News

Like Netflix and Hulu, we can soon get HBO content streamed to consoles. The ability to stream every HBO show ever at anytime on a console sounds pretty awesome to me. If there's a billing option that circumvents by cable provider, I may be a new customer of theirs....

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No time table has been announced, but we'd be surprised if the service didn't launch on consoles within a year or so. Although there are no price details at this time, given that the service is free to HBO subscribers on other platforms, we expect the same for consoles.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/08/03/hbo-go-heading-to-consoles.aspx

I haven't had a lot of time to post new news, but there's been some good stuff happening this week. So I figured I'd post a single news article with some interesting things that happened this week.

First, if you're a Netflix subscriber that has a plan using streaming and DVDs, you're probably pissed. Netflix split it's streaming and DVD plans into two separate billable items. Now, you'll have to pay $7.99 for each service totalling $15.98 for both at the base level. That's a significant hike from the $9.99 that was billed before. I'm in this group and I'm not thrilled with it, though I do understand that what Netlix has to pay more and more to license all of the selections. But I think they need a lot more selections to justify an increase this high. Everyone used social media to show just how pissed they were about the change. Hopefully, Netflix will reconsider. In the meantime, here's an article reviewing the alternative options:

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-20079003-285/nine-netflix-alternatives/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

T-Mobile also launched their new caller ID feature. This would be awesome if it was free, but I don't think it's worth the $3.99/month they're asking for it. I think it's easier and cheaper to just let things to to voicemail and it it's important enough, they'll leave a message...

http://www.tmonews.com/2011/07/t-mobile-introduces-name-id-caller-id-for-everyone/

Google began testing the new Google + social media site. I haven't gotten an invite yet, so I guess I'll have to wait... Apparently, it's mostly dudes right now. That sucks. You'd figure since women are more social creatures by nature, that they would have jumped at the chance to try it. I suppose that if invites were given to a bunch of nerdy dudes, then there weren't going to be too many women that they knew who could get an invite.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-20079285-71/google-its-a-man-thing/?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

The Demo for "Catherine" became available on Xbox Live. I'm not one for puzzle games, but this was really an interesting game. It's certainly one of the most unique games I've seen in a long time. I'll likely get it when it comes down in price. I don't think I can justify $60 bucks on it.

http://majornelson.com/2011/07/12/demo-catherine/

So, there you have it. A weeks worth of news in one post. Hopefully, I'll get more time to keep up.

At the Microsoft event at E3, Microsoft unveiled a long list of featured that they intend on bringing to Xbox. I'm excited about a lot of them. It seems that Microsoft is really doing a good job of spanning all of their technologies into each of their products. This also gives similar functionality accross multiple devices to create a fimiliarity and comfort that the consumer will have using everything they make.

http://majornelson.com/2011/06/06/cloud-storage-and-more-coming-to-xbox-live/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+MajorNelson+%28Major+Nelson+%28Xbox%29%29

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/117/1172911p1.html?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4dedb7f26e230eee,0

I'd definately be interested in terminating my cable service and use Microsoft's if it's any good. Even more if it's reasonably priced. Hopefully, for those who have LIVE, it won't be too much more. It's only rumored though.....

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"Rumors abound that another tier of Xbox Live will add subscription TV service.

Winrumors is reporting that an anonymous source has brought them news of some big changes on the way to Xbox Live. Specifically, Microsoft's E3 press conference is said to have an announcement regarding the new Xbox Live Diamond service, which will add IPTV services to Xbox Live users"

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/06/04/report-xbox-live-diamond-on-the-way.aspx

Game Informer is allowing anyone to read the June issue in digital format for free until May 30th. It works pretty well with a little bit of lag. I hope they're going to make it available for download so it can be taken on the go without being reliant on an internet connection.

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For over a year now, Game Informer has offered a digital subscription to the magazine that was simple in design. With the most recent June issue we went back to the drawing board and started building digital issues from the ground up, with some added digital bonuses.

From exclusive content to interactive pages, the new Game Informer Digital magazine is all about an easy reading experience as it is created to be native to your computer screen and take advantage of all the things a computer-based digital edition can offer. Like any project however, we managed to make the product before we had all the bells and whistles in place. So if you are interested in getting a Game Informer Digital subscription you will need to visit your local Gamestop until we can make digital subscriptions available online.

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/05/26/game-informer-digital-june-edition-goes-free-until-may-30th.aspx

Microsoft doesn't need to offer these for free since they're still the number one selling console. PCs on the other hand, aren't such a hot item. People just aren't seeing reasons to upgrade to something newer than they already have as quickly as they used to. So, I guess Microsoft figures they'd give them a little incentive. It sure kicks the crap out of Apple's free iPod. Why didn't they have this around when I was still going to school? Damn.....

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Starting May 22, students who buy a new PC for $699 or more will receive a free Xbox 360 4GB console, the software giant said in a blog post today. The offer is available to online shoppers who buy a PC from Dell.com, HP.com, or Microsoft's online store. Those who want to head to a retail outlet can find the deal at Best Buy or Microsoft's stores.

In order for students to get the free Xbox 360, they will need to have .edu e-mail address at the time of purchase. If they don't have a .edu e-mail address, they can go to a retail store and present their student IDs.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13506_3-20064263-17.html#ixzz1Monvgwds

The upcoming Xbox LIVE update has essentially broken some consoles. In a small number of consoles, it's made some retail discs unreadable and Microsoft is proactively contacting users with the problem with an offer to replace the consoles. The update supports a new disk format.

I was actually a part of the Beta for this and I encountered a major problem. Microsoft handled it pretty well. I was contacted by phone to get all of the details and the issue was worked out pretty quickly. The only reason I mention it is because I'm sure Microsoft is facing a bit of criticism for this, but in my experience, they've handled things the best they can.

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It appears that the new Xbox LIVE update, which will introduce support for the new XGD3 disk format, might prevent a very small number of Xbox 360 owners from playing retail game discs.

The XGD3 format will allow for additional storage space on a game disc, and will provide additional levels of copy production.

The Xbox LIVE Spring update will be rolled out between May 19 to May 30.

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/116/1168986p1.html

Update: Major Nelson says that this problem has nothing to do with what was tested in the recent Beta.

http://majornelson.com/2011/05/18/clearing-up-some-confusion/

According to Kotaku, Rockstar has no ideas as to why the mega-hyped GTA IV is a glitchy unplayable mess to select few users. Thankfully, it seems the problems aren't as widespread as they were with the comically broken Bully: Scholarship Edition, and Rockstar sounds to be urgently searching for a way to fix it (and hopefully that will turn out better than Bully did, as well). However, regardless of the efforts that Rockstar takes, it is pretty unforgivable that they can't manage to code a game for either console without having to supplant it with a patch just to get it to run. Thank you, seventh generation! We truly love the laziness that built in hard drives has ushered.

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Rockstar declined to comment on the issue officially, so I went to the phone and called up Rockstar Support to see what they had to say about the problem.

A very friendly, and obviously unhappy, fellow answered the phone who, after thanking me for not yelling at him and apologizing profusely for the problem, spilled quite a bit of beans on the issue:

The man told me that the problem is apparently only effecting the 60 GB version of the Playstation 3, but that it didn't matter than my particular console was a launch console (Yes, I told a little white lie and said my copy was locking up.) He said the problem is not across the board for the 60GB PS3s but rather only impacts some, so their tech folks are working around the clock to try and figure out what is causing the issue.

He did ask me to make sure that my harddrive wasn't full and that I had the latest firmware update, but confessed that that really isn't what's causing most of the problem. He also said that the Xbox 360 is having the "exact same problem," which has further stumped their tech folks.

Lovely. And people wonder why PC gaming is dead.

Said By SmartHouse

Retailers are claiming that Microsoft has had to handle a failure rate of over 30% with their Xbox 360 console. More than 100 consumers have written to SmartHouse complaining of either poor service from Microsoft or total failure of their gaming console. One consumer was even given back a refurbished unit in exchange for their original Xbox console

Several months ago SmartHouse raised the issue of potential problems with the Xbox 360 after several readers wrote to us complaining of persistent failures. Even one of our testing Xbox 360 systems that we use to review software failed and had to be returned to Microsoft for repair. Other consumers have complained of sending off their Xbox for repair only to get a different re furbished unit back.

Its kinda sensationalism-like, so I\'m sure the numbers and percentages are rather high (I'm guessing the real percentage is actually closer to 20-25% than "over 30%"), but I found it an interesting read. I thought it was kind of ridiculous that some parts included were pieces like "contemplating the cost of a PS3," though.

Apparently, Microsoft is pulling a second Vista debacle and releasing many different version of its console. The new Xbox 360 will sport an HDMI port but no HD-DVD drive. Nuts.

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The new box will go on sale in limited quantities soon for $479. The details may not be precise here, but I believe it will have an HDMI connector so that you can connect at the highest speed to a high-definition TV. It will come with a 120-gigabyte hard disk drive and will have IPTV capability. Bill Gates announced in January that the Xbox 360 was capable of serving as a set-top box for IPTV, or Internet Protocol TV, which phone companies such as AT&T are using to offer high-definition movies and scores of channels in competition with TV.

Microsoft has finally extended the Xbox 360's warranty to a full year. Microsoft thought they could get away with the 90 day BS they were pushing. Look at what competition does to the marketplace and tell me that's bad.

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Microsoft also said reimbursement checks for repairs done in the last 12 months will be sent out automatically in about 10 weeks. Contact information for warranty questions is available on the Xbox support site. Microsoft has been the target of an online petition--with 3,382 signatures as of Friday--calling for a retroactive warranty extension to one year. The petition claims that Xbox 360 systems frequently failed after the original 90-day warranty and that customers were unreasonably required to pay between $50 and $129 for repairs.

If you had repairs done to your 360, give Microsoft a buzz and let them know.

Even though the Xbox 360 controller works fine on the computer, a little modding here and there makes everything just a tiny bit better. You will be able to use USB thumb drives with your Xbox too!Next Page »

In a twist of fate, the Xbox can be used for stroke rehabilitation by violating the DMCA. Things that should be legal (such as hacking something you purchased) can promote an increase in health and science as this news post shows. I am happy that this has occured and I hope that Microsoft sues under the DMCA. We need to get rid of these dumb copyright laws. Maybe some dumb lawsuits will get the skirts in Congress thinking for a change.

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Rutgers' low-cost hand rehabilitation system is based on the commercially available Microsoft Xbox video game and Essential Reality P5 gaming glove that detects finger and wrist motions to manipulate on-screen images. The engineers made minor modifications to the equipment and created software that delivers two types of finger flexing exercises needed to help recover hand functions in stroke patients.