e3

I tested the Virtuix Omni and my knees, hands, and elbows lived to tell the tale (hands/feet-on)

LOS ANGELES -- I did not fall! No, really. I didn't (just watch the video). Falling was my biggest fear when I booked a meeting last week to see the Virtuix Omni, an omnidirectional, low-friction surface that allows you to move around in a virtual environment (using the Oculus Rift) without (seriously) endangering yourself, your coffee table, or others.

Hold on! The Omni is about 4 to 5 feet in diameter and is sloped toward its center. It's a low-friction surface with a narrowly grooved exterior. A circular handle surrounds your waist, affording you a degree of much-needed … Read more

Xbox One and PS4: Two peas in an E3 pod

Who won E3 so far? Was it the Xbox One? Or, was it the PS4 that kicked its butt? Did Sony dominate, totally smack down Microsoft, and run away with Best in Show?

All I know, from a distance, is this: boy, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 look a lot alike.

The picture above is from a classic "Star Trek" episode featuring two different alien races that fought bitterly but were more alike than they dared to admit. Sound familiar?

The moment the PS4 was unveiled, in its boxy glory, you couldn't help but be reminded … Read more

Microsoft's Marc Whitten on why Xbox One offers a better value

LOS ANGELES -- Marc Whitten thinks the Xbox One provides an overall better value than the competition.

"I believe we're delivering an immense value," he explained to me at a meeting within Microsoft's booth at E3 2013. The Microsoft corporate vice president and chief product officer for Xbox believes that when you consider everything Xbox One is offering -- with its lineup of exclusive titles and ambitious live TV integration -- there's enough justification for spending the extra $100 come this holiday season.

The company's direct console gaming competitor, Sony, undercut Xbox One by $… Read more

What I learned about the Xbox One from E3

LOS ANGELES -- So, the Xbox One is really good at tracking asteroids -- and not of the video game variety.

The E3 video game conference afforded Microsoft a chance to offer a more detailed look at its next-generation console, with the company pulling back the curtain on some of the more interesting capabilities of the new system.

The early indication suggests the Xbox One will see a massive leap in power, actually see games that smartly use the Kinect's motion sensor, and work even better as an entertainment hub for the home.

To show off its computational powers, … Read more

E3 2013: PS4 scores against Xbox One

CNET Update is keeping score:

This episode of Update breaks down the battle between Xbox One and PlayStation 4 at the E3 video game conference in Los Angeles. It hasn't been pretty for Microsoft, as Sony priced the PS4 $100 cheaper -- and it won't put restrictions on playing used games or require an Internet connection.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for a breakdown of the big stories, hot devices, new apps, and what's ahead. Subscribe to the podcast via the links below.

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Sony: We're setting the standard for used games policy

LOS ANGELES -- Sony wasn't originally going to talk about its game sharing policy at E3.

But the company saw the ill will Microsoft engendered with its guidelines, and stuck it in the script, according to Scott Rhode, head of software product development for Sony Worldwide Studios America.

Sony had never thought about imposing restrictions or fees on used games, and wouldn't have addressed the controversy had it not cropped up over the last few weeks, Rhode said in an interview with CNET on Tuesday.

"This was always part of our plan," he said. "We … Read more

Why Sony did the opposite of Microsoft on used games (Q&A)

When Microsoft last week announced new, and more restrictive, rules regarding the resale of used Xbox One games, the policy triggered howls of outrage and calls for boycotts from consumers who rely on buying used games.

The new restrictions let Xbox gamers share games just a single time and only with people who have been on their friends list for at least 30 days. But on Monday night, Microsoft's arch-rival Sony announced a different tack: Jack Tretton, the CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment of America, said his company would not impose any restrictions on trading or selling used games. … Read more

Sony teases Microsoft with used-game instructional video

We are finally reveling in an influx of details on the fresh rival gaming systems of Sony's PlayStation 4 and Microsoft's Xbox One. While the two consoles share a physical resemblance, they diverge in a lot of ways. One major difference involves the handling of used games.

Sony has said there will be no restriction on the PS4 used-game market, while Microsoft is placing restrictions on selling and sharing games.

Microsoft's new policies have given Sony an opening to promote the PS4 as a friendlier alternative to the Xbox One. That has resulted in a tongue-in-cheek video released on the official PlayStation YouTube channel, titled "Official PlayStation Used Game Instructional Video."… Read more

For EA, Nintendo's Wii U just isn't a priority

LOS ANGELES -- To Electronic Arts, Nintendo's Wii U console plays second fiddle to some of the faster-growing areas in the video game business.

That includes the other next-generation consoles, Microsoft's Xbox One and Sony's PlayStation 4, as well as the current-generation systems and mobile devices, according to Frank Gibeau, head of labels at EA.

"I think it's fair to characterize that Xbox One, PS4, and mobile are the highest growth platforms that we're looking at right now," Gibeau said in an interview with CNET on Monday.

EA would rather invest in those … Read more

Xbox One vs. PlayStation 4

We've still got about five months before the new Xbox One and PlayStation 4 launch in North America, and already blood has been spilled.

From Microsoft gathering an arguably more impressive stable of exclusive games, to Sony revealing the lack of restrictions on PS4 games and a $100 lower price -- effectively, not only kicking the Microsoft brand when its down, but also knocking out a few teeth.

This next console launch may be one of the most exciting and brutal yet, and I can't wait to comfortably watch from the sidelines, praising Thor I'm not in either of their shoes.… Read more