id Software founder and programming legend John Carmack has just given a bold statement that may not pleased consoles gamers. He said, "one of the larger mistakes" he made with RAGE was allowing consoles to have an equal place in development alongside the PC.
In an interview to PC Gamer, John Carmack said, "When we started on the game six years ago, I looked at the consoles and said
Razerjust announced a program to co-develop the ultimate arcade stick for the Xbox 360 together with the arcade stick community. The arcade stick, developed with pro-gamer feedback, is currently at the prototype stage. For the finishing touches, up to 200+ specially selected top-seed Street Fighter IV pro-gamers, influential modders, and members of the arcade enthusiast community will each be given a Razer arcade stick to test and provide feedback to further improve it to perfection, whereupon the final design will then proceed to production.
Since the company
Microsoft's Xbox Live online service for its Xbox 360 console lets its users download content like full games, movies, TV shows and more. But it looks like some of its users have tried to get some of that content legally:
During the course of a recent investigation, we have discovered users who illegitimately accessed Xbox LIVE Marketplace downloadable content. Our investigation reveals that this access was intentional and not accidental, constituting a blatant violation of the Terms of Use for the service. We will not divulge additional information regarding individual suspensions for these offenses.
Please know that we are being very careful regarding these suspensions, and have clear evidence regarding each account issued a permanent suspension from the service. We apologize for any frustration or confusion resulting from our inability to share individual details, and thank you all for your cooperation in this matter.
Cheers!
That is dirt cheap, for a pretty okay looking chassis.
Sharkoon delivers another budget mid-tower case; the new Tarea should be available at retailers for around 36.49EUR.
Sharkoon is expanding their collection of PC cases: The Sharkoon Tarea comes with nine 5.25" bays and a straightforward, simple mesh front design as a follow-up to the successful Sharkoon Rebel9 Economy.
The ATX case, to include the interior, maintains a completely black lacquer finish. The front presents itself with nine different mesh faceplates, while mesh inserts in the rounded, vertical frame edges complete the design. The nine 5.25 inch bays and seven card slots offer more than enough room for hard drives, optical drives, function panels and expansion cards of your choice. Six built-in drives are externally accessible, while the three lower bays are located behind the removable front fan bracket. Sharkoon includes decoupled mounting brackets for hard drives and 3.5 inch drives, as well as mesh faceplates with 3.5 inch openings. Optical drives and hard drives are secured using the practical quick-locking mechanisms; the main board tray provides a CPU cooler mount opening and feedthrough for orderly cable installation. The ATX power supply is fitted on the bottom of the case. The top I/O panel provides audio jacks, two USB2.0 ports and an eSATA interface. Two rubber-protected feedthroughs are provided on the backside for water cooling hoses.
The Sharkoon Tarea comes without any preinstalled fans. For an individual cooling design tailored to particular requirements the case offers mounting options for a 120 mm fan in the front, two 120 mm fans on the side panel and a 80 or 120 mm fan in the rear. The case measures 475 x 200 x 440 (L x W x H), the empty weight is 6.2 kg. The internal dimensions support the installation of graphic cards and power supply?s up to 30 cm in length, and CPU coolers up to 16 cm in height.
End customers will find the Sharkoon Tarea available immediately for the suggested retail price of 36.49 euros in authorized retailers.
Accriding to a rumor on the web Microsoft's next-generation Xbox gaming console might be powered by an AMD-designed accelerated processing unit that is based on the Bulldozer architecture, according to softpedia:
Before this report came to light, previous rumors suggested that Microsoft's console would be based on a new IBM cell processor with better specs than the one currently used for the Xbox 360.
Details about the chip used by the next-gen Xbox are sketchy at this point in time, but we do know that the Redmond-company has decided to go with an APU design based on the Bulldozer architecture.
This information seems to point out to AMD's Trinity accelerated processing units, which are expected to be 50% more powerful that Llano while also including an updated DirectX 11 GPU based on the VLIW4 architecture.
Just at the beginning of this week, a high-ranking company official, from the AMD Graphics Products Group, talked about graphics of the next-generation Xbox console, and it stated that it would be able to provide the level of graphical detail seen in James Cameron's movie Avatar.
While the company representative refrained himself form confirming AMD's role in the development of the console, the statement seemed to confirm all the rumors that have been circulating lately about the presence of a Radeon-derived GPU in the 'Xbox 720.'
It's also interesting to note that the AMD official claimed next-generation console hardware will feature improved A.I. and physics capabilities, which could suggest that he knows a bit more than what it's willing to share about the hardware powering the upcoming Xbox.
From the information that is available at this time, Microsoft is expected to unveil the Xbox 360's successor during E3 2012.
Some more information about NVIDIA's Project Denver chip surfaced by way of BSN:
The information we have at hand is that Project Denver CPU core is looking to be very much aligned with T40, i.e. "Tegra 4" i.e. Wayne. According to internal schedule, Wayne silicon is going to be taped out in the next couple of weeks, with developers getting their hands on prototype silicon in December 2011.Wayne silicon is consisted out of four ARM cores (NVIDIA is not disclosing the core type, teasing that it might be either A15 or PD) and up to 64 GPU cores.
During the same month (December 2011), NVIDIA plans to tape out the first silicon based on Project Denver, which combines up to 8-core custom NVIDIA-ARM 64-bit CPU with a GeForce 600-class GPU. The company had a lot of issues in development of a CPU and the general consensus is that NVIDIA is take a conservative approach with a single 28nm PD CPU design and the 28nm Fermi-based design, i.e. the rumored Fermi-refresh in the form of notebook and lower-end desktop GeForce 600 Series cards (remember "GeForce 300"?). The interesting bit that we heard is that Project Denver is geared towards "full PhysX support", whatever that might be.
AMD director of ISV relationships Neal Robison claims Microsoft's next Xbox console will be capable of graphics seen in the movie Avatar.
Additionally, Robison also promises big improvements in artificial intelligence and physics.
Technology company AMD, who supplied the graphics hardware for the Xbox 360, claims that the next Xbox will be capable of the level of graphical detail seen in James Cameron's movie Avatar. Even on PC, that kind of technology just isn't here yet, but AMD claims the Xbox 720 will launch with it.
Robison also mentioned that the A.I. and physics capabilities of the next-gen hardware will allow for every pedestrian in a game such as Grand Theft Auto or Saints Row to have a totally individual mentality, meaning when you shoot a gun or run someone over they don't all just do the same thing. There will be no more mob mentality, where everyone just screams and runs away; every NPC will actually be an individual character.
DigiTimes reports Sony is planning to start production of its PlayStation 4 console at the end of this year. The site reveals little details, except that the console will feature body movement-based control like Microsoft's Kinect technology. The expected launch of Sony's next-gen console is 2012 if the information is correct.
Sony will have Taiwan-based partners begin production of PlayStation 4 (PS4) featuring body movement-based control like Kinect at the end of 2011 for launch in 2012, according to Taiwan-based component makers.
Foxconn and Pegatron Technology, assemblers of PS3, will undertake assembly of PS4 as well, the sources pointed out. The planned shipment volume of PS4 in 2012 is at least 20 million units, the sources indicated.
AMD is working on Brazos-T, a new platform designed for Windows 8 based tablets. Expected to enter production in Q2 2012, Brazos-T will consist of the Hondo APU and the Hudson M2T chipset.
Hondo will be made on 40nm process technology and will share a lot with today's Desna APU - two x86 Bobcat cores clocked at 1 GHz and Radeon HD 6250 (DirectX 11) graphics, but, according the leaked slides below, it's going to consume less power (2W compared to 4W) and have a lower TDP (4.5W versus 5.9W on the Z-01) than its predecessor. In terms of computing power Hondo doesn't seem to bring anything new but it's obvious power draw will be lower and thus better suited for tablets. The Hudson M2T chip comes with a TDP of about 1W and is also 'power-optimized'.
Check the thumbnails.
An unfinished but near full-featured 7.5GB sized version of Gears of War 3 has leaked onto the Internet over the weekend. According to a poster on the website NeoGAF, the leaked build of Gears of War 3 includes the full single-player campaign and all the multiplayer options. The game will only be playable on a modified 'JTAG' version of the Xbox 360. It is also said to be very buggy at the moment. The game isn't due out until September 20 and is considered perhaps the biggest exclusive for the Xbox 360 this year. Naturally, Epic is working hard to try and contain the leak, or at least punish those that are responsible for it, claiming it is working closely with their security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. The company was also quick to assure that the leak does not represent the experience players will have with the real thing.
Update:Epic told GameSpot that the footage released by those with the development build of the game is not from the current game build, and is also not accurate to what the current build offers. Their wording was as follows:
"We have seen the reports of Gears of War 3 content being propped on the web and [we are] working closely with our security teams and law enforcement to address the situation. This content is not from a final build and is not representative of what fans will enjoy when the game launches worldwide on September 20, 2011".
If this true, it gonna be a great machine that will trump current Gen. yet to me its a stop gap for Nintendo. Meaning it will be the top of the heap for awhile, yet short lived as it will be trumped when MS and Sony bring out there new machines.
Here's what's being developped under 'Project Cafe'.
Graphics:
Custom AMD RV770 Chip
While the current school year is coming to a close, it's never too early to start thinking ahead to next year. Are you about to head to college this fall for the first time? Planning another year on campus? Worried what next year has in store? Wondering what you'll need, how you'll succeed or what fun adventures will be around the corner? We can't predict the future but here at Microsoft, we've come up with a way to help you succeed in the coming year, while building on the fun and friendships that are key to your life. And starting May 22nd for a limited time, we are bringing students a very special offer.
When students buy a Windows 7 PC over $699, they will receive a FREE Xbox 360*.
You can buy any kind of PC, although we recommend a few specifically for students like the HP Pavillion DM4 a great entertainment system on the go, the Dell Inspiron 14r a stylish powerful 14
ASUS announced it will upgrade all its Eee Pad tablet devices to Android 3.1. Following Google
Sony today released details on the Customer Appreciation Program it will roll out to all PSN users.
This package will be made available to all existing registered PlayStation Network and Qriocity users in North America (US and Canada), and will be made available shortly after we have fully restored the service. More specific details about these offers and eligibility requirements will be posted as the services go live.
All PlayStation Network customers can select two PS3 games from the following list. The games will be available for 30 days shortly after PlayStation Store is restored and can be kept forever.
Dead Nation, inFAMOUS, LittleBigPlanet, Super Stardust HD, Wipeout HD + Fury
For PSP owners, you will be eligible to download two PSP games from the following list. The games will be available for 30 days shortly after PlayStation Store is restored and can be kept forever.
LittleBigPlanet (PSP), ModNation Racers, Pursuit Force, Killzone Liberation
Things have gotten really out of hand with the Sony PSN network, after a hack on their servers. 70 million PSN users data HAS been stolen.
Although we are still investigating the details of this incident, we believe that an unauthorized person has obtained the following information that you provided: name, address (city, state, zip), country, email address, birthdate, PlayStation Network/Qriocity password and login, and handle/PSN online ID. It is also possible that your profile data, including purchase history and billing address (city, state, zip), and your PlayStation Network/Qriocity password security answers may have been obtained. If you have authorized a sub-account for your dependent, the same data with respect to your dependent may have been obtained. While there is no evidence at this time that credit card data was taken, we cannot rule out the possibility. If you have provided your credit card data through PlayStation Network or Qriocity, out of an abundance of caution we are advising you that your credit card number (excluding security code) and expiration date may have been obtained.
Sony is warning its millions of PlayStation Network users to watch out for identity-theft scams after hackers breached its security and plundered the user names, passwords, addresses, birth dates, and other information used to register accounts.
The stolen information may also include payment-card data, purchase history, billing addresses, and security answers used to change passwords, Sony said on Tuesday. The company plans to keep the hacked system offline for the time being, and to restore services gradually. The advisory also applies to users of Sony's related Qriocity network.
Should you be affected, have a read at Sony here.
Sony found an agreement PS3 hacker George 'Geohot' Hotz making that case come to a close. Both parties expressed satisfaction that litigation had been quickly resolved. "Sony is glad to put this litigation behind us," said Riley Russell, General Counsel for SCEA. "Our motivation for bringing this litigation was to protect our intellectual property and our consumers. We believe this settlement and the permanent injunction achieve this goal."
"It was never my intention to cause any users trouble or to make piracy easier," said Hotz, "I
Apple launched its second-generation iPad official!
packed with a 1GHz dual-core A5 chip and, finally, cameras, both on the front and rear. The new CPU is said to be up to twice as fast, with graphics performance up to nine times better than on the original iPad, while power requirements have been kept the same. Battery life is, consequently, unaltered, with Apple promising 10 hours. Pricing, too, has been left unchanged, starting at $499 for a 16GB WiFi-only iPad 2 and stretching up to $829 for a WiFi + 3G SKU with 64GB of storage.
BBC News warns gamers with older 360s to steer clear of the new Kinect peripheral if they wish to avoid getting a dreaded RROD. Another article can be found on ZDNET. Of course, Microsoft emphatically denies any connection between the Kinect hardware and failure of the Xbox 360.
So, what could be going on here?
1. Nothing. It
