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Here's a story for you underdog followers. Infinium Labs, a virtually unknown, enterprise-capital-funded firm, virtually stepped within the ring with juggernauts Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo with a video game system it had developed. Was this simply hype, or did the Phantom really have a chance at being the next big thing? Sound acquainted? That just about describes a desktop Pc with a broadband Memory Wave Method connection. And at its coronary heart, that's what the Phantom is: a Home windows Pc (this web page lists the product specs). It has built-in S-video, RCA, and part video ports, so it may hook up to your Tv straight, similar to an X-Field or DVD participant. It includes a sound card that helps Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound. It uses a proprietary encryption scheme to store data on the onerous drive. It doesn't have a CD-ROM drive. Moreover, the Phantom is programmed to use Infinium Lab's virtual personal video games network (VPGN).

In the following part, we'll see what this function is all about. Like a regular VPN, it acts as a direct, personal route from pc to computer, by way of the Web -- on this case, from a Phantom console to the Infinium Labs recreation server (see How VPNs Work for extra data). The VPGN makes it straightforward for the console to get specific games from Infinium Labs, and extra importantly, it makes it simple for Infinium Labs to manage who will get what video games. Even with these modifications, the Phantom is not earth-shattering from a pure hardware know-how standpoint. Infinium's main innovation is taking what's particular about a gaming Pc -- the large number of games, the flexibility to download video games and sport previews and the ability to simply upgrade the equipment -- with what's special a couple of console -- the ability to play video games utilizing a big-display Television, high-finish sound system and custom controller. As we'll see in the following part, Infinium Labs has used this marriage of console and Computer to place collectively a plan for a creative new gaming enterprise.

As we noticed within the last section, the Phantom doesn't have a CD-ROM drive like a regular Pc or game console, and it does not have regular access to the Internet both -- it really works by way of a specialized VPN. In other words, the only technique to get a game into the machine is to obtain it immediately from Infinium Labs over a broadband connection. This and the system's propriety information encryption are the important pieces of Infinium Labs' enterprise mannequin. To grasp this system, as an example you decide to get a Phantom. You would order the Phantom console on-line or purchase it in a store. Infinium has announced they will give the console hardware away free to people who signal a two-yr contract for entry to the Phantom VPGN. You'll hook the console as much as your broadband connection. Infinium Labs would set up an account for you and offer you access to the VPGN. You would pay $29.95 a month for the VPGN entry.

Whenever you arrange the console, you get a library of "free" games. To buy extra video games, you would access the VPGN and see what's out there for obtain. These games can be Computer-based mostly games and possible ports of games for X-Field and different consoles. Using the VPGN service, you'd also be capable of preview video games, rent games, enter tournaments. If you bought a recreation, you would obtain it to the Phantom's arduous drive. The Infinium Lab system would keep track of what you owe. You would also have the ability to dam certain varieties of video games, to maintain kids from enjoying games with excessive violence or different grownup content material. You'd get access to on the spot messaging, audio and video conferencing, boards and news. Infinium hopes to additionally provide Net browsing, using Mozilla as a substitute of Internet Explorer. Infinium Labs' hope is this program affords enough to gamers and game builders to be successful.

The store just doesn't have room to put any extra on the shelves. And since it's expensive to print discs, bundle discs and ship discs to bodily stores, solely comparatively large game firms can afford to get loads of video games to stores anyway. There are a whole lot of sport developers out there who could produce hundreds of games for a selected console or a Computer, if they could get past the distribution hurdle. When you take the physical disc out of the picture (as a result of the gamer downloads the game), there isn't any competitors for shelf house, so it is simple to broaden choice. Laptop homeowners take pleasure in these same advantages -- they can obtain games they might not find anyplace else. Lower worth: Once more, as a result of you're taking manufacturing and distribution costs out of the image, you minimize down considerably on the sport distributor's expenses. This implies, probably, Memory Wave Phantom games might value less than comparable X-Field, GameCube or PlayStation 2 games.