http://kotaku.com/5644901/piracy-prevents-super-street-fighter-iv-pc
Street Fighter IV, a popular game for the PS3 came out for the PC and was a strong seller. The problem was it was also a top pirated title. Because of this, Super Street Fighter IV will not have a PC version.
"when piracy is so high that certain areas would consider Super Street Fighter IV a "free" game, Ono says the protection of the intellectual property comes first."
Thursday, September 23, 2010
3D printers
http://spectrum.ieee.org/robotics/diy/3d-printers-proliferate
I have yet to try one but apparently there is one up in SFU! It would certainly make prototyping a lot easier ^_^ That and... 3D printers are just plain cool
I have yet to try one but apparently there is one up in SFU! It would certainly make prototyping a lot easier ^_^ That and... 3D printers are just plain cool
Google Transparency
Google Transparency seeks to show the number of requests received by countries to block certain content Google's services.
http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/governmentrequests/
It's concerning that they don't publish data re: China. Apparently it's because "providing such information is illegal under Chinese law. Publishing it also could endanger Google employees in China, she said."
Is it ethical of countries to withhold certain information form their people?
http://www.google.com/transparencyreport/governmentrequests/
It's concerning that they don't publish data re: China. Apparently it's because "providing such information is illegal under Chinese law. Publishing it also could endanger Google employees in China, she said."
Is it ethical of countries to withhold certain information form their people?
Product Requirements - from customers or from the company?
I came across this article which describes why Google Wave failed http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/04/technology/google_wave_rip/index.htm
One line that struck me:
"But users struggled to wrap their heads around Wave's array of power tools. "We're still not entirely certain what Google Wave is for -- or even if humans are capable of comprehending it," Engadget commented five months after the launch."
Did Google know what Wave would look like? Was it just some crazy idea they wanted to push forward and see if it would do well in the market?
Something that's always been emphasized in class is listening to customer requirements and needs inorder to create a product that would be successful in the market. In some companies, we would go out and hold group interviews with clients to get a feel of what they want in the next version of the product.
But something innovative like the iPhone wasn't based on user requirements and specs. It's just Steve Jobs being creative. It's an example of a product doing very well in the market but not strictly following the process of gathering requirements and following up with clients. Sometimes clients don't even know what they want. As a user of a mobile phone, I like my smart phone and I have some issues with how some of the features work on my BlackBerry, but I may not necessarily think of the most creative feature or revolutionary new phone.
How do you create a product that you think will be successful? How do you know whether you should collect customer comments and follow closely to customer requirements or go totally off track with crazy ideas and do your own thing? I think there's a time and a place for both. Improvements to a product are definitely aided greatly by customer and client feedback. But in terms of innovation, since the world doesn't know what they want at times, I think it's the company's R&D dpt's responsibility to brainstorm crazy ideas.
There also comes a problem of whether any team in the company would be allowed to brainstorm crazy ideas. Even if they do, where would these new ideas go to? Would they ever be executed? Company organization and processes are important but sometimes I think they get so bogged down with these processes that creativity isn't encouraged and employees easily slump into the habit of doing the same old same old.
One line that struck me:
"But users struggled to wrap their heads around Wave's array of power tools. "We're still not entirely certain what Google Wave is for -- or even if humans are capable of comprehending it," Engadget commented five months after the launch."
Did Google know what Wave would look like? Was it just some crazy idea they wanted to push forward and see if it would do well in the market?
Something that's always been emphasized in class is listening to customer requirements and needs inorder to create a product that would be successful in the market. In some companies, we would go out and hold group interviews with clients to get a feel of what they want in the next version of the product.
But something innovative like the iPhone wasn't based on user requirements and specs. It's just Steve Jobs being creative. It's an example of a product doing very well in the market but not strictly following the process of gathering requirements and following up with clients. Sometimes clients don't even know what they want. As a user of a mobile phone, I like my smart phone and I have some issues with how some of the features work on my BlackBerry, but I may not necessarily think of the most creative feature or revolutionary new phone.
How do you create a product that you think will be successful? How do you know whether you should collect customer comments and follow closely to customer requirements or go totally off track with crazy ideas and do your own thing? I think there's a time and a place for both. Improvements to a product are definitely aided greatly by customer and client feedback. But in terms of innovation, since the world doesn't know what they want at times, I think it's the company's R&D dpt's responsibility to brainstorm crazy ideas.
There also comes a problem of whether any team in the company would be allowed to brainstorm crazy ideas. Even if they do, where would these new ideas go to? Would they ever be executed? Company organization and processes are important but sometimes I think they get so bogged down with these processes that creativity isn't encouraged and employees easily slump into the habit of doing the same old same old.
FB hiding game feeds
I still find game feeds really annoying... although I have to admit I used to play restaurant city. I should probably delete my account, since I still get posts on my wall once someone has 'cleaned' up my restaurant. :S
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/22/mashable.facebook.games/index.html
"If Facebook decides you are interested in games, it will be displaying full game stories (instead of collapsed ones) in the News Feed, as well as adding prominent counts to those stories to highlight tasks that need to be completed within a game."
I wonder how FB decides whether you're interested in games or not. Allowing a game application to have access to your profile doesn't mean you're interested in games.
"From the users' perspective, these are welcome changes, especially for non-gamers who won't be pestered by constant game-related notifications. From the game developers' end, it remains to be seen whether these improvements will alleviate the fact that gaming-related notifications will now be less aggressive than before."
This is sort of related to the reading I did for my ethics class today - spamming game posts to users' friends is annoying to a lot of people who don't play FB games but it's done to attract FB users to play the games. While it's annoying as hell I have to admit that I did check out FarmVille because one of my friends news feed solely comprised of FarmVille posts and I was curious what the fuss was all about. Needless to say... I unauthorized it within 15 minutes of exploring the game lol. I rather go on Kongregate for flash games. It's funny to note that hardly anyone really plays console games anymore but ADD on flash games online or mobile games.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/09/22/mashable.facebook.games/index.html
"If Facebook decides you are interested in games, it will be displaying full game stories (instead of collapsed ones) in the News Feed, as well as adding prominent counts to those stories to highlight tasks that need to be completed within a game."
I wonder how FB decides whether you're interested in games or not. Allowing a game application to have access to your profile doesn't mean you're interested in games.
"From the users' perspective, these are welcome changes, especially for non-gamers who won't be pestered by constant game-related notifications. From the game developers' end, it remains to be seen whether these improvements will alleviate the fact that gaming-related notifications will now be less aggressive than before."
This is sort of related to the reading I did for my ethics class today - spamming game posts to users' friends is annoying to a lot of people who don't play FB games but it's done to attract FB users to play the games. While it's annoying as hell I have to admit that I did check out FarmVille because one of my friends news feed solely comprised of FarmVille posts and I was curious what the fuss was all about. Needless to say... I unauthorized it within 15 minutes of exploring the game lol. I rather go on Kongregate for flash games. It's funny to note that hardly anyone really plays console games anymore but ADD on flash games online or mobile games.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Watch out mobile world... Introducing the Facebook Phone?!
"Whether the rest of the world would be proud carrying a Facebook phone is another matter entirely"
http://gizmodo.com/5641977/a-facebook-phone
http://gizmodo.com/5641977/a-facebook-phone
Ladies, forget online shopping and hit those shopping malls!
Good news for shoppaholics out there ;)
Here's an interesting read that shopping online can increase carbon emissions.
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/press.release/item/working-from-home-and-online-shopping-can-increase-carbon-emissions
Personally, I've not shopped online much...I loooove shopping in the mall/out on the streets anyway b/c it feels like an accomplishment after purchasing something (I can be pretty picky).Good times in Times Square in NYC this summer... =)
Here's an interesting read that shopping online can increase carbon emissions.
http://www.ncl.ac.uk/press.office/press.release/item/working-from-home-and-online-shopping-can-increase-carbon-emissions
Personally, I've not shopped online much...I loooove shopping in the mall/out on the streets anyway b/c it feels like an accomplishment after purchasing something (I can be pretty picky).Good times in Times Square in NYC this summer... =)
Why are so many Terrorists Engineers?
"The engineer mind-set... might be a mix of emotional conservatism and intellectual habits that prefers clear answers to ambiguous questions — “the combination of a sharp mind with a loyal acceptance of authority.” Do people become engineers because they are this way? Or does engineering work shape them? It’s probably a feedback loop of both, Gambetta says."
A *really* interesting and bold statement. Definitely would be an interesting study to do though... studying the ways engineers process their thoughts, and studying the ways different engineering departments worldwide teach their students.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/magazine/12FOB-IdeaLab-t.html?_r=1
A *really* interesting and bold statement. Definitely would be an interesting study to do though... studying the ways engineers process their thoughts, and studying the ways different engineering departments worldwide teach their students.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/12/magazine/12FOB-IdeaLab-t.html?_r=1
Craigslist Controversy Continues: Adult Services
Interesting read...and another controversial example of how new technology can be misused.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/craigslist-controversy-continues-adult-services-offered-easy-reach/story?id=11648004
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/craigslist-controversy-continues-adult-services-offered-easy-reach/story?id=11648004
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Google Engineer violates policies by accessesing user accounts
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/09/15/google.privacy.firing/index.html
Sometimes I'm worried about this too. I used to work for a mobile company and we had to run some SQL queries to test that the data on the website matches the data in the database. All of the mobile company's personal data (name, address, phone) was readily accessible by all testers.
Sometimes I'm worried about this too. I used to work for a mobile company and we had to run some SQL queries to test that the data on the website matches the data in the database. All of the mobile company's personal data (name, address, phone) was readily accessible by all testers.
Dogs are tweeting!
omfg...sometimes I wonder if I can participate in board meetings to make product decisions like this... because it would involve alcohol at some point.
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/09/15/eod.tuchman.puppy.tweet.cnn
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/09/15/eod.tuchman.puppy.tweet.cnn
Put on a Glove, be a piano pro
...well almost. You choose the song you want to play, put on a glove and play based on the vibrations from the fingers. I wonder if something similar could be done with the guitar...
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/09/15/nr.big.i.music.touch.cnn
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/tech/2010/09/15/nr.big.i.music.touch.cnn
Misuse of Social Networking sites
With the abuse of drugs/Facebook, this could happen anytime/anywhere:
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/103595--students-disgusted-with-gang-rape-case
"Police say photos of the victim being gang raped may remain in cyberspace forever. Police are working with Facebook to have all photos removed, but they admit it'll be a huge challenge."
"…photographs of the rape and comments about victim being a willing participant continue to spread via Facebook. Some of the photographs have been shown to students in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows who are as young as 13. "They are spreading like wildfire," said Hyland. "Make no mistake, this girl was raped, likely drugged and abused by numerous people. The posting and viewing of the photos is continuing to victimize this young girl and her family and needs to stop."…"
http://www.news1130.com/news/local/article/103595--students-disgusted-with-gang-rape-case
"Police say photos of the victim being gang raped may remain in cyberspace forever. Police are working with Facebook to have all photos removed, but they admit it'll be a huge challenge."
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