• 25Aug 06

  Xbox Live Vision 101

  I have just ordered the Xbox Live Vision camera off Ebay for £82!! it will arrive in about a week and now i can strip naked in front of all my friends the video shows what the webcam holds on release. I can't wait to show my pre-release webcam!

  • Posted Aug 25, 2006 2:02 am GMT
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• 16Aug 06

  360 getting $200 HD-DVD, 1080p, jukebox, and FPS controller?

  Source: Popular hardware destination HardOCP.com, Taiwan-based Digitimes, and game-info site Digitalbattle.

  What we heard: Ever since the Xbox 360 was first shown to the public in May 2005, rumors have surrounded it. Once the specs for the console were revealed, the speculation shifted from what the console could do at present, but what it will be able do in the future.

  Microsoft answered part of that question at E3 this year, unveiling several new peripherals, announcing Live Anywhere, and taking the wraps off the 360's external HD-DVD drive. Soon, many speculated that a premium, hard drive-equipped 360s fitted with the unpriced HD-DVD drive would cost around $600--i.e. $399 plus a rumored $199. That's as much as the high-end model of the Blu-ray drive-equipped PlayStation 3, which has taken considerable flak for its premium price point.

  This week, two sources reported that the 360 HD-DVD drive will indeed ring up at around $200. First was Digitimes, which stated flatly on Monday that "Microsoft will launch external HD-DVD drives for its Xbox 360 at a retail price of US$200 by Christmas of this year."

  Seconding that opinion was HardOCP, which yesterday included the HD-DVD price point report as part of a piece titled "Xbox360 Roadmap Peeked At." The site elaborated on the add-on, saying it would "only require component inputs. ... No HDMI in sight." It also said that Microsoft would be releasing a cable to support 1080p video output. However, "Little more information is known on [1080 output] or if there will be a gaming performance impact."

  Last but not least, HardOCP revealed that the Xbox 360 would soon get functionality borrowed from a Windows Media Center PC. "While this is not a term that Microsoft used, the Xbox360 will be seeing an added on 'media jukebox' for handling tons of movies, video, pictures, and music," said the site. No mention was made as to whether Microsoft was going to release larger capacity "outrigger" hard drive to store said media, since many 360 owners' 20-gigabyte HDDs are getting nearly full of game demos, trailers, and saves.

  In other 360-rumor news, Digitalbattle reported that Microsoft is mulling a second controller specifically for first-person shooters. "The new controller would have an improved and more precise right analog stick for games requiring higher precision," read the report, which sourced Microsoft’s product unit manager Robert Walker's presentation at the Microsoft Gamefest developers' conference. Strangely, though, first-hand accounts of Walker's Monday speech, like the exhaustive recap of the session on FiringSquad.com, make no mention of a FPS-centric controller.

  The official story: So what does Microsoft have to say about all this? Not much, unsurprisingly. Regarding the HD-DVD, "We haven't announced any pricing or availability at this point so we'll keep you posted," a rep for the game giant said regarding the HD-DVD. The same rep wouldn't comment on 1080p support and media jukebox functionality, and also would only say that "We have not made any announcements about a new Xbox 360 controller."

  Bogus or not bogus?: $200 360 HD-DVDD? If bogus, it's a close estimate. Support for 1080p? Almost certainly. Media jukebox? Sounds probable, given the fact Windows Media Center PCs already have similar functionality. New FPS-specific controller? The jury's out on that one, but it would make sense.

  • Posted Aug 16, 2006 12:09 am GMT
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• 7Aug 06

  Saints Row Confirmed Achievements

  Colombian Made
  Take over Los Carnales territory.

  40

  Regicide
  Take over Vice Kings territory.

  40

  Road Warrior
  Take over Westside Rollerz territory.

  40

  Ruler of Stilwater
  Help the 3rd Streets Saints take over Stilwater.

  160

  Thug
  Reach a TrueSkill rank of Thug in any multiplayer mode.

  10

  Killa
  Reach a TrueSkill rank of Killa in any multiplayer mode.

  20

  Gangsta
  Reach a TrueSkill rank of Gangster in any multiplayer mode.

  40

  Kingpin
  Reach a TrueSkill rank of Kingpin in any multiplayer mode.

  80

  Penny Pincher
  Earn $1,000,000 in the city of Stilwater.

  10

  Grifter
  Earn $200,000 in Insurance Fraud.

  10

  Shopaholic
  Acquire 100 clothing and jewelry items for your single player wardrobe.

  10

  Coupon Clipper
  Purchase 100 clothing and jewelry items for your multiplayer wardrobe.

  10

  Leader of the Pack
  Acquire all 7 Homies.

  10

  Getting Up
  Tag all tag locations hidden throughout Stilwater.

  10

  Grease Monkey
  Own a total of 50 cars.

  10

  Racket Lord
  Complete all activities in Stilwater.

  160

  Contract Killer
  Complete all of the Hitman locations.

  10

  Demo Demon
  Complete all levels of Demolition Derby.

  10

  Fast and Furious
  Complete all of the Hijacking locations and levels.

  10

  Fluffer
  Complete all of the Escort locations and levels.

  10

  Pimp
  Complete all the Snatch locations and levels.

  10

  Pusher
  Complete all of the Drug Trafficking locations and levels.

  10

  Scavenger
  Complete all of the Chop Shop locations.

  10

  Tuner
  Complete all of the Racing locations and levels.

  10

  Vandal
  Complete all of the Mayhem locations and levels.

  10

  Bulletproof
  Complete Co-op level Turbulence at the highest difficulty level.

  10

  Errand Boy
  Complete Co-op level Mob Rule at the highest difficulty level.

  10

  Canonized
  Join the 3rd Street Saints.

  10

  Reclamationist
  Retake Saint's Row.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  10

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20

  Secret Achievement
  Continue playing to unlock this secret achievement.

  20
  • Posted Aug 7, 2006 10:38 am GMT
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