Monday, September 8, 2008
Software
Apple Accidentally Leaks, Unleaks iTunes 8 (It’s a Hoax)
11:30PM Matt Buchanan | At least one person says he was able to download a release candidate of iTunes 8 last night, after a mysterious, out-of-place “Download Now” button appeared in the middle of the iTunes webpage last night. It’s not totally inconceivable—iPhone 2.0 was leaked before it officially launched. We’ve got support docs that reference iTunes 8 showing up in Asia too. Update: There’s a reason we use that bright orange “unconfirmed” sign above posts—the whole thing is a bullshit hoax, move along. We’ll see iTunes 8 tomorrow. More »
Weapons
UK Police Set Weapons to Stun: Test Non-Lethal ‘Directed Energy’ Gear
11:15PM Kit Eaton | Actually, it’s more like set to “ouch”: a UK government report has revealed the police are testing out non-lethal weapons. These include low-powered lasers which hit a miscreant’s skin and burn off the outer layer, “leaving them in agony, but with no permanent damage,” which sounds lovely doesn’t it? More »
Networks
JD Power Rates the Country’s Best Wireless Companies, VZW Still Champ
10:53PM John Mahoney | Survey-masters JD Power and Associates have completed their most recent review of US mobile providers, dividing the US into six regions and crowning a king of call quality for each. And for most areas, Verizon is still tops. But not everywhere. More »
Software
RealNetworks RealDVD: Legal DVD Backup, No Real Point
10:34PM Mark Wilson | Unlike other DVD backup software that has succumbed to movie industry pressures, RealNetworks’ RealDVD gives you a new way to copy DVDs to your computer caked with so much DRM that you’ll question why you went through the trouble in the first place. (But maybe that’s the point.) Fully approved by the DVD CCA, RealDVD rips DVDs to your hard drive complete with CSS encryption…before they’re layered with an extra topping for RealNetworks’ DRM. More »
Games
Nintendo Wi-Fi Network Adaptor, No, Not That Kind of Adaptor
10:25PM Mark Wilson | We’re sure Nintendo has some market analysis that justifies this device, because the company has just announced their Wi-Fi Network Adaptor for the Wii and DS. I know what you’re thinking: The DS and Wii already have Wi-Fi. This unit is actually a Wi-Fi router/bridge for those who don’t already have wireless networks in the first place. Available in Japan on September 18th for US$53, it looks like a horrible Wii knockoff that you’d buy from a shady store in Akihabara. Kudos to Nintendo for making the process easier for Nentendo Wiii producers everywhere. [Famitsu via Kotaku] More »
Gadgets
Electronic Newspapers Get Closer: Plastic Logic E-Newspaper To Be Unveiled
9:31PM Kit Eaton | Forget namby-pamby flickering e-ink displays: if Plastic Logic’s upcoming electronic paper tech is any good it might actually be the way of the future for newspapers. Due to be unveiled today, Plastic Logic’s unnamed device is the size of a sheet of copier paper, about two and half times the screen real-estate of Amazon’s Kindle, and is actually aimed at a business environment. But “newspapers is what everyone asks for” says Plastic Logic’s CEO: and this makes great sense since the size of the screen would give it a more “authentic” newspapery feel. The plastic-screened gizmo weighs 57 grams more than the Kindle, and yet is one third its thickness (as you can see from the image—it’s on the left.) We’ll have to see how capable the device is when it’s revealed… and, more importantly, find out how much it costs. Update: some more data has surfaced. More »
Science
World Doesn’t End on Wednesday, and You Can Watch It Live
9:18PM Jesus Diaz | We have joked about it in the past, but as our mailboxes get filled with clueless people and psychopaths’ emails we will have to say it again: there’s no chance that the Earth will cease to exist as CERN scientists activate the Large Hadron Collider this Wednesday. So, to all the morons, please stop writing and watch the LHC start up on September 10th using the real-time CERN video broadcast. More »
Press
Esquire’s E-Ink Cover Hits Newsstands, Blinking Disappointment
8:37PM Kit Eaton | Esquire’s E-Ink cover may either seem like a poor idea to you, or a taster of the way things may go in the future: whichever camp you sit in, you can check it out now as it’s hit the newsstands. Over at TheDastardlyReport they’ve got hold of one, and show its subtle-contrasted goodness in this video. Check out that blinking! It’s awesome vaguely disappointing… or am I the only one to think so? Now, if it were a proper dot-matrix affair then I’d be tempted to buy the mag, assuming I could find one of the limited-edition copies. But that’s just me, and YMMV. Over to you in the comments. [The Dastardly Report] More »
Toys
Sarah Palin Action Figure Can Kick Barbie’s Arse
7:48PM Jesus Diaz | Jason and I have been wanting a hero action figure version of ourselves for a long time. Plus a couple of Leia in her metal bikini too, so we can play with them like Dark Helmet. And perhaps two more of potential vice president Sarah Palin as well. Unfortunately, they are too expensive, which is probably for the better, since the idea is kind of disturbing when you see Palin’s legs going out her miniskirt. More »
Entertainment
