SAN FRANCISCO – Tablet games were everywhere at GDC 2012, which also marked the debut (next door) of Apple’s new iPad. On the show floor at the Game Developers Convention were plenty of new Google Android tablets. In a remarkably rapid ascension, media tablets in 2014 will become the world’s fourth-largest application for semiconductors, up from 35th in 2010, rising in just four short years from obscurity to a level rivaling the position of powerhouse chip markets like mobile handsets and PCs, according to the IHS iSuppli Application Market Forecast Tool  from information and analytics provider IHS.

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012) in Las Vegas, more companies were entering the Android smartphone and tablet spaces. And for good reason, Google is winning its battle against Apple for consumers interested in upgrading to the latest smartphones and tablets. This past Christmas saw Google overtake Apple for the lead in smartphones. And there appears to be no end in site with lower-priced devices entering the market throughout this year, including new NVIDIA Tegra 3 devices from Asus for just $250.

LAS VEGAS -- Executives from business, government, entertainment, automotive, consumer electronics and every major industry converged on the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012) to experience new ways of doing business at the world's largest consumer technology tradeshow. Games were everywhere as Sony showcased PlayStation 3 and PS Vita, Nintendo had its Wii U playable, Microsoft showed Kinect for Xbox 360 and PC, and game publishers had titles across all platforms, including tablets and smartphones. Owned and produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), CES 2013 will return to Las Vegas January 8-11 2013.

With CES 2012 upon us, Maritz Research conducted its Holiday Tablet Poll the week before Thanksgiving using its DecisionVue 360 research methodology. What it found was that the overwhelming majority of consumers interested in purchasing a tablet are not solely Apple focused. In fact, a scant 16% of consumers are committed to heading straight to the Apple Store for an iPad device.

As part of its 11th annual Zeitgeist (German for “the spirit of the times”) 2011 list, Google revealed the Top 10 Video Games and Top 10 Online Games of the year. Surprisingly, some of the big games of 2011, including Batman: Arkham City and Modern Warfare 3 didn’t make the list. Perhaps because gamers were eager for big games coming in 2012 like Mass Effect 3 and Diablo 3. Google’s annual compilation of the most popular and fastest-rising search terms is the most detailed and data-rich yet. On the interactive 2011 Zeitgeist site, there’s additional information in all types of categories. But for games, check out the two relevant lists below the video from the top-searched game of the year, Treyarch’s Call of Duty: Black Ops.

Today, is the best day ever. Why? No, it's not Rebecca Black's famous Friday--it's just Thursday, November 3rd, 2011. But, once again, Google has brought joy to a joyless day with one of their clever easter eggs. This time it's not Freddie Mercury, Sesame Street, or Gumby. But Star Fox 64 and it's famous and perhaps the best advice a man can get: "Do a Barrel Roll."

In anticipation of its IPO, Zynga showcased new games at Zynga Unleashed, its first media event hosted by CEO and Founder Mark Pincus held at its new San Francisco headquarters. The company gave a sneak peek of several new social games, including the next chapter in its Ville franchise and teased its own new play service, code named Project Z. CastleVille is the newest game heading to Facebook. Cityville, the last title in the franchise, has over 74 million gamers. There’s also a new Zynga Casino that features Zynga Poker and the newly announced Zynga Bingo to create the world’s largest and most social casino. The company is also launching a new Hidden Objects genre with the social game, Hidden Chronicles.

With Steve Jobs stepping down from Apple, the company seems to be on a course for great success in the tablet space according to data from the IHS iSuppli Display Materials & Systems Service. Capitalizing on its shrewd strategy, as well as its competitors’ stumbles, Apple is set to increase its iPad shipments at a faster rate than previously expected in 2011 and beyond, causing the global media tablet market to exceed growth expectations during the next few years.

Despite a recent string of down months in U.S. video game sales at retail this year, a new report from research firm Gartner paints a very rosy picture for the global video game industry. When adding in revenues from burgeoning online, mobile and digital gaming sectors, Gartner estimates that worldwide spending on the gaming ecosystem will exceed $74 billion in 2011, up 10.4 percent from the $67 billion spent last year. By 2015, spending is expected to reach $112 billion.

NVIDIA posted a video on its YouTube channel early Thursday announcing that YouTube 3D videos and channels now run and support NVIDIA's 3D Vision active shutter 3D glasses technology. This is good news for PC gamers that love posting video captures of their favorite kills and gameplay highlights from their favorite games as they can now do it in all their 3D glory.