September 2007 Archives

In a highly depressing turn of events, I've been sick this week. Past tense probably wasnt the right choice, as I still feel like grim death - but thanks to dayquil and a frankenstinien energy drink that combines OJ with a disturbing amount of taurine, at least I'm on my feet =)

I said being sick was depressing not because I don't like being sick (though I don't), but rather because the illness pulled me out of the running to experience one of the midnight releases of Halo 3 earlier this week. In fact, I am still without my copy, which might make me one of the lamest game obsessives of all time. I hope this isnt what it feels like to be a "mature adult". That would be even worse than the flu...

Regardless, I did want to follow up on my previous post with the tally on Halo 3's opening day earnings. The skinny? $170 million bones, making it the biggest first day entertainment release ever. Can I get a shi-zam?

I came across an interesting entry in the Wired Geekapedia today, regarding "Free" in the Web 2.0 sense.

"If you build it — and it's cool — they will come. The business model to support it will come later. That's the new economics of the free lunch: Giving away a product or service builds the kind of customer attention and loyalty that rack up earnings. Take a look at Firefox, MySpace, Ubuntu, YouTube, and countless other new-breed products and services that don't cost a penny to use. As scarcity becomes obsolete and bandwidth, storage, and processing grow ever cheaper, old-fashioned vendors will face increasingly skeptical customers asking, what are we paying you for?"

The idea of a free exchange of content really isnt anything new - its one of the most critical foundational tenants of this highly social web 2.0 world we've come to know and love. Though I'm sure you can see the irony. I did think it was fitting that shortly after reading this little blurb, I came across two perfect examples to illustrate the point from opposite ends of the spectrum.

One of the sites I frequent regularly for a dose of pure hilarity is AskANinja - a homegrown episodic vodcast that is as funny as it is nonsensical. AskaNinja has been around for while and had grown into a web phenomenon of epic proportions. And most importantly, its free - always has been and I can only assume always will be. But I couldnt help but notice that episodes are now being brought to me by the new CBS comedy Big Bang Theory, premiering Monday September 24th. Oh I'll rue the day I become so impressionable.

On the other side of the coin is the The New York Times, which is killing its TimeSelect fee based online service and opening up its content for free viewing. Why? In the words of Vivian Schiller, Senior VP and GM of the Times...

"Since we launched TimesSelect in 2005, the online landscape has altered significantly. Readers increasingly find news through search, as well as through social networks, blogs and other online sources. In light of this shift, we believe offering unfettered access to New York Times reporting and analysis best serves the interest of our readers, our brand and the long-term vitality of our journalism. We encourage everyone to read our news and opinion – as well as share it, link to it and comment on it. "

The dichotomy is beautiful, and couldnt illustrate the Wired point any better. On the one hand you have a highly entertaining startup, built from nothing, and seeking nothing, other than to be popular. On the other, a media giant, coming to the web world with an elite reputation and an eye to capitalize on the information super-highway. One distributed its content freely. One didnt. One experienced a viral explosion of popularity. One realized that content hidden by walls of green is content that consumers will find elsewhere. Now one is being sponsored by names like Toshiba and CBS, and one is tearing down their barriers to entry. One has found a way to make money without asking for it, the other has learned that lesson.

I'm not sure anyone really has any answers as far as the best way to capitalize on today's web, though perhaps the best way isnt to capitalize at all. Do what you gotta do, and if it rocks, the dead presidents will find their way to your bank account in time. Though it does beg the question, what will all this mean for old school businesses? After all, AskaNinja is two guys with a camera and a laptop - not a domestic media icon which needs to support hundreds of employees... Hmmm...

Regardless, I think its time ESPN got the memo. Insider content login required is soooooo Web 1.0 ;-)

Image from http://askaninja.wiki-site.com

Back in August I blogged about a Facebook Hot Team that myself, Brad, Emily Rimland, and Binky Lush were conducting, to investigate the possibility of bringing the University Library into Facebook. Though our initial goal had only been to design a proof of concept and write up a white paper on our findings, things went so well that we turned our mock up into an actual production application, which was officially released into the wild last Friday.

Today and tomorrow, Emily and Binky are exposing new students to our efforts as a part of the Library Orientation, and I was exceptionally excited to see that after only a few hours, our application has already passed the 300 user mark (311 as this is being written). It will be interesting to see if our little app can take advantage of the viral spread of content through facebook to reach a wider university audience over time =)

The application itself it very simple - two different library searches as well as a series of library related resources. But its an exciting first step into the previously uncharted Facebook waters, and it has set the foundation for some really exciting projects in the near future.

If you have a facebook account, feel free to check it out at http://apps.facebook.com/psulibrary/. And if you don't have a facebook account... well... get with the times! =D

Thanks again to Binky, Emily, and Brad for making this all come together!

We all knew it was only a matter of time before Google unveiled the 3rd piece of their office apps puzzle - the one presentation tool to rule them all. Well the wait is over hip cats, Google Presentations is here.

I've only had a few minutes to play with this bad boy so far, but in a word, Google Presentations, like everything else Google touches, is simple. The functionality is basic, with very few pre-built options for slide templates or themes, and no slide transitions that I could find. But regardless, its very easy to use, so it looks like we'll be chalking up another win in the applications column for Google.

There was one feature that appeared noticeably absent, at least in my relatively rushed opinion - the"discuss" tab, found on such wonderful apps as Google-Spreadsheets. For the non Google obsessives out there, the discuss tab basically allows collaborators to open a chat window within a document.. because calling people on the phone is so 1987. Most certainly not a must have, it would have been a nice touch. But then far be it from me to ever question the word of Google =)

If my own college experience is any indication, Google Presentation has the potential to be "the" biggest of the google-office apps, at least among students today. Don't get me wrong - collaborative document writing is huge. But powerpoints and keynotes presentations were by far the medium most likely to be involved in a "version mishap". Presentations, unlike papers or spreadsheets, are very fluid entities - depending on the person giving them, they may be changed and tweaked well into the 11th hour (sometimes even beyond). In the old world of email (thats fun/ depressing to say), different presentation styles meant different version of files, which ultimately lead to differences in stress levels and in some cases differences in grades. With Google Presentation in the mix, I can hear the giant sign of relief from my inner child, who is still having panic attacks about that consulting class presentation ;-)

I'm looking forward to seeing how this catches on and what fun little additions Google has planned for the future.

P.S. Did it seem like this Google-Presenter app just appeared out of no where, with very little fanfare or PR? Thanks to Mashable for being on the ball =)

Here at "The Voices In My Head", we (thats the royal we of course) love feel good stories. Who doesnt right? And with the weekend a mere hour away, its probably time for one right about now.

Apparently Brandon Scott, the manager of a local Gamestop video game store in Dallas, refuses to sell video games to any young whippersnappers who arent getting good grades in school. How does he know? Because you need an adult with you to buy games. But though Scott may drop the boom on the slackers, a straight A report card earns you a free game, on the house.

It's not often that you read about someone who is willing to fore-go the cash money to stand up for something anymore, particularly when it comes to video games, and I for one applaud Scott's efforts. This might be the most simple tie in between gaming and education of all time, but its just one of those stories that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. Keep up the good work Mr. Scott!

EDIT:
This was posted last Friday - a nice happy story to kick off the weekend with. What with today being Monday of all, of course we need a follow-up to reflect the pain and despair of the weekend being over. Gamestop has suspended Scott while they "review" his policy. Whether or not Scott was withing his rights to deny service to bad students is up for debate. But its unfortunate that the hammer has fallen on him. Games get blamed for a lot now a-days, and it was nice to finally see someone step up and make a well intentioned effort to turn a negative into a positive. Hopefully Gamestop does the right thing by Scott instead of by their shareholders.

In my saunter back from an absurdly overcrowded Subway today, I decided to grab a copy of the student paper. Amidst the disproportionate number of football articles (hurray!) and a story on how flip flops are bad for you (I knew it!), I came across a writeup titled "Frats Sweat Pledge Rates". I didnt pledge a fraternity as a student and normally such an article wouldn't warrant any interest from me. But something about the marinara sauce in my little subway baggy and the natural gas fumes from a passing CATA bus came together to sway me into reading it. And yes, I know that makes no sense.

The article was talking about the concern among fraternity leaders that pledge numbers were going to see a substantial drop off as compared to last year. Not really my cup of tea. But just as I was about to send out an email tirade about how I always knew flip flops were evil, a line in the article stopped me dead in my tracks.

"The decrease can be attributed to a smaller freshman class and being unable to use Facebook to invite potential members to greek events, Interfraternity Council President (IFC) Grant Miller said."

Can I get an errrrrrrt with a little beep beep beep? Back that up playa. Say again? Greek numbers are suffering because of Facebook? And with that, writer Katie Maloney had reeled me back in. My hatred of flip flops would have to wait.

The readers digest version plays out like this. Last year, the IFC had used Facebook as a tool to communicate with incoming freshman, and pledge numbers soared. This year, Facebook has changed its privacy policy, mass mailing/ inviting people is considered spam, the Facebook campaign could not continue, and subsequently pledge numbers are expected to get the hurt put on them this year. This at a school that consistently ranks as one of the top Greek Schools in the country.

On the surface this isnt anything earth shattering. If you have a successful marketing tool, removing that tool is going to hurt you. That much is fairly obvious.

We know Facebook is a huge part of the Penn State student experience, and only become more so with each incoming class. But if the ties to facebook are so strong that NOT being a part of it will leave a group as well known as the Penn State Fraternity system in the dust... wow. And of course the irony of needing a social network to build a social network can't be lost...

But take that a step further. A Greek Organization is, as its core, a social network. Maybe its socially based, or professionally based, or lifestyle based but it is a group of people who come together around a common purpose. Being a part of your local network, or chapter, can then lead to interactions with other parts of your brother or sisterhood. A strong Greek organization can transcend the boundaries of space and time (no not Star Trek style) to bring people together around something... a cause, an idea, a shared experience, a belief. Sound like anything else we know of?

So if both Greek Organizations and social networking sites like Facebook share a similar purpose, could the new replace the old? Unlikely, in my humble opinion, but only because the real world experiences that bond people to those organizations cannot yet be replaced by anything the interweb can offer. In some instances, the internet might be finding alternatives, but there are some things that, for the foreseeable future "first life" will never loose hold of. At least not yet...

I do, however, think we're going to see a revolution in the way that real life networks function because of sites like Facebook. Even as little as a few month ago, the thought that your real world social life might require a login was an absurd idea. But maybe its not so far fetched after all...

Image from Answers.com

September 25th 2007 - To your average person, its just another Tuesday on the old calendar. Unless of course your average person plays video games.

Because September 25th will mark the release of Halo 3 - the third installment in the Halo first person shooter video games series. For those not familiar with it, Halo follows the iron clad super solider, Master Chief (shown below) as he wages war against aliens. Big guns. Big badies. Cool story. Lost of strange noises. Rolling your eyes yet?

But what if I told you that Halo 3 is going to be the biggest entertainment release of all time? Does this "Halo" sounds any more interesting to you now?

A bit of a preface on whats going on to coincide with the release of this game.

Burger King is coming out with the "Halo 3 meal" which will feature a gargantuan beverage and probably a really cheap happy meal toy.
Mountain Dew has launched an entirely new flavor of soda, which they call "Game Fuel", to coincide with the Halo release. The cover boy and inspiration for this new drink? None other than our good friend Master Chief. When interviewed, Mountain Dew VP of Marketing Frank Cooper said "This is the first time we've created a beverage for an entertainment property...Microsoft's Halo 3 is more than just a video game, it's become a cultural phenomenon that deserves its own special Mountain Dew extension"*. Walmart is opening all of their doors at midnight (for the stores that arent open 24 hours anyway) and preparing special "Halo 3 lines" in honor of the release... though I have no idea what that means =) Seven Eleven is geting in on the action with Halo cups. And the icing on the cake? Pontiac is giving away a Halo themed G6 sports sedan and offering advanced game previews in an effort to lure in potential car buyers. Never-mind of course the Halo book line (one of which was a New York Times best seller), the upcoming comic book series, and the Halo movie, which is still in its infancy.

The goal in all of this? To inspire a Halo opening day release so massive that it tops the record holding $151 million dollar Spiderman 3 movie opening weekend. And the way its looking, Halo 3 wont just beat Spiderman's record, it will shatter it - making it the single biggest entertainment release of all time.

But nothing really brought it home like this image from Xbox360fanboy (shown right).

One of the many reasons I write posts about video games is to evangelicise them a bit. I've been a gamer all my life, and in addition to understanding a lot of their potential value, I've seen and felt the scorn of those who feel that my pastime/ professional interest is nothing more than a waste of time that could be better served doing... pretty much anything. My hope, in writing some of the posts that I write is that people who may not do the things I do might get a glimpse into some of the cool things that happen in the gaming world - to help bring awareness, to help sway a few of the haters, and ultimately to help people understand the impact and potential for video games in our society and more specifically as a tool to help teach. Inevitably of course, there will always be those who throw games to the wayside.

Today's post is for those people. But in this post, there isnt a need to convince anyone of anything. Because whether you care or not, consider them valuable or worthless, love them or hate them, support them or dismiss them, own them or see them as the end of all civilization... video games are here. They are huge. And they are changing our country, one pixel at a time.

The tag line for Halo 3 is "Believe". Nothing could be more fitting. I hope you're listening.

Also see:
Maddenoliday turns Time Square Into New Years 2 for Madden '08

* Frank Cooper quote from bevnet.com
Images from wikipedia.com, kotaku.com, bevnet.com, xbox360fanboy.com

Friend and Colleague Bart Pursel came across this little ditty a few days ago, and its far too interesting not to share.

Though I might disagree over the size of a few of the "nations", the map is supposedly built to scale based on users (I assume accounts as opposed to views). A very cool presentation of web 2.0.

Map from http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/online_communities_small.png

As part of our continuing work with Facebook, I found myself headed to a 10:15 meeting up in the library this morning. From my home away from home in the Rider 2 building, the library is probably a 10-15 minute leisurely paced walk away. During the 10 month State College winter/ monsoon season, such a walk is generally depressing. But today was a beautiful not quite summer, not quite fall day - the kind that the Penn State admissions staff pays off Mother Nature to have for big tours. And I enjoyed my little walk up the hill to the fullest.

On my way onto campus, I came across a co-worker who was, no doubt, returning from an on campus meeting of his own. I saw him coming some ways away, and gave a preemptive nod and small smile - the non verbal equivalent of "whats shaking" like those hip cat teenagers would say. No response. Ah well... probably too far away. A little closer, and I try again. Slightly bigger smile, slightly more aggressive nod. Still nothing. By this point we're nearly next to each other. Time to act quickly.

"Hey [co-worker]" I said with a wave. No response. The time had passed. Burned.

I, of course, have nothing but love for my colleague. Because after all, he had been listening to some music, presumably on one of those crazy eye-pods. He hadnt heard me say hi, because he was rocking, or jamming, or jazzing, or breaking it down. Or maybe he just hates me. But ignorance is bliss so I'll blame it on the ipod =)

Up the hill I continued, just letting my eyes wander to the sites of campus. And inspired by my experience, I started keeping a little mental checklist of the things I saw.

People sleeping in the grass: 3
Squirrels eating a piece of pizza: 1
Jealous squirrels who wanted in on the action: 2
People who tried to push in on an out door, or out on an in door: 4
Groups of friends walking together: 3
People talking on cell phones: 17
People with headphones on: 26

Now I could very easily spin this into a post about how prevalent mobile technologies are becoming for students, and how tapping into those technologies as educators is critical and blah blah blah, you get the idea. But if you are reading this post (or this blog in general) the odds are you've long since been drinking that particular flavor of Kool-aid.

Instead. I'll go the opposite way, and ask how being "perpetually-plugged in" is really a good thing for our society?

When I was choosing an undergraduate university, one thing that stuck out to me about Penn State was that everyone seemed happy to be here. They call it Happy Valley for a reason. You'd walk by people and they'd smile at you, for no other reason than you were both alive... or maybe they were still drunk from the night before... its tough to say. It sounds like a very small town country boy thing to say, but it was true, and it made a huge impact on me when I visited and for the next 4 years as an undergraduate here.

There was one other stat I kept track of this morning on my little walk.

People who made eye contact with me: 2

It was sort of erie, passing probably a hundred or so people and just seeing a bunch of blank stairs... eyes hidden by sunglasses... ears filled with cell phones or headphones. Everyone in their own world, listening to their NPR podcasts, or Kayne West, or Fall Out Boys or some random one hit wonder that I'm getting too old to keep track of (how depressing). It didnt feel like Happy Valley, it felt like Manhattan with really fat squirrels. But we're all facebook friends so thats something...

Last night, my girlfriend, my dog and I were standing on the back porch. After 10 minutes, I was antsy. I needed my NCAA '08, my Seinfeld, my laptop and my central air conditioning. And while we're at it, I was one of those students who walked around listening to Snoop Dogg on my way to class. Talk about being a hypocrite.

Technology is a great thing - I wont dispute that with anyone. But has our society gone too far with it? Have we become so dependent on constant stimulation that we cant walk to the car without a podcast, or walk to class without finding out what our roommate (who we just saw 10 minutes ago) is doing? And everything keeps getting cheaper, and smaller, and faster, and smarter. Meep.

Tomorrow I'm sure I'll have forgotten all about this little rant of mine, and I'll be back to concocting the best way to help people learn algebra by playing Zelda. But during a 10 minute walk on a beautiful day, I just kept trying to figure out when everything become so important to our lives. When we stopped being able to live without our cell phone in our hand or our favorite podcast in our ear. When we stopped enjoying the view in favor of the hustle and bustle of constant stimulation from every conceivable medium? When did time became so precious that we stopped being able to just ... be? When did we stop being able to unplug? And what does this mean for the campus of Happy Valley 2017? What does it mean for our society as a whole?

500 facebook friends and we can't look at eachother as we pass on the street. Scary.

People always said that that digital natives have a hard time with self reflection. I think I finally understand...

Time to stop pontificating and plug back into the matrix. But I think tonight I'll leave the radio off on the way home from work.

Image from http://www.public.iastate.edu/~dgwalter/ipod.JPG