PSA: Free Xbox Live Weekend!

Xbox 360 Twitter

To show off all its nifty and new Xbox Live features, like Facebook and Twitter, Microsoft is giving Xbox Live Silver members a free weekend of Gold service. The promotion runs from 9AM PST on Friday until 9AM PST on Monday. Major Nelson plugged:

During the free Live Weekends, all Xbox Live Silver members can enjoy: online multiplayer, Facebook, Twitter, Last.FM, Netflix, Sky Player, Halo Waypoint and 1 v 100.

While most enthusiast gamers have Xbox Live Gold accounts, a lot of casual users do not. Some of the people that would enjoy Facebook and Twitter on an Xbox 360 will try out Gold and likely sign up. Will it be a huge number? Who knows? But these trial periods are an effective way to raise numbers.

Are any of you Xbox Live Silver members, btw? I figured almost all of you would be Gold.

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The Army’s Most Effective Recruiting Tool? A Videogame

Americas Army game

The America’s Army line of games has been used to recruit youths into military service. While I imagine that some impressionable teens would get caught up in the game and think the Army is “cool”, the effectiveness of the game is much higher than that. According to a study conducted by two M.I.T. researchers:

30 percent of all Americans age 16 to 24 had a more positive impression of the Army because of the game and, even more amazingly, the game had more impact on recruits than all other forms of Army advertising combined.

I’m just greatly amused that the Army stole The Last Starfighter’s gimmick and turned it into a highly effective recruiting tool.

Is anyone else surprised by the M.I.T. findings? Are young people so impressionable that a game can lead them to a major lifestyle choice?

Source via Game Politics

Coffee Talk #27: What Are Your Next-Gen Console Dreams?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, that tool in the Final Fantasy XIII release date announcement video, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper’s return to MSG, or helping me find a new coffee company (part II), Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

There are certain things you can expect each console generation — better graphics, enhanced sound, less money in your bank account, etc. Every now and then, a key feature is introduced that takes consoles to a new level. It seems quaint now, but the inclusion of DVD in the PlayStation 2 was huge — it turned consoles into devices for movies and games. Microsoft revolutionized online console gaming with Xbox Live. Today’s machines stream movies, browse the web, allow for social networking, and more. While this generation is still going strong and still has several years to go, it’s always fun to think about what’s next.

Tivo Gets Me

A few months ago, I wrote about my next-gen console dream: TiVo integration. Consoles are already capable computing machines with hard drives, so adding TiVo to the mix would be a snap. I’d love for one of the “big three” (I don’t care which one) to license TiVo software for their next console. If Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony announced a partnership with TiVo, I’d cry tears of joy.

I wanted to ask you what your dream features are for the PlayStation 4, Wii 2, and Xbox 720. Do you want more online functionality? Perhaps one-button pizza ordering? A wave motion cannon? Leave a comment and let me know (please)!

Verizon Responds to AT&T Lawsuit With Trash Talking

Phoenix Wright slider

Earlier in the month, I wrote about AT&T suing Verizon for its excellent commercials that (rightfully) criticize AT&T’s (shoddy) network. Verizon has filed its response…and it’s awesome. Just look at the intro:

AT&T did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s “There’s A Map For That” advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts.

Zing!!! Seriously, that’s the coolest start to a legal document I’ve ever seen. It’s straight out of a WWE promo! Awesome.

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Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Gets a Limited Edition Sony PSP

Birth by Sleep PSP front

Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is getting a limited edition PSP-3000 in Japan. The silver-and-black unit is pretty spiffy, in that Japanese understated way. This special PSP will be available when the game launch on January 9, 2010 for 22,000 yen.

Although I adore Kingdom Hearts and Japanese limited edition consoles, I’m not going crazy for this one. It’s nice…but not nice enough. I much rather have the limited edition Final Fantasy XIII PS3 Slim.

Birth by Sleep PSP back

What do you think of this limited edition PSP? Crazy? Sexy? Cool?

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I Love Google Voice

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Google Voice allowing you to route your mobile phone’s voicemail through the service. I’m absolutely loving this feature. Old-school voicemail (pressing 1 and listening to your messages) is so ’90s. Visual voicemail is better. Google Voice completely rules.

Google Voice example

If I get a message, Google Voice allows me to listen to it on my phone or PC. I like that I can keep old voicemail messages for as long as I want and have access to them on my computer. My favorite feature is the voicemail transcription. The service will transcribe a message and send it to me as an SMS or email. This is just frickin’ brilliant. Being able to quickly read a message on my BlackBerry is so convenient.

I’m totally pleased with the voicemail features of Google Voice. Have any of you been using it? What do you think so far?

Sony Details PS3 Firmware Update v3.10

Sony has revealed some new details on PlayStation firmware update v3.10. One of the most interesting features of the update is Facebook integration. Other goodies include:

  • The Photo category on the XMB has been revamped to make it easier to see more of your photos stored on the PS3.
  • The PSN Friends List has been modified based on feedback we received after update 3.00. Additionally, you can now choose a color for your PSN ID on the XMB.

Check out the video above for more 411. I know some of you aren’t big on Facebook on consoles, but it’s an important feature for Sony to have in order to compete with Microsoft in a bullet point fight.

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PSPgo Sells 100K in October 2009, Gamers Prefer Black

Sony PSPgo

According to a NeoGAF poster with a history of accurate leaked information from the NPD Group, Sony’s PSPgo sold 100,000 units in October, with the black model outselling the white model two to one. As I reported last week, the PSP sold 174,600 units across all models. While some will say that the number is disappointing for this time of the year, it is an expensive system and the economy doth sucketh.

On a side note, the numbers show that once gamers go black, they never go back. *snicker* Amazon ranks the black model at #191 in its “video game” category, with the white model currently coming in at #724.

What do you think of the numbers? Is 100,000 low for a new console that was marketed heavily? Or do you think it’s a respectable number for a $250 handheld that was released in a languishing economy? To ask a question that was once answered by Michael Jackson, does it matter if it’s black or white?

Source via Gamasutra

PlayStation 3 + Linux = Busted Child Pornographers

PS3 Fat

The U.S. Customs Enforcement Cyber Crimes Center (C3), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is using 20 PlayStation 3 consoles to crack the computer passwords of child pornographers. Using the console’s Linux capabilities, the agency has replaced $8,000 PCs with $300 consoles. ICE agent Claude E. Davenport said:

Bad guys are encrypting their stuff now, so we need a methodology of hacking on that to try to break passwords. The PlayStation 3 — its processing component — is perfect for large-scale library attacks.

According to Game Politics, the agency plans to purchase at least 40 more systems to help its super-computing endeavors. Since the new PS3 Slim doesn’t run Linux, the government better snatch up the older models before they’re out of stock.

So in addition to allowing consumers to play games, connect with friends, and enjoy multimedia, the PS3 is being used to nab criminals. That’s pretty awesome.

Source via Kotaku