Hasta La Gadget!

From a supply chain management standpoint, this all makes sense — why have four separate PS3 SKUs with various HDD sizes when just a pair will do? After announcing last week that a 160GB and 320GB PS3 Slim would be making landfall in the US and Europe, it seems as if Sony has decided to phase out the existing 120GB and 250GB flavors. There’s no definitive word on when production on those will stop (we’re surmising that the stop order has already been placed), but it looks as if some retailers are already starting up fire sales on the now-old models. For those curious, that’s a Fry’s installation pictured above, which is selling their leftover 250GB units for just $299, or the same price as the incoming 160GB unit. Decisions, decisions…

Sony phasing out 120GB and 250GB PS3 SKUs, the latter now going for $299 at Fry’s originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Shock of all horrors, Gran Turismo 5 will actually, finally launch in Japan and Europe on November 3. Of course, being more concerned with hardware as we are, our excitement is focused on the rich blue hue that will adorn PS3 consoles bundled with the grandiosely delayed racing game over in Nippon this fall. The ¥35,980 ($421) Gran Turismo 5 Racing Pack will be composed of a Limited Edition copy of the game plus a repainted skinny PlayStation 3 with a 160GB hard drive. Time to give your old importer buddy a call, eh?

PS3 gets Titanium Blue makeover for Gran Turismo 5 launch bundle; landing in Japan on November 3 originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Well what do we have here? It appears our friends over at Joystiq have received word from diligent tipsters that Microsoft’s Connect customer feedback service is sending out Kinect beta program invites. Details are predictably sparse, but naming ironies aside, the note does specify that chat will be limited only to those involved in the preview program. While this isn’t really surprising given the context, Joystiq surmises that this choice clarification could hint invitees will have the chance to sample the video chat app available through the Kinect’s new dashboard, which was shown off at E3. Unfortunately, Ballmer and crew have yet to lend any official credence to these murmurs, though apparently the email address behind these notes is valid. It’s also not that outrageous to imagine Microsoft wanting to spin Kinect’s wheels in the wild before releasing it to the unwashed gaming masses on its official November 4th launch date. Considering the program would have to put hardware in the hands of testers though to pull something like this off, we’re counting on more than a few overly excited gamers shining additional light on the situation should things get serious.

Is Microsoft quietly opening up a Kinect beta program? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 05:51:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Let’s face it: despite the new Xbox 360 being joyously quieter and more efficient, the previous model still manages to seduce some of us with its sexy curves. Speaking of which — according to Joystiq’s source, Best Buy’s going to kick off August by lowering the prices for the Splinter Cell: Conviction and Final Fantasy XIII previous-gen Xbox 360 bundles. For just $299 — $50 off the current price point (and $100 off the launch price) — you still get a copy of the corresponding game title, a 250GB HDD, and two wireless controllers. So that’s gaming sorted for the summer; now put that $50 towards some cooling aid and you’re good to go.

Best Buy to slash prices for old Xbox 360 special edition bundles tomorrow? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 23:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Once upon a time in 2007, there was a little-known game called Shadowrun, that let gamers on both Xbox 360 and PC destroy one another for sport. Such is the environment that Microsoft facilitated, but alas, it wasn’t for long, as the moment Shadowrun flopped the cross-platform feature was dropped, though it resurfaced once or twice in third-party titles as the years shot by. Outspoken HP exec Rahul Sood (of Voodoo fame) spins a slightly more complex yarn, however: he says Microsoft killed the project when it found that “mediocre” PC gamers could wipe the floors with the very best players on Xbox. Now, we’re not confirming his story, and there are plenty of other possible explanations if you follow the money, of course, but we can’t help but feel a hint of admiration for the longevity of gaming mouse and keyboard. Here’s hoping we can all leave our predilections at the door as developers pit Android vs. iPhone.

HP’s Rahul Sood says Microsoft killed Xbox vs PC online gaming due to keyboard-mouse superiority originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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