I guess that's why Steve made such a huge deal out of Halo at the PowerMac G4 launch. (I still curse Bill Gates for making me wait so long for that on a Mac.)
And Myst.
And why they featured game design prominently on a number of user examples on their home page for some time.
Probably why they partnered with Bandai lo those many years ago to create the Pippin.
It's a secondary market because Apple hasn't gained traction, not because Apple wants it be a secondary market.
There were dark years at Apple (thank you Gil Amelio, you German bastard) and marketing initiatives do NOT create short term immediate turn arounds. They take time to pay off.
When Steve took over the press was all over the "when will Apple die" story. Next came the "Cute computer" story. Next the "Isn't the iPod cool story." Now we're getting "Maybe Steve should run Disney" and "Apple computer are becoming popular: start watching out for viruses."
The tide has turned in a fairly substantial way, which is not to say that there's not still the potential for an undertow.
Indeed. Meaningless distinctions between products in the end create confusion more than anything else.
I was just shopping for a Thinkpad for work - figured an R43 would be good. Turns out there's a bunch of R43's, with some silly distinction on the end. Different drives, different screens etc.
Apple's computer marketing has been very succesful for the same reason it's iPod marketing has been. You buy an iPod that holds 4,000 songs. Not an jPod II Model 3-8 with the optional FM transmitter.
How about unencrypted AAC, which provides higher quality sound with smaller file sizes than MP3.
Half my library is in AAC format, as are a lot of less knowledgeable users. Why these silly electronics companies keep releasing players that only support MP3 & Microsoft formats I don't know -- I'd love to buy from Sony, but I'm sure as hell not going to re-rip my entire library.
Oh....wait...why does my Sony cellular phone play AAC tracks, while a Sony portable music player doesn't?
So in effect, the GameCube (IMHO) just didn't reach its target market. But with the Wii, every part of my being is alreay screaming, "I want one!" Especially if I can play the games with my kids.
I've extended the emphasis here, because it makes a very valid point.
This is Nintendo's audience.
While Tomb Raider's addition of an amply endowed Laura Croft crawling on all fours made it a perfect laddie game, it is not a game that one would play with one's children. Nintendo owned this market once. Mothers would play Nintendo games, even if only because their children asked them too. Very few mothers would play Tomb Raider.
Of course, Microsoft is probably banking on the fact that anybody who camps out overnight to buy an Xbox 360 isn't like to ever actually HAVE kids...
"Thank you MySpace for embarrassing our future politicians!"
Oh please. As if Arnold Schwarzeneger wasn't enough of an embarassment to our current politicians. Let's not even talk about Gopher, Cooter or Sonny Bono.
I thought that said "eating whipped cream off their grandmother's belly."
Come to think of it, gotta be careful what you post at Slashdot: all that anti-Microsoft hatred that can get spewed could be problematic when The (Wo)Man goes to sign a paycheque.
According to your "I called it first" theory of jurisprudence, London should be able to tax New Yorkers and all Vancouverites should be tithed by the Centre of the Know Universe -- Toronto.
Even granting that Aiwa is owned by Sony, I'd hardly call that "no one was offering the technology other than SONY."
Minidisc was cool, and I last recommended one to a woman who was doing anthropological field research in Africa. Why? The advantages of cassette (vs. an iPod, for example) with the ability to jack it directly to a computer through USB.
Next wave of MP3 player/recorders may make this redundant, but it was a decent solution at the time and that wasn't that long ago.
It would probably be more accurate to suggest that he wanted to spend "as little time administering the system as necessary."
Most people just want to get things done. Linux can make it very hard to do that. Red Hat's not bad, but as a Linux install I can't stand it.
I always liked FreeBSD but just got so tired of recompiling kernels and XMMS that my personal machine became a Mac, again. It minimizes the amount of time I need to spend futzing around.
Wasn't too happy when 10.4.6 killed my system though. Thank god for that old iBook G3 I had kicking around that let me boot as a Firewire target disk.
Buy the computer the guy you're going to call for help uses. Easiest way to make sure you have answers to questions.
Slashdot Mirror
I think the new rubber on the road under OS X (that is, FreeBSD Unix-y underpinnings) is helping with the traction problem here.
I guess that's why Steve made such a huge deal out of Halo at the PowerMac G4 launch. (I still curse Bill Gates for making me wait so long for that on a Mac.)
And Myst.
And why they featured game design prominently on a number of user examples on their home page for some time.
Probably why they partnered with Bandai lo those many years ago to create the Pippin.
It's a secondary market because Apple hasn't gained traction, not because Apple wants it be a secondary market.
You say tomato, I say apple.
There were dark years at Apple (thank you Gil Amelio, you German bastard) and marketing initiatives do NOT create short term immediate turn arounds. They take time to pay off.
When Steve took over the press was all over the "when will Apple die" story. Next came the "Cute computer" story. Next the "Isn't the iPod cool story." Now we're getting "Maybe Steve should run Disney" and "Apple computer are becoming popular: start watching out for viruses."
The tide has turned in a fairly substantial way, which is not to say that there's not still the potential for an undertow.
Indeed. Meaningless distinctions between products in the end create confusion more than anything else.
I was just shopping for a Thinkpad for work - figured an R43 would be good. Turns out there's a bunch of R43's, with some silly distinction on the end. Different drives, different screens etc.
Apple's computer marketing has been very succesful for the same reason it's iPod marketing has been. You buy an iPod that holds 4,000 songs. Not an jPod II Model 3-8 with the optional FM transmitter.
You don't think that they realized this when they bundled Tetris with the original Gameboy?
I'm developing a French Fry vending machine that stores residual oil in a hold tank for a Vegetable Oil car gas pump.
I'm calling it the Pump and Fry.
Radical tranformation of both technology and culture has occured in 30 years.
We just don't have flying cars yet.
Browse by artist.
Sort by album name.
Bow to my greatness as one views the list you are describing.
The problem with out of home gaming is they chose bad names.
The need more dimly lit rooms with names like "Wizard's Castle" and "Frodo's Palace"
Call it retro.
How long before this is retailing on Think Geek?
"The concept of "State Sponsored" piracy just seems to be a huge oxymoron."
So, increasingly, does the concept of France as a State.
It appears to be crumbling under its own French-ness.
A shame too. Such great wine. Such wonderful cheese. Such beautiful women.
How about unencrypted AAC, which provides higher quality sound with smaller file sizes than MP3.
Half my library is in AAC format, as are a lot of less knowledgeable users. Why these silly electronics companies keep releasing players that only support MP3 & Microsoft formats I don't know -- I'd love to buy from Sony, but I'm sure as hell not going to re-rip my entire library.
Oh....wait...why does my Sony cellular phone play AAC tracks, while a Sony portable music player doesn't?
Kind of makes my head shake.
Boycotting O'Reilly? Hard isn't it.
Maybe this creates a new market for those Dummies books though.
Except that Steve Jobs won't sell them in Apple Stores.
You missed out on Web Root 2
It seems like less than 2, but with infinitely greater shades of grey.
This does NOT happen very often, and we should bow down and praise those (Google) who do it!
Worshiping one's oppressors is not necessary; it will not make them oppress you less.
"Thank you MySpace for embarrassing our future politicians!"
Oh please. As if Arnold Schwarzeneger wasn't enough of an embarassment to our current politicians. Let's not even talk about Gopher, Cooter or Sonny Bono.
I thought that said "eating whipped cream off their grandmother's belly."
Come to think of it, gotta be careful what you post at Slashdot: all that anti-Microsoft hatred that can get spewed could be problematic when The (Wo)Man goes to sign a paycheque.
According to your "I called it first" theory of jurisprudence, London should be able to tax New Yorkers and all Vancouverites should be tithed by the Centre of the Know Universe -- Toronto.
Seems unlikely to fly to me.
The power to tax is the power to destroy.
It's an issue for the courts.
There. Up there. In the subject. That's all I have to say.
MiniDisc licencees included:
JVC, Kenwood, Aiwa, Sharp, Denon, Alpine, Yamaha, Panasonic, Onkyo and Marantz.
Even granting that Aiwa is owned by Sony, I'd hardly call that "no one was offering the technology other than SONY."
Minidisc was cool, and I last recommended one to a woman who was doing anthropological field research in Africa. Why? The advantages of cassette (vs. an iPod, for example) with the ability to jack it directly to a computer through USB.
Next wave of MP3 player/recorders may make this redundant, but it was a decent solution at the time and that wasn't that long ago.
It would probably be more accurate to suggest that he wanted to spend "as little time administering the system as necessary."
Most people just want to get things done. Linux can make it very hard to do that. Red Hat's not bad, but as a Linux install I can't stand it.
I always liked FreeBSD but just got so tired of recompiling kernels and XMMS that my personal machine became a Mac, again. It minimizes the amount of time I need to spend futzing around.
Wasn't too happy when 10.4.6 killed my system though. Thank god for that old iBook G3 I had kicking around that let me boot as a Firewire target disk.
Buy the computer the guy you're going to call for help uses. Easiest way to make sure you have answers to questions.
"A 3-pound ugly box that runs out of batteries after 30 minutes of playing the latest DX10 game on a 320x200 screen?"
Well, that pretty much describes the new ThinkPad with Windows XP I'm configuring, so I'd say you're right on target.
Go classic. Concrete shoes for you if you don't stop calling.
Just an idea.