There’s No Such Thing As A Free Lunch….. Or Is There ? 

If I had been asked the question just under two years ago, I would probably have just laughed or muttered something about not being born yesterday.

In recounting what has happened since, I should make it clear from the outset that I am not attempting to influence or convert anyone, just giving an honest picture of what was achievable for me and the real “cost”. 

As often happens with these things, I discovered the free gift scene totally by accident.  Christmas 2006 was rapidly approaching and I was trying to get hold of a cheap Xbox 360 console to use as a media centre.   One of the first listings I came across on eBay was offering information on how to get the console totally free; I didn’t exactly have money burning a hole in my pocket and am always up for a challenge, so decided to find out if there was a catch, expecting to get an e-book on bankrupt stock or police auctions.

Instead, I was about to enter the world of affiliate (referral) marketing.   I am sure there are volumes on the subject, some of which are no doubt labelled pyramid schemes, but for those who want a bit of detail on the specific business model employed in this instance, you might want to take a look at a short video podcast put together by the BBC’s Newsnight program or maybe my own guide how to get free stuff online.

All I had to do to get my free console was sign-up to an affiliate site, take out a free DVD rental trial and refer a few friends.  How difficult could that be?

I am a regular online shopper and knew the DVD rental company LOVEFiLM (the equivalent of Blockbuster or Netflix in US and Canada) from a recent national TV campaign, so had no problems with that part of the process. To be fair, the service they provide is actually pretty good!

The harder part was getting referrals…..and I needed 12 of those (who would each have to take up their own offer) to get the Xbox 360 console. Luckily, after running out of family and friends who were either willing to believe what I was saying or just gave in to my constant nagging, I stumbled upon eXceem forums.  They have a buzzing community of like minded freebie hunters who gave me confidence that I would get me gifts and provided tips on how to achieve that.   I have since discovered similar sites such as Anything4Free.com

To the cynics’ amazement, my Xbox 360 arrived on 2^nd December 2006 along with a second generation iPod Nano that I had also earnt…and a freebie addict was born.  I would be embarrassed to say how many other gadgets, gifts and cash have passed through my hands since!

I mentioned the real “cost” in my preamble. That has not been a financial one, far from it, you can get out as much as you put in…..and there’s where the problem lies; getting referrals can start to take up every waking hour, your whole life spent thinking about, talking about and implementing new “methods”.  Well, that is, if you are not checking your accounts for new sign-ups, waiting for account verification or delivery of your free stuff.  Getting your affiliate links out there will also almost invariably require an element of spamming and I am not proud of some of the tactics I have employed along the way.  In fact,  I could devote another who article and more to “methods”, the choice of free sites out there and how to avoid getting your affiliate account cancelled (termed “put on hold”).

Fortunately, things changed for the better when I set up my first ever websites, Simplyfreeiphone and Gadgets4nowt - my background is certainly not web coding or design but I love a challenge (did I say that before!) and now have them both ranking extremely well.   I obviously have to update the content and keep working on links but overall, it’s a fairly easy ride these days.  With the evolution of the affiliate sites themselves, I no longer get my free stuff in the form of goods, most now offer custom orders in the shape of bank transfers at £17 ($35) per referral.   My sites bring me in an average of 3 completed referrals a day, so there’s good money to be had. 

All that’s left is to decide where do I go from here?  I guess I could push some new keywords and increase traffic to my sites through rankings but there is a limit to people looking for a free games console or iPods.  Can the sites be taken in another direction or should I sell them?

Although it accompanies Indy’s return to the big screen, Lego Indiana Jones isn’t the usual sloppy movie tie-in.

Instead, the game takes a nostalgic trip back to the first three films in the series, giving them the same Lego treatment that was previously employed to a surprisingly successful degree with the two Star Wars trilogies. Indeed, the net effect is very similar to that of the Lego Star Wars titles.

The idea is to platform your way through various Lego-ised set pieces from the movies, grappling with enemies, solving puzzles and collecting treasures as you go. Often the way forward requires the assembly of some Lego bricks, but this is less complicated than it sounds – a single button press does the trick.

Even if you’re not familiar with the concept, Lego Indiana Jones is a fantastically simple game to get your head around. As such it’s suitable for younger players, though the Lego series’ signature tongue-in-cheek take on proceedings mean that a lot of grown-ups will probably it enjoy too.

If anything, Lego Indiana Jones is just mildly less enjoyable than its Star Wars equivalents, simply because the subject matter lends itself slightly less well to the format.

For instance, each level features Indy plus another character whose special ability you’ll need to use to progress at certain points. In single-player mode you can switch between Indy and the computer characters at will, while in two-player mode your on-screen partner can be controlled by a real-life buddy.

But, where Lego Star Wars was fun to play whether you had Yoda, Chewie or R2-D2 as your sidekick, in Lego Indiana Jones, the secondary characters just aren’t as interesting and even avid fans may struggle to recognise some of the more obscure individuals the game rolls out.

That said, Lego Indiana Jones certainly offers a lot of game for your money. There are effectively three games in one here – one for each of the original films. On top of that, there are many hidden challenges and items to collect in order to complete the game, plus the entire thing can also be replayed cooperatively.

Microsoft has tripled the amount of storage on its Xbox 360 with a 60GB version which will sell at the current price of the 20GB model.

The new unit will cost $349, while the 20GB will drop to $299 until stocks are depleted.

“We know that consumers need more and more space to store the digital content Xbox 360 offers, and we are giving it to them at no extra charge,” said Albert Penello, director of Xbox product management at Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Arcade, which has no hard drive but includes a 256MB memory unit, will continue to sell for $279. The Xbox 360 Elite system will remain at $449.

The new console is due to hit shelves in the US and Canada in early August. There are currently no details regarding price or availability for Europe or other regions.

The Nintendo Wii is a next generation gaming console, which has appealed to many people across the world, as it makes you more involved with the game as you have to move your body to work with the game. On release it was outselling all of the other consoles and was out of stock due to customer demand.

The Wii is a small white box; with a RRP of around 179.00 GBP This is one of the cheapest next generation consoles. But you can get one for free It is small, but it still gives that brilliant gaming excitement that will keep you busy for many hours to come.

It has many fully interactive games, including sports and carnival games. These games get you to move your body as though you are actually at the current area. You would move your body as though you would hit a ball, and the game will detect that and will show that on screen.

The Wii’s specifications are not the best but it still produces the gaming experiences required to make it a hit. One of the best features is the Wii’s web browser which allows a player to browse the Internet whilst playing his or hers favorite game. The Wii connects to the Internet via a Wifi connection (wireless internet connection) this is good as it cuts down on cables, but it still limits a percentage of the population, which do not have an Ethernet cable, but you can get an Ethernet to USB adapter so you can still connect to the Internet.

Go Messenger is a new software add-on for Sony’s Playstation Portable (PSP) games console that allows users to communicate with each other in various ways: via video, voice and text chat or messaging.

The software itself is free, but a number of crucial elements need to be in place before you can make full use of what Go Messenger has to offer, namely a PSP, access to a wireless internet connection and – if you want to use the video and voice functions – Sony’s Go Cam PSP camera accessory with built-in microphone (sold separately for about £35).

You’ll also need to find some similarly equipped friends for PSP-to-PSP communication, though it is also possible to chat with users of BT’s PC-based Softfone VoIP software. Setup is somewhat fiddly. We had to update our PSP and download new software before we could even register. Even then we experienced some inexplicable network problems during the initial logon.

Once it’s up and running, though, Go Messenger works pretty well. The main interface is quick, logical and easy to use. It’s unlikely to be of much interest to anyone over 15, particularly the texting element, which is a drag on the Playstation’s software keyboard.

Pre-orders for Nintendo’s Wii Fit game are outstripping supply as major retailers report shortages ahead of next week’s launch.

Five of the UK’s biggest games retailers - Play.com, Amazon.co.uk, Game.co.uk, Shopto.net and Zavvi.co.uk - have all been forced to turn away customers looking to buy the game and its bundled Wii Balance Board.

“We are currently sold out on this item. All orders will be dispatched as soon as possible,” read the response at Play.com.

Nintendo is advising customers to “shop around” and claimed that it had warned retailers of potential shortages several weeks ago.

“All retailers in the UK and Ireland have been aware of their Wii Fit allocations for launch since early March and as such we would see any stopping of pre-orders a sensible precaution on their part to ensure all current orders are met,” Nintendo said in a statement released to games website GamesIndustry.biz.

“Many retailers are still accepting pre-orders and we would advise people to shop around to secure their copy.”

The Wii Fit and its Wii Balance Board, an accessory developed exclusively for the Nintendo console, will launch across Europe on 25 April priced at £69 in the UK.

Go!Explore system includes 3D models of cities

Sony is to offer the GPS add-on for its PlayStation Portable gaming console to European users.

Set for release in early Spring, the Go!Explore system comprises an attachable GPS receiver and UMD disc containing the user’s chosen maps including 3D models of cities.

The system has separate modes based on whether the user is on foot or in a car. In pedestrian mode, users will be able to plot their way through cities in 3D thanks to the fully modelled maps contained on the UMD discs.

Users will also be able to download new maps and upgrades via Sony’s online PlayStation Network.

Go!Explore uses map data from TeleAtlas combined with navigation software from Nav N Go.

This addition marks part of Sony’s drive to make the PSP a multifunction portable device, as seen with the recent inclusion of Skype calling from the PSP.

Map packs will be available for most European countries in English, German, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish versions.

The Go!Explore kit will be provided in three bundle options:

GPS receiver and UMD (including maps of the relevant country) for €119
GPS receiver, UMD, Car Adaptor and Car Mount for €149
PSP, GPS receiver, UMD, Car Adaptor and Car Mount for €299

Microsoft has unveiled the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator, which the company claims will eliminate the need for expensive hardware or time-consuming and costly trial-and-error processes for testing HD DVD titles.

The Emulator allows film studios and disc authoring companies to model the behaviour of HD DVD disc content, including encoded video and HDi interactivity, in a virtual environment before committing to burning a single HD DVD disc.

According to Microsoft the software-based Emulator is among the first commercially available and should help ensure that titles are error-free on shipping day.

HD DVD and the enhanced content and interactive capabilities that come with it have increased the requirement for the quick and effective troubleshooting of coding.

The Emulator works by combining available hardware (the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system and the Xbox 360 HD DVD Player) and specialised emulation software to allow playback of near-final assets from a network storage share, portable hard drive or optical disc.

“We are committed to supporting and advancing the HD DVD ecosystem, and the new Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator reflects these efforts by providing developers with the software-based tools they need to efficiently deliver the highest-quality content,” said Jordi Ribas, general manager of HD DVD at Microsoft.

Setting up the Xbox 360 HD DVD Emulator requires developers to establish a connection to Xbox LIVE, navigate to the Download Games menu and then add the Emulator software to the hard drive of the Xbox 360 console.

Microsoft is charging a one-time licensing fee of $2,999.

Can this Ferrari-branded steering wheel help you dominate the field in your driving games?

The Ferrari GT steering wheel (with, naturally, the galloping horse logo prominently displayed) doesn’t come with the gearstick and clutch to be found on the more expensive game wheels, but otherwise it includes everything to make your driving experience realistic.

Well, as realistic as it’s going to get on a PC, in any case, with so-called force feedback to make the wheel rumble convincingly as you drive along.

The wheel has Tiptronic-style switches for changing gears, as well as plenty of configurable buttons, and the attached pedal section includes a brake and accelerator. All of these can be configured using the supplied software, which links to the Windows control panel.

It was easy to install, and includes grips to clamp the wheel to a desk, and even includes plugs for both the PC (USB) and the Playstation 2. We had a few teething problems as the wheel tried to take over the in-game menus, but these were sorted with a few clicks in the software.

The driving experience was suitably accurate, and our tests in a few driving games were much improved compared with keyboard control. At £40, it’s about the right price for both driving enthusiasts and casual gamers.

Vista compatible: Yes

Groundbreaking console tops the online ‘I want’ list for 2007

According to online analysis from Hitwise, Nintendo’s award-winning Wii console is the most popular search item online for frantic prezzie buyers in the run up to Christmas.

Steve Jobs and co must be reeling too, because despite Apple’s huge product releases this year, the Wii had 13 times more hits than the iPod, and twice as many as the iPod and iPhone combined. And Nintendo took second spot with its DS handheld console.

That’s a lot or searching. But it’s likely been fuelled by the mass product shortages alongside the console’s cool credentials, with many shoppers frantically looking high and low to prevent inevitable tantrums come Christmas Day if Santa doesn’t show up with the goods.

“The Nintendo Wii was the most searched for product by UK Internet shoppers during November. There were thirteen times as many UK Internet searches for Nintendo Wii sending traffic to the Hitwise Shopping and Classifieds category as there were for Apple iPod, and over twice as many searches for Wii as for both iPod and iPhone.

Despite shortages of the popular console in the UK, the volume of searches for Nintendo Wii has increased 158% since November 2006, while searches for Wii have increased by 278%.” Commented Robin Goad, director of research at Hitwise.

The top ten most popular gadgets then:
1. Nintendo Wii
2. Nintendo DS
3. Ugg Boots
4. Lego
5. Bratz
6. iPhone
7. iPod
8. Barbie
9. iPod Nano
10. Xbox 360

Asus recently announced its latest gaming laptop named “C90″. The notebook PC boasts its flexible upgrade capability, allowing users to easily swap its components, including RAM, hard drive, processor, GPU, and optical drive. This is a perfect solution for gamers since the development of gaming technology is quite rapid and always requires higher and higher resources.

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