MMN Tech

Sonic 4: Episode II Demo Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 20 May 2012 17:18:00 +0000

Sonic the Hedgehog is a sore spot for many gamers. Year after year, Sega has released poorly executed and non-sense games featuring the blue blur. Then in 2011, Generations came out. Surprisingly enough, it was the best 2D and 3D Sonic game to come out in over a decade. Sonic 4: Episode II is an offshoot project, and it sure does feel like it. There's just something not quite right about it.

Sonic 4: Episode I was a poorly executed game. Sega set out to revive Genesis classics to appease long time fans. Then they threw away everything that made them classics. The game was short, the levels were annoying, and the physics were broken. It boggles my mind how you could screw the formula up so badly. Run fast, go faster in a ball by gaining additional momentum. That was the whole point of Sonic. Sega wanted it to be a tech demo for the Genesis. A mascot who could roll into a ball to go faster was the chief design element of the character. Yet for some reason, Sonic would slow down in Episode I.

Thankfully, Episode II has fixed the woefully broken physics system. Though the demo's presentation is a little worrying. We get a taste of White Park Zone, an ice level. By taste, I mean you only get to play half of an act before getting booted out. The level design is standard fare and reminds me a bit of Ice Cap Zone from Sonic 3. Though not quite as well laid out. I'm not a fan of the art style Sega has been using for Sonic 4. Generations nailed what a 2D modern Sonic game should look like. They're more organic and have more depth. The classic art style was great on the Genesis but woefully dated today.

Episode II gives us more of the same. Not a good thing. Courtesy SonicNewsNetwork

The music is pretty flat as well. Let's compare White Park Zone's music to Ice Cap Zone from Sonic 3. Unfair? You bet it is. MJ can't write tunes for every game, well... not now anyways. Music has been the one thing that all Sonic games seem to be good at. Sonic 4 seems like a weak effort at best.

The only really notable gameplay change, besides physics, is the inclusion of Tails. He can fly and swim, which have returned from Sonic 3. He can also tag team with Sonic into big ball to smash objects, such as snow walls in White Park. It's neat to see Tails return but I don't think it adds much to the experience.

Reviwers that have played the full game have panned it as being mediocre. I review demos because I can't afford to buy everything that comes along. Sonic 4: Episode II doesn't seem all that bad. It's decent enough game no hiccups. However, it still falls short in a way that's difficult to describe. Sonic Generations is the perfect Sonic game for the modern era. Sonic 4 just doesn't come close.

Score: 6 out of 10

What works:
-Fixed physics closer to original Sonic games

What Doesn't
-Lacks a certain je ne sais quoi.
-Bland music and dated art style
-Fails to live up to the high point set by Sonic Generations

Jack Tramiel and the quest for the golden sword

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 23:39:00 +0000

A video gaming legend has passed away this week. Jack Tramiel, founder of Commodore and former CEO of Atari, has died at age 83. The man was famous for bringing the world the legendary Commodore 64, one of the firstr gaming PCs available to the average consumer. However, elite gamers may know him for an entirely different legend. One involving a quest for a golden sword. A SwordQuest if you will.

In the early 80s, Atari was the king of video games. Prior to Major League Gaming, they held their own pro level contests to find the best of the best. Perhaps the most famous was SwordQuest. The contest began in 1982 with a series of four games planned for it. Gamers who joined the Atari fan club received a t-shirt and would receive each game as soon as it launched. The games also shipped with their own DC comic book tie-in.

SwordQuest as a rudimentary precursor to Zelda type adventure games

The four games were based on the ancient elements of the cosmos: Earthworld, Fireworld, Waterword, and Airworld. The structure of the games were based on ancient symbols; the zodiac, tree of life, chakra, and I Ching respectively. It being on the Atari 2600, a lot was left to the player's imagination. That's what made games a lot more magical back then.

Gameplay was basically the same for all four One had to navigate rooms, collect items, and find clue words. These clues were hidden in the companion comic. They would then have to be arranged in the correct sentence. Those who got it would compete at a finals event at Atari HQ. The champions were given custom cartridges and had 90 minutes to find as many clues as possible. The winner would receive a fabulous prize.

A clue in Earthworld directs the gamer to page 16, panel 4 of the comic. The clue is "SPIRE".

In today's game contests, you might win a grand, or a free collector's edition. Atari was serious back then. No plastic trinkets or trips to Hawaii. SwordQuest winners would receive authentic jewel encrusted swag, valued at $25,000 each.

The prizes, clockwise from top left: Talisman of Penultimate Truth, Sword of Ultimate Sorcery, Chalice of Light, Crown of Life, Philosopher's Stone

The winner of Earthworld received a solid gold talisman studded with diamonds, a white gold sword, and the twelve birth stones. Steven Bell took home the prize. Unfortunately, it was forever lost when Bell melted it down and solid it to a coin dealer. Only the sword pin remains.

The winner of Fireworld received a platinum chalice with gold base. It was adorned with citrines, diamonds, green jade, pearls, rubies, and sapphires. Michael Rideout won the chalice and still owns it to this day.

Winners of Waterworld were suppose to receive a gold crown, also adorned with rare gems. Then the video game crash of 1983 hit. Production of SwordQuest games stopped. Two semi-final winners of the Waterworld contest received $15,000 each. The finals for the crown were never held.

After that, Atari stopped the contest. Had it continued, winners of Airworld would have been given a white jade "Philosopher's Stone". It was to come in a jewel encrusted, solid gold box.

Both the crown and the stone did exist. They were on display at the previous three competitions. However, neither captured gamers' imaginations quite like the grand price: the titular sword.

When the four contests were over, the previous grand champions would have a chance compete for the ultimate prize. The Sword of Ultimate Sorcery featured a solid silver blade and solid gold hilt. The hilt was also covered with rare gems. This ultimate prize was valued at $50,000, or over $100,000 today.

A rare photo of the legendary lost sword. It was rumourned to be owned by former Atari CEO Jack Tramiel.

When Atari filed for bankruptcy during the crash, the three remaining prizes disappeared. Then Jack Tramiel bought the company and restructured it. The whereabouts of the sword, crown, and stone have remained unknown up to this day. However, rumours persisted that Jack Tramiel was in possession of at least one, if not all these missing prizes.

Some people claim to have seen the sword hanging in Tramiel's house. However, none of these reports have been confirmed. Tramiel repeatedly denied he was in possession of the items.

So gaming's greatest mystery persists. Now that Tramiel has passed on, we may finally find out if he did indeed hold on to these legendary relics of games past. That is if his estate chooses to share that information. Until then, the quest continues.

If you want to know more about this contest, check out Cinemassacre's Angry Video Game Nerd special on SwordQuest.

Sonic 2 HD gets Alpha, leaves Sonic fans salivating

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 00:15:00 +0000

The year was 1993. It was an innocent time. The Blue Jays had won the world series, you could still buy yogurt in the large tubs, and Mike got his first console for Christmas. Thus began the passion for gaming. One sparked by a blue hedgehog and a system called Genesis. When us old school Sonic fans demanded a game that recreated the experience of the original trilogy, someone listened.

The folks at Sonic 2 HD embarked on an ambitious project. Recreate Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in its entirety, with high definition graphics. It's not an upscale either. While the core of the game remains the same, the music and artwork have been completely overhauled. The end result is better than what Sega themselves accomplished with their lackluster attempt at Sonic 4.

After months of anticipation, the team finally released a demo of the game this week. Though it's an alpha build, it's as close to perfection as a Sonic fan can get. So what's the downside? It's not licensed or endorsed by Sega. The company is within its rights to have the project stopped. As a fan, I hope they won't do that. With any luck, Sega may publish this fan labour of love. Until then, if it ever happens, hit up the link for screenshots and to try the alpha for yourself.

Sonic 2 HD Alpha PC Windows Download

Could the next Playstation be the Orbis?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Playstation 4 rumours are abound. It's no surprise considering E3 is only a couple of months away. Nintendo is already debuting the first console of the eighth generation. Many gamers are curious about what Sony and Microsoft have up their sleeves. Today's hot and fresh PS4 rumour is brought to us by Kotaku. The gaming website cites developer insiders, and makes some bold predictions about the system; now called the Playstation Orbis.

Sony likes Latin names and odd numbers

The new Playstation will be called the Orbis. At least that's what it's codename is. However, Kotaku points out that Orbis Vita translates to "circle of life". That actually makes a lot of sense from a marketing standpoint. Whatever form the Orbis takes, it will be closely linked to Sony's portable platform.

The system is also allegedly due out in time for the 2013 holiday season.

An unlikely PS4 concept design. Geekology.com

A Switch to PC-based hardware

The Cell processor was a bold choice for Sony. While extremely fast for the time, it was a nightmare to program. Rather than using specialized hardware, the Orbis will take a note from the original Xbox. It will feature a 64-bit AMD processor and an AMD "Southern Islands" graphics chip. According to the unnamed developers, the system will be capable of 4K resolutions; four times that of the current 1080p HD standard.

Given this information, we can make some educated guesses about what exactly this will entail. AMD is scheduled to bring out the successor to their current line of FX processors, code-named Steamroller, in 2013. The company is focusing on integrating graphics and processor into the same chip. This would greatly simplify construction of the system and reduce build costs.

AMD's current line of "Bulldozer" chips use the HD 6000 series GPU, one generation behind their stand-alone cards. Therefore, it's likely Steamroller chips will feature HD 7000 series graphics. With Microsoft allegedly opting for a mid-range GPU, Sony might do the same.

The PS Orbis might use AMD's FX line of chips, or a similar single chip "Accelerated Processing Unit"

Due to the switch to PC-based hardware, the Orbis will allegedly be unable to play Playstation 3 games. There are apparently no plans to bring backwards compatibility to the system. This would address one of the problems with the original PS3, where backwards compatibility hardware drove up the price.

Bluray and Download side by side

The Orbis will be a download based console. All games will be available from the Playstation Store. However, it will still use physical Bluray discs. This is similar to the route that Sony took with the Vita.

One curious little tidbit of information concerns used and rented games. Kotaku alleges the system will feature a new "digital rights management" scheme to tie Bluray discs to a user's PSN account. Gamers purchasing used or rented games will only have access to limited demo versions of the game. They will need to pay a fee to unlock the full game. Apparently this will use an always-on DRM system, similar to what Ubisoft has attempted with PC games. Something that has been very unpopular with gamers.

I can see this being controversial. Publishers and retailers have been at war with each other over used games for the last couple of years. Publishers claim that used games are equivalent to piracy as they do not receive profits from their sale. Locking out used games from systems would greatly improve relations with game makers, but risks alienating gamers caught in the middle. Sony has already been aggressive with online passes to appease big game companies. However, I cannot see them locking out used games. Especially if their competitors don't follow the same route. In my opinion, publishers would be better served making profit sharing deals with major game retailers, but that's another article for another day.

Keep in mind that none of these rumours have been confirmed by Sony, so take them with a grain of salt. We will update you with more details about the Orbis as they come out.

Source: Kotaku
AMD FX Image: ComputerActive

Six Vita games, Six capsule reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:02:00 +0000

Yes, I have a Playstation Vita in my hands. I will be doing a full review of it soon. I just haven't decided how I want to go about it. Of course the hardware means little without the games. Here's six capsule reviews of the ones I've tried out so far.

Tales from Space: Mutant Blobs Attack

Canadian indie developer DrinkBox released an adorable PS3 game about a little blob from space with a huge apatite. Its sequel is by far the best launch title on the Vita. You play as a mutated blob who escapes from a university science lab. You roll around, sucking up objects to grow bigger and eventually conquer the galaxy.

It's a quirky tribute to 1950s B-Movies and modern online-culture. Beyond that, it's a solid physics based puzzle-platformer. The difficulty ramps up nicely as you go from the lab, to the moon, to rampaging through Canada's largest city. There's plenty of traps along the way from lasers, spikes, and angry army men that will blast you to oblivion. My favourite parts are the rocket blob segments, which really show off the game's fantastic physics engine. Bonus levels do an excellent job showing off the Vita's motion controls as you tilt the system to move Mutant Blob around the playing field.

Mutant Blobs Attack oozes charm and is definitely the best game to appear on the Vita so far. My only problem is the game was too short. Sure, there's 30 some odd levels, but even that didn't feel like enough. When you finish a game wanting more, that's definitely not a bad thing. I hope DrinkBox will keep expanding this quirky franchise. DLC ahoy.

Score: 9.5 out of 10

Wipeout 2048

Wiprout is the definitive anti-gravity racer, and with good reason. There have been plenty of imitators but nobody has reached the nirvana between fast racing and solid combat.

Wipeouts Pulse and Pure defined the racing genre on the PSP. Wipeout 2048 on the PSVita is just like those games, and every other recent Wipeout game. The combat is the same, the racing types & classes are the same, the racing teams are the same, the vehicles aren't that much different. That's not to say it's a bad game. It just feels like SEC Liverpool has turned the series into an incremental release with a fresh coat of paint every couple of years.

That said, Wipeout 2048 is the best racer the Vita has right now. It's also the best anti-gravity racer since WipEout HD launched on the PS3 four years ago. Wipeout's relentless difficulty returns with a mix of racing styles. It also does a good job as a tech demo for the system. Even during the fastest Zone races, the Vita doesn't even hiccough. The colours and eye-popping visuals the series is know for look their best on the Vita's gorgeous OLED screen.

My biggest beef about this game is the price. At $40, it's double the price of other Wipeout games. Yet the content is virtually the same. The game also loses points for the inclusion of the much maligned online pass.

Score: 7 out of 10

Lumines: Electronic Symphony (Demo tested)

Lumines is a Tetris clone. That's really all you need to know about this game. Your goal is to create 4x4 blocks of the same colour. It's a lot like Tetris, Mean Bean Machine, Columns, and every other block puzzler. Simple games can make or break a system, and Lumines is one of Sony's few portable exclusive series.

Lumines is more known for its robust art style than gameplay. It's a gorgeous game with a fantastic soundtrack. There are supposedly some RPG mechanics involved but they're not included in the short demo version. It's definitely a treat for puzzle game fans.

Like Wipeout, I think the game is a bit overpriced. $40 is a bit much to ask for a Tetris clone. Especially when there are far cheaper alternative on competing platforms.

Score: 8 out of 10

Rayman: Origins (Demo Tested)

Rayman is one of Ubisoft's oldest franchises. As you know, Ubi is probably MMNTech's most hated developer. Even I must admit that Rayman Origins is a solid gem.

As the name suggests, Origins takes us back to the original 2D format of the PS1 original. Rayman's friends have been captured by the undead for disturbing the peace. It's up to our arm and legless hero to save them. What follows is some of the best platforming I've seen in a long time. Fantastic physics, good special moves. This game is just pure fun, and a rare right move for Ubisoft.

Rayman looks as good on the Vita as it does on other platforms. Eyepopping colour and fantastic hand drawn graphics. This is the best platfomer I've seen in a long time. As good, if not better, than the 3DS's Super Mario 3D Land. It recreates the fun and creativity of the classic games it's trying to revive. Rayman Origins is definitely worth its $40 entry fee.

Score: 9 out of 10

Uncharted: Golden Abyss (Demo Tested)

Golden Abyss has served as the introduction to the Vita for many, if not most. One of the PS3's most successful franchises scales down quite well.

The demo features a platforming and shooting level. First of all, the game looks fantastic. It really shows off what the Vita is capable of, and that's console level gameplay. Visuals are as close as you can get to firing up Uncharted on your PS3. That said, I found the demo a little underwhelming. Platforming is solid but shooting leaves a lot to be desired. Distant targets appear very small on the screen. It's harder to line up a good shot than it is on the PS3 versions. I also found the touch screen mechanics to be more a gimmick than anything else.

If you're a fan of Nathan Drake's adventures, this one is definitely worth picking up. However, new inductees into the Uncharted series would be best playing the console versions before jumping into this one.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

Super Stardust Delta

Super Stardust Delta shows why dual analogues on a portable are so important. This arcade classic has been perfectly ported to the Vita.

For those unfamiliar with the game, it's like Asteroids on 'roids. You navigate your little ship around a spherical playing surface, blowing up asteroids and alien ships bombarding the planet below. There's a mix of different weapons, including fire beam, ice guns, and devastating bombs.

Out of all the Vita games that attempt to emulate what the PS3 can do, this one comes the closest. Indeed, it exceeds Super Stardust HD. Difficulty is better balanced for beginner players. Aside from the usual arcade and planet modes, there are also some new game modes that take advantage of the touchscreen and motion controls. I find the motion controls a little sloppy compared to the sharp stick controls. To extend the game, a content pack adds four new endurance modes.

Super Stardust Delta is the best time waster on the Vita so far. The only reason it didn't get a higher score is because of the day one DLC. It's a crass move by game publishers. The base game is $9.99 and the four new modes are an additional $5 on top. I went all out and payed for the full game plus additional content. However, I don't think it adds that much. It's $5 well saved if you skip it.

Score: 8 out of 10

Analyzing the SteamBox

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 20:50:00 +0000

There might be a Steam console coming to a TV near you. That's the rumour percolating this week. Sources say Valve has developed a mini computer, with the purpose of creating a stand alone console that can play PC games. Should such a thing exist? Blasphemy, so say PC gamers who have heard it all before.

Valve certainly wouldn't be the first company to do this. Phantom Entertainment attempted it as far back as 2003. The hardware looked promising, as well as the allure of a truly open platform. Then a lawsuit and fraud investigation later, and The Phantom disappeared entirely.

Valve has also come up with a system that has promising hardware. It's claimed to feature an i7 processor, 8gb of RAM, and an nVidia graphics chip. All built with off-the-shelf components. Valve has considerable gamer & publisher support, and an existing distribution model. If we compare past systems, a Steam box would be like the original Xbox. A big company takes a risky move to create a console out of PC hardware.

A standardized system would have huge benefits for software developers. However, such a system wouldn't necessarily benefit gamers. After all, standardized hardware already exists. They're called the Wii, Xbox 360, and Playstation 3. Many, if not most PC titles launching today are ports of console games. Few exclusives exist beyond MMOs and real-time strategy, and that's only because they're impractical on consoles.

The Steam box is a novel concept but it fails to take into consideration one important factor. PC gamers don't game just for the sake of gaming. Much of the hobby comes from building and customizing hardware, or tweaking and modding the games themselves. Especially outdoing those doing the same. As a PC gamer myself, I feel a Steam box isn't going to appeal to this community.

As for console gamers, the market is already saturated. There isn't room for more than three systems. There never has been. It's especially true if the system can't offer up any clear advantage over the others. Both Nintendo and Sony survive through well established franchises and unique exclusives. Nintendo furthermore has its gimmicks. Microsoft has their superior online play. Steam would add a direct download, discless alternative. But is that enough?

Valve should not be producing another stand alone console. The world doesn't need it. If they want in on the hardware business, custom PCs are a more viable choice. Especially if they partner with nVidia, as has been suggested. Similar to what AMD has done with their Vision platform. If they can use their leverage to produce a Windows PC focused on gaming, with prices comparable to consoles, then they may be on to something.

Why you shouldn't buy a PSVita at launch

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 03:29:00 +0000

The Playstation Vita is a technological marvel. Though that's only if you take its raw power into account. Sony prides itself on producing the most powerful game systems. Though the PS Vita could already be obsolete, even before it launches.

When the PSP was released, it too was a fantastic piece of hardware. Not only could it play console quality games, but it could also browse the internet, play movies, and music. That was revolutionary in 2005. Sony's products have always been praised for their technical innovation. The Vita also does the same things. However, you've already got something in your pocket that does all that.

A lot of gaming writers tend to dismiss the rise of smart phones and tablets. They don't provide the graphical details portable gaming systems. As I mentioned in my 3DS reviews, I don't think that matters anymore. Then there's games like Infinity Blade II, that prove that these devices can indeed provide the same experience, for cheaper. Smart phones have already rendered it out dated.

As it is, the PS Vita is way too expensive. Sony screwed themselves over on two fronts here. Not so much with the hardware price. Though $250 big ones is still a lot of money to blow. Rather, it's the Vita's accessories that are proving to be its downfall. Nobody wants to pay the steep prices for the Vita's proprietary memory cards. Especially when Android devices and the 3DS use common and cheap SD cards. The iPhone and iPod Touch feature built in storage. The Vita has none. The memory expense raises the real price of the system by quite a bit. Expect to spend at least $300, but likely more if you want anything usable.

The second is game prices. Sony sells hard copies of games for more than downloadable copies. However, the downloadable copies require the expensive storage cards. The games are also still quite a bit more expensive than iOS and Andriod games. The launch lineup is better than the 3DS, but nothing really stands out. I just don't think there's a big enough market for in depth portable games anymore.

The high entry price is why you should avoid the Vita on launch. I expect it will have the same growing pains as the 3DS. Especially if sluggish Japanese sales are any indication. A price cut is inevitable. That will be the time to scoop one up. At the moment, there's just not enough value in the Vita to justify the high ticket price.

Xbox 3 may include Radeon HD 6670, and that's not so bad

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:57:00 +0000

It turns out the Xbox 3 will not be the state of the art system the original was upon its release. According to IGN, the successor to the 360 will feature Radeon HD 6670 graphics. Naturally the internet is outraged, as they tend to get over such things. The next Xbox will definitely not rival the best gaming PCs of today. That might not be such a bad thing.

When Microsoft released the 360 in 2005, it shipped with their state of the art Xenos processor. They wanted to create a console that would rival the most powerful Windows PCs of the era. As a result, they chose to use a modified Radeon X1800 XL. It was considered an enthusiast chip, and part of ATI's flagship line of cards.

One year later, Sony selected the enthusiast grade nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX for the Playstation 3.

Using high end chips certainly extended the life of the two consoles. While no longer cutting edge, they still hold their own against more powerful systems. By comparison, the weaker Wii has already passed its sell-by date. However, using high end hardware came at too great a price.

The HD6670 may not be a power house but will be cheaper and run cooler than the Xenos

Microsoft and Sony sold their current consoles at a loss for many years. Sony in particular struggled to lower manufacturing costs for quite some time. Both systems sold for $400 and $500 respectively. Since the recession, the desire to fork over that kind of cash for a toy has waned. $300 is the magic price point.

Using a cheaper graphics chip makes a lot of sense. While console gamers care about graphics, they don't care as much as their PC gaming brethren. What matters is whether there will be a noticeable improvement over the 360. When Microsoft says it will be six times faster, there is a legitimate case to argue that. Seven years and five generations of graphics cards have passed by, with a new generation about to be released. Even a lower end card such as this will offer clear improvements. Especially if Microsoft adopts DirectX 11, and it's tickle trunk of visual enhancements.

Image source: Xbox360Cheats.com

MMNTech's position on SOPA

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 20:09:00 +0000

There's been a lot of talk about the SOPA bill lately. For those who don't know, this is also known as the Stop Online Piracy Act. It's a sweeping piece of legislation that would effectively give private entities the power to remove websites from the internet. It's also pits content producers at war with content providers.

SOPA and it's companion PROTECT IP bill promise to curtail "foreign" piracy of copyrighted content. However, the bill as it is remains far too vague and open to interpretation. Due process through the courts is not required for the government to pull a site. An accusation of copyright infringement is all it requires. It would allow private corporations free reign to censor the internet. In many ways, it is not dissimilar to China's Great Firewall.

This presents a huge threat to sites like Google, YouTube, and Facebook, as well as smaller internet entrepreneurs like Channel Awesome, and MMNTech. While it is an American bill, the internet community has chosen to draw the line here. Other countries are also contemplating similar legislation.

I oppose all attempts to censor the free flow of knowledge in any form. Our society relies on this to grow, and the internet is the best tool we have today for this. While piracy may be a problem, SOPA opens far too big a loophole for abuse and should be scrapped entirely. It was a bill drafted and supported by only a hand full of media conglomerates. They are the only ones that stands to benefit this, should it become law.

If you live in the United States, please take the time to write your congressional representatives and tell them that you oppose the bill. The Obama administration has already come out against the bill, and I applaud them for doing so.

If you have the time, it may also be worth it to let SOPA's supporters know that you oppose their attempt to censor the Internet. A complete list can be found below.

Many websites including Wikipedia and Reddit will be taking action against the bill on January 18th. They will switch off for the day in protest. MMNtech supports them in their endeavours.

SOPA supporters:

ABC
BMI
CBS
Comcast/NBCUniversal
Disney Publishing Worldwide, Inc.
EMI Music Publishing
Entertainment Software Association
ESPN
Major League Baseball
Marvel Entertainment, LLC
MasterCard Worldwide
Motion Picture Association of America
National Cable & Telecommunications Association
National Football League
News Corporation
Random House
Scholastic, Inc.
Sony/ATV Music Publishing
Sony Music Entertainment
Time Warner
Universal Music
Universal Music Publishing Group
Viacom
Visa Inc.
Warner Music Group
Entertainment Software Association

How big would a modern tube computer be?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 18:41:00 +0000

Modern computing turns 66 this year. It was in June 1946 that ENIAC, the first general purpose computer, was turned on. That got me thinking. If the transistor had never been invented, how large would a modern tube powered computer be?

ENIAC weighed 27 tonnes for its 17,468 tubes and other components.

So I Googled vacuum tube weights and came up with a rudimentary number of about 150g per tube. This was for a large triode that appears similar to the ones used in ENIAC. Tube Diodes and triodes share a similar function to modern day transistors. They amplify and gate electrical signals.

My computer has an AMD Phenom II X4 955. It clocks in at 758 million transistors. At 150 grams a piece for each tube, this comes to a whopping 113,700 metric tonnes. That's heftier than a Nimitz Class aircraft carrier.

ENIAC was big...

The original iPhone 4 had about 200 million transistors. It would be about half the size of the RMS Titanic.

Intel's fastest consumer chips, the Core i7 hexes, have about 2.270 billion transistors. It would weigh in at 340,500 tonnes The weight of three of those aircraft carriers.

A vacuum tube 6-core Core i7 would tip the scales, larger than 3 aircraft carriers

Of course this is just for the tubes alone. That doesn't include the relays, wiring, resistors, capacitors, and mounting racks to hold it all together. It's pretty staggering how far we've come in the last half century of computing.

Q&A: Why does the Xbox look better than the PS3?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 16:26:00 +0000

It's pretty clear that Sony's Cell is more powerful than the Xbox. It was designed for high performance super computing. Yet despite its power, the PS3 doesn't look that much better than it's contemporaries. In fact, sometimes it looks worse. Graphics can occasionally look muddy or washed. You've probably heard that Sony went with a weaker and more outdated graphics chip than Microsoft did. This isn't the case.

Both Sony and Microsoft went with slightly tweaked, off-the-shelf graphics chips for their consoles. The Xbox 360's Xenos GPU, produced by ATI, is similar to the Radeon X1800 XL. The PS3's nVidia RSX is virtually identical to the GeForce 7800 GTX. Both chips have identical specifications to their PC gaming counterparts. Naturally, you'd think the Xbox's chip would outperform the Playstation's. In real world tests, it doesn't.

The PS3's graphics look washed and blurry in the original Assassin's Creed. From Techblog.com

Pound per pound, the 7800 GTX is the fastest. I compared the two chips using Tom's Hardware's GPU charts from 2006. The ATI chip is only faster in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and only in an outdoor environment. Even then, improvements are marginal: about two frames per second difference. The GeForce beats it at everything else.

The PS3 actually has the more powerful CPU and GPU of the two consoles. So why does it tend to look worse, or struggle with certain games like Oblivion? It's counter intuitive.

Crysis 2 is another example of where the PS3 falls short. Notice the missing details. From Androidguide.ru

The potential culprit left is memory. This is where things get complicated. Both the PS3 and Xbox 360 have 512mb of RAM. The Xbox shares the entire 512mb block between it's CPU and GPU. The PS3 splits it into two 256mb blocks dedicated to the CPU and GPU.

The Xbox dynamically allocates it's memory usage. Basically, if the CPU only needs 128mb of RAM, then the GPU has the rest. It uses these for textures and other things it needs to store and quickly retrieve. The more memory the GPU has, the bigger the textures it can store. The bigger the textures, the better the image.

The Xbox 360 shares it's RAM between the GPU and CPU.

The PS3 on the other hand is locked in at 256mb. At the time of it's release, this amount of memory was considered outdated. That's another myth about it's graphics. In fact, cards with 512mb or more were largely restricted to the enthusiast segment at the time. More RAM helps performance, but not by much. The two PC cards we looked at have 256mb and 512mb for the ATI and nVidia cards respectively. When we drop the 7800 GTX down to 256mb, performance suffers but only marginally. Even at high resolutions, both chips are evenly matched with nVidia still retaining a slight performance lead.

So how much performance does a graphically intense game of the period use? I loaded up Flight Simulator X on the PC and calculated it's ram usage to be about 650mb evenly split between GPU and CPU. Keep in mind that PC isn't an embedded system. So about 50mb of GDDR are likely being used for other stuff that's running in the background. Namely the desktop.

That's not the say that the PS3 wouldn't benefit from more memory, though not necessarily for graphics. The Cell is a very powerful CPU hampered by a limited amount of system RAM. Our quick test shows that a period game easily consumes more CPU memory than the PS3 has. That's not including all the other things Windows does in the background.

In recent third party games, the differences are much less noticeable. From Attackofthefanboy.com

Ideally, the PS3 should have had 1gb of RAM, split in a 512/512 configuration. At minimum, 512mb of RAM should have been allocated to the CPU. So why didn't they do this? Simple, because it would have cost too much.

The PS3 is very much a system built on compromises. At launch, it was already going for $600, which Sony was selling at a loss. Estimates peg actual manufacturing costs to be over $800. While the addition of pricey Blu-ray was heavily criticized, that eventually paid off in spades for Sony. The problem lies with other parts within the system.

Sony used Rambus XDR memory, which is notoriously expensive. It's faster than the Xbox's GDDR3 on paper, but real world performance improvements are dubious at best. On top of that, they insisted on full hardware PS2 backwards compatibility. The original PS3s literally had a Playstation 2 shoehorned inside them. Had they cut that from the beginning and focused on adding more memory, they would have had a better console.

That still doesn't explain why the PS3 doesn't look as good as the Xbox 360. The real answer is much more simple. At the time, nVidia and ATI were fighting a fierce arms race to build the best GPU. There were two schools of thought going at the time. One was to build a chip optimized for raw power. A GPU that, clock for clock, could produce higher frame rates and higher resolutions than its competitors. The other idea was to build a chip that focused it's power on producing the sharpest and most vibrant images. nVidia went with speed, ATI went with image quality.

Uncharted 3 shows was a properly programmed game can do with the PS3. From Gamersyde.ca

However, and it's a big one, there are exceptions to this rule. Sony's first and second party developers have created some beautiful games for the system. Games that exceed the Xbox in image quality. That's because these games are better optimized for the hardware. That's what it all boils down to: how the developer programmed their game.

Merry Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 01:51:00 +0000

Merry Christmas from MMNTech!

Image courtesy of Fail Blog WIN!

Need a video converter? Here's three of them

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 03:07:00 +0000

Every now and then, you'll need to convert a video. Whether you're editing some family films or just want to rip a DVD to your iPhone, different devices require different formats. Here's three great converters to get the job done fast.

Handbrake (Mac/Windows/Linux, free)
Most devices use the the advanced video format (AVC) also known as H.264. If you need to convert any video into AVC, Handbrake will do it, fast. It's designed to do just one thing and one thing well. Of course it does have a few frills, like deinterlacing, freely adjustable bit rates, cropping, and presets for most Apple devices. On Mac and Linux, it also supports 64-bit processors for about a 10% speed bump. It will convert most DVDs in real time, which is pretty quick for a CPU converter. Handbrake open source program, works with all major operating systems, and it's completely free.

SUPER Media File Converter (Windows, free)
SUPER is clunky, a tad on the slowside, and not exactly the most user friendly program out there. Even finding the download link on eRightSoft's website is a chore. However, it's one of the few free converters out there that will literally convert anything into anything. Got an MPEG that needs to be in DV format? Done. It's one of the few programs that actually supports professional formats such as DV, so it's often my go to when editing.

Media Espresso (Windows, $37.56 on sale)
Cyberlink's converting program isn't cheap, but it does have one thing going for it. It will tap into the power of your computer's graphics card. There's a lot of power hidden in there too. It's the most user friendly and straightforward program on our list. It's basic drag and drop converting. Select your file, drag it into Espresso, hit the convert button your device, and it does the rest. You can also set up custom profiles with today's most common video formats. Where Espresso shines is speed. Using my Radeon HD 5770, I can convert a two hour DVD in just 20 minutes. It would normally take the full two hours using Handbrake. Unlike other GPU converters, it works with Intel, nVidia, and AMD graphics chips. If you need to convert big video files fast, and have a reasonably powerful graphics card, it's well worth the expense.

Vita's media will cost a lot of dollas

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:38:00 +0000

Sony never met a proprietary format it didn't like. Beta, Minidisc, Bluray, Memory Stick. Joining it is the PS Vita Memory card. Like all other Sony formats, it's incompatible with other devices, completely unnecessary, and as we learned this week, very expensive.

Sony announced four size formats for the new PS Vita Memory Card. It will range from 4gb to 32gb and be priced between $30 up to a whopping $120 for the 32gb model. By comparison, commonly used SD cards in the same sizes range from $6 to $70. Sony's own failed Memory Stick Pro Duo cards retail at $95 for 32gb. This makes Sony's Vita cards the most expensive flash storage cards around.

Contains gold, platinum, and unobtanium... which is my theory for the high price

Like the PSP before it, the Vita has no built in storage. As PC World correctly points out, this bumps the true cost of the Vita to at least $320 with tax factored in. That's even before you buy any games or accessories. In other words, Sony is repeating the same mistakes it made with the PSP.

With companies trying to push downloadable games over retail copies, I find the high markup on storage puzzling. It made sense when there were no alternatives, but the iPhone and Android have changed the game. It's certainly not going to convince people to drop retail.

Source: PC World

Images courtesy of PC World and Meme Generator

Sonic Generations Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:09:00 +0000

We've said it time and time again. You got your hopes up only to have your dreams dashed. This time I can say it with confidence. The Hedgehog is back. In fact, Sonic Generations is easily the best Sonic game in 15 years.

As a long time Sonic fan, I don't make the above claim lightly. I was a huge fanboy back in the Genesis heyday. I mastered every game of the main series, played every other at least once. I religiously watched Sonic SatAM, and collected all the Archie Sonic comics. I loved the blue blur. To seem him fall so low in the 3D era pains me. It's like watching a piece of your childhood die.

Saga is trying hard to turn their struggling mascot around. We've seen three major releases in the last year. Each one has improved upon the other. Generations finally manages to capture the spirit of the Genesis games, while at the same time perfecting them for the modern era.

Story & Gameplay

Thankfully, Generations keeps it simple for once. No bad dialogue, no weird ineterspecies romance. The story is kept light. Sonic's friends are captured by a time beast and thrown into the White World. This acts as the level select screen. There's no unnecessary over-world, which is refreshing. The story has plenty of nods and in jokes for fans. It even mocks the ludicrous stories and bizarre characters the 3D era is known for.

The game is structured like a classic Sonic game. There are nine zones with two acts each. Each zone is taken from the nine games released in the main series, from Sonic 1 up to Sonic Colours.

The zones are split into a Classic Sonic act and a Modern Sonic act. Seeing the chubby Sonic of yesterday puts a smile on any fan's face. Seeing him race through modernized versions of Green Hill Zone and Chemical Plant managed to put a huge grin on mine. Everything is just perfect with these classic levels. The focus on speed, speed, speed is gone. Instead, we return to good old fashioned platforming. That's really what the original series was all about. Physics are as close to the original Genesis games as you can get. You do tend to loose momentum in rolls quicker. The jumping is spot on though, a big improvement over Sonic 4.


Green Hill Zone looks great in the 21st Century

Compared to the original Green Hill Zone in 1991

After that first act, you move on to 3D Sonic. I actually enjoyed playing these levels just as much as the classics. Building on what they learned in Unleashed and Colours, Sega has perfected Sonic in the third dimension. There's a lot of great speed but a lot of good platforming. You get the feeling of a blistering pace, but without the cheap deaths that went along with previous games. One difference over the past is a boost gauge, which allows for temporary bursts of speed. You fill up the gauge by collecting rings, and doing mid air "tricks".

Both classic and modern levels are just a blast to play. The difficulty feels just right. It gets harder as the game progresses, without overwhelming the player. There's no sense of cheap traps here. Except maybe in Chaos City. Why Sega would want to revisit that rotting disaster known as Sonic 2006 is beyond me.

The game can be completed in a few hours. Some reviewers have complained about the length. I think they forget how short the original games were. Though Sega is not completely cheap here. Each zone has several challenge levels for both classic and modern Sonic. Completing these will more than double the game time. Plus, you get to unlock lots of goodies by finishing them.

Graphics & Sound

Sonic Generations is a gorgeous game. Sega has really taken attention to detail seriously. They're good at making their games pretty. The levels are crisp and colourful, which is nice in today's shades of grey games. The recreations of the Genesis levels in 3D are stunning and true to the classic design. Levels have been carefully designed to add challenge and excellent platforming.

As fast and as beautiful as the game is, modern consoles can't keep up. Sega took the unfortunate step of trading fluid motion for beauty. Sonic has to be played at a high frame rate to create smooth motion. In traditional games, this was 60 frames per second. The PS3 and Xbox 360 can only manage half that. It creates a fair bit of lag and motion blur. This takes a lot away from the Sonic experience.

Sonic Generations is a beautiful game best played at the PC's fast frame rate

The best platform to play Sonic Generations on is the PC. The game still has a locked frame rate, unfortunately. However, it will run at a full 60 frames per second on Windows. This is how the game should be played, provided you have a powerful enough system. In my case, I'm running an AMD Phenom II X3 at 3.0ghz, Radeon HD 5770 1gb, and 4gb of RAM. This is enough to run the game at full speed without breaking the bank.

The game has no major technical issues. There's the occasionally frame rate hiccup but glitches are at a minimum. Thankfully, Sega learned from the disastrous Sonic the Hedgehog 2006.

Aside from looking good, the game sounds amazing as well. Even in it's darkest days, music has always been the Sonic series' strong suit. We're not getting anything new here. Instead, Sega has recreated and reinterpreted classic tunes with help from their original composers. The new versions of the old Genesis tracks really stand out for classic Sonic fans. Listen for your self. As you play, you can unlock the original tracks for a blast from the past. Even as a Sonic fan since the beginning, I still prefer the new versions.

Conclusions

Sonic Generations is the best console game in the series since Sonic 3 & Knuckles. Period. Sega has made a lot of mistakes with their flagship series. This is the game that finally gets it right. Classic Sonic plays like classic Sonic should. Modern Sonic is fast and fun. Both modes balance each other perfectly.

That said, the game isn't perfect. It has a few pitfalls. Later levels return us to a few cheap deaths, and the frame rate is too low on consoles. Some have complained that the game is short too. While that's true, it's no shorter than the Genesis classics.

Sonic Generations is a pure and unabashed lip service to fans who started with the series' roots. It's a fantastic game that really shows what Sonic should be, and what he can be. No stupid stories, no nonsensical friends. Just pure speed and smart platforming.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

What Works
-Classic Sonic plays like classic Sonic
-Colourful graphics and reinterpretations of classic levels
-Re-imagined music will make Sonic fans smile
-Modern Sonic gameplay finally perfected
-Lots of stuff to unlock, with missions that add variety

What doesn't work
-Cheap pit deaths in later levels
-Low frame rate on consoles

Nintendo 3DS Review

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 20:01:00 +0000

It's been a rough year for Nintendo. Stocks have plummeted, executives are taking pay cuts, and Mario has gone back into plumbing. At the centre of the storm is the 3DS. The little system is stirring up a hornets nest. Is it really as bad as gamers say? Is it too expensive and gimmicky? You bet! It's all those things and more, packed into a worthy successor to the DS dynasty.

What's in the box

The 3DS currently retails at a more reasonable $169.99, a reduction of $80 off the original launch price. The box contains the usual goodies. The system itself, a charger and dock, thick manual, warranty cards. It also comes with a few surprises. The 3DS comes with generous a 2gb SD card to get you downloading. Are you listening Sony? It also ships with a small deck of AR cards for the built in augmented reality games. Conspicuously missing is Nintendo's usual Wii style pack-in game cartridge. Given the high price the system originally commanded, I would think that would be a given.

The box includes manuals, AR cards, charger dock, 3DS, and charger (not pictured)

The system itself resembles the older DS Lite and DSi. It's about the same size and weight. Numerous improvements have been made over it's older brothers. The 3DS now contains an analogue nub, which makes true 3D games more playable. The shoulder buttons have also been raised a bit, to give them a better feel in your hands. Something that simple is a huge improvement.

Analogue nub, better buttons, fingerprinty piano black finish.

Your eyes bleed 3D

The real star of the show is the glasses-free 3D display. Until now, most consumer 3D screens have required the use of glasses. Instead the 3DS uses something called a parallax barrier. Tiny slats are used to display a different image for each eye. This gives the illusion of depth.

The display is just gorgeous. It features a wide screen aspect ratio for the first time. The 800x240 display gives a similar resolution to the PSP. The 3D mode works very well, though it's somewhat underutilized. A lot of games are still using pop-up book graphics. Experiments will depth will come.

You get the gist of it. Games look good. No 3D for you on 2D camera though.

3D will take some getting used to for some people. About 10% of the general population won't notice the effect. Others may get headaches from it. Nintendo provides a slider to adjust the intensity of the 3D effect, so you can tune it to something more comfortable.

It may be a gimmick but the 3D display is where the 3DS really shines. Ocarina of Time has never looked better.

Of course, the second touch screen from the DS remains. Sadly, it is not wide screen but they did up the resolution to 480x320.

Bad battery

The downside with the fancy screens and souped up graphics is battery life. In a word, it's pitiful. Expect to get just three to five hours of gameplay depending on the brightness. It does have a fairly large battery, so why is power consumption so high? I've tracked it down to a couple of potential sources. The processors in the 3DS use an older, less efficient design. New mobiles use smaller transistors, which use less power. It's an easy fix that will be included with an inevitable redesign. The 3D screen also consumes a lot of energy. The paralax display requires a brighter backlight. Battery life can be extended by using lower brightness settings, or turning 3D off.

Pop-up Pics, grainier than a Saskatchewan wheat field

The 3DS features three VGA cameras. The front facing camera is unchanged from the DSi. It can take photos of the user and plaster them on Miis and other in-game avatars. Don't expect to be using your 3DS to do any Skype video chats.

The two rear facing cameras are where the fun is. At least if you find grainy, eye hurting photography to be fun. As one would expect, the 3DS can take 3D pictures. The quality is questionable at best. The pictures come out quite blurry and have noticeable gain, even in decent lighting conditions. Nintendo has obviously packed the lowest quality mobile cameras they could find into this thing. Even the cheapest cell phones have 2.0 megapixel cameras in them, and have for some time. By comparison, the 3DS's cameras are 0.3 megapixel.

The 3D effect ranges from okay to quite poor. It all depends on what you're shooting and the angle you shoot at. I've had some that have come out quite well. Others make my eyes want to bleed. It works best with medium shots. Closeups produce a disorientating effect that makes my brain hurt, while wide shots produce nothing noticeable. On the plus side, you can edit your photos to adjust the intensity of the 3D effect. Fine tuning what each eye sees can make better looking photos. Overall, the 3D photos do look better on the device than 2D photos taken with the same camera do.

The rest of the photo app is pretty basic. It allows you to "graffiti" your pictures. Basically, you can draw on them, and that's pretty much it. Obviously it's meant to be easy to use for children. I didn't expect Photoshop Express, so I can't dock points for simplicity. I just wish the pictures it took weren't so awful.

Note: I'd show you how bad the pictures are but the SD card doesn't want to cooperate with either of my computers. I'll post them when I fix it.

Hardware odds and ends

For online connectivity, the 3DS has 802.11G Wi-Fi. It's a major improvement from the DS's painfully slow 802.11b connection. Also, like the iPod Touch, it features an accelerometer and gyroscope for basic motion control, and a microphone for audio recording. All of these work well, though most are not yet integrated into games.

I like the hardware a lot. It feels like the most grown up member of Nintendo's portables. Nintendo finally has something that can rival Sony's portable in the hardware department. Mostly everything works well. Unfortunately, that's only half the story.

System Software

Software can make or break a game system, and the 3DS's just isn't very good. That's not to say it's bad. It just hasn't had time to mature. Still, it remains the number one problem with the system. It feels like Nintendo rushed the launch without really thinking things through.While none of the launch titles were particularly bad, they weren't particularly good either. Fortunately, things are starting to change for the better.

The system software is the most immediate change you'll see. It's also the most radical. The OS on the DS was the next best thing to useless. Nintendo has borrowed a few pages from Sony, the Wii, and Apple this time around. Apps and games are laid out in a grid on the touch screen. The top screen shows the app's title in fabulous 3D. We get a white, neat theme that has become a trademark of Nintendo since the Wii came out. It's a huge leap ahead of the hideous and utilitarian desktop on the DS.

The 3DS system software is a vast improvement, and more Wii-like than the DS

Not only is the interface prettier, it's more functional. Nintendo has been kind enough to include some apps to get you started. Some are new, some are a carryover from the DSi.

The reality you're about to see may contain artificial ingredients

To get us started, Nintendo has added a couple of augmented reality (AR) games. AR uses the cameras to blend digital imagery with a real world backdrop. As I mentioned earlier, the system comes with a small deck of cards that can be used with AR GAMES. Only one card is useful, the rest just make Nintendo characters appear on your rug. The actual games are basic shooting and bowling. It's a bit gimmicky but then again, this is Nintendo we're talking about.

Speaking of gimmicky, Face Raiders, the other AR game, is one of the most bizarre I've played. It used the front facing camera to take a picture of your face. Then it slaps your image on malevolent floating balls that attack by... kissing you. This one uses the accelerometer to and cameras. Your goal is to shoot the balls, with little balls, before they get you. Once you defeat the boss mug, that's one level down. Take pictures of your friends, so you can slap them with your balls too. Face Breakers may be stupid and weird, but it's the most entertaining of the two built in games.

It can play music and video, but so does my watch

Besides games, the 3DS has some old and new media capabilities. The photo app has been updated, and can now take 3D pictures. Aside from that, not much has changed from the DSi. You can still view albums and draw on photos. That's about it. The music app can both record and playback sounds. It also has a few neat filters that you can play around with. Even an 8-bit one to turn your favourite songs into chip tunes. Sadly, there's no equalizer. Music playback quality is pretty good tough. The only major flaw is the clunky album navigation system. Remember the old school nested folders from MP3 players from days of yore. They're baaaack.

The 3DS offers a brand new media feature on top of photos and music. It can now play videos, sort of. Nintendo Video automatically downloads videos of the week for you. All in 3D of course. It's like their own version of Youtube. The content on it is actually not bad. There's music videos, artistic and indie shorts, and stuff from CollegeHumor. Great, except for one big problem. You only have access to four videos at a given time. On top of that, once they're gone, they're gone. You can't go back and watch old videos. You're forced to live with what Nintendo picks for you. To make matters worse, you can't even load your own movies onto it. The only other option is Netflix. An app for that can be downloaded from the store. Since I don't have a subscription (and used up my free trial long ago), I couldn't test that feature.

Smiles at everyone she meets on the Street

Finally our last piece of new software: StreetPass. It's Nintnedo's attempt at adding social networking to the 3DS. Like the Wii, you can create a Mii, a cartoon avatar of yourself for online gaming. With StreetPass, your 3DS scans for other 3DS systems and logs their owner's Mii. You can visit other Miis in the Mii Plaza. There you can interact and play games with them. I'm not sure if I like this feature. It seems pretty limited, plus this system is for kids. I'm not sure I'd want it logging information about total strangers, or beaming out my info. Of course there are parental controls, but still. The whole thing just feels underdeveloped, like a lot of Nintendo's online gaming features. They still haven't caught up with the likes of Sony, Apple, and Microsoft in that department.

Games, glorious games. Where art thou?

Now finally, we get to the games. The 3DS had one of the most underwhelming launch lineups that I can recall. I think this is the biggest flaw with the system. The software for it feels rushed. The launch titles have one standout with the rest being pretty dull around the edges. At worst, many of the games feel overpriced.

While it's easy to dismiss Apple as the new kid on the gaming block, they did start a revolution. They priced their games dirt cheap. When the average full featured title for the iOS platform costs just $7, charging $40 for a similar experience becomes hard to justify. Nintendo hasn't really changed their pricing strategy since the Gameboy. Like Sony, they've failed to take advantage of their own app store to compensate, by making these titles impulse purchases.

The store is a bundle of random categories that change weekly. Cut the Rope is a pricey $5!!!

It seems Nintendo doesn't really know what to do with the 3DS. You'd think a company that makes games would know how to make games for their new flagship portable. Of the handful of blockbuster titles the 3DS does have, two are ports from the 90s. A few more are ports of DS games with slightly enhanced graphics and audio. While there are a few original games coming down the pipe, they're still few and far between.

The software experience on the 3DS isn't good. The system does have a lot of potential. Sadly, nobody wants to give it the time of day: not Nintendo, not third parties. They've already written it off as a failure. I think if Nintendo started taking better advantage of the eShop, and lowered the prices of the games, they could have something to compete with Apple and Sony. They just got to get people making good games for it first.

Conclusion

The 3DS is an excellent portable that suffers from a Napoleon complex. The hardware is fantastic, but it really comes up short in the software department. It could be so much more than a gimmick, because the games do look fantastic on it. I think the successor to the venerable DS deserves a lot better treatment.

If you've managed to get this far in my review, you're probably wondering whether you should buy it. If it was still at $250, that would be a definite no. However, I think Nintendo has finally hit a pricing sweet spot that could really challenge the Vita and iPod Touch. If you're a fan of Nintendo, or even just a few of their franchises, I'd say go for it. Otherwise, you may want to hold off until a redesign, or at least until the software situation gets sorted.

Score: 7.5 out of 10

What works:
-Gorgeous glasses-free high resolution 3D screen
-Analogue nub a big improvement over the DS
-Charging dock a neat feature
-3D camera and Augmented Reality are neat gimmicks
-Better quality stylus
-Improved connectivity and social networking
-Better buttons
-Feels like a more grown up DS
-New $169.99 price tag offers nice value

What doesn't work
-Battery life
-Poor image quality with camera
-Lack of standout games
-Price of some games
-Underdeveloped, cluttered, and overpriced eShop
-Bundled apps unimpressive
-Online gaming still a pain

iPhone 4S gets a gory dissection

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 23:28:00 +0000

You want to see Siri take it all off. She's been a naughty user interface, and the people at iFixit are just the guys to show you. Each time Apple releases a new product, they're guaranteed to gut it just to find out what makes it tick. Today, they tackle the iPhone 4S.

What did they find new inside? Not much. It's fundamentally identical to the iPhone 4. The key difference, of course, is the Apple A5 processor. It's a dual core beast. They claim it runs at 1ghz, though some have said only 800mhz. Even at a lower clock rate, it's still a very powerful chip, falling just behind the 1.2ghz powerhouses contained in the latest Android phones. Impressive.

iFixit plays striptease with Siri and the iPhone 4S

The big question is how much RAM does it have. Samsung and HTC have been cramming 1gb of DDR into their phones. According to iFixit, the 4S had the same 512mb it's predecessor had.

Curious about what other things lurk inside Apple's latest phone? Hop on over to iFixit for their full teardown.

Source: iFixit

Image courtesy of iFixit.com

The great RIM death watch

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:25:00 +0000

No dice if you're trying to send out BBMs today. Server problems at RIM are causing Blackberries world wide to go down. This means all the Crack addicts out there will have to go without email, web, messaging, and apps for the time being. At least the phone part still works, though RIM isn't looking very smart at this point.

The problem was caused by a switching failure in RIM's servers, causing a backlog of data. They said services would be restored by Tuesday. However, they have since said they aren't sure when it will be back. The outage originated in Europe, Africa, and Asia and has since spread to North America.

This is the latest round of troubles for Canada's largest smartphone maker. The company is trying to get a leg up on major competitors such as Samsung and Apple. Market share of Blackberry phones has been on steady decline since the iPhone launched in 2007. The Playbook tablet, their supposed iPad killer, was met with a cold reception earlier this year.


I've been texting my Blackberry friends all day and nothing. Is my iPhone down?

Some analysts are already on a RIM death watch. One Canadian bank is calling for the company to oust longtime CEOs Lazaridis and Balsillie. Company shares have hit a 52-week low at just under $20, down significantly from their $70 peak back in February.

Source: Reuters via Dailytech

Steve Jobs Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 02:17:00 +0000

Legendary inventor and Apple founder Steve Jobs, has died. He was only 56. Jobs had been struggling with cancer for several years. The illness forced him to step down as CEO of the electronics giant earlier this year.

News of his death comes just one day after the unveiling of the iPhone 4S. Apple CEO Tim Cook released the following statement.

Apple has lost a visionary and creative genius, and the world has lost an amazing human being. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Steve have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Steve leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates also left his condolences.

I'm truly saddened to learn of Steve Jobs' death. Melinda and I extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends, and to everyone Steve has touched through his work.

Steve and I first met nearly 30 years ago, and have been colleagues, competitors and friends over the course of more than half our lives.

The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come.

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor. I will miss Steve immensely.

Love or hate Apple, Steve Jobs was a visionary. Much of the technology we use today was influenced by his creations. He was one of the last true visionaries in corporate America, and proved the American dream still lived. Our thoughts go out to his family. He will be missed.

Source: Engadget

iPod Lives, Zune Dies

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 15:30:00 +0000

The beat goes on for the iPod Classic. Contrary to rumours, Apple will keep making and selling the iconic music player. Meanwhile, things are not looking so good for the Zune. Microsoft's music player and iPod killer is official dead.

According to the Zune website, Microsoft announced that "Windows Phone will be the focus of our mobile music and video strategy, and that we will no longer be producing Zune players."

The Zune has had a bumpy history. It was created as Microsoft's answer to the iPod and iTunes. It even looked and functioned similar to Apple's venerable player.

The device was launched in 2006 to mixed reaction. While certainly as good as the iPod, it had its problems. Namely a poorly implemented copy-protection system. It was unable to play certain files using PlaysForSure, Microsoft's own DRM scheme. The original Zune was also plagued with a clock bug, which corrupted the system software at January 1st, 2009 at 12am GMT.

Despite it's initial shortcomings, the Zune eventually grabbed ten percent of the US marketshare for all MP3 players. Given the sea of choices at the time, and the dominance of the iPod, it seemed Microsoft was onto something. The original Zune 30 gave way to larger capacity models, a "nano" version, and finally the Zune HD. The latter was an attempt to capitalize on the success of the iPod Touch. With it's nVidia Tegra Processor, unique touch interface, and OLED screen, it was arguably the best Zune. Many of the Zune HD's software features would be implemented in Windows Phone 7.

Zune 4/8/16 and it's nano sized cousin

Despite great hardware and good software to back it up, the Zune continued to trail in the market. By 2008, sales were dipping. GameStop decided to stop selling the player at their stores due to lack of interest. However, 2008 happened to mark the Zune's international launch. The Zune was made available in Canada. This was the first time it had been sold outside the US.

Perhaps that was the Zune's downfall. It never attracted the same international audience that the iPod did. Microsoft went as far to actively discourage international customers from accessing certain online features. The Zune also failed to clearly differentiate itself from Apple. It was too similar to the iPod, and sold at the same price-point, but lacked the same global support.

As smartphones began to replace dedicated devices, the Zune's days became numbered. It was a fantastic player, hampered by poor marketing.

Update: Just after publishing this, I spotted a new article that says the Zune hasn't died after all. I guess neither Apple nor Microsoft knows what to do with their MP3 players. You can still buy the Zune HD for a cool $160.

Title image courtesy of Blogging With Ike

Apple might ditch iPod Classic, Shuffle

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 14:15:00 +0000

The iPod is nearing the end of the road. Apple news blog TUAW broke the story. They claim a reliable source told them the company will kill the iPod Classic and iPod Shuffle later this year. For anyone who follows Apple, this should be no surprise. The Classic was last updated way back in 2009. Once the flagship product, it's become the black sheep of the iPod lineup. Apple is looking to replace older, non-touch models with it's iPhone derivatives. Despite a higher storage capacity, the Classic is no longer cost competitive against smartphones. At $279, it seems expensive and archaic compared to the virtual Swiss Army Knife that is the iPhone.

For those who really love music, the death of the iPod marks the end of an era.

The 6th generation iPod Classic may be the last.
It hasn't been updated since 2009.

The original iPod first launched in 2001. While it wasn't the first MP3 player, it marked a major paradigm shift for the music market. Apple considered contemporary players to be too big, too clunky to use, or too small to be useful. The company wanted something that could fit 1,000 songs comfortably in your pocket, complete with Apple's trademark user friendliness.

The original iPod was smaller, lighter, and could store an incredible amount of music for the time. The innovative scroll wheel made navigating your music collection a breeze. The first iPod had a 5gb hard drive, which could store roughly 1,000 MP3s. Its rechargeable battery lasted about 10 hours, which was on par with its AA contemporaries.

The iPod and iTunes changed the way we consume music

While Napster had already kicked off the digital music revolution, the iPod supercharged the trend. When the iTunes store launched two years later, putting the CD on death row. Apple quickly rose to become the largest music retailer on the planet. While other companies tried their hands at MP3 players, iPod is still synonymous with the devices.

Smartphones killed the iPod, but it's contribution to music history was legendary.

Update: I'll be restoring a 5th generation iPod Classic. Stay tuned for that tear down.

Big tablet is big

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:49:00 +0000

For today's computers, thin is in. Desktops are dead, laptops are writing their last will and testament. It's all about tablets. The smaller the better. Some folks even think the 10'' iPad is too large. You'd almost think that nobody dreams big anymore. Then you lay your eyes on Martin Drashkov's monstrosity, the MegaPad. The world's first 23'' Android tablet.

"The Android MegaPad is then the next logical step - a modern touch-based computing device with with a screen size that will enable a whole different set of experiences. Unlike tablets, devices like this will make simultaneous use by two users a practicality and will let users more fully immerse themselves in apps and games. In the demo video below, you can see two apps that, while written for phones and tablets, nevertheless demonstrate the usefulness of such a device."

Calling it a tablet is a bit deceiving though. The device is not yet portable. Mr. Drashkov claims he built the device for $600, using off-the-shelf parts. That's as much as the "puny" 32gb iPad.

The MegaPad runs a modified version of Android Gingerbread, which was used due to its adaptability. A video shows it running Google Earth and Fruit Ninja quite well. Martin is a fellow member of the Anandtech Forums, so I'm trying to pry some specs out of him. In the mean time, please bathe in the awesomeness that is the MegaPad.

UPDATE: Martin says he used a Pandaboard for this build. The company bills it as a low cost development platform for mobile software. The processor is a 1ghz Texas Intruments OMAP4430 running at 1ghz. It's based on the ARM Cortex A9, similar to the CPU used in the iPad 2. Graphics are fuelled by a PowerVR SGX540, also similar to the iPad 2's. It also features 1gb of DDR2 RAM, 802.11n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and can handle encoding and decoding of 1080p video.

There's no word on which screen he used, though I'm guessing it's an Acer T231H, as it's the only full HD touch screen monitor Acer currently sells.

Image copyright Marvel Productions/20th Century FOX

Think twice before suing Sony.

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 01:07:00 +0000

Sony's changed the PSN terms of service to include a "don't sue us" clause. Basically, by agreeing, you're now forced into binding arbitration should you have a dispute with any Sony entity.

According to the new user agreement for the Playstation Network...

"Other than those matters listed in the Exclusions from Arbitration clause (small claims), you and the Sony Entity that you have a Dispute with agree to seek resolution of the Dispute only through arbitration of that Dispute in accordance with the terms of this Section 15, and not litigate any Dispute in court. Arbitration means that the Dispute will be resolved by a neutral arbitrator instead of in a court by a judge or jury."

Of course you can opt out, by doing things the good old 1950s way.

"RIGHT TO OPT OUT OF BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER WITHIN 30 DAYS. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO BE BOUND BY THE BINDING ARBITRATION AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER IN THIS SECTION 15, YOU MUST NOTIFY SNEI IN WRITING WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE DATE THAT YOU ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT. YOUR WRITTEN NOTIFICATION MUST BE MAILED TO 6080 CENTER DRIVE, 10TH FLOOR, LOS ANGELES, CA 90045, ATTN: LEGAL DEPARTMENT/ARBITRATION AND MUST INCLUDE: (1) YOUR NAME, (2) YOUR ADDRESS, (3) YOUR PSN ACCOUNT NUMBER, IF YOU HAVE ONE, AND (4) A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT YOU DO NOT WISH TO RESOLVE DISPUTES WITH ANY SONY ENTITY THROUGH ARBITRATION."

In order to keep using PSN, Sony is making you agree to these new terms. It's pretty sneaky for them to bury this at the bottom of the terms of service. That whole security breach really stirred up a legal hornet's nest, so looks like they're trying to cover their asses. Naturally, this is the likely result of the class action that emerged after all those credit card numbers were stolen.

This is a good example of the problem with EULAs. Long winded, convoluted contracts that people are expected to "sign" without really understanding what anything in them means. Mind you, this won't effect most people using the service. It just seems a tad unethical to sneak things through like that without first consulting consumers. As if Sony needed a legal advantage if they screw up. What with their legions high priced lawyers crawling out of every crack.

Phoenix Wright copyright Capcom

It's a me, Mario! Mamma Mia, Why you no buy 3DS?

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 02:25:00 +0000

Things haven't been so super for Mario lately. Peach left him for Luigi, they repossessed his kart, and he's forced to eat beefaroni because real spaghetti is too expensive. Guess he should have sold his Nintendo stock before the 3DS launched.

Nintendo conquered the video game market through innovation. They introduced us to motion and touch screen gaming, then 3D. Now it seems the juggernaut has finally run out of gas. Revenue forecasts have plummeted 80 percent. The company's stock value has dropped 50 percent since last February.

The Nintendo 3DS is being blamed for the company's poor showing. The portable had a stellar launch back in February. Since then, sales have been lacklustre. There's nothing wrong with the 3DS itself. We don't have another Virtual Boy on our hands here. It's a solid piece of hardware that works as advertised, and does a fantastic job at it. However, panicky pundits, such as IGN, are already declaring it a maybe, sort of, failure. That's not the case. The gaming market has changed a lot since the DS launched, yet Nintendo is still using the same approach they've used in the past.

The three things holding the 3DS back are price, lack of software, and increased competition from smartphones.

Legendary game producer Shigeru Miyamoto likes the 3DS, why don't you?

The 3DS is the most expensive successor to the original Gameboy. With inflation factored in, only the Virtual Boy would cost more today. Prices for Nintendo hardware have been creeping up over the years. Studies into manufacturing costs show the company making fat margins on every console sold. It is estimated the 3DS costs about $100 to build. Even assuming marketing and R&D costs the same, $50 per unit is still a tidy profit.

Nintendo has long refused to sell their products at a loss. So does competitor Apple. Logically, that makes sense. However, that sort of thinking changed with the 2008 recession. People don't have as much disposable income as they did during the DS and Wii's heyday. Nintendo products are marketed at a younger crowd. Parents will think twice at dropping that much cash on a "toy".

Competing products, such as smartphones, are being seen as more economical than standalone systems. Apple sells their iPod Touch in the same price bracket as the 3DS. Not only is it a virtual Swiss Army Knife of media consumption, software is a fraction of the price. Most games are under ten dollars. Compare that to 3DS titles, which sell similar products for, on average, two to four times more. That's the advantage of digital distribution. There's less cost overhead, which opens the market wide open. Why spend upwards of $400 buying little Johnny multiple devices when one will satisfy him for half that?

Lol. Stop it, you're killing me!

Gamers scream that iPhone games aren't comparable. They aren't as in depth, or lack the experience of traditional controls. They're partly right, but it's a moot argument. Most of today's most popular games aren't deep, story driven experiences. Angry Birds, Call of Duty and the like offer simplified gaming in bit sized chunks. Enough to satisfy the short attention spans of today's young gamer. iOS actually does have these in depth games, such as Final Fantasy and Zenonia. It can also surf the web, download your tunes, let you shop for a new outfit, and pay your taxes.

Somewhat ironically, the same argument can be made about the 3DS. Games like Steel Diver and Pilot Wings aren't what you'd call deep. They offer the same experience as many $1.99 apps, yet cost significantly more. The system lacks the strong, original titles that Nintendo is known for. What we get is the same glut of shovelware that's infiltrated the Wii. Very simplistic games sold for high prices compared to competitors. The 3DS has few in depth titles coming down the pipeline, and that's it's problem. In trying to adopt a smartphone, app-style, shovelware based business plan, Nintendo is alienating their core fan base.

This doesn't mean the 3DS is a lost cause. The DS went through similar growing pains way back in 2004. The hardware is fantastic. Nintendo just needs to get software production kicked into high gear. No console can be successful if it doesn't have the games to back it up. It doesn't matter how spectacular the technology is. Nintendo will bounce back, as they always have. They just need to learn how to market themselves and their games better in today's app-based world.

Title image copyright Device Magazine
Images copyright Elder-Geek, Funny-Potato

Beer to game by: Lake of Bays a beer for geeks

noreply@blogger.com (Mike) — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 23:15:00 +0000

Geeks too enjoy a good beer, and some are beer geeks. Lake of Bays brewing company prides itself as a beer for the latter. For those who need to get in touch with their inner craft brew fanboy. Their newest offering is Rousse Red Ale. We've already tried the king of nerdy beers, and it was awful. Let's see if the roi of geeky bière can do any better.

Lake of Bays is a new brewery that opened earlier this year. The company's employees refer to themselves as "beer geeks", connoisseurs of fine brews. They're based in Baysville, Ontario on, as the name suggests, the Lake of Bays. Unlike Rolling Rock, they're totally independent.

Their beer is brewed in smaller batches. While only sporting a small operation, Lake of Bays is widely available across Ontario though the LCBO chain. They currently sell three types: a pale ale, mocha porter, and rousse red ale. The latter is what we're reviewing today.

A quality Quebec-style craft beer to
put Rolling Rock in it's watery place

According to their website, Rousse is a traditional Quebecois red ale. It has a heavy pour to it, and dumps into the glass without much head. It already wins out over Rolling Rock, which looks more like yellow club soda. The beer has a clear malty smell with a dark red colour. It has the shade and consistency of a good root beer. Let's give it a taste.

It's thick, and very flavourful. This is what beer should be like. The toasted malt flavour is very evident. There's nothing watery about this one at all. I can taste a bit of hops bitterness, but it's not overpowering. It has a very slight coffee notes to it to. The flavours are well balanced, making it satisfying to savour slowly.

A heavy dark ale with a lot of flavour to it. The pleasant maltiness is a nice change of pace from yesterday's bread & water.

I prefer dark, malty beers to largers in general. This is definitely a good one. Plenty of flavour with a delightful heaviness, but it's not bitter nor does it leave an aftertaste. It's a good drinking beer, not a beer to get drunk by. You could imagine enjoying this after a day of skiing at Mount Tremblant, or historic pub crawling in Quebec City. It's definitely worth trying during your stay in Ontario.

Title image copyright Beer & Nosh