MicroTechXP

If you’re looking to step up to a 60GB Xbox 360 but have an irrational fear of Amazon, Circuit City just put it up for pre-order. The price is still $349.99 but ship date is August 6, two inexplicable days later than Amazon. The site lists an HDMI output with upscaling DVD player, which is nice to see. Other than that, all else looks to be the same — no Circuit City bonuses like cables, games, or other schwag. [Engadget]

Apple computers have enjoyed an excellent second quarter of 2008, with sales growing faster than any other manufacturer.
Gartner is reporting that Apple’s sales grew 38 per cent over the period and the company now has 8.5 per cent of the US market. HP consolidated its position as market leader with over 11 per cent sales growth, giving it a market share of 31.9 per cent. Overall the decaying economic situation has proved something of a boon to PC manufacturers.
View: The full story @ vnunet

K-Mart stores have discounted Microsoft Corp.’s Xbox 360 HD DVD Player to $5.00 as the retailer moves remaining units of the defunct high-definition peripheral.
A buyer on the discount website Slickdeals.net purchased an Xbox 360 HD DVD Player for $5.00 in Greensboro, NC.
The device, which allows Xbox 360 owners to play Toshiba Corp.’s HD DVD format titles, launched in Nov. 2006 for $199.99.
It was later discounted to $179.99 in a price war against Sony Corp.’s Blu-ray disc format.
Toshiba in Feb. exited the HD DVD format business after companies including Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Best Buy Co. Inc., and Netflix Inc. defected to Blu-ray.
Retailers including Best Buy and Circuit City Co. Inc. have cleared all in-store HD DVD inventory.
Amazon.com has discounted a wave of HD DVD titles by up to 60 percent to clear inventory. [PunchJump]

Looks like we’ll have to get up bright and early to buy the new iPhone. Also, AT&T says a “no-commitment” iPhone is “coming soon.”

First things first: The new iPhone 3G will go on sale at 8 a.m. next Friday at AT&T retail stores and Apple stores. So if you’re planning on lining up, you’d better be ready well before sunrise.

Also, AT&T has finally clarified pricing for current AT&T subscribers who want the iPhone 3G.  

In a nutshell, if you’re “upgrade eligible” (log into your AT&T account to see if you are), you’ll be able to buy the new iPhone for the discounted price of $199 for the 8GB version or $299 for the 16GB model. (AT&T is somewhat vague about the eligibility criteria, although your credit history and the time remaining on your contract are factors.) You’ll also have to pay an $18 “upgrade fee.”

If you’re not eligible for the discount, you’ll have to fork over extra for an “early upgrade”-$399 for the 8GB iPhone 3G or $499 for the 16GB model. Ouch.
AT&T also says that a “no-commitment” (read: no contract) iPhone 3G will be available soon, at $599 for the 8GB version and or $699 for the 16GB handset. Pricey, but hey-no two-year contract.

Unfortunately, AT&T won’t offer the new iPhone on a prepaid basis, at least not at launch. [Yahoo! Tech]

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Preempting Intel’s official launch of its latest Centrino 2 mobile processors, PC makers and chip resellers are leaking processor details by letting customers preorder the chip through channels and in laptops. The Centrino 2 platform, codenamed Montevina, is an upgrade to Intel’s current Centrino platform and will include five Core 2 processors running at clock speeds between 2.26GHz and 3.06GHz. The chip will also come with WiMax support.
Due by the end of June, the launch of the chip was later delayed to July due to chipset problems. It is now due July 14. The processors are being offered by Santech , a European PC vendor, in its X46 laptop. The laptop will support up to 4G bytes of RAM, include a 15.4-inch display, WiMax capabilities and wireless A/G/N networking. The X46 prices begin at €619 (US$963).
View: The full story @ InfoWorld

It appears that Sony and Konami may have underestimated the consumer demand for a PlayStation 3 bundled with Metal Gear Solid 4.
The MGS4 exclusive bundles seem to have been swept up as soon as they hit shelves. The bundle which was paired with an 80GB PS3, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (regular edition), a Dualshock 3 and a voucher for a free download of PAIN from the PlayStation Store.
“Due to overwhelming demand, the product is currently unavailable. The new estimated time of arrival date for when this will be available is the beginning of July,” a Sony Style representative said.
Amazon.com has even gone as far as to instill a MGS4 pack policy in order to ensure gamers are able to get their hands on this hot seller: “As you may know, the PlayStation 3 80 GB Metal Gear Solid 4 Pack (“PS3 80GB MGS4 Pack”) is in great demand, and there are limited quantities of this product across the U.S. In an effort to provide as many customers as possible with the opportunity to purchase a PS3 80GB MGS4 Pack, we are limiting the total number of PS3 80GB MGS4 Packs that can be purchased. As a result, each household may only purchase one PS3 80GB MGS4 Pack total.”
While Sony has yet to provide any details on the stock of the bundle nor has it mentioned anything about a potential street date for the next wave of MGS4 bundles.
“While we can’t provide specifics on inventory levels, the Metal Gear Solid 4 PlayStation 3 bundle is a limited-edition offering that’s experiencing high demand from Metal Gear and PlayStation enthusiasts,” the SCEA statement read. “We’re pleased with the strong consumer interest in the bundle and are working to ensure that additional shipments are provided to retailers.” [ZoonShare]

Back in the early stages of 2008, the gaming media seemed in agreement that this would be the year of the PlayStation 3. However, with delays to not only Home, but to in-game XMB and eventually Killzone 2, a lot of the faithful followers felt themselves doubting the authenticity of that expectation. Fast-forward a couple of months to the release of Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots and the mood has quickly changed back to the positive belief that this truly is the year you can rightfully be ecstatic about your PS3.
Scott Steiner, Sony’s VP of product marketing, feels that MGS4 is simply “only the beginning” of the snowball effect of exclusive titles to come for the console.
“This is only the beginning of an ongoing software avalanche for PS3 that includes titles such as LittleBigPlanet, SOCOM: Confrontation, MotorStorm Pacific Rift and Resistance 2 that only PS3 owners will be able to exclusively enjoy,” he said.
On top of this incredible list of exclusive games, Steiner is hoping that MGS4 will help pull the wavering PS2 loyalists into a PS3 purchase. As 75,000 MGS4 PS3 80GB bundles went flying off store shelves upon release, Steiner may see his aspirations realized. [PSU]

July 11 the 3G iPhone will reach the snatching hands of the crazed public. The new iPhone supports new features such as 3G wireless (surprise!), GPS mapping, enterprise features like Microsoft Exchange, and the new App Store. Keeping in line with the original iPhone, you get the same major features: widescreen iPod, and desktop-class web browser. It also includes smart sensors that help save battery life by adjusting the backlight based on ambient light.
The 3G iPhone is presented with the lines: “Twice as fast. Half the price.” The price will start at $199. [Neowin]
View: Apple 3G iPhone Features

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) has confirmed that it is phasing out the 80GB MotorStorm bundle, with retailers no longer receiving new inventory for the high-end SKU.
“Retailers aren’t getting any new inventory of the 80GB Motorstorm bundle,” a Sony representative told gaming blog, Joystiq.
The company was keen to emphasis that only the MotorStorm package is no longer being supplied to retailers, with the firm instead shifting its focus to the upcoming 80GB bundle containing a copy of Konami’s highly anticipated stealth game, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots.
Still, this move should come as little surprise to regular readers, seeing as how multiple sources in past months claimed that the MotorStorm pack would be phased out in order to accommodate the new bundle.
The MGS4 bundle is due out alongside the game on June 12, 2008. [Joystiq]

The gift card is a general giftcard, it should work an anything. You can actually buy those giftcards now, they are just themed in design, but not restricted in their use. They also have an Amazon and Starbucks theme card, as well as many restaurant themed ones, but all they are is giftcards with pretty graphics. [NeoGaf]