Boom.
Shit is back alive!
I feel like typing level head stuff that no one probably reads anyways. Holla if you do!
Stay tuned!
PS: Debating whether or not I should update the layout and look. This definitely looks dated. But...
1) Upon de-lazification
2) Refer to #1
Plus retro is kinda cool, amirite?
Right up until I see some of the other blogs here...
#UpdateThatShit
(wondering if hashtags trickled through into Blogger or not)
(Edit - guess not...)
Friday, December 11, 2015
Monday, July 9, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Gamestop Marks up PS Vita Memory Card
Sneaky? Looks like it.
Today I accompanied my youngest brother to GameStop to buy a memory card for a PS Vita. Since he's a newly minted debit card holder, I let him handle the transaction on his own while listening on GameStop's typical process of trying to up sell stuff. After that while eating some froyo, I looked at the packaging, at the price tag showed "$34.99". That immediately struck me as odd. I swore I saw it everywhere else for "$29.99" INCLUDING on Sony's online store.
I then busted out my phone (ah the wonders of technology and the internets), looked it up on Amazon, low and behold, $29.99. Checked out Best Buy (another local store that will now earn this purchase), $29.99. What the heck? I immediately told my youngest brother, we're returning this. Oh the perils of being 16 yrs old and having a debit card. We went back, I told them flat out, "Hey, Best Buy has this thing for $29.99, you guys have it for $5 more?". To which they went to their snide response of "Oh really?". I gave them an unimpressed raised eye brow. They then suddenly started back peddling and said "Yeah we have no idea why our MSRP on this is $34.95". Since they didn't price match, we returned it (unimpressed).
So buyer beware!
Today I accompanied my youngest brother to GameStop to buy a memory card for a PS Vita. Since he's a newly minted debit card holder, I let him handle the transaction on his own while listening on GameStop's typical process of trying to up sell stuff. After that while eating some froyo, I looked at the packaging, at the price tag showed "$34.99". That immediately struck me as odd. I swore I saw it everywhere else for "$29.99" INCLUDING on Sony's online store.
I then busted out my phone (ah the wonders of technology and the internets), looked it up on Amazon, low and behold, $29.99. Checked out Best Buy (another local store that will now earn this purchase), $29.99. What the heck? I immediately told my youngest brother, we're returning this. Oh the perils of being 16 yrs old and having a debit card. We went back, I told them flat out, "Hey, Best Buy has this thing for $29.99, you guys have it for $5 more?". To which they went to their snide response of "Oh really?". I gave them an unimpressed raised eye brow. They then suddenly started back peddling and said "Yeah we have no idea why our MSRP on this is $34.95". Since they didn't price match, we returned it (unimpressed).
So buyer beware!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Shortfalls of Windows Phone 7
Yesterday, I upgraded from my TouchPro 2 to a HTC HD7 device. As a whole, the device is very fluid. I love the interface and simplicity of it all. With it, I feel that Windows Mobile has finally stepped into something that users nowdays would actually want (and most importantly, enjoy) using.
However, there are a few glaring issues that I see from a usability perspective.
1) Marketplace Search is ATROCIOUS. Filters are a good thing (when done right). Sometimes running the text based search is quite challenging (when it pukes out all of the hits - apps, music, videos, etc all in ONE list).
2) Custom ringtones. My monochrome LCD phone from the 90s could do this. Come on...
3) Contact management. If there was one thing that I ever felt was like information overload, it would have to be the "People" hub. It is akin to a bucket that all of my contacts from Facebook, Live Messenger, and Gmail gets dumped incoherently into (but to their defense, there is a "link" ability). I currently have 462 (FOUR HUNDRED and SIXTY TWO) contacts in my people's hub. I estimate that I have around 50 phone numbers. Can you see how much crap I'll have to wade through? Plus when I hook up the PDA to my car's Multi Media Interface (via bluetooth), the phonebook will have 462 entries of which most are email addresses (and utterly useless).
4) Apparent demise of MyPhone. I can kinda understand how they are some what consolidating their efforts (and it is now part of Windows Live), but I was completely Sadly Out of Luck. I had to wade through all 462 entries in the People Hub (see #3) and manually enter in their phone number (I had already wiped my old device at this point). While I'm all for consolidation of efforts, please give your users an exit plan. As of writing (11/14/2010), there is no way possible for users to export contacts stored in MyPhone (nor have it merged/migrated with Windows Live Devices.
These are mainly "teething" issues in my opinion. The gravity of it does somewhat very from an "Oh Well" to a "WTF".
I really hope this gets sorted out properly in the future. Or else I may choose to completely exclude my Windows Live account totally from my WP7.
However, there are a few glaring issues that I see from a usability perspective.
1) Marketplace Search is ATROCIOUS. Filters are a good thing (when done right). Sometimes running the text based search is quite challenging (when it pukes out all of the hits - apps, music, videos, etc all in ONE list).
2) Custom ringtones. My monochrome LCD phone from the 90s could do this. Come on...
3) Contact management. If there was one thing that I ever felt was like information overload, it would have to be the "People" hub. It is akin to a bucket that all of my contacts from Facebook, Live Messenger, and Gmail gets dumped incoherently into (but to their defense, there is a "link" ability). I currently have 462 (FOUR HUNDRED and SIXTY TWO) contacts in my people's hub. I estimate that I have around 50 phone numbers. Can you see how much crap I'll have to wade through? Plus when I hook up the PDA to my car's Multi Media Interface (via bluetooth), the phonebook will have 462 entries of which most are email addresses (and utterly useless).
4) Apparent demise of MyPhone. I can kinda understand how they are some what consolidating their efforts (and it is now part of Windows Live), but I was completely Sadly Out of Luck. I had to wade through all 462 entries in the People Hub (see #3) and manually enter in their phone number (I had already wiped my old device at this point). While I'm all for consolidation of efforts, please give your users an exit plan. As of writing (11/14/2010), there is no way possible for users to export contacts stored in MyPhone (nor have it merged/migrated with Windows Live Devices.
These are mainly "teething" issues in my opinion. The gravity of it does somewhat very from an "Oh Well" to a "WTF".
I really hope this gets sorted out properly in the future. Or else I may choose to completely exclude my Windows Live account totally from my WP7.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Playstation Move Buying Experience
I just wanted to share my disappointment with my purchasing experience. Not at the fault of Sony, but of a retailing partner.
Today I embarked on a journey to look for the Playstation Move. In my area (Seattle, Washington), it was (understandably) somewhat difficult to procure.
So I walked into the local Fry's Electronics store (some may go "Oh here we go"). And there I got my first taste at Table Tennis on 'Sports Champions'. I had quite some fun and was impressed with response of the move and sure enough, I decided to go buy it. I approached the nearest Fry's Electronics Sales Associate, and asked him if they have any available. To which he said yes (somewhat annoyed that he had to get off of his cell phone to answer my question). But he said, they would only sell it to me at with a bundle (forcing me to buy a game I didn't want - I want this for MAG and Heavy Rain - and eventually LBP2 and a few others coming soon). When I told him I just wanted the PS Move bundle (and not their fluff), he said Fry's doesn't sell just the Move bundle. I'd have to dish out an extra $50 on their bundle if I wanted it. To which I shrugged, turned on my PDA and placed an online order on Best Buy for just the PS Move Bundle (the benefits of having 3G internet on my device).
While ordering, I counted no less than 6 other people (within that short period) who inquired but was immediately turned off (like me) due to Fry's trying to shove their 'bundle' down their patron's throat. Now that concerns me. What Fry's chooses to do with its lost business is literally their business. But this practice is enough to turn a lot of potential customers off. I certainly hope that SCEA has a policy against this (to which Fry's breached), but if not, they should. It hurts the launch by leaving interested parties with a sub par experience. I'm not the average consumer. I am somewhat informed of technology and I've been a loyal Playstation user (I've owned both the "fat" and "slim" version of all of their consoles). Most definitely aren't as dedicated as me.
Food for though SCEA. Protect your new ventures and take more control on your consumer experience with policies and education for your retail partners. Ultimately your end users/customers determine what succeeds and what fails. And every little bit inbetween counts. Food for thought...
Today I embarked on a journey to look for the Playstation Move. In my area (Seattle, Washington), it was (understandably) somewhat difficult to procure.
So I walked into the local Fry's Electronics store (some may go "Oh here we go"). And there I got my first taste at Table Tennis on 'Sports Champions'. I had quite some fun and was impressed with response of the move and sure enough, I decided to go buy it. I approached the nearest Fry's Electronics Sales Associate, and asked him if they have any available. To which he said yes (somewhat annoyed that he had to get off of his cell phone to answer my question). But he said, they would only sell it to me at with a bundle (forcing me to buy a game I didn't want - I want this for MAG and Heavy Rain - and eventually LBP2 and a few others coming soon). When I told him I just wanted the PS Move bundle (and not their fluff), he said Fry's doesn't sell just the Move bundle. I'd have to dish out an extra $50 on their bundle if I wanted it. To which I shrugged, turned on my PDA and placed an online order on Best Buy for just the PS Move Bundle (the benefits of having 3G internet on my device).
While ordering, I counted no less than 6 other people (within that short period) who inquired but was immediately turned off (like me) due to Fry's trying to shove their 'bundle' down their patron's throat. Now that concerns me. What Fry's chooses to do with its lost business is literally their business. But this practice is enough to turn a lot of potential customers off. I certainly hope that SCEA has a policy against this (to which Fry's breached), but if not, they should. It hurts the launch by leaving interested parties with a sub par experience. I'm not the average consumer. I am somewhat informed of technology and I've been a loyal Playstation user (I've owned both the "fat" and "slim" version of all of their consoles). Most definitely aren't as dedicated as me.
Food for though SCEA. Protect your new ventures and take more control on your consumer experience with policies and education for your retail partners. Ultimately your end users/customers determine what succeeds and what fails. And every little bit inbetween counts. Food for thought...
Thursday, September 2, 2010
How very appropriate
I was voting through Gamespot's "All Time Greatest Game Villian (linky here) and after casting my vote, the percentage rolled up very nicely... :)
Epic win
Go and vote while you're at it...
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Amazon Price FAIL
So I was cruising around price checking a swiss army knife.
After that, I ran across Amazon.com's page for it (here).
FAIL
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)