Rumours are circulating the interweb with details of the upcoming Xbox 360 fall dashboard system update. Only time will tell if it’s credible, but it looks pretty good any way. Enjoy…

• Compatibility with 3rd party wireless controllers
• Compatibility with messenger pad
• Xbox Live Vision firmware upgrade, sharper image filtering
• Many more Vision Cam settings
• New screensaver settings – when away from Xbox 360, screensaver will play for optional time, before screen goes dark
• New Xbox Live Arcade blade – where you can download, play and learn about Xbox Live Arcade
• Brand new “web based adver-games” flash games which aren’t downloaded, but are playable bite sized games, accessed via new Xbox Live Arcade Blade
• New Screensaver option in Themes and Gamer Pics option in Marketplace blade
• New functionality with Messenger, works with chatpad
• New XNA Game Launcher for those that have the program, new options
• New language, time and date settings
• New “advertising opportunities” in gameplay
• Xvid support
• New “favourites” option via Xbox Live Arcade, can rate according to preference
• IPTV Functionality – support for TiVo like PVR options. Will be able to record TV direct. Options include source by channel, director, actor and distributor
• Filter friends list, will be able to filter friends via games
• New clan support – will be able to launch clan games direct from dashboard, can “fold” friends into new clan category in friends list
• Better translations in settings and other options for Japanese, German and Spanish languages
• New quick option to delete via X Button in memory viewer.
• Option for having downloadable In-game content not inform when completed download
• Option for having video content not inform when completed download
• Faster settings for viewing unfinished video content downloads
• New option in Games tab – beta and others, will be launcher for MMO and multiplayer betas
• New option in Marketplace Games tab, search by letter, can be inputted via text pad or console
• Smarter game settings – you can be messaged via publishers about new in-game content for your games
• Picture in picture functionality for DVD Drive and some other updated settings
• Improved USB Keyboard settings
• Improved voice chat settings in game and from dashboard
• Faster response times to Redeem Code settings
• Option to play a Redeemed Code game straight after redeeming code
• Console will now recognise low Hard Drive space, will inform you immediately if can’t download current item, will automatically download next available that is able.
• Increased space size for gamerpics and dashboard themes
• Themes can now be animated
• Themes may now have sound effects
• Better slideshow capabilities, new options added. New sound effects and integration with Hard Drive/ PC music capable
• New estimated timer for downloads, informing how long download will expect to take

The guys over at Xboxic have managed to get their hands on some new PGR4 details, apparently taken from a Polish Xbox magazine. Lots of new features are promised for this much anticipated sequel, which include:

• In career you choose event from a large map similar to “tree” in Ridge Racer
• Driving model doesn’t change fundamentally, but drifting is a little easier
• It’s more difficult to spin opponent’s car with hitting his back
• You can create online cups
• 200 courses
• Shanghai has the longest straights in MSR/PGR series plus wide roads and loose corners
• Puddles on the road while raining, ruts when it snow
• Menus aren’t static as in PGR3, now they’re red-white and SSX-style
• Intro is short, but very dynamic
• After finish cars doing donuts
• When you’re doing good drifts on screen appears status like Sweet, Dude, Awesome
• 720p, 30fps, better textures and dynamic lighting
• Every car is build-up with 70k-100k polygons
• In-car camera is hanging a bit lower than in PGR3
• More polygons on drivers, because of… it’s secret for a while
• More spectators on tracks, they’re more interactive, better animated, and waving national flags
• All PGR3 Enviroments to Return, joined By Shanghai and Two Other New Cities TBA, and a “Fantasy Track”
• Ditched The 170mph and Up. This Time It’s Iconographix.
• Cars to feature are: 1960s Mini, ‘63 Corvette Stingray, ‘54 Maserati 250F, Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano and many more…
• Fully developed fog, puddles turning to ice, windshields collecting frost
• Fully rejiggered Career Mode totally mapped out a la Tiger Woods. You create a driver, their nationality etc
• AI now has character. You know the drivers and they have their own style.
• In car view features more active driver (fist pumping) and more shaky craziness.
• Online physics improved to cut down on cheesers.

You can check out the full article here, which also includes some scans from the magazine.

New buggies, possible 4 player action. Could this be part of the fabled Crackdown DLC….? Details are a bit thin on the ground, well actually apart from this picture, they are non-existent. But that won’t stop the interweb rumour machine.

Following on from my previous post in September, the black Xbox 360 rumours are doing the round again. According to some reports this time the story is indeed legit, although they are using the same images from five months ago. The black Xbox 360 is rumoured to be HDMI enabled and have a 120 GB hard disk.

We will wait and see…

Rumours are floating around the interweb that there are some new maps and game types for Rainbow Six Vegas heading our way sometime soon. The pack supposedly contains 3 new multiplayer maps and 2 new multiplayer game types. Assassination, requires players to protect their player controlled VIP and attempt to assassinate the opposing team’s VIP. Conquest asks players to maintain control over certain sections of the map, similar to King of the Hill and Territories game types in other games. This fantastic new content is rumoured to cost around the 800 point mark and be available sometime in March 2007.

No sooner than it was confirmed that Virtua Fighter 5 would no longer remain a Playstation exclusive title and would be coming to the Xbox 360, new rumours are suggesting that Tekken 6 will also be making an appearance on an Xbox 360 near you. According to an “IGN Insider Source”, Namco are currently working on both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the hit fighting game.

It has recently been reported that chip manufacturer Chartered Semiconductor has postponed the mass production of the new energy efficient CPU for the Xbox 360.

Market sources are claiming that this chip might now be delayed by several months. It is not clear why the chips are late though.

The current Xbox 360 CPU runs on a 90nm chip, with Chartered Semiconductor planning to manufacture a new processor based on form factor of 65nm. Moving to 65nm will make the new chip both cheaper, quieter and more energy efficient, thus reducing heat build up in the 360.

I’m a sucker when it comes to Oblivion rumours so will post anything that looks remotely interesting. Anyway, could this be the next Oblivion downloadable content…?

Dragonfire Castle is basically a place for your character to hang out. Things that it might have:

• A Secret Vault
• Wine Cellar and Vinter. Lots of Fighter-Aiding wines and a vinter to make them.
• Combat training and sparring room.
• An NPC for weapon skill training.
• Men-At-Arms Quarters.
• An NPC that follows you around and helps you in combat.
• Dwemer Forge. Boosts Armourer skill by 15 for short time.
• Trophy Hall and Taxidermist. Another NPC will make stuffed forms of creatures when you bring the proper ingredient, the critter will then appear on a podium in the Hall for your viewing pleasure.

Hopefully this isn’t just another wild rumour, but probably is. Watch this space…

And now for some pretty pictures…

Note: Please note that this news item has been placed in the Rumours section and as such is probably a load of made up crap. But I like made up crap so am reporting it anyway. Please make up your own minds as to the validity of the story.

Some interesting pictures floating their way round the web over the last few days of a rumoured black Xbox 360. It’s either:

1. Some kind of enhanced 360 media centre 360 (with internal HD-DVD drive and bigger hard disk)
2. Standard Xbox 360 in black
3. Standard 360 spray painted black
4. Standard 360 in the dark 
5. Fake

Here’s hopeing that it is the first one. Either way, it does look very cool…

Note: Please note that this news item has been placed in the Rumours section and as such is probably a load of made up crap. But I like made up crap so am reporting it anyway. Please make up your own minds as to the validity of the story.

The Register is reporting on an interesting rumour that Microsoft is seeking partners to manufacture a internal HD-DVD drive for future versions of the Xbox 360. This move would definatly make sense with the upcoming release of the Playstation 3, but will no doubt annoy many people who have already purchased a 360, and would really annoy people who have just purchased the HD-DVD addon.

Microsoft has begun seeking manufacturing partners to make an internal HD DVD drive for a redesigned Xbox 360 console, whistle-blowers from among Taiwan’s optical disk drive production community have claimed. And the software giant may be looking at incorporating disc-burning technology in the console.

It has to be said, of course, that Microsoft has yet to ship its Xbox 360-oriented external HD DVD player, and it may well have simply been looking for further manufacturing partners for the internal workings of this add-on.

More about this story on The Register.

Note: Please note that this news item has been placed in the Rumours section and as such is probably a load of made up crap. But I like made up crap so am reporting it anyway. Please make up your own minds as to the validity of the story.