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I was invited by X-Cite and Sony to attend a preview of the Playstation Vita in Dubai. The even would give us an intro on their new portable gaming console as well as preview some games and more importantly allows to play with the device.

Introduction
The GM of Sony MENA, Robert Fisser stated that the Vita will have the strongest line up of launch games for a Sony console which is possible since the first party and third party games lined up for the Vita’s February 22nd launch is fairly strong.

When you purchase a Vita among the included items will be 56 WAAR (Wide-Area Augmented Reality) cards that you’ll be able to use with AR (augmented reality) games which you’ll be able to download for free from the PSN store. What differentiates these AR games from others is that these games will be a lot more advanced, sophisticated and use a big area for game play. There are also two social services that Sony are pushing in Vita called Party and Near. Party lets you voice chat with friends on the Vita at anytime, even if you’re playing different games while near lets you see all your Playstation Network friends status’s and what they’re playing (or have played). You will also be able to see if their are other Vita gamers in your proximity and invite them to play a game. Finally you can also unlock gifts, or give gifts to your PSN friends.

Another big feature Sony talked about was sharing save files between your Vita and the PS3 and cross-platform play which basically mean you’ll be able to play head-to-head between the Vita and PS3. They showed us a demonstration when one of their Wipeout 2048 game designer who was using a Vita raced against a producer who used a PS3.

I spotted this picture near Safat Square showing how the new revamped square will look like once construction is completed. I can’t see any seating areas which I think would be a big mistake this time around. They should add benches all around the fountains and the places that used to sell fake perfumes and toys should be turned into cafe’s (Note: That does not mean shisha places).

Have guests coming to Kuwait and not sure where to take them? Architecture of Kuwait have posted a handy schedule although I personally don’t agree with some of their activities (flight simulation?) as well as some of their restaurant choices but it’s a good list to build on. When it comes to food I would add Cocoa Room or Early Bird for breakfast. Lunch I would add OFK and Oum Habib. I would definitely add desert places like Chocolate Bar and Life with Cacao. Finally I would add Maki and Slider Station for dinner.

If guests don’t leave Kuwait gaining a few pounds then you’re not doing it right. [Link]

Here’s some good news:

After coming third in the general standings at Asian qualifiers for the 10m air rifle individuals on Saturday, female shooter Maryam Erzouqi earned Kuwait’s first place at the London 2012 Summer Olympics.

Kuwait’s shooting team director Mohammad Al-Ghorba praised the shooter for her efforts in achieving the milestone.
He also expressed confidence other members of the shooting team, taking part in the Asian qualifiers in Doha, would follow suit, particularly in the double trap category.

Maryam had taken home two gold medals, in the 50m rifle prone and the 10m air rifle, at the recent Arab Games. [Source]

On a side note KUNA have redesigned their website and although it’s not great it’s much better than their previous one. You can check it out [Here]

I had no idea rap battles took place in Kuwait but the one above happened this past October and it’s actually pretty fun to watch. [YouTube]

The Gulf Run 7 car show is going to take place this weekend. This year there will be around 60 cars taking place at Gulf Run and you’ll be able to check out most of them at 360 Mall where they will be on display for everyone to see. So make sure you pass by this weekend, they’re going to be there for two days, Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th. For more information on the event and Gulf Run click [Here]

To check out the full list of cars participating this year follow the link below.

The Superdry store in Marina Mall is now open in place of Diesel. I’ve noticed both the Marina Mall and Avenues branches of Superdry are always pretty empty when I pass by. I’m guessing no one knows Superdry in Kuwait…

Three Kuwaitis killed a crocodile which had apparently sneaked out of a farm and strayed at night before it came face to face with them.

The two brothers and their friend were sitting near a camp just outside the capital Kuwait City when the two-metre reptile crawled slowly towards them.

“One of them who had a hunting rifle shot the crocodile as they were afraid it might attack them…the crocodile had apparently managed to sneak out of a nearby farm in Bar Al Abdali area,” Alanba daily said.

If someone makes a movie about a crocodile that goes on a rampage in Kuwait City I’d watch it. [Source]

Photography Exhibition and a Competition Announcement
Date: Tuesday, 10th January 2012
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Sultan Gallery, Sabhan

@SSHDesignClub and @Archofkuwait have organized a photography exhibition called Kuwait – Early 50 Years where they will be exhibiting old photos of Kuwait with some that might never have been seen before. At the photography exhibition they will also be announcing a competition called Kuwait 2061 which will be open to everyone to participate in.

The competition will be about how Kuwait might look like 50 years from now and you will be able to share your vision by any means possible as long as it fits onto a 50×50 board. The full details of the competition will be made clear on Tuesday at the event.

For now you can check out their Facebook page for more information [Link]

I heard a lot of complaints about traffic at the end of the 1st Ring Road since it ends at a traffic light but honestly I’ve been taking it every morning to work and I have yet to face any traffic issues. The new extension has actually cut down my morning trip by 5 to 10 minutes so I guess people who’ve been complaining about major traffic are facing it at a different timing than mine. [YouTube]

Back in 2009 Bait 7 closed down because of a fire and then stayed closed since the 1st Ring Road construction was taking place right in front of them. Now that the construction in front of them has been completed the place got fixed up and is now open again. The place also has a new owner but according to the manager they’ve kept the same feel and look with just a few adjustment to the menu. I don’t have their contact number or website link but they’re located in Kuwait City behind the church and if you’re planning to go there you need to park in the Starbucks lot and then follow the “7” sign.

Kuwait’s Public Authority for Applied Sciences and Training (PAAST) announced this week that it was beginning to design the country’s first-ever solar energy station.

According to the center, the $16.16 million endeavor is to be completed by the end of 2013 and is being developed in cooperation with the Kuwaiti firm Pan Arab Consulting Engineers (PACE), the Kuwaiti state news agency reported.

All I can say is it’s about damn time. [Link]

The Quadrantid meteors to be seen today and tomorrow night in Kuwaiti skies, Astronomer Adel Al-Saadoon said on Wednesday.

The Quadrantids are a major shower, Al-Saadoon told KUNA, adding that they come from a comet that broke into fragments when it was nearing the sun 500 years ago.

He added that Quadrantids meteors are a combination of many meteors in space throughout the years, producing more than 100 meteors per hour from a radiant near the North Star, noting that the first phase of the meteors in 2012 has already peaked and it is possibly visible around 10:00 PM at North Pole direction, and, specifically, south of the Big Dipper. [Source]

Thanks Tuan

I found out about Al-Sabih Marine from my twitter followers and I’m glad I did since I was planning to order a Pelican case from Amzon and it turned out to be cheaper to just buy it locally. .

Al-Sabih Marine is located behind Tilal Complex in Shuwaikh and as soon I walked into the place I spotted their Pelican collection. I was looking for the 1200 model in black but spotted a yellow one on display for KD23. The same case costs around KD10 on Amazon so I asked the salesman if they had any discounts and he told me they did and that the final price would be KD19.5. It also turned out they had it in black which was great. KD19.5 isn’t cheaper than Amazon but it was going to cost me at least KD10 to ship it with Aramex so even though I was paying double the price of Amazon I was still saving money. While I was there I also noted down the prices of the other sized cases just for reference. These prices below are without the discount which I am assuming is a standard 15%:

Pelican 1200 – KD23
Pelican 1300 – KD27
Pelican 1400 – KD38
Pelican 1450 – KD45
Pelican 1490 – KD65
Pelican 1500 – KD52
Pelican 1510 – KD72
Pelican 1550 – KD68
Pelican 1550 DIV – KD99
Pelican 1560 – KD80
Pelican 1600 – KD84

If you’re interested in getting a Pelican case I’m not aware of any other place in Kuwait that sells them for cheaper. Here is a link to their website [Link]

If you don’t know what Pelican cases are just watch the video below.

[YouTube]

If you’re heading towards the Sheraton Roundabout the First Ring Road is now open. It’s important to note that the road no longer gets you to the roundabout but passes underneath it. The 1st Ring Road now ends at the Justice Palace.