"A new version of the Nintedo DS handheld could be unveiled at this year’s upcoming E3 (that is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles on July 15th – 17th), Enterbrain boss Hirokazu Hamamura predicted. According to Hamamura, Nintendo is likely to use the opportunity to present the new DS model at the year’s biggest gaming trade show. His predictions were based on the fact that Nintendo has made a habit of presenting a new handheld every two years, and the DS Lite was released in 2006. Mathematics point to this year as the year of a new announcement, but Nintendo representatives refused to make comments on the rumors. Bloomberg reported (article in Japanese) that Hamamura relied on rumors circulating in the industry, as well as on the historical evidence that point out to this year’s E3. The exact specifications of the possible new features of the new DS model are hard to confirm, but here are the speculations: media functions will be added, such as dedicated audio and video playback, as well as an additional slot for removable hardware. When DS Lite was released in 2006, it unveiled a thinner, smaller, lighter version of the previous DS game console. The DS was first launched in Japan, and rumors have it that the new DS said to appear this year will also be launched in Japan first. The Nintendo DS is a handheld game console developed and manufactured by Nintendo and released in 2004 in Canada, U.S., and Japan. In September 2007, it was reported that Nintendo had sold over 50 million units at the fastest pace of all time for a handheld game console."
Source
Monday, April 14, 2008
Nintendo to Come up with New DS at This Year’s E3
Friday, April 11, 2008
Daily Wrap-Up 4.10.08
Here's what went down today in the world of videogames, popular culture and technology!
- The Ghostbusters The Videogame website is live.
- Muqtada al-Sadr was a gamer.
- Everyone is courting Yahoo!
- Homestarrunner's Strong Bad, the originator of comedy on the internet, is making a game for the Wii.
- Vote for Freestyle 101!
- Lair is changing to analog controls.
- Konami has revealed the pricing structure for Metal Gear Solid 4 and the Limited Edition.
- Check out our Call of Duty 4 video.
- Rockstar is pushing for an 18 and up maturity rating for GTA IV in Australia.
- Details on the PS3 Firmware update.
- All the tracks of Mario Kart for Wii, on video.
- SEGA has hit the brakes on SEGA Racing Studio.
- Nintendo announced today that Mario Super Sluggers is coming to America.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Clear Channel adds iTunes tagging to 340 HD stations
"When Apple, Polk, and JBL introduced HD radio song tagging technology in September of last year, the details were a bit hazy, particularly in regards to which radio stations would utilize the technology. Now that more than six months have elapsed, we've seen the release of the (rather expensive) tagging-enabled receivers, and we're now seeing radio station operations get behind the iTunes tagging as well. One big announcement happened yesterday, when Clear Channel Radio announced that it had enabled iTunes HD radio tagging on more than 340 of its HD stations.
Clear Channel has been supporting the tagging technology since the beginning, so the announcement shouldn't come as a massive surprise. The iTunes tagging feature still hasn't received much attention, but that looks to be changing. In order to take advantage of the system, you'll need an HD radio that works with the iTunes tagging (Polk and JBL both make such a product). When you're listening to the radio and hear a song you like, hit the "tag" button on the radio. This will then copy the tag from the HD radio signal to your plugged-in iPod. Once you're home, plug the iPod into your computer and iTunes will read the tags, then casually suggest that you might want to drop a few bucks on music.
Things seem to be picking up for the iTunes tagging technology, and if you drive a lot while listening to HD radio, it seems like a pretty cool thing to have."
New screenshots of Halo 3's Legendary maps
Bungie has released new Hi Res screenshots of the upcoming Legendary Maps. You can see all the released screenshots (here) .
Japan develops brain and eye pills for gaming fans
"Gaming addicts with sore eyes and tired brains may be able to perk up with "Game Suppli," a new Japanese supplement developed specifically for the country's thousands of fanatic players.
"We concentrated on developing a supplement for those who love games," reads the advert for the pills on www.cybergadget.co.jp, a Web site that sells a range of accessories for video game fans.
Maker Kyowa-Yakuhin produces two different supplements for the "Game Suppli" range: blueberry tablets that are meant to be good for the eyes, and transparent capsules containing Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, a fatty acid that supposedly enhances concentration.
Japan's convenience stores are stacked with drinks and capsules claiming various health and beauty benefits, sometimes without any scientific evidence."
Marketplace Roundup for April 8, 2008 (All free)
Via majornelson.com
Theme
Title: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem
Price: Free
Availability: United States
Dash Text: Download this free Alien vs Predator - Requiem theme. Also check out the free gamer pictures.
Title: Ford Sync
Price: Free
Availability: United States
Dash Text: Download the Ford Sync Raging Monk Theme.
Trailer
Title: Viking
Price: Free
Availability: Not available in Asia, Austria, France, Germany, India, Spain
Size: 524.12 MB
Dash Text: [ESRB: M (Mature) BLOOD AND GORE] Download The Making of Viking for SEGA’s Viking: Battle for Asgard™. The talented development team at Creative Assembly talk frankly about Viking hero Skarin, walk you through brutal battle scenes and explore the realm of Midgard. Experience Viking!
Gamer Picture
Title: Aliens vs Predator - Requiem
Price: Free
Availability: United States
Dash Text: Download this free Alien vs Predator - Requiem gamer picture pack. Also check out the free theme.
Title: Ford Sync
Price: Free
Availability: United States
Dash Text: Download the free Ford Sync Raging Monk picture pack.
Price: Free
Availability: United States
Dash Text: Download this Ford Sync Raging Monk picture pack.
Video
Title: GameSpot
Price: Free
Availability: All Xbob LIVE regions
Size: 444.03 MB
Dash Text: [ESRB: RP (Rating Pending)] Get up close and personal with Microsoft Game Studios VP Shane Kim.
Daily Wrap-Up 4.4.08
Here's what went down today in the world of videogames, technology and popular culture.
- Set your sundial for July 1st. That's the day Trauma Center Under The Knife 2 comes to the Nintendo DS.
- Gears of War 2 info blowout.
- The Web gives G4tv the respect it deserves in the form of Webby nominations.
- Gary Busey showing off the features of Saints Row 2.
- Paranoiacs hate this game.
- Chengdu, China will play host to the World Cyber Games Grand Final Tournament and Festival.
- Rock Band finally has a European release date.
- X-Play is going to be monstrous tonight. Don't miss.
- The new and improved PlayStation Network Store is set to go live.
- Andrew Ainsworth, who designed the original prop costumes for Star Wars's stormtroopers, is being sued by Lucasfilm.
- Some Web protections may be falling.
Nokia shows off iPhone fighting Nokia Tube
"The Finnish mobile phone giant is not about to let the iPhone take any of its dominant market away from Espoo. With the iconic iPhone redefining the user experience in mobile phones, Nokia has been toiling away with a touch-based competitor to the iPhone. With S60 Touch finally getting the touchscreen treatment that the Symbian platform was initially designed for, Nokia's on its way to pushing an all-touch device out its factory doors soon (well, not out of Bochum).
At the Evans Data Developer Relations Conference in Redwood City, CA., Nokia showed off their iPhone fighting Nokia Tube. The "Tube" looks a lot like the iPhone, but then any mobile phone (mobile device) with a full-body touchscreen and a minimal bezel looks like the iPhone.
Nokia showed graphical UI elements and demonstrated movie playback at the event. The Nokia "Tube" prototype still looks like the prototype we saw in November 2007. Nokia Executive VP said that ,"If there is something good in the world then we copy with pride," and it looks like they're holding to the iPhone-esque design.
The Nokia Tube will feature direct video uploading and support for Java, both things that the current iPhone does not offer. This could give Nokia a hand up on the current iPhone, but it remains to be seen how the S60 Touch OS will fare against the iPhone OS.
As far as sales go, Nokia's dominance in the market and the Tube's features are expected to out-class the iPhone. Forum Nokia VP Tom Libretto, derided Apple with the assertion that, while Apple has shipped 4-5 million iPhones since launch, "We've done that [sales volume] since we've had dinner on Friday." To be fair, the sales figures for the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer are largely due to sales in the low-end (and Nokia's device portfolio is extensive, to say the least). It should be interesting to see how Nokia Tube sales fare against Apple iPhone sales, especially once the 3G iPhone goes live.
No release date has been mentioned for the Nokia Tube."
Games For Heroes - Needing Video Game Handhelds for Troops overseas ..
Games for Heroes writes:
"We have started a charity for the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
During our school Spring Break, we spent a week at elementary schools in White Plains, New York telling the students about the troops and the hardships they face. We began a letter writing campaign known as: “Cheer Up the Troops”, and have already collected over 700 letters from the students and staff and with the help of MarineParents.com of Missouri, we forwarded them to Iraq along with candy.
Next to letters, the most requested item is any kind of battery operated hand held video device including Gameboys, PSPs, and Nintendo DSs. Most of the soldiers are under 20. Our goal is to collect 10,000 game machines, batteries and games. We need your help. They can be new or used, as long as they are still working.
We would appreciate one or many, or donations to buy them. If you would like to include a letter of support to the troops, that would be great, too. If you believe in this cause, perhaps you could ask your school, church or temple to support Games For Heroes. If you collect fifty or more game machines, we will send you a letter acknowledging your community service. Maybe you even know a business that will sponsor this.
If you would like to help out please visit the Games for Heroes website here.
PSP Firmware (v3.95) Coming Very Soon
It seems that the firmware may have been released early. We have not seen anything official ye yet to be announced.
Here is what Sony PlayStation Network Operations Director Eric Lempel stated on the US Playstation blog:
"Just a quick update, we’ll be making PSP firmware update 3.95 available shortly. The update includes the following:
- While playing PSone games on your PSP, you can now customize how the buttons are assigned by going to [Controller Settings] > [Assign Buttons] and select [Custom].
- You can now quit Remote Play and choose to turn off your PS3 or leave it on after quitting. This is useful if you are performing a download and want to quit Remote Play, but still want your download to continue on the PS3. Select [Quit and Turn Off the PS3 System] or [Quit Without Turning Off the PS3 System] from [Quit Remote Play] when you press the HOME button on the PSP system.
For details on remote play, refer to the online user’s guide for the PSP."
SourceTuesday, April 8, 2008
Sources: PSP version of LittleBigPlanet in development
"LittleBigPlanet is in development for the PlayStation Portable at Sony Studio Liverpool, a source told game site CVG today.
There's been no official word from Sony on whether or not the anticipated physics-friendly user-generated level designer is making the jump to the portable, but that didn't stop CVG from speculating about what a PSP version could offer.
Interesting ideas included transferable PS3-to-PSP levels, or a level editor on the PSP that would allow players to keep working on their creations even when away from the PS3. They note that the robust LBP physics engine would be hard to replicate under this system, however, so we'll just have to wait and see what pops up in the near future.
The PS3 version of LittleBigPlanet arrives in September."
Mass Effect PC slips to May 28
"BioWare's community coordinator, Chris Priestly, has announced via the official Mass Effect forum that the PC version of the interstellar RPG has experienced a slight delay. Originally scheduled for release on May 6th, Mass Effect's retooled conversion will now arrive on May 28th in North America and June 6th in Europe.
Reasons given for the extra development time include the incorporation of further play-testing feedback, the tuning of additional features and, of course, the ever-popular application of "extra polish." Trust us, PC gamers, the wait will be worth it. You'll forget all about these extra few weeks once you're having a gas with our old pal, Saren."
Source
Call of Duty 4 Variety Map Pack PS3 DLC already in certification
"The Variety Map Pack DLC and patch required to add the maps to the game have went to Certification at Sony last night. We’re shooting for a worldwide simultaneous release, so all users can expect to have it at the same general time frame when it finishes certification. We’re working to see if we can secure a firm release date to pass along to you guys now, and I’ll post that as soon as I have it.
In addition the map pack should be hitting the PSN store around the same time the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare Game of the Year Edition for PS3 hits store shelves. I will have exact details on the GOTY edition, release dates, and more hopefully this week as they’re being finalized."
Free Kane & Lynch Downloadable Content Coming April 17
"Eidos will be announcing on Tuesday April 8, the upcoming release of four new downloadable maps for the Fragile Alliance multiplayer mode in Kane & Lynch: Dead Men. The maps will be downloadable for FREE on April 17, from Xbox LIVE and from the PLAYSTATION Network for the PS3. The new maps will be released in one downloadable pack entitled ‘The Dope Bag’, with each of the four maps featuring its own unique scenario."
Source