Toolwatch.org

I’ve ignored my “blog” for over a year now, but when I heard that Jeff Green was leaving GFW/1up/BRODIO, I needed to express my sadness.  I think that realistically the only means for me to fire him a message is through 1up.com’s system.  He won’t be working there for much longer, so chances are he wouldnt’ get the message anyway.  I figured I’d fire up the ol’ wordpress and publish my goodbye.

 When they closed down GFW: the Magazine, I figured that we’d gradually see all of the editors let go over a period of time, but it has been nice seeing them find jobs in the industry instead of, what I figured, was the alternative unemployment.  1up.com’s podcasts are, along with a couple other in the tech worlds, my entertainment staple.  Jeff is one of the best reasons for this.

 Hell, his podcast got me to go and buy the magazine every month. 

Anyway, Jeff, so long.  I hope EA takes good care of you, and you take good care of your family.

-Nick MacCheyne  (historynut12@yahoo.com)

\\n

\\n

No pie for you!

\\n Recently… well no… For as long as there has been the internet, it seems, the Recording Industry Association of America has been suing people for stealing its music over the internet. Recently the RIAA has launched a series of lawsuits targeted at College Students. When asked about the targets of the latest lawsuits, the chairman of the RIAA and the previous chairperson, Mitch Bainwol and Cary Sherman respectively, had this to say:\\n

Yet this is about far more than the size of a particular slice of the pie. This is about a generation of music fans. College students used to be the music industry’s best customers. Now, finding a record store still in business anywhere near a campus is a difficult assignment at best. It’s not just the loss of current sales that concerns us, but the habits formed in college that will stay with these students for a lifetime. This is a teachable moment — an opportunity to educate these particular students about the importance of music in their lives and the importance of respecting and valuing music as intellectual property.

\\n boingboing was quick to point out that with all the “morally wrong” crap that today\\\’s music shovels into our live (brought to you by the RIAA) it is hard to listen to them talk about values. And surely Walmarts and Best Buys showing up all over the country, under cutting the prices of local record stores has nothing to do with them going out of business.\\n\\nKids, don\\\’t steal music. But don\\\’t let yourselves be tools of an organization like the RIAA. Money is all they care about. It has nothing to do with morals and values.\\n\\nNick MacCheyne\\n toolwatch.org/blog\\nEditor\\n\\nCredit:\\n\\nThe Picture of the pie comes from:\\n\\nhttp://online.cakesacrossamerica.com\\n\\nI found the story on Digg, and read more on Gizmondo and pulled the quote from boingboing roulette virtualecasino on line con bonuscasino italia bonuspoker casino onlineplay slotsgiocare casino onlinela roulettedownload casinocasino online certificatiwww casino gratiscasino venezia on linegioco crapsall slots casinoguida casino onlineregole rouletteplay keno onlinecasino en lineacasino livecasino online italiapc game casinoweb casinocasino con bonus gratisbaccarat onlinegioco di roulettevincere casino onlinegiochi keno in lineablack jackvincere ai casino onlinevideo poker per pcgioco baccaratroulette americanavideo poker jack or betterwww casino comdownload giochi casinoplay kenoblack jack in lineaprobabilità roulettecraps gratisgiochi keno inlineai migliori casino onlinegiochi di casino,giochi di casino gratis,giocare gratuitamente ai giochi di casino on net dovete utilizzareblack and jackcasino bonus no depositogiochi black jackonline kenovideo poker virtualecasino per pcstrip poker downloadholdem money play poker texasonline poker bonus

100 Points to Name this Strange Device.

I like Nintendo, I really do. I bought a Wii. In fact, I bought it the day it came out. Midnight launch and everything. I bought Zelda’s “Twilight Princess” and “Red Steel. ” But I sold my Wii. One of the major reasons for my disatisfaction was the the fact that I couldn’t find any cables that would send a signal to my TV that is better than 480i. Where were Nintendo’s component video cables? Did Nintendo not notice all the demand for the cables? Only yesterday, since the November 19, 2006 launch, was I able to find these cables on the shelf of my local electronics store. But wait, they were Nyko brand. Generics! Well, good for Nyko for taking advantage of Nintendo’s idiotic move. Nintendo is one of the tools of the day.

-Nick MacCheyne
toolwatch.org/blog
Editor

Credit:

I pulled my Picture from Gizmondo.

Don’t worry phil, somebody will buy your PS3.

I could probably write ten posts on Sony Computer Entertainment’s (SCE) various toolie statements, but Phil Harrison, the president of Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios, gets the prize today. Could have something to do with timing: he managed to say this stuff right as toolwatch.org/blog went up.

Recently, with the new gaming console launches, Sony has come under fire for various perceived “flaws” in the system. One thing that a lot of people were clamoring for, that the PS3 lacked, was “rumble” in the controller. A company called “Immersion” owns the patent on rumble technology (This is when the game controller vibrates in your hand, to simulate contact that corresponds to on-screen action in video games), and while Microsoft and Nintendo settled the lawsuits filed against them by Immersion for using rumble without permission, Sony refused to settle.

Previously Sony had said that rumble technology wouldn’t fit in the controller, and that it would interfere with the motion sensing technology. But certainly it had nothing to do with a law suit, right? In fact, recently our boy Phil said that rumble was a “last generation feature.” Well folks, they are taking it all back. In a recent interview with GameDailyBiz, Phil responded to a question regarding the demand for rumble with this:

“We have no plans to do so in the standard controller that ships with PlayStation 3. I believe that the Sixaxis controller offers game designers and developers far more opportunity for future innovation than rumble ever did. Now, rumble I think was the last generation feature; it’s not the next-generation feature. I think motion sensitivity is. And we don’t see the need to do that. Having said that, there will be specific game function controllers, potentially like steering wheels that do include vibration or feedback function—not from us but from third parties.” -Phil Harrison

Didn’t Phil just state, a couple days ago, that rumble was a last generation feature? Gotta admit, I feel sorry for the PR people at Sony who have to follow this guy around with a doggy bag and scooper to clean up.

Nick MacCheyne
toolwatch.org/blog
Editor

Credit:

I first heard about the story on 1up.com, and followed it back to the original interview at GameDaily BIZ.

Well, this is it. The start of ‘toolwatch.org.’ And hopefully an active internet career. This blog’s purpose is to expose the tools of the world. So perhaps a definition of a tool is in order? Since this is a weblog, I figure it would be appropriate to draw upon the internet for an answer to this question: enter dictionary.com.

“6.a person manipulated by another for the latter’s own ends; cat’s-paw.”

As you can see, this blog isn’t dedicated to hammers and band saws.

In the grand scheme of things, I’ll eventually be focusing on big important world event toolies (now I made up toolies, I’m afraid), but for now, While I figure out the server and blogging software, I’m going to target the Toolies of my life.

Lets start off with this guy here.

“Me…”

What can I say? Look at me, wearing Oakleys and thinking I’m just all that. This picture was taken in Valdez, Alaska on a boat. Probably one of this tool’s favorite places on the planet.

Once I get this stuff figured out, I imagine I’ll do some stuff more exciting than what I’ve got here. But this is it for now.