D-Box X3me and Quest chairs

For those who love the feeling of being seated in simulation rides, the D-Box X3me and Quest chairs are just the thing for you. Each of these leather recliners come with integrated actuators that pull you into the onscreen action, rocking you in style (and in sync) with the movie's movement and sound. You'll need a D-Box decoder box to act as the go-between for your media player and D-Box chair. New movies will have their motion codes constantly updated on the D-Box site. These chairs are capable of up to 2Gs of acceleration as well as 100 movements per second. The X3me retails for a whopping $13,110, while the Quest is $4,140 cheaper but misses out on one actuator.

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2007/11/dbox_x3me_and_quest_chairs.html

Good Turkey Recipe!!!!!!

INGREDIENTS
1 (12 pound) whole turkey
6 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cups warm water
3 tablespoons chicken bouillon
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 tablespoons seasoning salt

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse and wash turkey. Discard the giblets, or add to pan if they are anyone's favorites.
Place turkey in a Dutch oven or roasting pan. Separate the skin over the breast to make little pockets. Put 3 tablespoons of the butter on both sides between the skin and breast meat. This makes for very juicy breast meat.
In a medium bowl, combine the water with the bouillon. Sprinkle in the parsley and minced onion. Pour over the top of the turkey. Sprinkle seasoning salt over the turkey.
Cover with foil, and bake in the preheated oven 3 1/2 to 4 hours, until the internal temperature of the turkey reaches 180 degrees F (80 degrees C). For the last 45 minutes or so, remove the foil so the turkey will brown nicely.
My mom made this. its good!!!!!

SeeSnake micro inspection camera

Ridgid has released the SeeSnake micro inspection camera, helping DIY lovers to detect and diagnose problems throughout the home with ease. The SeeSnake micro inspection camera is the first professional-grade adjustable mini-camera that can see inside, underneath and in-between the toughest-to-reach spots. A high-resolution camera head rests at the tip of a flexible 3-foot cable, reinforced by a waterproof vinyl jacket. The cable and camera are manually controlled, whereby images are relayed back to a 2.4" color LCD display connected to a comfortable pistol-grip handle. A couple of adjustable LEDs help provide the optimal amount of light no matter the task. Each SeeSnake micro inspection camera is accompanied by 3 separate attachments which can be twisted and locked into place on the camera head. The Hook Tip lets users pick up, tug, or pull small objects within reach of the cable, while the Magnetic Tip picks up metal objects. Last but not least, the Mirror Tip allows users to look around corners, providing more versatility in even the tightest spots. You can pick up the SeeSnake micro inspection camera for $239. -->

http://www.ubergizmo.com/15/archives/2007/11/seesnake_micro_inspection_camera.html

Ubisoft Announces Rainbow Six Vegas 2, Haze Delayed Until 2008

Upon releasing their financials for the six months ending September 30, 2007, Ubisoft showed their sales were up 52%, and sell-through sales for Assassin’s Creed have topped the 1 million mark.

Unfortunately, with the good, you also have to take the bad, and while the PS3 (cough - timed) exclusive Haze was supposed to be released sometime in December, Ubisoft has now officially pushed the game back until the fourth quarter of fiscal 2007 – which means the game will be

pushed out of this year, and land in the first part of 2008.
However, Ubisoft today also announced Rainbow Six Vegas 2, the sequel to the chart topping Rainbow Six Vegas, will be released in North America in March of 2008.

The game is being developed by the original Vegas team – Ubisoft Montreal. Little is known about this sequel, however, the game is said to “break new ground in both co-op and adversarial modes, while providing unprecedented interaction between the solo and multiplayer modes.” To that, we say bring it.

http://gameinformer.com/NR/exeres/4B18B5EB-EBCE-4151-ACFB-CB471DC4C2D9.htm

More Bestbuy Black Friday Doorbuster Specials Anounced

BestBuy has announced more Doorbuster specials that will be available in-store only on Black Friday. They will have a Toshiba A135-S7403 Laptop & Canon 3-in-1 Printer Package for $229.98 and a Samsung 40" 1080p Flat-Panel LCD HDTV for just $1199.99. To see the full list of BestBuy Doorbusters,Click Here

All The Black Friday Info You Need!!!

Check out http://www.blackfriday.info for all the black friday specials you can handle.

Rock Band

Developed by Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, Rock Band™ is an all-new platform for you to experience music, giving you the chance to rock in the shoes of the biggest guitarists, bassists, drummers, and singers of all time—as a solo superstar or as part of a hard-rocking band.

Rock Band delivers the most authentic music game ever—by challenging rockers to master lead guitar, bass, guitar, drums, and vocals. Built on unprecedented deals with top record labels and music publishers, the music featured in Rock Band spans all genres of rock and includes many master recordings from legendary artists.

• Play the hottest music: Rock Band includes dozens of all-time classics as performed by the original artists. Rock out to legendary artists from punk, metal, alternative, southern, and classic rock.
• Break out your axe: Shred on guitar and bass like never before with the all-new Fender™ Stratocaster™ replica guitar.
• Bang the skins: Play like a real drummer on a drum kit with four pads, a kick pedal, and real drum sticks.
• Sing your heart out: Take center stage on lead vocals and bring down the house on rock's greatest anthems.
• Live the rock lifestyle: Completely customize your characters to reflect your own inner rock god.
• Try out multiple game modes: Play solo or as a band in tour mode. Start small and work your way to the top.
• Take your act online: Go online to play with—or compete against—rockers around the world.
• Grow your act: Keep expanding your rock universe with downloadable content.
• Get the Special Edition: The Special Edition of Rock Band includes the Fender Stratocaster replica guitar, the drum kit with four pads, kick pedal, drum sticks, and a microphone so you can really rock out.

http://www.xbox.com

Shopping carts get text displays

Modstream aims to bring advertising to a whole new level by introducing shopping carts which come with scrolling text displays on the handles itself, allowing advertisers to beam messages to selected stores sans wires. I suppose the messages will change each time you walk through different aisles, tempting you to purchase goods that aren't even on your shopping list to begin with. No idea on when such shopping carts will be used, but that time would require you to be more disciplined than ever when it comes to purchasing items.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

HTC Touch gets a facelift

HTC has decided that the Touch is getting a wee bit too old for its own good (although it was just launched like, this year) and decided to inject the equivalent of electronic Botox inside, resulting in a couple of new shades for those who find the black and green shades off-putting. These new colors include white and burgundy, and will see an increase of RAM to 128MB as well as 256MB of ROM. Best of all is, the price still remains the same - in South East Asia at least, as it retails for S$848.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

Transcend T.sonic 650 MP3 player

Transcend has released its T.sonic 650 MP3 player that offers up to 4GB of storage space at a price that does not hurt the pocket that much. Features include a dual color OLED display, a lyrics sync function, an intuitive interface, a 4-way button, an integrated FM radio as well as Voice Activity Detection for high quality gapless voice recordings and personal memos. Audio formats supported include MP3, WMA, WAV and even WMA-DRM10. The Transcend T.sonic 650 measures 75 mm x 31 mm x 13 mm and weighs a mere 30g. It will come in ivory and charcoal colors, coming in 2GB and 4GB capacities.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

3G iPod nano knockoff

ECNokia of China has just lifted the veil on its latest knockoff effort that takes after the form factor of the 3G iPod nano. Not only does it come with an integrated FM tuner, a microphone for voice notes, and a much larger touchscreen display, it also boasts a 1.3 megapixel camera for you to snap impromptu shots. Unfortunately, there is no internal flash memory for you to fill it up - instead, all your media will have to be carried by an SD memory card slot. You can also bet your bottom dollar that the user experience won't be as refined as the real deal. There is currently no word on pricing or availability, since it is most probably available only to wholesalers at the moment. Keep a keen eye out whenever you see a cheap 3G iPod nano on eBay with such clones floating around in the market.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

Breezewalk Shoes

The Breezewalk Shoes that you see here look pretty ordinary - until you realize that each pair comes with their own air-conditioning system that keeps both your feet cool, resulting in non-stinky socks for supple and spry feet; no matter how much time you spend at the office each day. Choose from Bureaucrat, Red Tape and Jobsworth styles to suit your current station in life. While you won't see a mini air-cond compressor anytime soon, the Breezewalk Shoes come with patented aeration channels that circulate air around your foot without any negative effects on your stability or comfort of your walk. Strangely enough, I suppose these aren't really what folks are looking for since the price has been marked down from $149.95 to a mere $49.95.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

Amazon rolls out Kindle

Amazon has finally made the Kindle e-book reader available, and it will support over 90,000 books which can be purchased in the Kindle Store online, including 101 out of 112 current New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases for $9.99 a pop unless stated otherwise. The $399 Kindle is wireless, so you will be able to download just about any book you fancy no matter where you are courtesy of its delivery system, Amazon Whispernet that shares the same EV-DO network as cellphones. It takes less than a minute to download your reading material of choice, and since Amazon pays for the connection you don't have to worry about data plans or monthly wireless bills. While the lack of a backlight eliminates eyestrain and glare, that means the Kindle is useless in the dark unless someone creates a Kindle Lamp accessory. Other features include built-in access to The New Oxford American Dictionary and Wikipedia.org, making this a veritable tome of knowledge.

http://www.ubergizmo.com

Google and Sun may butt heads over Android

San Francisco - Google could be heading for a showdown with Sun over the way Android, Google's new mobile phone software platform, handles Java.



Instead of using the standards-based JME (Java Micro Edition) as an engine to run Java applications, Google wrote its own virtual machine for Android, calling it Dalvik. There are technical advantages and disadvantages to using Dalvik, developers say, but technology may not have been the driver for Google.

Google most likely built Dalvik as a way to get around licensing issues with Sun that would have come with using JME, said Stefano Mazzocchi, a developer and board member at Apache Labs.

Phone makers that incorporate JME into their phones must license the technology from Sun if they intend to make any modifications to it, Mazzocchi said. A phone maker could freely use JME under an open-source license if it shares innovations to the software with the community, but most large handset makers are reluctant to do that, he said.

Rather than require phone makers to license JME as part of Android, Mazzocchi said, Google built its own virtual machine. Dalvik converts Java bytecodes into Dalvik bytecodes.

"So Google can say Dalvik is not a Java platform," said Hari Gottipati, a mobile developer who also has been examining the issue.

Google declined to comment on Dalvik.

"I believe Sun didn't see this coming," Mazzocchi said. "I think this was a very smart and clever move."

Still, Google could run into trouble. If Google used any of Sun's intellectual property to build Dalvik, Sun could sue Google for patent infringement, Mazzocchi said. "I'd be very curious to see what Sun would do," he said. That's because Sun is a staunch advocate for open source, so it would hardly appease the open-source community to sue Google over an open-source software stack.

However, Google's move threatens Sun's business strategy, Mazzocchi said. He believes that Sun sees a bright future in the mobile market and hopes to earn revenue off the use of the Java virtual machine by phone makers. Google's plan diminishes that opportunity for Sun.

While Sun declined to comment directly for this story, it pointed to some public statements from company executives. Jonathan Schwartz, president and CEO of Sun, wrote a blog post congratulating Google on the day of Android's launch. Notably, he refers to Android as a "Java/Linux" platform. By contrast, Google carefully appears to avoid calling Android a Java platform. Google describes the Android software development kit as a set of tools that lets developers create applications using Java.

Sun also shared statements that Rich Green, executive vice president of software at Sun, made during Oracle Open World this week about Android. "We're reaching out to Google and are anticipating they will be reaching out to us to ensure the software and APIs will be compatible so deployment on a wide variety of platforms will be possible," he said.

Green also said that Sun wants to work with Google to prevent creating a fractured mobile development environment.

That's a concern for other mobile developers like Gottipati. The mobile environment is already fractured. Even with JME, he has to alter his applications for different phones. "But in that case, as a developer, I'm porting once and maybe tweaking for different phones," he said. "But with this, you'll need to develop a separate application that's not standard. Unless Android becomes mainstream and kills J2ME ... why should I develop applications that are not standard which I'm not sure about because I haven't seen any commercial handsets yet?"

Gottipati believes that the technical differences in Dalvik were the main driver for Google, not the licensing issue. The license fee that handset makers must pay for JME is very nominal, he said. He thinks that if Google asked, Sun would have included JME in Android and waived the licensing fee.

http://news.yahoo.com

New Zune media player in short supply

SEATTLE - The 80-gigabyte Zune media player Microsoft Corp. launched Tuesday has sold out across the Web, to the dismay of online shoppers and delight of the world's largest software maker.



"Anyone know where I can get a Cabbage Patch Doll ... er ... I mean Zune?" asks an Amazon.com Inc. customer listed as Paul Taylor on the Web retailer's message board for the product.

Amazon told Taylor and others that their preordered devices for Nov. 13 shipping would not be sent for 10 more days, according to the message board.

While Web retailers have 4 GB and 8 GB versions of the second-generation Zunes in stock, the 80 GB music player is not available on Amazon, Best Buy or Circuit City's Web sites.

Microsoft said it prioritized the manufacture of the smaller Zune 4 and Zune 8 devices, and that more of the 80 GB version should be on shelves, physical and virtual, in the next 10 to 14 days.

Rumors of a manufacturing delay spread across consumer electronics blogs this week.

"I think they were already probably a little later than they would like to be, given Apple's iPod announcement" of a new line of the market-leading devices in September, said Matt Rosoff, an analyst at the independent research group Directions on Microsoft. "They probably wanted to get anything out the door as soon as they could."

Quite a few Zunes have "definitely shipped and sold," and Amazon is being given a limited number each week, said Anya Waring, an Amazon spokeswoman.

Microsoft, for its part, is happy to see such a positive reaction, according to a spokesman.

http://www.news.yahoo.com

T-Mobile Suspends Sales of Sidekick Slide

T-Mobile USA suspended sales of the T-Mobile Sidekick Slide phone on Friday evening, Nov. 16, the company confirmed Monday.



The company decided to suspend sales after Motorola, which manufactures the devices, said that some may inadvertently power off when the slide door on the front side of the phone is opened or closed. The root cause has not been determined.

The T-Mobile Sidekick LX and Sidekick iD are not affected by this issue, T-Mobile said.

The phone was just launched earlier this month, but T-Mobile said it took action "to help ensure our customers only receive devices we're confident will perform at their peak, so they can stay effortlessly connected to those who matter most," the company said.

If a customer purchased a Sidekick Slide that is experiencing the unintended power cycle issue, they may contact T-Mobile Customer Care, or go to a T-Mobile retail store, "for assistance and to discuss available options," T-Mobile said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/zd/20071119/tc_zd/219899;_ylt=AvIaynvAuvMUlFYtjPkkKlySxLEF

Q&A: Microsoft on Xbox Live turning five

When Xbox Live first went online five years ago, $49.95 would buy gamers a year's subscription to the service, a headset, and a pair of demos. For that price, customers could play a relatively slim selection of seven titles online, more than half of those sports games.

Today, every Xbox 360 game released has Xbox Live support integrated in it, either in the form of full-fledged online multiplayer, downloadable content from the Xbox Live Marketplace, the full game's availability on Xbox Live Arcade, or even just incorporating the basic friends list, achievement, and messaging capabilities.

As the catalog of titles offered has grown, so too has the number of subscribers. With the introduction of the Xbox 360 in November of 2005, Microsoft staggered its service into the yearly-fee Gold and completely free Silver levels, with online play limited to the former set. As a result of the change, the Live user base has increased dramatically, so much that Microsoft last week announced that it has surpassed the 8 million mark.

With Microsoft celebrating the anniversary of its online endeavor, Xbox Live Arcade product manager Jeremy Wacksman took some time to answer a handful of questions about the Arcade and Marketplace aspects of Xbox Live.

GameSpot: What are the biggest success stories for downloadable content on Live Marketplace?

Jeremy Wacksman: We're very pleased with the success of Xbox Live Marketplace. There is incredible momentum behind Xbox Live Marketplace with 10 billion Microsoft points redeemed to date ($120 million). More than 290 million pieces of content such as high-definition movies, TV shows, games demos, and Xbox Live Arcade titles have been downloaded from Marketplace since the launch of Xbox 360.

GS: Two years after launch, we're typically still only getting two days' heads-up on Live Arcade releases. Will gamers ever get more advance notice about the release schedule?

JW: It is our goal to provide Xbox 360 owners with news on upcoming Xbox Live Arcade-related content on a regular basis, which is often in the week preceding the release of new content on an Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday. We've also started giving gamers a periodic look into upcoming titles by announcing several games launching in a given month-to-two-month period in advance.

GS: We've had fewer demos and Live Arcade games miss promised release dates due to hangups with Live Arcade certification issues. Is that because developers aren't having as big a problem with passing certification these days, or have they just learned not to promise a release date until it is set in stone?

JW: Game development is a complex business and there are multiple reasons why a title might shift launch windows. What's most important to us is that we never ship a title before it's ready in order to ensure great high-quality games for our community. And overall, as developers have become more familiar with making games for Xbox Live Arcade, they've become more accurate with their launch predications.

GS: Last year Aaron Greenberg told us that the Live Arcade business was shaping up to be antiseasonal, in that sales were up in the summer and down during the holidays. Have you seen the same spike in sales around the holidays that the retail business experiences?

JW: Unfortunately, we don't share specific sales/revenue numbers. What I can tell you is that we continue to enjoy incredibly strong growth on the service. Within that overall growth, whenever there is an increased amount of fantastic retail titles launched, like we are seeing this holiday, we see consumers balance their activities between all those new games and Xbox Live Arcade. And conversely, as a digital service we enjoy an increase in attention outside of those retail windows.

GS: Are you noticing Live Arcade sales going up when there are lulls in the big retail releases, or sales tapering off when there's a huge new release like Halo or Madden to compete with?

JW: Gamers have limited time to play, and the appeal of Xbox Live Arcade is that you can jump in and start having fun instantly, whether that's for five minutes or a few hours at a time. When Halo 3 launched, we did see less users on Xbox Live Arcade, and that's attributable to the immense appeal of that title.

GS: Sony is already selling stand-alone retail-caliber games through its PlayStation Network in Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Online and Warhawk. Xbox Live Marketplace has Oblivion: Shivering Isles and Tomb Raider: Anniversary, but both of those are sold as expansions to existing 360 games. When will Microsoft offer newly developed, previously unavailable full-scale games through the Marketplace?

JW: Since Xbox Live Marketplace launched with Xbox 360 in 2005, the breadth of content available for download has evolved significantly. Now, Marketplace offers everything from high-definition movies, TV shows, trailers, game demos, and Xbox Live Arcade games, and in early December, full-length Xbox Originals. While the service will continue to evolve, we have nothing further to announce at this time.

GS: What did you learn from Xbox Live Arcade on the original Xbox? Was it a success as anything other than a dry run for the Xbox 360 service?

JW: Xbox Live Arcade on the original Xbox had a few key successes for us. First, it was essential in proving that Arcade content was in demand with our audience. Second, we created strong partnerships with key developers and paved the way for the development and publishing process in place on the Xbox 360. And most importantly, we established what Xbox Live Arcade was--high-quality, pick-up-and-play games that are quick downloads, provide free trials, and leverage Live.

GS: XBLA has grown to the point where it typically has two weekly releases. You've talked about carefully managing the portfolio of games on the service, so it seems at some point you would want to cap the number of games available. Is there a maximum number of games Microsoft wants to offer? When will we start seeing older or unpopular games removed from the service? Will gamers get any warning before such games are yanked?

JW: We strive for a nice balance of content in the Arcade portfolio, and Xbox Live Arcade is and will remain a service that offers simple, pick-up-and-play experiences for everyone. We're committed to expanding the Xbox Live Arcade library and we just celebrated our 100th title milestone and plan to keep the games coming on the service.

We do not have any plans to remove games from our service. The beauty of digital distribution is that you can maintain a large library without the costs of the retail shelf, and the games on the platform can experience a healthy sales tail over time, which is highly attractive to developers. At the end of the day, consumers have shown the continued demand for more, high-quality content on Xbox Live Arcade.

GS: When the Xbox 360 came out, much was made of the opportunity it afforded independent developers to get visibility. But with the managed portfolio, there are fewer games being released for Live Arcade than are coming out in stores, and now developers are having to compete for approval with publishers like Electronic Arts, licensed games like SpongeBob, and advergames like Yaris. Is the indie community's chance to get on Live Arcade diminishing?

JW: Absolutely not. We have put tremendous effort into creating a platform that enables indie and professional developers alike to make great games for Xbox Live Arcade. Take the Dream-Build-Play game development contest, for instance. This was a program we put together to encourage experienced game developers and enthusiasts to create innovative and fun-to-play video games for Windows or Xbox 360 platforms using XNA Game Studio Express. Because of the amazing creativity demonstrated by the top winners, the Xbox Live Arcade team extended invitations to publish on Xbox Live Arcade to two of the winners. And look at our slate of great recent and upcoming games by indie developers. Alien Hominid and the upcoming Castle Crashers from The Behemoth, Cloning Clyde and Band of Bugs from NinjaBee, the new Mutant Storm Empire from Pom Pom, and the upcoming N+ from Metanet are just a few of the amazingly innovative indies on the platform, and we plan to see many more join in the future.

GS: What are Microsoft's goals for Xbox Live Arcade to accomplish by its third anniversary?

JW: By next November, we hope to continue the incredibly strong growth of the Xbox Live Arcade audience by bringing even more top talent and amazing games to the service. And we expect to see our development and publishing partners continue to raise the bar on quality, innovation, and gameplay. It is amazing to look back at how the service has grown over the past two years, and we are excited to see how much further it will go in the coming years.

http://www.gamespot.com

First Halo 3 add-on detailed

Halo 3 has already set records at retail, and it might get the chance to make some new benchmarks in the downloadable content space as well. Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 first-person shooter will receive an array of downloadable multiplayer maps, starting with a Heroic Map Pack on December 11.

The Heroic Map Pack will include three maps, and will carry a price of 800 Microsoft points ($10) when it debuts on the Xbox Live Marketplace. Standoff is an outdoor map designed for midsize games, while the Rat's Nest is an indoor map with an emphasis placed on vehicles and intended for large-scale team skirmishes. Finally, Foundry is an industrial warehouse level designed with the game's Forge mode in mind.

As with the multiplayer map packs for Halo 2 and Gears of War, the Heroic Map Pack will eventually be made free to download. Microsoft has said it will drop the fee for the three maps in spring 2008, just before the next selection of new multiplayer maps becomes available.


http://www.gamespot.com

still kicking ass

Halo 3 still kicking ass, having outsold every other game, across platform, for the month of October.

Here's the chart, from market researchers at the NPD Group.

01. Halo 3 (Xbox 360) - 433,800
02. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Xbox 360) - 383,200
03. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (Wii) - 286,300
04. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock w/ guitar (PS2) - 271,100
05. The Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (DS) - 262,800
06. Wii Play (Wii) - 239,700
07. The Orange Box (Xbox 360) - 238,400
08. Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (PS2) -231,700
09. FIFA Soccer 08 (PS2) - 129,700
10. Brain Age 2: More Training In Minutes A Day (DS) - 116,900

http://www.g4tv.com

Sierra Ghostbust-ing

Earlier this week, Game Informer teased its upcoming December issue with news that a new Ghostbusters is in the works. Today, Vivendi subsidiary Sierra Entertainment officially announced Ghostbusters will arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS, and PC in fall 2008.

Stay strong, Marshmallow Man.

As previously noted, Ghostbusters will be a continuation of the original Ghostbusters and its 1989 sequel. As with the films, Ghostbusters the game will be written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and take place in New York City circa early 1990. Paranormal activity is once again afoot, and the supernatural scientists hook up their latest recruit--that is, the player--with a proton pack to defeat the threat.

Ghostbusters will feature appearances from the original parapsychologists Aykroyd, Ramis, and Bill Murray, as well as the fourth addition to the team, Ernie Hudson. Also reprising their film presence in the game will be Annie Potts, Brian Doyle Murray, and William Atherton.

BloodRayne studio Terminal Reality will handle development duties for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC, while Mushroom Men creators Red Fly Studios will create the PS2, Wii, and DS versions of the game. Ghostbusters has not yet been rated or priced.


http://www.gamespot.com

Guitar Center Having Black Friday sale!!!!!

Click Here to find more info.

October retail gaming tally tops $1.1 billion

The holidays are here again, as the game industry opened the fourth quarter in a big way, according to the industry-tracking NPD Group. The firm today released its US retail sales figures for October, and NPD analyst Anita Frazier put the industry's yearly growth-to-date in perspective.

"This year sales have already achieved the annual sales number for 2005," Frazier said, "and the two biggest months are yet to come. I think we'll see not only record-breaking revenues but record-breaking year-over-year growth when the final numbers are tallied."

Game sales for October were up 39 percent to $513.9 million, with hardware sales up 127 %to $469.7 million. Factor in accessory sales, which Frazier said increased sharply alongside the hardware sales, and the industry as a whole for the month took in $1.1 billion, up 73 % from October 2006.

As promised, the group's monthly recap also included hardware sales figures, and the Xbox 360's Halo 3-sparked reign atop the charts was short-lived. For October, the Wii retook the sales crown with sales of 519,000 systems, followed by 458,000 units sold for the Nintendo DS. The Xbox 360 posted sales of 366,000 systems, while the PlayStation Portable and PlayStation 2 followed with 286,000 and 184,000 sold, respectively. The PlayStation 3 trailed with 121,000 sold, perhaps hurt by Sony's advance notice that it would make a less expensive version of the hardware available in November.

As expected, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock was all over the sales charts. The Xbox 360 bundle of the game and guitar sold more than 383,000 copies, followed by the Wii bundle (286,000), the PS2 bundle (271,000), and the PS2 standalone version of the game (nearly 232,000).

"Guitar Hero has certainly established itself among the elite video games properties," Frazier said. "Very few games sell in excess of 1 million units in their first month in market, but Guitar Hero III did easily with combined sales of 1.4 million units in only 6 days. Since it has broad appeal, it's also the type of game that should continue to do very well throughout the holidays."

While dwarfed by the cumulative sales of Activision's rhythm franchise, Halo 3 for the Xbox 360 sold more than any other single-platform release of a game during the month, notching almost 434,000 new recruits. Year-to-date, Halo 3 is still the best-selling game with 3.7 million sold in the US. Madden NFL 08 is close behind with 3.2 million sold across all systems, followed by Guitar Hero II (2.8 million), Wii Play with Wii Remote (2.5 million), Pokemon Diamond (2.1 million), Pokemon Pearl (1.5 million), Spider-Man 3 (1.4 million), and Guitar Hero III (1.4 million).

Top 10 best-selling games of October 2007, according to NPD Group

Halo 3 (regular, collector's, and legendary versions)--Xbox 360--434,000(OH YEA!!!)
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (with guitar)--Xbox 360--383,000
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (with guitar)--Wii--286,000
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (with guitar)--PS2--271,000
Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass--DS--263,000
Wii Play with Wii Remote--Wii--240,000
The Orange Box--Xbox 360--238,000
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock--PS2--232,000
FIFA Soccer 08--PS2--130,000
Brain Age 2: More Training in Minutes a Day--DS--117,000

October 2007 hardware sales, according to NPD Group

Wii--519,000
Nintendo DS--458,000
Xbox 360--366,000
PSP--286,000
PS2--184,000
PS3--121,000

Android Platform from Google

The Android platform is a software stack for mobile devices including an operating system, middleware and key applications. Developers can create applications for the platform using the Android SDK. Applications are written using the Java programming language and run on Dalvik, a custom virtual machine designed for embedded use which runs on top of a Linux kernel.

An early look at the the Android SDK is also available. It includes sample projects with source code, development tools, an emulator, and of course all the libraries you'll need to build an Android application.

Android is a software stack for mobile devices that includes an operating system, middleware and key applications. This early look at the Android SDK provides the tools and APIs necessary to begin developing applications on the Android platform using the Java programming language.

Features

• Application framework enabling reuse and replacement of components
  

• Dalvik virtual machine optimized for mobile devices
  

• Integrated browser based on the open source WebKit engine
  

• Optimized graphics powered by a custom 2D graphics library; 3D graphics based on the OpenGL ES 1.0 specification (hardware acceleration optional)
  

• SQLite for structured data storage
  

• Media support for common audio, video, and still image formats (MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, PNG, GIF)
  

• GSM Telephony (hardware dependent)
  

• Bluetooth, EDGE, 3G, and WiFi (hardware dependent)
  

• Camera, GPS, compass, and accelerometer (hardware dependent)
  

• Rich development environment including a device emulator, tools for debugging, memory and performance profiling, and a plugin for the Eclipse IDE
  

Applications

Android will ship with a set of core applications including an email client, SMS program, calendar, maps, browser, contacts, and others. All applications are written using the Java programming language.

Libraries

• Android includes a set of C/C++ libraries used by various components of the Android system. These capabilities are exposed to developers through the Android application framework. Some of the core libraries are listed below:
  

• System C library - a BSD-derived implementation of the standard C system library (libc), tuned for embedded Linux-based devices
  

• Media Libraries - based on PacketVideo's OpenCORE; the libraries support playback and recording of many popular audio and video formats, as well as static image files, including MPEG4, H.264, MP3, AAC, AMR, JPG, and PNG
  

• Surface Manager - manages access to the display subsystem and seamlessly composites 2D and 3D graphic layers from multiple applications
  

• LibWebCore - a modern web browser engine which powers both the Android browser and an embeddable web view
  

• SGL - the underlying 2D graphics engine
  

• 3D libraries - an implementation based on OpenGL ES 1.0 APIs; the libraries use either hardware 3D acceleration (where available) or the included, highly optimized 3D software rasterizer
  

• FreeType - bitmap and vector font rendering
  

• SQLite - a powerful and lightweight relational database engine available to all applications

Open Source Android Platform Emulator

America's Army: True Soldiers

Created by soldiers. Developed by gamers. America's Army: True Soldiers™ for Xbox 360™ is the only game co-developed with the U.S. Army. Get the true infantry experience with visually stunning graphics via the GRAW2 engine, real U.S. Army weapons and vehicles, and unparalleled multiplayer gameplay.

* Complete realism: The only video game brand to be co-developed with the U.S. Army, the level of authenticity of the real world scenarios and missions is unparalleled.
* A real training experience: Pull on your boots and strap up your gear in the most realistic single-player training experience ever. Move through the ranks to become a Rifleman, Grenadier, Automatic Rifleman, and Sniper. Use real-life U.S. Army gear and participate in simulations of war games.
* Offline and online integration: Build your soldier in single-player mode, then use those skills and attributes to dominate the competition on Xbox LIVE®. Eight all-new multiplayer maps have been developed for the game under the guidance of U.S. Army soldiers.
* Play-Lead-Recruit: Earn points through honorable actions and earn respect from other players online. As you gain respect, move up through the ranks and become a true leader.
* Real world gear: Use actual high-tech equipment from the Army, including Blue Force Tracker and the Raven UAV which provides necessary intel to the soldier. Listen to your A.I. teammates via in-game voiceover to stay effective in the field.
* Parental controls: Parental controls allow parents to determine settings at the level they feel appropriate, tailoring the gameplay action for fresh recruits or for seasoned veterans.

http://www.xbox.com

"Dragonball Z" Gets Cast and Release Date

Twentieth Century Fox is bringing the Japanese manga phenomenon "Dragonball" to the bigscreen.

Justin Chatwin (War of the Worlds) will star as Goku, a powerful warrior who protects the Earth from an endless stream of rogues bent on dominating the universe and controlling the mystical objects from which the film takes its name. James Marsters ("Angel") is onboard as the film's villain Piccolo.

Actor-director-writer Stephen Chow (Kung Fu Hustle) is producing. "Final Destination" helmer James Wong will direct from a script he penned. Ben Ramsey wrote an earlier draft.

Story is based on Akira Toriyama's popular manga that has spawned graphic novels, a long-running TV series and more than 25 videogames, which have sold more than 10 million units since May 2002. The Jump Comics division of Tokyo-based Shueisha published the "Dragonball" manga.

With shooting scheduled to begin later this month, Fox will bow the sci-fi/adventure worldwide August 15th. Chatwin has already begun training with 87Eleven, the stunt performance company behind the action sequences in "The Matrix," "The Bourne Supremacy," "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" and "300."

http://www.worstpreviews.com

Rock Band DLC price and detailes

Since Rock Band was first announced by Harmonix and MTV Games in March, the developers have made no secret of their ambitious plans for downloadable content. As the game's release has drawn closer, information about those plans has trickled out. At the E3 Media and Business Summit, Harmonix said it would be offering full downloadable albums from artists like The Who, with more tracks from Metallica, The Grateful Dead, and The Ramones among those that gamers could add on to the retail game.

With Rock Band set for release next Tuesday, Harmonix today finally took the wraps off its downloadable content model today. The studio has apparently heard complaints regarding the mandatory three-song bundles and $6.25 price point adopted by the Guitar Hero franchise's downloadable content, and is giving gamers a bit of a break.

Rock Band will still feature preselected three-song packs for download, but they will instead cost $5.49 (440 Microsoft points on Xbox 360). Songs will also be available individually for $1.99. Harmonix has said future songs will be sold individually for as little as $.99 (80 Microsoft points), and as much as $2.99 (240 points). However, "the vast majority" will come in at the standard $1.99 price point. The developer did not say how much full-album downloads would be, or when the first albums would be released.

Harmonix also detailed its release schedule for the first five weeks after Rock Band launches. The opening week will be highlighted by track packs from Metallica, The Police, and Queens of the Stone Age, with individual songs from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Foreigner, T-Rex, and more. Downloaded tracks will be integrated into all of the game's modes, and will be playable online only if all players have purchased the songs



Week of November 20, 2007:
Metallica Pack
"Ride the Lightning"--Metallica
"Blackened"--Metallica
"And Justice for All"--Metallica

The Police Pack
"Can't Stand Losing You"--The Police
"Synchronicity II"--The Police
"Roxanne"--The Police

Queens of the Stone Age Pack
"3's and 7's"--Queens of the Stone Age
"Little Sister"--Queens of the Stone Age
"Sick Sick Sick"--Queens of the Stone Age

Individual Tracks
*"Fortunate Son" as made famous by Creedence Clearwater Revival
*"Juke Box Hero" as made famous by Foreigner
*"Bang a Gong (Get It On)" as made famous by T-Rex
*"My Sharona" as made famous by The Knack
*"Cherry Bomb" as made famous by The Runaways
*"Joker & The Thief"--Wolfmother

Week of November 27, 2007
David Bowie Pack
"Moonage Daydream"--David Bowie
*"Heroes" as made famous by David Bowie
*"Queen Bitch" as made famous by David Bowie

Week of December 4, 2007
Black Sabbath Pack
*"N.I.B." as made famous by Black Sabbath
*"Sweet Leaf" as made famous by Black Sabbath
*"War Pigs" as made famous by Black Sabbath

Week of December 11, 2007
Punk Pack:
"Rockaway Beach"--Ramones
"I Fought the Law"--The Clash
*"Ever Fallen In Love" as made famous by Buzzcocks

Week of December 18, 2007
Individual Tracks
"My Iron Lung"--Radiohead
"Buddy Holly"--Weezer
*"Brass in Pocket" as made famous by The Pretenders

http://www.gamespot.com

id Software And Fountainhead Create id Mobile

The team that created Doom RPG, Orcs & Elves, Orcs & Elves II for mobile platforms today announced that they have created a new mobile division simply titled id Mobile. This new division will develop games for mobile devices, the Nintendo DS, and PSP. This new dev house will be headed by Fountainhead Entertainment Founder and former Director of Business Development at id Software, Katherine Anna Kang, who will serve as president of id Mobile.

“Worldwide, mobile gaming has the potential to eclipse conventional gaming platforms,” said John Carmack, technical director and co-founder, id Software. “The resource constraints of mobile platforms reward technical and design virtuosity, making it a place where we can leverage the historic strengths of our company.”

“id Software is known for doing things that don’t conform to the status-quo and as a result, they’ve lead the gaming industry forward through their original ideas, technical prowess and the uncanny ability to see into the future; with id Mobile, that tradition continues,” said Katherine Anna Kang, president, id Mobile. “id Mobile is poised to shake up the emerging mobile gaming space.”
id Mobile is currently developing Wolfenstein for the mobile platform, and the follow up to Doom RPG.

http://gameinformer.com

Original Xbox games coming to Live Marketplace

The Xbox 360 already plays a selection of original Xbox games with its backward-compatibility feature, but soon gamers won't even need a disc to boot games like Halo, Fable, Psychonauts, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. In conjunction with its ongoing celebration of the fifth anniversary of Xbox Live, Microsoft today announced that it will be selling those four games, among others, for download from the Xbox Live Marketplace early next month.
Calling the program Xbox Originals, Microsoft will sell the games for 1,200 Microsoft points ($15) each, and the company is promising to expand the number of games offered over the coming year. A Microsoft representative had not responded to a request for comment on whether these games would have their original online features intact, or if Xbox Live support would be added into previously offline-only games, such as Halo. Xbox Originals will debut on December 4, and will be part of a firmware update that will also include new parental-control options.
That isn't the only news Microsoft has to celebrate the anniversary of Xbox Live. The company has also announced that it will allow Xbox Live users worldwide to download a free game. For 48 hours beginning 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on November 15, members in Korea will be able to download Hexic 2 for free, whereas the rest of the world can grab the board game Carcassonne at no charge.
Microsoft is also offering a token of appreciation to longtime Live users. The company will deposit 500 Microsoft points ($6.25) into the account of every Xbox Live member who joined the service in 2002, the year it first launched.

http://www.gamespot.com

skate.

The closest thing to skateboarding without actually putting your feet on a board is skate. With innovative controls that take advantage of the duel analog sticks, the power of next-gen hardware, and the ability to sculpt tricks that define your own style, skate. delivers an authentic boarding experience like no other videogame.

Individual style combined with physics-driven animations promise that no two tricks will ever be the same. And there's plenty of room to pull off those tricks—San Vanelona challenges you to explore, find, and own the best spots. You can even capture footage to create and show off your style with friends across the world—because without footage, it's fiction.

Get ready for all the fun, creativity, and culture of skateboarding without the hours of practice, broken bones, and hospital visits.



* Flickit: The days of button mashing are over. The intuitive Flickit dual analog control lets you perform skill-based trick executions that capture the real-world feel and true attitude of skating.
* Define your style of skating: Create your own style and personality with animation and physics that give you the freedom to decide how your skater looks, feels, and rides. Get creative as you develop your own tricks and string them together to create lines.
* Without footage, it's fiction: Capture your sickest moves in-game and bring them online for the world to see. Use innovative online video editing tools, and add music to create the ultimate skating vid.
* Create your own story: Skaters don't follow rules, they choose how they want to progress through the game. Open progression allows gamers to skate how they want to skate. Become famous and generate mainstream hype, or go the infamous route by outrunning security guards, owning spots, and building street cred. Depending on how you roll in the game, you'll start seeing your own coverage in Thrasher or The Skateboard Mag.
* Make San Vanelona your playground: Get chased by security guards, impress and/or annoy the citizens in this fully reactive city. San Vanelona is the ultimate skate mecca where you can ride with pros, discover skate shops, and own spots to make them yours.
* Roll with the pros: skate. features professional legends and upcoming pros including Danny Way, Mark Gonzales, Rob Dyrdek, Mike Carroll, P.J. Ladd, Chris Cole, Jason Dill, Pat Duffy, Jerry Hsu, Paul Rodriguez, Dennis Busenitz, Alex Chalmers, Chris Haslam, Colin McKay, John Rattray, Ryan Gallant, Ryan Smith, and Terry Kennedy.
* Online gameplay: skate. features an extensive online gameplay system including multiple online multiplayer modes. Gamers can hit up popular spots in the city with friends across the country.

NBA LIVE 08

Providing an unrivaled level of authenticity, NBA LIVE 08 introduces hot spots, using real NBA shot data to illuminate the locations on the floor where your players are most effective. Couple this with all-new signature go-to moves that capture the essence of the NBA's best, and you can now play the game on a console like you see it from the stands.

* All-new quickstrike ball-handling: Whether you're pushing the ball upcourt or backing down a defender inside, quicker, more responsive ball-handling moves allow you to break down opponents and take complete control of your game.
* Own the paint: Put the ball in the hands of your big men and go head-to-head in the lane. With all-new moves and counters, including pump fakes, drop-steps, and spins, post play has never been better.
* Hot and cold: Use the actual NBA shot tracking data to know who to feed and who to defend. An all-new on-screen overlay shows you exactly where a player is most dangerous.
* Go-to moves: Every player has a go-to move that they consistently go to when the game is on the line. Now the signature go-to moves of the NBA's best players have been realistically re-created to help you score when it counts. That patented step back jumper? A fadeaway with the big leg kick? If it's in the game, it's in the game.
* New look and feel: 5-on-5 gameplay has never looked so good. The game features enhanced player spacing and behavior logic in the half-court, upgraded passing and rebounding mechanics, and an all-new two player interaction engine.
* All-new shooting mechanics: From deep three-point shots well beyond the arc to 10-foot jump shots in the paint, every shot attempt has been redesigned to provide more fluid, realistic results. Dunks and lay-ups are now assigned to the same button command making highlight reel plays even easier to perform.
* The NBA goes live: Player faces, team uniforms, and authentic arenas jump to life behind the power of next-generation game graphics. Whether you're working on your game in the revamped practice gym, or playing in front of a packed house, feel what it's like to be an NBA superstar.
* Like butter: Running at a smooth 60 frames per second, NBA LIVE 08 is as close as you can get to the court, without dropping a dime for courtside seats.

Need For Speed ProStreet

Need for Speed™ ProStreet is a ground-breaking driving experience, as you are thrust into the midst of cutthroat head-to-head competition against the best street racers in a multitude of racing showdowns.

Street racing culture is accelerated with the ultimate stage for the pursuit of street racing supremacy. Build the ultimate performance-tuned battle machine, taking it to multi-disciplinary showdowns all over the world, and pitting your skills and reputation against the very best street racers.



* Photo-realistic graphics: Need for Speed: ProStreet boasts impeccable precision and impressively detailed graphics, effectively transporting you to the center of the action. This game is a true taste of raw adrenaline and racing with consequences.
* Autosculpt technology: The Autosculpt™ technology allows you to directly impact your car's performance, as well as personalize its appearance. Every dent, every scratch and every crumpled body panel is a battle scar, proof of your commitment and competitive mettle.
* Online play: The online mode redefines the meaning of competitive social play, to bring you the ultimate formula for an emotionally charged street racing showdown

MotoGP '07

Experience the sheer passion, speed, excitement, and spectacle of MotoGP, the most thrilling motor sport in the world!

MotoGP '07 brings the excitement and energy of the fans and media into the game world like never before. MotoGP '07 is the fifth game in the critically acclaimed MotoGP series and the definitive motorcycle racing game for Xbox 360™. Building on the success of MotoGP '06, the game focuses on expanding the atmosphere and depth of the series, capturing the passion of the sport, as well as rounding out the whole experience into the most accomplished racing game on Xbox 360.



* Full championship season: Experience the 2007 MotoGP championship season with the exclusive official MotoGP licensed game for Xbox 360. Updated riders, bikes and tracks accurately recreate the 2007 season.
* The power and the glory: Bring the spectacle and passion of attending a live MotoGP event into your living room.
* Custom bikes: Customize your bike and race on 17 different street tracks.
* Online challenges: Take to the track with up to 16-player online racing, or try out online pink slip racing in Extreme Mode.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08

Take on the world in Tiger Woods PGA Tour® 08. For the first time, every portion of your game is recorded—from your opening drive on the first hole in Play Now mode to your final putt in the FedEx Cup Championship. Post your most amazing performances on EA SPORTS™ GamerNet, a revolutionary interactive gaming hub that hosts user-created content online. Set the bar high by posting your top moments, and take on challenges set by others, to determine the world's greatest golfer. Take the world by storm with Tiger Woods PGA Tour® 08.



* All-new EA SPORTS GamerNet: Online interaction has been taken to the next level. Record everything from your greatest rounds to crazy, awe-inspiring shots, then post each challenge on EA SPORTS GamerNet for the world to beat. Earn points—and bragging rights—when players set their sights on you, or when you one-up challenges set by others.
* Put on your best photo game face: Put yourself in the game like never before. Use real-life photographs of yourself, friends, and family to create in-game characters that look just like the real thing. No artistic skill required!
* Confidence is a factor: All-new Shot Confidence tracks your performance on every hole. Analyze past performance with the Confidence Meter to identify strengths and weaknesses before every shot.
* FedEx Cup playoff courses: Experience the all-new FedExCup championship format by playing dream rounds at Westchester Country Club, TPC Boston, Cog Hill, and East Lake.
* Take on the most professional golfers ever: Featuring the greatest PGA and LPGA Tour pros, including Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Annika Sorenstam, Natalie Gulbis, Christie Kerr and Morgan Pressel.

John Woo presents Stranglehold

Experience exhilerating third-person next-gen action as you continue the story of John Woo's influential action film, Hard Boiled, starring Chow Yun-Fat. In John Woo presents Stranglehold™, run into danger with a gun in each fist and take down the organized crime bosses who stepped over the line when they took your family.

Ensnared by a crime boss with a gripping secret, Inspector Tequila is forced to cross the line from sworn duty to bloody revenge. Engage your enemies with intense cinematic gun battles and cause massive environmental damage in real-time or revolutionary slow-motion Tequila Time.



* Signature cinematic action: Stranglehold allows you to play a John Woo-directed action blockbuster movie. Dual-wielding, stunt-laden gameplay combined with massive destructible environment ensures that Stranglehold will be a true tour-de-force. The environmental interactivity and two-fisted gunplay all come online, bringing the experience to a whole new level.
* Amazing gunplay and stunts: Experience snooth flowing gameplay, such as running up railings, swinging on chandeliers, and leaping onto moving objects, all without interrupting intense gun battles.
* Blockbuster Hollywood talent: Featuring the cinematic flare of acclaimed action director John Woo, Stranglehold also benefits from Woo's direction on storyline, camera placement, and cutscenes. Starring international action star Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila, the game's cast is also comprised of other A-list Hollywood talent.
* Environments as weapons: Using the Massive D™ physics engine, bring the world down on your enemies. Carve your own realistic path of destruction through environments and manuver through unique piles of debris which persist in the environment.
* Intense cinematic gun battles: Engage the enemy in Tequila Time™ by targeting and firing in real-time while the world dramatically slows and enjoy the exhileration of running up railings, swinging on chandeliers, and leaping onto moving objects, all without complex controls.
* Unreal 3.0 and Havok: Using a modified version of the Unreal 3.0 engine integrated with the Havok physics system, Stranglehold breathes new life into game environments and characters with its stunning graphics. Incredible physics make it possible for everything in the world to be destructible and interactive, allowing for an ever-changing battleground depending on how players approach different situations.

Medal of Honor Airborne

Take to the skies in Medal of Honor Airborne™, and drop into grueling ground attacks in a bid to turn the tide of World War Two. Begin each mission in the air above Axis-controlled battlefields, then make your mark in the largest airborne operations in history.

Starting with your jump from a C-47 transport plane, every choice you make can seal your fate. In the air, control your parachute to select a landing spot that brings you the greatest strategic advantage. Follow the green smoke to recommended landing areas where Allied forces will be waiting, or go it alone by landing on rooftops or balconies. But craft your strategy carefully. Every move you make—from your choice of landing spot to the enemies you engage on the ground—determines your success in the mission, and whether or not you are truly one of theAirborne elite.



* Open battlefields: Start each mission with an airdrop into enemy territory where the landing spot you choose dramatically changes the course of battle. On the ground, tackle enemies and complete objectives in whatever order you choose, and navigate your way through a massive, free-roaming environment.
* Vertical combat: Fight on the ground or on rooftops, balconies, towers, ruins, and natural formations in a variety of environments authentic to the European theater of war.
* Affordance A.I.: A formidable new A.I. system delivers unpredictable and intelligent enemies which will challenge even your most battle-hardened strategies.
* Upgradeable weapons: Enhance your chosen weapon with authentic, customizable field modifications that affect your marksmanship.
* War is hell: How and where you engage the enemy triggers death animations unique to each and every encounter.

Mass Effect

Mass Effect™ is a sci-fi action RPG created by BioWare, the commercially and critically acclaimed developer of Jade Empire™ and Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic™. Mass Effect delivers an immersive, story-driven experience coupled with awe-inspiring visuals, delivered exclusively to the Xbox 360™.

As one of the first human beings to step onto the galactic stage, you face a grave threat that may destroy all of civilization. Your job is complicated by the fact that no one believes that there is any threat at all. Travel across an expansive universe, exploring the uncharted corners of the galaxy, searching for pieces of the truth in order to discover how to defeat the coming destruction.





* Explore uncharted worlds: Uncover a mystery that defies imagination as you travel to the far corners of the universe. Visit unexplored planets, finding side quests that unfold parallel to the main story. Discover alien life, new resources, ruined civilizations, and powerful technologies.
* Fight in real-time: Mass Effect features a real-time, squad-based, tactical combat system. Enjoy intense and exciting third-person action as you face off against your enemies. Engage your foes with ranged weapons, biotic powers, science-based magic, and tech powers, all accompanied by astonishing visuals.
* Customize your character: Build a stunning, photo-realistic character, expanding your skills and statistics as you progress. Utilize a deep reward system as you travel further afield and discover more about the coming invasion. Change the appearance of your characters with the additions of newly discovered weapons, equipment, and armor to make each one truly unique.
* Experience the next generation: Mass Effect takes full advantage of Xbox 360 hardware, providing players with photo-realistic high definition graphics, amazingly realistic characters, branching dialogue with A.I. responses, and a massive universe to explore. As the future of gaming continues to expand online, look for premium downloads on Xbox LIVE®.

Blue Dragon

Famed game producer Hironobu Sakaguchi of Mistwalker and developer Artoon present the highly anticipated Xbox 360™ exclusive Blue Dragon. Featuring the character design of Akira Toriyama of Dragon Ball Z and music by Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy, Blue Dragon is an epic role-playing game that centers on a young boy named Shu and several of his friends.

These unlikely heroes possess the power to control phantom shadows that mirror the actions of their masters, giving Shu and his comrades miraculous strength and magical powers.

The warriors can create and develop their combat styles by utilizing different types of Shadow Change, including Sword, Assassin, and Power Magic. Shu and his friends must use the shadows as weapons and wield their skills to save their world from impending doom.

Encountering various people on a planet where numerous ancient ruins remain, the characters and their shadows travel through a world full of mysteries and illusions, where the slightest touch can cause reactions of unparalleled magnitude.



* Innovative RPG gameplay features: As their quest progresses, warriors can create original attack methods by utilizing several types of Shadow Change, including Sword, Assassin, and Power Magic. You can choose to focus the hero on certain areas of expertise. Shadows level up and gain new abilities associated with the job they are currently doing. Once gained, abilities are not lost and remain available to use when needed.
* Massive scope and engrossing environments: Shu and his companions battle their way through an immense world filled with vividly illustrated remnants of ancient civilizations long forgotten.
* Stunning graphics: Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360, Blue Dragon engages you in a world and characters that are brought to life with vibrant colors and detail, from Shu's wild hair to his martial arts-style garb, conveying the beautiful simplicity and sense of adventure found in this truly next-generation RPG.
* Dazzling character design and effects: Toriyama’s unique influence is evident in the design of the game’s anime style characters, as their actions are enhanced with next-gen blur effects. Additionally, the game’s algorithmic animation system adds heightened realism to character and creature movements.
* Famed developer: Mistwalker is a creative company founded by Hironobu Sakaguchi, the original developer of Final Fantasy. Operated by a handful of experts, the direction of new Mistwalker is influenced by Sakaguchi’s extensive industry experience. Artoon is a digital entertainment design, development, and production company with rich talent and experience. Centering on the design and development of original content, Artoon is mainly involved in the development of software through external cooperation, as well as the design and production of entertainment content in the mobile communication category.

Stuntman Ignition

Plunge into the adrenaline-fueled role of a Hollywood stunt driver in Stuntman®: Ignition™, and master the most breathtaking, death-defying vehicle-based stunts ever filmed. As the newest stuntman in Hollywood, you must rise to stardom by combining reckless maneuvering with perfect execution to unlock big-budget blockbusters and lucrative commercial deals. Create movie magic in six uniquely themed films on 36 different stunt runs with over 25 vehicles, or take the action online to challenge rival stuntmen in the ultimate backlot showdown.

• You are the stuntman: Feel the rush of pulling off the most breathtaking, death-defying stunts ever filmed.
• Intense driving action: Perfectly execute a series of dangerous, high-speed vehicle stunts with intense, precision driving.
• Build your career: Amp up the action by improvising reckless maneuvers during movie stunt runs to unlock bigger-budget movies and commercial jobs.
• Online multiplayer: Steal stunts from rival stuntmen as you battle on the film sets, or through custom-built backlot multiplayer arenas.
• Construct your own stunts: Devise your own insane stunt runs and challenge other stuntmen online to beat you at your own game.
• Unique vehicles: Master your control of more than 25 unique vehicles, including exotic sports cars, motorcycles and hovercraft.
• Welcome to Hollywood: Showcase your skills in a wide variety of big-budget action films, commercial shoots, and tournaments.

Grand Theft Auto IV

The hugely anticipated, new installment in the ground-breaking Grand Theft Auto series is set to arrive in October 2007.

Grand Theft Auto IV™ is now finally on the horizon.

Madden NFL 08

Feel what it's like to be a field general making key personnel decisions on both sides of the ball during the game's biggest moments in Madden NFL 08. Play to your team's strengths by immediately reading your opponent's schemes and reacting to the action as soon as the ball is snapped. Create mismatches and exploit weaknesses as you read and react with Madden NFL 08.



* All-new Read and React system: New player skill icons identify on-field strengths and weaknesses, providing an immediate read on what your opponent is giving you. Quickly react, create mismatches, and exploit opponent weaknesses before every play.

* All-new Front Office Mode: Take full control of every aspect of an NFL franchise. Construct a state-of-the-art stadium, set concession prices, hire your coaching staff, draft players, and manage the entire operation from the top down to build your dynasty.

* Your own championship ring: Increase your Madden Gamer Level to help create and customize your own in-game championship ring.

* Madden unmatched: All-new player moves, including auto-motion, backward passes and low-hitting tackles, plus ultra-smooth gameplay provide the most realistic NFL gaming experience ever. Control receivers and make spectacular catches or key possession receptions, or roam the secondary and jar the ball loose with big hits and ball-stripping tackles.

Halo 3

A HERO MUST RISE. BELIEVE. 9.25.07

The epic saga continues with Halo® 3, the hugely anticipated third chapter in the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo franchise. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax.

Halo 3 represents the third chapter in the Halo trilogy—an international award-winning action series that grew into a global entertainment phenomenon, selling more than 14.5 million units worldwide, logging more than 650 million hours of multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE®, and spawning action figures, books, a graphic novel, apparel, an upcoming film adaptation, and more.

• Epic story: The thrilling conclusion to the epic Halo trilogy.
• Next-gen advantage: Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360™, Halo 3 expands on everything that has made the Halo franchise great, adding a wealth of technical and gameplay advancements.
• Evolution of design: Next-generation high-definition visuals, enhanced A.I., an advanced real-time lighting engine, and new weapons, characters, and challenges are just a few examples of Halo 3's evolution of design and technology.
• Unparalleled experience: Ultimately, these improvements provide gamers with an unparalleled experience and, in the end, tell an even more compelling and engrossing story.
• Online multiplayer: The most complete online multiplayer experience ever conceived.
• Only on Xbox 360.

BIOSHOCK

BioShock is the "genetically enhanced" first-person shooter that lets you do things never before possible in the genre. Turn everything into a weapon, biologically mod your body with plasmids, hack devices and systems, upgrade your weapons and craft new ammo variants, and experiment with different battle techniques.




* Biologically mod your body: Plasmids are genetic augmentations that empower you with dozens of fantastic abilities. Send Electrobolts storming from your fingertips, unleash a swarm of hornets hatched from the veins of your arms, strategically turn enemies against one another with irritants.

* Take control of your world: Hack devices and systems to reprogram enemy security bots into personal bodyguards, modify vending machines to change prices, and transform machine gun security turrets into powerless pieces of metal.

* Upgrade your weapons: Look for Fire-For-Effect stations located through Rapture. Craft variants of ammo and plasmids by picking up materials in the city to modify them at U-Invent kiosks.

* Experiment with battle techniques: With BioShock’s free-form combat options, gameplay scenarios can be approached with a variety of weapons, active and passive plasmids, environmental objects utilization, exploitation of political alliances, or a combination of techniques. Find your style but know when to adapt.

* Explore an incredible world: The unique art deco world hidden deep under the ocean is vividly illustrated with realistic water effects and truly next generation graphics.

* Make meaningful decisions: Do you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture to save yourself … or risk all to become their savior?

Two Worlds

Two Worlds™ is a role-playing adventure that allows you to completely shape the story in which you take part. Overthrow kings, sack cities, eradicate entire organizations, the actions you take matter. It's up to you to save the world … or destroy it.

• Vibrant world: The game offers a freedom of choice unseen in any other role-playing adventure. The world literally comes to life, reacting and changing to decisions made by the player.

• Natural character development: Experiment with different careers and reverse your choices if necessary. Experience total open and unlimited character development.

• Dynamic combat: Spectacular and dynamic combat combines intuitive controls, intense action, tactical challenges and movie-like visuals. Even traps and snares can be used to weaken the enemy. A deep and intuitive weapon upgrade and enchanting system will keep your tools of the trade sharp and ready for action.

• Creative magic: Use a unique magic system assembling your spells by collecting, combining, and arranging arcane cards.

• Mounted travel and combat: Choose from a wide array of mounts to travel and fight on, from horses to tamed lizards and other beasts.

• Stunning graphics: Beautifully rendered terrains feature ultra-sharp texturing and stunning design, combined with a sophisticated weather system and hyper-realistic physics. Seamless indoor/outdoor environments help create more realistic urban environments.

• Multiplayer: Up to 8 Xbox 360™ players online.

Simple Things You Can Do To Speed Up a Slow Computer

Defrag To Speed Up Your Computer

When your computer stores a document, it starts to put the document in the first area of free space on your hard drive and then when it runs out of room there, it stores another part of the file on the next space available and so on, until the entire document is stored. One simple Word document may be stored in many different spots. When you access the fragmented document again, it has to go to all the spots on your hard drive, gather the information, put it together and then display it. If you have a lot of fragmented files it takes time for the computer to find the data. It will take a while to run defrag so you might want to leave this task for last (like before bed) and you should free up as much space as possible before defraging, To defrag your hard drive with Windows XP, go to:

• Start
• Programs
• Accessories
• System Tools
• Disk Defragmenter

Other Windows operating systems has the disk defragementer tool in a similar location. If you can't find it, go to Windows help and search for "defrag" to find out how to run it.

Clean Temporary Files To Speed Up Your Computer

Windows loves to write files all the time to your hard drive and until you run out of room on your hard drive or ask it to clean it up, it will leave old temporary files there. Windows XP comes with a handy program that cleans them up.
To clean up temporary files on your hard drive with Windows XP, go to:

• Start
• Programs
• Accessories
• System Tools
• Disk Cleanup

For other Windows operating systems you may have manually remove temporary files. To find out how, go to Windows help and search for "temporary files".

Clean Up Your Desktop To Speed Up Your Computer

Having a clean desktop is important enough that Windows XP now asks you to clean up unused desktop icons. If you have always ignored the prompt like I used to, you can either clean them up manually by right clicking your mouse on them and selecting delete or you can access the Windows XP program.

• Start
• Control Panel
• Double-click "Display".
• Click the "Desktop" tab.
• Click the "Customize Desktop" button at the bottom.
• Click the "General" tab.
• Click the "Clean Desktop Now" button at the bottom.

Kill the Spyware To Speed Up Your Computer

Spyware seems to be almost unavoidable if you are online. I have always been very careful with keeping my virus protection up to date but I had a few spyware problems myself that was probably slowing down my computer. The basic version of AdAware is a free program that it will get rid of this annoyance.

New USB gadget allows for inflight recharge

You’re right in the middle of a great movie and your laptop dies. You’re listening to a really great album on your iPod and it dies. What can one do when you’re in the middle of a long, perhaps international, flight and you must face a hours and hours of boredom because you’re tech let you down with dead batteries? You could bring along a solar battery charger, but that only works as long as the plane is traveling with the sun in the window.

Well, you can now use the Power Executive Bundle by Inflight. This line of USB power units plug into the passenger seat audio jack to provide regulated power to the attached USB plug & charging cable/connector. Travelers can now charge up any device and get back to fighting the ongoing battle of airline boredom.

The Executive model comes with a Plug-in tip for the iPod, that also supports the Nano, Mini, 4G (click wheel), Video iPod, and even the iPhone. The Shuffle doesn’t need a special plug in and can be powered up directly. In addition, it also comes with a mini B tip for Blackberrys, and Moto & Razor cellphones. The power charger also plugs into any conventional USB cable for powering up a laptop battery.

Cost is about $35-45.

Found this article at coolest-gadgets.com

Corega unveils speakers for iPod Shuffle 2G

Corega of Japan has just released the CG-IPSPDC02 ultra portable speaker system for those who own the 2nd generation iPod Shuffle. It comes in five different colors that match the corresponding Shuffle, boasting a couple of 20 x 25mm anti-magnetic speakers. For those interested in the performance details, the Corega speakers offer a playback frequency of 200Hz~16 kHz and a signal-to-noise ratio of 70dB for soft, clear sound. You can also hook up this speakers to a PC via the rear USB connection. Alternatively a pair of AAA batteries power these Corega speakers as well. It retails for $30 a pop.

Found this article at coolest-gadgets.com

Windows XP Hotkeys - keyboard Shortcuts

CTRL and A Selects all the items in the active window.
CTRL and C Copies the item or items to the Clipboard and can be pasted using CTRL and V.
CTRL and F Displays the Find all files dialog box.
CTRL and G Displays the Go to folder dialog box.
CTRL and N Displays the New dialog box.
CTRL and O Displays the Open dialog box.
CTRL and P Displays the Print dialog box.
CTRL and S Displays the Save dialog box.
CTRL and V Pastes the copied item or items from the Clipboard.
CTRL and X Cuts the item or items selected to the Clipboard.
CTRL and Z Undoes the last action.
CTRL and F4 Closes the active document window.
CTRL while dragging an item Copy the selected item
CTRL+SHIFT with arrow keys Highlight a block of text
CTRL+F4 Close the active document
CTRL+ESC Display the Start menu
CTRL and F6 Opens the next document window in the active application.



ALT+ENTER View the properties for the selected item
ALT+F4 Close the active item, or quit the active program
ALT+SPACEBAR Open the shortcut menu for the active window
ALT+TAB Switch between the open items
ALT+ESC Cycle through items in the order that they had been opened


F1 key Gives help on the active window or selected item.
F2 key Rename the selected item
F3 key Search for a file or a folder
F4 key Display the Address bar list in My Computer or Windows Explorer
F5 key Update the active window
F6 key Cycle through the screen elements in a window or on the desktop
F10 key Activate the menu bar in the active program


Windows Logo Display or hide the Start menu
Windows Logo+BREAK Display the System Properties dialog box
Windows Logo+D Display the desktop
Windows Logo+M Minimize all of the windows
Windows Logo+SHIFT+M Restore the minimized windows
Windows Logo+E Open My Computer
Windows Logo+F Search for a file or a folder
CTRL+Windows Logo+F Search for computers
Windows Logo+F1 Display Windows Help
Windows Logo+ L Lock the keyboard
Windows Logo+R Open the Run dialog box
Windows Logo+U Open Utility Manager



TAB Move forward through the options
SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the options
CTRL+TAB Move forward through the tabs
CTRL+SHIFT+TAB Move backward through the tabs
ALT+Underlined letter Perform the corresponding command or select the corresponding option
ENTER Perform the command for the active option or button
SPACEBAR Select or clear the check box if the active option is a check box
F1 key Display Help
F4 key Display the items in the active list
Arrow keys Select a button if the active option is a group of option buttons
BACKSPACE Open a folder one level up if a folder is selected in the Save As or Open dialog box


END Display the bottom of the active window
HOME Display the top of the active window
NUM LOCK+Asterisk sign (*) Display all of the subfolders that are under the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Plus sign (+) Display the contents of the selected folder
NUM LOCK+Minus sign (-) Collapse the selected folder
LEFT ARROW Collapse the current selection if it is expanded, or select the parent folder
RIGHT ARROW Display the current selection if it is collapsed, or select the first subfolder

Windows Keyboard Shortcuts for Mozilla Firefox

CTRL + A Select all text on a webpage
CTRL + B Open the Bookmarks sidebar
CTRL + C Copy the selected text to the Windows clipboard
CTRL + D Bookmark the current webpage
CTRL + F Find text within the current webpage
CTRL + G Find more text within the same webpage
CTRL + H Opens the webpage History sidebar
CTRL + I Open the Bookmarks sidebar
CTRL + J Opens the Download Dialogue Box
CTRL + K Places the cursor in the Web Search box ready to type your search
CTRL + L Places the cursor into the URL box ready to type a website address
CTRL + M Opens your mail program (if you have one) to create a new email message
CTRL + N Opens a new Firefox window
CTRL + O Open a local file
CTRL + P Print the current webpage
CTRL + R Reloads the current webpage
CTRL + S Save the current webpage on your PC
CTRL + T Opens a new Firefox Tab
CTRL + U View the page source of the current webpage
CTRL + V Paste the contents of the Windows clipboard
CTRL + W Closes the current Firefox Tab or Window (if more than one tab is open)
CTRL + X Cut the selected text
CTRL + Z Undo the last action

Thanko FMP3 Watch

Thanko, that provider of all things gimmicky but good, has just launched another surprisingly useful tool, this time the FMP3 Watch. As the name suggests, we're talking combo MP3 (and WMA too) player and FM transmitter.





That's surely enough to make even Mr. Bond a bit envious (although I'm sure those innards would be packed in something from Omega, or whoever the sponsor for the next film ends up being). The watch not only plays files and do the iTrip-thing, great for car travel, but also includes a voice recorder—perfect for on-the-street podcast recordings—as well as line-in recording. Capacity runs three sizes (512MB, 1GB, 2GB), and transfers are done through the included USB cables (USB 2.0 port on the watch). It's even water resistant! Thank you, Thanko.














Found this article at coolest-gadgets.com

Top Ten Computer Problems

1.

My computer is running sloooooowly. This is usually the result of a combination of factors. Too many programs auto-starting, adware and spyware running in the background, inadequate RAM, filesystem and/or pagefile fragmentation, registry conflicts, and a buildup of garbage files on the hard drive can all contribute to general slowness. Usually, a tuneup (and maybe a RAM upgrade) is all that's needed to perk up a sleepy machine.

2.

Can't get on the Internet. Many of the same factors listed in number 1 (above) can also affect Internet and network connectivity. Other possibilities include a bad modem or network card, bad cables, corrupted drivers, or viruses.

3.

Computer dials itself onto the Internet all by itself. Adware or spyware is usually the culprit. Other possibilities include programs that are set to update themselves automatically are opening up an Internet connection to do so; malicious programs (viruses, worms, or trojans) are attempting to do their dastardly deeds; or "dialers" installed by unsavory Web sites are trying to connect.

4.

My browser's home page or default search engine has changed itself. No, it's been hijacked. This is another type of marketing spyware that is becoming more prevalent in recent months.

5.

My computer locks up, freezes, or goes to the Blue Screen of Death. Spyware, inadequate or defective RAM, registry conflicts, missing or corrupted dll's, filesystem or pagefile fragmentation, bad device drivers, viruses... the list goes on. But amazingly, about 80 per cent of the time, a tune-up is all that's needed to rectify the problems.

6.

My computer keeps turning itself on all by itself. Usually this means that the BIOS is set to "wake on LAN" or "wake on modem."

7.

My computer's clock keeps losing time. The CMOS battery is dying. It's replaceable.

8.

My computer spontaneously reboots itself. This is almost always a hardware problem. Usually its the power supply, RAM, processor. or a dirty or defective cooling fan. Some viruses, worms, and trojans can also cause this to happen.

9.

My computer is making noises. Most likely, some moving part is failing. It could be the hard drive or one of the various fans. Sometimes, however, squealing or whining sounds can have purely electronic origins. Whatever the case, it's important to shut down the machine and have it checked immediately.

10.

My computer won't boot. Could be any number of things, starting with the power cord not being plugged in. Check that first. You wouldn't believe how many times we've responded to calls where the computer simply wasn't plugged in. If that doesn't work, then call us.

iPhone Features

Touch screen

The 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) liquid crystal display (320×480 px at 160 ppi) HVGA touch screen topped with optical-quality glass is specifically created for use with a finger, or multiple fingers for multi-touch sensing. No stylus is needed, nor can an ordinary one be used, as the touch screen requires touch by something with the physical properties of bare skin to operate. For text input, the device implements a virtual keyboard on the touchscreen. It has automatic spell checking, predictive word capabilities, and a dynamic dictionary that learns new words.




Other inputs

The display responds to three sensors: a proximity sensor that shuts off the display and touchscreen when the iPhone is brought near the face to save battery power and to prevent spurious inputs from the user's face and ears, an ambient light sensor that adjusts the display brightness which in turn saves battery power, and an accelerometer, which senses the orientation of the phone and changes the screen accordingly, albeit in only one 90 degree direction.

Phone

The iPhone allows conferencing, call holding, call merging, caller ID, and integration with other cellular network features and iPhone functions. For example, a playing song fades out when the user receives a call. Once the call is ended the music fades back in.

Camera

The iPhone features a built in 2.0 megapixel camera located on the back, though it cannot record video at this time. It also includes software that allows the user to upload, view, and e-mail photos. The user zooms in and out of photos by "unpinching" and "pinching" them through the Multi-touch interface. The software will interact with iPhoto on the Mac.

Multimedia

The layout of the music library differs from previous iPods, with the sections divided more clearly alphabetically, and with a larger font. The Cover Flow, like that on iTunes, shows the different album covers in a scroll-through photo library. Scrolling is achieved by swiping a finger across the screen. Like the fifth generation iPods introduced in 2005, the iPhone can play video, allowing users to watch TV shows and films.

Internet

The iPhone has built-in Wi-Fi, with which it will be able to access the Internet (through a wireless network) via a modified version of the Safari web browser. The iPhone will also be able to connect to the Internet through AT&T's EDGE network.

E-mail

The iPhone also features an HTML e-mail program, which enables the user to embed photos in an e-mail message. Yahoo! will be providing a free Push-IMAP e-mail service similar to that on a BlackBerry; IMAP and POP3 mail standards are also supported, including Microsoft Exchange. The iPhone will sync with e-mail programs such as Outlook, entourage and web based email accounts such as Gmail, .Mac mail and AOL. OS X .

Applications

The phone has several applications located at iPhone's "Home" Screen, including Youtube. It will stream the videos over Wi-Fi and/or EDGE after encoding them using QuickTime's H.264 codec, to which YouTube has converted about 10,000 videos. They are expected to convert the entire catalog by Fall 2007, implying that the YouTube application on iPhone will initially only be able to view a certain selection of videos from the site.

Other

The iPhone features a built-in battery that is not intended to be user-replaceable, similar to existing iPods. The battery is stated to be capable of providing up to seven hours of video, six hours of web browsing, or eight hours of talk time (depending on configuration). The battery life for music playing is stated to be 24 hours. The battery will also allow for up to 250 hours of standby time.