Just when you thought it was safe to convert to Windows Vista, Microsoft changes its mind, again. This soap opera is getting to be a little old.
In early October, Microsoft admitted that it didn't discontinue XP in June after all, and would continue selling via system builders through January 2009. This is accomplished via "downgrade" rights: Dell, for example, will sell you a system with Windows XP Professional installed, but it also includes the latest version of Vista.
Meanwhile, you can still buy boxed XP at Amazon, among other places. The June deadline in itself was an extension, and there's some suggestion that, for corporate customers at least, Microsoft may extend the extension of the extension.
Looking a little further down the line, Microsoft may make Vista irrelevant with the release of Windows 7, which could come as early as 2010. Does anyone seriously expect MIS departments to invest in conversion costs and new hardware, a Vista requ... More »
Recently, XBox 360 product manager, Aaron Greenberg, indicated in an interview that the Blu-ray is not the future. He also goes on to take stabs at Sony for some of its decisions regarding the PS3.
Greenberg stated in an interview with Major Nelson, that the Blu-ray is no DVD. He also indicated that the Blu-ray format could be the next UMD. I assume he is attempting to correlate UMD as a failed format for movies. An odd comparison considering that the UMD is a Sony PSP-only format. I assume you could also say then, that the Nintendo DS cartridge is a failed format as well.
Greenberg said: “We have no plans to integrate Blu-ray into the Xbox experience,.. We believe that we shouldn’t force consumers to pay for things they don’t want. We also believe that the future’s digital, and that’s why we’ve invested in a massive library of entertainment content.”
This supports my recent story detailing how Microsoft’s nickel and dime bu... More »
Some new details about GTA: Chinatown Wars are available as follows:
EDGE Magazine interviewed Rockstar Games VP, Dan Houser on what to expect for this winter’s forthcoming GTA debut on Nintendo DS, Chinatown Wars. The interview revealed a few new snippets of information about the game.
• Pedestrians will act the same as they do in GTA IV. You can find them talking with each other, buying snacks and items at newsstands, and will even take out an umbrella when it’s raining.
• Characters on foot will look exaggerated “for the very simple reason of being able to inject them with character when viewed from above”. Looking at some of the previously released screenshots, you’ll notice characters on foot are not in proportion (larger) to the environment around them (cars, etc).
• The game will feature an assisted driving system to help make driving a little forgiving.
Knoxximus has found a method which allows 4GB SD cards (non-SDHC) to be fully utilized as a Wii storage card.
To quote: For the people who DON'T LIKE TO READ, THIS SOLUTION ALLOWS YOU TO USE AN OTHERWISE UNSUPPORTED SIZE SD CARD (4GB) TO ITS FULL POTENTIAL AND STILL HAVE VERY DECENT TRANSFER SPEEDS!
Okay! Now we all know that Nintendo's official line is that cards larger than 2GB will not work on the Wii...and for the most part this is true. However...what about a 4GB SD (NOT SDHC) card that PRETENDS it's a 2GB, but then over time can be slowly expanded to meet it's 4GB potential?
I scoured the net for info on how to get this to work, and now I present to you the fruits of my labor. Here is a mini FAQ on how to get 4GB SD cards to work on your Wii.
1st of all, get a hold of this non-SDHC SD card. Here is a link at NewEgg where it is $10.75.
Cyberport and Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited (SCEH) are jointly organizing the first PS3 game production program in Hong Kong, the "Digital Content Creation Camp" (DCCC).
The program provides training opportunities for young people and professionals in Hong Kong, especially targeting at game programmers, designers and producers. DCCC level 3 courses will start on November 1, 2008.
Press Release: The Asia's First PLAYSTATION(R)3 Game Training Program Out of Japan To Develop Hong Kong Young Game Masters
'Tokyo Game Show Delegation' Opens up Students' Minds & Visions
HONG KONG, Oct. 13 Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport) and Sony Computer Entertainment Hong Kong Limited (SCEH) are jointly organizing the first PS3 game production program in Hong Kong, the "Digital Content Creation Camp" (DCCC). The program provides training opportunities for young people and professionals in Hong Kong, especially tar... More »
Courtesy of marcan42, this The very first working test of BootMii. BootMii takes over the boot process of the Wii and lets you run almost anything (even security code, a backup/restore utility, you name it) from an SD card, before most of the system even starts booting.
To quote: It is a huge step towards "brickproofing" a Wii, as it will still work even if you thoroughly screw up your filesystem. You could even format it entirely and it would still work.
Here I'm testing it with a small program that modifies the boot code (boot2) to boot into the Homebrew Channel instead of the normal system menu. Pop the SD card in, the Wii boots to HBC. Take it out, it reverts to normal boot. Real handy for coders.
To those that claimed that System Menu channels were more convenient (read: saved you a click or two) compared to running homebrew off of HBC: take that! :-)
The console kids both announced Second Life-style virtual environments at the Tokyo Game Show today. Both games show striking similarities to Linden Lab's creation.
Players are represented by avatars which live a virtual life - engaging in relationships, going about day-to-day business. These can be personalised to look as similar (or different) to how the user looks in real life.
Sony's "Home" virtual world for the Playstation 3 will be released on November 19th, after its delay twice already. It will go up against Microsoft's Xbox 360 "New Xbox Experience".
Ryoji Akagawa of Sony said that around 24 game design companies would provide the content needed for Home - but didn't give much else away.
Game expert, Hirokazu Hamamura head of Japanese publisher Enterbrain told Associated Press, "You still can't tell what (Home)'s all about."
Microsoft's John Schappert said, "Our goal is to make the Xbox experience more visual... More »