Dean Takahashi is a columnist in the business section of the San Jose Mercury News and author of The Xbox 360 Uncloaked: The Real Story behind Microsoft’s Next-Generation Video Game Console, launched in May 2006. He also wrote Opening the Xbox: Inside Microsoft’s Plan to Unleash an Entertainment Revolution. He currently writes a tech commentary and gadget review column for the newspaper of Silicon Valley. He also podcasts and blogs on video games for the Mercury News via Dean & Nooch on Gaming. For most of his 18 years as a journalist he has written stories about technology and has won several awards. He has written about the video-game industry for 10 years and the semiconductor industry for 12 years. When he has time, he’s an avid gamer. He lives in the suburbs of San Jose, Calif. His favorite game is Halo.