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A Closer Look: Stream-box gaming is a mixed bag

By WTOP Staff

RON HARRIS
Associated Press

ATLANTA (AP) — As gaming consoles such as the Xbox and the PlayStation diversify into video, social media and other non-gaming apps, it seems only fair that streaming TV devices start nudging into gaming territory.

Amazon’s Fire TV and the Roku 3 both offer a multitude of games, alongside apps to stream video on the big television screen from services such as Netflix and Hulu. The game offerings — some free, some for a fee — are a mixed bag thus far, ranging from solid to silly.

Here’s a look at the experience for both:

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— Amazon Fire TV ($99; optional game controller $40):

The Fire TV is an ideal type of multimedia streaming box to bring gaming to the living room. It has a quad-core processor and a dedicated graphics chip to speed up gaming visuals. It pumps all that out in high definition at 1080p.

Games such as “Riptide GP2” and “The Walking Dead” are graphically pleasing, with engaging action and fast-responding controls. These aren’t merely dumbed-down versions of games for other systems, such as personal computers and Microsoft’s Xbox One. The top-tier titles on Fire TV play as smoothly as they do elsewhere.

The games are affordably priced, too, starting at 99 cents and going as high as $10 for such games as “Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.” Most of the paid games are $3. You can usually use the regular controller that comes with the Fire TV, but the $40 game controller, with thumb sticks and trigger buttons, is a necessity for the best action games.

Because the Fire TV uses a version of Google’s Android system, you’re also getting a slew of casual games. Game developers, however, tweak their apps and make them available through Amazon’s app store, so you’re not getting everything available on Android phones.

The game categories to choose from include action, adventure, board games and kids, but not all of them have a substantial library. For instance, the kids category has only five titles. That’s pretty paltry. It’s something Amazon might want to address if it wants Fire TV gaming to take off.

Duds such as a Dracula-themed video pinball game are a waste of space. The initial download is free, but the game will try to nibble you to spend 99 cents apiece for pinball theme add-ons. Most importantly, the game play has an awful amount of lag. The flippers don’t flip the instant you press the buttons on the remote, making it frustrating to time your shots at all.

In all, the Fire TV is a great choice for streaming video. The gaming component doesn’t embarrass itself, but it doesn’t excel either. If Amazon can lure a few more top-flight game developers, Fire TV could become more appealing to enthusiastic part-time gamers.

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— Roku 3 ($99):

The Roku 3 device offers a ton of games, but they range from very good to downright awful. It leans heavily toward casual gaming, meaning puzzle and word games with an occasional faster action title thrown in.

For instance, I had a great time playing “Angry Birds” on the Roku 3 using its Wii-like motion-sensing remote, which is included. I’ve played “Angry Birds” on many phones, tablets and traditional computers, and this beats them all. I simply held down the “OK” button on the remote and stretched the bird back on the slingshot by pointing the remote to the left. It’s intuitive and beautifully displayed in 1080p high definition.

I went to the games channel on the Roku 3 to see the available titles and found most of them priced at $1.99. I’m willing to experiment at that price, enduring a few bad games to find a couple of winners. But some of those puzzle and word games look, feel and play awfully dated. I do praise Roku for stocking a 99-cent version of the old-school classic “Rogue.”

I settled in for a demo session of “Pathogen 2.” Level One started with me flying a little spaceship inside the patient’s femoral artery and trying to shoot down green gobs of pathogens. It’s like “Asteroids” but with molecules. I quickly finished the first two levels and then got the nag screen asking me to pony up cash for additional levels. It blatantly asks, “Why would you deprive yourself for less than a buck?”

And that really is the key with much of the game selection on the Roku 3. Pricing something at 99 cents — or even $1.99 — often made me think, “Why not?”

All of this makes Roku 3 at best a delivery system for casual games. Roku has only 86 games available and needs more heavy-hitter titles alongside “Angry Birds” to truly compete against the Fire TV’s 365 titles, or for that matter my Android smartphone.

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Follow Ron Harris on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Journorati

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Amazon Fire TV: http://amzn.to/Zg72oE

Roku 3: http://bit.ly/1ry6Dsk

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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