So the annual Consumer Electronic Show is upon us and thanks to the great people here at GS, we have plenty of coverage coming our way in the next few days without leaving our living rooms. For a working joe like me thats pretty nice, but then again I would have LOVED to visit Vegas again just to geek out on hot new electronics I will likely never afford. After the first day of video coverage, I felt like posting some of my personal impressions on the new gizmo's that caught my eye the most...

Sony OLED TV's

I've been hearing about these bad boys for quite some time and no doubt I would love one for next Christmas. As sweet as that would be, I'm not expecting anything with "prototype" in its title near my stocking. Basically, they are super thin TV's that run off of organic powders which not only intensify the HD resolution, but they can display images more crisp and from every angle which would be a first among HD televisions. Details as to when it will become mainstream, screen sizes and prices are are still hush hush, but for anyone who is planning on making a major TV purchase in the next year might want to wait and see what unfolds.

Panasonic wireless

I'm usually pretty good about keeping up with stuff I like, but something about wireless movie and gaming just blew me over. I heard about it back when projector technology was really taking off a few years ago, but didn't think nothing of it. Now, after their fair share of trial and error with wireless audio tech, Panasonic is finally taking the next step by offering a router that can display your movies, games, pictures and just about anything else you would show off in the living room with total ease. Watching the GS coverage they actually showed the new toy off and I couldn't stop drooling... its a gamer's dream come true... or at least for the guy who owns too many consoles and electronics :oops:

NYKO peripherals

Everything from the Perfect Shot (above) and wireless Nunchuck for the Wii, to the dual purpose guitars for the PS3 that works for GH3 and Rock Band, I was actually impressed by what a 3rd party accessory company had to offer. Like most critics, especially ones who had to learn firsthand, I only take these first impressions with a grain of salt. Once you've been burned and it happens more than once, spending money on stuff that usually doesn't last really becomes bothersome. The way I see it, something like the Perfect Shot would be... perfect, for just about any shooter games available on the Wii. Since there is only a few, I'm sure the lasting value some what doubles. And how about a wireless Nunchuck! More stuff to flail around the house is never a bad thing :P

Little Big Planet

I don't own a PS3 nor do I plan on purchasing one anytime soon, no bias, just extremely broke from 2007 spending on the Wii and 360. A lot of gamers have been debating about "must have" titles on the system and so far I haven't played any that really keep me hooked. Maybe its the lack of rumble in the controller or the multiplatform selection of games, all petty reasons, but all solid enough for me stay on the fence 400 dollars richer. I know what Sony can provide and I've enjoyed their great products since the mid 90's. I'm just not sold on what seems like a stand out reason to buy a PS3... and then there is LBP :roll:
I know there are plenty of other super exclusives coming to the system like MGS4, FF13, and Killzone2. But I'm already familiar with those adventures! Not completely tired of them, but surely not excited enough to lay hundreds of dollars down for a new console. LBP isn't that game either, but its the right direction in my opinion for Sony to compete with anything Microsoft has to offer over their Xbox Live community.

As for gaming back home, I've been playing a lot of Hexic HD and Ageis Wing which are both solid free games that I haven't played much of since they came out. With my current arcade problem, I've been unable to play my other downloads while offline and feel extremely hesitant about DL anything new. Going thru older games like Mass Effect and Assassin's Creed are not really a chore, but kind of difficult achievement-wise since I already milked them pretty good.
I don't want to go out and desperately seek a new game I can't afford, so I'm gonna grit and bear it for now. I still got titles like C&C3, Marvel Ultimate Alliance, MX vs ATV and arcade games to enjoy so no major woes on my end. There is always good ol' Counter-Strike on the PC which never fails. Until the next episode of CES...