Quite honestly, I'm not sure if I get this cheap, wimpy notebook push.
1. A computer needs some oomph to have a good Internet experience.
2. I question whether a PC is a priority in a “developing” nation. It sounds altruistic and utopian, but what's the practicality of it?
3. Developing nations and Asia are bypassing PCs for mobiles because a mobile infrastructure is easier and cheaper to deploy and because mobiles fit better in their lifestyles.
4. Why would I want a crappy little computer as a secondary when I can get a nice mobile for about the same price?
Like one of the commentors to this article, I also paused a bit when they said this computer will use SSD harddrive — at $300 ??? Maybe a few years on down the road.
Eitherway, I see that these cheap laptops are a very “US” way of thinking. I really don't get it. Besides, I and any school or developing nation can build a decent barebones computer for ~$300.
Somebody please explain this to me …
It looks like 2009 will be the year the movie studios start foisting 3-D movies on us in a effort win more profits off of higher tickets prices and to combat piracy. Piracy is not mentioned in this article, but I'm sure it's a big underlying reason since the same experience cannot be delivered on the small screen. I imagine syched dual images at 144-fps makes for a HUGE file(s) that will require new software, a monster computer to crunch through the file/s, and a higher refresh rate montitor (highest I've heard of is 120-Hz) making pirating a 3-D movie pointless. As for the 3-D ready TV's, my understanding is that 3-D is all generated in hardware via a firmware upgrade in the TV. The source is a 2-D feed that was never shot specifically in 3-D. I don't know how that compares to something that was shot in to 3-D, but I've experienced TI's 3D TV and it's taxing on the eyes and the brain. However, the movie studios forget that people are happy watching pirated movies shot by a camera on a cell phone, so I imagine it will not deter piracy. I agree, though, that the premium that can be charged for a viewing a 3D film will keep the studios and theatres rolling in the dough until home technology catches up. As for watching a 3-D movie with current technology — I can't imagine sitting through 3-hours of “Titanic” due to the quality of the story and eye strain. The same goes for “ET” which I could not even get through when I was little. (Like the “Lion King”, “ET” causes me to go unconcious about 15-mins into the movie and then I come to in the last 10-mins. Imagine the frustration of my parents who took me to see “ET” at least 3 times in an attempt to be good parents, only have me fall asleep every time. Imagine my high school friends who dragged me to the “Lion King” at least 3 times, only find me knocked out in the middle of the movie. They are all convinced that I have a very small dark heart.) I don't think 3-D would help those movies for me …
What does this all mean? Servers and storage BABY!
Here's a link to the article.
Shogi (Japanese chess) + murder mystery = great entertainment!
This is another anime that will probably not make its way to the US due to the obscure (to the US) subject matter. This anime does go into nerdy detail about Shogi, but it’s not necessary to understand specifically what’s going with the Shogi games to enjoy the show. Shogi, rather serves more as a back drop and a metaphor the rest of the show. The murder mystery is the interesting part of the show. The story starts with the brutal murder of a little girl’s parents as the little girl looks on. The little girl, Shion, is left alive and we don’t know why. She is also unable to speak due to shock from the incident — or so we are told. The rest of the story continues to unfold in dramatic fashion with lots of false leads and one shock after another as the characters themselves realize how screwed up things really are. It’s fun to watch characters who thought they were in control find out that they are just pawns in someone else’s larger scheme. I’m not sure how many episodes there are, however, there are 18-episodes translated into English and they are available through the usual portals. At episode 18, the story seems to be at a climax. We think we know for sure who the murder is. The question now is why did the person kill all those people, will the person kill again, and will the police catch the criminal before the person kills again. This is definitely a show for adults despite being animated due to the level of violence and the complexity of the story and the characters. I highly recommend this anime to anybody who likes a good “whodunnit.”
About Nothing in Particular
More Rambling 