Digital City Podcast

On this week's Digital City, we tackle one of the most contentious issues of our time -- Mac vs. PC -- as Dan offers an enlightened path to peace for both camps. We also hear about some free municipal Wi-Fi for the new Times Square pedestrian mall; a sweet TV/PS3 combo deal at Best Buy; and discuss the fate of the vaporware-like CrunchPad.

Later, Scott laments the lack of Microsoft synergy in the Zune gaming business model; we check out some new game releases, including Zelda: Spirit Tracks and The Saboteur; and debate the ethics of adding adults-only DLC to games.

Quick note: tune in next week for a chance to win a Zune HD!

Related links:
>>A modest proposal: Detente between Mac and PC laptop fans
>>Can Zune gaming compete?
>>Times Square gets free WiFi

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter! And Scott!

This week on the Digital City, we consider the PlayStation 3's awkward Netflix implementation; marvel over the super-thin Sony Vaio X laptop; debate the fate of FireWire in new MacBooks; and review some gamer-friendly Halloween costume ideas.

We also plug the first round of Windows 7 laptop and desktop reviews; mourn the death of Geocities; and find out why Julie and Dan have swapped seats for a week.

Plus -- take an early sneak peek at Dan's Halloween costume -- but it only makes sense if you're over, say, 30 and kind of a geek.

Related links:
>>Netflix streaming coming to PS3
>>Does anyone miss FireWire?
>>Windows 7: the first wave
>>Make your own Bayonetta Halloween costume

>>Watch the Digital City live every Monday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

(Credit: SCEA)

Making a game exclusively for a single console is a tricky proposition: it's hard to justify the multimillion-dollar budget required for a truly A-list product while limiting your potential audience to owners of only one of the three major living room consoles. Nevertheless, Microsoft has its well-regarded Halo and Gears of War games, Nintendo has a stable of famous franchises, and Sony has Uncharted (while still holding back on God of War and Gran Turismo for PlayStation 3).

Sony's Saturday matinee-style adventure was an early hit for the PS3, and its sequel has built tremendous buzz over the past year, based on carefully constructed sneak peeks and trailers. We've spent this past weekend playing Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (out October 13) in order to determine if it lives up to the hype.

The game is tremendous fun and the interactive equivalent of a big, over-the-top summer movie. It's an unashamed mix of influences from Indiana Jones to Tomb Raider, with antihero Nathan Drake playing a mix of treasure hunter and art thief. Drake is rakish and good-natured, so you don't really mind that he's essentially a hardened criminal.

This time around, Drake's pursuing ancient treasures plundered by Marco Polo, which should eventually lead to the mythical city of Shambala. Don't expect much more depth than that from the "Da Vinci Code"-like premise; the story and characters run the gamut from cliched to nonsensical, and no one ever seems to have a particularly well-thought-out reason for anything he does. At least the banter between characters and the voice acting is on par with a decent made-for-cable action movie, which may sound like faint praise, but is still a pretty high bar for most video games.

(Credit: SCEA)

It's to Uncharted 2's credit that the game is such an excellent overall entertainment product despite the lackadaisical storytelling. While it may not break any new ground (unlike, say, Scribblenauts), it's still the purest distillation of globe-trotting action/adventure we've seen in a long time. The incredibly high level of polish on everything from the scenery to the animation to the soundtrack draws the player in, creating a seamless experience that flows easily from set piece to set piece. Put simply: if you're looking for a reason to show off that PlayStation 3 console and massive HDTV, this is it. We'd be hard-pressed to think of a game that simply looks better.

Still, after several hours, a few minor flaws become obvious. ... Read more

The success of the Halo franchise has been incredible. So much so, it was only a matter of time before we'd see a movie. Microsoft plans on releasing a seven-part series spanning from its origins to the game's third installment, titled Halo Legends.

The announcement was made at the 2009 Comic-Con in San Diego. The series will be available for download via Xbox Live this fall. According to Blu-ray.com we can expect to see this on Blu-ray sometime in 2010, so there will finally be a disc labeled Halo that will play on the PS3 for all the Halo fans.

However, since the Xbox 360 doesn't support Blu-ray, it makes you wonder if Blu-ray is in the 360's future? Or maybe the next-gen Xbox? Regardless, you kind of have to to hand it to Microsoft for wanting the fans of the Halo franchise to truly experience this mini series on the best media that's out today.

Sony, please make this your next PS3 re-release.

Sony's announcement this week of a PS3 edition of the first two PS2 God of War games, called God of War Collection, was exciting--unless you already own both games.

With 720p HD support added in, however, it raises a serious question: will backward-compatibility be a relic of video game days gone by? With the PS3 no longer able to play PS2 games, fans will be ever more reliant on re-releases and virtual console titles to resell them the greatest hits of the last generation.

As long as the old re-releases are lovingly upscaled to HD and given some extra bells and whistles, however, we could be a little more forgiving. There are plenty of other memorable franchises from the PS2 glory years that Sony would be wise to re-release and package with HD-compatible upgrades. Here's our short list. And we'll give you a hint: one of them involves giant rock formations.

Any we left off?

PS2 franchises we want to see on the PS3

How much is too much?

In the wake of the PS3 Slim price-cut landslide of news, one small wound still lingers, and has now gotten worse: the PSP Go is still $249.

Now that the PS3 Slim is $299, and the Xbox 360 Elite is well on its way to the same price, the ceiling for console gaming is finally coming down. This isn't a surprise; it happens every gaming generation. But, considering the components of multipurpose systems like the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, this generation of consoles has hovered at higher prices than consoles of the past. Now, however, all three home consoles are within $50 of each other. The next sensible step would be for the Wii to take a price cut as well, and it most likely will happen this holiday season in some form (be it a real cut or a new bundle with Wii MotionPlus and Wii Sports Resort, for instance).

However, while consoles have been seeing price drops, handheld game systems have been seeing an odd recent trend--price increases. The PSP Go, which was seen as Sony's handheld comeback, actually costs more than a regular PSP, despite having fewer features. At $250, it's not just the cost of the original PSP; it's also only 50 dollars less than a PS3. The Nintendo DS Lite, which costs $129, received a revamp in the form of the improved camera-equipped DSi, which can also download more affordable games...at an increased price of $170.

Nintendo's DSi

Handheld game systems aren't just taking hits in terms of system costs, either. While DS cartridges and UMDs at $19.99 and $29.99 a pop once seemed like affordable alternatives to 50- and 60-dollar console boxed games, downloadable games on PSN, Xbox Live Arcade, and WiiWare are routinely being released for $15 and less.

As our own Jeff Bakalar reflected, handheld game systems are dinosaurs, in a sense. They hearken back to a time in the early '90s when there were no smartphones or cell phones at all, no MP3 players, no portable video outside of a Sony Watchman. A handheld like the Game Boy afforded portable entertainment that nothing else could. Now, DSis and PSPs have to compete with iPhones, iPod Touches, a flurry of other handhelds, and even the occasional Zune. Many of these can also play games now, forcing Nintendo and Sony to include features like cameras, MP3 playback, and video downloads to justify the cost of purchase.

Maybe we're calling this flatline too early here at the CNET emergency room, but are dedicated handheld game consoles on their way to extinction? We hope not. ... Read more

Augmented reality--in case you haven't been following, is a technology blending video cameras and computer graphics enabling you to interact with virtual creations in the real world. In practice, it looks like virtual reality crossing over into actual reality. You may have heard the buzzword, but as of late, it's becoming a serious gaming trend. At last week's PlayStation holiday preview in New York, one of the most talked-about titles in Sony's fall lineup was its hi-tech attempt to take on Nintendogs, called EyePet.

While it was definitely one of the most impressive augmented-reality game demos we've seen, it's far from the only one. Here's a rundown of EyePet as well as some other augmented-reality games of the future we're looking forward to playing. And is it just us, or is the angle of most of these titles to "make little animals appear next to you?" Clearly, if this is any indication, get ready for a whole lot more hallucinatory ghost creatures dancing on your coffee tables for holidays to come.

Eyepet (Sony, PlayStation 3)
Sony's been quietly leading the pack in U.S. augmented-reality game development, starting with 2007's bold but unsuccessful trading-card battle game Eye of Judgment. Although interactive PlayStation Eye software has been available on the PSN Store that achieves other AR effects, EyePet is their first major push at a mainstream home entertainment product. ... Read more

Episode 43 of the Digital City, where special guest Natali Del Conte joins us to talk about the ethics of news organizations uploading street fighting videos; the CrunchPad vs. Apple's hypothetical tablet, and the latest Netbook trends.

Plus, Scott and I share our impressions of Sony's holiday PlayStation lineup, which we checked out in person earlier this week, including Uncharted 2 and the cool/creepy EyePet virtual critter.

Related links:
>>CrunchPad tablet allegedly revealed: Apple tablet killer or overhyped Netbook?
>>One of our favorite Netbooks gets a sequel: meet the HP Mini 5101
>>Update: Android Netbooks from Acer coming this year after all

>>Watch the Digital City live every Friday at 3pm EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page
>>Need more? Follow Dan on Twitter!

It's a free-for-all gripe fest as we talk about our personal frustrations with the PS3, AT&T, the iPhone, and whatever else was crossing our minds at that point.

From cyberdoormen and using your baby's mama for an iPhone replacement at the AT&T store, to Scott finding pleasure in getting Julie so worked up that she accidentally drops a naughty word and Joseph's failed attempt to pit Scott and Julie against each other...it's all on the table.

We're also holding a contest for the best Digital City desktop wallpaper creation (not a logo). The contest will be held from July 24 to August 7. Joe gave you guys a week to do this, but I think two weeks is a little more feasible. It should include all four of us--Dan, Scott, Joseph, and Julie--or Scott will have a conniption fit (love ya, man!). Caricatures, superheroes, three pimps and a 'ho, it doesn't matter as long as it's nothing too nasty or we won't be able to show it. Once you've created your masterpiece, attach and send it to us via e-mail at digitalcity@cnet.com.

The prize: Joe is giving away a copy of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince for either the Xbox 360 or the Wii (specify for which console in your e-mail).

At the close of the contest, we'll be more than happy to give all participants a shout-out on the show. The fact you participated is awesome--win or lose. There could be a runner-up prize, but don't quote me on that, I'd have to confer with the rest of the crew.

Get creative!

>>Watch the Digital City live every Friday at 3 p.m. EST on CNET Live!
>>Subscribe to Digital City on iTunes
>>Join the Digital City Facebook fan page