Hey guys! I'll be working on the Pong chapter while I'm working on the Spacewar! chapter, as their historical lead-ups kind of run in parallel. In any case, Pong needs no introduction, from its first conceptual appearance on Ralph Baer's Brown Box that "inspired" Nolan Bushnell to ask Al Alcorn to create the original arcade game, to the precursor to it all from 1958, William Higginbotham's "Tennis for Two". Of course I'll also be discussing the various home Pong systems and clones and a few ways that the game influenced future games. As always, your thoughts are much appreciated for this truly iconic game.

Well, I've decided to leap forward a bit and start working on the Pong chapter. While many people seem to think Pong is more fun to historians than gamers, I did see its draw demonstrated recently in Chicago during a videogame exhibit.

Plasma Pong: PONG with fluid dynamics!Have you seen PlasmaPong yet? If not, waste no more time. It's a super cool remake of the classic game PONG with integrated fluid dynamics. It's somewhat like playing PONG underwater, although you have two "attacks" you can make with the mouse buttons. It's a stunning game visually, and the music is quite nice as well. There's even a Mac version!

BTW, I was able to get to level 10 on my first try. My bro-in-law has reached level 12 so far. Make sure to report back if you're able to get further in the game!

Looking for a cool summer project for yourself and/or your kids? Got a fancy new soldering iron collecting dust? Well, head over to ThinkGeek and pick up a Pong DIY kit. The kit comes with a pre-printed circuit board and lots of techie components like "diodes," not to be confused with another bit of gadgetry. You can hook the finished product up to your TV and enjoy 1 or 2 player Pong sessions at four different difficulty levels. W00T! It's too bad I'm a clutz with solder or I'd order mine today. And, no, I'm not buying a wussy "cold heat" soldering iron and no non-toxic solder, because without the thrill of danger, where's the fun?