Microsoft says January Xbox 360 sales hit 294,000

Tech&Sci | Technology | Reuters.com: "SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O: Quote, Profile , Research) sold 294,000 Xbox 360 video game consoles in January, a company executive said on Tuesday, citing preliminary research data.

That is nearly 18 percent higher than the 250,000 units sold in the same month a year earlier, according to Molly O'Donnell, group manager for Microsoft's entertainment and devices division that oversees the Xbox 360.

O'Donnell was citing preliminary figures from market research firm NPD, which could not immediately be reached for comment.

'Xbox 360 had a fantastic January, and we feel great about our position in the marketplace,' O'Donnell said."

Top 5ive Gadgets You Shouldn't Buy -- #2. PlayStation 3

AOL Money & Finance: "If you're a gamer, chances are there's a Sony PlayStation 3 on your wish list. And while the game system's initial bugs (games freezing and problems with set up) appear to be fixed thanks to a recent upgrade, there are still a couple of reasons to hold off owning one. Specifically, there are a limited number of new games available and the system carries a steep price tag. Currently, there are only 32 new PS3 games for sale at Sonystyle.com: Six of them are ready for delivery, 13 are on backorder, and 13 can be pre-ordered for when they are finally released. (Many release dates for new titles keep getting pushed back.)

If you're simply looking for a fun game system, you can find a Nintendo Wii (try eBay) or Xbox for around $400. You could also simply wait for more PS3 games or for the system itself to come down in price. Want to learn more? Click here to read more about the gaming wars. "

Xbox 360 price drop on the way soon?

If a promotion in a printed UK advertising catalogue is anything to go by, the cost of the Xbox 360 Premium console with wireless controller and 20Gb hard drive is set to fall to the cheaper cost of the Xbox 360 Core system, just in time to spoil the launch of the PS3. read more

Video: NBA Street Homecourt 360 Vs. PS3

Xbox 360 Fanboy: "Sure, storytelling is important to game development, but let's face it, many of us are graphics whores. The draw of a beautifully rendered game is undeniable. A graphically immersive game will cause many to overlook faults that would otherwise stand out (see Gears of War). As such, graphical ability is a strong bullet point for almost any console. Case in point, we found a comparison video of NBA Street Homecourt for the Xbox 360 and PS3. First thing's first, no matter what platform it's on, Homecourt is a nice looking game. Period. It looks great. That being said, we'd say the 360 version is actually a little sharper. If we had to put our finger on it, we'd say the 360 version looks just a little bit 'glossier.' Granted, we have no way of knowing what sort of setup GameTrailers used to make the video, but we'd have to give the slight edge to the 360 (as did Game Informer).

Hit the 'read' link to watch the video (it's HD, so it'll take a while to buffer) and then come back and tell us what you think. Do graphics even matter? Given the feature disparity between the two consoles (rumble, Xbox Live, etc.) would you pick one over the other just because it looked better?"

Study: Surgeons who play video games more skilled

There was a strong correlation between video game skills and a surgeon's capabilities performing laparoscopic surgery in the study published in the February issue of Archives of Surgery. read more

Forza Motorsport-based Reality Show Debuts Tomorrow

TeamXbox: "Tune In: Forza Motorsport-based Reality Show Debuts On SPEED TV Wednesday Night
Popular movies and TV shows have long been fodder for video games. Occasionally, movies are made based on popular video games. But for the first time ever on Wednesday night, a reality TV series will debut that is based entirely on a video game – Tune in for the Forza Motorsport Showdown on Speed TV!

Here’s the lowdown on the Showdown. Six amateur race car drivers with different racing backgrounds compete head-to head in a series of challenges driving street cars they’ve never driven, support by a pit crew they’ve never met. Drivers receive points based on how they fare in each challenge. At each day’s conclusion, drivers spend their points in the SPEED garage on parts and other equipment they think can give them a competitive advantage. The drivers then get a day off from competition to outfit, test and tune their cars ahead of the next series of challenges. The first driver who successfully out-drifts, out-drags and out-paces the competition on the track wins $100K.

Plus, each week, Xbox 360 and Turn 10 Studios will giving those who tune in an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at Forza Motorsport 2 through developer interviews and never before seen gameplay footage that’ll be sure to have you on the fast track to the new features that are sure to make the game the most realistic and adrenaline pumping racing simulator ever made. This week’s show provides a sneak peak at The Auction House – a unique new way for you to share your customized and personalized car creations with the larger Forza community.

Below are some additional details on the program for easy reference. Please visit forzamotorsport.net for additional information and to see a trailer from this week’s premiere.

FORZA MOTORSPORT™ SHOWDOWN

Fact Sheet

WHAT: SPEED, the automotive lifestyle and motorsports network, has joined forces with Microsoft Game Studios in presenting a live-action mini-series based on the Xbox 360’s popular Forza Motorsport racing game.

HOW IT WORKS: Forza Motorsport Showdown puts contestants to the ultimate test of high-performance driving and mechanical skills. Each episode rigors a diverse group of competitors through a roster of competitive motorsports disciplines – drag racing, road racing, autocross and drifting – in a $100,000 winner-take-all format. Six amateur racers with six racing teams battle it out over six different courses on the world famous Road Atlanta speedway. The different course types include:

• Atlanta Dragway At Commerce's Quarter Mile
• Road Atlanta's Autocross for Drifting
• Two Road Courses
• Lanier Speedway's Oval Track

Drivers receive points based on how they fare in each challenge. At each day’s conclusion, drivers spend their points in the SPEED garage on parts and other equipment they think can give them a competitive advantage. The drivers then get a day off from competition to outfit, test and tune their cars ahead of the next series of challenges.

THE DRIVERS:

• Ken Gushi (Whittier, CA), Top Ranked Formula D Drift Racer
• Jace Meier (Las Vegas, NV), 18-year old USAC Midget Car Phenom
• Angela Cope (Huntersville, NC), Perennial ARCA Contender and Niece of 1990 Daytona 500 Champion Derricke Cope
• Freddy Lewis Jr. (Los Angeles, CA), Indy Pro Series, IRL and ARCA Driver
• Clarence Barnes (Beverly Hills, CA), Radio Personality and Aspiring Auto Cross Racer
• Clay Dale (Jefferson, GA), 2005 Late Model Stock Car Champion

THE CARS:

• 1969 Chevrolet Camaro
• 1973 Dodge Challenger
• 2005 Ford Mustang GT
• 2006 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
• 2005 Nissan 350Z
• 2006 Nissan 350Z

TUNE IN: Forza Motorsport Showdown airs exclusively on SPEED on Wednesday nights at 11 p.m. EST. The four-episode series concludes with crowning of the Forza Motorsport Showdown champion on March 14th. Check your local listings or contact your cable provider for the exact channel.

ABOUT: Forza Motorsport 2: Forza Motorsport 2, the sequel to Microsoft Game Studios’ award-winning, fully customizable driving simulator Forza Motorsport, will make its exclusive debut on Xbox 360 in May 2007. With authentic simulation physics, bone-jarring damage, photo-realistic graphics, and a myriad of real-world tuning and customization options, the franchise improves on the unprecedented features gamers enjoyed in its debut installment. Loaded with more than 300 of the worlds hottest cars to collect, personalize and tune from the automotive industry’s leading companies, Forza Motorsport 2 gives players a complete racing experience. www.forzamotorsport.net.

SPEED: SPEED, celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2006, is the nation's first and foremost cable network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 73 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest growing sports cable networks in the country and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services. For more information on programming including the Forza www.SPEEDtv.com"

360 Wireless Gaming Receiver for Windows Review

Within a month of the Microsoft XBox 360 being released, Microsoft was selling the wired USB controller for XBox 360 owners and also PC gamers who desired a gamepad. For those who got wireless controllers with their 360 or for PC gamers who wanted that same wireless capability on their PCs, there was no option. Now, Microsoft has made available the Windows Gaming Receiver, which creates connectivity between your PC and your XBox 360 wireless accessories for use with your Windows based computer. This is not limited to the wireless 360 controller, it also allows for usage with the Microsoft XBox 360 wireless steering wheel and Xbox 360 wireless headset along with support for future accessories.

read more

Xbox 360 Price Drop Coming?

Is there an Xbox 360 price drop on the horizon? Recent reports suggest so. The Seattle Times asked Microsoft’s Chief Executive about the potential of a price cut for the Xbox 360 to which Ballmer said: "I think every console in the world has had a price decrease sometime in the first few years. I don't know whether we'll have a price decrease in the first few years, and I don't want to comment on that, but I will highlight for you that every console has had a price decrease in the first few years."

But the strongest hint of a price drop comes from the other side of the ocean, to be more precise from the U.K., where wholesale retail chain MAKRO is currently selling the Xbox 360 Premium Edition for the price of a Core, at only £199.99. The Inquirer got a scan of the ad that shows the “breakthrough price” at which MAKRO is selling the Xbox 360 Premium.

Lastly, but not least, there’s the rumor that refuses to die and that claims that an Xbox 360 with a larger hard drive and a built-in HDMI output is coming soon to a retail store near you. The last publication to report the codenamed Zephyr Xbox 360 was Game Informer, who claims that retailers confirmed that that the new model is in their systems and set for a May 1 release for $479.99.

When you put together all these rumors, comments and bargains, a price drop for the Xbox 360 doesn’t sound unfounded at all.
TeamXbox

PlayStation 3 To Get Movie Downloads

Yahoo! News As part of Sony's long-range plans for its newest gaming console, the PlayStation 3 will be getting a movie-download service as well as additional music and HDTV capabilities.

The PlayStation platform continues to evolve both in software and firmware revisions, noted Phil Harrison, president of Sony's worldwide studios, in an interview with gaming publication 1UP. Even during the heyday of the earlier console, the PS2, Sony noted that the platform would be destined for more than gaming.

The inclusion of a hard drive in the PS3 is part of a larger strategy to boost the PlayStation's presence as an entertainment hardware device, rather than just a game machine. Harrison noted that, in the future, it is possible that the PS3's hard drive capacity will be increased to take advantage of digital downloads and offer more storage options. The 10-year plan, he added, includes not only games but also other forms of content, such as movies and TV shows.

Although he did not state when the download service might be available, Harrison noted in the interview with 1UP that the PS3 has a hard drive and e-commerce capabilities, and that it "doesn't take a rocket scientist" to figure out that the two will come together soon.

Xbox 360 Showdown

In creating a movie and music download service, Sony will be putting itself in competition most directly with Microsoft, which launched a similar service last November. Called Xbox Live Video Marketplace, the Microsoft download service allows Xbox 360 Premium owners to buy movies and TV shows.

The strategy was applauded by some analysts, with a report from research firm Emerging Media Dynamics estimating that the service would generate up to $92 million for Microsoft in 2007, and possibly up to $762 million by 2011.

Creating more demand for the PS3 could help to soften Sony's losses as well. Some analysts have estimated that Sony is losing money on every PS3 sold, as consumers buy more Xbox and Wii consoles.

Competitive Advantage

The move to integrate movie downloads with its console is not surprising, given the arms race mentality that has been rampant in the gaming scene for the past year, noted Forrester Research analyst Paul Jackson.

"When you have Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all competing against each other for the same audience, you're going to see the rollout of new games, new features, and different services," he said.

Currently, Nintendo seems to be winning the battle, Jackson noted, although it is much too early to declare it the wartime victor. Nintendo has shown an advantage by having a lower-priced console and hardware that is easier for developers to use, said Jackson, which increases the number of games available.

"Conversely, Sony is having a hard time, and there's been some bashing of the PS3 among gamers," Jackson noted. "Sony has been kind of standoffish, some may say arrogant, and now they're finally acknowledging that they've made some mistakes, and there are some new directions they need to go."

NBA Street Homecourt Ships to Retailers

TeamXbox: "Electronic Arts announced today that NBA Street Homecourt ships to retailers today on the Xbox 360. In the press release below, the publisher highlighted that the game is the first Xbox 360 title to support 1080p and 60fps frame rate. "

Playing Xbox Live over Google WiFi

Xbox Live's Major Nelson: "Over the weekend, I participated in little experiment: The first ever Xbox Live death-match from a moving vehicle. Let me explain. With the help of Jake Ludington, Brandon Wirtz over at XYHD.TV wanted to take his Xbox Live playin’ on the road. So they loaded up Brandon’s ‘07 Jeep Wrangler with a 23” Samsung LCD and hooked it up to an Xbox 360. They took a laptop and connected it to the free Google WiFi service (only available in Mountain View, California) and using Internet Connection Sharing, connected the Xbox to play over Xbox Live. You can see the full video here. I was actually in Seattle at home as the guy ‘at the other end’ playing in the video, but it was a fun experiment anyway. And let me be perfectly clear: This is not a supported method to use your Xbox 360 or connect to Xbox Live, but kudos to you if you can make it work.

Jake has more details and pictures over on his blog."

Girls Who Play Video Games Have More Sex

TeamXbox: "Wired blog Game | Life cites a survey conducted by Gametart, UK’s largest online games rental company, whose initial purpose was to measure the impact of the pink PSP and the Nintendo DS on gamers’ sex lives across England. The survey threw up some interesting findings.

Of a 200 women sample, those who played video games on average had sex 4.3 times a week while those who didn’t play games only had sex just 3.2 times a week.

The survey also revealed that those gamer girls who started playing games recently have sex more often than before.

Now, you know it. Next time you see a girl getting a pink PSP and Nintendo DS at your local game store, follow her. You have more chances to score with that one than with a non-gamer girl. "

Virtua Tennis 3 Trailer

Xbox 360 Fanboy: "SEGA released a couple trailers for Virtua Tennis 3, the first is in 720p, even though the game itself is 1080p native, and shows some cool doubles and singles action as well as the solid animation. The other video available gives you a taste of some of the minigames that are a staple to the Virtua Tennis series, although only being available in 640x480. Still, definitely worth a look as this game is one of the most promising tennis titles to date. So, click the 'Read' link and watch the videos, they're only a couple minutes each. Are you interested in this or is Top Spin 2 all you need to get your fill?"