When WebOS 1.3.1 skipped updating the camera app, the developers of Precorder decided not to wait any longer, and things are looking promising. The app supports MPEG-4, H.263 and H.264/AVC video recording, lets you control the flash, and videos can be played back in the Pre’s video player. Again, it’s alpha software, so try with caution. But you can check it out at: [Precorder via Pre Central]

Sony’s PRS readers run a stripped down variant of Linux, which apparently makes loading homebrew code fairly straightforward. Some users have found ways to change fonts, icons and graphics, as well as to remap keys, and even add rudimentary applications, like dictionaries and and basic games. (Hey, Sudoku!) The Register has a simple guide to the process—it doesn’t involve much more than cooking up a special SD card—which, at least at the moment, won’t net you a huge amount of new functionality. But the promise is there, and the floodgates seem to have opened, so why not?

It’s not clear if these kinds of hacks will work on the latest batch of PRS readers. They’re also Linux-based, but Sony hasn’t been terribly accommodating to homebrewers in the past, so it’s conceivable that they’ve done a little code-caulking here and there. We’ll have to see, but PRS-505 users, go forth! [The Register via BBG]

Why, Palm, when your SDK isn’t available until late summer, would you go and patch the homebrew? At the very least, developers have the leaked SDK to work off of, even if it’s not final. [Palm via Engadget]

Their accomplishments are modest in the scheme of things, but this is an auspicious start:

My first application works!! I’m so excited! It’s just a pretty “hello world” application with a few simple command tests – but hey – it’s a working application on the pre!

Other day zero hacks include changing vibration length and intervals, adding a shot timer to the camera and eliminating its shutter sound.

Notice anything familiar here? This is almost just like what happened with the first iPhone, which shipped without native app support, leaving prospective developers to toil with lame web apps—sort of like what’s been outlined in upcoming the WebOS SDK. That situation spawned a productive homebrew community, which is still alive and kicking today. From the looks of it, the Pre will have a burgeoning underground app community before its SDK even gets distributed.

Granted, Palm will grant developers more leeway than Apple’s initial web-only approach, allowing for local storage and tighter system integration, but system-level mods, like the aforementioned changes to the camera and vibration functions, aren’t on the table. Follow the thread for more—it’s fascinating stuff. [Precentral]

Normally available exclusively to licensed developers direct from Nintendo, a dev kit could facilitate the development of your own games. Great, right? But if that’s not your thing, then the green-faceplated machine is probably a pass since, from what we understand, the Wii Dev Kit can’t play final retail games. What about homebrew and backups? You’re on your own with that stuff, though this thread has some decent background on the matter. Do any real Wii devs in the audience care to elaborate on that topic? [eBay via GoNintendo]

The video above shows (turn the sound off if you’re at work) shows developers “Davee” and “Bubbletune” using a TIFF exploit on 5.03 firmware, placing the PSP into the correct state that it can eventually run custom homebrew apps. It’s not quite finished, but it should be close now. [Slashdot via Technabob]

Update: Nevermind! Looks like Chickhen, the homebrew enabler, is available now. Thanks karltpb.

We last saw the Pandora as an inert prototype, which showed us what the console would look like but not how it would run. Here we see the whole package, albeit in naked, anemic white: the machine boots into its Angstrom Linux OS, opens Quake and plays a game, controlled with the device’s keypad. It’s good to see the little guy make it this far, but at the moment it’s not doing anything that other Linux MIDs can’t handle.

The really hard part for the project will be coaxing some games out of an as-of-yet nonexistent developer community. And for the record, TuxRacer doesn’t count. [OpenPandora—Thanks, Jack!]

Loaded through the Homebrew Channel, WiiGator seems to work well enough in this video clip. But, according to the sharp eyes of one YouTube commenter, the gameplay does seem to be a bit quicker than normal…by two or three times. Hopefully issues like that are precisely why the bugs are still being worked out.

And for a complete instructions to hacking the Wii, check out John Mahoney’s handy guide. [via Maxconsole]

When he created this little hack, Alanceil was thinking in a way many of us here today can understand. That way being, forget buying a box full of Luddite tools, let’s hack some existing gadgets from around the house so they do the same job—but cooler!

To use LevelTool, you’ll need to install the Wii Homebrew Channel, and have access to an SD card. The Wii Homebrew Channel tutorial begins… HERE. LevelTool info is available at WiiBrew.

Just another hack in a long line of them for Nintendo’s immensely popular system. Still no hard drive though ;-) [WiiBrew via technabob]