Tag: XBOXLIVE

Ok. Let's try this again: Sending threatening messages to anyone, for any reason, even if it's a joke, even if it's using another person's account or e-mail address is a really, really, really, really, really bad idea. Really. Take, for instance, the recent tale of one (unnamed) Maryland teenager who is now headed to court to face charges of sending threatening messages to about 100 people via a ...

It's no secret that Nokia has been in trouble for some time -- especially in the U.S. market, where Symbian (its smartphone OS of choice) just didn't enjoy the same success that it did in Europe. The problem has only gotten worse with the advent of Android and iOS, truly modern smartphone operating systems that make Symbian look like a quaint mess from a bygone era. MeeGo, a project that saw ...

Single mother Dawn Matthews received an extremely unwelcome (although increasingly common) letter recently. After she allowed her 11-year-old son, Brendan Jordan, to create an Xbox Live account -- with her credit card information -- he subsequently racked up £1,082.52 (almost $2,000) in charges. The compassionate mother apparently hasn't punished her son, but she did tell the Daily Mail that ...

Update: According to the Twitter feed of XBLA's Director of Policy and Enforcement Stephen Toulouse, the account was "illegitimately modified" and Julius' mother has since been contacted. The Rainman of 'Halo,' 11-year-old Julius Jackson is apparently a video game whiz. The boy, whose mother says he usually masters games in three to four days, is autistic, and reaches to his Xbox both to ...

When Fort Gay, West Virginia resident and 26-year-old gamer Josh Moore created an Xbox Live profile, he naturally listed his location as "fort gay WV." The ever-vigilant enforcement team from Xbox Live, however, recently suspended Moore from the gaming platform, due to what they believed to be a fictitious -- and inappropriately named -- town. As the AP reports, Moore pleaded with security ...

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines.... Last month, Forbes estimated that Microsoft's Xbox Live marketplace earns the company $1 billion a year, and that has now been echoed by Bloomberg. The $1 billion is thanks to the 12.5 million members who drop $50 on annual subscription fees, just so they can pay still more for various virtual goods like costumes and character ...

Highlights from this morning's other big tech headlines.... Nonexistent virtual goods produce obscene revenue for online services. The phenomenon, which even attracts criminal activity, is currently helping Microsoft stave off the effects of diminishing video game sales. Forbes estimates that Xbox Live earns the company more than $1 billion annually, primarily through various account ...

Share Back in February, Microsoft announced that it planned to end Xbox LIVE support for its original console. Then, in March, the company offered some consolation prizes to loyal Xbox gamers. Now, the deadline has come and gone, but, naturally, a group of avid gamers has found a way to skirt the system. According to Eurogamer, about 20 gamers who were playing 'Halo 2' simply refrained from ...

After banning an Xbox Live user for identifying herself as a lesbian on her profile, Microsoft, a year later, has apparently changed its asexual stance, and has opened its doors to diversity. As Arstechnica reports, Xbox Live users can now choose from a list of preapproved adjectives to describe their sexual preference or relationship, including Gay, Bi, Straight, Transgender or Lesbian. In a ...

Last month, we delivered the somber news that Microsoft will discontinue Xbox LIVE support for its original console and games. Come mid April, you won't be able to play 'Halo 2' online anymore. Rather than going out kicking and screaming, you might as well quietly accept Microsoft's virtual olive branch. According to Engadget, owners of the original Xbox console are eligible for a video game ...

Share Earlier today, Microsoft announced the impressive new Windows Phone 7 Series operating system at Mobile World Congress 2010. Forget what you've seen from earlier Windows Mobile operating systems; Windows Phone 7 Series is an enormous leap forward for Microsoft's smartphone efforts. It features a completely revamped interface (similar to the Zune HD), integration with Xbox Live and Zune, and ...

For those video game traditionalists (or cheapskates, depending on how you look at it) who still proudly fire up a big, black Xbox console and play the first 'Halo' with their online friends, we have some bad news. According to a press release, Microsoft will discontinue Xbox LIVE service for all original consoles and games on April 15th (giving us yet another reason to hate that day. It's the ...

In a move that should make extroverted Xbox Live members happy, Microsoft will add Facebook and Twitter functionality to the next Dashboard update, currently being tested in public previews. But underage teens will get a cold dose of reality when they find they can't log onto the social networks from their favorite console. Microsoft has blocked kids under 18 from accessing the popular social ...

When you adopt a dog, you expect to drop some cash on things like food, visits to the vet, and maybe chew toys. But one man's best friend drained his bank account in an unexpected way. According to Kotaku, a man named Greg says his one-year-old dog, Oscar, purchased 5,000 points on his Xbox Live account, totaling $62.50, while the owner slept in the next room. Somehow, the lab/hound mix ...

Federal and state governments have placed significant restrictions on convicted sex offenders in recent years, enabling law enforcement to track and monitor the activities of certain deviants. A new bill proposed in Texas seeks to limit the Internet activity for sex offenders, and monitor their Web personas as well. The bill, HB 22, which has yet to go before the Texas House of Representatives, ...