Rich audiovisuals and casual gameplay are an addictive mix.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Close Call
Just photo-finished a super-close flirtation duel with Mojo Master's Elizabeth -- hanging on to just one point on my health bar.
Rich audiovisuals and casual gameplay are an addictive mix.
Rich audiovisuals and casual gameplay are an addictive mix.
Google Reader One-Click Subscribe
Google Reader has yet to publish one-click subscribe code, but FreshBlog's already figured it out:
http://www.google.com/reader/preview/*/feed/[Insert feed URL.]
I'm using it now in the sidebar.
http://www.google.com/reader/preview/*/feed/[Insert feed URL.]
I'm using it now in the sidebar.
Motto, Toei!
Yet again, the Filipino cultural affinity for anime works to our advantage.
Toei Animation looks to outsource even more work here.
Toei Animation Philippines GM Nestor Palabrica is da man.
Toei Animation looks to outsource even more work here.
Toei Animation Philippines GM Nestor Palabrica is da man.
FlipSide Games
Remember when I said there were only three game dev companies in the Philippines?
Well, now there are four. Gabby Dizon cofounded FlipSide Games last fortnight. Way to go, dude!
One question, though, Gabby: since you run a blogging consultancy, where's FlipSide's blog?
Well, now there are four. Gabby Dizon cofounded FlipSide Games last fortnight. Way to go, dude!
One question, though, Gabby: since you run a blogging consultancy, where's FlipSide's blog?
Friday, October 07, 2005
Drivel 2 Rocks! (a.k.a My First, Rather, Techie Post)
(taken from: http://www.dropline.net/drivel/)
Drivel is a GNOME client for working with online journals, also known as weblogs or simply blogs. It retains a simple and elegant design while providing many powerful features, including:
Support for LiveJournal, Blogger, MovableType, Advogato, and Atom journals (systems based off these are also supported, including WordPress and Drupal)
The ability to post, edit, delete, and view recent entries
Integrated spellchecking and HTML syntax highlighting
Offline composition and editing
Automatic recovery in the event of a crash
Journal system extensions, including LiveJournal security groups and MovableType categories
~~~
If you're using Ubuntu (or Debian or any deb-based distro (i suppose) ), get the deb file from here.
PROs: (based on my use)
It absolutely rocks!
It allows me to post, update and delete without ever having to go through site, at least not directly.
It's a nifty, all-in-one thingamabob thingie.
CONs: (based on my use)
It doesn't support LJ tags, just yet. (But it's in the works.)
It doesn't seem to support Blogspot titles (or maybe I haven't figured it out yet?)
(taken from: http://www.dropline.net/drivel/)
Drivel is a GNOME client for working with online journals, also known as weblogs or simply blogs. It retains a simple and elegant design while providing many powerful features, including:
Integrated spellchecking and HTML syntax highlighting
~~~
If you're using Ubuntu (or Debian or any deb-based distro (i suppose) ), get the deb file from here.
PROs: (based on my use)
CONs: (based on my use)
Transparent RSS
HDDVD Regionless?
It's good to hear highly placed people realize that region-coding digital content in a globally connected market is just stupid.
Engadget reports that the new HDDVD standard probably won't have region codes.
Engadget reports that the new HDDVD standard probably won't have region codes.
Back to the Present
Let it never be said that I don't recognize cpmpanies who do me right.
My DSL download bandwidth's back up to 944 Kbps. Thanks PLDT. Let's hope it stays just as you advertise.
My DSL download bandwidth's back up to 944 Kbps. Thanks PLDT. Let's hope it stays just as you advertise.
DSL at Subdialup Speed!
Local telco monopoly PLDT has been giving me 14.4 Kbps on my supposedly 1 Mbps DSL account for two days now. I feel that guy in Paycheck, viewing sites from 2005 on a 1995 connection.
Good to see they're maintaining a grand corporate tradition. They screwed our grandparents with lousy phones, and they're screwing us today with lousy broadband.
Good to see they're maintaining a grand corporate tradition. They screwed our grandparents with lousy phones, and they're screwing us today with lousy broadband.
Spend the Night
Forget flirting with that sweet yummy priestess in PristonTale or that sensitive hunky warrior-monk in Guild Wars. Spend the Night promises to let players do exactly that through graphically-rich avatars.
Republik CEO Robert Coshland claims the interactive element will make the game appeal to women more than passive porn does: "Women want to be part of the experience." Amen!
Republik CEO Robert Coshland claims the interactive element will make the game appeal to women more than passive porn does: "Women want to be part of the experience." Amen!
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Video iPod?
My sister Michelle felt "cheated" when the iPod Nano came out right after she got her iPod Mini.
Consider yourself ready this time, sis: AppleInsider's "reliable sources" say Apple's planning a video iPod.
Consider yourself ready this time, sis: AppleInsider's "reliable sources" say Apple's planning a video iPod.
Model Gamer
One of the nicest things about gaming is its ability to converge youth, beauty, and intelligence.
Information Narcosis welcomes guest blogger Alodia Gosiengfiao. Readers may remember this teen model from my post on Graphic Expo 2005. Alodia has served as gamemaster for Philippine game publishers Mobius and netGames. She's also won local cosplay competitions, landing her an upcoming shoot for GamesMaster magazine.
We look forward to seeing her insights here. I bet her fan club does, too.
Wikintelligence
I tend to see information as links rather than numbers. As such, business intelligence was never my favorite topic. Just ask my ex-girlfriend Cindy, an expert in the field, how I'd space out when she mentions reports and analytics. When I was working at stag, I had to put in extra effort to wrap my brain around the company's (relatively simple) business intelligence tools.
As such, I'm glad to hear that SAS, the gold standard in business intelligence, is dabbling in a far more informal technology -- wikis.
They pumped $850,000 into enterprise wiki provider SocialText last week.
As such, I'm glad to hear that SAS, the gold standard in business intelligence, is dabbling in a far more informal technology -- wikis.
They pumped $850,000 into enterprise wiki provider SocialText last week.
JRE to Bundle Google Toolbar
Just watched the Sun/Google presscon thirteen minutes ago, where Sun CEO Scott McNealy, Sun President Jonathan Schwartz, and Google CEO Eric Schmidt went on stage to announce a bundling of the Google Toolbar and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE). Scott says that bundling will be available for download at java.sun.com "in a matter of weeks, if not days".
Scott claims that "what Netscape did for JRE, JRE will do for the Google Toolbar". Considering that JRE gets 21 million downloads a month, that may not be an empty boast. When Scott points out that he espects that number to grow from this deal -- after all, Google gets 80 million unique visitors a month -- ex-Sun employee Eric jokingly quips: "You didn't tell me that in the negotiations."
The executives gave visionary-yet-vague-and-anti-Microsoft responses to reporters' pointed questions -- mostly about teaming up against Microsoft, creating a new OS, and putting Google web services in OpenOffice. Jonathan expects both sides of the new alliance to surprise each other.
So when you put Google and Java together, do you get "Joogle" or "Gooava"?
Scott claims that "what Netscape did for JRE, JRE will do for the Google Toolbar". Considering that JRE gets 21 million downloads a month, that may not be an empty boast. When Scott points out that he espects that number to grow from this deal -- after all, Google gets 80 million unique visitors a month -- ex-Sun employee Eric jokingly quips: "You didn't tell me that in the negotiations."
The executives gave visionary-yet-vague-and-anti-Microsoft responses to reporters' pointed questions -- mostly about teaming up against Microsoft, creating a new OS, and putting Google web services in OpenOffice. Jonathan expects both sides of the new alliance to surprise each other.
So when you put Google and Java together, do you get "Joogle" or "Gooava"?
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Google Office?
(Via Scoble) With all the cool apps it's putting on our desktops, many speculate that Google is aiming to come out with its own free office suite.
Those speculations may well become reality in two hours, as Google's about to hold a press conference with Sun Microsystems, makers of the free OpenOffice. Fittingly enough, the announcement will be made at the Computer History Museum.
The live webcast starts in two hours.
Those speculations may well become reality in two hours, as Google's about to hold a press conference with Sun Microsystems, makers of the free OpenOffice. Fittingly enough, the announcement will be made at the Computer History Museum.
The live webcast starts in two hours.
Where the 'Net is Going
Angelo Pañares of local conglomerate Aboitiz asks where the Internet is going, and what companies should do about it. Here's my answer.
________________
When it comes to where the 'Net is going, I think Sun President Jonathan Schwartz said it best: the Information Age is evolving into the Participation Age. As content management and knowledge management systems (blogs, wikis, bulletin boards, discussion groups) become more intuitive and accessible, as the networks that support those systems become more robust and widespread, the line between content consumers and content producers is blurred. The hybrid predicted by futurist Alvin Toffler, the prosumer, is now reality in the realm of digital content.
This change shifts the balance of power not only in markets, but also in organizations and how they connect with those markets. IBM, for instance, wrote its entire blogging policy not through overpaid execs on expensive month-long junkets, but through regular employees on a cheap ten-day internal wiki. You probably already know how Microsoft's 700 bloggers, led by Robert Scoble, are getting them free PR, or how your Friendster blogs like your own are increasing their customer loyalty and ad revenue.
This change is emerging in the Philippines, as well. With IDC counting 11.8 million Internet users in the Philippines last year, going up to 20 million next year, Filipinos are getting in on it. This blog, for instance, exposes alleged plagiarism by a big local clothing label. I don’t even have to tell you what people remixed and spread off the PCIJ blog. Your own blogging platform, Friendster, counts half its users as Filipinos.
Companies can leverage this change by crafting policies and selecting technologies that maximize collaborative content creation among employees and consumers. After all, consumers and employees are already talking amongst themselves and each other on the Web. Instead of ignoring or stifling these conversations, companies need to get in on them.
Just my two cents, of course. Many authors have written far more extensively on where the ‘Net is going; I cite some of them here.
________________
When it comes to where the 'Net is going, I think Sun President Jonathan Schwartz said it best: the Information Age is evolving into the Participation Age. As content management and knowledge management systems (blogs, wikis, bulletin boards, discussion groups) become more intuitive and accessible, as the networks that support those systems become more robust and widespread, the line between content consumers and content producers is blurred. The hybrid predicted by futurist Alvin Toffler, the prosumer, is now reality in the realm of digital content.
This change shifts the balance of power not only in markets, but also in organizations and how they connect with those markets. IBM, for instance, wrote its entire blogging policy not through overpaid execs on expensive month-long junkets, but through regular employees on a cheap ten-day internal wiki. You probably already know how Microsoft's 700 bloggers, led by Robert Scoble, are getting them free PR, or how your Friendster blogs like your own are increasing their customer loyalty and ad revenue.
This change is emerging in the Philippines, as well. With IDC counting 11.8 million Internet users in the Philippines last year, going up to 20 million next year, Filipinos are getting in on it. This blog, for instance, exposes alleged plagiarism by a big local clothing label. I don’t even have to tell you what people remixed and spread off the PCIJ blog. Your own blogging platform, Friendster, counts half its users as Filipinos.
Companies can leverage this change by crafting policies and selecting technologies that maximize collaborative content creation among employees and consumers. After all, consumers and employees are already talking amongst themselves and each other on the Web. Instead of ignoring or stifling these conversations, companies need to get in on them.
Just my two cents, of course. Many authors have written far more extensively on where the ‘Net is going; I cite some of them here.
Xfire Mojo
Just found out that Axe's new game Mojo Master is supported by intergame chat app Xfire.
Establishing connectivity with popular apps is key to making software marketable; now if only local game publishers would understand that. Amazingly enough, while international versions of Gunbound work with Xfire, the local version does not. That's about the only reason I don't play Gunbound; otherwise, it's a fun game.
With users adopting new technologies at an ever-quickening pace, publishers can't afford to pander to the lowest common technological denominator for much longer.
Establishing connectivity with popular apps is key to making software marketable; now if only local game publishers would understand that. Amazingly enough, while international versions of Gunbound work with Xfire, the local version does not. That's about the only reason I don't play Gunbound; otherwise, it's a fun game.
With users adopting new technologies at an ever-quickening pace, publishers can't afford to pander to the lowest common technological denominator for much longer.
mikeabundo.com
Mostly because "mikeabundo.blogspot.com" is a mouthful, this blog is now accessible via mikeabundo.com.
Sunday, October 02, 2005
DF@6
Janette Toral's pioneering Philippine ecommerce news site, DigitalFilipino.com, turns six today.
Congratulations, Janette! Let's work to make every Filipino a Digital Filipino. ;)
Congratulations, Janette! Let's work to make every Filipino a Digital Filipino. ;)
