Xbox 360 Elite

I guess the rumors of a black Xbox 360 were right this time. The new Xbox 360 Elite comes in black with a nicely sized 120GB hard drive and native support for HD DVD. I guess this is Microsoft's response to the worldwide roll out of the PlayStation 3. Not that they really have anything to worry about. I have always thought that the Xbox 360 was the premiere platform for next generation gaming, plus it's Xbox Live service is unmatched by its competitors. The unit will be available at the end of April. I think this one is going to be another shot in the arm for Microsoft.

bigcontacts.com

Had a chance to check out the new online contact manager bigcontacts.com. Although still in beta, this web based app shows promise. Clearly aimed at the business user, the service allows you to store detailed contact info on family, friends, coworkers, leads, and prospects. It is clearly what Web 2.0 is all about. With a little more love bigcontacts.com could be a great product. Also of note, is that there is a free version (500 contacts) for the casual/personal user. Check it out. http://www.bigcontacts.com

Command & Conquer 3

Well, we have been waiting a while for this one. But on March 26, 2007 C&C fans will be able to pick up Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. For those in the know C&C was at the forefront of the Real Time Strategy (RTS) scene from the beginning. Their games have always been well made with neat themes and single player campaigns. Their latest offering, Tiberium Wars, comes with a new customizable AI that can respond different ways based on the situation. This is really cool, because most AI options only include easy, medium, and hard settings. As usual, their will be a number of cool units in the arsenal of the three different playable factions. So this game will probably be a hit and will satisfy C&C die hards for some time to come.

Google ig Themes

Google has answered my prayers by posting some interesting themes to their personalized homepage service Google ig. No longer do I have to stare at my blazing white screen all the time. Maybe this will be a turning point for Google. Maybe they will realize the web is just not about function but beauty and design as well.

Intel in Trouble

It seems these days there is no end to the troubles at Intel. First it was the massive layoffs, then it was the lawsuit with AMD, and now tales of hiding emails from Federal Prosecutors in the U.S. On a positive note Intel did release some nice 65nm Core Architecture chips in 2006. But how about 2007. Paul Otellini, CEO of Intel is on the hot seat and the board of directors is getting impatient with diminishing profits. Only time will tell how things shake out, but Intel's so called "Leap Ahead" slogan may be one step forward, two steps back. The horizon looks bleak.