Microsoft stuff. I'm really hoping Darkhunter (the owner of the site) and Volcom (another co-founder) really have all the 360 news down.

Most of my work will probably be the Nintendo and Sony conferences. We haven't been posting to much PS3 news, but hopefully E3 will change that. So hopefully Trist and Shadow post some E3 news because so far it seems like I'm almost alone in the Nintendo section, which is enough work as it is.

A lot of people like writing for sites as a hobby. Of course I like writing. It is a great hobby, but some times I look at it as more than a hobby. Sometimes I look at it as a job. It depends on your view of it. When you become more and more active it becomes more of a job then a hobby.

Ever since I started writing for Wii Live, I've progressed is so many ways. I was never very good at grammar, and to tell the truth I'm still not the best. But my writing skills have taken a huge step forward. And who knows, maybe as I progress in writing it could take me somewhere.

I'll save that subject for another blog post. For now, E3 has to be my main focus. Oh, and why not post the few things I really want to see at E3?

The Conduit

It's going to be at E3, and I just can not wait to here news about it. I'm thinking we may finally hear about the multi player, and I think a publisher will be announced.

Kid Icarus

Everyone knows it's going to be there. If it somehow isn't, then that will probably be the biggest surprise of E3.

Pikmin 3

Please, please let Pikmin 3 be announced at E3!

Hard Drive

This is needed. It should have been announced a long time ago.

How I Envy The World

Can anyone guess why Friday was a special day? Well obviously because of the iPhone 3G launch. My friend, who owns an iPhone edge, (my term for the older iPhone) uses it a lot when he is over. He was one of the few, or many, people to get the Apps store early, and his phone did not brick from it. After seeing some things from the iPhone's Apps store, I couldn't envy the iPhone anymore.

If you do read my blog, then you should know I own an LG Dare. LG's latest touch screen phone. Now, don't get me wrong, I like the Dare a lot. I like the web browsing, and it's a great overall phone. But after seeing all these new applications and programs the iPhone is getting, I couldn't be more crushed. I'm in flat out envy of my friend, my friends brother who just bought an iPhone 3G, and anyone who owns on.

I finally broke down to the point to where if I can't have the iPhone, I might as well have the closest thing to it. And it isn't even the phone.

I figure maybe I will purchase an iPod Touch. It pretty much is the iPhone just with out, well, the phone.

Of course I have been having some second thoughts on purchasing the iPod Touch. Buying would would basically render my fancy LG Dare useless. Seeing as I would probably end up only using the Dare as a phone, and maybe use the browser from time to time. An iPod touch would also mean I need to throw down $300. Something I don't currently have to throw down.

Maybe after I get some money I could spend some of it on an iPod Touch. But right now, it isn't my main focus.

Should I drop Durffen?

When it comes to the username "Durffen" there is only one thing that comes to mind. "?"

Durffen is just a word I made up a few years ago. It has never had a meaning. I have never given it one either. Actually, I recall someone on the IGN boards replying to one of my posts in German. I told them I didn't speak german, and they said Durffen was a german word for something. So I guess it's not a word I made up.

Basically, no one knows what it means. When I sign up for sites, it is never taken, so it's nice having a "universal" username. But I have been questioning whether I should keep it or not.

For the past few days, I've been trying to just go by Matt on The Gamers Cafe. I decided maybe it would be just a little more professional to go by your first name instead of your online username for writing. But still, even though I have been trying to go by Matt, I'm still known as Durffen.

I have a registered account for almost every site. And almost all of those sites, my username is Durffen.

I have no idea what to do right now. I wish to go by my first name more often, but most sites that would require some numbers or something afterwards because it is likely taken.

On the other hand, I have so many accounts under the name Durffen, that it would be sort of weird having two personas almost everywhere, and if I wanted to go by Matt, everything with the name Durffen would either have to die or I would have to switch names.

It's actually quite surprising how something simple like this could put me in such a weird predicament.

LG Dare Review

This cell phone market today is full of touch screen phones with HTML browsing capabilities and more innovative features. The LG Dare is one of the latest touch screen phones to enter the market. And I'm sure the one question everyone is asking is: Is it as good as the iPhone?

I will tell you this now. No phone is going to beat the iPhone. Could anything beat the iPhone? Of course. I bet some companies could top the iPhone. But will it happen? I don't think anytime soon.

The LG Dare is probably the best phone out there in terms of iPhone competition. It boasts some similar features, like an accelerometer, so you can use some features either vertically or horizontally, a touch screen QWERTY keypad, and the wonderful full HTML browser.

The recognition on the touch phone is pretty good. Everytime you touch the screen, you get a little tactile feedback vibration, basically confirmed that your touch has been registered. It's awkward when having tactile feedback on your phone, then going to a touch phone that doesn't have that feature. But not awkward in a bad way.

The LG Dare is feature packed, but one of the biggest parts of the phone is it's 3.2 mega-pixel camera, with a built-in photo editor, flash, and probably the best video recorder on a phone. Compared to other touch screen phones, it easily has the best camera, and probably one of the best camera's on any phone on the market right now!

The LG Dare has other features that seem to be almost standard for Verizon phones. V Cast Videos, VZ Navigator, Music play back, and more. The speaker on the phone is pretty decent. It's definitely not the best out there, but it isn't bad. Comparing it to the iPhones, I'd say it's just as good, probably better.

Call quality is excellent. Of course, this is what you should expect from Verizon. The speaker phone works well, and another interesting feature that is also on the iPhone is that when you put the phone up to your ear to talk, the screen turns off to save battery life. Of course when you take the phone away from your ear it will light up again.

Of course one of the most innovative features is the ability to customize the icons on the front screen. You can pick what icon you want on the front screen, and you can place it where ever you like.

Messaging works pretty well, with mobile AIM, Yahoo Messenger, and Windows Live Messenger. You can send videos and pictures, access your email. Of course, I do believe the touch screen QWERTY key board was decent, it's still not quite the best. It may be better then most phones on the market, but it may just be touch screen key boards that aren't always the best.

And finally, the web browser. Now, I've read many places that people are "disappointed" with the web browsing experience. Now, I say that it is probably the best web browsing experience you will get, next to the iPhone. With EV-DO Rev. A, pages loaded up very quickly. Of course, it does hurt that Wi-Fi is not included, which I still don't understand why, but the browser is all around great. Scrolling through pages is very smooth and fluid, and it really is great. Although I do admit trying to click on links and text boxes can be tough sometimes, it's still a great overall web browser.

If you are looking for a good touch screen phone, I do suggest the iPhone. But if you don't want to switch to AT&T, then I definitely recommend the LG Dare. It is the best alternative, and although I do wish they added some more features, it's still a great phone.

Overall - 9.5 (out of 10)

Do you Dare?

I like to stick with my family when it comes to phone plans. I can't really pay for my own, but if I could, I would definitely have an iPhone right now. Well, my family has Verizon (because of the top notch service,) so I might as well buy the phone that is at least comparable to the iPhone.

My friend has an iPhone, and loves to gloat it in my face. Just to make it worse, he's getting rid of it for the much better and cheaper 3G iPhone. I've been dying for a phone that is at least somewhat comparable to the iPhone. I got the LG Voyager, but those iPhone needs were still there. Sure it had some better features then the iPhone like Mobile TV and a full keyboard, but the web browing is a little sluggish, which is probably the main reason why I want an iPhone in the first place is because of the awesome web browsing experience.

Today, the LG Dare was released in stores. After hearing some good things about it, I decided to check it out in the store for myself. I've heard plenty of good things, and plenty of bad things. After messing with it in the store for about half an hour, I was left more then impressed.

I have heard things about the web browsing experience being sluggish on the Dare. How could they say that? I have heard so many people praise the Voyagers browser, but the Dares browser is twice as good, and people are calling it sluggish?

I was more then impressed with the LG Dare, and seeing as I bought the Voyager less then 30 days ago, I'm going to return it so I can get my money back and purchase the Dare.

I'll probably even post up a full review on it after I purchase it tomorrow morning. So look forward to that.