The Rocket Panda

Review: Working'!! Season 2

2011-12-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

I missed the apostrophe the first time I saw this

Not much has changed between the first and second seasons of the slice-of-life comedy Working. All they did to differentiate the Japanese titles of first and second seasons was add an apostrophe to the title of the second season, which I know is giving a headache to many of you grammar fiends out there. “Working’!!” has not changed the whimsical character interactions and the light-hearted themes found in the first season of “Working!!”, but there have been subtle changes in the second season which have given new life to the staff of Wagnaria.

New look, same characters.

One of the most noticeable differences found in Working’!! is the larger production budget. Whereas the first season looked drab and slightly washed out, Working’!! noticeably looks much more vibrant, with rich colors and a smoother art style that helps accentuate the different quirks of each character. The improved look has also been accompanied by more dynamic shots and scenes, making the first season look visually static and unexciting in comparison.

As for my main complaint about the lack of development in the first season of Working!!, the second season benefits from directly picking up the threads where the first season left off, so more time is spent on character progression this time around. Characters and relationships are finally fleshed out, making many of the individual characters feel like living personalities rather than two-dimensional vehicles for delivering tired gags.

For those who dislike the characters and gags from the first season, unfortunately Working’!! does not do much to embellish the less-likeable aspects of the show. Much of the humor in the show still rests on the core gags established in the first season, and even though Working’!! does a good job in introducing fresh new situations and jokes, people tired of the comedic formula in the first season will probably not find much solace in the second.

You should not be so excited to be the least likable character, Inami.

Indeed, the main problem with Working’!! is not because of anything in the second season itself, but because to enjoy the humor and character interactions viewers need to watch the first season. This is a lot to ask for those unwilling to sit though the plodding character development and the sometimes erratic writing direction found in the first season. However, Working’!! is worth the price of admission, and those who stick with the program through the first season will be happy with the result.

I am normally hesitant to recommend any anime to people not familiar with Japanese culture, but the Working series is one of the few exceptions. Many of the tired and rather awkward tropes found in many other popular Japanese animes are not found in either season of the series, and the solid writing and whimsical tone of the show means makes it an easy recommendation.

At thirteen episodes, Working’!! ends way too early, but given the time spent and the care given to craft the second season, I am definitely willing to wait for the next season. Even though Working’!! had to work with the flaws from the first season, the second season is a nice payoff for fans that starts to fully explore the potential of the series. Watch it, even if you have to start from the first season.

The Paul Christoforo Story: PR Failure to Internet Meme In Less Than 24 Hours

2011-12-27T23:05:00.000-08:00

Today much of the enthusiast video game community have been abuzz talking about the saga of Paul Christoforo and the Avenger video game controller add-on for the Xbox 360 and PS3 Controllers. When Dave, a concerned customer that had bought the Avenger product early this month, sent a concerned email to Paul Christoforo, the now-former PR representative for the Avenger product, he received several unfortunate and unprofessional responses from Paul.

Instead of cancelling his order outright, Dave decided to take matters into his own hands and included several online press outlets and Mike Krahulik from Penny Arcade in his email correspondences with Paul. From there, it is safe to say things spread across the Internet pretty quickly. If you want to catch up on the ridiculous drama check out Kotaku's excellent coverage or see the dirty laundry in all its glory on Penny Arcade.

Paul Christoforo's unfortunate decisions have left him without a job and have directly damaged the reputation of the Avenger product, as enraged netizens have embarked on a path of Internet justice by review-bombing the Avenger product page on Amazon and other outlets. The drama also has unearthed some rather damaging information about Paul and N-Control, the company behind the Avenger product. Kotaku dug up some unsavory information on Paul's potential use of estrogen and some more information on N-Control's inability to deliver their products to customers on a timely basis.

Perhaps the most amazing thing about this PR nightmare is tracking the news as it spread across the Internet like wildfire in less than a day. Paul Christoforo is on the Internet fast-track to becoming a image-board meme, as the news has become a popular discussion point on various large community websites. The drama has spun beyond the control of N-Control and Paul Christoforo, with Paul being forced to close his old @OceanMarketing Twitter account, and N-Control unable to release an official statement in response due to the speed of which events publicly unfolded.

While there are several fairly obvious public relations lessons to learn here, one of the sad things that all of this drama has unfortunately reinforced is the dangers of ordering third-party products. N-Control's history of poor product management has not given anybody faith in quality nor the services associated with third party peripherals, and I am sure that many vendors and manufacturers are not laughing along with much of the Internet community at Paul Christoforo's rise of Internet infamy.

Sources: Penny Arcade, Kotaku (1) (2)

My Thoughts on the Facebook Timeline

2011-12-26T13:44:00.000-08:00

Facebook's Timeline has been out for over a week now and so far the the popular reception has been mixed. The majority people I know personally and online have either ignored it or have been ambivalent towards Timeline. The concept of organizing events, interactions, and photos on the profile page to create a personal narrative is compelling, but as is the norm with Facebook, the concept has not quite matched its implementation.

One of the main issues is that Techcrunch's Josh Constine explored is that even though Facebook's Timeline works well with the current privacy controls, there are many things that users can easily overlook or forget to remove from the Timeline. For any avid Facebook user there are potentially thousands of Facebook photos, comments, and events that could show up on the Timeline, and not all users fully understand that events on the Activity Log in the distant past can show up again.

Potential privacy headaches aside, the Facebook Timeline also feels like a half-hearted throwback to the bygone days of Myspace personal profiles. Users have long desired the ability to customize their profile pages, and while the Timeline is a start in helping satisfy those desires, it does not offer up the ability to embed media or fully customize themes. Giving users more options would have gone a long way in giving Timeline much more substance, since as it is right now it feels more like a time-consuming gimmick rather than a desirable enhancement to Facebook.

It is easy to understand Facebook's approach with Timeline: It is a addition that gives users power to curate and record their relationships with other people. However, is it something that the majority of Facebook users have wanted or even find useful? Doubtful. It seems to me that the Timeline is a project that was born primarily out of Facebook's desire to further cement their hold on the market, rather than being born from the desire to provide users with tools that they want to use.

Finding the Boundaries of Social and Personal With Between

2011-12-22T15:25:00.000-08:00

I saw an interesting post over at the Geek Dad blog on Wired about Between, a mobile app made by a South Korean start up that is a social network for two people. In many Asian cultures sharing photos and other details about personal lives is against the norm, so Between was created to be a social network for people in intimate relationships to give them some of the advantages of a traditional social network while keeping things private.

In all of our admiration of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Anybeat, it can be easy to forget where our boundaries of our personal lives end and our online social networking lives begin. It is easier to find these boundaries on some social networks as opposed to others, but regardless our constant connection to the online world has made us take for granted the value of intimate moments and relationships.

There is always room for socializing with other people, but it is ideas and apps like Between that really let us appreciate human connections instead of casual connections. Some of us can still have intimate moments without anybody intruding on Facebook, and some of us can even have similar moments with people outside our traditional friends list on networks like Anybeat, but for those of us that want something that is purely intimate, Between looks like a great app.

Source: Wired Geek Dad

Spotify No Longer In Beta For Blackberry

2011-12-21T12:05:00.000-08:00

Christmas has come early for Blackberry lovers that use Spotify. Today Spotify announced that the Spotify app for Blackberry is now available to compatible Blackberry phones, which are the Bold 9780, Bold 9700, Curve 9300, Bold 9000 and the Curve 8520.

Even though the app is only available to premium Spotify subscribers, it is still a welcome addition in the relatively deserted Blackberry app marketplace. Blackberry users now have a great alternative to the Pandora and the Blackberry Music subscriptions services to satisfy their music needs on the go. Before today Pandora was the only quality streaming experience on the device, so now Blackberry users can feel a bit more comfortable knowing that they actually have options now.

Source: Geeky Gadgets, Spotify

Predicting the Future of Social Networking in 2012

2011-12-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

2012 will be the year for alternative social networks like Anybeat.

An interesting point that was brought up in a recent Forbes article on megatrends in social media for 2012 was the growing importance of our roles as curators and transmitters of online content. As inconsequential as posting a interesting news link or linking a video to our friends and family may seem to be, it is this process that is fast becoming a major online ecosystem in which corporations are starting to invest time and money into.

Corporate and marketing focus aside, social media and the Internet has also played an important part in organizing and supporting protests and revolutions around the world in 2011, and our roles as transmitters of online news and videos of events were key to the unprecedented global spread of political awareness. This trend will continue in 2012, and the rise of alternative social networks will continue to expand our roles as curators of online content.

I believe that in 2012 people will move on from Facebook and Google+ and increasingly use alternate communities and social networks to share and find online content. All of us are interested in what our friends and favorite personalities have to share, but the world is much bigger than our direct networks can encompass, and people are increasingly discovering the limitations of friend-only social networks. For our roles as content transmitters to evolve, the tools why which we use to share and find the content also need to evolve as well.

Reddit and Digg have paved the way for sharing content between strangers in 2011, but they are burdened with issues of online trolling and trustworthiness issues since content is shared by anonymous users. There are a lot of great content shared on those sites, but finding content based upon what you are interested in often requires digging through mountains of virtual trash. In 2012 and beyond, it will be new social networks like Anybeat that emphasize pseudonymous online networking leading the evolution of social networking and content sharing.

With networks and sites like Anybeat that use pseudonymous online identities instead of anonymous postings, it is possible to share content and interact with people outside of traditional friend networks while keeping the authentic interactions from those networks. With traditional content providers becoming more adept at reaching out to those that share and consume content, which John Titlow explored in his online article on the intertwining relationship of television and social media on readwriteweb.com, the importance of these pseudonymous social networks which allow users to have greater reach will grow.

People will continue to use services such as Facebook and Reddit for a long time to come, but our roles as curators and transmitters of online content will evolve in other social networks and services. How fast people will embrace other alternative methods to sharing and finding content will remain to be seen, but 2011 has definitely proven that giants such as Facebook and Google do not have all the solutions.

The Digital Evolution of the Global Protest Movement

2011-12-15T16:51:00.000-08:00

The global trend of political activity by the Facebook Generation has continued with the Occupy protests in the United States and the recent protests in Russia against election corruption. As the younger generations of the world have found themselves increasingly empowered thanks to social media and social networks, in turn the Internet has increasingly found itself to be the location of battles for free speech and political freedom. The recent Russian spam attacks on Twitter this past week have been the latest volleys in this battle and are a sign that the conflict is intensifying.

During the early phase of the protests that took place in Moscow’s Triumphal Square, thousands of Twitter accounts created from hijacked computers posted pro-Kremlin messages, swamping online discussions and threatening to drown out authentic Twitter traffic about the protests. Regimes and groups that support them have always used social networks to spread their messages, but this spam attack marks a change in tone as now they are seeking to directly hinder free speech on social media services and social networks.

This has not been the first time that social media and social networks have been confronted by states to suppress political dissent. Since Twitter and many other online services were blocked in Iran during the height of the Iranian protests in June 2009, states have been confronting social media sites in increasing boldness and frequency. Just before the outbreak of the Russian protests this week, India’s technology minister requested that Facebook, Yahoo, Google and Microsoft outright ban material and groups that could incite ‘tensions’ in the country.

So how do social media and social networks respond? Where is the line drawn between political censorship and preventing violence? Governments and their supporters will argue that censorship is required to restore law and order, but what they fail to realize is that social media and social networks are only tools for people to express their discontent. Censoring online services might hinder organization of protesters, but protests will continue to happen regardless as long as the social, economic and political problems remain unsolved.

Even if governments manage to bring down access to popular social media and social networking services, protesters are remarkably resilient. During the height of the original Egyptian protests, the Egyptian government shut down mobile phone and Internet services, but protesters still found a way to broadcast their message online and offline. In Libya, revolutionaries secretly organized their revolts using alternative methods such as posting in code on Islamic dating websites to avoid detection by Colonel Gaddafi’s secret police.

Social media and social networks are designed with free speech as their core principle. People are the lifeblood that makes them work, so major services such as Facebook and Twitter will not be surrendering to pressure from various governments and pro-government groups anytime soon. Even if online social media and social networks worldwide surrender to the pressure and attacks in the future, the global protest movement has already proved itself to be unstoppable. The next pages in history will be written on the streets, not online.

Image credit abcnews.com

Reasons to Have Faith in the Google Music Beta

2011-11-22T19:56:00.001-08:00

Many people were slightly underwhelmed at what functionalities went live at the Google Music beta’s launch. Not only was support missing from the world’s second largest music publisher Warner Music Group, but the Google Music beta was also missing core functionality to purchase music on Android devices and PCs. Google has started to roll out music purchases to specific Android phones since the original announcement, but it is still easy to sense that there is a cloud of uncertainty hanging over Google’s latest project.

To further complicate the situation, Google is not entering the cloud-based music market alone. Amazon’s Cloud Player and Apple’s iCloud and iTunes Match services already exist and are competing for money and mind share. There are also other music services that offer alternative music purchasing services that have gained traction such as Spotify and Pandora that the Google Music beta has to compete with. With such well-established competition, it can be easy to dismiss Google Music to be another one of Google’s ill-fated ventures.

When we take a step back and look at the bigger picture however, the puzzle pieces start to fall into place. Amazon does not have direct unconditional access to the mobile device market outside of the Kindle, and iTunes Match and iCloud services are limited to iOS devices. Google has long wanted to enter into the music market, and by focusing on developing Google Music for their Android devices, it can meet that goal and help with their push to increase the Android market share on the mobile handheld market.

One of the advantages that Google holds over most of its competitors is that it can craft the music service to work seamlessly with their Android OS and having a refined Google Music experience on Android devices will help Android's campaign against Windows Phone 7 and Apple’s iOS 5. It is also easy to overlook that fact that Google’s stranglehold on search market will help power music sales through Google Music, letting them link music purchases to Google Music in search results, setting Google up in a strong position to compete with the digital music sales from Amazon and iTunes.

As for the current piecemeal state of the Google Music beta, the stress and infrastructure testing partially explains the slow rollout of the various Google Music functionalities. However the main reason for the slow rollout of Google Music beta services comes from the Google’s difficult negotiations with Warner Music Group. Pushing out the beta undoubtedly helps gives Google some additional leverage at the negotiation table with Warner, and Google probably hopes that as the beta become more popular it will help push the labels that have not joined to hop on board. Without Warner’s vast catalogue of music, Google does not want initial impressions of the Google Music beta to be dictated by limited library of songs it has to offer for sale, and slowly rolling out the music purchase functionality under the beta moniker gives Google time to close out any negotiations.

Even though the limited scope of the Google Music beta can be explained, there are critical
questions that still remain unanswered for many undecided adopters. Currently there is no way to predict if Google Music will be able to overcome Amazon and Apple’s competitive offerings, and success will depend on what unique functionalities Google will implement in the future and how competitively they price the service. Those who want a cloud-based music service are most likely already invested in popular music services such as Spotify or Amazon’s Cloud Player, so Google needs offer something truly compelling to convert those people and to attract those who are on the fence about paying for cloud-based music services.

Android’s current market growth can secure a decent following for Google Music if Google fails to offer a uniquely compelling service that stands out from the competition, but Google has too much invested in this newest music venture to settle for anything less than first place. Unlike the much-maligned and recently departed Google Buzz, Google Music actually fits in with Google’s long term business plans and it is easily compatible with Google’s other services, so there are good reasons to be bullish on Google Music’s future despite the somewhat underwhelming launch.

For additional details on how the Google Music Beta works and what is currently offered, go check out Engadget’s excellent breakdown of the service.

Siri's Impact in the Battle of the Smart Phones

2011-11-08T20:46:00.000-08:00

The iPhone 4S and Siri

The recent launch of the 5^thgeneration iPhone 4S has not generated the stir that its legendary predecessor hasfour years ago, but while it does not compare to the original iPhone on the number of revolutionary functions, the iPhone 4S has one function that is poised to change the face of mobile devics; Siri.

As a comprehensive virtual assistant that accompanies iOS 5 on the iPhone 4S, Siri has disappointed those expecting a bit more versatility. In terms of potential and design direction though, Siri actually is a revolutionary function that is poised to change the way phones are used, and this is why Siri is Apple’s biggest salvo across the bows ofGoogle and Microsoft’s mobile aspirations.

Android 4.0 "Ice Cream Sandwich"

With consumer smart phone hardware quickly reachingparity, the competition between the mobile software giants has heated up. Google’supcoming Android 4.0 “Ice Cream Sandwich”,Microsoft’s Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango”, and Apple’s iOS 5 all are seeking toredefine how we use our mobile devices, with each of the operating systemshaving their own unique user interface designs and functionality designed toput information users would care about front and center.

Google’s Android software has always had a reputation forhaving most potential in terms of functionality, so with “Ice Cream Sandwich” Googlehas designed a more transparent interface that would best take advantage ofAndroid’s versatility and customizability. On the Microsoft side of the field,the recent Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” update has improved on the already unique ‘Metro’user interface, which emphasizes social networks by bringing them front andcenter on the grid-based user interface designs.

Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango"

On the face of it, Apple’s iOS 5's user interface looks a bit disappointingin comparison with the radically different designs the Google andMicrosoft have taken. Many of the new functionalities in iOS 5 are evolutionaryrather than revolutionary, and in terms of interface design Apple has stuck with what has worked for them in the past. Instead of pursuing radical changes on the visual front, Apple is banking on Siri to change the user experience.

Siri has amazed people not only because of how accuratelyit can parses speech, but also at how it combines web search, geo-locationinformation and some of iOS 5’s basic functionalities together seamlessly. On anyother smart phone, searching for nearest location that offers a service theuser wants will probably require numerous button presses in differentapplications. With Siri on the iPhone 4s, the whole process takes only takes aslong as it takes ask your question, and this is where Siri helps iOS 5 shine inthe face of its competitors.

While Google and Microsoft have developed user interfacesthat bring information at the user’s fingertips, Apple has done away with themiddleman and made it possible to get information and use some of the iPhone’sfunctionalities without even touching the screen. To be clear though, Apple’siOS 5 is not the only system with voice-to-text capabilities, as Google’s “IceCream Sandwich” will have a similar function for text input, but Siri has capabilitiesthat go beyond simple text dictation with its capability to follow certainvoice commands and its cloud-based network.

Of course there are obvious advantages and disadvantagesto each of the operating systems that I have not discussed and Siri does notmake up for iOS 5’s disadvantages since it currently does not have access toall of the iPhone 4S’s functions. However, there is no doubt that Apple willbuild upon Siri. With the virtual assistant living in Apple’s cloud networkthere are also almost no limitations based on mobile hardware, so the horizonis literally the limit to Siri’s capabilities to redefine how smart phones areused.

Google’s “Ice Cream Sandwich” and Microsoft’s Windows 7.5“Mango” definitely can be considered by some to be better designed for today’ssmart phone user, but Siri is just a peek at the vision that the designers andengineers at Apple foresee for the future of mobile computing. How Apple’scompetitors respond and where Apple will eventually take its voice-recognitionsoftware remains a matter of speculation, but there is no doubt that the ballis clearly in Apple’s court and this is their game to lose.

Image credits to Brief Mobile, Smashing Tech, BSN, and Apple, Inc.

Why eSports Matters

2011-10-11T17:39:00.000-07:00

Audience at Starcraft 2 finals of MLG Anahiem 2011

Recently I have been enthralled by sudden growth of the international competitive gaming scene, but I still cringe when I see claims that eSports will explode into mainstream popularity. While gaming itself has now embedded itself into mainstream culture, competitive gaming has not reached the same level because it remains a niche pastime for the minority of the population. Despite the presence of gaming consoles in almost every household, we will not be seeing "Halo: Reach" or "Starcraft 2" tournament replays sharing airtime with conventional sports on any of the popular network channels. The diversity and vast scope of mainstream gaming is not compatible with the narrow focus of competitive gaming, and any attempts to introduce it into the mainstream awareness are bound for failure.

So is eSports a lost cause destined to burn out with the trends and fads of yesteryear? Actually, no. What makes eSports unique is that it does not need the mainstream to grow, and if it continues the rapid momentum it has built up over most of 2011 it can easily become a global juggernaut in online entertainment.

Korean Starcraft 2 professionals signing autographs at MLG Anahiem 2011

Even though its audience is relatively marginal in comparison with the massive audiences that follow various other popular traditional sports, eSports still captures the loyalty and passion of its audience, thriving off of its close-knit communities. Thanks to community websites and the numerous online and offline gaming competitions, story threads have been created about the individual competitors and the teams that they are a part of. Most of the individual ‘professional gamers’ are not above interacting with their fans as well, playing games with them and letting them spectate their practices via online streams, helping them create stronger bonds with their online fans.

Community involvement aside, competitive gaming’s retention of its existing audience and its ability to consistently expand to younger generations cannot be ignored. As fans of competitive gaming grow older, they tend to remain fans, and new younger fans will continue to be attracted by the online hype and discussions via social networking and word-of-mouth. With the Internet becoming a cornerstone of life for this generation and future generations, eSports is at the forefront of the growth of online entertainment, and its high visibility serves to further attract new fans and participants.

Many companies and corporations have embraced this growth potential of competitive gaming, and have been using eSports to spread brand awareness among the concentrated yet diverse demographic that follow the various gaming competitions. It used to be that tech companies such as Intel and Razer were among the few companies that sought to sponsor the various professional gamers and competitions, but now lifestyle brands such as Monster and Stride Gum have entered the fray with high-profile sponsorships. In business, where there is money there is life, and eSports has definitely secured itself a strong life source.

The other engine driving the growth of eSports is its international footprint. Even compared to some traditional sports, competitive gaming is dominant in its ability to transcend cultural and language boundaries. The language of gaming is international, and as a result international tournaments have had resounding success. The Dreamhack Summer 2011 LAN event in Sweden featuring "Starcraft 2" and "League of Legends" tournaments had three million unique views on its videos from across the globe, with hundreds of thousands of simultaneous viewers during the event itself. With an international pool of potential fans to draw from, there seems to be very little to restrain the growth of eSports as a powerful online entertainment medium.

Main stage at Dreamhack Summer 2011

Of course, there are caveats to any argument in favor of eSports. Much of the future of eSports is dependent on how the scene maintains itself, and how it will prevent itself from collapsing. The "Warcraft 3" professional scene was damaged by player salary-inflation, and the professional "Starcraft 1" televised league in Korea was marred by match fixing scandals surrounding popular professional players. With so many eyes watching the explosion of a very young scene with its equally young participants, combined with the lack of any regulatory organization, the future of eSports is anything but guaranteed.

That said, there is not any other entertainment medium that is remotely comparable in scope to competitive gaming, and it is a force that should not be overlooked. eSports might not be able to break into the mainstream consciousness now, but mainstream culture will shift and adjust itself as it always does as the generations change. Competitive gaming probably will never approach the sheer size and scope of the traditional sports scenes, but it will dominate the online scene. With the future of entertainment looking to be increasingly dominated by the Internet, perhaps eSports itself will eventually redefine what we consider mainstream sports culture..

Image credits to Major League Gaming, Dreamhack, and Stride Gum.

The Wii U Unveiling Debacle

2011-06-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

If Nintendo’s unveiling of the Wii U left you somewhat confused, rest assured that you are not alone. The Wii U unveiling was so underwhelming that Nintendo stock prices dropped to levels never before seen since the original Wii’s launch in 2006. The Wii U unveiling undoubtedly had the biggest splash at this year's E3; it was topic of conversation for everybody who attended E3, and has left the Internet abuzz ever since it was announced. So if the Wii U announcement was successful in getting the new console name out into the public imagination, why did the stockholder exodus occur?

Putting it simply, the Wii U is both too extreme and not extreme enough, and this awkward position means that Nintendo can potentially end up in last place in the home console race. As the core of Nintendo’s strategy to cement their lead in the home gaming console race for the future, Nintendo did not prove that the Wii U and its tablet controller was innovative or advanced enough to keep it at the forefront of the race when the next Xbox or Playstation would eventually come out. Indeed, when compared against Microsoft’s current Kinect controller-less motion capturing technology, to many people the Wii U tablet controller almost looks like a step backwards in terms of pushing the envelope of video gaming.

Whether or not the Wii U tablet controller actually will be a step backwards compared to Kinect remains to be seen when the console is actually finalized, but the very fact that we are asking this question is exactly what the problem. Nintendo did not fully convince anybody that the new touchscreen tablet controller would be the best way to play games, and apart from the new controller Nintendo did not present any real ‘killer’ functionality that would truly separate the Wii U from the current Xbox 360 or the Playstation 3 hardware. Nintendo’s lack of technological ambition with the Wii U undoubtedly makes it easier for Microsoft and Sony to plan out their future home consoles strategy, and any signs of technological stagnation are the last things that anybody really wants to see with the Wii U.

On the other hand, despite not taking any huge risks in functionality and technology, the Wii U still manages to be radically different enough from the current Wii to potentially alienate their current user base. By re-focusing their gaze on HD gaming and focusing more on 'hardcore' games during the Wii U unveiling, Nintendo seemingly has abandoned what has made the Wii wildly popular; the casual gamers. I personally think that it is too early to claim that Nintendo will be abandoning their current user base, but there is no doubt that all of Nintendo’s emphasis on reclaiming the ‘hardcore’ gamer during their E3 press conference has been a bit too extreme for shareholders concerned about the majority of Nintendo’s current customers.

In addition, for all of their focus on winning back 'hardcore' gamers, Nintendo neglected to spend time on the most important aspect of 'hardcore' gaming during the unveiling; online play. There have been precious few details released about the online platform that Nintendo will use, which is worrying considering Nintendo intends to compete with the long-established Xbox Live and Playstation Network online services. Nintendo historically has been horribly inept with online functionality for all of their consoles, and the lack of information has not reassured anyone they they would continue this trend with the Wii U.

Nintendo then rubbed additional salt in the wound by admitting that the game footage for several major third-party games shown during their conference were footage taken from the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360 versions of the game. By admitting that the footage was not taken on the Wii U hardware, now it raises numerous questions about whether the Wii U will be made available to game developers early enough for them to develop polished games in time for launch, and whether or not Nintendo is pushing the Wii U’s development more rapidly than they should at this point. If developers are forced to make shortcuts to make the Wii U launch games, the quality of the launch games will suffer, and it also means that it will take longer for games that fully take advantage of the unique touchscreen tablet controller to be developed and released.

It was great that they came clean with this information, but given Nintendo’s poor track record with software development and sales for the Wii and the Gamecube, this honest confession just might have been the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back. In the end, this confession and the vague unveiling have left unanswered questions about the Wii U buzzing around like flies. Nintendo could not manage the perceived value of the Wii U in comparison to the current generation of home consoles, and what concrete information they did release have done too little to reassure investors that the Wii U is future-proof.

To Nintendo’s credit, they did manage to do some good things during the Wii U announcement, announcing a slew of developers working on games for the console, having working units on the show floor, and affirming that the older Wii remote and Wii Motionplus controllers would be compatible with the new console. It is tough to announce a new console at E3, especially with console hardware that has not been finalized, so it was not surprising that Nintendo was intentionally vague about the features set and hardware specs of the Wii U. But they definitely could have done a better job of getting the deed done, and even Nintendo president Satoru Iwata admitted as much.

It is definitely too early to tell if the Wii U will be a success, even with all of the negative buzz and the unanswered questions about the Wii U and Nintendo's strategy, since the console features have not been finalized yet. Nintendo still has time to make the necessary changes according to the responses that they have received, so losing faith in them right now is a bit premature. However, time is also working against Nintendo as their projected launch date looms closer and closer, and delaying the launch of the new console will possibly be the final nail in the Wii U's coffin.

Review: LA Noire

2011-06-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

There will always be a Call of Duty game, a Madden game, or a Need For Speed game, but there will only be one L.A. Noire. There is not a game that exists now that comes close to offering the wonderfully woven tapestry of exposition and tension that L.A. Noire offers, and I am confident that it will remain that way for some time.

You do not simply play L.A. Noire, you become invested in the narrative as it unfolds across multiple cases, and you are enveloped in the grimy underworld and slimy politics of crime-busting in Los Angeles during the late 1940s. Other games about might have atmospheric settings, but L.A. Noire does not simply just have great atmosphere, it drowns you in it.

Much like any great crime story, the narrative of L.A. Noir is driven by a stable of strong characters, and even the seemingly flawless main character Cole Phelps has surprising secrets that fit the tone and setting of the story. Thanks to the groundbreaking motion-capture technology created by the developers Team Bondi, the various characters come to life as you stare at the unbelievably life-like faces for signs that indicate things are not quite right, intensifying interrogations as you watch for twitching lips or shifty eyes that indicate possible lies.

Interrogations and character interactions are L.A. Noire’s greatest strength, but the rest of the game lacks the same energy and quality that Team Bondi put into those elements. The game lets you drive around on the stunningly recreated streets of late 1940’s Los Angeles, but it is a telling sign that it is entirely possible to not drive at all outside of the occasional car chase. Even the shoot-outs and pursuits can be skipped as well if the player fails enough times at those individual sequences.

The general gameplay outside of the interrogation sequences are not as intense or as riveting, but all of the basic shooting and driving mechanics feel solid, and LA Noire does a great job at spreading all the action sequences amongst all of the detective work to keep things fresh. Scouring crime scenes for evidence can get a bit frustrating at times, but musical cues and the vibrating controller are great at helping you out without too much hand holding.

At the end of the day, all of the nagging concerns about gameplay simply fall by the wayside. Like other Rockstar products, you will not necessarily play LA Noire for the gameplay, you will come for the great narrative and truly unique ideas that makes this game stand out from the others. Calling LA Noire a great ‘movie’ is selling it short of its accomplishments, and calling it the perfect game is being willfully ignorant of its gameplay flaws. Instead I am confident that you will find LA Noire a great experience. If you are making a list of games to play this year, LA Noire definitely needs be at the top of that list.

June Playlist: 90's Rock, Modernized

2011-06-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and there's no better way to celebrate the start of this great season with some great rock. Yellowcard is one of the last modern ambassadors of the pop-punk rock craze of the 90's, so it is fitting to head into summer taking a brief look at their latest album When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. Continuing Yellowcard's efforts to modernize their 90's pop-punk style, When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes is a standout album that has lots of great songs.

"The Sound Of You and Me" is the blistering opening track in When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes that really showcases the band's improved instrumentation with it's amazing drum track. Those who love the Yellowcard's classic violin and vocal hooks will get a kick out of the second track "For You, And Your Denial". The rest of the album is filled with other quality tracks, such as "Sing For Me", which is a great ballad that resonates with memorable refrains, and "See Me Smiling" for those wanting something more energetic.

Next on the 90's rock train is Weezer's latest album Hurley. Weezer has been trying to become relevant again, and Hurley does a better job at showcasing Weezer's talent than their previous album Raditude. "Hang On" is a mellow track that has great lyrical touches, and "Memories" is the radio-friendly track will probably end up stuck in your head. Hurley isn't the modern breakout album that Weezer needs, as it's a bit lacking in musical depth and variety, but Richard Cumo's creative lyrics definitely makes it worth checking out at least once.

For those of who want a bit more 'rock' and less 'punk' in their music, the Foo Fighter's latest Wasting Light is a great album to listen to. "Walk" shows off the Foo Fighers's talent in balancing their ferocious instrumental work with the growls of lead singer Dave Grohl. "Arlandria" is a superbly produced and written song that's definitely worth putting in any rock playlist. And we can't talk about Wasting Light without mentioning the extremely popular "Rope", which is one part song, three parts savage guitar riffs. The Foo Fighters have matured their sounds since the late 90's, and Wasting Light shows that they're on the right path.

The Political Reality of the Facebook Generation

2011-05-29T13:17:00.000-07:00

Activists and bloggers in Cairo's Tahrir Square during the height of the protests

Our generation has created new markets our relentless demand for online media, changed the Internet with the Web 2.0 movement, and has helped globalize pop culture. Yet despite these accomplishments, many doubted that we would have a substantial lasting impact on the world beyond our media consumption. The advent of the Arab Spring and our leadership of the democratic revolutions in nations across the globe have silenced these doubts. Our generation can now add another accomplishment on the growing list, along with a new nickname; the Facebook generation.

Protesters in the Madrid's Puerta del Sol square on May 21, 2011

The revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen, and Syria have taken the world by storm. The media has called the young and web-savvy activists leading the revolutions the ‘Facebook generation’ for their use of online social networking sites unite people across ethnic, religious, and political lines. However, this nickname isn’t unique to the leaders of the Arab Spring. The scrappy and resourceful leaders of the Arab Spring aren’t political geniuses or seasoned activists, but are college students and young professionals seeking to build a new world.

Indeed, the recent democratic protests in Spain that started on May 21, 2011 have proven that the Facebook generation is truly a global generation that encompasses all of us. These recent events have also left no doubt to the Internet’s power in helping light the fires for political change. Social and media networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and Flickr have interconnected our generation in remarkable ways, and the events of the Arab Spring have proven that this interconnection can be translated into unforeseen political power.

Aftermath of attack on Christian protest in Cairo on May 15, 2011

Amongst the euphoria and celebration of the democratic revolutions being led by the Facebook generation, the elephant in the room still remains though; once the protests succeed in toppling the governments, where do the revolutions go from there? Social networks have played a pivotal role in gathering people from all walks of life into becoming a potent political force for change, but so far they have not helped in organizing answers to the complex ethnic, economic and social-political problems that run rampant underneath the surface in many of the nations.

These issues have started to become more evident in the nations that have been at the forefront the Arab Spring movement. The Tunisian economy is still in poor condition, and the government is still made up of elderly career politicians and bureaucrats mostly leftover from the pre-Arab Spring era. In Egypt, the revolutionary fervor has died down to reveal the chaos of renewed religious conflicts, a shattered economy, and an impotent transitional government. Even in Spain, the protests have not helped bring about solutions to the high unemployment rate across the nation.

Despite the sobering realities of the post-revolutionary rebuilding process, there is no doubt that the Facebook generation have guided their nations on a path the overcome their problems. The seeds of popular democracy have been sown, truly democratic dialogue has been started, and political freedom is now a concrete reality instead of a dream. The revolutions going across in nations across the world have established the Facebook generation at the forefront of rebuilding the nations, giving us unprecedented opportunities and power to shape the world around us.

Libyan rappers recording tracks in support of the rebel cause in Benghazi

The tools that helped bring about change can also make sure it doesn’t go away. Technology and the Internet will continue to be power tools for our use in rebuilding, helping transparency, promoting efficient governance and giving political voice to the under-represented. With our interconnection across religious, ethnic and geographic boundaries, we have unprecedented access to access support, start dialogue and create alternative solutions that can help resolve the thorny issues in nation building.

We definitely cannot be complacent with what we have done so far. As long as we all continue to strive to find and organize solutions using the powerful tools at our fingertips, time will be on our side. We don’t need to start mass movements like the leaders of the Arab Spring have done, we just need to use the tools given to us to help build a world in our vision. Every step counts, whether it’s one with global implication or just one with local impact, in the end every step taken will help create a legacy that will truly define our generation.

Images credit to AP and associated sites

And we're back folks

2011-05-27T16:48:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile. I know I said I was taking a break, and that break turned out to eight months long, but I didn't want to be providing half-assed content during that time. Now that I've managed to carve out more time, I'm going to resume ranting on a semi-regular basis.

Also on my list of things to do, I will be updating the look and layout of the blog in some fashion. I'm not going to make any major promises on when that will happen, but it will be done sooner than later.

The last thing I want to mention is that I will be aiming to post on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. This won't be an actual posting schedule, but just something that I will adhere to if I have suitable content to post. I'm aiming to increase the quality and depth of my posts, so I might take some extra time in polishing an article if I feel it's needed.

It feels great to be back writing. Check back again soon!

Hiatus Attack

2010-08-19T21:34:00.000-07:00

Between studying for LSATs, my new job, and commuting to downtown LA for said job, I barely have time to keep up with everything that's been happening in the tech world. I could blog about being a white collar office-slave, but it would be more depressing than entertaining.

So for now, I'll hang up the old keyboard, and take a break from regular ~~ranting~~ blogging at least until I've conquered the LSATs. Or until I decide I'm fed up with my job and I quit. Whichever one comes first. Anybody want to make any bets?

Either way, I'll be posting rather irregularly at best. Not that it matters, since this isn't a news blog anyways, but I always like to keep readers informed. Ingrained habits from the days of Technoleet, I suppose. Those who stuck around long enough to remember that distant but fond memory will know very well what I'm saying.

Thanks for reading.

Random Things: July Laziness edition

2010-07-31T22:33:00.000-07:00

Firefox 4.0 Beta Quick review: Been trying it out since it came out a month ago, and for a beta the browser is looking pretty good. It's still fast, still has all the sexy customizable options, and more importantly it's added some new toys. Probably the most important addition has been the 'App tab', which allows the user to organize their tabs by making certain ones smaller and harder to close accidentally. This is great for stuff like Gmail or any streaming music sites you want playing while you ~~procrastinate~~ work on the web.

So the unorganized web surfers can rejoice, since Firefox 4.0 will organize your clutter for you. Gotta love laziness.

The downside is that since it's a beta, some stuff will be funky, especially anything that uses Flash. Not that Flash really was awesome anyways, but it's more prone to crashing if you try to full-screen a streaming Flash-based video from any website like Youtube. It doesn't happen enough to be an annoyance, but it's still a nagging worry.

God I hate Flash. But that's another story for another day.

Random YouTube video of the month: Freddie Wong has my dream job: making as many awesome and funny YouTube videos as he can. Flower Warfare (embedded above) is my favorite so far, though his hilarious Jedi A-holes short comes pretty close. While he's somewhat hindered by a lack of good actors and writers, he more than makes up for it with his visual creativity and solid cinematography.

Yea, that's right. I'm talking about cinematography in a YouTube video. No matter who you are, all of his videos are great fun, so go check them out.

Pandora: Yea, I'm like a couple years late to the party. So sue me. Now that I've recently gotten a HTC Hero, I've finally gotten a reason to dive into the depths of Pandora. I'm especially loving the way that it connects flawlessly with the Android app on my phone, and of course I'm also loving the superb music selection. Plus it's free. Sweeeeet.

It isn't all hugs and kisses though. After a few days of Pandora killing my battery life and my data plan though, I'm convinced that streaming media apps on any mobile smartphone are extremely overrated. It's great...as long as you're near a power plug and have already ponied up the cash for that expensive unlimited data plan And don't even get me started on how slow streaming video is without 4G.

So to all you ancient, annoying, and horrible FM radio stations; you can live for another day. On the flip side, using Pandora at home has allowed me to seriously test out the App tab on my Firefox 4.0 beta browser. WHAT. DID WE COME FULL CIRCLE? WHATISTHISIDON'TEVE-

Privacy and the digital future

2010-07-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

The digitized future. As a term it's rather innocuous, but as a concept it carries some strong negative connotations in our current culture. In the film Minority Report, there's a scene (embedded above) where Tom Cruise walks into a Gap and is 'recognized' by the billboard, which then goes on to greet him and recommend some products based on his past shopping history. I'm taking the scene a bit out of context, but it's impossible to escape the fact that in that scene and throughout the movie, the integration of technology with normal life is more frightening than awe-inspiring.

Even though the seamless digitization of our lives sound great on paper, the reality it's something that scares lots of people. Integrating technology into our lives may make things more convenient, but it comes at a cost of privacy, which is a cost most people are unwilling to pay. From the controversy over targeted internet ads to the abject failure of Google Buzz, it's clear that the perception of privacy hasn't evolved as fast as technology has in the past decade.

To offer fast and efficient services, companies need to know information about you. But the Catch-22 is that most individuals don't want to give companies that information. Facebook has somewhat managed to break that endless cycle by promising users control of their information, but on the flip side they haven't really been able to provide cutting-edge services. Apple and Google have been storing information about their users for awhile now, but they've similarly been stonewalled by our perception of privacy.

So all this considered, what does the digital future hold then?

Microsoft and Google envision a digital future in the clouds; cloud computing. Everything you do will be tied into the cloud computing network, and the standardization of such a network makes it easier to have one log-in 'identity' across multiple services, reducing the need to constantly ask for approval to use private information. Having privacy settings centralized within one log-in identity doesn't magically solve people's sensitivities towards their information being used, but it does make it easier to make services based on the digital data we accumulate.

Pursuing a concept similar to cloud computing, Apple is pursuing a digital future designed around the harmonious networking devices you use every day. The subtle difference lies in the difference of philosophy; the goal is to provide smaller and much more focused services like video chat and media delivery. This negates the problems with privacy, since users will pick services based on individual apps rather than from a larger centralized services, essentially letting users consent through the action of downloading individual apps and installing them. It's much easier to impose many smaller costs to privacy than one larger one right away, and in the end the control lies with the user.

The costs that the digitized future imposes on privacy isn't something that can't be overcome, it's just that any such future needs to allow people to be in control of their information, regardless of what it is. And perhaps the best way to provide those benefits is for technology to work slowly into people's lives, by letting the users themselves take part voluntarily in revealing information for the good of the community in a peer-driven system, much like Google's 'Open Space' parking app for Android cellphones.

Indeed, as long as the digital future preserves our desire to remain anonymous (or perhaps our desire not to), and always presents options to those who don't wish to partake, the sky is the limit. Privacy isn't a absolute legal right, it's a fluid social concept. Simply relying on cultural changes to force the perception of privacy to change isn't the method of choice; only through carefully exploring the boundaries can those borders be pushed out. The stark dystopian future envisioned by Minority Report and other pop-culture films need not be prophesy. The relationship between society and technology goes both ways, and both can evolve with the other.

'Open Space' app image courtesy Engadget

Review: Working!!

2010-06-30T00:46:00.000-07:00

Only Japan could make the life of a part-timer look glamorous and exciting. If food services work was anything even resembling what Working!! portrays, then I definitely wouldn't have quit my old job flipping burgers at my university cafeteria. As you can tell, Working!! isn't exactly a show grounded anywhere close to reality, but what else can you expect from a whimsical slice-of-life anime?

Working!! does have one thing correct though; it's the people you work with that make work fun. There's a lot of unique and wacky characters that all work in the same family restaurant. From the lazy ex-delinquent manager Kyouko to the androphobic (e.g. man-fearing) Mahiru Inami. Amazingly enough, the character cast of Working!! avoid a lot of the generic stereotyping, making them stand out amongst the throngs of cookie-cutter anime characters this Spring season, which is a great thing.

But that's where Working!! starts to fall apart; there's really nothing else besides the characters. Being a slice-of-life, there's no real drama or plot, so all of the anime's charm lies in whether you like the characters or not. The gags are amusing, all of the wacky characters interact in ridiculous ways, and the laid-back pace of the show is great. But if you aren't even intrigued by the characters after the first few episodes, there's nothing in the rest of the short thirteen episode anime to really catch your attention.

If you do like the characters, you'll be annoyed at how incomplete Working!! feels in the character department. The writers don't bother to flesh out even the most suspicious of characters, which is frustrating since it would have given the show more substance.

Those looking for a easy-going anime will most likely enjoy Working!!, but those looking for a even a bit of suspense or tension should probably move along. Working!! is a show that soothes rather than a show that captivates, so if you want something light-hearted and laid-back, Working!! probably won't disappoint. Otherwise, you can move on without missing much.

At the very least though, it's better than K-ON!! this season. Take that for what you will.

Review: Angel Beats!

2010-06-27T11:52:00.000-07:00

Angel Beats! is like your favorite childhood book; fun and memorable, but ultimately very adolescent and somewhat simplistic. From the unique premise set in the afterlife to it's high-powered musical inserts, Angel Beats! is definitely the one of the most memorable shows of the past Spring 2010 season, but unfortunately some of the flaws are just as memorable. Angel Beats! doesn't deliver a masterfully-woven story on life and death, but it does manage to tell a tale that still resonates strongly.

There's really no beating about the bush about the main flaws; Angel Beats! is not very well written or very well directed. There's a lack of consistency since the rising action never gets properly set up, and as a result there's no overarching narrative flow between the thirteen episodes. Consequently, most of the characters never get a chance to really develop or stand out. Plus there's plot holes aplenty, almost all of which are ignored by the writers, which is a problem since some of the plot holes actually are more memorable than some of the characters.

Luckily though, in the places that Angel Beats! falls apart in delivery, it makes up for it in surprises. There's a solid number of memorable and emotional moments as the characters remember and come to terms with their traumatic pasts. Add in some nicely produced music and brief flashes of great animation, and you have some moments that you'll definitely revisit later on. When there aren't any emotionally-heavy set pieces, there's plenty of whimsical and funny moments to carry the story and characters along.

In the end, it's painfully clear that Angel Beats! could have been much better. There's too much pandering to popular stereotypes, a over-reliance on deus ex machina motifs, and no emotional roller coaster here. But even despite the flaws and wasted potential, Angel Beats! is still a show that I recommend worth checking out. Even though Angel Beats! isn't a great show, it still tells a unique story that has a chance to pluck at your heart-strings.

E3 2010: Motion Control Madness

2010-06-17T09:43:00.000-07:00

To be brutally honest, I find it hard to be excited by either the Microsoft Kinect or the Playstation Move. Thanks to the mediocrity of the Nintendo Wii, motion controlled gaming hasn't really been that appealing to me, and a good number of gamers have felt the same too. Safe to say, coming into this year's E3, there have been some fairly high expectations from Kinect and the Move

So were those expectations met after the Microsoft and Sony announcements? Somewhat. Both companies have proved that their ambitious technologies work very well, but they didn't prove that they could challenge the Nintendo juggernaut.

Microsoft Kinect

Kinect is such a stupid name. But then again, we all thought the Wii was also a really stupid name when it was first announced.

Branding aside, there's no denying the raw technological power of the Kinect. Besides it's surprising ability to accurately track movement and body position, the Kinect also acts to allow users to command their Xbox 360s using simple hand gestures and short voice commands. Add in video chat support and body profile recognition, and there is a really tempting list of never-before-seen features that will make any tech lover drool.

Calling the Future. Present here. We've just arrived.

But the future comes at a high price. Even though Microsoft didn't officially announce the price of the Kinect, there's good indication that it's going to be around the $150 price point, which is almost as much as the Wii console itself.

Besides the price, the launch games announced for the Kinect are also hardly inspiring. With such exhilarating titles like "Your Shape: Fitness Evolved" and "Dance Madness" dominating the short list of launch games, one would be hard-pressed to find any reason to drop any amount of money on Kinect.

Microsoft has been trying to create momentum just on the sheer novelty of the Kinect, but that won't be enough to convince people to empty their wallets for it. What will really grab people's attention is if Kinect can have some sort of compatibility with a few of the big titles already on the 360, but that's just a pipe dream for now.

Sony Playstation Move

Okay, the 'Move' isn't exactly a better name than the 'Kinect'. But at least it's an actual word.

The Move also boasts a better launch library of gaming titles, with several names that gamers will recognize like SOCOM and Killzone 3. Even though there list is still padded with tech demos masquerading as games, the very presence of several popular franchises at launch gives Sony the advantage over Microsoft's Kinect.

So game set and match to Sony?

Not quite. Sony has a long history of having confusing hardware strategies, and unfortunately the Move isn't immune to this company disease. The Move is actually made up of several components that are sold separately; the $29 Eyetoy camera, the $49 Move controller wand, and the $39 navigation sub-controller.

Here is where the confusion starts. Some games use the 'standard' setup of one Move controller wand and one navigation sub-controller. Other games simply just use the Move controller wand. And then there's the few games that use two Move controller wands.

Thus if you want to partake in the full Playstation Move experience, assuming you don't play the games requiring two Move controller wands, the whole set up will run you around $120. While this sort of hardware pricing strategy may not be confusing for you and me, for the average Joe consumer buying his son a present, it can be a frustrating experience.

In addition to only being moderately cheaper than the Kinect, the Move is also hindered from its lack of ambition. It's more accurate and flexible than the Wii, but not really unique enough to really be distinctive like the Kinect. Some critics, myself included, have called the Move the "Wii-HD". It's not a complement, but rather it's a expression of disappointment.

Conclusion

While the Sony might have the leg up on Microsoft right now thanks to the presence of real games on their launch lineup, I still have some hopes for the Kinect. That tech behind it is amazing, so the only thing that Kinect is missing is the software to make it useful for gaming.

But the overall winner? Neither. You simply can't beat the Nintendo Wii with this kind of effort. Nice try though guys.

Image source: Joystiq

June Playlist: Alt Rock explosion

2010-06-14T11:28:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since my last playlist, so I've been catching up on music that I've missed in the past couple months. First up is the title single from Relient K's latest album, "Forget and Not Slow Down" (embedded above). It's a solid song filled with musical and lyrical catches, a great example of Relient K's masterful composition of guitar, piano, and vocal sounds. If you're looking for something a bit more pop-oriented from the same album, "Candlelight" is a great fast-paced piano ballad that really showcases lead singer Matt Thiessen's songwriting talent.

Despite not being quite as solid as Relient K's latest album, Thousand Foot Krutch's 2009 Welcome to the Masquerade album still has a few interesting tracks like "Forward Motion" and "Fire It Up". While "Fire It Up" is a energetic headbanger that may please the punk rock fans, "Forward Motion" is a ballad that takes better advantage of the band's vocal strengths, and is just a more memorable song in general.

While B.o.B. doesn't really fit with the other alt-rockers here, his album The Adventures of Bobby Ray is still a great album that is worth mentioning. There are the hits "Airplane" and "Nothing on You", plus other great songs like "Magic" featuring Weezer frontman Rivers Cuomo. A talented musician that can play multiple instruments, B.o.B. isn't your ordinary rap artist, and his collaborations with rockers Rivers Cuomo and Hayley Williams (in "Airplane") show just how broad his creative talent is.

Oil and dirty water ahead

2010-06-09T21:19:00.000-07:00

The BP oil spill in the Gulf is the worst environmental disaster in history. The fact that it's still growing is baffling people. There's just one question they are asking right now; "We managed to put man on the moon in the 1960's, but fifty years later we can't plug a hole at the bottom of the ocean?" Working the phones at Senator Boxer's office, I had one constituent scream his disbelief that the U.S. government wasn't sending NASA to plug the leak.

Last time I checked, NASA specializes in rockets and spacecraft technology. They don't specialize in plugging a broken and brittle oil pipe 5,000 feet down that's spewing thousands of gallons of oil at 9,000 psi. Quite different from building a rocket to brute-force Earth's gravitational field.

In summary, the Gulf oil spill has been an act of technological arrogance, so it's not surprising that we have been trying to find technological solutions to help stop the leak and help clean up the devastated Gulf ecosystems. From smartphone apps to help chart the widespread damage to the Gulf coastline to massive supercomputers calculating fluid simulations in an effort to find a method to plug the leak, there's no shortage of tech that has been deployed.

But we always have to remember that technology isn't the be-all-end-all solution.

Those smart phone apps? It's useless if there aren't already people on the ground trying to clean up. Those supercomputers? Only tools to aid the engineering and scientific minds working to find a solution to this crisis. And let us not forget that it was human error that allowed the safety equipment in the oil rig to fail at that critical moment.

So the lesson to this slightly rambling rant? Don't idolize technology. We can't brute force issues and problems with tech; it can only aid us in finding solutions to the various problems in our lives and in our society. It's made living our lives easier, but we shouldn't let it define our lives. This is a call of caution against the looming technology-dominated future, and a reminder that even our technological brilliance cannot save us if we lay waste to Mother Earth.

Rant over. While we're talking about BP, be sure one of the funniest twitter parodies I've ever seen.

Extreme makeover, Intel edition

2010-05-31T22:14:00.000-07:00

The iPad may have captured the hearts of yuppies everywhere, but netbooks are the overlooked heroes of portable computing. The enormous touchscreen on the iPad is pretty sexy, but it is utterly useless for those of us who actually use the Internet to get work done. Unfortunately, the most of the netbooks you can buy now have been hit pretty hard with the ugly stick. There's a reason why you'll have a hard time spotting a netbook in broad daylight at you local Starbuck's; faux chrome accents and flimsy plastic casing aren't exactly cool.

Thankfully, for those of us with the gift of eyesight, Intel has the solution.

Enter Intel's new duo-core Atom processor and "Canoe Lake" (huzzah awkward Chinese translations) chipset architecture. Long story short, the new tech that Intel presented promises to allow netbooks to be faster, lighter, and most importantly, sexier. The first two improvements most techies will love, but the last improvement is what all tech geeks and nerds secretly really want in their electronics. After all, they do call it tech fetish for a reason.

It's unfair to compare the iPad and netbooks, since they each do have unique specialties despite having common functionalities. But at least when this new Intel tech hits shelves later this year, we won't have to choose between looking like a nerd and looking like a geek. Trust me, there's a difference.

Source: Engadget

...And I'm Back Folks!

2010-05-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Taiwan, so hopefully I can get back to my normally (un)scheduled ramblings. Here are some choice shots that I took from my trip, so go ahead and click on the thumbnails to view the full shots. Sorry, I don't have a DSLR, I just had an ancient digi-cam to work with. Still, some of these shots turned out fairly decent.

Talking about something somewhat tech-related, it's interesting that Apple doesn't have actual stores over in Taiwan. Instead, they outsource actual physical retail to a local company, who copy the look of the Apple stores pretty closely. But it's still pretty obvious that the guys behind the rows of iPods and Macbooks aren't exactly the Apple-certified geniuses.

Also, taking photos without a DSLR is somewhat annoying, not because of the quality differences and the lack of photo settings, but because without a giant obnoxious giant lens on your camera people tend to look at you weird when you're trying to position yourself with tiny digi-cam. I guess you need to look like a photographer before people start ignoring you.

Acting like a photographer has also made me appreciate how much nerve and shamelessness you need to pull off some of the more dramatic shots with people. All those dramatic depth-of-field shots with people in them are really, really difficult to do unless you have the guts to put aside your fears of prying into some personal space. Props to you photographers; you sure know how to invade people's privacy.

Taipei was such a great place to take photos. It's not as pretty as Tokyo, nor as historic as London, and it's not as romantic as Paris, but it is a city that's full of raw, unadulterated life. Hopefully the next time I go, I'll bring along a DSLR, so I can show you more of Taiwan's gorgeous and interesting scenery.

First Impressions: Spring 2010 Anime Season

2010-04-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

Man, this season actually packed with things that I can stand watching. Amazing. That said, I actually wanted to wait at least until the third week of the Spring 2010 season before previewing them, but since I'm bound for Taiwan in a couple days I don't have much choice. So all of my impressions are based on the first two episodes of each series. Not the most accurate impressions, but work with me here.

Angel Beats

The opening moments of this show pretty much sum up everything you want to know.

Aside from K-ON!!, it's probably the most hyped series of this season. From the amount of gracious fanservice (guns, explosions, a random j-pop concert, and more guns) in the first episode alone, it's certainly trying to live up to it. The plot, which revolves around Otonashi and Yuri and their attempts to rebel against 'God' in the afterlife, is surprisingly comprehensible. However the characters definitely aren't memorable or unique, all being familiar stereotypes that we've seen before, especially Yuri.

Another problem is that Angel Beats is somewhat inconsistent. Compared to the first episode, the second episode seems rather half-baked. Everything still looks good, but it's easy to tell that they just couldn't maintain the intensity from the first episode. That said, the unique plot and stellar production values are keeping me intrigued, and I'm looking forward to seeing more action later on. Overall, Angel Beats is show that's worth checking out.

Arakawa Under the Bridge

Yea. Don't ask me.

Otherwise known in English as "What The Hell Am I Watching." Be warned though, my Japanese-to-English translations tend to be tinged slightly with sarcasm.

On a recommendation from a friend, I'm checking out Arakawa Under the Bridge. It's a Japanese gag anime, which means there's tons of Japanese puns, cultural references, and a tendency to be totally impenetrable to those who aren't Japan-o-philes. The story is about a straight-laced student who meets a beautiful girl living under a bridge, but I would be lying if I said this summary actually conveyed what the anime was about. It's akin to Gintama, if the writers of Gintama were hopped up on a few illicit drugs.

I'm sure there's a ton of stuff in Arakawa Under the Bridge that will please both anime nerds and literature majors, but I'm enjoying it because of the very charming and unique characters. Even though it's been nothing but visual gags and puns so far, I'm hoping that they actually might develop an actual plot between the two main characters later on.

Giant Killing

Goal? GOAL!

Hell yea, you are the best anime of Spring 2010.

I'm not lying. I don't like soccer, I don't normally watch sports shonen, but Giant Killing has caught my attention like no other anime this season so far. I decided to give it a try just to break my usual habits, and I have not regretted doing so since. Underdog sports team in the ruts? Check. Cocky youngster who thinks he can change things? Check. Checkered histories and longstanding rivalries? Check. Awesomeness? Check. Giant Killing has everything it needs to be the perfect sports shonen, and then some.

Since I'm not a regular of the genre, I'm hard pressed to describe what's unique about Giant Killing. But I can say that so far pacing of the plot and action has been stellar in building up drama, even if it is moving at a somewhat slower pace than the other animes this season. Even though it doesn't have the art and animation budgets of blockbuster animes like Angel Beats and K-ON!!, it's gathered attention because it's setting up what could be a damn good story. Really, the title says it all.

Kaichou wa Maid-sama

Sorry pretty boy. Your act ain't working here.

...and we go from Giant Killing to this. Anime has long been defined by the balancing act between fetishism and commentary, and Kaichou wa Maid-sama unfortunately falls heavily in the former category. Now that wouldn't too much of an issue, except the writing is terrible. Two episodes in and all the audience knows about the male lead is that all the girls and guys swoon in his presence because...he's pretty. That's all.

Hell, he barely even talks too, which is another problem.

So how do you prop up the creepiest, most poorly-written male romantic lead? Have the overbearing female lead have an almost unexplainable love for being a maid. No, don't mind the fact that she's the strong-willed student council president, let's make her attractive by letting her cosplay at work as a submissive maid, and let's make that the central conceit for the show.

Ugh. Next.

K-ON!! (Season 2)

How I wish this happened more often.

I hope you liked the first season of K-ON!, because it's more of the same. The only thing that's changed so far has been the ridiculous amount of money and attention they've pumped into the second season, and as a result K-ON!! is definitely the best looking show of the season. The opening sequence of cuts and shots in the first minute of the first episode actually shows some cinematic effort, and once again makes me wish that this series was about making music instead of eating sweets and being cute.

Goddamn it Japan. Make a worthy spiritual successor to Beck already. As a slice-of-life show, K-ON!! looks like it will entertain, as long as you don't mind the lack of music.

Working!!

Oh god. She's so cute.

There really needs to be less exclamation marks in anime titles this season. Besides sharing a similar obsession with punctuation in the titles with K-ON!!, Working!! is also a slice-of-life series. Unlike its more popular musical compatriot though, it focuses more on slapstick humor and personality-driven gags, which is somewhat hit and miss.

My main issue with Working!! is that it's just a series of animated shorts, like Arakawa Under the Bridge. However, whereas Arakawa Under the Bridge has some pretty solid writing to back it up, Working!! is nowhere as witty or as well written. Apart from some half-hearted efforts to flesh out its characters, so far most of the cast come across as one-trick ponies. In particular, the introduction of the man-fearing Inami definitely hasn't impressed me. Really? You're a waitress in a restaurant, and you have to punch every guy you meet because of fear?

Yea. Some gags get old fast.

At the very least, the setting and mood is charming, and Poplar (in screenshot above) does make up somewhat for the annoying parts of the show. I hope the series gets better, as there's promise.

Review: Pokemon Soul Silver uses Nostalgia Attack!

2010-04-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's Super Effective!

Oh god. The nostalgia that this game brings back from my childhood memories is amazing. What got me into gaming and anime was none other than the original Pokemon Silver 10 years ago. I was so overcome with nostalgia that I went out and bought a new DS specifically so I could relive those memories with the new Pokemon Soul Silver. Yea. A totally unbiased review coming up.

Click to see the difference 10 years looks like.

The good? It's the Pokemon game you loved as a kid. The bad? It's still essentially the same Pokemon game that you played as a kid.

Nostalgia aside, it's actually kind of infuriating that most of the general game concepts have remained mostly unchanged for over a decade. So if you're not entranced by the nostalgia or the remade world, Soul Silver won't really have any staying power. Plus this remake hasn't fixed some things about the original, like the utter dearth of different pokemon in the first quarter of the game.

In fact, you can't even some of the newly added Pokemon until really late in the game, which makes me wonder why they added them in the first place.

All that said, it's hard not to be impressed with Soul Silver. Pokemon games have always been about the large immersive worlds with large numbers of interesting creatures, and Soul Silver doesn't disappoint. Not only are there several new areas, but also new additional gameplay aspects like the Pokeathalon mini-game events, so even old veterans of the original Pokemon Silver have something new to see. Add all of the above with a much improved art style, and you got yourself a great looking game.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Soul Silver has been the Pokewalker. Essentially a tamagotchi (remember those?) for Pokemon, it's unique since it operates off a pedometer. However, it doesn't offer anything revolutionary, other than making Pokemanics easier to spot. Luckily, you don't need to use it. The Pokewalker has its uses, but it feels really tacked on.

Honestly, if you want your kids to exercise, find another excuse.

Despite being a remake, there's enough new elements to make Soul Silver worth the money. Once you add in the sheer nostalgia that it brings, it's almost priceless. Plus it doesn't hurt that it's a remake of a very solid game. Of course, if you've never liked the Pokemon games, then Soul Silver won't change your mind.

But if you've hated Pokemon games since you were a kid, you probably hate cute animals and pretty things anyways. Just saying.

2010, Year of the Touchscreen Tablet PCs

2010-04-09T17:30:00.000-07:00

Nuh-uh. Not the iPad. This is the HP Slate.

The iPad might not be worth all the hype, but it sure as hell has kicked off a craze for touchscreen tablet PCs, and they all the new touchscreen tablet PCs happen to look disturbingly similar to the iPad. As much as I docked points for the iPad's lack of certain features earlier, there's no denying it's appeal to the casual user. You don't need amazing computer knowledge to operate one, and chances are most people will overlook the iPad's weaknesses thanks to how intuitive the touchscreen interface is. Touchscreen tablets have great potential to expand the market for portable computers, and this is why everybody's banking on tablet PCs this year thanks to the hype that the iPad has created.

Nope. It's the Fusion Garage JooJoo.

Besides the iPad, the other tablet PCs that I can name off the top of my head are the HP Slate, Archos 7 Home Tablet, and the Fusion Garage JooJoo. Hell, even Dell is rumored to be making one. Quite a lot of tablet PCs, considering touchscreen tablet PCs didn't really fly off shelves before the iPad was launched.

With numerous alternatives to choose from, the future computing is slowly being set into place. It doesn't matter if these tablet PCs lack the processing power and other functionalities of traditional computers, since there touchscreen tablet PCs are promoting the future of multiple-computer household. No matter how much techies and purists like me rail against how trends like these promote aestheticism over functionality, it's undeniably where the consumer culture is currently taking us.

Of course, it's not set in stone that tablet PCs will really take off, as it depends on how Apple and other companies build services around the hardware. But in one day, 300,000 of you seemed determined to make 2010 the Year of the Touchscreen Tablet PCs, so I expect tablet PCs to be here for good.

Review: Kimi ni Todoke, a.k.a. Kiss Your Masculinty Goodbye

2010-04-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

START OF REVIEW: It's a decent shoujo romance. END OF REVIEW.

Of course, your questions aren't "Is the narrative flow interrupted when the exposition changes its focus?" or "Hey, just how good is Kimi ni Todoke Justin?". No, I believe your questions are something along the lines of; "So Justin, why were you watching a shoujo?", or "Do you secretly love these sappy romances targeted to teenage Japanese girls?", and "Hey, when are you going to watch an anime that isn't romance?"

In my defense, there was nothing decent to watch from the cavalcade of trash that defined the Winter '09 season (shhh don't mention Bakemonogatari, haven't finished it yet shhh), and I was curious to see why so many dudes liked this show after seeing all the hubub over it. To answer the second question, I hope I don't secretly like shoujos. And the answer the third question, I'll hopefully be talking about a non-romance soon since the upcoming Spring '10 anime season shows some promise.

Boring answers, I know.

Oh, you want to know more about Kimi ni Todoke? Well, if you haven't been able decipher my sarcasm, I don't blame you. As I've said before, it has its moments when the beautiful artwork in the scenery come into play, but those moments are depressingly brief and few. For the most part you'll be treated to a glacially s-l-o-o-o-w romantic developments to the point where you realize that nothing happens in some episodes. All the characters are so innocent and pure-minded that it's actually impossible for anything dramatic to happen. Well, almost all the characters are pure, barring the extremely obvious antagonist.

Heck, they're so pure that they make freshly fallen snow look dirty.

So there's the charm in Kimi ni Todoke. It's so innocent and heartwarming that it'll send you to the dentist with a cavity from it's sweetness. Those wanting some romances with exciting romantic development, I advise watching (or re-watching) Nodame Cantabile, Toradora!, or True Tears. But if you don't mind something slow to take your mind off of life's dramas, Kimi ni Todoke is a solid choice.

The Price of Pushing Internet Freedom

2010-03-30T21:54:00.000-07:00

This kind of tech drama doesn't happen too often folks. Ever since several accounts at Google got hacked by someone in China earlier in December 2009, Google has taken the gloves off and announced that they were no longer censoring search results. Of course, the Chinese government simply flipped some switches on the Great Firewall of China, and started blocking various Google services. The response from within China has been somewhat varied, ranging from cautious support to nationalistic outrage.

So what happens now?

The obvious answer is that Google loses, big time. China's 384 million plus internet users will probably turn to the domestic search engine Baidu, and Google will no longer have a foothold in the world's fastest growing tech market. Of course, Sergey Brin expected this, and this was a decision based on personal rather than business ideals.

But the more disturbing answer is that US tech companies working with China will face this sort of treatment for the indefinite future. Google hasn't been the only high-profile company that has had trouble recently working with the Chinese government. Activision-Blizzard also has experienced its fair share of troubles in its efforts to renew the World of Warcraft license with the Chinese government, even though it has done exactly the opposite of what Google has chosen to do.

With an increasingly nationalistic and inward-focused China protests about intellectual property violations, hacking attacks, and censorship will fall on mostly deaf ears. As Western tech services and firms are handicapped by the Chinese government, Chinese copycats will continue to flourish. The digital divide between China and the rest of the world is growing day by day, it's clear that the digital landscapes on both sides of this divide will be very different.

Update: Oh, and it was confirmed that Yahoo had several email accounts hacked very recently. Starting to see a trend here?

Image courtesy AFP

Review: Nodame Cantablie Finale

2010-03-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

The saga finally ends, and one of the most entertaining and charming animes in recent years draws to a close. The final season has been intriguing and unpredictable, even if events did unfold rather slowly. Nodame Cantablie Finale hasn't been a wild roller coaster ride like what we experienced with the first season, but it still manages to throw some unexpected hooks and turns in the overall story that will satisfy many fans. The final season hasn't been quite as epic as I had foresaw, but even so this is one final act that undoubtedly fits with the mood of the series.

They've put a lot of money and time into this, and as a result Nodame Cantablie Finale looks and sounds great. There's plenty of grand and sweeping musical scenes, lots of slow-motion effects, great CG, and plenty of detailed animation. However, what we really care about is the character development, and there is plenty of that. Not only do we finally get to become acquainted with the side characters and their relationships, but even Nodame and Chiaki's relationship develops, albeit in a rather subtle manner.

In my preview I mentioned that the relationship between Nodame and Chiaki was a known quantity, and I was wrong. I won't spoil anything, but roles have been reversed, and it's been interesting to see the normally confident Chiaki becoming increasingly befuddled. While the comedy is still plentiful, it's obvious that the tone has become a bit more serious as the characters come to terms with each other and themselves. The tone of the series is by no means brooding, just a bit more contemplative than usual.

The very last episode might disappoint those expecting something concrete, but if you've been expecting some very serious closure you really have to look at what the series is about. That said, the last few minutes of the last episode has been one the most graceful closures that I have seen. Overall, Nodame Cantablie Finale is a solid ending to a much-beloved series. Even if it doesn't offer a exciting roller coaster ride of drama, the final season is still an outstanding emotional sendoff.

Review: Toradora!

2010-03-19T01:01:00.000-07:00

I'm not a fan of the art. There's just something about how soulless their eyes seem that creeps me out. Also, what is up with Japan's fetish for small girls that look like they're in elementary school? I also don't like how it takes about 12 episodes for the writers to realize that Toradora! is actually much better at being a dramatic and emotional high school romance than it is at being a slice-of-life comedy.

And I can't believe that I missed this little gem when it came out over a year ago.

Sure, some of the characters are stereotypical for this genre, and the eventual love triangle is predictable. But I'll be damned if I let anybody think Toradora! is another generic romance anime. Things start off slowly, but eventually even the annoying stereotypes eventually get explained as the characters start to define themselves. The male lead isn't a total write-off for once, and the female lead is similarly strong-willed, so the chemistry between the two easily makes this one of the most satisfying romances that I've watched in a while.

Don't think it's all drama and no fun. The character cast are all light-hearted, innocent, and determined in ways that really can make anybody nostalgic for their high-school days. The surprisingly consistent writing also means that you'll be hooked on the slow-but-powerful blossoming of emotions from episode to episode. I still think that the first 12 episodes didn't need to be so meandering, but in hindsight I guess it does reflect the uncertainties of youthful love. Either way though, the pacing in the first couple of episodes isn't too bad, and I can easily name many other animes whose entire plots were much less exciting.

When it decides to get started with the emotional fireworks, Toradora! is a emotional ride that doesn't stop until literally the last seconds of the last episode. I'm a picky one, but Toradora! was able to get me completely addicted. Toradora! is the clam chowder of romance anime; warm, inviting, and rich in flavor. It's the soup that warms the romantic soul.

March Playlist: J-pop galore

2010-03-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

I promised myself that I wouldn't be listening to any more Japanese music, since y'know, I don't know any Japanese. But goddamn, the Japanese make some pretty catchy pop-ballads, so I couldn't resist this month. First up is Supercell's new single "Sayanora Memories" (embedded above). It's similar to Supercell's other popular single that was used as the ED for Bakemonogatari, which means it hits all the high marks, literally. Another plus is that the music video for "Sayanora Memories" is also pretty charming and well produced, so by all means check it out.

Next up is "Pink Monsoon" by May'n, her latest single for the Macross Frontier movie. It's not as epic as her older hit "Diamond Crevasse", but it's a very slick song that's so well produced it will be stuck in your head for days. Also from the Macross Frontier movie soundtrack is May'n's "Eternity", which doesn't have as much layered synth effects, but is still a solid song. Last of all, we have "Kaze to Oka no Ballad" by Real Paradis, which is the ED song for Nodame Cantablie Finale. It isn't a spectacular song (and not a very good music video either...), but it definitely encapsulates the mood of the anime well with its lyrical hooks and relaxed tones.

Hopefully next month I'll have a playlist that isn't filled with songs in a language I don't understand.

Moving nowhere with the PlayStation Move

2010-03-11T17:46:00.000-08:00

There's quite a number of differences between the Wii and the new PS3 motion control add-on the PlayStation Move, but it's not a huge exaggeration to call it Sony's 'Wiimote-HD', since both controllers are used in similar fashions when playing games. The most important distinction is the Move's accuracy; it's far better at tracking where the controller is, so it can do a lot more than even the upgraded Wii Motion Plus can hope to do.

So will the Move be Sony's gaming holy grail? Sadly, no.

Unique controls do not always produce unique gameplay. The Wii has proved this with years of simplistic-but-mediocre games best suited for very young kids. Aside from the Nintendo-developed Wii Sports Resort, there hasn't been a Wii game that has delivered on the Wii's original promise. And does Sony really expect the sell the PlayStation Move to the mainstream 'non-gamers' if it's an additional $100 (let's be honest here, it won't be much less than $100) cost on top of the $300 PS3?

Once you consider the launch games for the Move being very similar to current games being offered on the Wii right now, all of what has been announced so far has been rather underwhelming. With the Move, Sony simply isn't making a compelling argument for gamers or mainstream non-gamers to purchase it. These same problems also affect Microsoft's Natal motion controller, so these are problems that aren't necessarily limited to Sony.

I'm tempted to call the PlayStation Move another knee-jerk attempt by Sony to bandwagon on technology trends. But unlike my opinion on the PSP Go, I actually have some hope for Sony in this case. There's some promise in what the Sony can offer through the Move because the technology behind it is rather versatile, but it remains to be seen if they can capitalize on it with some great games after it's launched.

The Short Story About HTML 5

2010-03-10T16:24:00.000-08:00

Since the announcement of the iPad and it's lack of Flash support, some Internet geeks have been championing HTML 5 like it's the next coming of Christ. I'll be frank here. HTML 5 isn't something you should be worrying about right now. For the ordinary users, HTML 5 is a new web coding standard that not only promises to make web browsers more powerful, but also promises to have a plugin-free and web-based future. This means no more annoying Flash updates and more powerful web browsers that offer a lot more functionality.

And it also makes websites look prettier, which is a pretty nice bonus.

The real miracles behind HTML 5 though will only be noticed by web developers. But even if you don't know the difference between Javascript and CSS, HTML 5 still something to be excited for, since it has the potential to make browsing the web much faster and easier. And by that, I mean you can procrastinate on YouTube much more easily with HTML 5, since it gets rid of processor-draining web plugins like Flash. So if it's that good, why should we not be excited about it right now?

Point one; It's not done yet. The Wizards Behind The Internet (as I like to call the fine folks working on it right now) have been working on it for over six years, and there's still a few years before it's going to be officially 'completed'. Parts of the HTML 5 code are being rolled out right now, but those bits of new coding have only moderately changed the way websites are built.

Point two; Even when it's finished, it's not going to be entirely widespread because Microsoft hasn't really been involved in it's development. The godforsaken hunk-of-Internet-junk Internet Explorer is still commanding the majority of the browser market, and web developers don't like using a code that won't be fully compatible with the most popular browser on the Internet.

So if you've noticed all the noise about HTML 5, ignore it. It's much too early to be talking so glibly about it; it has a long way to go before it will be relevant news to the average consumer.

Image source: Webitcet, Gizmodo

While We're Talking About Webcomics

2010-03-05T20:26:00.000-08:00

Check out Dresden Codak's webcomics. Actually, I would hesitate to label it as a webcomic, they're more works of art. His works are somewhat comparable to the webcomics over at XKCD, since both share a pretentious-intellectual-bordering-on-sarcastic-genius tone, but otherwise Dresden Codak's recent works are simply amazing in their beautifully created fantasy grandeur and the sheer length of each 'comic'. Be warned though, there's a fair amount of historical snarky-ness that will have you running back and forth between the comics and Wikipedia. Dresden evidently has a love for re-casting notable historical figures in unique situations.

While we're wasting time on the Internet, you also should check out Tim Rodger's description of why living in Japan sucks. His amusingly titled 'Japan: It's Not Funny Anymore' up on Kotaku is a VERY long read (I've written that much, but only for research papers), but it's a captivating piece that highlights the very weird things about Japanese culture that makes it almost impossible for foreigners to live and work there. He uncovers the not-so-glamorous side of Japanese life and business culture after years of living and working there, so it's an eye-opener. By all means check it out. I'll put some choice quotes below;

"It's not just comedy. Japan is land of the abundant "Famous For Being Famous" class of entertainers. If Paris Hilton were Japanese, they'd literally have her anchoring the fucking national news."
"Japanese television is a way of programming the mannerisms of tomorrow's society and/or/by propagating the mannerisms of yesterday. It scared the shit out of me."
"It's hard to find a garbage can in Tokyo. That's why the city is so clean — the people carry their garbage everywhere. In addition to being a metaphor for the en-masse bottling-up of passive aggression in Tokyo, it's also the truth."

Source of first image: Dresden Codak

Oh Geek Culture, How I Sometimes Don't Understand You

2010-03-02T15:57:00.000-08:00

This webcomic by Caldwell Tanner is probably the best example of geek culture right now; full of constant in-references built upon years of re-translating elements of pop culture. I can count no less than four references in this comic, which is pretty amazing for a webcomic. Browsing through Caldwell Tanner's webcomic/blog looking at his other works for web-famous College Humor, there is a amazing diversity of comics about stuff I've heard about, and other stuff that's left me slightly confused.

Of course, College Humor has it's misses and hits in terms of genuinely funny things, but it doesn't change the fact that geek culture has grown so much in the past decade that now it's referencing itself. Internet memes are probably the best and most memorable example of this. Thinking (or in my case reading about) geek culture back in the 90's, it was pretty much the realm of Star Wars nerds, Star Trek nerds, and Dungeon and Dragon nerds. Geek culture today is such a monstrosity that it defies any attempts at definition sometimes. Trying to keep track of the countless memes and Internet in-jokes is a full time job, which some people have made a living off of.

At any rate, one thing is for sure; one day geeks will take over pop culture. It's only a matter of time, and as the influences of the Greatest Generation wanes, the eccentricities of the Geekiest Generation shall reign. I for one, welcome our geek overlords.

Source: loldwell.com

Review: Kara no Kyoukai

2010-02-27T17:12:00.000-08:00

This week seems to be a slow week tech-wise, and with a dearth of topics to talk about, I might as well take a look at Kara no Kyoukai. I wasn't intending on reviewing this series, since it's a bit polarizing. Either you'll love it, or you'll find nothing special about it. If I had to describe Kara no Kyoukai in a few words, I would say it's quintessentially mono no aware; it's a slow but deliberate story that highlights the relations between characters through the spiritual and mystical world around them.

Kara no Kyoukai takes place within the universe of Tsukihime, and even though it takes place within a parallel universe to the main story of Tsukihime, it still contains lots of references that Tsukihime fans can appreciate. Newcomers to the Tsukihime story line and Type-Moon's works will feel a bit lost, since the story doesn't stop to explain concepts or events clearly. Another thing that contributes to the slow, methodical feel of the series is it's format; Kara no Kyoukai is a series of seven movies, so even though there's lots of tension and bits of action, there's a lot of 'dead time' in between.

I use the term 'dead time' quite loosely though. The slow panning scenes are there for the atmosphere and tension, and the action sequences are all the more enjoyable as a result. The action sequences are few and far in between, but they're definitely among the best animated sequences I've seen. From the rain-drenched rooftop fight scene to the leap of faith off an apartment block during an intense battle, these beautifully animated and choreographed scenes are hard to forget.

Along with the action, the characters of Kara no Kyoukai are similarly just as memorable. They each have unique quirks and traits, and more importantly they have intriguing personalities. With characters that are this interesting, it's fascinating to watch the relationships unfold between the characters, especially the relationship between the main leads Mikiya and Shiki. While the art, animation, and atmosphere might attract you to Kara no Kyoukai, you'll most likely stay for the characters.

Of course, we arrive at the reason why I was so hesitant to even share my thoughts on Kara no Kyoukai; it's very art-house. The methodical pacing and the slow unfolding of the plot and relationships takes quite a bit of patience to enjoy. The narrative is also structured to keep the viewer guessing, which can be frustrating since the plot isn't very easy to grasp. Kara no Kyoukai isn't something that I'll recommend to those expecting constant action or those new to anime, but those who come ready to immerse themselves in a mysterious world won't be disappointed.

First Impressions: Nodame Cantabile Finale

2010-02-17T09:53:00.000-08:00

It's more Nodame Cantablie, so that means more awesome musical adventures. If you've watched the first two seasons of Nodame, and aren't watching the final season, then I don't know why you're wasting time reading this instead of watching it. What are you waiting for?

That said, the final season is a bit different from the previous one. They're still in Paris, and they're still continuing their roller coaster ride in the musical world, but in this season we finally see more development in the supporting cast. The second season of Nodame just dumped a bunch of new faces on our plate without much explanation, and that didn't make the loss of the stellar supporting cast from the first season that much more palatable. Thankfully, the final season is wrapping up those loose ends, and I'm enjoying see the supporting characters finally getting some more face time on screen.

Chiaki and Nodame's relationship and musical destinies are almost a known quantity at this point, so watching the relationships between the supporting characters has been something that's really drawn me in. The development between one Mr. Samurai (obviously not his name, but I can't spoil it here) a female supporting character particularly has me riveted.

So far, Nodame Cantablie Finale is definitely looking like it'll be the epic ending that we all wanted. More music, more adventures, and more heartwarming-yet-awkward romance.

Breaking News: Windows Phone 7 Announced

2010-02-15T09:52:00.000-08:00

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona today, Microsoft announced their newest mobile smart phone OS platform, the Windows Phone 7.

*yawn*

Let's be honest, Microsoft has a tendency to promise big and fail utterly in recent years. I think Windows 7 has been their only major product they released that was a success, and that's because we hit them over the head enough times because of Vista. Plus we're getting into smart phone territory here, in which the popular mind-share of this market has long been captured by the iPhone.

Don't get me wrong, I think Windows Phone 7 is a really slick mobile OS, and it's integration with Xbox Live has great potential. But the success of integration like that is highly dependent on the existence of a diversity of content for it (e.g. games), and there won't be enough Window Phone 7 users to justify developers investing in games for the platform when they can make so much more money off of the wildly popular iPhone app store.

Long story short, I'll be excited if Xbox Live integration isn't just a gimmick a year or so from now. But I'm willing to put down money that nobody will care about it then.

Source and image: Gizmodo

Review: Mass Effect 2

2010-02-13T20:02:00.000-08:00

To say that Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game this year would be an understatement. Saying that Mass Effect 2 is my favorite game that I’ve played in my whole life would be more accurate. Mass Effect 2 is by no means the ‘perfect’ game, and there are games out there that arguably have better elements. Bioshock has better atmosphere, Modern Warfare 2 has more thrilling gameplay, Fallout 3 has a bigger world to explore, and the upcoming PS3 game Heavy Rain will definitely be more ‘cinematic’ and emotional than Mass Effect 2. So why Mass Effect 2, if it’s not perfect?

I’ll say it in one word; Immersion.

Video game graphics have proved to be amazing in recent years, but despite these leaps in technology the main problem with video games has been their inability to immerse us in their worlds. Running around any game, you have to actively suspend your notions of reality just to accept what you’re seeing in the game. Some games like Bioshock try to use art style and atmosphere to make it easier to get drawn into the game, other games like Modern Warfare 2 simply rely on pushing you along as fast as possible so you don’t think too much about the world the game is presenting to you.

With Mass Effect 2 though, it engages the most important factor in immersion; you. The whole game is masterfully designed to engage the player in choices that shape the gameplay and the universe.The character that you play isn’t nameless or voiceless like in most other games, your character has an actual personality who builds actual relationships with characters around them. You give the character a name, gender, change their appearance, write their backstory, and customize their abilities to your preference, and all this is before you are presented with the decisions that develop your character's story and relationships.

Decisions you have made in the first Mass Effect have a noticeable effect on the immensely detailed world in Mass Effect 2, effectively writing a game universe that feels unique and tailored to you. The choices that you make don’t have an easily visible foreseeable impact, and they’re morally ambiguous too, which makes every decision fraught with tension as you try to choose what you think is the best decision.The game almost makes you believe you’re writing their story, and that’s the key in Mass Effect 2’s immersion.

It also doesn’t hurt that Mass Effect 2’s combat and level designs have improved leaps and bounds over the first game. Just like the tension found in the moral decisions in the game, every enemy encounter is thrilling and fast-paced, a testament how well designed the combat system and level designs are. You’re still suspending your belief in reality while playing, but the immersion happens so effortlessly because everything in the game is working in harmony to draw you in and invest your emotions in what is unfolding before your eyes. From the vibrant and lush alien worlds to the stellar voice acting (did I mention Martin Sheen voices one of the main characters?), Mass Effect 2 truly rivals some classic sci-fi epics.

Of course, like I said before the game isn’t perfect. I have several gripes with the way that the game’s plot is structured, along with some uncertainties about the balance of the different character abilities, but I haven’t been this enthralled like this by any other video game. Mass Effect 2 isn’t for everyone, as it’s hybrid RPG-FPS system isn’t easy to pick up and the game’s immersion is highly dependant on the player having completed the first Mass Effect (which had its fair amount of gameplay flaws). However, it blows every other game out of the water with its superbly balanced composition of personalized immersion, gameplay elements, epic story, intriguing characters, and emotional impact.

You’ll be hard pressed to find a better produced game than Mass Effect 2. Until Mass Effect 3 comes out, that is.

The Google Behemoth Strikes Again: Google Buzz

2010-02-09T13:34:00.000-08:00

If you accessed your Gmail today, you've probably noticed that Google's added something called Buzz. Some people are calling it Google's answer to Facebook, but that's really a poor way to describing Buzz. Yes, Buzz is Google's new social networking add-on to Gmail, but the two services aren't really comparable beyond that. And that's the problem; Facebook is by far still offers more features, and Buzz doesn't offer anything radically compelling to justify being labeled a 'competitor' to Facebook.

Instead, I think the best way to think about Buzz is that it's enhancing your Gmail experience.You can upload and share decently-sized photos, and if you have Buzz on your smartphone you can 'tweet' your status with a geo-location tag on it so your friends can see where you 'tweeted' from, and all of this is integrated in the Gmail browser. Of course, there's some features that you'll recognize from Twitter and Facebook. Like your Facebook posts, your friends in Gmail can now comment on your Buzz post, and you can have people 'following' you.

Honestly, even if you think of Buzz being an add-on to Gmail, it doesn't really enhance the Gmail experience by much. I have at least 100 friends on Facebook who are constantly on Facebook-stalking, but I have about 10 people on my Gmail list who actively use it for stuff like Gmail chat. Whether you like Facebook's user interface or not, it's impossible to deny the fact that it's much more intuitive and efficient for socializing than Gmail's user interface is.

That said, the additions in Buzz make it a better competitor to Twitter, since it allows much more social interaction with your posts. Even with this positive outlook though, it's hard to deny that it's the awkward late comer to the party; it wants to be popular to be like Twitter and Facebook, but instead of being original, it tries to act like them and fails to appeal to anyone. C'mon Google. We expected more from you.

Favorite Superbowl Commercials For 2010

2010-02-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

This year's game between the Saints and the Colts was really entertaining, but this year's crop of Superbowl commercials were a bit lacking. But there were a few good ones, and surprisingly this time my favorite commercial wasn't one by Bud Light or Budweiser. No, I didn't like the Motorola commercial (above) just because Megan Fox was half naked in it...well, actually I did since that was the whole joke, but that's besides the point. Props to Motorola for a commercial that was classy and funny, and props to Megan for being more entertaining than she was in Transformers 2. I was more entertained by this than I was for most of that movie, and I didn't get a headache watching it either.

The honorable mention here is the Google ad. It's rather subtle, and I admit I kind of missed the point the first time I watched it. Luckily, thanks to the magic of Youtube, you can experience the simplistic but heart-warming ad as many times as you want. Pay attention to the ad closely if you watch it. It's definitely not the funniest or catchiest of the ads that aired, but it sure stood out for it's simplicity and cleverness among the screaming chicken ads Denny's ran. The screaming chickens were funny the first time, amusing the second, and really annoying the third time.

"Timmy, what are you doing?"

I finally stopped being lazy

2010-02-05T17:14:00.000-08:00

Actually, I'm just procrastinating from doing something else that I need to work on. Anyways, I'm currently updating the layout of the blog so it looks better. I might make some edits to the coloring and what not later on, but for now I made a new header and fixed the width of the website. Go ahead and leave some comments if you think that I'm doing a horrible job with the layout, or if you just hate the header that I made. Or if you like what I'm doing, by some weird twist of fate.

Now I should start working on that paper of mine...

Edit: I just noticed that the Youtube embedded videos aren't showing up on IE8. There's some shenanigans going on with either the Youtube coding, or Microsoft's coding. And guess which one I'm blaming. Get Firefox (or Chrome if you're feeling adventurous) if you're still stuck in Microsoft's stone age.

Review: Star Trek Online

2010-02-02T16:30:00.000-08:00

I've been jaded with massive multiplayer online games since my time with the infamous World of Warcraft, plus I'm not old (or nerdy) enough to be a true Trekkie. Games that are designed to waste your time like MMOs don't fit my lifestyle, and the only person I can really recognize from Star Trek is Captain Jean-Luc Picard. So you can imagine my sense of disbelief when I realized I actually enjoyed my time with Star Trek Online.

From the time I spent in the game's open beta, there's not much that I can praise about the game's structure. The ground combat is clunky and boring, the user interface isn't intuitive to use, and there's little in the way of guidance in what to do in the game. Want to know the difference between Photon and Quantam torpedos? Don't look at the descriptions in the game, Google it. Want to know where the hell the 'Crystaline Entity' is for that one mission? Google it. I could go on, but you get the overall picture.

But I wouldn't be talking about Star Trek Online if it just was mediocre. One thing that the game has satisfied is my childhood fantasies about blowing things up in space. Piloting a lumbering Federation cruiser around Klingon Bird of Preys and crushing them with disruptor beams and photon torpedoes has created a sensation that I haven't felt since I was seven years old and doodling sprawling space battles on the margins of my math homework. The game is quite good at fulfilling the inner Captain Kirk, and even the cumbersome ground battles serves the purpose of giving us the Star Trek experience by expanding the universe beyond go-here-and-blow-up-3-Klingon-ships.

Star Trek Online is about as geeky as one can get (complete with in-game voice over from Leonard Nimoy), and it even appeals to non-Trekkies if you love sci-fi enough. The game is an MMO in concept, but in reality you won't miss much if you want to do things by yourself, which is another plus in my book. I won't be spending much time with the game, but I do appreciate how it has awoken the inner child that I had assumed to be long gone.

Beam me up, Scotty!

Can hip-hop, blues, and classical music be combined? Heck yea.

2010-01-29T10:46:00.000-08:00

Nope, this isn't another crazy Japanese musical mash-up. Rather this exquisite piece of music is a result of a online mix-up collaboration between talented semi-professional and amateur musicians, most of whom live in LA. From its hip-hop and blues influences, to the classical guitar and piano melodies, this musical project is pretty amazing to listen to. Give it a go. You definitely won't be disappointed, no matter your musical preferences.

Edit: Youtube video here.

Not so breaking news: the iPad

2010-01-27T16:14:00.000-08:00

I told you so. Not that you needed me to tell you guys the obvious, after all these year of tablet rumors and dancing around that Apple has done. But the iPad finally official, and predictably it's also taken the tech world by storm.

Overall, I'm not surprised with the features that Apple has offered with the iPad. It's all standard fare; magazine and book reading, a online store for those publications, some basic web functionality, and music and movie playback. Even though I'm not surprised with the features, there's no denying the impact the iPad can potentially have on not only the tech world, but also the ancient and declining world of publishing. With Apple's new tablet, magazines are no longer obsolete dinosaurs, out of touch with the increasingly wired universe.

So will the iPad herald a new revolution of online publishing? I sure hope so. Apple has established the beachhead in this battle; it's up to those publishers to create viable strategies and push attractive content to win the war. On the ultra-portable computing front, the iPad isn't quite the revolution that some people were hoping. The inability to multitask, the inefficient virtual keypad, and lack of Flash functionality means that the best bang-for-the-buck for ultra-portable computing still lies in the sub-$400 netbooks. Sure, there's an attachable physical keyboard, but honestly having to lug that around is a deal-breaker.

Revolutionary or not revolutionary, the iPad will be successful. Why? Because Apple knows that to be successful, you don't just sell a product, you sell a lifestyle. The iPod came with iTunes, the iPhone came with its massive app store, and the iPad will come all of those things plus the iBook store. With the ability to download and organize music/movies in iTunes, use/play/downlad apps, and buy books on the iPad, it's a multimedia powerhouse. Even despite not being quite as good as a netbook for web surfing or word processing, there's promise in what the iPad represents.

Oh, and the base model starts at $499. Easy on the wallet, decent on the features, and pretty to look at. Not too bad if you ask me. Now, about that name...

Images courtesy Gizmodo

Edit: Upon further reflection, I ended a bit too much on a positive note. The iPad is promising, but as a device it's still not quite good enough for me to give a wholehearted recommendation. Apple needs to fix the issues (lack of multitasking is the big one), but I'm confident they will. So final verdict? Wait a year or so till a newer version comes out.

Oh god I'm talking about music

2010-01-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

2009 has been a rather interesting year for alt. rock and rock music. The album I was looking forward to the most, Weezer's latest album Raditude, was almost painful for me to listen to as a whole. But on the flip side, there was some decent stuff that graced the air waves in the past year. The Fray's latest self-titled album was really nice to listen to, and Third Eye Blind's Ursa Major was a solid reminder to why I liked them so much.

But really, I think the biggest surprise of 2009 for me was Switchfoot's Hello Hurricane. I've never been a fan of their older albums (or their past musical styles), but in this album they really pulled out all the stops to refresh their sound. Unlike Weezer's Red Album (again Weezer, c'mon), their musical experimentations blend nicely with their patented vocal catches and soft sounds to create an album that's musically diverse and fun to listen to. Before Hello Hurricane, I wouldn't have put 'musically diverse' and 'Switchfoot' in the same sentence. But now I can do that without any sense of sarcasm.

Another solid album that also came out at the tail end of the year is Leona Lewis's Echo. Not that I expected anything less, even with the standards she set with her stellar first album. What is confusing me though, is why Square Enix choose her single "My Hands" as the theme song for the international version of Final Fantasy XIII. "My Hands" is a nice song...but it doesn't match the whole Final Fantasy concept of androgynous Japanese teenagers summoning giant ice-machine-monsters to fight the Greater Evil. The only people who are going to buy Final Fantasy XIII are people who love the Japanese flavor of the series, so why replace the perfectly fine original Japanese theme?

Heh. I knew I'd manage to talk about games somehow.

Delicious Delays Ahead

2010-01-13T09:06:00.000-08:00

Let's make this clear. Last time when I said there would most likely be delays with Gran Turismo 5, I kinda said that to spite the Sony fanboys. And I can't believe I was right. Anyways, those wondering what the hell I'm talking about, Polyphony Digital announced recently that they were delaying the Japanese release date for GT5. The game was supposed to come out in March of this year in Japan, but now the new release date remains unknown.

I don't know about you, but I busted out laughing when I saw the news.Oh you Sony fanboys, how you guys must be fuming at this point...

The American release date ostensibly remains the same (Summer-ish 2010), but at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the weather gets awfully cold before us gajin will be able to pick up a copy of GT5. I'm sure the delay wasn't because they're still fixing or polishing things in the game, but rather due to the rather ambitious Gran Turismo TV they wanted to include with the game. I think the Top Gear motto also applies here; "Ambitious, but rubbish."

Source: Joystiq

If I Could Have One Thing From CES...

2010-01-07T17:47:00.000-08:00

...it would be this beauty.The only thing I liked from Avatar (the James Cameron oh-look-I-sneezed-and-spent-300-mil movie) were the cool 3D control screens that the people were using, and this 40% transparent OLED laptop is as close as we can get to that. If I had this, I wouldn't need that Aston Martin DBS to feel like James Bond. Screw fancy cars and Sony VAIOs, this is what he should have in the next movie.

Unfortunately, the super-cool stuff are governed by the Law of Coolness: The cooler something is, the less likely it's actually real. This OLED laptop is just a proof-of-concept, and it also has a wacky 1000x600 resolution despite being a 14 inch laptop. The transparency goes away when you bring up anything with a white background (e.g. using a internet browser), and the transparency has no real utility. In addition, the chances of us seeing this in the flesh anytime soon is pretty close to nil, and the chances of this popping up in the nearest Best Buy is exactly nil.

Niggling details aside, this will be on my Christmas wish list for the next twenty years or so. There was about a 1000 other things at CES, but obviously I can only be bothered to talk about something extremely shiny. Obviously.

Source: Gizmodo

Another Awesome Japanese Music Vid, Part XVIII

2010-01-04T10:21:00.000-08:00

The title does not lie folks. I've lost count of how many trippy insane Japanese videos that I've watched so far, but this one is one of my new favorites. If you stay to enjoy the whole vid, it gets better and better, so watch it till the end. Enjoy.

Edit: Youtube video here.

In Japan, Logic Uses You

2009-12-30T17:51:00.000-08:00

I figured the best way to spend my winter break was shutting myself in my room and slaving away in Photoshop to bring you another anime wallpaper. Ok, maybe the shutting myself in the room part is a bit exaggerated, but I think I've spent more time in my life on Photoshop than all the time I spent watching TV.

The wallpaper is based on the anime series Macross Frontier, an awesome mech/sci-fi/drama anime that I found surprisingly good. I made it inspired by the Lion OP sequence for the series, which is among my favorite OP songs of the decade. Don't try to make too much sense of all the nonsensical things in the wall; trying to put logic to anime is like trying to put a cat to water. They don't mix.

They really should make all those 'In Soviet Russia...' reverse-logic jokes about Japan. Last time I checked, Japan is the only nation that worships a giant 18 foot high robot. In Japan, giant robot drives you!

Chang's List of Favorite Animes of the Decade

2009-12-18T15:57:00.000-08:00

More lists, I know. But it's hard to resist, being close to the end of the decade, and I sincerely doubt any new anime that comes out in the next two seasons or so will change my mind. Since I haven't watched every single anime, I can't make a 'best of' list, but I can make a list of ones that have stood out ever since I got sucked into the wacky cell-shaded world of Anime. Of course, this list to totally biased. Hence why it's "Chang's List", not "BESTANIMUSOFTHEDECADE...PERIOD". So take it as it is. Now, in no particular order:

Favorite Comedy: Seto No Hanayome (2007) - Guy marries mermaid, hijinks ensue. Oh, and said mermaid is part of a merman Yakuza family, who is not too happy their heiress has married him. More hijinks ensue. Insert a character based on Arnold Schwarzenegger from Terminator, and you have comedy gold. This is the reason why I love you Japan; your parodies are hilarious.

Favorite Slice-of-Life: ARIA (2005-2008) - ARIA the Animation, ARIA the Natural, and ARIA the Origination all exemplify the best quality of the slice-of-life genre: Compelling characters and easygoing atmosphere. There are more interesting, faster-paced slice-of-life animes out there like Ichigo Mashimaro, but what made the ARIA series stand out was way it enveloped you in its warm, magical world and told a beautiful story at the same time. From the music, art style, characters, to the plot, there's a lot to love about the world of ARIA.

Favorite Sci-Fi/Action: Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2002) - This series defines the genre of 'futuristic thriller'. There's a reason why the Wachowski brothers were inspired by the Ghost in the Shell movie in making The Matrix, and the first season of the anime doesn't disappoint either. I have yet to encounter anything else made by anybody, East or West, that has managed to combine philosophical questions on human existence with futuristic political-technological intrigue into something so compelling.

Favorite Mech/Sci-Fi: Macross Frontier (2008) - Despite the popularity of Gundam 00, the Macross series reboot Macross Frontier comes out easily as one of the best mecha anime this decade. From it's sprawling cinematic CG space battles that are breathtaking to watch, to it's unparalleled soundtrack (see above video), there's a lot to like about the series. It's truly a space opera, and it benefits from likable characters and a coherent plot, something that the Gundam series has been rather lacking in its recent iterations.

Favorite Romance/Shōjo: Aishiteruze Baby (2004) - I've only managed sit through a couple shōjo animes in the past nine years, but this one stood out for it's maturity, which is weird considering the genre is aimed at young girls. The plot, which is about a teenage playboy who has to care for his abandoned 5-year old cousin, explores social issues rather tastefully, and manages to be funny and genuinely down-to-earth at the same time. Labeling Aishiteruze Baby as a romance is a stretch, but there is a romantic plot in here. Definitely an pleasant surprise to watch.

Favorite Action/Thriller: Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (2007) - Very enjoyable to watch, superb art direction, all with a unique premise to boot. It's one part mecha, one part sci-fi, and two parts edge-of-the-seat emotion. It's definitely a highly recommended anime to everybody, which can't be said for animes like Ghost in the Shell or Macross Frontier. There's really no other anime that has been able to harness and express emotion as well as Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann, and it's definitely one of the most memorable animes of the 2000's.

Favorite Japanese-High-School-Anime-Adventure: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2006) - Okay, I kinda made up the genre, but The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya does defy most rules of conventional genres. It's a well-made anime following a awesomely sarcastic narrator and the supposed 'god' who befriends him, with the catch being that this 'god' is a capricious girl who's unaware of her real identity. Even the structure of the episodes is unusual, with the official order of episodes being randomized chronologically. Long story short, this anime is a refreshing respite from the other generic high-school animes this decade.

Favorite Action/Shōnen: Soul Eater (2008) - Bleach and Naruto take note; this is how you do shōnen. Besides it's fantastic artstyle and animation (among the best fight animations of the decade, no doubt), it actually has a well-written story and main characters that aren't cardboard cutouts. It's doesn't pander to the fans, which is an unfortunate trend in the genre currently, and as a result it has more substantial character development and an more dynamic plot. Stylish with an attitude, it's a shame that it's been overshadowed by its older shōnen relatives in popularity.

Favorite Anime About Music: Beck: Mongolian Chop Squad (2004) - Not related to the American alt-rocker, this anime about the rise of a rock band from the quiet halls of a Japanese high school to the glamor of the American indie rock world is a definite treat for rock fans. With many references to past rock legends, and a very fitting soundtrack, Beck hits all the right notes you'd expect. It's a musical tour of the Japanese pop/rock world, and while it starts off slow, it definitely pays off in the end.

Favorite Fantasy/Adventure: Full Metal Alchemist (2003) - Sure, the original manga is better, and yes the ending was a horrible cliff hanger (something that the sequel movie Full Metal Alchemist: The Conqueror of Shamballa still failed to resolve in any satisfactory way). But for all of its drawbacks, it was well-produced and engaging to the end, which is hard to say for similar fantasy animes such as Samurai 7. It really was true to the definition of adventure, with interesting characters and edge-of-the-seat action sequences, and that's why it entertained so well.

Honorable Mentions:

Black Lagoon (2006) - Japanese business man tires of the corporate world, decides to join a group of misfit guns-for-hire in the South China Seas. Definitely plus points for interesting premise, and the characters are among the more interesting ones this decade. While the action is awesome (there's a character based off of Detective Tequila from John Woo's Hard Boiled if that tells you anything), the anime got bogged down in pacing issues in some parts.
Nodame Cantabile (2007) - Semi-psychotic female pianist befriends uptight musical genius seeking international glory, comedy occurs and wonderful music is made. This anime is pretty close to my heart, especially thanks to my time in an wind ensemble, and it gets bonus points for being light-hearted. However, the series is still ongoing (the finale is set to be released in January 2010), so those who can't wait to find out what happens in the end can watch the surprisingly good Japanese live-action series.
Ichigo Mashimaro (2005) - A slice-of-life comedy about the lives of three primary-school girls, there's a ton of charm in this series, and it is guaranteed to make your day a lot brighter. It really plucks on the nostalgic heartstrings in all of us about our younger, carefree, more innocent days.
Full Metal Panic! (2002) - One of my first favorites, this definitely set the tone for mecha and action animes for years to come. The comedy spin off of the series, Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu! earned the special distinction for being one of the few American DVD sets for me to buy. With a compelling story and great action, it's a fine example of the transition in anime as a niche market in the late 90's to a global phenomenon in the early 2000's.
Initial D: 4th Stage (2004) - Speaking of the 90's, the Initial D series has been popular among car enthusiasts since the first season in 1998, but it wasn't until the most recent 4th season that it broke away from its shambling romantic plot and engrossed itself in what it was best at: showing the sheer adrenaline of street racing and drifting. It's unapologetic-ally pandering to drift fans, and I love it for that. Also, it has the best techno theme song ever; Dogfight is awesome.
Eden of the East (2009) - Japan loves making anime about the near-future, and Eden of the East is definitely among the best animes to use that motif. I've reviewed it earlier, so there's not much more to say. One thing for sure though; while Ghost In the Shell: Stand Alone Complex is philosophically deeper and more exciting action-wise, Eden of the East is definitely more entertaining.
Noir (2001) - Another of my early favorites, this anime about the Italian mafia hasn't really aged well, but whereas many other animes have tried the girls-with-guns formula and failed, Noir remains a much beloved classic that has strong influences from anime in the 90's.
Gintama (2006-Present) - A long-running series, it's over 187 episodes of slap-stick humor, parodies of Japanese culture, and hilarious gags. A comedy set in an alternate future where the aliens have taken over Edo-period Japan, it's unique setting and unique characters have taken Japan by storm. Those who want an actual plot though, might want to look somewhere else.
Cowboy Bebop (1999) - Not in the decade, but it has to be mentioned because this famous anime set the bar for anime for the 2000's. An undisputed classic, we talk about the anime of this decade in the shadow of Cowboy Bebop.

The Rocket Panda's Year-End 2009 Awards

2009-12-16T16:02:00.000-08:00

Because this is a blog, I'm mandated by the Rulez of the Intertubes to have some sort of crummy yearly best-of-the-year post. And I'm kinda bored now that school's on break. But that's besides the point. Let's get The Rocket Panda's 2009 Awards ceremony started, shall we?

Person With the Coolest Cellphone Award: Arthi Radhakrishnan - Your Palm Pre was freaking awesome, and is the only smart phone that kept me entertained for more than 5 minutes. You also win the Award for Eternally Having Your Name Spelled Wrong In Spell Check.

Most Butt-hurt Award: AT&T - The truth hurts doesn't it?

The Guy Who Actually Needs That USB Hand Warmer: Niraj Patel - Y'know, so you can keep warm up there in New York and impress the ladies at the same time with this sexy USB hand-warmer.

Most Negligent Techie: Kevin Nguyen - Let's see, he burnt out two video cards and managed to get his email hacked all in the same year. Note: Don't buy him anything delicate for his birthday.

Most Impulsive Spender: Justin Chang - Spent $53 importing Red Cliff from Hong Kong....and spent $300 on a Dell 24inch LCD because it "looked shiny."

Most Extravagent Spender: Kevin Nguyen - A couple grand on a bike is pretty practical, but not when he already has a car.

Person Who Updates Their Facebook Status Too Much From Their Cellphone: Justin Sinaguinan - Yea man, we get it. There's traffic on the NJ turnpike again.

Crappiest Manufacturer: Microsoft - Damn it Microsoft, that was my third Xbox 360 Red Rings of Death. When I send my 360 to you, I want it FIXED.

Most Butt-hurt Sony Fanboy: Sahil Tank - Final Fantasy XII is multi-platform, the PSP Go is crap, Gran Turismo 5 is coming out Summer 2010 instead of Winter 2009, and PS3 sales behind the 360's despite the recently-released PS3 Slim. 2009 sucks to be a Sony Fanboy.

Worst Mistakes Ever Made: Kayne West and Tiger Woods - Celebrities are human, but thanks to the power of the Internet, they'll never look human to us again.

Most Likely To Become Our Tech Overlords in 2020: Google - Taking over your car GPS and cell phone today, the whole world tomorrow.

Most Redundant Awards Thingy Ever: The Rocket Panda - Thanks. We aim to please.

For those who 'won' the awards, sorry. I'm too cheap and too lazy to send out fake plastic trophies, which would just collect dust anyways. Have a happy New Year's everyone!

Quck Look: Red Cliff (Chinese Version)

2009-12-14T20:44:00.000-08:00

I must preface this review with a couple of disclaimers. First, Tony Leung (above) is one of my favorite cinema actors. Two, I also squeal with delight anytime anybody mentions John Woo in a sentence. Unless that sentence also mentions "Hollywood" or "Western." There's a reason why his most recent Hollywood efforts have been forgettable. But I'm not here to talk about Woo, I'm here to talk about his Chinese historical epic Red Cliff.

And oh my, is it epic.The battle sequences are intense, the special effects are awe-inspiring, and the action sequences are wonderfully choreographed.

That said, it's undeniably a summer blockbuster flick. The character development is sufficient, but hardly something you call satisfying. It's a solid movie, but it's hardly a movie that fits John Woo's trademark cinematic style. You'll find precious little of Woo's famed techniques and pause-burst-pause pacing here, and the plot pacing seemingly gets lost in several subplots, especially the romantic subplot near the end. As a result, the film sags noticeably when there aren't people dying or things aren't being blown up. Tony Leung does a solid job as the main lead, but he definitely isn't as dynamic as Chow Yun-Fat, who originally was supposed to play the role.

All things considered, Red Cliff is a better cinematic epic than 2004's Troy and 2005's Kingdom of Heaven, thanks to John Woo's expert hand during the battle sequences and a more cohesive plot. But like those films, Red Cliff can't compete with Lord of The Rings in terms of quality, writing, characterization, and plot. So don't watch it believing in the hype that this is "Asia's answer to Lord of the Rings". Asian cinema still has a way to go before it can match Peter Jackson's famed trilogy.

As for which version you should watch, if possible go for the Chinese version if you appreciate a more cohesive narrative. The American version is half the length of the original's 4 hours, and it cuts out almost all of the character development and political intrigue. But if you can only watch the American version (I ordered the DVDs from Hong Kong), by all means do so. It's a very solid film.

Finally, I arrive at the most important question that burns on the lips of all Hong Kong film fanatics everywhere; Are John Woo's signature doves in the film? Yup, they are. Rejoice Woo fans.

Gran Turismo 5 release date CONFIRMED...not really

2009-12-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

Man, this is getting really irritating. Even for someone who's not sacrificing carbon fiber to the Polyphony Digital gods, the constant "Did we say [insert date]? We really meant [insert later date]" is really annoying.

Anyways, date kinda confirmed. "Summer 2010" is the official word, which I put quotes around since whenever a game developer says something like that instead of an actual month, there's a very good chance it can change. I'm predicting if the date changes, the game will finally be released in the fall. The reason why I say this is because it's the end of 2009 right now, and the original predicted release date was early 2010 (Q1 2010). Pushing back the official guesstimate of the release date when the games supposed to come out in about four months only happens when there's some difficulties.

Just a friendly reminder, there were three full Forza Motorsport games since Gran Turismo 4 was launched in the US in March of 2005. By the time GT5 comes out, it would have been five years since the last game. Is this a result of the quest for perfection, or is the scope of the game getting too big to handle? We'll see if it comes out in Summer 2010.

So until then Sony fanboys, hang tight and keep on praying at the Polyphony Digital altar. Maybe the game will come out earlier if you pray hard enough. Maybe.

So, Facebook on the 360...

2009-12-04T23:45:00.000-08:00

...is extremely stupid. The only cool thing is that you can add people from your Facebook friends list to your Xbox Live friends list. The hitch is that you can only do that if they have already downloaded and installed the small Facebook addition on their 360...which none of my friends have. And I don't blame them, since everyone I know uses their 360 to play games instead of Facebook-stalking.

Unbeliveable, I know.

In a way, Facebook has become its own gaming platform. There are a ton of (rather shady) mini games and personality quizs floating around the social site, and then's there's "games" like Farmville and Cafe World. There's a lot of people that are happily distracted with these games, and companies have taken notice. Mark my words, there will be a Maple Story-esque MMO coming to Facebook soon. And it will be VERY popular.

Everyone is trying to integrate Facebook or Facebook-like social networking into their products. But Facebook is developing too quickly for companies to catch up. The PS3/360 Facebook addon would have been cool...a year ago. Now, there's a bunch of additional things on Facebook that both consoles can't really integrate.

The people behind Facebook and all the Facebook apps aren't stupid; it's only going to be a matter of time before we can share music clips/videos/playlists via Facebook music player, and I wouldn't be surprised to wake up tomorrow to find out that you can blog via Facebook. At this rate, Facebook will take over our Internet social lives.

As for the rest of our Internet time, Google has us covered. Hell, I'm posting from a Google blog (Blogger is owned by Google FYI). How we're going to spend time on the Internet in the near future is going to be interesting, that's for sure.

Tech Predictions for 2010

2009-11-30T21:11:00.000-08:00

Instead of having a Best Game of The Year or a List of 10 Things in 2009 That Were Hella Cool, I shall now gaze into the all-seeing crystal ball and look into the future. Let's just hope that I don't look in the wrong place and see my roommate naked or something. Ugh. Anyways, without further ado, Justin's Totally Thought-out Predictions for 2010.

2010 will be a year dominated by gaming sequels - Sequels to Gears of War, Resistance, Halo (ok maybe not a sequel, but it's close), Gran Turismo, Mass Effect, Bioshock, Splinter Cell, and Call of Duty will almost certainly coming out next year. And there isn't an original IP that looks like it will stand out from the crowd.
The Wii will see a gajillion consoles - Duh.
Google will release their much hyped 'Google' phone - Because they can. Headline in 2012: Google takes over the World, Bill Gates sobs.
Speaking of Google, Chrome OS will not be released - Official word says late 2010, but I personally doubt it. There's some tech hurdles that need to be jumped, a highly skeptical public that needs to be convinced, and more solid-state netbooks that need to be released.
Japan will make another robot for...something weird - Another duh. But I gotta have these freebies in here so this list sounds somewhat legit.
The Xbox 360 will continue to be in 3rd place behind the PS3 in monthly sales - This might seem like blasphemy coming from me, but the future for the 360 isn't bright. Of course, I have a very good chance of being wrong, especially if Natal comes out in 2010. But otherwise, Halo: Reach and Gears of War 3 won't guarantee sustained dominance over the PS3 for 2010.
Apple tablet announced - Cupertino has been playing around with us for so long that it's impossible to deny the existence of one without angering legions of Apple fanboys. Plus, it's guaranteed to sell like hotcakes, and it does make sense, so it's a win-win situation.
More torrent trackers will bite the dust - With the departure of Mininova and Pirate Bay to more legitimate shores, it's only a matter of time before unregulated torrent trackers die off. But hey, someone can always place a tracker in Russia or China...
Yahoo will be bought by someone - Yahoo's sucking right now, and they're overdue for a change in direction and focus. Either someone's going to shake up the leadership over there, or Yahoo will go the way of Earthlink into irrelevance.
I will continue to make a fool out of myself on this blog - Guaranteed.

And yes, I did say hella.

DEM SPARKLIES: Kimi ni Todoke Impressions

2009-11-25T00:01:00.000-08:00

I might as well turn this blog into a play-by-play death of my masculinity. Kimi ni Todoke is a comedy/romance unabashedly aimed at aimed all the overly romantic girls out there. And it's pretty darn good at doing that too. I lost count of how many love-struck, glassy-eyed stares there were in the first episode.

And I didn't even bother to count how many sparkle-effects I saw. They are EVERYWHERE.

It's a guilty pleasure watch for me, since I'm kind of a hopeless romantic. The story and characters so far are pretty cut and paste, but the charm is there if you can stomach some overly sugary-sweet moments. The first two episodes aren't the best, but it does seem to pick up from the third episode onwards. Overall though, not really recommendable so far unless you like shōjo stuff.

What is worth mentioning though is the scenery. Once the characters go outside, there's some real magic in the scenery. And there's some moments that look really beautiful. But being a high-school romance, almost all the action takes place in the school, which is rather depressing. Artistically that is.

That's all I got. I really just wanted to write this so I could say DEM SPARKLIES and not sound totally crazy. DEM SPARKLIES.

How CLAMP Killed My Childhood Memories

2009-11-24T15:22:00.000-08:00

I'm going to admit that I liked watching Card Captor Sakura when I was little. No, I loved it. Compared to the other stuff in the weekday cartoon lineup back then, it wasn't mindless like Pokemon, nor was it hopelessly weird like Ultraman. For a magical girl show, it was surprisingly addicting for a 14 year old. It is one of CLAMP's well-beloved classics.

Now that I have effectively emasculated any pretensions to having an average childhood, let's get down to this; Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles has destroyed my fond childhood memories of CCS. Let this be a lesson for all media across all cultures. Don't toy with beloved old franchises. The latest Star Trek movie was superb because it didn't deface or change what made the original Star Trek stuff so popular. It simply admitted; Hey, I'm a movie. Let's pretend this all happens in a parallel universe! And nobody was the wiser.

Here comes one of my famed analogies. Buckle up. No spoilers about the ending, promise.

The ending of Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles (the manga, though I'm sure the anime will have a similar ending) can best be described as the product of a thousand CCS fanfics melted together with Issac Asmiov's wildest dreams about time travel. Does that analogy make any sense? That's the point. CLAMP took several chapters to end the story, and in the end nobody knows what exactly went on, other than Sakura and Syaoran we loved in CCS have led rather...er...interesting lives after the end of CCS storyline.

And by 'interesting', I mean that in the most negative way possible. 'Disturbing' might describe it, but even that fails to describe how much logic was thrown out the window in the ending of the manga (literally). Unfortunately, CLAMP wasn't happy with a simple cameo of the CCS characters, they wanted to essentially ruin the happy, carefree, and inspiring theme of CCS. And they succeeded.

That said, the manga itself isn't bad, but you will need decent knowledge of CLAMP's other works (like CCS and xXXholic) to appreciate it. If you don't particularly care for CCS, then this is still a very good manga, especially towards the end. The art style is gorgeous, attention to detail is superb, and the plot is definitely unique and gripping. Just don't expect a clear-cut ending.

But if you loved CCS like I did, stay far away. Ignorance is bliss in this case.

Quick Look: Forza 3 vs Gran Turismo 5

2009-11-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

Forza 3 > Gran Turismo 5. There, end of quick look.

Fine, I'll do a proper look at it. Thank Sahil for this post, since I didn't want to bother writing something up on this game. Honestly, it's everything in Forza 2, but better. From the much-improved single player racing season to the multiplayer, if you're a car fanatic who likes to customize and race cars, this game will be the end of your productive life.

That said, how will it compare to GT5? Well, GT5 will sell more thanks to the fact thanks to the nostalgia factor plus the cool $60 million and 5 years of development that Polyphony Digital spent making the car models spotless. GT5 also has a leg up on the diversity of racing events, from dirt rallying to NASCAR racing, not to mention the much-trumpeted Gran Turismo TV, which will supposedly bring the wet dreams of car nerds to life.

Ugh. Horrible mental image there. Anyways, moving on.

On the other hand, Forza 3 has a community aspect that definitely won't be in GT5, with the community interface built-in from the get go in the form of the Auction House, where you can get anything from custom car liveries to replays of crazy dudes drifting down Fujimi Kaido. Plus, the physics and the tech behind the car gameplay is second to none, making racing in Forza 3 a experience. This is in stark contrast to feel of the cars in GT5, which feel a bit awkward in comparison (judging from GT Prologue).

It'll all fall down to your personal preferences in the end. I personally prefer the ability to fully customize and tune my Evo X MR, and the improved physics in Forza 3 really makes racing in that game so freaking awesome with a racing wheel. Forza 3 is a game for people who love to racing cars. Gran Turismo 5 will be a game for people who love collecting cars. Choose accordingly.

An Epic Aria Wallpaper For Your Desktop

2009-11-16T21:57:00.000-08:00

Damn you blogspot. Ah well. A bigger thumbnail wouldn't do this ARIA wallpaper justice anyways. I made this with a friend over @ AnimePaper, and it's a pretty epic wall in my opinion. Go ahead and click on the thumbnail (or this link) to see the wallpaper in its full glory.

I did the background with the buildings, and my friend did the character and bird vectors. This is going to be my last wall until I finish my graduation thesis, so don't wait up for another wallpaper anytime soon. Enjoy.

Quick Look: Modern Warfare 2

2009-11-13T12:51:00.001-08:00

Maybe you're heard about this game, especially if you're one of the 4.7 million Americans who have bought this piece of digital testosterone on the first day of sale. They could seriously melt down the disc, bottle it, sell it as a energy drink, and nobody would be the wiser.

So is it the Video Game Masterpiece of 2009? Not quite. The single player is functionally good, but the story sucks. The ending is a huge cop-out, the controversial scene where you kill civilians is rather pointless, and the action lacks any ebb and flow.

And oh god, don't get me started on the fucking plot holes. Is this really the best you can do Infinity Ward? If Tom Clancy and Michael Bay both overdosed on LSD and had a bastardized child, it would be Modern Warfare 2's plot. Unlike the first game's story, which was compelling and exciting, it feels as if the writers were trying too hard to make something awesome happen all the time. The end result is a steaming pile of shit that is only saved by the game's superb gameplay sections.

There, rant over. Moving on, the changes that they added for multiplayer add a surprisingly pleasant amount of depth, and the co-op Spec-Ops levels a blast to play with a friend. Just for these reasons alone, it's well worth the hype. I can easily envision spending way too much time playing online, which the same can't be said for Halo 3: ODST.

There's a reason why this is the one of the two video games that I bought this year (the other being Forza 3). There's a lot of value behind the dirt-splattered box art, and if you can stand being stabbed repeatedly in your mind, the single player is somewhat fun.

PSP Go on Sale Tomorrow; World Yawns

2009-09-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

Sony's foray into the digital download gaming market is coming out tomorrow, but I could care less. Apparently some other people aren't excited about the PSP Go either. So what will I be doing tomorrow? Doing something a lot more interesting than trying out at the PSP Go: watching grass grow at the 56th annual Grass and Wet Paint Watching Festival. I hear this year they'll actually have grass from Brazil we can watch!

I'll also rather get sunburned and jump into seawater than buy any other PSP products.

My hatred of Sony and their handling of the PSP is pretty well known. Long story short, Sony screwed over everyone (myself included) who had actually bought the old PSP by making it impossible to use games that we have already purchased on UMD on the PSP Go, all for a wonderful $250.

Mind you, that's only $50 less than a PS3 or Xbox 360, for a thing that has nowhere near the usefulness of either gaming console. I wouldn't be so harsh if they bothered to upgrade the PSP Go's media and web support, but they didn't. So what are you getting for $250? Absolutely nothing worthwhile.

Quick Look: Halo 3: ODST

2009-09-24T09:15:00.001-07:00

If you liked Halo 3, you'll Like Halo 3: ODST ~~Rise of the Abbreviations~~. That said, I enjoyed it and its focus on the characters. All of the cutscenes were charming, thanks to the Firefly crew voicing the main characters. I even didn't mind the slightly hammy romantic scene near the end.

Charm aside, mechanically the game is supposed to play differently than Halo 3 thanks to you being a 'ordinary' grunt instead of the Master Chief, but honestly I didn't notice a substantial difference. You'll take cover more and be more cautious, but since the game throws much fewer enemies at you your weakness are kind of subdued. So the game isn't too hard, and it feels rather short as well once you finish. You'll definitely be left wanting more once the credits hit.

ODST is a good direction for the franchise to go in, with the beautiful open-world night time exploration, and its great attempts at bringing in more character to the Halo universe. But the Halo formula is starting to wear thin a bit, and it remains to be seen how Bungie can keep the next Halo game as fresh as ODST is.

Yea. I'm done. I'm off to play Firefight for another 3 hours.

So, I heard there was a Halo anime

2009-09-21T09:25:00.000-07:00

So you know how I was talking about the Halo anime earlier?

Yeeeea.

Anime this isn't. While the animation and art might might be anime-inspired, the writing and dialogue were clearly created by the same dudes who write all the stuff that show up on Cartoon Network. Judging from this clip, it doesn't look horrible, but Halo Legends isn't something that I'd consider quality.

Of course, this isn't a surprise to anybody. But watching this clip did fulfill my weekly quota of Master Chief punching Brutes to death.

Quick Look: Eden of the East

2009-09-14T19:14:00.000-07:00

There's anime that you watch to pass the time, and then there's anime you make time to watch. Eden of the East is definitely in the latter half of that spectrum. It's a action/thriller that made all the other shows this past summer anime season look rather half-baked and boring, and it's one of the few shows that I will unhesitatingly recommend to anyone.

And the OP song for the show was by friggen Oasis. That should tell you about how much care and effort was spent on Eden of the East.

The director for the series, Kenji Kamiyama, also directed Ghost in the Shell, and the mood is similar here. But unlike Ghost in the Shell (which got utterly dense and moody in the second season), Eden of the East never bogs down in its political-social commentary thanks to its charming characters. In fact, some people might miss all the social commentary thanks to the all the charisma that the main character Akira Takizawa seemingly generates out of nowhere.

From the first episode (from which the hilarious screenshot is posted) to the epic action-packed last episode, it's a non-stop roller coaster of intrigue. The plot and setting aren't entirely fresh, but East of Eden keeps things going through it's sheer charm and well-designed characters. With two movies in the near future, thankfully we won't be seeing the last of this charismatic series.

Hail to the King, baby.

Yea, Another New iPod

2009-09-09T12:29:00.001-07:00

But this time, this one has radio functionality, voice recording features, and a freaking camera. Why? God knows. Maybe Steve woke up one day and said; "THERE SHALL BE A CAMERA IN THE NANO, SINCE OBVIOUSLY THE NANO NEEDS THE ABILITY TO CAPTURE SHITTY FOOTAGE."

Crummy camera aside, Apple is brilliantly solidifying their grip on the portable electronic market. Why buy a full on digital camera when you're just filming some hijinks with your friends? Just pull out your iPod, which you'll have on you anyways.

A lot of the popular consumer electronics are low-cost, 'good-enough' items. Cheap items like the Acer Aspire Netbook and Flip Ultra have taken over their respective markets with their versatility and low price points. And Apple is using this strategy to aim straight for dominance. With the 16GB Nano clocking in at only $180, it's bound for success.

I don't like this, but it doesn't mean other people won't. We may be in the age of High Definition, but many of us are perfectly happy with 'Good-Enough' Definition.

Obituary: My Xbox 360

2009-09-08T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yup, my 360 bit the Three-Red-Rings-Of-Death this week. And this is my second RROD in 3 years to boot too. To top this off, the 300$ PS3 slim came out not too long ago too. So will I hang up my old and worn white 360 controller for a shiny new Dualshock 3 controller?

It's tempting, but no.

I've said this to my friends; right now, just looking at value for money, the PS3 beats out the 360. It's hard to say no to a $300 Blu-ray player/game console with a solid library of games. But just like how it's hard to say goodbye to our first car, I have too many memories invested in the stubborn white brick that's broken down on me three times.

From nights rocking out to Weezer in Rockband, to early mornings spent headshotting n00bs in CoD 4, I have a lot besides money invested in this console. I have distant friends made while playing on Xbox Live, I have roommates who are always down for that infamous 'just one more game' at 3 in the morning, and more importantly, I have many more memories waiting ahead of me on the 360.

So I'm sticking with the 360, even though right now I feel like punching Bill Gates in the face. But since he's picking up my tab for repairing my console (for the third time), I'll stick with just being angry at him. Can't turn down a free repair.

Marketing 101: A Lesson In Tastefulness

2009-08-13T13:36:00.001-07:00

OMG GIRLZ PLAY GAMUZ TOO! AND THEY ALL LIKE PINK AND PURPLE! AND THEY ALL SAY 'LIKE, ZOMG!'. ALSO, CAPS.

Was that enough caps for ya? No? Then the folks at whatever dumbass firm Sony has hired for marketing are calling. They want to hire you.

Sony's done enough stupid marketing for the PS3 and PSP, so I wasn't going to post about it till I actually saw this ad in person at the Americana shopping center in Glendale. I'm pretty sure the girls who DO play games would be offended by this ad, and the girl demographic that this ad is targeting could care less about gaming.

GG, Sony. May you forever have half-assed marketing so we can all laugh at your stupidity.

To Tweet or Not To Tweet

2009-08-11T09:52:00.001-07:00

I went out with a couple of my friends the other night, and to my surprise they were talking about how stupid Twitter is. As revolutionary and mass-based Twitter is, they did a have a point. Nobody cares about what you had for lunch, or about how boring your PSYCH 112 lecture was.

At least, nobody but your stalker does.

That's a bit harsh. I guess friends and family would find your twitter interesting, but even so I'm hard pressed to care about stuff like what people post as their Facebook status. It takes a certain kind of person (namely someone who's probably 17 and loves Twilight) to have friends who demand to know every moment of your waking life. Like the person who tweeted her own pregnancy. Live. As it was happening.

I'm sorry, but what the heck was the doctor thinking? "Breathe slowly, in and out, in and out. Oh, and go ahead and tweet on your iPhone while you're doing this. It's A-OK."

On the flip side, there's interesting Twitters like Shaq's or the various Pokemon ones. So while people can have dumb tweets, there's still some very interesting ones out there. And if you want to tweet yourself? Keep it tasteful and interesting. Trust me, tweeting about how many pounds you can bench won't impress anyone.

It's Not Just Pretty And Shiny, It's Actually Useful

2009-08-05T13:15:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo finally released a review of Windows 7, about two months before it hits shelves. Feel free to look through the review if you want, but I'll tell you that the bottom line is you have to get it if you have Vista. Don't let the illusion of choice fool you; Windows 7 is almost a mandatory upgrade since companies and software will eventually stop supporting the infamous Vista OS.

Man, it feels so wrong to type the word mandatory.

To be fair, Windows 7 is an awesome OS that has been proven in the public beta. Hell, I'm thinking about upgrading from XP to Windows 7. And I love XP. Some of the features in Windows 7 are awesome, like the Windows key actually being useful for shortcuts, and the pretty and useful Aero Peek UI for the desktop. Not to mention the fact that it's light-years faster than Vista in performance.

TL;DR, Windows 7 is worth the money. Even if you feel compelled to buy it since you have Vista, there's plenty in there that will surprise you.

On Internet Connections and Master Chief

2009-07-26T14:15:00.000-07:00

I've been struggling with my home internet connection for the past couple weeks, which has probably single-handedly ruined my enjoyment of doing nothing over the summer. Trying to troubleshoot network problems is like trying to wrestle a angry shark while trying to weave a basket underwater while being dressed like a giant steak. You just don't know what you're doing, and you want to give up 30 seconds into doing it because it's just ridiculous.

Also, speaking of ridiculous, there's the Halo anime. I can't say that it will suck (the Halo game has spawned a number of best-selling spin-off novels), but I can't say it's going to be good either. Master Chief is hardly a compelling character, but since five of the biggest Anime production houses (Bones, Casio Entertainment, Production I.G, Studio4 C, and Toei Animation) are supposedly handling the animation, at least it'll look good. Hopefully.

Anime Quick Look: K-ON!

2009-07-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

I was hoping that K-ON! would be Beck v2.0, or at least Beck Lite. K-ON!'s premise of four girls forming a band in high school had great potential of unfolding into something very interesting. But unfortunately, it's nowhere near the epic musical journey that Beck (the anime, not the artist mind you) was. You see the screen shot above? I wish it was more like that, and less like this:

I may sound a little harsh on the anime series that came out this past winter season (really, it isn't too bad), but it's only because I came in with a certain expectation that the anime would be about music. Instead, I found out that K-ON! is simply a wannabe Ichigo Mashimaro/Lucky Star mash-up with guitars thrown in occasionally. Heck, the main characters spend over half the show drinking tea and eating snacks.

If this was The Mild Adventures of Four Girls During Teatime, it would make sense. But I wouldn't watch it either.

Unfortunately, all of the good stuff in K-ON! is crowded out by all the moe-moe (translation: cutsy) stuff that were thrown in. Plus it doesn't help that 99% of the characters are about as two-dimensional as the art. What little plot or tension there is comes across as rather forced, or just absurd, which cements K-ON!'s status as Yet Another Generic Anime.

If there's one thing to see from K-ON!, it's the ED song and animation. K-ON! provides some safe fun and tons of moe for those who like it, but don't expect anything more.

[EDIT 1/8/10] - Ok, I was smoking something when I wrote this. Disregard most of what I said here. If you come in without any expectations, K-ON!'s a fun slice-of-life show that's really charming.

This makes me proud that I go to UCSD. Sorta.

2009-07-11T12:45:00.001-07:00

The scientific geniuses at UCSD have been in the news a lot lately, from Wired to Engadget, with all of their inventions/crazy projects. But this one takes the cake. The researchers at UCSD have created a robot that can make facial expressions, but going beyond the Japanese robots, this one learns from the facial expressions that it makes, teaching itself how to make new facial expressions.

Yea. Creepy. UCSD is at the forefront of technological innovation. Too bad I'm not an engineering major. My tuition is just going to pay for tired old Political Science professors with horrible foreign accents. Now if you excuse me, I think I'm going to go into that corner and cry for a little bit...

Source: Engadget

Yet another Japanese video

2009-07-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

SOUR / 日々の音色 (Hibi no Neiro) MV from Magico Nakamura on Vimeo.
But this one is tons better. The Japanese Rock/Pop/Jazz hybrid is awesome by itself (even if you don't know Japanese), but the video collage made up of various international fans via web cam is even more awesome. Enjoy :)

Google OS FINALLY Becomes Official

2009-07-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Google's desire to make their own computer operating system is old, old news. But they finally officially acknowledged its existence, and the details that they have released about it so far are very interesting. Their new OS, set for release in late 2010, will strictly be for netbooks, and it will be free. Yea, that's right. Free.

Wrap your minds around that for a bit. It's like those fridge magnets that you get from real estate agents in the mail, except for your computer and infinitely more useful. Bad analogy, I know, but in our present world of expensive-ass software, it's hard to believe a whole operating system can be free. Plus, being for netbooks, Google has an opportunity to expand in a market that Microsoft has ignored for the most part.

A free OS means cheaper netbooks, which is going to be ridiculous. And knowing Google, their OS is going to challenge our pre-conceptions of what an OS should be like. I don't know about you, but I'm freaking stoked about this OS. Hey Google, want to make an OS for desktops?

Source: Wired

Another Example of How Crazy the Japanese Are

2009-07-07T02:37:00.000-07:00

The Vocaloid voice synthesizer program has been around for a long time, but this is the first one that I've really paid any attention to. Ignore the nauseatingly-sweet J-pop, and listen to the video for a few seconds. While it's still easy to tell that this is a voice program, and not an actual person singing, the latest Vocaloid program is still pretty darn close to the voice of the singer Megumi Nakajima (anime nerdgasm: she was Ranka's VA in Macross Frontier).

Yea, the program was based upon her voice samples, but for a program that allows you almost infinite freedom in making music, it's impressively close to actual human voice. So will these robotic voice synthesizers take over the J-pop industry in 5 years or so?

I would say no, but then again I wouldn't have predicted that the Japanese would make a 18 meter tall Gundam complete with lights and moving parts. If there's anything we can learn from this, the Japanese sure love their robots. You heard it here first folks; A Jpop-belching, maid-uniformed, 18 foot robot girl will be built in Tokyo in 2012. Believe it.

Pirate Bay dies, techies everywhere weep

2009-06-30T13:19:00.000-07:00

Even though the founders of Pirate Bay lost their trial, I never would have guessed they would sell it. But they did, and of all things they sold it to a company that promises to "compensate copyright owners" for whatever is downloaded on the site.

There's some other stuff that's going to change about Pirate Bay too, but they're all unimportant. Pirate Bay as we know it is dead, since they're going legit. They have already started moving torrent trackers off of the central servers. It's the end of an era now.

The Hollywood and music industry fat cats have won. This isn't about the people who make the music and movies that are pirated, since they get paid relatively squat compared to how much money is made by the companies that own the distribution rights. And let's not mention the fact that the entertainment industry will once again see no reason to change it's outdated physical media distribution methods and its stupid DRM-protected online media.

Long story short, the rich will get richer, and we'll have one less place to grab our media. Farewell Pirate Bay, you guys were awesome when you were around.

Sources: Gizmodo Joystiq

For ages 6 and up, even if you're 20

2009-06-28T12:12:00.000-07:00

It's been a childhood dream to go to Legoland, and I finally went yesterday. I went with my brother's family (with all 2 nephews and the niece), and I realized how old I am, since I was easily 3 times older than the average kid there. Nothing can make you more depressed when you realize you've outgrown your favorite theme park.

That, and being kicked off the go-karts because I was too old didn't make it any better.

So I was of course, I was pleasantly bored of the place for the first couple hours. But then we hit Miniland USA, where the scale model cities (made out of Lego of course) were. Looking around at all of the little Lego people, their cars, and the massive scale model replicas of famous buildings in the US, a little something began to grow within me.

And it wasn't the burrito I had for lunch.

Fast forward a couple hours, and I was browsing the gift shop when I saw the Lego bulldozer set above. What caught my eye was not the set itself, but the tank treads that it had. All of a sudden I went into full-blown Lego constructor mode, building in my mind that battle tank I've always wanted to build. So I laid down the $43.50 for the set, and never looked back. When I got back home, I broke out my old Lego suitcase (yea, I have quite a lot from my childhood), and started constructing.

I stayed up well past 5 in the morning finishing that battle tank up. Now I'm tired as hell, my back hurts like no other, and I have stud-shaped indentations in my feet, but my 1:10 scale model Lego battle tank is AWESOME. Once I'm able to, I'll get pics of it up.

So the moral of the story? You're never too old for Legos. The other moral of the story? Don't throw me into a Lego shop and expect me to get out without draining my bank account.

Pandas + Rockets = Awesomeness

2009-06-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

Really, don't think about the name. You're not supposed to think when you're on TEH INTERTUBES anyways, so I guess I shouldn't be worried. Soon I'll change this layout (because the graphic designer in me is screaming to do something), and I'll start posting exciting and thrilling things.

Ok, I exaggerate about the posting. Or was I exaggerating about the 'exciting' and 'thrilling' part? Who knows. Like a cheap soap opera, tune in next episode to find out!