21
Aug
2008
SlashGear: InterAction Laboratories recently did a demo of their new Wii Sqweeze for the Wii.
The device was demonstrated using a bow hunting PC game, but the company expects it to be ready for the Wii in early 2009.
Essentially the Wii Sqweeze is a controller that holds your regular Wii remote, and has a pair of rubber handles that can “allow for shoulder abduction and adduction.”
No word yet on what games the Sqweeze will work with.
21
Aug
2008
PC Advisor: A new iPhone 3G case offers protection for Apple’s handset while allowing users to touch on-screen buttons.
US-based manufacturer IVYSKIN claim this to be a world’s first.
Mike Panahi, Founder and President of Ivyskin told Macworld UK: “Body and screen scratches are inevitable. We built a full solid screen cover into our new Xylo T3′s enclosure that’s specifically designed to protect the whole device”.
ICYSKIN is creating three separate cases in the range.
19
Aug
2008
Hexus.gaming: The new 80GB PS3 model, which is essentially the same as the 40GB model, but with a bigger HDD, was set to launch in Europe on 27th August, 2008.
According to a Gamestation employee, who contacted VG247, the launch of the new SKU has been bought forward to Friday, August 22nd, five days earlier than expected.
The Gamestation website also shows the 80GB PS3 as being available on the revised date, as does the Amazon website.
The 40GB model will be replaced by the new 80G.
18
Aug
2008
Gamesdog.co.uk: First it got Sony Ericsson on side, and now Zeemote has got Nokia on board too with a new promotion in Germany.
The company, which makes wireless controllers for mobile devices, has signed an agreement that will see Nokia advertising Zeemote’s JS1 Controller in its German media channels, while the controller will be available in special Nokia gaming bundles with selected mobile devices.
The official announcement, along with other news is planned for the Gaming Convention in Leipzig this week.
18
Aug
2008
GamePro.com: Following rumors of a looming Xbox 360 price drop, Sony says those hoping for a PlayStation 3 drop at this week’s Games Convention in Germany “will be disappointed.”
“It’s not going to happen,” a SCEA spokesman told Reuters last Friday. “If you’re coming for that you’ll be disappointed.”
Both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 saw their first price drops in late 2007. As consumers continue to gobble up the industry-leading Wii, many gamers wonder when Sony and Microsoft will respond with a more enticing mainstream price.
16
Aug
2008
ElectricPig: Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus makes 3D actions a dream, opening up the possibility of proper sword fighting and accurate dueling. No surprise then that Lucasarts is furious Nintendo didn’t give advance warning to anyone making, oh, say, a lightsaber-based game.
According to the games fans at Kotaku, Lucasarts was given no advance notice of the MotionPlus add-on’s existence, despite Nintendo being well aware it’s busily crafting a Clone Wars game, designed around lightsaber battles.
And Lucasarts isn’t alone in being surprised by MotionPlus’s launch. Game Informer reports: “aside from Nintendo’s own roster of games, users won’t likely see any support for the device for at least six to nine months.”
14
Aug
2008
Spong: Sony has corrected previously announced details about the launch date of PlayTV, its set top box peripheral for the PS3.
The device will in fact be out on September 19th. That’s nine days after the September 10th release date David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, gave recently.
PlayTV will allow PS3 owners to watch and record digital TV. If they happen to have PSP too they’ll also be able to shift recordings over to the handheld, or view it from elsewhere using Remote Play. Play TV is also ready for HDTV signal.
12
Aug
2008
Eurogamer: Microsoft is introducing the 60GB Xbox 360 Premium hardware bundle in European this Friday.
The unit will cost EUR 269.99, which is the same as 20GB bundle it’s replacing.
Microsoft gave no indication whether the 20GB Premium bundles will be reduced in price while stocks last – as they will in the US.
The standalone 60GB hard drive is expected to follow, although Microsoft has yet to concrete any plans.
The 60GB Xbox 360 comes with an HDMI port, wireless pad, wired headset and one-month subscription to Xbox Live.
12
Aug
2008
Gamesdog.co.uk: Former Sony Computer Entertainment Europe president, Chris Deering, has predicted that Sony and Nintendo will tie in the hardware sales by 2011.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival as chairman, Deering said he came to this conclusion by triangulating Screen Digest and IDG data.
He also took into account factors such as the growth of HD and the grey gamer market, the emergence of new game engines and the fact Wi-Fi is now far more readily available.
He reckons that hardware sales will rise on the whole from 316 million at present, to 500 million over the next three years, with “two big mega-powers” behind the increase.
Deering’s figures suggested that sales of the DS would reach 150 million by 2011, with Wii sales racking up to 80 million. He also predicted that the sales figures for PS3 would hit 80 million withint he same time frame, with PS2 reaching 90 million and PSP, 70 million.
Add this all up and what have you got? Sony and Nintendo selling 230 million machines each by 2011.
08
Aug
2008
Register Hardware: Nintendo isn’t willing to say how much MotionPlus will cost whenever it finally hits the shops, but the firm’s president has stated that it’ll be fairly cheap.
Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Satoru Iwata admitted that the manufacturing costs of the Wii Remote add-on are “not that much”. He claimed this means Nintendo “can make it very affordable” for gamers.
MotionPlus was announced last month and contains sensors that provide a higher level of motion-sensitivity than those in the Remote, allowing the Nintendo console to detect “every slight movement players make with their wrist or arm”.
06
Aug
2008
Electricpig: Microsoft’s been steadily slashing the price of the Xbox 360 over recent months, but if the latest rumours are true, it’s due to hit the £100 mark (approx. 126 euro) next month.
The bargain Xbox 360 Arcade is rumoured to be getting a price cut in the US during September, pushing its price tag to just $199.
The claims, made by VGChartz.com stem from a retail inquiry it made, with the exact date of the price-drop pegged at September 7th.
Elsewhere, Ars Technica is claiming there are also price cuts planned for the Pro and Elite models.
06
Aug
2008
Gizmodo: The Zeemote analog joystick controller for Bluetooth phones is now starting to see the light of day, at least for lucky Dutch W760 buyers, who will get it free as a promo package.
This isn’t the Wii-like motion-control version the company has been promising but it looks like your first person cellphone shooters will soon get a bit easier to play.
With a thumbstick and four assignable trigger buttons, the JS1 offers real analogue control over Bluetooth, enabling users to truly engage with mobile games.
No word on availability in other countries yet.