Thursday, November 14th, 2013

The world of digital comics

by Warren

Comics, like the rest of the publishing industry, have undergone a huge shift in the last decade. There was a time not so long ago when you had to march down to a specialty comic book store, make sure you had a “pull list” so you wouldn’t miss the latest foil-cover collectors edition of Hawk & Dove, and dedicate physical space to a growing set of boxes containing your favourite 4-coloured funnies.

The emergence of tablets has changed the game. You can now easily download conventional comics through Comixology, DC and Marvel apps, and other means. More than that, people are using the malleability of digital to create new forms of comics, from Batman ’66 where you can reproduce the “BIF! BAM! POW!” of the old show to guided reading and augmented reality.

I have no idea where all this is going, but if it’s anything like the rest of media, there are a few likely outcomes. For one, a lot more independent and self-published content will become available, just as happened with webcomics in the past and is happening the e-book space at present.

On the other end of the scale, bigger companies like Marvel, DC and others they partner with can continue with new ways to use tablets and other platforms. The Big Two also have the advantage of huge stables of beloved characters, which they can (and will) exploit in as many ways as they can. Can’t really blame them.

Of course, a slice of humanity will always want to read a comic on paper, to feel the pages run under their fingers and smell the ink. I can understand that, and I sometimes feel the same way, doubly so when it comes to books. But there’s something to be said for having an entire library in a tablet, and having an entire run of a comic series in a virtual folder.

I think it’s inevitable that this convenience will win out over nostalgia, just like it did with movies and music and books. We may lose the physical aspects of reading, whether its words, pictures, or some combination of both, but I don’t think we’ll ever lose the love for the medium, no matter what form it takes.

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

The Platformer Show! 002

by Warren

Welcome to the second episode of the Platformer Show, all about the tech we use to work, play and create. In this episode we review the Kindle Touch and Swordigo, a new hack and slash game for the iPad and iPhone, as well as covering this week’s tech news.

We’d love to hear your suggestions for future shows, and make sure to subscribe to our Youtube channel.

Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

Platformer! the video show – Episode 1

by Warren

Welcome to the first episode of Platformer, the show about the tech you use to work, play and create. Sprung from the loins of the Platformer audio podcast on platformer.ca, our new show aims to inform and entertain you with the latest tech news, reviews and interviews with amazing innovators.

In this episode we look at the new iPad and go to the White Day Hackathon at A Thinking Ape (www.athinkingape.com).

Sponsors for White Day Hackathon included A Thinking Ape, Silicon Sisters, EA, Microsoft, East Side Games, and the UBC Computer Science department.

You can check out a photo album from the event here.

Make sure to subscribe to Freyburg Media’s Youtube channel, like our videos, and follow us on Twitter at @freyburg_media.

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

FruityGamer: Behind the Scenes

by Warren

Precisely none of you may be wondering how we make FruityGamer here at Freyburg Media. Well, I’m here to tell you the thinking, process and methodology I used. My methods and tools may differ from what’s available to you, but you’ll at least get a general idea as to how to pull of your own video podcasts.

When myself and my business partner made “This is Yaletown” we did so thinking the internet would soon push up its production values to the levels of television, and that we’d better be ahead of the curve. But in fact this has not proven to be the case. People watch internet shows for many reasons, but slick production values (to a point) doesn’t seem to be a necessary part of the equation.

I figured that given my experience creating Radio Free Skaro there was no reason I couldn’t create similar podcasts on video and in audio form, and do so in such a way that they’re quick and easy to make.

(more…)

Sunday, October 31st, 2010

The Fruitygamer Podcast! – Episode 12

by Warren

Games are the main thing being downloaded on the iPad, but you won’t be able to grab iDOS and play old DOS classics anymore on your iPad. Movie games, Batman, Trainyard and Todd rides Bane (in his mind). And for the second week in a row, video!

Tuesday, October 19th, 2010

My Japan Times article on the Sharp Galapagos tablet

by Warren

Can’t believe I forgot to post this earlier, but I wrote an article for the Japan Times last week about Sharp’s Galapagos tablet, a pad device aimed straight at the Japanese market. Sharp claims otherwise, but “Galapagos” has become a term to define the uniqueness and weakness of the Japanese mobile phone market, which created some of the most advanced and esoteric phones on the market, in a sealed environment where innovation was allowed to flourish but never interact with the outside world.

With the onset of the iPhone, that market is crumbling. I personally see many, many iPhones everywhere in Tokyo, and that has to strike fear into the heart of every Japanese cell provider (other than Softbank, presumably making a killing by offering the iPhone exclusively in Japan.)

So I don’t hold out much hope for this Sharp tablet. They may know something I don’t, but I can’t see a device like this competing in any way with the iPad.

Sunday, October 17th, 2010

The Fruitygamer Podcast! – Episode 10

by Warren

New Macbook Airs? OS X 10.7? John Sculley taps out? EA in Tokyo? Yes!

BTW, we planned to do this episode on video as well as audio, but technology conspired against us. Next week for (maybe) sure!

Thursday, August 5th, 2010

The Fruitygamer Podcast! – Episode 4

by Warren

Starcraft II! Episodic gaming! Boot Camp! Spider, Secret of Bryce Manor! All on Fruitygamer Episode 4!

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

The Fruitygamer Podcast! – Episode 2

by Warren

In this episode, Warren and Todd discuss So Long Oregon, Archetype and the state of iPhone shooters, Steam, Netflix coming to Canada and Microsoft’s continued tumble into the abyss. Enjoy!

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

iPad reviews are in, verdict: awesome

by Warren

A torrent of iPad reviews have left the land of the embargo to emerge blinking in the light of day, and the verdict is that the iPad is indeed “revolutionary” and “magical.” The two best reviews I’ve seen are Xeni Jardin’s take on Boing Boing and Andy Inhatko’s live demo on Twit.TV (which I’m trying to track down as an embed and will post when it eventually shows up.)

google