BetaTest
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HDPC-20 to be used in DirecTV Media Center beta test
Trust us, you all aren't the only ones wondering what the status is on DirecTV's HDPC-20 PC tuner. After assuming that it was closer to (beta) release than ever after a mysterious signup made the rounds late last month, along comes the confirmation we've been yearning for. Numerous readers have received hardware agreements as part of the DirecTV Media Center Beta test, and sure enough, it very plainly states that the HDPC-20 is the item that will be tested. Hailed as a "dual satellite DirecTV tuner (black case) including two BBC modules connectors, a DC power cable and a USB cable," those lucky enough to get in on the action may also receive a Media Center Remote, IR receiver and TV tuner card. And we all know what happens after beta testing is over, right?
Moxi opens doors for hardware, software beta testers
Did Zatz's hands-on approach with Moxi's forthcoming Home Cinema HD DMR leave you thirsty for more? Willing to take one into your own home for awhile? Believe it or not, Moxi is actually recruiting hardware beta testers to pore over the high-end Home Cinema HD Digital Media Recorder, which means that you'll actually get one of the units in your house to try out if you're selected. If that's not really your bag, you can also apply for access to its (software-based) Moxi TV for PC beta, which only works on Windows XP and specific tuner cards at the moment. Granted, you'll be expected to devote a minimum of two hours per week to testing and provide "on-going feedback" to the outfit, but what else were you planning on doing over the holiday break? Hit the links below to get your name in the hat.[Via ZatzNotFunny]Read - Moxi Home Cinema HD DMR beta testRead - Moxi TV for PC beta test
Halo 3 MP Vidoc Impressions
Wow. After watching today's ViDoc about Halo 3 Multiplayer, that's all we can muster to say. Despite only being Alpha footage, it looks to be very promising, and they showed us some never-before-seen weapons, arenas, and features. The most recognizable of which, is the bubble shield from the "Starry Night" ad back in December. Also shown is a trip mine, in this case, as a last ditch attempt at revenge for becoming roadkill via an oncoming Warthog. More analysis ensues after the break. But for now, we've got the video embedded for your viewing pleasure.
OLPC BTest-2 XO beta machine sequel arrives
Good things happened with that last round of test XO test machines, and now OLPC has shipped out round two, with an improved screen (now with real-live diffuser action), and at last the appearance of a touch pad. The main thrust of BTest-2 is mesh networking and suspend / resume functionality, the industrial design is relatively unchanged, since there wasn't enough time to implement changes found in BTest-1. The third BTest of this trilogy will be supposedly much more rugged -- for instance, Jean Piché already noticed some trackpad woes: "Because of blotches and air bubbles, I almost tried to peel off what seemed like a protective strip of paper on the trackpad. It's a mylar sheet not to be removed!" Thanks for the heads up, Jean. Now what nerdy prof do we need to mug to get a bit of BTest-2 up in the HQ?[Via OLPC News, photo courtesy of Jacob Kaplan-Moss]
A later release means... more beta invites?
Well, Nethaera didn't phrase it quite in that way, but she did confirm that there are still opportunities to get a beta invite. While Blizzcon attendees and beta contest winners have guaranteed entry, there are still invites for players who were neither. Nethaera advises us to keep an eye on fan sites and Blizzard's own site for possible information on how to get yourself into the beta test -- though, no, she can't tell you when you might expect to see anything.
Ratchet & Clank online beta test
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters is one of the few titles from Sony that will future Infrastructure multiplayer in the future. Gamer Advisory Panel members just received an e-mail inviting them to a beta test, with registrations limited to the first 2000 entrants. (We're not allowed to link to the application form, sorry!) With a beta test happening in the coming weeks, Ratchet & Clank is probably pretty far along in development. The game's supposedly going to come out in March, but wouldn't it be awesome if it came out just a little bit earlier?If any of our readers are GAP members and partake in the beta test, shoot us a comment. We'll try to make you famous.
A chance to get in to the BC beta!
At present, I'm only seeing this contest up on the European website, but it wouldn't surprise me to find a similar affair on the US website soon. (If not, expect more moaning on the forums than usual over the next few days.) Winning is simple -- just take a screenshot of your guild near a well-known NPC. So get out your fanciest clothes and get searching for that perfect spot. The best 40 entries will receive 25 beta keys for the guild. Now get going -- you only have until October 5th to send in your entry!
Beta invites for raiding guilds?
Multiple threads on the forums have popped up today asking about mails claiming to come from Blizzard (that is to say, an e-mail address ending in @blizzard.com) requesting the names and e-mail addresses of 25 players for beta invites. Is this real? A hoax? A scam? Responses in the forums have ranged from calling it out as an obvious scam, to saying that it's a known fact that Blizzard has been looking for raiders to test the newest raid content. Well, Tseric has replied to one such thread dodging the scam issue entirely, telling us the following: "The players invited to the beta have a rather broad demographic, so looking at it as only raiding guilds being invited into the beta is simply inaccurate." This seems to kill the scam angle and open up another question -- if Blizzard isn't simply picking out raiding guilds for these out-of-the-blue beta invites, who are they picking? (And what do I have to do to get one? Huh, Tseric?)
Forum Beta Testing: Finished!
I don't know about you, but I hate the World of Warcraft forums. Popular threads eventually break, meaning you can no longer browse through them (though people can keep posting to them), lending to the potential loss of much useful information (or much useless spam - but it's hard to tell!). Needed information is impossible to find due to a very poorly implemented search feature (perhaps it worked once upon a time, before the forums got so big). And I could go on! But at any rate, this is why I'm glad to see the new forums that Blizzard has been beta testing. And the beta testing period is now closed, meaning the forums should be released for general use soon. To that I can only say... yay!
