3dGameMan …to the point news and reviews !

The Contour Design mouse isn’t very pretty. In fact, it’s odd-looking and oversized. Sure, I got the typical comments from “other” users who spied the mouse on my desk. “Ooh, what is it?,” said one brilliant observer. “Are you sure it’s big enough?,” asked one male user. “It feels weird,” exclaimed my 12-year-old daughter. It’s bigger, it’s better and best of all, my wrist doesn’t hurt anymore! I have no intent to go back to a regular mouse, either! Contour Design’s Contour Mouse defines ergonomics in the workplace and at home. (continue reading…)

Say goodbye to Carpel Tunnel Syndrome when you meet up with Wacom’s 4″ x 5″ electronic graphics tablet. Drawing, shading, tracing and coloring have never been easier on your wrists. The ArtPad  also mimics a traditional mouse and mousepad, so if you haven’t parted company with your mouse, here’s your chance!

The ArtPad  has a feather-light Erasing UltraPen which weighs in at a mere 0.36 ounce! Since the cordless UltraPen requires no batteries, the pressure sensitive pen is lighter than its competitors’ pens. The erasing action works like the eraser on a pencil — just turn the pen upside down (with compatible software) and you’re ready to erase. Even the eraser is pressure-sensitive!! (continue reading…)

Although Danny Glover Tells Aesop’s Fables introduction starts off with solid animation and music, the kids quickly realize that the 24 Aesop’s fables, narrated by actor Danny Glover, are not animations, but rather of series of static images. It reminded me of being in elementary school and watching slide shows in the middle of the day. It would have been nice for the kids to view a more entertaining animated version of Aesop’s than a series of images. Also, Jazz maestro Ron Carter’s musical backdrops detracted from Glover’s concise narration. It was very easy for our kids to lose interest in the middle of a fable. This rarely happens with CD-ROMs in our household! Why not check out a book at the local library and introduce the kids to your favorite Aesop’s Fables or let them read Aesop’s to you instead of tying up a $2,000 computer watching slide shows? (continue reading…)

Way cool, innovative and inexpensive — this PC’s for you!

What can you get for $999 in a home PC? Plenty! If you’re looking for a high-performance multimedia computer which saves you space and money, look no farther than Monorail’s systems. I tested the Monorail 133 and was impressed by its slim design and price tag. It’s innovative–a desktop PC that only weighs 17 lbs. with a full-size keyboard. It easily fits into tiny work areas, kitchens, cubicles, apartments and student dorms while taking about 20 percent of the space of a traditional desktop PC. Better yet, a PC that can peacefully exist next to a Power Mac so that you can simultaneously run both platforms. It’s a damn near perfect setup. (continue reading…)

Take a walk on the wild side with Bevy and Max as you eavesdrop on their private e-mail correspondence in CONNECT. These two strangers, whose hearts previously dangled in cyberspace in Nan McCarthyism’s popular CHAT book, continue their banter in this novel loaded with sexual tension, wit, and temptation.

Similar to CHAT, the book consists entirely of e-mail letters between an editor named Bevy and Maximilian, a copywriter. The sparks fly when Max sends Bevy a letter by e-mail asking her advice on which kind of computer he should buy. Although Bevy laid her cards on the table and informed Max that she wasn’t interested in giving out the information and that she was married, the two get involved exchanging a rapid series of teasing e-mail letters. The cyber-relationship comes to a grinding halt after both of them wind up in a one-night stand after Mac world. Max knew it was Bevy, but Bevy had no clue it was Max. Go figure! (continue reading…)

Ideal software for a child’s first computer experience.

Zurk’s Learning Safari is not your typical early learning software. You won’t find splashy graphics or slick animation on this CD-ROM.
Instead, kids will explore a realistic safari of soft pastels and watercolors with original African rhythms.
Zurk is a zany cartoon character who has springs for legs. He bounces back and forth throughout activities such as Alphabet Soup, Hide and Seek, Alphabet Book, Maya’s Adventure, Magic Box and Puzzles.

Aimed at children 3 through 6 years, Zurk’s Learning Safari seems to appeal to younger kids. Four-year-old Timmy enjoyed Puzzles and Hide and Seek, but didn’t care for the other activities. This title would make a better choice for kids who are being introduced to software– possibly, a good choice for a child’s first software title. (continue reading…)

Kindergarten humor. If you’re ready for a whole bunch of knock-knock jokes like these, draw and paint games, coloring pages, dot to dot activities, interactive mini-movies (which don’t work) and number fun, you’ll love this Kindergarten Interactive Learning Center for kids ages 4 through 6 years old. Although your child won’t learn a year’s worth of kindergarten skills by playing with this software, the workbooks are worth their weight in gold.

The Big Activity CD-ROM has lively animation and crisp graphics which seems to make learning fun for kids. There are 10 dot-to-dot pictures with a gazillion options as kids choose whether they want to play dot to dot and connect numbers, upper case or lower case letters. They don’t just start at the number 1 or the letter A. These dots to dots are a little more challenging for kids and fun-filled as kids concentrate by clicking and dragging angled lines to connect the dots as the letter or number is read aloud. Finish the picture and the picture turns into a brightly colored one with realistic sound effects, but unfortunately, not an animation. (continue reading…)

Howdy, neighbors! You’re in for a treat because you and your kids get to find out what it’s really like to farm by helping blue-eyed Farmer Greenfield grow his virtual harvest!

The amazing thing about this software is its price—$10 gets you a unique, science CD-ROM which provides users with a very cool way to learn about botany, resource management, and gives some real insight into the brainpower it takes to be successful at growing crops. Of course, there’s real physical strength needed to raise crops, but this gives kids an insight on the thinking-skills involved from growing crops to harvesting them.

There are 10 levels of game-play which range from beginner to advanced. Re-playability scored well with our kid testers, who seem to play this non-stop for hours, if allowed! (continue reading…)