Technology

The Impact of Ouya

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So now Ouya has its first announcement of exclusive content.  This is pretty interesting and yes, I’m going to buy one, I feel almost morally obligated as . . . er, well me.

So let’s assume they can somehow turn $5 million into a good functioning game console running Android.  I figure it’s going to happen between the enthusiasm, the public, the money, and the fact they’re being watched like a hawk by the people who provided $5 million.  My guess is the worse the Ouya is going to be is mediocre.

So based on that assumption, what’s going to happen during and after release to everyone else?

Developers:

  • Developers are going to have to consider it’s role in their products.  For Android game developers it’s going to affect some development plans (screen size, controls), but hey it’s something else to put things out on.  For non-Android developers, then the question comes up “do you support it?”
  • I expect people to have big plans for the device, but some will be disappointed in the results their games get simply due to the randomness of fate.  Expect some “sales haters” when the launch happens.
  • The Ouya could become an excellent educational tool/device for training and education.  It’s cheap, hackable, and runs Android.

Microsoft:

  • This is a weird one.  Microsoft makes a great product with XBox, and the Ouya, no matter how good it is, may not be as polished.  At the same time this provides a less-gated, more diverse competitor appealing to a tech crowd.  I think they may ignore it for awhile, but I’m sure they’re curious.
  • Microsoft should be OK in the end as they’re evolving a broad device.

Nintendo:

  • Nintendo is still king of the oddball controllers and the Ouya can’t beat that – yet.  But with a hackable and open device, a lot CAN be done.  It won’t be an issue at first, but who knows what will be done (say, any Android phone as an equivalent of a Wii U controller?)
  • Nintendo has a dedicated oddball and property space, so I actually imagine they’ll do OK.

Apple:

  • Look, at some point they’ll have to talk gaming device.  This may just push them into something “gamesque,” even if it’s a variant on Apple TV with some games and controls.  By now I don’t think they can – or want to -ignore it.

Maker Culture:

  • Will go freaking insane for this.  Expect controllers (as noted), hacks, additions, and things involving Arduino you can’t imagine.

GameStop:

  • I imagine they’ll want to sell this thing and will go out of their way to do so.
  • This could actually be good for their continued expansion and diversification if they’re able to get in perhiperals and other devices.  May give them more geek cred.

Google:

  • Is smiling.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/

Yes, It’s Automated Mashed Potatoes

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So in some 7-11 in Singapore has an automated mashed potato machine.

We’ve also talked automated pizza here, automated convenience stores, and so on.  As you may have guessed, I kind of have a thing for automation, especially in the realm of food.  There’s a reason for that.

Let’s face it, people like their food and like it fast.  A lot of people like gadgets.  Oh, and a lot of businesses would like to remove “people” from the equation of a lot of things.  I see more and more food automation – and seemingly wacky automation – as a potential trend for these reasons.

In fact, I could see it go farther with concern over health.  Tell me how actual attempts to deliver healthy food someone would go over – at least in the right areas?

So, for you progreeks, keep food automation in mind.  If people are going to make a freaking mashed potato vendor this year, I can easily see a lot more food automation happening in the next decade.

Until then, pass the mashed potatoes.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/

Big Pile Of Ship

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Wait, news analysis?

Yeah, we over here at Fan To Pro have been dreadful busy, moving, getting new jobs, sick of old jobs, sick period, etc.  So the news analysis has kind of declined – and we do dump interesting articles to Ye Olde Twittere Feede.

So we didn’t get in a lot of news analysis, which of course was because all the great news happened at once.  I think if I were to sum it up, Apple’s new operating system is based on the Penny Arcade kickstarter, which is run in Windows 8 by Amazon, which is crouching over the burning corpse of Best Buy.  Or something.  Oh, and RIM is a disaster, but we knew that.

But out of the news articles, and all the crazy, something stood out:

Amazon is pushing to make same-day service.

Sure, it doesn’t come as any surprise, but there’s some takeaways:

First, this is going to be a challenge to lots of local retailers and not-so-local retailers.  Let’s face it, when you can get it from Amazon, people tend to.

Second, what’s being missed here is that Amazon is probably going to develop some revolutionary storage and shipping technologies.  People will want to help it happen, look at it, copy it, etc.  If you’re into shipping tech, this is revolutionary.

But there’s one thing that’s being missed among the Amazon-will-crush-all and so forth.

Amazon also has their amazon storefronts and the like.  What the hell are they going to be able to do when they have this mass shipping/recieving system set up? What kind of service can they offer to others?

Think of what it can mean for small businesses.  Think of how many other small companies providing services like this they may crush.  Think of what it will do if they use this to try to help people ignore the fact they’re sort of undermining other businesses . . .

Imagine if Amazon faces limiting lawsuits?  They could scale back – but keep the shipping business as a business.  An amazing about of people use their EC2 cloud service.

So, no, there may be much more to this than simply crushing others.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach for professional and potentially professional geeks, fans, and otaku. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/