Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Release of the IGame Family
Last Friday saw the launch of the brand new IGame Family, from Elonex, just in time for Christmas, writes Chris Mitchell.
Now, the first question on many people’s lips will be “Do I need yet another games console in my life?”. Well, according to Simon LeJeune, Head of Strategic Relationships at Elonex, the answer is most definitely Yes.
This small white circular console is ‘essentially a bolt on for either an Ipod Touch or IPhone’ he explains. It allows you to access all your music and video files via a built in dock and play content through your TV, but it also lets you play games, or existing Apps with a small lightweight Wii-like controller.
The IGame Family’s most attractive benefit for its £79 price tag is its ability to play 3d films, which are rapidly becoming more and more popular with the public and film companies alike. That aside they is not much evidence suggests that’s its early sales figures (10,00 units in the first few weeks) will continue to grow, or even be sustained.
So far a mere 20 games have been released for the console, all of which have to be pre-loaded onto a 1GB SD Card in order to be accessed. Although these games will only cost about £3 each.
So although the aim of this product is so today’s consumer can future-proof themselves against the rapid growing games market, it still remains to be seen if the IGame Family itself will be around after Christmas, let alone the future its looking to protect us from.
Now, the first question on many people’s lips will be “Do I need yet another games console in my life?”. Well, according to Simon LeJeune, Head of Strategic Relationships at Elonex, the answer is most definitely Yes.
This small white circular console is ‘essentially a bolt on for either an Ipod Touch or IPhone’ he explains. It allows you to access all your music and video files via a built in dock and play content through your TV, but it also lets you play games, or existing Apps with a small lightweight Wii-like controller.
The IGame Family’s most attractive benefit for its £79 price tag is its ability to play 3d films, which are rapidly becoming more and more popular with the public and film companies alike. That aside they is not much evidence suggests that’s its early sales figures (10,00 units in the first few weeks) will continue to grow, or even be sustained.
So far a mere 20 games have been released for the console, all of which have to be pre-loaded onto a 1GB SD Card in order to be accessed. Although these games will only cost about £3 each.
So although the aim of this product is so today’s consumer can future-proof themselves against the rapid growing games market, it still remains to be seen if the IGame Family itself will be around after Christmas, let alone the future its looking to protect us from.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
26/12/01 Arsenal 2-1 Chelsea
After having three daughters, my dad was understandably chuffed to have a son. Someone he could share his love of West Ham United with, or so he hoped. Unfortunately for him, yet luckily for me, it wasn't to be, as my mum got to me first. Having been brought up in Islington she introduced me to Arsenal, The Gunners.
Cut to 2001 and a 13 year old boy is sat in Block P of the West Lower stand of Highbury on a bitterly cold boxing day. My father has finally accepted that I’m going to be a ‘Gooner’ not a ‘Hammer’ and has taken me to NW5 for the first time. We played Chelsea that day, and my first memory of football comes as Frank Lampard scores (something I’ve never forgiven him for) in the first half and I realise just how quiet ‘The Library’ can get at times. After a barely edible pie at half time I settled down for the second half, praying for an equalizer. God, that day taking the form of Sol Campbell duly obliges, we are 1-1 after 49 minutes. With 20 minutes left on the clock Sylvain Wiltord scores to make it 2-1- the library is no longer quiet. We hold out until full time to take all three points in this London derby. Although the following years will be kinder to Chelsea and they become one of the best teams in World Football, I will still remember the days when were the better team. Arsenal went on to finish second in the league that year and I went on to support Arsenal every moment since. All thanks to my mothers birthplace and the unluckiest of heroes in Sylvain Wiltord. And although Arsenal may have moved grounds since then, I’m still yet to watch them draw or lose live, something I’m sure either makes me a miracle worker or very wise at picking which games to get tickets for.
Cut to 2001 and a 13 year old boy is sat in Block P of the West Lower stand of Highbury on a bitterly cold boxing day. My father has finally accepted that I’m going to be a ‘Gooner’ not a ‘Hammer’ and has taken me to NW5 for the first time. We played Chelsea that day, and my first memory of football comes as Frank Lampard scores (something I’ve never forgiven him for) in the first half and I realise just how quiet ‘The Library’ can get at times. After a barely edible pie at half time I settled down for the second half, praying for an equalizer. God, that day taking the form of Sol Campbell duly obliges, we are 1-1 after 49 minutes. With 20 minutes left on the clock Sylvain Wiltord scores to make it 2-1- the library is no longer quiet. We hold out until full time to take all three points in this London derby. Although the following years will be kinder to Chelsea and they become one of the best teams in World Football, I will still remember the days when were the better team. Arsenal went on to finish second in the league that year and I went on to support Arsenal every moment since. All thanks to my mothers birthplace and the unluckiest of heroes in Sylvain Wiltord. And although Arsenal may have moved grounds since then, I’m still yet to watch them draw or lose live, something I’m sure either makes me a miracle worker or very wise at picking which games to get tickets for.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
2010 South Africa Squad
With the FIFA World Cup now only a mere 224 days away, and with England having successfully qualified-the hot topic of discussion has now changed. Who exactly is going to be in the 23 man squad on the plane to South Africa?!
Of course every man(or woman) in England will have their personal predictions for the squad and each to their own I always so-you'll be wrong, but points for trying at least.
In this weeks blog I am going to offer you my (well) educated guess at who I feel will be on that trip to possible World Cup glory.
Goalkeepers: Green, James, Foster
Defenders: Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, Bridge, Upson, Lescott.
Midfielders: Lampard, Gerrard, J Cole, Barry, Lennon, Walcott, Beckham, Carrick.
Forwards: Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Owen, Agbonlahor.
(Starting 11 in Red-provided Capello sticks with his diamond)
Now, I know exactly where and about who people will debate in this team so I'll do it for you.
Owen- I still think he can perform at the top level and playing a bit more regularly for United will only help his cause.
Beckham-purely in the squad for being such a leader, to have him there, along with Owen will really help some of the younger, less experienced players.
Agbonlahor/Lennon/Walcott-all players i think can make a huge impact from the bench, i don't think these players are quite good enough to start but what's better to have on the bench than three ridiculously quick players that can come on and rattle defences in the closing stages of games.
J Cole- Although injured for the last nine months, i feel he provides a lot more than the other players we've tried on the left wing during qualifying.
I know that there is a huge amount of time left before the World Cup kicks off, but fingers crossed that they all stay fit, this team could have a really good chance at getting that Trophy back to England.
Of course every man(or woman) in England will have their personal predictions for the squad and each to their own I always so-you'll be wrong, but points for trying at least.
In this weeks blog I am going to offer you my (well) educated guess at who I feel will be on that trip to possible World Cup glory.
Goalkeepers: Green, James, Foster
Defenders: Johnson, Terry, Ferdinand, A Cole, Bridge, Upson, Lescott.
Midfielders: Lampard, Gerrard, J Cole, Barry, Lennon, Walcott, Beckham, Carrick.
Forwards: Rooney, Crouch, Defoe, Owen, Agbonlahor.
(Starting 11 in Red-provided Capello sticks with his diamond)
Now, I know exactly where and about who people will debate in this team so I'll do it for you.
Owen- I still think he can perform at the top level and playing a bit more regularly for United will only help his cause.
Beckham-purely in the squad for being such a leader, to have him there, along with Owen will really help some of the younger, less experienced players.
Agbonlahor/Lennon/Walcott-all players i think can make a huge impact from the bench, i don't think these players are quite good enough to start but what's better to have on the bench than three ridiculously quick players that can come on and rattle defences in the closing stages of games.
J Cole- Although injured for the last nine months, i feel he provides a lot more than the other players we've tried on the left wing during qualifying.
I know that there is a huge amount of time left before the World Cup kicks off, but fingers crossed that they all stay fit, this team could have a really good chance at getting that Trophy back to England.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Last 10 Days....
So, it's been a while ladies and gentlemen. A lot has happened to me in the past 10 days- some of which was actually quite interesting believe it or not! Firstly I had the delights of watching Dr. Karl Kennedy (of Neighbours fame) belt out such tunes as Kaiser Chiefs "I Predict A Riot" and Kings of Leons' "Sex On Fire", the latter of which I even have video evidence of!! Next up was the greatest game of football I've ever played in. My team(Bracknell Manics FC((tout)) had a man sent off at 1-1 after ten minutes yet all ten players left played our absolute hearts out to earn a point-even though it felt like a win! That was followed up by one of the most aggressive trips to Liquid in Windsor I've ever experienced. Me and Nikos really couldn't get our heads around how or why no-one just seems to want to enjoy a night out these days....
Back at Uni today and I aced my way through a lesson about INDESIGN (a software programme that you can use to create and edit newspaper/magazine pages). It's the first time I have ever used it and although I'm not much of a computer person I seemed to pick it up nice and quickly, mainly due to the immense tutoring I recieved on it from Steve Miller, so he would like to imagine anyway!
Now theres a couple of days to quickly brush up on the old shorthand before Thursday, possibly the funnest lesson I have ever encountered, a trip to Kingston also beckons on Saturday which should kill all the brain cells that I store Shorthand in, so I may as well not go in Thursday right...?
Back at Uni today and I aced my way through a lesson about INDESIGN (a software programme that you can use to create and edit newspaper/magazine pages). It's the first time I have ever used it and although I'm not much of a computer person I seemed to pick it up nice and quickly, mainly due to the immense tutoring I recieved on it from Steve Miller, so he would like to imagine anyway!
Now theres a couple of days to quickly brush up on the old shorthand before Thursday, possibly the funnest lesson I have ever encountered, a trip to Kingston also beckons on Saturday which should kill all the brain cells that I store Shorthand in, so I may as well not go in Thursday right...?
Friday, October 2, 2009
NFL to be Football’s MVP?
A converted Englishman speaks the truth about how the rise of the NFL could spell the downfall of ‘The Beautiful Game’. This is the damning verdict of 18-year Jack Rawlinson who spoke with our reporter, Chris Mitchell earlier this week.
As an avid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles for the past 6 years, it comes as no surprise that this young journalist from the small town of Benfleet in Essex is predicting the death of football in England due to the global commercialization of the game in modern times. Compared to the giant franchises of American Football teams this may seem quite rich in terms of Hypocrisy, but this is not a view based in the realms of fantasy.
Although a Tottenham fan at heart Jack’s recent sporting highlights include Bret Favre’s last second 32- yard touchdown pass in his Minnesota Vikings win over Cleveland Browns. The reason for this change of interest to what is regarded a niche sport in England is deep seated from the recent invasion of foreigners in the English game-something that is unheard of in the NFL.
Allied with America’s determination to achieve global success, which now brings one regular season game of American Football to England per season compared to the Premier League’s reluctance to allow overseas games, there seems there is little stopping this sport going onto global domination.
“In America there is a ‘Win as a team, Lose as a team’ mentality” explains Jack “whereas in football there is constant vilification of players- such as Paul Robinson for England”. In America there is a constant team based mentality Win, Lose or Tie. And with the draft pick providing an additional exciting element in stark contrast to the Billionaire Boys Clubs that currently pull the purse strings in the Football world.
So can football rebel against this seemingly spiraling world of multi million pound buy outs and escalating transfers fees or is it just a matter of time before the Nfl corner the English market and punt football into touch?
As an avid fan of the Philadelphia Eagles for the past 6 years, it comes as no surprise that this young journalist from the small town of Benfleet in Essex is predicting the death of football in England due to the global commercialization of the game in modern times. Compared to the giant franchises of American Football teams this may seem quite rich in terms of Hypocrisy, but this is not a view based in the realms of fantasy.
Although a Tottenham fan at heart Jack’s recent sporting highlights include Bret Favre’s last second 32- yard touchdown pass in his Minnesota Vikings win over Cleveland Browns. The reason for this change of interest to what is regarded a niche sport in England is deep seated from the recent invasion of foreigners in the English game-something that is unheard of in the NFL.
Allied with America’s determination to achieve global success, which now brings one regular season game of American Football to England per season compared to the Premier League’s reluctance to allow overseas games, there seems there is little stopping this sport going onto global domination.
“In America there is a ‘Win as a team, Lose as a team’ mentality” explains Jack “whereas in football there is constant vilification of players- such as Paul Robinson for England”. In America there is a constant team based mentality Win, Lose or Tie. And with the draft pick providing an additional exciting element in stark contrast to the Billionaire Boys Clubs that currently pull the purse strings in the Football world.
So can football rebel against this seemingly spiraling world of multi million pound buy outs and escalating transfers fees or is it just a matter of time before the Nfl corner the English market and punt football into touch?
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Debut Blog....
So.... Blogging time is upon me. Much of what has been said about blogging has not really appealed to me whatsoever but I am determined to make a go of this, if only to get Steve Miller off my case!
I begin this blog sat in my new surroundings of 'The Mac Room' at UCA in Farnham, where I have recently begun to study a degree in Sports Journalism.
Something I aim to achieve with this blog is to produce an entertaining page that's full of controversy and humour, with the occasional piece of Journalistic writing peppered into the mixer.
Firstly a bit of background- I am a 21 year old Berkshire boy who has spent way too long drifting along in the world. Until now that is. I am hoping to conjure up a career in either TV or Radio based journalism after my third year here.
I enjoy playing all types of sports especially racket based games and football- but have to admit that i HATE watching sports, which could ultimately ruin me as a journalist!!
I will attempt to post at regular intervals throughout the following weeks/months/years (dependant on your much patience I have with the world of blogging) with all sorts of thoughts and commentary on current affairs, especially sports related. ANY feedback and comments are welcome, whether constructive or destructive. Best of luck and thanks with your continued support, much love....Chris x
I begin this blog sat in my new surroundings of 'The Mac Room' at UCA in Farnham, where I have recently begun to study a degree in Sports Journalism.
Something I aim to achieve with this blog is to produce an entertaining page that's full of controversy and humour, with the occasional piece of Journalistic writing peppered into the mixer.
Firstly a bit of background- I am a 21 year old Berkshire boy who has spent way too long drifting along in the world. Until now that is. I am hoping to conjure up a career in either TV or Radio based journalism after my third year here.
I enjoy playing all types of sports especially racket based games and football- but have to admit that i HATE watching sports, which could ultimately ruin me as a journalist!!
I will attempt to post at regular intervals throughout the following weeks/months/years (dependant on your much patience I have with the world of blogging) with all sorts of thoughts and commentary on current affairs, especially sports related. ANY feedback and comments are welcome, whether constructive or destructive. Best of luck and thanks with your continued support, much love....Chris x
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