To Evolve

It is a universal constant, perhaps the only universal constant that we as sentient beings can rely on, that things are going to change. There is absolutely nothing we can do to stop this phenomenon. There are too many variables, too many people, and too little time for any one person to stem the tides of change and progress. Even on an atomic scale, we are subject to a billion changes over the course of the day. The best thing that we can hope to do in response to such a harsh and unforgiving reality is to adapt, to attempt to recognize the coming changes and to alter our plans and actions accordingly. You have been doing this all your life, really. You have done it so much, in fact, that it takes reminders or reflection to realize that change is an absolute. It is a reigning factor in not only your day but also in the great overall, the big picture. Really, we are beings not of stasis but of absolute change.

As our environment changes, so too do we. As we change, so too do our constructs, our society, and our plans of action regarding how we approach these things. The onset of the Internet has done some amazing things for industries as diverse as manufacturing and entertainment are to one another. One of these things the Internet has done is to bring our entertainment directly to the consumer, and it seems that this practice has bled out into the real world. Redbox, the popular DVD rental kiosk in the United States has been a major player in the film business for the past few years. They are looking to move further into the entertainment realm by integrating video game rentals into their business model. For more information, please visit mlive.

Moving Forward

We live in a world where nothing, absolutely nothing, stands still. This is not merely accounting for the fact that we have around-the-clock businesses and services. This is a certain aspect, sure, but there is a little bit more to it than just that. Change is around us at all times, around us and throughout us all. We change not only as people as time goes on, but witness changes to our environment every single day. Popular fads come and go in the blink of an eye. A tragedy one day evolves into a triumph the next. Sports championships are won and lost and contested and won all over again. Even down to the cellular and atomic levels, there is no such thing as a static moment. It can be argued that the only constant in this life is indeed that it will change at some point. Some changes are radical, some are subtle. Some are necessary while some happen without need or warning. That is just the way things work sometimes.

In the technology field, change is not only a constant but also a great necessity. With the way the world progresses and changes, our technology must keep up. Everything needs to evolve somehow or else it ceases to be relevant, and this is doubly true for the tech world. Take video games, for instance. Every five years or so, we see a shift in the paradigm: new consoles, new titles, and new technology for us to play with. Now, it seems that this shift is starting anew. GameStop, the biggest video game retailer in the world, has announced plans to manufacture a tablet PC in an effort to bring gaming to the tablet world. For more information, please visit IT World.

A New Realm

Digital marketing and digital retail are quickly becoming facets of our culture. Now, nearly every one of you reading this right now has utilized an Internet marketplace such as Amazon, Craigslist or eBay to buy or sell goods. This is now a staple of the Internet experience, yes, but it is not exactly what we are talking about here. No, we are talking digital proliferation of the product, a full business exchange that sees payment for services or products rendered alongside the actual delivery of the product. Many media outlets, such as Hulu and Netflix, provide this for free or for a nominal fee. Streaming content and members-only exclusives are quickly becoming a popular aspect of the television and film marketing world. As well, even books and literary content have seen a move toward this method of operation, with eReaders such as the nook and the Kindle. It seems that the wave of the future will be an on-demand one.

Now, that leaves many with one question: where are video games in this whole mess? Well, they are getting in on the fun as well. Platforms such as Steam and OnLive have pioneered the delivery of streaming video games over the Internet. As well, services such as Xbox Live Arcade have allowed users to download titles to their machines for some time. These moves were seen by many as the beginning of the death-knell of physical video game sales. However, the old adage ‘if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em’ is certainly apt in the situation regarding GameStop. The popular video game retailer has recently unveiled a move toward streaming video game content, including from their stories via kiosks.

Gaming for Tomorrow

Every indication of the future of technology, at least in the consumer sense, is pointing toward the cloud. What is the cloud, you say? Imagine that every program on your computer, all of your data and settings and preferences, were being stored not on the computer you are usuing, but on third-party servers thousands of miles away. In this way, the entire computing experience is on-demand, with every computer becoming something of a kiosk, a way to access everything that you need whenever you need it. While some privacy issues have understandably come up, there is a great deal to be excited about here. Companies such as Google and Amazon are testing the waters of this new technology and it seems that the public is warming up to the idea of an on-demand computing and Internet experience.

As well, the world of gaming is setting up to be the next big adopter of the cloud computing trend. OnLive, an on-demand gaming service that stores and renders games on cloud servers, streaming games directly to the user over the Internet. Introduced in the summer of 2010, OnLive has gained quite the reputation for having not only impressive service and an expanding array of titles, but also for a lack of technical issues that would be endemic to a streaming service. Expect to hear a great deal more about this service as 2011 draws on, as over 20 video game publishers (such as Warner Bros and Ubisoft) have struck deals to present their games over OnLive.