Technology News

So we know that the new 80GB version of the Sony PS3 was upgraded with a larger hard drive. We did not know however that it would be more energy efficient than the 40GB version.

It seems that the Core does use less energy than the smaller hard drive version. A user from Slickdeals forum connected his 80GB PlayStation 3 up to a Kill-a-watt and was shocked at his findings.

The 80GB PS3 used 130 watts of power while playing MGS4, whereas the 40GB version used 155.2 watts of power. That’s not all, on idle the 80GB version uses 111.9 watts, whereas the 40GB model used 125.8 watts when idle on the XMB.

There are man theories as to why this is; the most popular is that Sony is now using the 65nm RSX chips. These chips are cheaper as well as being more reliable.

As yet Sony has not responded to these rumors, but that should only be a matter of time when they do.

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MTV Games and Harmonix have revealed the fourth album for Rock Band on the Xbox 360, the latest complete album will be downloadable from the Music Store catalog on August 26 via Xbox Live.

The latest Album is called “Moving Pictures”, and its Rush’s biggest selling album, so Rock Band fans will be able to take on their virtual world tour.

Moving Pictures has sold more than five million copies; it was released in 1981 and is Rush’s eighth studio album. The cost of Moving Pictures will be 880 Microsoft Points ($10.99) or you can buy each track at 160 Microsoft Points ($1.99).

Moving Pictures includes the following master tracks: Vital Signs, Witch Hunt, The Camera Eye, Limelight, YYZ, Red Barchetta and Tom Sawyer.

Moving Pictures is in good company as the fourth full-album DLC release available at the Rock Band Music Store, it follows The Cars’ “The Cars”, Judas Priest’s Screaming For Vengeance, and the Pixies album “Doolittle”.

Rock Band’s popularity is not stopping, and with the next release of Rock Band 2 in September that supports all previously downloaded content. Things will only get better for the game.

Source: Read

We knew that some interesting news will come out of the Leipzig video game convention in Germany, and Sony have done just that with news of a new Playstation 3 and PSP.

In the last 24 hours Sony has announced the PSP 3000, this new version of the PlayStation Portable handheld games console does not add many new features, although the additional features are needed for those that want to use the PSP for VOIP.

The Sony PSP 3000 will include a new microphone and screen that will perform much better in sunlight, so this update is basically to improve the Skype integration. The PSP 3000 will be available from mid-October in the U.S. and Europe for €199 (the current slim PSP is priced at €169).

Sony also mention a new Sony PS3 at Leipzig, the new version is said to feature a massive 160GB hard drive, that’s more than twice the capacity of the new 80GB model. This new PS3 will go on sale at the end of October for €449.

The latest issue of PSW has just been released (Issue 111), and we are hearing that it features a 4-page spread dedicated to God Of War 3 for the Sony PS3.

They have featured four pages of screenshots and PSW has apparently got the release date as well.

GoW3 is the next chapter in an extremely popular franchise, while the title is still in the works, we know that its going to be good thanks to the cliffhanger ending of God of War II.

GoW3 will be exclusive to the PlayStation 3, and as we have not got our hands on the latest copy of PSW yet, we cannot confirm what the release date is. IGN does not even have a release date yet, so PSW have some real exclusive information there.

If you have managed to buy the latest copy of PSW, feel free to leave the release date info in the comments.

The next big event in the gaming world is Liepzig; we will keep you updated on all the latest news during this event. Remember to join our feed to keep updated.

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We have known for a while that the 40GB PS3 was being fazed out with the 80GB PlayStation 3. The new model was not meant to be out until September, but larger storage version will be launched a week early so will be available this Friday.

Many stores are already showing that they will have them ready for shipping on Friday 22, those stores include, GAME, Play, Amazon, and many more.

I missed out on the 60GB version and have the 40GB version, but I am not worried about that as larger hard drives are easy to install. Ok I know you are getting 40GB worth of storage for free, but lets face it 80GB is still small.

Sony have done something great here though, the 80GB PS3 will have more storage than the new 60GB Xbox 360. It seems like Sony and Microsoft are playing a constant game of cat and mouse.

One thing is certain, the larger hard drive will only help to increase sales of what has to be the best games console on the market.

The first Resistance was poor on graphics especially when we are talking about a next-generation games console. The video below shows you eight minutes of gameplay from the closed beta of Resistance 2.

The gaming community knows that Resistance 2’s online play is going to be massive, and so will the uptake on this game. Sadly the video below does not answer the question of graphics thanks to it being recorded from a television.

With Resistance 2 the focus has really gone towards online play, and because the public beta will not be with us until September, this blurry video will have to do for now.

We have seen the level in the video before thanks to screenshots, and as the video is poor it’s hard to see the details, but one thing is for certain…Resistance 2 will be mad online.

If you like a game that’s more “take your time”, like Battlefield Bad Company, then this game may not be for you. The game is for those that love fast moving all out action.

Watch the video below and let us know what you think. You can also see other PS3 news here.

Microsoft’s Xbox 360 is still a very popular games console but as it ages its becoming clear that the next-generation games console has some major weaknesses compared to the Sony Playstation 3.

When we look closer at Microsoft’s strategy for the Xbox 360 its clear that this needs addressing if the 360 is to get its mojo back. The Sony PS3 has been consistently been chipping away at the 360’s lead in both hardware and software sales in the US.

The PS3 looked like it had no chance when it launched thanks to the Xbox 360 having a hold on the next-gen gamer with better games, and a better online strategy. Microsoft also cornered much of the gaming market by taking some of the largest franchises.

The Xbox 360 has Devil May Cry, Grand Theft Auto, and now Final Fantasy! But the PlayStation 3 still has these games, and with Microsoft backing the wrong optical format (HD-DVD), how many discs will Fantasy XIII take up when it hits the Xbox 360?

Microsoft has some amazing racing franchises, but none of these compare to the power that Gran Turismo brings to the Playstation 3. Halo makes the 360 a system-seller, but MGS4 is still a PS3 exclusive. Gears of War 2 is an amazing game, but Killzone 2 and Resistance 2 look just as good in terms of online play, scale, and graphics.

Playstation’s Home could be the secret weapon that gives the PS3 an edge that it needs in online play. LittleBigPlanet is another point for the PS3, and its one of the most anticipated casual games ever.

If you live in the United States, then you will tend to focus on U.S. gaming sales but remember that video games are an international business. Microsoft has been ruling the U.S. gaming market, but is struggling in other markets. The Sony PS3 does good business in Europe and Japan, how can Microsoft improve in these markets?

We have seen sales spikes for the 360 in Japan and Europe, but this is when there is a launch of big-name titles, otherwise the 360 fails to impress. Microsoft depends on US sales.

Microsoft has one system that does well in one market. The 360 simply have to step it up outside of the United States.

Now Microsoft may have fixed the Red Ring of Death problem, but most gamers still do not trust the hardware. You hear about this in game stores, forums and even the casual gamer. Most gamers have had a 360 go back or know someone that has.

The hard drive of the PS3 is getting larger with each new system, and the real advantage is that anyone can swap out his or her drive for a larger one. Sony even suggests this, and supports the PS3 owner with DIY tutorials on the upgrade. Microsoft can’t begin to match this and with game downloads an increasing factor, more storage is needed.

While Xbox Live is better than Sony’s PSN, how much better is the question. The fact that Sony’s online offerings are free makes a big difference to many gamers. Why should you pay for online pay when you can get it free on the PS3?

Microsoft has no competition for the PSP-PS3 connection; consumers want to own both the Playstation 3 and Sony PSP thanks to so much cool functionality. You get a great media experience. Video sales and rentals work seamlessly with the PSP, and the Blu-ray drive adds more multimedia functions to create an amazing package.

How should Microsoft fix these issues? The problems are there and things are not getting better for Microsoft. The fact is, competition is much stronger now and this is a great thing for gamers.

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For those of you that didn’t buy Burnout Paradise or your dog chewed on the disc, then u will have your chance to download a copy of the game from the Playstation network store in the fall, rumored to be around $30.

If you have played Burnout Paradise then you will know that it’s not the best graphics game, but it’s a driving game with action and fun gameplay.

Some gamers don’t like burnouts arcade style or unrealistic approach to driving but then this is the very reason why burnout is so popular…a driving game with extreme speed and thrills.

Being able to download Burnout Paradise from the PSN Store and many more titles in the future is a great idea, which will save valuable shelf space.

Who wants to be swapping between discs every time you change games when there is a better option?

Digital game downloads on the Sony PS3 wont be for everyone but it’s certainly better for the environment.

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In an article over at Eurogamer, Sony has said that PlayTV will no longer allow saved video files to be transferred to PSP, PC or Memory Stick as originally planned.
This is set to be a huge blow to fans hoping to pick one up as it’s just lost one of its main functions.

The PS3 TV recorder will now only be able to stream live or recorded content over to the PSP using the Remote Play feature.

Those responsible for the bad news, Sony Cambridge stated: “there was no copy protection or time restrictions on the standard format recordings, which could be moved freely onto all manner of storage devices”

With the device still set to launch in the UK on 19th September for £69.99, I can pretty much say that Sony would have lost out on quite a number of potential buyers, as I can personally say I was looking forward to recording clips and transferring them to any device to watch at any time, doesn’t look possible now, So its a big disappointment from Sony. What do you guys think of this? Post your comments below.

Source: Read

Over at talkplaystation.com, it has been confirmed that a demo for the next Star Wars game: The Force Unleashed will be released on the 14th of August on the PSN and Xbox Live Marketplace.
This is great news for all you fans out there as it will give you a chance to get to grips with a level from the game just before its retail release in September.

The game will put you in the role as Darth Vader’s ‘secret apprentice’ and you get to explore various aspects of the Star Wars universe from the periods between Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.

Peter Hirschmann, Vice-President of Product Development at LucasArts added, “Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is one of the most ambitious projects LucasArts has ever launched. The combination of a great new Star Wars story with revolutionary new technology and game play means more fun than you’ve ever had in the Star Wars universe.”

Bring on this week’s store update then, my favourite game from the franchise was Jedi Power Battles way back on the PS1, I’m looking forward to seeing how this one turns out to be. The game will hit retail stores on September 16th in the United States, Sept 17th in Asia and Australia and ‘finally’, Sept 19th in Europe. (We knew that was coming).

Source: Read