Gaming, for myself and many like me, is a term reserved for console game systems (like the XBOX 360 and PS3) and desktop computers.  I’ve been playing games for years and when someone mentions a “gaming system” I think of fast graphics, surround sound and a controller.  That’s what seemed so “off” in Steve’s speech.  How can you “game” on the iPad when there are no buttons?

CES 2011

Fast forward to January 2011.  iPad in hand, I traveled to CES (the Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas, where over 34 football fields worth of electronic gadgets were on hand for viewing, touching and testing.  Of the thousands of new tech toys I saw, many were geared for use with the iPad, but only one caught my attention enough to warrant a purchase.  That item was fling.

Geometry Wars

At one small, unsuspecting booth at CES I came across two guys from Ten One Design who were showing off the fling, a tactile joystick for the iPad.  In the simplest terms, the fling is a button on suction cups that attaches to the front of your iPad.  Use one or pair up two of them for a controller-esque experience.  Only a few seconds passed before I was standing with the “flinged out” iPad in hand playing one of my favorite console games of all time Geometry Wars.  One word crossed my lips. “Awesome!!”

After the Demo

I played for 5 minutes, then finally headed on my way, but that experience changed the iPad for me forever.  Upon returning home to Houston, I pre-ordered a pair of fling controllers and 2 weeks later they were in.  I’ve now had my fling controllers for a couple weeks and I can’t put the iPad down.  These simple little add-ons have made the iPad a true gaming experience for me.  In fact, within 48 hours of receiving the flings I had cracked the top 10 on the all-time leaderboard for Geometry Wars, something I could never have done simply using my thumbs.

What Now

If you are interested in seeing the fling in action, check out the official demo video:

The fling lists at $19.95 or you can pick up a 2-pack for $29.94 at tenonedesign.com right now.

UPDATE: In my research since posting this article, I came across a few more great reviews of the fling, including this article on Apps for the Fling Joystick.  In case you were wondering on what games to get for your fling, this is a great reference tool to start with.

** Just so you know, I was not compensated in any way for this post.  Ten One Design did not ask me to write this article.  The views and comments above are all mine.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 15

We’ve focused on gaming news and reviews in the past (see our #FF on Video Games), but with all of the video game talk of the last month (E3) we thought it would be good to revisit the topic.  This time, instead of simply wetting your appetite with information, we’re gonna give you some details on saving money on video games, consoles and accessories.  After all, video game setups can get quite expensive if you aren’t careful.

The XBOX360, PS3 and Wii are all currently in their prime and new toys are on the way for summer and Christmas.  The problem for the big three is that disposable income is not what it was 2 or 3 years ago, competition is at an all-time high and people only have so many hours in a day.  That creates the perfect storm for the consumers.  Deals, deals and more deals are everywhere you turn.  Today’s list focuses on some of the best places to find these gaming deals, so you can spend less and own more.

LogicBuy.com is one of my favorite bargain-shopping sites.  We’ve talked about finding deals on LogicBuy before, but did you know that they have an entire area of their site dedicated to gaming? LogicBuy employees and site visitors hunt down the biggest bargains of the web and post them here for everyone to enjoy.  Amazon, Steam, NewEgg, Buy.com, Dell, GameFly…. The list of sites represented goes on for days.  If there is a bargain out there, LogicBuy has it.

One of the best features of LogicBuy is the ability to set Deal Alerts.  Do you know a specific game, console, accessory or item that you want, but aren’t willing to pay full retail?  Set up a Deal Alert and get up-to-date information on deals, coupons and more delivered right to your inbox.  I did this when we first bought a Wii and saved $100’s on new games and accessories.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/LogicBUY (not specific to gaming, but gaming deals are included in feed)
Web Site: http://www.logicbuy.com/categorydeals/20/Gaming.aspx
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/LogicBUYcom (again, not specific to gaming)

Just Look at These Deals!!!!!

Cheap Ass Gamer (CAG)

CAG is also giving away 5 brand new XBOX 360 250GB Slim consoles.  Follow them on Twitter, create a wish list, check out deals, etc. to earn entries into the contest.  This is a great way to get familiar with the site while getting your name into the drawing.  What do you have to lose?  I earned 7 entries into their contest in under 30 minutes.

CAG also allows you to create a “collection list” of games that you currently own and might want to trade or sell.  Other CAG users can offer up their games for trade or make you an offer.  If you are sick of losing out on trade value at your local game shop, simply pay the price of shipping to swap games with others throughout the country.  This could really save you some cash in the long run.

Web Site: http://www.cheapassgamer.com/
RSS Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/cheapassgamer
Twitter: http://twitter.com/videogamedeals

Cheap Ass Gamer Has a Top Notch Site

Amazon.com offers several ways to save on your gaming needs.  There is an area dedicated to Video Game Deals, A Deal of the Day (one or more gaming products at a very special, low, one-day only price) and Warehouse Deals (used games, consoles and accessories).  Patience and a Prime membership could mean big savings on purchases for past and upcoming games.

Also, don’t underestimate the power of being a loyal Amazon.com customer.  Case in point, I just pre-ordered the game Crackdown 2 for XBOX 360.  Amazon was offering $4 off, FREE shipping (on release day) and $10 off of my next game purchase.  Also, I didn’t have to pay sales tax.  Total up the savings and I saved somewhere in the neighborhood of $25.50 on this purchase. (4 + 10 + 7 + 4.50).  The next game I buy or pre-order might offer a similar deal, so I’ll keep the savings rolling with each and every purchase.

Finally, did you know that you can trade in your games on Amazon?  Look up your games, print a shipping label (for FREE) and receive an Amazon.com Gift Card that will be deposited into your account upon receipt of games.  The offers seem to be fair, when compared to other retailers like GameStop.  You can always use the tools on Cheap Ass Game (links above) to compare values between the two.

Web Site (Video Game Deals): http://www.amazon.com/Outlet/b?ie=UTF8&node=40956
Web Site (Deal of the Day – Gaming): Click Here
Web Site (Warehouse Deals): Click Here
Twitter (AmazonGames): http://twitter.com/amazongames

Amazon.com Offers Up Great Deals

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

Over the last few weeks, I have written several articles on my switch from DirecTV to a TiVo Premiere setup.  Yesterday, I received a series of questions from one of my readers (thanks Dave) and thought that the answers to his questions would make a great article.  This way, everyone would benefit from the responses and maybe begin asking some questions of their own.  His questions and my responses are outlined below.

Before We Start

Full Disclosure: I was not paid to write any of this about TiVo, DirecTV, Amazon, Blockbuster, YouTube or the shows/movies in question.  I am simply writing about my personal experience and have not been compensated (in any way) by any of the companies listed.  On this site (JumpstartMyPC.com) I do have advertising from several companies, including Google Ads, Amazon and TiVo.  The Amazon and TiVo advertisements are pay-per-click programs that I signed up for to help with the cost of running the site, but in no way influenced my comments or suggestions within this or any other article posted within the JumpstartMyPC blog.

Q&A

Question 1: You must comment on how the Premiere combines (or doesn’t) OTA recordings with available streams. In other words, is there a single Now Playing list that shows you everything you could watch? (Like you had with DirecTivo.) Or do you have a Now Playing list that shows the things Tivo has grabbed from the antenna, but some OTHER kind of list to show you what episodes are available on Amazon iTunes or whatever. And if it’s two (or more) different lists, isn’t that a pain?

• There is one list of recorded programs under the “My Shows” area.  Any OTA recordings and Amazon Video on Demand downloads that I have purchases appear there.
• Netflix movies and TV shows must be accessed from the Netflix menu (separate area).
• I have not tested the Blockbuster feature personally, so I cannot speak to where those recordings show.
• It’s really not a pain at all.  It would be nice to have the two lists combined, but I am sure there is a reason for the separation and it doesn’t cause me any frustration.

Question 2: What about searching (“Wish Lists”)? Can you set up an actor (say) wish list and have all the available Amazon or Netflix streams featuring that actor show up? Or would you see only the shows in the online schedule for your OTA stations that happened to have that actor? If the latter, isn’t that a bit of a loss of function?

I wasn’t sure about this one, so I set up a test.  As it turns out, with groups enabled (folder view), actor wish-list recordings do show up under the actor/actress name instead of the program name.  Within the folder, the program name does appear.  These programs (Lucy Liu example below) are from the OTA signal only.  Any Netflix or Amazon programs would have to be found via a manual search.

Actor Wish-List Recordings Example

Question 3: Does the new Tivo still voluntarily record “suggestions” and are they only from the antenna? Or can it snag “suggestions” from other sources?

Suggestions are still part of the TiVo experience, but seem to be from the cable/OTA source only.  I honestly don’t look in the TiVo suggestions area very often.  What I do like about the new interface is that the suggestions are in their own folder and not mixed with the other programs.  If that was a part of the older versions of the software, I don’t remember.  On my HR10-250 (DirecTV/TiVo DVR) I turned that off long ago.

Question 4: You mention Youtube, but what about other internet streaming sites, esp. Vimeo and Mevio (which are typically of higher quality than Youtube). Can you use Hulu for broadcast episodes?

There are currently no other options for these types of internet streaming sites.  You can choose to pull down video podcasts from a predetermined list of options, but that is the only option other than YouTube.

Question 5: What kind of data connection do you have that can handle 1080p streams from Netflix, which are of higher quality than DirecTv’s MPEG4 streams? Can you watch such a stream live, or do you have to let it buffer-up ahead to avoid stuttering?

Using a high-speed internet connection from Comcast, D-Link 802.11n router and CAT6 cabling, I am getting some super-fast feeds to my TiVo Premiere units.  Without fail, I get the maximum number of bars and HD icon in the “quality bar” area.  With the ability to fast-forward and rewind (via lower resolution images) and locate Watch Instantly movies and television shows via the TiVo Seach feature, the Premiere experience far surpasses the experience of watching Netflix via an XBOX 360 or PS3 (I have tried both).

I have only experienced the “stuttering” a few times while watching Netflix programming via the TiVo Premiere.  Honestly, out of the hundred hours (give or take a few) of TV shows and movies that we have watched, I think we may have experienced this less than 5 times and even then, it was only for a second or two.

Netflix Streaming in Full HD

Additional Info

Dave (our reader who submitted the questions) asked some fantastic, specific questions but did not hit on a few topics that seem to grace every other review of the TiVo Premiere DVR.  I thought I would take a quick moment to comment on my experience with these “issues.”

Issue 1: The new interface is slow

Yes, there are times when I click a button and have to wait for a few seconds before the unit responds.  Is this frustrating?  Maybe to some people, but I am willing to wait a few seconds here and there.  From what I have read, the hardware within the Premiere unit is not being utilized fully yet.  Maybe these speed issues will become a thing of the past as new updates are released.  The thing that matters to me is the viewing of my programs.  I have not had any problems there.  They play back perfectly and the fast-forward, rewind and 30-second skip functionality is as smooth as silk.

Issue 2: The New/Old Experience

Many have criticized TiVo for mixing their new menu system with the old menu system.  For example, if you select the menu option to view the programs recorded on another TiVo unit, there is a pause and then you are taken to a screen that looks like it was from a TiVo Series II or HD.  The words are still there.  The options are still fully functional.  I can still see my programs and choose to copy them over to the unit I am on.  In other words, there is no loss in functionality, just some cosmetic issues with the flow of the menus.  Personally, I don’t think it is a big deal.  Sure, it would have been nice if all of the menu options were in the new interface, but how long would we have waited for this hardware to be released.  I am not complaining.

Issue 3: Room-to-Room Copy vs Streaming

Want to view a program in your bedroom but it was recorded in the living room.  You can do that if you own 2 Premiere units.  Some have complained that this is done via a copy of the original program and not a stream of the content from the other device.  Personally, I don’t think it is a big problem.  It might be if you had a slow connection between the two units and your router, but I opted for CAT6 cabling between all of my devices.  For me, I click once to begin the copy and once more to begin watching the show (as it copies).  That is as good as streaming to me.  You might just want to avoid the wireless option if this is something that might bother you.

Related Articles

• Cancel Your Cable/Satellite and Save Money While Adding Functionality
• Buh-Bye DirecTV, Hello TiVo – How I Ditched Cable
• Buh-Bye DirecTV, Hello TiVo – How I Ditched Cable – Part II

Organizing this collection of digital data and keeping track of what we have becomes more and more difficult as time goes on.  Storage cabinets, boxes, shelving units, entertainment centers and other furniture options are available at every store from Walgreens to Ikea and everyone has owned a few in hopes of keeping their collection organized, accessible and visually appealing.  No matter what you have to hold your data, it is most likely a temporary solution, as you’ll soon be purchasing that latest album, movie or video game.

What do we do next?

There are several options available to the TV, movie, music and game lovers of the world, but before we jump into the details, let’s take a look at the specifics of what we need to organize:

• The discs themselves – they need a home that will protect them from the elements and their worst enemy… scratches.
• The cases and artwork – depending on who you are and how “particular” you are about your collection, you might be concerned about the packaging of these discs as well.
• The contents of your collection – no matter how you store the physical discs, you’ll need a way to store the names of all of your individual titles.  At some point, you won’t be able to remember what all you have.
• New items – no matter what solution you decide on, you’ll need to be able to easily update the collection with new physical media and keep your list of titles updated.

Digitizing Your Media

If you are a techie type and really want to get organized, you can always convert your physical collection into a digital one.  Other than a familiarity with computers, there are several hurdles to this plan-of-attack that you should consider before jumping.

1. Storage – converting DVD’s, CD’s, etc. means you’ll need space for them all.  DVD’s can go over 4GB each and Blu-Rays as much as 25GB.  Of course you can shrink those file sizes, but that comes at a price.
2. Equipment – chances are you already have a computer, but do you have one that is powerful enough to rip through DVD’s?  Do you have a Blu-Ray reader on your PC?
3. Software – there are hundreds of programs out there that will help you “backup” your collection, but they each come with a price and their own limitations.  For instance, iTunes can help you back up your music collection, but you’ll find it incredibly difficult to back up your movies, not to mention time consuming.
4. Quality – Making backup copes of your media to a hard drive or storage device means you will probably need to compress the files.  Doing so can have a negative impact on the sound and/or picture quality and chances are you didn’t buy a Blu-Ray player to watch movies at a lower quality.
5. Types of Media – Assuming you get past the other issues listed above, you’ll still have one major hurdle.  Certain media types cannot legally be “backed up” or digitized.  The biggest limitation will be games for the major consoles.
6. Time – Converting hundreds or even thousands of discs could take months.

Benefits of converting your collection include easy access, limited physical space requirements (since you can now toss or store your physical media), and minimized risk of loss.  You could even free up some valuable storage space by simply backing up those older formats, like CD and DVD.  Keep your Blu-Ray discs and games in a physical storage device until technology advancements make it a little more feasible to convert them.

Verdict: It’s just not worth the hassle.

Physical Storage with Digital Cataloging

It may seem a little dated, but storing all of these discs for easy access is the least expensive route and will save you hours and hours of your valuable time.  There are several options out there, but I am going to focus on the solution I implemented.

Part 1: Storing the Physical Media

I received a discgear storage solution for Christmas last year and, at first, thought it was something I wouldn’t use.  As it turns out, this was one of the best gifts I ever received.  My Selector 120 HD (shown below) is now home to the majority of my movie collection.

Selector 120HD

My movies are kept secure, protected from scratches and, thanks to the slide out Disc Index, I know exactly what movies I have and which slot they are located in.  Software included with the unit made it easy for me to type in the names of my movies, print out a listing and insert it in the slide-out drawer located below the discs.

My Selector 120HD - Filled With Movies

The artwork that originally came in the case for each of my movies has been added to the provided book (shown below) so that I can flip through my collection visually and decide what I want to watch.

Provided Cover Book for Selector 120HD

CONS: Although this system is great, there are some downfalls that you should be aware of before you get started:

• Size – you can only put 120 movies in the holder before you’ll need more space or another holder from discgear.
• Time – I spent about 5 hours on this project, from start to finish.  Who knew it would take that long?
• Titles – There is no database or list for entering the movie titles.  You’ll have to type them all out yourself.
• Updating – I put my movies in alphabetical order (for easy location).  That’s great until I want to add a new movie to the holder.  Then I’ll have to reprint my listing and move the covers around in the book.

Verdict: At a price tag of $69.95 (unless you catch it on sale over at QVC.com – last price was $54.75) this storage unit is well worth the price.  I would have spent so much more on software and storage if I went the digital route.  Also, the Selector 120HD is attractive (leather finish) and makes a great conversation piece.  Anyone can walk up to the holder, find a movie quickly and get the disc in hand without training or technical skills.

UPDATE (posted 3-09-2011 @ 9:30am) – QVC apparently stopped carrying the Selector 120HD, but I just located another website, with a lower price.  Check out CSN Stores, where you can pick up this unit for $47.99 + shipping (a flat $7.95).  That’s about $15 off the retail price.  If you find it cheaper, be sure to leave us all a link in the comments below.

Part 2: Digital Cataloging

Because all of my movies would not fit in the Selector 120HD and I still have another 100+, including Blu-Ray discs (kept separately), and box sets (that I wanted to keep in the box they came in), my collection is still all over the place.  I need a way to catalog my list of titles, both for easy referencing and location.  After all, once I figure out if I own the movie, where do I go to get it.

There are several software solutions online that meet these requirements, but I will be going with Movie Collector from collectorz.com.  That’s right, I WILL be going with this software.  This is something that I have been putting off and now it is time to tackle it head on.

Movie Collector from Collectorz.com

Once I have my collection of movies entered and ready to reference I’ll follow up with a review of this handy software.

JumpstartMyPC.com has decided to bring FollowFriday to our blog. Read on and, if you are so inclined, add these “interesting people” to your own list.

FollowFriday – Round 9

Console and PC gaming have grown into a multi-billion dollar business, with total sales of hardware and software (not counting PC’s) reaching $19.66 billion in 2009.  And while you might think that gaming is just for teenage boys, recent research has shown that the majority of male gamers now fall into the 25-40 age group.  According to the ESRB, almost 41% of PC gamers are women and the average American gamer has been playing for 12 years.

Before you make a decision on gaming or gamers, take a moment to reflect on your daily activities.  You might not consider yourself a traditional gamer, but how many hours of Facebook games have you played?  With titles like FarmVille, Mafia Wars, Bejeweled Blitz and Uno attracting millions of users each day, it is hard to find someone who doesn’t play any games at all.  I can tell you from experience that many of my customers and family members have only learned about computers through work or games.  I have a 90 year old grandmother who uses her Nintendo DS regularly and another who has played more hours of Scrabble and Boggle than you could even imagine.

The following sites are dedicated to gaming and gaming news. Add these sites to your inbox, Twitter follow list or Facebook “likes” and let the information come to you.

IGN Entertainment, a division of News Corporation, is probably the largest player in the video game news industry.  According to their own web site they are a “leading online media and services company obsessed with gaming, entertainment and everything guys enjoy.”

From the IGN web site, visitors can access up-to-date information on games for the XBOX 360, PS3, Wii, PC, DS, PSP and more.  Read reviews on games before you purchase and even rate them yourself.  In recent news, IGN has begun reviews of iPad games (found in the “Wireless” section) and added the new Facebook Like feature to it’s web site.  Find a game you like, leave a review and share it with your friends in just a few clicks.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/igncom
Web Site: http://www.ign.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ign

IGN Entertainment Covers it All

G4

The only thing that confuses me about G4 is the link between gaming, which dominates their web site, and their television station, which is ruled by programs completely unrelated to gaming.  I am not saying that these shows aren’t great, I just don’t get the connection.  In this day and age, I would think that a station could broadcast, gaming news, reviews, demos, etc. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Maybe that is the long-term goal.

Web Site: http://g4tv.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/g4tv
Facebook: http://facebook.com/g4tv

G4tv is All About Games... At least on the web site

Inside Social Games is for all of you “social gamers” out there.  Inside Social Games is a service of Inside Network, the first company dedicated to providing news and market research to the Facebook platform and social gaming ecosystem.  Although this site is really meant for developers, marketers and analysts, it has some great game reviews and news that you can benefit from.  Wanna know what the fastest growing game on Facebook is this week?  Looking for a review on a new game before you dedicate hours and hours to it?  This is the place.

While Inside Social Games is not the perfect option for consumers (Facebook users) it is currently the only dedicated option.  I have a strong feeling that this will change very soon, as these social games have become big business.  A recent article on GIGAOM stated that Zynga, the company behind social games like Farmville and Mafia Wars, would “likely be worth as much as $5 billion, if it were publicly traded instead of privately held.”  That is just one of the companies currently producing FREE games for social networking users.

Web Site: http://www.insidesocialgames.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/InsideNetwork
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/InsideSocialGamescom

Inside Social Games for You "Non-Gamers"

Try out one or all three of the sites we recommended today and check back next Friday for more great #FollowFriday recommendations. Don’t forget, if you want to share this article with friends or family, all you have to do is click on the ShareThis button below.

Let’s fast forward just a little bit and take a look at 3 months from now.  Your shiny new ___________ has been one of the best gifts you have ever received and you are really enjoying it when BAM!  It stops working.  What now?  Is there a warranty?  Does that warranty cover what just went wrong?  Talk about stress.  Not only do you have to hope that you are covered, but you also have to deal with the hassle of receipts, trips to the store, conversations with managers…  Who needs it?  Well, I think I have just the thing for you.  SquareTrade.com warranties.

Whether you are giving or receiving, you will want to cover those expensive gadgets with a warranty.  Odds are in favor of the fact that you or a loved one received/purchased an ipod, XBOX 360, PS3, iPhone, flip video camera, laptop, LCD TV, etc. this Christmas.  Any one of those items is over $100 and their warranties only cover manufacturers defects over the first 60 days to a year.  There are so many other things that can happen and most of those issues don’t happen in the first 2 or 3 months.  SquareTrade.com offers warranties on any item you want to cover, even if you bought it on eBay.

Before I go any further, let me state that I am not being paid or compensated in any way by SquareTrade.com.  I am merely a customer.  I bought a SquareTrade warranty for a gaming system that I purchased online nearly 2 years ago.  The question you have to ask yourself is “why would I buy a warranty from SquareTrade?”  Here are a few of the top reasons:

• Great Prices – plans cost half of what retailers charge (see sample prices below).
• 5-star Rating – SquareTrade has been reviewed by thousands of customers through NexTag and Epinions and received an average 5-star rating.  They are also a member of the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
• 5-day Service Guarantee – Your item is repaired or you’re paid out within 5 days or your service and warranty are free.
• Accidental Damage – It might be extra, but you can cover your products from accidental damage as well.  If you are prone to dropping gadgets, this might be something you need.
• Longevity - SquareTrade has sold over 1 million warranties and been in business since 1999.  This means that when you claim on your warranty they will still be in business.

So, what to do now.  It doesn’t matter if you have already purchased a gift, you’ll be shopping today and tomorrow or you receive a great new gadget on Christmas morning.  You can cover your items and sleep easy knowing they will be with you for years to come.  Just jump on over to SquareTrade.com and get your free quote.  It only takes a couple of minutes and you might really thank us one day.

Sample Prices – Quoted Directly from SquareTrade.com

• iPod Nano, $179 (new) – Your warranty would be $27.99 (3 years).
  Compare this to BestBuy, who would charge $44.99
• Playstation 3, $299 (new) – Your warranty would be $38.99 (3 years).
  Compare this to BestBuy, who would charge $59.99
• flip Video Camera, $199 (new) – Your warranty would be $27.99 (3 years).
  Compare this to BestBuy, who would charge $67.49

** These costs do not include the optional “Accidental Damage from Handling (ADH)” plan.  That is an additional cost that can be added during checkout and comes with a $50 deductible.