… or at least he'll pay for one, if you want. Various tax rebates and "economic stimulus payments" are headed taxpayers' way, with a minimum of $600 guaranteed. That was the launch price of the top-end PlayStation 3, so when Computerworld asked for suggestions of how to blow this money, I recommended the PS3 and the MacBook Air.

Ironically, I do not own either of these computers, nor do I see myself purchasing such. My reasons for recommending them are true enough — "The PS3 offers all the features of your typical Blu-ray DVD player, as well as access to exclusive PS3 video games… [such as] Metal Gear Solid 4[, which] comes out on June 12." But I don't believe Blu-ray is the next big thing, and for a game console that is flagging in most other respects, $400 is too high a price. I can get an Xbox 360 with its bountiful online network for less, or enjoy my Wii for no further investment (beyond the inevitable WiiWare on May 12th, and Wii Fit a week later).

Same with the MacBook Air. Were I planning an extended intercontinental excursion or perhaps a lengthy bicycle trip, the MacBook Air's slim figure would be a blessing. But the most travelling my MacBook Pro does is from outlet to outlet, so its additional heft is not noticeable nearly as much as its full feature set is.

I'm sure gamers can find better toys to spend their money on anyway. What are your suggestions?

Children who are not at home but in a hospital, waiting for the next test or treatment, can still look forward to a happy holiday season thanks to Child's Play, a non-profit organization of gaming enthusiasts dedicated to spreading the joy of electronic entertainment.

Child's Play was founded in 2003 by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins, authors of the popular Web comic Penny Arcade, in response to a perceived negative stereotype of gamers. "The media seems intent on perpetuating the myth that gamers are ticking time bombs just waiting to go off," Krahulik wrote when announcing the formation of Child's Play. "I know for a fact that gamers are good people… We are just regular people who happen to love video games." With that in mind, they began soliciting monetary donations with which to buy Nintendo and PlayStation goods for their local children's hospital.

Their motivation isn't just good PR; there's a scientific basis to support their actions.

Read the rest of this entry at Computerworld.com »

Computerworld has published their 2007 Holiday Gift Guide. I provided the "family fun" page, which offers hardware and software suggestions for both gaming and PC. Due to the price of Rock Band, it was my original inclination to recommend Guitar Hero III (which also has the advantage of being available for more systems). But Guitar Hero II made Computerworld's 2006 holiday gift guide, and I was already taxing my article's originality by repeating their console recommendation of the Wii. Rock Band seemed like a good compromise.

It never occurred to me to suggest Mac games, too; even though I'm a Mac user, I've never used the system for that purpose (except for Civilization II). Fortunately, editor Jake Widman neatly filled that gap.

When New England Cable News called Computerworld looking for someone to speak on the about-to-be-released Halo 3, I somehow became dubbed the resident "Halo Boy".

In Computerworld's lobby, I spoke with a reporter who was looking primarily for a financial perspective on the current console wars. I'm no analyst, but I tried my best.

Though I got my sales numbers right, I confused my Wii and Xbox 360 launch dates, so there's a slight discrepancy. I still knew my stuff better than the non-gamer reporter, though: the market was dominated by the PlayStation 2, not the PS3; the original Xbox, not the 360, launched in 2001; and profits drive one into the black, not out of it. (Hence the term "Black Friday").

Over on Computerworld.com, I have an article entitled "You can run, but you'll only die tired: Gaming's 'baddest' villains". It was originally slated to run in mid-April but was pushed back to today in sensitivity of the Virginia Tech shootings. (Even though video games were not involved in that tragedy, Computerworld nonetheless considered it inappropriate to glorify violence in its wake.)

The structure of the assignment was very loose, and I enjoyed the opportunity to break it up into five categories (Most Persistent, Most Memorable, Most Creative, Most Sinister, and Most Terrifying), with two tiers per category. Being able to acknowledge my favorite computer was a bonus.

Despite the outlet where the article was published, it is noticeably lacking in computer gaming villains. My own background is in console games, so that is what I drew on. I'm not opposed to research, but any article that aims to rank the "best" or "worst" anything must almost perforce be subjective. Nonetheless, thanks to Rob Boyd, Arc Nova, Chris Lackey for their invaluable suggestions, and the fans at ChatterBox for their feedback.

Two insider anecdotes: the headline ("you can run, but you'll only die tired") was my "taunt" on XBAND, the Super Nintendo head-to-head modem service, where I played Super Mario Kart and Super Street Fighter II under the handle Xenon; taunts were exchanged between competitors prior to every match. My editors and I were scratching our heads over a good kicker, or sub-headline, for the article. Finally I looked to my own cubicle's décor for inspiration.