Wednesday 16 December 2009

Toshiba Announces World’s First 64GB SDXC cards for Consumer Market

Few months after Pretec demonstrating its first SDXC prototype design during Cebit 2009 event, now Toshiba has announced the first commercial ready SDXC memory card for consumer market. Designed with 64GB memory capacity, it is claimed to be the world’s first high capacity memory card that is compliant with SD Memory Card version 3.00 standards.

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Although it seems to be still far away from the 2TB (TeraBytes) storage being technically stated by the new SDXC specification, but the 64GB is considered a huge milestone marching towards the targeted capacity. Besides featuring with such a high capacity sufficient for HD (High Definition) media files storage, the memory card is also designed with high performance level in mind. It is claimed to be able to scale up the data transmission speed with maximum of 35MBps and 60MBps at read and write speeds respectively. This is especially suitable for those high resolution video as well as digital still images capturing applications that could easily take up significant memory space without the need to inconveniently swap with few memory cards.

No pricing information yet, the new SDXC cards will be start sampling by November this year with its mass production schedule targeted on early next year. Meanwhile, the Japanese company is also planning to release both 16GB and 32GB SDHC memory cards by December this year.

Samsung Unveils Its Own Brand MicroSD, SD and CF Cards With Up to 16GB

Samsung is famous for its LCD Panel, smartphones, processors and varieties of Consumer Electronics device and now seems that the giant Korean company is planning to put its own name on the memory cards that are commonly used in electronics devices as memory expansion.

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As some of you may aware, Samsung has been manufacturing flash drives and sold them to third parties with rebranded name before reaching end users’ hands. And now it sees the market growth especially the memory card usages in mobile computing that triggers the change in its Go-to-Market strategy. Named as Premium ‘Plus’ Memory cards, they will be available in various formats such as microSD (Secure Digital), SD (Secure Digital) as well as CF (Compact Flash) with memory capacities ranging from 4GB, 8GB and up to 16GB suitable to be used in smartphone, digital camera, netbook as well as embedded applications.

Although it is not leading the market in terms of the memory capacity, but the new memory cards are compliant with Secure Digital Class 6 standard for easy compatibility with any SDIO controller standards with maximum read speed of 17MBps (SD/Micro SD cards) while the CF card can achieve up to 45MBps. Furthermore, all these are well packaged in durable silver metallic casing that can sustain good level of anti-shock and water proof for extreme environments.

No pricing information yet, the new memory cards will be commercialized by end of October in Taiwan market first, followed by other regions in short future.

Sandisk Announces 16GB microSDHC And Memory Stick Micro (M2) Mobile Memory Cards

The world’s largest supplier of flash storage cards, Sandisk Corporation has announced the availability of its new 16GB microSDHC and Memory Stick Micro (M2) mobile memory cards, which the company claims as the world’s largest removable storage capacity for mobile phones.



“Handsets have become far more than just phones – they’ve become mobile jukeboxes, mobile offices, even mobile movie theaters,” said Avi Greengart, Research Director for Mobile Devices at Current Analysis. “Flash memory cards have increased in storage capacity, but even an 8GB card may be too small for anyone with GPS map data, a few movies, a game or two, a presentation file and other applications. There is an acute need for more mobile storage capacity. 16GB gives consumers the ability to carry their digital content with them and still have room to do more with their mobile phones.”

The Sandisk’s 16GB microSDHC (MSRP of $99.99) and 16GB Memory Stick (M2) Micro (MSRP of $129.99) mobile memory cards are expected to be available at Best Buy Mobile stores and Verizon Wireless stores by October 2008.

Sony 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo Resolves Your Storage Problem

If you find your current 4GB Memory Stick is insufficient to store your video or image files, now you can try the Sony newest Memory Stick – the 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo. This latest memory stick has double the capacity of Sony’s previous memory stick and it can store up to 3,000 digital photos with 10-Megapixel resolution, or 4,100 songs in Atrac format, or 2,000 MP3 songs with an average length of 4 minutes, or 19 hours and 20 minutes of QVGA video in MPEG format.

sonymemorystickduo8gb.gifThe 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo comes complete with a standard size Memory Stick adaptor. This small-sized flash memory stick weighs merely 2g, and measures 0.79-inches wide and 1.22-inches long. Sony has given a 5-year warranty to users to ensure the stability of the product. Furthermore, a rescue software is also available for users to download free from Sony (www.sonydigital-link.com/memstick/). This software will enable users to quickly recover photographs or other files that may have been lost or accidentally deleted.

This new 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo is undoubtedly a brilliant invention that meets the most demanding of customers’ needs. 1167924773226.jpgIt can certainly reduce storage problems significantly. Having said that, users need to be aware that this new memory stick is only compatible with the latest Sony products. Make sure this device is working before you delete and clean off your old memory stick. This memory stick works well with Sony products such as Sony mylo personal communicator, Sony Ericsson mobile phones, the new PlayStation3 videogame console and all Cyber-Shot digital still cameras.

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Sony has double its 4GB storage capacity to 8GB

Next Generation Sony Memory Stick Potentially Integrated with TransferJet Technology

We mentioned about TransferJet technology since early last year and if you wonder what kind of Sony products will have this technology integrated in, the recent FCC filed by the Japanese company may able to give you some hint. Just recently, Sony submitted a FCC application for its Sony Memory Stick Duo, MS-JX8G and as you may aware, FCC is only required for those products that occupy certain radio spectrum for data transmission and that is a bit weird for this new submission unless there are wireless technology being designed into it.

Further checking on the FCC filing disclosed that the module will be run and tested on 4480MHz frequency band. If you recall, TransferJet occupies this spectrum span (but not any other 802.11a/b/g or even Bluetooth) and it is quite firm that the next generation Memory Stick Duo card may have the technology embedded into it. If this is true, it also means that users will be able to transform a normal mobile phone into a NFC (Near Field Communication) capable device easily by just plugging in the memory module. Although TransferJet is only meant for very short effective range around 1.25-inch, but with its high bandwidth of 560Mbps peak transfer and relatively lower power consumption as compared to other wireless technology, it could potentially become one of the prominent technologies especially on portable devices where battery life is one of the main concerns.

No information on availability yet, we can expect some NFC based module to be integrated directly into end consumer products, with this next generation memory card filling up the gap with simple plug and play capability to turn conventional mobile devices into it.

Sony Unveiled TransferJet Near Field Communication Technology for Wireless World

Sony has just unveiled a new wireless technology for short distance communication and data transfer. Known as TransferJet, it is targeted for high speed data transfer for near field wireless technology. With the backbone technology supported by UWB (Ultra Wide Band), TransferJet enables even higher speed wireless transfer of up to 560 Mbps, as compared to existing Wireless USB at only 480 Mbps.

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Obviously it stands a great advantage in terms of faster and higher transfer rate. Thanks to its direct-sequence spread spectrum modulation technique. However, the effective range of not more than 1.25-inch is not in favor of most of the applications. Anyway, it is hard to conclude which is more important as it depends on the application and actual usage. If you recall earlier NFC Trial Run, Tranferjet can offer more concrete solution for fast access to public transport and make electronic payment wirelessly. Even if compared to conventional wireless technology, the power consumption and signal interference are far lower due to shorter effective range and uncongested 4.5 GHz spectrum span.

Sony showcased the new wireless technology during CES in Las Vegas recently and we should expect the actual products to be commercialized in 2009.

New Pedestrian-to-Vehicle Communication using UWB Technology Targeted for Japan Market

We have mentioned about vehicle-to-vehicle communication plan in Japan earlier, now seems that the local YRP Ubiquitous Networking laboratory has announced a new protocol utilizing UWB (Ultra Wide Band) targeted for pedestrian-to-vehicle communication during Tronshow 2010 held in Tokyo last week.

The UWB communication utilizes an ultra wide bandwidth of about 1GHz range riding on a 3-5GHz frequency span and it can sustain as high as 100Mbps throughput suitable for various usages. And with its extremely efficient transmission power of around 0.1mW versus 50mW consumed by conventional 802.11a/b/g wireless technology, it can be used to link up to pedestrians’ mobile devices to electric-powered vehicles on the road so that they can be alerted in the form of ringing or light blinking on smartphone when an electric vehicle is approaching. According to the source, it can detect the vehicle positioning very accurately with less than 30cm error margin which is best fitted for this usage model. However, since it can detect the radius range of up to 30 meter (on straight road) only, the technology may not so effective for speeding vehicles (those faster than 40km/h) on the road. No information on when it will be implemented yet, this is one of the major milestones towards having human-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-vehicle communications once the necessary infrastructures are in place

Tuesday 15 December 2009

Booz and Company study: Companies continue to spend in research and development despite downturn

In the face of a severe global recession, the world's 1,000 largest publicly traded corporate research and development spenders increased spending on R&D in 2008, affirming the critical importance of innovation to their corporate strategies, according to global management consulting firm Booz & Company's fifth annual analysis of global innovation spending, released today.

R&D outlays for these companies rose by 5.7% to $532bn, even as sales were up only 6.5%. While the increase in 2008 R&D spend was less dramatic than 2007 's gain of 10%, it was just slightly less than the 7.1% global five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for R&D.

Overall, more than two thirds of companies maintained or increased their R&D spending in 2008, despite more than a third (34%) reporting that net income plummeted last year, according to the study. More than a quarter of companies decreased their R&D allocation in 2008.

Booz & Company analyzed the world's top 1,000 public corporate research and development spenders - the Booz & Company Global Innovation 1000 - in what continues to be the most comprehensive effort to assess the link between R&D and corporate performance. The study looked at R&D spending and its link to corporate performance, uncovering insights into how organizations can get the greatest return on their innovation investment. New to the study this year is an in-depth survey of nearly 300 senior managers and R&D professionals from 250 companies around the globe that probes the impact of the downturn on innovation spending and strategy.

Key findings of the report include:


Innovation is viewed as increasingly vital to corporate strategy. More than 90% of those surveyed say that innovation is critical as their companies prepare for the upturn, and fully 70% of respondents state their companies are either maintaining or increasing their spending on R&D in 2009, according to Booz & Company.

Furthermore, the top 100 companies in the Innovation 1000 clearly signaled their investment priorities by increasing R&D spending by 3.2% while reducing overall capital expenditures by 1%.

"Reducing efforts on innovation would be similar to unilateral disarmament in wartime," said Hatem Samman, the Director of the Ideation Center—Booz & Company's leading think tank in the Middle East. "Now is an opportune time to build advantage over competitors, especially weaker ones that may have to skimp on R&D for financial reasons. Overall, the study demonstrates an optimistic outlook on the part of the companies in the Innovation 1000."

Companies are spending more, but more wisely. "One result of the recession is that it has forced companies to think more carefully about their innovation processes and portfolios - for both good times as well as bad," observed Samman.

"This held true through the most turbulent quarters these companies have navigated, indicating they're ready to make smart bets that will pay dividends in the coming upturn."

Accordingly, the survey of senior managers and R&D directors reveals that seven in 10 companies are now adjusting their strategies to better capture changing customer requirements. Nearly half of the respondents report becoming more risk averse in their approach to innovation, changing the filters they apply when green lighting new R&D projects. , More than 40% said their companies are focusing on process improvements to change R&D spend during the downturn, and a similar number say they're getting better at killing bad projects, as well as focusing more on newer, more innovative, products that have the potential to grow faster.

The top 20 innovation spenders increased their budgets by just 3.2%. This gain is less than one-third the 10.7% rise in 2007 and was the result of a precipitous 35% drop in net income among the 20 companies, which fell from $115bn in 2007 to just $75bn in 2008. Still, the top 20 spenders accounted for 26% of spending by the entire Innovation 1000.

Recession's impacts on R&D vary widely by industry. In 2008, as last year, two-thirds of R&D spending was concentrated in three industries: computing and electronics (28%), health (23%), and automotive (16%).

•No industry felt the pain more than auto with nine out of the top 10 R&D spenders in the category cutting their innovation outlays in 2008. Overall, 60% of auto companies in the Global Innovation 1000 decreased R&D spending, compared with 25% who decreased R&D last year. Yet the remaining 40% of auto companies on the list increased spending enough that the auto sector on a net basis slightly increased R&D spending overall by 0.6%.
• The Software and Internet sector, on the other hand, clearly has seen the recession as an opportunity. Eight out of the industry's top 10 R&D spenders increased their R&D spending last year.
• R&D spending in the computing and electronics industry was up more than 4%, though the proportion of companies that increased R&D spending was essentially unchanged from last year.
• Healthcare companies spent the most on R&D as a percentage of sales -- 12% -- followed by Software and Internet (11.4%). In contrast Telecom, and Chemicals and Energy, spent the least, 1.4% and 0.9%, respectively.
• Aerospace and Defense was the only industry to see innovation spending sink, down 2.3%.

Every global region increased its spending. North American, European, and Japan-based companies retained their 94% share of the global 1000 innovation spend. Every region, including China and India, increased its expenditures, though they did so at slower rates. Japan upped its allocations by just 0.5%, Europe by 6.3% and North America, 6.5%. These levels were below the global five-year CAGR of 7.2%. In the Middle East, "Gulf Cooperation Council countries are moving ahead with plans to spur innovation through R&D", said Samman. Last September, one of the largest graduate research institutions in the region, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), was inaugurated. Backed by a $10bn endowment fund and partnership with internationally renowned research universities, KAUST is expected to partake in the fulfillment of the region's innovation aspirations. Indeed, additional billions in financial support, unabated by the global recession, are budgeted for R&D across the kingdom; some of these funds are administered by King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, and are intended to translate R&D activities into commercially viable results.

Additional study findings include:


•The top 10 global R&D spenders in 2008 were, in descending order: Toyota, Nokia, Roche Holding, Microsoft, General Motors, Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Ford, Novartis and sanofi-Aventis.
• R&D spending among the Global Innovation 1000 ranged from just under $9bn spent by #1 Toyota to the $58m spent by #1000 Laird PLC, a London-based maker of electronics equipment, a wide range that explains why the top 100 companies account for fully 62% of the total R&D spend of the Innovation 1000.
• Sales of the Global Innovation 1000 grew 6.5% to $15 trillion in 2008, a significantly smaller increase than the 10% increase this group registered in 2007, and R&D spending as a percentage of sales remained the same as the previous year, 3.6%.
• North American-headquartered companies on this year's list spent 4.6% of sales on R&D, a slight decrease compared with 2007, while Japanese-headquartered companies spent 3.7% of sales, significantly up from last year, and European-headquartered companies spent 3.2%, a decrease from the prior year.
• Booz & Company estimates that the Global Innovation 1000 accounts for 81% of 2008 total global corporate R&D spending of $660bn.

Booz & Company Global Innovation 1000: Study Methodology


Booz & Company identified the 1,000 public companies around the world that spent the most on research and development in 2008 (companies for which public data on R&D spending was available).

Booz & Company analyzed key financial metrics for each of the top 1,000 companies for 2001 through 2008 — sales, gross profit, operating profit, net profit, R&D expenditures, and market capitalization. All expenditure figures were translated into U.S. dollars according to the average exchange rate for the year. In addition, total shareholder return was gathered and adjusted for each company's corresponding local market total shareholder return.

Each company was coded into one of 10 industry sectors (or "other") according to Bloomberg's industry designations, and into one of five regional designations according to reported headquarters locations for each company. To enable meaningful comparisons across industries on R&D spending levels, Booz & Company indexed the R&D spending level and financial performance metrics for each company against the median R&D spending level for that industry.

Booz & Company also conducted a web-based survey of over 300 senior managers and R&D professionals from 250 different companies around the globe in order to better understand the recession's impact on R&D spending and strategy. The companies participating represented more than $230bn in R&D spending, or 44% of the total Innovation 1000 R&D spending for 2008. Respondents came from all 10 industry sectors; geographically, 49% came from North America, 38% from Europe, 13% from Asia, and less than 1% from the rest of the world.

Thinnest 2.5-inch Hard Disk Drive Arrives

Seagate Technology has announced the Momentus Thin drive, the 'world’s thinnest 2.5-inch hard disk drive' for ultra-portable and entry-level laptops and high-end netbooks, backup devices and consumer electronics.



At 7mm in height – 25 percent slimmer than traditional 9.5mm 2.5-inch laptop hard drives – the Momentus Thin drive gives original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and system integrators significantly lower cost-per-gigabyte storage than solid state and 1.8-inch drives, enabling a new breed of entry-level thin laptops.

Of all netbook computers available today, 90 percent feature 9.5mm 2.5-inch laptop drives because solid state and 1.8-inch hard drives are largely cost-prohibitive for this market.

"The Momentus Thin drive promises to help computer makers differentiate on mobile-computing form factor and better compete in the fast-growing markets for thin laptop PCs and netbooks," said Dave Mosley, executive vice president of Sales, Marketing and Product Line Management at Seagate. "Seagate is committed to helping its OEM and system integrator partners meet market demand for thinner laptop PCs and plans to expand storage capabilities for thin laptops as demand for these slimmer models continues to grow."

The Momentus Thin drive enables thin-chassis designs in all segments of notebook computing and allowing OEMs both to design in greater value on high-end netbooks for easier upselling and to create a wider value differentiation between consumer and commercial laptop PCs.

The Momentus Thin drive features two capacity points – 250GB and 160GB – an 8MB cache, a Serial ATA 3Gb/second interface and a 5400RPM spin speed. The drive is scheduled to ship to Seagate's OEM and integrator partners in January 2010.

Panasonic launches uniquely-designed 360º quick steam dry irons

The latest technology has been launched in the Middle East with a range of Panasonic's award winning quick steam dry irons capable of 360 degree of easy movement, reducing ironing time by 25% when compared to corded irons.


360º quick steam dry iron.

These new Made in Japan irons have a unique elliptical-shaped oversized soleplate which is pointed on both ends. User friendly and ergonomically designed, these irons allows for a smooth 360 degree movement. Easier and faster, the 360º irons save 25% energy and time at every ironing.

The 360º quick stem irons has received the 2010 innovation award in the Home Appliance Category from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA). This award recognizes products that exemplify excellence in design and engineering based on innovation, value, aesthetics and contribution to consumer's quality of life.

"Ironing in today's busy schedule needs to be quick and easy. Our new range of 360º quick dry steam irons does precisely this. Ergonomically designed, it balances perfectly in the hand, minimizing strain on the hands and arms. The unique design of the sole plate allows for quicker, easier, and effortless ironing in any direction,"


said Yasushi Sugita, Product Manager - Home Appliances.

The inventive sole plate is slightly curved outward and pointed at both ends, allowing the iron to move smoothly from side to side. Also, the increased number of steam holes boosts the amount of moisture, making it easy to iron out creases without difficulty.

The new 360º iron comes in three models; the JW670 incorporates a ceramic soleplate, whereas the JW660 and the JW650 incorporate titanium soleplates. All the models have a 200cc water capacity, with 30g of steam production.

These new irons are well balanced and do away with turning while ironing. The Panasonic 360º Quick Dry Steam irons are available in stores across the Middle East now.

Biz Break: An even greener Prius? Plug-in on the way. Toyota

Today: Toyota is rolling out its plug-in Prius hybrid. Plus: "Dogfooding" the Google phone; eBay v. Craigslist continues; Oracle-Sun deal more likely; Sun stock soars.

Coming soon: plug-in Prius

Prius owners, we know you love your pioneering gasoline-electric hybrids — both for the money you save on fuel and the environmentally friendly statement your car makes, especially in an eco-conscious area like Silicon Valley.

Toyota announced today that an even greener Prius is on the way. A plug-in model of the popular hybrid will be available in limited numbers (about 600 worldwide) for lease, mostly to government and business customers. The rest of us can buy one starting sometime in 2011. Toyota didn't reveal a price, but an executive said it will be a "viable option" for many customers.

According to our friends at The Associated Press, the plug-in Prius is made possible by an improved lithium-ion battery. The plug-in Prius can travel about 14 miles powered by electricity. After that, its gas engine kicks in.

According to AP, Toyota wants feedback from its lease customers before bringing the plug-in Prius to a wider market. "We have been working on developing efficient powertrains to be able to use oil as efficiently as possible," Executive Vice President Takeshi Uchiyamada said. "But many hurdles remain for alternative fuels."

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines PSP

Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines

For the first time, become a Master Assassin on the PSP system with Assassin's Creed: Bloodlines. Follow the story of Altair immediately following the events of Assassin’s Creed and track down the last of the Templars who have fled the Holy Land and retreated to the Island of Cyprus. [SCEA]

Little Big Planet PSP

LittleBigPlanet
Step into LittleBigPlanet and discover a world of endless possibilities, where imagination is everything. Whatever you can see, you can enhance. And whatever you don’t see, you can invent. All you need is curiosity, creativity and a thirst for fun: LittleBigPlanet provides the rest! Set off with Sackboy to explore an incredible array of environments, where every object is ripe for investigation and interaction. Overcome all manner of bamboozling obstacles to gain the skills you need to build your own unique creations, then share them with the world. LittleBigPlanet brings the revolutionary PlayStation 3 hit to PSP in stunning style. Featuring the same iconic look and ground-breaking game design, with LittleBigPlanet for PSP, the power of play is in your hands. [SCEE]

Tekken 6 PSP

Tekken 6Tekken 6 sees the return of many familiar faces as well as new characters to create the largest line-up the series has ever seen. With a growing roster of fighters, each equipped with their own deadly techniques, martial art moves, and attack combinations, Tekken 6 promises to be the best "King of Iron Fist Tournament" yet. Adding to the already rich gaming experience, a deeper character customization feature will only enhance the incredible fighting intensity as players go mano-y-mano. Optimized for the PSP system, Tekken 6 not only contains all the explosive action of its home console brethren but also feature additional stages, content, items, and an ad-hoc multiplayer mode. Fighting amongst friends is encouraged as players can battle wirelessly against each other using original or fan favorite characters. Rounding out its list of impressive features is the return of the Ghost Infrastructure mode, which allows players to upload their "ghost" character data and download others' from the Internet onto their PSP system. When players have reached the height of their Tekken fighting skills, they will be able to see how they stack up against others through the game’s network support. [Namco Bandai Games]

Monday 14 December 2009

Microsoft's 2010 DreamBuildPlay Contest Now Open

The Microsoft Dream.Build.Play/Old Spice challenge is now open!!! This year we decided to kick it up a notch and bring to you a challenge like never before. We are looking for you to create a game that will not only blow our minds, but will also find innovative and creative ways to implement the Old Spice brand. Plus, $135,000.00 (USD) in prizes is on the line and there are 2 ways to compete!!!

In 2010, Old Spice is launching a collection of 4 fresh scents inspired by some of the freshest places on Earth: Matterhorn, Fiji, Denali and Cyprus. To get guys excited about these products, they need your help!

Of course the obvious question is what do you get for this? Well, other than pure satisfaction? The folks at Old Spice really wanted to make this worth your while and are offering a Grand Prize (Best Branded Game) for the Microsoft Old Spice challenge worth $60,000.00 (USD)! Submit your game to both the Microsoft Old Spice challenge and the Standard Dream.Build.Play challenge (same as previous years) and you can win both, and walk away with a cool $100,000.00 (USD)!!!

True Crime Announced at 2009 VGAs

Activision debuted a trailer for the previously unannounced True Crime revival. Simply titled True Crime, it appears to take place in Hong Kong, with Triad crime organizations play a chief role. We'll be sure to update you with more information as it becomes available.

Borderlands Gets Title Update

A post to the Xbox 360 section of Gearbox's Technical Support forums detailed what the title update—which, if you haven't received it already, will be automatically downloaded and installed the next time you load up the game—is intended to fix:
• Characters that have lost skill points will have them returned the next time they are loaded

• Most instances involving character data loss when playing online should no longer occur

• Item cards now display the intended five lines of text

• Achievements should now unlock properly. Players should automatically receive achievements that did not unlock correctly

• Fixed a progression issue in the Find Steele mission - characters affected by this issue should now be able to continue progressing

• Some issues involving external data manipulation of the backpack and character level have been addressed

• The auto-aim option should now fully disable auto-aim properly

• Fixed a bug that kept challenges and achievements from unlocking for the rest of a session after visiting arenas

• Fixed some formatting issues with the server list screen.

• Fixed an issue causing servers to report the incorrect plot mission.

• Proficiency progress to the next level should no longer be lost when leaving a multiplayer game as a client

• Lilith's "Silent Resolve" skill now works as intended

• Fixed a bug that allowed Mordecai to spawn multiple Bloodwings

• Mordecai's "Loaded" skill now increases mag capacity by 20%

• Roland's "Scattershot" skill has had its spread adjustment corrected, and damage now increases at +5 per level

Spec Ops: The Line CG Trailer

Set in Dubai, little information is known so far concerning Spec Ops: The Line, other than what appears to be a heavy emphasis on weather effects and the sandstorm itself as a gameplay factor.

As promised today we bring you the official trailer for 2K Games' Spec Ops: The Line.














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MTV Games Announces Green Day: Rock Band

GREEN DAY, MTV GAMES, HARMONIX AND WARNER BROS. / REPRISE RECORDS ANNOUNCE GREEN DAY: ROCK BAND™



Artist Likenesses, Defining Albums from the Band’s Career and Exportable Track List to be Featured in Green Day Music Game Experience

Green Day 3-Pack Joins Rock Band DLC Line-Up on Tuesday, December 15th

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK – Dec. 12, 2009 – Multi-platinum selling and Grammy® Award winning group Green Day, along with Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), and Warner Bros./Reprise Records today announced at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards that they are collaborating on the standalone title Green Day: Rock Band™.

“We’ve worked with the Rock Band team in the past year to enable our fans to play tracks from 21st Century Breakdown, and we’re excited to now be working on a game, spanning our entire career,” said Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong. “We want people to fire this up, choose their favorite Green Day tracks, and play along with us as Rock Band avatars so they can feel what it's like to perform on stage as Green Day."

The game is an extension and expression of Green Day’s most-defining albums and key moments throughout their career to date. It will feature likenesses of Green Day members Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool, as well as select venues and art specific to the band's history. The title will be available globally in 2010 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and Wii™ system from Nintendo. In addition, the track list will be fully exportable, giving players the opportunity to play the songs in Rock Band™ and Rock Band 2™ on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation3.

"Green Day's music and explosive live performances transcend age barriers," says Tom Whalley, Chairman/CEO, Warner Bros. Records. "By partnering with the band and Harmonix, Warner Bros./Reprise is thrilled to help create a Rock Band experience devoted exclusively to their impressive catalog. This game will appeal to fans of all ages, including those who love their recent best-selling albums and those who've loved Green Day throughout their long, incredible career."

“It's very exciting to work closely with Green Day to create an experience that captures the incomparable sound, look and feel of the band,” said Paul DeGooyer, SVP of Electronic Games and Music for MTV Networks Music Group. “'Green Day: Rock Band' is yet another example of how music fans can connect with some of the greatest music ever recorded via the Rock Band platform.”

“This game will feel like a natural extension of Green Day and their music that will deepen the fans’ connection to the band and their history,” said Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix Music Systems. “Fans will be able to enjoy some of the greatest songs from the Green Day catalogue in this standalone game or via Rock Band due to full export capability. We are thrilled to work with Green Day to revisit key moments from their career, including their likenesses, content and imagery, through our innovative form of musical interaction.”

This latest Rock Band title aims to encapsulate the spirit and energy of a band that has sold more than 50 million records worldwide and been hailed as one of the best live acts touring today. Green Day has won critical acclaim and numerous accolades, including Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Album for Dookie, Best Rock Album for American Idiot and Record of the Year for their smash hit "Boulevard of Broken Dreams." Earlier this year, Green Day released their eighth studio album, 21st Century Breakdown, on Warner Music Group’s Reprise Records. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top 200 chart, as well as on the Rock, Active Rock and Alternative charts, fueled by the alternative radio No. 1 single “Know Your Enemy.”

In addition to the game announcement, Green Day will bring three more tracks from 21st Century Breakdown to the Rock Band Music Store as downloadable content on Tuesday, December 15th. The three pack of songs will include, "Christian's Inferno," "Last of the American Girls," and "¡Viva La Gloria!," all from 21st Century Breakdown. These songs, as well as Green Day tracks previously released on the Rock Band platform, will be supported in Green Day: Rock Band.

The Rock Band platform stands next to none with more than 1,000 songs available from more than 390 artists. With more choices for fans than any other music-based videogame, Rock Band is, without question, the industry leader in providing the best selection of interactive musical content, songs and artists. Rock Band offers content in a unique way, through on-disc gameplay, game export, downloadable content, and soon with the Rock Band Network, which allows bands and labels to author their songs into downloadable playable Rock Band tracks. The Rock Band platform allows fans to interact with their favorite music in a unique and hands-on way, as well as giving artists the ability to reach fans through a whole new channel.

Halo: Reach First Look Trailer

Step into the boots of a Spartan II and prepare for the first look at “Halo: Reach,” the highly anticipated prequel to the “Halo” trilogy from acclaimed developer Bungie coming fall 2010. The very first “Halo: Reach” video had its worldwide debut last night during the Spike TV Video Game Awards by actress Tricia Helfer, offering gamers a taste of the story to come.

Taken from part of the game’s opening cinematic, the video provides the first look at the story of “Halo: Reach,” which introduces players to Noble Team, a squad of battle-hardened Spartan soldiers. “Halo: Reach” charts the story of Noble Team in their heroic stand to defend the planet Reach, its people and secrets against a ruthless assault by an alien collective known as the Covenant.


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“Halo: Reach” is being published by Microsoft Game Studios and launches in the fall of 2010 exclusively on Xbox 360. The “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta is coming spring 2010, which players can access exclusively through “Halo 3: ODST.”

Batman: Arkham Asylum Sequel Officially Announced

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces Sequel to the Critically Acclaimed Batman: Arkham Asylum™ Video Game

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Will Publish the Rocksteady Studios Sequel Worldwide

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced that it will be the worldwide publisher of the sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum™, one of the year’s most highly reviewed and top-selling video games. The sequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum is currently in development with Rocksteady Studios and is based on DC Comics’ core Batman property. Fans can visit www.arkhamhasmoved.com to sign up to receive updates regarding the game.

“We are thrilled to build a global game franchise from Batman: Arkham Asylum, which is receiving an incredible response from gamers and Batman fans around the world,” said Martin Tremblay, President, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Rocksteady has taken Batman to a new level in the video game space and we are committed to delivering a sequel the fans will love.”

“Getting the opportunity to create Batman: Arkham Asylum and seeing its success has been a dream come true for the team,” said Sefton Hill, Game Director, Rocksteady Studios. “We are honored to create the next chapter in this compelling story and promise to deliver another game worthy of the DARK KNIGHT.”

Gold PS3 Released For The Geeks With Deep Pockets Read more: http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/tech-news/gold-ps3-released-for-the-geeks-with-deep-

gold-ps3-playstation-3-300x280Dec.12, (THAINDIAN NEWS) Sony is a Japanese company known for making category killer electronic devices and gadgets. When it created the gaming console market and resented the users its ace gaming console PlayStation the gamers were amazed. The latest follow up to the PlayStation is PS3. It is a feature rich and advanced gaming console that has seriously powerful hardware. Sony also offers Blu-Ray playback with the PS3. There are some versions of PS3 available in the market and the console has found many takers among the avid gamers.

In fact the Sony PS3 offers stiff competition to Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Nintendo Wii. It has sold on millions worldwide and despite the stiff cost the demand never goes down for PS3.However, the uber rich people have a tendency to buy customized version of gadgets that are exorbitantly overpriced and outside the rich of the mass. It is for these people Computer Chopper has released a Special version of PS3. The 24k Gold version of PS3 has been strategically released before the Christmas.

It looks stylish and gorgeous for sure but to take it home a buyer needs to shell out a whopping amount of $4999. Compared to this piece of sheer luxury a basic regular version of PS3 is sold at $299. However, there will not be many takers for the Gold PS3. The US economy has recovered from one of its worst times. Average American families are hardly in a position to afford this customized version ofgaming console.

Saturday 12 December 2009

Dante’s Inferno “Divine Edition” Unveiled as PS3 Exclusive

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I know it’s the season of goodwill and all and we probably shouldn’t be talking about Hell and things like that until at least the New Year, but some things are just too important to wait, such as Visceral Games’ devilish announcement today that the special “Divine Edition” of forthcoming game Dante’s Inferno will be a PS3 exclusive. Anyone who buys the game on PlayStation 3 will automatically get the special edition, which includes developer commentaries, a Wayne Barlow digital book, the game soundtrack and a digital version of the complete Longfellow translation of Dante Alighieri’s Inferno, all for the standard retail price of $59.99, which can’t be bad. And as if all that wasn’t enough to make PS3 owners feel very smug indeed, Visceral Games also announced that a Dante’s Inferno downloadable demo for PS3 will be available for free on the PlayStation Network from today, whereas Xbox owners will have to wait until December 24th for their demo to appear on Xbox LIVE.

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“We are thrilled to offer an exclusive game pack for PlayStation 3 games,” said Jonathan Knight, executive producer for Dante’s Inferno. “The PlayStation platform has a long history of delivering AAA action/adventure games. Adding Dante’s Inferno to that rich catalogue is very exciting for the team. And with the demo now available on the PlayStation Network, players can finally get a taste of what awaits them in the full game on Feb 9th.”

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In the Dante’s Inferno “Gates of Hell” demo, players will experience Dante Alighieri’s re-imagined past, when as a crusader he returns to Florence only to find that his beloved Beatrice has been murdered. This tragic event leads him on a journey to the Gates of Hell and beyond where he must face all manner of horrors and demons, including Death himself. The demo actually serves as an introduction to Dante’s journey through the nine circles of hell in the full game.

Dante’s Inferno will be released for PlayStation 3 on 9th February 2010 in North America, and has been rated M for Mature by the ESRB.

Yakuza 3 Makes It To PS3

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Fans of the realistic, gritty Yakuza series have been desperate to see the game finally make the leap to a next-gen console, and now they have the news they’ve been waiting for, with SEGA of America announcing that Yakuza 3 is coming to the PS3 in March 2010. Set in modern-day Japan, on the streets of Okinawa and Tokyo – one of the most exciting and mesmerizing cities on earth, this latest installment in the violent crime saga follows on from the events of the previous game, with Kiryu Kazuma and Haruka, his adopted daughter, having left Kamurochoto to run an orphanage in Okinawa. That’s all very nice, but it doesn’t make for a very exciting action game, so it’s not too long before Kazuma is dragged back into the shady life that he thought he’d left behind. Aside from the intense fighting on the streets of Okinawa and Tokyo that is one of the signatures of the series, what I’m really excited about is getting to explore Tokyo on foot, eating in restaurants, buying things in shops. You’ll even be able to play mini-games such as billiards and karaoke, just like a brutally bloody and violent version of Shenmue without the kitten! Cannot wait!

New Medal of Honor Game Announced For PS3

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EA has today announced the latest incarnation of their Medal of Honor™ series. For the first time in the franchise’s 10-year run, Medal of Honor will focus on a theatre of war other than WWII, namely Afghanistan. The all-new FPS will introduce the Tier 1 Operator, a secretive entity working under the auspices of the National Command Authority who undertake missions that no one else wants to deal with. The game’s developers have been closely liaising with actual Tier 1 Operators from the US Special Operations Community to ensure that they bring the most authentic modern war experience possible to the series (I hear that’s worked well for another popular franchise!). The game has been inspired by real events, and aims to focus on the will, mindset and professionalism of the modern-day elite soldier.

Both single- and multiplayer campaigns are currently in development .

“When we first set out to reinvent Medal of Honor, we wanted to stay true to its roots of authenticity and respect for the soldier but bring it into today’s war. The Tier 1 Operator is the most disciplined, deliberate and prepared warrior on the battlefield. He is a living, breathing, precision instrument of war,” said Greg Goodrich, executive producer, Medal of Honor. “We are honored to have the rare opportunity to work closely with these men to create a game that shares their experience.”

Spike TV’s 2009 Video Game Awards show on 12th December will have a world-premier first look at the latest Medal of Honor game.

Prison Break Game On Way For PS3

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If you’re a fan of the Prison Break series then you’ll probably be excited to hear that there’s a PS3 game on the way based on the show, and we’ve got brand new, hot-off-the press screenshots here to prove it. Judging by the screenshots it’s going to be a very realistic depiction of the show.

“The ingenious plots and fast action of Prison Break thrill TV audiences around the world, and provide the ideal basis for a video game,” says Dr. Klemens Kundratitz, CEO of Koch Media. “The game will offer the same blend of action and suspense as the show, appealing to fans of the series as well as video gamers.”

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“Who doesn’t love the thrill of a prison break? It’s a great basis for any video game, but even better when utilizing the intricate storyline and colourful characters created for the Fox series,” says Gary Rosenfeld, senior vice president of New Media for Fox Licensing.

In the game you play Company agent Tom Paxton, who is sent to the Fox River State Penitentiary to investigate what caused Michael Scofield (the main character in the TV series) to become a bank robber seemingly out of the blue. The plot is designed to run parallel to the first season of Prison Break, so fans of the show should really get a kick out of seeing familiar characters, locations and scenarios from the past.

Prison Break is due for release on PS3 in March 2010.

Playstation 3 slim 120GB System

The PLAYSTATION®3 120GB system comes with free PlayStation®Network membership, built-in Wi-Fi and 120GB of hard drive storage for games, music and media. Every PS3™ slim system comes with a built-in Blu-ray player for pristine picture quality and the most advanced high-definition viewing experience available.http://www.moddergamer.com/images/PS3_slim.jpg