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As was pretty evident at CES 2007, wireless networks and devices are a growing industry, with home entertainment systems starting to incorporate wireless and wireless device variations popping up like weeds. Just look at all three current gen game systems, each containing wireless controllers and a couple even including in-system wireless networking features.

Wireless consulting firm inCode Telecom Group, Inc. (owned by VeriSign), released a Top Ten style list of their predictions for the global wireless market in 2007. Several of the “predictions” either already exist or fall on the “duh” side to those of us who geek over gadgets on a daily basis.

The list includes:

1. Mobile social networking. This prediction claims that tech-savvy teens wanting to stay constantly connected to sites like MySpace and Facebook will be the driving force with companies like Google and Skype offering feature buffets to mobile customers.
   
2. Mobile TV. They predict mobile TV will become “indispensable” in 3-5 years and the business model will shift from subscription-based to al-la-cart-based fees.
   
3. Easier to use and less expensive multi-function devices. well that’s just a function of supply/demand and production costs.
   
4. More GPS-enabled handsets. This one seems pretty no-brainer, too, especially since every cell phone and car maker under the sun is starting to incorporate GPS devices.
   
5. Heavy hitters adopt IMS (IP Multimedia Subsystem) services. AOL, Yahoo! and Google will build their own media architecture (though I thought they pretty much had already?).
   
6. China and India get ahead of the tech wave. Citing the 10+ million new wireless customers each month in both countries, venders will reach out to these countries before the US to make more cash. I figured this was just a matter of time. (See every joke in the last two years about Help and Support Desks.)
   
7. More mobile advertising. It’s pretty much the same trend as TV, in-game, freeware and website advertising.
   
8. Wireless providers move into home entertainment. That means even more WiFi/High-Speed Packet Access routers. This is not as much a prediction as a restatement of the trend we saw at CES, though they predict VoIP will become a less attractive option.
   
9. Increased importance of wireless security. With more content comes an increased need to weed out spam and protect your personal data. Makes sense.
   
10. Companies move from hardwired to wireless solutions. I suppose it is already a more convenient for smaller businesses who set up their own networks and don’t want to lose its office space deposit. The prediction gets a bit more precise than that, claiming, “Many corporations completely replace their cellular handsets with a combined voice/data device or a data-only device.”

Site [inCode] Predictions [Archive]

From the bowels of the PC Mag staff comes their latest “Top Ten Worst” list (does that actually make it the bottom ten?). Here are a few highlights from their list of the worst names for software and applications:

• Crush or Flush - Basically a free “Hot or Not” mobile app.


• PikiPimp - Pimp your own mug online (though the name just reminds of of Pikmin, which is a pretty fun game)


• GIMP - A free GNU Image Manipulation Program that some of my web design buddies swear is almost as good as PhotoShop


• eefoof - (Isn’t that that French for fart?) A YouTube-for-cash site where posters can earn money.


• Joost - (I guess it’s a play on the term “juiced") an internet TV viewing app


• Gubb - An internet-based place to, uh, make lists? (PCMag must love that site. I prefer to pronounce it with a long “u,” which makes it much more funny).

It’s not really one of their better lists since it doesn’t go going very far back in time and includes several non-apps/web site (without even linking to any of them). I’ll give ‘em “eefoof” as a bad name but a few are just silly misspellings to make sure a business could get the same domain name as their product name ... which, of course, does not depreciate any potential wackiness.

I think Microsoft PowerPoint is one of the most hilarious quadruple entendres around, as well as *69 (would that count as an application?). I’m sure Gadgetell readers can come up with a much better list of crappy application names… post away, maties!

Read [PCMag]

Keepin’ warm and dry is supremely important to those who experience a white Christmas on a regular basis. Of course, if you want to get a bit more gadgety about being warm during winter months, a simple pair of mittens or an electric blanket just ain’t swank enough. PCMag’s staff came up with a list that includes a few decent, seasonal multitaskers, including:

• A heated jacket (twice as toasty)


• A Bluetooth-enabled woven winter hat (that beeping noise really is in, or on, your head)


• “Click Wheel” gloves (to control your MP3 player without going bare handed)


• Video camera goggles (perfect for skiing with a wireless web cam?)


• Earmuff audio headphones in the form of 180s (those form-fitting, wrap-around earmuffs, which I love)


• A heated doggie dish (my wife has a larger version for her horses)

Read [PCMag]

Associated Content (AC), which is trying to be a national content provider with street cred - they even provide “AC” logo stickers for their writers to post around town - has put out their own Top Ten gadget list for 2006. Do I really need to remind people that the year is NOT over yet? Sigh. The list includes a few dandies you might have already even seen on Gadgetell though I suspect the list was derived from a few episodes of HGTV’s gadget-filled series, “I Want That:”

• Swimming Fish Optical Mouse (cute)


• Horrified B-Movie Victims Play Set (NOT a gadget! but still fun)


• iPillow (cute and fluffy)


• My Pet Cam (cute and useful)


• Yoda Backpack ("Carry your crap, I will.")


• Flybar Pogo stick that can go four feet high (fun toy)


• Track Stick GPS Tracker to track your trip (cool)


• Programmable Drink Dispenser (dern cool but pricey)


• Wooden Digital Clock (carpenter cool - pictured above)


• Waterfall Fireplace (geek cool)

Read [AC]

When I write my end-of-the-year articles for various publications, I purposely avoid a top ten list. They are cliche, and since no one can actually play every movie, eat at every restaurant, read every book or play every game in a year, the lists are really just a fraction of a fraction - it’s really the top ten for what that one person remembers watching, eating, reading or playing. That’s not to say, of course, that a few top ten lists out there aren’t useful or even fun to read. In no particular order, here are ten worthwhile or fun top ten lists related to video games.

Tech Blog’s “Top 10 Strangest Game Controllers”

Really, what could be better than a dance mat for your fingers? There’s also a realistic railroad game controller, the chainsaw controller and, of course, both the world’s largest and smallest NES controllers.

The semi-static GameRankings & RottenTomatoes home page lists

It may be a little bit of cheating on my part here, but semi-static lists (they stay in one place but change their ratings) are uber useful to anyone shopping for the newest games. Both GameRankings and RottenTomatoes compile professional media scores to offer an overall rating (and yes, a few of my scores can be found on both sites). These are two very helpful, yet similar, lists.

PC Magazine’s “Ten Gaming Myths”

Sorry PCMag, but since your article was “Looking Back at 2006,” it’s not really the cliched top ten list. Darn nonconformists. Instead, I favor their August 2006 “Gaming Myths” article which is far less dull than their more recent “Looking Back” article. My favorite myths: PC Games Will Fail, Handheld Games are for Kids and Games are Too Violent.

“The Best Video Games in the History of Humanity”

Ah, what a person can find with a Google search. I couldn’t pass up this list just based on its auspicious name. This guy takes all the all time game lists he could find, crudely crunches a few numbers and comes up with the top five ultimate games. Gotta admire the effort. What, you think I’m gonna tell?

NPD Group‘s annual video game sales report

OK , so it ain’t even out yet (remember, 2006 isn’t even over), but when it does come out, it’ll show the top selling US retail games of the year along with other, more meaningful stats than the other lists. Look for it to be posted to this site around the second or third week in January 2007.

GameSpy’s “Top Ten Videogame Sidekicks”

It’s a couple years old, and a few are now main characters, but the idea is solid. Sidekicks are important, too. Just ask Robin. You have to give some credit to lists that reach back pretty far to get in the good but not not forgotten games (such as 1997’s The Curse of Monkey Island and 1985’s NetHack) and offer a good range.

IGN’s “Top 100 Games of All Time” (updated for 2006)

OK, so it’s ten times larger than a top ten list but it’s a mighty morphin’ list based on readers’ comments and site reviews that deserves some respect. It may be a little skewed since it only includes games that got at least 1000 user ratings but it does include world releases.

GameTrailer’s “Top Ten Video Game Weapons”

They go into specific weapons across many years of games to include impossible, automatic and purely bombastic weapons and yep, even the turtle shell. Check it out on YouTube.

YouNEWB’s “Top Ten gamer Cakes”

As silly as it sounds, this features ten video game themed cakes. Now you can eat the Katamari. A few look professional, but they are all yummy and funny.

GameStop’s “Top Ten Boss Fights”

This one also reaches to the depths of the game cart box to pull out some goodies. They aren’t really the best ever, but it’s an admittedly lacking list that’s still fun to browse: “So we’re not saying these are the 10 hardest bosses or the 10 most stylish ones - just the 10 we remember the most.” (Honesty is an admirable policy.)

MTV’s “The 10 Most Influential Video Gamers of All Time”

The list includes money and game makers. It’s at least interesting and a few egotistical gamers would want their names on the list as the greatest, but remember, these people were actually influential.

Inspired by NASA’s recently announced commitment to create a manned (or “personned") Moon base in the next 20 years, those crazy cats at PC Magazine came up with a list of cool stuff they suggest you - or whomever goes - to take for the trip and/or extended stay. A few are pretty obvious, such as as a “forever” flashlight, high resolution digital camera and video iPod, but their list also includes:

• A LEGO Mindstorm NXT
• A Sony portable reader
• A RadarGolf system
• A talking pedometer
• A solar charger, and maybe most importantly...
• A UFO detection machine

Read [PC Magazine]

Computer mice, that is (I think that is really supposed to be “mouses,” but that just sounds funny). Some are cute, one is a little raunchy and a few, well, just don’t make much sense. The list includes:

• A muscle-sensitive mouse


• A mouse shaped like a lovely lady (imagine where you press *wink*)


• Mouse made of wood (I call it “The Woody")


• The Mouse Masseuse


• A Silent Mouse


• A couple wireless mice


• A heated mouse


• A Christmasy snow globe mouse


• And a mouse shaped like a brain.

Yet, not a single fuzzy mouse? See the next post…

Read [PCMag]