News Via T3

Lugging round photo collections can be a pain – clogging up your iPod, phone, and even PSP, but new software from Orb means you can leave all that stuff at home and access it anywhere, any time, from a web-enabled device instead!

See, the clever little programme turns your home PC into a media server, spitting out all your photos across the internet – provided you know the password. And best of all, it’s free!

Orb can even stream your music and video collections, although not all mobile gadgets are geared up to receive them.

Those of you with a PSP in your pocket are among the unfortunates not to enjoy streamed video through Orb, a move most likely taken by Sony to protect its Location Free TV, launching later this year. ...

Via T3

Our latest poll shows the majority of you already have sweaty thumbs over Sony’s latest games machine, despite its expected high price, while Nintendo’s Wii comes a close second.

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 already shows signs of slipping in the popularity stakes, having been out since last Christmas, scoring less than half the votes of both rival consoles.

Last week we told you that British gamers are unlikely to see the cheaper version of Sony’s latest PlayStation, with only the 60GB version, packing Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and HDMI output, going on sale in our stores. ...

XPort has updated his Nes emu for the Xbox:

What's New:

- Added mappers (These are all the mappers that FCEUltraX supported that MednafenX
did not - so MednafenX can now do everything that FCEUltraX did
plus much more.)
40 ( Super Mario Bros 2. J [p1] - Lost Levels FDS converted to INES format)
43 ( 150-in-1)
83 ( dragon ball z 4-in-1) buggy
( Fatal Fury 2 ) buggy
( World Heroes 2) buggy
91 ( Street Fighter III [p1])
161 ( same as mapper #1, MMC1 - Legend of Zelda, Metroid, etc)
225/255( 64-in-one), same games buggy buggy (1942), galaga, galaxian
226 ( 76-in-1) some games buggy
227 ( 1200-in-1)
229 ( 43-in-1)
240 ( Jing Ke Xin Zhuan)
( Sheng Huo Lie Zhuan)

- Trigger rumble via memory now has the following options:
+ trigger when memory value changes
+ trigger when memory value decreases
+ trigger when memory value increases
+ trigger when memory value = specified value
+ trigger when memory value != specified value
+ trigger when memory value > specified value
+ trigger when memory value < specified value

- Jump to Memory Dump from cheat code value

- More searchable memory locations for creating cheat codes

- Select a custom palette file


NOTE THAT THE PREVIOUS RUMBLE SETTINGS WILL NEED TO BE REDONE.

The new rumble settings are incompatible with the previous version.
You must redo them.

More info --> http://xport.xbox-scene.com/ ...

News from Rockin-B

Saturn Contest: call for prizes

The 2nd Classic Console Coding Contest (targeting SEGA Saturn, again) will start soon and I'm looking for people who like to donate a prize. All kind of videogame related items or money are welcome. Both private persons and webshop-owners are encouraged to give a prize. By giving a prize, you can actively support people who create software for SEGA Saturn. Your support will result in new Saturn homebrew games being released and besides that, I can offer you to place a banner on all contest related websites. If you got a prize you want to give, please contact me: [email protected].

Police Officer Smith website

Arnold is working on a website for the new Saturn homebrew game we're both working on. The game itself currently goes under the name Police Officer Smith. You can find some very good looking screenshots, info and media there: http://arnold1304.cabanova.de ...

New release on Pre order status at SuccessHK(Ships in 3 days)



A collection of more than 1,000 crossword puzzles, word searches and other brainteasers, Puzzle Challenge: Crosswords and More! offers puzzles ranging from easy to difficult standard crosswords, codebreakers that require the player to determine number matches assigned to each letter of the alphabet, puzzles with cryptic clues, diamond shaped puzzles and backwards puzzles where the player fills in their own black squares. Word searches come in standard or themed versions. Profiles can be set for multiple players so that the entire household can use the software. Exclusive to the PSP(tm) system version is a two-player game sharing mode that enables two people on separate handheld consoles to play the game via wireless connection using one disc. ...

Via Spong

leading peripheral manufacturer Logitech has confirmed that it will be providing third-party peripherals for Nintendo's Wii. Of course, this wouldn't usually be worthy of note, however, Nintendo's offer to make the Wii motion and position-sensing technology open to publishers, developers and companies like Logitech, means the emerging platform could well be the home of some very weird, very intuitive controllers.

"Logitech is always considering the newest platforms, technologies and opportunities to provide great peripherals," Logitech's Ruben Mookerjee, Director of Product Marketing for Interactive Entertainment told us. "The new Nintendo Wii platform is intriguing and with their innovative controller approach, we think it will be successful in the marketplace. At this time, we cannot comment on any products we are working on or specific platform support; however, given Logitech's history of working with Nintendo, especially with the Logitech Speed Force Wheel, we look forward to supporting the platform."

This comment follows yesterday's news that Nintendo had briefed developers, publishers and third-party peripheral companies that it would be more than happy for them to develop any device they felt fit to best suit the innovative tech employed by the Wii. ...

news from Spong

It is looking highly likely that Square Enix will be remaking the epic and very much beloved Final Fantasy VII for PlayStation 3, as various media outlets stuff fist-fulls of twos together into one big gleaming mush of four.

Building on the murmurings of last year when SE showed a 'next-gen' demo called FFVIIPS3, two US magazines, Game Informer and EGM, are now claiming FFVII for PS3 is now a cert. This adds to speculation in the wake of Square's impressive press conference that the game had been confirmed, off the record, by SE staffers though it wouldn't be appearing on the showfloor.

In related news, it is also expected that Final Fantasy XII will see some sort of PlayStation 3 spin-off, perhaps as an aperitif for the full next-gen outing the RPG masters have planned, the incredible-looking Final Fantasy XIII. Again, these rumours remain unconfirmed, though the possible realisation of the concept of milking the twelfth game in the series has been the gossip fodder of Japanese games journalists in recent weeks.

We contacted Square Enix US today for clarification, though the firm did not respond at time of press. We'll update you as soon as we learn more. ...

News via Spong

As it turns out, the cheap PlayStation 3 and Microsoft's HD-DVD will be able to transmit their Blu-Ray and HD-DVD movies in glorious mega-def. You can pull the information from the piece below.

High Definition, the new black of the technology sector. You know that DVD you're watching now? Rubbish. Know why? Because it's in standard definition, like the telly your gran watches. You might as well live in a cave. This problem of watching horrible old pictures is one that can be solved with consummate ease in the coming months. Simply give an electronics manufacturer a large amount of cash and your digital AIDS will be cured.

Thing is, Sony's PlayStation 3 was coming with digital AIDS pre-loaded. Well, the cheap one was certainly going to. You see, it didn't have HDMI output, meaning that instead of playing movies in 1920 by 1080 pixels, it would only put out a prehistoric 960 by 540.

However, you'll be interested to know that the only reason this is the case is the use of a little device called the ITC, or Image Constraint Token. According to Digital Home:

The Image Constraint Token (ICT) is a digital flag within the AACS (Advanced Access Content System) that determines how Blu-ray and HD DVD players output high definition video signals through the player's component outputs.

AACS is the digital rights management (DRM) standard which will be used by Blu-ray and HD DVD to protect movies from unauthorized duplication.

If the ICT token is set on a Blu-ray or HD DVD disc, then the player will down-convert the video resolution through analog outputs from 1920 by 1080 pixels to 960 by 540. The purpose of ICT is to prevent pirates from creating high-resolution copies of HD DVD and Blu-ray discs via the unsecured analog outputs.

The video output through HDMI is unaffected by ICT since the HDMI output is copy protected by High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP).

The Image Constraint Token is set by the movie studio when a disc is mastered therefore whether the player down converts the video signal will be determined by the studio on a title by title basis.


So you see, there you are thinking your TV was last week's model, and therefore unable to play glorious high definition movies because it didn't have the right cables. As things turn out, these cables aren't required at all, they are simply there to trick you into thinking your current non-HDMI HD technology needs updating, while protecting movie studios from the hordes of evil pirates.

Benefit to you, the consumer: Zero. Benefit to the movie industry and technology companies: Billions of dollars. It's a funny old world. Though given the head of Sony Consumer Electronics' wife is currently on double doses of Klonopin since she heard the CEO of Samsung had bath tap knobs made out of fist-sized diamonds installed in his third Tuscan villa, it's understandable really.

Back on point, it's looking likely that both HD movie formats will be able to convince movie studios that they need to loosen policy on HDMI usage, meaning that Hyper Telly will be soon be streaming from your newly-purchased technotrinkets.

We'll update as we learn more. ...

When Rockstar announced their top secret new game, gamers were floored that the San Diego branch of the house that GTA built had traded in their baseball bats for ping pong paddles with Rockstar Games Presents Table Tennis. Big question is, how did they do with this smaller-scale, (relatively) budget-priced title?

According to the reviews that are beginning to appear, pretty darned well. The complaints focus on the title's sparse feature set while the praise focuses on the Xbox Live integration and the tight, elegant gameplay. Seriously, read through the reviews if you have a particular affinity for the words "subtle" and "nuanced." According to the reviews, Table Tennis provides a streamlined sports sim that's short on features but full of subtle gameplay, reflected in the (next-gen) budget price of $39.99.
IGN (78/100) - "If you want a table tennis game that's strictly focused on great mechanics and addictive gameplay, but that lacks a reasonable single-player mode and is shockingly sparse, Rockstar Presents Table Tennis is your game."
GamePro (85/100) - "The best thing about the gameplay is that it's all about reflex and intuition -- accessible to all, but hard to master online competitive play. Setting up power shots, killer topspin, and hitting the corners of the table becomes easy in short amount of time. This game is an instant classic and is guaranteed to please the masses."

Eurogamer (90/100) - "It's the sign of a great sports game when you can't think of anything you'd want to change in the next version. It doesn't need another version."

Via Joystiq ...