Sunday With My Ipad2

I love my ipad.

Specifically my ipad 2*.

I love the way the ipad 2 fits in my hands, the weight of it, how it feels so smooth as I glide my fingers across the cold metal back. The whole damn user experience, start to finish, just makes me giddy. The last device to capture my heart this fully was the Atari 2600.

And when I get a Sunday morning like today, one where the kids are at the grandparents and I'm able to give my brain a few rare hours to not think/stress/fantasize about the new game/company, I like nothing better than to crash on the sofa and get lost in my 100% powered up Ipad2.

So that's what I've been doing. All morning. It's been amazing. But now, the real world calls and I need to get up, get the day started. But before I do, I wanted to share my ipad2 journey! :) 

So here goes:

#1- Played Games

Specifically these:

I'm late to the party it seems on the wonderful AirMail. Game is developed by N-Fusion  and published by one of my favorite mobile game publishers Chillingo (known mostly for publishing the fantastic Angry Birds and Cut The Rope, but they also publish a lot of less known but just as amazing games such as the new Catapult King and the- to me- classic physics-puzzler-meets-Mario-Platformer Storm In A Teacup).

Then I played some of this:

Been playing this on and off for a while, and I love it. It is supported by micro transactions but- so far- I've been able to get through every combat scenario on wits and planning (which is why I love turn based strategy games like this) and have not spent any more cash than my initial investment (forget what that was, but I would happily pay up to 9.99 for this great game). In all games- but it's very apparent in a turn based strategy title- you want to know if you are winning or losing because of your skills. In a game with micro transactions it's so easy to utterly confuse the player into not knowing if his failure is because he needs to try again with a different set of tactics or because the developer/publisher has put up a pay gate where 99% of the players simply can't pass unless they pay. So, so, so stupid and damaging to games but it happens all the time. I love that- again, so far- this game doesn't have that problem. Check it out if you like these kinds of games. It's from Atlanta based Drowning Monkeys and published by Aypoa Games. 

One quick note: 'hard core gamers' who complain about mobile games must not actually be playing them. Because if they were, they would see that there are so many interesting, unique, and fresh titles (mechanically and thematically) being made for this space. The above two genres- for example- are dying breeds on console but there is a home for them on mobile devices. I loved Sky Odyssey on Playstation 2. I loved Jean D'arc on my PSP. I can't find similar titles on console right now (but I am very excited for the new turn based XCOM) and I love that when I am craving those kinds of play experiences, I can just turn to the Ipad.

#2- Read Books 

I finished this today: 

Readers of the blog and the tweets know I dig Senior Smith. This is one of his best books and I tore through it in just a few days. It's funny (as expected) and wonderfully, creatively vulgar (sweet!), but it's also really inspiring, smart, and kind of sweet (hearing him talk about his family and friends and fans).

And then I started this:

Over my adult years I've become a news and political junkie. That obsession- mixed with my current love of Sorkin's The Newsroom-guaranteed I would click BUY the instant I saw this  in the itunes bookstore. Written by a former president of ABC NEWS, it's a behind the scenes look at the news division of ABC as well as a Westin's take on changing business of news in general. I'm only 1 chapter in but I'm already hooked. 

#3-Surfed The Web

When Jobs intro'd the first ipad in 2010, he claimed using it was 'the best web browsing experience you've ever had'. And damn, he was right. Here's what I surfed while lying on the couch this morning:

Planned my Comic Con panel schedule for next week...

Read a cool editorial about why folks are still interested and captivated by Bill and Hillary Clinton. 

Saw what friends were up to, wished my oldest daughter a Happy Birthday (yeah I had seen her in the morning but you can never say it enough to your kids!:), sent messages to a few friends. 

Stopped in to see what the word was with the most hard core Twisted Metal fans in the world. And in case you are one of them and are wondering: yes, I'll be reaching out to some of ya'll as well as working with Sony/ESP to tune the game this week.

I stop by NeoGaf to see what's up 2-10 times/day. 

So far, I've yet to have the career in the movies that I dreamed about growing up. Reading the always fun Deadline Hollywood allows me- just for a few moments a day- to pretend I work in that other cool industry :).

Can't go a day without checking in with Harry. The Talkbackers are about as entertaining as the site itself. Damn, and I thought game fans could be harsh. Sheesh! Plus if not for AICN, I'd never have heard the world's best forum poster name (DannyGlover'sDickBlood) nor seen with my own eyes one of the net's best ever memes ('Sexy BeanPole Tomboy).

Ok, so that was my Sunday morning with my Ipad :). I dug it.

But now, got lots to do! So I'm off! Talk later this week- hope you are doing great! 

Thanks for coming to the blog! 

David 

* If you were wondering: no, I don't have the new ipad yet. The retina display is great but not enough to get me to take the plunge. I probably won't get the New ipad unless the kids break this one (and I'm stunned that hasn't happened yet given how often they steal it from me).