Black screen error surfaces following Xbox One update

While the February update of the Microsoft Xbox One brought improvements to the console, it has also caused trouble with some users. Complaints have surfaced that the screen turns black after installing the update. It happens when users press the Xbox button to head to the home screen. The problem continues even when the device is powered down.

The Xbox team said the temporary fix will be to hold down the power button for 10 seconds to power cycle the console. We’re hoping they create a permanent remedy for this soon.

Source: The Verge

Sony PS4 global sales surpass more than 5.3 million units

After putting up its PC business for sale and laying off 5,000 employees, Sony needs all the good news it can get. Thankfully, the PS4 sales figures are exceptional. Sony just announced that the PlayStation4  has cumulatively sold through more than 5.3 million units around the world as of February 8, 2014 (JST), and is continuing to demonstrate strong growth and momentum. 

“I am thrilled that so many customers around the globe have continued to select PS4 as the best place to play throughout and beyond the holiday season,” said Andrew House, President and Group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. “We are delighted that according to  the NPD Group’s latest data, PS4 was January’s top-selling console in the United States.  The PS4 system’s momentum just keeps growing stronger, and we are extremely grateful for the continued passion and support of PlayStation® fans.  February 22 sees the launch of PS4 in Japan, and I’m looking forward to Japanese fans sharing the excitement of the deep social capabilities and entertainment experiences only possible on PS4.”

Rival console from Microsoft, the XBox One costs $100 more and has sold 3.6 million units. I also recently checked various stores and PS4s are in very short supply while you can find an XBox One quite easily. It is early in the game for these consoles but it looks like Sony's managed to grab momentum early on. Good for them.

Source: Sony Canada

Microsoft Xbox One update includes content management, battery power indicator, and USB keyboard support

Microsoft just released an update for the Xbox One that includes features such as content management, return of the battery indicator, and support for USB keyboards. The Next Web reports Xbox One users can now see and manage the storage space and even download queue and install lineup on the console. The My Apps and My Games have been separated into different lists and have different queues. Users can also track update progress with a boot progress indicator and choose the order for content to load.

Microsoft also brought back the battery power indicator to help you track the battery life of the controller. And for those who want to use USB keyboard with the Xbox One that is possible with the new update. The next update is supposedly going to be released on March 4.

Patch for Call of Duty: Ghosts for Xbox One causes performance problems

Patches are generally supposed to remedy any technical issues with a program or game. However, the new Onslaught downloadable content and a stability patch released for the Xbox One edition of the game “Call of Duty: Ghosts” has caused performance issues for the game. Performance drops for certain areas in the new maps and the frame drops to nearly 30 percent from the 60 frame per second rate.

Ubergizmo quotes Digital Foundry’s David Bierton, “Kicking off with a look at Stonehaven, it’s immediately obvious that things are not quite right. While the game does indeed hit 60fps in this stage, frame-rates are dramatically impacted when the whole level is in view, with metrics varying between 46-60fps as we run across the landscape. As frame-rates fall below the desired 60fps target, we also see the appearance of some screen-tear, adding some judder, making drops in smoothness more noticeable.”