SingleClick Systems Empowers Do–It–Yourself Home and Small Office Networking Customers with HomeNet Manger 2.0

SingleClick Systems, a provider of Windows®–based consumer and small and home office (SOHO) networking software utilities, today released HomeNet Manager 2.0. The new HomeNet Manager is designed to help customers configure, manage and troubleshoot their home and small office networks, and it includes new features to help share digital content such as photos and music instantly with friends, family and colleagues.

HomeNet Manager 2.0 offers enhanced features that troubleshoot network problems, help users get back up–and–running when errors occur, automate file and printer sharing, and simplify home network configuration and management.

A key capability of the new HomeNet Manager 2.0 is Digital Share Live, an integrated file sharing service that allows users to instantly share content stored on their home or small office networks (and attached devices) with friends, family and colleagues. To share files using HomeNet Manager's Digital Share Live, users only need to create an account and invite participants to join their network via a built–in invitation tool in HomeNet Manager. Once an account is created, and invitations have been sent, users have one–click access to the Digital Share Live network from within HomeNet Manager 2.0, and can start sharing digital content immediately. Users are also able to drag and drop any content within their home or small office network directly to the Digital Share Live network through the HomeNet Manager interface. (more)

NOTE: I just received a call from the Springboard Public Relations rep. She told me that for $5 a month users can upload unlimited multimedia assets to the Digital Share Live service and it will stay there forever. "So, I can upload gigs and gigs of video to the Digital Share Live servers and it will stay there forever," I asked. "Yes. I believe that is true."

If it is true...which I doubt....SingleClick Systems will attract a ton of abusive users and end up either changing their policies or lose $$$ in the long run.

E3 Press - muvee evaluation

If you are a member of the E3 press corps, you can get an evaluation copy of autoProducer 4 directly from muvee by contacting Tania Chew, Chief Publicist.

Listen to Tania explain how cool muvee autoProducer is

E3 Video List
- coming soon -

Global Gadget Magazine I4U Announces Exclusive E3 Podcast And Video Coverage

I4U Reports Live From The Show, Giving Early Adopter Unfiltered Access To The Future Of Gaming And Gadgets



Los Angeles, CA - I4U Future Technology News, the Premier digital gadget online news publication, is set to bring E3 coverage to a whole new level. Journalists will be on hand to bring unfiltered reports to readers, listeners and video viewers worldwide.

"This years E3 is going to be special, even for non-hardcore gamers,” states Luigi Lugmayr, CEO of I4U LLC. “The new consoles will also change home entertainment in the near future."



Our team will produce Podcast and video news reports optimized for multimedia devices such as the iPod, Playstation Portable, and Smart Phones from both the big pre-show press conferences and after show events. Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Revolution will all make their debuts this year, and I4U will be there to bring you the latest coverage from the show room floor. Look for interviews with the top names in gaming, new console updates, hottest holiday titles and everything else that matters. Playstation Portable owners can look forward to video coverage downloads formatted exclusively for their console.

If you are into images, we have you covered. Gear Live, a trend-setting web magazine devoted to the high tech lifestyle and a member of the I4U network, will have a live moblog that will be constantly updated with pictures of all the shows sights.

"E3 has always been about the latest in electronic technology, mostly as it pertains to the gaming world,” says Andru Edwards, editor-and-chief Gear Live. “This year I4U, Gear Live, and Playfeed will bring the news to the high end products that our readers are using nowadays. Content formatted exclusively for the PSP, portable media players, and the Internet is our way of giving back to those early adopters."

“It is a real pleasure to be working with such a techno savvy team,” explains Jack Olmsted, digital multimedia journalist. “As far as I can tell by doing a google search on ‘Podcast E3’, we are the only media outlet publishing exclusive Podcasts, photo galleries and video news reports from exhibitor press conferences, booths and after hour events to an international audience.”

About I4U LLC
I4U LLC operates I4U.com a Technology Life Style Magazine and Shopping Guide. The Company also has several technology-focused blogs in its I4U Network including Gear Live and Playfeed.

E3Insider.com RSS Feed (syndicated by LiveJournal.com)

E3Insider.com (syndicated by LiveJournal.com)

3:20am, 17th May 2005: Check out the latest game trailers for the PS3.
1:22am, 17th May 2005: What You'll See...
11:30pm, 16th May 2005: E3Insider Has Launched for 2005

USATODAY.com - Revolution joins the gaming wars

LOS ANGELES — The players are in place for the next video game battle of the big guns.

“All-access”: Revolution is meant to beflexible for designers and players alike.

Nintendo reveals details Tuesday of its new system, code-named Revolution, after Sony's announcement of the PlayStation 3 console Monday and Microsoft's unveiling of Xbox 360 on an MTV special last Thursday.

All the action is taking place before the annual E3 Expo, which begins Wednesday. The three gaming giants will unveil the systems there.

Microsoft is expected to have the Xbox 360 in stores first, in time for the holidays. Nintendo and Sony will follow in 2006. No prices have been set, and release dates have not been locked in.

Nintendo, whose GameCube sales have lagged, hopes to gain ground, particularly among the fast-growing older-gaming market. Revolution is about the size of a stack of three DVD cases and has no visible knobs, buttons or ports for joysticks. The system will use only wireless controllers, and it sits flat or stands vertically. (more)

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. to Launch Its Next Generation Computer Entertainment System, in Spring 2006

"Unrivaled Performance With the Introduction of Cell Processor and Many Advanced Technologies, and Backwards Compatible With PlayStation(R) and PlayStation(R)2
LOS ANGELES, May 16 /PRNewswire/ -- At a press conference held in Los Angeles, California, today, Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. (SCEI) revealed the outline of its PLAYSTATION?3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, incorporating the world's most advanced Cell processor with super computer like power. Prototypes of PS3 will also be showcased at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), the world's largest interactive entertainment exhibition held in Los Angeles, from May 18th to 20th.

PS3 combines state-of-the-art technologies featuring Cell, a processor jointly developed by IBM, Sony Group and Toshiba Corporation, graphics processor (RSX) co-developed by NVIDIA Corporation and SCEI, and XDR memory developed by Rambus Inc. It also adopts BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc ROM) with maximum storage capacity of 54 GB (dual layer), enabling delivery of entertainment content in full high-definition (HD) quality, under a secure environment made possible through the most advanced copyright protection technology. To match the accelerating convergence of digital consumer electronics and computer technology, PS3 supports high quality display in resolution of 1080p(*) as standard, which is far superior to 720p/1080i." (more)

Forum Discussion

E3 Insider: Live Today

www.E3Insider.com, the official consumer Web site of Electronic
Entertainment Expo (E3Expo), goes live TODAY, offering the general public an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the world's premiere computer and video game trade show. E3Insider.com offers uniquely in-depth event coverage, special features like fan cams and an "Insider's Blog", and exclusive show facts such as the following.

Rigging: 1.7 million pounds of equipment is being hung from the
ceiling of the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) -- roughly the
equivalent of 500 automobiles or 250 elephants.

Monitors: More than 5,700 monitors, screens and plasmas will be
displayed on the show floor and in public areas at E3Expo.

Networking: E3Expo's network capacity requirement has increased
four-fold in the last 2 years. This year, inbound and outbound traffic
will be moving in excess of 180 Mbps (million bits per second). This
is the equivalent of 3,000 dialup connections, and is enough bandwidth
for 600 simultaneous VHS-quality live-streaming video connections.

Cabling: The show floor is blanketed with more than 20,000 feet of
power cable and more than 200 miles of high-speed data cabling and
fiber optic cabling.

Banners: More than 110,000 square feet -- 2.5 acres -- of vinyl
banners will cover both the inside and outside of the LACC. Two
banners hanging outside of the LACC weigh 600 pounds each, and each of
these banners requires a crew of six to hang.

Crating: Enough crate wood will be used during exhibitor moves to
frame a 15-story building, requiring more than 87 forklifts to
transport.

Exhibit Space: E3Expo 2005 saw the fastest sell-out of exhibit space
in five years. The show floor will cover more than 540,000 net square
feet, the equivalent of 2,700 city blocks.

Exhibitors: E3Expo 2005 will host more than 400 exhibitors from 90
countries.

Products: E3Expo 2005 will debut more than 1,000 never-before-seen
products, and will showcase more than 5,000 products in all.

E3Insider: The site attracted a record number of visitors in 2004,
with more than 100 million hits, 6.5 million page views and over
700,000 unique users during the three days of show. The 2004 site was ranked the fifth fastest growing Web site in the world during the three days of the show.

History: E3Expo is now in its 11th year, and its 9th year in Los
Angeles.

E3Expo 2005
takes place May 18-20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Los Angeles Convention Center South Hall. First snaps of E3 2005. I arrived in LA late this afternoon from Seattle. Everything went really smoothly. Lots of young techies standing around outside the hall snapping digital pixs, shooting video and generally just hanging out waiting for the doors to open on Wednesday.
 

E3 Cell: LG MM-535 Sprint PCS

For attending a Sprint press briefing on Wednesday, I get a LG MM-535 Sprint PCS cell phone to use at E3. If you are interested in finding out what I'm doing at any particular E3 moment, just give me a call. The number will be published when I get my hands on it! We will also be publishing an Mblog (video, photos) from the show floor and after show par-ties! Stay tuned.



CelebTalkSM video channel is a perfect fit for the sleek, new sliding-form factor multimedia handset from Sprint and LG

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., and NEW ORLEANS, La. (CTIA Wireless 2005) - March 14, 2004 - Sprint (NYSE: FON) announced today the introduction of the Sprint PCS VisionSM Multimedia Phone MM-535 by LG Mobile Phones. This will be the fifth multimedia handset to be delivered to the marketplace by Sprint. The MM-535 by LG will offer customers the ability to enjoy Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Services through the built-in media player and dual speakers with 3D sound for premium audio quality. The handset also features a mini SD card to play MP3 and AAC music files and an integrated 1.3-megapixel camera with built-in flash and camcorder functionality for taking pictures and videos.

In addition, Sprint is demonstrating its commitment to the development of mobile video on demand with the launch of CelebTalk™ from Versaly Entertainment, a one-stop source for celebrity talk. CelebTalk offers the latest interviews from the hottest Hollywood celebrities and directors, music artists and sports stars. From what is said on the red carpet to private one-on-one interviews, CelebTalk offers exclusive content not available elsewhere. CelebTalk will be available on channel 17 for $4.99 per month.

"We continue to add hot content to our high-quality video-on-demand services, delivered across our nationwide network," said Jeff Hallock, vice president - Product Marketing & Strategy, Sprint. "The launch of this great, new LG device and celebrity video content gives our customers more ways to tune in to and watch what's popular right on their Sprint PCS Phone."

The MM-535 by LG features a sleek form factor which slides up to reveal the keypad. It has a large full-color screen (1.08" x 1.41") with 262K colors. The handset also includes 3D graphics and a built-in speakerphone. The handset will support Picture MailSM, Sprint PCS Video Mail, text messaging and video ringers. The MM-535 by LG will retail for $379.99 or $229.99 after rebate with two-year agreement. (more)

Nival Interactive | Nival

NIVAL INTERACTIVE EXPANDS OPERATIONS WITH ACQUISITION OF TARGEM GAMES

Ft. Lauderdale, FL – May 12th, 2005 – Nival Interactive, a leading
international video game developer, headquartered in the United States, is
pleased to announce its purchase of a controlling interest in Targem
Games, one of Russia’s leading game developers. The deal is part of
Nival’s competitive strategy to create a global video game development
company that will produce next generation console and wireless games with
universal appeal, while maintaining its strong position in the PC game
market.

“We are actively seeking acquisitions and partnerships with the best
developers in order to share our resources, expertise and contacts to
produce world-class software entertainment. By combining Targem’s talented
team with ours, we can more aggressively pursue our goal of producing
next generation console titles, while continuing to produce world-class
PC games,” said Sergey Orlovskiy, president of Nival Interactive.

Stanislav Skorb, president of Targem Games, added, “This is an exciting
opportunity for Targem and one that will enable the team to implement
more of our creative ideas, while leveraging the resources and expertise
of Nival. We have terrific creative synergy and are excited about
working on more projects together.”

About Nival Interactive
Nival Interactive is an international video game developer with a staff
of over 180 employees. The company’s corporate offices are located in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and its main creative studio is based in
Moscow, Russia. Recently, Nival’s critical and commercial success is best
represented by the Blitzkrieg and Silent Storm series. Current projects
include Heroes of Might and Magic V, Blitzkrieg II, Night Watch and
Hammer & Sickle as well as several unannounced projects. At this year’s
Russian Game Developers Conference, Nival received “Best Developer 2005”
and Heroes of Might and Magic V was named “Best Game 2005.” For more
information about Nival Interactive, please visit www.nival.com

About Targem Games
Targem, founded in 2002, is based in Ekaterinburg, Russia. With a team
of 40, Targem has produced titles for the PC, Pocket PC & Mobile
platforms. Their current projects include Hard Truck: Apocalyptic Wars, an
Action RPG set in a post-apocalyptic world where semi trucks have
become the only way to survive, as well as a yet unannounced title in
partnership with Nival Interactive. For more information about Targem Games,
please visit www.targem.ru

HIP GAMES ANNOUNCES SPECIAL GUEST APPEARANCES ON THE E3 2005 SHOW FLOOR

Illustrator Greg Horn, Chaosium’s Charlie Krank, and Military Advisor
Dan Snyder Available for Interviews at the Los Angeles Trade Show

Toronto, CANADA – May 12, 2005 - Hip Games™ is pleased to announce special guests to appear at the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) held in Los Angeles on May 18 – 20. Popular comic book and magazine illustrator Greg Horn, president of Chaosium Charlie Krank, and established game military adviser Dan Snyder will be available by appointment only at the Hip Interactive booth at Concourse Hall #5013.

“Hip Interactive is pleased to partner with a dream team of talents for our upcoming games,” said Arindra Singh, President & Chief Executive Officer of Hip Interactive Corp. “We have a fantastic line-up of titles at E3 and we look forward to showing them off, along with the brilliant and creative people behind our products.”

Schedule for appointments is as follows:

• Military adviser Dan Snyder is available on Wednesday
• Illustrator Greg Horn is available on Thursday
• Chaosium Licensor Charlie Krank is available on Friday

About Greg Horn
From his unforgettable covers for Marvel Comics to his colossal
painting of the 2004 US Olympic basketball team, it is not difficult to come across illustrator Greg Horn’s work. With his hyper-realistic and detailed paintings gracing countless comic books, magazines, billboards, and advertising campaigns, Greg has become one of the most sought after illustrators in recent years. His work has been acknowledged by Spectrum with seven entries in their annual publication, and also by Wizard Awards in their Best Painter category of 2003 and 2004. All of these projects and more can be viewed at his official website www.greghornjudge.com.

About Charlie Krank
President of Chaosium, the original publisher of paper role-playing and board games, Charlie Krank has worked in all facets of the company’s operation, including game design, game development, editorial, art, sales and marketing. A life-long gamer, Charlie was an integrate part of “Call of Cthulhu” line of adventures, source materials, fiction, and a host of other products that have garnered Chaosium more than 70 awards for best game and best design. Few pen-and-paper role-playing games have achieved this status, which is proven by its continued sales after 20 years.

About Dan Snyder
Dan Snyder is a game designer and consultant specializing in military games. His work as designer/creator of the Marine Doom mod while a Sergeant at the Marine Corps Modeling and Simulation Office was the first example of a PC based tactical fireteam simulator, and was widely distributed throughout the Marine Corps and civilian world. He has worked on risk assessment software for the anti-terrorism branch of the Joint Chiefs of Staff as a designer with Digital Sandbox in Reston VA. Mr. Snyder has demonstrated and lectured around the world, including an appearance at the Museum of Contemporary Art in London, where he presented
"Classic Video Game Design Theory - an approach to the emerging
narrative." He currently consults as a content and design expert for several projects, including Hip Interactive's "Ghost Wars."

About Hip Games™Hip Games™, Hip Interactive's publishing division, leverages the
Company's existing distribution infrastructure to move up the video game supply chain. Hip has entered into distribution and publishing arrangements with publishers and developers from around the world. The licenses give Hip the exclusive right to publish and/or distribute PC and video game titles in North America, with Hip Interactive Europe acting as the publishing and distributing arm of Hip Games™ in Europe. As well, with the
acquisition of ARUSH Entertainment, Hip has acquired all of ARUSH's rights to current projects, including the highly anticipated title "Playboy: The Mansion™" and "Fear Factor: Unleashed™" video games.

gamers: MTV Presents: The Next Generation Xbox Revealed

Tonight 9:30pm (EST)

In case you missed it, check out the GameSpot interview with Peter Moore on why the new console gets its first unveiling on MTV--and what Microsoft is saving for E3.

MediaGear Launches New See-Through XtraDrive™ That Turns Your Unused

Memory Cards into Convenient USB Drives



May 11, 2005 - Santa Ana, CA -MediaGear announced the next generation
of its popular Keychain drives called “XtraDrive”, to help satisfy the growing
consumer demand for convenient extra USB flash drives created from
unused memory cards.

XtraDrives have a colored, transparent cap that allows the user to see
if a media card is installed. Also, to eliminate crowding of several drives
together on a PC or notebook, the XtraDrive package also includes a USB
adapter cable.

“Photographers have an abundance of old memory cards that are no longer
used because of their low megabyte storage. The new XtraDrive gives these
outdated memory cards a brand new life,” noted Terry Smith, VP of
Marketing at MediaGear.

“Most new cameras come with a 16 or 32 MB card and the photographer
quickly moves up to higher capacities - especially now that prices are
dropping. The digital camera user can pop these outdated flash memory cards into a
compatible XtraDrive and easily load and transfer data or photos from
computer to computer via the USB ports,” continued Smith.

An added bonus of this new generation of Keychain drives is the
inclusion of an 18” USB cable for use when slots on the computer are too cramped for
space.

“The new XtraDrives are great looking too. We went for see-through
colorful, gem tone caps that are visually appealing, but more importantly allows
the user to see if a memory card is already inserted into the drive,” added
Smith.

Retail pricing is: $14.95 MSRP. The new USB-compatible XtraDrives is
currently available at Office Depot, MicroCenter and Fry’s Electronics,
and from the MediaGear website (www.mymediagear.com).

The drives can accommodate most card formats including Secure Digital
(SD), MultiMediaCard, Sony Memory Stick, Compact Flash Types I and II,
MicroDrives, SmartMedia and xD.

Gameloft Unveils Games for E3

"Gameloft, a developer and publisher of games for mobile phones, has announced its lineup for 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). The lineup is a mix of genres that range from sports to action/adventure to casual games in 2D and 3D. The games will be previewed and demonstrated at E3.

'This year's line-up really demonstrates the depth and diversity of our talent,' said Michel Guillemot, President, Gameloft. 'This will be an opportunity for us to showcase the best in mobile games and provide consumers a glimpse in what's to come for 2005.'



3D games in the lineup include Asphalt: Urban GT, an adrenaline pumping racing game in full 3D; Vijay Singh Pro Golf 2005; Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Jungle Storm, a first person shooter game; and Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Chaos Theory, the stealth-based FPS.

The 2D games include War of the Worlds. The game is based on Steven Spielberg's blockbuster film War of the Worlds that stars Tom Cruise, which is based on the novel written in 1898 by H.G. Wells. The list also includes King Kong, which too is based one of the hottest movies of the year. Both games will be demonstrated behind closed doors.

Other 2D games include 2005 Real Football that lets you take control of one of 32 national teams or one of 16 prestigious football clubs, a quiz game called Trivia Football, Platinum Solitaire with a Gameloft twist to the classic card game and Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Lockdown which is expected to carry on from where Rainbow Six 3 left off."

Babes: IGN E3 Babe of the Day: Alexia Lei

There aren't enough babes at E3, so we figured we'd bring our own.



May 10, 2005 - It's that time of year again… the time when young gamers eyes turn toward LA and their thoughts turn to love… of E3 Expo Booth Babes. This year, instead of just documenting the ladies at the show, we're actually going to add significantly to the babe quotient ourselves.

"How?" you may ask. Well, let us expand your mind.

Our special E3 daily show, "Inside the Expo" takes you from booth to booth in search of the biggest stories, the hottest games, and of course, the booth babes. IGN Insider's Alexia Lei (a stone fox) will be your tour guide and confidant through all the madness, and don't worry folks, she's not bashful when it comes to asking the questions that count.

Alexia describes herself as driven, fun, and dorky, and enjoys racing around in her customized Lamborghini Murcielago to pass the time. For more info on Alexia, or "Lexi," be sure to check out her website at www.alexialei.com.

To get the goods from Alexia, you'll need to be signed up as an IGN Insider. And to do that, you'll want to follow this link and fulfill your desires to get "Inside the Expo" with Ms. Lei.

Until then, take a gander at some of her photos, and luxuriate in the warm glow of IGN's very favorite E3 Babe.

e3insider.com Opens E3Expo's "Virtual Doors" to Gamers around the Globe

Consumer Web Site Expands Show Coverage and Exclusive Features



LOS ANGELES----May 11, 2005--E3Insider, the official virtual gateway of the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3Expo), will go live on May 16 with extended show coverage and exclusive photos and news, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) announced today. The general public can visit E3Insider for an unprecedented look inside the world's premiere interactive entertainment trade show, held May 17 - 20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC).

"E3Insider opens the official 'virtual doors' to E3Expo, offering
consumers from around the globe an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the products and trends that will be shaping their future entertainment experiences," said Douglas Lowenstein, president of the ESA, the trade association that represents U.S. computer and video game publishers and the owner of E3Expo. "This year's site provides gamers with unmatched access to the show floor, the exhibitors, the latest news and the best promotions, truly making E3Insider the best place on the Web to experience the event."

Now in its third year, E3Insider 2005 delivers many new features that provide gamers with an all-access virtual tour of E3Expo, offering extensive coverage, behind-the-scenes stories, and exclusive reports provided through:

-- Expanded coverage, including exhibitor press conferences and booths;

-- A "Featured Exhibitor" section housing all the coverage for
each specific exhibitor on its own page, including a photo of
the exhibitor's booth;

-- E3Insider's original video news show, "Floored," providing
up-to-the-minute coverage in a new, shorter format;

-- The "Insider's Blog," bringing visitors a constant flow of
site updates; and

-- An enhanced newsroom section offering a one-stop-shop for all show and exhibitor news.

Creating the ultimate virtual show experience for consumers is
achieved not only with comprehensive news coverage, but through
engaging site features including photo galleries, video clips, quick
polls, fun facts, a new category and text search, interviews with
industry leaders; and the popular "Fan Cam" featuring an all new "fan" who will provide raw, unedited footage for the site, including "backstage" views of restricted show areas. E3Insider will also offer exclusive contests, such as "E3Insider's Next-Gen Console Sweepstakes," where consumers can win all three of the next generation game consoles complete with a library of games.

E3Insider attracted a record number of visitors in 2004, with more than 100 million hits, 6.5 million page views and over 700,000 unique users during the three days of show. The 2004 site was ranked the fifth fastest growing Web site in the world during the three days of the show and among the 2,500 most visited sites on the Net by Alexa, an Internet traffic site ranking company. This year's site sponsors include Audi, Hollywood Records, G4, Spike, Mountain Dew and "War of the Worlds."

About E3Expo

E3Expo is the world's premier trade show for computer and video games and related products. The show, now in its eleventh year, is owned by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of the companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. For more information, please visit www.e3expo.com or www.theesa.com.

E3Expo is a trade event, not open to the general public. Only
working journalists with qualified media outlets will be eligible to
register for media badges. No one under the age of 18 will be
admitted, including infants. This policy is strictly enforced.

# # #

CONTACT: E3Expo Media Relations
Ehrin Cummings, 310-967-2974
ecummings@e3expo.com
Casey Callaway, 310-967-2975
ccallaway@e3expo.com
---------------

On Sunday, I'm off to LA. Check out our teams (for the first time - I'm on a trade show team) multimedia (Podcast, Video News Report) coverage at Future Technology News.

G4 - E3 05 Live Home Page: G4 – VIDEOGAME TV – INVITES GAMERS INTO ITS E3 BOOTH

FOR LIVE SHOWS, HOST SIGNINGS AND PREMIUM GIVEAWAYS

LOS ANGELES – May 10, 2005 - G4, the only 24/7 television network dedicated to videogames, is building the ultimate fantasy booth for gamers at this year’s E3 – the “Electronic Entertainment Expo.” The booth will feature daily events including host appearances, autograph signings and live shows from G4’s custom-built E3 stage. Additionally, G4 will offer visitors a piece of the action with a t-shirt bar and a chance to step up to the biggest working NES controller ever made. E3 is the world’s largest videogame convention taking place at the Los Angeles Convention Center May 18-20.



Check out G4’s daily booth activities:



Host Appearances & Signings – 10:00AM – 1:00PM

G4’s most popular hosts take a break from their duties on set to sign autographs and chat with fans.

Thursday, May 19
10:00AM – 11:00AM - “X-Play” – Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler
11:00AM – 12:00PM - “Attack of the Show!” – Kevin Pereira, Kevin Rose and Sarah Lane
12:00PM – 1:00PM – “Cheat” – Kristin Holt
Friday, May 20
10:00AM – 11:00AM - “G4tv.com” – Tina Wood and Laura Foy
11:00AM – 12:00PM – “Filter” – Diane Mizota
12:00PM – 1:00PM – “X-Play” – Morgan Webb and Adam Sessler


“E3 ’05 LIVE” – 4:00PM – 6:00PM

A co-production of G4 and IGN Entertainment, review skein “X-Play” and G4’s daily live program “Attack of the Show!” will fuse during E3 to create a two-hour LIVE show bringing viewers an inside, up-close look at the world of E3.

o Tuesday, May 17 (7–9 PM ET/4-6 PM PT): Direct from the G4 E3 stage, G4 and IGN will deliver news round-ups of the press conferences kicking off the show the day BEFORE the E3 floor opens, including announcements from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo.

o Wednesday – Friday, May 18-20 (7–9 PM ET/4-6 PM PT): From new titles and game systems to industry players and celebrity appearances, G4 and IGN will give their audiences the best of E3.



T-Shirt Bar – 10:00AM – 6:00PM

G4 offers instant gratification to visitors, who will have their pick of four different colors and four killer designs to create a customized iron-on t-shirt.


Jumbo NES Controller – 10:00AM – 6:00PM

Booth visitors can play old-school games like “Super Mario Brothers” on the world’s largest working NES controller, which measures 8 feet long and 3 feet wide!


Thumb Massages – 10:00AM – 6:00PM

G4 “Booth Babes” will be on hand to provide zealous gamers with much-needed thumb massages to provide relief from their three-day immersion into E3.

NOTE: What exactly is a "thumb massage"?

Video Game Victims

Too much play time can cause hand injuries, eye strain, experts say

FRIDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Video gaming is more popular than ever -- an estimated eight games were sold every second in 2004, according to industry experts.

But with that increased interest in flashy graphics and button-mashing comes increased health concerns.

Too much gaming can cause repetitive-motion injuries in the hands and arms, doctors say, as well as eye strain.

There are even a few non-tech terms referring to the swollen muscles and tendons that come from too much game playing: "Nintendo Thumb" or "Nintendenitis."

But, there are steps gamers can take to prevent injury and still enjoy themselves.

"It is as important for children to take the proper precautions in playing video games as it is for them to warm up and safeguard against injury before a soccer game," said William W. Walsh, president of the American Society of Hand Therapists. "The repetitive movements associated with playing video games can lead to future ailments, given excessive hours of play time."

More than $7.3 billion in video games were sold in 2004, according to data compiled by the Entertainment Software Association, an industry trade group. One of the best-selling titles of the year, Halo 2 for the XBox, raked in $125 million during its first day of sales, more than any movie has ever grossed on its opening day.

That much interest inevitably means some people will enjoy too much of a good thing, said Stacey Doyon, vice president of the American Society of Hand Therapists. While there are no statistics available, Doyon said she often sees cases of muscle strain that are at least partially caused by video gaming.

"A co-worker of mine says her son complains about his hands hurting after playing, but he won't stop," Doyon said. "And I have an adult patient who didn't want to admit that his game playing might be causing his problems with sore hands and arms." (more)

USATODAY.com - Microsoft angles to be lord of the game consoles

USATODAY.com - Microsoft angles to be lord of the game consoles: "SEATTLE Microsoft (MSFT) this week instigates Round 2 in its drive to elevate the Xbox ahead of Sony's (SNE) PlayStation 2 in the video-game console business.


Actor Elijah Wood at an L.A. event for the unveiling of Microsoft's new Xbox console.
AP

To muscle Xbox into contention, Microsoft has absorbed about $2 billion in losses the past four years. Now the software giant is making a bold move to jump ahead of Sony by initiating the next cycle of gaming consoles.

On Thursday night, actor Elijah Wood of Lord of the Rings fame will host a celebrity-packed MTV special at which Wood is expected to unveil the all-new Xbox. Widely expected to be called the Xbox 360, it should hit store shelves in time for Christmas.

But much more than dominance of the game-console business is at stake. Whoever sells the most consoles in this cycle could also lock up prime access to the burgeoning digital entertainment market.

Microsoft has been on a three-year mission to ingrain Windows Media Center PCs as the nerve center for digital entertainment. And it is maneuvering the new Xbox to be a linchpin in helping consumers manage music and movie files stored on a PC in the den." (more)