Vizio is adding OnLive gaming to it's Internet suite for the HDTV. Which already includes thirty or so free and subscription services like Facebook, Netflix, Rhapsody, Pandora, Picassa and Twitter.
The geek needs to be paying attention.
His wife won't tolerate the mod or hack that bricks a $5000 investment in home theater hardware on Super Bowl Sunday. His kids won't take well to being cut off from on their online gaming and social networking accounts.
He'll be sleeping in the basement for real - and it won't be the RIAA that puts him there.
The PS3 supports a webcam and printer. The Internet "app" can be built into any piece of hardware. The Denon receiver that supports digital broadcast and satellite radio. The Samsung Blu-Ray player.
What matters is that the general-purpose PC and the "standards based" browser is no longer part of the equation.
Content protection - "rights management?" No problem. Flash animation? No problem. The licensed HVEC decoder that delievers 1080p video or better and multichannel theater sound at half the bit rate of H.264 or WebM? No problem.
The sponsor of the "app" can do anything he wants with any tool he wants.
The geek can fret and fume but he has no say.
_____
Vizio emerged from Walmart to become a major player in HDTV:
Nearly every Rhapsody function is included in the app, turning the Vizio into a celestial jukebox for subscribers (starting at $10 per month; the TV doesn't count as a "device" against your total) and begging for connection to an external audio system (analog and digital audio output is supported). Searches for artists, songs, etc., came up quickly, and autocomplete kicked in as we typed the first few letters. We assembled a playback queue, called up Rhapsody's channels and our own custom playlists, and enjoyed cover art on the big screen. Vizio's secret weapon, found on no other TV remote we know of, is a full slide-out keyboard with dedicated keys for letters, numbers, and symbols, just like on a smartphone. Best of all, it's included with the TV for free, not as an expensive option like some other Internet-friendly remotes. The keyboard worked on all of the apps we tried, and although we found it more cramped and somewhat less responsive compared, say, with the keyboard on a typical smartphone, it's perfectly usable and makes Tweets, Facebook status updates, and username/password sign-ins so much easier than the standard remote/onscreen keyboard combo. Bluetooth means the remote works without needing line-of-sight, and also promises future functionality. Although we didn't test it, Vizio says the TV can pair with other Bluetooth devices like a full-size keyboard or stereo headphones.
Here is another look at Microsoft's second quarter.
Microsoft may be a big, sprawling company, but it's hardly acting like a deer in the headlights facing a speeding Steve Jobs at the wheel. Given the decades-old and often bitter rivalry between Apple and Microsoft, that narrative is tempting. But a deeper look into Microsoft's report reveals a company that's surprisingly nimble for its size.
First of all, the idea that Microsoft can't create a phenomenon like the iPad anymore simply isn't true. The iPad sold 2 million units in its first 60 days. The Kinect sold four times as many, tapping mainstream interest much sooner.
What's especially interesting is that the Kinect sold so well despite the lack of buzz in the tech media. Comparing Google search and news trends for the word "Kinect" with that of "iPad," and you'll find that the iPad attracted much more of the public conversation. And yet the Kinect's 8 million sales in November and December surpassed the 7.3 million iPads that Apple sold in the entire fourth quarter.
Factoring out the effect of the Windows launch, Microsoft estimated growth around 3%, "in line with PC market growth." Again, 3% growth isn't terrific, but it's nowhere near as bad as the headline figure suggests.
Even if Microsoft's Windows revenue does start to slide in coming years, the company can weather the blow. Sure, Windows revenue makes up a quarter of Microsoft's total sales. But its business-software division -- including Office, as well as SharePoint and Exchange -- contributes 30% of its revenue, and that division expanded its profit by 35% last quarter.
Other divisions are seeing similarly strong profit growth. Microsoft's server and tools division, which makes up another 22% of revenue, saw its profit rise by 21%. And the entertainment group, which makes Xbox and Kinect and accounts for 19% of revenue, posted profit growth of a whopping 86%.
The threat of tablets to Microsoft is real and shouldn't be trivialized. But neither should Microsoft's ability to keep sales and profits growing in other areas of its broad-based businesses.
Given how Microsoft has faltered in the marketplace, has failed to innovate and continues to misunderstand its customers, perhaps the old guys need to go.
Among the factors driving Microsoft's record revenues and earnings per share was the 55% growth in revenue for the Entertainment & Devices Division, as the success of the Kinect sensor boosted sales of Xbox 360 consoles, Xbox Live subscriptions and Xbox games. Microsoft Business Division revenue grew 24% year-over-year. Office 2010 is the fastest-selling consumer version of Office in history, with license sales over 50% ahead of Office 2007 over an equivalent period following launch.
Microsoft announced it has now sold over 300 million Windows 7 licenses, and Windows 7 is now running on over 20% of Internet-connected PCs.
The company announced that during the quarter, it bought back $5 billion in stock and declared $1.3 billion in dividends.
Is it just me, or I could swear that I 'bought' my ps3 and it said nothing about a cable box like rental on the box. Why is it so hard for Sony to understand that this is my property and to leave it well enough alone?
You might be satisfied with a feature list frozen in 2006.
But in 2011 the PS3 can still be described as a feature-rich, state-of-the-art, video game console with HD support and 3D capable Blu-Ray drive, supporting a broad range of streaming media, social networking and other online services.
At the college i was at in 1993-1994 a lot of people were already logging onto the internet and learning the graces of pine, gopher, telnet, and FTP.
You were using the college's facilities - not being billed by the hour - plus surcharges for the regional or long distance call.
AOl was wildly successful because it insulated users from the complexites of e-mail clients, file compression, IRC, etc., - and second because it tamed the cost of going on-line to an affordable and predictable monthly bill.
Not to sound elitist, but the dumb bimbo bitches I see in lecture hall chatting on Facebook are not geeks. They are still dumb bimbo bitches, just with a Web 2.0 platform to spew their idiocy.
3. An adjective describing a person who takes a dislike to females. Usually losers. Pokes at them, makes derogatory remarks about them, and really don't connect to females on a mental level.Misogynist
One of my best friends in high school was killed when his car was hit by a drunk. To me, I'd rather the drunk lost his license rather than my car fitted with an interlock. I don't even drink, why should I have to pay for someone else's irresponsibility?
I'd rather have my friend alive than killed by a drunk driver.
I suggest that each of their offices should receive a good few calls Monday, letting them know what we think about free speech and about restraining it.
With the emphasis on few.
Some stats from the Wikipedia for the PS3:
41 million units sold 69 million PSN accounts 17 million PlayStation Home accounts
The geek can rage on as long as he likes. But these are the numbers which matter to Sony.
There is really no reason to have all the additional expense of toll roads.
The toll road or bridge can be privately financed, constructed and maintained.
The "bridge to nowhere" does not get built because private capital won't fund it.
[That always means you might not get the transcontinental railroad or the Alaskan highway. That you are flying Pan-Am's Clippers or Count Zeppelin's s airships because no one can afford the price of a mile-long concrete runway.]
The entrepreneur can experiment - and probably go broke - developing techniques that are not likely to be government funded - aerial tramways, people-movers and so on.
It's nice to know that when corporate interests are threatened, the US Government is more than willing to come to the rescue and do their bidding. Of course, when Goldman Sachs lies, cheats, and defrauds the American people, the US government looks the other way.
...with your shitty updates that seemingly do nothing except prevent me from using the online services until i've installed them.
Recent PS3 Firmware Updates
3.15 Data transfer from HDD to HDD by Ethernet cable.
3.21. Exit the OtherOS
3.40 Video editor and uploader for Facebook and YouTube Browse Facebook and Picasa web photo alblums
Share photos with friends on PSN. Print photos. Deep Color (HDMI)
3.50 Support for stereoscopic 3D games
3.55 Play 3D content on Blu-Ray disks Allow Facebook access from Facebook enabled games
There's a cycle. First, identify the largest clearly identifiable remaining demographic. Second, piss them off. Repeat.
The PS3 has sold 41 million units. PSN has about 69 million accounts. Play Station Home, (social networking) 17 million accounts. (source: Wikipedia)
These numbers dwarf anything Slashdot has to offer.
The PS3 is one of the best rated Blu-Ray and DVD players around.
The PS3 supports Netflix and other streaming media services for which there is no Linux client - and it remains, by the way, a very good platform for console gaming.
Sourceforge is root canal. The valley of the shadow.
The living dead.
FOSS is more than Linux - and the bare repository of files is of no use to anyone unless you know what you are looking for.
Windows doesn't have a repository. What is does have is resources like Download.com. One-stop shopping for editorial reviews, tutorials, screenshots, demos and so on.
Decisions need to be based on evidence that is open and public. Witnesses who can be cross-examined.
You can't allow the system to be subverted by a judge or juror because of what they think they know after reading an essay in the Wikipedia.
It's not surprising that a warden might be wary of an RPG. That he might not be willing to invest the time to properly monitor the play. The primal scenario in D&D is that you escape the dungeon, loot the treasure troves and kill whatever - whoever - stands in your way.
I have ten bucks that says he developed the ulcer due to the stress of having to deal with modern copyright issuess and whatever big name Hollywood studios he's had to tolerate doing business with.
The copyright issues for the producer - director are straight-forward:
You expected to generate a return on an investment of $100 to $500 million dollars. If you are doing the next Batman, James Bond, LOTR or Harry Potter flick you are expected to deliver a marketable product that preserves the franchise.
You take responsibility for a $100 - $200 million dollar project -
So they sit on there arses while billions of pounds of financial cybercrimes are committed, trillions of spam sent, and then arrest some 15 year old for hurling a few packets in the name of free speech - fucking lame.
E-mail threats to the Vice-President. Five of sixteen U.S. defendants plead guilty for their role in "Lost Boy" child pornography ring Theft of trade secrets from Goldman-Sachs Operator of luxury eyeware website charged with cyberstalking, threats and fraud Extradited hacker gets 10 years for first-ever hack into Internet phone networks. Orange County man arrested on federal charges related to demands for sexually explicit videos from women and teenage girls. (Hacking into computers for purposes of extortion)
Slashdot Mirror
Vizio is adding OnLive gaming to it's Internet suite for the HDTV.
Which already includes thirty or so free and subscription services like Facebook, Netflix, Rhapsody, Pandora, Picassa and Twitter.
The geek needs to be paying attention.
His wife won't tolerate the mod or hack that bricks a $5000 investment in home theater hardware on Super Bowl Sunday. His kids won't take well to being cut off from on their online gaming and social networking accounts.
He'll be sleeping in the basement for real - and it won't be the RIAA that puts him there.
The PS3 supports a webcam and printer. The Internet "app" can be built into any piece of hardware. The Denon receiver that supports digital broadcast and satellite radio. The Samsung Blu-Ray player.
What matters is that the general-purpose PC and the "standards based" browser is no longer part of the equation.
Content protection - "rights management?" No problem. Flash animation? No problem. The licensed HVEC decoder that delievers 1080p video or better and multichannel theater sound at half the bit rate of H.264 or WebM? No problem.
The sponsor of the "app" can do anything he wants with any tool he wants.
The geek can fret and fume but he has no say.
_____
Vizio emerged from Walmart to become a major player in HDTV:
Nearly every Rhapsody function is included in the app, turning the Vizio into a celestial jukebox for subscribers (starting at $10 per month; the TV doesn't count as a "device" against your total) and begging for connection to an external audio system (analog and digital audio output is supported). Searches for artists, songs, etc., came up quickly, and autocomplete kicked in as we typed the first few letters. We assembled a playback queue, called up Rhapsody's channels and our own custom playlists, and enjoyed cover art on the big screen.
Vizio's secret weapon, found on no other TV remote we know of, is a full slide-out keyboard with dedicated keys for letters, numbers, and symbols, just like on a smartphone.
Best of all, it's included with the TV for free, not as an expensive option like some other Internet-friendly remotes.
The keyboard worked on all of the apps we tried, and although we found it more cramped and somewhat less responsive compared, say, with the keyboard on a typical smartphone, it's perfectly usable and makes Tweets, Facebook status updates, and username/password sign-ins so much easier than the standard remote/onscreen keyboard combo.
Bluetooth means the remote works without needing line-of-sight, and also promises future functionality. Although we didn't test it, Vizio says the TV can pair with other Bluetooth devices like a full-size keyboard or stereo headphones.
Vizio XVT553SV [Updated Oct 2010]
URL Fix: Microsoft Reports Record $0.77 Earnings Per Share in Second Quarter
Here is another look at Microsoft's second quarter.
Microsoft may be a big, sprawling company, but it's hardly acting like a deer in the headlights facing a speeding Steve Jobs at the wheel. Given the decades-old and often bitter rivalry between Apple and Microsoft, that narrative is tempting. But a deeper look into Microsoft's report reveals a company that's surprisingly nimble for its size.
First of all, the idea that Microsoft can't create a phenomenon like the iPad anymore simply isn't true. The iPad sold 2 million units in its first 60 days. The Kinect sold four times as many, tapping mainstream interest much sooner.
What's especially interesting is that the Kinect sold so well despite the lack of buzz in the tech media. Comparing Google search and news trends for the word "Kinect" with that of "iPad," and you'll find that the iPad attracted much more of the public conversation. And yet the Kinect's 8 million sales in November and December surpassed the 7.3 million iPads that Apple sold in the entire fourth quarter.
Factoring out the effect of the Windows launch, Microsoft estimated growth around 3%, "in line with PC market growth." Again, 3% growth isn't terrific, but it's nowhere near as bad as the headline figure suggests.
Even if Microsoft's Windows revenue does start to slide in coming years, the company can weather the blow. Sure, Windows revenue makes up a quarter of Microsoft's total sales. But its business-software division -- including Office, as well as SharePoint and Exchange -- contributes 30% of its revenue, and that division expanded its profit by 35% last quarter.
Other divisions are seeing similarly strong profit growth. Microsoft's server and tools division, which makes up another 22% of revenue, saw its profit rise by 21%. And the entertainment group, which makes Xbox and Kinect and accounts for 19% of revenue, posted profit growth of a whopping 86%.
The threat of tablets to Microsoft is real and shouldn't be trivialized. But neither should Microsoft's ability to keep sales and profits growing in other areas of its broad-based businesses.
No, the iPad Is Not Killing Microsoft's Business
Given how Microsoft has faltered in the marketplace, has failed to innovate and continues to misunderstand its customers, perhaps the old guys need to go.
Microsoft Reports Record $0.77 Earnings Per Share in Second Quarter
Among the factors driving Microsoft's record revenues and earnings per share was the 55% growth in revenue for the Entertainment & Devices Division, as the success of the Kinect sensor boosted sales of Xbox 360 consoles, Xbox Live subscriptions and Xbox games.
Microsoft Business Division revenue grew 24% year-over-year. Office 2010 is the fastest-selling consumer version of Office in history, with license sales over 50% ahead of Office 2007 over an equivalent period following launch.
Microsoft announced it has now sold over 300 million Windows 7 licenses, and Windows 7 is now running on over 20% of Internet-connected PCs.
The company announced that during the quarter, it bought back $5 billion in stock and declared $1.3 billion in dividends.
Is it just me, or I could swear that I 'bought' my ps3 and it said nothing about a cable box like rental on the box. Why is it so hard for Sony to understand that this is my property and to leave it well enough alone?
Maybe it is just you.
PS3 System Update History
You might be satisfied with a feature list frozen in 2006. But in 2011 the PS3 can still be described as a feature-rich, state-of-the-art, video game console with HD support and 3D capable Blu-Ray drive, supporting a broad range of streaming media, social networking and other online services.
At the college i was at in 1993-1994 a lot of people were already logging onto the internet and learning the graces of pine, gopher, telnet, and FTP.
You were using the college's facilities - not being billed by the hour - plus surcharges for the regional or long distance call.
AOl was wildly successful because it insulated users from the complexites of e-mail clients, file compression, IRC, etc., - and second because it tamed the cost of going on-line to an affordable and predictable monthly bill.
The more you tighten you grip, the more Star Systems, er, informed citizens will slip through your fingers.
Don't confuse with reality.
Not to sound elitist, but the dumb bimbo bitches I see in lecture hall chatting on Facebook are not geeks. They are still dumb bimbo bitches, just with a Web 2.0 platform to spew their idiocy.
Misogynist
3. An adjective describing a person who takes a dislike to females. Usually losers. Pokes at them, makes derogatory remarks about them, and really don't connect to females on a mental level. Misogynist
One of my best friends in high school was killed when his car was hit by a drunk. To me, I'd rather the drunk lost his license rather than my car fitted with an interlock. I don't even drink, why should I have to pay for someone else's irresponsibility?
I'd rather have my friend alive than killed by a drunk driver.
For example, I think Slashdot needs to come up with an alternative logo for Microsoft stories.
Just use the legit corporate logos, anything else is nothing more than flamebait.
I'm growing tired of your use of "the geek" as though you are speaking of a lower class of being.
I wouldn't say that the geek is a lower class of being.
But there are times when the numbers are against him.
The law -- and I haven't read it
This does not inspire a high level of confidence in anything which follows.
It would be so easy to set up a site to organize a global, world wide boycott about arrogant companies to send loud and clear message...
Like the EFF's "Windows 7 Sins?" Fat lot of good that did.
The only message these "boycotts" ever send is that the geek has a piss-poor bond with the masses.
I suggest that each of their offices should receive a good few calls Monday, letting them know what we think about free speech and about restraining it.
With the emphasis on few.
Some stats from the Wikipedia for the PS3:
41 million units sold
69 million PSN accounts
17 million PlayStation Home accounts
The geek can rage on as long as he likes. But these are the numbers which matter to Sony.
There is really no reason to have all the additional expense of toll roads.
The toll road or bridge can be privately financed, constructed and maintained.
The "bridge to nowhere" does not get built because private capital won't fund it.
[That always means you might not get the transcontinental railroad or the Alaskan highway. That you are flying Pan-Am's Clippers or Count Zeppelin's s airships because no one can afford the price of a mile-long concrete runway.]
The entrepreneur can experiment - and probably go broke - developing techniques that are not likely to be government funded - aerial tramways, people-movers and so on.
It's nice to know that when corporate interests are threatened, the US Government is more than willing to come to the rescue and do their bidding. Of course, when Goldman Sachs lies, cheats, and defrauds the American people, the US government looks the other way.
Taxpayers Earn +23% on Goldman Sachs TARP Repayment
...with your shitty updates that seemingly do nothing except prevent me from using the online services until i've installed them.
Recent PS3 Firmware Updates
3.15 Data transfer from HDD to HDD by Ethernet cable.
3.21. Exit the OtherOS
3.40 Video editor and uploader for Facebook and YouTube
Browse Facebook and Picasa web photo alblums
Share photos with friends on PSN. Print photos.
Deep Color (HDMI)
3.50 Support for stereoscopic 3D games
3.55 Play 3D content on Blu-Ray disks
Allow Facebook access from Facebook enabled games
For all: http://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/history/index.htmhttp://us.playstation.com/support/systemupdates/ps3/history/index.htm " a>PS3â System Update History
There's a cycle. First, identify the largest clearly identifiable remaining demographic. Second, piss them off. Repeat.
The PS3 has sold 41 million units. PSN has about 69 million accounts. Play Station Home, (social networking) 17 million accounts. (source: Wikipedia)
These numbers dwarf anything Slashdot has to offer.
The PS3 is one of the best rated Blu-Ray and DVD players around.
The PS3 supports Netflix and other streaming media services for which there is no Linux client - and it remains, by the way, a very good platform for console gaming.
This just means he won't be attaching his name to anything PS3-related for quite some time.
Listening to advice like this explains why the bank foreclosed on your mortgage and your divorce papers were served in the county lock-up.
It is a mistake to be too clever. To try to sneak around a court order. Because someone will be watching.
This has to be a moneyed interest.
Trust me on this.
Sourceforge has probably soured more users on open source than any other website on the planet.
What the hell did sourceforge ever do to anyone?
Sourceforge is root canal. The valley of the shadow.
The living dead.
FOSS is more than Linux -
and the bare repository of files is of no use to anyone unless you know what you are looking for.
Windows doesn't have a repository. What is does have is resources like Download.com. One-stop shopping for editorial reviews, tutorials, screenshots, demos and so on.
Don't these people research or anything?
The short answer is no.
Decisions need to be based on evidence that is open and public. Witnesses who can be cross-examined.
You can't allow the system to be subverted by a judge or juror because of what they think they know after reading an essay in the Wikipedia.
It's not surprising that a warden might be wary of an RPG. That he might not be willing to invest the time to properly monitor the play. The primal scenario in D&D is that you escape the dungeon, loot the treasure troves and kill whatever - whoever - stands in your way.
The Dungeon Master doesn't tell players what to do, he's asks them what they are going to do, and the DM just tells them the consequences.
The DM sets the stage and props and scripts the story.
He plays all the secondary characters.
He can allow or disallow, reward or punish, any behavior he chooses - and he doesn't have to do it openly.
He can be "The Master" if he wants to be.
I have ten bucks that says he developed the ulcer due to the stress of having to deal with modern copyright issuess and whatever big name Hollywood studios he's had to tolerate doing business with.
The copyright issues for the producer - director are straight-forward: You expected to generate a return on an investment of $100 to $500 million dollars. If you are doing the next Batman, James Bond, LOTR or Harry Potter flick you are expected to deliver a marketable product that preserves the franchise. You take responsibility for a $100 - $200 million dollar project -
So they sit on there arses while billions of pounds of financial cybercrimes are committed, trillions of spam sent, and then arrest some 15 year old for hurling a few packets in the name of free speech - fucking lame.
Cops can multi-task.
Computer Crime News Releases - 2010
Here is the smallest of samplings:
E-mail threats to the Vice-President.
Five of sixteen U.S. defendants plead guilty for their role in "Lost Boy" child pornography ring
Theft of trade secrets from Goldman-Sachs
Operator of luxury eyeware website charged with cyberstalking, threats and fraud
Extradited hacker gets 10 years for first-ever hack into Internet phone networks.
Orange County man arrested on federal charges related to demands for sexually explicit videos from women and teenage girls. (Hacking into computers for purposes of extortion)
Slashdot:
Where flamebait is modded "Insightful."