Sony said that it will release a new motion controller for the PlayStation 3 video game console by mid next year during spring.

The controller which Sony unveiled in June, will work with the existing PlayStation Eye camera, which can track players’ voices, faces and body motion. The controller, in turn, has on its end a light-emitting sphere that can be recognized by the PlayStation Eye camera.

Motion controllers were popularized by Nintendo Co.’s Wii when the console launched in 2006. It allows people play video games without complex buttons and levers.

The announcement came in after Nintendo’s decision to cut the price of the Wii by $50, to $200 beginning early this week.

However no prcing details and was announced for the new motion controller . We wonder how long would it take to reach Malaysia?

“Devdas,” Bollywood’s ultimate unrequited love movie, is set to give India’s rapidly growing animation and gaming industry a boost with a new mobile phone game that’s based on the silver screen classic.

A few weeks after Indian film distributor Eros International PLC launched the country’s first 3D videogame inspired by hit thriller “Ghajini,” the mobile phone game based on “Devdas” was unveiled in Mumbai ahead of the launch of another version of the movie.

“Dev D,” based on the classic Indian novella about unrequited love which has been filmed many times, enables gamers to take on the persona of the protagonist.

“Every person would be able to relate himself or herself with this game and would be able to play the game by donning the persona of Dev,” said Mahi Gill, one of the actors in the film.

The film “Dev D,” about a rich man’s journey through self-pity to self-discovery, is directed by Anurag Kashyap, who is known for churning out hard-hitting movies.

“Today’s audience will be able to relate to the film, as it is very realistic,” Gill said at the launch.

The filmmakers have set the incidents and characters of the original “Devdas” in contemporary times without changing the plot, and the movie is due to be released this month.

The game is the second Indian offering to be inspired by Bollywood, the world’s biggest film industry in terms of volume, and comes at a time when Indians are enjoying more disposable income while the spread of cable TV has also opened them to newer cultural experiences.

Once just outsourcing sweatshops that sketched, painted and digitized ordered content, Indian animation and gaming firms are now aiming high — claiming ownership of their products and sharing copyrights and profits.

The Indian market is expected to grow to about $1.3 billion this year from about $300 million in 2006, and employ about 30,000 animators alone, says the National Association of Software and Services Companies, the main industry lobby.-Reuters

The Wii system is in a league of its own for a variety of reasons today, chief among them a unique control scheme and incredible sales numbers that dwarf the competition month over month.

Another differentiating factor in the Wii column is also the fact that price cuts will probably never come to the system, as they have with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Chief among the reasoning behind that decision is the fact that price cuts send mixed messages to the customer, said Nintendo president Satoru Iwata.“This is my personal thinking, but when the model’s price-tag drops over time, manufacturers are telling consumers it’s better to wait, and I’ve always thought that was a mistake,” said Iwata, in a Nintendo Japan web site interview, translated by Kotaku.

As Wired’s Chris Kohler notes Wednesday, this is the Nintendo strategy today. The company finds a price that it can maintain indefinitely, and then rides insane sales numbers and popular public opinion all the way to the bank. It also chooses a price point that allows the company to make money from day on a system, which runs contrary to the methods employed by other video game hardware manufacturers for the past decade.

Sony and Microsoft, for instance, have adopted a strategy of gradual price cuts. They also recoup losses on hardware (which is sold at a loss) with software licensing. The price cut practice results in sporadic sales spikes, coinciding with the cuts, but thus far has been unable to capture the sustainable magic of Nintendo’s little white machine.

That said, with the unprecedented success currently being enjoyed by Nintendo (with both DS and Wii), the Microsoft/Sony strategy for the next generation could be considerably different.-PC World

Hundreds of people queued to be among the first to buy Nintendo’s latest games console on Saturday, as the Japanese electronic giant unveiled the DSi, featuring a built-in camera and enhanced sound.

Around 300 video game fans queued before opening hours at an electronics store in Tokyo’s shipping district of Yurakucho to buy the third and latest model in Nintendo’s DS line.

The first shipments of the DSi sold out before lunchtime at many shops in the capital’s electronics district of Akihabara, retailers said, forcing them to place orders for more.

The new console, which sells for 18,900 yen (178 dollars), has a similar design to its predecessor the DS Lite, but is slimmer and has a slightly larger 3.25-inch screen.

It can be used as a photo album and enables users to change the facial expressions of the people in the pictures or draw flowers or other graphics into images.

The launch comes ahead of the crucial holiday season amid fears the global financial crisis is tipping Japan into a recession, where sales of consoles have been sluggish compared to the US and Europe.

The DSi will be launched overseas as early as next spring, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said Friday, adding that the company plans to introduce different coloured models alongside the current options of black and white.

Nintendo’s net profit rose 9.4 percent to 144.8 billion yen in the six months to September. Operating profit jumped 34 percent to 252.2 billion yen as revenue increased by 20 percent to 836.9 billion yen.-AFP

Check out this 5 minute video demonstrating the new Wii MotionPlus accessory and the upcoming Wii Sports 2 game, Wii Sports resort.

Gizmodo said it’s going to cost $50 when released next Spring, which when you consider it’s coming bundled with a Wii MotionPlus accessory.

Video after the jump:

Microsoft Corp. plans to cut the price of its best-selling Xbox 360 Pro model by $50, to $299 in the next few weeks, according to a report citing anonymous sources.

The price cut for the Xbox 360 model with the 20 gigabyte hard drive will come before the video game industry’s biggest trade show, E3, taking place in Los Angeles on July 15-17, the report said.

Rumors of the Xbox price cut swirled on popular gaming blogs Joystiq and Kotaku last week. The two sites received snapshots of Kmart and Radio Shack flyers advertising the $299 price.

A Microsoft spokeswoman declined to comment on the report.

Microsoft last cut the price of the Xbox Pro in August, from $399 to $349, prior to the release of “Halo 3″ the following month.

A cut to $299 would make the Xbox 360 Pro $100 less than one of the console’s major rivals, Sony Corp’s PlayStation 3 with a 40 gigabyte hard drive.

Microsoft is locked in a three-way competition with Nintendo’s Wii and the PlayStation 3, which comes with a high-definition Blu-ray video player.-Reuters

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]]> http://www.wirespot.net/2008/07/01/microsoft-might-cut-price-of-xbox-360-to-299/feed/ 0 http://www.wirespot.net/2008/04/23/kingston-technology-hyperx-ddr3-wins-intel-xmp-certification/ http://www.wirespot.net/2008/04/23/kingston-technology-hyperx-ddr3-wins-intel-xmp-certification/#comments Wed, 23 Apr 2008 10:39:46 +0000 scamboy http://www.wirespot.net/?p=208

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced its HyperX low-latency 1625MHz DDR3 memory has been certified under the Intel® Extreme Memory Profile (Intel® XMP) validation program to offer PC builders and gaming enthusiasts greater memory advantages and tuning flexibility when constructing high-performance systems using select Intel X38-series chipsets.

“Gamers and PC enthusiasts building the ultimate high-performance PC now have a variety of memory options when choosing certified Intel XMP memory modules for their rig,”said Scott Chen, Vice-President, APAC Region. Kingston. “XMP-certified components are put through a series of rigorous tests to ensure the best possible user experience and Kingston is proud to have our HyperX low-latency 1625MHz DDR3 modules certified by Intel as an XMP memory solution.”

When paired with select Intel X38 series-based motherboards, Kingston low-latency HyperX modules (designated with an ‘X’ at the end of the part number) increase overall system performance. Designed for both the novice and experienced overclocker, the XMP profile allows for easy overclocking by selection of the predefined profile in the BIOS while expert overclockers can still manually adjust frequency and timings of Kingston HyperX XMP modules.

Kingston Intel XMP-certified HyperX DDR3 Specifications:

KHX13000D3LLK2/2GX

• 2GB Low-Latency 1625MHz (CL7-7-7-20
• @ 1.9v) kit of 2 optimized for Intel XMP

KHX11000D3LLK2/2GX

• 2GB Low-Latency 1375MHz (CL7-7-7-20
• @ 1.7v) kit of 2 optimized for Intel XMP

The HyperX low-latency 1625MHz 2GB XMP memory kits join Kingston 1375MHz DDR3 HyperX 2GB memory kits which received Intel XMP-validation in 2007.

Kingston HyperX is backed by a lifetime warranty and free technical support. For more detailed information please visit the Kingston Web site at www.kingston.com/asia and reference http://kingston.com/hyperx/xmp/default.asp. for more on Intel XMP validation. To learn more about Intel XMP-certified memory, visit www.intel.com/personal/gaming/extremememory.htm

January

• Internet access and international telephone calls throughout Malaysia and most of Asia were disrupted for weeks due to an earthquake in Taiwan that damaged the underwater Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 link. Everything returned to normal in February after repairs by ship were completed.

• TIME Engineering Bhd signed an agreement with MSC Management Services, a subsidiary of Multimedia Development Corporation, to provide wireless broadband nationwide via WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) and WiFi.

• Malaysia won an award for its eBario Project, which provides information and communications technology to an isolated community in Sarawak. The 2006 International Innovations Gold Award came from a Canada-based non-profit organisation, the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management.

• The Recording Industry Association of Malaysia moved to stamp out illegal “over-the- counter” sales of song downloads to mobile phones.

• The Multimedia Development Corporation announced that the pilot of the animated series Saladin was ready to be screened.

• A new music download site, www.bimbit.com, was launched. It allows users to buy music using a points system instead of a credit card.

• PC maker Dell Inc announced it was building an 18,600sq m global business centre in Cyberjaya, which will be operational by year end.

• e-Commerce spending in Malaysia grew 70% in 2006 from previous years, announced industry researcher IDC.

February

• After five years of development and several missed deadlines, Microsoft Corp’s Vista operating system was finally launched.

• Trials of Maxis Telecommunications Bhd’s WiMAX (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) service, with communications infrastructure provider Motorola Inc, began.

• More than 300,000 underprivileged women benefited from the Microsoft Unlimited Potential Grant. The funding is used to train women in the use of information technology to better their lives and livelihood.

• Four local outsourcing companies did the nation proud. They were among 100 global companies selected for the 2007 Global Service 100 list. They were Consulting Asia Pacific Sdn Bhd, Scicom (MSC) Bhd, SnT Global Sdn Bhd, and Vsource Asia Sdn Bhd.

• Despite considerable progress in combating piracy, the International Intellectual Property Alliance recommended that Malaysia remain on the US Trade Representative’s piracy watch list. It has been on this less criticial list since 2001.

• MDeC and Mimos signed another MoU, this time with the Islamic Development Bank for the provision of information and communications technology solutions to member countries of the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

• Malaysia’s first blog advertising network was launched. Nuffnang was introduced.

March

• Advertlets, Malaysia’s second blog advertising network was launched.

• A couple of RFID (radio frequency identification) technology companies in the country announced that the just-launched Malaysian Microchip has the potential give the industry a boost.

• The Motion Picture Association (MPA) strengthened its efforts against movie piracy in the country by coming down harder on websites that hawk pirated DVDs on the global market.

• The Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs flew in two specially-trained labrador retrievers to sniff out mailed packages for optical discs – a move to better combat the smuggling of pirated movies, music and software. The initiative was a huge success.

April

• Standards body Sirim Bhd ended a battle between IBM Malaysia and Microsoft Malaysia over competing technologies – the open-source based Open Document Format versus OpenXML, a proprietary solution owned by the software giant.

• A delegation of 27 Malaysian companies from the creative multimedia sector secured RM93mil worth of deals in Hong Kong.

• Applied research and development organisation Mimos Bhd agreed to establish research laboratories with organisations in Taiwan and South Korea.

May

• Telekom Malaysia Bhd and 16 other telecommunications companies in the region signed an agreement to build a US$500mil (RM1.75bil) undersea fibre-optic cable linking Asia to the United States. Called the Asia-American Gateway, it is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.

• DELL Inc agreed to work with Microsoft Corp and Novell Inc under an alliance that the rival software developers formed last year, to make it easier for the Windows operating system and the increasingly popular Linux operating system to work together.

• The Government establishes the intellectual property court to specially deal with cases involving music, software and movie piracy.

• Industry regulator the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced a plan to create a database of lost handphones, to aid the recovery of such devices and to discourage cellphone thieves.

July

• Popular computer game Tomb Raider, starring heroine Lara Croft, celebrated its 10th anniversary. To mark the occasion, developer Crystal Dynamics released Tomb Raider: Anniversary, which pleased local fans of the game.

• Standards body Sirim Bhd was handed the new task of helping local universities to research and develop products or services that could be marketed internationally.

• DELL Malaysia unveiled a range of colourful notebooks in a bid to take back its lead from rival Hewlett-Packard Co.

• An upgraded PlayStation3 console, with a bigger (80GB) hard drive for storing more videogames and high-definition movies, showed up in local stores.

• Alam Teknokrat founder and chief executive officer Tengku Farith Rithaudeen unveils his book about how to be successful in the local IT market.

• Microsoft Malaysia unleashes a new server operating system, Windows Server 2008.

• The Government revised the household broadband penetration target from 75% by 2010 to 50% by the same year.

August

• The Multimedia Development Corporation (MDeC) and India’s Satyam Computer Services Ltd launched Campus Link, a programme to turn local graduates in knowledge workers.

• Malaysian Skype users were among the 220 million worldwide that experienced a breakdown in the popular and free Internet-based phone service. Skype said the failure was not due to any malicious activity.

• MDeC upped its efforts to develop the local creative content industry by holding the first buyer fly-in programme in the country. About RM385mil worth of content was sold.

• The Halal Industry Development Corp teamed up with Microsoft Malaysia to come up with an online halal certification and processing application service called Remote Halal Certification.

September

• Nokia launched its Ovi digital media portal, which includes the Nokia Music Store – a virtual music shop offering downloadable tracks.

• Registration for the World Congress on Information Technology 2008, which will be hosted by Malaysia in May 2008, was opened.

October

• Sony put its 12-megapixel Alpha 700 DSLR camera on local shelves, marking its second foray into the DSLR camera market.

• Local Macintosh fans get Apple’s OS X Leopard operating system, which boasted more than 300 new features.

• MDeC announced a plan to build a Cyberjaya training facility to train local graduates to work in the information technology industry.

November

• The Entertainment Software Association launched “Operation Games Attack” to eradicate videogame piracy in Malaysia.

• Asus’ Eee PC ultra-portable notebook, weighing less than 1kg and features a 4GB solid state drive, WiFi connectivity and integrated card reader, makes an impact on local computer users. Stores reported that the first batch of 200 units sold out quickly.

• Google offers US$10mil (RM35mil) in prizes for developers worldwide to build software for its mobile phone operating system, Android.

• MakCik PC introduced. Claimed as the world’s slimmest PC.

• Third blog advertising network was launched—-GradMyAds

December

• The Malaysian Administrative Modernisation and Management Planning Unit launched two new products – MyMeeting and MyWorkspace – at the Malaysian Government Open-Source Software Conference 2007. Both applications were designed as office productivity tools.

• Fourth advertising network was launched. Called Nufflets, it targets the Asia market and it is the first to use CPC text ads similar to Goolge in Malaysia.

Other source

U.S. sales of video game hardware and software jumped 75 percent in September, driven by Microsoft Corp’s (MSFT.O) “Halo 3″ and Nintendo Co Ltd’s (7974.OS) Wii console.

Total sales in September, a 5-week retail period, soared to $1.36 billion, up from $779 million a year earlier, according to market research firm NPD.

“Halo 3,” the latest installment of Microsoft’s flagship franchise, sold 3.3 million copies, more than twice as many as the next nine games combined, the data showed.

The game received such positive buzz that it spurred consumers to buy Xbox 360s just to play it. Microsoft sold nearly 528,000 of the consoles in September.

“True to it’s name, the game rubbed off on hardware sales too — the Xbox 360 realized its best month ever in unit hardware sales outside last holiday season,” NPD analyst Anita Frazier said in a statement.

Microsoft said “Halo 3″ set the stage for a steady flow of highly anticipated games through the holidays.

“People keep asking me, is it all about ‘Halo’? It’s about the games. We’ve got a great lineup of games and it just keeps coming. A game of a month of system-sellers isn’t going to hurt our business,” said Microsoft spokesman David Dennis.

The “Halo” effect did not dim enthusiasm for Nintendo’s Wii, which sold 501,000 units, the most since last December.

The Wii has been the best-selling console this year, thanks to its low price and ability to appeal to gamers outside the traditional young male audience.

“The Wii went up against the self-proclaimed ‘biggest entertainment launch ever’ and we emerged with our best month of the year,” Reggie Fils-Aime, president of Nintendo of American, told Reuters.

“They fired their bullet and our gun is loaded and ready to fire throughout the holidays,” Fils-Aime said.

Nintendo’s “Wii Play,” which is bundled with an extra Wii controller, was the number two title, selling 282,000 copies.

Sony Corp’s (6758.T) PlayStation 3 continued to languish in third place with sales of 119,000 units. With a price tag of up to $600, the PS3 is the priciest of the new consoles due partly to its inclusion of a high-definition Blu-ray DVD player.

The company said it would introduce a new PS3 model for $400 and drop the price of the high-end version to $500.

“Next month, with the PS3 price reduction, we should see a notable increase in sales of that platform,” Frazier said.

Sony’s “Heavenly Sword” was number 10 on the list of top-sellers, moving 139,000 copies.

Electronic Arts (ERTS.O), the world’s biggest games publisher, had three games in the top 10, led by the PlayStation 2 version of “Madden NFL 08″ at fourth place with 205,000 copies.-Reuters

It looks like Microsoft finally has started doing something about all those heat problems that have been bugging the Xbox 360 since the launch. The machines that are being returned from Microsoft certified partners have got an additional heat sink added. I guess they have started adding the same heatsinks to new Xbox 360s too, but that is not confirmed.

New Pictures of 2nd GPU HeatSink on Xbox 360 - [xbox-scene.com]
via [CrunchGear]