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One of the 3 Seventh Generation Gaming Consoles (together with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii), the Playstation 3 (PS3) produced by Sony is a continuation of the PlayStation series and a successor to the ever-so-popular PlayStation 2 (PS2). The PS3, although not as popular as Wii and the 360, is still widely known as the gamer's console, has a totally different graphics engine as compared to PS2. This means that the games, although on both PS2 & 3, would have totally different graphics, eg. on Fifa 08.

One of the unique features of the PS3 is its built-in network system, known as the PlayStation Network. It has a total contrast as to the old-feature, the one that depends on the game developers for network games. The PS3 has also fulfilled the players' desire for a console with a graphics engine that would change the old 3D versions of gaming. With the graphics processing done by the NVIDIA RSX, which can output resolutions from 480i/576i SD up to 1080i/1080p HD, the graphics of a PS3 game would most definitely dwarf that of the other consoles.

One other unique feature is the disk inserting method of the PlayStation 3. In all other game consoles, the disk is to be put on a standard disk tray, having to move it in and other of the game system. The new PS3's way of inserting disk is a slot loading system, where the disk tray is omitted and the method of inserting is just to slot the disk into a small slid on the console, and the disk would somehow be "magically" sucked into the system. It is a 2x Blu-ray Disc drive for all games, movies and other multimedia.

Personally, I don't own one, but then again, I played it several times in shops / other people's homes. My experience, well, it's not bad a console and that having wireless controllers mean that players have the freedom to move around the wireless range of the PS3 without being restricted by wires. All those season console gamers would have most definitely encountered the fact of wires become entangled with the other controllers. With the wireless controllers, this problem no longer stands and it is much more convinient for players to have more mobility while gaming. The games are also quite cool, with new compelling exclusive games (such as Metal Gear Solid 4, etc) released exclusively on the PS3, players should get their hands on their own version of the PS3. There are 5 PlayStation 3 hardware models with different sizes of hard disk drive on retail shelves, namely 20GB, 40GB, 60GB, 80GB and 160GB models.

However, there seems to be this tiny drawback to the PS3. Buttons such as the power button and the disk eject button seem to be quite a nuisance, especially since they are just grooves on the console, it is exceptionally hard to press on them. This becomes quite a nuisance when the game hangs and you have to restart the console without switching off the main power supply. Despite having played the PS3 for quite a long time, it still poses a problem for me to reach for those buttons and get them to work. Perhaps it could be the problem with that particular console or it's a design fault throughout all consoles.

Anyway, Sony PlayStation 3 is a much anticipated gaming console that broke several sales record with its release in 2007. Despite the minor problems with the buttons, PS3 still manages to stand true to its promise, to bring the best of gaming to the room. The advantages of having a much better graphics definitely outweigh the slight design faults and is a console worth buying.

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Redken is a world-renowned leading brand of professional hair care products and services. The main feature of all Redken products is that it makes use of protein technology and formula developed to complement the natural pH levels of human hair. Its flagship store is located at 5th Avenue New York City, with its ubiquitous hair products in available in countless hair saloons all over the world. Redken has become synonymous with hair care. One Redken product that I'd like to recommend is the Rough Paste 12.

Suitable for both men and ladies, this is a versatile styling wax for short to medium hair lengths. The look that it can provide is said to be of a 'rough, ragged texture and moveable, non-stop separation'. It comes in a paste-like wax form, and squeezed through a nozzle. It has an exquisite design, with a special dispenser shaped like a cylinder. Its light weight and small form means it is portable, easily carried in a handbag. Bring this along for working individuals, and touching up of hair can be done anytime even out at work.

Rough Paste 12 is categorized under Medium control, as it does not offer rock solid hold like other Redken products. What it does is that it offers adequate styling and gives a very gruff texture, perfect for that popular out-of-bed look. I would recommend this more for the guys, since this is medium hold, ideal for shorter hair lengths. Its texture makes application on hair simple. Just spread out a generous amount on the palm and rub to spread the product evenly on both palms, before running through the hair to firm up the shape. Spread some over the fingertips and use fingertips to refine the shape and style of the ends of your hair.

Like in all other Redken products, protein technology is evident in Rough Paste 12. Wheat protein is used as an ingredient and this offers 'heat protection'. Many people makes use of hairdryers as well as flat irons to dry and crimp certain parts of the hair, and prolonged usage actually may result in damage to the hair. Heat protection basically allows more freedom in crimping or blow-drying, as it offers a limited degree of protection against heat-based damage.

Unlike other brands such as Gatsby, this Redken wax is easily removed, even with just water. It rinses off completely, but of course it is recommended to use a shampoo to thoroughly remove the product from the scalp, and advisable to use a conditioner to soften the hair after us.

This product is ideal for male working professionals, when time for self grooming is more of a luxury. Redken Rough Paste 12 is easily applied and a rugged look is easily achieved in a short amount of time. It offers sufficient hold for an entire day, and its small packaging allows it to be easily carried around for touching-up purposes. This would be a very handy accessory for the more fashion-conscious working executives.

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I have a confession to make: I have never played Final Fantasy VII (FFVII) before.

Now, before all you fans out there start brandishing your Buster Swords or going Chaos on me, please hear me out. While I will not know firsthand how wonderful the original game is and why it still continues to be one of the most successful Final Fantasy games, let this be a review of a game-based movie from a non-gamer's perspective and understand how the other side of the universe thinks of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children.

A friend of mine introduced me to Advent Children, claiming that the graphics were exceptional and the fight scenes brilliantly crafted. When I laid eyes on it, I agreed wholeheartedly, for the first thing that took my breath away was the visuals.

They are stunning. Gorgeous. Absolutely impressive. The amount of realism and detail in the graphics from texture of the ground, the lighting of the various scenes and to the movement of the characters was unprecedented. The battle scenes are indeed spectacular. While they definitely defy all laws of Physics, I say, who cares? To date, I doubt that there has been any other animated feature film that has reached such a high level of CGI mastery as Advent Children. In this aspect, Square Enix has truly outdone itself and raised the bar of CGI excellence.

Plot-wise, however, Advent Children would be fairly confusing to people who have never played FFVII. This sense of confusion sets in right from the beginning. Straight after the opening sequence, there is the line '498 years ago' appearing on screen. 498 years ago? Uh, what? After doing much research, I finally realised that the opening sequence was actually a reanimation of the original FFVII game epilogue that was set 500 years after the end of the game. Still, there is a brief introduction to orientate the viewer about the situation in Gaia (the name of the planet in FFVII) two years ago, when Sephiroth (the game's main villain) tried to destroy the planet, and the present situation in Gaia now. However, it still lacks enough information on the varied characters of the Final Fantasy VII world, which plays a large part in understanding how Advent Children ticks. The explanation of the new disease, Geostigma, that's plaguing Gaia in Advent Children is also confusing without prior knowledge of the alien entity, JENOVA, who is the root of the conflicts in FFVII and Advent Children.

There is also little character development for the most part of the movie, save for the protagonist Cloud Strife (it is Cloud's story after all) and, to a small extent, the new main villain, Kadaj. Most of Cloud's party from the original game make relatively short appearances, while the role of the two most frequently appearing Turks, Reno and Rude, seem to be mainly there for providing comic relief. The other two villains alongside Kadaj, Yazoo and Loz, play secondary roles to Kadaj and have considerably less screen time and dialogue.

However, it is easy to overlook these shortcomings of Advent Children for the movie was mainly meant for fans of the game to enjoy. As mentioned earlier, there's more than enough visual eye-candy (and that's not entirely just a reference to the pretty boy characters in Advent Children) to go around. Another fact is that the movie, staying true to the franchise of Final Fantasy as a whole, has an awesome soundtrack. Many of the music tracks in Advent Children are remixes or piano versions of their original counterparts from the game's original soundtrack, with familiar melodies of Tifa's Theme, Aerith's Theme, Those Who Fight and J-E-N-O-V-A, as well as specially composed music for the movie, such as Cloud Smiles. The music adds to the atmosphere of the different scenes, making your heart race in anticipation or calming you down with its soothing qualities. The piece that caught my attention most, though, was the remix of the iconic One-Winged Angel (one of Sephiroth's themes in FFVII), Advent: One-Winged Angel. The music is a flawless combination of orchestral music with a rock band to create a darker and heavier feel to the original piece that is perfectly fitting of the scene during which it was played Cloud's final showdown with Sephiroth.

For all its realistic graphics, Final Fantasy VII Advent Children is still an animated film. Just as actors bring characters to life in live-action movies, the voice actors bring characters to life in animated shows. Having first watched Advent Children in its original Japanese dub with subtitles, I fell in love with the voice actors. A good majority of the Japanese cast, especially those voicing the main characters, are well-known voice actors in the Japanese anime industry, and their experience clearly translates over to the excellent voicing of Advent Children's various characters. The English cast also exceeded my expectations, mainly because it is quite common for English dubbing (or dubbing of any other language) of anime to go horribly wrong. In this aspect, Square Enix has done well to ensure the audio quality of the movie is not compromised.

With gorgeous graphics, an amazing repertoire of music and a stellar voice cast, Advent Children is definitely a treat for fans of Final Fantasy VII and provides closure to the abrupt ending of the original game.

As for non-gamers? Consider me taken.

The official site of Final Fantasy VII Advent Children can be found here.

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Davidoff is not what one would consider a heavyweight brand in the perfume and cologne industry. Widely popular brands include Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Chanel and Ralph Lauren, with each of these brands producing numerous lines of fragrances. Calvin Klein Eternity, Hugo Boss In Motion, Dior Addict are all common names that you'll probably have heard of. These fragrances come with considerable price tags as well. Although this is not a recently-launched cologne, I have found a scent I really adore in Davidoff's Cool Water for Men.

In my opinion, a man's fragrance must achieve a right balance of masculinity and sophistication. The scent cannot be too masculine, meaning to say that it cannot be an overpowering scent. Sometimes, wearing a scent that is too strong can be counter-productive; people might think you are trying too hard. Of course, a man's cologne cannot be smelling too flowery, yet retain that refreshing waft that exudes an aura of sophistication and professionalism. Also, for working professionals, one important feature of a good, reliable cologne is that the scent must be lasting. No matter how pleasantly-smelling it might be, it would be totally useless if the fragrance wore off after two hours.

Davidoff's Cool Water has a very light and refreshing scent. The scent itself is very much masculine but it comes across as not being too harsh. This is probably because of that tinge of citrus that balances out Cool Water. The cologne does not sting and make you choke even when you catch a full mist in your face. A few minutes after application, the cologne will fade considerably and remain a lingering scent, sometime what will not hit someone in close proximity straight in the face but slowly meanders to the nostrils.

One thing I also liked about Cool Water is how lasting it is. Previously, using Calvin Klein's Eternity, I found that the scent was significantly faded by my lunch break. Davidoff's Cool Water's two sprays on my neck region could last me late into the hours at night. The fragrance is a lingering presence, even after some physical exertion and perspiring.

However, this would not be something appropriate for formal evening occasions, events that would require a suit and tie. I would classify Cool Water under 'semi-formal' or 'casual smart', but I believe that Cool Water is still too unrefined to make an appearance in fully-formal functions.

Basically Davidoff's Cool Water is everything that I want in a bottle. Economy, scent and quality-wise, Cool Water is top-notch. What I did not appreciate though is how ubiquitous this fragrance is. I have several friends who are currently using this as well, and the unique and striking Cool Water fragrance is so common in workplaces. People ranging from students to working executives are using Cool Water due to its relative affordability. I do not find it endearing to smell identical to the other working man and despite my admiration for this scent, I would stick to something more unique, so that I stand out from the crowd.

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The appearance of the new generation of iPod Nanos is subject to a wide spectrum of responses. Some are irked by the fact that it resembles cheaply-made MP3 player models, especially those in wilder colours such as orange or pink; others are immediately taken by the sleek shape of the player and what they see as a very well-finished shell. I belonged to the latter category; the first time I caught eyes of the iPod Nano 4th Generation, I was utterly sold. In fact, my original plans to try to save up for a 32GB iPod Touch were completely shelved after I beheld this gorgeous gizmo. What captivated me was the Now Playing Screen; while the Classic range of iPods features the usual titles on one side and the album art on the other, this range of Nanos has the album art take up virtually the entire screen, allowing for it to be displayed in its full glory. The crisp graphics certainly made the Now Playing Screen even juicier; it makes all the effort of setting album art for your songs absolutely worth it.

One cannot deny, of course, that the capability of the new iPod Nanos to detect its orientation is also a very fascinating and attractive feature. It allows one to watch videos in a fuller resolution, it makes it more convenient to watch videos or use the Cover Flow option since you can hold the Nano either way, and it’s cool to play games by tilting your iPod around. Not that the iPod Touch and iPhone don’t have these options, but the portability of the Nano is, of course, a plus. It is a pity that one can’t download applications onto the Nano, but I guess that is the trade-off for keeping the trademark click-wheel. In my opinion, however, it is not an entirely unreasonable trade-off; the fact is, many hardcore iPod fans (such as me) love the click-wheel to bits and cannot fathom not having it on their iPods. The fourth generation of iPod Nanos is hence perfect because while it maintains the use of the click-wheel, it manages to incorporate the full album art display of the iPod Touch and iPhone and still maintain its portability as a Nano as well.

The only real qualms I had about the new iPod Nano was the fact that when I dropped it on tarmac once, part of it was scratched off because of the jagged surface of the ground. The chipped-off bits were tiny but still suggested that the shell was somewhat less resistant to damage than one would expect from a chrome exterior. What this really means, however, is that you should take better care of your iPod Nano, keep it away from roads, and to buy a plastic cover if you are an utter klutz and need some iPod armour anyway.

I also had slight problems with the fact that it is rather hard to find good accessories for the new iPod Nano. I did find a handful of silicon cases and skins, but I am yet to find any leather holders or stick-on skins. Perhaps this will change with time, but if you must have these accessories you might want to hold your purchase until these frills actually get a more widespread release.

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