News via http://gbatemp.net/index.php

This LIB is designed to make it easier to create progress bars in LUA DS.

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News via http://www.nintendomax.com/

Ant512 proposes a new demo of its graphical user interface library for creating homebrew on the model of the windowing Amiga Os, "Woopsi.

Quote:
- Fixes:
- Removed framebuffer-hitting code from DimmedScreen gadget and replaced with call to GraphicsPort:: dim ().
- ListBox removes itself from its object when ListData deleted.
- Keyboard cursor example shows.
- Moved DimmedScreen into woopsi folder as an official gadget.
- CycleButton: getPreferredDimensions () rect populate with the correct values.
- Const fixed Gadget: getRefcon ().
- Gadget:: disable () and Gadget:: enable () redraw the widget by default.
- Fixed clipRectToHierarchy () bug introduced in switch to non-recursive function in last release.
- RadioButtonGroup redraws when resized.
- RadioButtonGroup returns correct size from getPreferredDimensions ().
- Updated copyright notice in defines.h.
- Bitmap:: getPixel () works correctly for large bitmaps.
- Bitmap:: drawBitmap () flushes correctly mem for DMA copy.
- Gadget:: show () clears rect sibling cache of gadgets with a lower z-index to Ensure that they do not draw over the top of the newly-shown gadget.
- A disabled overlaps another gadget that intercepts clicks correctly now, no longer Allowing them to fall through to the gadget below.

- New Features:
- TextBox and MultiLineTextBox cursor moves when d-pad left / right are pressed and gadget has focus.
- Added test folder:
- CycleButton test;
- RadioButtonGroup test.
- Added class to BinaryFiles bonus folder.
- Added class to BitmapIO bonus folder - load / save BMP files using libfat.
- Added BitmapLoader example.
- Added SuperBitmap: drawBitmap () overload to handle Bitmap objects.

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News via http://www.nintendomax.com/

Ruben has a new demo for DS and GBA "AS Sonic", a MIDI file player.

Quote:
But just so you know:

DS-runs with variable channel count (to allow stuff like libnds sound)
GBA code-mixing has been heavily optimized
Music-code has been revised
Fixed-pitch bend stuff
-Added code SFX

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News via http://www.nintendomax.com/

Ruben has a new demo for DS and GBA "AS Sonic", a MIDI file player.

Quote:
But just so you know:

DS-runs with variable channel count (to allow stuff like libnds sound)
GBA code-mixing has been heavily optimized
Music-code has been revised
Fixed-pitch bend stuff
-Added code SFX

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News via http://www.nintendomax.com/

Kuwanger released a new version of the Gameboy emulator for the GBA:

Whats new:
Goomba Paletted v2.38 - 2009-10-21 - Support up to 256 borders and 256 palettes. Adds a list for border/palette selection (modification of Dwedit's list in Goomba Color).

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News via http://www.gp32spain.com/

New version of the Super Nintendo emulator for GP2X Wiz, hand in hand headoverheels.

There are two launchers and Muliple options to improve compatibility or speed depending on the type of game that will run (for example, for those who use special chips).

New in version v6.5.0:


Common for the two pitchers:
Optimizations in the mode 7 and in various parts of the code.
Added as horizontal scaling.
Pollux_set integrated.
Specific fast launcher:
Improved compatibility with some games: star ocean, rendering Ranger ...
More games compatible with the audio performance hack: against, Axelay ...
Specific normal launcher:
Emulation SuperFX and SA-1.
Support speedhacks by snesadvance.dat file.
Two sound emulation modes: fast and compatible. To change from one to another is necessary to restart the game.

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News via http://www.eurasia.nu/index.php

modrobert writes: "Mputten over at the Xbox-Scene forums reports of new Xbox360 consoles with Philips Lite-On DG16D2S-09C drive which currently seems unreadable by DOSflash ('Invalid Drive Data'). Also, this model comes without the 2nd-GPU heatsink/heatpipe (like the early Xenon consoles). This is the European Forza3-pack Xbox 360 Elite with MFG 2009-08-17, LOT 0942 (Drive HW: A0A2, SW: 83850C). ...

CashMan has released Wii Home 1.4

Wii Home is a "plugin" for Preloader

Wii Home is a homebrew which launches at startup of the Wii. You can, on the menu, select if you want go to the System Menu or to the HBC. You can also customize Wii Home with a theme of your choice.

Changelog
1.4
Added the possibility of launching a channel of your choice :
Create a channel.txt file in the WiiHome folder. In the file, write the first number :
1 for a title that begins with 00010001
2 for a title that begins with 00010002
4 for a title that begins with 00010004
8 for a title that begins with 00010008
After, write the title of the Wii Channel in letters (for example the title of the Wii Shop Channel is HABA)
So, for the Wii Shop Channel the complete channel.txt file is 2HABA because the complete title ID in hex is 0001000248414241. 00010002 is replaced by 2 and 48414241 is HABA in hex.
Ability to launch the Homebrew Channel or channel of your choice by pressing the 1 button to change the second option button.
Added an emergency button. Pressing the RESET button will jump on the Wii Menu.
Added the version of Wii Home. To see the version press the + button.

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Yesterday in an interview with Gizmodo, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer was asked if the company had any plans for adding a Blu-ray drive to the Xbox 360 and set the internet ablaze with his response, suggesting that consumers will eventually be able to purchase Blu-ray drives as accessories. Ballmer's comments come after a year's worth speculation and denials from Microsoft as to whether or not they would ever adopt the next-gen disc format after their failed endeavor with an add-on HD DVD drive, so naturally, our interests were piqued. Unfortunately, the glimmer of hope given to Blu-ray fans was stripped away when Microsoft's "Major Nelson" Hryb reiterated that the company has no plans for Blu-ray in, on, or around the Xbox 360, and that Ballmer's comments were in reference to PC accessories.

Despite the mass confusion, it seems Microsoft is sticking to its guns when it comes to Blu-ray and the Xbox 360. Why is Microsoft so staunchly opposed to brining the high-definition disc format to their gaming platform? Is it lingering bitterness from the failure of HD DVD? Hopes for a digitally distributed future? We explore these theories and more.

Convenience or Quality?
Traditionally, the home entertainment industry has thrived on advancements in audible and visual fidelity, but now for the first time, companies have couched quality in exchange for convenience with the advent of digitally distributed media. Although Blu-ray offers the highest quality audio and video available, more and more consumers are warming up to the vast array of readily available digital content offered by services like Netflix, VUDU, and others. While VUDU and others offer high-definition content, there are inherent limitations to digitally distributed media that prevent the format from matching hard copy high-definition formats, such as bandwidth caps, variable connection speeds, and compression. Audio/videophiles will go down kicking and screaming before adopting an inferior format, but a growing market of consumers, especially those who use online outlets like YouTube and Hulu, seem to be more than happy to trade audio/visual presentation for convenience, a fact Microsoft seems to have recognized long before the fall of HD DVD.




In November 2006, Microsoft launched the Xbox Video Marketplace, a service built directly into the Xbox 360 dashboard for the digital distribution of movies and television shows, which later became the launching platform for the company's partnership with Netflix, which added a library of over 12,000 streamable movies and television episodes. In February of this year, only three months after it was launched, Microsoft reported that over 1 million Xbox Live users had utilized the console's Netflix feature. While there is no doubt that user activity for the feature was attributed largely to the free trial offered at the time of the service's launch, it does suggest a large interest in digitally distributed content.

Digital is Cheaper
Despite monthly subscription fees for consumers and huge infrastructure investments for companies, digital media is ultimately a cheaper, faster, and more efficient method of distribution. The process of finalizing, manufacturing, and then distributing media to retailers is a lengthy and expensive process that requires the regular utilization of manpower, production materials, and time, whereas digital services are more reliant on IT and strategic partnerships. Although the cost efficiency of digital media hasn't trickled down to consumers in most cases, there are benefits for consumers beyond the almighty dollar, like, for instance not having to get off the couch, which saves gas, time, and the previously mentioned effort.


You also have to consider the cost of producing and purchasing hardware to support Blu-ray on the Xbox 360. Microsoft would have to design a new add-on drive for the console and you'd have to pay for it. On the surface that seems like a perfectly viable solution; Microsoft likes money, right? Why wouldn't they want your money? Of course they do, but their profits would be offset by the cost of producing, marketing, and distributing such an add-on, thus their strategy of strictly digitally distributed media is a much more profitable solution. Outside of the monetary gains for Microsoft, there is also the question of how much of a value of an add-on drive would be to the consumer. Clearly Microsoft has no intention of adding a built-in Blu-ray drive to the Xbox 360, so what would gamers stand to gain from an add-on? Blu-ray movie playback, of course, but the add-on drive wouldn't be able to play Blu-ray-based games, so what's to stop gamers from just picking up a cheap Blu-ray player?

Microsoft Likes to Play It Safe
There are two prevailing strategies in the tech industry: evolution and revolution. Many manufacturers take the cautious evolutionary route, building upon industry standards and the precedent established by competitors, while others take the plunge and ...