Does anyone understand why Natal is NOT something that you should want in your home?
You all smiled snarkily at Giz's Google Wave jokes, and you laughed at the obviously creepy idea of having a Google operated bio-metric scanner installed in your home for adverstising purposes.
And yet you want to let MICROSOFT do exactly that? idiots.
My recommendation? Don't drink more than a beer or two while using Natal, then leave the house. Microsoft might call your local PD in case you left in a car.....
Oh, btw, if you are that much paranoid, you should probably post less things on the internet. Like your (unprotected) twitter, your Flickr, your website, various other sites. #steveballmer
@Andrew Dickerson: My thoughts exactly. Although, it says he edited it. So I assume there may have been a pun, and in stating there was a pun he accidentally deleted the pun.
I'll be super pissed if this turns out to be another Ballmer misspeak and there isn't actually going to be a 360 Blu-Ray drive. It's been really annoying that they refuse to make one even though HD-DVD is obviously dead and people would buy it. #steveballmer
Yeah.. I think you guys misunderstood him. He worded it oddly, but it sounds to me like he meant that Blu-ray is easily available as a stand-alone accessory for the home theater enthusiast. #steveballmer
@Welch: I thought so too! I insisted to wilson he heard it wrong, but play it again. It's a slip, but he says it. And then Msft PR doesn't deny it. Crazy shit. #steveballmer
@Welch: That's how I read it. Home theater enthusiasts were specifically mentioned, so I think he was referring to that. It would be quite the sting for everyone to be so sore about not having it, then at the moment precisely no one cares, here comes the drive! Given the current market, they'd have to release it at <$100 for it to be successful on any level. #steveballmer
@Zerod Zunaro: You want a 20 GB or larger file stored on your hard drive for one movie? That is the size bluray movies typically are and that size is necessary to get the quality of video on a bluray. Because of that massive file size, it is going to be a while before bluray is replaced by other forms of media. #steveballmer
@Steve: A direct rip of a blu-ray movie, no features, is usually 5 - 10gb, not 20gb. That's for 1080p as well. Not only that, but there are lots of compression methods that can shrink that down without a noticeable loss in image quality.
On top of all that as well, most people still don't give a shit about blu-ray and what it offers. You could be sending out 720p movies that are maybe 2.5gb in size or less and that'd suit almost everyone just fine. #steveballmer
I think that Microsoft is going forward and not impede itself with physical medias. As we can observe, in the near future, physical media distribution is on it's way to not exist anymore. Games, books, even the paper your receive every morning in front of your door will disapear.
It will be more convenient to people to actually take their tablet, read the news via subscription. (Oh and eco friendly too)
It will be even easier to get that damned movie at the video on demand store than the video club, why? There's always a copy sitting there for you, and you don't have to face a storm, go in the snow, everything is delivered straight to your X-BOX 360. (While confronting the elements or just take a god damn walk to the video store is healthier.)
Whether you see it like that. Physical distribution began to see it's end with the fall of CD formats as the premium. Apple is doing insane sales by letting your download your crap and put it on your MP3 player. The iphone only brought further advancement with media support and all that incredible crap.
Nook, from Barnes and Noble (Wish they were up here in Canada) is what I can call, the start of the downfall of book as a publishing matter. I do not say it will be wiped. But we can start thinking about having libraries as more physical approach.
In the end, Microsoft or another company of the sort will probably leap-frog the market with an innovative way to get videos with Blu-Ray quality without having the player nor the expensive disk, just plain data straight to your device. #steveballmer
@Zerod Zunaro: before all this happens there has to be a back system to solve the problems of everybody not having debit/credit cards and people who dont have internet
there may not be physical media but there will be physical download cards for whatever.
Any company going a download only route at-least for the next 5 years will cannibalized some of its sales by doing that for people that cant get internet either because of location or because of price. #steveballmer
He makes perfectly good sense. I don't see physical media lasting too long. I am building my digital movie library now instead of buying DVDs or Blue-ray movies. It's easier to cue up a digital movie instead of having to keep a physical library of discs.
It's also easier to access my movies over wifi from my Mac Pro into my PS3, sorry Balmer, I never went for the XBox 360 and simply find Macs to be more appealing than PCs. The old alternative, having to move around a $30.00 disc, risking damaging it, dedicating physical space for it, etc, is just not worth it for me anymore. #steveballmer
BALLLMERRRR YOU CRAZY STUD, DO A HANDSTAND THAT'S WHAT WE REALLY WANT TO SEE!!!
Seriously, can we PLEASE have a $250 blue ray add-on? That would be most good... most good. Honestly, DVD thru HDMI in my G10 is not terrible, I can manage... no need for BD. Also, to (finally) end PS3 vs XBOX debate, BD is not a great reason to buy PS3. You controllers have been the same since PS1... get a job, Sony. #steveballmer
@valkilmerisawful: Your star ruins it. :| It lets people know that you are joking. Without it, an awesome firestorm would erupt in the reply comments from those who believed that you believed what you just said. #steveballmer
@valkilmerisawful: really, the controllers? hmmm, if only sony went a different way w/ the controllers, what could've been? saying a $250 BD is good but, for $50 more u get a great BD player and more. not to mention no monthly or yearly, whatever, xbox live payments. i got both and the wii but, all 3 for different reasons. the wii is for the fitness fanatic in me, the ps3 for the intellectual and the 360 for the brute in me.... #steveballmer
@NitrousO: You got me, I was semi-joking... and aside the sarcasm there is some truth. I do not own a PS3, and the controller is fine... but the truth is, I prefer N64 first, XBox second... I just don't like the sticks next to each other, that's all. And, I wasn't necessarily looking for a firestorm, just some strong arguments, either way. Let 'em fly-
@soffles: See, now this I agree with, XBox party was always was happened with us. Sure, we each shared heartache and broken furniture over an unsaved FF game, but we all just played CS over LAN, or Halo, or replayed Fable to see who could beat it under 5 hours. XBox was a win.
@safil: Yeh, the XBox Live payments are miniscule compared to the experience. I'm sure Sony can play catch up, and maybe they should ask for $40 each now, so that they can come up with something better. It's gaming... stick to the basics and you won't fail. Wii, kicks ass any day, even if you have to spend $8 on PongToss to relive your fraternity days if only to find out that bouncing the ball will get you the win... #steveballmer
When he's calm, he's a damn near enjoyable guy. I wish he didn't get excited so easily.
That said, nice little interview. It's interesting to hear that they're looking at Blu-Ray, though I think he has the future of movies right in that things will be moving to a digital distribution model, even Blu-Ray players seem to acknowledge that to an extent with access to NetFlix and other digital distribution methods and on-line extras from physical media.
It's also good to hear that they are taking Natal as it comes and seeing where the users want it instead of forcing the market to conform to their wishes. I do wonder what he meant by "on XBox or other scenarios''. #steveballmer
11/18/09
10/26/09
"Balls-out with Balmer." #steveballmer
10/26/09
10/26/09
10/22/09
You all smiled snarkily at Giz's Google Wave jokes, and you laughed at the obviously creepy idea of having a Google operated bio-metric scanner installed in your home for adverstising purposes.
And yet you want to let MICROSOFT do exactly that? idiots.
My recommendation? Don't drink more than a beer or two while using Natal, then leave the house. Microsoft might call your local PD in case you left in a car.....
10/22/09
10/22/09
Oh, btw, if you are that much paranoid, you should probably post less things on the internet. Like your (unprotected) twitter, your Flickr, your website, various other sites. #steveballmer
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
Wow, I am a dork. #steveballmer
11/01/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
On top of all that as well, most people still don't give a shit about blu-ray and what it offers. You could be sending out 720p movies that are maybe 2.5gb in size or less and that'd suit almost everyone just fine. #steveballmer
10/22/09
It will be more convenient to people to actually take their tablet, read the news via subscription. (Oh and eco friendly too)
It will be even easier to get that damned movie at the video on demand store than the video club, why? There's always a copy sitting there for you, and you don't have to face a storm, go in the snow, everything is delivered straight to your X-BOX 360. (While confronting the elements or just take a god damn walk to the video store is healthier.)
Whether you see it like that. Physical distribution began to see it's end with the fall of CD formats as the premium. Apple is doing insane sales by letting your download your crap and put it on your MP3 player. The iphone only brought further advancement with media support and all that incredible crap.
Nook, from Barnes and Noble (Wish they were up here in Canada) is what I can call, the start of the downfall of book as a publishing matter. I do not say it will be wiped. But we can start thinking about having libraries as more physical approach.
In the end, Microsoft or another company of the sort will probably leap-frog the market with an innovative way to get videos with Blu-Ray quality without having the player nor the expensive disk, just plain data straight to your device. #steveballmer
10/22/09
there may not be physical media but there will be physical download cards for whatever.
Any company going a download only route at-least for the next 5 years will cannibalized some of its sales by doing that for people that cant get internet either because of location or because of price. #steveballmer
10/22/09
It's also easier to access my movies over wifi from my Mac Pro into my PS3, sorry Balmer, I never went for the XBox 360 and simply find Macs to be more appealing than PCs. The old alternative, having to move around a $30.00 disc, risking damaging it, dedicating physical space for it, etc, is just not worth it for me anymore. #steveballmer
10/22/09
Seriously, can we PLEASE have a $250 blue ray add-on? That would be most good... most good. Honestly, DVD thru HDMI in my G10 is not terrible, I can manage... no need for BD. Also, to (finally) end PS3 vs XBOX debate, BD is not a great reason to buy PS3. You controllers have been the same since PS1... get a job, Sony. #steveballmer
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
@soffles: See, now this I agree with, XBox party was always was happened with us. Sure, we each shared heartache and broken furniture over an unsaved FF game, but we all just played CS over LAN, or Halo, or replayed Fable to see who could beat it under 5 hours. XBox was a win.
@safil: Yeh, the XBox Live payments are miniscule compared to the experience. I'm sure Sony can play catch up, and maybe they should ask for $40 each now, so that they can come up with something better. It's gaming... stick to the basics and you won't fail. Wii, kicks ass any day, even if you have to spend $8 on PongToss to relive your fraternity days if only to find out that bouncing the ball will get you the win... #steveballmer
10/22/09
That said, nice little interview. It's interesting to hear that they're looking at Blu-Ray, though I think he has the future of movies right in that things will be moving to a digital distribution model, even Blu-Ray players seem to acknowledge that to an extent with access to NetFlix and other digital distribution methods and on-line extras from physical media.
It's also good to hear that they are taking Natal as it comes and seeing where the users want it instead of forcing the market to conform to their wishes. I do wonder what he meant by "on XBox or other scenarios''. #steveballmer
10/22/09
Can't beat that #steveballmer
10/22/09
Can't beat that #steveballmer
10/22/09
Can't beat that #steveballmer
10/22/09
10/22/09
My point went way over your head.
Nobody. Wears. Their. Headset. On. PSN. #steveballmer
10/22/09
10/22/09
10/22/09
this is why I love gizmodo. #steveballmer