Raymond Padilla

What’s Going Down at Apple WWDC 2010?

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference kicks off on Monday and the Internet is ablaze with speculation on what’s up the company’s sleeves. The announcement of the new iPhone is expected, but there are lots of other interesting rumors floating around. Some are thinking that Apple will finally announce other carriers for the iPhone, others are pointing to evidence of new Mac Minis, and some have guessed that MobileMe will become a free service. Personally, I’m hoping for a MacBook Air refresh (even though I can’t possibly afford one at the moment).

It’s going to be a big show (not Paul Wight) and Steve Jobs’ keynote will surely rock, but what do you think will go down at WWDC 2010? I want to hear your speculation and wishes. Let your comments fly (please)!

Mega Man Online Will Be an Action-RPG

The legendary Mega Man series is taking a unique turn with Mega Man Online. Being developed by Neowiz, the game will bring the classic platforming action of the series combined with online RPG elements. Andriasang translated an article by 4Gamer and learned:

Mega Man Online will be a 3D side scrolling action RPG. It will retain the action feel of the series while adding the RPG elements one expects from an online title, including characters who grow in strength over time.

I’m intrigued by this novel take on the series, but I’m not sure it will work in Western markets. It’s too early to judge, but I envision the game being popular in Asia, with modest popularity in Europe and North America. Hopefully Capcom will be showing more of the game at E3 2010.

Any of you interested in this one?

Source via Andriasang

Sprint HTC Evo 4G Review Center

The HTC Evo 4G for Sprint is available now! It’s an excellent phone and in my opinion, the best Android handset available today. That said, it has some drawbacks, like any other phone. Is the Evo 4G right for you? Read my extensive (not a) review to find out! This six-part series covers the phone’s battery life, WiFi hotspot functionality, software, gaming capabilities, camera, and more. Check it out!

Coffee Talk #155: Worst Addition to Gaming in the Last Five Years?

Yesterday we had a fun discussion about the best thing to happen to gaming in the last five years. Today I want to talk about the worst thing. While EA’s Online Pass has been making the news lately, I’m sure there are worse things we can think of, right?

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, Drogba missing the World Cup with a broken arm, Miley Cyrus getting in touch with her lesbian side, or Rasheed Wallace being the only Celtic thay played last night, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I’m actually having a hard time thinking about the “worst” thing. Perhaps I’m a generally positive person (at least, when it comes to this business). Some people think Bobby Kotick is gaming’s anti-Christ, but I love him simply for giving me so many things to write about. A lot of people hate DRM, but I’m not much of a PC gamer anymore so the problem doesn’t bother me. I guess the thing that bugs me the most is that game creators still aren’t recognized for their awesome works. Things have gotten a little better, but this business is still more about the publisher than it is the developer, sadly.

Now it’s your turn! What’s the worst thing about the last five years of gaming?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

For some reason, my recent gaming choices have been all Nintendo. This weekend I’ll be playing more Glory of Heracles for Nintendo DS. It’s a fun RPG written by Kazushige Nojima, who worked on several Final Fantasy games, various Kingdom Hearts titles, and Super Smash Bros. Brawl. On the Wii I’ll be playing Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love. It’s a strategy RPG that’s…well…very Japanese — very quirky and unusual in a way that I love.

How about you? What’s on your weekend playlist?

Gran Turismo 5 Still Isn’t Out: Do You Care?

E3 2010 is just around the corner and Sony is set to reveal a ton of information, including the latest update on Gran Turismo 5. It feels like Sony has been talking about this game for 12 years. Yes, it’s finally coming out this year…but do you guys and dolls still care? (And yes, it’s fine if you say that you don’t care but still plan to buy the game — just admit it!)

Does Chrome OS Have a Future?

I’ve been thinking a lot about Google’s Chrome OS lately. In 2009 it seemed like a great idea — a free OS that would allow manufacturers to offer cheap and capable netbooks (and allow Google to serve even more advertisements). Then a funny thing happened — the Apple iPad. A lot of vendors are cooling on the netbook market and focusing their efforts on tablets. As it stands now, Google’s Android mobile operating system is a better choice for tablets than Chrome OS.

GigaOm’s excellent Om Malik wrote an editorial about the situation. He suggested that Google ought to dump Chrome OS and focus entirely on Android. He makes a compelling argument, but I’m not completely convinced (yet). While tablets are the new “it” thing, there will always be a place for netbooks. Even though Windows 7 is better suited for netbooks than Windows Vista, it’s still too hefty for the relatively weak processors currently available. Chrome OS combined with the Chrome Store has the potential to excel on modest hardware in a way that Windows 7 can’t.

All of that said, I’m not sure if Google can pull it off. My question for you is this: does Chrome OS have a future?

EA Sports President Peter More Explains Online Pass…Badly

EA has been getting a lot of heat for its Online Pass, also known as “the $10 solution” that combats used-game sales. While it’s clear that it makes money for publishers and indirectly benefits developers, it also limits consumer choice and hoses retailers. EA Sports president Peter Moore explained the reasoning behind Online Pass to MCV and the his words were…interesting:

Online Pass is a way for us to frankly bring more digital experiences quicker. If it is going to be successful, it is up to us to create compelling, fresh, 365-days a year, digital experiences. And there is a cost to serve that we deserve to get paid for.

What our consumers are telling us, and the growth that we are seeing, is that the preference now is not to buy lots and lots of games, but to spend more money on fewer games. In fiscally challenging times, maybe a gamer won’t buy three games anymore, maybe they’ll buy two and spend the other $60 or £30 on extendable content, on experiences they know they love, rather than taking the risk on another product.

The first paragraph is reasonable, though certainly arguable. The second paragraph is just a bunch of crap. In a “fiscally challenging” time, EA’s strategy is to make games more expensive and less accessible? Really?!? My budget has been limited lately and I’m definitely buying less games. I’m definitely not spending more money on less games.

I have a ton of respect for Moore. He’s smart, approachable, and one of the coolest execs in gaming, but I can’t back his stance on Online Pass. I’d love to hear what you think of Moore’s comments. Shout it out!

Source

Coffee Talk #154: Best Addition to Gaming in the Last Five Years?

Gaming evolves at a ridiculous pace. Thinking about the videogames I played as a kid and what I play now…it’s just crazy! The improvements made in the last couple of years — just a few years! — are also impressive. Today I’d like to know what your favorite gaming innovation is from the last five years.

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, having a perfect game ruined by a bad call, Japan’s prime minister resigning and asking people to keep following him on Twitter, or the possibility of foul play in Gary Coleman’s death, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

For me it’s definitely digital downloads. I love that I can download games for $5 to $10. Whether it’s a board game, a new arcade title, or a treasured classic, making impulse purchases from the comfort of my couch is just powerful and awesome (and sometimes financially dangerous). Before digital downloads proliferated, I had to order games or go to a store — often spending at least $40 for a title. The cheapness and immediacy of digital downloads rule!

So how about it? In your opinion, what’s the best thing that’s happened to gaming in the last five years?

AT&T Threatens Legal Action Against For Emailing Its CEO

Don’t email AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson. Apparently he doesn’t like it. AT&T customer Giorgio Galante emailed Stephenson to complain about the company’s new data plans. He received a voicemail from AT&T’s executive response team thanking him for his feedback…and threatening to issue a cease-and-desist order if he continued to email Stephenson. That’s just awesome.

Considering that Apple CEO Steve Jobs is emailing the world from his iPad these days, the response from Stephenson’s team is especially amusing. Hell, Sprint CEO Dan Hesse has a fake email set up for customers to contact him (and be answered by someone from “his team”).

Perhaps Stephenson is too traditional to be a hip CEO like Jobs. Perhaps he’s used to the wire-line world that he entered in 1982 with Southwestern Bell. Or maybe he’s just a prick. *shrug* On a side note, Galante is leaving AT&T for Sprint and the excellent HTC Evo 4G.

Source via Engadget