GTA IV - Preview

GTA IV - Preview of the first 5 missions

gta4.net has a very descriptive walkthrough of the first 5 missions of Rockstars upcoming game, Grand Theft Auto IV.

"A ringtone can be heard when the call is made. Niko needs to get closer to figure out where it is coming from. The blackmailer must be identified and killed. Since this was carried out in broad daylight, a two-star wanted level is gained. Niko must evade the cops and return the memory stick to McReary in order to complete the mission."

Visit the page below it's got a lot of screenshots, trailers and infos about GTA IV
Something's wrong with inserting links so just copy-paste the url below

http://www.gta4.net/missions/

Best PS3 Games

Best games on PS3 that i would recommend you to purchase, click the link to visit it's review, screenshots and videos:

Burnout: Paradise
9.0 on Gamespot
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Vegas 2
8.5 on Gamespot
Uncharted: Drake's Fortune
8.0 on Gamespot, 9.0 by Users
Heavenly Sword
8.0 on Gamespot
Ninja Gaiden Sigma
9.0 on Gamespot
Warhawk
8.5 on Gamespot
Def Jam: Icon
8.1 on Gamespot
Ridge Racer 7
8.0 on Gamespot
Resistance: Fall Of Man
8.6 on Gamespot
Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools Of Destruction
7.5 on Gamespot, 8.9 by Users
Devil May Cry 4
8.0 on Gamespot, 8.9 by Users
Condemned 2: Bloodshot
8.5 on Gamespot

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue is probably the best looking racing game to ever hit a console. If you squint your eyes just a little, it really does look like you're watching real video on your PS3.

But when the full fledged GT5 finally hits PlayStation 3, it looks like the graphics may be even better than what we're seeing with Prologue.

"In terms of quality we've been able to establish a benchmark in this version, but I think with GT5 there will be additional refinements, perhaps to the lighting and maybe the weather... weather effects," Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi told Videogamer.com.

Yamauchi says that it'll be about a decade until we'll be at the point where games look exactly like CG in the movies.

"Real-time computer graphics are about 10 years behind non-real-time computer graphics like you see in movies," he explained. "I think that gap is what we'll be trying to fill in the years to come."

To view videos of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue visit link below
http://www.gran-turismo.com/en/movie/

Playstation Home public beta

That’s right. The often mentioned but seldom seen virtual community and gaming environment just got one step closer to, you know, actually existing. PSN Senior Director Susan Panico (great name) has told Official Playstation Magazine that the public beta will be opened to the gaming proletariate “very soon”.

So far there has only been a strictly private beta phase. Given the recent announcements of game-Home integration in Resistance and Warhawk it’s good news that the development is progressing nicely. Unfortunately that’s as far as the information goes on this one. Ms Panico decided to leave out rather useful highlights such as launch dates or region specifics.

In the words of that cinematic epic - Space Balls, I leave you with this:

“When will then be now?”

“Soon!”

Goodbye SixAxis

We all love our SixAxis. It’s what we first used to clear the universe of grubs, mow down other drivers in MotorStorm and frag that annoying 3rd grader talking smack on Call of Duty 4. Well, it’s time to fall in love all over again.The SixAxis controller will be discontinued shortly after the DualShock 3 comes out this week. A Sony rep offered the following:


“Sixaxis will no longer be offered after it’s completely sold through at retail (likely by the summer timeframe).”

Not only will we now be able to experience our games even better than before but, as the DS 3 becomes standard, used SixAxis controllers will become quite cheap on eBay and Craigslist, allowing us to hook up additional controllers for our PS3 deprived friends to use when they come over. Once you get your DualShock, please come back and tell us your thoughts.

Burnout Paradise

Much deserved milestone for a stellar game; Burnout Paradise has officially shipped over a million units, which should a good sign for a regular stream of downloadable content for the title in the future.


In addition, the guys over at Criterion also announced that this drives entire sales of the Burnout franchise as a whole over the 15 million mark. That’s a lot of games.

Downloadable content for Burnout Paradise, which will expand Paradise City with new locations, new car designs, and even new cars, is expected to start hitting the PlayStation Store soon.

Exclusive GTA IV Downloadable content for PS3

PSW Confirms Exclusive GTA IV Downloadable Content for the PS3 and Home Inclusion

According to Playstation World Magazine, Rockstar will in a way aid Sony in launching Accomplishments for the system, Themed spaces for Home and provide exclusive content for the PS3 (although not as large scale as the 360's exclusive content) after the release of the 360's episodes.

Next-Gen Consoles War

CPU

The central processing unit of any game system is its heart. A fast, technologically advanced CPU can open the doors to previously unavailable processes, such as more advanced artificial intelligence, more detailed landscapes, realistic physics for a more lifelike look and feel, as well as subtle visual effects like rippling cloth or realistic fluid modeling.

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360's CPU is a big boost from the original Xbox's aging single-core 733 MHz Intel Celeron. Based on IBM's PowerPC spec, the 360's CPU features a powerful three-core design that runs at a perky 3.2 GHz -- enough horsepower to ensure some serious next-gen giddyup. The CPU also handles up to six hardware threads, giving developers extra power to handle more tasks at once.

But as powerful as it is, the Xbox 360 CPU can't quite hang with Sony's "supercomputer-on-a-chip" Cell processor, though it does allow for more (and better) special effects, visual detail, and advanced artificial intelligence. It slightly trails the PS3's Cell processor in terms of long-term potential, but the 360 has more than enough brainpower.

CPU score: 4.25 (out of 5.0)

PlayStation 3

The PS3's CPU, called "Cell," is a product of a long-term partnership between IBM, Sony, and Toshiba. It's probably the PS3's key technological advantage. Cell's 3.2 Ghz PowerPC core is surrounded by seven co-processing units, and is capable of running with up to nine hardware threads. In theory, the Cell's nine-thread design should give it a leg up over the competition, empowering programmers to support realistic real-time environment deformation, complex particle effects, and higher-quality artificial intelligence.

Of course, this kind of power comes with a price. Cell isn't the easiest CPU to code for, and many next-gen developers are struggling to make sense of the chip's unusually complex design. But the developers we've spoken with agree that once coders begin to program in parallel, Cell's true power will become apparent. Besides, judging by the PS3's showing at this year's Tokyo Game Show, programmers are already showing signs of picking up on the Cell's processing strengths. In short, programmers will still be finding new ways to leverage this processor long after the PS3 ships.

CPU score: 4.75 (out of 5.0)

Wii

Easily the small fry of the next-gen lineup, the Wii is powered by a PowerPC-based CPU called "Broadway." This chip was jointly developed by Nintendo and IBM specifically for the Nintendo Wii and is a 90-nanometer process version of the 180-nm "Gekko" chip that powered Nintendo's 2001 console, the GameCube. One advantage to shrinking down the existing Gekko silicon is that Broadway will draw 20 percent less power while providing a modest boost to speed.

The only catch: Nintendo hasn't released any official ratings for the Broadway, and it's unlikely to do so in the near future. Current speculation places the Wii's Broadway CPU at roughly 700 megahertz, or less than twice as fast as the GameCube's Gekko (485 MHz). It also boasts a single-core design, making it closer to a last-gen processor than a next-gen processor. Though it's crushed by the PS3 and Xbox 360 CPUs, the Broadway should provide enough power for Nintendo's mass-market approach.

CPU score: 2.75 (out of 5.0)

Winner

PlayStation 3

If consumer battles were won by sheer CPU speed and power alone, there'd be no next-gen war at all -- Microsoft and Nintendo would already be retreating with their tails between their legs. The PS3's Cell processor has the downside of being tricky to work with, but will give developers the long-term flexibility they need to pull off radical effects like widespread environment deformation, pixel-perfect ragdoll physics, and massive-scale particle effects without so much as a hitch in the frame rate. Harnessed properly, there's no doubt that Cell is a processing monster.

GRAPHICS

Xbox 360

Gamers who've already scored an Xbox 360 can attest to its ability to churn out some spectacular visuals. And no wonder, considering it comes armed with custom ATI graphics hardware that rivals some of the beastly cards found in today's high-end gaming PC's. We'll let the numbers speak for themselves: the 360's 512 MB of dedicated video RAM is an advantage over the PS3's 256 MB of dedicated video RAM.

Also worth considering is the fact that developers have more experience working with the Xbox 360's graphical architecture thanks to its year-long head start. This means that developers will be taking full advantage of the 360's capabilities as they're still struggling to get a grasp of the PS3.

The Xbox 360 is adept at HD resolutions; it can natively handle 480i all the way up to 1080i, and a forthcoming software update is alleged to add true, full 1080 progressive scan support. Unfortunately, the Xbox 360 is currently held back by its analog video output; only component video and VGA. Digital DVI or HDMI output would be far preferable.

Graphics score: 4.5 (out of 5.0)

PlayStation 3

From one perspective, the PS3's technological soft spot is its graphics processor, the "RSX" chip developed by PC video card manufacturer nVidia. Though the 550 Mhz clock speed is fast enough to blow away many gaming PC setups, the RSX is missing one key component: dedicated memory. With only 256 MB of dedicated RAM, PS3 developers will have to make tough choices about what visual details to leave in (CPU-devoted special effects like rippling cloth or water) and what to trim out (huge, super-crisp environment textures and anti-aliasing, or instance) in order to make games fit into that smaller memory footprint. The games will still look fantastic, but memory useage will be a constant concern. On the other hand, the RSX chip can access the PS3's auxiliary 256 MB of system RAM, so it once again comes down to programming chops.

The PS3 can support every single TV resolution, from jagged old 480i all the way up to 1080 progressive scan. Coupled with the integrated HDMI video output (now found on every single PS3 model), Sony's betting heavily that the PS3's digital video capabilities will make for the clearest, cleanest visuals. We'd have to agree.

Graphics score: 4.75 (out of 5.0)

Wii

Graphically, the Wii is at a decided disadvantage compared to its competition. The Wii's graphics processor features a 243 MHz "Hollywood" GPU built by ATI -- that's looselycomparable to the original Xbox's 233 MHz video processor. Nintendo is playing coy with the hard technical specs, but the Wii is rumored to only feature some 88 MB of total RAM, split between graphical and system processes. This is about twice the GameCube's RAM, but less than one-fifth the total RAM found in the Xbox 360 and PS3, so it's only natural that the Wii is easily outgunned by those technological titans. The graphics will definitely be an improvement compared to Nintendo's current-gen GameCube, but beyond that, don't get your hopes up.

Furthermore, the Wii can support up to 480 progressive scan; a nice boost from cruddy old 480i, but a far cry from the 720 and 1080 support for the Xbox 360 and PS3. Don't expect any high-end digital video output, either -- for the time being, the Wii tops out at analog component cables.

Graphics score: 3.5 (out of 5.0)

Winner

PlayStation 3

This is an extremely tight decision, as the Xbox 360's unified memory architecture was a smarter move from an engineering point of view. But at the end of the day, we think the PS3 visuals just look more, well, next-gen. That's not to say that the Xbox 360 visuals are deficient; after all, just look at the dazzling Gears of War, or the kaleidoscopic Viva Pinata.

HDMI/DVI video support was also a key advantage for the PlayStation 3, and native 1080p support is a big plus as well.

Though we gave a slight edge to the PS3 in this category, it's important to remember that many games will look identically good on both the Xbox 360 and the PS3. But when you see Lair or MotorStorm running at 1080i* via HDMI, it's hard to deny that the PS3 has a visual edge over the Xbox 360. Whether that advantage comes from the Cell CPU, massive Blu-ray storage, or just programming wizardry remains to be seen.

MEDIA FORMAT

The days of cartridges and CD-ROMS are over (well, almost). These days, it's mass storage that counts, and competition has never been more fierce.

Xbox 360

With HD-DVD and Blu-ray about to enter the ring for a bloody format war, the 360 plays it safe with a sure bet: DVD-9, better known as dual-layer DVD. Though it does suffer in the storage department (roughly 8 gigabytes for a dual-layer disc versus 25 gigs for a single-layer Blu-ray disc), the DVD-9 spec is mature and proven, unlike Sony's Blu-ray.

The downside is that eventually, the PS3 will be flying in first class with copious digital leg room while the 360 will be stuck back in coach. Though high-def movie playback won't be an issue thanks to the newly announced HD-DVD add-on ($199 this fall), the Xbox 360 won't have the flexibility of a next-gen storage format to fall back on.

Media Format score: 3.0 (out of 5.0)

PlayStation 3
By now everybody knows that the PS3 will come standard with a 2x Blu-ray Disc drive, a new Sony-designed media format that holds 25 GB per disc (50 GB for dual-layer discs). Compared to DVD's 8 GB for dual layers, there's no contest: Blu-ray holds three times as much information.

But sheer storage size isn't the only factor. There's been considerable controversy over the somewhat pokey data read rate of the 2x Blu-ray drive inside the PS3, leading some to suggest that the Xbox 360's 12x DVD-9 drive will actually perform faster and lead to shorter load times when compared to the PS3. As it turns out, this controversy has been overblown. The Xbox 360's DVD-9 drive slows as it reaches the inner rings of a dual-layer disc (from a top speed of 15 MB/s to a low of 4 MB/s), while the Blu-ray keeps a steady read rate (9 MB/s) under all conditions.

Translation? The PS3 and Xbox 360 should see very similar disc read times, giving neither format a key advantage. Therefore, the PS3's size advantage is a considerable asset in its favor...though, as usual, it comes with a frustratingly large price tag.

Media Format score: 4.0 (out of 5.0)

Wii

The Wii supports the Wii's 12 cm dual-layer proprietary discs, which have been reported to hold 8.5 gigabytes of data, and the GameCube's smaller 8 cm discs, which only store 1.5 gigabytes of data.

Pretty tame stuff here; not much to get excited about. The Wii plays it pretty straight when it comes to media support, with one key detail that bears repeating: the Wii won't play normal DVD movies, only Wii and GameCube games.

Media Format score: 3.0 (out of 5.0)

Winner

PlayStation 3

Pretty much a blowout, but what did you expect? Again, there's nothing wrong with the standard DVD-9 format, but it's hard to deny that it's beginning to show its age for high-definition content. Sony's Blu-ray, industry jockeying aside, is simply a superior format...pricey, but superior. Case closed.

CONTROLLER

A controller is essentially the "face" of a game console. It's what you see, touch, and feel the most. Countless systems have been doomed by shoddy controllers (the Jaguar's 9-button keypad, anyone?).

The good news is, all the next-gen consoles have something unique to offer in terms of handling and function. There's never been a better time to be a gamer!
Xbox 360

The original Xbox controller was an undisputed disaster: huge, clunky, and downright awkward. But when Microsoft unveiled the Xbox 360 controller, it proved that it's capable of learning from its past mistakes. Sleek and ergonomic, the Xbox 360 controller is a giant step in the right direction...yet not quite as time-tested as Sony's design (formally called "DualShock") nor as daring as the Wii's motion-sensitive controller.

Though the controller doesn't feature any fancy motion-sensing or integrated speakers, it does feature solid support for force feedback, aka "rumbling." And wireless models are available, complete with long-lasting rechargeable battery packs. The Xbox 360 controller might not be ground breaking, but it's as safe, familiar, and comfortable as an old pair of grass-stained Pumas.

Controller score: 4.0 (out of 5.0)

PlayStation 3

As with all PlayStation controllers, the grip is comfortable, the buttons are placed well, and the overall package is slim and sleek. The PS3 goes one step further with its Bluetooth wireless connectivity (standard on all models), its smoother, more sensitive analog sticks, beefed up shoulder triggers, and a new tilt-sensing feature that will let players control actions by waving the controller around, ala Nintendo's Wii.

Yet it's not quite the perfect combination. Sony made one key sacrifice: force feedback. The PS3 controller will not "rumble," which is a damn shame considering that force feedback has been a standard feature in video game consoles since the original PlayStation. Is this a result of Sony's lawsuit with force feedback patent-holder Immersion Corp., or merely a byproduct of the integrated motion sensor (as Sony claims)? One thing's for sure -- dropping rumbling will be a painful sacrifice for players.

Controller score: 4.0 (out of 5.0)

Wii

Definitely in a league of its own, the Wii supports an arsenal of unique controller options. The most hyped, and readily recognizable, is the Wii's motion-sensing capabilities. The Wii controller set, which consists of the wireless "Wii-mote" and the wired "Nunchuck" add-on, allows gamers to experience gameplay in an entirely new way by merely waving the controller in the air. The Wii also features built-in rumbling support (we can confirm this), a small built-in speaker (a welcome addition sure to be exploited by clever designers), and onscreen pointer functionality that allows the remote to act like a computer mouse. The Wii is definitely groundbreaking, but is it truly a "revolution"? The jury is still out, but early signs are promising.

In addition to the uniquely recognizable Nintendo Wii controller, players can also buy a re-engineered dual-analog stick controller, which looks like the SNES controller fused with the PS2 DualShock. As a nice bonus, the original Nintendo GameCube and WaveBird controllers are fully supported.

Controller score: 4.25 (out of 5.0)

Winner

Wii

It may seem a bit early to make this call, but ask yourself this: of the three next-gen consoles, which one will change the way you play games? The only answer is "Wii." The Xbox 360 controller is vanilla all the way; the PS3 controller is a nice baby step forward, with its motion-sensing abilities, but the lack of rumble is a slap in the face. Only the Wii really tries something new...and judging by our most recent experiences with it, it works just as advertised. Of course, the onus is on game developers to design the best experiences.

After extended playing time with the Wii, we've come to appreciate what it does for gaming. It's super comfortable (even for extended stretches of play), super intuitive, and, well, just plain super.

And the overall winner is Playstation 3

Xbox 360 Laptop

Above: second version of laptop




Xbox 360 buffs who think their next-generation games console is just too darned bulky for gaming on move - not to mention the TV you'd have to lug around - should take heart from fellow fan Ben Heckendorn who decided enough was enough and re-configured his console into a laptop form-factor.

Not that you'd necessarily want to use it on your knees, mind. The modification weighs in at 6.4kg and measures a whopping 42 x 27 x 7cm. That's not so very far off a typical notebook with a 17in display - which is what Ben's mobile Xbox 360 sports. With a resolution of 1,280 x 720, it's HD ready.



The weight includes water, used to cool the console's IBM- and ATI-made chippery which normally sit under a much larger, liquid and heatsink cooling system in the console's usual casing. Ben made sure his Xbox 360 was complete with the usual optical drive, hard disk, three USB ports and the 'ring of light' illuminated logo.

He even created his own keyboard and equipped the box with Wi-Fi. It's also got component-video, composite-video and VGA outputs for connections to external displays.

The whole project took three months to complete, Ben's detailed write-up reveals, and saw him disassemble his 360 and its components almost completely, before re-constructing the lot into a custom-made aluminium casing.

Wii review

The Wii (pronounced as the English pronoun we, IPA: /wi/) is the fifth home video game console released by Nintendo. The console is the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3, but it competes with both as part of the seventh generation of video game systems.

A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and can detect acceleration in three dimensions. Another is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.

Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets. The Financial Times reported that as of September 12, 2007, the Wii is the sales leader of its generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group, and GfK.

History

The console was conceived in 2001, as the Nintendo GameCube was first seeing release. According to an interview with Nintendo's game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, the concept involved focusing on a new form of player interaction. "The consensus was that power isn't everything for a console. Too many powerful consoles can't coexist. It's like having only ferocious dinosaurs. They might fight and hasten their own extinction."

Two years later, engineers and designers were brought together to develop the concept further. By 2005, the controller interface had taken form, but a public showing at that year's E3 was withdrawn. Miyamoto stated that, "We had some troubleshooting to do. So we decided not to reveal the controller and instead we displayed just the console." Nintendo president Satoru Iwata later unveiled and demonstrated the Wii Remote at the September Tokyo Game Show.

The Nintendo DS is stated to have influenced the Wii design. Designer Ken'ichiro Ashida noted, "We had the DS on our minds as we worked on the Wii. We thought about copying the DS's touch-panel interface and even came up with a prototype." The idea was eventually rejected, with the notion that the two gaming systems would be identical. Miyamoto also expressed that, "If the DS had flopped, we might have taken the Wii back to the drawing board."

Name

The console was known by the code name of "Revolution" until April 27, 2006, immediately prior to E3. According to the Nintendo Style Guide, the name "is simply Wii, not Nintendo Wii." This means it is the first home console Nintendo has marketed outside of Japan without the company name featured in its trademark. While "Wiis" is a commonly used pluralization of the console, Nintendo has stated that the official plural form is "Wii systems" or "Wii consoles." Nintendo's spelling of "Wii" with two lower-case "i" characters is meant to resemble two people standing side by side, representing players gathering together, as well as to represent the console's controllers. The company has given many reasons for this choice of name since the announcement; however, the best known is:“Wii sounds like 'we', which emphasizes that the console is for everyone. Wii can easily be remembered by people around the world, no matter what language they speak. No confusion. No need to abbreviate. Just Wii.”


Despite Nintendo's justification for the name, some video game developers and members of the press initially reacted negatively towards the change. They preferred "Revolution" over "Wii" and expressed fear "that the name would convey a continued sense of 'kidiness'[sic] to the console." The BBC reported the day after the name was announced that "a long list of puerile jokes, based on the name," had appeared on the Internet. Nintendo of America's president Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged the initial reaction and further explained the change:“Revolution as a name is not ideal; it's long, and in some cultures, it's hard to pronounce. So we wanted something that was short, to the point, easy to pronounce, and distinctive. That's how 'Wii,' as a console name, was created.”


Nintendo of America's VP of Corporate Affairs Perrin Kaplan defended its choice of "Wii" over "Revolution" and responded to critics of the name by stating: "Live with it, sleep with it, eat with it, move along with it and hopefully they'll arrive at the same place."[

Launch
On September 14, 2006, Nintendo announced release information for Japan, North and South America, Australasia (Oceania), Asia and Europe, including dates, prices, and projected unit distribution numbers. It was announced that the majority of the 2006 shipments would be allotted to the Americas, and that 33 titles would be available in the 2006 launch window. The United Kingdom suffered a large shortage of console units as many "high-street" and online stores were unable to fulfill all pre-orders when it was released on December 8, 2006. As of March 2007, some UK stores still had a shortage of consoles, and as of June 2007, demand still outpaced supply in the United States.

Nintendo announced that it would release its console in South Korea and China in early 2008.

Since its launch, the monthly sales numbers of the console have been higher than its competitors across the globe. According to the NPD Group, the Wii sold more units in the United States than the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 combined in the first half of 2007. This lead is even larger in the Japanese market, where it currently leads in total sales, having outsold both consoles by factors of 2:1 to 6:1 nearly every week from launch until November 2007. In Australia, the Wii exceeded the record set by the Xbox 360 to become the fastest selling games console in Australian history. On September 12, 2007, it was reported by the Financial Times that the Wii had surpassed the Xbox 360, which was released one year previously, and had become the market leader in home console sales for the current generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group, and GfK This is the first time a Nintendo console has led its generation in sales since the Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Nintendo warned that the Wii would remain in short supply throughout 2007, while the company produces approximately 1.8 million Wii consoles each month. As of January 5, 2008, the Wii has sold 7.38 million units in the United States according to the NPD Group. As of January 20, 2008, the Wii has sold 5,019,337 units in Japan according to Enterbrain, which is already more units than the Nintendo GameCube had sold in Japan. In Europe, the Wii sold 0.7 million units in 2006 and 4.8 million in 2007 according to estimates by Electronic Arts. Prior to the release of the NPD Group's video game statistics for January 2008, the Wii has been ahead of the Xbox 360 and PS3 in US sales in most months since the Wii and PS3 were released, according to data by the NPD Group.

While Microsoft and Sony have experienced losses producing their consoles in the hopes of making a long-term profit on software sales, Nintendo reportedly has optimized production costs to obtain a significant profit margin with each Wii unit sold. According to the Financial Times, this direct profit per Wii sold may vary from $13 in Japan to $49 in the United States and $79 in Europe.

Demographic

Nintendo hopes to target a wider demographic with its console than that of others in the seventh generation. At a press conference for the upcoming Nintendo DS game Dragon Quest IX, Satoru Iwata insisted "We're not thinking about fighting Sony, but about how many people we can get to play games. The thing we're thinking about most is not portable systems, consoles, and so forth, but that we want to get new people playing games."

This is reflected in Nintendo's series of television advertisements in North America, directed by Academy Award winner Stephen Gaghan, as well as Internet ads. The ad slogans are "Wii would like to play" and "Experience a new way to play." These ads ran starting November 15, 2006 and had a total budget of over US$200 million throughout the year. The productions are Nintendo's first broad-based advertising strategy and include a two-minute video clip showing a varied assortment of people enjoying the Wii system, such as urban apartment-dwellers, country ranchers, grandparents, and parents with their children. The music in the ads is from the song "Kodo (Inside the Sun Remix)" by the Yoshida Brothers. The marketing campaign has proved to be successful: pensioners as old as 103 have been reported to be playing the Wii in the United Kingdom. A report by The People also stated that Queen Elizabeth II has played using the console.

Hardware
The Wii (top) compared in size to the GCN, N64, North American SNES and NES

The Wii is Nintendo's smallest home console to date; it measures 44 mm (1.73 in) wide, 157 mm (6.18 in) tall and 215.4 mm (8.48 in) deep in its vertical orientation, the near-equivalent of three DVD cases stacked together. The included stand measures 55.4 mm (2.18 in) wide, 44 mm (1.73 in) tall and 225.6 mm (8.88 in) deep, The system weighs 1.2 kg (2.7 lb), which makes it the lightest of the three major seventh generation consoles. The console can be placed either horizontally or vertically. The prefix for the numbering scheme of the system and its parts and accessories is "RVL-" after its project code name of "Revolution". The console also features a recurring theme or design: the console itself, SD cards, the power supply and all the sockets have one of their corners chipped off in a triangular fashion.

The front of the console features an illuminated slot-loading optical media drive that accepts both 12 cm Wii Optical Discs and Nintendo GameCube Game Discs. The blue light in the disc slot illuminates briefly when the console is turned on and pulsates when new data is received through WiiConnect24. After firmware update 3.0, the disc slot light activates whenever a Wii disc is inserted or ejected. When there is no WiiConnect24 information, the light stays off. The disc slot light remains off during gameplay or when using other features. Two USB ports are located at its rear. An SD card slot hides behind the cover on the front of the console. The SD card can be used for uploading photos as well as backing up saved game data and downloaded Virtual Console games. To use the SD slot for transferring game saves, an update must be installed. An installation can be initiated from the Wii options menu through an Internet connection, or by inserting a game disc containing the updated firmware. As a presently uncircumvented system of digital rights management, Virtual Console data cannot be restored to any system except the unit of origin. An SD card can also be used to create customized in-game music from stored MP3 files, as first shown in Excite Truck, as well as music for the slideshow feature of the Photo Channel. Version 1.1 of the Photo Channel removed MP3 playback in favor of AAC support.

Nintendo has shown the console and the Wii Remote in white, black, silver, lime green, and red, but it is currently available only in white. Shigeru Miyamoto stated that other colors would become available after the easing of supply limitations.

The Wii launch package includes the console, a stand to allow the console to be placed vertically, a circular clear stabilizer for the main stand, one Wii Remote, one Nunchuk attachment, one Sensor Bar, a removable stand for the bar, one external main power adapter, two AA batteries, one composite AV cable with RCA connectors, a SCART adapter in European countries (component video and other types of cables are available separately), operation documentation, and, in all regions except Japan, a copy of the game Wii Sports.

Nintendo plans to release a version of the console with DVD-Video playback capabilities. This new model will use the CinePlayer CE DVD Navigator software engine by Sonic Solutions. Although software will be used to enable DVD-Video functionality, Nintendo has stated that it "requires more than a firmware upgrade" to implement and that the functionality would be unavailable as an upgrade option for the existing Wii model. After announcing the DVD version for 2007, Nintendo delayed its release to focus on producing the original console to meet demand.

Wii Remote

The Wii Remote is the primary controller for the console. It uses a combination of built-in accelerometers and infrared detection to sense its position in 3D space when pointed at the LEDs within the Sensor Bar. This design allows users to control the game using physical gestures as well as traditional button presses. The controller connects to the console using Bluetooth and features rumble as well as an internal speaker. The Wii Remote can connect to other devices through a proprietary port at the base of the controller. The device bundled with the Wii retail package is the Nunchuk unit, which features an accelerometer and a traditional analog stick with two trigger buttons. In addition, an attachable wrist strap can be used to prevent the player from unintentionally dropping or throwing the Wii Remote. In response to incidents of strap failure, Nintendo is offering a free, stronger replacement for all straps. Nintendo has also since offered the Wii Remote Jacket to provide extra grip and protection.

Technical specifications

Nintendo has released few technical details regarding the Wii system, but some key facts have leaked through the press. Though none of these reports has been officially confirmed, they generally point to the console as being an extension or advancement of the Nintendo GameCube architecture. More specifically, the reported analyses state that the Wii is roughly 1.5 to 2 times as powerful as its predecessor.
Processors:
CPU: PowerPC-based "Broadway" processor, made with a 90 nm SOI CMOS process, reportedly† clocked at 729 MHz
GPU: ATI "Hollywood" GPU made with a 90 nm CMOS process, reportedly† clocked at 243 MHz

Memory:
88 MB main memory (24 MB "internal" 1T-SRAM integrated into graphics package, 64 MB "external" GDDR3 SDRAM)
3 MB embedded GPU texture memory and framebuffer.

Ports and peripheral capabilities:
Up to four Wii Remote controllers (connected wirelessly via Bluetooth)
Nintendo GameCube controller ports (4)
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card slots (2)
SD memory card slot
USB 2.0 ports (2)
Sensor Bar power port
Accessory port on bottom of Wii Remote
Optional USB keyboard input in message board, Wii Shop Channel, and the Internet Channel (as of 3.0 and 3.1 firmware update)
Mitsumi DWM-W004 WiFi 802.11b/g wireless module
Compatible with optional USB 2.0 to Ethernet LAN adaptor
Multi-output port for component, composite or S-Video

Built-in content ratings systems:
BBFC, CERO, ESRB, OFLC, OFLC (NZ), PEGI, USK
Storage:
512 MB built-in NAND flash memory
Expanded storage via SD card memory (up to 2 GB)
Nintendo GameCube Memory Card (required for GameCube game saves)
IBM's Wii "Broadway" CPU
ATI's Wii "Hollywood" GPU
Slot-loading disc drive compatible with 8 cm Nintendo GameCube Game Disc and 12 cm Wii Optical Disc
Mask ROM by Macronix

Video:
480p (PAL/NTSC), 480i (NTSC) or 576i (PAL/SECAM), standard 4:3 and 16:9 anamorphic widescreen
AV multi-output port for component, composite, S-video, RGB SCART and VGA

Audio:
Main: Stereo – Dolby Pro Logic II-capable
Controller: Built-in speaker

Power consumption:
18 watts when switched on
1.3 watts in standby


†None of the clock rates have been confirmed by Nintendo, IBM, or ATI.

Technical issues

The first firmware update via WiiConnect24 caused a very small portion of launch units to become completely unusable. This forced users to either send their units to Nintendo for repairs (if they wished to retain their saved data) or exchange it for a free replacement.

With the release of dual-layer Wii Optical Discs, Nintendo of America has stated that some Wii systems may have difficulty reading the high-density software due to a contaminated laser lens. Nintendo is offering a free repair for owners who experience this issue.[70] Concern has been raised in a report by Destructoid.com stating that the offer involves more than what Nintendo has asserted.

Legal issues

Interlink Electronics filed a patent-infringement lawsuit against Nintendo over the pointing functionalities of the Wii Remote, claiming "loss of reasonable royalties, reduced sales and/or lost profits as a result of the infringing activities" of Nintendo. Anascape Ltd, a Texas-based firm, also filed a lawsuit against Nintendo for patent infringements. Law firm Green Welling LLP filed a class action lawsuit against Nintendo for its "defective wrist straps". A Texas-based company called Lonestar Inventions has also sued Nintendo, claiming that the company copied one of Lonestar's patented capacitor designs and used it in the Wii console.

User modification

The Wii can be hacked to enable an owner to use the console for activities other than those intended by Nintendo. Several brands of modchips are available for the Wii. Programmers have also used the Wii Remote to control devices unrelated to the console, such as personal computers, through a Bluetooth wireless connection.

Features

The console contains a number of internal features made available from its hardware and firmware components. The hardware allows for extendibility through expansion ports while the firmware can receive periodic updates via the WiiConnect24 service.

Wii Menu
The Wii Menu operating system interface is designed around the concept of television channels. Separate channels are graphically displayed in a grid and are navigated using the pointer capability of the Wii Remote. It is possible to change the arrangement of the channels by holding down the A and B buttons. There are six primary channels: the Disc Channel, Mii Channel, Photo Channel, Wii Shop Channel, Forecast Channel, and News Channel. The latter two were initially unavailable at launch, but activated through firmware updates. Additional channels are available for download from the Wii Shop Channel through WiiWare and also appear with each Virtual Console title. These include the Everybody Votes Channel, Internet Channel, and Check Mii Out Channel.

Backward compatibility
Nintendo GameCube ports on the top of the Wii unit

The Wii console is backward compatible with all official Nintendo GameCube software, as well as Nintendo GameCube Memory Cards and controllers. Compatibility with software is achieved with the slot-loading drive's ability to accept Nintendo GameCube Game Discs. The console supports progressive-scan output in 480p-enabled GameCube titles. Peripherals can be connected via a set of four GameCube controller ports and two Memory Card slots concealed by removable flip-open panels. The console therefore retains connectivity with the Game Boy Advance and e-Reader through the Game Boy Advance Cable, which is used in the same manner as it was used with the GameCube. This feature can only be accessed on those select GameCube titles that previously utilized it. Gamercize accessories also utilize the backward compatibility in order to support the Wii console.

A Wii console running a GameCube disc is restricted to GameCube functionality. As such, a GameCube controller is required to play GameCube titles, as neither the Wii Remote nor the Classic Controller functions in this capacity. A Nintendo GameCube Memory Card is also necessary to save, as the Wii internal flash memory will not save GameCube games.

Backward compatibility is limited in some areas. Online and LAN-enabled features for Nintendo GameCube titles are unavailable on the Wii, as the console lacks serial ports for the Broadband Adapter and Modem Adapter. The console uses a proprietary port for video output and is therefore incompatible with all Nintendo GameCube audio/video cables (composite video, S-Video, component video and RGB SCART). The console also lacks the GameCube footprint and high-speed port needed for Game Boy Player support. The Wii was initially compatible with the GameCube Action Replay, which would work with GameCube titles. The firmware update to 3.0 has caused restrictions to this device along with various unlicensed freeloaders, however.

Nintendo DS connectivity

The Wii system supports wireless connectivity with the Nintendo DS without any additional accessories. This connectivity allows the player to use the Nintendo DS microphone and touchscreen as inputs for Wii games. The first example Nintendo has given of a game using Nintendo DS-Wii connectivity is that of Pokémon Battle Revolution. Players with either the Pokémon Diamond or Pearl Nintendo DS games are able to play battles using their Nintendo DS as a controller. It has also been announced that the Nintendo DS will be able to play game demos downloaded from the console, which they would receive from Nintendo, similar to a DS Download Station. The console is also able to expand Nintendo DS games. This type of connection has been released only in Japan, in the form of the Everybody's Nintendo Channel.

Online connectivity

The Wii console is able to connect to the Internet through its built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi or through a USB-to-Ethernet adapter, with both methods allowing players to access the established Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection service. Wireless encryption by WEP, WPA (TKIP/RC4) and WPA2 (CCMP/AES) are supported. AOSS support was discreetly added in firmware update 3.0. Just as for the Nintendo DS, Nintendo does not charge fees for playing via the service and the 12 digit Friend Code system controls how players connect to one another. Each Wii also has its own unique 16 digit Wii Code for use with Wii's non-game features. This system also implements console-based software including the Wii Message Board. One can also connect to the internet with third-party devices.

The service has several features for the console including the Virtual Console, WiiConnect24, Internet Channel, Forecast Channel, Everybody Votes Channel, News Channel and the Check Mii Out Channel. The console can also communicate and connect with other Wii systems through a self-generated wireless LAN, enabling local wireless multiplayer on different television sets. Battalion Wars 2 first demonstrated this feature for non-split screen multiplayer between two or more televisions.

Parental controls

The console features parental controls, which can be used to prohibit younger users from playing games with content considered unsuitable for their age level. When one attempts to play a Wii or Virtual Console game, it reads the content rating encoded in the game data; if this rating is greater than the system's set age level the game will not load without a correct override password. The parental controls can also restrict Internet access, which blocks the Internet Channel and system update features. Since the console is restricted to GameCube functionality when playing Nintendo GameCube Game Discs, GameCube software is unaffected by Wii parental control settings.

European units mainly use the PEGI rating system, whereas North American units use the ESRB rating system. The Wii unit supports the native rating systems of many countries, including CERO in Japan, the USK in Germany, both the PEGI and BBFC in the United Kingdom and the OFLC in Australia and New Zealand.

Software library

Wii Optical Disc in keep case

Retail copies of games are supplied on proprietary, DVD-like Wii Optical Discs packaged in a keep case along with instruction information. On European releases, these retail boxes have a triangle printed at the bottom corner of the paper insert sleeve side. The hue of the triangle can be used to identify which region the particular title is intended for and which manual languages are included. The console supports regional lockout.

New games representing Nintendo's flagship franchises, including The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Mario (and spin-offs), Animal Crossing, Pokémon, Super Smash Bros., and Fire Emblem, have been released, or are in development for the Wii. Likewise, there are original titles for it as well as expected third party games. Ubisoft announced eight titles for release over the launch period and have stated that they have a further six currently in development while Midway Games has announced six titles. EA has declared their '100%' support for the system and has since gone on to purchase long-time partner Headgate Studios, which now develops exclusively for Nintendo's console. Namco Bandai also announced that they are developing 37 games for the Wii for their fiscal year ending March 2008. On April 27, 2007, Satoru Iwata stated that 45 out of Nintendo's 124 first-party games are being developed for the console; the other 79 titles are being developed for the Nintendo DS. As of July 25, 2007 the Wii has more exclusive games in development than the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

The Virtual Console service allows Wii owners to play games originally released for the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System and Nintendo 64, as well as Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis, NEC's TurboGrafx-16/PC Engine, and the SNK Neo Geo console. Virtual Console games are distributed over broadband Internet via the Wii Shop Channel, and are saved to the Wii internal flash memory or to a removable SD card. Once downloaded, Virtual Console games can be accessed from the Wii Menu as individual channels.

Reception

The system was well received after its exhibition at E3 2006. At the event, Nintendo's console won the Game Critics Awards for Best of Show and Best Hardware. In the December 2006 issue of Popular Science the console was awarded with the Grand Award Winner in Home Entertainment. Spike TV's Video Games Award also granted the console the award in breakthrough technology. GameSpot chose the console as the Best Hardware on their Best and Worst 2006 awards show. The system was also chosen as one of PC World magazine's 20 Most Innovative Products of the Year. The console received a Golden Joystick for Innovation of the Year 2007 at the Golden Joystick Awards. In the category of Engineering & Technology for Creation and Implementation of Video Games and Platforms, Nintendo was awarded an Emmy for Game Controller Innovation by The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

The worldwide success of the Wii has caught third party developers by surprise, leading to some apologizing for the quality of their early games. In an interview with German news magazine Der Spiegel, Ubisoft's Yves Guillemot and Alain Corre admitted that they had made a mistake in rushing out their launch titles, promising to take future projects more seriously. Take-Two Interactive, who released few games for the Nintendo GameCube, has changed its stance on Nintendo, putting a higher priority in developing for the Wii with Manhunt 2 being one of their first releases on the system.

At the same time, criticism of the Wii Remote and the Wii hardware specifications has surfaced. Former GameSpot editor Jeff Gerstmann stated that the controller's speaker produces low-quality sound, while Factor 5 President Julian Eggebrecht criticized the hardware audio as being substandard for a console of its generation. U.K.-based developer Free Radical Design has stated that the Wii hardware lacks the power necessary to run the software they have scheduled for release on other seventh generation consoles. The online connectivity of the Wii was subject to criticism, as Matt Casamassina of IGN compared it to the "entirely unintuitive" service provided for the Nintendo DS.

An executive for Frontline Studios expressed that major publishers are wary of releasing exclusive titles for the console due to the perception that third-party companies are not strongly supported by consumers. 1UP.com editor Jeremy Parish stated that Nintendo was the biggest disappointment for him in 2007, specifying that "I guess it's Nintendo I'm disappointed in, not the Wii". Commenting on the lack of quality third-party support, he stated that "the Wii landscape is bleak. Worse than it was on N64. Worse than on GameCube...the resulting third-party content is overwhelmingly bargain-bin trash."

Game designer and The Sims creator Will Wright shared his thoughts on the Wii within the context of the current console generation: "the PS3 and the Xbox 360 feel like better versions of the last, but pretty much the same game with incremental improvement. But the Wii feels like a major jump – not that the graphics are more powerful, but that it hits a completely different demographic."

Using the Wii is often seen as being more physically demanding than other game consoles, A study published in the British Medical Journal found that Wii players use significantly more energy than playing sedentary computer games, but it is seen that the energy used when playing active Wii games is not of high enough intensity to contribute towards the recommended daily amount of exercise in children.

Xbox 360 Review

Xbox 360 is the second video game console to be produced by Microsoft, and was developed in cooperation with IBM, ATI, and SiS. Its Xbox Live service allows players to compete online and download content such as arcade games, game demos, trailers, TV shows, and movies. The Xbox 360 is the successor to the Xbox, and competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles.

The Xbox 360 was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detailed launch and game information divulged later that month at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3). It is the first console to provide a near-simultaneous launch across three major sales regions (Europe, Japan and United States). The console sold out completely at release (with the exception of Japan) and, as of February 22, 2008, 18 million units have been sold worldwide according to Microsoft. The Xbox 360 comes in three different versions, the "Arcade" console, the "Premium" console, and the "Elite" console, each having its own set of included accessories and features. Another version of the Xbox 360, called the "Core" has been discontinued, but still can be found in some retail stores.Contents [hide]

Overview

Development

Known during development as Xenon, Xbox 2, Xbox FS, Xbox Next, or NextBox, the Xbox 360 was conceived in early 2003. In February 2003, planning for the Xenon software platform began, and was headed by Microsoft vice president J Allard. That month, Microsoft held an event for 400 developers in Bellevue, Washington, to recruit support for the system. Also that month, Peter Moore, former president of Sega of America, joined Microsoft. On August 12, 2003, ATI signed on to produce the graphic processing unit for the new console, a deal which was publicly announced two days later. The following month, IBM agreed to develop the triple-core CPU for the console. Before the launch of the Xbox 360, several alpha development kits were spotted using Apple's Power Mac G5 hardware. This was due to the system's PowerPC 970 processor running the same PowerPC architecture that the Xbox 360 would eventually run under IBM's Xenon processor.

Launch

The Xbox 360 was released on November 22, 2005, in the United States and Canada; December 2, 2005, in Europe and December 10, 2005, in Japan. It was later launched in Mexico, Colombia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile, India, Brazil, Poland, Czech Republic, and Russia. Microsoft has additionally announced official launches in: Hungary, Slovakia, and the Philippines. In its first year on the market, the system launched in 36 countries, more countries than any console has launched in a single year. Due to its early launch, the Xbox 360 had a one-year lead on both of its competitors, Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii.

Retail configurations

The Xbox 360 is available in three standard variants; the "Xbox 360 Arcade", the "Xbox 360 Pro", and the "Xbox 360 Elite". A discontinued SKU, the "Xbox 360 Core", was replaced by the "Xbox 360 Arcade" in October 2007.

At launch, the Xbox 360 was available in two configurations: the "Xbox 360 Pro" package, priced at US$399, and the "Xbox 360 Core", priced at US$299. The original shipment of the Premium version included a cut-down version of the Media Remote, but this was removed from later shipments. The Elite package was launched later at US$479, and the "Xbox 360 Arcade" replaced the "Xbox 360 Core" in October 2007 at US$279.
The Xbox 360 Core was an entry level Xbox 360 priced at US$279.99. The "Core" is no longer being sold, being replaced by the Xbox 360 Arcade. It was not originally available in Japan, but was later released on November 2, 2006. The Core system comes bundled with composite video cables, capable of only SDTV resolutions, but newer models with lot number 0728 or greater have an HDMI 1.2 output. The Core may output HD signals up to 1080p when connected to separately sold HDMI, Component, or VGA cables. It may also utilize a separately sold 20 or 120 GB hard drive. Unlike all other SKUs, it shipped with a wired version of the Xbox 360 controller, instead of the wireless version found in other SKUs.

Xbox 360 Arcade
The Xbox 360 Arcade, priced at US$279.99, is the replacement for the "Xbox 360 Core". It was publicly revealed (though it was available in stores far earlier) by Microsoft's president of Entertainment Devices division Robbie Bach to the Financial Times on October 18, 2007, and officially announced on October 22, 2007. It includes a wireless controller, 256 MB memory unit, composite AV cable, HDMI 1.2 output, and 5 Xbox Live Arcade titles. The consoles, identified by packaging labeled "Go Play!", are bundled with Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, Pac-Man Championship Edition, and Uno on a single disk, which also includes a "Welcome Video" and several game trailers/demos.

The Xbox 360, commonly called the Premium or Pro, priced at US$349.99, includes all the features of the Xbox 360 Core and includes a hybrid composite and component cable with optional optical out instead of a composite cable. The Xbox 360 also includes a detachable 20 GB Hard Disc Drive to store downloaded content, provide compatibility with original Xbox games, and store game data. The included hard drive comes with game demos, video clips and a free Live Arcade game, Hexic HD. In July 2007, this version of the Xbox 360 began appearing with the Zephyr motherboard (the motherboard used in the Elite) which features HDMI 1.2 output and an improved GPU heatsink. Although the Premium package does include an HDMI 1.2 output, it does not come with HDMI 1.2 cables. Starting at the end of September, the newest systems were shipped with the new "Falcon" motherboard. This motherboard includes the new 65-nm CPUs, making them quieter and cooler than the older systems. Holiday 2007 consoles, with packaging labeled "Go Big", were bundled with Ultimate Alliance and Forza Motorsport 2. This bundle has since then been discontinued.

The Xbox 360 Elite is the fourth and most expensive variation of the console. It is priced at US$449.99 and includes a 120GB hard drive and a matte black finish. The Elite retail package also includes an HDMI 1.2 cable and a controller and headset that match the system's black finish. The initial release price was US$479.99, C$549.99, £299.99, and AU$729.95. The Elite was released in Europe on August 24, 2007, and Australia on August 30, 2007. Holiday 2007 consoles, with packaging labeled "Go Big", were bundled with Ultimate Alliance and Forza Motorsport 2. This bundle has since then been discontinued. Early Elite models shipped using the Zephyr motherboard, though newer models now use the Falcon 65nm chipset instead. These Elites (and other Xbox 360 models using the Falcon) can be identified from earlier versions by a re-designed power connector and a power supply that runs at 175w. The motherboard layout is also different.

Special editions

On a few occasions, Microsoft has produced special editions of the console, usually to coincide with the release of a major product. These special editions are typically custom-colored Xbox 360 models, and are produced in limited numbers.
At the E3 2007 press conference, Microsoft announced the Halo 3 Special Edition of the console, released September 16, 2007. It sports a Halo 3 theme on the console, wired headset, and wireless controller. Other than the unique "Spartan green and gold" color scheme and exclusive dashboard theme and downloads, its features are identical to that of the Premium system. It is priced at US$399.99 and £279.99 (the original price of the Xbox 360 Premium).
To promote The Simpsons Movie, Microsoft created a specially-designed, yellow Xbox 360 console. This configuration is based on the Xbox 360 Premium package, with the only difference being the color scheme of the Xbox 360 console and wireless controller. The consoles were to be given out to winners of drawings taking place between July 18, 2007 and July 27, 2007, in which a name was randomly drawn each day in the "10 Days and 10 Chances to Win" sweepstakes. This edition is limited, as 10 consoles were produced.

Xbox Live

On the day of the Xbox 360's release, Microsoft's online gaming service Xbox Live was shut down for 24 hours and went through a major upgrade, adding a basic non-subscription service, Silver, to its already established premium subscription-based service (which was renamed Gold). Xbox Live Silver is free of charge and is included with all SKUs of the console. It allows users to create a user profile, join on message boards, and access Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade and Marketplace and talk to other members. A Live Silver account does not generally support multiplayer gaming; however, some games that have rather limited online functions already, (such as Viva Pinata) or games that feature their own subscription service (eg. EA Sports games) can be played with a Silver account. Xbox Live also supports voice and video communication, the latter a feature possible with the Xbox Live Vision; an add-on USB web camera designed specifically for the Xbox 360. The Gamercard of a player with a Silver account has a silver trim, rather than gold.

Xbox Live Gold has the same features as Silver and includes integrated online game playing capabilities outside of third-party subscriptions. Microsoft has allowed previous Xbox Live subscribers to maintain their profile information, friends list, and games history when they make the transition to Xbox Live Gold. To transfer an Xbox Live account to the new system, users need to link a Windows Live ID to their gamertag on Xbox.com. When users add an Xbox Live enabled profile to their console, they are required to provide the console with their passport account information and the last four digits of their credit card number, which is used for verification purposes and billing. An Xbox Live Gold account has an annual cost of US$49.99, C$59.99, GB£39.99, or €59.99. As of July 11, 2007, Xbox Live has over 7 million subscribers.

Xbox Live Marketplace

The Xbox Live Marketplace is a virtual market designed for the console that allows Xbox Live users to download purchased or promotional content. The service offers movie and game trailers, game demos, Xbox Live Arcade games, gamertag images and Xbox 360 Dashboard themes as well as add-on game content (items, costumes, levels etc). These features are available to both silver and gold members on Xbox Live. A hard drive or memory unit is required to store products purchased from Xbox Live Marketplace. In order to download priced content, users are required to purchase Microsoft Points for use as scrip; though some products (such as trailers) are free to download. Users are able to view items available to download on the service through a PC via the Xbox Live Pipeline website. An estimated seventy percent of Xbox Live users have downloaded items from the Marketplace.

Xbox Video Marketplace

On November 6, 2006, Microsoft announced the Xbox Video Marketplace, an exclusive video store accessible through the console. Launched in the United States on November 22, 2006, the first anniversary of the Xbox 360's launch, the service allows users in the United States to download high-definition and standard-definition television shows and movies onto an Xbox 360 console for viewing. With the exception of short clips, content is not currently available for streaming, and must be downloaded. Microsoft has also announced that its Microsoft TV service will add IPTV functionality to the console, giving users the ability to stream 2 simultaneous HD and 2 simultaneous SD channels. Movies are also available for rental. They expire in 14 days after download or at the end of the first 24 hours after the movie has begun playing, whichever comes first. Television episodes can be purchased to own, and are transferable to an unlimited number of consoles. Downloaded files use 5.1 surround audio and are encoded using VC-1 for video at 720p, with a bitrate of 6.8 Mbit/s. Television content is offered from MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Turner Broadcasting, and CBS; and movie content is Warner Bros., Paramount, and Disney, along with other other publishers.

After the Spring 2007 update, the following video codecs are supported:
H.264 video support: Up to 15 Mbit/s, Baseline, Main, and High (up to level 4.1) Profiles with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.
MPEG-4 Part 2 video support: Up to 8 Mbit/s, Simple Profile with 2 channel AAC LC and Main Profiles.

As a late addition to the Fall Xbox 360 update which was launched on the 4 December 2007 25 movies were added to the European Xbox 360 video market place on the 11 December 2007 and cost 250 Microsoft points for the SD version on the movie and 380 Microsoft points for the HD version of the movie. Xbox Live members in Canada featured the ability to go on the Xbox Live Marketplace as of December 10, 2007 with around 30 movies to be downloaded for the same amount of Microsoft Points.

Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade is an online service operated by Microsoft that is used to distribute downloadable video games to Xbox and Xbox 360 owners. In addition to classic arcade games such as Ms. Pac-Man, the service offers some new original games like Assault Heroes. The Xbox Live Arcade also features games from other consoles, such as the PlayStation game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night and PC games such as Zuma. The service was first launched on November 3, 2004, using a DVD to load, and offered games for about US$5 to $15. Items are purchased using Microsoft Points, a proprietary currency used to reduce credit card transaction charges. On November 22, 2005, Xbox Live Arcade was re-launched with the release of the Xbox 360, in which it was now integrated with the Xbox 360's dashboard. The games are generally aimed toward more casual gamers; examples of the more popular titles are Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved, Street Fighter II' Hyper Fighting, and UNO.

Multimedia

The Xbox 360 supports videos in .wmv-format, as well as high-definition .wmv-videos, H.264, MPEG-4, and PlaysForSure WMV videos.

The Fall 2007 dashboard update added support for the playback of MPEG-4 ASP format videos.

The Xbox 360 also supports audio playback, with music player controls accessible through the Xbox 360 Guide button. Users may play back their own music while playing games or using the dashboard, and can play music with an interactive visual synthesizer.

The Xbox 360 can also display pictures and perform slideshows of photo collections with various transition effects. Users can also play audio in the background while viewing a slideshow.

Music, photos and videos can be played from standard USB mass storage devices, Xbox 360 proprietary storage devices (such as memory cards or Xbox 360 hard drives), and servers or computers with Windows Media Center or Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or higher within the local-area network in streaming mode.[44][45] This is possible with video files up to HD-resolution and with several codecs (MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV) and container formats (WMV, MOV, TS).[46]

In the UK the Xbox 360 will be enabled to download and display BT Vision video content. [47]

Software

Dashboard
The Xbox 360 dashboard. Showing the new five blades
See also: Xbox 360 System Software

The Xbox 360's graphical user interface GUI is the Xbox 360 Dashboard; a tabbed interface that features five "Blades" (formerly four blades), and was designed by AKQA. It can be launched automatically when the console boots up without a disc, or when the disc tray is ejected. However, the user may choose to launch a game automatically if a disc is inserted. A simplified version of it can also be accessed at any time via the Xbox Guide button on the gamepad. This simplified version shows the user's gamercard, Xbox Live messages and friends list. It also allows for personal and music settings, in addition to voice or video chats, or returning to the primary Dashboard from the game.

Since the console's release, Microsoft has released several updates for the Dashboard software. These updates have included adding new features to the console; enhancing Xbox Live functionality and multimedia playback cabilities; adding compatibility for new accessories; and fixing bugs in the software. The latest Dashboard update, revision 2.0.6683, was made available on December 4, 2007.

Microsoft XNA

Microsoft XNA is a set of tools and technologies that includes XNA Studio, which provides versions of key production tools such as asset management, defect tracking, project automation and work lists. These tools are designed to work together to automate common development tasks and present interfaces tailored to the different functions within the team. Microsoft XNA also includes other components such as the XNA Framework and XNA Build.

Anyone can develop a game using XNA Game Studio Express, an IDE for homebrew developers, which was initially released in beta form on August 30, 2006. A second, near feature complete beta version was released on November 1, 2006. The final feature complete version, 1.0, was released on December 11, 2006. For a US$99/GB£65 yearly subscription fee users can join a "creators club" which lets them transport code onto their 360 and share their content with others. In the UK, there is also a 4 month subscription to the "Creators [sic] Club" which costs £30 GBP.

Backward compatibility
Main article: List of Xbox games compatible with Xbox 360

Backward compatibility on the Xbox 360 is achieved through software emulation of the original Xbox. Emulated games are rendered in 720p, 1080i, or 1080p HD resolution with anti-aliasing enabled rather than the Xbox standard of 480p (anti-aliasing is also applied when the output resolution is 480p.) However there are also games that do not perform well in emulation; these often exhibit a lower framerate on the Xbox 360, as well as various sound bugs and occasional gameplay glitches. A hard drive and the downloading of an emulation profile is needed in order to play original Xbox games. Updated emulation profiles are automatically obtained through Xbox Live, or alternatively they can be burned to a CD with files downloaded from Xbox.com, or by ordering a free update disc from Microsoft. A full list of backward-compatible games is maintained at Xbox.com.

The current U.S. list includes 464 games as of the November 2007 update; fewer titles are backward compatible in European and Japanese markets, with 295 and 101 titles respectively. Microsoft originally stated that they intend to release more emulation profiles as they become available, with a goal of making the entire Xbox library playable on the Xbox 360. They have since made multiple statements indicating that this may never be complete though the rate of updates to the backwards compatibility list still continues steadily.

At 2008's CES, Albert Penello, the Xbox 360's group marketing manager, said that "engineering work around bringing out new titles" is "winding down".

Xbox Originals

As part of the December 4, 2007 dashboard update, a new feature, called Xbox Originals, was launched allowing users to download original Xbox games directly to their Xbox 360. The games have not been altered in any way, except that any demos and game previews have been stripped out. As of December 2007, all titles are available for 1200 Microsoft Points (US$15) each.

The games available from the launch of the Xbox Originals are: Halo: Combat Evolved, Fable, Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, Psychonauts, Fusion Frenzy, Indigo Prophecy, and Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. Videos previewing the service had shown Burnout 3: Takedown as a title, and though it was not included at launch, it became available on January 14, 2008.

Game library
The Xbox 360 launched with 14 games in North America and 13 in Europe. The console's best-selling game for 2005, Call of Duty 2, sold over a million copies. Five other games sold as well in the console's first year in the market: Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Dead or Alive 4, Saints Row and Gears of War. Only six games were initially offered in Japan, and eagerly anticipated titles such as Dead or Alive 4 and Enchanted Arms were not released until several weeks after launch. Games more suitable to the region are planned or have since been released, such as Chromehounds, Ninety-Nine Nights, and Phantasy Star Universe. Microsoft-backed Mistwalker has since released Blue Dragon in the region, and currently has two other Japanese-style games in development, Lost Odyssey and Cry On.[citation needed] On October 19, 2006, with over 10,000 pre-orders, a limited-edition Blue Dragon bundle sold out in Japan on the first day.[citation needed] The pack, priced at JP¥29,800 includes the Xbox 360 core system with a copy of Blue Dragon, along with a table calendar, Blue Dragon faceplate, and five miniature character figures. At the Lepzig game convention in 2007, Microsoft revealed details of Project Gotham Racing 4, Rock Band, Tom Clancy's EndWar, Dark Sector, FIFA 08, Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare and Tony Hawk's Proving Ground.[citation needed]

E3 2006 was the first large-scale show after the console's launch and the first trailer for Halo 3, the sequel to the original Xbox's best-selling game,[citation needed] was shown there. Fable 2 was also shown, along with Alan Wake, Mass Effect and Too Human. Bill Gates spoke of plans to integrate several Microsoft services into one entity with Live Anywhere.[citation needed] Shadowrun was the first game announced to be compatible with Live Anywhere.[citation needed] Several games originally released on PC have also been released on the Xbox 360, such as F.E.A.R. and Quake 4. Grand Theft Auto IV was shown and will be the first title in the series to be released for the Xbox 360 the same day as its PlayStation 3 counterpart. At X06, Microsoft announced several new titles, along with information on future releases. Splinter Cell: Conviction, set to release after Splinter Cell: Double Agent, was announced to be exclusive to the Xbox 360, as were BioShock and Banjo-Kazooie 3. At the event, Halo Wars was also announced, along with an untitled Halo project. In addition, Microsoft published sequels to some of its more successful franchises on the original Xbox, such as Forza Motorsport 2, Project Gotham Racing 3 & 4, and Fuzion Frenzy 2. They have published original games based on new IPs, such as Viva Piñata and Gears of War.

Hardware and accessories

The main unit of the Xbox 360 itself has slight double concavity in matte white or black. It features a port on the top (when vertical, left side when horizontal) to which a custom-housed hard drive unit can be attached in sizes of either 20 or 120 GB. Inside, the Xbox 360 uses the triple-core IBM designed Xenon as its CPU. Graphics processing is handled by the ATI Xenos which has 10 MB of embedded eDRAM. Its main memory pool is 512 MB in size.

Accessories

Many accessories are available for the console, including both wired and wireless controllers, faceplates for customization, wireless steering wheel for a realistic of playing a racing game, headsets for chatting, a webcamera for video chatting, Dance Mats and Gamercize for exercise, an HD DVD player (now discontinued), three sizes of memory cards, and two sizes of hard drives (120GB and 20GB), among other items, all of which are styled to match the console.

Technical problems
The Xbox 360 Ring of Light displaying three red lights, indicating a "general failure error"

The Xbox 360 can be subject to a number of technical problems. Since the console's release in 2005, the product earned note in the press questioning its reliability and failure rate of the early consoles.

To aid customers with defective consoles, Microsoft has extended the Xbox 360's manufacturer's warranty to three years for general failure errors.

Since these problems surfaced, design modifications have been made to the console to improve reliability. All consoles manufactured after June 2007 have extensive revisions from the earliest units. Modifications include a reduction in the number, size and placement of components, including modifications to the mounting methodology, and a second GPU heatsink to dissipate more heat.

In February 2008 a 3rd Party Warranty firm, SquareTrade, made a press release concerning the 1040 Xbox 360 customers they had sold warranties. They found that 171 consoles (16.4%) were returned under warranty as "disabled", of those 60% were reported as general hardware failure.

The Xbox 360 began production only 69 days before launch. As a result, Microsoft was not able to supply enough systems to meet initial consumer demand in Europe or North America. Many potential customers were not able to purchase a console at launch. Forty thousand units appeared on eBay during the initial week of release; this was 10% of the total supply. By year's end, Microsoft had shipped 1.5 million units, including 900,000 in North America, 500,000 in Europe, and 100,000 in Japan.

At E3 in May 2006, Bill Gates announced that Microsoft would have a head start of 10 million units by the time Sony and Nintendo entered the market. Microsoft later specified that goal and estimated shipments of 10 million units by the end of 2006,.

Cumulative sales from the system's launch until June 30, 2007 were predicted to reach 12 million units, down from 13 to 15 million units estimated earlier. Being released one year ahead of its competitors, the Xbox 360 was the market leader throughout the first half of 2007. However on September 12, 2007, it was reported by the Financial Times that the Xbox 360 had been surpassed by the Wii in terms of worldwide console sales. On October 4, 2007, soon after the launch of Halo 3, Microsoft stated that Xbox 360 sales had more than doubled compared to the previous average.

Based on figures from October 19, 2007, the Xbox 360 outsold the Wii for the month of September in North America, helped in part by the spike in sales seen after the launch of Halo 3, which sold 3.3 million copies in the U.S. in a 12-day period. The Xbox had sales of 528,000 units for September, while the Wii had sales of 501,000 units.

However, despite these sales figures, Microsoft's gaming division is losing money. Through 2005, the Xbox gaming division had lost over $4 billion. However, Microsoft expects the console will start making money in 2008. The losses are due to the market strategy of selling consoles below cost in order to obtain market saturation and gain profits on software and peripherals that have a much higher profit margin. Also notable is that Microsoft has taken a charge of $1 billion dollars on its June 2007 Income Statement to account for the cost of replacing bricked Xbox 360s.

As of January 1, 2008, the Xbox 360 has sold 9.15 million units in the United States according to the NPD Group and 548,308 in Japan according to Enterbrain. In Europe, the Xbox 360 sold 2 million units in 2006 and 1.9 million in 2007 according to estimates by Electronic Arts.

On February 13, 2008, Microsoft announced that the Xbox 360 suffered shortages in the US in January 2008, which may continue into February. Prior to the release of the NPD Group's video game statistics for January 2008, the Xbox 360 has been in second place behind the Wii in US sales in most months since the Wii and PS3 were released, according to data by the NPD Group.

Playstation 3 Review

The PlayStation 3 ( commonly abbreviated PS3) is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment a subsdiary of Sony established on November 16, 1993 in Tokyo, Japan, and successor to the PlayStation 2 ( over 120 million units sold worldwide) as part of the PlayStation series. First Playstation was available in December of 1994 in Japan. The PlayStation 3 competes in sales with Microsoft's Xbox 360 (over 17 million units sold) and Nintendo's Wii(over 20 million units sold) as one of the next generation of video game consoles and is currently at third place in sales.

Some of the major features of PS3 are a new optical disc storage media blu-ray disc ( it has capacity of 25 GB on a single layer disc and 50 GB on a double layer disc), wirelles controller called Sixaxis, connectivity with the PSP, and a new online gaming service, the Playstation Network.

The PlayStation 3 was first released on November 11, 2006, in Japan, November 17, 2006 in North America, and March 23, 2007 in Europe and Oceania, in two versions : a basic version with a 20 GB hard disk drive (HDD), and a premium version with a 60 GB HDD and several additional features. Since then, Sony has released 40 GB and 80 GB versions.

The PlayStation 3 was first released in Japan on November 11, 2006, at 07:00. There were reports that many of the systems were obtained by businessmen who paid mainly Chinese nationals to buy the systems to resell them on eBay. In report by Media Create it’s stated that 81,639 PS3 systems were sold within 24 hours after it’s launch in Japan.

Soon after its release in Japan, the PS3 was released in North America on November 17, 2006. Reports of violence surrounding the release of the PS3 include a customer shot, campers robbed at gunpoint, customers shot in a drive-by shooting with BB guns, and 60 campers fighting over 10 systems. And some guys just bought PS3 to destroy it in front of cameras and put it on youtube, it would be better if they gave that money to charitys.

On January 24, 2007, Sony announced that the PlayStation 3 would go on sale on March 23, 2007 in Europe, Australia, the Middle East, Africa and New Zealand.
During its launch in Paris, Europe less than 100 units were sold out of 1000 that were for sale and a boat rented by Microsoft passed on Seine (river) with sign “Xbox 360 Loves You”. The PS3 launched in the PAL regions on March 23, 2007. The system sold about 600,000 units in its first two days.

The console was launched in South Korea on June 16, 2007 in a single version equipped with an 80 GB hard drive and IPTV.

There are four PlayStation 3 hardware models that are commonly referred to by the size of their included hard disk drive: "20", "40", "60", and "80" GB models.

All retail packages include one or two Sixaxis controllers and or a DualShock 3 controller (beginning June 12, 2008,), one USB cable, one composite video/stereo audio output cable, one ethernet cable (20, 60, and 80 GB only) and one power cable

In addition to all of the features of the 20 GB model, the 60 GB model has internal IEEE 802.11 b/g Wi-Fi, multiple flash card readers (SD/MultiMedia Card, CompactFlash Type I/Type II, Microdrive, Memory Stick/PRO/Duo), and a chrome coloured trim. In terms of hardware, the 80 GB model released in South Korea is identical to the 60 GB model released in the PAL regions, except for the difference in hard drive size. Like the South Korean and European models, the North American 80 GB model also excludes the PlayStation 2 "Emotion Engine" CPU chip. However, it still keeps the "Graphics Synthesizer" GPU. Due to emulation of the "Emotion Engine", the level of compatibility was reduced (see PlayStation 3 games - Removal of hardware support for more details). The 40 GB model has two USB ports instead of the four USB ports on other models, and does not include a multi memory card port, SACD support, or any backwards compatibility with PlayStation 2 titles. This was due to the removal of "Graphics Synthesizer" GPU, which stripped the unit of all PlayStation 2 based hardware.

No official Wi-Fi or flash memory card readers have yet been released by Sony for the 20 GB system, although plans for such add-ons are in place. Nevertheless, as the model features four USB 2.0 ports, wireless networking and flash memory card support can already be obtained through the use of widely available external USB adapters.

It was rumored that third-generation PS3s (40 GB) would be using Cell CPUs of 65nm, which SCEI CEO Kaz Hirai later confirmed

The PlayStation 3's initial production cost is estimated to have been US$805.85 for the 20 GB model and US$840.35 for the 60 GB model; however, they were priced at US$499 and US$599, respectively. The high manufacturing costs meant that every unit was sold at a loss of approximately $250, contributing to Sony's games division posting an operating loss of ¥232.3 billion (US$1.97 billion) in the fiscal year ending March 2007. In April 2007, soon after these results were published, Ken Kutaragi, the head of gaming at Sony, announced plans to retire. Various news agencies, including The Times and The Wall Street Journal reported that this was due to poor sales, whilst SCEI maintains that Kutaragi had been planning his retirement for six months prior to the announcement.

Since the system's launch, production costs have been reduced significantly as a result of phasing out the EE chip and falling hardware costs. The cost of manufacturing Cell microprocessors has fallen dramatically as a result of moving to the 65 nm production process and Blu-ray diodes being cheaper to manufacture. As of January 2008, each unit costs around $400 to manufacture.

On January 7, 2007, Sony met its goal of shipping 1 million units to North America. Just over a week later, on January 16, 2007, Sony confirmed they had shipped 1 million units in Japan, bringing the worldwide total to over 2 million shipped. As of April 1, 2007, approximately 5.5 million units had been shipped worldwide.

In the worldwide marketplace, the PlayStation 3 is currently behind its competitor systems, the Xbox 360 and the Wii, in overall sales. In Japan during 2007, the Wii outsold the PS3 by 4 to 1 in April, 5.6 to 1 in May, 6.5 to 1 in June, 4 to 1 in July, and 3 to 1 in August. In Japan as of January 1, 2008, 4,618,479 Wiis have been sold in total, compared with 1,673,063 PS3s; however, the Xbox 360, which was released almost a year earlier than its competitors, has sold only 548,308 units, according to Enterbrain.

In North America, the PS3 was outsold 4.4 to 1 by the Wii and 2.2 to 1 by the Xbox 360 in June 2007, and it sold the fewest units of any seventh generation console in the period January through April. Additionally, the PS3 saw the largest drop in sales of the three systems, selling 37% less in April than the previous month. Sony has attributed the poor sales in April to a lack of new software for the console. In many cases, the system has been outsold by its predecessor, the PlayStation 2.

From October 2007 to November 2007, sales of the PlayStation 3 went up by 285% in the United States. Sony CEO Howard Stringer attributed the growth to a price cut and Nintendo's inability to manufacture the Wii system at a rate high enough to meet public demand.

As of January 1, 2008, the PlayStation 3 has sold 3.25 million units in the United States according to the NPD Group, 1,673,063 in Japan according to Enterbrain, over 180,000 in Australia according to GameSpot, and an estimated 2.8 million in Europe according to Electronic Arts. Total worldwide sales as of January 1, 2008 are 10.49 million according to Sony.

In the United States, the PlayStation 3 outsold the Xbox 360 for the first time in January 2008 according to the NPD Group; however, a day prior to the NPD sales figures being released, Microsoft predicted that the Xbox 360 sales figure would be impacted by the shortage of their console that month in the US. Prior to this, the PS3 has been a consistent third behind the Wii and the Xbox 360 in US sales in most months since the Wii and PS3 were released, according to data by the NPD Group.

The PlayStation 3 is convex on its left side when vertical, (the top side is convex when horizontal) and has a sleek black finish with the Playstation logo on the left side. Playstation designer Teiyu Goto stated that the Spider-Man-font-inspired logo "was one of the first elements [SCEI president Ken Kutaragi] decided on and the logo may have been the motivating force behind the shape of PS3."

The PlayStation 3 features a slot-loading 2x speed Blu-ray Disc drive for games, Blu-ray movies, DVDs, CDs, and other optical media. It was originally available with hard drives of 20 and 60 GB (only the 60 GB model was available in PAL regions). An 80 GB model has since been introduced in NTSC regions, and a 40 GB model has been introduced in all regions. All PS3 models have user-upgradeable 2.5" SATA hard drives.

The PlayStation 3 uses the IBM-designed Cell microprocessor as its CPU, utilizing seven of the eight "synergistic processing elements" (often shortened to SPE). The eighth SPE is disabled to improve chip yields i.e. chips do not have to be discarded if one of the SPEs is defective. Only six of the seven SPEs are accessible to developers as one is reserved by the OS. Graphics processing is handled by the NVIDIA RSX, which can output resolutions from 480i/576i SD up to 1080p HD. The PlayStation 3 has 256 MB of XDR main memory and 256 MB of GDDR3 video memory for the RSX.

Numerous accessories for the console have been developed for the system, including the wireless Sixaxis controller, the wireless DualShock 3 controller, the BD Remote, the PlayStation Eye camera and the upcoming PlayTV DVB-T tuner/digital video recorder accessory.

The system has Bluetooth 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0 and HDMI 1.3a built in on all models. Wi-Fi networking is also built-in on the 40, 60 and 80 GB models while a flash card reader (which is compatible with MemoryStick, SD/MMC, and CompactFlash/Microdrive media) is built-in on 60 and 80 GB models.]

At its press conference at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced the DualShock 3 (trademarked DUALSHOCK 3), a PlayStation 3 controller with the same function and design as the Sixaxis, but with vibration capability included. Hands-on accounts describe the controller as being noticeably heavier than the standard Sixaxis controller, and capable of vibration forces comparable to the DualShock 2. It was released in Japan on November 11, 2007, while a Spring 2008 release date has been scheduled for Europe and June 12, 2008, for North America.

The PS3's hardware has also been used to build supercomputers for high-performance computing. Terra Soft Solutions has a version of Yellow Dog Linux for the PlayStation 3, and sells PS3s with Linux pre-installed, in single units, and 6 and 32 node clusters. In addition, RapidMind is pushing their stream programming package for the PS3. Also, on January 3, 2007, Dr. Frank Mueller, Associate Professor of Computer Science at NCSU, clustered 8 PS3s. Mueller commented that the 512 MB of system RAM is a limitation for this particular application, and is considering attempting to retrofit more RAM. Software includes: Fedora Core 5 Linux ppc64, MPICH2, OpenMP v2.5, GNU Compiler Collection and CellSDK 1.1.

On March 22, 2007, SCE and Stanford University released the Folding@Home project for the PlayStation 3. This program allows PS3 owners to lend the computing power of their consoles to help study the physical process of protein folding.

Sony has added the ability for the operating system, referred to as System Software, to be updated. The updates can be downloaded from the PlayStation Network directly to the PS3 and subsequently installed or downloaded from the official PlayStation website to a computer, transferred to portable storage media, and subsequently installed on the system. Updates can also be installed from game discs that require the update to run the game.

The latest version of the software, 2.10, was released on December 18, 2007. This update made the PS3 compatible with Blu-ray profile 1.1, added a new music visualization, added the ability to change voice pitch in the console’s chat function, and added support for DivX, XviD, and VC-1 (WMV) codecs. Version 2.01 was released on November 19, 2007 and fixed some of the stability issues with the PS3’s network connection and repaired some problems with Remote Start.

Version 2.00, released on November 8, 2007, added the ability to customize the XMB using themes; support for the DualShock 3 controller; the ability to create custom playlists for music and photos; more options for grouping content under XMB tabs, and the ability to remotely turn the PS3 on and off from a PSP using Remote Play.

The PlayStation 3 also includes the ability to install other operating systems such as Linux.

Graphical user interface

The PlayStation 3 version of the XrossMediaBar (pronounced Cross Media Bar, or abbreviated XMB) includes nine categories of options. These include: Users, Settings, Photo, Music, Video, Game, Network, PlayStation Network, and Friends (similar to the PlayStation Portable media bar). The PS3 includes the ability to store various master and secondary user profiles, manage and explore photos with or without a musical slideshow, play music and copy audio CD tracks to an attached storage device, play movies and video files from the hard disk drive, an optional USB mass storage or Flash card, or an optical disc (Blu-ray Disc or DVD-Video), compatibility for a USB keyboard and mouse, and a full web browser supporting in/compatible file download function. The Friends menu allows mail with emoticon and attached picture features and video chat which requires an optional PlayStation Eye or Eyetoy webcam. The Network menu allows online shopping through the PlayStation Store.

PlayStation Network

In response to Microsoft's success with their Xbox Live network, Sony announced a unified online service for the PlayStation 3 system at the 2006 PlayStation Business Briefing meeting in Tokyo. Sony also confirmed that the service will always be connected, free, and include multiplayer support. In addition, the registration interface can only be accessed through the PS3 system interface.

At the Tokyo Game Show on September 21, 2006, it was revealed that users will be able to download some of the thousands of PlayStation 1 and PlayStation 2 titles from the PlayStation Network for about US$5–$15, starting with those with the smallest game data. Ken Kutaragi also announced functionality with other systems, similar to Nintendo's Virtual Console, including confirmed Sega Genesis and TurboGrafx 16 functionality; however, Sega replied that Sony had been too hasty with calling it a fact, and that it was still "under examination".

On May 8, 2007 Sony Computer Entertainment announced PlayStation Network Cards, a form of electronic money that can be used with the Store. PlayStation Network Tickets, available in units of 1,000, 3,000, 5,000, and 10,000 yen, can be purchased at convenience stores throughout Japan. Each ticket contains a 12 alphanumeric code which can be inputted to the PlayStation Network to place credits in the virtual wallet. The tickets are available through electronic kiosks at 26,000 convenience stores, including Lawsons, Family Mart, Daily Yamazaki, Ministop and Sunkus. They are also available at 26,000 post office ATM machines, although registration is required first at a special mobile website.

A similar PlayStation Network Card system based on actual cards instead of tickets was introduced in South Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan in summer 2007 and is scheduled for a Spring, 2008 release in North America.

PlayStation Home

During the 2007 Game Developers Conference, Sony announced PlayStation Home, a new free-to-download community based service for the PlayStation Network, which allows users to create an avatar character for their PlayStation 3 system. This avatar will get its own apartment, which can be adorned by items players can receive in several achievements. In the future the service will also expand, allowing players to have more sorts of clothing, as well as hold pets. Home will be a Second Life-like experience and will allow gamers everywhere to interact in a virtual world. Home will also act as a meeting place of sorts for players who want to play multiplayer games on the PlayStation 3. During a video demonstration of Home, Sony said that a Home icon and options will be added to the Xross Media Bar (XMB), so it is expected to be available through a firmware update or separate download from within the PlayStation Store. A closed beta was in progress in Europe in May 2007, and an open beta was scheduled to be available in North America in early fall 2007. However, at the 2007 Tokyo Game Show, Sony announced that the final worldwide launch of Home, which had originally been scheduled for fall 2007, will now take place in spring 2008. SCEI President and Group CEO Kaz Hirai later explained that the launch was delayed for further testing and feedback evaluation to provide the best possible experience upon launch.

PlayStation Portable connectivity

The PlayStation Portable can connect with the PlayStation 3 in many ways, including in-game connectivity. For example, Formula One: Championship Edition, a racing game, was shown at E3 2006 using a PSP as a real-time rear-view mirror. In addition, it is possible to download PlayStation 1 games to the PlayStation 3 from the PlayStation Store. These games were not originally playable on the PS3; however, they could be sent to a PSP, and played using the PSP's PlayStation Emulator. Sony added support for playing downloaded PS titles on PS3 on April 18, 2007, with the update to firmware revision 1.70.

Sony has also demonstrated the PSP playing back video content, including 1080p content from the PlayStation 3 hard disk across an ad-hoc wireless network. This feature is referred to as Remote Play located under the browser icon on both the PlayStation 3 and the PlayStation Portable. Remote play has since expanded to allow remote access to the PS3 via PSP from any wireless access point in the world.

Games

The PlayStation 3 launched in North America on November 17, 2006 with a total of twelve titles and another three were released before the end of the year. After five days of sales it was confirmed that first person shooter Resistance: Fall of Man from Insomniac Games was the top-selling game, and was heavily praised by numerous video game websites, including GameSpot and IGN, both of whom awarded it with their PlayStation 3 Game of the Year award for 2006. Some titles missed the launch window and were delayed until early 2007, such as The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, F.E.A.R. and Sonic the Hedgehog. During the Japanese launch, Ridge Racer 7 was the top-selling launch title, while Mobile Suit Gundam: Crossfire also fared well in sales; both of which were offerings from Namco Bandai. The PlayStation 3 launched in Europe with twenty-four titles, including games that were not offered in the North American and Japanese launch, such as Formula One Championship Edition, MotorStorm and Virtua Fighter 5. Resistance: Fall of Man and MotorStorm have been the most successful titles so far, and both games are to receive sequels.

At E3 2007, Sony was able to show off a number of their upcoming video games for the PlayStation 3, including Heavenly Sword, Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction and Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, all of which have been released in the 4th quarter of 2007.They also showed off a number of titles set for a 2008 release; most notably Killzone 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2004 first person shooter. LittleBigPlanet was also demonstrated during the event and subsequently won the award for 'Most Original' game of the show.

Reception

The PlayStation 3 received generally unfavorable reviews soon after its launch, with many websites and reviewers criticizing its high price and lack of top-quality games. However, after a series of price drops and the release of several quality titles, the system has begun to receive better reviews.

The PS3 was given the number-eight spot on PC World magazine’s list of "The Top 21 Tech Screwups of 2006," where it was criticized for being "Late, Expensive, and Incompatible." Also, GamesRadar ranked the PS3 as the top item in a feature about game-related PR disasters, asking how Sony managed to "take one of the most anticipated game systems of all time and — within the space of a year — turn it into a hate object reviled by the entire internet", but added that despite its problems the system had "untapped potential." Business Week summed up the general opinion by stating that it was "more impressed with what [the PlayStation 3] could do than with what it currently does."

Some journalists judged that the relative ease with which it was possible to buy a PlayStation 3 in stores in the U.S. and Japan soon after its launch, compared with the scarcity of the Wii, was evidence of lukewarm consumer demand for the system.In addition, there were reports that some Japanese retailers discounted the system as early as January 2007 to stimulate demand.In an interview with Electronic Gaming Monthly, SCEA Chief of Operations Jack Tretton scoffed at the assertion that PS3s were not flying off store shelves, telling the interviewers, "If you can find a PS3 anywhere in North America that's been on shelves for more than five minutes, I'll give you 1,200 bucks for it." In response, Penny Arcade's Gabe and Tycho demanded a reward of $13,200 after finding six PS3s in stores near their home town.

Despite all the bad press, several websites have given the system very good reviews. CNET United Kingdom praised the PlayStation 3 saying, "the PS3 is a versatile and impressive piece of home-entertainment equipment that lives up to the hype … the PS3 is well worth its hefty price tag." CNET also awarded it a score of 8.8 out of a possible 10 and voted it as its number one "must-have" gadget, praising its robust graphical capabilities and stylish exterior design while criticizing its limited selection of available games.

In addition, both Home Theater Magazine and Ultimate AV have given the system's Blu-ray playback very favorable reviews, stating that the quality of playback exceeds that of many current standalone Blu-ray players. Also, the Convergence Panel of the European Imaging and Sound Association recognized the PS3 as the best media center product in the 2007/2008 award year.

Hexus Gaming reviewed the PAL version and summed the review up by saying, "…as the PlayStation 3 matures and developers start really pushing it, we’ll see the PlayStation 3 emerge as the console of choice for gaming." At GDC 2007, Shiny Entertainment founder Dave Perry stated, "I think that Sony has made the best machine. It's the best piece of hardware, without question."