Your Graphics Card Is Obsolete Again: ATI and Nvidia DirectX 11 Cards Soon

The first graphics cards that support DirectX 11—the next version of Microsoft’s gaming APIs with more fiyapowah—from both ATI and Nvidia will apparently arrive in the next couple of months.

ATI’s first, with the RV870-based Radeon HD 5800 series shipping out next month (no surprise, since they were showing it off a couple months ago), while Nvidia’s following with the GT300 series that’ll apparently hit in December, according to DigiTimes’ sources. On the other hand, Nvidia seems to have the lead on the actual Windows 7 front, since their GPUs are already Windows Hardware Qualification Lab-certified with support for the new DirectCompute API. Bonus: Your existing Nvidia graphics works with it, if it ain’t ancient.

Then again, there’s no excuse like a new operating system for buying hundreds of dollars in new computer gear. [DigiTimes]

Nintendo Stops Charging for the Wii’s Browser, Emulates an Apology

You know what was dumb, until just now? That you had to pay, at least in Wii Points, to download the console’s Opera browser, which isn’t very good. Today, Nintendo would like to let you know that they’re (somewhat) sorry!

The deal, according to ElectricPig, is as follows: If you never dropped those 500 Wii Points on access to the Internet Channel, you can now download it for free. If you for whatever reason had, you’re entitled to free access to “a Virtual Console NES title worth 500 points,” which, despite the vague phraseology, is pegged with an October release date. In other words, it’s a specific game, instead of a simple 500-point credit, or at least a range of titles.

To be fair, they didn’t have to give users anything, and no matter how marginally useful the browser is, whenever it was free—like at launch—it felt like a nice value add. [ElectricPig via Kotaku]

Here The Wild Things Are

Where are the wild things? They are sprinkled copiously amidst these screenshots for the Nintendo Wii, DS, and Xbox 360 screenshots for the video game adaptation of the new Where the Wild Things Are movie.

Two different developers contributed to these screenshots, with Amaze Entertainment handling Wii, PS3, and Xbox 360 development while WayForward handles DS duties. All three versions represented here make me yearn for the days when I could have fit into those monster jammies.

The game should be out around the time the movie releases in October. Let’s hope our childhood memories survive unscathed.

Fixing a Computer Is Easy

Just follow these simple steps.

It’s actually not as scary as it looks. The chart’s a compilation of all of the useful—and interactive—charts for PC troubleshooting and repair by Morris Rosenthal, found here.

But, uh, sometimes, we prefer the one-step solution: Buy a new damn computer. [Morris Rosenthal via BeeBeeGee]

Microsoft To Announce Xbox 360 Price Cut For Japan Tomorrow

While the Xbox 360 has already gotten a price reduction in the States, it hasn’t yet in Japan. That will changed tomorrow when the company shaves the console’s price tag for the region.

According to Microsoft Hong Kong, the Japanese arm of the company is holding a press conference in Tokyo tomorrow to announce the Xbox 360 price cut. The lower priced consoles won’t hit Asian retails until September 10th.

Last last month, Microsoft announced that the 120GB Xbox 360 Elite will sell for $299.99, while the popular 60GB Xbox 360 Pro will be cut to $249.99. What’s more, production of the the Xbox 360 Pro has already stopped, despite being Microsoft’s current top selling model.

Microsoft has denied that the price-cuts are in anyway related to the PS3 price-cut Sony announced earlier this past August. “I think it’s a bit coincidental,” Microsoft’s Aaron Greenberg told Kotaku, “but it’s also somewhat logical with both (Sony and Microsoft) making price adjustments at this time of the year because we are turning the corner of the holiday season.”

Microsoft Xbox 360 price cuts to come later for Asia – Network World [Network World] [Pic]

Blizzard’s Next MMO Will Be "Significantly Different"

Blizzard can’t work on World of Warcraft forever. Eventually, they’ll release a new MMO. And when they do, apparently it’ll be “significantly different” to their current world-destroying cash machine.

“I think the (new MMO) is going to be significantly differentiated enough [from WoW],” Blizzard’s COO Paul Sams told Wired. “Such that, you’re not going to feel like they’re one and the same resulting in that you have to pick or choose”.

Ah, so you mean, those hopelessly addicted to WoW can, instead of abandoning the game, double up and become addicted to it and the new MMO? Sure there’ll be millions of WoW widows/widowers out there just thrilled to hear that.

Q&A: Blizzard COO Says New MMO ‘Significantly Different’ From Warcraft [Wired]