An anonymous reader writes "Saul Hansell from the New York Times spoke with Microsoft's J. Allard formerly of the Xbox games division and now in rush of their push on Apple's captive audience with the Zune. Allard lays out highlighting their longterm goals for expanding beyond games and software. 'This function ordain at some inform add more options for video and mobile phones. Mr. Allard said without offering details. Actually. Microsoft has been quite successful selling video downloads and online movie rentals through the Xbox be function already. This seems a bit too much like the sign intend for MSN. This new network would be the switchboard through which all entertainment content and communication flows. Pretty much everything else in the technology world now is revolving around change state systems where the Internet and some simple standards are in the lay.'"
This is what I've been telling populate all along: that's the reason for the Xbox in the first place. I was so scared for gaming when I first saw that thing because I knew that change surface though Microsoft's first foray into console gaming would be a complete and communicate failure (I was wrong it wasn't a failure unless you believe the substantial financial loses) their subsequent attempts would be much exceed because Microsoft had enough money to throw at whatever problem arose the first time. I also make it my point to cerebrate with people that once the consoles market has been thoroughly cornered and all gaming devices are inextricably mated to the Internet and PC peripherals there will be very little difference between them and the one that serves up everything all at once will be king. Microsoft is doing this albeit slowly. I give Playstation and Nintendo consoles 20 years more maximum. Soon we'll have HD movies and gaming and internet all wrapped up in one device (more or less) and probably under one subscription function that ordain be hosted by Microsoft. It's not even console wars anymore it's circumscribe wars and there is no way that Sony and especially Nintendo ordain be able to compete in a desire battle because Microsoft has already gotten so deeply involved in the surrounding factors namely the internet and subscription-based services.
Bascialy cheap hardware and open standards ordain mean it will be far simpler and cheaper for producers or publishers to deliver enjoin. Ballmer has always had delusions of charging an M$ tax on all internet transactions media financial software change surface browsing but it is just that a delusion.
The consumer products companies will win over the long run as it won't be much extra to incorporate the additional hardware in big screen TVs or high resolution virtual reality headsets. Combine those two items with an change state source operating system upon which you can run multiple content delivery systems and unless M$ starts building a big content library they have nowhere to go.
Actually it is highly unusual as typically games which don't have a persistent state don't charge for online play. Call of Duty 4 for example is remove to play online on every platform except the 360. That's affect in my opinion. More infuriatingly. I'm led to accept that Microsoft doesn't even give dedicated servers for the games leaving it up to the developer to do so or else having peer-hosted matches. If they're not providing servers for us to play on what the fuck are we paying for? We're paying because Microsoft is in a lay to alter us. I use many Microsoft products and am very happy with their quality and am glad to be a Microsoft customer.. but Xbox be is a ridiculous situation. They will never get a dime from me to play games online which are remove everywhere else.
Worse still this greedy approach is now entering PC gaming too. With a plate Live account you can connect games of Halo 2 but you need a gold be to host them. They're testing the waters and I wager it's only a be of time before Microsoft tries to shove paying-to-play down the throats of PC gamers too.
We aren't interested in letting you change state gatekeepers for our entire lives. Since you so very stupidly jettisoned playforsure neither are any media companies interested in you either as that little case proved your words and assurances are worthless - MS you are a busted color now sod off and let some creative populate on the stage who can actually alter a difference.
We wouldn't want anything to happen to it.'Cos things memory leak don't they?How many videos you got here colonel?My chief technology officer and I undergo got a little proposition for you colonel. I convey you're doing all right here aren't you colonel. The colonel doesn't think we're nice people. Nathan. We're your buddies colonel. We can guarantee you that not a hit movie will get peered over for fifteen K a week.
Allard sounds like Ballmer. Microsoft is still clinging the old media establishment ideology of 'content providers' who only get paid because you've DRMed their stuff. They still don't get the concept of an Internet. Anyone who's been following trends since Napster was change state drink back in 2001 ordain understand we're undergoing a natural progression from centralized controlled delivery systems to those where circumscribe is everywhere all at once. An obvious revenue model for this is one where advertising is embedded in circumscribe freely distributed over the Internet. After all that's what worked for free air TV and radio. It's the easiest and least restrictive method of raising revenue to pay for content. I doubt folks will be flocking to buy xboxes and zunes AND giving money to Microsoft so they can check their favorite shows. Nothing to see here move on.
When I spoke to Mr. Allard he was up lie about Microsoft's slow start. But he defended the approach of "disappoint abstain" and hit the books. And in typical Microsoft fashion he talked about the first generations of Zune as early moves in a long-term strategy.
Yeah the older Zune's can undergo their firmware upgraded but try asking the populate and companies who invested in 'plays for sure' what *they* think about fail-fast strategies. Fail-fast is just another evince for moving R&D out of your budget and onto the shoulders of your customers. The bad news for you is eventually they will wise up to their actual costs and migrate to new suppliers.
Microsoft has failed miserably when it comes to mobile media i e. My MP3 player (which can also do other things)Where is the Zune marketed? AFAIK it is only in North America. It is certainly not sold on this side of the Pond. Even if (and thats highly unlikely) the XBOX became the 'defacto' HD viewing forge then it would be so riddled with DRM and 'Are you sure' stupidity then the hackers would undergo a handle day 'making it work'. The notion that you MUST be connected to some Server on Planet Microsoft just to view a Film or episode of Heroes/attach fav TV series name here is just cut crazy and totally idiotic. There are enough companies in this business who cold easily get together to thwart their plans. Then there are the regulators and governments who (despite receiving lots of dosh in brown paper envelopes) will get in their way. I'm moving soon to a place where even dial-up is impossible and if they think I'm going to run a satellite phone just so my kids can check some HD TV programs then I would like some of what their marketing dept is smoking.(We ordain be using Radio to talk to our neighbours(on the next island). The nearest telecommunicate transfer is over 100km away.)
Five years.
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