Tech, The Web, 2012

After a rather interesting begining to 2012, the blog is back up and online. I apologize for the downtime and lack of updates but hope to start posting more often.  Today I thought I'd post a few thoughts on some upcoming tech launches and events including the PS Vita and the iPad 3/2S/?

2012 promises to be another great year for us tech / gadget geeks.  We are finally seeing the much hyped Ultrabooks starting to hit retail, an impending new iPad model release, the launch of one the most gamer focused devices in years and of course everything else from the mobile phone market expansion to webizens showing the government that it was not pleased.

First thing I'd like to chat about is Sony's upcoming PS Vita.  It launched in Japan late last year and is pending release on 2/22/2012 in the USA and Europe.  Launch sales in Japan were so-so, nothing spectacular.  However I personally believe that the Japanese gaming market has very little correlation to the Western gaming demographics and markets.  A product that fails or does not sell in a Japanese market does not mean doom for it elsewhere.  Japan's gaming industry and culture seems to have lost a bit of its pioneer edge and has fallen behind as a leader.

Yes, I am going there in regards to the Japanese game development and market.  They have not really pushed any envelopes in design or game play or even story / plotlines.  The Round-Table of AAA developers in Japan is thinning recently.  We've all read the articles and know the numbers. They are not the same market they were in the 1990s and early 2000s; they have gone a different path towards the mobile phone and more casual based markets.

This is why I think the PS Vita will succeed in the USA and Europe.  Its a western gaming device and the launch titles are definitely more geared to the western audiences.  Expect a nice unboxing post this Feb 22, 2012. :)

Next up, the iPad 3 or iPad 2S or whatever name Apple will endow it with is coming up soon.  Most rumors point to an early March 2012 release and an announcement around Job's birthday (very fitting).  There still seems to be some debate on whether the CPU is a dual core or a quad core; if its only a dual core I may not upgrade to it.  However the LTE modem alone is tempting since I still have a grandfathered in true Unlimited iPad data plan.

Recently I have been becoming a much more Android orientated home.  I now have a GoogleTV, 2 Android phones and a Honeycomb tablet.  One of my main uses for the iPad is to control my head-less desktop pc that's connected to speakers and request/control iTunes with it.  However, I just recently found a replacement Android app that now let's me do the same thing on my Lenovo Thinkpad Tablet....

Android.  It's definitely catching up to iOS in regards to Apps.  Just in the last month, I have nearly been able to find Android replacement applications for one's I could only use on my iPad.  Onenote was released by Microsoft for Android in early February, I wonder how long it will be before Microsoft realizes it should sell a mobile office suite.  I also found this app to control my iTunes library like an iPad but on Android; Remote for iTunes.

Finally, we have recently seen a great thing happen.  Citizens standing up for their rights and the internet.  SOPA and PIPA bills have since been delayed from vote in the USA and early ACTA protests are being heard by governments.  2012 should be an interesting year!