Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming

When is a Game Console Not a Game Console?

By

When is a game console not a game console? When it can run linux.

Recently Sony announced it will sell online, a linux kit for the PS2 . The kit includes a linuxdistribution on DVD, plus some additional software, documentation, a 40GB hard drive, an Ethernet adapter, a USB mouse, a USB keyboard, and a computer monitor cable. The package will cost $200. So,for ~$500 you can have a full fledged machine that can surf the net, serve as an email/web/file server, play original Playstation and Playstation 2 games, AND play DVDs. But what does that mean? Wellthe article mentions that now, game developers and kernel hackers can now write games for the PS2 without having to purchase the very expensive SDK. This, combined with Sun’s new java game initiative , means that a single device can function as many different things. Imagine taking a CD out of the wrapper,dropping it in to your Windows PC, PS/2 or Linux box and the game will run on all three.

Recommended Videos

With the economy in a crunch, the consumer has very little pocket change to throw around. Gone are the days when we can drop $2000 down on a decent gaming computer. Now we buy sub $500 boxes, drop in a decent video card and cross our fingers. The consumer is moving away from specialized configurations. For example, people are no longer buying just a DVD player, game console, stripped down machine that can only run office apps and configurations of the sort. They want a cheap wonderbox that can do it all. Many companies have different technologies and strategies to accomplish just that.

Related

Take, for example, Nvidia’s Personal Cinema and the new nForce chipset With the Personal Cinema devices you can turn your computer into a Tivo basically. It also has the abililty to play DVDs, capture video, and comes with a remote control. With the new nForce chipset, the nVidia motherboards have on-board graphics and Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding, which means you can integrate it right into your current home entertainment system.

When is a Linux Box not a Linux Box? Want to run Windows apps but not have to pay for XP every time your computer reboots? Enter Lindows .

This OS aims to bridge the gap between Linux and Windows. It allows the stability and functionality of Linux but also the compatibility with those Windows apps that you just can’t live without.

Can all this be a little confusing and daunting for the average gamer, home computer user, and home entertainment shopper? Of course. Is it good for them and the public in general? Yes. I think that convergence of devices is not only inevitable but has been going on for quite a while. A lot of companies are even leading the charge. I am excited about the future and hope that these guys can fulfill their promises…

If anyone has had a hands on experience with any of these, please drop me a line or post in the forums…

Editors' Recommendations

Best Xbox Game Pass deals: Upgrade to Game Pass Ultimate for cheap
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate logo.

Much like the PS Plus, Xbox also has an online subscription service that is required for you to play any sort of game online. So, whether you have an Xbox Series X or Series S, you're going to need to subscribe to it, although luckily, it's pretty cheap, and it does offer a ton of excellent perks when you grab it. There are three levels for you to pick from, including Game Pass Ultimate, which gives you access to a huge library of games on both the Xbox and the PC, so it's a great option if you also have a gaming PC you like to game on.
Xbox Game Pass Core -- $8, was $13 per month

Game Pass Core is the cheapest tier of Game Pass, but it still lets you access important features, including online multiplayer. Game Pass Core was launched with access to 36 games off the bat, and you can get exclusive discounts on certain downloadable games. If you're on Xbox and need access online, this is the way to go.
1-month subscription -- $8, was $13

Read more
All Fallout games, ranked
The courier in his nuclear gear and holding his gun in Fallout: New Vegas key art.

Who would've thought the post-apocalypse could be such a fun time? The Fallout franchise has taken the idea of a Mad Max-like future and not only made it into a wildly popular game franchise but also a hit TV series. The core franchise has been around since the late '90s, and yet we've had only a handful of mainline entries in the series since it was revived by Bethesda with Fallout 3. With Starfield in the rearview mirror and the next Elder Scrolls title currently being the dev team's focus, it could be close to another decade before we can set foot in the wasteland ourselves once again. What better time, then, to look back at the franchise and rank all the games from best to worst?

Fallout: New Vegas

Read more
Amazon’s Fallout success reveals a big problem with the video game business
The cast of Fallout.

April's biggest video game isn't a new release like Tales of Kenzera: Zau or Stellar Blade. Instead, it's a series that hasn't gotten a new entry in years.

Fallout is currently enjoying a wave of mainstream attention thanks to its surprisingly fun Amazon TV adaptation. Returning players and newly-won-over fans alike are returning to classics like Fallout 4 and New Vegas to scratch their post-apocalyptic itches. It's the moment any video game publisher dreams of, but there's just one problem: Bethesda can't capitalize on the moment.

Read more