Steve Anderson
The Video Store Guy
| The video game industry has gone from a mole hill to a mountain in no time flat, Chris DiMarco is your Sherpa as you endeavor to scale Mount “Everquest”
CloudTC and N-Able Acquired
"Australian-owned IP PBX systems company, Vixtel, has completed the acquisition of Silicon Valley based glass phone developer, CloudTC, for an undisclosed figure,"...
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ProfitBricks: Where InfiniBand Meets Cloud 2.0
In a recent meeting with William Toll and Pete Johnson of ProfitBricks, the pair were ecstatic to explain how their company has...
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Proactive Care Puts Operators One Step Ahead
By Thomas Fuerst, Senior Director, Multimedia Solutions MarketingAlcatel-Lucent
Monitoring and analyzing network data proactively saves operators time, money, and customers.
When a network service fails, it makes headlines, ticks off customers, and costs that network operator money. When a failure is headed off in advance, on the other hand, there might not be praise-laden headlines, but it's newsworthy nonetheless.
The traditional approach to customer care has typically been: a disgruntled customer calls customer service and complains of a service interruption or problem; the rep, learning of it for the first time, sends out a technician the next day, and eventually finds a resolution. Often, customers are left feeling put out, and the operator has spent significant time and money resolving the problem. Even worse is the customer who doesn’t call and just feels this is ‘typical’ of their network experience. That is a customer at risk of leaving.
Proactive care flips this dynamic on its head by using predictive analytics to identify potential outages or errors in the network and stop them before they occur. It consists of three main parts: one, constantly monitoring and measuring data on the network; two, real-time analysis of the data; and three, the most important, acting on that analysis to fix the problem.
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10 Lessons from Volleyball
I've played volleyball for over 25 years. I have traveled around the US to watch the pros live - both indoor...
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Emerging Threats Combats a Million Plus Pieces of New Malware a Week
There are 250,000 plus new pieces of malware being produced each day equating to one piece per person in the US in...
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NFV-Based Software Telcos Need OSS/BSS Interoperability
One of the goals of ETSI NFV is to allow new entrants to provide solutions to carriers based on software instead of...
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SysAid's Lifshitz: The Cloud Will Dominate ITSM Market
Cloud computing has really become a household word with mainstream media outlets running stories on television about the growth in the space...
Full Story »How The Newest Console Wars Shape Up
May 22, 2013
Now that all the pieces of the next generation console wars are in place, I figured it would be a good time to take a look at the overall market and make for a comparison of the various players in the field. Each one has some distinct advantages, as well as some fairly substantial challenges, which is going to make this particular go-round of the console wars especially interesting.
Of course, we need to consider the Wii U, as it's Nintendo's entry in the field. Though significantly behind its competitors in terms of overall technical capability--some were comparing its graphic output to that of the xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3--but it's also got its own line of very recognizable characters and a highly unusual control scheme. It's also got about a year's head start on the rest of the competition--especially since the Sony and Microsoft systems likely won't hit stores much ahead of the holiday shopping season, but it hasn't made a lot of headway with that year thanks to some issues in terms of getting the games to market.
The PlayStation 4, meanwhile, seems to have at least somewhat learned from previous issues.
Of course, we need to consider the Wii U, as it's Nintendo's entry in the field. Though significantly behind its competitors in terms of overall technical capability--some were comparing its graphic output to that of the xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3--but it's also got its own line of very recognizable characters and a highly unusual control scheme. It's also got about a year's head start on the rest of the competition--especially since the Sony and Microsoft systems likely won't hit stores much ahead of the holiday shopping season, but it hasn't made a lot of headway with that year thanks to some issues in terms of getting the games to market.
The PlayStation 4, meanwhile, seems to have at least somewhat learned from previous issues.
The Xbox One: What It Means For Gaming
May 21, 2013
And so, that was it. A whole bunch of sound and fury later and now, we have the last player in this the newest round of the grand console wars. The Xbox One has made its appearance, and it's time to take a closer look at just what this new console means for gaming as a whole.
Indeed, Microsoft's new console got many of the expected new features. The updated Kinect is in appearance as many expected.
Indeed, Microsoft's new console got many of the expected new features. The updated Kinect is in appearance as many expected.
Twas The Night Before Microsoft's Big Debut
May 20, 2013
There are only a few hours left until the big event, where the console wars are joined in earnest by the newest launch from Microsoft. But what will show up at tomorrow's event? What won't? I know there are some things I'd like to see, so with only a good night's sleep and then some ahead of the big event, I took a little time to run down my wish list.
Easily one of the first things I want to see in the next Xbox, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan: "Mr. Ballmer, tear down this paywall!".
Easily one of the first things I want to see in the next Xbox, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan: "Mr. Ballmer, tear down this paywall!".
New Word About EA's Star Wars Plans
May 16, 2013
Just yesterday there was some exciting news emerging that DICE L.A, an offshoot of DICE Sweden, would be focusing completely on Star Wars games as part of the new license between EA and Disney. As it turned out, that wasn't to be the case, and the resulting news is enough to make one wonder just where EA's going with this license.
EA's PR director, Pete Nguyen, offered up a bit of clarification, saying that DICE L.A. was a branch of DICE Sweden, and both companies are working on the same project. That same project?
EA's PR director, Pete Nguyen, offered up a bit of clarification, saying that DICE L.A. was a branch of DICE Sweden, and both companies are working on the same project. That same project?
eSports & Plantronics--A Winning Team
May 15, 2013
Those of you who were around earlier in the week remember our earlier discussion about eSports, and how the Meltdown London may be something of the first step toward a whole new paradigm. Well, eSports just got another metaphorical shot in the equally metaphorical arm thanks to a whole new sponsor signing on.
Plantronics joined up with Riot Games as an official partner of the League of Legends Championship Series, where it will be the official headset maker of Season 3's tournament games. This by itself is only reasonably important, but when it's added into the larger picture, the picture becomes a little clearer: eSports is starting to take off.
Right now, no one's talking about just what kind of cash was necessary for Plantronics to put down before being allowed to be an official sponsor, but in all likelihood products are part of the deal along with any other considerations. But it's clear that eSports is coming into its own.
There are three separate components in any sports league: an audience, players, and sponsors to keep the league operational.
Plantronics joined up with Riot Games as an official partner of the League of Legends Championship Series, where it will be the official headset maker of Season 3's tournament games. This by itself is only reasonably important, but when it's added into the larger picture, the picture becomes a little clearer: eSports is starting to take off.
Right now, no one's talking about just what kind of cash was necessary for Plantronics to put down before being allowed to be an official sponsor, but in all likelihood products are part of the deal along with any other considerations. But it's clear that eSports is coming into its own.
There are three separate components in any sports league: an audience, players, and sponsors to keep the league operational.
Konami Has Big Plans For E3
May 14, 2013
Exciting news has emerged with Konami's plans for E3, which is only a little over a month out. Some very impressive games are getting ready for the pre-E3 show, but it's not just the games that are worth noting with Konami's pre-E3 event.
The Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) has been a big deal for some time. When E3 shows up, all the big names put on a big show--with varying degrees of big, of course--but the common thread is that the upcoming titles for most every console get trotted out. Konami looks to be no exception on this front with several titles prepared.
The Electronics Entertainment Expo (E3) has been a big deal for some time. When E3 shows up, all the big names put on a big show--with varying degrees of big, of course--but the common thread is that the upcoming titles for most every console get trotted out. Konami looks to be no exception on this front with several titles prepared.
Why The eSports Bar Could Be Up For High Scores
May 13, 2013
Earlier today, word came out from several sources about the upcoming opening of the Meltdown London eSports bar, a sports bar that would offer not only a variety of video game-themed drinks, but also a variety of video games.
The whole package--as far as Meltdown London would go, anyway-- would include not only game time for amateurs, but also for those amateurs looking to compete in local tournaments, as well as the ability to watch professional gaming contests in action. Locals would be able to play things like "League of Legends," "StarCraft II," "Street Fighter IV" and others.
This isn't the first such occurrence of a bar with video games, of course--several others from the Mana Bar in Australia to the other Meltdown locations in Paris and Berlin to several across the United States like chain restaurant Dave & Busters are all in play. But the idea of an eSports bar is still something a little on the new side, and it may well prove to be the kind of thing that catches on.
The whole package--as far as Meltdown London would go, anyway-- would include not only game time for amateurs, but also for those amateurs looking to compete in local tournaments, as well as the ability to watch professional gaming contests in action. Locals would be able to play things like "League of Legends," "StarCraft II," "Street Fighter IV" and others.
This isn't the first such occurrence of a bar with video games, of course--several others from the Mana Bar in Australia to the other Meltdown locations in Paris and Berlin to several across the United States like chain restaurant Dave & Busters are all in play. But the idea of an eSports bar is still something a little on the new side, and it may well prove to be the kind of thing that catches on.
BlueStacks' GamePop Out To Offer Quick Games Faster
May 9, 2013
The idea of mobile games on big screens has been gaining in popularity of late, with several companies looking to get in on the market space. One of the latest such attempts to step in is BlueStacks, which was formerly well known for bringing Android apps to desktop PC platforms. Now, with BlueStacks' Gamepop service, the company is poised to make a splash in the gaming market as well.
BlueStacks' Gamepop service offers its subscribers access to 500 different Android game titles, routing said titles through a game console that bears more than a little resemblance to a Boxee Box with a different color scheme. Those who get in on the pre-order running this month will get the console--and a controller besides--at no charge.
BlueStacks' Gamepop service offers its subscribers access to 500 different Android game titles, routing said titles through a game console that bears more than a little resemblance to a Boxee Box with a different color scheme. Those who get in on the pre-order running this month will get the console--and a controller besides--at no charge.
Can New Consoles Bridge The Entertainment Gap?
May 8, 2013
It wasn't so long ago that, for entertainment, the idea that people would use game consoles only for gaming was pretty much etched in stone. Sure, some were using them to play DVDs and Blu-rays in some cases--this was half the selling point of the PlayStation 3 in its early days--but for the most part, consoles were for games and everything else was for, well, everything else. But now, consoles are changing, and we may well be at a point where consoles can serve as the ultimate in entertainment boxes.
No less a personage in gaming than Will Wright actually started wondering something similar himself while at the GameHorizon Live event on a live webcast. During the resulting Q&A session that followed, Wright--the creator of such major titles as "The Sims" and "SimCity", started discussing how the upcoming game consoles could prove to be "connective tissue" between games and entertainment like movies and music.
No less a personage in gaming than Will Wright actually started wondering something similar himself while at the GameHorizon Live event on a live webcast. During the resulting Q&A session that followed, Wright--the creator of such major titles as "The Sims" and "SimCity", started discussing how the upcoming game consoles could prove to be "connective tissue" between games and entertainment like movies and music.
EA's 2014 Fiscal Year Seems Short On Star Wars
May 7, 2013
Strange developments are emerging as Electronic Arts (EA) staged an investor call to talk developments for fiscal year 2014, which runs from April 2013 to March 2014. EA took a look at several titles to emerge in said fiscal year, and the development list looks strange indeed.
EA is planning to offer up 11 major titles across the standard slate of consoles and on PC, though there's not much discussion about the next generation of consoles. It could be that ports are planned, but the early term looks like EA will be focusing on the more standard fare. Set for release in the 2014 fiscal year are the next Madden title, FIFA and FIFA Manager, the standard array of regular sports games like NCAA Football, NHL and NBA Live, the next "Need for Speed" installment, the next "Battlefield" and "Command and Conquer" installments, "The Sims 4," and "Fuse." "Fuse," for those not already familiar, follows a group of operatives in search of a stolen alien power source known as, as the game implies, Fuse.
If something seems missing from this list, it's because fiscal year 2014 will not feature a Star Wars game, especially noteworthy as EA had announced only yesterday that it had picked up a multi-year deal with Disney to build Star Wars universe titles.
EA is planning to offer up 11 major titles across the standard slate of consoles and on PC, though there's not much discussion about the next generation of consoles. It could be that ports are planned, but the early term looks like EA will be focusing on the more standard fare. Set for release in the 2014 fiscal year are the next Madden title, FIFA and FIFA Manager, the standard array of regular sports games like NCAA Football, NHL and NBA Live, the next "Need for Speed" installment, the next "Battlefield" and "Command and Conquer" installments, "The Sims 4," and "Fuse." "Fuse," for those not already familiar, follows a group of operatives in search of a stolen alien power source known as, as the game implies, Fuse.
If something seems missing from this list, it's because fiscal year 2014 will not feature a Star Wars game, especially noteworthy as EA had announced only yesterday that it had picked up a multi-year deal with Disney to build Star Wars universe titles.
