GIZMO OF THE WEEK: COULD we be on the verge of a hardware price war before a shot has even been fired?

Retailers are in a spin at the thought someone somewhere is preparing to sell Nintendo's eagerly awaited Game Cube for £149.

When it goes on sale in a couple of months the expected retail price is £169 - still competitive with the PS2 and loads cheaper than the (admittedly more powerful) X-Box at £299.

In Europe, Nintendo has set an expected price of 249 euros. That equates to £156, prompting feverish speculation that some entrepreneurial spirit (or failing that, a supermarket) may attempt to ship in "grey" imports bought on the continent to sell them cheap.

In Britain, High Street traders are proud of the fact that they can sell to UK enthusiasts at a higher margin than stores in Europe. Some have threatened not to stock the Cube if prices fall to £149 - a ludicrous claim because, at that price, there probably wouldn't be any stock left to sell until this time next year.

A standoff has ensued with larger groups waiting nervously to see who will be the first to break ranks.

All this leaves Microsoft with quite a marketing job to do if X-Box is to be the real success it deserves. It costs twice as much as a PS2 and a Cube but is it twice the console?

Bill Gates could be about to get a harsh lesson in console economics - that huge losses on hardware are the only way to build the critical mass needed to make profits from software sales off-set them.

KIDS always hogging the computer? Can't even get on to read your e-mails? TIME computers has the perfect solution. To mark the launch of their new TV Internet computer, TIME are giving readers the chance to win a family prize of up to eight box sets.

The TV Internet computer is a new and simple way of accessing the Net on your existing television set. It's small, compact and easy to use - just plug it into your TV and phone line and enjoy surfing from the comfort of your armchair. With connection supplied by supanet.com, one of the leading ISPs in the UK. you can be sure of excellent service and quality-channel content.

It's a great device for the busy household - let the kids get on with their homework on the PC while you sit in the lounge flicking between the Internet and Coronation Street, with your feet up in front of the fire.

Time's TV Internet computer is also an ideal tool for granny and granddad - you know they'd never buy a PC, but would really benefit from the ability to shop online, or keep in touch with the family by e-mail.

Its also a useful testing ground before committing to the full cost of a PC. For just £99, you can try out the World Wide Web and see what the Internet can do for you.

For a chance to win a family set of eight TV Internet computers from TIME, just answer the question below. There will be two runners-up prizes of one TV Internet computer. If you're not lucky enough to win, you can take the voucher below to your local Time store and buy a TV Internet Computer for only £39, a saving of £60 on the usual price.

Question: Which company is a leader in TV Internet provision?

Answers should be emailed to joanne.huggins@nne.co.uk or posted to Time Computer Comp, The Northern Echo, Priestgate, Darlington, DL1 1NF.

Reviews: Title: Moto GP 2. Publisher: Namco. Format: PS2 DVD ROM. Price: £44.99

MOTORCYCLE racing is a great sport. If you've never caught a 500cc world championship round on Channel 5, just think of Formula One with overtaking, close racing and spectacular crashes every lap. It's that good.

So why on earth are the store shelves positively groaning under the weight of Formula One titles and we only have one motorcycle racing game? It's one of life's great mysteries.

At least Moto GP was a decent example of the breed with pin-sharp graphics and an accurate physics model that gave a good impression of the real thing. The drawback was a meagre number of tracks and a lack of extra goodies.

Still, Moto GP was obviously popular enough to warrant a sequel, the snappily titled Moto GP 2, in shops now. There are six ways to play: arcade, season, challenge, time trial, versus and the brand new legends, but more of that shortly.

Arcade and time trial are kind of like a superheated version of Hang On, the old Sega Mega Drive classic, with forgiving handling and instant thrills. The real challenge is to be found in the season and versus modes where you have to tame the bike before you can concentrate on the circuits.

Just like the real thing, the bikes in this game are animals. Putting down nearly 200bhp through such a skinny patch of rubber is a recipe for disaster. Injudicious use of the throttle will have your rider crashing through the gravel trap in an instant.

Then there's the weather. In the previous game it never rained but this time it buckets down. The rain effects (camera smearing and blurred vision) are among the best ever seen in this kind of game. First time out, I just wanted to sit and watch, which is just as well, because all those warnings I just gave you about riding in the dry are magnified ten-fold when there's a hint of precipitation on the track.

Other than the traditionally English climate, the other big news for this second edition is the Legends mode where upon you get the chance to race against some of the big names from the (relatively recent) past.

Fans will love the idea of trying to stuff it up the inside whilst dicing with Kevin Schwantz or Wayne Rainey. It would have been even better had the legends feature extended to some of the sport's real legends like Sheene, Agostini or Roberts. But then, as Moto GP's programmers probably weren't out of nappies when Bazza was stuffing Ago for the title in 1976 they can be forgiven, and there's always Moto GP 3.

If you want something a bit different from the reams of Formula One titles on sale at the moment and Gran Turismo 3 doesn't ring your bell, Moto GP 2 could be just your cup of Castrol.

Title: Jet Ski Riders. Publisher: Eidos. Format: PS2. Price: £39.99.

OF course, if you want to escape tarmac altogether, then perhaps Kawasaki Jet Ski Riders will be more likely to float your boat.

It certainly looks the part with realistic water effects and changing weather conditions that have an effect on the racing. But the difficulty level is even higher than Moto GP 2. No matter how I practised the courses, I found my jet ski was always at the mercy of backwash that could push me past a buoy, incurring a time penalty. The only way to beat this is to be out front at all times, a virtually impossible task.

The trick system - cribbed from the N64 Wave Race classic - is fun but pretty much redundant in the racing league. As a means of practising, however, it's a laugh to see how reckless you can be and stay on your steed.

The soundtrack (courtesy of the Moving Shadow label) has a selection of tracks that complement the action well.

Jet ski fans will enjoy this title. They will probably get to grips with things like the changing seas and the wide turning circle far faster than landlubbers like me. Persevere and you'll find a fun little racing title than offers something a bit different.