This is either a brilliant Photoshop job, some canny viral political campaigning, or both: An Xbox 360 gamer playing Burnout Paradise spotted an Obama campaign billboard with a “Paid for by Obama for President” caption as he whizzed by in his turbocharged sports car, Game Politics is reporting. The site was unable to confirm the ad’s authenticity with Burnout publisher Electronic Arts; I’ve left messages with both EA and the Obama campaign and will update this post if we get confirmation either way. Its veracity aside, the virtual billboard raises an interesting question: Are political ads in video games a good idea? In terms of eyeballs, I’d have to say yes. Roughly one-third of American households own an Xbox 360, Sony PS3 or Nintendo Wii. In terms of effectiveness, Brandweek recently detailed a survey undertaken by its fellow Nielsen Games division in which 11 percent of gamers said they bought a brand after seeing it advertised in a game. Of course, buying a brand of shoes or soda is a totally different prospect than buying a politician’s brand in the polling booth. And young voters — the kind most likely to notice an in-game ad — are also the least likely to show up on Election Day. At the very least, however, several gamer sites are now excitedly talking about the Obama billboard, which translates into some level of viral messaging success. It’s certainly a better idea than John McCain’s Pork Invaders, a knock-off of a video game that was popular when Sen. McCain was already in his 40s. Hat tip: Broken Toys. Less

I’ve been sitting on this one for a little bit until closer to launch… that’s right, it’s almost Guitar Hero: World Tour time (October 26th to be exact). “But Max, I already have Rock Band… what’s the big deal with this?!?”  I don’t know which one is better yet, but based on what Brandon told me about the track editor where you can make your own instrument tracks for your own songs and share them online, this might be the killer “must have” feature of the video-console-rockin’-out-style-games.  I also really liked the symbol additions to the drums, the pressure sensitivity, and not mentioned is the ability to use the drum header to plug in a real electronic drum set to rock out in some real style………… ohhh man I must do that! So here’s the question ladies and lads:  are the new features of Guitar Hero: World Tour compelling enough to get you Rock Band owners to buy another set, or did you all just wait for this game anyway?? Less

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte Microsoft Strata, Live Framework, Hyper-V, Android and Storm, Xbox Experience, and more. Windows Strata: Microsoft’s cloud computing platform gets a name Live Mesh might be named Live Framework, will likely run on top of Strata Thoughts on standalone Hyper-V Google Android and RIM Blackberry Storm New Xbox Experience coming November 19; Duke Nukem 3D is on Xbox Live Arcade now Tip of the week: Think 64 Software of the Week: AssaultCube Audible pick of the week: Planet Google: One Company's Audacious Plan to Organize Everything We Know, Unabridged, By Randall Stross, Narrated by William Hughes. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows. Check out Paul's blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information. Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller. Running time: 1:19:22 Less

We were surprised the last time [Ben Heck] was building a Xbox 360 laptop, yet here’s another one. Well, it’s not a laptop exactly, but an Xbox 360 built inside of a Pelican case. After receiving several requests for a similar device for people stationed overseas, he finally decided to try it out. The goal is to get all the components into the case so that the watertight seals are intact. It’s only partially complete right now and he notes that one of the major hurdles will be converting the DVD drive to top loading. The light ring and USB ports will probably be moved to the top surface, and the hard drive will be made removable. We look forward to the final writeup since there aren’t many tutorials on working with Pelican cases.        Less

[Ben Heckendorn]’s Access Controller is now shipping. The controller is designed to be used with just one hand. It has six openings that the five control modules can be placed in. It’s easy to reconfigure depending on the player or game. While the prototype was built using Xbox 360 controller parts, this newly released unit is available for the PS2, PS3, and PCs. The Xbox 360 version is still being reviewed for final production. [Ben] says that in the coming weeks he’ll post a how-to for building your own modules. There’s always one empty slot and the bus like design should make this fairly simple.        Less

Reader, [Fox9p3400], opened up an Xbox 360 controller battery pack so we could all see what goes into one. It contains two Sanyo 2100mAh NiMH AA rechargeables (Model HR-3U 1.2V). In addition to that, there is an Atmel microcontroller (not pictured) and the copper temperature probe you can see above. He has more pictures on Photobucket.        Less

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte Windows 7, Windows Cloud OS, Office Live, Hyper-V Server, Virtual Machine Manager, and more. Topics: Paul's Windows 7 presentation Microsoft reveals to announce “Windows Cloud OS” at PDC Future version of Office Live to be announced at PDC Microsoft releases free standalone Hyper-V Server; Enterprise-oriented Virtual Machine Manager 2008 to launch within 30 days Windows Vista Secrets SP1 arrives Tip of the week: Managing videos with Zune 3 Software of the week: The Election Countdown 2008 Gadget Daily Gallup Poll Gadget More gadgets at livegadgets.net/#gallery Audible pick of the week: Anathem, Unabridged, By Neal Stephenson, Narrated by Oliver Wyman, Tavia Gilbert, William Dufris, Neal Stephenson. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows. Check out Paul's blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information. Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller. Running time: 1:09:01 Less

All right! Here’s a treat, an entire minicast dedicated to the Xbox Live Arcade game Braid. I know, I know.. everyone is talking about Braid, but they have reason!! Its an amazing leap in gaming!! I highly suggest checking this one out, its worth every penny of it’s $15 (USD) price point. For more info: Check the minicast. MiniCast 002 - Braid Posted in Minicast, Podcasts   Tagged: 360, 72PCPC, Arcade, Braid, Download, Live, Live Arcade, Mario, MiniCast, Platformer, Princess, Tim, Time, Xbox    Less

All right! Here’s a treat, an entire minicast dedicated to the Xbox Live Arcade game Braid. I know, I know.. everyone is talking about Braid, but they have reason!! Its an amazing leap in gaming!! I highly suggest checking this one out, its worth every penny of it’s $15 (USD) price point. For more info: Check the minicast. MiniCast 002 - Braid Posted in Minicast, Podcasts   Tagged: 360, 72PCPC, Arcade, Braid, Download, Live, Live Arcade, Mario, MiniCast, Platformer, Princess, Tim, Time, Xbox    Less

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte I'm a PC ads, Windows Live Wave 3, and a love letter to the Zune 3... Audible pick of the week: The War Within: A Secret White House History By Bob Woodward. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows. Check out Paul's blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information. Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller. Running time: 1:17:02 Less

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed This morning, I opened my front door and found the package waiting for me that contained the new game from Disney. It’s called Pure, and is for the Xbox 360. Pure is a racing game, where you race an ATV. The formula for Pure is simple: Take one off-road vehicle– the quad– and use it to rewrite the rules on what “video game extreme” really means. This is not dissimilar to what the Tony Hawk series did with the skateboard. On the foundation side of things, one trip to the fleshed out, create-an-ATV Garage section will make it clear that Pure’s concentration on just quads was a good move. Intricately detailed and fully customizable four wheelers are comprised of a dizzying amount of polygons and animated parts. Real-deal bits from reputable sponsors help users in-the-know create copies of the hot machines currently in the ATV scene. Top one of Pure’s ATV’s off with an uber-flexible rider capable of uncanny trick sets, and you have the basis for a top-tier, extreme off-roader. A little while before recording this video, I went through the training in the game. The people in the chat room watched me play, and saw me come in 16h place. Yes, there were only 16 places, but come on! It was my first time playing! The problem with this game is that it’s so high-action and graphics intense, I don’t think my webcam picked it up very well. The game has excellent graphics, great handling… and it’s just an awesome game. The soundtrack really rocks out, too! I played again, and tried my best to win. So I like riding on hills and smashing into things. Isn’t that what makes it fun?! Anyway, Pure is now available for purchase. My recommendation is that you grab it as soon as you have a chance. You’re not going to be disappointed, and that’s a guarantee. IPhone Explosion - Brand New - Pays 75% Of $49.95! The Powerseller Assassin - IPod, XBox, Ps3, And Mobile Phone Sources! Easy Xbox 360 Achievements. Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video: <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8cPWTv_pCn4"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8cPWTv_pCn4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a> Would You Like to Fight Yoda or Darth Vader? Would You Like to be a Ninja? What are your Xbox Friends Usually Doing? Do Xbox Live Marketplace Games have Problems? Wits and Wagers Trivia Game for the Xbox 360 Blu-ray Wins: HD DVD is Dead Xbox DVD Boogie Bunnies on the Xbox 360 Xbox 360 Secrets Undertow for Free on Xbox 360 Marketplace Join the Geeks Community Have You Ever Raced an ATV? Less

http://geeks.pirillo.com - http://live.pirillo.com - This morning, I opened my front door and found the package waiting for me that contained the new game from Disney. It's called Pure, and is for the Xbox 360. Pure is a racing game, where you race an ATV. http://chris.pirillo.com Less

[Ben Heck] posted and update on a project he’s doing for THQ. This latest Xbox 360 laptop is being built as a contest prize. It’s based on a 60GB Xbox 360 and is slightly larger than the previous laptops. It can accommodate a standard 360 hard drive without modification. An Xbox Live camera is included as well. We hadn’t realized how many Xbox 360 laptops [Ben] had built. There’s the original. The one he built as a how-to for Engadget. Then, the one based on an Elite and now this.        Less

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte Windows 7 M3, Zune 3, Windows Live Wave 3, renaming multiple files, and more. Windows 7 M3 out in the wild Zune 3 Windows Live Wave 3 Tip of the week: Renaming multiple files in a folder Software of the Week Windows Live Wave 3 Zune 3 Audible pick of the week: Hannibal by Thomas Harris. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows. Check out Paul's blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information. Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller. Running time: 59:12 Less

Ok, maybe we’re exaggerating a little bit. It may not play every game in the universe, but the CMACC gets pretty close. CMACC stands for “Complete - Multi Arcade Console Computer System” and is comprised of a giant pile of gaming goodness.  [Mayhem] packed a PC, Xbox, Xbox360, Dreamcast, Wii, PSP, and a DS into the cabinet. He seems to have overlooked the Virtual Boy though. He’s using GamEx as a front end for a multitude of emulators, including MESS which emulates tons of old desktops like Commodores and Apples. The cabinet, while not as elegant as the Retro Space, wins major geek points for the cup holder. [via Engadget] Less

Add to iTunes | Add to YouTube | Add to Google | RSS Feed I grew up in a simpler time in respect to video games. Because of that, I’m still very much just a casual gamer. I don’t really go to arcades anymore, but I grew up with them. I have my own arcade in my office now. Soulcaliber IV is out for the Xbox 360 (and other platforms) now, and one of the characters you can play is Yoda! I grew up with Yoda! Set to reveal many long-kept secrets, Soulcaliber IV takes place in the 16th century, and involves a legendary cast of characters, each motivated by a unique set of circumstances, but each with the same goal: to emerge victorious in order to claim the powerful Soul Swords, Soul Edge and Soul Caliber. As you prepare to join this formidable lineup of combatants, you can customize your character and select fearsome, powerful weapons perfectly suited for deadly combat. Fight for the two soul swords with contenders from all over the World - and even beyond, as two new enigmatic characters from a galaxy far, far away make their dramatic appearance. I realize that some of you are really into the whole fighting genre of games. I would consider myself as intermediate in terms of trying to fight, button mash, and try to defeat other characters. I had to try this out, and play Yoda. I wanted to unleash some of these moves in the game. As I started to play the game, I noticed all the different modes and the fact that I could create a character and customize it if I chose to. Of course, I chose single-player mode. I started off at the training level, since I’ve never played this before. Yoda, of course, looks awesome. The graphics are amazing. I know my webcam isn’t able to keep up with the action very well, but the quality is just excellent. I grew up as a Star Wars Geek. I remember playing The Empire Strikes Back on my Atari years ago. Playing this game is bringing back memories of that, and taking my game playing to a whole new level. Thumbs up… way up. Sit-N-Go Pro - # 1 Gaming And Poker Product On CB! How To Beat The Online Casinos. Create Unforgettable Characters For Your Fiction. Want to embed this video on your own site, blog, or forum? Use this code or download the video: <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WyhmJ76iJrQ"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WyhmJ76iJrQ" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object><br /><a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/">Chris</a> | <a href="http://live.pirillo.com/">Live Tech Support</a> | <a href="http://media.pirillo.com/">Video Help</a> | <a href="http://feeds.pirillo.com/ChrisPirilloShow">Add to iTunes</a> Blu-ray Wins: HD DVD is Dead Xbox DVD Should You Buy an Xbox 360? Console Wars Xbox 360 vs Playstation 3 vs Wii Would You Like to be a Ninja? What are your Xbox Friends Usually Doing? Do Xbox Live Marketplace Games have Problems? Wits and Wagers Trivia Game for the Xbox 360 Are You Ready for Blu-Ray DVD? a Would You Like to Fight Yoda or Darth Vader? Less

live.pirillo.com - geeks.pirillo.com - I grew up in a simpler time in respect to video games. Because of that, I'm still very much just a casual gamer. I don't really go to arcades anymore, but I grew up with them. I have my own arcade in my office now. Soul Caliber IV is out for the Xbox 360 now, and one of the characters you can play is Yoda! I grew up with Yoda! Less

Another week - another Next-Gen Podcast. Nick’s camera-less again this week but that doesn’t stop him from chatting it up with Esben about all the latest news, from Bad Company announcements, to Xbox 360 price cuts, sneak peaks at new PS3 games, and much more! &lt;a href=”http://del.icio.us/jopeek/ng17″ mce_href=”http://del.icio.us/jopeek/ng15″&gt;Shownotes&lt;/a&gt; Less

[jon barber] pointed out another great project on the benheck forums that hasn’t gotten much attention. [techknott] built a wireless video interface for his Xbox 360. Think of it as a sort of video game thin client. It has the form-factor of a portable but doesn’t include the 360’s components. Instead it has a 1.2GHz A/V receiver and the guts of a wireless controller. The specific transmitter was chosen because it wouldn’t interfere with the 2.4GHz controller. The power supply is two 2600mAh batteries running at 7.5V with a built in charging circuit. The draw from the screen is ~500mA. The entire unit is 1 inch thick. Less

Hosts: Paul Thurrott and Leo Laporte Paul's trip to the Emerald City, Zune 3, Live Mesh, Windows 7, Microsoft Surface, and the latest Seinfeld ad. Tips of the week: FolderShare vs. Live Mesh vs. SyncToy, and when to use which. Software of the week: ClearType Tuning Control Panel Applet Vixy.net Online Flash video converter Audible pick of the week: World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks. For a free audiobook, visit Audible.com/windows. Check out Paul's blog at http://www.internet-nexus.com and the SuperSite for Windows http://winsupersite.com for more information. Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show. The Windows Weekly theme music is courtesy of Derek K. Miller. Running time: 59:12 Less