TechTV101.com - Pimp My Xbox 360 Irish Style!!

MeMods is a PC and Games console Case sustomization Company who take your bland, conformist PC or Xbox 360 and Mod the Flip out of its case until it is likened by others to be worthy of the gods!!

2 Irish Lads have just set up a company doing this modding full time and are offering you the oportunity to have your very own one of a kind design Xbox360 Case. In the near future you will be able to send the lads Almost any design and they can make it appear on the outer case like magic with coloured lights that will just amaze your friends at those 360 Lan Parties and Conferences! We will have a video look at the cases more and a chat with David Pepper about the whole operation very soon, along with some very cool prizes - WATCH THIS SPACE!!

In The Meantime the cases can be bought online here at the Ebay store..

CLICK HERE

SEGA releases statement following Michael Jacksons death.

“We here at SEGA were very sad to hear about the passing of Michael Jackson. He was a true music legend whose songs touched each of us at some point in our lives. We are proud to have worked with him and included his music in some of our most well-remembered games and are sure that his genius will live on through his great body of work. We have no doubt that future generations will be moonwalking to all his greatest hits.” - SEGA

TechTV101 - Review - Sam & Max: Hit The Road XBLA

Remember the days of the click n’ play adventure games? Well, if you do you are certain to remember Lucas Art’s classic hit Sam & Max: Hit The Road. That game came jam packed with all the goodness of a great adventure game – interesting puzzles, great story, amusing minigames, and it was funny as all hell. When I first read that Sam & Max: Save the World was coming to Xbox LIVE I pissed myself a little. I was as frightened as I was excited. I loved the idea of a new Sam & Max game, in high-def, and on the Xbox, but I was so worried they would butcher the game, and sully this wonderful franchise – but my instincts got the best of me and I jumped at the chance to download the demo first, then after seeing that - The full Game Was a Definite Purchase!!

I was quite surprised when Sam & Max: Save the World loaded, I sighed with relief when I noticed that they had decided to stick to the classics form of gameplay – finding a decent point and click adventure game these days is not easy. The only real difference is that instead of having several different click methods; ie. talk, insult, grab, and squeeze, you only have one pointer that does it all. You can, of course, access your inventory and grab whatever is in there and use that on your surroundings.

The story progresses through six episode. Each episode ties well into the next and at the end of each you will collect a souvenir that you will find stuffed away in the closet in your office. Each story takes a bare minimum of two hours to complete, but can take longer if you get enticed by the story and are dedicated to hearing as much spoken dialogue as you possibly can. If you are not rushing and just plan on enjoying the game each episode can easily last up to three or four hours. The only downfall in this method of story telling is that it is hard to pull away from the game because, like an enthralling TV series, you just want to see how the next episode plays out, and so on.

The magic and charm from the previous games is captured beautifully in this game. The characters are still as wacky as ever and are pumping out jokes left, right, and center – some that may even make you “ROFL” your pants off. The game also features the typical cartoonish lounge music which we all got used to in the previous game, and even after hours the music still hasn’t turned me insane. There is, though, a little problem with the sound levels. From time to time both music and sound effect elements can completely drown out the vocal track. There is an option to adjust these levels but even after you’ve dropped the volume right down it just doesn’t feel right – there is still a slight inbalance in the audio no matter how you set it up.

Unfortunately, a lot of people are probably going to be turned off by the fact that this is a point and click game since the main focus of this generation is first person shooters. Sam & Max is a Godsend – a fresh trip down memory-lane – a game with soul. You will be quick to fall in love with the story and it’s characters. The demented duo did it again. I’m sure everyone will want a friend like Max at the end of this wonderful experience.

Sam & Max: Save the World is a game that many old timers will appreciate, while the remainder will take it for granted. It is jam packed with wonderful moments and comic genius and It definitely lives up to it’s predecessor. The story is as compelling as it is funny that you may find it hard to stop after just one episode. Sam & Max: Save the World is definitely worth the 1600 Microsoft Points it costs, so go ahead and download it of the Xbox LIVE marketplace!

With The Success of how this has turned out, it would be almost inevitable that we will see features like Monkey Island, and even Leisure Suit Larry Coming to xbox live arcade in the near future...well we hope so anyway ;)

id Software acquired by Bethesda!!

Yep...you read right, id Software has been acquired Bethesda Softworks (parent company ZeniMax Max Media) for an undisclosed ammount. More on this as we hear it!

Press Release:
ZeniMax Media Acquires id Software
Brings together two of world’s best game studios
Library of powerhouse franchises will include DOOM, Fallout, The Elder Scrolls, QUAKE, Wolfenstein and RAGE
June 24, 2009 (Rockville, MD) – ZeniMax Media Inc., parent company of noted game publisher Bethesda Softworks, today announced it has completed the acquisition of legendary game studio, id Software, creators of world-renowned games such as DOOM, QUAKE, Wolfenstein, and its upcoming title, RAGE. The acquisition by ZeniMax Media joins together two of the finest, most respected videogame developers in the world, combining the first person shooter (FPS) expertise of id Software with acclaimed role playing game (RPG) developer Bethesda Game Studios – creators of the 2008 Game of the Year, Fallout 3, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Bethesda Softworks will publish the titles of id Software other than upcoming releases previously committed to other publishers.

Founded in 1991, id Software established itself as an industry leader with some of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed video games of all time. id Software created the original first-person shooter, Wolfenstein 3D, and subsequently set new standards in the genre with the blockbuster releases of its DOOM and QUAKE titles. In addition, id Software developed cutting edge, proprietary technology with the id Tech engine which powers many notable FPS titles, and continues to make great advances in game technology under the direction of John Carmack, one of the country’s technology leaders and a member of the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame.

Todd Hollenshead, CEO of id Software, commented on the transaction: “This was a unique opportunity to team with a smart, sophisticated publisher like Bethesda Softworks where the interests of the studio and the publisher will be fully aligned in the development and marketing of our titles. In addition, we will now have financial and business resources to support the future growth of id Software, a huge advantage which will result in more and even better games for our fans.”

id Software will continue to operate as a studio under the direction of its founder, John Carmack. No changes will be made in the operations of id Software in the development of its games. All the principals at id Software have signed long-term employment contracts, assuring they will continue in their roles developing games at the studio.

“This puts id Software in a wonderful position going forward,” said John Carmack, who will continue to serve in his current role as Technical Director. “We will now be able to grow and extend all of our franchises under one roof, leveraging our capabilities across multiple teams while enabling forward looking research to be done in the service of all of them. We will be bigger and stronger, as we recruit the best talent to help us build the landmark games of the future. As trite as it may be for me to say that I am extremely pleased and excited about this deal, I am."

Robert Altman, the founder, Chairman & CEO of ZeniMax Media stated, “We, along with many others, consider id Software to be among the finest game studios in the world, with extraordinary design, artistic and technical capabilities. They have demonstrated, repeatedly, that rare ability to create franchise properties that are critical and commercial successes. Our intention is to make sure id Software will continue to do what they do best – make AAA games. Our role will be to provide publisher support through Bethesda Softworks and give id Software the resources it needs to grow and expand.”

ZeniMax Media Inc, which is privately held, was founded in 1999 to create quality interactive entertainment products to meet the growing worldwide demand. The Company is headquartered in Rockville, MD and maintains offices in Hunt Valley, MD, London and Tokyo. Among its wholly owned subsidiaries are Bethesda Softworks, a premier publisher of video games, Vir2L Studios which develops games for the casual market, and ZeniMax Online Studios, a studio dedicated to massively multi-player online games (MMOG).

Bethesda Game Studios, the development group at ZeniMax Media, is one of the top video game studios in the world. Its most recent release, Fallout 3, was the 2008 winner of more than 60 Game of the Year awards, including The Associated Press, Official Xbox Magazine, Yahoo, PC Gamer, IGN, Game Critics Awards, Game Developer Choice Awards, and Gamespy. Bethesda also created the 2006 PC and Xbox 360® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. Bethesda Game Studios has created 2 of the 10 best games of all time, Fallout 3 and Oblivion, on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation® 3 platforms, as reported by the industry scoring system found at www.metacritic.com and www.gamerankings.com.

About ZeniMax Media Inc. ZeniMax Media is a preeminent media organization which has brought together a team of world class game developers, artists and designers, programmers, producers, and leading executives and talent from traditional media. ZeniMax Media creates and publishes original interactive entertainment content for consoles, the PC, and handheld/wireless devices. ZeniMax Media divisions include Bethesda Softworks, Vir2L Studios, ZeniMax Europe Ltd., and ZeniMax Online Studios. ZeniMax, Bethesda Softworks, Bethesda Game Studios, The Elder Scrolls, Oblivion, Morrowind and related logos are registered trademarks or trademarks of ZeniMax Media Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Fallout is a registered trademark or trademark of Bethesda Softworks LLC in the U.S. and/or other countries. For more information on ZeniMax Media, visit www.zenimax.com.

About Bethesda SoftworksBethesda Softworks, part of the ZeniMax Media Inc. family of companies, is a premier developer and worldwide publisher of interactive entertainment software and has produced numerous award-winning titles, most recently with 2006 PC and Xbox 360® Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, and the 2002 PC and Xbox® Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®. Among Bethesda’s more popular franchises are The Elder Scrolls® series and Fallout®. For more information on Bethesda Softworks’ products, visit www.bethsoft.com.

About id Software Founded in 1991, id Software has provided technical, design and artistic leadership as an independent game developer and technology innovator. id Software’s iconic brands such as Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE and Enemy Territory have become staples of popular culture for generations of gamers. More information on id Software can be found at www.idsoftware.com. id Software, Wolfenstein, DOOM, QUAKE, RAGE and Enemy Territory and related logos are registered trademarks owned by ZeniMax Media Inc.

New Max Payne 3 Screens

So... here we have it, the first screen from RockStars up coming Max Payne 3.
I'm not sure how I feel after seeing these, it seems a long way off what I loved about the first 2. The dark, gritty, film noir style has been replaced by a jungle laden adventure. I don't know about you, but I'm getting a bit miffed about every new game (or sequel) being based in a bloody jungle (and if it's not a Jungle, it's New York - a bit of creativity wouldn't go astray!)

So anyways, here are the shots for you to make your own minds up!

TechTV101.com - SNES USB cartridge adapter should set eBay sales crazy!!

Sick of having to use your inconvenient mouse and keyboard to do "internet searches" for ROMs of your favorite retro games? Well a gentleman named Matthias might just have the answer to your prayers -- a USB SNES cartridge adapter.

The enterprising DIY'er has created a combo hardware and software solution that allows you to plug in your dusty carts directly to your rig, and see the ROMs appear as standalone files which you can then load into the emulator of your choice. Apparently there are still some kinks to work out (like getting data rates up for larger games), and Matthias already has plans underway for a multi-system solution. Still, this is impressive stuff, even if it means we'll have to repurchase any titles we're missing from reputable online auction houses.
Hey, at least it'll cut down our visits to "Russian porn sites." Check out the video of the whole thing in action after the break.

Techtv101.com - Iphone 3.0 Released To The Irish Masses!!

Since Apple first unveiled the iPhone OS 3.0 last March, we've been impatiently awaiting its full release. Yes, we did manage to get a beta version of the update on our iPhone but we prefer to wait for the real thing to give our official evaluation.

In total, Apple is promising that the update will bring 100 new features, but we've barely scratched the surface. Once we fully evaluate OS 3.0, we expect that we'll find more. We were hoping that OS 3.0 would also include video recording and voice dialing, but those features will be available only on the new iPhone 3G S.

Multimedia messaging
We've ranted endlessly about why it took so long for Apple to achieve multimedia messaging (MMS), so we're glad that it's finally on its way. Besides photos you'll also be able to send photos, contacts, audio files, and map locations. At long last the iPhone can do something that every other cell phone can do.

We don't know the real reason for the delay nor do we have a timetable for deployment--Forstall just said that AT&T in the states will support MMS "later this summer." Indeed, i was able to compose a multimedia message in a few quick steps on my iPhone, but the connection times out before we can send it.

Landscape keyboard
Formerly just available in the Safari browser, the landscape keyboard now works in e-mail, text messaging, and notes. We've used it quite a bit and love it, though we admit that the two-fingered typing took the smallest bit of acclimation after using one hand on a portrait keyboard for so long.

Cut, copy and paste

Cut, copy, and paste
Forstall said that this sorely-needed feature can work with all iPhone features and apps. When we first started using copy, cut, and paste back in March it was working only in Notes, but since then we've used it in e-mail and text messages. As I mentioned in my early OS 3.0 review, the process is very easy to use and the "shake to undo" feature is a nice touch. Developers will be able to use the feature in apps.

iTunes
The iPhone's iTunes store is updated in a few ways. Now you'll be able to rent and purchase movies, download TV shows and audiobooks, and access iTunes U. You'll also be able to redeem iTunes gift cards on the phone in the iTunes App store. Previously, you could only redeem in the iTunes music store.

Find my iPhone
If you're prone to losing your iPhone, OS 3.0 will give you some peace of mind. If your handset goes missing you can use a computer to find its position on a map. You can then send it a message that instructs anyone who finds your phone to call you. It plays a tone to get a passerby's attention, and it even plays the tone when the sound is off. Presumably, however, it won't play the tone when the phone is off.

It sounds like a great service, but there are a couple of caveats. Find my iPhone is only available to MobileMe users. Also, you'll need someone on the other end who is responsible enough to notify you that he or she found your phone. Luckily, if that doesn't hold true, you can use a remote wipe option to swipe your iPhone clean of data. This is the first time remote wipe is available to the average consumer.

Correction: The Find my iPhone can be estimated using GPS, Wi-Fi, or cell tower location technology.

The new search feature

(Credit: CNET)

Full search
We already knew about the search feature that allows you to search calendar entries, music, notes, contacts, and e-mail. Yet, Forstall also said that you'll be able to search e-mail messages stored only on your mail server.

In-app purchases
As expected, Apple now can take your money when you're using an app. For example, you can renew a magazine subscription and buy a new game pack without going through the iTunes App Store. It's convenient, sure, as long as you keep a limit on your impulse buying. But on a related note, free apps will always be free--you'll never have to shell out money for an update.

Safari browser
Forstall promised a faster browser. To demonstrate, he showed results from a SunSpider Javascript benchmark. Without iPhone OS 3.0 the benchmark result was 2 minutes, 10 seconds. In comparison, the OS 3.0 result was just 43 seconds. Exactly what that means to the user we'll have to see. Other Safari improvements include support for HTML 5 and autofill for fields on a Web page.

Peer-to-peer networking
With peer-to-peer network you can automatically find nearby iPhone users to pay games or use social applications. It works via Bluetooth and no pairing is required.

Tethering
In March we heard that tethering would be possible with OS 3.0, but that it would be completely carrier-dependent. At the WWDC keynote, Forstall gave us good and bad news. The good news is that several carriers will support tethering starting next week.

Google maps
With OS 3.0, developers will be able to embed Google maps right in their apps.

Parental controls
These were mentioned briefly in March, but we got more details here. Parents or guardians will be able to control movies and television shows according to their ratings, restrict apps that are age inappropriate, and limit use of the browser and YouTube app. The controls are accessible through the Settings menu.

Push notification
We knew about this as well, but Forstall gave a quick demo. Developers can use push notifications with sounds for text alerts and instant messages.

Languages
Multilingual users can use a small globe icon on the keyboard to access additional keyboards and a graffiti pad for symbols. Apple also added support for Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Korean, and Thai.

What's left?

• Stereo Bluetooth


• The ability to forward text messages and delete individual messages in a thread


• Forward meeting invites and contacts


• A landscape stock chart with news stories and additional information in company profiles


• A voice memo recorder


• Syncing notes with your Mac


• A shake-to-shuffle feature like on the iPod Nano


• Antiphishing technology


• Wi-Fi auto log-in


• Http streaming audio and video