Adam Creighton, Computer and Video Gaming: CES Gamer Goodies

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Adam Creighton, Computer and Video Gaming (Subscribe)

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

CES Gamer Goodies

CES Gamer Goodies
I'm playing ...

NEWS:

1. CES Gamer Goodies

TeamXbox.com has an article of the coolest game-related stuff from last week's Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas.

I agree with a few of their selections, like Best Xbox/360 software (Black/The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion) and Best TV Technology (SED).

But some of their choices were odd. Like the M.I.T. Oracle V1.1 Speaker Cable ($25-grand a pair) and Best Xbox 360 Speaker being the Avega Oyster Wireless Speaker System (no price has been set, and who knows if these things will actually work well wirelessly). My personal non-favorite is the Monster Game GameLink 360 Component Video and Fiber Optic Audio Kit. I've got the Xbox version, and I'm pretty pissed it requires a proprietary connector for the optical audio. Having to pay $30 rather than $15 for TOS-Link is just ... ass.

"For Gamers Only: Best of CES 2006"

Anyway, that's their list.

Here's my list of cool CES game happenings:

Partnerships: DIRECTV and Microsoft team up to "enable the flow of digital content among Windows-based PCs, DIRECTV's set-top boxes, PlaysForSure-compatible devices and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system"; and "DIRECTV customers will be able to use a Windows Media Center-based PC as a DIRECTV receiver to create an all-in-one digital entertainment environment, supporting both national and local standard-definition and high-definition services."
Changes to TV technology: I'm excited about changes to TV technology (besides the afore-mentioned SED) in the DLP space, where Samsung showed the first LED light sourced DLP rear projection HDTV, which gets rid of the existing DLP segmented color wheel technology that gets more expensive as you up segments (my DLP project has 3 segments, and upper end projectors have 7 segments), and removes the rainbowing effect up to 1-in-4 people see. I've also got to think this may give Samsung relief from paying Texas Instruments royalties for the existing DLP technology, and gives them a royalty revenue stream.
1080p HDTVs: These seem to be on the rise, with Pioneer, JVC, Samsung, and Sony announcing upcoming sets. I don't know where the content is really going to come from, other than Sony, who will be producing content from its own library of films.
Wireless HDTV: Forget wireless surround sound -- think wireless HDTV! Pulse~LINK demonstrated wireless connectivity between an Xbox 360 and an HDTV Display. In fact, they had a bunch of stuff, including "gigabit" speeds (real-world of around 400 Mbps) over the air or over in-home coax. If this stuff pans out, ultra-broadband media is a cable jack away, anywhere in your house.
External next-gen optical drives: First, Bill Gates mentioned an external HD-DVD drive for the Xbox 360. Then, Peter Moore (corporate VP of Interactive Entertainment Business in the Entertainment and Devices Division of Microsoft), basically said if HD-DVD loses the next-generation optical war, Microsoft could still develop a Blu-ray Disc drive for the Xbox 360. If Sony loses, their optical drive is embedded in their console. I don't think they'll lose, though; PS2 inclusion of a DVD drive arguably drove consumer DVD adoption.

2. I'm playing ...

Probably Halo Zero on PC, but check out my "I'm Playing" blog to be sure ....

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SOURCES: Gamespot.com, joystiq.com, kotaku.com, Xbox.com, IGN, GameInformer, Official XBox Magazine, CNN, gamesindustry.biz, and others.

Adam Creighton, Computer and Video Gaming (Subscribe)

Wednesday, January 11, 2006

CES Gamer Goodies

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