Google’s GBuy hopes to topple PayPal giant

Link: Tech News on ZDNet

Looks like Google has an upcoming online payment system called GBuy that could eventually rip control of online payments from eBay's PayPal system (if you didn't already know, eBay purchased PayPal back in 2002 for 1.5 million dollars).

"Google's payment system, as a result, holds the potential to monitor which paid-search results users click on and of that group, which ones turn into actual sales. With that information, Google may find itself in the enviable position of being able to identify which categories bring in the highest return on investment for advertisers," Rohan stated.

GBuy's biggest strength comes from the combination of Google's search and comparison shopping functionality and it's deep statistical analysis that can track traffic funnelling and goal conversion (this ability is impressively Urchin-like mostly due to the fact that Google bought Urchin last year–but you already knew that, didn't you?). Combine this functionality with the already-established AdSense, and you have a grasp of just how big GBuy could be.

One problem that Google faces in getting people to adopt GBuy would specifically be in eBay, where the only online payment option is eBay's PayPal system, and that isn't likely to change. Google would have a hard time muscling their way into that market, but could at the very least eventually make PayPal an eBay exclusive service, which–if it controls everything else–wouldn't actually be all that bad. Especially when you take into consideration that back in 2002, about 60% of PayPal's business came from eBay. What would that number be now, 70%? 80%? More? Does anyone use PayPal for anything other than eBay auctions? Google could easily lock up all other online transactions within GBuy within two years.

Apple is NOT going to buy Nintendo

I can’t provide a single link because there’s so many news sites “reporting” on this. The originating article can be found on Crave, a tech blog over at CNet UK. The originating article also makes sweeping assumptions based on zero fact and only partially possible rumors. It’s basically a gigantic “wouldn’t it be great if…?” article, and it’s pathetic that so many other sites are linking this pile of emptiness. However, from around the global blogosphere, the best quote from any article covering this “news” can be found at Valleywag, courtesy of Nick Douglas:

It’d be the Brangelina of technology — they’re both so goddamn sexy, everyone fantasizes about them getting it on.

That’s pretty much the long and short of it. The only reason this topic keeps coming up is because so many people want it to happen so very badly. They see how similar the two companies’ business models are, how they both attempt to bring in new consumers to expand the market with new ideas and fresh products, and they desire to see these two companies “get it on” (in a corporate manner, of course).

It’s not going to happen. Why? Because no matter how much money gets thrown at Nintendo’s shareholders, Yamauchi is still the chairman of the board. If you know anything about Yamauchi, you know the man will not sell the company to an American corporation.

Sorry, folks. Keep dreaming. According to Valleywag, there’s still hope:

In fact, the celebrity tryst aura (as explained on the Beeb show, Coupling: If enough people fantasize about two celebrities having sex, they’ll be drawn to each other) makes iNintendo a certainty.

Yep. There’s still hope…

Take-Two taking ‘strong look’ at Wii

Link: Next Generation

"The positive [aspect] for us is that we haven't been a big player in the Nintendo platform," said Eibeler. "The reception that [the Wii] received at the E3 show is one that makes us take a real strong look at it. As we grow our sports business, there are opportunities with our sports games to extend them to the Wii system, particularly if you look at baseball, where we have an exclusive arrangement, as well as some of the other sports games that would play extremely well on the Wii product.

"…And some of the 2K products will be, [that is,] have an opportunity on the Wii. It's really a late '07, '08 opportunity for us, but it presents an additional revenue stream that we didn't have before."

It's a great time to be a Nintendo fan these days, isn't it?

Google CEO calls Googlers to act for Net Neutrality

Link: Google

Net Neutrality is a serious issue. It's why we have the link on the right to SaveTheInternet.com. That's why it's great to see Google head honcho Eric Schmidt throw his support on the side of the regular internet user.

Granted, Google's support has less to do with internet freedom and more to do with the fact that telcoms controlling access to the internet gets directly between Google and their advertising money. But we need big guns on our side. The telcoms have big enough guns on theirs.

So, contact your representatives! Tell them to represent YOU! That's why you hired them! Tell them to just say NO to greedy telcoms charging even MORE money for your internet access.

Jon Favreau answers Iron Man questions on MySpace

Link: MySpace.com

Now this is a very welcome discovery. 4 Color Rebellion has found out that newly-assigned director of the upcoming Iron Man movie setup a MySpace account for fans of the movie to flock to. Not only that, but is answering–and asking–questions of the fans to get a better idea of what direction the audience wants the movie to go. Favreau even went so far as to start a villains suggestions thread for people to post their thoughts of who Tony Stark should be up against.

Now that's what I call getting user feedback.

Thanks for the crack, NC Soft…I was missing that

So, I check my email today and LO AND BEHOLD, there's a message from the crack dealers over at NC Soft letting me know that–out of the kindness of their evil hearts–they have reactivated all inactive accounts for the next week so people who have left the game can come back and try out the new issue 7 content.

So what am I doing right at this moment?

Yes. That's right. After a solid five months away from the blasted infernal beast, I'm downloading all the patches I've missed and I'm getting back into the game for a couple of days.

I hate you NC Soft. With every hero-loving bone in this wretched shell of mine.

I'll see you in a few months.

Wii virtual console games between $5 to $10

Link: Ars Technica

Sounds like a fair price to me. Especially when compared to how Microsoft is handling things on their Xbox Live Marketplace/Arcade service:

Retro gaming may prove to be a big boon for Nintendo. Microsoft's Xbox Live Marketplace has already captured the attention of many gamers with games costing 400 to 1,200 Microsoft "points," which translates to US$5 to US$12.50. Nintendo's pricing is roughly competitive with Microsoft's, but the ability to launch with a massive library of retro games could easily overshadow Microsoft's service, which has been anemic in terms of new titles since launch (though we wait in anticipation for Paperboy, Contra, and others). Are gamers more likely to buy Zuma for US$10, or Majora's Mask?

The sale day of Wii, as for announcement of price September

Link: Famitsu (horrendously translated from Japanese to English by Google)

Don't even bother attempting to read through that translated page. I think I understood it better when it was in Japanese. Evidently, according to gaming sites with more reliable translation sources, Nintendo is planning to announce the official Wii launch date and price sometime in September. Nintendo had already announced at E3 that the Wii would be available sometime in Q4 of 2006, so why they are choosing to wait until September to make the final announcement doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Regarding the WiiConnect24 service, Satoru Iwata had this to say:

Even me edge giving of technician. As for the clean picture you are moved very by charm. When so it tries to actualize that, the size of hard becomes large, it turns the fan noisily, development expense of the software soars, all commodities keep converting to Daisaku. It cannot develop either the service like Wii Connect24. In brief you think that balance is important. New technology is thrown somewhere, here the importance.

I have absolutely no clue what he just said.

Nintendo also announced that there is a version of Pokemon being developed for the Wii that will have some sort of online functionality and will also connect with the DS version of the game, due out later this year.

Another interesting item to note is that the Wii will definitely act as some sort of DS 'kiosk', allowing DS owners to download demos and fresh content wirelessly via their Wii console and the WiiConnect24 service. I don't care about this because I don't plan to get a DS myself, but I'm sure someone will find it interesting. Someone like a DS owner.

I'm sure there's more nifty information buried beneath all that kanji and hiragana, but I can't really dig it out for you. Sorry.

Nintendo planning Wii IM service?

Link: Go Nintendo

A very interesting patent application has resurfaced just today, not exactly sure why. It was originally filed back in November of 2000, but has received an update on June 6th, 2006.

A messaging system includes a web server computer and at least two video game systems. Each game system is configured to connect to the web server computer via the Internet and to communicate status data indicative of an activity engaged in by a user thereof. The web server computer generates a session file indicative of user status and the status of each of two or persons on a buddy list of the user.

It's possible that this was a system originally designed for the GameCube, but due to Nintendo's reluctance to enter the online market on the GC, it may yet see the light of day on the WiiConnect24 service. Only time will tell for sure, however, given Nintendo's frame of mind regarding how to manage their online gaming community, it's rather more likely that this is just something that will end up fading into obscurity. As much as I would absolutely adore this sort of system from Nintendo, I don't see them letting their guard down and supporting an IM system anytime soon.

But we can hope.