More Xbox 360 joy for less

While Sony has pulled a quickie and slapped on a pricier S$599 (US$440.44) sticker tag on its 40GB PlayStation 3, Microsoft has gone the exact opposite direction across the board for its Xbox 360s. Effective from April 29, the Arcade, 20GB Pro and 120GB Elite models will be priced at S$399 (US$293.38), S$499 (US$366.91) and S$699 (US$513.97), respectively. The price revision makes perfect sense, too, since this will give its hard drive-equipped Pro package a lot more leeway against its rival's offering.

Photo credit: Microsoft

Groovy Philips flat micro theater

Smaller and flatte--that's the way Philips likes it when it comes to the MCD299 micro home theater. For Bang & Olufsen Beosound 9000 wannabes, this may be your cheap ticket to owning something remotely similar for just S$529 (US$388.97). Consider that a bargain, too, with a four-disc changer for uninterrupted music and DVD movie playback, groovy motorized sliding door and Moto Razor phone-like metallic buttons.

We're only apparently touching on the surface here as this kit also covers JPEG, MP3 and WMA via CD or USB. Under the hood is a respectable 140W digital amplifier driving a pair of flat-panel speakers reinforced by a bass-centric subwoofer. What's not so "hot" is its onboard DTS decoding omission and a legacy component-video interface for TV output. Well, for that price, you can't always have the best of both worlds.

Photo credit: Philips

Hands-on with the Nyko Perfect Shot (Wii)

We've seen our fair share of Wii accessories by now--most of them meaningless plastic encasings providing no real advantage over just using the Wii remote by itself. But with the Perfect Shot from Nyko, we're finally seeing a practical application for use with most Wii shooter games. The snap-on housing gives your Wii remote the look and feel of a pistol. It retails for around £13 (US$14.99).

Strengths: The Perfect Shot is heavier than you might think, and with the Wii remote loaded in, it feels very solid. The only moving parts you'll find are the trigger and mounting bracket located on the tip of the gun. To load the Perfect Shot, simply slide the Wii remote into the top of the gun, locking the remote into place. We recommend removing the Wii wrist strap before you do so. Then, slide the orange securing mounting bracket over the remote, near the 'power' button.

Don't worry about scratching your remote--the mounting clip has a padded bottom. The Perfect Shot also supports the use of the nunchuk attachment as well--just clip it in to the bottom of the Perfect Shot's handle.

As for fitting the Wiimote into the Perfect Shot, just be aware you'll need it to be stripped down to just the basics. That means the Wii remote sleeve and the wrist strap will need to be removed, for instance. Even the rubberised covers found on the rechargeable batteries of the Nyko Charging Station were a tight fit--we were just barely able to snap the orange mounting bracket over the top of the "barrel" when using one.
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The next best thing to a permanent PS3 implant

There's good news for those who can't bear to part with their PlayStation 3. (Or perhaps not so good, depending on one's social life or lack thereof.) Clearvision is releasing a 7-inch display and a pair of speakers that can be attached to Sony's console, according to Engadget.

The Wii was outfitted with a similar screen last year, presumably because the PSP and DS just don't cut it for hardcore gamers when on the road or walking to the corner grocery for a six-pack of Red Bull. But regradless of what you think of the Xbox, there's at least one 360 case mod that has them all beat.

Via Crave CNET

Disposable DVD, anyone?

For any espionage wannabe and Mission Impossible-series fans, the voice-recorded advisory that "this tape will self-destruct in 5 seconds" and the aftermath smoke are simply uber-cool. Now with DVD-D technology, it seems anyone can easily pull a similar stunt. These disposable DVDs offer limited-time play with the "countdown" activated once out of their packaging. At the moment, three flavors are available ranging from single play to 8 and 48 hours of usage.

There are also 4.5GB +R/-R recordable with similar capabilities, compatible with up to eight times the recording speed. Perfect for video and game rentals, DVD-D eliminates the hassle of returning the media as well as protect studios and licensees' intellectual property rights. According to I4U News, the DVD-Ds are currently available in France, Italy and the Scandinavian markets. We won't be surprised if these make their way eventually to Asia.

Via I4U | Photo credit: DVD-D org.

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