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Continued high levels of spam have resulted in a few more changes including additional IP blocks. Some file locations were moved to prevent automated spam, and the browser bookmark to create links from any page was intentionally broken as it is this submission interface believed to be the cause of abuse.

Found that one of the provider databases was having connection issues and kicking back blacklist responses for 99% of submissions. Reduced the spam check to 2 database checks, which should slightly increase speed and eliminate the blacklist bug.

Being open to the public, the Shouts.tv domain has become no stranger to spam links. Over the past couple of weeks this has been growing steadily. As a result, new submissions are run through databases of spam urls before the shortened link is created. You may notice a small increase in the time it takes for the shortened link to be created. Unfortunately this is now necessary to continue operating the service. If for any reason you get a response that a domain you are trying to link is blacklisted, it means it appears on one of these databases: Spamhaus URIBL SURBL Because these are external services you would need to resolve the issues with whatever database(s) the original URL appears on, as we have no control over their blacklists.

In your case, none. For Android 4 the app is just free, at least for now. I'm running Android 2.3 still, and the difference is that the free version is only for browsing, not for posting or using mod features.

I have the paid version myself and it's definitely worth it. Free or paid a great forum browsing app.

I haven't used a Windows phone, but if they've learned anything from the mobile space it should be how to manage memory resources properly. Something like Android is actually pretty good at managing memory and keeping things that are not presently in front of the user from taking up too many resources. I see no reason why things like Kinect and TV and other things like system menus etc. wouldn't be able to have their memory consumption reduced when they are not actively being used. Of course, it always goes back to the argument that "this is Microsoft" and not exactly the best folks for constraining themselves with memory. But the Xbox 360 interface is solid in performance and games don't appear to suffer, so I have no reason to suspect things will be any different this go around.

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Say hello to our newest set of updates. Today the forum software was upgraded and we are now running with the latest updates. Of course as a result of these updates there were some minor changes made. Some other changes can simply be attributed to progress. First, what's gone: The social bar at the bottom is no more. Between forums, PM and shoutbox there should be enough communication methods available. Activity tracking (who viewed this topic) has been removed. Those who prefer to remain anonymous really can now. Profile statistics have also been dropped as they really won't too necessary or useful. And last, the big one. All of the old skins. But don't worry, several of them will be making a return in the coming weeks. What's new: I suppose the obvious one is that the site has a new look. While I do hope it is well received, I can promise that additional skins both new and old will be making an appearance soon. Improvements in minor areas. Better notification that a PM was sent by a staff member. Topics started shown along with your post count. Small change in the post editor to improve previews. Keep in mind that although version-wise this was a major upgrade a lot of the changes were behind the scenes administrative stuff. Things such as search engine optimization enhancements, bulk mailer support, and bug fixed code. As always with every upgrade there is the potential for something, somewhere to be broken. We have a pretty heavily modified system so lots of components all needed to be upgraded at once. Therefore if you notice any bugs or errors, let me know so I can take a look and get it fixed. Update June 24: Simple Blue theme updated and available to all members.

Also I wanted to note that I have lowered yearly subscriptions to $12. That's $1 per month that helps us stay online continue providing these kinds of updates. Being off-season right now, there has been a pretty swift drop in revenue from our ads. For June our revenue will only cover about 50% of our hosting costs, the rest comes out of pocket. So the support is always appreciated.

That is exactly what I want. Think of the people that build a custom PC for gaming. They regularly update things like CPU, RAM, and GPU. But in the end it is still the same machine that is just more powerful. That's all I really want out of the next console. I don't need it to make unnecessary Skype calls, force me into digital copies, or make me breakfast (although that wouldn't be so bad). Each has their strengths and weaknesses. My first choice is still the PS4 because it is quite a bit cheaper, has no kinect, and PS+ free games. I do think it will still be nice to have an Xbox for exclusives and their far better (IMO) controller. But no doubt I will not be paying launch price. I can wait a bit for the price to come down.

Funny, I was just reading an article myself before coming here. I guess Microsoft was paying close attention to pre-orders and realized the huge damage they were causing themselves. It will be interesting to see if they can now reverse that damage in time for launch. While I still hate Kinect, and the system is $100 more, I can say my interest in the XB1 just increased significantly. With some of my favorite franchises on the Xbox I now have a lot more incentive to pick one up. Still, I don't usually start thinking about new consoles until about a year after launch, so still plenty of time to see what both MS and Sony manage to do.

It's plug and play. As a wireless controller it uses a USB adapter since Sony didn't allow anyone else to use the internal connection for controllers. I will certainly be buying a PS4. The question still remains as to whether I will get an Xbox as well.

That is the same brand as the one in my pic. Mine is wireless, but this looks like it has better grips. In any case, it is unlikely any of these will be forwards compatible with PS4. Just have to wait and see what they come up with, but I certainly will be looking for a third party controller again with Xbox stick layouts.

I have these two (hopefully the images load): I find the first a bit easier to control, the Nyko (second) could use a bit of work in ergonomics, but still beats the Sony controller in shooters and similar game types.

Okay, now I'm really having a good laugh. Microsoft really has lost their damn mind. "Fortunately we have a product for people who aren't able to get some form of connectivity," Mattrick said. "It's called Xbox 360." The interviewer then chimed in, saying "So stick with 360, that's your message...?" To which Mattrick responded, "Well, if you have zero access to the Internet, that [360] is an offline device." http://youtu.be/DxkEe_l7S3g Great idea. Stick with the old box that will have zero new games worth playing by early next year. Or, and what a crazy idea this must be...buy a PS4 and play all the new games. I wonder if these people in Redmond are even human anymore. Skynet is here, welcome to Xbox One.

I think both boxes this time around have a very boring, industrial design. At the same time though I don't much care for what it looks like. It will spent its life sitting in an entertainment center, so the only thing that matters to me is the specs and what it is capable of doing. For me the controller is of much greater importance. In that regard I believe both consoles have very good controllers. My preference will continue to be the Xbox controller because of the thumb stick layout. Even for my PS3 I have a couple of third party controllers that replicate the Xbox controller layout and I find them much more comfortable even if they are a bit less responsive than the official controller.

I'm glad you made this point as it is something I've heard before as well. The important point though is money. The publishers might like the Xbox model better, but they also are not going to walk away from hundreds of thousands to eventually millions of PS4 consoles and all of those potential sales just because of DRM policies. There's actually something different I see happening this generation. I would think the only place Xbox has a lead in sales is the US market, while Sony enjoys more support worldwide. Consider the time MS put into promoting what are essentially US-only features such as the cable integration and auxiliary services like Netflix and Hulu. It seems they will likely be focusing even more on the US market going forward. I wonder if/when they will cede the Japanese market entirely.

Funny you would say that as that is actually what pushed me to the Xbox in the first place. PS2 had an RPG coming out like every week, but it was MS who really started pushing shooters. It was things like Halo that pushed me from one gen to the next. But with things like Destiny headed multi-platform, the Xbox could start losing that advantage. I believe I mentioned it before but the majority of my games collection is shooters, even more so if you are including the likes of Uncharted and similar games which aren't even FPS. If MS would reverse course on their absurd DRM policy I would be giving the system a lot more consideration. Yeah, the online check-in thing is still a bit stupid, but it's not a problem I'd often run into. At least they mentioned that Kinect can be pretty much disabled. But no lending, tough restrictions on used games? Nah. They can keep it.

Well, I actually had a good laugh watching bits of the Sony conference. It's obvious Sony was going after Microsoft in a big way. I found it interesting because I don't think I've ever seen such a direct attack. $100 less launch price. You never have to connect the console online for disc based games. And no restrictions on lending, resale, etc. Basically the same model as the PS3. As a big supporter of the Xbox over the last decade, I actually feel a bit sorry for them. They are now in a very uncomfortable position of having to undo a lot of their restrictions and communicate that mistakes were made, or go forward with a pricier more restrictive box and watch which way pre-orders go. Exclusives help sell systems too. Things like Final Fantasy XV and Kingdom Hearts 3 are a step in the right direction. Not particularly my preference in games, but undeniably popular. The one that really impressed me was The Order 1886. http://youtu.be/MbAhOB-59Ag http://youtu.be/D07-2Pr7_HY In the last video note the audience reaction as the announcements were made. It's quite obvious the popularity of these decisions. Go back and watch the original XB1 reveal. Pretty sure the only people cheering those announcements were the MS staff in the audience.

Well I just watched some clips from the Sony conference (a bit late but I was out at the time) and they stomped Microsoft. But I'll save that discussion for the other thread. At the MS conference I was pleased to see they still remembered games are what sell these systems. Titanfall, Ryse, and of course Halo are really good looking. Enough to sell me on a DRM infested, Kinect toting console? Probably not. Having played every single Halo game released thus far I would be disappointed to miss a Halo release. But I believe people need to vote with their wallets. Though this is Microsoft we're talking about, so they will probably place the blame elsewhere. This is the same company behind Office ribbons, Windows phone and Windows 8 after all. As far as point cards and subscription cards are concerned I have seen no indication these will go away. Most likely points will simply become monetary value cards like PSN cards have been since the beginning. To remove this option is to remove lot of users who have no access to bank/credit cards or simply do not want them stored with MS.

The current generation (PS3/360) have decent justification for dual system ownership. I will say I got the PS3 for exclusives, and that alone made the system worth it. But the recent PS+ free games and direction Sony is headed makes me quite happy to own the system. Now that the new systems are coming out soon, you should look into picking up a PS3 cheaply. Things like Uncharted, Heavy Rain, The Last of Us, etc. would make it worth the investment. Plus, most of those games can be had for a very low price now.

So far one of the top reviewed PS3 games of all time: http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/the-last-of-us

Microsoft Details Xbox One Used Games, Always Online 24-hour offline limit confirmed, games can be transferred to other players once. So once again, anyone outside of areas with regular Internet access need not bother owning a XB1. Bets on EA being the first one to try blocking resale/trade? The backlash will be incredible. Microsoft can barely take the heat. Could sink a publisher.