Nintendo's Wii Fit

SWEATBANDS SNAPPED tight and short shorts riding high, I took Nintendo's $90 Wii Fit a home workout program disguised as a video game for a test run. I can see why Wii Fit is a hit.

The game lets you choose from 48 activities in four categories: yoga poses, strength training, aerobic exercise, and balance games.


To perform the calisthenics. you stand or lie-on the Wii Balance Board. Its four pressure sensors determine where your feet are, monitor your center of gravity, and check your weight.

Before getting started, I had to build my Wii Fit profile by entering my height, weight, gender, and birthday. A basic body Lest then measured my balance before

the software presented me with a fairly accurate Body Mass Index (BMI) score, my weight in pounds, and a "Wii Fit Age" (more a measurement of my game skills than of my actual fitness level). You can weigh in again anytime you want, set goals to lower or increase your BMI, and arrange for the game's calendar to chart your fitness progress.

As you spend time exercising, you earn Fit Credits that unlock activities one by one. Each workout takes roughly 1 to 5 minutes. Unfortunately, each Wii Fit player Must unlock each workout solo. I was frustrated at the lack of a two player mode and at not being able to create a custom workout; that means you have to complete the activities back to back.

Clearly Wii Fit isn't a replacement for a gym membership. But if you want a fun, family-friendly workout option, Wii Fit is definitely fit for the task.

Wii Fit Nintendo Makes working out in front of your TV interactive and fun. List: $90

Saitek X52Pro

Best controller for flight sim fans

IF YOU WANT TO FLY the virtual skies in style, Saitek’s X52 Pro is the Gulfstream of flight controllers. This joystick and throttle combo is designed for any kind of flying, whether you’re hauling passengers in Microsoft Flight Simulator X (FSX) or blowing away Messerschmitts in Ubisoft’s IL2 Sturmovik: 1946.

Like the original X52, the Pro version includes seven control axes, 19 programmable buttons, three hat switches, and a mouse control. You also get a three-way mode switch that triples each button’s functionality. Set up one set of commands for take off/landing, another for air combat, and another for ground attack.

The X52 Pro also supports adjustments to accommodate both small and large hands. This new model replaces the loose springs of the original with much more precise controls, and adds a fully programmable LCD on the throttle. Out of the box, the display lets you adjust radio settings in FSX, and it’ll display the current song playing in Windows Media Player. The LCD includes drivers for only those two programs, however. A software-development kit is included for those who want to customize the LCD for additional games, but it requires C++ programming knowledge. Unless Saitek updates the joystick’s software, most users will need to rely on hard-core users and the gaming community to add support for additional games.

For the full-on flight-control experience, you can pair the X52 Pro with Saitek’s $149 Pro Flight Rudder Pedals. This USB based pedal set offers both rudder-control and toe-brake support. With its wide design and adjustable pedal size, this add-on is also comfortable to use.