Only 3

PC gaming is flourishing and becoming more diverse as the months go by, games developers are demanding more and more processing power and added hardware resources from component manufactures. There is a steady stream of essential hardware such as CPU's Graphics cards, RAM and chipsets being released. Constant evolution in hardware is undoubtedly the driving force behind the major developments and noticeable advances in this industry but there is one constant which it dragging it's feet.
Microsoft can rightly claim they make big efforts to enable developers to produce better and better games, this is evident by their constant development of DirectX, even if the updates are far and few between and can at times cause a myriad of compatibility issues.

Gamers that play high end games will always find ways to get the best from their games because they are willing and in most cases enjoy the challenge of configuring the OS to work at optimum performance with games.
If getting the best from Windows require configuring the OS by specifying what services you want to have running; dedicated gamers will do this. It's a laborious task but made easier by applications such as Nlite and you have to know what services to prevent from installing and what ones are essential to smooth operation of your computer.

End users that play mid range games are not going to get the best from their games and this is primarily because they do not have the knowledge or will power to configure Windows step by step.
Their games will have to cope with system resources being hogged by unnecessary services running in the background and this is far more apparent in mid ranged systems, which is what most of these users will have or low range computers sold as a general purpose computers.
Microsoft will always been seen has as a middle of the road OS developer because of this.
By now Microsoft should have developed a tool that is similar to Nlite and more user friendly, I'm sure they already though of this but the biggest possible stumbling block is; having a tool like this would make it clear to most user that a significant amount of the silent applications that come as a part of Windows is rarely needed and only serves to hamper the OS.

Microsoft could have also supplied two versions of Vista in one box set, instead of confusing the public; they could have created a version of Vista which does everything any home or small business user could want, a second version which would essentially be the same but striped of all services but the ones needed to play games and use multimedia applications. This would circumvent the need for the user to heavily customise the OS and allow a better gaming and multimedia experience for people that are not willing to put in the effort with the aim of getting better performance.
Naturally the gaming OS would be quicker to install because of the greatly reduced front print and would be as easy to load as rebooting your PC and choosing the correct OS option.

A third version would be needed, targeted at large scale Enterprise.

Digital Thief

Over the years I've leaned more and more about computer hardware and software, while this has given the knowledge to access valuable resources on the net as well as the means to earn a living, it has also given me the means to acquire almost any digital information that I want.

In particular I as well as many others find it increasing easy to access and obtain copyright data in whatever form that data might takes.

I've been thinking about this for a few months and realised that over the last five years I've stolen thousands of dollars of digital assets in the form of music, film, software and games. The most alarming thing about my thievery is that I would until now rarely think twice about the consequences of my actions or the moral implications.
I am not alone in this casual disregard for the law when it comes to what most see as an extremely minor crime because of the fact; it is so easy to commit and without any apparent victims.

The consequences of obtaining digital properties without paying for them; will become more stark and detrimental as we get more ways to access digital data and more people learn how to acquire digital properties which previously require some technical know how and in some cases, the right contacts on the internet.

It could be argued that we have already reached a critical cross roads but have yet to acknowledge this because we have no methods at present to combat this threat to an ever growing and diverse digital industry.

We have a generation now growing up that will largely believe; there is little moral or social consequences to acquiring whatever copyright digital properties from the net because they can claim “everyone does it” and this is true in the broad sense of the term.
I'm sure that in most homes with computers and internet access; people give space consideration to downloading a song or watching copyright content on sites such as Youtube.
I've had a look at the software and other digital content that I have on my computer and most of it is legal. This is not because I made a concerted effort to stop downloading copyright content but because lately I've found it easier to acquire freeware as opposed to what should be “paid for software”.
I have no copyright music on my computer because my portable media player is currently not working and I can listen to good quality music on sites such as Seeqpod.

I do however have a few copyright games on my computer, this is because you are unlikely to get freeware games that are of the same quality that big name game developers can produce. I'm probably most unrepentant about Illegally downloading games because I'm rarely satisfied with any game and see little point in wasting my money on something that I will inevitably be disappointed with.

Although I would not say that I am remorseful for the digital assets I've stolen, it does concern me that we take such a liberal and defeatist attitude towards a practice which we will have to tackle because of the negative social implications of it's continual appeasement.

The infringement of digital copyright is certainly not the most pressing of moral dilemmas but if this aberration is not addressed quickly and the most determined mindset; it will in the near future be near impossible to halt it's proliferation.

Stroke it, Caress it, Worship it

When I first heard of the Iphone; I was pessimistic of it's potential success and application. I expected it to appeal in the most to Apple devotes and people who just want the latest gadget.

I did not consider the sophisticated marketing machine which Apple can unleash at a moments notice and without a doubt the seductive features that the Iphone posses.

I do not have an Iphone but I want one, I have no practical use for it at present because I already have a phone and I have a Windows Mobile PDA. Granted Windows Mobile cannot be labelled as reliable, robust, efficient or even user friendly but if you are a gluten for punishment as I am; you can get it to work with minimal frustration about 25% of the time.

Sure the Iphone does not have access to a huge catalogue of varied applications as Windows Mobile devices do but it does have a team of people behind it who appear to be much more focused on giving users a satisfying and intuitive experience rather beating you down until you are willing to be greatful to get even 30 minutes of uninterrupted use from expensive toy.

The Iphone has one huge and unrivalled selling point which no manufacturer has come close to addressing let alone attempting to compete against it.

This alluring pocket pc, which is first and foremost because it is primarily a computer which has the features of a cell phone.

This ultra mobile computer has fetish appeal, yes few people will admit that more than having the opportunity to brag they have an Iphone; they relish the pleasure of caressing and interacting with such a charismatic gadget.

This gem from apple has bought more glamour and fascination into the Apple world than any other product and the bewitchery is not fleeting.

I fully expect Apple to exploit the beguiling appeal of the Iphone and make it a gateway to their more expensive and aspirational cast of electronic starts.

It is not a far fetched notion to theorise that the Iphone in the near future, can be the hub of the consumer technology experience.

We all like to have access to many different electronic and computing devices in our homes but a lot of us would like just one device that can control everything. Apple's dazzling gem has a realistic chance of do this and more.

With the release of the SDK and people's willingness to embrace any offerings from this not visionary but certainly savvy company; they have a clear and unchallenged path to establishing the Iphone as the first choice device for managing the ever growing mountain of technology we are so fond of accumulating.

Evolution no more

With the dismal and unsatisfying edition of the latest PES, I believe that the team behind the series should seriously consider getting some fresh input from other sources. By this I mean they should look to people that actually play football, I saw a documentary featuring Shingo Takatsuka and some of the main developers of the PES series.

They referred to watching a lot of football in order to gain the required knowledge to further improve the franchise.

While being an avid spectator is essential for attempting to emulate the beautiful game, this is no substitute for gaining inspiration as a result of playing the game competitively even it's just at an amateur level.

I strongly believe that the PES team as done all it can to further the series and it is apparent; they should look to passing the reins to people who truly have an inherit passion for football.

I am sceptical that the team behind the series know what it's like to wake up in the mornings, readying for school with only one thought on your mind, that is to get to school as quickly as possible with enough to time to have a kick around before classes start. To wolf down your lunch just to have enough time to get in a couple of games and of course to eagerly anticipate the end of the school day relishing one last chance to play football for those last few hours before it gets dark and you have to submit to the irritating and sensible rule which parents have of requiring you to be in doors after night fall.

It is commendable how much creativity and realism Shingo Takatsuka and his team has put into the series however the time has come for them to look to apply their expertise to some other project. I can only believe they have exhausted their imaginations and have ceased to be grounded and as such, lack what it takes to fend off a resurging and confident EA.

Games fans, myself included; are a greedy and demanding lot. We require; better, faster, more realist while also wanting games to satisfy our primary need of delivering instant gratification and barrels of fun.

We got very little of this from the last offering of PES and we want double helpings in the next release, we are unlikely to get it but there is still a chance of PES making a revival in 2010.
If Konami fails to realise this and refuses to acknowledge that EA has made huge leaps in the quality of their football franchise and is now the real evolution in football games; in three to four years time; Fifa will be the only choice because it'll be bloody brilliant if EA continue on the visionary road they have embarked.