TECHNOLOGIES TO watch - Consumer Electronics Association

28Quick Facts About Gamers43 percent of people who play interactive games are women.The average age of an interactive game player is 29 years old .For Computer Gamers30 percent of most frequent game players are under 18 years old25 percent of most frequent game players are between18 and 35 years old41 percent of most frequent game players are over 35 years oldFor Console Gamers38 percent of most frequent game players are under 18 years old40 percent of most frequent game players are between18 and 35 years old22 percent of most frequent game players are over 35 years oldSource: ESA, July2003computers, PDAs and handheld PCs, and portable gamingconsoles. For years, business travelers have been playing solitaireon laptop computers during long flights. But companieslike Alienware are taking laptop PC gaming to new heightswith products like the Area-51m, a laptop PC designed to bewhat the company calls “the ultimate mobile gaming machine.”Today’s PDAs and handhelds bristle with computing powerrivaling desktop systems that were considered robust only afew years ago. With stylus in hand, gamers on these handheldsystems get console-like performance with the utility of a PC.CEA believes technological advances among these technologieshas fostered an increasingly viable platform for entertainmentpursuits. Increasing processor power, better graphics capability,improved power frugality and naturally the addition of colorLCD screens have all driven consumers to accept games onthese platforms.For consumers who prefer a dedicated mobile gaming solution,Nintendo’s Game Boy systems have been the only realchoice for the past decade or so. According to the NPD Group,U.S. dollar sales of portable consoles between January and May2003 improved 43 percent over the same period a year ago. InMay 2003, Sony said it planed to enter the portable consolemarket with the PSP, which the company positioned as the“Walkman of the 21st century.” Sony said the PSP will feature aRetail Unit Shares, ASPs for PDAs andHandheld PCs Color Versus MonochromeScreensColor Share Color ASP Mono Share Mono ASP1QTR00 1.6% $674 98.4% $2902QTR00 5.3% $548 94.7% $2853QTR00 7.0% $521 93.1% $2714QTR00 7.1% $497 92.9% $2481QTR01 10.1% $490 89.9% $2392QTR01 20.3% $457 79.7% $2113QTR01 23.9% $445 76.1% $1944QTR01 24.5% $387 75.5% $1551QTR02 38.1% $393 61.9% $1782QTR02 44.5% $380 55.5% $1573QTR02 43.9% $362 56.1% $1324QTR02 48.5% $322 51.5% $1181QTR03 68.5% $314 31.5% $1102QTR03 72.9% $299 27.1% $98Source: The NPD Group / NPD Techworld3D graphics capable screen, stereo sound, USB 2.0 connectivity,rechargeable battery and Memory Stick compatibility allowingwireless communication. The PSP also will utilize universalmedia disk (UMD) technology. UMDs are like CDs, but smaller,and can hold up to 1.8GB of data.Although cell phones are not exactly a familiar face on themobile gaming scene here in the U.S., gaming on handsets isgathering momentum. And wireless technology is pushingmobile gaming into the mainstream through these devices.Many industry observers believe wireless technologies will helpmobile gaming make a quantum leap forward.The wireless gaming wave is finally resonating in NorthAmerica, but in other regions of the world, such as Europe andJapan, connected gaming via wireless devices is much moreprevalent. Supporting this growing worldwide wireless gamingmovement, new technologies such as wireless gaming decksand eventually in-vehicle entertainment systems soon will offermore ways to play games on the go.5 TECHNOLOGIES TO watchOCTOBER 2003