Pete's Site of the Week

Site of the Week delayed by a week

2007-03-11T19:22:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Just a quick post to let you know that I am delaying my Site of the Week for a week, because I am enjoying a nice, relaxing weekend.

Back tomorrow!

Pete

Site of the Week: Idiot Toys

2007-03-05T19:08:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

A day late I know, and I should've posted this at the end of my last update, but the reason that I am a day late in updating this site is due to having attended a wedding yesterday for my manager Belinda, and our IT guy Mark, at Frenchy's restaurant in Como/South Perth, followed by a night's stay at the Broadwater Pagoda Hotel. A big thanks to both Belinda and Mark, and their parents, firstly for the invite, and then for great dinner and night.

Anyway, onto the reason why i've had 286 visitors (at the time of writing this) come to the site; it's time for Site of the Week!!

Site of the Week: Idiot Toys: Tech reviews for the bored
Site URL: http://www.idiottoys.com/

Visit this site if...: Since you're reading this, i'm going to assume that reading blogs is something that you enjoy, and since that's the case, this site will have you interested. That being said, if you're the type of person who enjoys reading about or purchasing new electronic devices (and I guess this is probably directed mainly at the male readers), then this site is for you!

Synopsis: I'll start this review firstly, by doing a bit of a background on myself and the electronic devices I have. Lets see, I have 2 iPods (iPod video, and iPod shuffle; one for use in my car, and one for use at the gym), a Nintendo Wii, a Nintendo Gamecube, a Microsoft Xbox, amplifier+sub for my car, etc etc etc. Anyway, you get the picture. I like gadgets and electronics, and I like them a lot. Which is why when I am looking at possibly purchasing something to add to the collection, I like to make sure that I am buying quality, or something that at the very least comes very well recommended.

This is where Idiot Toys comes in very handy. The guys that run the site have it setup in typical blog style, with the ability to read archived reviews from as far back as 2005, as well as being able to comment on the reviews.

The best feature of the site is that it is updated daily with the latest gadgetry, with reviews on items from mp3 players and mobile phones, to cameras and other devices. It's not item-specific, and on any given day, it could be anything, so it's really pot-luck as to what item they will highlight, but all-in-all, its a great site to have a read of.

That's it for this week, hope you enjoyed it.

Until next week, good bye!

Site of the Week: EaglesFlyingHigh

2007-02-24T21:18:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Well, I have finally defeated that evil nemisis called sinusitis, so now it is time to get back to doing stuff I normally do, which is work, watch a lot of sport, a bit of gym work and some web browsing too. Oh, and some Nintendo play wouldn't go astray either (that too, was put on hiatus, whilst I was battling the symptoms of sinusitus, such as not-quite-so-migrane-strength headaches, soreness behind my eyes, etc).

And since all is well with me, it's time to resume my Site of the Week column, and with the AFL (Australian Football League for those non-Australian readers out there) pre-season underway, it's time to include a website dedicated to greatest team in the competition, last year's premiers, the West Coast Eagles. I give you:

Site of the Week: EaglesFlyingHigh.com
Site URL: http://www.eaglesflyinghigh.com/

Visit this site if...: Lets see. I guess this site really isn't for people who don't follow Aussie Rules footy. For those still reading, this website gives you the latest news, rumours and other information on the West Coast Eagles, and a whole lot more.

Synopsis: For once, this isn't a website that I found by reading FHM magazine. To be honest, i'm not really sure how I came upon this site in the first place. I think it may have been in conversation at work once, when someone out of the blue asked me "if I read those AFL fan websites?" At the time, that was most certainly a NO, with the only website that got my attention being the official website of the AFL, afl.com.au.

However, curiousity got the better of me at the time, and I decided to investigate what all the fuss was about, and it's a decision I certainly don't regret. As usual, I head to the one-and-only Google, enter in the search parameters, and "BAM!", at the top of the list was EaglesFlyingHigh.

The front page contains all the latest feature articles on offer, as well as an up-to-date AFL ladder (highlighting where the mighty Eagles are positioned) and the latest injury list, complete with estimated time back on the field.

However, the feature which I love the site for, is the forums. The forums are structured into topical areas (general team discussion, travel, drafts and trades, etc), and allow for all fans of the club (as well as fans of other clubs who want to shit-stir or find out what our thoughts on things are) to openly discuss the latest news on the club, rumours that may have been circulating, and just anything Eagles-related that may be on their minds.

Again, this was a nice short-and-sweet review, leaving it up to you guys to explore the site yourself, after giving you a taste of what to expect.

Hopefully, the site's of the week will be back to it's weekly timeslot, as long as Mr. Body can stay illness-free from now on. On a side note, i've noticed myself getting ill after exercising (sinusitis after golfing; flu/colds after gym exercise). Coincidence, or my body telling me something about steering clear of physical exertion? You be the judge!

Until then, good bye!

Site of the Week on hiatus!

2007-01-31T20:59:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Just a quick update to say that i'll return to weekly updates once i've got rid of this stupid sinusitis once and for all, which will probably be a few more days at least.

In the meantime, if you have any good sites you'd like me to review/plug, let me know through the comments area below.

Until then!

Pete

Site of the Week: DIME

2007-01-21T17:02:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Well, it's been a while. From my last Site of the Week, i've turned 28 (i'll update that in my profile some day), played Supa Golf, visited numerous relatives during the Xmas/New Year period, been to Burswood Casino, worked a fair bit, and also contracted a bout of sinusitis (which I am still getting over; the morning headaches being the worst of it).

Anyway, it's that time again, so here we go!

Site of the Week: DIME
Site URL: http://www.dimeadozen.org/

Visit this site if...: I believe this is the first site of the week that touches on one of my great interests; music. But this site isn't a source for any kind of music. It's specialty is live concerts or live recordings of songs/sets. If music isn't your thing, you should probably stop reading now, and go back to browsing the web.

Synopsis: Up until a few years ago, live CD's and live recordings of songs were something that didn't interest me. Quite often what you heard on the radio or on the artists' main release CD was digitally altered to sound good, and when compared to their live performance, was much more preferable. Nowadays, whilst still not a huge fan of it, I am more tolerable of live performances, and in particular, acoustic sets such as the MTV Unplugged series, or more recently, the Foo Fighters' Skin and Bones album.

This is where DIME comes in. I first came upon this site's existence when reading FHM, and they had a special on musical websites. Like some other BitTorrent websites, this one requires you to create a username and password to be able to gain access to their database of torrents. Once you've done this, you'll realise this community have a very wide selection of music to get, ranging from acoustic to rap; dance to gospel and rock to ska. Basically, it has music genre categories to suit everyone.

I can't really vouch for the quality (bit rate, format, etc) of all files that are available for download through the torrents, as that is entirely dependant on the person who chooses to share the file, but if there are rare live recordings that you've been longing to listen to and get, this site is definitely a good start. And for legal reasons, the usual disclaimers are at the bottom of the main page to make sure everyone knows that the site itself doesn't host the music files; it merely allows people browse other people's shared files.

A nice, short and sweet review for the first review of 2007. I am now off to test 2 new acquisitions for my Nintendo Wii; Need for Speed Carbon and Super Monkey Ball: Banana Blitz.

Until next week, good bye!

Pete

Site of the Week....officially returns next week!

2007-01-14T21:58:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Due to a busy Xmas/New Year/Birthday, i've delayed updating until next week, when Site of the Week returns bigger and better than ever!!!*

Pete

*Site of the Week may not be bigger or better, so see a doctor if pain persists.

Site of the Week: PokerListings.com

2006-12-20T18:04:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

It's been a while hasn't it? Between now and my last post, i've enjoyed one of my best weekends away from Perth, staying at the aforementioned Broadwater Bungalows Resort. If you're looking for a great place to stay in Busselton, I strongly recommend going there. Nice, relaxing atmosphere; it's close to all of Busselton's sites and delights; and has a great pool and spa (I spent 3 hours there on the first day, coming out looking like a prune!).

I've also been playing my Nintendo Wii a fair bit. The early favourite was Wii Sports (and in particular, the ten-pin bowling game). It also proved to be a good multiplayer game when I had a couple of mates around this past weekend (Daz I hope your arm has recovered by now!). I'm currently playing The Legend of Zelda - Twilight Princess. Took a while to get adjusted to things, but now it's all good. Do yourself a favour, get one of these game systems (unless you live here in Perth, where nearly all stores are sold out of them), its heaps of fun, and great for cardio health too.

This will be my last site of the week for the year, as I will be a bit too busy over the Xmas/New Year break to be able to squeeze in another site of the week whilst visiting relatives, watching the cricket and just chilling out (by playing Zelda and Sports). But don't you worry, Site of the Week will return to normal as of the 7th of January (ish).

Site of the Week: PokerListings.com
Site URL: http://www.pokerlistings.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're curious as to how the world of online poker works, and want to know what the best sites to play on are, and which offer the best sign-up packages, then you'll want to at least visit this site to see what it's all about. For those that aren't new to the world of online poker/gambling, this site will still prove useful through other means.

Synopsis: A little history lesson: i've been playing online poker for about a year. Most of the time, I play on the fake money tables, just for the fun of it, and safe in the knowledge that i'm not gambling away my life savings. I've also played on the real money tables (for just a little over half a year), with my gameplay (and wallet) limiting me to tables where the betting is as low as $0.10 or $0.25 (per round of betting), to tables where the blinds are $1 and $2. I've had my fair share of wins (which I promptly cash out in the form of a cheque), and i've also had some really bad beats (my four of a kind Kings lost to some other player's four of a kind Aces just to name one situation). In any event, i'll only ever play with what I am confortable gambling with, and IF I lose, then i'll not go back and play for a few weeks at least, instead of throwing good money after bad.

Anyways, back to my review. You're probably aware that there are hundreds of poker sites on the internet nowadays, so how do you know which ones are the best to go play at (be it for quality of players, security for financial transactions, deposit bonuses or some other reason)? That's where my Site of the Week comes in real handy, in that PokerListings has done all the work for you. They offer site reviews (like I do!) on the latest and greatest poker websites, making it easier to find the site that best suits your playing needs.

This is not all the PokerListings has to offer though. On the front page, you'll find links to other helpful things like Poker Strategy (to help you play the game), Poker Forums (to discuss things with other players) and links to the World Series of Poker and its associated tournaments, to other things such as an odds calculator (the odds you'll hit a winning hand, which will help you make the decision that Kenny Rogers wants to help you with; knowing when to hold them, and knowing when to fold them).

Anyway, i'm sure you'll find this site helpful (if you're interested in trying online poker, be it with fake or real money), so give it a look-see!

Since I won't be posting anymore until early January, to all my readers, have a Merry Christmas, and a safe and prosperous New Year!

Pete

I'll get in early this week...

2006-12-07T21:55:00.000+09:00

Hi all,

Quick post to let you know that this week's Site of the Week is going to be delayed for a few days, as I am going to be in Busselton this weekend, staying at the 4.5 star Broadwater Bungalows Resort. I trust you'll be able to wait for my review until then.

On a related note, the drive to Busselton will be nice and smooth, thanks to the great service I got from Mark at Ian Diffen - The Tyre Factory in Kelmscott. He figured out the problem with my wheels (which Maddington Tyre and Auto Centre failed to diagnose), offered the solution (and at a great price), and within 90 mins (during which I went and got lunch and read the newspaper), I was on my way.

Yes, the above 2 links are cheap plugs. Both are clients at my workplace. But both are worthy to mention for the great services they provide.

Anyway, don't try to miss me too hard, as I spend the next few days in a spa or a swimming pool making the best of a great situation!

Pete

Site of the Week: The Talented Mr. Roto

2006-12-03T15:52:00.000+09:00

Hi everyone,

What a fortweek (©Video Gaming is Good 2006/07) it has been for me! I got my car back from the RAC on Thursday (look, don't ask! :P), i've cashed out a couple of cheques in the online poker, I got a haircut and we've now got a kitten, that I have named Lynchy (in honour of the West Coast Eagles' full forward, Quinten Lynch), who likes to chase string around, and attack feet (much to Mum's dislike).

Anyway, on to this week's Site of the Week, which is really Site of the Fortweek (see above copyright), whilst I continue the countdown to December 7th, and a new age of gaming (time to pick up the Nintendo Wii, just before I go to Busselton for the weekend!)

Site of the Week: The Talented Mr. Roto
Site URL: http://www.talentedmrroto.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're like myself, and don't mind dabbling into the realm of being a fantasy GM, then this site is for you. It's also a useful site which has the latest news and information on all of America's biggest sports, from NFL and NBA to Nascar and Ice Hockey.

Synopsis: Ever since I first got access to the internet (way back in 1996, on a 14.4 modem through an Internet Service Provider who has since gone the way of most ISP's in Western Australia, and been taken over by iiNet), i've always utilised the internet to gain information on one of my biggest interests; Sport. I love playing sport; I love watching sport; and I love all the things that make it great to play and watch. And the thing is, it can be anything that involves one person or team vs another person or team, ranging from physical sports such as basketball, football (both the English round-ball and the Australian oval-shaped ball versions), to other sports that are more mentally challenging, like poker, darts and chess. I just love my sport!!

Anyway, back on topic. One of the first websites I visited (after playboy.com :P) was nba.com, home of the National Basketball Association. Finally, my viewing of highlights, news and statistics was not limited to a maximum of 3 hours of programming on a Saturday afternoon. It was like being the proverbial "kid in a candy store" I tells you!

Anyway, is wasn't long before I noticed that the website had a free competition called NBA.com's Virtual GM. Basically, you're given a starting points total (lets say 100), with which to sign your starting 5 (point guard, shooting guard, small forward, power forward and centre) and a coach. This proved to be quite the balancing act, as spending big on star players (Michael Jordan being the most expensive at ~30 points), meant you were left with shit players in other positions. This was a nice and simple contest, and the ability to be able to create your own group/league meant it was possible to compete with friends, which is always good.

NBA.com has since evolved, and Virtual GM is a thing of the past, having been "replaced" with other contests such as the one I am currently involved in, called Ultimate Fantasy Commissioner, or UFC for short (not to be confused with Ultimate Fighting Championship! :P). However, player form and what makes a good team still remain the same. Knowing what makes a good team goes a long way to winning your fantasy league, or at least being competitive should injuries decimate your lineup. That is where The Talented Mr. Roto comes in real handy.

This site offers all you need to know about fantasy sport gaming, from news on players and teams, to advice on who you should and shouldn't keep in your team. This site has a team of experts ready and willing to provide you with all you need to know when it comes to managing your lineup, which ever sport you choose.

The site isn't only for fantasy GM's though. If you simply enjoy reading up on statistics, the latest news going around in the sporting world, the guys who write for this site are pretty spot on.

In conclusion, even though most of this review was a history lesson on when I began using the internet, and what I like about sport, the website is where it's all at.

Have fun and enjoy it.

Until next time, goodbye!!

Delay for a few days

2006-11-29T18:04:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Swear to god, the next site of the week will be twice as good as any in the past, since it will be 2 weeks since I offered up a new site of the week :)

Be patient, and i'll aim for the 1st of December to get a new Site of the Week on board.

Pete

Site of the Week: Vooks

2006-11-21T19:27:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Welcome back to the site, and i'll get straight to it this week!

Site of the Week: Vooks
Site URL: http://www.vooks.net/

Visit this site if...: As of this past Saturday, when I made the trek down to Toys 'R' Us to pre-order for myself a Nintendo Wii (with some games), i'll be the proud owner of a Nintendo Wii in time for Christmas. But me being me, I need to know exactly what the system is capable of; what games are being released; what popular titles will be available; what accessories I need to get with the system; and most importantly, which shops have the best deals and bargains. That being said, the site I review this week contains all of the above, and some.

Synopsis: As usual, this is a site I stumbled upon through the wonder that is Google. As far back as 2 months ago, when the release date for the Nintendo Wii was announced for Australia (December 7th, as opposed to now just about everywhere else in the world), I was keen to brush up on my knowledge of the system, games, etc, without bugging Darren of VGIG too much. Living in Australia, I also wanted information that was relevant to me, and not related to the Japanese/American releases, which would not be as informative for me as Australian material.

So armed with that knowledge, I head to Google, type in a few keywords, click the button to search Australian sites only, and Vooks is one of the first few listed, and because I normally visit the first few results of Google when it comes to search queries (they're usually the most pertinent ones anyway), I click on it straight away.

What I was greeted with on the opening page, in the middle, was a link to the Ultimate Aussie Wii Launch Guide. Suddenly, all of the questions and queries I had about the Nintendo Wii, and its Australian release, were going to be answered by simply clicking there. Under that link, I found links to everything from the Games lineup and Accessories guide, all the way through to the Best Pre-Order deals and other Frequently Asked Questions. Personally, its where I spent the majority of my time.

Don't stop reading yet, because Vooks offer a hell of a lot more to offer than simply a launch guide. They also offer what all other good gaming sites do, by way of game reviews, game previews, release dates, podcasts, galleries and downloads (plus much more, including the ever popular forums feature, where gaming fanatics can congregate and comment on everything from favourite games and systems, to other trivial topics that I won't bore you with), so for all you international guests out there, there are some features that aren't Australian-specific for you too!

As with previous reviews, i'll keep this one short and sweet, so I encourage to have a look when you have some spare time, particular if you're as fascinated as I am with this whole interactive-gaming experience that the Nintendo Wii looks set to offer.

Until next time, adios muchachos!

Site of the Week: 1980 games

2006-11-15T18:29:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Apologies for the delay in getting this week's Site of the Week to you, but the delay was caused by a number of reasons.

Oh who am I kidding? I got lazy!

Anyway, here it is folks!

Site of the Week: 1980 games
Site URL: http://www.1980-games.com/us/

Visit this site if...: If you're old enough to remember the 80's, and can remember the local deli or shopping centre or games parlour that had those awesome classics such as Double Dragon, 1942 and Kung Fu that you used to play (normally for 20 cents, or if your local wasn't as generous, 40 cents), then this site is for you. If you simply have a lot of spare time on your hands to play games all day (be it at home or at work [and if its work, please leave a comment as to where you work and how I can get a job there!]), then this site is for you.

Failing that, if you just wanna waste a bit of time playing games, step right up!

Synopsis: I stumbled across this website about a year ago, when I was searching the web for sites with flash games (decent ones, not shit ones that don't load properly, or are too short). I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised when I stumbled across this site, and with good reason.

As you can see, when you first visit the site, you are greeted with a number of clickable images, each linking to that particular game (which takes a little time to load, depending on your connection speed). Simple enough interface, which enables you to have fun quicker, which should be the aim of all free online gaming websites.

Then I noticed a little something something in the middle of that opening page. You can see it under the heading "Online Nintendo video games". Yep, that's right, this site has over 800 NES games available for you to play FOR FREE! So on top of old arcade favourites, such as the three I listed above, this site also has those old school NES classics such as Gauntlet, Arkanoid, Tetris, Battletoads, The Legend of Zelda and so many more! What an amazing collection, and it's all here, categorised just for you, and available to play at any time.

On a side note, I simply can't stress how happy I was to see the Nintendo stuff online. Back when I was young (around the time of the Gulf War; yes I am THAT old), I used to play my NES all day long, alternating between the few games I had (which at the time were Super Mario Bros, The Legend of Zelda, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and a few others). Finding this site means I can reminisce about the good ole days, as well as try the games I always wanted, but never had.

Anyway, I hope the delay was well worth it, and you find this week's as fun and as enjoyable as I did.

Until next time, ciao!

Delay for a day!

2006-11-12T19:42:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just running a little late on the site of the week for this week. Should be up and going in a day's time.

Pete

RSS/XML Feed

2006-11-06T18:46:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

You may or may not have noticed, but below the counter on the right-hand side of my page, I have added an RSS/XML feed of the page, meaning if you have a newsreading program, or have a page that can view RSS/XML feeds (such as Google), you can now see when I post new stuff quicker and easier!

Pete

Site of the Week: YourMovies.com.au

2006-11-05T16:02:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Before I get into this week's Site of the Week, a big happy birthday goes out to my good mate and best friend Glenn, who turned 27 this past Friday. It was a great bbq, a good night out, and it was a shame that Burswood couldn't deal us winning cards in blackjack.

And just a short rant on that. I can handle not winning a hand for 2-3 rounds. Maybe even 4-5 during a really bad streak. But 9 in a row?? Give me a break! I am so sticking to online gambling from now (only making the exception for birthdays and celebrations). Online gambling means:

1) I don't have to dress up, and can gamble in the comfort of my own home;
2) On the website I play poker on, I can play with as little as $2 and still have fun for ages;
3) When i'm not involved in hands, I can watch tv, listen to music (ie. do whatever else I want); and finally
4) The odds of winning are far greater, and gambling stops becoming fun when you lose! (at leaset when you start losing more than you win)

Anyway, enough about my gambling (I will include a couple of gambling-related sites for SOTW in the coming weeks), lets get onto this week's Site of the Week!

Site of the Week: YourMovies.com.au
Site URL: http://www.yourmovies.com.au/

Visit this site if...: Admittedly, this site if catered more for the Australian readers of this site, in that it provides session times for movies at all cinemas in Australia. However, it also contains reviews and previews for movies that are on, or are about to be released at cinemas, so there is a bit in this site for everyone.

Synopsis: I found this website while visiting some search engine called Google (you guys might want to try it, its quite good, possible Site of the Week worthy! :P), when I needed to find out about the cinema times for a cinema north of the river here in Perth (over here, Greater Union are the cinemas that are north of the river; whilst Hoyts is the cinema chain south of the river. However, they aren't the only 2 cinema chains, with other chains of Readings, Grand etc popping up all over the joint). Anyway, not being certain which cinema I needed to search for, I decided to head on over to Google and search for "movie session times" in Australia, and hey presto, this was the first site listed.

For Australian readers of this site, when your first visit YourMovies, I encourage you to click on your state on the map that appears on the home page, so that you can set up the session time search parameters to best suit you. To the best of my knowledge, the site retains your special settings as long as you have cookies enabled and don't delete your temp files all that often.

From here on, the site is an easy one to navigate. If you want to search for session times, go to the bottom of the home page. If you want to read the reviews on movies before deciding whether its worthwhile seeing a particular movie, do that. If you'd rather watch a trailer instead of reading the review, do that, as this site has trailers in the easy to watch WMV format. Need to know when a movie is being released? Simply check that section of the website out. It has release dates going all the way to 2008!!

That concludes another Site of the Week review for this week. Hope you all enjoyed it, and until next time, good bye (yes, an english farewell this week!)

Site of the Week: DrinksMixer.com

2006-10-31T20:32:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Apologies for the delay this week. As I mentioned in an earlier post, Western Power had a lot to do with the delay, being unable to sustain power to my suburb on Sunday. We also had a couple of extra power points added to our house today, so it wasn't until now that I am able to sit down and type up my review of my latest site of the week.

So lets get this show on the road!!

Site of the Week: DrinksMixer.com
Site URL: http://www.drinksmixer.com/

Visit this site if...: If you happen to be planning a cocktail party anytime soon, this is THE site for you. If you happen to be curious as to what makes up an Irish Car Bomb, a Red-Headed Slut or a Well Greased Dwarf, then this site is also for you. Of course, if you like a drink here and there, and feel up to trying a different mix, this site is certainly worth your while.

Synopsis: What drew me to labelling this particular site my Site of the Week was its simplicity. Upon visiting the website's home page, you'll see what I mean.

The front page has a simple search function, allowing you to search by recipe or by ingredients. Alternatively, if you happen to know the name of your cocktail of choice (such as the ones I named above, or as found in the popular Tequilla song by A.L.T. and the Lost Civilization), simply navigate to the top of the page, and click on the letter that corresponds to the cocktail's first letter, and follow the links.

Whilst I have been referring to cocktails for the most part of this review, this is not the only type of drink you will find on the site, for you will find the recipes for drink from shots and liqueurs to non-alcoholic drinks such as tea, coffee and fruit punch, making sure that the site caters to all tastes and pleasures.

However, this site simply isn't just a database for drinks of all tastes, colours and sizes, no siree bob! The site also has guides on how to mix drinks effectively, as well as what certain terminology on the site actually refers to (such as layering, straining, shaking and stirring; and the degree to which you do each), which I think is a handy feature for novices and those who are trying to make the perfect drink.

And finally, for all of you competitive types, there is a drinking games section, which is particularly good, especially if you're tired of bouncing coins into an empty glass as a means to reason why you should scull another drink :P

So until next time, 再见!

Site of the Week: ThinkGeek

2006-10-21T21:44:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Another week over, and another site of the week on the cards!

Site of the Week: ThinkGeek
Site URL: http://www.thinkgeek.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're having trouble getting a gift for that special nerd in your life, or if you've ever watched a Star Wars movie and though "Man, I wish I had a lightsaber!", but never really though much of it? Or if you're the type who simply likes to buy a lot of gadgets, such as a device that will cool your favourite drink by plugging the device into your computer (via USB port), then this site is for you!

Synopsis: I found this site while browsing the web a few weeks ago. How I stumbled upon it is not that important (browsed a links page, then browsed that link's links page, and bingo bango, sugar in the gas tank!). I guess the appeal of the site is greater for me, having been around computers a fair bit for the last 10 years of my life, and with most of my mates being Computer Science majors at Murdoch University, you sort of just fall into things like this.

When you first visit the site, you're greeted with a page showing the most popular items on the website (including the aforementioned lightsabers; and not just some shoddy cheap plastic version that Mattel or whatever company that the Star Wars franchise use to make merchandise, we're talking quality here!). It's always good to see websites that show what their most popular items/features are. To me, that means it meets the approval of other users, and is a good yardstick for me.

The site is easy enough to navigate around, with products split into different categories (shirts, toys, gadgets, etc). They have everything here you could think of, from a blank keyboard, to a Skype cordless phone, to a Nintendo Controller Alarm Clock (OK, get this, its an alarm clock, in the shape of the old NES controller, that plays sounds from Super Mario Bros when it goes off! Oh, you can also "unlock" other alarm sounds by playing the mini games on the alarm clock. How cool is that??)

For the security-conscious among us, ThinkGeek uses the latest 128-bit encryption for transactions, meaning those credit card details remain confidential. One of the features of the site that I particularly like, is the fact that you can purchase things on the site through Paypal, through which i've purchased things before, and found to be safe (not having purchased through ThinkGeek myself however, I cannot say, as i've only ever used Paypal with my eBay transactioning). For the readers of this site who do not live in the USA, yes, they do ship to you too, although you'll have to create an account and follow the check-out process to actually figure out how much it will cost to get items out to you.

Anyway, i'll leave it to you all to nerd it up a little and have a browse over this website (bear in mind, it is just over 2 months until Christmas, so this site could provide you with that awesome gift you've been looking for). It should be note that the site is not only for guys, and does cater for girls too (mainly in the clothing department; I mean who wouldn't want their girl to be wearing this Street Fighter-themed shirt or this amusing poem shirt?)

Oh, and if anyone out there likes giving random gifts to people, I have my eye on a couple of items, and you need only contact me through this site to get my postage details and my eternal gratitude! :)

Until next time, adeus!

Site of the Week: GameTab

2006-10-16T20:33:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

With my new motherboard up and running (a big thanks goes out to Sean for his help in locating what was wrong with my computer, then knowing how to fix it), its time for this week's SITE OF THE WEEK!

Site of the Week: GameTab
Site URL: http://www.gametab.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're a gamer, this site is for you. It has up-to-the-minute news, the latest reviews and previews, as well as forums and a pricetabber. Right now, you're probably asking, "Well, how is this site different to other gaming sites that I go to?". Well, I encourage you to read on!

Synopsis: I found this little gem whilst trying to find out some info for a few Nintendo DS games I was planning on getting.

The first thing you'll notice when you visit this site is its centralised news area, which is in essence, one giant RSS feed for all things gaming. This is probably the best part of the website, as you can remove news feeds that don't interest you, and add others that do. For example, if you don't like the reviews and news that the guys at Gamasutra News have to offer, then simply click the little "X" there to close off that news feed. Want to add your favourite gaming website's feed? Go right ahead!

This site also monitors which games are getting the most attention, and ranks them accordingly in its "Top rated" and "Lowest rated" section based on reviews by the top gaming sites out there, saving you time by not having to visit all those sites individually to get what ranking they felt the game deserved. Handy, given that different sites sometimes critique games differently to others.

The other feature of this site is the PriceTabber. Simply put, this feature of GameTab watches the price of games on four websites (Amazon, EB Games, GameStop and GoGamer), and lets you know if a title you've been wanting to get, but not had the funds to and get it, has dropped or increased in price withing the last 24 hours, 48 hours, or a week (depending on the criteria you selected). This feature is particularly good, since you're always looking for the best price when it comes to purchasing anything, and the little tagline below the game will tell you how much you save, or can save at other vendors.

I'll keep it short and sweet this week, and leave it to you guys to explore the site a lot more. Trust me, it will be worth it.

Until next time, 안녕 !

Delay for a day

2006-10-15T18:17:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Site of the week is delayed for 24 hours due to the motherboard on my pc going on the blink.

Thanks for your understanding,

Pete

Site of the Week: The radius of ugly

2006-10-09T18:15:00.000+08:00

Yep, you guessed it folks, its that time of the week again!

Site of the Week: The radius of ugly.
Site URL: http://apathyprevails.com/

Visit this site if...: Ever had those days where you look in the mirror and think to yourself, "Damn, you are one sexy mutha f**ker!", only to be shot down in flames by the opposite sex, who have a far more subjective view of the situation? Are you the "ugly duckling" in a group of "beautiful swans"? Ever wanted to know how your taunts of "you ugly bastard!" affect the person in question? Well then this site is for you my friends, and trust me, you will not be disappointed!

Synopsis: A little caveat before I go into the details. Again, I happen to know the proprietor of this website, and I will attempt to be as unbiased as possible.

The website is run by a guy named Lee, who isn't the world's most unattractive man, but isn't exactly blessed with model looks either, who's motivation for starting and running this website is a tear-jerker if there ever was one! The guy's first attempt at asking a girl out was met with a swift, yet accurate, knee to the balls. I mean really, who does that?? For the guys reading this, i'll give you a minute to compose yourself (I once copped a cricket ball in the nether region when I was young, so I totally understand and feel for him). There are a couple of other reasons why he started this experiment/analysis, but i'll leave that to you guys to read up about.

Through these encounters, Lee has stumbled upon the theory that he dubs "The radius of ugly", which he simply says is an area around him that's "invisible to the naked eye whereby women will not exist under normal circumstances."

Armed with this substantial evidence, and being a university student with clearly too much spare time on his hands, he has setup this website as a way of documenting his day-to-day encounters (well, those days in which he actually has radius theory-related contact and evidence, which is normally 3 times a week), which has been running for 5 months now.

One of the best features of the site (in my mind), is when Lee does video replies to emails. Questions such as "What type of car do you drive?" to "What type of music do you listen to?" to personalised replies to emails questioning his sexuality and quirks. It gives the reader a better insight into the guy behind the website, and the ability to ask questions that might help you better understand why the women react to him in such fashion.

For male readers of this site, some of you will sympathise with Lee, and may have even gone through something similar. For the other male readers, like myself, it will provide an amusing read, and will make you appreciate the fact that this kind of behaviour does not happen to you (in one story, he gets called a rapist for crying out loud!).

For the female readers, this website could be an eye-opener as far as how a guy can react to some of the abuse you can dish out (Lee seems to me like a decent guy, and I know the girls who I work with are appalled at the way other girls seem to treat and react to him). For the same reason as for guys, the ladies can also find the website an amusing read too.

Well, thats it for me for another week. My brand spanking new iPod is due to arrive within the week (thank you to online poker for financing this purchase!), and I can't wait. Special hello goes out to Aaron and Chau, both of whom in the last month have made the journey from Western Australia to the British Isle. Keep in touch!

Until then, さようなら!

Almost Done!

2006-10-09T06:40:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just a quick post to let you know that my site of the week will be updated in about 14 hours from this post, due to a successful weekend of online poker! :)

Pete

Site of the Week: AskMen.com

2006-10-01T19:47:00.000+08:00

Greetings and salutations!

Site of the Week: AskMen.com
Site URL: http://askmen.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're a guy, you must visit this site at least once. It contains everything that guys need to know about fashion and lifestyle, to health and sports, and also covers finance and dating tips.

Synopsis: Where to begin? I first found out about this site about a year ago whilst reading through FHM magazine, who at the time were doing a feature on their own 50 must-see websites (or something like that, as there were a number of sites that you could do without seeing). From memory, their description of AskMen was something along the lines of "as guys, we often don't ask for help (be it for directions to places, or fashion and grooming advise), so this site is perfect, as it offers up the answers for the questions you don't want to ask."

At the time of reading the article, I was just beginning to get back into exercising and trying to gain a good level of fitness (I am still fighting this seemingly lost battle against myself), and thought i'd give the site a browse to see if it offered any tips on how best to lose weight, or how to workout more efficiently. Imagine my surprise when I went to the website, and not only found tips on how to exercise properly (cardio for weight loss, machines for certain body areas; obvious to most people, less obvious to me though), but also dietary tips for keeping the weight off.

The above paragraph is just an example of how I found the site to be useful. As noted above, the site also offers up dating tips (everything from approaching ladies to body language and pick-up lines, as well as articles picking the brains of females to offer an insight into how they see things) for those unlucky-in-love guys out there, who just need a little bit of help. For those who have no trouble attracting the ladies, the site also offers tips for the bedroom (everything from one night stands to sex positions and much more).

As the site is so massive, I am only going to gloss over the other features, and if they're things that might interest you, go check them out. Those other features of the site include fashion and lifestyle, power and money, and gaming. As is typical of most magazine-style sites like this, it also features galleries of females for guys like me to check out!

Well, thats another week over. I'm still on a high from yesterday's win by the Eagles (it was only 12 months ago that I was on a massive low after the Eagles had lost the AFL Grand Final against the same team they played this year), and I hope this is a sign of things to come for the guys. As always, feel free to leave any comments on the site review I gave, or any suggestions for future site's of the week.

Until then, au revoir!

Delay for a Day or two

2006-09-30T16:59:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just delaying this week's site of the week by a day or two, as I have a massive schedule this weekend, and i've just watched my AFL team, the West Coast Eagles, have just won the 2006 AFL Premiership.

Just to give you a sniff of what to expect, this week's site of the week will be handy for all guys out there.

Stay Tuned!

Pete

Site of the Week: Video Gaming is Good

2006-09-20T19:59:00.000+08:00

Is it that time of the week already?

Site of the Week: Video Gaming is Good
Site URL: http://videogamingisgood.podomatic.com/

Visit this site if...: If you're a gamer, and are tired of the negative press it receives, then this site is for you (especially if you don't always have the time to sit down to read about the latest gaming news, as the lads offer up their free podcast for all to enjoy!!)

Synopsis: OK, before I get into the details of the site, I have something to admit. I happen to be good mates with the guys who run this website and its podcast, so I can going to try and review it without prejudice. For all intents and purposes, and at the end of the day, i'm only offering up reviews of websites. It's up to you, as the reader, to decide whether to go to the sites I review. Now onto the review!

Firstly, the site was created by 2 guys; Darren (aka Ammo) and Lee (aka Sclozza), was born from the idea that video gaming has been receiving a lot of bad press, with society using video gaming as a scapegoat for some of the problems that are around (For example, anytime there's an incidence of juvenile violence, the fact that those involved may or may not have played video games is used as reasoning behind it, ignoring other factors such as parenting, peer pressure, etc). The guys, being seasoned gamers themselves (if there's a Street Fighter game that Ammo isn't invincible at, it hasn't been made yet), set about changing the image of video games, and focus on the positive side of gaming.

Upon visiting the page, you are greeted with their new logo (nice work Aaron!), and their catch phrase "We're not pro's". This is definitely the case as far as how long they've been doing podcasts, with episode 6 due out shortly. However, the guys are extremely knowledgable about video gaming and its related topics, with a combined total of 30-40 years worth of gaming between them (I don't think that would be over-estimating it either!).

The method by which they go about this is through a podcast, in which the guys go through some gaming-related news of the past fortweek (a term patented by Ammo meaning "a fortnight"), then indulge in a lively discussion over their chosen topic for the episode, then they conclude each episode with a recap of games that they're currently playing, as well as offer up their own "site of the week", which other gamers would find useful.

The beauty of this site is the podcast, and there are a couple of good reasons why. Firstly, you may not always have the time to sit in front of your computer to read about the latest gaming news (For me, this is especially true, as I have a full time job, and in my off time, I often find myself warming a couch watching sport), so being able to load up the episode onto my iPod Shuffle, and to have the freedom of listening to the episode anywhere, and at anytime, is certainly a benefit in my books. Secondly, its free, so all you need is a few minutes to download it and transfer it to your mp3 player, and you're all set.

Of course, you do not need to have a portable mp3 player to be able to listen to the podcast. You may just want to download it, then use a program like Windows Media Player to listen to the episode whilst browsing the web or doing something else on your computer. Infact, you don't need to download the episode if you don't want, as all topics covered are summarised in the post (however, you'd be missing out on some great stuff if you didn't give the podcast a listen).

On a final note, if you guys happen to read this review, I do expect a plug on your site! :)

Well, thats it from me for this week. Thanks for visiting, and don't forget to come back next week where i'll have another Site of the Week waiting for you!

Until then, goed tot ziens!

A teaser for this week's SOTW!

2006-09-20T19:41:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Over halfway through the working week, and it's time for me to start writing up my review of this week's site of the week.

This week's site of the week will deal with another one of my favourite time wasters: Video Gaming. Since early on in my "gaming career", having owned consoles such as the Atari 2600 and the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), through to present day (I currently own an Xbox, Nintendo Gamecube, Nintendo DS, Gameboy Advance SP and PC), gaming has always played a big part in my life.

Now, as long as there have been video games, there has always been that "media beat-up" about gaming and how it is detrimental (ie. It promotes violence; Is contributing to the obescity issue society faces; etc etc).

THUS, my site of the week this week will be about changing that image of gaming, and instead, shine a spotlight on the finer points on gaming and those who play games.

Don't believe me?? Watch this space, and you tell me!

Pete

Site of the Week: Guide to Springfield USA

2006-09-16T08:50:00.000+08:00

Welcome to my first site of the week. As I eluded to, this first site of the week is Simpsons-related, and I hope you enjoy!

Site of the week: Guide to Springfield USA
Site URL: http://mapofspringfield.com/

Visit this website if...: As noted above, this website is Simpsons-related, so if you happen to be a fan of TV's favourite animated family, then this website is a must see!

Also, if you've ever been curious as to where certain places in Springfield are in relation to others (for example, if you've ever wondered where Greasy Joe's Bottomless BBQ Pit is, or where the Escalator to Nowhere is in relation to the Simpsons residence), then this is the closest you'll ever get to knowing.

Synopsis: As the URL suggests, this website contains probably the most comprehensive map of Springfield ever made.

The two cartographers, Jerry Lerma and Terry Hogan, spent around 3 years of episode watching and trawling the web to ensure that the accuracy of the map was as close as it would get. Infact, this is part of their introduction on the home page of the site:

"Although we'd like our map to be as accurate as a map to any imaginary place can be, our main intent is to preserve the comic spirit of Springfield, document its unique identity, and to have some fun at the same time"
Their work paid off handsomely, as their map of Springfield has been added to the Harvard Map Collection, which is one of the oldest map collections in the world.

When you click on the link to access the map, you're given two options:

View the map in sections; or
Download/view the entire map as a massive image.

Either way is fine. I personally prefer the second option, as it allows you to view the entire map at once, so you can scroll from side to side, up and down, without the need for clicking the links to see other sections of the map.

Now, in addition to their fine mapping skills, this website also contains a comprehensive list of places in Springfield and in some of the featured other towns (Shelbyville, Capitol City, etc) that also appear in the Simpsons episodes on a regular basis.

Feel free to leave any comments on this site of the week, or suggestions for next week's site of the week.

Until then, adios!

My first site review......in 3 days time!

2006-09-14T21:53:00.000+08:00

Hi all,

Just a quick post to let you know that my first site review will be up within the next 3 days. As a bit of a teaser, it will be about one of my favourite things in life: The Simpsons.

Until then!

Pete

First Post

2006-09-08T20:29:00.000+08:00

Hi everyone,

This is my first go at blogging, so be gentle!

The whole purpose behind this blog is to draw attention to lesser known websites on the internet that I find interesting, and that people who share similar interests to me might also find useful and/or fun to visit.

The first step was registering the site name and blog address, so that now is mission accomplished. In the coming days/weeks, i'll add a bit more to the site, such as a profile about myself, and perhaps some images or tinkering of the design to try and make the page more unique.

In the meantime, feel free to leave comments. If you have a website that you feel is worthy of being Pete's site of the week, by all means leave me a comment including the URL, and your name (or screen name, whichever you wish to go by I guess). At this stage, i'm not really looking at mainstream websites (for example, one of my interests is NBA basketball, so i'd instantly rule out nba.com being Site of the Week, since everyone already knows about it and what it has to offer.)

Don't expect an update anytime soon. All things being equal, I hope to add the next update within a week's time.

EDIT: My profile is up and running.