2005 May

Why the Xbox is for Suckers:

I've been playing Video Games since the golden age, Atari 2600, Commodore 64 and of course the original Nintendo. At some point I've played every mainstream system. Including oddities like the Magnavox Odyssey 2, Collecovision, Atari Lynx (light years ahead of the Gameboy) and the TurboGraphx 16. With each successful generation I've evaluated and purchased what I considered to be the best and most versatile system. I'm not one to buy two or three of the mainstream gaming systems since I consider this a waste of money and completely unnecessary. A good gaming PC and one solid pure gaming console will satisfy just about everyone's gaming needs. Since each has it's advantages and disadvantages depending on the type and genre of game being played. The hybrid PC/Gaming console (Xbox) has managed to sucker in those who do not know any better.

Andrew gives us a few things to think about here. “Future proofing is a marketing gimmick” is one truth. “The titles in the end will determine any consoles success” [sic] is another truth. Microsoft did very well with the first Xbox, all things considered. It's the only TV-based console I still have in my home, largely because I had more games for the platform. The following quote, in particular, intrigued me:

Read more on Gaming Console Wars…

I'm (proudly) a Microsoft Digital Media MVP.
The Windows Media / Mobile platform is in big trouble. This is just another possible win for the iPod. I don't own an iPod, and I don't yet want to own an iPod (perhaps I should get one of them free iPods?) – but the writing is clearly on the wall. Will easier podcasting support push *ME* over the edge?
True, podcasts are not just for iPods. But that mythos is about one point revision away from being shattered – with the complete opposite accepted as gospel truth. Apple “wins” again, both in mindshare and brand identity. They'll soon “own” podcasting, and Microsoft Windows Media is going to struggle in the brand game and likely re-invent their own flavor, or they'll tell the world that they were really the first to market with an extremely proprietary, extremely mismanaged, extremely abandoned, extremely unexciting Sync & Go. Doesn't count. :)
Today's iTunes announcement is not going to shift hard-headed geeks away from their current portable media hardware choice – but it's going to make it 99% more difficult to convince n00bz that they can use a kludgey process (at best) to get the experience that the iPod delivers right out of the box.
I hate Sony with a passion – but I now own a PSP. The PMC missed the mark, as I stated many months ago. Portable gaming is much more of a market than portable audio & video – and I can have the best of “all worlds” with the PSP. Not perfect, but it's certainly one of the best solutions on the market to date. And don't even get me going about the lack of software from Sony (although PSPWare works well on OS X, and they're developing a Windows client soon enough).
In the short-term, this move is not likely to hurt Microsoft. However, brand is not a short-term prospect. “Next version” is far too late for incorporation. Look at how short of a time it's taken for podcasting to take hold, then Apple to take notice and incorporate it into their cross-platform (!) client. Having Bill Gates mention “podcast” in his speech is one thing – rolling out a solid revision of an existing product is something entirely different. Remember, Microsoft is all about building platforms – hardly the mantra you hear from Apple's camp (or from its staunch supporters). Microsoft doesn't even seem to be on the same map… let alone, in the same galaxy.
Remember when folks used to say “a Mac version of this product is coming soon?” Seems that the shoe's finally on the other foot, and Longhorn is seeming less likely to recapture this bleeding market. I only disagree with one item in Jake's post today: it's a aircraft carrier, not a battleship. :)

Read more on Getting an iPod?…

I defintely raised the ire of countless Iowans the other day; nobody likes it when their home turf is poo-pooed, especially when one speaks from experience. It's impossible to fight stereotypes, isn't it? :) But it seems that I was partly right. An old fraternity brother sent word:

Read more on Newton, Iowa – Screwed…

In the second half of the conversation with Brent Simmons he talks about the elegance of Mac apps, the advantages of developing software for Mac OS X and his past as a developer for both Linux and Windows. During this hour Brent’s Luddite leanings in the realm of personal video recording are revealed, prompting Chris to make an immediate call to action. Everyone with a Mac must buy a copy of NetNewsWire so Brent can step out of the VCR dark ages and join the Tivo generation. More details and a secret toy surprise inside this second hour with Brent Simmons of Ranchero software.

Read more on Interview with Brent Simmons – Hour 2…

Brent Simmons designed what is arguably the first elegant newsreader, NetNewsWire, back in 2002 for the Mac OS X platform. Version 2.0 released last week with support for podcasting, feed searches and a number of other major enhancements. Brent is a local Seattleite, a former developer of Radio Userland and an avid science fiction fan. In this first hour of the show, Chris and Brent talk about the history of NetNewsWire, the future of NetNewsWire and a host of other RSS related topics.

Read more on Interview with Brent Simmons – Hour 1…

Let me illustrate to you why I don't put full text in my RSS feeds anymore.
From a NGOS search feed for the keyword “lockergnome,” I discovered a link to an
article that had been posted to our RSS channel:

Read more on Full-Text Feeds are Dead…

Via Slyck, a press release from the MPAA:

“There is no better example of how theft dims the magic of the movies for everyone than this report today regarding BitTorrent providing users with illegal copies of Revenge of the Sith.”

“Fans have been lined up for days to see Revenge of the Sith. To preserve the quality of movies for fans like these and so many others, we must stop these Internet thieves from illegally trading valuable copyrighted materials on-line.”

Bullsh*t! Counterpoint:

Read more on Stealing Star Wars…

On tonight's show, we're sitting down with Brent Simmons… otherwise known as “the NetNewsWire guy.” Well, at least that's what we call him. NetNewsWire is one of the most popular news aggregators on the Mac platform, having leapt onto the scene a few years ago. v2.0 was just released this past week, and we figured we'd have another local Seattlite join us in the studio to discuss what makes OS X just so wonderful from a programmer's perspective, as well as what goes into developing software in this space. As always, our show is live every Thursday night at at 7PM PST (10PM EST / 9PM CST / 03:00 GMT). When our broadcast begins, please join us in the chat room! Next week, after all this time, we should have our “land-line” phone system fully up-and-running to start taking your live calls through a toll-free number. Stay tuned!

Read more on Interviewing the NetNewsWire Guy…

On tonight’s show, we’re sitting down with Brent Simmons… otherwise known as “the NetNewsWire guy.” Well, at least that’s what we call him. NetNewsWire is one of the most popular news aggregators on the Mac platform, having leapt onto the scene a few years ago. v2.0 was just released this past week, and we figured we’d have another local Seattlite join us in the studio to discuss what makes OS X just so wonderful from a programmer’s perspective, as well as what goes into developing software in this space. As always, our show is live every Thursday night at at 7PM PST (10PM EST / 9PM CST / 03:00 GMT). When our broadcast begins, please join us in the chat room! Next week, after all this time, we should have our “land-line” phone system fully up-and-running to start taking your live calls through a toll-free number. Stay tuned!

Read more on Interviewing the NetNewsWire Guy…

Whadda ya gonna do?

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No statement to the contrary was included, FWIW. I'm just blatantly copying and sharing this part of the message with anybody other than the original intended recipient (which was me).

Read more on Breakin' the Law…

Yahoo!'s seriously undercutting the market with their $5 a month price tag. Ponzi's been using Napster at $15, but I'm trying to push her to the other side. She claims that Napster has exclusives, but… I just don't see it. Aren't all these music services serving up the same stuff (generally speaking)? Might as well access everything and save $10 in the process. At that price, it truly is a steal. Jake told me about Indy.TV the other day:

Read more on Switching from Napster…

With Ponzi scheduled to arrive at SeaTac in the middle of the broadcast, Chris recorded the last hour ahead of time. Ranging from his experiences with exchanging an iMac at the Seattle Apple store to frustrations with short keyboard cables his enthusiasm for Tiger remains undiminished. Next up on the gadget acquisition list: a Sony PSP; that is, as soon as he unloads about twenty other gaming systems. A little geek psychology follows (or is that geek psychosis?) and the weekly promise of live telephones for next weeks show (we swear this isn’t a joke, live calls are coming). Don’t miss the surprise ending as Chris takes you through a day in the life of a geek.

Read more on Ruminations of Chris Pirillo…

This Word DOC was sent to me a few days before it went public, so… I saw it fit to post it here (as that's usually what folks want when they send me such attachments). Usually, when you see text in a typewritten font here, it's not my own. ;)

Read more on NewsGator Buys FeedDemon…