Around a month ago, Bethesda announced a Fallout 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) perk making contest, and 17,000 entries made their way into the Bethesda gaming vaults, hoping to become the next Fallout perk. Well, Bethesda has announced the winner of its Fallout 3 perk making contest, and we can certainly tell you right now... it's not us!

Find out who won after the jump!

  

For UK's more hardcore racing game fans, we've got something you might be interested in. Playseat has just announced that they will now be marketing their Playseat Evolution chair for your local market. As compared to other gamer chairs you've probably encountered, this chair is built with the resident racer in mind, and currently hosts these features:

• Folding racing seat
• Fully adjustable oval piping steel construction
• Available in White or Black colour options
• Compatible with all major consoles are supported including: Playstation 2, Playstation 3, Wii, X-Box, X-Box 360 and PC
• Compatible with all electronic steering wheels and pedals including the new Logitech G25 (gearshift holder required - see image above right)
• Other accessories available
  

Interestingly, Playseat Evolution is also a sponsor of the Dutch A1 racing team. In fact, the chair has been tested by all of the team's drivers. The chair currently retails for £ 239 (US$ 326.50).

Every month, the fellas at GameSpot get the folks from Best Buy to talk about various gaming topics, and for this month, they talk about the Xbox 360 and they answer the most frequently asked questions and about the console's backwards compatibility. But let's see what they've got to say in this summary of the interview.

Can an Xbox 360 be connected to a laptop via the VGA cord? Best Buy people say yes and no. Seeing that most laptops only have a VGA output, it cannot receive input from the 360 or from any other console. But if your laptop has a VGA input, then you can definitely hook up your 360 to your laptop using the VGA cord, they say.

Is it possible to get surround sound for Xbox 360, and how do we go about it? First off, you'll need a complete surround sound setup for your 360 which includes a receiver, a center channel speaker, two front speakers, at least two rear speakers, and most importantly, a subwoofer. Then you can use the optical cable to plug into the surround sound receiver and it will decode the signal to the speakers.

The BestBuy folks also recommend using the Logitech Z-5300E or something like it to simply amplify the signal, allowing you to have surround sound sans the receiver. Setup instructions will be given to you upon purchasing the system, but it's still best to ask professional installers at (where else?) Best Buy.

On backwards compatibility and console insurance: The Best Buy pros say that over 90% of Xbox games are compatible with the Xbox 360 Core System so there's no need to get your panties all twisted over that. And as for insurance on game consoles, Best Buy has the Product Replacement Plan, should you purchase a defective one from them.

Certainly the Best Buy pros know what they're talking about, although there have been rumors that only 40 to 60% of Xbox games will be compatible with the 360's core system, and not 90%. Again, these are rumors. We'll have to wait for confirmation then about that. For now, we'll just keep in mind what the folks at Best Buy are saying. Next month, Best Buy will be discussing the Wii and answering all FAQs about the console.

So you have a TV, a VCR, a DVD, a CD Stereo, and for around 20 to 30 US dollars, chances are you could find yourself a nice little universal remote at the local "big box" store. If you've thrown in an XBox 360 requirement into the mix though, you've probably been out of luck. Until now.

For the gamer/TV addict/all-around couch potato who needs ONE remote to do it all, Logitech's Harmony Advanced Universal Remote may be the answer to your prayers. This device is slim, stylish, is colored to match either the black or silver model, and has a display backlit in green (which has gotta be cool, right?). Best of all, it will deal with almost any device in your living room that communicates via infrared.

In order to configure the Harmony, you'll need a PC with USB and Internet connections and a CD-ROM drive.

The device comes with the software CD, a mini-B USB cable, batteries and the quick-start guide. To configure your remote, install the software on your PC, hook up the Harmony via the USB cable, and follow the step-by-step instructions. One caveat: the Harmony will support up to 12 different devices, so prior to configuring, you'll want to gather all the information on any and all devices (manufacturer, model number, type, etc.). When the software launches, it will ask what level user you are. To be safe, swallow your pride and choose Beginner - your life will be MUCH easier.

Once all device info is entered, the software will configure your Harmony via the USB connection.

Switching between devices is done through the Activities button.  If you encounter a problem - for example, when you select "Watch a DVD," the TV turns off - you can press the Help button, bringing up a series of questions that, when answered, will create a solution.

You may also choose to operate the Harmony with the Devices button, but it is more limiting - you will need to press this each time you want to switch.

Logitech's SRP is $129 USD, although it can be grabbed for as little as $85, so comparison shopping is warranted. If you have just a TV and an XBox, you're better off without this, but if your set-up is more complex with several devices, the Harmony is a worthwhile purchase that can make your life a wee bit easier.

Always one for a good deal when it comes to worthwhile discounted technology, we've spotted this beauty which many of you gamers may be interested in. Available up and until the 19th of June, Buy.com have listed the Logitech Cordless Headset for the Xbox 360 for $28.99, with the use of this mail in rebate. The rebate, worth $10, beats all prices for this headset currently available on the net. What makes this even better though is that shipping is free on the package. The headset, which has obtained fair reviews off many is definitely a steal at $28.99. To buy, simply print off the above rebate, and purchase the unit here.

The second day of E3's drawing to a close. Although things might have been significantly less hectic today compared to yesterday or two days ago, we're not letting up - as a matter of fact we refuse to let up (we're stubborn that way, yeah). We're still hoping for more groundbreaking news tidbits and/or announcements, but even if nothing that momentous drops, we're certain we won't be disappointed, what with all the bright, shiny and new stuff coming our way... :)

Here's what today brought us:


Our intrepid correspondents' own notes:
E3: Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection Impressions
Heavenly Sword - Hands On Impressions
E3: Guitar Hero 2 Impressions
E3 Eye Candy Part Deux: Booth Babe Upgrade and Video to Boot!
More E3 Eye Candy from the Floor!

Breaking news:
Capcom unveils Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded
Logitech delivers DriveFX realistic racing wheel
New Sony service as a tool for PS3
Final Fantasy goes to mobile phones
Swing your Wii!
Don't Expect Game Boy Evolution Anytime Soon
Peter Moore Responds to PS3 Pricing and Wii Philosophy
Wii WiFi to be Similar to DS
Iwata Talks Prices, Names, and Blogs

More of the list after the jump!