Sunday, January 29, 2006

Rumors

We are on the verge of a console shift. The three major companies are releasing their next generation of game systems. As with any change, rumors will frequently be found, especially about Nintendo who is very secretive about the technology they will use. As librarians, we should pay attention to the source of news, and help our patrons identify facts from speculation.

Most of these are started by people looking at patents and drawing conclusions from them. Normally these rumors are incorrect, but frequently teens will believe them.

Nintendo in general denies all rumors whether true or not. Sony, who makes PlayStation, and Microsoft, who makes the XBox, are more open about confirming rumors.

The latest rumor that has been picked up is about Apple. See link

Most of the speculation about this patent refers to its use a game system. We will not know for sure whether this is to be used for games or other programs, but if this technology is used for game design, it could mean a different genre of games. Much like the old Kirby Tilt n' Tumble.

Since many rumors are translated into news articles, I wanted to explain where rumors come from, so that we will be able to assist in finding truths.

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