CES 2012 Pre-Thoughts

CES is coming for 2012 and I like to see what comes from the show. Last year it was all about 3D TVs and Android Tablets. This year it looks like tablets and apps on TVs will be some of the big things. I’m sure they will have more 3D TV but some without glasses but I don’t care because I can’t see the 3D.

Android Tablets were big last year but the ones that did come out in 2011 were flops and the main reason was that they were trying to do the old computer trick of having spec wars and charging too much. The iPad dose so good because it is not that expensive and is somewhat of a good device that has a sexy or prestige factor that the Android tablets lack because of marketing by Apple.

If they can make new tablets with Android 4.0 that are good specs and don’t cost over $500-600 then they may work out but if they want to sell lots they need to have it be good spec, Android 4.0 and cost less than $350.

As for the TVs with apps, it looks like they will be running Google TV aka Android TV, but the mistake that the companies are going to make is putting skins on them, they need to look and feel the same. Also Google and the TV companies will need to make deals to get the content producers to make apps to put their content on the system.

With Microsoft also pulling out I don’t see much coming from them, probably some new looks at Windows 8 and a recap of the new video options on Xbox 360. And I’m sure Sony and Nintendo will save most of their big things for games for E3 were I’m sure Microsoft will still have a big setup to pimp there Xbox stuff.

This year I will probably keep looking over some of the blog sites, and check out Twit.tv they have the most raw unorganized look from the floor as if you were there. CNet has some good stuff but it is more organized and almost too setup only with big names.

Wow: Redridge Mountains

So I found out about the World of Warcraft year pass that you get when you subscribe for a year and you get a mount in game and also a copy of Diablo 3. Any way I have been playing a little bit, my hunter that is 85 didn’t seem fun to play so I got on a priest that was level 5. I worked through Elywnn Forest and Westfall to come to Redridge Mountains. From the past the quests were kind of dumb and you would need a group to do some of the higher level quests so when I would get to them I would just try my hand at Duskwood, but since the update I found that the area was fun to play.

When they had the Cataclysm expansion they updated the old original content to add new quests and tweak game play. From what I saw in this area I am liking the changes to some of these area I have done 20-30 times. To start they changed the quests to work in a progression rather than just have a pile of quests that you go out and do. This is keeping in the new areas that have a story rather than just a pile of quests, I didn’t read much of the quests text, seem to have stopped doing that before I got my first guy to level 40 but it was clear that there is a story line and you play though cleaning up the area from the Blackrock orcs.

There new phasing system were as you work through the quests that things change helps with the story because it helps you see that by blowing up that tower did keep the tower blown up and the orcs around it would go away or change in some way making the world more dynamic and not so static.

I have not done any of this with any other players were they may be on a different part of the quest line, and they have made it so that you can do the quests by yourself even when there are elite attacking you by in the case of Redridge you get a elite squad from being captured and then work with them to finish off the boss in the area that is causing the problems.

As for gear and loot they do a good job now all the way from the start to my now level 23 giving out gear that is good, some of the old areas such as these were giving out gear with no stats while the new areas were giving some good stats on them or you would have to go to dungeons to get some of your gear. It helps you work through a level vary easy also, so that you never feel stuck and leveling up even a priest by myself has been fun and not too hard ether.

I plan on playing this guy mostly doing just quests, I was expecting to get him up to a level where I could get into dungeons and just tag along a bunch of them to get my levels but I am enjoying what they have done to make the old world more fun to play.