Coffee Talk Archives - Page 15 of 67

Coffee Talk #526: Obama, Romney, and Apple

During last night’s presidential debate, moderator Candy Crowley asked President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney about Apple and outsourcing to China. The end of her question was, “How do you convince a great American company to bring that manufacturing back here?” Unsurprisingly, neither candidate gave an adequate or honest answer to the question. Steve Jobs told the President the deal in early 2011…

Romney talked about China’s currency manipulation, patent stealing, and cheating without offering a cogent solution. Obama was slightly more honest when he said, “There are some jobs that are not going to come back because they are low-wage, low-skill jobs.” The President knows better than this. He knows that the vast majority of those manufacturing jobs are not going to come back. Steve Jobs told him so.

During a high-powered dinner featuring some of the biggest players in Silicon Valley, President Obama asked Steve Jobs what it would take for Apple to bring some of those jobs back to America. The reply was unsurprisingly brusque in that charmingly arrogant Steve Jobs way: “Those jobs aren’t coming back.” I’m sure the President and his staff have explored many ways to entice Apple to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. I’m also sure that they came to the conclusion that the government doesn’t have any realistic way to change the situation in a meaningful way.

As a tech nerd, I’m glad a tech-nerd topic came up in the debates. It’s just disappointing that neither candidate gave an answer that meant anything. Though I suppose that could be said about most of the answers given in all the debates thus far.

Coffee Talk #525: The Geek Chic World of E-Cigs

Smoking is stupid. There’s no arguing that point. It’s really bad for you. I’m saying this as a former smoker and a current e-cig user. Many people are making the switch from smoking cigarettes to vaporizing (or vaping) e-cigs. With e-cigs, you inhale nicotine and flavor, but don’t inhale tar and carbon monoxide. Longterm studies are still being done on the longterm effects of vaping, but eschewing known carcinogens for a combination of nicotine, food flavoring, and water is probably better for you, don’t you agree? Here’s a look at vast world of e-cigs and an explanation of why they’re especially popular with tech geeks.

Smoking is stupid. There’s no arguing that point. It’s really bad for you. I’m saying this as a former smoker and a current e-cig user. Many people are making the switch from smoking cigarettes to vaporizing (or vaping) e-cigs. With e-cigs, you inhale nicotine and flavor, but don’t inhale tar and carbon monoxide. Studies are still being done on the longterm effects of vaping, but eschewing known carcinogens for a combination of nicotine, food flavoring, and water is probably better for you, don’t you agree?

Many people start off with standard-looking e-cigs like Safe Cig or V2. They look like regular cigarettes and are relatively inconspicuous, allowing vapers to blend in with smokers. They’re also really easy to use. You have a battery that needs to be charged occasionally. You have cartridges with nicotine and flavor that need to be replaced. It couldn’t be simpler. The disadvantages of these types of e-cigs are that battery life is relatively short and the throat hit is weaker than conventional cigarettes. Still, for people that want ease-of-use and want something that looks like a “normal” cigarette, products like Safe Cig and V2 are a good choice.

For heavy smokers or those that want to get even nerdier with vaping, there are larger products that offer longer battery life and a heavier throat hit. The eGo-C is one of the most popular models out there. These types of products offer more flexibility, with different types of cartomizers and tanks that alter the vaping experience. They also make it easier to use e-liquids or smoke juice; buying e-liquids for refillable tanks and cartomizers is cheaper than buying single-use cartridges. While these products offer better battery life, superior performance, and more flexibility, most of them will make you look like you’re smoking a schlong. However, there are newer products like the Elips-C that offer a great blend of looks and performance.

Vaping is especially popular with tech enthusiasts. This isn’t surprise since there are electronics involved. Part of it is the appeal of new products replacing those that have been used for hundreds of years. Part of it is the modding aspect of vaping. There are products like the eGo-VV that let users change the voltage of the battery, resulting in different tastes and different amounts of vapor. Experimenting with different tanks and liquids is geek chic. Blending your own liquids is one step away from alchemy. With so many aspects of the vaping experience to experiment with, it’s no wonder tech nerds enjoy it.

In the near future, I’ll have some e-cig product reviews and comparisons. I know that RPadholics Big Blak and N8R have used e-cigs. I’d love to hear what those guys have to say about them. If you have an experience with vaping or any questions about it, please leave a comment.

Coffee Talk #524: Old School Cool vs. Outdated

I’ve been anxious to see how XCOM: Enemy Unkown would be received. Although it features modern graphics and sound, it very much plays like an old-school PC game. I fell for the game earlier in the year and was sure that it would score high with critics (it did), but I wasn’t and am still not sure if “real” people would dig it. Would the old-school gameplay feel refreshing in 2012? Or will gamers think that it’s outdated?

I’ve been anxious to see how XCOM: Enemy Unkown would be received. Although it features modern graphics and sound, it very much plays like an old-school PC game. I fell for the game earlier in the year and was sure that it would score high with critics (it did), but I wasn’t sure if “real” people would dig it. Would the old-school gameplay feel refreshing in 2012? Or will gamers think that it’s outdated?

From scouring various message boards, players have been loving the game so far. Yes, people that post on web sites and forums are only a percentage of the number of people that buy games, but it’s as good a barometer as any. And yes, just because a vocal minority have been raving about the game doesn’t mean that it will be a mass success. Still, I’m super-happy to see that the game has been well-received so far. In a world of sequels and balls-and-guns games, it’s great to see a title with old-school sensibilities doing well.

If you’ve checked out the game or videos of the game, please let me know what you think of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Are there any old-school series or genres that you’d like to see with a modern twist? Have you recently played a game that was old-school cool or one that was outdated? Please leave a comment and let me know!

Coffee Talk #523: One Device to Rule Them All?

My friend Paul and I were talking about how tech geeks have done a 180 on the number of devices they want to carry. Ten years ago, it was all about finding one device that does everything. The digerati were tired of carrying a mobile phone, a PDA, a gaming system, etc. Fast forward to 2012 and that’s a very mainstream attitude to have. Millions of people are satisfied with their smartphone or tablet as their “one” device. Meanwhile, the geek chic have gone in the other direction…

While they’re in the minority (unless you live in San Francisco), tech nerds help set trends in mobile tech. They’re the tastemakers. These days, many of them travel with a notebook computer, a smartphone, a tablet, and a dedicated e-reader. Some of them even bring dedicated gaming systems, though it’s not as common these days given the rapid advancement in Android and iOS games. They’ve eschewed the “one device” philosophy in favor of multiple devices that excel at different things. Funny how it goes….

As for me, I find myself following the digerati. While I love my iPad 2012 (my usual “one” device) I plan on complementing it with a Kindle Paperwhite. I’m already dual-wielding phones with a Galaxy Nexus and an iPhone 5. If I’m hitting the road for a few days or more, my MacBook Pro has to come with me.

What kind of user are you? Do you prefer to travel with one device to rule them all? Or do you bring multiple devices if you’re going to be away from home/work for a stretch?

Coffee Talk #522: On Lorne Lanning and Alan Moore

The other day, I was reading this excellent GI Biz interview with Oddworld Inhabitants’ Lorne Lanning. As many of you know, I’m a big fan of Lanning and his company’s games. It was great hearing him talk about games after a hiatus from the business. It was awesome to hear that he appears to be stubborn as ever and that he’s still thinking about ways to empower videogame creators. Here’s a clip from the interview:

Rather than having to have 1.5 million units in the opening week or suffer death, now if we have 50,000 sales and we’re still in business. People are still employed and we’re able to keep making content. When we released box product we would get 20 percent of the revenue. After that 20 percent paid back the entire development budget, if it was still selling at $60 we would start seeing $7 a unit. Because of the bricks and mortar, the plastic, the manufacturing, the gas involved in taking games to the store, the store itself and all those extra costs — not one of those costs makes a better game for the player.

If you’re the gamer, where do you want the money of the game you’re buying to go? I want it going to help make more games. But the majority of that money is not going to games in the boxed product market.

The tone of Lanning’s comments reminded me of someone, but I couldn’t place my finger on it right away. The feeling I got from this interview was that this is a man that loves videogames and loves the creative process, but is fed up with the videogame business. Then it hit me. Lorne Lanning is just like comic-book scribe Alan Moore! Like Lanning, Moore loves the comic-book medium and the creative process, but has often been frustrated with the business of comics. Here’s a Moore quote from Bill Baker’s Alan Moore Spells it Out:

I love the comics medium. I pretty much detest the comics industry. Give it another 15 months, I’ll probably be pulling out of mainstream, commercial comics.

Although Moore is best known for his works published by DC Comics, he had numerous conflicts with the publishing giant and found more freedom with smaller, independent publishers. Similarly, Lanning has had numerous clashes with big videogame publishers. He believes that digital distribution will give him the creative freedom he wasn’t able to enjoy with Microsoft and EA.

Lanning and Moore are both supremely creative individuals that aren’t cut out to deal with the establishments in their respective businesses. They both recognize that the suits take advantage of the creatives and that there must be a better way. Through smaller publishers, Moore found a way that allowed him to make money and create freely. Hopefully digital distribution will enable Lanning and Oddworld Inhabitants to thrive once more. The videogame business would be better and more fun with a flourishing Oddworld Inhabitants.

Coffee Talk #521: Is a 10% Digital Discount Enough?

Sony Computer Entertainment released more details on its “Day 1 Digital” initiative. Aside from having triple-A games available digitally on the same day the boxed copies hit store shelves, Sony is giving PlayStation Plus members a 10-percent discount on select digital versions. So a $59.99 game will run PlayStation Plus members $53.99 if they pre-order or buy the game during the first week of its availability. My question for you today is this: Is that enough of a discount to make you buy digitally?

Sony Computer Entertainment released more details on its “Day 1 Digital” initiative. Aside from having triple-A games available digitally on the same day boxed copies hit store shelves, Sony is giving PlayStation Plus members a 10-percent discount on select digital versions. So a $59.99 game will run PlayStation Plus members $53.99 if they pre-order or buy the game during the first week of its availability. My question for you today is this: Is that enough of a discount to make you buy digitally?

In the small but lovely RPad.TV universe, I’m in the minority — I’m all about digital media. Most of you seem to prefer physical copies of games for various reasons. Would saving a little bit of money change your purchasing habits? Or would you forego the discount in favor of the flexibility physical discs offer? Please leave a comment and let me know if Sony’s Day 1 Digital initiative will change the way you buy PlayStation games!

Coffee Talk #520: Your Favorite Viral YouTube Videos

Within the next month, Psy’s “Gangnam Style” music video will hit over 300-million views on YouTube. That’s phenomenal for a video that became popular virally. Numbers like that are usually achieved by established artists that attract millions of teenage girls (Justin Bieber) or millions of horny guys (Jennifer Lopez). A music video featuring a goofy dude singing in Korean and doing a ridiculous dance usually isn’t the type of video that catches on globally. It’s a testament to the power of the Internet (and possibly an indictment of the Internet’s taste-makers)…

The “Gangnam Style” phenomenon is unbelievable. I’ve stopped trying to figure it out. I’ve accepted it and started thinking about other YouTube wonders of the world. Out of all the YouTube videos that became popular virally, Tay Zonday’s “Chocolate Rain” is my favorite. After all these years, it still makes me laugh. The combination of his impossibly low voice, the Casio keyboard tone, the low production values, and the crazy lyrics cracks me up. I can always count on “Chocolate Rain” to cheer me up.

How about you? What are some of your favorite YouTube viral videos? Star Wars kid? The Leave Britney Alone dude? Please list, link, and discuss in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #519: Happy Birthday Google Android!

Yesterday was Google Android’s fourth birthday. In a short amount of time, Google has become the global market leader in smartphone operating systems. Whether you’re a fan or not, that’s pretty damn impressive. The feat is all the more impressive when you consider its start in America. The first Android product in the U.S. was an underwhelming piece of hardware (the G1) on the country’s fourth-largest network (T-Mobile). It wasn’t until the next year that Android really took off, thanks to a combination of more mature software (Android 2.0) and aggressive marketing from the nation’s biggest carrier (Verizon). Android came to America in October 2008, but it didn’t really…

For the most part, I love Android. Since I use a lot of Google products for work, Google’s operating system works best for me. Gmail and Google Voice are just two of the mobile applications I use daily and they work best on Android. Yes, it’s still behind iOS in terms of app quantity and quality, but the gap has gotten much smaller.

The usability, looks, and performance of Android have come a long way too. Google made a fantastic move by snatching up Matias Duarte and putting him in charge of Android UI. Duarte did outstanding work on the novel webOS operating system for Palm. Under him, Android has gotten better looking (Ice Cream Sandwich) and smoother (Jelly Bean). The best part is that he’s barely gotten started, so expect more significant improvements from Android in the near future.

Kindly join me in wishing Android a happy birthday. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the rise of Android, what you think of the OS, and where you think it’s going. Please shout it out in the comments section!

Coffee Talk #518: Wal-Mart Boots the Amazon Trojan Horse

Wal-Mart recently decided that it will no longer sell Amazon Kindle products. Target made the same decision earlier this year. I always thought it was remarkably stupid for either company to sell Kindle products, particularly the Kindle Fire. Prior to the launch of the original Kindle Fire in 2011, I wrote (for another web site) that it was a “gateway drug” and “Trojan horse” product. While Target and Wal-Mart benefit in the short term from Kindle Fire sales, Amazon wins in the long haul by selling digital and physical products to those consumers. I was astounded by the shortsighted thinking of the brick-and-mortar stores and impressed that Amazon duped these…

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 Ethiopia Gakui Peaberry, Britney Spears learning the Gangnam Style dance, or Ichiro Suzuki’s hot streak, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Wal-Mart recently decided that it will no longer sell Amazon Kindle products. Target made the same decision earlier this year. I always thought it was remarkably stupid for either company to sell Kindles, particularly the Kindle Fire. Prior to the launch of the original Kindle Fire in 2011, I wrote (for another web site) that it was a “gateway drug” and “Trojan horse” product. While Target and Wal-Mart benefit in the short term from Kindle Fire sales, Amazon wins in the long haul by selling digital and physical products to those consumers. I was astounded by the shortsighted thinking of the brick-and-mortar stores and impressed that Amazon duped these dinosaurs into carrying its Trojan horse.

Obviously the Kindle Fire makes it easy for people to buy digital media. That’s less CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs consumers would buy at a brick-and-mortar store. The really clever tactic is Prime Instant Video. With an Amazon Prime subscription, Kindle Fire owners get access to a large library of streaming movies and television shows. They also get free two-day shipping on most physical products sold by Amazon. This makes buying from Amazon really attractive. Consumers can buy nearly everything they can find at Target and Wal-Mart, but without the hassle of going to a store and with the benefit of fast (and free!) shipping. It’s awesomely conveniently, as well as a bit dangerous to impulse shoppers and those prone to addiction.

Why would you allow a Trojan horse like the Kindle Fire to be sold in your stores? I’ve always wondered what idiot executive thought this was a good idea. Thankfully, logic has prevailed and these companies will no longer be selling a product that makes their stores mostly obsolete. About time, morons.

Coffee Talk #517: Confusing Moments in Pro-Wrestling History

Today’s column was inspired by a chat I was having with RPadholic Tokz_21 on the RPad.TV Google+ Messenger group. On last night’s WWE Monday Night Raw, wrestling legend Jerry Lawler suffered a heart attack on air. It’s sad and I hope everyone sends positive vibes to Jerry, hoping for a speedy recovery. Now to be completely honest, initially I wasn’t sure if it was real or if it was an angle. Pro-wrestling can be funny that way. The writers have no boundaries and have crossed several lines over the years. Would an angle involving Lawler’s age (he was in the ring that night too) be out of the realm of possibility? Of course not. Sadly, the heart attack was real, but the whole thing had me thinking about times when I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t in pro-wrestling…

When Owen Heart died due to a harness mishap during the Over the Edge PPV, I initially thought it was an angle. He was playing The Blue Blazer, a masked idiot that thought he was a superhero. He was actually supposed to have a botched fall to the ring, keeping with his character. Sadly, the harness released him too soon and he suffered a tragic fall. I distinctly remember watching the PPV at my friend Justin’s place and arguing that it was a work. It wasn’t until the cameras completely pulled to the crowd that I was aware that something very bad and very real happened.

On a lighter note, a pair of WCW angles vexed me for a long time. The first involved Brian Pillman. In an “I Respect You” match against Kevin Sullivan, Pillman suddenly bailed with the words, “I respect you, booker man!” I knew that Sullivan was a WCW booker, but this was something that was never said on air. Pillman was fired and that’s where things got cloudy. Did he really get fired or was it part of a storyline? Former WCW exec Eric Bischoff said it was part of an angle and that Pillman was supposed to develop his “Loose Cannon” character in ECW before returning to WCW. Pillman said that he wanted to get fired and had no intention of going back to WCW. He ended up going to ECW and eventually brought the “Loose Cannon” persona to WWE.

Kevin Sullivan was involved in an angle with his wife, Nancy Sullivan, and Chris Benoit. The story was that Benoit, who was feuding with Sullivan on TV, took things too far by stealing his wife. Sullivan booked it so that Nancy and Chris traveled together, ate together on the road, and stayed in the same hotels. Art imitated life, with Nancy and Chris actually falling in love and eventually getting married. For a long time, I thought it was just an elaborate angle. It wasn’t until kayfabe went out of style that I realized, “Oh…that really happened.”

Anyway, those are some wrestling moments where I wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. I’d love to hear about some angles that you weren’t sure about. Please share some stories in the comments section!