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Surely the local remote Vita play utilizes wifi direct

1 day ago on Top Shelf 013: Heart, Mind, and Console

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Right at launch, I would expect both consoles to have the foundation of the last generation with better graphics, snappier menu/OS screens and a few new options. After all, that’s basically what the PS3 and 360 were at their launches. As the months and years go by, both companies will continue to push out new updates and features that will build out the meaning of this next generation. Last gen, we saw the rise of built-in streaming content apps, greater social features online, PS Plus, XBLA/PSN digital games and exclusives, etc. as the generation wore on. I’m happy with that we saw, especially from Sony, and I expect the capabilities of the machines to increase significantly over the years.

1 day ago on Top Shelf 013: Heart, Mind, and Console

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Competing with on specs with Sony and Microsoft requires a huge investment up front involving sale of consoles at a significant loss for the first few years. You have to do this to compete purely on cutting edge specs and connected features. If a console has a long lifespan and owners buy many games and accessories over that period, there is a lot of money to be made. On the flip side, investing in one or two consoles that fail to gain traction in the market can kill a company very quickly (see: Sega). Nintendo exists in a very safe place by producing hardware that sells at cost or even at a profit (ex. Nintendo makes money as long as a gamer buys at least one game for their Wii U).

7 days ago on A link to the past: why Nintendo won't make games for smartphones

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[T]he Nintendo 64’s analog stick and Super Mario 64 revolutionized 3D games, the DS’s touchscreen input and the Wii’s motion-sensing controller made new types of software possible for Nintendo…

The article answers its own question as to why Nintendo doesn’t develop for smartphones—they want to be able to innovate on the way games are played and differentiate their product in that way. They don’t compete on specs, they compete on the quality of the experience. Nintendo doesn’t want to become Sega, a company that ignores its most compelling IPs (Shenmue, c’mon!!) so that it can slap together another freemium iOS game.

7 days ago on A link to the past: why Nintendo won't make games for smartphones

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It’s not that important to me personally but I was replying to a comment saying to just put it in the checked luggage as if that solved the problem for all travelers.

It’s also not just an issue of time, airlines can charge up to $50 to check a bag.

13 days ago on TSA drops plans to allow small knives on planes

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That’s fine except that sometimes people fly with just a carry-on. Not everyone on a plane is heading somewhere for a week-long stay.

14 days ago on TSA drops plans to allow small knives on planes 1 reply 10 recommends

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This is exactly right.

9/11 worked because up to that point, most plane hijackings were essentially flying hostage situations where the hijackers had demands and would return the plane to the ground to negotiate. The reason the fourth plane never reached it’s target on 9/11 was because people used their cell phones and the plane phones to contact loved ones, who informed them that it was likely meant for another target. With a golf club or a leatherman, there’s no chance that someone could overpower a planeload of people and break into the cockpit.

14 days ago on TSA drops plans to allow small knives on planes 4 recommends

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I think MS is putting too many eggs into the pay TV basket. People are starting to leave cable subscriptions in droves and there’s no way to use it with a simple OTA antenna. Integration with live TV and having apps and information overlays as companions to live TV is their big distinguishing feature and it’s one that less and less people will be utilizing as this generation wears on.

29 days ago on Live TV on the Xbox One: Microsoft learns nothing from Google TV's mistakes 8 replies 17 recommends

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Should have gone all matte.

29 days ago on Xbox One: a next-gen console with a focus on interactive TV and apps 1 reply 1 recommend