Xbox Kinect's Game Launch Lineup Revealed - Mashable

Microsoft has just announced the 17 games that will be available on launch day with Kinect for Xbox 360, the tech giant’s highly anticipated controller-free gaming system.

Kinect, which launches on November 4, is Microsoft’s answer to the Nintendo Wii’s motion controllers, which helped turn that console into one of this generation’s most popular gaming devices. Both Sony and Microsoft have been playing catch-up with the PlayStation Move and Kinect, respectively.

17 Kinect-enabled games will be available when the device makes its debut next month. Here’s the full list:

Dance Central: This game, made by the creators of Rock Band, tracks your dance moves. We’ve heard good things about this one.The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout: A game from THQ based on the TV show.DanceMasters: Konami’s version of getting your groove down.EA SPORTS Active 2: A fitness game with body tracking, heart rate data and the ability to share workout data. EA has gone all-out with this game, which sort of explains its $100 price tag.Zumba Fitness: See a pattern yet? This is a dance fitness game.Kinect Sports: Microsoft’s version of Wii Sports.MotionSports: This game from Ubisoft includes live in-game commentary and 40+ sports challenges.DECA SPORTS FREEDOM: While this game only has 10 sporting events, there is a focus on making it feel as real as possible. Figure skating should be interesting.Kinect Joy Ride: Controller-free kart racing.ADRENALIN MISFITS: This racing/battle game focuses on fantasy worlds.Fighters Uncaged: Fulfill your Fight Club fantasy without the bloody concussions and stitches.SONIC FREE RIDERS: Yup, Sega is bringing Sonic the Hedgehog to Kinect.

What do you think of Kinect’s launch day lineup? Let us know in the comments.

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Sony Reveals Google TV New Product Line-up - Tom's Guide

Google TV is supposed to be available before winter hits and with the cold creeping in, Google's partners are busy showing off their Google TV wares.

Yesterday Sony held a press conference in New York City and revealed its range of Google TV hardware. The company debuted everything from a $400 Set-top box-cum-Blu-ray player to a $1,400 HDTV.

The cheapest TV Sony unveiled yesterday was a $599 and is the 24-inch NSX-24GT1. Next is the 32-inch class NSX-32GT1 for $799.99 and then the 40-inch NSX-40GT1 clocks in at just under $999.99. The most expensive model is the 46-inch NSX-46GT1, which costs $1,399.99. All four models feature built-in WiFi, four HDMI inputs and four USB inputs, an Intel CPU, and Google TV built-in. All but the cheapest in the line feature an Edge LED backlight display. The $599 model packs a CCFL backlight design. All come bundled with Sony's new RF QWERTY keypad remote with integrated optical mouse.

Completing Sony's Internet TV line is the company's Blu-ray player ($399), which features Blu-ray Disc playback capability (obviously) and comes with Google TV built-in, an Intel CPU, one HDMI input, one HDMI output, four USB inputs, built-in WiFi and that same RF QWERTY keypad remote.

Google TV allows users to browse the web, as well as search for content across your TV and the internet. It's based on Google's Android OS and uses the Chrome browser. The platform also allows you to download applications to your TV via the Android marketplace. All of Sony's TVs will come with Netflix, CNBC, Napster, Pandora and Sony Qriocity VOD pre-installed.

Sony's Google TV line will hit its outlets by this weekend and should hit Best Buy before the month is out.

Logitech also began sending out shipping notifications for its Logitech Revue set-top box. Those who pre-ordered last week can expect their Revue to ship on October 21.

Source: Sony

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Microsoft to Unveil Its Smartphone Lineup - Wall Street Journal

Microsoft Calling: Microsoft will formally unveil Monday a lineup of smartphones using the revamped version of its mobile operating system, Windows 7. The phones will be available through AT&T and T-Mobile USA.

Kid Channel: Hasbro is set to launch a children's cable network today, as it tries to expand from a toy maker to an entertainment company.

Earnings Roundup: J.P. Morgan Chase, General Electric, Google, Mattel and Intel are among those reporting.

Columbus Day: The stock market and most commodity markets are open Monday, though bond markets and government offices are closed.

Foreclosures Halted: Bank of America said it's halting all foreclosure sales, the first bank to do so amid political pressure to examine documentation problems. BofA, J.P. Morgan Chase, Ally Financial and others already have postoned foreclosures in 23 states.

Obama Veto: President Obama plans to veto a bill whose opponents say would make it harder for homeowners to stop foreclosures.

Still Jobless: The unemployment rate stood unchanged at 9.6% in September, as small gains in the private sector failed to offset big cuts in government workers.

Home Sales Up: Existing-home sales rose 4.3% in September from August.

False Charges: Verizon Wireless said it will issue refunds to 15 million customers who were incorrectly billed for data services.

Settlement: Wells Fargo has agreed to pay $24 million and reduce the amount owed on certain loans to settle an investigation into the marketing of risky mortgages.

iPhone Expansion: Apple announced it's creating a version of the iPhone to be sold through Verizon Wireless starting early next year, ending an exclusive deal with AT&T.

—Wall Street Journal Sunday writers regularly contribute to the Journal's weekday "Your Money Matters" personal-finance podcast. Listen at WSJ.com/Podcasts

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Droid Pro, Citrus Join Motorola Android Lineup - eWeek

Motorola introduced two new Android-running smartphones for the Verizon Wireless network Oct. 5. The Droid Pro, the first Android phone specifically for business users, will arrive in the coming weeks, while the Citrus, an entry-level consumer handset, will arrive later in the quarter.

Motorola introduced the phones at the CTIA Wireless trade show in San Francisco, the same day that AT&T announced it will soon be offering three new Motorola handsets, the Flipout, the Bravo and the Flipside, which run Android 2.1 and the latest version of Motorola's user interface, Motoblur.

Motorola's big Android push comes as its executives prepare to separate its handset business from the rest of the company, a move first announced in 2008. At the CTIA event, Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said the spinoff was "looking good for the first quarter, the early part of the first quarter," Bloomberg reported in Business Week Oct. 6. Jha added that the growing popularity of Android handsets was creating an innovation race.

"It's a good thing for consumers and for carriers," Jha said, according to Bloomberg.

If most Android handsets are designed to compete with the Apple iPhone, the Droid Pro is a more direct threat to Research In Motion's BlackBerry smartphones. The Motorola device features a 3.1-inch multitouch display, a four-row QWERTY keypad, a full HTML browser with Adobe Flash Player 10.1, the Android 2.2 operating system, a 1GHz processor and 4GB of memory.

A global phone, it offers data coverage in more than 200 countries, and in addition to 3G offers WiFi-enabled DNLA (Digital Living Network Alliance) connectivity. With the enterprise in mind, it features support for Gmail and Exchange e-mail, comes preloaded with the Quickoffice Mobile Suite, and allows the user to view, edit and share Microsoft documents. Security features include AuthenTec IPSec multiheaded VPN integration with remote-wipe capabilities and complex password support. Encryption for SD cards will be available in 2011.

The Droid Pro also contains a 5-megapixel camera, and can act as a Verizon 3G Mobile Hotspot for up to five other WiFi-enabled devices.

"The Droid Pro is an advanced business-ready solution that provides users with the full smartphone experience, redefined by delivering the power of a Droid," Jha said in a statement. "The Droid Pro consolidates users' work and personal needs. This is just another reason the Droid Pro is setting a new standard for [the] enterprise, allowing users to enjoy all the benefits of a smartphone with full push delivery of corporate e-mail and corporate-level security."

The consumer-geared Citrus runs Android 2.1 and relies on an on-screen QWERTY keypad. However, the full-capacitive touch screen offers flick, swipe and pinch-to-zoom navigation, and on the back of the phone is a touch panel, called BackTrack, that offers the alternate option of navigating without obstructing the display?which seems ideal for showing off photos.

Citrus' seven home screen panels can be customized with applications and widgets, and the device comes preloaded with Microsoft's Bing Search and Bing Maps, in addition to Google services such as Google Talk and Gmail. To boot, it's made of 25 percent post-consumer recycled plastic and arrives in 80-percent post-consumer recycled packaging.

Motorola also introduced the Android-running Spice smartphone, announced without a carrier partner. Another lower-cost, entry-level handset, it features a touch screen with multitouch support, BackTrack on the flip side and Motorola's Flashback application, which lets users view and manage all their content from a single application.

Motorola did not give prices for the phones, saying such details would arrive closer to the handsets' launch dates.

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