Computer Support Blog

The video games industry has been experimenting with new business models over the last several years.  These models have included downloadable content to add to already released games as well as “freemium” models where a game is free but users can purchase items or upgrades within a game. However, these models are not foolproof and many game companies have had trouble optimizing their product to get the most out of their market.  Cool person in technology Dr. Dmitri Williams founded his startup NinjaMetrics to give game companies analytic tools that allow them to get the best return on investment for their social games. Read more »

It is hard to gauge just how hyped the public is for certain products.  Whether it’s in tech or entertainment, advertising and press coverage can often be misleading indicators of how much people anticipate an upcoming product.  Cool person in technology Grant Yim founded HypeJar to garner more accurate ideas about how much the public is looking forward to different product releases.  HypeJar does this by aggregating the opinions of everyday consumers itself for insight.  Yim’s website invites users to vote, comment, and tag upcoming products to share their opinions on them.  HypeJar then takes this data and uses it to measure how much “hype” a product actually has.  In theory, one can gain a more accurate idea of the buzz surrounding a product by seeing what users think on HypeJar, rather than what journalists, critics, or advertisers think in their respective bubbles.  For example, while a tech blog may be hyping an upcoming phone release, users may actually be unexcited by it because it seems confusing and would require smartphone tech support just to complete simple tasks. Read more »

Well before the rise of Angry Birds, there was a puzzle game that filled the niche left by Tetris finally waning in popularity.  But while Angry Birds might have captured the public’s attention because of its fun (and merchandisable) animation, many serious gamers who love puzzle games remain enchanted by the game that preceded Angry Birds.  That game is Hexic and it remains as cool as it ever was. Read more »

With the rise of Zynga, a video game developer that has effectively utilized Facebook as a platform for social gaming, traditional video game companies seem to have a lot to worry about.  After all, as Zynga’s market share grows, that company diminishes the market share of other video game companies.  But Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello is not sweating the completion; he has an ace in the hole.  That ace is Gabrielle Toledano. Read more »

Have you ever wondered just what kind of person it takes to design a puzzle game?  Who comes up with things like Rubik’s Cubes and Tetris and Angry Birds?  It takes an incredible, special mind to create a puzzle game that becomes a phenomenon.  Alexey Pajitnov is that exact type of imaginative thinker who can make a brilliant puzzle using only his imagination. Read more »

In the late 1980s, there was a popular game called Laser Tag.  Despite the controversies about it at the time, Laser Tag was remarkably popular with young adults who enjoyed the technology and the physical activity the game required.  As a precursor to paintball, Laser Tag was a safe way for young people to run around shooting one another for live-action play.  Players had a laser sensor and a laser gun.  The object of the game was to shoot your opponent three times (as registered by changing lights on their sensor each time they were “hit”) with the laser gun . . . before they shot you!  Young people played Laser Tag in buildings, woods, and fields, both during the day and at night.   Now, Metalcompass, Ltd. is updating Laser Tag with some new twists with their XAPPR Gun! Read more »

With more and more computer applications designed to take advantage of impressive graphics capabilities that all the latest computers possess, it is more important than ever to invest in good equipment.  “Good equipment,” in this context refers to having a top of the line high-definition monitor.  It is also essential to have a powerful video card to get the most out of both your computer and your monitor.  That is where the Radeon HD 6570 comes in! Read more »

One of the big stories in the technology sector at the end of 2011 was the initial public offering of stock for Zynga.  Zynga, the creator of some of Facebook’s most popular games, was all set to leap into the business of making money off its popularity and the IPO sought to raise billions of dollars for the company.  Amid news reports of other video game companies experiencing financial hardships, the Zynga IPO was viewed by many as catastrophic, with the stock losing value its first few days.  While this might have made a lesser CEO cringe and get out of the game, it was nothing to Mark Pincus. Read more »

There is nothing new about popular companies or brands merchandising their name well outside the product that initially made the company famous, even in the technology sector.  One need look no further than Apple’s early 1980s line of windbreakers and Swiss Army Knives to know that the tech sector, like the media and celebrities, has long tried to make money off baubles unrelated to their technological advances.  As one of the most popular video games on the market for the last few years, one of the biggest licenses to stem from the technology sector is Angry Birds. Read more »

Sometimes, the best ideas come from the ashes of a previous idea that simply did not work out.  When ZeptoLabs began making computer games, the chief programmer worked very hard on a physics software engine.  That engine was programmed to realistically mimic how objects fell based upon a player cutting the ropes that suspended the object.  ZeptoLabs went with a different game mechanic for their first release, Parachute Ninja.  However, the programmer who worked on the initial version of the game thought there might be a way to use that game engine.  That tenacious programmer was Efim Voinov! Read more »