ive never been a big fan of that stuff. wii does it well enough that it works (and in non-conventional ways), but tilting alone sux.

4/8/2007 5:51:26 PM

Quote :

"Xbox 360 Spring Update revealed Microsoft introducing Windows Live Messenger capabilities into Xbox Live, planning to release keyboard attachment for controllers. By Brendan Sinclair, GameSpot Posted Apr 8, 2007 10:47 pm PT More Images (2) » Microsoft today announced that the Xbox 360 Spring Update will be released next month, and the revisions to the system's dashboard will include increased instant messaging abilities, revisions to the Xbox Live Marketplace, and more detailed achievement alerts. The biggest change in the cards for the Spring Update is the addition of Windows Live Messenger functionality. In addition to letting Messenger users on the PC chat with their 360-having friends, the update will also let Xbox 360 owners see if any of their Messenger contacts have Xbox Live Gamertags. Messenger contacts will be kept in a list separate from Xbox Live friends, and Xbox 360 users will be able to chat with six Messenger contacts at any given time. Xbox 360 gamers who quickly grow tired of navigating the on-screen virtual keyboard to type messages can either plug a USB keyboard into the system, or wait for Microsoft to release its new Xbox 360 keyboard controller attachment this summer. Snapping into place on the bottom side of the controller through the headset jack, the as-yet unnamed device features a QWERTY-style keyboard layout. Users will be able to access the new chat functions from an option on the system's main menu, in the same spot where the Xbox Live Marketplace can currently be found. The chat functionality is displacing the current Marketplace menu option, but the Xbox 360's online store shouldn't be any tougher to find. Microsoft is creating a new desktop "blade" to serve as the Marketplace's main access point. While gamers can customize their system's existing desktop blades with downloadable themes from the Marketplace, users won't be able to personalize the look of the store's own blade. The Spring Update will also add to users' options when it comes to downloading content from the Marketplace. Gamers concerned about leaving their systems on overnight in order to grab large downloads will be able to rest easier. Any user will be able to queue up a stack of downloads and then put the system into a low-power mode while they are retrieved. Once the queue is empty, the system will shut itself off. New Xbox 360 owners looking to catch up on everything the Xbox Live Arcade has to offer can set the Auto Downloads option to automatically retrieve not just new demos of XBLA games, but the entire collection of XBLA demos. Progressive download controls will also let those grabbing videos from the Marketplace to fast-forward, rewind, and pause their clips as they are being downloaded. Microsoft is also streamlining the notification process for achievements. No longer will players have to push the guide button and bring the game to a halt to find out what they did when an achievement notification pops up. The Spring Update will change the notification to include the short name of the achievement, as well as its gamerscore value. Microsoft plans to have the Xbox 360 Spring Update available beginning the week of May 7. "

4/9/2007 8:42:19 AM

that thing looks awesome,about the same size QWERTY board as my phone

I'll probably get one unless the price is rediculous

4/9/2007 9:09:38 AM

^It'll probably will be. Considering that a wireless controller costs the same as a game, adding a keyboard will only make it that much more.

4/9/2007 9:11:27 AM

i was thinking $80. the keyboard is separate from the controller.

[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 9:12 AM. Reason : asdf]

4/9/2007 9:11:44 AM

I don't own any of the next gen consoles so I wouldn't know but from what I understand the 360 has USB ports. You can't just plug in a standard USB keyboard and have it work?

4/9/2007 9:25:57 AM

yes, and can, but its all about style. just like buying oakleys or 5 dolla sunshades - image.

4/9/2007 9:27:32 AM

That thing is cool, although, I can't imagine people using it so much for IMs. What are computers for? And I can't imagine anyone having a 360 and not having a computer..

4/9/2007 10:53:00 AM

yeah, but not everyone has a computer in their living room

4/9/2007 11:30:48 AM

or you could just get a cheap $5 usb keyboard from somewhere

4/9/2007 12:04:32 PM

^That would be the way to go.. The next thing to come should be a browser..

4/9/2007 12:21:30 PM

there are programs that allow you to browse the internet... you're just not able to type anything.

4/9/2007 12:26:20 PM

Quote :

"or you could just get a cheap $5 usb keyboard from somewhere"

true but, this is wireless. a decent wireless keyboard may be about the same price as this MAYBE. i think this will be too expensive for my gaming funds cache, however if it is 30 (which i HIGHLY doubt) or less i will get it, because i can sure it will be convenient at some points. other than that, wireless usb keyboard ftw if they put out a browser :fingers crossed:

[Edited on April 9, 2007 at 12:48 PM. Reason : asdf]

4/9/2007 12:43:54 PM

i wonder if my bluetooth keyboard will sync
hmmm.....

4/9/2007 1:57:58 PM

Reminder: If anyone has Marvel: Ultimate Alliance, then you can get the Heroes and Villians pack for the game tomorrow, 4/10, for 800 points. Pretty much...new characters.

Heroes: Nightcrawler, Hawkeye, Incredible Hulk, Cyclops
Villians: Sabretooth, Venom, Dr. Doom, Magneto

4/9/2007 2:49:59 PM

more on the new messenger feature: http://tinyurl.com/3aaaqp

4/9/2007 3:36:40 PM

Quote :

"The Spring Update will also add to users' options when it comes to downloading content from the Marketplace. Gamers concerned about leaving their systems on overnight in order to grab large downloads will be able to rest easier. Any user will be able to queue up a stack of downloads and then put the system into a low-power mode while they are retrieved. Once the queue is empty, the system will shut itself off."

i'm more excited about this than anything else in that article

4/9/2007 3:41:55 PM

^That, and I do like the idea that when you get an achievement, it'll tell you what you did.

4/9/2007 4:16:58 PM

but how far away from your tv/xbox will you be sitting that when you wanna use a keyboard you cant just plug it in and use it or move closer? i dont plan to sit there at my xbox and chat on it all day like on aim or something

4/9/2007 4:20:23 PM

shrug. for me it would be a pain to have a wired keyboard the way my room is setup. i also dont text that often though.

4/9/2007 6:16:12 PM

b/c the controllers weren't quite bulky enough...

4/9/2007 8:45:07 PM

I am excited about this, but I know the overall reaction will be negative

4/9/2007 9:03:58 PM

Quote :

"b/c the controllers weren't quite bulky enough..."

what 360 have you been playing?

4/9/2007 9:48:56 PM

could the keyboard pave the way for world of warcraft coming to the 360?

4/9/2007 11:24:00 PM

lawd, i hope not because i like having a life

4/9/2007 11:52:04 PM

or you can do all that shit from a laptop at http://www.xbox.com

4/10/2007 2:48:03 AM

when i am lazy i would like to surf the internet from my couch and then flip it to cod3. i the price is right i def will get one, however, if and only if a web browser follows then i will actually make a purchase if the price is not ridiculous. what i would really like is a 3 dvd/cd changer in xbox 360!

[Edited on April 10, 2007 at 8:40 AM. Reason : asdf]

4/10/2007 8:27:13 AM

halo 3 wikipedia article:

Quote :

"On April 10, 2007 Bungie announced that the beta testing phase would run from May 16, 2007 at 12am PDT to June 6, 2007 at 11.59pm PDT.[39]"

4/10/2007 8:39:26 AM

^3 maps and a bunch of the new weapons will be available to use...check out bungie's site

4/10/2007 11:17:33 AM

god damn it i was hoping it would be in april

4/10/2007 12:20:40 PM

Quote :

"First solid GTA IV details emerge Advanced copies of the May issue of Game Informer confirm Liberty City is now a warped version of New York, has a Eastern European protagonist--and will have a multiplayer component. By Tor Thorsen, GameSpot Posted Apr 11, 2007 1:58 pm PT When the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer first unspooled last month, there was much debate on whether or not it was set in New York City. The preview clearly showed New York landmarks such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty. However, frame-by-frame analysis showed a ship registered to Liberty City, the setting of Grand Theft Auto III, as well as the Liberty Tree newspaper featured in that game. GTA IV Niko Belic takes a tour of Liberty City. Watch | Download Now, it appears that both theories are right. Leaked scans of the Game Informer's May issue indicate it will feature a major story on Grand Theft Auto IV which reveals many details of the game. One such nugget of information was that yes, the game will be set in Liberty City--but it won't be the same metropolis as GTA III. In news that will not please Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the new Liberty City is directly modeled on four of New York's five boroughs and part of suburban New Jersey. Each section has been renamed--Brooklyn is now Broker, for example--as have the iconic city's various landmarks. As shown in the trailer, the MetLife Building is now the GetaLife Building, and the Statue of Liberty is now called the Statue of Happiness. It will also have a smaller land mass than San Andreas, but apparently hardly a speck of open land, with each inch being an imitation of New York City's jam-packed environs. The article also confirms the game's protagonist is an immigrant from an unnamed Eastern European country. Named Niko Belic, he apparently arrives in the US after an extensive correspondence with his cousin Roman, who claims to have amassed wealth, cars, and girlfriends. When Niko arrives, though, he discovers Roman is a poor taxi-stand manager who has apparently become mixed up in Liberty City's multiethnic underworld. As expected, GTA IV will have much improved physics than prior installments in the series. Its use of the new RAGE engine, previously used in Rockstar Presents Table Tennis, will allow for much more fluid character animation which will affect the environments when appropriate. In GTA IV, non-player characters will also reportedly be superior to prior installments. In February, Rockstar licensed NaturalMotion's Euphoria technology--also being seen in the Star Wars: The Force Unleashed--which allows for complex NPC behavior and realistic NPC movement. Officially, Rockstar is only using the engine in "next-generation titles." However, NPCs in GTA IV sound like a complex bunch indeed, with such things as drinking and speech varying according to ethnic and economic types, according to GI. Other tidbits in the May Game Informer include confirmation that GTA IV is set in the present day, and will have a corresponding soundtrack. It will also allow characters to enter and exit buildings with out San Andreas-style load times. Last but certainly not least, the game will feature some sort of multiplayer component, but not be massively multiplayer, as some had rumored. The news was not all good, however. As rumored, the game will not feature any planes, presumably to avoid the publicity trainwreck of having Niko fly one into a replica of a New York landmark, 9/11-style. The game will have motorcycles, however. Grand Theft Auto IV will arrive on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in the US and Europe in mid-October. The May issue of Game Informer should arrive on newsstands in around two weeks. "

the name Niko Belic comes from croatia, yugoslovia, former yugoslavia, or the balkan area according to some europeans that i play chess with online.

[Edited on April 11, 2007 at 6:08 PM. Reason : AD]

4/11/2007 6:03:21 PM

I'm pissed about the no planes thing

4/11/2007 6:34:01 PM

pretty cool

Quote :

"Named Niko Belic, he apparently arrives in the US after an extensive correspondence with his cousin Roman, who claims to have amassed wealth, cars, and girlfriends. When Niko arrives, though, he discovers Roman is a poor taxi-stand manager who has apparently become mixed up in Liberty City's multiethnic underworld"

this kinda reminded me of those emails you'll get from Nigerians

4/11/2007 6:36:57 PM

I got MLB 2K7 last night. I traded in "The Show" to get it. 2K7 is a lot less headache compared to MLB 07. Yes, sliders need to be tweaked b/c I shouldn't be able to hit 3 HRs with Julio Lugo.

4/12/2007 9:16:54 AM

Quote :

"Guitar Hero Tracks Rock Live Three music packs available for download. by Rob Burman, IGN UK April 11, 2007 - Get ready to rock as Activision has popped the first nine downloadable Guitar Hero II tracks onto Xbox Live Marketplace, featuring classics from Motorhead and Queen. Tracks come bundled in packs of three - you can't buy individual songs - and cost 500 Microsoft Points (US$6.25, £4.25). As expected, these are not brand new songs, instead they're tunes that originally appeared in the first Guitar Hero. Once downloaded the songs appear at the end of the set list in career mode. You can also play every song in practice mode to perfect your skill. One major improvement comes to these nine Guitar Hero I tracks: Each features alternate guitar notes, so your friend can play bass or rhythm guitar as you rock out. Here's what each pack contains, so you can start fretting about which one to get. Track Pack One Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne Hey You - The Exies Ace of Spades - Motorhead Track Pack Two Killer Queen - Queen Take it Off - The Donnas Frankenstein - The Edgar Winter Group Track Pack Three Higher Ground - Red Hot Chilli Peppers Infected - Bad Religion Stellar - Incubus"

4/12/2007 10:51:24 AM

Quote :

"start fretting about which one to get. "

i see what they did there.

4/12/2007 10:53:05 AM

^Yeah, $15 for 9 songs.

Correction, almost $20 for 9 songs.

[Edited on April 12, 2007 at 10:59 AM. Reason : ]

4/12/2007 10:58:32 AM

$2 song pretty much...if you wanted all of gh1, itd be $100...RIP OFF

4/12/2007 11:00:17 AM

wow thats over 2 bucks a song

Good get awfully pricey over the long haul

I'm sure people will buy them tho

Red Octane and Microsoft can just sit back and count the dollars

4/12/2007 11:00:28 AM

I just wish they would release ALL the songs from the original Guitar Hero onto one pack. That would be too easy and cheap though.

4/12/2007 11:52:37 AM

I just finished free bird on medium.. dunno if I can push myself to completing it in Expert..

4/12/2007 12:29:05 PM

I got 4000 MS points over the weekend, so I won't have to worry about that for a while.

4/16/2007 9:59:26 AM

it sux they dont give you a discount for getting bigger amount (or do they if you get a super ton?). no diff between 500 and 2k though.

4/16/2007 1:42:00 PM

nah i dont think theres a discount that i've noticed

though i have heard that you can get some kind of promotional codes if you "have friends that work at microsoft" that you enter and you get "free" points

4/16/2007 1:54:53 PM

so what's a good that's older now that i should pick up cheap...any suggestions?

fear?
dead rising?

4/17/2007 3:20:40 PM

GRAW, DOA4, Fight Night 3 all are good and very old now. Dead Rising and Saints Row are both decent and relatively old.

4/17/2007 3:33:52 PM

Quote :

"The news was not all good, however. As rumored, the game will not feature any planes, presumably to avoid the publicity trainwreck of having Niko fly one into a replica of a New York landmark, 9/11-style. The game will have motorcycles, however."

Lame as all hell.

I'd be happier if they just re-released San Andreas for the 360 with additional content.

4/17/2007 3:39:48 PM

hopefully you can find a ramp that can propel your motorcycle into the twin towers

4/17/2007 4:05:53 PM

^ there are no twin towers anymore, incase you missed it.

4/17/2007 4:06:28 PM

My 360 finally died on me, having to send it off for repairs soon.

4/17/2007 4:08:59 PM