The Game Era

In this blog entry, I am going to write about the game industry, focusing on the Console-Based Games. The analysis will be broken down into 4 sections, which include:

Stage 1: Introduction to Console-Based Games
Stage 2: Players in the Console-Based Games
Stage 3: Current State of Console-Based Games
Stage 4: Business Trends of Console-Based Games

Now let the game begin...

Stage 1: Introduction to Console-Based Games
Today's game industry is becoming more mainstream than it was in the past. In the past, when you tell others you're a gamer, they will call you a loser/nerd/geek/outkast, and in the Chinese culture, parents will even call kids who like to play video games wasting time and hopeless. In fact, today's game industry is growing at a rapid rate, and people, even professionals, are spending more time and money to play video games than they do in the past. Some visionaries are even using the console-based games wisely to promote their businesses (I will tell you more about those ideas in Stage 4), and many are actually earning a lot of money working in the game industry (Read more here.). Should we still call those gamers "loser/nerd/geek/outkast"? We will see at the end.

First, what is console-based game? Console-based game means you need an electronic device that connects to the television to solely play video games, but with many other functions these days, which include online chatting, checking the weather, and watching DVDs, etc. Also, you will need controllers to play the games. Besides, console-based game usually has an upper limit of multiplayers, normally 1-4 players.

Secondly, console-based game seems to be the more family-oriented/people-oriented game compared to PC-based game and online game. As I have observed my brother and some other friends, people who play PC-based games and online games stay inside their room and physically play alone most of the time. In contrast, when they play console-based games, they will play in the living room, and maybe even with family and friends. Perhaps this is because of the additional controllers of the game consoles while not many people have additional keyboards and/or computers in the same house.

Now, Stage 1 is cleared. You should at least have a very general understanding about console-based game, and I will move on with the players in the history and today's market.

Stage 2: Players in the Console-Based Games
The first console-based game was PONG on the Magnavox Odyssey (Read more here.) released in 1972. It is a game based on the sport of table tennis. Indeed, it is very different from today's console-based games. For example, the graphics are much simpler, and it is a 2-players game only.



Today, we are already in the 7th generation of video games. There are 2 players in this sector of the game industry, which are:

Player 1: Console Manufacturers
The main consoles are released as of the following order by the respective manufacturers:
1. November 22, 2005 - Microsoft XBOX 360
2. November 11, 2006 - Sony PlayStation 3
3. November 19, 2006 - Nintendo Wii

Player 2: Game Publishers/Game Developers
The key players include Electronic Arts, Activision, Sony, and Nintendo, etc. These companies generally publish games and have smaller development companies to devleop games because they generate the major source of income from publishing games.



Before I move on to the next stage to tell you who is winning in the current console-based game industry, let me inform you some special features of the 3 game consoles below: (Please read the more detailed specs here.)

1. Microsoft XBOX 360 ($399.99 - $479.99)
--- came out 1 year earlier than its rivals
--- HD DVD format supported
--- Online Services: XBOX Live
--- allows downloading contents to the box and store media contents

2. Sony PlayStation 3 ($499.99 - $599.99)
--- Blu-Ray format supported
--- Online Services: PlayStation Network
--- advanced technology of cell microprocessor
--- better graphics

3. Nintendo Wii ($249.99)
--- motion sensing controller (i.e. Wiimote)
--- low cost strategy
--- making profit on each console
--- Online Services: Wii Channel



Stage 2 is now cleared. While I have informed you the features of each of the game consoles, I will let you know who is winning in the 7th generation game videos war in the next section.

Stage 3: Current State of Console-Based Games
According to a NPD Group research released on Jan 19, 2007, it says that the video game industry, including portable and hardware console, and accessories, generated revenues of close to $12.5 billion (Read more here.). And this number is still encountering a robust growth. It is kind of hard to estimate if these sales figures will keep on increasing or slow down as the industry meets its diminishing point.

Moreover, according to the latest report conducted by the NPD Group released on April 20, Nintendo continued to lead in the market in the 7th generation game consoles. Here are the console sales figures in March 2007:
1) Nintendo's Wii - 269,000 consoles
2) Microsoft's XBOX 360 - 199,000 consoles
3) Sony's PlayStation 3 - 130,000 consoles
(Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/20070420/bs_nf/51635)
I believe Nintendo's success is due to its business model of capturing as many non-gamers as possible. The $249.99 pricing of the console does attract casual gamers, and the new gaming experiences and new forms of interactions sound very attractive too. At least while I haven't been gaming for 5-6 years, now I am planning to get a Wii because of all those Wii Sports games that seem so fun and interesting. Moreover, it's very breakthrough to play games by sensing my motions. Also, the created simplicity to play games is getting my attention.

Currently, the revenue model of console-based games consists of revenues from games more than the revenues from consoles. As many have heard, the XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3 are losing money for every console sold, and Microsoft and Sony are trying to make money from games to offset the lost. In this war, Nintendo is a differentiator because it dropped all the advanced technology, so that it can set a lower price for the console, and this is why it is the only console that has a profit for every console sold. While I believe the XBOX 360 will work in the current revenue model, I don't think Sony can survive and eventually break-even because HD is getting more popular in the US and even in Asia countries. This gives an advantage to Microsoft.

Stage 3 is cleared. Now we should know that the game industry is growing at a rapid rate, and Nintendo's Wii is currently leading in the 7th generation game consoles war.

Stage 4: Business Trends of Console-Based Games
As XBOX 360 and PlayStation 3 release more premium versions, I am thinking maybe the 7th/8th generation game consoles war is about multi-versioning, meaning that users can choose a version of game console that best fit his/her needs. In the previous generations, game consoles usually come out with 1 version only. Hence, it lacks customization, but today, it seems that game consoles are more customer-centric in order to penetrate into the market to capture different kinds of gamers. In a contrast, it might be an experiment to test out the market for the 8th generation game consoles.

Moreover, as digital convergence takes place, even game consoles are connected to the internet, so game consoles are no longer just for games, but also watching movies, online chatting, storing music contents, etc. It is safe to believe that this is the short-term trend going on, and we can see this from the latest news that Sony is releasing an "eye" camera with voice recognition system (Read more here.). If this happens, it might eventually replace the phones, and the identification between online games and console games gets vague.

Besides digital convergence of how people use the game console for multiple functions, the future game industry seems to be growing into a global online community. Currently, the 3 main players do have their online services, such as the XBOX Live (Read more here.) and Wii Channel. As these networks become well developed, will gamers be able to download and play Super Mario Kart or NFL games on all three of the consoles some day (i.e. cross-platforms)? Will Wii users be able to communicate with XBOX 360 users? If all these happen, the future of console-based games is probably solely about branding, pricing and advertising, which I think will create an even intense competition. Moreover, game developers/publishers will be able to create games in a standard format to fit the consoles in the marketplace. I am thinking of a business model like the iTunes, but selling games instead.

Furthermore, the next generation of the game industry is becoming more potential for advertising. While movie companies are emerging into the game industry to produce story-based games, such as Final Fantasy, Spiderman, and World of the War, etc, other industries are trying to advertise in games. For example, some companies are buying AD spaces inside the game, which can probably be a car or a billboard in the game. It is forecasted that in-game ADs will keep on increasing as the game industry is becoming more mainstream, and while gamers get more diverse in age group. Additionally, the online networks can probably enhance the marketing/advertising opportunities, just like how companies use Second Life to predict market trends and advertise by allowing users to customize almost everything.

As personal trainers use Wii as workouts, cruises offer big screen TV to play Wii for relaxation, retirement community uses Wii to allow old people to exercise and play bowling, game consoles that promote new forms of interactions are opening up more business opportunities. In specific, the Nintendo Wii is encouraging people to play games and attracting more interactions because it helps to lose weight at the same time, and its controller is so down to earth and easy to use.

The following will be some suggestions for business opportunities (particularly Nintendo).
1) Use Wii to stimulate group spirit by playing training games. For example, a firefighting game can train firefighters in a fun way. At the same time, people who play this game together can learn the importance of cooperation.
2) Target the CEOs who couldn't afford time to work out to play the Wii. Hence, we are looking for games that reflect reality, such as tennis, golf, and fishing, so that CEOs can enjoy life and relax while they have a short break.
3) Simulate investments games to target financial professionals since games like Brain Age are increasing in demand. These strategic and number-related games can probably be used in schools to increase students' interests to learn complicated materials as well.
4) Nintendo should probably create a game that combines the elements of Trivia Contests (i.e. Questions that vary from sports to government issues) and sports. For example, maybe the participants need to run as fast as possible to answer a question if they know. If they get the answer wrong, they might need to do sit-up or other kinds of exercises as penalty. These games can be very attractive since they are competitive, and they allow workouts and brain-training.
5) Nintendo should produce more accessories for its Wiimote to enhance the gaming experiences, and perhaps a Wiimote that can be tied on the leg as some Wii users are suggesting. Please read the following links for some more ideas:
a. http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/05/retractable-wii-sports-cuff-enables-flinging-action/
b. http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/09/joytechs-sharp-shooter-looks-like-wii-blaster-but-isnt/
6) Businesspeople can use the Wii Sports kit to sell business as an ice-breaker. For example, while many people discuss contracts at a golf course, they can do it at client's house or office. In such case, they do not need to worry about the weather.

Afterall, should we still call those gamers "loser/nerd/geek/outkast"? No, I don't think so. Many of them are making a lot of money each year by developing games and playing games. And they are the ones who create more business opportunies for us and helping the CEOs to train employees and find a balance between work and life.

Last but not least, Special Thanks to all friends who inspired me with different ideas.

Think Out of the TV-Box!

As for this entry, let's not talk about gadget for a moment because I want to write about something that has been knocking on my head for some time.

As I was trying to find some video clips to watch on YouTube the other day, I saw some bulletin messages saying that there will be a new law in Hong Kong effective on May 1. The new law will allow the Hong Kong Customs to track IP addresses from Internet Service Providers. At the same time, many YouTube accounts have been suspended because of copyright infringement, particularly account users who have uploaded TVB (a television broadcasting company in Hong Kong) productions. I have to admit that this will affect me in a certain extent because I occasionally watch those Hong Kong series on YouTube too.

Currently, there are rental stores that legally rent TVB serials and variety shows at a rental fee, but these rental stores are limited in certain overseas locations only, and not every state or country has one. Also, TVB and many TV broadcasting companies do sell older series in VCD or DVD boxes. However, many people are still downloading online illegally.

From TVB's perspective (and many other TV broadcasting companies too), illegal downloads do harm the ratings/indexes and incomes from TV commercials, but why don't they turn this risk into an opportunity, just like how ABC.com does it by uploading all the popular TV shows 24-hours after the live broadcast. As we have discussed in class, ABC generates more advertising income from online sources rather than TV broadcasting because by advertising online, they can better reach the target customers. For example, they can figure out people who watch "Prison Break" might like the products used by the leading characters, and people who watch "America's Next Top Model" might be intersted in fashion ADs (Read more here.). Besides, many people have tape recorders or DVD recorders at home. They can record TV shows and forward all the unwanted/mass TV commercials. Hence, TV ADs might not be as efficient as they should be.

Furthermore, while TV broadcasting companies (or TVB in particular) cannot setup rental stores in every region/country (Check list of available countries here.), wouldn't Online TV reach a wider range of audiences, and probably generate more income from online subscriptions or download services fees?

While TVB claim illegal downloading negatively influence the TV ratings, I think it also relates to the busy lifestyle in Hong Kong and the change in people's habits. People in Hong Kong usually work until very late, and when they get home, they probably missed all those featured TV series already, or maybe they do not have time to watch TV after a long tired day. Moreover, there are a lot of fun things to do at night instead of sitting in front of the TV between 7:30PM to 10:30PM (maybe it's the peak hour to chat online with friends?). So what happens if they forgot to set a timer to record their favorite shows to watch at a later time? If they are lucky, they can probably watch them at a friend's house if someone has recorded them, but if they don't have the luck, there are 2 legal options only:
1) Don't bother to watch the show OR
2) Wait until TVB re-broadcast the show or release VCD/DVD after years (But why bother?).

To ensure that my suggestion for online TV shows is feasible/workable, I have visited some Hong Kong forums and asked some Cantonese-speaking friends around the world. Interestingly, many people like the idea of having TVB shows posted online for everyone to watch at their preferred time. In fact, those who live in Hong Kong are not willing to pay any subscription fee or download fee, and those overseas are willing to pay a reasonable amount of money to watch online or even download. Well, I think this result is understandable because while you live in Hong Kong and you can watch those shows free, then why should you pay to watch the same material online? But for those who live overseas, maybe study aboard students like me, we cannot watch the TVB shows on TV, and there are no nearby rental stores to rent those shows/series to watch, we are more willing to pay for online streaming/downloading.

As globalization takes effect, people from different countries relocate around the world, but many of them still miss the TV shows that speak their native language. Hence, I think TV broadcasting companies should not miss this opportunity to reach out. Moreover, digital convergence changes people's habit of watching TV. People would definitely want to watch TV and discuss the show with friends at real time, and perhaps on the same device (i.e. computer or even cellphones) as well. Therefore, I believe Online TV is a mutual benefit to audiences and the broadcasting companies (and maybe advertisers too). Here are some of the main points:
1) Online TV can show specific advertisements to targeted customers
2) Online TV will have more AD spaces on the website
3) Online TV can better fit people's lifestyle by allowing them to wach their favorite shows at a later time instead of driving their interest to watch TV away
4) Online TV can reach out to people around the world through the Internet

Feel free to comment on this entry. Thanks for reading.

The New Sony Ericsson Gadgets

It has been more than half a year since my current cellphone (Sony Ericsson K800i) was released last summer, but when I check with Sony Ericson's new releases, I realize that the new cellphones' features are not any upgraded than mine. In this blog entry, I'm going to compare some of the specifications and talk about digital convergence in cellphones, especially in the Asia countries.


Compare the Specifications
First, please download the photo below, or enlarge it in a new browser. Thanks.


As you can see in the spreadsheet that I did, among the 6 new releases that I picked, only K810i has features that are similar to and/or better than my K800i. Supposingly, K810i should be an upgraded version of K800i. However, I don't see the big differences other than that K810i comes with the new feature called Photo Fix, which you can adjust light balance, brightness and contrast in one go.

Furthermore, it sounds a bit strange to me that the other new cellphones are still equipped with 2 megapixel cameras instead of higher resolution cameras. I mean while the "oldie" K800i has 3.2 megapixel, the new ones that are coming out with 2 megapixel cameras seem to be moving backward.

But luckily, all the new releases are supporting the new Memory Stick Micro (M2), Flight Mode (which allows users to use the phone in hospitals and planes, i.e. MP3 player) and are Bluetooth enhanced.


Digital Convergence

If you realize from the spreadsheet that I did, I haven't cover the other pink grid that might have caught your attention because it is a new example of digital convergence. Please watch the video clip below to see what is the Fitness Application:

The Fitness Application Walkthrough


No matter if this function is attractive to you or not, this is a step forward into digital convergence. To make it simple, digital convergence means one device serves multiple function (Read more here). In this case, runners no need to bring their timer or other heartbeat timer, and even better, the records are able to speak with their computers. Also, they can kind of eliminate their iPods because the cellphone is equipped with a MP3 player, as well as FM radio. Besides, the runners can take photos with the built-in camera if they see something nice on the way jogging. This device is a combination of a MP3 player, camera, timer, and a cellphone.

As I was talking with Peter the other day, he was surprised with the video call function that I have in my cellphone. And on the same day, I was amazed that how common video calls are in Korea as I read Brian's comment posted on Ting's Blog. Since I never lived in Korea or Japan, I don't know the details of how watching television on cellphones works. Instead, I can talk about how people use their cellphones to check emails, browse websites, make video calls, and chat online etc.

Check Emails
In the United States, internet service plans are charged additionally, and not many people subscribe to such plans, unless you're a Blackberry or Treo user, because the cheapest plans can cost you $29.99 in addition to your individual minutes plan. For example, if you have a Blackberry and you have subscribed to a internet service plan, you can directly integrate up to 10 of your existing email accounts (such as xxxxx @usc.edu) by clicking the defaut menu icon on your Blackberry handheld. If you have a cellphone that is capable to access the internet and you have a internet service plan, you can access your existing email accounts through the mobile versions of those email portals, such as http://www.gmail.com/app and http://m.yahoo.com.

Browse Websites
Still, you need to subscribe to one of those internet service plans to browse websites. With a Blackberry and many smartphones, you can type in the links of the sites that you browse with your laptop. But with some cellphones, you will need to browse the mobile versions of the websites in order to fit in your cellphone's screen.

Instant Messaging
Instant Messaging depends on what cellphone you own because some cellphones already have IM pre-installed while some requires installation. If installation is required, sometimes you can download the IM online through your cellphone, or you can download the JAVA applications on your computer and transfer them to your cellphone through Bluetooth, Infrared or a cable. Still, you need a internet service plan for instant messaging.

Video Calls
Unfortunately, there are no UMTS networks in the United States (as far as I know), so video calls are not supported in the US. In fact, Hong Kong and China do have such networks, and in Japan and Korea, these networks are very well developed (and improving rapidly too). Hence, video calls are very common in Japan and Korea. Brian even told me that people in Korea seldom talk on their cellphones, but they usually video call each other. How video calls work is actually as simple as calling up a friend. For example, in Hong Kong, you don't neccessarily need to have a 3G plan, but you need to be on a network that has 3G coverage. Once you have 3G coverage, just choose the person you want to call, and click "Make video call" instead of "Call" on your video-call enabled cellphone.

Other Features
Other than the features mentioned above, today's cellphones are much more powerful than it was 5 or 10 years ago. Let me use my cellphone and my preferences as an example. I use my cellphone to listen to the radio instead of listening on the car stereo, and sometimes I use my cellphone to play my music instead of using my iPod. Also, I seldom look up a physical dictionary or online dictionary these days because I have 3 dictionaries installed in my cellphone. Moreover, I don't play Sudoku on the Trojan Daily because I have it installed in my cellphone. And occasaionally, I use the built-in camera on my cellphone to snap pictures rather than using my digital camera (but quality is definitely different although I set the same resolutions for both my cellphone and digital camera).

Other than these, people in Japan and Korea use their cellphones to watch television, checkout items and pick them up in store, and in Japan, they even have a barcode system in their cellphones for coupons or purchases. Watch the clips below and you might give a "Wow."





If you're interested to know more about this barcode system, click on the video clip above and read the comments on the page, and go to http://youtube.com/watch?v=3-WqbwU30Qg to watch this other clip and read the description on your right (you need to click on "more" to show the full description of how it works). Hopefully, you might be amused like me.

** I want to move to Japan like NOW. LoLz. **


Sites and Video Clips of the Cellphones Mentioned



1) K800i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAqOHoTcY3I
2) K810i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZwCT3gWNQU
3) K550i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXY7mWoqI_s
4) W880i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taSqzVAhFaM
5) W610i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8joxcalSpI
6) W660i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yyX0MeG5-s
7) W580i: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMCHTTBMcbk

Apple is Invading the Living Room.

Video Clip: PC World - Apple TV Reviewed.

(Original Source: PC World - Apple TV Reviewed.)

The Apple TV
It has been more than a week since the Apple TV is released. So far, users are kind of satisfied with this new Apple product because of its simplicity and easy-to-use features. In fact, numerous hackers are working different ways to turn the $300 Apple TV into a MacBook, boot the Apple TV from a USB drive, run Apple TV on a MacBook, run non-supported video formats on Apple TV, and some even try to upgrade the drive in the Apple TV.

This new Apple TV is probably one of the most rapidly hacked Apple product in the history, and I believe there are reasons behind these temptations to hack. I will talk about them after giving you an overview of the Apple TV.

Overview

The device runs an Intel processor equipped with 802.11n WiFi technology, and it comes with a 40GB hard drive. You can stream the downloaded movies, musics and photos from your iTunes, either on a MacBook or a Windows PC, over the home network, or you can sync the contents from your iTunes to the 40GB hard drive. What this basically means is that you can wirelessly stream the contents from the iTunes libraries of up to 5 computers, as well as directly play the contents from the box's 40GB hard drive.

The purpose of this new Apple TV is to allow people to show their downloaded movies, musics and photos on the television. However, there are some limitations/drawbacks:
1) A widescreen TV is required (Perhaps a HDTV too)
2) Only trailers and previews can be streamed directly
3) Cannot play high definitions videos
4) Cannot directly connect to the iTunes Store to download any media contents
5) 40GB hard drive is insufficient to carry many movies
6) Movies and music shows look blurry when you play on a HDTV although they have the same nominal DVD resolution

Implications
With the limitations/drawbacks mentioned above, it makes sense why hackers cannot let their Apple TV sit quietly in front of their TV sets because they are not very satisfied with the Apple TV yet. Therefore, they are trying to look for more features and larger capacity. Also, it shows the potentials of this Apple TV of becoming a device that is more powerful and useful in the coming future.

Currently, Apple TV is like a tester in the market. Apple is really trying to see how eager people are to connect their computers to the television. Truly, one can connect a computer to the television with a S-Video cord, but in the longer term, if Apple TV expands its features, more people might be willing to buy one due to its convenience and reasonable price. I believe Apple is really trying to enjoy the first-mover advantage in the new 802.11n standards, as well as syncing/streaming contents from a computer to the television. Moreover, it helps to boost Apple's innovative brand image to more customers, especially when this Apple TV works on cross-platforms. That means both Mac users and Windows users can use Apple TV as far as they have Apple iTunes installed in their computers.

With Apple's move into the living room gadgets and allowing cross-platforms use, we can conclude that Apple is really thinking big in the technology era. First, we see the big success of the iPods and iTunes. Then we see the Boot Camp in the new MacBooks that allows running Windows XP and Vista on Mac computers. And recently, the iPhone generated a lot of noise in the market. All these imply that Apple is really invading into our daily life, and it might become a big threat to Microsoft. The strategy that Apple is using now is to open its network to allow Windows users to try its featured products, and by doing so, it might have a chance to lock-in new customers.

The question now is what is Apple going to do with the Apple TV? Is Apple going to release multiple versions of the Apple TV just like the iPods? Is Apple going to allow software updates through the network to enhance more features? Is Apple eventually going to allow documents to be streamed to the television?

It's too early to make an assumption for the Apple TV, but in the long term, I believe the Apple TV is going to be a revolution because with the strong position of iTunes in the industry, Apple TV can be very attractive for people who seek for simplicity and instant gratifications of media contents. Imagine if you can download movies to your Apple TV and watch it on your nice HD television, then why do you want to download movies from Netflix or Amazon.com and watch it on a tiny screen? Moreover, if you can download HD or Blu-Ray quality movies to your Apple TV one day, then why do you need to buy a HD-DVD player or Blu-Ray DVD player? We really have to stay tuned with Apple and this Apple TV.

Other Reviews
1) Pogue's Posts - Bridging the Computer-to-TV Divide
http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/22/bridging-the-computer-to-tv-divide/#more-251
2) The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/22/technology/22pogue.html
3) The Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB117443716237743525-AC8bUe8X978hZmC7A85mAccsld8_20080320.html
4) PC Mag
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2104968,00.asp
5) Associated Press
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070404/ap_on_hi_te/tech_test_apple_tv;_ylt=Av6W1ZHw3ds844IwYnIu54UjtBAF

Photos Gallery
http://www.engadget.com/photos/apple-tv-unboxing/

BEEP! I'm Saving Your Life!

Have you ever fallen asleep while driving? Are you prone to nodding off and awakening to oncoming traffic?

If the answers are "Yes," you might want to get one of this Drowse Prevention Alarm.



When you stick it in your ear and tilt your head more than 10 degrees, the alarm will sound off. Hopefully, you will wake up just in time to save your life and many others' life. This device has a high and low volume setting. You can arrange it wisely to reduce the chances of accidents and casualties.

In fact, this device is only available in Japan for now at 1500 Yen (Approx. US$12) each. If you are interested to buy one, you might want to check with Revex to see if you can purchase it online internationally or not. (Product Page here.)

Sources:
1) http://www.engadget.com/2007/03/05/drowse-prevention-alarm-startles-drivers-prevents-accidents/
2) http://www.plasticbamboo.com/2007/03/04/drowse-prevention-alarm/


Any Future Potentials?

Well, this device might seem to be a toy to many people, but what if it becomes part of your Bluetooth handsfree devices? Will it sound more attractive to own one? If so, accidents in California or the United States, or even Worldwide would have a greater chance to be minimized if people will try this additional feature while an additional off-low-high switch is all it takes.

Furthermore, I am thinking if this Drowse Prevention Alarm has WiFi or RFID technology equipped, drivers nearby can be alerted too. This can be rather helpful to prevent accidents by keeping a distance from sleepy or careless drivers.

If this device cannot help you to stay awake, carpool with your friends or take public transportations.