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
Games, Computers, Gadgets, and more
Monday, November 19, 2007
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
"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
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
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
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
Friday, November 16, 2007
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
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
Thursday, November 15, 2007
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
"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
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
Open Source Android Platform Emulator
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
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
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
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
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