A silly thought, really, but one that comes up from time to time: what will this console generation be called?

The naming conventions have been a bit of a mess, mostly because they're inaccurate, they're not all-encompassing, and frankly, we in the videogame console are very silly, proud, and pedantic.  I know that referring to a console generation in terms of processing power doesn't take into account that certain parts of a machine aren't really 16-bit.  Just, just SHUT UP, ALRIGHT?!

That said, I refer to console generations thusly:

Atari generation: The Atari 2600 dominated the gaming scene, so they get the nod.

8-bit: This included the NES and the Sega Master System.  So named because of marketing.  Hey, it works, alright?

16-bit: Includes the SNES, Genesis, Turbo Grafix-16, Sega CD, and so it goes.

CD-based: The names go from processors to media formats, mostly because of the aforementioned people who want to look smart.  Here's the PSOne, Sega Saturn, the cartridge-based-but-it-was-out-at-the-same-time-so-who-really-cares Nintendo 64, and a bunch of also-rans.

DVD-based: No, they're not all DVD-based.  Still, it was (is?) the dominant format.  These guys include the PS2, XBox, and the Gamecube.  I'm sorry to say that the Dreamcast fell through the cracks between generations.

Now we come to the PS3, the Wii, and the 360.  Maybe I'm coming to the party a bit early, but I just can't see what this generation of hardware can be referred to.  Online?  We've had that off and on since the 16-bit generation.  Motion-sensitive?  I'm still not sold on that premise being anything more than a gimmick.  Wireless?  I hope not.

Time will tell how all this will shake out.