console

Having trouble remembering the last Wii game you bought? According to Game Informer, it might be because Nintendo is prepping to announce a brand-new console at this year's E3 2011 show in Los Angeles.

But that's not where the rumor ends. Apparently the successor to the Wii will be an HD console capable of at least matching or even exceeding the current-generation performance of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

While such a machine would certainly be a departure from Nintendo's current place in the gaming market, we'd imagine it might eliminate some isolation the Wii … Read more

Hi Jeff,

I've read almost all your reviews about the gaming headsets that give you wireless surround sound, but there's a problem for us gamers who own more than one console. How do I hook up both my Xbox 360 and PS3 to one wireless gaming headset? Is it even possible?

Thanks, Paul, Chicago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for writing. Accomplishing this isn't impossible, but it's certainly an issue we think gaming headset manufacturers need to become more aware of. We've received dozens of similar questions with gamers anxious about having to finagle a way to get more than one source into a wireless gaming headset transmitter.

We'd love to see a device that allows for more than one digital input, though we are fans of Logitech's F540 system, which accepts up to three analog sources. However, if you're using something like the Turtle Beach X41s, Astro A40s, or Tritton AX 720s, you'll have to manually swap out the digital audio cables each time you want to switch consoles. Not only is this an arduous process, but if you're like me, most of these ports and wires are not conveniently accessible without some serious furniture moving.… Read more

Before you purchase e-books from vendors like Amazon or from the iBookstore, see what your local library has to offer. With a library card and a free application, Overdrive Media Console, you can download free e-books and audiobooks to your iPhone (and any other iOS device), BlackBerry, Android device, or computer.

Remember, though, that most libraries might only carry a few copies of each title, so be ready to wait your turn. Additionally, most books have a loaning period of 7 to 14 days, so there's no room for procrastinating here.

Not so long ago, Nintendo was king of the hill in video game land--especially when it came to handheld games. Back in those magical days, the Nintendo DS was the pinnacle of kid-friendly fun, and even casual gaming for those who normally didn't find games appealing.

Then came Apple. While some might debate the quality games in the App Store versus offerings for the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the success of Apple's seemingly endless supply of cheap games has been undeniable. Nintendo even acknowledges that Apple is its chief rival, now.

Enter the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo's next-gen 3D handheld. Can it change the equation and recapture the Nintendo magic--and, most notably, kid appeal--that's worn away a bit in the wake of shiny gadgets like the iPhone and iPad?

The 3DS goes on sale in America on March 27, and it's been on shelves in Japan for weeks. We've reviewed the system already at CNET, and I've been playing around with one for the last six days, along with a handful of launch games.

At this year's GDC, Nintendo delivered a keynote literally across the street--and on the same day--as Apple's iPad 2 unveiling. Nintendo's focus on handheld gaming has had to take into account the meteoric rise of Apple's App Store. The App Store redefined the landscape of game pricing and effectively stole some of the casual-gaming crowd from Nintendo. Now that the 3DS is about to arrive, can it help fix what Nintendo's been missing?

After a week playing with one, my feelings are mixed. The 3DS has technical tricks up its sleeve that no iDevice can lay claim to yet--namely, its 3D camera and glasses-free 3D screen--but 3D is a divisive technology. Some people prefer their entertainment without a third dimension forced onto it. Also, Nintendo has been intent on not using 3D as an essential element in its 3DS games, making it a less integral technology than motion control on the Wii. The system has its advantages, and it has impressively improved graphics, but that alone isn't enough.

If the Nintendo 3DS is to effectively answer back to the juggernaut of affordable, diverse iOS gaming and offer up a convincing alternative, this is what I think it still needs to stand a chance.… Read more

Benjamin J. Heckendorn, better known as Ben Heck, likes a challenge. The host of the appropriately named Ben Heck Show is known as a modding master with a penchant for reworking gaming consoles. His latest conquest involved combining an Xbox 360 with a 1977 Atari 2600 console.

If you're too young to remember what an Atari console looks like, think of it as a brownish rectangular box with an angular lump on top. When you put your ear up to it, you can hear the distant sound of the Bee Gees. It's a far cry from the glowing, futuristic design of the latest Xbox.

OK, Heck didn't literally smoosh an Xbox into an old Atari console. That's almost too much awesome to comprehend. He instead took the look and feel of the iconic '70s console and wrapped it lovingly around a deconstructed Xbox and Asus LCD screen to create a big brown and black mutant Xbox/Atari laptop.… Read more

Every now and then people write in regarding various errors they see in the system console, where you can review system messages and troubleshoot problems. Sometimes these errors may be related to problems in which the system cannot build or access a specific cache, which can be an application cache, or a system cache such as the kernel extension "kext" cache.

Usually, when caching problems happen, the system will not show any signs of malfunction. Caches are generally binary databases of commonly accessed files that make items easier to load, and if one is missing then the system … Read more

Is Microsoft laying the groundwork for its next Xbox?

The software giant placed a job notice on its Web site yesterday, seeking a hardware engineer in its Interactive Entertainment Business division. The posting indicates that Microsoft wants to hire "a graphics hardware architect" for the company's Xbox Console Architecture group, which its posting claims is "responsible for defining and delivering next-generation console architectures from conception through implementation."

Microsoft states in the job posting that it's looking for someone who has a "solid understand of graphics hardware implementation, including design methodologies and production yield … Read more

Gravity Guy is a fun game that takes some ideas from the running-game genre and adds some unique features that keep it interesting. The main game mechanic is Gravity Guy's ability to reverse gravity, letting him run upside down on platforms and then switch back when he needs to run on the ground again. The first few levels are pretty easy, but as you get further in the game it will require precise gravity switches as you speed through complex courses. To add even more tension to the action, a security guard chases you the entire time (he has … Read more

Sony's NGP console might not be out until near Christmas, but we're already rather excited. It packs some monster hardware, including two--count 'em--two analog sticks and an intriguing touch-sensitive pad on the back.

But it's enormous! Measuring in at 182 by 84 by 19mm, it really stretches the definition of "handheld." We were so blown away by those dimensions, we decided to enlist the help of our loyal cohort of Facebook followers to illustrate the NGP's gargantuan girth.

Click on the photo above to check out more of what our faithful CNETeers came up with. The first entry up there comes courtesy of Photoshop maestro Marc Crane, who adequately illustrates the challenges faced by shops offering home delivery for the NGP.

Read more of "Sony NGP Photoshops demonstrate console massiveness, reader creativity" at Crave UK. … Read more