from gamespy.com
This actually looks better than I could have imagined, the fact that it is free with a sub at $29.99 a month looks good, but do u have to pay for games on top of that?
The Phantom Strikes
Infinium Labs' Kevin Bacchus reveals new details on the service, capabilities, design, and pricing of the company's forthcoming Phantom console.
By Raymond Padilla | May 9, 2004
Infinium Labs has been so maligned and highly criticized that it was reduced to a joke told around the water cooler ? until Kevin Bacchus joined the company. When you recruit one of the founding fathers of the Microsoft Xbox, people pay attention and all of the sudden you're viewed in an entirely different light. When Bacchus first started with the company, he did some meet-and-greet sessions with the press, but held off on doling out specific information until he could nail down a strategy for Infinium's Phantom console. He's finally ready to reveal the details and I got to catch up with him to hear some very interesting and potentially exciting news about the Phantom.
The Hardware
All the tech heads out there will be pleased to finally learn what's inside the Phantom. The plans are to have 2.5 GHz x86 CPU, DirectX 9 compatible GPU with 128 MB of RAM, DirectX 9 compliant sound with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, 256 MB of system RAM (which Bacchus claims is roughly equivalent to a PC's 512 MB since Phantom runs Windows XP Embedded), and a 40 GB hard drive. The system will be broadband only and work with any ISP, will be HDTV compatible, and have a dynamic user interface that's customizable for age, gender, or technical expertise. On paper, this is a very capable machine that should run PC games admirably on a television.
The bigger surprise is the machines industrial design. Prototypes of the Phantom were ugly -- I'm talking uglier than Xbox ugly (which in turn is almost Fragmaster ugly). What Bacchus showed me was a really slick-looking system that's elegant in its simplicity. Just take a gander at the pictures. This is a sweet and simple-looking piece of consumer electronics that'll you'll want to show off in your home entertainment system.
The Controller
Since the Phantom will play PC games, control is a big issue. After all, these games were -- by and large -- designed to be controlled with a keyboard and mouse. Even though the system includes a standard, console-type gamepad, it will also come with a cleverly designed keyboard/mouse combo. At first glance, it looks like a normal keyboard with just a bit of mouse pad space on the right-hand side (the side Musical Youth is averse to). However, the keyboard is hinged and tilts up, allowing the space under it to be used as a full mouse pad. If you don't understand what the hell I'm trying to describe, just look at the picture.
The typing angle is actually more ergonomic and should be comfortable for WASD commands, while having the mouse pad under it lets the whole setup sit comfortably on your lap. It's a very novel design, but I'll wait until I actually try it before I declare this keyboard/mouse combo a miracle of gaming.
The Price
Now that you've possibly been intrigued by the hardware specs and the controller, I'm sure you're wondering how much the Phantom is going to set you back. The Infinium Phantom is free ? with a two-year subscription to its gaming service. The cost for basic service -- which includes a constantly growing library of games still to be announced -- is $29.95 per month. There are also premium content packages available. The price for newer games will be set by their individual publishers and should range from $20 to $40. Game rentals will be around $5 for three days of gaming. If you opt not to commit to a contract, the Phantom hardware costs $199.
The key here is to realize that the Phantom is less about the hardware and more about the service. What's unique about this system is that it will give you instant access to a broad library of games. It's like combining the best facets of cable television, TiVo, and iPod/iTunes with a game console. If the library is as expansive and the service is as simple as Bacchus hopes it will be, then this might be a really attractive system for mainstream and hardcore gamers alike. Casual fans will enjoy its simplicity, while veterans will be able to feed their gaming needs whenever they strike.
Still TBA
Bacchus is being very deliberate in how much information he's releasing about the Phantom. At this time he revealed hardware specs, pricing information, and a release date (November 18, 2004). What he hasn't revealed are what games will be available on the service and who Infinium's launch partners will be. He's saving that information for August. Be sure to check back with GameSpy when E3 kicks off. I'll be stopping by Infinium's booth to get some hands-on time with the Phantom. For now, it's imperative to check out GameSpy's video interview with Kevin Bacchus to learn more about the Phantom.
This actually looks better than I could have imagined, the fact that it is free with a sub at $29.99 a month looks good, but do u have to pay for games on top of that?
The Phantom Strikes
Infinium Labs' Kevin Bacchus reveals new details on the service, capabilities, design, and pricing of the company's forthcoming Phantom console.
By Raymond Padilla | May 9, 2004
Infinium Labs has been so maligned and highly criticized that it was reduced to a joke told around the water cooler ? until Kevin Bacchus joined the company. When you recruit one of the founding fathers of the Microsoft Xbox, people pay attention and all of the sudden you're viewed in an entirely different light. When Bacchus first started with the company, he did some meet-and-greet sessions with the press, but held off on doling out specific information until he could nail down a strategy for Infinium's Phantom console. He's finally ready to reveal the details and I got to catch up with him to hear some very interesting and potentially exciting news about the Phantom.
The Hardware
All the tech heads out there will be pleased to finally learn what's inside the Phantom. The plans are to have 2.5 GHz x86 CPU, DirectX 9 compatible GPU with 128 MB of RAM, DirectX 9 compliant sound with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio, 256 MB of system RAM (which Bacchus claims is roughly equivalent to a PC's 512 MB since Phantom runs Windows XP Embedded), and a 40 GB hard drive. The system will be broadband only and work with any ISP, will be HDTV compatible, and have a dynamic user interface that's customizable for age, gender, or technical expertise. On paper, this is a very capable machine that should run PC games admirably on a television.
The bigger surprise is the machines industrial design. Prototypes of the Phantom were ugly -- I'm talking uglier than Xbox ugly (which in turn is almost Fragmaster ugly). What Bacchus showed me was a really slick-looking system that's elegant in its simplicity. Just take a gander at the pictures. This is a sweet and simple-looking piece of consumer electronics that'll you'll want to show off in your home entertainment system.
The Controller
Since the Phantom will play PC games, control is a big issue. After all, these games were -- by and large -- designed to be controlled with a keyboard and mouse. Even though the system includes a standard, console-type gamepad, it will also come with a cleverly designed keyboard/mouse combo. At first glance, it looks like a normal keyboard with just a bit of mouse pad space on the right-hand side (the side Musical Youth is averse to). However, the keyboard is hinged and tilts up, allowing the space under it to be used as a full mouse pad. If you don't understand what the hell I'm trying to describe, just look at the picture.
The typing angle is actually more ergonomic and should be comfortable for WASD commands, while having the mouse pad under it lets the whole setup sit comfortably on your lap. It's a very novel design, but I'll wait until I actually try it before I declare this keyboard/mouse combo a miracle of gaming.
The Price
Now that you've possibly been intrigued by the hardware specs and the controller, I'm sure you're wondering how much the Phantom is going to set you back. The Infinium Phantom is free ? with a two-year subscription to its gaming service. The cost for basic service -- which includes a constantly growing library of games still to be announced -- is $29.95 per month. There are also premium content packages available. The price for newer games will be set by their individual publishers and should range from $20 to $40. Game rentals will be around $5 for three days of gaming. If you opt not to commit to a contract, the Phantom hardware costs $199.
The key here is to realize that the Phantom is less about the hardware and more about the service. What's unique about this system is that it will give you instant access to a broad library of games. It's like combining the best facets of cable television, TiVo, and iPod/iTunes with a game console. If the library is as expansive and the service is as simple as Bacchus hopes it will be, then this might be a really attractive system for mainstream and hardcore gamers alike. Casual fans will enjoy its simplicity, while veterans will be able to feed their gaming needs whenever they strike.
Still TBA
Bacchus is being very deliberate in how much information he's releasing about the Phantom. At this time he revealed hardware specs, pricing information, and a release date (November 18, 2004). What he hasn't revealed are what games will be available on the service and who Infinium's launch partners will be. He's saving that information for August. Be sure to check back with GameSpy when E3 kicks off. I'll be stopping by Infinium's booth to get some hands-on time with the Phantom. For now, it's imperative to check out GameSpy's video interview with Kevin Bacchus to learn more about the Phantom.
Comment