Though NextLust has gone live technically two times now it has had it’s fair share of difficulties. We went from about 15 or so writers to 3 and then to 2, then 243, and then back to 2 - don’t ask.

We’ve had awesome traffic spikes, great articles and very talented tech centered experts come and go and each day only seems to get harder and harder. Luckily our Robot in Chief Niero is looking to give NL some of the love dtoid has been so graciously blessed with over the past year and half.

So what does this mean for the site? For one, we’re finally going to get our shit together and stop trying to be “another tech blog”. I want to make that very, very clear - we are not a Gizmodo, we are not an Engadget. God knows we don’t need another tech blog covering everything under the sun. Honestly, what benefits the reader from that? Basically all you get are three different opinions on the same crap and right now no one needs that. So what do people need? We decided to answer that with the name of the site - Next Lust - people crave what’s next and exciting in the future of tech and electronics, no one cares that Apple just released a new smaller laptop battery.

From now on NextLust will only cover things relevant to the site using our tentative motto “what’s next”. The future is a fun and scary place and technology is the driving force behind it, so we want to take a look at the puzzle before it’s complete and fill in everyone where this crazy world is going and how it’s going to affect you. I hope that’s a clearer picture of where things are going.

New and Newer Writers

As I said before, for a little while we we’re down to about 3 writers and right now it’s about 1. Thankfully we are getting a bit of boost with some resident dtoid staffers and a brand new face lift in the site design and back end. What that means is that on top of getting new and exciting information from the staff, you’ll also be seeing more and more weekly segments similar to something you would see on Destructoid.com.

I would also like to take this time to introduce a whole new writer and close friend to me. You’ll be seeing him every Friday as Citizen Blaine doing a new segment we like to call “Fake News Friday”, where he’ll be doing his best to give the world of tech a much needed tongue and cheek approach.

We do need more writers though, and if you feel right for the job please let us know. I now leave everyone with a conceptual preview of the site which was done by our very own LT. In the words of a much wiser man than myself, I would say it’s a “fucking win”. Indeed, enjoy.

Like big daddy Destructoid, we do that whole podcast thing too just with less people, no special guests (yet) and undecided intro song. Expect to hear plenty of ranting, belching and racial slurs from the following:

Adam K - Host/Moderator

Rob Summa - LA fashion model extraordinar

Cameron Manavian - Robot expert #1

Phillip Counterman - Honestly, this is the first I’ve heard of him

We’ll be recording tonight and will try to get our first ever episode out sooner than later. We have a whole lot to talk about and not much time to do it, so if you have any questions, comments or concerns for us please let us know by submitting below and we’ll do our darndest to answer the best we can.

What are you lusting for right now? There are so many great products coming out within the next year, the next five years, and the next twenty years, and everyone has their own respective product or innovation that they are waiting for. With the eventual creation, development, and sale of all this future technology brings things just waiting to be bought, used, and become outdated.

Since most of us are humans, we have an absolutely insanely large hole inside of our bodies that needs to be filled with gadgets, toys, and new ideas. Personally, I don’t see this as an inherently bad or awful problem, since I enjoy the draw of new events and experiences (that is, of course, as long as others can control their wants).

Anyways, I thought I would ask anyone and everyone what they want next, after all, all of you readers are visiting a site called “NextLust”. So: What is coming out in the next year, the next five years, and the next twenty years that you are lusting towards? They can be products that aren’t actually invented or “official” yet.

Here are mine:

Coming out this year- nVIDIA 8900GTX or ATi X2800XTX:
As I am an avid PC gamer, I am of course looking to upgrade my computer, as my 6600GT and AMD Athlon 64 +3000 just don’t rip up games like they used to (I won’t be upgrading for about 9 months to a year though, and this system will be just fine- until Crysis and Unreal Tournament 3 come out). Of course, I do have some great choices, and plenty of time to find the money to spend on them. I may get any of these cards, depending on my new build’s budget.

From nVIDIA:

8950 GX2: 2x(550Mhz/2.0Ghz) - 192 shaders (2×96) - 256bit - 2×512MB GDDR4 - $600
8900 GTX: 700Mhz/2.2Ghz - 128 shaders - 384bit - 768MB GDDR4 - $550
8900 GTS: 600Mhz/2.0Ghz - 128 shaders - 320bit - 640MB GDDR4- $500
8900 GT: 600Mhz/1.8Ghz - 96 shaders - 256bit - 512MB GDDR3 - $400
8900 GS: 550Mhz/1.6Ghz - 96 shaders - 256bit - 256MB/512MB GDDR3 - $200/$250
8600 GTS 675Mhz/2.0Ghz - 64 shaders - 128bit - 256MB GDDR3 - $200
8600 GT 540Mhz/1.4Ghz - 64 shaders - 128bit - 128MB/256MB GDDR3 - $???/$150
8500 GT 400Mhz/800Mhz - 48 shaders - 128bit - 128MB/256MB DDR2 or GDDR3 - $79/$100

From ATi:

X2800XTX2: 575Mhz/2000Mhz - 192 Shaders (96×2) - 1024MB GDD4 @ 256bit ($600)
X2800XTX: 750Mhz/2200Mhz - 128 Shaders - 1024MB GDDR4 @ 512bit ($549)
X2800XT: 600Mhz/1800Mhz - 128 Shaders -512MB GDDR3 @ 256bit ($499)
X2800XL: 600Mhz/1800Mhz - 96 Shaders - 256MB GDDR3 @ 256bit ($399)
X2800GTO: 600Mhz/1400Mhz - 96 Shaders - 256MB GDDR3 @ 256bit ($299)

In the next five years, I will expect an SED television:
Since this should have come out in 2006, and may come out in 2007 (but will probably get pushed back again), I have become aware of the fact that this technology may never come out.

In the next twenty years, I demand a hover board!
According to the movie Back to the Future 2 (which is the time traveler’s bible), we should start expecting hover boards to come onto the market by 2015. In case you don’t want to wait 8 more years, head on over to my place for some plans to build a hover board.

So, what are you waiting for? What is your NextLust?

You there! Yes you. Do you take your freedom to surf the web for granted? I’m sure we all do and I’m sure most of us have tasted what it is to be blocked when viewing innocent web sites at work. It’s sort of sour with a bitter after taste.

Well then you can imagine what it must be like for Internet savvy surfers in China; a country notorious for censoring the Internet. Touted as having some of the most sophisticated firewalls in the world, greatfirewallofchina.org lets you check if you can pass China’s strict IP monitors. Apparently Next Lust is blocked. Yes, we here are nothing but hordes of anti-socialistic tech journalists with a hidden anti-red agenda.

What about your site? Are you blocked? Sound off!

UPDATE: Some people are reporting on and off blocking with the same tested URLS. It seems China’s IP blockade is not accurate and whatever algorithm they’re using to determine what should be blocked isn’t entirely absolute. However as of this past friday, all LiveJournal sites are blocked. That’s roughly 1.8 million blogs. Although China has reached agreements with Microsoft’s MSN Spaces, other blog hosting companies like Google’s Blogger and Six Apart’s Typepad are still periodically blocked.

The Chinese Government gave no reasons why all LiveJournal blogs were blocked, but one can deduce the highly personal voice found among LiveJournal users didn’t sit too well with the Red Party.

Hat-tip to fellow NextLuster John Dougherty

And just what are we looking for? Well, here’s what I want:

Be funny: Not only must you be able to write (which is also a big deal), but have a sense of humor about it.

Be knowledgeable about tech: You gotta know your stuff.

Be experienced: If you’ve been writing for sometime with no recognition in sight, then get on the ground floor of a growing tech blog.

Be of age: Over 21 is ideal, but if you’re an 18-year-old phenom, then we’d want you.

So, if you want to be famous and work for the best boss eva (me), then apply by sending an e-mail my way at robert.summa@destructoid.com.