One doesn’t need to be a professional to understand that the face of sports and fitness has undergone a rapid shift. Technology now has a central role to play in the world of sports, as the Brad Pitt starer, Moneyball demonstrated quite beautifully. While there are professional, state-of-the-art gadgets and devices which enhance the performance of teams and individuals, there are also some cool gadgets which make fitness more accessible and less cumbersome to the common man out there. We are talking about exciting products like fitness inspired games which have added some much needed spice to the world of fitness.

Here is a list of some cool and exciting fitness video games which every fitness freak would love to have:

1. Wii Fit Plus- Wii Fit, which was the original version of this game pioneered the category of fitness video games. The Wii Fit Plus comes with a balance board which measures your weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) at regular intervals. This game incorporates close to 40 kinds of workout routines including different levels of cardio exercises, strength training, yoga sessions etc. You can also customize workout routines according to your requirements. To liven your otherwise tiresome workout session, Wii Fit plus also has some balance games which help out in weight loss as well.

2. Your Shape: Fitness Evolved- Your Shape is Xbox Kinect’s answer to Wii Fit Plus. Unlike its competitor, it follows the instructor-student model as trained instructors guide you through the details involved in yoga, muscle training and cardio workouts. It also tracks your performance regularly as instructors rate your performance after every session. The game works well for starters and hardcore fitness freaks simultaneously.

3. EA Sports Active 2- If you are looking for really intense workout sessions, the EA Sports Active 2 is ideal for you. Make no mistake, the workout are definitely hardcore. It works with Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii, and it comes with an arm sensor which monitors your heart rate regularly. Workout sessions involve a personal trainer and focus independently on different body parts. The entire fitness program is 9 weeks long and it incorporates a variety of physical exercises.

4. Zumba Fitness- This is one of the best fitness video games which use dance forms as exercises. The appeal is quite obvious- it combines the enjoyable activity of dancing with physical fitness. The best part is that none of the two aspects are compromised. The workout sessions are combinations of Salsa, Hip-Hop, Rumba, Calypso, Flamenco etc. The game comes with detailed tutorials to familiarize you with these dance forms. As a word of caution, if you thought this game is just about casual dancing, you are in for quite a shock. The schedules are just as intensive as a regular cardio work out session. As an added advantage, you get to learn some very exciting dance forms even as you lose weight simultaneously.

Apart from these, there are several other fitness games that you can choose from- Fit in Six, The Biggest Loser, Kinect Sports, NewU Mind Body Yoga and Pilates and many more. A fitness video game is a godsend for people who can’t go to the gym regularly or who are just too bored of them. Get yourself one of these games and for once, you will actually enjoy working out.

Razer Tiamat 7.1

While it’s a bit on the pricey side, the Tiamat is unrivaled when it comes to 7.1 channel surround sound quality. Unlike most 7.1 channel headsets on the market, the Tiamat is a true 7.1 channel system, with  front, rear, center, side, and subwoofer drivers in each ear cup. This gives a much more realistic surround sound experience than the virtual 7.1 channel systems most headsets use, processing a 7.1 channel signal into a stereo output. The Tiamat is intended for PCs, but can be used with any system that has 7.1 channel 3.5mm outputs and a USB port for power.

Logitech Wireless Gaming Headset G930

If you’re in the market for a wireless headset, the Logitech G930 ought to be one of your first choices. Its virtual surround sound processing technology is developed directly by Dolby Digital and is essentially unparalleled. Its wireless range is also quite impressive, reaching up to 40 feet without distortion. Like most wireless headsets, battery life can be problematic, offering about 10 hours of continuous playback. Fortunately, it’s possible to charge the G930 while it’s in use. Even with its impressive specs, the G930 is fairly reasonably priced for a wireless headset of its caliber. Unfortunately, because if its USB interface, the G930 will only work on a PC.

Turtle Beach Ear Force PX5

Even though it’s depressingly expensive, the Ear Force PX5 offers some amazingly customizable sound quality, perfect for any serious gamer. Designed to work for both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, the PX5 will also work with any system with an optical output. The headset even has a Bluetooth channel to pair up with PS3 chat or even your cell phone. Turtle Beach also offers downloadable software to create sound profile presets so that you can tune the PX5 for specific situations, such as playing First Person Shooters, watching HD movies, and listening to music. The wireless range is about average (up to 30 feet), but its 15 hour battery life is pretty impressive. The price is steep, but it’s easy to argue why it’s worth it.

Creative Tactic 3D Omega

Creative’s extensive experience with audio technologies definitely shows through with its Tactic 3D Omega headset. Its THX TruStudio Pro surround sound virtualization easily goes toe-to-toe with Logitech’s G930 in terms of sound quality. While the G930 does best it in wireless range, and even price, the Tactic 3D Omega has the major benefit of being compatible with the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and technically any system with composite stereo output. If you’re a multiplatform gamer, the Tactic 3D Omega should definitely be on your list of headsets to check out – although the Turtle Beach Ear Force PX5 certainly poses a tempting (albeit slightly more expensive) alternative.

If reports are to be believed, Microsoft is all set to release the Smart Glass at the E3 2012. There hasn’t been any official announcement, but reports have said that Microsoft has been in a frenzy to buy all domain names with the words “smart glass” in it. And after all, it is no secret that Microsoft has been trying to establish Windows as a streaming- friendly OS and the functions of Smart Glass (explained below) seem to fall in line with that aim.

While we don’t have a lot of official information about this technology from Microsoft itself, it is being touted as Microsoft’s reply to Apple’s AirPlay feature. So, what exactly is the Smart Glass? Honestly, nobody seems to be absolutely sure on that count. Earlier reports indicated that Smart Glass is a tablet which could be used to connect to an Xbox 360 and stream music or videos to a television set, using Xbox 360 as an intermediary.

However, later reports indicate that Smart Glass, is, in fact an app which can be used on tablets and phones running on Windows, Android and iOS. Using this app (or a physical tablet?), Xbox 360 users will be able to stream content directly from Netflix, Hulu and other similar applications. At the same time, users will be able to stream content from their smartphones to the television through the Smart Glass. Essentially then, the Smart Glass will act as a means through which the gaming console could be accessed remotely, making way for streaming content effortlessly.

We will have more information to provide about the Smart Glass once it is officially released by Microsoft. But besides that, what can we expect from the E3 this year? Well, unfortunately for gaming enthusiasts, Microsoft has announced that it won’t be releasing the Xbox 720 gaming console this year. Having said that, we can still expect some information about its features or other such details. Besides that, Microsoft might unveil the Xbox Music Service or Woodstock, which will allow users to share music across different platforms. The Woodstock might well be Microsoft’s desperate attempt to make up for the absence of the next Xbox gaming console.

Processor

The CPU is the heart of a computer, but it’s not easy to know which CPU models are best for which tasks. The following is your basic CPU hierarchy.

1: Intel Core i7 – The Core i7 makes up the top tier in CPU performance. It also makes up the top price bracket. You’ll typically only need this sort of power if you expect to do a lot of computationally intensive tasks, such as photo/video editing or high-end gaming.

2: Intel Core i5 and AMD A8 – The A8 series CPU represents AMD’s highest performance offering in the laptop sector, and it’s roughly on par with Intel’s Core i5 series. Both are just as capable as the Core i7 but are slightly slower. In every-day tasks, this speed difference won’t even be noticeable.

3: Intel Core i3 and AMD A4/A6 – This is the more budget friendly range of CPUs. They’re considerably slower than the other offerings, but if all you’re looking for is a laptop for web browsing, word processing, and multimedia, they’re more than capable.

Each series has range of models with slightly different performance. Searching CPU benchmarks can help give you a feel for performance hierarchy.

Graphics

Most laptops have integrated graphics ships, specifically Intel HD Graphics 3000. Integrated graphics limits you to basic tasks, such as web browsing and simple productivity. As a general rule, you should avoid integrated graphics of possible.

Dedicated graphics, such as AMD’s Radeon and Nvidia’s GeForce chips can provide much more performance than integrated solutions, but often cost more. The model numbers can be confusing as well, but the following chart can give you a rough idea of performance:

An exception to the integrated graphics rule is AMD’s A-series. While the A-series CPUs do have integrated graphics, AMD has fitted them with entry-level gaming-class GPUs. This actually makes the A-series a very good value.

RAM

When it comes to RAM (aka Memory), there’s no such thing as too much, but you still don’t want to pay for more than you need. 6GB is ideal, but for the time being 4GB is still sufficient. Memory speed also plays a small role in performance, but it’s really only important with high-end systems.

Hard Drives

Anywhere from 64GB to 2TB, how much space you need is entirely up to you, but hard drive speeds can also play a major role in overall performance. Most laptops come with 5400RPM hard drives. When compared to 7200RPM drives, these will have slower loading times, but only by a small percentage. 7200RPM drives are best for high-performance laptops.

There are also SSDs (Solid State Drives). These give significantly better performance compared to traditional hard drives, sometimes halving load and boot times, but cost quite a bit. Due to the price, SSDs typically come in small capacities, like 64GB to 128GB, making them mostly ideal for productivity tasks only.

Size

Display size and slimness are all a matter of personal preference. Any two laptops with the same internal components will perform similarly, regardless of size; however, size can have an indirect on battery life. Large screens tend to use more power and smaller chassis often have smaller batteries. Expert reviews can be useful for gauging realistic battery life.

Resolution

Screen resolution basically equates into how much workspace you get on your screen. Most laptops have 1366×798 resolutions. This is fairly low for those who prefer to display many things onscreen at once, but it is still enough for 720p video. Other resolutions, like 1600×900 and 1920×1080, can make for a much more productive system, but also cost considerably more.

The Display(s)

One of the 3DS’ biggest selling points is its glasses-free 3D display – more of a marketing gimmick, really. There are only a small handful of 3D-ready titles available, and of those, Super Mario 3D Land is the only one worth playing in 3D. Many people don’t actually like the 3D affects.

The Vita, however, has a 5-inch, fully touch-enabled OLED display which outshines the 3DS in nearly every aspect. The only downside is that its large screen might make the overall size a bit large to fit comfortably in your pocket. Score one for the Vita.

Controls

Like the previous DS systems, the 3DS has a D-pad, bumpers, a touch screen, and various buttons. Unlike its predecessors, it also has a single joystick and gyroscope/accelerometer.

Not to be outdone, the Vita has all of this, plus an additional joystick, an electronic compass, and a touch pad on the rear of the device. If anything, the Vita might have too many inputs, since they do lead to some complicated game play; nonetheless, we have to side with the Vita in this category as well.

Graphics

As a significantly newer device, it should come as no surprise that the Vita has far superior graphics capabilities than the 3DS. The Vita features an extremely high-performance quad-core CPU and quad-core GPU, capable of outputting 150 million Tri/s. The 3DS can only manage about 30 million. This is another clear win for the Vita.

Game Library

Launched with 25 titles (all of about two were very good), the Vita has a small selection. That number is very quickly growing, and thankfully, the Vita is compatible with all PSP and PS Mini titles on the PlayStation Network. Unfortunately, for anyone hoping to migrate from a PSP, you’ll have to repurchase your games.

The 3DS doesn’t have a lot of worthy 3D titles, but it does have the HUGE Nintendo DS library at its disposal. Plus many of the greatest franchises, like Mario and Zelda. The 3DS takes this category…for now.

Connectivity

Both the 3DS and Vita have WiFi, but only the Vita has Bluetooth and a 3G version available. Both have built-in web browsers and even Netflix streaming, but the Vita’s larger screen makes a big difference. The PlayStation Network also offers a wide selection of movies and TV shows to rent or purchase. Mark another win for the Vita.

Price

The WiFi-only version of the Vita weighs in at $249, a full $80 more expensive than the 3DS. The Vita also uses Sony’s proprietary Memory Stick storage, which is an additional $20 purchase at minimum (that’s just the 4GB card). 3DS games are, on average, about $10 cheaper than Vita titles as well. Considering the extra performance and features the Vita has, it’s still a good value, but the 3DS is easier on your wallet.

Overall

The Vita dominates in just about every category except Game Library and Price (arguably the two most important). The Vita game library will definitely improve over time, but we expect it won’t get much cheaper for a while. If all you’re after is a solid portable gaming experience, go for the 3DS (or DSi XL if you like a bigger screen). For premium graphics and features, the Vita is amazing.

What remains to be seen is whether the Vita can hold its own against the growing smartphone gaming trend.

Amazing Graphics

A few Nintendo loyalists have been trashing the Vita, claiming it’s simply a poor attempt at coping the Nintendo DS (referring mostly to the new touch-interface). What they forget to mention is the fact that the Vita some killer graphics capabilities.

The Vita actually utilizes components that will be used in smartphones that aren’t even out yet. It features a quad-core CPU as well as a quad-core SGX545MP4+ GPU (essentially a faster 4-core version of Apple’s dual-core A5 processor found in the iPad 2). This thing is truly capable of PS3 and Xbox 360 level graphics, which means you’ll be getting a lot of the same PS3 games rather than watered down portable versions the DS and PSP have. Games like Uncharted: Golden Abyss have already proved this.

The Price

The PS Vita comes in two flavors: a 3G cellular data version for $299 (plus monthly data plan), and a WiFi-only version for $249. Both are a spectacularly good deal.

Sure, the Nintendo 3DS and DSi XL are available for around $160, but the Vita isn’t really competing with the DS; it’s competing with smartphones. The smartphone gaming market is on the verge of rapid expansion, but they have a few huge speed bumps to get over:

1. Pricing. You can buy a new smartphone for about the same price as the PS Vita, except you’ll be locking yourself into a 2-year agreement. If you ever break or lose your phone, or want to buy a new one, it’ll cost you upwards of $500. The PS Vita is subsidized by game licensing, so its price will only go down from here on out.
2. Performance. We’ll be seeing quad-core phones before the end of the year, but the PS Vita has already achieved that performance today.
3. Controls. With the exception of the Xperia Play, smartphones are pretty much only offer touch screeninputs. Serious gaming is basically impossible. Thankfully, the Vita has dual joysticks, a D-pad, left/right bumpers, and of course a handful of buttons.
4. Games. The PS Vita is a gaming device, so there’s no question that it will soon have a massive game library with hundreds of great titles. Smartphone app stores are still hazy on the gaming department while they wait to see if smartphones can make suitable gaming devices.

Everything Else

Overall, the PS Vita has been very well designed. Its 5-inch 960×544 qHD OLED display looks great and still keeps it small enough that it will fit in your pocket, though it’s probably a bit too bulky to carry it everywhere you go. With the exception of transitioning from the joysticks to the touch screen (and visa-versa), the controls are very well thought out.

The gaming experience really is unmatched in the portable realm; however, full-sized games also mean full-sized load times. Starting up a game like Uncharted can take a few minutes. Fortunately, the sleep function makes pausing and resuming gameplay almost instantaneous. The Vita also makes for an excellent media device, with lots of options for storage and most popular media formats. That big beautiful screen does take a heavy toll on battery life, though. Expect about 5 hours of gaming on a single charge – enough for a long car trip, but bring a charger for a long flight.