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Week of April 12, 2009
BenHeck: 2 more Xbox 360 laptops for the having
>> From benheck.com:
[QUOTE]
I have (2) Jasper Xbox 360's laying around so I figured why not build some more laptops?
Shown above is my new design. It is pretty similar to the Darksiders laptop but has a few changes:
* Grill area will be different (but probably not what's shown above)
* No camera (what's the point)
* Volume slider will be integrated into design and not an obvious afterthought like the Darksiders model :)
* (2) USB slots (since the camera frees one up)
* Ethernet port + built-in Wifi.
* Possibly smaller power supply (working on that)
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Full Story: benheck.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Rumor: Xbox Live 'V.I.P. Membership'
>> From hiphopgamershow.com:
[QUOTE]
According too a customers survey done in France, Microsoft is considering a new level of Xbox Live called the VIP service. Now with this upgraded version, users will be able to get online storage for their content, a brand new matchmaking option, a option that allows the user too send free invitations to silver members, and better connectivity. It's no denying that Xbox Live's gold members are reaping the awards that Microsoft has provided them and with this optional addition it can't do anything but expand on this already great feature.
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Full Story: hiphopgamershow.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft Explains the E74 Code, Sorta
>> From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
* Kotaku: Is the e74 code a replacement for the red ring of death?
* Microsoft: No. The E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. This issue remains relatively narrow in scope and a very small percentage of our customers have contacted us about this issue. Again, we have already made improvements to the console that will reduce the likelihood of an occurrence of this issue.
* Kotaku: But wait. What's with the contradiction? How can an E74 error message apply to the same hardware failures that are associated with a red ring if they're not the same?
* Microsoft: "In some cases there is no difference. As we said, the E74 error message and three flashing red lights can in some cases indicate the same general hardware failure. However, it is not the same failure mode in all cases and there is no single root cause for these malfunctions."
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Full Story: kotaku.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
How you can win a trip to E3 2009 (and a car) from Microsoft
The Pirate Bay Trial: The Official Verdict - Guilty
>> From torrentfreak.com:
[QUOTE]
The verdict in the case of The Pirate Bay Four was announced. All four defendants were accused of 'assisting in making copyright content available'. Peter Sunde: Guilty. Fredrik Neij: Guilty. Gottfrid Svartholm: Guilty. Carl Lundström: Guilty. The four receive 1 year in jail each and fines totaling $3,620,000.
The court said that the four defendants worked as a team, were aware that copyrighted material was being shared using The Pirate Bay and that they made it easy and assisted the infringements. It categorized the infringements as 'severe'. The judge said that the users of The Pirate Bay committed the first offense by sharing files and the four assisted this.
While the court did not agree with the plaintiff's exaggerated estimates of losses, it still set the damages at 30 million SEK ($3,620,000). This a hugely significant amount and the court has ordered that the four should pay this amount between them.
The judge also stated that the usage of BitTorrent at The Pirate Bay is illegal. Rest assured, other torrent sites hosted in Sweden will be keeping a close eye on developments.
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Full Story: torrentfreak.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
NPD Reaction: Microsoft Touts Console And Xbox Live Sales Increases
>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
In its monthly NPD U.S. game sales reaction email, Microsoft has trumpeted that its console is the only one on the market to experience year-on-year growth, while noting that Xbox Live downloads have more than doubled from the same period a year ago.
The console sold 330,000 units in the U.S. in March 2009 -- a 25% year-over-year increase, and according to Microsoft, one that flies in the face of its competitors' "double-digit declines".
The company has also revealed that the number of Xbox Live users paying for content on the service has more than doubled since this time last year, with 128% growth in unique users purchasing XBL content -- be it use of Netflix, other video, games, or DLC.
Microsoft has also revealed that the first three months of the year have seen 220% increase in DLC purchases, led by Grand Theft Auto IV and Fallout 3, as well as its own shooter titles Gears of War 2 and Halo 3.
[/QUOTE]
NPD sales for March 09 are as follow:
* Nintendo Wii - 601,000
* Nintendo DS - 563,000
* Xbox 360 - 330,000
* PlayStation 3 - 218,000
* PlayStation Portable - 168,000
* PlayStation 2 - 112,000
Full Story: gamasutra.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Gears boss on 360's limits: 'There's still more it can do'
>> From vg247.com:
[QUOTE]
Gears of War 2 executive producer Rod Fergusson has told VG247 that innovations in both games software and Microsoft services mean we've yet to see the limit of what can be achieved with Xbox 360.
Fergusson was quoted previously as saying the box had been maxed out, a comment he told us was taken out of context.
"I think there's still more it can do," the developer said, talking at GDC.
"Hardware, in some regards, always has limits, but it's the software that takes advantage of that.
"The [Unreal] engine is evolving - it evolved dramatically from Gears 1 to Gears 2 - and I think you'll see people continue to push that envelope about how they use the memory, and how they use the hard drive, and all those sort of things."
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Full Story: vg247.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Netflix is Xbox 360 Console Exclusive 'For Now'
>> From edge-online.com:
[QUOTE]
Netflix has told us that its streaming service on game consoles is exclusive to Xbox 360 for the time being, although when asked about its future plans the company didn't rule out the possibility of taking its movie and TV offerings to other platforms.
"Netflix is always looking for ways to grow the service. For now, Netflix streaming on game consoles is exclusively on the Xbox 360 - and it's a terrific hit," a spokesperson said. "More than one million Netflix members who are Xbox Gold members have watched more than 1.5 billion minutes of movies and TV episodes instantly over the internet from Netflix via their Xbox 360."
When asked about potential plans to expand its operations outside of the States, the Netflix spokesperson simply told us that "Netflix is available in the U.S. only."
[/QUOTE]
Full Story: edge-online.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft: US market is already decided
>> From xbox-360.nowgamer.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft's European VP for interactive entertainment, Chris Lewis, has said the battle between the PS3 and 360 in the US is over, with the company now focusing its attention on Europe.
When asked if the battle between the PS3 and the 360 was now decided in the US, Lewis said Microsoft has "done the job we need to in North America", and that the company would focus more effort on increasing the 360's lead over the PS3 in Europe.
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Full Story: xbox-360.nowgamer.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
New ZuneHD device could play Xbox Live games
>> From pocketgamer.co.uk:
[QUOTE]
Details on this new device are still pretty sketchy, but it's sounding as though it'll be compatible with Microsoft's software development kit, XNA.
To those of us who know nothing of coding, this essentially gives the ZuneHD the potential to play Xbox Live games, and with the rumour of a touchscreen also circulating, this could be the Xbox Portable Bill's boys have been so avidly denying.
It would seem like a wasted opportunity for Microsoft to release a new PMP that doesn't give the iPhone at least a bit of competition, so fingers crossed the ZuneHD will live up to the rumours.
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Full Story: pocketgamer.co.uk
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Microsoft Extends Warranty For 'E74' Failures
>> From Microsoft (via ve3d.ign.com):
[QUOTE]
While the majority of Xbox 360 owners continue to have a great experience with their console, we are aware that a very small percentage of our customers have reported receiving an error that displays "E74" on their screen. After investigating the issue, we have determined that the E74 error message can indicate the general hardware failure that is associated with three flashing red lights error on the console. As a result, we have decided to cover repairs related to the E74 error message under our three-year warranty program for certain general hardware failures that was announced in July 2007. We have already made improvements to the console that will reduce the likelihood of an occurrence of this issue.
Microsoft will refund to customers the amount paid for an out of warranty repair due to a general hardware failure associated with the e74 error message. Those customers should automatically receive the refund within 4-12 weeks, and no additional action by customers should be necessary. However, if a customer has not received a refund by July 1, 2009, the customer should visit www.xbox.com/support before November 1, 2009 for information on how to place a claim. All refund claims must be received on or before November 1, 2009.
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Full Story: ve3d.ign.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Sony: MS 'writes cheques' for games thanks to first-party line-up insecurity
>> From vg247.com:
[QUOTE]
SCEA hardware marketing boss John Koller has told VG247 that Microsoft's apparent need to pay for exclusivity on certain products - such as the Lost and Damned - is borne from a self-perceived lack of strength in its first-party line-up.
"Microsoft has had a much more lenient policy to writing cheques than we do," he said.
"We don't feel the need to write cheques necessarily with every publisher, like they did with the Lost and Damned and some other titles, because we feel very strongly in our first-party line-up.
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Full Story: vg247.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Analysts: Expect NPD To Show Flat March Sales
>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
Pachter thinks last year's hardware performance might be hard to beat, too, but predicts March results will show sell-through of 800,000 Wii, 400,000 Xbox 360, and 350,000 PS3 consoles, a 25 percent increase.
Although it's likely to boost PS3 software numbers, Killzone 2 hasn't closed the hardware gap between the Xbox 360 and the PS3, Pachter believes.
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Full Story: gamasutra.com
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
360 Modification Disc v1.53
>> FrostyTheSnowman released a new version of his 360 Modification Disc(info).
What's new/fixed:
* Replaced MTKFlash for DOSFlash
* Improved Samsung Detection
Official Site: n/a, by FrostyTheSnowman
Download: n/a (contains modified FWs)
News-Source/Full Readme: xbins.org
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
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