If that’s what you feel then welcome to the club. We feel you buddy because that’s what we’ve been through. But before you slam your gadget against the wall, think about the Eneloop USB Booster Stick, a portable device that can be compatible with your phone or camera and keep it from turning off.

Sanyo decided to gift gadget freaks on the move with the charging stick. We decided to find out about the gizmo that backs up other mobile small electronics and here are our impressions.

What you’re looking at…

The Eneloop USB Booster Stick is a sleek, slim, featherweight charger for all devices with USB charging cable. The Eneloop Booster Stick comes with 2 Eneloop Nickel-Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries that power it. This nifty little gadget charges or supplies power to devices for 90 minutes at an output of 5V/500mA. With its batteries, it weighs just 76 grams, which is just about the perfect weight of the average ghost. The size of the Eneloop USB Booster Stick is 5.82 x 0.7”.

The Sunny Side…

• The great thing about the Eneloop USB Booster Stick is that it can back up most of the useful portable electronics like portable game consoles, music players, and, oh of course, mobile phones.

• Certain phones and other devices require high current for proper charging. Apple’s I phone is one such example. The booster stick delivers power to such devices by regulating the charge current sent to that device.

• Don’t be sad if you don’t like the number 90. The power of the booster stick can be extended for an indefinite amount of time by carrying extra batteries.

• 45 U.S. dollars. That’s all Sanyo is asking for this ultra useful charger. All that hard work for just a small price tag.

The Shady Side…

• Toys that are not USB charge enabled won’t be charged with the Eneloop USB booster Stick. We really wish this were not so. It would have been cool if the stick was multifaceted. But with many devices becoming USB enabled we can’t say we are going to be sad for long.

• Doesn’t come with a USB cable of its own so you can’t do anything if you lose the USB cable (and your banging the door would be justified in that case) of any device you want to boost up. But then again, what are the chances of that happening huh?

Besides missing a couple of things we talked about, the Eneloop USB Booster Stick is a great, must-have complement to your portable electronics collection. You can finally go out on that long trip somewhere far far away without wondering what you’re going to do if your gadget’s power ran out. The sleek silver stick will give your device the right amount of inspiration that will get it back up on its feet again. That piece of aluminum almost makes us want to write a letter to dad. “Dear Dad. I need a charger really really badly”.

Get real! Are we sitting inside a real Honda or just a simulator? We thought we could answer the question but we just didn’t. Why? It’s as real as it gets that’s why. Finally we could accidentally hit that dog crossing the road without hurting anyone. Ooops! The Honda Driving Simulator is here with some upgrades. Find out why we are on our toes aching to get on that fake 4-wheels and learn something we missed in driving school.

What you’re looking at…

If secondary students want to learn some real useful skills and develop reflexes vital to driving then this gadget is their best option. For the sole purpose of traffic education Honda has been making simulators for bicycles, motor bikes and, of course, cars for nearly a decade. Secondary schools have their eye on Honda’s latest toy and we think their investment is worth it. The Honda Driving Simulator is built specifically to help driver trainees detect potential threats on the road and develop reflexes to react to them in time.

The Honda Driving Simulator comes with 2-axis motion base type as an addition to the original 6-axis motion base type.

The Sunny Side…

• The high definition 42 inch LCD display is one of the reasons for the realistic driving experience we enjoyed. Looking at the screen, you’re not going to want to take your eyes off the road and your hands off the steering wheel.
• The touch panel monitor is user friendly. How could Honda miss that? Remember, this is a Honda toy don’t forget it.
• So did you pass or flunk? Yup, the Honda Driving Simulator displays the results of your performance at the end of the simulation. You get comprehensive feedback on what you’re doing on that virtual road.
• The Honda Driving Simulator also features “night mode”, “fog mode” and “highway experience mode” for a total and realistic simulation. You’ll be an ace veteran after sitting on this thing in no time.

The Shady Side…    

• Driving simulation differs from real world driving with a driving teacher sitting beside you. If you made a mistake the trainer would immediately correct it. This is because of direct communication.
• There are certain scenarios where we thought a trainer was needed but the database and the broad array of situations the machine can create more than makes up for this. There is no doubt that driving simulation is the modern safe way to learn driving.
• The 2 axis motion base costs a huge $ 66,000 while the 6-axis version will cost you an eye-popping $104,540. It seems we won’t be bringing home one of these to keep beside our game consoles!

Every time we drive on the road we risk our lives. There’s no doubt that driving simulators like the Honda Driving Simulator are invaluable tools for safely learning driving without endangering the lives of others or risking your own neck. Some people give the Honda Driving Simulator two thumbs up and others give an A+. But if we are asked what we would do, we would take our hats off saluting Honda and that’s it.

Cordless Touchscreen Digital Cookbook -Cooking Had Never Been So Fun

Let’s take a look at one of the most common household scenario. You favorite cooking show is on the boob tube, and your favorite cook is tallying off the ingredients you will need for a recipe you always wanted to get your hands on. You rush to get a notebook and a pen – but, neither can be found. Somehow you did manage to find a pen and a paper, but too bad, you missed half of the show already. If you’re a good cook, you might shrug this off by saying that you can easily judge the ingredients once you see the whole dish prepared in front of you.

That was only one scenario of bad luck striking in the kitchen. However, do you believe yourself to be immune to it? How many times have you not spilled water over the page, or couldn’t remember where you noted a certain recipe? Let’s be honest, when it comes to cooking, chaos can lead to mayhem! Yet, that isn’t the problem anymore.

So, what’s cooking?

Ladies! Say hello to your new best friend-The cordless touchscreen digital cookbook.

Imagine the convenience of having a large number of recipes at your fingertips. This gadget brings a new flavor to your kitchen without much mess. Plus, it is cordless, so forget about tangled wires all over the kitchen counter. You can browse around 250 preloaded recipes and also download new ones from synchronized sites. There are many partner sites from where you can download countless delicious recipes for your cordless touchscreen digital cookbook. Just sign up for an account and you will be ready to feast yourself and your family on gourmet food.

Oven Hot Features!

They say, ‘There is nothing like a technology right out of the oven’. These tempting features of the Cordless Touchscreen Digital Cookbookexplain why. Let’s take look at what’s on the menu.

• A sealed touch screen – which is perfect for safe kitchen use and can be cleaned with a damp cloth.

• A 7’’, 480×800, color LCD screen with adjustable font size.

• Instant access to more than 2500 recipes with ingredients, pictures and procedure.

• Ease of categorizing recipes in a built-in library

• Measurement conversion calculator, ingredients’ substitution dictionary, index and three built-in timers.

• A rechargeable battery that can last for 8 hours.

• USB compatibility as well as ability to operate with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OS.

Any Bad Eggs?

So far so good, users and reviewers have all shown thumbs up for the cordless touchscreen Digital Cookbook. The interface is quite cool. The size is perfect, neither too small not too huge. The screen can automatically flip to allow you the best view.

It seems like the Cordless touchscreen Digital Cookbook is delicious enough to satisfy the appetite of all tech savvy housewives and professional chefs. It can really save all the time you will need to sort out recipes in a cookbook. You don’t even have to sit in front of the TV or PC to note down the recipes. In short, stay in your kitchen kingdom and the recipes will come to you there. How could some one not like such a gadget? So, even if cooking was fun before, we bet it never could have got so much easier.

There were some iPhone 4G pre launch speculations about the features available on this amazing new gadget. But despite all the rumors, Apple managed to keep most of its ideas secret till the launch date.

The new iPhone 4G is so smart and energy efficient that as you lift it to your ears to accept a call, it automatically turns off the display to save power and to avoid unintentional dialing.

Apple is giving you some FaceTime!

Sci-fi freaks, nerds and your regular movie buffs aren’t the only people day dreaming about video calling.  With iPhone, video calling has become a reality. Yet with the new iPhone 4, anyone can now share stories, ideas and smiles across the world using FaceTime.

FaceTime is a revolutionary new software application which has been incorporated into the iPhone 4G. The best part is that you won’t need to register or have a username or password to access the iPhone Video Calling services. Just find your friends on the Contacts menu, and tap the FaceTime button. Simple, isn’t it? You can even transfer to video calling from voice calls without dropping the line. The service is perfectly seamless and so futuristic that you won’t believe how easy it is to use!

Crisp, Clear and… Wonderful!

The new Apple iPhone 4G has a 960×640 screen. The pixel density is a whopping 326 pixels per inch. You ask what is so amazing about that?

Well these pixels are tiny, really tiny! Each pixel is only 78 micrometers wide. This makes everything on your iPhone 4G screen look crisp and sharp. Though it is a small screen at 9.5 inch x 3.5 inch, the reading is quite easy.

The contrast ratio is also 4 times better than the previous iPhone at 800:1.

Retina Display: You used to see ‘em, but now you don’t!

It’s Apple’s new Retina Display Technology that makes everything on the iPhone 4G screen look so stunning! Whether you are reading from web pages, text books or even your emails, or just looking at pictures and watching movies, your iPhone 4G experience is bound to be spectacular!

The iPhone 4G Retina Display technology is so amazing because it displays some where around 320 pixels per inch. This is beyond the point at which any pixels are visible at all. So, nothing on your iPhone 4G display will pixelate, and all you get is good picture quality every time!

At its launch party, Apple’s CEO Jobs demonstrated through a video the strength of the iPhone display screen. The iPhone 4G Retina display glass is made of the same material used in high speed trains and helicopters. This means that your new iPhone screen is more scratch-resistant, long-lasting and tougher than ever!

Shortcomings:

Well, there aren’t many to tell you the truth! But here are those very little disadvantages that come with keeping an iPhone 4G.

Still no Flash support

Like previous iPhone models and of course the iPad, you won’t be able to interact with websites containing Flash elements. This can greatly restrict your browsing capabilities, especially if you are fan of flash animations, games and software. 

A Micro SIM Dilemma!

Always ahead of the pack, Steve Jobs has yet taken another step towards innovation. The iPhone 4G pre-launch rumors were correct when bloggers had anticipated a phone with Micro-SIM instead of a regular one. So just be ready to pester your network providers till you get a Micro-SIM for your new iPhone.

Oh Dear, look at the price!

Ok, so money might not be an object for iPhone buffs. But, man, the phone’s expensive!

At $299 for a 32 GB model, the 4th generation of iPhone is very pricey.

Plus, it doesn’t help that other mobile phone manufacturers offer the same functionality and features for a very reasonable price. For example the Nokia N8 is even better than the iPhone 4G in some ways and still costs less.

Availability Issues

If you aren’t living in USA or UK, you are sadly out of luck! The iPhone will start selling in France, Germany, Japan as well as the UK and USA in the first week of July.

By August and September, Apple hopes to take iPhone 4G international. So you have got a lot of waiting to do!

We were wondering what to do while waiting for a friend. We had to show to the doc for a bad case of flu. We couldn’t exactly laugh out loud with some of the funny text messages we sent to one another.

This is a hospital for God’s sake!  We were just about to get infected with a bad case of boredom ourselves. And then a light bulb just turned on.

What would reading with an Aluratek Libre be like? We decided to find out. But one thing’s for sure, it would surely beat dumb text messaging.

 What you’re looking at…

Book maniacs and read freaks are up for a real treat with the Aluratek Libre. Finally, there is a respectable way to be a book worm. Many are under the impression that for reading ebooks they might have to turn to Sony, Amazon or Barnes and Noble. The Aluratek Libre ebook reader is an affordable alternative.

With 117 MB RAM, 5” display, expansion slot of up to 32 GB and a battery life of 24 hours with 2 weeks standby time, the Aluratek Libre is a pretty package packed with user-friendly and reader-friendly functions. Heck, it’s not too bad to look at either with the charcoal colored plastic casing that isn’t stained with finger prints or smudges.

It’s like you took it right off the shelf. There’s more in the bag. The Libre comes complete with ebook reader pro, a USB cable, a power charger, a hand strap, earphones, a carrying pouch (and you thought it was naked or something), a quick start guide, and warranty and registration cards.

The Sunny Side…

• Wow 179 bucks! That’s great! Mommy can’t say no. You get a cocktail of functionalities with a friendly price tag.
• The 2GB SD is preloaded with 100 ebooks so after getting the gizmo you can pretty much get lost in the world of black and white.
• The refresh rate is faster than an electric shock.
• You can turn the page fast and read on with crystal clear resolution.
• In the desert, the Aluratek Libre is your best friend. That gizmo can last for 24 hours before the recharge indicator lights up. The device can last 2 weeks to a month on standby mode.

The shady side…

• We missed some of Amazon Kindle’s functionality like Wi-Fi which isn’t here but the price tag more than makes up for this.
• The Aluratek Libre has no internal storage but the 2GB SD card fills up the gap just fine.
• Sometimes we wished The Aluratek Libre had a screen as big as the Kindle but we forgot that wish real fast after listening to some MP3 background music while reading. You enjoy this facility in the Libre.

We welcome the Libre to the ebook revolution.The Libre hits its competitors with a friendly price tag. It’s not too much to ask for all its offering. All in all we wouldn’t go to a gizmo store for the Aluratek Libre and walk out empty handed and neither should you.

What you’re looking at…

The Puma phone comes with a funny calculator. Every time something as simple as addition or subtraction is attempted, the calculator taunts. How naughty! There is an audio player with a turntable you could even scratch. The Puma Phone comes with an integrated solar cell with a charge indicator, touch screen measuring 2.8 inches and a camera of 3.2 megapixels that comes with an LED flash and bluetooth capabilities. With the Sagem built Puma Phone, the Puma company takes one huge step deep into mobile phone territory.

The sunny side…

-The Puma Phone is very light. It weighs only 115 grams. Honestly, you would not feel its weight in your pocket.

-The phone especially targets athletes and therefore, is equipped with state- of- the art GPS plus geotagging support.

-We are very excited to learn that the Puma Phone can be used as a VAG camcorder. Why? The phone proudly boasts full screen video playback, progressive video download and video streaming and recording capabilities. In addition, the camera has the ability to zoom in 6 times. It can also be used as a device for video chatting.

- The great battery life supports conversations for a total period of 5 hours and 40 minutes.

-FM radio keeps you in touch with radio stations while being on that long jog. You didn’t think they would forget that did you?

The shady side…

-It’s heart breaking not to hear of any plans for a North American Launch anytime soon. But here’s the good news. The phone is set to launch in April and Europeans will get their hands on it first. After the initial European release the phone will be launched worldwide. We’ll happily wait a little longer.

-The interface is somewhat laggy but looks on the bright side.  The interface is also very user friendly so the lag didn’t feel more than a pinch.

-While it does carry a solar panel, the phone takes a while to charge. This won’t bother you in the long run when you get used to it.

We don’t know what the price is going to be since that has been kept in the dark but, after what we’ve shared with you, we do know that with the release of Puma’s smart solar Puma Phone, there is sure to be more smiles than frowns. We’ve got our eyes peeled, our ears up and our fingers crossed while looking forward to the smart phone’s debut and you should too.

There are some hot features and maybe some cold angles to the IPAD, but we’re pretty sure of one thing, the IPAD Release Date is going to torment us down to the countdown.

The IPAD Release Date makes our hearts race and skin sweat a lot. Why? Innovative user experience, sleek design and functions approaching any netbook out there.

Apple just keeps taking the biggest bite from the apple of creativity. With a thickness of only 0.5 inches and a weight of 1.5 pounds, it’s as thin as a hair and as light as a feather.  You could easily slide it under a pillow but don’t let the numbers fool you. Find out why you would be twiddling your fingers too.

What this baby can do…

Apple promised plenty of things the IPAD would bring to your door step and they didn’t slip up. Let’s say you were stuck somewhere waiting for someone.

The IPAD has all the features that would make the wait easier. You could browse the web, share e-mail and photos, watch videos, play games, go through E-books and listen to music. The tablet is the whole package.

The sunny side…

• $ 499 isn’t a too much to ask for the pretty tablet on the IPAD Release Date. Apple could have shot it up to $599 to start with and it would seriously boost the initial sales just the same but this number comes to us as a pleasant surprise.

• You can’t hate the IPAD for having a virtual keyboard. There’s back-up. A keyboard with a dock can be used with the tablet. The bad thing is, it makes the IPAD less portable. Apple has left the choice with the user on how they want to operate the tablet.

• You can now import photos from a camera or an SD memory card with the Apple Camera Connection Kit. You can zoom in and out. The picture result is awesome on this tablet.

The Shady side…

• You can’t listen to a radio while reading a book. Bummer. The theory out there is that the battery life wouldn’t support multitasking. The processor is more than capable on the other hand. It would have been cooler if multi-tasking was possible.

• Some people were expecting something different and said the IPAD is identical to the Ipod. It’s like the Ipod’s mommy but here, Apple CEO Steve Jobs says it’s filler between the Ipod and the netbook and to us, it sure looks a lot better than any netbook out there.

• Double tapping the screen while watching a movie might not give you the kind of widescreen you may be looking for but we were not entirely displeased with the results either.

Overall we find that Apple’s baby packs a punch and we’re sure that the IPAD Release Date is sure to mark the beginning of a unique season.

The Motorola Droid

There’s nothing really motor about the Motorola Droid. In fact the functions it brings to your pocket for your pocket money is pretty much high tech and easily summed up with the “Droid” part of Motorola Droid. It’s multifaceted and there are bright sides and dark sides to it but at the end of the day you want to answer the question: Is it worth your buck? We pretty much think so. 

What you’re looking at… 

The droid leads the pack in being the fastest Android device for Google so far. It’s not surprising to know that the web browser is fast as lightning on this thing. The device boasts better messaging and contact management. You could talk for long periods without sensing any ill effect on call quality. 

The sunny side… 

Motorola Droid is sure to cultivate fans with a beautiful high resolution screen. Coupled with smooth scrolling and a great implementation of the virtual keyboard, the result it shows could make any owner a happy camper. 

-We loved to browse using the Motorola Droid. 

The zoom is absolutely awesome and you can’t miss a thing with this kind of a feature. 

-Fans won’t go on an empty stomach with Google and uploading issues. Motorola provides its users with turn by turn navigation on Google absolutely free, plus there is a wide array of mobile applications to choose from. Owners won’t own an empty phone. 

-If you want to share memories with folks worldwide or just make a mini documentary, this is the phone you want to turn to. The video recorder is wonderful and uploading to YouTube is as easy as biting a banana. 

-The width and thickness of the phone will remind you of the I phone. Processor responsiveness will put a smile on your face for sure. 

The shady side… 

-The keyboard is made a bit too flat so it’s not too hot for typing but it gets the job done. Also, sometimes you wished your thumb was on the other side if you were a right hander and tried to open the keyboard because it opens up the wrong way. 

-Physical buttons for calling, hanging up and mute for phone use are missing so you might be slowed down when trying to perform these functions. 

-Sometimes, only sometimes we missed a few calls while having the phone in our pockets because the vibration function is a bit weak. Sometimes you wished it vibrated a bit more. There’s also that minute camera lag. 

-You’re going to need some patience on your side while playing videos on you tube. 

Verizon customers won’t be disappointed with this smart phone. Fans will cling to the good points while critics will hang on to the bad ones. The shady angles however are not shady enough to keep your wallet in your pocket. Overall a pretty package, the Motorola Droid leads previous droid devices and will not only serve your cause, but it will also look great near your wallet.

Upon polling 425 Twitter users in early to mid April, it was discovered that just about 100% of those who replied agreed that, “I value getting information in a timely manner,” and “I find it exciting to learn new things from people,” whereas only around 80% of users “like to be connected to lots of people.”

Although, the study did show that about 70% of those surveyed did agree with statements saying I find it gratifying to have people follow me,” and “I want to generate new business.”

As for the topic of do Twitter members value large numbers of followers, survey respondents appeared to be evenly divided. For the statement “People who have a large number of followers are more respected than those who don’t”, about 50% of respondents agreed.

Just about 40% of the sample survey agreed with the statement and most of them, 34%, “mildly agree”. The remainders of the group, 60%, were equally split among “neither agree or disagree”, “mildly disagree” and “strongly disagree”.

But every one of those surveyed strongly disagreed with the statement “People who have a large number of followers are smarter than those who don’t.”

Another interesting bit of information to come from the survey is that it appears Twitter users aren’t in need of instant gratification from their other Twitter members. Only 50% implied they weren’t bothered by a lack of responses when answering the statement “I feel bad when I tweet something and nobody responds.”

A mere 2% were in strong agreement with the statement while nearly 32% strongly disagreed. And once again, all of those remaining were equally divided between “mildly disagree,” “neither agree nor disagree,” and “mildly agree.”

This news makes it even harder to hate Google; with these tools the average joe can keep an eye on his ISP and make sure its not trying to sneak anything by him, and will help to keep those sneaky ISPs honest. Google may be the most massive company in the universe, but they sure are helpful.

This comes at the perfect time for men, because I’m beginning to suspect that our ISP is throttling us.

With some of the larger, more popular social network sites you have several problems that are of concern to some users including the lack of family friendly content and the risk of exposing yourself or your child to offensive or harmful material that may be of particular concern to many families. Additionally, with such large sites it may often be difficult to find others in the crowd who share your particular religious or philosophical views. For these reasons, among others, we are seeing a few religious or ideological themed social networking sites springing up. After scouring the web for such communities these sites proved to be worth a look:

Jewish Social Networking Sites:

Jew Crew: http://www.jewcrew.org/home.php

A social networking site that helps users connect to other Jewish members from around the world.

My J World: http://www.myjworld.com/

A community web site and for personal networking or growing your business by connecting to a Jewish community where you can join clubs, explore videos, or just meet some interesting new people.

Frum Chat: http://www.frumchat.com/home.php

A great site for the Jewish community with easy to use features and over 800 members on an easy to use site.

Christian Social Networking Sites:

Tangle: http://www.tangle.com

A unique social networking site for the Christian community where you can find churches and new ministries, submit and review prayer requests, and read the Bible online.

Holy Pal: http://www.holypal.com

A fairly large christian social network with all the standard features, share videos, upload your photos, create groups, and connect with others.

My Faith Haven: http://myfaithhaven.com

Easy to use Christian site that not only includes some of the traditional social networking features but also features a daily Bible verse and arcade.

My Godly Place: http://www.mygodlyplace.com

Another site that aims to be a christian alternative to myspace boasting hundreds of members along with polls, forums, etc.

Shout Life: http://www.shoutlife.com

Another great alternative to the other sites that offer a “safe and clean” environment for all of your social networking needs.

Generation JC: http://www.generationjc.com

Blogs, music, chat, and more make this site an interesting choice for those looking for christian communities online.

Life Space: http://www.lifespace.cc

A small but growing christian social network that is offering a family alternative to some of the more well known sites out there.

Messianic Social Networking Sites:

The Nazarite Site: http://the-nazarite-site.ning.com

A social networking community for messianic believers as well as others in the religious community of Sabbath observant followers. Nice design and great features make this one a good choice.

Moshiach Now: http://moshiachnow.ning.com

Another small messianic social network worth checking out with customizable profile and easy to use features.

Messianic Evangelicals http://messianicevangelicals.ning.com

A teaching ministry and social network combined that describes itself as a “Union of Two House Messianic Israelite and Evangelicals”.

Messianic Torah: http://messianictorah.ning.com

A small but interesting social network for those in the messianic community.

One to Watch: Another up and coming social networking site for the Messianic community is Kehila which is a brand new site accepting members now but plans to official launch at the end of the month so it might be worth checking out: http://kehilaonline.ning.com

Other:

Buddhist Network: http://www.buddhist-network.com

Christian and Jewish communities are not the only one getting into social networking as you can see with this popular Buddhist community with forums and plenty of interesting people to meet.

Whether it is offering a family friendly environment that you can feel good about your children using, giving you a chance to promote your ministry or service that is of interest to the religious community, or simply giving you an opportunity to connect with like minded individuals, these specialized social media networks are seeing some success and may be worth checking out.

With some of the larger, more popular social network sites you have several problems that are of concern to some users including the lack of family friendly content and the risk of exposing yourself or your child to offensive or harmful material that may be of particular concern to many families. Additionally, with such large sites it may often be difficult to find others in the crowd who share your particular religious or philosophical views. For these reasons, among others, we are seeing a few religious or ideological themed social networking sites springing up. After scouring the web for such communities these sites proved to be worth a look:

Jewish Social Networking Sites:
Jew Crew:
A social networking site that helps users connect to other Jewish members from around the world.

My J World:
A community web site and for personal networking or growing your business by connecting to a Jewish community where you can join clubs, explore videos, or just meet some interesting new people.

Frum Chat:
A great site for the Jewish community with easy to use features and over 800 members on an easy to use site.

Christian Social Networking Sites:
Tangle:
A unique social networking site for the Christian community where you can find churches and new ministries, submit and review prayer requests, and read the Bible online.

Holy Pal:
A fairly large christian social network with all the standard features, share videos, upload your photos, create groups, and connect with others.

My Faith Haven:
Easy to use Christian site that not only includes some of the traditional social networking features but also features a daily Bible verse and arcade.

My Godly Place:
Another site that aims to be a christian alternative to myspace boasting hundreds of members along with polls, forums, etc.

Shout Life:
Another great alternative to the other sites that offer a “safe and clean” environment for all of your social networking needs.

Generation JC:
Blogs, music, chat, and more make this site an interesting choice for those looking for christian communities online.

Life Space:
A small but growing christian social network that is offering a family alternative to some of the more well known sites out there.

Messianic Social Networking Sites:
The Nazarite Site:
A social networking community for messianic believers as well as others in the religious community of Sabbath observant followers. Nice design and great features make this one a good choice.

Moshiach Now::
Another small messianic social network worth checking out with customizable profile and easy to use features.

Messianic Evangelicals:
A teaching ministry and social network combined that describes itself as a “Union of Two House Messianic Israelite and Evangelicals”.

Messianic Torah:
A small but interesting social network for those in the messianic community.

One to Watch: Another up and coming social networking site for the Messianic community is Kehila which is a brand new site accepting members now but plans to official launch at the end of the month so it might be worth checking out.

Other:
Buddhist Network:
Christian and Jewish communities are not the only one getting into social networking as you can see with this popular Buddhist community with forums and plenty of interesting people to meet.

Whether it is offering a family friendly environment that you can feel good about your children using, giving you a chance to promote your ministry or service that is of interest to the religious community, or simply giving you an opportunity to connect with like minded individuals, these specialized social media networks are seeing some success and may be worth checking out and they are just the tip of the iceburg, so if you did not see your particular religion of choice featured here be sure to do some searching and you are sure to find a community that will fit your need for specialized social media. And do not forget that these communities can be a great way to promote your products or services that migh be of special interest to religious communities.

In the MMO genre, virtual economies are common and almost inevitable in some cases. In Parallel Kingdom, a de facto in-game economy naturally evolved when the developers first gave players the ability to drop items on the ground and transfer gold directly from player to player. This style of trading was unregulated and led to scamming in which players would drop items on the ground for trade only to be picked up by the other player who sometimes never sent any gold. Even with these limitations, a very active economy flourished in the game.

In the new version, a consummable resource called “Food” is required for some features. Every new player starts with some for free, and they can get more by purchasing it in the game or trading with other players. This allows players to acquire more of this resource without having to pay money if they don’t want to.

In addition, trade posts and cities have been introduced. These allow players to trade with each other safely and securely. Players put items up for sale and other players visiting the city can browse and buy anything they come across. This has led to many players making careers in the game solely as traders, visiting trade posts, scouting out good deals and selling in another city.

The most remarkable aspect of this virtual economy is that it exists entirely in a mobile game. According to a TechCrunch article, only 20% of free iPhone apps downloaded are used after the first day, and only 5% of users continue to use an app 30 days after download (see citation). These numbers do not seem to be very friendly to developers looking to cash in on longer term users through micro-transactions.

However, Parallel Kingdom developer CEO, Justin Beck, says, “Parallel Kingdom is looking to tap a different audience. Right now casual gamers are all the hype, and many developers are sacrificing good, in-depth game play to try to attract them. In the end, the committed long term players is where most of our recurring revenue comes from.

When looking at our statistics, we see committed players playing every day for months. Parallel Kingdom is not about touting a large number of downloads, but taking the slower route to building an amazing game, community, and entertainment service that players love.”

Citation:

http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/19/pinch-media-data-shows-the-average-shelf-life-of-an-iphone-app-is-less-than-30-days/

RS: Having started Geek Brief TV in 2005, do you feel more or less geeky now than you did in 2005?

CL: I certainly feel more geeky now. I was always a geek, but there’s something to be said for involving yourself in the world of technology 24/7! Things I didn’t have time to pay attention to before, or learn how to do before (like build a robot) are no longer an issue. Now it’s my job to do it, and I love that!

RS: Geek Brief covers such a wide array of technology, if you had to pick 1 item, what item covered in Geek Brief was your favorite?

CL: Oooh, I hate this question!! It really boils down to some of the products I covered in my Christmas Gift Guide, the “You” Edition. I love Drobo, the Kindle, the PogoPlug and Eye-Fi.

RS: As the director of the Geek Intelligence Agency, do you have any secret messages to relay to the GIA members?

CL: Stay brave! It’s up to us to stimulate the economy with our gadget buying!

RS: Fans of Geek Brief TV know that it’s a very tightly knit show about technology that packs lots of information into a small package. I would like to ask, do you talk fast to increase the denseness of the content in each brief or are you just amped up on caffeine?

CL: Haha! Well, both! The fast pace of GeekBrief.TV was inspired by the TV show Gilmore Girls. Their scripts were known for being seven times longer than a normal TV script. The producer was always telling her actors “that’s great, but it could be faster.”

People can comprehend a lot more at a fast pace than they think they can. I get a lot of people who complain when they first watch, but 95% of them come to love the pace.

RS: Being a maven of technology and working with some of the coolest gadgets available and with the holiday season approaching, you must be difficult to buy presents for. What would be a good gift for the host of a popular technology news podcast?

CL: Anything to do with robotics is a great gift for me! Or on the more practical side, I’m always in need of t-shirts for the show. That’s usually what my family gets me.

Check out Geek Brief TV at http://www.geekbrief.tv

Unlike some video games that are out there it’s available on multiple platforms; Xbox, Playstation, and on the computer, so that everyone that wants to play the game can without having to have the right console.

The game’s main character is one of the user’s choosing, and there is a different introductory origin story for each choice that forms the basis that the rest of the game is built on.

This isn’t to say that the story line is different depending on what choices you make, because over all you go through the same storylines no matter how you interact.

The difference is how you get the tasks done; you may be able to diplomatically diffuse a situation, or you may talk your way into a fight you didn’t have to have. The right discussions with the right characters can lead to rewarding side quests.

Some courses of action will annoy your group, because each character has their own set of morals, and may disapprove of your decision to help, or not help, a certain NPC.

You can affect how the characters feel about you to the point of forming a romantic relationship with them on one extreme, to having them abandon the party on the other. Each character that can join your party has their own unique traits, and the more they like you the more likely they are to impart that knowledge to you.

The plot is the typical one for most RPGs; the world is in grave danger and only you can help save it. Each character has a rich history and a full set of character traits and personality. Morrigan is a mage that lived in the backcountry with her mother learning the art of magic in a way not taught by the Mage Circle of Ferelden. Alistair is a Templar turned Gray Warden who had an interesting childhood.

These two are particularly interesting, because Templars are sworn to hunt down Mages that don’t conform to the Mage Circle standards, but they’re both in your party for a higher purpose. This is another area that the depth of the game comes in, because as you’re walking around town, these two will sometimes start bickering with each other.

There is witty banter, non sequiturs, and comic relief all interspersed in a long and intricately developed game. If you like RPGs even a little bit, this one is a can’t miss.

The actual gameplay is good too. The combat is of a real-time style, but does allow you to pause and control your party’s actions. You can set up tactics so that your teammates will heal when they need to, or pick off a weak enemy, or use a debuff on a strong one. Movement is easy, switching between characters is a snap, and the camera control is excellent.

The best part of the game is that you can pretty much set your own pace. You can speed through things, minimize boring storyline and get to the action. You can also delve into the deep storylines, plots, and history laid out at every turn. You can interact with your party to learn more about them, unlock different abilities, or blow them off and learn nothing about them except how they can help you annihilate the enemy. The game is a long one, but when it’s over you wish there was more. Luckily all signs point to a sequel.