Chip maker AMD is looking to buy graphics king ATI in a deal that would shake up the computer gaming world. ATI is the maker of the most popular video cards at the moment, and a deal with AMD would likely mean new graphics cards designed to work best with AMD chips, especially the high end AMD 64 x2 chipsets.

Having both companies combined would likely be very good news for gamers, as the specialized designs would churn out a higher quality product than the current video cards that are made to be compatible and "optimal" with both AMD and Intel processors. Intel has lagged behind AMD in the processor race, churning out "Core Duo" chips that are essentially two of the processors they were making 3 years ago, just in a smaller size. AMD is winning the 64-bit race, which Intel has failed to even enter on a consumer level. AMD is already making dual 64-bit processor sets available for consumers (not just servers) and optimized for gaming. When newer operating systems and games start to take advantage of 64-bit processing, which is like a gazillion times better than 32-bit processing, look for some major advances in what games can do.
AMD-ATI Merger Looks Likely - Forbes.com

The success of the PS3 may be jeopardized by its high price, especially in Japan. The Japanese are absolulely ga-ga over the Nintendo Wii, coming out this fall with a price point significantly lower than the PS3, and the XBox 360 has not failed completely yet (the original Xbox sold about as well in Japan as the A-bomb). The PS3 will have to be very impressive to overcome the obstacle of its own price, and so far all Sony has offered is some buggy games with graphics comparable to other next generation video games systems.
"PS3 too expensive," 88 percent say, as Wii dominates Japan

I'm posting this as much for my own future reference as for you, my loyal reader. Hey, at least I'm honest. Ever since its creation, I've been fascinated by Ruby on Rails and what can be done with it.

For those of you who don't have a degree in Computer Science (actually, that also includes me, an Econ major), Ruby on Rails is a framework for building database-backed internet applications. So many thing are possible, including interactive social websites like MySpace and Facebook (not that they are built on this, I do not have that information).

Of course, building a hugely popular website using Ruby on Rails is not as simple as some would make it seem. There's a reason companies are paying hundreds of millions of dollars for these sites instead of just making their own copycats. Many "Web 2.0" sites have come and gone, never to be heard from again. Only the most innovative and useful will survive.
Crossing borders: What's the secret sauce in Ruby on Rails?

The Sony PS3 will be released on November 17 with a price of $499 for the 20Gb hard drive version and $599 for the 60Gb model. I wonder why it costs $100 more for the 60Gb. It's only a difference of 40Gb. The difference in retail prices on these drives is like $20. I guess that's just Sony, deciding to crap on consumers because it can.

The PS3 will have to really be amazing to succeed. The XBox 360 will be about $200 less by the time the PS3 is released, and it will already have over a hundred games on the market. Sony not only needs a couple dozen games, but they have to have at least 4 huge titles, like a Metal Gear Solid or Gran Turismo caliber game. They also have to be ready with online play better than XBox Live. Every game needs an online version.

I'm not saying this because I'm planning on buying one, just hoping someone from Sony is paying enough attention to realize they have a lot of work today or the PS3 will fail. Nobody cares how many mpeg streams it can process simultaniously, they want games they can play that look amazing. Deliver on that, or fail.
PS3 hits US November 17, $499 for 20GB version, $599 for 60GB - News at GameSpot