Outside the PC and network equipment markets, the gaming space has really been the first market segment to embrace Wi-Fi. More than 26 million handheld game devices with embedded Wi-Fi shipped out in 2005, with 28 million of these Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable (PSP) devices expected to ship in 2006, according to In-Stat, a market research firm.
It says five million game consoles with embedded Wi-Fi are expected to ship out in 2006, representing only the late-year releases of Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii gaming consoles.
In-Stat says one of the main issues plaguing Wi-Fi integration into portable CE devices has revolved around the demonstration of Wi-Fi’s value-add to a device. Certainly, Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection service is one example of a vendor leveraging Wi-Fi to provide for an enhanced user experience.
On August 28, 2006, Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection (its online gaming portal for its DS/DS Lite users) logged over 70 million connections from over 2 million unique users, after the portal had been live for only nine months. The service centers around DS online play at certified partner hot-spots, where the user launches a game in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection mode with no configuration or registration required.
Sony PSP
While the DS is a more traditional game console, the PSP aims to be a portable multimedia convergence device that primarily plays games. The device includes audio and video playback and web browsing capability. As of October 2006 in the US, the PSP was available for a street price of $200, while the Nintendo DS was available for $130. Sony's online gaming push has not been as strong as Nintendo’s, owing to Sony’s focus on the PSP being more than a handheld gaming device.
PlayStation 3
According to In-Stat, in late 2005, Microsoft began the newest cycle of gaming consoles with its launch of the XBox360. Microsoft’s 802.11a/g USB gaming adapters are sold as an accessory to the XBox360 for $99 and feature the same styling as found in the XBox360 console.
In November, both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii will roll out. "The Wii, along with the premium model of the PlayStation 3, will include embedded 802.11g. Sony will offer two versions of the PlayStation 3, a 60GB premium model and a 20GB core model, with embedded Wi-Fi offered only in the 60GB model," it says.
The Wii will not feature a hard disk drive, but will include 512MB of flash memory and a bay for an SD memory card that will allow players to expand the internal flash memory. The most talked-about feature of this console is its motion-sensitive controllers
It says five million game consoles with embedded Wi-Fi are expected to ship out in 2006, representing only the late-year releases of Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii gaming consoles.
In-Stat says one of the main issues plaguing Wi-Fi integration into portable CE devices has revolved around the demonstration of Wi-Fi’s value-add to a device. Certainly, Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection service is one example of a vendor leveraging Wi-Fi to provide for an enhanced user experience.
On August 28, 2006, Nintendo’s Wi-Fi Connection (its online gaming portal for its DS/DS Lite users) logged over 70 million connections from over 2 million unique users, after the portal had been live for only nine months. The service centers around DS online play at certified partner hot-spots, where the user launches a game in Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection mode with no configuration or registration required.
Sony PSP
While the DS is a more traditional game console, the PSP aims to be a portable multimedia convergence device that primarily plays games. The device includes audio and video playback and web browsing capability. As of October 2006 in the US, the PSP was available for a street price of $200, while the Nintendo DS was available for $130. Sony's online gaming push has not been as strong as Nintendo’s, owing to Sony’s focus on the PSP being more than a handheld gaming device.
PlayStation 3
According to In-Stat, in late 2005, Microsoft began the newest cycle of gaming consoles with its launch of the XBox360. Microsoft’s 802.11a/g USB gaming adapters are sold as an accessory to the XBox360 for $99 and feature the same styling as found in the XBox360 console.
In November, both the Sony PlayStation 3 and Nintendo’s Wii will roll out. "The Wii, along with the premium model of the PlayStation 3, will include embedded 802.11g. Sony will offer two versions of the PlayStation 3, a 60GB premium model and a 20GB core model, with embedded Wi-Fi offered only in the 60GB model," it says.
The Wii will not feature a hard disk drive, but will include 512MB of flash memory and a bay for an SD memory card that will allow players to expand the internal flash memory. The most talked-about feature of this console is its motion-sensitive controllers