Joe Biden Sees No Legal Problem with Taxing Violent Video Games

At a gun legislation strategy meeting held at the White House recently, United States Vice President Joe Biden suggested there would be "no legal reason" why taxing violent media, including video games, would be an issue. This taxing of any kind of "violent images" could, of course, extend to film and television, as well.

The Vice President's declaration came in response to a suggestion made by Reverend Franklin Graham, who attended the meeting alongside 19 other religious leaders. According to Politico.com, attendees at the meeting said that Biden responded favourably to the Reverend's idea, going so far as to say there would be “no restriction on the ability to do that, there’s no legal reason why they couldn't."

It was suggested by Graham that proceeds of the tax would go towards victims of gun violence and their families, according to the website's sources.

As Geek.com correctly notes, this sort of concern is nothing new. The Obama Administration has funded research into the effects of violent video games on young people following the Sandy Hook tragedy, and is a common theme in the wake of any major national tragedy. At this point there's no indication that Graham's suggestion will come to fruition, with Vice President Biden eventually concluding that a study should be made on the effects violent video games have on developing brains.

Credit - ign

Microsoft's new IllumiRoom puts a living room in your Xbox (Durango?)

Summary: Many expect Microsoft to announce its next-generation Xbox (720 or Durango maybe?) but it could be missing one its best features - a projector which extends your video over an entire wall.

Microsoft has given all indications that its yet-to-be named, next-generation Xbox will be unveiled at its "A New Generation Revealed" event May 21 at 10am PT / Noon ET. One feature that is expected to bring the Xbox 720 to a new level (but might not be ready at launch) is IllumiRoom which Microsoft first showed off at this year at CES.

Microsoft Research describes it as a system which "augments the area surrounding a television screen with projected visualizations to enhance the traditional living room entertainment experience."

Here's a video that Microsoft prepared to show off the basics of IllumiRoom.

As usual, rumors about what is going to be included in the new gaming console are flying everywhere but Microsoft, following the footsteps of Apple and Steve Jobs, has dilvulged almost no information and no one has left a device in a bar, as yet.

The name of the new device is not even known. Most people and publications are calling it the Xbox 720, but some say it was given the code name Durango which could stick.  More on this and other rumors at the end of this gallery.

IllumiRoom projects across an entire wall.

Credit -Brett Jones Microsoft and ZDnet.