Windows Phone 7 Confirmed Xbox LIVE Titles

Today at Gamescom 2010, the world’s largest consumer-oriented games showcase, Microsoft premiered the first wave of Xbox LIVE games launching on Windows Phone 7 this Christmas. With even more games and applications to come, Windows Phone 7 is putting the power of Xbox LIVE into the palm of your hand — from Xbox LIVE Avatars to staying connected with friends, Xbox LIVE is now at your fingertips, anytime, anywhere.

“We believe that no matter where life takes you, the best in gaming and entertainment should follow,” said Marc Whitten, corporate vice president of Xbox LIVE at Microsoft. “Windows Phone 7 takes a different approach to handheld gaming, utilising Xbox LIVE, Microsoft Game Studios, leading game publishers, and innovative indie developers, to create powerful, shared experiences for everyone.”

The Games You Want, Played When and Wherever You Want Them
In a sea of games, apps, gadgets and gizmos, the biggest obstacle can be finding the game that’s right for you. Only Windows Phone 7 has a Games hub featuring Xbox LIVE, creating a different kind of mobile gaming experience that puts the games you want front and centre. Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 will be specially selected from the top names in mobile, PC and console game development, making the best mobile games even better, thanks to Xbox LIVE. With try-before-you-buy demos, Xbox LIVE leader-boards, turn-based multiplayer, Achievements and more, Windows Phone 7 brings the quality, consistency and community of the Xbox experience to gamers on the go.

Windows Phone 7 also will be supported by content from Microsoft Game Studios (MGS), providing strong first-party gaming titles and intellectual property for the phone. For Xbox fans, this means that Windows Phone 7 will offer companion titles to familiar names, such as “Halo: Waypoint,” and “Crackdown 2,” extending the experience of their favourite Xbox 360 franchises.

“Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft,” said Matt Booty, general manager of mobile gaming for MGS. “Just like we’ve done with Xbox 360, our charter is to push the envelope and deliver definitive games that maximise the platform. We will have an incredible line-up of MGS titles, and that’s just the beginning.”

The most creative minds in game development are bringing the biggest franchises to Windows Phone 7. The first wave of launch portfolio titles includes Xbox LIVE games from the likes of Gameloft, Konami, Namco Bandai, PopCap and THQ. Whether you choose to play a gem of a puzzler with “BejeweledTM LIVE” (PopCap), bring down the house with “Guitar Hero 5” (Glu Mobile), fight off a destructive alien invasion in “The Harvest” (MGS), paint your way out of a corner with “Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay) or defend your city in “Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” (MGS), the first wave of games announced in the launch portfolio of Xbox LIVE games on Windows Phone 7 has something for every mobile gamer:

“3D Brick Breaker Revolution” (Digital Chocolate)
“Age of Zombies” (Halfbrick)
“Armor Valley” (Protégé Games)
“Asphalt 5” (Gameloft)
“Assassins Creed” (Gameloft)
“BejeweledTM LIVE” (PopCap)
“Bloons TD” (Digital Goldfish)
“Brain Challenge” (Gameloft)
“Bubble Town 2” (i-Play)
“Butterfly” (Press Start Studio)
“CarneyVale Showtime” (MGS)
“Castlevania” (Konami)
“Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst” (MGS)
“De Blob Revolution” (THQ)
“Deal or No Deal 2010” (i-Play)
“Earthworm Jim” (Gameloft)
“Fast & Furious 7” (i-Play)
“Fight Game Rivals” (Rough Cookie)
“Finger Physics” (Mobliss Inc.)
“Flight Control” (Namco Bandai)
“Flowerz” (Carbonated Games)
“Frogger” (Konami)
“Fruit Ninja” (Halfbrick)
“Game Chest-Board” (MGS)
“Game Chest-Card” (MGS)
“Game Chest-Logic” (MGS)
“Game Chest-Solitaire” (MGS)
“GeoDefense” (Critical Thought)
“Ghostscape” (Psionic)
“Glow Artisan” (Powerhead Games)
“Glyder 2” (Glu Mobile)
“Guitar Hero 5” (Glu Mobile)
“Halo Waypoint” (MGS)
“Hexic Rush” (Carbonated Games)
“I Dig It” (InMotion)
“iBlast Moki” (Godzilab)
“ilomilo” (MGS)
“Implode XL” (IUGO)
“Iquarium” (Infinite Dreams)
“Jet Car Stunts” (True Axis)
“Let’s Golf 2” (Gameloft)
“Little Wheel” (One click dog)
“Loondon” (Flip N Tale)
“Max and the Magic Marker” (PressPlay)
“Mini Squadron” (Supermono Limited)
“More Brain Exercise” (Namco Bandai)
“O.M.G.” (Arkedo)
“Puzzle Quest 2” (Namco Bandai)
“Real Soccer 2” (Gameloft)
“The Revenants” (Chaotic Moon)
“Rise of Glory” (Revo Solutions)
“Rocket Riot” (Codeglue)
“Splinter Cell Conviction” (Gameloft)
“Star Wars: Battle for Hoth” (THQ)
“Star Wars: Cantina” (THQ)
“The Harvest” (MGS)
“The Oregon Trail” (Gameloft)
“Tower Bloxx NY” (Digital Chocolate)
“Twin Blades” (Press Start Studio)
“UNO” (Gameloft)
“Women’s Murder Club: Death in Scarlet” (i-Play)
“Zombie Attack!” (IUGO)
“Zombies!!!!” (Babaroga)

Additional titles in the launch portfolio will be released between now and the Windows Phone 7 launch this Christmas; once the phone launches, new Xbox LIVE titles also will be added to the games portfolio every week.

Xbox LIVE: Bringing More to Your Mobile Gaming
Xbox LIVE on Windows Phone 7 unlocks a world of games and fun and directly connects you to a global community of more than 25 million active Xbox LIVE members. Windows Phone 7 is the only phone that seamlessly integrates Xbox LIVE and provides unique mobile gaming experiences:

• Avatars. Connect to your Xbox LIVE profile and Avatar, or create a new one if you don’t already have an Avatar or Xbox LIVE profile; take your 3-D Avatar and props with you on the phone with full closet access.
• Friends. Bring your Xbox LIVE friends with you everywhere; compare Achievements, challenge rivals to your favourite game, and even see who’s online and what they’re doing on their consoles, PCs or phones.
• Game access. Easily view and launch your full game library from a single location; find, try and buy new games either in the Marketplace or Games hub.
• Achievements. Earn, view and track Achievements, view Xbox LIVE leader-boards and build your Gamerscore across Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 — every time you play an Xbox LIVE title.
• Messaging. Communicate with all of your Xbox LIVE friends, any time you want, through Xbox LIVE messages.
• Multiplayer. Invite, connect and play against friends on other Windows Phone 7 phones or the PC with turn-based (asynchronous) multiplayer gaming.
• Spotlight. Access Xbox LIVE Spotlight feeds, including the latest game titles, breaking news from Xbox LIVE, game tips and tricks, and more.

source: http://www.xboxic.com/news/6506

Games on Demand for Windows Grows Portfolio

Already offering convenient digital access to the top Games for Windows – LIVE titles, Games on Demand for Windows will soon be the home of day-and-date game releases from the industry’s biggest names, including 2K Games, Capcom, Microsoft Game Studios, Rockstar Games, THQ and Ubisoft.

Beginning today with the release of “Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands” (Ubisoft), new non-LIVE titles will release via Games on Demand every week, with more than 100 new titles joining the portfolio by year’s end. And to celebrate the launch of “Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands,” Microsoft will offer “Prince of Persia: Warrior Within” and “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” both for 75% off suggested retail price (200 Microsoft Points or $2.49 USD)!

Additional non LIVE titles also immediately available on the Games on Demand service include:

• Age of Empires III (Microsoft Game Studios)
• Assassin’s Creed 2 (Ubisoft)
• Borderlands (2K Games)
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (Rockstar Games)
• Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (Rockstar Games)
• Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction (Ubisoft)
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl (THQ)

Games on Demand for Windows lets you easily purchase and download your favorite Windows games right from your computer, and re-install them whenever you want, wherever you want. With Games on Demand, you have the flexibility to access and play your games any time, any place, all straight from your Windows PC.

To download the Games for Windows – LIVE client with Games on Demand, visit www.gamesforwindows.com/live. And don’t forget to sign up for their RSS Feed, join their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter for the latest sales alerts and news from Games for Windows – LIVE!

Source: Microsoft press release

Xbox 360 Re-Brand Due After E3 Announcements

The designs and patterns of the Xbox 360 brand will be changing following the announcements of new hardware and software at this years E3 2010 event. The familiar green and grey circles that mangle themselves around our game cases and other media will be no more – goodbye green circles, hello green waves ?

The new design appears to represent a repeating waveform in motion, capturing the energy of transitions whilst regarded as a symbol of strength. It is likely that new branding is actually the ‘Project Natal’ designs which will be spread across the board so that all Xbox 360 products are now represented by the same ‘Project Natal’ image.

You will notice that pre-orders for late 2010 titles will now display the new box art waves as shown in the image above. New hardware packaging, Xbox.com and possibly even the console dashboard itself will be updated with new designs as part of the complete Xbox 360 re-brand.

Will ‘Project Natal’ be named ‘WAVE’ after all … ?

Windows Live Sync WILL Support Vail (but NOT WHS v1)

The popular Windows Live Mesh, a beta application that allows folder synchronization to the cloud as well as other computers is pending an upcoming release under the new name of Windows Live Sync. And although the name might be different the story is the same, as before it will not support Windows XP and Windows Home Server v1. In today’s FAQ post from the Windows Live team the official confirmation. However, the application will support Windows Home Server Vail Preview, as well as the subsequent final release.

Windows Live Sync beta:
FAQ if you used Live Mesh beta or the previous version of Sync

A new Sync beta will be available for download in the coming weeks. For information about the beta, please see the product overview. You can also get instructions for switching to the new version of Sync here – but we recommend reading the FAQ first.

Q: Why is Live Mesh beta being replaced by Sync?

A: We heard from customers that they were confused by Microsoft having two products with similar features. In response to their feedback, we announced at PDC 2008 that Live Mesh would be integrated into Windows Live. Since then, we have been focusing our efforts on a single product and working hard to get Live Mesh technology into Windows Live and ready to serve millions of customers.

Q: How is the new Sync different from Live Mesh beta?

A: The new Windows Live Sync will be the first version of Sync to include Live Mesh technology. However, there are some differences between the new Sync and Live Mesh beta, including:

• Faster remote desktop with zoom
• Improved peer-to-peer (P2P) file synchronization
• A new web interface integrated with rest of Windows Live
• Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office program settings can be synced across PCs
• Simplified user interface
• 2 GB of online storage for synced folders
• Support for only Windows 7, Windows Vista with SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard and later

Q: What happened to the Live Desktop and device view in Live Mesh?

A: We heard from customers that they liked these features, but wanted them to be integrated with other web services that they used frequently. As a result, we created a web service (devices.live.com) that is integrated into the other Windows Live services and has a similar look and feel. You can use Devices to connect to a PC remotely, browse folders that are synced online, and see information about your computers that are online. Over time, we hope to make Windows Live services available across more devices.

Q: What happened to integration of Live Mesh into Windows Explorer (e.g. blue folders, context menus)?

A: In this release, we have focused on making it easy to setup and manage syncing within the Sync application. We understand that some users would like to manage sync settings from elsewhere. This is something we would consider for a future release.

Q: Why can’t I sync folders on my mobile device?

A: With this release of Windows Live Sync, we focused on syncing folders between computers. In the future, we’ll explore adding support for other devices including mobile phones.

Q: Why is there less online storage for Sync than there was in the Live Mesh beta?

A: We made this compromise to reach as many people as possible with a free service. We learned from the Live Mesh beta that most people used much less than 2 GB of online storage.

If you used more, here are two options to consider:

If you need to share and collaborate on folders with a lot of people, use Windows Live SkyDrive. SkyDrive has 25 GB of storage space and lots of sharing options. You can even edit Office documents at the same time and track versions.
If you synced lots of photos or personal videos on your Live Mesh online storage, sync them between computers only. With the new Sync beta, you can sync pretty much as many files as you want between computers.

Q: Why isn’t the Sync beta supported on Windows XP or Windows Home Server?

A: Given the growing popularity of Windows 7, we made the decision to invest our resources in building the latest version of Windows Live Essentials – including the new Sync – to enhance the Windows 7 experience. The newest generation of Windows Live Essentials includes innovative technology, including HD video file formats that aren’t supported on older operating systems such as Windows XP. As such, we made the difficult decision not to make this version of Windows Live available for Windows XP.For Windows Home Server users, the new Sync will work with the new version of Windows Home Server (code name “Vail”) – currently in preview.

Q: How is the Sync beta different from the last version of Sync (previously known as FolderShare)?

A: Here are just some of the differences:

• Folders can be synced on online storage for access even when computers are offline
• Remote connection functionality replaces web-based browsing of folders on connected PCs
• Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office program settings can be synced across PCs
• More files (100k) are supported per Sync folder and more Sync folders are supported (200)
• Even larger files (up to 50 GB) can be synced
• The location of synced folders is automatically selected so folders can be synced across multiple PCs in one step
• Support for only Windows 7, Windows Vista with SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, and Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard and later

Q: When will I have to upgrade to the new Sync?

A: We will provide more details regarding the transition to the new Windows Live Sync in the coming months.

Q: Can I still sync my Mac with my PC using Windows Live Sync?

A: Yes. Windows Live Sync supports Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard and later.

Q: Can I run the new Sync beta on the same computer and at the same time as Live Mesh beta or the previous version of Sync?

A: Please click here for more information.

Q: I’m using Windows Live Toolbar to keep my Internet Explorer favorites in sync across my PCs. Will Sync beta change this?

A: As part of the overall upgrade to Windows Live Essentials, we’re replacing Windows Live Toolbar with Bing Bar. Bing Bar offers many improvements while retaining easy access to Hotmail and other services. However, Bing Bar doesn’t offer the ability to sync favorites in Internet Explorer. Instead, you can use Sync beta to sync Internet Explorer settings like favorites across PCs.

If you currently use Windows Live Toolbar on a computer running Windows XP, you won’t be able to use the new version of Sync since it isn’t available for Windows XP. Any favorites you have synced to SkyDrive using Windows Live Toolbar will still be available on SkyDrive (http://skydrive.live.com).

Q: Why can’t I use all 25 GB of my SkyDrive storage for synced folders?

A: Synced folders on SkyDrive work differently than the rest of your SkyDrive. Learn more about the differences between Sync and SkyDrive

Q: Will I be able to purchase additional online storage for the new Sync?

A: While we expect that most customers will be satisfied with the amount of free online storage for synced folders, we understand you might be interested in more space. This is something we would consider for a future release.

 

Over the past year, Kurt @ homeserverland.com have successfully combined Microsoft Windows Live Mesh with his Windows Home Server for a personal cloud. Although not officially supported, the Windows Live Mesh software worked right away on the WHS without the need of hacks or patches. This worked great on his WHS and the 5GB of online storage was just enough to hold a average DVD ISO image. In the future, Windows Live Sync (formerly known as Windows Live FolderShare) and slated to replace Windows Live Mesh will only provide 2GB (Windows Live Mesh used to be 5GB) and Microsoft Skydrive offers 25GB of online storage.

Source: homeserverland.com

Microsoft Entertainment Duo Moving On

Robbie Bach and James Allard set to leave the company this coming autumn.

Robbie Bach, currently Microsoft’s Entertainment and Devices President, known for the creation of the company’s two consoles along with the Zune. Along with James Allard, currently Chief Technology Officer, will both be stepping down from their respective positions over the next few months.

It has been rumoured that Bach is stepping down due to not wanting to commit the amount of time it would take to take Microsoft’s hardware development forward. Whereas, Allard is said to be leaving to spend more time with his family and pursuing his philanthropic endeavors.

Source: Made2Game

Microsoft Bing to Replace Google Search in iPhone OS 4

According to sources at TechCrunch, the next version of iPhone OS, which is set to release this June will have Bing as its default search engine in Mobile Safari. Microsoft and Apple have reportedly been in talks over a possible search deal since January of this year, but since then there has been no real news on this.

After all the recent conflicts over Android, the removal of Google Search from iPhone shouldn’t come as a surprise. Google has been rumored to be paying around $100 million dollars a year to Apple for the search rights, and ads that serves on the iPhone.

Also yesterday, there was this rumor about Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer making an appearance at WWDC to announce Visual Studio 2010 for iPhone and iPad. This rumor was then quickly debunked by the official Twitter account of Microsoft. If not Steve B., then maybe there will be someone else from Microsoft who will be there to announce Bing for iPhone? Well who knows. For all this and more, we will have to wait for Jobs’ keynote at WWDC where he will announce the next iPhone along with iPhone OS 4. [via TechCrunch]

Source: TechCrunch

Creating a Windows 7 Lite for Media Center Users with vLite

Sure, Microsoft already offers a slimmed down version of Windows 7 known as Starter which is light enough to run on even the trimmest of netbooks. Not to mention that standard version of Windows 7 are excellent performers as well but there’s always room for improvement and the Starter version of WIndows 7 doesn’t include things like Media Center.

Hack7MC has taken a look at how to create your own lite version of Windows 7 with a program called vLite. This will allow us to get the performance of Starter by taking out the extras but leaving everything needed for a Media Center only setup!

Read more here: Hack7MC

Windows 7 critical holes fixed in record Patch Tuesday

Microsoft released a record number of 13 bulletins for 34 vulnerabilities on Patch Tuesday–and the first critical update for Windows 7–as well as fixes for zero-day flaws involving Server Message Block (SMB) and Internet Information Services (IIS).

The most severe of the three SMB flaws, which were first reported last month, could allow an attacker to take control of a computer remotely by sending a specially crafted SMB packet to a computer running the Server service. Exploit code for one of the SMB holes has been posted to the Web, Microsoft said.

Windows 7 is affected by two critical patches intended to mend vulnerabilities that could allow remote code execution if a malicious Web page were viewed, one part of a cumulative security update for Internet Explorer and the other in .Net Framework and Silverlight.

The official release date for Windows 7 is October 22, but the new operating system has been available to some large businesses with volume licenses since the summer. The code was finalized in July.

Other critical patches in the security bulletin for October fix a vulnerability in Windows Media Runtime that could be exploited if a user opened a malicious media file or received malicious streaming content from a Web site or application, and if a specially crafted ASF (Advanced Systems Format) file is played using Windows Media Player 6.4.

Among the critical updates: a cumulative security update of ActiveX Kill Bits that is being exploited and that affects ActiveX controls compiled using Active Template Library (ATL); and another patch resolving several vulnerabilities in ATL ActiveX Controls that could allow remote code execution if a user loaded a malicious component or control. ActiveX and ATLs were the subject of an emergency patch Microsoft released in July.

The final critical bulletin fixes a hole in Windows GDI+ (Graphics Device Interface) that could allow an attacker to take control of a computer if the user viewed a malicious image file using affected software or browsed a malicious Web page.

"Microsoft has repeatedly had to fix problems related to the Graphics Device Interface in Windows, and vulnerabilities in the component have been exploited broadly in the past. We can expect that security researchers will be looking to reverse-engineer today’s patches, which may very well lead to exploits being created," said Dave Marcus, director of security research and communications at McAfee Labs.

Nine of the vulnerabilities were previously disclosed, which meant that attackers had time to come up with so-called "zero-day" exploits before the patches were available, Marcus noted.

The most alarming vulnerability in the mix is the SMB flaw, which was introduced by the patch for a different vulnerability, according to Josh Phillips, virus researcher at Kaspersky Lab.

Andrew Storms, director of security operations at nCircle, said the bug that is likely to have the biggest impact will be the critical one that affects Windows Media Runtime and involves a speech codec bug that has limited exploits in the wild. "This is a typical file-parsing issue and similar to vulnerabilities that have allowed attackers to create drive-by attacks that infect unsuspecting video viewers," he said.

Meanwhile, the critical SMB vulnerability is relatively difficult to exploit given default firewall conditions, but the IIS bugs are easy to exploit, Storms added.

"The sheer volume of the bulletins and patches is extreme," said Jason Miller, senior data team leader for Shavlik Technologies. "This is really going to affect administrators. It’s going to be very challenging because of the time and research that’s going to be needed" to patch systems.

Also released were five bulletins rated "important" to fix vulnerabilities in IIS, for which exploit code has been publicly released and for which there have been limited attacks, along with Windows CryptoAPI, Windows Indexing Service, Windows Kernel, and Local Security Authority Subsystem Service.

The update for Windows CryptoAPI relates to flaws in the way domain names are verified on the Internet, which could allow attackers to impersonate a site and steal information from unsuspecting Web surfers. The holes were revealed by researchers Dan Kaminsky and Moxie Marlinspike at Defcon in August.

Affected software includes Windows 7; Windows 2000; Windows XP; Windows Vista; Server 2003 and 2008; Office XP, 2003, and 2007; Microsoft Office System; SQL Server 2000 and 2005; Silverlight; Visual Studio .Net 2003; Visual Studio 2005 and 2008; Visual FoxPro 8.0 and 9.0; Microsoft Report Viewer 2005 and 2008; Forefront Client Security 1.0; and Office software including Visio, Project, Word Viewer, and Works.

The installation also removes the Win/FakeScanti Trojan, which displays fake malware warnings and then asks computer users to pay for fake antivirus software.

Source: Elinor Mills @ Cnet

Tribute to the Amiga – and its’ creators.

Animated Amiga Tribute by Erik Schwartz

We must not forget these people. They deserve a place in the history books.

David Morse, Amiga co-founder. (1943 – 2007)
http://technosoc.blogspot.com/2007/11/david-morse-amiga-co-founder-died.html

Jim Butterfield (1936 – 2007)
http://www.miketodd.net/other/jim/index.htm

Jay Miner (1932 – 1994)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jay_Miner

Fred Fish (1952 – 2007)
http://fish.back2roots.org/

Rest in peace.

Trying out WiFiFoForum in the neighbourhood

Took the car for a little drive around the neighbourhood today, with the iPhone app WiFiFoForum enabled. These are my findings, and I must say I am a bit surprised to see how many wireless networks that exists here – and a bit disappointed to see that a few of them are completely unprotected.

Some screenshots from the app: