*The PS3 is a pretty cool games machine.
While a lot of gamers (including me), have given Sony grief for their missteps with the PS3, I think buyers will be satisfied with the new console. The limited selection of PS3 games on display were nifty. I got to play through a level of Resistance: Fall of Man, and while the gameplay is pretty standard first-person shooter fare, it's well executed, fun to play and graphically impressive. I asked the Sony rep if we're likely to get any news on Killzone 2, the notorious shooter that was on display at E3 2005, anytime soon. Nope.

*Wii games aren't as ugly as I'd feared.
Nintendo's booth did a lot to reassure me that the chunky, pixelated graphics I saw on demos at E3 this spring were not representative of what the Wii can really do. Red Steel, in particular, looked like it had gotten a total facelift. I asked the Ubisoft guy demoing the game what the plan was for swordfighting, a topic of some confusion among gamers lately. The issue is whether, when you swing the Wiimote, the swords on the screen will mimic your moves exactly, or whether the on-screen action is predetermined, i.e., regardless of how you swing the Wiimote, the swords will strike in a set pattern. Basically, he said that the swords will mimic somewhat your swing, but probably won't be 100 percent precise. In other words, slash diagonally with your Wiimote, and your character on screen will slash diagonally. But the system probably won't detect whether you're swinging at a 53 degree angle, and mimic that angle perfectly, for example. Good enough.

*Microsoft is about where it wants to be.
Gears of War wasn't available on the floor to play, but that game probably doesn't need any additional hype at this point. Microsoft is still on track to sell 10 million Xbox 360s by the end of this year, which will probably put it at least 8 million consoles ahead of its competitors. Next year, when all the next-gen systems are available in plentiful supply, will be the real test.

*Will you be able to buy a PS3 or Wii this year?
GameStop and other retailers probably will have either very limited pre-order campaigns or none at all this year, since they were so badly burned on 360 pre-orders last year. If there are no pre-order campaigns, and you're determined to get your new console this year, be prepared for long, long lines outside game retailers on launch nights. Otherwise, there should be plenty of PS3s and Wiis next year once the holidays are over and manufacturing lines are fully up to speed.