I realized this account seeped into the wrong Facebook account. Just checking to see if it still is, or not...

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It's been over a week since E3 unleashed it's megaton of news on us. Now, i'm going to put out my two cents about the big news of the show, since I've now heard everyone else's thoughts already.

Today's post: The PSPgo

The PSPgo is Sony's new iteration of the current PSP handheld system. While it's a sweet seek system, there's some problems that I have with it.

A big one is the lack of UMD, and the price.
The PSPgo is completely supported by download-only games. Right now, there's several games that are on PlayStation Network's store, but Sony now says that every game they release on UMD will also be available on the PSN store: Something Japan's been doing for a while now. Removing the UMD drive offers some perks, like less bulk, less noise, and better battery life. However, as a person who has invested quite a bit of money on PSP games and movies, this new system is something I'm not looking forward because I have to re-buy my games again if I want to play it on the PSPgo.

My biggest problem is the price. The PSPgo is just so much to invest in if you're a PlayStation fan: It's a luxury device. While you do get to nicely tote around the a PSP without having to worry about memory sticks or UMDs, it comes at a price. A price of $249.99. That's a full $50 more than the usual PSP bundles that are out there for $199.99. At least with the bundles, you get a game, a movie/video, etc, but with the PSPgo: You don't get any extra perks. You might as well just compare it to the stand-alone PSP that's for $169.99 ($80 less than the PSPgo).
Also, if you already have the video-out plugs for the latest PSP's, you'll need to buy new ones for the PSPgo.
Do you have a Memory Stick Duo or two that you'd like to use on the PSPgo to expand it's memory even more? well, You can't: Buy another, newer, Memory Stick Micro to extend your PSPgo's memory.
And again, you will have to buy your games again as a download if you want to play them.

Aside from the price, let's go back to hardware:
The PSPgo seems perfect for me with the sliding screen. At first, I was unsure why we needed a sliding screen, but as a person who actually uses my PSP to listen to music and podcasts, it's perfect. No needing to have to worry if you put the 'hold' slider in place or buttons accidentally being pressed: Just slide down the screen and put your PSP in your pocket, or maybe around your neck. The PSPgo looks to be a good small size to hang from a lanyard, more so than the current PSPs.
However, a big issue with it is it's controller. The analog nub on the PSPgo is placed at an even more awkward position compared to the current PSPs. It kinda mirrors the look of the Dualshock controller but instead of having it diagonal to the D-pad or under the D-pad like the current PSPs, it's more to the right of the D-pad. This makes you having to extend your thumb a bit to use it instead of a more natural location like a DualShock, from what I see. And since there's many PSP games that are dependent on the analog nub, including the coming LittleBigPlanet PSP, that's a turn-off for me.

There's even talk about how it's battery life is about the same, if not less, than the current PSP-3000, not to mention that there's no removable battery. That's another turn-off for the PSPgo.

The new thing with the PSPgo is the addition of Bluetooth. That's really interesting to me, since that opens up more possibilites, yet nothing was touched about that topic. No word on what will use it, or how it will be used. My guess is that you can use your Bluetooth headset on it for online games or Skype, and possibly a new way to connect to the PS3, but again: Barely any talk about it.

Overall, the PSPgo is a nice little new system from Sony, but who will actually get this? I have a PSP: I don't need to spend an additional $250 yet. Nothing in the PSPgo makes me tempted to buy it. The thing that would make me jump on this would be something that the PSPgo has been rumored to have: A touch screen.

Had there been a touch screen on the PSPgo, it could open up some new things for the PSP.
however, It doesn't. Maybe Sony will fix the PSPgo in future iterations, but the current one is not something for me.

Thankfully, Sony says that the PSPgo is not replacing the PSP-3000. It's another option for to-be PSP owners, but why?
Why have this pricey option for a PSP? If this isn't replacing the current one, why bother releasing it?

Sony seems to be release-happy to put out a new PSP each year, from the 2000 and 3000, and now go. Why can't Sony just hold off until they have a good model? Nintendo has only had 3 versions of the DS so far, and I feel that they spaced out each iteration nicely enough that it'll make you consider to upgrading. It became thinner, then added new functionality. The PSP? It now has 4 iterations, and I feel Sony should have waited it out. Instead of the PSP-2000, hold off until you fix everything even more with the PSP-3000. The PSPgo, i feel, shouldn't be released yet. They should have added more functionality with that and release it in the further future: Now is just too soon with the 3000 released recently, and there's not enough in this version that will make me jump to buy it.

How many will actually go on the PSPgo this fall? I guess we just have to wait until the NPD's release later this year...

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Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009, nearly 10 years since it's opening, the one and only PlayStation Store in San Francisco closed at the Metreon building.
This is truly an end of an era for Metreon.

June 16, 1999, Sony has officially unveiled a new, multi-million dollar pet project (85 million, to be precise) to San Francisco called the Metreon. Metreon would be a sort of urban entertainment center for the digital age. Part theme park, part shopping and dining experience, and part showcase of technology for Sony.
It was unlike anything anyone has ever experienced before, and yet Sony had plans to do similar projects in other cities.

Ever since it's opening in 1999, I was a big fan of Metreon. Any chace I had to go down there, I did. Be it for the theaters, or to just drop by and experience it. And there was lots to experience at Metreon.
It was almost like Disney had their imagineers working for this place. There were 3 key 'attractions' that Metreon had: A FULL "Where The Wild Things Are" playground area along with an entires shopping and dining experience based around Maurice Sendak's work (wanna dine at "The Night Kitchen?"), a 3D attraction based off the works of David Macaulay's "The Way Things Work" book, and an entire arcade themed after French artist/graphic designer Jean "Moebius" Giraud's graphic novel.
There was also the Sony Theaters with IMAX screen, a unique food court, a Discovery Channel store, one of the only Microsoft stores, and 2 Sony showcase stores: Sony Style and The PlayStation Store.

From 1999 on, Metreon was the destination to visit in Downtown San Francisco for families and people of all ages...

...that is, Before at least 2006

Metreon and Sony in general was clearly having troubles by 2005, which was when some places in Metreon was closing down. By then, Microsoft and Discovery had left the complex, and I believe The Way Things Work attraction also closed by then. By 2006, the biggest attraction by far, being the entire top level of the complex devoted to Maurice Sendak, has also closed.

The problem Metreon was facing was just about the same problem the former F.A.O. Schartz toy store blocks away was experiencing: People came to look and play, but never pay. Metreon was a fantastic tourist spot, and even for the locals too, but considering how everything there was at a premium, it makes sense why there wasn't much money coming into Metreon. All the attractions were at a premium (yes, even the Where the Wild Things Are playground), the stores had default-prices with never any discounts, the food was a little pricey, and even the arcade was a bit pricer for the experience.
It was, in fact, a Disneyland in the term of prices.
however, Unlike Disneyland: You had all these other places down town to go to for alternatives instead of being stuck inside with no other price to compare to.

The only thing that kept making money was the theaters.

And like the F.A.O. store, things had to close.

Sony knew that Metreon was pulling them down, so they did the most logical thing for the company: Sell the complex.
The building fell into the hands of Westfield, who owns a massive amount of malls world wide, and heck: They own the huge re-opened mall across the street.
Even though Sony had nothing to do with the building now, Sony left the Sony Style and PlayStation store there to continue showcasing their technology.

Or so we thought.

Earlier this year, Sony said that they will finally close their stores at the Metreon building. Last month or so, it was the Sony Style store. 2 days ago: PlayStation.

The PlayStation store closing is one that's really near and dear to my heart. That was one location that I always loved to stop by. The store saw the launch of 3 PlayStation systems, as well as numerous game launches and special events. The place was a fantastic destination for PlayStation fans and for those who want to demo the PlayStation offerings.

While all the games were fine, what made the PlayStation store so great was the people.
The guys and girls at PlayStation were a fun bunch. They were extremely helpful and fun to talk to. It was generally agreed that the staff here is better than any you'd find at any other store. If only you can find people like these at your local GameStop or Best Buy.

Over the past 10 years, the store has had several changes, and I was there to experience it all.

Now, the store faces it's biggest change: Being empty.

All I want to say now is to all of those who have worked at the PlayStation Store is, well, thanks for the nearly 10 years of fun and good luck on your future endeavours.

The closing of the PlayStation Store pretty much ends an era for Metreon. Everything that you can find at Metreon today is essentially very different from the original vision back a decade ago:
The Sony Style and PlayStation stores: Empty. The Discovery Channel store: Now an indoor farmers market. The various kiosks in the atrium for Sony/Metron: Now kiosks for unrelated things, books, and deserts. The foodcourt: At least half is newer restaraunts or closed. The Way Things Work: Empty. The Moebius "Airtight Garage" arcade: Now a "TILT" arcade with standard arcade machines instead of new and unique games. The Microsoft store: An extention of TILT with the entire space literally filled with claw machines. The Maurice Sendak roof: Closed, empty, soon to be devoted on ONE SINGULAR RESTAURANT which will not be affordable to everybody...

The only thing that's still there is the theaters, which almost never changed and still brings in the people...

Right now: Westfield is not taking Metreon back to it's original vision of a hi-tech entertainment center for families: Now it's just part tackyness (there's arcade machines and kiddie coin-op rides scattered across the complex) and part premium foodie-paradise, both of which just doesn't mesh and make sense.

Being a big fan of Metreon as it was originally, the Metreon today just makes me sad.

with that said, All I have to say is: Goodbye, Metreon, and thanks for the memories over the past decade.
And screw your, Westfield. Damn your mass-mall-owning corporation to hell.

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While I wait here for E3 to kick off for video gamers, I sit here waiting and watching the Travel Channel, where Anthony Bourdain's fantastic 'No Reservations' is in Japan. And I just can't help but think:
Why do we love Japan?

Seriously. Everybody loves Japan. There's no denying it.
I love Japan.

But WHY do we love Japan? Why do many of us really want to learn Japanese out of all the other languages on earth?

Is it because there's so many great things that come from Japan? From technology, entertainment, etc.

no, It's more of a simple thing: Culture.
granted, It's more complicated than that.

There's so much that's in the Japanese culture that many of us enjoy.
From it's history, it's art, it's style, it's humor, it's story telling, it's philosophy, it's way...

I think for the most part, Japan is very mysterious. In a good way.
Take away the current, futuristic japan and just look at ancient Japan. There's a beautiful quality there that can still tend to carry on to current-day Japan from tradition.

There's just so much one could talk about on why we love Japan. This would make a great essay. hell, You can write a book about it.
yet, It's still mysterious to me somehow. Everyone now just LOVES Japan.

so, Do the people who love Japan out there actually love every aspect of Japan, or just on a shallow level?
But even on a shallow level, you can't help but dive deep into other aspects of the Japanese culture and tradition.

I guess there's only one way to 'answer' this question: With another question.

What's not to love about Japan?

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Ever heard of a good prank? How about a perfect, epic prank?

Have a look at Kolin Pope. He was like any other gaming-loving teen until someone came to his doorstep, claiming that he was from the future...

"The Future Shock" tells a story of an epic prank, 3 years in the making. It started simple enough when a group of guys decided to look up the details of an online user named "Velocity Gnome", who, like everyone else, has left all his details about him online. They decided to make an entire mythology about his online alias and deliver him a scrapbook "from the future" about his heroic life.

But it didn't end there. The entire thing grew into an adventure that had him sent packing on a plane to save the future, and even grew even more. How much more did it grow? Does the phrase "Rock Opera" say anything to you?

If you have the time, you need to check out the full reading at http://www.thefutureshock.com/. It's just completely epic on what these guys put this one singluar person through for three years...

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Hey there. No matter if you found this on my Twitter page or my LiveJournal page, it doesn't really matter: I think I found my new blog.

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Pop, Pop... Popsicle...

Ice, Ice... Icicle...

Test, Test... Testing ONE TWO THREE... Is this thing on?

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