At E3, game-console makers show off streaming-video features – latimes.com

When Chris and Rebecca Rider sit down to watch a romantic movie together, they don’t pop in a DVD or turn on the DVR. They fire up their video game console.

Once kept in rec rooms for a family’s gamers, Microsoft Corp.‘s Xbox 360, Sony Corp.‘s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Co.‘s Wii are increasingly being used by people who have no interest in helping Mario save the princess or the “Call of Duty” soldiers win the war.

The 31-year-old Chris Rider began playing video games on his family’s Atari in the early 1980s. He stood in line all night in 2005 to buy an Xbox 360 the day it went on sale.

But he knew things had changed in 2009 when he sent his wife a text message at 2 a.m. and discovered she was up using the Xbox to stream episodes of the Scott Bakula drama “Quantum Leap” via Netflix.

Now the Harbor City couple watch so many movies and television shows through their game console that Rider has considered canceling their DirecTV subscription.

“Since I’m a gamer, I’m always going to need a console,” he said. “So why bother with anything else if I don’t have to?”

As nearly 50,000 industry professionals gather in downtown Los Angeles this week for the annual E3 video game conference, players like Rider are front and center in their minds. Instead of focusing just on hot new titles like “Halo 4” and “God of War: Ascension,” companies are also showing off applications that turn their game consoles into media machines.

Video game consoles are now the most common means through which people watch content from the Internet on a television set, according to a recent study by Leichtman Research Group. Microsoft recently reported that Xbox 360 owners spend more time online watching video and listening to music than playing games.

via At E3, game-console makers show off streaming-video features – latimes.com.

Strange Random Technology Quote:

“Technology, of course, is not the only distraction.” – Jacqueline Glassman

Related articles

• Wii U, mobile games will be headliners at 2012 E3 expo (usatoday.com)
• Valve’s “Steam Box” console could revolutionize the PC gaming industry — and beyond (zdnet.com)
• China Is Set To Launch Gaming Console — Will Set You Back $600 (g4tv.com)
• Nintendo Wii U Game Console Less Likely To Get a Name Change (devicemag.com)
• The Xbox console will soon be free (betanews.com)
• What to expect from Microsoft at E3 2012 (reviews.cnet.com)
• Nintendo scoops its own E3 press conference, announces new details of WiiU console (business.financialpost.com)
• Rumourmodo: Microsoft Wants To Stream Console Games To Phones (gizmodo.com.au)
• Why Next-Gen Gaming Consoles Will Let You Play Used Games (slashgear.com)

Kindle vs Nook – Technology and Science News – ABC News

Kindle vs. Nook: Battle of $99 E-Readers. Which $99 touchscreen e-reader is the best?

Vodpod videos no longer available.

Technology and Science News – ABC News, posted with vodpod

Strange Random Reading Quote:

My test of a good novel is dreading to begin the last chapter. – Thomas Helm

Related articles

• Target to drop the Kindle, continue selling the Nook (intomobile.com)
• Dylan’s Desk: It would take a miracle for the Nook to win now (venturebeat.com)
• Barnes & Noble clears up confusion, says no Windows 8 on Nooks anytime soon (pocketables.net)
• Microsoft, take my Nook, please! (news.cnet.com)
• Kindle Update (thebigquestions.com)
• Target Dumps Kindle Devices (TGT, AMZN, AAPL, BKS, MSFT, GOOG) (247wallst.com)
• Nook vs. Kindle: Which Reigns King? (abcnews.go.com)
• B&N discounts the Nook Simple Touch and Nook Color (technologytell.com)
• Barnes & Noble plans instore NFC Nook-book bonk-buying (go.theregister.com)

World’s biggest tech show searching for wow | Reuters

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

Reuters – The world’s biggest technology trade show will feature razor-thin laptops, powerful new smartphones and fancy flat-screen TVs, but talk in the cavernous halls of the Consumer Electronics Show, which kicks off on Monday night, may focus on whether the show itself has a long-term future.

Apple Inc, which has set the agenda in consumer electronics for the past decade, does not even attend the show. Microsoft Corp, desperately trying to catch up, is making this show its last. It has been a few years since Las Vegas-based CES had the “wow” factor.

“There’s a lot of hype. The promise exceeds the deliverable a lot,” said Todd Lowenstein, portfolio manager at HighMark Capital Management, which owns several technology stocks. “I take an interest in it only to the extent that there’s market-moving information that comes out of there, which I find is rare.”

Steve Jobs‘ stylish and dramatic product launches came to dominate the popular tech world, and rivals are looking to copy that outside of the hubbub and razzmatazz of CES in Las Vegas.

“A lot of companies are trying to imitate Apple’s success in a lot of areas, and one area where Apple has been extremely successful is in controlling its message by controlling the event and the timetable of its announcements,” said Avi Greengart, research director for consumer devices at Current Analysis, a business intelligence firm.

Microsoft, which is trying to win back its technology crown from Apple and newcomer Google Inc, has long said that CES in early January does not fit its product release timetable, meaning it has little new to share in the opening keynote, which has for years been given by Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, and before him by co-founder Bill Gates.

via World’s biggest tech show searching for wow | Reuters.

Strange Random Technology Quote:

The production of too many useful things results in too many useless people.- Karl Marx

Related articles

• CES Losing Out to Messaging Control (portfolio.com)
• CES-PREVIEW-World’s biggest tech show searching for ‘wow’ – Fox Business (foxbusiness.com)
• Show loses mojo as Apple rivals look beyond Vegas razzmatazz – Irish Times (irishtimes.com)
• World’s biggest tech show looks for “wow” – Times of India (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
• CES 2012: Microsoft prepares for final bow, embraces new future (business.financialpost.com)
• CES: Consumer Electronics Show Has 2012’s Hot Tech Trends – ABC News (abcnews.go.com)
• CES 2012: Sneak peek and predictions (ibnlive.in.com)
• Why Apple Will Dominate CES (cultofmac.com)
• Get Your Geek On (adweek.com)

Steve Jobs adresses MacWorld – Boston 1997

Here we see Steve Jobs & the almost bankrupt at the time Apple Computer making a temporary deal with Bill Gates & Microsoft. The crowd was not too happy about it.

Strange Random Deal Quote:

I have found no greater satisfaction than achieving success through honest dealing and strict adherence to the view that, for you to gain, those you deal with should gain as well. – Alan Greenspan

 

Related articles

• Everyone has a Steve Jobs Story: Here’s Mine (jimayson.wordpress.com)
• Steve Jobs Commencement Adress (blackrockstar.wordpress.com)
• Best of the Steve Jobs and Bill Gates Meme (techeblog.com)
• Video: Tribute to Steve Jobs (insidehpc.com)
• Unanswered Steve Jobs questions (cringely.com)
• Remembering Steve Jobs – msnbc.com (news.google.com)
• Steve’s jobs are done (soundaryalahari.wordpress.com)
• Honoring Steve Jobs ! (cheesytech.wordpress.com)

Microsoft Touch Mouse

Presentation of the new touch-sensitive mouse by Microsoft, especially designed for Windows 7.

Nothing at all to do with the Mac equivalent that has been on the market for some time now, the Magic Mouse. Two different products. Completely.

You be the judge …

Strange Random Mouse Quote:

“The mice think they are right, but my cat eats them anyways.” “This is the point, reality is nothing, perception is everything.” – Terry Goodkind

Related articles

• Microsoft Touch Mouse US Review: Not Quite Magic (gizmodo.com.au)
• Incredible Computer Mouse Designs (techebook.wordpress.com)
• Microsoft Touch Mouse Lightning Review: It’s Not Magic [Mice] (gizmodo.com)
• Microsoft introduces Explorer Touch, a Lion-compatible mouse (tuaw.com)
• Windows 8: Tips and Tricks for mouse/keyboard users (winrumors.com)
• Hands-on review: Microsoft Touch Mouse (zdnet.com)
• Review: Microsoft’s Touch Mouse And Explorer Touch Mouse (techcrunch.com)