by Chance on September 3, 2010
Yesterday, word got out that the latest in mouse technology from Microsoft is complete, and hitting stores in a few months. The Arc Touch Mouse looks to be very light and easy to use, with an impressive amount of customizable options. Best of all, it is perfect for people on the go, as it can be flattened to make packing easier.
Microsoft has put a lot of clever new features into this mouse. Turning the mouse on is simple: from the flattened mode, simply bend the mouse upward. It turns on automatically. Keeping with the flat, easy to pack mantra, the scroll wheel has been replaced by a touch-sensitive strip. To scroll up or down, slide your finger up or down; flick to go fast, and drag to go slow. Also on the strip are three buttons, to which you can assign one role each. You can assign page down, page up, page navigation and, if you have Windows 7, the 3D flip function, among other things.
I wouldn’t say I usually get excited about a mouse, but this one caught my eye. I do a lot of traveling, and when I do, I like to bring along as few bags as possible. That means I stuff a lot of things into one bag, making a mouse like this a hot item for me to consider in the future. The conversion of the scroll wheel to a flat strip was a great design move to follow up on the sleek design of the rest of the mouse. I haven’t gotten a chance to actually use the mouse, but it looks fairly comfortable and easy to use.
The possibilities are endless for gamers. The touch strip could allow gamers to make more precise movements faster than with a scroll wheel, which is more resistant to movement. On top of that, the mouse looks thin and light enough to move around easily on any surface. I would love to not have a really bulky mouse to move around, especially in a game like StarCraft II, in which you need to be all over the map quickly in order to be successful. Customizable touch buttons could also be very useful, allowing for quicker actions without having to use force to press on an actual button, although with all three buttons on a fairly small strip, there could be a problem with accidentally pressing the wrong button.
The only thing I wonder about is how my thumb and pinky will adapt to not having a solid surface to press against. Arc mouses in general are still pretty new, and I haven’t gotten my hands on one yet to know how exactly I would hold it. Regardless, I think the benefits would outweigh any adjustments I would need to make in the way I hold my mouse. If for nothing else, when early December rolls around, I’ll be looking to Microsoft’s Arc Touch mouse to fit my travel needs. A product falling flat has never looked so good.
by Chance on August 30, 2010
Specs have been leaked for the tablet being developed by Toshiba, which will apparently launch under the handle of Folio 100. The Folio 100 will likely hit stores around the holiday season, and will be part of a larger movement by tech companies into the tablet market. The Folio 100, like most other in-production tablets, will run Android 2.2. The only piece of information that seems to be missing so far is arguably the most important one: price. That point could decide whether or not the Folio 100, or any other upcoming tablet, can compete with Apple’s iPad.
The Folio 100 will have a 10 inch screen with 16GB of internal memory, and will use the Opera mobile web browser. What makes the Folio 100 most intriguing is that it is bringing to the table several features absent in the iPad that many tech fans have been expecting from a tablet. As opposed to Apple’s unilateral port dedicated to iTunes syncing, the Folio 100 will have an HDMI port, a USB 2.0 port and a USB 2.0 mini port. It also features an SD card slot, which, along with the other new ports, will allow users much more flexibility in transferring files of all different kinds of formats from their tablet to their computers or mobile devices, which is becoming a must in the present on-the-go business world. The specs are rounded out by an Nvidia Tegra 2 processor, a 1.3 megapixel webcam, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3G and up to 7 hours of battery life.
The presence of Flash support also gives Toshiba, and likely every other tech company preparing to churn out their own iteration of tablet technology, a leg up an Apple. Flash, which has become a staple of the web, has yet to see support from any of Apple’s mobile devices. No doubt many consumers will be drawn to the promise of virtually unrestricted web access promised by these new tablets. Also, word is that Toshiba is planning on unveiling its own app store, in addition to the already robust Android app store. If enough like what they see, Apple may need to step up their game, which could have terrific results for tech fanatics everywhere.
It might be that, even if Toshiba and other Android compatible machines find success, the entire tablet market will need to advance quickly, and by leaps and bounds, in the near future. As of now, many are questioning the usefulness of an iPad, or any tablet, for that matter. Some critics say that the tablet tries to fill a non-existent gap between mobile devices and laptops and desktop computers. Indeed, tablets are too big to be considered “mobile,” in the strictest sense of the word, any more than a laptop would be: neither are big enough to fit into a pocket. If a tablet owner is home, it is hard to argue that a tablet would be more useful than a laptop or desktop computer, both of which have larger screens and far more functionality.
The addition of USB ports is a good move toward making the tablet relevant for the long-term, after the novelty phase wears off; the Folio 100 could be a godsend for today’s business world, allowing for more mobility and quicker cooperation with fellow colleagues in the office. It is this short-distance mobility that must be taken advantage of, if the tablet is to continue as a successful retail product in the future.
by Chance on August 27, 2010
A few days ago, Cory Ledesma, creative director of THQ’s wrestling games, stirred up controversy by defending THQ’s decision to implement a one-time use code for online play in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011 with an indifferent, almost hostile, attitude toward the used game purchasers the move will largely affect. Ledesma stated that, “if used game buyers are upset they don’t get the online feature set I don’t really have much sympathy for them.” The rationale provided is that the developer receives no piece of the revenue generated by the sale of a used game to a consumer. Though it sounds harsh, Ledesma might actually have a point.
What Ledesma states is true. Strictly speaking, not a cent of the money exchanged between consumer and retailer during the purchase of a used game goes to the developer. It represents pure profit for the retailer. The question now becomes one that is much the same as the question of piracy’s effects on developers – if no tangible merchandise is lost, is it really cheating the developer? Technically, THQ is not losing a hard copy of the game without getting money in return, so in that sense, nothing is “stolen.” The cost to developers, rather, in both cases, is the loss of what would otherwise be a game sale. One purchased used game, or one pirated game, represents one consumer that should have been a paying customer, but instead has provided no revenue to the developer, and never will for that particular game. In a completely fair system, every gamer who owns a game would have provided the developer with revenue, but with used games, this is not the case. Us gamers need to remember that developers are businesses, and the purpose of business is to maximize profit in a fair and legal way, which is exactly what THQ is trying to do. Besides, used game buyers can still access online play in Smackdown vs. Raw 2011, for a fee that will actually go to THQ itself.
Though the point is valid, is THQ really addressing this in the best way? The consumer is ultimately the victim of these one-time use codes, but does the fault for the loss of revenue on the part of the developer to the used games market really lie with the consumer? Just as the business’ purpose is to maximize profit, the consumer’s purpose is to maximize utility of his or her expendable cash, which is exactly what consumers are doing when they buy used games cheaper than new games. In economic times like these, the everyday gamer can hardly be blamed for trying to save money by not paying a full $60 for every new game they want. Even if this approach is misguided for the consumer, which it clearly is not, the gamer who sells back his new game is not doing anything illegal or immoral. The game is his or her property and can be used in any way that is within the bounds of law, including resale. Granted, the developer is still cheated, because now there are two gamers that have derived value out of one new game sale, but the consumer does not seem to be doing anything wrong.
What developers like THQ need to realize is that their energies in this battle must be focused on the retailers that buy and sell used games. The used game retailer can be seen as a competitor to the developer, drawing away market share. Under this idea, a big problem arises. Retailers should not be competing with developers in any way; the game sold is not in any way the work of the retailer, thus the retailer has no right to use it to compete with the developer. If THQ wants to protect its interests (as it should), the fight must start with the retailer. Attacking the consumer, especially with such venomous words, certainly isn’t going to win any new customers, and if anything is going to drive some away. Used game buyers will still buy used games, the used game retailer will come out ahead, and the developer will be back to square one, if it’s lucky.
Yesterday, word got out that the latest in mouse technology from Microsoft is complete, and hitting stores in a few months. The Arc Touch Mouse looks to be very light and easy to use, with an impressive amount of customizable options. Best of all, it is perfect for people on the go, as it can be flattened to make packing easier.
