Die Text Messaging, Die!!!

I can’t wait for text messaging charges to die. (In America) The costs for traditional text messaging (SMS) are stupid and overpriced. While U.S. carriers are getting dinged for their lame data prices and practices, the charges for text messaging are just as bad, but fly under the radar. Thankfully, there are a number of alternatives that have made or will make text messaging obsolete (for smartphone users).

Before I get to those, I wanted to point out that AT&T sees that the death is near for traditional text messaging. According to Engadget, the company will only be offering one text messaging option starting August 21, 2011: the $20 unlimited package. I see this as one last cash grab before traditional text messaging kicks the bucket.

As I mentioned earlier, there are a number of alternatives to traditional text messaging. BlackBerry fans have been enjoying the excellent BlackBerry Messenger for years. Google Voice users have been enjoying free text messaging to the U.S. and Canada since launch. Facebook recently launched a standalone Facebook Messenger app for Android and iOS. The upcoming Apple iOS 5 includes iMessage, which is like a better and more elegant version of BlackBerry Messenger. A few of you have joined me in group messaging sessions through Google+. Those are just some of the great alternatives to traditional SMS.

Of course these solutions won’t work for everyone. Some people are still on “dumb” phones, others rely heavily on MMS, and international solutions can be a problem. I send a lot of international texts and resort to a stupid system because Google Voice doesn’t have an international option. To use the same number I have for calls, I receive international texts on Google Voice and send them through Skype, which displays my GV number as the caller ID. Until Google gets off its ass and officially enables international texting, I have to rely on this MacGyver solution.

What do you ladies and gents think of the future of text messaging? Do you think it’s on its way out? Will iMessage and the popularity of the iPhone help quicken the demise of SMS? Do you use any of the solutions I mentioned above? Or maybe you use an app from a smaller company, like Handcent of ChompSMS? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Matt Hardy Arrested for DWI, Fired From TNA

Guess who you won’t be seeing on Impact Wrestling anymore? Matt Hardy, that’s who! After being arrested for suspicion of driving while intoxicated, TNA announced that it has released Hardy. The wrestler was arrested on Sunday after wrapping his Corvette around a tree, an uncommon activity for sober people driving around on a summer afternoon. At the very least, his mug shot (courtesy of TMZ) makes him look like he was on something.

If Hardy is found to have been driving while intoxicated then he is one of the dumbest people in the history of North Carolina. Has he learned nothing from his friends and family?!? Most of you know that his brother, Jeff Hardy, has had numerous substance issues and is an accused drug trafficker. His best friend, Shane Helms (The Hurricane, Gregory Helms), was recently in a horrific motorcycle accident and is also being investigated for driving under the influence.

I’ve always liked Matt Hardy and I’m bummed to see what a wreck his life has become. What the hell is he doing?!? Perhaps he’s trying to outdo Jeff??? How do you guys and dolls feel about this incident?

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

After several dry weeks in August, there are finally some great games coming out! Deus Ex: Human Revolution has been getting a ton of hype. I loved the original and can’t wait to dive into this one. Gamers looking to show off their martial prowess online will want to pick up Street Fighter 3: Third Strike Online Edition. A lot of hardcore gamers feel that this game is the pinnacle of 2D fighting. On Sunday, Nintendo will have four great old games rebranded as $19.99 Nintendo Selects for Wii.

Any of you picking up new games this week?

Coffee Talk #387: Games That All Look the Same to You

Are there any game genres that look all the same to you? For example, I have several casual-gamer friends that can’t tell the difference between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Medal of Honor. They see all World War II…

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 rebellion in Libya, Klatch’s El Salvador Yellow Bourbon, or the brawl between Georgetown and the Bayi Military Rockets baseketball teams leading to World War III, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Are there any game genres that look all the same to you? For example, I have several casual-gamer friends that can’t tell the difference between Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Medal of Honor. They see all World War II first-personshooters as the same. The issue isn’t restricted to casual gamers either. I have friends in the videogame business that think all Japanese RPGs are the same. They see some effeminate male protagonist with impossible hair saving the world against some generic evil guy.

As for me, all the tower defense games in the world have blended together into one unidentifiable mess. I’m sure that there are plenty of differences between tower defense games, but aside from South Park Let’s Go Tower Defense Play! I can’t tell these games apart. Part of it is due to a lack of interest and part of it stems from the overwhelming tower defense choices on Android and iOS. There are just too many of them!

Now it’s your turn! Are there any game genres that all look the same to you?

Monday Housekeeping

The site has been on a new server since 6PM PDT on Friday. Most of you know that I’ve been having terrible problems with my crap web host. This is the second server move in two weeks. I’ve lost count of how many service outages the site has had in the last month. The good news is that things were mostly stable over the weekend, but I’m curious to see if I can go a full week without problems from my crap web host.

If you notice any site slowdown or are getting errors (I’ve seen 502, 504, and 520 errors in the past), please let me know. Either leave a comment here or send me a message through the social network of your choice. Hopefully the ridiculous problems are in the past!

HP Calls it Quits on webOS (Pre, TouchPad)

After acquiring Palm for $1.2-billion with the intent to go big with webOS, HP is calling it quits. The operating system behind the Pre line of mobile phones and the TouchPad tablet, tech enthusiasts loved webOS for its innovative features. Unfortunately, the hardware was never the best (at least on the phone side) and a teeny development scene made for a small app library. Considering those factors and the fact that HP has traditionally been more of a corporate brand than a consumer one, it’s not surprising that HP has given up on webOS, though it is surprising that it happened so suddenly. Here’s a clip from the press release:

HP will discontinue operations for webOS devices, specifically the TouchPad and webOS phones. The devices have not met internal milestones and financial targets. HP will continue to explore options to optimize the value of webOS software going forward.

Keep in mind that HP still has a chance  to make the $1.2-billion purchase worthwhile. It can license webOS to phone and tablet manufacturers. With Google’s recent purchase of Motorola, there are probably some Android phone and tablet manufacturers looking to diversify.

RPadholic smartguy and I were chatting about HP getting into the patent wars. That seems like the “cool” thing to do these days.  HP can either sue other companies that infringe on its Palm patents or it can license the patents for a hefty sum. Other possibilities include leveraging the patents for favorable cross-licensing deals or selling them outright.

It’s a shame that webOS ended up with a company that was ill-equipped to serve the consumer market. It is an impressive piece of software and the TouchPad (with its recent software update) was the best iPad alternative I’ve tried. Despite the enormous potential of webOS, the operating system was unable to thrive due to poor corporate strategy (both Palm and HP). Will it live again through other companies? Probably. Will it be a significant player in the mobile market? Probably not.

[I wanted to post this story yesterday, but my crap web host decided to take the day off. Never use AnHosting.]

Mark Cerny: Traditional Single-Player Games are Over

Mark Cerny is one of the sharpest guys I’ve met in the videogame business, so when he says that traditional single-player games aren’t long for this world, I listen. At a recent Sony Computer Entertainment event during GamesCom 2011, Cerny had a lot of say about how a “connected” world is changing single-player videogames. Here’s a quote from Eurogamer:

I believe the traditional single-player game experience will be gone in three years. Right now you sit in your living room and you’re playing a game by yourself — we call it the sp mission or the single-player campaign. In a world with Facebook I just don’t think that’s going to last.

We’re already seeing the wall starting to crumble a bit. Demon’s Souls, even though on one level it’s a single-player game, as you’re walking through the world you’re seeing the ghosts of everybody who died in that world via the internet. You can leave messages for them. They can leave messages for you. There’s actually a boss you fight in that game which is controlled by another player.

I think he’s right to a large degree. Videogames on consoles and PCs are definitely moving in that direction. Will they become the norm in five years? I’m not sure, but Cerny is exponentially smarter than I am, so why not?!? As for the “traditional” single-player experience, I’ve been using my iPad 2, PlayStation Portable, and Nintendo 3DS for gaming that’s more along the lines of what I grew up with. The portable consoles are becoming more social, but “real” gaming on phones and tablets is in its infancy. While phones and tablets are obviously connected devices, they still offer that solitary experience I’m used to because the development environment isn’t as sophisticated as consoles (yet).

A lot of you know that I’m a Cerny mark and won’t question his word (I’m slightly exaggerating). With that in mind, please let me know what you think about his prognosis. Are traditional single-player games done? Does a world that has become smaller through social networking require single-player videogames that are more connected? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

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[I wanted to post this story yesterday, but my crap web host decided to take the day off. Never use AnHosting.]

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

My weekend will be all about reading and gaming on my iPad 2. I’m thoroughly enjoying George R.R. Martin’s A Dance with Dragons and hope to knock out several more chapters this weekend. To break things up, I’ll throw in some gaming too. Civilization Revolution is pretty much a daily thing for me. I’m really digging Groove Coaster too. Rage HD is free for a limited time, so I’m going to give that whirl.

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

PlayStation 3 Getting NFL Sunday Ticket for $339.95

Sony Computer Entertainment America and DirecTV have announced that the popular NFL Sunday Ticket subscription package will be available on the PlayStation 3 for $339.95. The subscription will let gamers view every out-of-market NFL game. Considering that NFL football is the most popular sport in America, this is an enormous deal. Here’s more from Sony Computer Entertainment America senior vice president Philip Rosenberg:

At the start of the season, viewers who do not currently have access to DirecTV will be able to subscribe to NFL Sunday Ticket at the season price of $339.95. Existing DirecTV customers can access the service on their PS3 for an additional $50 and use the PS3 as an additional receiver for your home.

NFL Sunday Ticket is a DirecTV-exclusive sports package that offers:

  • Up to 14 NFL games every Sunday
  • Full HD for every football game
  • DirecTV’s Red Zone Channel

Like I said, this is a huge deal for the American market. With this announcement and the recent PlayStation 3 price cut, I wonder if any American consumers will use the PS3 as a way to compensate for DirecTV unavailability. $340 is a lot of money, but if you can’t get DirecTV then this is a reasonable option. Hell, if you can get DirecTV but don’t care about its programming packages then this can save you money in the long run.

Are any of you tempted by this deal? Imagine if the PS3 launched with this partnership? The console wars would have played out so differently in America. Also, where’s my Manchester City subscription package for real football?!? (Half-joke)

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[I wanted to post this story yesterday, but my crap web host decided to take the day off. Never use AnHosting.]

Muppets: The Green Album Totally Rocks!

The soundtrack for The Muppets, titled Muppets: The Green Album, looks fantastic! It’s a bunch of contemporary artists doing updated versions of classic Muppets songs. The talent includes Weezer, My Morning Jacket, Brandon Saller (Atreyu), and OK Go. I’m completely psyched that Rachael Yamagata is in the mix too! Her 2004 album Happenstance is one of my favorites of the last decade.

The initial trailer for The Muppets had me looking forward to the movie. The soundtrack just sealed the deal!

If you have a chance, head on over to the track listing page and listen to the samples. Let me know if you’re digging any of the songs on Muppets: The Green Album. Mahna mahna!!!

[I wanted to post this story yesterday, but my crap web host decided to take the day off. Never use AnHosting.]