Games

Holo-Dek offers new concept in interactive gaming

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December 3, 2004 Straight from the set of Star Trek comes the "Holo-Dek", a unique virtual venue that offers multiplayer gaming on a fast-LAN network where all the action is projected onto high-definition viewing screens ranging from 6 to 16 feet in size. Complete with full-surround 7.1 Dolby sound, the result is an immersive environment that dominates the senses, delivering another step towards fully-fledged virtual reality and a blueprint for future interactive gaming theatres. Read More

Xbox brings a Virtual Personal Trainer to gaming

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November 27, 2004 The gaming market is expanding it's audience through the growth of the "edutainment" genre, with titles like "Yourself!Fitness" for the Xbox, Playstation and PC targeting gamers, women and a wider audience who want a workout from a personal "Virtual Trainer" in the comfort of their own home. Created by responDESIGN , this new approach to personal fitness takes the often sedentary pastime of gaming and gives it a healthy impetus. Customers will also be able to purchase the game online and sign up for newsletters, promotions and tips from Maya, the Yourself!Fitness Virtual Personal Trainer. Read More

Pac-Man classic arcade game enters augmented reality

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November 26, 2004 The latest application of augmented reality has hit the streets of Singapore - a physically interactive version of the classic arcade game 'Pac-Man'. Developed at the National University of Singapore's Mixed Reality Lab,

the "Human Pac- Man" is a working prototype that recreates the groundbreaking 1980 game within a new kind of computing experience. Players interact with each other and the digitised, 3D "Pacworld" environment overlaid on their field of vision through the use of wearble computers, a headset and goggles. One player acts as Pac-Man and the others roleplay the Ghosts, tracking each other down real-world streets or corridors with GPS receivers and motion technology linked to a central computer by a wireless LAN network. Read More

Trading cards get a DVD upgrade

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November 20, 2004 Sports trading cards have been with us for more than 100 years - a curious collectible that began as a tobacco and chewing gum promotion and has evolved into almost a currency in its own right. Now there's a new development which appears to be gathering strength as football trading cards get the multimedia treatment with the release of DVD Cardz. The DVD Card release will unite football fans with the latest in multimedia technology, bridging the gap between traditional football stickers and the contemporary video gaming industry. The cardz work in PlayStation 2 and X-box consoles, as well as standard DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. Each one contains 570 MB of interactive match video, superb photography, player stats, bios, music, trivia and strategy games. Read More

Broadband Phantom Game Service to launch in 2005

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November 17, 2004 Thanks to a strategic alliance with Limelight Networks, the Phantom Game Service from Infinium Labs is poised to deliver end-to-end subscription game services delivered over broadband, offering gamers a broad library of titles on-demand to a global market. Read More

Halo 2 Headset delivers superior gameplay

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November 15, 2004 The convergence of real-world technologies with online

gaming continues with the release of the GameCom Halo 2 lightweight communications headset from Plantronics, the brand Neil Armstrong used to give his historic "One small step for man" transmission from the moon in 1969.

GameCom Halo 2 was engineered specifically for the Xbox gaming system and the highly anticipated sequel to Halo, the best-selling game from Bungie Studios. Read More

New boardgame dispels wine tasting myths

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November 14, 2004 Move over, Monopoly - Winerd, The Wine Tasting Game That Crushes Grape Fears is a new approach to improving wine knowledge for connoisseurs and amateurs alike. Created by Tamara Leigh Murphy, a private wine instructor and former chef, and Richard Murphy of Winerd Entertainment, the board game brings the fun of wine tasting to the masses and dispels the notion that wine has to be intimidating. Read More

Get the Tamagotchi connection

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Parents beware! The next generation of virtual Tamagotchi pets has arrived and the Tamagotchi Connection now has infrared capabilities allowing it to interact with other digital pets - and even breed! Read More

Serious Car Racing Simulator

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As computer games and graphics head quickly towards highly-detailed realism, we can expect some pretty interesting computer peripherals to be built in coming decades. The genre of computer game which almost everyone can relate to is driving/racing a car plus there's a whole generation of fans out there who absorb every detail of the sport it is emulating - accordingly, car racing is the realism genre which has had the most attention from game developers, and is now so realistic that many genuine elite-level racers learn new circuits prior to setting wheel on them by playing the official games for that particular franchise of racing, such a Formula One, V8 Supercars or MotoGP. Every competitor, car, corner, braking area, trackside marquis ad infinitum is true in detail. Read More

Playstation 2 trimmed down

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Sony has announced the release next month of the trimmed down Playstation 2. While inheriting the basic functions and design philosophy of the current PlayStation 2 (SCPH-50000), the internal architecture has been completely redesigned, resulting in a slimmer and more lightweight design. Internal volume has been reduced by 75%, weight has been halved, and thickness trimmed down to 2.8 cm (thickness of current model is 7.8 cm). Equipped with an integrated Ethernet port for network gaming, the new PlayStation 2 sets new standards in the fusion of design and functionality. Read More

3-D adds new dimension to jigsaw puzzles

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For more than 200 years jigsaw puzzles have remained pretty much the same. While they have grown larger in size and more intricate and complex, they have always been designed with two dimensions in mind, until now.

Puzzleball, by Australian company Blue Opal, is the world’s first 3-D plastic spherical jigsaw puzzle, adding a new dimension to the two dimensional world of jigsaw puzzles. In its completed form it measures 23 cm in diameter and is comprised of 540 interlocking plastic pieces, which hold its spherical shape without any internal support or glue. Read More

SingStar - Battle of the lounge room rockstars!

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Lounge room karaoke has gone to the next level thanks to Playstation 2 and the Sony SingStar Party game, which turns everyone into an Idol superstar. Building upon the original SingStar module that enables players to analyse their pitch, tone and rhythm whilst singing, SingStar Party now adds competitive multiplayer modes for between two to eight players to test their vocal abilities against each other in an open battle of the mic. Read More

Playstation EyeToy 2 offers surveillance camera

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The next version of Sony's Eyetoy Play due later this year can be used as a security camera as well as for dancing, karaoke and gameplaying further strengthening the Playstation's as a hub for home services and entertainment. Budding detectives can set up their SpyToy to secretly capture photos or record video of intruders, or they can record their own stealth message that will pop up on the television screen should anyone cross the threshold. Read More

Happy Birthday to the View-Master

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The View-Master is a toy which people of all ages remember vividly from their childhood. It's one of those rare high-tech inventions that has maintained massive appeal across multiple generations and this month it is celebrating its 65th anniversary. Despite numerous new media devices entering its domain since it first hit the market in 1939, its appeal remains strong and the View-Master has now sold more than a billion units. Read More

Sony EyeToy adds Video Conferencing to the Playstation 2

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Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) has unveiled the latest title in the ‘EyeToy’ family. ‘EyeToy: Chat’ is yet another pointer to the versatility of the PlayStation2 (PS2) as a home entertainment system by adding videophone functionality.

On show at the E3 Expo and expected in stores in s... Read More

Philips release interactive Gaming Headphones

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Monday October 13, 2003: Philips HG100 Gaming Headphone uses a new Active Motion System incorporating a neck-and-ear shell vibrator and sound enhancers, that when coupled with powerful sound effects and deep bass reproduction add an extra element to the gaming experience. Read More