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Walmart Father’s Day Deals For Every Dad’s “Man Cave”
Father’s Day is just around the corner, so no doubt you’ll be wanting to get your dad some cool gadgets for his “man cave”. Well, Walmart has some sick deals going on this Father’s Day, including a $128 Magnavox Blu-ray Disc player (NB500MGX)! Wow, no reason to not have a Blu-ray player now. Man that’s cheap! I remember when they were over $300. Other deals include select Blu-ray movies two for $20, inexpensive HDTVs, and more. Walmart explains, “Every dad has a man cave at home - the place you most likely will find him when he wants to relax. Starting June 14, Walmart is helping families find savings that add something more to man caves in his game room, garage and backyard.” They break down the various cave types, including The Game Room/Living Room Cave, The Home Office Cave, Mobile Man Cave, The Deck Cave, and The Garage Cave. What, no Parlor Room Cave, Bathroom Cave, Kitchen Cave, Laundry Room Cave? Oh, those are for Mother’s Day, you say? 
Check out the full release after the jump…
Continue reading Walmart Father’s Day Deals For Every Dad’s “Man Cave”…
Tags: dad, deals, deck, father's day, gadgets, garage, gps, hdtv, man cave, tools, video games, walmart
Related tags: walmart, father, deals
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Cox Communications Expands Fast 50Mbps Broadband Internet to Virginia
Cox Communications today expanded its fastest broadband service to residential and business customers in Northern Virginia. Now offered in Fairfax County and Fredericksburg it delivers up to 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) downloads and 5 Mbps uploads using DOCSIS 3.0. Last month, this service was launched in Lafayette, Louisiana.
The third generation of cable’s DOCSIS (Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification) service introduces channel bonding, a technology that can bond parallel cable channels to transmit data at faster speeds. Speeds are further enhanced with PowerBoost™, a cable-exclusive technology that provides an extra burst of speed when it’s needed.
Cox’s Ultimate Internet package provides residential customers with the ability to download movies and music, share files, stream video and compete with gamers around the world, faster than ever. DOCSIS 3.0 meets the increasing bandwidth demands of multiple users while optimizing their online experience. Standard price for the residential Ultimate Internet package will be $139.99 per month, with an introductory rate of $109 per month.
Interestingly, Northern Virginia business customers will also be able to take advantage of DOCSIS 3.0 technology through Cox Business Internet’s new “premium package”. It too features download speeds up to 50 Mbps and 5 Mbps uploads, but they claim Cox Business Internet helps optimize support for corporate e-mail, online research and Web-based business applications. Yeah right. You’re paying more for the premium business with the same speed as the home edition.
The company has already launched DOCSIS 3.0 in Lafayette Parish, La., and plans to offer Ultimate Internet to several Cox markets by the end of 2009, and to more than two-thirds of its footprint in 2010.
Now if only Verizon (FiOS fiber-to-the-home), AT&T (Uverse Fiber-to-the-neighborhood), Comcast (DOCSIS 3.0 55mbps), or Charter Communications (cable broadband) would bring affordable high-speed Internet to my neighborhood. Stuck on pokey DSL! 
Tags: broadband, cable, cox, cox communications, Data-Over-Cable Service Interface Specification, DOCSIS, internet, virginia
Related tags: ultimate internet, business internet, business customers, internet package, northern virginia, internet
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NIC fixes VoIP for Gamers - Ok if you say so
Is it me, or this $130 NIC optimized for VoIP overkill? The idea behind this network interface card (NIC) is that it optimize packets and prioritizes games while offloading the voice processing from the CPU.
According to PC World:
…at the 2009 Game Developer’s Conference, Bigfoot Networks has two announcements. The first: they are releasing the $130 Killer Xeno Pro card. The big deal this time around is that they’ve been able to get prices down, beef up the memory and pack on an additional chip that can offload the voice chat. A 400GHz NPU (as in Network Processing Unit — oh, joy, another acronym!) bypasses the Windows network stack while an integrated audio chip offloads VoIP.
I know gamers are all about low latency while trash-talking their opponents using VoIP, but $130? Aren’t PCs and NICs fast enough these days? Well, if you you have to have the every pico-second of latency minimized and want to shell out $130, then by all means have at it.
Tags: 2009 Game Developer’s Conference, Bigfoot Networks, games, gaming, latency, network card, Network Processing Unit, nic, npu, voip
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Sony Kills Go!Messenger VoIP Application
Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced that it plans to shut down Go!Messenger, a VoIP, video chat, and IM application that launched last February. Citing a lack of interest, Go!Messenger was an intriguing PSP app that leveraged the PSP Go!Cam camera for its video chat capabilities.
Sony explained “Although it proved a popular concept, achieving a significant number of registrations, it didn’t gain the number of regular users that BT and SCEE were aiming for.”
Go!Messenger will end on March 31. But all is not lost. Skype for PSP still works, but it’s too bad Skype for PSP doesn’t support the Go!Cam for some Skype-to-Skype video chat action.
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Tags: BT, Go!Cam, Go!Messenger, Skype, Sony, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, video chat, voip
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Nortel uses Unreal Engine and Lands Lenovo as a customer of web.alive
Apparently, my skepticism over Nortel web.alive was lost on Lenovo since Nortel and Lenovo today announced the first-ever customer to its web.alive Virtual World Application. Lenovo uses web.alive to let shoppers browse, demo and interact with other shoppers and Lenovo Staff in real-time 3D.
In addition, Nortel has licensed the Unreal gaming Engine for web.alive Engine which they claim will create more realistic, interactive 3D Environment for Web 3.0 Collaboration, Training and Commerce. Wow, I used to play Unreal on my old PC. If Nortel web.alive uses the Unreal Engine and looks anything like the video game I used to play, then maybe I’ll retract some of my skepticism.
Unreal Tournament 2004
Here’s both news releases coming out any second on the newswires…
Just months after announcing its incubation efforts to develop web.alive, a new virtual world business application, Nortel* [NYSE/TSX: NT] today announced that Lenovo, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of personal computers, is using the application in a new online virtual store as a way to give consumers an exciting new avenue for e-commerce.
The Lenovo “eLounge” virtual store is being showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week at the Venetian Hotel’s AquaKnox.
What are the benefits of virtual stores?
• Shoppers can create personalized avatars to walk around the 3D virtual store and browse through products while interacting with other shoppers and sales staff from around the globe.
• Shoppers can also attend product demonstrations or tutorials given by the virtual store staff.
• People can build social/virtual shopping communities/groups and host online shopping get-togethers with their network of friends, family and associates - a concept defined as assisted e-commerce or social shopping.
• Customer service online is taken to an entirely new level as customers do not need to email, click to call or deal with hundreds of pages of forum based questions and answers. If a customer has a question, they can simply log on and walk up to a customer service representative or ask another customer with a high feedback rating.
• Businesses can use their online stores to test out new store designs/ideas - in a virtual setting.
Interested in seeing Lenovo’s virtual store prototype?
• To see the new Lenovo eLounge, visit www.lenovo.com/elounge** or visit them at CES at the Venetian Hotel’s AquaKnox.
• For more information on web.alive, visit www.projectchainsaw.com or www.nortel.com/webalive.
OTTAWA - Nortel’* [NYSE/TSX: NT] announced it has licensed Epic Games’ Unreal Engine for Nortel’s new web.alive virtual world software application.
“The Unreal gaming engine provides an array of core technologies, content creation tools, and support infrastructure essential to Nortel’s web.alive application,” said Arn Hynman, web.alive chief architect. “By collaborating with Epic Games and licensing the Unreal Engine, we are enabling our customers to benefit from the same platform that powers industry-leading video games and complex 3D simulations.”
“The Unreal Engine enables companies to build dynamic, interactive virtual worlds for the next-gen workforce, and this licensing agreement signifies Nortel’s commitment to take its e-commerce and learning initiatives to the next level,” said Mark Rein, vice president of Epic Games. “Nortel’s web.alive application uniquely showcases how Epic’s engine technology can be leveraged to improve business collaboration.”
To learn more about the Nortel and Epic collaboration and to hear an interview with Arn Hyndman and Mark Rein, visit http://podcast.nortel.com/podcasts2/nortel_web_alive_7961.mp3.
web.alive integrates spatial, high-definition audio and customized 3D spaces with conventional telephony, corporate systems and software to create a “real-life” experience in a virtual environment. Epic’s Unreal Engine 2.5 enables the display of stunning 3D environments and avatars with lifelike movements and interactivity. Nortel brings this impressive capability to your web browser as a thin client.
Nortel has also announced that Lenovo, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of personal computers, is using web.alive in a new online virtual store as a way to give consumers an exciting new avenue for e-commerce.
Nortel’s web.alive is a collaborative, browser-based virtual world application for enterprise use that provides an immersive, interactive and web integrated world with 3D voice and graphics. The application facilitates internal collaboration as well as customer interactions over the web and in real time. web.alive brings new dimensions to business collaboration, virtual training and ecommerce. For more information on web.alive, visit www.projectchainsaw.com or www.nortel.com/webalive.
Tags: 3d, avatar, ces, Consumer Electronics Show, Lenovo, nortel, unreal engine, virtual store, virtual world, web.alive
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Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard
Logitech today introduced what they deem a “Game-Changing Gameboard” called the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard. Hyperbole aside, the Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard is an interesting concept. It sports a naturally contoured design, on-board memory, customizable backlighting, and programmable keys. A keyboard with memory? What’s next? A keyboard which is a full-fledged PC? Oh wait, that’s been done.
Anyway, the Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is a hybrid gaming keyboard designed to complement your Logitech keyboard and mouse. It gives you 25 programmable keys and an analog stick, as well and three game modes to help the PWN factor against your gaming buddies.
The Logitech G13 is basically a mini-version of the Logitech G15, which is a full-sized traditional keyboard that costs just about the same as the G13. Personally, I prefer full-sized keyboards for gaming, with programmed buttons & macros, but to each their own.
Logitech stated, “Whether you’re rescuing hostages, on a quest with your guild or saving humanity, you don’t want to worry about hand fatigue or hitting the wrong key.”
The iconic contoured design complements the natural shape of your hand and fingers, while the smooth, concave home-row keys make it easy to locate buttons by touch. With three game modes, 25 programmable keys and a programmable analog stick, the G13 gameboard offers up to 87 ways for you to control your game (software installation required). And you can set up custom button-profiles for each one of your favorite titles. You can even create macros on the fly without having to pause your game.
And for another tactical advantage, the 160-by-43-pixel GamePanel LCD shows live game stats, system info and even messages from other players. Though look away from the computer screen at your own peril!
With the G13 gameboard, you’ll also get backlit keys that help you easily locate the right key in low-light conditions or lights-out play. And you can select from hundreds of available backlight colors.
A handy solution for the laptop gamer, the G13 gameboard includes onboard memory, letting you program up to five ready-to-play profiles and take them with you to your next LAN party. The G13 gameboard also offers pre-configured settings for many popular games, including World of Warcraft: Burning Crusade, Lord of the Rings Online™: Shadows of Angmar™, Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™ and many others.
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech G13 advanced gameboard is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in December for a suggested retail price of $79.99 (U.S.). Question is will it be available before Christmas?
Tags: gaming, keyboard, Logitech G13, Logitech G13 Advanced Gameboard, Logitech G15, video games
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More Than Half of U.S. Adults Got Game
More than half of U.S. adults play video games, according to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, and 20% do so daily.
The survey of 2,054 U.S. adults was conducted late last year, with a margin of error of 25.
People f
rom all walks of life play, although younger adults are far more likely to play than seniors, proof that video games are mainstream entertainment for the generations that grew up with them. In all, 81% of respondents between 18 and 29 said they play games, compared with 23% of people 65 and older.
Another Pew survey this fall found that nearly every teenager — 97% — is a gamer.
The gender gap between gamers was not what would be predicted by old stereotypes painting video game fans as young men who need to get outside more — 50% of women and 55% of men play video games.
The Boston Globe/The Associated Press
Tags: american life project, pew, sonic the hedgehog
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Gadget Prices Falling This Holiday Season!
Ho ho ho!
‘Tis the season for steep discounts on gadgets goods on the Internet. According to this article in Electonista, online shopping sites such as Buy.com, HP.com, SonyStyle.com, Newegg.com, OnSale.com and RefurbDepot.com all are offering big savings.
Buy.com has cut prices on everything from MP3 players and digital photo frames to GPS units and notebook computers. Prices are slashed on everything from wireless routers and printers to wireless mice and Bluetooth stereo headphones at HP.com.
SonyStyle.com is offering deals on notebooks, iPod docks, game consoles, digital cameras, HDTVs and more as well as gift cards this holiday season.
Until December 31st Newegg.com is offering specials on their HDTV collection and until December 11th enter to win a $5,000 Newegg gift certificate in the Holiday Wishlist Sweepstakes.
Deals on notebooks, monitors, iPod docking stations, and Bluetooth headsets can be found at OnSale.com. The Holiday Superstore at RefurbDepot.com has great gift ideas from digital cameras to desktop computers at a range of prices.
Tags: electronista, holiday sales, ipod
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Activision Announces ‘Guitar Hero 5,’ New ‘Tony Hawk’
We know Activision Blizzard loves sequels.
A little while ago, it revealed a slate of follow-ups coming this year at an Massive Inc. upfront. An upfront is where publishers showcase their upcoming lineup to advertisers and are a new practice for games. Upfronts occur every year for TV and movies.
The idea is quite simple really — to get advertisers pumped to buy more ads in games. Massive is a Microsoft-owned firm that did the Barack Obama ad in Burnout Paradise.
At the meeting, Activision Blizzard showcased new games that would make sense for in-game ads, including the vaguely titled “Guitar Hero 5,” which included a screen shot of gameplay with a Burger King ad to the right of the note highway.
The publisher confirmed rumors that Tony Hawk will be different this year. “You’re not going to be playing this game with a controller in your hands,” said the company.
More at MTV Multiplayer.
Tags: activision blizzard, barack obama, burnout paradise, guitar hero, massive, microsoft, tony hawk
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Blockbuster Goes All-in-One in Nevada
Blockbuster has chosen Reno, Nev., as the test market for a new store concept that combines video rentals with sales of video game accessories, high-definition TVs and other home entertainment products.
Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes said the company is “selling convenience” with the new design.
And you know we gadgeteers love convenience, even if we have to wait for it.
We hope the still have snacks!
More a the The Cincinnati Enquirer/Gannett News Service.
Tags: blockbuster, HDTV
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Gadgets Help Drive Black Friday Sales
Despite one of the worst economic climates in decades, consumer spending on Black Friday hit $10.6 billion, 3% higher than the day after Thanksgiving in 2007, according to researcher ShopperTrak.
Gadgets accounted for nine of the top 10 most popular Black Friday products, PriceGrabber said.
Data from PriceGrabber.com shows that online consumers are taking advantage of promotions on popular electronics, including LCD and plasma TVs, Blu-ray disc players, digital SLR cameras, laptops and video game consoles.
The most popular products on Black Friday:
- Nintendo Wii Console
- Ugg Australia ‘Classic Short’ Boot (how about that!)
- Sony BDP-S350 1080p Blu-Ray Disc Player
- Samsung LN52A650 52″ LCD TV
- Nintendo Wii Fit
- Panasonic TH-42PX80U 42″ Plasma TV
- Sennheiser HD 555 Headphones
- Canon EOS Rebel XSi Black SLR Digital Camera Kit
- Acer Aspire One AOA110-1295 Notebook
- Canon PowerShot A590 IS Black Digital Camera
And while we are at it, here are the Top 10 categories and percent growth over Black Friday 2007:
- Women’s Boots - 203%
- Watches - 202%
- Blu-ray/HD-DVD Players - 147%
- Women’s Sleep & Lounge Wear - 415%
- Games & Puzzles - 151%
- Women’s Jackets - 110%
- Music - 96%
- Headphones - 103%
- Women’s Dresses - 107%
- Women’s Casual Shoes - 143%
More at PriceGrabber.com and The Washington Post.
Tags: acer, black friday, canon, nintendo, panasonic, samsung, sennheiser, sony
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Black Friday Results are in!
It appears it just might be a Merry Christmas even with the doom & gloom surrounding the economy. I guess President-elect Barack Obama must be the Messiah, since he’s already creating miracles and he hasn’t even been sworn in yet.
Check this out:
NRF Survey Finds Black Friday Gets Holiday Season Off to Energetic Start
– Great Bargains, Pent-Up Demand Drove Shoppers to Stores, Web
Though the holiday season is far from over, retailers across the country are breathing a collective sigh of relief after shoppers headed to stores and websites in droves over the weekend. According to the National Retail Federation’s 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey, conducted by BIGresearch, more than 172 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 147 million shoppers last year.*
Shoppers spent an average of $372.57 this weekend*, up 7.2 percent over last year’s $347.55. Total spending reached an estimated $41.0 billion.
“Pent-up demand on electronics and clothing, plus unparalleled bargains on this season’s hottest items helped drive shopping all weekend,” said NRF President and CEO Tracy Mullin. “Holiday sales are not expected to continue at this brisk pace, but it is encouraging that Americans seem excited to go shopping again.”
Friday was clearly the busiest day of the weekend with 73.6 million people hitting stores and websites for doorbuster sales. Though traffic did subside after Friday, retailers were also buoyed by two-day sales as 56.9 million people shopped on Saturday, up from 48.3 million last year, while another 26.2 million people planned to shop on Sunday. Thanksgiving Day also continues to increase in importance as the number of people who shopped on Thursday was up 48 percent over last year (16.2 million people vs. 10.9 million people).
Those who shopped on Friday lived by the adage that the early bird catches the worm. The survey found that 23.3 percent of shoppers were at stores by 5 a.m. while more than half (57.6%) were at stores by 9 a.m. Bargains appeared to be so good that people have more of a jumpstart on shopping.
According to the findings, Americans have completed slightly more shopping than they had one year ago (39.3% vs. 36.4%), indicating that traffic and sales over the next several weeks will moderate.
“Though retailers should be encouraged by strong traffic and sales over the weekend, consumers are still being cautious,” said Phil Rist, Executive Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, BIGresearch. “Weekend shoppers indicated that they are still sticking to a budget and thinking carefully before making any holiday purchases.”
Though retailers in all categories were featuring big bargains, a majority of shoppers visited discount stores for holiday deals. According to the survey, more than half (54.7%) of this weekend’s shoppers visited discount stores. Nearly half (43.0%) shopped at a traditional department store, up 11.1 percent from 38.7 percent last year. About one-third of shoppers visited specialty stores like clothing or electronics stores (36.0%) and shopped online (34.0%).
As expected, many shoppers (50.9%) purchased clothing and accessories over the weekend while 39.0 percent bought books, DVDs, CDs and video games and 35.9 percent purchased consumer electronics. Toys were also big sellers, as 28.5 percent of shoppers bought a toy. Gift card purchasing dropped ten percent with 18.7 percent of shoppers purchasing a gift card over the weekend, down from 21.0 percent last year.
NRF continues to project that holiday sales will rise 2.2 percent this year to $470.4 billion.
About the Survey
The NRF 2008 Black Friday Weekend survey was designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to the winter holidays. NRF defines the weekend as sales from Thursday, November 27 to Sunday, November 30. The survey, which polled 3,370 consumers, was conducted for NRF by BIGresearch from November 27-29, 2008. The consumer poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.7 percent.
BIGresearch is a consumer market intelligence firm that provides unique consumer insights that are gathered online utilizing very large sample sizes. BIGresearch’s syndicated Consumer Intentions and Actions survey monitors the pulse of more than 8,000 consumers each month to empower its clients with unique insights for identifying opportunities in a fragmented and changing marketplace.
The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association, with membership that comprises all retail formats and channels of distribution including department, specialty, discount, catalog, Internet, independent stores, chain restaurants, drug stores and grocery stores as well as the industry’s key trading partners of retail goods and services. NRF represents an industry with more than 1.6 million U.S. retail establishments, more than 24 million employees - about one in five American workers - and 2007 sales of $4.5 trillion. As the industry umbrella group, NRF also represents more than 100 state, national and international retail associations. www.nrf.com
Via NRF
Tags: Barack Obama, Black Friday, Christmas, National Retail Federation, Thanksgiving
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Cyber Monday Amazon Deals
Amazon has a special landing page listing all their Cyber Monday deals. Amazon doesn’t call it “Cyber Monday” but rather the “Black-Friday-After-Thanksgiving-Sale”, so this landing page should be good until Christmas. Maybe they were afraid Cyber Monday was patented, kinda like their one-click ordering patent.
Anyway, here’s the current category breakdown on the Amazon holiday specials landing page:
- Black Friday deals in Toys & Games
- Black Friday Deals in Electronics Just Keep Going
- Hot Kitchen and Home Black Friday Deals
- Black Friday Deals in Sports & Outdoors
- Limited Time: Save up to 50% on Home Improvement Essentials
- Exclusive Cyber Monday Deals in Beauty
- Limited-Time Black Friday Deals in Apparel, Plus $10 off $50, $20 off $100 Orders
There are some Blu-ray DVD players for sale, including a Samsung BD-P1500 Blu-ray Player for $199. (under $200). Still doesn’t beat the $128 Blu-ray player Wal-Mart was offering on Black Friday (now $199), but it’s the best deal on Amazon today.
For the full listing on Amazon holiday specials, head over here.
Tags: Amazon.com, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, sale, Thanksgiving
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Sony Phone Home for Gaming Future
For Sony, Home is where the future of gaming is — or where they would like it to be.
In its battle for the hearts and minds of gamers, Sony is developing a robust social-networking component to its PlayStation 3 console.
The new element, to be called Home, has been in beta testing for weeks and allows users to explore an online world with avatars that can travel from one virtual place to another.
While it’s not exactly a world like World of Warcraft or Linden Labs’Second Life, Home is the most ambitious push by any console maker into creating a virtual world for gamers.
It will live or die on whether it’s simple, fun, and deep enough for gamers who have plenty of other things they want to do — like play games. And the price is right: free for those who have a PS3.
The New York Times/VentureBeat.
Tags: avatars, Home, Linden Labs, PlayStation 3, PS3, Second Life, Sony, World of Warcraft
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Power Down Those Gaming Consoles!
Gam
ers: Power down consoles when not in use to save cash!
National Resources Defense Council and consulting firm Ecos have found that gamers could save $100 a year if they turn off their consoles when they are not in use.
That means you guys in the photo!
The pair also recommends that game console manufacturers look to include power management features in their next generation of consoles.
The authors said the industry should adopt automatic power-down features and make it easier for consumers to locate these features. Idle machines consume nearly as much energy as when machines are turned on.
The XBox 360, for example, has a power-down feature, but it’s turned off by default and is hard to activate because its buried deep in the menus. (For instructions on how to find existing power-down features, click here.)
In terms of energy consumption, the XBox 360 is in the middle of the pack, consuming 119 watts in active mode, more than many desktop PCs.
The Nintendo Wii, meanwhile, consumes just 16 watts — less than most laptops — and the Sony PlayStation 3 burns through 150 watts in play mode. PlayStation 3 can update its software to add a power-management feature, but it’s disabled by default, too.
More at CNET.
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NatGeo Gets into the Gaming Mood
National Geographic Ventures is working with video game makers on branded games for PCs, consoles and handhelds, with such forthcoming titles as National Geographic: Panda for the Nintendo DS and Sony will have National Geographic: Africa.
For the Panda title, look what you will be able to do!
- Interact with pandas - play with, help, teach and nurture your very own cute panda bear
- Learn about pandas - view pictures and read stories about real-life pandas from the National Geographic archives
- Nurture your panda - your panda’s habits change with how you treat and play with it
- More pandas - as your panda develops, new baby pandas will join him in Panda Park
- Play in real time - graphics and sounds change according to the time of day
- Fun playground toys - have fun playing with familiar playground equipment like a tire swing, a see-saw, slides, and more
- Advanced shopping features - let your daily allowance grow and go on a shopping spree, buy panda food and toys immediately or order items by mail via Panda Delivery
- Simple UI - interact with your panda with a single touch of the stylus pen, simple controls allows you to focus on interacting with your panda
Almost like Panda Tycoon!
More at Bandai Namco Games.
The Washington Post/The Associated Press (11/18)
Tags: bandai namco games, national geographic africa, national geographic panda, nintendo ds, sony
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Broadband-enabled Game Consoles: Bye-Bye Pay TV?
A report from research consultancy TDG predicts that portals like Microsoft’s Xbox Live and Sony’s PlayStation Network will soon become formidable competitors to incumbent Pay TV services.
Leveraging broadband-enabled game consoles as the next-generation video platforms — and bypassing cable and satellite TV operators, these companies will offer a compelling alternative to traditional TV programming by providing a more immersive, interactive video experience.
The launch of Microsoft’s Experience and the Xbox Live Netflix streaming video service is a perfect example of how potent these services will soon become. There is little doubt these services are finally ready for prime time.
Even before the launch of Experience, Microsoft’s Xbox Live had amassed some 15,000 movies (1,000 of which are HD) and some 13,000 TV shows for download-to-own. The Netflix partnership adds 12,000 movies and TV programs to the mix, all for free streaming to Netflix subscribers.
Sony’s PlayStation Network has collected close to 1,000 movies and hundreds of TV programs for download-to-own. It has also announced plans to expand dramatically its video library in the next few months in order to compete with Xbox Live.
Many thanks to Advanced-Television.
Tags: download-to-own, experience, microsoft, netflix, playstation network, sony, xbox live
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PC Magazine Stops the Presses - Online Only
I grew up reading PC Magazine and I looked forward each couple weeks to picking up my copy of PC Magazine at the local grocery store. But today, Ziff Davis has announced that the legendary PC Magazine print publication is shutting down its print publication and focusing exclusively on online content. This is truly a sad day… 
Hold on while I grab some tissues…
PC Magazine started the whole in-depth comparative reviews of PCs and Microsoft software. They expanded later to including gadgets, MP3 players, mobile phones, GPS, and other technology. PC Magazine offered insightful tech tips and great columnists like John C. Dvorak. Back in the 80s and 90s the print publication was 400-500 pages, making for hours of tech- reading pleasure. Today, it’s down to 150 pages and soon to be 0 (January 2009).
Well, I guess it’s “greener” that way. But I for one will miss my print copy of PC Magazine.
Tags: John C. Dvorak, PC Magazine
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Anybody Like the New Xbox Live?
The new Xbox Live look is supposed to kick off today so be sure to take a peek.
The gaming platform now includes customizable avatars, an iPod-like display and easier viewing of Netflix downloads.
It’s got to be an improvement over what was there before … or at least we hope so!
Let’s hear the feedback!
Louder!
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Xbox 360 as Internet-to-TV Portal
Hoping to provide viewers with an easy way to move Internet-based video onto TV screens, GridNetworks has announced a new service that would do just that by routing the content through an Xbox 360 gaming console.
The service is designed to work with any device that uses Universal Plug and Play protocols and, in the future, GridNetworks wants to be able to use Sony’s PlayStation 3 as the conduit as well.
More at Multichannel News.
Tags: gridnetworks, internet-based video, PlayStation 3, Sony, Universal Plug and Play, xbox 360
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Image Sync’ing All Your Gadgets?
Researchers recently completed work on a networking solution that will synchronize the myriad personal electronic devices (aka gadgets) people will use in the not-so-distant future.
The group, called MAGNET Beyond, was composed of researchers from 35 companies who developed an architecture to harmonize devices such as laptops, telephones, MP3 players, games and a variety of sensors.
And why is this networking project called MAGNET Beyond?
No it’s not a take-off on Bed, Bath and Beyond, but the name is an acronym for “My personal adaptive Global NET and beyond.”
Yikes!
How many researchers does it take to come up with a good acronym?
Definitely not this group! Better luck with the technology.
More at ZDnet.
Tags: bed bath and beyond, magnet beyond, zdnet
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Xbox Live Getting a Makeover
Get ready for a new look for Xbox Live this week when Microsoft debuts a completely new look for its gaming platform.
The date: November 19.
The new look will include customizable avatars, an iPod-like display and easier viewing of Netflix downloads.
According to Microsoft, the upgrades are meant to turn a somewhat static user interface into “a social media entertainment hub.”
So tune in later this week and let’s hear how you like it (or how you don’t).
Get more at USA Today.
Tags: avatars, ipod, microsoft, netflix, xbox live
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Life Got You Down? Buy a Video Game Console
Despite a worsening economy, all three current-generation video game consoles had better U.S. sales in October than they did a year ago, according to the latest figures from The NPD Group.
And both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii sold more units in October, a four-week reporting period, than in September, a five-week period. Wowwee!
Also the worst of the economic bad news had yet to hit in September.
Sony, however, saw month-over-month PlayStation 3 sales decline, while sales of its previous generation (and less expensive) PlayStation 2 remained strong. Also, the PS3 saw the strongest year-over-year sales increase in October.
Nintendo was again the market leader, even though Microsoft cut prices on its Xbox 360 line in September, making its low-end model the least-expensive console on the market.
More at The Seattle Times.
(Can you blame them for that seemingly pro-MS plug …)
Tags: microsoft, nintendo, npd group, playstation 2, playstation 3, sony, video game console, wii, xbox 360
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Wii Remote Goes Big
Tired of just moving the Wii control around when what you really need is something that really replicates the shooter or gaming action you need?
Well, the Rumble Blaster magically transforms your entire Wii controller into a gun system - and adds realistic rumble action to boot!
It’s compatible with most Wii shooting games, such as Ghost Squad and Target.
Availability: In stores this month.
Tags: dreamgear, ghost squad, nintendo, rumble blaster, target, wii
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Roku Streaming HD from Roku — Before Year End
Roku representatives have responded to rumors on its online forum board regarding when it will launch streaming HD services and announced, earlier than they’d like, that it will team up with Netflix to bring HD content to its subscribers.
Compared to the recently announced Xbox and Netflix tie-up that will also see streaming HD content to the Xbox, Roku will use different Advanced Profile encoding to deliver the HD content at significantly lower bit-rates.
In related news, CNet reports that Netflix has decided to stop selling used DVDs to its customer base, instead deciding to focus its attention on its rental by mail and Watch Instantly services.
“As you know, our core business is delivering great movie rentals to you on DVD by mail and instantly to the computer and TV, so we’ve decided it makes sense for us to focus exclusively on that,” the company stated in a Netflix blog post.
More on the streaming from Electronista (and thanks for the photo).
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Fab Four Heading to Rock Band; Can iTunes Be Far Behind?
In an auspicious time for the music business, we may have the first big hint that the Beatles may finally be on the way to Apple’s iTunes.
That’s a big leap of faith but hear me out: The Beatles’ label Apple Corps will join MTV to unveil plans to bring the Beatles’ catalog to the wildly popular Rock Band video game. These two groups have been trying to hammer out details for months, and it appears they’ve finally come together (yes, pun intended.)
The reason this is so much bigger than merely MTV scoring the world’s most valuable music catalogue is that it signals a monumental shift by Apple Corps to begin to embrace digital distribution. And that could mean a new opening for more discussions with Apple and its iTunes music service — where the Beatles are still so conspicuously absent.
(And its is the world’s most popular music store.)
Maybe AC/DC and Aersomith taught them something???
More at CNBC.com.
Tags: ac/dc, aerosmith, apple, apple corps, beatles, itunes, mtv, rock band
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Nintendo Gets New DSi Ready
Nintendo is reportedly likely to launch a new model of its top-selling handheld player, the DS, in overseas markets by next summer.
Nintendo will start selling the DSi, which can take pictures, play music and is slimmer than the current model, in Japan tomorrow for 18,900 yen ($192) in a move to revive slowing domestic sales ahead of the critical holiday season.
Nintendo previously said it planned an overseas DSi launch in 2009.
DS sales in the April-September fiscal first half grew 3% from a year earlier to 13.73 million units worldwide, beating Sony’s PlayStation Portable by a 2-to-1 margin.
The DS and Wii console, which has outstripped both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in global sales, have been Nintendo’s twin growth engines in recent years.
Nintendo said it has shipped 200,000 units of the DSi for sales this weekend and plans to ship an additional 100,000 units starting November 4.
Get more at Reuters.
Tags: ds, dsi, microsoft, nintendo, playstation, sony, xbox 360
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MatchMaster: Beckham’s Electronic Soccer Game
Well, you may never bend it like David Beckham, but his little MatchMaster electronic soccer game let’s you practice, train and eat properly to get you well on your virtual way.
Sort of like an updated and totally sports-obsessed Tamagotchi, it’s an interactive handheld game (even down to very small hands) that let’s you live the life of a soccer star — and no, it’s not all glamour and glory!
MatchMaster will test your ability to develop your gadget’s expertise by managing its daily schedule. Each player can test their gadget’s ability by playing matches against other MatchMasters.
Each MatchMaster will have its own life table. Each life table has six
lifelines and will need to be developed and maintained on a daily basis.
If you look after your lifelines correctly, the MatchMaster will develop into a stronger gadget.
Tags: david beckham, handheld games, matchmaster, tamagotchi
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Sears Wants Your Old Gadgets
Sears is offering VenJuvo’s Trade4Credit program to Sears.com shoppers that will allow you to earn Sears store credit in exchange for trading in pre-owned gadgets that have been determined to still hold value.
The program, which offers free recycling and shipping, will accept a variety of gadgets, including iPhones, digital cameras and camcorders, MP3 players, GPS systems and gaming systems.
To use the service, simply have to log onto www.sears.trade4credit.com, select your gadget and then enter the specifics about it so the system can calculate an estimated trade-in value. Once the value is established, the user can print out the prepaid mailing label and send the device to VenJuvo.
After the device is received, VenJuvo will validate the value and within three days you will be able to collect a Sears gift card for that value.
A quick look at the site tells me the product categories are narrow and the prices low. Now, wouldn’t eBay be a better choice in some cases?
More at TWICE.
Tags: ebay, recycling, sears, trade4credit, twice, venjuvo
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Best Buy Blows Guitar Hero WT Launch
Too bad, but Best Buy really blew it with the launch of Guitar Hero World Tour.
We were very excited to be notified that we could pre-order the little ditty a few weeks ago, but were not happy that we were not given the option to pick it up in the store.
Instead, we shelled out some more money so they could send it to us directly. And not a bad idea to save a trip to the store with the price of gas …
Anyway, was in the neighborhood of Best Buy yesterday so decided to pick up The Shining DVD — one of my all time best movies — and still scary after all these years.
So what do I see when I’m checking out? Boxes and boxes of Guitar Hero World Tour. Not happy that I’ve preordered this when I could have just walked in and bought it, I got really unhappy when the Best Buy email arrived today to say that shipping of my preordered one would be delayed one to two weeks, but I could call about store pickup instead. 
So I called? And guess what, it’s sold out in all of my local stores — what a surprise! And of course there is nothing they can do about it.
Talk about stupid!
So now I’m waiting longer and I’ve gone from a happy customer to an unhappy customer to a fumin’ mad customer …
(Thanks to Gamingmmo.com for the image.)
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Is Halo the New RuneScape?
It wasn’t all that long ago that the gaming world was crazy, crazy, crazy about RuneScape, with thousands of players simultaneously online and with all kinds of personal things that needed attention.
When I last looked, 146,523 players were online playing RuneScape — that’s the size of a large city in most states!
Doesn’t sound much different than what’s happening with Halo, don’t you think?
Online game playing, virtual teams shooting up virtual worlds and all kinds of personal things that need attention — now Halo is what I’m talking about.
How many out there have moved from RuneScape to Halo?
Come on! Don’t be shy to admit it …
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Wii Takes It to the Music
![nintendo_wii[1].jpg](http://blog.tmcnet.com/blog/tom-keating/images/nintendo_wii%5B1%5D.jpg)
Nintendo has launched Wii Music, letting up to four players mimic the real-life motions of playing instruments with the Wii Remote and Nunchuck controllers.
Players will be able to mimic the motions of more than 60 real-life instruments using the motion-sensitive Wii Remote and Nunchuck controllers to learn to play along with more than 50 songs — and the game encourages players to improvise, making their own music, mixes and arrangements.
Unlike games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which are very competitive, the goal of Wii Music apparently is simply to be creative and have fun experimenting with instruments, styles and musical elements.
Songs available in Wii Music include familiar melodies like “Ode to Joy” and pop tunes like “Every Breath You Take” – along with tunes Nintendo fans know and love. 
Time for more singalongs with Mario!
More at Digital Trends.
Tags: guitar hero, mario, nintendo, rock bank, wii
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Sony PSP Extends Download Capabilities
The latest firmware update to Sony’s PSP console has ignited more game development, giving PSP users the ability to download more types of content and offering application writers more options.
The net net: It gives publishers and developers much more scope in relation to the types of games they can release.
What’s to come: a wider range of releases in 2009 and more opportunities in terms of the types of games that can be released on PSP, even in terms of more female-oriented games, puzzlers and less hardcore games.
Ah, the beauty of digital distribution …
More at GameDaily BIZ.
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Alienware Comes to Best Buy
Let the buyers beware!
You might notice a few extra gamers hanging around your local Best Buy — Dell has announced it will sell the Alienware Aurora exclusively through 200 Besy Buy locations as well as the store’s website.
People are defining themselves by the products they choose and the groups they associate with — Alienware Aurora lovers are saying “I am a serious gamer and user who demands the best in personal computing.”
Designed for the serious gaming crowd, the Aurora has an AMD Phenom X4 9550 quad-core CPU, dual ATI Radeon HD 4850 GPUs, a 500GB3 7,200RPM hard drive and 4GB of DDR2 memory.
Other features include a multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive, Alien Ice 3.0 cooling and Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price: $1,699.99 (without monitor, mouse and keyboard).
More at Electronic House.
Tags: alienware, amd, ati radeon, aurora, best buy, dell, windows vista home premium
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Obama Campaigns on Xbox 360!
No, you are not seeing things …
Last week there were unconfirmed sightings of an “Obama for President” billboard in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise.
Today the truth can be told. It is, in fact, an official advertisement placed by the senator’s campaign team.
“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” revealed Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts (EA), the game’s publisher.
EA regularly allows ad placements in its online games.
“Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,” she added. “Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.”
Now can we expect to see a McCain ad in some video game, too? Anybody want to get which game that might be?
Get more at GigaOM.
Tags: burnout paradise, ea, electronic arts, mccain, obama, xbox 360
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More of Us Will Be Living in a 3D Virtual World
An increasing number of industry players will help push 3D virtual worlds into a sustainable industry, reaching 33 million registered users by 2013, according to Virtual Worlds: the Internet of Avatars.
This new report from Parks Associates details the evolution of the virtual world value chain, which has added a variety of different companies and providers in its relatively short period of existence.
3D virtual world platform companies, world operators and full-service agencies form the core of the virtual world ecosystem, providing services to consumers, media companies, advertisers and enterprises.
However, content and application developers and service providers are becoming increasingly important.
Parks Associates will distribute a free whitepaper titled “Virtual Worlds and Social Media” at the Virtual Worlds London conference, October 20-21.
So, will Second Life have a second life?
Tags: avatar, parks associates, second life, virtual world
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Less Merry Xmas: Sony Keeping PS3 Pricing As Is
Sony has ruled out cutting the price of the PlayStation 3 console before Christmas, insisting that the PS3 is better value than rivals half its price.
(Maybe time to rethink that in today’s — or at least last week’s — economy?)
With up to 50% of video game sales made in the run-up to Christmas, Sony is gambling that despite the weak economy, consumers will not just buy the cheapest machine.
If they do, Sony could lose further ground to Nintendo’s Wii and to Microsoft’s entry-level Xbox 360, which sells for $199 in the U.S. after a price cut in September - half the $399 cost of the cheapest PS3.
Sony argues that the basic Xbox has no hard disk drive, while the PS3 plays High-Definition Blu-ray movies as standard.
Sony launched its third PlayStation model in the line in November 2006. The PS3 competes most directly with the Xbox 360. Both are high-powered consoles that have sold well to gaming enthusiasts, but neither has matched the casual appeal and rapid success of the much cheaper Wii.
More at the Financial Times.
Tags: blu-ray, microsoft, playstation 3, sony, wii, xbox 360
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Comments on this Entry:
(Free Gadgets on
Oct 14, 2008 9:50 AM)
After Microsoft dropped the prices of the XBox360 I really expectd Sony to follow suit but they must have enough faith (and money) to keep these prices.
(Wii on
Oct 18, 2008 6:06 AM)
You would have thought, that with XBox 360s being lowered in prices, that they would have lowered the prices too for Chritmas?
Do We Need a Digital Bill of Rights?
TechCrunch, mu
ch like the Digital Freedom Campaign, believes we need a Digital Bill of Rights to serve as “a consistent policy governing everything from Internet Protocol regulations to intellectual property on the Web.”
The Digital Freedom Campaign focuses on the first three issues laid out in the TechCrunch piece – “The Right to Use and Reuse Content,” “The Right to Control Digital Property On Your Own Device” and “The Right to the Free Flow of Information.”
The presidential election gives us a chance to turn the page and move forward, with support and guidance from policymakers, into a bright digital future.
Now let’s see if anyone in Washington is listening.
Read more about it at TechCrunch.
And then cast your vote!
Tags: digital bill of rights, techcrunch
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See, Video Games Are Good for You
Games and virtual reality simulators are becoming increasingly popular tools for training by the army, various police forces and even in medical applications. If a new pilot program called “InSight” pans out for Allstate, though, the next place you could be seeing video games is at the local DMV.
Allstate is currently piloting a new program which seeks to find out if playing driving video games could make better drivers out of those over age 50.
If the study shows that it can, the insurance company plans to offer discounts to mature drivers who pass the online tests and the current, single-state pilot would be spread across other states next year.
The initial run at the program is taking place in Pennsylvania, where select drivers aged 50 to 75 will be brought in to test out the special games as part of a free option in the customers’ current insurance plan. The total number of hours played by this experimental group will be tracked and then accident rates will be compared to a control group that had no contact with the games.
Posit Science, a software developer from San Francisco, is behind the games in question. Surprisingly, the games aren’t actually driving simulators (what no Mario Kart or Crazy Taxi?!), but rather various types of other brain-challenging games specifically designed to test and improve certain mental capacities.
Unlike most brain-fitness software, InSight is designed to “reverse age-related cognitive decline and greatly improve a driver’s visual alertness,” according to a company press release. InSight claims that its software can reduce dangerous driving maneuvers by up to 40% and significantly increase reaction rates for stopping distance and lower general crash risk as well.
Get more at Ars Technica.
Tags: allstate, ars technica, crazy taxi, mario kart, video games
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Nintendo’s New DS Goes Music, Camera, Wireless
By the end of this year, Nintendo will debut a new version of its DS handheld console that plays music and is equipped with a camera and advanced wireless functions.
This would put the new DS in direct competition with such well-entrenched devices as the Apple iPod and camera-equipped mobile phones.
The price for the new machine is expected to be below 20,000 yen ($189) in Japan, compared with 16,800 yen ($158) for the current model.
Now I wonder what Sony and other folks have up their sleeves in this very, very competitive market segment?
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All Teens Play Video Games
A new study says that almost all teens play video games!
(Can you believe it?!) 
More evidence that video games have become the new television for the teen set: A new Pew study reports that 97% of teens 12 to 17 play video games, with half of them having done so the day before they were surveyed.
There is a small gender gap: 99% of boys say they play video games compared with “only” 94% of girls.
Get more at Variety.
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Guitar Hero To Add Hendrix, Metallica — Like It a Lot!
With the much-anticipated Rock Band 2 now on store shelves, rival franchise Guitar Hero is sneaking into the news on several fronts.
Most recently, Velvet Revolver guitarist Slash let it slip to Rolling Stone that Guitar Hero is working on a Jimi Hendrix special edition akin to what it did with Aerosmith.
Metallica is another band previously identified as heading for its own Guitar Hero title. Both are expected after the holiday release of Guitar Hero: World Tour.
(Expect to see an in-game playable Hendrix character in that one!) 
Additionally, Guitar Hero publisher Activision reportedly is mulling a subscription service for adding downloadable songs to the game.
More at Reuters.
And thanks to www.jimi-hendrix.com for the graphic — check it out!
Tags: activision, guitar hero, jimi hendrix, metallica, rock band, slash, velvet revolver
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Am I Alone in Not Liking Video Game Ads?
Just how effective is that Burger King ad in the game NFL Street?
Considering that more than a third (36%) of gamers actually bought, talked about or sought information about a product after seeing an ad in a videogame, per Nielsen Games, a case can be made that they are very effective.
(And who can forget that the King has his own game!)
Of 534 active videogamers surveyed, 11% said they purchased a brand that was advertised in a game. Some 19% said they talked about it after seeing an ad, and 10% said they recommended the product.
Coke was most recalled by the Nielsen panel, then Nike, Burger King, Axe, Pepsi and Pontiac.
Burger King isn’t using games to sell Whoppers, but to pursue what it calls “extended brand interaction.” The fast feeder has advertised in top sellers like NFL Street, provided players hidden codes to access the “Burger King Challenge” in Need for Speed and inserted the King into Fight Night. The creepy King served as a corner man that players can pick for their fighters.
Activision’s Guitar Hero series was the most popular game among gamers who remembered specific advertisers, followed by Need for Speed, the Madden football series, Grand Theft Auto titles, the NCAA Football series and Tony Hawk games.
Guess I better go back to these and see what ads I missed!
More at BrandWeek.
Tags: axe, brandweek, burger king, coke, fight night, grand theft auto, guitar hero, madden, ncaa, need for speed, nfl street, nike, pepsi, pontiac, tony hawk
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Xbox Now Cheaper than Wii (But for How Long?)
With the Nintendo Wii retailing for $249, Microsoft now says that it is cutting the price of its Xbox consoles!
This move will lower the price of its 360 Arcade by $80, to $199, and other models will see a $50 reduction, to $299 and $399.
Microsoft has lost ground over the summer to second-place Sony’s PlayStation 3, and analysts noted it marked the first time a current-generation console has sold for less than the Wii.
Let’s see how low those prices go before the holiday shopping season!
More at Bloomberg.
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Only Another 5 Years for Blu-ray?
Talk about putting the kiss of death on a format that has just ever so barely just arrived, Samsung has said that it sees the Blu-ray format only lasting a further five years before it is replaced by another format or technology.
“I think it [Blu-ray] has five years left, I certainly wouldn’t give it 10,” said Andy Griffiths, director of consumer electronics at Samsung UK in a Pocket-lint interview.
Hoping to capitalize before it’s too late, Griffiths believes that 2008 is the format’s year.
Citing online rental sites like LoveFilm’s adoption of Blu-ray titles, the move to offer cheaper players and a now clear path to adoption following the Blu-ray HD-DVD battle, Griffith says the format will be a winner, although not for long.
Instead Samsung is putting its faith in its OLED technology. The new technology, which is “ready to rock,” is being held back at the moment due to high manufacturing costs.
Check out more on what OLED may mean to you …
Tags: blu-ray, hd-dvd, lovefilm, oled, samsung
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Ultrasound Makes Virtual Objects Real
The po
wer of ultrasonic waves has been harnessed to produce “virtual” objects in mid-air.
The field of haptics — integrating computing and the sense of touch — has been around for some time, but has required gloves or mechanical devices to impart a sense of feeling.
Now, a team of Japanese researchers has developed a system that uses focused ultrasound to do the job, and its inventors may soon commercialize the approach.
With the expansion in multimedia on the web, our eyes and ears are flooded with sensory information, but the sense of touch has been largely left behind.
The popularity of vibrating gaming handsets has proven that it is a rich but untapped way to increase interaction.
Read more about the future of gaming — and beyond — at the BBC here.
Tags: bbc, handsets, haptics, ultrasound, virtual objects
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What’s Wrong with Second-Hand Video Game Sales?
Publishing giant Electronic Arts has said that it’s currently trying multiple new business models to help battle the critical problem of second-hand videogame sales.
(No problem for me!)
While retailers reap the benefits of selling the same product multiple times, publishers and developers don’t see any income once a title hits the second-hand market.
But realizing it’s powerless to stop retail from selling second-hand goods, EA is looking to combat the problem by capturing the consumer with online content and services.
“I’d actually make the point that for us second-hand sales is a very critical situation, because people are selling multiple times intellectual property,” said Jens Uwe Intat, senior VP and general manager for European publishing at EA, speaking exclusively to GamesIndustry.biz.
Today, it seems like you can buy just about anything two or three times … and what are auction sites like eBay supposed to do?
Course if all games where like Asteroid (above), would we have this problem?
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Oh No! Don’t Spoil Our Fun! Wii Gets Slapped with Patent Infringement
Hillcrest Labs has apparently filed a complaint for patent infringement with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) in Washington, D.C., and a separate patent infringement suit in the U.S. District Court in Maryland, against Nintendo, related to the Wii video game system.
At issue are Hillcrest’s U.S. Patent Nos. 7,158,118, 7,262,760, and 7,414,611, which relate to a hand-held 3-D pointing device, and U.S. Patent No. 7,139,983, which relates to a navigation interface display system that graphically organizes content for display on a television.
Since 2001, Hillcrest Labs has pioneered technology that allows consumers to interact with digital media on television using motion-control and pointing techniques. The company holds 29 patents in this area worldwide and has filled for more than 100 related patents.
Let’s see how far this one goes. And why didn’t they file it when the product first came out — don’t ya think …
GigaOM has more.
Tags: gigaom, hillcrest labs, nintendo wii, patent infringement
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Anybody Still Playing RuneScape?
This was a monster massive online gaming experience not all that long ago, but has RuneScape seen better days?
Is anybody out there still questing?
Last time I looked there were almost 175,000 players online, but were you one of them?
I must know …
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Gaming Console Sales — Who’s on Top?
It’s always interesting to me to keep tabs on what’s selling and what’s not — the proverbial what’s hot and what’s not.
Let’s take a look at a favorite topic — video gaming consoles.
Amid a long rant on Advertising Age about how Sackboy has a good shot at lifting PS3, we learn that (drum roll please!) according to noted analysts NPD Group, through June, PS3 — which got a later start than chief rival Xbox 360 — had sold 4.9 million units vs. Xbox 360’s 10.5 million and Wii’s 10.9 million since their introductions.
There, now that’s settled …
Tags: advertising age, npd, ps3, video game consoles, wii, xbox 360
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