Verizon beats estimates and shows their future plans! Kabam expands! Microsoft has a Web Based App Store! Plenty of things headed for the future as we close out the week in geeky news!
Economics/Geekonomics/Total Economic Disasternomics:
MUST READ: More Foreclosure Fraud for Dummies – now with Part Five
The Future is B.S. – A hilariously insightful article on the economic weirdness of the future.
Mobile:
Verizon beats estimates for Q3. It will not surprise you to learn this is due to smartphones. Also some rumors that it'll get the iPhone as well. I'd note that I think Verizon is trying to expand beyond phone services to be a kind of full-scale consumer electronics reseller with its own phone services and related as just part of the offering (a part of course that ties into the reselling a LOT). That actually seems to be a smart strategy – and they can offer a more "boutique" service ala the Apple Store.
News:
AOL seems to be loosing editors. Not sure I agree with the analysis here, but I find it curious in general. AOL's hyperlocal switch would mean a change in editorial function, but at the same time I also wonder if this is part of a larger turnover/change-of-guard.
Technology:
HP launches it's Slate. Doesn't seem half bad, and the price itself seems reasonable for what it does.
Video:
Netflix is consuming a lot of bandwidth. Just noting. World domination continues.
A compelling argument that the future of TV is html. Rough upshot? It's easier. However this article takes a good look at the Everythign Wars going on in video, from Google TV being blocked to more.
And yes, as noted Three broadcasters blocked the web-based versions of their shows from Google's Web TV – Google is in talks to resolve that. More growing pains as part of the inevitable move towards web video.
Video Games:
Microsoft launches browser-based Games store. Anyone surprised? Yeah, I thought so. The online store is the way to go.
Kabam continues to expand with the purchase of Wonderhill studio, which has some nice games going for it. Resume-worthy company perhaps?
Atlus bounces back to profitability this year – And it's mostly due to the beautiful, deliberately insanely-hard Demon's Souls. This is very good for the oddball/cult-hit publisher, and may give us a few insights into demographics and advertising of games. I know I got Demon's Souls based on the hype surrounding it, enjoyed it for its looks and challenge . . . and then stopped playing as it wasn't that relaxing. But it was a great game!
Video Games-MMO:
This may not be something everyone thinks of, but DC Universe Online is really fleshing out a good name voice cast. Considering the importance of the voice actors to Batman: Arkham Asylum, I wonder if this is not only good production, but good marketing?
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
– Steven Savage