Whoever thought that video games would reach the heights that they have reached today? Long gone are the days when video games were merely for kids who wanted to entertain themselves. We all know this – with the Wii, PlayStation3, and the Xbox360, more and more people are discovering the world of video games. Here is another reason to value video games, though. Elderly drivers are learning to stimulate their minds and reflexes using video games. ABC News has this story:
Kramer and his wife, Donna, agreed to take part in an experiment: playing a computer game. The software, made by Posit Science, is called an “exercise for the brain.”
“At first I thought, ‘ha-ha, just another game. But it became challenging to where you wanted to do it,” Donna Kramer said.
Allstate Insurance is now offering the game as a free trial to 100,000 Pennsylvania customers whose accident rates will be compared with a group of drivers not playing the games to see if it helps their reflexes and peripheral vision.
“There are a group of people, [ages] 50 to 75, that could benefit from some brain exercise, improve their driving skills, improve their attention, improve their visual skills,” said John Kane, regional distribution leader at Allstate Insurance Co.
There are no results as of yet but the researchers are quite excited about the potential of this study. I am far from elderly but I am also excited about the whole study! How about you?
If there’s something strange
in your neighborhood
Who ya gonna call?
GHOSTBUSTERS
If there’s something weird
and it don’t look good
Who ya gonna call?
GHOSTBUSTERS
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
I ain’t afraid of no ghosts
If you’re seeing things
running through your head
Who can ya call?
GHOSTBUSTERS
I am not sure if the current generation is in awe of this iconic Tv/film series as much as my generation was. Children of my time all clamored for items such as bags, notebooks, and pens that have something to do with the Ghostbusters. Today, it might not be the most popular cartoon but I am sure that it still has a strong following of its own. And if Atari makes good on its promise, I strongly believe that a this franchise will experience a rebirth.
So has Atari promised that has got me all excited? Wired.com has this story:
Though it’s no secret that a Ghostbusters game is on the way, this morning publisher Atari officially announced the “highly anticipated” title as in development for “six game systems.”
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is scheduled for release in 2009 to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the iconic film series. It will feature a number of original cast members reprising their roles as voice actors for the game including “Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson.”
“Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a fantastic addition to Atari’s global line-up in 2009,” said Phil Harrison, president of Atari parent company Infogrames Entertainment. “The title has built considerable anticipation and excitement among game fans for its high quality action and all-out mayhem. There’s no more thrilling Ghostbusting experience to be had, short of building your own proton pack.”
Ahh…now that is what I am talking about. I can’t wait to bust some supernatural creatures when this game comes out. I hope that it doesn’t suffer serious delays.
Got an iPhone? Know someone who owns one? Here’s a good idea for a fun Christmas gift – if not for other people then for yourself. How about the new set of songs that the band Weezer just recorded for an iPhone application?
Weezer, for the uninitiated, is considered to be an alternative rock band hailing from Los Angeles, California. They have been around for quite some time now, having been formed in 1992. This is the first time that the band has created an album specifically for a mobile application.
Now what mobile application am I talking about? It is called Tap Tap Revenge. Developed by Tapulous, this iPhone application became highly popular soon after the release of the free version, which is downloadable from the App Store. A Nine Inch Nails version has also been released previously.
What should you expect if you buy this? Weezer’s own brand of music applied to Christmas classics such as “We Wish You A Merry Christmas,” “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” “First Noel,” “Hark, The Herald Angels Sing” and “O Come, All Ye Faithful.” For $5, you get all these plus two bonus tracks and a special message from the band itself.
So on to the game itself…Tap Tap Revenge is the iPhone version of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. You have to tap the colored balls as they hit the bottom of the screen – in sync with the rhythm of the song playing. If you keep in time with the rhythm, you gain points. Otherwise, it is considered a miss.
Now I want an iPhone if only to play this game…
Whoever thought that video games would reach the heights that they have reached today? Long gone are the days when video games were merely for kids who wanted to entertain themselves. We all know this – with the Wii, PlayStation3, and the Xbox360, more and more people are discovering the world of video games. Here is another reason to value video games, though. Elderly drivers are learning to stimulate their minds and reflexes using video games. ABC News has this story:
