Console Updates

"I can only hope that the answers will come to me in my sleep. I hope that when the world comes to an end, I can breathe a sigh of relief, because there will be so much to look forward to." - Donnie Darko

Yesterday I had a couple of other co-ops over to watch Donnie Darko (which I have already seen a few times, of course) and I just got that line stuck in my head when I was working out, and it made me feel good for some reason. Maybe it's just the way Jake Gyllenhaal delivers it, but I guess it kind of reminded me to not let my mind get stuck on any chicks. Anyway, a few video game articles came up today so I thought I'd cover them all at once here. The Xbox 360 may sound like it's pretty hot out there, but the PS2 has outsold it in six of the past seven months and averages nearly double the 360's sales. This doesn't mean that M$ is failing since you also have to consider that the Xbox 360 is probably in shorter supply and is in a totally different part of the lifecycle, but I just think it's amazing for the PS2. Sony needs the boost now more than ever since word has broken out that the first Blu-Ray players have been delayed until August. It's possible that Sony is delaying it to bring its release closer to the PS3 for strategic reasons, but it's more likely that they're having real issues with it. No clue what this means for the PS3, but I'm not optimistic. At least we know that it's not as "slow and broken" as some had claimed last week, according to some developers. It's pretty easy to misinterpret performance stats, and I definitely buy that it's really not going to be noticeably worse than what we've already seen from the system (as little as that is). Meanwhile, Nintendo has still been keeping secrets from us, it appears. On the cover of the CD they distributed at E3 is a picture subtly showing an extra slot we hadn't seen before. I'm guessing that it's a memory card port and probably an extra output.

I actually got into the Google Spreadsheets beta just a day after asking to get in, and I like it. I won't provide a review since you all have seen enough of that, but I love that I can convert .xls files so easily to .csv and the fact that I can share files so that readers can always see the most up-to-date version is extremely useful. I've seen a few bugs, but it's largely as intuitive as you'd hope for. My parents decided to get me a Honda Odyssey, which isn't another Volvo but at least it's a vehicle and I'm thankful for that. I will be getting a Volvo when I graduate though, and technology like this is why. Some of their future models will warn you when you're approaching a car too fast and will even brake for you if impact is imminent. How awesome is that? Yesterday, I spoke a little more on Intel and AMD, and it turns out that AMD will be cutting prices on some of its products the day after the Core 2 hits, which should make for an interesting pricing war. Not sure how it'll compare to Intel's line though; we'll have to wait and see. If you've ever wondered why great startups seem to concentrate in America (particularly in areas near cool cities), then you'll want to read Paul Graham's latest entry. That guy has yet to disappoint me, and I was surprised at how many good bulletpoints he was able to come up with for this one. If you're a programmer, or if you're interested in learning a programming language, there are some pretty good exercises listed here that will force you to explore some of the most important things to know about the language. Lastly, the next time you look at an iPod, you may want to think about what goes into making them. It turns out that Apple doesn't pay the workers very well, which is a shame since they make enough bloody money off of them to pay factory workers good wages.

I'm going to have to blaze through the movie news since I've wasted so much time lamenting to my friends about my current situation (don't worry about the specifics). Sean Connery claims to have retired from movies, but George Lucas really wants him to reprise his role in Indiana Jones as Indy's father in the newest iteration, and he's likely to take it on. I'm sure he'd rather go out on a better movie than LXG. We have another positive review of Clerks II, though it's not as glowing as it is just reinforcing that the movie is worth seeing. We also have a review of The Big Guy: Tom DeLay's Stolen Congress, and it sounds like it'll be really good. I hope that the director wasn't just trying to copy Michael Moore, but it sounds like he handles things better. Lastly, I have a couple of clips for you. The first is from Pirates of the Caribbean 2 as shown on MTV before the MTV Movie Awards. The other one is from The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, just in case anyone is interested.

I'm just going to do the Lizzie Quizzie this week:

1. What are three traits you inherited from your father?
Dedication, intelligence, and a sense of leadership.
2. Do you prefer quiet or commotion?
Commotion. The more going on the less my mind wanders.
3. Charcoal or gas grill?
Tough choice, but I'd say charcoal just because of the flavor.
4. What is your favorite soup?
Ever read the store about stone soup? Look it up :)
5. Do you read the comics?
Yeah, but mostly web comics (VG Cats, Ctrl-alt-del, Penny Arcade, Questionable Content). I'm also partial to Dilbert.
6. Do you shred your bills/mail?
Nope, but it's not like I get that much that's shreddable.
7. Tomatoes... a fruit or a vegetable? Do you like them?
I've heard it's a fruit (I think), but I only like them in sandwiches. I have a cousin who eats them plain, yuck.
8. Do you have a pool or have a membership to one?
I have access to one through my gym, but I prefer either private pools or water parks/beaches.
9. When was the last time you had company over for dinner?
No clue, but I had people for lunch on Sunday.
10. Did you watch the Windfall pilot? If you won the lottery, how would it change your life?
No, I have enough shows to watch already!