Editorial Review

Research in Motion's BlackBerry wireless handheld has been one of themost talked-about handhelds on the market recently--and the press coverage itreceived due to it being the communication gadgets of choice for Al Gore'spresidential campaign certainly didn't hurt. But thanks to its full-functionorganizer, synchronization with many popular desktop PIMs (personal informationmanagers), thumb-operated QWERTY keyboard, and, of course, wireless e-mail, theRIM 957 BlackBerry is more than just hype.

You won't receive instant wireless gratification right out of the box--you'llneed to juice up the internal rechargeable battery via the docking cradle (ACadapter included). Also, the activation process requires you to first registeronline and wait three to five business days for a confirmation e-mail.

The biggest challenges we faced, thanks to years of Palm usage, were thekeyboard and the trackwheel controller. There's no need for a stylus with theRIM 957--all text input is performed using the minikeyboard. At first we wereall thumbs, but we got the hang of it after a day's usage and could type away--evenhitting the ALT keys (which cover numbers and symbols)--like a pro. And forlonger e-mail messages, the RIM 957 is certainly easier and quicker than writingGraffiti characters with the Palm stylus.

And instead of tapping screen icons to access functions or scroll through ascreen (the RIM 957's screen is not touch sensitive), you use the trackwheel onthe right side of the device. Just roll to a desired item and press it in toselect it; this is also how you access menu items when in a list, such as theaddress book. To return to the previous screen (or get out of the menu), simplypress the Escape key below the trackwheel.

We easily synchronized the device with our Outlook contacts, to-do lists, andcalendar. The RIM 957's desktop software includes Intellisync, which cansynchronize the device with Microsoft Outlook and Schedule+, GroupWise, LotusOrganizer and Notes, Symantec ACT!, Goldmine, and Netscape.

Once out on the road, e-mailing was a breeze--we maximized our time by sendingmessages back to our office from New York taxis and while waiting for a delayedflight. With the device on, e-mail was received automatically, and we werenotified with a simple tone. You can also set the device to vibrate, which ishelpful when the RIM 957 is stored in the included belt-clip case.

The RIM 957 does have some shortcomings. There's no Web browsing, and you won'tbe able to use applications developed for the Palm OS, the predominant handheldplatform. Also, you will have to work with your company's system administratoror your ISP to receive messages from your company or other e-mail account.Finally, if you are in a rural area, you might not get any connection, as themonthly wireless service (provided through Aether Systems) is primarily focusedon larger metropolitan areas.

That said, if you're a modern-day road warrior who needs to be connected to e-mailat all times, the RIM 957 offers all the tools of a personal organizerwithout the hassle of having to jack into a modem or cell phone to get online.--Agen Schmitz

Pros:

• Wireless e-mail as easy as paging
• Typing long messages with built-in keyboard is easier than writing usingPalm Graffiti
• Full-function organizer and easy synchronization with desktop PIMs

• Not compatible with Palm OS applications
• Most rural areas won't receive service--be sure to check Aether Systems foravailability in your area
• Won't automatically connect to your company e-mail account

Features

• Features redesigned and backlit navigation and remodeled headphones; headphones with wired remote are optional
• Discontinued by manufacturer, replaced by model #M9460LL/A
• Mac and Windows compatible; FireWire and USB 2.0 interface for fastest digital transfer available
• Optional docking station makes charging and synching easy
• More than 8 hour battery life on a 3 hour charge (1-hour fast charge to 80% capacity)

Reviews (218)

Small but great
I have one of these and I listen to it everywhere I go, great sound quality and good battery life. I have run out of space however, so I would recommend a newer one with a larger hard drive.

ayyeee
So easy to use, and really cool in the with a tape deck or itrip.

Recommend to anyone.

It's No Mini-Disc Player!
My Sony mini-disc player died after a short life (moment of silence). So when I got a new job, the toy of choice was an iPod. What a difference!

The bad as compared to the mini-disc player is that the iPod doesn't have an LCD display remote control. So with so many songs, it's hard to blindly navigate if your iPod is stashed away. Hopefully Apple will create such a remote. Otherwise, it wins over the mini-disc player hands down!

The new mini-discs hold 5 hours of music. 2 years ago that was a big deal. My 20 Gig iPod has 17 hours of music already and I am using merely 390 MB. That's less than a fraction of its capacity. The iPod's looking at me like, "When are you gonna REALLY add some music?"

The 3 lines of music data display the song title, artist, and even album! And the sound...oh boy. I feel like I'm at a concert! Excellent sound! You can also tweak the sound with the equalizer.

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Reviews (68)

Lots of Flash, No Bang.
Wired purports to be a cutting edge high tech magazine. In fact, it is little more than a Nerd's version of People magazine, with a lot of short, unconnected articles purporting to offer inside information from the tech community. It is most likely to be of interest to Gamers (and has lots of ads addressed to that crowd).

The best thing about it is its (expensive) graphics, but that doesn't justify wasting your time or money on it.

BEWARE OF YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
I got a letter from a collecting agency stating WIRED hired them "to write you as to why payment has not been made as of this letter date." The letter ends in a bold, italicized threat:

"This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose."

I never subscribed to this magazine yet I got this letter. I called the handy number right at the top of the "bill" and I was forwarded to a recording with the following instructions:

press "1" to make payment
press "2" if already paid
press "3" never received subscription
press "4" never renewed subsciption
press "5" never ordered subscription


I pressed 5, and that was that. Talk about a low way to get subscribers. This is bottom feeding. Magazines used to offer you incentives. Now they threaten to louse up your credit rating.

Anyway, I am writing this to inform and warn existing and future subscribers about this magazine. Based on the options given above, not only "non-subscribers" like me get a letter from a collecting agency to subscribe to this magazine, but also existing subscribers who did not renew their subscriptions.

I think this is taking guerilla marketing a bit too far - not only are you being billed for something you didn't order, but they're skipping right over you and sending your name directly to a collection agency.

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Reviews (68)

The Best Magazine I've Ever Read
This is the best magazine ive ever read. I read it almost every night before I go to sleep and I have really enjoyed it since the very first issue! I find the (sometimes) hidden Albert Einstein picture on the front very humorous (especially the Swimsuit Issue). I give this magazine a 5 out of 5 stars because this is the greatest and most interesting magazine of them all. Even kids who don't think they like to read would like to read this. Bravo Mental Floss, bravo.

Sincerely,
Al

Quick Relief!
Am I the only person who is looking for light entertainment that leaves me refreshed?Mental_Floss never fails to grab my attention - even if I have just a minute to spend. Its storehouse of quirky information is the best! It's packed with wonderful facts I missed in my first 60 years of reading!Ten minutes of Mental_Floss and I'm ready to go again!Refreshed until the next time I pick it up.Try it!You'll like it.

Editorial Review

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Reviews (25)

Excellent magazine for novices and advanced users alike
When I bought PC World at a store, the cover looked appealing. It had an advice on how to surf the Internet trouble free. So I brought it home and started reading it. I was amazed! I have never read a magazine cover to cover before, but I read this one word for word. This mag is filled with tons of reviews of best software and new gadgets. It also has unbiased articles written in a balanced simple English and technical language on computing in general. Perhaps the best part about the magazine is the CD they include with it. iT is filled with PC World recommended software that will make your life much easier.
IF you never heard of PC World, you don't know what you're missing. Go to the nearest store and ask for the copy. You'll be glad you did

Informative, useful
After switching from Mac OS to Windows a few years ago, I needed a PC-oriented magazine to get me well versed in the new vernacular.I took a look at PC Magazine and was disgusted by the number of errors and the dearth of useful content; man, I thought, this is why Mac users laugh at PC guys.Then I picked up PC World at the suggestion of a friend and, wow, within minutes I filled out the subscription card and sent for my subscription.

PC World is good because it's informative and useful.It covers things you want to know as a PC user.It does not slant toward hardware (like the modders-only Maximum PC) or software, and it doesn't waste space telling you why you should buy a Mac G5, which, oddly enough, PC Mag tries to do.PC World is a well-balanced, informational magazine for general PC users.If you want more expert-oriented stuff you might want things like Windows Mag or other more specific magazines, but for general computing, PC World is the best.Each issue is packed with stuff you can use, either in your daily computing or to impress your friends at the new year's party.

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Reviews (27)

Tes is teh L337 H4><0R mag!!1!1!!!1
Finally a magazine that takes it self seriously and doesn't conform for the kiddies and is brutally honest in it's reviews while not overdoing it one bit. You have to read PC Gamer just to see how L337 it really is. As well as being different, it is also intelligent and has an adult sense of humor sure to tickle your H4><0r fancy. BUY IT!!!!!11

Pros:

Intelligent writing

Good sense of Humor

Nice insight into what is coming next

Cons:

Hardly for n00bs

Too smart for some . . .


As I said before, if you haven't already subscribed, do so immediately.
You will thank me.

it WAS good......
i used to love this magazine, but people are right. the magazine is half the size it was, and the 10 year anniversary issue was the smallest issue yet. it's also behind the times - an E3 wrap-up in the AUGUST issue? E3 WAS IN MAY! the demo disk is useless - one demo per disk - they need to switch to dvd's or why pay extra when i can download demos? i'm done when my subscription runs out.

The Best PC gaming magazine out there
I have been a subscriber to PC Gamer for several, I think six years, and I can honestly say this is the best PC gaming magazine I have ever read, and I have tried all that I have come accross.They have several features (special stories) every month, whereas the majority of magazines barely have anything other than the previews/reviews/strategies/occasional special story.I read through every issue almost cover-to-cover devouring it's witty writing and great personality.I have agreeded on their review for every game I have played, as well.

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Reviews (37)

Gamer's In Detail
Video game magazines have been all the rage in our lives. Yet there are just so many of them that tell different stories for different video game systems. That has been the case with one of the biggest-selling ones of all time, Gamepro. They truly have made it one the most provocative and well in-depth magazines with detail about what games are popular according to their writers, and what upcoming games and systems are all in the works. The magazine is quite well, but I honestly do wish they could try to publish more in the way of codes and helpful hints for several games for Gamecube and Game Boy Advance, when most of it primarily focuses in on Playstation 2 & Xbox. Yet, Gamepro really handles itself as a very deep gamer's magazine. Anybody who wants to be enjoy the field of video games, this magazine is worth reading.

Overall: B 1/2+

The worst gaming magazine
As you can tell by the title, I'm not enamored of this magazine. I've been playing video games since the early 80s, and have read many, many gaming magazines. My reasons for this negative review of Gamepro follow in no particular order: 1.) Their numerical rating system stinks. 1-5 points is just not accurate enough. Most mags/web sites have a 1-10 system with decimals. Not Gamepro. 2.) The written part of the reviews are way too short, and often are written borderline incoherantly. It's as if they hired the proverbial 1,000 monkeys to type them out. 3.) Often times they cram two or three reviews on one page. Screen shots provided with reviews are often the size of a postage stamp. 4.) The number of ads in relation to content is distinctly high. Once when I was bored, I counted all the ads in one issue. Out of around 110 pages there were 60+ pages of ads. 5.) Their article layouts are confusing, and occasionally they print on colored backgrounds that closely match the text color. Forget about reading it if you're colorblind. 6.) Their gaming tips are either so obvious that a brain dead chimpanzee could figure them out, or plain don't work. I suspect that the ones that do are ripped off from various web sites. 7.) Gamepro costs the same as better gaming mags, such as EGM and Game Informer. So, in closing... if you want a good gaming magazine, just about any magazine other than Gamepro would be an improvement. Many great magazines have come and gone, why a turd like Gamepro continues is a mystery to me.

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Asin: B000063XKF
Sales Rank: 793
Subjects:  1. Computers & Internet   

Features

• Kart racing game for 1-8 players featuring classic Nintendo characters
• Pick a partner and race through wild courses as you compete in tough circuits
• Choose from a huge cast: Luigi, Peach, Baby Mario, Baby Luigi, Wario, and many more
• Link the game with eight other players using a broadband adapter and race each other
• Bonus disc includes 6 playable demos and 7 mini-movies

Reviews (138)

It's not the 64 one but it's still great racing
In my opinion Mario Kart are one of the better racers, besides Need for Speed. I like the hyper-realism of something like Gran Turismo or Midnight Club 3 but it's kind of boring cause you just race period. Mario Kart has gameplay elements that actually make you interested in the race. It feels slightly slower than the 64 version but it still looks great.

Story: No story literally. Basically you have racers that want that gold cup and go through different race sets to do it. Old favorites return like Rainbow Road which looks more stunning than the old one and some new ones.

Graphics: Very nicely detailed. Areas like Rainbow Road are simply great to watch but then you have to actually watch the road. Others look rather bland like souped up 64 versions instead of complete overhauls.

Sound/Music: Traditional voice one-liners like "let's-a go!" or "Yoshi!". The music has that nice bubbly catchy music but it's not catchy. What the?

Gameplay: The big change from 64 to Double Dash is right in the name: you have 2 racers per kart now. So Mario is teamed with Luigi, Peach is with Daisy(Luigi's chick I guess), and Baby Mario with Baby Luigi and others.

If you get a red homing shell but don't wanna use it, move your guy to the back and get something else until you need it. The specials are roughly the same with the backwards ? which derails you, homing red shells, ever-travelling green shells, awesome-but-inexplicable blue ones(I have no idea how they work, I just fire them).

Courses in a way are a little complicated than in the past. You'll be bumping into walls a lot and even falling into pits/water which is incredibly frustrating especially when it's such a sharp curve with very little turning room.

There's plenty of secrets to be found and shortcuts that you can explore but this game as usual best works with multiplayer which you'll get your fun's worth in bucket loads.

Good Karting Game
I actually liked N64's version better, but this one I like too.

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Features

• Colorful 3D battlefield
• Unleash awesome special moves and visually stunning combo attacks
• For 1 player
• Follow Yugi and his friends as they strive to escape from the sinister virtual world
• Set your favorite TV characters against one another in exciting 3-on-3 monster team battles

Reviews (97)

Goes Nowhere
At first this game is loads of fun, battling and building strength and special attacks. You start as Yugi, battling in the Falsebound Kingdom, a computer generated game. If you beat the first round, then you have the option as playing as Seto Kaiba. If you beat that round, you then have the option to play as Joey. However, after that, the game goes nowhere. there is no ending. You just keep playing. There's just no point. Don't waste your money. Unless you found it at a garage sale for 5 bucks. Then it might be worth it.

One of the best Yugioh games
This game is lots of fun! I rented it at Hollywood Video and thought it would be dumb like Duelists of the Roses. But it turned out to be great!

Features

• Gulp down enemies scattered throughout each course to copy their abilities
• Unlock and master 15 Air Ride Machines, each with different features and distintive control styles
• For 1-4 players
• Prepare for fast and furious racing action as Kirby hits Warpstar speed
• Air Ride, Top Ride, and City Trial modes each deliver a unique approach to intense action

Reviews (83)

Kirby's Ready to Ride!
This game is extremely fun and easy to play but it is limited.There are 3 modes but no story mode. The modes are City Trial, Air Ride, and Top Ride.City Trial: You fly around a city trying to upgrade your ship.Air Ride:Basic Racing.Top Ride:You race on a small course.You see everything from above.Its like a mini arcade game.I like it.

Kirby Air Ride
Kirby arrives on Nintendo GameCube at warp speed in his first-ever racing game. Based on the same principles as games like Super Smash Brothers and past Kirby titles, Kirby Air Ride offers an entirely new approach to the racing genre. The ultra-easy controls give Kirby Air Ride instant playability no matter how skilled the players may be. You control Kirby with the analog stick and the A button -- that's it. The stick steers the character left and right (he accelerates perpetually) and the A button when pressed slows him down and when released delivers a temporary speed boost. The idea is to hold the button down around corners, drift them, and then shoot out with a burst of speed. The game features a four-player split-screen mode and LAN support for link-up play.

It's one thing to make a game simple so that anybody can enjoy it. Just look at Mario Kart, for instance. It's another thing entirely to make it so simple and so devoid of depth or challenge that most will dislike it -- will, in fact, be utterly bored with it. This is Kirby Air Ride.

HAL's decision to use only one control button means that several important processes of racing have all been assigned to it, including drifting and using weapons, and this severely limits the options and maneuverability of both. Any way you slice it -- for kids or for adults -- that's simply bad design. This is simple stuff, yes, but I wouldn't call it intuitive.

There's a lot to do and see in Kirby. It's a fast, friendly racer. And sure enough very young players may be mesmerized by it -- they won't have to try very hard to succeed, that's for sure. But anybody expecting a challenge or Tetris-style depth -- the kind you don't initially recognize but which hides under the surface -- will unfortunately find nothing at all hiding here.

Air Ride could have scored a lot higher, but instead Kirby will have to settle for average score. This racer only comes recommended as a potential buy to parents who are shopping for their under-nine son or daughter. Everybody else would be wise to buy Mario Kart Double Dash.

Features

• Lets you play all your Game Boy, Game Boy Color and Game Boy Advance games on your TV through the GameCube
• Player fits snugly to the bottom of the GCN for easy set up
• Plays over 1200 games, so bring out your old favorites or see games like Castlevania on the big screen
• Take your pick of a regular GCN controller or go wireless with the WaveBird
• Connect to other Game Boy systems with the appropriate cable using the External Extension Conner for multiplayer fun

Reviews (115)

Can't See It?Take it to the Big Screen!
The Game Boy Player can be a great piece of hardware.There are a lot of games out there that, while designed for the small screen, require a lot of time and attention to detail, which can become a pain when playing on such a tiny screen.The Game Boy Player solves that problem, letting you convert any game from the countless library of Game Boy and Game Boy Advance titles to a bigger screen.The graphics obviously aren't going to improve (they usually look the same as on the GBA), but the bigger image saves the trouble of straining your eyes to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Of course, this is the only real advantage in having a Game Boy Player.It's really not an essential piece of equipment in the gaming experience; if you have no real interest in playing Game Boy games on a bigger screen, the money would be better used on something else.

Saves on Batteries
I don't consider myself a gamer but I do play more than I should. With that said I am very happy with this purchase. It has brought new life to my older games.

Editorial Review

Normally, Nintendo contract players such as Mario, Pikachu, Link, DonkeyKong, Bowser, and Kirby are generally happy and well-mannered, but in SuperSmash Bros. Melee, the pleasantries get thrown out and the gloves (exceptfor Mario's) come off. This update of the N64 favorite features these and othervideo game icons in furious, yet utterly absurd fisticuffs that usually make fora smashing good time. Just make sure you have at least one human opponent topound on.

Starting off with 14 characters (an additional 11 are waiting to be unlocked),the game has a pretty standard premise--let Nintendo's stars beat on each otheruntil the timer runs out. However, a lot of emphasis is put on knockingopponents off ledges while avoiding the same fate. In typical Nintendo manner,there are quite a few power-ups to assist you in the melee. The actual combatisn't as intricate as in other fighting games; however, the ultra-cartoonylayout of the many, many arenas sometimes adds a strategic element not usuallyfound in similar titles.

Super Smash Bros. Melee's strength lays in the mayhem created infour-player fights. The camera does an excellent job of positioning itself so allcombatants are constantly visible. Also, Melee sports some of the bestvisuals seen in a Nintendo product. All the characters are highly detailed, andthe movements of each are smoothly infused with personality. Donkey Kong lumbersand Princess Peach fights with grace.

As the multiplayer mode is the key reason for this game's existence, thesingle-player mode is decidedly weak. The game features an adventure mode that playssomewhat like an old-school, side-scrolling Mario game. Sadly, despite its goodlooks, its gameplay is rather uninspired. This game is clearly at its best whenthere are two or more players with controllers in their hands. --MarkBrooks

Pros:

• Fantastic graphics and sound keep the action upbeat
• Many new characters and other goodies to unlock

• Single-player experience is comparatively weak
• Too cute for a few folks
• Adventure mode is boring