BLINKYMAGAZINE

SUPPORTING?INSIDE.....What is Blinky...

NUS Vote 4 Students

Interview: Example

Review: Wicked

Writing Your CV

Mens Fashion,Mens Fashion, A quick round up...

Savey Money on your Food bills!

And Lots lots More!

BLINKYWelcome To Blinky Magazine...

This is the first issue of Blinky as a Student Lifestyle Magazine, which has been some what delayed, but We have finally managed to get here.

The idea behind Blinky is to be a The idea behind Blinky is to be a entirely student focused and student created magazine, for the whole of the UK, anyone can write for us and anyone can get involved, as long as they are a student, or have recently graduated.

This mean Blinky is unique, no one This mean Blinky is unique, no one else is giving other students a chance to get their opinions, thoughts or ideas into a magazine on this scale, anywhere!

This does also mean we are very This does also mean we are very dependent on you our readers to get involved, so over the next few pages we will tell you how you can!

Any feedback, thoughts or comments please get in touch.

Chris DriscollEditorEditor

Whats inside....What Is Blinky

NUS Vote 4 Students

Raising Tuition Fees

Smarta 100 Award

Writing your CV

Save MoneSave Money...On Food ShoppingClimbing Killimanjaro

Students In Business

Review: Wicked

Interview: Firetone

Interview: Example

New ReleasesNew Releases

Mens Fashion

So Lets Talk Fashion...

Review: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

Review:PhonesBlinky Magazine is Published by Blinky Media LTDFor more Information, Advertising or Commercial partnerships contact:Chris DriscollChris@Blinkymagazine.co.uk or 07769695962

What is Blinky...Blinky is the Uk's first national monthly student lifestyle magazine.

Which all sounds prett unexciting, ultimately Blinky is all about giving students a voice, an interesting magazine and all the information you need at your fingertips each month.Covering a wide spectrum of topics, Covering a wide spectrum of topics, everything from careers and Jobs to more exciting stuff like fashion, music, technology and all those sorts of things you like to read.The best bit is it is all written by The best bit is it is all written by students, anyone can write for us, just find that creative spark, put your article/interview etc together and submit it to us through the submit an article page.

As well as all of this Blinky also is As well as all of this Blinky also is about creating opportunities for students, so we are working hard on projects including a student designed clothing range, and some other very exciting opportunities, if you have an idea, and want us to make it happen or don't know how to make it happen, or don't know how to make it happen, just e-mail us!

The Blinky site will be being deveoped constantly to add more useful and interesting information and content so keep your eyes peeled!

So to sum this all up Blinky is about students, for students so if you have something to say get in touch.

Getting involved.

As you have probably worked out, As you have probably worked out, Blinky is all based around engaging and supporting the student community, which also means that all our content come from students aswell!

What we need from you is content, if What we need from you is content, if you have an idea for a interview, feature, review or any other content just get in touch and we will work with you to make it happen as much as possible.

Not only will we do our best to include Not only will we do our best to include your content in the magazine it will also look really good on your CV to potential employers.

WWe also need help promoting Blinky around your campuses and universities, so If you are able to put up posters, or give our promo cards to your friends please do get in touch.

Blinky only works if we ahve the Blinky only works if we ahve the support and help from the student community so if you are interested in what we are trying to do, and want to find a way to be involved please email us!

To contact me email:Chris@Blinkymagazine.co.ukChris@Blinkymagazine.co.uk

Vote 4 Students...What is Vote 4 Students?

VVote4Students is the NUS campaign building towards the next general lection which will be later this year. The aim of the campaign is to encourage students to use their vote, but also to understand more about what the general election might mean for you as a student and after that a for you as a student and after that a graduate.

With a predicted hung parliment it is perhaps even more important to understand the implications of the election, so for more information head to www.NUS.org.uk and click the V4S banners."In order to ensure students are not marginalised we need to truly mobilise at the ballot box. With the review of higher education funding not set to report until after the election, we need to demand candidates come clean on their position on fees, and pressure them to pledge not to increase fees over the next four years of

parliament.

That is why NUS has launched its biggest ever general That is why NUS has launched its biggest ever general election campaign, and that is why we need you and your fellow students to register to vote, and to log onto www.voteforstudents.co.uk and help us protect

education and protect future students from increases in fees."

Susan NashVVice President Society & Citizenship

From NUS:NUS has launched the NUS has launched the Vote for Students campaign which will enable us to keep you fully up-to-date with information on the General Election and remind you to get out and vote on polling day.NUS has warned that students NUS has warned that students and their families will not be prepared to pay more for less or vote for candidates who do not come clean on fees.The campaign includes a new The campaign includes a new Vote for Students website which will offer students information about those standing for election in their local area, and highlight whether those standing for election have signed up to the NUS Funding our Future Pledge: NUS Funding our Future Pledge: “I pledge to vote against any increase in fees in the next parliament and to pressure the government to introduce a fairer alternative”

NUS has identified a hot list of 20 key student areas where the powerful student vote could make a decisive difference to the result. This follows the 2005 General Election, where many seats with

with high concentrations of students were widely recognised to have been swayed by the student vote.

WWes Streeting, NUS National President says, “Our pledge will highlight to students in a straightforward fashion which candidates plan to defend student interests. In many seats, signing the pledge could be the easiest way that a candidate can get themselves on a candidate can get themselves on their way to Westminster. But if they do not vote for us, we will not vote for them.”

Registering To Vote

A quick Guide from NUS:

The registration process is quick and The registration process is quick and easy. All you need to fill in the registration form online (https://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/register_to_vote/electoral_registration_applica.aspx) , print it oprint it off and post to the address provided. You will then receive your voting stuff in the post.

Which address should I register?

You can’t vote twice in the same election, however students are able to register at

home and where you study so that wherever you are on election day, you can have your say.

EligibilityUK, Irish and Commonwealth UK, Irish and Commonwealth students can register to vote in UK elections. To qualify, Commonwealth citizens must be resident in the UK and either have leave to remain in the UK or not require such leave. The definition of a 'Commonwealth definition of a 'Commonwealth citizen' includes citizens of British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.

Do you live in halls of residence?

If you live in halls of residence you may already be registered to vote. Enquire with your halls reception and make sure you are on the register.

Student Fees...As a follow on from the Vote for Students article, this is an older article about the various proposals for raising student fees.

Rising Tuition Fees though the roof

How would you feel if the government decided to uncap your university How would you feel if the government decided to uncap your university tuition fees? For many people reading this, you will have already had to consider the effect that the over £3000 a year charge will have on you once you have graduated. That seems like a large amount of money anyway but if you are on a three year undergraduate course that equates to a minimum of £9000, without any extras. But what if this was to be raised to £7,000 per year?

In November of this yeaIn November of this year, the government decided to launch a report to investigate student finance in the higher education system. The review “will examine the balance of contributions to universities by taxpayers, students, graduates, and employers,” stated Lord Mandelson, business secretary. Ultimately, this will determine what the government think they can allow universities to charge its students. However the results of this report will not be available until after the next general election, something that is causing a great debate between the NUS and MPs, as it could that is causing a great debate between the NUS and MPs, as it could mean that people vote for a political party that will end up causing them a great financial burden.

But what does this uncapping of fees really mean for students considering university? Well for starters it will increase the average student debt dra-matically. The NUS estimate that the average student who started in Sep-tember 2009 will leave with more than £23,500 worth of debt. If students were expected to pay the full £7000 in fees it would mean a debt of £30,000 including maintenance loans but without interest rates. Some-thing that many will just not think they can afford to pay back or even think

If universities are given the chance to choose their own rates, which the uncapping could allow for, it will deter many students from applying be-cause of the fear of the debt that they will inevitably leave with. This will affect applicant to place rates, giving students from poorer backgrounds the feeling that they will have an even smaller chance of attending an un-dergraduate course and potentially destroying the reputation of many uni-versities. NUS president, Wes Streeting stated that it would lead to “Poorer students [being] priced out of more prestigious universities, and other students and universities consigned to the ‘bargain basement’. This would be a disaster for UK higher education and must not be allowed to happen.” This could place an even more elitist view on certain universi-ties, ensuring that they only obtain applicants from select backgrounds.

So far, this is all speculation but it’s certainly not something that we want to happen. Gone are the days when you get into university on you’re A-Level grades and your only financial worry is how to feed yourself. Even the idea of paying the original fee of £1225 seems like a very reasonable amount. However the NUS are determined that students will not have to pay this ridiculous charge. Their latest campaign, Funding Our Future, has been asking the government for a fairer funding system for all those in higher education. They have also been protesting outside Student Unions across the country to make sure the public are aware of what the new proposed government scheme is.

If you want to get involved and make sure your voice is heard, visit www.nus.org.uk for more information.Article by Cathryn SchrammOxford Brookes University

Quick Comment from the Blinky Team.... As tuition fees are set to rise, the statistics show that students are de-creasingly able to get work after graduating, meaning that the cost of a degree is increasing financially, however with so many degree level candi-dates, and employees with more experience in the running for the limited jobs in the market the value of a degree has actually decreased...

Smarta 100 Award...Blinky Media Wins Smarta 100 AwardAt the start of this month Blinky Media At the start of this month Blinky Media Limited, the company behind Blinky Magazine, was recognised as one of the UK's top 100 smartest businesses, in recognition of our work to raise money for charity, our very lean and efficient way of operating and plans to support the student and plans to support the student community.

What is the Smarta 100?The Smarta 100 are the most exciting, promising, disruptive new businesses, the family businesses who remain the cornerstones of communities, the innovators ploughing their own furrows in staid or declining industries, the recession-busters making a mockery recession-busters making a mockery of the doom and gloom, the web wonders, the teenpreneurs, mumpreneurs, olderpreneuers and, er, just about anyone who's running a small business worth shouting about.

From the West Highlands to Westfield, we're celebrating the high-street heroes, market traders on a mission, eBay entrepreneurs, budding Bransons and the emerging big businesses of tomorrow.

The winners were judged by:

Deborah Meaden: One of the Dragons from One of the Dragons from Dragons Den and taking over the running of her family business and starting her own businessesin her 20's Deborah is recognised as one of the top business women.

Michael Birch: Founder of Bebo Michael Birch: Founder of Bebo with his wife Michail has a keen eye for social media businesses and resourceful use of the internet for business.

Sháá Sháá Waasmund: Founder of Smarta, and recognised by Managment Today's Tope 35 women under 35!

Charlie Mullins: Started Charlie Mullins: Started plumbing at 12, leaving school without qulaifications, and ended up starting Pimlico Plumbers in 1979, now a multimillion pound plumbers, with celeb clients.

Sahar Hashemi: Founder of the Sahar Hashemi: Founder of the UKs first coffee chain, Coffee Republic in 1995, leaving behind her career as a lawyer.

So what did they say about Blinky?

Blinky founder Chris is a final-year Blinky founder Chris is a final-year student who often works 14-hour days and seven-day weeks. He says he does it because he enjoys every minute and wants to 'support other young people interested in business'. Blinky is all about helping students boost their CVs by working on the boost their CVs by working on the magazine. Further revenue streams come from Chris's experience of what businesses need in terms of printing and promotional products. Chris is super-smart with money. Blinky's overheads are just £35 per month, and even these are set to be slashed and even these are set to be slashed as an affiliation deal with a web host is going to provide free web hosting. He's negotiated very favourable terms with suppliers, and manages to support local charities through Blinky too.Student business with good intentions of helping other students gain experience

Although Blinky is the only student lead business in the Smarta 100 there are a few recent graduates in the Smarta 100.

Lizzie Fane

ThirdYearAbroad.com: ThirdYearAbroad.com inspires students to study languages at university and make the most of their year abroad.

Language learning is hugely Language learning is hugely important for the UK's international relations and economic development, but a language degree is considered difficult, expensive and scary, and student numbers for it are dropping.dropping. ThirdYearAbroad.com aims to make the process easier and more appealing by providing a platform where students can share their experiences. Users can find out where to live, get financial advice, create their own guidebook to the city they're in, guidebook to the city they're in, ask questions, read reviews about evening classes and courses abroad - and parents can be reassured by the parent section. Founder Lizzie started the business with her student loan, drawing on her own loan, drawing on her own experiences of a third year abroad. Revenue will come mainly from selling all-inclusive third year abroad insurance policy, a product that is required annually by thousands of UK students.students. Although the business is very new, it has an impressively clear business model and marketing strategy.

We will be working closely with Smarta over the coming months to help establish Smarta Students, a new project designed to support entreprenuerial students,

For more information about For more information about Smarta visit: www.Smarta.com

Writing Your CV...We are very pleased to have Sean Brown on board at Blinky to help us with all things careers, jobs, employment and placements.

He will be writing helpful pieces in He will be writing helpful pieces in each issue as well as answering any questions on the Blinky magazine forum which is Launching soon.

This is his first piece for us a helpful This is his first piece for us a helpful guide on CV writing aiming to try and help you think about the easter and summer breaks coming up and also further into the future!

If you have any questions for him email: sean@blinkymagazine.co.uk

How to write a CV, by Sean Brown of How to write a CV, by Sean Brown of E3 Recruitment Management

First of all lets remember the task your CV has the goal of sending out your CV is to ascertain an interview with the company and ultimately get the job! Your CV is going to sell you and as Your CV is going to sell you and as such should look and sound the part! After all, would you buy something from an scruffy, impolite sales person? No!

A few general pointers for use within your CV:

- Use a simply, easy to read font and - Use a simply, easy to read font and keep the text black in colour

- Keep the same size of font throughout your CV, except the headers if you like

- Your CV should ideally be 2 pages long and a maximum of 3 pages

Lets move onto the information Lets move onto the information your CV should contain:

Contact Information

This is essential and should be at This is essential and should be at the top of the first page of your CV. Your full name, address, home & mobile telephone numbers and e-mail address should all be present (Remember to keep contact information updated, why send a CV if the updated, why send a CV if the employer cant contact you for interview?)

Personal Statement

This is basically a short paragraph highlighting your key skill(s) and what youíre looking for in your next position. For example: Experienced Business to Business Sales Manager seeking challenging, target driven role with excellent rewards and role with excellent rewards and career opportunities, I would also recommend not including the salary your seeking in this statement, its always best to leave such topics until after

youve impressed at the interview, by this time the employer wants to hire you and is more likely to negotiate your salary and benefits package.

Key Achievements(Selling points)

List these in bullet point form. List these in bullet point form. Depending on your sector and experience levels you may simply list software packages youíve used. For example - Excellent working For example - Excellent working knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, Power-point, Outlook and Front Page. Employment History

YYou should list your current and past positions with company names, dates of employment and outline your main duties at each. Start with your most recent or current employer and work back from there. Include in Bold key achievements that Include in Bold key achievements that you made whilst in each job.

Education, Qualification and studies

You should list courses studied, where and when along with your grades, again start with the most recent and work back from there.

References References

You can choose to include your reference contacts or simply state that these can be provided upon request. AA reference must be a previous employer or someone who has known you for a minimum of two years and works within a proffessional public role

such as a doctor.If you are a recent school/colleague If you are a recent school/colleague leaver then your Pastoral care/Guidance teacher would be suitable, they will know on a professional level but also have an idea of your personality aswell.TTry to keep references up to date with what you are up to and have been doing so that they can give relevent information if they are contacted.

More Advice

Always keep in mind that Always keep in mind that recruiters/employers may receive and open 100’s of CVís daily only spending a few seconds scanning each, therefore it is essential to use Buzz words or Keywords that will highlight your skills quickly and use an easy to read format.an easy to read format.I also recommended that you edit your CV prior to each application to make sure it highlights/emphasises your skills and achievements that are relevant to the job and company youre sending it to.Once you have tailored your CV to the job you have a better idea of how you would fit into the specific role.

This can be hugely helpful if you are writing a covering letter for the company aswell.

It is also recommended you try and It is also recommended you try and find out some information about the organisation aswell, if you sound knowledgeable then it will help you stand out from other applicants.

Me and Alex working at one of my gigs.

Saving Money... 10 Tips to Save Money on Food

In Association with...

All of the tips are quick, extremely easy to do and can definitely save you money with just a few simple changes to your food shopping habits, so let’s get saving some money!

1.1. Learn to cook it’s surprising how many people at university don’t know how to cook, which can be a very expensive lack of knowledge, so a great start would be to learn a few simple recipes, it will be surprising how much money this saves you.money this saves you.

2. Buy in Bulk not lots of small shops! Buying food in large amounts such as big bags of rice and pasta is a great way of saving money providing you don’t eat it all at once; buying in small amounts can be expensive! If you don’t think you can eat it all, don’t think you can eat it all, share the cost with your friends.

3. Don’t buy lunch out take a packed lunch to University, this might sound like you’re back at school again but buying things

like sandwich’s and pasta out is a waste of money! It’s also more convenient meaning you don’t have to go to the supermarket to buy your lunch.

4.4. Shop later to find all the best bargains, typically in the early evening the supermarkets discount a lot of products going out of date, so it’s a great time to get some heavily discounted items. If for things like bread you don’t think you will eat them don’t think you will eat them before they go out of date, why not freeze them?

5. Takeaways I know everyone loves takeaways and I could never say stop having them, so if you’re going to have one make sure you get a get a good deal, there are plenty of deals around so make sure you get one! I have found the perfect website to do found the perfect website to do this Just Eat where you can search restaurants in your local area and see what’s on offer.

Me and Alex working at one of my gigs.

6. Compare prices most people will have a number of different supermarkets in their surrounding area, so it’s important to know and therefore shop at the cheapest supermarket. If you go to My Supermarket you can compare the prices of your compare the prices of your favourite items of food.

7. Loyalty cards when food shopping it’s so important that you are benefiting from your supermarkets loyalty scheme, if it’s Sainsbury’s get a Nectar card, if it’s Tesco’s get a Club Card and so on… But most importantly make sure you use it every time, make sure you use it every time, over the space of a year you could rack up quite a lot of points!

8. Look for offers its really important that you take advantage of products, when they are on offer, but only buy items you will definitely use! If your organised you can go to Supermarket.co.uk to see if any offers take your fancy, if not keep offers take your fancy, if not keep your eyes peeled when you are out shopping!

9. Share with friends is a perfect way of saving money because you can take advantage of offers and bigger quantities and then split the food and the money. It also means your food is less likely to go out of date and you get a bit of company shopping, so get a bit of company shopping, so why not try sharing with friends next time you go shopping?

10. Freeze food this basically means you can take advantage of a lot of offers that catch your eye and you don’t have to worry about the food going off. You can freeze basically anything so the next time you see some great offers make sure you grab them offers make sure you grab them and if you’re worried about freezing food go to the Food Standard Agency.

Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach this is one of the worst things you can do when shopping, it means your much more likely to have impulsive buying habits and consequently spend more money! So make sure you have had plenty of food sure you have had plenty of food and drink before you go shopping, may sound stupid, but it will help, trust me!

Climbing Killimanjaro...

Steven Parkes is someone I have known for a few years, having got to know him through the music scene, and for as long as I have known him he has been going around the world to exciting places,

Better still he has also been out Better still he has also been out there trying to raise money for charity, his latest trip was to climb Killmanjaro! This is a breif Interview about his experience.

Firstly, congratulations on achieving the climb, what was it that inspired you do it?

I've always been into extreme I've always been into extreme sports and pushing myself, looking for the next big challenge and climbing a mountain was something I'd always wanted to do. Mt Kilimanjaro is pretty much the highest mountain you can climb without needing climbing climb without needing climbing equipment and the fact its the worlds largest freestanding mountain attracted me to it!

Why did you choose the charity and have you done more fundraising in the past and how much do you think you have raised?I did my climb for the Alzheimer's Society as my Nan is affected by Alzheimer's and it really gave me extra motivation to do it. So far, I have raised £1,533 and I'm still taking donations from my site www.justgiving.com/stevenparkesIn the past when I was doing music promoting I setup a gig for some local In the past when I was doing music promoting I setup a gig for some local bands at our local venue to raise money for Cancer Research through Oxjam. We raised over £200 and it was a great night.

What was the biggest challenge during the climb?Definitely the summit night, we had to wake up at 11 pm to make it to the Definitely the summit night, we had to wake up at 11 pm to make it to the top by sunrise so you're walking in complete darkness, having had hardly any sleep or food and all you can see is the persons feet in front of you so it's very demoralizing! The terrain was also very hard, as it was like gravel so you would keep slipping down all the time. Then once we had reached the top it was about a 3 hour walk (or slide!) back down, a short rest for lunch and then another 4 hours walk back to our camp. So it was a long hard day having been on the go for about 16 hours but it felt great to have hard day having been on the go for about 16 hours but it felt great to have done it.

How long did you have to train for to do the climb?

To be honest I didn't train as much as I would have liked to but I didn't really suffer physically and felt really good doing the climb. I think that was due to the fact we were walking so slow and would continually get told to go "pole pole" which means slowly! It really helps with the acclimatization not to rush through it all. I did some walking around where I live to get my boots worn in and a bit of I did some walking around where I live to get my boots worn in and a bit of running. I also went on a walking holiday to Italy a few weeks before which really helped but anyone that's in pretty good shape can do it.

Were you climbing with friends or did you meet once you got there?

I booked the trip through a company called Exodus who I'd found out about I booked the trip through a company called Exodus who I'd found out about online so I'd never met the group before but they were a great bunch of people. Everyone got on well and we motivated each other to make it to the top! I'd definitely recommend Exodus as well, they really look after you.

Would you do something like it again, if so what’s next?

Definitely, I'm always looking for some crazy adventure to go on. I'm Definitely, I'm always looking for some crazy adventure to go on. I'm thinking about going for my skydiving license next or maybe some other walking holiday somewhere, who knows!

If you have to give some advice to other people considering doing something similar what would it be?

DO IT! Just read up as much as you can about whatever it is you're going to DO IT! Just read up as much as you can about whatever it is you're going to do, the Internet is great for that and don't be worried about going on your own. The people you meet will be in the exact same position as you and if you have an open mind you'll get on great with them. Also, I think anything you do can for charity is worthwhile and if you can have an amazing experience in the process then even better!

Fore more information about the trip organisers Exodus visit:http://www.exodus.co.ukhttp://www.exodus.co.uk

Interview By:Chris Driscoll

Oxford Brookes University

Me and Alex working at one of my gigs.

Students In Business...

It has been a growing trend over the recnt year for student to start their own businesses during or after university, whilst they have no obligations or risk (such as family or mortgages).

With the job market continuing to With the job market continuing to be in turmoil from the recession and the graduate job market all but non-existent students are on the look out for new ways to get the vitral experinece they need and earn some money to keep them going until the right job them going until the right job becomes available.

The students in Business feature will be included in each issue and will look at a student or graduate who has started their own business, the challenges they have faced and how they have over come them, hopefully this will help you decide if this is the will help you decide if this is the right route for yourself and avoid any of the problems our featured students have faced.

We will also be working alongside Smarta to help them establish Smarta Students, a new section to their website designed to support students as they start and develop their own business ideas and concepts and get them off the ground.off the ground.

This issue we will be talking to Alexander Smith. Alex is a student at University of Gloucestershire.

I first heard of his businesses and I first heard of his businesses and work through music promotion and management, from bands and venues who he has worked with.

The reason we chose Alex to be The reason we chose Alex to be featured is his balance between university and managing his business projects, while as a student I prioritise Blinky, Alex has been able to effectively baalnce university and Project 1 so that University is always key,so that University is always key,

One of Alex’s key strengths has been utilising his business partner as a mentor and to manage his own workload so he can stay at uni.

So Alex, tell us about you?

Well I am a 22 year old Events Management student at the University of Gloucestershire. I started in 2006 and am now in my final year, and loving it. Alongside my studies, I work freelance security and also have a small group of companies. The main company being Project1 Events.

About Project 1, how did it all start? what do you do?

In all honesty Project1 Events started almost by accident. I have always had In all honesty Project1 Events started almost by accident. I have always had a passion for business, starting with my car washing company when I was just 10, I took on an extra 2 members of staff, paid them a cut from every job, before realising that I was wasting money here, and created a monopoly in my little village.

Then as life moved on I toyed with several ideas, implemented a couple, but Then as life moved on I toyed with several ideas, implemented a couple, but it wasn’t until I called up an old friend, asking for some help with an event. This call was returned about 10 days later with a proposal for a one off event. Well a 1 off event is now a small events company. My role encompasses everything that doesn’t involve accounting, I’m no accountant so I leave that stuff alone.

How university has helped you with it all, if it has?

University is an interesting experience for me. I really didn’t want to come, University is an interesting experience for me. I really didn’t want to come, but I succumbed to pressure and chose a course that suited me. I had been working on casual contracts in the events industry for 3 years by the time University came up, so my first year was much of a recap of my experience. The second year I felt wasn’t too relevant to my course and I struggled. I hastily chose a placement, and ended up in a role that didn’t suit me (which is one of the reasons I jumped when the call for Project1 to be set up came through). My final year though, has been fantastic, very challenging and through). My final year though, has been fantastic, very challenging and insightful, here my lecturers have changed and now I feel as though I really am learning and its giving me ideas almost daily. Where do you see yourself in 3 years time:

This is one of those questions I always get asked, and I’m never sure how to answer this. I would love to be recognised for my input into my industry. Working in each of the following UK / Germany and hopefully Dubai all in the events industry.

Best piece of advice you have been given:

Try, if you don’t try then you will not have the chance to succeed.

Project1 Events Profile:

Project 1 Events, a specialist events company who strive to produce events Project 1 Events, a specialist events company who strive to produce events that are; new, fresh, creative, dynamic, and fun. Our events are set up to meet with the needs of our customers which is why our events are respected.

Each event we produce will have been carefully nurtured by a mature Each event we produce will have been carefully nurtured by a mature events team. Treating each event as an individual project and giving it the time it needs to grow into a well organised and a truly enjoyable event, for us all. One great aspect of the company is it's policy which sees 5% of annual profits donated towards Keech Cottage in addition to specific events run throughout the year for this charity.

One of the Charity events organised by Project 1 is the MK fun run, in which One of the Charity events organised by Project 1 is the MK fun run, in which Blinkys own Chris Driscoll should be competing! We just need to decide between 5 and 10KM!

Project 1 is also is made up out of other businesses including, Project 1 Records and Project 1 Staff. Project 1 focuses on the events and music industries, wheer there is much of an overlap in customers and knowledge required.

Contact:Contact:

Should you want to contact us, for any reason, please do not hesitate, we can be found on most social networking sites, or drop by our website www.project1events.com and you can contact us from there.

You can also email:

Alex@project1events.com

Interview By:Chris DriscollChris DriscollOxford Brookes University

‘Wonderfully Wicked’Reviewed By Martyn WhiteLondon Metropolitan University.

Review: WICKED...

Wicked, the title also the perfect description of the theatre production currently running at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. I knew before I went to see the show that it would not be a disappointment however, no friend or review told me it would be that good! From the start, the show is full of brilliant colour, themes, amazing costumes, fun music and seamless acting. I am a big fan of the wizard of Oz (Yes I do have them in my DVD collection!) but even if you are not a fan of the films or books there is something for all in this production. this production. I think that the most attention grabbing thing in the production is the scenery and even when the curtain is down you can see how much detail and effort has gone into the surrounding of the stage; you know when the curtain opens there will be more to come, and it does! Parts of the stage that I really did not think could move did and with great effect.

We had stand-in Ashleigh Gray who played Elphaba in the show and after hearing of some people’s reaction of disappointment with this, I am actually glad we did, she proved these people wrong and blew any doubt about herself out of the window. For such a small (and green) woman, she can belt out some amazing notes! Ashleigh as well as another stand in for ‘Glinda’, Sarah Earnshaw made the perfect duo.

The humour of Glinda kept me laughing throughout the whole show and The humour of Glinda kept me laughing throughout the whole show and that gave it such a modern quality, which is something I really did not expect. All of the actors and dancers were brilliant, and the costumes they wore were very creative and striking. Everything just merged to create a perfect look with an amazing sound and a great feeling throughout. I wish I could talk about all of the actors and dancers but I really feel that the two main characters deserved a special recognition because they really stood out with so many qualities, which you may automatically assume with main out with so many qualities, which you may automatically assume with main characters but this is not always the case in production. With all this praise I would like to point out one negative; I felt that it was a bit too quiet at times and I was near the speakers, (I cant imagine how it felt for someone in the far corner of the theatre). It was as if they had kept it down to make the really loud parts stand out more (like when Oz is speaking) but then these parts could be too loud, I think it actually scared me! So if they averaged it out a little then I feel it would have be perfect.

All in all I thought it was a breathtaking performance and it is one to go All in all I thought it was a breathtaking performance and it is one to go back to again and again and eventually you will be able to sing along to the words and really irritate the people around you. My verdict, definitely a must do on your theatre list!

Firetone...

Firetone are:Andé D'Mello – Vocals / GuitarChris D'Mello – Bass GuitarJammers – Drums

About Firetone:Firetone are an energetic post-rock Firetone are an energetic post-rock 3-piece hailing from Milton Keynes. Consisting of brothers, Andé and Chris plus drummer, Jammers, Firetone have been gigging up anddown the country for almost 2 years.

Having just finished touring with Having just finished touring with electro rockers, MyPassion, Firetone entered the studio to record their second release entitled, Gravity. To promote the public release of Gravity in July, the boys did a 7 date tour of the UK.

Firetone have shared the stage with Firetone have shared the stage with acts such as: The Charlatans, CKY,

My Passion, Fei Comodo, Yashin, Fell Silent and Koopa

Having received critical acclaim from fans, other bands and media alike, Firetone are definitely ones to watch this year.

Having worked with over 250 Having worked with over 250 bands, in the last 4 years whilst working in music promotion and running my promotions company, I have seen many bands of many different talent and potential levels.

Thankfully Firetone probably Thankfully Firetone probably feature well inside the top 10.

These boys look the part, impressive and perfect hair everytime!

Why is the band called Firetone?We've had different names over the We've had different names over the few years we've been a band. We were originally called Aurora until we realised there was already a Swedish poppy dance group called Aurora, so we changed the name to Aurora's Shadow. After having to repeat that names so many times to repeat that names so many times to some people (some just never got it) we figured we needed a snappier name. There's no profound explanation or story behind the name, we just wanted something really easy to say and spell.

What music influences you?Main influences of the band would be Thrice, Muse, The Mars Volta, Oceansize, Coldplay, Radiohead etc

Onto the music and once again perfect is the aim everytime, with an unbelievable amount of energy goes into every song, with powerful music combined with meaningful and catchy lyrics, they will soon have you singing along and joining in with the performance.performance.

The boys have so far had limited touring opportunities however have never failed to disappoint ne audiences and if you can get to a show in 2010 I fully recommend you do, don't miss out you wont be disappointed!

Each of us are into our own stuff as well. Myself and Chris are into some post-rock stuff like This Will Destroy you and Sigur Ros and Jammers is into some pretty heavy stuff like Gallows and Bring Me The Horizon.

What’s your favourite venue to What’s your favourite venue to perform at?There are plenty of great venues There are plenty of great venues around so it's pretty hard to pick just one but it's gotta be The Pitz. First of all, it's our most local venue and the first place we ever played. But also the lighting and sound are always top notch there, so we always know what to expect.always know what to expect.

What’s your favourite song of all time?We'd probably all choose something different but for me (Andé).... Without You by Silverchair. Daniel Johns is such an incredible songwriter. Hearing Silverchair was pretty much what turned us from a slightly immature grunge band into a more grunge band into a more sophisticated act. It's not about the crazy riffs or technically ability with Silverchair, it's about seriously well written songs. Some of the chords they use are just mind boggling and how they fit them together and make it work is amazingmake it work is amazing

Who’s been the best band to share the stage with so far?My Passion. They're so professional My Passion. They're so professional and good fun to be around. There are plenty of other bands we've really enjoyed playing with but My Passion are one of those bands you look at and just know they're going to go on to do great things. We first played with them a year and a half played with them a year and a half ago and even then you could see their professionalism, performance and work ethic was just so much greater than anyone else you'll encounter on the road. They're a great band to look up to and they've been extremely supportive of us!been extremely supportive of us!

How was tour? Favourite venue Favourite crowd? We did a UK tour in July, it was our first UK tour so it was a bit hit and miss to be honest but one place that really stuck out was Rockers in Glasgow. We didn't realize just how good their music scene is up there. To help promote the gig before we had a walk around the city looking had a walk around the city looking for people who look like they might be into rock music and there were just hundreds of them everywhere. We'll definitely be heading up there on the next tour, which will be in February / March. Details to that will be confirmed soon and they'll be up be confirmed soon and they'll be up on our MySpace.

How did you guys meet and form the band?Myself and the bassist are brothers Myself and the bassist are brothers so we met at birth! We've worked with a few different people but this has been the line up ever since we've been called Firetone. We actually found Jammers through an ad on MySpace, which was really lucky thinking about it. Usually lucky thinking about it. Usually bands meet at school or uni or through friends or something... It's quite rare that you meet through an ad and it ends up working!

What’s your favourite memory with the band?We did a gig at Sound in Leicester Square and brought about 30 people down to it... So we all went to the middle of the square and started building a human pyramid. Everyone walking past was trying to jump on and join in - it was hilarious!hilarious!

Who would you like to work with in the future?We'd love to tour with My Passion again soon. But further in the future we'd love to get in the studio with a great producer... someone like Chris Sheldon or something.

What are the plans for the band in 2010?WWe're gonna be going for some TV and Radio airplay and hopefully a few higher profile festivals.

Interview: EXAMPLE...

You are doing the whole touring thing again very soon when you play with Tinchy Stryder, how do you think the crowds with react to your music compared to the crowds you had during the Lily Allen tour?

I think the crowds will be much I think the crowds will be much younger this time around which means more jumping about. I hope the stages are bouncy!

If you were playing your ultimate If you were playing your ultimate gig what other bands or artists would you love to be on the same stage as?

Kasabian. Blur. Prodigy. Prince. Jay-Z. All my heroes really

Do you have any hidden talents?

Running. Table tennis. Fishing. Running. Table tennis. Fishing. Impressions. Take your pick

What music out there at the moment really inspires you?

Kasabian. Jamie T. Florence and the Machine. Sub Focus. Mike Snow

How do you think the music How do you think the music industry has changed these last few years?

With every year it's becoming more and more about having a great live show. Single sales are suddenly high again although albums are still pretty low. It's a constantly changing environment.

Is there any advice you can give Is there any advice you can give artists out there looking for a break?

Do everything yourself for as long as you can. Artwork, videos, image, Artwork, videos, image, songwriting, manufacturing, plugging. It will make you understand the whole industry better if you ever sign to a major label.

Finally what does the rest of the Finally what does the rest of the year have in store for example?

There will be the Tinchy tour. An Example tour. Tonnes of festivals. A New album. 2010 Will be a good year!

Interview by:

Rhian WestburyRhian WestburyBrunel University.(Music Editor for Blinky Magazine)

Interview: EXAMPLE...

Elliot Gleave, more widely known as Example has been doing shows respectively for well over three years but last year saw his talent burst onto the scene with the release of the track ‘hooligans’ and later within the summer track ‘watch the sun summer track ‘watch the sun come up’ which dominated clubs around the country.

Examples music is difficult to categorize, it is rap music, yes it is, but it is pop music, again yes it is. It is rap music with infectiously catchy chorus’, typical of all pop music, or pretty much anything found within the top 20.

It has taken an awful lot of hard It has taken an awful lot of hard work and touring to finally pay off, because I remember back in early 2007 Example played a local gig in Watford, conveniently where I live and everyone giggled at his ‘Skinny Jeans Can Fuck Off’ t-shirt- strangely enough still Off’ t-shirt- strangely enough still a merchandize t-shirt you can buy today- a mere sixty or so people if that milling in a rugby club: but now three years on Example sets to embark on a supporting tour with Tinchy Stryder, taking on venues such as the Camden venues such as the Camden Roundhouse and the Birmingham Academy.

Having finished touring with Lily Allen at the end of 2009, co headlining a tour with Flamboyant Bella within 2009 and playing the club NME new years eve ball. It has taken a while coming but the best is still yet to come.

Interview:Interview:

The Lily Allen tour took place over the last few months of 2009 how did you find it playing to such large crowds compared to what you are used to?

Yeah it was certainly a new Yeah it was certainly a new experience. I think we nicked a lot of Lily’s fans along the way. There's a certain buzz seeing 10,000 people with their hands in the air singing Watch The Sun Come Up.

Were there any favourite places Were there any favourite places across the UK you played to?

Dublin was mental. Nottingham as always was madness. Glasgow.

Bournemouth. Liverpool were the Bournemouth. Liverpool were the only subdued crowd - maybe cos their team got knocked out of Europe that night

Glee Volume 1

Love it or hate it Glee has proved a massive for Channel 4, with the TV series gaining a huge audeince.

Prepare to be Gleed! This year a new TV Prepare to be Gleed! This year a new TV show has captured America and become both a total sensation and the most talked about programme of the year. With a unique mix of twisted humour, a cast of amazingly diverse characters, a plot that defies typical rules and featuring a fantastic genre defying soundtrack bursting with show-stopping soundtrack bursting with show-stopping

musical numbers, GLEE is essential viewing. This album hitting the charts

gaining the top spot, the album features a range of specific tracks as well as covers of old favourites. Glee is a massive sucess and

is bound to create some big stars!Sugababes

Sweet 7

On 8th March the Sugababes,, the UK’s

most successful girl-band, release their

brand new album ‘Sweet 7’. It follows Top brand new album ‘Sweet 7’. It follows Top 10 smash hits ‘Get Sexy’ and ‘About A Girl’ and sees the new year in with Heidi, Jade and Amelle sexy, sassier and sweeter than

ever!

‘Sweet 7’ is the Sugababes at their best, with ‘Sweet 7’ is the Sugababes at their best, with an irresistibly cheeky and post-modern pop bounce. Just the way we like them. This new record is marked by a glistening neon sheen. It sits ahead of the contemporary curve of welterweight R&B with an endless

succession of tracks to choose as singles and a flawless cast-list of collaborators seem and a flawless cast-list of collaborators seem to agree. Sessions with Ne-Yo, Red One, Stargate, the Smeezingtons and Beyonce writer Makeba all produced the goods for the

album.

Erik HassleHurtful

Swedish cool-pop wunderkind Erik Hassle releases his brand new single ‘Hurtful’ through Island Recordsthrough Island Records on February 7th 2010.

Having already spent over a year at the top of the Swedish chart it’s now the UK’s turn to sample a song that Popjustice has described as ‘a total modern masterpiece’. Full of sweeping musical melodrama Full of sweeping musical melodrama

‘Hurtful’ is an all-out heart rendering slice of modern angst-pop, perfect for the Twilight generation. It’s is an unexpurgated

apologetic love letter that manages to be both deeply personal yet universal, and is destined to become one of the tracks of the

2010. 2010.

WANT TO REVIEWS?

Contact our Music Editor:

Rhian, Rhian@blinkymagazine.co.uk

Crookers Tons Of Friends

Monday 8th March sees the release of the of ‘Tons Of Friends’ – the much anticipated studio album from Phra the much anticipated studio album from Phra and Bot, the Italian beatmongers aka Crookers. After remixing such huge names in pop and rock along with the UK chart success of their Kid Cudi’s Day ‘n’ Night remix earlier in 2009, the hip house pioneers have now gone direct to some of their favourite artists to work alongside on their 20 favourite artists to work alongside on their 20 track debut album

New Releases Round Up...

Mens Fashion A Quick Round Up..

it is now time of year where everyone now has to raid their wardrobes for those scarves, the gloves that are covered in bobbles and those big wellies that have a years worth of dry mud on the bottom… or you could just go out and buy some new things!!!... So let’s give you the roundup of what should be in this winter and what should be left to gather dust at the back of your wardrobe along with those ponchos that you all say you “don’t” have! The classic shades are always back in like your blacks but this year The classic shades are always back in like your blacks but this year seems to replace the navy with grey (YES!!) there also seems to be more colour too with many shops selling more pinks and purples to go with the rather depressing blacks and the wonderful greys (you will eventually get that I am happy about the grey) so the fashion world is finally playing with colours to make our wet windy winters just that little bit more bearable. Knitted style jumpers and cardigans are a keen interest this year and Knitted style jumpers and cardigans are a keen interest this year and many of them are long, baggy and designed to keep you all warm and snug. Best place to get the chunky knit jumpers and cardigans this year seems to be Topman. However, if chunky knit is really not your thing then Zara does some of the most amazing normal thickness jumpers (not for the small guys though as they start from size M. Huge, gigantic, mile long scarves will defiantly be in this year too with Huge, gigantic, mile long scarves will defiantly be in this year too with nearly every fashion advert you see having a man wearing one. So the bigger, the longer, the better! (No pun intended!) these style scarves can be found everywhere however I recommend Zara. Zara has some amazing stuff in this season so if you are going to start shopping then make sure you visit there. keeping on the accessories note, gloves again will be in, even a fool would know that but the most popular selling ones are ones that actually have fingers and that are patterned (there goes my glove actually have fingers and that are patterned (there goes my glove collection!) Shoes wise there are an awful amount of boots going round. The stores are selling them and the people are buying them so this will be another big thing this year. Sadly the fashion world has not been as playful with its shoes and boots and apart from red, there does not seem to be much colour walking around with shoes. (So black it is!) So! To sum up my advise and the advice that seems to be around at the moment is… stick to the blacks and greys but don’t be boring and add in a splash of one colour. Big is beautiful so pile everything on and make sure you own at least one of those very long knitted scarves! Have a happy fashionable month and be speaking to you soon!

So Lets Talk Fashion...

So…let’s talk fashion. The title presumes that this article is meant to be covering latest collections of high fashion, the hottest buys of the high-street to imitate the look, with the highlight being ‘OMG that dress she wore to the Awards!’ supported by to the Awards!’ supported by some predictable pictures of stunning models wearing things that you and I may never be able to pull off and…oh wait…a traditional notoriously bad snap of a recent fashion faux pas by your favorite soap star. If that’s what favorite soap star. If that’s what you expected you may just flick to the next. Or you could get reading and hear my oh-so-controversial opinion on this industry.

If you really want any of the above you can always try Vogue for inspiration, Look & Co for dress hunting tips, Guardian for a grown-up view and NOW! For celebrity pictures that will make u feel better about yourself. But you knew that anyway, right? knew that anyway, right?

With this being a student magazine, I think I can throw my youthful maximalism up in the air, stomp my feet on the ground and shout ‘boring’ with a disappointed face of a spoilt brat. Aren’t us young kids meant to be

starting revolutions and be fearless about our point of view? Maybe some of you are even here to change the world for the better? Then why the hell are we turning into what my mum calls ‘a big grey mass’?

Now, don’t get me wrong - as Now, don’t get me wrong - as bright as we might be (in all senses of the word), why are most of us following the same trends and referring to the same oracle of style? Responsible adults say that you have to look like the one you aspire to be. like the one you aspire to be.

Gandhi would say - ‘Be the change you want to see!’ Although he was hardly the icon in terms of dress sense, his wisdom can definitely be applied to modern fashion! And I don’t believe that all of us working the skinny jean look to the library and skinny jean look to the library and back have the same personality and interests. Wouldn’t you agree? So why not start with appearance?

In the days of USSR that I so vaguely remember, everything was scarce. Textbooks can’t describe it, but the lengths that young people were going through to make themselves look different couldn’t be put into words.

Yes, it looked ridiculous even from a three-year-old’s perspective. Having a peek at anything as extensive as Carrie Bradshaw’s wardrobe would probably make girls faint from overexcitement and get them into a whole load of trouble. Political a whole load of trouble. Political aspects aside, it was definitely an interesting time in forming people’s future identity and willingness to look as good as possible which can still be seen in modern society. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed that Russian girl haven’t noticed that Russian girl swinging her hips wearing the biggest heels you have ever seen…to the lecture! I am not stereotyping, sometimes I am one of them – it’s a subconscious innate trait, you see. That’s what being deprived of such a simple being deprived of such a simple way of self-expression does to you!

Now let’s get back to the UK with its flourishing (until recently) capitalism and abundance of choice. Why is this choice not being made use of, why are we all heading in the same direction? Someone wise once said that humans can fight for freedom all humans can fight for freedom all they want, but as soon as they obtain it they start trying to give it away. Perhaps, that’s what is going on? By following trends, are we consciously giving away the freedom of deciding who we want to be today and how we want to be today and how we would like to be perceived?

And those very politically minded among you, who are still wondering why they are reading this constructed chaos of an article, do forgive me for comparing fashion to the kind of personal freedoms the last sentence might have triggered in sentence might have triggered in your mind. I am only borrowing some lexicon, and you may be able to read about different kind of freedoms if you flick a couple of pages back and forth.

So why do we, one of the most intelligent groups of the society, tend to jump on the latest trend? Is social acceptance that important to us? Is it laziness with regards to exploring alternatives? Maybe we simply don’t care that much about the don’t care that much about the way we look? Or are we really all the same inside and out (to a lesser extent, of course)?

Whatever it is, I salute those who are breaking boundaries, and turning heads as you eye them down the street (no, not that one in hot pants) - simply because it takes guts to do so!

And by that I don’t mean working And by that I don’t mean working class youth either, more along the lines of that incredibly creative girl from your Drama course who makes her own clothes, the bloke who looks like he would join the hippies if they camped outside

RANDOM FUN PRODUCT SENT TO BLINKY HQ!

Do-Do Pads

Possibly the best diary

range we have seen!

encouraging encouraging doodling, mind wandering and general

distractedness, to get the job at hand done!

10Out Of10

he University building, and even the geeky one that’s sat next to you in a class (really fit, but you wouldn’t notice because of that weird hairstyle).

Not all of them would admit to Not all of them would admit to putting time and effort into planning their style, not all of them probably have, but hey – they all look different as a result and help you figure out what they are all about. And I don’t have a doubt that they are also likely to doubt that they are also likely to make your day, or at least provide for an interesting memory on your way home.

Besides, give them 10 years and they might just have changed the world in one way or another.

Maybe because today they have the guts to show the world what they represent, even if it is different from your interpretation.

Maybe tomorrow they will question things to get to the right answer.

Maybe. Maybe. Do you want to be a part of them? Then what are you waiting for? Come out and play! There are no rules, unless you invent them! And use your Vogue for inspiration rather than guidance.

If you disagree with what is said above, come online and tell me your story.

Hypocritically yours, Di

P.S. I appreciate there are more P.S. I appreciate there are more sides to this discussion, such as self-expression going way deeper than the dress sense, some people genuinely being indifferent to others’ opinions, the hypothesis that the doers don’t need to show off, and of course, need to show off, and of course, a lengthy list of stereotypes. However, talking to myself is not the healthiest of emotional states to be in, so I am done.

Written By:

Di CaplinskaOxford Brookes University.

Review: Call Of Duty 4:Modern Warfare 2

Modern Warfare 2; does it live up to the hype?

This First Person Shooter can This First Person Shooter can been split into three distinctly different parts: a single player story-driven campaign mode, a cooperative game mode known as ‘Spec Ops’, and an Online Multiplayer mode.

The Single Player Campaign has The Single Player Campaign has generated the most press attention, but why do you want to play it? Anyone who has played the previous Modern Warfare game will be expecting a seriously immersive and emotive experience, with tightly experience, with tightly sequenced plot points that don't detract from the gun play, but do give you an excuse to experience the exhilarating and upsetting scenarios.

Modern Warfare 2 is no exception and while the story itself is riddled with plot holes, it does not fail in delivering an unmatched emotional experience that no other game or action film could do. But please, play it on Regular difficulty first; any higher and you difficulty first; any higher and you will not enjoy the overall experience as much because you will die every 30 seconds for half an hour until you learn where every enemy is.

The Spec Ops mode is something new and different entirely. These bite size mini missions can be played on your own or with a friend and they are extremely varied; missions range from escorting your friend to safety from the seat of an AC-130 safety from the seat of an AC-130 Gunship, to defusing bombs in a market place in Rio De Janeiro, to sneaking through a blizzard and avoiding patrols.

They are a genius addition that extend the life of the main game, and just beg for more new missions to be added in the future; however the lack of a mid mission checkpoint system means that dying is extremely frustrating, despite missions only frustrating, despite missions only lasting around ten minutes each.

The Online Multiplayer is the least advertised but most important feature of the game. Over the past decade the Call of Duty series has perfected its chosen format of Class-based death-match and objective games, but Modern Warfare 2 games, but Modern Warfare 2 needs to do something special in order to better its predecessors. By completely overhauling the rank and reward system, the weapon selection, and giving you literally thousands of

of customisable options, it manages to do just that without changing any major aspects of the much loved game play itself.

But be warned, while playing online, you will have to be experienced But be warned, while playing online, you will have to be experienced before you can fully grasp how excellent it is, you need to be prepared to lose a lot! Regardless of your experience with games like this, you will need to spend several game play hours learning the maps, the weapons and the other nuances before you can begin to truly enjoy this extensive and finely tuned aspect of the game.

It does have flaws, but Modern Warfare 2 has done something very rare: it It does have flaws, but Modern Warfare 2 has done something very rare: it has exceeded the unnaturally high expectations placed upon it by millions of gamers, and has become a very good example of why games are becoming the most popular home entertainment medium, above and beyond films and music. Review by Harry Howarth

Review: Phones...

Ok, this is the big one, the biggest head to head battle of technology since the Beta-Max vs. the Video Cassette. In fact, come to think of it, since Window vs. Apple and HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray, but you get the idea, this is a big one: The Blackberry is a big one: The Blackberry Storm or the iPhone 3GS?On the face of it, they’re both pretty similar. They both make calls, texts, e-mails and have the ability to access the internet with specialist applications for Facebook. Everything that is essential in the modern day mobile. mobile. In recent months the stigmas attached to both of these phones have disappeared. Gone are the days when the average Blackberry user was a businessman. Usually, Keith from accounts the unassuming type that probably gave most of his that probably gave most of his money to Mr Peter Stringfellow. Also gone are the days when the average iPhone user was a computer geek with glasses or 12 year old girl who would ‘max Daddy’s credit card’ at Jack Wills (you know the types I’m talking (you know the types I’m talking about). Both of these phones have been virtually taken over by the student market, and now there’s a new kid on the block: the Nokia 5800.

Let’s look at the facts: The iPhone 3GS is the latest reincarnation of Apple’s ground breaking iPhone. For the last 2 years this phone has dominated the touch screen market. Most of you probably know about Most of you probably know about its ability to allow the user to add applications and the clever touch screen that senses whether the user is holding it landscape or portrait so I am going to stick to the basic facts. The 3GS version is available in The 3GS version is available in either 16GB or 32GB, in either black or white, with a 3.0 Megapixel camera and most importantly available with new apps. The 3GS version has new features which no iPhone has had before, such as the ability to had before, such as the ability to take video, and options like ‘copy and paste’ making the task of sending phone numbers via text, a doddle. It is also now available on Orange.The Blackberry on paper is a serious contender as it has a much higher screen resolution than the iPhone, better battery life, and if you compare it with the standard 3G, better memory capacity as well, with the option of expanding. Also, the 3.2 of expanding. Also, the 3.2 Megapixel camera appears better than the iPhone’s 3.0 Megapixels.

I’ve always liked Blackberry’s for years, so after reading the spec. sheet, I was quite looking forward to getting my hands on what all the media have been hyping up to be a possible ‘iPhone Killer’. However, sadly I was disappointed by the finished disappointed by the finished product. Blackberry’s clickable version of the touch screen is not only confusing to use, it’s annoying, slow and ‘dim witty’. The menu interface is slow and jittery, and then things get even worse. The way the system worse. The way the system struggles to determine whether to alternate the screen between portrait and landscape is unforgivable. Oh, and the fact that the 3.2 Megapixel, for some bizarre reason, when the photos are uploaded to Facebook through the phones application, it turns out to be much worse quality than the lesser 3.0 Megapixel camera that can be found in the iPhone. that can be found in the iPhone. It does however have some nice applications. Such as Blackberry Messenger which allows you to connect to other Blackberry users and have instant messaging conversations and share files similar to Windows Live Messenger. Messenger. Also the Blackberry’s voice command doesn’t require spending hours teaching it your voice for it then not to understand you when your voice slightly changes, usually if you have a

cold, like voice commands on so many other phones. The Blackberry doesn’t require you to teach it. The software that it uses just understands all voices to speaking the language that its default setting is set to. Granted like most voice Granted like most voice commands it’s utterly useless however, when it does work it comes in very useful when connected to my Bluetooth device whilst driving. This makes the handset more This makes the handset more ‘plug n play’ than the iPhone. The iPhone basically comes as a shell, a blank converse for the user to add the applications they want and make it technology that is suited to them.

So now for the new boy! The 5800 I personally think has the best screen aesthetically. This is because it has the highest resolution and 16 million colours, yes 16 million! My first colour screen phone only had 256 and that was considered ridiculous. that was considered ridiculous. The screen which although I don’t like quite as much as the iPhone does have some nice features. For example, it has handwriting recognition, which if like me you find texting or writing memos on touch screen phones a bit of a touch screen phones a bit of a headache, extremely useful. Because the screen is narrower than both the iPhone and the Storm it can be easily operated by one hand. It also rotates from landscape to portrait. This is also the only phone out of all three that comes with a stylus too. Just like the Blackberry, the Nokia has a 3.2 Megapixel camera with an LED flash (iPhone only has 3.0 with no flash). Unlike the Blackberry it is much Unlike the Blackberry it is much better quality. This is also the only phone out of the three that has a front mounted camera allowing video calls. Being part of Nokia ‘Xpressmusic’ range the 5800 music player is very good, in fact I prefer it to the Storm’s in fact I prefer it to the Storm’s and the iPhone’s. It comes with 8GB memory card with the option of the user expanding. The 5800’s web browser supports flash making

videos fantastic. The version I tested occasionally froze but Nokia have really come a long way in terms of their browser software.I think the iPhone is still ‘king of I think the iPhone is still ‘king of the hill’ in this class, with the 5800 not far behind and the Storm not quite there yet. However I wouldn’t buy an iPhone. In fact I wouldn’t buy any of these phones. The one I would buy is the new Palm Pre. buy is the new Palm Pre. Because in a world of being a student where everyone is stereotyped and every bar and club is a sea of Blackberry’s and iPhone’s it’s unique. Sure it might not be quite as good any of the three phones I’ve just tested, three phones I’ve just tested, however it does something that no amount of technology can do, it makes you feel special.