consoles

Gaming consoles consume copious amounts of energy

Electricity costs on game consoles have soared into the billions with tons of energy being wasted, according to a study (PDF) by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. However, it doesn't have to stay this way.

The moral of this study: power down when done playing.

According to the research, 68 percent of all game console energy consumed in 2010 happened while in idle mode, which equaled 10.8 TWh of energy and about $1.24 billion in electricity costs. Overall, 1 percent of U.S. residential energy consumption in 2010 was spent on video game consoles, which is an … Read more

Apple and Valve: Could frenemies really team up?

The tantalizing prospect of a future collaboration involving two of tech's powerhouses has set off a frisson of excitement about the possibilities for redrawing the technology firmament.

Last week, reports placed Apple CEO Tim Cook in Bellvue, Wash., on a visit to game maker Valve. Word had it that Apple was eying a business partnership with Valve, well known for creating software hits like the Half Life and Portal series, as well as for creating Steam, a digital game distribution service for PCs and Macs.

But any sort of future gaming effort would be intensely complicated and have to … Read more

Xbox 720 to ship with 16-core CPU?

Can you imagine the raw power of a costly enterprise server in your next game console?

The latest rumor circulating about the upcoming Microsoft console (aka, the Xbox 720) indicates that it will contain a monster CPU. According to U.K.-based ComputerAndVideoGames.com, the console could be equipped with a 16-core IBM PowerPC chip reportedly found in some early development machines. Wait, 16 cores?

While a powerful CPU would be a nice boost for enabling more intelligent game engines, it's actually the GPU that takes care of complex graphics rendering such as tessellation and anti-aliasing. Confused? Think lifelike texture and smooth jaggies-free outlines of your game characters for starters.

The same source, which provided the lead, also cited a 2013 launch for the Xbox 720.

(Source: Crave Asia) … Read more

Say hello to the brave new world of console gaming

The next evolution of home console gaming is shaping up like a dystopian Philip K. Dick short story. Refueled by the latest PlayStation 4 rumor, signs continue to point to a future in which games are no longer really yours to own, instead being just something you have a right to play -- as long as you're connected to the Internet, have a unique ownership ID, and aren't playing a used copy.

This isn't the first we've heard of this either; a January report says Microsoft's next machine will attempt to thwart used games too.

Of course, Sony hasn't confirmed any of these supposedly leaked details, but is it really out of the realm of possibility? The Vita is a prime example of the company's piracy paranoia. It's locked down and vacuum-sealed, made painfully apparent by how tedious it is doing trivial things like transferring files between device and computer. The reason for all the red tape? To combat piracy. … Read more

Turning in an old Xbox? Consider hard drive data, report says

Microsoft's Xbox 360 might not be protecting user data after the console is restored to factory settings, according to a new report.

In an interview with gaming blog Kotaku, Ashley Podhradsky, a researcher at Drexel University, said when Xbox 360 owners trade in their consoles after restoring the device to factory settings, their personal data might be left open to malicious hackers.

"Microsoft does a great job of protecting their proprietary information," Podhradsky told Kotaku. "But they don't do a great job of protecting the user's data."

Podhradsky, along with other researchers at … Read more

HBO Go on the Xbox: Great, if your cable provider allows it

Can your game console act as a TV replacement? Very nearly, now that more and more video apps are hitting consoles at a record rate. HBO Go, which has become a symbol of sorts for the potential of app-based on-demand entertainment as a cable accessory, has hit the Xbox, joining Roku, Android phones, the iPhone, and the iPad -- and, of course, smart TVs and laptops, too.

Unlike IP-based cable provider apps like Time Warner and Xfinity, HBO Go works anywhere in the U.S. just like Netflix, provided you have a subscriber log-in that comes from signing in via your cable provider. Oh, there's one more thing: not all cable providers allow HBO Go to work on the Xbox. Depending on who your provider is, you'll either (a) not be able to use HBO Go, or (b) be able to use it on certain devices, but not others.… Read more

Xbox Live said to get HBO Go, Comcast

It's looking like "Game of Thrones" fans will have a couple extra days to get ready to watch the premiere of season two on Microsoft's XBox Live. Rumor has it that both HBO Go and Comcast's video-on-demand service will be available on Xbox Live tomorrow, according to tech news site GigaOM.

Ever since Microsoft announced last fall that its gaming console would add HBO Go and Comcast in with its new content partners and live TV programming, users have awaited the official launch. Several other apps shortly became available, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, and … Read more

Mobile gaming wins in the bedroom

Bedrooms are usually thought of as a place to sleep, read, relax, or do other things.... But, according to a new survey by social-game site MocoSpace, people are actually playing mobile games in the bedroom--at a staggering rate.

Of the 15,000 U.S. users surveyed by MocoSpace, 96 percent said they play on their mobile device while home and 53 percent of those are doing it in bed. Second place is the living room with 41 percent, then 5 percent in the bathroom, and 1 percent at the dining table.

This breaks a lot of preconceptions about where people … Read more

Get a Sony PlayStation 3 console for $216 shipped

Sometimes great deals come from weird places. For example, Sears has the uber-popular Nikon D3000 10-megapixel camera with 18-55mm lens for $359.99 (plus tax) when you apply coupon code camera. Everywhere else: upwards of $500 or more. The only catch is that it's for in-store pickup only.

Even weirder, Drugstore.com is offering the Sony PlayStation 3 160GB console for $215.99 shipped. (To get that price, click the previous link, add the PS3 to your "bag," then click this link. That should drop the price by 20 percent.)

So, yeah, a PS3? At Drugstore.com? … Read more