Microsoft backs down! Xbox One to be a lot more SANE!

After getting smacked in the face by millions of very loud voices of reason in the form of pissed off gamers, (including one Chad W. Smith), Microsoft has gained a small amount of sanity and changed the Xbox One draconian policies to something much less evil.

The main points of their press release were "An internet connection will not be required to play offline Xbox One games" and "Trade-in, lend, resell, gift, and rent disc based games just like you do today".  They also threw in the fact that "there will be no regional restrictions" on Xbox One games.

You will have to connect to the internet when you get an Xbox One - but only once. "After a one-time system set-up with a new Xbox One, you can play any disc based game without ever connecting online again."  Still sucks for anyone who doesn't have the internet, but they probably don't know about the Xbox One yet anyway.  In areas where this is a common problem, hopefully some resourceful retailers will offer the use of their internet connection for this initial set up.

Microsoft noted that "these changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One," but did not elaborate.  I assume that they are referring to the sharing games via the cloud with up to 10 family members and/or friends that have been on your friends list for 30 days or whatever craziness they were planning.* [Edit - more info has been revealed.]

Microsoft's Xbox One chief product officer Marc Whitten has confirmed and clarified "that does mean that features like Family Sharing won’t be there." and moving between Xbox Ones (like logging into Live at a friend's house) will no longer give you access to all of your games - just the ones you bought online.  You'll have to bring your discs to play those games. You will also still have to install every game to the hard drive, and Kinect is still required.  And to play disc-based games, you will have to have that disc in the drive (even though it will be playing from the hard drive).

Ultimately, I didn't see that plan working anyway.  Imagine getting 10 "family members" together and each buying one different game every other month.  With the "Family Sharing" plan Microsoft was planning, you could easily rack up dozens of games for $6 each.*  It would have killed their game sales.  And, trust me, there would have been websites helping you connect with your long-lost "Family Members".

In the end - this move (which is only back to sanity, mind you - it is not some brilliant new thing they are doing - it is the way console games have worked since the stinking Magnavox Odyssey, (which Wikipedia tells me was the first home video game console) will save the company from being last in the next gen console wars.  It may still not beat the PS4, but it at least now stands a chance of not coming in 4th behind the Ouya.  Just a chance, though.  Still has the all-watching, all-hearing Kinect creep-factor camera and the $100 higher price tag.

* (Ten members each buying one game for $60 and sharing it with the rest of the group.  So "Family Member A" buys Halo 5, "Family Member B" buys Forza, "Family Member C" buys Watch Dogs, etc..  Each only spending $60 - but because they are all sharing with each other, everyone would have access - from the comfort of their own homes - to all 10 games.  Then the next time they all go out, they get another 10 games while only having spent $60 for their one shared game.)

Gamers Get It - Next Gen Consoles

Ahhhh, E3, that wonderful time of year when gamers' hopes are crushed by cruel corporate reality.

Bioshock Infinite: What I'd like to see in the DLC (Spoilers Inside)

CAUTION!  ATTENTION!  PLEASE NOTE!

SPOILERS BELOW!

SPOILER ALERT!

ABADON ALL HOPE OF REMAINING SPOILER FREE YE WHO ENTER!

HERE BE DRAGONS - AND THEY SHOUT SPOILERS - HERE!

THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE - TURN BACK NOW - THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS!

I hope that was clear enough.

I love the game BioShock Infinite.  A beautifully crafted story set in an amazingly detailed and rich living environment where the game play itself was fun, challenging, and varied.  All-in-all, one of the top 5% of games I've played - maybe higher.

And there's more to come.  I've already gotten the Season Pass.  I want to continue my stay in Columbia.  But for those of you who have played and beat it (SERIOUSLY - SPOILERS ARE COMING) you know that the story has a definite beginning, middle, and an end.  You know, I mean, he drowns. game over....

But - then there's the scene after the credits, which somehow gives us hope.  Even if it makes no sense whatsoever in the context of the narrative.

Of course, I don't want to play a game where I, as Booker DeWitt, raise my infant daughter without her mother and struggle to pay back my massive gambling debt.  So I seriously hope that the DLC doesn't pick up the story from there.

Also, Irrational Games has said there will be no multiplayer.  So anyone with hopes of a Skyline & Vigors powered battleground with your friends are out of luck.  (Personally, I'm glad they are sticking to the single player experience for this game.   Although a spin-off title that is all-multiplayer, or multiplayer focused would be okay in my book.)

So if it can't add to the end of the story, and can't go multiplayer - what is there to do?

Here are my thoughts, and my hopes, concerning the impending BioShock Infinite DLC.

Focus on other characters.  In previous titles, we've been given the chance to play as other characters, specifically the "heavy hitters" - Big Daddy and Big Sister.  Well, what if we were able to take the role of Songbird and just tore the city to shreds?  Or a Handyman?  Or maybe take the role of a "normal" person - like master hunter Preston E. Downs, or Captain Cornelius Slate, or the infamous Daisy Fitzroy herself?

Then there is the obvious - be another Booker.  Maybe you are the Booker who became the Martyr of the Vox.  Or maybe your a Booker who is closer to Comstock - so you take the side of the Founders.  Or maybe they actually let you explore that option a little at least.  The pre-game game Industrial Revolution left the impression that you would actually get to change choice.  It could be like a Fallout New Vegas where you get to back one faction, or the other, or try to take them both out and set yourself up as the new Prophet, or at least the new leader of Columbia.

I'd also like the chance to further explore a pre-uprising Columbia.  Like before the False Prophet was revealed even.  No shooting, no explosions - just a nice turn-of-the-previous-century city in the sky, with a lot of racism and religious  zealotry.  The fact is, the team at Irrational put a lot of thought and effort into setting all that backstory up, and I'd like to explore it.  I'm not saying I want to be Comstock or anything, I think that would be too easy - who really stands to oppose him?  But some scenario where I can explore different time periods.  Even getting out into the city of the Future Lamb of Columbia, with the Boys of Silence and the Masked Founders....  More of a stealth mission type thing.

What I hope they don't do is let you play as Elizabeth.  I think it would be boring to run around invincible to gun fire, and scrounge for items to throw to an AI Booker, and open tears at his command.

What do you hope to see in the BioShock Infinite DLC?  Share your comments below.

Gamers Get It - 2 - Value of a Dollar

SmartQ X7 - XBMC Video Test

I recently bought a SmartQ X7 Android tablet, and I was asked to perform a test to see how well it handles XBMC.  To me, it seems to handle it pretty doggone well - even over HDMI out.  But I will let you see for yourself.

Sorry for making you look at me, especially with my hair like that.  *yikes*

My new tablet - SmartQ X7 7" Jellybean

Finally got my new tablet today. It is a SmartQ X7 7 inch Android Jellybean Tablet.

Stock photos because I suck at cameras.

Specs:

• Android 4.1.2 Jellybean
• Dual-core TI OMAP 4470, ARM Cortex-A9 1.5 GHz CPU
• Quad-core GPU PowerVR SGX 544
• 2 GB DDR2 RAM
• 16 GB onboard flash storage
• MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32 GB cards)
• Google Play store
• 7" IPS 1280 X 800 pixel 10-point multitouch screen (180° viewing angle)
• mini-HDMI out
• 3.5 mm headphone jack
• USB OTG
• GPS
• Bluetooth
• 2 MP Cameras front and back
• FM radio receiver and transmitter
• Gravity sensor
• Three-axis accelerometer
• Hardware 1080P video decoding 
• 3D graphics acceleration
• Flash 11.1

So it can do pretty much anything a tablet can do these days - 3d video games with bluetooth controllers, HD movies on the big screen, GPS, Radio, eReader, I can plug in a keyboard and mouse and use it like a netbook, add an HDMI monitor and make it a desktop...

There's no built-in 3G or 4G, but I have a mobile hot spot, so I can Skype or Google voice from anywhere with a cell signal.  Plus it supports USB dongles... so I could do that.

There's no Near field communication (NFC) or InfraRed, and there's no projector... But it has everything else.

Oh yes, tablets do come with built-in projectors now.

I got my SmartQ X7 for $250 shipped (it was on sale) from smartqme.com.

Review: Bassbuds High Performance earphones

I go through headphones faster than anyone I know.  In fact, the last time I bought headphones, I went ahead and bought 2 sets because I knew I would break them and didn't want to make the return trip.

The problem is they are so big and bulky that you, well I should say that I think that they are far more rugged than they really are.  So they end up getting abused.  One might suggest that I switch to earbuds.  Fine suggestion, except that I've already tried that, many times, and they all have 3 common problems.

1. Crappy sound.  I'm no audiophile, but there is a big sound difference between headphones and earbuds.  It just makes sense, bigger speakers means bigger sound.  Case closed.
2. Uncomfortable.  I never could find a pair of earbuds that didn't (a) start to hurt after extended use, or (b) fall out of my ear every time I shifted my head.
3. They get lost or tangled.  I carry a lot of wires.  I mean a lot.  Really - I have a bag of wires that goes with me pretty much any time I'm going to work or going to work on something for someone.  Micro USB, Mini USB, Apple 30-pin connector, 2 3-port mini-surge protectors, AC adapters... And earbuds.  It can be a mess in there.

Well, I was given a pair of Bassbuds earphones to try out, and let me tell you, I'm impressed.  These guys manage to hit all 3 of my problem areas - yes, even the getting lost thing.

The sound is great.  I don't know how they do it, but they provide an even fuller and richer a sound as my (admittedly not-top-of-the-line) headphones.  Good volume, deep bass notes and clear highs.

The tips of these things are perfect, they are some sort of flexible plastic that pretty much seal themselves into your ear, and they come with multiple replaces in 2 different sizes, so if your ear canals are large or small, these guys got you covered.  They stay in without putting a lot of pressure on your ears.

The not getting lost thing?  Simple - they are a very shiny cobalt blue color.  The cords and all.  They stand out from all the black and occasional white cords I have in my bag.  They come in multiple colors so if blue isn't your thing, you can take your pick.  Also helps to play "trace the cord" if and when tangling occurs.  (I'm in the market for a new bag.)

So - if you want to try a pair for yourself, I've got the hook-up for you - not just a direct link, but a discount code as well - $30 off, in fact. The website is bassbuds.net/usa/ and the discount code for you $30 off is BB59805.

But wait!  That's not all!  (I've always wanted to say that!)  Because they are not just earbuds.  They have a built-in microphone, and an mp3 control button.  I have no idea how something plugged into your headphone jack can control your computer, but it can.  It worked just fine out of the box (no drivers needed) on my MacBook Pro.  Press the button, iTunes started.  You can play, pause, and go to the next track, all with a click or two of the button.  It's pretty cool.

So if that sounds like something you'd be interested in, check out there site to learn more, and don't forget the discount code to save yourself some money!