Microsoft claims it has made improvements to the way its support centres handle compromised Xbox Live accounts, and in most cases is returning them to their rightful owners within three days.
The claim comes from Alex Garden, general manager of Xbox Live, in a post on Major Nelson's blog to coincide with Safer Internet Day. He stresses the importance of users being vigilant in their use of personal information online, and says that much is being done at Microsoft's end to ensure its systems remain secure.
The most striking claim, however, concerns how the company is dealing with the recent spate of account thefts. Users have found their accounts compromised and large amounts of Microsoft Points purchased with stored credit card data and spent on virtual goods in FIFA 12's Ultimate Team mode.
"Recovering compromised accounts - in a timely manner - is also a priority and an area where we've made, and will continue to make, improvements," he writes. "We have invested more resources in our account recovery process and as a result, for most new fraud cases we are now able to investigate and return accounts in three days.
"For users who have added strong proofs to their accounts, this may be as fast as 24 hours. We still have a few cases that are taking longer to fully recover and some refunds are still being processed, but we're making great strides.
"We hope our customers are experiencing the improvements first-hand. We do not take lightly the frustrations we've heard from our loyal Xbox Live members and remain committed to addressing and persistently resolving our customers' individual and collective concerns."
If true, it's certainly an improvement on the 25-day timeframe the company was originally giving users whose accounts had been hacked. There are still reports on forums, however, from Xbox Live members whose cases are still outstanding more than a month after they first informed Microsoft; clearly, much remains to be done

http://www.edge-online.com/news/micr...nts-three-days ...

Come spring you'll finally be able to get your grubby paws on that droid-based console you've been looking for. Microsoft's Major Nelson let slip in a series of tweets that the Star Wars Xbox 360 Kinect bundle will land on April 3rd. The set, which was first unveiled, fittingly, at Comic Con, is dressed up like R2-D2 and ships with a C-3P0-themed controller, a white Kinect sensor and the games Star Wars Kinectand Kinect Adventures. The 320GB system will run you $449, so start saving up those Galactic Credits now.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/07/m...laxy-close-to/ ...

Microsoft has confirmed news revealed by MCV last month that Kinect Star Wars will be released in April.
The game will carry an RRP of £39.99 and land at UK retail on April 3^rd. The Special Edition R2-D2 styled Xbox 360 console will land on the same day for £349.99.
The game will include five modes – Jedi Destiny: Dark Side Rising, Podracing, Rancor Rampage, Galactic Dance Off and Duels of Fate.
LucasArts has also revealed that Jedi Destiny mode will now also include space battles and gamers will get the chance to ride Speeder Bikes and Landspeeders. Users will also get the chance to square off against Darth Vader and Count Dooku.
In addition, those who buy the SE hardware will receive a code to unlock C3-PO in the Galactic Dance Off mode.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/april...ar-wars/090850 ...

Stephen Toulouse, the man responsible for policing the not-so Wild West that we like to call Xbox Live is calling it a day. Announcing the news on his personal site, he told readers that the split was amicable, adding that he had no particular plans beyond visiting his family and taking it easy. Microsoft has declined to comment on any eventual successor just yet, but released a statement saying that "the Xbox Live Enforcement Squad will continue their work to help ensure a safer and more secure experience on Xbox Live for our nearly 40 million members." Admittedly, the online squad's had more luck than a certain competitor.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/06/d...ave-microsoft/ ...

Nearly everyone has heard of phantom limb syndrome. It occurs sometimes after a limb is amputated, but the mind of the patient still thinks that the limb is attached. Generally regarded as a mix-up in the wiring of the damaged nerves, a phantom limb can be very painful. [Ben] has been working on a way to alleviate some of the pain and frustration associated with a phantom limb and fortunately for us he went for a Kinect, VR goggles, and gyroscope build.
Today, most therapies for phantom limb syndrome use a Ramachandran Mirror Box. The theory behind the mirror box is pretty simple – if someone recently lost a hand, just insert one hand in one side of the box and the arm stump on the other side. Looking into the box from the side with the good hand will trick the patient’s brain into thinking the amputated hand is still there. It’s a good therapy that has been very successful, but [Ben] thought he could do something that is a little more immersive.
[Ben]‘s project uses a Kinect and VR goggles to put the patient in a virtual environment. With the help of a few gyroscopes, the patient gets a virtual representation of their whole self projected into their goggles. The technique isn’t terribly different from VR phobia treatment, although there’s much more electronics and math involved in [Ben]‘s build. The first test subject said his pain was going down, so it looks like he might have a success on his hand (no pun intended).

http://hackaday.com/2012/02/06/repla...with-a-kinect/ ...

Hypership out of Control Dev claims XBLIG has been buried by the new dashboard.

Developer Kris Steele has posted a graph on his blog which he claims proves the Xbox Live Indie Games platform isn't growing.
After the Xbox Live dashboard was redesigned, XBLIG was moved, and this has prompted some to claim the marketplace has been "burried".

The graph shows first day and first week trials for several of Kris's games, which shows that his latest game, "Hypership Still out of Control" saw a marked decrease in the number of first day and first week trials.
Though Kris acknowledges there may be mitigating factors, he points out that after each tweak to the dashboard, his games have had fewer trials despite their having sold more actual copies.

http://www.develop-online.net/news/3...says-developer
...

A design director at developer Volition has claimed that any next-gen move to block the use of pre-owned software “would be fantastic”.
“I think this would be a fantastic change for our business and even though the consumers would be up in arms about it at first they will grow to understand why and that it won’t kill them,” Jameson Durallstated.
“The system is already there for Microsoft, all they’d have to do is use the DLC and codes model they have to tie a game to your Xbox live account. Each retail disc would likely need that unique key somewhere in the code so the account would be able to link it properly.”
Durall even goes on to speculate how Microsoft could tackle some of the issues such a strategy would introduce.
“It does have its faults that would have to ironed out like game rental,” he added. “I’m a fan of rental companies because they have to buy copies of the game to be able to rent them out and if someone likes the game, there is a chance they would purchase it for themselves.
“I could see Microsoft implementing their own rental service which would maybe give them a code that activates the game for X days and they are charged a small amount. This could work when you borrow the disc from someone or even with digital download of the full version. “
As would perhaps be expected from a developer, Durall also has grave predictions of what will happen to gaming if the ‘problem’ of pre-owned is not tackled.
“I fully believe that we have to do something about these issues or our industry is going to fall apart,” he argues. “People often don’t understand the cost that goes into creating these huge experiences that we put on the shelves for only $60.
“They also don’t seem to realize how much they are hurting us when they buy a used game and how pirating a copy is just plain stealing. Maybe something as simple as educating them could help solve the problem.
“I know that some will say I’m not considering the retail games stores and the impact something like this would have on them…but remember they were doing fine well before the used games market became such a staple of their business. The truth is, they aren’t concerned with how this business is affecting us so why should I care how these changes will affect them?
“Every game I buy is NEW from Amazon.com and it arrives at my door on or close to release day, shipped free with no tax. The proper revenue also gets to the Developer that created it…how could a retail store ever get more convenient than that?”

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/next-...ntastic/090785 ...

Pugilists with a penchant for downloads will be delighted to hear that Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition has been added to Xbox Live's Games on Demand list. No longer are you forced to download that ordinary, boring Street Fighter IV -- a Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Edition download will set you back $29.99.

Now, before you go rushing to download this, we'd be remiss if we didn't point out that you could buy a physical copy of Super Street Fighter IV: Arcade Editionfor $19.99, a whole $10 off the price to download.

http://www.joystiq.com/2012/02/04/su...mes-on-demand/ ...

Tonight another of our sites sees a revamp which tidies the look of the site and also improves the sites ability to be seen in google, adding to that a new link section to repairs and modifications for those into that. Our Xbox360 site is nearing its 8th Birthday this year, how time flies.

Check out the revamped site here --> http://xbox360.dcemu.co.uk/ ...