Comments on: iPhone Vs Netbook, which will be the biggest gaming machine? http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/ A veteran's view on marketing games Fri, 23 Sep 2011 19:01:38 +0000 hourly 1 By: cliffski http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3814 cliffski Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:10:49 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3814 So is that a yes or a no? So is that a yes or a no?

]]> By: Bruce http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3796 Bruce Mon, 01 Dec 2008 03:34:28 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3796 OLEDs are going to make a significant difference to cost. They are much cheaper to manufacture, they are far thinner and lighter and they use a lot less power, so batteries will be much smaller. Processing power and memory becomes cheaper due to Moores law. And free software can be used. There is no need for a hard drive because applications and data are held in the cloud. Lots of manufacturers will be competing against each other. These things are going to be very cheap. Bejewelled will run on a sub $100 far, far sooner than TEN years from now. OLEDs are going to make a significant difference to cost. They are much cheaper to manufacture, they are far thinner and lighter and they use a lot less power, so batteries will be much smaller.
Processing power and memory becomes cheaper due to Moores law. And free software can be used. There is no need for a hard drive because applications and data are held in the cloud. Lots of manufacturers will be competing against each other.

These things are going to be very cheap. Bejewelled will run on a sub $100 far, far sooner than TEN years from now.

]]> By: cliffski http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3795 cliffski Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:29:24 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3795 Blah blah. People have been promising $100 netbooks for at least two years, only to end up punting them out for $300. The $98 Mininote was supposed to be out in October, but still hasn't materialised for sale anywhere. I'm offering $1,000 that we still haven't actually seen a netbook capable of playing Bejewelled on store shelves (including online stores) TEN years from now. Are you putting your money where your mouth is, or not? Blah blah. People have been promising $100 netbooks for at least two years, only to end up punting them out for $300. The $98 Mininote was supposed to be out in October, but still hasn’t materialised for sale anywhere.

I’m offering $1,000 that we still haven’t actually seen a netbook capable of playing Bejewelled on store shelves (including online stores) TEN years from now. Are you putting your money where your mouth is, or not?

]]> By: Bruce http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3794 Bruce Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:57:54 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3794 India developing $100 netbook: http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/07/india_targets_100_netbook.html Gartner: $100 netbooks in three years: http://www.microscope.co.uk/welcome/news/100-netbook-a-reality-in-three-years/ $98 Netbook: http://www.ubergadget.net/first-sub-100-netbook/ India developing $100 netbook: http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2008/07/india_targets_100_netbook.html
Gartner: $100 netbooks in three years: http://www.microscope.co.uk/welcome/news/100-netbook-a-reality-in-three-years/
$98 Netbook: http://www.ubergadget.net/first-sub-100-netbook/

]]> By: cliffski http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3793 cliffski Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:21:30 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3793 Oh, $200 is certainly do-able. But $200 is a vastly, vastly different pricepoint from $100, which was the number you actually quoted. $100 will never happen, certainly not in the next 10 years, and I'll happily bet you $1,000 on that. Deal? Oh, $200 is certainly do-able. But $200 is a vastly, vastly different pricepoint from $100, which was the number you actually quoted. $100 will never happen, certainly not in the next 10 years, and I’ll happily bet you $1,000 on that. Deal?

]]> By: Bruce http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3790 Bruce Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:28:09 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3790 cliffski, to answer your points, one by one. 1) Netbooks are already $200 http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297248-3,00.htm , with cheaper ARM processors, mass production, Moores law and upcoming low cost LED displays the $200 will be very easily doable. If you look at the OLPC programme you will see where cost is with current technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child 2) As for power, several gaming devices already use ARM and the one going into netbooks will be quite a bit more powerful. OK they won't run top end 360 games, but there is a lot that they will run. 3) If a netbook has specification creep it becomes a notebook! The whole rationale of netbooks is that less is more. 4) Of course they can sell complex electronic items for $100. How much are mobile phones, DVD players and Nintendo DSs? 5) Linux is not too geeky. The Ububtu variant is aimed at the average user. As it is free it keeps the cost of the system down. Already it has lots of Netbook users. 6) Microsoft have responded by offering XP very cheaply for netbooks. But they have put a cap on processing power and system memory. So not frightful balls. cliffski, to answer your points, one by one.
1) Netbooks are already $200 http://crave.cnet.co.uk/laptops/0,39029450,49297248-3,00.htm , with cheaper ARM processors, mass production, Moores law and upcoming low cost LED displays the $200 will be very easily doable. If you look at the OLPC programme you will see where cost is with current technology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Laptop_per_Child
2) As for power, several gaming devices already use ARM and the one going into netbooks will be quite a bit more powerful. OK they won’t run top end 360 games, but there is a lot that they will run.
3) If a netbook has specification creep it becomes a notebook! The whole rationale of netbooks is that less is more.
4) Of course they can sell complex electronic items for $100. How much are mobile phones, DVD players and Nintendo DSs?
5) Linux is not too geeky. The Ububtu variant is aimed at the average user. As it is free it keeps the cost of the system down. Already it has lots of Netbook users.
6) Microsoft have responded by offering XP very cheaply for netbooks. But they have put a cap on processing power and system memory.

So not frightful balls.

]]> By: cliffski http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3788 cliffski Sat, 29 Nov 2008 09:55:59 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3788 Honestly, Bruce, you talk the most frightful balls sometimes. Netbooks are currently more like $400 than $100, and barely powerful enough for most Flash games, never mind anything even slightly more sophisticated. They will NEVER reach $100 in our lifetime - the specs will be increased rather than the price cut, because the margins on anything selling for $100 are tiny and disproportionately vulnerable to currency fluctuations. (Also, Linux is far too geeky for most people to use for anything but the inbuilt applications, and including Windows on a netbook instantly drives the price far beyond $100 by itself.) Honestly, Bruce, you talk the most frightful balls sometimes. Netbooks are currently more like $400 than $100, and barely powerful enough for most Flash games, never mind anything even slightly more sophisticated. They will NEVER reach $100 in our lifetime – the specs will be increased rather than the price cut, because the margins on anything selling for $100 are tiny and disproportionately vulnerable to currency fluctuations.

(Also, Linux is far too geeky for most people to use for anything but the inbuilt applications, and including Windows on a netbook instantly drives the price far beyond $100 by itself.)

]]> By: BC http://www.bruceongames.com/2008/11/28/iphone-vs-netbook-which-will-be-the-biggest-gaming-machine/comment-page-1/#comment-3785 BC Fri, 28 Nov 2008 07:27:25 +0000 http://www.bruceongames.com/?p=1135#comment-3785 "$100 purchases, less than the cost of a family night out" Lucky family “$100 purchases, less than the cost of a family night out”

Lucky family

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