As many of you know in the States Target, Wal-Mart and Best Buy are the places where most people buy their movies. But guess what? According to the boys over at Gizmodo Target has stopped selling UMD movies. And in fact has taken them off their shelves. Pretty crazy huh? No comment from SONY USA reps but simply check it out yourself. Go into any Target store and look around for UMD movies. Good riddance to bad rubbish. I mean do we really need a whole other movie format in the market to confuse the average customer?

- iamlegend

It's a good thing Sony has a diverse product line because without it I'm sure the company would sink just based on the performance of the PS3 and it hasn't even hit store shelves yet.

This is because Sony's games operations have suffered a Q1 loss of $231 million. These loses are due mainly to PS3 launch-related expenses.

Yet despite that an analyst at Lazard Capital Markets has said that the electronics manufacturer appears to be set to meet its goal of six million PlayStation 3 units shipped by April 2007.

Sony has repeatedly claimed that it will have two million units ready for the worldwide launch in November, with 1 million shipped out every month after to meet the six million target.

But it's not all doom and gloom for Sony. After all the company as a whole did post a Q1 profit with sales up 11 percent, mostly due to the success in the television, camera and notebook computers sectors.

Yes you read write. I know the saying is "for the masses" but this one truly is "for the massive."

I really don't know where some people come up with their ideas, but some of them are pretty cool, even if impractical.

Take this one for example: It's a portable console made out of Gamecube:

And we found it here.

I read this a few days ago, and you may have too because it's been circulating the web pretty heaviliy.

AMD has decided to purchase Canadian 3D graphics tech leader ATI for $5.4 billion. This is interesting to me personally because I prefer AMD processors and ATI video cards, so to me it seems like a natural fit.

And there will be those in the computing industry who will either shake their heads, laugh it off, or start to tremble, depending on their own preferences.

But the whole thing kinda stuck with me and I started thinking: What could such a deal mean to console gaming now and in the future?

Continue reading »

If you were considering beating the pack by pre-ordering a PS3 to guarantee it's going to cost you.

Apparently Sony doesn't want people preordering a bunch of PS3's and then hawking them on Ebay so you will have to fork out $200 per console.

I'm not really sure what this will accomplish as if someone wants to sell it on Ebay they're going to do it whether they have to pay $20 or $200 to pre-order. I guess it will stop some people from doing this but not many.

You'd think with all the bad press the PS3 has been getting lately that they'd offer consumers a break. Guess not.

After months of rumors, Microsoft has finally confirmed the existence of Zune, the project that will spawn products to compete with the iPod and iTunes.

Execs over at Microsoft announced they will be launching the Zune brand later this year. Like the rumors were saying the first products from this brand will be a portable audio player and a digital music service. The exprected release date plans to be by the end of 2006. The company also confirmed the rumored Wi-Fi connectivity features.

Furthermore, Microsoft has launched a couple of websites to start the buzz going. Go check out "Coming Zune" website and the "Zune Insider" blog. The company also said the launch will be a massive campaign that will include live performances worldwide. Hmmmmm... I wonder if David Hasselhoff will be performing.

-iamsiam

$711 Million. That's what Nintendo expects to make this year. This is up from the $556 million projected earlier this year.

So why the jump? Well, aside from the extraordinarily good DS sales, Nintendo expects to sell 6 million Wii consoles and 17 million Wii games this financial year which ends March 2007.

Imagine that - 6 million Wii consoles by next spring. Not too shabby.

So why is Nintendo doing so well when others seem to be struggling? I think i'ts pretty simple.

They've tapped into a niche that others haven't recognized. While Sony has the PSP, it is more of a high end portable gaming unit, while the DS fits into a lower price point, making it more accessible to most users. M$ of course doesn't have a handheld console (yet) and there is really no one else to speak of.

On the console side of things, the Wii's biggest competition will come from the Xbox. The PS3 will be late and expensive.

So this is why Nintendo can confidently make statements like this: Because it has a winning team - between the DS and the Wii.

I'm feeling lazy today so I'm just going to point you to a couple great articles on Next-Gen.

The first is actually some refreshing news. According to a recent article on Next-Gen Atari is going to offer a 360 game for...wait for it..... 40 bux!

Now you're probably thinking - $40?? What kind of crap are they trying to sell us for that? Well, how about Test Drive Unlimited. That's right - a modern, fully functional game at 2/3 the price of regular games. Way to go Atari!

And second today is about how the console "losers" seem to be the ones bringing innovation to the console world.

Okay okay so that kind of defeats the purpose of cell/mobile phone gaming if you have to plug it in to play the game. But you don't. That's just one of the many kick-ass options on the new Samsung SCH-B450. As you can see from the creepy looking robot model below, the phone even has a desgin built for gaming with the button layout and the flip over hinge. It's also not a bad phone either with the ablity to watch TV thanks to a DMB Tuner and a 2 megapixel camera. No word on whether the phone play Java games or what...........

- iamlegend

It was just yesterday that Forbes reported of a leaked report indicating that Asustek, one of the Manufacturers of the forth coming PS3, would be shipping out units by the end of the month.

" The first consignment is for 4 mln units, the report said, noting that monthly shipments will start at 200,000 units, rising to 2 mln in October."

Yippee! PS aficionados began chanting - a PS3 by Christmas or sooner!

And you thought that would have been the end of the story. But it wasn't.

Today Next-gen is reporting that Asustek has "fired a warning shot over the bows of the media" warning them not to handle any further reports based on leaked information. Doing so could get them sued.

I don't get it? I mean I kinda see Asustek's point, but this is good news for the PS3 in my opinion after all the bad press they've been recieving you'd think Sony or it's affiliates would welcome the news.

Guess not.

Well there's no word yet on the on the date for the US launch of the much talked about web browser for the Nintendo DS. In case you missed out on this news, the browser, developed by Opera Software, will enable DS owners to access the internet.

Now don't sweat! The DS browser will be coming to America. The question is when. I'm probably guess July next year but who knows. But on the bright side, Nintendo did announce the DS browser will be available in Japan by July 24th.

There's a video on YouTube that shows you the DS browser in action. Unfortunately, it's in Japanese and I have no clue what they are saying. For all I know they could be saying, "Check out this browser that the stupid Americans will never get." But the video is still pretty cool as it shows you the various capabilities like the handwriting recognition, touch screen keyboard and the zoom function.

For those who'd be interested in reading more about the DS browsers features (in English!) can go the developers site where you'll even find some tips and tricks on how to use this thing.

There's a really great interview with VP of corporate communications of EA games Jeff Brown. In it the talk isn't just about EA or it's games. No instead it seems to focus more on the consoles.

For example, while lots of people, us included, thing Sony is nuts for it's pricing scheme, Brown goes on record as saying that he isn't counting Sony out just yet. They've done this type of thing before quite successfully.

As for the Wii this is where he seems most concerned. From what I got of this interview, EA just doesn't know what to do with the Wii. They don't know because they don't have any idea what impact it's going to have. He goes on to say that they were surprised at the reception the Wii has been getting.

That being said, they aren't throwing all their resources behind Wii game development.

Continue reading »

While we recently told you how eagerly anticipated the Wii is it turns out that not everyone is excited.

According to reports circulating on the web, many game makers have underestimated the impact the Wii will have, so have made fewer games for the highly popular console.

Following cues from previous Nintendo consoles such as the Gamecube where there were less games available than competing consoles, game makers thought they could pull the same strategy with the Wii.

But we're here to tell you "Sorry but you figured wrong." In my opinion, the companies like EA which have a team of Wii developers will be the real winners, as long as they release titles.

You see, I do feel that the Wii is going to blow the doors off most other consoles this year.

Oh yeah, and if you want to learn more about the Wii, why not check out its Nintendo home page.

Nintendo came out with a redesigned DS Lite this year and people were gobbling them up like crazy! The new gadget, so stylish and sleek, got people to buy it on its looks as well as its performance.

But it looks like the new and improved DS Lite has come under fire. Mainly for the cost of it's sleek looks. There are quite a number of DS Lite owners reporting that the left hinge is prone to cracking. The small crack, about a few centimeters long, is purely aesthetic and does not affect gameplay at all.

There has been no real conclusion as to how these cracks could occur. Many gamers on the forums have treated their DS Lites like newborn babies and still get the cracks while others who have dropped theirs in the past reports no damage. Theories are coming up left and right on how the crack could occur.

I remember when the Playstation Portable had the dead pixel problem with their LCD screens. Consumers were given the option to exchange the units that are still under warranty. Thanks to the age of the internet to allow users like to voice their complaints and get heard. I wonder what Nintendo will do about this.

So far, I haven't heard anything from Nintendo about this matter but I'm sure we will soon!

Close up of the crack

-iamsiam

No really, they do. Check out this video from our friend's over at Gizmodo.

NexTechNews has a story about the PS3, but it's not a flattering story.

In fact it's far from it.

It appears that the cell processor - the core of the console - is so hard to manufacture that they are behind in shipments.

An IBM Semiconductor VP says they're "lucky to get 10 or 20 percent" out of a chip like the Cell. That means they are throwing out 80-90% of their production.

This won't be good for Sony as they are already fighting negative press about the price and poor performance. When you add this bit of news it makes me wonder if anyone will be coaxed into spending on the PS3?

It should be no surprise that the world is eagerly awaiting the Wii.

So when a Japanese mag performed a casual survey, we weren't surprised to read that more people are waiting for the Wii than the PS3. We've seen similar results with other surveys which have been taken around the world.

Here’s what gamers said are the consoles they’re most interested in buying:

73.6%: Wii
16.7%: PS3
9.7%: neither

But wait, there's more.

Continue reading »

Sweetness. One of our loyal readers sent this in. One of the Web best console hackers has taken a NES and make it portable. From his site "This uses a different kind of NES on a chip motherboard and is actually even smaller than my original nPod. It has an easy-to-use sliding battery pack (4 AA's that last a long time) and clean, simple styling. And lo and behold it has a headphone jack! Customization would also be possible, such as all the gray parts could be a different color, for instance." He's already sold the first more but is thinking about selling them for around $250-$300 a pop? Would you buy it for that?

- iamlegend

Well, last Tuesday we gave you info about the new iPod killer and today we're here to give you more info about the rumored media player.

So it seems there's confirmation on reports of the iPod competitive media player that Microsoft plans to release. The player will be named Zune. Now there's news that Microsoft has contacted representatives of iPod accessory manufacturers about possible accessory licensing and compatibility plans. It will be very similar to Apple's Made For iPod program. And just like the iPod, Zune will have a port that Microsoft will allow other companies to accessorize for a fee of course, but at a lower rate than Apple's program. Microsoft hopes this will lead to a big third pary support for the new device, similar to what the iPod has.

Furthermore, rumor has it that the Zune will follow Apple's footsteps by most likely using wireless communication technology. Instead of using Bluetooth, Microsoft plans to use technology they developed themselves. The new technology will offer bandwidth and has other benefits over Bluetooth but will also allow Microsoft to lock third-party developers out. The new technology could possibly allow Zune users to "share" their music between one another and connect to existing Wi-Fi home or hotspot network locations.

We'll keep you in the loop as further news about the Zune surfaces so keep checking out our site!

-iamsiam

When we first told you about the Louisiana game law we figured it'd be like a lot of them - poorly worded and likely to either get challeneged or thrown out by the courts all together.

In fact, the gaming industry has vowed in the past to challenge these laws whenever they come up.

I even ranted about this one just a little while ago because to me it shouldn't just fall on the vendor to ensure they should be selling the game.

But politicians will be politicians. And Louisiana politicians want a game law.

Continue reading »

With all the hype about the PS3 we found it refreshing to find some PS2 news.

Some ingenious people have figured out how to run homebrew on a PS2 using a cable and a laptop.

This site has instructions on setting up "ps2link" with your PS2, a mod chip (or exploit code) and a computer so you too can run homebrew apps on your PS2.

It doesn't give instructions on installing the mod chip but it does show how easy it is to reboot the PS2 to make it ready for homebrew. It also gives links to the software required and even some games you can run!

Check it out...

Sigh.....another week another new color from Nintendo. This one is called Noble Pink and is coming out in Japan in July of this year. This "Noble Pink" will set you back around $144.00. Hmmm is that really worth the $$? I wonder if there are people who try to collect all the different colors of consoles? I am sure there are. If you haven't heard the other DS Lite colors are going to be Crystal White, Ice Blue, and Enamel Navy? Enamel Navy??? Guess that's a better name than Noble Pink!

- iamlegend

Looks like all the talk about Microsoft making an iPod killer were true. There's more leaks coming out about the supposed "iPod killer". Brier Dudley, a Seattle Times columnist, claims the device is part of "a complete line of Xbox-branded digital-media products, including a device that plays media, a software media player and an online media service". Supposedly, the code name for the project is Argo. However, Gizmodo received info claiming the player was code named Zune. Gizmodo also stated it wasn't likely to have gaming features. On the other hand, Engadget scored the first photo of the device. As you can see from the photo, the player has a vertically oriented 4:3 aspect screen and will have iPod-like controls and styles.

Where's the reset button?

-iamsiam

I thought I'd lighten it up a bit so came across this interesting mod for your classic NES.

It looks pretty straight forward and actually turns the NES into something useful even when you aren't playing games.

This guy modded his NES and added a halogen desk lamp to the case. Now, the lamp works independant of the NES which means you can have it on or off when the console is on or off.

All in all, a pretty cool mod that won't break the bank.

As Sony faces increasing critcism for the PS3 and Microsoft deals with (false in our opinon) shortages of the Xbox 360, Nintendo continues to dominate. Enterbrain, which publishes sales data as well as Japanese games magazine Famitsu, reported that the DS Lite and original DS took the top two hardware sale spots during the January-June period in Japan. Nintendo sold 2.6 million DS Lites, and 1.3 million DS originals. The PSP followed in third place, with just under one million units sold for the period. As reported earlier this week, the DS Lite sold 575,000 units in June alone, in Japan.
Wow!

- iamlegend

The UK-based project team developing Gentoox, a Gentoo-based Linux operating system for the Xbox featuring Linux kernel 2.4.32 and the KDE desktop, announced its latest release on July 5, Gentoox Home v5.0. It is the team's first new release since v4.0 in June 2005.

Key new features, as listed by the project team, include:

* Gentoox Loader v6.04
* KDE 3.5.2
* XFce 4.2.x
* xt3 file system
* checkroot/checkfs bug fixed
* Sparkle 2.0
* ALSA and kernel ebuilds made to be more compatible with Gentoo

Besides Gentoox Home, the project's Pro, Sparkle, and Resctoox editions have all been updated, a team spokesman said.

Gentoox is an adaptation of the popular Gentoo Linux distribution. It is compiled from Stage 1 with full optimizations to run on a Microsoft Xbox games console. Software or hardware mods are required, the spokesman said.

To download your own free copy (794 MB), go here.

First off, I'd like to say Happy 4th of July to everyone!

Now onto some news about one of our favorite handhelds, the PSP!

Sony's been advertising the white ceramic PSPs in Europe (wish they'd sell those here!) and the ads are drawing some major criticism. The ads usually has a white woman dressed in a completely white outfit. But then, there is this one ad that has people calling sony racist. This one has the white woman in all white holding a black woman in all black by the throat or the jaw. The ad reads "Playstation Portable White is coming". Wow!

Sony execs claimed no ill intent with the ads. They said the marketing campaign was focused on the "contrast between the Black PSP and the Ceramic White PSP model". Furthermore, they added, "All of the images created for the campaign have been designed to show this contrast in colors of the PSP's, and have no other message or purpose."

To see the pics for yourself go here.

Here's the ad that's everyone's upset about:

Since most Americans are taking another day off for the 4th there isn't much news happening right now.

Therefore I thought I'd write a post I should have done a long time ago.

A few months ago I was contact and asked if I'd like a book on gaming. So I said sure, and next thing I knew it showed up in the mail.

Now I was thinking "ok these guys figure I'll read the book and then review it on my site" but at the same time I'm thinking "this book is going to suck."

Well they were right and I was wrong. Not only did the book not suck (in fact as far away from suckiness as you can get) I actually found it difficult to put down.

Continue reading »

Check out this great new video game console from the folks over at DEC. It's called the DEC PMP MVX430 and it looks awfull familiar doesn't it? The DEC PMP MVX430 according to the translations of this page has 256MB of memory, an SD card slot, video and image recording, four hours of audio recording, and it can display video, images, and plays games. Huh I wonder if the carts are the same? Maybe they called them DMU instead of UMD's? I mean really who thought this design was a good idea?

- iamlegend

Glad I'm not the only one thinking this, although I'm sure that if I asked there'd be many others that agree with me.

I recenlty came across an article on Next-Gen in which they say that the "PS3 'Could Come Third' in Console Battle."

Could?? COULD????

Granted they want to be diplomatic and err on the side of caution but c'mon people. It COULD come in 3rd?

Well I'm going to go out on a limb and say the PS3 WILL COME IN THIRD!!!

Let's look at the facts - first is price. That really settles it for many people. Even with the Sony brand, pricing is still going to be an issue.

And then you have developers saying that it's not a gaming console but more of a glorified DVD player.

And finally we have reports from Sony employees saying that the PS3 is broken. You add all that up and I think Sony is going to have a tough hill to climb.

It wasn't too long ago that we told you of a bunch of M$ Tips, Tricks and Rumors.

I think the most interesting rumor floating around these days has to do with will they or won't they?

Will M$ slash the price of the 360 in order to compete with the newer Wii or won't they?

At first it looked like they would but as we reported to you M$ came out to say that they won't. But then another rumor surfaced which seemed to indicated that M$ would not drop the price because they were bundling an HD DVD drive into new consoles.

But now we find out that there are no HD DVD plans in the 360's future. At least none that they are making public.

So there you go: no price break and no HD DVD - at least according to M$.