console

If your weekend was anything like mine, you could use a game break right about now. Let's just say I was up till the wee hours last night trying to rescue data from a dying hard drive.

I don't have the luxury of blowing off work today (oh, how I miss college), but I can definitely get some fun queued up for after hours. With that in mind, I've rounded up three rather sweet game-related deals:

Today is Day Six of Amazon's Ten Days of Free Game Downloads, which offers up a free "casual" … Read more

One of the most potentially damaging things a consumer electronics company can do to one of its existing products is confirm its replacement. So when Nintendo announced yesterday that its Wii "successor" would launch next year, the obvious question was how would the news affect its highly successful but flagging current-generation console?

On the one hand, would-be Wii buyers could decide to pocket their wallets and wait until the new device comes out. On the other, they could rush to stores to buy one now, thinking that the new system will cost significantly more when it hits store … Read more

A boatload of rumored details have emerged on what Nintendo's next console could offer.

Citing anonymous sources, IGN reported yesterday that Nintendo's upcoming console, code-named Project Cafe, could hit store shelves as early as October with a starting price of $350 to $400.

For that price, customers will get a 1080p-capable console that's about the size of Microsoft's original Xbox 360 and comes with the R700 GPU from Advanced Micro Devices, IGN is reporting. That, combined with a triple-core IBM PowerPC CPU, could make Nintendo's upcoming console capable of accommodating games that are visually superior … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer e-mailed questions from our readers. This week there were questions on maintaining iCal syncing on older versions of OS X, options to prevent batteries from expanding, using a hybrid drive in a Macbook Pro, and concerns about performance impacts of "Throttling Respawn" messages in the system console. We continually answer e-mail questions, and though we present a few answers here, we certainly welcome alternative approaches and views from readers and encourage you to post your suggestions in the comments.

Question: Maintaining iCal syncing on older Macs

MacFixIt reader "… Read more

The video game industry had a mixed March as hardware sales were up thanks in part to the popularity of the Nintendo DS, but software sales took a steep dive, according to the latest data from NPD.

For the month, game console sales rose to $494.5 million, a gain of 12 percent from $440.6 million in the year-ago period. Sales of video game accessories also showed strong growth, rising 13 percent to $241.3 million from $214.3 million a year ago. NPD attributed the upturn to demand for Nintendo's DS, which was the top-selling console in … Read more

Having trouble remembering the last Wii game you bought? According to Game Informer, it might be because Nintendo is prepping to announce a brand-new console at this year's E3 2011 show in Los Angeles.

But that's not where the rumor ends. Apparently the successor to the Wii will be an HD console capable of at least matching or even exceeding the current-generation performance of the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

While such a machine would certainly be a departure from Nintendo's current place in the gaming market, we'd imagine it might eliminate some isolation the Wii … Read more

Hi Jeff,

I've read almost all your reviews about the gaming headsets that give you wireless surround sound, but there's a problem for us gamers who own more than one console. How do I hook up both my Xbox 360 and PS3 to one wireless gaming headset? Is it even possible?

Thanks, Paul, Chicago

Hi Paul,

Thanks for writing. Accomplishing this isn't impossible, but it's certainly an issue we think gaming headset manufacturers need to become more aware of. We've received dozens of similar questions with gamers anxious about having to finagle a way to get more than one source into a wireless gaming headset transmitter.

We'd love to see a device that allows for more than one digital input, though we are fans of Logitech's F540 system, which accepts up to three analog sources. However, if you're using something like the Turtle Beach X41s, Astro A40s, or Tritton AX 720s, you'll have to manually swap out the digital audio cables each time you want to switch consoles. Not only is this an arduous process, but if you're like me, most of these ports and wires are not conveniently accessible without some serious furniture moving.… Read more

Before you purchase e-books from vendors like Amazon or from the iBookstore, see what your local library has to offer. With a library card and a free application, Overdrive Media Console, you can download free e-books and audiobooks to your iPhone (and any other iOS device), BlackBerry, Android device, or computer.

Remember, though, that most libraries might only carry a few copies of each title, so be ready to wait your turn. Additionally, most books have a loaning period of 7 to 14 days, so there's no room for procrastinating here.

Not so long ago, Nintendo was king of the hill in video game land--especially when it came to handheld games. Back in those magical days, the Nintendo DS was the pinnacle of kid-friendly fun, and even casual gaming for those who normally didn't find games appealing.

Then came Apple. While some might debate the quality games in the App Store versus offerings for the Nintendo DS or Sony PSP, the success of Apple's seemingly endless supply of cheap games has been undeniable. Nintendo even acknowledges that Apple is its chief rival, now.

Enter the Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo's next-gen 3D handheld. Can it change the equation and recapture the Nintendo magic--and, most notably, kid appeal--that's worn away a bit in the wake of shiny gadgets like the iPhone and iPad?

The 3DS goes on sale in America on March 27, and it's been on shelves in Japan for weeks. We've reviewed the system already at CNET, and I've been playing around with one for the last six days, along with a handful of launch games.

At this year's GDC, Nintendo delivered a keynote literally across the street--and on the same day--as Apple's iPad 2 unveiling. Nintendo's focus on handheld gaming has had to take into account the meteoric rise of Apple's App Store. The App Store redefined the landscape of game pricing and effectively stole some of the casual-gaming crowd from Nintendo. Now that the 3DS is about to arrive, can it help fix what Nintendo's been missing?

After a week playing with one, my feelings are mixed. The 3DS has technical tricks up its sleeve that no iDevice can lay claim to yet--namely, its 3D camera and glasses-free 3D screen--but 3D is a divisive technology. Some people prefer their entertainment without a third dimension forced onto it. Also, Nintendo has been intent on not using 3D as an essential element in its 3DS games, making it a less integral technology than motion control on the Wii. The system has its advantages, and it has impressively improved graphics, but that alone isn't enough.

If the Nintendo 3DS is to effectively answer back to the juggernaut of affordable, diverse iOS gaming and offer up a convincing alternative, this is what I think it still needs to stand a chance.… Read more