Vivek’s Blog

So, I was at the mall today. And after watching Saw 2 (Catch the review later this week), we went to EB Games. And there I saw it - in all its glory. The Xbox 360 console. And not just a showpiece - it was a playable console!!! Fully equipped with 2 controllers, a host of demo games and an LCD TV! The demos available were Kameo, Call of Duty 2, King Kong, etc. while videos for a whole bunch of other games such as NFS, PGR3, etc. were on show. We got to try out Kameo, CoD2, and King Kong. And I must say, the games looked amazing!! Stunning visuals which looked even better on the LCD TV. The controller was very comfortable to hold and the grip was excellent. Buttons felt good and on the whole, the controller was an improvement on the older Xbox controller (which I like too). The console itself is not too big and should look great with the colorful faceplates. I really wanted to try out NFS and PGR3 but they had only videos. Still, it was a good time and I can say that Microsoft have a good product up for launch. Sony might have to pay for letting MS release their next generation console first. Frankly speaking, Sony have been trying to extend the life of the PS2 when they should have had a new system out already.Can’t wait until November 22.

You would think that Monolith and Sierra were in trouble when id announced that Quake 4 would release on October 18 - the same day as F.E.A.R. was scheduled. Call of Duty 2 was pushed back a week to avoid direct conflict with the launch of these biggies. So who won? If you go by the reviews, then F.E.A.R. has won the battle of the FPSes, scoring higher than the other two. On a whim, I pre-ordered F.E.A.R. after enjoying the demo. When id announced Q4 on the same day, I was wondering if it was a wise decision to go with F.E.A.R. over Quake 4. Now, I haven’t played Quake 4 yet, so I can’t compare the two games. But I am almost done with F.E.A.R. so here goes my review.
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Ever seen two movies in a single day? I hadn’t. Until October 5, 2005 when I saw two great movies: Serenity and A History of Violence. We took the entire day off as we had a holiday anyway. We ate lunch and dinner out so we didn’t have to deal with crappy cafeteria food for at least a day. Also managed to squeeze in some grocery shopping in between the movies. So, in case you are wondering what the purpose of this blog entry is, then click the link below this line.
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So you want to study in the US? Well, then read on.

[Lame opening. I know but can’t help it]

In June 2004, after I had received my HSC (12th grade) results, I was unsure of what I wanted to do. I had all but given up hope of getting into IIT and it was now a toss-up between a college in Mumbai or one somewhere else. Admissions in Maharashtra were getting delayed big time so I thought I should try getting into Manipal in Mangalore (I believe). So we contacted this friend of my father who could help me get in. When he saw my grades (97.33% PCM and 90.5% overall), he suggested I apply to US universities. I was hesitant at first but still went to meet with the counselor. Even after the meeting, I was very hesitant and just wanted to go to a college in Mumbai so that I would stay at home. I thought it over for a couple of days.
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