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We kid you not. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences gave Sony a Technology and Engineering Emmy Award for the PlayStation 3’s Sixaxis controller at CES 2007.

The award is given for outstanding achievement in technical or engineering development. In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past year or so, the PS3’s Sixaxis controller includes built-in motion-sensing technology that was added to the original Dual Shock controller.

Apparently, it’s NATAS that may have have been living under a rock. This award comes after the New York Times said the console “just isn’t that great,” and after Time Magazine declared the PS3 was a bust. But that’s just their opinion, right?

Perhaps, but let’s not forget that it was Nintendo that first came out with a motion-sensing controller at the 2005 Tokyo Game Show. Unlike the Sixaxis, the Wiimote has a rumble feature and has more motion-sensing capabilities.

According to GameSpot, the PS3 will also receive several other awards, like PC World’s 20 Most Innovative Products Award, the 2007 CES Best of Innovations Award, Sound & Vision’s Editor’s Choice Award, and Digital Entertainment Group’s Emiel N. Petrone Digital Innovation Award.

Let me get this straight: The Sixaxis, which was announced (*cough* ripped-off *cough*) months after the WiiMote, wins honors for so-called innovation?

Which company do you think should get innovation awards for their new consoles? Is it Sony or Nintendo?

*Editor’s Note: It appears that Nintendo and Sony both won the The Emmy Award for Peripheral Development and Technological Impact of Video Game Controllers (*phew*). Check the award list at EmmyOnline.com. Also note that the Nintendo controller is not named but the Sony controller is listed as the “Dual Shock” and not specifically the Sixaxis. Of course, that might just be an oversite. - PJ

Update: Christine Chin from NATAS tells us Sony has it all wrong. The award was for the original dual shock controller. Here is her message in full:

I understand you had contacted Cheryl Daly, Director of Communications at NATAS to confirm if Sony won for their PS3 controller. This is incorrect, Sony won for their dual shock analog controller. The award is from the Video Game Technology Group. It was nominated by our internal group and considered along with the Nintendo D-Pad both of which were considered Emmy worthy for the development of the generation of controllers that followed the classic joysticks.

I would like to confirm that Sony did not win for their PS3 controller, they won for their Dual Shock Analog controller.

Read [NYTimes] Read [Time Magazine] Read [GameSpot] Read [PCWorld] Read [CES Awards] Read [GamesIndustry] Award List [EmmyOnline]

• Sony now offering a trade-in program for PRS-500 Reader users
• Deal of the Day: Buy a PSPgo via Amazon, get $50 PlayStation Network credit
• Sony Reader Daily Edition now available for pre-order

Don’t let the 600,000 Wiis sold in North America shortly after its launch fool you. According to a report by Yahoo, the winner of this past holiday season’s console war is Microsoft’s Xbox 360.

Research firm NPD said two million Xbox 360 units were sold in the United States from the beginning of November through Christmas Eve. Nintendo’s Wii, on the other hand, sold 1.8 million units, while Sony placed dead last as it sold 750,000 PlayStation 3s.

Editor’s Note: NPD Group was incorrectly attributed in the source articles. Click here for the update. - PJ

Hold it. Before Xbox fans start breaking out the champagne, there’s one thing we must consider: remember the supply problems? The insanely long lines? The exorbitantly-priced units sold at eBay?

Michael Gartenberg, vice president and research director at Jupiter Research, noticed this too and was quick to point out that the real test will come when everyone is on equal footing with regards to available units. The Wii and the PS3 had limited units available, while the Xbox 360 had a year to work out any hitches in manufacturing, said Gartenberg.

Ergo, it’s a bit early for Microsoft to claim long-term victory. The holiday battle may be over, but the console wars aren’t.

All things considered, Sony remains to be king of the hill, thanks to the way paved by PlayStation and PlayStation 2, but that 60% grip may not last for long.

Read [Yahoo!]

• Sony now offering a trade-in program for PRS-500 Reader users
• Deal of the Day: Buy a PSPgo via Amazon, get $50 PlayStation Network credit
• Sony Reader Daily Edition now available for pre-order