LATEST ADDITIONS

Special screens for special purposes.

There are a number of reasons why front projection doesn't have the same popularity as other display methods. The biggest factor is integrating the screen and projector into an environment that has to be lived in. Sure, some of us (like me) have no problem blocking out all light in our living rooms so we can watch our projector during the day. I also don't have kids that could muck up the screen. If either of these issues has prevented you from going front projection, check out these screens.

5.1 speaker suites for every fragger.

We've long extolled the wonder and tangible benefits of 5.1 audio in the video-gaming realm. It is a major feature of the Sony PlayStation 2 and the Microsoft Xbox and is a mandatory element for all Xbox 360 games. While some folks simply drop a console into their fully equipped home theaters, many are new to 5.1, so I present here an assortment of exemplary powered speaker suites for video-game use.

Fill your home with music.

Wholehouse music distribution systems are rapidly gaining in popularity. Homes are increasing in size and number of rooms, and, for many homeowners, a wholehouse music system adds to the value and enjoyment of their homes. There is also no shortage of options for music distribution systems. A simple solution is a multiroom, single-source system: Each room has its own pair of stereo speakers that are connected to a receiver, and a multiple-speaker selector is installed in a central location. This is a good option if you want to listen to the same music in every room, but it is likely that each member of the household would prefer his or her choice of music. More elaborate systems provide multisource, multiroom capability, allowing different users to listen to their individual choices of entertainment in different rooms. Sonance's DAB1 Distributed Audio System may be the best choice if you're looking for ease of use and flexibility in a multiroom, multisource audio distribution system.

The French senate and national assembly have voted to approve a copyright law revision that ostensibly requires music players and downloads to be interoperable across all platforms. At least, that is the way mainstream media are reporting the story. Inexplicably described as a defeat for Apple—which is grimly determined to keep iTunes purchases playable only on the iPod—the compromise nonetheless contains enough wiggle room to undermine its main premise: (1) If record companies agree that iTunes downloads must not play on other devices, Apple's Fairplay DRM will stand as is. (2) Rivals seeking to make iTunes downloads playable on their own hardware must first prove to a French regulatory agency that there will be no conflict with Apple patents or other rights. These two loopholes will ensure that iTunes downloads and iPods will remain joined at the hip. Of course the law isn't specifically about Apple. The same loopholes apply to any would-be monopolist seeking to bind hardware and software together. Apple just happens to be the most successful one. However, Jobs will have to keep looking over his shoulder. The interoperability movement is also rising in Scandinavia, Britain, and Poland.