Product

The Wii, Nintendo's 7th generation video game console, represents a bold new direction for the company. The integration of a motion-sensitive controller combined with the decision to create a more modest technological improvement in processing power and graphics, has separated the Wii from the rest of the pack.

• Wii console comes with a wireless controller (and nunchuk adapter), the sensor bar, a cradle for vertical mounting, a power adapter, a set of A/V cables, and Wii Sports (5 minigames)
  
• 1.75 inches high x 6.25 inches wide x 8.5 inches deep (about the size of 3 DVD cases, smallest of "big 3" consoles)
  
• Slot-loading mechanism allowing for Wii discs (12cm) and Gamecube disks (8cm). The Wii has full backwards compatibility with the Gamecube
  
• 512MB of internal memory, plus a secure digital (SD) card slot for additional storage
  
• WiFi capabilities allow for online communication, downloads, and competition
  
• Does not play audio CDs or DVDs
  
• Current games range from Madden 07' to The Legend of Zelda to Tony Hawk's Downhill Jam
  

Price

The Wii, priced at $250, is $150 cheaper than its closest competitor (XBOX360). Nintendo decided to let Microsoft and Sony compete in the high-priced arena. Also Wii games cost no more than $49.99, compared to $59.99 for most XBox360 and PS3 games. This pricing scheme, along with the Wii-mote, are the Wii's main forms of differentiation.

Place

The Wii has been one of the fastest selling products in recent history; preorders at Amazon.com sold out in 7 minutes! The Wii is sold all over the place, the problem is getting your hands on one this holiday season. Places such as: Walmart, Toys-R-Us, and Amazon.com are main retailers.

Promotion

One of the intriguing aspects of The Wii is that it targets a very large age-range and level of gamer. This is evident in Nintendo's promotional strategy. Using their competitive advantage (user interaction), Nintendo has created a marketing campaign consisting of many TV commercials and a huge online buzz. The commercials and pictures cross cultural boundaries as well as age boundaries; students from Asia play against students from America in tennis and parents are shown playing golf against their kids. Finally, it seems like there are more Wii blogs than PS3 or Xbox360. It is unique for a company to target such a vast array of segments, but in the Wii's case, I believe it is a great idea and will work.

Posted by danro at 07:29 PM | Comments (0)

Nintendo Background

Early Life

Nintendo is historically regarded as the oldest company in the video game market and as one of the most dominant. But before Nintendo was a video game company, they were involved in many other industries. Hiroshi Yamauchi started Nintendo as a small Japanese playing card business in 1889. Based in Kyoto, Japan, the business produced a playing card game called Hanafuda. The cards became popular quickly and Yamauchi had to expand his workforce.

In 1956, Hiroshi Yamauchi was able to put Disney's characters on the cards, which vastly increased sales. In 1963, Nintendo Playing Card Company Limited was renamed to Nintendo Company. With more capital leverage, Nintendo began to experiment in other areas of business such as:

• A Taxi Company
  
• A "Love Hotel" Chain
  
• A TV Network
  
• A Food Company (selling instant rice)
  
• A Toy Remote Controlled Vacuum Cleaner

All these ventures failed, except toymaking. The wasted resources combined with decreased demand for playing cards left Nintendo with only 60 yen (less than $1 US).

Riddled with debt and competition from dominating brands such as Bandai, Nintendo struggled to survive in the Japanese toy industry. But Nintendo's luck was about to change. Recognizing the short product life cycle of toys would lead to a new era for Nintendo.

At this time, home video game consoles were extremely rare, PONG was yet to be produced. Yet, Nintendo saw how successful video games were and began to produce arcade games such as:

• Computer Othello (1978)
  
  
  
• Radar Scope (1980)
  
  
  
• Donkey Kong (1981)
  
  
  

In 1985, Nintendo created the best selling video game console of all time; The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) has sold over 60 million NES units worldwide. In 1989, Nintendo produced the highly successful GameBoy and released it with the highly addictive game, Tetris. These two products brought Nintendo to the forefront of technological innovation, significantly expanded their market share, and produced massive profits. From this success, Nintendo was able to invest more money into their Research and Development, producing video game systems such as:

1. Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
2. Nintendo Gameboy
3. Super Nintendo Entertainment System (Super-NES)
4. Nintendo 64 (N-64)
5. Nintendo Gamecube
6. Nintendo DS
7. Nintendo Wii PRODUCTS

Posted by danro at 07:28 PM | Comments (0)

November 06, 2006

Internet Tip: Digging for Tags

Digg.com

Social websites have been becoming popular, resulting in the phenomenon called "Web 2.0". Things such as Facebook, MySpace, and del.icio.us are all examples of where people can share information with some sort of socializing involved. Such a trend can also be helpful in terms of finding tags for your BIT term project.

Digg.com is another example of a social bookmarking site, where users "digg" a particular web page or article of interest. If other peers also find the article interesting, they can digg it also. These diggs are similar to votes; the more diggs a website has, the more popular it is amongst the community and the more likely it will display on digg's front page. This kind of ranking system, combined with the user's quick description of the website, provides a plethora of current articles on a variety of topics at the reader's fingertips.

When you visit the digg website (http://digg.com) for BIT tags, you can find tech-articles under the Technology tab on the lower left side of the front page. If you click on the box with a downward arrow next to the word Technology, you can select particular areas of the digg technology websites, such as gadgetry or industry news. After selecting what you want, the ranking of digg sites is shown as a list and the student can go through this directory-like system to look for articles from blogs, websites, and news sources that interest them. You can even see the most "digged" links over a span of a day, week, or month. Digging is a simple process and it is convenient to have such a variety of webpages and information all in one place, especially for the busy Ross BBA student. So go out and digg.

Here's a screenshot of a digg.com webpage:

Posted by davidyau at 11:41 PM | Comments (0)

November 05, 2006

Group 125 Project Announcement!

Nintendo Wii

Group 125 has decided to pursue the Nintendo Wii for the BIT 200 term project.

Why Wii?

In determining which project to do, the group recognized the greatest potential for both fun and learning with Wii.

Additionally, the three members have each owned a Nintendo gaming platform in the past and would like to learn more about the newest Nintendo. We hope that this product will serve as a coming out party of sorts, bringing Nintendo back to the forefront of the gaming industry.

Finally, the group enjoys the different approach that Nintendo is taking with the Wii. Nintendo brings a new way of gaming to the market; instead of focusing on more and more technologically advanced gaming systems and products (resulting in higher and higher prices), Nintendo focuses on simplicity, community, and user game play with the Wii.

Posted by blakeant at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)

The Internet: The New Source of Bullying

Article:

Summary:

The growth of the internet and information technology has proved mainly beneficial for South Korea overall, but at the same time, such opportunities also can bring threats and harm to the community. People are able to gather anonymously online on websites to bash and scheme to destroy a person's reputation, occupation, and overall life. As an organized group, these bullies gather all sorts of information on the victim, then proceed to spread rumors, use their credit cards, and even tried to get such people fired from their job. This sort of "cyber bullying" has prompted police to create a cyber terror unit to deal with such problems and situations.

Comments:

The rise of internet services enable users to socialize easily and conveniently with others globally on the internet. The opportunity to learn and share knowledge and information is unlimited, which allows people to not only socialize, but to also learn from each other without even leaving their homes.

But even in person-to-person socializing, there is always a chance of disagreement amongst people, which results in some sort of conflict. Bullying is a very common problem, not only in schools, but even in adult lives, where a manager can push around fellow employees. This social problem has spread to the internet as well, where people gather as a group to try to "punish people".

Though the article was focused on South Korea, such bullies most likely exist in the United States as well. Many people post hateful or offensive messages online, because they are hidden behind some username or sometimes no name at all. This gives a sense of security for the user to express things without any consequences. This sort of power to anonymously express yourself might be abused, as we have seen in South Korea, and cause harm to people. I have already seen many hateful comments and expressions on websites and forums in America, mostly written by irresponsible people, leading me to highly doubt that our country will avoid the cyber bullying phenomenon.

Whether it is one child harassing another child via an instant messaging client, or groups lashing out to make a celebrity's life miserable, the internet is making it easier to display such dislike for one another. Of course, the internet should be a place of personal expression, since the transfer of information is its foundation, but this sort of expression leads us in the wrong direction.

Posted by davidyau at 11:24 AM | Comments (0)

October 28, 2006

The Tablet PC

What is a tablet PC?

New Computer Technologies Allow Quicker Input

Modern technology is really coming into fruition with the increased production of computers known as "tablets." Tablet computers allow for users to input data by means of a stylus and different versions of a touch-screen display. Instead of an individual having to either type all characters in or use a mouse to create a diagram, the user would have the option of using the stylus to essentially write into the computer.

Benefits of tablet PCs:



• Ease of notetaking
  

  Whether in math class or listening to a corporate presentation, Tablet PCs equipped with Microsoft Office One Note can pull up a virtual note pad and write just the same as they would if they had a regular pen and paper. The difference is that with a Tablet PC, all the papers will be stored in one place.

  
  
• Simplify showing of information
  

  The display screens of Tablet PCs rotate 180 degrees allowing for simple 'show me' conversations. Instead of having to turn your entire computer around, simply flip the screen.

  
  
• Commenting on other's documents
  

  With Microsoft Office System, Tablet PC users can quickly and easily comment on other's work in a vibrant and recognizable way.

  
  
• Convert handwriting to text
  

  Tablet PCs have the ability to take handwritten notes and turn them into text; during the note-taking or afterwards. All the normal functions can then be perfomed with this text. At the same time, new tablet technology is capable of perfoming the same tasks without converting the script.

  
  
• Looks impressive
  

  No one will deny that the person with the new Tablet PC must be knowledgeable on the latest and greatest technology.

  
  

Types of tablet pcs

Convertible model Tablet PC

The convertible model Tablet PC has an attached keyboard and looks much like a conventional laptop PC. But you can also rotate the screen 180 degrees and lay it flat over the keyboard for a more comfortable reading and writing experience.

Slate Model PC Tablet

The slate model Tablet PC is designed to be slim and ultra-light without the weight and size of a permanent keyboard. Some models come with a detachable keyboard, and all include innovative docking solutions that offer access to a full-size monitor, keyboard, and mouse.

Rugged Model Tablet PC

The rugged model Tablet PC is a tough mobile computer with an industrial-strength shell and shock-mounted hard drive. Rugged models are ideal for people who use their PC in a construction zone, while on patrol, in military situations, or simply for those who need something ultra durable.

Posted by blakeant at 01:48 AM | Comments (0)

October 17, 2006

The Power of Google

Article:

NYTimes: Planet Google Wants You

Summary:

This article summarizes the recent quick growth of Google, the famous search engine, and the affect of its dominance in the information technology industry. By displaying an image of being trendy supported by a "do no evil" company motto, Google has become a powerhouse in computer applications. Adding extra features to its arsenal, such as G-Mail and now the recently acquired YouTube website, Google is reaching beyond the search engine reign into other areas of information technology. The article describes this phenomenon and points out the appeal and potential problems with Google taking over our lives.

Comments:

I'm personally a Google fan myself. And I believe that for someone to like Google isn't difficult. After all, http://www.google.com is the most visited search engine, controlling roughly 60% of the market. Practically every college student nowadays knows what it means to "Google" something. Some students have even written papers using links solely searched on Google. This type of popularity helps Google maintain it's growing appeal amongst Internet users.

I remember back in the earlier stages of the internet, one of Google's competitors, Yahoo! proved to be the best search engine. But eventually, it was Google's simple, clean interface (having only two buttons and the logo on the page) and superior search algorithm that hooked former Yahoo! users such as myself. Nowadays, it is Google who has developed a loyal client base, where they can expose new ideas and products. Yahoo! failed to keep up with the trend of Googling, and now has only 23% of the market share in search engines.

I find it interesting that Google's main competitor does not seem to be Yahoo! anymore, but rather Microsoft. Microsoft, with its Windows platforms and vast array of information technology products, has developed an image of being a stereotypical corporate company, fueled with monetary greed. Yet, at the same time, while Google is growing just as fast as Microsoft, it still maintains an "I am working for the customer" aura. But the article points out that the image of "do no evil" can conflict with the Google Inc. stockholders' interests. This can be a problem in the future.

For example, Google's company motto was questioned when Google obliged to China's censorship regulations in order to expand. This made people wonder if they had let Google become too powerful. On the other hand, there was also the case of Google refusing to follow the Federal governments request to hand over information of the particular searches of a million users. With such events, Google still manages to keep a wholesome and good natured company image.

A significant difference between Microsoft and Google can be seen by the nature of Google's products: they are free! Though they require a Google account, users can be invited by a Google user and create a free account to use G-Mail and other applications. This idea gives the customers freedom of choice, especially when compared to Microsoft instituting Internet Explorer and MSN into Windows. Similar to Apple, who has always been an underdog until recently, Google has an image of being "hip" and "cool". Targeting a younger audience while also providing a great service is what makes it successful financially.

So even though Google is growing at an alarming rate and having increased control over the information people have, I am still happy "Googling" things, using my 2 gigabyte G-Mail space, and watching videos on Google Video/YouTube. Maybe because I have been brainwashed by CEOs Sergey Brin and Larry Page, or maybe because I actually trust Google Inc. to provide me with a satisfying internet experience. I guess only time will tell.

Posted by davidyau at 07:05 PM | Comments (0)

October 16, 2006

Why The Nintendo Wii Will Win

6 Things That'll Make The Nintendo Wii A Success

REASONS FOR SUCCESS

1. The Wii's motion sensor will come standard. While other consoles often have extraneous hardware, the Nintendo Wii can be played right out of the box. This makes the Wii more convenient and cheaper. It also keeps the focus on what makes the Wii special, the remote. If it was not included, not everyone would make the effort to buy it and the hype could die.
   
   
2. Developers will have to cater to the Wii. The Nintendo Wii will break the trend of huge game development costs. Game development costs have sky rocketed because of the pressure for higher performance and glammer (PS3, XBOX360, etc...). Eventually diminishing returns must take place. The Wii may not have the same processing ability as the PS3, but Nintendo is banking that the gameplay will be as good, if not better. Since the gameplay is going to be durastically different from its competitors, game developers will have to change as well. What game developer would not like cheaper expenses?
   
   
   
3. The Wii will be much cheaper than its competitors. The console will cost $250, while the closest competitor is the Xbox360 at $399.99. In addition, games will run for $49.99, not the $59.99 the PS3 and Xbox360 generally go for.
   
   
4. The DS has reestablished Nintendos credibility. Although the Gamecube flopped, the DS has sold 21 million units, which is more than the PSP, and just 3 million units less than the XBOX.
   
   
5. Nintendo is not just targeting hardcore gamers. The "kiddie image" Nintendo's worn for years has started to shed. With the introductoin of The Wii, Nintendo is trying to reintroduce those who’ve stopped playing, and introduce those who never did in the first place. By differentiating their product and price they give themselves a shot at this.
   
   
6. The Wii will have FREE online capabilities. Nintendo has always created fun and wacky group games (Mario Kart, Mario Party, etc...). Now imagine being able to play whenever you want, with whoever you want, and have the ability to download old-school Nintendo games. WOW!
   

OPINION

I believe that the Nintendo Wii is going to revolutionize the video game market. With its low cost, people will be willing to give it a shot, especially because it is such an innovative console. The Wii will make playing video games more social because not only can you play a baseball game against your best friend, but you can actually "throw the baseball" at your best friend. Game developers have an incentive to create games because their development costs will be cheaper; they can transfer these savings to consumers. In todays market, each console and game is a pricy investment. The Wii can break this mold and provide a new, exciting video game market, that will ultimately lead to a 3-D interactional world using motion sensors like the Wii-mote.

Posted by danro at 12:46 AM | Comments (0)

October 10, 2006

BMW Lane Change Assist Program

BMW Technologies Page

Brief Summary:

BMW has been on the cutting edge of technology since the beginning. Recently, they have been doing testing on their Lane Change Assist program.

Components of program:

• As driver prepares to change lanes, computer in vehicle recognizes if other cars are within its driver's blindspots
• Car warns driver of other car's position
• Additionally, car has sensors that recognize other vehicles further down the lane
• Car calculates distance, speed, and closing speed of other car
• Once again, BMW car will warn driver if other car is too close

Reaction

BMW has been on the forefront of technological advances in the automotive industry since its creation. To me, this puts BMW amongst the world leaders in automotion. Their most recent technological breakthrough is in a series of advancements aimed at aiding the driver in their driving efforts; in effect, to help in the actual driving process. With their Lane Change Assist program, the BMW vehicle will be able to recognize whether it is safe or not for the car to switch lanes, and to communicate its findings to the driver.

I remember in the 1990's, the discussions about the future of driving in America: a place in which computers handled all driving tasks and the actual "driver" was just another passenger, along for the ride.

This seems like a step towards that direction. With the ability to recognize that a car is too close to switch into its lane, the next logical step is to fabricate an on-board program such that the car will not be able to switch into the lane. Once that happens, full automation may not be far behind.

Technology like this is fascinating; it shows just how far technology and science has come. At the same time though, it scares me into thinking that soon I may not be able to get into my car and take a drive, instead, a computer will drive at an "appropriate" speed and I will just sit back and watch. Boring.

Posted by blakeant at 09:43 PM | Comments (0)

October 05, 2006

Microsoft Zune

Microsoft Zune - A Better iPod

Competitive Advantage:

• Zune will be promoted by and compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Soapbox ("Microsofts You Tube Killer"), and the Xbox 360
  
• Microsoft owns over 90% of the worldwide operating systems market
  
• Users will be able to connect to one another wirelessly
  
• The Zune Marketplace will offer a $14.99 "all you can download" monthly subscription.
  
• Unlike the iPod, the Zune will come preloaded with songs
  
• The ability to personalize the background screen and other features
  
• The screen turns sideways so that the screen is larger for movies
  

Accessories:

1. Integration with Televisions & Speakers
   
2. Wireless remote
   
3. Zune Dock
   
4. Zune Earphones
   
5. Zune Gear Bag
   
6. Zune Customizable Protective Cases
   
7. Zune Car Pack (similar to the iTrip)
   

Opinion:

The Microsoft Zune is a highly sophisticated and innovative product. There are several features that are highly appealing and several features that are a concern. The wireless connection is a huge benefit because society is becoming more and more social with websites such as MySpace and TheFacebook. This feature will directly impact iPods main market(the younger generation) and should help take away some of their market share. Some of the problems with the Zune are that it is slightly heavier, has a shorter battery life, and that the wireless connection will not be of much use unless there are a ton of people who use it. Also, when the Zune is introduced there will be less available accessories/options. Another important thing to note is that the Zune is losing money on each unit sold; this is a similar technique to when Microsoft released the Xbox. The plan is that the money lost on the actual unit will be gained back through song downloading, accessories, etc...

Posted by danro at 06:47 PM | Comments (0)

Welcome!

Welcome To Group 125's Blog Project

Here are the wonderful members:

1. Anthony Blake
   
2. Dan Rohlman
   
3. David Yau
   

We are all in Section 5

Posted by davidyau at 01:18 AM | Comments (0)