Digital Technology for Digital Living.
August 23, 2007
Free repair for faulty Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheels
It appears that the Xbox 360 is not the only Microsoft gaming product that can be faulty. Microsoft has announced plans to provide a free retrofit for its Xbox 360 Wireless Racing Wheel which fixes a malfunction in the chassis that may cause the device to “smoke” when the AC/DC power supply is being used.
According to Microsoft, there haven’t been any reports of fire, personal injury, or property damage so far but the console giant does not want to take any chances (of lawsuits I’d imagine). The wheel should run fine on battery power however.
If you have a faulty steering wheel you should take a look at the company’s support page and arrange for it to be picked up and repaired for free.
Reference for posting: http://www.engadget.com
AndyD | Comments (1) | Console
August 11, 2007
Halo 3 xbox 360
To celebrate the release of the third game in the popular Halo Franchise, Microsoft are releasing a special edition Xbox 360. It shares it’s style with the Masterchief, the main character from the Halo games but unfortunately is not going to be bundled with a version of Halo3.
Features
* Halo 3 Special Edition Console
* Halo 3 Special Edition Wireless Controller
* Halo 3 Special Edition 20GB Hard Drive
* Halo 3 Special Edition Wired Headset
* Halo 3 Special Edition Gamer Pics and Theme (Exclusive download via Xbox LIVE)
* Component HD AV Cable
* Ethernet Cable
* HDMI Port
* Play & Charge Kit
* Xbox LIVE Silver Membership
* One-month Lbox LIVE Gold Membership
In other Halo3 news, the game has sold more than a million copies already, months before its release through pre orders.
AndyD | Comments (1) | Console, Games
June 26, 2007
Nicole Kidman to front Nintendo advert campaign
Nintendo seem to be going from strength to strength what with its Wii and Ds being so popular and Nintendo’s investors rejoicing at its high share price.
Now that they have all that money to splash around they can hire Nicole Kidman to become the face of Nintendo’s advert campaign for its new video game.
The ads show the actress with a Nintendo Ds trying out the latest “brain training” techniques.
Nintendo claims that its latest game, called More Brain Training From Dr Kawashima: How Old Is Your Brain?, will carry on where the other brain training games left off with helping to keep the user’s brain stay active through a series of “exercises”.
“I love the concept that Nintendo is reaching out to new audiences with their self improvement products like Brain Training,” The Sun quoted Kidman, as saying.
“Most importantly, I’ve quickly found that training my brain is a great way to keep my mind feeling young,” she added.
Adverts featuring the actress will be launched on ITV1 on June 25.
Reference for posting: http://in.news.yahoo.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
Fox to Sign Halo Deal
Less than a year after its plans to co-produce with Universal a movie based on Halo, Microsoft’s hit video-game franchise, fell apart, 20th Century Fox has signed a deal to become the primary licensor for Halo, Variety reported.
This deal will allow Fox to launch a broad array of products, from books to apparel to collectible merchandise, in conjunction with the release of Halo 3 in September on behalf of Microsoft.
Though the unsuccessful film development helped bring the two companies closer together, Fox’s licensing division has a longer relationship with Microsoft. It handled similar duties for Perfect Dark Zero and Kameo: Elements of Power, two Microsoft-published games that came out in late 2005 in conjunction with the launch of the Xbox 360.
Reference for posting: http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
Nintendo’s shares overtake Sony’s
According to Bloomberg Nintendo’s shares managed to hit a new record high overtaking their toughest competitor, Sony. Nintendo’s shares temporarily overtook Sony, hitting a record high of 45,350 yen (approx $367), which brought the company’s net worth to 6.57 trillion yen ($53 billion). At the close of the Tokyo-based Nikkei stock exchange, Nintendo’s shares had dropped down to 45,100 yen ($365).
Nintendo is reported to have sold about 2.37 million Wii consoles in the US, 2 million in Japan, and 1.47 million in other regions, including Europe.
Nintendo has been doing incredibly well recently with the ever increasing popularity of the Nintendo Wii and its handheld counterpart, the DS. Sony currently makes a loss on every PS3 that it sells but what is remarkable about Nintendo’s share price is that its rival makes a great deal more than video games such as mobile phones and TVs.
Reference for posting: http://uk.gamespot.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 30, 2007
Xbox 360 Elite news
Its been seen as a technical rival to Sony’s PS3 and now Microsoft’s updated version of the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 Elite has a price point.
The Xbox 360 Elite will retail for US$ 479.99 (£240.00 / EUR 350), while a standalone 120Gb hard disk will go for US$ 179.99 (£90.99 / EUR 130). Xbox 360 users will also be able to order a free Elite migration kit which will allow users to transfer everything from their 20Gb hard over to the 120Gb drive featured within Elite.
The transfer may take up to an hour depending on the amount of data to transfer and you won’t lose any content from the 20Gb disc if the transfer is interrupted.
Microsoft has yet to announce plans for the Elite’s UK release.
Reference for posting: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (1) | Console
April 28, 2007
The Slouchpad
The Slouchpad is a gamer’s dream. This comfortable chair which has a number of adapters along the side which you can plug in everything from your Mp3 player, TV to your laptop and DVD player and it boasts has two built-in 5Watt RMS speakers and a 10Watt RMS Sub Woofer which will help immerse you into the game.
The Slouchpad comes in six colors, including classic black, cream and red, and the more nausea-inducing lilac, pink and white. The Slouchpad retails for £299.
Reference for posting: http://uk.gizmodo.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 27, 2007
The PlayStation Eye
Sony claims to have made huge advances in USB camera and microphone technology and they have put all of this into the PlayStation Eye, a camera accessory for the Sony PS3.
Highlights of the new Eye camera are a noise canceling microphone, frame rate of up to 120 frames per second, two position zoom lens for close-up and full body options and the bundled EyeCreate software that lets you edit captured videos.
The Eye will be essential in using Sony’s Network gaming and communication services. One of Sony’s rivals, Microsoft are currently using a camera for their Live network over Xbox360 but only a few so far support it such as Command and Conquer 3: Tiberian Wars.
The Sony Playstation Eye will ship this Summer.
Reference for posting: http://www.i4u.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
Father of the PlayStation Retires
Ken Kutaragi aka ‘Father of the PlayStation’ has decided to retire from his role as chairman and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, Inc (SCEI). He helped make PlayStation what it is today, the world’s most popular video game brand.
Kutaragi developed the original PlayStation as well as the PS2 and he was also instrumental in the development and launch of the PlayStation 3 and due to this has become a minor celebrity in his home country, Japan.
Kutaragi will assume the role of honorary chairman of SCEI, and act as future technology adviser to Sony’s chairman and CEO Sir Howard Stringer. He will be replaced by current president Kaz Hirai on 19 June.
Reference for posting: http://www.tech.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 26, 2007
PS3 users give support to Folding@Home
More than 250,000 PlayStation3 owners have enrolled their console in the Folding@Home project which uses it to study the shapes proteins assume which could helps to understand diseases such as Alzheimers.
So many people have signed up that the project has carried out a year’s worth of research in a month.
The Folding@Home (F@H) project uses idle machines to simulate how proteins, the building blocks of life, assume the forms that play key roles in living tissue.
A better understanding of these folded forms could help tackle disease or help manipulate or mimic these vital structures.
By harnessing thousands of idle machines to do hundreds of thousands of these smaller tasks it becomes possible to do analysis that would take years to complete on a single supercomputer.
Sony said an update to the F@H PS3 program would boost speeds and make it easier to see who else was participating.
Reference for posting: http://news.bbc.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 11, 2007
Virgin to be the first UK radio station available on Wii and PS3
Gamers who own a Nintendo Wii or PlayStation 3 will be able to listen to Virgin Radio as it is to become the first UK radio station available on the games consoles.
Virgin and other SMG-owned stations Xtreme, Classic Rock and Groove are available via the consoles’ browsers using Virgin’s online radio player as Windows Media and Real Player are not currently compatible with the two consoles.
Users can also watch videos and sessions as well as buy CDs, tickets and tracks through the Virgin Radio Ticket Store. However because the capacity of the consoles means users will not be able to listen to the station while playing games is this anything to be excited about?
I can’t see why anyone would care and it certainly is not a buying point for either of the consoles. In fact I’m sure that if you have the funds to buy a PS3 you can easily buy a radio or listen via your computer or even via Sky Digital or Virgin media.
Reference for posting: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (0) | Digital Radio, Console
Halo 3 multiplayer beta dated
The Halo 3 multiplayer beta has finally been set for May 16. For anyone who has an xbox360 this is their first chance to test out the must own game for the series.
However the beta is only open to people who had registered last year or have purchased the special retail packages of Crackdown. So unless you have already registered your best bet to play is to get Crackdown which is made by the original creator of the GTA series.
The beta will consist of three maps, Snowbound, High Ground and Valhalla and hopefully the maps will look a lot better than the alpha shots already shown. Also included will be new weapons and new vehicles and a new equipment slot which will include personal shields and mines that can be laid by the “x” button.
In a public statement, Bungie suggested that the beta “will contain quirks, a couple of rough edges and all that jazz,” managing expectations that this will be a near-final experience.
The beta will only run for three weeks and you can expect downloading the beta to be a slow affair as nearly everyone who can play will play as soon as the beta is available.
Reference for posting: http://www.theinquirer.net
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
The DS and 3D glasses
Ghostlight, a UK video games publisher has confirmed its forthcoming Nintendo DS shooter, Glory Days 2 will feature 3D glasses functionality.
The game which is being developed by ODenis is a good vs evil affair that combines shoot-em-up and real-time strategy elements. In the game players take control of planes ranging from WW2 aircraft to more modern machines.
Adrian Clews, Marketing Executive, said: “Glory Days 2 is highly addictive, with fantastic gameplay, combining the best elements of classics such as Choplifter and Silkworm blended with Advanced Wars in one glorious game. The multiplayer game and 3D glasses functionality is sensational and sure to be a massive hit with DS owners.”
3D glasses is a unique idea but it may prove nothing more than a gimmick. I personally would be caught dead playing a DS in public wearing 3D glasses. However people seem to be comfortable playing Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney and shouting “Objection!” at their DS’ so you never know.
Reference for posting: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 10, 2007
Latest Xbox Live Update to integrate Windows Live Messenger
The latest update for Xbox Live will see the integration of Windows Live Messenger. The update will allow Live users to be logged onto Messenger and stay in touch with their contacts and vice versa. 360 users will be able to use a clip on keyboard that connects to the controller due for release this summer.
The next update will happen on 7th May as part of the free Xbox 360 “spring update”, which will also introduce a number of minor interface tweaks. These include the helpful “Being able to see the title of the game as part of the tray icon on the dashboard, rather than just a prompt to play the game” and the more than welcome “The ability to fast-forward, rewind, pause and resume videos you’re watching as they download from Xbox Live Marketplace.”
Microsoft has published a larger list of changes that are being rolled into the spring update, due 7th May, on Xbox.com. Expect more details in the coming weeks.
Reference for posting: http://www.eurogamer.net
AndyD | Comments (1) | Console
More Price cuts for the PS3?
Over the Easter Weekend, two retailers cut £25 off the price of the PS3 to entice people to buy the console. Play.com and WH Smith must have been desperate to cut the price so quickly after the launch even if it was just for the weekend. Play.com even offered customers a free HDMI cable, free delivery and the Blu-ray movie, ‘Click’.
The price drop proves one thing; that the price was getting in the way of sales. People did not like the price so they did not get the console. Yes the first week had record sales but I would not be surprised if this was purely down to the Sony faithful that would get the PS3 if it was twice the price. The second week saw sales down by an insane 82% so retailers must be feeling the heat to shift the mountains of stock they have.
The retailers were not cutting prices this early for the Xbox360 or the hard to find Wii and it can only mean that the price was wrong but then Sony would have found it hard to sell them for any less seeing as consoles are notorious loss leaders. Perhaps if Sony had launched the PS3 at Christmas it may have been a different story but three months later it was always going to be hard work.
Its now rumoured that the PS3 will see a price cut of $100 in the US by October and we will have to wait and see if this happens and if an equivalent is brought to our shores.
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
April 05, 2007
PS3 sales down quite a bit
Chart Track have released Sony’s sale figures for the PS3 in the second week of its UK launch and it would seem that they have dropped. Now this is often the case with any console launch and in the past its often due to there not being any stock available to purchase. Unfortunately for Sony it seems that you can get a PS3 nearly anywhere (might I recommend Ebay for a hefty discount?).
The PS3 sales are down a whopping 82% which is a pretty big drop. Also a number of the console’s best titles such as MotorStorm and Resistance: Fall of Man are down by 60% too.
It’s not looking much better for the PS3 in Japan, where Bloomberg is claiming that Sony has sold 812,000 PS3s since November 11, against a very high 1.95 million Wii consoles by Nintendo.
Though this is bad news for Sony they did have one hell of a good first week in which they sold a very impressive 165,000 units in the UK in just two days which made it the fastest selling console in the UK.
Reference for posting: http://digital-lifestyles.info
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
PSP price drop on the way
The price of Sony’s PSP is to drop but so far it has only been confirmed for the US. The PSP is going from $199.99 to $169.99 cutting $30 off the price. Sony hope that the price drop will help increase sales where the PSP is currently overshadowed by Nintendo’s DS handheld.
Jack Tretton, President and CEO, Sony Computer Entertainment America, said, “We are pleased that we are able to engineer savings for the consumer at this stage of PSP’s lifecycle, allowing more individuals to experience PSP for the first time. In particular, we have recently seen a steady rise in the number of teens adopting PSP as their primary handheld entertainment system, and we expect the new price will accelerate that trend.”
Uk consumers will have to wait for their price drop but it should not be too long.
Reference for posting: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
February 23, 2007
European PS3 to be inferior
As a European I’m used to getting inferior products ages after everyone else gets better versions for half the price. In particular Europeans often get shafted when it comes to video games consoles. Take Sony’s PS3 for example. It launched in November for Japan and the US and it finally comes out over in Britain late next month. It will cost me substantially more that other territories as well. So its late and its more expensive. Now it turns out that its inferior as well. Which is nice as I never expected that.
Sony have announced that its breath taking new console will in fact play fewer PS2 games that Japanese or American ones. How fewer is unknown but I’d imagine that it would be considerably less that the 98% of PS2 games that the PS3 can play elsewhere in the world.
In the other versions of the PS3 the console has dedicated chips to handle backwards compatibility. European PS3s will do away with this and reply on software emulation instead. The Xbox 360 replies on software emulation as well which is why Microsoft’s console cannot play anywhere near the complete collection of original Xbox games.
Sony loses money at first on each PS3 sale due to high production costs which could explain why the chips have been removed.
So if you’re a Playstation fan you are going to have to hang onto your PS2 to play your game collection. And those who are new to the Playstation consoles I’d recommend getting a £50 PS2 from Asda, if you can find one.
Reference for posting: http://news.yahoo.com
AndyD | Comments (1) | Console
February 22, 2007
Asda to sell PS2s for £50
With the launch of the PS3 right around the corner you can expect retailers to lower the price of the PS2. The first to do so is Asda which grabbed headlines weeks before with the announcement of its £9 DVD player.
Asda will slash the price of the PS2 to a mere £50 today. The deal will be limited to a set number of consoles in the supermarkets 316 stores so you may be unlucky to find that the store has sold out when you go there or there were none to begin with.
Amazon are currently selling PS2s for just under £90 and gameplay are selling PS2s for 395 but there is an option to build your own bundle and get a discount.
Reference for posting: http://www.mcvuk.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
February 20, 2007
PS3 to get movies
In an interview with 1up.com, Sony’s PlayStation Studio Chief Phil Harrison revealed a few features that PS3 owners can expect in the future. Among them was the ability to download movies to the console’s hard drive and play them.
The service seems to be matching Xbox 360’s Live service which will allow gamers to download movies as well as games and music (which Sony’s network also does).
Harrison said that this was just part of the company’s “ten year plan” for the console which they hope will be future proof. He also hinted at the possibility of larger hard drives in the future.
Of course many would say that Sony is merely copying Xbox’s already established service which has had movie downloads in the Xbox 360 since 22 November. However it would appear to be another step in turning the games console into the home entertainment centre that does everything you want in the living room.
Reference for posting: http://www.trustedreviews.com
AndyD | Comments (0) | Console
