Coffee Talk Archives - Page 26 of 68

Coffee Talk #428: The Xbox 360 2011 Dashboard Update and You

Microsoft recently launched a major Xbox 360 dashboard update and I’m dying to hear your thoughts on it. Do you like the overall look and feel? What features are you digging? What features are you hating? Share your thoughts like a Care Bear…

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, awesome holiday gift guides, the steady decline of Firefox, or sports drinks reminding you of Aquaman, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As for me, I can’t look at it as a standalone update. The design is fresher and I’m sure there are some usability enhancements, but that’s not what really interests me here. I love that Microsoft is taking a unified approach and spreading its Metro UI across different platforms. Even though I’m not a big fan of Windows Phone or Windows for PC, I love that Windows Phone 7, Xbox 360, and Windows 8 share a lot of the same design philosophy. It’s smart. It keeps things familiar. It helps create a broader ecosystem (and also makes it harder for customers to leave to competitors). It’s strange to say this, but it’s very Apple of Microsoft.

I don’t know if I’m a fan of the new dashboard, but I’m definitely a fan of the company’s unified approach. Fair play to Microsoft!

Now it’s your turn. Please let me know how you feel about the Xbox 360 Fall 2011 dashboard update.

Coffee Talk #427: Beats by Dre is the New Bose — Overrated

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, Verve’s Sumatra Lake Tawar, impatiently waiting for Verizon’s Galaxy Nexus, or your favorite Christmas cartoon, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I almost always see someone wearing Bose QuietComfort headphones when I fly. I almost always laugh at those people. Bose QuietComfort headphones are overpriced and overrated. You can get headphones — in-ear or cans — that cost the same or less and sound way better. I’ll take a pair of Etymotic, Shure, Grado, or UltimateEars headphones over Bose any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

In the last year or so, I’ve been spotting a lot of Beats by Dre headphones on airplanes. They’re pretty much Bose for the hipster crowd. They’re overpriced, overrated, and feature exaggerated bass. People think they’re cool and good because of their sharp style, great marketing, and fantastic distribution. I’m not saying that Bose and Beats make bad products; they make good stuff, but you can get much better for your money.

Today I was wondering if there are any brands or products that make you scoff. Do you automatically think “lamer!” when you see someone with Bose QuietComforts? Does your hipster-douche sensor go off when you see someone with an iPad at a coffeehouse? I can’t wait to read your comments! Fire away (please)!!!

Coffee Talk #426: Games You’ve Lost Interest In

Are there any game genres, videogame series, or gaming platforms you used to love, but have lost interest in? Perhaps you used to be a Final Fantasy mark, but haven’t enjoyed the last few releases. Maybe you used to be into sports sims…

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, Cafecito Organico’s Guatemala El Carmen Estate, if the Rajon Rondo trade rumors will motivate him or crush his psyche, or Bryan Danielson getting a big push in 2012, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Are there any game genres, videogame series, or gaming platforms you used to love, but have lost interest in? Perhaps you used to be a Final Fantasy mark, but haven’t enjoyed the last few releases. Maybe you used to be into sports simulations, but have found that the never-ending march towards supreme realism has killed some of the fun. Whatever the case may be, I want to hear your story!

As for me, my interest in portable game consoles is definitely waning. Part of it is that the PSP is nearing the end of its lifespan. Part of it is that the Nintendo 3DS has one of the most underwhelming launches I can remember. The really big part of it is that my iPad 2 is just a brilliant entertainment device that gives me great gaming and so much more. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll still play my portables for Japanese RPGs and first-party games from Nintendo, but I won’t carry them with me everywhere I go. That used to be the case. The iPad 2 has changed that.

Now it’s your turn! Please let me know what games, series, and consoles you’ve lost interest in.

Coffee Talk #425: Google Got (More) Game?

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, eating at a diner for Thanksgiving and wanting real turkey, the Miley Cyrus stoner controversy, or John Morrison possibly ending his WWE run tonight, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Google has been aggressively targeting social gamers with its increasing selection of distractions on Google+. It seems that the company is looking beyond social gaming and, perhaps, going after (more) traditional console gamers. Google developer advocate Paul Kinlan recently revealed that Chrome will be able to support gamepads natively through WebRTC. Kinland noted that WebRTC could allow streaming services like Onlive and Gaikai to work on Chrome without any plug-ins.

A few outlets have reported that Google is developing its own streaming videogame service, but Kinlan has denied this. Others have speculated that Google is considering buying OnLive or Gaikai. On one hand, it seems outside of the company’s wheelhouse; I’m not sure that Google wants to deal with game publishers and developers in that fashion. On the other hand, it could give Google yet another way to serve relevant ads and give Google+ a differentiator over Facebook. Certainly Google has the server capacity to support a streaming videogame service, but I’m not convinced the company wants to deal with the messy content.

What do you think of the recent Google gaming speculation? Do you see Google getting into streaming videogames? Would you use a gaming service on Chrome that’s socialized by Google+?

Coffee Talk #424: Your Black Friday Goals and Wishes

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 awesome Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Hua right at UFC 139, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s return to the ring, or the ESRB starting a new rating system for mobile software, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here! The next week is going to be nuts for brick-and-mortar stores as well as online retailers. Today I wanted to see if there are any deals you’re looking for. Are you hoping to snag some great games for a cheap price? Perhaps you’re in the market for a new console. Maybe you want a new phone, tablet, or other consumer electronics device? Kindly share your Black Friday/Cyber Monday goals and wishes with your fellow RPadholics.

As for me, I’m actually going to be on a Black Friday shoot in Chicago. Paying me was pretty much the only way you’d get me to a shopping mall on Black Friday. I greatly prefer online shopping. I’ll be keeping an eye out for deals of all sorts, but the only thing I’m really looking for is a soundbar. I don’t have enough room for a full 5.1 or 7.1 system. A soundbar would be a step up from my TV speakers without taking up too much space.

Now it’s your turn! Kindly share your Black Friday wish list. Are there any stores you’re going to be scoping out? Any of you going to brave the midnight opening?

Coffee Talk #423: The Muppets Movie and You

Last night I went to a screening of The Muppets and left the theater completely charmed. It’s a fun and cute movie that mixes the classic feel of the Muppets previous musical adventures with several modern twists. As expected, Jason Segel’s…

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, Demi Moore filing for divorce, George Clooney possibly playing Steve Jobs, or 720p phone screens, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last night I went to a screening of The Muppets and left the theater completely charmed. It’s a fun and cute movie that mixes the classic feel of the Muppets previous musical adventures with several modern twists. As expected, Jason Segel’s screenplay was respectful and reverent to Jim Henson’s timeless creations. What surprised me was several twists that could have felt dated, but were executed with a boldness that said, “Screw it. We’re going to do it the classic way and have fun with it!”

I loved the musical numbers. I loved the self referential jokes. A lot of the cameos were awesome (Dave Grohl’s was amazing, given the context), though some of them were weird (James Carville?!?). Most of all, I just loved the movie’s feel. It was positive and uplifting while being silly and humorous. It made me want to buy The Green Album. While some of the original Muppet puppeteers have problems with the new movie, I think that Jim Henson would have been proud.

I’m extremely curious to see how the movie performs and what reactions will be like. Older viewers that grew up with The Muppet Show will love it. Little kids will enjoy it. I’m not so sure about teens and young adults (the Twilight crowd). They’re too young to have Muppet nostalgia and old enough to find foam actors kind of stupid. Will a movie that centers around a variety show (not the most popular genre in America) and musical numbers appeal to them? I have my doubts, but I also hope the positive nature of the movie will appeal to children of all ages.

What are you thoughts on the movie? How will it play with the Twilight crowd? Any of you planning to see The Muppets next week?

Coffee Talk #422: Happy Birthday Shigeru Miyamoto!

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, stupid Pacquiao fans making ignorant excuses for their man even though he “won”, guessing Lisa Munn’s muff, or Android getting the new Netflix UI before iOS, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Today is Shigeru Miyamoto’s birthday! The legendary Nintendo game designer has been making amazing videogames for decades. Few people in the world perform at such a high level for so long, especially in entertainment. He’s truly incredible. I’m not saying he does it all by himself, but a significant part of what makes Nintendo so great and lovable is Shigeru Miyamoto’s “magic”. To me, he’s the Jim Henson or Steve Jobs of videogames.

Let’s celebrate this gaming treasure by talking about your favorite Shigeru Miyamoto games and what he means to you as a gamer. Fire away!

Coffee Talk #421: “Shreds” Videos and You

Several years ago I came across several “Shreds” videos by a YouTube user called StSanders. He overdubbed horrendously bad guitar playing over memorable performances. His clip of Jake E. Lee “shredding” while Ozzy Osbourne clapped just about…

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, Groundwork’s Bolivia Aipac La Paz , Juan Manuel Marquez getting jobbed out of a win over Manny Pacquiao, or the impressive uselessness of Buboy Fernandez, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Several years ago I came across several “Shreds” videos by a YouTube user called StSanders. He overdubbed horrendously bad guitar playing over memorable performances…and made art. His clip of Jake E. Lee “shredding” while Ozzy Osbourne clapped just about killed me. His overdub of Metallica’s “One” completely cracked me up and was extra funny to me since I knew how to play most of the song.

Today I’m going to kick off the week with a laugh. Here are three of my favorite “Shreds” videos. Feel free to post your own YouTube links in the comments section. If you find these funny, head on over to StSanders’ web site and give him some props.

Coffee Talk #420: What’s Your Favorite Stoner Movie?

Considering that I recently attended the premiere of A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and it’s Coffee Talk #420, I thought that it would be a good time to discuss your favorite stoner movies. Since the the groundbreaking Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke…

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 dude that cancelled his suicide attempt because Lindsay Lohan is posing in Playboy, making your action figures Tebow next to your RPad.tv magnet, or your favorite algorithm, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Considering that I recently attended the premiere of A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas and it’s Coffee Talk #420, I thought that it would be a good time to discuss your favorite stoner movies. Since the the groundbreaking Cheech & Chong’s Up in Smoke, the stoner genre has become a Hollywood moneymaker. Just look at movies like Dazed and Confused, Harold & Kumar, Half Baked, etc. Several characters found in Kevin Smith movies and most of the characters Seth Rogen plays owe a lot to the the stoner genre. It’s here to stay!

Out of all the stoner movies out there, what’s your favorite? Do you love the Cheech & Chong classics? Are you more of a Dazed and Confused guy? Are Jay & Silent Bob your role models? Were you floored by the 3D marijuana smoke in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas? Kindly share your stoner movie picks in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #419: My Casper Van Dien Story

One of the highlights of my Noobz set visit was meeting Casper Van Dien. During our interview, he was super funny and charming. My buddy Justin and I were surprised when Casper hung out with us for a bit after the camera stopped rolling…

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 awesome 3D smoke in A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, the awesome power of WaffleBot, or Gmail’s redesign, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

One of the highlights of my Noobz set visit was meeting Casper Van Dien. During our interview, he was super funny and charming. My buddy Justin and I were surprised when Casper hung out with us for a bit after the camera stopped rolling. It was a fun chat that spanned a wide variety of topics: New York vs. New Jersey, getting rattlesnake boots in Thailand, air pollution in Manila, martial arts, and more. I even texted Cliff Bleszinski on his behalf. Ha!

Hanging out with him was especially cool for Justin since Starship Troopers is one of his favorite movies of all time. My mark-out moment was when Casper said, “You on Twitter? What’s your handle? I’ll follow you.” This was awesome because he actually did it himself…right in front of me…on his BlackBerry. Usually these things take place through intermediaries.

Casper introduced me to his (gorgeous) daughter, India Oxenberg. She plays a member of the girl-gamer team in the movie. It turns out that she’s pals with the excellent Chris Cross, one of my favorite peeps in the gaming business. That was a cool coincidence.

Anyway, I know that a lot of you are still big marks for Michael Dudikoff. I’m going to use today’s column to encourage you to drop him as your favorite action star and replace him with Casper Van Dien. He completely rules!