Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Games
Hack Brings Region Free to the Wii Without a Modchip
11:45PM Mark Wilson | A group of software enthusiasts are showing off a program that loads through the Wii homebrew channel and allows you to run international Wii and Gamecube discs in spite of existing region protection. Seeing as the hack is completely software-based and Nintendo has eliminated the functionality of older Wii region protection workarounds (Freeloader, specifically), the unnamed exploit looks like the next big thing for those of you willing to navigate Japanese menus to play titles a few days/months early. And it should be downloadable soon. [DCEmu via Kotaku] More »
Gadgets
Every Taxi in Beijing Bugged With GPS-Tagging Microphone For Instant Surveillance
11:30PM John Mahoney | If you’re in Beijing for the Olympics kick starting this weekend, don’t be spilling any beans (state secrets or otherwise) in your cab back to the hotel, because you’re being listened to. As the WSJ is reporting, on your taxi’s dash is a microphone that can be activated remotely, at any time and without the driver’s knowledge, for a live listen into any one of Beijing’s estimated 70,000 cabs. And then, if the folks on the other end don’t like what they hear, they can take things even further. More »
Computers
HP Developing Touchsmart Notebook
11:15PM Mark Wilson | We liked the HP Touchsmart IQ506, the touch-controlled all-in-one PC, not just because it worked well (which it did), but because it was trying something different—not merely copying other products on the market. Now HP has revealed to the Wall Street Journal that they are aiming “to get touch-enabled notebook computers on the market within the next 18 months.” Unfortunately, doing some quick calendar math in our heads, we realise that 18 months means 2010. And while we know we’ll probably live to see the day, life is but “a walking shadow, a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more.” (HP didn’t tell the WSJ that last part.) [WSJ via Electronista] More »
Online
Tour Tokyo’s Tech Paradise, Now On Google Street View
11:00PM John Mahoney | Google’s dutiful camera vans have finished canvassing Tokyo, which means today you can now tour some of the world’s most geek-friendly real estate in “electric town” Akihabara without the 14 hour plane flight. The folks at Mars Mag have put together a tour of some of their favourite Linux Maid Cafes, Dream PC builders, arcade palaces and electronics megastores that call Akihabara home. More »
Gadgets
Fantabulous Wood Sound Enhancer Specially Crafted for Rich Morons
10:45PM Jesus Diaz | At last, here is the answer for all your high fidelity problems: the Acoustic System Phase Corrector, a group of 11 maple wood blocks that corrects the blurring of phase coherency. You know, that sound problem caused by those pesky pockets of greater energy density happening between the loudspeakers, the floor, and the front wall. Come on. You know the ones. Listen, just spend US$1,975 on this and you will get amazing sound, as their product description says: More »
Gadgets
Scrapwood Electric Guitars Expose the Illusion of Rock
10:36PM Mark Wilson | I’m not saying that we’ll see Springsteen rocking a one-string, DIY electric guitar any time soon. But I’m pretty sure that he could if he wanted to, because these homemade guitars aren’t too shabby–seeing as they were constructed in an afternoon by a group with little to no guitar crafting experience. More »
Screens
Seiko Epson Designs Simple 3D Display for Mobile Phones
10:15PM Kit Eaton | Seiko Epson has designed a new glasses-free display that really has the potential to bring 3D-displays to mobile phones and PMPs sooner rather than later. It’s a bit similar to the old kid’s classic lenticular images (you know: they come with a lined plastic face, and when you twist them you see a changing picture,) and in this case a complex array of convex lenses is combined with a high-res 3-inch LCD display. An object is photographed with up to eight cameras, a compound image is created, and when displayed each lens sends a slightly different view to your eyes. Because your eyes see different views of the object, just like in real life your brain reconstructs a 3D image. Sadly, the effect can’t be captured in a single image of the screen, but you won’t have long to wait: Seiko plans to commercialise the tech in a few years. [FarEastGizmos] More »
Vehicles
Biggest Aeroplane Model in the World Eaten by Biggest Cargo Aircraft
10:00PM Jesus Diaz | This is an Airbus A380–the largest passenger aircraft in the world–eaten alive by an Antonov AN-124–the largest mass-produced cargo aeroplane in the world (which I filmed inside at Dubai’s airport). Before you exclaim “Photoshop!”, this is a real photo by Dmitry Avdeev. However, it’s not a real A380: it’s a 1/3 scale model, which makes it the biggest aircraft replica in the world. So big, in fact, that its 26.5m wingspan is a metre wider than a real Concorde. Seeing it completely built in video gives you an idea of its gigantic scale. More »
Music
Zvue’s Custom Elvis Theme PMP Comes with Pre-Loaded Presley Vids
8:56PM Kit Eaton | Screw the Journey-themed PMP, this custom Zvue player has real music aboard: from Mr Presley himself. Ten video clips to be precise, and Elvis’s signature and photo engraved on the back shell. Part of Zvue’s Premier Artists Series, it’s got 1GB (expandable to 5GB with microSD,) a 2.4-inch colour TFT screen, FM tuner, voice recorder and will cost about US$50 when it’s out August 12th in Wal-mart. Uh huh huh. [TFTS] More »
Entertainment
