Kinect for Xbox 360

Kinect for Xbox 360: Such a Big Leap  

Not just your average jump shot.

Just when we thought they've made big leaps in making game controllers and joysticks as ergonomic as possible, now come something even more revolutionary.  The human body--via our signature gestures, face, and voice--as the ultimate controller.

That's what Kinect(very nice-sounding and appropriate name, better than it's initial Project Natal moniker) is all about.  As such, the ad campaign for the Xbox's peripheral is "You are the controller."

You kick--the RGB camera senses your movement--and your game avatar kicks on screen simultaneously as well.  Don't you just wish there was Kinect in the days of Street Fighters?  With Kinect, you'll be needing lots of space to kick around though, and thrash about and gesticulate for optimal gaming experience.  

Another catch is this: Yes, Kinect for Xbox 360 requires lots of space, but stray too far from the camera's peripheral vision (for instance, when you get too carried away with the fight sequences), and you'll be told to step back into the frame.  Bummer, huh?

Understandably, Kinect is just version 1.0, and there's certainly much to be improved on of course.  

At its standalone price of $149 though ($299 when bundled with Xbox 360 4G), it's a good buy.  Heck, we've been dreaming of this a long time ago, and now it's here.

More thorough Kinect review?

Who Knew Pop Up Books Can Be Like This?

It's never just a pop up book, at least not to paper engineer Robert Sabuda.  

Robert Sabuda's Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks

We've all seen a pop-up book before, and chances are you pull a tab and something interesting pops up.  Simple.  

In the pop up books of Robert Sabuda however (along with his colleague Matthew Reinhart), you open the page and many events happen all at once.  The page literally bursts open and becomes alive, whether it's Alice chased by a flurry of playing cards in Wonderland, or a dinosaur with dangerous mouth and claws.  (Sure, the books in Harry Potter's world are more alive, but for now, we have Robert Sabuda to wow us.)

That's to say Sabuda's target audience isn't babies and toddlers (although who's stopping them from getting awed by this lovely cacophony on paper?)  If for a toddler, your regular plain old pop up book is already eye candy, think about the neurological and aesthetic implications Sabuda's technological marvels can do to a grown up person.  All that pivots and tabs and rich colorful illustrations and the threshold of paper exceeded.  Absolute genius.

(Note: You never buy a used pop up book.  Some of the pages will refuse to, well... pop.)

Anyway, people wage war with each other, invent missiles, etc.  And then there are those who take it upon themselves to engineer a piece of paper, and everyone comes out of it a winner.

This Used to Be My Playground | Madonna

Jada's DIY Paper Dolls | This Used to Be My Childhood Toy #1

(to the tune of Madonna's This Used to be My Playground.  Kidding)

Thankfully, my good friend Jada can be easily wheedled inspired at a moment's notice to talk about her favorite childhood toy. ;)

"Hmmm.. I was into paper dolls then. I love those paper dolls that you can

buy at your suking sari-sari store. I have a special love for those dolls with black stand :)

But in cases where i ran out of money to buy such--my scissors, used paper and crayons always saved my day. I could always create my home-made paper dolls. Aww, i miss those already."

So true.  Back then, it's us and our creativity and imagination.  Now those online paper dolls by Zwinky are doing the imagining for us.

* * *

Image above, sent by Jada.  We would have preferred a pic of Jada herself with the said paper dolls of her childhood, but that was years ago and you know paper.

Thanks much anyway, Jada!

Hot Wheels on the Run

Oh, look, ninety-nine Pesos die-cast cars at Toy Kingdom.

Corvette and Firebird Hot Wheels

The thing with those miniature cars, there's too many of them to choose from, and for someone as indecisive as me, the collection's just overwhelming, especially if I'm buying only two.

So I spent a good one hour in the toy store, picking this and putting down that, and so on and so forth.  I was even torn between the brands Matchbox and Hot Wheels (which is essentially under one big brand: Mattel, makers of Barbie).

Matchbox has the dune buggy and the tractor and the teal blue pickup truck.  There's even an ice cream van and safari car, and if it only were me, I'd go for those kinds of vehicles--totally pragmatic, eccentric, and unpopular--which is great.

But these Matchbox cars (in photo) (yes, they're Hot Wheels, but Matchbox

is the more generic term, right?) are for my two godsons, and I suspect and hope they're the achiever type.  Which is why they're getting a Corvette and a Firebird.  (I'm a cheapskate when it comes to gift-giving, I know.  But, hey, when I was their age, I certainly didn't mind getting a Matchbox.)  Personally, I'm no good driving a car--a life-sized one.  I got lousy nerves on the highway, says my sister.  One blow of the horn from the car tailgating me and I crash the damn thing.

Meanwhile, Hot Wheels' got color-shifting cars now.  You soak them in warm or cold water and they change color accordingly. 

Perfect for criminals on the run. :)

Tell Us About Your Favorite Childhood Toy!

We want to know What's your Favorite Kiddie Toy & Why.

 Whether it's a Smurfs stuffed toy or a Leonardo action figure from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, or a plain old yo-yo or jumping rope--as long as it's your favorite toy, who are we to question?

And it doesn't even have to be from your childhood; it could be something recent--say, the Kinect Xbox (sure, techie toys are allowed).  

But of course, we prefer nostalgia, so if your childhood toy is still around and you can get a picture of the two of you reunited, all the better.

Be a guest blogger here.  Contact details are at the footer of this blog.  Hope to hear from you soon.

The Little Colonel Says Hi.

"I'm missing a horse, thank you very much."