Way back when, Google snatched up Writely.com, closed registrations, and left it at that for months. During my hiatus, Google opened up Google Docs and Spreadsheets as the product of that deal. It's an online office application that edits documents and spreadsheets (no charts), but wider support seems to be coming. But it's more then just a document editor, particularly when when you look at the larger Google picture.
Google just released a Enterprise version of Google Apps. For $50/member, you get 10 GB of storage space, Gtalk, Google Calender, Docs and Spreadsheets, Extensibility APIs, 24/7 customer support, and 99.9% guaranteed uptime. Fifty bucks each is a great price when you compare it to buying a copy of Microsoft Office for every employee. And even though the service was just launched (and is free through April 30), several major businesses have already signed up.
In a world moving away from paper, Google Apps is the ideal organizational solution. I'm a college kid without a printer. Now I don't have to worry about cluttering my inbox with emails to myself so I can download them on another computer, or even bother with flash drives that don't always play nice. I can just walk down to the lab, log in to Google Docs, and it's right there. Google's powerful tagging and archiving, combined with the complete content searching, makes it easy to find exactly what you're looking for.
Google Docs also gives you the "revisions" tool. Click on drop-down menu, and select the date/time you changed the document, and you can see how the document looked when you started, and what you added and deleted. This goes for every change since you first opened the document. I've used this feature writing papers, and it's nice. It also prevents you from accidentally saving a copy of your document in which you may have somehow deleted all the content, or really screwed things up. I know I've wanted to roll back the clock in Office before, and now Google lets you.
And Google Docs and Spreadsheets fully supports document types for both openoffice.org and Microsoft Office. It also lets you export in .html, or .pdf. You have a print function in your documents toolbar, opening the document in a clean, printable window and invoking your browser's "Print..." command. And right in the editor you can email the document, share it with other Google Docs users, and even chat live with others looking at the same document.
Moving away from docs and spreadsheets, Gmail is amazing, which the tagging features to help you organize, 2 gigs of storage space (which is huge for email), Gtalk built in, and easy email searching. I still use Mail for OS X, but Gmail is my provider. The spam filter works incredibly well (those sometimes too well, as companies sending legitimate notices may be filtered).
Everyone seems to be singing Google Reader's praise. I've messed around with it, and it's better then any other free RSS reader I've found, though I still prefer Newsfire.
Google calender is another feature I personally haven't used much. It's very iCal-esque (which is a plus). Lots of calendar goodies. Check it out sometime, it's better then almost any of the alternatives I've seen.
Oh, and all of these also have personalized homepage integration.
But I'm not a walking Google ad. This post at heart isn't so much about what Google has, as it is what Google needs.
As useful as Google Docs and Spreadsheets is, there are limitations. Previously mentioned lack of support for presentations and charts (those both appear to be forthcoming) is a painful blow to the service. Charts are vital to a spreadsheet application, and presentations are a must in any office suite.
Also hurting Google spreadsheet is the limited support for formulas. Don't get me wrong, they have everything most every average Joe is gonna need. But there's some fairly basic ones I'm surprised they don't include (like =ROMAN() for converting to Roman numerals). In fact, if you look at the help for formulas, it's merely the list of functions provided by openoffice.org, with a column added specifying whether or not Google supports it too. Providing the document is a good move on Google's part, so you can enter in an formula that will translate if you later open it up on a desktop client. But looking at the list, that's a LOT of unsupported functions. The list also gives rather technical explanations for the formulas, making it harder for the average user to figure out exactly how to use them. If you're paying for a service, it should have all the bells and whistles. And it shouldn't be too difficult to figure out how to add these other functions down the road.
Next: as soon as Google announced they were going to start charging for a more advanced service, all of those services should have moved out of the beta stage. Generally speaking, no one pays for betas. You may only offer beta versions of programs to certain people, or have some selection process, but it is almost invariably free. The whole point of a beta is getting help from the customer in finding flaws you may be overlooking. The customer is providing a service to the company. Beta should not be an excuse to say, "things may screw up or we may change things at will, but it's just a beta so you can't complain," and I'm afraid that's what Google has been doing. Gmail has been out for over a year now, with Gtalk not too far behind it. It should be well out of the beta stage. I can understand Google Docs still being a beta, but they should get away from that quickly. Moving away from beta shows you're confident in your product, and should help draw in more customers. Also, this means that features you add in later on down the line can be just that: new features, not beta changes.
Finally, I think Google Docs needs a desktop client. I know, I know. That does defeat some of the purpose. But I'm not talking about a full Office Suite made by Google. It can even require an internet connection to log on. Google Earth is a desktop application that works well on both Macs and PCs (it's possible) and requires you to be online; Google Docs should have one too. I'm not saying get rid of the web browser version. That's perfect for getting documents anywhere, which is a major selling point. But with a desktop client you get the full use of your keyboard, without a web browser taking up valuable common shortcuts. It's also easier to make menus faster, more intuitive, and flow better (that's not to say I'm saying Google did a bad job with the online toolbars. It's far more then I should expect from a web-based client. It's amazing).
Google has seriously invaded Microsoft's turf here, but I'm not suggesting you throw out your NeoOffice, OpenOffice.org, or Microsoft Office package quite yet. Let's let Google flesh out this service a while longer. With the right development, Google could become the new Office standard.
22.2.07
I'm Back (Again)
Yet another restart for me here. In the last several months I've had my laptop stolen, gotten a slightly upgraded replacement, gotten the Nintendo Wii (yes, it is amazing), watched civilization as we know it tear at the seams over the PS3, watched civilization patch itself up as it realizes the console is rather over-priced and now fairly easily available, and random other tech happenings. I'm here now to pick up on events again, perhaps recapping some on the way.
Here's to yet another restart. But a bit later, now it's time for real work (a.k.a. food service).
Here's to yet another restart. But a bit later, now it's time for real work (a.k.a. food service).
20.8.06
I'm Back, Hopefully for Good
I'm all moved in at Purdue, with my decent internet hooked up and going. Hopefully that means I'm back at it for good. Most people that ever read this have probably given up on it by now, but I"m back. So, here we go again.
15.5.06
Online Movie Sales Flops Big Time
All but one of the major motion picture studios have supported and put content recently on a couple of new legal movie download services, CinemaNow and MovieLink (the sole dissenter was Disney, who is closely related to Apple Computers. It's tough to get more of a *wink, wink*). These services are nothing new, and while the internet has gotten faster, reducing download times for many, the services themselves have not imporved. Those who have tested it out have hit multiple errors and given customer service its fair share of work. Not only that, but once the file is finally on the computer, there are numerous restrictions to what you're allowed to do with it...AND you're paying more in many cases.
This leaves many asking, "Why not just buy the DVD?" It's a question without much of an answer. And these legal movie download services are going to continue to flop until the movie industry can figure out that it's just as easy to copy a DVD and spread it illegally as it would be to buy and download a movie without restrictions and pass it on to friends. If I really like a movie, I want the DVD. I want to legally own and control the media itself, not be told when and where I can watch it. For most movie fans, illegal movie downloads will never be a replacement for owning a copy yourself. Particularly in this day and age of piracy, there's a definate pride when you legally own the movie, and aren't just offering your friends a poor-quality copy.
If you want to get the movie downloading business to take off, drop the price and the restrictions. We want to buy the movies, but give us something reasonable to work with.
This leaves many asking, "Why not just buy the DVD?" It's a question without much of an answer. And these legal movie download services are going to continue to flop until the movie industry can figure out that it's just as easy to copy a DVD and spread it illegally as it would be to buy and download a movie without restrictions and pass it on to friends. If I really like a movie, I want the DVD. I want to legally own and control the media itself, not be told when and where I can watch it. For most movie fans, illegal movie downloads will never be a replacement for owning a copy yourself. Particularly in this day and age of piracy, there's a definate pride when you legally own the movie, and aren't just offering your friends a poor-quality copy.
If you want to get the movie downloading business to take off, drop the price and the restrictions. We want to buy the movies, but give us something reasonable to work with.
New Age Air Purifiers Make Things Worse
You know those tall stand up fans that have become a fad recently? Those "Ionic Air Purifiers"? Yeah, I thought they were pretty cool too. But it turns out running one of these babies actually makes the air worse. A lot worse. One of these running in an enclosed space raised the ozone level to 350 parts per billion. In L.A., that's a Level 2 Ozone Alert. Ouch. So if you've got one, go back to a regular fan/air conditioner. If you don't, STAY AWAY. That's a bummer. These things were nifty
How Much Space Do You Need?
This is awesome. Scientists from Drexel and Penn managed to "stabilize the simple physical property of ferroelectricity at the nano scale." What does this mean exactly? I have no idea. What I do understand is that this somehow made it possible to store up to 12,800,000 GB per cubic centimeter. Damn.
While they still have a long way to go before they can work out the logistics of how to efficiently transer information to and from this storage space, it's still a real cool development. Could in the future lead to an overabundance of computer storage space for everyone.
While they still have a long way to go before they can work out the logistics of how to efficiently transer information to and from this storage space, it's still a real cool development. Could in the future lead to an overabundance of computer storage space for everyone.
PS3 Pricing - What You Lose for $100 Off
More gaming updates (I'll have non-gaming news today, promise). Sony announced its pricing scheme for the PS3, saying that for a $499 system you get a model with a 20 GB hard drive. Well, that wasn't exactly the whole story.
The $499 model will also lack Hi-Def video output (making the Blu-Ray player pointless), WiFi (which isn't a big deal since if you have WiFi, you have ethernet), and a memory card reader. It's also possible that this model will only ship with wired controllers (you could still purchase wireless controllers, but c'mon), and that 20 GB Hard Drive will not be upgradable. Ouch.
Adding all that together, I think they took our a little more then $100 worth. While the last two items are still just rumor, that seriously sucks. I think it'd just be worth spending the extra cash and getting it all. Of course, that's probably exactly what Sony is hoping for.
The $499 model will also lack Hi-Def video output (making the Blu-Ray player pointless), WiFi (which isn't a big deal since if you have WiFi, you have ethernet), and a memory card reader. It's also possible that this model will only ship with wired controllers (you could still purchase wireless controllers, but c'mon), and that 20 GB Hard Drive will not be upgradable. Ouch.
Adding all that together, I think they took our a little more then $100 worth. While the last two items are still just rumor, that seriously sucks. I think it'd just be worth spending the extra cash and getting it all. Of course, that's probably exactly what Sony is hoping for.
9.5.06
Microsoft Keynote Part 3: Halo 3
Here we go, it's Halo 3 time. There's a Halo 3 trailer on here right now (not official).
They showed the trailer, now I'm off to find one online. I'll post when I do. It ended with "Finish the Fight--2007."
That's Microsoft. Digest and enjoy.
They showed the trailer, now I'm off to find one online. I'll post when I do. It ended with "Finish the Fight--2007."
That's Microsoft. Digest and enjoy.
Microsoft Keynote Part 2
Here's a cool announcement: Grand Theft Auto IV. This is a complete surprise, and it's going to feature regular downloadable additional gameplay, like episodes. That's awesome.
Then, on to some current Windows games. Lots of "here's games that will play." They show off some Vista games, and say that you'll be able to access these programs directly from the start menu (I'm assuming they mean without going through all the folders on the Start Menu).
And they boast Oblivion sales (an awesome game).
I wonder how long before they get to Halo 3. This would be one of the only ways to truely compete with the other consoles, seeing as by the time they're released the 360 will already be a year old. They released a trailer for the game today, I imagine they'll at least show that off. Right now it's only available on the 360 Marketplace.
Gates himself is now up there, fidling with something small and white in his hands, stalling for time, and building suspense. Could this be somethin big?
He's boasting the 360's "headstart" in the marketplace. This headstart makes me wonder if Microsoft had so little faith in their product that they feared this is the only way for them to compete. Sony and Nintendo both appear to be giving Microsoft a run for its money.
And the other shoe drops. Gates announces that Xbox live will soon become Live Anywhere, a service for Xbox, cellphone, and Vista gamers.
Grr, the more I search, the more it's confirmed that for some reason Microsoft isn't allowing live streaming of its keynote except to subscribing members of GameSpot. Way to piss me off, Gates (Macs RULE!!!).
Anyway, back to Live Anywhere. I'm getting word of a demo right now. Live Anywhere is going to work with MSN messenger, so you can see your buddy list when you sign in. It looks the same for cell, Xbox, and PC. You can do voice chat while you play cross-platform. This is really cool. You can invite anyone and a little transparent pop up window will inform the other of their invitation. Also, any content you buy on one system will be available on any other system automatically.
Then, on to some current Windows games. Lots of "here's games that will play." They show off some Vista games, and say that you'll be able to access these programs directly from the start menu (I'm assuming they mean without going through all the folders on the Start Menu).
And they boast Oblivion sales (an awesome game).
I wonder how long before they get to Halo 3. This would be one of the only ways to truely compete with the other consoles, seeing as by the time they're released the 360 will already be a year old. They released a trailer for the game today, I imagine they'll at least show that off. Right now it's only available on the 360 Marketplace.
Gates himself is now up there, fidling with something small and white in his hands, stalling for time, and building suspense. Could this be somethin big?
He's boasting the 360's "headstart" in the marketplace. This headstart makes me wonder if Microsoft had so little faith in their product that they feared this is the only way for them to compete. Sony and Nintendo both appear to be giving Microsoft a run for its money.
And the other shoe drops. Gates announces that Xbox live will soon become Live Anywhere, a service for Xbox, cellphone, and Vista gamers.
Grr, the more I search, the more it's confirmed that for some reason Microsoft isn't allowing live streaming of its keynote except to subscribing members of GameSpot. Way to piss me off, Gates (Macs RULE!!!).
Anyway, back to Live Anywhere. I'm getting word of a demo right now. Live Anywhere is going to work with MSN messenger, so you can see your buddy list when you sign in. It looks the same for cell, Xbox, and PC. You can do voice chat while you play cross-platform. This is really cool. You can invite anyone and a little transparent pop up window will inform the other of their invitation. Also, any content you buy on one system will be available on any other system automatically.
Microsoft Keynote Part 1
It's not letting me look at this one live for some reason, so it's back to Engadget's coverage.
Lots of sales figures to open. Plus showing some of what they've got.
Announcing a new cool feature that would allow small time developers to show their stuff on an Xbox Live arcade.
Fable 2 announcement. The first Fable wasn't the gaming revolution that the creator originally claimed it would be, and a lot of its content was over exaggerated. We'll see what he can do with part 2.
They announced a camera attachment for the Xbox, no surprise there. Another Splinter Cell game (big fan of the series here), Dead or Alive game, nothing earth shattering.
They announce that the plan to move into the market for kids games. No longer will the Xbox sport mostly teen and adult content. Good move, especially with the Wii's attempts to reach out to gamers, and non-gamers, of all ages.
Very non-surprising: the announcement of an HD-DVD attachment for the 360. This is to help fight Sony's standard inclusion of BluRay. I've got a whole post on these formats for more info.
Lots of sales figures to open. Plus showing some of what they've got.
Announcing a new cool feature that would allow small time developers to show their stuff on an Xbox Live arcade.
Fable 2 announcement. The first Fable wasn't the gaming revolution that the creator originally claimed it would be, and a lot of its content was over exaggerated. We'll see what he can do with part 2.
They announced a camera attachment for the Xbox, no surprise there. Another Splinter Cell game (big fan of the series here), Dead or Alive game, nothing earth shattering.
They announce that the plan to move into the market for kids games. No longer will the Xbox sport mostly teen and adult content. Good move, especially with the Wii's attempts to reach out to gamers, and non-gamers, of all ages.
Very non-surprising: the announcement of an HD-DVD attachment for the 360. This is to help fight Sony's standard inclusion of BluRay. I've got a whole post on these formats for more info.
Nintendo Keynote Part 3
Now they're picking the winner of the contest for the first person to ever get to play Wii. Not quite true. Anyway, he gets to play a tennis game with Miaamoto (the most famous game designer ever. Zelda, Mario and friends, Starfox, Kirby, Donkey Kong...anything ring a bell?) and the president of Nintendo, a pretty cool experience.
This looks like a LOT of fun. You stand there and play tennis and it does what you do on screen.
"What's hot is the next leap, not just a small step." Basically saying that Sony and Microsoft are being dumb for upgrading graphics and basically leaving everything else the same. They are also emphasizing that in order to completely get it, you have to play the game.
That's a wrap, Sony is up next, but that's not for a while now. I'll be sure to be there for that.
This looks like a LOT of fun. You stand there and play tennis and it does what you do on screen.
"What's hot is the next leap, not just a small step." Basically saying that Sony and Microsoft are being dumb for upgrading graphics and basically leaving everything else the same. They are also emphasizing that in order to completely get it, you have to play the game.
That's a wrap, Sony is up next, but that's not for a while now. I'll be sure to be there for that.
Nintendo Keynote Part 2
Now they're moving on Nintendo DS. They just said they're not gonna do a lot of tell you how they're selling. Well, he lied to us, cause here he goes. Lots of "here's why we rock."
They're saying now they're going to release a bunch of brain teaser type games for non-gamers to get into. An "old-school" looking Mario game, Yoshi, Star Fox, Diddy Kong, Final Fantasy III (before Japanese only), a Tony Hawk game, a DS-only Zelda game picking up after Windwaker. Also showing off the soon to be released DS Lite, smalling and lighter version of the DS. Lots of ethnically diverse people playing on the DS.
The President of Nintendo is out now. He just said it flat out. "Our new goal is to target two different types of consumers: those who have played but lost interest, as well as those who have never played before." He also said he still wants to appeal to the core gamer market.
He's showing off how the Wii is going to do this now. Good move, appealing to classics like Tetris, saying they're trying to make games as popular as that possible once again.
Talking load times: the ability to open and close the DS at any point without worrying about saving or having to reload. He says the Wii is going to do something similiar.
Wii Connect 24, the console goes into a standby mode where it uses little power but is still running some function, like being online. This lets you download content and that kind of thing without have the system actually running. Kinda scary if you ask me. I want to be able the shut the damn thing off if I want.
Showing some screen shots of sports games with multiplayer.
"Everyday there is something new for everyone. Everyday." That's the president's closing statement.
They're saying now they're going to release a bunch of brain teaser type games for non-gamers to get into. An "old-school" looking Mario game, Yoshi, Star Fox, Diddy Kong, Final Fantasy III (before Japanese only), a Tony Hawk game, a DS-only Zelda game picking up after Windwaker. Also showing off the soon to be released DS Lite, smalling and lighter version of the DS. Lots of ethnically diverse people playing on the DS.
The President of Nintendo is out now. He just said it flat out. "Our new goal is to target two different types of consumers: those who have played but lost interest, as well as those who have never played before." He also said he still wants to appeal to the core gamer market.
He's showing off how the Wii is going to do this now. Good move, appealing to classics like Tetris, saying they're trying to make games as popular as that possible once again.
Talking load times: the ability to open and close the DS at any point without worrying about saving or having to reload. He says the Wii is going to do something similiar.
Wii Connect 24, the console goes into a standby mode where it uses little power but is still running some function, like being online. This lets you download content and that kind of thing without have the system actually running. Kinda scary if you ask me. I want to be able the shut the damn thing off if I want.
Showing some screen shots of sports games with multiplayer.
"Everyday there is something new for everyone. Everyday." That's the president's closing statement.
Nintendo Keynote Part 1
2:36 PM
The Nintendo conference is rolling, and I'm here to give you guys the highlights. Depending on length, I'll try to do this in three segments like I did for Sony.
Hmm, everyone in the studio was asked to turn off all wireless devices. Sounds like a hint if there ever was one.
So far lots of "here's a quick shot of a game," with little explanation on how the gameplay works. Graphics are nothing to be stunned about, but apparently what little gameplay is seen looks like fun.
Some gameplay demonstration from the new Zelda. Point to aim bow, press a to pick up boxes and with a quick flick of the wrist send them flying. The remote has a built in speaker so you can hear some sounds up close. Also has built in rumble.
Now I'm watching the event live.
Exclusive game series: Red Steel. It's an FPS game, using the main controller and an attachment to movie around, point, and shoot. A French guy just said "If you want to play it gansta style, you can." Some cool lighting effecs. You shoot holes in the wall and you see rays of light from them. Ah, and here comes the sword.
The Nintendo conference is rolling, and I'm here to give you guys the highlights. Depending on length, I'll try to do this in three segments like I did for Sony.
Hmm, everyone in the studio was asked to turn off all wireless devices. Sounds like a hint if there ever was one.
So far lots of "here's a quick shot of a game," with little explanation on how the gameplay works. Graphics are nothing to be stunned about, but apparently what little gameplay is seen looks like fun.
Some gameplay demonstration from the new Zelda. Point to aim bow, press a to pick up boxes and with a quick flick of the wrist send them flying. The remote has a built in speaker so you can hear some sounds up close. Also has built in rumble.
Now I'm watching the event live.
Exclusive game series: Red Steel. It's an FPS game, using the main controller and an attachment to movie around, point, and shoot. A French guy just said "If you want to play it gansta style, you can." Some cool lighting effecs. You shoot holes in the wall and you see rays of light from them. Ah, and here comes the sword.
8.5.06
Apple Beats Apple
Apple Computers won its legal battle against Apple Corps, the music label owns by the ex-Beatles (plus Yoko). It seems the judge decided Computers wasn't in breach of the previous agreement to stay out of music because the iTunes Music Store sells data, not analog music.
I agree with the ruling, not the reasoning behind it. The heart of the issue is (allegidly) consumer confusion between the two labels. That's what sparked all the lawsuits many years back, each of which set new limits to what Apple Computers was allowed to do with music. Of course with the evolution of technology those terms had to be redefined (in court) to update the restrictions with current technology. At this point in time, I think label confusion isn't an issue (not that it ever was). That's why Apple Computers deserves the win it recieve. While I disagree with the fact that it's only because Apple sells data, I can agree with this morsel from the full judges report: "for Computer to cross into Corps' territory with its mark it would have to have indicated, by its use of the mark, that Computer was the source or origin of the music. ... The ownership of the rights is always attributed to the correct person within the ITMS and in the track information on any downloaded track."
I agree with the ruling, not the reasoning behind it. The heart of the issue is (allegidly) consumer confusion between the two labels. That's what sparked all the lawsuits many years back, each of which set new limits to what Apple Computers was allowed to do with music. Of course with the evolution of technology those terms had to be redefined (in court) to update the restrictions with current technology. At this point in time, I think label confusion isn't an issue (not that it ever was). That's why Apple Computers deserves the win it recieve. While I disagree with the fact that it's only because Apple sells data, I can agree with this morsel from the full judges report: "for Computer to cross into Corps' territory with its mark it would have to have indicated, by its use of the mark, that Computer was the source or origin of the music. ... The ownership of the rights is always attributed to the correct person within the ITMS and in the track information on any downloaded track."
"New iBook" Show on Wednesday
While completely recycling their poster and wording for the year-old iBook redesign unveiling, Apple has a spot on their site declaring the free seminar open to the public this Wednesday. This seminar has been given the promise of showing off a "new iBook," a "go anywhere digital solution" and "the most affordable iBook ever." Again, this is all the exact same stuff they said a year ago, but it's looking like this, in conjecture with the other evidence means that the rumored MacBook could finally be unleashed upon the world this Wednesday.
NOTE: The above image is NOT an offical Apple image in any way. Rather, it's a photoshopped entry to Engadget's WWJD 3 contest. Click the link to check out more cool stuff.
EDIT: Apple Insider is refuting this claim, citing their own unrevealed sources. Instead they claim that this MacBook product launch will be delayed to coincide with a possible change to an unnamed iPod product later this month.
The Nintendo Genius?
Time magazine recently got its hands on the new Nintendo Wii (Christ that name is painful), and while locked deep within the bowels of Nintendo headquarters in Japan, put the system to the test. Said article also explains the potential stroke of genius Nintendo had when designing the system. The Wii is meant to overcome two problems.
One: gamers are getting bored. Making a game has become a very expensive proposition, and so industries are afraid to pour money into a gamble and moves beyond what they know will already sell. This creates a market where video games will all sell in mediocre numbers, but limits the gaming arena to what's already there. This approach is rather shortsighted and will doom these companies to failure in the long run. Why spend a bunch of money on new games and systems when I can play my older, essential identical, games for much much cheaper? So the video game market is facing a potential decline in the number of gamers continuing to buy new games.
It gets worse.
Problem Two: Not a gamer, never a gamer. The standard controller now has ten buttons, two control sticks, and the classic d-pad. For someone who hasn't grown up learning these controllers, it's a pretty steep learning curve, and most would rather not put in the effort to try. Games that are too difficult to be able to control just aren't fun, and most people that haven't been playing video games since a fairly young age just don't bother to learn.
So, in the name of innovation and simplicity, Nintendo started from scratch and gave us the controller for their Wii, shown below.
Pretty simple, it sports a few basic buttons, plus the console will read and react depending on how you movie the controller. It has a simple remote-style laser. The game will, at any monent in time, know where you're pointing, how you're moving, and how far away you are. Pretty awesoeme. For shooting games, aim and fire. Swinging your sword is as easy as swinging the controller. Simple and easy for someone new to games to pick up on, but great interactivity gamers could be looking for. Even better, it has some simple attachment ports, allowing developers to add their own controller extensions. In this, this sky's the limit. While it could be rather difficult if every game had its own attachment, for some games this could be extremely cool.
From Time:
Yes, this does wonders to dispel the room hermit gamer so common to colleges these days. These games look like fun for everyone, and everyone will want to get in on it. It's not just someone staring with glazed eyes at a screen (rather socially uninviting).
The reviewer playing Zelda and tennis as well. With tennis, it's as simple as the controller becoming the racket, sensing forehand and backhand swings, as well as what angle you're hitting at. From the football perspective, different gestures will represent what the player will do. Throwing, hiking, juking, all are a quick motion away, with speed and distance of your motion all playing factors into, for instance, how fast and far your ball will fly.
So Nintendo is taking a gamble by ignoring the extremely loud but narrow minded gamer fan base. "If you are simply listening to requests from the customer, you can satisfy their needs, but you can never surprise them." An interesting, innovative, and surprisingly excitable concept. I can't wait to get my hands on one.
One: gamers are getting bored. Making a game has become a very expensive proposition, and so industries are afraid to pour money into a gamble and moves beyond what they know will already sell. This creates a market where video games will all sell in mediocre numbers, but limits the gaming arena to what's already there. This approach is rather shortsighted and will doom these companies to failure in the long run. Why spend a bunch of money on new games and systems when I can play my older, essential identical, games for much much cheaper? So the video game market is facing a potential decline in the number of gamers continuing to buy new games.
It gets worse.
Problem Two: Not a gamer, never a gamer. The standard controller now has ten buttons, two control sticks, and the classic d-pad. For someone who hasn't grown up learning these controllers, it's a pretty steep learning curve, and most would rather not put in the effort to try. Games that are too difficult to be able to control just aren't fun, and most people that haven't been playing video games since a fairly young age just don't bother to learn.
So, in the name of innovation and simplicity, Nintendo started from scratch and gave us the controller for their Wii, shown below.
Pretty simple, it sports a few basic buttons, plus the console will read and react depending on how you movie the controller. It has a simple remote-style laser. The game will, at any monent in time, know where you're pointing, how you're moving, and how far away you are. Pretty awesoeme. For shooting games, aim and fire. Swinging your sword is as easy as swinging the controller. Simple and easy for someone new to games to pick up on, but great interactivity gamers could be looking for. Even better, it has some simple attachment ports, allowing developers to add their own controller extensions. In this, this sky's the limit. While it could be rather difficult if every game had its own attachment, for some games this could be extremely cool.
From Time:
In one hot minute, I use the controller to swat a fly, do squat-thrusts as a weight lifter, turn a key in a lock, catch a fish, drive a car, sauté some vegetables, balance a broom on my outstretched hand, color in a circle and fence with a foil. And yes, dance the hula
It's a remarkable experience. Instead of passively playing the games, with the new controller you physically perform them. You act them out. It's almost like theater: the fourth wall between game and player dissolves. The sense of immersion--the illusion that you, personally, are projected into the game world--is powerful. And there's an instant party atmosphere in the room.
Yes, this does wonders to dispel the room hermit gamer so common to colleges these days. These games look like fun for everyone, and everyone will want to get in on it. It's not just someone staring with glazed eyes at a screen (rather socially uninviting).
The reviewer playing Zelda and tennis as well. With tennis, it's as simple as the controller becoming the racket, sensing forehand and backhand swings, as well as what angle you're hitting at. From the football perspective, different gestures will represent what the player will do. Throwing, hiking, juking, all are a quick motion away, with speed and distance of your motion all playing factors into, for instance, how fast and far your ball will fly.
So Nintendo is taking a gamble by ignoring the extremely loud but narrow minded gamer fan base. "If you are simply listening to requests from the customer, you can satisfy their needs, but you can never surprise them." An interesting, innovative, and surprisingly excitable concept. I can't wait to get my hands on one.
Sony Keynote Part Three: The Controller and Launch Date
So, here's the big news. Sony had it's boomrang looking controller set for a long time. Not too far back they announced plans to redesign the controller based on negative consumer feedback. So, today they show the new controller. And it's...
the PS2 controller.
But there's a twist. The controller is lighter, completely wireless, and 6 degrees of freedom as another controlling interface. Tilting the controller in the X, Y, or Z axis will interact with the games accordingly. Apparently they gave a pretty sweet demo of some airplane game that this works extremely well with.
So, the Xbox 360 is the only next-gen console without controller movement being a control method (check out the review of Nintendo's Wii that I'll post shortly). Wonder what they'll do, if anything, to amend that. Looks like being the first batter up might've hurt the 360 more then helped. The extra development time may have given them hardware benifits, and the rush to get it out there shows some lack of confidence on Microsoft's part in their system's ability to hold up to the competition.
Finally, shipping details. November 17, 2006 (in the US). Two options, a 20 GB and 60 GB hard drive, for $499 and $599 respectively in the US (Same numbers when buying with Euros, 59800 Yen for the 20 GB model in Japan and stores get to pick their price there for the 60 Model).
That's a wrap. Microsoft and Nintendo get to go tomorrow. I'll be sure to post on those.
the PS2 controller.
But there's a twist. The controller is lighter, completely wireless, and 6 degrees of freedom as another controlling interface. Tilting the controller in the X, Y, or Z axis will interact with the games accordingly. Apparently they gave a pretty sweet demo of some airplane game that this works extremely well with.
So, the Xbox 360 is the only next-gen console without controller movement being a control method (check out the review of Nintendo's Wii that I'll post shortly). Wonder what they'll do, if anything, to amend that. Looks like being the first batter up might've hurt the 360 more then helped. The extra development time may have given them hardware benifits, and the rush to get it out there shows some lack of confidence on Microsoft's part in their system's ability to hold up to the competition.
Finally, shipping details. November 17, 2006 (in the US). Two options, a 20 GB and 60 GB hard drive, for $499 and $599 respectively in the US (Same numbers when buying with Euros, 59800 Yen for the 20 GB model in Japan and stores get to pick their price there for the 60 Model).
That's a wrap. Microsoft and Nintendo get to go tomorrow. I'll be sure to post on those.
Sony Keynote Part 2
Lots of game announcements, lots of sequels, and nothing the Engadget noted as particularly groundbreaking (except for the graphics, of course. Those are still amazing). One of the ones that sparked my interest is a new Sonic the Hedgehog game, that was said to look "grittier." Hope to get my hands on video from E3 here shortly and tell you about them first hand.
An interesting concept: it's pre-WWII. Just before the outbreak of war, aliens invade and we unite a planet to fight our invaders. Alien game with Medal of Honor-esque weapons. Sounds pretty sweet if you ask me. Up to 32-player multiplayer online.
EA Sports games are going to have "procedural awareness." Players will be able to track different points and objects and react accordingly, with much for detail and accuracy then ever before. "With procedural awareness we give players personality, attitude, confidence and style. WE are making players that move right. That's why foot planting is so important. No matter what the sport footwork plays a huge role. Now we need to give them full freedom of movement. On the PS3 players have full 360-degree movement. They feel alive."
Announcement for a Metal Gear Solid 4. No big surprise there, but the Metal Gear series has always managed to break all the rules for a video game.
Controller announcement next. This could be the biggie.
An interesting concept: it's pre-WWII. Just before the outbreak of war, aliens invade and we unite a planet to fight our invaders. Alien game with Medal of Honor-esque weapons. Sounds pretty sweet if you ask me. Up to 32-player multiplayer online.
EA Sports games are going to have "procedural awareness." Players will be able to track different points and objects and react accordingly, with much for detail and accuracy then ever before. "With procedural awareness we give players personality, attitude, confidence and style. WE are making players that move right. That's why foot planting is so important. No matter what the sport footwork plays a huge role. Now we need to give them full freedom of movement. On the PS3 players have full 360-degree movement. They feel alive."
Announcement for a Metal Gear Solid 4. No big surprise there, but the Metal Gear series has always managed to break all the rules for a video game.
Controller announcement next. This could be the biggie.
Sony Keynote Part 1
9:24 EST:
Sony's keynote got started a bit late, and it's a 3 hour difference between there and here anyway. So, while I'm wating for Engadget to give me more stuff to read, I'll run you through the highlights.
Lots of "we are the future, we rock, we've sold lots" to open up. A preview of Grand Turismo HD, which is simply a revamp of GT4, in High Def. 1080pi resolution at max, which is quite the upgrade. What they've updated looks really sweet, and they still have 6 weeks 'til launch.
Then a rundown of the online system. Every user will get free basic online services (I'm a little confused as to what services are offered at the 'basic' level). I'll post on that more when I know more. It's gonna offer an online store with downloadable game content and music, online play (of course), some communication options including chat. You will be able to download old skool Playstation games and play them on the PSP. You get cash for the online store with high-techish looking pre-paid cards.
Few more game demos with some sweet animation. A ninjaish game with lots of baddies.
Here's the basic rundown of PS3 hardware: Powered by Cell processor technology, CD, DVD and Blu-Ray disc drive,Bluetooth, WiFi and ethernet, Dolby Digital Surround Sound, Legacy SD to full HD support (1080p), wireless controller, up to seven player, pre-installed HDD, USB, Memory Stick, SD, Compact Flash, gigabit ethernet cord and removable hard drive.
Back with more shortly.
Sony's keynote got started a bit late, and it's a 3 hour difference between there and here anyway. So, while I'm wating for Engadget to give me more stuff to read, I'll run you through the highlights.
Lots of "we are the future, we rock, we've sold lots" to open up. A preview of Grand Turismo HD, which is simply a revamp of GT4, in High Def. 1080pi resolution at max, which is quite the upgrade. What they've updated looks really sweet, and they still have 6 weeks 'til launch.
Then a rundown of the online system. Every user will get free basic online services (I'm a little confused as to what services are offered at the 'basic' level). I'll post on that more when I know more. It's gonna offer an online store with downloadable game content and music, online play (of course), some communication options including chat. You will be able to download old skool Playstation games and play them on the PSP. You get cash for the online store with high-techish looking pre-paid cards.
Few more game demos with some sweet animation. A ninjaish game with lots of baddies.
Here's the basic rundown of PS3 hardware: Powered by Cell processor technology, CD, DVD and Blu-Ray disc drive,Bluetooth, WiFi and ethernet, Dolby Digital Surround Sound, Legacy SD to full HD support (1080p), wireless controller, up to seven player, pre-installed HDD, USB, Memory Stick, SD, Compact Flash, gigabit ethernet cord and removable hard drive.
Back with more shortly.
7.5.06
E3 Begins
This year's Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) is starting tomorrow, and there's sure to be some big news in the world of gaming. Engadget is going to have live coverage of the main keynotes. Sony (Playstation Series) goes first at 4 PM tomorrow. Tuesday will have Nintendo (N64, Gamecube, Wii) and Microsoft (Xbox and Xbox 360) making their big announcements at 11 AM and 2 PM respectively. Check out Engadget for the live coverage, I'll be sure to keep you all up to date here on the big happenings shortly after.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
