Archive for the ‘TECH’ Category

Finally, Ubisofts new Splinter Cell: Conviction will be arriving next month in a bundle after being delayed.  The box will contain a standard black Xbox 360 with a 250GB hard drive, 2 controllers and a copy of the game.  The price will be $399.  I guess Splinter Cell isn’t a big enough game franchise to warrant its own limited edition console like Infinity Wards Modern Warfare 2.  I suppose we’ll have to wait for Halo Reach before getting the largest hard drive with a limited console.

Getting a nice Splinter Cell bundle with a plain console is great and everything, but when is Microsoft going to let the rest of us buy a separate 250GB hard drive for our perfectly working Xbox 360’s?  I need to replace my 20Gig because the darn thing is full and I want more storage than a 120Gig.  Well?  Last I heard Microsoft has no plans on releasing a 250GB hard drive as a stand alone unit as of yet.  Halo fans must freakin’ wait.

The official Final Fantasy 13 Xbox 360 bundle has been announced by Microsoft at the X10 event.  The console will NOT be released in Japan as a PS3 FFX13 special graphics edition version of the PS3 console is on sale in that country.  This console bundle will not be a limited edition version like the Modern Warfare 2 system.  It will include a  standard white Xbox console with 2 controllers, a 250GB hard drive, downloadable avatar items, and a standard copy of the game.  A custom Final Fantasy 13 faceplate will be available and sold separately.

The console bundle will be released with this fantastic game March 9th in North America.  The price will be $399.

The first Microsoft retail store is open for business in Scottsdale, AZ of all places.  Reporters were quick to draw parallels between the Microsoft store and the brick and mortar Apple stores.  People actually camped outside for this?  Maybe they wanted their consoles fixed badly?

Rows of tables bearing laptops and desktop monitors feature Microsoft’s products and offer a hands-on approach and the Answer Desk, a domineering counter at the rear of the store, is clearly a carbon copy of Apple’s “Genius” program.

- Destructoid 

Most of the store was not devoted to the XBOX.  Only 15% was set aside for console gaming while the rest of the store debuted other MS products and peripherals.  Unfortunately the PC Gaming section of the store was even smaller than 15%.  PC gaming is really taking a back seat to consoles lately.  Well, that’s another article for later.  A reporter from Destructoid was very impressed with the store either way.

Microsoft’s second store in Mission Viejo, Calif. will open on Oct. 29.  Microsoft is trying to reinvent itself it seems and has lots of catching up to do with Apple stores.  I’m sure people who have problems with Windows on their PC’s or the Red Ring Death on the XBOX 360’s will appreciate having somewhere “official” to go ask question and receive repairs.

ATI now powers current XBOX 360 graphics with a Xenos chip so it makes sense that Microsoft would stay with ATI for its next generation console.  ATI merged with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) a chip maker based in California in 2006.  Fudzilla reports that Microsoft was all too happy to get contract negotiations started as soon as possible.

Reasons for Microsoft’s eagerness may be they hold backwards compatibility for its games as a priority unlike other console makers.  Microsoft has a lot riding on its down-loadable games “on demand” content service  and doesn’t want to piss off its large XBOX LIVE user base.

Staying with chip maker ATI overcomes large hurdles for backwards compatibility says Techdirt, and speculation as to what the next gen XBOX will be named the XBOX 720 or XBOX 1080 is swirling the net.  Reports are that Microsoft will probably announce the next console sometime in 2010.  We won’t get our hands on the console that early, probably the new mystery machine will be delivered in 2012.

For you tech geeks, Fudzilla is reporting that given the amount of lead time the new graphics processor may be a 28-nanometer chip.  Ahhh, take that in Techies!  Be careful when crossing the street and watch out for buses or you might miss the next console.

This engine may be powering games for the next generation of consoles. Amazing!

New Xbox 360 bundles with 120GB and 250GB hard drives are about to arrive.  Plenty of space to download digital content and upload your favorite Xbox games.

The Halo 3 Bundle has been confirmed for release later this month in Europe and other PAL territories with North American NTSC release possibly to follow in the near future.  The console bundle is a black Xbox 360 Elite version and comes with a 120GB hard drive, a standard wireless controller, Halo 3 (full game), Halo 3 ODST (full game), and a beta key for Halo Reach multiplayer.  This would be a great Xbox setup for those who don’t own the console and have been itching to play the Xbox 360’s flagship game HALO 3.  Price?  No price is yet confirmed except it is going for around €280 or $410 USD in Europe.  The Dude would speculate the console would probably sell for $399 with included software.

Already own Halo 3, but need new a special limited edition console?  Then this Xbox 360 maybe for you.  The Modern Warfare 2 bundle has been officially announced for release in North America and will arrive November 10th.  The bundle includes a special limited edition MW2 console, a 250 GB hard drive, two standard wireless controllers, and a copy of the new Modern Warfare 2 game.  The price has been announced at $399.

Microsoft is going nuts releasing new bundles while upping the storage capacity of its console.  There is still lots of life left in the Xbox 360 and game developers are still finding ways to flush out its processing and graphical power.  The new 120GB and 250GB capacities are huge compared to the original 20GB Xbox 360.  There are rumors that a 250GB Forza Motorsport 3 racing console has been spotted in Germany and that a 500GB console will be introduced sometime in 2010.  Possibly a Halo Reach Xbox 360 special edition. Totally speculative, but very probable.

Finally!!!  The PS3 price drop is here and the PS3 Slim has arrived!  Get an 80 GB PS3 original version while supplies last, and the Slim verison should arrive next month.  Both version have upgradable hard-drives and cost $299 USD, €299 Europe, and £299 UK.  The price drop will be in effect tomorrow.  The 160GB version will cost $399.  New features will be announced for online content and the PSP.  Will this announcement turn the console wars towards Sony’s favor?  It’s been 3 years and the price is now competitive with the Xbox360.  It may be very favorable if the PS3 slim 120GB is announced officially later this month for $299 matching the Xbox360 Elite!

Strange pictures of the Xbox 360 Elite with a new price has been circulating the net as of late.  Wow, a $100 price drop!  Maybe!  The console could be available for only $299 August 30.  Why not?  It sure makes sense!  This coincides with the new Xbox dashboard update this week which includes the capability to download full 360 games as well as the classic Xbox library of games.

Microsoft now offers the $199 Arcade Xbox 360 with no hard drive, the $299 60GB Pro, and the $399 120GB Elite model.  According to Kotaku, Microsoft is planning to replace the 60GB Xbox 360 Pro with the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite with a $299 price point by August 30.  This is a huge move for Microsoft totally eliminating the 60GB sku opting for the 120GB version for the same price.  The 120GB hard drive alone is currently offered for $120 dollars, but Microsoft has big plans for its upgraded Xbox Live service.  A growing library of downloadable Xbox and Xbox 360 games direct to the hard drive, microtransactions which support Xbox Live Arcade and game add-ons, as well as Netflix movie content.  Not to mention trying to keep Sony Corp. at bay with their popular Playstation Network and Home for the PS3 growing at rapid pace.  There are rumors that Sony is dropping the price of their console as well by at least $100, and will soon introduce the PS3 Slim.  Which I myself would like to purchase.  Let the DLC revolution begin!