Qwertyuiop.

IMG_0797
Originally uploaded by Davers!

Some quick updates before I get to the meat of this blog...

Went to Dubs at the Beach June 1st, got second place in my class.
Bought a PS3 and Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, and got a Netflix subscription for Blu-Ray movies.

So yeah. Basically I decided that if I was going to have a Blu-Ray player, I wasn't going to pay $30-$40 for each movie I want to buy. I did, however, recently spend $42 for a single Blu-Ray movie, but there's a good reason. You see, Sweeney Todd was released in the US by Paramount, who doesn't do Blu-Ray movies. (yet?) But in the UK, Warner Bros. distributed discs, and they DO make Blu-Ray movies. So then the problem is that movies from the UK are PAL/Region 2, and movies from the US are NTSC/Region 1. But from what I've heard and read, Warner Bros. does not yet region code their discs - so it's still PAL, but not locked to region 2. And if my research is correct, PAL or NTSC shouldn't make any difference in a digital environment. For example, in an analog situation, like an antenna or cable, the resolution is 480i. Interlaced. With a PAL signal, the upper lines are refreshed first, then the lower lines, and NTSC is the opposite, which could be a problem for analog signals - but I'm going to be watching in 1080p, PROGRESSIVE - meaning every line is refreshed every time. Let's hope it works. Link.

I'm getting a VISA credit card from the bank this week - you see, I asked my dad if I could borrow about $700 (I get paid about $800 every 2 weeks, so it's not like I wouldn't be able to pay it back very quickly), and he said it would be a good idea to get a loan from the bank instead, because then I would be building my credit by paying the loan back - and end up paying under $10 in interest anyway. But it ends up the bank doesn't do loans for less than $5,000, so they ordered me this credit card, which is essentially the same thing as a loan, only that you borrow exactly what you spend, and you don't have to do a bunch of paperwork before you do so. And apparently the interest is lower on this card than a bank loan anyway.

The reason I wanted the loan was to buy some car parts. For example, an R-Line Steering Wheel, R-Line Shifter Knob/Boot, and R-Line pedals. I'll probably also get a custom E-brake boot to match it, since I'm saving some money by buying most of that stuff used.

I've been playing some PS3 lately, but pretty much only Gran Turismo 5. Dane let me borrow Resistance, but it's just like Call of Duty with aliens. No unique gameplay elements, no great graphics. And I downloaded the Haze demo, which also sucks. Another plus to GT5 is that it plays in 1080p. For real. While I'm talking about PS3, I'll compare the consoles...

Firstly, power. This one's kinda tough, and kinda obvious too. As far as processing power, the PS3 straight up wins. No discussion. Why don't the games always look better? Because the PS3 has half the memory of the 360. So it's kind of a trade-off. The Wii comes in last in this category.

Second is the controllers. This one's a three-way tie. The PS3 controller is lame because it's just like the effin PS1 and PS2 controllers, but it gets extra points for having a built-in rechargeable battery and hooking up via a regular old USB cable. 360 is probably the most comfortable, but comes with AA's by default. The Wii is obviously the most innovative, combining the motion sensing with IR pointing, a speaker, and unique design. Still no rechargeables by default.

For console design, it's also kind of hard. But it's only a 2-way tie, 360 loses. The 360 is big and HOT, and LOUD. It's known for overheating and failing, and it's as loud as a frickin 747. The Wii is the MOST durable, and the smallest and hardest to break, but at the same time, it's not as cutting edge as the PS3, which is quiet and cool as well, albeit larger. I already mentioned last post about the output resolution BS, so that's kind of a toss-up.

For online play, 360 wins, PS3 in second, and Wii in third. I like how ANYTIME, during ANYTHING, you can press the 360 button and talk to your friends, voice chat, invite to games, etc. On PS3, you get no in-game use (you have to exit the game to see who's online, etc), but there is a crude voice chat and text messaging system, which is more than the Wii has.

I dunno, they each have their ups and downs, but if the 360 didn't have the best online system, it would be in dead last. Nobody would use a console that's loud and hot and easy to break without it.

Word.