I've receive around 20 gifts every year. I usually don't like 15. Why? because they either give me shirts which are too big, things I already own, or books I will never read. Yeah, I know this is going to make me sound like a ungrateful jackass, but if I'm going to get something I don't like I'd rather get nothing at all.
Which got me thinking... has there been a major breakthrough in gift-giving since a gift lists in stores like Bed, Bad and Beyond? Oh yes ladies and gentlemen, there has been... gift cards. Most people tag them as inappropriate but that's probably because they have never gotten one. Gift cards are amazing because you get what you want... last year I got two gift cards, one from a book store (from which I got Ender's Game, thank you very much) and an American Express gift card (Guitar Hero 3). Amazing stuff. So this year half my gifts where things I knew the person wanted and half were gift cards from stores I knew they would like!
So if you still don't know what to give out, don't give it another thought, visit http://giftcardmall.com/, one of the largest web pages that sell gift cards and your holiday shopping will be incredibly faster. Talk about saving time and unwanted gifts!!!
Have a cousin who likes videogames?
Your wife wants a fancy dinner?
What would your kids want?
Are you sure that's the movie your friend has been talking about?
Gift card's have got your back!!
sábado, 27 de diciembre de 2008
domingo, 23 de noviembre de 2008
Seriously, what is identity?
A quick search in Google finds 204,000,000 results for the word “identity”. While browsing through the results, I stumbled upon a webpage that claimed to “sell” identities (“Peoplefinders - Where you can buy someone's identity, almost.”), three different dictionaries (and three different meanings), a movie released in 2003 called “Indentity” and a Youtube video that showed what apparently is a cat suffering from an identity crisis. By the time I finished visiting all the results I mentioned above I found that identity has been defined in many different ways, some authors define it in five words, while other authors need an entire 200+ pages book.
“Sometimes we feel that we straddle two cultures, at other times, that we fall between two stools.” writes Sir Salman Rushdie, the Indian novelist behind Grimus (1975) and Midnight Children (1981). This phrase could describe, in a way, how I feel about my identity. Sometimes I feel as if I spent more time in the United States than in Mexico. Let me elaborate on this: I spend most of my free time in front of a computer surfing through different American websites, studying from books written by American authors, playing online games in American servers... hey! I’m even typing this in an American computer! Even though I physically live in Mexico, it seems to me as if I’m virtually inside the United States. This, I believe, is because it is so easily to find a place online where people share your passions. Say, for example, your passion is listening to Green Day, all you have to do is load up your preferred search engine and type: “Green Day fans”, or “Green Day forums” and you will find mostly American communities of over 500 persons dedicated to extract as much juice as they can from the latest Green Day news, single, album or MTV appearance.
This has many persons, including me trapped between two walls: Am I Mardil (my Internet pseudonym), who likes to watch funny videos and read news on technology? Or am I Omar? The ITESM first semester student, who likes to go out with his friends, plays the bass in his band and loves going to concerts? To answer this question I asked my brother the following questions, two different days. The first day I asked him:
Me: Hernán, who is Peter Parker?
Hernán: He is Spiderman.
Then the next day I fired him this question:
Me: Hernán, who is Spiderman?
Hernán: Peter Parker.
Me: Is Spiderman more Peter Parker than Peter Parker Spiderman?
Hernán: I think Peter Parker is as much Spiderman as Spiderman is Peter Parker, because they are both the same person, under different names.
The answer came pretty clear to me after that: I can have a million of names, I could be “Jose Santiago” when answering online surveys, “Mardil” when posting comments on youtube, “Pedro Picapiedra” when being interviewed on the phone, “Omar” for my friends or “34234569” for teachers in my college, but in the end I’m not a name, but a person.
Some people need five words to define “identity”, some people need to add words to define it, such as “identity crisis” or “identity theft”, other people need to write entire books to really find what it really means; but identity isn’t defined in words, but in time. Some aspects of my identity will probably change with time, such as what I like to do and what I spend my time on, but other aspects (like ascendance) will remain forever untouched.
“Sometimes we feel that we straddle two cultures, at other times, that we fall between two stools.” writes Sir Salman Rushdie, the Indian novelist behind Grimus (1975) and Midnight Children (1981). This phrase could describe, in a way, how I feel about my identity. Sometimes I feel as if I spent more time in the United States than in Mexico. Let me elaborate on this: I spend most of my free time in front of a computer surfing through different American websites, studying from books written by American authors, playing online games in American servers... hey! I’m even typing this in an American computer! Even though I physically live in Mexico, it seems to me as if I’m virtually inside the United States. This, I believe, is because it is so easily to find a place online where people share your passions. Say, for example, your passion is listening to Green Day, all you have to do is load up your preferred search engine and type: “Green Day fans”, or “Green Day forums” and you will find mostly American communities of over 500 persons dedicated to extract as much juice as they can from the latest Green Day news, single, album or MTV appearance.
This has many persons, including me trapped between two walls: Am I Mardil (my Internet pseudonym), who likes to watch funny videos and read news on technology? Or am I Omar? The ITESM first semester student, who likes to go out with his friends, plays the bass in his band and loves going to concerts? To answer this question I asked my brother the following questions, two different days. The first day I asked him:
Me: Hernán, who is Peter Parker?
Hernán: He is Spiderman.
Then the next day I fired him this question:
Me: Hernán, who is Spiderman?
Hernán: Peter Parker.
Me: Is Spiderman more Peter Parker than Peter Parker Spiderman?
Hernán: I think Peter Parker is as much Spiderman as Spiderman is Peter Parker, because they are both the same person, under different names.
The answer came pretty clear to me after that: I can have a million of names, I could be “Jose Santiago” when answering online surveys, “Mardil” when posting comments on youtube, “Pedro Picapiedra” when being interviewed on the phone, “Omar” for my friends or “34234569” for teachers in my college, but in the end I’m not a name, but a person.
Some people need five words to define “identity”, some people need to add words to define it, such as “identity crisis” or “identity theft”, other people need to write entire books to really find what it really means; but identity isn’t defined in words, but in time. Some aspects of my identity will probably change with time, such as what I like to do and what I spend my time on, but other aspects (like ascendance) will remain forever untouched.
lunes, 17 de noviembre de 2008
It's almost Christmas!!
It's this time of the year again!! It's almost Christmas!! Are you thinking of traveling to visit your family? Of course you are...
Last year my family had this huge party over at Laredo TX... my family and I were so excited that we started packing like ten days early... cause we had lots of things to give our families (presents, etc)... and so we found out that we had run out of packing space. So I grab the phone and call one of my friends and ask him for a trunk and he's like... "oh well man... you know... I'm not sure if I can help you with that one, I'm just moving in and you know, it's a mess 'round here...". So I got it... no one wants to lend you trunks because they think you won't give 'em back. So I go online and look for some cheap and nice trunks... and I stumbled upon this great webpage:
http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/luggage
This is a great webpage because it not only has a HUGE amount of trunks, luggage related products (such as locks, laptop packs, and passport wallets), but also it has them organized, in an understandable interface, etc. It asks you "which kind of traveler are you" and depending on your answer is the equipment you choose. Plus, it also has the dimensions each airline allows without having to pay for that extra luggage fee we all hate!
I didn't know buying for luggage could be so specific, yet made so easy by a webpage like this. I'll repeat it:
http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/luggage#What+Kind+of+Traveller+Are+You?
It's all for right now
g'luck with Christmas!!
Last year my family had this huge party over at Laredo TX... my family and I were so excited that we started packing like ten days early... cause we had lots of things to give our families (presents, etc)... and so we found out that we had run out of packing space. So I grab the phone and call one of my friends and ask him for a trunk and he's like... "oh well man... you know... I'm not sure if I can help you with that one, I'm just moving in and you know, it's a mess 'round here...". So I got it... no one wants to lend you trunks because they think you won't give 'em back. So I go online and look for some cheap and nice trunks... and I stumbled upon this great webpage:
http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/luggage
This is a great webpage because it not only has a HUGE amount of trunks, luggage related products (such as locks, laptop packs, and passport wallets), but also it has them organized, in an understandable interface, etc. It asks you "which kind of traveler are you" and depending on your answer is the equipment you choose. Plus, it also has the dimensions each airline allows without having to pay for that extra luggage fee we all hate!
I didn't know buying for luggage could be so specific, yet made so easy by a webpage like this. I'll repeat it:
http://www.shopwiki.com/wiki/luggage#What+Kind+of+Traveller+Are+You?
It's all for right now
g'luck with Christmas!!
viernes, 26 de septiembre de 2008
LBP Beta, I got in, here's my impressions:
Yeah, it's definitely worth the hype. There are 4 single player levels in the beta, two of them are tutorials, and one is a hidden level. The two tutorials are kinda slow, but they serve fine as to introduce you to the basics (grabbing, platforming). The third level is amazing, you have to grab to a windmill and let go in the exact moment so that you can reach the platform you are aiming for. And you also get to play with the jet pack (which is AWESOME).
Then... after you finish the three levels you might (or not) unlock the fourth one (based on your performance), but you unlock access to user created content!! I've played like 30 levels probably, most of them are kinda short but fun none-the-less, but I've played 4 levels that blew my mind:
1.- You have a cannon, and if u press a button you shoot a cannonball, so you gotta aim your cannon at a dragon (which shoots cannonballs at you, too) and try to kill him.
2.- A race to the end (designed for four players) using vehicles, I played it alone, but you gotta grab onto a vehicle (which looks like the really fast ground vehicles from "The return of the Jedi", I think they're called speeders or something like that), and they start going really fast.
3.- A simple level that was nothing but platforming love, you know, the basics: don't fall to the fire, jump the electricity, etc.
4.- A level that resembled Mario Bros. LVL 1. It was pretty identical (everyone knew this was bound to happen, lol).
So yeah, in short words, the game pwns.
Then... after you finish the three levels you might (or not) unlock the fourth one (based on your performance), but you unlock access to user created content!! I've played like 30 levels probably, most of them are kinda short but fun none-the-less, but I've played 4 levels that blew my mind:
1.- You have a cannon, and if u press a button you shoot a cannonball, so you gotta aim your cannon at a dragon (which shoots cannonballs at you, too) and try to kill him.
2.- A race to the end (designed for four players) using vehicles, I played it alone, but you gotta grab onto a vehicle (which looks like the really fast ground vehicles from "The return of the Jedi", I think they're called speeders or something like that), and they start going really fast.
3.- A simple level that was nothing but platforming love, you know, the basics: don't fall to the fire, jump the electricity, etc.
4.- A level that resembled Mario Bros. LVL 1. It was pretty identical (everyone knew this was bound to happen, lol).
So yeah, in short words, the game pwns.
miércoles, 17 de septiembre de 2008
Mexico and Blu-Ray: FACTS
BluRay movies launched about two years and a half years ago. Providing visual and audio quality that matches and even surpasses theaters sometimes, many movie enthusiasts were quick to make the jump from DVD and SDTVs to Blu-Ray and HDTVs. How's the situation here in Mexico?
1.- The cheapest Blu-Ray you can buy is around $400.00 M.X.P... and that's buying in Mercado Libre (the Mexican alternative to eBay). The same Blu-Ray can be adquired in Best Buy for $100.00 less.
2.- If you want to buy your Blu-Ray player the safe way (in a big retail such as Walmart or Costco), expect to pay another $50.00.
3.- BluRay movies prices oscilate around $30.0-$35.0... depending on how old they are. Catalogs are extremely limited, and you'll only find big releases such as Spiderman 3, Superman, Heroes... etc. It takes from one to three months for Blu-Ray releases to launch here.
4.- Most Blockbusters don't carry Blu-Rays yet... although the biggest ones do. Their collection is somewhat limited but it is quickly increasing... and there is only one copy of each movie. Among the pics you can find are: Casino Royale, 300, 1000 B.C., Spiderman 3, Harry Potter (1-5), etc.
5.- Blu-Ray penetration is around 4% in the US (as of April of this year). There are no official figures, but they must be around 0.1%... I only know one person who bought a Blu-Ray player and an HDTV set. Most of the people I know has either a PS3 or a HDTV, but most of the times they don't have both / aren't interested in Blu-Ray. As a background fact, HD movie downloads are far from being well known here, but iTunes holds most of that market.
1.- The cheapest Blu-Ray you can buy is around $400.00 M.X.P... and that's buying in Mercado Libre (the Mexican alternative to eBay). The same Blu-Ray can be adquired in Best Buy for $100.00 less.
2.- If you want to buy your Blu-Ray player the safe way (in a big retail such as Walmart or Costco), expect to pay another $50.00.
3.- BluRay movies prices oscilate around $30.0-$35.0... depending on how old they are. Catalogs are extremely limited, and you'll only find big releases such as Spiderman 3, Superman, Heroes... etc. It takes from one to three months for Blu-Ray releases to launch here.
4.- Most Blockbusters don't carry Blu-Rays yet... although the biggest ones do. Their collection is somewhat limited but it is quickly increasing... and there is only one copy of each movie. Among the pics you can find are: Casino Royale, 300, 1000 B.C., Spiderman 3, Harry Potter (1-5), etc.
5.- Blu-Ray penetration is around 4% in the US (as of April of this year). There are no official figures, but they must be around 0.1%... I only know one person who bought a Blu-Ray player and an HDTV set. Most of the people I know has either a PS3 or a HDTV, but most of the times they don't have both / aren't interested in Blu-Ray. As a background fact, HD movie downloads are far from being well known here, but iTunes holds most of that market.
martes, 16 de septiembre de 2008
"Five reasons why PS3 is the must-own console this holiday season..."
The Playstation 3 was a victim of critic, bashing and hate when it first launched. Who can't remember those incredibly famous phrase that looked like a joke the first time we heard it : "$599 U.S. dollars". Two years later, Sony has gone a long way to improve the image of the PS3.
Here are five reasons why the PS3 is the console to own this holiday season:
1.- Home
Home has always been an interesting approach to a community. Although it borrows many of its ideas from games like Second Life or Hobbo Hotel, nothing similar has ever been done on consoles, and, truth is, the possibilities are endless. After spending quite some time with the Beta I can only say one thing: it's going to be HUGE. There's nothing as intuitive as traveling to the movies to watch previews, or moving towards a person and talking to them using your headset. Of course it will be full of men disguised as chicks, but which social community isn't?
2.- HDTV sales are through the roof
HDTV sets are selling great... and if you own one you'll probably want to extract as much juice from it as you can... and guess what? The PS3 is the perfect device for doing so. It can play most video and music files, it upscales DVDs and plays BluRays. It lets you download true HD movie and game trailers. State of the art, baby.
A point can be made that BluRays won't penetrate the market because Internet movie downloads are rapidly replacing physical rentals, but the truth is that unless Internet speed connections TRIPLE over the next two years, there is no way movie downloads will look as good as BluRays yet.
3.- Little Big Planet & Resistance 2
Resistance 2 comes as no revolution... but it sets to push the online FPS standard in the PS3. Two campaigns? Eight player co-op? Sixty-four players team deathmatch? Wow... maybe it has been done before... but that doesn't mean it isn't impressive. Hope you guys made it to the beta!
There's been nothing but possitive press for LBP since it was announced back at the GDC '06 (or was it '07)?. Truth is, this game is set to revolutionize the platforming genre, with so many tools to create and share your own levels. Warcraft 3 and Starcraft have both included very powerful campaign editing software, and they're still being played religiously. I expect the same from LBP. Plus, who doesn't love Sackboy?
4.- Sony has been addressing most complains about the PS3
Sony has heard most of the complains about the PS3 and addressed them:
5.- Ps3 games look as good if not better than their 360 counterparts
Developers have already found their way around the tricky PS3 hardware. Multiplats such as Burnout: Paradise, CoD4, SC IV have already proved the PS3 can make games that look as good as their 360 counterparts. And some games have surpassed everything on the 360 and actually managed to make an impression. If games can look this good on the second year of development... how will games look two or three years from now?
Here are five reasons why the PS3 is the console to own this holiday season:
1.- Home
Home has always been an interesting approach to a community. Although it borrows many of its ideas from games like Second Life or Hobbo Hotel, nothing similar has ever been done on consoles, and, truth is, the possibilities are endless. After spending quite some time with the Beta I can only say one thing: it's going to be HUGE. There's nothing as intuitive as traveling to the movies to watch previews, or moving towards a person and talking to them using your headset. Of course it will be full of men disguised as chicks, but which social community isn't?
2.- HDTV sales are through the roof
HDTV sets are selling great... and if you own one you'll probably want to extract as much juice from it as you can... and guess what? The PS3 is the perfect device for doing so. It can play most video and music files, it upscales DVDs and plays BluRays. It lets you download true HD movie and game trailers. State of the art, baby.
A point can be made that BluRays won't penetrate the market because Internet movie downloads are rapidly replacing physical rentals, but the truth is that unless Internet speed connections TRIPLE over the next two years, there is no way movie downloads will look as good as BluRays yet.
3.- Little Big Planet & Resistance 2
Resistance 2 comes as no revolution... but it sets to push the online FPS standard in the PS3. Two campaigns? Eight player co-op? Sixty-four players team deathmatch? Wow... maybe it has been done before... but that doesn't mean it isn't impressive. Hope you guys made it to the beta!
There's been nothing but possitive press for LBP since it was announced back at the GDC '06 (or was it '07)?. Truth is, this game is set to revolutionize the platforming genre, with so many tools to create and share your own levels. Warcraft 3 and Starcraft have both included very powerful campaign editing software, and they're still being played religiously. I expect the same from LBP. Plus, who doesn't love Sackboy?
4.- Sony has been addressing most complains about the PS3
Sony has heard most of the complains about the PS3 and addressed them:
- People don't like our PS3 controller concept? Well, let's give them the Sixaxis.
- People wanted rumble? Cool, let's give them rumble.
- People wanted XMB? Fine, let's work on a XMB.
- People want Betas? SOCOM, Resistance 2, LBP have or will have them.
- People want to play online for free? Got it.
5.- Ps3 games look as good if not better than their 360 counterparts
Developers have already found their way around the tricky PS3 hardware. Multiplats such as Burnout: Paradise, CoD4, SC IV have already proved the PS3 can make games that look as good as their 360 counterparts. And some games have surpassed everything on the 360 and actually managed to make an impression. If games can look this good on the second year of development... how will games look two or three years from now?
"Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots is the most technically stunning video game ever made" (Gamespot, 2008)
Here's my top five reasons to own a PS3 this year list. What do you guys think?
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