Google Earth's built in flight simulator!

Lifehacker has news (and instructions) of a new feature quietly added to Google Earth. It's a flight simulator that allows you to take off from the airport or runway of your choice and pilot either an F16 "Viper" or SR22 prop plane. There are a number keyboard shortcuts available to control the plane, as well as joystick support. It is reported to be a little tricky to get the hang of but then again I imagine you don't jump into the cockpit of an F16 and nail takeoff without a little simulator time either! I'd like to give it a try but ArchLord is taking up most of my free time! I'll ask the kids to check it out, or if you do let me know how the experience was.

Free online game, unless you put a price on your time

In the world of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMO), World of Warcraft (WOW) reigns supreme and everyone else is chasing them. In an attempt to attract players, one game company has decided to make their offering free! Free to download, free of subscriptions, free!! ArchLord by Codemasters is your typical hack - slash fantasy role playing game, where you create a character and take on a world of nasty beasts in your quest for gold and weapons, all while teaming up with other players from around the globe. It's pretty, and responsive on my cable connection, and while I've only put a couple of hours into it, I'm hooked!