While it would have been virtually unthinkable just a few years ago, Nintendo is apparently now contemplating the possibility of a world without Game Boys. That’s according to Nintendo marketing exec George Harrison, who recently told GameDaily.biz that we may have seen the last of the name, specifically saying that “it’s hard to say in the future if we will ever bring back the Game Boy trademark.” In other, less heartbreaking news, Nintendo’s homebrew-happy WiiWare service appears to be progressing nicely, with Harrison also letting out word that “it may not take until 2008″ for it to make its public debut. A firmer date will apparently depend on how quickly developers can get their act together.

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While Peter Moore wasn’t exactly this forthright when chatting it up with us, it’s not totally out of character for execs to lash out at rivals from time to time. In the latest chapter of CE-Oh no he didn’t, we find Mr. Moore claiming that Sony’s “long-term business plan of being successful in Japan is crumbling.” Moreover, he continued to knock the PS3 by sidestepping questions of why the Xbox 360 has sold so miserably in the Land of the Rising Sun and suggested that Sony was the one that should be worried about “getting outsold six-to-one.” As a finisher, Peter added that he had “built a business plan for Japan,” and while sales have indeed been lackluster, he claimed that “Sony was missing its plan by much more” than he was missing his. Seriously, them’s fightin’ words there.

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It looks like Sony’s finally deemed it necessary to offer an updated version of Sega’s Game Gear TV tuner, with the company today announcing its 1seg TV tuner for the PlayStation Portable. That technological distinction of course means that the device won’t be making its way to North America (at least in its current form), but PSP users in Japan will soon be able to pick up some digital TV signals for the not unreasonable price of ¥6,980 (or about $57). There is a catch, however, in that the device is apparently only compatible with the new, slimmer PSP — hopefully not a sign of further things to come from Sony. If that’s not a deal-breaker for ya, you’ll be able to grab one on September 20th.

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Six new PSP colors just isn’t enough to meet demand in Japan. That’s why Square-Enix and Sony have partnered to bring Japanese gamers yet another version of the PlayStation Portable. This one will only be sold in a limited edition package, one that includes Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII, a teeny Keyblade strap and the PSP itself, all in sweet, sweet bonus packaging.

The total package will set you back 25,890 yen (about $212 USD) and will include what appears to be the recently revealed “Ice Silver” PSP with special branding. Only 77,777 of these babies will be produced for September, so call in your favors with Japanese pals.

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Who better to teach your kids than the Dark Lord of the Sith? This Star Wars Darth Vader Laptop is geared toward young, malleable minds (and, secretly, the rest of us) and employs a lightsaber-shaped pointing device to select from 50 different games. Children can expect to have their memory, typing abilities, and coordination tested, while building their reflexes and musical talents. The product description makes no mention of what Force powers the laptop teaches, but, true to Vader’s usual antics, “breathtaking activities” are hinted at.

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Although not officially announced at E3, Saitek’s latest Cyborg Rumble gamepad for the PC takes the best of the Xbox 360 controller and enhances it with some FPS-friendly features. First off, there’s a precision control toggle, which when activated, turns down the sensitivity on the sticks so you can go in for a headshot easier. If this sounds familiar, that’s because the Splitfish FragFX controller does the same thing, except for the PS3. And then there’s the Xbox 360-like design, which is perfect for all the ports of Xbox 360 games heading to Games for Windows this year.

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The HTC Kaiser, unboxed here, is supposedly heading to AT&T soon under the 8925 model. This 8925 will replace the current 8525, which has been the go-to Windows Mobile phone since it was released last year. So what’s new? Lots of stuff, including a 3-megapixel camera, 128MB RAM, a fold-up design, a GPS (?), a possible front camera for AT&T’s Video Share, and preliminary launch date of August, according to the leak.

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Adding a negligible amount of fuel to a fire which should probably just burn out already, industry analyst Michael Pachter predicts that the 80GB PS3 will drop in price to $499 once the remaining stocks of the 60GB version have sold through. Of course, Sony has flip-flopped so much on this issue that it’s hard to take this sort of “news” with anything other than a massive grain of salt. Regardless, according to Mr. Pachter, “the Sony entry level price of USD 499 is here to stay.” So frugal PS3 fans, take heart… or don’t take heart. Honestly, it’s just really tough to say right now.

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Do you dream of a portable media player that has NES, SNES & SEGA MD/SMS emulation whilst also handling DIVX & XVID in its stride? Do you also dream of having a Playboy mansion and a bigger willy? Well, on the first account at least this is sure to help: Witness the thoughtfully titled ‘Portable Media Player’. More after the jump.

If the $109 Portable Media Player were a tin of sardines, it would be crammed so tight with salty fish you wouldn’t be able to get the lid on.

Thankfully, instead of salty fish the PMP supports all of the following: (deep breath): MP3, WMA, FLAC; Emulation - NES, SNES, SEGA MD/SMC; Picture viewing and Video playback support for AVI, MPEG-4, DIVX, XVID.

This bad boy further comes with a 1.3MP camera with an option for VHS quality video recording, 1GB onboard with an SD slot which supports up to a further 4GB. With a 3.6″ screen and a decent battery, (20hrs music / 6hrs video), I can more than happily look past the Tomy toys outer casing.

That aside one reviewer really sums up this media beast better than I ever could:

“The products have many functions which make me feel more exciting! ” – Haroon Malik

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Not that we weren’t assuming this anyway, but Sony has gone on record to say that when the new PSP starts shipping in September, it will completely replace the original, 19 percent fatter PSP model. Sony definitely ain’t no Nintendo, which continues to sell GameBoy Advance models alongside the DS. We’ve got to wonder how likely it is that the PSP will suffer from a kind of Osbourne effect until September: would you pick up a PSP knowing that a thinner, faster version of the same device is just around the corner?

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