Apple sues HTC

This one is a bit of an old one folks, but I thought I would share it with you anyway.

It seems Apple Inc (those lovable scamps who make the iPad) are suing HTC Corp for patent infringement on over 20 patents for some of their latest smartphones running the Android OS. The funniest part about the whole thing, was that HTC didn't even know the lawsuit had been filed until they were called upon by the media to comment on the suit. Steve Jobs had even made a public statement, claiming that Apple would not sit on it's heals while their technology was being stolen. Seems a bit fishy to me...

Honesty, this lawsuit seems more directed at Google and their new Android OS. So why go after HTC instead, you ask? Well, I'm of the opinion that Apple knows Google has the cash to lawyer up and keep this in litigation for years if not a decade. It doesn't help that the lawsuit is based on a group of patents that were written very very technically, and whose ages range from the 90's to early February 2010. It will take so long for anything to get ironed out in this case, they knew that Google could point to that and stall this, possibly, indefinitely.

Here is where HTC comes in. Apple knows they are not nearly a big enough company to let this linger for years, so, they decide to hit them for their "implementation" of the Android OS into their phones. It's a loose suit, but still valid since they claim the patents are being infringed upon. All of this is not written in the suit, mind you, but it makes sense. Apple wants to go after Google, but can't do it directly as the company is to powerful and a frontal assault won't work. They need to flank them, so by suing HTC, they have a much better chance to win - either via a settle or court ruling - which would establish a precedent. This could, in turn, be used in any claim against Google, as it would show that these patents were being used unlawfully, on Android OS phones. I'm no lawyer, but I can totally see how this could put Google in weakened position in the courts.

Steve Jobs is a lot of things, but no one can ever claim he is a fool. This seems like a calculated move on Apple's part, and it will be very interesting to see how this all plays out. Right now, I'm sticking with the iPhone. Don't hurt me Apple. I bruise.

~ KONSHUS

Interested on detailed information on the patent(s) in question? Check out this link: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/02/apple-vs-htc-a-patent-breakdown/

Chris Brown whines to Fans

Chris Brown's had it rough. First his girlfriend calls him mean names while he's driving, and next thing he knows he's on all major news outlets for teaching her a little lesson. Yeah, maybe things got a little out of hand and she ended up in the hospital, but you know, I heard she said he couldn't dance. There is no need for that; it's just plain mean.

Shortly after that, he gets arrested, Jay-Z and Beyonce publicly state that they will not attend the 2009 grammy awards if he showed up, he gets convicted on some bullshit and was constantly bombarded by reporters while he was doing his court appointed Cal Trans work. NOW, it seems certain radio stations won't even play his music! It's a damn travesty.

So now he's calling upon his fans for help. So, all you CB supporters out there, let's help our man out! He can't afford to be a underground mixtape artist! He said it himself, he's just to damn good for that!

Listen up:

http://www.saynow.com/playMsg.html?ak=SFoxTEZ2bDd5NXVUUHhObEM2eEJ2UT09


You'll help him out, won't you? *sniff*

~ Konshus

Wrath of Kon(shus) - Final Fantasy XIII: XBOX vs PS3?

If you follow gaming news, it's likely you've heard about a the potential sleeper-hit named "Final Fantasy XIII" from the rising development studio Square-Enix. Of course, even if you play games casually you'll probably know that was sarcasm, as Final Fantasy XIII is easily one of the most anticipated games of 2010, and we're still only in the 3rd month. It's also likely that you've heard numerous reports about the significant difference in quality from the PS3 and XBOX360 versions. This discussion has been hitting the internet since the game was first announced as multi-platform, but how much stock should you put in all the hoopla? More importantly, should you even care?

Let's get the facts out right from the jump: Yes, the Playstation 3 version of Final Fantasy XIII is indeed superior in graphical presentation than it's XBOX360 counterpart. The difference is small, but noticeable, which increases if you play on a TV capable of displaying 1080p. Now, I've scoured the message boards and forums and, as you can imagine, I've come across all kinds of inflammatory comments. They range from logical thought-out responses to idiotic Playstation fanboys jumping on the rare opportunity to trash Microsoft's system. Most of them can't even explain what the difference is, they just jump on the hate wagon and post as much as they can to make fun of 360 owners, because for once a mult-platform release is superior on "their" console.


video courtesy of Gamevideos.1up.com

Which leads me to this weeks wrath. I hate fanboys.

I get it PS3 fans. Bayonetta was superior on the 360; as was Oblivion, Modern Warfare 2, Brutal Legend, Resident Evil 5, and many, many more. Some were subtle improvements, where others were so bad a patch was needed to address some of the more glaring issues (I see you Bayonetta). Now, finally, a PS3 release is superior to the 360 one. "YES! Time to log into neogaf and get revenge on all those 360 fanboy fuckers!!" I get it Ps3 fanboys...I just hate it.

Has one of you even stopped to consider why the PS3 version of Final Fantasy XIII is better? It's not because PS3 is so much more powerful than the 360; it's not because of the developers spent less time with the 360 version, and no, it's not because Microsoft sucks and Sony paid Square-Enix off for a superior product. The reason is simple: storage space. Currently, the game is compressed to run across 3 dual-layer DVD's - about 25.5GB of space. Comparatively, the Playstation 3 version is uncompressed on a single 50GB dual-layer BluRay disk. If you do the math, that means Square-Enix would have had to release the game across 6 discs, instead of the 3. That would have cut into their profits, which they would have passed on to the consumer by charging more for the 360 version, and in order to do that, they would have needed to add exclusive content, which would have pissed off PS3 fans - and so on, and so on, and so on.

Let me be clear - I am not a Microsoft fanboy. I'm not a fanboy of any kind, because I don't see the point in rallying for a muti-million dollar corporation. I'm sorry, but I don't feel honored to spend my hard earned money on their product. If you do, then I'm pretty sure you plan to stand in line to buy an iPad on day 1; and I just can't help you.

In the end, the difference is so minor, it really dosen't matter which system you play it on, just grab it for whichever system you have. It's a fantastic game, so even if you own both platforms, you really can't lose. Don't let the ramblings of some Microsoft or Sony nut change your opinion or make you feel bad about your decision - in the end, the only person you need to please is you. So, next time you're on a forum and see some random fanboy slamming another system - don't reply, just be proud you have enough confidence in your own opinion to not seek reinforcement from others. That's a good thing.

~Konshus

The First Day....

I just started this blog. I know nothing about how blogging works, or even how to get people interested in reading about whatever crazy idea pops into my head from day to day. It's not that I'm some grand adventurer spanning the globe making a difference wherever I lay my head; or a major player in some revolution against some political machine we find ourselves dependent upon. No, I'm just a regular guy who makes video games for a living.

Which is why I started this blog. Video games, for as much fun as they are, are seriously a bitch to create. Major corporations always have the same issues: lack of proper communication, artistic differences, etc...but in Video Game production, all of those issues are like being naked center stage at a concert - there is no escape, and you must be bat-shit insane. This blog was an attempt to try and reclaim some of my sanity during those times. I plan on ranting and raving about multiple issues - both within my industry and outside of it, and hopefully provide a much better perspective into what goes into making these games.

It won't be all bad, every once in a while I'll have some news to share. Maybe even a few XBLA or PSN codes. So check back early and often. On the plus side, if you didn't like what I wrote here, rest assured - I can only improve from here.

KONSHUS