Unlike Microsoft’s Xbox 360 or Nintendo’s Wii, the PS3 shipped with an option to run “other” operating systems, including popular Linux distributions from Debian, Fedora, OpenSUSE and Ubuntu. The “slim” model PS3 (CEH-2000) that appeared in September 2009 debuted without this feature, but Sony exempted older “fat” PS3s.

Until next Thursday, that is. When Sony’s PS3 firmware update 3.21 debuts on April 1, it’ll disable the “Install Other OS” feature on millions of older systems. While you don’t have to install the update, opting out will bar access to the PlayStation Network, newer games and Blu-ray movies, copyright-protected videos streamed from a media server, and any other new features in firmware version 3.21 forward.

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London, UK (PRWEB) March 7, 2010 — All the people who are Nintendo GS users and want to add more games and functions to their Nintendo DS console, NDS-Gear is offering a wide range of DS adapters and cards that will enhance the working of Nintendo DS. The customers can choose their respective DS adapters by browsing through the website of NDS-Gear. As the NDS-Gear is a direct stock holder of the DS adapters so the orders are delivered in 24 hours after the order has been placed online.

As per the official information obtained from the NDS-Gear officials, after a series of checks the much awaited iEDGE card has been released. After the huge success of EDGE DS cards, the need for the next version was pertinent which should have been compatible with the Nintendo’s DSi, DSi XL and DSi LL versions. The iEDGE DS card is compatible with all of these versions and has successfully gone through the testing phase. R4 v2 card’s menu system has been used as the base for iEDGE DS card thus enabling the faster working of the menu system. The console owners can play games along with the other applications.

The iEDGE card follows up from the earlier successful cards by NDS-Gear like R4i and R4 SDHC. Giving it another facet, the iEDGE card has been packed in a beautiful pack so that it can also be gifted to somebody. The iEDGE card can accept upto 32 GB Micro-SDHC cards and is compatible with most of the versions of Nintendo. Along with the iEDGE cards, the NDS-Gear team has also come out with the M3i-Zero cards which are also next generation cards.

The reply from the NDS-Gear team mentioned that the NDS-Gear does not import the cards after the order has been placed instead they maintain a stock in UK so that all the orders can be processed immediately. NDS-Gear provides round the clock customer and takes utmost care of the fact that all the orders should reach the customers in top condition.

Press release written and distributed by Content Axis (www.eContentAxis.com)

About NDS-Gear.co.uk:
NDS-Gear is a reputed stockist and seller of the DS cards and adapters in UK. NDS-Gear is known for the quick supply of the DS cards and provides the customer care service known for its excellence. The company has in house testing facilities to test all the cards, thus providing the best DS cards to the customers. For enquires feel free to call +44 (0)78 5655 1234

Contact:

NDS-Gear
6 Brent View Road
London
NW9 7EH
United Kingdom
Phone: +44 (0)78 5655 1234
Email: john (at) nds-gear (dot) com
Website: http://www.nds-gear.co.uk

###

For the original version on PRWeb visit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3691814.htm

I’ve been playing on my Japanese DSi XL for a week or so, and it is a subtly enhanced experience. With the larger screen, I’m finding some elements of hectic action titles like GTA Chinatown Wars and Space Invaders Extreme 2 a little easier. Indeed, any action that requires pixel perfect precision is going to become a teeny bit less challenging with the XL’s larger display, though, of course, there’s no change in screen resolution (not that most gamers will notice). Space Invaders really benefits from the added visual impact, its psychedelic onslaught proving rather mind-blowing at 1am in the morning with your bedroom lights off.

It’s noticeably heavier than the previous iterations - 100g heavier to be precise, but what I really noticed is the change in balance, the upper screen weight slightly toppling the displays away from you if you have the hinges open as far as possible. But then, I like that solidity, and it also feels really comfortable to hold - plus, the fact that the buttons retain their size means there’s more space for big, clumsy banger-like fingers.

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The star of the Tomb Raider franchise was originally devised by a computer game developer based in the city.

More than 27,000 people took part in the vote to name the Osmaston Road to Burton Road stretch of the new route, with 89% opting for Lara Croft Way.

A separate stretch of road will be called Mercian Way as a tribute to local soldiers.

Created in Derby

Other options for the road’s name were legendary Derby County footballer Steve Bloomer, the astronomer John Flamsteed and the engineer George Sorocold.

Other roads in the city have been named after notable people connected with the county. There is a Sir Frank Whittle Way, Brian Clough Way, Nightingale Road (after Florence) and a Joseph Wright Terrace, named after the artist.

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Add this to the fact that geeks, tech-heads and gamers just love to compile definitive lists, and you will understand what a job it has been trying to identify a list of only 12 games that could genuinely be described as ‘definitive’ of that strange decade we are just leaving which we (always slightly uncomfortably) called the noughties.

The last ten years has seen gaming become the number one mainstream entertainment medium of choice for millions worldwide, with Sony’s market dominance with the PlayStation 2 earlier in the decade gradually giving way to the new dominance of Nintendo’s Wii, the latest rising (and glowing) star in the most recent round of what we all now call ‘the console war‘.

And throughout it all, the humble PC has retained its foothold as many true hardcore gamers’ format of choice, particularly if you happen to be a fan of strategy-gaming or massively multiplayer online games such as Blizzard’s mighty World of Warcraft.

On which note, we debated long and hard about WoW’s worthiness for inclusion in the following list, on the back of its sales, its 11 million-plus regular subscribers, its overall scope and its developers sense of ambition for what is possible… but we eventually knocked it off the bottom of the list.

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The news will come as a boost to Nintendo, which has seen sales of its innovative motion-sensing games console dip over the last few months. Figures released at the end of October showed a sharp drop in the number of Wii consoles sold, despite Nintendo’s decision to cut the US price of the console by $50 to reinvigorate sales.

David Yarnton, Nintendo’s general manager in the UK, said the company was “very pleased” with the Wii’s performance.

“With its inclusive, family friendly and fun nature, the Nintendo Wii has captured the imagination of over six million families across the UK,” he said.

“We’ll work even harder to ensure that the interest in Wii stretches over months and years, appealing to people of all ages and gaming experience.”

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And Microsoft knows it. It seems that the people in charge of Xbox Live have been in talks with the BBC about bringing the iPlayer to Xbox for some time now, but the deal has hit a very large and very fundamental snag, delaying the deal indefinitely.

The crux of the problem is that Microsoft likes to charge users for services on Xbox, whereas the BBC cannot charge for the iPlayer as the cost of the service is already covered in the licence fee.

A BBC spokesperson said on the matter: A source close to the BBC said of the matter: “Microsoft only wants to offer its users access to platforms it can charge for as this is the model it is pursuing. It wants to ensure that only those paying for Xbox Live Gold accounts can access its additional content services and even then there is usually a charge on top to get access to those. For example, to access the Sky Player on Xbox, you have to pay for a Gold subscription as well as a Sky subscription.“

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The campaign marks the first time that GCHQ, which reports to the foreign secretary, David Miliband, and works with MI5 and MI6, has run ads through Microsoft’s internet-connected Xbox Live platform, which connects gamers all over the world.

GCHQ’s recruitment campaign will appear through a range of Xbox Live games, including blockbuster franchises such as Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Left 4 Dead 2 and Assassin’s Creed II.

The government agency is running the six-week campaign using recruitment firm TMP Worldwide and said that many of its recruiting criteria are “reflected in game-play experiences on Xbox, such as quick thinking, problem solving and team work”.

Xbox Live’s main demographic, 18- to 34-year-olds, is also a good fit for GCHQ.

The campaign will include ads on the Xbox Live “dashboard” and within games through streamed video banners.

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Activision’s Modern Warfare 2 was heavily criticised by UK religious leaders from across the belief spectrum on BBC One yesterday.

Speaking on morning TV programme The Big Questions – which carried the query: Are Violent Video Games Damaging to Society? – Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders all hit out at the game.

The title has drawn notable controversy for its violent content and infamous ‘airport scene’ – in which gamers play the role of a CIA agent, acting undercover as a terrorist.

Chief executive of the London Jewish Forum Alex Goldberg told presenter Nicky Campbell and the studio audience:

“Surely this [scene] puts the gamer in the position of being a terrorist? The whole plot here is that it’s a military commander – whatever – who doesn’t want to blow his cover, so he blows up innocent civilians. We’re asking gamers to be put in that situation.

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Traditionally seen as the system for hardcore gamers, the Xbox has gained new video and communications functionality that includes Facebook, Twitter and, most impressively Sky TV. Most of these new features require Microsoft’s premium Xbox Live Gold membership, which will set you back around £35 a year. Previously Gold membership only bought you the ability to play games online. Now it’s offering a lot more…

THE NEW STUFF

Sky TV
The PlayStation 3 has its BBC iPlayer, and now the Xbox replies with Sky. The Sky application replicates any Sky subscription you already have, as long as you have their (fiver a month) multiroom option ticked.

When it comes to movies, the console seems even more impressive than the dish. A vast number of movies are listed on the Xbox both by category and in an A-Z list and can be started on demand. If you already have a movie channel subscription, the films are free to watch. If you don’t, you can sign up to a monthly contact which (with movies) works out at around £25 per month. You won’t get Sky’s 1080i HD resolution, or the 5.1 sound but the pictures and stereo sound are at least the equal of (for example) Freeview broadcasts.

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