Because what’s the point of “working from home” if home can’t be poolside in Vegas?
Pretending to work.
In other news, it’s getting pretty summery here in Silicon Valley. I can almost put my Mustang’s top down when I drive into San Francisco…without having to worry about getting rained on when I reach the city.
…Almost.
Yeah…I took the plunge and created a “fan” page for myself. So head on over and check it out!
Mammoth...coming atcha in 2016.
Well. I see my last post was nearly a month ago — obviously my New Year’s resolution of “not not posting on my blog” has thus far been a fail.
A couple of things are up. First of all, everyone should go “Like” me on Facebook! Yes, I set up a fan page for myself, mostly because my personal Facebook page is private and a lot of people have been asking where I am. So…here I am.
Also, I’ve been a busy, busy girl. Here are some of the cooler articles I’ve written recently:
This one just went up this morning. It’s a round-up of some cool (but mostly cool-looking) solar-powered tech. What’s my favorite? The little grasshopper, of course!
Need Unhackable, Large-Capacity Data Storage? Try Your Large Intestine
That’s right…storing data in bacterial DNA. So in these days!
Make Your Small Business Look Bigger With Virtual Services
Originally titled “How to Fire Your Secretary and Hire a Cyborg”…but we thought this was nicer.
Scientists to Clone Woolly Mammoth in Five Years
Two things very near and dear to my heart: Japan and Jurassic Park. (Seriously, I think I was the only person in the world who thought Jurassic Park III was ama-hay-hay-zing.)
Yes, I’ve been slacking on updating this blog. Mainly because I’ve been so, so sick. But also because it’s the holidays and I’ve been doing some traveling.
Note to self: traveling when sick sucks.
Anyway, CES is next week. Are we excited? Yeah we are!! Hopefully that means more blog posts, hmm?
The opening credit/menu theme for Firaxis Games’ Civilization IV, “Baba Yetu,” which was composed by Christopher Tin, has been nominated for a 2010 Grammy Award in the category of “Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists.”
Congratulations, video game industry! Someone out there in the real world is (sort of) taking you seriously!
Check out the official music video — it really is quite epic:
The only other music-based trailer type thing that has ever made me want to play a game so much is the World of Warcraft trailer. Seriously guys, is it sad that these music/CGI combos totally move me? Okay, “Baba Yetu” moves me…WoW just makes me feel like I’m in an epic Lord of the Rings-like battle between good and evil. Same thing.
Okay…so I wrote an article over at PC World about Microsoft’s Kinect sensor-controller for the Xbox 360. According to a press release from Microsoft, the controller has sold over 2.5 million units in the first month.
By comparison, the Sony Move — which came out in mid-September — only sold a million units in the first month. The iPad, which is reportedly the fastest selling non-phone electronic device, “ever,” only sold 2 million units in its first two months on the market. To be fair, the Kinect has the benefit of being introduced just a few weeks before Christmas — and less than a month before the biggest consumer electronics shopping day of the year, Black Friday. So, the Kinect’s rapid adoption rate is not really an indicator of much.
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Anyway, the interesting part is that the commenters came out in force, claiming that I was everything from being a wild Apple fangirl to being a Bill Gates lover, and suggesting that my comparison was crazily unethical and stupid.
One commenter was particularly interesting, because he went from calling me an Apple fangirl:
Oh I see why, its another non-male article writer who is like all the other non-male writers who are biased towards Apple products.
To claiming I was being unfair to Apple:
Also, you are comparing a device that cost $150 vs one that cost $499 to start. The cost alone will drive sales higher.
To insisting that I was making a stupid comparison:
It would have been better for you to give a sales number of the Kinect vs devices in its class.
(Yeah, let’s ignore this DIRECT quote from the FIRST SENTENCE of my article: “Microsoft’s Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360 is selling faster in the first month of its release than both the Sony Move controller and the Apple iPad.”)
Of course, then he (I’ll assume it’s a he, considering he had such an issue with my “gender”) says it would have been impossible for me to compare the Kinect to other devices in its class, because:
In this case it is a game controller and it is the ONLY one of its kind. The Sony Move is nothing more than a fancier vs of the Nintendo Wii’s controller.
Oh logic, where art thou?
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Now, why did I compare the sales of the Xbox Kinect — an add-on to an already popular gaming console — to the iPad — a touchscreen mini-computer tablet? Why? WHY?!
Uh, because it’s almost Christmas, and guess what your kids want.
Yeah. And, truth be told, both Apple and Microsoft are vying for the top spot under the tree this year. In fact, Microsoft’s own Kudo Tsunoda claimed, back in September, that the Kinect would outsell the iPad during the holiday season.
So, uh, yeah. How dare I compare two products that are in completely different categories, even if the products’ own creators are suggesting that I do so.
