Tuesday, 29 April 2008
4. Xbox 360 failure rate at 16 percent?
Warranty seller SquareTrade, sampling from a pool of over 1,000 claims, says that it's seeing an Xbox 360 failure rate at around 16 percent. Most Xbox 360 owners -- at least the early adopters -- don't just fear the RRoD, they've come to expect it, and compared to projected failure rates of 3% for the Wii and PS3 (a stat Microsoft claimed initially), it's obvious that this continues to be a spendy problem for Microsoft and a headache for its customers. As 1UP points out, the 16% stat might be a little high, since the type of user that would seek out a separate warranty is probably more of a power user, and the majority of problems are heat-related, but whatever the true number is, it'll probably continue to rise in the immediate future as we all CoD4 our gen one 360s to death, and then eventually fall as the 65nm and eventually 45nm Xboxes fill the market.
3. Video gaming affecting children mentally.
In countless homes and classrooms we see children: with more impulsive behaviors, less willing and able to persevere through challenging mental tasks, hyperactive, reactive, with little or no impulse control. Research confirms that children who watch TV or play video games for more than two hours daily will most likely exhibit one or more of these characteristics.
2. Gaming is changing the world around it.
Video game addiction, also called video game overuse, is a proposed form of psychological addiction composed of a compulsive use of computer and video games. While game critics may praise a game as "addictive", this article shall focus only on the perceived negative consequences of the phenomenon.
Most notable are massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and related to the also-debated Internet addiction disorder. Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than life events.
Most notable are massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs), and related to the also-debated Internet addiction disorder. Instances have been reported in which users play compulsively, isolating themselves from social contact and focusing almost entirely on in-game achievements rather than life events.
1. Advancement in online gaming causing more expensive hardware
Alienware Gains Online Gaming Edge with the Killer NIC The Killer™ K1 gaming network card, from Bigfoot Networks, Inc., is now a recommended upgrade featured in all Alienware desktop gaming PCs, including the Area-51, Aurora, and ALX systems. A significant advancement in online gaming technology, Killer is the industry's first network interface card designed specifically for online gaming. Killer is designed to accelerate game data and reduce lag for a smoother, more responsive online gaming experience.
Wednesday, 2 April 2008
My NMT Area
My choice of area, after a lot of deep consideration and though, is going to be Gaming. I have chosen gaming, as I spend a lot of my free time gaming, at a very high level, and I have won several competitions playing compter games, so it is obviously of deep interest to me.
Technology- How consoles and computers have advanced over the last few years, for example improvements in graphics cards, and the transition from Xbox to Xbox 360, and Playstation 2 to Playstation 3.
Institutions- The different companies who specialise in gaming, for example Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
Audience- How portable gaming and online gaming has integrated and widened the audience.
Issues- The argument that children who play games to much are becoming unsociable.
Future- Motions sensors, virtual reality etc.
Technology- How consoles and computers have advanced over the last few years, for example improvements in graphics cards, and the transition from Xbox to Xbox 360, and Playstation 2 to Playstation 3.
Institutions- The different companies who specialise in gaming, for example Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.
Audience- How portable gaming and online gaming has integrated and widened the audience.
Issues- The argument that children who play games to much are becoming unsociable.
Future- Motions sensors, virtual reality etc.
Friday, 28 March 2008
Digital Technology and the Film Industry
Production - Digital technology has seen huge advances to the film industry. Films can be shot straight onto a Hard Drive rather than using a reel of film which is first of all MUCH cheaper (An average length feature film print costs around £700), also HardDrivess are smaller so they cost less to transport, and can hold much more footage than rolls of film. This allows more creativity in shooting a film as the low cost enables experimentation. Digital tehnology has opened more opertunities in post production aswell. This means that colours, lighting etc can be edited. It also introduces the possibilty of CGI which enables imaginative scenes that would be impossible to shoot profilmically.
Distribution - Delivery of film reels etc to cinemas has been a costly process in the past and the use of digital technology would irradicate this, enabling cinemas to download the encrypted film directly. Also, digital technology has introduced DVDs, a more appealing non-linear way of experiencing a film; there are often special features like deleted scenes, subtitles in several languages and interactive content. However, due to the publics increasing access to advanced technology, piracy is becoming more common, lowering cinema ticket sales because people are seeing the films before they are shown for example on illegal vidoe hosting sites on the internet. Hollywood claims piracy has cost it $6bn (£3.2bn), digitising films means that copies are easily made and distributed illegally which is a big threat to the industry.
Exhibition - A projection of a 35mm film roll picks up any imperfection in the frames like dust or scratches, impairing the visual experience whereas a projection of a film shot digitally gives a crystal clear picture, just as the director intended on any scale, from your ipod nano scrento a cinema. Advances in technology have introduced home cinema systems to the general public. This could be a threat to cinemas as one of the last deterrences of viewing DVDs or pirated films was the idea of the "cinema experience" beating any alternative, as this high definition, big screen, high sound quality is being brought into peoples front rooms, they are less likely to pay for it elsewhere. However, digital projectors in cinemas will bring a wide range of new oppertunities as they will be able to project anything with a digital input- from a youtube video to multiplayer gaming, possibly turning the cinema into a universal entertainment centre
Distribution - Delivery of film reels etc to cinemas has been a costly process in the past and the use of digital technology would irradicate this, enabling cinemas to download the encrypted film directly. Also, digital technology has introduced DVDs, a more appealing non-linear way of experiencing a film; there are often special features like deleted scenes, subtitles in several languages and interactive content. However, due to the publics increasing access to advanced technology, piracy is becoming more common, lowering cinema ticket sales because people are seeing the films before they are shown for example on illegal vidoe hosting sites on the internet. Hollywood claims piracy has cost it $6bn (£3.2bn), digitising films means that copies are easily made and distributed illegally which is a big threat to the industry.
Exhibition - A projection of a 35mm film roll picks up any imperfection in the frames like dust or scratches, impairing the visual experience whereas a projection of a film shot digitally gives a crystal clear picture, just as the director intended on any scale, from your ipod nano scrento a cinema. Advances in technology have introduced home cinema systems to the general public. This could be a threat to cinemas as one of the last deterrences of viewing DVDs or pirated films was the idea of the "cinema experience" beating any alternative, as this high definition, big screen, high sound quality is being brought into peoples front rooms, they are less likely to pay for it elsewhere. However, digital projectors in cinemas will bring a wide range of new oppertunities as they will be able to project anything with a digital input- from a youtube video to multiplayer gaming, possibly turning the cinema into a universal entertainment centre
Regulatory Bodies: The Press
About the PCC
The PCC (Press Complaints Commission) is an organisation that deals with complaints from members of the public about topics and issues that arise in the press particularly things like the editorial content of newspapers and magazines.
Their main aim is to resolve the complaints as quickly as they can. As well as dealing with complaints, the PCC deals with a substantial number of calls from members of the public about their service and the code.
History
During the 1980s, a small number of publications failed in the view of many to observe the basic ethics of journalism. This reinforced a belief among many members of Parliament that the press council was not a sufficiently effective body. Some of them believed that it would be preferable to enact a law of privacy and right of reply as well as to set up a statutory press council wielding enforceable legal sanctions.In June 1990 Calcutt's report was published. Rather than suggesting new statutory controls, it recommended the setting up of a new press complaints comission in place of the Press council. This new comission would have 18months to demonstrate“that non-statutory self-regulation can be made to work effectively. This is a stiff test for the press. If it fails, we recommend that a statutory system for handling complaints should be introduced.”In 1995 the Government recognised the achievements of the PCC in making effective press self- regulation in its white paper- "Privacy and Media Intrusion". And in 2003 a house of commons select committee concluded that “overall, standards of press behaviour, the Code and the performance of the Press Complaints Commission have improved over the last decade”. To date, the Commission has handled well over 30,000 complaints.
Example of a past Adjudication
- A married couple, FHM MagazineA married couple complained to the Press Complaints Commission through solicitors that a photograph of their daughter, featured in the April 2007 edition of FHM, had been published without consent and intruded into her privacy in breach of Clause 3 (Privacy) and Clause 6 (Children) of the Code of Practice.The complaint was upheld.A topless photograph of the complainants’ daughter had been published in a gallery of mobile phone snapshots provided by the magazine’s readers. The complainants’ solicitors said that the photograph was taken in 2005 when their daughter was 14. The publication of the photograph – which had been published without any form of consent – represented a serious intrusion into the girl’s privacy and had had a significant effect on her emotionally and at school.The magazine said that it received approximately 1,200 photographs for publication each week from or on behalf of women posing topless or in lingerie. It was extremely surprised to learn that the photograph was taken when the complainants’ daughter was 14 years old as she certainly appeared to be older. It had no reason to believe that the image was taken without her consent. The magazine had been informed that the complainants’ daughter was in a cohabiting relationship with the person who submitted the photograph and, in those circumstances, no further enquiries about the image were made. Nonetheless, the magazine – which had introduced new measures to ensure that the situation would not occur again – confirmed that the image would not be republished or syndicated and offered to write a private letter of apology to the complainant.
Decision: Upheld
Adjudication: The publication of a topless photograph of the complainants’ daughter without consent represented a serious intrusion into her private life. This would have been the case regardless of how old she was, but the Commission was particularly concerned about the impact on the girl in light of her youth. The magazine had clearly not taken any sort of adequate care to establish the provenance of the photograph and whether it was right to publish it. It should have been much quicker to recognise the damage that publication would have caused the girl, and offered to publish an apology or take other steps to remedy the situation to the satisfaction of the complainant. Failure to respond in a swift and proportionate manner aggravated what was a significant breach of the Code.
The PCC (Press Complaints Commission) is an organisation that deals with complaints from members of the public about topics and issues that arise in the press particularly things like the editorial content of newspapers and magazines.
Their main aim is to resolve the complaints as quickly as they can. As well as dealing with complaints, the PCC deals with a substantial number of calls from members of the public about their service and the code.
History
During the 1980s, a small number of publications failed in the view of many to observe the basic ethics of journalism. This reinforced a belief among many members of Parliament that the press council was not a sufficiently effective body. Some of them believed that it would be preferable to enact a law of privacy and right of reply as well as to set up a statutory press council wielding enforceable legal sanctions.In June 1990 Calcutt's report was published. Rather than suggesting new statutory controls, it recommended the setting up of a new press complaints comission in place of the Press council. This new comission would have 18months to demonstrate“that non-statutory self-regulation can be made to work effectively. This is a stiff test for the press. If it fails, we recommend that a statutory system for handling complaints should be introduced.”In 1995 the Government recognised the achievements of the PCC in making effective press self- regulation in its white paper- "Privacy and Media Intrusion". And in 2003 a house of commons select committee concluded that “overall, standards of press behaviour, the Code and the performance of the Press Complaints Commission have improved over the last decade”. To date, the Commission has handled well over 30,000 complaints.
Example of a past Adjudication
- A married couple, FHM MagazineA married couple complained to the Press Complaints Commission through solicitors that a photograph of their daughter, featured in the April 2007 edition of FHM, had been published without consent and intruded into her privacy in breach of Clause 3 (Privacy) and Clause 6 (Children) of the Code of Practice.The complaint was upheld.A topless photograph of the complainants’ daughter had been published in a gallery of mobile phone snapshots provided by the magazine’s readers. The complainants’ solicitors said that the photograph was taken in 2005 when their daughter was 14. The publication of the photograph – which had been published without any form of consent – represented a serious intrusion into the girl’s privacy and had had a significant effect on her emotionally and at school.The magazine said that it received approximately 1,200 photographs for publication each week from or on behalf of women posing topless or in lingerie. It was extremely surprised to learn that the photograph was taken when the complainants’ daughter was 14 years old as she certainly appeared to be older. It had no reason to believe that the image was taken without her consent. The magazine had been informed that the complainants’ daughter was in a cohabiting relationship with the person who submitted the photograph and, in those circumstances, no further enquiries about the image were made. Nonetheless, the magazine – which had introduced new measures to ensure that the situation would not occur again – confirmed that the image would not be republished or syndicated and offered to write a private letter of apology to the complainant.
Decision: Upheld
Adjudication: The publication of a topless photograph of the complainants’ daughter without consent represented a serious intrusion into her private life. This would have been the case regardless of how old she was, but the Commission was particularly concerned about the impact on the girl in light of her youth. The magazine had clearly not taken any sort of adequate care to establish the provenance of the photograph and whether it was right to publish it. It should have been much quicker to recognise the damage that publication would have caused the girl, and offered to publish an apology or take other steps to remedy the situation to the satisfaction of the complainant. Failure to respond in a swift and proportionate manner aggravated what was a significant breach of the Code.
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