Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Microsoft pulling free development tools for Windows 8 desktop apps, only lets you ride the Metro for free (update: confirmed)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/microsoft-pulling-free-development-tools-for-windows-8-desktop-apps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/microsoft-pulling-free-development-tools-for-windows-8-desktop-apps/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/24/microsoft-pulling-free-development-tools-for-windows-8-desktop-apps/#comments Windows 8 desktop on Qualcomm tablet

Microsoft has instituted a big change with its free Visual Studio 11 Express suite that's leaving some current- and soon-to-be Windows 8 developers up in arms: it's pulling support for creating anything but Metro-native apps. After 11 becomes the norm, desktop developers will need to either cling to Visual Studio 2010 for dear life or fork over the $500 for Visual Studio 11 Professional. Programmers won't have the option of backdoor coding, either, with both the compiler and toolchain being pulled from Windows' framework. The situation doesn't represent the end of the world for some developers -- more established pros don't balk at a $500 price, and third-party tools will likely live on -- but it sets a much higher price of entry for desktop apps developed through the official route, especially if you want to write games using XNA. We've reached out to Microsoft for a response, but for now we'd suggest setting aside five Benjamins if Start screen tiles and app charms aren't your cups of tea.

Update: We've confirmed with a Microsoft spokesperson that it's true you'll need Professional if you want to write desktop apps using Visual Studio. It's equally correct, though, that third-party developer kits will keep building desktop apps as long as they have their own compilers and related tools. Students can get Professional for free if they're in the Dreamspark program.

Microsoft pulling free development tools for Windows 8 desktop apps, only lets you ride the Metro for free (update: confirmed) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 May 2012 18:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>compilerdesktopdesktopsdeveloperdevelopersdevelopmentlaptopsmetromicrosoft visual studiomicrosoft windows 8MicrosoftVisualStudioMicrosoftWindows8softwaretool chainToolChainvisual studiovisual studio 11visual studio 2010VisualStudioVisualStudio11VisualStudio2010windows 8Windows8xnaThu, 24 May 2012 18:07:00 EST<![CDATA[Kinect app promises you'll wear flowery skirts, and you'll like it (video)]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/kinect-hack-promises-youll-wear-flowery-skirts-and-youll-like/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/kinect-hack-promises-youll-wear-flowery-skirts-and-youll-like/http://www.engadget.com/2011/07/08/kinect-hack-promises-youll-wear-flowery-skirts-and-youll-like/#comments Don't be shy now: which of you doesn't love raiding your mother's closet and trying on her paisley dresses and velour tracksuits? That's more or less the idea behind Virtual Dressing Room, a Kinect program that taps into the clandestine thrill of sneaking into other people's boudoirs. Unlike some other shopping hacks we've seen, the app goes beyond just pilling on 2D pieces, but uses 3D models so that the items mold to your limbs, with the shadows and creases in the virtual fabric changing as you preen for the camera. That all comes courtesy of a special physics engine, while the app itself was written in C# along with Microsoft's XNA tools. Arbuzz, the group that dreamed this up, says the project's still a work in progress, though we can see this, too, being used to relieve those of who are allergic to shopping malls. Until then, you'll just have to settle for watching some other guy work a knee-length skirt.

Continue reading Kinect app promises you'll wear flowery skirts, and you'll like it (video)

Kinect app promises you'll wear flowery skirts, and you'll like it (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 08 Jul 2011 23:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>arArbuzzaugmentedaugmented realityAugmentedRealityCclothesclothingconceptexperiencegesturegesture controlGestureControlgesturesKinectKinect hackKinectHackvideoVirtual Dressing Roomvirtual realityVirtualDressingRoomVirtualRealityXNAFri, 08 Jul 2011 23:46:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full preview]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/16/xbox-live-launch-titles-for-windows-phone-7-finally-revealed-we/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/16/xbox-live-launch-titles-for-windows-phone-7-finally-revealed-we/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/16/xbox-live-launch-titles-for-windows-phone-7-finally-revealed-we/#comments We've known that proper Xbox Live gaming (powered by XNA) was coming to Windows Phone 7 devices, but we'd yet to see any of that thumb-spraining goodness in action besides a brief demo and a few developer videos. Well, Microsoft has finally come clean with details about its launch strategy for the platform, and from where we sit, it's definitely looking pretty promising. First off, the company has announced a full list of launch titles for WP7 handsets, including some familiar names and franchises like Castlevania, Halo: Waypoint, Star Wars, Crackdown, and Guitar Hero, alongside a handful of newer properties like the ultra-cute ilomilo, produced in-house by Microsoft Game Studios. In total, the company will launch with over 60 game titles, with new offerings appearing every week in the Xbox Live Marketplace, just like its big brother console version. We've got all the details, a full list of the launch titles, and our hands-on preview after the break -- so read on to get the scoop!

Gallery: Xbox Live for Windows Phone 7 hands-on

Continue reading Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full preview

Xbox Live launch titles for Windows Phone 7 finally revealed, we've got the full preview originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 23:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsgamingimpressionsmicrosoftmicrosoft windows phone 7MicrosoftWindowsPhone7mobile gamingMobileGamingpreviewvideowindows mobilewindows mobile 7windows phonewindows phone 7WindowsMobileWindowsMobile7WindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7xblaxbox arcadexbox liveXboxArcadeXboxLivexnaMon, 16 Aug 2010 23:12:00 EST<![CDATA[Zune HD hacked, OpenZDK now available to developers]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/zune-hd-hacked-openzdk-now-available-to-developers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/zune-hd-hacked-openzdk-now-available-to-developers/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/16/zune-hd-hacked-openzdk-now-available-to-developers/#comments
Well, it looks like the first 64GB Zune HDs landing in customers' hands may not be the biggest Zune news today after all. As proudly announced the ZuneBoards website, the Zune HD -- and all earlier Zunes, although the potential there is a tad more limited -- "have been hacked." While obviously not the first hack of any sort for the devices, this is described as the "first true hack," and it has made the concurrently-released OpenZDK possible. That effectively gives developers "access to everything XNA withheld before," which more or less opens to doors to any type of application that can run on the Zune hardware -- games, emulators, app stores, you name it. Of course, there's not a ton for average Zune users to play with at the moment, but developers can find all they need to get cracking at the source link below.

[Thanks, jhoeforth & Dilpickle1]

Zune HD hacked, OpenZDK now available to developers originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Apr 2010 13:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>hackhackedmicrosoftopenzdkpmpxnazunezune hdZuneHdFri, 16 Apr 2010 13:51:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft tells its Windows Phone 7 Series developer story, tools available today]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/microsoft-tells-its-windows-phone-7-series-developer-story/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/microsoft-tells-its-windows-phone-7-series-developer-story/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/15/microsoft-tells-its-windows-phone-7-series-developer-story/#comments
 At its dev-focused MIX10 event kicking off today, Microsoft's closing the loop on some of the Windows Phone 7 Series third-party development details it started sharing in the days leading up to GDC last week -- and as you might expect, Silverlight and XNA are the stars of the show. XNA will naturally be the core, critical element of Redmond's gaming story while Silverlight is serving as a catch-all for the "rich internet applications" that make up much of your other mobile activities for those rare moments when you're not... you know, blowing up aliens or navigating a race course littered with your opponents' destroyed vehicles. To that end, Microsoft is kicking things off on the right foot by offering a free package of developer tools to would-be WP7S coders that includes both Visual Studio 2010 Express for Windows Phone and the Silverlight-focused Expression Blend for Windows Phone, pretty much everything you need to start building apps in preparation for the platform's anticipated launch toward the latter part of the year. The beta dev tools are available today.

Developers are going to be treated to a host of must-have services out of the gate, including accelerometer support, location-based APIs using Microsoft's own Location Service, a newly-announced Microsoft Notification Service for pushing notifications regardless of whether an app is running (sound familiar?), hardware-accelerated video with integrated DRM and support for Microsoft's Smooth Streaming tech, multitouch, and camera / microphone access.

On a related note, Microsoft has shared some important details on the revised Windows Phone Marketplace (notice the subtle name change) for WP7S-based devices today. The revenue split remains unchanged -- 70 percent goes to the publisher, 30 percent to Microsoft -- but the developer portal for managing submissions has been "streamlined" and some of the incremental costs associated with it have been killed off; what's more, students enrolled in the DreamSpark submission will have their registration fees waived altogether. The Marketplace has evolved from an app store to a content "destination," housing apps, casual and premium Xbox Live games, music, and customized carrier stuff in one spot. We'll be wandering MIX10 throughout the day, so stay tuned as we get more of the story.

Microsoft tells its Windows Phone 7 Series developer story, tools available today originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsdevdeveloperdevelopmentexclusiveexpressionexpression blendExpressionBlendmarketplacemicrosoftmixmix10silverlightwindows marketplacewindows phonewindows phone 7windows phone 7 serieswindows phone marketplaceWindowsMarketplaceWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7SeriesWindowsPhoneMarketplacewp7sxnaMon, 15 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft shows off XNA games running on Windows Phone, full 3D is a go]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsoft-shows-off-xna-games-running-on-windows-phone-full-3d/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsoft-shows-off-xna-games-running-on-windows-phone-full-3d/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsoft-shows-off-xna-games-running-on-windows-phone-full-3d/#comments Alright, we're going to be straight with you: you're not going to like this. See, Microsoft just showed us a pair of 3D games running on its ASUS Windows Phone prototype and built with its brand new XNA Game Studio 4.0, but wouldn't let us nab a single photo or video of the process. What we can tell you is that they exist, they work, and at least Microsoft tossed us some screenshots to wave in your face. The two titles are The Harvest (pictured), a good looking touch-controlled dungeon crawler with destructible environments, being developed by Luma Arcade; and Battle Punks, a less impressive one-on-one sword fighting Facebook game by Gravity Bear that's being ported over. We didn't get to see any full motion 3D camera moves, since Battle Punks is just composed of two characters duking it out, and The Harvest has a fixed camera and some pre-rendered elements, but there were indeed some real polygons being crunched before our eyes at a full resolution (no upscaling), alpha-rev, choppy framerate, and we were assured that full screen 3D was possible. We also got to see one of our first glimpses of universal notifications on Windows Phone: Achievement unlock notices (also pictured above) that slide down from the top of the screen in a black bar and then slide back, and can't be interacted with. Follow after the break for some more nerdy details, along with a video of VisualStudio in action, and screenshots of the two games are in the gallery below.

Gallery: Windows Phone 7 Series XNA screenshots

Continue reading Microsoft shows off XNA games running on Windows Phone, full 3D is a go

Microsoft shows off XNA games running on Windows Phone, full 3D is a go originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7 series7Seriesbattle punksBattlePunksgdcgdc 2010Gdc2010hands-onthe harvestTheHarvestvisualstudiowindows phonewindows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7Serieswp7sxboxxbox liveXboxLivexnaxna game studioxna game studio 4.0XnaGameStudioXnaGameStudio4.0Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:50:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft bringing XNA Game Studio 4.0 to GDC this week, does 3D gaming for Windows Phone]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsofts-bringing-xna-game-studio-4-0-to-gdc-this-week-does/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsofts-bringing-xna-game-studio-4-0-to-gdc-this-week-does/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/09/microsofts-bringing-xna-game-studio-4-0-to-gdc-this-week-does/#comments We've all had a feeling that Microsoft is holding back some pretty big surprises (or at least completely reasonable revelations) when it comes to Windows Phone 7 Series and gaming, and here at GDC this week it sounds like we're going to get a little glimpse into that. Microsoft is unveiling its new XNA Game Studio 4.0, which lets developers work on games for Windows Phone 7 Series, Xbox 360 and Windows PC. The integration with Visual Studio 2010 that we saw the other day allows developers to build a single project and then make slight modifications to let it run on each platform respectively. Most importantly, Microsoft specifically mentions that 4.0 will include hardware accelerated 3D APIs for Windows Phone 7 Series -- not stunning, giving the fact that Zune can do 3D games (and is supported by XNA), but relieving just the same. Other phone-related tidbits are also telling: there will be fairly deep Xbox LIVE integration, including unlocking achievements from phone-based games and push notifications for asynchronous turn based gaming. Hopefully we can get some real live multiplayer gaming going as well, but there's no mention of that just yet. Microsoft promises "much, much more" will be revealed at MIX 2010, but for now we're gonna dig for all we can here at GDC.

Microsoft bringing XNA Game Studio 4.0 to GDC this week, does 3D gaming for Windows Phone originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7 series7Seriesgdcgdc 2010Gdc2010windows phonewindows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7Serieswp7sxboxxbox liveXboxLivexnaxna game studioxna game studio 4.0XnaGameStudioXnaGameStudio4.0Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:31:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows Phone 7 Series demo video reveals new apps, screens]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/windows-phone-7-series-demo-video-reveals-new-apps-screens/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/windows-phone-7-series-demo-video-reveals-new-apps-screens/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/05/windows-phone-7-series-demo-video-reveals-new-apps-screens/#comments
Microsoft may be saving most of its Windows Phone 7 Series news for MIX the week after next (at least that's what we've heard whispers about), but it looks like it's still dishing out a few more details beforehand, as evidenced by a short demonstration Microsoft's Charlie Kindel gave to CNET. Nothing major like a confirmation of HD2 support, but we do get a glimpse of a few apps we haven't seen before (including a flashlight, level, and weather app -- all supposedly "trivial" to build thanks to XNA and Silverlight), and a look at some new screens for various applications we have seen, including a better look at the Xbox Live hub. Head on past the break to check out the video for yourself.

Continue reading Windows Phone 7 Series demo video reveals new apps, screens

Windows Phone 7 Series demo video reveals new apps, screens originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>charlie kindelCharlieKindelmicrosoftMIXmix 2010Mix2010silverlightwindowswindows phonewindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhoneWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7Serieswp7wp7sxnaFri, 05 Mar 2010 21:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft talks Windows Phone 7 Series development ahead of GDC: Silverlight, XNA, and no backward compatibility]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/microsoft-talks-windows-phone-7-series-development-ahead-of-gdc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/microsoft-talks-windows-phone-7-series-development-ahead-of-gdc/http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/04/microsoft-talks-windows-phone-7-series-development-ahead-of-gdc/#comments Microsoft is keen on unveiling the meat of its developer story around Windows Phone 7 Series at MIX10 in less than two weeks, but with GDC coming up next week, they're figuring that now is a good time to start dropping hints -- they'll want to be capturing the collective imagination of the gaming industry, after all, what with that Xbox Live integration they've got going on. To that end, Charlie Kindel of WinPho's developer experience team has outed a few key items at a reception in San Francisco this evening.

The major points are that Silverlight, XNA, and .NET will figure prominently into the developer story -- not a surprise considering that Microsoft is heavily invested in both, gaming is central to the Windows Phone 7 Series story, XNA is a big deal on Zune HD already, and this all lines up with what we'd heard in the past. In fact, Kindel boldly proclaims that "If you are Silverlight or XNA developer today you're gonna be really happy." On the flipside, it's a bit ironic considering that Silverlight spends much of its existence going head-to-head with Flash, and all indications are that we won't see Flash support on 7 at initial availability (though it's sounding like a lock post-launch).

One final note at today's event is that Microsoft has now officially confirmed for the first time that 7 represents a clean break from Windows Mobile as we know it today; existing apps won't be compatible. Though that's likely to be a pain for existing owners with specialized apps who are looking to stay in the Microsoft ecosystem, Windows Phone 7 Series itself is a very different beast than the operating system it replaces -- it feels different, seeks a different demographic, and symbolically represents a very important clean-slate departure for a company that had lost its way in the mobile space. The bright side for the 6.5 faithful, we suppose, is that Kindel closes by saying that they "will continue to work with our partners to deliver new devices based on Windows Mobile 6.5 and will support those products for many years to come" -- a message Microsoft has been echoing recently.

We expect to hear much, much more on this at MIX -- and we might hear a few more tidbits at GDC as well -- but in the meantime, there's a developer Q&A going down on Twitter around 9:00PM ET (check the #wp7dev tag) where we could get some details. Stay tuned.

Microsoft talks Windows Phone 7 Series development ahead of GDC: Silverlight, XNA, and no backward compatibility originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breaking newsBreakingNewsmicrosoftsilverlightwindows phone 7windows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7Serieswinphowinpho 7Winpho7wp7sxnaThu, 04 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Windows Phone 7 development policies and guidelines leaked?]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/windows-phone-7-development-policies-and-guidelines-leaked/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/windows-phone-7-development-policies-and-guidelines-leaked/http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/18/windows-phone-7-development-policies-and-guidelines-leaked/#comments We expect to learn a lot more about Microsoft's plan to entice developers to Windows Phone 7 at the MIX 2010 developers conference. Until then (March 15-17), aspiring WP7 devs have to rely upon rumor and innuendo to feed their curiosity. So here you go: three purportedly official Microsoft docs from January that provide a glimpse into Microsoft's Windows Phone OS 7.0 Application Platform. First up, the docs claim that WPOS 7.0 is built around Silverlight, XNA (like the Zune HD), and the .NET Compact Framework -- a mostly clean break from WinMo's past as far as developers are concerned. Native apps are restricted to OEMs and mobile operators in order to extend the experience and functionality specific to a phone or network. Even then, they'll be limited to a set of managed APIs that Microsoft will audit during the app submission and provisioning process. Sound familiar?

As you'd expect, the OS supports preemptive multitasking -- not that Microsoft will necessarily allow its devs (OEMs, mobile operators, and independent software vendors) to send their apps to the background. The primary development tools include Microsoft's Visual Studio 2010 and Express Blend used in combination with a Windows Phone emulator. Check the docs in the gallery for the full read and be sure to hit up XDA-Developers if you want to commiserate with your like-minded peers.

Gallery: Windows Phone 7 development docs leaked?

Windows Phone 7 development policies and guidelines leaked? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 05:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>.net.net compact framework.netCompactFrameworkdevelopersdevelopmentleakmix 2010Mix2010silverlightwindows phone 7windows phone 7 oswindows phone 7 seriesWindowsPhone7WindowsPhone7OsWindowsPhone7Serieswpwp7xnaThu, 18 Feb 2010 05:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/microsoft-releases-xna-update-for-zune-hd-developers-multitouch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/microsoft-releases-xna-update-for-zune-hd-developers-multitouch/http://www.engadget.com/2009/09/16/microsoft-releases-xna-update-for-zune-hd-developers-multitouch/#commentsMicrosoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created
A lot of people had differing emotions when reading the Zune HD launch announcement yesterday: joy that the system would indeed sport a selection of apps and games, all free; dismay that those apps would be developed almost exclusively by Microsoft. Today you can turn that frown upside down, sweetheart, as it seems that exclusivity won't last long. An update to the XNA Game Studio development environment has already been released, enabling coders to target the Zune HD. The new version, 3.1, adds libraries for handling the system's accelerometer and multitouch screen, both put to use by developer Elton Muuga to create a simple drawing app, shown in video form after the break. It makes lines on a screen with finger touches and, like a ridiculously expensive Etch A Sketch, erases with a shake. It's not much, but impressive given the thing's only been available for a day now, and while we're still unsure how apps like this will find their way into the Zune's app store, we're sure all will be answered soon enough.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Read - XNA Game Studio 3.1
Read - First Zune HD Multi-Touch Drawing App

Continue reading Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created

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Microsoft releases XNA update for Zune HD developers, multitouch drawing app created originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Sep 2009 07:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>developmentelton muugaEltonMuugagame developmentGameDevelopmentmicrosoftmicrosoft zune hdMicrosoftZuneHdmulti-touchportable audioportable videoportableaudioportablevideoxnaxna game studioXnaGameStudiozunezune hdZuneHdWed, 16 Sep 2009 07:54:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games]]>http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/xbox-360-tv-calibration-app-pops-up-on-community-games/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/xbox-360-tv-calibration-app-pops-up-on-community-games/http://www.engadget.com/2009/03/31/xbox-360-tv-calibration-app-pops-up-on-community-games/#comments
For most of this month, one of the top 10 ranked Community Games on Major Nelson's list hasn't been a game at all, the TV Calibration app is a 200 point ($2.50) tool loaded with plenty of test patterns to make sure your video setup is configured perfectly. There's also a free trial, so we loaded it up and can say it does exactly what it says it does. Most games have at least some PQ optimization helpers, but it's unlikely you'll be able to get this detailed information about pixel mapping and test color patterns with a Gears of War disc, and hey, you gotta make sure those Netflix streams look their best on your HDTV. Other calibration tools may have a few more tests and work on more than one device, but for the price it seems to be a good value. Check out the gallery to see a few of the patterns included, or download it from the marketplace and give it a try.

Gallery: TV Calibration for Xbox 360

Color pattern testOverscan testColor bars

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Xbox 360 TV Calibration app pops up on Community Games originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 15:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>calibratecalibrationcommunity gamesCommunityGameshdmajor nelsonMajorNelsonother hardwareotherhardwaretv calibrationTvCalibrationxbox 360xbox 360 marketplaceXbox360Xbox360MarketplacexnaTue, 31 Mar 2009 15:13:00 EST<![CDATA[Gamestop ain't your Zunestop]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/gamestop-aint-your-zunestop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/gamestop-aint-your-zunestop/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/23/gamestop-aint-your-zunestop/#comments
GameStop will no longer stock or sell the Zune, citing weak sales and a poor fit with its "product mix". Despite recent positive sales numbers and only weeks short of Microsoft's launch of games for Zune, Microsoft's player will no longer be found at the gaming retail giant. The decision came about a month ago, and sales will continue at Gamestop.com until stock is depleted. Adam Sohn, director of Zune marketing, confirmed the announcement this afternoon by not denying it:

"We have a set of great retail partnerships that give Zune a strong presence at retail including Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and others. We will continue to invest in deep retail partnerships, and have seen good momentum online and at retail over the last few months including a great response to our recent Spring Update. We're looking forward to a continued strong presence at retail with our partners."

We can't help but thinking better Xbox integration could've gone a long way, but perhaps it was just never meant to be.

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Gamestop ain't your Zunestop originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 23 May 2008 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gamestopmicrosoftportable audioportableaudioxbox 360Xbox360xnazuneFri, 23 May 2008 14:05:00 EST<![CDATA[XNA Game Studio preview with Zune games now out]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/08/xna-game-studio-preview-with-zune-games-now-out/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/08/xna-game-studio-preview-with-zune-games-now-out/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/08/xna-game-studio-preview-with-zune-games-now-out/#comments
Well, that was fast, the XNA community technology preview with Zune games we were just talking about is already out. Unless you're a developer ready to get your hands a little dirty it won't be of much use though, especially since games can only be distributed and installed from source code right now.

Read - Official announcement
Read - How-to install Zune games

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XNA Game Studio preview with Zune games now out originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 May 2008 00:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftportable audioportable videoportableaudioportablevideoxnaxna game studio expr...XnaGameStudioExpr...zuneThu, 08 May 2008 00:27:00 EST<![CDATA[Zune XNA games preview release aimed for May]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/05/zune-xna-games-preview-release-aimed-for-may/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/05/zune-xna-games-preview-release-aimed-for-may/http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/05/zune-xna-games-preview-release-aimed-for-may/#comments Microsoft's still isn't solid on a final consumer release date for XNA games for the Zune, but they are aiming for the first CTP (community technology preview) to be released in May. We also learned that Zune games can support ad-hoc wireless play with up to eight players, the devices won't support any hardware 3D acceleration, the "16MB for storing games" we heard before actually refers to how much Zune RAM games can take over, and Microsoft's got at least four games running on the platform (which may or may not ever be released to the public): Zauri (which we've already seen -- video after the break), as well as Hexic, Potato Chase, and Alien Takeover.

Continue reading Zune XNA games preview release aimed for May

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Zune XNA games preview release aimed for May originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 05 May 2008 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftportable audioportable videoportableaudioportablevideoreleasexnazuneMon, 05 May 2008 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[First Xbox 360 Community Games to hit Live "immediately"]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/20/first-xbox-360-community-games-to-hit-live-immediately/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/20/first-xbox-360-community-games-to-hit-live-immediately/http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/20/first-xbox-360-community-games-to-hit-live-immediately/#comments
It wasn't all Zune gaming at Microsoft's GDC keynote this morning -- a lot of time was spent discussing Community Games, the new official name for XNA-based games. Amateur devs will get "creator identities" along with their gamertags, and Live members can rate, grade, and discuss your efforts. Of course, as we've heard, games can move from the 360 to PCs to second-gen Zunes, which is definitely pretty cool, but it'll be interesting to see what that means for devs who want to try and take advantage of the 360's horsepower -- will they be restrict their code to a specific platform? While we wait for those answers, it looks like we'll be able to get a taste of what Community Games have to offer right away -- Microsoft announced that the first seven XNA-based games are available immediately, with an open beta to begin in spring and full-on launch by the end of the year. List of games after the jump -- but what are you doing reading this when you could be playing?

Update: We just tried downloading RocketBall and the process is totally different than you'd expect. First you have to download the XNA Launcher, which is under New Arrivals in the Marketplace blade -- but you don't need a membership, so skip that, and the XNA ad that displays points you to the wrong thing, so ignore that as well. Then head over to the Games blade and select Games Library, but don't open the Launcher, cause it'll just kick you out. Instead, press Y to view the list of games and download one. So far the "YouTube of games" seems a bit convoluted -- hopefully the next Dashboard update makes this all a bit simpler.

Continue reading First Xbox 360 Community Games to hit Live "immediately"

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First Xbox 360 Community Games to hit Live "immediately" originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>360community gamingCommunityGaminglivemicrosoftxboxxbox 360xbox liveXbox360XboxLivexnaxna game studioXnaGameStudioWed, 20 Feb 2008 17:04:00 EST<![CDATA[New Xbox 360 bundles rumored, XNA games headed to Xbox live]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/13/new-xbox-360-bundles-rumored-xna-games-headed-to-xbox-live/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/13/new-xbox-360-bundles-rumored-xna-games-headed-to-xbox-live/http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/13/new-xbox-360-bundles-rumored-xna-games-headed-to-xbox-live/#comments
There's a couple of developments in Xbox land today, one official and one decidedly less so. On the latter front are some rumored new Xbox 360 bundles that French website Gamick.fr claims to have caught sight of on a Microsoft marketing site. As you can see above, the bundle (in this case for the Elite model) supposedly includes Forza 2 and Marvel Ultimate Alliance for "free." A Premium bundle with the same games was also spotted, but there's no indication of one for the Core model. According to Gamick, the only other information about the bundles is that they were labeled as "Holiday Value Bundles." In more official Xbox news, attendees at Microsoft's Gamefest 2007 got a chance to check out Torpex Games' "Schizoid," which is the first Xbox Live Arcade game to be created with XNA Game Studio (it'll be available later this year). What's more, Microsoft also announced that the top four winners of its XNA-centered Dream-Build-Play contest will be able to have their games published on Xbox Live, although there doesn't appear to be any word on exactly when they'll be available.

Read - Gamick.fr, Rumored Xbox 360 bundles [Via Joystiq]
Read - Microsoft XNA Games Press Release

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New Xbox 360 bundles rumored, XNA games headed to Xbox live originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>microsoftxboxxbox 360Xbox360xnaMon, 13 Aug 2007 14:28:00 EST<![CDATA[XNA hobbyist brings NES game emulation to Xbox 360]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/27/xna-hobbyist-brings-nes-game-emulation-to-xbox-360/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/27/xna-hobbyist-brings-nes-game-emulation-to-xbox-360/http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/27/xna-hobbyist-brings-nes-game-emulation-to-xbox-360/#commentsGame emulation in and of itself isn't necessarily a malicious or illegal concept: it's only when pirated ROMs enter the equation that things become legally questionable. Despite the apparent innocence of emulation, we're almost certain that Microsoft's position regarding the efforts of one "Lone Coder," who managed to port a NES emulator called SharpNES to the Xbox 360 using XNA Studio Express, would be a hostile one were it not for the fact that to use it requires a Creators Club account at $99 / year. The prospect of people running NES games willy-nilly on their Xbox 360s without the barrier of having to part with hard earned cash would no doubt have been hard to bear for the corporate giant, despite the claimed lack of competition between Microsoft and Nintendo, and the relative antiquity of the emulated platform. It'll also be interesting to see whether Nintendo will do anything about this: as we've mentioned before, it could be argued that this is entirely legal as long as the pirated ROMs don't join the party, although we wouldn't be surprised if the problem of people playing Nintendo games on a rival console, at the same time as Nintendo is trying to re-sell them via their Virtual Console, resulted in Reggie & Co. ordering a C&D. Currently the SharpNES port is running at between 60 and 70 percent of normal speed, and support for a second controller, sound, saving state, and a ROM loading menu -- changing ROM requires a teensy bit of tweaking -- is missing, so this probably isn't the best solution for playing a bit of Super Mario Bros anyway.

[Via Xbox-Scene]

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XNA hobbyist brings NES game emulation to Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 27 Jan 2007 17:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EmulationMicrosoftNESNintendoXbox 360Xbox360XNASat, 27 Jan 2007 17:56:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft releases XNA Game Studio Express]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/11/microsoft-releases-xna-game-studio-express/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/11/microsoft-releases-xna-game-studio-express/http://www.engadget.com/2006/12/11/microsoft-releases-xna-game-studio-express/#comments Microsoft's been talking this one up for some time now, but XNA Game Studio Express, the so-called "YouTube for games," has finally hit the big 1.0 and is now available for would-be game designers everywhere to get their hands dirty with. The software is a trimmed down version of the company's full-fledged XNA game devleopment platform, based on Visual C# Express and able to run on a standard Windows PC (XP for now, Vista later). The YouTube analogy is, of course, a bit of an overstatement as you'll need some honest-to-goodness programming skills to actually create something resembling a game. While the core software is available as a free download, to get the most out of it you'll have to sign up for the XNA Creators Club, which will run you $49 for a four month subscription or $99 for an annual sub through Xbox Live Marketplace. In addition to letting you play user-created games on an Xbox 360, it'll also give you access to a library of game assests, as well as sample products, white papers, and technical support. If you need an added incentive, Microsoft's also announced the "Dream-Build-Play" game design competition, though the only details they're providing at the moment are that you can win "fantastic prizes" and "global envy." Funny, we thought you needed a PS3 for that.

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Microsoft releases XNA Game Studio Express originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 11 Dec 2006 15:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>game designGameDesignmicrosoftxboxxbox 360Xbox360xnaxna creators clubxna game studio expressXnaCreatorsClubXnaGameStudioExpressMon, 11 Dec 2006 15:24:00 EST<![CDATA[Xbox 360 fall update details revealed: 1080p, auto-download, WMV playback and more]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/30/xbox-360-fall-update-details-revealed-1080p-auto-download-wmv/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/30/xbox-360-fall-update-details-revealed-1080p-auto-download-wmv/http://www.engadget.com/2006/10/30/xbox-360-fall-update-details-revealed-1080p-auto-download-wmv/#comments Microsoft has finally seen fit to release the details of its Xbox 360 dashboard update. Scheduled for release the morning of October 31st -- yes, that's tomorrow -- the update will add the much-talked about 1080p / HD DVD support, as well as the ability to play WMV files from a connected PC, disc, or USB storage device. Currently, users can only stream video from connected Windows Media Center PCs, but any XP machine running Windows Media Connect or Windows Media Player 11 should be able to do it post-update, as demonstrated during a press conference in Japan with several 720p-encoded videos. This compares to the PlayStation 3's recently-revealed compatibility with MPEG-4 and other video files, but so far neither has announced support for DivX / Xvid and Media Transcode 360 still requires Media Center. Apparently only 84 things needed fixing this time, down from the 125 in the spring update, including the option to automatically download demos of new Xbox Live Arcade titles, Zune media streaming, wireless headset support, XNA Game Studio Express and numerous improvements to video playback and menu handling.

[Via AV Watch]

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Xbox 360 fall update details revealed: 1080p, auto-download, WMV playback and more originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Oct 2006 12:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1080pdashboardfallhdhd dvdHdDvdhdtvother hardwareotherhardwarewindows media player 11WindowsMediaPlayer11wmvxboxxbox 360Xbox360xnaMon, 30 Oct 2006 12:49:00 EST