As I type this, however, I wonder if it is redundant. Most of the time I'm watching TV with my laptop in my lap (I'm doing it right now). But I also spent some time checking stats in bed last night after my wife went to sleep, so that was useful.

Here is the rundown... Anyone (with a PSN account) can write their own quiz from any computer, upload it to the network, and have it playable by anyone. I think this is a game changer for this type of game. In the past, these had limited shelf life because you would eventually memorize questions. But this keeps it fresh and flexible. Criterion has been keeping Burnout Paradise interesting with free updates to their game, but massive user generated content will take this idea to the next level. The combination of Buzz! and Little Big Planet are starting to build a very interesting story for Sony... it will be fun to see where they take things over the next few months.

I'd love to see this evolve into a wiki like environment where people can fact-check, update, and build onto other people's quizzes. It would also be really cool to incorporate pictures or videos into questions.

So Rock Band 2 is here and people are talking. Most of the conversation seems to be about the set list and which songs end up on Guitar Hero III or Rock Band 2. Metallica's downloadable content that coincided with the release of Death Magnetic was pretty cool, especially for the one band who fought digital downloading for so long. But the thing that has me excited is the drums. These look like real electronic drums because they are developed "by the engineers at Alesis, one of the largest manufacturers of professional electronic drums in the world." That reminds me, I was once described as the second worst drummer in the world. Maybe I shouldn't spend the $300 for the new set. sigh...

So why does this ad work? Let me count the ways.

A) People are talking about Microsoft... and they aren't saying it sucks.

B) The shoe metaphor implies that you have to get used to the software before you really appreciate it.

C) Bill Gates inaudible whispers at the end hint at more tasty stuff in the future.

If it wasn't working... I wouldn't be writing this right now. Sure, I'm not going to turn in my mac for a PC any time soon. But I'm seeing MS through a filter I've witnessed before. I guess if I ever get to the point where I want to try it, I could always dual-boot my mac.

Great game designers also play off the platform. Elite Beat Agents is insanely fun, gets better with headphones, and could only be possible on the Nintendo DS. Loco Roco is perfect for the PSP (though would be much better with a motion sensing controller). But the winning game for conquering the road rage of business travel is Lumines. 

Lumines is quite possibly the best game for an airplane ever. When combined with headphones, the PSP version is deeply immersive. The music is so integrated to the action that you can stay entertained for most of a cross-country flight, and the gameplay is quick enough that you can't look away. This combination makes for a time-suck worthy of investment. It is similar to Tetris, just a little more entertaining and immersive.

I realize this was one of the launch titles for the PSP, but it is that good. After a week on the road, Lumines has the replay value that few games offer. I'm pretty sure that Lumines kept me sane over the past week.

[UPDATE] It looks like Lumines is coming to the PSN. I wasn't as much of a fan as the XBOX 360 version. There is something that just doesn't translate to the big screen. Glad to see more people will get a chance to play though.

According to Joystiq, Home is in the final stages of beta, version 0.98. I've read that testing has expanded from Europe to Asia, and will hopefully be heading stateside soon. We've got a meeting with SCEA next month, so hopefully I'll be able to get inside and play around. The last time we met, we just didn't have enough time.

It is an interesting branding exercise though. ESPN's version is sponsored by GMC, and beyond that, there are very few ads. I do, however, keep noticing an add about yellow teeth at the bottom of the screen. First my PS3 tells me I'm fat, and now my laptop is telling me my teeth are yellow. eeehhhhh.

CNN, FOX, everyone is guilty of the hype. There is a new book, The Science of Fear, that actually argues how dangerous this can be. It talks about the sensationalism of the media and how our sense of security (and fear) is skewed irrationally by the media. I haven't read it yet, but I'm fascinated. As soon as I finish The Ten Faces of Innovation... it is next on my list.

I should get paid for all the plugs in this post. sorry.

Think about what this means about everything. The impact on games and cinema and ads. This is a close up and you can't tell she isn't real. WOWSERS.