Those looking to add a native Skype to AppleTV, you know, if your computer in the same room isn’t working well enough, the unofficial client (read: hack) is out now. If it supported video, the idea sounds pretty damn neat. But we’re not so sure that this 0.1 version does. [Brandon Holland]Thanks Phil!
Word was in that copies of SSBB were causing Nintendo Wii consoles to readout a list of system errors. Nintendo has responded saying the game disc is not faulty, in fact, the likely cause is a dirty disc lens caused by smoke and general dust build-up. The SSBB disc is the first game to ship as a DL-DVD, and this type of DVD requires an increased sensitivity from the lens. So, build up that would not normally effect game play from a single layer DVD would cause errors from the dual layer variety. Thankfully, Nintendo has offered to clean any affected consoles, but they aren’t issuing nicotine patches to help you quit smoking—the cleanup is going to get repetitive… [Kotaku]
Remember the days of wallpaper illusions? Good. Because digitising your child isn’t the next Macbook feature. Steve Jobs hasn’t lost control of his chief designer. The world isn’t doomed (yet). [Optical Illusions]
The Maxablaster is a 38-million-candlepower flashlight that was made at home by (mad?) optics engineer Ralf Ottow. Replacing a commercial flashlight’s bulb with a plasma-powered mercury arc bulb, the Maxablaster creates a highly focused beam of light with a high UV content not so different from a star.
The 8GB Zune seems to have received a no-fuss US$20 price cut. The reduction has not taken effect across the board, but we’ve managed to track the US$179.99 8GB Zune to Amazon, Best Buy, Circuit City and Buy.com, all without any official word. Buy.com are only currently offering the black 8GB Zune at the knocked down price point, but we expect their systems may not have been updated just yet. Either way, you can now get your mitts on an 8GB Zune for US$179.99 from a string of the major retailers, which means the 4GB player costs US$30 less for half the capacity. More price cutting on the horizon? It would make sense.
AU: I would have thought a better option to increase sales would be to actually make the product available outside the US. But that’s just me. Not a bad deal if you can find an online retailer who’ll ship internationally though.
