A gaming system that plans to be used for online gaming will need to be able to download patches, levels, maps, and other information persistently
That sounds more like a PC to me, I don't want my console having to download the latest security patch.
I see security as a big issue with getting online playmodes for console games, especially ports from PCs where you want network compatablility with the PC game. Who is be responable for creating console patches?
It's pretty certain that the Xbox2 will not have a HD either. There are quite a few reasons NOT to put a HD in a console.
makes the console more expensive
make money off selling proprietary flash
people like being able to move save-game data
the HD in the Xbox is great for storing pirated games.
a system without persistant memory is harder to screw up(errors/hackers/viruses)
actually, I doubt that throwing in an ethernet controller/plug would cost them a couple pennies per console, as long as they designed it into the mainboard.
"All in One" devices are usually cheaper, and in the N-gage case you are also paying extra so you don't have ro carry around an extra thing to play games. The N-Gage is now comparable to a GB SP and a cell-phone, EB is selling a N-Gage bundle for $200. Plus, you get to play online games.
Game console features overlap with a DVR's features enough to say you will probably get a PS3 w/DVR cheaper than a PS3 + TIVO. TIVO's are selling for $150 and up with a $300 activation fee right now. The artical says the PS3 w/DVR will probably be $600 more than the PS3 which is about the cost of a middle of the line TIVO and far less than a TIVO w/ DVD-burner.
I imagine this is part of the reason for the speculation of 2 versions. A gaming system really has no use for a HD, but a "Home Server" ala TIVO basically has to have one. They have already done this with the PSX. This thing is still probably 2 years off, so maybe some new breakthough storage will come oout by then.
I must second this post. I've delt with Dell/HP/Compaq/Apple and had bad experiences with all of them. Compaq being BY FAR the worst, with Dell, HP and Apple all being about the same.
But IBM has there stuff together, their phone-support staff has never seemed incompetant and (in my experince) their kit rarely fails.
Dell will replace the system within the first 30-days (usually with a refurb), but I've clocked in too many "Saga" entries into the helpdesk database where a lemon Inspirion has had every piece replaced and Dell will not replace it. They would rather keep sending out new motherboards for the @#$%## thing. I can think of only one exception to this, when we got Dell to ship a refurb replacement after the first 30-days.
Although, I must say, I don't belive all the laptops we had with chronic problems were lemons. It's amazing what people do to laptops.
Is the replacement power supply Apple branded? If Apple finds out you are using a 3rd partt powersupplythen you just voided any service you had comming.
I wonder how that other power supply keeps you from getting shocked? You may want to try a power filter and the original power supply. Most UPSs will do a good job of cleaning up power.
You can use QT for proprietary stuff, you just have to pay.
They offer versions(Mac/X11) under either the GPL, or you can buy any version under a license for commercial apps. TrollTech also recently released a version for Windows for non-commercial apps, this license doesn't seem to require you to distribute your source.
Pricing info is here, it's pretty reasonable, they have some decent GUI design tools too.
kinda the point of using an Xbox. It's a very cheap PC with very good tv out. Getting tv-out that looks good isn't all that simple to setup even if you have a video card that supports it.
Yep, pretty lame. My brother has been using X10's PC remote for a few years now to do the same thing(which has decent Linux support).
Elgato just released EyeHome which streams audio/video from your Computer(Mac Only) via Ethernet to a TV for the same price. It looks sweet, XLR8YourMac has had a bunch of users review it. It only accepts Mpeg1, Mpeg2(non-VBR), and DIVX streams from their "EyeHome Media Server". The same company Sells nice firewire tuners with TIVO like software that incorporates into the setup.
Seriously though, if you want a good TV frontend for your computer, get an Xbox and put Linux on it (no, you don't need to buy a mod-chip). It costs less than any other option and is a lot more flexable.
Any GPLed software can be taken and totally rebraded, as long as you are re-brading it with something you own the copyrights to and then re-releasing it under the GPL
The GPL doesn't give any protection from getting ripped off(while still re-releases are under the GPL), and forbids authors from adding stipulations to the licence that would let you stop people from ripping you off.
How do you think people fork under a different name?
I'd love to see this technology adapted to a full blown PDA. PDAs generally have pretty static display methods(show an icon menu and the user touchs the icon they want).
If you added a LCD strip below the screen you could stick more dynamic things there, i.e. (the LCD displays the echo of text you are inputing, then when you are done, that line is dumped to the e-ink, kinda like old word-processor/typwriters).
I really don't see a problem with getting any app running with minimal screen updates.
What I'm kinda worried about is wear and tear.
How bad does IR/UV light bleach/ruin the screen?
How many times can a microcapsule change colors before it wears out?
I've never seen a 170dpi screen, but how bad will a couple of stuck pixels look?
One thing I hope changes is the console controller, the console controller hasn't (really) changed since the console was created, analog contol pads have gotten better and cheaper, but not much else. If someone comes out with a controller that is truely supperior, it could bring them a lot of business.
I'm a big fan of IBM's trackpoint technology, it blows away a trackpad, although I still perfer an oversized trackball. Integrating something like a trackpoint into a controller would make jumping a cursor across the screen possible.
Slashdot Mirror
That sounds more like a PC to me, I don't want my console having to download the latest security patch.
I see security as a big issue with getting online playmodes for console games, especially ports from PCs where you want network compatablility with the PC game. Who is be responable for creating console patches?
It's pretty certain that the Xbox2 will not have a HD either. There are quite a few reasons NOT to put a HD in a console.
actually, I doubt that throwing in an ethernet controller/plug would cost them a couple pennies per console, as long as they designed it into the mainboard.
I'm prett sure the Game Cube has 40MB of memory total, and the Xbox has 64MB total(all of which is shared).
Game console features overlap with a DVR's features enough to say you will probably get a PS3 w/DVR cheaper than a PS3 + TIVO. TIVO's are selling for $150 and up with a $300 activation fee right now. The artical says the PS3 w/DVR will probably be $600 more than the PS3 which is about the cost of a middle of the line TIVO and far less than a TIVO w/ DVD-burner.
I imagine this is part of the reason for the speculation of 2 versions. A gaming system really has no use for a HD, but a "Home Server" ala TIVO basically has to have one. They have already done this with the PSX. This thing is still probably 2 years off, so maybe some new breakthough storage will come oout by then.
the fabs Sony/IBM are building for the Cell-chips will not be ready until early 2006.
too many people have been needing/wanting this to happen and you make a joke of it.
boooooo slashdot
But IBM has there stuff together, their phone-support staff has never seemed incompetant and (in my experince) their kit rarely fails.
the gigabytes
True, and the person making money off the deal would be the Apple authorized shop fixing it.
Dell will replace the system within the first 30-days (usually with a refurb), but I've clocked in too many "Saga" entries into the helpdesk database where a lemon Inspirion has had every piece replaced and Dell will not replace it. They would rather keep sending out new motherboards for the @#$%## thing. I can think of only one exception to this, when we got Dell to ship a refurb replacement after the first 30-days.
Although, I must say, I don't belive all the laptops we had with chronic problems were lemons. It's amazing what people do to laptops.
I wonder how that other power supply keeps you from getting shocked? You may want to try a power filter and the original power supply. Most UPSs will do a good job of cleaning up power.
Getting zapped by your laptop isn't good.
They offer versions(Mac/X11) under either the GPL, or you can buy any version under a license for commercial apps. TrollTech also recently released a version for Windows for non-commercial apps, this license doesn't seem to require you to distribute your source.
Pricing info is here, it's pretty reasonable, they have some decent GUI design tools too.
Your looking for the Xbox Media Center, it runs Linux but caters to Windows with a Windows app for streaming video to it.
and last I was just telling my brother that froogle has really become the place to look for general price info.
kinda the point of using an Xbox. It's a very cheap PC with very good tv out. Getting tv-out that looks good isn't all that simple to setup even if you have a video card that supports it.
Elgato just released EyeHome which streams audio/video from your Computer(Mac Only) via Ethernet to a TV for the same price. It looks sweet, XLR8YourMac has had a bunch of users review it. It only accepts Mpeg1, Mpeg2(non-VBR), and DIVX streams from their "EyeHome Media Server". The same company Sells nice firewire tuners with TIVO like software that incorporates into the setup.
Seriously though, if you want a good TV frontend for your computer, get an Xbox and put Linux on it (no, you don't need to buy a mod-chip). It costs less than any other option and is a lot more flexable.
The GPL doesn't give any protection from getting ripped off(while still re-releases are under the GPL), and forbids authors from adding stipulations to the licence that would let you stop people from ripping you off.
How do you think people fork under a different name?
I wonder what happens when you shake the screen. ala etch-e-sketch
An LCD is usually back-lit, and doesn't do a very good job of not reflecting light when not back-lit.
someone above posted this link it explains it pretty well.
If you added a LCD strip below the screen you could stick more dynamic things there, i.e. (the LCD displays the echo of text you are inputing, then when you are done, that line is dumped to the e-ink, kinda like old word-processor/typwriters).
I really don't see a problem with getting any app running with minimal screen updates.
What I'm kinda worried about is wear and tear.
- How bad does IR/UV light bleach/ruin the screen?
- How many times can a microcapsule change colors before it wears out?
- I've never seen a 170dpi screen, but how bad will a couple of stuck pixels look?
I'm anxiously awaiting some reviews.I'm a big fan of IBM's trackpoint technology, it blows away a trackpad, although I still perfer an oversized trackball. Integrating something like a trackpoint into a controller would make jumping a cursor across the screen possible.
Unlike Microsoft, Apple and Sony seem to be in the business of making products that make money.
You have to use jigdo, and you can't use Windows to download the image, but it's there.