There are three full-sized “next-generation” gaming consoles currently available on the market, each with their various pros and cons. So what are the main differences between the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox and Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3)?

Nintendo Wii

The Nintendo Wii is traditionally the least expensive of the next-generation consoles, and it’s arguably also proved to be the most popular.

What it lacks in high-definition graphics and sound (resolution is only 480p), the Wii makes up for in ingenuity, largely thanks to the motion-sensing Wii remote (AKA the Wiimote). This means you can “play” virtual sports such as tennis, boxing and more. Then of course there is the Balance Board, which can be bought separately and used with Wii Fit and the new Wii Fit Plus game to perform yoga exercises and more.

Because the Nintendo Wii isn’t about hardcore gaming, it lends itself more to families and new gamers.

You can pick up a Wii bundled with accessories and games for well under the $400 mark.

Buy a cheap Wii on sale

Microsoft Xbox 360

Microsoft was first to market with the Xbox 360 at the end of November 2005 and as such as has had longer to build up its catalogue of games and its online multiplayer functionality, thanks to Xbox Live.

It features 720p resolution, which strictly counts as high-definition but falls slightly short of Full HD. It can be linked to your home network and even used with media devices such as video cameras.

The Xbox 360’s price is considerably cheaper than it was when it first hit the market. You can often find an Arcade Bundle for around the $300 mark.

Buy a cheap Xbox 360 on sale

Sony PS3

The Sony PS3 without a doubt boasts the best sound and graphics of the next-gen gaming consoles. It’s the only one capable of Full HD resolution (1080p) and the way it renders fast-paced action games such as first-person shooters and car racing is almost cinematic.

It also has a built-in Blu-ray player so you can play Blu-ray discs, DVDs and CDs and can be used as a media centre in your lounge room.

The PS3 Slim was released a couple of months ago in Australia with a compact form factor, increased hard drive over the previous entry-level model (120GB) and $499 price tag. Apparently a 250GB model is also on the way.

Buy a cheap PS3 on sale

By Caroline Warnes

If you are having something of a “stabby” day (or a “stabby” week like me), then this Vice Versa Voodoo knife set will no doubt bring a ray of sunshine to your dark and evil heart.

And not only is this a fine piece of artwork in itself but also comes with five razor-sharp precision knives, all covered by their own protector sleeves.

The stand itself is made of heavy-duty ABS plastic and comes in either red, black, white, transparent or chrome.

The Vice Versa Voodoo knife set is available online for $119.95.

By Caroline Warnes

As with all cosmetics, buying the right nail polish for your hands or feet can sometimes be a tricky business.

What looks good on your friend or some celebrity you saw in a magazine may not necessarily suit your skin tone, natural colouring and more.

I stumbled across the OPI Nail Studio, which is basically an online simulator to give you an idea of what shade of OPI nail polish is right for you. OPI is pretty much my favourite nail polish brand - there’s a huge range of colours and the price is reasonable - you’ll usually pick up a bottle for around $20.

You can set your skin tone and nail length then test out the different shades from the various collections to see how they’ll look on you. I’ve decided I like the look of the Go on Green colour (pictured here on my approximate skin tone and nail length).

I’d love to see OPI develop a tool like this for feet too - not because I desperately need it to make an informed decision but because I’ve had fun playing with the hand generator for the last half hour and need more entertainment.

You’ll also find OPI’s Australian stockists at the site.

By Caroline Warnes

The new-and-improved Wii Fit Plus game is finally here, and this time around you can design your own workouts.

The ability to make your own routines is the main improvement to Wii Fit Plus. This means you can put together single movements and exercises (from the yoga and muscle activities only) into the one routine rather than using the routines provided with the game. But if you need some inspiration, it does come with some preset combinations, too - categorised by factors such as “Form” and “Youth”. You can even join the provided routines together to create one longer workout up to 60 minutes in length.

Nintendo has also added plenty of new games to make it worth your while tp upgrade to Wii Fit Plus - 12 new games and three improvements of games from the old Wii Fit software. These are all somewhat more detailed than games from its predecessor.

Once again, you can track your progress using the Wii Fit Plus’ in-built tools by factors such as weight, BMI and a calorie counter. One handy new feature is a tool that shows you how much exercise you need to do to burn off certain foods - all you need to do is select from the list.

Wii Fit Plus’ Australian recommended retail price is $29.95 and it’s available in shops now. You can also buy the game bundled with the Wii Balance Board for $159.95.

Buy a cheap copy of Wii Fit Plus on sale

By Caroline Warnes

And the winners are:

T. Williams, 6125; N. Page, 5582; L. Thornhill, 6169; S. Fowler, 6210; G. Shepherd, 2747.

And now something from the “I wish I’d thought of that” file: FlexiFlats.

As the name suggests, FlexiFlats are flexible, bendable shoes that you can literally fold up and stash away in your handbag.

It’s perfect for those situations when you really thought it was necessary to wear the world’s most painful shoes to complete your outfit, but then you’re totally over it after a few hours and end up walking home barefoot. Actually these are almost a necessity if you’re heading to the races this season - a day at the track invariably involves long periods of standing up in heels.

Suffice to say the barefoot walk home isn’t the best look (nor is it hygienic or safe), so enter FlexiFlats. You can buy them online for $11.99 plus postage in either black, pink or silver.

These aren’t the most sturdy flats around and so they aren’t really suitable for everyday wear, but will definitely come in handy as emergency back-up shoes.

By Caroline Warnes

The soon-to-be-released Samsung Blue Earth looks set to be the mobile phone of choice for anyone who fancies themselves to be eco-friendly.

Basically, the Blue Earth has a solar charging panel on the back, which recharges the battery. Of course, this isn’t the only way you can recharge the phone (because let’s face it, with all this global warming business, who knows what’s going to happen with the weather for one day to the next). If you’re out of sunlight you can still plug it into the wall to charge it up.

Samsung has manufactured the Blue Earth from recycled water bottles, adding to the phone’s “green” elements. The manufacturer also claims it’s free if harmful materials. How resilient these materials remain after lengthy exposure to the sun remains to be seen.

Another nice touch is the built-in pedometer, which tells you how much carbon dioxide you are saving by walking rather than driving.

Samsung has also made sure to equip the phone with enough featured to make the Blue Earth a worthwhile proposition, even for those who don’t care so much about their handset being environmentally friendly. It comes with HSDPA and Wi-Fi for access the Internet, as well as Bluetooth connectivity. There’s 130MB of internal memory, expandable up to 16GB via the microSDHC slot. At the phone’s hearth is a 3-inch WQVGA screen.

The Samsung Blue Earth will be released in markets around the world from November, with Australia’s release date and price yet to be confirmed.

Buy a cheap Samsung phone on sale

By Caroline Warnes

There’s nothing that brightens up a dreary Monday like shoes and it’s even better when you can get them on the cheap!

I have a new discount code for Mollini shoes online that gets you 20% off everything, including sale items - just enter the code Racing at the checkout.

The Flash shoes pictured here are cute and are marked down to $70. When you apply the discount code at this price it basically means you get free shipping. Though if you’re spending more, the discount will obviously be more.

By Caroline Warnes

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 is the successor to the ever-popular Bold 9000 and it’s due to hit Australian shores shortly.

The main upgrade is that BlackBerry has equipped the Bold 9700 with an optical touchpad rather than a navigational jogball, which makes it easier to browse the web.

The Bold 9700 may be smaller and slimmer than its predecessor but in most other areas, BlackBerry has upped the specs. It features a larger display (480×360), a 3.15-megapixel camera and greater storage thanks to the inclusion of a 2GB microSD card. Battery life has also improved - Blackberry claims the Bold 9700 is capable of six hours talk time.

The BlackBerry Bold 9700 will be released overseas in November with Australia to follow after that. Pricing will be confirmed closer to the release date.

Buy a cheap BlackBerry phone on sale

By Caroline Warnes

Remember Angelina Jolie in this Michael Kors strapless leather dress at some red carpet do recently?

I remember it well because she looked incredibly hot and now it’s permanently burned into my brain.

Now you can get the look (for less) with this Mango leather dress at ASOS (although it’s actually leather-look rather than real leather).

I know I would have a snowball’s chance in hell of pulling this look off, but if you have a figure like Angie Jo’s, then go for it and I envy you.

Photo from StyleFrizz.com

By Caroline Warnes