Sometimes a project is so big that it just can’t be kept secret.  Call of Duty: Black Ops II leaked out weeks before its official TV ad hit the airwaves; Assassins Creed III was rumored long before its official unveiling; and so on.  The same could be said for Microsoft’s mystery press event, which happened earlier today, as several people thought that it would be all about a tablet.  And indeed it was, as Steve Ballmer and company officially unveiled the Surface.  However, despite the lack of surprise in announcement, there was still plenty to be shocked – and enthused – about.

Yesterday, Sony held its annual CES press conference, and attendees both physically at the event and watching virtually through Sony's site got a look at a bunch of new technology, as well as a surprise visit from Will Smith, who came by to talk Men In Black III.  But it was also the place for new information on the PlayStation Vita, which launches at retail next month.  And Sony had a nice new feature to introduce for those who like watching movies.

Nintendo has seen better times.  The company is preparing to report its first quarterly loss in quite some time, and it's still trying to put faith back into its Nintendo 3DS user base, despite its botched launch earlier this year.  But things are on the mend, and along with the promise of a Wii U final build coming to E3 next year, the company will be updating the 3DS with new features, starting with a firmware update this November.  What can we expect?

Hot on the heels of our speculation article wondering what services would be available for it, Larry "Major Nelson" Hyrb revealed the first official details on the streaming TV channels that would be coming to Xbox Live as part of next month's dashboard update.  And though the services may not be to everyone's liking (like ESPN), there's still plenty here to watch.

For quite some time now, Microsoft has been looking to expand the media services for its Xbox 360 console.  So far, it's done a good job, between the availability of programs on Zune, the Netflix streaming service, ESPN and the recent addition of Hulu Plus.  But it now it looks as if the company is serious about taking the next step, as it's talking with two major companies about possibly using its game system for something bigger -- in the form of a cable box.

Both Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have their fair share of streaming services available, including NHL GameCenter (just wait till next season!), ESPN, Hulu Plus and Netflix.  But HBO is about to join the fray, as HBO CEO Jeff Bewkes has announced that the HBO Go service will be coming to consoles sometime in the near future, along with high-definition televisions.  Several users out there are complaining that this plan doesn't make much sense, but in the long run, it really does...just as long as HBO performs one small move to solidify its plans.

So we've got some good news this morning if you have a Nintendo 3DS -- you're no longer limited to playing The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D in order to get the most out of your system.  As part of its weekly update, Nintendo has finally released a free Netflix app for the device, enabling you to access movies and shows from your Instant Queue anywhere you want to go -- provided you can reach a Wi-Fi point, obviously.  But is this enough to keep 3DS fans happy?

When it comes to Nintendo’s Wii U next generation game console, Nintendo is sticking to its historical roots and not offering an all-in-one entertainment experience like Sony and Microsoft have pushed with their consoles. While PlayStation 3 plays Blu-rays and Blu-ray 3D discs and Xbox 360 plays DVDs, the Wii U, like the current Wii, won’t have any playback for this popular movie format. Gamers will likely gain access to television and movie content digitally on the new device, especially since Wii owners can access Netflix.

Sony announced today that the  PlayStation Network and Qriocity has been taken down as the result of an illegal intrusion. They hope to have services restored within a week, and are working viligantly behind the scenes to meet that deadline. In the meantime, gamers will not be able to enjoy many of the features controlled by PSN and Qriocity including online gaming, downloading of movies, games, music and system updates. Additionally it appears that some private consumer data has been compromised as a result of the illegal activities.

Nintendo of America has begun offering Netflix to members who own a Wii, offering thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix via Wii. The two companies announced partnership plans in January and are making Netflix on the Wii console fully available as of today. Streaming from Netflix via the Wii console is provided at no additional cost to Netflix members who have a plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection.