Wasn't there two FFIII's? There was the NES one, and then there was a SNES one as well, but was only called FFIII in the states I think...
Anyways, I don't remember the NES one very well, but the SNES FFIII was awesome. I'd get a DS for that in a heartbeat. I'll have to fire up the emulator and play the NES FFIII now. Anyone track down any FF DS screenshots yet, btw?
Well, I have been searching and reading since I posted my original message, and so far the Jornada 720 seems to be the ideal solution, and may be just what you are looking for...
It's smaller than a DVD case (7.3"x3.7"x1.3"), is a clamshell type design with a 75% normal size keyboard on the bottom half and a 640x240 res 6.5" 16bit color screen on the upper half. The screen is touch sensitive, and the unit runs WinCE 3.0 (which to my suprise looks alot more like Win95 than PocketPC). Runs on a 206mhz StrongARM cpu, which is apparantly pretty quick. Has 32mb of build in memory (not sure how much is left after built in apps), and most importantly to me, and it sounds like to you, has PCMCIA and CF slots, so you can add a fat CF memory card and a wireless network card at the same time. HP claims, and most reviews seem to agree, that you can get 9 hours out of a charge.
They're discontinued, but new they were in $1000 range. They seem to be going on eBay in the $200-300 area.
I hate replying to my own post, but I have been looking around a bit more and I came across the Jornada 680/e and the 7xx (looks the same, seems to be more powerful, and more expensive)... anyways, the form factor is right, but I am not a huge fan of WinCE... So questions are: Anyone use these? what did you think? Are they upgradable (in terms of OS... to at least PocketPC2k or even, dare I dream, Linux)?
Thanks for the suggestion, this looks alot like what I am in the market for... I had a Dell Axim up 'till earlier this year, so I know all about the PPCs, the screen is just to small for me to do what I want with it... both in size and resolution. Plus, I HATE the wince/pocketpc OS. blech!
I spose a P3 450 is quite a bit faster than a G3 400-500, plus its got a touch screen...
I am looking for something that has about the power of a PDA, but is larger... like 5-6" screen type deal. I thought the Newton was a bigger piece of hardware than it actually is (people certainly complain about how big it is enough), so I was looking at it.
What I want is something that has some decent screen real estate so I can use it for document review (both text and - maybe - images), do basic internet stuff, like limited webbrowsing email and chat, and also some basic PDA type stuff like note taking/calendar/phone book; enough power and the hardware to play MP3's would be nice, too.
I don't need anything super powerful (doesn't need to play video or any games at all), touch screen would be good, but so would some sort of built in pointing device w/ external keyboard. Color screen is even optional (image review isn't a requirement, just would be nice).
Also, either a PCMCIA or CF slot would be good, for both data storage and I NEED to be able to put in a WiFi card and a modem card for connectivity. Battery life can be mediocre, only would NEED 2-3 hours between charges.
Now, I don't think that this is alot of requirements, a very old tablet PC would do he trick, if there is such a thing. The real difficulty comes into budget: I want to get this cheap. If it starts to get up to the $300 range I could get an old G3 iBook and be done with it... so anyone have any ideas?
Well, a GC is only liek $80 or something like that now. I still think this would be perfectly suited to the DS, and would make the DS a must have system... Or, they could do a FF deal and bundle a Zelda MMO w/ a broadband adaptor and some sort of massive special memory card or something...
Which makes me think... if there was to be a DS MMO, you would need something to hold data locally, more than the game's flashcard would probably have available... I wonder if it would be feasable to have DS games come with a blank DS sizd cart for extra data storage... You can get one that's got 32mb (256mbits) for like $75 now, but they aren't being mass produced, so I imagine that they could get that down a ton if it was being sold officially.
Off topic, but " the driver allegedly emptied the contents of the bus' septic tank into the river below, the lawsuit alleged." They allegedly need to get some new alleged staff writers, I alledge.
Gah, as I sat around having dinner I was thinking about this some more... The Wind Waker game world is perfect for a MMORPG... Link isn't actually in it anywhere, the coming of age ceremony puts you in Link-like cloths, and you start out as a 'kid' who likely grew up hearing tales of how great the Hero Link's adventures were... So you have a world where everyone can basically be Link, but have a valid in-game reason for it.
Add to this the fact that the world is completely made up of smallish islands, and sea-faring is part of the culture. This gives you an easy non-arbitrary way to divide content up among servers, which is always good for technical reasons, ensuring that there aren't silly load screens, and that you keep lag down for players. Plus, there's a whole ocean of explorable 'wilderness' to play with.
The cell chaded graphics style, which I personally liked, but I know many didn't, I think would fit a MMORPG as there's not much out there in that style, so it'd be fairly unique, and also it keeps the large complex textures down to a minimum (making the game run smoother with lots of activity ont he screen) while not looking like crap.
I made a post recently about why a MMO would be a the 'killer app' for the DS, and I can't for the life of me say why Zelda didn't immediately spring to life. Everyone loves Zelda. Would be an easy shoe-in fr game of the year, decade, century, what have you.
Gah! Make it stop, I'll be too disapointed when this game never materializes.
How are the other Nintendo (non pokemon) card games? I know I have seen some sort of mario card game out there (based on the mario party games, i think)...
A Zelda MMORPG, perhaps with Wind Waker-esque cell shaded graphics, coupled with a cartoon drawn in the same style with the same characters/locations as in the game would be an instant hit. As long as the game wasn't TOO kiddy (easy and cheesy), and the cartoon was done so that it appealed to preteen kids, adult swim junkies, and anime fans.
It would be even better if it was on the DS... since it has built in wireless networking, voice chat, etc, etc, and would also give it what no other MMORPG has, portability, limiting its competition somewhat.
Gah, now I can't stop thinking about how cool a DS Zelda MMORPG would be. Thanks!
Re:Better drivers and licensing please
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Linux GPU Performance
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· Score: 2, Insightful
Here's a question for you, based on what you've said... do you think that Linux users would be willing to pay $2-4 for a CD with the proper drivers, as well as lifetime updates via the web? Do you thing that would that make it more likely that Linux drivers would be developed?
At first the NES was sold for 249 dollars in a package (Original Set) consisting of: the control deck, 2 controllers, the Zapper lightgun and the strange toy ROB (Robotic Operation Buddy), which came with the games Duck Hunt and Gyromite. Soon, Nintendo decided to change this set and simply release the Action Set (sold for $199 ), which did away with ROB and Gyromite, instead throwing in the best "platformer" the World has ever seen - Super Mario Bros. This must have been the most successful of the many different sets! The Power Set was like the Action Set but with a new improved controller called the Power Pad and a new NES game called World Class Track Meet.
Looks like the original NES was released with all kinds of accessories at first, and they were slowly scaled back to offer less expensive sets. I am almost certain that the SNES launch came with 2 controllers and Super Mario World as well.
Hmm, so wouldn't that make your whole "+5, Insightful" into a "+2, Redundant" because you obviously never researched any of what you talk about, you just yammered along about how you want free stuff, and hit post? Halo's still expensive because it still sells. Microsoft knows this as much as you know this. I don't think you'll see a price drop on it until November the 9th; perhaps not even then. And don't think that feature's unique to Microsoft; Super Smash Bros Melee is still 49$ CDN, despite being Players' Choice.
I'm gonna start with the end of your post... First thing is I didn't moderate it to +5 insightful. Clearly someone else thought I had something relivent to say. Second, we are talking about VIDEO GAMES. CALM DOWN, no need to be such a dick about freaking games!
Now, I recall the 'bare-bones' NES and SNES, but as I remember it those came out after the initial launch of the system... maybe I am wrong, but that would at least give you something to get all angry about again.
Also, the bundles we get now with a system are coming what, 2 or 3 years after the console launch? Why bother at that point? There's enough used and bargain bin games that users can make their own bundles. The appeal to bundling a game with a system AT LAUNCH is that it FEELS free... of course we are paying for it, usually to the tune of $200-300.
This means a lot of people (70% or so) don't want an extra controller.
Ok, my compleely made up figure is that 85% of people think of gaming as a social activity, and hence must want an extra controller to play with friends. Moving on...
Ok, demo's, what I suggested be bundled with systems, would be a nice thing to throw in that would arguably sell more games than nothing. I know alot of new systems ship with demo disc, but they usually suck. They have 2 or 3 playable demos and a bunch of videos for games. By ADDING VALUE to that demo disc and giving the consumer 10-12 GOOD (remember when the shareware Quake/2 was fun enough to kill a weekend playing, but still left you wanting the whole thing?) playable demos you will be giving something to the consumer as well as helping spur sale of software, which is where the money is anyways.
Lastly, I wanted to mention percieved value. The DS perhaps could have sold for $135 without a demo game (which from the sounds of it is going to be a pretty cool demo). However, by adding on $15 to the end price, and throwing in a game, people are going to look at it and say 'wow, that's $100 less than the PSP costs (or whatever it ends up being), and you get a FREE game'! It's a good move on Nintendo's part, imo.
Don't rip on the MPAA too much.. I find their prices pretty good actually. You can get a whole movie for $20 (with bonus dvds half the time), or a used one from blockbuster for $10. not too bad.
Movies can be this cheap because, for the most part, they recoup much of their expenses in the theatre. When the DVD hits the shelves any money that the studio is getting is more or less pure profit (after considering the expenses of mastering and producing the DVD, etc).
There are of course films that don't cover their costs with theatrical runs, but do very well on home video (kids movies are big in this), and of course movies that do poorly at the box office and poorly on home video. However, for the most part, DVD sales can be cheap because the investment has been covered by the time the product hits the shelves.
I was thinking about that a little while ago... the lack of bundled games... I remember buying a SNES and I got a game and 2 controllers with it, and the NES had 2 games (Mario and Duck Hunt), 2 controllers AND a lightgun! Now you are lucky to get anything beyond a single cotroller with a new system.
Putting in a demo of Metroid is step up from the norm, but a huge step down from what we used to get. Now, I know it's not possible with the DS, but for the DVD/optical media based systems, it would be accapatble if a new console (at launch tiem anyways) included a demo disc with PLAYABLE demos of all the launch titles (it's usually only 10-15 game anyways). At least you will know what games don't suck before you plop down $50 just to try out the new toy. After 6-8 months or so they should include a complete free game, and it should be the launch title that sold the second most... it'd be incetive to get the console if you didn't already have it, but the #1 (think Halo) game will still cost you $50.
Well, at first glance, $1000 is a helluva lot more than the $400 or so this would cost, if you just bought the kit he referenced and payed all the shipping (rather than get the batteries locally) AND got a cheap new bike, or a nice used one.
Plus it wouldn't be nearly as much fun to build?
More info on the linked kit...
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E-bike E-xperiences?
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· Score: 3, Interesting
This is something I have been thinking about for a good 6 months now, and it may be my winter project this year...
What do you know about the kit that was linked in the article? It seems that this kit powers your front wheel, while you power the back with a stadard pedal arrangement. That's something I haven't seen in an ebike before. Would you be limited to going the fastest that the motor/gearbox in the front wheel can move, or would you be able to add your pedal power and the electric motor to move at a greater pace? I obviously see the potential for greater acceleration and easier to maintain speed while going uphill, etc, but I'd like to be able cruise at a high speed for longish distances. Or, alternatively, add a little extra speed to my cruising for long durations.
The battery, I agree looks pretty hefty, I'll be interested to see what the/. crowd comes up with on that. Does the "power braker" = a regenerative braking system, or is it some sort of power assited brake to help you slow down at higher speeds and with the extra weight?
As a member of the Army Reserve, I just wanted to remind the OP, and/. at large, about the 'pocket draft' of service men and women who are eligible to either retire or be honorably discharged from the military. Kerry mentioned it briefly in the debate, and I think he should have emphasised it more.
The 'Stop Loss' program basically takes anyone who the Army deems as needed for the war on terror and bars them from getting out, even if they are legally entitled to do so. I personally know guys who have finished their contracts out and have been held in for going on two years now. MPs are catching a lot of this due to the need for prison staff and urban combat patrols. If these people WANTED to be in the military to fight this war they all have the option of re-enlisting, or at least voluntarily extending their duty. Almost all of them do not want the job, tho, but are being forced into doing it.
To answer your specific question, "How well do you think those people would perform?" I can tell you again with first hand knowledge they nearly all perform to the same level of excellence that they did before they were stop lossed. That doesn't however make it right.
Ask yourself if didn't like your job and decided to put in your notice (based on whatever terms you AND your employer agreed to when you were hired) only to have your boss inform you that "you can't quit now, I will let you know when you can go. If you don't like it we can arrange for a nice prison cell for you", how would you feel? The big difference here is that if a soldier decides to slack off on his job because he's being forced to be there, PEOPLE DIE.
Tell me specifically how this is different from any MUD set in the world of some already popular book? What are the features that distinguish this from whats already out there?
I don't have enough money to wipe my ass with $100 bills (or, more accurately, $100,000 checks), but I see the computing world 10 years from now being dominated by Linux and OSX. Linux will eventually be easy enough to use, maintain, configure, etc. that it will fullfill the computing needs of 90% of all users. You could argue it could do it now, but to be honest, there are still some things that need addressing (most notably printing and package installation, in my opinion, but that's another discussion).
Anyways, in 10 years Linux will probabyl be there, and hardware will be cheap enough that a $100+ (or even a $45 OEM bundle) Windows license will be too large a % of total cost that a free Linux will look very, very attractive (again, already there, for a lot of us).
There will always be those who want something super easy to use, maintain, configure, not to mention soemthing pretty and chic. OSX or whatever Apple will be calling it then will be there to fill that need and sell expensive albeit very nice computers that practically run themselves.
MS will be around of course, but Windows will be gone, at least as a packaged product. They will sell licenses to companies to develop DirecX games, and will still sell Office except it will be Microsofts GOffice, and be an internet based office suite hosted up by Google (the only way they could compete with OpenOffice). Also they will give away an XWindows manager that has the MS name all over it, just to help keep the brand in people's minds. They will still make very nice mice and keyboards, and be a financially healthy company, diversified into home entertainment products like XBox and Ultiamte TV, etc, but Windows will be gone.
There are lots of resources that the Sony games division would need to split. Off the top of my head, I would say advertising would be a big one. Also, the PSP is a similar enough piece of hardware that the PS3 and the PSP could concievabley be competing for exclusive games. By this I mean that if all the PSP games are just ports of PS2/3 games there isn't much incetive to have both. On the other hand, developers may not want to comit to do an exclusive title for both the PS3 and the PSP. I am sure there are more resources that would be divided, but it's 4 am and the Guiness is working on me.
IMHO Nintendo just gave up the idea to link up different things. You know, requiring 2 things to link them up looks like tie-in sale to be frowned upon usually. Therefore they linked DSs.
Not trying to be rude, but that doesn't really make much sense. What did they link the DS to? When has Nintendo EVER shied away from cross promotional tie in sales? Have you looked at the amazing amount of mario/zelda/pokemon lunchboxes/card games/cartoons/pajamas? Nintendo aims its products sqaurely at the 8-15 crowd, and that's the group that the tie in products work on. (The DS looks like it may be the start of a more mature demographic for the N, but we'll have to see when all the games come out).
Nintendo fans who own DS buy Nintendo console where you can see Mario/Zelda/Pokemon, anyway. It won't help increasing sales much.
That's true of Nintendo console owners. If you have GC now, you're likely to get a GC2. However, there's a good chance that if you have a PS2 or an XBox you have a GBA. If you have a GBA, there's a good chance you'll get a DS. If the GC2 and the DS have some killer interactivity and you have a DS already, when given the choice between buying a GC2 and an XBox2, I think that the DS may be the thing that tips the scale. Even if Nintendo can steal an extra 5% of XBox2 it would be worth it.
There was an interesting question in there about wether Sony and Nintendo's 'split focus' on home and portable systems is something that would help the next Xbox. Now, I think that this might effect the Sony v. MS in MS's favor, as the PSP is goign to be fighting an uphill battle in the handheld arena. This might draw some resources away from the PS3.
However, if the DS is a success I think that it could give Nintendo the edge it needs to take the lead over MS in North America (the only place the XBox is beating the GC in sales) and help it maintain and widen it's lead in the world. With it's low price of entry (especially by the time the next round of consoles are released), it's unique data entry, ample screen space, and wireless networking, the DS could actually suceed in the handheld/console connectivity segment that the GBA, let be honest, failed in.
Anyways, if there are a few million DS's in the market by the time the GC2 launches, and they include wireless connectivity between them (here's an idea: give the GC2 a built in ethernet port AND a wireless adapter and have all GC2s function as an AP for DS's) right off the bat (in terms of having games that give a truly usefull feature when used w/ a GC2 and DS link at launch) it could be what spurs those DS owners to choose the next GC over the Xbox2.
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Anyways, I don't remember the NES one very well, but the SNES FFIII was awesome. I'd get a DS for that in a heartbeat. I'll have to fire up the emulator and play the NES FFIII now. Anyone track down any FF DS screenshots yet, btw?
It's smaller than a DVD case (7.3"x3.7"x1.3"), is a clamshell type design with a 75% normal size keyboard on the bottom half and a 640x240 res 6.5" 16bit color screen on the upper half. The screen is touch sensitive, and the unit runs WinCE 3.0 (which to my suprise looks alot more like Win95 than PocketPC). Runs on a 206mhz StrongARM cpu, which is apparantly pretty quick. Has 32mb of build in memory (not sure how much is left after built in apps), and most importantly to me, and it sounds like to you, has PCMCIA and CF slots, so you can add a fat CF memory card and a wireless network card at the same time. HP claims, and most reviews seem to agree, that you can get 9 hours out of a charge.
They're discontinued, but new they were in $1000 range. They seem to be going on eBay in the $200-300 area.
I hate replying to my own post, but I have been looking around a bit more and I came across the Jornada 680/e and the 7xx (looks the same, seems to be more powerful, and more expensive)... anyways, the form factor is right, but I am not a huge fan of WinCE... So questions are: Anyone use these? what did you think? Are they upgradable (in terms of OS... to at least PocketPC2k or even, dare I dream, Linux)?
I spose a P3 450 is quite a bit faster than a G3 400-500, plus its got a touch screen...
What I want is something that has some decent screen real estate so I can use it for document review (both text and - maybe - images), do basic internet stuff, like limited webbrowsing email and chat, and also some basic PDA type stuff like note taking/calendar/phone book; enough power and the hardware to play MP3's would be nice, too.
I don't need anything super powerful (doesn't need to play video or any games at all), touch screen would be good, but so would some sort of built in pointing device w/ external keyboard. Color screen is even optional (image review isn't a requirement, just would be nice).
Also, either a PCMCIA or CF slot would be good, for both data storage and I NEED to be able to put in a WiFi card and a modem card for connectivity. Battery life can be mediocre, only would NEED 2-3 hours between charges.
Now, I don't think that this is alot of requirements, a very old tablet PC would do he trick, if there is such a thing. The real difficulty comes into budget: I want to get this cheap. If it starts to get up to the $300 range I could get an old G3 iBook and be done with it... so anyone have any ideas?
Which makes me think... if there was to be a DS MMO, you would need something to hold data locally, more than the game's flashcard would probably have available... I wonder if it would be feasable to have DS games come with a blank DS sizd cart for extra data storage... You can get one that's got 32mb (256mbits) for like $75 now, but they aren't being mass produced, so I imagine that they could get that down a ton if it was being sold officially.
Off topic, but " the driver allegedly emptied the contents of the bus' septic tank into the river below, the lawsuit alleged." They allegedly need to get some new alleged staff writers, I alledge.
Add to this the fact that the world is completely made up of smallish islands, and sea-faring is part of the culture. This gives you an easy non-arbitrary way to divide content up among servers, which is always good for technical reasons, ensuring that there aren't silly load screens, and that you keep lag down for players. Plus, there's a whole ocean of explorable 'wilderness' to play with.
The cell chaded graphics style, which I personally liked, but I know many didn't, I think would fit a MMORPG as there's not much out there in that style, so it'd be fairly unique, and also it keeps the large complex textures down to a minimum (making the game run smoother with lots of activity ont he screen) while not looking like crap.
I made a post recently about why a MMO would be a the 'killer app' for the DS, and I can't for the life of me say why Zelda didn't immediately spring to life. Everyone loves Zelda. Would be an easy shoe-in fr game of the year, decade, century, what have you.
Gah! Make it stop, I'll be too disapointed when this game never materializes.
How are the other Nintendo (non pokemon) card games? I know I have seen some sort of mario card game out there (based on the mario party games, i think)...
It would be even better if it was on the DS... since it has built in wireless networking, voice chat, etc, etc, and would also give it what no other MMORPG has, portability, limiting its competition somewhat.
Gah, now I can't stop thinking about how cool a DS Zelda MMORPG would be. Thanks!
Here's a question for you, based on what you've said... do you think that Linux users would be willing to pay $2-4 for a CD with the proper drivers, as well as lifetime updates via the web? Do you thing that would that make it more likely that Linux drivers would be developed?
I'm not sure, but I think the basic set they were refering too was the new design, with the top load carts... it's not very clear.
At first the NES was sold for 249 dollars in a package (Original Set) consisting of: the control deck, 2 controllers, the Zapper lightgun and the strange toy ROB (Robotic Operation Buddy), which came with the games Duck Hunt and Gyromite. Soon, Nintendo decided to change this set and simply release the Action Set (sold for $199 ), which did away with ROB and Gyromite, instead throwing in the best "platformer" the World has ever seen - Super Mario Bros. This must have been the most successful of the many different sets! The Power Set was like the Action Set but with a new improved controller called the Power Pad and a new NES game called World Class Track Meet.
Looks like the original NES was released with all kinds of accessories at first, and they were slowly scaled back to offer less expensive sets. I am almost certain that the SNES launch came with 2 controllers and Super Mario World as well.
I'm gonna start with the end of your post... First thing is I didn't moderate it to +5 insightful. Clearly someone else thought I had something relivent to say. Second, we are talking about VIDEO GAMES. CALM DOWN, no need to be such a dick about freaking games!
Now, I recall the 'bare-bones' NES and SNES, but as I remember it those came out after the initial launch of the system... maybe I am wrong, but that would at least give you something to get all angry about again.
Also, the bundles we get now with a system are coming what, 2 or 3 years after the console launch? Why bother at that point? There's enough used and bargain bin games that users can make their own bundles. The appeal to bundling a game with a system AT LAUNCH is that it FEELS free... of course we are paying for it, usually to the tune of $200-300.
This means a lot of people (70% or so) don't want an extra controller.
Ok, my compleely made up figure is that 85% of people think of gaming as a social activity, and hence must want an extra controller to play with friends. Moving on...
Ok, demo's, what I suggested be bundled with systems, would be a nice thing to throw in that would arguably sell more games than nothing. I know alot of new systems ship with demo disc, but they usually suck. They have 2 or 3 playable demos and a bunch of videos for games. By ADDING VALUE to that demo disc and giving the consumer 10-12 GOOD (remember when the shareware Quake/2 was fun enough to kill a weekend playing, but still left you wanting the whole thing?) playable demos you will be giving something to the consumer as well as helping spur sale of software, which is where the money is anyways.
Lastly, I wanted to mention percieved value. The DS perhaps could have sold for $135 without a demo game (which from the sounds of it is going to be a pretty cool demo). However, by adding on $15 to the end price, and throwing in a game, people are going to look at it and say 'wow, that's $100 less than the PSP costs (or whatever it ends up being), and you get a FREE game'! It's a good move on Nintendo's part, imo.
Movies can be this cheap because, for the most part, they recoup much of their expenses in the theatre. When the DVD hits the shelves any money that the studio is getting is more or less pure profit (after considering the expenses of mastering and producing the DVD, etc).
There are of course films that don't cover their costs with theatrical runs, but do very well on home video (kids movies are big in this), and of course movies that do poorly at the box office and poorly on home video. However, for the most part, DVD sales can be cheap because the investment has been covered by the time the product hits the shelves.
Putting in a demo of Metroid is step up from the norm, but a huge step down from what we used to get. Now, I know it's not possible with the DS, but for the DVD/optical media based systems, it would be accapatble if a new console (at launch tiem anyways) included a demo disc with PLAYABLE demos of all the launch titles (it's usually only 10-15 game anyways). At least you will know what games don't suck before you plop down $50 just to try out the new toy. After 6-8 months or so they should include a complete free game, and it should be the launch title that sold the second most... it'd be incetive to get the console if you didn't already have it, but the #1 (think Halo) game will still cost you $50.
Plus it wouldn't be nearly as much fun to build?
What do you know about the kit that was linked in the article? It seems that this kit powers your front wheel, while you power the back with a stadard pedal arrangement. That's something I haven't seen in an ebike before. Would you be limited to going the fastest that the motor/gearbox in the front wheel can move, or would you be able to add your pedal power and the electric motor to move at a greater pace? I obviously see the potential for greater acceleration and easier to maintain speed while going uphill, etc, but I'd like to be able cruise at a high speed for longish distances. Or, alternatively, add a little extra speed to my cruising for long durations.
The battery, I agree looks pretty hefty, I'll be interested to see what the /. crowd comes up with on that. Does the "power braker" = a regenerative braking system, or is it some sort of power assited brake to help you slow down at higher speeds and with the extra weight?
Hahah, you are right, I missread that... agreed, that was an entirely improbable sentence.
The 'Stop Loss' program basically takes anyone who the Army deems as needed for the war on terror and bars them from getting out, even if they are legally entitled to do so. I personally know guys who have finished their contracts out and have been held in for going on two years now. MPs are catching a lot of this due to the need for prison staff and urban combat patrols. If these people WANTED to be in the military to fight this war they all have the option of re-enlisting, or at least voluntarily extending their duty. Almost all of them do not want the job, tho, but are being forced into doing it.
To answer your specific question, "How well do you think those people would perform?" I can tell you again with first hand knowledge they nearly all perform to the same level of excellence that they did before they were stop lossed. That doesn't however make it right.
Ask yourself if didn't like your job and decided to put in your notice (based on whatever terms you AND your employer agreed to when you were hired) only to have your boss inform you that "you can't quit now, I will let you know when you can go. If you don't like it we can arrange for a nice prison cell for you", how would you feel? The big difference here is that if a soldier decides to slack off on his job because he's being forced to be there, PEOPLE DIE.
Maybe I am crazy but being in the Texas National Guard during Vietnam != fighting in 'nam... Did Bush ever even leave the States on military duty?
Tell me specifically how this is different from any MUD set in the world of some already popular book? What are the features that distinguish this from whats already out there?
Anyways, in 10 years Linux will probabyl be there, and hardware will be cheap enough that a $100+ (or even a $45 OEM bundle) Windows license will be too large a % of total cost that a free Linux will look very, very attractive (again, already there, for a lot of us).
There will always be those who want something super easy to use, maintain, configure, not to mention soemthing pretty and chic. OSX or whatever Apple will be calling it then will be there to fill that need and sell expensive albeit very nice computers that practically run themselves.
MS will be around of course, but Windows will be gone, at least as a packaged product. They will sell licenses to companies to develop DirecX games, and will still sell Office except it will be Microsofts GOffice, and be an internet based office suite hosted up by Google (the only way they could compete with OpenOffice). Also they will give away an XWindows manager that has the MS name all over it, just to help keep the brand in people's minds. They will still make very nice mice and keyboards, and be a financially healthy company, diversified into home entertainment products like XBox and Ultiamte TV, etc, but Windows will be gone.
I can hope any ways. :)
There are lots of resources that the Sony games division would need to split. Off the top of my head, I would say advertising would be a big one. Also, the PSP is a similar enough piece of hardware that the PS3 and the PSP could concievabley be competing for exclusive games. By this I mean that if all the PSP games are just ports of PS2/3 games there isn't much incetive to have both. On the other hand, developers may not want to comit to do an exclusive title for both the PS3 and the PSP. I am sure there are more resources that would be divided, but it's 4 am and the Guiness is working on me.
IMHO Nintendo just gave up the idea to link up different things. You know, requiring 2 things to link them up looks like tie-in sale to be frowned upon usually. Therefore they linked DSs.
Not trying to be rude, but that doesn't really make much sense. What did they link the DS to? When has Nintendo EVER shied away from cross promotional tie in sales? Have you looked at the amazing amount of mario/zelda/pokemon lunchboxes/card games/cartoons/pajamas? Nintendo aims its products sqaurely at the 8-15 crowd, and that's the group that the tie in products work on. (The DS looks like it may be the start of a more mature demographic for the N, but we'll have to see when all the games come out).
Nintendo fans who own DS buy Nintendo console where you can see Mario/Zelda/Pokemon, anyway. It won't help increasing sales much.
That's true of Nintendo console owners. If you have GC now, you're likely to get a GC2. However, there's a good chance that if you have a PS2 or an XBox you have a GBA. If you have a GBA, there's a good chance you'll get a DS. If the GC2 and the DS have some killer interactivity and you have a DS already, when given the choice between buying a GC2 and an XBox2, I think that the DS may be the thing that tips the scale. Even if Nintendo can steal an extra 5% of XBox2 it would be worth it.
However, if the DS is a success I think that it could give Nintendo the edge it needs to take the lead over MS in North America (the only place the XBox is beating the GC in sales) and help it maintain and widen it's lead in the world. With it's low price of entry (especially by the time the next round of consoles are released), it's unique data entry, ample screen space, and wireless networking, the DS could actually suceed in the handheld/console connectivity segment that the GBA, let be honest, failed in.
Anyways, if there are a few million DS's in the market by the time the GC2 launches, and they include wireless connectivity between them (here's an idea: give the GC2 a built in ethernet port AND a wireless adapter and have all GC2s function as an AP for DS's) right off the bat (in terms of having games that give a truly usefull feature when used w/ a GC2 and DS link at launch) it could be what spurs those DS owners to choose the next GC over the Xbox2.
Or I could be wrong, it happens.