Hacking the PSP Blog

PS3 internet ad banned

Copy "could be seen to condone or glamorise violence or anti-social behaviour"

An advertisement for the PlayStation 3, which prompted several complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority, has been banned by the watchdog.

The ad, which featured a character called Kovac holding a knife and a gun, contained text which read "You on my side? Listen up I've killed for less, the music plays Puccini in my head."

The complaints protested that the images, taken together with the text, sent out an inappropriate message to young people.

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Phil Elliot
August 8, 2007

Source: GamesIndustry.biz

Off Topic: Microsoft Confirms HDMI Port on X360 Premium Model, Not Core

Microsoft has confirmed the addition of HDMI ports to all newly manufactured Xbox 360 premium consoles. "Yes, we are offering an HDMI port for Xbox 360 simply as another choice in Xbox 360 owners’ games and entertainment experience," a Microsoft rep told Shacknews in an e-mailed statement. "Retailers are gradually introducing HDMI-enabled Xbox 360s into the channel to meet demand."

Regarding the possibility of an HDMI output on the $279.99 SKU, the Microsoft rep said, "We have not announced any plans to add HDMI to the Xbox 360 Core System." Microsoft would not reveal whether any other additions had been made to newly available Xbox 360 models, such as the inclusion of a 65nm process. "We are constantly updating the console’s more than 1700 internal components and therefore will not comment on details of specific components or manufacturing processes," he said.

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Carlos Bergfeld
August 8, 2007

Source: Shacknews

NPD Study Finds Gaps in User Awareness On Hardware Functionality

A new NPD Group study analyzing attitudes, usage and purchase intent of next-gen gaming systems has found "significant gaps" in user awareness of functional features outside of video game play, with the results "more pronounced" on some systems than others.

The report, titled "Next Gen Functionality & Usage," revealed that marketing efforts intended to educate consumers about console functionality that extends beyond gaming may be hit-or-miss in their efficacy. For example, the study showed that PlayStation 3 owners download additional content as often as do owners of Xbox 360s -- but the majority of PS3 owners are unaware that it's even possible.

The study also measured backward compatibility -- 71 percent of PS3 owners and likely purchasers rated backward compatibility as the most important PS3 function, but only 31 percent are aware that that functionality even exists on the system.

The same kinds of trends, says the study, can also be seen in different areas (varying by system) such as ability to link to portable systems and Internet connection via gaming device.

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Leigh Alexander
August 8, 2007

Source: Gamasutra