Most players are well aware the latest casual gaming trend — “exer-gaming” — with a handful of fitness-themed titles, such as Nintendo’s Wii Fit, Electronic Arts’ EA Sports Active and Ubisoft’s My Fitness Coach. But what if you wanted to work out, regardless of what game you’re playing?

What the heck is a Warranty Elephant? When it comes to protecting your purchases, a new Toronto-based website says they’ll never forget about your warranties. Our exclusive chat with WarrantyElephant.com is the first of a new Sync feature called “5 Questions.”

World’s tallest man? Sure. Oldest woman? Yep. Highest score in Donkey Kong? You bet. Due out Sept. 17, the “Guinness World Records” 2010 edition features a large video game section in the 287-page hardcover book.

Stuck on Sultans of Swing? Confused by Comedown? Under pressure by, er, Under Pressure? Those looking for a little help — or added fun — out of Activision’s new Guitar Hero 5 can enter a few cheats to unlock some goodies in the game.

Fans of the “Guitar Hero” video games probably heard about Activision’s sweet deal: mail in proof of purchase from the new “Guitar Hero 5″ and you’ll get a free copy of “Guitar Hero: Van Halen” later this year. Not so, if you’re Canadian.

If you’re the type to scour weekly flyers for video game sales and console price drops, you need not concern yourself with the Encore, a new countertop gaming system from Toronto-based JVL. Why? Price, of course.

Mamma mia! Nintendo Wii owners who dished out 500 Wii Points (about $5) for access to the Wii Internet Channel will get a free virtual console NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) title, worth the same value, in late October.

It might not come much as a surprise that the average video game player is now 35 years old — studies commissioned by the Entertainment Software Association have confirmed this over the past few years — but 2006 research recently unveiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims video game players were more likely to be overweight, depressed and introverted.

Though the summer is typically a slower time for new video games, the remaining days of August will see the debut of a few major titles — including something for football lovers, Nintendo Wii gamers and fans of first-person shooters.

You’re at your local big box store and whip out your credit card to buy a new smartphone, gaming console or laptop. But just how much did it cost these companies to make each of these consumer electronics products?