1. I've been sick, move on ...
2. CES preview
3. The integration of games and movies
4. Silver, gold, and now diamond ...
5. Game updates
6. Boo-yah!

Though it may be Google-related announcements that really steal the show.

3. The integration of games and movies

The CMP Game Group (host of the Game Developers Conference (GDC), and entertainment trade pub The Hollywood Reporter are teaming up to co-produce the "Hollywood and Games Summit", to be held June 27, 2006, in Beverly Hills, CA.

More info at www.hollywoodandgames.com (though right now it just has placeholder info).

4. Silver, gold, and now diamond ...

Xbox Live Silver memberships are available to all Xbox 360 owners out of the box. Upgrading to a paid subscription gets you Gold membership, online play, and Gold-only downloads and promotions.

Now, you can bring your Xbox Live benefits into the real world with the Xbox Live Diamond card.

Besides a touchable Xbox Live card with your Gamertag, you'll get Diamond card benefits at Ticketmaster, Cambridge Soundworks, Timberland, McDonald's, "and hundreds more".

More details and sign up at http://www.xboxlivediamond.com/.

5. Game updates

AQ Interactive has entered the publishing realm with a bang, announcing 3 new titles.

The first title, Bullet Witch, is an action/adventure set in 2013, "tells the story of a fight for survival between humans and demons," and is to be released next spring in Japan. Second is Vampire’s Rain, an action game also for PlayStation3, developed by ARTOON (the folks behind Blinx and Blinx 2), taking place in modern Los Angeles, and the player is an operative that needs to root out and eliminate vampires. Finally (and most exciting) is Mistwalker’s next RPG, Cry On, which has "tears" as the theme, the player is a little girl (Sally) in a world where giant sand creatures rule, and one serves as her companion.

Mad Catz Interactive has become a publisher in conjunction with Microsoft. This makes sense to me, as it's likely why Mad Catz aquired GameShark.

6. Boo-yah!

In October, I said Xbox 360 Live was going to integrate with MSN Messenger. In December, Microsoft made it official, saying Xbox 360 users will be able "to send instant messages using the MSN Messenger infrastructure".

They have not said whether the communication will be bi-directional, and I'm surprised they said the integration is at least 6 months out.