consoles

OK, the above headline is admittedly a little dramatic, so maybe we should knock it down a peg: "GAEMS G155 aids a marriage by letting an overgrown-kid husband get his gaming in without hogging the TV."

The GAEMS (Gaming and Entertainment Mobile Systems) G155 is a self-contained gaming unit that essentially transforms any Xbox 360 or PS3 Slim into a console in a briefcase. It combines a sturdy carrying case with a 15.5-inch 720p LED-lit monitor, an HDMI connection, stereo speakers, and dual 3.5 mm headphone jacks--all for $299.

Unique so far in design and function, it's advertised as a way for young gaming fanatics to take their Modern Warfare with them wherever they gather with other gadget-obsessed hipsters. I wouldn't be surprised to find one at the core of Occupy Wall Street. But I wanted to see if I could put the GAEMS unit's capabilities to use another way. … Read more

Video game consoles have become the most popular way for U.S. consumers to watch online entertainment content on their TVs, according to a new report from market researcher Strategy Analytics.

While the PC remains the most popular device for watching stuff online, more people are turning to game consoles such as Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3. Some 12 percent of U.S. households use the game platforms to watch online movies, TV shows or videos--more than the percentage that connect PCs to TVs via HDMI, researchers found.

The report also found that 65 percent of … Read more

Throw in the towel, Sony and Nintendo; it's game over. Portable console gaming no longer has a practical place in the current landscape of casual flick, drag, and swipe games. There is no room for the 3DSes and Vitas of the world when all-in-one functionality is now more important than high-tech, gaming-focused mobile systems.

Current consumers are more concerned with brief sessions of stimulation than they are with playing a complex 25-hour RPG. Take it from me, I've played those games on a Nintendo DS and Sony PSP before. I know how great they are.

But gaming is a serious business, and if consumers are content with an iPhone for music, video, and games, there is absolutely no practical need to carry around another bulky piece of hardware that is more than twice a smartphone's size and needs to be recharged after five hours of play time. The audience--or attention span--for hard-core mobile gaming may be shrinking. … Read more

Whoa! Check out these fancy new digs! Don't know about you, but I'm seriously liking the CNET makeover. Hubba-hubba!

When it comes to mobile gaming, I don't know how much longer dedicated devices like the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP can survive. The average iPod Touch or smartphone can play a zillion more games, most of them priced from free to $3, with no cartridges to schlep around.

That said, the kids sure do love the DS--and I'll admit it's a pretty sweet gaming gizmo. Hence today's deal: today only, and while supplies last, … Read more

Obsessed with Battlefield 3?

On October 25, custom-case maker Calibur 11 is set to drop PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 cases that give the consoles a BF3-themed vibe. The cases cover the console, requiring no disassembly. It's worth noting that once fitted, the Calibur 11 mod requires one to keep the console vertical. While some may find this type of product gaudy, there is a certain cool factor. … Read more

As the popularity of digital games continues to increase, there are some people who might wonder if consoles can survive much longer--just don't count GameStop President Tony Bartel as one of them.

Speaking to IndustryGamers in an interview published yesterday, Bartel acknowledged the importance of digital content in today's gaming industry, but said that over the next several years, it's hard to see a way in which consoles will lose their value in the marketplace.

"We continue to believe that the console is a strong platform and will continue to be the gold standard," Bartel … Read more

Your hairdresser knows everything about you. So does your shrink. Soon it could be your PlayStation. Sony executives are apparently looking to give game consoles abilities that go far beyond tracking your movements.

During a panel discussion on the next 10 years of gaming at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, last week, the executives described the possibility of consoles that track players' emotions. According to a transcript posted on Develop, Sony Worldwide Studios President Shuhei Yoshida said that within 10 years games will be able to offer "almost dangerous kinds of interactivity" with players.

A second participant, Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) Worldwide Studios Europe Vice President Mick Hocking, said cameras are capable of recording a player's biometric data and tracking where the player is looking. He elaborated on how Sony might be able to use this data. According to the transcript:… Read more

As of November 2011, the Nintendo Wii will be 5 years old. That's a long time in game years; in fact, it's nearly a console generation. To no great surprise, then, Nintendo has already announced the Wii's successor, the Wii U, with a likely release date of 2012. Until then, the Wii still survives, but as a lame duck console. That doesn't mean it should be overlooked. Nintendo's latest Wii console bundle--the fourth since the Wii's debut--is the lowest price ever, at $150, although the components in the bundle since last year's $200 have changed.

Gone is Wii Sports, the perennial Wii console pack-in. Gone, too, is Wii Sports Resort. Instead, the new Mario Kart bundle includes a Wii Remote Plus, nunchuck, a copy of Mario Kart Wii, and a Wii Steering Wheel plastic accessory. Mario Kart's a fun casual racer, but Nintendo has taken its most popular motion-control game, Wii Sports, out of the equation, forcing people to buy it separately. It doesn't make much sense, especially considering the game's 5 years old. Those interested in multiplayer games will also have to buy an extra Wii Remote Plus and nunchuck, $40 and $20, respectively.

Europe has announced an even less expensive redesigned Wii bundle, but the $150 Mario Kart version remains the least expensive Wii console in the U.S. We'd love to see this system drop down to $99, but that's just wishful thinking for now. That said, it can be found for under $135 at such major retailers as Wal-Mart and Amazon.

So the question remains: at those prices--about half that of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360--is the Wii worth the investment for first-time buyers?… Read more

Nintendo has announced a slightly reconfigured Wii console.

Nintendo says that its new "streamlined" Wii will come in a bundle with Wii Party and Wii Sports. Consumers will also find a Wii Remote Plus and Nunchuk. The company announced the bundle in Europe today, saying it will be made available to customers in October.

In a statement to CNET, a Nintendo of America spokesperson said that the company does not currently plan to release the console in the U.S.

According to a statement from the game company, the Wii's new look is designed to make the … Read more