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.
Friday, 27 January 2012
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.
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