Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Microsoft Xbox: The New Generation of Game Systems

Entertainment is an integral part of our lives. In fact, there are various forms of entertainment that existed during the pre-colonial era, such as watching opera and musical theater plays. Betting is also an active recreation during the colonial times. It is designed to provide pleasure to individuals of varying age groups and areas of interest.

However, with the rapid development of technology nowadays, entertainment is not just about watching operas and musical plays. Entertainment in the 21st century is now dependent on the development of technology, animated and digital films, television programs, and video game consoles.

video game console means entertainment for the younger members of our society. Because of the animated game characters and graphics similar to real-life characters, video game consoles became one of the hottest items in the electronic market. Since its existence in 1972 (when Magnavox released its 1st home video game console, which is the Magnavox Odyssey) until the continuous release of its new generation game systems, video game consoles are now what we call the 'entertainment of the 21st century and beyond'.

Because of the popularity of these video game consoles to the gaming public, particularly to the young generation, different technology firms released different game consoles that cater to the needs of the gaming public. It paved the way to the birth of the sixth generation of video game consoles, which the Xbox belongs to.

Xbox's producer, which is no other than the Bill Gates' Microsoft Corporation, said that Xbox game console takes you away beyond the ordinary entertainment. It redefines the way you play the game of your choice. Aside from games, you have access to music and movies through this high-technology game console system. Thus, it lets you share good times with your friends and even lets you compete with other gamers around the world.

Xbox was Microsoft's first independent business enterprise in the video game console industry, after the development of the tools for MSX (the standardized home computer architecture of Microsoft in the 1980s) and the operating system for Windows. It was launched on different dates: November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Europe.

The development of Xbox was initially facilitated by a small team formed by Microsoft, which included the famous high energy physicist and game developer Seamus Blackley. The rumors of the release of a Microsoft-developed video game console first spread at the end of 1999 following interviews of Microsoft big boss Bill Gates, saying that the company is developing a gaming and at the same time a multimedia device that is essential in the convergence of digital entertainment era. And the company confirmed such rumors through a press release on the 'Xbox project' on March 10, 2000.

As previously mentioned, the first launch of Xbox was in North America on November 15, 2001. On its first launch, most of Xbox's launch titles became one of the best-selling games at the end of 2001. Some of the successful launch titles of Xbox were the Halo: Combat Evolved and its sequel, Halo 2 (which became the most played game in the Xbox Live), NFL Fever 2002, Dead or Alive 3, and Project Gotham Racing.

Xbox's design was based on the fact that there must be a game system that will take advantage of the slowdown of saturated PC gaming market and at the same time integrate a built-in Ethernet adapter. It was the first video game console to integrate a hard disk drive into its system, which is used mainly to store game data compressed in a ZIP archive and content download from Xbox Live. Thus, it eliminated the need for a separate memory card, which is popularized by Sony's Playstation. Most of the Xbox games make use of the console's hard drive as the disk cache for quicker game loading time. There are also games that support 'Custom soundtracks', which allows the user to rip music from standard audio CDs and add it to the soundtrack of the game.

With the Xbox as one of the modern video game consoles ever produced, it provides unusual entertainment for gamers; especially those who are looking for a gaming experience that will make them crave for it.

Yes, Microsoft's Xbox did itóone of the game systems that you will love once you get your hand on it.

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Helpful Reviews on the Xbox Game System

The Microsoft Company has just created and released their new game console, which is the Xbox 360. This video game system provides a different entertainment experience to its users. It combines information, innovation, information and entertainment. They introduced the new and innovative video game system in North America, Japan, and Europe in 2006.

The new game console of the Microsoft Company altered the sound and appearance of the games. It is because the designers in Japan and San Francisco are surrounded by console technology that are very powerful offering a more sophisticated and stylish exterior. The game worlds becomes more realistically alive with its wonderful details as well as the animated characters showing a wider range of emotions adding to the unique video gaming experience of the user. There are various features provided by the Xbox 360. It includes the 16:9, 1080i and 720p resolution, quality movie graphics, enclosed multi-channel sound, and smoother, wider format of the screen.

Fabulous games are offered in arrays by the Xbox 360 game console. The users have an option to access a compelled game-play, choose their opponents, and watch and enjoy videos, photographs, digital music, and other features that was never been experienced before. It illustrates the new gaming system that was created in today's generation. The Xbox 360 games allow the user to experience and stream high-definition movies and television direct from the Windows Media Center Edition of their computer to their Xbox 360 game systems.

The users can personalize their gaming experiences as well as their systems. Take for instance; they can alter the appearance of their consoles by using interchangeable faces that are available in the market place. By turning on the system, the users can download the skins of the chosen character and additional levels through the live Xbox marketplace. There are different faces and skin to choose from that will fit their mood or personality.

The button on the Xbox Guide can allow the users to access Gamer Guide instantly. It is their instant gateway which immediately connects them to movies, music, games, friends, and other contents that are downloadable. The Light Button Ring as well as the Guide Button also connects the users to Xbox live and digital media. This was considered to be the first global, unified, online game system service. The Guide button can also turn on or turn off the system without exiting.

If the users have broadband connections, then they can access the Live Silver of the Xbox letting them to construct gamer cards, gamer tags, and profiles. They can also talk to other gamers through voice chat, or have a free access of the Live Marketplace. The multiplayer gaming online can be available by upgrading to the Live Gold membership of Xbox.

There are a lot of posted reviews about the Xbox 360 done by experienced gamers. This is helpful if you are planning to purchase one for yourself.

- The physical weight of the Xbox 360 machine will be the first one that will catch your attention. Its designs are small but it weighs like a concrete block. Xbox 360 configuration and desktop systems shows immediate features. It implies that there are more great things that this machine will offer.

- Xbox 360 is considered as a simplified computer without messing on upgrades and patches. You can easily logon to Xbox 360 live and be informed about the things you need to upgrade. It provides easy navigation wherein you can jump in and out of the games easily.

- Loading times are really very impressive. The ace in the Microsoft's deck is the Xbox live. It is free to use. However, upgrading to the Xbox gold compels a gamer to play online games as well to get a hold of some downloads. In addition, all game has its particular online modes giving different gaming experiences to the users.

- It provides points and ratings with your achievements. These ratings can be improved by friends, visits, helps, messages, and others. They are after the involvement of the users in playing games to get such rewards. It is a great idea to create a game system which is not only after the money paid by the users or a mere product of modern obsession but also after the advantages offered to its users.

Xbox 360 is really a great system for home entertainment with a lot of things to offer to its users. So, why not try the excellent Xbox 360 and its new features.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games

Xbox: The Perfect Game Video and Home Theater Component for Different Tastes and Preferences

Several video game systems are available to all ages but if you were looking for a game system that also can be used for home theater entertainment, the right choice would be the Xbox game console. The Xbox game system is perfect for parents and many people with preference for both a video game and home theater system. The Xbox game system has features that many people will want to purchase. The Xbox is the future generation game play console that provides movie playing capabilities as well as virtual game play. Because of the advance technology we have, it has been made possible to have one video system also used as a home theater. Not only is it a game system but also provides a wonderful home theater system. It has widescreen video capability that has HDTV resolutions with Dolby Digital and DTS sound to allow high quality support making it a perfect home theater system component.

An advance video game system for future generation invented by Microsoft is the Xbox. The Xbox is designed with a powerful and sleek look, black color with an X inscribed on the console and a green Xbox logo resembling a jewel-like appearance. The Xbox overrides all other games making game play more realistic and powerful for all users.

In such, game artists have taken advantage of the new technology combined with appalling ideas to this game system by creating games never seen before. Games for Xbox have been created between fantasy and reality that most people will definitely enjoy. As a game system, Xbox has many PC components for a more powerful play. PC components like an Intel processor, NVidia graphic chips, internal hard drive and many more are used in Xbox game system, yet this components are unable to be run on Windows because these components was specifically built for the Xbox itself. These special features in the Xbox game system allow DVD's to be played; as a result it is a great add-on to a home theater system. Also, as a game system, there are four controller sockets in front of the box for connection, and it has an Ethernet socket for multiplayer games that allows other gamers to take part in the game. These features are specifically designed to enhance the performance and powerful game play of the Xbox.

The Xbox system includes controllers with a 9 ft cable, standard AV cable, and AC power cord. Also, a DVD loading tray, multisignal audio-video connector for easy connection to televisions and other home theater systems are all included in the Xbox game system. As said, not only is the Xbox a game system but also a home theater component because an Xbox is suitable for a home theater system due to features like component video output, digital sound, widescreen support, and DVD playback that makes the Xbox suitable as a home theater component. The Xbox is indeed a wonderful gaming arena because of the ultimate high-speed performance it has while at use. As a matter of fact, other accessories for the Xbox can be purchase separately for upgrade and better performance. To name a few are DVD Movie Playback Kit, Memory Unit, High Definition Av Pack, Controller, Advanced AV Pack, Standard Av Cable, and many more that are available to the Xbox game system.

Having an Xbox can change the way you play your games. The Xbox lets you take part in the games the experience and enjoy the ultimate audio-video performance of this game system. Available games that gamers will love to use in the Xbox to experience the audio-visual superiority are the NFL Fever 2002 or American Football, Dead or Alive 3, Project Gotham Racing, F1 2001, and Halo, all have wonderful graphics and will definitely entertain you while enjoying full realistic and graphical designs from these featured games mentioned.

For those concerned in their children's choice of games or movie playing, the Xbox comes with special feature most parents would definitely love. To keep track and limit their children's' viewing content of games or movies, the Xbox is the only game system with a built-in parental control for parental use to control their children from viewing adult or threatening contents. Not only is it the best choice for parents but because of the wonderful DTS home theater system with Dolby Digital and high HDTV resolution, the Xbox will surely change the way a game system was once deemed.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games

Recommended Video Game System Best for Kids

There are many choices in the games that kids can play. Some are educational, fun and extra entertaining for many kids to enjoy. Because of our new innovative technology and progress, even changes in the way children games have also transformed to a more realistic and virtual game playing with contents unacceptable for many kids to view.

Before, video games were invented for educational and entertainment purposes that kids have enjoyed playing even today. Most likely, parents did not have to worry about what their kids are playing because game content was safe and fairly protected from harmful contents. Like the Atari video game system, offering wholesome games such as Pac-Man or Space Invaders, kids are open to have a fun and be entertained without any explicit content and away from corruption that could influence the children's behavior. Unfortunately, changes in technology have altered the way video games are today. Games of today are more realistic and are in stilled with adult content that many game manufacturers have included in their games. Therefore, parents are now concerned on the typical game system that they want their kids to have. In fact, many parents are opting to find the best video game system that is best for their kids but away from adult contents and other threatening factors that could influence the kids.

Unlike before, Atari game system was the best video games made available to kids. Now, video game system has increased due to so many selections available to consumers especially to parents. Large selections of different types of game system such as Sony PlayStation 2, Nintendo's GameCube, and Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360 video games from Microsoft are some of the selections that parents consider purchasing for their kids.

The best selling game console in the market is the Sony PlayStation 2 (or often referred to as PS2), it caters to all ages while providing about 600 different types of games. These games have been rated for every age bracket to enjoy and specifically for preference of age limitation allowed for each game and level usage. For example, games rated with E are allowed for ages from six and up. Other games at this rating, however, are complicated for younger children to play therefore, rating with E10+ are advisable for children above ten years old to play. Likewise, other games for younger children below 10 are rated with EC or in other words, Early Childhood.

A popular video game system that children basically love is the Nintendo GameCube console. This game system has about 263 games that are based on children's favorite titles like the Sega's Sonic GEMS Collections, Mario Party 6 and Mario Tennis from Nintendo, and other game titles particularly for GameCube console that are also rated E.

Another video game system rated E is the Xbox and Xbox 360 video game with a built-in parental control. The Xbox has about 270 available games while the Xbox 360 has about 12 games and increasing with other popular releases. Although, some of these games may not only be available on the Xbox but as well, be available to GameCube and PS2 or all three video game systems mentioned. In such, the Xbox games with E rating like Astropop and Feeding Frenzy can have crossover titles that many publishers have also released and made possible to other video game system. For instance, rated E games like Eidos InteractiveLEGO Star Wars are available to GameCube, PS2 and even Xbox whereas other rated E10+ are also available to other game systems, while other games like the rated EC Global Star Software's Dora the Explorer are solely for Xbox and PS2 only.

Choosing the best video game system for the kids is important especially if parents are very concerned in their kid's preference in video game playing. The above mentioned video game system can help parents understand the kinds of video game system available to kids while assisting parents in finding the best video game system to give to them. Parents should keep in mind that video game systems for their kids should have parental control options on the game system to lock functions or set limits to the kind of games or titles allowed for playing or viewing. From the above mentioned video game systems, the most advisable for parents to purchase is the Xbox and Xbox 360 because it comes with a built-in parental control.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games

Evolution Will Define What the Best Video Game System Is

One of the more popular innovations that were created during the 70's era is video games. From then on, it became one of the significant forces in the society, being the most renowned leisure pursuit. Some people could still remember the good old days when they played their Colevision, Intellivision, and Atari. Of course, you can be one of those that was been hooked on playing Nintendo and Sega games. Today, some internet websites are even allowing the users for free game downloads.

Some would be asking the question, what is the best video game system? Well, it will depend on your preference. Since one person is different from the other, it is possible that what you like will not suit what others prefer or vice versa. However, it is helpful if you try to study its evolution.

In the late years of the 1970's and the early 1980's, video games are relying more on the graphic movements. However it is considered as either less or more of a solitary pursuit. Moreover, the rise of the internet as well as online games, led to a lot of changes. It includes the ability of downloading games, playing games online, and making video games as a social activity. It is true because you can meet lots of players and opponents all over the world. This is the biggest change and rated as the latest game benefits.

During the early days, video games were called as innovators. Many people assume that Pong started the history. But the truth is that it was the Odyssey system of Magnavox developed in 1972. It was equipped with 12 simple games having graphic overlays offering a lot of rooms for improvements. This leads to the development of Pong.

Pong was created by Nolan Bushnell together with the Atari founder, Al Alcorn. It was rumored that the prototype broke down when it was tested in a certain bar at California after two days of operation. So what they did was to create its home version. After one year, Pong was released by Atari having a complete built in speaker and paddles. It became a big success because it represented the new stage in the gaming evolutions. There are almost 60 knock-offs of Pong that was been produced however Atari dominated the market.

The entire video game industry adopted microprocessors on their designs. In this implementation, systems that are more complicated are developed. The new systems are able to produce innovative and groundbreaking auditory and graphical effects that were never seen before. Many consumers have tried these innovations setting the video games industry on fire. It was revealed that in 1981, over 5 billion dollars was solely spent on arcade machines and home game systems. There was even a market crash experienced by most video games systems in 1982, however the VCS/2600 system of Atari remained as a dominant player.

There are various games that were rated as great games. Do you still recall Pac Man? It was the yellow blob who were eating the dots but avoiding the ghosts which looks like a squid. It became a global sensation considering it as the all time biggest game in the world.

Then there came the Space Invaders which is also an incredibly popular game. It marks the turning point of arcade games found in populated places such as bars, restaurants, and shops. This became the most renowned all time arcade game focusing on stopping an alien invasion.

Super Mario will never be forgotten as well. It has characters which everyone can relate unto. Thereafter, Metroid, Zelda, and other video game classics were created. Nevertheless, the popularity of Atari became a past glory relic due to a bad decision. They never included the disk drives in their systems.

Everything has been changed in 1984 because of two innovations. The cost of DRAM or Dynamic Ram was greatly reduced allowing more memory, and higher power processors ranging to 8-bits was been produced. It was the new player that entered the console market, Sega.

Another key player was Nintendo produced in Japan. It was the marketing prowess of the Nintendo Company, spending millions on their advertisements hitting more consumers, that allowed it to rise as a market leader then. Today the development of Xbox, PlayStation 2, and Gamecube console game systems continue to dominate the market industry.

The evolution in the video game systems will truly help you define the best video game system there is in the market.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games

Web-Based Game System using the Java Programming Language: The Reality beyond the Technology

here are hundreds of web-based game systems available on the Internet. Flash versions of classic arcade and popular role-playing games are now plying the game screens of your personal computer display. And mind you, these web-based game systems are created and developed by individuals who have devoted some of their time in studying different programming languages to come up with new and better versions of existing web-based game systems.

One of the popular programming languages used in creating and developing web-based game systems is the Java programming language. In fact, it is preferred by most online game developers than the Shockwave and C++ programming languages.

Java is an object-oriented programming language designed by James Gosling together with his colleagues at the Sun Microsystems (a computer-vending company that is famous in developing innovative technologies) in the early 1990s. One of Java's distinctions on other programming languages is that it is generally designed to be compiled to the conventional machine code or to be interpreted from a so-called source code (series of statements that are written in the form of human-readable computer-based programming language) at runtime. Java is compiled through a byte code and later run by a Java virtual machine.

As previously mentioned, most online game developers prefer Java programming language than Shockwave (preferably due to some of its obsolete features) and C++. You will notice that Java is somewhat related to C++ (Java's syntax is derived from the C and C++ programming languages) yet it has a simpler object model. In contrast, C++ was considered to have certain complexities and when used bears more errors that cannot be fixed immediately.

Aside from the aforementioned disadvantages of C++ as the main programming language for a web-based game system, it also lacks the capability of programming distribution. James Gosling and his Sun colleagues want to develop a system that could be used on different platforms, that is from personal computer systems to hand-held digital devices.

Java became operational on web-based applications in 1994. Gosling felt that the Internet would become interactive soon, thus it is the environment that will work perfectly for their programming language.

And they have proven it right. Java is one of the popular and well-used platforms not just on web-based game systems but on other Internet-based applications as well.

Suddenly, many online game developers realized the potential of Java programming language with regards to the creation of web-based game systems. Although Shockwave replaced Java as the well-known platform for web-based game systems, Java is still the popular choice among web-based game developers. Java's popularity increased with the Netscape's decision of using the programming language with their net browsers.

Yahoo has been credited in terms of producing Java-enabled web-based games. In fact, they have allotted a portion of their website (which is the Yahoo Games) where the players can play Java-enabled games by themselves or with an online opponent. Most of Yahoo-produced games are Java applets, and some can be downloaded direct to your computer. There are reviews about Yahoo games where gamers can post their experiences and thoughts about Java-enabled games. Thus, Yahoo became one of the eminent promoters of web-based game systems that are produced using Java programming language. You name it; Yahoo got it, from sports to card games.

Despite of the popularity of Java as the main programming language for web-based game systems, there are still criticisms that arose. One is that Shockwave possess a 3D engine which is considered to be more powerful than the Java's two-dimensional engine. Others have complains with regards to the 'semi object-oriented programming language'. There are also game developers who found out that Java-enabled game system run slower on programs written using other programming languages.

Although there are complaints revealed concerning the use of Java, it is still the most popular programming language used for the creation and development of web-based game systems. Various innovations integrated with this programming language allow game developers to produce web-based games that are higher in quality and in graphical detail. Thus, with the sufficient knowledge and expertise in Java programming language, you will be able to arrive with a high quality web-based game system.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games

Play Web-Based Games by Using the Java Programming Language

Today, online based games are ever so popular. Some websites use it to let people interact with their websites and make it more fun while others use it for pure gaming.

Online games basically work on Java programming language and are also one of the most popular programs to create such online games and websites. Java is basically related to C++. However, the Java programming language is much simpler than the complex C++ language.

Java is also one of the widely used programming languages to develop websites. This is because the developers think that the internet is now becoming interactive and the Java program is the perfect way for people to interact in the internet. And, it turns out that the Java developers were right. People are now using Java programming everyday through the internet.

Free online games are very popular today, so, online games developers have developed a new way to create their games. Java programming language proved to be very promising when it comes to developing online games. This is also a great way to sell games over the internet. By using the Java programming language, people can now play a part of the particular game and consider purchasing it if they like it.

With the Java technology, many people can now have access to free online games.

First of all, Java became very popular when a particular internet browser supported Java to be included in their browsers. Most people use Java through applets which are supported by most browsers today.

Creating a game by using a Java programming language may require you to have at least a bit of knowledge about the Java programming language. You can attend programming schools and take a Java programming language course in order for you to know how to create Java programs.

You should consider that creating a Java online game will require some time before you master it. Today, you can see different games developed in the Java programming language. So, if you are considering putting a Java game in your website, you should consider hiring a Java programmer to do the job for you. A Java game in your website will create web traffic to your website. And, because Java games are fun to play with, you can really make sure that people will always come back to visit your website and eventually buy some of your games.

There is a lot of Java games website in the internet today and more Java games are being released everyday. Java games are simple and fun to play with and it is also a great way to relax after surfing the internet or working for hours in front of your computer.

There are different Java games available. You can choose from action games, puzzle games, card games, and other genres that appeals to you. There are also multiplayer Java games that you can play with people all over the world who is currently online.

There are also gambling websites that makes use of Java programming language to develop their online gambling websites. From pokers to roulettes you will see that most of these gambling website will require you to have the latest Java software installed in your computer to let you be able to access their website or play and bet in their games.

Java multiplayer games are great for socializing and chatting with other people from different parts of the world. If you want to play Java games, all you have to do is go to your favorite search engine and type in the keywords that you are looking for in a free online Java games.

It is a fact that games are made to be fun and enjoyable. However, you should also consider the fact that some Java games available in the internet can be violent or offensive to some people. This is why you should consider taking a closer look at the review first before playing. By doing this you can be sure that you will be enjoying your gaming experience through Java games.

So, if you are looking for a way to pass the time or you need a break from your work, and there is no games installed in your computer, you can always access the internet and play Java games online.

Get paid to test video games. Game testers earn up to $30/hour playing video games