It does in fact appear that there's some leaked information coming out of Gamestop that confirms the rumor floating around about a $50 price drop on Microsoft's XBOX 360:
A GameStop employee has sent us cell pics of the internal announcement for the coming Xbox 360 Pro price drop announcement. They also included pics of the shelf art all of which will go on display on July 13, the day before E3 kicks off with Microsoft's press conference.
There's a new firmware update on Sony's website for its Playstation 3 gaming console. Here's the note from the Director of PlayStation Network Operations:
Hi, everyone. As many of you know, we released PS3 firmware update v2.40 last week, but had to take it offline temporarily because, for a limited number of users, the XMB wouldn’t display after the update was installed. We’ve been able to fix the problem, and I’m happy to report that firmware update v2.41 will be released shortly.
We want to extend our apologies to the PlayStation community for any inconvenience. Now we’ll be looking forward to seeing everyone online and racking up those trophies!
ASUS today introduces the new generation of Eee PC™. The new models include revolutionary features that are designed to enhance efficiency and connectivity. With up to 7.8 hours of battery life, Eee PC users can enjoy portability while work, learn and play on-the-go.The all new Eee PC 901 and 1000 are equipped with built-in SSD (Solid State Drive) while the 1000 H adopts a 3.5” Hard Disk Drive (HDD).
Pioneer Corporation has succeeded in developing a 16-layer read-only optical disc with a capacity of 400 gigabytes for the first time in the world*1. Its per-layer capacity is 25 gigabytes, which is the same as that of a Blu-ray Disc (BD). This multilayer technology will also be applicable to multilayer recordable discs. This development has bolstered Pioneer's confidence in the feasibility of a large-capacity optical disc, which is expected to become necessary in the near future.
The folks at Diamond have sent us a picture of its upcoming "Black Edition" of the Radeon HD 4870 - an overclocked 4870 which Diamond claims "Kicks the teeth of the competition into the curb":
OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the all-new DDR3 SODIMM modules as its next generation notebook memory to support the impending Intel Centrino 2 mobile platform. These latest memory offerings for notebooks help reduce power consumption and increase speed and bandwidth, resulting in a higher performing laptop. As next-generation laptops are introduced in the upcoming weeks, OCZ is prepared to deliver high-performance DDR3 for these advanced gaming and professional systems.
The benefits of DDR3 memory now extends beyond desktop systems to laptops, offering increased frequencies at lower voltage requirements. OCZ’s PC3-8500 and PC3-10666 SODIMM kits support enthusiast-grade performance and bring speeds to notebook systems that were previously unimaginable. Early-adopting gamers and professionals will benefit from the more productive computing experience that the combination of the new Centrino 2 technology and OCZ DDR3 modules can provide.
“The Centrino 2 platform is a logical extension of Intel’s efforts spearheading DDR3 acceptance in the enthusiast segment in the desktop sector,” commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. “From a technical standpoint, DDR3 memory technology is far superior to DDR2, from the higher frequency range resulting in better overall system performance to the energy savings at idle stemming from loss-less termination to the supply-voltage level and resulting in paramount energy savings in the typical notebook usage pattern.”
Let's - for a moment in time - pretend there is no such an animal as an "NVIDIA fan-boy" and try to move beyond that "blinder" to see what's really going on here. While I'm the first to admit that NVIDIA's graphic chips have really ruled the market for quite a while now, it's for very good reasons why I (and you should too), thank AMD/ATI for its release of the 4000-series graphic cards.
Even if you still "nsist on NVIDIA" you should take heed here - because of ATI's efforts, you can now pay HUNDEREDS less for your next NVIDIA-based mainstream GPU. That's right folks, ATI's 4850 and 4870's have kicked NVIDIA in the nuts so hard that it has been forced to drastically lower prices on most of its entire line-up - and that's great for ALL consumers.
The end of the Internet is near — and in less than three years, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The reason? More than 85% of the available addresses have already been allocated and the OECD predicts we will have run out completely by early 2011.
These aren’t the normal web addresses you type into your browser’s window, and which were recently freed up by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the body responsible for allocating domain names, to allow thousands of new internet domains ending in, for instance, .newyork, .london or .xxx.
Beneath those names lie numerical Internet protocol addresses that denote individual devices connected to the internet. These form the foundation for all online communications, from e-mail and web pages to voice chat and streaming video.
When the current IP address scheme was introduced in 1981, there were fewer than 500 computers connected to the Internet. Its founders could be forgiven for thinking that allowing for a potential 4 billion would last for ever. However, less than 30 years later, the Internet is rapidly running out. Every day thousands of new devices ranging from massive web servers down to individual mobile phones go online and gobble up more combinations and permutations.
OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the expansion of its Intel® Extreme Memory modules lineup, the latest memory solution that implements a high-performance specification optimized and predefined for the Intel X38 and X48 chipsets. The new modules are rated at DDR3-1333 and DDR3-1600 and feature the all-new Intel branded black XTC heatspreader. With a long history of providing the most innovative products to the enthusiast community, OCZ is excited to take advantage of Intel’s interest and development of overclocking platforms with these latest additions to the series.
Designed to significantly increase performance levels of the entire platform, these modules feature Intel Extreme Memory Profiles (XMP), a proprietary extension of SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings that act as an integrated “plug and play” overclocking tool. The new Extreme Memory Profile options on the new OCZ DDR3 modules allow the end user to select extreme or ultimate performance through a framework of predefined and validated optimizations of individual settings without the hassle of manually adjusting each parameter, so the timings, voltage, and speed boot automatically for maximum performance.
“We are proud to embrace Intel’s XMP specifications in the new line-up of DDR3 modules,” commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. “XMP-Ready memory allows safe booting of the system under any circumstances while maintaining the built-in overclocking features to bring out the ultimate performance of the entire system.”
NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to announce the Sentry LX, a high-performance aluminum fan controller. Sentry LX boasts a robust feature set providing gamers and PC enthusiasts with the optimal setup for monitoring and adjusting temperatures throughout the PC.
• Simple Installation – Sentry LX slides easily into any dual 5.25” drive bay
• Complete Control – 5 Temperature Probes keep tabs on all areas of your system while the 5 Fan controllers adjust the fans’ RPM speed
• Auto/Manual Modes – Allows users to automatically adjust the fan speeds to correspond to a specific temperature or manually set your system for extreme overclocking capabilities or absolute silence
• Temperature Alarm – Instant notification if temps rise above a designated point
• Intuitive Interface and LCD Display – NZXT’s ergonomic interface design allows you to customize your airflow on the fly
• Sleek Design – Aluminum plated front panel is designed to match any high-end chassis
“For power users and silent users alike, Sentry LX is a phenomenal way to achieve full control and monitoring capabilities for your PC’s entire cooling system , ” said Johnny Hou, Chief Designer at NZXT.
Retailing for $59.99, the new Sentry LX high-performance fan controller will be available in July.
Intel's second facility in the southern town of Kiryat Gat cost the company $3.5 billion, and when fully operational in September it will have a daily output of $10 million, the general manager of Intel Israel, Maxine Fassberg, said.
Gateway is helping students and their families get ready for next school year with new models in its popular notebook and desktop PC lines that provide leading technology at exceptional prices.
The new Gateway notebook and desktop PCs are available now at popular electronics and technology retailers. Manufacturer's suggested retail prices (MSRP) range from $549.99 to $1,149.99. Visit www.gateway.com/retail for specifications or to locate a store.
"Summer is the ideal season to buy a new notebook or desktop PC from Gateway,” said Steve Bulling, senior manager, product management, Acer Inc. "Families can take advantage of their extra time by enjoying the latest games, as well as making videos and creating photo slideshows of summer events. In the fall, students can take advantage of their new PC's impressive performance to jump into research and studies. Plus, now is the time consumers can get a great deal on a fashionable PC that fits within their budget.”
Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, announced today that, for a limited time its line of MasterDrive MX SSDs will include a free CD containing the Ubuntu Desktop Edition Linux operating system and the OpenOffice software suite.
With the Ubuntu Desktop Edition, you can surf the web, read email, create documents and spreadsheets, edit images and much more. Ubuntu has a fast and easy graphical installer right on the Desktop CD. Installation typically takes less than 25 minutes. OpenOffice contains a user interface and feature set that is similar to other office suites, and includes all the key desktop applications you need, such as word processor, spreadsheet and presentation.
“Bundling an excellent OS plus applications package like Ubuntu helps MasterDrive MX customers get up and running that much faster and easier. This is a great value add that doesn’t increase the cost”, explained Super Talent Marketing Director, Joe James. The Ubuntu CD with will be included with every MasterDrive MX shipped from July 1 through September 30, 2008.
MasterDrive MX
Description
FTM20GK18H
120GB MLC 120/40 MB/sec
FTM60GK18H
60GB MLC 120/40 MB/sec
FTM30GK18H
30GB MLC 120/40 MB/sec
FTM15GK18H
15GB MLC 120/40 MB/sec
Built with MLC NAND Flash, the MasterDrive MX is completely silent, lightweight, uses less power and has far better resistance to shock and vibration than a hard drive, and supports lightning fast read speeds of up to 120MB/sec. MasterDrive MX SSDs are available through NewEgg and NewBiiz.
Diamond Multimedia (www.diamondmm.com), a leading manufacturer of PC graphics cards, sound cards and communications products, launched today along with boutique system builder Smoothcreations, and Water cooling mavens, Danger Den the ATI Radeon HD 4870 XOC Black Edition graphics card. This card offers exquisite gaming capabilities combined with state of the art efficiency.
The HD 4870 is a smoking gun dual slot card, PCIE 2.0, with 512MB of DDR5 memory and a clock speed of 800 MHz. The memory speed is 1100 MHz and is designed with 800 stream processors. The HD 4870 provides plug-and-play ATI CrossFireX upgradeability with up to quad-GPU support. Continuing with ATI’s Power Play and 55nm processing technology, this card is the fastest and efficient. “The Diamond Radeon HD 4870 XOC Black Edition was clocked to kick some ass”. We didn’t just want a fast card out in the market, we wanted the fastest card that could kick the living daylights and bust some performance records, say Mario Gastelum, Director of Product Development & Engineering. “we wanted a card that kicked the competitions teeth into the curb”, and that’s exactly what our engineers accomplished”. “The firmware was custom designed to enable end users to go beyond the normal over clocked speeds and allow them to push their cards for higher performance via the catalyst control center.” The GPU’s custom firmware has been unlocked to push cards to GPU settings of up to 950 Mhz and Memory of up 1200 Mhz.
As a gamer who still has very fond memories of the first game, I can't tell you how cool I think this announcement is. Granted, they have a lot of hype to live up to; however, if anyone can pull this off, it's going to be a company like Blizzard:
PARIS - (Business Wire) Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. today revealed Diablo III, the newest entry in its critically acclaimed action role-playing-game franchise. The announcement was made during the 2008 Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational at the Porte de Versailles Convention Centre in Paris, France. A cinematic trailer and an extended gameplay demonstration with commentary from the development team introduced the game to the thousands of players in attendance.
“We’ve wanted to expand on the epic story and gameplay elements of the Diablo universe for some time now,” stated Mike Morhaime, CEO and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. “We know that players have also been long awaiting a return to the series, so we’re very excited to be sharing this announcement with Blizzard gamers here in Paris and around the world today.”
Diablo III will pick up the story twenty years after the events of Diablo II. Mephisto, Diablo, and Baal have been defeated, but the Worldstone, which once shielded the inhabitants of the world of Sanctuary from the forces of both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, has been destroyed, and evil once again stirs in Tristram. Playing as a hero from one of five distinct character classes, players will acquire powerful items, spells, and abilities as they explore new and familiar areas of Sanctuary and battle hordes of demons to safeguard the world from the horrors that have arisen. The first two characters classes -- the barbarian and the witch doctor -- were shown as part of the announcement at the event today in Paris.
Diablo III will feature a custom 3D-graphics engine to render lush indoor and outdoor areas of Sanctuary with a high level of detail and vivid special effects. The game’s physics-enhanced environments will be interactive and destructible, offering traps and obstacles that create added danger for players and monsters alike. These elements, along with a new quest system and random scripted events, will be integrated into the game’s random-level generator, giving Diablo III the ultimate combination of dynamic gameplay and replayability. Cooperative and competitive play will be available online through an upgraded version of Blizzard Entertainment’s renowned online gaming service, Battle.net.
Blizzard Entertainment is developing Diablo III for simultaneous release on the Windows and Macintosh PC platforms. Further information about the game, including details on the other character classes, major new features for the single-player and multiplayer components, system requirements, pricing, and availability, will be announced as development progresses. To learn more about Diablo III, please visit the official website at www.diablo3.com. With multiple games in development, Blizzard Entertainment has numerous positions currently available. Visit http://www.blizzard.com/jobs for more information and to learn how to apply.
Topower Computer, a worldwide leader in innovative, high performance and high reliability power supply, today unveiled the PowerBird power supply family for high-powered gaming systems and workstations. Designed to offer the consumer market an industrial-grade computer power supply with state-of-the-art designs, the PowerBird is the ultimate power solution for those users that require an ultra-efficient, highly reliable, high-wattage solution for their leading-edge gaming machine.
There's a new Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC) v1.7 patch with some small tweaks in this one, including:
- Fixed an exploit that allowed players to access certain console dvars during multi-player matches.
- Fixed a crash that could occur when a Chinatown Sabotage match would go into over-time.
- Fixed a bug where the MP icons (Bomb, Defend, Capture, etc) were always showing up as English regardless of the install language.
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA P700 Pico-ITX board that couples more features within a streamlined, ultra compact footprint designed for low profile systems, with extended I/O port options through two companion boards.
Now featuring native S-ATA II support, Gigabit LAN, and support for GPIO, SM bus and LPC devices, the 10cm x 7.2cm VIA EPIA P700 is based on the VIA VX700 unified digital media IGP chipset and is powered by a 1GHz VIA C7 or fanless 500MHz VIA Eden ULV processor. An integrated power adapter coupled with the 5-volt S-SATA power cable negates the need for a separate power daughterboard, saving considerable space for ultra compact systems.
VIA EPIA P700 Pricing and Availability VIA EPIA P700 Pico-ITX boards are available now for developers; for pricing and availability, please contact your local VIA sales representative.
In interview on IGN, Crytek's CEO - Cevat Yeri - pisses and moans about piracy trends on his company's latest PC game, Crysis. Hey Cevat - here's a news flash to help cut down on piracy and have good sales - how about make a game that people actually WANT to play and don't force them to have IBM's "Deep Blue" in order to play it?
"The other critique outside Crytek was the fact that the PC industry is really, at the moment, I would say the most intensely pirated market ever. It's crazy how the ratio between sales to piracy is probably 1 to 15 to 1 to 20 right now. For one sale there are 15 to 20 pirates and pirate versions, and that's a big shame for the PC industry. I hope with Warhead I hope we improve the situation, but at the same time it may have an impact on [our] PC exclusivity in the future."
Digitimes cites sources that whom think AMD could easily snatch 40% of the market in this 3rd quarter away from NVIDA with its newly released 4000-series video cards:
With AMD's ATI Radeon HD 4800-series graphics cards successfully cutting into the US$200-300 mainstream market forcing Nvidia to cut the price of its previous generation GeForce 9800 GTX down to US$199, sources at graphics card makers see AMD's discrete graphics card market share as having a chance to increase to 40% in the third quarter this year from around 30% at the beginning of 2008.
Since Nvidia's GeForce 9800 GTX does not provide advantages in power consumption or performance over the same priced Radeon HD 4850, graphics card makers are more optimistic over AMD's upcoming performance.
AMD’s new Radeon HD 4870 is poised to kick in the performance afterburners and leave NVIDIA scratching itself, wondering what to do next. This latest GPU from AMD redefines the mid-range price-to-performance ratio – the only reaction NVIDIA can take is to dump its prices to remain competitive.
AMD today expanded The Ultimate Visual Experience for North America with the ATI All-In-Wonder HD, combining award-winning ATI Radeon Premium graphics and ATI TV Wonder HD tuner technology card in one PCI Express 2.0 solution. As the newest multimedia powerhouse to join the long line of All-In-Wonder offerings, ATI All-in-Wonder HD transforms the PC into a highly immersive digital video recorder for HDTV1 and analog TV, plus expands the realm of exceptional gaming with cinematic HD graphics for mainstream PCs. Blu-ray disc playback can be enjoyed in full HD glory (1080p) thanks to ATI All-in-Wonder HD’s unified video decoder (UVD) technology, ensuring movies play back smoothly and with incredible detail2.
AMD LIVE! Ready and Certified for Windows Vista, ATI All-In-Wonder HD has a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $199, includes capabilities to watch and record free-to-air HDTV, unencrypted digital cable programming3, and superb analog TV reception powered by ATI Theater 650 Pro hardware MPEG-2 encoding technology. All-In-Wonder HD merges the best of the ATI TV Wonder product line with ATI Radeon Premium Graphics to deliver The Ultimate Visual Experience.
Windows gaming takes center stage, as today Microsoft Corp. hosts the Games for Windows Presents: The Big Picture showcase event, highlighting some of the most eagerly anticipated Microsoft Games for Windows titles of 2008, while also announcing exciting new additions to the portfolio. Attendees will get hands-on experience with new games in a variety of genres, including debut gameplay of “Call of Duty®: World at War,” while some of the biggest names in the business will display new hardware that truly pushes the boundaries of gaming technology.
“The big picture of the PC gaming market is unparalleled growth,” said Kevin Unangst, senior global director of Windows gaming in the Entertainment and Devices division at Microsoft. “By all accounts, Windows continues to lead the gaming industry worldwide in both users and total revenue, and DFC Intelligence expects the PC gaming market to grow by a staggering 73 percent from 2007 to 2013. Compelling online experiences, industry-leading graphics, high-quality games and innovative hardware are driving that growth, and we’re proud to partner with other leaders and showcase the best of Windows gaming at this event.”
VIA Technologies, Inc