Analyst: PS3 To Outsell Rival Consoles, Push 127M Units

The Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (SACHD) service have released a new report forecasting that PlayStation 3 hardware will eventually outsell Xbox 360 and Wii, expecting Sony’s system to continue selling much longer than its rival home consoles. The report, “Taming the Waves: Games Console Life Cycles and Platform Competition,” admits that Wii’s hardware sales have so far eclipsed those of the PS3 and Xbox 360 but predicts that Sony’s console will still be a …

Rumor: Sony’s Playstation Arc Controller to Be Used with a Nunchuck

Rumors have popped up on message boards and news sites claiming that Sony’s Arc (formerly known as the Wand) will be receiving a nunchuck attachment.

The poster ichinisan — on NeoGaf — described the nunchuck as having “an analog stick at the front, below that X and O and below that a D pad. Underneath is L1 and L2. Its actually long, not like the Wii Nunchuk.” He continued his description of the wand itself, “…it has one very big button on top and then all four facebuttons (X,O,Square and Triangle) and underneath is a big trigger called ‘T.’”

These rumors come on the cusp of the Games Developer Conference in San Francisco. If these rumors are true, then the nunchuck will probably be introduced to developers this week.

Review: Case-mate Hug Wireless Charging Pad and Case for iPhone 3G/3GS

Short Version: A bit of a twist on traditional induction chargers, Case-mate’s “Hug Wireless Charging Pad and Case” attempts to offset its $100 price tag by adhering to the Wireless Power Consortium’s universal charging standard, which promises interoperability with other charging pads and devices that are developed using the same technology.

Full Review: One of the larger barriers to adopting new technology is the relatively high price tag pitted against the uncertainty of whether or not that technology will become widespread enough to spawn future devices. What’s the sense in dropping $100 on an induction charger for your iPhone if there’s a possibility you’ll switch to a different phone in the future?

Case-mate makes the plunge a bit less frightening by basing its “Hug” system upon an open wireless charging standard, the Wireless Power Consortium’s eCoupled technology (the same technology used in Palm’s “Touchstone” chargers for the Pre and Pixi lines). This theoretically means that you’d be able to charge your phone on any wireless charging surface based on the same standard—Case-mate offers a bedside table, Starbuck’s coffee table, and airplanes as examples. We’ll have to see how this eventually plays out in real life, but you get the idea.

It also means that you’ll be able to use the included charging pad to juice up any other devices that use the same standard—a different model phone with an eCoupled-enabled case, for instance. So while $100 may seem a bit steep, you’re investing in what the WPC and Case-mate hopes becomes a widespread standard. You may have to buy different cases and/or battery covers for different devices in the future, but that charging pad should be the last one you ever need to purchase (in theory).

As a charging solution, the Hug system is surprisingly nimble. I was able to take my iPhone 3GS from near zero percent battery to 100% in two hours. That’s pretty good considering early induction charging systems have operated at a much slower trickle. The first one I reviewed, almost a year ago now, took overnight. That system was for Wii remotes, too, which aren’t quite as important as having an adequately charged cell phone.

The system is comprised of the charging pad and a protective iPhone case, which Case-mate describes as “slim.” We can go back and forth all day about using slim as an adjective but I can tell you that the case added some noticeable bulk to my phone. It doesn’t feel like it’d be super protective, either. It’s made of two plastic pieces that snap together; the backing of the larger main piece feels somewhat solid but the sides of both pieces are pretty bendy. I definitely wouldn’t want to drop my phone, and let’s remember that there’s induction technology built into the case that probably shouldn’t be bumped around too violently.

The fattest part of the case measures about 0.8 inches thick, versus an unprotected iPhone at less than half an inch thick. It’s still pocketable, though it definitely feels lumpier.

Charging time, as I said earlier, is a respectable two hours for full recuperation of an iPhone 3GS battery. I noticed a very faint, quickly repeating ticking sound as my phone was recharging and every time I’d put the case down on the pad my battery indicator would spike a few percentage points for some reason. Not a big deal either way, but it’s there.

Conclusion:

So would I carry my phone around in this case all day long? Maybe not presently, but I’d definitely do it if all these magic charging surfaces start popping up everywhere. Absolutely. It beats lugging around cables or spare emergency batteries for sure. If the WPC really wants this standard to take off, it should give the charging pads away for next to nothing for a while. For $5 to $10 apiece, I’d put them all over my house and in my car.

For now, it’s still a bit too early to tell. The Hug is a nice example of how well the technology actually works, though, and if it reaches more widespread adoption, you may find yourself pricing out induction cases and covers for all your commonly-used gadgets. If you’re intrigued by induction charging and you’re ready to take the plunge, the Hug ought to be a safe bet provided you don’t mind the $100 price tag and the bit of extra bulk it adds.

Hug – Wireless Charging Pad & Case [Case-mate.com]

Hotel Dusk Developer Files For Bankruptcy

Japanese development studio Cing reportedly filed for bankruptcy on March 1.

Founded in 1999, the company is best known as the developer of Hotel Dusk: Room 215 for DS. It also made Another Code: R - A Journey Into Lost Memories for Wii and partnered with Town Factory for Little King’s Story, which was also released on Nintendo’s home console.

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Release This: Final Fantasy XIII, Yakuza 3 Arrive Stateside

Gamasutra’s regular round-up of worldwide video game releases, “Release This!”, takes a look at every game title we know to be shipping to stores this week, in a custom compiled list. This week brings Final Fantasy XIII and Yakuza 3 to North America, as Japan gets Red Seeds Profile and Taiko no Tatsujin Wii. The following list covers all of the game software we know to be available — across all platforms and regions — …

Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Conquers UK Chart

Electronic Arts’ Battlefield: Bad Company 2 debuted atop the UK all formats chart during the week ended March 6.

The DICE developed modern warfare FPS charted ahead of former bestsellers Just Dance, Aliens Vs Predator and Heavy Rain, while Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing jumped three places to round off the top five.

Wii Fit Plus placed sixth, followed by Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, Wii Sports Resort, FIFA 10 and New Super Mario Bros. Wii.

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Japanese hardware sales, Feb. 22 - Feb. 28: Oscar primer edition

If you’ve been avidly following the Hollywood scuttlebutt this past week, you’ve probably heard of an event which is unfolding at this very moment: The 82nd Annual Academy Awards. We know how badly you guys want to be able to talk about the Oscars whilst chatting over your place of business’ water cooler, coffee pot or rodeo clown make-up station, so we’re here to help you understand the Awards ceremony in terms you’ll find easily understandable: The Oscars are the Spike TV Video Game Awards, but for movies.

The similarities between the two events really are pretty striking — the awkward presentation by the cast of the Jersey Shore and Mike Tyson will surely be paralleled by the Oscars’ pairing of Young Starlet A and Lecherous Old Comedian B. While the VGAs have scantily-clad, off-season Victoria’s Secret models hand out their awards, the Oscars assign that task to off-season actors, who spend a majority of their on-stage time wondering whether or not this will be the closest they’ll ever come to holding the bald, golden statuette.

Oh, also? The award for Best Supporting Actress? Totally fueled by Dew this year.

- PSP: 37,338 4,542 (16.53%)
- Wii: 36,241 4,589 (14.50%)
- PS3: 27,763 4,367 (13.59%)
- DSi LL: 24,605 217 (0.89%)
- DSi: 15,586 206 (1.34%)
- DS Lite: 5,029 24 (0.47%)
- Xbox 360: 2,510 57 (2.32%)
- PS2: 1,912 29 (1.54%)
- PSP Go: 1,296 75 (5.47%)

[Source: Media Create]

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Japanese hardware sales, Feb. 22 - Feb. 28: Oscar primer edition originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take-Two Announces NHL 2K11 Wii Exclusivity

We heard rumors that NHL 2K11 had been cancelled, but the series will live on this season on the Wii. Recently, many developers have been moving away from platform exclusivity, but Take-Two is heading in the opposite direction.

During a conference call with their investors, Take-Two revealed that the game will appear exclusively on the Wii. They also stated that it will not be released prior to the next hockey season to allow for more development time for the 2K12 installment, but is that the only reason?

Read on to hear Take-Two’s reasoning.

Bass Officially Announced as DLC Character for Mega Man 10

Mega Man 10 has finally hit Wiis everywhere and Capcom has put out a press release stating that: “the rumors are true! Mega Man 10 does indeed have an additional character you can play as, and that character is Bass!” Wow, an additional character…already?

On April 5th, you can download Bass for 200 Wii points. That being said, if after a month of already owning a new game you need additional content, than this DLC is for you. If you’re like the rest of us that are wondering why this couldn’t be included with the game in the first place, then you might want to pass.

Metroid: Other M Preview And Interview

 In the video below, X-Play’s Abbie Heppe spoke to Nintendo’s Nate Bihldorff to get the inside scoop on Wii game Metroid: Other M. Check the video for a look at the gameplay, graphics, level design and characters in this eagerly awaited awesome game.

What do you think? Pretty hot, right? When you’re finished watching the video, you can read Abbie’s preview of the game right here.

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