Xbox 360 Wireless N networking adapter now available for $100

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Microsoft, Xbox 360,

The Xbox 360 Wireless N adapter is finally available here in the US, after what seems like months of rumors proclaiming its existence. You can actually order one right now over on Newegg - just search for Xbox 360 Wireless N, and you should be good. It’ll cost you a cool $100 for the privilege, but the extra speed should be worth it, right?

Read More | Newegg

Gallery: Xbox 360 Wireless N networking adapter now available for $100

Peter Moore Has Big Plans For EA Sports

Posted by Paul Hamilton Categories: Corporate News, Electronic Arts, Sports,

Peter Moore, long known as the public face of Microsoft‘s Xbox division, stepped into his new digs as EA Sports president last week and started off saying he wants EA Sports’ brand to compete in a broader arena than just the video games market, facing off against general sports brands like Nike and ESPN.

Despite selling millions of copies of its flagship titles each year, EA Sports has struggled to expand effectively and EA seems to be banking on Moore to help them widen their reach. “That could mean broadcast sports, sports camps, the ability to license consumer products around the EA Sports brand,” he told the New York Times. Moore is also looking to leverage EA’s technology to create social networking and news sites, all centered around sports and of course the EA Sports name. “I think we have an opportunity to aggregate information and bring it to life with video technologies,” he said.

“If we look at this connected world we’re entering, sports is a sort of social and cultural glue that reaches across the globe,” Moore continues. “There is an opportunity for EA Sports to evolve beyond a games brand to become a true global sports and entertainment brand, and I think we can compete there.”

Read More | New York Times via Level Up

Gallery: Peter Moore Has Big Plans For EA Sports

Xbox 360 Sees New HD-DVD Player Update

Posted by Chris Pereira Categories: Accessories, Hardware, Internet, Xbox 360, Xbox Live,

Owners of the Xbox 360’s HD-DVD add-on will be the recipients of a new auto-update next time they try watching a movie while connected to Xbox Live. The new additions (tweaks, really) are minor, but the more improvements, the better. Those without access to Xbox Live will be able to download the update from Xbox.com later this week.

The list of improvements:

• Added option for user to select from the following audio output formats via TOSLINK or HDMI: -Digital Stereo (2 channel PCM) -Dolby Digital 5.1 -DTS 5.1 -WMA Pro
• Added “Dynamic Range Control” toggle for digital audio output
• Improved HD DVD networking support
• Improved HD DVD title compatibility
• Improved performance with MPEG-4 AVC / H.264
• 1080p via HDMI is supported on the Xbox 360 Elite with HDCP compliant displays
• Improved parental controls

Read More | Major Nelson

Gallery: Xbox 360 Sees New HD-DVD Player Update

Xfire Announces PS3 Middleware Solution, Wii Possible

Posted by Christopher Sasaki Categories: Corporate News, Internet, Nintendo, PC, PlayStation 3, Wii,

When 1up apparently found clues pointing to Sony using Xfire as a matching service for their Playstation 3 Network, Sony representatives were quick to downplay this as a part of the Xfire integration for Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom and not as a part of Sony’s official network.

Xfire today clarified their support on Untold Legends with GameSpot, indicating that on the PC and PS3, Xfire will be providing “cross-platform text chat and friends-list features” with support for new features in the future. In addition, Xfire will be licensing their middleware to other companies that want to bring advanced matchmaking features to the Playstation 3. Xfire also let slip that they were in talks with “one other console maker,” so unless Xfire is very confused, this would likely be Nintendo.

With the announcement that Untold Legends will support Xfire, and Full Auto 2 will utilize GameSpy’s services, it is starting to look more and more that Sony’s online network may be more bare-bones, with its own sign-in, but leaving more advanced networking features to established companies for the time being. This doesn’t preclude Sony from implementing these features in the future, but it does seem to indicate that Sony doesn’t quite have everything laid out right now and are instead leveraging partnerships to get the functionality that they want.

Read More | Gamespot

Gallery: Xfire Announces PS3 Middleware Solution, Wii Possible