Widespread XBOX 360 Crashes Reported

It is no longer a secret that the XBOX is sold out in stores everywhere and prices on eBay are going through the roof. It is no longer a guess as to whether or not it would sell out this quickly either. It is, however, a surprise that there are now widespread reports of serious system issues. Some reports are showing the console simply crashed in a manner that was fatal to the system itself.

Combine this with the variety of bad press such as this article found at Forbes and it suddenly appears as though Microsoft could be in some hot water with its fan base.

With this being a $400.00 console, we will definitely want to keep an eye on this as it unfolds.

I wonder if "re-call" will soon be echoed across the internet...

PSP Talkman

Have no ideas as to what it is?

Well, it is basically a PSP response to an idea to match Babelfish with a PSP, in turn allowing you to use your PSP to translate various languages to other various languages.

The PSP Talkman is a gadget that sounds cool, but you have to ask yourself “when would I actually use it?” I mean, it isn’t everyday that you find yourself needing to speak Chinese or Korean, but hey! Whatever works right!

Max, the bird who’ll guide you through your semantic adventures, uses a ScanSoft-built language interpreter and trainer to help you learn Chinese, Japanese, Korean, or English — or just help translate between you and someone else, if need be.

I suppose it could be used for travel. No?

Nokia cutting N-Gages until 2007

Very few, if any, complaints or opposition came with the announcement by Nokia that N-Gage would be temporarily discontinued until 2007.

After all, N-Gage was by far our favorite gadget right?

Wrong.

N-Gage is a perfect example of jumping the gun in my opinion. With today’s technology, I don't think a company can launch an item that is bulky and lacking in innovation and expect it to instantly succeed. N-Gage hit the market with a buzz that lit up the world of gaming and caused drooling among much of the gaming community. However, once the true product was realized, sales seemed to have plummeted and the buzz has all but died.

Personally, I think this was a great decision. I mean, Nokia should have made sure that the technology was there that could properly power a dedicated gamephone that could easily market to today’s gamer and tech savvy geekaholic.

They seemed to have missed the boat by not understanding that we want smaller, more powerful, and more user friendly products than what we were previously offered.

Sadly, N-Gage simply wasn't that.

Hopefully 2007 will bring us much to look forward to, and hopefully Nokia will be a part of what we get excited about.

How to fix your overheating 360

I like to try and share good gaming tips and tricks as often as I find them. This morning, I was watching the RSS feeds dump into my inbox and out of the overabundance of XBOX 360 news, an article about overheating 360's caught my eye.

This is a quote from our friends over at engadget:

"Sure, if your Xbox 360 is crashing you could call up Microsoft tech support and get your new toy repaired or replaced — or you could take design flaws matters into your own hands and source out the root of the problem. And according to one Gamespot forumsgoer, apparently what’s causing these overheating Xbox 360 crashes isn’t the Xbox itself, but rather that monstrous power supply. So what’s a gamer to do? Increase the airflow over the thing by getting it up off the floor, and suspending it in the air with string — or if you’re not feeling like making a trapeze act out out of the thing, stick it on an open box so it can better emanate heat. Apparently this has been doing some good, but hey, remember that if it can’t sit on the ground as intended, it’s defective, so make sure you call ‘em up and get it sorted!"

Personally, I would have gone a bit further in expressing the importance of keeping everything, most importantly the power supply, from overheating.

Overall, just know that it is vital to keep everything cooled down.

Short, sweet and simple tip of the week!

Have a great weekend!

Mario Kart DS: Old School Stays New School

Hi everyone!

I'm sorry about my not being able to post yesterday, I was torn between Blogging and eating turkey and the turkey won.

Anyway, let's get down to it.

Today I wanted to post about a game that has turned heads for years and years, and shows no signs of letting up.

For this game, we'll jump over to the Nintendo console.

Mario Kart:

I grew up with Mario Kart and remember the first days of play almost as if it were just last week.

I remember watching my friends move the control off to the left, then to the right, then down towards the floor, etc. I remember everyone gathered around to watch and find out who stays on the track the longest and who ends up with a cup after the races.

Even today I find myself wishing I could toss a banana in front of certain drivers on the road.

Those were the days.

Yet, those days are not only still here, they've improved by leaps and bounds.

Of all the Mario games, this is the only one that I personally find still worth playing.

The new versions have stuck to the old ideas, but have added high tech graphics and many more options for smooth and personalized game play.

Enter Mario Kart DS:

With Mario Kart DS, you get top notch online gaming. With online racing and eight different players going at each other on the track, this is a must for the Mario Kart fans.

Mario Kart DS is a classic old school game that has kept its flavor alive and thrives to this very day.

Now, I should get back to my game and leave you to do some shopping.

Xbox 360's Selling for $3000+

Sheesh, what are people thinking. It's just an Xbox 360 game system, not a miracle cure for ignorance.

Xbox 360's are selling for much as $3,000 (at the time of this post) on eBay.

If you pay $3,000 or more for an Xbox 360, you my friend, are an idiot.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!

Mr Thompson loses Law License in 'Bama

The following is a quote from a news source:

Anti-videogame campaigner Jack Thompson has accused a judge of violating the code of lethal ethics after being removed from the GTA lawsuit and having his license to practice law in Alabama revoked.

Until earlier this month Thompson was the lead attorney in the case of Strickland vs. Sony, which was filed by the families of two police officers and a police dispatcher who were killed by a man who played Grand Theft Auto. The families are seeking damages from publishers, including Sony and Rockstar, and game retailers.

Thompson withdrew from the case after defence lawyers accused him of turning the courtroom "into a circus" and requested that his legal license be revoked.

Now that request has been granted, according to US website Game Politics, after Judge James Moore issued an 18-page document condemning Thompson's recent actions and rejecting his attempt to remove himself from the case, withdrawing his license to carry out legal work in Alabama instead.

In the ruling, Judge Moore stated that Thompson's behaviour in court "suggests that he is unable to conduct himself in a manner befitting practice in this state." Moore added that he was referring the case to the Disciplinary Commission of the Alabama Bar in order that "appropriate action" could be taken.

In response, Thompson has contacted the Judicial Inquiry Commission to question Moore's decision, stating: "In my opinion, Judge Moore has violated... The Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics by his unfortunate, improper, and prejudicial acts in this case, at the expense of three bereaved Alabama families."

I think we all knew this kind of thing was on its way. It was only a matter of time. All you have to do is follow the money and it will almost always end up in a place like this.

This guy should have watched his mouth but I guess that is something he simply could not do.

Hard to believe isn’t it?

The Matrix: Path Of Neo

The Matrix: Path Of Neo will take a storyline that closely follows that of the blockbuster motion picture trilogy The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

The game brings a new element into the scene. In the past, you pretty much had a path or a “way” to follow throughout the game. In this new title, you will have the full freedom to choose what you do at any time. It almost plays similar to GTA in that you now have the freedom to make your own decisions.

I was watching some game play clips over at GameSpot this morning, the fighting scenes (well from what I saw) look good but there was one thing that bugged me... why or what on earth is all the flashing about? Don’t know what I’m talking about? Just give it a go and you’ll soon find out.

Each time Neo went for a punch/kick/block a diamond like flash effect appears as if flashbangs were goin off... hope they take them out I really do. Take a look at gamespot, seems the Xbox version has more footage though.... I would still rather have the PS2 version just because of the entire button combo's and stuff.

NO XBOX 360 FOR YOU!

Reminds me of the soup nazi on Seinfeld....cause' that is the answer most people who want an Xbox 360 by Christmas will get.

The much anticipated Xbox 360 goes on sale tonight at midnight, and I'm sure the lines are already forming in some places. Good luck to those of you planning on spending some time in line tonight.

Amazon, which has been taking pre-orders for months now has a warning on its website stating: "Due to limited supply from Microsoft, we are unable to guarantee delivery of some Xbox 360 pre-orders for Christmas.

"Please also note that all pre-orders made on or after 2 November will have expected delivery dates in 2006. We are working with Microsoft to ensure that the consoles are delivered as soon as they become available."

I've read comments from people who pre ordered the Xbox 360 as early as August with Amazon who are now being told to not expect delivery until "sometime in early 2006."

My advice - wait 6 months or so until the price drops by a few hundred dollars (it will - they always drop a few months after release)and you don't have to trample a group of small children and mothers to get the last one off the shelves.

Waste of an Xbox 360

I'm sure it's no surprise to anyone that there will most likely be a shortage of the Xbox 360 during the launch and over the holiday season. It's the same thing every time a new console comes out - hard to get your hands on until after the holidays. It's not even just new game consoles, it's all of them. Last year (2004), years after the release of the original Xbox, I couldn't find one anywhere during the week of Christmas. I was looking to pick one up for my younger brother. Of course I could find it online, but I'm lazy and waited too long to order to have it arrive by the holidays.

Anyway, the real question is why the constant shortage Xbox's when they come out? The answer is to the right - Xbox 360's get handed out to rich bimbos who most likely will never even open the box. Maybe she would use it if it came with video recording capabilities...but that's a story for another time;-)

When will these companies, in this case Microsoft, figure out they need to add 25% to whatever number of Xbox consoles they think they are supposed to make and ship during the holidays? My guess is it won't be with the release of the 360 - we'll all be looking at another shortage just in time for the holidays.

UPDATE: 360 will play more than 200 Xbox titles

That's right! Microsoft announced on Friday that the new 360 platform will indeed play older titles.

As one would probably expect, MS also ensured that top Xbox games are also supported. Some of the titles supported include the Halo series, Star wars, the GTA's and many more. In total there are more than 200 that will play.

However, there is a catch. In order to play the regular Xbox games, you will need to load the game into the next-gen console and connect to Xbox live. The system will check for the software to run the title and if it does not exist, the system will download it for you.

Good stuff MS. I think the gaming community likes the direction we are headed so far.

Metal Gear Solid vs. GTA San Andreas

Over the past few weeks, I've seen a lot of polls and questions about these two games. MGS and GTA are arguably some of the best titles ever brought to the video game industry.

If I can only buy one, which should I buy?

MGS, a game many fans could not peel away from with its first release, is still chugging along strong and still coming out with some really nice new releases. With that being said, there are a few flaws we can talk about. The main one is the time factor. I've never been a huge fan of a video game that you could potentially finish within 5 to 10 hours if you really put your mind to it. Just knowing that it is possible sort of puts a damper on the entire idea. In my opinion, a major title like MGS should NEVER end after only 5 or 6 hours, period. I did enjoy spending a few hours playing with explosives and stealth camo, but that's really about it.

If you are ok with this, then I say go for it. The storyline is steller as always. That is a benefit that MGS has over GTA, the storyline is much better.

While GTA does not have a great storyline, at least you know that when you sit down for a few hours of play, that you will be able to play for hours and hours and still only be in the very beginning of the game.

GTA is a game that can be played for several hours without even saving.

I guess overall they both have some great features. Personally, I would chose GTA over MGS, I like the longer lasting titles. That way when you make the purchase you know you are paying for entertainment that will last for months to come.

GTA and MGS are two great titles! If you can get both, I say go for it! If not, well then it all depends on what kind of time you want to spend before reaching the end.

True Crimes: PC Edition

There really is no huge surprise here considering the fact that these planes were already announced to the German market, giving us the heads up that it was on its way here next.

True Crime, a game that is licenses from Activision, allows you to hold ultimate power as a street cop gone rogue in the hardened city of New York. You play a character that used to be a criminal but have now turned to the side of the law. Throughout the game you use and abuse your authority to track down the one who killed your mentor.

Features:

*Street Cop Life* Bust criminals, take down foreign and local gangs, search and seize, extort, interrogate, and dispense justice your way - by the book or indulge in the temptations of the job.

*Rule New York City* Free-roaming authentic neighborhoods, GPS-accurate streets and subways, landmark buildings, and countless interiors.

*Dynamic Environments* Unprecedented environmental gameplay - use ovens, stoves, machines, coolers, pots, pans, chairs or anything else you can grab to pound enemies.

*High-Speed Shootouts* Race through the streets of New York in shootouts! Pull off stunts with motorcycles, sports cars, trucks, buses, and more.

*Brutal Combat Styles* Switch fighting styles on the fly from street fighting to a variety of martial arts modes, opening up an array of moves and strategies to take down enemies.

*Heavy Weaponry* Use high-powered police issue weaponry, bats, swords, and other melee weapons, obtain black market arms like flamethrowers, grenade launchers, and more.

True Crime: New York City is rated "M" for "Mature" and will soon be available for preorder through Aspyr's website. For more information, visit Activision's official site.

Personally, I think the original title was pretty good. Let's hope this new PC version can hold strong the reputation True Crime has received.

Xbox 360 Game Titles and Halo 3 Rumors

Microsoft has confirmed that the Xbox 360, set to debut on November 22nd, will launch with 18 game titles. Despite rumors that have been circulating on the Internet, Halo 3 will not be one of them.

The original Xbox, which launched in Fall of 2001, only included 11 titles.

Among the initial game releases will be some classics: Madden 2006, NBA Live 2006, Need for Speed Most Wanted, Call of Duty and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. There will be some new game titles as well; Gun FIFA Soccer 2006 to name a couple.

IDC analyst Schelley Olhava also said the lineup, which includes 11 football, basketball, hockey, soccer, racing, snowboarding and skateboarding titles, may be "a little heavy" on sports.

"(But) there's a good mix between some shooters and sports and action and adventure games," she added. "There's nothing that jumps out at me as a red flag like they're missing this big piece."

David Cole, an analyst with DFC Intelligence, agreed that the lineup is sports-heavy, but said he thinks that can be an advantage for Microsoft as it tries to differentiate its new console from the 4-year-old Xbox.

"Sports games are always a good tab at launch because they look really good and are good for showing off the differences between the new systems and the old systems," Cole said.

As a sports fan, I'm looking forward to just about all of the sports games - except soccer.

Xbox 360 Countdown...7 Days

We've written quite a bit here about the much anticipated Xbox 360 that makes it's debut this month on the 22nd. Leading up the official Xbox 360 release, we'll do our best to keep you in the loop and updated with breaking Xbox 360 news.

The core Xbox 360 system runs $299, and the upgraded premium model goes for an extra $100. But both will do more than just play games - they will also be able to play DVDs, download music and store photos. The premium edition Xbox 360, which includes accessories such as a wireless controller, headset and detachable hard drive that lets you take the game with you. Sold separately, those accessories would cost an additional $225. Sounds like a media center, huh?

The new Xbox was designed for high-definition TV. The Chicago Sun Times tested the unit at home on both a standard television and an HDTV on the highest resolution possible. On the standard TV, the graphics were better than those on the current Xbox, but things were really noticeable on the HDTV.

Here's what the sun times writers had to say:

"In Madden, snowflakes randomly fell during a Bears game at Soldier Field, and it was cold enough to see the players' breath. With Tiger Woods you could make out the individual blades of grass better in high-definition. Everything was just crisper, which means if you don't currently own an HDTV, this could prompt you to buy one now."

I guess that means I'll have both the Xbox 360 and an HDTV on my Christmas list this year:-)

Sony Looking for New Game Ideas

" Sony Corp. has announced the 2006 edition of its Game Yaroze! (Let’s Play Games) competition, intended to find new talent including creators, designers, graphic artists and programmers.

The winners will enjoy full support from Sony, access to development hardware and software, technical guidance in setting up a team, with all living expenses paid by the Tokyo-based company.

Entrants must submit their entries via the Game Yaroze! website, which will be launched on November 1, 2005.

Source: Teamxbox.com"

I can almost hear the gaming community saying "it's about time". In my opinion, this should have been done long ago.

It is common knowledge that by allowing imaginations to work freely, we obtain higher achievements. There is a lot of intelligence in the gaming community and I am quite surprised that it has taken this long to begin opening up channels of communication such as this that will help acquire and use that intelligence.

Who knows better as far as games than the people playing them?

Not only are they listening, they are offering a pretty solid competition to go along with it.

Winner gets a team and all living expenses paid? You can't go wrong with that.

A little PSP news for the weekend

Very cool PSP commercial

We all know PSP has been known to pump out some really nice commercials, but this one seems to be in a quality level of its own.

It's a fast paced action scene that was dreamed up for the PSP with one intention, and that is to get our attention. Well, it succeeded.

I love it and watched it three times. Now I must admit it doesn't have anything to do with any game and basically only shows two CG characters built out of PSP logos fighting...still a good fight though...but doesn't beat Peter Griffin vs. The Chicken.


PSP Commercial

Does Japan always get the cool gadgets?

Is it just me or does Japan pump out some really cool stuff?

I mean, I am costantly amazed at what I find out there on the web. Just when you think you have seen everything, you realize you've seen nothing.

This morning I was posting in a gamer forum and ran across these Megaman EXE Utensils and thought I would post a pic here so you could see what they were all about in case you catch a conversation involving them.

Megaman utensils, what will we see next?

Good news for importers!

According to the head of Sonys South Pacific operations, Sony is more than likely scrap its practice of regional coding for the games for its Playstation 3 console.

The Playstation and Playstation 2 console contain a strain of code that will not allow the use of pirated copies of Playstation games on the console itself. This will also prevent the playing of any DVD discs that have regional coding as well.

This will all soon change though according to Sony. Michael Ephraim, Sony Computer Entertainment Australia managing director, says the company is unlikely to continue using the code as international television standards emerge.

"If you look at the fact that it will support high-definition TV, which will be a global standard, there's a good likelihood that it will be global region, as for example we've done with the PSP (PlayStation Portable)," Mr Ephraim said.

Well I say its about time. I understand the concept behind the coding of titles for regional purposes, but I never really felt it made things better.

Sounds like this problem may be solved.

PS3 not 100% backwards compatible?

To many, this is the ultimate question.

With the E3 unveiling of the PS3 earlier this year in May, all the attention was being centralised on it's burly hardware and jaw dropping graphics. Nobody seemed to care about the issue, or lack thereof, with the console not being backwards compatable. And when I say backwards compatable I mean it isnt compatable with anything! Not just the playstation 2 titles, but also the original playstation as well.

The comment about backwards compatability isnt going away.

The unwelcomed comment came as part of Sony's response to reported problems with the silver slimline PlayStation 2, due for release in Japan on November 23. Sony published a list of nine PlayStation 2 games, including Tekken 5 and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy, and 38 PlayStation games, including Resident Evil 2 and Worms, which have encountered problems playing on the silver PS2. Speaking to IDG News Service in Tokyo last Monday, Sony Computer Entertainment spokesperson Reiko Sakamoto said the problem was due to "multiple factors."

Sakamoto's remarks regarding the PS3 made it clear that Sony was not committing to anything and she stopped short of assuring us that the console would be 100% backwards compatable.

The PlayStation 3 is set for released in Spring 2006. Do keep in mind, Sony is not the only console with this issue. Microsoft may be in a similar boat when it comes to backwords compatability.

Keep your fingers crossed, we'll keep you updated.