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Ok, over at http://gretchen.pirillo.com/ the discussion has been started over what gaming console is the best… Here’s my take on it, and advice to anyone looking to get a game console…Xbox – too new, only a few games and a planned obsolences model (wait for Xbox2) Frankly the Xbox specs where impressive from the PC world over 2 years ago. Now, its too slow to run the latest games for the PC. Microsofts biggest push when promoting the Xbox when it announced it was the fact that PC game companies could easily port their games to the Xbox. That may be true, but now that the specs are that of a slow computer (733mhz P3 processor, 8-10 gig HD, etc) all you are buying is an old computer with a great video card to play PC games. Also, Xbox is only the start from Microsoft, there is more to come, think Tivo and Xbox combined :). If you like the Xbox, wait for the model they come out with or add ons which will make it more complete towards Xmas.Gamecube – If you like kids games or simple games then this might be the box. Have a GBA? Then they work together. Graphics are not impressive, controlers are awakward but give it a chance. Not granted there are adult games for the gamecube, but unless you want something with a handle and small discs to take over to your friends, the gamecube just doesn’t hold a candle to a PS2 or Xbox. I would encourage you to look at it however, since it does have some niche games that you won’t find on other platforms (Luigi’s Mansion, Pikman, etc).PS2 – 100’s of games, problem is picking the best ones. Backward compatible with PS one games. Great controllers, expandability coming. Will be able to run Linux later this year. USB ports, Firewire ports, soon a Hard drive and network card. Plays DVD’s with no extra cost. Dolby 5.1 digital outputs (Makes sound great!) Component video out (5 wires to your TV) for great video. Games – Grand Theft Auto 3, Final Fantasy 10, Metal Gear Solid 2, Gran Turismo 3, Any EA Sports Game, SSX Tricky, and sooo many more…But wait, what are the PS2’s downsides? So say its slow and not enough memory, etc. True, but here’s the facts, don’t be sway’d by the mhz myth. Speed of machine doesn’t mean everything. Games are specifically written for the “emotion engine” that the PS2 has not just PC games moved to the Xbox. In a way this is what separates the PS2 and Gamecube from the Xbox. Also, we are now seeing 2nd generation games that are pushing the limits of the PS2 and it is doing some amazing things no one thought would be possible when it launched. But Xbox has a Hard drive. True, but so will the PS2 this summer, and really, what are you going to use the hard drive for? Save games? caching the game data to give the allusion that the Xbox is faster then it really is? The Xbox can play DVD’s as well. True, but you have to spend $30 to add that option. Of course, you do have to have a memory card for a PS2 to play DVD’s as well.So my best reccommendation, and I reccommendation I have made since the PS2 has come out. Go with a PS2 you won’t regret it. I have played all the game systems, most of the games available and will stand 100% by the fact that if you get a PS2 you will be completely satisfied.

So anyone been watching the Olympics? Frankly, I’ve only watched minutes of it. But this Saturday, I sat down and watched a few hours of it. Is it just me or does it not feel like the Olympics of old? I don’t know what it is but as I watch, it just seems too commercial to be the best of best in Amateur competition. I mean, Snowboarding? Come on. Curling? Sliding a big brick while people brush the ice in front of it? Sounds like something janitors do when bored or drunk. I am however quite pleased to see the great turn out of people and the patriotism still strong in the country and throughout. Ok, well, back to the Biathalon competition…

Well, after quite a while of struggle, I finally have Patrickstuart.com working fully, and under my control… Soon I’ll publish a rant about the craziness that occured in trying to get this to work… Don’t get me wrong, www.sierranevadainternet.com has done everything they can do to make it happen… Its who owned it previously and how and with whom it was registered…

Anyway, just wanted to test to make sure everything is still working 🙂

Ok, a few minor details left to work out, but www.patrickstuart.com is now working and live. Feel free to continue to use patrick.stuarttech.com or update your links to www.patrickstuart.com.Either way, this will get you to my personal site.

Need Memory? Have a Sony product that uses memory sticks? Well, Best Buy has Sony 128 meg memory sticks for only 89 bucks! Last week these were about 150 bucks so a huge price drop. So if you have a sony laptop, videocamera, digital camera, or Sony Clie you might want to seriously think about picking one of these up. http://www.bestbuy.com/Detail.asp?m=1&cat=800&scat=&e=11076211

Ok?

Was out browsing tonight, bored, and found this site… http://www.fark.com/ Got some wierd news and some great news, links and downloads… Seems pretty random…Anyway, things are going well around here, gearing up for another long week of work. Wife is enjoying her new Clie 615, lots of ads had it for $399 on Sunday, so I am sure everyone who wants or has a palm will be running out and picking one up. If you want a color palm, the Sony PEG-T615cs is one of the best out there. Of course, if you really want something useful, buy a PocketPC like the Compaq iPaq. After having both now, I’ll stick with my iPaq, and hope for a cell phone PocketPC in the near future.On a completely separate note, anyone else not care about the Superbowl this year? I guess the only reasons I’ll watch is for the Ad’s and U2’s performance. Of course I heard Fox is having a hard time selling the 2.5million dollar 30 sec ad spots. Hmmm, wonder if I have that in the couch cushins? Wait, my couch does have cushins… Hmm, that doesn’t even seem like the right way to spell cushins, anyway, to lazy to look it up… Well, guess that’s all for me tonight…

Well, ok, got one for my wife. After playing with it a bit I am still convinced that PocketPC’s will beat palm OS eventually.However, for the casual user or elite palm user, the Sony PEG-T615C represents the best Palm based PDA available today. The screen is a bright 65k color 320×320 screen. Looks good indoors, under light, with no light, or in direct light. Haven’t taken it outside to see how it does in direct sunlight, but I doubt my wife will use it outside anyways. After using a PocketPC (iPaq) for the last 2 years, and being spoiled by its fast 206mhz StronARM processor, using something that is based on a lowly 33mhz dragonball processor, I was plesently surprised with how fast the 615 actually responds. Programs launch and close in a snap. Memory management is really limited, since it seems to close every program as soon as you open another. This is another difference between the current PocketPC 2002 OS, which leaves everything open until memory starts running low. The screen was nice and responsive, though my biggest complaint is the screen real estate used by the graphite writing area. I am again so spoiled by Transcriber on PocketPC to go back to using Graphitte, but again, for a Palm user, its not an issue, or for someone that’s never used a PocketPC its fine. One thing I do like is the softness of the screen. We did put on a screen protector right away, which is something I wish I had done from the start with my iPaq. The fine lines and details that the screen is able to pick up is fantastic. Not being a Picasso, my artistic skills are limited to squigglily lines and marks, but nonetheless I was impressed by the overall responsiveness of the screen.Overall, I’d say this is the best Palm based PDA on the market. 16megs of ram, full color, memory stick slot, great suite of software, cool design, comes with a leather cover and just plain works. However, I won’t be trading my iPaq in any time soon for a Palm. We’ll see how my wife likes it…

Wow, I’m watching 24 on Fox, and all I can say is this is one of the best shows on television right now. Too bad its only #59 in the ratings of top 100 shows, Keifer Sutherland does a great job and the way its shot, hour by hour in real time makes it stand out from all other shows.Of course you have to really see it from the beginning, but this show is a great show. Amazing story arch and wonderful acting. If you can’t see it on Tuesday nights, check the replay on Fridays on Fox.

Well, I am… sort of. Actually my wife is. Now my kneejerk reaction was to upgrade my iPaq and give her mine. But at $500 for the new iPaq’s I decided that this probably wasn’t the best use of money.So I started looking around and found the Sony Clie’ PEG-T615C which looks pretty cool. Only problem is it isn’t available till the end of the month. So I guess its wait and let her look at it and see if its what she wants. Of course this on comes in at $400 but here’s the deal. We have a Sony Credit Card which earns us points towards Sony products. So I can buy down the cost of this thing to a very reasonable cost. I guess the only real question is, will I be able to find one when there are available? The only downside to the PEG-T615C is no “official support for Macintosh” which I wonder about. Frankly, alot of things aren’t official supported, but yet still work on a Macintosh. So I hope this will be able to work on her G4 using the Palm or Handspring Desktop interface. Otherwise, she’ll be using my PC for syncing and installing. Not a big deal really, but will test the Windows XP compatibilities :)Oh well… Guess its worth it, she loves my iPaq, plays games on it. But I know that’s not the real reason she wants one. I know she’ll use it for ToDo items, grocery lists, contacts, appointments and the finances. So it will get a lot of use, plus since its in color, we can resize a bunch of photos from our sony digital camera and store them on it so we don’t have to carry photos around, just show them on the great 320×320 65k color screen. Oh and it uses the same memory stick that the camera and video camera use, so that’s 3 devices plus all the computers that can read and write to memory sticks. Now if just my iPaq could use sony’s memory sticks I’d be in heaven.I know some of you are thinking, wait, you are such a PocketPC fan! Yeah, well, for me, my iPaq from Compaq has been a lifesaver, but for my wife, its overkill. And I know there won’t be any official or unofficial mac support for PocketPC’s anytime soon. So a Palm based PDA was my only choice. And even though the Clie doesn’t support mac’s I have a feeling that I’ll be able to sync it to a mac. Plus using my sony points helps offset the cost :)If you have any thoughts on what pda to get, drop me an email at patrick@stuarttech.com

Well, here it is the big day… WWF’s Annual Royal Rumble.Yes, your’s truely is a WWF fan and can’t wait to see tonight’s events.Everyone always asks me, why do you watch that garbage? Well to me, having the acting background and all, I see the WWF as very few outside the business do. It is theatre, theatre in its rawest forms. Theatre in the round, only its a squared circle with ropes.Give wresling a chance, watch it with the same eye as you watch a broadway show or your local civic theatre. You’ll find some of the hardest working, most physically fit, and more committed to their craft then anywhere else. These men and women are willing to go to extremes to but on a show.Tonight marks the return of HHH (Triple H or Hunter Hearst Helmsley)to the PPV (Pay Per View)which should make things very interesting. HHH’s story over the last 8 months is proof of the committment and desire these performers are willing to go through to get back into the ring. HHH torn his quadricep in the ring against Chris Jericho. He didn’t stop the match, didn’t lay down and wryth in agony. He continued the match, not knowing the extent of his injury. After the match he found his quadrecip had snapped up to his thigh! Well, after 8 months of 10 days of rehab and surgery, he’s back, looking just jacked and ready to rock. Amazing recovery from someone that doctors told would never get back into the ring. Just the proof of the dedication these guys have for their craft.Anyways, if you can, catch WWF Raw on Monday nights on TNN and WWF Smackdown on UPN.