NO WIRELESS CONTROLLER SUPPORT WITH $499 PLAYSTATION 3?
Games Radar has an article on the missing features in the lower end Playstation 3 that adds another item to the list of reasons not to purchase the "bare bones" PS3 - if it's true.

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"But perhaps more disappointing is that wireless bluetooth controllers won't be supported; instead, gamers will have to make do with retro-style wired-up versions of the increasingly controversial PS3 pad." - Games Radar
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Now I'm not sure where Games Radar got that information, as the article doesn't specify, but according to the spec sheet Sony released for both models of the Playstation 3, which is the one that revealed the missing items, both units will have Bluetooth compatibility, and both will support wireless controllers. Now the Games Radar article states that they got this information via Sony this morning, so it may well be true. Another item in reference to the lower-end Playstation 3 was also confirmed by Games Radar, in the case through a Sony representative on the floor at E3;

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"A Sony representative on the show floor at E3 also emphasized that gamers won't be able to upgrade the memory of the 20GB version; if that's the PS3 incarnation you opt for, you're permanently stuck with a 20GB memory limit." - Games Radar
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That would make sense, as everything Sony has said about the Playstation 3 so far indicates that the hard drive will be internal, so swapping it out would most certainly void your warranty. Check out the Games Radar article here and the Sony Playstation 3 PDF spec-sheet here. We'll have more on this story as it evolves.

My take on this right now? I don't think Sony is that stupid. I'd be willing to believe they're going to package the lower end model with a wired controller, but I seriously doubt that they'd shoot themselves in the foot like this.

UPDATE 1: I just surfed on over to Sony's E3 site and checked out the spec sheet for the Playstation 3 there. Same thing - it shows Bluetooth and wireless controller support for both models. Click here to see the chart I'm talking about.

XBOX LIVE DIAMOND CARD ARRIVES
Well, final proof that the Xbox Live Diamond Cards are shipping arrived today in the form of the card itself. The card comes with an introductory letter that explains the program and how it works. One piece of information that was new to me was provided in the explanation, and would explain the stories of people bringing their cards to the listed retailers and not getting the benefite listed. That piece of information was that many retailers will require printed coupons. From the introductory letter;

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"Visit www.xboxlivediamond.com to see a complete list of participating retailers, review the discounts, and read any additional program information. All you have to do is present your Diamond Card and the appropriate printable coupon (found on www.xboxlivediamond.com) when you shop in person, or use the checkout code provided on the site when you shop online." - Welcome to the Xbox Live Diamond Program letter
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So it's not as easy as just wandering in and flashing your card, but does require a little advanced preparation. It would not surprise me if the stores are far more interested in the coupons than the card itself, and won't even ask for them to be shown. (In fact, the text on the sample Quiznos card included with the letter makes no mention of presenting your Diamond Card. Still, as I've said before, something is always better than nothing, and the discounts are decent.

Bottom line? If you go to any of the places the discount is available, be sure to keep a coupon or two in that ratty corner of your wallet just in case.

WHICH WAS MORE POPULAR AT E3... THE PS3 OR THE WII?
Well, Kotaku decided to try and find out. They set up a camera over one of the entrances to the exposition floor and filmed what happened when the doors opened that morning. For reference, the Nintendo booth is on the right, the Sony booth is on the left.

Hilarity ensues.

IGN INTERVIEW: PETER MOLYNEAUX ON FABLE 2
IGN has a short interview with Peter Molyneaux, head of Lionhead Studios and the creative mind behind the upcoming Xbox 360 title Fable 2. Now, as many of you may know, Molyneaux has made a habit of making claims during the development process that his games just flat-out didn't live up to, and that has led to many angry gamers. Well, it seems Peter finally gets it, as he made the following statement and then stuck to it throughout the interview

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"I learned my lesson in terms of the press not to blow my mouth off every time I think of an idea." - Peter Molyneaux
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Let's see how long Peter can stick to that. Can you tell I've been burned by a few of his games in the past? - Click here to check out the article.

NAMCO BANDAI CANCELS FRAME CITY KILLER
Gamespot is reporting that Namco Bandai has cancelled their upcoming Xbox 360 game Frame City Killer. The game, which had been delayed several times already, was an action game where you took the part of a secret agent battling a terrorist organization in the year 2047 and was slated to use the much heralded Unreal Engine 3. According to Gamespot, Namco Bandai made the following statement;

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"We are sorry to say that we have decided that Frame City--the Xbox 360 game which our company had planned for a spring 2006 release--will not be released, Our apologies to everyone who was looking forward to the game's release." - Namco Bandai Press Release (As per Gamespot)
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Namco Bandai did follow up the statement with a reassurance that they would still develop for the Xbox 360 and that they currently have a RPG in the works for the Platform.

REMINDER: VERIZON MILLION POINT GIVEAWAY BEGINS AT 6PM EST
Just a quick reminder that the Xbox Live/Verizon Million Point Giveaway is scheduled to begin this evening at 6pm EST (3pm PST), so if you want your free marketplace points, be sure to head over to the Verizon's E3 2006 Xbox Live Gold Free Week site at that time. You have been warned!

This information is based on the schedule listed at the Verizon E3 2006 Xbox Live Gold Free Week site and could change without notice, so don't blame me if they mess up.

SAM AND MAX TRAILER NOW AVAILABLE
The first teaser trailer for Telltale's Sam & Max game is now available. Maybe it's just me, but Max just doesn't sound right... here's to hoping they fix that. Head on over to the official Sam & Max game website to see it.

KAZ HIRAI DEFENDS PLAYSTATION 3 PRICE
CNN Money has an interview with Sony Computer Entertainment America president Kaz Hirai. The article focuses on the high price of the Playstation 3 and the two different versions of the syste, The view Hirai took of the PS3 and what the big picture is was this;


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"I think when you look at what we put into the box – Cell, Blu-Ray, backwards compatibility, the ability to go online - I think it's a very compelling package for consumers, the totality of what we bring to the table makes it a good value for consumers." - Kaz Hirai

"What we're presenting to consumers is future-proofed. It's not going to fall by the wayside." - Kaz Hirai
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The most disturbing part of the article came when Hirai had no answer for the most serious concern regarding the lack of HDMI output on the lower end Playstation 3.


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"The lack of an HDMI output could have future ramifications on the system, though. Some observers have questioned whether Blu-Ray movies will be playable on the PS3 once motion picture companies enable copy protection on the discs.

Hirai said it was "too early to speculate at this point" about such problems." - CNN Money Article
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Too early to speculate? they ship in roughly six months, they're pushing the fact that the system plays Blu-Ray movies as a major selling point, and yet they can't guarantee the lower-end model will even be able to play Blu-Ray movies sometime after release?!

That's a serious oversight and one hell of a ballsy statement to make. How exactly is something "future proofed" is you can't even speak about the viability of a major function of the console which is based on a technology you control?



Read the CNN Money article here and shake your head along with me.

WAS THE PS3 CONTROLLER A SURPRISE TO EVERYONE - INCLUDING DEVELOPERS?
Gamespot has an interesting article that references a NY Times E3 blog which states that the development team for Warhawk, the game with which Sony demonstrated the motion sensor in the PS3 controller, didn't even get their hands on the new controller until 2 weeks before the show. *sniff* Could that be the smell of desperation coming from Sony? It certainly would explain the overall impression that demonstration gave.

MAME32b 1.05.5 ALSO AVAILABLE
MAME32 has already been updated to support the 5th intermediate release of MAME v.105. Head on over to the MAME32 page here.