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Nintendo's Wii Party will come bundled with a white Wiimote, as the Japanese gaming giant looks to keep hold of its family market dominance in the face of offerings from Xbox and PlayStation.

Wii Party is a first party game from Nintendo, and the company's decision to bundle it with a Wii Remote is an interesting one.

Microsoft are set to unleash Kinect for Xbox 360, and Sony the very Wii-like Move, as both attempt to wrest back a share of the family market.

Attachment

Nintendo's Wii has been around since 2006, and the console has always had a low attachment rate – the term used to describe how many games console owners buy.

Nintendo are no doubt hoping that Wii Party can convince more Wii owners to fork out for a new game, and get an extra controller in the process.

"With 13 different game modes to get to grips with, Wii Party will be the life and soul of any gathering as you enjoy games that refine the traditional party videogame experience," said Nintendo.

"For the first time, the action away from the television screen will be as important as what's displayed on it as House Party mode turns your living room into a pivotal part of the game play."

The game launches on 8 October in the UK, if you're Wiimote-ly interestey, nearly a month after Move arrives in Britain.

Xbox has announced it is making significant improvements to the audio quality of its headsets by upping the bit-rate.

This sound move was revealed by Xbox Live Studios boss Jerry Johnson, who was speaking at the Edinburgh Interactive Festival.

"The codec we used when we first launched was a low bit rate codec and we stuck with that," Johnson explained.

"We launched and we said we required broadband. We required a 64k connection, which not many people think of as broadband any longer. But that was the minimum requirement to run the service at the time."

Moving on up

As things have changed in the world of broadband (64k?!?) has significantly changed, a new codec is going to be piped through.

"It's time for us to move on," said Johnson. "Especially if we want to think about broadening – a crackly headset on the top of your head – not what people think of when they talk about popular entertainment."

Quite when this audio upgrade will happen is unclear but it is likely to co-incide with the UK release date of Kinect, which is pencilled in for 10 November.

Speedlink has announced a veritable feast of PlayStation Move peripherals, including a gun, 'sports' attachment and dock.

Speedlink is hoping that its range of addons – which will be available from the UK launch of PlayStation Move on 17 September – will prove a popular choice for early adopters.

"The manufacturer will offer an end-to-end range of practical accessories which will increase ease of use, protection and above all the sheer fun of gaming with Sony's motion control system," said Speedlink.

Wii experience

"When developing the Move range, Speedlink incorporated the many years of experience it gained from its highly successful Wii accessories range to start manufacturing matching products months before the launch of the new platform.

"The Move portfolio will initially comprise two chargers, a sports attachment set for the motion controller, a gun attachment as well as protective silicone skins for both Move controllers."

The products have been priced in Euros – so the UK pricing will be slightly different.

The BAY 4-Port Move Charging System will cost €29.99, the Tridock 3-in-1 Move Charging System €19.99, Match 3-in-1 Move Sports Set €19.99 and the Peacemaker Move Gun – €14.99 with the Guard Silicone Skin Kit – €6.99.

Maybe it's the child in us, but we're already fans of the Peacemaker. Do you feel lucky punk?

Dr Who games for Nintendo Wii and DS will be produced by Asylum Entertainment and released in time for Christmas, it has been revealed.

With the Dr Who downloadable games proving a massive hit for the BBC, BBC Worldwide has now licensed one of its biggest names out for Nintendo games.

"Licensed by BBC Worldwide and based on the top-rated television series starring the Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, and his Companion Amy Pond played by Karen Gillan - Doctor Who: Evacuation Earth for Nintendo DS and Doctor Who: Return to Earth for Wii will hit retailers in the UK, Australia and selected territories across Europe," explained the press release.

Pond life?

The games are hoping to offer fans the chance to play as either the Dr or companion Amy.

Simon Bailey, Managing Director of Asylum Entertainment comments: "We are incredibly excited to be collaborating with BBC Worldwide on these two new games.

"It is our firm belief that the franchise has massive potential on the Nintendo DS and Wii formats and it's an honour to be bringing Doctor Who video games to the show's huge fan base."

Microsoft has unveiled the Fable III limited edition wireless controller for Xbox 360, which includes access to an exclusive an in-game tattoo.

Fable III is a very big deal for the Xbox, with Peter Molyneux's Lionhead Studios already establishing the franchise on the console with its popular predecessor.

The Fable III limited edition wireless controller with be available in early October, to coincide with the launch of the game on 29 October.

Customise

"Outfitted in collectible packaging, the controller comes with an Xbox Live token for an exclusive in-game downloadable tattoo set to further customise your hero's appearance," says Microsoft's release.

"Feel the power of a monarch in your hands as you reign over Albion with benevolence or utter contempt.

"The Fable III Limited Edition Wireless Controller is a direct tribute to one of the core ideas behind the latest iteration of the franchise, bringing to life the regal crown of Albion – one of the many incredible pieces of concept art created during the production of Fable III."

Contours

"The hand-painted artwork wraps to the contours of the distinctive controller to create the perfect fit as fans journey from rebel to ruler in Fable III whether riding solo in this action-adventure experience or with another revolutionary by your side in dynamic couch co-op or over Xbox Live," it continues

The Fable III limited edition wireless controller has a UK price of £39.99, the game itself is available as a standard edition at £49.99 and collectors edition of £59.99.

People who pre-order will get a bribe of 1,000 in-game gold and a 'thrilling new quest'.

Microsoft has insisted that it is a 'crucial time for expansion' for the Xbox 360, with the arrival of Kinect and Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7.

Speaking ahead of the Kinect showcase at Gamescon 2010, Microsoft Europe's vice president of interactive entertainment business, Chris Lewis, insisted that the European market was hugely important for the Xbox brand, and also hinted as future plans in Windows gaming.

"This is a crucial time in expansion for Xbox 360, in terms of new audiences, new markets for Xbox Live and multiple platforms," said Lewis.

Quality, consistency, community

"With Xbox Live on Windows Phone 7 we are bringing the quality, consistency and community of the Xbox experience to gamers on the go, he added

"With Age of Empires Online, Fable III and new games still in development, we're also bringing social, connected gaming experiences to all new audiences on the PC.

Lewis believes that the new arrivals will propel Xbox ahead of the competition for the foreseeable future.

"When you look at what we are bringing to the market this year, with the magic of Kinect, alongside our blockbuster line-up of games, including the biggest game for 2010, Halo: Reach, we're confident that Xbox 360 has something for all the family and will be the gaming and entertainment console of 2010 and beyond," he concluded.

Nintendo has revealed what it will be showing off at gamescon in Cologne, including Wii Party and Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword which promises to take advantage of the underutilised Wii MotionPlus.

Wii MotionPlus arrived a year ago, bringing extra accuracy to the Wiimote, but take up has been muted.

However, Nintendo's use of one of its most powerful and critically acclaimed franchises – Legend of Zelda – could give the add-on a much needed push.

Anticipation

"Worldwide anticipation continues to build ahead of the upcoming launch of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword in Europe in 2011 for Wii," explains Nintendo.

"For the first time, the precision of Link's sword movements will be exactly replicated due to the required Wii MotionPlus accessory.

"Players can also enjoy the beautiful graphics which give you the feeling of walking straight into a painting.

"With a plethora of new gameplay mechanics, Link's latest adventure has been given a refreshingly different feel from all the past titles in the series."

Other games

There are a plethora of other games being shown off, although Nintendo's release makes no mention of the much-anticipated 3DS handheld.

"Charles Martinet - the voice of Nintendo's plucky plumber, Mario, and many other Nintendo characters for more than 20 years, will be present at the show, where guests can play all of the Mario games that have ever appeared for Wii and Nintendo DS, including the latest cosmic funfest Super Mario Galaxy 2," explains Nintendo.

"Visitors to the Nintendo stand will not only be able to get their hands on an exciting range of upcoming game titles – including The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, Metroid: Other M, Donkey Kong Country Returns, Wii Party and many others."

If Microsoft is secretly readying its next Xbox to succeed the Xbox 360, then surely Sony must be working on a PlayStation 4?

Speculation has been rife that the next console battle will be fought around 2011-2012.

This is when Crytek's CEO Cevat Yerli and industry analyst Colin Sebastian believed that a potential Xbox 720 and PS4 could appear. But does the market really need another generation of hardware?

As Murray Pannel, Ubisoft's head of marketing in the UK, points out: "It would be nice [for the first parties to start talking about new hardware]... I don't think it's a requirement right here, right now, because there's enough new tech coming to the market... I genuinely think games can get better. Experiences can get more rich and varied, and the new platforms, Kinect and Move, can help enhance that."

But we want a new PlayStation!

Developers are usually the first to clamour for new consoles. Polyphony Digital boss Kazunori Yamauchi has bragged that Gran Turismo 5 goes "beyond the level of the current PlayStation." He went on to suggest that "the level of precision we've achieved [in GT5] is actually more suited to the next generation of machines".

Naughty Dog said that they 'maxed out' the PS3 with Uncharted 2.

While Halo creator Bungie has suggested that its has already pushed the Xbox 360 as far as it can go with Halo: Reach. Bungie.net community director Brian Jarrard told CVG that its next title is being "planned, engineered and designed to potentially span multiple hardware generations." That would include any potential Xbox 720 or PlayStation 4 that comes along.

Since the retirement of PS3 architect Ken Kuturagi in 2007, Sony has the opportunity to take a long look at the PS3's shortcomings and eliminate them for any future PS4. Valve's Gabe Newell famously raged to Game Informer that the PS3 was "a total disaster on so many levels" and that "Sony lost track of what customers and what developers wanted".

Sony can't afford to make the same multi-billion dollar mistake twice.

Motion gaming just a distraction

That said, you could argue that Microsoft is under more pressure to launch a next-next-gen console due to the lack of storage space on the DVDs it uses for its game discs. Sony, meanwhile, has the roomy Blu-ray format to play with, a gaggle of developers who finally understand how to program great games for its console, plus the promise that the PS3 will enjoy a 10-year life cycle.

That life cycle looks assured thanks to a new strategy of halfway-house upgrades. While Microsoft hopes to distract gamers with Kinect, Sony has been putting its efforts into developing PlayStation Home, the Move motion controller and 3D gaming. Even so, 3D games on the PS3 will only run in 720p (to ensure a smooth 60fps frame rate). For full 1080p 3D visuals, we're going to need a PlayStation 4.

Recycling PS3 for PS4

To imagine what a PS4 might be capable of we should look at what the current PS3 doesn't have or doesn't do well. For starters, Sony will need to closely integrate the hardware and software development for its next console.

According to SCEA's CEO Jack Tretton: "The hardware guys developed the [PlayStation 3] fairly independently, then dumped it onto the software guy's lap, effectively saying 'do something with it.'"

Considering that Sony spent around $3 billion developing the PS3, it seems likely that it will use an improved version of the Cell processor for a PS4. IBM has already released an improved version of the Cell for its blade servers. The PowerXCell 8i is a 65nm chip, with support for 32GB of DDR2 memory and eight fully-functional SPEs (compared to seven on the PS3).

The advantage of recycling the Cell is that Sony could retain a familiar development environment and use existing code libraries. The modular design of the Cell architecture could also allow extra Synergistic Processing Elements (SPEs) to be added to future chips. Twenty or more SPEs might be possible on a single 32nm Cell processor.

And if increasing the on-chip SPEs isn't an option in the proposed 2011-2012 time frame, then a PS4 could incorporate multiple Cell chips. IBM's Cell roadmap includes a PowerXCell 32iv, which appears to feature four PPEs (Power Processor Elements) and 32 SPEs, ie four Cell chips running in parallel.

Of course, this assumes that Sony will keep faith with the Cell and not opt for a multi-core processor that's a bit more, well, PC-like. The advantage for Sony would be that it would make the PS4 easier to program, eliminating the criticisms often flung in the PS3's direction.

Inside the PlayStation 4

If the PS4 is a revamp of the PS3, we're likely to see some obvious technology upgrades – 802.11n to replace the existing 802.11b/g chipset; an external power supply (to reduce the size of the box and to improve cooling); a massive hard disk; new graphics processor and an increase in the onboard memory.

The memory architecture in the PS3 splits 512MB equally between graphics and application use and it's been suggested that this limits developer freedom. You'd expect the PS4 to address this issue, giving developers more dedicated memory in which to load game levels. Although it's worth pointing out that the PS3 (and any future Cell-based consoles) can use the SPEs for maths-intensive tasks like physics.

New graphics processor

What about a replacement for the PS3's NVIDIA-built RSX graphics processor? We've already speculatedthat Microsoft could use Intel's general purpose Larrabee chip in its next Xbox to handle real-time physics and AI. Rumours also suggestthat Intel is pimping Larrabee to Sony for the PS4.

Like any Xbox 360 replacement, the PS4 is also going to have a much bigger hard disk. This will be in readiness for a wealth of downloadable content that will include games, demos, music, movies and TV shows. A terabyte HDD isn't out of the question. And in a world that will increasingly be looking to online services for content, does any PlayStation 4 still need a Blu-ray drive?

A PS4 without Blu-ray?

While the PS3 was instrumental in helping Blu-ray beat off HD DVD, there's a strong argument for dropping an optical drive from the PS4 altogether. Console owners are already downloading gigabytes-worth of game demos, video trailers, full-length movies and TV shows. With a giant hard disk in the PS4, games could simply be piped straight to the console on release day; long install/level load times would be eliminated.

Along with the Cell processor, the Blu-ray drive is one of the PS3's most expensive components. The PS3's high price has forced it into third place behind the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Sony will be keen not to price itself out of the next console battle.

As Acclaim boss Dave Perry recently claimed: "Because of the cost of making the PlayStation 3 and because they sold it at a loss, Sony basically has pretty much no chance of making money on the PS3, because it's lost more money than they made during the entire peak of the PlayStation 2 – it's not going to happen again for Sony."

Sony can't simply slash its prices like Microsoft has recently. And Blu-ray is partly to blame. Billy Pidgeon, an analyst at market researcher IDC points out: "Blu-ray licensees would be threatened by pricing the PS3 below stand-alone Blu-ray players. The PS3 is a bit challenged on that side."

Chasing the dream of a digital hub

Do consumers really want a PlayStation 4 that does everything? Sony's next console needs to be a machine that plays the best games. Just like the PS2 did. The PS4 could go one of two ways – a premium all-in-one box that offers Blu-ray, integrated playTV and a much larger hard disk; or a pure games machine, stripped of its expensive technology in favour of mass market appeal?

Whatever the PS4 looks like, the final question to be asked is: when will it launch? Sony's Kaz Hirai has already given us a hint: "If you look at the history of the way we've managed our console business," he said, "we always try to hit a 10-year life cycle "

That might put any PS4 launch back to 2016. But when you consider that the PS2 is still chugging along in the shadow of the PS3, a PS4 could easily sit alongside and overlap the existence of the PS3.

With Microsoft's Kinect ready to make its appearance for Christmas, T3 has been flown out to the US to take a lengthy look at how the technology works.

Three in-depth features from the gadget maestros take in the sensor, the motor and the way the voice recognition works.

"[The motion sensor] is made of two main parts: a projector and an IR VGA camera. The former bounces out a laser across the entire field of play, which the camera picks up to separate you from your sofa on what's called a 'depth field'," explains T3.

Pixels

"It's essentially all the pixels that Kinect gets back as IR noise measured in varying colour dependant on how close they are to the system," it continues. "That way bodies appear a bright shade of red, green etc, and things further away appear grey.

"The software takes this image and runs it through a host of filters so that Kinect can work out what's a person and what's not.

"The system follows a basic system of guidelines, such as 'a body is from x-foot tall to x-foot tall' and 'a person has two arms and two legs' to work out that your coffee table or dog aren't extra players. It's also taught to be able to pick you out if you're wearing baggy clothes or have hair coming over your shoulders."

It's a fascinating look at the internal workings of one of the big new gaming technologies in 2010 – and you can check out more at www.t3.com/feature/xbox-kinect-how-the-movement-tracking-works.

As you all know by now, T3 is a part of Future Publishing, as are we. But they didn't pay us to put this up, we just liked it.

Channel 4 is in talks with Sony to bring video on demand service 4oD to the PlayStation 3 and is also developing an iPad app.

A report in Broadcast magazine reveals that talks are already ongoing, suggesting that they are still in the early stages.

Although the BBC iPlayer has already been a huge hit on the PS3 Channel 4's service would be the first commercial arrival.

Anonymous source

"We're looking to launch on the PS3," a 'source at the broadcaster' told Broadcast.

"4oD is becoming a platform agnostic product and will be successful because of the quality of the content."

4oD content can already be found on many platform, including Virgin Media's highly rated on-demand service and YouTube – which screens full-length shows from Channel 4.

The Xbox is offering Sky Player (but not the iPlayer) and the PS3 would no doubt welcome the chance to bring another bit of value to the console.

There has also been suggestions that ITV is in talks with Sony over bringing the ITV Player to the PS3.

Microsoft is showing off its latest Xbox technology to the public with the Kinect Galleries in Covent Garden, London – offering consumers the chance to give the motion sensor gaming a try.

The Kinect Galleries will open from Saturday for a six-week period over summer, and people can book their own personal space through Facebok or by turning up on the day.

Kinect is the next big thing for the Xbox 360 using an advanced camera to do away with the controller, offering Wii-like family gaming without the peripherals.

Dance Revolution

The likes of Dance Revolution are likely to prove a huge hit with the female demographic, while men will be catered for with launch title Kinect Adventures and the promise of integration into more traditional gaming.

There are also participatory demos being done on stage of Kinect Galleries that will enable visitors to get a quick tutorial before humiliating themselves by being scored on their dancing to Lady Gaga.

For those not heading to Covent Garden, Microsoft has also announced a roadshow – with a nationwide tour taking in Alton Towers, London Zoo, the Thames Festival, Chessington and Clothes Show Live at NEC in Birmingham.

Showcase

"Demonstration staff will be on hand to showcase the latest Kinect for Xbox 360 games, both at the Kinect Galleries and on tour, thus giving visitors the chance to take adventure to the next level with Kinect Adventures!, test out their moves with Dance Central, take to the race track with Kinect Joyride or making friends with cute big-cat cubs through Kinectimals," said Microsoft.

"Visitors to the Kinect Tour will also be able to have their play session filmed with a 25 second video clip created which can be accessed later through www.kinect.me and shared with friends and family and across social networks."

Bookings for both the Covent Garden Kinect Galleries experience or the roadshow can be made at www.facebook.com/kinectforxbox360.

Microsoft's Brett Siddons believes that Kinect for the Xbox 360 is very competitively priced, pointing out that you only need to buy one thing to get the complete experience.

The Xbox 360 Kinect price point, which is a penny under £130 (there's also an Xbox console bundle priced at £250) has raised eyebrows.

But group marketing manager Siddons, speaking at the Kinect stand at an Amazon event, told TechRadar that people should 'do the maths' when it came to counting exactly how much people fork out for the various devices to play similar games on the likes of the Nintendo Wii and Sony PlayStation's Move.

Perspectives

"The price thing itself depends on how you look at it," said Siddons "It's £129.99 RRP but it comes with a game within that price – so Adventures will be packed in with the camera.

"If you buy it with the console which normally costs £149.99, [the package price is] £249.99 with the Kinect and the games – another 100 pound on top.

"The camera tracks six people – with two active gamers – you don't have to buy anything else.

You do the maths

"I'll let you do the maths but when you say Nintendo Wii or PlayStation Move you buy this and this, even for a two player games.

"What do you need and what do actually have to spend for a two player game for this device versus that device. You actually find that [Kinect] is very competitively priced."

We do the maths - PlayStation Move

When you look at the RRPs, Sony's pricing for Move is a basic pack for £49.99 consisting of the PlayStation Eye Camera, move controller and a demo disc with various games.

Should you want two Move controllers and two of the nunchuk-like Navigation controllers then you would have to fork out £39.99 for the former and £29.99 for each of the latter.

That's a total cost of £150 – which does at least bear out what Microsoft is saying – although Sony might well be offering as yet unannounced packages at a later date.

Microsoft has announced a limited edition new Xbox 360 for the launch of Halo: Reach – the latest game in the popular franchise.

The Halo: Reach Bundle, available exclusively at GAME and Gamestation in the UK, provides what Microsoft terms 'incredible value and a stunning way to celebrate the iconic franchise'.

The main Xbox comes in a silver design and comes with two matching standard but customised Xbox 360 controllers, and a Halo: Reach themed headset.

Bundle details

Also included in the bundle is a Standard Edition copy of Halo: Reach, a token for the Limited Edition Elite armour set, and an episode of "Halo Legends".

"Designed by Bungie, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition "Halo: Reach" Bundle includes all the features of the newly designed Xbox 360 console, such as a 250 GB Hard Drive and the fastest built-in Wi-Fi for the easiest connection to Xbox LIVE," explains Microsoft's release.

The bundle is available in limited quantities and only while supplies last, it has a price of £249.99, and a UK release date from all GAME stores of 14 September.

Delighted

Adam Davis, Trading Director for GAME and gamestation comments: "We're delighted to have secured this exclusive.

"Our customers in GAME and gamestation are already really excited about Halo: Reach and this limited edition Xbox 360 will be a must-have for Halo fans.

"The bundle offers amazing value and adds an extra dimension to one of the mostly hotly-anticipated launches of the year."

Separate controllers and headsets

As well as the new console bundle, Microsoft and Bungie will be selling the Halo: Reach Limited Edition Wireless Controller and the Halo: Reach Limited Edition Wireless Headset separately.

Available on 3 September for £39.99 the Halo: Reach Limited Edition Wireless Controller includes an Xbox LIVE token for an animated Covenant Banshee Avatar item.

The Halo: Reach Limited Edition Wireless Headset will also be available on 3 September for £34.99.

Halo: Reach launches in the UK on 14 September and will cost £49.99 for the standard game.

Microsoft recently announced the new Xbox 360 (which some are calling the Xbox 360 Slim and the Xbox 360 S). This console goes on sale today and will replace the existing Xbox 360.

If you're planning to buy one, here's what you need to know.

New Xbox 360 UK release date

The new Xbox 360 goes on sale in the UK from 16 July.

New Xbox 360 UK price

The new Xbox 360 is priced at £199.99. Games retailer game.co.uk is currently taking pre-orders at £199, while Amazon and Argos are selling the new Xbox at the best price of £189.

According to Microsoft, demand for the new Xbox has been "unprecedented."

New Xbox 360 specs

The new Xbox features built-in 802.11n wireless internet support, five USB ports, a 250GB hard drive (the previous Xbox 360 had 120GB of storage), and a quieter fan, thanks to a smaller 45nm chipset with integrated CPU and GPU. And the fan is significantly quieter, as we found when we tested the new Xbox. You can hear it for yourself in the video below.

The new Xbox 360 also has a custom port for the Kinect system.

The new Xbox also features what Microsoft calls a "sleek, new design." If you want your console glossy, this is the Xbox for you. It's slimmer than the original Xbox, too.

So is it any good? In our review, we said "It's not quite the super-slim machine you might expect, but the new Xbox improves over the previous one in just about every way." For the full lowdown, check out our in-depth new Xbox 360 review.

The Xbox 360 Slim comes to UK shores today and brings a larger 250GB hard drive, built in Wi-Fi and a new, smaller form factor.

Revealed at this year's E3 back in June, the 360 S will retail for £199.99 and comes 'Kinect ready' with a dedicated port for the motion control device aimed at changing the way we game.

The 360 S offers 802.11n Wi-Fi for wireless networking, five USB ports and, crucially, a quieter fan. This will come as a welcome relief to gamers of older consoles, known for being annoyingly loud.

The original 360 gained a bad reputation among early-adopters for displaying an error message in the form of three red lights, commonly known as the Red Ring Of Death.

Those interested in the new, slim 360 will note that the console doesn't have the ring of lights at all but, crucially, the console will automatically shut itself down before overheating, saving itself from damage.

Sleek design

Smaller and slimmer than the out-going 360, the S also packs a "sleek, new design" and a glossy black exterior.

As we say in the TechRadar Xbox 360 review, "this is by far the best Xbox ever made". Oh, and it's a whole lot more quieter.

Microsoft will be hoping that the 360 Slim encourages gamers to upgrade, in preparation for its revolutionary motion control system, Kinect, due to launch in time for Christmas.

Taking the fight to Sony and its PlayStation's Move controller, Kinect offers interactive gaming without the use of any controllers, instead letting users control the games with just their body movements.

The 360 S comes bundled with a wireless controller, A/V cable and headset, but expect to see packages offer games, more controllers and Kinnect in the near future.

The snazzy new Xbox 360 250GB SKU goes on sale in the UK tomorrow, and TechRadar has been giving it the once-over for the last week or so. You can see the results over at our new Xbox 360 review.

One of the main complaints about the original 360 models was that to watch a DVD or play a game off a disc, you had to contend with tortuous levels of white noise.

You know the story - overheating components meant the cheap cooling fans went into overdrive, and the noise of the DVD drive itself could drown out a Chinook.

Has there ever been a more iconic sound in the gaming industry than the noise of an Xbox 360 firing up its DVD drive in the heat of summer? We think not.

The improvements

So, fast forward five years and probably the most desired hardware feature of the new redesigned Xbox 360 250GB is the slimmed-down 45nm CPU with integrated GPU.

The increased power efficiency of this new component, coupled with improved cooling and a quieter DVD drive, has resulted in a console that runs almost completely silently.

But don't take our word for it - hear for yourself in our side-by-side demonstration:

Sound recordings were made six inches from the front of each of the three consoles. Results should only be used by way of comparison.

Read more about the new Xbox 360 250GB in our full review

A select few PlayStation Plus subscribers in the US will be able to try out the console's much heralded Hulu Plus TV streaming service today, according to Sony.

The company has confirmed in its PlayStation blog that the popular video on demand service's latest project will arrive for subscribers to the Plus service can download the software from the PS Store.

Of course, UK console owners will not be able to try the service, although there remains hope that a similar kind of functionality will be offered from a British provider.

What the Fox is that?

"If you don't know, Hulu Plus is Hulu's new subscription service offering full current season runs of hit TV programs from ABC, FOX and NBC, adding even more premium video content to the more than 23,000 movies and TV episodes already available on the PlayStation Store," states PlayStation Network Senior Director Susan Panico.

"So how do you get Hulu Plus? Well, starting today, a select group of PlayStation Plus subscribers can gain access to a preview version of Hulu Plus.

"All PlayStation Plus subscribers may download the free Hulu Plus application from the PlayStation Store and, within it, request an invitation to the exclusive preview.

"If you are accepted, you can access Hulu Plus for an additional $9.99 per month (the fee that Hulu is charging for all Hulu Plus subscribers) and start enjoying its library of television shows and movies from nearly 150 leading content companies streamed on demand in HD."

The Hulu Plus service will also be rolling out over many of Sony's other connected products, including Bravia televisions.

The next Mass Effect game could take advantage of Microsoft's Kinect technology, according to developers Bioware.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz, Bioware boss Greg Zeschuk admitted that the company was keen to explore the motion sensor technology in games like Mass Effect 3.

Zeschuk stated that, after the first generation of party games, true gamers would begin to feel the benefit.

"The new motion controls are very interesting and quite powerful," said Zeschuk. "Phase one of those is the dancing, fitness and party games, the sword-swinging games.

"The next phase is where it gets really interesting when developers like us can tear it all down and ask: 'What can we actually do in a game like Mass Effect?' Can we create a greater sense of immersion during conversations by using gestures? I think we probably could and I think that's where we'll explore.

Positive impact

"We're not going to do a party game, we're not going to do Dance Dance Krogan for Mass Effect. The reality is it's going to have a really positive impact.

"There's that impediment of a controller but hardcore gamers are never going to give that up.

"It might be nice to see a hybrid of a controller used with additional gesture on the side for immersive elements.

"So we'll see it go from family entertainment and then broaden out."

And, in truth, if Bioware are thinking about adopting the technology, even the hardcore gamers could be set to follow.

Later this year both Sony and Microsoft will release motion control devices that they hope will not only enhance the gameplay experiences on their consoles, but also eat into the Wii's motion-controlled mass-market dominance.

Sony has the PlayStation Move controller and accompanying Navigation controller, UK release date 15 September.

Microsoft has cooked up something a little more space-age with Kinect, a full-body 3D motion-sensing camera, out with a UK release date of 4 November.

Both have motion control at their cores and yet they're vastly different devices, giving gamers a decision to make come the holiday season. Just the differences in the way they detect your movement mean they offer completely differing experiences.

So, Kinect vs Move: which one is better? Having played early versions of games to appear on both devices, we attempt to make the decision easier for you by weighing up their very distinct pros and cons.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: how they work

We've already done detailed write-ups on the technology powering the PlayStation Move and Microsoft's Kinect, so nip over to those if you need a real techy run-through. Here, we'll be a little more brief.

Sony's Move controller takes obvious influences from the Nintendo's Wii – it's shape and button configuration, not to mention the accompanying Navigation controller with its analogue stick, all closely resemble the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, minus the wires and plus a few extra gizmos.

The combination of tilt, movement and orientation sensors inside the Move, plus that glowing orb on top which is detected by the PlayStation Eye camera make this a more precise device than the comparatively clumsy Wii Remote.

Kinect on the other hand leaves you completely hands-free, detecting the movement of your entire body using an array of multiple cameras and depth-perceiving sensors to see your movements in 3D.

That means, in theory, it knows where all of your limbs are at all times and can portray your every move in the virtual world.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: accuracy

It's the most basic question; how accurate are they? We can tell you right off the bat that our experiences with the Move have thus far been flawless. It seems completely free from the clumsiness and errors that occur too regularly with the Wii Remote.

The glowing orb on the end of the Move controller can be tracked within a millimeter of its position. Not just on a 2D plane but distance too – the larger that orb appears to the PS Eye camera the closer the PlayStation knows it is. And any time the camera can't see the orb, those sensors in its body effectively take over.

There's also no risk of the orb blending in with anything in the background – the PS3 will monitor your surroundings and prompt the orbs to glow any one of over a hundred different colours so that it contrasts suitably.

Although there's no way of knowing if another bright light source in the background could momentarily confuse the PS Eye until we test it thoroughly, its certain to be far more reliable that the Wii Remote's IR sensor (that top panel that sees the Sensor Bar on your TV), which is sensitive to everything from candles and lighters to Christmas lights and even sunlight. We had no issues using Move on a busy expo show floor.

Kinect admittedly has the tougher task of tracking your entire body with no visual aids whatsoever - no pin-on lights and no handheld sensors. And we were somewhat disappointed to see that the difficulty of such a feat is evident in the device's occasional hiccups.

A Kinect racing game, Joy Ride, had us holding our fists in front of us and spinning them in circular motions as if we were clutching an invisible steering wheel. It works, most of the time, and is very impressive when you turn your first corner and realise how far videogames have come since the stiff joystick and single red button inputs of the Atari 2600.

But then you overshoot a bend and desire a steeper turn. Your instincts tell you to rotate that virtual wheel more aggressively, and that's where Kinect goes wrong. We found that if your fists pass the 90-degree turning angle the game gets confused and sometimes steers in the opposite direction.

It was almost like the game was only tracking our fists and not our entire arm, because if it was it would see our arms unmistakably coiled in a particular direction. We tried a bowling game on Kinect too. Large limb movements appeared to work perfectly – thrusting our bowling arm forward at different speeds resulted in equivalently paced bowls. It was greatly satisfying.

But it seemed to struggle with detecting our smaller movements – such as the twisting of our wrist to put spin on the ball. We tried repeatedly, starting with subtle twists and then large over-exaggerated flicks. Sometimes the ball span, sometimes it didn't, but we couldn't detect any kind of consistent recognition of our ball-curling intentions.

It just wasn't acting the way we wanted, and that's with all our understanding of motion tech and our greatest efforts to accommodate multiple possible parameters of its detection abilities. We wonder how the not so technically-minded mothers and younger children will get along with it.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: latency

What's really impressive about the Move is the speed at which it keeps up with your movements. PS3 game The Fight has you holding a Move controller in each hand (no need for a Navigation controller) and punching in any way you like as you compete in bare knuckle fist fights.

We literally couldn't throw this thing off. We tried varied combinations of punches as quickly as we could move our fists and our on-screen man copied everything from the most subtle of twitches to the over-emphasised uppercuts. Any latency there may be was undetectable.

Kinect, again, seems to fall short of Move's performance in this area. One demo has you batting a ball into the screen against a wall in the distance that would crumble as the ball strikes it. You can see the entire body of your on-screen avatar and so you can use any limb – head, arms, feet, whatever – to hit that ball.

This full-body interaction is beyond the capabilities of the remote-only Move, but there's a noticeable delay between your movements and that of your virtual counterpart. Enough of a delay that a sudden last-minute flick of the hand would potentially miss your target.

We played a hurdles racing minigame in the title Kinect Sports which has you run on the spot and jump to make your on-screen racer bound over hurdles. The first thing we noticed is that your runner's legs don't go the same pace as yours, his speed increases gradually just like those old Track & Field games where you bash two buttons as rapidly as you can to build up a 'speed' gauge.

You also don't jump when your character reaches the hurdle as you would do intuitively. You jump when the hurdle turns green a few second before you get to it. If Kinect recognises you jumped within that brief window your character will make the jump over the hurdle. Too early or too late and he stumbles.

This is the most shockingly basic form of gesture recognition at work here – there was no 1-to-1 relation between our movements and that of the runner at all. It felt like we were basically performing pre-defined gestures to activate commands that could just as easily have been assigned to buttons. This is not what we expect from next-generation motion control.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: limitations

Four Move controllers can be connected to the PS3 at once – along with four Navigation controllers. Recently revealed (but unconfirmed) Kinect specs claim that while it can detect up to six different players, it only allows for "two active players", which puts a serious downer on any four-player party game action you may have been looking forward to.

The one glaringly obvious limitation with Move is its ability to track only the movements of one limb – the one holding the controller - or two limbs for games like The Fight which have you hold two Move controllers. Kinect senses your whole body – up to 20 limbs per player for two-player games if those aforementioned tech specs are accurate.

Although, hilariously, we saw one woman who's long skirt prevented her from playing the track racing game on the device because it couldn't see enough of her legs. Evidently you'll have to dress suitably to play Kinect.

You'll need to be happy on your feet too – we're yet to see a Kinect game played sitting down. And how well will it work for people (such as those in Japan) with tiny living rooms? We're yet to see.

Doubts have also been cast over Kinect's ability to accommodate more complex gaming experiences like shooters and the like. Sony has emphasised its focus on catering to the hardcore crowd with Move, which has enough buttons on its body to accommodate complex controls alongside all that flowery motion control stuff.

In it has backed up these claims showing core games working perfectly with Move, titles like first-person-shooters Killzone 3 and Socom 4, or Resident Evil 5 and platformer LittleBigPlanet.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: potential

So we've said Move is more accurate than Kinect, reacts faster, can cater to both mainstream and hardcore experiences and lets you have a seat while you do it. Yes, it's been a very one-sided argument so far.

But if there's one incredibly significant factor that lies in favor of Kinect, it is its potential to innovate. While Move is clearly brilliant, it's hard to ignore its similarities to Wii. It's an improved Wii Remote, and while this will no doubt allow it to provide a few experiences the Wii Remote couldn't, we expect many of the same experiences just with better 1-to-1 response.

Kinect has the potential to be truly surprising. The fact it's the first mass market device to detect your entire body movement in 3D arguably throws up more far-reaching gameplay possibilities the likes of which we've never seen before.

But we place emphasis on the words 'never seen' because that's just it – both Move and Kinect are due out in a matter of months and while Sony has showed off everything from hardcore shooters to cutesy pet sims, Microsoft is yet to showcase anything other than a selection of simple sports, racing, dancing and fitness games that are all so very Wii-like and blatantly going for that same casual gamer crowd.

It's no secret that Xbox 360's mostly hardcore following is so far disappointed with what's been shown. We imagine adventure games that place you in the fantasy world, fighting games that let you duke it out in realistic bouts, and interactivity unlike anything before.

JUST DANCE: Dance Central on Kinect

The only Kinect software shown that lives up to these fantasies is the Milo and Kate demo, which uses voice recognition (and the microphones built into Kinect) to let players interact with a virtual boy named Milo.

But there's much doubt as to how realistic early demonstrations of the software are. It portrays perfect full-sentence voice recognition, emotion recognition based on a player's facial expression, subtle vocal tones and delays in speech, and artificial intelligence all of which are literally light-years ahead of the most advanced computer software we even knew existed.

It's little wonder that doubts have been placed over its validity as a representation of the actual game, which creator Peter Molyneux has recently been forced to reassure gamers is a real product planned for release next year.

PlayStation Move vs Kinect: final thoughts

Microsoft has been touting the traditional controller as the barrier between the player than the game – a barrier which Kinect rids us of at last.

But from our pretend-steering-wheel, early-hurdle-jumping experiences, we argue that taking away the controller doesn't remove barriers – it removes the tactile connection with a game. The visceral aspect of gaming.

With Kinect, you have no feeling of the world you're pretending to be in. Something as simple as tugging on the trigger on the back of the Xbox 360 controller and feeling that rumble in your hands as your on-screen gun rattles through bullets serves as a tactile connection between you and the virtual world.

In driving games, real immersion comes from the feeling of a (usually pricey) force feedback steering wheel twitching and jerking violently to the drama of your on-screen vehicle. That subtle vibration as you drive over dirt roads, or that sudden release of tension as the car launches into the air followed by the violent shudder of the landing. That feeling pulls you into the game.

RACING AHEAD: Forza 4 will be Kinect enabled

You may not own one of those pricey wheels, but we think that even just the simpler vibrations you get from a standard controller (and more significantly the PS Move) offers at least some form of tactile feedback which, continuing with the racing game example, is another layer of feedback that can sometimes assist you in judging how much grip you have on the road, how hard you actually hit the wall, or how rough the road surface is.

In any gaming application – playing tennis, shooting a gun, swinging a sword or steering a car - given the choice between holding something in our hands or suspending them in mid-air and pretending, we'd go for the tactile controller without a second thought.

Imagine, however, if MS was to make games that combined use of the standard controller with Kinect's full-body recognition. A standard shooter in which you could literally peer around corners, for example. Food for thought.

Overall, Move has the upper hand with what's been shown so far. Its library is more rounded for both the hardcore and the casual, and the games feel more complete. Everything about Kinect feels work-in-progress. Yet, we're not writing it off yet. On the contrary we feel we know what to expect from Move, while we remain curious and excited to see what Kinect could have in store.

One of the original founders of Acclaim Entertainment has said that Microsoft Kinect and Sony PlayStation Move tech will appeal to hardcore gamers.

Greg Fischbach, currently CEO and President of Yoostar Entertainment Group, Inc. - and one of the original founders of gaming legends Acclaim back in the late 1980s – told TechRadar that he thinks core gamers will play Kinect and Move because "fun is fun."

Yoostar is set to release a 'movie Karaoke' game for Microsoft Kinect and PlayStation Move this coming Christmas, developed by Britsoft developers Blitz Games.

Fischback told TechRadar that the new gaming tech 'is just a tool' for developers to play with and that you "really have to re-think how you write games for both these new systems [Kinect and PS Move].

Move and Kinect are just tools

"How are you going to write using the motion-control in such a way to make the game interesting for the hardcore gamer? For it to have that play dynamic that he or she is used to?" asks the veteran games developer.

In terms of making games for Kinect [and PS Move] Fischbach considers these things as, "just another tool in the toolkit for developers."

The Acclaim founder adds that he thinks that it will take the development and the publishing community "another 18 months or so until whatever that game is that is really going to appeal to a hardcore gamer that uses gesture and speech technology arrives."

Blitz Games' Steve Stopps ,Project Director on Yoostar 2 says he and his teams have "seen [Kinect] come on in leaps and bounds," adding that, "it does a very robust job… Microsoft has done some incredible work with the technology."

"In terms of the limitations – for us, most of those have been in people's pre-conceptions about the technology," adds Greg Fischbach. "In Yoostar 2, in terms of where we are going to be able to take the product, in terms of technology, it will almost be a 'post production kit' for the gamer. I wouldn't necessarily say that everybody should embrace it, but it's just another great tool."