It's been a while gang...my sincerest apologies. So without further delay, let's talk tech.
The holiday shopping is underway and there are SOOOOO many goodies to be purchased for your naughty and nice recipients. I recently was given/bought two items that I personally think, will be great for any person looking a little tech in their holidays.
My birthday was in October and my brother got me Nintendo 3DS. For those of you who know me, I worked at GameStop back in the day, so I was familiar with all gaming systems at the time. DS was big and it was in my time at GameStop when DSi came out, followed by the XL line. I also caught the coattails of the 3DS launch. I must admit, when I first played that Street Fighter demo, I got sick by the 3D effect. I never considered getting one. I had my DS Lite and liked it....for the time being.
I like to upgrade or have the newest thing. It's just who I am. The 3DS though, wasn't that for me. At it's launch it was super pricey, lacked good amount of games, and had it's screen concerns for parents.
When I opened my gift to see the 3DS, I was shocked. This was around the time Pokemon X and Y was released too. We started talking about our past with Pokemon and Gameboy in general. We both had nostalgia moments about it. He put a lot of thought into picking this out, and I must admit...it was a great choice. Pokemon X is still my only physical game I own, but I've played some demos of other stuff that I downloaded through the EShop.
Every time I hold it, I think back to the days of my first indigo Gameboy Color I had. Nintendo did such a great job with the Gameboy and converting to the DS. I believe the handheld gaming market is still Nintendo's forte. The downsides? I would like the next version to have dual thumbsticks. I know that doesn't pertain to the 3DS, but seriously Nintendo...it makes sense. Just do it already. Especially when you release peripherals with attached thumbsticks and then you abandon it with a new handheld. Not cool.
I can't wait to add to my game library as well as utilize it more. The 3D thing still doesn't set well with my stomach, but it's a powerful handheld. I also love the clam shell design that Nintendo debuted on the Gameboy Advance SP YEARS ago.
Now onto a different handheld...my new tablet.
Again, for those of you who know me (and if you read past blog posts) I absolutely love and adore Apple. I bought a 64gb, wifi, iPad 2 shortly after they were release. I didn't use it a lot when I first got it, but with the addition of a keyboard case, I used it more than my MacBook Pro or desktop at home.
What impressed me the most was the longevity of it. iPad 3, 4, new, and whatever other versions they had, the 2 stood right against them. Sure, it technologically was inferior, it held up with most of my demands and wishes though.
All seemed well until Apple released iOS 7...oh dear lord. I have a previous post about my disgust with iOS 7, so read that. iOS 7 ruined my iPad 2. Apps wouldn't load, constant freezing, even complete shutdowns were a regular ordeal. I decided enough was enough.
I played and dabbled with the smaller tablets available and fell in love with the Nexus line. I grown fond of the Android platform and enjoyed the offerings it provided. I also thought a smaller tablet would be the best option. More portable, lighter, easier to handle, etc. I caved last month and bought the Nexus 7.
I own a 32gb, wifi model and I'm very pleased. I just recently got the 4.4 KitKat update which is great. I also love that my phone and tablet now have the same apps, and share off each other in a way. My only gripes so far, I wish it had expandable memory. I mean seriously, I use the cloud and Google Drive yes, but I like everything on my device. That's why I still have an iPod Classic. I want all my music, videos, and pictures, with me. Also, I would've like to get a 4G model if Verizon wasn't being jerks about their demands for the tablet. Long ordeal, don't want to rant about it.
Wrap-up
The 3DS' game library is massive and it plays DS games as well. The DS library alone is beyond huge. There's also lots of holiday bundles with games included. I'd even check out the 3DS XL. Resolution isn't as sharp, but if you have bad eyes or just want a bigger screen, it's a solid choice as well.
The Nexus 7 is by far the best tablet VALUE. I didn't say the best tablet, I said the best VALUE. For $229, you get a 16gb, wifi enabled, smaller tablet. The recent iPad mini with retina display is $400....um, save the cash. Unless your in another ecosystem. You need to be in the Google ecosystem to really appreciate it. It you want just light reading, casual gaming, and social media though, the Nexus is the way to go.
Those are my newest additions to my tech arsenal and I think they're solid choices for anyone. I'm curious, what's on your tech list this holiday season? Have any recommendations? Leave me a comment and let's chat about it. Thanks everyone. Happy Holidays if I don't post another one before then!
Luke
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