Who Will Win The Hi-Def Games War?

With Sony's PlayStation 3 finally launched across the globe, the next-gen videogames wars can start in earnest. microsoft already has a reasonable installed base for Xbox 360, but not enough to guarantee dominance, while Sony's consumers' brand loyalty is being tested to the limits by the PS3's high price point.

nintendo, meanwhile, has carved out a nice niche for itself by making next-gen not about hi-def, with its humorously named, but extremely popular Wii.

Within the industry though, most pundits are expecting a much more level playing field this time around, with microsoft and Sony battling it out, but neither gaining significant domination over the other. This is, frankly put, a disaster for Sony whose PlayStation 2 console defined a generation, and not just of consoles.

What is the reason for this shift? One word: exclusivity. In the good old days, games publishers were convinced to launch their game on a single console, and then perhaps later allow it to grace the competitors' machines, and so Lara boosted the original PlayStation and gta helped the ps2 explode. With the next-gen, exclusivity is all but gone. gta will launch on both the Xbox 360 and ps3 and Lara is two-timing the PlayStation all over the place. There are even rumours that Snake will turn tail and that Metal Gear Solid 4 will not be a PlayStation 3 exclusive. In fact, the only games that remain exclusive to a format tend to be those developed by the console manufacturers themselves, first party games as they are known.

So, what do microsoft and Sony have up their sleeve? Sony has a game called Heavenly Sword, which has games journalists very excited, but apart from this its near-future release schedule is quite embarrassing.

microsoft on the other hand has a machine mature enough to be expecting its second-wave of titles, games which should really be starting to take advantage of the next-gen hardware (to date, only Gears of War has really shown its next-gen credentials to gamers). And its line up is looking OK, and not just first party: Bioshock, from 2K, Mass Effect, a highly anticipated game from Bioware, who can do no wrong, halo 3 to arrive one month after gta IV on both platforms - you don't have a bucket big enough to describe how many bucketloads this game will sell, fable 2, from the well-liked Lionhead Studio and then later more project Gotham Racing and halo action.

Essentially, this year Xbox 360 has some good triple A games, with 2 tent pole releases in gta IV and halo 3. Sony has gta IV and Heavenly Sword and then many more third party, multi-platform games.

So, expect microsoft to shift some units with their line up, but Sony will also be hoping for a gta effect on its console. This pinkish, if not rosy, outlook for microsoft could change next year though. Sony has more development staff than anyone else, and while it might be taking its time, you have to expect its first party games to start coming through.

All of this, of course, is only considering the games consoles as just that, and it remains to be seen what effect, if any, the Blu-Ray (PS3) vs HD-dvd (Xbox 360) hi-definition formats for videos have on sales.

Sports Equipment Fitnessscape Yoga

The How To Guide for Six Pack Abs

So you want six pack abs? The truth is, for most people getting six pack abs is not an easy task because it requires dedication and motivation...but it is possible! Below is a general 2-step guide that, if followed religiously for 3 months, will improve your abs.

Step 1: nutrition

This is the single most important part of the puzzle, hands down. You can have the most impressive set of abs, but if they're covered with a layer of fat, you won't see them! Break up your day with 5 or 6 mini-meals because this jump starts your metabolism. And stop eating the food that is preventing you from seeing your abs: white bread, pasta, soda, candy, dessert, fast food, hydrogenated oils, sugars and fructose corn syrup.

Instead, eat the foods that will help you reach your six pack goal: oatmeal, olive oil, whole grain breads, fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, natural peanut butter, chicken, fish, protein, green tea and water. Be realistic - you'll slip here and there, but make a conscious effort to improve your eating habits because getting a six pack will be impossible if you don't.

Step 2: exercise

You need to concern yourself with 3 different exercises: cardio, weightlifting and ab exercises. And aim to workout 4 times per week.

The cardio you do can be anything: walking, running, biking, swimming...whichever cardio you don't mind doing so you stick with it. The trick is to do the cardio in bursts. For example, if you're running, walk for one minute and then sprint for 15 seconds and repeat 10 times. Perform this type of interval cardio 2 times per week.

Weightlifting is important because 3 pounds of added muscle burns as many calories as a 1 mile jog...and this is while you're just sitting around! Aim for 30-45 minutes, 2 times per week. If you're confused as to what exercises to do for each body part, check out the following website. It features professional bodybuilders, but the information is great and can be used by anyone.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

The last exercise you need to incorporate into your workout are ab exercises. Aim to work your abs 3 times per week. There are a ton of different ab exercises you can do so try to find 3 or so that you enjoy doing and mix it up. A good database of different ab exercises can be found here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exername.php?MainMuscle=Abdominals

tip: mix up your workout routine every 2 weeks to keep your body guessing and improving. Add or take away different weightlifting or ab exercises, or at the very least, vary the weight, reps or form of cardio you do.

Well, there you have it. Follow the above for 3 months, and while results will vary from person to person, you will see an improvement in your abs. And keep in mind that dedication and motivation will go a long way to helping you reach your goal of having six pack abs.

Imagine the feeling you'll get when you look in the mirror and like what you see.

Honestly, this article only scratches the surface on getting six pack abs. If you really want to learn the tried and true techniques for developing a rock-hard midsection, check out The Truth About Six Pack Abs. It's an amazing fitness program.

Kundalini Yoga Teacher