The other big deal from Apple today was the reveal of Apple TV, second generation.

The device has had a complete re-engineering, and comes at a substantially lower price: US$99, Cdn$119.

Cheap enough, I think, to make for an easy impulse purchase when you’re in the Apple Store.

The new Apple TV is expected by the end of September.

Get more detail in my article over at the Straight.

While Apple’s Game Center was announced in April, it wasn’t until today that Steve Jobs revealed specific details – and a release date (next week) – about Apple’s Xbox Live-like service.

So just as Microsoft announces it is brining Xbox Live to Windows Phone 7, Apple rolls out leaderboards, achievements, friends lists, and multiplayer automatching for iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad.

I cover it all over here at the Georgia Straight.

Here’s what’s been running in the Georgia Straight the past couple of weeks, from most recent to most dated:

• Fall games preview
• Fall games preview, addendum
• Metroid: Other M p/review
• Video game composers score interactive experiences
• Dragon Age: Leliana’s Song and Alan Wake: The Signal

I’ve been a bit overwhelmed, so haven’t been keeping up with updates lately. Hopefully, catching up now will make it easier to stay on track through the fall.

So to catch some capsule reviews from the Georgia Straight, make with the clicky: Puzzle Quest 2, Transformers, and Young Thor.

In this week’s Georgia Straight are my reviews of DeathSpank, Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, Limbo, Singularity, Toy Story 3, Naughty Bear, Crackdown 2, and Alpha Protocol.