There's nothing like a bit of realism when you're gaming, according to Philips.
The Dutch electronics company has come out with a PC add-on for gamers that attempts to introduce a whiff of simulated reality to the experience. When you drive faster in a car game, two fans crank up faster and blow wind in your face. When you drive off the track, a rumble strip beneath your wrist vibrates. Two lights dim when you drive underneath a bridge.
The amBX system essentially tries to create an ambiance, Lucas Covers, chief marketing officer at Philips, said at the Consumer Electronics Show. The amBX systems range in price from $199 to $399.
You will hear a lot about ambiance from Philips in coming months. The company has succeeded in many markets with its Ambilight TVs, which adjust their brightness to ambient light. The sales success has prompted Philips to come up with more products that take cues from their environment or make a pleasing environment.
One product, for instance, you could call the earthly alarm clock. Lights begin to come on slowly, until the room is fully bright by the time you want to wake up, said Covers. "It takes about a half an hour," he said. "But you wake up refreshed."