GadgITs

While iGuitar gently weeps

Checkout this application that turns your iPhone into a guitar. And here's how you do it, but we wouldn't advise it because it will invalidate your guarantee.

Games rated, by Owen Anslow

Devil May Cry 4
Format: Xbox 360/PlaySatation 3
Genre: Action
Rating: 16+

Out: Now

HELL OF A GAME
YOU’LL be weeping tears of joy thanks to the demon-slaying action romp that is Devil May Cry 4. It’s been six years since Dante first burst into the gaming world and despite a poor appearance in DMC2, it’s got better and better for the half-man, half-demon character. However, this time Capcom have a new leading fella called Nero with whom you can unleash massive attacks and cracking combos with the Devil Bringer arm. DMC4 offers a blockbuster plot, cool soundtrack and some newish weapons to have fun with. However, the overall gameplay isn’t a huge leap from DMC3 (apart from the online option – at last!). Visually, this game is stunning and it’s nice to take a button-bashing break to watch the magical cut-scenes. This, along with some hell-raising, albeit somewhat familiar action, makes this a monster game.
VERDICT: Devil worshiper
RATING: 8.5/10

Turok

Format: Xbox 360/PlayStation 3

Genre: Shooter

Rating: 15

Out: Now

TIME TUROK ’N’ ROLL – BUT ONLY FOR A BIT

BLASTING countless rounds from a smoking machine gun at a giant T-Rex sounds like a blast – and it is. But sadly, this dino-killing thrill only comes in short bursts and then it’s back to a rather boring stroll through the jungle. You play Joeseph Turok, who’s lucky to survive a spaceship crash but unlucky to wake up on a strange planet populated by nasty creatures, dinosaurs and angry soldiers wanting to waste him. This game won’t trouble your brain or your ability to conserve ammo and shoot accurately. Enemy AI is a bit daft but it’s harder to complete than you might think. Having said this, Turok is fun for a while and there are some cool surprises – like the little cut-scene for a close-combat knife-kill. It’s not that bad, but then it’s not that good either.

VERDICT: Fun shooter but Dino-sore points exist

RATING: 6.8 /10

Games on

AUTO BE A GRAND SPRING . . .
KEEP on drooling gamers, THE smash hit of the year is just around the corner. Yep, Grand Theft Auto IV hits BOTH PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles on April 29. Mark it in your diary, get the week off work and prepare yourself for some non-stop, late-night, GTA action. Check out the trailer above for a tantalising taste of what those wonderful folk at Rockstar Games have in store for us. And watch this space for all the latest in the countdown to GTA day.

GOLD AT THE END OF RAINBOW
IT’S Vegas, baby . . . again! Another must-have this spring is the return of Ubisoft's mega-hit tactical shooter, Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. Release date looks set for March 20 and the rappelling action, window smashin', terrorist droppin' fun is bound to be even

better than its predecessor. Smarter AI on the single player mode and players being able to join online matches already in progress are just a couple of improvements. Oh, and instead of Logan Keller, you'll take on the role as some chap called Bishop. Scope out the guns-a-blazin' preview above.

GEARING UP FOR SEQUEL
REMEMBER, remember the start of November - cause that's when Microsoft launch the eagerly-awaited Gears Of War 2. We hear that the fantastic follow-up to the 4.5million-selling blockbuster Gears Of War delves deeper into humanity's struggle for survival against the nightmarish Locust Horde. Epic Game’s GOTW2 promises to take hi-def visuals to a whole new level, which it could do with right now after being beaten black and blu-ray. Cliff Bleszinkski, lead designer for Epic Games, revealed: "Gears Of War 2 is an even bigger, better and more badass experience than the first game." Can't wait.

Gadgits joins Samsung Mobile Cystic Fibrosis run

Samsung Mobile vice president Mark Mitchinson led a team of runners on a 5k event in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust and Gadgits was there to do our bit for the cause. Dressed as Rocky, Mark (above), who is training for the London marathon, clocked a time of under 25 minutes. Gadgits knows this because he beat our best time of 25 minutes nine seconds . . . and he was way ahead of us at the finishing line. The 5K Fun Run around Battersea Park on Thursday was just one of many fundraising events that Samsung Mobile is organising in 2008. All proceeds are being donated to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as part of Mark’s Flora London Marathon (13th April 2008) campaign.
To all those of you who sponsored Gadgits' effort after our appeal last week, many thanks. But please don't let it stop there. For more information on Mark’s training, or to donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, please log on to Mark’s training website www.marathonmitch.com

Mobile broadband on the Vaio TZ31

Sony's latest laptop has a new feature which is bound to be eventually adopted by all notebooks and laptops - embeded WANN. Put simply, it's an in-built mobile phone broadband modem with a sim card which allows you to access 3G and HSDPA networks*. So you can browse the web anywhere you can receive a mobile phone signal. You won't need a USB modem and it will fire up at a keystroke. It also comes with wi-fi. The Vaio TZ31 WN/B is packed full of amazing features and is the most connective laptop we've seen. The bluetooth connection is ultra fast for loading up pics and contacts from your phone. It's lighter than the Macbook Air but it manages to pack an in-built DVD rewriter. It's preloaded with Adobe Premiere so you can edit and burn DVDs on the move. And the 2GB of memory and 120GB hard disc gives you plenty of space to use multimedia programs. On sale this week, it comes in MN and WN versions, starting at £1500.
*Accessed by the integrated SIM card slot, the Wireless WAN module provides Internet connectivity with a speed up to 3.6 Mbps enabled by T-Mobile Web `n` Walk.

WIN a Sony Ericsson W890i Walkman phone

GADGITS has been looking forward to the release of Sony Ericsson's W890i Walkman phone—and now we’ve got FIVE to give away!
And if you win one, chances are you'll have it delivered before it even hits the shops. At just 9.9mm thin, the W890i is the one of the lightest 3G phones around and it has among the best sound technology.
We tried one at the launch and found it unbeatable for sleek, slim looks and sound functions.
There’s a 2GB Memory Stick Micro Card holding up to 2000 tracks, TrackID™ which identifies any song from just a few seconds of play.
And the new SensMe™ function allows you to build playlists to suit your various moods. There’s also 3.2 megapixel camera.
For more information visit www.sonyericsson.com/uk
For a chance to win this fab phone, answer this question on an email with your name, address and phone number, and send it to comps@notw.co.uk by midnight next Saturday March 3rd.
What kind of gadget was the first Walkman?
a) Cassette player
b) CD player
c) Mobile phone?
Usual Notw rules apply, Editor’s decision is final.

Mario switches to bike

NINTENDO have reinvented the wheel to come up with the Wii-eel for an exciting new verison of their brilliant Mario Kart game.
Bundled with a steering wheel to drive a host of new characters around stunning new tracks, Mario Kart Wii launches on April 11th.
You’ll be able to take on up to 11 players simultaneously worldwide using the Nintendo Wi-Fi web connection and upto four people in multiplayer mode at home.
There’s even an option to ditch the kart and race on a bike. And you can use your Mii caricatures in game for the first time. Wii can’t wait to get our hands on it.

Polaroid's digital instant

SOPPY bloggers wept buckets of virtual tears when Polaroid put an end to instant film.
But Gadgits can reveal that the film giant is launching a DIGITAL version this year.
Scheduled for release late this summer, the next-generation camera will incorporate an ink-free printer to produce instant pics.
However, it will also store your shots so you can keep your favourite ones in your digital library at home.
The new camera is expected to start at £149, with a top-of-the-range model at £199.
You’ll get the best of both worlds with this new camera—the ability to share party pics just after they are taken. But no more rows about who gets to keep the instant picture, because you can print it out as many times as you want. The ZINK printer (zero ink, geddit?), as previously mentioned on Gadgits, uses paper with embedded colour layers which come to life as they pass a thermal sensor.
If you still have a Polaroid instant  like this one pictured you’d better hurry if you want to stockpile any of the film that’s still left—it’s already going for around £7 a sheet on eBay.
Meanwhile, if you’ve got stacks of old slides and negatives hidden away in a cupboard, why not  convert them to JPEGS to have them on your PC.
The Negative Scanner transfers 35mm negatives and mounted slides direct onto your computer simply at the push of a button.
It’s 5MP sensor makes them high-res images and ready to view and print in seconds. You can reminisce for just £89.99 at iwoot.com.

Best of Xbox Arcade

UNSURE which Xbox LIVE Arcade titles to pick? Well here’s what 26,000 gamers have selected as their favourites.
2008's Xbox LIVE Arcade Awards Winners are:
· Best Overall Arcade Game: Bomberman Live (Hudson Entertainment)
· Best Classic Game: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami Digital Entertainment)
· Best Original Game: Pac-Man: Championship Edition (NAMCO BANDAI Games)
· Best Family-Friendly Game: Pac-Man: Championship Edition (NAMCO BANDAI Games)
· Best Competitive Multiplayer Game: Bomberman Live (Hudson Entertainment)
· Best Cooperative Multiplayer Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ubisoft Entertainment)
And the top sellers were:
· Best-Selling Game: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Ubisoft Entertainment)
· Most-Played Game: Worms (Team17 Software Limited)
· Highest-Rated Game: Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami Digital Entertainment)
· Xbox LIVE Arcade Staff Choice: Pac-Man: Championship Edition (NAMCO BANDAI Games)

Dixons' top three Blu-Ray players

Samsung BDP1400 - £247 click here

Sony BDPS300B - £279.99, for more click here

Sharp BDHP20H - £299.98 for more, click here

HERE are Dixons’ top three Blu-Ray bargains, announced after their site had a 150 per cent increase in customer searches for the hi-def players.
The surge in interest follows this week’s announcement that Toshiba is scrapping the rival HD DVD format. Dixons.co.uk has since withdrawn all models of HD-DVD player.
Managing Director at Dixons, deVere Forster, said:: “This is good news for consumers as the availability of a single format will allow consumers to purchase the High Definition Blu-Ray format DVD player with every confidence and enjoy all the benefits that this fantastic format has to offer.
“Now that the winning format is clear, Dixons.co.uk’s aim is to have the UK’s widest selection of Blu Ray players available for customers soon.”
Bizarrely, another website is recommending buyers cash in on the losing HD DVD format.
Toshiba has ordered the country’s electrical retailers to slash the prices of their HD-DVD players in a bid to clear the shelves.