Sunday, September 21, 2008
Games
QOTD: Do You Still Play the Wii?
6:45AM Mark Wilson | In just a few weeks, we can almost guarantee that the wires will be filled with one story again: Wii shortages. It should come as no surprise—Nintendo has redistributed hardware/games like Wii Fit to Europe and elsewhere to avoid the weak dollar. And at the same time, the Wii is still the most sought-after console today. More »
Science
LHC Repair Update: Temperature Must Be Raised so Repairmen Don’t Die
6:00AM Gizmodo US Edition | In case you were still worried about the LHC bringing on the biblical apocalypse, you can calm down, because it turns out the Collider is going to be out of commission for a lot longer than previously thought. The “electrical transformer” problem wasn’t the cause of the shutdown at all, and the real problem means the LHC won’t be back up and running for at least two months. More »
Robots
Robots: Awesome, As Usual
5:15AM Mark Wilson | By Eric Joyner, much of his robotic-themed work is available in fine art prints starting at $US225. You can also pick up his recently released book, Robots and Donuts, which features 175 pages of full colour art for a more impulse-buy-worthy $US23. [Book Preview and Eric Joyner via OpticalPoptitude] More »
Phones
BlackBerry Javelin Gets Reviewed, Showered with Adoration
4:30AM Gizmodo US Edition | The fine addicts over at Crackberry got themselves a pre-release BlackBerry Javelin, and found it to be a worthy follow-up to the Curve, as well as having advantages even over the schmancy-pants Bold. The Javelin is not only the smallest of the three, which feels great in the hand and the pocket, but also boasts the sharpest screen at 480×360 HVGA+, for smaller and crisper icons. The camera, processor, and internal memory all get a significant bump from the Curve, making it noticeably snappier. In terms of navigation, the keyboard is very slightly more condensed, but the reviewer finds it just as easy to use. But the biggest improvement might be the smallest – a dedicated Lock button. We still don’t have an official release date or price, but the pre-release review is a happy hint that it might come out sooner rather than later. [Crackberry] More »
Software
Steve Ballmer Goes Nuts (Again) To Sell Windows
3:45AM Mark Wilson | digg_skin = 'compact'; digg_bgcolor = '#f1f8fa'; digg_url = 'http://digg.com/microsoft/Steve_Ballmer_Goes_Nuts_Again_To_Sell_Windows'; Microsoft’s latest “I’m a PC” advertising campaign kicked off pretty well, but someone, somewhere, thought it was missing something. And by “something” we mean the lunacy of Steve Ballmer shouting at the top of his lungs, “I AM A PC AND I LOVE THIS COMPANY!” while looking like he might punch/eat the camera. Found on Microsoft’s Life Without Walls promotional site, users who click on Ballmer’s tiny face will be greeted with this message. And while we can’t speak for everyone here, we’re convinced to run out and buy a few copies of Windows Vista (to distract The Ballmer should he charge us on the open plain). [Life WIthout Walls Thanks Guillaume!] More »
Cameras
Pentax Leaks Affordable New K-m DSLR
3:00AM Gizmodo US Edition | There’ve been lots of rumours floating around about Pentax’s Photokina lineup, and it looks like the German Pentax site leaked some images and details about the K-m, an entry-level DSLR. Specs are a little bit sketchy, but it’s using the same 10.2MP Sony sensor as the K200D, and retains the 2.7-inch screen and the sad lack of Live View. But the iso gets a boost to 3200 and the fps to 3.5, and the pricing seems extremely competitive, at only 500 euro for the 1-lens kit and 600 for the 2-lens kit. The K line has been solid so far, so we’ll be watching out for it at Photokina. [1001 via Crunchgear] More »
Software
Five Reasons to Be Super Psyched About Android (and Five Not to Be)
2:00AM Matt Buchanan | digg_skin = 'compact'; digg_bgcolor = '#f1f8fa'; digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Five_Reasons_to_Be_Psyched_About_Android_And_Five_Not_to_Be'; The launch of Android is the most important event in mobile phones since the release of the iPhone. It could actually be more important, in the long run. Even if it doesn’t exceed Google’s wildest dreams to become a ubiquitous mobile platform, it’s sure to re-stoke innovation in mobile phones as platforms slug it out for supremacy. But besides all that, Android just looks pretty damn cool. Of course, Android isn’t all Google-y amazingness—there are some definite reasons to take a step back from the love-in. So here are five reasons why you should be absolutely hyped for Android on Tuesday, and five why, well…
Games
Creating Avatars Through The New Xbox Experience
1:15AM Mark Wilson | Video: Avatars in the new Xbox experienceAs part of The New Xbox Experience, an Xbox 360 firmware update coming at an undisclosed date, Microsoft has taken a lesson from Nintendo and added 3D cartoon avatars to the mix. In this clip, you can see just how robust the creation is—far more detailed and customisable than a Mii—though we can’t help but to wonder if Miis resemble people so well specifically because they lack detail. Then again, the Xbox avatars burp on command. And that’s good for something. [Gamerscoreblog] More »
Hardware
