Steam

Link Roundup 10/10/2013

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We need a name for this thing.  Where are we?

  • Agendas of SHIELD got picked up for a full season despite mediocre results (and yours truly is NOT impressed).  That’s a bet on Whedon, let’s see where it goes.
  • John Malone wants to compete with Netflix – by banding together cable companies.  An interesting suggestion and a reminder that there’s a lot of power out there that could oppose Netflix.  Will it happen . . . I have no idea.  Could provide a market shakeup – and quite a few job opportunities I imagine . . .
  • Smartphones are getting larger, tablets are getting smaller.  Which suggests some kind of convergence along with a heavy dose of the incredibly obvious.  Also a pain for programmers and media producers trying to deal with the insane footprints.
  • Actually one player in smartphones is Samsung, and they along with other companies in Aisa are targeting Silicon Valley.  Beyond the opportunities in Silicon Valley for employment it keeps cementing the Valley’s reputation (especially as I think it’s splitting a bit between SF and Silicon Valley properly).
  • Maybe you’re looking at a startup, and Amazon wants to support you.  That’s a smart move for them with all the services they provide and the opportunities people need.  May even be useful for you.
  • From success to failure, it looks like Blackberry may end up being taken to pieces.  OK gang, if you’re there you know it’s time to go, and if someone buys a chunk of it that could change opportunities.
  • Game developer?  Valve is hosting a developer-only event for their Steam Machines.  You know you want to go . . . even if you’re not a developer.  Damn it.
  • If Washington doesn’t crash the world economy there’s more hope with a decline in Greek Youth Unemployment, though it’s still pretty bad.

– Steven “Smartphone Tablet” Savage.

Link Roundup 9/30/2013

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Well first of all, we know that the final Steam component is a controller.  The Piston announcement is cagey and confusing.  My takeaway is:

The Piston may run the SteamOS on something else – which may be because something runnable as “virtual steam” is in the brew.  Or they’re confused.

Steam has pretty much fired a warning shot across the bow of console makers, followed by grapeshot and a series of cannonballs.  Any computer is now a console.  They don’t have to be on top they just have to keep everyone else nervous and I’m sure they have.

Story short, work in gaming?  Pay attention to Steam.

Now other links:

– Steven “My Own Controller” Savage

Steam Machine No Longer Mystery Machine

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The big news, Steam’s latest announcement is Beta for Steam Machines.  Friend of the site Indiehaven sums it up well.

Well we’ve got one more Steam Announcement coming, but I wanted to take a look at the Progeek and Musehacker applications of what’s going on.

Here are my takes:

  • First of all this is a definite strategy to spread Steam all over.  It’s own console, it can be installed.  Steam just got itself even more mindshare and install share.  This is not a surprise with the way they’ve been evolving – remember they have even more than games.
  • Secondly, this is a disruptive strategy, the kind of strategy that may have a plan, but is also to make people go “what the hell do we do now?”  They just put everyone else on notice.
  • Third, they just owned the “unsure” market.  That old machine you’re not sure what to do with, that HTPC that could be done in various ways, the just gave you an answer.
  • Fourth, they also may own the pickup market.  Now you can take an old system and turn it into something else – a Linux based game and media machine.
  • Fifth, this is a challenge to everyone, and I see some possibility that other companies have to deal with.  You can’t corner Steam or just not allow them on your devices, but they’re also stepping on your territory.  Steam is now a fact of life.
  • Sixth, as this is Linux-based, who knows what they can get from other install bases (like Android?).
  • Seventh, they just grabbed the news cycle.  They’ll grab it again when the Machine comes out, and they’ll grab it next holiday.
  • They just cozied up to many a manufacturer.

This is going to be big and interesting.  Work in gaming, you must pay attention, period.  Also start learning Linux.

– Steven “Steam Power” Savage