Since E3 2011 the WiiU has become very much of an enigma. Not much is known other than what Nintendo wishes to tell us all. This is of course not unfamiliar for the sort of secrecy surrounding such a large product launch. The level of secrecy is for many reasons least of all to stop the competition getting a heads up about their upcoming competition.
However as is the case with todays modern unsleeping media the reports and rumours already swirling are running rampant. This is not even a problem for just Nintendo with both Microsoft and Sony both having many "details" regarding their upcoming next gen consoles released to the press. These have gained a large following from many online sources (mostly gaming websites) who choose to release them not under the cloud of "beware all who read these as they are completely unverified" but under a much vaguer mantle of "from a source close to the matter". Of course once out into the general ether of the internet it is practically impossible to tell who said what and what is from an original source and what parts have been embellished but the lack of understanding from many corners can be detrimental to both the fans and the company producing the product.
Shortly after the E3 announcement of the WiiU back almost a year ago the stock for Nintendo began to fall and many so called "Industry Experts" began to lower their ratings on the company. When asked why the general response was that Nintendo had in their view not put enough (if any) emphasis on how the new console was going to interact with social networks such as Facebook and in their view this would cause less people to buy the console itself. This was however not a view shared by the crowds of people who actually got to see the console and by and large the gaming community itself. The biggest problem for Nintendo in terms of gamers was a misunderstanding about what the WiiU actually was, was it a new console or just a new controller as many at the time believed. Gamers however did not seem to care about a lack of Facebook integration into their latest mario kart game or the fact that every space pirate killed in a new metroid was unlikely to then tweet of its demise. The reason, the people buying the console are not looking to buy yet another social networking device but a new "gaming" console. The media however did not see it that way as all of their "Experts" were following their own script.
Todays problems for Nintendo come in the form of "reports" regarding the performance of the new console. Some say that it is several times more powerful than the current gen consoles but then there are other reports claiming it to barely be capable of the same graphical fidelity and power of an Xbox 360. Clearly both reports can not be correct and I daresay that until Nintendo decide to come out and definitively confirm the exact specs we will continue to get such reports.Then there is the question surrounding the quality of products being made for the machine. The Wii floundered in a sea of sub-standard games which put many gamers off what is a very good "gaming" machine supported by some tremendous first/second party games. So which is the most important? That the console has brilliant components or that it has brilliant games.
So i for one will be holding back any decision on whether to love it or hate it until i see some finished games and get a look at what the box can do because while it might seem like great fun to speculate and wonder about what might be inside that little white box, speculation without acknowledging the difference between speculation and truth can cause some "real" problems. Dont get me wrong though, im not asking for a complete lack of reporting on such matters and im not asking for gaming websites to stop reporting news as im wholly for a free media (sat here as a blogger spouting my opinion, a free media is exactly what i need). But these websites that choose to promote news as facts need to make sure that their audience gets that somethings are facts and some are not. This is the responsibility of the writer and not the reader.
Thanks for reading,
Ed
Showing posts with label Consumer Trend. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Consumer Trend. Show all posts
Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
PS Vita, The core gamers portable console?
In recent years social gaming has exploded into a huge market, helped by the popularity of platforms such as the Nintendo DS/IPhone/Facebook and tablet computers have propelled social gaming into every part of lives. No matter where we are be it on the bus, train car, in the office or line for a coffe social gaming has used the most popular portable tech platforms to become one of the most important gaming sectors.
This it has to be said has lead to a huge increase in the popularity and money involved in video games in general and has helped boost the sector into its spot as the biggest global entertainment industry. Social gaming is for everyone no matter your age, gender or race. The nature of social gaming (sometimes reffered to as casual gaming) as generally being smaller, cheaper and easier to play has allowed the market to boom with games allowing you to do anything from build a mafia empire one click at a time to guiding a "doodle" ever further into the sky.
The great breadth in terms of gaming opportunities and tiny cost of producing these small games has lead to huge numbers of games being created with varying degrees of success and quality. For every "Doodle Jump" there is a million "Marshmallow Cookie Maker"s. This has sadly lead to many great games being completely ignored in the quagmire of mediochre-at-best rubbish.
The Nintendo DS (Nintendo's all conquering handheld) started promisingly enough for core gamers with games like Super Mario 64 DS and Metroid Hunters pleasing core gamers along with many others. These not only delivered great gaming experiences but utilised the nature of the technology. However a few years later and you take a look at the sales charts and its a different view entirely. As the Chart for the week ending 18th Feb shows, a large number of the top selling games are part of the casual genre. Art Academy at 10, Barbie at 14, Loving life with Hello Kitty and Friends in the top 30. Its also interesting to note that apart from a smattering of professor Layton games (which is very much on the border between core and casual gaming) there are very few Core games in the top selling charts. Most if not all of these are split between Pokemon and other Nintendo published games, with the now 8 year old Super Mario 64 DS coming in 19th. This loss of core gaming products from these lists can be attributed directly to the rise in social gaming, the boom of game releases flooding out the core games from the shop shelves.
The PS Vita however with its HD graphics and dual thumbsticks has levelled itself as the core gamers portable console and it has shown with a stellar lineup including a portable version of its console brothers best series. This alongside FIFA, Rayman and Marvel vs Capcom (among others) is bringing confindence back into portable gaming for thos ewho would rather lead an assault in Battlfield than plough up a field in Farmville.
Whether or not the PS Vita will continue down its current route as a core gaming device is unknown but with continued support with games such as Resistance: Burning Skies and (planned) releases for Bioshock and Assassins Creed games the future is looking bright once more for core gamers who need a real gaming fix while on the move.
Let me know what you guys think, are you more of a core or social gamer (any Zynga addicts?). Do you see the need for a greater emphasis on core gaming in the portable market or is it more of a sideshow for you. Let me know about any of the topics in this article or any ideas you have for my next piece.
Thanks for reading.
This it has to be said has lead to a huge increase in the popularity and money involved in video games in general and has helped boost the sector into its spot as the biggest global entertainment industry. Social gaming is for everyone no matter your age, gender or race. The nature of social gaming (sometimes reffered to as casual gaming) as generally being smaller, cheaper and easier to play has allowed the market to boom with games allowing you to do anything from build a mafia empire one click at a time to guiding a "doodle" ever further into the sky.
The great breadth in terms of gaming opportunities and tiny cost of producing these small games has lead to huge numbers of games being created with varying degrees of success and quality. For every "Doodle Jump" there is a million "Marshmallow Cookie Maker"s. This has sadly lead to many great games being completely ignored in the quagmire of mediochre-at-best rubbish.
The Nintendo DS (Nintendo's all conquering handheld) started promisingly enough for core gamers with games like Super Mario 64 DS and Metroid Hunters pleasing core gamers along with many others. These not only delivered great gaming experiences but utilised the nature of the technology. However a few years later and you take a look at the sales charts and its a different view entirely. As the Chart for the week ending 18th Feb shows, a large number of the top selling games are part of the casual genre. Art Academy at 10, Barbie at 14, Loving life with Hello Kitty and Friends in the top 30. Its also interesting to note that apart from a smattering of professor Layton games (which is very much on the border between core and casual gaming) there are very few Core games in the top selling charts. Most if not all of these are split between Pokemon and other Nintendo published games, with the now 8 year old Super Mario 64 DS coming in 19th. This loss of core gaming products from these lists can be attributed directly to the rise in social gaming, the boom of game releases flooding out the core games from the shop shelves.
The PS Vita however with its HD graphics and dual thumbsticks has levelled itself as the core gamers portable console and it has shown with a stellar lineup including a portable version of its console brothers best series. This alongside FIFA, Rayman and Marvel vs Capcom (among others) is bringing confindence back into portable gaming for thos ewho would rather lead an assault in Battlfield than plough up a field in Farmville.
Whether or not the PS Vita will continue down its current route as a core gaming device is unknown but with continued support with games such as Resistance: Burning Skies and (planned) releases for Bioshock and Assassins Creed games the future is looking bright once more for core gamers who need a real gaming fix while on the move.
Let me know what you guys think, are you more of a core or social gamer (any Zynga addicts?). Do you see the need for a greater emphasis on core gaming in the portable market or is it more of a sideshow for you. Let me know about any of the topics in this article or any ideas you have for my next piece.
Thanks for reading.
Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Can Arcades make a Comeback?
Arcades have slowly but surely been dying out in the western world. The Big question is why? When arcades around asia continue to grow and video games as a whole have become the largest entertainment industry in the world, why have we allowed the very origins of true video gaming to fall through the cracks.
Video Games are huge, its now a multi-billion dollar industry spanning the entire globe and catering to every age/race/gender/interest/genre imaginable. Consumers are willing to pay more and more for the latest blockbuster and sales of consoles continue to roll in thus showing that it is unlikely to be the expenditure that is a turn-off. I have spoken before about the future of video games, increased emphasis on digital media and the like but one area of video gaming and culture in general has been slowly disappearing from our shores. That is ofcourse the plight of the arcade, those havens of nerds, dark rooms filled with spotty individuals hunched over sticky controls with the light from the bright screen being the only illumination. At least thats what my parents believe arcades are, but you go to any arcade over in Japan or Korea or a number of other asian countries and all you see is rows and rows of people of all shapes and sizes in bright multi-coloured rooms playing at well maintained clean machines. Arcades in asia are as much a social hub as they are a place of gaming, they are essentially western-style coffee shops with games in them (essentially the video gaming equivalent of Starbucks).
Now as a gamer one of my dreams is to own a Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, even to play on one would be heaven because having grown up on a tiny Island (Jersey, Channel Islands) in the 90's i grew up without the original and had instead to settle with NES and SNES versions which while brilliant did not "Feel" the same. No amount of Hi-Def graphics or fancy motion controls can beat the original thrill of playing a real arcade cabinet, whether its guiding a plumber over barrels, guiding a yellow circle away from ghosts, collecting taxi fares or playing Street-fighter the experience of the original arcade cabinets and controls cannot be reproduced. And this is why its so saddening that the popularity and success of vidoe games in general in the west has not lead to a similar rise in the popularity of gaming arcades.
Let me know your views, do you think arcades still have a place in current gaming culture, if not then why are they still so popular in other parts of the world. Any favorite games or arcade moments?
Video Games are huge, its now a multi-billion dollar industry spanning the entire globe and catering to every age/race/gender/interest/genre imaginable. Consumers are willing to pay more and more for the latest blockbuster and sales of consoles continue to roll in thus showing that it is unlikely to be the expenditure that is a turn-off. I have spoken before about the future of video games, increased emphasis on digital media and the like but one area of video gaming and culture in general has been slowly disappearing from our shores. That is ofcourse the plight of the arcade, those havens of nerds, dark rooms filled with spotty individuals hunched over sticky controls with the light from the bright screen being the only illumination. At least thats what my parents believe arcades are, but you go to any arcade over in Japan or Korea or a number of other asian countries and all you see is rows and rows of people of all shapes and sizes in bright multi-coloured rooms playing at well maintained clean machines. Arcades in asia are as much a social hub as they are a place of gaming, they are essentially western-style coffee shops with games in them (essentially the video gaming equivalent of Starbucks).
Now as a gamer one of my dreams is to own a Donkey Kong arcade cabinet, even to play on one would be heaven because having grown up on a tiny Island (Jersey, Channel Islands) in the 90's i grew up without the original and had instead to settle with NES and SNES versions which while brilliant did not "Feel" the same. No amount of Hi-Def graphics or fancy motion controls can beat the original thrill of playing a real arcade cabinet, whether its guiding a plumber over barrels, guiding a yellow circle away from ghosts, collecting taxi fares or playing Street-fighter the experience of the original arcade cabinets and controls cannot be reproduced. And this is why its so saddening that the popularity and success of vidoe games in general in the west has not lead to a similar rise in the popularity of gaming arcades.
Let me know your views, do you think arcades still have a place in current gaming culture, if not then why are they still so popular in other parts of the world. Any favorite games or arcade moments?
Why the Interest in Pinterest?
Sorry for the pun in the headline but i just had to put it in this article somewhere. So as Tech Crunch reported this week the social media website Pinterest, where users share images of things which they find interesting/useful/funny/cool/inspiring etc etc, has hit 10 million unique monthly hits in the US faster than any other standalone startup.
Pinterest is a site built entirely around the sharing of your interests (hence the name) and is wholely devoted to the ability to share your pins and to view those of others that are linked to yours. Why then, when people are continuing to protest against other Social Networks use of their "likes" etc are they flocking to another website where the sole purpose is to share this information with random people.
The answer is partly down to money. Facebook and Google give you information about your interests and likes to advertising companies in return for advertising money and they have been very succesful at doing it as shown by the recent high profile news regarding Facebooks impending IPO. People dislike the idea of them being "used" by companies to make money off them especially when it refers to the use of "private" information. Mostly however it is down to the difference between whom it is that is releasing the information. Most of us are happy to give our emails and phone numbers out to our closest friends as we get the control of the flow of information. If a third party (be it a company or even just a friend) was to be going around handing out our number to those same friends most of us would have some sort of a problem because suddenly we have lost the control of the information. this has been the problem for companies like Facebook with its well known issues with the suitability of its privacy controls and its use of personal information as a revenue stream. Ofcourse with a company like Facebook we are expected to understnd that for continued use of facebook as a FREE platform we must as users be willing to give up certain liberties, this is something i am perfectly content with.
So where will all this leave Pinterest. Well if they wish to keep the current popularity then it will have to find a way of monetising the website without using user information. Advertising is the most likely with targeted ads based on companies and sponsored pages. But in the long run they just need to keep things simple, they have a website whos popularity is based on a single idea and i hope they keep it that way for the users sake.
Pinterest is a site built entirely around the sharing of your interests (hence the name) and is wholely devoted to the ability to share your pins and to view those of others that are linked to yours. Why then, when people are continuing to protest against other Social Networks use of their "likes" etc are they flocking to another website where the sole purpose is to share this information with random people.
The answer is partly down to money. Facebook and Google give you information about your interests and likes to advertising companies in return for advertising money and they have been very succesful at doing it as shown by the recent high profile news regarding Facebooks impending IPO. People dislike the idea of them being "used" by companies to make money off them especially when it refers to the use of "private" information. Mostly however it is down to the difference between whom it is that is releasing the information. Most of us are happy to give our emails and phone numbers out to our closest friends as we get the control of the flow of information. If a third party (be it a company or even just a friend) was to be going around handing out our number to those same friends most of us would have some sort of a problem because suddenly we have lost the control of the information. this has been the problem for companies like Facebook with its well known issues with the suitability of its privacy controls and its use of personal information as a revenue stream. Ofcourse with a company like Facebook we are expected to understnd that for continued use of facebook as a FREE platform we must as users be willing to give up certain liberties, this is something i am perfectly content with.
So where will all this leave Pinterest. Well if they wish to keep the current popularity then it will have to find a way of monetising the website without using user information. Advertising is the most likely with targeted ads based on companies and sponsored pages. But in the long run they just need to keep things simple, they have a website whos popularity is based on a single idea and i hope they keep it that way for the users sake.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
Why I feel good about Netflix
Im going to throw it out there, I Like Netflix. There I said it. True it had what could be called either a "Rocky" or "Catastrophic" year in 2011 with drops from its highs of 304 in July to 62 in November but it is my belief that these drops have resulted mostly from a mass panic from investors rather than any economic reason for such a sharp drop.
Now this isn't to say that i agree with all the decisions made by Netflix's management in 2011 and indeed the short-lived decision to spin-off its disc service was the wrong decision made at exactly the wrong time. Why would you want to further splinter your customer base by creating a new service at a time when you are trying desperately to hold onto customers after a high profile price rise. The quick U-turn on this looked bad but could have saved the companies core customer base.
So why the good feelings about a company who has made such blunders in the last year and who according to its stock price is almost on deaths door when compared to such a short time ago. Well my good feelings stem from the core of the companies business model, its streaming business. Internet Entertainment has come along way in the last few years, the boom of websites like youtube and the rise of network online players has led a migration of entertainment usage from the TV to computers,tablets and smartphones. Online streaming legal or otherwise has become a huge part of not just the way in which we take in video but also music through services like Spotify, Grooveshark and Love.FM . More and more people are moving from the traditional cable or satelite box and accompanying bills in favor of a more streamlined online existence. And why wouldnt you want to break away from those set top boxes, filled with channels you never watch yet have to pay for regardless, why would you want to be tethered to your TV set when you could choose online material and watch it almost anywhere.
As i have said in my previous post on which trends we can expect to see in 2012 online media will grow ever further and faster, boosted by improving infrastructure and larger content libraries. Netflix will continue to ride the cusp of this wave and if it can keep some momentum i predict it will be back up to its mide 2011 dominance (and stock price) within the next 2 years.
To Watch For: Further intergration with Facebook possibly allowing people to view content via the social media website could lead to a huge boost to customer base in Europe in a similar way to Spotify boosting its US visibility and customer base in the US through similar integration with the social media giant.
Now this isn't to say that i agree with all the decisions made by Netflix's management in 2011 and indeed the short-lived decision to spin-off its disc service was the wrong decision made at exactly the wrong time. Why would you want to further splinter your customer base by creating a new service at a time when you are trying desperately to hold onto customers after a high profile price rise. The quick U-turn on this looked bad but could have saved the companies core customer base.
So why the good feelings about a company who has made such blunders in the last year and who according to its stock price is almost on deaths door when compared to such a short time ago. Well my good feelings stem from the core of the companies business model, its streaming business. Internet Entertainment has come along way in the last few years, the boom of websites like youtube and the rise of network online players has led a migration of entertainment usage from the TV to computers,tablets and smartphones. Online streaming legal or otherwise has become a huge part of not just the way in which we take in video but also music through services like Spotify, Grooveshark and Love.FM . More and more people are moving from the traditional cable or satelite box and accompanying bills in favor of a more streamlined online existence. And why wouldnt you want to break away from those set top boxes, filled with channels you never watch yet have to pay for regardless, why would you want to be tethered to your TV set when you could choose online material and watch it almost anywhere.
As i have said in my previous post on which trends we can expect to see in 2012 online media will grow ever further and faster, boosted by improving infrastructure and larger content libraries. Netflix will continue to ride the cusp of this wave and if it can keep some momentum i predict it will be back up to its mide 2011 dominance (and stock price) within the next 2 years.
To Watch For: Further intergration with Facebook possibly allowing people to view content via the social media website could lead to a huge boost to customer base in Europe in a similar way to Spotify boosting its US visibility and customer base in the US through similar integration with the social media giant.
Wednesday, 1 February 2012
Facebooks in for the long haul...
So they much anticipated IPO of Facebook is just around the corner. The hype bus has been pulled out and is in full swing with stories regarding every single possible clause and figure coming out, however one thing is still amazing me.
People (possibly a vocal minority) still seem to believe that Facebook is some "Flash in the Pan" type event which will soon be being swept back under the rug. Do these people not realise that its 2012 and they have been saying the same thing for the better part of a decade. During which time Facebook has grown to extraordinary proportions and turned itself into one of the most important websites on the internet.
Facebook will not be leaving us anytime soon, or more to the point, WE wont be leaving Facebook anytime soon. We all have years and years of our lives invested into carefully building our friends lists, building farms and growing stacks of virtual poker chips. Think of all the hundreds of photos and memories, messages and even pokes which we have accumulated over the years that we have been enjoying the service. Do you honestly expect that the hundreds of millions of users that are currently using facebook will leave all that behind. Google+ made that mistake. Google left its entrance into the market too late and instead allowed Facebook free reign over the social networking scene for over half a decade before finally entering its services.
This IPO is only the begining of a long road for this company, with a potential user base currently above 6 Billion and rising there is plenty of opportunity for expansion. Of course one thing this has shown is that the old adage is indeed correct. "Haters gonna Hate".
People (possibly a vocal minority) still seem to believe that Facebook is some "Flash in the Pan" type event which will soon be being swept back under the rug. Do these people not realise that its 2012 and they have been saying the same thing for the better part of a decade. During which time Facebook has grown to extraordinary proportions and turned itself into one of the most important websites on the internet.
Facebook will not be leaving us anytime soon, or more to the point, WE wont be leaving Facebook anytime soon. We all have years and years of our lives invested into carefully building our friends lists, building farms and growing stacks of virtual poker chips. Think of all the hundreds of photos and memories, messages and even pokes which we have accumulated over the years that we have been enjoying the service. Do you honestly expect that the hundreds of millions of users that are currently using facebook will leave all that behind. Google+ made that mistake. Google left its entrance into the market too late and instead allowed Facebook free reign over the social networking scene for over half a decade before finally entering its services.
This IPO is only the begining of a long road for this company, with a potential user base currently above 6 Billion and rising there is plenty of opportunity for expansion. Of course one thing this has shown is that the old adage is indeed correct. "Haters gonna Hate".
Friday, 27 January 2012
Angry Birds coming to Facebook
Well there you have it, Angry Birds is set to take over the worlds largest social network. Its hardly surprising that a game as huge among casual games as angry birds is moving onto the social network site, what is more interesting is what this might mean for the future of facebook.
For a while now facebook has been the playground for low end, cheap gaming experiences. Companies such as zynga have seemingly perfected the "Freemium" game genre. However it is becoming clearer and clearer that larger games companies are begining to see Facebook and other social websites as more of a platform for their games. Companies like EA who have been releasing games to mirror its flagship sports titles and releases of games relating to Civilisation and Assassins Creed from several other large developers have shown a gradual move to embrace the platform.
The big difference between those games and the arrival of Angry Birds will not be apparently visible to a casual gamer. The big difference to a real gamer comes from what they determine to be a "Video Game". Many (myself included) do not see Mafia Wars as a "game" in the same way that Angry Birds is one. To put it simply, Angry Birds requires some level of skill to succeed. Mafia Wars merely requires time and the ability to read. The arrival of Angry Birds therefore will signal to my knowledge the first "Real" Video game to appear on the social networking website. I certainly hope that many more follow.
I expect that the take up will be similar to that which took place on smartphones where once companies realised that developing for the platforms could be highly profitable the money began to be put aside for development of games specifically for that platform. We are now seeing some truly amazing games coming onto a platform which years ago was mired in a flood of terrible gimicky games. I can only imagine that the same will happen with Facebook, and if the site continues to grow as it seems it will then this inevitability will only happen sooner.
For a while now facebook has been the playground for low end, cheap gaming experiences. Companies such as zynga have seemingly perfected the "Freemium" game genre. However it is becoming clearer and clearer that larger games companies are begining to see Facebook and other social websites as more of a platform for their games. Companies like EA who have been releasing games to mirror its flagship sports titles and releases of games relating to Civilisation and Assassins Creed from several other large developers have shown a gradual move to embrace the platform.
The big difference between those games and the arrival of Angry Birds will not be apparently visible to a casual gamer. The big difference to a real gamer comes from what they determine to be a "Video Game". Many (myself included) do not see Mafia Wars as a "game" in the same way that Angry Birds is one. To put it simply, Angry Birds requires some level of skill to succeed. Mafia Wars merely requires time and the ability to read. The arrival of Angry Birds therefore will signal to my knowledge the first "Real" Video game to appear on the social networking website. I certainly hope that many more follow.
I expect that the take up will be similar to that which took place on smartphones where once companies realised that developing for the platforms could be highly profitable the money began to be put aside for development of games specifically for that platform. We are now seeing some truly amazing games coming onto a platform which years ago was mired in a flood of terrible gimicky games. I can only imagine that the same will happen with Facebook, and if the site continues to grow as it seems it will then this inevitability will only happen sooner.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
Megaupload and what it means..
Well its probably about time i got round to writing a post on possibly the most important legislative event for techies this year. The shut down of Megaupload.com and its subsidiaries has been the cumlination for months of campaigning on both sides of the fence. It has sent ripples right through the internet ether and is continuing to keep SOPA and PIPA in the news.
Now i will state here that i believe in the rights of copyright holders to protect their work and i think that those who create such amazing content everyday of their lives and who work the arses off in the name of their art certainly deserve to reap the rewards of producing that material. In that sense even i am on the side of SOPA/PIPA. However while the basis of those acts are sturdy and true the way in which they are looking to be enacted and the scope of damage to free speech which could be inflicted from the forms of these acts is something that i cannot and will not support. Its very much like trying to stamp out a plague by killing the infected hosts rather than by giving them the necessary anti-biotics.
We need better communication between these websites and the major labels in the entertainment industry. Why were these links not taken off these webstites?? probably i suspect because nobody had asked them to be removed. Megaupload is not going to be able to check every upload to see if it the latest Britney Spears track but it should be very easy for someone within her record label to seach for her song on google and to ask sites like megaupload and google to remove infringing links. The scale of information transfer over the internet these days makes it impossible for a site like megaupload to check all of its traffic for infringements but it is much more manageable for one label to check for its individual products.
This is ofcourse an ongoing and evolving situation, and deffinately one which will not see any true end. Views on things like internet freedom come and goes depending mostly on current situations. I for instance can see a big change towards government run internet protection in maybe a decades time when state sponsored cyber-warfare is more commonplace. More recently there have been many calls for the government to crack down on groups such as anonymous, surely such a crackdown would recquire the sacrifice of certain online liberties similar to those we all gave up in the aftermath of 9/11. Although there are still those who complain the vast majority (mainly those who like myself have grown up with and am used to) accept the neccessary screening and security procedures at airports. If the Us had tried to bring in the patriot act in 2000 there would have been global outcry similar to that against SOPA/PIPA today.
The question for me then is not WHEN will these acts (or similar legistalature) go through but rather WHY will we allow it?
Now i will state here that i believe in the rights of copyright holders to protect their work and i think that those who create such amazing content everyday of their lives and who work the arses off in the name of their art certainly deserve to reap the rewards of producing that material. In that sense even i am on the side of SOPA/PIPA. However while the basis of those acts are sturdy and true the way in which they are looking to be enacted and the scope of damage to free speech which could be inflicted from the forms of these acts is something that i cannot and will not support. Its very much like trying to stamp out a plague by killing the infected hosts rather than by giving them the necessary anti-biotics.
We need better communication between these websites and the major labels in the entertainment industry. Why were these links not taken off these webstites?? probably i suspect because nobody had asked them to be removed. Megaupload is not going to be able to check every upload to see if it the latest Britney Spears track but it should be very easy for someone within her record label to seach for her song on google and to ask sites like megaupload and google to remove infringing links. The scale of information transfer over the internet these days makes it impossible for a site like megaupload to check all of its traffic for infringements but it is much more manageable for one label to check for its individual products.
This is ofcourse an ongoing and evolving situation, and deffinately one which will not see any true end. Views on things like internet freedom come and goes depending mostly on current situations. I for instance can see a big change towards government run internet protection in maybe a decades time when state sponsored cyber-warfare is more commonplace. More recently there have been many calls for the government to crack down on groups such as anonymous, surely such a crackdown would recquire the sacrifice of certain online liberties similar to those we all gave up in the aftermath of 9/11. Although there are still those who complain the vast majority (mainly those who like myself have grown up with and am used to) accept the neccessary screening and security procedures at airports. If the Us had tried to bring in the patriot act in 2000 there would have been global outcry similar to that against SOPA/PIPA today.
The question for me then is not WHEN will these acts (or similar legistalature) go through but rather WHY will we allow it?
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Why I hate Windows 8
Now ever since i first saw screenshots of Microsofts next iteration of its flagship OS i have been cringing. The big flaw is also its biggest selling point, Microsoft has essentially decided to turn your desktop PC or Laptop into a giant Tablet PC. I just dont understand why this would be appealing to a PC user.
Friday, 23 December 2011
2012 - Trends to watch for
Another year rolls on by and for analaysts everywhere this is the golden time to put down some thoughts on where the world will go in the next 365 days.
The best place to start is ironically to look back on the past year, and what a year it has been. Political and physical landscapes have shifted dramatically with the Arab spring continuing to roar around the middle east (and the world) over a year after one man commited possibly the most important act of martyrdom that the modern world has seen. Decades old regimes have toppled as populations long held under the thumb of oppression have risen up in joint determination for something better.
Nature has continued to batter the land with Earthquakes in New zealand and Asia leading to the Terrible Tsunami that shook japan and changed its coast line for good. The US has not been safe with Hurricanes and Tornadoes battering the East coast and Central America.
And of course the financial world continues to struggle through the worst crisis in centuries, entire countries held at the mercy of others, the scale of the problems has come into full view in 2011 with greater clarity the weight of the worlds debt has come crashing down on us.
Technology however has kept going on its merry way with very few mis-steps to talk about. Apple continues to churn out ever increasing products and new iterations of seemingly perfectly good products which we are once more inticed into buying on the promise of new and improved features. Netflix and RIM are ofcourse possibly the two biggest losers of the year, Netflix due to a series of catastrophic mistakes which continued to pile pressure onto the company while seemingly pushing its entire consumer base away. 2012 however promises to be easier to navigate and a chance for the company to move on from the mistakes of 2011. I firmly believe that Netflix can keep its head up and move out of this dip, expansion into Europe will open up a whole new market for them but they need to make a big impression right off the bat to really take hold of a market dominated by Amazon's LoveFilm service. RIM however will not have such a positive outlook, another year of declining sales and market share being devoured by Apple and Android based phones (even Microsoft could be seen to have had a more succesful year with its MSP7 platform and a new deal with Nokia).
So where does that leave us, what do we have to look forward to in the year to come, well below i have come up with a few suggestions for trends, products and announcements we might be seeing in the year ahead. of course with any prediction im just waiting to be proven wrong (very wrong).
1. Digital Distribution pick up:
Its been on the cards for a few years and with high street stores and the retail sector in general starting to show the strain, even companies such as HMV which only a few years ago would have been seen as one of the safest and best bets in the retail market is now walking on a knife edge and at the will of its lenders. As the retail sector shows more and more strain on the high street the digital space will open wide and we will see huge increases in the levels of online shopping and most importantly Digital distribution in the lucrative video games market. DD for video games has been picking up in recent years but still faces large hurdles in terms of rolling out the infrastructure to cope with fast downloads of full retail titles. While people are happy to wait 30 min to and hour to download the latest XBLA game the chances are that when they want to play the latest call of duty or Elder scrolls game they will be less inclined to waste an entire day of download time (let alone the bill) when they could pop down to the shops and be playing again in an hour or two.
So in conclusion;
Now while we in the West tend to think that in terms of technology we rule the metaphorical sea. However there is one key area in which we still lag way behind our cousins in the far east. The speed of our internet is not only slow compared to the connection in areas like South Korea but it is akin to comparing broadband to a simple Dial up connection (complete with sound effects). 2012 however will be the year that this changes as telecommunications companies (backed by government subsidies) roll out fibre optic broadband as the norm. The UK government (and that of my own government here in Jersey) have put not only the mouths but also there money behind a multitude of schemes to help build up the infrastructure neccesary to power the sort of technological growth which can propel our economies forwards. This will come as a welcome sight to those who wish to see my first prediction come about as the improved systems and increased tranfser speeds will make Digital Distribution available to the Whole of the markets and not just those who are willing to leave the computer buzzing through the night and can bare to see the size of the numbers at the bottom of their phone bills.
3. Ultrabooks turn up very quietly (litterally):
As with the short lived Netbook i just cant see the Ultrabook being anything more than a passing "Luxury Item". People like having DVD-drives, people like having large hard drives and people certainly dont like paying more for a product that has only has slightly more functionality than a tablet PC that costs a fraction of the price. The only bright light in this area will continue to be the Macbook Air which profits from the illusion that all Apple products have which is that of it being a neccessity, my views on the iPad can be read in previuos blog posts. 2012 therefore will be the year in which the Ultrabook staked its claim but in which it lies relatively undisturbed at the far reaches of the consumer scope.
4. Social Networks quiet down:
The big story of 2011 for those looking at this area was easily the introduction of a competitor to the goliath of Facebook. Google certainly came into the ring with fists raised and arms swinging however it seemed to retreat into its corner as soon as the first bell was rung. For now the boys at google seem to be content to build up its user base and reinforce its positive image. 2012 for me will be all about the "Micro-Network", this is where small websites will set up their own (probably entirely public) networks where peple can comment and post on various stories and ideas. It will essentially be the next step for commenters who rather than having a small box at the bottom of a page will join a broader discussion in a seperate forum type scenario.
Well there you have it, 4 predictions for the year ahead. I will aim to keep you all up to date in relation to how these areas flourish in the year to come.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Edmond Webbe
The best place to start is ironically to look back on the past year, and what a year it has been. Political and physical landscapes have shifted dramatically with the Arab spring continuing to roar around the middle east (and the world) over a year after one man commited possibly the most important act of martyrdom that the modern world has seen. Decades old regimes have toppled as populations long held under the thumb of oppression have risen up in joint determination for something better.
Nature has continued to batter the land with Earthquakes in New zealand and Asia leading to the Terrible Tsunami that shook japan and changed its coast line for good. The US has not been safe with Hurricanes and Tornadoes battering the East coast and Central America.
And of course the financial world continues to struggle through the worst crisis in centuries, entire countries held at the mercy of others, the scale of the problems has come into full view in 2011 with greater clarity the weight of the worlds debt has come crashing down on us.
Technology however has kept going on its merry way with very few mis-steps to talk about. Apple continues to churn out ever increasing products and new iterations of seemingly perfectly good products which we are once more inticed into buying on the promise of new and improved features. Netflix and RIM are ofcourse possibly the two biggest losers of the year, Netflix due to a series of catastrophic mistakes which continued to pile pressure onto the company while seemingly pushing its entire consumer base away. 2012 however promises to be easier to navigate and a chance for the company to move on from the mistakes of 2011. I firmly believe that Netflix can keep its head up and move out of this dip, expansion into Europe will open up a whole new market for them but they need to make a big impression right off the bat to really take hold of a market dominated by Amazon's LoveFilm service. RIM however will not have such a positive outlook, another year of declining sales and market share being devoured by Apple and Android based phones (even Microsoft could be seen to have had a more succesful year with its MSP7 platform and a new deal with Nokia).
So where does that leave us, what do we have to look forward to in the year to come, well below i have come up with a few suggestions for trends, products and announcements we might be seeing in the year ahead. of course with any prediction im just waiting to be proven wrong (very wrong).
1. Digital Distribution pick up:
Its been on the cards for a few years and with high street stores and the retail sector in general starting to show the strain, even companies such as HMV which only a few years ago would have been seen as one of the safest and best bets in the retail market is now walking on a knife edge and at the will of its lenders. As the retail sector shows more and more strain on the high street the digital space will open wide and we will see huge increases in the levels of online shopping and most importantly Digital distribution in the lucrative video games market. DD for video games has been picking up in recent years but still faces large hurdles in terms of rolling out the infrastructure to cope with fast downloads of full retail titles. While people are happy to wait 30 min to and hour to download the latest XBLA game the chances are that when they want to play the latest call of duty or Elder scrolls game they will be less inclined to waste an entire day of download time (let alone the bill) when they could pop down to the shops and be playing again in an hour or two.
So in conclusion;
- Digital sales of music will continue to increase as the level of physical music drops.
- Movies and TV will also see increases in terms of online activity but i believe that most of the growth will come from Streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. these services will get increased competition as cable channels and networks try to muscles into the market in similar fashions as ESPN/NBC/BBC/ITV etc etc.
- Blu Ray will slowly start to replace the humble DVD as the sole physical format for films as DVD sales fall due to the online activity.
- DD for video games wil also continue to build up momentum. More companies wil join the likes of EA and Valve in having an online outlet for their own content. This will be helped by our next point....
Now while we in the West tend to think that in terms of technology we rule the metaphorical sea. However there is one key area in which we still lag way behind our cousins in the far east. The speed of our internet is not only slow compared to the connection in areas like South Korea but it is akin to comparing broadband to a simple Dial up connection (complete with sound effects). 2012 however will be the year that this changes as telecommunications companies (backed by government subsidies) roll out fibre optic broadband as the norm. The UK government (and that of my own government here in Jersey) have put not only the mouths but also there money behind a multitude of schemes to help build up the infrastructure neccesary to power the sort of technological growth which can propel our economies forwards. This will come as a welcome sight to those who wish to see my first prediction come about as the improved systems and increased tranfser speeds will make Digital Distribution available to the Whole of the markets and not just those who are willing to leave the computer buzzing through the night and can bare to see the size of the numbers at the bottom of their phone bills.
3. Ultrabooks turn up very quietly (litterally):
As with the short lived Netbook i just cant see the Ultrabook being anything more than a passing "Luxury Item". People like having DVD-drives, people like having large hard drives and people certainly dont like paying more for a product that has only has slightly more functionality than a tablet PC that costs a fraction of the price. The only bright light in this area will continue to be the Macbook Air which profits from the illusion that all Apple products have which is that of it being a neccessity, my views on the iPad can be read in previuos blog posts. 2012 therefore will be the year in which the Ultrabook staked its claim but in which it lies relatively undisturbed at the far reaches of the consumer scope.
4. Social Networks quiet down:
The big story of 2011 for those looking at this area was easily the introduction of a competitor to the goliath of Facebook. Google certainly came into the ring with fists raised and arms swinging however it seemed to retreat into its corner as soon as the first bell was rung. For now the boys at google seem to be content to build up its user base and reinforce its positive image. 2012 for me will be all about the "Micro-Network", this is where small websites will set up their own (probably entirely public) networks where peple can comment and post on various stories and ideas. It will essentially be the next step for commenters who rather than having a small box at the bottom of a page will join a broader discussion in a seperate forum type scenario.
Well there you have it, 4 predictions for the year ahead. I will aim to keep you all up to date in relation to how these areas flourish in the year to come.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Edmond Webbe
Friday, 2 December 2011
"Format Syndrome" Strikes Back
Its back, sort of. Recently Youtube have been slowly develop a redesign for their nearly age-old (in terms of the internet) design UI. However it seems that youtubers are less partisan with opinion on the new design split evenly between those who love it those who hate it. This only seems to add more questions to this odd phenomena, first of which is why its not such a big deal when Youtube decides to have a complete overhaul of its websites design and yet when Facebook decides to move some elements around the internet explodes in anger.
Whatever the reason its more data for someone to compile for the official "Format Syndrome" clinical trials which must surely be coming, i mean im sure pharmaceutical companies are champing at the bit to get the first "Anti-Facebook Anger" medications, maybe something to help those deal with being defriended.
Whatever the reason its more data for someone to compile for the official "Format Syndrome" clinical trials which must surely be coming, i mean im sure pharmaceutical companies are champing at the bit to get the first "Anti-Facebook Anger" medications, maybe something to help those deal with being defriended.
Wednesday, 30 November 2011
3D - Is it worth it
3D is an amazing technology, dont get me wrong on that. But the question of its future in terms of general entertainment is quite a difficult one to ask. On the one hand its commercial success with films such as James Cameron's Avatar and in handhelds like the Nintendo 3DS it seems very much as though the next step in its life would be the continual integration into normal everyday equipment.
Now there are a few problems facing the technology. First and foremost is the most obvious flaw, the "Glasses". I dont think anyone has yet to find a way of making wearing large glasses indoors anything but ridiculous, add to that the cost of the more effective higher end specs and you have a rather expensive viewing experience on top of the base cost for the TV set itself.
The solution is of course to go down the non-glasses route which has been successfully demonstrated by Nintendo with its handheld system. However we come up to a huge problem when it comes to integrating this technology into larger formats such as a home television. Currently the only way of producing this "glasses free" 3D effect is to simultaneously project 2 different views (one for each eye) at a focal point which when viewed together produce the effect. The problem of static focal points has been remedied by coupling motion sensor technology with the TV in order to move the focal point of the image to suit a moving object (this would allow a viewer to move around in a set area and still get the 3D effect). This is however very expensive in its current form. The biggest problem however arises when you have multiple viewers, so far the technology is unavailable to provide multiple focal points in order to facilitate multiple viewers from multiple angles.
With all of these problems holding the technology back it is likely that without a major push by Electronics manufacturers we will see a stalling of development or at worst a discarding (a la HD-DVD) of the technology from the main stream consumer market. However you are not likely to see a major push from the manufacturers until we see a real surge in the demand from the consumer for the technology. It is certainly a sector well worth watching over the coming years.
Now there are a few problems facing the technology. First and foremost is the most obvious flaw, the "Glasses". I dont think anyone has yet to find a way of making wearing large glasses indoors anything but ridiculous, add to that the cost of the more effective higher end specs and you have a rather expensive viewing experience on top of the base cost for the TV set itself.
The solution is of course to go down the non-glasses route which has been successfully demonstrated by Nintendo with its handheld system. However we come up to a huge problem when it comes to integrating this technology into larger formats such as a home television. Currently the only way of producing this "glasses free" 3D effect is to simultaneously project 2 different views (one for each eye) at a focal point which when viewed together produce the effect. The problem of static focal points has been remedied by coupling motion sensor technology with the TV in order to move the focal point of the image to suit a moving object (this would allow a viewer to move around in a set area and still get the 3D effect). This is however very expensive in its current form. The biggest problem however arises when you have multiple viewers, so far the technology is unavailable to provide multiple focal points in order to facilitate multiple viewers from multiple angles.
With all of these problems holding the technology back it is likely that without a major push by Electronics manufacturers we will see a stalling of development or at worst a discarding (a la HD-DVD) of the technology from the main stream consumer market. However you are not likely to see a major push from the manufacturers until we see a real surge in the demand from the consumer for the technology. It is certainly a sector well worth watching over the coming years.
Youtube & the Future of Entertainment
The way in which we consume info and entertainment has dramatically changed in the last decade. Through HD and Blu-Ray onto 3D formats the quality of our products has increased exponentially the quality of content being broadcast at us. But the biggest shift in the way that we view material has been the boom of streaming. As internet speed have increased so has the amount we all want to download. Nowadays we are streaming shows via Netflix or BBC iPlayer while simultaneously downloading a new film onto our Xbox's, all while downloading the latest album straight onto our smart phones.
Never before have we had so many ways of getting the media "we want" straight to our homes. And here is the key, "personal choice". Why spend money on an expensive cable or satellite bill in order to get hundreds of channels you will never use when you can get exactly what you want, when you want it and for a price that you know is only going towards the cost of the shows that you want to see.
In the title of this piece i made a point to name one of the sites that i believe will be central to the viewing experience in the future. Youtube is vast, both in its content and use. Almost anything can be found on it, from catching up with the latest current affairs or fashion news it is fast becoming the hub around which people live their lives and i believe that this will move into the entertainment experience in the future. Rather than searching through multiple channels in a menu on your TV screen you will be searching for the latest videos from channels which you the user has subscribed to.
The future of entertainment is simple. Its all about getting the viewer exactly what they want and exactly when they want it, no matter where they are in the world.
Never before have we had so many ways of getting the media "we want" straight to our homes. And here is the key, "personal choice". Why spend money on an expensive cable or satellite bill in order to get hundreds of channels you will never use when you can get exactly what you want, when you want it and for a price that you know is only going towards the cost of the shows that you want to see.
In the title of this piece i made a point to name one of the sites that i believe will be central to the viewing experience in the future. Youtube is vast, both in its content and use. Almost anything can be found on it, from catching up with the latest current affairs or fashion news it is fast becoming the hub around which people live their lives and i believe that this will move into the entertainment experience in the future. Rather than searching through multiple channels in a menu on your TV screen you will be searching for the latest videos from channels which you the user has subscribed to.
The future of entertainment is simple. Its all about getting the viewer exactly what they want and exactly when they want it, no matter where they are in the world.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
iPad - Modern Marvel or Consumer Illusion
Now I will openly admit that I was wrong about the iPad. When Steve Jobs stood up and announced the iPad I considered it to be a flop from the start. Why would anyone want to spend hundreds of pounds on a product which did nothing new? Coming after the un-precedented success of the iPod in its many guises and then the iPhone, the iPad seemed to me to be something of a mis-step.
Previously Apple had been at the forefront of understanding consumer demands. When we all went mad about MP3 players, they gave us the best. When the same happened with smart phones again Apple stepped up and delivered a product which at the time had no real competitors in terms of quality and user experience other than the business-centric Blackberry. But then they revealed the iPad and did the opposite. Rather than waiting for consumers to realise that what they always wanted was a tablet computer Apple came along and forced their prodcut under the nose of the consumer and shouted "Buy It" at the top of its voice.
But surely you say, there is no way that one company (or even just one man) could fool the world into buying a product it neither needed or wanted. What a fool you would be for thinking that, just as i did when i saw the announcement. Apple had become so powerful in the world of consumer electronics that it and Steve Jobs had suddenly started to rewrite the rules. These rules helped Apple not only to corner the Tablet market but also to almost single handedly create the market in the first place. Now there are those who will talk about how tablet computing was not created by Apple and this is entirely correct, however it was Apple who truly made them the product that they are today.
Previously Apple had been at the forefront of understanding consumer demands. When we all went mad about MP3 players, they gave us the best. When the same happened with smart phones again Apple stepped up and delivered a product which at the time had no real competitors in terms of quality and user experience other than the business-centric Blackberry. But then they revealed the iPad and did the opposite. Rather than waiting for consumers to realise that what they always wanted was a tablet computer Apple came along and forced their prodcut under the nose of the consumer and shouted "Buy It" at the top of its voice.
But surely you say, there is no way that one company (or even just one man) could fool the world into buying a product it neither needed or wanted. What a fool you would be for thinking that, just as i did when i saw the announcement. Apple had become so powerful in the world of consumer electronics that it and Steve Jobs had suddenly started to rewrite the rules. These rules helped Apple not only to corner the Tablet market but also to almost single handedly create the market in the first place. Now there are those who will talk about how tablet computing was not created by Apple and this is entirely correct, however it was Apple who truly made them the product that they are today.
Facebook Format-Change Syndrome
Yes everyone it's that time of year again. When all over the internet the screams of anger start to pick up. I am of course referring to the backlash that has arisen once again over the changes to our beloved Facebook. Its amazing how angry some get over the smallest changes to the social networking site, but the question you have to ask yourselves is simple, "why do people get so angry". Many psychologists and industry analysts have pointed to a seemingly primal hatred for change or maybe its the idea of having to re-learn the website which gets some peoples metaphorical panties in a twist.
This is however a seemingly short lived anger for many, in a few weeks time as always happens, the shouts start to diminish and the comment boxes begin to lose interest as suddenly everyone realises how little any of this matters. We still get access to all the same functions we used to, but now we may have something new to fiddle our privacy settings for. Why then do we get such a huge reaction when mere weeks ago the world was pledging to sink the website in a mass exodus in outrage at the company?
My answer would be that it is merely a case herd mentality once again being amplified by the mechanics of the social networked world in which we live. Either that or there is just a whole lot of crazy people out there.
This is however a seemingly short lived anger for many, in a few weeks time as always happens, the shouts start to diminish and the comment boxes begin to lose interest as suddenly everyone realises how little any of this matters. We still get access to all the same functions we used to, but now we may have something new to fiddle our privacy settings for. Why then do we get such a huge reaction when mere weeks ago the world was pledging to sink the website in a mass exodus in outrage at the company?
My answer would be that it is merely a case herd mentality once again being amplified by the mechanics of the social networked world in which we live. Either that or there is just a whole lot of crazy people out there.
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