Yes, it is true - Xbox Live appears to be down in certain areas around the globe. I reside in Manchester, UK and it's currently down for me as well. I did retain service until approximately 15 minutes ago then I joined the rest of you in total blackout!
Many users have made their disappointment clear:
Whilst it's not clear what Microsoft are doing to resolve the issue. one thing they certainly are doing is providing a link for you to check on their progress.
...
Oh, wait, the link they supplied is dead - doesn't work, no comprende (you get the picture).
I guess we'll have to just sit tight for now and wait for them to bring it back to life.
I'll provide a full report once it's up and running again.
iMajiCam Pro is, as you might have guessed, a camera app. It allows you to import a photo from your album to be edited, or you can take a brand new photo right from the app. One of the coolest features of iMajiCam Pro is the "Live Mode". This allows you to add all the effects before you take a photo, thus giving you a preview of how it is going to look.
Not enough effects for you? well, get yourself over to the iMaji-Mart. Here you can purchase additional packs of effects for 69p each. There is also the option to purchase all 3 in bulk for £1.49, saving you 58p in the process. There is also a handy little 'restore' button. In the event that you need to restore you iPhone and you lose the app, hitting this button will deliver all effects packs that you previously purchased, negating the need to pay once more.
To the right, you can see one of the photos I have recently taken with iMajiCam Pro. I am no photographer, or a professional, so it's not the greatest look but I was just experimenting with different effects to see what they looked like in print. I will include a couple more photos showcasing different effects.
Unfortunately, iMajiCam Pro does have a couple of downsides. For starters, although the "Live Mode" is a fantastic idea, things can get a tad fiddly. It is sometimes better to take a photo and then edit it later on, you can always delete a photo if you are not satisfied with it once taken. Another flaw is the frequent crashing of the app. When attempting to save the above photo of my cat to my photo album it froze and did not respond. The app then crashed and saved a dozen copies of the photo to my album, rather than just the one I was hoping for. I am sure that with updates the crashing issues can be resolved.
iMajiCam Pro also comes with social integration. You can, should you wish to, share your creations with the likes of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I like the fact that they have integrated Instagram into the sharing options, something that your standard iPhone photo album doesn't provide. iMajiCam Pro can be downloaded from the App Store for FREE. I don't know how long they are keeping it free though, so if you want to give it a try now is the best time to get hold of a copy. Link HERE.
Just a quick post to tell you that I have now added a short poll to the blog, on the right hand side. I'm wondering if people want to see me review more products such as gadgets, games, apps, electricals, etc. Please take a moment to vote, it'll help shape my blog to one that people enjoy reading. If you want to contact me, you can do so via Twitter (@NathanCashman) If you want your app, game or product reviewed, you can always contact me via email (innaterambler@gmail.com) I will get back to you as soon as possible, most likely within 2-4 hours (I am in the UK, so if you are in a different timezone please be aware of this. Don't expect a reply at 4am)
One of my Twitter followers today posted a video that really set a spark off in my brain. It's regarding the topic of video games, and how they affect the real world - more specifically if violent video games are having an impact on the crime rate in today's society. You can find the video at the bottom of this post. Ironic thing is, he's debating the topic whilst playing Black Ops 2 - immense!
Video games are always a scapegoat when something tragic happens in life. The hype seems to fade away after a while, but then quickly resurfaces as soon as another major event occurs. This is exactly what has happened recently. One big reason why - Connecticut school shooting in December 2012.
The aftermath of the Connecticut shootings was one of deep sadness which, once everyone began to calm down, quickly turned to anger. A lot of this anger was aimed directly at video games. Somehow this anger has, once again, led to a massive debate on whether or not violent video games should be banned.
The problem I have with this argument is that there is literally no scientific proof that violent video games cause real life violence. If you actually take a moment to look at the statistics, you can quite clearly tell that the percentage of people who play these games do not, in any way shape or form, correlate to the percentage who then go on to massacre people, or commit some kind of violent crime.
Call of Duty: One of the many video games blamed for violent crime. Photo: codocom.com
If anything, it is the perpetrators own mental state that is the cause of violent crime. In my opinion, to be able to commit such acts of violence towards another human being indicates that there is something fundamentally wrong upstairs - nothing to do with video games. Just because they have played video games, and may have played the latest Halo, or Grand Theft Auto, before commencing their attack does not mean the game is to blame - yet this is the only factor that critics of violent video games seem to take into consideration.
I have done a little research, and the facts prove what I kind of knew already. Most of the gaming population who are playing these violent games on a daily basis are children in their early teens. This shows a complete lack of parental guidance. There is no way a 12 year old should have their hands on an 18 rated game. The only way they have managed to own the game will be their parents buying it for them - if anything this is the main cause of violent behaviour.
Trying to defend their actions, one parent commented:
"My son has a bad temper and is defiant. But when I remove his violent video games for a few days he becomes nicer, calmer and more compliant. It's very clear to me that the games have a negative affect on his behavior. I am afraid that if he is allowed to continue playing the violent games he may become a very scary teenager and adult." - Source: http://www.debate.org/opinions/do-violent-video-games-cause-behavior-problems
Okay, so your son has a bad temper and is defiant - discipline him. Be a good parent. Why does he have the video game in the first place? Why should grown adults have to suffer just because you can't parent properly and your child is aggressive as a result?
All of these parents who are up in arms against violent video games really need to start waking up and smelling the coffee. Your argument is invalid. Don't buy your under-age child an 18 rated video game and then complain that its content is affecting their well being! It's hypocrisy at the highest level.
At the end of the day, you cannot please everyone. Regardless, my point still stands. Violent games are rated appropriately and the rating is there for a reason. Besides, even if they did manage to ban violent games, do you really think that'll stop them being created and distributed? No. Look at the mass market of illegally downloaded music and films - this is banned but still continues. People will find a way to play the games that they have a right to play. Don't let some begrudged bad parents and old timers with no sense of modern society ruin it for the rest of us.
Anyway, that's my two cents. I could literally go on for days about this topic...
As promised, here's a link to the video that got me thinking in the first place:
