High Tech Household

Anyone who has been to the movies in the last year has noticed the latest trends of releasing movies in 3D.  Movies ranging from films such as Pixar’s Up to James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar have made heavy use of 3D technology in a way that hasn’t been tried since the failed 3D movie craze of the 1960s.  The conversion from analog to digital has made 3D much more workable and less gimmicky, so motion picture studios are scheduling even more 3D films.

The emergence of 3D is also set to impact homes.  With HD becoming far more mainstream, the latest trend among TV manufacturers is the 3D television experience.  At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) earlier this month, home-3D was the largest new innovation, with all of the major TV manufacturers unveiling HD 3D offerings.  While pricey at the moment, technology prices typically fall as demand increases, so look for affordable 3D-HD TVs in a few years time.

Besides movies and TV shows, video games are the next logical step.  As the big three (Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo) fight over the next round of video game and console wars, will 3D enter the picture?  Some say yes, especially for the hard-core gamers.

3D also has its detractors.  There are many who say that the glasses are uncomfortable, and that the forced perspective that 3D creates can take away from appreciating a film and cinematography in general.  3D also can cause eye strain, nausea, and motion sickness.  So while 3D is an interesting new technology, and is all the rave this year, it remains to be seen if it is simply a fad or is here to stay.  The emergence of digital certainly improves the 3D experience, but as the failed experiments of the 1960s and 1980s show, just because the content creators want to make it, it doesn’t mean that people will want to buy it.  We shall see.

There I was, in the check-out line at Target, when I overheard the lady in front of me chatting about the copy of Assassin’s Creed 2 she was buying for her grandson. “For my grandson. You know these kids, they always want these weird things,” she casually said to the checker. “You know, assassins and whatever else.” She smiled, as though this must all be light, harmless fun.

That struck me quite a bit. I’ve read about parents and grandparents not doing their homework in regard to the entertainment they purchase for those in their care. Getting people informed about these issues is part of the reason for this very website. Video games are not just for kids anymore. Truth be told, they never really were the exclusive domain of children, but a lot of people seem to think that’s the case anyway.

So, I said to her, “You know, that’s not really a kids’ game at all. It’s rated “Mature,” the video game equivalent of a rated-R movie.” She definitely had no idea what I was talking about, so I pointed out the ESRB (Entertainment Software Ratings Board) rating icon in the corner of the game case. “M 17+” it said pretty plainly. She was pretty surprised and said she would discuss it with the child’s father.

Of course, the important thing is that you know what you’re getting for your child (or whichever relation). You may have an objection to a mild smoking reference in an E10+ game (“Everybody 10+”), but no problem with some mild swearing in a T game (“Teen”). With the ESRB’s information, you can make an informed choice. No major retailer will stock a game unless it carries a rating from the ESRB, so take note when purchasing. Their website is very informative, and gives a lot of detail on rated games. Case-in-point, here is their description of the game I mentioned above, Assassin’s Creed 2. See if you think that’s what you’d want your 13-year-old to be playing.

Plastic guitars? Drums taking up the living room? Is a band video game a good family game night activity? Read on for a his-and-hers review by my wife and me of Rock Band 2 and The Beatles: Rock Band.

Read more…

For years, Nintendo has had loyalty clubs in Japan and Europe. Recently, and with much rejoicing, Club Nintendo has debuted in the USA. If you have a recent Nintendo console in the house, along with occasional game purchases, it’s an easy way to get in on some freebies. The club is set up to support family accounts, as well, so parents can control the experience for children a bit.

The freebies are nothing mind-blowing, but there a couple of gems, if you like Nintendo’s stylistic design. One of the cheaper items available is a little bin that’s just big enough to hold a few Wii Remotes. The top end is a collection of Nintendo’s classic Game & Watch handheld games, re-packaged as a DS game. The kids may also like some of the card games or DS cases you can get.

So, for the price of a little bit of time and a little bit of surveys, Nintendo fans can earn a little bit of bonus.