New Rock Band DLC Next Week - Disturbed 3 Pack
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under PS3, Video Games, Wii, XBOX 360
Harmonix and MTV Games today announced that a three pack of songs from American rockers Disturbed, as well as singles from Silversun Pickups, The Mother Hips and TRUSTcompany, will be added next week to the Rock Band Music Store of downloadable content for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii.
Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (March 2) and PlayStation 3 system (March 4):
- Disturbed – “Meaning of Life”
- Disturbed – “The Game”
- Disturbed – “Voices”
- The Mother Hips – “Third Floor Story”
- The Mother Hips – “White Falcon Fuzz” *
- Silversun Pickups – “Panic Switch”
- Silversun Pickups – “Sort Of”
- TRUSTcompany – “Downfall”
These tracks will be available for purchase as “Disturbed Pack 02” as well as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 system, and as individual tracks only on Wii. Tracks marked with a “*” will come out in Europe only on March 11.
Price:
$1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$5.49, £2.49 UK, €3.99 EU (440 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) for “Disturbed Pack 02”
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points) per track
New DLC for FIFA 10 Available Now!
Electronic Arts has announced that FIFA 10 Ultimate Team, the popular game mode expansion that creates a new way of playing the award-winning EA SPORTS FIFA Soccer 10, is available now to download for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The original Ultimate Team expansion mode for FIFA Soccer 09 was the most popular PDLC expansion mode ever released by EA SPORTS, with over 35 million gold, silver and bronze packs opened, over 50 million auctions for players and items completed, and over 10 billion in-game coins exchanged in trades as legions of soccer fans took on the challenge to put a personally crafted team up against the rest of the world.
FIFA 10 Ultimate Team is half the price of the original — 400 Microsoft points or $4.99 through PlayStation Network — and this year enables gamers to manage one or multiple squads simultaneously, and compete against other gamers in dynamically updated online tournaments. Fans will be able to experience the game mode by creating a team with a starter pack of players and play a five game free* trial.
Featuring over 7,500 of the best soccer stars in the world to choose from, gamers can emulate the way real-world coaches and managers build the truly great soccer teams. Choose how to manage your team –- focusing on creating one formidable squad, or managing multiple squads to match dynamic requirements for tournaments and competitions. Buy, sell, trade and acquire the biggest stars to build your team. Be strategic and tactical in preparing your squads for the various in-game competitions. A completely redesigned chemistry system built around player relationships on the pitch means that managing teams and squads to their full potential is even more critical to success. Take carefully assembled squads into standard tournaments and themed competitions against the most formidable teams from around the world – and then out wit and out play them.
FIFA 10 Ultimate Team is available now to purchase for 400 Microsoft points or $4.99 as a download via Xbox LIVE and the PlayStation Network to FIFA Soccer 10. FIFA Soccer 10 and an internet connection are required for play. FIFA 10 Ultimate Team is developed by EA Canada in Burnaby, B.C. It is rated “E” for everyone by the ESRB and 3+ by PEGI.
GameStop Announces Midnight Launch Events for Battlefield: Bad Company 2
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under PC Games, PSP, Video Games, XBOX 360
GameStop has announced it is hosting midnight launch events for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 on Monday, March 1, at more than 1,300 stores nationwide. Event-goers will get the chance to test their combat skills with a tank building challenge, commando dress up contest and soldier skill challenge.
Most participating GameStop locations will open at 10 p.m. local time; however, customers are asked to contact their local store to confirm the exact time of the event. Events may vary by location.
Along with the midnight events, GameStop is hosting two different tournaments to rally the troops into action. The GameStop Battlefield Bracket Challenge pits 16 celebrity-captained teams in a bracket-style tournament.
Visit www.gamestop.com/battlefieldbc2 to fill out brackets between now and March 4 and be eligible to win cash and gift cards. In addition, the GameStop “Battle of the Baddest” tournament features a ladder-up online competition capped by a 64-team playoff that gives participants the chance to win cash and prizes.
Pre-order Battlefield: Bad Company 2 now from GameStop and receive instant access to the AKS-74 assault rifle for multiplayer action. In addition, reserve the game and receive a code for exclusive 30-day early access starting March 2 to the new multiplayer game mode, Squad Rush.
Nokia Tops New ABI Research On-board Navigation Software Matrix Ranking
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under Applications, Cell Phones
Navigon and ALK Technologies claimed the second and third spots in the company’s new evaluation of worldwide on-board handset-based navigation software vendors.
The Vendor Matrix is an analytical tool developed by ABI Research to provide a clear understanding of vendors’ positions in specific markets. Vendors are assessed on the important parameters of “innovation” and “implementation” across several criteria unique to each vendor matrix.
Practice director Dominique Bonte comments: “Nokia’s recent decision to offer Ovi Maps for free globally across its smartphone portfolio further strengthens the number one ranking already obtained in the previous version of this Vendor Matrix. At the same time, Ovi Maps continues to be enhanced with features such as an online mapping portal, city guide local content, pedestrian map details, “Good Things” Points of Interest community feedback, and unique hybrid functionality. Finally, Nokia has bold plans to turn Ovi Maps into the leading open LBS development platform.”
For this particular matrix, under “innovation,” ABI Research examined the software’s navigation features, its support for local search, the availability of map upgrades, its sharing capabilities, its provision of traffic information, and the business model on which it is based, along with pricing options.
Under “implementation,” ABI Research scrutinized the following criteria: the vendors’ market share, their carrier agreements and handset/PDA manufacturer agreements, the products’ mobile platforms and form factor coverage, and the general health of the vendor companies. The breadth of global coverage, quality and reliability, and customization options were also factors considered.
To view a chart showing the rankings of the “top ten” firms in this Vendor Matrix, please visit Global On-board Navigation Software Matrix.
DICE Expands Bad Company 2 With Extra Multiplayer Content
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under PC Games, PS3, Video Games, XBOX 360
DICE has announced that two massive, all-new multiplayer maps for Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be unlocked on March 2nd when the game launches in North America. This map pack features the Laguna Alta map playable in Conquest mode and Nelson Bay map playable in Rush mode, bringing the total number of multiplayer maps up to 10. Later in March, DICE will release yet another map pack at no extra charge, giving players a chance to experience the Arica Harbor map in Conquest mode and Laguna Presa map in Rush mode. Available in the box, the content packs are unlocked by simply inputting a VIP code.
“Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will redefine online modern warfare on March 2. We are deeply committed to the FPS community and Battlefield fans worldwide,” said Patrick Bach, Senior Producer for Battlefield: Bad Company 2. “These first two map packs are just the beginning. We’re planning ongoing support for the community by always keeping the experience fresh and ensuring the best possible game play experience.”
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 is setting a new standard for action games with the quality of its highly detailed, war-torn landscapes and massive, destructible environments. The game’s tactical destruction shakes up the gameplay delivering epic battles never before seen in a modern warfare game.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2 will be in stores on March 2, 2010 in North America and March 4, 2010 in Europe for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and the PC. The Limited Edition of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 can be pre-ordered now on all platforms at no extra cost, with participating retailers worldwide (while supplies last).
The New Pentax Optio W90 and X90
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under Digital Imaging, Digital Still, Digital Video
Optio W90
Pentax has announced the eleventh generation PENTAX Optio waterproof digital camera built for rugged adventure. The PENTAX Optio W90 offers enhanced waterproof, shockproof, dustproof, and coldproof performance and features an inventive Digital Microscope mode with LED lighting to capture small but intriguing subjects. Designed with the look of mountaineering equipment, the Optio W90 kit includes a woven web fabric strap complete with a carabiner to attach the camera to a backpack and other outdoor gear. The rugged 12.1 megapixel Optio W90 with a 5X optical zoom (28-140mm equivalent) offers photographic performance, innovative features and style that surpass other outdoor compact digital cameras now available on the market.
Optio W90
- Waterproof to 20 feet for reliable underwater photography
- Shockproof to 4 feet withstanding the rigors of extreme use
- Coldproof to sub-freezing temperatures for use in wintery, snowy activities
- Digital Microscope mode with LED lens lighting perfectly captures the smallest and closest macro subjects as near as 1cm from the camera
- Eye-Fi wireless SD memory card connectivity
- Large 2.7 inch LCD with 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio that is easy to view in strong light or underwater
- Movie capture in widescreen 720p HD video at 30 frames per second
- An HDMI port plays back beautiful high resolution imges and video on HDTVs
Priced at $329.95 USD, the PENTAX Optio W90 will ship in April 2010. A waterproof infared remote control (sold separately) for use with the PENTAX Optio W90 and other infrared compatible Optio models will be available at the same time for $29.95 USD.
Pentax also announced the latest model in the manufacturer’s megazoom digital camera line: the PENTAX X90. With an extra-wide zoom, longer battery life than its predecessor and an electronic viewfinder, the X90 delivers effortless picture-taking in a wide variety of situations to photographers of all levels. The key feature of the Pentax X90 is the 26X megazoom, super-telephoto lens (26-676mm equivalent) also designed with a Macro mode that focuses to less than one inch away to capture images of subjects that are near or far. Other important features Pentax of the X90 include:
- 12.1 megapixel sensor, ideal for large prints or cropping flexibility
- 2.7 inch LCD with anti-reflection coating or electronic viewfinder with new diopter adjustment for composing and playback of images and video
- Triple Shake Reduction technology includes a high quality mechanical sensor-shift SR mechanism, Digital Pixel Track and high ISO SR, and Movie SR
- High speed continuous shooting up to 11 frames per second
- Powerful, lightweight Lithium Ion battery and improved power efficiency
Pentax X90
Like the Optio W90, the PENTAX X90 features Eye-Fi connectivity and an HDMI port.
Priced at $399.95 USD, the PENTAX X90 will ship in April 2010.
Skype Pulls Winows Mobile Clients
February 26, 2010 by Doug
Filed under Applications, Cell Phones
Skype will longer offers its Skype and Skype Lite mobile clients for Windows Mobile phones for download, per the announcment on its support site. Users who have the applications already installed on their Windows Mobile powered handsets can continue to use the apps. Skype says it pulled the app because it felt it was “not offering the best possible Skype experience.”
Skype offers and will continue to offer an app for the iPhone and Symbian handsets.
The company may return with an improved version of the app for the upcoming Windows Phone 7 operating system.
Corsair Releases Reactor and Nova Series of Solid-State Drives
Corsair today announced the addition of the Reactor Series and Nova Series to its family of solid-state drives (SSDs). Both the Nova Series and Reactor Series provide the performance benefits of solid-state technology at an attractive cost per gigabyte.
The Reactor Series, including 60GB and 120GB drive capacities, is built using the new JMicron JMF612 controller. This second-generation controller from JMicron incorporates 128MB of DDR2 cache memory for stutter-free performance. The 120GB Reactor Series SSD delivers speeds of up to 250MB/s read and 170MB/s write, while the 60GB Reactor Series SSD features speeds up to 250MB/s read and 110 MB/s write.
The Nova Series is built using the popular Indilinx Barefoot controller with 64MB of cache memory, and is offered in drive sizes of 64GB and 128GB. The 128GB Nova Series SSD is able to achieve speeds of up to 270MB/second read and 190MB/second write, while the 64GB Nova Series SSD delivers speeds up to 270MB/s read and 130MB/s write.
Both Reactor Series and Nova Series SSDs fully support the TRIM command in Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems, which automatically maintains optimal performance over the lifetime of the drives.
The Reactor Series and Nova Series are available immediately from Corsair’s authorized distributors and resellers worldwide and are backed by a Two-Year Limited Warranty. Complete customer support via telephone, email, forum and Tech Support Express is also available.
Disney Guilty Party Coming to Wii
February 25, 2010 by Doug
Filed under Video Games, Wii
Disney Interactive Studios has announced Disney Guilty Party, a family-friendly mystery party game being developed exclusively for the Wii console. Created by Wideload Games, Disney Interactive Studios’ Chicago development studio, Guilty Party is scheduled for release in the second half of 2010.
Guilty Party tells the thrilling tale of the Dickens Detective Agency as they solve crimes set in motion by the master criminal known as Mr. Valentine. Up to four players can solve crimes in a variety of locations all over the world to unlock the secrets of Mr. Valentine’s grand scheme.
Guilty Party offers both cooperative and competitive gameplay for all ages. Players choose a detective and take turns exploring the environment to uncover clues to discover the culprit’s identity. When players have enough evidence, they can accuse their prime suspect and try to solve the case.
“Mysteries are one of the world’s most beloved forms of storytelling, and Guilty Party brings mysteries to Wii in a way that the whole family can play together,” said Tom Kang, studio head and general manager, Wideload Games. “Everyone loves a good mystery, especially when they get to be the detective.”
Players step into the shoes of the Dickens family and work together to explore crime scenes and play mini-games to collect clues and interrogate suspects. Guilty Party transforms the Wii Remote™ into classic detective tools: a magnifying glass, a flashlight, a lock-pick, a fingerprint kit, and more. Players then discuss and piece together the clues in their detective notebooks to deduce the identity of the culprit.
The Dickens family tracks Mr. Valentine across the globe, from a high-speed train to a leaky aquarium to many other locations to solve new mysteries. Once the mysteries are solved, players can play again with a new set of clues, suspects and mini-games with a different experience every time. It takes more than quick reflexes to win, it also takes quick wits.
“We’re packing an amazing amount of play-time into a single game,” said Patrick Curry, game director, Wideload Games. “Guilty Party is a bit like a board game, since families can play each mystery over and over again and never have the same experience twice.”
Guilty Party is the first new franchise developed by Wideload Games for Disney Interactive Studios. The game’s characters and locations are inspired by classic detective lore, with the storytelling, unique humor and art style that have distinguished Wideload Games. Guilty Party will have players applying logic to solve the mysteries while laughing at the wacky cast of characters, situations and animated scenes.
“Wideload Games is a leader in unique creative games that keep players entertained and amused for hours,” said Craig Relyea, senior vice president of global marketing, Disney Interactive Studios. “Guilty Party was a natural fit for Disney and the beneficial working relationship led to the highly creative studio joining our portfolio of talented studios.”
Disney Guilty Party is Rating Pending by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB).
Bluetrek Crescendo – World’s First Bluetooth Headset with App Store Upload
February 25, 2010 by Doug
Filed under Cell Phones
Bluetrek Crescendo has launched its on-line “Talk2Me” App Store to allow users to upload applications and enhance usages.
Applications available today on the Bluetrek Crescendo online Talk2Me App Store include direct access voice command applications, languages firmware, and audio optimization firmware for the most popular mobile platforms.
The voice command applications include Personal Handsfree Assistant service via Dial2Do that reads your emails and allows you to send and reply emails and texts by your voice. It also offers Bing411 voice search engine for direct access to information of stock, sport scores, flight schedule, news, weather and more, local traffic information from the 511 hotline. The “Talk2Me” App Store offers various languages applications to allow the user to change the voice command and voice prompts by uploading the respective language. English and French languages are available on the store now, and more languages including German, Spanish, and Italian will soon be available. User can also upload a firmware to optimize the audio performance of his / her mobile phone in accordance with the mobile platform he / she is using, including platforms for Nokia, Blackberry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and more…