Xbox

I was hoping for more from my shares of Microsoft Corp. Has the company lost its spark? - C.M., via the Internet The world's largest software company must bulk up to do Internet battle with Google Inc. To accomplish this, it is paying a premium cash price of about $6 billion to acquire aQuantive Inc., a leading advertising agency for the Internet that has strong display- and banner-ad technology. That is the largest acquisition in Microsoft's history. In addition, it recently bought a minority stake in its job-listings partner CareerBuilder.

2K Games [PC] Rated M Jade Empire was first released on the Xbox a few years ago. Now it has a new lease on life as a gussied-up Windows version. The player guides a young warrior through an epic quest, making allies and enemies, fighting monsters and affecting those around him or her with frequent moral choices that skew toward a good or evil path. Combat is more action-oriented and simplistic than other BioWare RPGs, though the game offers a wide variety of fighting styles to choose from and combine.

Downloaded singles 1.SexyBack, Justin Timberlake 2.Money Maker, Ludacris featuring Pharrell 3.Ring the Alarm, Beyonce 4.Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol 5.How to Save a Life, The Fray [Courtesy iTunes] Downloaded albums 1.FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake 2.B'Day, Beyonce 3.Modern Times, Bob Dylan 4.Revelations, Audioslave 5.How to Save a Life, The Fray [Courtesy iTunes] Downloaded videos 1.Couture du Jour, Project Runway 2.Here It Goes Again, OK Go 3.Too Little, Too Late, JoJo 4.Scan, Prison Break 5.Right as Raynes, Eureka [Courtesy iTunes]

LOS ANGELES -- Gripping the controller of the coveted Xbox 360, Jesus Sanchez watched as the Oakland Raiders clashed with the Denver Broncos on a high-definition flat-screen TV. The details in the "Madden NFL 06" video game looked so sharp that it was almost like seeing an actual football game. Sanchez was mesmerized, but unfortunately for him the 360 wasn't his. He was playing a demo machine at a Best Buy store in Los Angeles because, like countless other frustrated gamers, he hasn't been able to get one of his own. More than two months after its debut, Microsoft Corp.

Nintendo Revolution Price: Not Available Due: Next spring Cool factor: Nothing's obsolete with the Revolution -- aside from playing every GameCube disc, it'll play every other game in Nintendo's 20-year history via download. A rush of nostalgia with the return of Nintendo 64, Super NES and original Nintendo Entertainment System software. Hedge factor: Attachment plays DVD movies, but lack of HD technology makes the Revolution look tired already. Sony PlayStation 3 Price: Not available Due: Next spring Cool factor: Potential Xbox 360 killer with high-definition Blu-ray DVD and HDMI output offering high-definition audio and video connection for an HDTV.

They began arriving at 3 p.m. Monday with tents, lawn chairs and the conviction they would be among the first to own an Xbox 360. By midnight, the line at the Timonium Best Buy snaked around the building. Not everyone would go home happy. The store, like so many others, did not have nearly enough Xboxes to meet demand on their first day on the market. The early arrivals were allowed in at 8 a.m. yesterday - an hour before official opening time. By 9, all the Xboxes were gone. "It was like seeing little kids on Christmas," said store manager Jim Miller, who didn't know when he'd get more.