Tag: Coffee Talk

Coffee Talk #357: Your NBA 2011 Finals Prediction

The 2011 NBA finals are set! It’ll be the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Miami Heat. Who do you think will win? Who are you rooting for?!? As for me…

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, Klatch’s Costa Rica Helsar de Zarcero, Amazon’s Mac download store, or anticipation for Italian beef sandiches, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The 2011 NBA finals are set! It’ll be the Dallas Mavericks vs. the Miami Heat. Who do you think will win? Who are you rooting for?!? As for me, I think Miami will take it in six…but I’m hoping that they lose. Yeah, I feel bad for not backing Pinoy coach Erik Spoelstra, but I’d love to see Dirk Nowitzki get a ring. I’m also dying to see David Stern hand Mark Cuban the Larry O’Brien Trophy. In my head Cuban accepts, waits for Stern to turn around, and smashes the trophy over his head. Cuban, Nowitzki, and Kidd put the boots on him for a few minutes and spray paint “NWO” on his back. That would be awesome.

Now it’s your turn! Please let me know what you think will happen and what you want to happen in this year’s NBA finals.

Coffee Talk #356: Make Your Own Videogame TV Show!

While I respect and admire the videogame television programming produced by G4tv, Greedy Productions (Electric Playground), and Spike TV (GTTV), I’m still waiting for my videogame dream show…

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, T-Mobile HSPA+ 42 launching today, Oscar De La Hoya in rehab, or changing your name to Lord RaRa, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

While I respect and admire the videogame television programming produced by G4tv, Greedy Productions (Electric Playground), and Spike TV (GTTV), I’m still waiting for my videogame dream show. It’s a total rip-off of ESPN’s Around the Horn, but hosted by Adam Sessler and featuring a rotating panel of gaming journalists and one verbal entertainer. Adam would be the perfect host for the show and it’s not hard to find game writers that are full of opinions. It would be weekly since it doesn’t have as many stories to cover as a general sports show. The show would be relatively cheap to make too. I think it would be a blast for the price!

How about you? What’s your dream videogame television show like?

Coffee Talk #355: Where’s the Hot Battery Tech?!?

Phones have dual-core processors these days. Handheld consoles and tablets are capable of displaying high-resolution images in 3D. Yet most devices are still using some form of relatively old lithium battery tech.

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 El Salvador La Montañita, the countdown to Lady Gaga’s new album, or Lady Gaga’s new album cover making her look like a Terminator reject, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Why hasn’t battery technology improved as rapidly as other technologies? Phones have powerful dual-core processors these days. Handheld consoles and tablets are capable of displaying dazzling high-resolution images in 3D. Yet most consumer electronics are still using some form of relatively old lithium battery tech. This results in amazingly powerful devices…with single-digit battery life hours. Just look at the HTC Thunderbolt and Nintendo 3DS for example.

I’ve been reading about incredible advancements with hydrogen, polymer, and zinc batteries for years, but none of these technologies have found their way into consumer electronics. Let’s get on it battery people! Electronics are becoming more powerful and portable every day, but they’re being handcuffed by old battery technology.

I want my phone, laptop, tablet, and portable consoles to have battery life that’s measured in days, not hours. At the very least, their battery life shouldn’t be measured in single digits, don’t you agree?

Coffee Talk #354: Multiple Gamer Personality Disorder

Do you guys have multiple PlayStation Network and/or Xbox Live accounts? A lot of videogame journalists have two or more — one personal account, one work account for playing with readers, and…

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, David Beckham’s underwear line, the awesome NBA conference finals, or the diving prices of 3D HDTVs, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Do you guys have multiple PlayStation Network and/or Xbox Live accounts? A lot of videogame journalists have two or more — one personal account, one work account for playing with readers, and one work account that’s private. This explains why several videogame journalists are a step away from insanity. It’s not easy juggling three personalities.

I’m pretty sure that most “normal” people stick to one account, but I wanted to check with you guys and girls. So how about it? Do you have multiple online gaming accounts? Or are you one and done?

Coffee Talk #353: Game and Movie Check-Ins

Check-in services are hot right now — I’m talking Hansel hot. One recent trend in the check-in space is allowing people to check into the media they’re enjoying. More than one-million people use…

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 Yankees sucking, the return of sucky AJ Burnett, or Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bastards, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As some of you know, I enjoy foursquare, the check-in service that lets you keep tabs on your friends and discover new places. Check-in services are hot right now — I’m talking Hansel hot. One recent trend in the check-in space is allowing people to check into the media they’re enjoying. More than one-million people use GetGlue to check into the movies and television shows they enjoy. The recently launched IGN Dominate allows people to check into their games. Would you use any of these services?

For some people, all of this is nonsense — just new ways and new toys to waste time. Some people get checking into physical locations; foursquare is a great way to discover new restaurants, spas, coffeehouses, etc. Checking into media seems strange to some, but totally cool to others. You can discover new games, TV shows, and movies to enjoy, similar to how you can discover new physical venues with foursquare.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on all these services. Would you use them? Do you find them useful? Do you think they’re weird? Or is this all just a technologically advanced way to waste time?

Coffee Talk #352: Who Will Make the NBA Finals???

The 2011 NBA playoffs have been fascinating. There are just so many great stories happening at the same time. Young players like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose are taking their games to the next level. The old guard…

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, Donovan McNabb not being black enough for Bernard Hopkins, sexy Spanish mermaids, or the day Pippa Middleton stops getting press, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

The 2011 NBA playoffs have been fascinating. There are just so many great storylines happening at the same time. Young players like Kevin Durant and Derrick Rose are taking their games to the next level. The old guard of the Celtics and Lakers appear to be headed to that bastard level — good enough to make the playoffs, but obviously not good enough to win it all. Some mute doppelganger has replaced Mark Cuban. People are fascinated to see how year one of “Miami Thrice” ends. This has been the most intriguing NBA post-season in a long, long time.

How do you think it will play out? Will the Bulls or Heat make it out of the east? Will the Mavericks or Thunder win the west? Who’s going to win the whole enchilada?!? Make your NBA finals predictions in the comments section (please)!

Coffee Talk #351: Do You Use Subtitles in Videogames?

In yesterday’s Coffee Talk, I was surprised to learn that a bunch of you prefer movies with the subtitles turned on. For games, I always have the subtitles turned on. How about you?

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 hotness of mermaids, liking the song “African Child”, or continued iPad 2 production delays, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

In yesterday’s Coffee Talk, I was surprised to learn that a bunch of you prefer movies with the subtitles turned on. As I explained, English is a second or third language for several of my friends, family members, and playmates. Subtitles help us all enjoy movies together. That said, I often leave subtitles on when I’m watching alone. For games, I always have the subtitles turned on. How about you?

I’m a writer. I need to read. In addition to videogame stuff and tech commentary, I’ve scripted videogames and comics. Reading is one of the best ways to improve writing. I’ve “borrowed” techniques from my favorite columnists, comic-book writers, videogame writers, and more. So for me, leaving subtitles on in videogames adds to my enjoyment and serves as a study tool.

And you ladies and gents? Do you prefer your games with or without subtitles?

Coffee Talk #350: Your Summer 2011 Movie Wish List

What 2011 summer blockbusters are you looking forward to? Which ones are you on the fence about? Which giant movies are you definitely not going to see? Let’s all catch The Smurfs together!!! Anyone…

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, Pippa Middleton’s overrated hotness, receiving your first bad batch of coffee in years, or Christian’s short reign as World Heavyweight Champion, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Thor unofficially kicked off the summer blockbuster movie season last week. Tonight I’m off to a screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. While I’m 50/50 on that movie, I’m greatly looking forward to Green Lantern, The Hangover Part II, Captain America, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II. I’m mildly curious about Kung Fu Panda 2, X-Men First Class, and Transformers: Dark of the Moon. For some reason, I can’t stop watching the trailer to The Smurfs movie.

And you? What 2011 summer blockbusters are you looking forward to? Which ones are you on the fence about? Which giant movies are you definitely not going to see?

Coffee Talk #349: Was Sony Asking For It?

Some people feel that Sony is an innocent victim with its recent PlayStation Network service disruption. Others feel that the company was asking for it. What do you think?

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, Microsoft buying Skype for $8.5-billion, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s single life, or pot pies, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

Some people feel that Sony is an innocent victim with its recent PlayStation Network service disruption. Others feel that the company was asking for it. What do you think? On one hand, the company is losing millions — some say billions — of dollars restoring PSN and compensating its customers; certainly the company didn’t do anything immoral to warrant the hacker attack. On the other hand, a lot of pundits feel that Sony’s hard-line stance against hackers prompted the attack. To paraphrase Nietzsche, if Sony didn’t act like dicks to hackers then it wouldn’t have gotten dicked by hackers.

I can see both sides, but I haven’t made up my mind about the situation (the PSN situation, not Jersey Shore Situation). Naturally, I want to hear what you think! Is Sony just a victim here? Or was the company asking for it?

Coffee Talk #348: Internet Bandwidth Caps Revisited

As I mentioned in March, AT&T has started bandwidth caps for its DSL and U-Verse Internet services. On the cable side, Comcast is still using the same cap it introduced in 2008…as if its network hasn’t improved.

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, “Sugar” Shane Mosley running away from the smaller Manny Pacquiao, Phil Jackson’s future, or the latest episode of Game of Thrones, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

As I mentioned in March, AT&T has started bandwidth caps for its DSL and U-Verse Internet services. DSL customers are now capped at 150GB per month, while U-Verse customers are now capped at 250GB per month. The typical (BS) reasons of “network management” and “avoiding congestion” were the reasons given for the caps. The reality is that AT&T will make money from overage fees. Conveniently, the caps also help protect the company’s U-Verse television service from Internet streaming services like Hulu and Netflix.

On the cable side, Comcast remains capped at 250GB per month — you know, the cap that it introduced in 2008. Internet use has only gotten heavier since then, with streaming video and downloadable games really taking off over the last few years. Meanwhile the cap remains the same. Certainly Comcast has improved its network capacity, throughput, and efficiency, but for some reason it hasn’t increased its cap.

If you’re an AT&T or Comcast customer then you should be pissed off by these bogus practices. If you’re not, you should be pissed off by the trend. Bandwidth caps stifle innovation in Internet services. If you like being able to download a full Xbox 360 game as an impulse purchase or want to maximize the value of your Netflix subscription then you should act. Write your Internet service provider and your congressman about AT&T’s caps (pure money grab) and Comcast’s laziness. Let’s start of Monday with some righteous anger and kick this week’s ass!!!