Posted 05/14/08 at 05:08:08 PM | by Paul Lilly
Those looking to build their own notebook may not have nearly as many avenues to exploit as desktop builders do, but they'll have at least one more as OCZ jumps into the fray. OCZ today announced their DIY Gaming Notebook Program, giving users the option to purchase a barebones notebook, customize it, and then ultimately build it. Initial runs will come standard with a 15" screen and 8600M GT, taking some allure out of the 'Gaming' moniker.
E-tailer ClubIT.com has become a forum favorite in recent months, with many longtime members migrating over from the 'Egg, but that all comes to an end today. On their website, ClubIT.com states "We are sad to announce that PC Club and ClubIT are now closed." Customers with "pending orders or concerns" are being asked to contact customerinfo@pcclub.com. It was a little over a year ago that Monarch Computers, another e-tailer on the up and up, shut its doors for good.
Nintendo launched their WiiWare service this week, giving gamers the ability to download original games. In Zune-like fashion, new titles run from 500 to 1,500 Wii Points ($5 to $15), with six titles inaugurating the service: Final Fantasy Chronicles: My Life as a King, LostWinds, Defend Your Castle, Pop, V.I.P. Casino: Blackjack, and TV Show King.
Sony today said its annual net profit nearly tripled to hit a record high, with sales of digital cameras and laptop computers leading the charge. This despite continued losses from the PlayStation 3, responsible for keeping its games division in the red. Sony CFO Nobuyuki Oneda said he expects Sony's games division to return to profits "thanks to a reduction in the cost of PS3 hardware and an increase in the number of software titles." More here.
Apparently reports of Dell's death knell to its XPS line are greatly exaggerated. Responding to a Wall Street Journal report, Dell wrote that "both [Dell XPS and Alienware brands] will live on." Rather than kill off the XPS line, Dell plans to expand its focus on the Alienware branding and "invest like crazy in product development, design, and engineering." Crazy? Word up, yo!
Charter Communications plans to begin eavesropping on customers' web surfing activity to help web advertisers deliver targeted ads. But lest you let this bother you, Charter bills the new policy as an enhanced online experience." Charter promises customers won't see more ads, just ads that are more relevant to the surfer's interests. Er, cool?
Of course it will! But the real question is, does GTA IV encourage blender violence?
Links:
[1] http://www.maximumpc.com/user/one4yu2c
[2] http://www.ocztechnology.com/aboutocz/press/2008/287
[3] http://www.ocztechnology.com/products/diy_notebooks/ocz_diy_gaming_notebook
[4] http://www.clubit.com/
[5] http://www.pugetsystems.com/monarch_computer.php
[6] http://www.dailytech.com/Nintendo Launches WiiWare With Six Games/article11759.htm
[7] http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080514/bs_afp/japanelectricalcompanyearningssony;_ylt=AmXDQJ00LWGPECuSNXT1eScjtBAF
[8] http://yourblog.direct2dell.com/
[9] http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/charter-to-inse.html
[10] http://connect.charter.com/landing/op1.html
[11] http://www.joystiq.com/2008/05/14/suprising-no-one-gta-iv-blends/