Even more interesting is what Harmonix had to say to Kotaku when questioned about the job ad. Though Harmonix’s John Drake didn’t get into specifics about this new game, he did confirm that Harmonix is currently working on it, and that this is just one of “multiple new IPs” the studio is working on. Drake ended his statement to Kotaku by saying that “Harmonix is making new kickass IPs, some portion of which may have some combat.”

So, Harmonix is definitely working on a new single-player IP that involves combat in some capacity, and it seems that the studio is pretty excited about it. Unfortunately, don’t expect to hear much more about this new IP anytime soon; given the fact that it’s intended for next generation consoles, we definitely won’t be getting a reveal before the next Xbox and PlayStation have been announced. That is, of course, unless this is a Wii U exclusive, in which case a reveal may not be that far off.

Speculation about reveal dates and platforms is all well and good, but to be honest, we’re just excited to see what Harmonix can do outside of the rhythm genre. The vast majority of Harmonix’s games have been related to the genre in one way or another, and while most of those games have been great, the rhythm genre can be pretty restricting. It’s clear the team at Harmonix is very talented, and as far as we’re concerned, it’s long past time that those talents be put toward something fresh and exciting.

With Guitar Apprentice users can then learn to play the guitar or play along with apps such as GarageBand. What’s even better though, is with the custom Ion Audio application the strings will light up as indicators when you’ve struck the correct cord — or wrong one when your fingers aren’t long enough like mine. The learning stage each individual fret will light up and direct the user to the proper location that for chord, making the learning experience easy — and fun. If you’ve been eying a good way to finally learn how to impress your friends and family on the guitar this is for you.

Live at CES, the demonstration unit was fully running although the Ion iPad app needed some work and was still very much in beta stages. It did however still put on quite the show and I might of learned how to play a few D chords. Hitting the U.S at just $99 the build quality was better than expected. I was worried about the weight on the end with an iPad being built-in but weight distribution didn’t seem to be an issue.

This is like Guitar Hero but on a whole new level. Ion Audio told SlashGear it will hit the U.S. initially but they plan to launch in other regions and the UK soon. Again the Ion Guitar Apprentice will retail for $99 (£64 approx) and should be available in many of the same retailers as other Ion Audio devices like Best Buy, Walmart and more soon.

The company has announced that Guitar Hero is no more. The company has stopped development on the game franchise and will disband the Guitar Hero business unit and discontinue all development on titles in the franchise for 2011.

The game publisher blames the killing of the Guitar Hero brand on declines in the music game genre. Guitar Hero isn’t the only previously very popular franchise to get the axe, development on True Crime: Hong Kong has also been stopped.

So, what did Ryan Neary win? Let’s recap. Ryan won an electronic guitar, which will work with either Rock Band, or Guitar Hero, as well as work as a full functioning MIDI controller instrument. And, if that’s not good enough, it will also function as a standard digital guitar, which you can use with an amp. There are 99 pre-loaded preset sounds on the instrument, 25 professional guitar sounds, 50 synths for non-guitar noises, and the ability to use your own custom sounds. You’ll be able to hook up your new digital instrument to a Mac or PC, and it will work with many audio packages out there.

So there you have it, ladies and gentlemen. The winner of the SlashGear You Rock Guitar Giveaway has been announced, and he will be contacted very soon. Stay tuned for our next giveaway, where you could possibly be the next winner.

There are 99 preloaded preset sounds, 25 professional guitar sounds, 50 synths for non-guitar noises and a whole bank empty for your own custom sounds. The You Rock Guitar can hook up to your PC or Mac via MIDI or USB, and will work with Logic, Reason, Guitar Band and other popular audio packages.

It’s a prize with a $219.99 MRSP and guaranteed to take you from guitar-based games through to creating your own music. To stand a chance of winning, leave a comment to this article about your favorite musician before midnight PST on September 30th 2010 and we’ll pick one lucky person to take the You Rock Guitar!

Rules:

Competition is open to residents of the US over the age of 18. Family members of Inspired Instruments and SlashGear are not permitted to enter. Competition entries are only accepted via the specified SlashGear competition comments section; entries left in the comments section of any other post will not be recognized. Entries should be submitted before midnight PST on September 20th 2010; one entry per person (and yes, we check).

The winners will be announced on SlashGear and contacted via email (make sure to use a real email address!); they will be expected to respond promptly else their prize may be forfeit and another winner selected. Editors decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winner agrees that their name and details of their entry may be used for promotional purposes by, but not limited to, SlashGear.

Prizes consist of one You Rock Guitar. There is no cash alternative. Should any of these prizes become unavailable, SlashGear reserves the right to substitute another prize of equal or greater value.

The device was built by engineering student Pete Nikrin and is called Roxanne. The thing responds to each note as it appears on screen and is able to read the notes via a camera in place of its left eye. The bot responds to the changes between light and dark pixels.

I will say the robot is pretty good at Guitar Hero. The thing racked up 100% accuracy at times in trials with 98% in medium mode, 95% on hard more, and 80% on expert mode. I don’t think I could hit 80% on expert.

Like the previous drum controllers, each new kit folds flat for ease of storage.  The Wii version also has a niche to slot in your Wiimote, together with an analog stick for navigating through menus.  Both have a range of 30ft.

As for the guitar controller, that has a real wooden neck, metal pegs and rosewood fingerboard; there’s also a touch-sensitive neck slider, and the Wiimote snaps into a compartment on the back.  The two wireless drum controller kits are priced at $229.99, while the new guitar controller for Wii comes in at $199.99.  All are available to buy now.

The change will mean that Wii gamers have more capacity for downloaded content, together with quicker access.  Activision will be offering various single-track and album downloads for use with Guitar Hero 5, including supporting background downloads, as well as the ability to import content bought for Guitar Hero: World Tour and Guitar Hero: Smash Hits (albeit with a small royalty fee imposed).

Best of all, this is not just a Guitar Hero 5 feature but something that, moving forward, Nintendo will be supporting for all games.  Rather than introduce an external hard-drive, as has been regularly hinted at, it seems the company is looking to instead use high-capacity (and falling cost) solid-state memory in the form of SDHC cards.

Guitar Hero 5 gameplay video after the cut

Functionally the two sets will likely do much the same, each offering twin cymbals and three drum heads, together with a kick pedal.  Although Activision are yet to confirm pricing, we’d expect the GH5 kit to be cheaper than Logitech’s version, which will no doubt attempt to capitalize on its positioning flexibility, premium hardware and the convenience of being able to fold it flat.

Guitar Hero 5 itself is expected to launch in September, so we should know more details by then.  The game is available for preorder for PS2, PS3, Wii and Xbox 360, complete with a guitar controller.

Guitar Hero 5 Gameplay video:

The Drum Controller itself is collapsible, and runs off two AA batteries which – the company claims – last for up to 50hrs of gameplay.  All components are position-adjustable, and the kick pedal has a stainless-steel top-plate and adjustable spring for tweaking the resistance.

Of course, all that doesn’t come cheap, and like most full-size musical peripherals for gaming the Logitech setup will set you back in excess of $200.  In fact, the Wireless Drum Controller for the PS3 will carry a $229.99 tag when it lands in the US later this month, with European availability expected in August.

Press Release:

Feel the Beat: Logitech Unveils Premium Drum Controller for Guitar Hero

Logitech Wireless Drum Controller Licensed for the PLAYSTATION 3 Computer Entertainment System

FREMONT, Calif. –(Business Wire)– Jul 15, 2009 So you can really rock out to Guitar Hero® on the PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3) computer entertainment system, Logitech (SIX:LOGN) (NASDAQ:LOGI) today introduced the Logitech® Wireless Drum Controller for the PLAYSTATION 3 system. Licensed by Activision Publishing, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), for the award-winning Guitar Hero franchise, the Wireless Drum Controller features premium drum heads with recessed rims – making it easy for you to play like a rock star.

“When you’re ready to experience a new premium drum controller or expand your band, you’ll want to rip on Logitech’s new drum controller,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “With the Wireless Drum Controller, you can mark time, keep the backbeat, color up your riffs and crash down on the cymbal pads. Joining the Logitech® Wireless Guitar Controller, the new Wireless Drum Controller lets you rock out to your favorite songs on the PS3 system.”

The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller features three fully adjustable drum heads and two cymbal pads. Each piece can be positioned to fit your reach and suit your style. Offering a unique playing experience, the new Logitech Wireless Drum Controller provides quiet, responsive heads that deliver a lively feel, won’t distract you from the music, and are designed to let you take advantage of all the latest features of Guitar Hero games.

But Logitech did not just replicate typical drum heads. The recessed rims help make it easier to score points and avoid accidental rim shots. The kick pedal uses a stainless steel surface and an adjustable spring – providing a highly durable, responsive drumming experience.

Delivering up to 50 hours of battery life on two AA batteries, the Wireless Drum Controller gives you enough juice to perform a concert’s worth of hits, encores included.

Compatible with the PS3 system as well as the PlayStation®2 system, the Wireless Drum Controller uses a 2.4 GHz wireless USB receiver, so the connection is as steady as a drum beat. When you’re ready to play, the Logitech Wireless Drum Controller sets up quickly and folds flat in seconds. You can start playing within minutes of opening the box and when the show is over, the set can be easily stowed away. (Roadies are not required.)

Pricing and Availability

The Logitech Wireless Drum Controller for the PS3 system is expected to be available in the U.S. beginning in July and Europe beginning in August for a suggested retail price of $229.99 (U.S.).

About Logitech

Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Logitech, the Logitech logo, and other Logitech marks are registered in Switzerland and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. For more information about Logitech and its products, visit the company’s Web site at www.logitech.com.

PLAYSTATION is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Guitar Hero is a registered mark of Activision Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.

You won’t need any wires or adapters, since this mic takes full advantage of the wireless console and it even has motion sensors built in for add functionality. Additionally, there’s lights on the base.

Available in black, this Xbox 360 wireless microphone will be available for purchase sometime in the fall. At that time, you can expect a price tag around $50.

Video demo after the cut

The wireless technology is promised to be plug-and-play with the Xbox 360, while its range is quoted at up to 30 feet.  The strum-bar and fret buttons are “virtually silent”, using the same technology as on Logitech’s keyboard range, and there’s a touch-sensitive slider on the neck.

Logitech’s Wireless Guitar Controller for Xbox 360 will launch in August in both the US and Europe, with an MRSP of $199.99.  It’s licensed for use with all the Guitar Hero titles, including the World Tour version.

Video demo after the cut

The beam itself is around 5mm wide and will respond to traditional strums but also to tapping, letting you play much faster (though that’s really cheating).  Since there’s only one beam, though, you can only have an upstrum; an interesting future mod could pair two more directional lights, such as lasers rather than IR, and work out up- or downstrum via the order in which they’re broken.

Still, it looks relatively straightforward to do, and gameplay is apparently faster and now allows you to “really ham it up” with extra-long guitar strokes.  Ironically it makes Rock Band even more like playing air guitar.

[via Joystiq]

There’s also a touch-sensitive slider on the guitar controller’s neck, for advanced play, and rubber dome technology buttons on the fretboard.  That’s the same technology as used in Logitech keyboards, which the company suggests will aid longevity of the guitar controller.

Battery life is reported as in the “hundreds of hours”, though it’s unclear what sort of batteries are used.  The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 2 will hit retail later in May 2009 in the US and in Europe come June; it’ll have an MRSP of $199.99.

Press Release:

Logitech Unveils Black Edition of Wireless Guitar Controller for PLAYSTATION 3

Wireless Guitar Controller for Guitar Hero to be Available Worldwide

FREMONT, Calif. – May 12, 2009 — Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today announced the Logitech® Wireless Guitar Controller for PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems. Featuring authentic materials – including a wood neck and body, a rosewood fingerboard and metal frets – the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller is for gamers who truly want to play like a rock star.
Following the introduction of the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller, Premiere Edition (previously available only in select markets), the new black guitar controller is expected to be available worldwide later this month. The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller is licensed by Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) for the award-winning Guitar Hero® franchise.
“Logitech’s new guitar controller delivers the same unparalleled Guitar Hero experience offered by our previous premiere edition to an even broader group of gamers and at a great value,” said Ruben Mookerjee, Logitech’s director of product marketing for gaming. “Everything about the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller is premium – from the authentic wood material and flawless black finish, to the noise-dampening design of the strum bar and buttons, to the authentic accents provided by the metal frets.”
The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller offers a one-piece contoured wood body preferred by many of the world’s leading rock guitarists. For reduced button noise, Logitech uses rubber dome technology on the fret board controls, the same material used in its award-winning keyboards. The guitar controller also incorporates a touch-sensitive slider, located on the neck of the guitar controller so you can rack up the points.
So you’ll be free to go where the music moves you, the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller lets you jam at a range of up to 30 feet from the console and offers hundreds of hours of battery life.
The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller will be available in a pristine black finish complemented with a glossy black pick guard.
Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for PLAYSTATION®3 and PlayStation®2 computer entertainment systems is expected to be available this month in the U.S. for a retail price of $199.99 (U.S.) and will be available in Europe in June.
About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

DJ Hero will use the turntable controller pictured above to remix hip-hop, R&B, Motown, electronica and dance tracks, racking up points along the way.  Meanwhile, Band Hero will try to push Guitar Hero-style gaming to a family audience, with an E10+ age rating and compatibility with guitar, drums, bass and microphone controller accessories.

As for Guitar Hero 5, that’s set to be more of the same gameplay we’re already used to, only with the ability to “drop in and out of songs and change band members, instruments and difficulty levels on the fly.”  No specific release dates for the games have been confirmed. 

Press Release:

Guitar Hero(R) Announces Fall Lineup Featuring Groundbreaking DJ Hero(TM) Title and New Guitar Hero(R) 5 and Band Hero(TM) Games

–Innovative DJ Hero Game Expected To Transform How Consumers Engage with Music –New Guitar Hero 5, DJ Hero and Band Hero Expand the Category with Fun-to-Play Experiences and Innovative New Technologies and Features –Fall Slate Delivers Largest Variety of Music and Hottest Artists

SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 7, 2009 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — Activision Publishing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) is set to once again revolutionize how consumers interact with music by releasing three new titles this fall – DJ Hero(TM), Guitar Hero(R) 5 and Band Hero(TM) – that will redefine the company’s popular music gaming platform. The slate will transform the way consumers enjoy and engage with music by offering the largest variety of music genres, innovative technologies and new social entertainment experiences for existing fans and millions of new consumers who previously have not joined Guitar Hero’s global community of fans.

– The company’s groundbreaking DJ Hero expands Guitar Hero’s
signature social gaming to all-new consumers with the addition of
diverse music genres including hip-hop, R&B, Motown, electronica and
dance. Introducing an all-new innovative turntable controller, DJ Hero
transforms players into DJs who rule the club scene by creating original
mixes of popular songs and music from the world’s most exciting
artists and DJs.
– Letting fans continue to fulfill their rock fantasies, Guitar Hero 5
features the hottest rock and roll artists today as well as classic rock
bands and gives players an unprecedented level of control over the way
they play the game with the ability to drop in and out of songs and
change band members, instruments and difficulty levels on the fly.

– The franchises’ first E10+ rated console game, Band Hero delivers
an exciting music collection featuring top-40 hits designed to expand
the appeal to a broad family audience who can play together on the
guitar, drums, bass and microphone and experience a new genre of music.
The game builds upon Guitar Hero’s easy-to-play,
difficult-to-master signature gameplay and allows novice players and
expert fans to join together on their favorite songs.

“Guitar Hero has made music social again and has become one of the most popular ways to experience music,” said Dan Rosensweig, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Guitar Hero franchise. “Today’s fans enjoy a variety of music and are looking for more ways to engage with their favorite songs, artists and fellow fans. These games will let them listen, participate and socialize with music in ways they have never been able to before.”

[via Joystiq]

How can it be, you may be wondering? Well, James Haskin got inspired when seeing Wayne Coyne’s double-necked Guitar Hero creation and decided to change up his Kaossilator just a tad.

Apparently, the phase equalizer was causing him a bid of trouble, primarily due to the cramped layout of the device. The buttons were just too hard to navigate in such a small space. So, he did what any logical person would do–he connected it to his Guitar Hero controller. Watch the video below to be impressed.

The Lips mic can soon be used with Rock Band 2 and on Guitar Hero: Metallica right now. This is good news for those that like a variety of these musical games but don’t want to shell out the bucks on peripherals for all of them.

Rock Band 2 will get compatible with the mic starting sometime this summer. But that’s not all Microsoft has up its sleeves. Apparently, the Lips mic will be compatible with other games this year as well. But we’ll just have to wait and see what those are.

[via CrunchGear]

You can get Guitar Hero World Tour mobile now on most major cell phone carriers and it will be released for Android next month. Within the game, you can play in multiplayer mode across networks and interact in real-time.

Included in the mobile version of Guitar Hero World Tour are 15 music tracks that can be played on the guitar or drums. Bonus songs will be added each month. You can expect tracks from Blondie, Sublime, Lenny Kravitz and Oasis in the initial release.

[via Slippery Brick]

Instead, the app is a standalone PC tool called the Guitar Hero World Tour Drum Tuning Kit, which runs on Windows XP and Vista systems.  It requires a special cable – midi to USB – that Activision will send, free of charge, to owners of the drum set, and once connected allows you to tweak up or down the sensitivity of each component.

While an admirably quick fix, it’s still nowhere near perfect.  Many gamers are frustrated that a console controller – which is expected to work properly “out of the box” – is requiring such a convoluted degree of fettling.  Others, without PCs, are wondering how they will run the app.  You can find more details of the fix here, together with details on how to claim your cable if affected.

[via Kotaku]

While the game allows for recalibration of the drum sync in the options, even running through that process several times can leave their response lagging.  The other performance aspects – vocals and guitars – are apparently unaffected.

GH Studio has also come in for some criticism, for not allowing vocal tracks to be recorded along with guitar and drum tracks.  It’s unclear whether this is a copyright or a technology issue, or a combination of both.

This guitar controller features all sorts of cool additions like an analog whammy bar and super responsive frets. But most of all, this thing is cool looking and isn’t that the whole point? And I guess it makes fake guitar-playing easier, too.

The Gene Simmons Axe Guitar works with both Guitar Hero and Rock Band, making it the perfect accompaniment for those of you that are equal-opportunity rock-outers. It seems to be an official Simmons product. So, if you love Kiss and rock games, this is the perfect accessory.

[via Kotaku]

The emphasis is much more on collaborative play than using a single guitar now, hence the new instruments.  The guitar itself has been updated, with a touch-sensitive slide on the neck and microphone, while a new drum set features three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a bass kick pedal.  Activision are claiming a realistic bounce-back while drumming thanks to specially selected rubber; most parents would be happier with a headphone socket.

Guitar Hero: World tour is available in PS3, PS2, Xbox 360 and Wii versions, each with slightly different gameplay and music tweaking options.  However each can record new tracks using the wireless instrument controllers, sharing them through the online GHTunes service.  The game itself is priced between $49.99 and $59.99, platform depending, while there are also bundles with the new guitar controller ($89.99 to $99.99) and the full band kit ($179.99 to $189.99).

Press Release:

Activision’s Highly Anticipated Guitar Hero(R) World Tour Takes Center Stage on Retail Shelves Nationwide

Cooperative Band Experience, All-New Controllers Including Guitar, Drums and Microphone, Robust 86-Song On-Disc Set List, In-Game Celebrity Appearances and Innovative Music Studio Combine for Unprecedented Music and Gaming Experience
Over 20 Tracks From Artists Such As Metallica, R.E.M. and Oasis Available As Downloadable Content for All Next-Gen Consoles – including Wii – During First Month

Living-room legends are
now free to jump on stage and rock as Activision Publishing, Inc.’s
(Nasdaq: ATVI) Guitar Hero(R) World Tour, shreds, drums and wails onto
retail shelves nationwide. Transforming music gaming by expanding Guitar
Hero’s(R) signature guitar gameplay into a cooperative band experience,
Guitar Hero World Tour combines state-of-the-art wireless controllers in
new online* and offline gameplay modes and a Music Studio feature that lets
you compose, record, edit and share your own rock and roll anthems. Guitar
Hero World Tour is the most complete music game to-date with 86 on-disc
tracks from music legends such as The Eagles, Van Halen, Metallica, Michael
Jackson and The Doors and featuring in-game appearances by world famous
artists like Ozzy Osbourne, Billy Corgan and Travis Barker.

“Only Guitar Hero World Tour has the star power and brand recognition
to bring family and friends together to rock this fall,” said Dusty Welch,
Head of Publishing for RedOctane. “With a massive on-disc set list and a
host of downloadable content on the way, new high-quality controllers,
including the drum kit controller and a redesigned guitar controller;
multiple online and offline gameplay modes, plus the groundbreaking Music
Studio music creator and GHTunes(SM), a revolutionary user-generated music
hub, Guitar Hero has again set the standard in the music-based videogame
genre.”

Guitar Hero World Tour delivers more ways to play than ever before.
Virtual musicians can live out their rock and roll fantasies by playing
either a single instrument, or any combination of instruments within the
game, in addition to the full band experience. In addition to all of the
online gameplay modes from Guitar Hero(R) III: Legends of Rock, Guitar Hero
World Tour introduces Battle of the Bands mode which allows eight players
to join online and challenge each other band-to-band to determine who is
the best of the best. In the Band modes, up to four players can jam
together, online or off, as they progress through the game, and in
single-player Career Mode, players can jam on any of the instruments
in-game utilizing the controllers in branching venue progression enabling
them to rock out in the order of their choice.

The game’s innovative new Music Studio lets players express their
musical creativity by giving them access to a full complement of tools to
create digital music from scratch, utilizing all of the controllers, and
then play their compositions in the game. Music creators can also share
their recordings with their friends online through GHTunes(SM) where other
gamers can download their unique compositions and play an endless supply of
unique creations.

The Wii(TM) version of Guitar Hero World Tour features the exclusive
Mii(TM) Freestyle mode, an intuitive gameplay mechanic that connects
players to music in a whole new way by incorporating their Mii and engaging
players with the freedom to create their own groove.

In addition to a newly designed more responsive guitar controller which
features a touch-sensitive slide on the neck and microphone, Guitar Hero
World Tour delivers a genuine drumming experience by utilizing a realistic
drum controller. Featuring three drum pads, two raised cymbal pads and a
bass kick pedal, the drum kit controller combines larger and quieter,
velocity-sensitive drum heads with soft rubber construction to deliver that
certain bounce back when struck with a drum stick that drummers are used to
and is easy to set up, move, break down and store.

Guitar Hero World Tour is now available for the Xbox 360(R) video game
and entertainment system from Microsoft and PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer
entertainment system. The Wii(TM) home video game system from Nintendo
version is developed by Vicarious Visions. The PlayStation(R)2 computer
entertainment system version is developed by Budcat. The game is rated “T”
for Teen by the ESRB. For more information on Guitar Hero World Tour,
please visit worldtour.guitarhero.com.

The fret board buttons use the same rubber dome technology as Logitech’s keyboard range, offering both reliability and minimal noise.  There’s also a touch-sensitive neck slider, which can be used in-game as well as in Guitar Hero World Tour’s new Music Studio to create an even wider away of sounds.

Two AA batteries are good for “hundreds of hours” of use, and the controller is delivered in a gig bag with room for game discs and the USB wireless receiver. The Logitech Premiere Edition Wireless Guitar Controller will be available in the US in December, priced at $249.99.

The guitar, made as an accessory for the Wii version of Guitar Hero, has a defect in its circuit board. So, if the batteries are installed improperly, battery acid caustic alkaline chemicals can actually leak out. This is, of course, bad and could cause burns to the flesh.

What’s up with all the recalls lately? I mean, you would think we’d have mastered the whole plastic toy with simple electronics inside thing by now. But a battery leak? That’s just ridiculous. I know rock is supposed to be hardcore, but burns? Not so rockin’ if you ask me.

[via SlipperyBrick]

Compatible with both the PS2 and PS3, the Starpex controllers have a Speed Starpower/Overdrive button together with a tilt-sensor that can automatically trigger the mode.  Solos in Rock Band are supported with buttons high on the neck, and the whole thing is designed to be modular so new features – whether electronic or guitar body – can be added and swapped later on.

The Starpex is available now at Circuit City, J&R, MicroCenter and from Peak Products themselves with an MSRP of 179.99.

Of course, ASUS couldn’t bear to be out of the headlines for a single minute, and so announced the S101 (the size of an Eee, the branding of an Eee, but it’s not an Eee) together with a cloud storage option.  Netbooks are so much the niche of the moment that this week’s “He Said, She Said” editorial was all about whether the best value comes from there or from a second-hand laptop off of eBay.

On the desktop, preliminary ASUS’ Eee Box reviews showed that while the company might take some criticism for over-announcing, their tech really can be impressive all the same.  We also saw an impressively monolithic Lego PC case, which for once isn’t multi-colored. 

Leaks, rumors and upcoming devices were much in evidence during the week, with the prospect of a 32GB iPhone 3G tipped after Toshiba announced a flash drive that size in half the space.  We also heard about Intel’s next-gen notebook platform, Capella, which is tipped for Q3 2009.  Fujitsu navigated the FCC with their U820, the US version of the U2010 UMPC, while photos purporting to be the new MacBook casings showed up too.

In gaming, there was the usual blend of the sensible and the bizarre: the former satisfied by the news that Grand Theft Auto IV would finally get a PC release, the latter by libraries tempting young people through the doors with the promise of Guitar Hero. 

Normally we leave most cellphone news to our sibling sites, PhoneMag and SlashPhone, but a few stories crossed over to SlashGear in the past few days.  The week started with a demo video showing the difference in browsing speed between iPhone firmware 2.01, freshly released, and the existing firmware 2.0 (make sure to listen out for the Teen Choice awards in the background).  It ended, however, with controversy over HTC, Google and the Android cellphone OS project, as the handset maker was forced to reiterate its Q4 2008 release schedule after analyst doubts.  Conveniently we received a leaked video purporting to be the HTC Dream shortly after.

We’ve been running more than the usual amount of editorial content here on SlashGear over the past couple of weeks, and we’d be interested to hear your thoughts.  Want more or prefer less?  We’re keen to keep bringing you the best in consumer electronics, so let us know what you think.

Libraries have always had their different tactics to keep kids within their walls. Usually those tactics actually involve books though, well now they’re tossing in video games like Guitar Hero and “Karaoke”.

They are actually conducting a study involving several libraries throughout the country to see if the video games make kids smarter and increase their literacy. I’m not so sure about all of that, but it can’t hurt to draw kids into libraries.

In Tucson the local news did a report on it, so if you follow the link you can hear their thoughts on the program. The study is being done by the American Library Association, hopefully when they’re done they will report their findings.

[via kotaku]

In a recent interview with USA Today, Ozzy announced that he has indeed already donned the mo-cap suit and danced around for the camera. He seemed fairly pleased with how his on-screen character came out, and even envied the kind of energy his on-screen self had.

So what songs will Ozzy be singing? We know that he will at least sing along to Crazy Train and Mr. Crowley. At least I have a little while to practice the vocals on the beginning of Crazy Train (not that it will help).

[via USAToday]

I think at some point a band can actually get big enough to just not care what they say. Take for instance this recent interview with Metallica rocker Lars Ulirich where he all but says “they’re making Guitar Hero Metallica”.

There’s an Aerosmith game out there that’s super successful, and if somebody’s gonna follow that up…we’re talking, and its exciting, and the people at ‘Guitar Hero’ and Activision are rapidly becoming our best new friends in the world. You can put the rest of it together yourself.

My puzzle-solving skills aren’t what they once were, so I’ve contacted my crack team of specialists, and we’ve translated the text to mean that either Lars just confirmed a Gutiar Hero: Metallica title, or that the band is planning on buying the Guitar Hero franchise and will rule the gaming world with an iron fist. I’m not sure, but I think I’m leaning toward the latter.

[via MTV Multiplayer]

• “Are You Gonna Go My Way” — Lenny Kravitz
• “Beat It” — Michael Jackson
• “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” — Smashing Pumpkins
• “Everlong” — Foo Fighters
• “Hot for Teacher” — Van Halen
• “In The End” — Linkin Park
• “Light My Fire” — The Doors
• “Never Too Late” — The Answer
• “Obsatcle 1″ — Interpol
• “One Armed Scissor” — At the Drive-In
• “Purple Haze” (Live) — Jimi Hendrix
• “Rebel Yell” — Billy Idol
• “Santeria” — Sublime
• “The Wind Cries Mary” — Jimi Hendrix

There are several awesome songs in that list, but can you spot the one that just doesn’t seem to fit? Yes, I’m looking at you, “Beat It by Michael Jackson” what are you doing there? Ah, that’s right, there’s that killer guitar riff by none other than Mr. Eddie Van Halen. So that makes two appearances by both Jimi Hendrix and Van Halen. I can’t say that I’m disappointed by either of those moves.

[via Joystiq]

Activision has decided to team up with peripheral maker Logitech to bring us a line of “premium” instruments for Guitar Hero IV. Though no details have been announced, we can only imagine that we’ll be seeing huge drum kits, full size guitars and some kind of fancy mic.

What is interesting is that Logitech considers this move to be similar to when they got into the plastic steering wheel business for Gran Turismo. The only question is whether or not there will be good enough reasons to pony up the extra dough for the premium controllers.

[via Joystiq]

• Dragonforce “Heroes Of Our Time”
• Dragonforce “Operation Ground And Pound
• Dragonforce “ Revolution Deathsquad”

The only song that is more difficult to play than Buckethead’s Jordan, would be Through the Fire and Flames by Dragonforce. Those of you who are up to the challenge will be able to download these songs sometime in August.

[via Kotaku]

Eagle Rock High School Tour:

• “Dope Nose” by Weezer
• “The Middle” by Jimmy Eat World
• Encore: “Today” by Smashing Pumpkins

Big City Kids Tour:

• “Roland” by Interpol
• “Santeria” By Sublime
• Encore: “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers

Feelin’ Nostalgic Tour:

• “Take It on the Run” by REO Speedwagon
• “Hold the Line” by Toto
• Encore: “Rebel Yell” by Billy Idol

Vixens Tour:

• “Heartbreaker” by Pat Benatar
• “All Around Me” by Flyleaf
• Encore:”Misery Business” by Paramore

Undertow Tour:

• “Stinkfist” by Tool
• “Lateralus” by Tool
• “Schism” by Tool

Synchronicity Tour:

• “Guitar Battle Vs. Sting” (Guitar Career Only)
• Encore: “Every Breath You Take” by The Police

Fight the System Tour:

• “The Kids Aren’t Alright” by The Offspring
• The Good Left Undone” by Rise Agaisnt
• Encore: “Bleed it Out” by Linkin Park

QQ Tour:

• “Face Down” by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
• “The Kill” by 30 Seconds to Mars
• Encore: “Thank You for the Venom” by My Chemical Romance

Rockin the Carnival Tour:

• “Dammit” by Blink 182
• “When You Heat Stops Beating” by +44

Neva’ Forget Tour:

• “Jumpin Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones
• “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Öyster Cult
• Encore: “Light My Fire” by The Doors

We Want the Funk Tour:

• “Take it Away” by Red Hot Chili Peppers
• “Renegades of Funk” by Rage Agaisnt the Machines
• Encore: “No Sleep till Brooklyn” by The Beastie Boys Feat. Kerry King

Rockin’ the Joint Tour:

• “Are You Gonna Go My Way” by Lenny Kravitz
• “I Don’t wanna Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith

On Top of the World Tour:

• “Man in the Box” by Alice in Chains
• “Kickstart My Heart” by Mötley Crüe
• Encore: “Spin the Black Circle” by Pearl Jam

G. Stinger Tour:

• “Smells Like Teen Spirit” by Nirvana
• “Car Chase City” by Tenacious D
• Encore: “Everlong” by Foo Fighters

Lands End Tour:

• “Animal” by Def Leppard
• “Runaway” by Bon Jovi
• Encore: “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses

Doin’ it Different Tour:

• “Song for the Dead” by Queens of the Stone Age
• “Vasoline” by Stone Temple Pilots
• Encore: “Assassin” by Muse

Hootin’ and Hollerin’ Tour:

• “The Boys Are Back in Town” By Thin Lizzy
• “Life in the Fastlane” by The Eagles
• Encore:”Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd

All Pissed Off Tour:

• “Here to Stay” by KoRn
• “Dragula” by Rob Zombie
• Encore: “Bat Country” by Avenged Sevenfold

Here Me Roar Tour:

• “10,000 Fists” by Disturbed
• “Duality” by Slipknot
• Encore: “Toxicity” by System of a Down

S.D.M.F. Tour:

• “Guitar Battle Vs. Zakk Wylde” (Guitar Career Only)
• Encore: “Demise of Sanity” by Black Label Society

Fathers of Metal Tour:

• “Don’t Talk to Strangers” by Dio
• “Heaven and Hell” by Black Sabbath
• Encore: “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne

Making Progress Tour:

• “The Spirit of Radio” by Rush
• “Comfortably Numb” by Pink Floyd
• Encore: “Pull Me Under” by Dream Theatre

Eruption Tour:

• “Beat it” by Micheal Jackson Feat. Eddie Van Halen
• “Hot for Teacher” by Van Halen

Tooth Fang & Claw Tour:

• “Guitar Battle Vs. Ted Nugent” (Guitar Career Only)
• Encore: “Stranglehold” by Ted Nugent

Decades of Metal Tour

• “Warriors of Time” by Black Tide
• “Leather Rebel” by Judas Priest
• Encore: “Hallowed be Thy Name” by Iron Maiden

Livin’ in a Nightmare Tour:

• “Angel of Death” by Slayer
• “Tornado of Souls” by Megadeth
• Encore: “Master of Puppets” by Metallica

Legends of Rock Tour:

• “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry
• “The Wind Cries Mary” by Jimi Hendrix
• Encore: “Purple Haze (Live)” by Jimi Hendrix

Bonus Tour:

• “45″ by Shinedown
• “96 Quite Bitter Beings” by CKY
• “Bombshell” by Powerman 5000
• “Clavado en un Bar” by Maná
• “Enjoy the Silence” by Lacuna Coil
• “Feuer Frei” by Rammstein
• “Fury of the Storm” by Dragonforce
• “Never Too Late” by The Answer
• “Nottingham Lace” by Buckethead
• “One Armed Scissor” by At The Drive-In
• “Satch Boogie” by Joe Satriani
• “Schrei” by Tokio Hotel
• “Soul Doubt” by NOFX
• “We’re An American Band” by Grand Funk Railroad
• “Guitar Battle Vs. Sting” by Sting
• “Guitar Battle Vs. Ted Nugent” By Ted Nugent
• “Guitar Battle Vs. Zakk Wylde” by Zakk Wylde

Sample Songs:

• “Untitled Drum Sample” created by Chad Smith
• “Untitled Drum Sample” created by Dave Grohl
• “Untitled Drum Sample” created by Travis Barker
• “Cliffs of Dover” created by Neversoft
• “Misirlou” created by Neversoft
• “Walk This Way” created by Neversoft
• “YYZ” created by Neversoft

There are definitely some good tracks on there, along with a fair share of not-so-great ones. The song I’m probably most excited about is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. It’ll be fun if you’re playing guitar, but likely really boring for everyone else.

There are a couple of things about this list that make it reek of bullshit. First, I don’t know why you would have a guitar battle against Sting, since he is most known for his vocals and bass guitar playing. Second, where’s the Jimi Hendrix battle? We already know he’s going to be a playable character, so it seems logical that there would be a guitar battle to unlock him. Third, there’s no such song as “Take it Away” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, it’s “Give it Away”. A mistake like that makes me think that someone was pulling songs from their head, rather than copying a list. Finally, why would the Van Halen set be called the Eruption Tour if the only two tracks are Beat It and Hot for Teacher? Neither of those two tracks are off of the self-titled debut album which features Eruption.

Buckethead “Soothsayer”
Steve Vai “For the Love of God”
Joe Satriani  “Surfing with the Alien”
Yes, that’s the very same Buckethead that melted your face with Jordan back on GH II. Yes, you are going to fail this song, a lot. The worst part is that you’ll have to play through a lot of mellow stuff before you start hitting the solos. The price for the pack wasn’t announced, though we’ll likely see the usual $6.25 price tag when it goes live later today.

[via GameSpot]

Not only are we going to get The Wind Cries Mary and a Live version of Purple Haze, but we’ll actually be able to take the stage as Jimi himself. This of course raises the question of whether or not we’ll have the opportunity to light our guitar on fire at the end of a set.

Guitar Hero III was named Legends of Rock, now why couldn’t we have seen some actual legends like this? I’ll admit that Slash could be considered a legend, (no, I don’t consider Tom Morello or the Devil to be legends of rock) but it already looks like IV will feature more actual legends.

As for grown-up notebooks, Intel finally made the Centrino 2 platform official, and with it the promise of not only faster processors but native draft-N WiFi support and longer battery life.  In fact this week the company had plenty to be pleased about, as they soundly thrashed arch-rival AMD with their Q2 2008 financial performance.

One manufacturer with new Centrino 2 machines in their line-up is Sony, and we spent some hands-on time with the new VAIO range at the beginning of the week.  As for reviews, this week we looked at VTech’s IS6110 instant messenger DECT phone (and came away less than massively impressed) as well as Palm’s new 3G Treo 800w (which was, frankly, equally disappointing).

In gaming, we summarised Microsoft’s new Xbox Experience as well as the news that Sony has a new, 80GB PS3 in the works for a September release.  Activision also gave us some good news regarding Rock Band instruments and their compatibility with Guitar Hero.

Filed under “what took them so long”, Apple finally got around to taking OS X clone manufacturer Psystar to court over accusations of trademark and copyright infringement as well as violation of its EULA.  Some wondered if the Cupertino company had bitten off more than it bargained for, however; not from a strong rebuttal from Psystar but from the possibility that Apple will be forced to licence out its software.  Also in the courts, ATI and NVIDIA faced more unpleasant evidence as part of the price-fixing class action against them.

Finally, chumps-of-the-week award goes to AT&T, for their on-again, off-again iPhone WiFi farce.  After several rounds of confirming and denying over complementary wireless for the first-gen iPhone, the carrier has once again “accidentally” announced and then withdrawn the offer for the iPhone 3G (of which in excess of one million were sold over the weekend, with stock delays stretching into weeks).  Incidentally, you can read SlashGear’s review of the iPhone 3G here.

Regular readers may have noticed a flip back from the video Week in Review; we’re reworking staff here at SlashGear, and frankly you wouldn’t want to see my ugly face!  We’re hoping to return to the video format in the near future, so keep reading!

I can’t say that I blame them really. Realistically, you have to have three rows of vertically scrolling notes, and one row of horizontally scrolling words. Throw in a rock meter and you’re set. Sure, they could have moved the vocals to the bottom and shifted the rock meter to the right, but I’m actually really glad they didn’t.

We can guess from this that they are keeping individual score multipliers, though from the 1x up in the rock meter, I would guess that they have also chosen to apply star power to the overall score, rather than to the individual who activated it. I’m not for certain what the number below the score represents. My best guess is the note streak, similar to what we saw in GH: III.

[via Game|Life]

Activision officially confirmed that Guitar Hero: World Tour will be compatible with “non-GH instruments”. When pressed, they went as far as to confirm that the instruments from the original Rock Band will indeed work. They haven’t tested RB2 instruments (obviously), however, we know that RB1 and RB2 instruments will be interchangeable, so there shouldn’t be any issues.

There’s still no word on if this will affect previous versions of the game like GH III, however, we do know that a patch has been applied to GH: Aerosmith to allow RB controllers to work. Thumbs up to Activision for this one, because we only have room for so many plastic instruments.

[via Multiplayer]

That’s right folks, the sequel to Guitar Hero: On Tour, dubbed “Decades” has been officially been announced by Activision. So when can we expect it to hit stores? If you were hoping for a fall release, your wish has been granted. One thing to note is that you will be able to share songs between different versions of the game. We’re not entirely sure how this is going to work, but we’ll let you know when we have more info.

This will mark the 5th Guitar Hero game released in 2008. I’m not even counting Guitar Hero III Mobile, even though it was released on the BlackBerry this year. (It launched originally on the Verizon network phones on Dec. 20 of last year) I understand that it’s good business to create sequels, however, it’s starting to get just a bit ridiculous.

[via DS Fanboy]

Their latest full studio release will debut on Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock at the same time it is available for purchase in stores. I’ll be interested to see how it sells in-game as opposed to traditional downloads via iTunes and such. Motley Crue had great success with releasing a single in Rock Band at the same time it became available on iTunes.

What is really interesting is that the album will also be available as DLC for Guitar Hero IV, which raises a few questions. If I buy this DLC for GH III, will I still need to purchase it again for IV? If not, then does this mean other DLC will transfer as well? If not, I think I’ll hold off on downloading this for a while.