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Summed up from ZDNet with my added commentary:
1. Advertising - you've seen the first (odd) commercial, there are many to come. A different take on the Microsoft world, focusing on more than just Windows, but on the connected life (something MS has been pushing for years).
2. Personal Assistance - Microsoft will put "gurus" (see: geniuses) in Best Buys and other computer retailers to explain how people can use the Microsoft world to create this connected life.
3. Technical Assistance - Easier and more friendly tech assistance online. Check out windows.com to see their approach. Again, the connected world comes into play. Everything is about sharing, connecting, making things easier.
4. Specialized PCs - after the Vista launch debacle, which took Vista problems, added them to a huge lack of 3rd party drivers, and alienated customers, Microsoft decided to create what is likely going to be an "optimum" style setup, possibly branded jointly or by sticker, where a perfect user experience could be expected. Lots of unknowns here.
Side Note: Ray Ozzie will head up a new "Startup Labs" group with an emphasis on consumer products.
I think it's a good way to go, emphasizing the connected life, instead of just pushing Vista or hitting against Apple, which would be swimming against the tide anyway. By showing the different platforms of Windows and how they can all work together, Microsoft can show consumers why they should buy their products.
For a long time, Microsoft has had a lot of good products that COULD work together, if you took the time to put it together - from Home Server to HTPC to Mobile to Laptop, from home theater to online picture/video sharing, blogging, etc. More advanced users could link up their entire homes with various pieces of software and hardware. But none of it was obvious, or easy, or published, unless you went to look for it.
Comments welcome. Can it work? Will it work? Will the next commercial make sense?
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| | | | EA Games has announced a few new iPhone games, as well as given a target date of September 7th for Spore Origins for the popular Apple phone.
Quote: |
EA has announced that nine new titles are currently in development for the iPhone: Yahtzee Adventures, EA Mini Golf, Lemonade Tycoon, Mahjong, Monopoly: Here & Now The World Edition, SimCity, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 09, Need for Speed Undercover, and The Sims 3. EA has also revealed that they are shooting to release Spore Origins on September 7th—the same day it is released on the Mac and PC.
| Man, I burn enough hours on Texas-Hold'em. I don't know if I need any more time vacuums in my life! | | | | |
| | | | When did we first hear about Alan Wake? May, 2005, right? We've seen the screenshots, watched a couple videos. We've been teased with promised of DX-10 nirvana. But look at the calender. It's September, 2008. How time flies.
Over at one of the official sites, BrightFalls.net - The latest news and info on Alan Wake, the latest update says this: Quote:
Mika Reini, CFO at Remedy Games, has posted a short, but sweet statement declaring that our long-awaited game, Alan Wake, is still on the way.Dear people,
We feel we owe you all a small heads up, and our apologies for lack of updates. This is just part of our psychological thriller, is it all real or imagined…
Seriously, yes, we’re still here and working hard on getting Alan Wake for you to enjoy. Sure, we’ve been in development for a long time and if everything had gone perfectly smoothly there probably would be a game out for you guys to play already. But designing a completely new game can be hard, and sometimes you need to take a detour to find the best route forward.
We want to entertain you guys in the best possible way and our team is putting in every effort possible in order for that to happen. That is the way Remedy wants to do things. I’m sure you will enjoy Alan Wake when we’re done.
Just follow the light…
- Mika
| Here's my concern. They might have waited too long. We all had our hopes pinned on Crysis for Uber DX10 orgasmo-graphics... but no one can play it maxed. The time was ripe for Remedy studios to swoop in and snatch the Top Dog graphics crown and be king. Nope. There were all kinds of promised release dates -and still are. But according to the company, there is STILL no official date.
Quote: |
Originally Posted by Alan Wake forums
Confirmed as false:
November 15, 2005 - cheatcc.com
November 29, 2005 - Play.com
September 1, 2006 - Play.com
29th September, 2006 - Amazon UK
October 10, 2006 - gamelife.fi
January 1, 2007 - EBGames
January 5, 2007 - Play.com
January 31, 2007 - Bestbuy
January 2007 - IGN
July 6, 2007 - Eurogamer
July 7, 2007 - Play.com
December 2007, cheatcc.com
February 29, 2008 - Gameplay
March 13 2008 - unknown site
March 21, 2008 - unknown Xbox360 site
March 21, 2008 - Amazon.co.uk (For PS3!?)
Pending:
September 5th/30th, 2008 - Amazon.co.uk
September 21, 2008 - gamelife.fi
September 26th, 2008 - Gamefaqs
September 26, 2008 or TBA 2009* - IGN
October 1, 2008 - Amazon.com
October 31, 2008 - Gameplay
November 28, 2008 - Play.com
December 31, 2008 - EB Games
December 31/January 2, 2009 - Gamestop
| So, it's been over 3 years of promises and I'm wondering if this game will actually happen or not? With Far Cry 2 warming up in the On Deck Circle, Left4Dead heading out of the dugout, will the game be over before Alan Wake reaches the stadium?
Wikipedia defines Vaporware as:
Quote: | Vaporware is a somewhat derogatory term used to describe a software or hardware product that is announced by a developer well in advance of release, but which then fails to emerge after having well exceeded the period of development time that was initially claimed or would normally be expected for the development cycle of a similar software/hardware product. The term implies unwarranted optimism, an as yet unannounced abandonment of a project, or sometimes even deception; that is, it may imply that the announcer knows that product development is in too early a stage to support responsible statements about its completion date, feature set, or even feasibility. However, most vaporware would not be considered a hoax since the makers have a genuine intention to create their product, even if it ultimately never materializes. Products with unspecified release dates or long development times that outwardly demonstrate regular, verifiable progress in production are not normally labelled vaporware.
| Sound familiar?
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| | | | Microsoft is teasing their new mouse, with a new pointing system designed to work on any surface:
Coincidentally, it's the same day Apple introduces their new line-up. I say coincidentally, because it would be asinine to try to compete for news space on an Apple announcement day, esp if Apple drops something really cool - even a cool new mouse will have little effect against that.
Rumor has it that this is the new mouse (not really rumor, since the logo is obvious):
It has some sort of new pointing system (see Crunchgear for analysis) that will benefit the any-surface user - usually the traveller or if you like to have a mouse on the couch.
Built-in wireless (with USB stick, blah). Neat, though. Depends on price and size. Not the prettiest mouse, but it's just a portable. | | | | |
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