By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

For as long as I can remember, Dell was the champ. It took the concept of “Build it, Sell it” and turned it neatly around - finding that “Sell it, Build it” worked a whole lot better. Since then Dell has created a super-streamlined supply chain and manufacturing operation that companies from around the world study and marvel over, it made buying direct a legitimate and smart way to shop, and it made Michael Dell a wealthy man. Which is why we are all shaking our heads in disbelief over the news that Dell is envious of Apple’s gleaming retail stores, and has announced that it is going to open up a few stores of its own (in Dallas and New York), at a loss, to get the public awareness up and improve its image.

Here are 5 reasons why we think that is a very bad idea.

1. People Like to Bring Home Their Purchases
If it isn’t a 60 inch TV that requires home delivery, people who take the time to physically go to a store and wade through check out lines and doltish clerks, also like to have something to show for it. A tangible product they can enjoy. A new gaming console, a blender, a new DVD. Dell has announced that its stores won’t carry any merchandise. In my book that isn’t really a store, it’s a super sized kiosk.
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By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

The only business meaner and uglier than the semiconductor business is the world of graphics. Graphics companies fight each other like dogs, and have a tendency to go down in flames even after years of success. Anyone remember #9? For sheer survival alone, ATI should be given props. But now it looks like AMD is licking its chops and is considering purchasing the company in a potential merger that has Wall Street all revved up.

Advanced Micro Devices may be looking to buy graphics company ATI Technologies, a move that would benefit the overall graphics industry, according to RBC Capital Markets. “The synergies of this seem consistent with the recent announcements by AMD to significantly increase capacity over the next few-years,” wrote analyst Apjit Walia in a note to investors Wednesday. “We believe ATI is a rare-buy in the semiconductor space right now given the near-term tie-up dynamics.”

It has long been discussed that the graphics-companies are likely to be bought by one of the microprocessor companies, according to Walia. However, for AMD-rival Intel, a partnership with a graphics company may not be the best idea. “This tie-up might make sense for AMD at this juncture but we don’t think Intel should pursue tying-up with graphics companies and should instead look at the communications-space,” said the analyst. Source: Forbes

We Say: This says more about the PC business than it does about graphics, or mergers. ATI is a smart buy because it gives AMD more to offer as the demand for desktops continues to cool down. With consoles and handhelds requiring an array of graphical capabilities, owing the chips is not a bad place to be, but we can’t help but sigh over ATI’s possible acquisition. Those things never go well. Let’s hope Intel leaves nVidia alone.

By Andru Edwards
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Alright peeps, we have yet another opportunity for anyone out there to walk away with an Xbox 360, courtesy of Gear Live. We are looking to see what you guys can come up with in terms of creating a simple video game. We just made one ourselves, and despite not having any previous coding knowledge, we are pretty happy with the way Tennis Challenge turned out. Yeah, it may appear to be a Pong rip, but we made it our own. Now it’s your turn. Here is how it’s gonna go down:

• Download Visual Studio Express. This also enters you in the Upgrade Your Game Sweepstakes.
• Create a game from scratch, or edit one of the game templates that Visual Studio Express gives you.
• Let us know about your game by linking us to it here. All games will be made available for public download.
• The contest ends on June 23, 2006, but seriously, it took us all of ten minutes to create Tennis Challenge. Of course, we want you to do better than we did.
• Gear Live will choose a winner, and that person walks away with a brand new Xbox 360.

Now, this contest is open only to Gear Live members. Of course, signing up is completely free, and takes all of ten seconds. Now, go ahead and get to work on creating a game - we want to see just how creative you guys can be. Oh, and we have this extra Xbox 360 that needs a home.

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

Score one for the browser Opera and for Nintendo by teaming up to offer Web browsing on two new Nintendo platforms - the much admired (but still funny-named) Wii and the updated Nintendo DS Lite. Here are some screenshots of what Opera looks like in a non-PC environment.

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By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

Remember earlier this year when I wrote about Valve’s dispute over Subway ads that appeared on Counter-Strike servers without Valve being consulted? Pretty bad, but there are also many instances of games displaying ads which are “approved” by the publisher. As if that wasn’t bad enough, now MindArk PE AB of Sweden, publishers of the online science-fiction game Project Entropia, is offering a toolkit that allows players to create their own ads and buy time on “billboards” within the game to post them.

Through a PowerPoint-like system, players create animated ads and buy time on the billboards.

So far, the ads have been promoting player-organized in-game events like fashion shows and hunting competitions, as well as businesses like stores and hunting grounds, said Marco Behrmann, MindArk’s directory of player relations.

MindArk also announced a collaboration with New York-based Massive Inc., which distributes ads from companies like The Coca Cola Co. and Warner Bros. for inclusion in more than 100 games. Ads distributed by Massive will show up on billboards in Project Entropia. Source: AP via Yahoo! News

We Say: I keep wondering when I’ll end up logging into a MMORPG game the way I watch a movie in a theatre … you know, with about 10 minutes of ads before I actually see the “feature”?

Alice Adds: The whole make your own ad concept just went south for the Chevy Tahoe. If you didn’t see the Chevey Tahoe Ads (Hilarious) created in conjunction with the TV show The Apprentice, you can imagine what is going to happen here.
–Best of the Chevy Tahoe (User-Created) Ads
–Create Your Own Dummies Books Cover < --Fun
–Can Freezing Your Hard Drive Save the Data?

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

This has to be the week for weird, and overly-hyped product annoucements. First Apple’s big yawn hits us with the ugly HiFi for the iPod and some other non-earth shattering announcements after a much touted secret unveling from Mr. Jobs himself. Then TiVo hints at a super secret announcement that turns out to be nothing more than a parental control system in TiVo’s software platfiom. Zzzzzzz. But this one had us drop from our seats.

The secret new Xbox 360 game announcement today is: table tennis. And the developer: Rockstar Games. Rockstar games, makers of the notorious series of Grand Theft Auto games where you can kick prostitutes to death and steal cars and shoot people - even to the tune of a lawsuit for a hidden sex scene, is rolling out a game on TABLE TENNIS. Say wha dawg? It seems the guys at Rockstar love a little ping pong and so their next title is taking on the little green table - no hos, pimps or guns to be found.

We Say: Talk about a 360 - Pong has come all the way around.

More than a year ago Rockstar San Diego commenced on a game that would take advantage of the Xbox 360’s graphic power and capture the intensity, speed and excitement of Table Tennis. No doubt, there is a certain level of anticipation on Rockstar’s part about the world’s reaction to this slight change of focus. Yet, in the discussion I had with Donovan and from the intense and edgy tone of Rockstar’s Executive Producer and President Sam Houser, I found nothing but purity. These guys mean business. They love the sport, they love the intensity, and they want to make great games. I really do think they want to surprise people, to shock them a little with their direction, their focus, and to cut against the grain of common perceptions. No doubt, with this new game, Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis, they have done all these things. More

By Alice Hill
RealTechNews

Canon is on a roll with some new and smaller video projectors including the first XGA projector based on LCOS technology on the market. Actually, that’s technically on the market in May 2006, but we’ll just sit quietly and drool until then. LCOS stands for Liquid Crystal On Silicon and Canon claims LCOS combined with its proprietary AISYS light engine technology make it the sharpest and most affrodable small projector yet. And the support for WXGA (or wide screen laptops) makes it a double winner in my laptop’s widescreen book.

The affordable X600 is the world’s first LCOS XGA projector. It features new, advanced AISYS technology - with improved light efficiency, uniformity, and expanded color space. At 3500 ANSI lumens, it is one of the brightest, most ultra-portable projectors Canon makes. It also boasts a wide variety of features that make it a versatile and powerful performer in both classroom and conference settings. Its 1.7x Ultra-Wide Zoom Lens with Auto Focus gives you the widest zoom range of any of Canon’s projector lenses. And, its DVI-I terminal lets you project high quality video from satellite and digital cable boxes, as well as DVD players.

The X600’s XGA gives you the crispness of 1024×768 lines of resolution. The REALiS X600’s VGA input supports WXGA (1366×768) which is used in today’s wide screen laptops. This unit also supports High Definition video sources.Source: Canon via Engadget

We Say: When and How Much? And what a waste for boring PowerPoints.

By Michael Santo
Contributing Writer, RealTechNews

If you ask Merrill Lynch, the Sony Playstation 3 could be delayed as much as 6 to 12 months, with an autumn launch in Japan and a U.S. launch in late 2006 or early 2007. Merrill Lynch released a release note late last week about they, and they also speculated that the build cost of the PS3 could be as high as $800 initially, due to the Cell processor and the Blu-ray drive.

However, today Sony flatly denied this report.

“There is no change in our original plan to release the console in spring 2006,” (Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson Kei) Sakaguchi told the press in Tokyo, referring to the company’s only stated goal for the launch so far - namely that the console will appear in at least one territory, most likely Japan, this spring. Source: Eurogamer

Yet another spokesman (unnamed) told the BBC News that there was a possibility for a delay, based on waiting for final industry specs on some hardware, including the Blu-ray drive.

“We’re waiting for them until the last possible minute, but the launch could be pushed back if they’re not decided soon,” the spokesman said. Source: BBC News>

We Say: Two against one in favor of a delay by our count. Personally, I would prefer they take their time, get it right, and ship with adequate supply rather than rush something.