Feb 05

Xbox Live tallies 1 million Netflix Watch Instantly activations, 1.5 billion minutes served

Posted in: breaking news, BreakingNews, netflix, streaming, Today's Chili, watch instantly, WatchInstantly, xbox, xbox 360, xbox live, Xbox360, XboxLive

Bad news first: there might be a bit more competition than you expected for that home theater giveaway. Good luck bringing down Netflix’s shooting star though, as if last week’s good news train wasn’t enough comes news that over a million Xbox Live Gold members have already downloaded and activated the Watch Instantly app since its NXE debut last November. That’s more than 10% of Netflix’s just announced 9.4 million subscribers who’ve already watched over 1.5 billion minutes of TV and movies through their consoles. They’re not the only ones happy, while streaming may be eating into DVD rentals, Xbox Live Marketplace rentals are up 174 percent year over year. The streaming library is up to 12,000 titles, with a “growing percentage” in high definition, for the rest of the celebratory details check the full PR after the break. Nothing left for us to say but congratulations and hey, if you get a minute, could you fix Nilay’s HD streaming on the Xbox? Thanks.

Continue reading Xbox Live tallies 1 million Netflix Watch Instantly activations, 1.5 billion minutes served

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Xbox Live tallies 1 million Netflix Watch Instantly activations, 1.5 billion minutes served originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 03:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feb 02

Xbox 360 HDMI audio fix arrives tomorrow morning

Posted in: audio, firmware update, FirmwareUpdate, Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360

Notice something missing from your Xbox 360 ever since the NXE went live? Some HDMI-connected gamers lost all audio after the update, and a fix is finally on the way. According to Major Nelson, it’s due to arrive February 3 at 2:00 a.m. PST in a mandatory dashboard update that should address the issues experienced with some HDTVs. That problem with your idiot friend always triggering the witch while playing Left 4 Dead? Still unaddressed.

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Xbox 360 HDMI audio fix arrives tomorrow morning originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 30

Gridplane releases hazy NXE mockup that never was

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

Design / animation studio Gridplane’s recently unloaded photos of a mockup it contributed to the Microsoft Xbox team in charge of revamping the Xbox user interface, which eventually became the New Xbox Experience, AKA NXE. There are a few things here we like — the design has a clean, other-worldly feel to it that’s semi-appealing. However, we’re not so into the milky haze that could have separated us from our beloved, fashionable avatar. Check out a few more shots of the proposed design after the break.

[Via Joystiq]

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Gridplane releases hazy NXE mockup that never was originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 23

Custom ‘Resident Evil 5’ Xbox 360 bundle on the way?

Posted in: rumor, speculation, Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360

“The Mole” — a favorite Ars Technica source for all things game related — has some curiosity-piquing info on the possibility of a Resident Evil 5-themed Xbox 360 headed to market. So says the site’s Deep Throat, not only will a demo version of the game come to US Xboxen first (a move that must seriously unnerve Sony), but following the sneak-peak will be an RE5 package hardcore fans should die for. Literally. According to Ars, the bundle will include a custom red Xbox (with matching controller), a copy of Resident Evil 5, a special NXE RE5 theme, and a bonus Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD download. Of course, this is pure rumor right now, but if this package comes to fruition, we can bet on at least a few zombie-loving members of the Engadget staff getting in line when it hits shelves. Make it happen, people.

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Custom ‘Resident Evil 5’ Xbox 360 bundle on the way? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 22:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 23

Microsoft reports $100M decline in Zune revenue

Posted in: business, Microsoft, Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360, zune

Microsoft’s newly-announced layoffs and declining profits aren’t the only bad news in Redmond — according to the company’s quarterly statements, Zune platform revenue decreased $100 million, or 54 percent compared to the same quarter last year, due to falling device sales. Mega-ouch. Not all is doom and gloom for the Entertainment and Devices Division, which continues to be profitable with a $151 million haul: Xbox 360 and PC platform revenue increased six percent ($135 million) to $2.2 billion. Meanwhile, Apple saw a three percent increase in iPod sales over the same period, so we’re anxious to see what Microsoft has planned for reviving the social.

[Thanks, Jason Wong]

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Microsoft reports $100M decline in Zune revenue originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 19

Engadget’s Netflix HD streaming shootout

Posted in: Features, LG, netflix, samsung, tivo, Today's Chili, watch instantly, WatchInstantly, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

Netflix seems to be doing things right when it comes to the streaming game, partnering with several hardware companies in an attempt to make its service more or less ubiquitous — a pretty sharp break from the proprietary hardware approach taken by most of its competitors. That means Netflix subscribers have quite a few choices when it comes to streaming, and we thought we’d put the ones available now head-to-head and try to crown a winner. The good news? There isn’t a mediocre choice out there. The bad? Well, read on.

Update: We shot another video to answer some lingering questions about the Roku player, check it below.

Continue reading Engadget’s Netflix HD streaming shootout

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Engadget’s Netflix HD streaming shootout originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 10

Xbox 360 IPTV dream not dead yet

Posted in: Microsoft, Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360

Remember Xbox 360 IPTV rollout? Though the wonderful fantasy of replacing our stodgy cable DVRs with an all-in-one Left 4 Dead playing / channel surfing beast has dried up like a raisin in the sun, Dave Zatz confirmed with Microsoft booth reps that BT is (still) planning on deploying the service, and despite the NXE the UI will retain the look of the current Motorola boxes pictured above. Now that U-Verse has delivered Total Home DVR and upgraded beyond 1 HD stream at a time, maybe they can get to work on this deployment next?

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Xbox 360 IPTV dream not dead yet originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 10 Jan 2009 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 09

Ben Heck crams Xbox 360 controller into Atari 2600 joystick

Posted in: Today's Chili, xbox 360, Xbox360

As we’ve seen, a little Atari 2600 is a sure way to liven almost anything — cakes, candles, landfills — and it looks like the Xbox 360 is no exception, as none other than Ben Heck has proved with his new so-called 3600 controller. As you might expect, Ben didn’t exactly take the expected route to wind up at this creation, instead opting to use the guts of a Guitar Hero 3 controller, which he somehow managed to squeeze into the base of everyone’s favorite one-button controller (even leaving room for a guide button and ring of light on the underside). Be sure to hit up the link below for a must-see video of the controller in action and, of course, plenty more pics.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

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Ben Heck crams Xbox 360 controller into Atari 2600 joystick originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:52:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 04

Suzuki Xbox dashboard mod for the undignified gamer on the go

Posted in: automobile, hack, mod, Today's Chili, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

Some Xbox 360 mods are the product of serious craftsmanship, some are rather silly, and some — like this Suzuki automobile console / Xbox 360 game console hybrid — really give one pause. This isn’t the sort of thing that one spends moments / hours / weeks on, after which he reflects for a moment (“Aren’t I rather clever?”), and then hides it safely in the closet (or sells it on eBay). No, this is an automobile. We’re guessing that the slight cringe of embarrassment he’s going to feel when picking up his date for the cotillion will be outweighed by the safety and security he feels knowing that he can always play Super Smash Bros. Brawl — even on the road. According to the photo’s description on Flickr, this car features not one but two Xbox 360s, two projectors, and two flat screens. The game controllers are availabe at a moment’s notice — including one in the steering wheel, one in front of the gear shifter — and one of the 360s is set in the dashboard. Oy vey.

[Via On 10]

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Suzuki Xbox dashboard mod for the undignified gamer on the go originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jan 03

XIM 2 Xbox 360 mod ready for pre-order, you aren’t ready to pony up

Posted in: available, keyboard, Microsoft, now available, NowAvailable, Today's Chili, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

Eager to use your mouse / keyboard combo on your Xbox 360? Eager enough to drop $179.95 for the privilege? If so, then you should probably know that XIM’s ready and willing to oblige. The XIM 2 module, which is supposedly plug ‘n play in nature, is at long last available for ordering, though it’s not quite ready for shipment. Seriously though, for this price you may be better off investing in a few controller mastering lessons and using the remainder on Bawls and Cheetos.

[Thanks, K.Green]

XIM 2 Xbox 360 mod ready for pre-order, you aren’t ready to pony up originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 13:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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