Apple has to watch it's back since everyone else is, Avatar keeps breaking records, 3D is further advancing it's agenda, and Zynga is partnering with Microsoft. Everyone's on the move – and you need to be too! That's why we have this news round up for Progeeks,Profans, and Protaku!
Career:
3 ways to design your career – Some good advice on taking the lead on making your career what you want.
Economics/Geekonomics:
Put on your geekonomic hat for this gem from the Santa Fe Reporter: An economist who studies inequality and how it damages productivity. A friendly but deep discussion on inequality, economic issues, and more. Get ready for interesting ideas like one-shot welfare and the damage caused by guard labor (the more people involved in having to enforce a system, the less productive it is).
Movies:
'Avatar' passes 'Titanic' for domestic box office. Article includes some analysis of just why this is a big deal – it happened FAST.
On Avatar's muscular blue heels, comes the news Sony hopes to conver older films to 3D for Blu-Ray. At this rate, I think 3D is going to be one of those things that has staying power because it's going to be everywhere ANYWAY. So keep aware of it if you're in media production – or work on the tech.
Technology:
Amazon working on a superKindle? All signs point to 'seems likely.' I find this interesting as I feel the Kindle's best bet is to become software, but Amazon appears to have an investment in it, and also has a touch-screen company. Now I'm thinking Amazon's strategy might be twofold – produce a deluxe reader device that's vaguely iPad like, and software to get everywhere else, and pursue the Apple 'store' model for books and book-related apps.
And as a followup, a look at why Amazon must win the e-book war. In rough, e-books will affect it a lot more than they affect Apple. Point taken. Worth reading.
Sounds like Sony is interested in challenging the iPad – As they've go their own technology base, why not? In fact I'm seeing a lot of potential dog-piling on the iPad, more than I honestly expected, and it's specific targeting. I think Apple is going to need to work hard to support this one. On the Sony end, good move for them, they never quit do they?
Video Games:
Uforia to mix MMOs and Trading Card Games – Color me intrigued (some similar elements worked for Wizardry 101). A gutsy move that continues the interesting trend of fusion games – Puzzle/RPG (Puzzle Quest), Side-scroller RPG (Dungeon Fighter), and so on. Also it appears Uforia is hiring . . .
A look at tactics to keep people from selling games back. Take a look at what companies are and may do, and what it may mean.
Features of the arcade-MMO Dungeon Fighter – Buried in all the information (which does sound cool) is a statement that the game actually has a Fan Fiction page for creating individual stories. Nice bit of relations-culitvation there. Also I confess the game looks awesome, and I need to get Parallels on my Mac . . .
Zynga's plans for world domination continue. They'll be bringing their games to Microsoft sites including MSN. That's a brilliant shift for them – since they have recognizable properties, developed properties, and leverage, why not put their stuff everywhere? Also they're hiring, so check them out. I just wonder who will rise to rival them . . .
Question of the Day: Will Apple get dogpiled by people wanting to take a chunk out of the iPad market – and is there enough interest to seriously hurt them?
-Steven Savage