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Week of December 11, 2005
Xzx81 beta v0.1
>> Darcelf/Alg5 released a new emulator for Xbox. Xzx81 is an xbox port of Xz81, a zx81 emulator.
"The Sinclair ZX81 home computer, released by Sinclair Research in 1981, was the followup to the company's ZX80. The case was black, with a membrane keyboard; the machine's distinctive appearance was the work of industrial designer Rick Dickinson. Video output, as in the ZX80, was to a television set, and saving and loading programs was via an ordinary home audio tape recorder to magnetic audio tapes."
From the readme/nfo:
[QUOTE]
The screen, keyboard, tape reader and sound(!) are emulated.
The keyboard is emulated using a virtual keyboard.
The sound emulate a sound addon called Bi-Pak Zon X-81 that was using an AY chipset (much like the Atari ST, Amstrad CPC...)
To Do:
* Joystick emulation ?
* Add a menu to select some options (reset, type of sound addon ...)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://alg5.ifrance.com/Xzx81/index.htm, http://www.darcelf.tk
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download SourceCode: here
Discuss this news item on our forums: forums.xbox-scene.com
Team Xored and XboxMediaCenter
>> We received this email from Team Xored:
[QUOTE]
When we all think of the hottest dashes available for Xbox some names that would come to mind include EvolutionX(info), UnleashX(info), and Avalaunch(info). But if you have to think of the ultimate dash, only one comes to mind. XboxMediaCenter(info) is the ultimate when it comes to Xbox dashboards. Xbox Media Center is so much more than just a dashboard. In fact calling it a dashboard really doesn't do much in way of describing it. Xbox Media Center is a symphony of functionality and aesthetic beauty. Melody of function and a temptingly seductive interface gives us no other choice but to become more familiar with it. It is unparalleled in every fashion. With all the unique advances that are made available in Xbox Media Center, there is now another.
I am proud to announce that Team Xored has coupled with XBMC and both are currently working towards the full integration of Team Xored's ETM-XBTF Launcher Engine.
I must say I have been personally working on this for sometime and the guys over at XBMC project have been so helpful and knowledgeable. They are nothing but professional and prompt. These facts have made this process easy and a joy to be part of.
Our engine source is currently in good hands and the full integration should be complete in only a matter of time. There will be continued news updates in the weeks to come. Please keep your eyes pasted to news pages everywhere. Team Xored and XBMC look forward to providing the ultimate in gaming enhancements to all Xbox Fans.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com and Xored Forums
Japanese Gamers Speak about Xbox 360
>> There have been enough western press and research firms telling us how the Xbox 360 Launch went in Japan, but what do the Japanese say?
From spong.com:
[QUOTE]
No one really seems to know what the Japanese gaming community makes of the western aggressor/courtier Microsoft and its new console. We decided that the best thing to do would be to ask.
Interestingly, the main vibe is upbeat, belying sluggish sales and the Western media's thinly disguised glee at what on the surface seems a botched venture. Though from the selection of gamers we spoke to, most are willing to buy into the 360 - when the right software arises and interestingly, several claimed the marketing support for the 360 didn't get the message across...
"There's nothing special about the way Microsoft promotes 360. Many softcore gamers don't care for high specs or high definition," one gamer said. "Microsoft in Japan didn't really explain what Xbox 360 is capable of," commented another. " The main reason why Japanese people weren't attracted to Xbox and 360 was that the promotion was terrible. Bad promotion, yet pretty expensive compared to other game systems."
[/QUOTE]
Read more on spong.com.
From kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]
The 360 launch was some sort of second coming in the US. Folks lined up all night to get these "rare" consoles. Bill Gates and Co. put in appearances. The hype machine was in full effect. Japan, however, could have cared less. Consoles sat unloved on shelves, and few stood in line. Japan laughed in Microsoft's face, and it was insulting to all those American and European gamers who lined-up all night or shelled out big Ebay bucks for a console. The land of the rising sun just didn't care and had the 360s to prove it.
Instead of thinking, "well, effe them," people starting second guessing the 360. Maybe, the Japanese are right. Maybe this is the new Dreamcast. Maybe this console doesn't shit candy canes after all. Japan is the country that gave us the NES and the PlayStation. If anyone, they should know a good gaming system when they see one. Msoft needed the Japanese; the company needed them to validate their next generation console. Because, we all know that few in the US are going to turn their backs on next gen PlayStation or Nintendo. American gamers, it seems, are one insecure lot.
[/QUOTE]
Read more on kotaku.com and kotaku.com[pdf of printed article]
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(Friday 16 December 2005 22:58 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Firefox Plugin - forums.Xbox-Scene.com Google Search
>> 'obscene' posted another engine tonight, it works the same as the first one. Simply click on it.. install it to your firefox, and you'll have a new search engine that gives you basic search functionality on forums.xbox-scene.com via the google engine. (much like the one XS uses when our native search is temporarily offline..)
Link: Search Engines for Xbox Scene News, and Forums
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(Friday 16 December 2005 21:12 EST) - (Category: OffTopic) - (Posted by::
)
Xecuter X3IR Features
>> From teamxecuter.com:
[QUOTE]
Here is the final feature list for the X3IR - at the last minute we have made it compatible with ALL modchips :-)
Features:
* Turn ON and OFF the XBOX with the XBOX Dvd remote control, and any RCA DVD compatible remote (and there are hundreds of these Wink )
* Enable/Disable Modchip upon boot.
* User programmable buttons for all functions, such as wich button turns on the xbox or turns it off
* Safety Off (tm) makes sure you press the 'OFF' button 3 times before turning off the xbox to prevent unintended xbox shutdown
* Blue status led
* Compatible with any modchip
* Perfect-Press (tm) - The length of emulated press of front panel 'Power' button can be finely tuned to work with any modchips' needs (ie. long press is 100msec - mod on, short press is 10msec - mod off)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxecuter.com
Microsoft Outlines Xbox Live/MSN Integration
>> From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
According to a report from the BBC News website, Microsoft is planning a new Xbox Live feature which will allow Xbox 360 users to contact friends on their mobile phone.
The report cites Microsoft UK mobility business manager Jason Langridge as saying the system should be live within six months, as part of Microsoft's wider strategy to connect its various online services.
Langridge explained that this is part of plans to better integrate Xbox Live with instant message system MSN Messenger. This will make it possible to send a message or alert from Xbox Live which will then instantly appear on a PC using MSN Messenger (or a smartphone using MSN Messenger as part of the Windows Mobile operating system).
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamasutra.com
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(Friday 16 December 2005 14:40 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Firefox Plugin - Xbox-Scene.com Newspage Google Search
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(Friday 16 December 2005 13:53 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SmartXX v3 Specs Overview
'First to market has never been an advantage' - Hirai
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Sony Computer Entertainment America boss Kaz Hirai has dismissed claims that Xbox 360's significant headstart on the PlayStation 3 will give it a serious advantage in the console battle, arguing that content is far more important.
He also downplayed talk over the technical advantage being on PlayStation 3's side - while being careful to indicate that he believes this to be true.
"The technological advantage is almost a given," he said, "but by itself, it doesn't mean very much. What kind of software do you have to help drive that technological innovation? We've proven over the past 10 years with three products that we can deliver, whether it's first-party of third-party support."
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Friday 16 December 2005 12:32 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Paper: 17 Mistakes Microsoft Made in the Xbox Security System
Canadians - Futureshop/BestBuy will have units Dec 16th
>> EDIT: BestBuy will have 30 units per store this morning. Futureshop will have 10 units per store. (these are quoted as minimum quantities)
Hopefully.. some of you Canucks will wake up and check out XS early enough to go snag a console. Wish I could have posted this sooner but only got wind of it myself after a number of frantic scene members emailed me.
FutureShop Flyer
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(Friday 16 December 2005 00:42 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
J. Allard and Kaz Hirai Discusses PS3 and Xbox360
>> The Official Playstation Magazine (via 1up.com) spoke with J. Allard, corporate vice president of Microsoft, and Kaz Hirai, president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, in a lengthy 4-page interview to get the details on the next generation and how consumers will ultimately be the winners. Here's a short excerpt:
[QUOTE]
* OPM: The funny thing is, though, that people generally don't like paying extra for things. Sony's model, in which users don't have to pay an extra fee, on paper seems like it would have an advantage over Xbox Live, a service where users do have to pay an extra fee. Why are people so willing to embrace Xbox Live?
* JA: It's a quality thing. Back in the day, there was a thing called cable TV. It basically offered better reception with the same channels. It had HBO, ESPN, and MTV, which really helped it catch on and bring it to the mainstream, but before those channels were available, people bought it for the reception. [Consumers wanted] a higher-quality [picture], and that was a big part of the value, so people were willing to pay for it. Who on earth would pay for a better NBC, ABC, or CBS? Turns out millions of people would. Similarly, with Live, we offer a higher-quality experience, and people are willing to pay for it. From the outset, we said every game was going to have [voice chat]. We said you're going to have one identity, and that identity is going to be the same for every game, so anything you attach to that identity- whether it's the reputation you have online, the friends you have online, or your online preferences-we're going to tie all of that up. [... read on]
* OPM: What are the benefits of being first to market, much like the Dreamcast was? What are the pitfalls?
* JA: Good question. I'd say one of the pitfalls from a competitive point of view is that you don't know what the other guys are doing, and to be frank, the guys over at Sony have been very good at not telling anyone what they're doing. It's tough to tell where they're going with the PS3. The other tough thing is that you're under the microscope [when you're first]. [Sony] shows two movies and a product that you can't touch behind a piece of glass, and that's what you get to write about on them. For us, we just had 2,000 journalists from Europe, the U.S., and Japan all come to events we've hosted to play 20 games, [and we] just said, "Go play." My kickoff for the event in San Francisco was: You know what our strategy is and you've been to our press conferences-less rhetoric and more play. Go and enjoy the games for a day and a half. This is what our consumers are going to see. Try the wireless [controller] and walk as far away from the console as possible-tell us if you think it's good or bad. If you're a journalist, you can compare and contrast the two companies. One company has the promise while the other one has the reality. Sometimes, it's tough because we're not trying to fake reality. Promises are easier to fake. That's the hard part about being first. [... read on]
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole interview on 1up.com.
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(Friday 16 December 2005 00:20 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Featured on 'The Daily Show'
>> From 360insider.net:
[QUOTE]
This sketch was on last tuesday night's The Daily Show (Comedy Central), and I just had to share. So what exactly is this years hot holiday item? I think you can guess, but Demetri will take you on a look at why the Xbox 360 is so hot.
[/QUOTE]
"The Daily Show" is a half-hour satirical "fake news" program produced by and run on the Comedy Central cable television network in the United States.
Check out the video on 360insider.net.
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 21:47 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Qwix Can Read Xbox 360 Images, Qwix v2.0 W.I.P.
>> From Devenic (Team Avalaunch(info)) on the qwix forums:
[QUOTE]
Ok, before everyone gets carried away with all of the recent Xbox 360 news I wanted to let you know what we've found. There's been a lot of hype about Xbox 360 disc images and some new tools appearing to extract those images. Existing Xbox tools should already be able to extract them. Qwix(info) 1.01 (the most recent public release version) can extract them if you just change the file extension to .iso instead. I'm not sure if other existing Xbox tools will work, but I suspect most/all of them will.
I'm trying to help avoid seeing a whole new batch of 360 iso tools, when they're really doing the same thing as all the old Xbox tools. The scene saw a lot of iso extraction/creation software surface, and some of them were quite buggy and caused people to waste a lot of time (and blank discs). There's nothing new/magical about the Xbox 360 images.
As far as Qwix is concerned - yes, Qwix 2.0 is in the works. It has been for quite a while. Real life caught up with me and changed my priorities. It has some great enhancements that should make existing Qwix users happy. I don't know exactly when I'll get to release it, but it should be in the not-too-distant future.
Happy holidays from Devenic and Team Avalaunch!
[/QUOTE]
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 11:09 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SmartXX OPX SE Specs Overview
>> Yesterday we got the first front&back picture and the featurelist of the new SmartXX(info) (Pro) v3 modchip, today SmartXX released the specs overview of the new SmartXX LT OPX v2 that has 2MB instead of 1MB now:
[QUOTE]
The SmartXX OPX will now be delivered with 2MB of High Speed Flash ROM! This version is now known as SmartXX OPX SE!
SmartXX OPX SE will be delivered with install equipment, SmartXX Sticker and Support CD.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.smartxx.com
Buy SmartXX LT OPX v2 2MB: Divineo.com, Divineo.cn
Nissan Designs Xbox360-integrated Car
>> From Wired Blogs:
[QUOTE]
Nissan is looking to capitalize on the Xbox 360 craze by showcasing a prototype vehicle with an integrated Xbox 360. The Urge has two seats that are modeled to like a cockpit, so the passenger will get to pretend he's driving while the driver hopefully isn't too distracted to do the real thing.
The Urge (not to be confused with the new MTV download service of the same name) will debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit on January 9.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: Wired Blogs, teamxbox.com.
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 10:38 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
E3Expo: May 9-12 2006 - Registration Opens
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
General and media registration for E3Expo, the world's premier trade event for the interactive entertainment industry, is available at www.e3expo.com. E3Expo 2006, "Where Business Gets Fun," is the launching pad for the hottest never-before-seen computer and video game software, products and technologies.
WHEN:
* Early Registration for General Attendees: January until April 7, 2006
* Online Pre-Registration for Media: Now until April 13, 2006
* Conference Dates: May 9 - 11, 2006 (Tuesday - Thursday)
* Exhibit Dates: May 10 - 12, 2006 (Wednesday - Friday)
WHERE: Los Angeles Convention Center
WHO ATTENDS:
* Leading interactive entertainment professionals from around the world including developers, software publishers, retailers, distributors, industry executives, hardware and accessories manufacturers
* Members of the international financial community including investment bankers, analysts and venture capitalists
* Worldwide electronic, print and broadcast media
Please Note: E3Expo 2006 is a trade event, and is not open to the general public. No one under 18 will be admitted, including infants. This policy is strictly enforced. Submitting the registration request form does not automatically qualify you for a media badge at E3Expo 2006. The management of E3Expo 2006 reserves the right to deny any applicant a media badge.
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.e3expo.com
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 09:22 EST) - (Category: GamingGeneral) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft shoots down talk of HD-DVD equipped Xbox 360
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft has cleared up speculation regarding possible HD-DVD functionality in future versions of the Xbox 360, saying that it currently has no plans to release an Xbox 360 equipped with a next-generation DVD player.
The unusually direct statement is a straightforward denial of a report from a Japanese news service yesterday, which claimed that the company planned to launch an HD-DVD compatible Xbox 360 in 2006.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz.
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 08:55 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
X360FExT Xbox / Xbox360 File Extraction Tool v1.0
>> They guys over at adr-uk.net released a new tool that can extract images in the Xbox and Xbox360 DVD filesystem. It's not a GUI for the PI Game Dump Extractor, they made their own 'backend' for it and also added support for images in the original Xbox format:
[QUOTE]
X360FExT (XBOX / XBOX360 File Extraction Tool) is a simple tool designed to help users that wish to open XBOX and XBOX360 images to extract specific files or all files.
As you can see from the screen shot, the tool has opened a PI XBOX360 image without any problems and fully extracts a 5.78 Gig image in 9 mins 43 seconds using a P3 500MhZ, 384 MB RAM running WINXP O/S.
The tool is also backwards compatible for XBOX1 users which is probably more useful since there's not much you could do with a XBOX360 image unless perhaps you wanted to do some reverse engineering, naughty, naughty!!
Not bad going for a single 17KB Windows program, a must for anyone who can not stand command line programs. Oh, and it is also quicker than the xtract360.exe that PI released. ;)
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.adr-uk.net (news via teamxecuter.com)
Download: here
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(Thursday 15 December 2005 01:17 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Team Xecuter: Happy Holidays, X3IR news, Xbox 360
>> From team xecuter:
[QUOTE]
Greetings Xbox fans. As you can see most projects for Xbox1 have died down now with the release of the awesome Xbox 360. We would like to congratulate Microsoft on an excellent product - even though most of your ideas were taken from the homebrew scene - tip for the future - modding in all its forms is fun - dont make things easy as it gets boring ;)
For those lucky enough to have gotten hold of a 360 before Xmas - well done!
We also see that a team calling themselves PI are releasing raw dumps of the games - the ripper looks very similar indeed to a tool used internally by projectx a few years ago ;)
On a final note the much awaited X3IR is soon on its way to resellers. It now includes a learning function that can also be connected up to your PC with a nice bit of Windows software. Its very cheap and very useful - we will be bundling an X3 Pro Switch free of charge with the first batches as a Christmas gift and thank you for the massive amount of support we have gotten over the years.
Will we be delving into Xbox 360 in the new year? who knows? I guess it depends if our heart is still in it as the last few years has certainley been somewhat of a rollercoaster. We were happy to be known as #1 in all that time - maybe we will have a "crack" at being #1 again in future ?
Happy Holidays !
[/QUOTE]
Official Site: http://www.teamxecuter.com
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 23:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SmartXX v3 FeatureList
>> Divineo China/Asia received the (or alteast a partial) featurelist of the new SmartXX(info) (Pro) v3 modchip. If you missed the front&back picture of the chip posted on the news earlier, check it out here.
Here are the hardware/software features known so far:
* Flash Size: 4 MB
* Useable Flash Size: 3.5 MB
* High Speed Hardware Protected Flash ROM :YES
* Ultra Highspeed SYSCON (UHSC) Logic Chip: YES
* Works with Solderless Adapters on 1.0-1.5 Box: YES
* Works with Smartxx 1.6 Solderless Adapter: YES
* Change Video Mode: YES
* Change Game Region: YES
* Works with all Video Cables: YES
* Eeprom Diagnostic: YES
* Eeprom Repair: YES
* Eeprom Backup / Eeprom replay: YES
* Protect Xbox-live modchip detection: YES
* Passwort protect with User levels: YES*
* Skinnable OS: YES
* Upload New languages/fonts: YES
* HDD unlock / lock:YES
* HDD copy: YES
* HDD format: YES
* New HDD Prepare: YES
* Flash with CD/HTTP/TFTP/Remoteflasher: YES
* Can run ED@chip from Flash: YES
* Can run ED@chip from RAM: YES
* Supports USB keyboard: YES
* Ships with Pinheader: YES
* Ships with System Cables: YES
* Ships with 1.6 Recovery board: YES
* Ships with IR Transmitter: YES
* Ships with USB adapter: YES
* Ships with SmartXX Support CD: YES
* Ships with SmartXX Sticker: YES
* Status LED Programmable: YES
* External Dispplay Solder Pads: YES
* Display Connector Without Soldering: YES
* Software Controlled Contrast for Display: YES
* Software Controlled Backlight for Display: YES
* RGB Ambient Light (3x Independent PWM´s): YES
* External Parallel RGB (3x Independent PWM´s): YES
* General I/O Port´s: YES
* High Power Infrared Remote Output: YES
* IR MOD Ready: YES
* All Connections Attachable Without Soldering: YES
* Software upgrade possible: YES
Inputs/Outputs:
* External display X3(TM) including software controlled contrast and blacklight output (no POTI required) + special I/O port
* General I/O port (IR MOD ready)
* RGB LED connector port with 3x independent pulse wide modulation
* Output hardware with status LED connector and extra input port
* System connections (D0 or optional LFRAME, eject "The root-normaly not needed", emergency recovery, ground)
* Infrared remote output port
* External display solder pads including software controlled
* Contrast and blacklight output (no POTI required)
* 5 Volt power input
* 5 Volt power output (spider adapter)
* J14 pin header to LPC bus
Official Site: http://www.smartxx.com
Buy Now on Divineo.cn or pre-order on Divineo.com.
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 22:04 EST) - (Category: Xbox) - (Posted by::
)
Microsoft to reorganize entertainment division
>> From reuters.com:
[QUOTE]
Microsoft Corp. has split its entertainment and devices division into four businesses, the latest reorganization at the world's largest software maker.
The chief of the entertainment and device unit, Robbie Bach, responsible for launching Microsoft's Xbox video game business, told employees in a Wednesday e-mail he would turn his focus to longer-term strategy and partner relationships.
"While I will continue to play an important role in the games area, I will spend more time thinking about our broader challenges and opportunities across the division," Bach wrote in the e-mail.
[...]
Other changes include broadening the role of Peter Moore as head of the interactive entertainment business, which includes both the Xbox and Games for Windows business, Bach said.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: reuters.com
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 21:22 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
SmartXX v3 Front Pictures
>> The SmartXX(info) (Pro) v3 arrived at wholesale resellers this week and SmartXX posted a picture of their new chip (including front view) on their webpage:
More Pictures: Front Side View.
SmartXX did not publish any official featurelist yet, but from the pictures above you'll already notice the Macronix International (MX) 32Mbit or 4MBytes flash chip and the many connectors/plugs ... unknown for what they'll all be used atm (maybe to easily connect an LCD?, maybe for EJ/ER/D0/Lframe/3.3v/5v/GND wires?, maybe external switches?, ...).
We'll let you know more as soon as Team SmartXX releases more details about their new chip.
Official Site: http://www.smartxx.com
Pre-Order SmartXX v3 SLE on Divineo.com ($58)
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 17:26 EST) - (Category: Xbox) - (Posted by::
)
Henshaw Talks Xbox 360 'Trojan Horse'
>> Jeff Henshaw, executive producer for the Xbox Digital Entertainment Group has been talking to The Official Xbox Magazine UK about the Xbox 360's place in the digital home of the near-future and how Microsoft isn't interested in owning the family area. Here's a short excerpt:
[QUOTE]
* OXM: Let's play devil's advocate for a second - people accuse Microsoft of trying to rule your living room by having everything connected through their systems. How would you respond to that?
* Jeff Henshaw: Well, I'd say having everything connected sounds pretty great! It gives me the ability to get at my digital entertainment content in the ways I want to, and that's not about ruling your living room. It's about freeing digital media enthusiasts to live their lives in the way they want and access their entertainment in the way they want. That's really what the Xbox 360 is all about. It's about putting the gamer at the centre of the experience. If you look at our launch line-up you'll see a lot of games that really put the gamer in the middle of things, and Xbox Live lets them take that persona they're building through their gameplay into a broader community of gamers. We're really all about thrilling the gamer.
But when we go into broader forms of entertainment the Xbox 360 handles that stuff in a very open and very connected way. If people have a PC at home with their digital music or digital photos on that PC the Xbox 360 lets them get at that content, wired or wirelessly. If you're going to walk around with a digital device, whether it's an iPod, a PSP, a Sony Camera, a Panasonic camera, whatever, to Xbox 360 it doesn't matter. Whatever the device, Xbox 360 lets you get access to that content.
So for us it's not about owning the living room. We don't care what kind of TV you have. We don't care what kind of digital audio player you have. We don't care what kind of digital camera you've got. Xbox 360 works with everything. There are other companies out there that want you to own a brand ‘S' console. They want you to own a brand ‘S' TV and a brand ‘S' digital audio player and a brand ‘S' portable gaming device. To me, that looks more like trying to own your living room, trying to lock you into a single brand. That's absolutely not what we're about. We're about partners and an open ecosystem where everyone can share content, regardless of what kind of device you have.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole interview on oxm.co.uk
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 16:16 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 sells 326,000 in USA; Call of Duty 2 tops software chart
>> Research firm P.J. McNealy already came with estimated numbers about the amount of consoles sold at launch 2 weeks ago, but here are more detailed numbers. From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
The first independent figures regarding the launch performance of the Xbox 360 in North America have been released by the NPD Group, revealing that 325,902 consoles were sold by the end of November.
Shortages of the hardware at retail have held back Microsoft's console sales, which lag behind the early performance of the original Xbox - which sold 556,000 units in a comparable amount of time after launch back in 2001, despite direct competition from Nintendo's GameCube, launched only three days later.
However, the console has had an incredibly strong launch in software terms, with 1.27 million units of software shipping alongside those hardware units - representing a tie ratio of 3.9, far higher than the original Xbox tie ratio of 2.4.
Activision, in particular, will be delighted with this showing; Call of Duty 2 was far and away the most popular launch title for the Xbox 360, and with just over a quarter of a million sales, 77 per cent of all Xbox 360 purchasers brought home the game with their console.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Wednesday 14 December 2005 12:19 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Toshiba to Delay HD DVD Player Launch
>> From forbes.com:
[QUOTE]
Japanese electronics maker Toshiba Corp. said Tuesday copy protection issues would delay the Japan launch of the first players supporting its HD DVD format, the latest development in the high-stakes battle for the next generation of video discs.
Players will not hit the Japanese market until details of a copy protection system for the players are worked out, Toshiba said in a statement, reversing its earlier intention to roll out the first players in Japan by the end of the year. Toshiba did not give a specific release date.
The delay brings the launch of the HD DVD, jointly developed by Toshiba and NEC Corp., closer to the expected debut of its main competitor, the Blu-ray disc, which is backed by Sony Corp.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: forbes.com
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(Tuesday 13 December 2005 22:26 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
(USA) Analyst: 300k Xbox 360s to Ship This Week
>> From next-gen.biz:
[QUOTE]
American Technology Research analyst P.J. McNealy expects that 300,000 more Xbox 360 units will ship this week in North America.
Microsoft has repeatedly expressed that their goal is to ship 3 million Xbox 360s worldwide in its first 90 days on the market. McNealy said that he expects the console to sell just over 1.5 million units by the end of December, which puts Microsoft on track with their goal.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: next-gen.biz and reuters.com.
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(Tuesday 13 December 2005 18:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Japan - 360 Bundled to Move - updated
>> From www.kotaku.com:
[QUOTE]The train wreck that is the 360 Japan Launch continues. Unloved 360s consoles collect dust, and retailers are unable to return those unwanted Xbox 360s to Msoft due to contractual obligations. To cut loses and cover their arses, stores are left with no choice but to offer discounts. The originally 38,800yen (about $350 US) consoles have been lowered to 18,800yen (about $150 US) with Internet Service Provider contracts so that the shop could get some kickback money from the IP. And this is what, four days from launch?
Eds Note: While this style of pricing is common in the US, electronics stores in Japan tend to do this to move inventory they cannot sell.[/QUOTE]
Leftyfb sniffed this one out..
HSD - I just saw this, and felt an appropiate EDIT was in order, including a change of title that was less sensationalistic.. I stand by my original assessment that some Japanese retailers have bailed on the 360 and will do whatever is necessary to get them out the door. (nothing wrong with that though)
From www.1up.com:
[QUOTE]A picture's worth a thousand words - unless that picture is misleading! This photo has been passed around quite a bit with the tagline that the Xbox 360 prices were slashed in Japan because of slow sales. Indeed, if you look at the photo, it appears that the sticker price of the console has been cut from 38,800 yen (about $350) to 18,800 yen (about $150). Wow!
But...that's not entirely the full story. We contacted our correspondents in Japan to check out the deal, and they report that, according to a phone conversation with retailer Sofmap, the photo depicts a deal the retailer has been promoting with an internet services provider called @TCOM since launch day. The promotion, moreover, is offered only to the first twenty people per store who sign up - and they have to subscribe to the internet service to get the discount. I'm sure you've seen similar deals wrangled by companies like AOL.
Our correspondents note that there is a similar deal going on with Tepco which gives the customer a 10,000 yen discount on anything sold on the store upon signing up for Tepco's internet service.
Finally, our correspondents report, "We asked them specifically if this deal had anything to do with 360s being sold for cheap because everyone has tons of stock, and they said no, that's not the case at all."[/QUOTE]
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(Tuesday 13 December 2005 17:30 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Initial Xbox 360 File System Support
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(Tuesday 13 December 2005 10:19 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
(Japan) We don't want (no) Xbox San Roku Maru: 28-39pct sold
>> Bloomberg published 2 articles about the sales of the Xbox 360 in Japan. The 2 market research firms don't seem to agree on the exact numbers, but both are low anyway:
[QUOTE]
* Microsoft Corp., the second-largest maker of video game systems, sold 28 percent of Xbox 360 consoles on store shelves in Japan, according to preliminary figures from market researcher Media Create Co.
Microsoft sold 41,817 consoles in the first two days since the Xbox 360 was introduced on Dec. 10 in Japan, Tokyo-based Media Create said in an e-mailed statement late yesterday. The researcher will publish revised figures tomorrow.
* Microsoft Corp. sold 39 percent of its new Xbox 360 game console in the first two days it was available in Japan, the world's second-biggest market for video games, according to market researcher Enterbrain Inc.
Microsoft, which started selling the Xbox 360 on Dec. 10, sold 62,135 of the 159,000 consoles it shipped, according to Tokyo-based Enterbrain. That compares with about 123,000 units sold in the first three days for the first Xbox, which debuted on Feb. 22, 2002, the report said.
Delays in getting games like Tecmo Ltd.'s ``Dead or Alive 4'' may have hurt initial sales of the Xbox 360, as 62 percent of gamers surveyed by Enterbrain said they plan to buy the game system to play the action-fighting game, according to the market researcher. The game's release, which has been delayed twice, is now scheduled for Dec. 29.
[/QUOTE]
Note: for those who wonder about the topic 'San Roku Maru' is 360 in Japanese ... or atleast so I'm told ;)
Read the full reports: bloomberg[Media Create Co.] and bloomberg[Enterbrain Inc.]
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(Monday 12 December 2005 23:59 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Adaptec Announces GameBridge and GameBridge TV
>> From the press release:
[QUOTE]
Adaptec Desktop Solution Group, announced today the Adaptec GameBridge (AVC-1400) and GameBridge TV (AVC-1410). These patent-pending gaming products are the industry's first for connecting and playing Xbox 360, Xbox, PlayStation 2 and GameCube games on your PC or notebook to leverage significantly enhanced graphics without experiencing any performance delay. In addition, the GameBridge line is unique in allowing gamers to record game sequences and best moves in order to replay and share with friends - an "instant replay" capability that is a first for the gaming industry.
With the ability to deliver higher quality resolution - up to 32-bit color 1024 x 768 pixels, a PC Monitor can provide an enhanced gaming environment. However, when connecting and playing console games on a PC or notebook, gamers experience a significant performance delay between moving the joystick and seeing the resulting reaction on screen.
Adaptec GameBridge's innovative, patent-pending technology eliminates this delay and delivers the same TV-connected performance while providing a host of additional benefits that were previously unavailable. Now, serious gamers can play, record and replay gaming sequences with contemporaries, enabling learning for strategic games while accumulating bragging rights for individuals.
[/QUOTE]
Read the whole press release on teamxbox.com.
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(Monday 12 December 2005 23:09 EST) - (Category: GamingGeneral) - (Posted by::
)
Engadget Touring the Microsoft Xbox facilities
>> From engadget.com:
[QUOTE]
So if you hadn't noticed, Peter and I [Ryan] were in Seattle last week -- one of the things we were treated to for driving out to Redmond was an all-access tour of the Xbox facilities, courtesy of our main man, Major Nelson. See if you can notice which color plays a central role in the interior design theme of the facilities. Interesting side note: Xbox HQ is off-site from Microsoft's main campus in Redmond -- apparently they wanted Xbox to function as its own independent creative unit apart from regular Microsoft operations.
[/QUOTE]
Check out the full tour on engadget.com.
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(Monday 12 December 2005 14:31 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Allocation Numbers for Best Buy For Sale Dec 18th
>> From xboxtoday.ca:
[QUOTE]
A list of Xbox 360 allocation numbers for Best Buy stores in the US for December 18th
As we reported yesterday, Best Buy stores in the US will recieve their second shipment of Xbox 360's on December 16th, with the consoles going on sale December 18th. If you spend any time on any xbox 360 forums, you'll see that the following is spreading like wildfire. Get your lawnchair and sleeping bag ready:
On average most stores will be getting 40 to 50 Xbox 360's, with some stores getting as few 30 consoles while others will recieve more than 70.
[/QUOTE]
How many Xbox 360 will your Best Buy be getting?
Click Best Buy Xbox 360 Store Locator, then click Store list/allocated units
Thank Leftyfb for this one as well folks
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(Monday 12 December 2005 13:44 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Halo Zero for PC
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(Monday 12 December 2005 13:00 EST) - (Category: Xbox_Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Xbox 360 Core System is critical to global market - Moore
>> From gamesindustry.biz:
[QUOTE]
Speaking to US website 1UP on the eve of the Japanese launch, which took place on Saturday, Moore said that the Core System - which retails for UKP 209.99 and consists of a bare bones Xbox 360 without a hard disk - was important going into countries like China, Russia, India, Poland, Hungary and Latvia. "Those are markets we're going in. We're going to globalise this industry, and price becomes a big issue."
"[W]e need to offer cascading price points in 2008, 2009, 2010, to bring in tens of millions of gamers each year. And the flexibility the Core System versus the Premium SKU gives, is that," he added.
[/QUOTE]
Read More: gamesindustry.biz
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(Monday 12 December 2005 12:40 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
XboxMediaCenter (XBMC) 2005-12-11 CVS T3CH build
>> T3CH released a new CVS compile of XboxMediaCenter(info).
This T3CH-compile is a BAREBONE package (with just a few thirdparty scripts and with just the default skin) compiled with XDK v5849.
Here's the added stuff from the changelog since the 2005-12-05 CVS release:
* added: Initial support for skin version 2.0 and backwards compatibility to v1.3 skins (skinners please see graphical design forum for information).
* added: Sliding and delayed visiblitity effects for GUI controls + dialogs. See the online manual for more information.
* added: Support for more URL combinations in nfo files.
* added: Context Menu: Make the share Default. In all share sections, with context menu, you can set the selected share as default! !<default>-</default> For more information see: http://manual.xboxmediacenter.de/wakka.php?wakka=BookMarksxml&v=kz4
* added: Skin controlled switchable condition/buttons: The skinner can show and hide a Visual with own predefined button! 5 conditions are availibe! The conditions are [true] by default! For Example: set a Weather Icon and controll [show/hide] it with a button in submenu! Get the state: use skin.ShowVisualx [x=a,b,c,d,e] e.g.: <visible>skin.ShowVisuala</visible> Change the state: use XBMC.skinshowvisual(x) [x=a,b,c,d,e] e.g.: <execute>XBMC.skinshowvisual(a)</execute>
* added: HTTPAPI SeekPercentageRelative command and additional GetCurrentlyPlaying info
* added: SystemInfo: Total System Uptime, will show how long XBMC was used since first start! Note: on IGR reset the Total Uptime can not be stored! Switch off XBMC via Menu!
* added: SmartXX(info) V3 Modchip Detection
* added: force index rebuilding to video osd.
* added: frame dropping in video decoder when using ffmpeg in dvdplayer
... rest of changelog (including many fixes): here.
Keep in mind this is a CVS snapshot of the current development tree. It's not an official (stable) point release. Use only if you know what you are doing.
Official Site: http://www.xboxmediacenter.com / http://sourceforge.net/projects/xbmc
Discussion Forum Thread: forums.xbox-scene.com
Download Binaries: n/a (built with XDK)
Download SourceCode: here
PI Game Dump Extractor GUIs
>> 2 GUIs (graphical interfaces) for Team PI Coder's Game Dump Extractor(info) v1.0 were released.
For those who missed earlier news: The Game Dump Extractor incl. source code was released by Team PI Coder. It allows you to extract Xbox360-ISO image files (x360dvdfs). Just like the original Xbox (xdvdfs) the 360 does not use the ISO9660 or UDF filesystem for the content on game DVDs. This tools allows you to extract the files from an image in the 'Xbox 360 DVD file system' (.360). As there seems to be some kinda confusion about this: it does NOT bypass the protection that prevents you from reading an original Xbox 360 disc on your PC, so you can't use it to access/read original Xbox360 discs.
As this is a cmdline tool, some people released a Windows GUI for it.
One is made by Halobox (shown on the left) and requires the .NET framework v2, the other is made by Sonia360 (shown on the right).
Official Site: n/a, by Halobox and Sonia360
Download Halobox GUI Game Dump Extractor: here
Download Sonia GUI Game Dump Extractor: here
News-Source: gueux.be
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(Sunday 11 December 2005 20:50 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Lik-Sang Real-Life Report of Xbox 360 Japanese Launch
>> Lik-Sang has a great report (by Tim Rogers) of the official Japanese Xbox 360 launch event at Tsutaya in Shibuya with tons of pictures and 153MB worth of video. We already talked about the event in earlier news, but this huge article contains more 'real-life' un-cut info and some funny details:
[QUOTE]
Event which was embarrassingly anticipated with much lower expectations in Japan than in the western world, analysts predicting the 360 to be yet another big flop for Microsoft in the mother country of video games. Tim Rogers, who braved the cold and went on "36 hours without sleep mode" again for the occasion, reported a situation that fits with what we all came to expect: there wasn't such a big of a party going on and it was incomparable with crazy release days that Japan is known for when it comes to a new PlayStation, a new Nintendo system or even a new Dragon Quest or Final Fantasy opus.
Tim Rogers reports: "We -- that is, me, Tim Rogers, my friend Francis "Chuck" Franklin-Dorstervelt, Matt, Israel, and Jake all met in front of the Xbox lounge at a little before seven-thirty. Our goal was to go inside and shoot a little video of the games and the really hip look of the place. Well, that wasn't going to happen: they'd locked the place down. The reason was because they were planning a party, some kind of countdown to the launch. They weren't letting us near the door. The window shades were down. We loitered around outside, got a little angry, and headed down Tokyo Highway Route 246, headed for Shibuya. We ended up in front of the Tsutaya store -- where, uh, nobody was doing anything. There was no one in line, nothing going on. We went inside and went upstairs, and saw a few new-release Sony PlayStation 2 titles (the wonderful Ryu ga Gotoku and amazing Rogue Galaxy -- both worth importing, you know. Go ahead, buy them!) hogging all of peoples' attention. We shot a video of four Japanese people lined up to play Mario Kart on DS . . . and no one touching the 360. Hmmm."
[/QUOTE]
Check out the full report with videos and images on the Lik-Sang Forums.
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(Sunday 11 December 2005 16:13 EST) - (Category: Xbox360) - (Posted by::
)
Sega's re-releasing the Dreamcast in Japan?
>> While this rumor is certainly not confirmed officially, and not really Xbox related either I guess many of you'd be interested as many Xbox owners have/had and loved the Sega Dreamcast.
Engadget.com (via Gamefront.de) reports that Sega might re-release the Dreamcast bundled with Radilgy and some limited edition telephone card.
It'd be distributed via Sega Direct for 10,000yen (~83usd or ~70eur) on February 16th 2006 (that's the same date Radilgy is expected) and of course it'll be Japan-only.
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(Sunday 11 December 2005 12:14 EST) - (Category: GamingGeneral) - (Posted by::
)
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