Marvel and Sprints next moves revealed? HTML5 enshrined? Lots to chew over today, so open wide – and have an embarassing energy drink with it!
Celebrety:
In an age of outsourceable, fast, web-enabled technology, it's quite easy to take Charlie Sheen's meltdown and create an energy drink inspired by it.
Demographics/Geekographics:
The Creative Class playing roles in the Egyptian revolution? Richard Florida looks at this possibility. I'd note that it seems a fusion of creative class and labor stood together, which might give you an idea of future trends in other countries.
Comics:
A slight hint that Marvel's next big thing is the Inhumans, or as I affectionately call it New Gods For Marvel. It's a very over-the-top property, but I agree with the article that if Thor works, it might as well (though the proposal sounds toned down). Is Marvel going super-cosmic in their comic ventures?
For Thor. Most. Awesome. Standee. Ever.. Look I'm not sure it's career-relevant, but it's awesome – and it's the kind of standee that just begs to have people pose with it, get pictures taken, and post them on the internet – thus creating a viral phenomena.
Mobile:
Sprint in talks to buy T-Mobile? The article notes that despite our opinions that this might be good, that the companies technologies and strategies are totally incompatible. Note that this might just be a spectrum sale.
Movies:
Looks like Lionsgate wants to keep milking Cube, my guess probably because it's a kind of psychological/SAW-like franchise in potential. Though as every film past the first seems incoherent, I don't know what more they can do with it.
We may get a Tomb Raider film reboot as well, which would sort of fit what's going on in the games. By now I don't care, and the day I don't care about a sexy globetrotting British archeologist in shorts it is a sad day. I'm not sure Tomb Raider has the draw it once had.
Publishing:
Kobo gets new funding. Remember despite the trouble with Borders they are their own company.
Technology:
MUST READ: Adobe is working on Wallaby, a Flash-to-HTML 5 converter. Seems like HTML5 is getting more and more attention – and if it proves viable, it could mean a shift back to the browser for games and software. Also shows Adobe isn't going to quite get caught with their pants down here. Learn HTML 5 folks . . .
Video:
I didn't see this coming: Warner Brothers is looking to offer movies directly on Facebook, as an experiment. That hit Netflix's stock unsurprisingly. As this is an experiment I'm not sure what it means for anyone – it's just an experiment. The most I can see theater owners worried this'll move up timeline-of-film wise.
A side note on this – I think if Facebook becomes a video delivery platform, it could well spawn groups trying to undermine it. Facebook is gobbling up everything in site and I think video could be an area where people would say "enough" and look for ways to subtly take them on.
Video Games:
Trip Hawkins of EA says the Browser is the Future of gaming. I'm starting to agree with him based on the rush to HTML 5 we're seeing. He also has some other interesting thoughts.
One Million copies of Pokemon Black and White sold in the first day. Anyone surprised? No? Good. I'm watching this one closely as it's a kind of reboot/retooling – with all new pokemon, some graphic and setting differences, and soforth. It feels like it's something for old and new fans, so I want to see how sales go (did it get new fans in, drive off old, etc.). This is an amazing long-running media franchise, perhaps THE franchise that introduced the US to Japanese-style synergy, so it's next steps – and stumbles – are worth watching and learning from. Oddly, there's no real COMPETITOR to Pokemon, which is odd if you think of it . . .
Nexon is putting a version of Maple Story on Facebook, so you can play it while watching "Dark Knight" probably. Nexon appears to be diversifying – and they're a company I'd put on your resume-worthy list. I just would like a Mac version of Dungeon Fighter, thank you . . .
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Is HTML5 pretty much guaranteed as a major dev language of the future with all the backing we've seen?