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1. Comment - Tech journos vs. tech bloggers (cue slapfight)

   (Mar 26, 2009 - 1:16 AM)

   Too often people get caught up in these sorts of brouhahas. Can't we just agree that they are different animals and move on? Comparing bloggers to journalists is like complaining that the sports page doesn't have enough in depth reporting on stock prices. Whether you write for a living or write because you enjoy spouting off your opinion shouldn't really matter.

2. Comment - Is DRM on its last throes at last?

   (Jan 10, 2009 - 10:05 AM)

   Don't forget about the year of the bacon. Last year the other white meat made its splash. I don't see DRM going away for the exact reasons you mentioned. It's not about piracy, it's about locking people into a content eco-system. Sure the iPod will play mp3's, but my mp3 player won't play songs from iTunes. If you've legitimately purchased music from Apple, you have little choice but to use their own gadgets, even if you prefer something else. The same is true for Microsoft's new Silverlight technology. It's all about locking consumers into a single video solution. No thank you for me. If a company is going to try and tell me how, when and where I'm allowed to watch content, then I'll find underground solutions to get by them. The end result is that studios make less money, consumers are inconvenienced and innovation is hijacked by a few deep pocket companies. I wish that 2008 was the end of DRM, but I think we'll be having these same arguments ten years from now.

3. Comment - Hackers take out EA's Scrabble after Scrabulous removed from Facebook

   (Jul 31, 2008 - 12:55 AM)

   It's not a question of ethics, it's a question of business. Hasbro was slow to make it onto Facebook so the community left them behind and built a solution without them. Right or wrong, Scrabulous was able to attract a large fan base.
   
   The internet has changed everything, consumers have a lot more control and if you fight them, you will always lose. If you work with them, even when they are supporting cheap knock offs, they will reward you with brand loyalty.
   
   Picking a fight with a mob was a dumb move on their part and will certainly impact the goodwill that these consumers feel towards their brands.
   
   The bottom line is that Hasbro and EA had very little to lose by letting Scababulous continue and by not taking the fans into consideration, they've provoke a backlash that hurts them more then their official game will ever help them. They may have the right to force Scrabulous down, but that doesn't make it the right thing for them to do.

4. Comment - Hackers take out EA's Scrabble after Scrabulous removed from Facebook

   (Jul 30, 2008 - 9:29 PM)

   Whether it was legit or not, EA and Hasbro aren't helping themselves by upsetting this many fans. I can see why they felt like they had to draw a line somewhere, but they should have done it by charging a licensing fee or buying out Scrabulous instead. Now their actions will cause far more damage then the $250K that Scrabulous was bringing in each year. If anything the online version served as a commercial for selling the actual board games.

5. Comment - Warner Bros. says it fulfilled obligations to Toshiba, HD DVD

   (Jan 7, 2008 - 11:25 PM)

   If Sony is willing to spend that kind of money to secure a monopoly on HDTV DVD distribution, then what does that tell you about the screwing that consumers are taking? Warner Brothers could have published to both platforms, but couldn't resist the allure of the cash. Until both sides learn to play together, I will be sitting this one out.