The Hidden Secrets of Mechanical Magic

Magic and machines are two seemingly opposing forces that have fascinated human beings for centuries. On one hand, magic represents the mysterious and supernatural, while on the other hand, machines embody human ingenuity and technological advancements. These two concepts have often been depicted as separate realms, with magic being associated with wizards and sorcery, and machines being linked to science and engineering. However, with the rapid progress of technology in recent years, the line between magic and machines has become increasingly blurred. Many of the marvels once attributed solely to magic can now be explained and reproduced using machines. For example, illusions once performed by magicians can now be replicated with projectors and holographic technology.

But the most difficult thing to change may be the more-is-better mentality most PC buyers have.

There are undoubtedly highly parallel tasks that my AMD machine would perform better on than my Intel does, but they re irrelevant to me because I don t do them at least so far. I m also glad that I talked myself into going all the way up to an Intel i7 8700K, but that involves some extra hand waving that I m not going to do in this entry.

For example, illusions once performed by magicians can now be replicated with projectors and holographic technology. The ability to communicate with people across the globe in an instant through devices like smartphones would have been considered pure magic just a few decades ago. Additionally, advancements in robotics and artificial intelligence have brought about machines that can mimic human behaviors and perform tasks that were once thought to be exclusive to humans.

Is $200 the magic number for PCs?

Less-expensive desktops from smaller PC makers don't always measure up to brand-name competition, but the new machines are catching on quickly.

While big-name PC makers like Hewlett-Packard and Gateway offer desktops priced as low as $399, without a monitor, smaller manufacturers are finding an audience by offering less-expensive machines, starting as low as $199.

The PCs don't have Windows preinstalled but rely on software from several companies, including Lindows, that use the open-source Linux operating system, which can be used as an alternative to Microsoft's Windows. Dropping Windows is part of the reason why manufacturers can sell the PCs so cheaply.

These so-called $200 desktop PCs don't always measure up to brand-name competition, such as Gateway's $399 300S , in clock speed or storage capacity. But the less-expensive desktops have been catching on by appealing to consumers and small-business owners who think even the cheapest desktop now has the performance necessary to tackle everyday tasks such as Web browsing, analysts say.

A handful of PC makers and sellers, including TigerDirect, Fry's Electronics and Microtel Computer Systems sell, or have offered, PCs priced around $200. Analysts like Dean McCarron, principal at Mercury Research, believe these manufacturers are chasing a market that, at most, represents a few hundred thousand units right now. That's a drop in the bucket compared with the worldwide PC market's total size of about 130 million units. But the machines' price tags and basic functionalities appeal to enough buyers to make it worthwhile, the manufacturers say.

The most well-known $200 PC maker is Microtel, thanks to its deal with Wal-Mart. The retail giant sells several Microtel desktops on its Web site priced in the $200 to $250 range. At one time, Microtel offered a $199 model. Currently, its least expensive offering is a $229 PC.

The $229 model does not come with a monitor but includes an 800MHz C3 processor from Via Technologies, along with 128MB of RAM (random access memory), a 10GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive, a modem and an Ethernet card. It runs Lindows OS 3.0 .

Microtel sells more PCs above $200 than below, but the company has found the $200 machines to be especially popular among savvy consumers and business users, company representatives said.

"I find the $200 price crystallizes their thinking," said Rich Hindman, vice president of marketing and sales at Microtel. "They say it's not the fastest processor out there, but what am I going to use it for? If I buy a 1GHz or faster machine, it's not going to make me type any faster."

The sub-$400 desktop isn't a new phenomenon. Companies using inexpensive components and special promotions or rebates have offered such PCs before. But the new $200 PCs sold by Microtel and others are capturing an audience this time around due to the sluggish economy and the maturation of markets in the United States and Europe, which means fewer first-time buyers.

Compared with the C3 processor-based Microtel desktops, which sell for $229 and up, most brand-name manufacturers start around $400 and include, at a minimum, a 1.8GHz Intel Celeron processor, 128MB of RAM, a 20GB hard drive, a CD-ROM drive, a modem and Windows XP. Gateway's 300S offers a 2GHz Celeron and a CD burner for $399, without a monitor, after a $100 rebate.

Less is more
But some PC buyers or small-business proprietors feel they don't need those extras.

Most of Microtel's $200 PCs go to the "buyer who just wants a second or third PC to get on the Internet and browse the Web," Hindman said.

Although the majority of Microtel's $200 PC customers already own one or more PCs, the company also sells them to businesses--including some giants like Boeing and DuPont--and some first-time buyers. The first timers are mainly families with high school-aged children who couldn't previously afford a PC, he said.

"There's an emerging market developing here," McCarron said. "It's tapping into a market below where Intel and Advanced Micro Devices want to play at the moment."

The second- or third-time buyers represent the most flexible consumers. These customers probably already have a newer Pentium 4 or Athlon desktop and are willing to experiment with alternatives to Microsoft's Windows operating system, McCarron said.

But some analysts liken the $200 PC to a canary in a coal mine. It could indicate what's in store for the PC market. While there's still very little sales activity below the $400 range at U.S. retailers, the average price of a desktop sold continues to decline.

The average price of a desktop purchased without a monitor at retail fell to $750 in October from $801 last June, said Steve Baker, an analyst with NPD Techworld.

"Why? The under-$600 market has been growing," he said.

While PC prices will continue to decline as more and more people adopt less-expensive desktops, most analysts don't expect the $200 PC to steal many of those sales just yet.

Because of their performance, which is still limited compared with more expensive Intel- or AMD-based desktops, $200 PCs will actually add unit sales to the overall market, McCarron believes.

Microtel itself has found little overlap. It estimates that only about 10 percent to 15 percent of its $200 customers would have bought a more expensive machine if the $200 model didn't exist, Hindman said.

The Intel or AMD machine should remain the central computer in a household or small business--if it's networked with one or two $200 PCs--for some time to come, McCarron said.

But the $200 PC may not be sitting on the sidelines forever. Chipmaker Via, which has been one of the primary proponents of the $200 PC, believes that the popularity of $200 desktops so far underscores several trends in the PC market.

"There really is a change in the mind-set of the market," said Richard Brown, associate vice president of the Taiwan-based chipmaker. "People feel less compelled to replace their current PC with a faster one, because they feel comfortable with the performance on their current applications."

The long road to success
Via provides hardware bundles based on its C3 processor to help PC makers like Microtel arrive at the $200 mark. Nevertheless, the chipmaker doesn't see this new PC category dominating the PC market anytime soon.

"We see the ($200 PC) expanding the market in the U.S.," Brown said. Meanwhile, "in areas like India, the only way to expand the market is to push the price down."

Thanks mostly to its work in promoting the less-expensive PCs, Via has seen quarterly unit sales increases for its C3 chip during the last five quarters, McCarron said. Via has been shipping between 300,000 units and 400,000 units per quarter. That's enough to give it just over 1 percent of the PC processor market.

Next year, faster C3 chips and better graphics from Via will spice up performance of the $200 category, Brown said.

But gaining wider adoption will still require effort. One challenge is the broader public's unfamiliarity with Linux. While businesses and some consumers are embracing the open-source operating system, it is still something of an unknown for everyday desktop users.

"I think people--consumers--want Microsoft," said Toni Duboise, a desktop analyst at ARS.

But it's hard to find a $200 PC with Windows. Versions of Microtel PCs with Windows XP cost about $70 more than their Lindows counterparts, pushing them to $300 or more. Meanwhile, Linux has been catching up to Windows in compatibility. Lindows 3.0 lets PC owners view Windows files, while other applications such as StarOffice offer Linux PC users the ability to view and edit Microsoft files.

But the most difficult thing to change may be the more-is-better mentality most PC buyers have.

"The $200 PC is an interesting market. There will certainly be a market for them sometime," said Sam Ockman, CEO of Penguin Computer, which offers Linux desktops starting around $700. "We primarily deal with customers that always want the latest and greatest. A much more frequent question for us. is, 'How can I get higher performance' and not, 'How can I save money?'" he said.

And if everyone is playing a blood nation that meta kind of breaks down anyway. Just a contest to see who can summon the most Storm Demons or Vampires, or who has the craziest national Blood Summon.

This has sparked debates about the ethical implications of creating machines that can think and act like humans. Some argue that this blurring of the lines between magic and machines raises questions about the nature of humanity itself. However, despite the convergence of magic and machines in certain areas, there are still inherent differences between the two. Magic often involves invoking supernatural forces and defying the laws of nature, while machines are grounded in the principles of science and operate according to logical algorithms. Magic relies on the unexplainable and mysterious, while machines strive for reproducibility and predictability. In conclusion, the relationship between magic and machines is a complex and evolving one. While machines have increasingly been able to replicate and even surpass some of the feats traditionally associated with magic, there are still fundamental differences between the two. The convergence of these two realms raises not only technological and scientific questions but also philosophical and metaphysical ones. As technology continues to advance, it will be fascinating to see how the boundaries between magic and machines continue to blur..

Reviews for "Can Machines Perform Magic? Exploring the Limits of Automation in the Entertainment Industry"

1. John - 2/5 - I was really disappointed with "Magic and Machines". The storyline was confusing and hard to follow, and the characters were not adequately developed. Additionally, the gameplay was repetitive and lacked excitement. I was expecting a magical and thrilling adventure, but instead, I found myself bored and uninterested. The graphics were also quite outdated, which further detracted from the overall experience. Overall, "Magic and Machines" fell short of my expectations and I cannot recommend it.

2. Sarah - 1/5 - "Magic and Machines" was a complete waste of my time. The game had numerous glitches and technical issues that made it nearly unplayable. The controls were clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to navigate through the game. The dialogue was poorly written, with grammatical errors and awkward phrasing. On top of all that, the game lacked any depth or engaging gameplay. I regretted purchasing "Magic and Machines" and would not recommend it to anyone.

3. Michael - 3/5 - I had high hopes for "Magic and Machines" but was ultimately let down. The concept seemed interesting, but the execution fell flat. The game lacked innovation and felt like a generic fantasy adventure. The pacing was off, with slow and tedious sections followed by rushed and confusing moments. While the graphics were decent, they were not enough to salvage the overall experience. "Magic and Machines" had potential but failed to deliver on its promises.

4. Emily - 2/5 - "Magic and Machines" left me underwhelmed. The gameplay mechanics were clunky and poorly explained, making it difficult to progress through the game. The puzzles were uninspiring and lacked creativity, often resorting to tedious trial and error. The story had potential but was muddled by a convoluted plotline and inconsistent character development. Overall, "Magic and Machines" failed to captivate me and I would not recommend it to fellow gamers.

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