Recap (Twice delayed for some reason)
Thanks to a busy week, my copy of Portal 2 sat unopened for a full day after reaching my doorstep on Tuesday evening. Wednesday, I had just enough time to play a couple of levels on my PS3 before PSN lost a connection and the system's Steam client acted up. That version came with a code to get the game on PC/Mac Steam, so I started the download, however it didn't complete until just before I had to leave again. So Thursday, I went right to my computer and started playing once I got home. I took a break for food and to unbox a newly arrived game, but other than that I just played Portal 2. It took a bit longer than I expected, but I finished the game around 11. The cooperative still campaign remains untested, though the trailer looks interesting enough. Won't say too much about the game as I'd probably spoil something by accident, but it did feel easier than Portal. Still, if you liked the first game, get the sequel, preferrably on the PS3 to get the PC version and cross-platform play.
The weekend was mostly uneventful. I got to play around with an Acer Iconia A500 (launched yesterday/today officially), the first time using a Honeycomb tablet with the recent update to 3.0.1 and the difference was notable. The design hasn't changed at all, however the performance in key areas has been improved. The homescreens are quick and responsive now and Flash finally works. The A500 itself isn't too bad, but I wouldn't recommend it even if it is currently the cheapest Honeycomb tablet in the market. For $150 more, you can get the Xoom which is a bit sleeker, has a pointless (once microSD is enabled) yet present 16GB of additional onboard storage, and serves as the reference hardware which means it will almost certainly be the first device to receive software updates from Google. If the low price was more of a draw, the Transformer from Asus gets better battery life, has an IPS display that competes with the iPad's, is thinner and lighter if wider, has the option of a keyboard dock (with additional ports and built-in battery), and costs $50 less than the Iconia. Exclamation point for added effect. The Transformer and Xoom are the two front runners as far as I can tell, forcing a choice between low price, versatility, and an excellent display or a reference product with better support schedule and more storage out of the box. One other item of note is the camera on the Asus tablet appears to be faulty with numerous reviews commenting on lower quality stills than expected and atrocious framerates for video recording; should be fixable with a software update, though.
Other weekend notes include one of the most disappointing runs to Yogi's in some time along with finally getting a chance to sit down and watch Toy Story 3. It being Easter combined with the lack of a lady friend in the vicinity made for a boring stop at the watering hole. There wasn't even anything good in the world of sports at the time. The usual staff wasn't working, either. At least the movie was good. Heck, it was fantastic. I never felt that Toy Story needed a sequel let alone two. But Pixar found a way. I'll need to watch the original to confirm, but I dare say the third entry may be the best of the bunch.
Update 4-26-11: Once again, the Post button fails and this entry remained in limbo throughout yesterday. There has been some development concerning the Asus Transformer, though. Yesterday evening, the announced retail partners had still not put up product pages and local stores from that same list had no information on such a product. But as yesterday became today, it went live. At least for the couple of minutes before it sold out everywhere, continuing the trend of the UK and Taiwan launches. There were no preorders, national television spots, or much press in general, but it keeps selling out in every market as it gets released. Especially with the Xoom floundering at retail, this is coming as quite a surprise.
Update 4-27-11: Still didn't post yesterday? What the f***, LJ?!
The weekend was mostly uneventful. I got to play around with an Acer Iconia A500 (launched yesterday/today officially), the first time using a Honeycomb tablet with the recent update to 3.0.1 and the difference was notable. The design hasn't changed at all, however the performance in key areas has been improved. The homescreens are quick and responsive now and Flash finally works. The A500 itself isn't too bad, but I wouldn't recommend it even if it is currently the cheapest Honeycomb tablet in the market. For $150 more, you can get the Xoom which is a bit sleeker, has a pointless (once microSD is enabled) yet present 16GB of additional onboard storage, and serves as the reference hardware which means it will almost certainly be the first device to receive software updates from Google. If the low price was more of a draw, the Transformer from Asus gets better battery life, has an IPS display that competes with the iPad's, is thinner and lighter if wider, has the option of a keyboard dock (with additional ports and built-in battery), and costs $50 less than the Iconia. Exclamation point for added effect. The Transformer and Xoom are the two front runners as far as I can tell, forcing a choice between low price, versatility, and an excellent display or a reference product with better support schedule and more storage out of the box. One other item of note is the camera on the Asus tablet appears to be faulty with numerous reviews commenting on lower quality stills than expected and atrocious framerates for video recording; should be fixable with a software update, though.
Other weekend notes include one of the most disappointing runs to Yogi's in some time along with finally getting a chance to sit down and watch Toy Story 3. It being Easter combined with the lack of a lady friend in the vicinity made for a boring stop at the watering hole. There wasn't even anything good in the world of sports at the time. The usual staff wasn't working, either. At least the movie was good. Heck, it was fantastic. I never felt that Toy Story needed a sequel let alone two. But Pixar found a way. I'll need to watch the original to confirm, but I dare say the third entry may be the best of the bunch.
Update 4-26-11: Once again, the Post button fails and this entry remained in limbo throughout yesterday. There has been some development concerning the Asus Transformer, though. Yesterday evening, the announced retail partners had still not put up product pages and local stores from that same list had no information on such a product. But as yesterday became today, it went live. At least for the couple of minutes before it sold out everywhere, continuing the trend of the UK and Taiwan launches. There were no preorders, national television spots, or much press in general, but it keeps selling out in every market as it gets released. Especially with the Xoom floundering at retail, this is coming as quite a surprise.
Update 4-27-11: Still didn't post yesterday? What the f***, LJ?!