Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[NES Belt Buckle: most inelegant, awesome NES-in-a-whatever mod out there]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/nes-belt-buckle-most-inelegant-awesome-nes-in-a-whatever-mod-o/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/nes-belt-buckle-most-inelegant-awesome-nes-in-a-whatever-mod-o/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/nes-belt-buckle-most-inelegant-awesome-nes-in-a-whatever-mod-o/#commentsFiled under: ,


Just as Mr. Adams wrote of the summer of '69, some heralded pop star decades from now will pen a smash hit recalling the summer of two-thousand and eight. Oddly enough, the tune will likely focus on the revitalization of the Nintendo Entertainment System, which has somehow wiggled into just about everything imaginable over the past few months. The latest concoction is a bit different, though, as the NES Belt Buckle doesn't really shove NES capabilities into a buckle; rather, the NES is the buckle, which is sort of weird to be frank. Still, for $300 you can have your very own, but we'd recommend boosting your self-esteem and saving your cash by just making your own with that dusty system that's still in your attic. Tons of laughs await you in the demonstration vid just past the break.

[Thanks, Harrison]

Continue reading NES Belt Buckle: most inelegant, awesome NES-in-a-whatever mod out there

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>belt buckleBeltBucklemodnesnintendonintendo entertainment systemNintendoEntertainmentSystemThu, 24 Jul 2008 22:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Weemote maker wants Nintendo to buy his trademark, release him from this iron cage]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/weemote-maker-wants-nintendo-to-buy-his-copyright-release-him-f/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/weemote-maker-wants-nintendo-to-buy-his-copyright-release-him-f/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/weemote-maker-wants-nintendo-to-buy-his-copyright-release-him-f/#commentsFiled under:

Weemote
We're going to guess you've never heard of the Weemote, a little blue remote control made by a company called Forbis. The egg-shaped remote control and its parent company are reportedly in financial trouble ever since another company came out with something a lot of people are calling the "Wiimote." While the Nintendo Wii Remote's official name isn't that word (we refuse to type it again), evil bloggers and retail chains have taken to the term and Forbis claims its brand has been diluted, confused, and passed up. Owner John Stephen told Game Politics that he would like nothing more than to have Nintendo buy out the trademark and let him move on to something called, oh, let's say, the X Bocks, a new microbrewery project. The big surprise out of all of this? Nintendo isn't interested. In fact, it has no legal reason to do so, either -- it's never officially called the Wii Remote anything else. Of course, that's not to say Ninty shouldn't do the right thing here (and make our jobs just a hair easier) by buying out the mark and sanctioning the nickname, but don't hold your breath.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>copyrightforbisnintendoweemotewiiThu, 24 Jul 2008 12:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Wii gets rechargeable battery packs with Sanyo's Eneloop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/wii-gets-rechargeable-battery-packs-with-sanyos-eneloop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/wii-gets-rechargeable-battery-packs-with-sanyos-eneloop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/24/wii-gets-rechargeable-battery-packs-with-sanyos-eneloop/#commentsFiled under:

Sanyo Eneloop
If all the extra accessories aren't making your Wii collection a mess, all the AA batteries you've thrown out have at least caused a lump in a landfill. To help out in the battery department, Sanyo has come up with the Eneloop charging station complete with a battery pack replacement pack for your Wii remote and a charging base that can support as many as four controllers at once. Remotes charge in a respectable 220 minutes and Eneloop will even charge sequentially so you don't have to wait an extra couple hours for your next Smash Bros fix. Available for $73 as an import item, but we wouldn't be surprised if this showed up on our shores for powerless gamers this fall.

UPDATE: Confused about why this is important? The new recharger uses a contact-free electromagnetic system so you don't need to remove your battery pack. Oh - it's also the first Nintendo-licensed recharger.

[Via Akihabara News]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>eneloprechargeablerechargeablebatteriessanyowiiThu, 24 Jul 2008 08:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo loses another round in controller patent lawsuit]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-loses-another-round-in-controller-patent-lawsuit/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-loses-another-round-in-controller-patent-lawsuit/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-loses-another-round-in-controller-patent-lawsuit/#commentsFiled under:

Sony and Microsoft may have sorted things out with Anascape (otherwise known as the self-proclaimed ruler of all analog sticks) before things got too out of hand, but Nintendo has been busy fighting it out with the company in court, which resulted in them being ordered to dish out a hefty $21 million earlier this year -- a ruling that Nintendo naturally appealed. The big N is now facing another setback, however, as a US District Judge has rejected Nintendo's request for a new trial, which could potentially result in a ban on sales of Wii Classic Controllers, WaveBirds, and GameCube controllers (not to mention GameCube systems). To avoid that, Nintendo will apparently either have to post a bond or put royalties from the controllers into an escrow account. For its part, Nintendo seems to be remaining defiant, saying that it "was already planning to appeal this case to the Federal Circuit court," and that this new ruling "does not impact that decision."

[Via Slashdot]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anascapecontrollergamecubelawsuitnintendopatent lawsuitPatentLawsuitwiiWed, 23 Jul 2008 12:47:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo failed to notify third-party devs of MotionPlus prior to E3]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-failed-to-notify-third-party-devs-of-motionplus-prior-t/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-failed-to-notify-third-party-devs-of-motionplus-prior-t/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/23/nintendo-failed-to-notify-third-party-devs-of-motionplus-prior-t/#commentsFiled under:


We weren't terribly impressed with Nintendo's recently unveiled MotionPlus add-on, but we're even more disappointed by this. Reportedly, scads of third-party developers revealed at E3 that the Big N's latest Wiimote accessory was just as much a surprise to them as it was to any of us. In other words, Nintendo didn't bother giving its external devs any advance notice in order to get the ball rolling on compatible titles, or so it seems. Unfortunately, this also means that we probably won't see any MotionPlus-ready games hitting shelves from anyone not named Nintendo for months to come, but it's not like Wii Sports Resort can't hold our attention for a solid year, right?

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
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PSP hacker "FreePlay" has turned his gaze to the PS3, and come up with a method for the first PS3 homebrew outside of Linux and that little "hello world" proof of concept a few months back. The minimal devkit doesn't seem built to take advantage of the PS3's wiles, however, and is instead working with the Java prowess built into the Blu-ray playback end of the PS3. Who knows how much power that'll lend to homebrew developers, but it's Java, so we're not expecting great things either way. Wake us when we can play PS2 games, would you?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>devkithackhomebrewjavaps3Wed, 23 Jul 2008 10:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony bigwig hints at GPS-enabled PSP games]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/sony-bigwig-hints-at-gps-enabled-psp-games/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/sony-bigwig-hints-at-gps-enabled-psp-games/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/sony-bigwig-hints-at-gps-enabled-psp-games/#commentsFiled under: ,


Only John Koller knows how serious John Koller, Sony's senior marketing manager for PSP, was when mentioning that GPS-enabled games could eventually hit the PSP, but he definitely threw it out there. Speaking about the forthcoming GPS add-on for the PlayStation Portable, Koller stated that said module "changes the dynamics of GPS but also changes the way developers think about games on PSP, because you can start integrating GPS into it." He continued on by mentioning that Sony's own first-party studios were "already looking at a number of things [involving GPS in games]," and concluded by asserting that a GPS game could land on the system as early as next year. Considering just how long we've been waiting for the add-on, we're not holding our breath on the titles.

[Via PSP Fanboy]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gpshandheld gamingHandheldGamingplaystation portablePlaystationPortablepsppsp gpsPspGpssonyTue, 22 Jul 2008 23:57:00 EST<![CDATA[Games for Windows Live now free]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/games-for-windows-live-now-free/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/games-for-windows-live-now-free/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/games-for-windows-live-now-free/#commentsFiled under:


Interesting that this didn't get announced at E3, but Games for Windows Live is now free for all. Yep, totally free, cross-platform multiplayer with the 360 included -- which obviously raises the question of whether Live will ever be free on Xbox. We think that's a pretty safe no -- unlike Games For Windows, Xbox Live actually makes money, which is pretty hard to turn down, and without a ton of competitive pressure from, say, Playstation Home, it's hard to see why Microsoft would turn that funtime cash fountain off. Still, there's always hoping, right?
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>games for windowsgames for windows liveGamesForWindowsGamesForWindowsLivelivemicrosoftxbox liveXboxLiveTue, 22 Jul 2008 20:29:00 EST<![CDATA[NES gets crammed into third-party light gun, plans a 187 on Bowser]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/nes-gets-crammed-into-third-party-light-gun-plans-a-187-on-bows/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/nes-gets-crammed-into-third-party-light-gun-plans-a-187-on-bows/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/22/nes-gets-crammed-into-third-party-light-gun-plans-a-187-on-bows/#commentsFiled under:


Okay, okay -- we get it. So maybe there's just not enough room in a genuine Zapper to fit all the necessary innards of a Nintendo Entertainment System into, but it's just a bit weird to see the Big N's antiquated console crammed into some other light gun. Similar to the NES-in-an-NES-controller mod we peeked earlier this week, this unit includes a plethora of games and all the controls you need; just plug it up to a TV, pop a few batteries in there and you're golden. Is it any surprise this guy was tracked down on Ben Heck's own forums?

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
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There may not have been any word of a new PSP out of E3 as some had suspected, but it looks Sony may have a bit of a late surprise for us, at least if these tantalizing pics from PSPChina are to be believed. Apparently, this new PSP-3000 model remains mostly unchanged from the current PSP-2000, with the notable addition of a built-in microphone and a somewhat less notable PlayStation button in place of the usual Home button. As you can see in the picture after the break, the signature steel ring on the back of the PSP also appears to have been trimmed a bit (there's a pic of the inside of the case as well, for the curious). Not exactly the DS Lite sort of upgrade that'd make everyone ditch their old PSPs to be sure but, as we've seen with the PSP-2000, it would be about par for the course for Sony.

[Via Joystiq, Khattab]

Continue reading Sony said to be prepping PSP-3000 with built-in mic

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Can't wait to understand what Netflix integration on the Xbox 360 will be like? Stop daydreaming and click on past the jump then, as Major Nelson takes you through the entire process on video. We could continue on explaining how easy it looks to navigate to one's Queue, press play and pop some popcorn, but we'd rather let the aforementioned expert handle that.

[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Continue reading Netflix on the Xbox 360 gets demonstrated on video

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There's just one problem with this, the way we see it: most folks with $3000 earmarked for a gaming laptop probably already own an Xbox 360. Just a thought. Other than that we see little to dislike about this little promotion. Dell is offering up its top-of-the-line XPS M1730 system with an Xbox 360 Elite bundle tossed in for good measure. The bundle includes, a pair of faceplates, two game and of course the Xbox itself, and while it's not exactly "free" -- you're looking at a couple hundred dollar premium over a similarly specced M1730 -- it's still a savings of over $300, and should be eBayable, if nothing else. Offer expires July 24th.

[Thanks, Cezar]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bundledellelitesalexbox 360xbox 360 eliteXbox360Xbox360Elitexps m1730XpsM1730Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Oppo concepts foreshadow new gaming handhelds]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/oppo-concepts-foreshadow-new-gaming-handhelds/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/oppo-concepts-foreshadow-new-gaming-handhelds/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/21/oppo-concepts-foreshadow-new-gaming-handhelds/#commentsFiled under: ,


Generally speaking, Oppo has stuck to its bread-and-butter: decently stylish PMPs and a well-received family of upscaling DVD players, respectively. Now, however, we're seeing a trio of concepts which allude to a future unit (or three) boasting gaming functionality. Unfortunately, details beyond that are few and far between, and we're not even certain of their place of origin. In other words, don't bet on seeing these hit shelves in the foreseeable future, but keep your fingers crossed that they do anyway.

[Thanks, Raz]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>conceptdapgaming handheldGamingHandheldoppooppo digitalOppoDigitalpmpMon, 21 Jul 2008 08:15:00 EST<![CDATA[60GB Xbox 360 shows up for preorder at Circuit City, two days later than Amazon]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/20/60gb-xbox-360-shows-up-for-preorder-at-circuit-city-two-days-la/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/20/60gb-xbox-360-shows-up-for-preorder-at-circuit-city-two-days-la/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/20/60gb-xbox-360-shows-up-for-preorder-at-circuit-city-two-days-la/#commentsFiled under:

Xbox 360 preorder at Circuit City
If you're looking to step up to a 60GB Xbox 360 but have an irrational fear of Amazon, Circuit City just put it up for pre-order. The price is still $349.99 but ship date is August 6, two inexplicable days later than Amazon. The site lists an HDMI output with upscaling DVD player, which is nice to see. Other than that, all else looks to be the same -- no Circuit City bonuses like cables, games, or other schwag.

[Thanks, Dave]
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This one has been around the block a time or two, but considering you have absolutely nothing else to do on a Sunday, you might as well dust off that DIY kit and get to work. What you're looking at above is a genuine (albeit modified) NES controller playing a bona fide classic on a laptop. Amazingly, all of the software required for such a marvelously good time is stuffed tight within the controller itself. Take a step back and digest that -- your very own NES emulator (with ROMs), shoved inside a Nintendo Entertainment System controller. Does it get any more awesome than that? Hit the read link to start building your own and let us know. Video of the action after the jump.

[Via Hack-A-Day]

Continue reading Modder shoves emulator, ROMs into actual NES controller

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>controllerdiyemulationemulatorhackhow-tomodnesnes controllerNesControllernintendoromsusbvideoSun, 20 Jul 2008 04:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft launching SideWinder X6 keyboard this fall?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/19/microsoft-launching-sidewinder-keyboard-this-fall/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/19/microsoft-launching-sidewinder-keyboard-this-fall/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/19/microsoft-launching-sidewinder-keyboard-this-fall/#commentsFiled under: ,


Say, is this a Microsoft SideWinder-branded keyboard? Looks like it might just be. It looks like it'll go by the name of SideWinder X6, and feature a detachable numeric keypad, programmable keys, and "cruise control" (don't quote us, this is from a translation) which emulates a steady keypress. It'll run $80 in September -- that is, if this doesn't just turn out to be pure rumor.

[Thanks, Husar]

Update: Reader RainMotorsports points out that the side profile looks, well, unconvincing. Certainly right, especially when you ask yourself where those giant knobs went. Hey, we never said this was a sure thing!
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>keyboardmicrosoftsidewinderSat, 19 Jul 2008 01:53:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo says it's considering Wiimote with built-in MotionPlus]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/nintendo-says-its-considering-wiimote-with-built-in-motionplus/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/nintendo-says-its-considering-wiimote-with-built-in-motionplus/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/nintendo-says-its-considering-wiimote-with-built-in-motionplus/#commentsFiled under:


It's pretty far down on the surprise-o-meter, but it looks like Nintendo is at least considering the possibility of a Wiimote with built-in MotionPlus for further on down the road. That word comes straight from Nintendo's Katsuya Eguchi, who told a developer round table that, "as to looking at whether or not it will be an attachment or built in - we're always looking at how hardware should evolve and where we should take it," and that, "it's something we'll be looking at." Katsuya also insisted that MotionPlus wasn't an acknowledgment that the original Wiimote was somehow lacking, saying that Nintendo is "very happy" with what it did, but that, "of course, you always want more."

[Via Yahoo! News / PC Magazine]
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It looks like there's been a couple of developments on the entirely unofficial Wii activities front in the past few days, including one that seemingly delivers as promised and one that remains a bit of a mystery. That former item comes courtesy of Waninkoko, who has released what is purported to be the "first custom firmware for the Wii," which apparently allows writable DVDs to be read in emulators. In related news, the folks from TeamShift have released that tantalizing image above of what they claim to be a working PSP emulator for the Wii although, given that it can only muster between 4 and 8 frames per second, "working" doesn't exactly mean "playable." They are promising to deliver a beta version that brings games up to their normal speed, however, although they're unsurprisingly not making any promises about when we can expect that.

Read - Wii News, "Custom Firmware for Wii Released"
Read - DCEmu, "PSP Emulator for Wii"
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>wiiwii firmwarewii hackwii homebrewWiiFirmwareWiiHackWiiHomebrewFri, 18 Jul 2008 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[XIM2 brings your keyboard and mouse to the Xbox 360. But you still suck at Halo.]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/xim2-brings-your-keyboard-and-mouse-to-the-xbox-360-but-you-sti/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/xim2-brings-your-keyboard-and-mouse-to-the-xbox-360-but-you-sti/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/xim2-brings-your-keyboard-and-mouse-to-the-xbox-360-but-you-sti/#commentsFiled under: ,


Oh man, remember that one time we tried to balance the teams in your favor, so there were like eight guys on your side, and just two of us? And then we still kicked your ass at CTF? Yeah, well XIM is gonna get you nowhere. Sure, the newly refined mod can hijack the Xbox 360 controller input and allow you to use just about any USB input device with the console -- for instance, a keyboard and mouse -- but we're still gonna shoot you in the face while you're trying to remember where that shotgun spawns, steal your flag right out from under you, and then snipe your base's spawn points. Get used to it. Simulated video of us owning you is after the break.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

Continue reading XIM2 brings your keyboard and mouse to the Xbox 360. But you still suck at Halo.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>xbox 360Xbox360ximxim2Fri, 18 Jul 2008 11:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Bandai boldly introduces Smart Berry: the portable chat handheld for girls]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/bandai-boldly-introduces-smart-berry-the-portable-chat-handheld/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/bandai-boldly-introduces-smart-berry-the-portable-chat-handheld/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/bandai-boldly-introduces-smart-berry-the-portable-chat-handheld/#commentsFiled under: ,


We're guessing the naming scheme here was quite intentional, though we'll be the first to say Bandai's Smart Berry has very, very little in common with RIM's stockpile of handsets. Nevertheless, this "mobile communicator" joins the small crowd of other tween-centric chat handhelds with wireless capabilities that enable four of these things to talk to one another "for email, chat and online games within a 10-meter diameter." For whatever reason, messages are limited to 64 characters (and you thought SMS was bad...), and in case that little tidbit grows increasingly frustrating, there's a virtual pet on board to take your mind to a more blissful place. Sure, we can see younger gals being entertained by this for a few weeks or so, but the ¥10,290 ($96) price tag just seems a bit outrageous, particularly when you consider the lack of a color screen. Yeah, for real.
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So it seems that NVIDIA has been sneaking its 9700M / 9800M GPUs into potent gaming laptops for a little while now, but we're finally getting some official-ish verbiage on the new-ish families. The GeForce 9700M GT, 9700M GTS, 9800M GT, 9800M GTS and 9800M GTX should all be available as we speak in some of your favorite portable LAN machines, with the latter capable of a mind-melting 420 gigaflops. For more on the graphical powerhouse that could be sitting within your machine right now, check the read link.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>9700m9700M GT9700M GTs9700mGt9700mGts9800m9800m gt9800m gtx9800mGt9800mGtxgeforcegpugraphicsgraphics cardGraphicsCardnvidianvidia 9800mNvidia9800mFri, 18 Jul 2008 10:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony's PlayTV begins European rollout September 10th in UK]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/sonys-playtv-begins-european-rollout-september-10th-in-uk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/sonys-playtv-begins-european-rollout-september-10th-in-uk/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/sonys-playtv-begins-european-rollout-september-10th-in-uk/#commentsFiled under: ,


So much for early 2008 or even July for that matter. Sony's David Reeves now confirms that PlayTV -- the €99 PS3 TV tuner / DVR add-on -- will hit the UK on September 10th. The service will then march onto the continent before completing the European rollout in December -- Australia and New Zealand get theirs in January or February. Notably, the service will in fact record television in the background without interrupting your regularly scheduled gaming regimen thanks to the recent 2.41 firmware PS3 update. Phew, for a moment we felt threatened by a lack of manufactured distractions.

[Via gamesindustry.biz]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>david reevesDavidReevesdvreuropeplaystation 3Playstation3playtvps3ukFri, 18 Jul 2008 04:34:00 EST<![CDATA[Intel's 3.2GHz quad-core Bloomfield gaming CPU to hit for $999?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/intels-3-2ghz-quad-core-bloomfield-gaming-cpu-to-hit-for-999/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/intels-3-2ghz-quad-core-bloomfield-gaming-cpu-to-hit-for-999/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/intels-3-2ghz-quad-core-bloomfield-gaming-cpu-to-hit-for-999/#commentsFiled under: ,

When you're Intel, everyone from governments to gamers wants to know your next move. So pay attention, DigiTimes has it on shaky word from "motherboard makers" that Intel's next quad-core, 3.2GHz Extreme "Bloomfield"-class gaming processor for overblown desktop rigs will hit for $999 when purchased in bulk by PC manufacturers -- a traditional price-point for Intel's top o' the line Extreme silicon until the launch of its $1,499 Core 2 Extreme QX9775 earlier this year. We should also expect $562, 2.93GHz and $284, 2.66GHz versions before the year is up.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3.2Ghz999bloomfieldcpudigitimesintelrumorFri, 18 Jul 2008 03:45:00 EST<![CDATA[NPD: Wii usurps Xbox 360 as best selling US game console, pulling away]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/npd-wii-usurps-xbox-360-as-best-selling-us-game-console/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/npd-wii-usurps-xbox-360-as-best-selling-us-game-console/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/18/npd-wii-usurps-xbox-360-as-best-selling-us-game-console/#commentsFiled under:


It's neck-and-neck but Nintendo looks to have just slipped past Microsoft in terms of total US sales for current generation game consoles. What's more, it's pulling away with a 3:1 sales lead for the month of June. NPD Group reports more than 666,000 Wii consoles were sold in June compared to 405,500 PlayStation 3s and 219,800 Xbox 360s. That makes for a total of 10.9 million Wiis sold in the US since it launched in November of 2006. Impressive. Even more so considering that Microsoft had a one year head-start to reach a second place position of about 10.4 million US console sales.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game consolesGameConsolesmicrosoftnintendonpdps3sonywillxbox 360Xbox360Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:17:00 EST<![CDATA[Mad Catz Rock Band 2 cymbals, portable drums, premium mic, and more: spy shots galore]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/mad-catz-rock-band-2-cymbals-portable-drums-premium-mic-and-m/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/mad-catz-rock-band-2-cymbals-portable-drums-premium-mic-and-m/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/mad-catz-rock-band-2-cymbals-portable-drums-premium-mic-and-m/#commentsFiled under:

Mad Catz portable drums
We promise this is the last Rock Band 2 post of the day (okay, maybe hour), but we were just pulled aside at E3 to peep some less-than over-the-radar product sheets for some upcoming Mad Catz accessories. First off, the Premium M.I.C. ($50) is said to have "studio quality" sound all the while including control buttons -- something we didn't realize was missing from the original Rock Band mic until we thought about it. Then we spotted the Portable Drums ($60), which is great news for those of you who excel at drums but like to play Rock Band on the road. They can be used on any surface and even come with foldable drum sticks. Next up, the Official Cymbals ($30 for a pack of 3 or $15 each) for the new Rock Band 2 drum kit are coming from Mad Catz. Remember those three 1/8-inch plugs on the back of the drum kit head? Yeah, these plug into those. Finally, the Kick Drum Screen doesn't really do much, but it certainly will make you look like a pseudo-real drummer (depending on the angle). Mad Catz says all of these random accessories will hit store shelves this fall. Oh, and apologies for the image quality -- these were literally taken in the corner of a crowded room with maybe two seconds of view time per page.

Gallery: Mad Catz Rock Band 2 Accessories Madness

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>mad catzMadCatzrock bandrock band 2RockBandRockBand2Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:56:00 EST<![CDATA[New 80GB PS3 headed to Europe, Australia on August 27]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/new-80gb-ps3-headed-to-europe-australia-on-august-27/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/new-80gb-ps3-headed-to-europe-australia-on-august-27/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/new-80gb-ps3-headed-to-europe-australia-on-august-27/#commentsFiled under:


Although Sony announced that the updated 80GB PS3 "Core" configuration would come to the States in September, it looks like other parts of the world will be getting it a little earlier -- Sony Computer Entertainment Europe chief David Reeves told reporters last night that the new SKU would hit Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Australia and New Zealand on August 27th. Worldwide pricing wasn't announced, but Sony confirmed that the new model would cost £299 in Britain and €399 in Europe. Sadly, it doesn't look like the Playstation Store's new video service will be making the trip anytime soon, but Reeves said that Sony is "working on it." That's great -- we're still more interested in a 60GB launch console, though.


[Thanks, Matt]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>80gb ps380gbPs3david reevesDavidReevesplaystationplaystation 3Playstation3ps3sceesonyThu, 17 Jul 2008 13:26:00 EST<![CDATA[Live shots of Mad Catz's full-size Rock Band 2 Fender Stratocaster and Precision Bass controllers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/live-shots-of-mad-catzs-full-size-rock-band-2-fender-stratocast/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/live-shots-of-mad-catzs-full-size-rock-band-2-fender-stratocast/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/17/live-shots-of-mad-catzs-full-size-rock-band-2-fender-stratocast/#commentsFiled under:

Mad Catz full-size controller
While we love Rock Band 2 as much as the next guy, playing that miniaturized plastic controller will forever look a little dorky (or just make us look like giant men, which is kind of cool). Nothing wrong with looking dorky -- heck, we make a living of it -- but Mad Catz's new full-size Stratocaster and Precision Bass controllers for Rock Band 2 are bringing the cool back. They're exactly what you think they are: actual Fender Squire axes turned into Rock Band 2 controllers, with the size, heft, and weight you'd expect from dad's electric guitar. Of special note was the Precision Bass controller, which has a dual flipper and thumb rest to allow fast pickers to do their thing Entwistle-style. They are also wireless, will come with a foot pedal for overdrive, and the guitar controller will have a whammy bar, of course. Unfortunately, Mad Katz didn't add the optical sensor for display calibration, but we'll forgive them for now. Look for these for $199 in Q1 2009 for both Xbox 360 and PS3. We caught them live at E3, and they look as impressive as they sound. Peep the gallery below if you dare.

Gallery: Mad Catz Full-Size Rock Band 2 Controllers

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bassguitarlive shotsLiveShotsmad catzMadCatzprecision bassPrecisionBassrock band 2RockBand2stratocasterThu, 17 Jul 2008 11:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Rock Band 2 hands on, live shots, Ion drum kit, first impressions: woot!]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-hands-on-live-shots-ion-drum-kit-first-impression/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-hands-on-live-shots-ion-drum-kit-first-impression/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/rock-band-2-hands-on-live-shots-ion-drum-kit-first-impression/#commentsFiled under:

RockBand 2 handson
If you're jonesing to get your Rock Band 2 on like we are, you'll be all over these new shots of the game's upcoming controllers that we got all grubby on today at E3.

First, the new guitars not only look better, but they will include some welcome hardware tweaks. The new axe includes an optical sensor that will make syncing the game to your display a breeze. Rather than go through that annoying tap..tap...tap synchronization scheme, all you'll need to do is hold up your controller to your display and it will figure things out with you based on your screen's refresh rate. In addition, the new guitars have been updated with slicker fret controls that make it easier to slide from one to the other. Meanwhile, the strum bar has been tightened up a bit. No clicking, though -- the guys at Harmonix say no one "dreams of playing a metronome" anyway. A dig at Guitar Hero? Perhaps, but if you're looking for some click feedback from your controller, look elsewhere.

Gallery: Rock Band 2 Hands On and Impressions

Continue reading Rock Band 2 hands on, live shots, Ion drum kit, first impressions: woot!

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>controllersfeaturedfeatured storiesfeaturedstoriesfeaturesharmonixplaystation 3Playstation3ps3rock band 2RockBand2xbox 360Xbox360Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:08:00 EST<![CDATA[Guitar Hero: Aerosmith and Guitar Hero: World Tour to work with Rock Band instruments]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/guitar-hero-aerosmith-and-guitar-hero-world-tour-to-work-with/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/guitar-hero-aerosmith-and-guitar-hero-world-tour-to-work-with/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/guitar-hero-aerosmith-and-guitar-hero-world-tour-to-work-with/#commentsFiled under:


Good news, plastic rockers -- Activision announced at E3 today that its upcoming Guitar Hero: World Tour game will work with Rock Band's controllers, including the drumkit, and that Guitar Hero: Aerosmith on Xbox 360 has received an update that "should" make the game compatible with Harmonix's axes. Nothing too wild on the Aerosmith tip, as the guitars should just work now (finally!), but Activision's had to do some work to make World Tour play nice: the game is designed for a five-pad drumkit, but it'll compress down to four to work with Rock Band's set. See? Friends all around. Is that so hard, guys?

Read - Guitar Hero: Aerosmith updated
Read - Guitar Hero: World Tour
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitar heroguitar hero aerosmithguitar hero world tourGuitarHeroGuitarHeroAerosmithGuitarHeroWorldTourrock bandRockBandWed, 16 Jul 2008 21:19:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo MotionPlus hands-on: blah.]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/nintendo-motionplus-hands-on-blah/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/nintendo-motionplus-hands-on-blah/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/nintendo-motionplus-hands-on-blah/#commentsFiled under:


So yeah, we got a chance to check out Nintendo's new MotionPlus accessory. Wii Sports Resort is the only title announced right now that requires (or supports) MotionPlus, and we gave a couple of the games a run (like sword fighting and jet-skiing). Basically we're a little at a loss as to how this does anything truly differently or more effectively than current controllers. We get that it's got additional MEMS accelerometers that supposedly bring the relationship of motion and gameplay to a more 1:1 ratio, and for the motion types we tested, it did seem to work -- but the experience and level of immersion felt basically the same. So what's the deal? More after the break.

Gallery: Nintendo MotionPlus hands-on: blah.

Continue reading Nintendo MotionPlus hands-on: blah.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>motionplusnintendowiiwii sports resortWiiSportsResortWed, 16 Jul 2008 16:27:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation-branded SOCOM Bluetooth headset spotted, touched, pictured]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-branded-socom-bluetooth-headset-spotted-touched-pi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-branded-socom-bluetooth-headset-spotted-touched-pi/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-branded-socom-bluetooth-headset-spotted-touched-pi/#commentsFiled under: ,

SOCOM Confrontation Bluetooth headset
Remember that PlayStation-branded SOCOM Bluetooth headset we told you about a while ago? Not surprisingly, it's for real, and we spotted it in Sony's booth alongside SOCOM Confrontation here at E3. It looks to be a relatively nice unit, a bit bigger than your standard Bluetooth headset intended for phones, and the USB charger it comes with is clearly intended to hang out with your PS3. Sony points out that the headset sports a giant mute button for your in-game arguments with significant others, and battery time is promised to be "exceptional." They wouldn't tell us exactly how exceptional, but we'll believe them for now. Finally, they did confirm that you'll be able to pair this with your cellphone in case you want to show off your SOCOM love while away from your living room.

Gallery: Sony's SOCOM Bluetooth Headset

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bluetoothe3headsetplaystationsocomsocom confrontationSocomConfrontationWed, 16 Jul 2008 16:12:00 EST<![CDATA[SCEA CEO Jack Tretton dishes: DRM is in, backwards compatibility is out, and video UMD lives on]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/scea-ceo-jack-tretton-dishes/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/scea-ceo-jack-tretton-dishes/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/scea-ceo-jack-tretton-dishes/#commentsFiled under:

We got a chance to sit down with Sony Computer Entertainment of America's CEO Jack Tretton, who gave us the lowdown about a few things we've had on our minds.

PS3
On backwards compatibility: Jack explained that Sony looked at how to "not take a greater hit on production cost, without losing PlayStation's heritage ... Hardware / software for backwards compat wasn't all that expensive. ... but we're selling PS2 software to PS2 customers, and selling PS3 software to PS3 consumers." Still, Jack seems to feel like it may have been the wrong move. "I would like to have had it in there, but Sony's collective strategy determined we could afford to lose it. We've now gone down that road, and we're not going back."

On DRM and the video store: As of right now, Tretton is a firm supporter of the need to DRM content on the PlayStation platforms, and Sony believes that "the drm for a song maybe isn't as important for a movie and a game... this is way too hard a business to make money in to allow people to own multiple copies for the price of one." (That's what they all say!) "I'm all for allowing an individual consumer having the freedom to do with their content what they want," but Sony has no intention of opening its video up any more than it has to.

PSP
On drive or flash storage: Sony has "definitely thought about storage on the PSP," and understands the inevitable "march towards digital content delivery device." But in terms of a drive-based PSP, they have "nothing that's imminent." (Read: don't hold your breath.)

On how downloadable video affects the already sad state of UMD: UMD "has struggled, and it wasn't handled effectively from the beginning. ... I firmly believe in a digital model" as they're rolling out, but Sony is "still going to support UMD" as a device for movies.

What's preventing PSP software sales: Three things. Title ports from PS2 games (people don't want to buy the same title twice), and the PSP's media functions. But Jack put the most emphasis on "piracy in the hundreds of thousands of units are preventing software sales. it's a problem that affects our software sales right now."

Continue reading SCEA CEO Jack Tretton dishes: DRM is in, backwards compatibility is out, and video UMD lives on

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuresjack trettonJackTrettonplaystation 3Playstation3ps3pspsonyWed, 16 Jul 2008 15:18:00 EST<![CDATA[A photographic ride through the new PlayStation Store]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/a-photographic-ride-through-the-new-playstation-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/a-photographic-ride-through-the-new-playstation-store/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/a-photographic-ride-through-the-new-playstation-store/#commentsFiled under:


Those of you who didn't stay up late last night and check out the new PlayStation Store on your own now have nowhere to go. Stuck inside your cube with no early lunch, no way to slip out at 3:00 -- nada. Thankfully, the crew over at PS3 Fanboy has the goods to satisfy your appetite until you get home. Tap the read link for a gallery of hands-on shots, and chime in below with your likes / dislikes once you've had a chance to meander around yourself.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hands-onpicturesplaystation 3playstation storePlaystation3PlaystationStorePS Storeps3PsStoresonyWed, 16 Jul 2008 10:43:00 EST<![CDATA[PlayStation video download service is live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-video-download-service-is-live/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-video-download-service-is-live/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/16/playstation-video-download-service-is-live/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The long delay until Sony launched its video download service (actually more like a few hours), is over. HD and SD rentals, and SD purchases from an assortment of movie studios is now available in the Playstation Store by selecting the video button at the top left. Need to know what's available in your region but aren't near your PS3? Check out the website for a list of what awaits.

[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewse3 2008E32008playstationplaystation 3playstation storePlaystation3PlaystationStoreps3psnsonyvideo storeVideoStoreWed, 16 Jul 2008 00:35:00 EST<![CDATA[StarPex wooden guitar controller adds a little heft to your rock]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/starpex-wooden-guitar-controller-adds-a-little-heft-to-your-rock/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/starpex-wooden-guitar-controller-adds-a-little-heft-to-your-rock/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/starpex-wooden-guitar-controller-adds-a-little-heft-to-your-rock/#commentsFiled under:


Sure, Guitar Hero and Rock Band have fake plastic Gibson and Fender controllers, but cheap plastic ain't exactly rock'n'roll -- which is why this new StarPex PS2 / PS3 guitar controller looks pretty sweet. The ersatz Strat features a hardwood body and neck crafted by "a leading guitar manufacturer" (we'd bet $100 it's made by Samick), as well as solo buttons, an Overdrive / Star Power button in addition to the tilt sensor, and both wired and wireless capabilities. On top of that, the electronics are modular, so you'll eventually be able to swap parts and build your own custom axe. Sounds great -- but you better start singing in the subway, since this thing'll set you back $179 when it goes on sale late next month. Yeah, maybe we'll stick with the plastic axes after all.
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>guitarguitar controllerguitar heroGuitarControllerGuitarHeropeak productsPeakProductsrock bandRockBandstarpexTue, 15 Jul 2008 23:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Nyko announces Intercooler TS for Xbox 360 / PS3]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/nyko-announces-intercooler-ts-for-xbox-360-ps3/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/nyko-announces-intercooler-ts-for-xbox-360-ps3/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/nyko-announces-intercooler-ts-for-xbox-360-ps3/#commentsFiled under: ,


Never has one company mooched off of poor design like Nyko. Okay, so maybe that's a bit of a stretch, but according to the peripheral maker, the original Xbox 360 Intercooler is the top selling third-party accessory for the Xbox 360 -- despite the fact that it's known for torching consoles and leaving bits of carpet hot and bothered. Nevertheless, the long, long overdue Intercooler TS (for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3) features a built-in temperature sensor and its own dedicated AC adapter, which will hopefully solve the aforesaid issues experienced with the original. This new, non-hazardous version will sell for $25, while the old, potentially hazardous iteration will somehow remain on store shelves for $20. Spend the extra $5 -- it's cheaper than a new house.

Update: Nyko pinged us to say that the original Intercooler is no longer being sold; the $20 version will be the Intercooler EX.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>coolcoolingintercoolerintercooler tsIntercoolerTsnkyooverheatoverheatingplaystation 3Playstation3ps3sonyxbox 360Xbox360Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:37:00 EST<![CDATA[InvenSense boasts about Wii MotionPlus-powering IDG-600 motion sensor]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/invensense-boasts-about-wii-motionplus-powering-idg-600-motion-s/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/invensense-boasts-about-wii-motionplus-powering-idg-600-motion-s/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/invensense-boasts-about-wii-motionplus-powering-idg-600-motion-s/#commentsFiled under:


With Nintendo's official business out of the way, the motion sensing-minded folks at InvenSense are now free to brag about the technology behind the new Wii MotionPlus add-on, a press release we're sure they've been itching to send out. The key bit of kit in the forthcoming accessory, it seems, is the IDG-600 multi-axis MEMS rate gyroscope, which InvenSense describes as a "truly disruptive technology" that boasts just the right combination of manufacturing and performance advantages to make it ideal for Nintendo's purposes. InvenSense also says that it has already begun shipping to Nintendo in mass production quantities, which is certainly assuring, if unsurprising.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>idg-600invensensemotion sensorMotionSensorwiiwii motionplusWiiMotionplusTue, 15 Jul 2008 17:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Engadget & Joystiq live from Sony's E3 2008 keynote]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/engadget-and-joystiq-live-from-sonys-e3-2008-keynote/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/engadget-and-joystiq-live-from-sonys-e3-2008-keynote/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/engadget-and-joystiq-live-from-sonys-e3-2008-keynote/#commentsFiled under:

10:23: We're en route to Sony now, stay tuned!

11:11: We're waiting outside the entrance. Tons of people in front of the entrance to the show. Veronica Belmont is getting tons of fan response for Qore. People are taking pictures with her.

11:25: We've just taken our seats at Sony's conference in front of what could only be described as a wall of screens: 7 main screens and roughly 64 smaller screens. OMG, Vaio LCD's everywhere. You'd think this was a Sony event.

Continue reading Engadget & Joystiq live from Sony's E3 2008 keynote

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3 2008e3-2008E32008featureskeynoteliveblogsonyTue, 15 Jul 2008 15:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Sony cutting 80GB PS3 price to $400 in September, ditching backwards compatibility]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/sony-cuts-80gb-ps3-price-to-400/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/sony-cuts-80gb-ps3-price-to-400/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/sony-cuts-80gb-ps3-price-to-400/#commentsFiled under:


Sony just announced at E3 that it's cutting the price of the 80GB PS3 to $400 in September, and that the new model will have the "current functionality" of the 40GB PS3. So it's really more like the 40GB PS3 is getting a capacity bump, since we're taking that to mean backwards compatibility is going out the window. That also means that the 80GB PS3 now costs the same as a 60GB 360 and an Xbox Live membership, which should make the decision a little harder for some people. We're also wondering if that's the end of the line for PS3 backwards compatibility entirely -- we have a feeling launch consoles are about to get a little more precious.
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3 2008E32008playstationplaystation 3Playstation3ps3sonyTue, 15 Jul 2008 15:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Playstation Network gets movie / TV download service, single sign-on across devices]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/playstation-network-gets-single-sign-on-across-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/playstation-network-gets-single-sign-on-across-devices/http://www.engadget.com/2008/07/15/playstation-network-gets-single-sign-on-across-devices/#commentsFiled under:


Sony just announced at E3 that Playstation Network users now have the ability to rent and purchase moves and TV shows. Like, immediately -- the service is getting flipped on tonight. It's not just Sony content, either: Fox, MGM, Lions Gate, Warner, Disney, Paramount, Turner, and something called Funimation are signed up from the get-go. Video will be available in both SD and HD, and TV pricing starts at $1.99. Movie purchases will run $9.99 - $14.99, while rentals will be $2.99 - $5.99. What's more, the content is "portable," meaning that videos downloaded on your PS3 can be watched on multiple PSPs. It doesn't look like movies can be purchased in HD, but downloads are progressive so content starts playing a minute after you hit begin the download.

PSN users will also get a single persistent sign-on across every device that can access the network: PS3, PSP, PC. It's not clear whether those aliases will carry over into games themselves or if friends lists will start working across devices as well, however. The integration is scheduled to happen for this fall, though, so you might want to go and grab your handle of choice relatively soon.
Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e3e3 2008E32008playstationplaystation networkPlaystationNetworkps3psnpspsonyTue, 15 Jul 2008 15:03:00 EST