The Nintendo DSi system is the expanded incarnation of the DS gaming handheld, impressively slim but not so frail, and remarkably lighter than the previous versions. The Nintendo DSi system iswell provided with dual cameras, wider screens and improved music output.

For devices with screens and strong video performance, it’s critical to offer excellent graphics with the power to adjust light settings, and all that is allowed with the controllable LCD of the Nintendo DSi system. If you compare this v ariation with the DS Lite, you may noticethat its surface is far less glossy. In the production of the gadget it was given a matte style, which is good news because it spells bye bye to fingerprints and hand smudges.

Whilst Game Boy Advance cartrides will not function with DSi, all the old DS titles are fully supported. Game Boy Advance players should not be sad however as new titles for download, made particularly for Nintendo DSi, are excellent.

One more feature the Nintendo DSi system offers - the enjoyment of downloading titles from the DSi Store with DSiWare. This net shop may be employed through Nintendo points. Downloaded titles can be saved in the internal memory of your console, or on the SD card.

The pros of the Nintendo DSi System are countless, so if youare a real console fan and video games addict, this will be your comprehensive must buy.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Xbox 360 is the second release in the Xbox line of gaming consoles from Microsoft. The Xbox 360 includes support of high definition in all titles, movie rentals and videogame downloads from the online marketplace, Windows Media Centre multimedia capacities and ability to view HD DVD films. Because of these, it enjoys huge popularity among console game enthusiasts and is in high demand throughout the market.

But, what is the source of all this up-to-date news? Well, there are various websites loyal to Xbox which minister to the information of both developers and players of Xbox 360. Surely the most outstanding of these various sources is the Xbox 360 News site.

The Xbox 360 News site also provides the latest info and reports on the most recent Xbox 360 title offerings. In this way, it significantly helps modern game players as there are a large amount of games to select from, including yet to be released games. For those of you who want to purchase an Xbox 360, this website will prove to be beneficial. It permits players to order their own Xbox 360. Moreover, you can also take part in various games conducted by sponsors and procure diverse freebies.

The ability to visit Xbox 360 News site through the games console itself is one of the most impressive features of this function. A working web connection is all that’s needed and the console is all set to visit the Xbox 360 News site for the most recent in Xbox 360 titles, upcomings and mods.

Therefore we see the Xbox 360 News feature can offer you the most recent data and info on your favourite games machine and keep you in the know. In reality, both beginners or veterans, as well as developers, can gain a lot from this internetsite. Thus, if you would like to remain knowledgable on the latest about Xbox 360, find the Xbox 360 News Site post haste!

Popularity: 8% [?]

DS and DSi: Head to Head for Christmas

With Christmas fast approaching it’s probably time to stop thinking about the presents that you’re going to buy for your kids. The Nintendo DS handheld games console has been one of the best Sellers for the past couple of years and it’s no wonder as this console he’s the ideal choice four games players at home or on the move.

When it comes to choosing the colour of the DS kids can be incredibly picky. One of the best-selling colours in this range of handheld consoles is the pink Nintendo DS mainly because it’s a firm favourite with girls. But the DS’s doesn’t just stop or playing games it’s also a fantastic learning tool; just take a look at some of the offerings such as Nintendo’s Brain Training or Sodoku but, two B fair, the main reason people by this handheld is for the pure entertainment factor. There are a huge selection of games available, ranging from playing games right through two to player shoot ‘em ups where players connect their DS’s consoles via a cable that allows them to play head to head.

More recently, we’ve seen the release of the Nintendo DSi; a major upgrade to the existing DS console. The DSi features a range of new editions including a web cam, built in the audio player, the Nintendos shop (by games and features online) and a whole host of other goodies that makes this a worthy successor to the DS.

Now there’s no denying that the DSi is is he more than capable replacement for the existing DS that many kids (and adults) still want to get their hands on the tried and tested DS’s. Why? It’s mainly because of the relatively low price combined with a huge range of games that are available for the DS. Also, the DS’s is probably the best known of Nintendos handheld consoles hence its huge popularity.

Let me just give you an idea of exactly how popular the DS is: since the launch of this Nintendo handheld console it has sold over 107,000,000 units around the world-a pretty impressive figure no matter how you look at it. In fact, this figure he’s more than the combined sales of the Wii, PS and XBox. The Nintendo DSi, since its launch, has sold around 6.7 million units.

Now we have an idea of exactly how popular the DS’s is which one do you think centre will be dropping into your stocking this year? We know it’s not one of our normal tech type posts but, as gaming fans, we’re always on the lookout for your views.

Popularity: 13% [?]

Definitely not the sort of news you’d expect to hear from the makers of the iPhone but it’s certainly food for thought but will Apple be able to take a big bite out of the gaming sector? Looking at the news that’s appearing on the web it would seem so.

A number of games are now available for the iPod Touch through iTunes App Store that have put paid to the rumours about the supposed quality of games. Take a look around iTunes and you’ll find goodies such as Gameloft’s Real Soccer 2009 (easily rivals the Nintendo DS version) and demos for the likes of Sim City (this one is getting rave reviews).

The market penetration of the iPhone 3G alone is enough to make most manufacturers drool with envy and gives Apple a very competitive edge. Add in the iPod Touch and some analysts are suggesting potential sales figures in the region of 40 milliion units per year! This compares to about 42 million DS consoles sold between January 2007 to June 2008 - Apple looks set to top the sales charts in the near future which will, in turn, allow them to dominate the games market.

Another key component of Apples massive gaming potential reach is the huge success of iTunes; can you honestly point to anyone between the ages of 15 and 50 and say they’ve never heard of iTunes? The move into games downloads is a logical, if somewhat surprising, move by Apple which has probably been planned since the launch of the iPod Touch and iPhone 3G.

Pricing of games is also weighted in Apples favour - £10 and under through App Store versus £20 - £40 for DS games…you get the picture. No shipping or associated costs as the game is downloaded and bug fixes can be pushed out through App Store - it makes you wonder why Nintendo etc didn’t think of distributing games via download! That said, comparitively speaking the actual cost of the Apple devices is considerably higher than Nintendo or Sony consoles - no problem; just think of all the money you’ll save in the long run by downloading through App Store!

Ok, not everyone who buys an iPhone or iPod Touch wants to play games and the devices don’t seem to have been designed with gaming in mind but the touchscreen functionality allows for some pretty impressive moves inside a game. Who knows, maybe this is the start of the next big thing in gaming.

So, with 1500 games already available to download competitors such as Sony and Nintendo will have to work hard to keep up with Apple. Will the T-Mobile G1 follow suit at some stage? It wouldn’t surprise me - successful ideas always have their mimics.

It seems that rumours of iTunes demise at the hands of competing music download sites have been massively exaggerated; Apple has made the move to the gaming arena and, based on the current quality of games downloads, look set to be a big winner. Time for Nintendo, et al to respond!

Popularity: 26% [?]

Behold the Sony PS3 - It took a long time to come to market and when it did the price was outrageous! There were many rumours circulating that suggested Sony had produced a white elephant but this didn’t deter games fans who threw their lot in with the PS3 (or, for want of a cheaper console, simply bought the Xbox). Now you’d think that being the mature games console that the PS3 is and considering its strong market share that Sony would be ready to cut the price ready for Santa to pop one in your stocking. Yeah, that’s what you’d think but it ain’t going to happen. Sony has ruled out a price cut by insisting that the PS3 is better value than rivals half its price. Err, I’m not sure how you answer that!

There is method in their madness. Figures show that around half of all video game sales are made in the build up to Christmas and Sony is betting that consumers will plump for fat goose that is the PS3. If Sony pull this off it will be a master stroke however they shouldn’t be too complacent. Yes, fans of games consoles always manage to find that little extra to get the best games on the market but that doesn’t they’ll pay through the nose for a console. The Nintendo Wii is a fantastic console and, on top of some really addictive games, it’s less than half the price of the PS3. Even the entry level Xbox 360 is cheaper than the PS3!

Interestingly, Sony has decided that, rather than dropping the price, they will instead offer more for your cash. The main model now being sold comes with 80Gb disk and a bundled game. Sony are hoping that features like this and the inclusion of ‘Home’ (the Sony online community) will draw in more buyers.

Sony are gambling a hell of a lot on the turn of an economic dice - if this tactic fails they’re going to suffer - badly.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Goolge has had their beady little eye on the gaming market for some time now - paying $23 million for an in-game advertising platform sort of gives the game away. But things have been quiet since the acquisition until today, that is. Behold, Adsense for Games.

The technology is still in BETA but the announcement shows that Google knows where the money is (well, a lot of the money). In-game ads have been around for some time now but they’re not very popular - a News.com poll  found that the ‘I hate in-game ads’ clan currently lead the track. Amazingly, 5% of respondents stated that ‘I like them because it’s more realistic to have them.’ - hey, it’s Armageddon, have a Coke!

The announcement comes at a logical point; the world economy is in meltdown (I’ll have that Coke now!) and companies will either pull their advertising or looks for more ways to reach the masses. Google are ensuring they has many avenues covered.

Google are expected to concentrate on casual and online games but this is likely to expand to all areas once they get a taste for gamers hard earned cash.

The New York Times has also suggested that Google will be launching more ad products in the near future. A bit too much you may think - not in Googles eyes; 40% of their $40 billion annual revenue comes from advertising so expect to have your eyes pummeled with more and more ads in future.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Yes, you read right…

According to The Inquirer, Google is close to acquiring Valve for an undisclosed sum! But why? What plans does the search behemoth have for a games platform? Maybe they’re simply branching out into markets offering healthy revenue (and gaming has to be one of the healthiest).

Based on ease of use, Steam is an ideal platform for many users. Currently, there are around 15 million active users, downloading over 440 games — now that’s a seriously lucractive market and a feat that’s unrivaled in the sector. Can you see the dollar signs appearing Googles eyes?

Next question - how long after an acquisition will we start to see adverts from Google? Or maybe Google sees Steam as yet another method of distributing content…for a fee, of course.

Popularity: 27% [?]

Akin to the dreaded ‘Blue Screen of Death’?

No, it isn’t. Well, according to Microsoft it’s all rather simple. Before I go any further, let me give you the full details. There have been a series of misleading stories in the UK’s mainstream press that suggest the Xbox 360 Elite has been experiencing ‘red ring’ problems (no, it’s not curry related).

Gamers have apparently seen hardware failures following three flashing red lights being displayed on the console. Fortunately, any hardware failures are coverd by a 3 year warranty.

Microsoft responded by saying that they have “conducted extensive investigations into potential sources of general hardware failures,” and that after “identifying a number of factors which can cause the general hardware failures, Microsoft has made improvements to the console.”

It has been suggested that the red ring represents an overheating issue. Not so, say Microsoft - “The three flashing red lights error message does not signal a single issue and can be caused by a combination of factors. For competitive reasons, we do not provide specifics about hardware components.

There you have. Are you any the wiser? I’m not! I suppose the answer is simple - it’s broken, I have a warranty, give me a new Xbox!

Popularity: 29% [?]

Bad news for gamers.

A new Trojan is spreading fast in World of Warcraft. The malware, which originated in Asia, is slowly spreading through the gaming world with the main activity being in China and Taiwan.

The malware attempts to steal log-in details from YouXiChaYuan and Perfect World, two online games popular in China and some other Asian countries.

The Trojan, ‘W32/OnlineGames!tr’, appears to be limited to specific language versions of Windows or the World of Warcraft client - for now. Hackers tend to rewrite malware code to target new sectors and attempt to bypass security mechanisms so expect to see this Trojan heading you way. As yet, the method of infection is unknown.

“With the online gaming market thriving with consumers, malicious activity will very likely continue for some time in this emerging sector as it forms a viable target,” said Derek Manky of Fortinet.

Unhappy times ahead; make sure you’re protected with the latest anti-malware updates and signatures.

Popularity: 36% [?]

Huge development costs hurt Sony.

Poor Sony. I mean, what’s wrong with wanting to dominate the gaming world? That’s effectively what Sony tried to do by pouring huge sums of money into the PS3. It looks like their plans may have backfired…just a little. Figures just released show losses of £1.09 billion (I bet Bill is chuckling to himself right now).

Typically, consumer electronics companies sell at a loss when a new product is released. They then rely on subsequent high-volume sales to make up for the initial losses. The problem for Sony lies with the huge R&D costs associated with the PS3 development.

In all, it looks like there’s no way the PS3 will ever be as profitable as version 1 and 2.

But there is hope. Every PS3 sold effectively seeds homes with Blu-ray players. This means Sony can then sell Blu-ray DVD movie titles at much higher margins. Cunning plan or just lucky?

Popularity: 29% [?]