console

Two interesting things happened to Nintendo over the last few days. First, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, never afraid of bold statements, reportedly told his executives to consider the battle with Sony and Microsoft already won and has targeted Apple as the "enemy of the future."

The second? Nintendo released its Black Wii.

I find the first interesting because Nintendo and Apple, the reigning forces in family-targeted entertainment, seem to finally be eyeing each other. The second is interesting because I fielded a question to Nintendo about what Wii users should do with already downloaded games should they choose … Read more

This week: A focus on Evernote! Listeners of this show know that I'm a fan of this service. It's a note-taking app and photo archive. It runs on Windows, Macs, iPads, iPhone, Android, and the Web, and syncs data across all those platforms. I use it to remember things, I take notes during interviews in it, and I even do most of my writing for CNET in Evernote. I use this app because it works for me, pure and simple, and because it rarely, if ever, stops me from doing what I want to do.

So after several suggestions from Real Deal listeners who have become sick to death of hearing me say how great this app is and who want me to finally get off the stick and just do a show on Evernote, that is what I am doing today. We'll talk about how to use this app, what it can and cannot do, and maybe even alternatives. Our special guest is Phil Libin, the CEO of Evernote.

If you haven't yet pulled the trigger on a Nintendo Wii system, you should pat yourself on the back for waiting.

Originally $249, the Wii is currently on sale at Wal-Mart for $179. (Sales tax will run you a few bucks more, of course, and shipping adds around $7 unless you take advantage of free site-to-store shipping.)

The console normally sells for $199, so right off the bat you're saving $20. But wait, there's more: This deal includes a free game. And not some crummy bargain-bin title, but your choice of 13 top sellers.

To my thinking, … Read more

As more electronic devices become networked, consumers are flocking to gadgets with built-in wireless access, according to a report released Monday by In-Stat.

Worldwide shipments of TVs with Wi-Fi are expected to jump from less than 5 million last year to around 65 million in 2014. Wi-Fi-enabled Blu-ray players will also be up there, with more than 61 million units expected to ship in another four years.

Collectively, shipments of all stationary electronic devices with built-in Wi-Fi, such as TVs, Blu-ray players, gamee consoles, set-top boxes, and photo frames, are likely to surpass 200 million units in another four … Read more

Sony has launched a program that lets PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable owners protect their gaming devices after the initial warranty runs out.

The PlayStation Protection Plan, announced Monday, offers U.S.-based owners a one-year or two-year extended warranty for their PS3 or PSP. The plan basically extends the coverage available in the manufacturer's one-year warranty, which covers repairs at no charge done by "PlayStation-trained service technicians." Shipping is included.

Pricing for the PlayStation 3 starts at $44.99 for one year of protection. A two-year PS3 warranty costs $59.99. For the PSP and PSP … Read more

This week: Your questions answered! Also, some road test items. With special guest host Josh Lowensohn. Josh is the main Webware blogger, and also happens to be the guy who answers a lot of Real Deal e-mail questions for me, although he's been working behind the scenes, just feeding me intel... until now.

This week on preGAME we bring you the video game version of the world's greatest soccer tournament, the World Cup. On today's show, Mark and Jeff will play a half of 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa.

But first, we'll try and unravel the mystery behind a recent Capcom trademark request for the name "Mega Man Universe." While dozens of ideas race through our heads, we can only assume that this next-gen iteration of Mega Man might bring us the first-ever massive multiplayer online game in the franchise.

If you've ever wondered what a … Read more

Netflix's decision to bring its instant-streaming service to all three major video game consoles could be a boon for its business, according to one analyst.

Wedbush's Michael Pachter believes that the film rental company will add 3 million subscribers in 2010, thanks to its streaming service being offered on Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PlayStation 3, and Nintendo's Wii, according to a story in Gamasutra.

According to the report, Pachter found that "subscriber growth exceeded [his first-quarter] expectations," hitting 1 million subscribers. Based on that information, he revised his estimates up to the 3 … Read more

Martin LaMonica joins us to talk about power usage with your gadgets. What should you be concerned with and what can you do to lower power usage.