Rainy Day - parents swear by the benefits of white noise to calm and send their babies to sleep. This free app plays soothing rain noises with a variety of settings and also has other white noises to choose from including ‘beach’ and ‘New York City’. Perfect for tired parents in need of quality sleep too.

Baby ESP - records and tracks everything your baby does, including nappy changes, feedings (allows for breast and/or bottle feeding), bath time, growth measurements, medicines and vaccinations and more. Excellent for getting to know your baby’s pattern or for the control-freak mother. Free 30-day trial amd paid version $5 after that. Beware the free 30 day period begins from the day of download, not from the first day of use.

TeuxDeux - a to-do list application that lets the user assign tasks to certain days and if a task isn’t marked complete, automatically pushes it to the next day’s list. Excellent for keeping track of those important items that Can be forgotten about in Mum’s sleep-deprived state. The TeuxDeux account is accessible across Android, iOS and PC so it can be updated any time of the day.

Flickr - while most people may share their baby photos on Facebook, using the Flickr app may be the best way to store such precious memories. Uploading is a breeze, and when saved in a specific album friends and family can not only view the baby photos as they are uploaded, they also have the option to save and print  too.

A notepad app like AK Notepad is useful for writing down all those things that are so easily forgotten. Shopping lists, errands, questions for the doctor, the name of that nappy rash cream. These apps are great for anyone but a must for possibly the busiest time in your life.

Other great things to keep sane are a good web browser and a decent twitter feed, to stay updated on the events occurring in the world. You may be locked inside and getting your news during 30 minute sessions on your phone or tablet but the world is still turning without you.

Transformer

The Transformer is fantastic on paper. Running Android’s Honeycomb 3.2 OS, it is fast and showcases all the latest Android has to offer. There have been comments surrounding which version of Honeycomb you will receive straight out of the box, but that’s the great thing about Android – within hours of setup you will be prompted to download the over the air (OTA) update if you don’t have the latest version.

Of course it comes with standard apps such as music, video, photo, mail, calendar and reading as well as the Polaris Office suite which is basically Microsoft Office (for Google). An excellent addition for those of us intending to use our tablets for more than just gaming and browsing. It supports flash, enabling a wider range of video files (and other kinds) to be viewed. One thing to be said about the Android suite of apps is how many of them are free or reasonably-priced. Sure, you may have to endure advertisements to use them (which personally I don’t think is a sacrifice) but at least they are accessible. There is a slow adaptation of the mobile-sized apps being converted to tablet configuration (using an app that is mobile-sized on a tablet screen is incredibly frustrating) however this is happening slowly but surely. Apple’s apps are guilty of this crime too.

The navigation is incredibly easy to use. At any point you are able to bring up a menu to access the core programs (ie. Mail, internet, music, etc) and multi-tasking is not a problem. Other reviews have mentioned lag when viewing videos and poor camera quality however these were not issues during review. The 5mp (still) camera is certainly higher resolution than the iPad 2’s VGA cameras.

Like all displays, there will be variation in colours and resolution between various tablet devices. The Transformer’s 1280×800 makes for a clear, sharp image however it is not the best on the market when held side by side with others. Do you notice in the store? Yes. Would it bother you on its own? Not at all – it’s a beautiful display.

At 675g it is somewhat heavier than the iPad 2 and its squarish feel certainly isn’t as sleek and sexy. But on its own the Transformer tablet feels quite comfortable to use. The on-board speakers are mounted on the front of the tablet providing a better sound experience for both the user and those in the room.

Plug it into the keyboard and it’s not really the kind of thing you’d be walking around with. Time to settle down on the couch. Oh yes, it comes with a keyboard (optional).

The keyboard is not just something to type on when you get sick of the touch screen. It also serves as a docking station, boosting the battery life by as much as half – taking a six hour gaming session or eight hour browsing session to almost 14 hours on a single charge. The dock also adds more external inputs to the device. The keyboard contains two USB and SD card inputs in addition to the tablet’s micro SD.

For the time being most Australian retailers are either selling the Transformer as a standalone tablet or bundled with the keyboard dock. The keyboard is not particularly easy to get hold of on its own, and it really is better value to buy it in a bundle than separately. This may change over time. There are not a lot of cases on the market for the Transformer yet, and those I have seen are for the tablet alone – you will have to shop around and most likely import from overseas.

iPad 2

The iPad2 is pretty. It’s shiny. It feels good, both in your hands and under your finger as you swipe. It’s crisp and clean – you want to gaze upon its beauty for hours.

Unfortunately it is hard to give an objective review of the iPad 2 because it really is the benchmark of tablets. There are not a lot of reviews out there arguing why to buy an iPad 2 as opposed to another tablet; simply why it is better than the iPad 1.

Apple have done well on the iPad 2 in providing an experience. The device is very fast. Swiping between pages is easy and having the ability to not just flick but to do it at your own speed is a pleasant surprise (for example if you are reading the last few words on a page). The navigation however is not exactly intuitive. If you get lost you can always press the home button but it removes you from the program – unlike the Transformer’s menu which can be brought up at any time (and if you change your mind, easily dismissed).

The camera might not be fantastic but honestly, if you are using this as your primary camera and not just a webcam you really need to get a decent camera – or at least a phone with a good camera. One downside with using the webcam/FaceTime interface is that the speakers are mounted on the back. The volume needs to be turned right up which doesn’t produce great results – and is quite a problem for others in the room when the user is simply watching video. Earphones are an option and while there is an output for these, they are not included in the box.

The on-board apps include ones you will use on a regular basis but also Apple’s exclusive products that you may never intend using (hello FaceTime). You will likely upgrade the basic apps such as Notes for one that is actually useful. I much preferred the Transformer’s book reading app over the iPad’s iBooks.

Built-in apps may be lacklustre but it is the App Store where Apple really shines. It’s no secret that the best apps are developed first for iDevices and then possibly rolled out to Android, and it really shows. The abundance and variety of apps available for the iPad is endless and although not all apps are configured to iPad size (ie. they will display at the size of a mobile screen) there are many that are configured – and the sheer number of apps available is simply a vote in the iPad’s favour. Beware of the $20 and $30 apps, and the very large file sizes – with no external storage capabilities the iPad 2 can easily fill up once you have put all of your favourite music, movies, books onto it and downloaded a decent amount of apps and games.

The iPad 2 has reached a competitive position in the Australian marketplace. Brand loyalty aside it is a fast, lightweight (590g), long-lasting (10hrs on a single charge) device with excellent aesthetics and a system that really does just work. You don’t need to worry about the PC-related problems that other tablets might face, because it’s a Mac. And you can get one for about the same price as any other tablet on the market.

I have been a big fan of the series so far (at least the first two in the series) and I quite liked this one.

I liked Charles as Professor Xavier.

I loved Erik as Magneto.

And I enjoyed the dynamic between the two.

That is all.

Dawn of War 2

I have watched my husband paint and play miniatures for quite a few years and have always sat back and thought ‘that’s not for me’. However thanks to Dawn of War 2: Retribution on PC I have been introduced to the Eldar race – and all of a sudden I’m interested.

 I’ve always loved the art in 40k not only in the licensed products (miniatures and printed material) but particularly that produced by the community. There is some fantastic fan art out there. My hard drive is full of images from DeviantArt.

 A good portion of the artwork has driven me to find out more about various characters and races.

 I’ve really been drawn in by the actual story of 40k. There are licensed books set in the universe which I enjoy (once I know a bit about the races or periods in time), but the basic story of the Warhammer 40k universe, with all its races and overlapping histories is such a rich one; well-formulated and intriguing.

 The more I have delved into 40k, the more I have thought how odd it is that it’s seen as such a nerdy subsection of the geek institution – simply because it’s not as popular as wizards or medieval culture or Star Wars.

 For now I’m happy to sit back and be a spectator in terms of painting but things might change. I enjoy playing Space Hulk and would like to have a go at the tabletop game – perhaps once I get into that I will want to start building and customizing my own armies.

I’ve always been a Batman fan but thanks to Michelle Pfeiffer, have thought Catwoman was a bit lame. Not anymore!

 The latest playable character announcement in Batman Arkham City is looking rather attractive.

If you haven’t watched The Guild, you really should check it out. It’s a hilarious take on gaming culture (particularly MMOs). While I don’t play MMOs I can definitely see traits within the characters that I know both I and people I know possess.

Even the music video reminds me of the great care I take in choosing my avatars in games – and even the lengths I go to in real life to make myself look like my favourite video game characters! The poor hairdresser – trying to match up the colours she has with the picture of Heavenly Sword or Shae Vizla I’ve produced.

Magicka is a top-down RPG game on PC set in the Middle Ages, featuring wizards, goblins, beasts and your host Vlad – who swears he is not a vampire despite his suspicious actions to the contrary.

Players progress through the maps, entering villages that have been terrorised by the underworld army of the mighty Khan who is at war with the King of Midgard. Battles take place both en route between settlements and within the villages themselves.

Weapons equipped include a sword or conventional attack weapon, and a staff for casting spells. It is the spells themselves that cause the most damage, and the players’ ability to cast quickly and cast well soon becomes of most importance.

While the majority of powers are picked up early in the game, spells are acquired along the way through collecting the spell book at various points. Casting spells requires multiple key combinations, so practice is necessary for remembering the longer spells.

Admittedly the game seems like a bit of fun to pass the time at first, but soon the satire actually becomes funny and you find yourself enjoying the battles and using the opportunities to try out new spells and power combinations (or thinking about such combinations after you’ve logged off – the sign of a good game).

The game can be played in single player mode or multiplayer, both over a LAN connection and online and as the levels progress having a buddy to rely on certainly comes in handy. You can revive your team mates at any point where you can cast.

Magicka is peppered with pop culture references from movies to games – present in loading screens, unlockable achievements and the types of weapons available. There puns are many the average geek will pick up; and many they will not.

There are quite a few bugs still present despite its launch in January 2011 and slower computers may gitch from time to time. The developers Arrowhead Studios have been patching this regularly.  Nonetheless, the game is still very enjoyable.

Available as a download from Steam at $9.99 (US) – or four copies for $29.99 (why not game-swap with a friend?) it is definitely worth your extra cash.

With the exception of the screen, no major design changes have been made from the previous DSi console – two screens (including lower touchscreen with stylus control); control buttons plus the addition of a shallow analog thumbstick controller and two-way cameras remain.

The console is lighter than its predecessor and boasts backwards compatibility with DSi games. New features include a motion/gyro sensor and the street pass sensor which will alert you of potential gaming buddies. The 3DS comes with a charging cradle as opposed to the previous plug-and-charge function used in past models. The only colours that have been announced at this stage are black and cyan blue.

A good range of launch titles have been announced, including Nintendogs & Cats; Lego Star Wars III; Ghost Recon Shadow Wars 3D; Super Street Fighter IV and more.

Australia’s 3DS launch date is 31 March and the best deals at the moment are:

• JB Hifi - $328 with accessories pack
• Big W - $348 with free game (choice of Rayman 3D or Ghost Recon Shadow Wars 3D)

I even bought games that I have yet to play or even play more than a few levels of. And there are many more games that I didn’t play and I’m waiting for them to drop in price before I make the commitment.

There were two standouts for me this year:

Heavy Rain [PS3]
This game was about  atmosphere. The graphics were beautiful; the sound effects so realistic you didn’t even notice them; the story so engaging I pushed away the outside world and was adamant about getting to the next stage. A polished effort from Quantic Dream.

Super Scribblenauts [DS]
Although released in 2009, Scribblenauts was added to my collection when on sale in 2010. As a word nerd, I loved the idea of solving puzzles by describing the object you needed. My imagination ran wild, describing mythical beasts and overpowered weapons to solve simple problems (although the game seemed to have problems with spelling sometimes).With the addition of adjectives in the 2010 Super Scribblenauts, I was sold the second it was announced. The language problems remain, and sometimes the “correct” answers are a bit puzzling however it’s a game I’m taking my time with simply because it’s not a push-this-button-to-solve puzzler.
Honourable Mentions:
These games are actually 2009 releases, but I played them constantly throughout 2010.

Borderlands [PC]
Roaming the land; picking up fancy guns; the opportunity to play an attractive yet tough female character; and it passes the test – just one more mission before I log off for the night.  It’s a nice change from the FPSs I normally play and I’m not one for the fantasy genre. I keep returning to Borderlands and have yet to get tired of it.

Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 [PS3]
A fantastic co-op for your favourite gaming partner. The sequel now follows the story of the Marvel Civil War so some tough decisions need to be made; but you now have the added bonus of fusion power – the ability to fuse the superpowers of the two active characters in co-op (ie. bounce Iceman’s ice blast off Captain America’s shield). Fun, quick play and easy to pick up at any time.