Convergence

So yes here I am again blogging. At the MOELC (Ministry of Education Language Centre) where there's no wireless network, so saving this stuff into memory's going to have to suffice for now. Just read an avantgo cnet article on convergence with respect to the gaming market in the shape of Sony's new PSP. Supposedly, it brings convergence to a whole new level, saving pocket space by integrating games and media into one device. With built-in wireless networking capability, theoretically there's so much more the PSP can do. However, the article closed off by noting a barrrer to adoption in the form of Sony's proprietary media format - UMD. To watch movies on the PSP, users will have to pay about US$20 because the standard DVD is not supported. Which brings to mind this: what do users really want from their converged devices? Perhaps its because I stay in Singapore where commute time rarely if ever exceeds 3 minutes. In larger countries where commute time is longer, this could be a great device. However, there are a few problems which might crop up. Battery life for one. If a converged device has a battery life of 5 hours, would you accept that 5 hours of battery life from your handphone? I think not but there are always exceptions. Secondly, just try watching a movie on a crowded bus/train...