It's been a while but Tagged Blog is back!
Check out this blog every day from February 13 for something new in the land of technology and gaming!
I hope you enjoy reading what is posted as much as I will enjoy writing it!
Monday, February 6, 2012
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Tagged Blog Update - Social Midia...Facebook Page!
We here at Tagged Blog are true supporters of social media to enhance the experience of just about anything...so based on that we now have a Facebook Page! Just press the like buttone on the sidebar to show your support and to possibly be notified of competitions and special updates only on Facebook.
Edit: Here is a direct link to the page - Tagged Blog Facebook Page
Edit: Here is a direct link to the page - Tagged Blog Facebook Page
Friday, June 10, 2011
E3 Wrap Up
Now I know I didn't post during E3 but remember I wasn't there and all of teh press conferences were very early in the morning (eg 2am!)...and I was sleeping. So here is a wrap up of what went down at E3 2011.
Nintendo:
Nintendo focused on 2 key key areas...portable gaming and their evolution of the home game console.
In terms of Portable gaming nintendo showed off a bunch of titles that are comign later this year to the Nintendo 3DS. Almost all of these were ports of older games such as Star Fox and Legend of Zelda. But the new Kid Icarus game was also shown and it adds speech to a Nintendo game...yes speech...Pit actually says words...wow! They also highlighted the launch of the new Store which has come to the 3DS.In the store you can buy a bunch of titles and one key feature that was highlighted as the porting of old Gameboy and Gameboy Colour games to Nintendo's portable platform. This, hopefully, will see a bunch of new gamers playing age old Gameboy classics for the first time.
In terms of the Home market Nintendo didn't say much about the Wii and what was coming to teh WIi in the near future...instead they introduced their new console the Wii U. Aside from the interesting name...the console will feature HD graphics and caters for hardcore gamers as well as the casual gamer. It features a new controller which has a 6.2 inch touch screen inbuilt as well as classic nintendo controls and accellerometer, gyroscope and rumble. The new console will also be fully backward compatible with the Wii in the same was that the Wii was backward compatible with the Gamecube. In terms of games for the Wii U, Nintendo showed off what is coming, including high end games such as Darksiders 2, Dirt, Aliens Colonial Marines, Ghost Recon Online, Metro Last Light and the first ever Tekken game to hit a Nintendo Console...oh and also Ninja Gaiden 3! There were also hints that Assassins Creed, Battlefield and a new FPS from Ubisoft.
The console will come out next year and it will be interestign to see the reactions of gamers, both hardcore and casual alike.
Sony:
Sony showed off some new stuff as well...but also built on past successes and expanded the gamebase for teh PS3. They showed off a new portable platform called Playstation Vita. The PS Vita will be the successor to the Playstation Portable adn adds a sleeker design, better processing and dual touch screens. What this will mean for gaming is yet to be seen but we will all find out at it's launch later this year.
Sony kept emphasising that they are sorry for the PSN disaster but also showed how they have learnt from it...mainly in the fact that they have a large core fanbase who are unhappy. Overall Sony's press conference was good but not groundbreaking.
Microsoft:
Microsoft showed off more than just Kinect enabled games at their press conference. While there was the usual Dance Central game they also previewed a major games that will be released next year...Halo 4...because Microsoft is so XBox 360 focused I am expectign it to be an Xbox exclusive but as a PC gamer I would love to see it hit PCs as well. Gears of War 3 was also shown and so far it looks great but we will have to wait and see what the final product looks like when it is released.
EA:
Electroninc Arts showed of a huge number of upcoming games but the clear highlight was Battlefield 3, a direct successor to Battlefield 2 and one of the most visually amazing games I have ever seen. The game runs on DICE's new game engine, Frostbite 2, and builds on many of the features of the recent Battlefield games such as destructible environments, expansive playing areas and dynamic lighting. The game comes out in September and is sure to be an amazing experience to buy.
Activision:
Activision showed off yet another Call of Duty game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Every year we see a new CoD game but MW3 looks like it might evolve the franchise into a more cinematic experience while still maintaining the core CoD gameplay. The game looks visually appealing (but not as much as Battlefield 3) and should hopefully not be just another CoD game that will sell millions and disappoint gamers around the world. Also hopefully it will actualy work and not be plagued with performance problems.
Well, that is my E3 Wrap Up! Express your opinion in teh comments section below and remember that in October we are going to the EB Games Expo on the Gold Coast here in Australia and we have updated the site banner to reflect this.
Nintendo:
Nintendo focused on 2 key key areas...portable gaming and their evolution of the home game console.
In terms of Portable gaming nintendo showed off a bunch of titles that are comign later this year to the Nintendo 3DS. Almost all of these were ports of older games such as Star Fox and Legend of Zelda. But the new Kid Icarus game was also shown and it adds speech to a Nintendo game...yes speech...Pit actually says words...wow! They also highlighted the launch of the new Store which has come to the 3DS.In the store you can buy a bunch of titles and one key feature that was highlighted as the porting of old Gameboy and Gameboy Colour games to Nintendo's portable platform. This, hopefully, will see a bunch of new gamers playing age old Gameboy classics for the first time.
In terms of the Home market Nintendo didn't say much about the Wii and what was coming to teh WIi in the near future...instead they introduced their new console the Wii U. Aside from the interesting name...the console will feature HD graphics and caters for hardcore gamers as well as the casual gamer. It features a new controller which has a 6.2 inch touch screen inbuilt as well as classic nintendo controls and accellerometer, gyroscope and rumble. The new console will also be fully backward compatible with the Wii in the same was that the Wii was backward compatible with the Gamecube. In terms of games for the Wii U, Nintendo showed off what is coming, including high end games such as Darksiders 2, Dirt, Aliens Colonial Marines, Ghost Recon Online, Metro Last Light and the first ever Tekken game to hit a Nintendo Console...oh and also Ninja Gaiden 3! There were also hints that Assassins Creed, Battlefield and a new FPS from Ubisoft.
The console will come out next year and it will be interestign to see the reactions of gamers, both hardcore and casual alike.
Sony:
Sony showed off some new stuff as well...but also built on past successes and expanded the gamebase for teh PS3. They showed off a new portable platform called Playstation Vita. The PS Vita will be the successor to the Playstation Portable adn adds a sleeker design, better processing and dual touch screens. What this will mean for gaming is yet to be seen but we will all find out at it's launch later this year.
Sony kept emphasising that they are sorry for the PSN disaster but also showed how they have learnt from it...mainly in the fact that they have a large core fanbase who are unhappy. Overall Sony's press conference was good but not groundbreaking.
Microsoft:
Microsoft showed off more than just Kinect enabled games at their press conference. While there was the usual Dance Central game they also previewed a major games that will be released next year...Halo 4...because Microsoft is so XBox 360 focused I am expectign it to be an Xbox exclusive but as a PC gamer I would love to see it hit PCs as well. Gears of War 3 was also shown and so far it looks great but we will have to wait and see what the final product looks like when it is released.
EA:
Electroninc Arts showed of a huge number of upcoming games but the clear highlight was Battlefield 3, a direct successor to Battlefield 2 and one of the most visually amazing games I have ever seen. The game runs on DICE's new game engine, Frostbite 2, and builds on many of the features of the recent Battlefield games such as destructible environments, expansive playing areas and dynamic lighting. The game comes out in September and is sure to be an amazing experience to buy.
Activision:
Activision showed off yet another Call of Duty game, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Every year we see a new CoD game but MW3 looks like it might evolve the franchise into a more cinematic experience while still maintaining the core CoD gameplay. The game looks visually appealing (but not as much as Battlefield 3) and should hopefully not be just another CoD game that will sell millions and disappoint gamers around the world. Also hopefully it will actualy work and not be plagued with performance problems.
Well, that is my E3 Wrap Up! Express your opinion in teh comments section below and remember that in October we are going to the EB Games Expo on the Gold Coast here in Australia and we have updated the site banner to reflect this.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
E3 2011...and a possible special!
It's been a long time since my last post here on Tagged Blog but I was focusing on other things...including my own personal blog.
E3 2011 is here and I will be giving you my opinions on the announcements, trailers and more as the event progresses. Unfortunately I can't be at the event personally but luckily there is the interwebs!
On a side note, the EB Games Expo is coming in October this year to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tagged Blog has applied for media entry and if we are successful then we will provide ongoing and live coverage of the event as it proceeds as well as video footage and maybe even interviews! Even if we are unsuccessful in our media bid we will still provide coverage of the event but it will not be as intense and awesome as if we got media passes!
Stay tuned for our E3 opinions starting tomorrow here at Tagged Blog and a dedicated EB Games Convention Page coming soon to Tagged Blog!
E3 2011 is here and I will be giving you my opinions on the announcements, trailers and more as the event progresses. Unfortunately I can't be at the event personally but luckily there is the interwebs!
On a side note, the EB Games Expo is coming in October this year to the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Tagged Blog has applied for media entry and if we are successful then we will provide ongoing and live coverage of the event as it proceeds as well as video footage and maybe even interviews! Even if we are unsuccessful in our media bid we will still provide coverage of the event but it will not be as intense and awesome as if we got media passes!
Stay tuned for our E3 opinions starting tomorrow here at Tagged Blog and a dedicated EB Games Convention Page coming soon to Tagged Blog!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Windows Live Messenger 2010 - Wave 4 Update
Windows Live Messenger is by far the most popular instant messaging program but it has never had social capabilities. This week Microsoft unveiled the latest iteration of it's messaging client and to everyone's surprise it had integration with some of the popular social media like Facebook and Twitter.
This new feature will be placed in a separate frame inside the messenger window, reducing the width of the contacts list. This separate frame looks very disjointed because of the separate scroll-bar which is in the default style for Windows. This makes the application less sleek and makes me wonder if Microsoft can ever perfect a product.
Apart from the disjointed look it also sports HD video which is a big plus as it puts the product in an area which perfectly sits between business and consumer products. Business users will use the HD video and consumers will use the social feeds. HD video is not new in IM clients with Skype already supporting this feature but to see it in a Microsoft product makes.
There will also be an iPhone version of teh software which, if accepted to the App Store,will be one app worth downloading. It is somewhat of a surprise that Microsoft is releasing an iPhone version considering that they are trying to pitch their new Phone OS, Windows Phone 7.
All of this is part of the upcoming Live Wave 4 update which is expected to have a final release in the 3rd quarter of this year. This update is looking like a much needed freshening up for the Live platform but if the disjointed nature of clients seen in WLM remains in the other software than this will not be the sleekest update for Microsoft.
To me it seems like Microsoft has learnt from it's UI and functionality mistakes of the past and are genuinely going to release a polished product. When I can get my hands on a build I will tell you more but for now I recommend checking it out at http://windowslivepreview.com/ (Note: This website occasionally redirects to the Live Home site)
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This new feature will be placed in a separate frame inside the messenger window, reducing the width of the contacts list. This separate frame looks very disjointed because of the separate scroll-bar which is in the default style for Windows. This makes the application less sleek and makes me wonder if Microsoft can ever perfect a product.
Apart from the disjointed look it also sports HD video which is a big plus as it puts the product in an area which perfectly sits between business and consumer products. Business users will use the HD video and consumers will use the social feeds. HD video is not new in IM clients with Skype already supporting this feature but to see it in a Microsoft product makes.
There will also be an iPhone version of teh software which, if accepted to the App Store,will be one app worth downloading. It is somewhat of a surprise that Microsoft is releasing an iPhone version considering that they are trying to pitch their new Phone OS, Windows Phone 7.
All of this is part of the upcoming Live Wave 4 update which is expected to have a final release in the 3rd quarter of this year. This update is looking like a much needed freshening up for the Live platform but if the disjointed nature of clients seen in WLM remains in the other software than this will not be the sleekest update for Microsoft.
To me it seems like Microsoft has learnt from it's UI and functionality mistakes of the past and are genuinely going to release a polished product. When I can get my hands on a build I will tell you more but for now I recommend checking it out at http://windowslivepreview.com/ (Note: This website occasionally redirects to the Live Home site)
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Former Infinity Ward heads create new studio
Yesterday an interesting but not surprising move happened in the Activision vs Infinity Ward story. "Jason West and Vince Zampella, creators of the multi-billion dollar Call of Duty® franchise, announced the formation of a new development studio -- Respawn Entertainment." and they have "awarded Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:ERTS), through the distinguished EA Partners program, exclusive worldwide publishing and distribution rights to future games." This is great news for all Call of Duty fans because it looks like the same people who made Modern Warfare 2 will be making new games which should be just as good and running on some better managed servers.
Despite the fact that this is no real surprise, what really bugs me is that West and Zampella would have the guts to do this in the middle of one of the biggest lawsuits. By defecting to EA and making their own studio they are only going to get Activision madder and make the situation a whole lot worse for themselves and the embattled Infinity Ward. If I were them I would have waited until the situation blew over and the court case resolved before making such a shocking and bold move as this.
If you still aren't sure what has been going on then take a look at the links below and if you want to have a say then use the chat box ion the left column or comment on this post.
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Despite the fact that this is no real surprise, what really bugs me is that West and Zampella would have the guts to do this in the middle of one of the biggest lawsuits. By defecting to EA and making their own studio they are only going to get Activision madder and make the situation a whole lot worse for themselves and the embattled Infinity Ward. If I were them I would have waited until the situation blew over and the court case resolved before making such a shocking and bold move as this.
If you still aren't sure what has been going on then take a look at the links below and if you want to have a say then use the chat box ion the left column or comment on this post.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Why iPhone OS 4.0 should have come sooner
This wwek Apple unveiled iPhone OS 4.0 to teh developer community. This major OS upgrade includes many new features such as multitasking, app folders, iAd (in-app advertising) and even 5x digital zoom. All these features are what iPhone and iPod Touch users have wanted ever since the first generation devices. SO why couldn't Apple have done this sooner, like with OS 3.0? As far as I can see there is no reason.
Yes there were hardware constraints when it came to the iPhone 3G but the 3GS had better hardware and more to the point will be able to run OS 4.0 in all it's awesomeness.
Apple could have released all these features with OS 3.0 because the latest hardware, the iPhone 3GS had the capability to run it but Apple wanted to focus on speed and not on features that would attracts people away from Android and Windows Mobile and give them incentives to make the switch. Instead what Apple chooses to do is announce these features at an awkward time when people aren't really paying attention to the smaller devices and focusing on the iPad. If Apple really cared about their customers they would have released these features with OS 3.0 but instead they want to give customers much needed and wanted features when nobody gives a crap.
If Apple is serious about business then they will forget about advertising and instead focus on what they have always focused on...the customers.
Yes there were hardware constraints when it came to the iPhone 3G but the 3GS had better hardware and more to the point will be able to run OS 4.0 in all it's awesomeness.
Apple could have released all these features with OS 3.0 because the latest hardware, the iPhone 3GS had the capability to run it but Apple wanted to focus on speed and not on features that would attracts people away from Android and Windows Mobile and give them incentives to make the switch. Instead what Apple chooses to do is announce these features at an awkward time when people aren't really paying attention to the smaller devices and focusing on the iPad. If Apple really cared about their customers they would have released these features with OS 3.0 but instead they want to give customers much needed and wanted features when nobody gives a crap.
If Apple is serious about business then they will forget about advertising and instead focus on what they have always focused on...the customers.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Internet memes - Why the fads need to stop
Everyone has heard of Internet memes. From rickrolling to just about anything that comes out of 4chan these have become a culture phenomenon. However, have these jokes become too much of a good thing?
Some of these memes like Rickrolling have had their time yet still continue to be seen all over the internet. These memes become old quickly yet resurface in obscure in lame ways. People get greatly annoyed when thgey get rickrolled and people get annoyed when they see another internet meme. Not everyone who uses the internet thinks that a meme is a funny as you think it to be. Some internet users are actually lookign for related items and do not not to be tricked into seeing a meme.
Basically, these memes need to stop or at least they need to stop being so prevalent, so if you see a meme that is just starting off try to put a stop to it. By doing this you will be saving the credibility of the internet
Some of these memes like Rickrolling have had their time yet still continue to be seen all over the internet. These memes become old quickly yet resurface in obscure in lame ways. People get greatly annoyed when thgey get rickrolled and people get annoyed when they see another internet meme. Not everyone who uses the internet thinks that a meme is a funny as you think it to be. Some internet users are actually lookign for related items and do not not to be tricked into seeing a meme.
Basically, these memes need to stop or at least they need to stop being so prevalent, so if you see a meme that is just starting off try to put a stop to it. By doing this you will be saving the credibility of the internet
Monday, March 22, 2010
No Youtube Live 2010...but other events possible
Yesterday I emailed Youtube regarding whether they are going to hold a Youtube Live this year and their answer was: " No plans this year for a YouTube Live."
This is unfortunate considering the success of Youtube Live 2008 and certainly could be financially poor for the company considering that they could rake in a decent profit from the event. However I am certain that Google and Youtube are planning something just as good as Youtube Live and I am certain that whatever it is will benefit not only the company but consumers and possibly even charity.
EDIT: Youtube has emailed me regarding whether they will beholding others events and replied as follows: "We'll have a lot of events going on this year in celebration of our 5 year anniversary, but they'll be different from YT Live." This could end up being big but we will have to wait and see. Tagged Blog will keep you updated as more is found out about these mystery events.
This is unfortunate considering the success of Youtube Live 2008 and certainly could be financially poor for the company considering that they could rake in a decent profit from the event. However I am certain that Google and Youtube are planning something just as good as Youtube Live and I am certain that whatever it is will benefit not only the company but consumers and possibly even charity.
EDIT: Youtube has emailed me regarding whether they will beholding others events and replied as follows: "We'll have a lot of events going on this year in celebration of our 5 year anniversary, but they'll be different from YT Live." This could end up being big but we will have to wait and see. Tagged Blog will keep you updated as more is found out about these mystery events.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Social Networks - Are they really that dangerous?
Social Networks have been around for a while now, staring with Facebook and MySpace and moving into the Twitter era and now you can find a persons life quite clearly on the Internet. Ever since they were created though, people have criticised social media for not doing enough about privacy.
Recently, these social networks have come under increased scrutiny regarding the posting of blatantly illegal material on the walls of tribute groups on Facebook. I believe that some of these criticisms are uncalled for.
Why? Simply because it is not up to Facebook to decide what privacy settings to put on groups, it is up to the person who created the group. If the person who creates a group chooses not to change the privacy settings to make it more closed then that is their choice. The options menu is there and easily accessible but people choose to get the group made quickly and not well.
Then there is the identity fraud issue which is also completely wrong. All Social Networks have privacy settings which you can change. On Facebook you can set it so you have to be a friend to access any information, photos or wall on your profile. Only recently has this come up yet it has been there for years. Just because people choose not to notice or use it doesn't mean that Social Networks are places where identity fraud is rife.
Overall, Social Networks are one of the safest and most privacy conscious places on the web. People who say that this is wrong either are very ignorant or simply want social networks to move in the wrong direction and make everyone private and make social networks very, very anti-social. These sites are already doing a good job and the media and the general public should calm down and stop trying to find problems with something that is already fine. If you want to make yourself less public then change you Privacy Settings, you don't have to abandon the social revolution because you believe that you can't do anything about your own security.
P.S On Facebook the privacy settings are under the account menu in the top right corner of the page...use it!
Recently, these social networks have come under increased scrutiny regarding the posting of blatantly illegal material on the walls of tribute groups on Facebook. I believe that some of these criticisms are uncalled for.
Why? Simply because it is not up to Facebook to decide what privacy settings to put on groups, it is up to the person who created the group. If the person who creates a group chooses not to change the privacy settings to make it more closed then that is their choice. The options menu is there and easily accessible but people choose to get the group made quickly and not well.
Then there is the identity fraud issue which is also completely wrong. All Social Networks have privacy settings which you can change. On Facebook you can set it so you have to be a friend to access any information, photos or wall on your profile. Only recently has this come up yet it has been there for years. Just because people choose not to notice or use it doesn't mean that Social Networks are places where identity fraud is rife.
Overall, Social Networks are one of the safest and most privacy conscious places on the web. People who say that this is wrong either are very ignorant or simply want social networks to move in the wrong direction and make everyone private and make social networks very, very anti-social. These sites are already doing a good job and the media and the general public should calm down and stop trying to find problems with something that is already fine. If you want to make yourself less public then change you Privacy Settings, you don't have to abandon the social revolution because you believe that you can't do anything about your own security.
P.S On Facebook the privacy settings are under the account menu in the top right corner of the page...use it!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Apple's innovation machine fails with the iPad
Last week Apple announced their much awaited product... the iPad. The product idea is good but it is just a bloated, oversized iPod Touch. The lack of innovation is surprising from Apple, who are renowned for their constant new ideas, almost as if they have a machine that just churns out innovation.
When Apple released the first GUI machine in the 80s it was an innovation, the same with the iPod and iPhone but the iPad just isn't anything new. The OS is just the iPhone OS, there are no notable features, there isn't a camera, there isn't anything to tell it apart from previous Apple products.
If Apple had played their cards right they could have innovated this product to become a proper ebook reader but the 10hr battery life just doesn't compare to the 20-30hrs offered on ebook reading devices like the Kindle and Nook.
By blowing up the iPod Touch and creating a tablet, what Apple have done is create a product that fits in an useless space between an iPod and an ebook reader.
Looking at Apple's past when it comes to tablet PCs doesn't help either. The Apple Newton for instance was a huge failure and it is looking like the iPad may have a similar reputation. If Apple had created a unique device that could run a scaled down OSX and run programs like Photoshop, the iPad might have looked like a success. If Apple had created a standalone ebook reader then there most certainly would have been success, but the way Apple has designed the iPad just makes it a device that no one will need.
Nonetheless, it is an Apple product so people will buy it just because of the badge and not because it will help them or be useful to them in any way.
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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Apple's January 27th event...what will be announced?
In about a week Apple is going to hold a mysterious event where they will announce their "latest creation". Rumours speculate that it will be a tablet PC but I'm not so sure. What is Apple's incentive for making a tablet? Based on rumours it will run iPhone OS but that leaves it open to apps on a 10" screen...app makers would have to rebuild existing apps to run on the tablet in full screen. This would be a risky move as there would have to be a separate app store and Apple has no reason to do this.
Apple also recently started talking to publishers and newspapers about content deals. This makes me think that it won't be a tablet that Apple will be announcing but instead a 10" touch screen ebook reader to rival the Amazon Kindle (and Kindle DX) as well as the Barnes and Noble Nook. Such a device would most likely be a colour ebook reader (making use of to the OLED screen) unlike the other devices and would be a game changer like the iPhone and iPod.
Another possibility for what will be announced would be an Apple Netbook with touch screen capabilities. This however seems less likely because neetbooks a declining in popularity.
Nothing will be known until the 27th but the rumour mill will keep on churning until then and whatever is announced it is sure to be popular, not just because it is an Apple product but also because it will innovate technology in a way Apple has been doing for years.
Apple also recently started talking to publishers and newspapers about content deals. This makes me think that it won't be a tablet that Apple will be announcing but instead a 10" touch screen ebook reader to rival the Amazon Kindle (and Kindle DX) as well as the Barnes and Noble Nook. Such a device would most likely be a colour ebook reader (making use of to the OLED screen) unlike the other devices and would be a game changer like the iPhone and iPod.
Another possibility for what will be announced would be an Apple Netbook with touch screen capabilities. This however seems less likely because neetbooks a declining in popularity.
Nothing will be known until the 27th but the rumour mill will keep on churning until then and whatever is announced it is sure to be popular, not just because it is an Apple product but also because it will innovate technology in a way Apple has been doing for years.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
The NBN: Lower Prices vs Higher Speeds
Today's Australian reports that the general public would prefer a compromise between the price they pay for the increased speed in FTTH connections and the speed. It says that "for most people, the prices for access to the fibre network would have to be comparable to what already exists in the marketplace today -- at speeds that would only be modestly higher".
This is completely stupid, most people would love to have 100Mb/s speeds and, as the actual infrastructure is being payed for by taxes, there won't be a huge increase in prices. The article also says that there will be a push to "encourage people to make the switch to fibre and then only slowly increase speeds and prices as consumer demand grew over time". The demand when this network goes live around 2020 will be huge initially and therefore if they are to increase speeds and prices as demand grows they we will probably end up with at least 80Mb/s from day one and prices around $89.99/month. Where could any incrase go after that? Nowhere.
Anyone with a brain can clearly see that when this network is rolled out, prices will not increase drammatically, as hinted in the article, because the infrastructure has been paid for so there will only be access fees which will only be marginally higher than prices today. Most peole would be happy to pay $20-$30 more than now to get an 80% or more speed increase.
The whole NBN plan is in a shambles and people who follow tech, like me, are gettign sick of the talk and just wanting teh network to be built and running on schedule, givign Australians faster internet speeds comparable to those overseas.
This is completely stupid, most people would love to have 100Mb/s speeds and, as the actual infrastructure is being payed for by taxes, there won't be a huge increase in prices. The article also says that there will be a push to "encourage people to make the switch to fibre and then only slowly increase speeds and prices as consumer demand grew over time". The demand when this network goes live around 2020 will be huge initially and therefore if they are to increase speeds and prices as demand grows they we will probably end up with at least 80Mb/s from day one and prices around $89.99/month. Where could any incrase go after that? Nowhere.
Anyone with a brain can clearly see that when this network is rolled out, prices will not increase drammatically, as hinted in the article, because the infrastructure has been paid for so there will only be access fees which will only be marginally higher than prices today. Most peole would be happy to pay $20-$30 more than now to get an 80% or more speed increase.
The whole NBN plan is in a shambles and people who follow tech, like me, are gettign sick of the talk and just wanting teh network to be built and running on schedule, givign Australians faster internet speeds comparable to those overseas.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Introducing ...Tagged Politics
Want to get your Political opinion fix...then head on down to the newest member of the Tagged family Tagged Politics. Over time Tagged Politics will become full of political opinion and wisdom for you to ponder over whenever you like. Hope you enjoy!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
No Youtube Live in 2009...but maybe 2010
This week I emailed Youtube to ask if there was going to be a Youtube Live in 2009...their answer was no. This is probably appropriate considering it is already October and they would have made they announcement at least 2 months ago. However, they haven't ruled out a Youtube Live 2010, saying "We haven't taken that possibility off the table". Youtube Live in 2008 was a very expensive endeavour and with the Global Financial Crisis this year, and Google's declining stock price, Youtube Live was probably not a priority. If there is to be a Youtube Live in 2010, we will hear about it next year.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Steam - Is it really a conflict of interest?
There has been a lot of talk lately in the gaming realm about whether Vale's Steam distribution service is a blatant conflict of interest. The argument for this is that they make games and they have a platform to sell them and can therefore rip off 3rd party developers (including EA and Activision) and exploit them, while still maintaining a positive revenue stream.
This is preposterous as games sold on Steam, including those made by Valve, are clearly cheaper than if bought at a bricks and mortar store. If Valve were trying to rip off 3rd parties then they would charge less for their games. Also if these other developers were being ripped off and exploited then they would have pulled out of Steam, leaving it to die.
The only way that these developers could be exploited is through binding contracts with Valve, to distribute on Steam, giving Valve a larger than normal slice of the profit made on the game.
Steam is one of the most successful online distribution systems and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If these developers and publishers think they are being ripped off then they should just pull out of Steam. Take Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, his game Borderlands, which Tagged previewed a month ago, is being sold on Steam and yet he is making comments against Steam...SHUT UP AND ACCEPT STEAM FOR WHAT IT IS. If he doesn't like it then maybe he should not distribute his game using it.
This is preposterous as games sold on Steam, including those made by Valve, are clearly cheaper than if bought at a bricks and mortar store. If Valve were trying to rip off 3rd parties then they would charge less for their games. Also if these other developers were being ripped off and exploited then they would have pulled out of Steam, leaving it to die.
The only way that these developers could be exploited is through binding contracts with Valve, to distribute on Steam, giving Valve a larger than normal slice of the profit made on the game.
Steam is one of the most successful online distribution systems and it isn't going anywhere anytime soon. If these developers and publishers think they are being ripped off then they should just pull out of Steam. Take Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford, his game Borderlands, which Tagged previewed a month ago, is being sold on Steam and yet he is making comments against Steam...SHUT UP AND ACCEPT STEAM FOR WHAT IT IS. If he doesn't like it then maybe he should not distribute his game using it.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
New Firefox UI Plans
This week Mozilla announced plans to make the Firefox User Interface more Windows Friendly and more like the Windows 7 task bar and teh Office 2007 Ribbon. This new UI would only be availiable to Windows Users, startign with Windows Vista then Windows 7. It would start to be implemented in Firefox 3.7 before being completed in Firefox 4.
I find it interesting that people complained bitterly about the Office 2007 Ribbon, especially how it was so vastly different to the UI of Office 2003. What is to stop this same reaction to the new Firefox UI? Mozilla is making the right move in the gradual UI change over 2 versions, one minor and the other major. This won't isolate their users and users will have plenty of time to get accustomed to the UI. However new users may beturned away by an unfamiliar interface which can only be overcome by a tutorial to teh new UI...WHICH IS NOT ON THE PLANS!!!! Mozilla will need a tutorial video on the new UI if anyone is going to be able to use it as people are very stupid and do not like change unless they know that they will be able to handle it.
Another idea put forward is App Tabs which would be tabs that you would have open all the time, like GMail or Facebook, and could access all the time without the clutter of the bac/forward buttons, freeign up space making it more user friendly for the site you wnat to view. This is a brilliant idea which Mozilla started planning with Prism, and now to carry it into Firefox itself...genius. In GMail I do not want to have the Back/Forward/Stop/Refresh buttons as they just take up space and are useless. People will catch on to this very quickly and I expect it to be one of the more popular changes.
Personally I think that Firefox is due for a major UI update and the plans put forward are great but Mozilla should be catious with making radical changes and should definately listen to their users about what they want. The changes make it sort of CHrome like, which is good, and the tab bar will be moved to the top (in FF4) and a progress bar will be added above the tabs. This will free up clutter and make Firefox a very sexy browser.
I find it interesting that people complained bitterly about the Office 2007 Ribbon, especially how it was so vastly different to the UI of Office 2003. What is to stop this same reaction to the new Firefox UI? Mozilla is making the right move in the gradual UI change over 2 versions, one minor and the other major. This won't isolate their users and users will have plenty of time to get accustomed to the UI. However new users may beturned away by an unfamiliar interface which can only be overcome by a tutorial to teh new UI...WHICH IS NOT ON THE PLANS!!!! Mozilla will need a tutorial video on the new UI if anyone is going to be able to use it as people are very stupid and do not like change unless they know that they will be able to handle it.
Another idea put forward is App Tabs which would be tabs that you would have open all the time, like GMail or Facebook, and could access all the time without the clutter of the bac/forward buttons, freeign up space making it more user friendly for the site you wnat to view. This is a brilliant idea which Mozilla started planning with Prism, and now to carry it into Firefox itself...genius. In GMail I do not want to have the Back/Forward/Stop/Refresh buttons as they just take up space and are useless. People will catch on to this very quickly and I expect it to be one of the more popular changes.
Personally I think that Firefox is due for a major UI update and the plans put forward are great but Mozilla should be catious with making radical changes and should definately listen to their users about what they want. The changes make it sort of CHrome like, which is good, and the tab bar will be moved to the top (in FF4) and a progress bar will be added above the tabs. This will free up clutter and make Firefox a very sexy browser.
Firefox 3.7 Planned UI
Firefox 4 Planned UI
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Preview: Bayonetta
Platinum Games, creators of Madworld, are once again creating a good lookign game called Bayonetta. The main character, called Bayonetta, is a shape shifter who has no memory of where she is, so in typical video game character style she goes around killing things to find out what she wants to know.
The gameplay seems very good , with good graphics, epic battle sequences and excellent music. However the camera controls were a little off with transperancy having to be used to get over this. Also, a typical Japanese collectable item has made it's way into the game, Rings. Yes, Rings as in Sonic teh Hedgehog rings even though the game has nothing to do with Sonice (although the PS3 port is being made by SEGA).
Overall after the 10-15 minutes Tagged spent with this game at GenCon Oz, it seemed to be a great game but the story seems a bit cliched. Nonetheless, we are looking forward to this game which is coming to Playstation 3 and XBox 360 sometime in 2010.
The gameplay seems very good , with good graphics, epic battle sequences and excellent music. However the camera controls were a little off with transperancy having to be used to get over this. Also, a typical Japanese collectable item has made it's way into the game, Rings. Yes, Rings as in Sonic teh Hedgehog rings even though the game has nothing to do with Sonice (although the PS3 port is being made by SEGA).
Overall after the 10-15 minutes Tagged spent with this game at GenCon Oz, it seemed to be a great game but the story seems a bit cliched. Nonetheless, we are looking forward to this game which is coming to Playstation 3 and XBox 360 sometime in 2010.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Preview: Borderlands
Gearbox software, best known for their work with Valve on Half Life expansions and for their Brothers In Arms series, are launching a new game called Borderlands, to be released on October 20 (USA/JP) and October 23 (PAL). Tagged was lucky enough to get some hands on with the game at GenCon Oz.
Borderlands is an FPS\RPG that is set in a futuristic world called Pandora and centres on missions to try and advance the story of one of 4 playable characters. Graphically this game has Halo-style graphics, except better, and the controls are easy to master but seemto be a little sensitive. The maps are hard to navigate but when you get the hang of the waypoint system (where a compass is positioned at teh bottom of teh screen) the game does start to get quite fun. The enemy AI is quite good with creatures knowing when you get too close and attempting to attack you from distances.
Borderlands has a level system but after a short play Tagged is still unsure what importance the level system has on the game.
Over the next few days I will be giving you 1 more preview, Bayonetta, and a review of the free MMO Planet Calypso.
Borderlands is an FPS\RPG that is set in a futuristic world called Pandora and centres on missions to try and advance the story of one of 4 playable characters. Graphically this game has Halo-style graphics, except better, and the controls are easy to master but seemto be a little sensitive. The maps are hard to navigate but when you get the hang of the waypoint system (where a compass is positioned at teh bottom of teh screen) the game does start to get quite fun. The enemy AI is quite good with creatures knowing when you get too close and attempting to attack you from distances.
Borderlands has a level system but after a short play Tagged is still unsure what importance the level system has on the game.
Over the next few days I will be giving you 1 more preview, Bayonetta, and a review of the free MMO Planet Calypso.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Senator Conroy...please just give up!
This week Senator Conroy proposed that australian ISP's would be allowed to intercept their customers downloads to ensure proper use. He said this in responce to the piracy suit against iiNet.
WTF!?! I don't want my internet downloads intercepted, it will slow down my internet, it goes completely against any notion of privacy and it will just mean more work for the ISPs to actually monitor what EVERYONE on their network is doing. Moreover, they would have to disclose what their customers are downloading, meaning the government to charge thousands of people with criminal offences and get more money. really it is just a scheme for revenue raising, WHICH MAKES IT WORSE!!!! I don't want my internet filtered and I certainly don't want my download record perused by the government, it just goes against the basics of privacy.
This is just one of many stupid ideas that Senator Conroy has had recently. A month ago he said that he was considering a 3-strikes policy towards piracy...somilar to what was REJECTED in France. It is almost like he is ignoring the rest of the world and coming up wit hbold and stupid ideas to screw over Australian Internet users and ISPs.
If, for 1 month, senator Conroy would keep is big mouth shut and listen to what Australians think of his ideas and look at the rest of the world to see what works he might see that all he has to do is implement the NBN eventually and NOTHNG ELSE!
No filter, No download intercepting and No 3-strikes policy!!
WTF!?! I don't want my internet downloads intercepted, it will slow down my internet, it goes completely against any notion of privacy and it will just mean more work for the ISPs to actually monitor what EVERYONE on their network is doing. Moreover, they would have to disclose what their customers are downloading, meaning the government to charge thousands of people with criminal offences and get more money. really it is just a scheme for revenue raising, WHICH MAKES IT WORSE!!!! I don't want my internet filtered and I certainly don't want my download record perused by the government, it just goes against the basics of privacy.
This is just one of many stupid ideas that Senator Conroy has had recently. A month ago he said that he was considering a 3-strikes policy towards piracy...somilar to what was REJECTED in France. It is almost like he is ignoring the rest of the world and coming up wit hbold and stupid ideas to screw over Australian Internet users and ISPs.
If, for 1 month, senator Conroy would keep is big mouth shut and listen to what Australians think of his ideas and look at the rest of the world to see what works he might see that all he has to do is implement the NBN eventually and NOTHNG ELSE!
No filter, No download intercepting and No 3-strikes policy!!
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