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Coffee Talk #306: Your 2011 Dream Phone

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, Justin Bieber’s new haircut, Nonito Donaire’s brutal knockout of Fernando Montiel, or overnight trips to Orlando, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

During my weekend work trip that took me from LAX to SFO to ORD to MCO to LAX, I brought several mobile devices with me for a video feature. This caused visions of my next phone to dance in my head. As much as I love my T-Mobile G2, I’ve been dreaming about a new phone since CES 2011. Taking bits and pieces from each device, I’ve imagined my 2011 dream phone. It would be something like this.

Dual Core Processor: The power of dual core is awesome, but the real kicker is efficiency. Dual core chips offer improved performance and battery life.

Four-Inch Screen or Larger: After using an Evo 4G, Droid X, Fascinate, and Epic 4G last year, the 3.7-inch on my G2 took some getting used to. I’m fine with it now, but I miss the extra real estate from those larger screens. I want my next phone to have a screen that’s at least four inches. It can be Super LCD or Super AMOLED — there are pros and cons to both technologies. What I’d really like is the killer pixel density of the iPhone 4. The real estate of a large screen coupled with the readability of Retina Display sounds brilliant.

LTE: You’ll see some numbers in my upcoming 4G shootout video feature, but for now I’ll tell you that I was floored by the performance of Verizon’s LTE network. Sure, I expect those numbers to go down as more LTE phones become available, but even slightly decreased numbers beat the crap out of the test results I got on Sprint’s WiMax and T-Mobile’s HSPA+ networks.

Heavy Metal: I want my next phone to have a body that’s primarily metal and glass. I hate plastic. The plastic Samsung Fascinate felt flimsy compared to the mostly metal Droid X and G2. Compared to the beautifully constructed iPhone 4, it felt like a toy. I wish more phone manufacturers did a better job at ripping off the industrial design of the iPhone or Nokia’s high-end phones.

Dockable: Motorola’s Atrix 4G is one of the most unique phones on the market due to its laptop docking option. It’s just smart and clever. I’d love to see more phones do this. I don’t see that happening, but it’s my stupid dream so I’ll throw out any feature I want.

Operating System…Undecided: I love Google Android from a productivity standpoint. The Gmail and Google Voice integration are close to perfect. Those apps are so important for my work that Android is the best mobile operating system for me, in terms of getting stuff done. The gaming and entertainment options are still a frickin’ joke compared to what iOS offers. I’m getting tired of waiting and Google has improved its iOS products a great deal…though not quite enough. If iOS 5 is more interesting than the next major release of Android then there’s a good chance that I’ll switch to an iPhone as my primary device.

WebOS and Windows Phone 7 have some great features, but I don’t see developers flocking to either platform. A Windows Phone 7 on Nokia hardware with Nokia’s (terribly underrated, terribly explained, and terribly named) Ovi Internet services is potentially awesome, but I’m not yet convinced that these two companies will bring out the best in each other. Right now I’d say there’s a 45 percent chance of me sticking with Android, a 40 percent chance of me going with iOS, and a 15 percent chance that a NokiSoft 7 device will win me over. Then again, I’m still pissed at Google for canceling my AdSense account and, more recently, a PR snub. Maybe I’ll switch to iOS out of spite (unfortunately, I’d still use all of Google’s apps).

Anyway, those are some of the ingredients to my 2011 dream phone. Now tell me about yours (please)! If you could buy a new phone in 2011, what features would it have?

Today’s Poll: Who is the Best Pro-Wrestler of All Time?

During Chris Jericho’s promotional tour for his book Undisputed How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps, he told numerous reporters that he considers Shawn Michaels the best wrestler of all time. Let’s have some fun with today’s poll and debate the point. While I’m a huge HBK mark, I don’t consider him the greatest of all time. That designation goes to…

…”The Nature Boy” Ric Flair. It’s a close argument and I can see both sides. Michaels had a greater aerial arsenal than Flair, but Ric was better at mat wrestling. Both were capable of carrying scrubs to great matches. There are two things that put Flair ahead of Michaels in my book. First, Flair was extremely effective as a heel and a face. Michaels was much better at being a face than a heel. Flair is one of the greatest talkers of all time. While Michaels cut some great promos, I don’t think he’s in the same league as Flair on the mic.

Not it’s your turn! Kindly vote and discuss when you have a moment.

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Pokemon Black/White Mall Tour Photos

RPadholic bsukenyan was kind enough to send over some photos from the Indianapolis leg of the Pokemon Black/White mall tour. There’s some fun stuff here. Check ’em out, enjoy, and give props to bsukenyan (please)!

RPadholic bsukenyan was kind enough to send over some photos from the Indianapolis leg of the Pokemon Black/White mall tour. There’s some fun stuff here. Check ’em out, enjoy, and give props to bsukenyan (please)!

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This Week’s Videogame Releases

February getting to chilly for you? Then let these hot games warm you up! Bulletstorm has been getting a ton of buzz for its unapologetic action and this Mike “Busta” Capps interview (*snicker*). Killzone 3 is sure to dazzle PS3 action fans. If those action games aren’t for you then perhaps Knights Contract is just what the doctor ordered. I’m personally hoping De Blob 2 does well; the first game was refreshingly original and I hear that the second one is even better. Last but not least is a pair of excellent RPG re-releases for the PSP: Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness and Ys I and II.

Anyone picking up new games this week?

Henry Rollins, Roddy Piper in Green Lantern: Emerald Knights

In my review of All-Star Superman, I mentioned that the disc comes with a teaser feature on Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. Nathan Fillion takes the lead role as Hal Jordan. He’ll be accompanied by rocker/author Henry Rollins and WWE legend “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.

I’m super psyched to hear Rollins as Kilowog. Once described by a thick Russian woman as “a most interesting warthog creature”, Kilowog has trained thousands of Green Lantern Corps members. While Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, and Kyle Rayner have all the big adventures, a lot of readers view Kilowog as the backbone of the Corps. It was fun listening to Rollins talk about the character — he totally gets it and it looks he’ll do a knockout job.

Sadly, The Hot Rod was not in the feature. Who do you think he’ll play? Are any of psyched for Henry Rollins as Kilowog? On a related note, wouldn’t Nathan Fillion make a better Nathan Drake than Mark Wahlberg?

Coffee Talk #305: The Dead Island Trailer Controversy

Way too many journalists have spent hundreds of words “informing” their readers that the Dead Island trailer has nothing to do with the game’s quality. Do they really think that their readers are that stupid? I know you’re smart enough to…

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 nightmare of Albert Pujols signing with the Red Sox in 2012, $99 iPhone cases, or Britney’s new video, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The Dead Island trailer has been getting a lot of attention this week. Some of it is deserved — it’s truly a unique and haunting piece. Some of it isn’t — way too many journalists have spent hundreds of words “informing” their readers that the trailer has nothing to do with the game’s quality. I’ve been arguing with a lot of writers about this. Do they really think that their readers are that stupid?!? To me, game trailers are like movie trailers — marketing tools that are not indicative of the overall quality of the final product. I know that you’re all smart enough to know that.

Yet for some reason, dozens of writers from dozens of enthusiast sites felt the need to write hundreds of words on the “issue”. As I debated the topic with real journalists (not verbal entertainers like me), one of the few reasonable responses was that game trailers aren’t like movie trailers. You don’t get a sense of a title’s gameplay from a trailer the same way you get a sense of a movie from a trailer. Sometimes that’s true and sometimes that’s not. The Dead Island trailer is pure movie and doesn’t offer any sense of what the game is like. Certainly it’s responsible to tell readers that the trailer isn’t gameplay (like I did here), but pounding on the matter for hundreds of words seems excessive and patronizing.

Lastly, I was disappointed that the enthusiast press was far more interested in covering the “controversy” of the Dead Island trailer than writing about the amazing people honored at the Interactive Achievement Awards last week. It saddens me that the majority of them were more interested in reactionary stories about a game few people will remember in five years than writing about Bill Budge, Bing Gordon, Dr. Ray Muzyka, and Dr. Greg Zeschuk — people that have changed the gaming business forever.

Of course I want to check myself through you guys and dolls. Do you need someone to explain to you — in hundreds of words — that a game trailer doesn’t reflect a game’s quality? Does it bother you that most popular enthusiast gaming sites prefer knee-jerk reaction pieces instead of meaningful features about people that made gaming what it is today? Aside from not wanting to insult excellent journalists like “Dancing” Dean Takahashi, do you think I call myself a verbal entertainer because I don’t want to be lumped in with hacks that call themselves journalists?

What Are You Playing This Weekend?

I’m flying off for a quick weekend shoot and I’m really hoping that Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together arrives today. That will make flying to Orlando and back a smooth ride. Before I go, I think I’ll pop LittleBigPlanet 2 in my PS3 for a bit. I’ve been neglecting Sackboy and I think he’s pissed off at me.

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

All-Star Superman Blu-ray (Not a) Review

I recently watched an advanced copy of All-Star Superman and was very impressed with this DC Comics animated feature. Based on the excellent comic books written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely, All-Star Superman is a touching feature that humanizes The Man of Steel, pays tribute to his storied history, and dazzles with kind of heroics only The Last Son of Krypton is capable of. After the severely disappointing Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam, I was thrilled to watch a superior Superman adventure. Here are some thoughts (not a review!) on All-Star Superman (spoilers ahead!).

All-Star Superman has Kal-El tackling tremendous challenges, including the most daunting one of all — death. In the comics, Morrison used Superman’s powers to reestablish the fact that he’s the greatest hero in the DC Universe. He also did a masterful job at making him seem vulnerable, human, and interesting. That’s so hard to do with a character that’s mostly invulnerable and unbeatable, yet Morrison pulled it off in a way that feels natural and effortless.

Watching Superman deal with his impending doom is even more compelling than watching him accomplish marvelous feats. It’s great watching him reveal his identity to Lois Lane and spend a day courting her. It’s fun watching the various facets of Kal-El. There’s the heroic and beloved Superman. There’s the bumbling and clumsy Clark Kent facade. And, perhaps most importantly, there’s also the earnest, respectful, and kind-hearted Clark Kent that was the product of a wholesome upbringing in Smallville. Morrison makes all three facets of the character distinct, yet harmonious.

Obviously it was impossible to include the events of all 12 issues in a 75-minute movie, but this a great adaptation that’s true to the tone of the source. Throughout the movie I felt amazed by Superman’s heroics, touched by his interactions with the woman he loves and his mortal enemy, and moved by the way he dealt with death. Sure, there were some details and arcs that were left out, but I was more than satisfied with Dwayne McDuffie’s adaptation of Morrison’s books.

The same goes for the animated interpretation of Frank Quitely’s art. Quitely’s illustrations are so distinct and unique. The animators did a good job at recreating the tone of his art. Again, a lot of details and intricacies were left out, but that was completely expected. A stricter translation could have been done, but that would have required a lot more time and money.

While the story and art are not quite as great as the comics, they’re very good and truly brought to life by Christopher Drake’s excellent score. I’ve enjoyed his work in past DC animated features, but this is his best yet. His music helps deliver the bright sense of optimism you’re supposed to get from watching Superman and imagining you’re in Metropolis. More importantly, the music helps replace some of what was lost in translation from print to animation.

As an added bonus, there are commentary tracks, a couple of Superman: The Animated Series episodes, and a feature on the upcoming Green Lantern: Emerald Knights. As a huge Green Lantern mark, I was thrilled to learn more about this upcoming animated movie. As far as teaser features go, it worked. I’m totally amped for Emerald Knights.

I highly recommend All-Star Superman. It’s not quite as good as Batman: Under the Red Hood, but it’s very close. If you have any questions about the movie, leave ’em in the comments section and I’ll answer ’em.

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Sony Stands Strong Against PS3 Circumvention: Do You Care?

I was fascinated by Sony’s recent statement on PlayStation 3 circumvention and piracy. Game piracy has been a problem for the business for decades, but hardware hacking has risen thanks to the Internet. I’m getting ahead of myself though. Check out Sony’s statement if you haven’t read it already:

Notice: Unauthorized circumvention devices for the PlayStation 3 system have been recently released by hackers. These devices permit the use of unauthorized or pirated software. Use of such devices or software violates the terms of the “System Software License Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System” and the “Terms of Services and User Agreement” for the PlayStation Network/Qriocity and its Community Code of Conduct provisions. Violation of the System Software Licence Agreement for the PlayStation 3 System invalidates the consumer guarantee for that system. In addition, copying or playing pirated software is a violation of International Copyright Laws. Consumers using circumvention devices or running unauthorized or pirated software will have access to the PlayStation Network and access to Qriocity services through PlayStation 3 system terminated permanently.

To avoid this, consumers must immediately cease use and remove all circumvention devices and delete all unauthorized or pirated software from their PlayStation 3 systems.

On paper, Sony is right. PS3 owners have agreed to Sony’s licensing agreement and terms of service. That said, there are some people that believe they are entitled to do whatever the hell they want with the hardware they bought. Sony disagrees and has pursued legal action against PS3 jailbreakers.

I know a few of you are peeved by Sony’s policy and have sworn off future Sony purchases, but I wanted to get more opinions on the matter. How do you feel about Sony’s statement? Are you less likely to by a Sony product in the future because of the company’s stance? Or do you not care at all?

Source

Coffee Talk #304: Your ’80s Cartoon Dream Game

With THQ set to release a Voltron videogame, it seems like every beloved cartoon from the ’80s has made its way to the realm of interactive entertainment. Are there any ’80s cartoons that you adored that haven’t made their way to a videogame console?

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, Joba Chamberlain becoming Joba the Hutt, if Nokia is destined to be just another handset maker, or if this is Albert Pujols last year as a Cardinal, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

With THQ set to release a Voltron videogame, it seems like every beloved cartoon from the ’80s has made its way to the realm of interactive entertainment. Are there any ’80s cartoons that you adored that haven’t made their way to a videogame console? Perhaps there’s an ’80s franchise that has mostly sucked in gaming and you’d love to see it get one more chance.

As for me, I’d love for Robotech to get another shot — specifically The New Generation. I was absolutely mesmerized by the third Robotech war as a kid and think it would make a brilliant game. I see the diverse action of the cartoon recreated in a diverse game; there would be third-person shooter action with guns, motorcyle levels with cyclones, and aerial missions with veritechs. A combination of awesome vehicles, diverse action, and Ulpio Minucci’s brilliant soundtrack would be a dream come true for me.

Now it’s your turn. What’s your ’80s cartoon dream game like?