EVO PC-game console detailed

The past few years have seen several attempts to marry the vast library of PC games with the ease of play of a console. Infinium Labs has been trying to launch its much-maligned Phantom system for years (though it does have a release window scheduled for the system's lapboard attachment). Meanwhile, Digital Interactive Systems' DISCover software promised to let users play PC games on their TVs as easily as console games. DISCover did hit the market (even Alienware made a home theater PC using the software), but it hasn't caught on.

Now Alabama-based Envizions Computer Entertainment Corporation is trying to achieve what Infinium and DISCover haven't with its EVO: Phase One system. The company has announced details for its hybrid system, including a launch date and price. Envizions expects EVO: Phase One to be available October 20 for $679.95.

According to the system's official Web site, the device will act as a DVD player, PC, and Digital Video Recorder, and it will play PC games (offline and online) and customized EVO: Phase One games. It will also provide downloadable movies, previews, anime, and more through the Akimbo video-on-demand service and will include biometric security features (fingerprint scanning to save and access saved data), an 80GB hard drive, a 2GHz AMD Athlon 64 3200 processor, and a liquid cooling system.

EVO: Phase Two is advertised on Envizions' site as shipping in 2007, with Phase Three following in 2008. The company is currently accepting payments for preorders for Phase One and promotional "Evo it!" scratch-off cards through PayPal. The cards (which come in bundles of five for $5) offer a chance to win $10,000 or a Phase One system.