Why can't they give us our tv EVERYWHERE, easily?

I fired up my XBOX 360, since there is STILL no support on XBOX ONE for the following:
- HBO GO
- Showtime Anytime
- Dozens of others

I was able to run & authenticate HBO GO easily, but Showtime Anytime wasn't so easy.

First, since I tried authenticating on the iPad, the site assumed (incorrectly) that I would much prefer the "Showtime Anytime" App.  I would not.  My TV screen is considerably larger than that of my iPad.

So I switched over to the MacBook Air. Safari kept saying "The Primary Account holder for this account must register for Showtime Anytime first."  So I switched to Firefox.  Same thing.  Turned to the Windows desktop.  Same thing.

I've been a Showtime subscriber for nearly two decades.  Why can't "they" just give good service?

XBox One is fantastic, but undercooked

I just got my Xbox One on release day.  It's a "Day One" edition, which only has a slightly different controller.

It doesn't have the wide array of apps that are available on the Xbox 360, and I suspect that is due to rushing it out the door before Christmas 2013.  There will be more apps, but the absence of some is astounding.  HBO Go?  Facebook?  Come on, Microsoft.

Currently there's no ability to stream content from the local network from other Windows machines on the same network.  Hell, even plugging a USB stick with four JPEGs on it provided ZERO joy.  Hopefully that will change soon.  Also, in putting in a new game there's a delay while the system "installs" the game.  You'll still need the disc, but it's supposed to make it faster.

Skype works as advertised, but I'd like to be able to manually focus in and crop, so the people I'm conversing with don't see the entirety of my apartment.

It has a TON of potential, but very little of that potential is realized as of now.

The HDMI pass-through is a novel idea, which is also dreadfully undercooked.  It caused my cable box to 'freak out', requiring a hard re-boot.  Also, the DVR functions of the cable box are completely ignored by the Xbox One.  You can access them, but can't control them from the console.  It also caused an audio lag that lasted as long as 30 seconds.

As far as the games go, I bought two to start - "Call of Duty: Ghosts" and "Ryse: Son of Rome".  COD:G is so far, very much standard COD fare.  The graphics are good, but as you're playing it, they don't seem so far off from prior generation console graphics.  Only when you pause a frame can you really see the difference.  R:SOR is an incredibly repetitive hack & slash game with a "story" like a shell - as though it was devised after the game play was developed.  That said, the graphics on Ryse are AMAZING.  So far, I'm enjoying going through R:SOR and haven't spent much time with COD:G.

 
Killer Instinct also seems like a throwaway title, an afterthought.  It's based on a game from the early 90's, and plays very much like the original, with the same garbage movement mechanics.  Also, it's "free-to-play", which means you get exactly ONE character to play with, unless you pay for more.  That's a pretty big PHOOEY for me.

In any case, I know that the device will evolve and improve over time - particularly the graphics.  Just compare launch titles on earlier consoles to the ones that were offered later. (ie - Halo:CE to Halo 2)  In any case, I just wanted to record my initial impressions of this new console.

Nice job, Sony

Like many others, have a PlayStation network account.  And apparently someone not only hacked their network, but was somehow able to download unencrypted files containing ALL the information about the users of the network, including passwords and credit card information.  Many people have observed that this may be retaliation from the hacker community in response to the way Sony handled the Geohot case.

I look at it this way - I understand that it's virtually impossible to be 100% certain that someone can't break into your home (servers).  You lock the doors and windows, maybe install an alarm system and cameras, etc. One thing you DON'T do is lay all of your valuables (account holders' information - all unencrypted) right at the front doorstep in a convenient carrying case, to make the thief's life easier.

Once they became aware of the intrusion, Sony shut down the network and spent a week or so having forensics experts figure out what happened.  Only then did they come out and admit that the hackers GOT EVERYTHING.  I can't wait to see what happens with a class action suit.  Of course, by the time everyone gets their piece of the settlement, the end users will get a $20 gift card for the PlayStation Network.  Once that happens, watch eBay for them.  They'll probably be at a significant discount to face value.

Magically I've been getting notices like "you recently attempted to access your account using your secret questions" from a variety of places.  Hmmm... Thanks Sony.  And by the way, as soon as the network is back up, I may be hacking my PS3 and maybe even play some pirated games - because you deserve it.  Besides - I rarely even play games on the PS3 anyway.  The Xbox 360 has a MUCH better online experience in virtually every respect.

Xbox LIVE being discontinued for Original Xbox consoles and games

It's not like I even use my old XBOX anymore, but I still think this sucks...

http://majornelson.com/archive/2010/02/05/xbox-live-being-discontinued-for-original-xbox-consoles-and-games.aspx

Halo Wars - I love it, but I'm disappointed

I'm not disappointed in the game. Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love Halo Wars.

What disappoints me is that Ensemble Studios, the developer of the game, has apparently disbanded - shut down.

What that means is that while other games get updates to fix various issues, Halo Wars likely will not. And in this case that's a real shame, since some of the AI decisions clearly could use some tweaking. For example, if a tank can't get through a narrow area, like between a turret and a mountain, it doesn't turn around and go the other way. It just sits there waiting for the mountain to move. Similarly, if AI-controlled units aren't specifically told to target things like turrets or shield generators, they'll often target far less strategic targets, like infantry or resource generators.

Also, while games like Halo 3, Grand Theft Auto 4, and the entire Call of Duty series have benefited from various add-ons and downloadable extras like maps, they were only able to offer such things because their developers were still alive.

Microsoft once owned the developer of the original Halo games - Bungie Studios. After Halo 3 was released, Bungie, broke away from Microsoft and became an independent company. Despite their independence, they continue to fully support Halo 3. Microsoft also owned Ensemble Studios from 2001 to 2009. It's a real shame that they couldn't just spin it off and allow it to run independently.

(5/20/2009) UPDATE: Thankfully I was wrong. There is an update and DLC for Halo Wars. Whoo hoo!! :) http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/19606/Halo-Wars-Gets-Title-Update/

2009 CES

Just got back from the 2009 CES in Las Vegas.

Some cool new stuff, like:
- Windows 7 - running on a large touchscreen
- Upcoming SDXC (super high-capacity SD) cards
with up to 2TB capacity
- Super-thin (less than 1" thick) HDTV's

I also got to play with:
- T-Mobile G1 Smartphone
(feels good in the hand, but still needs some more time)
- Blackberry Storm (I was unimpressed)
- Halo Wars
(interesting - didn't play it too long, but probably will buy it)

Click through to see my pictures from the show.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/martinlosangeles/sets/72157612445477409/

XBOX Live "Avatars"

Microsoft recently rolled out the "New XBOX Experience (NXE)" which includes personal "avatars" a-la "Mii's" on Nintendo's Wii. Obviously, since they're "cartoony", they'll never look exactly like you, but the options are pretty limited. I tried to make my avatar using the closest options available. This looks nothing like me. (And I'd never wear a watch halfway up my forearm...)

My XBOX 360 finally got the Red Ring of Death

Well, it's finally happened. It got the Red Ring of Death...
Shipping box is on it's way...

GTA IV on XBOX 360 is horribly broken

Better than 50% of the time, if I try to get into an unranked deathmatch, it'll hang at "Starting Game".

I know that others are affected by this, since when it's happened to me, I've heard other people who were just as stuck.

Boo...

The only way to get out of it is to go all the way back to the dashboard, and then re-load the game, and wait through all the intro crap.

Why couldn't Rockstar (and others) just get Bungie to do their multiplayer matching? Seriously. The way it works in Halo 3 is perfect. I know the games are different. I'm just talking about the multiplayer interface.

"Still Alive" from Portal (end credits)