Digital Trends
While Nvidia’s integration of the Ageia PhysX engine into its existing GPUs has seen the list of PhysX-enabled games growing lately, many gamers with capable hardware still haven’t tapped their systems to try out physics acceleration. For that group of timid gamers, Nvidia on Tuesday released the first GeForce Power Pack, a bundle of free games and tech demos designed to highlight the GeForce’s newfound abilities.
Accessory and peripheral maker Kensington has taken the wraps off two new battery pack/chargers for iPod and iPhone users, enabling users to charge (and keep using) their favorite Apple portable devices even when they’re away from computers, wall outlets, and adapters. The battery packs are designed to serve as a portable recharge for iPod and iPhone users on the go; when users need to recharge their devices on the go, they can pop on the battery pack and pick up extra juice. When connected to a power source, the devices can both charge and power an iPod or iPhone at the same time.
2K Games has shipped the largest expansion pack for the Civilization IV strategy game franchise, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword, adding a wealth of new civilizations, units, wonders, inventions, technologies, and an advanced AI to the popular title, focusing on late-game eras afer the invention of gunpowder.
“Given the overwhelming critical and commercial success of Sid Meier’s Civilization IV, we were inspired to provide these loyal fans with the series’ most robust expansion pack ever,” said Christoph Hartmann, President of 2K, in a release. “By featuring more content than any other Civilization expansion pack, Sid Meier’s Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword is a must-have for all Civilization fans and will set a new industry-wide bar for expansions.”
A new race and other goodies are the name of the game for Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War fans as THQ and Relic Entertainment announced the release of the Winter Assault expansion pack for $29.99. The Winter Assault expansion pack, said THQ, features a new race known as the Imperial Guard. Additionally, new units are included for the four original races and there is an all-new, single player campaign as well as 20 new multiplayer maps. "Our goal with Dawn of War was to bring a new level of action to the genre," said Ron Moravek, general manager of Relic Entertainment. "Winter Assault builds on that goal by immersing players in a deeper strategic experience with new units for single player campaigns and a new race, The Imperial Guard, adding another layer of tactics to the multiplayer arena." Also shipping is a Dawn of War game of the year edition, which includes eight new multiplayer maps, a concept art book detailing the new units in the expansion pack and a rebate for the expansion pack. This version of the game is set at the same price as Winter Assault.
Console gaming will never be the same again, as Microsoft Game Studios has announced a June 28 release date for the highly anticipated Halo 2® Multiplayer Map Pack. The multiplayer expansion pack, which is the first of its kind for a console title, contains nine new multiplayer maps to push gamers’ skills to their limits. The retail package also contains two new videos: an animated side-story from the single-player story in New Mombasa and a mini-documentary that includes interviews with the map designers, combat strategies and fly-throughs of the new maps. The retail pack also allows gamers who prefer offline play via system link and split-screen to upgrade their Halo 2 experience with new maps. The retail version of the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack carries a suggested retail price of $19.99 (U.S.).
STB Chip Corporation (STBX: PK), a smart battery chipset company, has developed the world’s first portable cellular phone-use smart battery pack that extends talk-time battery life for mobile handsets by 800 percent. The company will showcase products at the Consumer Electronics Show 2005 beginning January 6 in Las Vegas, NV.
The technology users can charge their cellular phones or other mobile devices while on the move, regardless of where they are. The smart battery pack, with an estimated lifecycle of five years, will sell at $60 per pack.
The Service Pack had originally been planned for release in the first half of 2004 and was delayed until July. Microsoft is now stating that the update to Windows XP will be delayed again until some time in August.
Windows XP Service Pack 2 will feature several new security enhancements including an improved firewall.
The company has not announced a reason for the delay.
Here’s the deal on the 142 MB (Umod) or 130 MB (zipped) pack: “This compilation began as a small project. A few of the Unreal community’s best level designers got together to release a small pack of their best work to the community. As the time went on, the project grew into something far more significant, with more and more of the best Unreal talent out there joining the team. The map count went from a small handful to a fully-fledged professional-level bonus pack. With all this pack now complete, the team has decided to work on a number of future projects together to produce high quality work that will get noticed throughout the design community.”
Effective immediately, consumers can now choose from a variety of options at retail level, including a new PS2 Combo Pack for $199.
The pack includes the console, Network Adapter and a copy of online-enabled game ATV Offraod Fury 2. Sony will also continue to sell the standalone PS2 for $179.
To support the plans, the firm is rolling out a multi-million dollar marketing campaign, focusing on consumer value and entertainment via the PS2.
“As we moved past the 20 million unit sales milestone this summer, it is clear, through our ability to attract a broad audience, that PS2 has become an even stronger focal point of the living room entertainment experience,” said Jack Tretton, exceutive VP for Sony America.
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