Less than 3 weeks and I’m outta this place…

Blimey, it’s been a bit longer than I had planned since I last posted a message on my blog. But then you know how it is around christmas time - so much going on and a general detachment from the internet - which can only be a good thing!!!
Well, first off, Happy New Year and all that. So far so good, lets just hope that things carry on that way! The Wii is still going great - would still highy recommend one. I think one of my recent favourite things about it is the Virtual Console. This is turning out to be a true gem. It’s just like being 10 years old again and playing all of those classic SNES and Megadrive games you used to play with your mates. Fab.
The begining of January brings that much awaited date in the Apple World calendar - the Mac Expo Keynote, and I guess you probably all know the outcome (unless you’ve been living under a rock. Hmm that sounds like fun…). Have to say the iPhone looks amazing - though I think it would be a bit unrealistic to think I might actually get one - seems a bit pricey and that thing is going to be costly to use in terms of its internet features on the move. Besides in this day and age it is nice to be able to get away from the interweb.

The other major announcement was of course the Apple TV. I think an Apple TV could be a good thing to own. Well I’m sure the Apple hype-machine and reality distortion field will eventually get to me and make me want one. Only thing is, I’d really need to get a HD TV first. Now where is that Apple HD TV that was doing the rounds on the old Mac Rumour-mill?
Anyway, in other news, if you didn’t already know, March 2007 will see me landing back on the shores of old Swine-town, as I move out of my Newbury 1 bed flat into a 2 bed house in Swindon. I’m looking forward to it and think it should be a good move (excuse the pun). Don’t get me wrong Newbury is a lovely place - but it’s expensive, small and well, there’s not a lot here for me. My sliding back and forth along the M4 corridor continues…

Ok, so this weekend was my first “wiikend”, and yep my conclusion is that everyone should buy one.

Hey, everyone I know seems to be really excited and I think that everyone that has played it so far has vowed to buy one. Friday night saw my first encounter with Zelda: The Twilight Princess, and I have to say it was brilliant. The world is truly beautiful, the music is really nice, and with the Wii-mote and Nunchuck, the game is really quite immersive. I’ve not really gotten that far yet, but after 2 and a half hours of playing, I was really getting in to it. And the Wii’s control system was a pleasure too.

Unlike usual consoles where you get the old finger and wrist cramp from holding the controller and frantically hitting buttons, you just don’t get that problem. And yep, that brings me back to Wii Sports. I was aching most of the wiikend thanks to that. Have to say that Tennis is the most fun of the lot (all the games are good mind you!), and that multiplayer tennis is great. But beware! You need plenty of space. God knows how you are supposed to play tennis with 4 players and not knock someone out!

I also picked up Wii play (worth it for the extra controller), and that too is, well bonkers. One of my favourite minigames has to be the one where you are racing your woollen cow along a track and have to knock down scarecrows and jump fences by “jumping” and leaning the Wii-mote.

Anyway, I didn’t spend the whole weekend wii-ing. I was up in Swindonia again, mainly due to a recall for my ickle Yaris T-Sport. So in it went on the monday for a new crankshaft sensor (purely as a precautionary measure), and when I went to pick it up, I was presented with a bottle of champagne by Toyota to say sorry! Nice gesture, me thinks.

Anyway, I’m off to eat my dinner now, and then to go and herd more goats in Zelda…

Yep, today on 8th December, I am the proud owner of a Nintendo Wii! Quite a morning really. Got up early to sit online to try and grab some tickets on presale to see Muse live at Wembley Stadium in June. Yep Wembley Stadium. Anyway, managed to jump right in there and order tickets, so fingers crossed, it should all be good!

So yeah, ordered me Muse tickets then it was off round to my local HMV in Newbury to pick up my Wii. Have to say having heard all the stories online about people queuing that I was worried I might not get one, but yep I did.
Actually when I got there, they asked my name and said “Oh yep, we know you, you’re top of the list”, which is always nice to hear! Anyway, they take me over to one side of the shop and tell me to wait there. Turn’s out there is some guy kicking off because he didn’t get one, and they don’t want to cause a scene. Anyway off goes chappy, and yep, then it appears! So chuffed to bits, I leave the store with my Wii, Zelda and an SD card and toddle off to work to pick up some pies from the guys.
Anyway, I unpacked it and here it is:

And this is what you get with it:

Finally, here it is in all its tiny glory sat next to me TV:

I ought to post a full review, but hey I can’t be bothered. I just wanna go play. Basically, should you buy one? - yes. Is it any good? - You wouldn’t believe! Yep it truly is remarkable. The Wii-mote is fab - it gives you tactile and audio feedback and its use in Wii Sports is amazing. I had my work friends around at lunch and we had alot of fun. We had a game of bowling and a few rounds of golf, and it was like no other multiplayer game before. The Wii is definitely designed for playing with your mates. Not only is the whole control system completely intuitive, but you look really stupid too.
Anyway, I’ll post more Wii based stuff soon. The Virtual Console looks like its going to be fun too. Perfect for those boring evenings in. Instead of renting a movie, just buy an old classic.. NES games work out at £3.50, while SNES and Mega Drive games weigh in at about £5. I can see that getting really addictive. And I think the web browser and other online channels will be great too. All hail the might Wii!
Right back to some Tennis me thinks…

OK, so I phoned HMV today to find out what the status was with my Wii preorder - well I just wanted to know if I was getting one!
Anyway, whilst the manager couldn’t tell me exactly how many they were getting, he could tell me that they could only fill 20% of the pre-orders, but that I was one of the lucky few!!! So yep, I will definitely be picking mine up on Friday. Apparently if I phone tomorrow then they will be able to tell me what bundle deals they will be able to offer me, so I might be able to get a bit of a bargain.
This then got me thinking - I wonder what I could get for it on ebay? Well I know I’m certainly getting one! It looks as though at the moment they are going for about £260ish.

However, as tempting as it may be, I know that if I do sell it I won’t be able to get hold of one before Christmas, and well I’ve been waiting for ages, so sod it!

In other news, today I had a day off work (I’m off until next Tuesday). Didn’t really get up to a lot - watched lots of trashy TV and went for a wonder into town. Talking of the trashy TV, watched the new Vanessa’s Real Lives show today - it’s completely bonkers! The highlight had to be the woman who went on to talk about her fear of “naturally occurring holes”. Yep, the woman had a fear of holes. Holes in sponges, holes in vegatables, holes in rocks, and holes in cheese to name but a few.

They even brought out a covered tray with some holey-cheese on it. Even though she couldn’t see the cheese, she broke out in a sweat and became physically sick. Bonkers. Absolutely bonkers.