May 31, 2007

Sony PSP Firmware Update Gives You Remote Play from PS3

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:40 PM on May 31, 2007

sony_psp_firmwareupdate.jpgSony's PlayStation portable (PSP) now has a new version 3.50 firmware update available, letting you access music, pictures and videos on a Sony PlayStation 3 from a PSP wirelessly connected to the Internet. When Sony upgraded its PS3 firmware to version 1.80 last week, one of its key features was Remote Play, giving you media streaming over a network, but the missing link was the ability to receive that content. In this PSP firmware update, Sony also threw in a RSS Channel Guide for those newbies not familiar with that concept, but the real deal here is that Remote Play trick. It's a bit of a misnomer because it won't let you play any PS3 games remotely on a PSP. Own both devices? Now you can go all-Sony, all the time. Fanboy. PSP firmware updated for new PS3 features [Computer and Video Games]

Video: Jobs Says "Fake Steve" is "Pretty Funny" and Other Semi-Revelations

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:24 PM on May 31, 2007

You like the Steve Jobs? You hate the Steve Jobs? We gave you the textier version yesterday, now here's a clip of his All Things D appearance, in full technicolor moving picture, for you to comment on in your own special way. Jobs on YouTube Weirdness, Windows Love and "Fake Steve"

Zip Zip's Lego Bricks Stash 1GB Worth of Storage

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:05 PM on May 31, 2007

Black_split_web.jpg When it comes to looks, most USB flash drives are cut from the same cloth, which is why we've taken a liking to Zip Zip's Lego drive. The bite-sized drive is small enough to attach to your keys (via the strap) yet packs a full gig of storage space. It's available in six colors for $59 a pop, so you better be a real Lego fan to splurge on one of these.

Louis writes it up, but this is an Aussie production - and that $59 is technicolour AUD. Go you good thing!
Product Page [Zip Zip]

Jobs v. Gates: The Movie

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:03 PM on May 31, 2007

What we thought might be a Showdown at Carlsbad was, in reality, a love-in at the Four Seasons. Steve and Bill had good times, reminiscing and talking about the future. There was Beatles music to harmonize to (though Yoko was mercifully nowhere to be found). Jobs even revealed that he and Gates had been secretly married for years. (Wait, he was kidding?) Enjoy the video. D: Notebook [WSJ] Live Rumble: Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs vs. Swisher vs. Mossberg [Gizmodo]

Apple TV with 160GB Drive Now Shipping

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:03 PM on May 31, 2007

appletv_160gb.jpgAs announced in a press release yesterday, the Apple Store today offers an Apple TV with a 160GB hard drive selling for $399, $100 more than the 40GB model. Apple says it can hold "up to 200 hours of video," but could this be a sign that 720p downloads of movies and TV shows are not far behind? Bring on the HDTV downloads, Apple!

AU: It's on sale right now here too, at $579.
Product Page [Apple Store]

More on the iTunes Plus High Quality, 256kbps Bitrate Tracks

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:00 PM on May 31, 2007

canstring.jpgIf Charlie's take on the iTunes Plus songs wasn't enough for you, then check out our own Wilson Rothman's piece in the NYT about the same subject. Not to spoil anything, but Wilson and his two test partners could hear a difference between 128kbps and 256kbps on his medium to medium-high end speaker setup. However, if you've got a $50 speaker setup running from off your motherboard's sound card, you probably won't. Where's the Other Half of Your Music File? [NYTimes]

Live Rumble: Bill Gates vs. Steve Jobs vs. Swisher vs. Mossberg

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 12:22 PM on May 31, 2007

jobsvsgates5wm.jpg 7:15 The show is about to start, and I've got major butterflies. Fingers and liveblog gear don't fail me now. The transcript is off limits as a full copy, so I'll be writing in honor of Sci Fi author Rudy Rucker's style of fiction based on true events, which he calls Transrealism. 7:19 No one's on stage, but there's a video on screen, of the Macintosh dating game. The year is 1983, and Microsoft needs Apple to make half its revenue. Jobs is introducing Bill, and Bill has scripted lovely to say about Apple. It's stable. It's wonderful. He loves it. The Second video shows Jobs at the 1997 Keynote, announcing the reestablished relationship with Microsoft. They both look like Goobers. God, I'm glad no one has 80s footage of me.

Read More »

Steve and Bill...in Pirates of Silicon Valley

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 12:04 PM on May 31, 2007

Stevevsbill.jpgBill and Steve go on stage in about 30 minutes or so. And before they start pulling each other's hair, and before Walt starts dancing around these two with tough questions, I'd like to take this moment to remind you of Pirates of Silicon Valley, the made for TV, unauthorized 1999 "docudrama" of how Steve got rich and cool, and Bill got so rich he doesn't even care how cool he is. (Only $7.49 on Amazon, btw.) Anthony Michael Hall, who played a perverted panty-sniffing geek in both Weird Science and Sixteen Candles plays Bill Gates. Noah Wyle, pretty boy doctor from ER, plays a young Jobs. This movie was made far too early, if you ask me. Someone needs to do a proper sequel. Pirates of Silicon Valley [IMDB] Pirates of Silicon Valley [Wikipedia] Pirates of Silicon Valley [Amazon]

iTunes Australia selling DRM-free tracks at $2.19

Australian Post Posted by Seamus Byrne at 11:28 AM on May 31, 2007

itunesplus.jpg

So we have indeed seen a worldwide launch - that actually includes us - from Apple on the DRM-free EMI tracks, and local pricing on these 256kbps AAC files is...

$2.19

Great to see we've got it, but that price differential again stretches out just too far for me to want to pay it. Album pricing is $22.09 (haven't seen it directly, but that's based on their $5.10 upgrade price for previously purchased albums) Oh yeah, forgot that albums work differently, and so far I'm seeing iTunes Plus options from $17.99 to $20.99, and you do have to pay about $5.10 "for most albums" to upgrade them. I can (still) go and buy ANY album I want on CD for a lot less than that price.

More than ever I'm inclined to go buy discs, and rip them in the format of my choice. But I do appreciate us getting the choice, so cheers for that.

Xbox 360 Firmware Hackers Release New Version, Bypasses Ban Checks

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:30 AM on May 31, 2007

The latest shots in the Microsoft vs. Xbox 360 console hacker war have been fired, and this time it's Microsoft who took one in the chest. After banning a bunch of Xbox 360s with modded firmware DVD drives earlier this month, the company's ban checks have just been defeated by a new version of the DVD firmware. Not a lot of details are listed in the release info, but the new version claims to defeat "all current and some future Xbox Live detection attempts", which means you'd be safe running this until the next dashboard update from Microsoft. Info Page [Xbins via Xbox Scene via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

Listening Test Compares iTunes Plus to iTunes 128kbps

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:15 AM on May 31, 2007

itunes_plus.jpgToday is a big day for music downloaders, because iTunes is finally offering DRM-free music for your listening pleasure. To sweeten the deal, each also has a lighter AAC compression applied to it, 256kbps instead of iTunes' customary 128kbps. Called iTunes Plus, it's available now, and all it asks is an extra 30 cents per song ($1.29 for each instead of $.99 for iTunes songs). Is there a big difference in sound quality between those 128kbps iTunes files and these 256kbps iTunes Plus songs? Let's dig into iTunes Plus, grab a few files and compare them to the old-style locked-up tunes.

Read More »

MLB Calls Foul on Slingbox Placeshifting, Pitches the "L" Word

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 9:00 AM on May 31, 2007

ump.jpgFor being "America's favorite pastime," the MLB is apparently populated by a bunch of whiners. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Esq., the league's legal vultures have begun circling around Slingbox because of its ability to placeshift games. Yeah, that's right. When you're on the road and just want to catch your home team's game via Sling, in the MLB's eyes you (and Sling Media) are acting illegally because of broadcast contracts written around geographical boundaries.

Read More »

Phone Phone Straps: Volume 8

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:45 AM on May 31, 2007

cellphoncellphone.jpgYou've seen the phone charms that look like a miniature version of your actual phone before, but Strap-ya's just released a new batch of phones for your miniaturization needs. Most of these phones are Japanese, but we do see a couple RAZRs and possibly some Sony Ericssons in there too. All of them actually slide and flip—just like the real thing. No real point here; they just look cool. Product Page [Strapya]

Meeting Steve Jobs

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:43 AM on May 31, 2007

I bumped into Steve Jobs in the hall a little while ago, on the way to lunch at All Things D. He's taller than I thought he would be, and pretty tanned. Hawaii. I go to introduce myself and then think that he's probably busy and doesn't want to be mobbed. I go get some salad, think that its my job to be at least a little aggressive with these things, so I put down my plate, and I finally squeeze by the crowd to introduce myself. No banter, just wanted to say hi, I'm Brian from Gizmodo. And you made the iPod, right? (I didn't say that second part.) Then Steve got really excited and Happy.

Read More »

Solar Powered LED Tent Houses Six, Provides Eight Hours of Light

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:30 AM on May 31, 2007

eureka-solar-intent.jpgThe only time we've been camping is, well, never, so this solar powered LED tent isn't quite for us. But those of you who like to get some outdoors time with your family yet still want to keep enough light to play some Go Fish at night should look into this LED tent. It's $230, and has an eight-hour battery to power the LEDs inside. All you need to do is keep the solar panels set up during the day when you're out doing whatever it is people do when they're camping. Poop in the woods and look for leaves to wipe with, presumably. Product Page [Eurekatent via Travelizmo via Uber Gizmo]

Sushi Robots Will Destroy Us All, Make Delicious Sushi

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 8:15 AM on May 31, 2007

Nigiri-3010-2.JPGWe're not sure this these sushi robots are for "home use," but who wouldn't want their own mechanical man making sushi for them? The various rice-ball-forming machines make anywhere from 850 balls an hour up to 1200 balls an hour, and the various parts of the sushi robot lineup make 2000 to 3000 pieces an hour. Sounds pretty industrial/restaurant to us, but great if you like to have sushi every day of the week. Or really like robots. Product Page [Sushi Expert via Sushi Robots - Thanks Keebs!]

How to Expedite Geek Squad Issues the Consumerist Way

Giz readers (or their families) have probably had more than a few dealings with Best Buy's Geek Squad, so that's why we're pointing you to this consumerist post on how to get stuff resolved. The Geek Squad CEO dropped... Read More »

Vehicle Gauge Racing Sim Hardware Mod

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:45 AM on May 31, 2007

If you are a racing sim junkie, like this guy, this mod is sure to make your ears perk. Actual, real in-car gauges were removed from a vehicle and somehow, someway modded to connect to a PC via USB and actually function with a racing wheel and pedals. From the discussion over at YouTube it even seems that the creator is possibly going to market this as an actual product. [Via EverythingUSB]

CD to iPod Ripping iLoad Reviewed (Verdict: Only For People Who Hate Computers)

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:30 AM on May 31, 2007

iload.jpgThe only type of person who would use the iLoad by Wingspan is the person who either hates computers or doesn't know how to use them. The device takes in your iPod, then rips CDs into digital form and loads them onto your iPod. No PC required. Crunchgear took one for a spin, and thought it worked as advertised but was super noisy doing it. Once your music is transferred from the CD into your iPod, you can also delete tracks by title or category—again, straight from the iLoad without a PC. Is it worth the $299 price tag? Only if you're an anti-computer guy who still wants access to an iPod. Product Page [iLoad via Crunchgear]

Ultimate Launch Wrap-Up: Palm's New Foleo Does What Exactly?

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:30 AM on May 31, 2007

Palm_Foleo.jpg OK, so the rumors weren't rumors, just little wispy truths that have been confirmed by one big announcement: Palm has indeed built some kind of crazy laptop-like friend for the Treo, called Foleo. Suffice it to say, the initial reaction has not been overwhelmingly positive. We handed you the press release and specs and even a gallery, we've given you the best seat in the house for the unveiling, but still something is nagging at you. What, exactly, is this baby meant to do? Is it really a supplement to your smartphone, or is Palm trying to go into the laptop business? And is $499 (after rebate) cheap as hell or way overpriced?

Read More »

Fire-Safe Cigarettes to Keep Idiots Alive a Bit Longer

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:15 AM on May 31, 2007

sleepsmoking.jpgHow many stupid people have started fires by falling asleep while smoking a cigarette? One might see this as Darwinism in action, but apparently the bleeding hearts over in Europe think differently. They've developed "fire-safe" cigarettes that put themselves out after a minute or two when not being smoked. Whatever, if cigarette smokers were so worried about their personal safety they wouldn't be smoking cancer sticks in the first place. Just let these people kill themselves if that's what they want so badly. New Zealand Herald [via Spluch]

Official: Third Party iPhone Apps Later This Year

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 7:00 AM on May 31, 2007

steve-jobs-open-shirt.jpg From the D Conference Q&A: Question: We'd love to write apps. Will it open up? Steve Jobs: This is a very important tradeoff between security and openness. We want both. We've got good ideas, and sometime later this year, we can open it up to 3rd party apps...

Golden Piggy MicroSD Card Reader is Definitely Creepy

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:45 AM on May 31, 2007

pig-microsd-reader.jpgIf we had a "weird gadget of the day," I'm fairly confident that this would be it. This is a pretty simple MicroSD card reader, but it is in the shape of a pig—a gold pig. If pigs weren't scary enough as it is, now they are terrifying my dreams in shiny gold. Just look at the little pig and his removable head and satanic eyes gazing into your soul. Scared yet? You should be. $8. Product Page [Brando]

The Gear Clock

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:30 AM on May 31, 2007

gearclock.jpgIf your clock's going to be made out of gears, why not just expose all the gears and make it part of the design? That's exactly what these folks did, which makes for a quite sexy clock design that gives your bedroom that much more of an industrial look. Product Page [Contemporary Heaven via Coolest Gadgets via Oh Gizmo via Boing Boing]

Steve Jobs at D Now

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 6:19 AM on May 31, 2007

jobs1wm.jpg 12:15 We're at the fluffy intro 12:21 WM When you made the change to Apple from Apple Computer, people wondered if it was the exit. Are you committed to computers? SJ Totally. WWDC is big. Leopard is coming in October. we love it.

Read More »

YouTube on Apple TV - It's Official

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:52 AM on May 31, 2007

appletv_youtubetopper.jpg It goes live in a few weeks.

Read More »

Quick News: Vatican Goes Solar and More

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:15 AM on May 31, 2007

flyingkitty.pngComcast was so close, they released a new service called TVplanner that allows you to search through you're TV listings online. All seemed promising until we realized there isn't any remote DVR programming. While the Catholic church may not believe in some forms of science, they do believe in solar power. The Vatican is tricking out one of their audience halls with solar panels to power the building all year long. New York is trying to pass a new bill to block minors from being able to purchase games that include "depraved violence." These bills always make us laugh, because the kids that should be barred from content like that usually have parents that don't care what they do (no offense, bad parents). $3.2 billion later, Cisco finally wrapped up their purchase of the online collaboration service WebEx.

DRM-free iTunes Songs Have Embedded User Info

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:15 AM on May 31, 2007

itunesplussonghasname2.jpgSo now that you have iTunes Plus that means you can go ahead and download DRM-free songs. Awesome, right? Yes, it's very awesome. But if you thought that meant you could now buy songs from iTunes and then torrent them to help your ratio at Senor Sleazy's Pirate Palace, you might want to hold off. Turns out that your account information is embedded in every DRM-free ACC file you download, so if your purchased songs somehow get distributed all around the Internets, they'll be able to easily see who the culprit was. But you wanted DRM-free tunes so you could play them on multiple devices and copy them for personal use, not for piracy, right? Right guys? TUAW Tip: Don't Torrent That Song... [TUAW]

Porsche-designed Nespresso Machine Empties Your Wallet Faster

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:00 AM on May 31, 2007

porsche%20nespresso.jpg In case that Swarovski espresso machine was too gaudy for your tastes, Nespresso has teamed up with Porsche Design to bring you this piece of kitchen gadgetry. The Nespresso Siemens by Porsche Design lets you play barista by serving up cups of espresso, cappuccino, and macchiato. Unfortunately, though it carries the Porsche name, it doesn't make your coffee any faster in the morning. Porsche Designed Nespresso Espresso Machine [Single Serve Coffee]

LED Lightbulb Keychain

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:00 AM on May 31, 2007

ledlightbulb.pngI would imagine that Thomas Edison is rolling in his grave over this little gadget. It's an LED light keychain shaped like a lightbulb. That is like making a cake that looks like a sandwich—it is just wrong and deceiving. $6. Product Page [Via technabob]

How to Build a Tetris Shelf

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 5:00 AM on May 31, 2007

tetrishelves.jpgWe've shown you those Tetris shelves a couple times over the years now, but they're still really, really expensive to the point where you'd have to live inside it in lieu of an actual apartment. Here's how you can build your own on the cheap. Instructables' guide to building your own Tetris shelves costs you only about $85 in wood ($200+ if you buy good wood), plus some more in parts. You'll need equipment like table saws and wood glue, so if you don't have that you might have to find a buddy who does. Just be careful not to line them up horizontally or else you're going to have to start all over. Project Page [Instructables]

XM To Rebroadcast Original D-Day Radio Broadcasts

XM is doing something really unique next week and I can't wait to listen. Beginning Wednesday, June 6, XM is going to air the original radio news bulletins from NBC Radio for the D-Day invasion, in real time almost... Read More »

Palm Foleo in Motion

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:48 AM on May 31, 2007

Now that the Palm Foleo is official, you're probably wondering how it looks in motion. Here's a tiny video with Jeff Hawkins demoing the unit.

Air Conditioner or TiVo, You Decide

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:46 AM on May 31, 2007

YouTube user Brainfreiz is having one hell of a predicament that is going to force him to decide between having air conditioning or TiVo. Watch the video to see how he got to that point and help him decide. It is a hot bitch out there, but taking away a man's TiVo is like taking away his soul. Personally, I think there should be ways to work around the problem, but for dramatic purposes it is only appropriate that he has to choose one or the other.

First Palm Foleo Hands On and Impressions

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:45 AM on May 31, 2007

foleo11wm.jpgIt would be redundant to step through the Foleo right after Hawkins gave us a feature tour, but I have held the hardware, and it is impressively light (physically and software wise). It looks like a fanless, or near fanless design, the screen is very nice, and the keyboard reminds me of a Toshiba Tecra (a favorable thing). It looks to be a very efficient machine. If you overlook all the crazy buttons for navigation. And I thought the Thinkpad num/trackpad with multiple buttons was bad. That's not simplicity in design. There is a dedicated email button, which is a nice touch, as well as an Apps button that goes to the Dataviz office docs, the photo viewer, web browser, etc. The menu is top left, like a mac/windows hybrid and is favorably clean. But that's what happens when your device has no apps. What does it take to compile software to run on the Foleo. Would I buy one? No, I'm not a smart phone junkie.

A Gamer Who Can Beat You Using Just His Thumb

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:43 AM on May 31, 2007

switchxs.jpgMike Philips is a Mac gamer and writer. He plays games like World of Warcraft and Unreal Tournament, is working on a novel and is a freelance tech writer. What makes him unique? Well, the fact that he does all this using only one thumb. Mike was born with spinal muscle atrophy, leaving him with control over only one thumb. But using a proximity switch connected to the Swifty USB switch interface and SwitchXS software, he's able to fully use a computer and frag like a pro. It's pretty amazing, and it makes your poor performance in UT using both hands seem even more pathetic. Be sure to check out the short video "One Thumb to Rule Them All" to see Mike gaming in action. One Thumb to Rule Them All [via TUAW]

Palm Foleo: A Laptop For Your Smartphone

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:42 AM on May 31, 2007

foleotop.jpg All the details on Palm's new device, the Foleo, are out. They're calling it a "Smartphone companion product," it's got a 10-inch screen, full-size keyboard and built-in Wi-Fi. Edits on the Foleo automatically appear on a paired Smartphone, and data synchronizes with a dedicated button. Foleo runs on an open Linux-based platform, with an Opera browser—application developers are hereby granted permission to board! $499 with $100 introductory rebate, goes on sale this summer. Detailed specs and more after the jump...

Read More »

Coolness Roundup: Gadgets Prepare You for the Perfect Storm

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:41 AM on May 31, 2007

coolness_logo233.jpgEpisode 89 of the hit podcast Coolness Roundup with Gizmodo's Charlie White and Sci Fi Tech's Stephen Schleicher prepares you for the worst: What if havoc strikes? Hear about gadgets to get you through the Perfect Storm, as well as a scathing review of a cheap projector that proves that you really do get what you pay for. The Gurus of Cool also deliver a piping-hot Rapid Fire Roundup of Cool Products they've seen during the week and more on this week's Coolness Roundup, a free download from the iTunes store or you can get it straight from the show's official website. Program Site [Coolness Roundup]

Google Maps Street View Found E.T.

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:40 AM on May 31, 2007

etgoogmaps.pngIn the biggest twist of the year, including last year, it seems that the new Google Maps Street View found E.T. and an accompanying laser beam. Or maybe it isn't a laser beam or E.T. at all and I've just drank myself stupid, but it's pretty convincing. Thanks, CptPoland

Liveblog: Palm Foleo Unveil Now!

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:33 AM on May 31, 2007

folio13wm.jpgJeff Hawkins just dropped Foleo photos on us. It looks like it's subnotebook-sized, but it's a smartphone companion, designed to make it a full computing experience. 10:33 He's talking about the need for a better interface. And took a jab at origami. 10:36 Battery life is great. Five hours of real access running Wi-Fi, etc. 10:38 WM Looks like a laptop, I know how you're positioning it, but that doesn't matter. JH is totally being a cock tease, and Mossy is telling JH to get on with the show. He keeps calling it a laptop. That doesn't run stuff. 10:40 JH It's Velvety. Runs Linux, 10-inch screen, boots almost instantly. No sleep, just on and off. 10:43 WM Like the Clapper. JH Syncs with the phone, not just for exchange stuff. Makes the data centric to the phone. Easy to use, not for corporate types only. I'll update photos in the gallery as they come, but the text will be running below

Read More »

103-inch Panasonic Plasma Smashed At Trade Show

A forklift accident, rather than a publicity stunt by Sharp or some other big-n-flat competitor, was the cause of death for Panasonic's 103-inch plasma pride and joy. The rumor floated a few weeks ago, but the Gizmodo team in... Read More »

Dealzmodo USA: Logitech Harmony 659, $50

Tiger Direct, via Amazon, has this remote for $50 without any rebates or other BS. If you are looking for an excellent high-end universal remote without having to drop over a hundo, I would recommend this one. I personally... Read More »

Tablet Mouse is a Crappy Version of Both

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:01 AM on May 31, 2007

hanwang.jpgHey, look, a dumb idea! The Hanwang (LOL) Two-in-One Tablet Mouse combines a small, nearly useless tablet and a big, awkward mouse. Fortunately, this is a product too poorly thought out to make it to American shores. It's instead doomed to a life of dust-gathering on Far East electronics store shelves, otherwise known as where bad ideas go to die. Try harder next time, Hanwang. Aving [via Oh Gizmo!]

Freedom Mini GPS Designed for Tracking Lost Keys, Small Children

Posted by Seamus Byrne at 4:00 AM on May 31, 2007

minigps.jpgTthe Freedom Mini GPS is a tiny standalone GPS module that's perfectly suited to swinging from your key chain or a homemade ankle bracelet strapped to a wanderlust-prone c