A reader dropped us a tip asking the following good question. Because the question and answer shed light on the console wars, we're sharing it with you.

"I recently decided that I would like to have an Xbox for my upstairs bedroom so that my fiancée can play games that she enjoys such as DDR and Psychonauts.... I have since discovered from numerous store managers that Microsoft has discontinued the core version of the original Xbox. Now instead of paying $149.99 for an Xbox, as one has been able to do since 2003, it is necessary to drop $179.99 for an Xbox packaged with Forza Motor Sport (a game made by Microsoft).... The real kicker is that the only way to buy an Xbox now is to pay $30 more than the system cost for the past 2-3 years just because it is packaged with a first party game that retails for $19.99 (new).... Since when did console makers RAISE the prices of consoles towards the end of their cycle?"

Good question. We searched Amazon, Buy.com, and Wal-Mart.com and could not find an original Xbox console for less than $170. All of the consoles found at these sites (except used consoles offered through Amazon.com third-party sellers) came bundled with Forza. Why has Microsoft chosen to restrict (or discontinue) the supply of core Xbox systems at exactly the moment when console manufacturers have tended to drop prices?

There are a few reasons why we imagine Microsoft might pursue what appears to be a perverse strategy.

The Xbox is installed in fewer than 25 million homes worldwide versus the PlayStation's estimated install base of around 100 million. At this point, no sane third-party developer or publisher is going to release an exclusive for the Xbox given the lower overall demand for Xbox games. It's also unlikely that Microsoft is going to force its first-party developers to pour resources into a last-gen console at a time when the Xbox 360 needs and requires 100% of internal support. Given the situation, the game is no longer about Xbox vs. PS2 sales. Any additional support of the original Xbox in the form of games or even price subsidies would be counterproductive.

So forget the idea that Microsoft will do anything that supports the Xbox. Heck, they're going to actively discourage Xbox sales by bumping up the price so that the Xbox 360 looks even more attractive relative to an Xbox purchase. Every prior-gen system sold at this point is lost walletshare that could have been dedicated towards next-gen gaming. The price increase is a great way to encourage recalcitrant gamers to consider upgrading to an Xbox 360.

There's some evidence that Microsoft's strategy is working. The biggest games publishers are having difficulty making money right now because demand for previous-generation gaming has dried up as gamers increasingly look toward the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Revolution. This shift in consumer demand forces developers and publishers to jettison or retool prior-gen projects and turn more squarely towards the future--a future that is so far dominated by the only console on store shelves: the Xbox 360.

Expect Nintendo and Sony to do what they can to keep gamers suckling at the teat of prior-gen systems. Neither Sony nor Nintendo are eager to cut off a revenue stream before they've launched their respective next-gen consoles. If they can keep gamers happy for just a little bit longer, they have a better chance of keeping those gamers as customers when their next-generation systems finally launch later this year.

http://www.joystiq.com/2006/02/06/wh...cost-more-now/ ...

SuccessHK have posted that they have the SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo 2GB in stock:



Price is USD 139.00 or around £80

Good or bad let us know? ...

SuccessHK have posted that they have the SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo 2GB in stock:



Price is USD 139.00 or around £80

Good or bad let us know? ...

SuccessHK have posted that they have the SanDisk Memory Stick Pro Duo 2GB in stock:



Price is USD 139.00 or around £80

Good or bad let us know? ...

News from SuccessHK

New details was prompted regarding Sony's PS3 console and the plans for its online and multimedia capabilities. The new details indicate that Sony has decided to turn up the heat on Microsoft with a service that will go that one step further than XBox Live.

The new PS3 online service will be called PlayStation Network and will offer the usual matchmaking and rankings lists but will also offer an iTunes style store that will allow you to download movies and music to your console which you will then be able to upload to your PSP.

Another new, previously unannounced, feature is the exciting prospect of using your PS3 console as a digital video recorder (DVR) much like a TiVo device. You will also be able to control aspects of the DVR function from your PSP.

Another question has to do with the effect the Blu-Ray drive will have on the console's price tag. The version of Blu-Ray that PS3 will use will rely heavily on the Cell processor and nVidia's RSX and will, in that respect, not be a stand-alone Blu-Ray player. As a result Sony has managed to keep the price of using Blu-ray at a minimum.

The other point is mainly information on how much better than initially thought, Sony's console is performing and we are informed that the final PS3 dev kits are running faster than predicted. We are also told that there are many more PS3 games in development than most people think but that may have to do with the fact that it states that the console is expected to release in the U.S. sometime in fall 2006, a date that most people did not expect.

The possible change of PS3 launch dates, something suggested last month, and the latest stream of positive PS3 information suggests that the Japanese giant may be feeling the pressure of the competition. Only recently a Sony Online Entertainment employee was fired for criticizing Sony's new console and for suggesting that other colleagues believe X360 to be a more capable machine. It is certain that Microsoft will have been handed a gift from Sony should the PS3 launch be delayed but we will have to wait until E3, 2006 before we can confirm any such news. ...

Major article from Lik Sang:

The long-awaited "Second Edition" of the Korean Linux handheld game system and "personal entertainment player" GP2X is now in stock and shipping within 24h. The units shipping from Lik Sang are no longer part of the "First Edition" bunch. Next to the main system we are stocking all five official accessories including the hot GP2X TV-Out Cable and compatible SanDisk Secure Digital (SD) flash cards. All pre-orders are being dispatched while you are reading these lines and new orders are welcome for immediate shipping. All GP2X systems are tested inside walls at Lik-Sang.com before being expedited. Only fully functional units are leaving our logistics center.

Please note that the GP2X AC Adapter is multivolt (100V - 240V, 50/60Hz) and therefore works worldwide. It comes with a European standard power cord, if you want to use it outside of Europe you simply have to use a power cord from another device (such as a PS1 or PS2 console, FM radio or an electric shaver).

For all you new GP2X owners out there, we have also taken the time to write a summary of the happenings around the GP2X and available homebrew software since the release of its First Edition last Christmas. The First Edition was the first production run that was supposed to ship solely to Korea in small quantities only, but made it through various channels and smaller resellers through out the complete planet. Due to the quality (manufacturing and firmware-wise), Lik Sang decided not to sell the First Edition units until a more stable version is available.

Please make sure to use all files mentioned in this article at your own risk. Most of the games, applications, utilities and other freeware are provided "as is" by the authors that created them. Be careful also when updating your system's firmware with the official files from Gamepark Holdings, as reports of bricking (damaging beyond repair) of handhelds have been made by some users installing these.

TV-Out Feature in High Resolution

Play games, videos, music, view photos and read E-Books also on the big screen! GP2X's TV-Out function uses the high-quality S-Video standard via the official TV-Out cable. Resolution can go up to 720x480 according to scene insider Guyfawkes' GP2X guide (PDF file, more info on this guide further below). With officially released firmware versions 1.2.1 and 1.2.0, Gamepark Holdings enabled TV-Out play of games in 480x720 resolution. For comprehensive info on firmware and download links, please see the respective chapter below. There is also an official TV-Out utility (which needs at least firmware 1.1.0 to be installed first) and can be downloaded here. We expect some nice applications for the TV-Out feature from the scene in the near future.

More info at Lik Sang ...

Major article from Lik Sang:

The long-awaited "Second Edition" of the Korean Linux handheld game system and "personal entertainment player" GP2X is now in stock and shipping within 24h. The units shipping from Lik Sang are no longer part of the "First Edition" bunch. Next to the main system we are stocking all five official accessories including the hot GP2X TV-Out Cable and compatible SanDisk Secure Digital (SD) flash cards. All pre-orders are being dispatched while you are reading these lines and new orders are welcome for immediate shipping. All GP2X systems are tested inside walls at Lik-Sang.com before being expedited. Only fully functional units are leaving our logistics center.

Please note that the GP2X AC Adapter is multivolt (100V - 240V, 50/60Hz) and therefore works worldwide. It comes with a European standard power cord, if you want to use it outside of Europe you simply have to use a power cord from another device (such as a PS1 or PS2 console, FM radio or an electric shaver).

For all you new GP2X owners out there, we have also taken the time to write a summary of the happenings around the GP2X and available homebrew software since the release of its First Edition last Christmas. The First Edition was the first production run that was supposed to ship solely to Korea in small quantities only, but made it through various channels and smaller resellers through out the complete planet. Due to the quality (manufacturing and firmware-wise), Lik Sang decided not to sell the First Edition units until a more stable version is available.

Please make sure to use all files mentioned in this article at your own risk. Most of the games, applications, utilities and other freeware are provided "as is" by the authors that created them. Be careful also when updating your system's firmware with the official files from Gamepark Holdings, as reports of bricking (damaging beyond repair) of handhelds have been made by some users installing these.

TV-Out Feature in High Resolution

Play games, videos, music, view photos and read E-Books also on the big screen! GP2X's TV-Out function uses the high-quality S-Video standard via the official TV-Out cable. Resolution can go up to 720x480 according to scene insider Guyfawkes' GP2X guide (PDF file, more info on this guide further below). With officially released firmware versions 1.2.1 and 1.2.0, Gamepark Holdings enabled TV-Out play of games in 480x720 resolution. For comprehensive info on firmware and download links, please see the respective chapter below. There is also an official TV-Out utility (which needs at least firmware 1.1.0 to be installed first) and can be downloaded here. We expect some nice applications for the TV-Out feature from the scene in the near future.

More info at Lik Sang ...

See, whine long and loud enough and the boys at the boardroom table will hear your plight, dear consumer, and come to your aid. Well, perhaps in a more perfect world anyway, but at least on a case-by-case basis Apple's doing decently well for themselves on fixing where a fixing's needed. According to AppleInsider, AppleCare Repair Centers will begin processing nano display problems (specifically those screen cracks people keep decrying), which they claim has affected less than a tenth of a percent of nanos. Well done, now hows about issuing a patch for that mad scratchy acrylic they used on the damn things, eh?

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1510 ...

See, whine long and loud enough and the boys at the boardroom table will hear your plight, dear consumer, and come to your aid. Well, perhaps in a more perfect world anyway, but at least on a case-by-case basis Apple's doing decently well for themselves on fixing where a fixing's needed. According to AppleInsider, AppleCare Repair Centers will begin processing nano display problems (specifically those screen cracks people keep decrying), which they claim has affected less than a tenth of a percent of nanos. Well done, now hows about issuing a patch for that mad scratchy acrylic they used on the damn things, eh?

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1510 ...