Jonathan Tseng, VP of marketing at Asus, promises an Eee in 2008. Like the simple, cheap Eee Laptop, it'll probably have the Eee linux interface and it won't have a monitor. [Digitimes]

Blockbuster really is falling back hard on its B&M outlets, so hard they're missing half the point of digital distribution, which is not having to drive to the store to grab a movie. Part of their revival plan is to install kiosks at B&M stores where you can download movies straight to your portable media player. Awesome! Except that I have one of those at my house: a computer.

I wouldn't really call having to trudge all the way to a Blockbuster location to jack my iPod or whatever player into a big blue box to download a movie "bypassing the need for...transferring videos from a computer." It takes the worst aspect of each form of distribution—leaving your easy chair and middling quality video that's not easy to throw up on my TV—and combines them into one totally not ideal experience. Better idea on Blockbuster's part: integrating MovieLink's direct download store with the Blockbuster site and services. That's the way digital distribution is supposed to work. If I come to your store, I expect to walk out with a piece of shiny plastic. [Electronista, Flickr]

Too bad these babies probably aren't seeing our shores. Acelabs' do-it-all S3 "Handy" PMP is leaps and bounds ahead of a lot of the generic PMPs we see coming out of Asia, with a 2.8-inch, 260k colour QVGA touchscreen, FM radio and transmitter (for jamming wirelessly in your car), voice recording, image/text viewer and support for MP3, WMA and WAV audio-wise, and a mess of video formats: MPEG-4, AVI, Real, WMV, Xvid and ASF.

Storage comes via micro SD—up to 4GB—and a lithium polymer battery gives it 15 hours of music juice or 4 hours of video. No idea on price, but it does come in black, white or pink, and the paint job's what really matters, right?

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Kotaku's editor from down under notes an interesting but totally unannounced feature following the update to the PS3's freshly baked 2.0 firmware. Previously unsupported file formats (specifically Xvid and Divx) are not only detected by the PS3 now, but it magically has thumbnails and running times for the files. They still won't play, so it might not mean anything, but Luke says it best: "Sony wouldn't have increased the compatibility in there for shits and giggles. Would they?" Well, it is Sony. Who knows why they do anything anymore? Have you guys had similar revelatory experiences? [Kotaku]

Unfortunately this isn't a Merry Christmas loopy-loo light show designed to inspire yuletide joy. Board speculation stakes it as a new error code for 360s stuffed with Falcon guts—whether it's the same hardware failure deal as before but in prettier, less depressing colours or is an entirely new error is still up in the air, but when we get some confirmation we'll let you know. [Logic Sunrise via Xbox-Scene via CrunchGear]

Given the shaky state of the WiMax unit of Sprint, the termination of its joint agreement with Clearwire to bring WiMax coverage to 100 million people comes as something of a surprise. The WSJ's reporting that the "complexities of the... Read More »

MacRumors is reporting that the iPod Touch firmware is out for some via iTunes, and it's main improvement is the added ability to create calendar appointments. Apple previously called this a bug, but in my opinion its more likely that Apple heard the complaints and added the functionality back. (The image shows old firmware's calendar.)[MacRumors]

Firmware 1.1.2 is out, unofficially. The url to 1.1.2 firmware was posted in a Macrumors forum just now. Is this the US or EU firmware? I don't know. I'm probably going to hold off on this one in case there are variations between this and the official US release tomorrow. And for the sake of my apps, I might wait a few days after that. Here are some unconfirmed changes culled from the comments at Macrumors and Engadget:

•Battery charge level shown in iTunes.
•Does break the jailbreakme.com installer.app hack. Looks like they patched the TIFF exploit.

[Macrumors and Engadget]

Adobe will roll out the beta version of its Photoshop Express online app by the end of 2007 and release the final version in 2008. [Crave]

Here's a funny Steve Jobs Bobblehead app by Spiffy Tech's Sean Haber. Every couple of moments, Jobs spits out a "Boom!" giving fanboys the comforting feeling of new Apple producs dropping at keynotes. Use jailbreakme.com to get this on your iPhone, but note some caveats...[Here]

A recent study conducted by internet research firm comScore claimed that only about 38% of those who downloaded the album In Rainbows actually paid, implying that the band's pay your own price experiment was a failure. The band responded recently calling this claim "wholly inaccurate," implying that the folks at comScore are a bunch of morons. A statement issued by the band reveals the whole story:

"In response to purely speculative figures announced in the press regarding the number of downloads and the price paid for the album, the group's representatives would like to remind people that, as the album could only be downloaded from the band's website, it is impossible for outside organizations to have accurate figures on sales."

Good point. I would like to think that Radiohead fans aren't as cheap as we have been lead to believe. But my question is when are we going to see some official numbers? [e-consultancy via Pocket-Lint]

I died a little inside after watching this fanboy rap video touting the benefits of owning the soon-to-be-released Verizon Voyager. It has everything —including multiple references Britney Spears. Hell, even the Amish can't escape its wrath. Watch at your own risk. [VerizonVoyager.org via Wired]

Far be it from us to taunt you with a video highlighting a product most of you won't be able to get your hands on, but here you have it —a video of the DS Tuner in action. On the other hand, if you live in Japan it is a whole other story. The tuner is set for release there on November 23rd for around $60. [Gamebrink]

Remember YouTube's content filtering system? AT&T is mulling setting one up across its whole network. BusinessWeek's reporting AT&T's in talks with NBC Universal and Disney to possibly use content-recognition tech developed by Vobile—a company they've all invested in—to block pirated material from being sent to and fro along its network.

The setup would work a lot like GooTube's—the networks would hand over a bank of material that AT&T/Vobile would run traffic on the network against, looking for positive IDs. If it matches the "video DNA" on file, it gets the hammer. Supposedly Vobile's ID tech is tops, at least among "a dozen or so other systems" tested by the MPAA. AT&T's reportedly been testing it since spring, though it'd launch until late 2008 at the earliest.

In order to keep consumers and net neutrality advocates from flipping out, one marketing strategy AT&T might use is to emphasise the filter as a way to catch child porn, since no one can really argue against stopping predators. On the flip side, an effective monitoring program is loaded with business propositions, from helping them net content distribution rights to being able to "offer far more detailed information on [customers'] likes and dislikes, in turn enabling AT&T and its partners to land lucrative deals with advertisers hungry for such data."

I could act all shocked and appalled like Wilson about AT&T being so disinterested in customers' privacy (to put it lightly), but it wouldn't be genuine, and I'd feel dirty in the morning for lying to you. [BusinessWeek via Broadband Reports]

I love green technology, especially when it doesn't involve me lifting so much as a finger. With the Cyber-Rain XCI, you can take control of your sprinkler system across eight zones and help conserve water and a little cash at the same time. Via a wireless connection with your PC, the Cyber-Rain can make adjustments to scheduled watering times using current weather data.

If the forecast looks like rain, the unit is smart enough to suspend operations. It can even optimise its schedule based on the changing seasons. And the best part is that it isn't as expensive as you might expect. If you already have an irrigation system in place, Cyber-Rain can be added for only $295. So it may actually pay for itself in a short amount of time. [Product Page via GTW via Sci Fi Tech]

More in our 'what to do this weekend' special... Popcorn Taxi is presenting a very short run of Ridley Scott's 'Final Cut' of the geek masterpiece 'Blade Runner'. This weekend you can see it on the glorious screen at the Hayden Orpheum, Cremorne, and next weekend at the Astor Theatre, St Kilda. Four sessions in Sydney and seven in Melbourne. These are cutting edge HD screenings, too, on display using the world leading Sony CineAlta 4K DCI projector. The movie is remastered, with new and extended scenes, new effects, and a new 5.1 soundtrack.

The movie is out on DVD, HD DVD, and Blu-ray December 19, but this short run of screenings will live long in the memory of those who make it along. More details and pre-sales at the Popcorn Taxi website.

And for the Melbourne crew, check in again Monday - Popcorn Taxi has given us 5 double passes to the Melbourne sessions to give away, so you're sure to want to have a crack at those! If we had more time, we might hold a paper crane building competition, but with the short notice we'll come up with something else over the weekend. [Popcorn Taxi]

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I'm too much of a cricket fan to let this just cruise on by without a mention. You've probably seen the ads from 3 Mobile already, but if you haven't, this year they have again tied in with the cricket to bring the whole summer of internationals to you wherever you are (within their network, of course... watch out for those nasty roaming charges!) for $4 per month.

The biggest development is the arrival of a mobile-only TV show giving an inside perspective on the game. Hosted by Darren 'Boof' Lehman, 'The Pitch' is appearing daily with everything you'd expect of it - like a mini 'The Cricket Show'.

Most importantly, you get a live feed of Channel Nine's game coverage. No getting bumped for news time during the Gabba test! Pure, uninterrupted game time. Add to that access to the pre- and post- game press conferences and this is genuine quality for a fan of the game.

This might sound like an ad, but keep in mind this kind of mobile integration is world leading. You don't hear the mothership talking about baseball or basketball doing these sorts of tie-ins to a mobile network (because they're too full of BS about the money). I think it deserves acknowledgement as much for Cricket Australia and Channel Nine seeing this as something good for the fans. [3 Mobile]

Holy crap, this is the coolest umbrella I've ever seen. It's got a little funnel at the top that sends rain water down the handle into the water pistol grip at the bottom. It'll keep you dry and give you the opportunity to get others wet at the same time. It appears to be just a concept at the moment, but someone needs to make some phone calls and get it into production right now. I'm not kidding, go. Now. Check a picture of it in action after the jump.

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The venerable Sub Pop label, which has put out records for everyone from Nirvana to The Shins, is trying their hand at the online music store game—and they're doing it mostly right. They have over 200 full-length albums up for sale in 192kbps MP3 for $US9.90—stuff from the aforementioned bands, Hot Hot Heat, and Sunny Day Real Estate, just to name a few. And they're already looking at ways to improve the store.

True, they're not offering single tracks yet, some of the albums can be had for cheaper on iTunes and they're 49 percent owned by Warner, one of the Big Four. But! They plan on upgrading the bitrate soon and adding album art to the packages in PDF or a similar format—right now, they have cover art embedded in the MP3s. And when they do, anyone who bought a previous version will get the updated version for free. Better still, they're actually open to feedback from customers.

Overall it sounds like a solid effort from a solid label—it sort of feels like the online version of the corner record store stacked next to Best BuyTunes. [Sub Pop via Crave]

The winds of acting are harsh and unpredictable, which is why we have nothing but sympathy for Ben Curtis, the Dell Dude. You see, after gracing the world with his skills in the "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" ads, he had a hard time getting steady actor work and had to turn to being a waiter to support himself (unlike Frooch, whose simultaneous blogging and male prostitution supports himself just fine). The best part of the NY Mag piece on him? How a group of female DEA agents he was serving told him that he should smoke as much pot as he wants to. Something tells us he's way ahead of them. [NYMag]

Wouldn't it be awesome if you could bust out of your garage sporting one of these F1 concept lawnmowers from Kadeg Boucher of France? You would surely be the new king of the cul-de-sac. The mower features a steering wheel with an LCD display, an F1-style front wing, full racing suspension, rear view mirrors and a spark plug with race helmet. It also comes in three styles —Schumacher/Ferrari red, white and John Player Lotus black-and-gold. Again, this mower is a concept, so don't expect to find one at the local hardware store. Too bad, because I know a lot of hardcore suburbanites who would pay a lot of good money for one of these.

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Apple's limitation on what kind of drives (directly attached USB drives) can be used as a Leopard Time Machine backup disk can be overcome with a small command line utility. All it does is make Leopard show unsupported drives as a supported drive for Time Machine, but Apple most likely removed support for these drives for reasons such as data loss or data corruption, so be careful if you're going to try this. Just head on over to 9to5Mac and download their aptly named Flux Capacitor automator script and you'll be on your way to network backups in no time. Or, you can just wait for Apple's official release that's sure to come soon. [9to5Mac via MacRumors]

We are all familiar with the voice bubble or "Fukidasi" of popular cartoon fame, and now the folks at Studio Foundations have put together a programmable version for the real world. Just type in what you want others to know. If this product ever evolved from concept to retail, I would love to buy one, type in the word "sex," and hold it over my head whenever my girlfriend enters the room. [Studio Foundations via Designboom via Yanko Design]

Proving the maxim Japan has it better when it comes to gadgets and games, Nintendo had promised the motherland a version of the Wii with DVD playback by the end of this year. The model has yet to materialise, and Nintendo feels really bad about it. Really. Check out their "we're sorry":

Although we had told you that we planned to release the model described above in the latter half of 2007, we will not be able to. We are currently focusing our efforts on manufacturing the current version of the hardware and fulfilling the strong demand in Japan, the US, and Europe.

We apologise deeply for troubling our customers and making you wait. We humbly ask for your understanding.

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Most of the time, you want your watch to tell time and not much else. But sometimes, you want your watch to help you choke a dude to death. That's where the Defenseband comes in handy. Basically, it has a Velcro strap on it that's specially designed to help you choke the living crap out of anyone who looks at you funny. Now that's a multifunction gadget! I want something like this on the next version of the iPhone. [Product Page via Watchismo Times]

Beginning on Monday November 12th, Sprint will allow users to alter their contracts without getting locked for another two years. The new kinder-gentler Sprint also plans to implement a new prorated early termination fee (ETF) policy sometime in early 2008.... Read More »

Following in the footsteps of our own master photoshopper and his Apple Tablet concept, we want you, our readers, to give it a shot as well. Submit your photoshopped concepts for a possible Apple Tablet and what you think/want it to look like.

Will it have a keyboard hidden underneath? Will it look like the iPhone? Will it have straps so you can keep it on your person at all times? You choose! Just submit your entries to contests@gizmodo.com with the subject "Apple Tablet Contest", and we'll feature all of them on Giz come next week. We'll present the person who made the best design with a nice *cough* *inaudible*. Get to it!

EA's generously donated one of their biggest (and oldest) properties, SimCity, to the OLPC project to give free away with every laptop. With SimCity, the children of the world can learn to manage funds while at the same time keeping a bunch of whiny advisors at bay. If EA would donate their other property, The Sims, these kids can also practice cooking on a stove, cleaning an overflowing sink, and getting a career as a rockstar—things they can't actually do in real life because they live in a third-world country.

Switching resolution on the PS3 isn't too complicated, but if you're trying to do it from memory on a TV that's blank because you've got the wrong settings it's nigh impossible. With the XCM E-SETER, you can quickly push one of the labelled buttons and switch quickly and instantly to the desired setting, bypassing all that Sony Cross Media Bar goodness their programmers worked so hard to port from the PSP. $US29.99 is a bit too much if you rarely use this, but if you're taking your PS3 to your friends' houses to show off how great Heavenly Sword and Folklore are, you probably stopped reading and ordered this already. [Totalconsole]

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Rock star, home movie star, and all around awesome guy Tommy Lee was at the SVM-1000 launch event last night, and he wanted to make sure I deliver this very important message to you. If I let him talk for any longer, I'm sure he would've told you to vote for Gizmodo for the 2007 Weblog awards too. Also, I shook his hand, and now I'll never wash mine again. On second thought, I better start scrubbing.

Unlike the official Nintendo Wii lightgun accessory that has the trigger up in the front hand—which is more awkward than Frankenstein dancing—the dreamGEAR Wii GameBlaster has only one trigger, and it's in the back. Also unlike the official gun, it takes in both the Wiimote and the Nunchuk controller and connects the two without visible wires. This actually looks better than the real thing, and if you can somehow reprogram the trigger button in-game to be on the Nunchuk instead of on the Wiimote, you've got yourself the optimal zombie shooting experience. [Dreamgear via Uber Gizmo]

24 is coming backmay or may not be coming back due to the strike, but there's a teaser freshly available on Xbox Live to whet your palate for yet another highly improbable, explosion-filled day, whenever it's coming. To give you an idea of what the show's like in the Far East, here are a couple of commercials for it from Japan featuring the Japan-only theme music. Yes, there are lyrics, and they include "Ore wa Jack Bauer!" Why oh why is this song not played in the States? Hit the jump for a second ad.

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Pandora, the music station that takes one artist or song you like and feeds you—with pretty decent accuracy—other artists and songs you might like, has just gotten a content deal with AT&T. If you've got a Samsung SYNC, a717, a737,... Read More »

This design for a product companion won a silver award at the Samsung Young Design awards by being both slick and useful, something we don't see quite enough of in theoretical designs renderings these days. By placing any food item onto the top, the hiREC will display information by either weighing it or scanning its bar code. The bottom display also shows sell-by-dates, nutritional information, and recipes—making your food preparation (cooking) sessions a lot easier. You know what's even easier? Eating out. [Yanko Design]

The Pitch Bollywood tropes can be hard for non-Indians to process, and the song-and-dance routine in this Acer spot is no exception. It starts off as a West Side Story clone, with finger-snapping toughs—er, "toughs"—bobbing their heads. But why are they in a prison? And what is matinee idol Hrithik Roshan doing there, teasing two inmates whose sentences include the forced use of laptops sans Acer's "eTechnology" bloatware? As the ensuing musical production explains, using an Acer Aspire 4920 shall liberate you from the shackles of technofrustration. "Life is busy, Acer makes it easy!" chimes Roshan, assisted by a gaggle of come