Usually I hate Mondays. It means the start of a week, and while I’m out of school, I am home by myself for the majority of the day. This Monday was a little different. It was an exciting Monday in technology. It was the start of Keynote Week! Would I be disappointed? Read on after the break.

[Image via Joystiq]

I planted myself in front of the TV and prepared for what was going to be a long presentation. For me, the problem with Microsoft started at the beginning with The Beatles: Rock Band. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Beatles. I love the idea of a Beatles iteration of Rock Band.  However, Rock Band is old news! The Beatles: Rock Band seems to be nothing more then Guitar Hero: Metallica was for Guitar Hero–just another game  with some new graphics and music.

Not only that, it’s not even an exclusive game to XBOX 360. It’s on both of the XBOX 360’s main competitors as well. I am not quite sure I see the logic of a) paying the remaining Beatles to come speak about a non-exclusive game and b) devoting quite a large chunk of time to a non-exclusive game.

Then even more bad news happened. They were going to talk about a few games first. I realize a lot of people were probably extremely excited to hear about Metal Gear Solid coming to the 360 but I was not. I am much more of a hardware person. I know what games I will want to get and don’t need so many game presentations. I went to Starbucks and got back in time for the good stuff.

It’s a shame the best thing about this conference happened on the first day. Project Natal, Microsoft’s game-changing interactive camera, was simply outstanding. I remember getting the Eye-Toy for PS2 for Christmas a few years back and going nuts. This brings the idea of interactive gameplay to a whole new level. And let’s face it, Milo, that boy who interacts with you, is intriguingly creepy.

I was very impressed by Project Natal; but am I excited for it at this point? No. The earliest we are seeing this is 2010. I’d be wary of that date. It took Nintendo a year to get it’s MotionPlus accessory just right for release. MotionPlus is a little dongle that plugs in to the Wiimote. This is a very advanced 3D camera. I could see Natal being pushed back a little bit. I am not quite excited about this right now; I’ll be looking forward to it when there is a definitive release date.

The other two conferences were not only unexciting but they were also not anything extraordinary.

First off, Nintendo spent a fair bit of time talking about stuff that had already been announced (thanks for telling me AGAIN that there’s a Wii Sports sequel coming out). Secondly, the big hardware annouuncment is…a vitality sensor. I can not tell you how little I care about the vitality sensor. The Wiimote introduced a whole new and insanely entertatining way to be interactive with your TV. The Wii Vitality Sensor introduces another whole new way to interact with your TV.  What’s the difference? No one cares about a Vitality Sensor. When I am playing a video game, even a health or knowledge based one, I really don’t what it to feel like I am at the doctor’s for a physical.

Finally, poor poor Sony. On the plus side, you introduced motion control to the PS3. On the down side, you were overshadowed by Microsoft’s totally new Project Natal. It will be interesting to see whether or not Sony changes their motion controls to be somehow as cool as Microsoft’s.

And as much as I like the concept of the PSPgo, please make up your mind on which PSP should stay. This statement actually goes for Nintendo as well (DSi and DS lite?) . Pick one handeheld to have so it doesn’t confuse the hell out out of people.

The E3 ’09 keynotes were great, and all the information about the great games and hardware that the companies have to offer in the coming year are exciting. That said, where are the game changers? The only real one was Project Natal. Nintendo, where is your plan for keeping the Wii fresh? Sony, give us a PS3 price cut!

After a lackluster few days of presentation it’s time for me to get to the most exciting gaming product for me this week:  The Sims 3.