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One company that's been a big name in video games for years is Nintendo. In many ways Nintendo revived interest in video game systems that can be hooked up to televisions (as opposed to video games played on home computers). It put out a number of good systems in the late eighties and throughout the nineties.

The Nintendo GameCube is the current iteration of this long line of video game platforms, but unfortunately it doesn't really measure up compared to other modern video game platforms like the new Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft's Xbox 360. For example the GameCube has a processor with a speed of 485 Megahertz while the PlayStation 3 has a central processor with a clock speed of 3.2 Gigahertz which controls eight other processors, and the Xbox 360 has three processors running at 3.2 Gigahertz each! The differences in memory are just as large with the GameCube having a system memory of 40 Megabytes, while the Xbox 360 has 512 Megabytes of RAM. One thing that might offset the GameCubes slow processor and small memory to some extent is the fact that the processor itself is a 128 bit unit.

The GameCube also lacks a hard drive which both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 feature. While apparent deficiencies in hardware can be made up for to some extent by the unique hardware architectures and software, the lack of a hard drive put the GameCube at a stark disadvantage because of the way being able to store various data allows the user of a video game platform to customize the video gaming experience. For example the Xbox 360 allows users to create their own sound tracks to go along with games and then store that music on the hard drive. Apparently with the GameCube, there isn't that option, so the user is stuck with whatever sound comes with the software.

The GameCube does have a decent amount of networking capability. Besides the ability to support four players on a single unit, the GamCube has an optional 56 Kbps modem adapter and a separate broadband adapter. The broadband adapter allows for playing over DSL and cable modems, with Local Area Network play an option on some game titles. It also has parallel and serial ports as well as two Digicard ports and one Type III PCMCIA expansion slot.

Another thing that puts the GameCube at a huge disadvantage when compared to the PS3 and the Xbox 360 is the fact that it's disk drive is designed for Nintendo's proprietary eight centimeter mini DVD. Each mini DVD only holds 1.5 Gigabytes of data which is severely limited compared to the Blu-ray drive that comes on the PS3 which can access discs holding 54 Gigabytes and the Xbox 360's optional HD-DVD drive which can access discs holding 30 Gigabytes worth of data.

The fact that the disk drive only takes the eight centimeter discs also means that the GameCube 360 is not a multifunctional platform the way the other systems are. The inability of this platform to play CD's DVD's and other media limits it to the realm of strictly being a video game platform while the PS3 and Xbox 360 are also CD and DVD players.

In all, while the Nintendo GameCube can't really compete with the other video gaming platforms on the market today, it seems to serve well as strictly a video gaming device.

J. Hall writes articles for consumers who want to find the best new technology currently available. She has written for many major publications about the latest television deals and promotions and how buyers can find the best discounts.

AP - President George W. Bush will leave behind a legacy of Bushisms, the label stamped on the commander in chief's original speaking style. Some of the president's more notable malaprops and mangled statements:

The future of entertainment is video gaming. Today's video game consoles take virtual reality to the next level, constantly pushing the envelope in graphical realism. Interactivity hasn't been left behind either. Revolutionary changes to the game controllers and other video game accessories add new aspects to the gaming experience. Complex, twisted plots and gamer-defined storylines, combined with hugely interactive environments, are adding the depth to video games that attracts gamers of all demographics. The latest game systems are about more than just video games; they combine social networking, hi-def home theatre entertainment and a slew of other distractions coupled with cutting edge technology.

At the heart of the video gaming industry is the developers' constant struggle to push the boundaries of reality while working within graphic constraints on the consoles. With each system comes not only a new challenge, but also uniqueness determined by variation in game controllers. Nintendo Wii games differ from both PS3 games and Xbox 360 games, simply because of the Wiimote and its accelerometers. Computer games arguably have the most beefed up graphic requirements, since computer graphics are highly flexible allowing developers to create stunningly detailed and intense environments.

Gaming consoles have seen seven generations, and each one has been more exciting than the last. The current iteration has three heavy weights pitted against each other - Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Nintendo Wii. The advanced graphic processing unit or GPU that runs these machines churns out a state-of-the-art visual explosion that creates the incredible in-game detail. Long gone are the heavy, inconvenient console game systems of old. The shiny sleek new consoles pack a punch, with gaming, movies, music, photos and Internet all in tote. The killer app in all these systems would have to be their ability to connect gamers. The multiplayer aspect of today's gaming spans continents, from the United States all the way to Japan.

Interactivity is one core aspect of video gaming. The game controllers like their consoles have seen much evolution. Accelerometers, optical sensors and Bluetooth receivers are among the various features that have transformed the gaming experience. Gone is the wired clutter that came with older consoles like the GameCube controller; wireless controllers have taken over. Revolutionary technology is the cornerstone of the seventh generation controller. At the centre of this change is the new PS3 controller with the SIXAXIS highly sensitive motion technology. The 3d freedom within this controller was first seen in the Wimote, the Nintendo Wii controller, which used accelerometers to enhance gaming. Twirl, flick, flip and twist these controllers to unravel a whole new meaning to intuitive, interactive gameplay.

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