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The thing about any new technology is that there is always a reaction. However, unlike Newton’s law it is rarely an equal reaction. The pendulum swings from fawning to hyper-critical, but it is never measured. I suppose that is what the latest editorial on Engadget is, even though it professes a measured opinion at its outset. As I contemplate my own purchase of an iPad 2 from a few months ago, this ill-informed piece gave me an appropriate catalyst to frame my thoughts. I say ill-informed because by the author’s own admission he has not “invest[ed]” in a tablet. I…
I think I bought the iPad 2 the very early morning that it went on pre-sale. This did not guarantee me an iPad on the first day and in fact I got my iPad a few days after it went on sale at the Apple Stores. Since then the iPad has become a staple electronic in my house. It sits on the couch all day, but it has replaced the Dell mini that preceded it, Camille’s Kindle, and even a laptop for quick lookups. Quite frankly, with some added abilities and better multi-tasking, the iPad could replace even a traditional…
L.A. Noire tells the story of returning war heroes in the 1940s, one still relevant today. The game combines the strength of Rockstar, delivering a realistic world, with new technology that conveys such realism at the human level. With gameplay hinges upon this technology to transmit the slightest tick and tremor of facial expression, the player must determine truth from lie. What lies beneath is a well written tale of good intentions and tragedy in a rapidly changing American city.
Ninja Theory takes a leap in telling a story first and making a game second. With Alex Garland at the helm they succeed in the former without misstepping the latter. Thanks to its well written script and some excellent voice and motion capture work by its actors, directed by Andy Serkis, the characters and their relationships are placed front-and-center as the game slips away to tell a touching story. This very feature is the game’s greatest strength, but also its weakness.
For Tron: Legacy the bar is largely meeting up to the expectations set by the original. The film excels where it follows, in both art direction and providing an able update to the original’s CGI endeavors. Where it missteps however is in adding muddled thematic elements and as it attempts to pair off Mr. Bridges against himself. It is saved however by the rocking score by Daft Punk and its reverence to the original in providing a genuinely fun film.
I had confirmed my internship at the ABA’s Section of Dispute Resolution in April. Starting was a long ways away, June 1st. As with all things though, the date came a lot faster than I expected. A week after exams were finished and I had just dropped off my Law Review submission. A week later and I had just finished my seminar paper. Then I had to move with Camille to a new apartment, shop for a professional attire and pack it all in two days, and all the while figure out where exactly I would be living in DC….
