Shop Till You Drop!

The economy may not be as stable as people had expected, yet Consumer sales soared high in the month of May! No one knows why, but maybe because its human nature never to be depressed for too long, so a little bit of shopping can definitely lift your spirits! And unsurprisingly, most of the shopping is not done in the malls or stores, but rather, its all done online, because Yes, that is indeed where the best deals are hidden! PC and Video Games are on the top of the list for summer gifts for children. Luckily, I found ShopWiki, a cool website that lists out all your shopping site options, just like Google, so you get the widest range of choices and prices. Thanks to the competition, companies and online stores are offering several deals on the games and consoles, so you might be in for a treat as your target budget may just go down quite a bit after browsing this list!

Xbox 360 consoles are already dirt cheap in the US. But Microsoft just announced Dell coupons dropping the prices of the Xbox 360 Arcade, Pro, and Elite Holiday Bundles by $30 (now $169), $50 (now $250), and $70 (now $330), respectively, just in time for the holidays, that too with free shipping and either one or two free game tossed in for grins. Hurry now, the offers expire on Monday Thursday, October 23rd and it's not like you can afford to take the family to grandma's house this year anyway.

ShopWiki is a revolutionary site for shopping since it actively seeks out every store on the internet by crawling the web, bringing you the best deals available anywhere. And while there are several things to catch your eye, I really loved their deals on latest PS3 games for as low as $30 bucks!!

Another great thing to try out is Auctions - search for Wii Games Auction, and you'll see great savings on bundled games that you'd never ever find in any store. And what better way to ask for deals but from the experts who breathe, eat and talk games 24/7! Again, ShopWiki will be a good option to try - you'll find some great first-hand tips on where to buy, what to buy, and for how much!

They also have a cool feature where you can filter out the results by price and brand, so you can narrow down your listings. The plenty of related product guides will answer most of your questions if you are not a hardcore Gaming fan, and need some ideas and inspiration! They also have a section on top-rated games, so you know what's "in" these days. Just choose one that fits your budget and you are good to go!

So what are you waiting for? HOp along and buy a little something for yourself, or for your loved one. Gifts go a long way in making someone smile, and its something especially endearing in tough times like these, don't you think!

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Olumpus Stylus Review - The Waterproof, Shockproof and Crushproof Camera!

I love taking photographs, and though food photography is my latest craze, both me and my husband are avid nature-lovers, and often take short trips around California, armed with a backpack, our Camera and Tripod! But as we do indulge in a lot of water-sports, I have been on the lookout for a good-quality waterproof camera for some time now. After several days to compare digital cameras, the latest Olympus Stylus 1030 SW looked like a good bet for the features and the price! Olympus has always been struggling to attract consumers, especially as Sony & Canon are unanimous leaders. But with this new waterproof and shockproof camera, I think they do have a chance!

When buying a new point-and-shoot camera, its imperative to compare them with other competitive models, and size and sturdiness were a major factor for us. The camera measures 3.76 x 2.26 x 1.08 in./95.4 x 57.3 x 27.4mm and weighs around 5.47 oz./155g. The 1030 SW is the latest in the Tough range and allows underwater shooting up to 10m, or 40m with the optional 3 underwater modes. It is also shockproof and can be dropped from a height of 2m without suffering undue damage, while its crush-proof credentials allow it to withstand up to 100kg. To top that, the case is also scratch-proof. Finally it's freeze-proof to a temperature of -10°C.

The Olympus Stylus 1030 SW is a 10 megapixel point-and-shoot digital camera features built-in flash, 3.6x optical zoom; the lens is a folded optical design, meaning its zoom is situated internally and doesn't extend from the case, using a periscope-like design. The zoom covers the equivalent of 28-102mm, making it one of the wider zooms on the market. it has a 10.1MP sensor allowing low light shooting with a top ISO speed of ISO 1600, and uses digital image stabilization. The True Pic Turbo III processor controls colour rendition, sharpness and noise reduction as well as faster processing for multi-burst shooting. On the downside, it lacks the true Optical Image stabilisation, and also the Custom White Balance, but unless you really care for these, they should not turn you off!

The new Olumpus Stylus fits the bill for a tough, rugged digital camera in the ultra compact digicam choices. The camera produces very good images that are colourful, pleasing, richly saturated with good exposure, and noise is generally low. What I liked the most about it is that is it crushproof!! That makes it perfect for outdoor activities and adventures. But its a good practice tocompare digital cameras to suit your needs, as you may not want to spend $400 on some features that you'd rarely use! However, given the excellent value for money that this camera provides, and the almost endless features, I'd highly recommend the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW, especially if photography is your passion or profession!

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Wii Fit Reviewed - Is It as Good as a Real Workout?

I am perhaps a little late in talking about the Wii Fit, which has been quite a craze since its launch a few days ago. And that's probably because I prefer going to an actual gym rather than a simulated one. But intrigued by what I saw and the reviews that I read and heard, I had to find out for myself whether the Wii Fit stands the test of fitness or not! And luckily for all of you who bought it, this latest Nintendo game sure is a nifty addition to your workout routine, but don't think you can replace your workout with this!!

Wii Fit takes the whole concept of games as exercise to a new level with the inclusion of a balance board peripheral that can tell you on the fly exactly how well you are doing with its various activities. Nintendo is heavily marketing this new addition to Wii Games as a mixture of fitness and fun, which is perfect to lure Nintendo fans, and also compete with Xbox Games or other DS games! Going to a gym, especially on work days can be boring, time-consuming, and sometimes plain impossible, thanks to an already hectic routine. At times like these, the Wii Fit sure comes in handy for a quick yet efficient workout. However, you have to remember that this in fact, is just a video game after all, and cannot replace your 1 hour spent at the gym!!

After creating your Mii, you have to input a date of birth and height, then step onto the balance board for a weigh-in (all guided onscreen by a cartoon version of the board). From the height and weight data, a user's BMI is calculated, with the user tagged as underweight, ideal, or overweight depending on the BMI score. A simple balance test then occurs (usually involving having to shift your balance to certain areas within a time limit) before your Wii Fit Age is displayed in large numbers on the screen. However, even if we believe the BMI calculations are correct, the Wii Fit fails to account for variables such as muscle mass and age that can significantly affect a score (giving an otherwise healthy person with more muscle an overweight rating, for example).

The Good
It offers several exercises split into four different categories: yoga, muscle, aerobic, and balance. With 15 yoga poses and 15 muscle-toning moves to work through, the Yoga poses range from simple to difficult, while the muscle-toning section focusses on basic lunges mixed in with more strenuous activities such as the parallel stretch and push-ups. Virtual trainers guide you through the yoga and muscle exercises, offering praise or criticism depending on how well you're doing. The aerobic and balance activities include hula hoops, Wii Sports-like boxing, step dancing, jogging, and more. The balance activities are the simplest from the lot and include ski jump, ski slalom, snowboarding and more!

The presentation and graphics are amazing, as you'd expect from a Nintendo DS! The addition of virtual fitness trainers barking at you as you perform, and the fun, foot-tapping audio keeps you on your toes, and does provide much more than I'd expect from a game. Clean, friendly and easy-to-use, just like the Wii Sports, you'll be ready to start exercising with the Wii Fit in no time, and it can actually get addictive, at least for the first couple of months or so. And cool features like the extensive Activity Log, giving you a full overview of your daily fitness regime, scoreboards to encourage some friendly competition between registered users and even the standalone Wii Fit Channel, enabling you to check charts and compare results do make this a compulsive & rewarding experience!

The Bad
Wii Fit initially locks most of the exercises; new activities are unlocked roughly every 10 minutes of use, which means you'll need five or six hours of Wii Fit play time before you get full access to all of its activities. Also, you don't have an option to create your own workout program!! Instead, you have to select each individual activity using the Wii Remote, perform it, jump back to the main menu, select another activity, and so on., which wastes half of your workout time for nothing! Another thing that I detest is the fact that there are hardly any multiplayer options, except like two-player jogging, and frankly, I'd rather jog outside with my partner in fresh air than side-by-side in a 2 ft space! Also, while the board is extremely sensitive when it comes to weight, it can't actually track what you're doing with your upper body, which means you can easily "cheat" your way through most of the exercises (though it wouldn't help you in the long run!:))

You are left to blindly follow exercises on the screen, and it does not explain the benefits or side-effects of what you are doing. So unless you have some knowledge about exercising, yoga, and the general moves, do not attempt to imitate all of the Wii Fit moves! Unlike a trainer at the gym, there's no one here to answer your questions or clear your doubts!

Conclusion
There's no right and wrong with the Wii Fit; it excels as a video game, but it aims to provide you with certain fitness features, and if you are looking for just thrill and excitement from a game, don't waste your money on Wii Fit. At the same time, abandoning your gym and relying on Wii will definitely not make you fit; this is just a supplement to your workout, for boring days or raining evenings. That said, the Wii Fit with its unique Balance Board, is surely a step forward from the makers of Wii; with arresting presentation, great graphics and something that gets you into the mood for fitness, Nintendo's Wii Fit does not fail to impress its fans!

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ShadowCaddy - An Electric Robot Caddy for Golfers

There are so many chores where you feel having a robot to do them would make our lives so much easier! One such thing is the Golf Caddy; it would be so great if we could have an automatic caddy that could just follow you carrying all your gear so you'd be left to concentrate on your game. Apparently, ShadowCaddy does just that! An innovative breakthrough, the Shadow Caddy is the first ever robotic golf caddy that simply follows golfers around the course. Looking like a small and sleek sidecar, this is your answer to hired-help, as Shadow Caddy can surely be the next best thing to a human caddy! Finding it hard to believe, then read on!!

Research has shown that golfers love the freedom to "just play", and that's the reason they have caddies to hold their clubs and gear. Of course, for people like me, I need a companion to talk to, especially if I'm plating alone on the golf course; but if you are one of those who need no interference while you play, then Shadow Caddy works for you. You simply clip on the transmitter to your clothes, turn it on and keep playing. A simple "Follow me" or "Stop" button is all that is needed to tell the caddy to follow or wait. Just like a "real" caddy, the Shadow Caddy is always there a few feet behind the golfer, with clubs at the ready. A downside, your shadow caddy cannot walk through water or jump over bumps like a human; so you will have to pick it up to make it cross the hurdle!

Shadow Caddy will be available for rental at Golf Courses. It fits neatly between the rented pull trolley and the golf buggy and its proven golfer appeal will mean more business for golf clubs. Shadow Caddy's unique appeal and stylish design attracts a following wherever it goes. Plus, with an all-inclusive payment plan and minimal maintenance, this could surley be a cheaper option than a human caddy.

They have also designed it to be as safe as possible; with multi-CPU on-board intelligence, together with fail-safe backups, the Shadow Caddy functions at all times in a safe and predictable manner. It also has an onboard logic control and clearly defined performance parameters which predict and avoid hazards. Plus, there's no complex gadgetry or wires involved, no need for remote controls or joysticks. It works using only a small sensor that is worn by the player. Check out more details features on their website.

At under 19 kg per wheel, and with wide turf tyres, a Shadow Caddy weighs less on the course than you do, and can complete 2 x 18 hole rounds between charges. It does not cause any damage to the turf, and just follows you silently, carrying all your burden for you, literally!:) So if you are an avid golfer, or run a golf-course, check out if Shadow Caddy is something that you'd be interested in! Fully functional in all weather conditions, this is one golf caddy that will never call in sick!

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Hulu Goes Live and is All Set to Compete with YouTube in Online Video Services

After the unprecedented success of YouTube, lots of video-upload and sharing services cropped up in the online world, but none could compete with the Google baby. Fox and NBC declared the intention of launching their own online video service that would show lots of popular TV shows and feature films, exclusively to its customers. Though it sounded enticing, no one gave it a sincere thought as fighting with youtube is more challenging that you'd think, especially as it had become a household name. But after over a year of development, testing and refining, online video service Hulu launches Wednesday and viewers will get to chance to see if it lives up to all the hullabaloo.

A joint venture between News Corp.’s Fox and NBC Universal, Los Angeles-based Hulu says it aims to bring together the widest selection of free, premium videos on the Web. But unlike Google’s YouTube, where unauthorized clips often end up, Hulu’s content is the result of pre-established partnerships with entertainment companies like Lionsgate and Sony Pictures Television.

When plans for the then-unnamed site were announced last year, many ridiculed the idea, discarding the thought based on the belief that media-moguls could never get into the the Internet side of the world. But when Hulu gave select viewers a look at the site, some critics changed their tune. The company received rave reviews for its site’s ease-of-use and simplicity.

The site features more than 250 television shows and 100 full-length feature films from Fox and NBC as well as content from companies like Warner Bros. Clips of other shows, including Saturday Night Live, will also be available on the site. However, it is yet to avail the support of the 2 other big television networks ABC and CBS. "The networks have the power to do big things with online video", says Morgan Guenther, CEO of interactive media startup AirPlay and the former president of TiVo. “If they do it right this thing will definitely have legs.”

Unlike YouTube, Hulu has an ad network already up and working at launch time, though its lineup of advertisers is still limited. Hulu is experimenting with letting viewers choose which commercials they watch, and doesn’t let them fast forward through ads. But like its rival YouTube, Hulu is also encouraging viral distribution and social networking. People can edit shows down to a few seconds and then e-mail those clips to friends. They can also embed videos on blogs and their MySpace or Facebook pages. I think Hulu has the potential to engage a large audience, but it'll still not compare to youtube's popularity for uploading small personal videos. But the layout and design on Hulu look great; its user-friendly and attractive, not to mention the high-quality videos that it features. Everything is ver well-organised and looks connected. You could easily spend hours on this site! I think there's definitely room for Hulu to make its mark in onine video services! Hop on to the Hulu website and see what you think.

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The Blue Frog Lounge (Mumbai) - Cool Restaurant Design in India by the Serie Architects

Indian architecture for the most part has been traditional with carvings and intricate patters, and for a long time, people used to favor these traditional settings until the West came to influence the thinking and gave birth to a new design style of "cool and retro"! And now, its very common to see designers come up with chic yet comfortable and meaningful ideas in terms of house decor, furniture and designing buildings, offices, and now restaurants. Check out this latest Restaurant and Lounge in Mumbai, currently termed as the most hip-city in India. The Blue Frog Lounge is designed in cool blue shades with psychedelic lights to suit your moods.

Anglo-Indian architect Serie has completed the design of the Blue Frog acoustic lounge and studios in Mumbai, India. Why the name "Blue Frog"?? Well, the moment you step into the lounge, you'll be struck by a vision similar to frogs sitting on lily pads. For unobstructed people and performer watching, you'll see staggered heights and angled booths atop a glowing blue lake of light, giving the impression of floating in a warm lake under the spring moonlight!! The designers Chris Lee and Kapil Gupta, have successfully created an entertainment space that is both attractive and stand-offish at the same time, mirroring its patrons casual chic attitudes. Just take a look at their restrooom design below and you'll know what I'm talking about!


The lounge will be used as a music venue within a complex of sound recording studios in a converted warehouse and incorporates a restaurant, bar and live music stage. The different sized cylindrical booths seat between 4 and 10 people and are arranged at various heights to stagger the eye levels of seated diners and standing customers, intended to afford uninterrupted views of the stage. The empty central area can be used as additional space for standing visitors or as an extension to the stage. The undulating booth structure is made from block board finished with mahogany and topped with back-lit 8mm acrylic sheets. As it'll mostly be used as a recording studio, the walls are designed t be bumpy and textured to help absorb sound.

This sure shows that architecture and design is getting highly competitive in India, and its not far when the designers in the rest of the world will look towards indians for ideas and innovations!

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Google Teams up with X-Prize for a $30 Million Prize for the Moon Race Winners!

If you've been reading about space travel, you must know that some wealthy people" have already booked their seats for the first official flight to moon. Space Travel is something that has excited a lot of people, including the search giant Google. And to make things even more exciting, and definitely more competitive as well as lucrative, Google and X-Prize officials have unveiled nine new privately funded teams that will compete for $30 million in the Google Lunar X Prize challenge, a race to the moon. Lots of adventurous people have already signed up, and if you've not heard about it yet, now's your chance to become a millionaire!

The Google Lunar X Prize, unveiled last September, aims to encourage privately funded lunar exploration — just as the $10 million Ansari X Prize provided a jump start for space tourism three years ago. Private-sector moonshots could open the way to commercial ventures ranging from robotic mining operations to lunar hotels and virtual reality-TV expeditions. The competition offers a multimillion-dollar prize for the first team to send an unmanned rover safely to the moon, and then get it to beam imagery and data back to Earth. The nine new teams join the Isle of Man-based Odyssey Moon team, which was the first group to take up the challenge.

Google co-founder Sergey Brin said that he was amazed that so many competitors had signed up so soon after the prize's announcement. Brin credited Google's participation to conversation he had had with Diamandis and mutual friend and Silicon Valley entrepreneur-turned-rocket builder, Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX. Google has always been either a pioneer or a supporter of new discoveries, and couldn't be left behind this time! Everything it does, has to be big, just like sponsoring this competition.

The Google Lunar X Prize organizers also announced their partnership with Space Florida, a group vested in drawing the Sunshine State onto the commercial spaceflight map. Voted into creation in 2006, the local organization is offering launch site services and $2 million in extra prize money to the winning team if they blast off from Florida, which would obviously add to the state's rich spaceflight history, and continue their moon-exploration activities.

As I said, several companies have already signed up. Visit the official website for more information. This gig has me really excited! Looks like Space Travel is not as far into the future as we imagined it to be!!

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First Futuristic Arch Bridge - Dubai adds another Architectural Masterpiece to its Landscape

Dubai has always attracted a lot of people for business and lately, for residence too! The largely growing community has a lot to do with the way the city of Dubai is advancing in terms of infrastructure and technology. And all this for a city that is situated in the midst of a dessert! Famous as the City of Dreams, it is all set to be the first to design and build a futuristic bridge that is not only an excellent piece of architecture, but will also go a long way to organize traffic in the city! Check out this amazingingly beautiful piece of architecture that is a pleasure to look at!

The bridge that you see in the picture above is going to be the world’s largest and tallest Arch Bridge. Envisioned by the New York Architect Firm Fxfowle, the design has Sheikh Mohammed’s official stamp of approval and the construction begins from next month. Here are some statistics of this amazing engineering masterpiece:

It'll be one mile long and 670 feet tall.
It will have 12 lanes for traffic.
It will cost 817 million dollars.
The bridge will carry more than 2,000 vehicles per hour in each direction.
A metro line will run across the middle.
Construction begins in March, with a slated completion date of 2012

From a technological standpoint and an architectural one, it is indeed quite impressive to what they are achieving in what is essentially a city in the middle of a desert. However, from an environmental standpoint I can imagine it does put a lot of strain considering the amount of resources needed for such an initiative. Not to mention, imagine the negative environmental impact caused by the indoor ski slopes they have built in this dessert island! Just 2 days back I read an article in Businessweek about the infrastructure developments that Dubai has achieved in a small period of time. And yet, this is one city that has always been floating in controversies about their economy, oil, slave labor and oppressive laws! Whether this proves to be helpful to the country's economy in the long run, or gets lost in the volatile political situation is yet to be seen.

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Extreme thrills - Zorbing

New Zealand has given birth to adventurous stuuf like bungee-jumping, flying-by-wire and jet skiing. The first person to conquer Mount Everest was a Kiwi too; so its no wonder that in their craving for thrills, the 2 natives Andrew Akers and Dwane van der Sluis come out with yet another bizarre activity called "Zorbing" which is sure to send an adrenaline rush!!


"Zorb" is basically a huge 3.2 meter inflatable transparent sphere made from PVC. The inside of the original zorb has 9 straps to keep the rider in place. So you are wearing a harness, and are tied to the periphery while you yourself experience as if you are floating. For the more adventurous people out there, you could also try the Hydro Zorbing, in which instead of a harness, you are cushioned by water. Once you're in, the fun really starts as the Zorb is launched down a hill and reaches speeds of up to 50km per hour, while you roll and bounce around inside. The clever bit is that there is an air cushion of two feet between you and the ground, so you are completely safe! And priced at about 30 dollars for 15-20 second ride, its a reasonably-priced thrill. If you are too chickened to go alone, the zorb has 2 compartments to take your 2 friends with you!

In the words of the founder (Akers) himself - "The experience is bizarre, funny and exhilarating. The most common reaction inside the Zorb is to be screaming with laughter - people exit from the Zorb with a massive smile on their faces and tears of laughter in their eyes."

There are permanent Zorb sites in Europe, Asia, Australia and of course New Zealand. its a sport that is picking up as it affords a new set of thrills. So if you aim to be an astronaut, but that seems too far-fetched, I bet being a zorbonaut would come close!!

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