With Xbox 360 having started well but ended in a very confused state, I worry that Microsoft is about to carry over much of its baggage to the new console. Will the company make the same mistake of not listening to the market that it has often made in recent years? Will it continue to believe that there is a burgeoning market for an everything box? Or will it refocus on what matters? → Read More
Both Microsoft and Sony like to wow us with big numbers proclaiming how they are moving beyond games, but the numbers don’t really stack up. For all its vaunted efforts in TV partnerships, for example, the average Xbox is only used for a couple of movies per week. All the rest is games. Both need to stop distracting themselves with some ur-market fantasies of media hubs, or be destroyed. → Read More
What I’m about to say is undoubtedly going to piss some of you off. And that’s fine. Because in a few years, I’ll be right and you’ll look silly.
While everyone is focused on the next generation video game consoles from Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft — the latter two of which should be coming later this year — Apple is going to dominate them all. And it won’t even be that… → Read More
Microsoft has joined up another piece of its Windows 8/Windows Phone 8 puzzle by launching a SkyDrive app for the Xbox 360 — allowing users of its cloud storage service to view and access content via the Xbox. The move dissolves a rather odd disconnect between Microsoft’s flagship products. The Xbox SkyDrive app is due to live later today. → Read More
Watch out, Disney Channel and Nickelodeon! Netflix is making it even easier for kids to bypass channel surfing and search for their favorite shows and characters, with an updated app for the Xbox 360. The latest version of Netflix’s Xbox 360 app, which went live this morning, brings its increasingly popular ‘Just For Kids’ user interface to the gaming console.
Netflix’s ‘Just For Kids’ UI… → Read More
The announcements just keep pouring out of Microsoft’s press event at the Galen Center, so here’s another one to chew on — Microsoft has announced that a version of their Internet Explorer browser will make its way to the Xbox 360 some time “this fall.”
“Internet Explorer coupled with the power of Xbox will for the first time deliver a fast, fluid, intuitive web experience in the living room,”… → Read More
We’ve all been there.
After years of faithful service and happy memories, the trusty old (insert gadget here) is tuckered out and needs replacing.
Some of us recycle our old gadgetry (and bravo/a to you), while others might try to sell it on the cheap, eBay-style.
But here‘s something I bet you never considered doing with your old… say, Xbox 360. → Read More
Good news, FiOS fans! Verizon and Microsoft have announced today that they have struck an agreement to bring live HD television channels to your Xbox 360 without any additional hardware.
Now, don’t expect to get Verizon’s full channel lineup on your console just yet — according to their just-released statement, Verizon will only be bringing “a selection of popular live TV channels to the Xbox… → Read More
Watch out! Price cuts all around! Following the 3DS price drop, Sony just cut a cool $50 off the PS3, dropping the 160GB model to $250 down from $300. The 320GB model is also a little lower now with a $299 price tag.
This puts the PS3 in a slightly better position ahead of the oh-so-important holiday season. The Wii is currently priced at $150 and comes bundled with Mario Kart. The base model… → Read More
This isn’t a knock on the 360, but it really demonstrates the differences between the US and Japanese markets, and shows how you can’t please all the people, all the time. Only six thousand Xbox 360s were moved in all of Japan in May, for a total of around 1.47 million. Compare that to over five million PS3s sold and over ten million Wiis. Yet here in the states, the 360 is selling… → Read More
Want to contribute to making the 360 the best selling console of all time? Amazon has a might fine deal going on. When you purchase the $299 Xbox 360 4GB Kinect bundle, they’re throw in a $100 credit within two days of purchase. Use this credit for, I don’t know, Kinectimals, Michael Jackson The Experience, or pre-order Mass Effect 3 since it will utilize the Kinect’s voice recognition… → Read More
Despite industry sources and commentators suggesting that 2014, or 2013 at the earliest, would be the timing for a new generation of consoles, one insider claims Microsoft is planning on revealing it in the next 12 months, also known as “in the next year.” → Read More
Last night we got a live tour of the latest from Mad Catz, including this rather comprehensively-featured headset for the Xbox 360. The big “what’s new” on this one is that it’s “truly wireless,” with no cord to the controller — making it the only wireless Dolby 7.1 headset out there. That may be putting somewhat of a fine point on it (there are other “truly wireless” headsets, of course)… → Read More
Alright, finally. Microsoft released the Kinect last year with games that turned out to be to nothing more than virtual parlor games. But today at the company’s E3 2011 presser, they took the wraps off the first round of games that finally seem to be meant for gamers — you know, gamers as in people that enjoy virtual killing and such. The headliner? Oh it must be Star Wars Kinect. → Read More
Well, I think we can call the 360 a hit now. The console is six years old and, according to a chart by the NPD, has never seen a down year in the states. What’s more, it’s actually increasing in sales thanks in part to the Kinect. That, if you’re to believe these stats, makes the Xbox 360 the only console in history to see such growth this far into its lifecycle. Other systems tend to peak in year… → Read More
While I can’t imagine anyone would want to perform the feats demonstrated in this video, what you’re seeing is basically a hack that allows users to control PC programs – including Powerpoint – using the Kinect. Why? Because it’s there.
At IIT Delhi, a technologist named Ramaprasanna showed off his proof-of-concept demo using an unreleased Kinect SDK. Obviously you’re not going to get this on… → Read More
Microsoft is rolling out a new update to the Xbox 360 which adds a few new features. Gamers in some countries can now link their PayPal accounts to their 360s and buy stuff that way, and standby mode has been tweaked.
Coincident with this update (coming over the next two weeks) comes the news that a recent firmware update adding support for the new expanded disc capacity feature may not be… → Read More
If this doesn’t point to a coming refresh of Xbox 360 hardware I don’t know what does. Starting May 22, Microsoft is offering a free XBox 360 (with 4GB of storage) to folks who pay $699 or more for a Windows 7 PC – note they do not say “laptop,” which suggests that makers like HP and Dell are trying to boost their waning, post-PC sales.
Obviously this is a great deal students but it definitely… → Read More
With Nintendo officially announcing their next console in June, there’s a little pressure being put on Microsoft and Sony. Sony, of course, has other things to worry about, but some think that Microsoft will use this lead time to put together something relating to its next console. In fact, one source claims that the next Xbox is already out there, just in disguise. They know because they saw one… → Read More
You’ve waited for it. You’ve prayed for it. You’ve spilled the blood of countless sacrificial chickens for it. And now it’s here: Hulu Plus for Xbox 360. The service is launching tomorrow and you’re basically getting the Hulu interface with which you’re familiar plus a few Kinect add-ons including voice control and gestures. With sufficient bandwidth you also… → Read More
Reports are hitting everywhere that Xbox 360s previously banned for mods are now able to connect to Xbox Live. This started sometime earlier today and is either a genuinely brilliant move or simple oversight by Microsoft. Now these systems are apparently only able to sign on to the service and not participate in online play. But still, it’s something notable and gives a glimmer of hope for… → Read More
Although the chatter around the games industry indicates that E3 will bring a new console from Nintendo — and its rumored features are getting a little ridiculous. But what of the Xbox 360 and PS3? Is it time for them to get a refresh? Not quite, says one insider. → Read More
You knew something like this was coming as soon as Microsoft announced the Kinect way back when. It’s UFC Personal Trainer, and it’s exactly as you’d expect: flail about in front of your TV while an on-screen avatar carries out the moves. THQ says the National Academy of Sports Medicine helped design the game, and pro fighter gave their input as well. Hearings before the California State Athletic… → Read More
It’s now quite a bit cheaper to develop Xbox 360 games. Then again, you could probably develop for any new Android phone and be dealing with more powerful hardware, but that’s for another day. Microsoft has developed a new Xbox 360 development kit that’s smaller than the previous kit and has more memory and hard drive space. → Read More
As a fairly regular player of XBox 360 media (called “video games” by those in the know) I have found that the console often becomes hot enough to melt a DVD placed on top of it resulting in, say, a copy of Mario Kart Wii (another “video game” for a game console called the Wii) that is rendered unusable by said heat. This causes, in turn, our toddlers to melt-down and the end result is something… → Read More
Xbox 360 gamers have another choice when it comes to fancy-pants headsets, coming to you by way of Mad Catz. The Tritton AX 120 is now available, and it’s being positioned as an entry level headset into the world of higher end gaming headsets. You know, because you really need to be able to hear your CODBLOPS opponents yell “you suck~!” in crystal clear quality! → Read More
Microsoft announced yesterday that more than 10 million Kinect motion-sensing gaming add-ons were sold since its launch. That put it at the top of the charts as the fastest-selling consumer device of all time. Well, that claim is now a bit more validated as the Guinness Record folks officially certified the number and awarded the Kinect its very own place in the next version of the Guinness World… → Read More
A Web site that illegally generated Microsoft Points has been shut down, but not before costing Redmond a cool $1.2 million in the process. Hackers had discovered an algorithm that would, when called upon, generate Microsoft Points codes at 160 points a clip. → Read More
Looking for a new headset for your 360 audio pleasures? You might have heard of the Chimaera when it was announced back at CES. They weren’t quite fully baked back then, but they’re ready for your dollar now. I just hope you’re well-provided with said dollars, because these wireless surround sound headphones ain’t cheap. → Read More
Last week saw a full-on Mad Catz arcade stick for the upcoming Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and this week we have something a little less conspicuous.(Not everyone wants to store a big arcade stick around the house.) It’s the Marvel Edition Versus Fighting Pad, from Performance Designed Products. If nothing else it looks pretty good, not some slapped-together thing designed to make a quick buck. → Read More
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