Category: Websites (Page 4 of 4)

      Ben Heck Makes An Accessible 360 Controller

      September 5, 2009 /

      Ben Heck's accessible controllerBen Heck spends most of his free time making mind-boggling mods of popular game console hardware. He’s the guy responsible for the 360 in a box, that Microsoft console with an attached screen inside a briefcase. He doesn’t just work for fun, though. This past week Ben hacked together a controller to do some good – a controller that would allow people who would otherwise find it difficult to play to be able to play with one hand.

      As you can see in the picture above, Ben’s mod involves swapping the D-Pad out with the ABXY button set, allowing one-handed control of just about any game. He’s also switched the triggers, so the right-handed trigger, the one used for most primary functions like shooting, is on the left with the controls. As you can imagine, he could probably make one for right-hand folks too. For the truly hardcore of the one-handed contingent, Heck’s also added smaller ABXY controls to the back of the unit, allowing you to keep that thumb on the control stick as while you melee someone in the back.

      Head over to his blog for the complete set of pics and contact info regarding customization.

      News, Websites, Xbox 360

      Amazon Germany Lists 250GB Xbox 360 Elite

      August 28, 2009 /

      Amazon Germany shows 250GB Xbox 360 Elite.Since Sony announced the PS3 Slim, Microsoft has been fighting to gain some press coverage, and it’s a fight they intend to win. In the latest Redmond leak, an Engadget tipster found a 250GB Xbox 360 Elite bundled with two controllers and Forza 3 (which you’ll recall also isn’t out yet), all for €280.

      The bundle, which translates to about $400, is a pretty sweet deal. Granted, you no longer get that HDMI cable, but you will get two controllers and what looks to be a great game along with some extra hard drive space. Honestly, the hard drive space doesn’t thrill me. Sure, it’s nice for adding movies and downloading games, but this is something Microsoft should have done years ago.

      The best news of it all may be that some intrepid hackers will find new ways to use the extra space. If you aren’t aware, the current 360 hardware only allows connections from the specific size hard drives Microsoft sells. It is possible to hack together your own HDD, but you’re maxed out at 120GB, which is truly pathetic. Though doubtful, the update could mean Microsoft has lifted that restriction.

      Source: Engadget

      Previews, Websites, Xbox 360

      Facebook And Twitter Only For Xbox Live Gold Members

      August 28, 2009 /

      Twitter on Xbox 360.Microsoft surprised me yesterday when they announced that Facebook and Twitter on the Xbox 360 would only be available to Xbox Live Gold members. Maybe surprised isn’t the word. My first thought was, ‘of course.’ But then I had to wonder, why?

      Why only Gold members? Sure, it adds yet another reason to throw down the $50/year subscription fee, which is pretty minimal cost for the value you get as a regular player. Adding social services to Xbox Live falls in line with the “entertainment hub for your home” strategy that Microsoft has been pushing, so why not make the services free? It may not get more subscribers, but it has the potential to sell more consoles.

      I think it’s safe to say that the average Silver member would probably remain Silver even after the two services become available. After all, these are the uber-casual, the people you probably couldn’t entice to sign up with free ice cream. Pitching these services to those people won’t make one bit of difference.

      There are plenty of other reasons to try to charge money for this stuff, but the Xbox Live subscription fee is so minimal, and the cash likely already designated to other aspects of their business, that Microsoft would probably see more total value from making the services free. It may not be a ton more, but you’d almost certainly have more people with a controller in hand more often. Isn’t that the dream, after all?

      Previews, Websites, Xbox 360

      PSP Go Domain Owner Gets Spiteful

      August 16, 2009 /

      Pspgo.co.uk isn't what you'd think.I’d say the number of people who try to guess at domain names are few and far between these days. Google’s become a household name, and with that comes the expectation that when you’re looking for something, you’ll probably look there first. That didn’t stop the owner of pspgo.co.uk from getting a little spiteful with his domain address.

      Doesn’t look much like a PSP Go page, now does it? That’s actually a clone of Nintendo’s DSi site. While the owner hasn’t officially come out and said it, it seems likely that someone is a little pissed he hasn’t been offered a fat wad of cash for the site.

      You will of course notice that there is no site for pspgo.com and I’d call it a watertight bet that Sony just doesn’t care about having direct traffic from pspgo.co.uk. If someone is really dying to get their hands on a PSP Go (they’re barking up the wrong tree here), I’m sure, and it seems so is Sony, that the individual in question will resort to other means.

      PSP, Websites

      WoWPals Helps You Find Local Players

      July 7, 2009 /

      Are these actually your neighbors?I spent a couple years as an officer in a fairly serious raid guild. Most of my guildmates were from other states, and for some reason we had a boatload of Canadians. I picked my server mostly at random, based on population stats and the fact that it was PvP. It might have been nice, though, to have a way to locate players around me and see where they played. Come to think of it, that also may have been a terrifying experience, but for the sake of argument, let’s pretend it would have been…neat.

      A couple guys from Israel have recently launched “WoWPals,” a site that helps you find and connect with local players. For the most part I do think this is a great idea. As fun as WoW is, it can be easy to neglect physical relationships in lieu of the virtual type, which have their own value. By using the service, local players can connect and potentially even plan to spend some time away from the computer.

      I’m not entirely sure why the developers went with “WoWPals.” It’s bad enough trying to explain to people that you’re playing WoW tonight instead of going out. Try explaining that you’re going out with friends you met on WoWPals.com. That one’s sure to get some laughs.

      For the record, wowconnect.com redirects you to a singles site, but wowtown.com simply seems to be parked. The domain couldn’t be that expensive, right?

      News, Websites

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