value
Latest
Making/Money: My value chains are broken
There's a person out there who claims that all they need to know about business can be learned from World of Warcraft. A fine sentiment, to be sure, but I take issue with its accuracy. Today we are discussing the first of their eleven business topics: value chains – and why they don't work. In brief, value chain analysis states that for any good requiring multiple stages of production (meaning you don't just rip it out of your backyard and eat it), value is added at each level of refinement. Therefore the price should increase along its path to becoming a finalized product.
Comic Watch: Chocolate Shoes laments 'the real'
Christopher Stuck mocks his own entertainment choices in his comic Chocolate Shoes. An updated take on an old classic concept, it questions where the real value in life lies.Giggles aside, this argument rings more false than ever these days. Videogames are still new enough, anthropologically, to be considered a flash in the pan, and subject to the same skepticism and outright hostility from non-players that rock 'n' roll and the novel were exposed to when they were new. Simply put, value is where you find it, and no one else. It'll be nice when this generation, having grown up with games, comes into its own -- maybe we'll finally stop seeing articles demonizing our entertainment of choice, and move on to the true threat to society: reality tv shows.
Are games Art? It doesn't matter
Something I keep hearing and reading in my favorite gaming podcasts and blogs is the notion that our beloved industry will finally have 'arrived' when games are taken seriously as works of Art. That somehow, the media will stop vilifying our favorite pastime and welcome us with open arms and hearts if only we could justify our hobby by making it more palatable to the public, under the imprimatur of Art. Jim Preston at Gamasutra takes this idea on by suggesting that the 21st Century's idea of what Art is is so disparate and devalued that the term itself bears no particular cachet. It's a great piece and deserves your eyeballs, but I'd take it even farther: Not only is it unimportant for games to be considered Art, but that the concept that Art is something that should be valued for its own sake is completely meaningless.
Cheaper indie Rock Band DLC raised to standard price
Update: It's been brought to our attention that Harmonix originally announced that these songs would be available "for a limited time ... at a special holiday price of $0.99." Joystiq regrets the implication that the price increase was unannounced.Price-conscious and/or pretentious Rock Band fans were understandably giddy when Harmonix decided to release five downloadable indie tracks for the bargain price of 99 cents (or the equivalent number of Microsoft points) in late December. We hope those fans didn't procrastinate, though, because the price for all five tracks has been raised to the more conventional $1.99 as of yesterday.While there was no indication at the outset that the lower price would be in any way temporary, (see above update) The increase has been rumored for a couple of weeks now. When Harmonix announced the Rock Band DLC program they said individual track prices would range anywhere from $0.99 to $2.99, but they also stressed that the "vast majority" of tracks would hit the $1.99 sweet spot.Does this increase mean that future songs are less likely to be released at 99 cents? "I don't think that's necessarily what it means," said a spokesperson for MTV/Harmonix, though he added that future 99 cent releases would probably "be the same situation, with the discounted price for a limited time." We've asked for confirmation of the official policy on this score and will let you know if and when we hear back about it.[Thanks, Keith]
To pay or not to pay ... is that really the question?
There's an editorial over at WarCry that's part opinion piece, part year-in-review, making the case that 2007 saw the demise of the subscription model -- paying a monthly fee for your favorite MMO. There is some sound reasoning in the piece, and it's a good read. However, I don't believe that people are unwilling to pay to play anymore. The simple fact is, people will pay for what they value, and right now the overwhelmingly valued property is World of Warcraft.No one would be happier than I would if WoW magically went to a free model overnight. Paying the monthly fee is why I don't play for months on end. However, WoW seems to be hitting me just right -- no other MMO, free to play or not, approaches the experience I receive from WoW. I'm constantly trying new games of course, and I've just started up with Guild Wars (which, of course, is free to play). If I run across something that scratches that itch, I have no problem paying a monthly fee -- even sporadically, as I do with WoW. So it's not that the model itself is invalid, it's just that right now, there's still a lot of interest in WoW, and people can only give so much time to an MMO; of course one title will get the lion's share.
Ad asks, what's the real value of a PS3? 614.98
Your PS3 can do a lot of things. You know that, but does the average consumer know that? Sony Europe is displaying a new ad in retail stores in order to better illustrate the value of the PS3. They break down various components, such as the PS3's ability to play MP3s, DVDs, Blu-ray movies, and more. Interestingly, they come to the conclusion that if everything a PS3 can do was purchased separately, it would cost a whopping £614.98. When you look at the £299 price tag the PS3 currently carries, it certainly seems like a deal, doesn't it?We think this is an effective way of representing the PS3's versatile capabilities. However, does it come off as a bit snobbish? Do you think this ad will be effective in convincing consumers to get a PS3?[Via Digg]
The Value of Second Life
This TechCrunch article lets drop that one of Linden Lab's early investors, Catamount Ventures, sold ten percent of their stock to a third party for an undisclosed amount that was valuated at 'above half a billion' dollars, as stated by an anonymous source with knowledge of the company.What surprises me most about this article, beyond the massive amounts of money being mentioned, are the mostly positive comments after the article. Having seen rather a lot of these go by, I expected a ton of lame duck jokes about the value of Second Life being virtually nothing, etc. but by and large people are taking it seriously. Of course, for me and thousands of others, the true value in SL is its social component. Without that one-to-one connection, there truly is little to value.(Via techcrunch.com)
Sonic fingerprinting could safeguard masterpieces, detect fakes
We know, we're suckers for cheesy art, but we give props where props are due for the well designed, masterfully engineered pieces as well. While we doubt the Digital Stag is atop any thief's list of things to swipe, there's a decent chance the Italian funeral urn Cratere dei Niobidi is. This urn spurned (ahem) a restorer and a geophysicist to envision sonic tomography as a means to protecting authentic works of art and giving museums and art buyers alike a way to spot fakes. The system works by attaching a network of sensors in and around the artifact, and when tapped with a rubber hammer, computer software can record the sonic fingerprint that will only match up with the original. Additionally, the waves could inform restorers if a segment of a structure is weaker than the eye can tell, giving them extra time to build reinforcements on ancient buildings, walls, etc. The chance of such a system ever being used outside of highly trafficked museums, however, is slim, primarily due to the $19,000 to $26,000 price range that the system falls in, not to mention the "trained staff" (read: loyal and innocent) required to run it.
PlayStation 3 is a decent bargain, as a Blu-ray player
If you're still looking for something to do with your holiday dough, and you have a love and admiration for high definition of the Blu-ray format, then you can do no better than to pick up a PS3 and save yourself about $150. CrunchGear notes that Best Buy is selling internal Blu-ray drives for $749.99 (seriously, can we do away with the .99 pricing on things?), and that -- duh -- a PS3 is cheaper. Granted, those internal drives let you also burn your own Blu-ray discs, but the standalone players are still a good deal more than the PS3 is. In fact, we just checked at BestBuy.com, and the lowest priced Blu-ray player is $799.99, giving you 200 more one dollar reasons to get yourself a console ... if you can find one.The fact is, until some killer games come out, this might be all you'll be using this thing for. However, having seen Blu-ray movies in action, you won't be disappointed. They look pretty darn swanky, and you can almost smell the popcorn and feel the sticky floors.Granted, this isn't exactly news -- and we've been saying the same thing here at Joystiq, but we're worried that the holiday cash might be burning a hole in your pocket, and we're looking out for you.
Exemode's budget-friendly DV572 SD camcorder
Exemode leaves no question about who it's catering to with its uber-cheap, budget-friendly offerings, but we're not complaining with doing the camcorder thang on the cheap. While the firm has been down the pocket-sized road before, not to mention offering up quite the unique MP3 player, this five-megapixel camcorder sports the more typical handheld design. Offering up SD-based recording over the HDD / miniDV approaches, it can handle SD cards up to 2GB in size (sorry, no SDHC support here), and captures the good ole times in 640 x 480 MPEG4 at 30fps. Additionally, it can take stills in JPEG, record audio in WAV, features an (admittedly paltry) 4x digital zoom, rocks USB 2.0 / AV connectivity, and reportedly puts out just under seven hours of battery life. The best apart about this otherwise ho hum offering is indeed the price, as you aren't likely to be too disappointed after dropping just ¥14,800 ($125).[Via Impress]
V7 kicks out budget 22-inch R22W02 LCD monitor
Just in case the world didn't have quite enough low-end, questionably built LCD monitors, we've got one more comin' down the pike, as V7 -- formerly "known" as Videoseven -- unveils its R22W02 monitor. This 22-inch LCD has a "focus on value," which presumably means it takes a hit in the quality department, but regardless, it sports a 16:9 aspect ratio, on-screen controls, 700:1 contrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 1,650 x 1,050 resolution, 5-millisecond response time, VGA / DVI input, and a less-than-attractive black / silver color scheme. No, you won't soon be boasting about this thing to your pals, nor will find anything above marginal specs, but you will get a (relatively) large widescreen panel for "under $349."
4GB Value Pack not such a good value
Sony has to start making "Value Packs" that live up to their name. The latest effort in the bundle-crazed European market is a new "Value Pack," going for €329 ($425 US). This package, a mark-up of €130 contains a 4GB Memory Stick and Sony's Media Manager 2.0. Considering how most freeware makes Media Manager unnecessary, and how Memory Stick prices are plummeting, there's no reason for Sony to charge as much as they are. Educated European customers will obviously avoid this bundle, and simply buy the Core system, with a Memory Stick of their own choosing.[Via kingplayer]
Polaroid's barebones a520 digital camera
While Polaroid may have had that snap 'n shake camera market locked down, it certainly isn't atop the list of quality digital cameras, but the a520 isn't parading around attempting to be anything more than a bottom-of-the-line, wallet-friendly offering anyway. While the company's 10-megapixel i1032 was relatively uninspiring, this compact shooter should certainly appeal to budget-conscious consumers looking for a basic, simple way to take digital photos. The pocketable cam sports a modest five megapixel CMOS sensor, 2-inch LCD monitor, 16MB of built-in storage, SD support (limited to 1GB cards or smaller), and a VGA movie mode. Unfortunately -- albeit expectedly -- you'll find a (nearly worthless) 4x digital zoom in place of the more functional optical variety, and while it touts integrated "redeye reduction," we have our doubts concerning its effectiveness. Nevertheless, this diminutive P&S probably boasts enough capability for those wanting a (very) basic digital alternative to buying all those disposables, and can be found for the super-cheap price of about ¥10,000 ($85) when it drops in October.[Via Far East Gizmos]
The iPod dock for value-driven consumers
If you haven't throw down for one of the bazillion iPod docks out there, you may have considered just making your own. But for those out there without the technical know-how -- or more importantly, adequate funding -- you're probably stuck syncing your 'Pod flat on the desk with that plain ole cable Apple tossed in. A dissatisfied (and apparently broke) Mac user finally felt that enough was enough, and resorted to creating an iPod dock from what appears to be an old Apple accessory box, a generous helping of tape, scissors, and a black marker. While we assume any smallish cardboard box would fit the bill, using the prior home of an AirPort Express card just adds that critical dash of Apple flair to the whole creation. If you're a bit short on cash, or just admire your own handiwork, be sure to keep reading for an internal view, and then hit up the read link to peep a full gallery of construction photos so you don't screw yours up.[Via digg]
Zillow Mobile appraises real estate on the go
Say you're passing by, oh, Pharrell Williams' house and you're just dying to know what that puppy's worth. You know Zillow's got your hookup, but normally, you'd have to make a note of the address and run back to your PC or fumble around with their website on your phone's mini-browser. A new project by the company, Zillow Mobile, lets you simply fire off a text message with the address and get back the home's value and vital stats in real time. Zillow says the system is still a side-project for the moment and may not be rock solid, but we think this'll be a neat tool for serious use and entertainment value nonetheless.
Enter VMD: 100 high-def titles launching this year from NME
If HD DVD and Blu-ray aren't your style, don't forget that there is plenty of red-laser high definition DVD loving to be had. VMD, which claims to be able to use up to 20 layers and hold as much as 100GB of data is still on it's way. NME has announced that more than 100 titles will be released this year for the format, however no information on what those titles are is currently available other than that they will include several Broadway shows.They also say the price of the players and the media will be comparable to current DVDs. That all sounds well and great, but with all the studios supporting copy protected blue-laser formats we'll see if VMD is the little disc that could.
