“If you played Pong and the Atari 2600 as a kid, their creator
is hoping to lure you back with video game consoles connected to
the Internet.”
“Nolan Bushnell’s newest baby, uWink, has just launched its
first set of machines, ranging from countertop-sized to full
stand-up consoles that will extend the gaming experience beyond the
mall and into bars and coffee houses….”
“UWink machines are powered by a lot of generic PC parts,
such as Intel processors, hard drives and network cards. They run a
Linux- derivative operating system. The company expects to
ship 20,000 units in the next six months to arcades and
restaurants.”
“We’re modernizing it, putting it in places it hasn’t been and
going after markets that hasn’t had access to video games before,”
said Nancy Nino, director of strategic relations for uWink. “There
has been no innovation in this industry. It’s been in the dark ages
of technology, and coin-op still doesn’t accept credit cards.”