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Hotel Gaming AmenitiesSeveral upscale hotel companies are beginning to use the growing interest in gaming to round out their list of featured room amenities.  Marriot International is pointing toward the rising numbers of guest traveling with their game consoles as a factor in the company’s installation of new hi-definition televisions in rooms across the county.  Radisson and Country Inns & Suites hotels are looking into the viability of offering internet gaming to their guests.  Viceroy Hotel in Santa Monica, California, even goes as far as to offer their guests free use of PS2s and PSPs, along with a dedicated “game butler” to give tips and technical support.  While these amenities may continue to elude the more run-of-the-mill hotel chains that we normally stay in, this development does reflect the continued cultural shift toward viewing gaming as a valid source of mainstream entertainment.  I’m just hoping that it will let them finally stop advertising “Free HBO and Phone.”


Read More | The Wall Street Journal


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Broken PSP Game Boy Micro?

Okay, so while I was messing around with the soon to come Game Boy Micro, I noticed one that had a peculiar design. Upon closer inspection, it looked to me like Nintendo was taking a shot at the PSP, as up close it looked like the design was that of a broken PSP screen. Well, I continued perusing, and I heard a few other people make the same comment, and a Nintendo representative just smiled without giving a confirm or deny.

What do you think?


Description

Start filling those piggy banks, because we now know what to expect for the highly anticipated Xbox 360.  Or should we say 360’s?  There will be two bundles for sale at launch:

For $299, you get:

•Xbox 360 console
•Wired controller
•Detachable faceplate
•Xbox Live Silver membership
•Standard AV cables

For $399 you get:

•Xbox 360 console
•20GB detachable hard drive
•Wireless controller
•Wireless Xbox Live headset
•High-definition AV cables
•Ethernet cable
•Xbox 360 Media Remote Control (limited time)
•Detachable faceplate
•Xbox Live Silver membership

So it seems that the more expensive package is geared toward the hardcore gamers with the HD cables and wireless controllers.  Which one do you plan to get?

Read More | Gamespot


Gameboy Micro

Nintendo continues to be at the forefront of gaming news today, as they have made known the release date of the upcoming Gameboy Micro - the cute, adorable, minuscule version of the Gameboy Advance. Check for it on September 19th, at a price of about $99 - just $30 less than the new price point of the Nintendo DS. This seems to be the last generation of the GBA. Are people really willing to shell out a hundred beans for another GBA?


Read More | Gamespot via Joystiq


Twilight Princess DelayAccording to a press email sent by Perrin Kaplan, VP of Marketing and Corporate Affairs at Nintendo of America, Twilight Princess for the Gamecube will be pushed back past the end of the current fiscal year, which ends March 31st, 2006.  The delay is brought on by the request of the development team, which wants more time to deepen the length and the quality of what may now be Gamecube’s last great title.  The announcement was paired with reminders of all the positive things being released by Nintendo this fall, such as the DS wi-fi network, the Gameboy Micro, and lots of Mario-themed sports titles for the Gamecube.  Despite these offerings, though, it will be hard to ignore the huge hole that Zelda leaves in Nintendo’s holiday 2005 line-up.


Read More | 1Up


Nintendo DS Price Cut As of Sunday, August 21st, the day before Nintendo releases Nintendogs, its much-anticipated pet simulator, the Nintendo DS will begin selling in the US at the suggested retail price of $130, a $20 price drop.  While the $20 drop may not seem like much up front, it does put the DS at a strategic price of roughly half of the cost of the PSP and allows a new buyer to bring home an extra game or accessory with their system.  So far, the DS has sold over 2.5 million units in the US and 5 million worldwide.


Read More | Associated Press


NintendogsRelationship psychologist Susan Quilliam has found that playing a game like Nintendogs, or any other virtual pet game, can help develop our motor skills, attention span, and our ability to solve problems.  So you benefit in two ways - a fun and entertaining mental exercise, and you don’t need to pick up any poop.

Read More | mbf tod@y via Kotaku


Microsoft Licensing 3rd Party 360 Accessories With all the talk of theXbox 360 pricing and how Microsoft could possibly make profit and still sell the 360 at a decent price, some new information has come along to kind of answer that question. Back in May when Microsoft started to reveal information about the 360, they also said there would be some specific requirements for3rd party accessories. Now, they are following up this statement by instituting a new royalty policy. This policy falls into place for quality reasons as well as this will allow them to make money off of the 360. Basically,3rd party manufacturers need to officially license their products by paying a fee to Microsoft along with royalties. Microsoft is so serious about this, they are even implementing security measures into the 360 only allowing licensed products to actually work with the system.

“Microsoft has made it very clear that it’s all about profitability” with this generation of console, said IDC analyst Schelley Olhava. “Maybe this is a way they are looking to make additional revenue off of the Xbox.” But, she said, the move could also be intended as “a way to ensure quality products make it out the door,” reasoning that makers willing to pony up a share of the proceeds would be the kind of companies that make more reliable gear.

Read More | News.com


Hot Coffee Patch Rockstar has released an un-patch patch which will disable and remove the possibility of using the infamous “Hot Coffee” patch in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PC).  This comes shortly after the ESRB changed the rating of the game from “M” to “AO”.  You can download this patch from the News Section of Rockstar’s Home Page. Read more to go there.


Read More | Rockstar Games


Nintendo Wi-Fi Survey

Nintendo is looking to gather data on the types of internet connections people use by asking MyNintendo account members to download a small program that compiles network information off of the users PC and sends it back to Nintendo.  In return, the small download becomes an Animal Crossing desktop clock once the information has been sent.  The program retrieves and sends the following information:

  • Your Modem and Router manufacturer and type
  • The type of internet connection you have (DSL or Cable)
  • How your PC connects to your router (if applicable)
  • The model number of your router
  • Time you start the connection
  • Your IP Address
  • Cookie information
  • Total connecting time
  • UPnP Information (Model name)
  • UPnP Information (Model number)
  • Connection origin code
  • Destination server host name
  • Destination server global IP Address
  • Sending data CRC

If you’re a big Nintendo fan, this might be right up your alley, as the information will help Nintendo plan a good Wi-Fi service.  However, as is the case with anything that gathers information and sends it to companies, download at your own risk.


Read More | Nintendo


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