Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the Mix Me In2 Taylor Swift iPhone app, AT&T giving out your email, or Malfoy vs. Edward, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
During my lunch meeting yesterday, one of my friends dropped this conspiracy theory on the big push behind 3D movies and 3D gaming. He said that television technology has gotten so good that early adopters have nothing to adopt. Televisions purchased in the last year or so will be good for at least another four. Considering there are some people that buy new televisions every two years, this is unacceptable for TV manufacturers. Ergo, the push for stereoscopic 3D content.
I’m usually not big on conspiracy theories…but this one actually makes sense. It’s getting harder and harder for TV manufacturers to entice consumers with new products. In the last year, it seems like biggest differentiating factor was whether a television ran at 60Hz, 120Hz, or 240Hz — a factor that most general consumers don’t understand or can’t even discern. 3D?!? That’s easy to understand! Look at Avatar. Look at all the cool games Sony will be showing at E3 2010.
What do you think of the big stereoscopic 3D conspiracy? Is it really a push towards the future? Or is it a gimmick being exploited by consumer electronics companies in order to sell more televisions?
off topic – I just found out good news by typing *639# in the phone. Apparently I can get the 32 Gig for 299 even though I bought the 3GS only last year. brilliant. I'm sure my 3GS will sell for more than 300 on ebay. Not to mention I've still got a 3G at home.
I was considering paying the 699 for an iPhone and not get in to a new 2 year deal with AT&T but the breach of contract is going to cost 300 anyway. so it's 300 now or 300 should Verizon get iPhone next year, so I'll just wait it out.
When hasn't 3D been used as anything more than a gimmick to push sales? 3D has a bad track record as it is.
@topic – I could see this being, I bought my Bravia last year and I feel no need to replace it in the next few years.
While 3D might work for some people I'm going to have to pause for the moment. 3D has been a fad before and I'm not buying in to it just yet. The 3D during Avatar was pretty cool but I was almost nauseated by the end of the long movie. I can't imagine playing games for several hours like that. Plus, ESPN is rolling out a whopping 5 hours of 3D programming per week…. yawn..
honestly I'd like to see a 3D without goofy glasses before I'm convinced it's going to become a permanent thing, and not just another fad
PSA
Team Fortress 2 is supposed to hit Steam on Mac today if anyone is interested.
PSA #2: It looks like Mass Effect 2 will be the Amazon Gold Box deal at 3PM PT.
Yeah get rid of the $150 sunglaasses and I'll consider it. 30 year old tech.
I think illegal distribution prevention, and a way to justify jacking up prices on all media is a reason why.
STR8 gimmick.
Real life is in 3D not on a tv.
i never buy first gen tech anyways, ill give it a few years
@shockwave
I would think it might be difficult get $300 out of your 3GS when Walmart is selling 3GSs for $97.
@slicky
I think if shockwave advertises it as a jb phone it would net him a lot. Non-tech people don't know the difference between jb and UL.
I don't mind 3-D as long as there isnt any real added cost. Batman AA GOTY had 3D and I bought it for that but the extra map packs made up for it. I doubt there is just so much improvement from one consumer 3d to another to justify such an expensive new TV.
If it really was just to get people to buy into it then why wouldn't they make the tvs far closer to the same price as a tv of comparable size? I mean if it were more reasonably priced then I might just go out an buy another TV just for 3d since its time get a bigger one anyway.
$300 is a good deal for an out of contract 3GS. You can buy it and pit your reg SIM in it. The $99 3GS comes with a $350 ETF and $30 activation fee plus taxes.
I agree with the conspiracy theory. Also booooooooo @ rpad for not mentioning the Chicago Blackhawks winning Lord Stanley's Cup!!!!!!
If anyone is not using the Alexa toolbar and can install it, please do. The site's ranking is on the verge of something cool and your help would be super appreciated!
http://www.alexa.com/toolbar
@rpad
I was going to ask you about this. I've noticed that the alexa toolbar has disappeared from my IE browser. I right click on a toolbar portion highlight Alexa and tells me if i want to disable it. so it says it's active and i move dragged all the toolbars and nothing. Any ideas?
@ Rpad
I can't most of my posts are from a work comp or my cell.
@slicky – ya you're referring to 3GS with a contract. Even if my phone wasn't JB I could sell it for a pretty penny. My brother has his white 32GB phone on ebay right now going for $400.
LOL. All of my posts come from my work computer (b/n 8-5) but I went ahead and installed it. Only because none of work computers have internet (except my boss's) and my boss doesn't know I am back here tethered, so he would never know to check anything.
@shockwave
seriously? man those seem like very steep prices to me. Someone gave me their old iPhone, but I hated it so much I gave it back. Everyone I know with an iPhone just hands them down to other people, I hadn't given much thought to reselling them. I always just give away my old phones too.
@tokz_21 Very strange. I have no idea what's wrong.
@SlickyFats Tethering helps you fight the power! Awesome!!!
@slicky
just depends. i give my old stuff away most of the time as well. some people i know would never do that, not even to friends, and they sell it.
I did give away my original iPhone to a friend, but it had a cracked screen when I did. Other than that I've kept the previous iteration. Mostly because I'm prone to breaking phones, so it's good to have a backup.
Seems like the iPhone 4 might be hard enough such that I can't break the glass this time, which I like. But either way I don't think I'll be able to go back to a 3GS after using it, so I'm ok with selling the old models
not too mention it has a micro sim, so it will be hard to go back and forth.
@alexa toolbar
i tried to un-install it but couldn't find it. I went to the link and now the dowload is stuck. lousy work pc.
@ off topic
http://splashpage.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2010…
http://splashpage.mtv.com/wp-content/uploads/2010…
@n8r
oh yeah! I saw that a couple of days ago. I look forward to see this on cartoon network.
Congrats Ray. I guess being ranked nearly 100,000 isn't horrible ( i honestly have no clue whats good or not besides of course being #1) . I have a friend that has had an iphone site for several years and he is ranked at 2.5 million.
@Ray
Also I posted a review for your site on Alexa. Hope it shows up soon.
WOOHOO #25,000!!!!!!!!!!1
@SlickyFats Thanks for the review! Considering the site was slightly over one-million at the beginning of the year, things have progressed nicely — much faster than I expected.
Close to breaking under the 100k mark I see.
Eep! I just got back from a lunch meeting and found out I have to stop by Machinima to pick up a game. I'll be back as soon as I can. There's some Stella in the fridge. Try not to burn the place down!
*puts flame thrower back in the car*
… Are you talking about Stella the beer or Stella the guitar?
-M
Has anybody like seen the video of like the girl who like accused Big Ben of like sexual assault and stuff?
@tokz: 'Hawks!!!!!
@nightshade
yes! Go hawks! I just need one more streak to go! Come one cubs! Please one time before i die!
@n8r
yeah i saw that vid. How can the G.B.I. F**k that one up.
@n8r
big ben needs to up his standards, dude has like 2 rings
@ tokz and Thundercracker
If you guys thought that chick was believable…. I have lost some faith in you guys.
@n8r
i don't believe that chick but a judge or jury would've.
I got a text from my friend (who's a cop) that people are passing out left and right from the parade. I'm getting hesitant on going to that and just going to Wrigleyville; to watch the remainder of the parade/rally from there. World Cup update: Mexico and South Africa played to a tie.
@ tokz
I doubt that. The other thing is that to take it to trial, you need to find 14 people (12 person jury and 2 alternates) who have never heard of Ben Roethlisberger or the charges against him… good luck with that. Remember how long it took to find a jury for the OJ case?
@ N8R
What vid is this?
@ Mr. Blak
She "couldn't remember" what position he had her in.
@ N8R
I didn't watch it yet but lol to that comment.
@ Mr. Blak
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=ce2508…
Note: these aren't the whole video, they are just the best I can find online right now.
that girl sounding like that doesn't scream to me that the guy is innocent because she is dumb. he's stupid for putting himself in bad situations. Precedents are hard to ignore.
@ smartguy
Ben's attorneys would have brought in other victims of sexual assault who were plastered drunk and still remember every detail because stuff like that you either never forget, or repress altogether. You don't just remember the bits and pieces some people actually saw and forget what position you were in when it happened.
The precedents were in Big Ben's favor, that's why they couldn't have a case no matter what. Christ, she was photographed earlier that night with a sticker on that said "Down To F**k". I think he tapped it, but I think it was consensual until she left and said to herself and friends "OMG, I could like totally get like paid and stuff."
@N8R
the motorcycle, the nevada lawsuit, and then this are precedents of him making bad decisions. True or not. THat is why he must stay away from those kinds of situations. Her attorneys would have done the same thing dude.
It doesn't matter if she was wore a sticker that said DTF. A slogan on a shirt doesn't make it consensual. Bad taste? Yes. Open invitation? No.
I think Kobe was set up like that to be honest, so was Tyson. However you never heard about it a second time with those guys. I didn't think he did anything wrong in Nevada, but when this crap happens it has to make you think. Scam artists are abound no doubt, but still. I think he is guilty of being just as dumb as she is.
@ Smartguy
Dumb? No dumber than half the players in the league. Reckless? I'll concede to that.
I have a feeling Ben is gonna mellow out now and probably be a better player because of it.
And by the way, she didn't have attorneys. It was the state that would have pressed charges if they thought they had a case… which they didn't. It ain't going to civil court, unlike the Nevada thing. That girl skipped the criminal proceedings altogether and went straight for the payday. That, and everyone who actually knows the girl ostracized her because they know how she is, and know she's full of it.
After seeing that video I have to agree with N8R, rape victims remember everything or nothing at all (repressed memories). She was way to calm and her body language doesn't fit the mold. I'm not saying that the intercourse didn't happen but it seem to me like she not that upset about the sex. I deal with rape victims all the time (at work).
@ BB
Then there's what she was wearing in the video. Rape victims tend to cover every part of their body with clothing except for their face.
It's a psychological thing.
@ N8R
Right! The story is believable but her psycho and physiological actions are saying otherwise.
@N8R
that's fine. I'm not going to say he's innocent because the girl is dumb and dresses loose. I also never said that he makes any more poor decisions than anyone else in the league. No matter how you slice it, he's dumb for being in that spot. Kinda like LT if he didn't have sex with that minor. Dumb decisions.
I know how the system works in that a criminal case would be the state vs him. Prosecutors choose not to go to court for many reasons. Election year, odds of conviction, etc.
You can't claim the girl is incredulous and then have no doubts about him. The guy looked like smug scum with his read apology, and he was buying them shots.
I hope he has learned something and I hope that something isn't how not to get caught. Leftwich is starting I hear. I think Dixon should be.
@ Smartguy
Leftwich starting = giving him a chance to screw it up.
@N8R
LOL, great logic. I agree.