Xbox Catching Up in 2006
Although there was a delay in delivering the number of Xbox 360s
that consumers demanded for the 2005 holiday season, Microsoft
is expected to manufacture over 2 million of the gaming consoles
in the first quarter of 2006. It's estimated that about 1
million Xbox 360s made it to stores in time for the holidays, so
there's a pent-up demand for the console. In addition, reported
bugs and cooling problems will likely be worked out in the near
future.
The Xbox isn't the only consumer electronic hitting the news
these days. At the 2006 Consumer Electronics Show, a number of
manufacturers of cell phones will be honored with innovation
awards. For example, Firefly Mobile will be honored for their
"Mobile Phone for Mobile Kids," which is specifically designed
for tweens. In addition, Auvi Technologies will be presented an
award for their innovative PHIP100 VoIP-enabled cordless
speakerphone with a built-in webcam.
CES will also honor a number of innovative computer
manufacturers, including Hewlett Packard. HP has two products,
the Media Center Photosmart PC and the Pavillion desktop PC,
which combine computing with cutting edge digital entertainment
features. Logitech will be accorded the 2006 Best of Innovations
award for its customizable computer mouse, which allows the user
to change the mouse's weight and balance.
Consumer electronics continue to be integrated into car design
and sold as after market features. Audivox, for example, offers
dual DVD players that offer backseat passengers a choice in
which DVD they each watch, while Panasonic has an in-dash DVD
monitor and receiver. Manufacturers are also producing after
market products to integrate MP3 players and iPods into a
vehicle's sound system. As a result, drivers and passengers no
longer have to rely on a CD to bring their favorite tunes on the
road.
Although many developers of video games seem to be waiting until
the next generation of gaming consoles saturate the market, a
few recent titles are noteworthy. Psychonauts is a hit, and for
the role-playing crowd, Jade Empire is the video game du jour
for the Xbox. In portable gaming, the Sony PSP comes out on top
with Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, while the Nintendo
DS offers Mario Kart.
On the whole, consumer electronics continue to improve in
reliability and performance, while becoming increasingly
affordable. In all respects, 2006 looks like it will be a
stellar year for everything from video gaming systems to cell
phones.