It’s mainly a gaming rig, so first it’s looking at  the video card hierarchy on Tom’s Hardware.  Then there is the requisite visit to the system guides on Ars Technica.  Then there’s window shopping for components on Newegg.  Maybe even a shopping list that gets created.

This process has repeated itself a couple of times over the last couple of months and it’s maddening.  Then comes the reading.  Dozens of articles to catch up with CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage advances that have come about since the last time I built a machine.

It’s approaching two years since I’ve built a new machine and I’m very much filled with the desire to build something new before I jump on the Windows 7 party bus.  There is a feeling of accomplishment after successfully putting together a working machine.  It’s something tangible.

Although ultimately, I may just scrap the whole project, pump two more gig of RAM into the rig, slap in a couple of larger, faster hard drives, configure RAID 0, install Windows 7 and then call it a day.

Microsoft Tag

Microsoft Tag.  It’s a way for your phone to interact with a physical object, in this case printed material.

In a nutshell, you aim your Microsoft Tag iPhone app (bizarro world, here we are) at one of these “tags” and then it does. . .  something.  If it’s a website, then it browses there, if it’s a phone number, it dials out.  If it’s a text message, then I guess it just displays the text message.  There are apps for other phones as well, but the iPhone seems suited to this task.

Is this a big deal?  I thought that was the whole point behind QR codes in Japan.

To the right is a QR code.  You may have seen them before.

In 1994.

QR Code

While the idea is pretty interesting, I’m still trying to decide whether or not it’s useful.  I guess with our phones finally catching up with the internet, they may have some use, eventually.

I did, however, create a “tag” with this website’s address  embedded in it.

So I’ve got that covered, at least.

Update:  More research and some thoughts.

QR Codes:

QR Codes are “open” in the sense that Denso Wave, the patent holders, don’t exercise their patent rights. QR Codes look like the inevitable “Binary Future.”  They can also hold binary data, although it’s a limited amount.

MS Tags:

Microsoft tags can “expire” anytime that Microsoft wants them to.  And, this may only be my opinion, but Tags look like a graphic designer vomited a bunch of triangles.  Microsoft’s tag generator only creates pdf, xps, and wmf.  I had to open this in paint and then save it as a png so I could embed it here.

However, you can password protect them.  Which is interesting.  I can see the application in an ARG, but not in terms of a business wanting people to access their website.  Or people wanting to share information.

Google has an API for generating QR codes.

It does online gameplay correctly.  (I’m pointing at you, Sony.)

Netflix is “in the box.”  It’s how I watched, Lust, Caution.

What they did not do well was the actual physical hardware.  You may recall I had the infamous Red Rings of Death failure on my xbox 360 last year.  This year, it’s a different failure.

The console at this point is refusing to read discs.  This is even including discs that are fresh out of the package, and going straight into the drive.  It’s rather maddening.

I can’t even install them to the hard drive, because about eighty percent of the way through the process, the console will claim that the disc is dirty or scratched.  At this point, the console will suggest that I clean the disc with a soft cloth.

I’ve even run a lens cleaner, just in case, but to no avail.  The drive is just plain refusing to read discs correctly.  Thankfully, I did manage to install a couple of games to the hard drive.  So far, the disc can be read enough to prove that I own the game.  However, a brand new game out of the package (Banjo Kazooie Nuts & Bolts, for those of you playing the home game) will not install, and fail at approximately eighty five percent.

Every time.

It’s rather maddening.

Thankfully, I was a late adopter to the 360, so I did purchase an extended warranty from the retailer.  It’s coming into play now because while Microsoft did extend the warranty in cases of the RRoD, this drive issue is not covered by them.

I guess I can finally start playing some games on that other console, maybe I can get hit on by some more guys.

Total casualties:

1. Logitech PlayStation2 USB Headset
   This headset just will not be recognized, no matter which USB port I plug it into. Other headsets work fine. Thankfully, I had a spare, so impromptu City of Heroes / City of Villains session was only marginally interrupted.
2. SanDisk Cruzer 512MB USB Key
   Recognized by my MBP, not recognized on various ports on my XP box. Thus, nearly useless.
3. XBOX 360
   Started out by not booting. Not even the 360 logo would come up. Then booting, but crashing when loading levels in Overlord. Then booting, loading levels in Overlord, and crashing when saving games. Finally, the Red Rings of Death.

The 360 did boot one last time to the dashboard. This was followed by a frantic copying of Morgan’s user profile to the memory unit.

That was its final act.

I think the worst part about this whole thing is that I’m not angry. The 360 has been doing strange things for the six months I’ve owned it. Disc Unreadable Errors in the middle of gameplay and seemingly random freezes, have basically desensitized me to the final reality that my 360 is bricked.

All I have to say is, “Well played Peter Moore, well played.”

Now I have to decide what to do with my plastic brick. I could send it to MS, and wait possibly a few weeks to get it back. Or, I could just go down to Target and replace it immediately, considering I opted for an extended warranty with them for $30.

Neither of the two options is very appealing. My tale of woe begins.

Crafted by three interns at Microsoft, this is the sort of thing that redeems my Xbox 360 experience after I lose some gameplay due to a disc read error.

The game is fun, features cooperative multiplayer (both local and over Xbox Live),  and is simple enough for pick up and play for anyone.

Did I mention that it’s fun?