Video games based on a movie franchise are usually less than stellar -- and that's being kind.

So, how does Gameloft's Iron Man 3 fare, based on the new superhero movie of the same name?

Meh.

Not bad -- but not excellent either -- this free action game for iOS and Android devices is at least worth a download for Iron Man fans, and for those who like those "endless running" games like Temple Run, Subway Surfer or Rail Rush.

Taking place after the events of the new Iron Man 3 flick, you play as billionaire Tony Stark, forced to don the Iron Man suit to take on rising A.I.M. forces. Along with flying drones, you'll face off against a number of villains from the Iron Man comics, beginning with Crimson Dynamo, and followed by Ezekiel Stane, Living Laser, and the final boss, M.O.D.O.K. (Mechanized Organism Designed Only for Killing).

Gameplay consists of flying in one of Iron Man's unlockable suits, swiping on the screen to avoid obstacles -- like planes and missiles -- and tapping on enemies to

Badland adventure gameThe phenomenon of mobile gaming is surely one of the great benefits of the Digital Age. When stranded in a place with bleak entertainment prospects – airports, car trips or certain family gatherings, perhaps – that smart phone or tablet can be a real life saver.

Compiled below are five of the best quick-fix mobile games out there, good for a convenient distraction from work or other hostile environments. Each of these is in heavy rotation on my own phone and/or tablet. They're games you can jump into and out of relatively fast, and each stands on its own as a particularly generous and impressive specimen of game design.

Badland

(iPad / iPhone / iPod Touch)

(Price: $3.99 / rated 9+)

The recenty released Badland is a weird and wonderful sidescrolling adventure game from the Finnish indie company Frogmind. You control a vaguely avian fuzzball who must navigate his way through the world's most lethal forest. As you float through the trees, you're confronted with a series of improbably deadly

Dealnews.comYou’re looking at that refurbished Xbox 360 on the shelf at Gamestop. They’re selling it for a lot less than an identical new model. That’s money you could spend on games or a second controller. You’re tempted. But then you look at the teenage girl behind the counter with Hello Kitty tattoos and multiple face piercings. Maybe “refurbished” means she just wipes used consoles down with Windex before selling them to you?

Nope. You’re safe. GameStop, like most reputable electronics retailers, actually refurbishes the products that are sold under that description. In an article last year on Gamespot.com, the gaming giant’s Divisional Vice President of Refurbishment said: “We’re looking at repairing it; getting it back to that original factory condition. You’re not trying to sell it to a customer and in 30 days or 60 days they have a bad experience with it, because they'll never come back to you again.”

That attitude is echoed in the practices of reputable electronics retailers and producers

Curious about the BlackBerry Q10?

Yes, that one -- the smartphone with the keyboard many patient BlackBerry users have been waiting for. Or for those thinking about giving up typing on the iPhone or other touchscreen-based Android or Windows Phone 8 devices.

In this informal video, I unbox the BlackBerry Q10 -- the special press edition sent to many technology journalists -- and reveal what's in the package, including an assortment of accessories.

If you prefer a straight-up review of the Q10, scrub towards the latter half of the 10-minute video and I chat about the pros and cons of the device, which will be available soon through multiple U.S. carriers for $199 on a 2-year plan.

Yahoo! readers, is this the smartphone you've been waiting for or do you think BlackBerry's "comeback" offers too little (and too late)?

VerizonPicking the right gift for mom is a tricky business. Mom is probably too modest to tell you what she really wants. So you’re flying blind. Know these two things:

1. Mom will appreciate any gesture that shows her you were thinking of her.

2. Dads aren’t the only ones who like gadgets.

You don’t want to send the wrong message with a gift that’s associated with housework or fitness, though there are exceptions. As one mother told me: “I’d only give [a fitness gadget] to someone who I was very sure would understand that it was given with all the right intentions. And make sure that you are giving it with the right intentions!”

With that in mind I have compiled a list of gadgets – big and small, expensive and cheap – to consider when shopping for Mother’s Day. This list is bereft of any scientific expertise or data. I interviewed a few mothers with different backgrounds and tastes, thought about my wife and my mother, and employed some tech gadget expertise to cobble this together. If I

Mother’s Day is this Sunday, May 12 -- yes, be sure to circle that in your calendar -- and if you’re thinking of picking up a 7-inch Kindle Fire HD for your mom (or grandma, wife, sister or daughter), we can help you save $20 off the purchase.

Amazon contacted Yahoo! Digital Crave with a discount code for our readers.

Just type the word FIRE4MOM at checkout, until May 12, to order the 16-gigabyte tablet for $179 instead of $199.

Not bad for a high-definition (1280 x 800) tablet with 10-point multi-touch screen, and access to Google apps and Amazon’s Prime service.

What’s that? This is all Greek to you – and your mom? No worries, as we can break down the g(r)eek speak into street speak.

Dubbed the world's most advanced 7-inch tablet, and the best-selling product on Amazon, the Kindle Fire HD is an ebook reader that can do a lot more than display electronic books and magazines on its glare-free color screen.

For one, mom can watch movies, play games and listen to music and podcasts on

If you haven't yet read Victor Paul Alvarez's awesome round-up of Mother's Day gadgets, this is the time to consider buying mom a slick tech toy instead of the boring and predictable.

After all, isn’t she worth it?

In fact, more than a quarter of women recently surveyed by eBates.com said they'd prefer a techy gift over clothes, shoes and handbags.

And so along with Victor's top 8 tech picks, the following are a few more Mother’s Day gift ideas to get you going, ranging in price from $15 all the way up to $700.

01. eBook reader

Portable and powerful, the 5-inch Kobo mini ($79.99) is considered the world's smallest and lightest full-featured electronic book reader – weighing in at just 4.73 ounces (134 grams). Use your fingertip to tap or flick through digital books, magazines and newspapers. The 2-gigabytes of built-in storage is enough for about 1,000 ebooks. As with most other ebook readers, this Wi-Fi enabled ebook reader lets you tweak the font size and style, plus it includes an

Silver Linings Playbook on DVD/Blu-RayIn Silver Linings Playbook – the fearless romantic comedy new to DVD and Blu-ray this week – Bradley Cooper plays Pat Solitano, a Philadelphia school teacher recently released from an eight-month stint in the psych ward. Pat's bipolar condition has cost him his job, his house and his wife. But he's determined to make things right as he moves back in with his parents, played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver.

Pat meets recently widowed Tiffany Maxwell, a similarly damaged soul played with ferocity by Jennifer Lawrence, who won an Academy Award for the role. The two begin to orbit one another with instinctual attraction. They seem connected on some cosmic frequency: “We're not like the rest of them,” Tiffany says. “We're not liars.”

Silver Linings Playbook is structured like a traditional romantic comedy, but it's unhinged and joyous in ways that defy genre expectations. Director David O. Russell (The Fighter) builds his scenes around swerving arcs of dramatic tension and comic energy.