Thursday, February 3, 2011
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
The Early Console Wars
In the timeframe of 1986 to 1994, the first true console war was truly under way. Nintendo released their NES system, the 8-Bit wonder machine, and Sega released their Sega Genesis, it’s 16-Bit fierce competitor. Both consoles established one key thing right out of the gate, marketing. Nintendo specifically marketed as being a console for everyone. Sega, on the other hand, tried a smear campaign against Nintendo saying it had a “blast processor”, which really meant the system had better graphics overall. Sega even made sure they marketed their game console to an older crowd, for fear the younger audience was locked down by Nintendo.
Along with much triumph, came several mistakes, mostly on Sega’s and Atari’s side. Once Nintendo released the Super Nintendo, it became a graphically even battlefield for both companies. Sega tried to combat this by releasing add-ons to their existing console, like the Sega CD and the Sega 32X, but the company absolutely failed to grab the same developer support Nintendo literally had on financial lock down (they paid Konami, Capcom, Squaresoft, and others to exclusively make games for their consoles). Sega tried to market their systems as forthcoming and highly innovative, but had no games to justify anyone purchasing them. Atari also tried to make a console following on the heels of Sega’s and Nintendo’s success, but to no avail. The console had very, very little developer support, no true financial backing for making quality games, and a very poor marketing campaign.
Had Sega just focused on making games for their Genesis, or at least just focused on the Saturn after they released it, we may be in a different world. Instead, Sega kept trying to pump out a new game every couple of years (read: maybe every two after the Sega CD debacle) in an effort to win over the market with sheer muscle. Had Atari properly funded their R&D departments to create a more efficient console or even to create games that were more innovative, maybe Atari would have re-entered the console business triumphantly. The only fault Nintendo had during the early nineties was their software was usually triple A stuff, but the games were just to far and few in-between. In retrospect, though, Nintendo still continues this trend to this day they and they are still the number one seller of consoles to date.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Punishing difficulty! Now I get it....
So, bored on my days off and bored after I have my school work done, I have picked up to trying to justify the purchase of my Wii by exclusively buying Wii games.
Well, truth is Metroid: Other M is right on the horizon and I am, perhaps, over excited to try it. While reading about Metroid: OM, I had to remind myself that I even had a Wii, it being months and months since I last played it without my wife and me attempting to plow through Mario Wii. So, I visited my local Gamestop and picked up Sin and Punishment: Star Successor since many reviews said it was good times, yet hardcore with a nostalgic nod to older rail shooting games. After playing it for a couple weeks, even convincing my wife to try co-op mode with me, we both decided that the game wasn’t fun. I even tried to just beat the game just so say I did, and after the sixth level (of eight or something), I just turned it off, wrapped it up, and headed back to Gamestop. As per my personal thoughts of Sin and Punishment: SS (lol, Nazi joke), I had no idea what the reviewers were talking about as per the “greatness” of this game. Is there no honest person out there that will just call the game for what it is?
-Graphics: Sub par and embarrassing, even by Wii standards.
-Story: Pretty much nonsense.
-Voice Acting: Haley Joel Osmond vomiting after a drunken stupor is more intelligible.
-Gameplay: Actually, good. It is a nice rail shooting game, but it’s difficult. REALLY, REALLY,
FREAKING DIFFICULT! It reminds me of StarFox if they removed everything that gives you fighting chance (like power-ups, regular health packs) and then went a step further and made the game really long, too. To clarify of that last statement, an average game of StarFox will run you maybe one-two hours. S&P will take about 5-7 hours to beat in one sitting (I say this from what I read, since I never beat it). As per length, I got to level 4 of 6 and decided during the much publicized “highway” level that I just wasn’t having fun with this game. A shooting game with a ridiculous difficulty level is not exactly my vision of relaxation
Going back to Gamestop, I traded S&P for No More Heroes. This purchase, I do not regret. More on this later.
Well, truth is Metroid: Other M is right on the horizon and I am, perhaps, over excited to try it. While reading about Metroid: OM, I had to remind myself that I even had a Wii, it being months and months since I last played it without my wife and me attempting to plow through Mario Wii. So, I visited my local Gamestop and picked up Sin and Punishment: Star Successor since many reviews said it was good times, yet hardcore with a nostalgic nod to older rail shooting games. After playing it for a couple weeks, even convincing my wife to try co-op mode with me, we both decided that the game wasn’t fun. I even tried to just beat the game just so say I did, and after the sixth level (of eight or something), I just turned it off, wrapped it up, and headed back to Gamestop. As per my personal thoughts of Sin and Punishment: SS (lol, Nazi joke), I had no idea what the reviewers were talking about as per the “greatness” of this game. Is there no honest person out there that will just call the game for what it is?
-Graphics: Sub par and embarrassing, even by Wii standards.
-Story: Pretty much nonsense.
-Voice Acting: Haley Joel Osmond vomiting after a drunken stupor is more intelligible.
-Gameplay: Actually, good. It is a nice rail shooting game, but it’s difficult. REALLY, REALLY,
FREAKING DIFFICULT! It reminds me of StarFox if they removed everything that gives you fighting chance (like power-ups, regular health packs) and then went a step further and made the game really long, too. To clarify of that last statement, an average game of StarFox will run you maybe one-two hours. S&P will take about 5-7 hours to beat in one sitting (I say this from what I read, since I never beat it). As per length, I got to level 4 of 6 and decided during the much publicized “highway” level that I just wasn’t having fun with this game. A shooting game with a ridiculous difficulty level is not exactly my vision of relaxation
Going back to Gamestop, I traded S&P for No More Heroes. This purchase, I do not regret. More on this later.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Too MASSive
Wow…once again is all I can say after beating Mass Effect 2. It improves on the original in almost every way possible; except for the occasional sound glitch (I mention that because towards the end of the game it happens frequently enough to be annoying). As a matter of fact let me go ahead and get my gripes out of the way now:
-Load Times: This is the year 2010, not 1999. I should not have to suffer through whole one to two minute load times each time I want to go from one section of the ship to another, which is small compared to the whole LEVELS that load in the same amount of time.
-Money: I don’t think this is true in ME1, but in ME2 there is a finite amount of money, meaning bad things. Namely, there are a ton of upgrades for weapons and armor and the ilk throughout the game. But whether it was a developmental error or what not, your first play though you can only purchase 80% of all the games upgraded items. Of this I am sure because I completed every task and extra quest in the game and still never had enough money.
-Leveling: So in the first ME1 you could reach level 60 by doing pretty much every side mission available, which is fine since in ME1 there are a ton of side missions. But in ME2, the overall game is shorter, including the side missions. To compensate, you can only reach level 30 in ME2, but then again you cannot. The reason why I say this is you cannot actually reach level 30 unless you transfer a high level character from ME1. I guess it’s a kind of series loyalty bonus thing, but really, restricting your levels is kind of a dick move. That being said, you can easily beat the game at level 20.
-Resource grinding: Is annoying and the game basically forces you to do it; at least, if you want the best possible ending. If you don’t care about that, I advise that you should, trust me. Basically, you have to mine planets for rare minerals, and it’s kinda annoying. It’s not as bad as other people have said, but it did grind on my nerves several times. But, it’s worth it in the end.
-The cover system: Has never been abused as it has been in this game. I mean really, all you have to do is wait until you get to a section with waist high walls (that actually came from Zero Punctuation) and boom, you’re in an “ambush”. It’s sadly predictable.
All gripes aside, here are the epically good things about what I consider about one of the best games ever made:
-Story: This is one of the best story’s ever told (combining both ME1 and ME2, and the grand potential of ME3). You come for the gameplay, but you stay for the grand scale of things.
-Choice. Harping on the story of the game, your decisions affect the outcome of the game greatly. You still can go all good or darkside, but be careful, because these decisions can affect how much money you make throughout the game and if people will literally live or die.
-Combat: Is awesome. I played my first game as a Vanguard class (excels at high defense and engage the enemy at close range, and has a decent), but after that started a new game game as an Infiltrator (sniper class that can go cloak and cause enemies to burst into flame or hack robotic enemies), and have to say the Infiltrator is light years above and beyond any other class. I highly suggest it. Trust me, makes all the combat in the game much easier (aim for the head). I dare say that playing the Infiltrator makes the game too easy, as I have started a new game as a female Infiltrator and I am burning through the game in half the time.
-Stat system: Easier to use, plus it include upgrade to makes your team better to a specification you could use (like doing more damage vs. AOE damage).
-Timing: The game knows just when to end, personally believing it is not too long nor too short.
I could go on, but this is a great game. If you have an Xbox 360, buy it, play it, live in good health.
-Load Times: This is the year 2010, not 1999. I should not have to suffer through whole one to two minute load times each time I want to go from one section of the ship to another, which is small compared to the whole LEVELS that load in the same amount of time.
-Money: I don’t think this is true in ME1, but in ME2 there is a finite amount of money, meaning bad things. Namely, there are a ton of upgrades for weapons and armor and the ilk throughout the game. But whether it was a developmental error or what not, your first play though you can only purchase 80% of all the games upgraded items. Of this I am sure because I completed every task and extra quest in the game and still never had enough money.
-Leveling: So in the first ME1 you could reach level 60 by doing pretty much every side mission available, which is fine since in ME1 there are a ton of side missions. But in ME2, the overall game is shorter, including the side missions. To compensate, you can only reach level 30 in ME2, but then again you cannot. The reason why I say this is you cannot actually reach level 30 unless you transfer a high level character from ME1. I guess it’s a kind of series loyalty bonus thing, but really, restricting your levels is kind of a dick move. That being said, you can easily beat the game at level 20.
-Resource grinding: Is annoying and the game basically forces you to do it; at least, if you want the best possible ending. If you don’t care about that, I advise that you should, trust me. Basically, you have to mine planets for rare minerals, and it’s kinda annoying. It’s not as bad as other people have said, but it did grind on my nerves several times. But, it’s worth it in the end.
-The cover system: Has never been abused as it has been in this game. I mean really, all you have to do is wait until you get to a section with waist high walls (that actually came from Zero Punctuation) and boom, you’re in an “ambush”. It’s sadly predictable.
All gripes aside, here are the epically good things about what I consider about one of the best games ever made:
-Story: This is one of the best story’s ever told (combining both ME1 and ME2, and the grand potential of ME3). You come for the gameplay, but you stay for the grand scale of things.
-Choice. Harping on the story of the game, your decisions affect the outcome of the game greatly. You still can go all good or darkside, but be careful, because these decisions can affect how much money you make throughout the game and if people will literally live or die.
-Combat: Is awesome. I played my first game as a Vanguard class (excels at high defense and engage the enemy at close range, and has a decent), but after that started a new game game as an Infiltrator (sniper class that can go cloak and cause enemies to burst into flame or hack robotic enemies), and have to say the Infiltrator is light years above and beyond any other class. I highly suggest it. Trust me, makes all the combat in the game much easier (aim for the head). I dare say that playing the Infiltrator makes the game too easy, as I have started a new game as a female Infiltrator and I am burning through the game in half the time.
-Stat system: Easier to use, plus it include upgrade to makes your team better to a specification you could use (like doing more damage vs. AOE damage).
-Timing: The game knows just when to end, personally believing it is not too long nor too short.
I could go on, but this is a great game. If you have an Xbox 360, buy it, play it, live in good health.
Sunday, July 4, 2010
MASSive
I have decided to hit the loyal readers with TWO posts since I have been away a while.
Alright, I picked up and finished Mass Effect. The first one, not the second. Wow…..this is all I can say.
I know I am probably behind the curve about this one, but I was just blown away by the graphics, the story, and the combat system! It’s all amazing. I will start at the beginning:
You start as Commander Shepard, which can be a female or male depending on your choice, who is sent to investigate a distress call on a colony world. What ensures afterwards is a scaling story or survival. I won’t get into detail; I absolutely refuse to get into details. Shedding even a couple do not do the epic space story justice. We can just cut to the combat. It’s an action RPG type of combat system, so you control mainly yourself and tell you squad mates advanced commands, like to use their powers, take cover, or assign which weapon they should use. That last one is pretty important because your squad mate will not do AI weapon switching, no matter what. That’s more a good thing than anything else. The AI is smart enough to handle most combat without you holding their hand, but when you’re surrounded, it helps to have some set combat tasks assigned.
So, will you die during combat? If you’re anything like me, then the answer is, yup. I died at least 20 times throughout the entire game. That’s nothing compared to the amount of deaths I incurred while playing any Halo, but the load times in the game are long enough that an death is quite annoying. But, no battle is impossible with a set number of commands and some proper use of the hiding system. I would actually like to think the combat is something like that of Gears of War, except no reload minigame you have to do and there are 3 as opposed to 2 of you. Also each squadmate has their strengths and weaknesses, thus before going into each battle it’s good to have a proper balance of each characters powers. Here is where the concept falls, though…I admittedly beat most of the game using nothing but combat heavy characters. I even beat the final boss using just brute force as opposed to any real tactics. This is not to say I went through the entire game this way, but something tells me I could have just picked my most combat heavy characters and dropped the hammer on anything I saw. I still had a great time with it though.
After beating the first game, I went to my local GameStop the next day and got Mass Effect 2 (note: I haven’t beaten the game, but have logged in 7 hours) and having played it a bit…I am hooked. It picks up right were the first one leaves off and thrusts you straight into the action. What the first game had was a ton of downtime, but this one is a constant stream of action and story. Where in the first game I still say straight brute force is king, this one makes using your tech and biotic powers an absolute necessity to survive. I will give my full thoughts on it later….
Alright, I picked up and finished Mass Effect. The first one, not the second. Wow…..this is all I can say.
I know I am probably behind the curve about this one, but I was just blown away by the graphics, the story, and the combat system! It’s all amazing. I will start at the beginning:
You start as Commander Shepard, which can be a female or male depending on your choice, who is sent to investigate a distress call on a colony world. What ensures afterwards is a scaling story or survival. I won’t get into detail; I absolutely refuse to get into details. Shedding even a couple do not do the epic space story justice. We can just cut to the combat. It’s an action RPG type of combat system, so you control mainly yourself and tell you squad mates advanced commands, like to use their powers, take cover, or assign which weapon they should use. That last one is pretty important because your squad mate will not do AI weapon switching, no matter what. That’s more a good thing than anything else. The AI is smart enough to handle most combat without you holding their hand, but when you’re surrounded, it helps to have some set combat tasks assigned.
So, will you die during combat? If you’re anything like me, then the answer is, yup. I died at least 20 times throughout the entire game. That’s nothing compared to the amount of deaths I incurred while playing any Halo, but the load times in the game are long enough that an death is quite annoying. But, no battle is impossible with a set number of commands and some proper use of the hiding system. I would actually like to think the combat is something like that of Gears of War, except no reload minigame you have to do and there are 3 as opposed to 2 of you. Also each squadmate has their strengths and weaknesses, thus before going into each battle it’s good to have a proper balance of each characters powers. Here is where the concept falls, though…I admittedly beat most of the game using nothing but combat heavy characters. I even beat the final boss using just brute force as opposed to any real tactics. This is not to say I went through the entire game this way, but something tells me I could have just picked my most combat heavy characters and dropped the hammer on anything I saw. I still had a great time with it though.
After beating the first game, I went to my local GameStop the next day and got Mass Effect 2 (note: I haven’t beaten the game, but have logged in 7 hours) and having played it a bit…I am hooked. It picks up right were the first one leaves off and thrusts you straight into the action. What the first game had was a ton of downtime, but this one is a constant stream of action and story. Where in the first game I still say straight brute force is king, this one makes using your tech and biotic powers an absolute necessity to survive. I will give my full thoughts on it later….
Sprint finally made some kinda iPhone killer
HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!!!!!!
Now on to the tech!
A couple weeks ago I used my Sprint upgrade to buy an HTC EVO 4G about one week after it’s release. My wife wasn’t too pleased with the idea at first, but after I bought it I let her play with it for one night, and now she hates her Palm Pre and absolutely demands that I buy her an Evo. I will make this brief since I have several things to speak about.
-It’s fast. Very fast. It’s 1GHz SnapDragon processor combined with Android 2.1 and HTC Sense 2.1 overlaid on it makes the device absolutely seamless in just about every task.
-The 8MP camera on the back takes absolutely gorgeous pictures, and the 1.3MP camera is good for video chat, though it’s a feature I have yet to even use.
-The 4.3 inch screen just makes me a happier person. Anything I want to do, from web browsing to texting to writing blog posts (The last blog post I wrote was made using the Android OS with Docs To GO), a big screen is more a bonus than anything.
-Whether you love Android or hate it, no one should shun its absolute versatility, for when you need it. I have already tethered with my phone with my computer and used the internet, albeit at slower speeds than I’m used to, it’s useful in a pinch. I also have used Google Navigation to find my way around Orlando. Heck, I used my Evo with Google Navigation the ENTIRE way from Xenia, OH to Orlando , FL. It took 18 hours and was very hectic (got lost only once in Atlanta).
- Multi-Tasking is a giant benefit. If I am not using the navigation, surfing the web, or listening to podcasts, the ability to switch between any of them at any time is just awesome.
In short, everything you read is probably the same across the board no matter what cell phone review site you go to. It’s an awesome device capable of many things. If you have Sprint and are ok with the $10 premium data plan, I say go for broke.
Now on to the tech!
A couple weeks ago I used my Sprint upgrade to buy an HTC EVO 4G about one week after it’s release. My wife wasn’t too pleased with the idea at first, but after I bought it I let her play with it for one night, and now she hates her Palm Pre and absolutely demands that I buy her an Evo. I will make this brief since I have several things to speak about.
-It’s fast. Very fast. It’s 1GHz SnapDragon processor combined with Android 2.1 and HTC Sense 2.1 overlaid on it makes the device absolutely seamless in just about every task.
-The 8MP camera on the back takes absolutely gorgeous pictures, and the 1.3MP camera is good for video chat, though it’s a feature I have yet to even use.
-The 4.3 inch screen just makes me a happier person. Anything I want to do, from web browsing to texting to writing blog posts (The last blog post I wrote was made using the Android OS with Docs To GO), a big screen is more a bonus than anything.
-Whether you love Android or hate it, no one should shun its absolute versatility, for when you need it. I have already tethered with my phone with my computer and used the internet, albeit at slower speeds than I’m used to, it’s useful in a pinch. I also have used Google Navigation to find my way around Orlando. Heck, I used my Evo with Google Navigation the ENTIRE way from Xenia, OH to Orlando , FL. It took 18 hours and was very hectic (got lost only once in Atlanta).
- Multi-Tasking is a giant benefit. If I am not using the navigation, surfing the web, or listening to podcasts, the ability to switch between any of them at any time is just awesome.
In short, everything you read is probably the same across the board no matter what cell phone review site you go to. It’s an awesome device capable of many things. If you have Sprint and are ok with the $10 premium data plan, I say go for broke.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Stolen iPhone's and How Streaming Killed the Movie Star
And here I go again! Sorry for the hiatus, been playing with my new iPad. JUST KIDDING! I honestly see no viable reason to get one. I still stand by my word that, while pretty, yes, it is just a product with Apple's logo on it and would serve zero purpose for me, not now and possibly not even in the future. Get some USB ports, maybe some flash support (I go to TONS of websites that use Flash and flash video, so suck it), I like having a physical keyboard, I like my sturdy wi-fi connection, oh, and I guess unlike several thousand people, I love to multitask. I am doing it right now. Not a hard concept, Apple, since Microsoft has been letting me multitask, on any product since I was in grade school.
On to more important things: I just wanted to rapid-fire about some things I felt were important then I am going back to the real world.
APPLE vs. GIZMODO
-Gizmodo, you're wrong, as a company whole, for purchasing what would clearly be constituted as stolen goods. You're also wrong for showing the employee (and posting his Facebook page and Flickr page) of the person that lost it. For shame, Gizmodo...for shame.
-Apple, there is some serious egg on your face for one of your employees, in a drunken stupor I am sure, lose one of your valued prototype products. Then raiding that one guys house for information? WHY????!!!! You already had your iPhone prototype back? Was stealing all of his computers (even his iPad) necessary? And busting down the door? Perhaps asking him to relinquish his items first might have worked, or am I thinking too much that a human being might wanna be treated with some da** respect? And yes, I realize that it wasn't an official order from Apple to charged the reporters house, but really, who do you think gave them the idea to do so?
FACEBOOK
Seriously, stop fu**ing with my privacy settings. Resetting them is a headache enough without you jerks making it so everyone can see everything....again!
NETFLIX AND REDBOX
It is because of you two companies that I haven't set foot in a video rental store for over a year now. I can't even find my Family Video card. I haven't purchased a movie since Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (note: I regret nothing!). As a matter of fact, because of you two companies I may never purchase a movie, ever again. I am going to donate my movie collection, except for some choice titles, to a Goodwill, just because I never watch them anymore. It is because of you two companies, that I could justify the purchase of a new TV because me and the wife can watch just about anything at almost anytime for (combined) less than $20 a month, the cost of a single movie! As a matter of fact, this month I have watched at least 8 movies for about $13, less than the cost of buying them, I assure you. It is because for you two companies that here soon, the movie industry is going to be forced to rethink their business strategy on the consumer level, or suffer losing literally billions of dollars per year to everyone that is adpoting streaming and cheap movie rentals. And for this, Netflix and Redbox...I say thank you, and keep up the good work!
PS3 vs Xbox 360
Alright, I was an early adopter to the Wii and have a decent collection of titles to it, both fun and innovative. But when it comes to sheer title selection, the Xbox 360 wins. Recently though, I got a new HDTV with 1080p, so I figured it's time to get a Blu-ray player to complement it for HD movies. So, I finally justified a purchase pf a PS3. You know what, I am impressed. As a DVD/Blu-Ray player, it's so da** sexy. As a gaming system, my one compliant is the complete lack of a huge library of good games urks me. I bought MAG and LittleBigPlanet, and recently got Super Street Fighter IV with it, but after that I am lost what else to get (note: I realize that Street Fighter is also on the 360, just wait a bit....). One thing that does disappoint me is the hardware comparisons to the XBox 360 and the PS3. My X360 has broken down once, had to use the MS warranty to get it fixed, and the intial one I have does not have HDMI support (“FU** YOU EARLY ADOPTERS,” Microsoft I guess said to X360 Pro owners). The PS3 Slim I have didn't come with the HDMI cable, but the support was always there. The X360 also doesn't have built-in WiFi. Heck, even the Wii has built-in WiFi, let alone the PS3 having it. Normally this wouldn't be too much of a complaint, except Microsoft barely sells their network WiFi adapter anymore, but my current hardline connection is sporadic that some online matches were not worth having (read: Street Fighter IV). If I had a nickel for everytime a match shut me out of a game....anyways. I connected my PS3 online, and I don't know what those network engineers at Sony did, but even with WiFi I am able to maintain a solid connection with a seamless online experience, using a G-MIMO router, too! The cherry on the sundae: the PS3 Network is Free, where as for Xbox LIVE I have to pay $40-$50 a year, or $3-$4 dollars a month, depending on how you cut it up. I have played 256-player online matches on my PS3 without only one disconnect in the last two weeks. ONE! I have played, and payed, 18 player Modern Warfare matches with many, almost regular disconnects and hiccups during gameplay. The PS3 using Bluetooth headsets and controllers is also a bonus, as opposed to Microsoft's proprietary headsets and USB controllers. Complaints aside I was just surprised at how much I get out of my PS3 when for the X360 I have to pay more to get the same.
HTC EVO 4G
I won't call this phone, Sprint's savior device, but I will say I will buy it the day it comes out. Is it an iPhone killer? Nope. The iPhone is a market all it's own, for people that want a simple smartphone that's easy to use. Android phones are more complex, but not so much that it takes a a super tech to know how to work them (like Windows mobile 5.0 was). What are the main reason I will buy one?
-8 MegaPixel camera
-1.3 MP front facing video camera
-WiMAX 4G support
-4.1” screen
-It's made by HTC
-Android 2.1
-Enough said.
Or you could just go to www.sprint.com/htcevo to see it for yourself.
That's all I got's have yourselves a good one!
On to more important things: I just wanted to rapid-fire about some things I felt were important then I am going back to the real world.
APPLE vs. GIZMODO
-Gizmodo, you're wrong, as a company whole, for purchasing what would clearly be constituted as stolen goods. You're also wrong for showing the employee (and posting his Facebook page and Flickr page) of the person that lost it. For shame, Gizmodo...for shame.
-Apple, there is some serious egg on your face for one of your employees, in a drunken stupor I am sure, lose one of your valued prototype products. Then raiding that one guys house for information? WHY????!!!! You already had your iPhone prototype back? Was stealing all of his computers (even his iPad) necessary? And busting down the door? Perhaps asking him to relinquish his items first might have worked, or am I thinking too much that a human being might wanna be treated with some da** respect? And yes, I realize that it wasn't an official order from Apple to charged the reporters house, but really, who do you think gave them the idea to do so?
Seriously, stop fu**ing with my privacy settings. Resetting them is a headache enough without you jerks making it so everyone can see everything....again!
NETFLIX AND REDBOX
It is because of you two companies that I haven't set foot in a video rental store for over a year now. I can't even find my Family Video card. I haven't purchased a movie since Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (note: I regret nothing!). As a matter of fact, because of you two companies I may never purchase a movie, ever again. I am going to donate my movie collection, except for some choice titles, to a Goodwill, just because I never watch them anymore. It is because of you two companies, that I could justify the purchase of a new TV because me and the wife can watch just about anything at almost anytime for (combined) less than $20 a month, the cost of a single movie! As a matter of fact, this month I have watched at least 8 movies for about $13, less than the cost of buying them, I assure you. It is because for you two companies that here soon, the movie industry is going to be forced to rethink their business strategy on the consumer level, or suffer losing literally billions of dollars per year to everyone that is adpoting streaming and cheap movie rentals. And for this, Netflix and Redbox...I say thank you, and keep up the good work!
PS3 vs Xbox 360
Alright, I was an early adopter to the Wii and have a decent collection of titles to it, both fun and innovative. But when it comes to sheer title selection, the Xbox 360 wins. Recently though, I got a new HDTV with 1080p, so I figured it's time to get a Blu-ray player to complement it for HD movies. So, I finally justified a purchase pf a PS3. You know what, I am impressed. As a DVD/Blu-Ray player, it's so da** sexy. As a gaming system, my one compliant is the complete lack of a huge library of good games urks me. I bought MAG and LittleBigPlanet, and recently got Super Street Fighter IV with it, but after that I am lost what else to get (note: I realize that Street Fighter is also on the 360, just wait a bit....). One thing that does disappoint me is the hardware comparisons to the XBox 360 and the PS3. My X360 has broken down once, had to use the MS warranty to get it fixed, and the intial one I have does not have HDMI support (“FU** YOU EARLY ADOPTERS,” Microsoft I guess said to X360 Pro owners). The PS3 Slim I have didn't come with the HDMI cable, but the support was always there. The X360 also doesn't have built-in WiFi. Heck, even the Wii has built-in WiFi, let alone the PS3 having it. Normally this wouldn't be too much of a complaint, except Microsoft barely sells their network WiFi adapter anymore, but my current hardline connection is sporadic that some online matches were not worth having (read: Street Fighter IV). If I had a nickel for everytime a match shut me out of a game....anyways. I connected my PS3 online, and I don't know what those network engineers at Sony did, but even with WiFi I am able to maintain a solid connection with a seamless online experience, using a G-MIMO router, too! The cherry on the sundae: the PS3 Network is Free, where as for Xbox LIVE I have to pay $40-$50 a year, or $3-$4 dollars a month, depending on how you cut it up. I have played 256-player online matches on my PS3 without only one disconnect in the last two weeks. ONE! I have played, and payed, 18 player Modern Warfare matches with many, almost regular disconnects and hiccups during gameplay. The PS3 using Bluetooth headsets and controllers is also a bonus, as opposed to Microsoft's proprietary headsets and USB controllers. Complaints aside I was just surprised at how much I get out of my PS3 when for the X360 I have to pay more to get the same.
HTC EVO 4G
I won't call this phone, Sprint's savior device, but I will say I will buy it the day it comes out. Is it an iPhone killer? Nope. The iPhone is a market all it's own, for people that want a simple smartphone that's easy to use. Android phones are more complex, but not so much that it takes a a super tech to know how to work them (like Windows mobile 5.0 was). What are the main reason I will buy one?
-8 MegaPixel camera
-1.3 MP front facing video camera
-WiMAX 4G support
-4.1” screen
-It's made by HTC
-Android 2.1
-Enough said.
Or you could just go to www.sprint.com/htcevo to see it for yourself.
That's all I got's have yourselves a good one!
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