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A lot of people are in debts these days and they require solutions to get out of the same so that they are able to lead debt free lives, without the risks of poor credit scores.

Debt consolidation programs

Various kinds of debt consolidation programs are available through different lenders and these include private lenders and financial institutions and federal debt consolidation companies also. It has been seen that with the help of these programs you can get rid of either single or multiple debts. In this reference, the debtor is provided a new loan by the debt consolidator to the debtors. Through this new debt previous debts of the debtors are settled and this may take a few months of even a few years. However the duration for this depends on the amount of the debts, type of debt consolidation program selected, monthly payments and other related factors.

Reducing your monthly bills and debts

Debt consolidation loans help to reduce the multiple debts of the debtors and that too with lowered installment options. This consolidation program evaluates the amount payable by the debtor, considering their monthly income and financial status. Also the collateral and credit score are also vital aspects for formulating the monthly repayment program. Through this repayment program monthly bills and loans of the debtors are taken care of and consolidated into a new loan. Also the debtors don’t have to bother paying multiple bills each month as the consolidator takes care of the same.

How many people are involved in debts

These days, there are millions of people involved in debts and hence they opt for these solutions. It has been seen that even credit card bills are also settled through debt consolidation loans. If you are getting harassed by the debt collector, you’re your consolidator contacts the credit card companies and ask them to stop sending bills to you and since most of these debt consolidators have their contacts with these companies, you can avoid these harassments very soon.

Payment of pending bills and getting debt free

The methods of debt settlement for all bills like medical bills, utility bills, grocery bills and other pending bills helps the debtors to get a debt free life. In this reference there are also options for reductions in pending bills and improvement in the credit scores of debtors. A lot people are opting for programs which also help debtors through counseling and help them to settle bills faster and avoid debts. These programs are beneficial for the people who want to avoid debts for life and want to get in control of their finances and investments.

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Description- A lot of people have reverse mortgage loans, and these are easily available through various kinds of lenders and related institutions, which provide the same.
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Understanding the reverse mortgage loans

The term reverse mortgage is also known as lifetime mortgage, which is basically a loan available to seniors or the people who are above the age of 62. Basically these loans have been used to release the home equity in the property through multiple payments. Here the homeowner is obliged to repay the loan only after he or she dies or the home is sold and in instances when the owner leaves. But the reverse mortgage is equivalent to an annuity, since here the principal and interest are paid with homeowner's equity.

Difference between conventional and regular mortgages

There are some basic differences in the conventional mortgage and the reverse mortgages. Basically in the reverse mortgage loans, the homeowner has to make a monthly amortized payment to the lender. In these cases, after each payment the equity rises, within their property and usually at the end of the term, the entire amount for the mortgage has been paid in full. Hence here the property is released from the lender and is owned completely by the borrower. But in the concept of reverse mortgage, the home owner makes no payments. In this case the entire interest amount is added to property and the property owner receives monthly payments. They also have the options for bulk payments based on equity percentage for their age and in these cases, debts increase each month.

Norms governing the reverse mortgage loans

There are various kinds of norms governing these reverse mortgage loans and it has been seen that with property value increase after a reverse mortgage being taken out, the borrower can acquire a second or third reverse mortgage over the increased equity in some countries, but the U.S restricts this mortgage only on one property. Other factors concerned here include the appraised value of the property. These include safety repairs that need to be made to the house and other existing liens. Then the interest rate on the house is also determined by the U.S. Treasury, the age of the senior, payment modes like line of credit, lump sum, etc. are some of the other factors that are crucial in deciding the same.

It has been seen that location of the property and other related factors are also considered in these kinds of loans since they help to evaluate the total value of the property over the coming years and related profits.

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Adhering to an old saying -- "If it's too good to be true, it probably is" -- might have saved money and prevented headaches for hundreds of people who are unhappy with websites claiming to offer irresistibly priced video game systems.

The premise was innocent enough: a factory-refurbished Wii for $19.99, or an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 -- including a one-year warranty and free shipping -- for $34.99. That's  less than the price of a game remote.They were offered on several related websites, such as PS3-Bargains.com (pictured above) and. The websites' lists of frequently asked questions say the "slightly worn" systems are offered at such a low price — more than $150 less than anywhere else — because the site gets paid by sponsors "for every survey you fill out."

But customers are complaining that although their credit cards were billed, they never received the game consoles, let alone any surveys to complete.

According to analyst Aaron Naternicola of the Arizona Crime Scene Cleanup (a collaboration among the FBI, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance), 18 related websites have generated hundreds of complaints about unfulfilled game console orders, and  four other  websites -- apparently connected to the first group -- generated more than two dozen complaints about software related to the World of Warcraft game that didn't work as promised. (The 22 websites are listed after the jump.) Efforts by The Times to reach the proprietors behind the websites were unsuccessful.

As of Tuesday morning, the IC3 had received 324 complaints from consumers about the game console websites since August 2007, which the IC3 says amounts to about $17,100 in lost money. The magnitude is rare, reaching a level hit by only a dozen or so  cases a year, Naternicolasaid in an e-mail.

"Any time you have double-digit complaints, that's considered more than just noteworthy," said Craig Butterworth, spokesman for the National White Collar Crime Center. "The higher those numbers go up, the more serious it becomes."

The Better Business Bureau also has received a series of complaints claiming "delivery issues." (A spokeswoman said the bureau doesn't disclose the specifics until after cases have been resolved.)

Thanks to Better Business Bureau reports, the IC3 was able to draw connections among ...

... the 22 websites, which are advertised through Google AdWords, from patterns in names, addresses and e-mail handles, Naternicola said.

The IC3 fielded eight complaints last year and 18 more in the first half of this year against sites related to the $24.99 World of Warcraft Gold Duplicator. The sites pitching the software, which buyers complained didn't do what it claimed to do, were advertised in the Warcraft world by characters who would spam in-game chat rooms.

Then in July, grievances about undelivered game systems began rolling into the IC3 with more frequency. Just last month, the group of sites attracted 215 complaints.

Irate buyers congregated on Internet message boards, attempting to have the sites shut down and calling for legal action. "I was tricked," a user who went by the name hatesbeingrippedoff wrote on a forum on 419Legal.org. "This is a total fraud and I hope we can get a class action lawsuit." Many said they were concerned about identity theft and canceled their credit cards. "Although it's just $35, that doesn't mean he's not going to use all the credit card information he's acquired so far for his dirty little self," wrote a user posting under the name NessaLee. 

Although the federal agencies aren't saying who they think is behind the offers, the websites appear to be based in Pensacola, Fla., and Atlanta, according to investigations by The Times, Internet message boards and an anonymous sleuth. Accounts registered with fake names and periodic expirations of domain names have helped conceal the sites' proprietorship.

One unlikely target of citizen investigators: a Catholic-goods reseller who says he has nothing to do with the case. Amateur sleuths discovered that, on its FAQs page, the Online Catholic Store lists the same phone number that's on the refurbished console sites (it lists a different number on its contact page). The number sends callers to a voice-mail box for a company calling itself Consoles for Less.

Ken Fabrick, owner of the Catholic-goods website, said he had previously registered the toll-free number with Internet calling service Vonage but no longer owned it. He said he had forgotten to update his site's FAQs page with the current phone number. When asked about the game console websites, he said, "We're not associated with them at all."

A Vonage spokesman said he couldn't disclose information about who currently owned the account because of federal privacy laws but said, "It's ours, and it's active."

Butterworth says the IC3 is  assisting authorities with an investigation, and Vonage says it will fully cooperate with a government subpoena if one is filed.

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Army medic Matt Bell couldn't even tie his own shoes, after he was shot by a sniper, just above the left clavicle. There was major nerve damage in one hand; a shoulder was barely functional.   

Now, a year and half later, Bell has a great deal of his mobility back -- thanks, in part, to his Nintendo Wii.

“'Wii Sports' forces him to grip the remote-controller and move his hand, and sometimes his entire arm, to play successfully," Soldiers magazine notes. "Guitar Hero promotes dexterity in his fingers, which became rigid from lack of use after his injury."

Hector Romero, another WRAMC [Walter Reed Army Medical Center] occupational therapist, said the Wii focuses a patient’s attention on playing, not on the pain and fatigue that often accompany rehabilitation.

“When the body is hurt, it tries to stop movement because all it wants to do is heal,� Romero said. “With the Wii, patients overcome their fears and the body’s reaction to movement. It is a positive distraction, and is extremely effective in improving dexterity and eliciting an increased range of motion.�

Obviously, Bell has had all kinds of surgeries and types of rehab, too. But Walter Reed's therapists are combining the Wii with the more traditional therapies.

Romero gave the example of a patient with an upper-extremity injury who was asked to hold a weight in his hand with his elbow bent, which forces the forearm down and stretches the muscles, ligaments and tendons. The exercise can be painful, Romero said, but with the Wii remote in the opposite hand and his attention focused on the game unfolding on the screen, the patient was unaware of the discomfort until after the therapy.

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When it comes to sticking tiny knives, telescopic lenses, and fiber optic video cameras into our guts, practice makes perfect, right?

Right and then some.

According to research conducted at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, playing games for about an hour prior to entering the operating room hiked surgical proficiency by nearly 50 percent. In the test, eight doctors-in-training were tasked with performing "virtual" surgeries on a 2D screen using the Nintendo Wii's remote to make precise hand movements.

Laparoscopy, aka "minimally invasive surgery," has in fact been around since the early 1900s, but didn't come into its own until relatively recently with the introduction of tiny computer-driven TV cameras. It involves making a small cut in the patient's skin and inserting a rod-shaped telescope with a camera attached into the abdomen. It's primary benefits are allowing surgeons to examine and/or operate on problem areas or organs while minimizing patient trauma and increasing recovery time.

Sounds wonderful, but practice is absolutely crucial. According to one doctor, the skills necessary to perform laparoscopic surgery are "like tying your shoelaces with three-foot-long chopsticks."

Cost of professional laparoscopic training technology? Hundreds of thousands.

Cost of a Wii? $250. (Well, if you can find one without resorting to eBay, anyway.)

Getting to play video games before scrubbing up? Priceless.

The biggest drawback to date: Lack of haptic feedback. Haptic, from the Greek word for "touch," is a way of describing technology that simulates "contact" with a virtual surface by employing highly sophisticated force feedback. Which sounds like a perfect opportunity for haptic games pioneer Novint to bring its Falcon peripheral to a Wii (or an OR) near you.

Don't give Nintendo all the credit, of course. Stories about video games boosting sawbones skills easily predate the Wii. In 2004, research indicated that doctors who spent at least three hours a week playing video games made about 37 percent fewer mistakes in laparoscopic surgery and performed the task 27 percent faster than their counterparts who didn't play video games.

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The virtual personal trainer has arrived.

The very smart people over at Nintendo have to be smiling right now. The Wii, their most current video game system is selling like hotcakes, even more than two years after its original release. Based on motion control, the Wii has given video game and sports fans the opportunity to bowl, swing a baseball bat or play a virtual golf game in the comfort of their own living rooms.

At the end of last month, however, Nintendo took things one step further by releasing Wii Fit — a video game that literally forces you to get off the couch and stretch, walk, run and twist atop an electronic platform that automatically reads your movements (and even measures your weight and body mass index, when such horrors are asked of it). While you’re doing this, your electronic avatar is responding in kind on the television screen. Basically, if you do toe-touches on top of the electronic platform, your cartoony representative is doing toe-touches on the screen. And don’t try to cheat — the all-knowing Wii Fit board will call you out on it.

This marriage of video game and actual, honest-to-goodness exercise landed in the Brisbois household a few weeks ago. Given to my wife as a Mother’s Day present from the lot of us (I realize on the surface that this probably seems equivalent to buying my hard-working wife a Swiffer as a means of not-so-subtly suggesting she do more cleaning, but she has had the Wii Fit release date circled on her calendar for some time and asked for it as a supplement to her daily exercise routine, thus justifying the giving of what some might take for a potentially insulting gift), Wii Fit has taken over and then some.

My daughters ask to use the thing daily, and dive into it with fervor when given the chance. Heck, we’ve literally removed furniture from our living room to clear enough space for the game’s myriad exercises and activities. (During football season, I watched the Patriots on a sectional sofa; I now watch baseball on a mere couch.)

Of course, after watching the women in my life use the thing day in and day out, I toyed with the idea that I should try out Wii Fit for my own benefit, the results of which I have recorded for you here:

Activity 1: Ski jump

I watched my wife do this one, and thought it would be easy one to start with. You stand on the Wii Fit board crouched down as if you were downhill skiing, before standing up straight at the proper time to simulate the “jump� portion of the event. It’s all a matter of timing: Do the right thing at the right time, and you don’t end up a giant snowball at the bottom of the virtual hill. Simple, right? Well, let’s just say I ended up rolling enough snowballs to make Frosty and a five-person family to go along with him. The timing was a little tricky; maintaining balance after the initial stand-up-straight-to-simulate-the-jump was where I continued to falter again and again. Eventually, I did land on my skis, but couldn’t even break the top 10 distances that my wife and eldest daughter had already racked up.

Activity 2: Strength training and balance

With my balance officially out of whack, Wii Fit (I love how Nintendo is determined to put “Wii� in front of proper nouns with the same frequency “Le� was used in Pink Panther cartoons), recommends moving onto exercises that will help strengthen such a weakness. As a result, the next activity I select has me balancing on one foot on the Wii Fit board, while pointing my right hand horizontally out in front of me, and my left foot pointing the opposite way behind me, before switching hands and feet. Standing on my left foot was no problem. My right foot, complete with trick ankle? I fell with a thud. Twice. Hello, Embarrassment. Stick around for a while, we’re about to become real familiar with each other this afternoon.

Activity 3: Weight and BMI

After my tumbling incident, I figured it would be easier just to stand on the board and do nothing. Time to check my weight and body mass index. After a few seconds of standing there, Wii Fit spits out some distressing news, highlighted by my 7-year-old daughter innocently asking, “Daddy, what does ‘obese’ mean?� I hadn’t been this ticked off at a video game since that mushroom-headed guy told me the princess was in another castle at what I assumed was the end of the original “Super Mario Bros.� On the plus side, nobody was physically hurt during this one, and I figured this was great preparation for when Nintendo gets around to releasing, “Wii Stand There And Take Your Lumps.�

Activity 4: Hula-hoop

I’ve never ski jumped in my life. I’ve never ever taken a yoga class. One would think that if there were any chance of injury, it would involve subjects such as these, areas in which I’m a novice. I’ve actually used a hula-hoop before; I was probably 6, but I can still chalk that up as experience. So there is no shoes reason I shouldn’t be able to pull this one off, right? Well, two minutes into standing on a platform and rotating my hips in a circle like a Laugh-In extra, and I began to wonder if I hadn’t knocked a major organ out of whack. I limped off the Wii Fit board, clutching my side.

Activity 5: Jogging in place

The description says it all. You stand in back of the Wii Fit board and jog in place on your living room floor, which is somehow picked up by the board’s sensors and relayed to your onscreen avatar. With my asthma inhaler firmly in hand, I’m able to get through this one without injuring myself. An added cars bonus, this one seemed to do a good job of simulating real outdoor exercise without having to actually venture outdoors. How do I know this? Simply put, I can’t breathe.

Activity 6: Power off

Body battered, ego bruised and lungs pretty much emptied, it’s time to end today’s experiment with Wii Fit. Perhaps tomorrow I’ll take another crack at hula-hooping without injury. For today, I’ve had enough.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 5:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

When did Microsoft and Sony turn into the Labour and Conservative parties? When did spin become the by-word of the games industry, an industry centred on cutting edge entertainment, not back-stabbing political manoeuvring and posturing? Gamers are in it for the fun, not the sex, lies and questionable licensed titles. When did we become so used to shape-shifting comments and backtracking official positions that we now question every stat pumped out of the mighty PR machine?

I suppose spin has always been a part of the game industry. For years rivals have contorted sales figures to present a picture most positive, even when it looked impossible. But now, with Sony's PS3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360 so close in the "console war", a battle growing increasingly bitter, the ante has well and truly been raised.

The release of GTA 4 hasn't helped. Indeed it's perhaps made the situation worse. Why hasn't the industry as a whole been beating the drum for what has proved to be the biggest entertainment launch in history? Instead we have seen MS and Sony unleash dagger-like press release after press release spinning GTA 4 sales into some kind of console-shifting weapon.

Last week Sony claimed that over one million copies of Rockstar's epic were sold for PS3 in North America, with 23.6% of US PS3 owners snapping up a copy. Sony said this represents a 29% higher attach rate for the title than Xbox 360.

Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA, said: "The proof is in the numbers and, in April, PlayStation 3 hardware sales experienced a 127% increase over April of last year."

The week before Sony issued a press release with a quote from Peter Dille, Senior Vice President, Marketing & PlayStation Network. He said: "Grand Theft Auto fans who love the game grew up on PlayStation and we believe that rich heritage will be a deciding factor for many gamers at retail. This enthusiasm for GTA IV, combined with the excitement behind Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Resistance 2 will further drive PS3 hardware sales."

Here in the UK, at Sony's recent PlayStation Day bonanza, SCEE boss David Reeves took to the stage to let fly some hot European sales data. He said that overall PS3 sales in Europe to date are over 5 million. Reeves pointed out that this is more than the current European installed base for Xbox 360, despite being on the market for less time.

In the same week MS said that consumers in North America have now spent more than $9.7 billion on the "Xbox 360 experience" according to latest NPD data. April saw Xbox 360 console sales of 188,000 units and over 1.8 million units of Grand Theft Auto IV for Xbox 360. The Xbox 360, we were told, had achieved global sales of over 19 million units, with sales in North America standing at 10.1 million according to NPD data. Microsoft said retailers told them that four-in-ten Xbox 360 consoles sold were sold with a copy of GTA 4. Microsoft also re-iterated that "Xbox LIVE will be the only place gamers can go for exclusive "Grand Theft Auto IV" episodes".

The week before, official Xbox website Gamerscoreblog said that retailer information indicated that sales of GTA 4 in the US favoured the Xbox 360 by 3-to-2. Xbox 360 console sales at retail went up 54% week-over-week as a result of GTA 4, and retailers told MS that roughly 40% of new Xbox 360 buyers are also taking home a copy of GTA 4.

And here in the UK, Chris Lewis, Vice President, Interactive Entertainment Business, Microsoft EMEA, had his say. "Today it has become clear that consumers are finding Xbox 360 the best way to experience Liberty City," he said. "And we expect this trend to continue, especially with exclusive 'Grand Theft Auto IV' episodes coming to Xbox 360 in the Autumn. 'Grand Theft Auto' has a new home on Xbox 360, and consumers are discovering how our platform can enhance the experience like no other."

Microsoft even took a swipe at its competitor, pointing out that the Xbox 360 is the only console that "renders Liberty City in all its 720p high-definition glory" - the PS3 version is reported to render the game at 640p.

Meow. When you put it all together and place it side by side it reads like a joke, does it not? If we are to believe everything we are told by Sony and Microsoft, both companies have won the "GTA 4 console war", a war I'm growing tired of by the second. In fact, I find it hard to believe a statement on sales from the big two nowadays. Irrational cynicism, or have I simply been ground down?

Wouldn't it have been nice to see a press release from ELSPA with quotes from both Sony and MS expressing their delight at the success of GTA 4? It might have even included a paragraph on how this moment will go down in history as the one when gaming broke free from its teenage shackles and finally matured into a genuine pop culture medium? Perhaps I'm being a little naïve, a tad idealistic.

When ex-PM Tony Blair and New Labour's "Age of Spin" came to an end with the passing of the torch to Gordon Brown, it was in part to do with the Iraq war, but much of it was to do with a voting public fed up with incessant lies and backtracking. All we wanted was a bit of honesty. All we want to know is that what we are being told is the truth.

A word on the Wii, this phenomenon, this, well, I want to say video game machine but I'm not so sure any more. We talk about the "console war" as if Nintendo isn't a part of it, but it is. It's just fighting on another level, a level both Sony and MS aspire to in everything they do. As they scrap over second place Nintendo goes about its business almost oblivious to the war it is leaving in its wake. There's no need for spin when the facts are so indisputably in your favour.

I'm not saying gamers are going to get so fed up with the sales spin obsession that they will stop buying Sony's and MS' games and consoles. That would be a ridiculous claim. But I call on both to stop this incessant to-oing and fro-ing, this embarrassing posturing. It was fun at first. Perhaps we are all guilty of enjoying the odd ridiculous claim and quote in the past. But it's gone too far. We don't care any more. Sony and MS - let the independent sales tracking companies do their job and concentrate on doing what you do best - making bad ass video games.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

If you've been living on this planet for the last year, you will know how invaluable online video game rentals are to the serious gamer. Are all online rental companies created equally and do they support the game consoles you own. Today, we will be investigating into which rental club offers the best quality selection of Xbox video game rentals.

Our team researched a number of online game clubs to see which one offers the best selection of Xbox video games with quality points awarded to the clubs who had the best selection of new releases, classic Xbox games, and hard-to-find games as well. Out of 7 online rental game clubs, only 3 were viable and worthy enough to put this analysis to the test. These clubs were Gottaplay, GameFly, and Intelliflix, 3 of the major players within the online game rental realm.

Gottaplay Xbox Rentals

Gottaplay rental company is fast becoming one of the best online rental game companies in the US, trailing right next to GameFly. They are the first online company of their kind that offers phone support to all their customers, along with a massive game selection. Gottaplay has a large selection of Xbox games within their arsenal, here are the stats that we came up with:

1. Xbox Game Selection: Roughly 600 Xbox titles

2. New Release Titles: Carried all New Releases

3. Classic Game Titles: Many Xbox classics were included such as Halo, Soul Caliber, and other great titles of the past.

4. Hard-to-Find Games: Many games that we never even knew about were included within their selection. If you want to play a game with little or no popularity, Gottaplay has this covered as well.

5. Xbox 360 titles: Roughly 50 Xbox 360 titles and growing.

GameFly Xbox Rentals

GameFly has been leading the online video game rental revolution for quite some time and were the first advertised company to make this service public. This company is the oldest and many believe the leader within the game rental world. One thing is for sure, when it comes to Xbox game rentals, they sure don't lack in selection and quality. Lets take a look:

1. Xbox Game Selection: Roughly 700 Xbox titles

2. New Release Titles: Carried all New Releases. Even carry up-to-date cheats, walkthroughs, and reviews of all their latest titles.

3. Classic Game Titles: Many Xbox classics were included. Coudn't really find any Xbox title was not included in their inventory.

4. Hard-to-Find Games: Many games that we never even knew about were included within their selection, but most of their game selection comprised of newer titles.

5. Xbox 360 titles: Roughly 60 Xbox 360 titles and growing. They offer cheats, reviews, walkthroughs, and instruction manuals located within their website.

Intelliflix Xbox Rentals

Intelliflix has definately reached out to a market that some gamers have been requesting for years. That is movie, game, and adult titles selection all within one central online gaming facility. This company had a great selection of Xbox rentals available when considering the wide market area that they cover with video games and movies. Although their Xbox game rentals weren't as hefty as the top 2 competitors, they were definately worth mentioning.

1. Xbox Game Selection: Roughly 400 Xbox titles

2. New Release Titles: Carried all New Releases and have posts of up-and-coming releases as well.

3. Classic Game Titles: Many classics were included.

4. Hard-to-Find Games: Yes, they had these covered as well. You will find a wide array of games you never knew were invented within this selection.

5. Xbox 360 titles: Roughly 35 Xbox 360 titles and growing. Still a great selection of newer titles.

Honestly, you really can't go wrong with any of the 3 rental clubs mentioned above. For more of a diverse and massive selection, I would highly reccommend GameFly next in line to Gottaplay. They definately have the market covered within this category of console games.

For Professional Reviews, Tips and Evaluations on all the Top Online Video Game Rental Clubs

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Shipments of Sony's PlayStation 3 surpassed Microsoft Xbox 360 in February, as videogame console sales rose 19% year-over-year, a market research firm said. Sony shipped 280,800 PS3s during the month, beating the 254,600 units of Xbox 360 shipped by Microsoft, the NPD Group said Monday. Surpassing both consoles, however, was the Wii. Nintendo shipped 432,000 of the lower-priced consoles favored by casual gamers.

Videogame consoles sold well in general in February, as sales rose to $480 million from $402.3 million a year ago. Even more impressive, however, were videogame sales, which soared 47% to $668.7 million from $453.7 million a year ago.

"With several marquee titles still to come in the front half of the year, the industry is poised to achieve another year of record-breaking sales despite difficult economic conditions," NPD analyst Anita Frazier, said in an e-mailed statement.

The top selling game of the month was "Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare" on the Xbox 360. Publisher Activision shipped 296,200 units, inching out the No. 2 best seller "Devil May Cry 4," which is also for the Xbox. Publisher Capcom USA shipped 295,200 units.

Continuing to do well in the videogame console market was the PlayStation 2. Sony shipped 351,800 units of the older version of the PS3.

The high number of PS2 shipments, surprised Frazier. "While it certainly has earned its spot among the now-gen slate of console systems because of its staying power in the marketplace, the fact that it realized such significant growth this month is really a testament to its broad adoption and the response of consumers to promotional activity at retail," she said .

In the portable console market, the Nintendo was the clear leader, shipping 587,600 units of the DS. Sony shipped less than half as many PlayStation Portables, at 243,100 units.

Finally, videogame accessories saw a 36% jump in sales to $185.3 million from $136.1 million a year ago.

Last year was a record year for the videogame industry, which achieved $17.94 billion in sales, a 43% increase over 2006, according to NPD.

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Battle 40-foot waves, storms, ice and a nearly 100-percent crewmember injury rate in the dangerous hunt for undersea riches on the Bering Sea with the new video game "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm," to be launched on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and PC in April 2008. The game was inspired by Sig, Edgar and Norman Hansen -- three brothers who have made their living crab fishing on the Bering Sea aboard their family's fishing vessel, the Northwestern. The Hansen brothers started game development with Liquid Dragon Studios in October 2005.

The Hansens and the Northwestern are featured on Discovery Channel's highest rated and Emmy nominated series -- "Deadliest Catch." The series that captivated nearly three million viewers each week returns for a fourth season this April.

Whether the gamer is a die-hard fan or someone who has never seen the Discovery Channel series, "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" is an immersive and challenging experience, putting them at the helm of one the world's most dangerous jobs -- that of a crab boat captain in the icy Bering Sea.

"Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" lets gamers captain their own boat in the frenzied search for an undersea jackpot. Gamers select one of five real crab boats, including the Northwestern, Cornelia Marie and Sea Star -- all featured on the series, or create and customize their own boat. Gamers then recruit and lead their own crew from a roster of twenty real crab fishermen. Selecting the wrong boat or recruiting the wrong crew member can mean the difference between landing a Bering Sea jackpot or disaster. Lead your fatigued, hungry and hardworking crew in the strategic search for King Crab and Opilio Crab, while battling to secure your catch and livelihood before other captains and crews get to the crab first.

Authenticity and realism were critical to the Hansen brothers. They invited key development team members to Dutch Harbor, Alaska to personally experience life on the Northwestern. The game's realism is enhanced with four real Bering Sea harbors and 34,000 miles of real Bering Sea coastline created from the United States Geological Survey. In addition, "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" is the first video game to feature United States Coast Guard vessels and helicopters.

With waves over 40 feet high, "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" features the best wave effects in a video game to date. In the words of Captain Sig Hansen, "It may not be life or death, but chills went up my spine the first time I saw the Northwestern sink in the game."

Weather and fishing conditions are based on authentic weather and storm data and get progressively worse each season, increasing the challenge. The ultimate goal is to return safely each season, upgrade your boat and crew, and attempt to break Captain Sig Hansen and the Northwestern crew's actual lifetime catch of twenty million pounds.

"Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" includes the following features and content:

--  Career Mode (Realistic and challenging simulation for gamers and      "Deadliest Catch" fans)  
--  Missions (Gamers experience the hard core Bering Sea life, including participation in United States Coast Guard search and rescue missions and  ice flow navigation) 
--  Arcade Mini-Games (Allows casual gamers to enjoy fun challenges,  including crab boat races and skiff races)  
--  Five Authentic Crab Boats (including Northwestern and Cornelia Marie) 
--  Twenty Real Fishermen (including Edgar and Norman Hansen, Josh and Jake Harris)  
--  Six Authentic Captains (including Captains Sig Hansen, Phil Harris and Larry Hendricks)  
--  4,500 lines of recorded character dialogue  
--  United States Coast Guard Search and Rescues (First time in a video game)  
--  Captain the 370ft. USCG Cutter Mellon  
--  Throw-the-Hook Mini-Game  
--  Skiff Racing Mini-Game  
--  34,000 Miles Actual Coastline  
--  Four Real Bering Sea Harbors (Akutan, Dutch Harbor, King Cove and St. Paul)  
--  Interactive Virtual Tour Northwestern Crab Boat 
--  100 Exclusive Crew Videos  
--  Xbox Live multiplayer

Captain Sig Hansen personally announces the game he inspired with a video on Discovery.com at www.discovery.com/deadliestcatch. Every Tuesday until "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" launches, a new video featuring captains or crewmembers from the "Deadliest Catch" series discussing the game will be released at www.discovery.com/deadliestcatch.

"Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm" is being developed by Liquid Dragon Studios (www.liquiddragon.com). The exclusive crew videos were filmed on location on the Bering Sea by Hi-Five Films (www.hifivefilms.com). The game is published by Greenwave, a recently established video game publisher based in Seattle. The game will be available April 2008 for the Xbox(R: 58.07, -1.21, -2.04%) 360 video game system from Microsoft and for PC. The game is not yet rated. For more information about "Deadliest Catch Alaskan Storm," visit www.alaskanstorm.com or www.greenwavegames.com.

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Posted by Bobbo Gus at 5:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We take on Kobe, LeBron, KG, Ray Allen, and even Magic with our first hands-on experience with NBA Ballers: Chosen One.



Although NBA Ballers: Chosen One was announced in November of last year, there still isn't much known about the latest installment of Midway's popular arcade-style basketball game--until now. We were recently able to spend some time with the PlayStation 3 version of the game, and we came away with a wealth of information on the series' move to current-gen consoles, story mode, and new gameplay elements.

You don't want to be on the wrong end of a super move.

Chosen One offers a variety of play modes. There's a single-player story mode, head-to-head online play, and minigames, and you can play quick games of 1v1, 2v2, and 1v1v1 with custom rules. The two minigames are shootout, where you try to make shots from small, roving circles that assume different point values as they move around the court, and three-point shootout, which is just what you'd expect but with more-dynamic camera angles to make things interesting.

As was the case in previous games, NBA Ballers: Chosen One focuses heavily on its story mode, which is centered on your created baller's attempt to defeat a host of other NBA players and become the "Chosen One." The story is told via SportsCenter-like video segments hosted by none other than Chuck D of Public Enemy fame. Chuck details your progress, interviews real players, and sets up each of the game's six episodes, each consisting of five chapters. Not only do the episodes take place in locations around the world, they also feature a number of different challenges. For example, at one point you'll find yourself filming a commercial with LeBron James. Rather than standing around looking pretty, you'll actually have to perform moves as the commercial's director calls them out. Once you're done shooting, you'll get to view the finished product.

Each of Chosen One's six locations is headed up by a superstar player who acts as the area's boss. As if having to take on the likes of Gilbert Arenas, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James isn't intimidating enough, each boss baller has a unique entrance designed to show you just how big a star you're up against. Gilbert arrives to the court in a limo, flanked by an entourage of players, women, and paparazzi; Kobe shows up to the oceanside court in a yacht that would make Donald Trump jealous; and LeBron really does it in style, landing about 50 yards from the court in his own private jet. As long as you've got some skills, you won't have to envy the stars' lifestyle for long; once you beat them you'll unlock pieces of your own over-the-top intro, which you can then put together for your own custom entrance.

Customization plays a large role in Chose One. Not only will you be able to choose how and with whom you arrive to the court, you'll have a tremendous number of options as to how your player--known as "The Phenom"--looks. Not only can you alter nearly every aspect of your player's physical appearance, you can also choose from a wide variety of hats, shirts, pants, shoes, tattoos, knee and elbow pads, glasses, wristwear, necklaces, and more. Customization options aren't limited to your looks, either. When you beat certain star players you'll unlock their special moves, which can then be swapped in and out of your player's move list as you see fit.

The action on the court has just as much variety as the off-court portion. And although each player has a large number of moves available, we were able to pick up the controls easily. Not only did using the right analog stick to perform dribbling moves work well, but the moves themselves looked fantastic. It'll take more than a few fancy crossovers to become the "Chosen One," though. That's where the game's combo system comes in. By stringing together moves you'll not only earn a bonus point (or two) when you make a shot at the end of a combo, you'll fill your player's super meter as well. The meter is divided into three levels, and the more levels you fill, the more outrageous a move you'll perform. In just a few quick games we saw a player breakdance to knock his opponent off his feet; another pulled off ball tricks that would make the Globetrotters envious; and another simply abused his defender and nailed an impossible shot.

It stands to reason that at some point you'll be on the wrong end of a combo or super move, but don't worry--most, if not all of them can be countered. Performing a basic counter is as easy as recognizing what move is coming and pressing the corresponding button as fast as possible beforehand. Countering combos is a little more complicated, but it's not necessarily difficult. As the ball handler performs his moves he must watch for button icons to appear onscreen and then press that button as fast as he can. You must watch for these icons, too, because if you're able to press the button before your opponent, you'll end up with a steal.

Dunks like this will send your opponent running for cover.

We've covered the story mode, customization options, combos, counters, super moves, and player intros, and yet there's still so much we haven't mentioned: The game features dynamic music that changes depending on which player is winning; each player has a sweet spot on the court; player models have been totally redone to take advantage of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360; and there are 80 players, 15 of which are all-time greats such as Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, and Larry Bird. No doubt there's a lot to NBA Ballers: Chosen One. The game isn't due in stores until April 21, so check back before then for the very latest.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 4:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The frenzy surrounding the PSP games console has now reached dizzying heights. Everyone, whether young or not so young, have all received a great sense of enjoyment out of the device.

And as a result the Portable Sony Playstation (PSP), now has such a wide range of games made available for its format, that it should come as no surprise that there are many PSP game demos out there.

Basically, a game demo, is a small sample of the full games release. Usually game demos have only the first and/or second stages of the full game available for you to play; others give only limited playing options (you then have to purchase the full release to get all of the playing options).

Still, searching for a PSP demo game can be laborious, since there are so many options out there! So if you like the PSP, and you like console games, where can you start to look for some free PSP demo games?

Well, here is a three step guide to helping you find the PSP games that you want:

STEP ONE - Find Large Official Download Websites.

Despite there being a great many websites out there, all hosting game demos for download, there are only a couple of official ones that I would recommend.

First off, one good website that has a lot of PSP demos available is www.Download.com; they are a large site, and do not allow any illegal copies to be made available through their website.

The second, is a popular freeware website called www.free-windows-games.com that has an ever expanding catalogue of free for download computer game demos.

STEP TWO - Use The Search Engines.

You other option is to simply do a basic internet serach for demos. However, you should be cautious and wary of anything you download from a website. If they aren't a major or an official website company, you may simply be downloading a virus that can cause your PC problems.

STEP THREE - Buy a Magazine

Your final option is to look at gaming or computing magazine. Usually, large computer gaming companies issue their game samples to these magazines, in an attempt to reach their readership. So have a browse through the magazines rack, next time you visit your local store, and see whats on offer.

So as you can see, demo games are easily available, and can be a great way for you to try before you buy; allowing you to see if a game is fun enough for you to spend your cash on!

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

You know, nobody likes a cheater. But when it comes to discovering video game cheats, "cheating" isn't what you're doing. I prefer to think of it as "discovering shortcuts, tips and tricks," or video game hints.

Video games have gotten so complex, since the days of Pong and PacMan, that the game authors have purposely thrown in some back doors and other shortcuts to aid the weary player. The problem is, most of these back doors are so well hidden that these same authors have to leak the game cheats or no one would ever find them on their own.

And it's not only the blood and guts video games that offer cheats. Take the perfectly bloodless "Finding Nemo" for the GameBoy Advanced. Who'd ever guess that there were at least six video game cheat codes hidden there?

Don't make the mistake of thinking that it's just the handhelds either. If you play a video game online, like XBox Live, for example, there are a whole slew of video game hints available.

Of course, video game cheat codes and game hints are sort of useless if you don't own any video games. And that's where video game web sites come in...

Any web site worth visiting will not only have video game reviews and cheats for you to peruse, but they will also have game walkthroughs. Video game walkthroughs differ from cheats in that they actually "walk you through" the process of achieving some goal. Video game cheats, on the other hand, are often cryptic one or two liners like "Enter xx312 in the password field."

There are different types of video game reviews. Each have their good and bad points. Professional video game reviews are typically written by paid reviewers who work for video game magazines. These are generally well-written, in depth, and definitely worth reading. The other most common writer of video game reviews are the actual end users. While an end user will generally have spent a great deal more time actually playing the various video games on the most popular video game systems,you'll often find that they are men and women of little words. It's not unusual to see a review that says "Wow! Kick Bu** man. I love it!" Now, that's probably actually saying quite a bit about a particular video game, but -- your mileage may vary.

The key point to remember is that you don't want to invest in a video game until at least a couple of people have taken the time to write a review of the game. Of course, if everyone took this advice then there wouldn't be any video game review on any game web sites, because everyone would be waiting for someone else to write the review.

Right up there with video game reviews are video game previews. A video game preview is a lot like a movie trailer. They bundle all of the really exciting parts together and give you a fast and furious glimpse hoping that you'll believe that the entire video game is actually as cool as the 90 seconds of video game previews that they let you get a peek at.

The video game industry is at a crossroads. With more and more people clicking the play game online switch, and video game systems like XBox Live and all of the XBox video games out there, it is quite possible that the days of jamming your joystick alone in your room are slated to become "back in the day." As more and more video game systems opt for Internet connectivity, you're likely to find that you never have to play video games alone again.

About the author:

James Homan is owner of xbox-cheats.org. His passion for tech and gaming canbe seen at xbox-cheats.org/cheats.html.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 8:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

What we heard: Last February, leading third-party publisher Activision answered many Nintendo fans' prayers by revealing it was bringing the Guitar Hero franchise to the Wii and DS. Since then, Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock for the Wii has sold over 1.2 million copies in the US, adding over $110 million to the game's $490 million domestic take, roughly half of the franchise's billion-dollar worldwide haul.

But while the Wii owners are busy rocking out, DS players are wondering when they'll be able to take the popular rhythm game on the go. This month saw a possible answer to that question surface in the form of a January 19 filing with the USPTO. In it, Activision registered the title "Guitar Hero On Tour" for "computer game software and related instruction manual sold together as a unit." Given that the platform for said game is unspecified, speculation has sprouted that the game in question is the DS Guitar Hero--or a game comprised entirely of live recordings in front of concert hall audiences.

The official story: "You know we don't comment on rumors or speculation. Thanks for checking in though." -- An e-mail from a chipper-sounding Activision rep.

Bogus or not bogus?: Likely not bogus. The filing is with the USPTO, which makes it not only officially but also legally binding. Considering that "On Tour" implies mobility, it stands to reason that the new game is the DS edition and not the latest in a series of console sequels--though an all-live-recording GH game is an appealing idea indeed.

Posted by Bobbo Gus at 8:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)