Tech Brew Ride Home - Mon. 06/10 - The New Xbox Looks Like a Beast

Starting point is 00:00:00 On April 4th, 2023, around 2 in the morning, a man was found stabbed multiple times on a sidewalk in downtown San Francisco. Hey, who did this to you? What happened next turned the story into a political firestorm. Reports have identified the victim as Bob Lee, the founder of Cash App. From Bloomberg Podcasts, this is Foundering, the Killing of Bob Lee, beginning April 16. Welcome to the TechMeme right home for Monday, June 10th, 2019. I'm Brian McCullough. Today, the next generation Xbox sounds like it's going to be a beast.

Starting point is 00:00:44 Salesforce buys tablo. Apple might buy a self-driving car startup. We finally get some details on Quibi, and does Broadway want to jump on the streaming video bandwagon? Here's what you miss today in the world of tech. E3 is gaming's biggest conference of the year. It's this week, and Microsoft decided to kick things off with a briefing that made a lot of news, beginning with some details of its next-generation Xbox console, which right now is codenamed Project Scarlet. And this does seem to be next-gen, indeed.

Starting point is 00:01:23 Whatever Project Scarlet will be, it will apparently support 8K gaming. We'll reportedly be four times as powerful as the Xbox 1X, thanks to a custom-designed CPU based on AMD's Zen 2. and radion RDNA architecture, and it might be coming as soon as fall of 2020. The system will also use GDDR6 RAM, which Microsoft says will usher in resolution and frame rates we've never seen before. Indeed, quoting Tom Warren from The Verge. Frame rates of up to 120 frames per second in games, ray tracing, and variable refresh rate support. Microsoft is also using an SSD on Project Scarlet. We've created a new generation of SSDs. We're using the SSD as virtual RAM, says an Xbox spokesperson in an unveiling video.

Starting point is 00:02:12 This should boost performance by over 40% over the current generation, according to Microsoft, and that will mean games load a lot faster, end quote. Halo Infinite will apparently also launch alongside the Project Scarlet console, so aptly ringing in the next generation in the proper way, indeed. But wait, there's more. Microsoft also launched Xbox GamePass Ultimate, which gives access to PC and Xbox games for $15 a month and includes Xbox Live Gold. Quoting Tom Wren again. That's a great deal if you play PC and Xbox games, as Xbox Game Pass has a number of different titles for both PC and consoles.

Starting point is 00:02:54 Separately, Xbox GamePass for PC is available at $9.99 per month, Xbox Live Gold at $9.99 per month, and Xbox GamePas. GamePass for Xbox at $9.99 per month. That's a combined separate total of $29.97. So the ultimate deal is a saving of around $15 per month if you want all three of Microsoft's subscriptions, end quote. The Xbox GamePass's ultimate subscription is already live on Microsoft's website. So head over there and check that out. But wait, there's more. Microsoft has been teasing its Project Xcode game streaming service recently as well, and more details on that today. It's going to let users stream their Xbox One library, including Xbox GamePass, to many different devices, and a preview of this is coming in October. Quoting again, this new streaming service appears to be an expansion on what Microsoft has been using to stream Xbox games with any local network, and it will stream your games from your console to anywhere. Microsoft has also been testing the X-Cloud service with Xbox wireless controllers connected to consoles, mobile devices, and PCs. While X-Cloud was briefly mentioned on stage, Microsoft still isn't providing any dates or pricing for its service, end quote.

Starting point is 00:04:13 Well, Jez Corden at Windows Central, got hands-on with Project XCloud at the event and says, it's insane. He played Halo 5 on the local convention Wi-Fi network and said there was a slight lag, some artifacting, but considering the data center servicing him, the game was hundreds of miles away, he was super impressed with the overall experience. Quote, you could certainly tell you were playing over an internet connection. It seems Microsoft has yet to figure out how to circumvent the laws of physics to that end. But if I were to compare the latency, it was far less aggressive than simply turning off game mode on my Q-led TV. Aiming and trigger pools were right where you'd need them to be responsive and precise. I had wondered if the more difficult fight against the hunters

Starting point is 00:04:59 in that early Halo 5 segment would have been tough to get through on the X cloud, but nope, getting around the back and popping precise shots into the orange, wormy, weak points was a breeze. Quite truly, I was left stunned, end quote. And Microsoft announced it will begin shipping its new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 in November for 180 bucks, quoting Tom Warren, There are new adjustable tension thumbsticks that can be adjusted using a tool to improve precision. The trigger grips have also been updated alongside redesigned bumpers and shorter hairlocks so you can fire faster. Even the paddles and thumbsticks have been overhauled for more customization. Microsoft has even included USBC support and Bluetooth and a rechargeable battery that lasts for up to 40 hours per charge.

Starting point is 00:05:47 It looks like the controller design has been updated to include a wraparound rubberized grip to end quote. And finally, Microsoft used the event to announce that they have acquired Double Fine Productions, the studio responsible for games like Psychonauts and Broken Age. As tends to be the case, Microsoft says Double Fine will continue to work largely independently, and they celebrated the announcement by demoing a trailer for Psychonauts 2, which is coming to Xbox Game Pass, Xbox 1, and PC soon. From a smallish acquisition to a pretty major one, Salesforce is buying data visualization company Tablo for $15.7 billion all in stock.

Starting point is 00:06:30 That represents a huge premium on the $10.79 billion tablo was valued at at the close of trading Friday. You might remember that Google bought analytics startup looker last week for $2.6 billion, so this is Salesforce's stab into the data visualization toolkit, quoting Ingrid London in The Verge. This is a huge deal for Salesforce as it continues. used to diversify beyond CRM software and into deeper layers of analytics. The company reportedly worked hard to, but ultimately missed out on buying LinkedIn, which Microsoft picked up instead, and while there isn't a whole lot in common between LinkedIn and Tableau, this deal is also about extending engagement with the customers that Salesforce already has. This also looks like a move

Starting point is 00:07:14 designed to help bulk up against Google's move to buy Looker announced last week, although I'd argue that analytics is a big enough area that all major tech companies that are courting enterprises are getting their ducks in a row in terms of squaring up to stronger strategies and products in this area. It's unclear whether and if the two deals were made in response to each other, end quote. And on to a rumored acquisition, which may or may not even take place, and while not at all official, is still interesting nonetheless because of who the rumors are about. Mark German says that Apple might buy Drive AI, a self-driving car startup that has raised around $77 million and was valued at $200 million back in 2017.

Starting point is 00:08:02 But Gorman says this likely is about talent, not technology, basically in Aquahire. Drive AI has been for sale for a while and the startup has struggled to gain traction, according to a person familiar with the firm. It has a limited number of pilot tests, one contract with Frisco, Texas, was not renewed after the city cited high costs, Ventra Beat reported in March. There may only be a handful of specialists from the startup who can help Apple because the tech giants driverless vehicle technology is already way ahead of drive AIs, the person added. They asked not to be identified discussing private matters, end quote.

Starting point is 00:08:44 A couple of stories related by Google and by driving. Google Assistant has now officially rolled out on the Ways app on Android phones in English in the U.S. quoting the official Google blog. Many of your favorite ways features, like reporting traffic, pinpointing a pothole, or checking for alternate routes, can also be accessed simply by using your voice. Just say, hey, you know, report traffic or, hey, avoid tolls. When navigating with ways and your Google Assistant will help keep you connected, informed, and minimize distractions while you're on the go, so you can keep your hands on the wheel and your eyes on the road, end quote. And according to XDA developers, Google seems to be testing a new feature for Google Maps in India that alerts users anytime their taxi or just the vehicle they're riding in goes off route by at least 500 meters.

Starting point is 00:09:39 Quote, besides ensuring your safety, the feature should also help you avoid being tricked by a cab driver while traveling to an unfamiliar part of the city. As expected, your route won't get rerouted automatically. as it would otherwise when you're heading out on the wrong road. Of course, apart from when you're riding a cab, the feature should also be of use if you're driving yourself, end quote. Remember Quibi, that dark horse in the streaming wars that is focused on short form mobile video and was founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg and Meg Whitman and has already raised a billion dollars in funding. Well, we have a few more details on the service, including the fact that it will officially launch April 6th, 2020. Also, I've learned that Quibi is short for QuickBites, which introduces

Starting point is 00:10:34 the horrifying notion that it's actually pronounced Quibbi. But good luck with that, because if you look at the name, it clearly reads Quibi. Anyway, quoting Variety. The company currently has projects in the works from A-listers like Yermo del Toro, Antoine Fuqua, and Sam Ramey. Each series is expected to be two to four hours in length, with each one divided into segments that will be no longer than 10 minutes each. According to Katzenberg, the service will have two pricing tiers at launch. The first will cost $4.99 with one pre-roll ad before each video segment. A 10-second ad if the video is less than five minutes and a 15-second ad for five to 10-minute videos. The ad-free option will cost $7.99 a month.

Starting point is 00:11:21 Whitman also said they expect to have approximately 7,000 pieces of content available within the first year. In terms of programming strategy, they said they are pursuing a range of products, but that they will be diving deeply into viewership data as soon as it is available to better focus their slate. I said to Meg that until day one, every decision we make around content will be driven by instinct, Katsenberg said. Minutes after launch, everything will be driven by data, end quote. Katsenberg also went in depth on the financials of a Quibi series. Quibi will pay costs plus 20% up to $6 million an hour. The Fouqua production currently in production, titled Hashtag Free Ray Sean,

Starting point is 00:12:03 will be approximately two and a half hours long with a $15 million budget, end quote. Also, apparently two versions of each show produced will exist, the first of which will be the Quibi version, divided into those five to ten minutes segments. Quibi will own that version for seven years. But the creator can also edit together a full, length version of their show, and after two years, the creator is free to sell it to whomever they want. Quibi really seems to believe in this sort of short segment thing that it's the future, but it is such a weird hoop to force everyone to jump through. What's the over-under on how soon

Starting point is 00:12:43 it'll be that they just throw all that out and just make normal length videos? Finally today, were still on the streaming front, but in an area that I had never thought of. Broadway HD is a startup that offers on-demand streaming of Broadway shows. Quote, for a monthly price of $8.99, Broadway HD now offers more than 300 shows and 750 hours of programming, available on a variety of digital platforms, including Roku and Google Play. As many as 10 new shows are being added each month. It all would seem to add up to a tantalizing option for the millions of Broadway fans,

Starting point is 00:13:23 on their way to and from New York or those who will never make a visit in the first place, end quote. The overall plan for Broadway HD is that it is financing the production and recording of the shows that it currently offers, but in the future hopes to record and license the streaming of perhaps first run shows as well. Some say this is a way for Broadway to keep up with the times. But at the same time, Broadway is doing better than ever. 14.8 million tickets were sold last season. Box office receipts topped $1.8 billion. Both of those represent all-time records. Why? Well, might it be that in this infinite selection, instant gratification media landscape, live events are rare and valuable as a commodity.

Starting point is 00:14:14 We hear that all the time about live sports. Here's the bear argument against what Broadway HD is trying to do, quote, if it ain't broke, don't disrupt it. Live events are a holy grail for entertainment companies in a disposable time-shifted world. One reason Broadway keeps shattering records. Why, the naysayers ask, would anyone who has this risk eroding it for a few extra dollars, end quote? Indeed, Broadway producers have long been afraid of diluting the immediacy of their unique product experience. There's a reason why a movie version of Hamilton is likely years and years away. But the founders of Broadway HD are eager to get first-run shows on their platform by arguing that their service can only broaden the Broadway audience overall and even

Starting point is 00:15:04 possibly serve as a greater marketing driver for the real live thing. Quote, we look at it like sports. Just because a team is playing at a stadium doesn't mean millions of people won't watch it on TV. One of the founders is quoted as saying, they'll come to some games and then watch the others. We will lose some people, but we will gain a lot more, end quote. I don't know, man. If it's not live, then it's not theater. It's not a show, right? A filmed thing? That's a movie. Won't you risk destroying the very essence of the very thing that you're doing, but what do I know? So a few weeks ago, when I had some ad slots to fill, I reached out and a whole bunch of you responded. You've already heard the two ads that, you've already heard the two ads

Starting point is 00:15:53 that got filled by that reach out. But at the same time, a handful of you reached out because you were looking for work and wanted to know if you could buy an ad slot to just basically put your audio resume out there. Well, as you heard when I responded to you, thank you, by the way, for reaching out. But the slots were filled, as I said right away. It did get me thinking, though, and I'm not sure any other podcasts have experimented with this. let me know if they have, but would there be room for a sort of classifieds segment on this podcast? It's sort of a weird idea, but maybe it would be valuable for those of you in the Mutant

Starting point is 00:16:34 Podcast Army to reach out to others in the Mutant Podcast Army. Now, I'm not even sure this is something that would work entirely, and if it's not something that would be useful to anybody, then it's not even worth experimenting with. The only way I could imagine doing it would be if we did it at the very end of a show, maybe after this part, after the music stops even. But I don't know. Would that even be valuable to read two or three or four listeners submitted classifieds, I guess, for smaller app and project announcements for requests like job openings or announcing you're available for hire or something like that? I'm literally just putting this out there. Check the

Starting point is 00:17:18 subreddit at R slash right home because I put a post up. they're soliciting feedback on this idea. As I say, I don't even know if it would work or if I'll even try to do it, but I was surprised by the amount of requests I did get to get word out about little things like this. So I figured why not see if there is a larger problem here to solve? So let me know in the subreddit and talk to you tomorrow.

Tech Brew Ride Home - Mon. 06/10 - The New Xbox Looks Like a Beast

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