Recent Comments:
Ghostbusters gets new E3 video {Joystiq}
Jul 15th 2008 10:45AM Dude, Ernie Hudson works a lot. More than Dan Akroyd at this point.
Ericsson unveils M700 LTE platform for mobile devices {Engadget}
Apr 4th 2008 2:58PM "Funny thing is, that when LTE rolls out, it will be faster than most land based services."
Probably not over here in reality. Theoretically, 3G is supposed to be around 2Mb, and therefore faster than my DSL connection, but you'll not catch me surfing over the cell network at home any time soon. It's not even close. It's one of the reasons I don't care about the iPhone not having 3G. It's never been noticeably faster than Edge in any real world application I've ever experienced.
Xbox 360 Arcade console listed on retail sites for Oct. 23 {Joystiq}
Oct 11th 2007 12:09PM Shibathedog you're spreading quite a bit of misinformation yourself. While I think your central point is correct (that people stress over tiny details that have a negligible effect on the visual quality), your "hard facts" are wildly inaccurate. In response to your points:
1.) You really couldn't be more wrong about the video signal in HDMI. There is a core technical difference between component and HDMI in that an HDMI signal is purely digital all the way up to the display. You can debate over how much this improves the quality (which will largely depend on the display making the A/D conversion), but to say that "HDMI is mostly just component/audio outs" is bafflingly incorrect.
2.) It's true that for now that you can watch a full resolution HDDVD through component, but that's only because content producers (i.e. studios) have chosen not to make use of this security feature to push quicker adoption. If a studio decided to include the proper security flag on a title (which they could do at any time), your component-fed video would be downsized to 480p. I don't like it either, but those are the facts no matter how much you and busydoingnothing would like to think otherwise.
3.) If the Xbox can only deliver 1080p over HDMI, then for that device HDMI is a definite advantage. I doesn't matter if component video is capable of 1080p in theory if there's no way to do so on a 360.
Also, you are also exaggerating the "scientific studies." Just out of curiousity, have you ever actually seen one of these studies, or did you just hear that somewhere? Aside from the fact that 80 inches really isn't a ridiculous screen size in a world where home theaters are practically commonplace, you can absolutely tell the difference between 720p and 1080p on a 50" screen from more than 4 feet away. Maybe not with the horrifying abomination that is DirecTV HD, but a good clear signal 1080p signal from a HTPC or 360 is noticeably better than a 720p signal on the same display (generally...again, it depends a lot on the display).
Again, I agree with your central argument, because quality is a relative term. 720p is an enormous step up in quality from SD, and looks fantastic. I think the vast majority of people would be entirely satisfied with 720p if they didn't know any better. I personally would get a 720p LCD if I were buying right now and wouldn't dream of getting a new xbox solely to get HDMI. But you're backing up your argument with complete falsehoods and that harms your argument instead of helping it.
Joyswag: BioShock Xbox 360 faceplate & t-shirt {Joystiq}
Aug 17th 2007 2:54PM You have nice things. I certainly enjoy winning things. I would be happy if I won your things.
Surfin' Safari publishes WebKit Project Goals {The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)}
Jul 30th 2007 9:51PM Just to clarify, that was supposed to be 10-20, not 10-120.
Surfin' Safari publishes WebKit Project Goals {The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)}
Jul 30th 2007 9:50PM Camino may use less memory, but Safari is the only browser I've used that doesn't slow to a crawl if I open two windows with dozen or so tabs each. I love Camino, but any time I open a group of more than 10-120 tabs, it's a solid five minutes later before I can actually do anything in any of those pages.
Everyone complains about Safari's memory usage, but it's the only browser I've used that has no problem with this. It's the one thing I really miss about the big S.
'Heil Hitler' car auctioned in Forza 2, exposes kink in user-generated gaming {Joystiq}
Jul 4th 2007 10:04AM "1.) Welcome to America. Where you have the right to say anything you like. Anything at all."
If you believe that is even vaguely true in any sense in modern US, you are blind beyond all reason.
On doubting the iPhone and making the wrong comparisons {The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)}
Jun 4th 2007 5:50PM "Not enough storage for a video playback device along with a nonstandard aspect ratio makes this one of the WORST video playing devices around."
*giggle*
It's so cute when AV geeks think anyone else cares about that kind of thing.
Why I am leaving AOL {The Brian Alvey Weblog}
Apr 12th 2007 8:42PM "In her comments someone calls her a "quitter" -- which must sting if she wasn't planning on leaving AOL when she got back from Austin."
Whoa, slow down! I posted that and it was totally a joke. I don't even really know Cindy, I just know a few of her friends. I just say that any time anyone stops doing...well...anything!
Man, I really think the joke tag needs to be officially ratified or something.
iTunes use increased in 2006 {The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW)}
Mar 2nd 2007 1:08PM I'm actually not aware of ANY streaming content in iTunes other than the radio stations. iTS content does not qualify as streaming.
In streaming media, the user doesn't have a choice. If the content is WM then they have to use Windows Media Player to view it (Flip4Mac not withstanding). This would should very little regarding user preferences and more about the media that is being produced.
