Phantom transmogrifies

Company launches new site and prices, delays Lapboard, changes console concept to be a software-only PC application.

Originally, the Phantom was announced as a console that would bring the PC experience to the living room. After several delays and much mocking from the gaming community, the company rebranded its product as the "Phantom Game Service." While it still involved a special box hooked up to the TV, management emphasized that it was developing a subscription offering for streaming games and was not a competitor for Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.

Now even that idea is out the window. The recently renamed Phantom Entertainment has relaunched its Web site and updated the progress of both the Phantom Game Service and the Phantom Lapboard. While the Phantom Game Service will go by the same name as before, the company has said it will now be offered as a software-only program for the PC.

"The Phantom Game Service was originally engineered to run on a Windows XP embedded operating system on a Phantom Game Receiver managed by Phantom content servers over the Internet," reads the site. "The Company [now] intends to modify the Phantom Game Service software to run as client software on personal computers operating Windows XP and Windows XP Media center operating systems."

Apparently, the new and improved Phantom service will still be used to ultimately get PC games running on TVs instead of a computer monitor, as the Web site lists a "High Definition or Standard Television" among the service's requirements.

As for the Phantom Lapboard, it's been delayed again. Previously announced as releasing in North America and Europe "no later than October," the company's keyboard-and-mouse combo is now set to start shipping in November. The company also announced its peripheral's price for the first time; the asking price is $129.95, but those who place an order before September 30 will receive $30 off. Barring any more delays, the Lapboard will be the company's first product to make it to market.

In other Phantom news this week, the company delayed its quarterly report. In a filing with the SEC, CEO Greg Koler said the company estimates that it had no revenues and a net loss of $450,000 for the three months ended June 30. However, he warned that the company's actual numbers may differ significantly when the final filing is made.

137 Comments

  • Mortis_Noctem

    Posted Jan 14, 2008 5:02 am PT

    Just die already, go to the loser area along side Gizmondo and N-Gage

  • GrimBee

    Posted Aug 30, 2006 8:10 am PT

    Nah, it wont sell.. At least, its hardly advertised, and nobody cares really.. Well, if the wii and the ps3 werent released this year, then it would have some kind of chance.
    I can see this picking up if people actually will use it, and the word of mouth spreads (like the lapboard etc). With the inclusion of hdtv, pc stuff would be ideal for that format, but i think the phantom service wont take off til at LEAST 2008. By then people will have SOME hdtvs sold in their stores, to people who acually BUY them (lol) and i think if it is marketed to a DIFFERENT user base (i.e people would would buy this thing) then it will fare well.

    But in the current market, i think it will just be slated. Kinda like the power glove.
    What would be a neat idea, is if coolermaster (etc) make a case, designed for atx pc parts, but can fit and be housed in a suitable unit which can fit in a tv cabinet like a vhs player does, and play via a tv connection. That way you can upgrade to your hearts content, watch stuff via broadband, and browse the net with the lapboard.
    But there IS a market for this kind of thing somewhere, and that i think would be in 2008.

    If only M$ would bring out a vista which is finely tuned to a living room pc. I.E, set it only to run things like net browsers and games and word programs. This would be awesome, a cheaper less productive vista brought out solely to play pc games in your living room. How sweet would that be? Looks like i will take my fps and my rts to that platform!

  • pb1285n

    Posted Aug 23, 2006 4:35 am PT

    If the lapboard plays as well as it looks I might look into getting one, if it's ever released. The service on the other hand I'll skip. I've been waiting for something like this, if only it had support for console play.

  • MoK86

    Posted Aug 18, 2006 3:19 am PT

    didnt this start off as a joke like a prank?? yeah well its already passed 3yrs and nothing hasnt came out yet and now they are going SOFTWARE well sorry guys at phantom but GIVE UP your waaaaaay toooo behind of the game you have both the 360 and the PS3 to go against so forget it pack up the store and go away U SUCK!!!!!

  • dazman92

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:10 pm PT

    Gizmondo has a grave buddy...

  • hemakm3

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 3:53 pm PT

    Die Phantom!

  • RuminaX

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 11:57 am PT

    So where do they get the money to run a company that manufactures hardware that is never sold? 450,000... man that's rediculous. From the sounds of this new version of the "Phantom" it seems like they don't even know what it is they are attempting to make anymore. But once it comes out I'll be sure to play Duke Nukem Forever on it >.>

    No one is going to buy this mouse and keyboard for two reasons...
    1. The price.
    2. No one wants to support this company and we all hope it will die once and for all.

  • buckybuckster

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:54 am PT

    I doubt highly that there's anyone around who still cares about this thing...whatever it is, and whatever it's function and purpose ends up being.

  • comthitnuong

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 10:09 am PT

    this doesnt really change anyting...the phantom has been going on and off and has been taking so long so i dont really care for it much anymore

  • cyprus646

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 8:54 am PT

    I was just on their site and I wish they had a forum so people could bash and trash there crappy service.

  • Djct

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 7:24 am PT

    No, no, just... no... really... NO! It's too... noo... Why won't they let it rest in peace!? You evil, evil braindead monkeys!!! AHHH *runs away crying*

  • rvinsc

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:37 am PT

    What the hell is this?

  • Autolycus

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:18 am PT

    claim bankrupcy while you can. this is a failure and always will be. worst in video games history too

  • Pick_me_please

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 6:11 am PT

    This really seems Gizmondoish....I wonder if the owners have a ferrari

  • Dav_id83

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 5:08 am PT

    The system it's self had the same spec or lower in some areas than my PC I'm using now.

    It was going to be using a AMD Athlon XP 2500+ 184ghz (My CPU)
    512mb SD-RAM (yes that's right SD-RAM) (I have 1GB DDR PC3200)
    60GB HDD (80GB SATA for me)
    And I remember a FX5500/5900 Ultra 128mb card (Using a 6200 128mb)
    And the gaming service to the internet

    Problems where they got investigated by a website and tried to sue but backed down at the last min. The AMD Athlon 2500+ was dead couldn't get them from AMD cause of the A64 chip coming out to 754. The Series 5 of nVidia cards has also died then with the Series 6 and you can only seem to get FX5200's now. And SD-RAM died about 8+ years ago when the P3 and AMD K-6 died.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 4:44 am PT

    quit wasting your time phantom. just make some games and release them for current consoles.

  • Andron666

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 3:38 am PT

    ROFL

    And who would buy this ?

    If it ever comes out, which I doubt..

  • ketsuatama

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:58 am PT

    I'm convinced Duke Nukem Forever is involved here!

  • TavLok

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:28 am PT

    Stop it. Stop it. Stop it already.

    Enough is enough.

    Let this thing die a peaceful quiet death once and for all.

  • smbius

    Posted Aug 17, 2006 12:17 am PT

    yikes...game over

  • _Sam_

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 11:09 pm PT

    The price will make some people turn away

  • Pablo620

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 9:48 pm PT

    If the lap board is as comfortable as they say and actually works this might be perfect for the PS3 keyboard and mouse support. Hopefully i can connect my Logitech G5 mouse to it and use that

  • UnknownPerson55

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 8:08 pm PT

    i think that eveyone alive today will have died of old age by the time this thing comes out.

  • LinkErdrich

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:59 pm PT

    Maybe this will result in less Phantom jokes. not likely.

  • the_Hippest_Cat

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:24 pm PT

    It doesn't seem like this thing is going to last very long, especially in the new console wars beginning. Official competitor to the big 3 or not, there's only so much free time in a day to play games, lets not waste it upgrading our phantoms' video and sound cards to play newer and newer PC games

  • Zefult

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:24 pm PT

    This thing is such a joke for one really BIG REASON !!! That reason is that the HDTV is finally hitting big in the US and will eventually have to be standard , and well almost HDTV being made now has a HDMI input on it so you can hook your computer up to it anyway.
    Get a cable hook it up to your computer and TV , get a wireless keyboard and mouse , then you ae ready to play in your living room and keep from buying this piece of junk ( that will probably never even make it to the market, or even make it on the market )---HAHAHA what a joke this thing is!!!!!!!!

  • alberto2045

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:23 pm PT

    r u kiding me lol, this guys come up every once in a while with their Phantom stuff

  • nintendorocks

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:21 pm PT

    Wow....the Phantom sure has changed. It went from a console that played PC games to a console that you could stream PC games to now a software that you can install onto your PC which lets you play PC games on your TV.

  • Ocram_Zepol

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:09 pm PT

    This sounds like a waste of money.

  • RogueAshaman

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 7:04 pm PT

    This was suppose to be a console for PC games?

  • Valen_Ca

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 6:47 pm PT

    I thought these guys died out earlier this year.

  • Corvin

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 6:43 pm PT

    Everything about Infinium and the Phantom have been fishy since day one. By now the product name itself should remove any doubt that this was just an investment scam all along.

  • JLCrogue

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 6:24 pm PT

    Is this thing ever going to be released?

  • nramsey34

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 5:03 pm PT

    well, it used to be a good idea...now it's just gametap part II, woopee...

  • Jypson44

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:56 pm PT

    A console to put PC games on a TV? You don't need a console, there are tons of options to getting your PC on the TV.

  • XenoGearOmega

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:46 pm PT

    It took how many millions of dollars to come up with this?

  • Svarthek

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:28 pm PT

    It's just a fancy keyboard mouse that connects to a TV? What a waste of time.

  • WPack911

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:27 pm PT

    I have to admit before I got the Modest gaming PC I am typing this on, I thought the Phantom was a great Idea.

    I thought "Finally a console gamer like me is gonna be able to play all those great PC games I have missed" then it got delayed and I realized I really needed a new PC, so I got a modest gaming one and ever since I have not been interested anymore.

    Phantom had a good Idea for the time 2-3 years ago, but their window of opportunity closed and they knew it, so now they are trying to find a new way to make profit.

  • mpeg3s

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:23 pm PT

    They need to give it up. It won't fly either way!

    Mpeg3s

  • robfield

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 4:00 pm PT

    Wow, they should probably get ready to give up.

  • vhuynh67

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:57 pm PT

    Breaking News - Phantom has just announced that it will merge with Pets.com. Given that neither firms were unable to come up with a profitable idea, past or present, the merger would combine the creativity power and bring new ideas to the market.

    Why would capitalists and fund managers even gave money to these firms? My LCD HDTV in the living is already connected directly to the Xbox, 360, DVD, Satellites, and PC for surfing the Internet, watching TV, and playing games. The VGA cable to the PC is only $10 from Radio Shack. The wireless keyboard and mouse add another $49.

  • chromium42

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:52 pm PT

    It's great that they are shifting from a console with embedded Windows XP to a client software model that will run in an XP environment; all in time for Vistas to be released.

    Infinium's timing is consistently and impressively atrocious.

  • aussenbagen

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:48 pm PT

    I heard of this console once before under the name GIZMONDO, so we can just call this the PHANTOM GIZMONDO.

  • iliyun

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:41 pm PT

    Gentlemen it seems we have ourselves here a PONZI SCHEME read below :::

    A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation, ON A MAKE BELIEVE PRODUCT, that involves paying abnormally high returns ("profits") to investors out of the money paid in by subsequent investors, rather than from net revenues generated by any real business

    Ponzi scheme usually offers abnormally high short-term returns in order to entice new investors. The high returns that a Ponzi scheme advertises (and pays) require an ever-increasing flow of money from investors in order to keep the scheme going.

    The system is doomed to collapse because there are little or no underlying earnings from the money received by the promoter. However, the scheme is often interrupted by legal authorities before it collapses, because a Ponzi scheme is suspected and/or because the promoter is selling unregistered securities. (As more and more investors become involved, the likelihood of the scheme coming to the attention of authorities will continue to increase.)

  • grummzaire

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:28 pm PT

    it seems to me... that if someone's playing games on their PC... they want to play them on their PC. If they want to play games on their TV, they'll get an Xbox or something. So why is this "phantom" trying to give PC gamers something they don't want?

  • K1LLSWITCH

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:25 pm PT

    "The Phantom Game Service was originally engineered to run on a Windows XP embedded operating system on a Phantom Game Receiver managed by Phantom content servers over the Internet," reads the site. "The Company [now] intends to modify the Phantom Game Service software to run as client software on personal computers operating Windows XP and Windows XP Media center operating systems."

    And why is this being made?

  • SOLIDUS_SNAKE

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:24 pm PT

    this sytem was designed to bring the pc to the living room, except that was designed years ago before we actually had the possiblility to bring the pc to the living room which we can now do.

  • paladinvn

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:08 pm PT

    May be they should change the name to PHANTOMONDO??? (another Gizmondo, any1???)

  • vaejas

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:06 pm PT

    However, he warned that the company's actual numbers may differ significantly when the final filing is made.

    Better paraphrased in a memo to investors:
    "We're stealing your money, but we may also in fact be lighting it on fire."

  • playwrite

    Posted Aug 16, 2006 3:02 pm PT

    finnaly my phantom lives shirt means something.

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