Reshaping future with Disruptive Technologies
The title of the infographic itself is, “A Short History of Internet Milestones”. In reality, we have gone beyond the concept of a “short” history. Things move too quickly in the digital world to count anything measured in decades as short.
The graphic itself, created by pkbibi, does a nice job of breaking down everything important that’s happened to the internet ever since the beginning.
The battle has been going on for months and we’re already growing sick of it. The upcoming releases of the Xbox One and the PlayStation 4 has been up and down, left and right, and has been seen from every angle possible.
The worst part is that nobody’s even played them yet. Imagine what it’s going to be like when they’re actually in our homes. This may get ridiculous.
This infographic provided by Xpango.
Here’s an interesting proposition: what if you could save a game that you’re playing on the upcoming Xbox One and then play it later on a PC? It’s actually possible thanks to Microsoft’s addiction to the cloud combined with the need for them to find a way to try to beat the PS4.
Here’s a video from Machinima that explores the topic further. We have to ask for forgiveness ahead of time – their language is definitely mature but the topic is an important one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sin-YE3h0jY
When Nintendo came out with the Wii controller and remote, it was a dramatic change from the way that gamers had grown accustomed to interacting with their characters. It had two parts, took motion into account, and was either loved or hated depending on whether the user was able to master it or not.
Xbox and PlayStation controllers haven’t been much different from each other over the years. This might be one of the reasons that they’ve stayed successful. Valve unveiled a video demonstrating its Steam controller and one thing is clear: it’s different and yet the same.
The obvious change is the shift away from the keyboard and mouse that many PC gamers use. The change to look and feel more like a traditional controller seems to be easy to get used to, especially if players have used console controllers in the past.
The buzz is building. The excitement is strong. Will Valve be able to deliver on a console killer?
They have a new CEO being chosen right now. This is an extremely important time for Microsoft because they’re huge, they have a ton of revenue, and they have decisions to make in the near future to keep them amongst the elite tech companies.
This infographic by MicrosoftTraining.net takes us from the start all the way through to today.
Up until now, Zynga has been a company that I have not paid much mind to. It’s not like it has a small audience, though; this social gaming company has done well in bringing users together in order to gamble real money, letting them scratch an itch that would otherwise be satisfied through an actual casino. Up until recently, I haven’t heard much about them. That’s when I read about how the company could be bringing its apps to Facebook.
I can’t imagine a better platform Zynga to usher their apps onto, either. Reportedly, ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino would come to Facebook in the U.K., claiming their spots on computers before eventually heading to mobile. I can see why so many people find this prospect alluring, since there is always that chance that they’re going to win even though they will most likely lose and ultimately put a big dent on their children’s college tuition. I’m not so much against the concept as I am uncertain of the company.
Zynga has been in trouble recently and it seems like a lot of it comes from the idea that there isn’t much innovation. I have to agree, especially when your business is focused on the idea of games that people are to put their actual earnings into. If the products they’re playing aren’t going to prove to be substantial in the long term, why would they continue to invest in something that doesn’t have their needs in mind? More likely than not, they are going to turn elsewhere.
In addition, recently Don Mattrick – former president of Microsoft’s Xbox division – left the mogul in order to become the new CEO of Zynga. One would think that a change in leadership would be for the best but it’s hard to say either way. On one hand, a business which might have been stagnant could benefit from a change in leadership since it can lend itself to new ideas. On the other hand, Mattrick’s recent track record with the Xbox One has been felt throughout the gaming industry as a whole, so it’s fair to assume that he’s going to bring a shoddy history of reputation management along with him.
I’m not saying that Facebook users wouldn’t be able to get a kick out of these types of programs. When it comes to gambling, more than a few people are unaware of when to stop. The problem is that there is a lack of confidence in the Zynga brand and, in the minds of many serious gamers, the addition of Mattrick only seems to add a rotten cherry on top of an already unsatisfying sundae. Those in the U.K. may be better off going to an actual casino.
If this is a sign of what gaming is coming to, then I’m very concerned about the next generation of consoles to hit the market. For those who have been keeping up with news regarding the Xbox One, you would know that its initial used games policies and DRM limitations have been revoked about a month ago. As you could imagine, things seemed right as rain on the Microsoft front. Recently, though, I can’t help but feel like I’ve been met with a digital thunderstorm.
A petition on Change.org facilitated by David Fontenot was brought to the masses and, in essence, it demanded that all of the original policies were brought back to the Xbox One. Yes, not only did this call for the DRM limitations to come back but Fontenot claimed that it was, “a new wave of gaming where you could buy games digitally, then trade, share or sell those digital licenses.” I utterly bowled over that such a petition existed. However, the fact that over a thousand people actually signed it kept me floored.
Yes, most of these were ones from people saying how ridiculous the campaign was but since they signed – in theory, at least – they counted towards the goal of 5,000 signatures.
The only way that I can accurately describe this is to compare it to a more mundane scenario. Imagine going to class one day and you’re told that you have a pop quiz. Now let’s say that the teacher tells the class that they can use their notes while taking it; it sounds ideal, right? That’s when you hear from the back of the room a lone voice cry out, “we don’t want to use our notes!” After that, a few others join in, for some strange reason. It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, does it?
Another aspect about the petition that had my attention was the seemingly lack of hesitance when it came to blaming Sony. According to the petition, “Sony took advantage of consumers uncertainty,” which I find to be an outright lie. Once it was made apparent that the Xbox One had the initial binds in place, it was clear that the PlayStation 4 had to be different, ironically, not differing much from the norm. Sony didn’t try to reinvent the wheel. Microsoft simply decided that their wheels didn’t need air.
In the field of social media marketing, one would expect this kind of petition to be made to take away the restrictions, not bring them back. I can only imagine that Fontenot is either playing an elaborate joke on the gaming masses or has lost his ability to think within human reason. Ultimately, I can only hope that this is just a dumb prank because I can’t imagine the majority of people supporting the same restrictions they have rallied against beforehand. Shackles do not make gaming fun; that credit belongs to the freedom associated with gaming.
You probably don’t love everything that Microsoft has put out. In fact, a lot of people look at Microsoft as a completely out of touch company; however, they do still have some classic gems.
Here are 4 Microsoft innovations that people actually like:
Ever since Apple launched the iPad in 2010, the tablet market has exploded. People love having a supplement between a laptop and a smartphone, and many innovations have sprung up because of the device’s popularity. They’re great for business, and they’re also awesome for play; however, they’ve been lacking the ability to perform with the same power as a computer or laptop. That is, until Microsoft released the Surface tablet. This is a great gadget. It’s tiny, with a touch-screen tablet face, as well as a snap-on keyboard.
Windows bet big on Windows 8 to work seamlessly across both their desktop and Surface ecosystems. While the idea has resulted in lukewarm responses in regards to the desktop interface, Windows 8 has proved to be a more than satisfactory experience on the tablet side of things. It’s going to take time, but just like the Xbox, Microsoft is in it for the long haul on this one. The Surface line only stands to improve as more people come into the market.
Recently, Microsoft and Ford have paired up to bring you Sync. In many new cars you can use apps on your phone via voice activation. This means you don’t have to worry about picking up your phone if it rings. Additionally, depending on the package you choose, you can also use apps like Pandora or even start turn-by-turn directions without ever touching your phone or taking your eyes off the road. This is a big deal for many drivers and may end up cutting down driver distractions.
Despite Microsoft’s poor messaging regarding the Xbox One’s DRM policies (which they have since distanced themselves from), the Xbox 360 is still one of the highest selling media devices on the market. As of April, Forbes reported that Microsoft has a subscriber base of 46 million out of the total of 77 million total Xbox 360 units sold. That’s a decent market share considering the competitiveness of the industry. Although we are at the tail end of this console generation, the Xbox 360 still remains a very profitable and highly regarded product in the consumer electronics space.
We can’t talk about Microsoft innovations without talking about Office. This is a huge product for the company. Nearly every computer in every office uses the software. It’s become so popular that it’s not only available on Windows devices anymore, but also on Apple’s OS and iOS.
From creating Word documents to PowerPoint presentations, this software is used and loved all over the world. Other companies have tried to get into this market, but for some reason they just aren’t able to make it work the way Microsoft does. The sleek look of Office 13 has a lot of people loving it even more.
We all get it — Microsoft does a lot of bad things. They don’t always seem to care what the consumer thinks, and they tend to make decisions that leave a lot of us scratching our heads. Yet, today, Microsoft remains an industry leader.
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Surface image via Flickr by Orde Saunders.
It’s amazing what power in numbers can do, especially when it comes to the gaming world. For those of you who have been keeping track with the Xbox One, you will know that it wasn’t long ago that Microsoft announced that the previous DRM policies would be lifted, which was great news for those who have been loyal to the brand. Along with this came the news that it would be region-free, not unlike the upcoming Sony PlayStation 4. As far as making this move, only one remains.
Nintendo has seemingly been dead set on keeping not only the 3DS but the Wii U region-locked. For those who might be lost as to what this term entails, allow me to paint a picture for you. Let’s say that you were to purchase a 3DS in North America; only games created in that particular region would work with it. If you wanted to play 3DS games which were only released in Europe, for example, then you would have to shell out even more money to import. This lack of cross-compatibility amongst regions has come under fire recently.
The fans of Nintendo decided to let their voices be heard, as they took to social media in order to air their grievances on the matter. Not only did they utilize Twitter but they posted constantly on the Wii U-exclusive message board, MiiVerse. There have been a number of related posts on said message board, whether you’re talking about simple text or surprisingly well-done drawings. If you have the means, you might as well use them, right?
No matter which platform was utilized, the message remained the same: we want our systems region-free. To them, if Sony and Microsoft would lift such a restriction, why shouldn’t the oldest console and game creator in the world?
This holds a lot of weight for me because I’ve imported a game or two during my life as well. “Hotel Dusk: Room 215” is one of my favorite DS games but its sequel, “Last Window: The Secret of Cape West,” was only released in Japan and Europe, so it never saw the light of day on an international basis. I had to scour eBay for a copy and I was easily able to play it on my old DS. Up until the Nintendo DSi – prior to the 3DS – Nintendo’s handhelds did not institute a region-lock feature.
I wasn’t attempting to take money out of the hands of publishers. Rather, I wanted to play games which never saw releases in America for one reason or another.
There have been doubts about this movement, though, with some believing that Nintendo will not listen. For such doubters, keep in mind that the fans have been instrumental in having titles brought over to America. Not only have English versions of “Xenoblade,” Pandora’s Tower,” and “Pandora’s Tower” been released on the Wii but the long-awaited arrival of SNES classic “Earthbound” is about to hit the Virtual Console as well. This goes to show just how much power a collection of fans can have and that when a group is united, certain challenges are easily won.
Whether or not Nintendo will listen on this matter, though, remains to be seen.
