He explained that since the platform "could never compete with Sony or Nintendo in content," they planned to take a completely open source approach instead, promoting software development from within universities. He also added, "If we do well, our roadmap entails expanding the hardware and supporting full telephony." For the full story, make sure to catch our liveblog of the event.

Currently waiting for things to get started. The event, part of GA Tech's GVU Center Brown Bag Lecture series. GVU stands for Graphics, Visualization and Usability.

YAY! Administrative announcements. Turn off your cell phones, clean up your trash. etc.

Blair, the man introducing Carl comes out waving around a Gizmondo. He's been using it for research for two years. He invited Carl to the school upon hearing about the rebirth of the handheld.

Carl takes the podium, looking fit! Starts with a survey. "How many of you have Googled Carl Freer? " Laughter. "How many of you believe what you read?" Bigger laughter.

"Gizmodo is, in my opinion, the first multi-function handheld device." Um, okay! Adding gaming to the system was originally simply a way to drive sales of the device.

"From my point of view the product didn't fail - the company failed."

He calls himself a living example of what you shouldn't do. Really? Never!

Question from the audience - Will the Gizmondo change from the original version?

"We decided that we wanted to get the product out on the market quickly, and the spec of the current Gizmondo is good enough."

They'd like to incorporate new tech, but the time to market would be extended by a year.

Gizmondo will be the same except for an upgrade to the NVIDIA graphics chip.

Next year they are working with NVIDIA to completely restructure the PCB. Development is already started.

"We could never compete with Sony or Nintendo in content."

Freer is going over the benefits of the product being open source.

Freer's sons are here. His 12-year-old asked to come watch his dad make a fool of himself. Oh those kids.

Part of the strategy of Gizmondo is creating a platform that people can use to create their own games.

They want to create centers of development throughout technical university campus, offering hardware and such for free in order to foster creativity and growth.

They'll be hitting the blogs and forums pretty hard with the information about developing as the Gizmondo. Oh yay!

One of the reasons the company failed he said is long lead times for components. Retailers won't prepay, so they couldn't keep up financially with manufacturing.

They have a new manufacturing with a Chinese company that will let them pay as they receive the product, allowing them to get paid for the units immediately.

We're going to start selling the Gizmondo online before retail.

They've been talking to companies like Barnes & Nobles about carrying the product for use as a book reading device for young children.

They're not going to be spending $10-$15 million on EA to secure their new titles. He says he spent way too much on securing games. He spent $15 million on three EA games, not including development costs. Damn!

They will be focusing on areas of development that are less competitive. He mentions the PSP. "We feel that the Gizmondo...can be used in areas the PSP cannot."

"I'm taking a step back. I'm putting the product out there and letting you guys handle development."

The SDK will be completely free. Hail SDK!

He claims keeping the original Gizmondo closed source was a fatal mistake.

He says the Gizmondo started as an anti-theft device for cars. Freer was a car dealer at one point...go figure...who had a bunch of cars stolen. The device was a GPS / GSM tracker. Then, due to a series of child abductions in England the focus shifted to being a child tracker.

In 1997 Freer was named the Swedish entrepreneur of the year. "The press forgot about that." Whoops.

Now he's moved on to the main talk, tips about getting your own ideas into the open market.

"I think it's key to find and understand your limitations."

His first point - Empower your audience - make sure they can understand what you are creating. Have a hook that grabs their attention.

Create compelling experiences. Slowly sinking into the less interesting bits of his talk.

Now he's showing a CGI ad for the Gizmondo to illustrate creating a compelling experience. The good old bumblebee video.

They tried to make Gizmondo look bigger than they actually where. Sometimes you have to embelish things, but being ethical and honest is very important.

Again, the man said, "Being ethical and honest is very important."

Now he's showing a video for his streaming mobile video company, featuring music by The Cardigans.

Look at the market. "If you feel like it's half-done, it's probably 75% done."

"I've had 13 startups, 9 have been alright, the rest have not. I've learned more from the failure."

Blowfish Works...a mobile video player you download to your phone..is launching next month. Over 1.2 million people have signed up for the service before launch. They'll be launching on Facebook a week before the main launch. Exciting. Gaming important? Nope. Moving on.

Could the Gizmondo integrate a phone? Version one will not.
Version 2 will have the ability to process sound and voice telephony.
"I would be very happy if the Gizmondo remains an entertainment device."
He doesn't want to deal with the VOIP issues.

The current Gizmondo will have a lifespan of 3 years.

"If we do well our roadmap entails expanding the hardware and supporting full telephony."

When the company went bankrupt Freer was hit with a gag order, not allowed to talk to the press. The fact that he couldn't defend Stefan Eriksson . "You can take the gangster out of the ghetto but can't take the ghetto out of the gangster." Ouch.

The facts of the failure. Yes there were high salaries - "Which by the way were market rate..."
Carl himself didn't draw a salary.

Apparently they had talks with some big companies about acquisitions.

He couldn't defend himself. On Eriksson's famous car accident - "I was sleeping, but I felt like I was sitting on the front end of the car when it happened."

Freer learned the lesson of guilt by association in regards to working with Erikkson. "When you're in the public light you have to find alternatives."

The definitive reasons the Gizmondo failed - We were public too early so we were victims of day trading. The second failing was not opening the device to open source. The third was spending big bucks for EA. The fourth was a far too rich renumeration policy. Make sure you have the money before hand - don't expect you'll gather capital as you go along.

Now he's talking about marketing, and just like when I went to college, I am starting to doze off. What a lovely, nostalgic feeling!

And now it's done! There you have it folks. The Gizmondo marches on with Freer banking on it's varied functionality and open-source nature to get it into consumer's hands, with another version already in the works. Good luck, Carl!

Report: Gizmondo delayed until end of 2008 [GameSpot]

"There are a few things to do, and it will be a while before that happens," Murphy continued. "But yes, the product has been recovered from the liquidators and we are bringing it back to market."

Gizmondo is coming back - it's official [Eurogamer]

They rumor smash the whole scenario, from bullshit quotes from former execs to poor Swedish sources to theories that the site is the work of a prankster. There's not much in the way of hard evidence, but we genuinely hope that no one sinks their money into such a poorly considered venture.

Gizmondo Is Dead, Dead, Dead. DEAD and Not Coming Back [Gizmodo]

Ferrari Swede released from jail [The Local via Jalopnik]

"Dietrich", according to a report from the LA Times, is actually Trevor Michael Karney, now in custody on charges of drunk driving, resisting arrest and providing false information to a police officer.

Karney allegedly backed up Eriksson's claim that the then-Gizmondo employee was not driving the car, but that someone else who fled the scene after the accident was responsible for destroying the million dollar ride. Police found that Karney was actually filming Eriksson shattering the speed limit with a video camera when the Swede cleaved his Enzo in two with a sharp telephone pole.

Confused? Just read our archived Gizmondo coverage. The gross majority of it will provide helpful backstory on this extremely weird situation.

Police say man is mysterious 'Dietrich' in Ferrari crash [LA Times]

Well, it's late December, and that means bring on the year end look-backs. From flying Wii-motes and Halo Hollywood pull-outs to crashing Enzos and Microsoft non-exclusive, game site Next-Gen has a look at all the muck-ups and fuck-ups. And this year's biggest loser? Well, we'll leave that to you to hash out in the comments section. Brian Ashcraft

Mistakes of 2006 [Next-Gen]

It's been a wild ride, but it's over. Former Gizmondo don and career thug, Swedish born Bo "Fat" Stefan Eriksson has been sentenced to 3 1/2 years after pleading guilty to embezzlement and drunken driving chargers. Eriksson's California mansion has been seized and once he serves his time, Bo will be deported. What caused the plea? The Swede's attorney says:

Essentially, it was what Stefan wanted to do. Stefan believes he can be successful in the future. He wanted to move on and ultimately be out of jail in a year.

And hopefully never ever return to the gaming industry again. Brian Ashcraft

Bo Gets Jail Time [Yahoo, Thanks G.P.!]

Eriksson is no stranger to prison, having served a 10 year sentence for conspiracy to pass counterfeit currency and attempted fraud, but his lawyer said he "wasn't disappointed with the outcome." No shit?

Fortunately for burned Gizmondo owners and those who suffered in the wake of the company's collapse, Eriksson is not quite off the hook yet. He still faces gun possession charges and additional court time.

Come on, legal system. Hasn't this man suffered enough? Think of the unemployed Swedish call girls he could be supporting! Michael McWhertor

Mistrial Declared in Tech Kingpin's Ferrari Crash Case [ABC News]

Car-lovin' sister site Jalopnik sends an update on the Gizmondo craziness. Former company honcho and Swedish gangster Fat Stefan Eriksson has rejected his plea deal. If Eriksson, whose real first name is "Bo," had accepted this deal and pleaded "no contest" to four counts, he would've been hit with a two year, four month sentence and a US $25,000 fine. There's more, including admitting previous felony conduct.

But, "Bo" said "no."

Now, the mafioso businessman is looking down an 11 year sentence for two counts of theft, two counts of embezzlement and two counts of driving under the influence. Too bad they can't nail him for that junk gaming portable. Brian Ashcraft

Bo Says "No" [Jalopnik]

Phantom Entertainment, which promised us the world and delivered nothing, has finally gotten around to selling something.

The company that almost lived up to its name is showing off the Phantom Wireless Lapboard and Phantom Wireless Laser Mouse. The two, when combined, become a weapon of limitless destruction, not really but you'd think with all the time that Phantom spent developing them they'd at least have the ability to scare the pants off North Korea. Instead they just allow couch potatoes the ability to play computer games or surf porn on a TV-connected computer. Or to put it the way that Phantom pitches their new product, the two are a "combination wireless keyboard laser mouse and hard surface that enables users to work or play games from a couch chair or any comfortable setting in the home or workplace."

They should just throw that on the box, how often do you get a chance to buy a "hard surface" Target? Brian Crecente

This article is straight-up fantastic From Wired comes the sordid tale of Stefan Eriksson, the man we know as the Ferrari-crashing hoodlum responsible for the failed Gizmondo handheld console, but his story goes so much deeper than that.

Eriksson started his criminal career as a roly-poly teenager known as Tjock-Steffe (Fat Steve). He was suspected of small but clever crimes and received his first prison term at age 19 for robbing a bank van. Released after serving a short sentence, Tjock-Steffe rapidly transformed himself into a heavily muscled young man through anabolic steroids and karate lessons.

I knew virtually nothing about the Gizmondo or its insane affiliations until I read through this. Even little things like that Fat Steve started the Gizmondo as a way to make children carry GPS trackers, escaped my noticed previously and are now fascinating.

Apparently the financial records are so muddied up that the London firm that's been hired to sort it all out has little hope of ever doing so, so this may be the best insight into the whole mess that we'll ever get. Go give it a read. It's raw entertainment.

It also features stunning graphic novel illustrations by Jae Lee. Eliza Gauger

Gizmondo's Spectacular Crack-up [Wired, via Aeropause]

Games-that-never-were review site LostLevels recently got ahold of Colors, which never made it to the Gizmondo. Colors is your basic thug-em-up, but is notable in that it includes prison rape as a key game mechanic

I share a cell with three guys. One of them is fat, and I don't like fat people, so I'm going to ignore him. Let's start with the guy on the left.

[...]

James Earl Wyatt can get me out of jail, but it involves raping my butt.

Well, I could say no, but then I'd have to talk to Moose and Ricky Knox again, and that would be embarrassing. I guess it's sodomy for me.

And now it's loading the sodomy minigame!

Oh, my mistake. I'm in the hospital now, because I guess the jail doesn't actually have an infirmary. And hey, I'm out of jail! I've traded my anal virginity for freedom.

But was it worth it, son? Was it really worth it?

Also, I don't think it's rape if he agreed to it. I mean, as Sizzlepig was quick to point out, maybe he changed his mind halfway through and it became rape. As usual, the S-Pig makes a compelling point. And as usual, it's about rape.Eliza Gauger

Lost Levels Reviews "Colors" [LostLevels, via Joystiq]

Spending more time buying racehorses and model agencies than fine tuning their business strategy, Gizmondo crashed and burned like Fat Stefan in a Ferrari. But not all the ideas were terrible. In fact, this little prototype video of the unreleased Gizmondo game Catapults is pretty frickin' amazing. The game doesn't look terribly fun, but watch the Gizmondo superimpose three dimensional objects on a real space, appropriately adjusting the angle of their geometry with the angle of the mounted camera.

That is really frickin' amazing; makes me sad we'll never see the portable Halo title that was supposed to be driven by the camera. I always thought they'd just never be able to pull that off, but this prototype footage gives me newfound respect for the Gizmondo tech team. Florian Eckhardt

Officially, his not guilty pleas, which he entered earlier this week, were to grand theft, embezzlement and drunken driving. That's a total of seven felony charges and two misdemeanors, that the 40-year-old is trying to avoid. And the delusions continue...Brian Crecente

Ferrari case defendant pleads not guilty [AP]

Dean Takahashi, who has been a voting member of the nefarious Game Critics Awards "for a few years", has posted up the full list of nominees on his site. Now the 38 publications get together in some ginormous misshapen star chamber to decide who gets what awards and then vote on what ill-conceived portable gets pushed into the limelight for half a year before dying an ignoble death. You didn't think the Gizmondo happened by accident did you? Brian Crecente

Best of E3 Judges Nominations [Merc News]

Simon over at GameSetWatch reports that Gizmondo had planned a 3D, FPS Halo title just before the company went bankrupt. Named Halo: Spartan, the game was being developed by Gizmondo Manchester, an insider tells GSW. If the game had been produced, it would've used the portable's back-mounted camera to detect motion and give a "mouselook"-like effect as you swiveled the handheld around. That means players could alter the camera POV just by rotating the Gizmondo. While the failed portable maker did have a contract with Microsoft Game Studios for Age of Empires, it never inked a deal with Bungie and was even trying to pass the portable off as the unofficial "Xbox Portable" in pitch meetings! Does that mean Gizmondo execs lied? There's no way we'd buy that.

More Here [GSW]

It's been one hell of a wild ride that's involved exotic cars, Homeland Security and a mysterious German driver. But, Stefan "Bo" Eriksson was behind the wheel, a Malibu police officer testified Monday. "He was driving the red Ferrari at the time of the crash, was knocked unconscious — he'd gotten sick and threw up," said Detective Zack Conner said during a preliminary hearing in Superior Court to determine whether "Bo" will go to trial.

Bo had a tummy ache. Poor Bo.

The former Gizmondo exec and current idiot Eriksson is charged with embezzlement, grand theft, drunken driving and a firearms violation. Knucklehead has pleaded not guilty. The weapons violation was tacked on because he served 5 1/2 years in Swedish prison for assaults, threats and extortion charges and was not allowed to possess a firearm. Swell guy, huh.

Full Article Here [SF Gate] Thanks, Dennise!

Carl Freer, 35, former managing director of Gizmondo, was arrested for at his Bel-Air estate for allegedly posing as a police officer to buy a gun.

Deputies say Freer flashed a badge for the San Gabriel Valley transit authority at a gun dealer so he could buy a gun without a background check. When LA County deputies searched his home, they found a dozen rifles and four handguns. Freer would not be allowed to buy a gun in the U.S. because he is a foreign national.

This comes on the heels of the arrest of Stefan Eriksson, who was picked up after allegedly crashing an Enzo Ferrari on the Pacific Coast Highway while drunk. The car may also be stolen.

Both Freer and Eriksson were members of the "anti-terrorism unit" of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority, a company that provides rides to disabled people and the elderly, the LA Times reported.

Sweet, I wonder if I could get the SGVTA's SWAT unit.

2nd Arrest Made in Ferrari Case [LA Times]

Why? Stefan, as befits a member of the Uppsala Mafia, is a flight risk. A ticket to Britain and a gun were found in his mansion upon search, which was all the prosecution needed to up the bill.

Some other juicy tidbits come out in the article, including more evidence that Dietrich was a figment of Stefan's drunken imagination: there was only blood on the driver's side airbag and Eriksson also had a split lip. And did you know Fat Stefan's first name was 'Bo'?

Bo has pleaded not guilty.

Supercar crash: $7.5m bail set

Gamasutra is reporting that the ex-Gizmondo chief's crimes include drunk driving (the cops don't believe his "Mysterious German Man Named Dietrich Was Driving" defense), embezzlement, grand theft and possession of a gun by a felon. The last three charges are all fall-out from the revelation that Erikkson had illegally imported the Ferrari he had crashed.

Eriksson's bail has been set at five million dollars and he's facing 14 years in Sing-Sing. We wonder if the federal government will get involved next: there was something fishy about those "Homeland Security" guys who showed up minutes after the crash to tamper with the evidence.

We'll continue to keep you posted about the legal situation of gaming's favorite drunk driving Swedish meatball.

Ex-Gizmondo Exec Eriksson Charged In Ferrari Crash [Gamasutra]

The charge against Mr. Eriksson is grand theft auto. Good luck with all that, sir!

Car theft arrest for video game mogul

Stefan Eriksson, former Gizmondo honcho and idiot supreme, just forked over another car. On February 21, he totaled his priceless Ferrari Enzo in a most bizarre traffic accident filled with unanswered questions, Homeland Security officers and a German fella named Dietrich. This past Sunday, Eriksson lost his $400,000+ Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. And a 13-year-old car nut happened upon the scene, catching the entire thing on tape.

Police stopped the ex-gaming exec because an officer thought the automobile's European plates looked suspicious, reports The LA Times. It turns out that the driver, Eriksson's 33-year-old wife, didn't have a driver's license. Moreover, the car wasn't even registered in the United States. Hang on, it gets better.

"We contacted Scotland Yard and subsequently learned that the car was perhaps stolen," said a LAPD officer. Apparently, a yet-named financial institution says it owns the Mercedes. This recent even leaves Eriksson with only one of three exotic cars he brought into the United States last year. He had told authorities that they were show cars, and he wasn't going to drive them on city streets.

Wait, I just re-read this LA Times piece, and Gizmondo wasn't even mentioned. Ouch.

Full Story Here [LA Times, Thanks Kevin and Jardi]

This video summary is just loaded with schadenfreude!

The Crash of Gizmondo [GameTrailers]
Gizmondo Crash Continues to Baffle [Kotaku]

I'm guessing this video is going to get played more than the Gizmondo ever was. Zing!

Gizmondo Crash Video [LA Times]

The Gizmondo Enzo crash keeps reaching new levels of strange. A couple weeks back, former company exec Stefan Eriksson's $1 million, non-street legal Ferrari slammed into pole doing 162 mph on the Pacific Coast Highway.

Eriksson walked away from the crash with only a bloody lip, claiming he wasn't the driver. A German man named Dietrich, he said, was behind the wheel. The only blood found in the car however was on the driver's side airbag. There was a Glock ammo cartridge found near the crash that is somehow connected. Moreover, Reports that the Enzo was drag racing an Mercedes SLR are now doubted. A few minutes after the crash, two men arrived at the scene and flashed badges. They claimed to be from "homeland security." The police let these two men into the scene, where they spoke to Eriksson and then left. The LAPD would now like to question these two unidentified men.

Eriksson now is telling the LAPD that he was deputy commissioner of the San Gabriel Valley Transit Authority's police anti-terrorism unit. Apparently, the former Gizmondo exec helped the group with camera technology for the paratransit vehicles. The website for this nonprofit organization lists its address as 148 E. Lemon Ave, which is actually an auto repair shop.

Confused? Welcome to the club. For a moment, I thought gag-newspaper The Onion had hacked the LA Times and posted this article. With a story as wack as this, it's hard to believe that the press is reporting the facts (and they definitely are). Too bad that Gizmondo wasn't this interesting.

Full Story Here [LA Times] Thanks, M!

Sony pushed for PlayStation 3 online game development with Korean game makers and KIPA, a Korean government agency that promotes IT, a huge market for online gaming and a quickly growing development region. Apparently, things didn't go so well. Will Sony get its online act together in time?

Speaking of Sony, they nipped some early details on God of War 2 and Gran Turismo 4 Online Edition right in the digital bud. After Eurogamer posted details mid-week, then pulled them at the behest of some nice lawyer-types, Sony reps officially denied the leaked info. What gives? Sounds like someone shot someone else's marketing load a bit too early for corporate's tastes.

One last noteworthy Sony bit is this little rumor going 'round that the PS2 would evolve into Sony Computer Entertainment's answer to the Nintendo "Revolution" by further integrating EyeToy functionality into the console and/or controller itself. Stinks of this-guy-I-know rumor mongering, but doesn't sound that unreasonable.

Those finicky government types who like to regulate marketing "lies" put the kibosh on Activision's U.K. television advertising for Call of Duty 2 and Call of Duty: Big Red One, citing that the adverts misrepresented the game's real-time capabilities. If you've never seen them, the ads showcase none of the game's in-game graphics, instead opting for clean, cinematic prerendered sequences. This is known in the biz as "slimy".

Commemorating the final retail demise of the still-born Gizmondo portable, Tiger Telematics exec Stefan Eriksson had his Ferrari Enzo ripped in half, quite unintentionally. News of the crash led every single sucker who actually paid for a Gizmondo to smile with glee in perfect harmony. Further details crept out over the weekend.

In other failed venture news, Infinium Labs Phantom console received its final coffin nail, with only the questionably useful "lapboard" keeping the Phantom legacy alive.

And if you ever find yourself in Japan, and would like to visit Nintendo HQ, check out our visual guide to getting there by train. If you feel like snagging some coffee and pizza on the way, with a side of karaoke and pachinko, it's an invaluable resource.

Late last week, Gizmondo Exec Stefan Eriksson got caught up in a fender-bender on a California highway, leaving one mangled Ferrari Enzo and alot of unanswered questions. Apparently, the car wasn't street legal, and the Gizmondo guy wasn't even driving. What a mess.

Eurogamer has a few pics of happier times that show the pre-crash million-dollar Ferrari at the opening of the company's flagship London store. So, wait, Eriksson brought his Ferrari all the way over from England, only to have it wrecked and destroyed? That's so Gizmondo.

Full Story Here [Eurogamer]

Apparently Stefan Eriksson s Farrari Enzo was imported as a show car, meaning it wasn t street legal in California. There s also some thought, reports Spong, that Eriksson was involved in a race when he crashed out going more than 160 MPH.

Hit up Spong for the lovely quotes from investigating Malibu Sheriff s deputy Sgt. Phil Brooks who believes the crash happened when the Ferrari took off literally.

Gizmondo Exec Likely to Face Malibu Fine [Spong]

The mechanically-inclined one of the Gawker family, Jalopnik, has some more from Gizmondo exec Stefan Eriksson's Ferrari crash. By "more" we mean grisly automobile destruction shots. Don't worry no blood, just car guts.

More on the Enzo Incident [Jalopnik]
Gizmondo Exec Crashes Ferrari

Remember the Rod Stewart song "Some Guys Have All the Luck"? It couldn't possibly be any less true for Gizmondo exec Stefan Eriksson. Erikksoon plowed his Ferrari Enzo into a lightpole in Malibu. Thankfully, he's fine, but his Enzo is in about as good of shape as the Gizmondo handheld.

Thanks, Gizmodo.

Gizmondo Exec Crashes Ferrari, Creates Crappy Handheld Gaming Device [Gizmodo]
Swedish Games Mogul Smashes Million Dollar Ferrari [The Local]

Things have gone from worser to worsest for Gizmondo. According to GameSpot, Tiger Telematics disclosed that its Gizmondo Europe subsidiary has been ordered to liquidate under British law. The company has tried to protect the struggling division from creditors back in January by filing a High Court application. This would have allowed Gizmondo to undergo financial restructuring. The application was denied last week.

Gizmondo Europe will be turned over to liquidation firms, and Tiger Telematics said it assumes all Gizmondo Europe employees will be laid-off, cease business operations and sell off its assets. The company's development studios in Europe and Sweden will also be liquefied.

Tiger Telematics also mentioned that there are attempts to get funds from a lending agreement from Gizmondo Europe and "is considering its available options with its Texas games studio subsidiary and its kiosk sales units." Give up, boys. The ride's over.

Article Here [GameSpot] Thanks, Randy!

The maker of the loveless device filed for bankruptcy reorganization at close of business on Friday in the UK. There will be a hearing, featuring show girls and a racing horse, on Jan. 31 to make the request official.

What the hell, I love my Gizmondo. Just kidding, it's on the shelf with the N-Gage and Zodiac. God love em all.

Gizmondo Europe Files for Bankruptcy Reorganization [Gamasutra]

Full Story [GameSpot] Thanks Randy!

"You know what this little bad boy can do?" the Gizmondo guy asks, not even looking up from the portable he's playing.

Yeah, I do. The Gizmondo guy behind the counter finishes his game and finally gets off his duff. His baseball cap is decorated with holly. Its four days before Christmas, and nobody else is in sight.

"Can I take a look at it?"

The guy hands me the handheld. It's small and fits snug in my palms, even if it does look like some wack alien steering wheel.

"When did it go on sale in the US?"

"About a month ago. How do you know this device isn't American?"

"I like videogames," I say, holding back. "What do you think of the product?"

"I wouldn't trade it for the world," the guy says. He tells me all the things the Gizmondo does. The handheld plays games, music, takes pics and some other stuff. His voice is metallic, and I tune him out.

The handheld itself ain't so bad. And the guy's right, it can do a lot of things. The demo I am playing (a ball spinning through a maze) sucks, though.

"What were you doing before?"

"Contract labor, working on a dock," the guys says, stroking his goatee.

"How do you like working here?"

"Wouldn't trade it for the world. I got my music, my games. I love it."

"Is the Gizmondo sold only via kiosks like this or in stores?"

"Like this. In fact, this is the only shop in all of Texas."

Here I am at the sole Gizmondo outlet in a state larger than Japan. What an honor.

"Are all the titles third party?" I ask.

The guy looks at me puzzled. Crap, I'm showing my hand.

"Does Gizmondo make all the games?" I try again in English.

"There's other companies making games. In fact, we're gonna have Mario and Sonic."

"Software?"

"Yeah, or online for download. That's what everyone's been asking about."

"How do you know this?"

"Oh," the guy says, "I know people and got everybody's number on my speed dial. So I get all the juicy details."

Mario and Sonic on the Gizmondo? Geez, I don't know whether to smile or cringe. I hand the guy the handheld back, adding a "Merry Christmas." Hope I see him next year.

Gizmondo [Official Site]

The AP s Matt Slagle looks back at the year in games in a story that ran today on the wires. He writes that the high and lowlights of the year includes GTA s Hot Coffee, VG laws, the PSP, Xbox 360 and Gizmondo.

His favorite games were Nintendogs, Resident Evil 4, Shadow of the Colossus, Psychonauts, Indigo Prophecy.

The Matrix Online and NARC were the only two that made his bad list.

Finally he touched on just two game movies: Alone in the Dark and Doom.

While this does touch on some of the outliers of the year, I don t think it really gives a good sense of what the year was about.

Besides not mentioning either the PS3 or the Revolution, he forgot all about epic games like God of War and complete pieces of crap like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

What would make your list as the most important gaming moments and titles of the year?

Oh dear, this may be it for the n-Gage: Nokia's Head of Multimedia Development is not happy about the handset's sales, having hit a mere third of the target that he trumpeted at launch.

"I am not happy. I said we needed to sell 6 million in three years, and we sold one-third of that. We need to make some changes," said Anssi Vanjoki, head of Nokia's Multimedia division, which produces N-Gage.

Two million! We're rather impressed it even did that well! Maybe there's hope for the Gizmondo afte- ... no, maybe not.

In a brave attempt at spin control Tiger Telematics sent out an email late Thursday saying that everything is looking good for the oh-so-close Gizmondo. That despite recent stories linking former staff of the GPS-enabled handheld company to the Swedish mafia. Heck, Tiger says, things aren t OK, they re Grrrrrrrreaaat!

Tiger Telematics Update [TT]

It's all in the open now, the purchased horse, the acquisition of a model model agency it all makes sense. Gizmondo had mobsters in the mix. Stefan Eriksson, Johan Enander and Carl Freer all resigned when mafia connections emerged. I'm profoundly amused.

Former Gizmondo Executive's Mafia Connections Revealed [Games Industry]
Gizmondo U.S. Release Delayed, Portfolio Diversifies Further [Gamasutra]
Gizmondo Acquires Model Agency, Defends Lawsuits [Gamasutra]