Clarence Brown

As broadband becomes more widely adopted and speeds continue to increase, it was pretty much a guarantee that sooner or later one of the big three console makers would get into the cloud gaming arena, which up until this point has been ruled by the likes of OnLive and Gaikia. Sony has taken a huge step in that direction by acquiring the latter company, and setting up for what should be a very interesting next generation of gaming.

The acquisition of Gaikai doesn’t come as a huge surprise, the timing does. As many rumors where floating around before and during the Electronic Entertainment Expo that such an announcement would take place. While a deal may have not been reached at the time, turns out the rumors were true and Sony is well on its way to having some sort of cloud gaming implementation in its next iteration of the PlayStation.

So what could a cloud-based gaming solution bring to the table for the next PlayStation?

Sony may no longer need to include special hardware in the next device that would allow for backwards compatibility. Since the games could be delivered via the cloud, it frees up hardware costs, as well as allowing Sony to make a smaller, more streamlined device.

Also, that same back catalog can be delivered to other devices such as smart TV’s, the PlayStation Vita and smartphone’s, as well as tablets. Really the possibilities are endless here, granted the end user has a good internet connection.

The cloud is great, but I don’t really expect software of the upcoming generation to be cloud based, not even the demos. Point being that Sony should want their latest and greatest to run at its maximum potential. The occasional lag or less than desirable graphic may be okay for older things, but new titles should be expected to run superbly. That being said, we should definitely expect Sony to utilize Gaikai server technology to deliver digital downloads of these next generation titles to the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation Vita.

I guess we really just have to wait and see what Sony has up its sleeve, but the potential is apparent, and E3 2013 can’t get here soon enough. Yes, the next generation is shaping up nicely.

Today Google debuted its first self-branded entry into the tablet market with the Nexus 7. With said device, Google looks to stake its claim as the premiere Android tablet device.

Nexus is Google’s series of Android devices produced in conjunction with select hardware manufacturers with the purpose of providing a “pure” Android experience. Pure in the sense that it does not come with carrier or manufacturer modification. Prior to today, the Nexus line was unique to phone devices.

The main reason for the Nexus line existing is that Android is a double-edged sword. The fact that it’s free and open-source makes it an easy decision for manufacturers, but also gives manufacturers the ability to do pretty much whatever they want to on their own devices.

Take the Amazon Kindle Fire for example. At a glance it looks nothing like any other Android device, yet it’s Android at the core, albeit a host of modifications. And in a broad stroke of irony, the Fire leveraged Amazon’s good name, along with a competitive price-point, to become the best-selling android tablet.

Last year the Amazon Kindle Fire was released to mostly-positive reactions. Specs were nothing to write home about, but the ecosystem and the price were its defining attributes. At one-hundred and ninety-nine dollars with a seven inch screen, is was in a class of its own for price and form factor. That is until today.

At a glance, a few differences can easily be noted. The Nexus 7 has a camera, while the Fire does not. The Nexus has a higher resolution screen. Other notable differences are processor and ram. The Nexus 7 runs on a 1.2 GHz Nvidia Tegra 3 quad-core processor and has 1 GB of ram, while the Kindle Fire has a 1 GHz Texas Instruments OMAP 4430 dual-core processor and has 512 MB of ram. Lastly the Nexus 7 has addition hardware features like a microphone, NFC, and GPS.

With the added caveat that the Kindle Fire is almost a year old now, the Google Nexus 7 has upped the ante in the seven inch table race, hitting the market with better specs than the Kindle Fire, while coming in at the same price point.

I’m sure everyone is expecting the Nexus 7 to sell like hotcakes, as am I, but the last card hasn’t been played as we are sure to hear news of this years version of the Kindle Fire sometime soon. The holiday season will the very interesting, as the Kindle Fire now has a true competitor in the seven inch tablet market.

Sources: Wikipedia, Google Play, Nexus 7 Product Page

I am sure you have already heard a tidal wave of news surrounding Microsoft’s Surface announcement, which was shrouded as “an event you don’t want to miss” in the press invites, effectively creating an Apple-like stir around a Microsoft product, which is seldom seen. Hype aside, Microsoft walks a thin line of the pursuit to make their Windows 8 operating system a success in the market, versus the mission to keep hardware manufactures happy.

If you haven’t heard the news, Surface is Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market. It is positioned as Microsoft’s branded experience for their new, re-imagined operating system. Microsoft is going all in as it readies for what is shaping up to be a real revolution in computing.

In reference to their position on how Microsoft’s entry into the tablet market will effect 3rd-party hardware manufacturers, Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer was quoted as saying that it was meant to “prime the pump” for hardware manufacturers, in essence, showing them how it should be done with their own signature branded tablet.

Specs for each of the Surface devices are as follows:

Surface on WinRT

• OS – WinRT
• Light – 676 g
• Thin – 9.3 mm
• Clear – 10.6” ClearType HD Display
• Entergized – 31.5 W-h
• Connected – microSD, USB 2.0, Micro HD Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae
• Productive – Office Home & Student 2013 RT, Touch Cover, Type Cover
• Practical – VaporMg Case & Stand
• Configurable – 32 GB, 64 GB

Surface on Windows 8 Pro

• OS – WinRT
• Light – 903 g
• Thin – 13.5 mm
• Clear – 10.6” ClearType Full HD Display
• Entergized – 42 W-h
• Connected – microSDXC, USB 3.0, Mini DisplayPort Video, 2×2 MIMO antennae
• Productive – Touch Cover, Type Cover, Pen with Palm Block
• Practical – VaporMg Case & Stand
• Configurable – 64 GB, 128 GB

And if your wondering about the descriptions for the specifications (light, thin, clear), that is what Microsoft is using on their official press spec sheet.

First thing that jumps out at you about the specifications is that these tables are indeed larger diagonally in screen size than the iPad. The Apple iPad is about 9.7 inches, while the surface tablet is 10.6 inches. Kind of weird at first glance, but we have to remember that these tables are widescreen form factor, providing a true sixteen by nine experience for media consumption. The Window 8 Pro version has the “full” moniker attached to its display description, which implies the display will be 1080p (1920 by 1080 pixels) or greater, and both feature Gorilla Glass 2 technology.

The thickness and weight of the device is certainly a factor that weighs in on its design appeal in a culture where thinner and lighter in considered better. The WinRT version clocks in at 9.3mm thin and 676g, while the Windows 8 Pro version is 13.5mm thin and 903g. Not bad, but iPad does win out in this category at 9.4mm and 662g.

Microsoft describes their VaporMg Case & Stand as practical, which implies that it will be both durable and scratch-resistance to most wear and tear. According to MyElectricalExpert.com, VaporMG is “a combination of material selection and process to mold metal and deposit particles that creates a finish akin to a luxury watch. Starting with magnesium, parts can be molded as thin as .65mm, thinner than the typical credit card, to create a product that is thin, light and rigid/strong.”. –Works for me.

While the design does indeed seem impressive, maybe just as important are the features that accompany the overall design that complete the aesthetic. The kickstand is not a new concept, but is definitely a useful feature to have when needed. Added to the fact that the Surface can and will undoubtedly be used as a desktop, it is a must have feature.

Maybe most surprising is the Touch and Type covers introduced in the presentation. This definitely trumps anything I’ve seen on the Apple side as a keyboard solution, at least from a design stand-point. The Touch Cover is 3mm thick, attaches magnetically, senses keystrokes as gestures, and includes an accelerometer, which is supposed to make typing faster and allow the operating system to recognize key press force. Alternatively, the Type Cover is full-on tactile and includes a clickable track-pad, but is only 2mm thick. Both add important functional elements to the Surface tablet, as well as contributing to the overall design in a meaningful way.

While no official announcement on availability and pricing has been made, we can at least expect to see the Surface on WinRT when Windows 8 debuts, with the Windows 8 Pro version coming in the following few months.