In what can only be described as buyer's remorse...

Yes, it was just a couple of weeks ago I was all excited and ranting about my cool Tony Stark LG VX9800 TV cell phone and now its gone. Yes, 80% of the reason I bought it was because it was Tony Stark's phone (Ironman movie, duh) and 20% was for the cool flip landscape screen for TV and video. But...we're not getting the Verizon TV network in my area until late '08 or early '09 and I still had to use a numeric keypad for texting/e-mailing (so 2003). So I had to march back to Verizon and get a new phone. And its so cool I can hardly stand it!

I present to you the Samsung SCH-u940 or "Glyde" as its known here in the US. This is a touchscreen phone from Samsung that's supposed to be competition with the iPhone. Or at least it gives Verizon subscribers an iPhone-like phone. Similar to the LG env2 and Voyager phones with a landscape screen and touchscreen capability but is smaller in size.

The Glyde is simple yet very good looking and stylish and you never get used to the "wow" factor of sliding the screen up to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard. There are only a few buttons on the side of the phone's case (volume, camera and power) and the on-board 2 mega-pixel camera (not great but good enough) is located on the back. The buttons on the keyboard are small but I have small hands so it works for me (but fat fingered people beware!). And if you thought the screen on the LG VX9400 was cool, you'll fall in love with the huge 2.75" WVGA (240x440 pixel) bright and crisp display on the Glyde. The phone also gives you the option of having a haptic response when using the touchscreen function (feels like your pressing buttons for those that can't deal with the "dead feel" of a touch screen). You can still use the phone in portrait mode (with the screen closed) to dial numbers and text but the joy comes in sliding that screen out and letting your fingers do the walking. So you get all the standard phone functions as well, the ability to play video and music (made easier by the micro SD card slot), access to all the Verizon mobile content and the web of course. Web pages load in their full size so looking around a page can seem awkward but hey you're using a cell phone for surfing!

Overall the phone is slick, stylish and does what it promises. All that and you get battery life even with the bluetooth on. The phone even comes with a PC cable and software to put content on your phone. Thank god for once I don't have to buy an accessory to get the most out of my phone (other phone makers take note). With a new plan or upgrade the phone'll set you back around $199 but if you're a Verizon customer its worth every penny.

I didn't like Ironman….I LOVED IT!!!

Okay, I've said it before but THIS is the movie I'VE been waiting for. I've had a nerd-on for the Ironman comic book my whole life and I'm surprised that the world couldn't hear my nerd-gasm when I went to go see it the first time the day it opened (yes I said first time, I worked hard to add to the $104 million take of opening weekend).

The movie was a little updated from the comic book (the original story did come out in 1968 after all) but its still relevant. Quick take: Stark, a wealthy playboy CEO and genius of his father's weapons biz is taking hostage while showing his wares in Afghanistan. While watching soldiers die to protect him and then dealing with captivity he eventually comes home with a heavy heart and decides he wants to do the right thing. He's still making weapons and dealing death, just not for sale to governments, he's gonna destroy the bad guys that are using his weapons. His answer to all this, build a super suit, Ironman (cue the gadget porn and nerd-gasms).
The movie is a thrill ride from beginning to end that has as many laughs as "ooh's and ah's". Robert Downey Jr. was meant to play the womanizing, spoiled, wunderkind who finds a heart of gold Tony Stark. Gwyneth Paltrow is sexy AND funny as Pepper Potts and the surprise to me was Jeff Bridges as the dark business partner who goes bad. I have yet in all my years seen a movie more than once in a theater….until now and this will be the first movie I buy on Blu-Ray the day it comes out. Oh yeah, and it was announced today that we'll see a sequel in 2010 and an Avengers movie in 2012 (p.s. stay until after the credits).

Of course I ran out and bought the videogame too but I'll have to post a review about that later, I gotta get to work!

What a great week to be a geek!

Coming off of the trials and tribulations of medical emergencies over the last two weeks this week provides the best way for a geek to "bounce back". Tuesday we got GTA IV and yes I've been playing it into the wee hours every night since its release (its one of the few titles I've ever picked up the day it was released). First impressions? The environment is HUGE. I spent hours just jacking cars and beating up people. The graphics are okay, they still have the GTA "feel" but this ain't Assassin's Creed or anything. And it was surprised by how dark (the actual color not the theme) the game is. I had to go into the control panel and brighten it up. So far so good though and it looks to be worth every penny of my $60. I'm excited to try out the multiplayer action too. That should be a very interesting spin on the whole "thuggery in a sandbox" idea.
On Friday we get the Ironman movie and I can't even begin to express my excitement for this film. This is MY Spiderman or Star Wars or Lord of the Rings. Tony Stark (who is Ironman) has been my favorite comic book character all my life and I've been waiting for this movie. The reviews have been great as well so I'll have tons to post after I either see it at the midnight showing tonight or the first Matinee tomorrow. Not to mention we also get the Ironman movie tie in video game tomorrow for Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. The videogame by the way which by all accounts and reviews may be the best movie tie in game yet and great on its own! Oh yeah, there's also Ironman movie trading cards (yup, just like your old baseball cards) featuring autograph cards of the cast, scenes from the movie and even Ironman Armor costume/prop cards. My head is going to explode from sheer Ironman goodness!

And the best day of the year if you're a comic book fan? Why free comic book day of course!! This Saturday, May 3, is Free Comic Book Day at your local comic shop. I know most wouldn't buy a comic book out of the blue but how can you resist free? And there's tons of them. I think there were a total of 30 last year. This year's free X-MEN comic features a brand new story by Mike Carey and Greg Land, or you can get MARVEL ADVENTURES: IRON MAN which will guest star the Hulk and Spider-Man. Pure comic goodness. If you have no idea where your local comic shop is you can click on the Comic Shop Locator button at Marvel.com or call toll-free at 1-888-COMIC BOOK.

Now I'm off to get Ironman toys from my local Burger King!