The release date for the long-awaited Guitar Hero competitor from EA, Rock Band has finally been honoured with it's European release date. Hitting shores May 23rd. The game will be semi-exclusive to the Xbox 360 at first, but will be released for other major consoles later in the summer (no dates on these).

The game remains the same as the US release, but the price certainly does not. With a price hike of over double the US retail price. Coming in at £280 ($355) or €240 ($380), it's no longer a toy to be used recklessly, in fact if your on a Xbox, it could have cost more than your console with the recent price-drops in the region.

The response to the announcement has been less than gratifying for producers Harmonix, so Greg LoPiccolo, vice president of product development has offered the community an explanation for the pricing, "We're not making a killing on Rock Band in Europe. We are incredibly sensitive to pricing issues. We are painfully aware that the higher the price we charge, the less copies we'll sell. The fact of the matter is the costs of releasing in Europe are far higher than in the US." he also goes on to mention that shipping costs to Europe are "really high," and the UK has its own, extra VAT (value added tax) of 17.5% on top and also that Euro retailers have the freedom to discount the product as they choose, unlike US stores.

As for LoPiccolo's conclusion, "We're not gouging you primarily because doing so doesn't serve our interests. We can only build our franchise if you buy our games. You may conclude that Rock Band isn't worth the price charged, and that is your prerogative. But it's not magically going to get cheaper because you wish it to be so....We've sold a ton of these in the US at a far higher price point than people are used to paying for a video game because it really is a new and different experience that you have to experience to believe."

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In a turn that has shocked Sony's entertainment department to the core, Nintendo and BBC have announced that they have struck a deal to broadcast television shows straight into a Wii console sitting at home, making a mockery of both Sony's and Microsoft's claims that their console are true multimedia machines.

So why not the PS3 or Xbox 360? Well according to the BBC's Future and Technology Group Coordinator Erik Huggers "If you want to get on the PlayStation or Xbox, they want control of the look, the feel and the experience; they want it done within their shop, and their shop only,". Microsoft and Sony appear to have lost out on a big deal here, and will have struggle to compete in the UK for a multimedia minded public after failing to beat a console that doesn't even play DVDs.

The hugely successful iPlayer, has apparently beamed-out over 42-million television shows since its launch 3 months ago and will appear as a channel on the Wii's home screen. The service recently came under scrutiny by regulator Ofcom who say that someone is going to have to pay for the upgrades to the network that the BBC iPlayer is forcing them to make to help increase capacity, with the figure expecting to be around £830million.

Sadly the service is only available in the UK, so as soon as the service comes live, UK Wii owners will be notified via a service message. and the final word from BBC's technology blogger - "Nintendo has gone a step closer to achieving what many companies are working at - namely, bridging the gap between the web and the TV". Well done Nintendo.

It might be Apple's fault, stealing all the limelight with their MacBook Air, that is causing Dell laptops to fight back and retrieve their owner's attention in the form of electric shocks.

CNET reporters have commented on their own laptops giving them a nasty shock or two, according to them it feels like a "gentle tingle to a sudden jolt" and is caused by touching the aluminium casing when plugging in peripherals like printers and PDAs.

The problem lies with the 2-pin power connector that is found between the mains lead and power adapter not being correctly earthed.

The Dell forums are also "live" with numerous owners preaching their nasty experiences with the aluminium XPS M1330 and XPS M1530 laptops. Dell is yet to comment on the issue.

CNET

Despite being first prepped for launch on the PC solely it seems Ubisoft have had a change of heart and are now looking to be releasing an Xbox 360 and PS3 port of the game also, however no word on a simultaneous launch on all platforms.

Today Ubisoft officially announced that the game was coming to Xbox 360 and that a Playstation 3 version was also in the works

The original Far Cry shooter was a Far Cry from the harsh African wasteland that the game now revolves. Originally developed by the Crytec, the game was set in the tropics, with ravenous monsters hunting you down and one lead character, now the game is in the hands of Ubisoft Montreal studios, after Crytec left to partner with Electronic Arts to develop and spin-off of the game, now known as Crysis, the Ubi' team have built the engine for Far Cry 2 from the ground up in order to fully utilize newer technologies and produce as close to life-like physics as possible. The story also takes a twist on the original, involving 12 unique characters who all have one goal, to assassinate an international arms dealer

The first person shooter promises stunning graphics, breathtaking settings and fast-paced action, which the average humble PC will not suffice to produce. With the news of the game heading to consoles, this may bring hope to gamers who - otherwise - would end up missing out on great game.

With other games like Tom Clancy's End Was and Brothers in arms: Hell's Highway hogging up the office space, Far Cry 2's release has sadly been bumped backwards towards Ubisoft's Fiscal Period between April 2008 and March 2009.

Well that is if you can trust the music industry for Mac news.

After a recent party for Apple employees, which featured many rappers and music performances during the night, one rapper by the name of Just Blaze has let slip about his payment for the night, a spanking new 12" Macbook, which he was told was to be unveiled at next months MacWorld exhibition.

The notebook - expected to be remarkably thin - will go on sale one week after the exhibition, with a 12" screen, Flash storage and be priced at around $1,500 (£750).

Similarly to the Microsoft team, the Sony crew are ready to release their next, and surprisingly frequent, instalment of the Playstation 3 Firmware including DivX support.

It was the job of the UK Playstation website [which appears to have been removed] to spill the beans on the update, to be released on the 18th December (not 100% confirmed yet), with some DivX shaped goodies before the holidays, sadly with some limitations though that hopefully won't affect too many users:

• Files that are copy-protected,
• files encoded with DivX 3.11 or
• files that are larger than 2GB...

...will simply not play on the console.

Something that may disappoint PS3 owners, is the still missing in-game XMB, which some are now crossing their fingers for in the next update.

Also being added in the update is support for VC-1 (WMV) playback, Type 3 music bitmapping, Blu-ray Profile 1.1 and a "Voice Changer" which begs the question, "is it a good idea that some adults will be able to sound like little children?".

...is to turn in-game violence into reality.

A game developing company who specialise in Impact Generating Devices by the name of TN Games has developed a jacket (similar to a bulletproof vest) that can simulate the effects of getting shot in a game, to the actual discomfort. Taking that feeble rumble action in your controller to the next level.

The jacket can cause the user to feel a "thud" when a bullet enters one of four hydraulic powered areas on the jacket and also feel it exit from the opposite side. The jacket comes in a number of designs including charcoal black and full-on camo. They will also soon be releasing a number of other impact generating devices to completely cover you, including your head, arms and legs.

The current jacket design comes with the jacket itself as well as a USB lead for feedback from the game your playing and also a hefty power supply that is the similar size to a large hard-backed novel.

The company currently have a deal with Activision to use their Call of Duty 2 game as a development platform for this technology and are even making their own racing simulator using a similar G-force simulating jacket. The company is hoping to release another jacket that will pack a little more punch, 50% more punch, some time next year. The suite can be bought from as little as $189 and must be used with compatible games (which isn't many).

So hopefully, next time your buddy launches a grenade at you in Halo you may actually end up in a little pain in real-life.

Watch the video interview with Mark Ombrellaro, MD (President & CEO of TN Games) over a Channel 10

After last months fiasco with Halo 3 not quite making the HD mark by 80 pixels and all of the hysteria that went along with it, it now it seems that another of the blockbuster hits of the year has failed to meet the mark also.

Call of Duty 4 is gaining a Scrutinous inspection from the guys over at the Beyond 3D forums, who claim that the game uses 600p (1024 x 600 resolution) rather than the HD minimum of 720p on both next-gen consoles. This means that the game is missing a whopping 307,200 pixels from its picture.

It was indeed the Beyond 3D members who proved that Halo 3 wasn't quite HD and have therefore proven their reliability, and although there is no official word yet or visual proof, it is still to be proven wrong. 

The rumours and images that have been circulating the past week have finally been confirmed. Microsoft are indeed going to release a timer that will limit the length of time children can play on their Xbox 360 console.

Microsoft has announced this new feature in the hope of appealing to their new found audience, the average family - "As the customer base broadens, the demand for these kinds of capabilities does increase" says Robbie Bach, president of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division.

The feature has been dubbed the "Family Timer" and can be set to limit weekly or daily usage and cuts the console when the time runs out. A similar feature can be found in Microsoft's operating system, Windows Vista.

Research into parental controls over children revealed that 90% of parents restrict gaming in some way, half of which are on playing time. This new feature goes a step further in helping parents enforce discipline without feeling too bad about it - "The number-one tool they miss is the ability to enforce time restrictions electronically on the console" commented Bach. Problem is, Microsoft will need to make this easy to use for, non-technology, expert parents and hope that they will remember their Windows Live ID in a few months, in case they want to change limits.

More information can be found on Xbox.com

Surveillance in a gaming store has captured the unbelievable heroism of a man trying to prevent an armed robber stealing a Playstation 3 console.

At the GameStop store on University Avenue, Florida, a mysterious man in a gray T-shirt and cornrows walks into the store and begins asking the clerk behind the counter about the Playstation console.

Employee, Ericson Santiago, showed the man the console box and the man then began to move around the counter to get closer. He then began violently tugging on the box, attempting to pull it from Santiago's vice-like grip. After a moment the robber realizes the store employee was not going to give up easily, so he physically drags Santiago all the way to the store door, before another customer in the store pulls him away, after apparently seeing a weapon in the robber's pocket.

It's been over a year since another GameStop store was robbed on October 19th, but it's even stranger when you can watch the actual robbery in action.

"He got knocked down and dragged halfway to the door," commented one police officer on the scene.

With the console only being worth around $600, it makes you want to ask Santiago "why risk your life? When it would be human nature to let it go". The police are still unsure if the man is in connection with any other similar incidences.

The guys over at LiveSide.net had their inbox set alight this morning after reports were coming in that Windows Live Calendars had launched and was fully available, sadly that was not the case.

Apparently the site was only activated for testing purposes and a few minutes later was removed with many people being re-directed to get.live.com. Thankfully some smart-aleck managed to grab a screen of the site before it was doomed back to the world of NDA (non-disclosure orders) so here's the image for you to drool over:

Keep your eyes peeled though as the site will launch within the next few week, calendar.live.com. If you would like to learn more about what is coming in the world of Live Calendars then check out the official site at http://www.windowslive-hotmail.com/calendar

The awards for the second annual BAFTA Video Game Awards have been announced and one of the biggest games this year certainly was Wii Sports, the game snapped up six gongs including: Gameplay, Casual, Innovation, Multiplayer, Sports and Strategy & Simulation making it the biggest success at the awards this year only missing out on one nomination.

Obviously there weren't just six awards and the few that remained were dished out to some of the other biggest games of the year. Bioshock, the stunning game released in August for the Xbox 360, won Best Game. Another exclusive 360 game, Crackdown, took best Action & Adventure Game and Best Use of Audio. However the Playstation 3 failed to add any stars to their lapel without a single gong going their way.

The amazing Playstation 2 game, God of War, didn't disappoint seizing Best Technical Achievement and Best Story & Character. Also Okami took Best Artistic Achievement and Best Original Score. The only publicly voted for awards - PC Gamers award for Best Game - went to Football Manager 2007 for the PC.

According to the technology site Smarthouse, Microsoft and Toshiba may be in development of a brand new Xbox 360 console dubbed the "Entertainment Hub". Along with the standard console specification, this edition will add a built-in HD-DVD player, dual HD TV tuner (with EPG capabilities) and rather surprisingly a MP3 docking port (we assume for a Zune).

This change comes after a recent Sony Brand Wave study in the UK, Australia, France Germany and Spain revealed that the main reason people were buying a PS3 was because it's a cheap Blue-Ray player as well as a high-performing console.

Recent GFK research shows that the current HD-DVD peripheral is suffering in popularity and also suggests that the lack of a HDMI port at launched may have hindered early sales and boosted the PS3 ahead, when it was originally intended to cut costs and beat the competition to launch.

The console is not expected to be released this holiday season however, more likely closer to late 2008 or early 2009.

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Rockstar's highly controversial game Manhunt 2 has received the thumbs down from the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification), in the UK, for the second time this year despite the game developers attempts to alter the game to meat the approval of the BBFC.

Rockstar's first attempt to pass the game was turned down by the BBFC in June because of it's ferociously violent content, which had them attempt an appeal to the decision, but that was put on hold whilst a revision of the game was put forward for analysis.

"We recognize that the distributor has made changes to the game, but we do not consider that these go far enough to address our concerns about the original version," said BBFC director David Cooke. But more interestingly...

"There has been a reduction in the visual detail in some of the 'execution kills', but in others they retain their original visceral and casually sadistic nature."

The game has passed ESRB's testing, but the BBFC still feel that the changes haven't made a convincing difference.

"As a result we have rejected the game on both platforms. The decision on whether or not an appeal goes ahead lies with the distributor."

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Yesterday Wii console owners were greeted with a blue tinted console, generally meaning that there is a firmware update or important message from Nintendo Headquarters, this time it was the later. Nintendo are now offering silicone coats for your Wii-Motes for added safety which, even in the sweaty mitts of any outlandish gamer, should prevent the thing from flying out of grip and into your prized telly.

Although there are yet to be any reports of serious injury caused by the remotes, Nintendo won't take any chances and is nipping the danger in the bud.

For current console owners, the coats are available from your regional Nintendo homepage for free for up to four jackets, providing you have a genuine console serial. However the coats will be bundled with any future remotes. Amazingly, this could mean a potential demand for 37.2 million jackets from 9.3 million console owners, but it does show that Nintendo is doing everything in their power to make sure consumers are getting a full-proof console for their money.

All orders will begin shipping on October 15th (Oct 2nd - UK)

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According to gaming news site Joystiq, a "Mole" has informed them of interesting changes coming from Microsoft this holidays for their next-gen console the Xbox 360. Although this isn't the first we have heard of this bundle shake-up, Joystiq's "mole" has brought some renewed interest and support for the rumors first hinted at last month.

The Pro version of the console will reportedly come bundled with Forza Motorsport 2 and Marvel: UL in a single case (similarly to Sega GT and Jet Set Radio for the original Xbox). The Elite is also expected to receive a similar bundle.

The package is expected to drop in stores October 8th, but the Mole insists that there will be no price-drop with the release.

The second piece of information the Mole has unearthed includes an updated model of the Xbox 360 Core, Microsoft hopes to boost sales of this stripped version of the console by adding one vital feature, a HDMI port, and packing it with goodies: a wireless controller, 256MB memory card, and FIVE Xbox Live arcade games (Boom-Boom Rocket, Pac-man, Uno, Feeding Frenzy, and Luxor 2) on a separate disc. Even more shocking is that it will keep it's price tag of $279.99 (£173.98). Sadly no confirmation from the Mole whether this will affect worldwide stores, but its a safe bet it will.

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Those fan's that have had their Limited Edition copy of Halo 3 on order for the last year, might be shocked (...and possibly cry) when they realize that their brand new disc won't play on their XBox 360.

This is due to a shallow disc clasp not holding onto the game inside the case, the disc then gets knocked and is let loose inside the case causing the major scratches you can see above. Luckily not all editions of Halo 3 are affected by this design fault, only the $69.99 (£49.99) Limited Edition case is under scrutiny and not the regular - green cased - version or the expensive Legendary Edition.

Although the game does not officially go on sale in the US till the 25th, adopters of the game, who got their copies from various means posted of their heart-ache on NeoGAF gaming forums along with picture proof.

“A friend just opened 3 copies of Halo 3 Limited Edition and with all three copies both disc were loose inside of the package and scratched to death,” details the original poster. “This Limited Edition has a piss poor plastic nub and foam pad disc holding design that is a major flaw and the discs pop off with ease.”

Reports are now coming in from Game Store employees who have gone to work and given the cases a shake, to see if their versions had been affected.

“I picked up 2 collectors tins today at work, and they both felt like the disc came loose in them."

Cries are now coming in from across the globe, and it seems that the problem is not simply contained to the US.

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Tonight, Microsoft have launched their competitor to Google's Translator by sending Windows Live Translator Beta...well live.

At the moment, the following URLs will get you where you want:

• translator.live.com
• translate.live.com
• windowslivetranslator.com
• translator.start.com

The service is powered by Systran translation software. LiveSide is reporting that not all of the languages currently work and they have received no answers or even errors with some. There are two cool features with this new site, the Computer-Related Content option and the Translate a Web Page, which allows you to compare the original along-side the translated site.

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