We’re about a month out from E3 – the annual trade show of the video game industry – but a few trends are already taking shape.
There’s motion control, of course, with the roll out of Microsoft’s Project Natal and more details on Sony’s Move controller. But the most surprising theme is turning out to be 3D.
The Africa Channel, a five-year old cable channel that showcases Africa-centric and originated programming, is expanding its footprint. 
The cabler has announced plans to launch a high definition version of the network on Aug. 1 that will be carried in “select” markets. It’s a big step for a small channel – but one that could expand its audience.
In the video game world, there is no more direct line 
to the enthusiast audience than GameStop.
The retailer, which has more than 6,200 stores nationwide, is a gathering spot for players, who flock there when big games are released. It has withstood numerous attempts by big box stores to encroach on the most profitable parts of its business model.
“FarmVille” seems an unlikely competitor to games 
like “Grand Theft Auto” and “Modern Warfare 2,” but start counting the number of regular players, and the unassuming Facebook game might surprise you.
More than 32 million people tend their virtual crops each day, and the game has a total user base of 80 million. That’s roughly seven times the number of people who play the online smash “World of Warcraft.”
Amazon has one. Barnes & Noble has one. Now it’s Borders’ turn.
The Kobo eReader, which has the full backing of the Borders book chain, has set a release date. The device will go on sale June 17, entering a market that was already crowded before Apple put itself in the ring a month ago.
The man who brought Spider-Man, Iron Man and the X-Men to the big screen may have his eyes on Pac-Man. 
Ari Avad, former CEO of Marvel Studios and current executive advisor for Namco Bandai, will be on hand at an E3 party celebrating the world’s best known pellet eater “to make an announcement about the worldwide premiere of his newest Pac-Man project.”
The anticipation levels for “Starcraft II” are already sky high – but now Blizzard Entertainment has found a way that could make the game an even bigger time sucker.
Blizzard and Facebook have struck a deal, which will integrate the social network into Blizzard’s Battle.net service. That means players of “Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty” will be able to find Facebook friends who are also on Battle.net, making it easier to play a game with them.
Spurred on by Apple’s rethinking of how a computer 
should look and act, several new companies have launched pleasure items that aren’t as obvious as the adult novelties of bygone days. What this means, of course, is that clean, minimalistic design has infiltrated all sectors.
The pleasure objects of yore have lost their flesh tones and garish neon hues, because, honestly, no one wants those things on their nightstand. Thanks to attractive, sleek aesthetics, it’s now sometimes hard to tell the difference between sex tech and gadget tech. Can you?
Chris Morris: Journalist 