Coffee Talk Archives - Page 11 of 67

Coffee Talk #568: If You Could Decimate One Band….

On Valentine’s Day, I was having a fun drunken conversation about bands and musical artists that you wished were erased from existence. A lot of the candidates brought up were whiny male singer/songwriters. For some reason, on this day of love there was a lot of hate for Jason Mraz. Partially for his music and partially for being a man-whore, John Mayer was brought up a lot. I actually don’t mind either of those guys. “I’m Yours” is a cute and catchy song, while I totally admire Mayer’s man-whore prowess. My choice for the band that I wished were erased from existence was easy: Ace of Base…more

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, NBA All-Star Weekend, the glorious start of MLB spring training, or Oscar Pistorius allegedly shooting his girlfriend, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

I love Sweden. It’s a beautiful country that has produced many fine things. The number of gorgeous Swedish models is mind boggling. The country birthed three of my favorite tennis players of all time: Bjorn Borg, Mats Wilander, and Stefan Edberg. Ikea has furnished the homes of many young people that can’t afford “real” furniture. I’ve always loved the look and quality of Volvo automobiles. One of the best times of my life was hanging out in Oslo with clients, sledding down a short hill that ended in a hot spring. With all of that in mind, it’s disheartening that such a wonderful country — one that gave us the glorious Abba! — produced a band that scores millions of nightmares.

I hate everything about Ace of Base. The music is grating. The image is artificial. “All That She Wants” and “The Sign” are rumored to be used in Guantanamo Bay torture sessions. If I had the power of time travel, one of the first things I would do is prevent the formation of this horrendous band. I’m certain that it would snag me a Novel Peace Prize.

How about you? If you could eradicate one band or musical act from the face of existence, who would it be and why?

Coffee Talk #567: Happy Birthday Michael Jordan!

It’s hard to believe that Michael Jordan turns 50 today. It doesn’t feel like it was all that long ago when Jordan thrilled people at NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contests, made that shot over Craig Ehlo, amazingly switched hands for a flying layup against the Knicks, and made that other shot over Byron Russell. It’s weird seeing an older Jordan — one with a slight paunch, no less — ruling over the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. To me, he’ll always be that chiseled Adonis that soared over…more

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, dreaming that A-Rod suffers a career-ending injury, vaping with the girl you referred to as your “daughter” during college, or making the case for a Quasar videogame to your friend at Marvel, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

It’s hard to believe that Michael Jordan turns 50 today. It doesn’t feel like it was all that long ago when Jordan thrilled people at NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contests, made that shot over Craig Ehlo, amazingly switched hands for a flying layup against the Knicks, and made that other shot over Bryon Russell. It’s weird seeing an older Jordan — one with a slight paunch, no less — ruling over the lowly Charlotte Bobcats. To me, he’ll always be that chiseled Adonis that soared over dozens of NBA basketball courts.

It’s also funny seeing all these Jordan vs. LeBron and Jordan vs. Kobe arguments. These discussions seem ridiculous to me. I don’t doubt that Bryant and James would have been great players in any era, but as amazingly great as Jordan was, he would have been ridiculous in today’s game. Imagine what Jordan’s stats and ring count would have been like if he didn’t have to deal with the hand-checking and hard fouls that were allowed in his day? He would have terrorized the league! Keep in mind that I’m saying all of this as a Detroit Pistons fan. I frickin’ hate Jordan and loved when the Bad Boys would slam his body into the ground. Even with that perspective, I don’t see how anyone can deny his greatness.

To celebrate Jordan’s birthday, I’d love to hear about your favorite Michael Jordan moment, as well as your take on the Jordan vs. LeBron argument. Please shoot it out in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #566: What Will Make You Go Digital?

While digital downloads are definitely the future for the majority of videogames, it looks like the upcoming generation will start off with physical media dominating while publishers try to push gamers towards downloads. I know that many of you still prefer physical discs for various reasons, but I wondering — specifically in the context of the upcoming consoles — what would get you to switch to digital…more

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 possibility of LeBron James losing the NBA MVP to Kevin Durant due to voter fatigue, your favorite 2013 Grammy performance, or getting excited about a visit from your baby girl, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

While digital downloads are definitely the future for the majority of videogames, it looks like the upcoming generation will start off with physical media dominating while publishers try to push gamers towards downloads. I know that many of you still prefer physical discs for various reasons, but I was wondering — specifically in the context of the upcoming consoles — what would get you to switch to digital? My friend Paul and I were chatting about this during our weekly high-fat lunch and thought of a few things, some less likely than others.

Cheaper Prices: This probably won’t happen for years (though probably should happen sooner), but what if new digital releases were $10 cheaper than discs? I don’t expect this to happen straight away, but perhaps at the midpoint or tail end of the next console generation. Retailer relationships are still too important.

Earlier Release Date: What if you could play a digital copy of a game a few days before its physical counterpart? Is that enough incentive? Again, I don’t think this is likely initially, but could happen later. Retailer power is still too strong, for now.

Bonus Content: Would extra costumes, exclusive weapons, or free map packs be enough? Even though I’ve made fun of costume downloads a bit, I totally admit to buying them. I consider my bonus Street Fighter costumes and bikini Serah to be among my finest digital purchases. Getting these things as a digital bonus would totally work for me.

Would any of the above get you to go digital? Perhaps a different kind of incentive? Or are you sticking with physical discs until publishers stop making them? Please share your thoughts on the matter in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #565: Your Star Wars Standalone Movie

Disney CEO Bob Iger has confirmed that there will be standalone Star Wars movies along with a new trilogy. The initial rumor was that diminutive Jedi master Yoda would be getting his own film. This was followed by rumors of movies starring a young Han Solo and Boba Fett, respectively. Who would you like to see in a standalone Star Wars movie? Who do you think should get the spotlight?

Han Solo and Boba Fett are obvious choices. They’re both “cool” characters and easy to sell to Star Wars fans. Personally, I’d like to see something…more

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, injuries in LA Laker land, injuries in LA Clipper land, or practicing for your driving exam, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Han Solo and Boba Fett are obvious choices. They’re both “cool” characters and easy to sell to Star Wars fans. Personally, I’d like to see something different and unexpected. It’s probably not going to happen, but how about a movie about lesser-known Jedi like Adi Gallia or Ki Adi Mundi? The latter could star in an action-comedy — dude’s head cracks me up every time and Andy Dick has already played the character. Other ideas (that will never happen) include a subtitled Star Wars art-house film starring Wookiees on their home planet Kashyyyk. This movie would be a thoughtful look at a unique and noble race that’s often dismissed as the savages of the Star Wars universe. I’d call it Lost in Chewbacca…or something.

Anyway, why don’t you guys give it a go? Which character would you like to see have his or her (or its) own Star Wars movie? Kindly pick your character and describe your movie in the comments section.

Coffee Talk #564: What Will Win the Next Console War?

The next generation of console wars is nearly here! Nintendo’s Wii U is already available. Sony is expected to announce the next PlayStation later this month. And Microsoft is expected to announce the next Xbox by E3 2013. In the past, hardware and exclusive games shaped the outcome of console wars. More recently, online serves like PlayStation Network and Xbox Live helped determined the outcome. With many people believing that the upcoming batch of hardware will be the end of traditional consoles as we know them, what do you think will…more

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, last night’s return of Linsanity, PETA going after Beyonce for her Super Bowl outfit, or missing Las Vegas during DICE time, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The next generation of console wars is nearly here! Nintendo’s Wii U is already available. Sony is expected to announce the next PlayStation later this month. And Microsoft is expected to announce the next Xbox by E3 2013. In the past, hardware and exclusive games shaped the outcome of console wars. More recently, online services like PlayStation Network and Xbox Live helped determined the outcome. With many people believing that the upcoming batch of hardware will be the end of traditional consoles as we know them, what do you think will determine the next skirmish. More importantly, what features are most important to you?

Some people believe that games will be an afterthought, or at least exclusive games. They believe that all three platforms will have great games, so it’ll be a wash. I somewhat disagree with this stance. While exclusives aren’t as powerful as they used to be, I believe they still shape a console’s identity.

Most pundits agree that pure horsepower isn’t as relevant as it used to be. This is a trend that extends beyond consoles. Generally speaking, consumer electronics have become more about software and services than powerful hardware. One of the reasons that Xbox 360 was more successful than PlayStation 3 was that Xbox Live was much better than PlayStation Network for years. While Sony’s service has improved greatly, some feel that the improvements didn’t come fast enough.

Continuing on the services tip, the social, non-gaming, and premium features of consoles have become hugely important. Many gamers prefer Xbox 360 because that’s the system most of their friends use online. Playing games with friends is almost always more fun than playing with strangers. Some people spend more time using the non-gaming features of consoles more than playing games. Features like streaming video services and video chat are quite popular. Then there are the premium services. Some people feel that PlayStation Plus trounces Xbox Live Gold.

Some journalists are shouting about developer ease-of-use being paramount. That’s certainly an important issue, but some of the writers that are taking this stance have little idea what goes into making a game. Honestly, I’m not sure where this is coming from. It’s one thing for developers to say or write things like this, but journalists that don’t understand game production? Then again, there are a lot of journalists that write long diatribes about what Company X needs to do to turn things around while having no clue about running a business. Personally, I’m going to leave this issue on the table and let smarter people discuss it. Besides, I’m not sure that most gamers care.

So games, hardware power, and online services…. What else is there? What concerns you the most? What features and factors do you think will be most important in the next generation of console wars? Please shout it out in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #563: Apple as Console King?

Last week, Polygon posted a fantastic article full of juicy quotes from Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. Here are a few choice lines:

I think Apple rolls the console guys really easily.

The biggest challenge is that Apple moves on the living room before the PC industry sort of gets its act together.

The quotes got a ton of play on the Internetz, but I didn’t spend too much time thinking or talking about them…because Newell’s stance didn’t seem debatable to me. I think he’s right and his (greatly respected) opinions are obvious. However, RPadholic N8R suggested…more

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 Los Angeles Clippers floundering without Chris Paul, Verve’s Ethiopia Birhanu, or overdosing on Kevin Smith commentaries (and loving it), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Last week, Polygon posted a fantastic article full of juicy quotes from Valve co-founder Gabe Newell. Here are a few choice lines:

I think Apple rolls the console guys really easily.

The biggest challenge is that Apple moves on the living room before the PC industry sort of gets its act together.

Apple has done a phenomenal job selling iPhones, iPads, and Apple TVs. Those products have become more than phones, tablets, and streaming-video players. They’re multifaceted devices that are “lifestyle” products. So Newell is absolutely right about Apple being in millions of living rooms. He’s also right about Apple having a huge opportunity to displace traditional console gaming. The question is whether Apple will try to shake up and dominate that business the way it did with smartphones and tablets.

When Steve Jobs ran Apple, I would have bet against it. Under Jobs, Apple had a strange relationship with gaming. At times it seemed like the company didn’t understand it. At other times, it almost seemed like the company was afraid of it. It will be interesting to see how Apple approaches gaming under Tim Cook. He seems more flexible than his predecessor and more willing to venture into territory that has been historically foreign to the company.

I have no doubt that gaming will become a bigger part of Apple’s future, but I have no idea how the company will approach the field. It could continue to make iOS gaming bigger and bigger, enhancing the experience through AirPlay. Handheld consoles are already hurting because of the rapidly improving iOS gaming market. It’s conceivable that Apple will continue to foster iOS gaming growth so that it cuts into home consoles.

Or the company could be more aggressive on the hardware front with Apple TV or the mythical Apple television set. Imagine a more powerful Apple TV with visually-impressive games that are controlled with iPhones and iPads. In the immortal words of John Lennon, “It’s easy if you try.”

Ultimately, I don’t think Apple will take on Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony head-on. That’s not what the company does. It successfully played its own game with smartphones and tablets, and I see it doing the same with gaming. Will that be enough to make it console king?

What do you think of Newell’s statements about Apple possibly rolling the big console companies? Can you imagine a world where Apple rules living-room gaming?

Coffee Talk #562: Your Favorite Super Bowl 2013 Commercials

It began as a blowout, but Super Bowl XLVII ended up being a pretty exciting game. Sports and sports-related matters aside, I want to hear about the Super Bowl 2013 commercials that impressed you. To be completely honest, I was trying to edit video and watch the game at the same time. I’m positive that I missed a bunch of cool spots. If something nerdy came up, I paid attention. If a sexy woman was in a commercial, I paid extra attention. Here are the fun spots that I remember seeing, but…more

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, wrapping your head around Redfoo and Vika’s relationship, Metta World Peace throwing left hooks at The Palace, or noticing David Otunga at the Super Bowl, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Soda Stream: This spot was initially rejected by CBS. The network didn’t want to piss off Coke and Pepsi. Soda Stream aired a softer ad, but I wanted to make sure you saw the original. The ad itself is okay, but Soda Stream’s problems with “The Man” makes me want to buy one…and I don’t really drink soda at home.

Iron Man 3: The first two-thirds of the ad were underwhelming and I still have doubts about Ben Kingsley’s Mandarin, but the commercial ends with a thrilling flight sequence.

Star Trek: Into the Darkness: I’m so, so amped for this movie, but I was slightly disappointed in the commercial. I want more Alice Eve! She’s totally dreamy.

Best Buy/Amy Poehler: This is a cute spot featuring a wonderful comedian. Part of the reason it’s funny is because she asks silly questions that some people actually ask at Best Buy.

Motorola/Megan Fox: Remember that 2010 Motorola spot that had Megan Fox in a bathtub? The company went back to the well…and I’m totally cool with that. I could spend hours (possibly days) watching Megan Fox taking a bath.

Samsung/Seth Rogen/Paul Rudd: If watching Megan Fox taking a bath isn’t a possibility, I’d love to hang out and chat with these masters of bromantic comedy. Of course they’re a distant second (like another galaxy distant) to Ms. Fox.

Oreo Whisper Fight: I love how this silly argument starts with a whisper and ends in utter chaos. For various reasons, it reminded me of ECW shows that I attended in Queens. Good times.

Now it’s your turn! Please share your favorite Super Bowl 2013 commercials in the comments section.

Coffee Talk #561: Hating A-Roid

I’ve never liked Alex Rodriguez. Originally it was because of my duty as a Yankee homer; as a Derek Jeter fan, I had to hate rival shortstops like Rodriguez and Nomar Garciaparra. When A-Rod signed that ridiculous contract with the Texas Rangers, I still hated him. When he came to the Yankees…oy. Yankee fans are usually good about welcoming formerly-hated rivals. Look at Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, and Johnny Damon, for example. Fans never really warmed up to Rodriguez. With A-Rod, many fans felt that…more

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Rodriguez has had numerous incidents that prevented fans from accepting him. His bat has gone impotent during many playoff series. There was that time he cheaply tried to swat a caught ball out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove. Last year, he allegedly tried to score a woman’s phone number during a crucial playoff game. The Miami New Times’ report of A-Rod being tied to a performance-enhancing drug dealer has raised the bar. Rodriguez admitted to using PEDs during his Rangers days, but has repeatedly said that he has been clean ever since. If the recent news is true then he’s a liar, a cheat, and a fraud.

Things have gotten so bad that the Yankees are allegedly trying to void Rodriguez’s contract. The crazy thing is, most Yankee fans would love that. (I’d be one of them.) Yankee fans are usually great homers that make good excuses for players’ character flaws. We lauded Mike Mussina’s Stanford education and didn’t mind that he clearly thought he was the smartest man in the league. We described Paul O’Neill’s childish dugout tantrums as “fiery competitiveness.” We dismissed Bernie Williams’ idiotic base running by saying that he was a great clubhouse guy that played a mean guitar. Excuses were never made for A-Rod. He was always an overpaid embarrassment.

A-Roid. A-Fraud.

I’ve never seen anything like him. In my lifetime, I don’t recall a Yankee that was so reviled by Yankee fans. Well done, Alex.

Coffee Talk #560: Wolverine, X-Men, and Social Media

A few weeks ago, Comixology had a 99-cent sale on Wolverine and the X-Men. In November, I expressed my displeasure with the pussification of Wolverine, so I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the first eight issues of the series. It’s full of charming characters, great humor, and thrilling action. In a modern twist, the world of Wolverine and the X-Men has been brought to life (or cleverly marketed, depending on your point of view) through social media. Here’s a rundown of why I’ve been enjoying the series and its social-media tie-ins…more

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, Barbara Walters blading at President Obama’s inauguration, the Sacramento Kings probably moving to Seattle, or Mandy Moore looking surprisingly hot without makeup, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The Wolverine: I’m still annoyed that the formerly bad-ass Wolverine is now a school headmaster that’s pushing the agenda of mutants peacefully coexisting with humans, while Cyclops is heading up the militant faction. While he’s definitely part of the book and gets his name on the cover, the book really isn’t about him…and I’m totally down with that.

The Staff: Reading the faculty’s adventures and mingling has been more fun that reading about the headmaster. I’ve been a fan of the modern version of Kitty Pryde since Astonishing X-Men. Beast is always a delightful mix of brains, brawn, and a complex vocabulary; he’s been my favorite teacher thus far. As the first person that Wolverine asked to accompany him to the new school, Iceman is arguably the heart of the staff. I love that the book acknowledges his background as an accountant, though it seems like the “not living up to the potential of his omega-level powers” angle has been going on for decades. The school even gets special guest lecturers like Deathlok, who dazzled the class with ominous predictions in Future History 101. While they’re the people that are guiding the next generation of Marvel mutants, this book isn’t really about the teachers either.

The Students: Now this is what the book is about! It’s been so much fun meeting new students and seeing new characterizations of other young mutants. The troublesome Quentin Quire (Kid Omega) was (literally) roped into attending the school. It’s fun reading lines from a student that doesn’t want to be there; he reminds me of the “I Hate School!!!” people I knew. Idie Okonkwo (Oya) was a great character in X-Men Schism and I’ve enjoyed her continued development in this book. Kid Gladiator is a fantastic alien version of the jocular bully you knew in high school. My favorite student is Broo, the smart and innocent broodling whose sweet and naive heart masks an enormous potential for violence.

The students have characteristics that make them seem like super-powered archetypes of people we all knew in high school. They’re just written so well. It’s fun reading about characters with amazing powers that are unsure of themselves and trying to form their identities. It’s like taking the flame that is typical high school insecurities and dousing it with the fire that is being a mutant in the Marvel Universe.

The Villains: Also from the pages of X-Men Schism, the new Hellfire Club returns. These guys (and gal) are a guilty pleasure. There’s just something funny about a quartet of brilliant, wealthy, and murderous children that hate mutants. There’s no way that this team should work, yet it does — delightfully so. These young psychopaths are every bit as charming as the young students they’re trying to scar (killing them would be counterproductive to the immensely profitable selling of Sentinel robots to mutant-hating governments).

The Writing: Jason Aaron has rocketed to the top of my list of favorite comic-book scribes. Like many of my other favorites (Michael Bendis, Mark Waid, Joss Whedon, Peter David, etc.), Aaron’s dialogue is snappy and humorous. His characters are deep and interesting. Unlike most writers that are known for great characterization, Aaron is also good at plotting out exciting action sequences. It’s rare that a writer excels at both.

The Social Media: To breath life into the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, Marvel set up this nifty web site that has cute class descriptions and staff bios. Following the Twitter accounts of the staff and students adds to the fun of the comics. Here are some of the peeps you should follow.

Official School Account (@JeanGreySchool): These are mostly updates from Headmistress Kitty Pryde, though other faculty members occasionally send out tweets. Stay up to date on Bamf-related damage and injuries (and a whole lot more) with this account.
Quentin Quire (@QQuire): Get the latest on militant uprisings, like Quire’s movement against “the draconian dietary restrictions regarding tater-tots,” by following the school’s resident troublemaker.
Broo (@_Broodling_): Cute and insightful tweets from the smartest kid at school…that doesn’t really have a clue.
Idie Okonkwo (@idie_okonkwo): Like the girl in school that always told you how much she hated herself, these tweets are from a nice young girl that’s convinced she’s a monster.

Check out the entire listing of Jean Grey School-related Twitter accounts here.

The Conclusion: So yeah, to my surprise, I totally love this book. The writing is stellar, the art is fantastic, and the characters are wonderful. Even though it’s a marketing function, I love that the school and the characters are given additional development through social media. I highly recommend giving the comics and Twitter feeds a read. If you’re already a fan of the book, please leave a comment and let me know why you dig it. Lastly, Broo rules!

Coffee Talk #559: Facebook Graph Search and You

Earlier this week, Facebook made a ton of noise with its “Graph Search” product. Its socialized version of search has the potential to cut into numerous Internet businesses. Under perfect conditions, Facebook Graph Search will take users away from Google, FourSquare, LinkedIn, Yelp, and more. Using a combination of socialized results, natural language queries, and Bing (for backup purposes), Graph Search is one of the most ambitious search initiatives released in years. My question for you today is this: Is Graph Search something you’re interested in?

I’m really curious to hear your thoughts on this because…more

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I’m really curious to hear your thoughts on this because I’m not a typical Facebook user. The majority of people I’m “friends” with on Facebook aren’t friends in the traditional sense of the word. The minority of my contacts are people I know on a purely social level. The rest of them are a mix of game developers, PR flacks, readers, and viewers. While I certainly like most of them, it’s not an ideal mix to fuel contextual search results. Since most of you use Facebook in a more traditional way, I’d love to hear if you think Graph Search is something you’d use.

Then there’s the effectiveness of the whole thing. Like most people, I use Google for Internet searches. While there are many things about it that I don’t like, it’s been my default for years because I don’t know of anything better. While I loved it at first, the results have been getting progressively worse, thanks to SEO tricksters. Google understands that applying a social layer to search results is important, which was the whole point of its Google+ product. In many ways, Facebook and Google are trying to achieve the same goal, but are traveling in different directions to get there. Google is adding social elements to search, while Facebook is adding search to its social platform. The bottom line, of course, is meaningful results. Which company do you think will provide more meaningful social-powered search-results?

At a glance, I think that Google will ultimately win this fight. It’s not because it had a head start or because it has been the master of search for years. What surprised me with Facebook’s announcement was that mobile seemed to be an afterthought. That’s been a (frustrating) trend with Facebook. Mobile Internet use is huge and getting bigger every day. Right now, Facebook kind of sucks at mobile. Google is expontentially better at it and will use information extracted from mobile use to fuel search results. While mobile will certainly be (have to be?) a big part of Graph Search in the future, it should have been a huge part of the initiative from the start.

While I love that Facebook is attempting to make search better and different, I’m not convinced it will deliver the results (*snicker*). What are your thoughts on Graph Search? Would you use it and do you think it will be effective? Shout it out in the comments section (please!).