DCEmu Reviews brings EXCLUSIVE video of XCM XFPS Storm Light Gun for PC

Posted By: bandit

DCEmu Reviews brings you another EXCLUSIVE video. Similar to the XCM XFPS Fire for the PlayStation 3, this time it is the XCM XFPS Storm Light Gun for the PC.

Don't forget to follow us at YouTube | Facebook | Facebook Fan Page | Twitter | Digg to get the latest and exclusive information!

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Roaring Lucky Lunar New Year Sale starting now! 5000 discounts & chance to win prizes

Posted By: bandit

Roaring Lucky Lunar New Year Sale starting now! Nearly 5000 discounts and the chance to win cool prizes!

Kung Hei Fat Choi! It's Lunar New Year again! Some of you may be wondering what this Lunar or Chinese New Year is about: The Traditional Chinese Calendar is based on Moon cycles and starts a few weeks after the western New Year. This festival is the most important, and joyoys time in Chinese societies. People buy new clothes, sweep their house and children get red pockets.

Every lunar year is represented by an animal. Last year, it was the ox that represents hard work, and this year is the year of the tiger, promising adventures and dynamic. These big cats are natural leaders, we certainly hope that they'll lead everybody to a happy and prosperous year.

To welcome the Tiger, Play-Asia.com will start into the New year with the Roaring Lucky Lunar New Year Sale, with thousands of brilliant bargains and a chance to win awesome prizes.

Look for the goodies left on your Christmas wish list, there's a good chance that they're now available at a lower price. We have carefully reviewed our inventory and the result is a total of around 5,000 in-stock items, we have around 2000 games, 200 console accessories, 400 toys, 200 books, 800 music CDs and around 1000 movies.

But this is not all! Like we've done with our sales in the past, you will again have the chance to win fantastic prizes such as consoles, games and store credits. So what are you waiting for?

And this is how it works:

Now Tiger will guide you to where the Sales and the Lucky Draw are. The cheerful big cat will stop by the bargained products between February 2nd and February 11th, snap up the goodies and there you go, entered into the Lucky Draw. The more you buy, the more you save and the higher your chances of winning our prizes.

The winners of the 30 main prizes will be announced in this news post during the last week of February 2010 and will also be notified by e-mail.

Yet, be aware. Some products are restocked regularly, so the tiger comes back time and time again, yet for limited versions, such as toys and music, once the tiger leaves (out of stock) he never returns. Set your priorities and plan your shopping strategies.

Prizes:

• 1st Prize: A: PlayStation3 Slim- Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Bundle (250GB Model Asia version)
• 2nd Prize: Nintendo Wii™ Console [Black or White] (Japanese Version) + 2 Wii™ Games of your choice*
• 3rd Prize: A: Nintendo DSi™ LL Console + 2 NDS™ Games of your choice*
  OR
  B: Sony PSP™ Slim & Lite Console + 2 PSP™ Games of your choice*
• 4th Prize: GP2X Wiz Game System + Leather Case
• 5-10th Prize: A store credit voucher worth US$ 50 each, redeemable for any purchase at Play-Asia.com
• 11-30th Prize: A store credit voucher worth US$ 20 each, redeemable for any purchase at Play-Asia.com

(*) The "game of your choice" is only valid for any game priced up to a maximum of US$ 70 per title. Winning choices may be limited to countries where shipping restrictions apply. Prizes cannot be redeemed as cash.

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Review: 3600mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack

Posted By: bandit

3600mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack
Manufacturer: N/A
Site: Buy from BudgetGadgets
Price: $7.48 (use coupon code TM5OFF8 and get 5% off site wide)

Overview : Why spend more money on regular alkaline batteries that harm the environment when you can get a rechargeable battery pack for a fraction of the cost?

Features:

• Compatible with Xbox 360 wireless controller
• Extend your playing time
• Use USB port to charge using USB charging cable
• LED light indicator will light up when charging
• Rechargeable Cable: USB to DC 2.35* 0.7 DC cable with direct plug
• Battery Pack: output voltage = DC 2.4v
• Capacity: 3600mAh

Quality/Usability : Having used regular alkaline AA batteries for a while and going through them like no tomorrow, it was time to invest in a rechargeable battery pack for the Xbox 360 wireless controller. Not to mention to help the environment. This 3600mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack was from BudgetGadgets and came with no packaging. You may or may not receive packaging with any item you purchase from them. Even if you wanted packaging, you would have to pay an additional cost. I'll get into this more in the Conclusion at the bottom.

The battery pack will not match the color of your white Xbox 360 controller. The battery back has a little off-white or a bit of beige color to it. Fitment of the battery pack on the controller is a perfect fit.

The 3600mAh Battery Pack comes only with a USB cable. No instructions or anything. You can plug the USB cable into the USB port of your computer, monitor or Xbox 360 to charge the battery pack. When plugged in, a green LED on the battery pack will light up to show that its charging. I charged this for 5 hours and the green light was on. I decided to let it charge to see if it will turn off. Another 5 hours and the light was still on. I didnt want to charge any further and possibly damaging the battery so I decided to stop charging. I charged two ways...first being the battery pack connected to the controller and once the inital charge depleted, I disconnected the battery from the controller. I wanted to see if the battery would charge. The LED light lit up and after 5 hours, light was still on. I waited another 2 hours this time instead of 5 and light was still on, so I unplugged it and put the battery pack back onto the controller.

I was able to get a good 7 days (1 week) of moderate to heavy play. In total, I would say I got about 22 hours of gameplay total before the battery needed to be recharged.

Conclusion : Overall, the 3600mAh Rechargeable Battery Pack for the Xbox 360 works as it should but the lack of notification that the battery is fully charged is a big downfall. I dont know if it takes 3 hours, 5 hours or 15 hours to fully charge. The color of the battery pack isnt a big deal but its worth mentioning for those potential buyers and it wouldnt be a surprise.

Now, back to BudgetGadgets packaging issue. Under their FAQ, this is what is stated about packaging:

For some of the products we offer the 'Package' option. By default, the package is not selected so that we can save shipping cost thus we can offer lower price to our dear customers like you. If you choose the 'No Package' option, we will NOT ship the package to you.

And, to avoid potential quality issue, we always test each item when we get them from suppliers, and then we test them again before we ship them, thus sometimes we need to open the packages. And some items come without the package when we get them from supplier, so sometimes you will also get the item without the package, but all items we sell are in BRAND NEW condition, please don't worry about that.

For those items that gives you the 'Package' option, I dont know if its worth it or not to pay extra when it should be included. Than again, its going to get thrown away when you receive it and bust open the package but I would like the satisfaction that it was from a sealed package and I'm the one that opened it. I can see how BudgetGadgets is offering free shipping by cutting back on including packaging. However, other online stores include the packaging and also offer free shipping.

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Review: NEO N64 Myth Flash Cart SPEC v2

Posted By: bandit

NEO N64 Myth Flash Cart SPEC v2
Manufacturer: NeoFlash
Site: Buy from IC2005
Price: $199.00
reviewed by wraggster

Overview : The Neo N64 Myth is a flash cart for your Nintendo 64 that lets you transfer games from your PC to a cart via USB. This features support for ROMs up to 512MB, all save types (it will even let you back up the saves on your PC), up to two games at the same time, and more.

Features:

• Support the N64 ROM size up to 512M
• Support all save type perfectly included the flash save, not need the same save type N64 game cart to work together
• Support 100% N64 games perfectly
• Download games from PC to NEO2 cart directly via USB port
• Upload/overwrite game save to PC via USB directly
• Multi-CIC support, can use any N64 cart to boot Neo Myth on N64 console
• Support Multi games, can download 2 games at the same time and swap the game via switch
• Can select the N64 menu run from Neo2 game cart or N64 inner menu flash (under developing still)
• Upgradeable! Support upgrade the N64 Myth cart CPLD logic core through the NDP upgrade kit

A Little about the reviewer

Ive been an emulation and homebrew fan for as many years as i can remember (since around 1996 i think) but nothing i repeat nothing is better than playing on the real hardware.

Back in the Megadrive (Genesis) and SNES days i owned a Super Wild Card and a Super Double Pro fighter, both cost about 300 pounds and ill admit that it was a great way to play games that i would never have been able to afford or because of stupid region lockouts.

So the day when Neoflash announced they were working on a Flash Cart for the Nintendo 64 called NEO Myth 64, i wanted one so badly, the chance to relive the best of the N64 and to play games I've never played was too much of a thrill to behold.

Now i must point out that being a webmaster of a homebrew site makes me no expert, I'm just as clueless as most newcomers, i like websites and i like posting news, i like to know that if i need a certain release i should be able to find it on my sites (hopefully :P).

Packaging: First off here's some screens of the N64 Flash Cart in and out its Packaging:

Front Side View in Packaging



Back Side view in Packaging



The NEO N64 Myth cart



Neo 2 Flash Cart - Which Holds SD Cards up to 8GB



The Neo n64 Myth Cart and the Neo 2 Cart split apart



The USB Lead



You also get a Mini CD with a load of Drivers on for all Neo Products.

Getting Started

The N64 Flash Cart did come with a Mini CD of drivers but sadly there was no actual drivers for the N64 Flash Cart, so first off you need to head on over to Neoflash Forum to download the latest version of the software, once you've downloaded it (15MB) then click on to install to the directory it wants to, pretty straightforward for anyone.

Clicking on the Neo 2 Ultra Menu Icon (look on your desktop or in new programs) will lead you onto a screen that looks like this:



Now get your Neo Myth N64 Flash Cart and making sure that the cart that says 512M is inserted (or the Neo 2 Card with an SD Card inserted), connect the USB Lead to the Cart and Plug it into your Laptop or PC.

It Should have no problems and automatically find drivers installed when you installed the software above, I had no problems using Windows Vista but with Windows XP Pro SP3 it wouldn't load the drivers properly, i did post a thread at Neoflash and was given instructions on how to fix this. (Try a different USB Lead it may be that)

Adding ROMS, etc.

Ok carrying on from the screenshot above if everything went ok you'll be able to start the juicy part, first off i did a quick format of the card, it took around 30 seconds to do, so no real biggie.

Next on the list was to add ROMS to the Cart (Homebrew ROMS and Emulators can be found at links Below)

Adding Roms is as easy as clicking the add ROM button and going to whereever your roms are, for some strange reason the cart/software at the moment only holds 2 ROMSbut i would think that will change in later versions of the firmware/software.

Once you have added the ROMS you require then click on N64 Burn, depending on how big your ROMS are will depend on how long it takes to copy to the cart, give it a few minutes, it also verifies each burn.

Now one thing to take into consideration is that if you have a USA N64, you will need a USA game plugged into the back of the N64 Myth Cart, If you have a Pal N64 youll need a Pal game plugged in.

I have both a USA and UK (Pal) N64 and thankfully the Power supplies/TV Leads are universal so im able to swap at pleasure.

Here's a pic of the Cart plugged into the N64



Now for Homebrew roms you dont need anything else to boot them but say you want to boot one of the games that requires the Expansion Pack



Games that need the Expansion Pack are the likes of Donkey Kong 64 and Zelda--The Majora's Mask and Perfect Dark, it also ups the resolution on many other games too.

Onto the Gaming

Ok you've burnt your games onto the Flash cart and you have the Flash Cart installed in the N64 with the correct region game in the back, now its time to turn on:







It loads automatically into the game as you can see, if you did burn 2 games there's a little lever on the top of cart that you push over if you want the other ROM to load at the start before you turn the console on.

Games I've Tested So Far

Donkey Kong 64 - Perfect
Star Wars Battle for Naboo - Perfect
Diddy Kong Racing - Perfect
GoldenEye 007 - Perfect
Perfect Dark - Perfect
PilotWings 64 - Perfect
Killer Instinct - Perfect
Star Wars Episode I - Racer - Perfect
Stunt Racer 64 - Perfect
Yoshi's Story - Perfect

Over at Neoflash there's a more complete list of whats working and save issues etc.

Conclusion : Today was one of them times when i was took back to the reasons i truly love the homebrew/Emulation scene. The Flash Cart seems easy to use, The adding of ROMS to the cart is as easy as they come so a big plus factor there, its a shame at this moment in time it only supports 2 ROMS, hopefully that's one thing that will be updated soon.

Having no drivers and documentation on the CD will make it a little hard for newbies but i would think that most people that are going to buy this are the hardcore N64 fans of old.

On the whole the ROMS it plays is great and if you have the expansion pack you can play just about every single N64 Game released and all homebrew and emulators too.

The price for the Flash Cart is $199, so it will put a lot of people off but to retro collectors/major emulation fans it will be very worth it, if you owned one of the back up systems for the N64 this will be much more preferable as theirs no moving parts to break. Yes for that price you can buy a heck of a lot of the games but there's some genuine gems that are very hard to trace these days and the homebrew factor makes it worth it for me.

My advice is to those who are tempted is go for it, the flash cart does what you really want it to and that's play Nintendo 64, a big thumbs up for Neoflash on this retro cart.

I suppose like everything it depends how big a fan you are and what finances you have to spend on gadgets, for me it does what i want it to and its also seen the re-emergence of a Homebrew scene for the N64, we have already seen releases of ScummVM for the N64 and there's also SNES, NES, MSX, Master System/Game gear and Gameboy Emulators for the N64.

Links of Interest
Ic2005.com - Official Sellers of the NEO Myth 64 N64 flash cart and Neoflash Products.
Neoflash Forum for all discussion regarding the flash cart.
N64 Development forum at Neoflash.
N64 Homebrew News and Emulation Site at DCEmu.
Homebrew N64 Games at N64 Scener.
Homebrew N64 Demos at N64 Scener.
Icequake n64 Site

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WORLDS EXCLUSIVE LOOK at XCM's XFPS FIRE Light Gun for PlayStation 3

Posted By: bandit

*THIS IS NOT A FINAL PRODUCT. THIS IS A PROTOTYPE AND IS 70% DONE.

You are looking at the WORLD's FIRST EXCLUSIVE look XCM's XFPS Light Gun called FIRE for the PlayStation 3 brought to you by DCEmu Reviews. This is the worlds first light gun which works for all first person shooter (FPS) games. FIRE is still being tested and is 70% completed. Video may show lag of the product but remember, this is still a prototype and is NOT the final product, so there are still things to be done. We'll have more exclusive videos and pictures when we receive them. So check back here first because no other site will have them! Like always, we'll have a full review of the product when available.

The PS3 version will be available sometime late February 2010 or beginning of March 2010. The Xbox 360 version will be available 1 month later. You can also use the PS3 FIRE with XCM Cross Fire Converter.

So what do you think of it so far? What are you opinions or suggestions? We're hoping to have information as to what color the light guns for both PS3 and Xbox 360 version as well as if it will have turbo/rapid fire buttons.

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PRESS RELEASE: Nintendo announces Netflix support for Wii

Posted By: bandit

REDMOND, Wash., and LOS GATOS, Calif., Jan. 13, 2010 – Nintendo of America Inc. and Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced an agreement that will allow Netflix members who are also owners of Nintendo's Wii™ home console to instantly watch thousands of movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix directly to their TVs. Netflix is scheduled to go live on the Wii console this spring in the United States at no additional cost to Netflix members who have a plan starting at $8.99 a month, a Wii console and a broadband Internet connection.

The partnership between the two companies will extend the reach of content streamed from Netflix farther than ever before, thanks to the mainstream popularity of the Wii console. Wii remains the fastest-selling home console in history, and reaches more consumers than any other device that currently supports streaming movies from Netflix. In December 2009, Nintendo sold well in excess of 3 million Wii consoles in the United States. Wii is the top-selling home video game system of this generation, and as such brings the Netflix experience to a broad and diverse mass market.

"Our research shows that 86 percent of all U.S. Wii consoles are located in the living room," said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. "The Wii console is the social hub around which friends and family members gather to play games and have fun. Soon both new and longtime Wii owners will enjoy the benefits of Netflix – and a variety of informational and entertainment options – by being Netflix members and connecting their consoles to the Internet."

"Our goal is to offer Netflix members as many ways as possible to watch movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix right to their TVs and to give non-members more and compelling reasons to consider the service," said Netflix co-founder and CEO Reed Hastings. "Joining forces with Nintendo, which has been so immensely popular with consumers since its introduction, is a very meaningful step in that direction."

With 11.1 million U.S. subscribers as of Sept. 30, 2009, Netflix continues to expand the ways in which its members can watch movies and TV shows streamed directly to TVs via a range of Netflix-ready devices such as the Wii console. Netflix memberships start as low as $8.99 a month, and members also can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. At the same time, consumers continue to demonstrate a preference for Wii consoles, which offer tremendous value, whether measured in fun games, shared experiences or the suggested retail price of just $199.99.

To enable their systems to stream content from Netflix, Wii owners will need a Netflix instant-streaming disc for the Wii console, which will be available at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers. The free disc looks and operates the same as a disc-based Wii game, and the entire user experience will feel natural and intuitive to Wii console owners. Netflix members and Wii console owners can now reserve a free instant-streaming disc by going to www.netflix.com/Wii. Once available in the spring, the discs will be delivered for free by first-class mail.

When the instant-streaming disc is inserted into a member's Wii system, an array of movie and TV choices will be displayed right on their TV screen. These titles will be conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members' personal preferences and will include popular genres, new arrivals and members' individual instant Queues. Using the Wii Remote™ controller, members will be able to choose a movie or TV episode to watch from their instant Queues or pick one directly from any of the lists. They will also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies, and will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding their selection.

Netflix adds another dimension to the Wii console's diverse online features, which range from downloadable new and classic games in the Wii Shop Channel, to online multiplayer gaming with games like Mario Kart™ Wii, to video highlights and information about titles for the Wii and Nintendo DS™ systems via the Nintendo Channel™.

Source: Press Release

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HELP those in Haiti. Donations for American Red Cross

Posted By: bandit

*UPDATE* - 1/29/2010
You try and do something good and a company ruins it. Due to unforseen circumstances, PayPal has put a limit on my account because I am accepting donations to send the Red Cross. In order for this limitation to be removed, I must provide documentation with proof and other required information. I have contacted American Red Cross and awaiting paperwork. In the mean time, I have ended receiving donations and refunded all donations even though I submitted a donation of $41 to the American Red Cross. With donations being refunded, there will be no contest for the XCM HDMI Blaster. I try to do something good but there is so much legal problems and do not want to risk closing my PayPal. Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you to all those who contributed.

I dont often reach out to the gaming community for help but this is something where the gaming community needs to band together and help humanity. As you all should know by now, Haiti was hit with a major earthquake that leveled the entire country turning hospitals, homes, schools, building into rubble. With shelters demolished, survivors are left on the street in the blistering 90° heat with little to no shelter, scavenging for food and even water. Some officials have calculated 45,000-50,000 are dead. With the lack of water for hydration from the heat, analyst are expecting many more to die if help is not provided.

All funds will be donated to the American Red Cross:

Haiti Relief and Development
On January 12, a series of earthquakes measuring 6.5 to 7.3 on the Richter scale devastated Haiti. The American Red Cross is working with its partners in the global Red Cross and Red Crescent network, including the Haitian Red Cross, and other partners to assist those affected by this disaster.

Your gift to the American Red Cross will support emergency relief and recovery efforts to help those people affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Assistance provided by the American Red Cross may include sending relief supplies, mobilizing relief workers and providing financial resources and recovery.

FOR US & INTERNATIONAL: I have setup a donation section on the left side of DCEmu Reviews' homepage. Many musicians, actors/actresses have donated thousands and even millions of dollar each. Granted, we are not rich like them but any amount is appreciated whether it be a couple of cents, a dollar or even a few dollars. All donations will be made via PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can pay with your credit card. All transactions are secure. I DO NOT see your PayPal account, bank information, credit card number or any personal information.. The only thing I see is your email address and the amount you donated via PayPal. Once we have met our deadline, I will send all donations to American Red Cross on behalf of DCEmu (proof of donation will be documented with screenshots). If you don't feel comfortable using our method of donation, PLEASE go to American Red Cross and donate yourself.

FOR US ONLY: (with this option, you do not qualify for raffle) Another option is to use your cellphone and send a text message (donation amount will show up on your cellphone bill).

1. via the Clinton Foundation (http://www.clintonfoundation.org/haitiearthquake/), please text “Haiti” to 20222 (to donate $10),
2. via the American Red Cross (http://www.redcross.org/), please text “Haiti” to 90999 (to donate $10) or
3. via Wyclef Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation (http://www.yele.org/), please text “Yele” to 501501 (to donate $5).

So why spend money on games and accessories, when there are people in greater needs and is trying to stay alive. Many families are living on the street next to their crumbled home. Many kids are left on the street looking for food and water and may even have lost their family.

*UPDATE - 1/26/2010 - We have made our first donation to the American Red Cross

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!!!
DIGG THIS

For those who do contribute and donate on the homepage (it keeps track of who contributed), I will have a raffle and give away a XCM HDMI Blaster Converter (MSRP $99.99USD) to one (1) lucky winner!!!


Winner will be chosen randomly from qualified donations and contacted via PM on the DCEmu forums and E-mail. If a winner does not respond within a week a new winner will be picked at random from the other entrants. No purchase necessary. One online entry per person (one e-mail address per person/address). Entry constitutes agreement by winners to be publicized and permission to use each winner's name for the purposes of promotion of the Contest without further compensation. Contest void where prohibited. Odds of winning dependent on number of entrants. No alternative prize will be offered. We reserve the right to issue an alternative prize of the same value should the prize no longer be available.

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Review: WaterField Designs DSi Suede Jacket

Posted By: bandit

WaterField Designs DSi Suede Jacket
Manufacturer: WaterField Designs
Site: Buy from Waterfield Designs
Price: $11.00 (no pocket) / $15 (with pocket)

Overview : As recommended by Mario and Zelda to revolutionize your DSi. From Yoshi's Island to Castlevania, our compact and protective Nintendo DSi Cases hold it all.

The DSi Suede Jacket is a minimalist form-fitting case made from soft, washable Ultrasuede® that protects the DSi from bumps and scratches. It can also double as a screen cleaner.

Features:

• 5.5" x 2.95" x 0.75"

Quality/Usability : Having tried and reviewing the WaterField Designs Suede Jacket Cell Phone Case, I had to try out the DSi Suede Jacket.

Just like the cellphone jacket, the case was very smooth and soft to the touch. The DSi Suede Jacket leaves no room for movement but at the same time, its not too tight where its a pain to get the DSi into and out. The thin suede material is soft and also acts as a gentle screen cleaner. Don't expect the DSi Suede Jacket to protect your DSi from drops or anything. However, it will protect your DSi from your keys or loose change in your pants pocket or purse.

Like all Waterfield Designs products, it's extremely sturdy and well-built. You wont find any loose strings or anything coming apart. I have been using my WaterField Designs DS Lite Case (now available for DSi) for the past 3 years and it still looks new.

For an additional charge of $4, you can add a pocket. The pocket is sewed onto the suede and is made of neoprene/spandex type material. This pocket stretches and allows you to insert your games, memory cards, headset and spare stylus. You can even use this pocket to store your credit card, IDs, money and other items...pretty much anything you can think of that is small enough to fit.

Conclusion : Overall, the WaterField Designs DSi Suede Jacket. Unlike the suede made from animals, this suede is 100% spot and machine washable. It would be nice if WaterField Designs included a drawstring on the opening and can be used as a universal case for other cellphones, accessories or other electronics like MP3.

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