PlayStation Move was allegedly codenamed PlayStation Arc before the name became official at GDC 2010. Obviously Project Natal is a codename and it’s 99 percent likely that MS will unveil its real name at E3 2010. Can you think of any good names for Microsoft’s motion-control scheme? Hopefully the company doesn’t pull a Windows CE (WinCE) and call it Xbox Flail…but you never know.
Whether I’ve “known” you for a few weeks or few years, one thing we have in common is that we love to play games. You’re probably thinking, “Duh!”, but stay with me for a sec. One thing I don’t know about you is where you play games. Do you have your living room decked out with a crazy surround-sound system? Perhaps you prefer playing in bed while leaning on your favorite pillow. Maybe you’ve constructed an elaborate man/woman cave for gaming. Today I want to hear all about your gaming setup. So please take this poll and tell me about your rig!
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, Andy Pettitte rocking it at 37, WWE finally making Bryan Danielson interesting, or who should replace Simon Cowell on American Idol, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Whether I’ve “known” you for a few weeks or few years, one thing we have in common is that we love to play games. You’re probably thinking, “Duh!”, but stay with me for a sec. One thing I don’t know about you is where you play games. Do you have your living room decked out with a crazy surround-sound system? Perhaps you prefer playing in bed while leaning on your favorite pillow. Maybe you’ve constructed an elaborate man/woman cave for gaming. Today I want to hear all about your gaming setup. So please take this poll and tell me about your rig!
[poll id=”50″]
Between all the excellent FroYo (Android 2.2) announcements at Google I/O and hot phones like the HTC Evo 4G, Android has been getting a lot of attention lately. While I love the Android platform and am very excited about FroYo’s features, some tech writers and enthusiasts are going way too far with the excitement. Thankfully Fake Steve Jobs is here to keep it real. Earlier in the week I read his article on how to combat Android fanboys and it’s so good that I keep coming back to it. Check out this snippet from the intro:
Remember how cool and special and powerful you felt when you whipped it out in public and everyone around you was like, Whoa, is that the new iPhone? Are you some kind of wizard? Do you have magic powers?
That’s just awesome. But wait! There’s more! On Android being better for power-users:
Fair enough, you’re a super techie and can handle Android. Apple is designed for regular people who don’t want to worry about technology. By adopting Android, and helping Google succeed, you are hurting the regular folks who want to use Apple. Somehow.
On multitasking:
You don’t need it. It’s a total red herring. When was the last time you did more than one thing on a phone? Also: Apple will have multitasking soon, so the point is moot.
On the various versions of Android floating around:
I’m trying to remember, how many versions of Android are there? Like sixty? And each one has a different user interface, and they’re always updating and changing and you have to go look up to see if your phone will run the new OS and it’s just so confusing and you’ll be tearing your hair out. With Apple, just one system. Simple. Ahhh.
On the “inferiority” of AT&T:
AT&T actually much better than Verizon. Faster 3G. Talk and surf Web at same time. As for dropped calls, all I can tell you is it has never happened to me or anyone I know, and the media has blown that issue way out of proportion.
On Android spyware and viruses:
You won’t get it on Apple. Android is crawling with it. Also, viruses. You’ll get viruses just by turning on your phone. If you’re on your home network, the virus could jump from your phone to every device on your network, even your WiFi router, and you will never get it out. The virus will spy on you and take pictures of you as you’re working and post those pictures on Facebook along with your credit card numbers, Social Security numbers, and a list of everything you’ve ever bought online. So, good luck with that.
This is just brilliant stuff. Some of his points are actually valid and some of them are hilariously ridiculous. There’s a ton more in the original post and I highly recommend reading it. Fake Steve Jobs ftw!!!
Tonight’s the finale of American Idol! When the season started, I was planning on covering the show consistently, but it turned out to be such a crappy year for Idol that I couldn’t stand watching it and lost interest. In addition to the Crystal Bowersox vs. Lee DeWyze showdown, tonight’s episode will be the last one with Simon Cowell. It’s going to be tough to replace him and I’m sure the show’s popularity will suffer next year.
In other news, Idol judge and television host Ellen DeGeneres just announced that she’s starting her own record label. This announcement would have made way more sense at the beginning of season nine. Instead of having people wonder why some comedian/TV host was judging singers, the show could have positioned her as a fledgling music mogul looking for new talent (i.e. cast-offs that 19 Management didn’t want).
Anyway, who are you rooting for? Crystal or Lee?
I blame the KFC Double Down for this monstrous concoction…. I just went downstairs to buy a lottery ticket (yes, I’m that desperate) and noticed a sign at The Great Steak for its Philly Mac & Cheese Sandwich. I’m not sure whether to laugh, smack my head against a concrete wall, or try one for dinner. Just…look at it.
ESPN.com’s Jon Robinson just served up this hot rumor: Michael Jordan is going to be the cover athlete for 2K Sports’ NBA 2K11
While rumors pegged LeBron James, Derrick Rose and even Tyreke Evans as favorites to appear on the cover of NBA 2K11, multiple sources have told ESPN that the company has gone in a completely different direction, signing basketball legend Michael Jordan as its new spokesman.
Going with Jordan would be an interesting move. Older gamers would love it, but I wonder how relevant Jordan is to younger gamers. Wouldn’t NBA players like the aforementioned James, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade be more relevant? Even though I’m a longtime Detroit Pistons fan and despise “Air” Jordan, seeing him on game box in 2010 would be pretty cool.
What do you guys and dolls think of Michael Jordan possibly being the cover athlete for NBA 2K11?
Microsoft is set to hit E3 2010 in a big way with Project Natal, but could its impact be lessened by the motion-sensing peripheral’s price? According to Edge the standalone cost to Natal will be $149 and the bundled cost will be $299:
Natal will launch in the US this October with a price tag of $149.
That’s according to a trusted source, who told us that the motion sensing camera will also be bundled with the Xbox 360 Arcade console for $299.
If the rumor is true then I question how successful Natal will be. $149 is a lot of money, especially in this economy. What do you think of the price? Kindly vote in the poll below and elaborate on your choice in the comments section.
[poll id=”49″]
Double Helix and Square Enix kick off its Front Mission Evolved
Front Mission Evolved is set for a September 14, 2010 release for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Windows PC (in stereoscopic 3D). I loved the old FM games, but I’m not too interested (yet) in seeing the FM world in an action setting. Are any of you interested in this game?
Last week I wrote about a rumor that Sony will unveil details on a premium version of its PlayStation Network service at E3 2010. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president Andrew House more or less confirmed the announcement. In a Sony Europe Q&A session he wrote:
I can assure you that the current PSN as you know it will remain a free service. It is something that our competitors don’t offer and something that shows our loyalty to the PlayStation Community. However, Kaz Hirai stated a few months ago that we were looking at a premium service to sit alongside the current free service and that objective has not changed. You’ll learn more about it very soon.
Now that you know it’s coming, I’d love to hear more about what you’d want in a premium version of PSN. Google TV? Cross-game chat? Free games? If PSN were alive, it would be Adam Lambert, asking you, “What do you want from me?!?”
The first and second parts of my HTC Evo 4G (not a) review were mostly serious. Now things are going to get super serious! Today I’m going to tell you how well the phone works in drunken situations. Last night I went to a Prince of Persia party in Hollywood and had quite a few drinks. While I was tipsy, I snapped several photos and did some live video streaming (this feature will surely get me in trouble one day).
While I’ve been generally satisfied with the phone’s camera, it was important for me to see what kind of images it can capture when I’m…not quite sober. Here are the results of my hugely important “drunk test” of the HTC Evo 4G.
