In the past decade we have seen gaming go from a joy stick with pong, to a controller that looks like it can drive your car. It is also evident the technology that is available to us. Gamers can tell you first hand the leaps in technology that we have made. I want to talk to you about the consoles that are on the market today.

I want to start out with the PlayStation 3. Sony has been around for a long time and they have been in the video game business for a while as well. They are the creators of the "PlayStation." The picture to the right is the PlayStation 3. Like the name describes, it is the 3rd installment in the PlayStation family. But this system does more than just play games. The "PS3" can be hooked up to the Internet and used like a computer. Since you can hook it up to the Internet, you can also play your friends online via the PS3. (They must have the same game to play.) Another awesome feature about the PS3 is it is a BluRay player. It will play all your BluRay movies. The memory in the PS3 ranges from 40 - 80. Of course the higher memory, the higher the cost. Over all a good system and the cheapest form of BluRay.



Next up is the Xbox 360. The Xbox 360, or 360, is made by Microsoft. The Xbox in general has not been out that long, but has made a big impact on the gaming industry. The 360 is the 2nd installment of the Xbox. This system has been made popular thanks to the "Halo Trilogy." Like the PS3, you can play your friends online. (They must have the game to play with you.) But unfortunately, the 360 cannot browse the Internet. The 360 plays games and DVDs only. At one point, Microsoft was making HDDVD players for the 360, but the HDDVD era has come and gone. The 360 is a great system. It is also cheaper than the PS3. You have 3 choices to chose from when purchasing a 360: The cheapest system is around $199 for the Core System (no hard drive), the next system is $299 (with 60GB hard drive), and the Elite System is around $388 (with 120GB hard drive). Overall great system.



The last system I want to discuss is the Nintendo Wii. When Nintendo made the Wii, they had the family in mind. This system requires more then just sitting on your couch. This is an interactive gaming console that requires you to move the Wii Remote More body action than thumb action. The Wii has some pretty cool features as well. The Wii has a built in wireless adapter for those who have wireless Internet. Just like the PS3, you can browse the Internet. Some of the popular games for the Wii are Mario Cart and Wii Fit (which was sold out in most stores for Christmas). The Wii has built in memory (I am unsure of the amount) and it has a slot for a SD card. An SD card is what you digital camera uses to store pictures. It is the cheapest all around system at $249. The controllers are cheaper and the games are cheaper. If you are looking to involve you entire family, no matter the age, then the Wii is what you want.

All of these systems are good. I currently own a Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii and I enjoy playing both of them. If you have a child or a teenager that has been begging you for a new gaming console, I hope this helped you out. Once again, Happy New Year and happy gaming.

Even though this is a new year, a lot of Gadgets from 2008 are still in high demand. Of course a very popular item this past Christmas was the Navigation (GPS) system for your vehicle. I don't know about you, but every time I went to a BestBuy or Walmart, they were always sold out. Navigation systems vary in prices so it is hard to tell. If you buy them from a store, I would estimate the price $100 - $300.


Another item that has been popular since the very first day it appeared on store shelves is the iPhone. The iPhone is made by Apple. This is not your ordinary cellphone. I would consider the iPhone a mini laptop. The iPhone has a fully capable HTML browser that is great for checking your email, Facebook, and MySpace. You can also view YouTube videos. Another cool feature about the iPhone is it has a touch screen. Since it is made by Apple, the iPhone can be used as an iPod. The newer phones have 2 different amounts of storage: 8 GB and 16GB. This is a great phone and will be around for a while.

Overall, this year looks promising, as far as technology goes. Mac and Windows are looking to launch some nice and innovative things this year. Be on the look out for them, because of you have a teenager at home, chances are these items will be on birthday and Christmas lists for a long time. Once again Happy New Year from the I/T Staff and best wishes to all of you in 2009!

BOSSIER PARISH LIBRARIES will host its first Spring into Technology March 24-28. During the week, I will roll out BPL's new and improved library website (http://www.bossierlibrary.org). Along with new products, services, and several special events.

1. New downloaded audio books or eAudiobooks serviced by NetLibrary, Recorded Books & OCLC.

2. New downloaded movies called MyLibraryDV, which offered downloadable Hollywood movies, Internet TV shows and a few regular TV shows, such as, Antiques Roadshow. This product is serviced by Recorded Books.

3. Surveys 4 Patron Computer Classes - THIS WEEK ONLY!!! - Stop by one of our branches and fill out a survey. The results will be used to establish a Summer/Fall 2008 listing of free computer classes for the Summer/Fall 2008. Classes are open to all active BPL library card holders.

4. Teens/YA Internet Safety Programs - For more details, contact Beverly Miles, East80 Library Manager, at (318) 949-2665 or Connie Ammons, Benton Library Manager, at (318) 965-2751.

5. Genealogy Photo Fair - If you have an copy of an old photo that highlights the history of Bossier Parish, bring it to the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center and we will reproduced it for you. Oh! And they would love to make an extra copy to add to their genealogy collection. Contact the History Center at (318) 746-7717 for more details.

6. "Old Technology" Display sponsored by the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center - A display showcases "old technology". Contact the History Center at (318) 746-7717 for more details.

7. "The Future is Now" Program sponsored by the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center. Contact the History Center at (318) 746-7717 for more details.

OTHER S.I.T. EVENTS:

1. Fines-free week - This is the time to return all those "past due" BPL library materials without being charged late fees. Contact Margie Carney, Circulation Manager at Bossier Central Library at (318) 746-1693.

2. Teens/YA Poetry Contest - In celebration of National Poetry Month - see the YA blog for more details (http://bpl-ya.blogspot.com).

3. Children Bookmark Contest - see the kids blog for more info
(http://bpl-kids.blogspot.com).

All week long we will be giving away freebies from pencils to books. We hope to see you March 24 through 28 at Spring into Technology 2008.