Xenon360 FAQ Posted

>> Xtreme Enterprise posted a new FAQ about their recently released Xenon360 replacement cases for the Xbox360:
[QUOTE]
We're excited about the new release of our long-awaited innovation - the Xenon360 replacement console case for the Xbox360. Packed with features and a clean design concept, we have not only improved upon the original design, the stock look of the Xbox360 is also retained. After collating some feedback from our customer-base, here are some FAQs which we hope will be able to clarify some doubts you may have about the Xenon360 features :

Question : Is this case HDMI-version compatible (as in Elite version)?
Answer : No, this case is not compatible with the HDMI-version of the Xbox360. However, we have designed the case to be future-proof : future iterations of the Xbox360 (in this case, HDMI) can be accomodated with some simple modifications. This will be the only case in the market capable of doing this.

Question : Can original faceplates work with this case?
Answer : Yes, all original faceplates can be used on the Xenon360.

Question : Will the circular cutout on the sides of the case be there when I buy the case?
Answer : No, the circular cutout was for the prototype version of the case. We have since decided to discard this feature since customer feedback told us this is not a desired feature. The shipped case will not have this hole in the case.

Question : How durable are the tabs on the Xenon360 faceplates? I bought a 3rd party faceplate a while back and the first time I removed that faceplate, a couple of tabs broke off.
Answer : Xenon360 faceplates are built of the same material as the originals. We have not seen nor experienced any tab breakages at all.

Question : Why are there no stand pads on the case for it to sit horizontally?
Answer : Stand pads were deliberately omitted from the Xenon360 design to enable a cleaner design. We also noted that the original stand pads were too short to have served any purpose in case ventilation. While putting the Xenon360 vertically will not require use of any stand pads, a horizontal placement will require some kind of prop-up for proper ventilation of the Xbox360. This can be easily purchased off the hardware store and put at the 4 corners of the case. Pleae ensure that there is at least a 5-7 mm clearance from the shelve bottom to the base of the Xbox360 for ventilation purposes.

Question : Will you guys be coming up with a laptop (Ben Heck) version of the Xbox360?
Answer : We will need to see a poll for this to determine feasibility and demand.

Question : Why is there a 7% tax on paypal checkout? Any handling charges?
Answer : Xtreme Enterprise is based in Singapore where our sales tax is 7%. We have waived all handling charges for the purchase of the Xenon360 for all customers.
[/QUOTE]

Official Site: www.xbox-central.com

PS3's Mysterious Wireless Dongle

From 1up.com:
[QUOTE]
With Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock on Xbox 360 and Wii, you simply turn on the machine, sync the guitar and start to rock. On PlayStation 3, however, there's the bizarre addition of a USB wireless dongle, despite the hardware featuring wireless Bluetooth technology in the box -- it's how the Sixaxis connects without a cord. When no one would comment on the additional wireless accessory during a Guitar Hero press event a few weeks back, 1UP contacted Red Octane for an explanation on why the PS3 version needed the additional step.

"For the PS3 guitar, we're using our own 2.4ghz wireless solution. Our products require considerable time for certification and testing to perfect both our software & hardware, so this was the most effective way for us to bring a high quality wireless solution for PS3 this holiday," said Red Octane VP of Hardware Lee Guinchard.

Right, but why? The wireless capabilities of PS3 and Wii are both Bluetooth-based. The Wii version doesn't require a separate dongle -- it simply hooks into the Wiimote and hijacks the existing signal -- so why are developers swapping Sony's own wireless solutions for their own? Red Octane spokesperson Bryan Lam told 1UP it's because Sony's tools only work for the Sixaxis at the moment. In order for Guitar Hero 3 to hit day-and-date with the other versions, Red Octane was forced to develop their own wireless solution. Nintendo, on the other hand, had everything ready to roll, allowing Red Octane's guitar to simply ride on the existing Bluetooth technology found in the Wii.
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: 1up.com

Use the PS3 Web Browser (and more?) Without Updating

You’ve been dying for an update, and here is something definitely worthy of posting…

So, you’re in this situation — still sitting at firmware 1.02 (by the way, this was tested on a Japan console running 1.02) and you have no desire to update; perhaps you lust for that speculated ISO loader, whatever the reason. Notice when attempting to fire up the PS3 web browser you are forced to update before proceeding — not anymore! By using Resident Evil Outbreak 1 or 2 (possibly other networked PS2 titles will work) you should be able to bypass that, here’s how:

Team Wormcult quotes…

When you use the networking feature in RE Outbreak 1&2, it allows you to configure your IP settings in relation to your router. I selected the name of my house network and set the IP address to ‘automatic’. I believe it then lets you run a test connection and you are good to go. Afterwards I went to try and start a RE game online and got a message from the server saying they shut it down a couple of months ago. But at that point you are already successfully using your PS3’s wifi to access an outside server. Afterwards when you go into your web browser after quitting the game, it should work with no upgrade needed. So far this has only been tested on my own system, 1.02 Japan unit

Potentially this may lead to bypassing other related firmware checks. I cannot personally confirm because I’m running the latest update; can anyone else test this method? Leave the results below.

By the way, check out Wormcult on iTunes.

Microsoft Working on a PlayStation Home-Like Service?

>> From teamxbox.com:
[QUOTE]
Daniel Schiappa, general manager of strategy for Microsoft's Entertainment and Devices division, the unit responsible for Xbox and Zune, told attendees at a virtual worlds conference in Austin that "by next year, you'll probably know more about why I'm up here."

Austin360.com reports that later Schiappa hinted in an interview that Microsoft is considering launching some sort of virtual world offering that would span across its gaming, PC and mobile device offerings.
Schiappa said that most likely, any foray by Microsoft into the world of avatars or social networking would begin with PCs, then move across Xbox and finally into its mobile phone business.
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: teamxbox.com

Xbox 360 secrets: After Falcon comes Jasper with 65nm GPU

>> From Dean Takahashi at Mercury News:
[QUOTE]
Jasper is the code name for the next motherboard for the Xbox 360. It will becoming next August, in time for next year's holiday season. Jasper is going to have a 65-nanometer graphics chip from ATI Technologies, as well as smaller memory chips. That isn't much information, but it's enough to tell us about their cost-reduction plan. If you ask me, it's a bit of a slow pace.

I don't know why it will take Microsoft essentially three years to cost reduce the size of the graphics chip through a manufacturing shrink. It doesn't seem like they're in a hurry to launch a redesigned Xbox 360 graphics chip, considering that Intel introduced its first 65-nm chips a long time ago. ATI uses TSMC to make its chips out of Taiwan, and TSMC hasn't been the fastest at moving to 65-nm manufacturing. I understand these tasks are difficult and they take a lot of engineering resources. Microsoft has had to divert a lot of engineers to debugging problems with Xbox 360 reliability. Even so, you would think that they would have moved faster, since the move to 65-nm graphics chip will likely be one of the best things they can do to improve the reliability.

Here's something that Xbox 360 buyers will want to know. Both Falcon and its predecessor Zephyr (used in the Xbox 360 Elite) have different thermal solutions than the original Xbox 360. You've seen the heat sinks in the cut-out photos posted elsewhere. The Microsoft engineers believe those heat sinks will be sufficient as a solution for keeping Xbox 360s from overheating. From their point of view, you don't have to wait until Jasper to get a reliable machine.
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: Mercury News

Week in video-game news: 'Halo' team leaves Microsoft; Wii shortage continues

>>from canadianpress.google.com

-BUNGIE JUMPS: It's always sad when a seemingly happy marriage breaks up. We still haven't got over Brad and Jen, and the split between Microsoft and Bungie Studios may be even more shocking.

Bungie - which Microsoft acquired in 2000 - is the developer of "Halo," by far the most lucrative franchise on the Xbox. "Halo 3" pulled in more than $300 million during its first week in stores, and drove a surge in Xbox 360 sales. When word got out last week that Bungie would be leaving Microsoft, the big question was: Why?

"Bungie is like a shark," founder Jason Jones said. "We have to keep moving to survive. We have to continually test ourselves, or we might as well be dolphins. Or manatees."

Microsoft Game Studios vice-president Shane Kim kept a stiff upper lip, saying, "We are supporting Bungie's desire to return to its independent roots." Microsoft will hold a minority stake in Bungie, and the studio will work on future projects within the Microsoft-owned "Halo" universe. Bungie President Harold Ryan said it will continue to develop games exclusively for the Xbox 360 and Windows PCs "for the foreseeable future."

-RARE BIRD: Thinking about getting the kids a Wii for Christmas? Better start shopping now. Nearly a year after its debut, Nintendo's distinctive console is still hard to find. "We're working very hard to make sure that consumers are satisfied this holiday," Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime told the San Jose Mercury News, "but I can't guarantee that we're going to meet demand. As a matter of fact, I can tell you on the record we won't."

Fils-Aime said the shortage isn't the result of production problems. "Every time we put more into the marketplace, we sell more," he said.

Perhaps you already own a Wii and your problem is that you just can't hold onto the remote. Your prayers have been answered: Nintendo is now offering the Wii Remote Jacket, a rubbery doohickey that wraps around the controller to give you a better grip. The jacket will be included with all future Wiimotes; you can also get one from www.nintendo.com.

-AY, CARAMBA. Electronic Arts' forthcoming "The Simpsons Game" features an assortment of video-game parodies, such as "Medal of Homer" and "Neverquest." But some companies, apparently, can't take a joke.

"I was always under the impression that when you do parody, it's a sign of respect," "Simpsons" designer Greg Rizzer told the Web site CVG. "If we make fun of 'Grand Theft Auto,' we're not going to hurt the sales of 'Grand Theft Auto.' ... But yeah, we've definitely had some reactions - we've had to pull stuff from the game."

On the other hand, the creators of "Guitar Hero" appreciated the tribute. "I don't know if you've seen 'Sitar Hero,"' Rizzer said. "The guys from Harmonix loved it and we sent them 20 copies of the poster."

-GRATEFUL 'DEAD': HBO will probably never bring back "Deadwood," but at least two of its actors are getting back together. Timothy Olyphant and Powers Boothe are reuniting to provide voices for "Turok," Touchstone's upcoming dinosaur-survival adventure.

Other Hollywood tough guys contributing to "Turok" include Ron Perlman, William Fichtner and Donnie Wahlberg. Turok himself will be played by Gregory Norman Cruz from TNT's "Saving Grace."

-NEW IN STORES: Get your kicks with "FIFA 08 Soccer" (EA Sports, for the Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2). ... Sony delivers the supernatural murder mystery "Folklore" (PS3). ... Build your own theme park in LucasArts' "Thrillville: Off the Rails" (360, Wii, PS2, DS, PlayStation Portable). ... Electronic Arts compiles five "Half-Life 2" games in "The Orange Box" (360). ... "Looney Tunes" lovers get two games from Warner Bros. - "Acme Arsenal" (360, Wii, PS2) and "Duck Amuck" (DS) - while fans of the anime "Bleach" can choose between Sega's "Shattered Blade" (Wii) or "The Blade of Fate" (DS). ... Racing buffs can rev up for "Sega Rally Revo" (360, PS3, PSP) or THQ's "Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights" (PS3, PSP). ... Two big franchises come to the PSP in Square Enix's "Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions" and LucasArts' "Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron," while Atlus' culty sequel "Touch Detective 2 1/2" arrives for the DS.

Sony Introduces New PS3 Model In Japan, Cuts Prices

>>from informationweek.com

The new PS3 model has a 40-Gbyte hard disk drive and a suggested price of $342, but it won't be able to play PS2 games.

Sony on Tuesday said it would launch a midrange PlayStation 3 model in Japan in November, and would cut the prices of its low-end model in that country.

The new PS3 model has a 40-Gbyte hard disk drive and a suggested price of $342. The video-game console, however, won't be able to play PS2 games. Sony said in a statement its decision not to make the product backward compatible reflected "both the increased efforts to improve [the] software development environment and the availability of a more extensive line-up of PS3-specific titles." The new model is set for release Nov. 11.

Sony, which is apparently looking to make the PS3 more attractive to holiday shoppers this season, cut the suggested price of its 20-Gbyte PS3 10% to $384. The new price takes effect Oct. 17. Sony also sells in Japan a 60-Gbyte model, which has a suggested price of $470.

Sony's new 40-Gbyte PS3 is set to hit stores in Europe on Wednesday for a suggested price of $563. The company doesn't plan to release the new model in the United States.

As part of a marketing campaign, Sony said it would give a complimentary copy of the movie Spider-Man 3 to the first 200,000 Japanese buyers of any of its PS3 models. Microsoft(MSFT), which makes the rival Xbox 360, said on Monday it would bundle two video games with the console starting at the end of the month. The move followed price cuts by two months, and was an apparent incentive for holiday shoppers.

Despite price cuts by Sony and Microsoft, sales of the PS3 and Xbox lag behind the Nintendo Wii, a lower-priced console with a popular motion-sensing controller. In June, Nintendo moved almost four times as many Wiis as Sony sold PS3s and almost twice as many as Microsoft did Xbox 360s.

Sony has fallen behind its own projections for PS3 shipments, and has cut prices to boost sales. At the end of its fiscal year, March 31, Sony shipped 5.5 million units, instead of the 6 million the company had been forecasting. Sony has said it expects sales to increase with the release of new games this year, and maintains its sales forecast of 11 million units in the first year.

Family values: Nintendo's Wii invites kids, parents to join video-game nation

>>from canadianpress.google.com

Nintendo's innovative Wii console deserves a lot of credit for broadening the audience for video games. Sure, the core demographic still consists of the caffeine-addicted, ADD-afflicted, 18-to-35-year-old guys who came out in force for last month's "Halo 3" launch. But the Wii has attracted younger and older players as well as women - audiences that most of the industry had largely given up on.

Toddlers and geezers alike appreciate the Wii's simpler controls. Even people who have never played a video game before can automatically grasp the way the Wii's motion-sensing remote is supposed to work. While an amateur wouldn't stand a chance in a "Halo" deathmatch, just about anyone can enjoy Wii bowling.

Since the Wii's arrival a year ago, I've had more parents asking for game recommendations than ever before. Here's a batch of Wii games designed for younger players:

-"Cosmic Family" (Ubisoft, for the Wii): A relative rarity on a console - a game designed specifically for four-to-eight-year-old kids. Parents are used to seeing such software on computers, and it's nice to see it migrating to the Wii.

The Cosmics - mom, dad, three kids, a dog and a cat - live on a rocket ship. Each room contains a multitude of surprises, usually provided by one of the aliens that have infiltrated the spacecraft. By clicking on different household objects, kids will discover a variety of simple games, like jigsaws and matching puzzles. Players can also colour scenes from the Cosmics' adventures or draw new pictures of their own.

The family members and the friendly aliens are a lively, likable bunch, and the good-natured comedy is genuinely amusing. There is one annoying glitch: at times, instructions are drowned out by overly loud music. Overall, though, "Cosmic Family" is a nice way to introduce your kids to gaming. Three stars out of four.

-"MySims" (Electronic Arts, for the Wii): The landmark series has always reached across age and gender barriers, but EA is more clearly reaching for younger players with "MySims." The characters are rounder, cuter versions of the types seen in "The Sims," and boring chores like bathing and cooking are replaced with building projects that will appeal to anyone who's ever played with Legos.

The setup is similar to that of Nintendo's classic "Animal Crossing": You move to a new town where all the residents have favours to ask. Usually, they want you to build something, ranging from a simple chair to a fancy restaurant. Most of the time you have a blueprint, although there's plenty of room for creativity in your constructions.

"MySims" has a clean interface that makes it easy to pick out the parts you need to build things, although very young players will need some initial guidance. Kids may also be frustrated by loading screens that pop up every time you switch tasks or locations, and it would be nice if more than one person could play in the same town. Two-and-a-half stars.

-"Dewy's Adventure" (Konami, for the Wii): In this eco-friendly adventure from the creators of last year's "Elebits," Dewy is a droplet of water trying to save his world from a polluting enemy. You move Dewy around by tilting the remote, and you can cause earthquakes or wind gusts by shaking it. You can also turn Dewy into ice, allowing him to attack enemies, or into vapour, which lets him float and shoot lightning.

"Dewy's Adventure" has some clever ideas, but I can't wholeheartedly recommend it for kids. While the little guy is adorable, he's not always easy to control, and some of the levels are unnecessarily difficult, even for a seasoned gamer. A scarcity of save points compounds the frustration; few things are more exasperating than having to start over at the beginning of a long maze just because you fell off a cliff at the very end.

A bit of in-game advertising for a bottled-water brand will also bother some parents. "Dewy's Adventure" is an appealing, innovative effort, but I wish the designers had followed through on its promise. Two stars.

Janco: GTA IV Could Reach 6-9 Million In First Week Sales

>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
Janco Partners' Mike Hickey estimates 4.4 million Halo 3 units sold in its first week, noting that the figure corresponds to a 67% attach rate to U.S. Xbox 360s and 46% for Europe and the U.S. combined. That's far higher than the 3.3 million units Halo 2 sold in its first three weeks -- a mere 30% attach rate to the U.S. Xbox installed base at the time.

Saying that even anticipating a 20% attach rate for GTA IV was exceedingly conservative, Hickey noted that while it may not reach the 46% rate Halo 3 achieved, even a 30% attach rate would mean first week sales of 6.2 million units -- far above Halo's own.
"If the upcoming release of GTA IV attached at the same rate as Halo 3," said Hickey, "the title could conceivably ship 9.5 million units of game in the first week, producing an astonishing $466 million in sales," concluding that the title, despite the delay, could have a "profound impact" on Take-Two relative to current financial projections.
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: gamasutra.com

Autralia: Halo 3 drives 55pct increase in Xbox 360 sales

>> From itwire.com:
[QUOTE]
For the week ending September 30 (six days after launch) Halo 3 has climbed into the 2nd best selling spot of all time for an Xbox 360 title, landing in over 70,000 Australian living rooms.
Software and accessories (including the special Halo 3 edition console) garnered Microsoft over AU$9 million in revenue.

Other points of note from the Halo 3 initial release week
* Xbox 360 hardware sales increased by 55 percent over the w/e 23 September
* Xbox 360 hardware sales for September increased by 158 percent over August
* Xbox 360 was the number one selling console for September
* Xbox 360 held 31 percent total market share for September, more than any other platform
* Xbox 360 hardware, software and accessories generated over $30m in September, over 50 percent more than any other platform
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: itwire.com

E-setter for PS 3 - Will be released in Oct. 2007

From xcm.cc
[QUOTE]
The e-setter is a device for people who can easy set up the screen on their TV, some people may have 2 or more TV at home, when they want to move the PS3 to play on another TV, they may find there has no picture on another TV ,it is because the output resolution is different on each TV so they can't get the picture, they have to set the PS3 back to original setting on their current TV before move to another TV, apart from that setting the output of PS3 is so complicated, almost take half hour to do so ,the e-setter is a device for you to set up the output resolution easily, people just need to switch a buttons and get the easy set up in few seconds
[/QUOTE]

Xbox Rewards Buyers this Holiday with Two Free Games

>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Hot on the heels of a price reduction for all Xbox 360 consoles, Microsoft is now giving holiday buyers even more value by including two great games with every Xbox 360 console and Xbox 360 Elite, a retail savings of $90 for consumers. The acclaimed "Forza Motorsport 2" (Microsoft Game Studios) and "Marvel Ultimate Alliance" (Activision) will both be included for the recently reduced prices of $349.99 (U.S.) for Xbox 360 and $449.99 (U.S.) for Xbox 360 Elite. Both bundles will be available retail-wide by the end of October.

Xbox 360 offers the best value this holiday and is the only place you can play all the titles in the greatest holiday line-up of video game in history. This line-up includes "Halo 3" (MGS), which became the fastest-selling video game ever and is making history as one of the biggest entertainment launches of all time.

"Halo 3" (MGS) is just one title in an incredible holiday line-up that are all only available on one game platform, Xbox 360. Starting with "Madden NFL 08" (EA Sports), Xbox 360 has an unprecedented string of no less than seven blockbuster titles, each of which we expect to sell at least a million units, including "BioShock" (2K Games), the record breaking "Halo 3" (GS) "Project Gotham Racing 4" (MGS), "Mass Effect" (MGS), "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock" (Activision) and "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" (Activision).

Xbox 360 is home to the most critically acclaimed next generation games according to Metacritic.com, the leading aggregator of game reviews from more than 100 publications. Of the top 30 next generation game titles on Metacritic.com, 21 are on Xbox 360 and five games exclusive to Xbox 360 score above 90 out of 100. In fact, "Forza Motorsport 2" (MGS) has received an aggregate review score of 90, producing a "Universal Acclaim" rating.

The most-respected game reviewers have spoken and according to them, Xbox 360 has more than double the games of the Playstation 3 and Wii receiving a score of 90 or higher.
[/QUOTE]

HaLo 3 Achievements List

It has been a lil more than one week since the biggest game day in history. I believe there are still many gamers with Halo 3 fever all around the world. Let keep our eyes open for who will achieved game completion this time.

There are 49 achievements with a total of 1000 points.

Landfall (20 points)
Finish the first mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Holdout (20 points)
Finish the second mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

The Road (20 points)
Finish the third mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Assault (30 points)
Finish the fourth mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Cleansing (30 points)
Finish the fifth mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Refuge (30 points)
Finish the sixth mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Last Stand (40 points)
Finish the seventh mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

The Key (40 points)
Finish the eighth mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Return (50 points)
Finish the final mission of the Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary.

Campaign Complete: Normal (125 points)
Finish the Campaign on Normal.

Campaign Complete: Heroic (125 points)
Finish the Campaign on Heroic (unlocks achievement for Normal, if not earned).

Campaign Complete: Legendary (125 points)
Finish the Campaign on Legendary (unlocks achievements for Normal and Heroic, if not earned).

Iron (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Black Eye (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Tough Luck (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Catch (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Fog (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Famine (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Thunderstorm (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Tilt (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Mythic (10 points)
Find and claim this skull when playing on Normal, Heroic or Legendary difficulty.

Graduate (10 points)
Earn 5 EXP or finish 10 games to complete the requirements for basic training (Online).

UNSC Spartan (15 points)
Earn your Sergeant rating to be recognized as a true Spartan (Online).

Spartan Officer (25 points)
Advance to the Spartan Officer ranks (Online).

Two for One (5 points)
Score a Double Kill with a single spartan laser shot in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Too Close to the Sun (5 points)
Destroy an enemy banshee with the spartan laser or missile pod in a ranked playlist or in campaign.

Triple Kill (5 points)
Kill 3 enemies within 4 seconds of one another in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Overkill (5 points)
Kill 4 enemies within 4 seconds of one another in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Lee R Wilson Memorial (5 points)
Score 5 grenade sticks in any ranked free for all playlist (Online).

We’re in for some Chop (5 points)
Destroy an enemy vehicle with equipment in a ranked playlist or in campaign.

Killing Frenzy (5 points)
Kill 10 enemies without dying in any ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Steppin' Razor (5 points)
Score a Triple Kill with the sword in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Mongoose Mowdown (5 points)
Splatter an enemy with the mongoose in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Up Close and Personal (5 points)
Kill 5 enemies by melee or assassination in a ranked free for all playlist (Online).

Fear the Pink Mist (5 points)
Kill 5 enemies with the needler in a ranked free for all playlist or in campaign.

Headshot Honcho (5 points)
Kill 10 enemies with headshots in a ranked free for all playlist or in campaign.

Used Car Salesman (5 points)
Destroy a vehicle that has three enemies in it in a ranked playlist or in campaign.

Marathon Man (40 points)
Locate and access all Terminals in the Campaign.

MVP (5 points)
Earn the MVP in any ranked playlist (Online).

Maybe Next Time Buddy (5 points)
Board the same vehicle within 10 seconds after being boarded in any free for all playlist (Online).

Guerilla (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the first mission.

Demon (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the second mission.

Cavalier (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the third mission.

Askar (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the fourth mission.

Exterminator (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the fifth mission.

Ranger (10 points)
Score over 50,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the sixth mission.

Vanguard (10 points)
Score over 50,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the seventh mission.

Orpheus (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the eighth mission.

Reclaimer (10 points)
Score over 15,000 points in the Campaign meta-game on the final mission.

Nintendo To Give Out Cushioned Wii Jackets

How many TV’s have you gone through? Knocked anyone unconscious or handed out a black eye or two? Well Nintendo feels your pain.

This morning Nintendo announced that they will be sending out free “silicone Wii Remote Jackets” — up to four per Wii owner.

This could be a saving grace for anyone who is a little “aggressive” when it comes to playing Wii Tennis.

Nintendo has the form up where you can request your free remote jackets.

Qualcomm to put Xbox360's Unified Shader Architecture in Mobiles

>> From electronicsweekly.com:
[QUOTE]
AMD has licensed the graphics processor technology behind the Xbox 360 to mobile phone chipset supplier Qualcomm.

This agreement will bring AMD's patented Unified Shader Architecture, first introduced in the Microsoft Xbox 360 gaming system, to Qualcomm's Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipset for integration on mobile handsets.

Last week, Qualcomm told EW.com that it expected the design of mobile phones to move closer to PC-like platforms within the next two years. This AMD licence indicates that high performance graphics will be a key part of that trend.
[/QUOTE]

Full Story: electronicsweekly.com

New ZUNE??!!!

YAY! The day has finally arrive! How excited are you? I’m sure you don’t want to read my rambling - on to the details!

Hard drive Zunes

* It’s called the Zune 80 and, shockingly enough, it has 80GB of storage.
* Uses the new Zune Pad — four way touch-sensitive d-pad (with up, down, left, and right buttons).
* It will sell for $250 (with “premium” headphones).
* Available only in black (to start).
* Screen size has increased to 3.2-inches (from 3-inches). As far as we know the resolution is still QVGA.
* Dimensions are 61.1 x 108.2 x 12.9mm (2.4 x 4.25 x 0.5-inches), some 1/3rd smaller than the classic Zune.
* The classic Zune will now be known as the Zune 30 — it’s not going anywhere. More on that in a sec.

New flash Zunes

* Zune 8 and Zune 4 are the names for the 8 and 4GB flash based models.
* Also uses the Zune Pad.
* These will sell for $200 and $150 respectively.
* Both will be available in pink, green, black, and red.
* It will feature a 1.8-inch screen (compare to the nano’s 2-inch screen).
* Dimensions are 41.4 x 91.5 x 8.5mm (1.6 x 3.6 x 0.33-inches) — compare to the new iPod nano, at 69.8 x 52.3 x 6.5mm (2.75 x 2.0 x 0.26-inches).

Everything else

* New Zunes ship in November, date not yet announced.
* All Zunes (including the Zune 30) will have a new, redesigned interface and feature parity. In other words, early Zune 30 adopters will have all the same software features as new Zune 80, 8, and 4 users.
* Additional native video codecs for h.264 and MPEG-4 — users no longer need transcode those file types to WMV.
* WiFi sync to host computer! Includes moving over music, movies, photos, podcasts, etc.
* Podcast support! (Sorry, no over the air downloads — sync only.) Podcasts can also be shared via WiFi.
* The 3×3 song sharing DRM has had its three day restriction removed, but users can still only play files three times.
* There is still NO wireless music store.
* The Zune software is all new and rewritten, and is supposed to actually be more than a rebadge of WMP10 now. Friggin finally.
* The Zune music store is going DRM-free, with over 1m MP3 tracks being made available for download. Other details (like which labels, whether there is a DRM-free upgrade path is for users who’ve bought music with DRM, price differences, etc.) are not yet revealed.