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Microsoft Unveils XBOX One Today – Impressions

Microsoft Unveils XBOX One Today – Impressions

Posted by on May 21, 2013 in Gaming, News | 0 comments

After a long period of speculation and mystery, Microsoft today finally unveiled their next generation XBOX gaming console, the XBOX One. At a press event over at Microsoft’s Redmond campus, Microsoft showcased the capabilities of XBOX One as well as having the actual system on display, something which Sony has yet to do with the Sony PlayStation 4.

EVENT RECAP

For much of the event, Microsoft focused on what the XBOX One will bring to the home entertainment experience. XBOX One features such as voice command recognition, integrated Skype support, seamless switching between games, multimedia, and live TV were demonstrated with ease.

As for the gaming experience, the graphics and processing hardware of the XBOX One brings a much needed upgrade. The XBOX One system is reminiscent of a black HTPC case. In regards to the specifications, they are very similar to the Sony PlayStation 4, as the XBOX One is equipped with a AMD octo-core x86-64 processor, 8 GB RAM, 500 GB HDD, blu-ray drive, WiFi-N, and USB 3.0 ports. Kinect for the XBOX One will utilize a 1080p camera, with greater sensory and voice recognition support. The controller itself is a minor update of the XBOX 360 controller, as it features a similar shape and button layout.

Representatives from Microsoft, EA, Activision-Blizzard showcased some of their upcoming games for the XBOX One, such as Forza 5, Quantum Break, Call of Duty: Ghosts and the next generation NFL/NBA/FIFA games. Graphics found in games like Quantum Break and Call of Duty: Ghosts were particularly impressive and were essentially on-par with the graphics found in high-end PC gaming these days.

IMPRESSIONS

With the XBOX One system unveiled and it’s capabilities & services showcased, my initial impressions is this: the XBOX One is a bona-fide all-in-one home entertainment setup. Rather than the XBOX One just being only for gaming, Microsoft is really pushing the XBOX One to be THE system that will provide the entire home entertainment experience.

While features like voice recognition and seamless gaming/media/TV transitions are certainly impressive, they aren’t exactly ground-breaking. Many of these features found in the XBOX One are features that HTPC gurus have seen before, via HTPC programs like XBMC, MediaPortal, etc. However, setting up an HTPC system hasn’t always been easy (especially for the mainstream), as it mostly required users to go through extensive configuration to get the HTPC system up and running optimially. The XBOX One changes that, bringing a full-blown HTPC system without having to jump through the hoops to get it up and running.

What I found to be the biggest announcement in terms of the live TV services offered is that the XBOX One will have direct access to NFL live streaming. This is huge, as the NFL in the past have largely restricted live streaming of games to cable & satellite providers, such as Comcast and DirectTV. With American football being extremely popular in the U.S., this will be a slam-dunk feature for much of the American audience. I’m not sure if Sony will have access to NFL live game streams, but if they aren’t able to provide this service, I can guarantee that many Americans will choose the XBOX One over the PS4 because of the NFL exclusive access.

Now for the hardware. I was generally unimpressed with the look of the XBOX One. As I noted previously, the XBOX One looks like a typical high-end HTPC case. I wasn’t too impressed with the upgraded Kinect sensor either, as it still seems to be more of an afterthought, rather than an essential component of the XBOX One. The controller is probably the most disappointing, as there were barely any improvements made from the XBOX 360 controller setup.

What was more interesting was what was inside the XBOX One. With the specs unveiled, they are very similar to the specs found in the PS4, with both systems utilizing an AMD octo-core processor, 8 GB RAM, and an x86-64 architecture. What this means is that since both systems will be running on the same architecture with similar specifications, game developers will have an easier time with developing games for both platforms. Along with the shared x86-64 architecture, this will also mean that game developers will be able to port games to the PC platform easier and faster. However, because of the switch to the x86-64 architecture and the amount of work involved with backwards compatibility, XBOX One will not be compatible with XBOX 360 games.

Overall, Microsoft has really thrown down the gauntlet with this event, fully showcasing what the XBOX One looks like and what it can bring forth for the next-generation HT and gaming experience. Between the XBOX One and the PS4, I don’t expect there to be much difference between the graphics capabilities of the two systems. Rather, the real battle will come down to the available game library and the services offered by the XBOX One and the PS4. The ball is now in Sony’s court, as their PS4 announcement back in February was fairly unimpressive. Sony really needs to respond quickly and really showcase the strengths of the PS4 and what it can provide over the XBOX One.

I suppose we will be bombarded with information about both systems at E3, coming up next month.

Sources:
Forbes – XBox Reveal Live Blog with Video Stream
Geek – Xbox One specs: 8GB RAM, 8-core AMD chip, 500GB hard drive Read More

Windows 8.1 “Blue” To Be Released as a Free Update for Windows 8 Users

Windows 8.1 “Blue” To Be Released as a Free Update for Windows 8 Users

Posted by on May 14, 2013 in News, Software | 0 comments

Microsoft announced today on their Windows blog that Windows 8.1 “Blue” will be a free update for current Windows 8 users:
Today at the JP Morgan Technology, Media & Telecom Conference in Boston, Tami Reller shared with the audience that the update previously referred to as “Windows Blue” will be called Windows 8.1and will be a free update to Windows 8 for consumers through the Windows Store.
Unlike Service Packs for previous versions of Windows, Windows 8.1 introduces a lot of visual and functional changes. The public preview for Windows 8.1 will be available on June 26, with an RTM release scheduled at a later date.

Source: Blogging Windows – Windows Keeps Getting Better
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Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time – Coming July 2013

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time – Coming July 2013

Posted by on May 7, 2013 in Gaming, News | 0 comments

It’s official… after four years, a sequel to the beloved Plants vs. Zombie game is finally coming out this summer, in July 2013! No screenshots of the game have been released yet, but PopCap put out an odd promotion on YouTube, which can be seen here:



PopCap will be releasing the sequel on several platforms, including the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS, PS Vita, Chrome, iOS, Android, Windows Phone, BlackBerry and Bada.

Source: Engadget – Plants vs. Zombies 2: It’s About Time Read More

Super Mario 64 Stages Re-Done in Minecraft

Super Mario 64 Stages Re-Done in Minecraft

Posted by on May 5, 2013 in Gaming, News | 0 comments

Ever since Minecraft came out, people have been making some impressive creations in Minecraft, such as a fully working 8-bit processor, to the 1:1 ratio Starship Enterprise from Star Trek. Now it appears that the maps of Super Mario 64 have been re-done in Minecraft, thanks to the folks over at /r/MinecraftMario on Reddit.

Princess Peach's castle, now in Minecraft style.

Princess Peach’s castle, now in Minecraft style.


It’s mind-boggling (and impressive) to consider the length of time and commitment it took to create these maps in Minecraft.

Source: Buzzfeed – You Will Not Believe This Full Mario 64 Built In Minecraft Read More

AMD Stocks Rise on Intel Buyout Rumor

AMD Stocks Rise on Intel Buyout Rumor

Posted by on May 1, 2013 in Hardware, News | 0 comments

Stocks on AMD rose significantly today, up 14% at $3.22, it’s largest increase since July 2011. The cause? Apparently, tech investors on Wall Street caught wind of rumors of a possible AMD buyout from rival Intel.

Over the years, most tech enthusiasts, including myself, usually wouldn’t even give such rumors a second thought. A purchase of AMD by Intel would most likely be blocked by the FTC, due to anti-trust laws; it would leave Intel in control over the entire desktop and server processor market without competition. While I still believe that such a purchase will not happen, several tech investors believe that anti-trust would no longer be an issue, as AMD’s ability to compete head-on with Intel has diminished significantly in the last seven years, as well as the desktop computing market increasingly losing steam to the mobile computing market, where ARM processors currently dominate.

However, if a purchase of AMD by Intel does occur without being blocked by the FTC, there would be several consequences, of which I list below:

1.) Higher processor prices. Without competition from AMD, Intel would be free to set any price on their desktop and server processors.
2.) Innovation slowing down. Without competition from AMD, Intel may decide to slow down processor innovations. A perfect example is the computer audio market, in which computer audio technology stagnated for a significant amount of time, after Creative bought out it’s main and only rival, Aureal.
3.) Delays in the release of new processors. Without competition from AMD, Intel may decide to delay the release of new processors, as it would not be pressured into obsoleting it’s own products too quickly.
4.) Drop in competition in the GPU market. A purchase of AMD would also mean acquiring AMD’s entire graphics division. While it’s possible that Intel could continue AMD’s pursuit of the mid and high-end GPU market, it could put nVIDIA into a difficult situation, depending on how Intel approaches the GPU market. Either way, it would leave the GPU desktop/laptop/server market with two major GPU manufacturers, instead of three.

For these reasons, I would be very much opposed to a AMD buyout by Intel as it would essentially hurt us consumers in the end.

While a purchase by Intel is unlikely, there is still a possibility that AMD may be acquired by someone else, as AMD continues to struggle with cash flow issues. However, any purchase of AMD from another entity would have to be dealt with carefully, as it would mean that AMD would lose it’s x86 license and the license is not transferable (as per Intel-AMD’s x86 cross-licensing agreement).

Sources:
The Wall Street Journal – Chart of the Day: AMD Shares Spike
MarketWatch – AMD surges as Intel, XBox talk surfaces: report

 




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Google I/O 2013 to Introduce 4.3 Jelly Bean, Not 5.0 Key Lime Pie

Google I/O 2013 to Introduce 4.3 Jelly Bean, Not 5.0 Key Lime Pie

Posted by on Apr 30, 2013 in Mobile, News | 0 comments

Several Android news sources are reporting that Google will be delaying Android 5.0 – Key Lime Pie and will be introducing Android 4.3 – Jelly Bean instead, further extending the legacy of the candy-namesake OS.

Despite being titled Jelly Bean and listed as a minor update, it will still be interesting to see what new features Android 4.3 will be bringing to the Android scene, as we still saw some interesting “minor” updates in 4.2.

Sources:
Android Police – Google Is Working On And Testing Android 4.3 – It’s Still Jelly Bean
Android Geeks – Google I/O 2013 to Bring Android 4.3 Jelly Bean Instead of Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie?
CNet UK – Android Key Lime Pie may be delayed with 4.3 Jelly Bean next Read More

Twin Cities Code Camp 14 Overview

Posted by on Apr 27, 2013 in General, News, Software | 0 comments

On Saturday, I went to the Twin Cities Code Camp 14 event over at the University of Minnesota. As with previous TCCC events, the event started off early in the morning at 8:15 AM, with continental breakfast provided by Thomson-Reuters, followed with a welcoming session after at 8:45 AM. However, as I was running a bit late, I was unable to make it for breakfast and the welcoming session.

After quickly checking in, the first session I decided to attend was about Meteor, a JavaScript framework that’s rapidly becoming popular among web developers these days.

9:00 – 10:15 AM: Introducing Meteor: A Reactive App Framework
Speaker: Tim Heckel
Description:
Meteor is a full-stack app framework from the future. It breaks lots of rules and puts the developer experience at the center, promising unparalleled development speed. Bursting onto the scene in April of 2012 with an highly popular Hacker News launch, Meteor has since been maturing at a fast clip, as the core team works hard to vet the framework through lots of community feedback and real-world adoption. Join us to get the lowdown on what Meteor is, what it isn’t, and whether it lives up to the hype.
The speaker for the Introduction to Meteor session was Tim Heckel, who is the captain of the Meteor Minneapolis chapter. He essentially introduced the Meteor framework, what it is capable of, and where it’s biggest strengths are. Heckel emphasized that with the Meteor framework, it allows web developers much more freedom and flexibility, without being bound to the typical restrictions of JS. After describing Meteor in general, he then spent the rest of the session going through the usage of Meteor in example web applications.

10:30 – 11:45 AM: Dipping Your Toes Into Mobile: The Low-Hanging Fruit
Speaker: Vince Bullinger
Description:
Mobile development used to be a niche development platform. Many of us shied away from it due to unfamiliarity, lack of computing power, diversity of development environments for different devices or because we scoffed at its insignificance. Those of us who did are now behind the times. Mobile browsing will be the PRIMARY browsing environment in the next couple of years and just about everybody has a smart phone and/or tablet. The revolution is here and you must adapt. For the developer that’s been reluctant to make the switch, we’ll be going over the low-hanging fruit that’s been developed in the last few years by people sharing your concerns that will help you ease into the mobile development world including PhoneGap, jQuery Mobile, mobile websites and responsive web design.
The next session I attended was “Dipping Your Toes Into Mobile: The Low-Hanging Fruit”, hosted by Vince Bullinger, a long-time regular speaker at the Twin Cities Code Camp events. As I am currently transitioning into web & mobile application development, I felt that this session would be worth attending.

Vince kicked off the session by making a brief overview of how mobile platforms have evolved over the past decade and where we’re at now. He then pointed out several priorities that developers should focus on when developing web mobile applications, such as device type, resolution, hardware access, as well as UI. Vince described three different approaches that one could choose when implementing these changes for the modern mobile era:

  • Creating a separate website for mobile devices that is independent of an existing website designed for traditional computer platforms.
  • Design/modify a website that is user-friendly for both desktop and mobile platforms.
  • Incorporate a web-responsive based website that adjusts the content of the website, based on the target device and resolution.
Out of the three approaches, the third option of using a web-responsive design was highly recommended by Vince, especially if a website were to be remade from scratch. Afterwords, Vince went through several different examples of using JS libraries (such as jQuery) to transform existing sites to be web responsive.

11:45 – 12:45 PM: Lunch

After the session, I proceeded to have lunch over at Campus Pizza, where the Nerdery was hosting a free pizza party to TCCC attendees.

12:45 – 2:00 PM: Web Browser === Synthesizer
Speaker: Mike Hodnick
Description:
Build extraordinary audio applications in JavaScript with audiolib.js. In this session you’ll learn how to turn your web browser into a mind-bending, cat-annoying, audio-producing machine. Leave your HTML <audio> elements at home kids – in this presentation we look at the API’s that make digital audio synthesis possible with JavaScript. Specifically, we will dive in to audiolib.js – an open source JavaScript library that wraps browser-specific API’s. We’ll discover basics such as oscillators, LFO’s, samplers, and using effects like reverb and delay. We’ll also dig in to more complex topics such as envelopes, custom synth instruments, custom effects, and building a sequencer in your browser.
After a good, hearty pizza lunch over at the Campus Pizza, I decided to go to the “Web Browser === Synthesizer” session by Mike Hodnick. This session was about using audiolib.js, a JS audio library developed by Jussi Kalliokoski that provides a simple, yet effective way to add in sound functionality with JavaScript.

Mike began the session by discussing what audiolib.js is and what it can do for web developers. He then went over several sound effect terminologies (i.e. bit sample rate, channels, sine waves, etc.) and discussed how each of these effects can be applied via JS through audiolib.js. For the rest of the session, Mike provided several interesting web audio examples created with audiolib.js, including a reproduction of the original Super Mario Bros. theme song, as well as a funky “DJ Llama” song that Mike had created.

2:15 – 3:30 PM: C# From Abstract to Yield: How Well do You Really Know C#?
Speaker: Keith Dahlby
Description:
With each successive version, C# has added more and more keywords to do new and (mostly) exciting things. Before you can use them, you need to know they exist. From flagship language features like async and LINQ, to the subtleties of co- and contravariant generic type parameters, we’ll discuss every language keyword/operator and provide some context for when you might see it in the wild or want to use it yourself.
The next session that I went to next was about C# abstractions and was hosted by Keith Dahlby, another long-time regular speaker at past TCCC events. This session was a particularly popular one with TCCC attendees, as the room was packed, with all seats filled! Keith, being extremely diligent, jumped directly into the code, going over both common and uncommon C# abstractions, as well as providing examples of how to utilize them effectively.

 3:45 – 5:00 PM: Responsive Web Design with jQuery Mobile
Speaker: Brad Broulik
Description:
No hoax, you can actually use jQuery Mobile to build responsive web designs for desktop, mobile, and every device in between. In this session we will review each new feature in jQuery Mobile 1.3 including responsive tables, responsive grids, sliding panels, and more. In addition, you’ll also see several new demos that I’ll be contributing to jQuery Mobile’s Demo site. Lastly, we’ll discuss performance strategies, remote debugging techniques, and client-side MVC integration advantages.
For the final session of the day, I attended “Responsive Web Design with jQuery Mobile”, hosted by Brad Broulik. Brad began the session by introducing discussing about responsive web design and how it can be implemented through use of jQuery. For the rest of the session, Brad went through live examples (such as a film summary page) and actively modified them using JS & jQuery to make them conducive for phone and tablet platforms.

5:15 – 5:30 PM: Prize Giveaways & Conclusion

At the end of the event, the TCCC staff thanked all the attendees for making it out to TCCC14. They announced that over 400 people had registered for the event, making this TCCC the highest attended TCCC event ever! They also announced that the next TCCC event will be in October, with a specific date being announced at a later time. They then began to give out prizes to the audience, which included items such as t-shirts, books, a Xbox360 set, a 37″ LCD TV, a pair of Bose headphones, etc.

Thanks to the TCCC staff and the speakers for making the TCCC14 event possible! I will be posting the recordings of the sessions I attended from TCCC14 at a later date. Read More

Twin Cities Code Camp Spring 2013 Tomorrow!

Posted by on Apr 26, 2013 in General, News, Software | 0 comments

Just a reminder for those that were interested, the next Twin Cities Code Camp event is tomorrow! The event will be held on the University of Minnesota East Bank campus over at Keller Hall.  The event is free to attend, but you must register for the event and to be eligible for the prize drawings at the end of the event.

There will be a wide range of discussion sessions at tomorrow’s TCCC, covering topics from .NET, JavaScript, API designs, programming practices, etc. The schedule for tomorrow can be found here: TCCC – Spring 2013 Schedule

I will be at the TCCC tomorrow and will be covering several of the sessions. Read More

Ubuntu 13.04 “Raring Ringtail” Now Available

Ubuntu 13.04 “Raring Ringtail” Now Available

Posted by on Apr 25, 2013 in News, Software | 0 comments

For those that were waiting the next version of Ubuntu, the wait is now over, as Canonical released Ubuntu 13.04 “Raring Ringtail” today. You can download the 32-bit and 64-bit versions over at the official Ubuntu website.

While hardcore Linux users will likely continue to avoid Ubuntu for being too proprietary and simplified, the new features found in Raring Ringtail continue Canonical’s goal of making Linux more mainstream and unifying the desktop and mobile platforms. ZDnet has already posted an in-depth review of Raring Ringtail, which can be found here: ZDnet – Ubuntu 13.04 (Raring Ringtail) Review Read More

Microsoft Bringing Back the Start Button with Windows 8.1 Update

Microsoft Bringing Back the Start Button with Windows 8.1 Update

Posted by on Apr 23, 2013 in News, Software | 0 comments

With the unpopularity of Windows 8, sluggish PC sales, in addition with complaints from PC manufacturers, it appears that Microsoft will be bringing back the Start Button with the upcoming Windows 8.1 “Blue” update, according to the Verge:
Microsoft is preparing to revive the traditional Start button it killed with Windows 8. Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans have revealed to The Verge that Windows 8.1 will include the return of the Start button. We understand that the button will act as a method to simply access the Start Screen, and will not include the traditional Start Menu. The button is said to look near-identical to the existing Windows flag used in the Charm bar.
Although the Start Button will be brought back, the Start Menu will not be coming back, as the button will bring up the Start Screen instead. In addition, an option to boot directly to the desktop (a feature already available in Windows Server 2012) may be added as well.

While it is amusing to see that Microsoft is reversing it’s decision on implementing a Start Button for Windows 8, the lack of a traditional Start Menu will continue to disappoint users that are using Windows 8 on a PC that lacks touch control. It looks like third party Windows 8 Start Menu replacements such as Start8 and ClassicShell will continue to be the best solution for the time-being.

Source: The Verge – Windows 8.1 Set to Bring Back the Start Button Read More