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Live Vision bundle clearance priced to $49
by Dustin Burg 
{ Oct 1st 2008 at 3:15PM }
If you're in the market for a 12 month Xbox Live subscription, then we recommend searching retailers for the Xbox Live Vision bundle because it has been clearance priced to $49 from its original $79 price tag.
The bundle - which comes with 12 months of Xbox Live, Vision camera, wired headset, two XBLA games and 200 Microsoft points - has been spotted at retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City and Gamestop at a low clearance price of $49. We can only speculate that the savings is due to the bundle being discontinued thanks to a newer, hipper and snazzier Live chatpad / PGR4 bundle. May the savings-force be with you!
[Via Slickdeals]
First Piata Vision card goes online
by Dustin Burg { Aug 7th 2008 at 6:30PM }
You're in the Movies bundled with Vision for $60
by Dustin Burg { Jul 19th 2008 at 4:45PM }
Release details were lacking when, during their E3 conference, Microsoft announced their Vision enabled B movie creation game You're in the Movies. But now, thanks to some Joystiq detective work, we know that the game will in fact be bundled with the Xbox 360's Vision camera peripheral for a B movie price of $60. That said, MS hasn't revealed any details for obtaining the game outside the Vision bundle or whether or not the $40 stand-alone Vision camera will still be available this Fall. Patience as we figure out this You're in the Movies distribution confusionDeals: Cheap MS points and get Mass Effect free
by Dustin Burg { Jun 9th 2008 at 9:45AM }
Starting with Best Buy, all this week they're giving away a copy of Call of Duty 3 with the purchase of Enemy Territory: Quake Wars and a free $10 gift card with purchase of The Incredible Hulk. Best Buy also discounted a few accessories, offering the Messenger Kit for $20, Wireless Headset for $50 and Vision Camera for $30. Heading over to Circuit City, you can snag a free $10 gift card with the purchase of either NASCAR 09 or Dragon Ball Z: Burst Limit, get the Rock Band bundle for $155 and BioShock or Mass Effect for $32. They're also offering Burnout Paradise for $40, Frontlines: FoW or MX vs. ATV for $48, Need for Speed Carbon for $24 and our favorite CC deal of the week, 1600 Microsoft points for $15. Next up is Target, where they're giving away a FREE copy of Mass Effect with the purchase two of the listed Xbox 360 titles including Ninja Gaiden II ($60), RSV2 ($40), Scene It? ($50), Gears of War ($40), NASCAR 09 ($60) or Assassin's Creed ($40). And finally, because we love our Canadian readers so much, we hopped on over to Best Buy Canada and discovered they're offering two free games with any Xbox 360 console purchase (selection based on one of four game bundles) and a 12 Month Xbox Live subscription card for $50. Now run along and have a spectacular time shopping.
Intel predicts camera-powered, controller-free game system
by Kyle Orland { Dec 18th 2007 at 3:15PM }
While waggling your Wii remote around provides a decent approximation of natural motion, Intel predicts a future where cameras will provide highly accurate motion data to a game system. "We imagine some future generation of [Nintendo's] Wii won't have hand controllers," Intel Chief Technology Officer Justin Rattner, told Business Week. "You just set up the cameras around the room and wave your hand like you're playing tennis."It should be noted that there's nothing in the article to indicate that Rattner has any insider info on Nintendo's plans -- more than likely he was just theorizing about what he'd like to see in a future system. Still, the idea of a camera-based 3D motion-sensing setup has incredible potential for gaming. More than the simple video transposition of the Xbox Live Vision Camera or the PlayStation Eye, a multi-camera system could model your three-dimensional movements in real time, in effect placing a digital version of you in the game. The result could revolutionize the way we play games and even how they're made -- after all, why should developers use motion captured performances when the players can provide them for themselves?
Such a theoretical system would take quite a bit of processing power, though, which might explain why Intel is talking it up -- after all, they already have a chip that can perform one trillion calculations a second. The future's so bright, we're using our Wii remotes as makeshift shades.
Nintendo flashes us with Vision Training
by Eric Caoili { Jul 11th 2007 at 3:05PM }
Halfway through its E3 2007 media briefing today, Nintendo announced that it will expanding its line of casual titles in the US with Strengthen Your Visual Power through Practice: Vision Training (Miru Chikara wo Jissen de Kitearu: DS Ganriki Training), retitling the game as Flash Focus: Vision Training in Minutes a Day.If neither of the titles suitably sum up the game for you, it is a collection of exercises and minigames that test you on field of vision and eye-hand coordination, using the results to determine the age of your eyes. Shift your eyes past the post break for some video impressions of the Japanese demo from CAG's CheapyD!
Win Pac-Man, Live subscriptions and Vision cams
by Dustin Burg { Jun 6th 2007 at 2:00PM }
To celebrate the continued success of the Xbox Live Arcade (and because they received free goodies from Microsoft), Eurogamer is having a fun little giveaway. European residents can enter the giveaway by answering a rather easy Pac-Man related question over on their site to win prizes galore. What prizes you ask. Well, good question. They're giving away five 12-Month XBL Vision Gold Packs, five XBLA retro tshirts, and fifteen codes to download the new Pac-Man Championship Edition game off the Arcade. So, head on over to their site and enter the giveaway before June 13th. Remember, you must be a European resident, North Americans need not apply.[Thanks, eLiNeS]
The amazing invisible gamer
by Richard Mitchell { Apr 23rd 2007 at 7:00PM }
Perhaps you spotted this on Joystiq, but we had to post it here. It's been some time since we've seen any Vision Camera shenanigans. This video, however, is special. It's not a video of some jackass on Command & Conquer 3, oh no, this video is not of this world. Gasp as his couch defies the laws of our universe. Feel your mind become one with another dimension as you stare through a man's solid flesh.
If you prefer to preserve the illusion, read no further. It turns out that the Vision camera used in this video was suffering from a case of burn in. It seems the camera has captured the couch in the background for so long that it is permanently within the frame. As it stands, the video teaches us two things. One, be careful using your Vision cam for prolonged amounts of time. Two, if you're not worried about your Vision's well-being, this should make for an interesting party trick.
Vision shenanigans: R6 Vegas baby
by Richard Mitchell { Mar 16th 2007 at 12:30PM }
You find the damnedest things cruising Flickr. Today we found this picture taken from Rainbow Six Vegas created by frasermoo. Yes, that is the face of an infant. The face of an infant mounted onto a lethal terrorist killing machine to be specific. While we can't argue the hilarity of such a juxtaposition, we do have to question the logistics of such an endeavor. What had to be done to keep this child still enough to capture his face this accurately? What nefarious harnesses were put to use for the sole sake of creating a humorous avatar? Hopefully, this baby has a penchant for sitting perfectly still and looking cute all the time.
Any Vegas players spot any other freaky avatars out there?
Playing video games improves eyesight
by John Bardinelli { Mar 16th 2007 at 9:27AM }
Contrary to what our parents used to say, new research claims that playing video games actually improves eyesight. Tests were conducted on two groups of non-gamers, one of which received 30 hours of "training" on fast-paced action games such as Lost Planet and Halo. This type of game pushes the human visual system to its limits, causing the brain to adapt and, well, level up your sense of spatial resolution, allowing you to see closely-packed objects more clearly.Unfortunately, playing Gears of War won't help you lose the contact lenses. Most visual problems have to do with the eye itself, whereas video games only benefit neurologically-related conditions.
But hey, an excuse to play video games is an excuse to play video games.
[Thanks, NoHitHair]
Vision Cam works with PS3
by David Dreger { Mar 5th 2007 at 2:15PM }
The Xbox 360 only accepts the Xbox Live Vision Camera as a means to utilize its Video Chat, Picture Message and Personal Gamer Picture features. That being said, the Vision Camera, being a USB webcam, can work on a PC. You can add the Playstation 3 to the list, as the PS3 now accepts virtually all USB cameras, thanks to its 1.54 firmware update. While only one of our bloggers had the fiscal irresponsibility to pick up a PS3, does this affect any of you multi-platform readers. And if so, how would you feel using the Vision camera during a video chat on the other console?
University of Rochester: Action games improve vision
by Zack Stern { Feb 6th 2007 at 3:51PM }
Science Blog covers a University of Rochester study that says action videogames improve visual processing by 20 percent. A group of students played Unreal Tournament and another group played Tetris, which was selected because of its motor complexity but visual simplicity. After regular training with the respective games, the UT players more easily identified the orientation of a letter "T" among a jumble of other shapes in a crowding test. The Tetris group's responses didn't change.The study suggests that action games alter the way our minds process information even after playing; the researchers think that games could help combat certain visual disorders. We just hope that our improved ability to identify objects makes up for our blurred vision after marathon game nights.
Xbox Live 12 month Vision pack for $66
by Dustin Burg { Jan 17th 2007 at 7:00PM }
Are you in need of a Xbox Live gold subscription renewal pretty soon? You know, that will set you back roughly $50 for 12 months. But for only $16 more you can get the Xbox 360 Live Camera Bundle instead. TeamXbox stumbled upon this great Amazon.com deal over the weekend and we must say, it's a good option for those who need to renew their subscription. The bundle includes 12 months of Xbox Live gold access, Vision camera, headset, 200 Microsoft Points, UNO, Robotron and free shipping for $65.95. You just can't beat a $15 savings!
[Via TeamXbox]
Save $10 on Vision and wireless controller
by Dustin Burg { Jan 14th 2007 at 6:40PM }
We've destroyed our Sunday paper looking for good 360 deals and thankfully came upon Circuit City's ad. This week at Circuit City or online you can get the Xbox Live Vision camera for $29.99 and the wireless controller for $39.99. That's a savings of $10 on each item! $30 is a great "try me" price for the Vision camera to see if you enjoy it. And it even comes with UNO in the package and TotemBall to download. Did you find any great Xbox 360 deals in this week's paper or online?A long distance Xbox 360 Vision X-mas
by Dustin Burg { Dec 26th 2006 at 6:00PM }
Over at the Gamerscore Blog Chris posted an account of his first Christmas spent with his family using the Xbox 360 Vision camera. Since moving to Washington our friend Chris hasn't had much interaction with his family and this was his first holiday season without them. What else could he do except purchase his family a Vision camera, get one for himself, and open presents via Xbox Live. Technology bringing together a family, now that's priceless. Have you used your Vision camera to talk with family that lives far away, or newly found friends, or to do some video conferencing? Bringing people together this holiday season, the Vision camera saves the day!
