Why The Upcoming Month Is An Important Time For Tech

        From this week until the end of November is an extremely important time period for tech lovers, and even casual consumers everywhere. It's been three years since Microsoft has released a new version of Windows, and these three years have harmed the Redmond-based software company much more than it's helped. The explosion of smartphone handset devices and tablet PC devices has led to the possible accusation that the PC is no longer needed. While I disagree completely, others may not need a home computer as much as they once did, making smartphones and tablets the superior computing devices due to their simple nature and organized interfaces. While Windows 8 brings forth a new, improved metro modern-UI style to the clunky, but efficient OS, Microsoft's long-term supporters have began to oppose the company they've been loyal to for years. Maybe a tablet-like interface wasn't the change users were looking for, but personally I favor Windows 8, as I've been using the beta since earlier this year.

        On October 23rd, Apple will be holding yet another event. This time it will be none other than the release of.... You guessed it: a smaller iPad, or a larger iPod Touch, just what you've always wanted if you're an iSheep, of course! Personally, I would have liked the idea of a smaller iPad if Apple hadn't just released a new iPod Touch. And the iPad Mini is rumored to have a price-point of lower than $250, making its 7.85" screen cheaper than the iPod Touch's 4" screen. Awkward.

     
        Next Tuesday marks the release date of something revolutionary to the digital video games industry. On October 30th, 2012, Ubisoft will be releasing Assassin's Creed III on PS3/Xbox 360, and its PlayStation Vita-exclusive counterpart, Assassin's Creed III: Liberation. This brand-new addition to the AC series adds many new aspects to the standard that the first four games set in the series, and offers new characters, new weapons, a new story, and more importantly for us tech geeks, a new game engine created from scratch. Many have questioned Ubisoft's choice to release the game on our current-gen consoles that many are already considering obsolete, but the company promises that their new engine, AnvilNext will bring next-gen quality, not previously possible with current-gen consoles. But if you're interested in purchasing Assassin's Creed III on PC as I am, you'll have to wait until its November 20th release date. In the meantime, you can spend some exclusive time with Liberation, which releases on the same day as the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game.

     
        On November 18th, Nintendo will be releasing its first console in six years! (Yes, it's been that long since the Wii released. I can't believe it either.) The Wii U gaming console will release alongside 23 games, and will come packaged with the exclusive Nintendo Land title if you're willing to pay $50 more for a tech-showcasing game and 4 times more storage. If I was 10-years-old, this would truly be an excited time for me, although I know far too much about GPU, CPU, and RAM to concern myself with Nintendo much anymore, unless of course it's a traditional Pokemon game on 3DS, but that's a matter I still wait patiently to experience. And by the way, the Wii U gets Assassin's Creed III before PC. That's sad.