To BB, or not to BB: Blackberry Storm 9530

Touch screen lovers everywhere couldn’t contain themselves when the world's first "click screen" phone was introduced. Like every other fad, the Blackberry Storm was a must-have, then a just-had. In due time the nicks and glitches of the phone revealed themselves.

There have been claims of the Storm feeling "loose" in its casing, not being comfortable to hold, and the dreadful lag of the oh-so-cool click screen. The main feature of this phone is of course the clicking touch screen. Anyone who has used an iPhone understands the annoyance of touch screen keyboards. The issue with this amazing screen is the amount of time that has lapsed from when you "click" a button to when you get a response. So if you're fast typing, the delayed action might not appeal to you too much. It also takes some getting used to, you have to actually push down on the buttons, not just tap away. So for us girls with manicures, not much of a nail friendly phone!

The Storm has also been reported to frequently freeze as well as be time consuming to reboot. But you have decent battery life, clear calls, and the ability to turn your favorite songs into a ringtone. No more ringtone sites! My HTC Touch Pro had this feature and I worshipped it. Applications remain the same, great as with all Blackberries. The display is also a thumbs up; you have the usual call send/end buttons, a menu button, and a back button. While in calls you have the same options on the screen as well as options to add a caller, mute, and use speakerphone as opposed to going into a menu for these items. That was a downside to my Blackberry Curve.

Depending on your type of email account (pop3...) there could be issues getting external email. If your type of account uses two different servers for sending and receiving mail, you won't be too happy. As for accounts such as Hotmail, you will be able to send and receive mail, just not in a timely manner. Incoming mail can be delayed for over 10 minutes!

Although many Blackberry models are used widely among businesses, the Storm may not be your top choice. As a business  phone the Storm cannot keep up with your typing and even browsing; the top complaint. But all in all, it's a phone! Any Storm owners must be anxious for the Storm 2 which promises to be faster and lose the lag.

Drawn: The Painted Tower

Since I'm a fan of some computer games, I was asked to rate this and give my opinion...here it is.

Why can't computer games be fun as well as keep your brain at work? I am not a fan of Hidden Object games, however, there are games that incorporate adventure into the object seeking. Drawn: The Painted Tower from Big Fish Games is labeled a Hidden Object game but does not have the puzzle feature to search for objects as other games do in its category.

The beautifully executed graphics take you inside an enormous tower. Successfully completing puzzles unlocks new entrances to other parts of the tower and gives you objects needed to complete tasks. In a nutshell, a young girl is locked away in a tower and it's your job to save her. Using your wits and a little magic you travel from the foyer to the roof, and even inside of paintings, to accomplish the goals.

You may need to use the "Hint" button here and there just to keep on track, but the game unfolds nicely and keeps you playing. The one downside is all the dialogue and interludes. There is no way to skip these! In the beginning, end, and after completeing certain puzzles you will be forced to endure the time away from your magical quests. While this lasts no more than a minute, it is very annoying. There really is no need for the dialogue, it will not help you advance within the tower. But if you enjoy storylines, you will very much so enjoy this game.

The Painted Tower begins eerily and would have you assume the game is very gloomy and there are gargoyles and dragons lurking around every dark corner. Indeed it is a little gloomy, it only adds mystery and curiousity to your play time. Think of Harry Potter and Hogwarts, replaced by a young girl, a tower, and no cheerful songs.

If you are a beginner in Hidden Object games or just take some time to comprehend the idea this game might take you a while, possibly hours. If you have played these games before and are good at problem solving, this game wont last you long enough! I was disappointed when it was over, although there are many puzzles and challenges I couldn't get enough.

If you would like to test the game prior to purchase you can download a trial. Remember, trials have time limits so play wisely!