Gaming companies show off next wave of technology ...

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A model plays Fruit Ninja, a popular mobile game, on TCL's UltraSurface TV at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, earlier this month.AP photo

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There were many exciting product announcements and prototypes demonstrated at this year's Consumer Electronics Show, but few so plentiful as next-generation gaming innovations. Whether you dedicate a large part of your free time to video games or are simply intrigued by the potential uses of virtual reality in computing, the show didn't disappoint.

Nvidia, known primarily as a manufacturer of graphics cards and chipsets, announced it is joining Nintendo DS and Playstation PSP with the Nvidia Shield. Project Shield is a handheld gaming device that resembles an Xbox controller with a flip-up screen.

The quad-core portable gaming system runs an Android open-platform operating system that Nvidia hopes will encourage game developers to create content, taking advantage of the device's advanced graphics capabilities.

You'll be able to play Android games or if you have a compatible Nvidia GTX graphics card in your PC, you can stream games over Wi-Fi. This enables users to continue a game on the couch or in bed that normally would have been tied to the computer.

The ability to play full-fledged PC games on a handheld unit is exciting, but you still must be within Wi-Fi range of the computer running the game. Not so with the Razer Edge gaming tablet. Available this February, the Windows 8 tablet has a processor and graphics chip capable of rendering current-generation PC game graphics never before accessible on a tablet. You can play full-graphic PC games on the device, even when you're offline.

The gaming tablet's main drawback is price: The basic version will start at $999, significantly more than your average tablet.

An optional snap-on game pad controller case adds side controllers, so you can use controls with your thumbs while holding the tablet like a steering wheel. A mouse and keyboard are available for more traditional functionality.

Nvidia had good news for those who already own a tablet but lack onboard graphics processing. It unveiled Nvidia Grid, an integrated system that will let users access games stored in the Cloud, not their devices. They'll be able to play high-resolution games on a multitude of devices ? even those that lack a graphics chip for games ? by streaming over the Internet.

Nvidia Grid will render graphics in the cloud. Imagine playing "World of Warcraft" on a tablet, for example, even one with a slower processor and/or weak graphics processing ability. Your gaming will be limited only by your Internet connection's stability and your screen's resolution.

Finally, the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset makes you feel as if you're stepping inside your video game. Once you've lifted the black box to your eyes like binoculars and strapped it to your head, it uses multiple sensors to measure your head's movement. That motion translates to how your character moves in 3-D space.

Only a prototype was available at the electronics show. The Oculus Rift will ship to software developers in March so they can create content. There's no hint when it will hit store shelves or how much it will cost.

But effective virtual reality carries a wealth of other technological possibilities, from improving the computing abilities of the mobility impaired to enabling remote work for mechanics, surgeons and other hands-on professionals. Virtual reality is sure to change our interactions with gadgets in years to come.

Andrea Eldridge is CEO of Nerds on Call, a company based in Redding, Calif., that offers on-site computer and home theater set-up and repair.

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Source: http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20130127-BIZ-301270322

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