Xbox 360: Which Core Bundle is Right for You?

If you've lived under a rock since May then you'd be surprised to learn that Microsoft has released their second xbox titled xbox 360. Upon your emergence it wouldn't take long for you to figure out that this is no regular system; the XBOX 360 will lead the next generation consoles by including some of the latest wireless and graphic technology to-date. What some of you may not know is the fact Microsoft will release TWO different systems. They were concerned about the price of all the gadgets so they made a second, cheaper system. What's the difference? This article will explain some of the must knows before buying the xbox 360.

First off, what do the systems hold that are the same? Both hold a dvd-ROM so you can play DVD's, CD's, all xbox 360 games. You can plug into one of the 3 usb ports to access iPOD's, video, cameras, MP3 players, etc. pretty much the generic gaming experience will be available on both systems. But now for the fun stuff. Should I shell out the extra $100 for the more expensive system?

You'll be surprised about the differences between the two bundled systems so consider these things before buying. In no particular order here are some CONS of buying the CHEAPER system. (Believe me, I wouldn't pump the more expensive system if it wasn't a big deal, I'm here to save gamers money.)


First off, remember backwards compatibility? Your ability to play 200 xbox games on the next generation xbox 360? Well you NEED to download patches for most games and those patches stay on the hard drive. The cheaper system does NOT come equipped with the 20GB hard drive.


What's the difference in cables? The cheaper version comes complete with AV cables for your TV, the expensive version comes complete with cables for HD-TV hook up. BUT get this: the graphic difference of the xbox to xbox 360 will be marginal if you have an old TV. This is what we've been told, and if you experience otherwise post it in our xbox forum. It seems that you need a new TV to really experience the bells and whistles of the new system.


If you want to save games then you NEED to buy a 64MB memory unit (for the cheaper system) which will cost 40 bucks. That bumps up the price of the original to $340 from $299. For an extra $60 bucks you can have EVERYTHING in the better system. (As an aside, the Canadian companies are going to make a bundle (well not a bundle since Microsoft will likely loose money to start off with.) But, the US price for the basic system is $299 while the Canadian counterpart is $399. The current exchange rate does not warrant a $100 increase to adjust. The price should be closer to $350. Just a thought.)


The one controller that comes with the new cheaper bundle is wired, whereas the more expensive bundle will come complete with a single wireless controller. Enough said. You be the judge regarding its value.

Judging by looks, the xbox 360 games will typically be sharper and crisper, but not an all out blow out. I'll say that Microsoft BETTER get some more games going than the initial 18 or risk losing market share and interest in a hurry. This article concludes that for the extra $60 bucks (you need the 64 MB card to save games so that's why it's $60,) you should go out and place an order for the more expensive system. Why Xbox made two different ones when the prices would be so close is beyond me. Mind you, coupled with game packages, the price does climb up there. That's my take, now back to gaming.

Chlorine and Cancer: What Can a Water Filter Do for You?

Every day, cases of cancer are rising in astounding and unprecedented numbers. While medical professionals work tirelessly to find a cure for this most deadly of diseases, the numbers of terminally ill patients continue to climb. Although the cure for cancer continues to elude medical professionals, it is completely within our own power to protect our families and ourselves and to reduce our risks whenever possible.

In recent years, individuals have begun to seriously examine known carcinogens and to protect themselves from these cancer-causing agents. Sunscreen has become an important defense against skin cancer, and its use is on the rise. The number of smokers attempting to quit rises each day, precisely because of new information about the carcinogenic nature of cigarettes.

The increase in such protective behaviors clearly indicates an increased interest in protecting oneself from cancer risks. Still, droves of people continue to use and drink unfiltered tap water, not knowing about or not believing in the insidious nature of this substance. Whether we like it or not, the water that emerges from our taps, however pristine it may appear, is filled with carcinogenic compounds. A simple water filter can now serve as a valuable safeguard against cancer.

chlorine and Tap Water: Untreated tap water is filled with such dangerous contaminants as nitrate, arsenic, microorganisms, and chemicals from pesticide runoff. Once this water reaches a municipal treatment plant, many contaminants are removed. However, one of the most dangerous contaminants is actually added to drinking water as a part of the treatment process.

chlorine, added as an inexpensive and effective drinking water disinfectant, is also a known poison to the body. It is certainly no coincidence that chlorine gas was used with deadly effectiveness as a weapon in the First World War. This gas was known to severely burn the lungs and other body tissues when inhaled; it is no less powerful when ingested by mouth. Each day, as we use unfiltered tap water, we are effectively pouring bleach into our water before we drink it.

This poisonous chemical, accompanied by its byproducts, is now known to cause at least three types of cancers, among other serious health problems. The U.S. Council of Environmental quality recently released a report stating that the risk of cancer is 93% higher among those drinking chlorinated water than among those not drinking chlorinated water! In the following paragraphs, you can read about the specific cancer risks of chlorinated water and learn how to protect your family and yourself from this insidious poison.

Bladder and Rectal Cancer: chlorine has long been known to be a leading cause of bladder and rectal cancer. Once in water, chlorine interacts with organic compounds to create trihalomethanes (THMs). These THMs are particularly harmful to the body when ingested. When taken into the body, THMs encourage the production of free radicals. These free radicals proceed to destroy or damage vital cells in the body. Because so much of the water we drink ends up in the bladder and/or rectum, ingestions of THMs in drinking water is particularly damaging to these organs. THMs cause innumerable cases of bladder and rectal cancer each year.

Bladder and rectal cancer occur when malignant cells, often created by THMs, infect the inner tissues of the particular organ. Once they have taken hold in the bladder or rectum, the malignant cells can isolate themselves in the infected area or they can spread to infect other areas of the body, potentially causing more deadly forms of cancer. Each year, 13,000 new cases of bladder cancer are diagnosed in women while 37,000 new cases are diagnosed in men. Of these 50,000 new cases each year, slightly more than 20% of individuals will die from the disease. For rectal cancer, more than 40,000 new cases are diagnosed each year and approximately 55% of those individuals diagnosed will die from the disease.

Ironically, one of the best means of protection against these two types of cancer is drinking plenty of fluids. However, drinking larger amounts of contaminated water only exacerbates the risk.

Breast Cancer: Breast cancer is the newest type of cancer to be connected to ingestion of chlorinated water. Breast cancer affects one out of every eight women in the United States alone, and it kills approximately _ of its victims.

Recent research has linked this deadly cancer to a buildup of chlorine compounds in the breast tissue. In a shocking study conducted in Hartford, Connecticut, researchers found that women with breast cancer have 50% to 60% higher levels of organochlorines (chlorination byproducts) in their breast tissue than women without breast cancer. While chlorine can make its way into our bodies in several ways, there is no means of access more common or more frequent than the ingestion of common, unfiltered tap water.

A Simple Solution: One preventive solution to these three deadly cancers could not be simpler. If chlorinated drinking water is a leading cause of cancer, then the obvious method of reducing ones risk of cancer is to refrain from drinking chlorinated water. We cannot choose whether or not to drink water, but we can choose the type of water we allow into our bodies.

Municipal water treatment plants add chlorine to water to help make it cleaner and more pure, but once that chlorine has performed its function, there is certainly no reason for it to continue its deadly presence in drinking water. A simple home water filter removes chlorine and its byproducts from drinking water, producing clean, pure drinking water that can also serve as a useful protection against cancer. Water filters are one of the only methods of water purification capable of removing chlorine.

So, what can a water filter do for you? The answer is simple but extremely valuable. A water filter can protect an individual from cancer, one of the deadliest killers of the 20th century.

LG Shine - What a Beauty!

The world of fashion mobile is fascinating to explore. Its really a sight to behold, as huge assortment of mobile phones are presented throughout the market, in all contours and design. At the same time, this deluge of fashion phones makes an ostensibly chaotic scenario, specially when you think of buying one. but one handset that makes eyes stop, is the LG Shine. The handset has been around for quite a while, but seems like its radiance is not going to die for a long time.

A tribute to style and substance, the LG Shine further carries the reputation of LG chocolate. Why Shine? The handset is names so because of its make. It features a large TFT screen that is so reflective that it feels like holding a mirror in hand. Quite an interesting designing here, specially for over concious women. Further the handset comes wrapped in stainless steel casing. The exterior is so fine and smooth, that it exudes a brilliant shine around the handset. one being slid open, the LG shine reveals a very impressive keypad- though rather flat. Again the keypad matches the make of the device, and throws an enticing picture with its stainless steel coating.

The enigma of LG Shine gets even further highlighted, when the phone is activated. For beneath the exterior shining screen lays hidden the actual screen. This screen is features a good interface, and the beautiful icons makes the appearance highly charming. Besides looks, the LG Shine also boasts of some good ergonomics. The handset 2 Megapixels camera with auto focus, flash and a range of filters, an impressive mp3 player, PhotoID, bluetooth, document viewers (for Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint and PDF), Web and wap browsing, and mobile email. plus, features such as usb mass storage mode for file transfer.

Which Video Gaming Platform Is The Best For You?

So you are a keen video game player and have decided it is time to upgrade and purchase a new video game system. But which one is best for you? I am going to highlight the pros and cons of the different gaming systems currently available to help you choose the most suitable one for your needs.

I am only going to cover the main options, namely xbox, Playstation, gamecube and PC.

The xbox 360 is the latest offering from microsoft who are a relatively new name in the world of gaming consoles. This system is the most powerful available at the moment. There are a reasonably wide variety of games on offer and they are mostly of good quality. One of the selling points of the xbox 360 is that it has a hard drive, this is a new development in console gaming. This allows for more complex gaming options and other uses such as downloading music. A real plus point for many xbox gamers is the on-line gaming options. A wide variety of on-line, multilayer options really adds to the game play and last ability of the titles you can buy for this console.

The Playstation 2 is designed by Sony who have been at the forefront of the home gaming market for some time now. This is a good gaming system but is older than the xbox 360 so does not offer as many features. The graphic ability of the ps2 is good but the main bonus to owning one is the sheer number of games available. There are more different titles on offer for the ps2 than any other system, so if choice is what you want this could be the way to go. However the new Sony ps3 will be launched quite soon so it may be worth holding on until then.

The gamecube is produced by Nintendo and is a very good console. Nintendo seem to be more innovative than the other console manufacturers so if you like new ideas then this could be for you. The selection of games is not as large as for the other consoles and due to a lack of popularity in the US and Europe, some game developers have stopped producing games on this format. This is definitely a point to consider but the quality of some of the gamecube titles is very high. There are people who would recommend buying this system just so that you could play the new legend of Zelda games.

If you are considering getting a PC for your gaming needs then you will need a significantly larger budget. Mid to high end PCs that are designed for gaming do not come cheap. However the games are often cheaper to buy than console games and of course there are other uses for a PC than gaming alone. In general the real strength of PCs in regard to gaming is their ability to deal with much more complicated games. If you are into strategy or role-playing games then you will find the widest choice of this type of game in the PC format.

The thing to do is decide exactly what you want from your gaming platform and then choose the one which most closely fits your gaming needs.

Natural Pain Management!

Life in todays hectic society is going more and more in the direction of fast foods, sugar in all sorts of foods you would never think should be there, trans fatty acids, preservatives and pesticides, which we consume in large amounts every year. We even go so far as to invent foods, such as artificial sugars which your body may or may not recognize as actual food.

We are bombarded with hormones in most of our meats and dairy products. There is mounting evidence that many girls are maturing physically at a much younger age because of this.

With all this going on, its no wonder that our immune systems are on overload and physical ailments are growing in leaps and bounds. Pain in some cases, is what some peoples lives revolve around.

Lets look at pain. It is your signal that injury, disease or too much strain has occurred on the body. Without it you wouldnt know that something needs to be addressed. Even mild pain can limit your activities, which in turn can lead to a loss of strength, endurance and flexability.

Chronic pain can be on and off or be consistent. If you are like most people, youll reach for over the counter drugs or prescription drugs. This is what the drug companies would love for you to do.

If you suffer from pain there are many more options for you to explore than drugs or surgery. With vitamins, minerals and herbs lacking in our daily foods, you may want to consider a nutritionist to assist in establishing healthy diet and exercise program. Supplements, and organic foods, may improve your immune systems ability to repair the body and should reduce pain.

There are also other natural remedies that can enhance your nutritional handling such as acupuncture, chiropractic, massage, relaxation techniques such as deep breathing or yoga.

I hope this helps.

Wilhelmina Jones is a freelance writer who was diagnosed with Lupus nearly 15 years ago. Though symptoms were severe at that time, through the use of diet and supplements for maintaining health and pain relief, she has remained symptom free ever since.

VARs Vindicated By Microsoft Vista E-mails

Internal Microsoft e-mails unsealed Wednesday by a federal judge in Washington state have given considerable weight to VAR and system builder allegations that Microsoft "lowered the bar" in labeling "Windows Vista Capable" certain Intel chipsets that did not meet performance standards for the operating system after its launch last year.

The e-mails, available here and here seem to confirm the suspicions of solution providers who told ChannelWeb in mid-February they were "leery" of Microsoft's Vista Capable campaign from the outset. One high level executive at a computer builder that participated in the marketing campaign even correctly identified Intel's 945 chipset as a culprit in Microsoft's lowering of its "Vista Capable" spec.

A Feb. 18, 2007 e-mail from Steven Sinofsky, then newly named as head of Microsoft's Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, to CEO Steve Ballmer and other executives stressed problems with Intel's 915 and 945 chipsets:

The Vista Ready logo program required drivers available on 1/30. I think we had had reasonable coverage, but quality was uneven as I experienced.

Intel has the biggest challenge. Their "945" chipset which is the baseline Vista set "barely" works right now and is very broadly used. The "915" chipset which is not Aero capable is in a huge number of laptops and was tagged as "Vista Capable" but not Vista Premium. I don't know if this was a good call. But these function but will never be great. Even a 945 set has new builds of drivers coming out constantly but hopes are on the next chipset rather than this one.

Portions of the e-mails unsealed Wednesday had been read aloud earlier in U.S. District Court, where Judge Marsha Pechman last Friday gave the go-ahead to plaintiffs to bring a class-action lawsuit against Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft over the Vista Capable marketing campaign.

Microsoft, which confirms the authenticity of the e-mails, denies it did anything wrong with the campaign, saying in a statement: "The emails reflect part of an active discussion about how best to implement the Windows Vista Capable program. Ultimately, we provided choices to consumers, giving different options at various price-points to meet their needs."

One e-mail receiving a great deal of media attention is a Feb. 26., 2007 message from Microsoft GM John Kalkman to system builder channel chief Scott DiValerio. In that e-mail, Kalkman wrote:

It was a mistake on our part to change the original graphics requirements. ... In the end, we lowered the requirement to help Intel make their quarterly earnings so they could continue to sell motherboards with the 915 graphics embedded.

But Intel legal affairs spokesman Chuck Molloy took particular exception to Kalkman's commentary on the Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip giant's financial situation.

"My reaction to that statement is that John Kalkman has zero visibility into Intel's financials, financial forecasting or any financial situation as it relates to Intel's motherboards or any other product we sell," Molloy said Friday.

Intel and Microsoft have both been in the spotlight over legal issues in recent weeks. European Commission regulators earlier this month raided Intel's Germany offices as part of the EC's ongoing investigation of the chipmaker for anti-competitive practices. Intel faces a closed-door hearing on those proceedings in Brussels on March 11 and 12.

The European Consumers' Organization (BEUC) is interested in the discovery unsealed Wednesday in the U.S. class action suit, said Cornelia Kutterer, senior legal advisor at the Brussels-based consumer watchdog.

"In such a high-profile case, where a dominant firm squeezes out a competitor, it has significant effect on price competition, innovation and consumer choice," said Kutterer.

Intel also faces several anti-trust lawsuits in the United States, including a case brought against the chipmaker by its chief rival in the x86 microprocessor market, Advanced Micro Devices. Depositions by major witnesses in the AMD suit, including Michael Dell, are scheduled for mid-March, according to legal sources.

Microsoft, for its part, was slapped with a record $1.35 billion fine by European regulators Wednesday for failing to comply with orders issued in the landmark 2004 anti-trust ruling against the software giant.

Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD would not comment on rival Intel's role in the unsealed Microsoft e-mails, instead stressing its own products' readiness for Vista.

"AMD was a key partner to Microsoft in the development of Vista, and our platforms offered generally trouble-free experiences out of the box, in part due to our emphasis on graphics even in integrated platforms, as well as our strength in graphics driver development," an AMD spokesperson said in an e-mail to ChannelWeb.

"We have a critical mainstream chipset launch upcoming that will serve to extend our advantage over Intel in the mainstream PC market. And the vast majority of PCs sold are IGP systems."