So I recently decided to upgrade my wireless network as I bought myself a new Linksys Wireless N router and thought I would begin the fun task of resetting everything currently going to my old router. This is where the fun begins, so I set up the new router on my desktop, which took me a bit since the installation CD was programmed by a gang of sadistic asshats that for some reason felt a need to turn off my connection and then tell me that it wasn’t working. I sorted that out via technical services and the first thing they told me to do is discard the CD as we would just set everything up manually, which was a lot easier.
After setting that up it was time to move to my laptop, this actually wasn’t too bad, but then it was time to move to all the consoles. I started with my Xbox 360, bad move, I found my network SSID with no issues but for some reason the Xbox kept asking me for a WEP key!? This was odd since I never set one up on the router, instead I had setup a more secure WPA Personal passphrase. After banging my head against the wall and trying to call up the router tech support I resorted to the master, DrunkPandas. We tried fiddling around with the damn thing and then he asked me the golden question, what adapter was I using on my 360. Well of course the old black one that I had setup on my original Xbox, I wasn’t paying another $1000 bucks for another one. Well there in lies the problem the old black model Microsoft Wireless Adapter is not compatible with WPA and can only accept WEP.
So what does this all mean, don’t try to use the old black wireless adapter with anything past WEP encryption, it just wont work and give you headaches, like me. Since the PS3 and Wii have built in wireless adapters that accept WPA and WEP, PS3 actually accepts WPA2, this was a none issue and went very smoothly. Curious how this will work out on my DS and PSP next?
Overall:
New Wireless Router N - $100
Calling tech support - Free
New Xbox 360 wireless adapter - $100
Getting a headache - Priceless
January 14, 2008 – 3:15 pm
Ever wanted to play Crysis or even Halo 2 on your PS3? Now you can. Yes, you read that right. You can play Halo 2 on your PS3. StreamMyGame has released a client application to stream PC games over the LAN. You can play on PCs running Windows XP or Vista and also PS3 running Linux.
The free StreamMyGame Server enables PC games to be played remotely by converting the game’s video and audio into a Game Stream and sending it over a home network to a second computer where you can view and play the game with the free StreamMyGame Player. The second computer can be a PC, laptop, PS3 or Linux device. The game can be played on the second computer without any lag and the second computer does not need to have the game installed.
The player is available free from StreamMyGame, but you will have to pay to get HD resolutions for streaming. If you have a wireless network, it may not work that great either since it requires a decent amount of bandwidth. I currently don’t have Linux installed on my PS3, but if you do, try this out and let us know how it goes.
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January 11, 2008 – 10:22 am
New AW M15X is out from Alienware, the first ever 15.4-inch notebook equipped with an Intel Core 2 Extreme CPU and the GeForce 8800M GTX for unrivaled gaming abilities in a truly portable rig. This is the fastest 15″ on the market, and even beats out most 17″ notebooks. There is a lot of power in this tiny laptop which is pretty crazy since it is only 1.3 inches thick and still has enough batterly life to run for up to 5 hours. Sexy little laptop!
Thanks to Fragloser for the tip!
Hit the jump for an example configuration.
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January 10, 2008 – 12:56 pm
I did not know there was a contest or any kind judging going down, but it turns out there is and famed Wii third party developer Nyko, debuted its wireless nunchuk to much praise. So much, it took home the “Best at CES” from tech giants CNet. Here is what Jai Singh, editor-in-chief of CNET and senior vice president for Content Development, had to say:
“Chosen from hundreds of products at CES, Nyko’s Wireless Nunchuck for Wii demonstrates the creativity, excellence and vision that sets the standard in gaming… The ‘Best of CES’ awards brings together the top consumer electronics that will impact the coming year for consumer electronics”
Anyone who has a Wii cannot wait for this to come out. I don’t know how many times I thought I ripped the two apart while boxing or playing Zelda. The nunchul will take 2 AA batteries for about 30 hrs of play. Expect to see this Q1 2008. Expect a Nunchul charge station, from Nyko I’m sure, soon after.
January 9, 2008 – 2:00 pm
Are you a PS3 user who wants to complete your Rock Band but can’t because there’s no guitars on the market? Nyko is looking to help you out by releasing a dual game wireless guitar, the “Front Man”, in March. The guitar will have a switch on the dongle to select Guitar Hero mode or Rock Band mode, so you can use whichever is best for you.
I hope Activision and Harmonix come to a happy medium before then with this whole guitar fiasco. And looking at the picture of the dongle for the Front Man makes me cringe… that thing is huge.
[via 1up]
January 2, 2008 – 7:19 pm
Well recently a brand new (sort of) PS3 wireless guitar showed up on my doorstep to replace my dysfunctional one that came with my PS3 RockBand bundle. It came in a doubled up box that I will use to ship back the defective one, making the process pretty simple although putting a $100+ charge on my credit card, which I hope once they get the broken one back will disappear. The replacement guitar works very well, the strum bar actually registers correctly and does not make me want to smash the guitar against the floor. The guitar I received came with everything brand new (strap, neck and wireless dongle) except I am not sure if the guitar itself is new or not, it has two green stickers on it saying “PB4″ on them (my guess is that these are some type of QC stickers), oh and no batteries. Overall I am just happy to have a fully functional guitar so I can play some RockBand, if you guys have any issues with any of the peripherals I highly recommend sending it back to get a new one through EA.
December 28, 2007 – 10:23 am
Well with the excitement of RockBand upon us all, many of those good boys and girls that waited so eagerly to open their bundles of RockBand made a rather rude discovery. Their peripherals were broken, this could range from a nonfunctional guitar, broken whammy bar, a strum bar that had a mind of it’s own or a wonky microphone that doesn’t register correctly. All in all it is a pretty upsetting discovery once you get everything unpacked and decide to sit down and get some gaming in, especially for a game that costs $170.
Well the good news is that EA/Harmonix is aware of the problems and actually has a website dedicated to rectifying the issues. Pretty much you log in and set up an EA account and then let them know, which peripheral is FUBAR. After that it will ask for your shipping info and give you an option of them sending a new peripheral out via two day air delivery and charging you $125 fee, to make sure that you send your broken one back, or you can go the none charging route and just request a prepaid box and wait for that to arrive. Being impatient and pretty cheesed about my wireless guitar playing like an old shoe, I chose the 2 day option.
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December 25, 2007 – 12:43 pm
Okay, so I recently had the opportunity to get some real hands on time with both versions of Rock Band for the PS3 and Xbox 360 and here is how it breaks out. Both games are for all extensive purposes identical for either system, you can form a band or play solo tours or just rip up some quick play with friends. Each system needs an update to run the game before you even start, the PS3 version requires the latest system update as well in order to communicate with the Rock Band servers and upload your scores. Graphically the two versions are also identical, but lets face facts you aren’t getting Rock Band to look at the visuals, your playing for the music and both versions pack a punch.
As for the peripherals, this is where the two versions differ a bit. The drums and the mic are identical between the two systems, but the Fender Stratocasters are different. The Xbox 360 version has a wired Fender while the PS3 version has a wireless version, now a lot of you like me would probably give the edge off the bat to the wireless version, but I think I prefer the wired. The wireless version requires you to have a small dongle hanging from your PS3 and also requires 3 AA batteries in order to run, the biggest offense on the wireless is that in order to change out the batteries you need to have a screwdriver! What engineer thought this would be a good idea?
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December 18, 2007 – 11:31 am
So what do you want for Christmas? DLC you say to rock out on Guitar Hero 3? Well what a coincidence, they just announced some. Looks like Linkin Park, Mastadon and The Used are putting tracks out for GH3 in time for the holiday push. There is even a free holiday song for all to download as well, “We Three Kings,” recorded by Steve Ouimette. So far the best DLC for GH3 has to be the Halo song, nohting gets you going like some gregorian chant and a guitar riff. I would have liked to see more Linkin Park old school tracks like Crawling or In The End, instead of No More Sorrow.
From the press release:
SUNNYVALE, CA - December 17, 2007 - Master recordings from Warner/Reprise artists Linkin Park, Mastadon and The Used will be available as a downloadable track pack for Activision, Inc.’s (Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, during the month of December. Additionally, Activision will offer single song downloads from such popular European bands as Extremoduro, Trust and Die Fantastischen Vier, as well as a free, exclusive rock rendition of the holiday classic “We Three Kings,” recorded by Steve Ouimette. The Warner/Reprise Track Pack, single song downloads, and free holiday classic will be available for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system.
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November 26, 2007 – 9:09 am
Contra 4 for the Nintendo DS is the 20th anniversary of Contra and brings to the table a very decent game that stands alone and is not a remake of any of the previous titles. There are 9 brand new levels, (the jungle, laboratory, base, harbor, ocean, factory, city, alien hive and harvest yard) that definitely take cues from some of the original titles, but have their own sense of style. You still control the usual suspects; Lance, Bill, Scorpion and Mad Dog, but this time you are up against the Black Viper and a new set of alien scum.
The game is broken into three difficulties: easy, normal and hard, although there is nothing easy about this title. Contra 4 lives up to it’s predecessors and is a very challenging game. On my first run through on normal I barely made it through the first stage using almost all of my continues. Contra brings you some hard hitting side scrolling running and gunning right ot your DS, as a huge Contra fan I had to get my hands on this and so far I am very pleased and recommend this for any DS owner. You can now play wireless 2 player co-op action with a buddy, which should help you get through the game and unocking some of those bonuses in the game.
