Show #96

[Download Show #96 as MP3]

News

• Spore Origins Available for your iPhone
  • 80MB DL, $10 price
  • Spore is broken into 5 parts, the cellular stage is the one on the phone

• RealNetworks to develop DVD Copier

• NBC Dumps Silverlight for Adobe Flash
  • Olympics done flawlessly online with Microsoft Silverlight
  • Dump Silverlight because Adobe has a larger install base
  • First broadcast of the NFL didn't work on new tech
• XBox 360 Price Cut
  • Comparison chart
  • Arcade (no Hard Drive, 256 MB storage) = $199
  • 60GB (hard drive, headset) = $299
  • Elite = (hard drive + HDMI + headset) = $399 (still no wi-fi chip on-board)

• Google to digitize millions of old Newpapers
  • Google making searchable millions of old newspapers
  • Digitizing will include news archives, photos, articles, headlines and even adverts
  • Ad Supported.
  • Initially will be available through Google News Archive and will expand over time
  • Image of Newspapers, not standard text
  • Current Partners are Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph, Proquest, and Heritage MicroFilm but plans to expand rapidly

• Are we moving toward cloud computing? (Discussion)
  • (Steven) Acts indifferent, then thinks about Internet and asks for explanation
  • (Derek - Explains succintly the concept of "cloud computing")
  • Centralized supercomputer or network storage
  • 75% of the US hooked to the Internet [Nielsen PDF]
  • Nicholas Carr: Rough Type - Oct 17th 2007
  • Apple makes cheap hardware (bring up other manu's not just apple)
    • No CD/DVD drive
    • No Hard Drive

• Google's machine, which is really a network of machines, offers
  • Amazing computing power
  • Redundancy - No loss of data [Article]
• The device:
  • Under $200
  • Green (low power processor / flash memory)
  • No charge for applications
  • Easy to update, completely automatic
  • No optical or magnetic hard drive = fewer moving parts = longer life
• The service:
• No charge for applications
• Server cost subsidized by Google with advertising

Tech Picks

• Firefox 3.1 = More Goodies
• Current version = 3.0.1
• Nightly Builds
• JavaScript 28% faster than Google's Chrome
• Schedule / Release Criteria
• Further develop this story
• Apple premium ear buds
  • Dual Drivers, $79

Gamer's Corner (Conferences, New Developments, Game Reviews)

• Spore PC Release
  
  • (Metareviews)
  • Cell Stage = Flow (float around and eat things)
  • Creature Stage (Sims + WoW Lite)
  • Tribal Stage (rhythm game + rts)
  • Civ Stage (civ lite)
  • Space Stage (Moo2 but not as good)
  • Passively shares creature, vehicle, and building creations
  • Behind the Making of Spore

• Warhammer Online Guide (esp. good for WoW Players)
  • 20 Classes
  • PvP, Slower Combat
    
• 5 Sites for ol-school gaming...in your browser