Hasta La Gadget!

Eager to get back on the track, but not so eager to ease up on the sauce? Fret not, our continually inebriated friends, as Logitech has just the answer for your awfully depressing road woes. The long-awaited successor to the original G25 racing wheel is finally on the scenes, as the G27 brings along real metal, real leather and a real taste of driving that can likely only be mimicked whilst seated in some sort of $30k+ sportster. The wheel is designed to function with Sony’s PS2 and PS3 as well as Windows-based PCs, and aside from the built-in force feedback mechanism, you’ll also find a pair of stainless steel shifter paddles, RPM / shift indicator lights and a clutch that fully supports heel-and-toe downshifting. Is all that realism worth $299.99? Judge with your wallet come September.

Continue reading Logitech’s $300 G27 racing wheel gives sidelined DUI possessors a taste of the road

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Logitech’s $300 G27 racing wheel gives sidelined DUI possessors a taste of the road originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Those Microsoft rascals have scored a big one: The Xbox 360 is now the only game console that will get Netflix video streaming. No Sony PlayStation 3, no Nintendo Wii, no Atari 2600. That’s what the Xbox Update page says:

Netflix Partnership

This exclusive partnership offers you the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the television via Xbox 360. Xbox 360 will be the only game console to offer this movie-watching experience, available to Xbox LIVE Gold members who are also Netflix unlimited plan subscribers**, at no additional cost.

From the Netflix Web site, simply add movies and TV episodes to your instant Queue, which will appear automatically on the TV screen via Xbox 360. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. In addition to instantly streaming Netflix movies to the TV, Xbox LIVE Gold members can browse and rate movies, fast-forward, pause and rewind, all using either their Xbox 360 Controller or Universal remote.

Oh Sony, Sony. That has to hurt. A little. In the inside. [Xbox via Endgadget]

Whether it’s the PS3 Slim or the PS3 Rocket Ride, something is happening in Sony land. Let’s review the crazy (and growing) pile of evidence:

• The 80GB PS3 is being discontinued. in Japan by the manufacturer’s request. Meanwhile, price cuts on various bundles are happening all around the world. HMM.

• Digitimes reports Sony is seriously ramping up orders for “key PS3 components,” enough to build a million consoles over the next three months. Even though, you know, they’ve been selling fewer PS3s. HMMMM.

• Amazon lists a PS3 “Konsole Slim.” Hmm.

• Update: Another one. PS3 production costs are down about 70 percent. Perfect for cramming more production stuff into less space.

• Last but not least, speculation that we’ll see the PS3 Slim show its prettier face at gamecom on August 18. HHMMMMMM.

We know the whole “where there’s smoke, there’s hotness” argument is played out, but it sure feels like the pieces are coming together here. With Sony’s 20GB, 40GB and 60GB PlayStation 3 already a part of history, it’s just the 80GB and 160GB models holding down the fort. After August 9th, however, it seems that just the latter will be representin’ in Japan. The notice above essentially informs retailer 7-Eleven (don’t hate) that no more orders for the black, white and silver 80GB PS3 will be accepted after Sunday due to a request from “the manufacturer.” The note also instructs store owners to take down the in-story displays for the 80GB model, giving us all the reason we need to believe that a slimmed down version of the console is within reach. Of course, that’s just whimsical speculation, but we just can’t talk our hearts into listening to our heads on this one.

[Via VG247, thanks Hawk]

Filed under: Gaming

80GB PlayStation 3 on the outs in Japan, PS3 Slim looking all the more likely originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 04 Aug 2009 03:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Upon the initial release of PlayStation Home (a free service for owners of the PS3), fanboys were abuzz with the opportunity to play around in their own 3-D realm. The service promised to be an interactive social network, but after its release, there was an outcry of disappointment. Users could create their Avatars and prance about the square well enough, but there was nothing to do–most likened the experience to Second Life, but with better graphics.

Since then, the European developers have been trying to make amends with fresh content and something for users to do besides dance and wait in a line to go bowling. After taking a look at the Home network at the PlayStation Editor’s Holiday Showcase, I was happy to see that a new world of content has been added to the once-desolate network.

Developers have created miniature worlds that users can visit to preview games and interact with the environment. For instance, there is an inFamous setting where users can play an electric shooting game, paint graffiti on the walls, and explore (possibly find small hints to use in-game).

These worlds featured within Home may go unnoticed by users who first downloaded the PlayStation 3 social network and have not bothered to revisit it. But there is now content being added and updated that is worth thier attention.