Wii demo kiosks to be under supervision?
Filed under: Gaming
We suppose any Wii is better than no Wii, but having to battle it out in a round of Excite Truck with a proudly-pinned employee watching over each shoulder just seems a bit idiosyncratic. While we already know that Wal-Mart isn`t planning on hiring any more smiling faces to oversee the presumably fractious gaming crowd, you just might find a few "helpful staff members" at your side while flinging the Wiimote in your local GameStop. Nintendo`s George Harrison has insinuated that all Wii demo stations will feature untethered controllers, but store personnel will be eying the players to ensure the nunchuck isn`t used as a weapon (and that it doesn`t leave in unauthorized pockets). He also noted that the big N has spent "considerable amounts of time" in designed the forthcoming kiosks, and mentioned (vaguely) that they "could be found at retail outlets, malls, the Nintendo Fusion Tour, and other consumer events." While we still aren`t exactly sure where you`ll wind up finding that ever-elusive Wii demo station, be sure to mind your manners when you finally do.[Via The Wiire] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
We suppose any Wii is better than no Wii, but having to battle it out in a round of Excite Truck with a proudly-pinned employee watching over each shoulder just seems a bit idiosyncratic. While we already know that Wal-Mart isn`t planning on hiring any more smiling faces to oversee the presumably fractious gaming crowd, you just might find a few "helpful staff members" at your side while flinging the Wiimote in your local GameStop. Nintendo`s George Harrison has insinuated that all Wii demo stations will feature untethered controllers, but store personnel will be eying the players to ensure the nunchuck isn`t used as a weapon (and that it doesn`t leave in unauthorized pockets). He also noted that the big N has spent "considerable amounts of time" in designed the forthcoming kiosks, and mentioned (vaguely) that they "could be found at retail outlets, malls, the Nintendo Fusion Tour, and other consumer events." While we still aren`t exactly sure where you`ll wind up finding that ever-elusive Wii demo station, be sure to mind your manners when you finally do.[Via The Wiire] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeMicrosoft announces 100GB 360 HDD at X06 Korea!
Filed under: Gaming, Storage 
If you`ve been hankerin` for a bit more room to stash pr0n Xbox Live downloads and other various medias on your 360, and you`re not so keen on squeezing in a backup solution or dealing with a frumpy external drive, it looks like you`re in luck. Microsoft just announced a 100GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 at their little X06 shindig in Korea, and the drive should be making its way to shelves -- at least in Korea -- by March of `07. There`s no info on price yet, or really much info at all, but when has a PowerPoint slide full of Korean characters and lame-fonted "100 GB" overlays ever steered you wrong?[Thanks, Michael R] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
If you`ve been hankerin` for a bit more room to stash pr0n Xbox Live downloads and other various medias on your 360, and you`re not so keen on squeezing in a backup solution or dealing with a frumpy external drive, it looks like you`re in luck. Microsoft just announced a 100GB hard drive for the Xbox 360 at their little X06 shindig in Korea, and the drive should be making its way to shelves -- at least in Korea -- by March of `07. There`s no info on price yet, or really much info at all, but when has a PowerPoint slide full of Korean characters and lame-fonted "100 GB" overlays ever steered you wrong?[Thanks, Michael R] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeNVIDIA has x86 CPU in the works?
Filed under: Desktops, Gaming
Now this is more like it. Sure, the idea of a mighty Intel / AMD brawl, with each CPU giant carrying a GPU manufacturer underwing, has its plusses, but it`s not like Intel and AMD haven`t been duking it out for-freaking-ever already. What we really need is some new blood in this fight, and who better than NVIDIA, with their mighty chip-building and power sucking expertise to challenge the two main players in the CPU space? Nothing quite "official" yet, but the Inquirer claims to have confirmed just such a scheme is being launched by NVIDIA at this very moment. What makes this all the more likely is a recent acquisition of Stexar, which was comprised of ex-Intel kids, and should give NVIDIA a good head-start in the x86 game. Reportedly development is already underway, and the big N is shooting for a 45nm design for release sometime in 2008. The plan is, naturally, an integrated graphics chipset mixed with their fancy new CPU, a package which it looks like NVIDIA is well poised to offer, and which will be a vital offering from the likes of Intel and AMD in the years to come. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Now this is more like it. Sure, the idea of a mighty Intel / AMD brawl, with each CPU giant carrying a GPU manufacturer underwing, has its plusses, but it`s not like Intel and AMD haven`t been duking it out for-freaking-ever already. What we really need is some new blood in this fight, and who better than NVIDIA, with their mighty chip-building and power sucking expertise to challenge the two main players in the CPU space? Nothing quite "official" yet, but the Inquirer claims to have confirmed just such a scheme is being launched by NVIDIA at this very moment. What makes this all the more likely is a recent acquisition of Stexar, which was comprised of ex-Intel kids, and should give NVIDIA a good head-start in the x86 game. Reportedly development is already underway, and the big N is shooting for a 45nm design for release sometime in 2008. The plan is, naturally, an integrated graphics chipset mixed with their fancy new CPU, a package which it looks like NVIDIA is well poised to offer, and which will be a vital offering from the likes of Intel and AMD in the years to come. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeEriksson rejects plea offer, goes on trial for multiple counts of shadiness
Filed under: Gaming, Transportation
Notorious mobster, party animal, exotic automobile enthusiast, and failed gaming executive Bo Stefan Eriksson is finally being exposed to the harsh lights of a Los Angeles courtroom today, after rejecting a plea bargain on Monday due to the fact that "I cannot agree that I stole the car because I didn`t." The car that Eriksson was referring to is the famous million dollar Ferrari Enzo that he drunkenly crashed along a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway earlier this year, which authorities later learned was among several leased vehicles that the former Gizmondo director had exported from Europe and stopped paying for in late 2005. Eriksson also faces a charge of illegal weapons possession, and if convicted on all counts, could spend the next eleven years in prison -- a familiar setting for the thug-turned-businessman. Prosecutors are still hoping that Eriksson`s imaginary friend Dietrich will return to the States to testify, but sources close to the matter say that the German playboy has reportedly taken permanent asylum on the island of Atlantis, where he`s been managing a unicorn farm co-owned by Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Notorious mobster, party animal, exotic automobile enthusiast, and failed gaming executive Bo Stefan Eriksson is finally being exposed to the harsh lights of a Los Angeles courtroom today, after rejecting a plea bargain on Monday due to the fact that "I cannot agree that I stole the car because I didn`t." The car that Eriksson was referring to is the famous million dollar Ferrari Enzo that he drunkenly crashed along a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway earlier this year, which authorities later learned was among several leased vehicles that the former Gizmondo director had exported from Europe and stopped paying for in late 2005. Eriksson also faces a charge of illegal weapons possession, and if convicted on all counts, could spend the next eleven years in prison -- a familiar setting for the thug-turned-businessman. Prosecutors are still hoping that Eriksson`s imaginary friend Dietrich will return to the States to testify, but sources close to the matter say that the German playboy has reportedly taken permanent asylum on the island of Atlantis, where he`s been managing a unicorn farm co-owned by Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeLik-Sang busted for grey market imports, European fanboys weep
Filed under: Gaming
In a move that could have serious repercussions for gamers worldwide, the UK High Court has ruled that noted Hong Kong-based electronics exporter Lik-Sang is in violation of Sony`s intellectual property rights when it sells the company`s hardware inside the European Economic Area. As many of you know, Lik-Sang has been a primary source for hard-to-find foreign gadgets, exporting such products as Nintendo`s DS Lite weeks or months before they launch in the rest of the world. Sony claims that it will continue to pursue grey market importers under the guise of "protecting consumers" from gear that doesn`t conform to local safety standards, electrical voltages, and software encoding, even though it would seem that most people purchasing these goods are fully aware of what they`re getting into. This development should be especially troubling to European gamers, who may have been hoping to snatch up a PS3 several months before the scheduled rollout there; now, exporters will likely be more wary of shipping consoles to Europe in light of this legal precedent. On a completely separate note, Engadget has recently secured 1,000 PS3 units and a small plane to smuggle them overseas, where we`ll be selling them out of the back of a Land Rover on a first come, first served basis for €10,000 apiece (component and HDMI cables not included).[Via Gamesindustry.biz] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
In a move that could have serious repercussions for gamers worldwide, the UK High Court has ruled that noted Hong Kong-based electronics exporter Lik-Sang is in violation of Sony`s intellectual property rights when it sells the company`s hardware inside the European Economic Area. As many of you know, Lik-Sang has been a primary source for hard-to-find foreign gadgets, exporting such products as Nintendo`s DS Lite weeks or months before they launch in the rest of the world. Sony claims that it will continue to pursue grey market importers under the guise of "protecting consumers" from gear that doesn`t conform to local safety standards, electrical voltages, and software encoding, even though it would seem that most people purchasing these goods are fully aware of what they`re getting into. This development should be especially troubling to European gamers, who may have been hoping to snatch up a PS3 several months before the scheduled rollout there; now, exporters will likely be more wary of shipping consoles to Europe in light of this legal precedent. On a completely separate note, Engadget has recently secured 1,000 PS3 units and a small plane to smuggle them overseas, where we`ll be selling them out of the back of a Land Rover on a first come, first served basis for €10,000 apiece (component and HDMI cables not included).[Via Gamesindustry.biz] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeGQ Taiwan auctions custom 360s for charity
Filed under: Gaming 
We really thought we`d seen it all when it comes to Xbox 360 case mods and paint jobs, but this new Honest-SkinBox really, and truly, takes the cake. We suppose it`s for a good cause -- GQ Taiwan and Microsoft got 10 artist to create custom Xbox 360s, which are being auctioned off on Yahoo Taiwan, with the proceeds going to benefit World Vision -- so we can`t really cast too many aspersions. But really, what were they thinking with this one? The SkinBox, from American artist "Honest" is built to look like a living thing, in the middle of digesting that "snack" you can see glued to the side of the 360. It`s hard to call the unit much of a resumé builder, but it sure got our attention. Thanks, Honest, but we think we`ll be sticking with our plain ol` non-nausea-inducing boringbox.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
We really thought we`d seen it all when it comes to Xbox 360 case mods and paint jobs, but this new Honest-SkinBox really, and truly, takes the cake. We suppose it`s for a good cause -- GQ Taiwan and Microsoft got 10 artist to create custom Xbox 360s, which are being auctioned off on Yahoo Taiwan, with the proceeds going to benefit World Vision -- so we can`t really cast too many aspersions. But really, what were they thinking with this one? The SkinBox, from American artist "Honest" is built to look like a living thing, in the middle of digesting that "snack" you can see glued to the side of the 360. It`s hard to call the unit much of a resumé builder, but it sure got our attention. Thanks, Honest, but we think we`ll be sticking with our plain ol` non-nausea-inducing boringbox.[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeePoker Room, a way to play virtual poker in a real casino
Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Gaming
Well, they don`t call it "Lalaland" for nothing: a Los Angeles casino has just opened up a live ePoker table, appropriately called the "ePoker Room." Meaning you can go to a live casino (specifically, the Hollywood Park Casino) to play computerized poker. While none of us here at Engadget are big poker players, we still love the idea that you can go to a physical location to do something that you can easily do at any hour from the internet -- kind of like that bar Remote in New York. And according to a firsthand account in Poker News, the system even still takes all the human interaction out of the whole equation: "The electronic tables require no dealers, as the players select all their actions via the touch screen in front of them. The system even takes away from a floorperson`s job, as there is a kiosk where you can put yourself on a waiting list for a table." But you`ll still have to do slightly more work than if you stayed home, as your ID, cash and chips are contained electronically on a magnetic stripe card. In other words, you`ve still got to swipe the card to play, which does require a modicum of physical exertion, but certainly nothing that might risk burning more than a tenth of a calorie, you poker stud, you.[Via The Raw Feed] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Well, they don`t call it "Lalaland" for nothing: a Los Angeles casino has just opened up a live ePoker table, appropriately called the "ePoker Room." Meaning you can go to a live casino (specifically, the Hollywood Park Casino) to play computerized poker. While none of us here at Engadget are big poker players, we still love the idea that you can go to a physical location to do something that you can easily do at any hour from the internet -- kind of like that bar Remote in New York. And according to a firsthand account in Poker News, the system even still takes all the human interaction out of the whole equation: "The electronic tables require no dealers, as the players select all their actions via the touch screen in front of them. The system even takes away from a floorperson`s job, as there is a kiosk where you can put yourself on a waiting list for a table." But you`ll still have to do slightly more work than if you stayed home, as your ID, cash and chips are contained electronically on a magnetic stripe card. In other words, you`ve still got to swipe the card to play, which does require a modicum of physical exertion, but certainly nothing that might risk burning more than a tenth of a calorie, you poker stud, you.[Via The Raw Feed] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeSIXAXIS batteries not swappable, but Sony will replace controllers for free
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
After having printed so many negative stories about Sony lately -- concerning its battery debacle, Blu-ray delays, and factually-questionable marketing, to name a few -- we`re overjoyed to report on a company policy that will be sure to please gamers planning to pick up a PS3. Yesterday it was revealed that the wireless (and rumble-less) SIXAXIS controllers would not sport user-replaceable batteries, and given the fact that lithium ion cells only have a finite number of charges in them, it seemed that users would have to shell out $50 every time one of their gamepads crapped out. Not that this is necessarily a huge deal in a world where $300 iPods are also considered disposable, but it would still be kind of a slap in the face after throwing down $500 or $600 for a console with a purported 10-year life span. Well Sony feels for you starving gamers, so even though the party line is that "it`ll be many years before there`s any degradation in terms of battery performance," a spokesperson confirmed to Gamesindustry.biz that "we will be providing a service to exchange these items." Unless the service consists of an CSR giving you directions to the nearest GameStop, it would seem like Sony is planning on replacing dead controllers for free, which is a pretty nice feature in this world of planned obsolescence. Congrats on making the right decision here, Sony -- now is there any way we can get you to reconsider tossing a few decent cables into the box as well?[Via Joystiq] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
After having printed so many negative stories about Sony lately -- concerning its battery debacle, Blu-ray delays, and factually-questionable marketing, to name a few -- we`re overjoyed to report on a company policy that will be sure to please gamers planning to pick up a PS3. Yesterday it was revealed that the wireless (and rumble-less) SIXAXIS controllers would not sport user-replaceable batteries, and given the fact that lithium ion cells only have a finite number of charges in them, it seemed that users would have to shell out $50 every time one of their gamepads crapped out. Not that this is necessarily a huge deal in a world where $300 iPods are also considered disposable, but it would still be kind of a slap in the face after throwing down $500 or $600 for a console with a purported 10-year life span. Well Sony feels for you starving gamers, so even though the party line is that "it`ll be many years before there`s any degradation in terms of battery performance," a spokesperson confirmed to Gamesindustry.biz that "we will be providing a service to exchange these items." Unless the service consists of an CSR giving you directions to the nearest GameStop, it would seem like Sony is planning on replacing dead controllers for free, which is a pretty nice feature in this world of planned obsolescence. Congrats on making the right decision here, Sony -- now is there any way we can get you to reconsider tossing a few decent cables into the box as well?[Via Joystiq] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-timeMicrosoft sez 100GB Xbox 360 HDD is "not official"
Filed under: Gaming, Storage
Ok, so we did mention that the oh-so-thrilling "100GB" overlay supposedly seen in the mysterious PowerPoint slide at Korea`s X06 seemed a bit out of place, and now we`re hearing from Microsoft itself that it`s probably too good to be true. Correspondence with the console`s creator has elicited comments dubbing the announcement "misleading" and "not reflective of an official announcement of any kind," but it curiously failed to give an outright proclamation citing the photo as burlesquely. Nevertheless, the company claims it has "nothing to announce with regard to a larger hard drive" at this precise moment in time, but it certainly didn`t go out of its way to slam this proverbial door shut. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
Ok, so we did mention that the oh-so-thrilling "100GB" overlay supposedly seen in the mysterious PowerPoint slide at Korea`s X06 seemed a bit out of place, and now we`re hearing from Microsoft itself that it`s probably too good to be true. Correspondence with the console`s creator has elicited comments dubbing the announcement "misleading" and "not reflective of an official announcement of any kind," but it curiously failed to give an outright proclamation citing the photo as burlesquely. Nevertheless, the company claims it has "nothing to announce with regard to a larger hard drive" at this precise moment in time, but it certainly didn`t go out of its way to slam this proverbial door shut. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | CommentsBOLD MOVES: THE FUTURE OF FORD A new documentary series. Be part of the transformation as it happens in real-time
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