REVIEW OF E3... 'THE' CONVENTION OF THE VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY

This past week was the video game industry's leading expo. A couple of my friends attended, so I guess I'll get their scoop later. Here's Newsweek's article on E3.

Technology: Your Next Videogame
By N'Gai Croal
Newsweek
May 24, 2004

The buzz at last week's Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles was more electronic than entertainment, thanks to a pair of dueling handheld videogame systems from industry giants Sony and Nintendo. First, Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) unveiled its movie-, music- and game-playing PlayStation Portable—and it was nothing short of stunning. The PSP's 4.3-inch widescreen display showcases both video and games nicely, and its built-in Wi-Fi offers cool possibilities for online interactivity. Not to be outdone, reigning handheld champ Nintendo unveiled the DS, which has two screens along with Wi-Fi and a separate short-range wireless radio for chat and instant messaging. Demos showed that the bland-looking DS is loaded with high-tech innovations. One game involved navigating a falling baby Mario to safety by using the stylus to trace out a line of virtual clouds to guide his descent; another was a first-person shooter that lets users look around by dragging the stylus left or right, then tapping on the screen to fire. Is the new Nintendo a game machine or a tween lifestyle device? Maybe both. (full article)