Hey, it’s the summer! Technically the last day of school is tommorow, but it’s just Closing Ceremonies. Yesterday was the last day of finals, and last Friday was the last day of classes.

It really feels nice to just relax.

This summer, I will be taking drivers’ ed classes as well as some sort of SAT prep class. I’ll also be on the swim team as usual. I won’t be going on any “big trips” like last year (my going to Hong Kong), but I’ll be visiting DC (DC in both senses) and LA.

As for the other times I’m not doing any of those things, I’ll be playing games, blogging, doing summer assignments, playing piano, going to Escapé, and generally doing whatever else comes my way.

Sounds good to me!

Nintendo had its E3 conference on Tuesday, a day after Sony’s and Microsoft’s conferences. Some fresh details of the Nintendo Revolution emerged from the conference, and the name “Revolution” was confirmed (according to 1up) as the official name, although other sources still refer to it as a code name.

Because the Gamecube didn’t get much recognition, a lot of people aren’t expecting the Revolution to be much of a competitor to Microsoft’s upcoming Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3. But reading the 1up article on the Nintendo E3 conference gave me hope for Nintendo’s next-gen.

The Revolution will support Gamecube discs as well as its own 12cm discs (DVDs). It will also have what some have dubbed “ultimate backwards compatibility.” No, it won’t have slots for N64 cartridges, but Nintendo CEO Satoru Iwata said, “We have designed Revolution to be a virtual console, capable of downloading 20 years of Nintendo content…” So you should expect a sort of emulation for previous Nintendo systems on the Revolution. I think playing Mario Party 2, Goldeneye, and other N64 games with people on the Revolution would be nostalgic and fun.

It will have wireless capabilities in every aspect, as the Dallas Morning News pointed out that all three major next-gens will have wireless capabilities of some sort (all at least having wireless controllers). Iwata on Revolution’s wireless functions:

In the next generation, the addition of the internet will be important to all consoles and particularly important to Nintendo. Wi-fi capability will be built into every Nintendo revolution. How these four elements: controller, console, TV, and internet interact with each other forms a central difference in revolution design. Our goal in customizing these conections is to develop a device which is functional and appealing to every member of a household, whether they consider themselves gamers or not.

The DMN article seemed to focus on how all three major next-gens would have wireless capabilities of some sort, but I didn’t think it was that big of a deal. It did mention that the PS3 is aimed for a more “hardcore gamer” audience, and perhaps you could say that because Sony showed off impressive specifications of the new system at their conference– better specs than any of the other next-gens (and probably very expensive as well). But it doesn’t matter for Nintendo. Nintendo focuses elsewhere, as said by Iwata again:

We will attract casual gamers better than anyone, using consumer-friendly content, control, and the internet. We will even draw non-gamers to the revolution, showing them how much fun there is. We call this all-access gaming.

An article from the Nintendo of America news site has the following to say about the Revolution’s specs:

The system boasts 512 megabytes of internal flash memory, wireless controllers, two USB 2.0 ports and built-in Wi-Fi access. A worldwide network of Nintendo players can gather to compete in a comfortable, inviting environment. Revolution’s technological heart, a processing chip developed with IBM and code-named “Broadway,” and a graphics chip set from ATI code-named “Hollywood,” will deliver game experiences not previously possible. I noticed that while Sony will be putting nVidia chips in their Playstation 3’s, Nintendo will be putting ATI chips in their Revolutions…

The Nintendo “Revo” is promising. Not only would someone be able to play their old favorites on it, but of course, new games as well. Nintendo has developed creative games, so let’s hope for some great upcoming ones. Launch titles with wireless gaming have already been promised by Nintendo of America’s article.

Did I mention it’s really small? (”The new console boasts high-quality materials and a smart, compact design, approximately the size of three standard DVD cases stacked together…”)

Sure, the PS3 and the Xbox 360 will both be great, but I’m considering getting the Revolution, due 2006 along with the other two next-gens!

If you want to see some more pictures, you can visit Nintendo’s page on Revolution, which I can’t read.

You can watch the recorded Nintendo E3 2005 conference from Gamespot here.

People: Walking, originally uploaded by TheMacro.

Today, I decided to go to the supermarket to take some photos of people outside. I was in a “photography mood.” Out of those I took, I decided to construct a brief set with four select photos. I entitled this set, “Normal People” The full set can be seen here. There are four photos, depicting normal people in action in their normal lives. The names of the photos are “People: Walking” (the one above), “People: Talking,” “People: Leaving,” and “People: Shopping.” Taking photos is fun, and comments are appreciated.