Fan To Pro - The Blog of Professional Geekery

Predictions: Anime and Manga in 2010

Predictions for 2009 are here.

Predictions for 2010 are here . . .

Predictions: Media and Publishing in 2010

Our 2009 predictions are here.

Our 2010 predictions are here . . .

News of the Day, December 30, 2009

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2009, Google prepares to launch its own phone and may be forming a gaming partnership with YouTube, Windows brings Xbox gaming to mobile devices, and questions emerge on what fruit the Marvel/Disney partnership will bear on the eve of it becoming official.

Job Market

Careerbuilder Predicts Hiring Trends of 2010: They include hiring back laid-off workers, flexible work arrangements, hiring bilingual people and cutting back business travel. 

Economics/Geekonomics

Japan Pledges to End Economic Spiral: The new government has committed to annual real GDP growth of at least 2 per cent between now and 2020. Japan's economy is definitely worth keeping an eye on, because it not only affects the U.S. economy as a whole, it is crucial to those looking for careers in the gaming and anime industries.

Goldman Sachs' Synthetic CDO Practices: A lesson on how corporate greed and cheating helped create the subprime mess. (A CDO, or collateralized debt obligation, is, according to Investopedia, "An investment-grade security that is backed by a pool of bonds, loans, and other assets. CDOs represent various debt obligations but are often nonmortgage loans or bonds.")

Smartphones

Details of Google's Nexus Phone Emerge: It's going to be sold both unlocked and unsubsidized by Google itself and subsidized by T-Mobile, and the street date is said to be Jan. 5. This is going to put Google in the interesting position of competing with itself, since Verizon's Android-powered Droid is now its signature phone. In any event, this pushes Android closer to the center of the phone marketplace. Meanwhile, VentureBeat debunks rumors of a Google-branded tablet (Speaking of VentureBeat, they're hiring for a couple of advertising positions - you know what to do).

Xbox Live Gaming Platform Coming to Windows Mobile Phones: This one was leaked by a job posting. Windows Mobile has lagged behind iPhone and Android in most things, so putting Xbox Live gaming on its phones was a no-brainer (especially since Xbox is currently the only one of the three major consoles with no handheld counterpart). Small-scale games for this platform are going to be in demand in the future.

Video Games

Virtual Goods Predicted to Become a $5 Billion Market: It's expected to hit that figure here within the next five years, it's already reached that number in Asia. Money for nothing is soon going to become one of the hottest segments of the gaming industry.

Google and YouTube May Partner on Hosted Gaming: It was just a matter of time before those two names showed up in gaming circles. Google has apparently filed a "Web-Based System for Generation of Interactive Games Based on Digital Videos." They're going to have a ton of competition in the casual gaming arena, but their names will at least assure the system gets attention. 

Technology

Does Microsoft Consider OpenOffice.org A Threat?: Apparently, they're seeking to hire a "Linux and Open Office Compete Lead" - someone to engage with OpenOffice communities and collect information. (A tech spy by any other name . . .)

Media

Netflix Plans to Woo Movie Studios With Digital Distribution: The company's trying to hook up exclusive deals with studios like Lionsgate early in the streaming game, upping its stock in the "solid companies of the future" market (and driving yet another nail into Blockbuster's already nail-studded coffin).

Anime/Manga

Anime Social Network Announces New Database: MaiOtaku.com is a friendship/dating service whose new feature lets members find each other by what kind of anime they like and also helps users hunt down legally available anime (via Amazon, Viz and Funimation's streams, etc.)

Viz Runs Movie Theater Devoted to Asian Cinema in San Francisco: And I can see them making this a chain in major cities. Say what you will about Viz, they've done a lot to bring Asian pop culture into the mainstream and employ otaku in a number of fields.

Crunchyroll to Be Instasubbing Anime As They Premiere in Japan: January debuts that will appear on the streaming service as soon as they air across the Pacific include Durarara, from the creator of Baccano! and Chu-Bra, described as a "slightly H girls' comedy."

American Cosplay Singer Subject of Japanese Documentary: Reni Mimura, a New York-based artist, will be the subject of a program to air on NHK.

Publishing

Publishers Didn't Have a Great Year, But Readers Did: A look at how the industry transformed itself in the past year, with the advent of the E-book key to new choices in content.

MediaBistro's List of Available Publishing Jobs: They include writing and editing jobs at Paste and the Boston Courant, and for you college students, internships at Earth, Wind and Power Media and Drum! Magazine. You know what to do. 

Comics

Disney to Mine Marvel's Second String for Movies?: Speculation on how the House of Mouse may end up monitizing cult favorites like the Runaways and vintage characters like Iron Fist in order to justify their purchase price of the franchise (the acquisition becomes final in a few days). Chances are they're going to be seeking people with deep knowledge of comics history to help their film department sort through what's at their fingertips now.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What is the best way for Disney and Marvel to take advantage of their new partnership?

News of the Day will be taking a break for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, but we'll be back Monday with our podcast and the first news of 2010!

News of the Day 12/29/2009

Plenty of juicy Apple news and rumors, find out what the bald-kid-free Avatar means for some companies, and learn that Kindle's best-sellers have a unique price advantage. Take two iTablets and call me when the release date is set, we've got career news for fanboys, geeks, fangirls, and more . . .

Predictions:
Venture Beat's predictions for 2010 - I agree with a lot of these, and there's some thought-provokers.

Career:
Ten reasons you have to manage your personal brand by Personal branding guru Dan Schwabel.

On a job search? Maybe you need a re-start.

Economics/Geekonomics:
A bust in credit coming - again? - A pretty good argument for it. And with declines in credit, that's declines in economic activity . . .

Media:
Just who were the true Masters of science fiction this decade? Chart-geek goodness that helps you think about who has had what influence. Plus it gives me the mind-bloing image of a Joss Whedon/James Cameron teamup . . .

It's not just sci-fi fans and people who like 10-foot tall blue aliens:The movie Avatar has been good for 3D Technology vendors. One of those things you may not think about when you see a hit movie - the influence the tech has on markets. Also Avatar broke IMAX records and raked in a lot of cash period.

Apparently Disney is looking at Marvel for Television properties, especially more obscure characters. I'm pretty sure Power Pack is going to appear in some form soon.

Mobile:
T-Mobile confirms they're doing some support for the Nexus One aka Google Phone.

Publishing:
64 of the top 100 Kindle bestsellers are free. Didn't know that, and it's something to remember as people talk about the future of e-books.

Social Media:
Facebook was the most visited site Christmas and Christmas Eve. Not surprising, but noteworthy.

LinkedIn reaches 50 million members. I'm sure that the economy has something to do with that - but also with people becoming more used to social media.

Technology:
It seems the new Apple tablet is possibly called iSlate or iGuide. From what the news-junkies at MacRumors.com can gather, it seems the Apple Tablet is focusing on being - as we guessed - a media device. However there may be confusion, as Apple might be doing it's own E-reader. All signs point to whatever the iFlatThing is, it's going to be media-heavy or part of a media-heavy series. I wonder if the rumors of a 10" and 7" iHaveANewThing are actually two very different devices. Keep watching . . .

Adobe the top Hacker Target for 2010? I'm not sure about the report entirely, with the widespread use of Adobe products there's room for concern period. This is also why, despite my use of Mac, I still use NoScript and FlashBlock. If you're in IT, read this report over and think a bit.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: At some point increase and interest in social media has to plateau - when will that be and why?

- Steven Savage

Predictions: Technology in 2010

Our 2009 predictions are here.

Our 2010 predictions are here . . .

News of the Day 12/28/2009

PS4 on the horizon? The economy still not quite bailed out? Books taking on loads of video as extra cargo? Set sail with shipping metaphors as we voyage into the waters of geek career news!

Career:
Seth Godin makes the interesting point that it's not the rats that leave a sinking ship, it's the rich passengers, a metaphor for how big customers switched what they use in media. Not sure I agree with all his (short) conclusions, but it really is something to think about.

A great geek-career exercise: what's your superpower. Props to the author for a great metaphor that should give you ideas.

Thoughts on Twitter and job search tools. changed over the last decade. Art:
What does it mean to be an artist today? It's indeed a strange time.

Economics/Geekonomics:
Paul Krugman is concerned about an economic contraction in the US in the second half of 2010 - I'm concerned about some possible contraction in general (though I give it about a 1 in 3 overall). If Krugman is concerned, pay attention - I'm planning to remain economically paranoid in 2010.

Venture Beat has it's Venture Capital predictions for 2010. Good stuff, but I disagree that we're going to see device divergence - I see convergence winning over - by having specific apps.

Publishing:
Is the composite video/web book, the 'Vook' part of The future of literature? Monica Hess gives us speculative and interesting article. I think the end does sum it up - we're going to see all sorts of experimentation, so we have no idea what will truly evolve and stick. Worth reading.

Technology:
So few paid Android apps because purchasing is challenging? So argues analytics firm Distimo. I'm not entirely in agreement, but I think the fact ordering is more cumbersome is a factor, and agree with the article author that we think Google==free. An unexpected bump in the road for Android? Possibly. Also a reminder that convenience sells.

Wired list it's Top 7 'disruptors' of the year. A light and thought-provoking read, but there's a lot more than 7 to be concerned about.

Writing:
A freelance writer takes look at his income and writing, giving you a snapshot of his work.

Video Games:
Some predictions and rumors on the PS4: Sony may be looking at a different processor setup. The article in question also notes that it'd probably be 2012 before any true new consoles are seen. So, programmers, marketers, and techs you've got your timeline . . . and hey, wasn't Sony predicting the PS3 would be around for a decade?

QUESTION OF THE DAY: So, what is your superpower anyway? What makes you special?

- Steven Savage

Predictions: Video Games in 2010

Our 2009 predictions were here.

Our 2010 predictions are here . . .

Weekly Challenge - Your REAL business card

So it's your weekly challenge, that chance to get your progeek brain juices flowing.

This week, we're talking business cards.

Imagine you're making a business card - only it's not for your current job or even your ideal career.  It's for you.

If you had that small slip of cardboard, what would you put on it to help communicate who YOU are to people:

• Would you give yourself a title ("Lady of Fangirls", "Datamage", etc.)
• Would you put on a website, a Facebook page, what?
• What would you say about yourself?
• What design would you use to communicate who you are.
• Would you have a photo of yourself?  A portrait?  A symbol?

Give yourself ten minutes to think over what kind of business card represents "you."

Now for that matter, why not get one made? It's a fun way to network . . .

- Steven Savage

Podcast #30 -12/28/2009

Our next podcast is on 12/28/2009.

Our special subject will be predictions for the new year - which we'll also be blogging about all week!

- Steven Savage

Imagination Makes the Future

I get tired of all the fake positive-thinking "if you can dream it you can do it" stuff.  Oh, yes, I do believe in the whole thing of visualizing, thinking big, etc.  I just dislike the consumerist, "The Secret", wishful thinking stuff we have way too much of.

But I do believe in imagination.  I'm pretty sure the regular readers here are very imaginative people.  You're geeks, otaku, fanboys, fangirls, and so on.

That means you've got a chance to dream up the future.