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Swanky, flamboyant and overwhelmingly powerful; these are but a few superlatives that can be used in close association. The Alienware Area-51 Gaming Desktop series is unparalleled in the gaming industry with its monstrous quad-core processor units, multiple graphics processing cards and 4GB of computer memory. With this machine, eliminate all problems encountered during games or other graphic intensity activities - the performance of this machine is guaranteed to leave you awed.

Performance-wise, the raw specifications of the Alienware Area-51 ALX SLI are unbeatable. The quad-core processing system utilized by the computer is not just normal quad-core Intel Core2Quad setup but is Core2Extreme running at 3.3GHz. This processor provides highly-threaded processor performance suitable for multimedia applications. With this killer processor, problems of stalling, lagging and slow loading become extinct. This is ideal not only for gaming, but also users who require simultaneous running of various programs. Furthermore, this processing unit is, by default, overclocked to run at higher speeds. This overclocking is done at the factory by Alienware technicians and is certified stable; this will also not affect warranty status of the machine.

The most prominent and breath-taking feature, however, is the triple SLI graphics card setup. SLI setup basically means linking up multiple graphics processor units together in a CPU to get a multiple-fold performance boost in the graphics and video department. Right now, high-end gaming computers from other manufacturers like Asus or Dell only make use of a dual-SLI setup. This dual-SLI setup is already considered a very high end configuration and can easily support any video intensive programs on the market. Now imagine, THREE video cards working simultaneously. This is a total of 2.3GB of dedicated video memory. My single GeForce 8800GT has only 512MB of video memory and it is supposed to be considered of a higher-end in the graphics card market. Of course, the performance of the SLI setup depends on what kind of cards are being utilized in the setup but again Alienware is generous in dishing out the best products for its customers. The default cards that come along are GeForce 8800 Ultras, which are already top-notch graphics processing units by themselves.

Like the Area-51 m15x Gaming Laptop, this computer system is fully customizable as well. From the casing on the exterior, to the internal parts of the CPU, each and every part can be adjusted to suit the user’s liking. However, beware - each and every upgrade will be charged appropriately and expectedly, no Alienware components come cheap. Some components, I feel are overcharged, for example the graphics cards. You are actually paying for the installation and brand name of Alienware. This machine is vastly superior to the m15x as SLI is impossible to achieve in the confined spaces of a laptop. This should be the automatic gamer’s choice as it has absolutely everything needed in a computer.

This machine comes with some astounding technical specifications. There is not one complaint regarding function and workings of the computer. However affordability is one big question mark here. With prices starting from US$4,299, it is a huge investment to make, even for hardcore gamers. This already excludes half or more of the market, since there are so many gamers who have limited or no income. This may possibly be the dream gaming machine for most, but like a Ferrari, most will never touch one, let alone own one. Alienware Area-51 ALX Gaming Desktop is one awesome gaming appliance, but insanely impractical.

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A select few of humanity have the ability to bend space and time, enabling them to teleport instantly to any part of the world, due to a rare genetic anomaly. A young man, David Rice, discovers that he has this ‘gift’ and learns to make use of this ability to lead ‘the high life’. This ‘gift’ eventually turns out to be a ‘curse’ and he becomes embroiled in a generations-old conflict between ‘Jumpers’ like himself and the ‘Paladins’, who have sworn to hunt the Jumpers down to extinction.

Jumper (2008) is a science-fiction movie to be slated for release on 14th February 2008, starring Hayden Christensen (of Star Wars fame), Samuel L. Jackson and Rachel Bilson. This movie is the on-screen adaptation of the science-fiction novel of the same name by Steven Gould.

David Rice (played by Hayden Christensen) discovers that he possesses the power to instantly teleport to anywhere that he has seen, thus the tagline ‘Anywhere is possible’. He makes use of his power to rob banks without getting caught, leading a privileged and affluent life. However, his life takes a turn for the worse after encountering Roland Cox, head of a shadowy religious sect called the Paladins. Paladins are trained zealots who have sworn to eliminate Jumpers who possess powers that only God should have exclusive access to. Along the way, he meets Griffin (Jamie Bell), a much more experienced but wayward Jumper who enlightens him on the conflict between Jumpers and Paladins. During this dark hour for David, he manages to reunite with his high school sweetheart Millie (Rachel Bilson) and they go onto this adventure together.

As seen from the trailers cinematic released earlier, Jumper promised some spectacular computer-generated (CG) scenes and it made good on this promise. The Jump scenes are thrilling; it does induce that adrenaline-pumping sensation while watching, accompanied by the familiar whoosh. Even without the CG scenes, the locations where the movie was shot (like Egypt) boasted some spectacular natural scenery and Jumper manages to capture some.

I felt that this concept was a rather creative one, but the storyline was much of a letdown. There was little explanation on the background of the Jumpers, nor the causal factors for the hatred between them and the Paladins. Hayden Christensen improved on his acting in Star Wars but his character still seemed boring. In contrast, Jamie Bell delivered a much more riveting performance as the brooding, wayward Jumper Griffin. Rachel Bilson puts in a decent performance as Millie, which does not speak for a lot since her character lacks depth in the show. The best actor in this film, undoubtedly, is Samuel L. Jackson. We do not often see him as the ‘big bad guy’ but he plays this ruthless role to near brilliance, so well that the audience might find his murderous actions forgivable, as he seems so adamant that he is doing the right thing.

What intrigued me more was actually the Paladin sect instead of the Jumpers. Unfortunately, there was absolutely nothing revealed about the Paladins. This shadowy sect is so shadowy that you will not even know anything about it after the movie. Also, it is quite peculiar that a seemingly religious sect would wantonly slaughter innocents just to hunt down their adversaries.

Jumper (2008) is not short on creativity but lacked depth. Even with an above-average cast and an experienced director, this storyline fails to sparkle. This movie is not a disaster, but it is not something that people will remember two weeks after watching it. It gave me the feeling that it was aiming to accomplish a grand task but falling short of its objectives. Champagne ambitions are usually difficult to fulfill with a beer budget.

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Azureus is one of the defining clients in the world of BitTorrent. It has a formidable armada of power-packed features, transforming Azureus into much more than just a mere download-client software. With features like podcast streaming and download, torrent importing and high-definition (HD) video searches, there is no wonder why so many people are choosing this over the myriad of other clients.

The most distinctive feature of Azureus is the ability to install plug-ins. Popular ones like SpeedScheduler and RSS Feed Scanner provide users with the ability to customize their Azureus clients and to tweak the various features to their liking. The SpeedScheduler helps the user to manage and track upload and download speeds over a time period, keeping them to the schedule laid down. There is even a plug-in which commands the software to send an email to the user once a download completes. This is a very handy tool of notification for the user to track download progress when he/she is out at work, for example. The possibilities are numerous - adjusting your disk cache, cap download and upload speeds, even setting parameters for seeding downloaded files.

At this moment it is called Azureus Vuze, which is a fusion between the standard Azureus client and Vuze. Vuze is a platform for searching and sharing HD-quality video clips using BitTorrent. So basically Azureus Vuze is an improved version of the original client with a dedicated service for sourcing video content. This seems like an innovation add-on to Azureus. For the avid video downloaders, this would be a welcome addition, however, for the ordinary masses this would be a rather redundant feature. Most content featured on Vuze are actually ‘indie’ content and are not wildly popular. Having said that, Azureus Vuze still remains ideal for sourcing for mainstream video content, music and computer games. With its sleek and classy user interface, it is not difficult to master.

From the point-of-view of hardcore BitTorrent users, this would seem like a godsend. Every single BitTorrent need satisfied in one complete package, be it HD-videos, music, e-books and others. Moreover, Azureus trumps other clients as it gives users so much more control over how torrents are to be handled. However, I am hardly considered ‘hardcore’. My BitTorrent activities are more fundamental - importing torrents and downloading music, videos, games and so on. I would rather something less fanciful and more basic. For Azureus, I ended up only making use of it solely as a download client. The search on Azureus Vuze itself seemed superfluous to me, as I relied on good old Google to find my torrents before importing them into the clients for download.

One big rant that I have regarding Azureus is that it eats up significant computer resources. Due to its numerous functions and features, it takes a substantial period to load up and slows down other computer processes. For a program that I only use for BitTorrent downloads, I would very much prefer something that uses minimal process and can run invisibly in the background. Also, I found that my download speeds were slower with Azureus compared to uTorrent. This might be because I did not configure the controls on download speeds, but that was one big hassle to deal with.

Feature-packed or just plain cumbersome? As the saying goes, one man’s poison is another’s nourishment. Many may like it, but this client does not get my approval.

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Which self-respecting gamer would not admit to feeling at least the slightest tinge of nostalgia after hearing “Worms”? This series is the most old school game series that I could care to remember. I remember playing Worms in 2D when I was twelve, having fun blasting opponent worms to oblivion with the Holy Hand Grenade. After so many years, Worms has evolved from a 2D landscape, to a new 3D one.

Worms 4: Mayhem is by far, not a new game. It was launched in 2005, to mixed reactions. This was considered something like a follow-up/improvement to the earlier Worms 3D. Worms 4: Mayhem introduced several new additions to the Worms arsenal, notably poison arrows and a sniper rifle. The player will take control of the Worms on a 3D landscape (modeled after architecture during Medieval, the Old West and modern times). Basically, it is just the old Worms game slightly improved, thrown into a 3D arena.

However, despite having said that, it is an entirely new ballgame. The difference between marshaling your Worms in 2D and taking control of them individually in first-person in a 3D environment is vast. When firing bazookas, trajectory is no longer bi-directional, and this adds a significantly large degree of challenge to the players. Even basic navigation of the terrain is arduous in 3D, and you risk plunging your Worm to death in many cases. It adds a sense of novelty to the Worms franchise as gameplay feels more ‘down-to-earth’, with personal control of the individual Worms through their eyes.

The downside of this is that, although it adds a good measure of novelty to the game, the game becomes that much more difficult to play. Navigating the uneven 3D using the ungainly Worms is a nightmare; I often end up accidentally killing my Worms. Also, using the scope of a sniper rifle to take out enemy Worms do not have the same sadistic but entertaining effect of dropping a Holy Hand Grenade on them (while mouthing “Hallelujah!”). The visual effects are nothing to be proud of, in fact, I felt that the explosive effect was better in 2D. Worms 4: Mayhem does not provide much depth of play; for example, it’s actually easier and more straightforward to hop up to a nearby enemy Worm and club him off the ground and into the water than trying to aim a bazooka through a scope. This takes the fun off blasting things up, which is the tried-and-tested-to-be-effective success formula for the Worms series.

Worms 4: Mayhem gives a new dimension to Worms play, but much of the gameplay is similar to that of the previous Worms 3D episode. Critics have argued that the little improvement made does not justify the purchase of this title. If you grew up loving the act of maniacally blowing up Worms with an assortment of incendiaries, you would do better to stick to Worms in a 2D landscape.

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Since they began in 2004 with their debut album “We all know is falling”, Paramore has recently shot up to fame within the pop rock, Paramore never really got the ball rolling. However, with the 2007 release of their second album “Riot!“, this respectful band has hit the right spot with their audiences, shooting themselves to some fame. Paramore’s music has been noted for it’s rare youthful enthusiasm, the main factor which contributed to their explosive music. It is so apt that their choice of title, “Riot!” itself actually means a sudden outburst of energy or emotion.

Let me admit personally that my first impression of the band was not exactly positive, after listening to their single “Misery Business”, yet I felt that I would not be doing them justice unless I got the entire album to listen to myself. With an entwining mixture of slow paced (such as “When it rains”, “We are broken”, “Let the flames begin”) and fast paced songs (”For a pessimist, I’m pretty Optimistic”, “Born for this”, “Misery Business”), I feel that on a general note, I’m impressed with the album as well as the band as a whole.

After my first run through the entire album, I was actually amazed when I found myself subconsciously repeating after their beats, which are simple, yet fits to the mood of their various songs to a T. Despite being what many would consider “simply yet another pop album”, “Riot!” actually has some redeeming qualities which distinguishes them from the rest.

With incredible catchy choruses, as well as an interestingly unique set of lyrics, courtesy of their lead singer Hayley Williams and backup vocalist Josh Farro, the songs would dance at the tip of your tongues for some time after listening to most of the songs. Paramore tries to be unique in the way that it tries to mix and match some of the monotonous tunes by having a sort of “roller coaster” tempo in some of their songs, for example “Crushcrushcrush”, and it has worked to some extent. Furthermore, Hayley William’s versatile vocals is able to cope and adapt to the changes in tempo and mood of the sings accordingly, while still being able to capture the essence and tone of a teenage pop girl.

However, at the same time, their experimenting with this technique has caused some songs(in my personal choice, “Misery Business”) to have some difficulties to flow. Yet, I feel that Paramore has already made up for it plus interest with the rest of their tracks. For pop enthusiasts out there looking for something new to sample, “Riot! (2007)” is a gem that gleams slightly brighter than the other albums out there. Injecting old ideas from fresh perspectives, their sounds would be stuck in your mind for ages. Another young prospect to look out for in the near future.

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