Uhm... I'll let you in on a little secret. When people say "I read it for the articles" they're being ironic. It's supposed to be a joke, kind of like a running gag.
I disagree. It's an ugly hack to work around the fact that Apple won't give its users something that everyone else has had for decades.
I disagree, too. First, it's not an ugly hack. It's a gesture. The trackpad supports several of these, there's nothing hack-ish about it. Seconds, just because everyone has it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Discussions about the second mouse button inevitably devolve into crap flinging, but sufficient to say there are very good reasons to stay with one button.
Heroes and Shadow were horrible games, but they were far cries from the first two Sonic Adventure games, which were, in my opinion, far better 3D translations than the Mario series.
Owning both a DC and a N64, I can tell you with some authority that you are the first person I've ever seen make that claim.
The DC games weren't particularly bad - especially compared to modern 3D Sonic games. But they had quite severe flaws (especially during the non-sonic stages). They simply can't compare to Mario 64.
There are four features I just love about this release (well, there are more, but these are my main favourites):
You can use your BootCamp partition within Parallels (haven't tried it, dunno about any Activation issues).
You can "liberate" the Windows windows and make it look like you were running Windows and Mac OS at the same time, on the same screen - which looks extremely weird (here's a screenshot). I guess you could even runn more than one instance of Windows (although I have not tried that!) and mix, say, IE7 and IE6 windows. One note: All windows from a given Windows instance are in one single layer, so bringing one to the foreground brings all of them to the foreground.
You can use Mac OS keyboard commands in Windows (Cmd-C instead of Ctrl-C to copy, for example) - something which constantly bit me in the ass, as the Cmd-key used to call on the Windows key and open the Start menu. Cmd-L used to log you out (or something) when you want to focus the URL text field.
Drag-And-Drop between Windows and Mac OS. You can drag Files from a Finder window into a Windows Explorer window. Works well with the "Coherency" feature - having Windows explorers and Finder windows side-by-side and copying between them is just incredible.
All in all an utterly amazing update. I found this screencast showing some of the features.
It seems to probably be true. It was a big deal when it happened, and every news site reported it as the first ever loss for Nintendo "since going public in 1962."
I think that the last attempt is usually pretty good, but too late. The Dreamcast was a great console. The Jaguar was widely hailed both in magazines and by developers when it came out, and while it wasn't a true 64 bit console, it did beat the shit out of more expensive consoles like the 3DO.
The problem with relying on Slashdot for your PS3 news is that Zonk ensures to pick the most negative things to say about the PS3
HAHAHAHAA
I think that particular problem is with you. If you read any other news source, you'd know that they sound just like games.slashdot.org - even worse, usually.
I don't think Wii has "Game Makers engaged". As a PC Gamer I don't recognize most titles on a Wii
And as a console gamer, I don't recognize most PC games. Seriously. Looking at PC games, I see stuff like Doom, and that RPG which is also coming out for the 360 (errr... Oblivion, I think), and Sims. And that's it. I don't recognize most of these games. Is that the games' fault? Uhm, no. It's like the PS2 gamer telling me that Nintendo consoles have no A-List franchises. Dude. The fact that you don't recognize them doesn't mean that they aren't there, it just means that you've been playing on a different platform for the last decade!
Your argument is an absolute fallacy.
Unless you can enjoy all kinds of games with motion sensing
Games aren't forced to make use of motion sensing, or even of the remote.
While motion sensing is cool, I am putting it second behind games with good gameplay AND good graphics
But no console will have the Wii remote and PS3 graphics. I'd rather have a space shuttle than a car, too, but that doesn't mean that cars suck. Besides, I've yet to play a game and think "man, this game sucks, but it would be a huge amount of fun if only the graphics looked better."
that doesn't mean people don't buy Sony... they do.
But that is changing. Look at Sony's other businesses. They are losing market share left and right (iPod? HDTV screens?)
It's 360 vs PS3 and no one knows who will come out on the top. Even a suitable 360 bundle is about 500 bucks plus.
I think you hit the nail on the head. The 360 is already overpriced, and not selling well as a result. In fact, it's selling worse than the original Xbox. The PS3 is even more overpriced.
I don't see myself playing overnight swinging around like a monkey. It's perfect as a second entertainment system, but for me to switch from PC to console for serious gaming...
Serious gaming? Give me a break. I'd rather look like a monkey, but actually have fun.
While I do own consoles from many manufacturers (including Sony and Sega), I did not buy an Xbox or a PS2. I bought a Cube. And I bought exactly one EA game: Need for Speed Underground. There are two issues with EA's games on the Cube:
First, their quality is mediocre at best. They may not be bad games, but the Cube ports sucked. They got bad reviews, especially in platform-agnostic mags where they compared the different versions. NfS had really bad framerate problems, despite having PS2-level graphics. Some games even had controller issues because of poorly adapted controls.
Second, competition. Had I owned an Xbox or a PS2, I would have bought more EA games, because they're usually better than average. On the Cube, though, there were so many absolutely awesome games from publishers like Nintendo or Capcom that the EA games simply looked bland and boring in comparison. Now, if you absolutely have to have serious sports games and racing games, the Cube wasn't for you (with a few exceptions). If you don't, well, there wasn't a whole lot EA had to offer.
So, on the Cube, they simply didn't even try to keep up with other publishers. The quality simply wasn't there, and the competition was too good.
I'm not so sure that I agree with the premise that we're strategically focused on building original product for the PSP. That's news to me. It's more likely that we would target platforms like the PS3, Xbox 360 or Nintendo Wii if we had an original in mind. Our strategy on PSP has typically been to take the franchises that we build on other platforms and exploit them on the PSP.
Maybe PSP sales "skyrocketed," but if EA officially acknowledges that they simply "exploit their franchises on the PSP," I can't see any reason to get one. And yes, I do own a PSP. I call it "my portable LOST viewer."
It seems the young guns don't have the extra cash to stump up for smooth shiny aesthetics."
Uhm, no. That't not the reason. Lots of old people own Macs because people recommend Macs to people who don't have lots of technical knowledge. If your granny asked you what computer to get so she can send you mails, you'd probably recommend a Mac, too, if only so you don't have to go there for tech support every week.
As far as I can tell, younger people are more likely to buy Macs now than 5 or 10 years ago. Many of my friends have switched to Macs - most of them students.
And how do you suppose that works? A single mother who has to take care of a child and a household, probably has at least one job, and is also supposed to "develop some job skills," and is not allowed to give her kid something to play with so she doesn't constantly have to "parent" him. I happen to know single moms. Juggling a job, a child, a household, some last remnants of a social life, and doing it all alone is not pleasant. You should be glad you had a better childhood than this boy, and you most certainly shouldn't be jealous of the money they get. Trust me, you had it better.
Fair enough. If you don't accept any DRM'd media as a principle, then FairPlay is not for you:-)
I'm wondering what the best course of action from the pov of consumers is, though. If we ignore the online shops, we're giving the impression that the only way music works online is the illegal way. If we buy music online, we give the impression that DRM is perfectly okay... Neither is really desirable.
Wow, you really are angry. Did it ever occur to you that entertainment is part of a child's welfare? Consoles are toys. Are you suggesting children shouldn't have toys if their parents are on welfare?
I own a PSP and the first GTA which came out (Liberty City Stories? Not sure what it was called). I played it maybe for an hour before I gave up in frustration. I know it got high rates, but geez... It's virtually unplayable. The single analog nub makes sure that instead of hitting people, you're running in circles while swearing at the camera and dying. Instead of shooting people, you're standing in plain sight and getting shot. The game sucks. It's not that it's a bad game, it's just that it can't be played on the PSP.
It's only selling well on the PSP because there's no choice. There are about 10 A-List games on the PSP, and that's being generous (in my opinion).
And yet people wonder where the Nintendo=kiddie stigma comes from? It's a goddamned MYSTERY!!
You're right, it is a mystery. Surveys have shown that the younger the kids, the more likely they are to prefer Sony and Microsoft over Nintendo. The PS and the Xbox are the real kiddie consoles. If anything, Nintendo's consoles are targeted at parents, not at children.
More like "the only thing I want to know, LALALALALA, I'm not hearing you, reality, LALALALA!"
Your "statistic" is neither a statistic nor real. It's your subjective feeling which you project onto your "reality."
Personally, I see probably about as many PSPs as DSs - maybe a bit more DSs. I own both a PSP and a DS, but all of my friends own DSs. The DS is clearly selling more, although the PSP isn't a total failure either - just nothing like Sony expected it to be. Nothing at all.
Uh yes, I do have every way of knowing exactly how he got the money for that, because he told me. Welfare check came in, mom cashed it, mom took him to the store and bought him a genesis.
So maybe she made other sacrifices so she could get her kid a Genesis? Anyway, if you're still angry about not getting a Genesis as a kid, geez... Get over it.
Slashdot Mirror
I think the idea would be that a great phone that only works with Macs helps Mac sales. It's like an additional feature for Mac users.
Uhm... I'll let you in on a little secret. When people say "I read it for the articles" they're being ironic. It's supposed to be a joke, kind of like a running gag.
I disagree, too. First, it's not an ugly hack. It's a gesture. The trackpad supports several of these, there's nothing hack-ish about it. Seconds, just because everyone has it doesn't mean it's a good idea. Discussions about the second mouse button inevitably devolve into crap flinging, but sufficient to say there are very good reasons to stay with one button.
Owning both a DC and a N64, I can tell you with some authority that you are the first person I've ever seen make that claim.
The DC games weren't particularly bad - especially compared to modern 3D Sonic games. But they had quite severe flaws (especially during the non-sonic stages). They simply can't compare to Mario 64.
There are four features I just love about this release (well, there are more, but these are my main favourites):
All in all an utterly amazing update. I found this screencast showing some of the features.
It seems to probably be true. It was a big deal when it happened, and every news site reported it as the first ever loss for Nintendo "since going public in 1962."
There may be more hype around the PS3 than the DC, but if you only count positive hype, the DC would probably be the winner.
I think that the last attempt is usually pretty good, but too late. The Dreamcast was a great console. The Jaguar was widely hailed both in magazines and by developers when it came out, and while it wasn't a true 64 bit console, it did beat the shit out of more expensive consoles like the 3DO.
But others never released a version 4. Psion went from 3 to 5, for example.
So, when you say "tons of games," you actually mean "tons of Nintendo games."
Because you can't buy new PSP games and keep playing the emulations.
I own a PSP, you insensitive clod. I call it my portable Lost player.
HAHAHAHAA
I think that particular problem is with you. If you read any other news source, you'd know that they sound just like games.slashdot.org - even worse, usually.
And as a console gamer, I don't recognize most PC games. Seriously. Looking at PC games, I see stuff like Doom, and that RPG which is also coming out for the 360 (errr... Oblivion, I think), and Sims. And that's it. I don't recognize most of these games. Is that the games' fault? Uhm, no. It's like the PS2 gamer telling me that Nintendo consoles have no A-List franchises. Dude. The fact that you don't recognize them doesn't mean that they aren't there, it just means that you've been playing on a different platform for the last decade!
Your argument is an absolute fallacy.
Games aren't forced to make use of motion sensing, or even of the remote.
But no console will have the Wii remote and PS3 graphics. I'd rather have a space shuttle than a car, too, but that doesn't mean that cars suck. Besides, I've yet to play a game and think "man, this game sucks, but it would be a huge amount of fun if only the graphics looked better."
But that is changing. Look at Sony's other businesses. They are losing market share left and right (iPod? HDTV screens?)
I think you hit the nail on the head. The 360 is already overpriced, and not selling well as a result. In fact, it's selling worse than the original Xbox. The PS3 is even more overpriced.
Serious gaming? Give me a break. I'd rather look like a monkey, but actually have fun.
While I do own consoles from many manufacturers (including Sony and Sega), I did not buy an Xbox or a PS2. I bought a Cube. And I bought exactly one EA game: Need for Speed Underground. There are two issues with EA's games on the Cube:
So, on the Cube, they simply didn't even try to keep up with other publishers. The quality simply wasn't there, and the competition was too good.
I agree. Third parties were unsuccessfull on the Cube because they simply did not try. Those who did try got good sales numbers (RE4, for example).
Electronic Arts CEO Larry Probst
Maybe PSP sales "skyrocketed," but if EA officially acknowledges that they simply "exploit their franchises on the PSP," I can't see any reason to get one. And yes, I do own a PSP. I call it "my portable LOST viewer."
Uhm, no. That't not the reason. Lots of old people own Macs because people recommend Macs to people who don't have lots of technical knowledge. If your granny asked you what computer to get so she can send you mails, you'd probably recommend a Mac, too, if only so you don't have to go there for tech support every week.
As far as I can tell, younger people are more likely to buy Macs now than 5 or 10 years ago. Many of my friends have switched to Macs - most of them students.
And how do you suppose that works? A single mother who has to take care of a child and a household, probably has at least one job, and is also supposed to "develop some job skills," and is not allowed to give her kid something to play with so she doesn't constantly have to "parent" him. I happen to know single moms. Juggling a job, a child, a household, some last remnants of a social life, and doing it all alone is not pleasant. You should be glad you had a better childhood than this boy, and you most certainly shouldn't be jealous of the money they get. Trust me, you had it better.
Fair enough. If you don't accept any DRM'd media as a principle, then FairPlay is not for you :-)
I'm wondering what the best course of action from the pov of consumers is, though. If we ignore the online shops, we're giving the impression that the only way music works online is the illegal way. If we buy music online, we give the impression that DRM is perfectly okay... Neither is really desirable.
Wow, you really are angry. Did it ever occur to you that entertainment is part of a child's welfare? Consoles are toys. Are you suggesting children shouldn't have toys if their parents are on welfare?
I own a PSP and the first GTA which came out (Liberty City Stories? Not sure what it was called). I played it maybe for an hour before I gave up in frustration. I know it got high rates, but geez... It's virtually unplayable. The single analog nub makes sure that instead of hitting people, you're running in circles while swearing at the camera and dying. Instead of shooting people, you're standing in plain sight and getting shot. The game sucks. It's not that it's a bad game, it's just that it can't be played on the PSP.
It's only selling well on the PSP because there's no choice. There are about 10 A-List games on the PSP, and that's being generous (in my opinion).
You're right, it is a mystery. Surveys have shown that the younger the kids, the more likely they are to prefer Sony and Microsoft over Nintendo. The PS and the Xbox are the real kiddie consoles. If anything, Nintendo's consoles are targeted at parents, not at children.
More like "the only thing I want to know, LALALALALA, I'm not hearing you, reality, LALALALA!"
Your "statistic" is neither a statistic nor real. It's your subjective feeling which you project onto your "reality."
Personally, I see probably about as many PSPs as DSs - maybe a bit more DSs. I own both a PSP and a DS, but all of my friends own DSs. The DS is clearly selling more, although the PSP isn't a total failure either - just nothing like Sony expected it to be. Nothing at all.
So maybe she made other sacrifices so she could get her kid a Genesis? Anyway, if you're still angry about not getting a Genesis as a kid, geez... Get over it.