• Wii-Day + 1

    I mentioned yesterday that we got a Wii last night; part of an early “Father’s Day” celebration.

    Today I can offer my unpaid endorsement of the Wii.

    Much of what I’ve read about the Wii suggests that it was designed for a wider demographic than other video game consoles, such as the Xbox and Playstation. After this afternoon I can tell you that if my family is any indication, Nintendo has an unqualified success on it’s hands. The Wii captured the 3 – 65 age group, with nearly equal numbers of males and females. My three year old son, nine year old daughter, thirty-something wife, and retired in-laws all spend significant time on the Wii today.

    I know this could be a passing fad. Most of the folks I mentioned may have enjoyed the novelty… which could wear off in short order. However, consider this: when we brought home our Xbox a few years ago that group of first day, novelty enthusiasts was limited to me and my daughter.

    What’s the secret? It sure isn’t the graphics. They might be as good as my first generation Xbox. Just like you’ll read in every other review of the Wii: the catch is the game play. It’s intuitive in a way that no other gaming console is. To play baseball you don’t press a button or toggle a thumb stick; you swing the controller like a bat. To pitch you wind up and throw (without letting go of the controller). When you bowl you can twist the controller on your tosses to give the ball spin… just like when you’re really bowling.

    You may be saying to yourself, “oh that’s just what we need, another baseball video game,” or, “oooo, a bowling game.” If I were playing either of those games on another console I’d say the same thing.

    The Wii is a completely different animal; a cute, cuddly animal that everyone seems to love.

  • She’s killing me with kindness

    If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know all about cancerboy… so I won’t rehash my physical condition to date.

    But keeping it in mind, how do you suppose my body would respond to a sudden spike in physical activity? That’s where my wife comes in. She thought it would be a great idea to get me a Wii for father’s day. She gave it to me tonight so we’d all have the weekend to give it a workout.

    Mind you, this afternoon I worked up the energy to do some laundry for the first time. Now, it’s Wii-Day, H-Hour + 4, and I’ve worked up a sweat, I feel like I could puke, and I have tennis elbow.

    And tomorrow I’ll do it to myself all over again. It’s that much fun.

    I wonder if there’s a warning label in the manual somewhere, advising consumers that they should consult with their physician before starting a Wii regimen of activity.

  • PowerBook or MacBook Pro?

    There is no question which one I’d choose given the choice… I’ll take a MacBook Pro please. Still, there’s something about my PowerBook. Look no further than the name… now that’s gravitas baby!

    I suppose with a name like PowerBook, there was nowhere to go but down.

    You know what this was really about? I was just reading about my cousin’s infatuation with his MacBook Pro… and this is a thinly veiled attempt to reconcile the fact that he has one and I don’t.

    Normally I’m a needs over wants kind of guy… or I like to think so anyway. Sadly, I must admit my computer is the exception.