Remember the Console Wars? Well, they're back

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

The last time we had a bona fide console war between the Sony Playstation 3 and the Xbox 360, the iPad and its app ecosystem didn't even exist and neither did smartphone gaming. Since then, consoles have evolved into entertainment centers, set top boxes and even musical instruction tools. The next few days will reveal the future of the console as both Microsoft and Sony square off anew to show off their new hardware as well as the games, features and software.  This kicks off today with Microsoft's Xbox event and will continue into E3 with Playstation's unveiling. 

Professional audio recording on-the-go made easy with Spark Digital

It doesn’t cost or take that much to get your rock star dream going these days and this new studio mic from Blue Microphones is bound to make things easier for you. Blue’s Spark Digital is a studio condenser mic with both USB and iPad connectivity via 30-pin jack.

This digital mic assures the same high-fidelity recording and detailed audio you can get from professional studios. It can be used to record a wide range of sources—from vocals to guitars to drums—and it even comes with a custom desk stand that withstands any disruptive rumblings and vibrations. There are also studio controls on the mic, such as volume and gain controls, as well as instant mute. A zero-latency headphone out is also built in for direct monitoring. Additional information on the $199.99 Spark Digital is available here.

Contain information overload with Erudito 1.0

You subscribe to tons of RSS feeds but are you able to read or at least scan through all that news? The Erudito 1.0 iPad app from Paris-based Kaeria EURL wants to help you out. This RSS news reader has been created with users who consume large amounts of news in mind. The app’s grid presentation provides a useful overview of headlines while lessening the need to flip or scroll through endless news pages. It also allows you to skip through categories using the magic toolbar. 

Much like other news readers, you can import your feeds from the soon-to-be-retired Google Reader and send news items to Pocket, Readability, Facebook, among others. The app has free and paid versions (at $1.99) and you can find out more about the app on their site. 

Take stock of your life with Life Inventory

If your smartphone has become your personal trainer, assistant, and even financial advisor, why not turn it into your therapist as well? Life Inventory app for iOS is here to help you understand what makes you tick. This app helps you create your own Life Inventory or Moral Inventory to provide you with better understanding of your personality, strengths, and weaknesses to help you live a better life. It is available for the iPad, iPhone, and iPad touch for $9.99 or you can opt for a Lite version at $1.99 and it can be downloaded here.