30
Aug
2006
You can’t use it to do the laundry. It’s of no use when having to pick lottery numbers. But the PlayStation Portable does have some extra features. For starters, it can prevent you from making a complete fool of yourself in a dark movie theatre. A summary for absolute beginners.
And for all you pros out there, we’ve found an excellent article on the PS3 at wired.com
29
Aug
2006
Nintendo has finally released pricing details about the Wii. According to Bernd Fakesh, Nintendo’s head of German operations, the console would have a price tag of about £150 (220 euro). That’s even cheaper than Sony’s recently discounted PS2.
The Nintendo Wii, Nintendo’s 7th generation video game console, is expected to hit the European market, in the fourth quarter of 2006.
(source: T3.com)
28
Aug
2006
Pioneer has released a new 5.1 surround sound system designed for exclusive use with the Xbox 360 – it even shares the look of the games console.
The HTP-GS1 has a total output of 600W, a sub-receiver, 5 satellite speakers, separate display and a remote that pretty much lets you control both systems.
Source: Exclusive Surround Sound System for Xbox 360: HTP-GS1 [Pioneer]
28
Aug
2006
Stuff: Ahead of the Tokyo Game Show in September, news has been leaked of Sony’s plans to release GPS receiver and camera accessories for their PSPs.
The add-on GPS receiver will be most likely designed for car use, but there would be no reason why you wouldn’t be able to use it on foot as well.
Here’s an unofficial first look:
23
Aug
2006
BBC Technology: The games industry is failing women by not producing suitable content, according to a senior executive at Electronic Arts (EA).
EA’s own research found that 40% of teenage girls played video games versus 90% of teenage boys and most girls lost interest in games within a year.
David Gardner, chief operating officer for EA’s worldwide studios, was speaking to a conference in Edinburgh.
“We are only reaching a small proportion – not only geographically but also genetically,” said Mr Gardner.
He said if EA cracked the problem the firm “could add a billion dollars to its sales.”
Mr Gardner said one of the biggest problems was that the content aimed at women gamers was not appealing.
“They don’t want ‘pink games’. They are not trying to play girly games where Paris Hilton and Britney Spears go shopping and put make-up on. “
He added: “One of the things that is going to make games for girls happen is creative teams. It’s going to be new people and experiments. Four of our 11 studios around the world are run by women. That’s an important start.
“Investing in new and upcoming talent is critical.”
18
Aug
2006
AV Zombie: New research shows that the Sony and Nintendo portables account for over half of all global shipments of game machines. It’s all down to a fundamental shift in personal entertainment, some believe.
The research from iSuppli shows that the companies behind handelds owned just 30% of market share in 1997. Analysts are predicting that even when PS3 and Wii have been introduced, portable sales will still account for around 40% – and that’s without a possible introduction by Microsoft into the sector.
02
Aug
2006
The Electronic Entertainment Expo. For gamefans it’s Christmas and the World Cup all in one. The world’s largest videogames event is where companies like Sony and Nintendo make key announcements about their latest hardware and games.
Uptil now it was held at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The event will now be evolving into a more “intimate” event focused on targeted, personalized meetings and activities, the organization announced.
Are we spotting dark clouds above Gameland?
(source: Gamasutra.com)
25
Jul
2006
Sony announced some future plans for the PlayStation Portable (PSP), at Comic-Con, a comic book event in San Diego, USA.
* Upgraded PSPs will work as a remote for the upcoming PS3 (thus following Nintendo who did the same with Game Boy Advance and GameCube)
* The newest PSPs will support RSS feeds for the built-in web browser
* Sony is also looking at ways to bring downloadable movies to PSP owners, which might be the final blow for UMD.
(source: tweakers.net)
18
Jul
2006
Name a popular electronic game system.
Chances are you’ve just named Playstation, Xbox or Nintendo, the New York Times claims. The most popular one however, is the goold old PC. For too long, Windows has neglected its gaming possibilities. “Previously we’ve had game technology built into Windows, but we didn’t approach gaming as one of Windows’ fundamental applications, and that’s what we want to start to do,” Rich Wickham, the director of Microsoft’s Windows gaming group said.
So when launching Vista in 2007, Windows might make a big move. Especially since the enormous rise in subscription-based online PC gaming, such as Lineage II.
Read the full article.
07
Jul
2006
So far, Sony’s PlayStation 2 was the undisputed market leader in the video game console business. Microsofts Xbox and the GameCube by Nintendo didn’t come even close.
According to a report by DFC Intelligence however, it’s red alert for Sony and its upcoming console. The PlayStation 3 promises to be rather costly for young gamers. The PS3 would sell at 499 euro, whereas the Xbox 360 for instance already sells at 299 euro.
Sony on the other hand claims the price tage is justified, since the PS3 is equipped with a Blu-ray drive. In November 2006 we’ll know who’s right…
30
Nov
-0001
Techspot: An Xbox 360 console equipped with an HD-DVD drive has been rumored on and off for some time now, but those rumors gained some credence recently after a senior Toshiba executive in Singapore let slip that Microsoft is working on a new model Xbox 360 complete with HD DVD drive, and even raised the possibility of a Toshiba branded Xbox 360 being released in the future:
“An Xbox with a built in HD DVD drive is critical. They and we are working on it. It also has to be more than a gaming machine. Microsoft recognizes this. A version of the device may also be sold under the Toshiba brand name.”
The new device is supposedly being developed in response to Sony’s numerous entertainment features on the PlayStation 3. It will not only support HD-DVD playback, but may also include mobile device docking capabilities, wireless networking, and a dual HDTV tuner, meaning it could act as a digital video recorder as well.