DIGITAL L.A.; PLAYSTATION HOLDS THE FUTURE OF GAMING.

Byline: David Bloom 

What could be one of the most revolutionary devices in consumer entertainment electronics history debuts today, but you'll need to go to Japan to get it, at least until it hits American store shelves this fall.

It's Sony's PlayStation 2, perhaps the most eagerly awaited game machine ever as the successor to the 70-million-selling PlayStation. But why should people who don't care about games care about the PS2?

Because it probably will affect not only the gaming business but also consumer electronics, entertainment, the Internet and possibly the computer business.

Though it is definitely a terrific gaming machine, it can be a DVD player, a CD player, even - with additions - an Internet surfing appliance or a powerful, cheap computer.

It's got Microsoft worried enough that Redmond is developing its own game machine, still code-named the ``X Box.'' And people have literally been overwhelming Web sites and convention centers in Japan to get an early crack at the new machines before today's debut.

And in a videogaming first, the PS2 will play the hundreds of titles created for the original PlayStation, instantly giving its owners access to a huge library of older games.

But what makes the machine most interesting for non-gamers are its other talents. It uses a DVD drive for its games, and in Japan at least, you can thus also play DVD digital movies and CD music.

You'll use the machine's PCMCIA Type 3 card slot, like those on most laptop computers, and USB and IEEE 1394 high-speed ports to connect modems and hard drives, along with accessories like keyboards, scanners, digital cameras and digital video cameras.

The price: about $360 worth of yen right now.

THE OTHER GUYS,

PART 1

The other big question, of course, is what it means for Sony's direct videogaming competitors, Sega and Nintendo. For now, anyway, they're OK.

Scores of titles have been released and plenty of new ones have been announced, from numerous publishers.

Among the best new ones is Crazy Taxi, which was a huge arcade hit and should be much loved on CD. You basically get to drive like a madman through the streets of San Francisco to deliver your passengers by any means or route necessary to their destination.

The machine's power also has allowed the creation of some really, and I mean really, offbeat new titles that are changing our notions of what is possible with gaming.

With Seaman, for instance, you use a microphone attachment to raise and converse with what is basically a fish with a human's face. Eco the Dolphin allows you to control a cetacean in a beautiful undersea adventure.

THE OTHER GUYS,

PART 2

Nintendo, meanwhile, isn't saying much about its own next-generation machine, code-named Dolphin, though the Dreamcast's debut has savaged N64 sales and the PS2 will only worsen the situation. But thanks to $8 billion worth of Pokemon sales, few people are complaining just yet.

Those Poke-totals will only increase with the debut this week of a new Nintendo 64 title, Pokemon Stadium. < In a clever piece of engineering, the new ``transfer pak'' accessory (included with the game) will allow your little

Pokemaniacs to download their favorite Pokemon from their Game Boy cartridge into the Stadium game, where those creatures can fight against other teams of opponents. I'm predicting another big, big winner here.

SITE OF THE WEEK

--What: iwin.com, a collection of simple trivia, solitaire and other games, with the bonus of using your virtual winnings to take part in raffles for jackpots, cars and lots of other prizes.

--Where: www.iwin.com

--What's cool: Know how you're always playing that little solitaire game that comes as part of your PC? Or Hearts, or Freecell or some other little computer whatsit, whenever you want to kill some time? Well, what if you could play those games and maybe win cool stuff? That's the appeal of Westwood-based iwin, which offers 37 solo online games for Web heads. You earn ``icoins'' that go to buy raffle tickets for all kinds of cool gear, vacations, cash and much more.

--Features: Not a lot of extras yet. But there's a good selection of games to entertain you, and a clean, if not inspiring, design. Also, be prepared to be marketed to. That's how they make their money. But if you don't mind swapping some basic demographic data for the chance to play games and maybe win stuff, it's a pretty fun concept. Site officials say they plan to add multiplayer games and other features in coming months, taking advantage of higher-speed Web connections.

--You'll like this if: You like to feel the time you're wasting playing games isn't a total writeoff. And you can do other things while playing many of the games. Perfect for the goal-oriented layabout.

Think your Web fave is good enough for Site of the Week? Send your suggestions to davidbloom(at)earthlink.net

CAPTION(S):

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Photo: no caption (Web site)

Box: SITE OF THE WEEK (See text)