September 24th, 2009
The console wars are all set to enter a new phase. Consider the evidence: Microsoft has revealed the Xbox 360 Elite and is readying a much more radical device for late 2010, complete with the player-as-a-controller Project Natal. Sony has come out with a slimmer PS3 and is looking to come out with UMD-less PSP Go in a month or two, even while working on bringing out a motion-sensing edition of the PS3 a bit later (yep, with the PS3 wand).
There is a name missing out there, right? Well, yes, it is that of the company that is actually been leading both Microsoft and Sony by the nose in the console business over the last year and a half – Nintendo. The Wii made fair mincemeat of the PS3 and Xbox 360, while the Nintendo DS has pretty much buried the Sony PSP.
But will that state of affairs continue? Both Sony and Microsoft are working hard to neutralise the Wii’s motion-sensing edge and the (more…)
Categories: Gaming, Reviews |
Tags: Apple, DS, iphone, ipod touch, microsoft, nintendo, ps3, sony, wii, Xbox 360 | 1 Comment
September 23rd, 2009
It may not have the hype of its predecessor. Or even its hero (a small matter of the Master Chief), but arguably the most high-profile Xbox 360 game of the year is here. Microsoft released the latest episode of its Halo series, Halo 3: ODST a few hours ago and well, hype aside, it is definitely different from any of the games that preceded it.
The most noticeable difference is that you do not play the game as the super soldiering Master Chief, but as a Orbit Drop Shock Trooper (aha, now you know where those initials came from) known as Rookie who has to look around for his (or her) missing squadmates in the city of New Mombasa. In case you are wondering what all these shock troopers are doing and are unfamiliar with Halo (ah, new to gaming, are ye?), well, they are there because the alien Convenant alliance has attacked earth. Which of course, means that there is lots of jumping, ducking, diving and shooting to do in best FPS tradition. The story, equally in fist person tradition, is not the forte of the game but the action, graphics and sound definitely are. From what we have seen, this game is a sight for sore eyes and a song for (more…)
Categories: Gaming, microsoft |
Tags: halo, Halo 3, Halo 3:ODST, microsoft gaming, Xbox 360, xbox game | No Comments
August 22nd, 2009
Sony recently announced the PS3 slim along with a price cut for the classic version of the PlayStation 3. This leaves the Xbox 360 ‘Elite’ as the most expensive gaming console in the market along with with some increased competition from the Sony PS3 for Microsoft to handle. However it is being rumored that Microsoft already had plans to reduce the pricing for Xbox 360, but the announcement is being delayed to allow the PS3 Slim hype to settle down.
A leaked Walmart ad has confirmed a $299 Xbox Elite in pipeline (the current price is $399). This would bring the Xbox pricing at par with the upcoming PS3. While the companies play price war, you know who benefits 
Categories: Gaming, Tech Industry News, microsoft |
Tags: gaming consoles, price cut, ps3 slim, xbox, Xbox 360, xbox price cut | 4 Comments
August 6th, 2007
After a number of leaked reports, atlast Microsoft has confirmed the $50 Price Cut for the Xbox.
Aaron Greenberg, group product manager for Xbox 360, pointed out that the 360 has been the same price for 21 months, the longest any console has maintained their launch price. “We’ve had this on our plans for a long time, an extremely long time,” he said. He also mentioned that this price cut was nothing to do with the recent PS3 price flux.
As of Wednesday the Elite will be $449, the Halo Limited Edition Xbox 360 (when it hits) will be $399, the standard will be $349 and the core will be $279. (The Halo 3 Special Edition Console, is set to hit stores in September)
The $279 price tag for Xbox Core doesn’t really compete with the Nintendo Wii, but it dosen’t matter here in India as i doubt much people have heard of the Nintendo Wii. Hope that the Xbox price cut shows its effects to the local pricing in Asia as well (for the moment the Xbox price cut is limited to United States retailers).
Electronic Arts Inc. (EA) will release its blockbuster video game title Madden NFL 08 for the PS3 on August 14 which is expected to lure a lot of Playstation fans towards the Xbox.
You can read the official release here
Also Read
Kabhi haa, Kabhi naa, Sony cuts PS3 price
Microsoft to Spend over $1 bln for Xbox warranties
Categories: Tech Industry News, microsoft |
Tags: ea, Electronic Arts, microsoft, ps3, xbox, Xbox 360 | 1 Comment
July 16th, 2007
A Florida-based man, Jorge Brouwer, has filed a class action suit that claims that the Xbox 360 scratches game discs, which makes them unusable. According to PC World, the lawsuit claims that thousands of Xbox 360 gamers have been affected by this problem and have complained about it. The suit was field in the U.S. District court for the Southern District of Florida.
In a statement addressing the lawsuit, Microsoft spokesman Jack Evans said, Out of the millions of Xbox consoles in use, Microsoft has not received any widespread reports of Xbox 360s scratching discs.
Microsoft further retorts back to the accusations by stating that the company has a global replacement program for games that they create. If there is any dissatisfied Xbox 360 owner, who has a damaged disc, then the owner can send the damaged disc along with USD 20 to Microsoft. And the Redmond, Washington, USA-based company would deliver a replacement disc in return
In addition, Brouwer is demanding over $5 million from Microsoft, along with repair of the Xbox 360 consoles that cause the scratching and replacement of damaged discs.
Further on, Microsoft on its part too plans to check and repair consoles that consumers believe may have scratched discs.
Microsoft certainly isn’t having the best of its times right now. Just a few days back we had reported that Microsoft had extended the warranty of the Xbox 360 gaming device and was mostly going to take a US$1 billion earnings charge to fix hardware problems in the consoles and now there’s yet another problem that’s come up.
Categories: Tech Industry News, microsoft |
Tags: game discs, microsoft, Microsoft Xbox 360, replacement, scratch, suit, xbox, Xbox 360 | No Comments
July 7th, 2007
Microsoft announced extending it’s global Xbox 360 warranty coverage to three years, effective immediately.
The company said that any Xbox 360 customer who experiences a general hardware failure indicated by ‘three flashing red lights’ will now be covered by a three-year warranty from the date of purchase.
“Suffice to say that with a U$1 billion charge and the focus we are putting on this it is a significant number and one that has our attention,” Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division president Robbie Bach said.
The blow to Xbox 360’s reputation comes as it vies in the marketplace with Sony Corp’s languishing PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Co’s coveted Wii consoles, which made their debuts last November.
Microsoft reported that it has sold approximately 11.6 million Xbox 360 consoles since its US launch in November 2005. The figure falls short of the 12 million unit mark Microsoft set as its goal.
“That is slightly shy, but in the overall context of the marketplace we are happy with that number,” chief financial officer Christopher Liddell said in a conference call with reporters and investment analysts. “We think we have our hands around it at the engineering level.”
Microsoft said it had discovered console flaws that cause hardware failures signaled by three flashing red lights.
The problem is one of Xbox 360 design, not something caused during assembly, Bach said.
Xbox owners will surely appreciate this move form Microsoft. With increasing competition from PS3 and Wii Microsoft needs to protect its market share.
Categories: Tech Industry News, microsoft |
Tags: microsoft, playstation 3, warranties, Wii consoles, xbox, Xbox 360 | No Comments
June 15th, 2007
Following discovery of new cooling measures inside Xbox 360 consoles, questions to Microsoft regarding its hardware changes were met with intentionally vague responses.
Regularly updating console components is common place within the industry and is a standard aspect of the business for a variety of reasons including cost reduction, improved manufacturability and improved performance, a spokesperson said to GameDaily.
Users who received repaired consoles back have been reporting a revised heatsink with a heatpipe extension to help better cool the GPU, Does this mean that the original heatsinks were faulty Could the original coolers be the cause of the rising number of (anecdotally) reported console failures and are these new coolers being installed into brand new Xbox 360s.
We have not heard any official word from Microsoft about this nor have we heard if any locally repaired consoles have this fancy new heatsink installed. Without wanting to be seen encouraging people to void their warranties, please let us know if you have been bold enough to crack open your newly repaired Xbox 360.
http://blogs.pcworld.co.nz/pcworld/products/2007/06/microsoft_adding_heatsinks_to.html http://www.dailytech.com/Microsoft+No+Comment+on+Upgraded+Xbox+360+Heatsinks/article7690c.htm
Categories: Tech Industry News, microsoft |
Tags: cooling, heatsinks, microsoft, Microsoft Xbox 360, resolve, xbox, Xbox 360 | No Comments
June 6th, 2007
1. Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division has announced a consumer promotion around the Xbox 360.Under the offer, gamers can exchange ‘any’ old gaming console in return for a brand new Xbox 360. This for the price of Rs 15,990, which is much lower than the current market price of Rs 19,990.
2. In a collaboration that could see the hosting of co-branded gaming tournaments and building active gaming communities across India, Indiagames Ltd., has formed a partnership with Microsoft entertainment and devices division for its gaming and digital entertainment system, the Xbox 360.
Microsoft has also introduced a new price range for the Xbox 360 gaming titles.
Categories: Gaming, microsoft |
Tags: microsoft, Microsoft Entertainment, Microsoft India, Special Offer, Xbox 360 | No Comments
