Technology, Gadgets, IT, Games

In one US university, an Xbox games console had been loaded with Linux and used as a web server for Philosophy students. A couple of years later, the Unix Administrator received a support ticket to say the students’ websites weren’t accessible. On visiting the server room, he discovered the Xbox server had disappeared without a trace.

He took the issue to his manager, who was silent for a moment, then sheepishly revealed it was he who had removed the server. He assumed it was a normal Xbox, used for gaming by the technicians whenever it was quiet. So, with the school holidays approaching, he took it home for his son to play with.

The manager then drove home and retrieved the Xbox. The administrator got a labeling machine and plastered the words “This is actually a server” all across the console.

Another case solved! If you have any funny tech stories, or another mystery that you solved, leave a comment here.

The above is a graph showing past games sales and a prediction for the future. This graph predicts that Xbox 360 game sales will increase for a few years, with sales for the Wii and PS3 staying roughly the same. The Xbox 360 is predicted to do singificantly better than the other two consoles, with the PS3 behind the Wii. Around 2009, sales for all the consoles will decline.

At this time, we would expect a new generation of consoles to be born, or else we could be facing a complete crash in the gaming industry. It is a known fact that selling consoles lose a lot of money for the manufacturers (although not the Wii), and they make their money through selling accessories and licenced games. Even the games themselves don’t make profits for the developers, and piracy plays a big part in that.

Do you think Microsoft/Nintendo/Sony are going to keep making consoles, and that developers are going to keep coming up with new games? Or do you think that games as we know them are just not worth making anymore, and that there’s a risk that we could be without them in a few years?

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Source: BBC

Just a couple of days before the PS3′s European Launch, the new black Xbox 360 ‘Elite’ has been unearthed. With a 120GB hard drive and HDMI output, this is not a ‘new’ console, but rather a third version to sell alongside the existing Core and Premium 360s. However, this will be a limited edition SKU.

The case, controller, and Live headset will all be black, along with new packaging. The Elites will run cooler (heat is a big problem amongst 360s), but there is no confirmation on new 65nm chips. To the disappointment of many fans, there are still no plans by Microsoft to integrate an HD DVD drive.

Also, the hardware made for the Elite will be available (in white) to upgrade your Core or Premium Xbox. However, when all the Elites are sold out, its components will become standard in the Core and Premium packages later this year, with no price change – although a decrease is expected when 65nm chips are implemented. Supposedly retailing for $479 (£244) in late April, Microsoft have not yet confirmed its existence.