Random thoughts: 'GTA IV' irritations, 'Speed Racer' (the movie) and why Microsoft is making a huge mistake

'GTA IV' irritations

I'm irritated a few little things in 'GTA IV' and I wanted to know if anyone else felt the same way.

• I'm frustrated with the pre-missions in some of the main mission segments. These are the simple busy-work parts where you have to drive to a location, follow someone, steal something or chase someone before the meat of the mission begins. It's usually right after these early, easy-parts, that I'm instantly killed because I'm so worn out by what precedes the action... and I'm not paying attention. The real beating comes when you have to start the entire mission over... including the boring easy part. I wish the game would start right where you died.

• I'm tired of the music that plays when the game auto-saves: "Do - do - dum - do." It haunts my dreams.

• What's up with invisible props? I drove across what I thought was an empty patch of grass... then BAM, my car comes to a complete stop with a crashing sound of metal. Slowly, phantom playground equipment appears in front of my car. Where did that come from?

• The Russian clothing store.

• Toll booths

• Jumping a car up to a balcony or other small location where the vehicle becomes permanently stuck.

• Motorcycles seem vanish from Liberty City only when I want/need them.

Quick review: 'Speed Racer' the movie. Too much talking, awesome racing scenes and colors that will burn your eyes. Lop off the first hour and it's great!

Microsoft is making a huge mistake.

This is all anecdotal, but I swear Microsoft is killing themselves by not offering a Blu-Ray player in the Xbox 360.

After the release of 'GTA IV' I have had several friends tell me they were planning on buying a PS3 within the next few days. When I asked them if they had considered an Xbox 360, all of them said they really wanted the Blu-Ray player to watch movies. Every single person said the same thing. And these are non-gamers who are dying to try 'GTA IV' and watch high-def movies.

Even after I explained the virtues of Achievement Points, downloadable content and Xbox Live, the number one selling point for my friends was the Blu-Ray compatibility.

I guess you can point out that the Wii is surviving without a High-Def video player, but it has a broader appeal than both Sony's and Microsoft's systems.

C'mon Microsoft, bite the bullet.