XBOX360 USB Pro
Archive for the ‘Accessories’ Category
August 31st, 2010 | 
Author: The new controller with a ‘transforming’ D-Pad has now been confirmed by Microsoft:
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We’ve just made the Xbox 360 Wireless controller even better with a brand new version that includes a transforming D-pad. The engineers have come up with an ingenious solution with a d-pad that can go from a plus to a disc with the twist of the wrist.
In addition to the new d-pad, the matte silver controller also features concave analog sticks and gray A,B,X,Y buttons for added style.
The controller will only be available with the new Play & Charge Kit that will launch on November 9th for US $64.99.
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More Pictures: flickr.com
News-Source: majornelson.com
Posted in 
From joystiq.com:
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We’ve got it on good authority that sometime this Holiday season, Microsoft will launch a new Xbox 360 controller with a rather unique d-pad. According to our trusted source, when one rotates the d-pad ninety degrees on this new controller, it’ll raise up about a quarter of an inch — a modification apparently revealed to be targeted at fighting game fans.
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Full Story: joystiq.com
From seattletimes.nwsource.com:
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In April, Microsoft sued the U.K.-based game technology company, which makes controllers that work with Microsoft’s Xbox video game system. Datel makes game system accessories that sell in Walmart, Best Buy and Target stores, and Microsoft said Datel’s “TurboFire” and “Wildfire” controllers infringed on several of Microsoft’s patents for controller design.
Microsoft filed a motion to dismiss with prejudice on Wednesday in the U.S. District Court in Western Washington, according to court documents.
Datel has a comment now.
“It’s a confidential settlement that resulted in the dismissal of the ITC [International Trade Commission] case and the case in the U.K.,” said Marty Glick, attorney for the firm Howard Rice. “The antitrust case which was the first we filed of all of these is still very much full steam ahead.”
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Full Story: seattletimes.nwsource.com
From nexus404.com:
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The new 250GB hard drive for the new “Slim” Xbox 360 S units begun appearing this week in some online retailers. As the tech blog circuit started getting excited over “OMG leak”, Microsoft spoiled their fun by confirming it via Larry ‘Major Nelson’ Hyrb video. The new 250GB hard drive is the biggest Microsoft has offered yet, and will set back Xbox gamers $130.
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Full Story: nexus404.com
From joystiq.com:
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We tried out the [Kinect] menu system and movie controls to test its recognition of seated users:
* Sitting in a chair: Definitely works.
* Sitting on the floor: Works.
* Reclining while facing the Kinect: Works.
* Reclining with the Kinect at our side: We couldn’t get this to work, but we’ve been told that it will by launch.
* Using another human as a coffee table (should have taken photos!): Kinect recognized the person behind the human coffee table trying to control the movie.
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Full Story: joystiq.com
From gamesindustry.biz:
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Microsoft UK boss Neil Thompson has confirmed the 4Gb Xbox 360 will be the “primary SKU” for Kinect at launch, with no plans in place to sell the motion-control device together with a 250Gb system at a discount.
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Full Story: gamesindustry.biz
From next-gen.biz:
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Microsoft’s device scheduled for November 10 release in Europe. Company will also show new Kinect content at Gamescom 2010.
“We are bringing the Kinect experience to Europe for the first time at Gamescom because this is the biggest show in the region and we’re committed to investing in Europe and the critical role it plays in Xbox’s global success,” says Chris Lewis, vice president of interactive entertainment business at Microsoft Europe.
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Full Story: next-gen.biz
From kotaku.com:
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The patent for Microsoft’s motion-sensing camera Kinect suggested that the device could understand American Sign Language. Well, it can’t. At least, the version going on sale in November can’t.
Responding to the claims made in the patent, Microsoft has told Kotaku “We are excited about the potential of Kinect and its potential to impact gaming and entertainment. Microsoft files lots of patent applications to protect our intellectual property, not all of which are brought to market right away. Kinect that is shipping this holiday will not support sign language.”
The original Kinect had a much higher resolution (over twice that of the final model’s 320×240), and as such, was able to not only recognise the limbs of a player as the current model version can, but their fingers as well (which the current version can’t). And when the hardware could recognise fingers, it would have been able to read sign language.
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Full Story: kotaku.com
It looks like Datel managed to make the first unlicensed wireless controller for the Xbox360 that doesn’t require any
USB-dongle and will just sync directly with the Xbox360 wireless system itself. Keep in mind the wireless technology MS uses for controllers isn’t any industry standard like Bluetooth or so, but a proprietary Xbox360 technology – created so only MS and its official licensed partners (like Madcatz etc – who have to pay licensing fees) could sell wireless controllers. The Redmond team is probably not gonna like it, but Datel and MS are already strangled into several lawsuits (incl. one about Datel’s Wildfire1 wired 360 controller), so let’s see where this goes …
It seems like a no-brainer, but at this point Microsoft has yet to confirm a separate 250GB HDD for its new Xbox 360 consoles — and really, if you’re picking up the 4GB model next month, that might come in handy.
