tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172383562024-03-14T04:30:42.898-05:00Chad W Smith's Home onlineAn online home for Chad W. Smith - obviously....
Wait - who the heck is Chad W. Smith???Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.comBlogger2208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-38938353634163917472015-06-04T16:20:00.000-05:002015-06-04T16:20:21.401-05:00FALLOUT 4 WHAT?!?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The last Fallout game, <b>Fallout New Vegas</b> came out in 2010. And ever since then - people have been asking when the next game would be released. We may still not have a release date - but we do have this:<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lnn2rJpjar4" width="640"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b>Fallout 4 is <i>REAL</i>.</b><br />
<br />
I just want to let that sink in for a while.<br />
<br />
<b>Fallout 4 is <i>REAL</i>.</b><br />
<br />
If you haven't been following the long wait for <b>Fallout 4</b> - let me just tell you - there have been a LOT of rumors and false leads and faked leaks and tons of times that Fallout fans have been mislead into getting their hopes up, and then... nothing.<br />
<br />
But now, <b>Fallout 4</b> has been confirmed. You can preorder it today.<br />
<br />
No release date has been announced - not even a vague hint as wide open as a year. But it is obviously coming.<br />
<br />
Let's get into the video a bit. There is a lot to digest.<br />
<br />
<b>Pre-War Life</b><br />
<br />
First, the most obvious change is the look at pre-war life. Previous titles in the series have shown us television footage from before the war, and even a couple of Virtual Reality trips into the simulated past -- but this is the first time they have shown actual pre-war life as a part of the game. Now, it could have been just for this video --- it could be just an intro cut scene, or some sort of visualized flashback, I'm not sure. But it really did look like something in game engine (and I'll talk more about the engine shortly) and something that they put a lot of effort into - so I doubt they will waste it just on a teaser trailer.<br />
<br />
There are several theories as to how the player could interact with pre-war life. Some think it may be a tutorial level - the very beginning of the game. Having to perform some menial tasks, getting used to the controls, until you hear the broadcast from the trailer, and then you have a short amount of time to get yourself - and maybe your family - to the Vault - Vault 111, to be precise. That could be cool, and that is something I've heard fans ask for in the past.<br />
<br />
Coupled with that theory is that you - the player - will actually be a descendant of the family you play in the beginning. Some have even suggested that you will be the same person - and that this particular vault's "test" will involve cryogenics, so you will not have aged the decades, or even centuries between the war and the post-war world the bulk of the game is set in.<br />
<br />
Others have suggested that this game will be set much *earlier* in the timeline than the other Fallouts. In the fictional alternative history of the Fallout universe, the "Great War" (the bombs from the trailer were the beginning, middle, and end of the Great War, which took only 2 hours) takes place in the year 2077, (October 23, 2077 to be more precise). The first <b>Fallout</b> game was set 84 years later, in 2161. The next game to take place was <b>Fallout Tactics</b> in 2197, then <b>Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel</b> in 2208, then <b>Fallout 2</b> in 2241... And then we get to the last two games, the ones most people know about - <b>Fallout 3</b> and <b>Fallout New Vegas</b>. The main quest of <b>Fallout 3</b> takes place in the year 2277 -- 200 years after the bombs fell, (the prolog, which includes the player's birth, starts in 2258). <b>Fallout New Vegas</b> starts in 2281.<br />
<br />
That's the order the games take place in the fiction of the lore -- that is not the order they were released. So it is possible that <b>Fallout 4</b> could take place at any time after the Great War - perhaps even before the events of the first <b>Fallout</b> - but I personally doubt it. More on that in the next section.<br />
<br />
Where I believe the Pre-War game play (if there is any) will come in is hinted at in one shot of the trailer. The rainy shot of what people are calling the "Mysterious Stranger" in Scollay Square. The name of the place under the Scollay Square sign is "<i><b>Memory Den</b></i>". I believe this will be the place - or one of the places - offering virtual trips back in time to before the war. Either through stored memories -- perhaps from Ghouls (who can live hundreds of years --- many of which actually being pre-war humans turned into Ghouls by the bombs), or perhaps from your own past, if the character did undergo some sort of suspended animation. Or there could be some other explanation of where the memories come from. But I think this is how we will get to play pre-war scenes in Fallout 4.<br />
<br />
<b>The Preservation of Boston</b><br />
<br />
The reason that people believe it is set earlier in the timeline is because of how "well preserved" everything appears. And, yes, compared to other places we've seen in the Fallout universe - especially in the last 2 games - Boston does appear in much better shape. But not, in my opinion, because of the lack of passage of time. But because they were not hit as hard as the Capital Wasteland or West Coast were. The Capital was hit hard because - well - it was the capital of the United States. If you want to take out another country, you need to attack its capital. The West Coast would have been hit harder because it was closer to China - which was America's enemy in the fictional Great War. Boston is pretty far from China, and isn't much of a strategic target. So it would not have been hit as hard as the locations from the last two games.<br />
<br />
Another reason it is in better shape is because it has been rebuilt. One of the things that has always bothered me about the franchise is that the bombs dropped decades or even centuries ago, and yet most of the places look like they haven't been touched since that day. Granted - some of the places wouldn't have been touched - but even the living quarters of most of the non-vaultdwellers look like they haven't been cleaned since the war knocked everything over. Fallout 4 shows what could happen if people, you know, actually remembered what a broom was for. (There sure are enough brooms in the Fallout series that *someone* should be cleaning with them!) This is a *living* city - not the ruins of a dead one. There is life here, and that life wants to put the war behind them and get on with life.<br />
<br />
You know - like we do in the real world. Have you been to a living city where war or terrorism or a natural disaster destroyed part or all of it? Did that even take place more than 10 years ago? Does it look like Fallout 3 - or does it look like life goes on?<br />
<br />
Personal side note - I went to Ground Zero in New York City less than a year after 9/11 - and, yes, there was still damage. But people were working to repair and rebuild. Now, the new World Trade Center is standing tall in that place. Because humanity moves forward, rebuilds, and life goes on.<br />
<br />
The same could be said of New Orleans or the Pentagon, or -- more directly related to the Fallout series - Hiroshima, Japan. That city is alive and well today. And it hasn't been 200 years, or even 100.<br />
<br />
Boston in Fallout 4 represents a rebuilt city. And part of the reason for that - I believe - is the <i>Institute.</i> The Institute has been referred to many times in the Fallout series. It is a place, on the East Coast, of advanced Technology. The belief among many (and I'm not sure if this was ever fully confirmed in the Lore or not) is that it is MIT - the Massachusetts <i>Institute</i> of Technology. And I further believe it is the very tall building seen in many of the shots of the trailer. The Institute would give Boston a lot more tools to work with to rebuild - and it would give people a reason to move to Boston, and therefore more people to rebuild.<br />
<br />
Another theory for the preservation of the city is somewhat opposite to an earlier theory. Instead of being closer to the Great War - and being earlier in the timeline -- it could actually be much *later* in the timeline, and further from the bombs. Thus giving the people more time and technology to rebuild. Especially if it does take place after the events of Fallout 3 - and (SPOILER ALERT) - the successful restoration of clean water through Project Purity. That would account for the much larger amounts of plant life seen in even the post-war scenes of the trailer.<br />
<br />
<b>Closing Thoughts</b><br />
<br />
There is a lot more I could say about this trailer. Things that were seen, or at least suggested by the trailer include: Vertibirds, a Zeppelin, Power Armor, Boston Deathclaws, Super Mutants, fast and aggressive feral Ghouls, Brotherhood of Steel, Enclave, customizable weapons and Power Armor, a new graphics engine (the lighting and weather systems at the very least), a much more densely packed city, and yet another dog.... I will hopefully post another entry on this soon. It's just too much to fit into one article. (I'll never actually post this if I keep writing!)<br />
<br />
But one thing I do want to ask you about before I go - at the end of the trailer - what appears to be the player character appears, wearing an iconic vault jumpsuit (Vault 111), a PipBoy (with much more logical button placement!), and carrying a cool looking gun. He pats the dog on the head and says (vocally) "Let's go, Pal!"<br />
<br />
This suggests the player character will be voiced. What do you think about this? Do you like the idea of the game having a definite story about a definite pre-made character that you just control? Or do you prefer the silent protagonist of all the previous Fallout titles?<br />
<br />
Share your thoughts on this - and on all things Fallout - in the comments below.<br />
<br /><b><i>Thanks for stopping by!</i></b></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-33127205932057411222015-05-22T08:47:00.003-05:002015-05-22T08:47:52.347-05:00Happy 35th Birthday, PAC-Man<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
PAC-Man is 35 years old today. This early-age video game icon has been gobbling up dots for more than 1/3 of a century. Spawning dozens of official sequels and spin-off titles -- and hundreds of clones, copy-cats, and unofficial games -- PAC-Man has left his mark not just in the video game world, but throughout media. <br />
<br />
"PAC-Man Fever" was one of the first --- if not <i>the</i> first video-game inspired songs to ever be published, and it was a chart-topping hit. Pac-Man has had multiple TV shows, has appeared in multiple movies, has had toys, clothing lines, cereals, lunch boxes, board games.... You name it - there's a Pac-Man version of it.<br />
<br />
From arcades, to consoles, to smartphones, to PCs --- pretty much if there's a digital device out there capable of receiving up-down-left-right input - PAC-Man has been ported to it (officially or not). PAC-Man once even took over Google.<br />
<br />
On this 35th Anniversary, let's look back at some of the world-record breaking milestones that PAC-Man and the whole PAC-Family have been a part of, according to Guinness World Records.<br />
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>First video game family</b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Before the Mario Bros came along in 1983, PAC-Man had already established the first video game family. Following the breakout success of the original PAC-Man arcade game, American licensee Bally Midway released a series of unofficial spin-off games. Ms PAC-Man (released January 13, 1982) proved so successful that Namco eventually adopted it as an official release, but the same cannot be said of Baby PAC-Man (1982) and Jr. PAC-Man (October 1983), which, along with Professor PAC-Man (1983), contributed to Namco eventually severing ties with Bally Midway.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>First female character in a video game</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">According to creator Toru Iwatani (Japan), PAC-Man (Namco, 1980) was designed to appeal primarily to women. Two years later, the addition of a hair bow and lipstick to the munching mouth turned PAC-Man into Ms. PAC-Man (Bally/Midway, 1982), the first playable female character in any video game.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"> </span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Most successful coin-operated arcade machine</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">From its launch in 1981 until 1987, a total of 293,822 PAC-Man arcade machines were built and installed in arcade venues around the world. Designed by Tohru Iwatani (Japan) of Namco, the original game took eight people 15 months to complete. Namco estimate that PAC-Man has been played more than ten billion times since its launch.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Most viewed PAC-Man video</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">In April 2009, renowned French prankster Rémi Gaillard uploaded a video of himself dressed in a full-size PAC-Man costume being chased by cohorts dressed as ghosts in a supermarket, golf course and other locations. The clip is the most viewed PAC-Man video on You Tube, with 45,831,671 views as of August 18, 2014.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Largest re-enactment of PAC-Man</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">In 2004, students from New York University created PAC-Manhattan, a “real-life” re-enactment of the game in which people, dressed as PAC-Man and the four ghosts, chased each other around Manhattan city blocks. The playing field consisted of 6x4 city blocks surrounding Washington Square Park, with a total surface area of 171,029m².</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Most costly game of PAC-Man</b></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the game's release, Google released a PAC-Man-inspired Google Doodle, an interactive banner using the same graphics and game play as the original arcade version. Launched on May 21, 2010, it was available for 48 hours and visitors to Google.com played for nearly 500,000,000 hours. Based on the average officer worker's salary, it's estimated to have cost businesses around $122 million in lost productivity.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>Largest PAC-Man video game</b></span></div>
<br />
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Measured by its total number of pixels, the largest PAC-Man game is The World’s Biggest PAC-Man, with a total of 4,014,144,000 pixels across 62,721 mazes. The game, playable online at <a href="http://worldsbiggestpacman.com/"><span class="s2">worldsbiggestpacman.com</span></a>, went live on April 12, 2011 and was developed by Australia’s Soap Creative agency to celebrate 30 years since the original arcade release by Namco. As well as letting Facebook users play against each other, the game allows fans to design and share their own levels.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><i>(Thanks to Mark for reminding me what today was!)</i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-80295235982060395292014-11-28T01:18:00.000-06:002014-11-28T01:21:12.052-06:00WinBook TW700 - the 7" Windows 8.1 Tablet for under $60 - 2-day Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/9un-LIUvBXc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
Here is an unboxing of my new WinBook TW700 7" Windows 8.1 Tablet from MicroCenter.<br />
<br />
It cost me (and is still currently on sale as of the time of this writing) <b>only $59.99</b> plus tax (normally $89.99).<br />
<br />
<b>Here be the specs:</b><br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>7" 1280x800 (16:10 aspect ratio) IPS LCD 5-point Capacitive Touchscreen</li>
<li>Intel BayTrail-T Z3735G 1.33GHz <b>Quad</b>-<b>Core</b> CPU</li>
<li>1GB DDR3 RAM</li>
<li>16GB Flash Storage</li>
<li>Windows 8.1 + Bing Operating System</li>
<li>1-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365 included (via code on card, not pre-installed)</li>
<li>microSD Card Slot</li>
<li>Full-sized USB 2.0 slot</li>
<li>MicroUSB</li>
<li>MicroHDMI video-out</li>
<li>WiFi 802.11 b/g/n</li>
<li>Bluetooth 4.0</li>
<li>GPS</li>
<li>Stereo Speakers</li>
<li>Built-in Microphone</li>
<li>3.5 mm Headphone/Mic combo jack</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b>Windows 8.1 + Bing</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Don't let the "+ Bing" thing scare you. All it means is that the manufacturer got the OS for free from Microsoft with the guarentee that it would ship the product (in this case, the tablet) with the defaults for Internet Explorer all set to Bing and MSN. This is normally the case anyway on Windows 8 - but some companies make deals with Google or Yahoo to change those defaults. As the consumer, you are free to change all the settings you want. You are not locked into Bing. You never have to use it at all, and you are free to use Google, or Yahoo, or Ask, or Alta Vista... (is that even still a thing?) or whatever.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So you are getting a full Windows experience. This is not WindowsRT, or even something like the Windows 7 Starter Edition. This is full Windows 8.1 - with all that entails, the good and the bad. So don't freak out about the + Bing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I do also want to point out that Windows 8 by itself sells on the Microsoft Store for $79.99. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Microsoft Office 365</b></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
There is a folder and icon for Office 365 on the tablet, but it's not actually installed. Clicking that starts the installation process, and you have to input the code from the card that is included in the box with the tablet in order to authenticate your subscription to the service. I haven't installed it because I'm not sure I'm going to use it, and since it is a subscription and not a straight install-once-use-forever thing, I'd rather wait until I'm sure I need it before I activate it.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The license is good for "1 Tablet + 1 PC/Mac" - but I don't think it has to be *this* tablet.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
A one-year subscription to Office 365 costs $79.99 (or $7.99 per month) - so, again, like with Windows, the cost of the tablet is less than the cost of the software. (Although, to be fair, the $79.99 subscription gives you 5 installs instead of 2.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Initial thoughts</b></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
I've only had it a couple of days, but I am certain I'm going to get my money's worth out of this one. Like I said, Office 365 alone is worth more than I paid - but even aside from that - I got a full brand-new Windows computer for less than $60! That's amazing.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The full-sized USB is important to me. That gives it far more of a computer vibe and less of a tablet vibe. I mean, I know technically any tablet/phone/device with a USB-OTG port, regardless of size (full, micro, or mini) can have peripherals -- and I know BlueTooth peripherals exist. But the convenience of being able to just plug something directly into the side of this thing makes it feel a lot more like a PC to me. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
No adapters or limitations - just any other USB slot on any other computer I've used over the last 15 years. Easy Peasy. I've plugged keyboards, USB drives, etc. into the thing, and it just works. Sure - you have to install drivers for certain things, just like on any Windows computer - but there's nothing strange about the process just because it's a tablet.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The device has a 16GB internal flash drive, but you only have access to 8GB of it, I'm not sure what's up with the other 8GB, but I assume it's something like a recovery drive or something, but it's not visible in Explorer. I didn't look before I started installing apps and software, but even after installing LibreOffice and a few other decent sized programs, I had over 2GB left. And it has a MicroSD slot, so I've got a 32GB card in there. That should hold me for a while.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I do wish the RAM was upgradable. 1GB isn't much. If you aren't multitasking too much or playing graphics-intensive games, it shouldn't be a problem. But having too many Google Chrome Extensions installed (like I do) does slow things down a bit, especially when streaming audio in one window and trying to surf in another. (There is an 8" model with 2GB of RAM available [currently on sale] for $139.99, but that is more than twice the price.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am a Mac user, and I have Windows installed on a small partition of my MBP, but I rarely use it. This tablet will let me quickly and easily run lighter Windows-only apps. And with the full-sized USB I can do things like root my phone quickly and easily (which is not always simple on a Mac).</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I wouldn't recommend it as your main computer, but if you are chugging along on something that is 5 years old, or if you just want a second machine for the living room or something - this is far more functional than a phone or Android/iOS tablet, and it costs less, too.</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-755630750580624212014-10-28T21:21:00.001-05:002016-03-03T19:58:39.940-06:00Future Superhero Films (Marvel and DC) through 2020 [Updated 3/3/16]<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Today, Marvel had an event and announced their "Phase Three" films (basically in response to DC's films through 2020). </span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"><b></b></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>MARVEL (Disney)</b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">May 1, 2015 - <b><i>The Avengers: Age of Ultron</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">July 17, 2015 - <b><i>Ant-Man</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">May 6, 2016 - <b><i>Captain America: Civil War</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">November 4, 2016 - <b><i>Doctor Strange</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">May 5, 2017 - <b><i>Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">July 7, 2017 - <b style="font-style: italic;">Spider-Man</b> (Rebooted... again - now part of the <b>MCU!</b> - co-produced with Sony)</span><br />
<span class="s1">November 3, 2017 - <b><i>Thor: Ragnarok</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">February 16, 2018 - <b><i>Black Panther</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">May 4, 2018 -<b><i> Avengers: Infinity War - Part 1</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">July 6, 2018 - <b><i>Ant-Man and The Wasp</i></b></span><br />
March 8, 2019<b style="font-style: italic;"> - </b><b><i>Captain Marvel</i></b><br />
<div class="p1">
</div>
May 3, 2019 - <b><i>The Avengers: Infinity War - Part 2</i></b><br />
July 12, 2019 - <b><i>Inhumans</i></b><br />
<b><i><br /></i></b>
<div class="p1">
</div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
May 1, 2020 - Untitled Marvel Movie<br />
July 10, 2020 - Untitled Marvel Movie 2<br />
<span class="s1"></span><br />
November 6, 2020 - Untitled Marvel Movie 3<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>DC (Warner Bros.)</b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">March 25, 2016 - <b><i>Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">August 5, 2016 - <b><i>Suicide Squad</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">June 23, 2017 - <b><i>Wonder Woman</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">November 17, 2017 - <b><i>Justice League Part 1</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">March 16, 2018 - <b><i>The Flash</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">July 27, 2018 - <b><i>Aquaman</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">April 5, 2019 - <b><i>Shazam!</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">June 14, 2019 - <b><i>Justice League Part 2</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">April 3, 2020 - <b><i>Cyborg</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">June 19, 2020 - <b><i>Green Lantern Corps</i></b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">???? - Stand-alone untitled </span><b><i>Ben Affleck-directed </i>Batman</b> movie</div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">???? - Stand-alone untitled Superman movie</span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><b>OTHER</b></span></div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span><br /></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">August 7, 2015 - <b><i>The Fantastic Four</i></b> (Fox) -<i> Reboot</i></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">February 12, 2016 - <b><i>Deadpool </i></b>(Fox)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">May 27, 2016 - <i><b>X-Men: Apocalypse</b> </i>(Fox)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">October 7, 2016 - <i style="font-weight: bold;">Gambit</i> (Fox)</span><br />
<span class="s1">March 3, 2017 - <b><i>Wolverine 3</i></b> (Fox)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">July 14, 2017 - <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Fantastic Four 2</i> (Fox --- Might be cancelled)</span><br />
December 21, 2018 - Animated Spider-Man Movie (Sony)<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="p2">
<span class="s1"></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">??? - <b><i>The Sinister Six</i></b> (Sony --- Might be cancelled)</span><br />
<span class="s1">???? - <b><i>X-Force</i></b> (Fox)</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1"><br /></span> <span class="s1"><b>STAR WARS (Disney)</b></span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">Also, there are the upcoming Star Wars films, Episodes VII, VIII, & IX - and at least 2 other "Stand-alone" films in between those. </span><br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span><span class="s1">December 18, 2015 - <b><i>Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens</i></b></span><br />
December 16, 2016 - <b><i>Rogue One: A Star Wars Story</i></b><br />
<b><i></i></b><br />
December 15, 2017 - <b style="font-style: italic;">Star Wars: Episode VIII</b><br />
<div>
May 25, 2018 - <i><b>Star Wars Anthology: Han Solo </b>(working title)</i></div>
<span class="s1">2019 - </span><b><i>Star Wars: Episode IX</i></b></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">2020 - </span>Unannounced Star Wars Anthology Film<br />
<span class="s1"><br /></span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">There are many movies to be excited about in the upcoming 6 years. <b><i>"A</i></b><b style="font-style: italic;">ge of the Geek, baby!" </b><b>8^D</b></span><br />
<span class="s1"><b><br /></b></span> I haven't even mentioned all the TV shows.... Star Wars: Rebels, Marvel's Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D., Arrow, The Flash, & Gotham........</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-67137893934079942762014-10-15T21:17:00.005-05:002014-10-15T21:20:52.112-05:00More on MicroConsoles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There were two big events in the world of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microconsole">MicroConsoles</a> this week. The first being that the <b>Playstation TV</b> launched in North America, and the second being the (surprise?) announcement of <b>Google's Nexus Player</b>.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.chadwsmith.com/2014/04/the-rise-and-fall-and-rise-of.html">I talked about the <b>Playstation TV</b> before</a> (when it was called <b>Playstation Vita TV</b>, well it still is in Japan). Basically it's a <b>Vita</b> in a box. A somewhat stripped down one, it turns out, since it doesn't run nearly all the games or apps that the Vita does. To be fair, some of the limitations make sense, since there is no touchscreen involved anymore. However, the fact that Netflix and other video streaming apps don't work doesn't make a bit of sense. Netflix has said they have no plans of supporting the system, either. So if you planned on buying the PS TV for your video streaming needs - look elsewhere. (<b>Amazon Fire TV</b> has it beat hands down, there - so does the $35 <b>Google Chromecast</b> - and basically any other WiFi enabled device you can plug into a TV via HDMI.)<br />
<br />
But you aren't buying a <b>PS TV</b> for the TV part - you are buying for the GAMES, right? Well, hold on... Because not all <b>PS Vita</b> games work with <b>PS TV</b>. And <b>Playstation Now</b> (the game streaming / rental service from Sony) is INSANELY EXPENSIVE - so stay clear. (Sometimes it is <b><i>CHEAPER</i></b> to buy the games from the PS Store than to stream them. And it is almost always cheaper to buy them in physical form - especially used.)<br />
<br />
And, did I mention that the <b>Playstation Vita</b> only has 1GB of onboard storage - and the only way to add storage is through Sony's proprietary PS Vita Memory Card. Those are retailing for more than $1 per GB at the moment. Some cards almost $2 per GB, depending on size and store and sale. And you will need a card if you want to download anything. 1GB of storage will not cover much in the way of gaming. Heck, you'd be lucky to fit more than 1 <b>PS-one</b> classic on there.<br />
<br />
So.... for now, unless they change a LOT of the software limitation, and significantly lower the cost of their Vita Memory - I would have to strongly advise passing on a <b>PS TV</b> - as much as I wanted them to be cool.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, we have the <b>Google Nexus Player</b>. I mentioned in my last MicroConsole focused post that Google had bought a game controller company which made some speculate the big G would be entering the game console market. Well, they sort-of have now. In much the same way Amazon sort-of has with their <b>Fire TV</b>. The <b>Google Nexus Player</b> is more of a Android Box than MicroConsole - but it is FAR better than the now-defunct "Google TV" boxes of the past. <br />
<br />
Like the <b>Fire TV</b>, the <b>Nexus Player</b> is a MicroConsole style set-top-box with an optional game controller. However, it doesn't appear the game controller was made by the company that Google bought. It appears to be made by Asus. Also, it appears to be the exact same controller as the <b>OnLive MicroConsole</b> with the media buttons removed (which is supper odd, since they would actually have potential use here, as opposed to on the OnLive system, which had no media apps whatsoever) and rounded mid-face buttons.<br />
<br />
Seriously - Look at them!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSY-L3jF5NxP2L3s9u8iSlSDevHaZRS_zVDv5zmKBlI75O8eBQY359JmqEAw_iJ5EDh-Y1VEaVJV-LLf29Rfr0XhdYFNaYoEG635httIOmCF76Fd_X8Rzvu1fOjVzTmLwGPsCmA/s1600/Nexus-Player-vs-OnLive-MicroConsole.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbSY-L3jF5NxP2L3s9u8iSlSDevHaZRS_zVDv5zmKBlI75O8eBQY359JmqEAw_iJ5EDh-Y1VEaVJV-LLf29Rfr0XhdYFNaYoEG635httIOmCF76Fd_X8Rzvu1fOjVzTmLwGPsCmA/s1600/Nexus-Player-vs-OnLive-MicroConsole.png" width="550" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Look, I know I said the same thing for the Amazon Fire TV's controller - but this is right out the same controller. No moving of sticks and D-pads. The angles - the contours - the indicator lights - everything! It's the same stinking controller I tells ya!<br />
<br />
The <b>Nexus Player</b> seems like a far more solid system, offering the full Android 5.0 (<i>Lollipop</i>) experience and a far more powerful set of specs - including the ability to handle 1080p, which the <b>PS TV</b> lacks.<br />
<br />
I'm not saying you have to rush out and get either one (the <b>Nexus Player</b> isn't out yet, it was just announced today, with <i>preorders</i> coming latter this month). But I'm saying of all the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microconsole">MicroConsoles</a> I've seen, the <b>Nexus Player </b>is the best, with the <b>Amazon FireTV</b> coming a close second.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-16859165573278315072014-10-15T01:56:00.002-05:002014-10-16T15:11:09.342-05:00Gotham City is Anti-Vancouver.... Lazy Graphics Editing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So apparently Gotham is anti-Vancouver....<br />
<br />
This map is from Fox's new "Gotham" TV series, shows the location of Arkham Asylum and the surrounding area, (a place they refer to as "Arkham City" - but it is an area within Gotham City itself).<br />
<br />
The map is actually a mirrored image of map of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Even the labels / street names are flipped.<br />
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cc5Lw9rwDQiAhjKdkBBpOrhiMTVRhCbEZtL75sdMcJ6R4_vxO0YzPQsC7nE-2IA35-t1x8d7YnfRYvgiks6K8C5acE41dj_XLI_nz-Jj0n4ASe75YBsfqUcitSLO0oJKK3x36w/s1600/Gotham-anti-Vancouver.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-cc5Lw9rwDQiAhjKdkBBpOrhiMTVRhCbEZtL75sdMcJ6R4_vxO0YzPQsC7nE-2IA35-t1x8d7YnfRYvgiks6K8C5acE41dj_XLI_nz-Jj0n4ASe75YBsfqUcitSLO0oJKK3x36w/s1600/Gotham-anti-Vancouver.png" width="500" /></a></div>
<br />
That is just lazy graphic work, people....
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-60808032572316208172014-09-04T05:22:00.001-05:002014-09-04T05:22:56.628-05:00The "New Nintendo 3DS" - Announcement Reaction & Initial Thoughts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For those who might not yet have heard, Nintendo has announced a new handheld game system. As of now, it has only been announced for Japan, but there isn't much chance it will be exclusive for long. The new system is called "The New Nintendo 3DS".<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwYJX2FoLuEXNx0_XuPlYXJfoif4vExrQr1HdGde4uo27avgymMJcTcq5I3tuBpHWG4Tk1xDaO9h218lhghwE2sSCGdfoX952qqt35H3TP5HPNALWWNpJLz3l9tYhUzpMAkVnGg/s1600/468px-New3ds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwYJX2FoLuEXNx0_XuPlYXJfoif4vExrQr1HdGde4uo27avgymMJcTcq5I3tuBpHWG4Tk1xDaO9h218lhghwE2sSCGdfoX952qqt35H3TP5HPNALWWNpJLz3l9tYhUzpMAkVnGg/s1600/468px-New3ds.jpg" height="92" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
*sigh*<br />
<br />
And the confusion is already clear.<br />
<br />
Let's clarify one thing. A lot of people online are calling this the "New 3DS" - that is not the name. The name is the "New Nintendo 3DS" --- not the "Nintendo New 3DS", the New comes first.<br />
<br />
I sincerely hope that they will come out with a *ahem* new name before launch - at least a new name for regions outside of Japan. (Nintendo does have a history of using slightly different names for consoles in Japan - the biggest being Japan's Famicom / Super Famicom vs the Nintendo Entertainment System / Super NES, and the most recent being Japan's DSi LL & 3DS LL vs the DSi XL & 3DS XL.)<br />
<br />
The first problem,"New" things don't stay "new" for long. <br />
<br />
Remember a few years ago - Apple came out with the "New iPad". That was the official title. Not the iPad 3 or the iPad 2012 or the iPad 3G or the iPad 3rd Generation... no, it was officially titled and marketed as "The New iPad". It was replaced and discontinued in less than 8 months. It took less than 2/3 of a year for the "New" iPad to go from "New" to "Not-the-Newest-One-Anymore" to "No Longer being made or sold".<br />
<br />
I'm not saying the "New Nintendo 3DS" (which I am now going to call the nn3DS because - it's faster) will be obsolete in 8 months. But what I am saying is that at some point in the future, it will no longer be the newest handheld console from Nintendo. And before that even happens, it will simply no longer be "new". The PS Vita is Sony's latest handheld - but it's not "new". It has been out for over 2.5 years and has already seen a hardware refresh. It is not "new" by most technological or video game standards. It is still the new-<i>est</i> - but it is not <i>new</i>. And the same will happen with the nn3DS.<br />
<br />
The second problem - probably the bigger problem - that name is confusing as *#^~@!<br />
<br />
It is bad enough that we have currently on the market the 3DS and its follow-up the 2DS, (not to mention the 3DS XL). Now we will have the 3DS - the 3DS XL - the 2DS - the nn3DS and the nn3DS XL. So let's say your 3DS breaks, and you want a replacement. You go to your local game store and you say "I want a new 3DS" - and since "your local game store" is a GameStop, because they are a complete monopoly - they sell used consoles. So the clerk asks you "Do you want a new New 3DS or a used New 3DS?" You assume the second-place "new" is lowercase and referring only to the fact that it will be "new-to-you". ...<br />
<br />
Ok, it's late, and I haven't thought the joke all the way out, but you could have up to 3 "new"s (not to be confused with 3 news). If it is a not-used nn3DS that you have never personally owned before, it would be a new-to-you new New Nintendo 3DS, or just a new-new-new 3DS. As opposed to a new used New 3DS or a new used 3DS or a new new 3DS or a ....<br />
<br />
I hate the name.<br />
<br />
I seriously hate the name.<br />
<br />
None of this would really matter much if - like the 2DS - the nn3DS only played 3DS games. But they don't. There will be exclusive titles to the nn3DS. Meaning you will run into all this confusion everytime you want to buy a new 3DS game... or a New 3DS game.... or a new-New.... <b><i><u>$*#@)#*!#*</u></i></b>!!!<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdhb6XeBCwwR3HceN2SAUyLupQ2YnT4ChLWACsbtzxfUjU0IpwUXXTHB0RayWqpkU0uJ-kjztmGnOyaVWE6cjKrq7eRf6frbjaMAfwvFiC2PhXfRG1DSESLcGltZyxTuKaFIcSA/s1600/photo1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMdhb6XeBCwwR3HceN2SAUyLupQ2YnT4ChLWACsbtzxfUjU0IpwUXXTHB0RayWqpkU0uJ-kjztmGnOyaVWE6cjKrq7eRf6frbjaMAfwvFiC2PhXfRG1DSESLcGltZyxTuKaFIcSA/s1600/photo1.jpg" height="191" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NqARiw79Ua2PdZDmn3z6btHqjmImpQBYjVJom0hij4oo2RsStP6vM_L7HXvBpuDKjeM91VJZ1xHeCJzh4X05YyT-BGGIo8PHljZoMSjXnG1h42fMsMEgdCQf0tEuiEsvOafZUQ/s1600/photo2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NqARiw79Ua2PdZDmn3z6btHqjmImpQBYjVJom0hij4oo2RsStP6vM_L7HXvBpuDKjeM91VJZ1xHeCJzh4X05YyT-BGGIo8PHljZoMSjXnG1h42fMsMEgdCQf0tEuiEsvOafZUQ/s1600/photo2.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Now.... Name aside - what is so... *ahem* "new" about it?<br />
<br />
A second analog disc - much smaller than the main one. The 3DS already has an awkward optional add-on device that adds a second control disc. So it would be possible for nn3DS games to use that to be backwards compatible - but that is not all that separates the 2.<br />
<br />
The 3D is better. The 3D can now be seen from a much wider angle - and not just directly on. On the current 3DS, if you tilt either your head or the 3DS screen even slightly it can - and does - break the 3D effect and blurs the screen. The nn3DS promises to change that. This will be really helpful for anyone wanting to share their screen with someone else (which doesn't make a whole lot of sense on a handheld... but it is good to have the option).<br />
<br />
A feature a lot of reviewers aren't even mentioning is there will now be 2 shoulder buttons per side. This, with the new circle pad, will finally bring the 3DS to have the same number and type of controls that virtually all other consoles have had for the last 3 generations or so.<br />
<br />
The thing that will make nn3DS games impossible to run on the "old" 3DS is that the new hardware will have a faster, more powerful processor.<br />
<br />It will also have NFC to communicate with Amiibos. (Something that yet another optional add-on accessory for the 3DS will be able to do.) Potentially, this could be used for Disney Infinity and Skylander figures as well, but I am far from familiar enough with the tech to know if that is even possible.<br />
<br />
It is moving from an SD slot to a Micro SD slot, which isn't horrible, but it is more limiting. At least it is an open standard format and not some proprietary garbage like Sony uses on the Vita.<br />
<br />
Some of the button layout is different, not just the addition of the new controls, but the star and select have been moved - and the XYAB buttons are now color-coded like the Super NES/Famicom buttons were. This is a nice touch.<br />
<br />
All-in-all I like the system just fine - but I hate the name. I look forward to seeing it in action.<br />
<br />
What do you think?</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-30380052808018815392014-08-23T00:41:00.000-05:002014-08-23T00:47:30.501-05:00Online Learning - Knowledge is Meant to be Free<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I finally got a smartphone. I know - "welcome to 2005, Chad..." but, at least I'm here now. I was using an iPod Touch and a flip phone to fill that role until I got here. So I've had the Internet in my pocket for a long time, as I'm sure most of you have.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
When I talk about the nearly-universal, always-on, instantly-accessible Internet - I often say that I have the ability to tap into the sum total of recorded human knowledge in an easy to search format. In fact, I remember reading before that something like that was pretty much the goal of Google when they got started - "To index all of human knowledge". I don't know if that was or is ever really their stated goal, but it might as well be.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The fact is - there has never in the history of mankind been an age where so much information was available to so many people. It's pretty amazing. The Internet is more than cat videos and 90's kids quizzes. In fact, I'd like to share with you some cool sites and apps that can help you learn just about anything.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And the info is all free. </div>
<div>
<i>(Note, some apps may offer "in app purchases" - but they aren't needed to get the info.)</i></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Khan Academy</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
All levels of learning - from Kindergarten to Graduate level</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.uoozo.khanapp&hl=en">Android App</a> - <a href="https://www.khanacademy.org/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/khan-academy/id469863705?mt=8">iOS App</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div>
<b>Duolingo</b></div>
<div>
Learn languages - for free</div>
<div>
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.duolingo">Android App</a> - <a href="https://www.duolingo.com/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/duolingo-learn-languages-for/id570060128">iOS App</a></div>
<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>Coursera</b></div>
<div>
Tons of free courses from "Top Universities"</div>
<div>
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.coursera.android&hl=en">Android App</a> - <a href="https://www.coursera.org/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/coursera/id736535961">iOS App</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b>Udemy</b></div>
<div>
18,000+ free "real-world skill" courses</div>
<div>
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.udemy.android">Android App</a> - <a href="https://www.udemy.com/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/udemy/id562413829">iOS App</a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>My Open Courses</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Focused on Engineering</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.enhanceedu.myopencourses&hl=en">Android App</a> - <a href="http://myopencourses.com/">Website</a> - <i>(no iOS App)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Grace</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A "catch-all" app - basically a front end for other learning programs</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mobispectra.android.apps.grace">Android App</a> - <a href="http://www.mobispectra.com/apps/graceapp/">Website</a> - <i>(no iOS App)</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>MOOCs4U</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Free online courses, aka Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
from different providers in one place</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Another catch-all front end</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.moocs4u">Android App</a> - <a href="http://www.moocs4u.com/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moocs4u-moocs-from-different/id718745127">iOS App</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Ted Talks</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Not really courses, </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
but interesting high-level-thinking talks from leaders in their fields</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ted.android">Android App</a> - <a href="http://www.ted.com/">Website</a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ted/id376183339">iOS App</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>iTunes U</b></div>
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Access complete courses from leading universities and other schools</div>
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plus the world’s largest digital catalog of free education content</div>
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right on your iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch</div>
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<i>(it says iOS 7 needed - but you can download an older version</i></div>
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<i>if you are like me and have an older iOS device)</i></div>
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<i>(No Android App - obviously)</i> - <a href="http://www.apple.com/support/itunes-u/">Website <i>(for support)</i></a> - <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/itunes-u/id490217893">iOS App</a></div>
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<div>
Find what works for you. Never stop learning. Whether you are a high schooler who wants to see what college might be like, and maybe what field you want to go in, or a recent graduate who isn't quite sure if college is for you yet - or what you want to do with your life, or if you are in college and just want to learn stuff that isn't a part of your major - or if you are like me, and well passed your college years, and you just want to get the knowledge that is out there... learn a new skill... hone a current skill... whatever - just do it. It's free. :)</div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<div>
Other things I found just googling "Free college online"</div>
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<a href="https://www.edx.org/">https://www.edx.org/</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses">http://www.openculture.com/freeonlinecourses</a></div>
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<a href="http://academicearth.org/">http://academicearth.org/</a></div>
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<a href="http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm">http://ocw.mit.edu/index.htm</a></div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-59489246364062439362014-07-04T22:47:00.001-05:002016-06-13T14:31:52.379-05:00Happy Fourth of July, Everyone! (Yes - EVERYONE - not just Americans)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I made an infographic. I hope you enjoy.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6RpnPyzltFQG1AI2aXN9DH5lZ4vx4JFmbEnOVQCPqlB-vQxaYBnUyFt3X2SMxzmjnrarXEBVqkqPTjAqIKbHSWkykEXTmps7ZXb2Ci1jEocrKvVNVJx-DL3W8WjVTzzH8kaERQ/s1600/Thank+America.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Even if you aren’t American (which must suck) you should still celebrate The Fourth of July here’s why... If you like having electricity in your house... You can thank America. If you like listening to the radio... You can thank America. If you like watching movies... You can thank America. If you like watching TV... You can thank America. If you like the fact that Human Beings have been to other celestial bodies (IE - THE MOON)... You can thank America. If you like surfing the Internet... You can thank America. If you like Hamburgers - you can thank Germany.... BUT if you like BACON CHEESEBURGERS... You can thank America. If you like Pizza, don’t thank Italy... You can thank America. If you like listening to Rock-n-Roll, Jazz, or Rap... You can thank America. And if you like NOT BEING A FREAKING NAZI... You know what to do...." border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV6RpnPyzltFQG1AI2aXN9DH5lZ4vx4JFmbEnOVQCPqlB-vQxaYBnUyFt3X2SMxzmjnrarXEBVqkqPTjAqIKbHSWkykEXTmps7ZXb2Ci1jEocrKvVNVJx-DL3W8WjVTzzH8kaERQ/s1600/Thank+America.png" title="Even if you aren’t American (which must suck) you should still celebrate The Fourth of July here’s why... If you like having electricity in your house... You can thank America. If you like listening to the radio... You can thank America. If you like watching movies... You can thank America. If you like watching TV... You can thank America. If you like the fact that Human Beings have been to other celestial bodies (IE - THE MOON)... You can thank America. If you like surfing the Internet... You can thank America. If you like Hamburgers - you can thank Germany.... BUT if you like BACON CHEESEBURGERS... You can thank America. If you like Pizza, don’t thank Italy... You can thank America. If you like listening to Rock-n-Roll, Jazz, or Rap... You can thank America. And if you like NOT BEING A FREAKING NAZI... You know what to do...." width="387" /></a></span></center>
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Some have questioned this... So I'll explain.</center>
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<b>Electricity</b> - Thomas Edison & Nikola Tesla - Americans</center>
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<b>Radio</b> - Nikola Tesla - American</center>
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<b>Movies</b> - the Kinetograph by Thomas Edison - American</center>
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<b>Television</b> - Philo Farnsworth - American</center>
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<b>The Moon</b> - NASA, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin - Americans</center>
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<b>The Internet</b> - originally ARPANET - Created by the US Department of Defense - AMERICANS</center>
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<b>Bacon Cheeseburger</b> - the "Teen Burger" introduced in 1963 by A&W's - Americans</center>
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<b>Pizza</b> - Italian-Americans in New York - AMERICANS</center>
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<b>Rock-n-Roll</b> - Trixie Smith, Sam Phillips, Alan Freed, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, James Brown, Elvis Presley - AMERICANS</center>
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<b>Jazz</b> - Buddy Bolden, Freddie Keppard, Joe Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Original Dixieland Jass Band - AMERICANS</center>
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<b>Rap</b> - James Brown, Bob Dylan, Sugarhill Gang, Gil Scott-Heron, Coco La Rock, Rudy Ray Moore - AMERICANS</center>
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</center>
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And the last one... come'on....</center>
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Didn't even mention: </center>
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</center>
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the <b>Telephone</b> - Alexander Graham Bell - American</center>
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or the <b>Cellphone</b> - Martin Cooper - American</center>
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or the <b>Smartphone </b>- "Simon" by IBM - an American Company</center>
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or the <b>VCR</b> - Charles Paulson Ginsberg - American</center>
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or the <b>Optical Disc <i>(which lead to the CD/DVD/LaserDisc/BluRay)</i></b> - David Paul Gregg & James T. Russell - Americans</center>
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or the <b>Personal Computer</b> - Henry Edward Roberts - American</center>
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or the <b>Video Game</b> - Ralph H. Baer - American</center>
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or the <b>Graphical User Interface </b>- Xerox, Apple, Windows - all American Companies</center>
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or the <b>Computer Mouse </b>- Douglas Engelbart - American</center>
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or the <b>Laptop</b> - Adam Osborne - American</center>
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</center>
</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-8220758352081649762014-06-11T02:24:00.001-05:002014-06-11T03:36:33.445-05:00Super Nostalgia Bros.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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People in your 30s(ish), please look at this. Please stare into your own childhood imagination. I give you - that which could never be, yet is.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H5I8Cz25pWYPOKVi7wSJvxZ-XtIe4bmGDQvfbLoKI5T1lwqXHfmFq14HxUhPXV2ijyHOAPGaJPyIpmRNYRiC3IQR-sjC0Er6eWYLBjkcIxpzNRHvPZY4xU9PdSQrju_wy8p3Ww/s1600/screen-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2H5I8Cz25pWYPOKVi7wSJvxZ-XtIe4bmGDQvfbLoKI5T1lwqXHfmFq14HxUhPXV2ijyHOAPGaJPyIpmRNYRiC3IQR-sjC0Er6eWYLBjkcIxpzNRHvPZY4xU9PdSQrju_wy8p3Ww/s1600/screen-2.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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That, dear reader, is the impossible made real.</div>
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For those who don't know what you are looking at - that is a press release image from the makers of Super Smash Bros. - a video game that will be released later this year for the Nintendo Wii U and the Nintendo 3DS/2DS.</div>
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In it, we see four characters, (from left to right): Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, Pac-Man, and Super Mario. Those four characters are owned by four different companies: Sonic = Sega, Mega Man = Capcom, Pac-Man = Namco, and Mario = Nintendo.</div>
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Sega and Nintendo were rival companies who both produced video game consoles. They were like the Microsoft and Sony (Xbox / Playstation) of today - only the rivalry wasn't just confined to boardrooms, fanboys, and the occasional soft-jab at tech conferences... "Sony's <i>optional</i> camera..." it was straight-up, in-your-face, called-out-by-name marketing campaigns.... Namely "<i>[Sega] </i><b>Genesis does what Nintendon't.</b>"</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/k7nsBoqJ6s8?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<i>(Or for the video impaired...)</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtWK0mgAsX3d2s9vG0cMVrGdwo1f7gWoVB6AjZG_QuXEe672wR7IjpuskrLIUAMf2kjTayxIH7EvrmtXqCvDFqrQsatB25fZr_NAOILbB8fi1Y35d5wjPMX-05uFp3i4sOz7kkQ/s1600/Genesis-Does-What-Nintendont-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOtWK0mgAsX3d2s9vG0cMVrGdwo1f7gWoVB6AjZG_QuXEe672wR7IjpuskrLIUAMf2kjTayxIH7EvrmtXqCvDFqrQsatB25fZr_NAOILbB8fi1Y35d5wjPMX-05uFp3i4sOz7kkQ/s1600/Genesis-Does-What-Nintendont-2.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></div>
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Namco and Capcom never made consoles - that I am aware of anyway, excluding tabletop arcade cabinets and plug-in-play controller type things - but both made, and make, video games. The Manly Men Pac and Mega might not have ever been rivals in the same vein as Mario and Sonic - but it is still nearly unthinkable to the 1980s / 90s childhood mind that you would ever see them in the same game.</div>
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Imagine an Angry Bird in Farmville, or Vault Boy giving advice to Nathan Drake, or Cortana and Kratos playing cards... It's just madness.</div>
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But really, this is part of trend.</div>
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Before I expound on that, I want to take a step back. No matter what your age, think back to your childhood. Walk into your 8 year-old self's bedroom and get out your toys. Like at least 10 different toys. Now start playing with them.</div>
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Maybe He-Man is fighting Shredder... or a Transformer is battling Cobra Commander... or Luke Skywalker is riding Twilight Sparkle to Mount Doom to battle Ken and his army of Hot Wheel Trucks...</div>
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The point is - when you play with toys, the vast majority of kids don't keep different "worlds" separate. Star Wars and Star Trek and Lord of the Rings and Chronicles of Narnia and Muppet Babies.... They were all the same thing. They were all toys. And in our imaginations, there were no barriers, no reasons to keep them apart. We didn't care about which toy company made the toys, which stores sold them, which content creator owned the intellectual property.... If we wanted our Super Mario figure to race our Sonic plushie... then - by gum - they freaking raced!</div>
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Now, we who were children in the 80s or 90s or 70s.... we're all adults now. To some extent, according to our driver's license anyway. Our generation is in a place to make decisions regarding what entertainment we produce for ourselves, and for the generations after us.</div>
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And we want them to play with all the toys. Not just the ones from this "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closed_platform">walled garden</a>" or another.</div>
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I mentioned this was a trend. Wreck-it-Ralph is a good illustration. In fact, it pretty well foreshadowed this game.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNyrx9Bd1PQ_a03rXwN73qn4Sgt17ZBGs5M4k7_anaHhop_7fynbgPpuGiS3XQIa3jysI_mL3AX7mynpM-e1i-Ah7ddUjBQudroR8LwG6NbxWteSSleSBrRUB0bONnumTX3-U8A/s1600/Wreck-It+Ralph+Bad+Anon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNyrx9Bd1PQ_a03rXwN73qn4Sgt17ZBGs5M4k7_anaHhop_7fynbgPpuGiS3XQIa3jysI_mL3AX7mynpM-e1i-Ah7ddUjBQudroR8LwG6NbxWteSSleSBrRUB0bONnumTX3-U8A/s1600/Wreck-It+Ralph+Bad+Anon.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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It's hard to tell because most of them have their back to the camera - but here we see the villains from Mario (King Bowser), Sonic (Dr. Robotnik... I will never call him "Eggman"... seriously, why did they do that?), and Pac-Man (Clyde the ghost). The only one missing is Mega Man. <i>(Although it is possible that <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruMxH25g010">Dr. Wily was actually intended to be in that very scene</a>.)</i></div>
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<i><br /></i></div>
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Other movies - like the Toy Story franchise, for example - do similar things. Like putting Barbie and Mr. Potato Head and a Speak-and-Spell in the same universe, one character just as real and alive and relevant as the next.</div>
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Actually, fighting games have long been the one place that fictional universes collide on a regular basis. Virtually any time a fighting game has the word "Versus" in the title - it's smashing (puns!) two or more worlds together. Capcom did a lot of this (SNK, Namco actually, Mavel, just to name a few). Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken... they've all had multiple "Versus" fighting games against each other, or other fictional universes. And even if a fighting game isn't a versus style game, they will often include cross-over characters. Yoda, Darth Vader, Freddy Krueger, Kratos.... they've all made fighting game cameos over the years.</div>
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In fact, the entire Smash Bros. series of games is based on this concept of cross-overs. Mario and Link and Samus... they may all be owned by Nintendo, but they are still different franchises. (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blaX_eMz3Qw">Even if the argument can be made that they exist in the same "universe"</a>.) It was very much a cross-over game.</div>
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To bring it all home, the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Ae8Wj5VAA">ending of the very first Super Smash Bros. on the Nintendo 64</a> (SPOILERS for a 15 year old game!) revealed that the entire "game" took place in a child's bedroom. (Edit: It's actually <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIwWCioBpEM#t=55">"revealed" in the intro</a> as well.) The characters were merely toys and the kid was just making them fight for fun. The Boss character of "Master Hand" was the kid's own hand fighting the toys directly.</div>
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In the end - fictional characters are toys - and being able to play with them the way we want - regardless of copyrights, trademarks, and patents - is what makes the characters truly "ours". And I am very happy to see that reality being reflected in this game.</div>
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How cool is it - Pac-Man, Mario, Mega Man, and Sonic... side by side - in a real legit game. Not some fan-fiction, homebrew mashup, but a real Nintendo-Seal-of-Quality game.</div>
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Keep dreaming, kids. Crazy things happen everyday.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYLHM20EgT0jYEiqvoB44wjQBD7KOwxuZBln8Nifcak5jNUrNaSTYEsKSn9doWw-5gGOII7jtXreHMWZkDXdeWLjT9jVMmNiytTca6XjvVvjRk1LLmOV9TqdTOd-Koj_p32AS8A/s1600/illust-modal.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWYLHM20EgT0jYEiqvoB44wjQBD7KOwxuZBln8Nifcak5jNUrNaSTYEsKSn9doWw-5gGOII7jtXreHMWZkDXdeWLjT9jVMmNiytTca6XjvVvjRk1LLmOV9TqdTOd-Koj_p32AS8A/s1600/illust-modal.jpg" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-CbArFLJGpioFn6eTIBEboObJP3WoTxUgzZYvP5c2AtWoCtJwMvofs1YNu72vhNdiBssCz1iefS5OHOKvja66eKboATOvrZAMr5ElMtS-RDEOpl1zneMWIgpwe5FOqQwawKYQA/s1600/screen-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4-CbArFLJGpioFn6eTIBEboObJP3WoTxUgzZYvP5c2AtWoCtJwMvofs1YNu72vhNdiBssCz1iefS5OHOKvja66eKboATOvrZAMr5ElMtS-RDEOpl1zneMWIgpwe5FOqQwawKYQA/s1600/screen-1.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-88654242067928840242014-05-20T23:59:00.002-05:002014-05-20T23:59:30.583-05:00All my PS Vita Games<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been a Playstation Plus user for a while now. The main reason is the included games. That's really about the only reason.<br />
<br />
To illustrate, I just counted over 30 games in my available downloads for the PS Vita - everything from PS1 classics to current AAA titles like Uncharted.<br />
<br />
I do not own a Vita.<br />
<br />
But thanks to my continued PS+ membership, if I ever do get one, I'll instantly have dozens of games to play for it out of the box. (And that's not counting any bundled games that may come with it - or any additional games I'll get thanks to PS+ between now and then.)<br />
<br />
There is a reason Microsoft had to change Live Gold. It just wasn't in any way competitive.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-13687803330593475022014-04-04T02:30:00.002-05:002014-04-04T02:59:09.567-05:00The Rise and Fall and Rise of the Microconsole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Back in 2009, a little start-up company called <a href="http://games.onlive.com/">OnLive</a> introduced their vision of a "<i><b>MicroConsole</b></i>". This new type of device was a dedicated gaming machine that plugged into a TV, very much like traditional gaming consoles like those made my Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sega, Atari, and others in the past. Like those consoles, the MicroConsole had a controller designed specifically for gaming.</div>
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However, unlike traditional gaming consoles, it did not have any means of using disc or cartridge based games, it was all done through the cloud. In fact, the games didn't actually run on the device itself, instead the device was merely a way to connect your television to the Internet so you could play the games that were stored on OnLive's servers. The games offered by OnLive ran the gamut from casual games to AAA titles.</div>
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Also, the device was small - hence the name. Gaming consoles have been as big as VCRs, desktop computers, and sometimes bigger. Many times throughout the lifespan of a gaming console, new iterations of the hardware will come out as technology progresses, and the newer versions having nicknames like "Slim" and "Thin" and "Lite". But the MicroConsole started out small. Smaller than a pocket novel. In fact, the controller was bigger than the MicroConsole itself.</div>
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Another way it was different, it was cheap. The OnLive MicroConsole cost only $99, and it came with a wireless controller and an HDMI cable. Later on, the company would even have special offers where they would give the console away with the purchase of certain games through their service. (The games costing $59 or less.) Other consoles cost many times that amount.</div>
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The games offered by OnLive ran the gamut from casual games to AAA titles. They were all PC games (Windows games) running on OnLive's servers and streamed to the MicroConsole over the Internet.</div>
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Ultimately, the company went bankrupt, and was purchased by another company who is trying to make it work, but their focus is not on the MicroConsole (<a href="http://games.onlive.com/accessories">although it is still available</a> - just no longer called a MicroConsole, but instead a "game system"). Their games have always been available to play through software on a PC or Mac, and some even through Android. They also have other non-game related services.</div>
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Three years later, in 2012, another start up, called <a href="http://ouya.tv/">OUYA</a>, threw their hat into the microconsole ring. Instead of going for a streaming game service, they offered mobile games on the big screen. OUYA's microconsole runs a specialized version of Android, and the games on it are, for the most part, Android games that have been adapted to play on an HDTV with a gaming controller. (Although there are OUYA-exclusive titles.) Again, the OUYA was smaller than most consoles, although a big bigger than the OnLive. And again it was inexpensive - just $99, with the wireless controller included.</div>
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OUYA, however was success, due in large part to the way it was launched. Instead of relying on venture capital from investors - OnLive went straight to the gamers through the new concept of crowd-funding. OUYA was one of the early success stories from the website <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/">Kickstarter</a>, raising millions of dollars, straight from gamers and developers (the OUYA microconsole doubles as both a gaming console and a developer's kit) through basically offering pre-orders.</div>
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After OUYA raising many times what it was looking for in crowd-funding capital, a slew of other microconsole start-ups soon joined the frey, although few yet having as much success as the novel OUYA. <a href="https://gamestick.tv/">GameStick</a> ($79), <a href="http://www.gamepop.tv/">GamePop</a> (not yet released - $129/free with subscription), <a href="http://madcatz.com/mojo/en-us/">MOJO</a> ($199), just to name a few.</div>
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What is really interesting now is, big name companies are now joining in as well. In <a href="http://www.jp.playstation.com/psvitatv/">Japan <i>(Japanese link)</i></a>, Sony released the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_Vita_TV">PS Vita TV</a>, which is a microconsole that plays PS Vita games (downloaded, not from a cartridge) on a TV with a remote. And <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/12/google-buys-green-throttle-games-fuelling-nexus-tv-speculation">Google recently announced their purchase of a manufacturer of game controllers - Green Throttle Games</a>, spurring rumors that they may be joining in as well. Nvidia, known for their gaming-level graphics cards for computers, also entered the gaming device world with their <a href="http://shield.nvidia.com/">Shield</a>. The Shield is more of a portable gaming console than a microconsole, but it is still an entry into the gaming system world from a new player who was already known in another field. "<a href="http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/">Steam Machines</a>" which are upcoming customized PCs running Valve's SteamOS, will also be an interesting addition to the space, although they seem to be far more like traditional gaming PCs than consoles.</div>
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Also, around the same time that microconsoles just started, 2009 - 2012, another trend was taking place, SmartTVs and set-top box streamers. These are two ways to connect your television to the Internet for streaming video and audio services like <a href="http://netflix.com/">Netflix</a>, <a href="http://hulu.com/">Hulu</a>, <a href="http://pandora.com/">Pandora</a>, and <a href="http://youtube.com/">YouTube</a>. Later on, we would see some of these boxes evolve into something like a microconsole as well, specifically the <a href="http://www.roku.com/">Roku</a>, whose higher-end versions included a motion-sensing remote, somewhat akin to the Wii Remote, which allowed for owners to play some games on the device, notably, <a href="http://www.roku.com/channels#!details/7359/angry-birds">Angry Birds</a>.</div>
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Which brings us to the most recent development - <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CX5P8FC/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00CX5P8FC&linkCode=as2&tag=gimpshopnet-20">Amazon's $99 "Fire TV"</a>. The Fire TV seems to bridge the gap between microconsoles and TV streamers. While not primarily focused on games, with the addition of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DU0ZI8Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00DU0ZI8Q&linkCode=as2&tag=gimpshopnet-20">Amazon's $39 Fire Game Controller</a>, (or possibly your own BlueTooth controller), the box will play Android games that have gamepad support, as well as Fire TV exclusive games, like (the one and only at this point) "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E0SZZIA/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00E0SZZIA&linkCode=as2&tag=gimpshopnet-20">Sev Zero</a>" - which was developed in-house by Amazon's own Game Studios.</div>
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Something that really stood out to me about the Fire TV is how similar it is the OnLive MicroConsole. Especially the controller, it just swaps one of the analog sticks with the D-Pad. From the flattened surface of the controller, to the inclusion and placement of the media buttons (rewind, play/pause, fast forward). The media buttons were (and still are) largely unused on the OnLive - basically they were only used for "Brag Clips" (which predated Sony's PS4 "Share" button by half a decade). Even though it required an Internet connect to use, the OnLive never offered any streaming video or audio services - just games. But on the Fire TV is primarily a video streamer, those buttons will be used a lot, I'm sure.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwBCVzOYq_Q8MQLy-Nqe7T-LBJ4We4SuzZPT8xe7O08PqtC5cxzB6634gTAuKHqZGKuWBCiE53lfD8KOIe6kAXaLfeN5_ig_E4kbWrEE2LilsD8BVDfoEJnocpZYZr_Q0FSMW8w/s1600/Onlive-vs-FireTV-Controllers.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" alt="Comparison of the Amazon Fire TV Game Controller to the OnLive MicroConsole Controller" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwwBCVzOYq_Q8MQLy-Nqe7T-LBJ4We4SuzZPT8xe7O08PqtC5cxzB6634gTAuKHqZGKuWBCiE53lfD8KOIe6kAXaLfeN5_ig_E4kbWrEE2LilsD8BVDfoEJnocpZYZr_Q0FSMW8w/s1600/Onlive-vs-FireTV-Controllers.png" width="500" /></a></div>
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Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-37127196012813649612013-12-15T15:14:00.004-06:002013-12-15T15:14:56.599-06:00Review: Marvel's Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Marvel is really killing it right now when it comes to movies and TV shows. Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D., you name it - they are bringing the fans what they want. And it doesn't stop on the Big Screen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iwko0DchG9FOZaLsnUb0Yhz1mTRhlVVw9hvUzcoEmBVpE_gGJi4SU2PurTjEj4A91MQ1mZDuV1mso0Er2uNkWcyWwjoAQ4j7zj4-2z_rPN2Kgccb6kMzBZxaWpAjOL12IZapxQ/s1600/Marvels+Iron+Man+and+Hulk-+Heroes+United.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1iwko0DchG9FOZaLsnUb0Yhz1mTRhlVVw9hvUzcoEmBVpE_gGJi4SU2PurTjEj4A91MQ1mZDuV1mso0Er2uNkWcyWwjoAQ4j7zj4-2z_rPN2Kgccb6kMzBZxaWpAjOL12IZapxQ/s1600/Marvels+Iron+Man+and+Hulk-+Heroes+United.png" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i style="font-weight: bold;">Marvel's Iron Man & Hulk: Heroes United</i> is an animated movie featuring a team up between Tony Stark and Hulk (who never assumes non-Hulk Bruce Banner form in the movie). It's not exactly a buddy movie. Despite the "Heroes United" tag line - these guys don't really get along. In fact, one of the best parts of the movie is a fight between the two Avengers.<br />
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Their real opponent, though, is a living energy force known as Zzzax. Zzzax is the product of a Hydra experiment involving a combination of an Arc Reactor and Gamma radiation. (Which, you may note are the sources of Iron Man's and Hulk's powers respectively.) In fact, Hulk is attacked and kidnapped by Abomination who brought him to Hydra for the experiment.<br />
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It isn't exactly clear (at least to me) what Hydra was trying to do, exactly, because they were shocked by the results and ran off.<br />
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Zzzax's only desire and motivation is the consumption of energy. He says that humans are wasting it, (a tiny bit of policizing there), and he needs to have it all. (Which, sounds like a waste to me.) So in order to stop a global black out, the two bickering powerhouses team up to battle this being of pure electricity.<br />
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The movie is pretty good. Some of the jokes are cringe worthy, the art style takes a bit of getting used to, and it seems to me they drug out some of the scenes to get to the "Feature Length Presentation" 72-minute status. But it's a fun ride overall.<br />
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It is available on Blu-Ray, DVD, and digital download and various combo packs wherever comic-book movies are sold.<br />
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Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-22390151653036609512013-11-19T22:09:00.001-06:002013-11-19T22:09:22.902-06:00Smart Hacked Microwave - DO WANT!!!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">That is AMAZING!!!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">A man took a Raspberry Pi mini PC,</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;"> a barcode scanner, a speaker, some LEDs, and suck them all in a Microwave. No, not in the cooking part! The end result is outstanding.</span><br />
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Scan a barcode to set the timer / power level. Voice Commands! WHY HAS NO ONE DONE THIS?</div>
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I just wanted a microwave with a SILENT mode, and maybe a custom "One Touch cooking" button. This thing... this is incredible. I really hope he kickstarters this or something. He even has a danged iOS app. Crazy.</div>
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<a href="http://madebynathan.com/2013/07/10/raspberry-pi-powered-microwave/">Raspberry Pi Microwave - Made by Nathan</a>:<br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-40642918553614915942013-07-15T22:28:00.001-05:002013-09-03T19:05:52.409-05:00Nintendo's 8-bit System turns 30 today - Top 30 Games of the FamiCom/NES<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
So it turns out today is the 30th anniversary of Nintendo releasing it's first* home video game console. On July 15, 1983 (I was 5) Nintendo released the Family Computer, or FamiCom in Japan. This system would later be redesigned and rebranded as the Nintendo Entertainment System in the US (and other markets) - the NES as it came to be known, or simply the "Nintendo".<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">* They actually released several home video game systems before the FamiCom - but they did not have interchangable games, and so they weren't really what we think of as a video game console - they were more like a plug-n-play video game system with built-in games. They had also released several hand held LED games before this time, the "Game and Watch" series.</span></i></blockquote>
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The FamiCom came out at a time that many thought the "Video Game Fad" was over. Atari - who was then the leader of the home console market didn't think anyone wanted an 8-bit system. Who would need that kind of power for a video game machine? But Nintendo saw the future - and knew the 8-bit system was just the beginning.<br />
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The FamiCom/NES console revitalized the video game industry, perhaps even saving it altogether. And in honor of this anniversary, I would like to list <i style="font-weight: bold;">my</i> top 30 FamiCom/NES games of all time.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">[I stress - this is just <span style="font-weight: bold;">my</span> opinion - based on my personal library, and my personal play experience through the last 30 or so years - full disclosure, I did not get an NES to at least 1985, so not even 30 years.]</span></i></blockquote>
Without any further ado... I bring you my Top 30 FamiCom/NES Games of the last 30 years:<br />
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<li>Duck Hunt</li>
<li>Mario Bros.</li>
<li>Contra</li>
<li>Dr. Mario</li>
<li>Mega Man</li>
<li>Lemmings</li>
<li>Dig Dug</li>
<li>Rampage</li>
<li>RC Pro Am</li>
<li>Mega Man 4</li>
<li>Marble Madness</li>
<li>Skate or Die</li>
<li>Dragon Warrior III</li>
<li>Blaster Master</li>
<li>Spy Hunter</li>
<li>Metroid</li>
<li>Snake Rattle 'n' Roll</li>
<li>Maniac Mansion</li>
<li>Dragon Warrior IV</li>
<li>Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game</li>
<li>Super Mario Bros. 2</li>
<li>Final Fantasy</li>
<li>Tetris</li>
<li>Burgertime</li>
<li>Mega Man 6</li>
<li>Dragon Warrior</li>
<li>Mega Man 2</li>
<li>Super Mario Bros.</li>
<li>Mega Man 3</li>
<li>Super Mario Bros. 3</li>
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So, those are my favorites - what are you top NES/FamiCom games of the last 30 years? Let me know in the comments below. Also, if you want to tell me how dumb it was that Game X is missing from my list (like Zelda, or Kirby, or Castlevania), then feel free. <br />
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Just don't think about dissing Burgertime, or I will end you. 8^)</div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-7197496025493668562013-06-19T18:43:00.001-05:002013-06-19T19:00:39.362-05:00Microsoft 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, (<a href="http://www.chadwsmith.com/2013/06/gamers-get-it-next-gen-consoles.html">including one Chad W. Smith</a>), Microsoft has gained a small amount of sanity and <a href="http://news.xbox.com/2013/06/update">changed the Xbox One draconian policies</a> to something much less evil.<br />
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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.<br />
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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.<br />
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Microsoft noted that "these changes will impact some of the scenarios we previously announced for Xbox One," <i style="text-decoration: line-through;">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.</i><b>* </b><b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #274e13;">[Edit - <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/xbox-one-will-require-day-one-update">more info has been revealed</a>.]</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #fff2cc; color: #274e13;">Microsoft's Xbox One chief product officer <a href="http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/06/19/xbox-one-will-require-day-one-update">Marc Whitten has confirmed and clarified</a> "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).</span></b></blockquote>
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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".<br />
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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, (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnavox_Odyssey">which Wikipedia tells me was the first home video game console</a>) 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.<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">* (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.)</span></i><div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-20164655608142647672013-06-15T23:17:00.002-05:002013-06-15T23:24:53.347-05:00Gamers Get It - Next Gen ConsolesAhhhh, E3, that wonderful time of year when gamers' hopes are crushed by cruel corporate reality.<br />
<br /><div align="center" style="align: center;">
<img align="center" style="align: center;" alt="Gamers Get It - By: Chad W. Smith
Announcing our 4th System
Video Brick -π
It is a much more powerful
than that last gen piece of junk
we will still be selling you for
the next year or so, our 3rd system,
Video Brick 512.
But less powerful than a
current high-ish end gaming PC.
It doesn’t play any of the
games you already have.
You have to connect it to the
internet so it can upload
the video surveillance footage
it will be recording of you 24/7.
Once you insert your game
disc into the system
it will physically destory it,
so no rental, no trading,
no used games, & no sharing.
But you can share it over the
cloud with people whose
blood type you share.
One player at a time, of course.
Provided you have video evidence
that you know and care for them.
But you can use it to watch TV.
Not record TV, mind you, just watch it live...
(Cable & internet service not included)" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5ag_G6yPA38hSBxIRPUo5m538-QI1xUPxePLVSGeOhtZoVJlJU7e73BmIvO2AZmBrA5cbUCCUVD_N7ILzUQOcchqPmWzQ70ki1r18r9PyuRQcvJm9_6TfSC6EQf-EbdyoEB1b1Q/s1600/Gamers+Get+It+3.png" title="There's always next-next gen, I guess..." />
<br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-17063405162032660852013-04-09T11:55:00.002-05:002013-04-09T11:55:21.940-05:00Bioshock Infinite: What I'd like to see in the DLC (Spoilers Inside)<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">CAUTION! ATTENTION! PLEASE NOTE!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">SPOILERS BELOW!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">SPOILER ALERT!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">ABADON ALL HOPE OF REMAINING SPOILER FREE YE WHO ENTER!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">HERE BE DRAGONS - AND THEY SHOUT SPOILERS - HERE!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE </span></u></i></b><b><i><u><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #990000; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">- TURN BACK NOW - THERE ARE GOING TO BE SPOILERS!</span></u></i></b></h2>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I hope that was clear enough.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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....</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
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.)</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
So if it can't add to the end of the story, and can't go multiplayer - what is there to do?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here are my thoughts, and my hopes, concerning the impending BioShock Infinite DLC.<br />
<br />
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?<br />
<br />
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 <a href="https://www.finkmanufacturing.com/" target="">Industrial Revolution</a> 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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
What do you hope to see in the BioShock Infinite DLC? Share your comments below.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-66704655017810540462013-02-14T03:20:00.001-06:002013-02-14T03:20:33.941-06:00Gamers Get It - 2 - Value of a Dollar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrSUeKglG1G1QR12i2w8Pg9ECQaZAcq2cDLCX8HBFHCSCtGUEfQHpO_ARcjrnmigd6JwRuZ9E7AotCeZctdX3YbhZoITmC9f3oLlXoLFQKdA2r-AWAUoiMC-eYHgbnMXCOBJs7A/s1600/Gamers+Get+It+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="*Side Note - For the price of one crappy console game you can get a new phone to play hundreds of free games." border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrSUeKglG1G1QR12i2w8Pg9ECQaZAcq2cDLCX8HBFHCSCtGUEfQHpO_ARcjrnmigd6JwRuZ9E7AotCeZctdX3YbhZoITmC9f3oLlXoLFQKdA2r-AWAUoiMC-eYHgbnMXCOBJs7A/s1600/Gamers+Get+It+2.png" title="The Free Version is updated just as often - with the same content, just with ads." /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-73943788418650349472013-01-17T20:59:00.000-06:002013-01-17T20:59:34.565-06:00SmartQ X7 - XBMC Video Test<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CeaBUUShFDI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
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.<br />
<br />
Sorry for making you look at me, especially with my hair like that. *yikes*<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-8180542410691074572013-01-17T17:19:00.002-06:002013-01-17T17:19:22.800-06:00My new tablet - SmartQ X7 7" JellybeanFinally got my new tablet today. It is a SmartQ X7 7 inch Android Jellybean Tablet.<br />
<br />
Stock photos because I suck at cameras.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcapC1cjdW6Gxd1kUjuoKuvvqA5QQTi-7If6cGeMBk3778C5PlhCQ6gppqyQ-3OQ1uWiqXkl0qMlz8skj0VkEsuJ6SywdnhHcHPCWNH5uhuMgjn56ACEAGvaJONjASZjm9B8N0qg/s1600/X7-006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcapC1cjdW6Gxd1kUjuoKuvvqA5QQTi-7If6cGeMBk3778C5PlhCQ6gppqyQ-3OQ1uWiqXkl0qMlz8skj0VkEsuJ6SywdnhHcHPCWNH5uhuMgjn56ACEAGvaJONjASZjm9B8N0qg/s320/X7-006.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtAfo8ay_q2OzCdtiG9cUGfOM-6rG6ird7rJ6atmsF4s4D-fB7iri-G8jVhfdxnFf4CGkX6sN82SKIH84v7_FEn2YyhCSDvjYt9P-ni6A-GIxrE_jMu3pzwknmviFod_WKIjpAg/s1600/X7-003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtAfo8ay_q2OzCdtiG9cUGfOM-6rG6ird7rJ6atmsF4s4D-fB7iri-G8jVhfdxnFf4CGkX6sN82SKIH84v7_FEn2YyhCSDvjYt9P-ni6A-GIxrE_jMu3pzwknmviFod_WKIjpAg/s320/X7-003.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Specs:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Android 4.1.2 Jellybean</li>
<li>Dual-core TI OMAP 4470, ARM Cortex-A9 1.5 GHz CPU</li>
<li>Quad-core GPU PowerVR SGX 544</li>
<li>2 GB DDR2 RAM</li>
<li>16 GB onboard flash storage</li>
<li>MicroSD card slot (supports up to 32 GB cards)</li>
<li>Google Play store</li>
<li>7" IPS 1280 X 800 pixel 10-point multitouch screen (180° viewing angle)</li>
<li>mini-HDMI out</li>
<li>3.5 mm headphone jack</li>
<li>USB OTG</li>
<li>GPS</li>
<li>Bluetooth</li>
<li>2 MP Cameras front and back</li>
<li>FM radio receiver and transmitter</li>
<li>Gravity sensor</li>
<li>Three-axis accelerometer</li>
<li>Hardware 1080P video decoding </li>
<li>3D graphics acceleration</li>
<li>Flash 11.1</li>
</ul>
<br />
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... <br /><br />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.<br />
<br />
There's no Near field communication (NFC) or InfraRed, and there's no projector... But it has everything else.<br /><br />Oh yes,<a href="http://liliputing.com/2012/10/smart-devices-smartq-u7-android-tablet-with-built-in-projector.html" target="_blank"> tablets do come with built-in projectors now</a>.<br />
<br />
I got my <a href="http://smartqme.com/" target="_blank">SmartQ X7</a> for $250 shipped (it was on sale) from <a href="http://smartqme.com/">smartqme.com</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-45917232783671621382012-11-23T23:58:00.004-06:002012-11-24T00:01:25.258-06:00Doesn't Work in Quick Time Events...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsaOlnIcujDgnjdZ_61SlJbt7qY-CaM9BsqJO7TuWlQpUVsa1rzZiRjhA3A2Fg-BIQxZBTKNapjgvdKFvay7OS6u0GE30D4n2edoR3L4MCVFDO5SZ_bPA84nIICdjY-WL_yLwBA/s1600/Gamers+Get+It+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHsaOlnIcujDgnjdZ_61SlJbt7qY-CaM9BsqJO7TuWlQpUVsa1rzZiRjhA3A2Fg-BIQxZBTKNapjgvdKFvay7OS6u0GE30D4n2edoR3L4MCVFDO5SZ_bPA84nIICdjY-WL_yLwBA/s1600/Gamers+Get+It+1.jpg" /></a></div>
<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-48693217000222753622012-10-23T23:00:00.004-05:002012-10-24T00:10:44.128-05:00iPod Touch Mega Announced!<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, if you haven't heard, Apple released the iPad Mini today. (Not to be confused with the iPad Nano... er um, the iPod Touch I mean.)<br />
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</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RCXwPfWTAHdLKyoU10_nx8gnqopzt37jeoB2FruSSSxGJ5EU3aCtMLgCHNCxjXC1eI826SxEkcUAJZSG9Eq_tiG0uZoX06HWa4aK-hKVwa5uSBNCW7IyuqxN1w9C8dZAPEhyAw/s1600/ipad+nano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RCXwPfWTAHdLKyoU10_nx8gnqopzt37jeoB2FruSSSxGJ5EU3aCtMLgCHNCxjXC1eI826SxEkcUAJZSG9Eq_tiG0uZoX06HWa4aK-hKVwa5uSBNCW7IyuqxN1w9C8dZAPEhyAw/s320/ipad+nano.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<em>This picture has been slightly edited.</em></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Very confusing specs, as far as I am concerned.</div>
</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">7.9" multitouch capacitive screen at 1024 x 768 (163 ppi)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">5.0 MP Rear Camera (records 1080p video), 1.2 MP Front Camera (records 720p video)</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">WiFi a/b/g/n 2.4 Ghz and 5.0 Ghz</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">BlueTooth 4.0</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Proprietary "Lightning" connector replaces Apple's long-time 30-pin iPod style connector.</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Built-in Speaker, Mic, 3.5 Headphone Jack</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Dual-core A5 CPU</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">16 GB / 32 GB / 64 GB storage</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">No HDMI, no SD/MicroSD, no USB, no other ports</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">Thin and Light, but not as narrow or short as most 7" devices on the market. (since it's basically an 8" screen, there is a reason for that)</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
What is confusing to me is that other than the cameras and maybe the storage, the specs are worse than the Google Nexus 7, the Amazon Kindle Fire HD, and the Nook Tablet HD.... All of which are much cheaper than the iPad Mini.</div>
</div>
<ul style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<li style="text-align: justify;">$329 16 GB WiFi-only</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">$429 32 GB WiFi-only</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">$529 64 GB WiFi-only</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">$459 16 GB WiFi/4G</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">$559 32 GB WiFi/4G</li>
<li style="text-align: justify;">$659 64 GB WiFi/4G</li>
</ul>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
All those other 7" Name-Brand tablets have higher resolution screens. And most have some sort of expandability either HDMI-out, a flash card slot, standard USB or all of the above. And the Nexus 7 is Quad-Core. Not to mention that all those other devices cost $199!<br />
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.142857551574707px;">I have an iPad, the first gen model that I picked up used for pretty cheap. I also have an iPod Touch, and have owned two different iPhones. So I know what iOS has to offer. But it's not worth $130 ~ $460 and having a less powerful machine. Not to me anyway.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 13.142857551574707px;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: 13.142857551574707px;">Also announced today, the iPad itself has been refreshed, the so-called "New iPad" is no more. The new-new iPad is dubbed the "iPad with Retina Display" and comes with a new A6 CPU. Still dual-core, but now with quad-core graphics. The old "New iPad" has been retired, but if you act fast you can pick up a "refurbished New iPad" for $50 more than the iPad Mini. They are still offering the iPad 2 for some reason.</span></div>
</div>
<div style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', 'Bitstream Charter', Times, serif; font-size: 13.142857551574707px; line-height: 19px;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
Even the names are confusing. You have the iPad 2, the iPad Mini, and the iPad with Retina Display. To me, the iPad 2 sounds more "up-to-date" than the others, even though it is the least powerful of the bunch.</div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-47992928442457573422012-10-21T14:34:00.001-05:002012-10-21T14:36:28.562-05:00Why Video Games will Never be for Everyone<div style="text-align: justify;">
I have been a fan of video games longer than I can remember. I mean that literally. There are pictures of me playing Intelevision at 2 or 3 years old, and I don't even remember back that far. Only when I was in college have I ever been without a console in my home. Even then, I played games on the school's computers. Right now I have the 3 major consoles, and a few you've probably never heard of.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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That said, I know not everyone is like me. And even though more than <a href="http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2336392,00.asp" target="_blank">half of my fellow adults</a> play video games, including <a href="http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2012/0318/Video-game-nation-Why-so-many-play" target="_blank">25% of people over the age of 50</a>, there will still be people that don't and won't play.</div>
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I view video games as another medium for art and story telling - just like books, plays, music, painting, movies, etc.. But there is a limitation to video games that no other media has. It is the very limitation that defines it - that of interactivity.</div>
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Anyone who has learned to read can pick up a book and read it. Anyone who can see can look at a painting. Any hearing person can listen to music. There is no skill involved in any of those things. Sure, if you have a vivid imagination, you may get more out of a book than another person. And one can, of course, develop an appreciation of art or music that would add layers of depth to your enjoyment of that medium - but any one with little or no effort, can enjoy it on some level.</div>
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Not so with video games. If you do not have the talent or invest the time to develop the skill to progress through the game, you simply will not be able to enjoy it at all. Games like the Fallout series or the Final Fantasy series or the Elder Scroll series have epic naratives that would enthrall anyone who heard or read them - but since they are wrapped up in a video game that takes time and effort to experience, some people will miss out on the stories forever.</div>
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There is a solution. An elegant one at that. The answer is <a href="http://blip.tv/videogames-videos" target="_blank">videos of video games</a> now, not all video game videos are the "<a href="http://lparchive.org/" target="_blank">let's play</a>" variety that walks you through the game moment-by-moment, capturing the entire storyline - but even game reviews, or spoofs, or memes can deliver part of the gaming experience to those who can't or don't want to play the entire game. Personally, I have yet to play Skyrim, but I do know that as an adventurer, I should great care to protect my knees from arrows.</div>
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Of course, capturing video games as movies does take out the interactivity aspect, which is what makes a video game a "game". But it allows the stories to reach a far wider audience. Even as a gamer, there's no way to play every game there is - not even every /good/ game. Videos of video games is a way to get at least some of the experience without having to play the entire game.</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17238356.post-43370739815636409792012-09-25T15:57:00.000-05:002012-09-25T16:03:07.664-05:00Tablets Killed the PC Star<div style="text-align: justify;">
It seems that Tablets are taking over. Soon more people will be using tablets than Desktops or Laptops... combined.</div>
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So, yeah - <a href="http://gizmodo.com/5324866/vintage-bill-gates-predicts-tablets-to-be-the-most-popular-form-of-pc-sold-in-america" target="_blank">Bill Gates was right</a>. He <a href="http://www.techi.com/2010/05/how-bill-gates-predicted-the-ipad-while-steve-jobs-watched/" target="_blank">predicted the tablet takeover</a> almost a full decade before the iPad came to be. He just kinda assumed <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-06-19/microsoft-tablet-history/55682538/1" target="_blank">Microsoft would be making the operating system</a>.</div>
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What I'm going to show below is an infographic about the explosive uptake of tablet technology since <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad#First_generation" target="_blank">the introduction of the iPad</a>. The graphic has several issues. The main one being that it thinks that the tablet industry started with the iPad, and then it seems to use the term "tablet" and "iPad" interchangeably.</div>
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Tablets existed long before <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad#First_generation" target="_blank">the iPad came out in 2010</a>. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP_editions#Tablet_PC_Edition" target="_blank">Windows XP had a "Tablet Edition"</a> came out as far back as 2002. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_for_Pen_Computing" target="_blank">Even as far back as <b><i>1991! -</i></b> Microsoft had a <i>"Windows for Pen Computing"</i> add-on for Windows 3.1</a>. Microsoft also spearheaded the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umpc" target="_blank">UMPC movement </a>which were handheld touchscreen usually pocketable devices with WiFi - very much like an overpowered smartphone. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_(PDA)" target="_blank">PDAs (PalmPilots)</a> could also be included in this. And there were a number of Linux-based tablets as well, (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia_Internet_Tablet" target="_blank">Nokia's N-Series Internet Tablets, the N770, N800, N810, etc.</a> as an example). Even <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Newton" target="_blank">Apple had the Newton series of devices</a>.</div>
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So the tablet penetration was not an 18-month process as depicted in the graphic below. It was a <b>revolutionary moment </b>in an <b>evolutionary movement,</b> the process which, of course, included "pump priming" by other devices like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone" target="_blank">smartphone</a>, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone" target="_blank">iPhone</a> in particular, (the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod_Touch" target="_blank">iPod Touch</a> was pretty much an iPad in miniature and was available since 2007). Even <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netbook" target="_blank">the short-lived "Netbook" movement</a> fed into the felt-need of an in-between device that was more portable but less powerful than a smartphone and more powerful and with more screenspace than a smartphone. (<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9E2JCtWzk8" target="_blank">Steve Jobs even referenced this in the introduction of the iPad.</a>) Even game systems like <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS" target="_blank">the Nintendo DS</a> could be considered a form of tablet computing, since it was a portable, battery powered device with a touchscreen interface and WiFi (they sold <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_DS_%26_DSi_Browser" target="_blank">an Opera-based web browser cartridge</a>, and <a href="http://www.dragonminded.com/ndsdev/dsorganize/" target="_blank">homebrew applications had it surfing the web</a> as well.)</div>
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Obviously, the introduction of iPad did spark a huge revolution in the industry - the main feature being brought to the table and making tablets incredibly more user-friendly was the capacitive multi-touch screens and a simple to use, app-based operating system.</div>
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But it's not just the "no other technology" graph - it's also the "iPad Sales started..." graph as well. The title says iPad, but the chart says tablets. The iPad may be the top selling brand of tablet, but it does not make up even the majority of tablet sales. I suspect, since on graphic says iPad sales since launch are only 84 million, and the "Sales started" graph shows sales of over 100 million this year alone, it actually does represent tablet sales as a whole - not just iPad sales.</div>
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Again, I don't want to take away from the dramatic impact that the iPad has had on the tablet industry, or technology as a whole - but it did not start the tablet industry, nor does it make up the majority of it - much less its entirety. Seems like a small distinction, but it really isn't.</div>
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That all said - here is the <a href="http://www.onlineclasses.org/2012/09/17/tablet-takeover/" target="_blank">infographic from onlineclasses.org</a>:</div>
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<a _fcksavedurl="http://www.onlineclasses.org/2012/09/17/tablet-takeover/" href="http://www.onlineclasses.org/2012/09/17/tablet-takeover/"><img _fcksavedurl="https://s3.amazonaws.com/infographics/120831TabletsFINAL.gif" alt="Tablet Infographic" border="0" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/infographics/120831TabletsFINAL.gif" width="590" /></a> <div class="blogger-post-footer"><br/>
Thanks for reading ChadWSmith.com - if you read this content elsewhere, AWESOME! someone thinks my stuff is good enough to republish.</div>Chadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11483351385702092451noreply@blogger.com1