January 5, 2012
Seven habits of spectacularly unsuccessful executives ∞
This has RIM written all over it.
[Thanks Jeff]
TransGaming expands interactive TV footprint with Oberon acquisition ∞
IndustryGamers:
TransGaming has announced that it has acquired the Interactive TV & Connected TV division of Oberon Media for $7 million in stocks and cash. This will grant the company additional revenue via distribution agreements with a number of leading Smart TV manufacturers in North America and the Indo-Pacific region, giving TransGaming reach to over 50 million households in addition to over 100 new game titles.
TransGaming is best known to Mac users as a developer and publisher of Mac games. Its Cider translation layer technology has been used to bring dozens of titles to the Mac, including Dragon Age, The Sims 3, and FIFA Soccer 12.
But Mac game conversions are only one aspect of its business. TransGaming also makes GameTree TV, which competes with services like OnLive to provide on-demand gaming on the television similar to how Netflix streaming works. GameTree TV focuses on casual game delivery, and Oberon’s efforts have been squarely in that space as well.
23 online HTML5 Tools ∞
Some great tools here.
On gaming on the Mac ∞
The Globe and Mail:
The important thing, though, is that I found the MacBook Pro with both Mac OS X and Windows 7 installed felt like a more complete computing solution than anything I’d ever had before.And it made for great gaming.
Chad Sapieha discovered that the Mac is very versatile once configured with Boot Camp and capable of switching between Mac OS X and Windows, and it sounds like he’s really gotten the best of both worlds. Some gamers continue to turn their noses up at Macs, but I’m with Sapieha: I’d rather have a beautifully-designed machine that works well than suffer with compromises.
Moron Kanye West says he’s the next Steve Jobs ∞
US:
Donda will “pick up where Steve Jobs left off,” West said of the late, visionary Apple founder. With 22 divisions of writers, DJs, publicists, designers, musicians, scientists and much more, the company will strive to “make products and experiences that people want and can afford,” West said, “to help simplify and aesthetically improve everything we see hear, touch, taste and feel,” and “dream of, create, advertise and produce products driven equally by emotional want and utilitarian need.. To marry our wants and needs.”
Kayne West is a moron. If he thinks that he is anything like Steve Jobs, then he is stupider than even I thought. His name shouldn’t even be used in the same sentence as Steve Jobs. Idiot.
[Via Macgasm]
Build your own Canadian stereotype ∞
Cracked.com
Canada has long enjoyed its reputation of being one of the friendliest and drunkest of nations on earth. However, somewhere in between the gestures of kindness and brewing the best known beer to mankind, we’ve managed to do some great things.
I laughed out loud.
Letterpress business cards ∞
Just before the holidays I decided to order new business cards, but instead of the traditional type of cards, I went for something a little different. I wanted letterpress business cards. I contacted Evan Calkins at Hoban Press and he did them for me. I’m really impressed with the quality of the work, the price and how fast Evan was able to get them to me.
If you need some letterpress work done, I highly recommend contacting Evan.
January 4, 2012
Comments and MacStories ∞
Cody Fink:
In consideration of the reader, how we want the site to look, and due to the amount of time we can spend keeping an eye of this stuff, we will be removing comments from the next iteration of MacStories. And yes, it’s the nuclear option for keeping the site clean. Removing comments also means that we’re doing an incredible disservice for the readers who’ve already left great comments, and we hate having to remove those from the discussion. Decisions like this are tough because we have to do what’s best for us while minding our reader’s thoughts.
Not a surprise really. This seems to be the way more sites are moving days. I’ve said before that I find more people communicate using Twitter than comments these days. Yes, I’m still undecided.
Verizon doubles iPhone sales ∞
Bloomberg:
Verizon Wireless, the largest U.S. mobile carrier, sold 4.2 million Apple Inc. (AAPL) iPhones in the fourth quarter, more than doubling from the third quarter, said Fran Shammo, finance chief of the company’s parent.
Seems like it’s going to be a big quarter for Apple.
[Via Matt Richman]
Report says Kodak preparing bankruptcy filing ∞
Wall Street Journal:
Eastman Kodak Co. is preparing for a Chapter 11 bankruptcy-protection filing in the coming weeks should efforts to sell a trove of digital patents fall through, people familiar with the matter said.
Kodak has had a ridiculously difficult time shifting to a different business model as the market for film has evaporated. Here’s to hoping that if they’re successful, they can reorganize themselves again and find a new way to make it in the 21st century.
The E-Reader, as we know it, is doomed
Matt Alexander is the owner and editor of ONE37.net, a writer, a technology enthusiast and a contributing writer for The Loop.
In November I reviewed the Kindle Touch, and I was a fan. Jim linked to my review and simply said: “I still don’t get the Kindle.” Honestly, as simple as that is, he makes an important point — If you can have one device that accomplishes everything, like an iPad, why carry another?
The most obvious answer lies in the e-ink display used in all e-readers. For me, I see the e-ink display as an impressive technological leap. Just a few years ago, the only interface comparable to paper was paper itself. Now we have a paper-like technology for displaying words and images. Having said that, while it’s a great leap and all, it is clear that the technology is inherently stunted.
E-ink is slow to refresh, it has ghosting issues thanks to page caching, color is not yet practical, and full motion animation is still a long way off. Of course, the technology exists to rectify some basic e-ink issues, but these solutions are not yet available. But when you think about it, even if they were at market, would an e-reader still be an e-reader with such technology?
E-readers are targeted products built with the aim, as I wrote in my Kindle Touch review, of providing a compelling “replacement for the venerable and inherently simple printed word.” They are cheap, lightweight, have long battery life, and operate well in direct sunlight, but they do little more than present traditional literature in an electronic package. And while that might be enough for some, it is clear that e-ink is progressing towards a colorful, responsive, video-capable future, and that is certainly not what constitutes an e-reading device. That is a tablet.
Thus, it becomes painfully obvious that e-ink is a life-limited concept. The e-ink version that many love is fundamentally hamstrung by its technology. People buy Kindles and Nooks because they are cheap, present books in a book-like manner, and are easy to carry around. But, as Jim highlights, does anyone really need an extra device to carry around? Yes, e-readers are cheap, but the technology behind them is set to directly intersect with the development of pixel-dense, retina LCDs, and feature-rich tablets. Aside from improving refresh rates, making it lighter, and tweaking its display, the e-reader can only grow so much more, meanwhile tablets are constantly evolving and changing. The Nook Color embodies this trajectory, insofar as Barnes & Noble attempted to introduce a matted screen to seduce e-ink aficionados to their tablet ecosystem.
Alternatively, say Amazon was to build a Kindle that was capable of reading, but also of full, high definition image display, and video playback, amongst other features. Well, you’d end up with something a lot like the Kindle Fire.
And really, the naming of these devices, the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet/Color, is resounding evidence of the looming death of dedicated readers. The Fire is sharing the Kindle name not only because it helps in marketing a new product, but because the concepts are on an inevitable path toward merging. The e-ink Kindle is limited, but with the converging technology in displays, its brand and legacy will live on in an entirely different form. The e-ink Kindle and Nook will fall into a niche category, while tablets (or similar) will continue to thrive.
Look at magazines on the iPad. The first Condé Nast editions were glorified PDFs. Now they contain rich, interactive media. While I’d say there is much evolution to come for magazines, the e-book, above all others, is overdue for modernization. I love my Kindle Touch for what it is, but it does little to take the concept of the printed word and evolve it. The e-ink display serves its purpose well, but as the concept of the printed word evolves, so too must the technology around it. E-readers, as it stands, are incapable of abiding by this principle.
If you don’t believe that e-readers are falling behind, look no further than the Touchpad fire sale. A tablet sporting a dead operating system became the object of enormous hunts for a matter of weeks. I’d argue the sheer excitement over getting hold of a cheap and capable tablet is telling.
E-readers do not seek to be tablets, but the technology behind the e-reading medium is unquestionably moving in that direction. Dedicated devices like e-readers are falling behind in the face of powerful, multi-faceted alternatives. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate the differentiation of e-reader and tablet — I do. But with rumors of a retina display equipped iPad, and the obviously quickening rate in increasing pixel density, it’d be foolish to not see their forthcoming obsoleteness, particularly for the average consumer.
The concept of electronic paper, to me, sounds dazzlingly futuristic, but here I am calling it doomed. The e-reader’s purpose is, ostensibly, to serve as a stopgap measure until both e-ink itself and LCDs evolve to the point of intersection — and that does not seem too terribly far off. Tablets are losing weight with each iteration, prices are lowering, battery lives are lengthening, and soon, everything that makes e-readers wonderful products will be assimilated into other pieces of technology.
E-readers are playing an important role today. They fill a void that tablets cannot fill. They patch a gap that cannot be patched technologically. At the same time, manufacturers are working to build compelling, readable displays that are not hampered by the problems of e-ink. The Amazon and Barnes & Noble pseudo-tablets embody this coming shift, and while they do not succeed in replacing the desire for an e-ink device yet, does it really seem too far off before they can?
Destroyer of violins ∞
Chris Martucci on PayPal making someone destroy a violin to get his money back:
Indeed, the company specifies in its Terms of Service: “PayPal may […] require you to destroy the item and to provide evidence of its destruction.”
So the seller is out $2,500 and a violin that made it through WWII.
In defense of Atari ∞
Technologizer:
I’m all in favor of developers drawing upon old games for inspiration, improving them and turning them into entirely new ideas. And I like fan-made homages when they expand significantly on the original and–this is important–are not sold for commercial gain (Vector Tanks cost $1, and Extreme cost $2). But in this case, the makers of Vector Tanks simply copied Battlezone’s look, feel and core play mechanics, and added a few frills. That’s a soulless approach to game design, and it’s best left to Atari.
Jared Newman defends Atari’s decision to go after Black Powder Media, an iOS developer which released a Battlezone-style tank combat game. He raises some good points, including the double-standard often applied to big game developers that engage in the same sort of action as indie developers. Read it for a different perspective on this debate.
Roku Streaming Stick set to compete with Apple TV ∞
AllThingsD:
Today, the company is unveiling plans for its Roku Streaming Stick, a flash-drive-sized dongle that plugs into the back of television sets to enable the same streaming capabilities as a Roku box.
Roku is leapfrogging Apple by offering a new device that’s little bigger than the average thumb drive, but packs all the features of set-top digital video streaming devices like Roku’s other offerings and the Apple TV. It’s pretty remarkable, and a smart idea. Roku’s new stick features an HDMI port and works with TVs compatible with Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL). It’s expected to be released in the second half of 2012 at a price that’s yet to be determined.
iPad users download 3 billion apps since launch ∞
iPad users are estimated to have cumulatively downloaded three billion applications since the launch of the iPad in 2010. This was 19% of all cumulative downloads by Apple users. The iPhone took as long as two years before being able to achieve this level of downloads, while the iPad made it within nearly a year and a half. In comparison, Android tablets only have around 440 million downloads thus far.
WOOHOO, Android is winning. Oh wait…
Apple legal targets App Store piracy ∞
Cult of Mac:
Apple has begun an attack on App Store piracy. The popular resource for cracked iOS apps known as Apptrackr recently said that Apple has begun sending large amounts of takedown notices, thereby forcing Apptrackr to relocate many of its servers and implement more steps for its users to avoid legal ramifications.
Good for Apple.
iPhone 4S arrives in China, 21 other countries on Jan. 13 ∞
Beginning Friday, January 13, iPhone 4S will be available in Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Central African Republic, China, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Grenada, Guam, Guinea Conakry, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritius, Niger, Senegal, St. Vincent and The Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos and Uganda.
FontShop’s best typefaces of 2011 ∞
To celebrate the end of another exciting year in type, our type experts put their heads together to compile our annual “Best Of” list, highlighting the typefaces that surprised, impressed, and delighted us.
Peter Frampton reunited with 1954 Gibson Les Paul after 31 years ∞
The Salt Lake Tribune:
In 1980, a plane carrying Frampton’s equipment (but not Framton himself, of course) for a show in Panama went down, supposedly destroying all of the instruments on board — including Frampton’s cherished 1954 Gibson Les Paul.But two fans, one in Holland and one on the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao, as well as the CEO of the Curaçao Tourist Board, were albe to reunite Frampton with the guitar in an emotional meeting last month in Nashville.
January 3, 2012
Composer Richard Lainhart dies at 58
As most of us were celebrating the holidays and getting ready for the new year, one music legend was fighting for his life. Unfortunately, Richard Lainhart didn’t win his battle. Below is a note posted by his wife. There are also plenty of links to his music and videos.
Richard Lainhart February 14, 1953 – December 30, 2011Dear friends of Richard, It is with a heavy heart that I that I must tell you Richard Lainhart, composer, musician, technologist, filmmaker, and digital artisan died Friday, December 30, 2011.On December 17, Richard complained of pains in his side and was admitted to the hospital for tests which showed an intestinal cancer. He was operated on on December 21. After the surgery (which showed the cancer had not spread), there were infectious complications which took his life on December 30.He struggled valiantly to overcome his infection, but it was not to be. We are all in shock and cannot grasp the idea of his not making music, talking music, teaching, posting and playing.Caroline Meyers Richard Lainhart’s wife
Fender introduces the Select Series guitars ∞
The Fender Select Stratocaster HSS takes the refined elegance of its triple-single-coil brother and amps it up through the roof with the extra power of a humbucking bridge pickup. Features include a striking Antique Burst gloss-lacquer finish and natural binding on a sleek flame maple-top body.
Okay, I want one of these.
Taylor Guitars doesn’t support SOPA
It seems that not every company on the list of SOPA supporters actually support the bill. Taylor Guitars on Tuesday provided me with some information that explained how they initially ended up on the list of supporters.
“In August 2011, Taylor Guitars, its trade organization, NAMM, and other music industry manufacturers offered a signature of support on a U.S. Chamber of Commerce letter sent to Congressional members to encourage the introduction of anti-piracy and counterfeiting legislation,” Taylor said in a statement provided to The Loop. “As the letter was not bill-specific, we felt the spirit of its intent was in accordance with our efforts to confront ongoing piracy and copyright infringement issues that we, like many others in the industry, continue to battle.”
That seems to be the common theme when talking to people about SOPA — people support anti-piracy legislation, but SOPA is out of control.
Taylor said that its signature of support and its “desire to stop piracy and counterfeiting has been misrepresented as support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (H.R. 3261).”
Having read that, I have to wonder how many other companies find themselves in the same position. How many support anti-piracy measures and wrongly found themselves on a list of SOPA supporters.
“Clearly stated, we do not support SOPA and its intent to restrict the Internet,” said Taylor. “The values of freedom, creativity and innovation are at the core of our business, and SOPA is not in accordance with those values.”
RIM cuts PlayBook price by $400 ∞
It doesn’t matter how much it costs, the PlayBook still doesn’t do anything.
Atari pressures Apple, iOS game developer copycats ∞
Gamesindustry.biz:
Atari has reportedly been applying legal pressure to developers which it believes are infringing on its intellectual property rights, despite the developers affected claiming that attempts had been made on their part to reach an agreement.
Black Powder Games, developer of one of the games Atari asked Apple to remove from the App Store, cites a “special relationship” between Atari and Apple as why Apple has been so quick to remove titles that Atari says violate its IP.
RIM preparing board change ∞
The Vancouver Sun:
Under intense pressure from a group of shareholders, Research In Motion Ltd. is preparing to unveil a corporate shakeup at the beleaguered BlackBerry maker that could see co-founders Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie relinquish their titles as co-chairmen of the board, sources say.
It’s a start, but it would have been better if it had happened two or three years ago.
Tips & tricks using the Little Labs VOG bass resonance tool ∞
This is exactly what I love about Universal Audio. They do a tips & tricks post and they go to the creator of the gear to host it. Definitely worth a read and don’t forget to watch the video at the end of the post.
Making a guitar preset with the Line 6 Pod HD500
In this video I run through the steps I use to make a chunky rock/metal preset for my guitar. I’m using the Pod HD500 hardware and software from Line 6 to create the tone.
January 2, 2012
Apple planning event for end of January ∞
Kara Swisher:
According to sources close to the situation, Apple is planning an important — but not large-scale — event to be held in New York at the end of this month that will focus on a media-related announcement.
Yep.
News Bloopers of 2011
I love the guy that gets frustrated and throws his notepad down.
Champion of free speech in video games now on wrong side of SOPA ∞
Jim Sterling for Destructoid:
Last year, when free speech in the videogame industry was threatened, you asked for help from gamers…Now, when free speech at large is threatened, you not only refuse to fight the threat, you actually join forces with it.
Sterling is talking about the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) and its support for the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), a very controversial piece of legislation that critics fear will lead to wholesale censorship of Web sites. Sterling contrasts this with the ESA’s grassroots push to drum up public support when it went up against the state of California in 2011 in a Supreme Court case (the EMA ultimately won).