Facebook App for iPhone (Tech Review)

Overview:

Here is an application for the iPhone that’s way past its review due date. But hey, it’s never too late to review something from the pool of everything.

The Facebook application has been pretty prosperous when it comes to amount of downloads in the App Store and its interface is pretty interactive when it comes to a mobile media network. Of course, the application still has its restrictions, but I can tell you that it is a lot quicker and far more simple than the mobile browser version, and has all the same features. Plus I have almost been in a couple of car accidents because of the silly app. And yes, that is the application’s fault, not mine.

Review:

The application itself can be broken down into five tabs which are arranged at the bottom of the screen.

iphone-facebook-appHome Tab: Pretty self explanatory, but for what it is, this could probably be the most complicated tab. This tab itself can be broken into three tabs. The News Feed, Notifications, and Requests and each are self explanatory in their own right. On the News Feed tab there is a pretty nifty slide menu that can narrow what’s displayed on the feed. One annoying thing that doesn’t cause too many problems is in the notifications tab. It gives you updates on just about everything Facebook has to offer but when you touch an update from a friend, it will only take you to their Facebook and not what the update was about. Up in the top left corner there’s an icon where you can write your status and up in the top right corner is an icon to add pictures, take a new one, etc. That about caps it off for the home tab.

Profile Tab: The profile tab is also broken up into three tabs — Wall, Info, and Photos. I discovered a cool feature when using the Wall tab that I didn’t know about until just the other day. If you slide your finger across a post or an update it will give you the option to delete it from the wall. A lot more simple than having to go on the real website through the browser and deleting a comment you don’t want anyone to see and almost getting in an accident on your way home from work. It also has your picture and your status displayed just like your normal Facebook.

Friends Tab: The friends tab is simple with a list of your friends and their profile pictures next to them. It has a search bar on the top and an alphabetical search on the side for locating them quickly. You can then look at their profile, comment on their wall and pictures. All that good stuff.

Chat Tab: This tab is extremely useful because you can use it to talk to any of your friends. It shows online friends, friends that are idle, and friends that you’re in a conversation with. The chat is pretty standard, kind of like an aim box. It doesn’t always work, though, which is rather annoying.

Inbox Tab: And finally the inbox tab. It’s just your messages, which I hardly use. It has tabs for the Inbox, Sent and the Updates. Works just like the email, pretty standard.

Final Words: As for a mobile application, the Facebook Application works very well in supplement to the original Facebook. It only has a few kinks that show that it’s a mobile app, and that’s pretty impressive. The only big issue that I have is that I miss my good old computer screen and mouse interface sometimes.

Pros:

  • Very versatile application
  • Has everything you need to get you by without the browser version of Facebook
  • Loading is pretty polished as well as the app itself

Cons:

  • Sometimes you just miss the good ol’ computer
  • Chat Tab doesn’t always work
  • You can tell that your on a mobile app, and that’s no fun

Score: 9.0/10 (Amazing)

Display: 9/10 (Very pleasing to the eye and simple)
Interface: 9/10 (Not hard to use and no big issues)
Practicality: 9/10 (I haven’t gotten into an accident yet!)

Review: New Moon (By Stephenie Meyers)

new moonOverview:

I continue to not help myself with the gay rumor that goes around with me by following through with the Twilight series and reading New Moon. Why do I do this? Well I was actually a little impressed with how Twilight kept my attention so I honored it by reading the sequel which in retrospect is actually an extremely boring book. But you only feel this way when you are done with the whole series. New Moon keeps you interested enough to want to finish it.

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So I have decided to come out of the Closet…

This review is very misleading and I know that. If you could find it in your hearts to forgive me that would be most appreciated. I have decided to tell the world a secret that’s been gnawing at my neck for almost 300 years.

I would like everyone to know that I am a vampire and I drink blood for sustinance. The vampire community would probably have me removed for revealing you the truth about the existence of our species. There are many truths, myths, and misunderstandings about us and if you have any questions you can get a hold of me at Immortality4ever@yahoo.com. Please do not fear me because I have been currently trying to control myself with animal blood and it’s working with some success. I’m sorry that this secret has been kept from you for so long. Depending on how my editor feels I will continue to write for Everyview. Thank you for your time.

Love,
Patricker O’brien

The dreams in which im dying are the best I’ve ever had…

While i was browsing music because of the ever so relentless boredom that plagues me all too much these days. I searched mad world because it’s a good song and this Kiwi popped up and changed my views on some certain obstacles. This neat little video actually gave me a lot of inspiration. I’m sure you will eventually understand that no matter what physical barrier lies in the way of your goals, you can fly over it.

Review: Twilight (by Stephanie Meyer)

twilight book coverOverview:

Alright, we had a complaint a while ago about not having a lot of literature. Well I took one for the team (call me gay, but you wouldn’t be the first) and read Twilight. I didn’t have a problem reading it, though. It was actually a pretty good book and a twist on what people used to call horror (Vampires). Now that the movie is out everyone is pretty aware about what this book has to do with although there are minor differences as with any book to movie.

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Review: Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (Xbox 360)

Star Wars the Force Unleashed

Overview:

System: Xbox 360 (also on: Wii, PS2, PS3)
Developer: Lucas Arts
Publisher: Lucas Arts
Genre: Action

I am not a huge Star Wars fan and I have never been a large supporter of the games that Lucas Arts has been pumping out, save the Lego Star Wars, but many fans welcomed this game with open arms, so I gave it a shot. I mean how could you not get excited about a Star Wars game that supposedly allows strong use of ‘the force’, right?

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Retro-Review: Final Fantasy VII (PS1)

Overview:

I didn’t have to look far to know what I wanted to do my first retro-review over. Final Fantasy VII has been in most people’s hearts since it came out, at least those who have played it. This game single-handedly changed the turn based role playing game genre. This game also took the beloved Final Fantasy series from Nintendo and shifted it over to Sony (Kind of relevant now because Final Fantasy XIII is going to be on the 360). But of course you all knew that already though.

Final Fantasy VII

Story:

Final Fantasy has a very elaborate story, that twists and turns with every step. But don’t all Final Fantasy games. Yeah, well this one’s the best. Starting of with Cloud Strife in the hands of AVALANCHE, a raid group that is blowing up Mako (energy harvested from earth’s life stream) reactors because they are bonafide rebels. Well, the story escalates from there when they attempt to blow one up and Cloud gets separated from his friends and meets Aeris and she hires Cloud to be her body guard when the Turks arrive and try to capture her. Well Cloud and Aeris make there way from location to location and eventually go through the sewers and meet back up with the AVALANCHE members who are in a fire fight and some pass away. Well Aeris gets captured. Cloud and the remaining members go to the Shinra headquarters to free her and escape Midgar as well as releasing a test subject Red XIII. During their raid of the headquarters multiple people are found dead as well as the president and Cloud suspects Sephiroth is the culprit. Well after Midgar the group looks for Sephiroth across the world. They also fight a lot of cool stuff along the way.

Gameplay:

If any game redefined character management in a RPG it’s Final Fantasy VII. The materia system works like a charm with its brilliant design. With the use of orbs as you can attach magic, abilities, and summons to your characters in different arrangements based on slots provided by your weapons and armor. The fighting is pristine and flawless. Random battles although annoying have a variety of creatures, based on location of course. There are many secrets that hide in the corners of the world and are left at your disposal to discover them. Such as how to kill the giant weapons that can be found in the world after you beat the game or creating a gold chocobo. Each character has its ups and downs but generally you can use a character however you want, such as magician, fighter, or support. The Final Fantasy VII universe never lets you down and there are many side opportunities like obtaining all the characters’ weapons or limit breaks. The gameplay never lets you down.

Graphics:

Random, I know, but here is some cosplay. Tifa Lockheart

Cosplayer poses as Tifa Lockheart

For its time Final Fantasy VII was a game of somewhat mediocre graphics but no one was complaining. The views and angles that the game showed were truly inspiring and uplifting. The character models that can be played with are a somewhat poorly detailed but I find that the bubbly shaped people with no mouths are cute although some people find them ugly. The fight cinematics have improved visuals, in which the characters actually look pretty decent. The games locations have tons of backgrounds and there is a lot of different architecture that has been put into the cities.

Final Words:

Final Fantasy VII has been benchmarked as one of the top turn based role playing games to date if not one of the best games. It has set records with legends such as Chrono Trigger and Mario RPG. There is a very small number of games that have been as polished as this one from this time era. Also, I note there are some games that are good but you don’t ever get around to finishing them, this game is one of those games that you take it to the end. The whole experience never misses a beat.

Pros

  • Awesome storyline that keeps you guessing
  • Chocobos
  • Materia system
  • A lot of variety that keeps gameplay fresh

Cons

  • Beginning in Midgar can be quite grueling
  • There hasn’t been a remake yet

Score:

Overall: 9.0/10

Story: 10/10 (Actually taught some people how to cry)
Gameplay: 9.5/10 (Stays fresh through the whole experience)
Graphics: 8.5/10 (Cute chibi models are adorable)

Review: Mirror’s Edge (Xbox 360)


Here is the First Trailer that was released.

Overview:

When I heard about this game coming out a while ago it kind of made a fire inside of me. I love free running, if I could do anything in the world without the training, it would be either become a Super Saiyan or a free runner. That’s why I was excited. Free Running, or parkour, is an underground sport that a lot of people overlook. Running from building to building would give me the thrill I need to wake up in the morning, instead I just write reviews for Zac. Dice, who are actually well known in the gaming community as the developers of the Battlefield series, decided to break away from the norm and put everything on the line. Continue reading