Looking to harness the real power inside of your Pre (or Pre Plus) -- and you've upgraded to webOS 1.4? If that's the case, you're going to love what a couple of Palm-loving hackers have come up with. Namely, a major overclock kernel patch for the device which boosts the CPU speed from a measly 500MHz all the way up to a finger-searing 800MHz (there's also a more tame 720MHz variation available). The two phone magicians, unixpsycho and caj2008, had previously tapped into the power of the Pre's CPU on webOS 1.3.5 with a small file that can be semi-easily installed using WebOSQuickInstall and a tiny bit of Linux command-line activity, and now it's on for 1.4. So far, it looks like phones being tested with the somewhat risky tweak haven't experienced too much of the normally expected issues (crashes, freezing, phones exploding). Also a surprise is the fact that the creators of the hack say battery life drain is only an additional 2-4 percent hit... though if you're already struggling to make it through a day, this could be the nail in the coffin. We installed the patch on a Verizon Pre Plus, and we definitely observed a noticeable bump in app load times and improved fluidity when working with the phone -- though we've already had one major crash. If you don't mind possibly destroying your phone and must have a faster device right now, you can check out the patch in action and learn how to get it yourself in the video after the break.

Update: This is the same patch we covered for 1.3.5, but now available for 1.4. Sorry for any confusion!

http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/26/p...-enjoy-at-one/ ...

What will Apple's next move be in mobile services? The company has already shaken up the mobile industry with its App Store, but more is surely to come.
We've been thinking about six ways Apple could jump when it comes to mobile services: Advertising; Mapping & Location; iTunes in the Cloud; Gaming, Apple TV Everywhere, and Social Media.
The conclusion: Apple has the potential to provide exciting new platforms and APIs on which developers can build, but it could also end up in competition with some of the companies in the iPhone space, from social gaming platforms like OpenFeint and streaming music services like Spotify through to Facebook and Foursquare on the social side of things.

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/36525...-entertainment ...

One of the world’s most recognised hackers has claimed to have developed a method to ‘crack’ the Apple iPad – weeks before the device even arrives at retail.
George Hotz shot to fame following his success in hacking Apple’s iPhone, developing a method for users to both use the device on any mobile network and install unauthorised software.
He has also claimed to have hacked the PS3, though Sony’s system seemingly remains piracy free for the time being.
Late last year Hotz released his latest iPhone-cracking software, blackra1n, which offers a one-click jailbreaking solution for users of the device. Now Hotz is claiming that blackra1n “will probably work on iPad too”.
With piracy proving such a huge problem in the iPhone market, the news – if true – will undoubtedly be a crushing blow to format holder Apple. However, don’t discount the possibility of Apple working in some sort of block to Hotz’s software before the iPad arrives next month.

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/38228/Hotz-claims-iPad-hack ...

Microsoft is preparing a Project Natal marketing push in June, promising a "World Premier" event to show off the motion control system on the Sunday before E3.

Held at the 10,000 capacity Galen Centre in LA, the event is to showcase the wide-ranging appeal of Natal, and will be followed on Monday by an official press conference.

"We’re gearing up for a really exciting E3 – unlike any E3 we’ve ever had before," Microsoft's Aaron Greenberg told VG247.

"As you may have heard, our traditional news briefing is on the morning of Monday, June 14. Additionally, as a kick off to the week, we will be hosting a can't-miss exclusive Project Natal World Premier experience designed for all ages and demonstrating the universal appeal of Xbox 360 on Sunday evening."

The system was first unveiled at E3 last year, but Microsoft has yet to show any significant software releases for Natal, or commit to a price or solid launch date.

Peter Molyneux said last month that he's found it frustrating that so far demos of the technology have only used early iterations of Natal, and that the software has been through "countless" revisions since it was first announced.

E3 is held June 15-17 this year, but as is traditional, the platform holders and major publishers will hold events before the official show dates in attempts to get better press coverage for their products.

The 2010 show looks to be one of the busiest in years, with rumours already circulating about new game announcements.

Earlier this week Nintendo pre-empted its competitors by revealing that it would show a brand new 3D handheld console at the event, and Sony has said that it will be unveiling more details of PlayStation Move and 3D games for the PlayStation 3.

In the same week, cloud gaming service OnLive is also set to go live to the public for the first time.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...al-blitz-at-e3 ...

The release of Sega's Yakuza 4 in Japan has had a marked effect on PlayStation 3 sales in the region, with Sony's home console outselling both the PSP and the Nintendo DS.

With 383,972 unit sales in its first week Yakuza 4 has also proven to be a significant system seller, with PS3 sales almost doubling to a total of 50,164 for the week.

This total put it well ahead of both portable consoles, whose own sales remained almost unchanged from the previous week. As such the PSP sold 39,508 units (including 1,491 for the PSPgo) and the DS sold 38,974 (DSi XL: 20,765, DSi: 14,256, DS Lite: 3,953).

The Wii was subsequently left in fourth place, with its sales also static at 31,101 units.

Sales of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 were also largely unchanged from the previous week at 2,419 and 1,711 units, respectively.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...sales-in-japan ...

Support for USB memory storage on the Xbox 360 will go live on April 6 courtesy of a system update.

After patching, flash drives will be able to store profiles, demos, game saves and full games, according to Larry Hryb, who also said that two drives can be plugged in to the console at once, with maximum storage of 16GB each.

"USB Hard drives may work, but like flash memory, you’ll only be able to use up to 16GB of space," he wrote on the official Microsoft blog.

"Since performance on flash based USB storage is usually better, I highly recommend using flash based instead of spinning media like a hard drive…it’s just going to give you a much better experience."

Although third-party storage devices can be used, Microsoft will also partner with SanDisk for an official 360 branded USB flash drive, to be released in May..

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...60-due-april-6 ...

We want to invite you to take a trip down memory lane as the Game & Watch™ series returns. These little LCD game gems were released thirty years ago and marked Nintendo’s first foray into portable games. They were the first ancestors of your Nintendo DSi and will now be available once more, exclusively on DSiWare. The first three titles are Chef, Judge and Mario's Cement Factory.

Also on DSiWare this week: You’ll need a steady hand as the pressure is on to rescue Leon's babies from the belly of Ms. Tum Tum in SUPER YUM YUM Puzzle Adventures. And you better watch your back as gangsters are prowling the neighbourhood in Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A.

Get ready for some frantic fun this week as Diner Dash® comes to WiiWare. Help Flo complete all her tasks in the allotted time and pair up with players online to compete for the best diner in town. Or go for the almost spiritual experience of Art of Balance, a physics-based puzzler with great production values. Critically acclaimed when released in North America, it hits Europe this week!

And that’s not all for Wii! The Hanabi Festival has been a great success so far and SQUARE ENIX gives us the honour of an encore with Ogre Battle®64: Person of Lordly Caliber, the first N64 title on Virtual Console since June! There’s more for Neo Geo as well, with the entry of FATAL FURY SPECIAL, which pits fighters of the first games in this classic series against all new characters in one of the best fighting games ever made.

WiiWare - Art of Balance
(Shin'en Multimedia, 800 Wii Points)
Grab your Wii Remote and balance as many bricks into stacks as possible in this physics-based puzzler. With over 100 levels to challenge not only your skills but also your imagination, the game is easy to pick up and hard to put away.

Make the most of the dedicated two player split-screen "versus" mode for extra fun or take on the challenge by yourself.

WiiWare - Diner Dash®
(HUDSON SOFT, 1000 Wii Points)
Diner Dash®, the number one PC Action Puzzle game has landed on WiiWare. Guide Flo, an office-worker turned restaurateur, as she builds up her empire over four unique diners. Go online to face players in head to head matches. If you feel up to the challenge, join up with a friend or another player online for a Team Dash game where your team will take on six other players to see whose diner is the best in town.

Players take direct control of Flo as she runs around to seat patrons, take orders, deliver food, take payment and bus tables as efficiently as possible within the time limit allowed. Players fond of the traditional control schemes may also use a point-and-click style with hotkeys to aid Flo in her quest for customer satisfaction, which is reflected in a heart meter that empties as customers lose patience. If the meter empties completely, then the customer will leave the restaurant.

Virtual Console - Ogre Battle®64: Person of Lordly Caliber
(SQUARE ENIX, Nintendo 64, 1200 Wii Points)
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber is a tactical RPG for the Nintendo 64. Featuring a gripping storyline with multiple possible endings, and a genre-defining character class system, this strategic game has rightly retained its place in the hearts of tactical RPG fans for over a decade.

The game tells the story of Magnus Gallant, a recently graduated officer of the Palatinean Army who is assigned to the troubled southern region of his native land. There he witnesses the plight of the lower classes – victims of a tyrannical ruling elite whose only thought is for the preservation of their own lofty status. With civil war brewing, Magnus is faced with a terrible choice: to betray his own noble origins in the name of liberty, or turn a blind eye to the evils of his rotten society.

Virtual Console - FATAL FURY SPECIAL
(D4 Enterprise, NEOGEO, 900 Wii Points)
This fighting game, originally released in 1993, pits a total of 15 different fighters against each other. The cast includes the original eight characters from Fatal Fury 2, along with previously unplayable characters Billy, Axel, Laurence and Wolfgang. Finally, three characters from the original Fatal Fury (Duck, Tung and Geese) have returned to the fight.

Building on the appeal from the previous game with its two-line battle system, its special moves and its powerful finishers, and further improving on the series' formula, this game is truly worthy of the title "special". Also, if certain conditions are met, special guest Ryo Sakazaki will make a shocking appearance.

NINTENDO DSiWare - Game & Watch™
Experience a piece of Nintendo history with the Game & Watch series on Nintendo DSiWare. Each title is a perfect recreation of a classic LCD game from the early 1980s, including normal Game A and alternate Game B modes.

And no Game & Watch title would be complete without the ‘Watch’ function - each title includes a fully functional clock and alarm.

Game & Watch™: Chef
(Nintendo, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)
In Chef, you are a cook, frantically flipping food with your frying pan for as long as you can. Watch out for the ...

We want to invite you to take a trip down memory lane as the Game & Watch™ series returns. These little LCD game gems were released thirty years ago and marked Nintendo’s first foray into portable games. They were the first ancestors of your Nintendo DSi and will now be available once more, exclusively on DSiWare. The first three titles are Chef, Judge and Mario's Cement Factory.

Also on DSiWare this week: You’ll need a steady hand as the pressure is on to rescue Leon's babies from the belly of Ms. Tum Tum in SUPER YUM YUM Puzzle Adventures. And you better watch your back as gangsters are prowling the neighbourhood in Gangstar 2: Kings of L.A.

Get ready for some frantic fun this week as Diner Dash® comes to WiiWare. Help Flo complete all her tasks in the allotted time and pair up with players online to compete for the best diner in town. Or go for the almost spiritual experience of Art of Balance, a physics-based puzzler with great production values. Critically acclaimed when released in North America, it hits Europe this week!

And that’s not all for Wii! The Hanabi Festival has been a great success so far and SQUARE ENIX gives us the honour of an encore with Ogre Battle®64: Person of Lordly Caliber, the first N64 title on Virtual Console since June! There’s more for Neo Geo as well, with the entry of FATAL FURY SPECIAL, which pits fighters of the first games in this classic series against all new characters in one of the best fighting games ever made.

WiiWare - Art of Balance
(Shin'en Multimedia, 800 Wii Points)
Grab your Wii Remote and balance as many bricks into stacks as possible in this physics-based puzzler. With over 100 levels to challenge not only your skills but also your imagination, the game is easy to pick up and hard to put away.

Make the most of the dedicated two player split-screen "versus" mode for extra fun or take on the challenge by yourself.

WiiWare - Diner Dash®
(HUDSON SOFT, 1000 Wii Points)
Diner Dash®, the number one PC Action Puzzle game has landed on WiiWare. Guide Flo, an office-worker turned restaurateur, as she builds up her empire over four unique diners. Go online to face players in head to head matches. If you feel up to the challenge, join up with a friend or another player online for a Team Dash game where your team will take on six other players to see whose diner is the best in town.

Players take direct control of Flo as she runs around to seat patrons, take orders, deliver food, take payment and bus tables as efficiently as possible within the time limit allowed. Players fond of the traditional control schemes may also use a point-and-click style with hotkeys to aid Flo in her quest for customer satisfaction, which is reflected in a heart meter that empties as customers lose patience. If the meter empties completely, then the customer will leave the restaurant.

Virtual Console - Ogre Battle®64: Person of Lordly Caliber
(SQUARE ENIX, Nintendo 64, 1200 Wii Points)
Ogre Battle 64: Person of Lordly Caliber is a tactical RPG for the Nintendo 64. Featuring a gripping storyline with multiple possible endings, and a genre-defining character class system, this strategic game has rightly retained its place in the hearts of tactical RPG fans for over a decade.

The game tells the story of Magnus Gallant, a recently graduated officer of the Palatinean Army who is assigned to the troubled southern region of his native land. There he witnesses the plight of the lower classes – victims of a tyrannical ruling elite whose only thought is for the preservation of their own lofty status. With civil war brewing, Magnus is faced with a terrible choice: to betray his own noble origins in the name of liberty, or turn a blind eye to the evils of his rotten society.

Virtual Console - FATAL FURY SPECIAL
(D4 Enterprise, NEOGEO, 900 Wii Points)
This fighting game, originally released in 1993, pits a total of 15 different fighters against each other. The cast includes the original eight characters from Fatal Fury 2, along with previously unplayable characters Billy, Axel, Laurence and Wolfgang. Finally, three characters from the original Fatal Fury (Duck, Tung and Geese) have returned to the fight.

Building on the appeal from the previous game with its two-line battle system, its special moves and its powerful finishers, and further improving on the series' formula, this game is truly worthy of the title "special". Also, if certain conditions are met, special guest Ryo Sakazaki will make a shocking appearance.

NINTENDO DSiWare - Game & Watch™
Experience a piece of Nintendo history with the Game & Watch series on Nintendo DSiWare. Each title is a perfect recreation of a classic LCD game from the early 1980s, including normal Game A and alternate Game B modes.

And no Game & Watch title would be complete without the ‘Watch’ function - each title includes a fully functional clock and alarm.

Game & Watch™: Chef
(Nintendo, 200 Nintendo DSi Points)
In Chef, you are a cook, frantically flipping food with your frying pan for as long as you can. Watch out for the ...

Put the pedal to the metal in a no-holds-barred arcade racing game that will challenge even the most experienced virtual drivers! Gaijin Entertainment is proud to announce the release Anarchy: Rush Hour, a new action racing game for the PS3. The eagerly anticipated offering is available for online purchase through PlayStation Network USA for $7.99.

In Anarchy: Rush Hour, players take the role of Max, a street racer who came to Big City to visit his girlfriend, only to witness her kidnapping. Max goes underground in Big City and learns that criminals with ties to a local street racing club are responsible. With the help of his friend and fellow street racer ChaCha, Max sets out to rescue his girl. Race through winding city streets, participate in over-the-top racing events and smash your way through outrageous traffic jams using an arsenal of adrenaline-powered devices. As you pull off stunts and obliterate opponents, the explosive action and stunning visual effects will rock your world!

Key Features:
- Real cities, real streets;
- Night and day cycle;
- Detailed vehicle damage;
- Dozens of sports cars and tuning options;
- Freedom to choose your own route;
- Hundreds of cars on the screen at once. ...