Technologicaly

My personal thoughts on anything tech related.

[technologicaly-blog]

iPhone - Changing the Game

Nintendo is claiming that the iPhone is responsible for killing off their sales. And, it's true! The iPhone is taking over the handheld industry. But, this is a good thing...

Apple's iPhone is a Cell-Phone, MP3 Player, Game Console, and a thousand things more. The games are so easy to start up and play, any casual gamer can be having fun in seconds! And, that is Apple's thing. They're taking over the casual gamer. And that is Nintendo's problem. They are targeting the casual gamer, when the casual gamer is already taken by the iPhone/iPod. Instead of going to a store to buy a game, they download it off of the App Store, and get to playing within 10 seconds. And, that's the tip of the iceberg.

If you own an iPad and an Apple TV, you can game via AirPlay. What is AirPlay? It turns your iPhone or iPad into a controller, and shows the game on your Apple TV! This turns the Apple TV into a gaming console. And, the display looks good too! Over time, given about 5 years, gaming will be on the Apple TV as it is on the Xbox 360 today! Think of a Steam app on your iPad, playing Portal and Half-Life on your Apple TV, with ThunderBolt power and graphics. That, is the future of gaming, and sounds pretty darn good!

[technologicaly-blog]

ThunderBolt - Setting New Standards

Now, everyone knows what USB is. A simple cable that you can connect devices to your computer with. Well, the problem with USB is that it's just too slow. So, it can't support a 27" Screen, record true 1080p, or support powerful devices. So, what can be done? Oh, USB 3.0! Well, it's good, but still cant support a 27" Screen or record footage in 1080p. Well, the solution is quite apparent. Thunderbolt.

What is Thunderbolt? Well, to start, the best I/O out there to date. It can support Apple's 27" Cinema Display. It can also support a BlackMagic Intensity Extreme, which can record footage in true 1080p! Amazing! Well, it gets better. As a tech-freak myself, I often notice all of my cords. They're a mess! Well, with ThunderBolt, you can daisy-chain up to SIX DEVICES! So, you can have your 2TB HardDrive, your 1080p Camera, and maybe even a Cinema Display, and of course, your Macbook Air/Pro (or maybe even an iMac.) Sounds like a video editors dream! Not only is it eliminating wires, it is making these devices faster and more powerful than possible before!

[technologicaly-blog]

Marc Webb May Not Direct "Amazing Spiderman" Sequel.

So The Amazing Spider-Man has rebooted the webslinger.  The second cinematic origin story for Spidey in a decade has grossed $534.8 million worldwide so far.  Despite a hefty $230 million pricetag, the film's grosses and the generally positive audience reception ensure that the second installment in a planned trilogy will indeed go ahead to meet its 2014 release date.  It may be doing so with a new director, however, as there's no guarantee that Marc Webb will be back.

That's right, the novelty of guy named Webb directing a Spider-Man movie might very well be one we only enjoy for one movie.  Sony Pictures has long planned for The Amazing Spider-Man to be the first in a planned trilogy.  When Webb first got the job of rebooting Stan Lee and Steve Ditko's fifty year-old Marvel Comics icon, it was believed that he had signed on to direct all three movies.

But it looks as though that might not be in the cards.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia Pictures President Doug Belgrad touched upon a number of subjects, including whether or not Webb will return.  "We'd really like him back," he said. "But there are obstacles. He has an obligation to Fox."

Webb is contractually required to deliver another movie to 20th Century Fox, which distributed his debut feature, (500) Days of Summer, through its Fox Searchlight label.  If Fox calls on the director, his commitment to the studio will supersede the Spider-Man sequel.  Since Sony is working towards the May 2, 2014 release date it announced almost a year ago, that means Webb have to step aside.

Belgrad also briefly addressed some of the behind the scenes issues with The Amazing Spider-Man, which called for several rounds of reshoots and eliminated significant plot elements still present in marketing.  Asked directly about any problem areas in the film, he responded, "Yes. The section where Rhys Ifans' character turns irrevocably into the Lizard. It took several months to figure out, and the filmmakers cut a bunch of scenes. In software parlance, it required a patch."

While the "obstacle" of Webb's obligation to Fox may very well be legitimate, am I the only one who gets the feeling that perhaps it's a bit of an excuse?  Sony ended up paying more for The Amazing Spider-Man than initially intended, and it feels as though the sequel may change gears with a new creative team. 

[technologicaly-blog]

Why Sony Needs to Step Up Their Game

Sony and Microsoft are the two biggest competitors in the current generation of gaming. They have many similarities, such as the ability to connect to other people through an online service, modern realistic graphics, and the ability to stream videos and music. But can there be a downfall to such an advanced console, such as Sony’s PlayStation 3? Well, yes, as it has some fatal flaws, that although there are so few, they take away from the overall experience and outweigh its benefits.

  The main issue with the PlayStation 3 is the constant lag and freezing, due to the high processing and memory requirements of the games it runs. The issue is much present in games like Grand Theft Auto 4 and Skyrim, where the game freezes at loading screens, saving screens, and random times in game. The issue may seem like a small inconvenience, but when you realize that it may cause you to lose your saved data and hours of hard work, you might change your tone. This is also present in the in game XMB, where the cross media bar is slow, laggy, and all around unusable. Why is it like this? Because the PlayStation 3 puts so much effort into running the games it plays, leaving it with no other memory or processing power to do anything else.

   But the lack of memory and processing power to multitask also leads to another fatal flaw. The lack of any support for cross-game voice chat hinders the multiplayer experience, making you unable to chat with your friends playing different games than you. Even with the $50 PlayStation Plus multiplayer add on, you can’t talk to your buddies playing Modern Warfare if you decide to play Killzone 3. Well, then why spend $50 on the service? Oh, to get free demos and wallpapers, of course! How do the wallpapers expand on your gaming experience, and why do demos cost in the first place? No reason. Compared to Xbox Live Gold, which is also $50, you get the ability to use Xbox live, which includes cross game chat, quality multiplayer, the ability to listen to music while gaming, and overall multitasking.

  Look, the PlayStation 3 is a powerhouse. It can play Blu-ray discs, use PlayStation Move, and can even use the whole world wide web, the RAM and processing abilities aren’t put to good use. The Xbox 360, while not as powerful, balances it’s capabilities and provides a much better experience for hardcore gamers who want to have a good time with their buddies online.

[technologicaly-blog]

Humiliation.

[technologicaly-blog]

Amazing Spiderman Movie - My Thoughts

The Amazing Spiderman is one of the summer's most anticipated films. But was all of the hype worth it? Does it live up? Well, yea! The movie, starring Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker, modernizes the main character by making him more of an outsider than a nerd. He meets Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone, in high-school, and Doctor Curtis Connors, played by Rhys Ifrans, in the Oscorp tower. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say that the Lizard (Dr. Connors), looks amazing. Spidey has mechanical web shooters this time around, and has a good sense of humor. Many people have accused the movie of "copying" the Raimi film, Spiderman. I say it is being accurate, as all Spidey stories have him getting bitten by a Spider, his Uncle Ben dying, and him becoming the super-hero Spiderman. It also isn't copying The Dark Knight by being darker. I say it is being realistic, because as odd as it may seem, life is dark sometimes. Sorry. Overall, I give it a 9.5/10, and it is currently my favorite Spidey film.

[technologicaly-blog]

Black Ops 2 Thoughts and Suggestions

    As we all know, Black Ops 2 is set to be released November 13, 2012. The campaign will have two connected stories, one set in the late 1970s and early 1980s and the other in 2025. Alex Mason returns for the Cold War section of the game, during the 1970s. In 2025, David Mason, Alex Mason's son, fights in the war between China and the United States, after China bans rare exports to the United States. This war will be fought with robots and technology.

    Zombies will return, with it's own storyline, as well as an 8 player multi player mode. However, not much is known about the zombies mode at this point.

    The biggest discussion by far is the multiplayer. From what has been seen in past Treyarch installments, the multiplayer has been okay, at best. Call of Duty 3 and Call of Duty: World at War have had some balancing issues with the multiplayer installments. Black Ops was better by far, but I think some things need to be added to Black Ops 2. One thing is a 4v4 Search and Destroy mode, seeing as it is voted for all the time in Team Tactical. I also hope to see no return of Danger Close and Second Chance, as well as no death streaks. The snipers should be able to use Slight of Hand Pro, and the shotguns should be nerfed (Spas and Stakeout) down from their Black Ops counterparts.

    Only time will tell what is to be added to Black Ops 2. Hopefully, multiplayer can be better than in previous Call of Duty games, with a 4v4 Search lobby.