Tag Archives: playstation 3

Aug 25

Microsoft opens beta test for IE-filled Xbox 360 ...

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The Xbox 360 has been out for nearly seven years now, and it’s always felt a little strange that the console is the single holdout for integrating a modern, functional web browser into its operating system.

The Nintendo Wii has one. the PlayStation 3 has one. but for reasons technological, strategic, or corporate-fumbly, the Xbox 360 has never allowed gamers to pull up a browser on their systems and surf the Web.

However, that’s soon to change as Microsoft has officially opened up additional spots in a new Xbox Live beta test that includes, among other features, an Xbox 360-based version of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.

The web, it seems, has finally come home to the living room.

Inside the beta

This isn’t Microsoft’s first beta test for its handful of new Xbox Live features – which includes the aforementioned browser, a new recommendations and ratings system, increased support for “pinning” and “favorites,” and new search features (including voice-based search).

The first public beta went live for registration in July, but quickly shut down due to the wave of applicants applying for the limited pool of spots.

“I can tell you that we’re accepting far more beta-testers this time around, but space is still limited and once the spots are filled the beta will be closed, so sign up today,” wrote Xbox Live programming director Larry “Major Nelson” Hryb in a blog post.

According to Hryb, the lucky batch of users selected for the second wave of the beta will receive an update to their Xbox 360 – and a batch of new features – within the new few days.

How to sign up

Sign-ups for the beta are currently live as of this article’s writing, and interested gamers can try their luck by signing up over at Microsoft Connect.

High demand has made it a bit difficult to connect up to the site and submit an application. Hryb also warns that sign-ups will be taken offline once Microsoft’s filled the undisclosed number of spots in its beta.

Additionally, says Hryb, those selected for the beta are strongly encouraged to follow the rules of the non-disclosure agreement they’ll be required to sign.

“Any participant who violates the NDA will be removed from this beta and all Xbox betas moving forward, and will not have access to Xbox LIVE until the end of this beta program period,” Hryb says. “Our NDA enforcement squad is really good at finding violators; so save us both the trouble and don’t test them.”

Via Majornelson.com, InformationWeek

Microsoft opens beta test for IE-filled Xbox 360 update

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Dec 15

GameStop first to show off Asus Eee Pad ...

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The Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime, docked to an optional keyboard for use as a laptop.

(Credit:Josh Miller/CNET)

Want to try out the Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime before it launches later this month? GameStop has your back.

The boutique game retailer said today that it will be allowing customers at select stores nationwide to go hands-on with theAndroid-based device starting this weekend. the company didn’t say where the Transformer Prime will be on display, but did point out that it’s the first retailer to bring the device to the public.

The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is the firsttablet to launch with the new quad-core Nvidia Tegra 3 processor, which promises an improved mobile-gaming experience over its predecessor, the Tegra 2.

But it gets better. the Tegra 3 also includes built-in support for streaming game content to a TV. Gamers can then play the game with an Xbox 360 orPlayStation 3 controller. by the end of 2011, about 40 games that take advantage of the Tegra 3′s advanced features will be available.

But the Eee Pad Transformer Prime is catching the attention of consumers for more than just its gaming capabilities. the device will ship with both a front- and rear-facing camera and include 1080p video recording. for an additional $150, the device can be docked in a keyboard accessory and used as a standard laptop.

To sweeten the pot a bit, GameStop is bundling the video game Shadowgun and the Kongregate Arcade App in all the Transformer Primes it sells.

The Eee Pad Transformer Prime is shipping December 19. the 32GB model will cost $499 and the 64GB option will set you back $599.

GameStop first to show off Asus Eee Pad Transformer Prime tablet

Nov 29

Black Friday Deals: Some You May Not Want To Miss

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It’s that time of year when everybody’s looking for awesome deals for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I can’t even begin to imagine how many are out there, but I can pass along some of the things I’ve come across today.

First, this isn’t exactly a Black Friday deal, but Google did announce a price drop for some Chromebooks. Beginning this week Acer and Samsung Chromebooks will be available starting at $299.

Amazon announced that it is adding some more deals to its Black Friday Deals Store. Examples include:

Samsung 46-Inch 1080p LED HDTV: $799.99 (save $500)Nikon Coolpix P7000 Digital Camera: $249 (save $250)Canon PowerShot SX230HS Digital Camera: $199 (save $150)All phones from AT&T, Sprint and Verizon on sale for a penny at AmazonWireless (new activations only, two-year contract required)PlayStation 3 160GB Bundle w/ two free games (Rachet & Clank: All 4 one and LittleBigPlanet 2):$199 (save $150)Toshiba Satellite 14” laptop: $599.99 (save $150)TomTom XXL 5-Inch GPS: $99.99 (save $99)Samsung BD-D5700 Blu-ray Disc Player: $99.99 (save $80)AK Anne Klein Swarovski Crystal Accented Rose Gold-Tone Leather Watch: $29.99 (save $95)Save up to 60% off outerwear for Women, Men, Kids and BabyWhite Gold Princess Cut Diamond Earrings: $299.99 (save $399)Save up to $170 on Dyson vacuumsBodum Bistro Electric French Press Coffee Maker and Tea Dripper, Red: $49.99 (save $43)Wusthof Le Cordon Bleu 8-Inch Cook’s Knife: $89.99 (save $60)Save 40% off select boots and slippers“Bridesmaids” (DVD): $5.99 (save $23)“The Lord of the Rings” Trilogy (Blu-ray): $49.99 (save $69.99)Schwinn Jasmine Girls’ Bike, Light Blue: $69.99 (save $70)Save up to 40% on select angry Birds plush toysSave up to 50% on select LeapFrog electronic toysPopular album titles including “Watch the Throne” by Kanye West and Jay-Z, “Torches” by Foster the People and “Hands All Over” by Maroon 5 (MP3 Downloads): $4.99

GameFront put together what it calls “Your Ultimate Black Friday Video Games Deals List”. for consoles, they list:

PlayStation 3160gb Holiday bundle with LittleBigPlanet 2 and Ratchet & Clank: All 4 one — $199 at Wal-Mart, best Buy, Radio Shack, Target, Meijer, Toys R us and Sears

Xbox 3604GB console with Gears of War 3 and 3 months of Live an a $50 gift card — $199 at Wal-Mart (online)4gb Kinect bundle — $199 at Wal-Mart ($50 gift card), Radio Shack and Toys R Us4gb Kinect bundle — $209 at Sears250gb Holiday Bundle with Fable III and Halo: Reach and 3 months of Live — $199 at best Buy and Sam’s4gb console — $139 at Target4gb console — $149 at GameStop4gb console with Modern Warfare 3 — $199 at KMartKinect with Kinect Adventures and the Gunstringer and Wipeout 2 — $99 at Toys R UsKinect with Kinect Adventures — $99 at best Buy and Wal-Mart

WiiWii console — $99 at Wal-Mart, Sam’s and Meijer

3DS3DS with the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time — $179 at best Buy, $199 at GameStop3DS with Super Mario 3D Land — $179 at best Buy and Target3DS with Super Mario 3D Land — $199 at KMart and Sears

PSPPSP-3000 core — $99 at Wal-Mart, KMart and MeijerPSP-3000 core with Ape Escape or WipeOut Pure — $99 at Toys R Us

They also have a big list of games.

This guy runs down some best Buy deals:

The top 10 hottest deals, according to FatWallet.com, are:

Norton Internet Security 2012 (1-PC) [Boxed CD] – Staples – FreeToshiba Satelite C655D-S5332 15.6″ Laptop – Radio Shack – $299.99Xbox 360 4GB Console w/Kinect – Walmart – $199.96Acer 23″ Widescreen LCD Monitor – Staples – $99.99BlackBerry PlayBook 7″ Tablet – 16GB, WiFi – Staples – $199.99Acer Iconia Tab Tablet – Staples – $299.00HP Pavilion g4-1204nr 14″ Laptop – Radio Shack – $399.99Velocity micro Cruz T301 7″ 2GB Tablet – Radio Shack – $99.99Kindle Fire Tablet (Plus $20 Staples Gift Card after Rebate) – Staples – $199.00Toshiba Satellite L755-S5360 15.6″ Laptop – Intel Core i5-2430M Processor, 6GB RAM, 750GB HDD – Staples – $549.99

LivingSocial announced its Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals. More on that here.

What are some of the best deals you’ve seen? let us know in the comments.

Black Friday Deals: Some You May Not Want To Miss

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Oct 22

Tech Test Drive: New-product roundup: monitors, ...

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I don’t write a lot about computer monitors, but I’m making an exception this week because I’ve been using two displays that are truly distinctive.

One, from Acer, has 3D capabilities. The other, from Apple, is an upgraded Cinema display with support for Thunderbolt, a new and faster way to use external devices such as hard drives. The Thunderbolt display also is gorgeous, far more so than the Acer display.

The big question when weighing the Acer HN274H monitor is: do you really need a monitor with 3D?

I tested this capability by hooking up a PlayStation 3 gaming console, which doubles as a Blu-ray disc player with support for 3D-enabled movies and games.

The “Rio” computer-animated movie looked pretty decent – keeping in mind that 3D movies are best viewed on TVs at least 46 inches in size, and preferably greater than 52 inches. The experience on the 27-inch Acer isn’t quite the same because it isn’t as easy to discern all the 3D effects.

As with 3D TVs, you have to use special goggles to watch 3D video on the Acer display. this is a pain.

I later linked up a 3D-compatible Comcast cable-TV box to the Acer, also via HDMI (the display has three such ports) because I wanted to try the television provider’s 3D channels. this wasn’t possible, as it turned out.

Though I could watch non-3D channels just fine, the display would not switch into 3D mode, as it did flawlessly with the PS3, when a Comcast 3D channel came on the screen. The apparent reason for this, gleaned from troubleshooting sessions with Acer and Comcast: The cable box is in need of an update to work properly with 3D displays. this disappointed me because the box is a newer, advanced model.

The display worked wonderfully for computer work when I hooked up an Acer Predator gaming PC along with an Apple Mac Mini – at the same time, since the PC connected via DVI and the Mac linked up via HDMI.

I could then switch among the computers as well as the PS3 and the Comcast box via an input button on the front of the monitor. this makes the $650 Acer display a workhorse for those juggling computing and multimedia devices.

The Thunderbolt display isn’t as versatile, but it is aimed at a completely different audience – primarily users of recent-model Macs, such as the latest MacBook Air laptops and the recently updated Mac Mini desktop computers, which all have Thunderbolt ports.

My first hours with the Thunderbolt display almost made me want to weep for joy, the screen is that beautiful. this is partly due to its resolution, 2,560 by 1,440 pixels, compared with 1,920 by 1,080 pixels on the Acer display, even though both are 27-inch monitors. Apple displays have always been the best-looking ones I’ve used, and this one is no exception.

Once connected to a Mac via Thunderbolt, the display becomes a Thunderbolt hub with its own TB port on the back for use with compatible hard drives with transfer speeds outstripping those of drives using older technologies like FireWire and USB.

I was unable to test this feature because I couldn’t get my hands on a Thunderbolt peripheral as of this writing. I’ll keep trying, and follow up when appropriate. I wanted to write about the Apple display now, however, because it’s a great companion to the latest Macs – assuming you can stomach the monitor’s $999 price tag.

NEW IPODS DISAPPOINT AND DELIGHT

Those looking for major iPod upgrades this year were disappointed. Apple, which customarily revamps its music-player line annually, did not change much this year.

The iPod Touch is most glaring. There is nothing different about it, aside from a new color choice (white) and a modest price drop (it now starts at $199).

The news for iPod Nano fans is a bit better. in fact, I’m delighted with the modest changes to the tiny, square-shaped, LCD-screen device, which also saw a price drop – it now starts at $129.

The hardware is just the same. The changes are in the software. once the software is updated via iTunes on a PC or Mac, the Nano becomes more useful and enjoyable.

One helpful change: better Nike+ support for the fitness-related features that keep track of your walking or running progress over time.

This once required Nano users to plug a sensor into the player and attach another to one of their athletic shoes, but that is no longer necessary. The Nano does it all. Punch in your height and weight, select the walking or running mode and you’re good to go.

Also new: a bunch of extra clock faces.

Apple, noting how many people like to place their Nano devices on special watchbands and use the players as timepieces, has added a fantastic new selection of faces, including Micky Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Kermit the Frog.

I have never been a fan of wearing a Nano on my wrist, but I am doing so this week in honor of Steve Jobs, with that insane Muppet known as Animal on the screen. Here’s to the crazy ones.

HEADSET FOR IPAD (AND MORE)

Washing the dishes after dinner is one of my favorite times of the day. That’s when I put on earbuds and get caught up with my favorite podcasts via my iPhone or other media device.

The problem? The audio cords keep getting caught on the kitchen drawers’ handles, often yanking the sound equipment right off my head. Ouch.

So I recently tried a cord-free approach with Logitech’s new Wireless Headset for iPad.

Don’t let the name of this product throw you; it’s not just for Apple’s tablet.

As Bluetooth gear, the over-the-ear headset will work with almost any Bluetooth-compatible device. that includes virtually any recent-model smartphone or tablet, as well as computers such as Apple Macintosh machines that are set up for Bluetooth connections.

When I was washing the dishes, I had the headset paired with a smartphone (I tried iPhone 4, Android and Windows Phone 7 models with no problems) or a tablet computer. I could either put the device on the counter, far from the splashing in the sink, or, if it was small enough, tuck it in a pocket. The headset keeps working reliably either way.

I also used the headset while doing laundry, cleaning the house, mowing the lawn and so on, with my handset in a pants or jacket pocket. Wireless audio means absolute freedom and flexibility, with no bothersome cords to get in the way and become snagged on stuff.

One big bonus: The headset has a boom microphone, so it can also be used for phone calls with reasonably good clarity.

I did so not only with smartphones but with several Macs, all of which have Bluetooth built in, via Google Voice. this made the headset a fantastic alternative to the wired headsets I typically use for phone conversations, and allowed me to get up and walk around while on my calls. Awesome.

My quibbles with the $70 headset are minor. It’s a cheap-looking plastic-and-rubber device that isn’t likely to draw admiring glances the way pricier headphones might. it doesn’t seem durable, so it’s not the kind of device I’d suggest tossing in a backpack even though it folds up for greater portability.

The audio quality didn’t knock my socks off, either, and I wished I could crank up the volume a bit higher. Bluetooth pairing can be a pain, too.

But overall, this thing is a winner.

Julio Ojeda-Zapata covers consumer tech. Reach him: jojeda@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5467. Read him: twincities.com/techtestdrive and yourtechweblog.com. Follow him: Facebook, Google+ and twitter.com/ojezap.

Tech Test Drive: New-product roundup: monitors, iPods, headsets