Things To Consider When Buying HDTV:

• Browse for TVs online using Amazon.com and NewEgg.com.
  Use the filters they offer to narrow down by price and size.
• Bigger isn’t necessarily better.
  Consider viewing distances when purchasing a TV.
• Which resolution? 720p vs 1080p?
  If it’s over 50 inches, get 1080p for sure. If under, consider 720p.
• What kind? Plasma, LCD, or LED?
  Skip to the bottom for more details!

Samsung PN42B450 Plasma HDTV 42-inch 720p

I am a student, so when I bought this TV for only $625, I was ecstatic. Now, this Samsung is once again around that price on Amazon, so I advise you to buy it! I love the quality when watching anything on this plasma. It does not have any internet connectivity such as the other two models listed below, but I can connect it to my laptop easily through either a VGA or HDMI cable and stream HD fine. If on a budget, pick up this TV!

Buy: Samsung PN42B450

Sony BRAVIA Z Series KDL-46Z5100 LCD HDTV 46-Inch 1080p (240Hz)

The quality of this Sony impressed me from the start. In addition to its great quality, this TV features several HD inputs, internet connectivity, as well as online widgets to make your entertainment experience better. You can also connect your camera, USB storage device, or a mp3 player to the TV via USB ports.

Buy: Sony BRAVIA 46Z5100

Samsung UN46B8000 LED HDTV 46-Inch 1080p (240Hz)

Although this TV comes with a hefty price tag, no one can debate its quality. At Fry’s, when I saw this LED, the picture I saw amazed me. Even though I knew that the salesmen purposely set its settings to their best, it was beautiful. It includes everything the Sony features and more. Also, the 1.2″ depth and light weight definitely impressed me.

Buy: Samsung UN46B8000

My piece of advice:
Articles from different sources concerning the differences between 720p vs. 1080p sometimes give contrasting advice. Here are my 2-cents on the issue: after going into several stores and researching online, I found that unless I sat two to three feet away from the screen, I found little to no differences between 720p and 1080p on screens smaller than 50 inches. I bought the first Samsung on the list below, and the quality, when watching HD satellite, looks almost the same when comparing it to my other 46 inch 1080p Sony Bravia back at home. But again, go into stores and see for yourself.

Watch out for salesmen being bias, they might try to mislead you! Quick story- I bought my TV at Fry’s Electronics. When I went into Fry’s, I already knew that I wanted to buy this TV, but I browsed around anyway to see other comparable TVs. I bought this TV on a budget, so I did not want to spend anymore money than what I already allocated. Anyways, as I am browsing around, I notice that my TV looked terrible when compared to the other ones in the store. I began talking to a salesman about the differences between 720p and 1080p, but he only talked about 1080p and gave me cons to 720p TVs. As I moved in closer, I noticed that my TV and the other ones in that section (all of which were 720p) looked dusty and poorly lit. In addition, unlike the other 1080p HDTVs, the ones in this section hooked up to DVD players and not Blu-ray players. I asked the clerk why they did this, to which he responded “Oh, well, uh…the building wasn’t set up properly for it.” Okay, seriously? Do you really expect me to believe that? (I did not say that, but I should have!)

When it comes to plasma versus LCD, again, check it out at a store! In the TVs I saw, plasma’s give deeper black levels and provide better viewing angles. However, LCDs can be found in larger sizes, weigh less, and do not have the “burn in” issue that some older plasma TVs have. With the newer plasmas, burn in is not really an issue. What about plasma vs. LED? LED TVs usually come with internet accessible features, a good number of HD inputs, and incredibly thin widths. LED, a relatively new technology, performs better in some respects to plasma, such as depth perception and brightness, but for the most part when comparing a 1080p plasma and 1080p LED, the difference between the quality is not worth the price paid. But then again, I am a college student, so I tend to be very frugal with my money. Don’t get me wrong- LEDs are beautiful and great for anything, whether it be movies or gaming, but I feel that the current prices are too high.

This Gift Guide is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guide.

Best Choice: PlayStation 3 Slim (120GB HDD)

No surprise here. I would still recommend the PlayStation 3 as the best Blu-ray player. It’s now slimmed down and cheaper than ever before. Other decent Blu-ray players will cost nearly half as much, but lack can’t match what the PS3 offers. A standalone Blu-ray player will require purchase of an expensive WiFi adapter to get online. The PS3 has WiFi built in, plus it’s a media center too. You can playback music, photos, and movies on your PC on the big screen with the PS3. You can even store a local copy on the whopping 120GB HDD. It’s entirely upgradable with software updates too. NETFLIX STREAMING TOO

Buy: PlayStation 3 Slim | Link: PlayStation.com/PS3

Most Affordable: Panasonic Blu-ray Disc Player DMP-BD60

Panasonic has always been a key player in the world of video entertainment. This particular model made our list for its straight-shooter build and features all contained in a competitively priced package. The HDMI+ and 24bit sound connections ensures that you will have a true cinematic experience, no strings attached. In addition to Blu-ray playback, this device will even upconvert your old DVD collection and playback CDs. (MP3, MPEG2, and JPEG supported too!) Most importantly it’s one of the most affordable ones out there. While there were a few sub-$100 Blu-ray players on Black Friday, this still offers the bang without leaving your wallet empty.

Buy: Panasonic Blu-Ray Disc Player DMP-BD60

Best Looking: Samsung Blu-ray Disk Player (BD-P4600)

This is probably the best-looking Blu-ray player out there. It won’t be an ugly box sitting under your fancy HDTV set. It’s also packing plenty of features most Blu-ray players don’t. It’s got built-in up-scaling and WiFi. That means old movies look better and you’ll even have access to Netflix and Pandora. Firmware upgrades are also just a click away. In addition it can playback DivX, MP3s, JPGs, and more.

Buy: Samsung Blu-ray Disk Player (BD-P4600)

Web Content: LG Network Blu-ray Disc Player BD370

If you are a fan of web content, the LG should not to be left out. In addition to High Definition 1080p Blu-ray playback, the LG player supports access to CinemaNow, Netflix, and YouTube. Of course, it also supports, now-legacy, CDs and DVDs. It’s priced fairly reasonably at around $180 and offers better playback quality than other cheaper models.

Buy: LG Network Blu-ray Disc Player BD370

Massive Overkill: Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400 Blu-ray Disc Mega Changer

Where do I begin? Yes, this is a Blu-ray player. Not just any Blu-ray player, probably the most massive one you’ve ever seen. It holds 400 discs and can switch through them automatically with your remote control. It sports a PS3-like cross media bar interface and will display cover art for every disc in the device through the on-screen visual browser. With 7.1 Audio, DVD up-scaling through HDMI, USB flash drive support, and even a quick slot for Rental DVDs this is probably the most hard-core player out there. But that’s only if you’re are made of cash and are a “movieholic.” This costs about $1,900. On the plus side, they include two AA batteries for the remote. ;)

Buy: Sony BDP-CX7000ES 400 Blu-ray Disc Mega Changer

This Gift Guide is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guide.

Best Overall Game: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the sequel to one of the most popular PlayStation 3 games, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune. Uncharted 2 is a 3rd person shooter following fortune hunter Nathan Drake. Uncharted 2 has top notch graphics and overall a must have game. It’s one of top games on Metacritic.

Buy: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Second Choice: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to the popular game Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. This is one of the most talked about games of the year. Having sold over 4.7 million copies on opening day and over 9 million copies in the first 5 days, it’s broken all sales records for video games.

Buy: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Third Choice: Assassin’s Creed II

Assassin’s Creed II is the sequel to the popular 2007 game Assassin’s Creed. It picks up merely seconds after the first game ends. You play as an incarnate of an assassin named Ezio who was betrayed by a rival ruling family during the Renaissance era in Italy.

Buy: Assassin’s Creed II

This Gift Guide is a part of our ongoing Skatter Tech Holiday Gift Guide.

Since launch, Sony has advertised the PlayStation 3 as a household center for entertainment. In addition to Blu-Ray playback, Sony soon took it a step further with a few software updates giving it access to tons of Movies and TV Shows through the PlayStation Network Store. It even supports DLNA streaming to share music, photos, and videos between computers on your home network. Despite those features, it lacked something that Microsoft was able to put into the Xbox: Netflix Streaming.

Fortunately Sony has caught up with the times and has partnered with Netflix. They plan to offer PS3 owners and Netflix subscribers streaming access to their library as early as next month at no additional cost. This will be a great complement to their snail mail Blu-Ray rental service.  To enable your PS3 for the service, you’ll need to get a special free disc from Netflix that will enable the service. Let’s hope there will be more features such as this one coming down the line. Hulu please?

Links: Netflix.com/PS3

This isn’t the first time Sony’s slimmed down on a console. It’s predecessor the PlayStation 2 also shed a few pounds and was re-launched with a new look a couple of years after launch. The PlayStation Portable also was re-branded as a more compact PSP Go and will be reaching stores later this year.

Sony’s PlayStation 3 hasn’t dominated the console war as the PS2 had during it’s time, mainly due to competing prices. As of early 2009, the Sony PS3 has sold about 24 million units worldwide behind both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 at ~32 million units and Nintendo’s Wii at ~52 million units. For consumers, the good news might be the new price tag of $299, which is effective immediately, for both the upcoming Slim model and the currently available one. One quirk that still disappoints is a continued lack of backwards compatibility for PlayStation 2 games. Despite that, if you are interested in grabbing a unit, the PS3 Slim will be available for purchase online and in stores on September 1st, 2009.

Pre-Order: Sony PS3 Slim – $299
Links: PlayStation Blog

As many of you have already heard there was a torrent of game announcements that came out of E3 that just gets our hearts pumping. So, without any further adieu here are the games that I personally am most excited for on each the following consoles.

PlayStation 3:

• God of War III – Sony CEA
• Uncharted 2: Among Thieves – SCEA
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Activision
• Heavy Rain – Sony Computer Entertainment
• Bioshock 2 – 2K Games
• MAG – Sony Computer Entertainment
• Assassin’s Creed II – Ubisoft

Xbox 360:

• Assassin’s Creed II – Ubisoft
• Halo 3: ODST – Microsoft
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Activision
• Alan Wake – Microsoft
• Splinter Cell: Conviction – Ubisoft
• Mass Effect 2 – Electronic Arts
• Bioshock 2 – 2K Games
• Left 4 Dead 2 – Valve Software

Wii:

• New Super Mario Brothers – Nintendo
• Metroid: The Other M – Nintendo

DS: Scribblenauts – Nintendo

PC:

• Left 4 Dead 2 – Valve Software
• Star Wars: The Old Republic – Lucas Arts and Bioware
• Splinter Cell: Conviction – Ubisoft
• Alan Wake – Microsoft
• Bioshock 2 – 2K Games
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 – Activision
• Mass Effect 2 – Electronic Arts
• Assassin’s Creed II – Ubisoft

Sony VAIO P Series Specs:

• Processor: 1.33GHz Intel Atom
• Hard Drive: 60GB HDD, 64GB SSD, or 128GB SSD
• Memory: 2GB 533MHz DDR2
• Operating System: Windows Vista Home Basic
• Graphics: Intel GMA 500
• Built-in Webcam & Microphone: Yes
• Keyboard / Mouse: Reduced Standard / Pointer
• Display: 8-inch 1600 x 768 LED
• Wireless: WiFi b/g/n & Bluetooth 2.1 & WWAN
• Expansion Slot: Memory Stick & SD Card slots
• Audio: Speakers and 1 Headphone Jack
• Ports: 2x USB 2.0 & Expansion I/O Connector

My initial response on first glancing over the specifications might have been that a lot of it was quite impressive. Although Sony’s PR folks were quite serious about not advertising it as a netbook, we’ll still call it one since it has a Atom Processor. Although the starting price might set it far away from other “netbooks,” but I’ll get to that later. First off, this is probably one of the few portable laptops I’ve come across that doesn’t have a crappy resolution. Sony managed to squeeze 1600×768 pixels into a 8-inch wide screen display. It’s great for those with decent vision, however will be a pain for many to see. And yes, I do know that text size can be changed in a second. But point being made, for those who can see, is the ability to view more content on the display than any other netbook. In fact the most common resolution for a 13-inch laptop is still 1280×800. Next, the SSD options offer plenty of storage space for multimedia. The P Series sports WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth, and optional 3G Mobile Broadband through Verizon Wireless. The large spacious keyboard makes typing easier than on many other portables.

The most unique feature is probably the built in GPS module which functions independently of 3G card, so no service is required. Your laptop now functions as a turn-by-turn navigator and applications such as Google Earth should be able to pinpoint your exact location. The other neat feature is the “instant OS” which borrows the UI from the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 3. It allows quick access to music, movies, photos, and a web browser without needing to start up Windows Vista.

Sony claims a 4 hour battery life with the standard capacity battery and a 8 hour capacity with the extended battery. Units will be available in red, green, blue, white, and black. Sony is now taking pre-orders on SonyStyle.com. Pricing starts at $900 for the lowest-end model. It will become available in retail stores next month. We will be getting a unit in a few weeks, so check back for an in-depth review!

Links: Sony Style P Series

During the Games Convention in Leipzig, Sony announced a new accessory for the PlayStation 3. This little keyboard snaps onto any SIXAXIS or DUALSHOCK 3 controller to make inputting text easier. The Wireless Keypad accessory is quite similar to what Microsoft rolled out for their Xbox 360 controller over a year ago, however it’s got a few extra features. In addition to making it easier to chat with others and use the browser, it also features a few shortcuts and a special touchpad mode. The shortcuts allow quickly accessing the friends list and message box through the XMB while in games. And the touchapad mode turns the entire face of the keypad into a touchpad to control the pointer when using the browser.

The Wireless Keypad doesn’t seem to communicate with the controller at all, but rather just clips onto it. It has to be paired directly with the PS3 using a USB cable the same way a controller is. And it’s just using the standard Bluetooth 2.0 technology that’s built into the PS3, so no additional equipment is necessary. One bummer might be that this QWERTY keyboard doesn’t seem to be backlit, which the Xbox accessory does. According to the press release the keyboard will become available in North America in November, however pricing hasn’t yet been mentioned.

Links: PlayStation 3 Wireless Keypad

While retaining the same slim size, it now has a new LCD display with a better contrast ratio and can produce more vibrant colors. One major problem with the previous PSPs was reflectiveness of the glossy screen. Seeing anything out doors was almost impossible. The PSP-3000 now has “anti-reflection” technology to make it easier to view under direct sunlight. The other hardware feature that’s been added is the built-in microphone. Previously you had to purchase an accessory to be able to speak to others when using Skype or in a game. With this upgrade, you’ll have a fully functioning VoIP device at all times without any extra cables or headsets. (Just waiting on the webcam at this point!)

It is also expected that Sony will be rolling out some new firmware upgrades with new features in the near future. Unfortunately some new features will probably not be entirely backwards compatible. Sony has officially stated that the the price of the new version will be kept the same, $169 (MSRP). Some new PSP Entertainment Packs with a movie, a game, and a 1GB Memory Stick will become available later this year. This isn’t really that great of an upgrade, but it’s worth mentioning since it’s retaining the same price!

Links: US PlayStation Portable
Related: PSP-2000 Info

It seems that July will be yet another slow summer month as developers are biding their time until the holiday season to release their triple A titles.

Nintendo Wii:

• Summer Athletics: The Ultimate Challenge – dpt entertainment AG
• Order Up! – Zoo Games
• NCAA Football 09 – Electronic Arts
• Rock Band Track Pack Volume 1 – MTV Games
• Wonder World Amusement Park – Majesco Entertainment
• Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo’s Dungeon – Square Enix
• SPOGS Racing – D2C Games
• Freddi Fish Kelp Seed Mystery – Majesco Entertainment
• Purr Pals – Crave Entertainment

PlayStation 3:

• Beijing 2008 – The Official Video Game of the Olympic Games – Sega
• NCAA Football 09 – Electronic Arts
• Soulcalibur IV – Namco Bandai Games

Xbox 360:

• Golf: Tee It Up – Activision
• Schizoid – Microsoft
• NCAA Football 09 – Electronic Arts
• Soulcalibur IV – Namco Bandai Games
• Spectral Force 3 – Atlus

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free + no tax)

Nintendo Wii:

• Top Spin 3 – 2K Sports
• Rock Band – MTV Games
• Blast Works – Majesco Sales Inc.
• The Incredible Hulk – Sega

Play Station 3:

• Kung Fu Panda – Activision
• Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy – Sierra
• LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures – LucasArts
• Race Driver: GRID – CodeMasters Software
• The Incredible Hulk – Sega
• Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit – Atari
• NASCAR 09 – Electronic Arts

Xbox 360:

• Ninja Gaiden II – Microsoft
• Kung Fu Panda – Activision
• LEGO Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures – LucasArts
• Alone in the Dark – Atari
• Race Driver: GRID – CodeMasters Software
• Robert Ludlum’s The Bourne Conspiracy – Sierra
• The Incredible Hulk – Sega
• NASCAR 09 – Electronic Arts
• Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit – Atari
• Don King Presents Prizefighter – 2k Sports
• Command and Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath – Electronic Arts
• Hail to the Chimp – Gamecock Media Group
• Hellboy: The Science of Evil – Konami
• Operation Darkness – Atlus
• Guitar Hero: Aerosmith – Activision
• Command and Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath – Electronic Arts
• Hail to the Chimp – Gamecock Media Group
• Hellboy: The Science of Evil – Konami
• Operation Darkness – Atlus
• Guitar Hero: Aerosmith – Activision

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free + no tax)

After last month’s launch of Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3, which seems to have received best score of all time for both consoles, these new games are probably going to go unnoticed. And Wii users are still probably rejoicing with Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart.

Nintendo Wii:

• Emergency Heroes – Ubisoft
• Wii Fit – Nintendo
• DECA Sports – Hudson Entertainment, Inc
• We Ski – NAMCO Bandai Games America, Inc
• Castle of Shikigame III – Aksys Games
• Blast Works – Majesco Sales, Inc
• Bloom Box – Electronic Arts
• Iron Man – Sega

Play Station 3:

• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – Disney Interactive Studios
• UEFA EURO 2008 – Electronic Arts
• SlingStar – SCEA
• Enemy Territory: Quake Wars – Activision
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger – Southpeak
• Haze – Ubisoft

Xbox 360:

• Iron Man – Sega
• Wits & Wagers – Microsoft
• The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian – Disney Interactive Studios
• UEFA EURO 2008 – Electronic Arts
• Enemy Territory: Quake Wars – Activision
• Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies Edition – Capcom

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free + no tax)

“Sony was the first to introduce a travel-sized camcorder with 8 mm technology in the 1980’s, and it revolutionized the travel and electronics industries,” said Kelly Davis, director of camcorder marketing at Sony Electronics. “This new model is a great example of our expertise in miniaturization, as well as advanced imaging technologies with features like face detection.”

The compact HDR-TG1 HD camcorder will become available next month (May 2008). The current manufacturer’s suggested retail price is set at $900. When it becomes available it can be purchased on SonyStyle.com. in Sony Retail Stores, or through authorized dealers. Pre-orders begin on April 4th.

Links: SonyStyle.com

It looks as though April will be another slow month in terms of the quantities of games being released. PlayStation 3 owners will rejoice since Gran Turismo 5 is finally hitting store shelves. In addition the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV will be hitting both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles.

Nintendo Wii:

• Mario Kart Wii – Nintendo
• Okami – Capcom
• Baroque – Atlus

PlayStation 3:

• Gran Turismo 5 Prologue – SCEA
• NBA Ballers: Chosen One – Midway
• Monster Madness: Grave Danger – Southpeak
• Grand Theft Auto IV – Rockstar

Xbox 360:

• Ninja Gaiden II – Microsoft
• Grand Theft Auto IV – Rockstar
• NBA Ballers: Chosen One – Midway

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free + no tax)

When the PlayStation 3 was originally launched Sony ran into a patent infringement with the rumble feature in their new controller. So instead of naming it the Dual Shock 3, which would be logical since it would have been a wireless version of the Dual Shock 2 for the PlayStation 2, they ended up naming the non-vibrating controller the SIXAXIS. When the patent issues were all settled by mid-2007, however the first Dual Shock 3 controller didn’t hit the market in Japan until November 2007. North America and Europe have an official launch date of April 15, 2008 at a MSRP of $54.99.

As always retailers are already taking in pre-orders for the controllers and Amazon seems to have a pretty darn good deal. Amazon is charging $49.99 for the Dual Shock 3 with free (super saver) shipping and no tax. In addition if you are worried the the price might drop, Amazon guarantees to offer you the lowest price it reaches between the time you place your order and the launch date. It’s a fairly good deal considering that the SIXAXIS Wireless Controller still runs at around $40-45. In addition you won’t have to wait for most games to become rumble-compatible. Over a hundred titles including best sellers such as Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction, and Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots already fully support it, while other titles should get patches.

Pre-Order: Dual Shock 3 Controller – $49
Links: More DualShock 3 Info

This month will be an exciting time for Nintendo Wii owners since one of the most anticipated games, Super Smash Bros. Brawl is hitting stores on March 9th, 2008. Note that the game was already made available in Japan and this launch date applies only to North America. A date has not yet been set for Europe.

Nintendo Wii:

• Super Smash Bros. Brawl – Nintendo
• Summer Sports: Paradise Island – Destineer
• Bully: Scholarship Edition – Rockstar Games
• Destroy All Humans! Big Willy Unleashed – Locomotive
• Ninja Reflex – Electronic Arts
• Major League Baseball 2k8 – 2k Sports

Play Station 3:

• MLB 08 The Show – SCEA
• Army of Two – Electronic Arts
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot – Sega
• Dark Sector – D3 Publisher of America
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Vegas 2 – UbiSoft
• Sega Superstars Tennis – Sega
• Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 – Konami

Xbox 360:

• Rainbow Six Vegas 2 – Ubisoft
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot – Sega
• Bully: Scholarship Edition – Rockstar
• Major League Baseball 2k8 – 2k Sports
• Army of Two – Electronic Arts
• Brothers In Arms Hell’s Highway – Ubisoft
• Dark Sector – D3 Publisher of America
• Universe At War: Earth Assault – Sega
• Viking: Battle for Asgard – Sega

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free+ no tax)

After the big holiday season, upcoming games seem to have died down for the moment. But be hopeful, there are a ton of hot games such as Super Smash Brothers for the Wii and Gran Turismo 5 for the PlayStation 3 heading down the pipeline for 2008!

Nintendo Wii:

• Sega Bass Fishing – Sega

Play Station 3:

• Devil May Cry 4 – Capcom
• Go! Sports Skydiving – N/A
• Conflict: Denied Ops – Eidos
• FIFA Street 3 – Electronic Arts
• The Club – Sega

Xbox 360:

• Turok – Touchstone
• Devil May Cry – Capcom
• Frontlines: Fuel of War – THQ
• Lost Odyssey – Microsoft
• The Club – Sega
• Culdcept SAGA – Namco Bandai
• The Spiderwick Chronicles – Sierra Entertainment
• Dark Messiah: Might and Magic Elements- Ubisoft
• Conflict: Denied Ops – Eidos
• FIFA Street 3 – Electronic Arts
• Dark Sector – D3Publisher of America
• Turning Point: The Fall of Liberty – Codemasters
• Universe at War: Earth Assault – Sega

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free+ no tax)

As with any holiday season, it’s games galore! In December, there will be plenty of games being released for each of the three next-gen consoles. The most notable of these is probably The Orange Box from Valve for the PS3 which includes Half-Life 2, Half-Life 2: Episode One/Two, Portal, and Team Fortress 2. That’s not exactly as many as last month, but there are plenty of awesome recently launched games.

Nintendo Wii:

• Nights Journey of Dreams – Sega
• Jenga – Atari
• Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 – Namco Bandai

Playstation 3:

• The Golden Compass – Sega
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles – Bethesda Softworks
• The Orange Box – Electronic Arts
• NCAA March Madness ’08 – Electronic Arts
• BlackSite: Area 51 – Midway
• MX Vs ATV: Untamed – THQ

Xbox 360:

• The Golden Compass – Sega
• NCAA March Madness 08 – Electronic Arts
• MX vs ATV Untamed – THQ
• Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom – Microsoft

Games List: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free+ no tax)

It looks like October is going to be a massive month for games launches, dominated by the Xbox 360 with 17 games. Amazing especially after last month’s launch of Halo 3. Nintendo’s Wii owners will be able to purchase Super Mario Bros and three other games. PS3 gamers will have 8 games to choose from.

Xbox 360:

• Naruto: Rise of a Ninja – Ubisoft
• The Simpsons Game – Electronic Arts
• Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation – Namco Bandai Games
• Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground – Activision
• The Orange Box – Electronics Arts
• Tetris Splash – Tetris Online, Inc
• Sega Rally Revo – Sega
• Looney Tunes: Acme Arsenal – Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
• Avatar The Last Airbender: The Burning Earth – THQ
• Thrillville: Off the Rails
• Beautiful Katamari – Namco Bandai Games
• Bee Movie Game – Activision
• Cars Mater-National – THQ, Inc.
• Clive Barker’s Jericho – Codemasters
• Conan – THQ
• TimeShift – Sierra Entertainment
• Need For Speed ProStreet – Electronic Arts

Wii:

• Super Mario Bros.: The Lost Levels – Nintendo
• Sin & Punishment – Nintendo
• Donkey Kong: Barrel Blast – Nintendo
• Battalion Wars 2 – Nintendo

PlayStation 3:

• Go! Sports Ski – SCEA
• Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights – THQ
• Folklore – SCEA
• FIFA Soccer 08 – Electronic Arts
• Sega Rally Revo – Sega
• Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground – Activision
• THE EYE OF JUDGEMENT – SCEA

Game Lists: Nintendo Wii | Sony PS3 | Microsoft Xbox 360
Purchase Games: Amazon’s Selection (ships free+ no tax)

Sony just released a new version of their electronic “Reader” (PRS-505) as an upgrade to the PRS-500. First off for those of you that don’t know what this gizmo is, it’s a electronic paper display. This means that it actually looks like ink on paper and doesn’t cause stress on eyes as backlit LCD screens do. Sony’s second generation Reader has new controls, imitates paper better than its predecessor, responds faster, and is much easier to read outdoors. Unlike other gadgets with displays, the Reader doesn’t consume any power when it is on. It only looses power when flipping through pages. According to Sony you’ll be able to read approximately 7,500 pages before the juice runs out.

The Reader now also sports a Memory Stick Duo and SD card slots for additional storage space and also functions as a mass storage device. Owners can transfer purchased books from Sony’s collection of 20,000 titles or copy their own PDF, Word, RTF, Text, or JPEG files. For easier reading the Reader can be oriented in either the upright or landscape position on the 6-inch display. Text can also be magnified by up to three times. The previous Reader wasn’t too popular, but was quite impressive despite being laggy when we took a look at it. Hopefully this version will bring many more improvements.

The reader is a bit on the pricey end, costing about $300 for the unit in addition to a USB cable, soft case, and charger. The unit is on sale now and will be available in both silver and dark blue by the end of this month. Look for it online, in retail stores, and even at Borders. We are trying to get a hold of a unit, so if you are interested check back for full in-depth review.

Links: SonyStyle.com
Related: Video Walkman Review