Thursday, September 10, 2009

Madden NFL

Tonight is the opening of the NFL season. I don't care for the Steelers, but as a Colts fan I am obligated to root for Pittsburgh.

On the technology front, I sincerely hope that next year's Madden NFL is the last monopoly version of the franchise. I am still stuck in the days when there was competition in the football market. For the last 4 seasons EA has gotten away with releasing minor service packs and improved graphics. In the meantime, game play has been disappointing, player ratings have been ridiculous (i.e. Adam Vinatieri in Madden 10), and the presentation quickly becomes repetitive and annoying. Imagine what Madden could be if it had to compete with other products it might actually get better.

This year's Madden is being billed as the best ever. Perhaps it is, but some of its "New" features could be found in ESPN NFL2k5 which means these are not new ideas being brought to the table and we football fans have gotten the short end of the stick. I hope the NFL does not pursue an additional exclusive contract with EA or any other company. I believe that like real football the game is made better by real competition.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

RRREEAAALLLYYY Stupid Microsoft

I cannot get over how dumb Microsoft can be. First let me say this, I am absolutely a Microsoft guy. I have a million microsoft certs, I ditched my iPod for a Zune, I use a Microsoft created app for just about everything I do. Still they seem to not get what their customers want no matter how OBVIOUS it may be. Take this article for example: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/07/30/microsoft_mobile_bach/

"Microsoft Kills Zune Phone" gee I wonder if anybody has proven that a music first phone with a bunch of apps can be highly in demand?? And I wonder if they might have accidently saddled their device to perhaps the worst network available. Man, I bet if somone made a competing touchscreen phone that was available on any network if some of that pent up demand might go that way? Perhaps you might think that if you are a normal person, but apparently in Redmond that is crazy talk. What make something that people actually want? Take the fight to Apple instead of being the butt of jokes? Nah!! Let's be the company that is allergic to money!! In fact, let's not admit that all of our windows phones pretty much suck and definitely are boring, instead let's enhance their boringness and kill the idea of giving them some caché. Or maybe the Redmondians aren't willing to give up their iPhones. Yeah maybe that's it they just don't want to be saddled with a device that works better than the iPhone as a music player, allows you to share songs, can pick up HD Radio, can play movies (even though there are still none in the Zune Marketplace), browse the web, and has a GIANT leg up on integrating email. That sounds too much like a not for profit enterprise. I guess we'll have to wait for some guy to start a company that makes a fantastic phone OS and let them innovate by buying it for an ungodly sum. Or perhaps just after its impossible for them to make any money at it then they will start making one. Good old stupid Microsoft always late to the party...

Well, that's my rant for the day, tell me what you think about Microsoft's ingenious decision..