Gaming

Hands On With Netflix Downloads

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I wasn’t one of the lucky 250,000 to receive Netflix’s new movie download service, but my buddy Matt got the hook up. Matt and I go way back and he’s always kept me current on the video game industry. As roomies in college he made sure we had 3DO and the Japanese Nintendo 64 months before US release… not to mention the Sega Saturn and the first Playstation, plus a huge Mitsubishi monitor to game on.

Anyhow, Matt’s Watch Now tab is active and he spent some time playing around with it:

It works fine — easy installation, no interruptions during the stream. Video quality is good. But the library of titles SUCKS right now (all old stuff). And uhhhhh, sitting at my desk to watch a movie… sucks too. Kinda cool overall, but I don’t see myself using this. I’m sure you’ll find a way to make it better!

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2006 In Review: Higher Definition

Obviously the consumer electronics industry is huge and quickly evolving, so there are numerous products, services, and trends to reflect upon for 2006. Sure we could talk about Apple adding movie downloads from iTunes, the various mergers and acquisitions, PDA phones for the masses, etc… But for me, the real momentum was in the realm of high definition. (And “You” are not the person of the year.)

The major development was the plummeting cost of large screen HDTVs. Plasmas, LCDs, and DLP rear-projection sets all dropped while we simultaneously grew more comfortable with higher price points. When non-geeks have larger, better units than I do (as observed in 2006), it’s safe to say this technology has gone mainstream. (Although, not everyone knows how to get HD programming.)

Also in 2006, the next generation of optical disc technology was released in the form of Blu-ray and HD-DVD. However, neither supplanted DVD last year and it isn’t likely they will in 2007 — due to high prices and a fragmented market. Perhaps hybrid disc technology, such as Warner’s Total HD or LG’s offering, will change the landscape… but not last year and probably not this year.

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Mari’s Gadget-Giving Post-Mortem, Part 1

I realize that even among the people that celebrate Christmas, few celebrate it the way my family does. We have a particular gene in our DNA that leads to obscene levels of spending on Christmas presents. Yes, you could view it as rampant commercialism, but we prefer to think of it as extreme generosity. Below … Read more

Digital Media Bytes

A periodic roundup of relevant news… Hands on with the Loop motion controlled remote : Gizmodo Orb adds mobile YouTube search: PVRWire Mods to quiet your (my) Xbox 360: Extreme Tech Portable Audiovox XM receiver discovered: Orbitcast Sony PSP GPS accessory hits the market: Engadget

Digital Media Bytes: PSP Edition

A periodic roundup of relevant news… PSP 3.01 software update released Buy PSone games online via Playstation3, view music animations, and disable UMD auto-start. Sony PSP Internet Video Guide Learn how to use PSP Video 9 to get YouTube and Google Video onto your system. DVR Playground PSP sales up Hardware sales up 280% and … Read more

Dave Nabs Xbox 360 For $200 (Sort Of)

While I often live on the bleeding edge of technology, there are occasions when I’m content to wait. As a casual gamer, I didn’t pick up the Xbox 360 last year and I waited to try all three next gen systems before making a purchase. Now that I’ve some experience with the various consoles, I … Read more

Dave Touches Wii

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One of my goals here in NYC today was to pick up a Wii. I didn’t expect my odds to be very good and they weren’t: Nintendo Store, Best Buy, and Toys R Us are all out of stock. Though, I did see one guy purchase a Wii at the Toys R Us and another wandering with a unit in hand — perhaps these were pre-orders?

At the Nintendo Store I had some hands on time with Excite Truck which turns out to be a horrible game and makes me question my desire for a Wii. The graphics are poor and the game is just boring, though I assume two player mode is more fun.

Those of you who live in town better wake up early tomorrow… Both the Nintendo Store and Toys R Us received Wii shipments and will be selling them at 10AM.

Bonus NYC day tripping pictures after the jump…

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