Is the Wii a good replacement for traditional workout routines? Well, just having that question without laughing so hard is a sign that Nintendo is successful in making a difference with their gaming console. While most consoles are seen as another way to make bumming around more fun, the Wii seems to be the exception to the rule.

To test it, 28 Canadian students tested the console against more common exercise practices to find out if it could replicate or even exceed other forms of physical workout. Students of the Applications in Exercise Physiology class tested the impact of playing the Wii boxing game for 30 minutes against a 30-minute walk in a local park and an equal amount of time doing a boxercise video.

While the Wii did not pass the test really, it should be noted that the mere fact it was tested suggested that it is not for couch potatoes only. It could be the perfect buddy for those who want to break up a sweat as well.

 

Nintendo, Wii

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Sony has yet to confirm the report but rumors are already flying that the 80 Gigabytes version of the PlayStation 3 would be discontinued as there seems to be a memo in circulation. That means the 40GB version would be the last remaining PlayStation 3 in the market in a few weeks.

It could be recalledt that Sony had earlier discontinued the 20GB and 60GB PS3 models last year, leaving the 40GB and 80GB for consumers. Also, it should be noted that the 80GB was the only one that uses software to playback a limited number of PS2 titles.

 

Sony, PlayStation 3, PS3, PS2

[image from: coolwizardz.com]

The highly acclaimed Devil May Cry game series is so popular that Sony is taking notice of it. In a move to ensure the build-up for the forthcoming fourth installment of the popular game as well as to send word that the PlayStation 3 console is gearing up towards a more fruitful year, Sony will be selling a special edition of the console.

As you may have guessed, the special edition of the console is going to mark the launch of the Devil May Cry 4 game. Set for availability this coming January 31st, the special edition console would even come in two colors: black and white. It comes with bundled software and a related high-definition movie on Blu-ray. It is not yet clear if it is available only in Japan.

The game would be available in Japan first, then other territories would soon follow. The PlayStation 3 console, meanwhile, has been almost playing second fiddle to the more popular in sales Nintendo Wii console.

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Sony, Devil May Cry 4, PlayStation 3, Blu-ray, Nintendo Wii

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It seems like it is the Eighties once more. Nintendo is really back, thanks to great sales figures by their DS and Wii products. It used to be quite hard to find someone who had a Nintendo system, unless you were acquainted with someone who was in a nostalgia trip. Nowadays, though, it is a different story. Nintendo has had a grip of the gaming market and does not seem to be slowing down any time soon.

According to a report by NPD, the Nintendo DS was the top selling system last month. It was able to sell an estimated 1.5 million units. Also, to prove the company’s return to the throne, the Wii was able to sell a sizable 981,000 units even with reports of shortages. That was good enough for second place. Talk about a potent 1-2 punch, folks.

Coming in third was the Xbox 360 with 770,000 units sold. Sony also had a good showing as different versions of the PlayStation were able to sell numerous units as well.

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Nintendo, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation, Sony

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For kids who grew up loving those Nintendo games that requires you to shoot, they undoubtedly fondly remember the Zapper. It is a ray gun that allows to shoot in the screen. With the company having a successful console in the Wii, it sure is a great time to bring back the Zapper.

Huge difference is, of course, the Zapper is no longer a light gun. Rather, it is a shell shaped like a gun and it houses the Wii remote. This plastic shell is curved and colored white to have that simple gaming feel. The Wii remote slides into an indentation in the top of the Zapper and locks in place securely. The nunchuk attachment slides into a smaller notch on the back of the Zapper and stays there with assistance from two small plastic pegs.

However, it does not come with a Wiimote or the nunchuck. Thing is, this is one special accessory that Wii users would really find useful.

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Nintendo, Wii, Zapper

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Now, the past month seemed to go to a different direction. It seems PS3 has come out of nowhere to outsell the Wii for the month of November. According to a game magazine called Enterbrain, the PS3 has outsold the Wii for the first time in the Land of the Rising Sun. The PlayStation 3 sold 183,217 systems in Japan. On the other hand, there were 159,193 Wii consoles sold.

This could be the turning point in the battle between the two consoles. Or this could just be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the PS3. Either way, it sure would be a hotly-contested bout in the holiday season.

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Sony, Nintendo, PS3, PlayStation 3, Wii, Enterbrain

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With most of the attention focused on next-generation consoles, it seems that old consoles are really buried in some basement. The Christmas season is fast approaching and you can be sure that kids and adults alike would queue the stores for the latest in gaming consoles. After all, there is a kid in all of us.

However, do not be surprised if one of the older versions of gaming consoles, the PlayStation 2 will have a retro moment and sell a few units in the upcoming holidays. Why so? Well, Sony Computer Entertainment America has announced they are going to introduce a new PlayStation 2 model this season, in line with the system’s seventh anniversary.

The new PS2 will be released early this month and it will come in “Ceramic White,” which contrasts from past black PlayStation 2 models, and will be bundled with SingStar Pop, a karaoke-style music game, along with two USB microphones. The system also has DVD and CD playback, digital surround sound, two memory card slots and Ethernet networking.

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Sony Computer Entertainment America, PlayStation 2

[image from: gadgetell.com]

A lot has been said about Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and its equally hailed and villified PlayStation 3. The competition has gotten tighter and Sony knows it. Consumers surely noticed it as the PlayStation has gotten plenty of heat, with some preferring Nintendo’s Wii or even the XBox 360. Some have questioned if this is the beginning of the end for not only the PS3 but the whole series as well.

Maybe not. After all, Sony is launching a different PS3, something that a lot of people who have a fixed budget have been waiting for. It has a new cut-down model and is seen by many as a way to boost sales of its console. It is set to go on sale on the 11th of November at Sony. The company has already announced that it is a 40GB version of the PS3 and the number of USB ports have been limited to two. Also, it does not have the ability to play PlayStation 2 games as well.

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Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., PlayStation 3, USB, Nintendo, Wii, XBox 360

[image from: gamepro.com]

This is one news I cannot resist elaborating upon. It is just so funny to begin with. Then you would realize it should not have happened in the first place. See, some games are just a bit stupid to begin with. Why people continue to patronize them is beyond my comprehension. What’s more, why they were even conceived beyond being in a drinking binge is far from my intellectual level.

The news I am talking about is about a Japanese game maker’s decision to recall arm wrestling machines from arcades. Altus is removing 150 Arm Spirit machines after – get this- three players broke their arms while wrestling with it. Or trying to wrestle with it for that matter. What the company later on clarified was the removal was for precautionary measures only. Is it just me or the prefix “pre” denotes before something happens? Well, something already happened didn’t it? Just the same, the company said it was checking the machines for malfunctions. Unless of course they designed it to be stronger than a bulding…

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[tags] Altus, Arm Spirit [tags]

Not much would change apparently, just the storage capacity. Remember the first time the PS3 was released? It came in two versions: the less-successful 20GB and the more practical 60GB edition. Come June of this year, which is just a few days away, the market would be flooded with supplies of an 80GB PlayStation 3.

Well, that is if you are currently residing in South Korea. That is due to the fact that SCEI decided to release it first in that part of the world. The reason behind that is they are aiming to sell the console as more than just a gaming equipment. It is targeting those who would want to avail of something that is entertainment beyond gaming. And South Koreans are known for needing a bigger broadband network than perhaps any country.

Fret not though, the 80GB PlayStation 3 would probably be available near you real soon.

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Sony Computer Entertainment, PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360

[image from: digitaltechnews]

[source: computerworld.com]