3DS breaks Nintendo UK pre-order record

Speaking to trade mag MCV, Nintendo UK sales director, Andy Yates revealed the handheld is fast approaching 100,000 pre-orders in the UK.

"We're very encouraged that it's going to be a big launch," he said. "Our target was to get over 100,000 pre-orders - and we're in line with that. So far, we've already beat our personal best for a console launch. With three weeks to go, we're in a great position, as pre-orders are still building."

He added: "Retailers tell us that things are good, and they're pretty relieved to have a big launch in March; they need something of that magnitude."

Nintendo UK Marketing director Dawn Paine added that Nintendo's gunning for a "Wii-style" launch for 3DS, something the pre-order numbers certainly suggest it will do.

"I don't think you can underestimate peoples' hunger for new technology - the performance we're expecting comes from the quality of the product. The pre-order numbers are a testament to that," she told MCV.

"We are building towards Wii-style launch proportions. That has been our ambition all along: to get the UK into a 'feeding frenzy' situation. We feel we've picked the perfect time to launch the 3DS."

This claim is backed up by Amazon.co.uk's statement which asserts that the 3DS is the highest selling games console pre-order in the company's history.

Earlier this week reports claimed that 185,000 3DS units will be ready for UK launch on March 25. Get your pre-orders in.

Pre-order your PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 computer entertainment system unleashes a brilliant, high-definition entertainment experience with its Cell Broadband Engine that delivers a gaming experience that is beyond what you know today. Its built-in Blu-ray Disc drive delivers a whole new generation in high-definition gaming and unmatched digital media storage. Whether it’s gaming, Blu-ray movies, music or online services, PlayStation 3 will change your digital life.

Gian Luzio, head of games for Play.com, has revealed that they have taken 6 times more pre-orders for the PlayStation 3 than for the Xbox 360, and 15 times more than the Wii.

Play.com is offering one bundle, including first-party titles MotorStorm, Resistance: Fall of Man and Genji, for GBP 524.99.

Play promised they will deliver all pre-ordered PS3 units on launch day (unlike when the 360 and Wii were launched): "We have taken the necessary steps to ensure that customers will only be able to pre-order the system up until Play's allocation has been reached".

"We will always want more consoles to satisfy customer demand, however, we are satisfied that Sony are doing all they can to fulfil demand," Luzio said.

He added that the inclusion of a Blu-ray player in the PlayStation 3 will have a massive impact on the retailer's business.

"Figures from the United States show that Blu-ray movie sales are outselling HD-DVD by a factor of 2:1 since the launch of PS3 and we have similar sales expectations".

Not only Play.com is having so many pre-orders, according to Sony: "With an unprecedented day one shipment of 1 million machines into Europe and a software catalogue of over 30 titles available at launch, retailer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive".

The PlayStation 3 is due for launch in Europe on March 23, priced at GBP 425 / EUR 599 for the 60GB model.

Amazon UK is now taking PlayStation 3 (60GB Premium Version) pre-orders!

Amazon US now has restocks of PlayStation 3 (60 GB Premium Version).

Grab one whilst stocks last!

Euro PlayStation

Fresh from the SCEE Press Office.

Over 30 Titles for Launch Period

1 Million units forecast for Initial Launch Period

London, 25 January 2007 - Sony Computer Entertainment Europe today announced that PLAYSTATION®3 will be launched in the PAL territories of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Australasia on 23rd March 2007 at a price of EURO 599 (GBP 425, AUD 999.95, NZ 1199.95).

Responding to retail and consumer demand, SCEE confirmed that initially only the 60GB model would be available, with the 20GB model to follow later in the year dependent on demand.

An expected one million PS3 units will be made available during the initial launch period.

SCEE also announced a stellar launch line-up of over 30 game titles for PS3, including eagerly awaited titles published by SCEE such as Resistance: Fall of Man™, MotorStorm™, Genji™: Days of the Blade, FORMULA ONE ™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION and Ridge Racer™ 7. An exceptional range of titles in every genre will also be available at launch from the world's leading third party publishers, including Electronic Arts, Activision, Namco Bandai, Sega, Take 2, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, and Sony Online Entertainment.

In addition to games on disc, an exciting range of fully-featured downloadable games will debut on the PLAYSTATION®Network. These will include gaming icons such as Tekken®: Dark Resurrection and Gran Turismo® HD Concept; the fully-featured PS3 debut of the best-selling franchise Gran Turismo, realised with full HD (1080p) visual quality. Created by Polyphony Digital Inc and published by Sony Computer Entertainment, Gran Turismo® HD Concept has been downloaded by more than 350,000 users since it was released in December 2006 in North America and Japan.

Also available on the PLAYSTATION®Network will be brainteasers such as Go! Sudoku and Go! Puzzle, and innovative games such as Blast Factor™ and flOw™, designed exclusively for PLAYSTATION 3 and delivering on the promise to provide original content created by non-traditional developers and publishers.

Concurrent with the European launch, a new System Update to further enhance the entertainment potential of PS3 will be issued.

Announcing the launch details, David Reeves, President of SCEE said, "Following the hugely successful launches of PS3 in Japan and North America, we are absolutely delighted to be able to bring significant numbers of PS3 to the SCEE territories. To be able to launch with over 30 titles across every genre shows that this is our strongest launch line-up in the history of PlayStation, and is what PlayStation fans in Europe have been crying out for."

PLAYSTATION 3 LAUNCH TITLE LINE-UP

PS3 Launch Title - Publisher - Network or Disc based

Resistance: Fall of Man™ - SCEE - Disc

MotorStorm™ - SCEE - Disc

Genji™: Days of the Blade - SCEE - Disc

FORMULA ONE™ CHAMPIONSHIP EDITION - SCEE - Disc

Ridge Racer™ 7 - SCEE - Disc

Tekken®: Dark Resurrection - SCEE - Network

Lemmings™ - SCEE - Network

Go! Sudoku - SCEE - Network

Go! Puzzle - SCEE - Network

Blast Factor™ - SCEE - Network

flOw™ - SCEE - Network

Super Rub'a'Dub - SCEE - Network

Call of Duty 3 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Tony Hawks Project 8 - Activision UK Ltd - Disc

Gundam - Target in Sight - Namco Bandai Games - Disc

Full Auto™ 2: Battle Lines - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Sonic the Hedgehog™ - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Virtua Fighter™ 5 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

Virtua Tennis™ 3 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

World Snooker Championship 2007 - Sega®Europe Ltd - Disc

NBA 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc

NHL 2K7 - Take 2 International SA - Disc

Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWll - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Enchanted Arms - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

The Elder Scrolls lV: Oblivion - Ubisoft Entertainment SA - Disc

Def Jam: Icon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Fight Night Round 3 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

NBA Street 4 Homecourt 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Need for Speed Carbon - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

The Godfather: The Don's Edition - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2007 - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom - Electronic Arts Ltd - Disc

F.E.A.R. - Vivendi Universal Games Intl SA - Disc

Gripshift - Sony Online Entertainment - Network

PLAYSTATION 3 Peripherals Available at Launch Peripheral

RRP in Euros

SIXAXIS™ Wireless Controller - EURO 49.99

Blu-ray Disc Remote Control - EURO 24.99

HDMI Cable - EURO 24.99

AV cable - EURO 16.99

Component AV cable - EURO 24.99

S Video cable - EURO 16.99

You will be able to pre-order PS3 from my PlayStation Shop.

Nintendo's Post-Christmas Crackers

Wii will not be with me until next week! That's OK as I'm too penny-pinching to pay for First Class delivery!

GAME (UK retailer) employees are purportedly alleging that there's going to be significant hardware and software shortages pre-Christmas, and are banning software and accessories-only pre-orders! Nintendo Wii Fanboy is seeking confirmation on this story.

Zelda is the only Nintendo franchise represented in the UK launch. However, Mario Galaxy and Metroid Prime 3: Corruption are not too far behind! In homage to the latter, the rest of this post will be of particular interest to video game merchandise hunters!

With the instantly recognizable bulky round orange shoulder pieces, Samus Aran’s Varia Suit has served the interstellar bounty huntress well. Her Varia suit, with the ability to resist even the most extreme of temperatures, has helped Samus on her quest of aiding the Galactic Federation in defeating the Space Pirates and eradication of the deadly Metroids.

First 4 Figures is extremely proud to present Samus Aran’s Varia Suit, the first collectible statue in First 4 Figures’ highly anticipated suit series based on Retro Studios’ Metroid Prime game trilogy.

First 4 Figures has used the official game files in order to create an extremely accurate recreation of the Varia suit, with pose inspiration taken from official Metroid Prime Varia Suit artwork.

The suit series will include, but not limited to, Samus Aran’s Light Suit, Dark Suit and Phazon suit.

Cast in high quality poly-stone, the statue is hand finished and hand painted with metallic paints to give an authentic representation of the suits.

Comes packed in a foam interior full colored box with a card of authenticity.

Wii A Minute

Amazon.co.uk's initial allocation of Nintendo Wii consoles sold-out within seven minutes yesterday!

The scheduled 9:00AM (GMT) start was delayed until 9:38AM (GMT) due to the sheer number of site visitors (all hitting browser refresh or using a clever Firefox extension). This unprecedented event has garnered considerable global press and television coverage.

"We expected a high number of people to visit the site but the response was phenomenal," said James Schall, videogame manager for Amazon UK. "It's the fastest-selling pre-order item we have ever encountered - even eclipsing Harry Potter and Coldplay."

I'd like to thank all my readers who purchased a Wii console, games and accessories via my Amazon.co.uk associate links. Your support is very much appreciated and, most importantly, at no additional cost to yourself!

(There's No Place Like) Hyrule For The Holidays

Following last evening's online chat with Gedeon Maheux, one of The Iconfactory's principle pixel pushers, I was more determined than ever to procure a Nintendo Wii!

Against the odds and following the somewhat predictable Play.com disappointment (there was no way they could've fulfilled 9000+ pre-orders due to allocation shortages). This morning I managed to secure a Wii pre-order from Amazon.co.uk!

Pre-ordering went live at, about, 9:40AM (GMT) and lasted for mere minutes, with some customers reaching Amazon's place order now page too late (according to various forums)!

Roll on December and some serious holiday time spent in Hyrule.

Nine To Five (9 to 5)

With its innovative motion-sensing controller and family-fun orientated games, Nintendo's Wii console will revolutionise how we play. You can pre-order yours at Amazon.co.uk from tomorrow, November 21, during business hours (9am - 5pm GMT).

Amazon.co.uk will stop taking pre-orders once they've pre-sold all the consoles Nintendo have allocated to them for release day. Order early to avoid disappointment!

Wii-Order with Amazon.co.uk

Finally Amazon.co.uk has announced the pre-order date for Nintendo's Wii! Mark Tuesday, November 21st, 2006 in you calendar! Stocks are limited therefore it's first come, first served.

Unlike Play.com, Amazon.co.uk will cease taking pre-orders once its pre-Christmas allocation has sold-out!

The line starts here! Wrap up warm and bring plenty of hot mocha!

Do you need a Wii?

Looks like a lot of us do! Hit the stores to pre-order and secure some quality time with Zelda and Samus this holiday season!

Canadian readers
Amazon.ca

UK readers
Amazon.co.uk
Play.com

US readers
Amazon.com
Toys"R"US.com

Apologies to international readers not served by Canadian, UK and US retail markets! I'm endeavoring to explore new affiliate programs and will post updates as and when applicable.

Bootylicious

Mark your calendars for two important dates this week!

Starting with Tuesday September 12th and the launch of iTunes 7 (surely this update will warrant more than an incremental number change), store overhaul and iPods... I'd like to see CD-Text, AAC Plus and Vorbis support added to iTunes.

On Friday September 15th Nintendo Europe will officially announce the launch date and pricing of Wii. Approximately the size of three stacked DVD cases, Wii's elegant design makes it an inviting addition to your entertainment setup without monopolizing it. Thanks to the Wii Remote, you're given more freedom to place the console where it best suits your lifestyle.

Will Wii become Nintendo's iMac and reverse their desktop console fortunes? The pre-order queue starts here.

Super Sounds

In April 2005 I reviewed John Williams' Revenge of the Sith score. This morning a preview copy of the Superman Returns (merchandise link) soundtrack CD (pre-order link) fell through my mailbox courtesy of Rhino Records! The retail release is July 10th.

Expectations are nigh high! Would John Ottman's score rekindle the sense of wonder that this author experienced at the Exeter ABC Cinema (circa 1978)? Would my yearning for unabashed heroics transport me back to Boots Corner and take flight?

01 - Main Titles (3:49)

John Williams' iconic leitmotif, arguably one of cinema's greatest and most recognizable themes, returns with joyous gusto, aplomb and new flourishes. Christopher Reeves' memory has been served well.

02 - Memories (3:07)

After the jubilant opening salvo. This cue quotes from John Williams' original score before Ottman begins his enigmatic musical journey. Shades of Fortress of Solitude and Batman Returns (1992).

03 - Rough Flight (5:13)

Bernard Herrmann collides with John Williams heroics in a dazzling display of audio pyrotechnics.

04 - Little Secrets / Power of the Sun (2:49)

The original Love Theme is introduced albeit in troubled form!

05 - Bank Job (2:21)

In a post 9/11 world there's no reprise of John Williams' humorous March of the Villains. Owes much to the brutal mechanization of movie composers Jerry Goldsmith and Basil Poledouris.

06 - How Could You Leave Us? (5:49)

Conjures comparison with Edward Scissorhands (1990) and The Abyss (1989).

07 - Tell Me Everything (3:13)

Enter the Jedi! Feel the force.

08 - You're Not one of Them (2:22)

A solitary piano and yearning string section, which culminates in a choir. Ultimately left unresolved.

09 - Not Like the Train Set (5:12)

Urgency underpins the action with a nod to John Williams' abstract Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) soundtrack! Overcast by the shadow of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine (The X-Men).

10 - So Long Superman (5:31)

The main theme is deconstructed as discordant voices duel string and wind instruments. This orchestration is an evocation of Return of the Jedi (1983) and Revenge of the Sith (2005)!

11 - The People You Care For (3:27)

Batman (1989) confronts Darkman (1990).

12 - I Wanted You to Know (2:56)

Sentimental and poignant.

13 - Saving The World (3:12)

Does what it says on the tin.

14 - In the Hands of Mortals (2:11)

Melancholia meets enchantment.

15 - Reprise / Fly Away (4:15)

If this doesn't draw a tear... Life affirming.

In summation. I'm giddy from my sonic flight and can't wait to see the movie. Rejoice in the return of THE super hero! My deepest regret, listening to Superman Returns, is that my Mother will never be able to savor the sights and sounds of Krypton as she once did...

PS3 at Play

UK gamers can pre-order Sony's PlayStation 3 with 60GB HDD from Play.com. This configuration is purportedly the only option available to European consumers at launch and weighs in at a hefty £549.99. Will consumer resistance and Sony’s stratification afford Nintendo’s Wii an advantage?

Due to an expected European shortage of the PS3, retailers are unable to guarantee delivery of your PS3 before Christmas. All pre-orders will be fulfilled on a first come, first served basis and game titles in the package may be changed, subject to availability.

My best advice would be to pre-order a PS3 today (even if you're still undecided) because there's no deposit and you'll only be charged once the item is dispatched. I'd better download the LocoRoco demo and complete my PSP product review!

Super Mario Sunshine

Blue skies over the South West of England, sunburn, high humidity and high street retailer WH Smith are already taking deposits for Nintendo Wii, which isn't available until the profitable holiday season!

The DS Lite is only a few weeks away and Amazon UK bumped their pre-order price from £89.99 to £99.99 within hours of listing Nintendo's trailblazing portable. I'll wait until a few Amazon Gift Certificates (to the value of £5) come my way before bagging Metroid Prime Hunters and New Super Mario Brothers (selling like hotcakes in Japan)!

Lite Launch

Big N has officially announced the European launch of the DS Lite. Mark June 23rd in your Google Calendar!

Whilst the DS Lite is available in a spectrum of colors in Nintendo's native Japan. On launch day Europeans will have a choice of black and white. Black is clearly proving popular, but I'll stick with white in order to compliment my existing desktop and portable lifestyle products.

Get your pre-orders in early as prices are already creeping up. Play.com is the cheapest at £97.99 (subject to change without notice).

At time of writing there is no word regarding what bundles (if any) will be available. Surely including a copy of New Super Mario Brothers is a must?

Planet PlayStation

Yesterday's announcements from SCEE have sent a clear message to gamers and competitors alike. Sony has no intention of losing its enviable market share (it is theirs to lose)! PS3 and Ceramic White PSP are coming to stores near you.

I've drooled over the prospect of adding the Ceramic White PSP to my lifestyle mantelpiece and intend to order one over the coming weeks.



And then there's this black beauty. Sony's third-generation PlayStation embodies sleek chic.



Sony's official PS3 press announcement read thus.

Equipped with Blu-ray and Pre-Installed HDD Available at €499 (20GB HDD) and €599 (60GB HDD)

Los Angeles, May 8, 2006 – Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) announced today that it would launch PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3) in “Clear Black” throughout mainland Europe and Australasia on November 17, 2006, as part of a worldwide simultaneous launch.

PS3 is the most advanced computer system that serves as a platform to enjoy next generation computer entertainment contents in the home, realized through the combination of Cell and RSX™ processors, in addition to the playability of a vast catalog of PlayStation® and PlayStation®2 software titles.

Having Giga-bit Ethernet and a pre-installed hard disk drive (HDD) as standard in PS3, users will be able to download a variety of contents as well as access on-line games and services over the network.

Equipped with basic input/output ports, PS3 supports a broad range of displays from conventional NTSC/PAL standard TVs to the latest full HD (1080i/1080p) flat panel displays, offering the joy of the most advanced computer entertainment contents to homes around the world. For use in living rooms, maximum heat and noise reduction has been achieved with a noise level equivalent to that of the current slim-line PlayStation 2.

With the overwhelming computational power of the Cell processor, PS3 is capable of playing back content from Blu-ray (BD) disc at a bit rate of multiplex 48Mbps with ease, the maximum bit rate defined in BD standards.

The new controller for PS3 has been created by refining and improving the world’s most popular PlayStation controller which has shipped more than several hundred million units worldwide. The controller for PS3 employs a high-precision, highly sensitive six-axis sensing system that is capable of processing all parameters within the controller itself, thereby eliminating the need for any additional settings on the display system. By applying this technology, it will become possible to freely control the PS3 system over the network.

While further enhancing the joy of entertainment on PlayStation 2 and PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable), SCEE will vigorously promote PS3 as the next generation computer entertainment platform.

PLAYSTATION®3

Product name: PLAYSTATION®3

CPU: Cell Processor

GPU: RSX™

Sound: Dolby 5.1ch, DTS, LPCM, etc. (Cell-based processing)

Memory: 256MB XDR Main RAM, 256MB GDDR3 VRAM

HDD: 2.5” Serial ATA ○ (20GB) ○ (60GB)

I/O: USB 2.0 ○ (x4)

MemoryStick /SD/CompactFlash - ○

Communication: Ethernet ○ (x1 / 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T)

IEEE 802.11 b/g - ○

Bluetooth 2.0 (EDR) ○

Wireless controller (Bluetooth) ○

AV Output: Screen size 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p

HDMI OUT - ○ (x1 / HDMI NextGen)

AV MULTI OUT ○ (x1)

DIGITAL OUT (OPTICAL) ○ (x1)

BD/DVD/CD Drive (Read Only): Maximum Read Speed BD 2x (BD-ROM)

DVD 8x (DVD-ROM)

CD 24x (CD-ROM)

SACD 2x

Dimensions: Approximately 325mm (W) x 98mm (H) x 274mm (D)

Weight: Approximately 5 kg

About Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Ltd. As at 27 April 2006

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE), based in London, is responsible for the distribution, marketing and sales of PlayStation®2 and PSP™ (PlayStation®Portable) software and hardware in 104 territories across Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Oceania. SCEE also develops, publishes, markets and distributes entertainment software for these formats, and manages the third party licensing programs for the platforms in these territories. Between its European debut on 24th November 2000 and the end of March 2006, over 38 million PlayStation®2 consoles have been shipped across the SCEE territories, over 103 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful consumer electronic products in history. Between its European debut on 1st September 2005 and the end of March 2006, over 5 million PSP systems have been shipped across the SCEE territories, with over 17 million shipped worldwide since its Japanese launch in December 2004.

Lite Fantastic

Well, the Nintendo DS was sold, on eBay, in a last minute bidding scramble. Hopefully it has found a happy home.

Avid portable gamers can now pre-order Nintendo DS Lite from the folks at Lik-Sang.com. DS Lite is the epitome of urban chic and ships in desirable packaging! I'll be dropping them an email in the hope of securing a review machine. What a cheek?

Lik Sang was established in 1998 as the first Hong Kong based company offering video game and other consumer electronic goods to any kind of buyer type, even to the end customer.

Run by motivated and experienced Chinese, European and Japanese staff always striving for providing the best possible service to valued customers, Lik Sang have quickly become the largest online video game store located directly in the heart of Asia, the place where everything happens first!

Full Throttle

Bloggers the world over are starting to post their holiday lists for 2005!

1). I only ever owned a Paris to Dakar Rally Range Rover R/C and this year's collectible line has been dominated by Masters of the Universe. When I learnt that, Mattel subsidiary, Tyco RC had released a giant Monster Jam truck, it went straight to the top!



*Working suspension
*Air tires
*Authentic, detailed decoration
*Forward, reverse, left and right turn functions
*Requires a 9-volt battery for the remote (not included)
*Includes a 6-volt NiCd battery and charger for the truck

The 12" R/C Dalek from Character Options didn't qualify as it's already on pre-order (shipping in December)! And the 1:6 (Batman Begins) Batmobile is off the list due to poor reviews.

Push The Button

Still suffering from flu-like symptoms, which is most likely related to exhaustion and the arrival of Autumn/The Fall. This hasn't deterred me from watching the conclusion of Lost (written review to follow). The introduction of Michelle Rodriguez, in Exodus Part 1, as new cast regular Ana-Lucia Cortez was a surprise! And recording this short audio blog sans script (gradually gaining more confidence).

The Xbox 360 Premium Pack pre-order has been cancelled in favor of a replacement GameCube (Resident Evil 4 Limited Edition Pak) and Resident Evil 0! Halloween is only a month or so away and the Resident Evil franchise is one to be savored (or endured) by survival horror genre fans.

Dreamcast's CODE: Veronica remains the only game to leave me scared sheetless (to quote Tim Burton on the set of Beetlejuice) and I have it on good authority that Resident Evil 4 is set to steal that corrupted crown. I miss my Dreamcast. Sega's NAOMI-based console was a proven product. Why did I sell it in 2002?

Have you seen Nintendo's Game Boy Advance Micro? There's a Famicom anniversary edition exclusive to the Japanese market. A must for console collectors.

Adobe has announced Photoshop Elements 4 for Windows! Where's the Mac version? Well, lets wait and see. Elements is my bread and butter, and 3 is working just fine thank you.

You can read my review of Desperate Housewives over at MovieTyme.

Fahrenheit 451

Why should anyone buy Toast 7 Titanium if they're already using iLife '05 and/or Toast 6? A simple answer is problematical. However, after putting Roxio's latest iteration through its paces, I can't imagine not seeing Toast 7 taking pride of place in the Dock!

Firstly, Toast now incorporates the DVD compression features showcased in Popcorn (presumably defunct). Copy and compress a 9GB dual-layer DVD to a standard 4.7GB recordable DVD disc. Avoid artefacts by extracting the movie, language and audio format of your choice only.

A DivX Pro codec license is available out-of-the-box and interpolates with iMovie HD and Final Cut HD. The DivX format is reaching critical mass and DivX HD DVD players are all the rage. On the strength of this new feature alone, I'll be purchasing a DivX Certified DVD player and will post my experiences.

Toast 7 Titanium’s video conversion doesn’t end with DivX, either. You can convert videos to versions suitable for playback on 3GPP-equipped cell phones and handheld devices, H.264 players and Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP). Now that Sony's PSP is clearly a global phenomenon and UMD (contradictory to expectations) is meeting little consumer resistance (Woolworths' aisles are flooded with pre-order movie product). The AVC encoding facility maybe enough to compel users to upgrade.

I've experimented with converting H.264 to Sony's specified codec with subjectively pleasing results, but will be better placed to judge its effectiveness when review hardware arrives: the teaser trailer for Serenity was reformatted from 480 x 204 to 368 x 208 and black bars automatically inserted.

The only fly in the ointment, aside from a few quirks (to be expected with any new software release), is the acquiescence to Apple's dictate regarding music purchased from iTunes Music Store; you cannot burn a CD or DVD using songs legally downloaded! This 'feature' was introduced in Toast 6.1.

Do you want more?

360° of Separation

Thursday was Mum's Birthday. So, we took her (with a care nurse) to Budleigh Salterton (an affluent Devon seaside town) and were treated to an ice cream courtesy of Uncle Allan. Next stop Dawlish.

For generations Budleigh has been favored by both sides of the family - my parents pencilled it in as a potential retirement destination. A most enduring memory was peering into the window of It's A Small World and spying a Speeder Bike, Biker Scout, The Emperor's Royal Guard, Leia Organa (Boushh disguise) and Jabba the Hutt Playset (1983).

Now that Microsoft has announced the price points of both Deluxe and Core Packs for Xbox 360, I'm in a consumer quandary! The proposition of a wireless PowerPC games console is most enticing; even one sourced from Redmond (just joshing Bill). The biggest pre-order hurdle is that I couldn't sell my original Xbox on eBay* (due to the 'fire' hazard) to offset the investment in new hardware. If Microsoft could broker a deal then Dead or Alive 4 may yet fall into my hands this upcoming holiday season.

Remember Super Cycle (1986) from hardware and software luminaries Epyx (creators of Atari Lynx)? The nearest the Commodore 64 got to Sega's Hang-On (1985). These days, whenever I'm in need of an arcade thrill ride (a la arcades at Britannia Pier, Great Yarmouth), nothing comes close to the exhilarating Super Hang-On (1987) courtesy of MacMAME. Asphalt-action ably underscored by Tangerine Dreams' theme from Street Hawk played really loud.

Roxio's Toast Titanium 7 debuts August 31st. Standout improvements include DivX HD and PSP encoding, Motion Pictures HD and iLife Browser. I'll be reviewing this updated application, which negates the need to purchase Roxio's Popcorn, in an upcoming post.

[*Since trading on eBay sales have been brisk. Thank you for your custom.]