Parallel Processing Corporation claim that the PS3's fancy Cell chip violates a patent they filed all the way back in 91 for something with "synchronized parallel processing with shared memory". The suit was filed on July 26 in Texas, and whines that the PS3 is "causing irreparable harm and monetary damage".
Read more of it at Sony facing another PS3 suit
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CHANGE IN LAYOUT:
Now all the articles are to your immediate left and the sidebars on the right. This makes it more easier to read and quickly find out what you are looking for. We also have a plan to add a navigation pane at the top of the page to make it even more effortless to move around the site.
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NFS CARBON COLLECTOR'S EDITION DVD GIVEAWAY:
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If you purchase a Xbox 360 HD DVD drive between August 1st and September 30th you get 5 free HD DVD movies (from a choice of 15).
At the same time Microsoft promotes the HD DVD launches of "300" from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and "Heroes: Season 1" from Universal Studios.
Comic-Con International 2007 is the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the world, with over 120,000 attendees. Xbox LIVE Marketplace is broadcasting from the Comic-Con and you can watch the panel discussions, see the footage, and download exclusive themes and trailers.
So what do you think readers? Will you be getting an HD-DVD drive for your Xbox 360 or will you wait until Microsoft gives up and rolls out a Blu-Ray disc player for your 360?
Hi people, I'm the newest kid on the block...err..I mean blog. While others will enlighten you mostly about new games and gaming devices, I will just talk non-sense. Well, of course it'll be gaming non-sense, but it has got nothing to do with the parental theory of gaming being a non-sense activity.
But gone are the golden days of Shoryu Ken, Haoh Shiko Ken, Haohmaru, Ryu, Ken, Guile, Mustapha, Captain Commando, Aero Fighters and such. Now there is DOTA, NFS, Fifa, Counter Strike--the concept is similar, but the implementation is different. Previously you would join with your friends and beat up enemies. Now you join up with your friends to beat up some other friends. Nothing can be satisfying than beating the hell out of your best friend in a good 5 vs 5 defense of the ancient normal mode game as Terrorblade.
More on gaming zones in the next issue.
Too bad this blog is bereaved of comments at this moment. Bad, bad spammers! I would've really liked some comments. Anyway, good bye till the next time we meet. Adios, amigos. I'll be back.
I think I have become very much addicted to blogging. I always think about blogs, what I can write for my blog, how to generate more traffic, tweak the template so that it's more appealing to visitors and so on and so forth. In fact, I dare say that I have become obsessed with blogging, as a test I took proves so ( you can try it too). The test shows that I am 80% addicted to blogging! Now that's a scary number indeed.
I am so much obsessed with blogs that I cannot remember the last time I've played video games. My Xbox 360 lies unwanted, unloved and gathering dust (with a shiny new copy of Gears of War that I am still about to complete). Long time fans of this blog will notice that the gamerscore on my Xbox 360 gamercard has remained the same over a long time. I plan to change that.
This might come as a surprise to many of you because this blog deals with video games in the first place. So how can I write about something that I've not been playing for a long time? You see, there is so much going on in the gaming industry, so much news, and so much to write about. And there is only 24 hours in a day. Sigh. And I am still in the middle of my education course.
Just for tomorrow, I think that I will turn to some good old fashioned video gaming goodness - and hopefully not write about it. Let's just hope that I can refrain from this serious addiction which has taken a dominant part of my life.
The Company's Entertainment and Devices Division in which the Xbox 360 is located, saw a 10% drop in revenue to $1.16 billion and is operating on a loss of $1.2 billion. Comparatively, the group lost only $423 million the previous year.
Microsoft blamed the 183% increase in its Entertainment and Devices Division operating loss on the $1.06 billion charge to cover the cost of the extended three-year warranty. Microsoft has also been hit with two class action lawsuits in the past two weeks claiming that a design flaw in the Xbox 360 causes the system to irreparably scratch game discs. Microsoft has denied the claim. The company also saw the departure of their corporate VP, Peter Moore to publisher Electronic Arts due to "personal reasons".
Sony has taken this opportunity to catch-up lost grounds and announced a $100 price cut on certain PlayStation 3 units, while Nintendo continues to enjoy robust sales of its Wii systems.
However, Microsoft is remaining optimistic. Since its launch in November 2005, Xbox 360s have shipped a total of 11.6 million consoles and this is still the most successful console of this generation. The company has placed high hopes on the holiday 2007 season, hoping that major releases like Halo 3 will make up for the Xbox 360's misfortune. Amidst the recent setbacks, Microsoft reported that overall profits in the fourth quarter increased 7% to $3 billion, while revenue increased 13% to $13.4 billion.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Peter Moore of Xbox 360 ditches Microsoft and Heads to EA
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem - A Conspiracy?
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem
Xbox 360 can scratch your game discs!
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"This is an exciting and innovative opportunity for Eidos, we're delighted to be working with Double Fusion and we fully believe that our titles will offer the perfect platform for the right media partners," commented Jane Cavanagh, Chief Executive of Eidos Interactive.
Thanks to Digital Battle for the tip.
Long time Play Station exclusive Metal Gear Solid might be headed for the Xbox 360. Although there were no announcement in E3 about MGS4 for the 360, but this rumor has re-surfaced once again now that an official source has written about it.
A reliable source has tipped off the Official Xbox Magazine that Metal Gear Solid 4 is indeed headed for the Xbox 360. The game will be ported by a separate team. That explains the fact why Hideo Kojima kept saying that he was "working on a Sony copy only".
Could it happen? Sure, there is a possibility. Right now, Konami has invested a lot in MGS4 and they would like to see greater returns on their investment. And that means making it available on most major gaming platforms. I think that they are considering it, but whether this rumor turns out to be true depends upon how Konami thinks Metal Gear Solid 4 sells on the PS3 alone.
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Get Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater
Through a brief press release, Ubisoft announced Far Cry 2, the sequel to the award-winning FPS from Crytek, who are now working on Crysis. The game is being developed by Ubisoft’s Montreal studio for release in Spring 2008 for PC.
Far Cry marked the beginning of a new era for shooters. An era of gorgeous graphics and of advanced artificial intelligence, declared John Parkes, EMEA marketing director at Ubisoft. We are confident that Far Cry 2 will have the same impact again on the FPS genre landscape.
No information on the game itself was revealed. However, a teaser website is up.
Missed the original Far Cry
Source: DigitalBattle
Police are holding the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act while the matter is investigated.
An eBay spokesman said the parcel's contents were "somewhat unusual" and it would help police with their inquiries.
The boy's parents, who are not commenting, alerted police when the parcel arrived on 20 March.
Family claim
But, if the money remains unclaimed, the family could potentially apply for it to be returned to them under the Police Property Act.
A police spokesman said: "We have until 22 September before we have to go back to court to apply for a further order if necessary."
A spokesman for eBay said: "We know that eBay is a great place to pick up a bargain, although in this case, we agree that the contents of the parcel were somewhat unusual and we will assist with any inquiries the police may wish to make."
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Source: BBC UK
Epic's Mark Rein recently contacted PSX Extreme to clarify the matter. In short? Complete nonsense.
"We've shot down this Gears of War on PS3 idea about a hundred times already - Microsoft is the publisher for Gears of War. Unless Microsoft wants to publish it on PS3, then it won't be published on PS3."
So there you have it folks. The Gears of War PS3 rumor has been squashed like a lifeless bug. Sorry Sony fans.
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You might wish to buy Gears Of War on Xbox 360.
The World Cyber Games 2007 starts in Bangladesh at the 27th July and will continue to the 29th. It will be held at the China Friendship Convention Center near IDB. Two games have been listed this time - NFS Carbon and FIFA 07.
The winner of this year's national championship goes to the Grand Final, which will be held at Seattle, USA. If you can prove your worth against 70 other competing countries, then you might be the lucky winner of $1 Million.
Register now because only 1,200 spots are available. To register, simply send a SMS from any GrameenPhone or Djuice number with the code "nfs" or "fifa" to 3030.
To know more, log on to the official World Cyber Games Bangladesh website.
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Consider Switchplanet as an alternative to EBay - although you cannot sell your wares. The idea is simple, list the goods you want to trade and browse other's inventories and wish-lists. If you find something you like, then send a trade request to that user. Other users can do the same.
But a service of this kind requires an active online community and a huge online inventory, and thankfully, Switchplanet has both. After a quick, effortless sign-up, I was happily listing my wares for trade. I found a lot of trade offers in every category, whether be it CDs, DVDs, Games, Movies or Books. They even have a plan to add clothing, electronics and tools in the future.
Whenever you "switch" an item, you get a link to add donations to the "switchfund". These funds are then donated to charities such as the American Red Cross, American Cancer Society and a host of others. Now, that's a good cause. Founder Chris Samarin said, "I want this [service] to be huge so the positive impact it has on the society is [equally] huge". "If we can get millions of people using the site and donating on average $1 per month, wow, we can sure help a lot of people if that happens".
Sure, Switchplanet has the potential to become something big and there is also the essentials in place. Fancy a trade? Then head to SwitchPlanet.com and start browsing today. And who knows? Maybe you might get a trade request from the Gaming Wiz!
* This was a sponsored review.
Today I am going to tell you about the next-generation console and do a comparison between them.
Article written by guest blogger Game-Craze. We are not responsible for the individual opinions expressed in this article.
Wii :::::
It's the fifth console released by Nintendo . The console is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of gaming systems. A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect motion and rotation in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode
While the cool controller and games are impressive, Nintendo is going nowhere with that kind of graphics.If Nintendo is able to increase it's graphics capabilities,the Wii will definitely be the wii-ner of the next-gen console war. Fortunately, the Wii looks to have a bright future since I heard that Nintendo is going add some features to it.
Grade: Not bad, worth buying PS3 ::::: Oh, its price tag really pissed me off, but if you can afford it, why not? Afterall, it is a good deal, considering the fact that Sony has managed to squeeze in many juicy features into the console. The games look good to me and there are also those beautiful, HD graphics to drool over . The PS3 can also output high-definition video for both video games and movies via an HDMI 1.3 port, supporting up to 1080p HD resolution. After a recent software update, DVD-Video, PlayStation and PlayStation 2 games can be upscaled to high-definition, however copy-protected content (such as commercial DVDs) can only be upscaled over HDMI. As its digital soul, the Cell Broadband Engine™ represents a tour de force in parallel processing, which means a gaming experience that is beyond what you know today. Its built-in Blu-ray Disc™ drive delivers a whole new generation in high-definition gaming and unmatched digital media storage. Whether it’s gaming, Blu-ray movies, music or online services, PlayStation 3 invites you to Play Beyond. Grade: The best of the best. Xbox 360 ::::: Although the xbox 360 was released 1 year earlier than the Wii and ps3,it does not seem to have the edge above the two consoles mentioned. It's sales is also lacking a lot behind the WII . Recently ,Microsoft released an improved version of the Xbox 360, the Xbox 360 elite .The elite has an improved 120 GB hard drive , a HDMI port, and a new matte black finish. But, [then again] the design looks very uninspiring as its as big as the original Xbox . Looks like it will fail---following the fate of the original Xbox. [Not true - The Xbox 360 is the most successful console of this generation so far, although the Wii is catching up - Editor Gaming Wiz] Grade: Not very good FINAL VERDICT: RELATED ARTICLES: What Everybody Should Know : Which will win in Bangladesh - the PS3 or the Xbox 360?
The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles. 
1ST : PS3
2ND : WII
3RD : XBOX 360 (The Gaming Wiz wants a recount!)
Burning Question: Has the PS3 already lost in the next-gen console wars?
You Thought Wrong: Why the PS3 won’t lose out in the next-gen console wars
After the controversy surrounding Robbie Bach's stock sales, another surprising announcement has sprung up from camp Microsoft. This time, Peter Moore, the Microsoft executive who led the successful launch of the second-generation Xbox 360 game console, is leaving Microsoft for game publisher Electronic Arts (EA). In his place, Microsoft named Don Mattrick (another EA executive) as senior vice president of its Interactive Entertainment Business.
Now, this might come as a surprise to some. Afterall, Moore was the person who brought Microsoft's Xbox 360 to the #1 spot in this next-generation console wars. Could it be that he was leaving because the future looks bleak for Microsoft?
But that's what not Microsoft wants us to think. "Peter Moore is leaving for personal reasons", Microsoft said this Tuesday. Microsoft insisted that Moore's departure was unrelated to recent troubles with the Xbox 360. Yeah, sure. Microsoft Entertainment and Devices Division President Robbie Bach said that the personnel change was not a strategy to bring in new leadership after the hardware-failure disclosures.
Well, we will just have to wait and see what Don Mattrick has in store for us. If there is one thing that I learned, it is that change is good - I just hope that it holds true for Microsoft.
Bio Data about Don Mattrick (Source Microsoft)
Age: 43
Prior experience: Wrote his first game at 17. Founded Distinctive Software in 1982, which merged with Electronic Arts in 1991. Served most recently as president of EA's worldwide game studios until resigning in February 2006. Took most of 2006 off to take a break after 23 years and spend time with family.
At Microsoft: Hired in February as an outside adviser to Robbie Bach's Entertainment and Devices Division to help with the "connected entertainment" strategy. Beginning July 30, he will be senior vice president of the Interactive Entertainment Business, which includes Xbox, Games for Windows and Microsoft Game Studios. He called it "the best job in the industry."
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RELATED ARTICLES:
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem - A Conspiracy?
But it seems that there might be other reasons behind this announcement. An article posted in Computer World said that Robbie Bach, the Microsoft executive in charge of the video game console sold $6.15 million worth of company stock or about 20% of his holdings prior to the announcement. While that alone might not raise any flags but the article goes on to say that "Bach was one [of the] Microsoft executives who spelled out the problems with Xbox 360." "The game machine's design, Bach said, was defective".
Now this is spreading like wildfire around the internet and in forums. I came across one statement online that "it was all a setup" and another "he [Bach] wanted to make a quick buck".
Could this have been an insider activity? A lot of people in message boards are speculating so. But I doubt it. It just might be that Bach sold his shares at the wrong time and "that the timing may not have been up to [him]".
Indeed, Friday night, Microsoft spokesman Eric Hollveiser issued a statement about Bach's transactions. "Robbie Bach's past trading is completely unrelated to last week's announcement [of]extending our Xbox 360 warranty [and that] Microsoft executives sell shares for a variety of reasons, the most common being portfolio diversification".
Not only Bach but several others, including Microsoft Chairman Bill gates, General Counsel Brad Smith and the head of the Windows division, Kevin Johnson had sold shares that May.
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RELATED ARTICLES:
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem
My Xbox 360 just took a bath!
Xbox 360 can scratch your game disks
What Everybody Should Know : Which will win in Bangladesh - the PS3 or the Xbox 360?
Xbox 360 and Why DVD Rentals are as good as dead
SUGGESTED READING:
Microsoft Xbox 360 exec sold $6.1M in shares before woes disclosed
If you are anything like me and subscribe to hundreds of blogs by email, then you know what a chore it is to wade through all those messages to find your favourite bloggers. Luckily this is where GreatNews RSS Reader comes in handy. Most importantly it's free and gets the job done adequately (even sometimes better than those of some commercial ones).
I really like it for its web-like browser interface. All of your feeds are neatly categorised on the left with individual feeds displayed on the main right window. Found an interesting link? No need to fire up your web browser - just click on it and it will open in a new tabbed window. Handy indeed! You could also ditch your browser for this all-in-one feed reader, although that's not something I would recommend.
Adding new feeds is a snap and the reader will automatically highlight updated feeds. You can opt-in to view only the updated articles or the entire feed. Trust me, managing hundreds of feeds has never been so easy. You can categorise, search and even tag your feeds. You can even import your entire feed list from another source.
Although that's not to say it is without problems. The software is still in beta, and I experienced a crash or two. And the built-in web browser seems a bit slow. I also noticed that it would hang-up for a couple of seconds while adding new feeds. I hope that the developers would take care of these issues. Otherwise it is a solid feed reader.
If you have a feed overload and can live with a few odd glitches now and then, then I would highly recommend GreatNews RSS Reader. Download it and give it a try - I know it won't disappoint.
Enjoyed this article? Why not subscribe to the Gamers World Bangladesh Blog Feed in GreatNews?
The main factor in online distribution is your internet connection speed - you don't want to spend ages downloading your favourite flick while you can just drive to the store and grab it in less than fifteen minutes. And not everybody has a 1 MB per second connection. So it could take a while to hit mainstream. Then not everybody has an Xbox 360 :-) The install base of Xbox 360 is just around ten million while almost everyone has a DVD player nowadays.
But, people with Xbox 360s are already making the switch to digital distribution and this is the place where it really shines:
You can start watching as soon as a certain percentage (called the buffer) is downloaded - enjoy it while the movie is downloading in the background (much like YouTube). The HD (High Definition) movies on Xbox Live feature much better compression so it takes up less space (and hence less download times) while maintaining a great picture quality at 720p resolutions. Besides, these rentals automatically expire so you have no worries of running out of hard drive space. And look at it this way - you don't have to get your butt off the couch (or your house, for that matter) to rent a movie - how convenient!
Microsoft has also reported that Xbox Marketplace has already moved $110 million worth of content in just 8 months - and that's no joking matter! Sure, there is the potential, but I don't see digital distribution as a real threat to DVD rentals in the near future.
RELATED ARTICLES:
Xbox's Billion Dollar Problem
PC PHOBIA - Is the PC dead as a gaming platform?
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I like the new direction in which Infinity Ward is taking in Call of Duty 4 : Modern Warfare. Don't take me wrong but the World War II theme was getting a bit repetitive, although I enjoyed Call of Duty 3 on my Xbox 360.
This time Call of Duty 4 is set in a fictional modern-day conflict. Gone are the clashes between the Allied and the Nazis. Rather Modern Warfare is about thwarting "The Four Horsemen", a regime of the Middle Eastern dictator and his pal Russia.
Call of Duty 4 is an impressive graphical feat - even better than that of gears of War. Infinity Ward has spent the past two years improving its technology to create a far prettier game. You will see beams of sunlight breaking in through the cracks, dust particles in the air and the smoke trail from a rocket launcher as you take on an M1A1 Abrams tank, to name a few. The characters have full self-shadowing and a high level of detail. Get close to a soldier and you will see realistic looking flesh, read the time on his watch and might even see him sweat!
Infinity Ward has taken great pains to put you in the heat of modern warfare - there are explosions everywhere, enemies around every corner, helicopters spinning out of control and crashing - and all these happens at 60 frames per second! I'm sure it will be a hell-of-an-experience.
You also get to pilot an M1A1 Abrams tank the Ac130 Gunship. Now, I think that the AC130 is the ultimate air-to-ground combat vehicle, with the 25mm Equalizer Gatling Gun, the 40mm L60 Bofors Canon and the 105mm M102 Howitzer, you will lay waste to anything that comes in your path.
While I could go on and on about Call of Duty 4's impressive feats, I applaud Infinity Ward's decision to ditch the World War II setting. Can't wait to get my hands on Call of Duty 4 when it releases this fall!
Image courtesy of ign.com
RELATED ARTICLES:
It all started last night while I was doing some research for my blog. And right in the middle of an important article (sigh) the computer restarted again. This time I didn't bother to reboot into Windows - I was so fed up that I decided to call it a night and went to bed. But today when I turned it back on, I received a message saying, "Some of your system files have been corrupted. Please repair these corrupted files". Great! Just what I needed! All of my important documents were lost.
As I put in my Windows XP CD to re-install my operating system, I was completely surprised that my computer booted into Windows without a glitch and everything seemed to work fine once again. Luck or no luck, the first thing I did was to backup all my documents, important files, etc. I restarted my computer to make sure that everything was okay (just in case I needed to re-install Windows) and thankfully, everything was.
But when I turned on my PC this afternoon, I seemed to have yet another strange problem. For a start, my computer just refused to boot! Right to the point it gets to displaying Windows logo it just restarts! I've tried everything - safemode, last known good configuration - but nothing worked; it would just restart and occasionally display a blue screen of death (and that would only be visible for about a second followed by another restart). After I gave up hope and put in my XP installation CD, my computer, once again, booted without a glitch! How strange and annoying is that?
Still my computer will often restart at random (and this has gotten more frequent) and I will get the infamous blue screen of death. And now it is doing a sort of pretend-to-be-old act, often it will get so slow that the mouse cursor takes ages to move! And at other times it works just fine (like the time I wrote this post). Overheating problems? Nope. Viruses? nope - checked that too. It seems that my computer has taken to a mind of its own and I am really getting a serious headache for it!
[UPDATE]
I don't know why, but right after I disabled Active desktop (which I used to display my Xbox 360 gamer card on my desktop) the problem has gotten less and now it doesn't occur at all! But I have been using Active desktop for about two months and it didn't give me troubles then. Strange isn't it?
RELATED ARTICLES:
Intermittent PC Trouble [and how I solved it]
My Xbox 360 just took a bath!
Sony confirms price drop, says new $599 model bundled with MotorStorm coming next month--and will use software for backwards compatibility.
So far, the price drop is for North America only. "This news does not affect any other PS3 territory," said Dave Karraker, Sony Computer Entertainment America. However, a spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment Europe added, "We are making an announcement at E3 on Thursday which will be related to SCEA's announcement." The price drop announcement was accompanied by more unexpected news: The 80GB PS3, previously only available in South Korea, is also headed stateside. The larger-capacity system will go on sale in August for $599, and will have all the functionality of the 60GB model except backwards compatibility hardware. Sony Computer Entertainment America CEO Jack Tretton confirmed to GameSpot that the 80GB PS3 will instead use software emulation to play PlayStation 2 and original PlayStation games. To help stifle complaints that $100 might be a bit much to pay for 20GB more of hard disc space, Sony is releasing a "limited edition" bundle which packages the console with the off-road racer MotorStorm, which currently retails for $59.99. The price drop further indicates that, after a slow start, Sony is now aggressively trying to expand its customer base in the US. The move comes none too soon. According to the latest figures from industry-research firm the NPD Group, the PS3 sold only 82,000 units in the US in May, compared to the Xbox 360's 155,000 units and the Wii's 338,000 units. Ironically, the console's predecessor, the PlayStation 2, was the month's fourth-best-selling platform with 188,000 units, just behind the PlayStation Portable's 221,000 units. Will the $100 price drop turn the PS3's fortunes around? "Even with a $100 drop, the PS3 is still the high-end console," Lazard Capital Markets analyst Colin Sebastian told GameSpot. "But price cuts typically generate incremental demand, and I don't think this situation will be any different. Bottom line, this may not be enough to kick-start PS3 sales into the mass market--but it's a good first step." Is this a desperate move by Sony to rack up more sales or is it just one of the tricks up their sleeve? I'll leave this for you to decide. Source: Gamespot
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Why your Xbox 360 might break down more sooner than you think and what Microsoft is going to do about it.
Earlier this Thursday Microsoft announced that it will extend its Xbox 360 warranty coverage to three years from date of purchase and fix any consoles within the warranty period free of charge. With an estimated 2.5 million Xbox 360s reported to be defective, it will set back the company's Entertainment & Devices division as much as by $1.1 billion. Sony executives might be glee with joy but it's certainly not good news for Microsoft as it's Entertainment division is operating at $315 million in the red in it's third quarter. "In doing so, Microsoft stands behind its products and takes responsibility to ensure that every Xbox 360 console owner continues to have a fantastic gaming experience."
Though the company has not revealed the cause behind the hardware malfunctions, it claims to have "identified a number of factors which can cause general hardware failures" and "has made improvements to the console".
This might be good news for Xbox 360 customers because not only has the warranty period been extended, but Microsoft will reimburse any amount that you have spent behind repairing your console.
Sony must also be celebrating this announcement. With Microsoft confirming hardware issues, and set back by a billion dollars, Sony is in a spot of pure advantage. A well-planned price frop may give them some more leverage in the console war for this year.
Now the next generation consoles are complicated pieces of equipments. The industry accepted standard is a failure rate of three to 5 percent. So what about the other consoles? Are they also facing the same fate as Microsoft? When compared against other systems, the Xbox 360 is failing at higher rates than its current competitors and predecessors.
Former EB Games worker Matthieu G. said that the failure rates for all other consoles are not high enough and guesses that most other console systems have a failure rate of less than one percent, including the PlayStation 3. Another EB Games manager conceded that in the hundreds of Wii units sold at that location thus far, zero have come back as defective.
So there you have it folks. The Xbox 360 might be one of the most successful console so far of this generation but the Xbox 360 is a less reliable machine than its competitors. Still, Microsoft has taken a bold step in the right direction, don't you think?
RELATED ARTICLES
What Everybody Should Know : Which will win in Bangladesh - the PS3 or the Xbox 360?
My Xbox 360 just took a bath!
Xbox 360 can scratch your game disks!
SUGGESTED READING
There are mainly two ways (as I have categorized) that you can make a PC faster. The first involves system maintenance (in order to maximize your computer's efficiency) and the latter involves overclocking. Overclocking is not for the faint of heart (or the inexperienced computer user) but if done successfully, can result in a significant performance boost. I will discuss more on overclocking at the end of this article.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
You would be surprised about how much hidden power lies untapped in that dusty PC of yours, so I guess we should better get working on that.
1. De-fragment your hard drive: As you use your PC on a day-to-day basis the end result is that your system files become scattered all over your hard drive. This is known as fragmentation and can result in slow performance as Windows looks all over the place for a file. So the first thing you need to do is de-fragment your hard drive. Use Windows built-in hard disk defragmenter [START>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defragmenter] and click on analyze. It will advise you on which drives to defragment. You should see a modest boost in performance once you have defragged your drives.
2. Clean the temp folder: As you browse the internet and perform tasks on your PC, junk files and other stuff gets stored in your temporary internet files and internet files, respectively. You could manually delete them [C:\WINDOWS\Temp] or use a free tool such as ccCleaner [DOWNLOAD LINK] to do the job for you. Not only will this free up your disk space but you should also see some performance boost.
3. Run a spyware/adware scan: Spywares, adwares and viruses are notoriously known to make your PC slow down to a crawl (as if they didn't already cause much harm). Use Lavasoft's Adaware and AVG's Free Antivirus to eliminate those nasties and you will notice an improvement in system stability and performance. In the future, it is better to prevent your computer from getting infected in the first place. I discuss more of it at How to get rid of Adwares, Spywares, Viruses and other malicous content once and for all.
4. Update your drivers: Update your video card driver - Nvidia and ATI are constantly releasing new drivers to squeeze the last drop of performance out of their video cards. If you are a gamer, then you might notice a significant improvement in your game's framerate.
You might also want to check out PC STAT'S 99 Performance Tips for Windows XP
OVERCLOCKING
All of these tips will help you to utilize your computer's full potential. But if you are looking to gain even more performance for free - and who doesn't want that? - then you should consider overclocking. Still be warned that overclocking might void your warranty and you might even end up with a fried piece of silicon!
Here are some overclocking resources to get you started:
Overclocking Forum - Overclocker.net
Google - Overclocking Resources
Google - Beginner's Guide to Overclocking
Overclocking tool:
ATI Overclocking Tool
Nvidia nTune (overclocking tool)
Sapphire Trixx
Benchmark tools:
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This happens completely at random so it translates to countless lost documents and having to occasionally tear my hair out after defeating a difficult boss in a videogame. And the strange part is that this problem occurs when I do some CPU intensive (and important) tasks such as playing video games, photo 
But it seemed that even they had no idea as to what was going on. They told me to send the PC back to their shop. So I did. At first they determined that something was wrong with the processor. So they changed it. But that didn't help. Later they thought that the motherboard was damaged and they took that out and changed it too! After two days of wasting my time I finally got a phone call saying that they could not solve the problem! Since my warranty period had expired (maybe I should have dealt with it the first time it occurred instead of trying to live with it instead), so a refund was out of the question. It seems I am stuck with this PC (except with a brand new processor and motherboard).
The cause? It seemed that my measly old single cooling fan and cramped case wasn't enough to save my computer from meltdown. Now that I discovered the root of the problem it was time to remedy it (with no thanks to tech support). A bigger case with at least three 120mm cooling fans (the really big ones) and a side vent was a must. To prevent the CPU from overheating, I replaced the stock cooler with Thermaltake's Big Typhoon Cooler (it's whisper-silent and works like a charm).
Settling on which case to buy was a tough decision. As my inner gaming geek told me, the case had to be big for proper air flow as well as showy. I liked Thermaltake's Tsunami but it lacked support for three cooling fans. The same could be said for Aspire X-Cruiser. There was this absurd looking black case with 5 cooling fans from Antec, the P180, but I passed.
If you guys are facing the same problem, then stay tuned for my upcoming article "HOW TO GET RID OF OVERHEATING PC PROBLEMS".
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And it was pretty tough on getting this domain. I had some trouble with my previous registrar, had to cancel their package and transfer this domain twice! Later, I had to set it up so that it could point to google's blogspot server (where my blog is hosted for free). All in all, I am glad that the new domain is working wothout a glitch. Hope you enjoy the new look! Email me your thoughts and suggestions at mrahman[AT]gamersworldbd[DOT]comYes, when the entire world rumbles around which of the new next-gen consoles is going to win the battle, we are 
So, this is the best time to provide you all the information of which will be best for you to pick up, considering the amount of money you will be spending, and give you suggestion for which you should have a go-ahead. We will also be telling you, for which should you save money, if you want to play next generation games.
Playstation has earned huge popularity in Bangladesh. Partially because of its huge inventory of gaming, lower price level and Sony as a branded Asian manufacturer. But is the Playstation 3 going to serve up to the expectations?? To answer that question we will have to take a closer look.
STEP 1: COMPARISON BETWEEN THE PS3 AND THE XBOX 360
| PLAYSTATION 3 | XBOX 360 | |
| Console Type | Home Console | Home Console |
| Platform | PlayStation 3 | Xbox 360 |
| Gaming Type | On-line and Single player * Multiplayer | On-line and Single player * Multiplayer |
| Processor | 3.2 GHz Cell | 3.2 GHz Triple Core IBM PowerPC |
| Installed RAM | 256 MB of 3200 MHz XDR | 512 MB of 700 MHz GDDR3 |
| Installed Cache Memory | 512 KB | 1 MB |
| Memory Bus Bandwidth | 25.6 GB/sec | 22.4 GB/sec |
| Display | ||
| Max. Resolution | 1920X1080 | 1280X1080 |
| Graphics | ||
| Graphics Processor | NVIDIA RSX | Custom ATI Graphics Processor |
| Polygons per second | 75 Million | 500 Million |
| Storage | ||
| Hard Drive Size | 60 GB | 20 GB, 120 GB |
| Optical Drive Type | Blu Ray Disc (BD-ROM) | DVD-ROM standard, High Definiton DVD (HD-DVD ROM) optional |
| Optical Drive Speed | 24x (CD), 8x (DVD) | 12x (DVD) |
| Audio | ||
| Audio Support | Dolby Digital 5.1 | 256 Audio Channels, Dolby Digital 5.1, 3D Sound Support (64 3D Channels), Macronix 16 Bit |
| Audio Out | Line Out, Digital Out (Optical) Connector, HDMI out x2 | Multi-channel surround sound output |
| Technical Features | ||
| Communication Type | Bluetooth, 802.11b, 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 | 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, USB 2.0 |
| Expansion Slots | SD Card, Memory Stick, Compact Flash | Xbox Memory Card Slot |
| Wireless Capabilities | 802.11b, 802.11g, Bluetooth 2.0 | 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g |
| Input/Output Ports | RJ-45, 4x USB | 3x USB, 2x Memory Unit Slots |
| DVD Movie Playback | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | ||
| Height | 3.86in | 3.27in |
| Depth | 10.79in | 10.16in |
| Width | 12.8in | 12.17in |
| Weight | 11.02lb | 7lb |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| External Colour | Silver, Black | White, Black |
| Release Date | November 2006 | December 2005 |
Now, if you look at the comparison, you will see that both of the machines are extremely powerful. In some areas, one may slim down and the other soars up, but they provide quite the same performance. There have been debates and many talks about this, because, hey it is a battlefield.
The largest contrast between the two machines is maybe, that the PS3 is equipped with a next-gen Blue-ray DVD ROM, whether the X360 only comes with a current-gen DVD-ROM (optional HD-DVD ROM). Still, that doesn’t make the PS3 better. We will see it shortly.
STEP 2: COMPARISON OF PRICES IN BANGLADESH
Now for the most important part. The price of PS3 is minimum 500 US dollars, while the Xbox 360 is nearly 400 dollars or less. There is a cheaper edition of X360 which is lesser than this price, and the next price range for the PS3 is
Now, considering the X360’s price, the price of the PS3 can get more than 50 or 60 thousand taka in Bangladesh. You can freak out now. The consoles are almost identical. Then why is the huge price difference??
It is because of the added Blue-ray DVD in PS3. For X360, you may have to upgrade it later, adding another 200-300 dollar, but hey, you might not need it for the next four years. You can not also forget the fact that you live in Bangladesh. So, it is totally on you, whether you want to spend almost double the amount behind PS3 (not to mention, the games are more expensive for it), or you can purchase an Xbox 360. It is pretty risky to go for
STEP 3: COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE AND GAMES
Gamer TV has shown some exclusives on both of the consoles, and did let the gamers decide, if there is any difference can be noticed. I must admit, watching the exclusives, I even failed to differ them. Yes, the games provide similar performance on both consoles. “Sonic: the hedgehog” is the game that they used, in an attempt to provide some significant graphical differences. They failed.
Now if you consider the games, as a Bangladeshi, I will again go for Xbox 360. We have always been fascinated by good games that Sony has provided. Everyone loves PS2’s “Metal Gear Solid” series. Sony will be bringing the next generation of MGS, in PS3, but hey, most other games will be in X360 format, too; and also, to beat MGS4 or Devil may cry 4, there will be Gears of War and GTA 4. Yes, people, GTA 4 is coming to X360 later this year. Also many other great games are already there in X360, like G.R.A.W. or Elder scrolls 4: oblivion. Two similar GTA games like Saints Row, and Crackdown, is coming to X360, even before the PS3 launches. This is because, in US X360 has already sold 5 million copies, and that makes it a safer platform for the developers to maximise their revenue and thus profits. From next year, be sure that all the great titles will be for both platforms.
To make you sure about the visual appearance of two rival companies two biggest title, I’m providing you a screenshot from gears of war and MGS4. You decide which one looks better, or that both are almost same.
Gears of War Xbox 360 Screenshot
Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 Screenshot
STEP 4: THE FUTURE OF GAMING IN BANGLADESH
Now, as you have considered everything, you see that the cheapest is the X360, and it is better to go for it. Because with the huge inventory of games and even before the release of PS3, it may become the next PS2. It is because already there are many games and, by November 2006, X360 may have hundred titles in its inventory. Therefore, we suggest Xbox 360 will win the game market in Bangladesh, by next year. It is better for you to hope for an X360. As a middle class guy, I suggest, it is the best suited for me.
In Bangladesh we have always relied on alternatives. However, modding of these consoles may not be possible. If anyone claims that they have earned success in modding the consoles that may put us even into more delicate situation. The cheaper games may not work, or the modded ones may not work. Meanwhile, we loose our warranties, by modding and modded consoles are being banned from Xbox Live. Therefore, it is high time that we lure the retailers into Game rental business, and make them understand the huge profit they can gain from the high profile games of next generation. It is really lucrative. A retailer can earn back the money spend behind an original disc within two and a half months, and earn extra profit from the games by renting it. It is like, if they can rent a game for five months, they can collect double the amount that they are selling for. This business is so lucrative, that anyone can get involved into 
All the people out there, if you think that upgrading your PC is good enough then you are wrong. You will only waste your money. Come on people. If you can spend 25 thousand taka behind a PSP, or around 30 thousand taka in upgrading your PC, you can spend 30 thousand taka behind the next generation of gaming, behind these super consoles. It is ensured, that they will be providing you next-generation gaming for the next 5 years atleast. Do not forget, a merely eleven thousand taka priced PC is good enough for doing the regular works, now-a-days. The consoles are for gaming, not the PC’s.
So, talk your nearby retailer today into it, or think about investing in this business. Others try to sum up at least 30 thousand taka. You will surely be bringing home the XBOX 360very soon, the next generation of gaming.
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Article written by guest writer Raisul Islam
No responsibility is taken for the individual views expressed here
