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Hoping to provide viewers with an easy way to move Internet-based video onto TV screens, GridNetworks has announced a new service that would do just that by routing the content through an Xbox 360 gaming console.

The service is designed to work with any device that uses Universal Plug and Play protocols and, in the future, GridNetworks wants to be able to use Sony’s PlayStation 3 as the conduit as well.

More at Multichannel News.

Tags: gridnetworks, internet-based video, PlayStation 3, Sony, Universal Plug and Play, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP & Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

Despite a worsening economy, all three current-generation video game consoles had better U.S. sales in October than they did a year ago, according to the latest figures from The NPD Group.

And both Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo’s Wii sold more units in October, a four-week reporting period, than in September, a five-week period. Wowwee!

Also the worst of the economic bad news had yet to hit in September.

Sony, however, saw month-over-month PlayStation 3 sales decline, while sales of its previous generation (and less expensive) PlayStation 2 remained strong. Also, the PS3 saw the strongest year-over-year sales increase in October.

Nintendo was again the market leader, even though Microsoft cut prices on its Xbox 360 line in September, making its low-end model the least-expensive console on the market. 

More at The Seattle Times.

(Can you blame them for that seemingly pro-MS plug …)

Tags: microsoft, nintendo, npd group, playstation 2, playstation 3, sony, video game console, wii, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP & Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

Nintendo is reportedly likely to launch a new model of its top-selling handheld player, the DS, in overseas markets by next summer.

Nintendo will start selling the DSi, which can take pictures, play music and is slimmer than the current model, in Japan tomorrow for 18,900 yen ($192) in a move to revive slowing domestic sales ahead of the critical holiday season.

Nintendo previously said it planned an overseas DSi launch in 2009.

DS sales in the April-September fiscal first half grew 3% from a year earlier to 13.73 million units worldwide, beating Sony’s PlayStation Portable by a 2-to-1 margin.

The DS and Wii console, which has outstripped both Sony’s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft’s Xbox 360 in global sales, have been Nintendo’s twin growth engines in recent years.

Nintendo said it has shipped 200,000 units of the DSi for sales this weekend and plans to ship an additional 100,000 units starting November 4. 

Get more at Reuters.

Tags: ds, dsi, microsoft, nintendo, playstation, sony, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP & Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

Filed under: Gaming

You already know the Xbox 360 is getting new community features, a revamped dashboard, Avatars, and of course Netflix video — all things we’ve been excited about since we saw them in action at E3 this year. There hasn’t been much to go on since then, but we recently came across some short videos exhibiting Parties (which let users socialize and make plans while engaging in separate games and activities) and Avatar customization options; hopefully they’ll hold you over until the features go live November 19th. We won’t be held responsible for the brain deterioration caused by the vacuous marketing-speak accompanying the moving images, however. “It is where you get to enjoy entertainment — that’s the vision.” Yes, it is.

New Xbox Experience videos let you vicariously play dress up originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Oct 2008 22:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Original post by Samuel Axon

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

This day has been a long time coming, but Activision’s next iteration of the Guitar Hero cash cow franchise is officially available. Truth be told, the game (and requisite instruments) was sitting on a-many of store shelves yesterday, but there’s nothing like a formal announcement to really push you to take a few hours from work and rock out this evening. There’s a variety of bundles out there ranging from the game alone ($49.99 to $59.99), the game and a guitar ($89.99 to $99.99) and the full-on band kit ($179.99 to $189.99), so make sure you choose wisely when heading out to drop some dough.

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Podcasts

We’re back, just as promised! This week, Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel discuss the finer points of new ASUS laptops, Casio digicams, and a score of other compelling, enthralling, and generally fascinating items that will tickle your braincells and delight your many respectable senses. Sit back, relax, kick off your shoes, crack open a can of Dr. Terrific’s Party Juice, and enjoy the soothing sounds and delightful pseudo-sights of the Engadget Podcast.

Note: We’re waiting on Apple now to get the iTunes feed — and spot in the store — back up and running. Feel free to ping them with requests to make it happen.

Hosts: Joshua Topolsky, Paul Miller, and Nilay Patel
Producer: Trent Wolbe
Music: Professor Murder - Dutch Hex

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Contact the podcast

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Original post by Trent Wolbe

Filed under: Gaming

Xbox 360 consoles are already dirt cheap in the US. Now Microsoft has utterly soiled itself through a series of Dell coupons dropping the prices of the Xbox 360 Arcade, Pro, and Elite Holiday Bundles by $30 (now $169), $50 (now $250), and $70 (now $330), respectively, just in time for the holidays. Better yet, we’re talking free shipping and either one or two free game tossed in for grins. Hurry now, the offers expire on Monday and it’s not like you can afford to take the family to grandma’s house this year anyway.

Read — Arcade
Read — Pro
Read — Elite

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Original post by Thomas Ricker

Philips has announced the launch of a range of swappable faceplates for its televisions. They will work in a similar way to the Xbox 360 and allow you to customize your television to match your décor.

Called “Flavors,” the new flat high-gloss white TV will feature removable frames. The removable frames are available in a variety of colors and patterns that can be customized and taken on and off the front of the TV in a matter of seconds.

A matching Flavors home theater system also has interchangeable frames.

To match that white design you’ll get white cables and even the remote control is in high-gloss white to match the “pure design” of the television.

As a final touch, the Flavors products come with a choice of on-screen menus that match the chosen design of the frames.

Flavors will initially only be available in Italy, however a spokesperson for the company has said that if successful we will see them in the UK.  

(And what about the U.S.?????)

More at Pocket Lint.

Tags: flavors, philips, swappable faceplates, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP &amp Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

No, you are not seeing things …

Last week there were unconfirmed sightings of an “Obama for President” billboard in the Xbox 360 racing game Burnout Paradise.

Today the truth can be told. It is, in fact, an official advertisement placed by the senator’s campaign team.

“I can confirm that the Obama campaign has paid for in-game advertising in Burnout,” revealed Holly Rockwood, director of corporate communications at Electronic Arts (EA), the game’s publisher.

EA regularly allows ad placements in its online games.

“Like most television, radio and print outlets, we accept advertising from credible political candidates,” she added. “Like political spots on the television networks, these ads do not reflect the political policies of EA or the opinions of its development teams.” 

Now can we expect to see a McCain ad in some video game, too? Anybody want to get which game that might be?

Get more at GigaOM.

Tags: burnout paradise, ea, electronic arts, mccain, obama, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP &amp Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

Sony has ruled out cutting the price of the PlayStation 3 console before Christmas, insisting that the PS3 is better value than rivals half its price.

(Maybe time to rethink that in today’s — or at least last week’s — economy?)

With up to 50% of video game sales made in the run-up to Christmas, Sony is gambling that despite the weak economy, consumers will not just buy the cheapest machine.

If they do, Sony could lose further ground to Nintendo’s Wii and to Microsoft’s entry-level Xbox 360, which sells for $199 in the U.S. after a price cut in September - half the $399 cost of the cheapest Ṕ.

Sony argues that the basic Xbox has no hard disk drive, while the Ṕ plays High-Definition Blu-ray movies as standard. 

Sony launched its third PlayStation model in the line in November 2006. The PS3 competes most directly with the Xbox 360. Both are high-powered consoles that have sold well to gaming enthusiasts, but neither has matched the casual appeal and rapid success of the much cheaper Wii. 

More at the Financial Times.

Tags: blu-ray, microsoft, playstation 3, sony, wii, xbox 360

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Copyright VoIP & Gadgets Blog

Original post by nafiz

Filed under: Gaming, Transportation

You know who Microsoft hates? No, not Apple. It really hates DHL. Apparently, the delivery service has hit the folks in Redmond where it hurts: in the Xbox. It seems that 21,600 consoles were totally messed over by “impact damage, wetting, pilfering and shortage” when one of the company’s freight trains derailed en route to Long Beach, California. The big M claims that DHL refuses to compensate for the lost goods, and has filed a complaint at a US District Court in Seattle, calling for $2 million in damages and stating that the shipper “negligently breached its duties as a common carrier, handler, bailee, warehouseman, agent, or in other capabilities.” Harsh words, but really, who’s to blame for this mess? Next time we suggest going with G.O.D.

[Thanks, Andrew S.]

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Gaming

Been wondering when you were finally going to get your eyes on that fancy new Xbox 360 experience? Well the secret is out — come November 19th, your dashboard will never be the same. The good folks at Joystiq have delivered this wonderful news live-and-direct from the Tokyo Game Show, where they’re blogging the Microsoft press briefing while undoubtedly enjoying the finest cowboy rolls known to man and hob-nobbing with other glorious gamers. Feel free to check into their live coverage via the link below, and start prepping for serious avatar creation.

PS.- Check out our earlier gallery of the new dash here.

Read - New Xbox Experience coming Nov. 19
Read - Joystiq live from Microsoft’s TGS 2008 press conference

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Original post by Joshua Topolsky

Filed under: Home Entertainment

Forget the lames waiting for a New Xbox Experience to bring Netflix streaming to the console, the latest edition of Media Mall’s PlayOn Media Server beta includes Watch Instantly support right now. An update notification should be on the way to anyone already testing things out, the impatient can grab it from the website. Also streaming Hulu, CBS, YouTube, ESPN and others to the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, HP MediaSmart TV or other DLNA hardware (Nintendo Wii’s still on the coming-soon list) the presence of Netflix (and the recent Watch Instantly additions) gives even more reason to check it out. Since its still in beta don’t be surprised to find a few issues, but considering our smooth sailing so far, the list of reservations over its $30 price tag (after the 60 day free trial period is over) is rapidly shrinking.

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Original post by Richard Lawler

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Here′s an interesting one. That red / black Xbox 360 controller that was showcased back in July is now available to any ole consumer in the US, Canada, Latin America New Zealand and Asia, and it comes bundled with a Play & Charge Kit and red rechargeable battery for $64.99. For whatever reason, Microsoft’s totally missing a golden opportunity to cash in on the holiday shopping season by reserving the green counterpart as some “promotional item.” C’mon guys, is it really that hard to understand how irresistible a red and green gamepad tandem would be in late December?

[Via IGN]

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Original post by Darren Murph

Filed under: Gaming

Hey, those Jaspers we’ve heard so much about are finally popping up in Xbox 360 consoles — a bit behind the anticipated August release date, but better late than never right? If you′ll recall these boards come equipped with 65nm chips that draw significantly less power, along with reduced heat output. If you′re thinking about picking one of the new models up, you might want to check that the manufacture date is no earlier than August 6, 2008, and lot number is 8031 or above. So if you just bought a new console, it’s time to go foraging for that receipt, but if you′re still not sold there’s always Valhalla to look forward to.

[Via Joey Gadget]

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Original post by Stephanie Patterson