Gaming devices are evolving along with much of the digital and technological world. The upcoming Nintendo Wii U console is offering connectivity in all new ways never before seen on a home console, but after all – that is the path that platforms have taken in recent years. The Apple TV system connects related devices from all over the house and of course allows content to be shared from all over. At what point are things connected too much though?
The Nintendo Wii began (in modern senses) a new degree of bringing together multiple components of life together into one device/platform. Not only could it play games and stream movies over the internet, while of course offering the online game play and Mii Parade features, but it had multiple software pieces and hardware add-ons that could monitor one’s health as well. Wii Fit and its sequel could help track one’s daily exercise patterns. There was even an EA game that could monitor more in depth diagnostics of your body. So now we have gaming and health monitors all tied into one device. What other ways could this be expanded? The internet already offers online hearing tests, will our games soon follow suit and monitor our hearing upfront in a clearly defined test? Or perhaps it will even do it discreetly as we play games normally and hide the test amongst commands and orders within actual game play? Video games offer all new dimensions of health monitoring, as there have been studies done for years on its impact on our thinking, our weight, our eye sight, seizures, our heart rate and so on. We supposedly live in a health conscious society, so why not offer at home tests at part of our game play?
Smart phones are becoming smarter too and Apps are being created for near everything. The Wii U is offering a tablet-esque interface, in similar ways that the DS and Wii did on their main menus, so it is obvious that “app” based organization is pretty much here to stay for a while. Why limit these apps to gaming? We have Netflix apps, calculator apps, teach yourself piano apps, learn a language apps… what about other degrees of connectivity? Google seems to be consolidating the online market as it brings common products together. Ebay is popular too, so why not have a shipping tracking app on our gaming consoles as well? Why not have a digital online market that is more than the Xbox Live Market or the Wii Shop? Why not have Ebay and other popular retailers sell products to us straight on our gaming devices?
Connectivity is increasing quickly and consolidation is sure to occur. Is there a limit on what should be brought to us? Ads are smarter than ever as they can adjust based on your search patterns and have already found themselves in games. With technology the way it is today, there may not be such a thing as “too connected.”
