NewsOCZ May Bring Its Neural Controller to Consoles
Posted 07/28/08 at 09:56:18 AM by Paul Lilly
The next time your Xbox Live opponent threatens to destroy you with their mind, he might actually mean it. The same holds true for the Sony Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii consoles, as OCZ is considering bringing its Neural Impluse Actuator to all three major consoles.
In sci-fi fashion, the NIA interprets electrical signals from your brain to issue commands and so far the device is only available for PC gamers. But in a meeting with TechRadar, OCZ's director of marketing Tobias Brinkmann said his company is actively looking into porting the controller over to consoles.
"It's definitely something we are looking into," Brinkmann said. "The thing we think would be most cools is to get the NIA working with the Nintendo Wii - that would be good. But of course it would be great if we could get it working with all the consoles."
OCZ isn't the only company that sees a future in thought controls. Brinkmann claims that Microsoft once tried to aquire the NIA technology from OCZ, perhaps in an attempt to separate its Xbox 360 console from the PS3 and Wii.
Is mind control the next big thing? Post your thoughts below, or just think them.
NewsXbox Community App Store – All in One Entertainment Devices Emerge
Posted 07/26/08 at 04:47:55 PM by Justin Kerr
Microsoft made headlines recently by proudly proclaiming it would support Netflix streaming video to Gold members starting this fall at no additional cost. They have also announced plans to open a community application store whose concept very much mirrors the approach taken by Apple with the iPhone app store. Anyone can apply to join the XNA Creators Club, as long as you have the $99 application fee and a unique idea to work with. Microsoft will distribute content at prices ranging from $2.50 to $10.00 taking a mere 30% cut of the profits. Most readers know this approach is about as creative as the mii2 avatar’s but is still a step in the right direction. With community application support and streaming video now coming to the Xbox, it speaks to a larger trend. Consumers are increasingly looking for a one box solution to their entertainment needs. And the battle for the living room is just starting to heat up.
Click the jump to see to see why the future of all in one entertainment devices is bright.
NewsMicrosoft Announces 3D Dashboard Interface for Xbox 360, Coming This Fall
Posted 07/14/08 at 05:46:35 PM by Paul Lilly
It looks like a partnership with Netflix isn't the only thing Microsoft has planned for its Xbox 360 console. Coming this fall, the Redmond company announced it will be giving the console a complete software face-lift.
"When people turn on their Xbox 360s this fall, they'll get an entirely new interface and Dashboard, an entirely new Xbox through the magic of software," said John Schappert, head of LIVE services.
And new it is. The updated Dashboard will sport 3D interface, including 3D avatars that will look familiar to anyone who's ever used a Nintendo Wii, and will be integrated into your GamerCard. New emphasis will be placed on the community with IM, video chat, photo sharing, and a nifty-looking 3D slide interface for the main Dashboard screen, along with an 8-people party system.
NewsNetflix to Offer Streaming Movie Service for Xbox 360
Posted 07/14/08 at 05:17:26 PM by Paul Lilly
The console wars just got a whole hell of a lot more interesting. Earlier today at E3, Microsoft and Netflix announced an exclusive partnership that will give Xbox 360 owners the ability to stream movies and TV episodes included with their Netflix subscription to their living room TV set. The new service will launch in late fall and be available to LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix subscribers at no additional cost.
The partnership with Microsoft not only comes as a bonus to existing Xbox 360 owners, who prior to the update had to either buy a $99 set-top player through Roku or deal with unofficial (and buggy) workarounds, but also presents potential console owners a compelling incentive to pick up an Xbox 360 over the Blu-ray capable Playstation 3.
NewsSony to Steer Clear of PS3 Price Cuts, Aims for Profitability
Posted 07/11/08 at 06:16:14 PM by Pulkit Chandna
The last time Sony slashed PS3’s price, it immediately translated into much improved sales. However, Sony isn’t too keen on cutting prices at this time, according to its CFO Nobuyuki Oneda. This denial comes amidst rumors that suggest the Xbox 360 Pro console – one with the 20gigs drive – will soon receive a $50 price cut.
Even though the PS3 has climbed back to a position of moderate strength after the abyss it plunged into almost immediately after launch, it still is making huge losses. But Oneda told a forum in Singapore that he expects the gaming division to churn profits this fiscal year. Sony can do a world of good to PS3’s prospects by expanding the console’s small games library than lowering prices.
NewsSony Set to Sizzle This Summer with Playstation 3 Movie Download Service
Posted 06/26/08 at 09:06:45 PM by Paul Lilly
When Blu-ray won the high-definition format war, Sony's Playstation 3 transformed from a high priced console into a viable living room entertainment console, but it lacked the video download infrastructure that Microsoft could boast with its Xbox Live Marketplace. Not anymore. Sony CEO Howard Stringer spoke out on the company's goal to rollout its new video service across a varity of products through 2010, and it all starts with the PS3 this summer.
Find out why PS3 owners should be excited, and Microsoft worried, after the jump.
NewsPlaystation 3 Helps Sony Win Blu-ray War and Lose $3 Billion
Posted 06/24/08 at 09:43:08 AM by Paul Lilly
Sony's decision to slap a Blu-ray player into its Playstation 3 console helped seal HD-DVD's fate as the modern day Betamax, but the costly hardware also helped contribute to a whopping $3 billion loss in hardware sales, according to a Kotaku report. Sony's fiscal 2008 annual report also pinpointed "the large-scale investment required during the development and introductory period" as a contributing factor. Throwing salt into the financial wound, the now ancient PS2 sold more hardware than the PS3 in fiscal 2008, and nearly three times as much software. Ouch.
NewsDaily News Brief: Hacking Firefox 3!
Posted 06/13/08 at 04:54:17 PM by Paul Lilly
Force unsupported FF3 extensions to download, see what questions surround Mac OS X 10.6, Comcast increases upload speeds, and much more!
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