Happy Anniversary

My friends movie... Thought i would share it with you!

Next-Gen DVD Copy-Protection Debacle

Hollywood screws 3 million HDTV owners, sucks in general.

February 24, 2006 - In perhaps the greatest disservice to the general consumer market yet perpetrated by players in the electronic entertainment industry, it has been revealed that next-generation DVD technologies (HD-DVD and Blu-ray) will only function with monitors and HDTVs with HDMI or DVI connections.

What does that mean to you? If you purchased an HDTV more than a couple of years ago, chances are you are using Component Video (the red, green, and blue plugs) to connect HD sources to your TV. Component Video is an analog transmission, which means that it can't work with the absurdly stringent AACS copy-protection Hollywood has insisted be integrated into the new formats. Thus, no HDMI input on your TV, no hi-def DVD for you. If you don't have a compatible TV, you'll either receive a massively downgraded sub-720p resolution version of the content, or what the studios are suggesting, a warning screen followed by nothing.

Who's to blame for screwing some 3,000,000+ HDTV owners in America that were good consumers and early adopters who purchased TVs without HDMI? A group put together by the major movie studios called Advanced Access Content System (AACS). AACS was responsible for the Reuters report last week that speculated that Sony would miss its spring launch date for the PS3, due to the fact that the AACS had still not finalized the technicalities of the protocol. After a good six months of deliberation since version AACS v.0.9 was put into testing, and only 2 or 3 months away from the supposed release of the first HD-DVD and Blu-ray players, AACS has finally made the baby step of offering provisional licensing to the likes of Sony, Toshiba, and the other early manufactures of hi-def DVD solutions.

Who decided Hollywood got to make all the decisions?

Even if you've got an HDTV with HDMI or DVI inputs, it's unlikely your TV has more than one. Just about every HD source these days is best in HDMI, so what are you going to do when both your cable box and next-gen DVD player/PS3 need the same plug? HDMI switchers or enabled receivers are not cheap, or even easy to find. In addition, it would appear that every component involved in the transmission of an HD-DVD/Blu-ray signal must make use of Intel's HDCP technology. This extra level of protection works with the AACS protocols on a hardware level.

Why is this bad? Say you decided to be future proof and purchase a high-end AV receiver with HDMI connections and up-scaling capabilities. Seemed like a good idea last week, but not anymore. Unless it supports HDCP, and it doesn't, because no manufacturers have made HDCP models yet, you won't be routing your HD-DVD or Blu-ray player through it.

She may be attractive, but she's still a next-gen-dvd succubus.

Perhaps you're a progressive type and decided to make your media center PC centric. You're screwed too. Even if you purchased a high-end ATI or Nvidia graphics card advertised as HDCP compatible, that all it is: compatible, not compliant. HDCP chips must be bios flashed at the factory, and though these new "compatible" cards have space for a TI HDCP chip, none have them yet. In addition, every link in the chain must be HDCP ready, and only a very few PC monitors have adopted the standard. Get ready to buy both a new high-end graphics card and a new monitor if you want hi-def DVD for your PC.

It gets even worse. At the same time the AACS story came to light, it was discovered that the first wave of next-gen DVD players will not support the "managed copy" option that so many proponents of the new technologies have been hyping. Now that it is apparent Hollywood is willing to absolutely screw more than three million early-adopting consumers (who are probably also some of the best DVD-buyers) is it wrong to be skeptical that the "managed copy" features aren't quite going to be as fully-fledged as we all have hoped, if and when they actually appear? Expect massive downgrades in resolution to be the major movie studio's requirement for any content they allow to escape from the closed AACS-HDCP loop.

I'll pass for now.

This is a dark day for the entire consumer electronics industry. Huge manufacturers like Sony and Toshiba have allowed Hollywood executives to punish consumers for the studios' inability to protect their own content in the wild. Despite the fact that the relationship between movie piracy and the floundering movie theater receipts of recent years has not been proven to be direct, Hollywood is applying an iron fist in their aim to control the next generation of the home-theater experience. You know those previews on DVDs that you can't skip through? That's only the beginning of the ways Hollywood wants to control your entertainment experience.

Consumers shouldn't take this lying down. The difference between HD-DVD and Blu-ray quality and normal DVD isn't huge, especially in light of the rather nice results produced by up-scaling DVD players available today from Oppo, Sony, and others. Should we allow movie studios to force their biggest fans, the early adopters of HDTV and related accessories, to buy entirely new entertainment systems? Is the upgrade even worth it?

Next-gen DVD is looking pretty questionable at this point. Not only do we have a format war to deal with, we've got Hollywood's accounting departments in charge of deciding the minutia of how we're able to enjoy the content we pay for. No copy protection scheme yet developed has been able to stand up to the genius of the hacking collective, and it's unlikely that even AACS and HDCP will last for long. Just long enough, perhaps, to strangle what remains of the traditional disc-based content distribution model and open the door for ubiquitous digital content and on-demand distribution.

Xbox 360's New 1080p Support: Crippled?

We ask a few hard questions of Microsoft on the 360's new 1080p capabilities.

September 27, 2006 - In the world of high-definition displays 1080p = 1920 x 1080 progressive scan. It isn't algebra, it just looks like it. Videogames have made the jump to High-Def, but understanding all this resolution, HDMI, HDCP, AACS, ICT and other techno babble is actually more confusing than your average equation. Even after you've got your terms sorted out, a good deal of the HD experience with next-gen gaming systems is subjective. What is a better way to see the game -- 720p or 1080i? Which is a better television type for playing games -- CRT, LCD, Plasma, or projection? With the amount of money involved in setting up a nice home theater for enjoying this new generation of gaming, it's no surprise that people want to make sure they're getting the best experience possible. Our own Gear Guru Gerry Block has a long running series of great HDTV Q&As that answer a lot of questions the average gamer has. Be sure to look into that if any of this stuff leaves you scratching your noggin.

At this year's Tokyo Game Show, Microsoft announced that its fall update would add 1080p support in games and movies, giving the new console what is currently the highest grade of High-Definition resolutions. At the same conference, Sony announced that both versions of its PlayStation 3 will now have HDMI 1.3 support.


HDMI is basically yet another wire that connects a console and the TV, but what makes it special is the signal it sends (both audio and video) is completely digital. Consequently, it is able to support HDCP / AACS, a new copy-protection technology that will some day be required for playback of Blu-ray/HD-DVD at full resolution, if Image Constraint Token (ICT) is ever implemented by the Hollywood studios.

The other connections capable of carrying an HD signal (and the only ones currently supported by the Xbox 360) are Component and VGA. Both are analog connections, which means that they can't support HDCP / AACS. They are also subject to interference if the cables run too close to masses of power lines. The really big problem with Xbox 360's lack of HDMI support, however, is the that only a limited number of 1080p-capable HDTVs can accept the signal via analog inputs.



What does this mean? Basically, HDTVs use a fair amount of circuitry and processing power to decode incoming signals before displaying an image on the screen. Because HDMI has long been planned to be 'the connection' for HD signals, most manufacturers have built 1080p HDTVs that are only able to accept 1080p via HDMI. Consequently, only a few 1080p capable HDTVs support 1080p signals via Component connections, which are generally restricted to 1080i. A few more 1080p HDTVs will accept an analog 1080p signal via VGA, but often only with the addition of a VGA-to-DVI dongle. To put it simply, trying to work with 1080p without HDMI is very difficult.

In addition to the fall update that will allow the 360 to internally up-scale to 1080p,
Microsoft is launching an HD-DVD add-on for the X360 in mid-November for $199. Obviously, Microsoft is making a serious move in the realm of 1080p, but without support for an HDMI connection.

This will leave many folks in a bit of a quandary. There are very few HDTVs that accept a 1080p signal through anything other than HDMI. The best signal that many of these 1080p displays are able to accept via analog connections is 1080i, which is de-interlaced by the HDTV's internal circuitry to convert it back to 1080p. This is essentially exactly what these displays would do when accepting 1080i from the 360 right now. It seems Xbox 360's new 1080p prowess may not amount to much in practice.

To try to get to the bottom of this situation, IGN contacted Microsoft and asked a few tough questions. Plenty of questions remain -- we're waiting to hear even more from the company -- but here's what we have so far.

IGN: Will games begin to be developed with 1080p as the native resolution, or is the 360's new 1080p support an advance in the console's internal scaling abilities?

Microsoft: If developed, the Xbox 360 will support playback of native 1080p games and all existing Xbox 360 titles can be up-scaled to 1080p.

IGN : Does the Xbox 360 have the internal bandwidth between CPUs and graphics processors necessary to move a full 1080p image? There's a big difference between 1080i and the 3GB/s of 1080p.

Microsoft: No Comment.

IGN: There are very few 1080p native HDTVs that accept 1080p via Component connections. The signal will only come in as 1080i and be de-interlaced back to 1080p. How is the 360's new 1080p support, in practical application, going to be any different than what was already possible?

Microsoft: We can offer 1080p support through both the VGA connection and the Component connection.

IGN: Could Microsoft theoretically release an HDMI dongle-cable like the various other cables already available for the console? Is the current 360 hardware able to output a digital signal, or is it restricted to analog?

Microsoft: Xbox 360 supports HD Component video output, which is compatible with nearly every HD ready TV on the market today. That's not yet true for HDMI. We are watching the market closely and will continue to evaluate our solution, in the face of consumer demand.

Microsoft's current response doesn't yet explain how the company can rectify its claimed support of 1080p with the fact that the 360 doesn't support the connection (HDMI) that will actually allow most 1080p HDTVs to display the signal. While the VGA solution may work for a minority of 1080p HDTV owners, we're left wondering if Microsoft is promoting this new 1080p capability primarily to blunt the onslaught of the PlayStation 3, which supports HDMI and 1080p. Direct information regarding whether or not the current X360 hardware is able to output a digital signal would clarify the entire situation, but Microsoft hasn't been able to answer this question.

Back in the days before the 360 launched, Microsoft stated that HDMI wires for the Xbox 360 would be released "when the market called for them." If the Xbox 360 is really going to be a 1080p machine, we're pretty sure the market is calling for HDMI wires right now. The next question is whether Microsoft will hear it.

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Busy Busy Busy

I been receiving emails asking me as to why i have not been posting as much these past couple of weeks. Let me tell you that its not because i been lazy, but rather because i been super busy at work. Working on several projeft that were due yesterday... I am sure all of you know how that goes. But let me just say that last week work worked 80 hours, just to give you an idea as to how much i been staying in the office... remember that always appreciates receiving emails and try to get back as soon as i can...

Thanks also for everyone who left me voice mail on my AIM Voice Mail Box... It's always cool... 646-873-9699

...till very soon when i can post more often...

...Lohan

Mac game makers disappointed by iPod shut-out

Many long-time Mac game developers figured it was inevitable that Apple would one day add premium games to its iPod music player. But when that day finally came earlier this month, many of those same game developers were left wishing they could be a part of it.

Of the nine games that made their debut with the iTunes Store, all but two were developed by software makers outside of Apple. However, none of the games came from the companies that Mac gamers usually expect to see on Apple hardware.

The result? Many game developers find themselves puzzled by Apple’s decision.

“We’re really glad to see Apple start to take the iPod in this direction,” said Glenda Adams, Aspyr Media’s director of development. “It’s the one big piece of entertainment that was missing. Obviously, we’re disappointed that [Apple] launched it as a closed development system. We had pitched several game ideas for iPod at Apple over the past couple years, but it didn’t lead anywhere.

“We think we’ve got a lot to offer the iPod game market,” Adams continued. “Not only have we worked with Apple on Mac games for 10 years, we’ve developed and published several handheld (PocketPC and Game Boy) games in the last couple years.”

Other developers were less diplomatic. “It was lame of Apple to ignore the guys that have been loyal to them,” said a developer who asked not to be named. “We were ready, willing and able to create anything they wanted.”

Disappointed developers

That sentiment was echoed by several other developers who noted that they’ve approached Apple about iPod games ever the company released the iPod photo, the first color-screen iPod. Those companies say there either rebuffed or ignored by Apple. For that reason, many were caught off guard when Apple made iPod games part of the “It’s Showtime” event in San Francisco last week.

“I understand Apple’s desire to keep things organized and to maintain control over the iPod, but as a game developer who specializes in original content, I’m disappointed that I don’t have access to the iPod because I know I could come up with some games that blow away the stuff that’s available now,” said Pangea Software President Brian Greenstone. “Original content would be more of a selling point than just selling games that are available on 100 other platforms already.”

DanLabGames creator Daniel Labriet echoed that disappointment. While he described his plate as full with Mac projects, Labriet said he has games and ideas that he thinks would be ideal for iPod play.

Apple declined to respond to several requests for comment on this story.

SDK wanted

One significant issue that’s hindering software developers’ efforts is the absence of an iPod Software Development Kit (SDK). No iPod SDK has been made available by Apple, and repeated requests from game developers have gone unanswered . Without it, developers don’t have any way of making software to run on the iPod.

“No one can create anything for the iPod without access to an SDK,” said one developer. “They don’t even have to release that if they don’t want to. I can see not wanting to open the floodgates to every [amateur]. But they have our number… let us sign an NDA and work on some things.”

Pangea’s Greenstone agrees. “The lack of an SDK [is a hindrance], but more information from Apple would always help, too,” he said.

“We’ve got some really great ideas for iPod games if Apple will open up an iPod SDK to developers—everything from doing handheld specific branded games, like what we’ve done with Tony Hawk Pro Skater and Call of Duty 2 for PocketPC, to some unique and new gameplay mechanics that integrate with the music already on your iPod,” added Aspyr’s Adams.

At the moment, secrecy seems crucial to Apple for iPod game development—developers who have actually made games for the iPod recently interviewed by Macworld declined to shed much light on the development process.

Mac game makers have grown accustomed to selling products themselves, but games available for the iPod are available exclusively for download from the iTunes Store. This limit doesn’t bother Labriet.

“I think the market is really small—only for the video iPod,” he said. “The iTunes Store is also a good way to protect the games against piracy, as the games are protected using DRM.”

Adams doesn’t see a conflict between the iTunes Store and Aspyr’s own announced digital distribution solution, which is due to come online by the end of the year.

“I think [Apple] could set up a model just like Sony/Nintendo do on their handhelds—they have approval of concept and final game, and take a royalty off each sale… I don’t think we’d have any interest in competing with that kind of distribution. Heck, if they’d let us sell Mac games through iTunes, we’d be right there tomorrow,” she said.

Greenstone thinks the iPod is a good potential market for games—especially for original content, rather than revisions of existing popular titles.

“I think [Apple’s] distribution method is great, and I would actually prefer to keep it the way they are doing it now. I think selling via the iTunes Store is the way to go,” Greenstone said. “Good original games would probably have more of a market than something like Bejeweled which is on every platform on Earth already, and games like Tetris, [which can] be downloaded for free on the Internet.”

[thanks Jen for the tip!]

Symantec: 'There is no safe browser'

Hackers are hitting paydirt in their search for browser bugs. According to Symantec's twice-yearly Internet Security Threat Report, hackers found 47 bugs in Mozilla's open-source browsers and 38 bugs in Internet Explorer (IE) during the first six months of this year. That's up significantly from the 17 Mozilla and 25 IE bugs found in the previous six months.

Even Apple's Safari browser saw its bugs double, jumping from six in the last half of 2005 to 12 in the first half of 2006. Opera was the only browser tracked by Symantec that saw the number of vulnerabilities decline, but not by much. Opera bugs dropped from nine to seven during the period.

And while Internet Explorer remained the most popular choice of attackers, no one is invulnerable. According to the report, 31 percent of attacks during the period targeted more than one browser, and 20 percent took aim at Mozilla's Firefox.

View: Info World

DIRECTV's magical, disapearing high-def station

DIRECTV has a crisis goin' on and the only way to resolve bandwidth issues is to turn off high-def stations. Sounds absurd right, but three weeks ago for the first [high-def] Football Sunday of the year, DIRECTV pulled the plug on TNT-HD for a bit. Then last Sunday HDNet drew the short end of the straw and this week Universal was cut during football time. The NFL Sunday Ticket is a major source of revenue for the provider and to be honest, people love the package. Every football game (most of 'em are in glorious high-def now), fast-forward games later in the day, the ability to watch six games at once -- it's the ONLY option for a true football fan but what about the other stations? Not everyone is a football fan and last week TNT-HD featured a NASCAR race, so naturally there were a lot of apprehensive race fans waiting to see if their source for high-def coverage was going to disappear, but instead DIRECTV cut HDNet without warning. DIRECTV has a problem and us, the viewers, are suffering because of it. We just wonder what station will be cut next week?

Remember Ring: A painful reminder

Did you forget your anniversary again? Missed your significant other's birthday? Those Post-It notes and alarms on your PDA clearly aren't working — how about some physical pain? Wrapped around your finger, the Remember Ring (get it?) will make sure you don't forget an important date by heating up to 120°F for 10 seconds 24 hours before the big day, and then doing it again every hour on the hour. It's equipped with a micro thermopile, converting the heat from your hand into electricity so the tiny battery stays charged and the internal clock never stops. Your jeweler will program the date, then you can just slip it on and forget your troubles; after all, that's what the ring's there to remind you about. Not a bad idea, really, since it's wearable and isn't something you might forget to take with you like the Mini Reminder. But before you forgetful folk start lining up for it, we're sad to report the ring is just a concept item right now. We can only hope the designers have some other way to remind themselves to actually make the thing.

SHIFT: Channels are the Wii's weak spot

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm totally psyched for the upcoming Nintendo Wii and that I hope it takes off when it's released. I finally got a chance to check it out in person last week, and the games lived up to my expectations for the most part. However, one aspect of the Wii seems pretty half-baked to me: the Channels system, Nintendo's main menu and online portal that appears when you turn the system on. It's clear that Nintendo is going for the non-gamer market with this, but couldn't it have been implemented better? What should be a solid online-gaming system instead feels distinctly like filler.

Take a Look at Mii Now

Wii Channels is what you encounter when you first turn the system on: a nonthreatening, TV-like menu of "channels" representing different things you can do with the console. Among them: Play a game, check the weather, or play with your Mii. Mii? Yes, the Mii is perhaps the lamest feature of the Wii, a personal avatar designer that lets you create a little character that looks like you and "lives" on your system. What are the benefits of having a Mii? Uh, good question. It seems like Nintendo wanted a feature that was so cute it would draw in grandma and grandpa, but forgot to add features after making it cute. Really the only thing you can do with your Mii is use it as a player in Wii Sports, the free game that comes with the console. That's it. A character-creation mode in Wii Sports would give you the same thing and not take up a "channel" on your startup screen.

What else can you do through the channels menu? Well, you can browse photos on your TV, a feature that's now available on about ten million other products. You can check the weather on your TV, something I believe has been available for a long time through a little thing called the Weather Channel. A news channel also offers a more limited version of something you've been able to do on your TV for a while: check the news. Why are these "features"? Will people really go through their Wii to check the weather? It seems doubtful.

Missing the Connection

What Nintendo has done is put Internet access into the Wii while removing some of the best benefits of having a connected console. Yeah, you can surf the Web, but there's no keyboard available and you need to pay to download the Opera browser. And the number one thing you would obviously want to do — play games against people online — isn't an option at all, at least at the moment. It's a tease, being online on your console and not being able to play games using it. Isn't that the whole point of having a connected console?

The one great thing you can do using the Web on the Wii is download games for the virtual console, the Wii's built-in emulator for older games. This allows you to get games from past consoles such as the NES, SNES, and Sega Genesis onto your Wii. Retro gaming is making a comeback, and this is a great way to do it. However, imagine being able to play Mario Kart against your friend in another state. Again, not having online gameplay as an option seems like a missed opportunity.

From everything that we've learned about it, Wii Channels appears to be a pretty weak offering from Nintendo. Fortunately, people aren't going to buy the Wii to surf the Web or look at photos; they're going to buy it for the games. There's still the distinct possibility that Nintendo will announce an online gaming feature in the near future, but as it stands the Wii's Channels and online system are pretty underwhelming. One would think that the success of the Xbox Live online system would inspire Nintendo to take a similar route. However, Nintendo has been clear from the start that the Wii is taking a different path from the big boys, and for the most part the company's choices have been spot-on. Let's just hope they don't screw up what could be another selling point by aiming just at non-gamers.

Sony cuts PS3 price in most half-assed way possible

The jaw-droppingly expensive PlayStation 3 has gotten a price drop, but don't get too excited: it's for the lower-end model, and it's only in Japan. Sony has announced that the 20-GB PS3 will run for $429, down from the originally announced price of $500. Also, the lesser model now comes with an HDMI 1.3 output, the latest standard for the all-digital high-def connector that'll enable the PS3 to handle lossless audio and the 36-bit color, not that anyone cares. Is Sony listening to all the haters out there and trying to make nice? If so, they'd better bring those price drops stateside if they want any goodwill from the likes of this hard-to-please blogger.

Via Kotaku

Warner Files for Hybrid HD Disc Patent

In December 2005, three optical disc engineers now identified as working for Warner Bros. began work on a U.S. patent application for a three-layer optical disc, which would be capable of being adapted to any of 22 different configurations. One enables a hybrid DVD / HD DVD or DVD / Blu-ray configuration, and another would allow for a hybrid HD DVD / Blu-ray disc.

The patent application, dated August 10, 2006, may have used the strongest language put forth by a representative of a major studio against the notion that either format would ever win the high-definition format war.

"A general problem with multiple formats of discs," states the application, "is that disc manufacturers must make various types of discs of each type in order to satisfy consumer demand for the content on those discs. A consumer that owns a standard DVD disc player can only play DVDs with a standard format. A consumer with a Blu ray recorder can only play Blu-ray format recordable discs. And a consumer with an HD-DVD disc player can only play HD-DVD discs or standard format DVDs, but not Blu-ray format discs.

"From the standpoint of a manufacturer," the application continues, "it is disadvantageous to have to manufacture and distribute three different types of disc formats to satisfy consumer demand for one product - such as a motion picture. Moreover, multiple formats of DVD discs create retail and consumer confusion as to which format(s) to acquire or buy."

If these engineers truly speak for their company -- as they are legally obliged to do with regard to a patent of this nature -- then it's no wonder that Warner made the decision in October 2005 to support not just HD DVD but Blu-ray as well.

The basic theory put forth by the patent application is that a hybrid disc could be assembled in a wide variety of ways, in which as many as three layers are stacked atop one another, with their reflective surfaces protected inside. Once a hybrid disc player is able to determine the assembly of the disc, it can adjust the lenses as necessary to guide the red or blue-indigo laser beam to point to the appropriate depth.

The application appears to make the case that the layers themselves can be used to minimize attenuation of the beam as it makes its way to the appropriate reflective layer. Layers don't need to be 100% reflective to be effective - a dual-layer BD disc, it says, can be as low as 12% reflective and still be adequate.

The degree to which any layer is not reflective is precisely the amount that it enables light to pass through - what optics calls transmissivity. With the proper arrangements, the application says, the transmissive properties of layers designed for multi-layer discs can be exploited to the hybrid disc's advantage.

One problem, which the application briefly touched upon, may be that some configurations of Warner's hybrid disc might only be applicable to hybrid disc players capable of adjusting their lenses to the proscribed depths. But if such a player were standardized, it could enable studios to produce a single type of disc for both current and next-generation content.

The hybrid disc itself could be the norm, it states; even a disc designed for high-def content only could contain "boilerplate" messages on the DVD layer, instructing the user that this disc can't be viewed with standard DVD players.

While the application was recently discovered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database, it has not yet been granted, and may not be granted for some time even if it's put on "fast-track" status. The biggest hurdle facing Warner engineers now may be from Toshiba, which appears to be ready to actually produce a three-layer hybrid disc in a joint venture with Memory-Tech, but only for HD DVD and standard DVD content.

Porn sites exploit new IE flaw

Miscreants are using an unpatched security bug in Internet Explorer to install malicious software from rigged Web sites, experts warned Tuesday.

The vulnerability lies in the way IE 6 handles certain graphics. Malicious software can be loaded, unbeknownst to the user, onto a vulnerable Windows PC when the user clicks on a malicious link on a Web site or an e-mail message, several security companies said.

"Fully patched Internet Explorer browsers are vulnerable," Ken Dunham, director of the rapid response team at VeriSign's iDefense, said in an e-mailed statement. "This new zero-day attack is trivial to reproduce and has great potential for widespread Web-based attacks in the near future."

Security-monitoring companies Secunia and the French Security Incident Response Team have given the issue their most serious ratings.

Shady adult Web sites are among the first to exploit the IE vulnerability, Eric Sites, vice president of research and development at spyware specialist Sunbelt Software, wrote on a corporate blog. In one case, a malicious Web site used the exploit to install "epic loads of adware," according to Sunbelt.

Microsoft plans to fix the flaw as part of its monthly patching cycle on Oct. 10, the software giant said in a security advisory. The update might be released sooner, "depending on customer needs," Microsoft said. Typically, Microsoft only breaks its patch cycle when attacks are widespread.

The number of attacks may rise quickly, according to Web security company Websense. It appears that WebAttacker, a tool often used to create attack sites, has been fitted with the new exploit, Websense said in an e-mailed statement. "We have confirmed multiple, previously known, WebAttacker sites that are currently exploiting this vulnerability to install malicious software," Websense said. "We expect to see many of the several thousand WebAttacker sites begin to utilize the exploit, as they update to the latest release of the tool kit."

"Microsoft is aware that this vulnerability is being actively exploited," the company said in its advisory. While it works on an update, Microsoft recommends users keep their security software updated and take caution when browsing the Web. In its advisory, it also provides several workarounds to protect systems against the flaw.

The vulnerability lies in a Windows component called "vgx.dll." This component is meant to support Vector Markup Language documents in the operating system. VML is used for high-quality vector graphics on the Web.

This is the second known and unpatched flaw for IE to surface in as many weeks. Last week Microsoft confirmed a flaw in an ActiveX control related to multimedia. Attack code that exploits the flaw and could be used to hijack Windows PCs running IE 5 or IE 6 has been posted on the Net. Microsoft also has yet to provide a patch for a Word 2000 flaw being exploited in targeted cyberattacks.

Microsoft Office 2007 Beta 2 Technical Refresh Review

Review originally published at winsupersite.com

What a difference a few months makes. Back in May, Microsoft shipped the Beta 2 version of Office 2007 and made it available to the public. Since then, over three and a half million people downloaded and installed the beta. This proves a few things, primarily that there is a lot of interest in Microsoft's next office productivity suite. And that interest is based primarily around its innovative new user interface (see my review), of which I'm an unabashed fan.

3.5 million people don't go quietly into the night. Over the preceding several months, many of those people have provided Microsoft with feedback about the new UI and the new capabilities in the software suite formerly known as Microsoft Office (but now, annoyingly, called the 2007 Microsoft Office System). Given what I know about the folks working on this amazing product, I'm not surprised to discover that they've taken the feedback to heart. So today, on September 14, 2006, they're releasing an update for Beta 2 users, called the Beta 2 Technical Refresh (TR), that showcases the changes Microsoft has made since Beta 2. This release is, of course, the basis for this review.

Where we're at

Before heading into the changes in the TR, let's step back for a second and reflect on what's really happening here. In Office 2007, Microsoft is dramatically changing the user interface for what is arguably the most-often used software on the planet after Windows itself. It is, however, only changing the UI for some applications. While Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and, to a lesser extent, Outlook have been wonderfully retrofitted with the new ribbon-based user interface, other Office applications retain the older menu- and toolbar-based UI that everyone loves to hate.

There's been some concern that the new UI will turn off enterprises, particularly, because of possible high training costs. I can't claim to offer any kind of scientific data to refute that, but my own experience with Office 2007 (and the TR) suggests this won't be the huge issue that some think. Indeed, I consider myself both experienced with Office and pretty set in my ways, and I've had no major issues moving to the new software. If anything, the ribbon-based UI makes it easier to find functionality that was previously hidden. My only complaint is that this will lead to the modern equivalent of those "ransom note" documents that cropped up when Apple and Adobe first made desktop publishing possible. But instead of multi-font documents, we're going to see overly colorful charts and graphs.

Anyway, the state of Office 2007, in the Beta 2 timeframe, was already good. Presumably, it gets a lot better with the TR release.

Office 2007 Beta 2 TR: The mile-high view

From a purely aesthetic point of view, the TR is much, much nicer-looking than was Beta 2. The icons (Figure) and loading images (Figure) have all been updated, for starters, giving the whole thing a much-needed spit-shine.

The upper-left corner of the application windows has been cleaned up quite a bit, answering a number of complaints. The round Office Button, as it's called, can now be double-clicked to close the window, similar to the way a standard window button has worked in Windows applications for ages. And it's got a nice pop-up help window that show up when you mouse-over it (Figure).

The Quick Access Toolbar, to the right of the Office Button, has also been updated significantly. Thanks to a slightly redesigned UI, it looks more natural up there, but the big change is in its Customize menu, which offers more choices and handy ways to customize its appearance (Figure).

The big news, of course, is the ribbon. It's hard to argue that the ribbon isn't a better interface for the multitude of functionality offered by the various Office applications than was the old menu- and toolbar-based UI. But while the ribbon doesn't really take up that much more onscreen real estate than does a standard set of menus and toolbars in an equivalent Office 2003 application, there remains a strange feeling that, gee, that ribbon really does take up a lot of space.

So they've fixed it. No, they haven't just made it smaller, though it is indeed a bit smaller. What Microsoft has done, instead, is offered a way to hide the ribbon so that users can ensure that the truly important part of the application--the text editing area in Word, for example--is given the maximum amount of space. This is ingenious and, for people like me that live in Office, a wonderful change. It also has the side effect of completely obsoleting all of those outdate comedy routines depicting how one could fill an Office application's UI with toolbars, leaving just a tiny window of space in which to type. David Pogue, sorry, but you're going to have to try a bit harder in the future.

Here's how it works. If you'd like to give a ribbon-based Office application the maximum amount of editing space possible, simply double-click any of its tabs (or, open the Customize Quick Access Toolbar menu and choose Minimize the Ribbon). When you do, the application hides the ribbon, leaving a UI layout that is as simple as that of Notepad (Figure). Best of all, in this mode, you can temporarily bring the ribbon back by simply clicking any of the tabs once (Figure). In minimized mode, the ribbon appears floating over the document temporarily. It disappears when you make a selection in the ribbon or click anywhere in the document. It is, in many ways, perfect.

Microsoft has also added a third color scheme (sometimes erroneously called a theme) choice. So in addition to blue (XP style) and black (Vista style), Office 2007 Beta 2 TR now offers silver, which looks quite nice in tandem with XP's popular silver color scheme (Figure).

Application improvements

In addition to the broad changes that affect all ribbon-enabled applications, Microsoft has also made a number of improvements to specific applications in the TR. Let's take a look.

Word

One of the things I really disliked about Word 2007 back in Beta 2 (see my review) was that the new default formatting styles were horrible, quite different from the previous Word version defaults, and impossible to change back to the old style. In Beta 2 TR, this has been largely fixed: You can now go into the Change Styles and change the Style Set to "Classic" and get something that is almost (but not quite) identical to that used in previous versions (Figure). And, get this, you can make it the default. Thank you for that, Microsoft.

The big problem with the new style set (called Default in Word 2007) is the paragraph spacing for the Normal style (well, that and the silly colored headings). This hasn't been fixed, per se, in the TR, but with the Classic style set, all is well from a spacing perspective. It's enough.

Word's blogging functionality--itself a handy if almost hidden feature--has been updated with enhanced picture support that doesn't require FTP access to the server hosting your blog. If your blogging service offer picture uploading, Word will handle it natively now. Well, sort of: It works with Wordpress and Typepad, at least, but not Blogger (the new Blogger Beta is, however, supported).

Outlook

Outlook 2007 is a huge and excellent update over Office 2003 (see my Beta 2 review) and it's gotten even better in the TR (Figure). The anti-phishing and anti-spam filters have been updated significantly. And it requires a new, more powerful, version of Windows Desktop Search (WDS) for its integrated search feature. On Windows XP, you must download this component before integrated search will work. On Vista, it's just built-in. I did have some issues with one install of Vista, in which Outlook 2007 Beta 2 TR was unable to find email fairly regularly, but this issue wasn't happening in XP, so I'll need to test that more before declaring it broken. I'm curious, however, if anyone else has those issues.

Excel

Excel 2007 (Figure) gets a number of stability and performance enhancements in the TR, so that charts work both better and faster. Chart styles, available from the Insert tab, are much better organized than before.

PowerPoint

PowerPoint's Home tab has been significantly redesigned in the TR (Figure). Now, you can access commonly-needed drawing and formatting tools from the Home tab, while less-commonly-needed functionality, like Word Art, has been moved to the Insert tab. The end result, according to Office 2007 design guru Jensen Harris, is something that "feels way more natural and efficient to work with. You have a stable Home tab from which to do most of your slide authoring: adding slides, typing and formatting text, and adding, arranging, and formatting shapes." I have to agree. (Though I still humorously refer to PowerPoint as child abuse. Kidding, folks. It's a great way to communicate. Seriously.)

OneNote

Allow me to wax romantically about my love for Microsoft OneNote. Actually, just read my Beta 2 review and understand that this is one of the great unheralded successes in Microsoft Office. In the TR, OneNote has been updated with a new "Blog This" right-click option that lets you publish any note page or page section to your blog (Figure). This feature integrates with the blog publishing functionality in Word, of course, so you'll be redirected to Word 2007 during the process.

Like Outlook 2007, OneNote now integrates with the new version of Windows Desktop Search (WDS). This has two results: First, searches are returned quite quickly. Second, you can search OneNote notes from within Windows. Score!

Availability

The Microsoft Office 2007 Beta 2 Technical Refresh is available as a whopping 495 MB download from the Microsoft Web site. Note that this download is an update only. You need to have downloaded and installed Office 2007 Beta 2 first. Thankfully, that download is still available as well. Office 2007 Beta 2 TR requires Windows XP with Service Pack 2, Windows Vista RC1, or Windows Server 2003 with SP1.

Office 2007 Beta 2 - Download

Office 2007 Beta 2 Tech Refresh - Download

Final thoughts

I'm often unfairly labeled as a Microsoft fan boy, which is ridiculous when you consider the number of times I've called the software giant to task for its anti-competitive behavior and various product-related mistakes. But when it comes to Office 2007, I lapse completely into the stereotype: This is a major upgrade of a venerable software suite that literally no one thought needed updating, and it's generating a deserved buzz online by those who are using the beta. If you haven't downloaded Office 2007 Beta 2 for some reason, do so now and grab the Tech Refresh update. You'll be amazed at how nicely this suite has come along. If you're already using Beta 2 (and no doubt dreading having to return to a previous Office version), the TR release is a no-brainer. Grab it now, and start smiling. Rarely have I been able to associate the word "innovative" with "Microsoft Office," but Office 2007 is the most exciting product the software maker has in the works this year. And Office 2007 Beta 2 Technical Refresh is the best version yet. Highly recommended.

Screenshots

Nicely refreshed appliation icons.


A smarter, more attractive Office Button.


Take that, UI complaints: Word 2007, suddenly, is quite Spartan.


Charts in PowerPoint are more logically organized now.

XBox’s Official Blog Sneaks a Peek at Live Vision

Elle, the fetching Gamestress from the Xbox team at Microsoft, is pimping the new Xbox Live Vision webcam on the Xbox site.

The camera, which should be available tomorrow, is a 1.3MP still cam and a VGA-quality video cam. You can use it to chat live with your gaming buds (whilst hoping they’re wearing pants), take pics of yourself for in-game avatars, and trade footage of your girlfriend in the shower in exchange for, well, don’t do that.

It does quite a bit more, but you don’t need me to tell you about it, you need Elle at Xbox to tell you about it.

Smile! You’re on Xbox Vision [Xbox Community, via Gamescoreblog]

Zune Priced?

Engadget got a scoop earlier that Wal-Mart had a page listing the Zune price at $284. This jives well with the projected $300 tag everyone was assuming. The page has been pulled, but not before screen captures were, well, captured. There is still no word on availablity, but I’m guessing November–and I base that on absolutely nothing.

Wal-Mart leaks Zune price — $284? [Engadget]

DigiMate III: USB Card Reader on Steroids

USB card readers are handy, handy gadgets. You’ve got your cellphone, Treo, who-knows-how-many digital cameras (Five for yours truly), and they all take different types of removable media. Reading and writing data to these little silicon wafers is the job of your multi-card reader, but that’s about all it does.

Enter the DigiMate III. It’s a USB-2 multi-card reader (SD, MMC, MiniSD, Memory Stick, CF, Microdrive, XD), but it’s also got a touch screen for previewing and manipulating your data, as well as support for a 2.5″ laptop harddrive, and a battery pack, so you can back your stuff up on the go. It’s not just an interface, it’s a data manager, and looks pretty slick to boot.

The DigiMate III costs less than $50 from USB Geek, and works with your various flavors of Windows and Mac OS.

DigiMate Touch Screen Version [USB Geek]

Nike MaxSight Lenses Released

Nike MaxSight lenses, co-developed with Bausch & Lomb, offer clear vision for people with 20/20 (or less than perfect) vision. The lenses offer enhanced clarity, elimination of glare, and filter over 90% of harmful blue light and 95% of UVA and UVB. Aimed mostly at the athletic audience, the MaxSight lenses also offer distortion free optics and the individual does not have to worry about fog or fit issues. Pretty cool concept here, except that contact lenses in general can cause eye irritation (depending on the individual) that can really affect an individual’s performance. The lenses also come in two different colors: grey-green for golf, running, and training and amber for soccer, tennis, baseball, football, and rugby. Yes, the colors actually improve your vision for that specified sport. And before you ask, no, there aren’t any blue lenses for swimming or checkerboard lenses for competitive chess.

Nike MaxSight [ubergizmo]

Nintendo Wii Region-Locked

Nintendo UK General Manager David Yarnton has stated that Nintendo of America was wrong for telling us that the console would be region-free, and that the Nintendo Wii will in fact, be region-locked. Too bad, it really would’ve been great to get Japanese imports the legitimate way. Looks like users are going to have to old school it with the Wii and mod their consoles to be able to play other regions.

According to our friends over at SlashGear , there is another theory floating around that the Wii will be region free for US and Japan, but locked for Europe. No word on how legitimate this one is either, we’ll keep you posted!

Nintendo Wii Region-Locked [SlashGear]

A Windows Live Coffeemaker, really?

And you thought Microsoft was going out on a limb creating webcams? Ha!

Actually, Melitta, which produces a number of coffee products, is going to introduce the first coffeemaker that tells us the most important thing in the morning: the weather. Not only does it keep the time [good for when the power goes out in the morning, and you need that cup of jo to start on time], but it also keeps all kinds of weather data. Basically, it's a mini Oregon Scientific Regional Weather Station and coffeemaker in one.

Not only does the coffeemaker brew great-tasting coffee, it also provides animated weather information on its large, bright-blue backlit LCD display. MSN Direct region-specific up-to-the-minute weather information is transmitted via an FM signal within minutes of plugging in the coffeemaker--there's no set-up, subscription, or Internet connection required. The appliance displays the current temperature and conditions, high and low temperatures, and chance of precipitation, as well as four-day weather forecasts. The coffeemaker also displays scrolling weather information; visibility; sunrise/sunset time; the UV index; and national weather-service warnings and alerts (the display flashes when a warning alert is issued). In addition to its optional sleep function, where if the unit is idle for a period of time an animated, napping cat appears, the user interface can display a 12- or 24-hour clock; temperature in degrees F or C; along with English, French, or Spanish languages. The 10-cup programmable coffeemaker with animated coffee and weather information measures 8 by 11 by 14 inches and carries a one-year limited warranty.

Clearly every home needs one, especially with the napping cat screen saver! Seriously, it's clear that Microsoft is taking the MSN Direct technology to v2 and beyond as it finds more useful devices for the inexpensive SPOT technology. Additionally, with it's new DirectBand Network initiative, Microsoft is trying to reach out to other product makers, hoping to develop partners and make MSN Direct a must-have. After all, who wouldn't want the weather on their coffeemaker?

This is of course just one of many devices that will be running on the Microsoft .NET Micro Framework and DirectBand Network in the near future. Gates is making the technology a priority, and with the Windows Vista release, we'll start to see SideShow on laptops, and that's just the beginning...

Go ahead, have a cup of coffee: It's your grind, redefined.

@Matthew

Update: Picture Added

Xploder HDTV Game Player for PlayStation 2

Company announces solution to up-scale PS2 games to 720p and 1080i. Is it for real?

In an unexpected and surprising announcement, Xploder, designer of a variety of console peripherals and media kits, has announced a solution that claims to allow the PlayStation 2 to output 480p, 720p and 1080i ED and HD signals, as well as even higher resolutions via VGA. The package, dubbed the HDTV Game Player, promises support for all standard PS2 games, and supports both PAL and NTSC consoles.

According to the company's press release, the system makes use of propriety Xploder software and allows users to boot a software CD in the PS2 to select the desired output quality. The settings are then saved to a memory card for future use. RGB component cables will be included with the package to make the connection to HDTVs.

Xploder also announced the HDTV Movie Player, apparently a separate product, that will allow the PS2 to play DVDs in 480p, an upgrade over the console's usual 480i. The press release indicates the software will function in a similar manner to the HDTV Game Player, and will also come with included component cables.

North American release dates and pricing have not yet been confirmed.

What does it mean?
Xploder's press releases on the HDTV Game and Movie Players provided no further information on how the propriety software functions, though we can safely assume that the company has engineered a software algorithm that performs up-scaling processing on the PS2's 480i signal to make the conversion to the High-Def resolutions.

How, or perhaps if, the software is able to run from the PS2's memory card is unknown. We're guessing the Xploder software CD must be inserted prior to booting each game in order to temporarily flash PS2 with the up-scaling software. We're also not sure why Xploder is able to up-scale games all the way to 720p and 1080i, yet can only de-interlace movies from 480i to 480p.

A lot of progress has been made recently in up-scaling software. More and more HDTVs are making use of internal scaling circuitry to bring incoming signals up to the display's native resolution. However, the processing in these HDTVs, and in products like Anchor Bay Technologies' iScan VP20 and VP30, is performed by specially designed de-interlacing processors. The PS2 has no such dedicated chips, which means that Xploder has likely discovered a way to replicate GranTurismo 4's ability to output a pseudo-1080i signal.

We'll withhold judgment on Xploder's claims and the quality of their product until we can try it for ourselves, which you may be sure we will be doing ASAP. If Xploder has indeed engineered a successful product they could well have struck gold, as the ability to make older PS2 games look nice on big HDTVs would breath a great deal of life back into the platform for gamers that have HDTVs but aren't quite ready to commit to the PlayStation 3 at launch.

How to Hack Everything!

What? You thought hacking was an art practiced only by a bunch of cave-dwelling code warriors? Think again. You can easily hack all kinds of hardware gadgets and software yourself to add features, improve performance, and lord it over your less-techie friends. We've put together a choice collection of over 40 useful (and sometimes amusing) hacks—here, and online at PCMag.com.

Want a useful alternative OS for your iPod that offers sound enhancement and more flexible playback? No problem—we have instructions that let you do it in minutes. Tired of the commercials you see when watching shows on your Media Center PC? Poof! Kiss them goodbye. Even your car is fertile territory for a few hacks. And you can use one of the tips we've collected here to make your Roomba show off for your friends by driving around in crazy spirals.

For this issue's collection of hacks, we relied on PC Magazine staffers who are experienced exploit finders, a selection of crafty freelancers, and some titles from Wiley Publishing's series of books written in conjunction with PC Magazine's sister site, ExtremeTech.com—such as Hacking Roomba and Hacking the PSP. In several cases, especially for longer and more complex hacks, you'll find pointers to in-depth online content you can access, along with step-by-step instructions and several entire chapters from Wiley's books. So roll up your sleeves and dig in! And just say no to the status quo.—next: An Apple iPod >

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IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP!
Before you jump into any hack, note that altering hardware or software will most often void product warranties and may violate terms of use. Be aware of manufacturers' or service providers' policies, and note that we can't guarantee that these hacks won't damage your products.

An Apple iPod
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Mike Kobrin

Are you dissatisfied with your iPod's standard capabilities? Why not install one of the two major alternative operating systems: iPodLinux or Rockbox. Both are open source and free, though they have some quirks and aren't for the faint of heart. But don't worry, it's unlikely that you'll damage your iPod by mucking with the firmware. Rockbox, in particular, can help you get access to lots of sound-enhancement and customization features.

iPodLinux is based on a variant of Linux called uClinux; Podzilla is the most popular GUI (graphical user interface) for it. The project's goal is to let you run Linux (and compatible apps) on a portable storage device—simply because you can. There are music player programs for iPodLinux, but these format-specific apps tend to be glitchy. Rockbox, on the other hand, was created from scratch and lets you customize your MP3 player as much as possible. Rockbox is also a bit rough around the edges, but the developers' main focus is the music player, and a growing list of plug-ins gives you access to games and other fun apps.

iPodLinux works with all Windows- and Mac-formatted iPods except the shuffle, though the fifth-generation iPod and the nano are currently unsupported by the iPodLinux team, so things may not work quite right on those models. Rockbox supports only Windows-formatted iPods with the click wheel (fourth generation and newer, as well as the mini and nano), but the installer runs on Linux, Mac OS, and Windows XP.

The good news: iPodLinux and Rockbox can coexist (along with the original Apple firmware) on a single iPod. In fact, having iPodLinux installed makes it infinitely simpler to install Rockbox. Since Rockbox requires a Windows-formatted iPod, we're going to start by formatting your iPod with the FAT32 file system, so you'll need access to a Windows PC. Then we'll install iPodLinux, and then Rockbox on top of that.

FATten Your iPod

To format your iPod in FAT32, connect it to a PC running Windows (preferably XP). Open My Computer from the Start menu, right-click on the iPod's drive icon, and choose Format. Under File System, choose FAT32, and click on Start. Warning! While iPodLinux might not erase your music, this definitely will. When it's done, eject and disconnect your iPod, and then reconnect it. Open iTunes and make sure that the Enable disk use box is checked in the Preferences | iPod | Music tab, and then quit iTunes.

Now download the Windows XP iPodLinux installer, extract the files from the ZIP archive, and follow our step-by-step instructions below to get this alternative OS onto your iPod. To install external applications—like iDoom, a port of the popular first-person shooter (seen on the screen of the iPod at left)—download the app to your desktop, connect your iPod to your PC (if it doesn't automatically go into Disk Mode, a menu will pop up on the iPod's screen letting you choose that mode), and drag the application folder into the iPod's root directory.

Eject your iPod, boot into iPodLinux, and go into the file browser. You'll find the app in the "hp" directory; press the Select button to execute it. Note that iPodLinux doesn't work so well on fifth-gen iPods and nanos yet—Podzilla 2 can't run external apps without installing a separate launcher.

Rock the Box

Installing Rockbox is a snap if you've already got iPodLinux on your iPod. Point your Web browser to www.rockbox.org/download and scroll down until you see your iPod model. You can choose to get the very latest build, which contains the newest features (and probably bugs), or older versions, which are more stable. Right-click on Latest and save the ZIP file to your hard drive, or left-click on Older to select and download an older build. All that's left to do is to extract the two items in the ZIP archive to the root level of your iPod and eject it. The boot-loader screen will now let you choose from Apple's OS, iPodLinux, or Rockbox. The manual is available via a link on the same Web site; it's right underneath where you downloaded Rockbox itself.

Loading music in both operating systems is simply a matter of dragging files and folders into the root directory of your iPod and then finding them in the file browser. Note that neither one can read iTunes database files, so you won't see music you load via iTunes. And of course, the Apple firmware can't see files you load via drag-and-drop. But there's a lot more to explore in both iPodLinux and Rockbox—and, of course, you should check their respective Web sites often for updates.

If your iPod freezes, just reboot it by pressing and holding the Menu and Select buttons on click wheel models, or the Menu and Play buttons on other models. And one last thought, to reassure the squeamish: If you're not happy with the results of your installation, don't panic. Just go to www.apple.com/ipod/download and grab the latest iPod Updater software. Run the updater and click on the Restore button, and voila ! Your iPod should be as good as new (without any music or fun software, of course).

Enter the Penguin

1	Start the installer. Download the Windows XP iPodLinux installer from www.ipodlinux.org/Installer_2 and extract the files from the ZIP archive to your desktop. Connect your iPod to your PC, open the iPodLinux installer folder, and double-click on installer.exe to start the wizard.

2	Follow the wizard. On the first screen, click on Next. On the second screen, leave the Advanced partitioning and package selection box unchecked, unless you're a serious Linux expert. Click on Next and head to the next screen.

3	Back up and install. At this point, choose iPodLoader2, which lets you choose the OS manually on start-up. Check the box at the bottom of this screen so that your iPod's firmware partition is backed up to your PC, and click on Next to begin the installation. Click Finish when it's done.

4	Reboot your iPod. Eject your iPod. It will boot into a blue boot-loader screen; from there you can choose to run the Apple OS or iPodLinux, or you can put it into Disk Mode (to connect the iPod to your PC). You can also put your iPod back to sleep.

next: A Media Center >

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GIVING THANKS
Our thanks to Wiley Publishing for providing many of the hacks found here. They're excerpted from Wiley's ExtremeTech series of books for hard-core tech enthusiasts, where you'll find many more good hacks!

A Media Center PC
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Dave Mathews

Windows XP Media Center Edition gives TiVo and ReplayTV a run for their money—and offers a new group of optimistic consumers and developers an open method to tweak and hack the experience. Although it lets you fast-forward, the very existence of commercials is still the bane of most viewers' television enjoyment. For users archiving their programs, it's an unnecessary waste of precious multimedia file space.

When you are recording HDTV programs within a Media Center PC, a one-hour program consumes from 4GB to 8GB of storage, depending on its bit rate and resolution (720p or 1080i). When the commercials are removed, a program like 24 sits at 2.8GB for 40 minutes. A movie shot on film and converted to HDTV can easily consume 15GB of your hard drive, without commercials. Leaving the advertising in can add another 50 percent to that total.

The utility to save your hard drive capacity and your remote control batteries is DVRMSToolbox. Its name may not roll off your tongue, but its features will have your jaw dropping in awe. Working in conjunction with ShowAnalyzer from Dragon Global, it locates the station ID "bug" placed in the corner of your screen during broadcast programs (along with "fade to black") and removes frames of programming, namely commercials, that do not have the "bug" present. All the while, it maintains resolution and Dolby Digital sound—and even ­offers to convert files to true MPEG-2 standards for playback on other devices, minus the commercials and fluff.

You can use an elementary user interface to convert files manually or choose to monitor a directory automatically, converting files with certain keywords to archive. This way, not all programs will be converted, just the ones you want to hang onto. It takes about half an hour to convert and remove the commercials of an hour-long HDTV show on my Hyper-Threading P4 running at 3 GHz with a gig of dual-channel RAM. That said, the software uses only around 60 percent of my CPU cycles, and I have found that I can even watch HDTV or work on the computer normally during the process. For the detailed, step-by-step version of the hack at left and shown below, go to go.pcmag.com/hackingmediacenter

next: Cut Commercials from a Single TV Show >

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Dave Mathews (the gadget guy), inventor and hardware hacker. He lives in San Francisco.

Cut Commercials from a Single TV Show

Launch DVRMSToolBoxGUI and list the input path to a recording: Don't forget the .dvr-ms extension. Then name the output file and directory. I chose the My Documents\My Videos directory so that the file automatically shows up in My Videos under Media Center.

Select Cut commercials out of a DVR-MS file and output DVR-MS, and then click on the Process Directory tab and pick a temporary directory.

Press the Run button. Your computer will spend from 40 minutes to an hour looking at each video frame and removing the commercials from the program. At the end of the run you'll find your new filename and program in the directory you chose. If you followed my lead, Media Center will already have a copy ready for you to watch!

DVRMSToolbox

1	Zap 'em! DVRMSToolbox, in conjunction with ShowAnalyzer, locates the station ID bug that lets you remove commercials.

2	An installer holds your hand Setting up ShowAnalyzer is a snap, thanks to an automated install helper program.

3	You're in charge! Settings let you manage resolution, Dolby Digital sound, and more.

next: Sony's PSP Gizmo >

Sony's PSP Gizmo
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Auri Rahimzadeh, ExtremeTech

So the PSP can do games, movies, video, music, photos, and the Internet. Well, that's not enough—it should run the same software you enjoy on your home PC. By using an open-source x86 emulator called Bochs, which mimics the hardware found in PCs, and creating a few disk images with the software you want, you can run Linux (and even lightweight versions of Windows, such as Windows 95 or 98) on your PSP. This hack works only on PSPs with Version 1.0 firmware. To find out how to hack Version 1.5 and how to navigate in Linux, see go.pcmag.com/hackingpsp.—next: Switch Operating Systems >

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Auri Rahimzadeh, software engineer, Pacers fan, and president of the Indianapolis Computer Society

Switch Operating Systems

1 Download Bochs Bochs is a highly configurable piece of software that enables different VGA, serial port, and other I/O port emulation and lets disk images act as hard drives and the like. You can download Bochs for the PSP at bochs.sourceforge.net. While there, pick up the DLX Linux distro at bochs.sourceforge.net/disk images.html.

2 Verify settings A configuration file tells Bochs which ports it supports, where hard drive images are, what video types to support, and so forth. After you have decompressed the customized Linux distro, find the bochsrc.txt file and open it in Notepad or a similar text editor to verify its settings.

3 Get Bochs running Put your PSP in USB mode by going to Settings | USB Connection. In the root directory of your Memory Stick, create a folder named VM. Then rename your Bochs configuration file, which you created earlier as bochsrc.txt, to bochsrc.bxrc. Open the PSP folder, then the Games folder, and create a new directory named BOCHS. Copy the Bochs EBOOT.PBP file to the BOCHS folder. Copy the hard disk image file and the BIOS file to that same directory.

Now you have all the necessary files on your PSP, so disconnect from USB mode and use the PSP Navigator to select your Game menu. Then select Memory Stick and you should see your new application in the list. For more on hacking your PSP, surf over to go.pcmag.com/hackingpsp.

next: A Roomba Vacuum >

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Excerpted from Hacking the PSP, one in a series of ExtremeTech books for hard-core tech enthusiasts, from Wiley Publishing.

A Roomba Vacuum
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Sebastian Rupley

You can hack just about anything, and the iRobot Roomba (a robotic vacuum cleaner) is no excep­tion. The company has produced a whole array of Roombas since the original version was introduced in 2002. iRobot even makes the Scooba, a robot that washes your floors. The good news is that the Roomba is hackable by design; software with prewritten hacks is available online.

If you're already familiar with Roomba, you know it's compatible with the serial port communications interface (SCI). That's what enables the hacks we're offering you. Once you set up a way to issue SCI instructions, you can download a free RoombaCommTest program at www.roombahacking.com, which includes many prewritten hacks. Want to make your Roomba drive in crazy spirals? We've got the tools you need, including how to get going with SCI. You'll find several relevant chapters from Tod E. Kurt's book, Hacking Roomba, published by Wiley, here: go.pcmag.com/hackingroomba. What could be more fun than hacking a vacuuming robot?—next: Slingmedia's Slingbox >

Slingmedia's Slingbox
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Jim Louderback

Sometimes you have to be careful when you extend the capabilities of a device or program: The manufacturer might strike back. That happened recently to owners of Slingbox, a place-­shifting device that enables remote viewing of live and pre­recorded television via the Internet. In early July, without warning, the company suddenly started encrypting video streams as they passed through the Internet. That rendered a clever hack—the At-Large Recorder from ­Applian Technologies—useless.

However, a firmware upgrade to the Slingbox hardware was required to encrypt streams, leaving an out for At-Large customers: Don't upgrade the firmware, and your Applian software will still work. The At-Large Recorder itself is a deceptively simple hack. It records the audio and video delivered via the Sling software for a predetermined amount of time, saving it as a Windows Media Video (WMV) file on your hard drive. It can also schedule a recording, letting you record a show while you're asleep or at work, and will shut the Sling player software down when ­recording is complete. It can change the TV or DVR channel via the Slingbox, which makes it easier to schedule recordings.

If you've already upgraded your Slingbox to firmware version 1.0.86 (which added stream ­encryption) or later, there's a hack. You can downgrade to an older firmware version by loading an older version of the Slingplayer software. The At-Large Recorder costs $29.95 direct (www.applian.com). You can try before you buy, to make sure it works for you.

The developers at Slingme.net claim to be ­developing an open-source Slingbox recorder, along with other hacks, but nothing was available at press time.—next: A Digital Camera >

A Digital Camera
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Sebastian Rupley

Digital cameras and computers share a lot of common characteristics these days, but one of the primary ones is that both can be hacked—for your gain! There are numerous ways to hack digital cameras in order to make them more flexible, and we've put together a nice package to start you off.

If you've spent time with a digital camera in pursuit of the perfect shot—where the flesh tones in the foreground are as perfectly exposed as the fluffy, white snow in the background—then you know how hard it is to achieve the right balance. Professional photographers know that the secret behind balance is filters. These are usually made of glass or plastic and attach to the front of the camera lens. By mixing and matching them with hacking tools that you make yourself, you can become a master of filters. In case your digital camera didn't come with a wireless remote controller, another very useful hack you can pull off is crafting your own remote. Not only will this let you join your friends in group shots, but it will also give you a lot of flexibility when shooting at, say, outdoor locations.

For both types of hacks above, we sought out relevant chapters from Hacking Digital Cameras, an ExtremeTech book published by Wiley Publishing. Authors Chieh Cheng and Auri Rahimzadeh show you everything you need to get the most flexibility out of your camera. You'll find the instructions on our Web site. Start off at go.pcmag.com/hackingcamerafilters, then head over to go.pcmag.com/hackingcamerafar.—next: The Motorola RAZR >

The Motorola RAZR
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By PJ Jacobowitz

In July of 2004, Motorola introduced what would become the next head-turning cell phone: the RAZR V3. With its ultraslim and sexy design, the handset quickly became Motorola's flagship phone on GSM service providers. CDMA subscribers anxiously waited for Motorola to release a version for their network. Finally, in December 2005, Verizon Wireless ­announced that it would begin offering a CDMA version of the phone, the RAZR V3c.

Verizon's phone looks almost identical to the V3, except that proprietary Verizon software now replaces Moto­rola's. The new software has three characteristics that compromise the phone (thanks, guys): First, it's terribly slow. It can take upward of 4 seconds to open the phone book! Second, like most of Verizon's handsets, it disables all Bluetooth file transfers. Finally, Verizon disables Multimedia Studio in Avanquest's Motorola Mobile Phone Tools, Motorola software that connects your phone to your PC, allowing you to sync contacts and calendars and transfer pictures and ringtones.

Luckily for you, CDMA service provider ­Alltel sells the RAZR V3c on its network and leaves Motorola's software on the phone. The geniuses at the ­mobile-phone chat site HowardForums.com created an instructional wiki that walks you through the process of installing Alltel's software on a ­Verizon phone to get all those features back. Want to dehack Verizon's hacked RAZR V3c? You'll find all the info you need online: Go to go.pcmag.com/hackingrazr.—next: A Toyota Prius >

A Toyota Prius
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Patrick Norton, ExtremeTech

Our favorite car hack involves adding a switch and a battery charger and swapping bigger batteries into a 2004 or later model Prius, creating a PHEV, or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. By hitting the EV switch and keeping the speed under 35 miles per hour (perfect for around town) you'll stay in full electric mode. And that means 10 or 20 miles at pennies per "gallon" instead of dollars (if you don't count the cost of the batteries!).

A more practical hack for gasoline cars built after 1996 involves cracking the mysteries of the Check Engine light. A quick snicker: In many states, a Check Engine light results in an auto­matic failure on a smog test, no matter how clean the exhaust coming from the tailpipe. And your car's manual probably gives the impression that the light should send you racing to the nearest dealership, hat and credit card in hand. You might be able to do the work yourself instead, or at least know what the dealership should look for.

Deciphering the Check Engine Light

1. Get the tool Borrow or buy an OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics) scan tool. A no-brand handheld model that displays codes and resets your Check Engine light costs $40 to $80 at an auto parts chain. High-end scan tools that can display live data from sensors cost considerably more. There are also some excellent options that can connect to your PC via a USB or serial port.

2. Make the connection Find the OBD-II port on your car and plug in the reader. It's a small black jack, with 16 pins arranged in a parallelogram; it's required to be "easily accessible" on the driver's side within 30mm to 750mm of the car's centerline. In many cars it's found behind a small pop-off panel below the steering wheel or underneath the dashboard facing the driver's legs.

3. Let 'er rip Start your car and collect the OBD-II code. You should follow the directions that come with your scan tool. But generally speaking, you start the car, let the engine idle, and wait for your scan tool to collect and display the code(s). They'll be formatted like this: "B0566."

4. Diagnose If you're lucky, your OBD-II has a built-in table or booklet that lists the various codes. If not, write down that code and look it up on the Web, at a site such as www.obd-codes.com.

next: Your Google Tools >

Your Google Tools
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Preston Gralla

Most of us live in Google. It's more than merely one of the best search sites on the planet; it's a constellation of sites, services, applications, and destinations. Google is its own universe, really, and like ours after the Big Bang, it's constantly expanding. That means becoming Google-savvy is important.

For a quick example of how you can customize your Google experience, here's a Google Desktop tweak that can help you conserve storage space, followed by a Gmail hack that can help you import your contacts. (The Google Desktop tip clearly requires Google's free desktop application; get it at desktop.google.com.) To help you get the most from this brave new universe, we've collected more than 30 Google tips and tricks online at go.pcmag.com/hackinggoogle.—next: Import Contacts into Gmail >

Import Contacts into Gmail

You have dozens or hundreds of contacts in your existing e-mail software. The last thing you want is to retype them all into Gmail. You don't have to: Gmail can import CSV format. But first you have to export your contacts into a CSV file.

How to do this varies according to your e-mail software. In Microsoft Outlook, choose File | Import and Export, launching the Import and ­Export Wizard. Choose Export to a file, click Next, and choose Comma Separated Values (Windows) from the screen that appears. On the next screen, choose your Contacts folder, and click Next. Give the file a name (a .csv extension will be automatically added to it), browse to the folder where you want to save it, and click Next and then Finish.

Now that you have the file ready, go to your Gmail account and click Contacts on the left side of the screen. Click Import from the upper right-hand side of the page that appears. Click the Browse button; then navigate to the folder where you've exported your contacts, select it, and click Open. Click Import Contacts.

After a minute or more, you'll get a message telling you that your contacts have been imported and listing the total number of contacts involved. Click the Close button. Now your contacts will be available in Gmail. To see them on the Contacts screen, click All Contacts.—Preston Gralla, editor of WindowsDevCenter.com and author of many books.—next: Change the Location of Your Google Desktop Index >

Change the Location of Your Google Desktop Index

Depending on how many files are on your PC, the search index that Google Desktop creates can get pretty substantial—1GB or more—without really trying. Don't let the index clog up your main drive; move it to a different drive. Follow these steps:

1. Unhide Exit Google Desktop, then open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Google Desktop Search, where Username is your user name. Local Settings is a hidden folder, and you might not be able to see it. To unhide it, choose Folder options from the Tools menu in Windows Explorer. Click the View tab, and under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders. Then click OK.

2. Move Take the entire Google Desktop Search Folder to a different drive. You don't have to replicate the entire folder path—you could, for example, move it to D:\ Google Desktop Search.

3. Open Launch the Registry Editor by choosing Start | Run, typing regedit, and clicking OK.

4. Find Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Google Desktop.

5. Edit In the right-hand pane, double-click data_dir and change its value to the new location of the Google Desktop index, for example, D:\Google Desktop Search. Exit the Registry Editor and restart Google Desktop search.

next: Your Wi-Fi Connection >

Your Wi-Fi Connection
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

By Sebastian Rupley

You've probably mastered the art of setting up a Wi-Fi wireless network in your home. But what if you want your network to extend for 5, 10, 20 miles or more? That may sound fanciful, but it's not so tough to achieve long-distance wireless connectivity. You just need to add a few tools to the mix and get to work on your mash-up.

To help you, we tracked down a chapter from Mike Outmesguine's ExtremeTech book, Wi-Fi Toys: 15 Cool Wireless Projects for Home, Office, and Entertainment, from Wiley Publishing You can find it online at go.pcmag.com/wifild. It details how to select your access point sites, choose your antennas, and more. Creating a long-distance link simply means marrying many of the essentials of wireless with a dose of physics to overcome the obstacles of a far-reaching connection.

Or perhaps you're interested in the subtle art of wardriving—using a car equipped with a computer, a wireless card, and software to identify the presence of a Wi-Fi signal, even if you're out on a deserted highway. What an ­excellent idea! It's surprising how ubiquitous Wi-Fi signals have become. You'll find everything you need to get started as a budding wardriver at go.pcmag.com/wardrive.

Finally, several blogs contain complete instructions for upgrading the capabilities of Linksys routers. Take a look at www.lifehacker.com for some interesting examples. You don't have to settle for bushleague Wi-Fi!—next: Heck, Hack Everything >

Heck, Hack Everything
ARTICLE DATE: 08.30.06

We've shown you a few of our favorite hacks, but this list is hardly definitive. Very few things exist that couldn't be made a little better, a little faster, or a little more powerful. Take your inspiration from Home Improvement's Tim Allen, and make "more power" your mantra. Unhappy with your vacuum's performance? Boost it up. Desk just a bit too long? Hack it. Stapler not powerful enough?. . . You see where we're going. You'll find a few more of these stories on our hacker-friendly sister site ExtremeTech.com.

The cutest iPod cases this side of Paris

There are loads of iPod cases out there, and not too many of them worth mentioning here on our highly selective blog. These iPod and Macbook covers from French twin sisters Lauren and Paulina Bibi, however, are just too darned adorable for us to pass up. They look kind of like Domo-kun, but more French. They appear to be handmade, and the iPod cases go for $40-$50. The Macbook covers are still in development, but they include cutouts for the trackpad and iSight camera so you won't loose any functionality, although it looks like if you want to plug a mouse or some other USB device you're out of luck. Perhaps that's what the "development" process is fixing. If you want to grab one of the iPod cases shoot the sisters an email and figure out how to get your worthless American dollars into their hands, as they have yet to set up a website.

Via Gearlog

Tim Gunn, Project Runway Designers, and Their Adoring Fans

Yesterday afternoon, a crowd of people excitedly waited on a line along Elizabeth Street. No, they had not missed the San Gennaro Festival - they were there for fashion. Emmett McCarthy, a season 2 designer from Project Runway, was having an event at his store, EMc2, featuring clothing and appearances from Project Runway designers like Chloe Dao, Kara Janx, Alison Kelly, Nick Verreos, and Emmett himself....plus Tim Gunn!

We settled into the line at 1PM, and the line did move - just very slowly. Good thing Project Runway fans are a nice bunch - we made friends with a gay couple in front of us and a family from NJ behind us (nothing is cuter than seeing an immigrant grandmother asking PR designers for their autographs on behalf of her granddaughter). And Emmett and his employees came around to rally those waiting and passed out water to everyone. Emmett added that Tim was being "really slow" and that's why the line wasn't moving very quickly.

As we shuffled slowly towards the store, in the store, and through the courtyard to see Tim Gunn, we saw Alison (so pretty!), Nick (so handsome!), Raymundo (who now does some styling - at least he did on Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency), Kayne's model Amanda (totally cute and totally chatty!), and Kayne (Mr. Kayne!). Everyone was very nice and happily signed autographs, posed for photographs, and even held one fan's dog.

As we inched closer to Tim Gunn, we saw Nick and Tim get very excited about an apperance from the Project Rungay guys, Tom and Lorenzo. (And it turns out that Laura from Blogging Project Runway was the woman helping Tim with the signing - of course, we only know that from reading Project Rungay's post today.) And now we knew why Tim was "slow" - he was autographing Tim Gunn bobbleheads, Tim Gunn t-shirts (both available from EMc2), and taking time to pose for photographs. Then we started to get nervous, because there were rumblings about Tim needing to leave at 3PM - and 3PM it was!

Luckily we were able to have a moment with Mr. Gunn, and he was as charming and dashing as any one would imagine! Not only did we make him hug us immediately, we gushed over him and Tim was sweet and bashful. Then, we mentioned we were Gothamist, he said "I read Gothamist!" and he hugged us again. Aw - we would have waited six hours for that!

EMc2 still has some Tim Gunn bobbleheads and t-shirts for sale. And check out the store - there are some lovely clothes there (though definitely at designer prices); we especially love Nick's Nikolaki tailored blouses and jackets. EMc2 is at 240 Elizabeth Street, between Houston and Prince Streets.

This entry has a slideshow. To view the slideshow your browser must have the Flash Player. (If you are using a newsreader that doesn't support Flash click here to launch the slideshow.)

The next new episode of Project Runway will be on September 27, so we're hoping that there will be a marathon this Wednesday. Here's are our posts on Project Runway, including a post about this past Friday's runway show at Fashion Week. And definitely catch up through Tim's podcasts and his blog posts.

No More Spinach - and No More Other Veggies?

The government is asking Americans not to eat spinach as it continues to investigate the E.coli outbreak related to the leafy green. Spinach - and other vegetable - supplier Natural Selection has been cleared of contamination, but the FDA hasn't lifted the recalls on Natural Selection brands. But some restaurants and grocery stores are still featuring spinach, as the Post reports seeing "spinach soups, spinach pizzas and even bunches of fresh spinach." Now, spinach soups and pizzas might be passable, because the spinach could have been long frozen (how does E.coli do in the freezing temps, though?), but we'd think most customers would avoid spinach.

Yesterday, commenter brooklynbee noted her experience with her spinach:

I had ordered a spinach salad from Fresh Direct and ate half of it the night before the spinach recall, needless to say I threw the rest out - even though it wasn't bagged spinach. FD actually called me and told me not to eat the spinach and to throw it out just to be safe, even though that spinach shouldn't have been affected, and they offered me a full refund on the salad. Now that's customer service. Of course I'm sure they don't want all their spinach-eating customers to die.

That's good customer service from Fresh Direct, but it's made easier since they have all the orders in their computer. When we headed to the grocery store yesterday, we avoided spinach or packaged salads, but did buy some broccoli and lettuce. Has the outbreak affect your green vegetable habits?

Complete Coverage: Men's Fashion Shows, Straight from the Runways

Virus-detecting napkin: a sure hit with hypochondriacs

Researchers at Cornell University are developing a fancy-pants napkin that uses nanotechnology to detect bacteria and viruses on any surface it's wiped over. The napkin will contain nanofibers that are bound to certain antibodies, and when those antibodies latch on to specific elements the cloth will change colors. It could be used from detecting anything from E. Coli in meat to the flu virus on your kitchen table to cooties on your little sister's face. Once fully developed the technology won't be prohibitively expensive, allowing for the napkins to be used in any number of situations. The technology is still being developed and won't be around for a few years, but once it's finished it has the potential to help people detect stuff you don't want around much easier.

Samsung's Card Phone II: Dialing up (most of) the world this fall

Nice new phone, Samsung. No, I mean it — the SGH-P310 looks just as hot if not hotter than your previous super-slim mobiles. With that credit-card form factor (just one-third of an inch thick), the "Card Phone II" will surely be a hit, partly because of that sleek case, which is said to improve the battery life. And although 80 MB of internal memory isn't a heck of a lot these days, it's nice to know that I can pump that up with a MicroSD card if need be (unlike your finicky A900 phone). The 2-megapixel camera is appreciated, as are the Bluetooth abilities and music player. So you go ahead and release that phone this fall in Europe and Asia — don't worry about us here in America. No, it's fine. Good. Great. Have fun. (Thanks to Dion for sending this in!)

Apple to announce iPhone in January?

Oh iPhone, will you ever find your way into my pocket? I know I trash-talked your daddy Apple, but that doesn't mean I don't want to have a mythical iPod/cell-phone hybrid in my pocket ASAP. Well, according to Think Secret, the iPhone is slated to be announced this coming January at the MacWorld Expo. While there have been rumors of the iPhone for ages now, the new report claims that due to all sorts of technological setbacks, Apple has had to scale back its ambitious plans to redesign the mobile phone from the ground up and will instead use several "off-the-shelf" parts to create the first of a series of two or three new Apple-branded phone models. Rumor has it the soon-to-be-squealed-over phone will have a 2.2-inch screen and a 3-megapixel camera. Of course, there will be full iTunes integration, and the number of songs will be determined by the capacity of the hard drive rather than by the arbitrary whim of the carrier (a factor that helped hamstring the Motorola ROKR, the first iTunes phone). This seems like a reasonable time frame and a realistic expectation for Apple's first foray into telephony, but the question of who will be the carrier for the coveted device is still anyone's guess. You know we'll keep you updated as more (and more reliable) info is made available.

Special Forces Overmatch, the Army's new game

Special Forces: Overmatch 2.7.0 may interest members of the military or fans of war games. The Army is trying to impress gamers, possibly win support for their cause, or perhaps even recruit from their game's fanbase. You never can tell, but it looks like they have done a great job. The Army's game looks pretty tempting, but be aware that the download is 2.5 GB, so you'll have to hold off the enemy for a bit longer on this one to accomplish this downloading objective. Get comfortable in that foxhole solider! The game made news this week, when so many gamers went to download it, that they had to suspend downloads for a while. As of this writing, the game is ready for download once again. If you are a fan of war games, like Medal of Honor, Call of Duty, and others you may enjoy this game because of its similar focus. Since I haven't yet played the game (still downloading) I can't vouch for the gameplay and overall quality of the game, but it looks good, so give it a shot and see what you think. The new version (2.7.0) is available on Windows, and the version for both Mac and Linux is 2.3.0.

[Via WUSA9.com]
Rangers providing cover from above

Laying down cover fire

Defending your position

• Read

AMD's virtual tradeshow experience

AMD has put together one of the most rich and engaging Internet presentations I have ever seen. Built in Flash, this "virtual experience" as they call it is quite impressive. AMD's virtual trade show is a great idea and makes you want to explore. Microsoft, Oracle, Novell, IBM, and others are among the booths at this "event" where you can watch keynotes, presentations, and even a virtual parody of sports center called "datacenter" at the AMD booth. AMD even showcases their processors in a boxing match with Intel's chips, using benchmarked specs. While this whole online experience is obviously a marketing move, AMD does a great job talking about their chips in a way that makes sense and is visually and aesthetically appealing. If you have a few minutes check it out. I learned more about AMD and their chips in a few minutes than I would have browsing their website, and all that without even trying. You can even get a virtual badge for yourself while you're there.
Keynote from the virtual experience

Stevie talking at the Microsoft booth.

Sportscenter parody "datacenter"

The boxing match between AMD and Intel.

• Read

DivX to go public this week

DivX, the little video compression software company that could, is aiming to go public this week, CNET is reporting. The company has almost matched last year's annual revenue of $29.3 million in the first 6 months of 2006, and after adding copy protection to its software which helped it land in over 50 million DivX-certified devices to date, the company is now shaking hands with its former enemy: Hollywood studios. DivX is hoping to strike it big with said studios in a lucrative web distribution deal for films, though as far as we can tell, no deals are itching to be signed just yet.

• Read

Whatever happened to the Gotti boys?

You know, we actually kinda miss those boys and their TV antics...
Oh-my-Gotti!
No Gotti class

Photo from the cool site Proceed At Your Own Risk

Wait, YAY! we think we found them below...

New Jersey Guys

Rare $1 Million Enzo Ferrari Up For Charity

Uber-rich not just deal in gold but have a heart-of-gold too! Recently, a private owner of one of the most famous performance cars in history, an Enzo Ferrari, has donated the $1 million automobile to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a financial aid. The rare Ferrari was launched in a limited edition of 399 units back in 2003. The exclusive 2003 edition will be offered for sale during the live auction organized by Christies at a prestigious, celebrity fashion event on September 15 in Beverly Hills, Calif. The luxury roadster features red exterior with black interior and has tracked 1,300 miles. Not to mention the supercar derives power from a powerful Ferrari V12 engine and has the ability to from 0-60 in 3.3 seconds with a top speed of 217 mph. The firing roadster will be up for an initial bid at $875,000 and is estimated to sell for more than $2 million. So, all you super-richies come forward to the noble cause!!

via AutoMotoPortal

Update: Firefox 1.5.0.7 |patches for security holes|

Mozilla has sent out an update to Firefox, designed to address seven security flaws in the open-source Web browser.

Firefox 1.5.0.7, released Thursday, tackles a problem that lets outsiders run code remotely and aims to improve the product's stability.

Of the seven vulnerabilities fixed, four are rated "critical" by Mozilla. The new browser version addresses the circumvention of security via an RSA signature forgery flaw, as well as cross-site scripting vulnerabilities. In addition, it patches a JavaScript regular expression heap corruption issue and a memory corruption issue that could lead to the execution of code.

While the update addressed four critical flaws, it was less extensive than one released in July that contained fixes for seven flaws.

The release of Firefox 1.5.0.7 comes alongside the online publication of exploits to attack Microsoft's Internet Explorer. The 5.01 and 6 versions of the Web browser, running on all current versions of the Windows operating system, are affected.

Police blotter: When can cops run license-plate searches?

"Police blotter" is a weekly News.com report on the intersection of technology and the law.

What: A Michigan man who was arrested after a police officer checked his license plate against a computer database tried to suppress that evidence on privacy grounds.

When: The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled on Sept. 5.

Outcome: Defendant loses when appeals court rules that Americans have no Fourth Amendment protection against computer checks--even extensive ones--of their license-plate numbers.

What happened, according to court documents:

When Officer Mark Keeley of the Farmington Hills, Mich., police department was driving around a local shopping center, he noticed a white van idling in the lane closest to the stores. A man was inside and the lane was marked with "Fire Lane" and "No Parking" signs.

Keeley entered the vehicle's license-plate number into his patrol car's Law Enforcement Information Network (LEIN). According to the Michigan state government's Web site (PDF), LEIN databases include missing persons, Michigan state criminal history, prison and parole information, and a list of wanted people from the National Crime Information Center.

The LEIN search showed that the vehicle was registered to Curtis Ellison, a black man who had an outstanding felony warrant. Keeley called for backup, approached the van and arrested Ellison. During the arrest, Ellison was found to have two firearms. He was later indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of federal law.

The trial judge ruled, however, that the van was not parked illegally and therefore Keeley did not have probable cause to run the LEIN check of the van's license plate. Therefore, the judge reasoned, the results of the LEIN check should be suppressed, including the discovery of Ellison's two firearms.

The U.S. Attorney's office appealed, saying that Americans have no reasonable expectation of privacy in their license-plate numbers, and therefore police need no probable cause to conduct computer checks.

In a 2-1 ruling, a three-judge panel from the 6th Circuit agreed. They said that "a motorist has no reasonable expectation of privacy in the information contained on his license plate under the Fourth Amendment...The very purpose of a license plate number, like that of a Vehicle Identification Number, is to provide identifying information to law enforcement officials and others." (The majority also rejected Ellison's argument that he was racially profiled because he was black.)

In a dissent, however, Judge Karen Nelson Moore said the U.S. Attorney raised the argument at a late stage and it should be rejected. Without more information collected by the trial judge, such as how much information on the general public is available on the LEIN system, Moore said, it's impossible to evaluate how intrusive the computer check is.

Moore said that the key point was not whether police could read someone's license plate but under what circumstances they could perform an extensive search of computer databases. She said the FBI's National Crime Information Center system contains more than 23 million records about people and vehicles--not all accurate or up-to-date--and "allowing the information contained therein to form the basis for a seizure without any other heightened suspicion, let alone probable cause, compounds the risk of privacy intrusions that errors in these databases impose."

Of particular relevance to Police Blotter are the implications of technological advances that let roadside cameras read every license plate that goes by and perform checks against computer databases--checks that would identify not just outstanding warrants but outstanding parking tickets. If the 6th Circuit's reasoning prevails, there would be no Fourth Amendment protection against it.

Similar systems are already in place. Indiana police are using cameras attached to a squad car that automatically scan license plates and check each one against a police database.

Excerpts from dissent by Judge Moore:

To assess properly the Fourth Amendment concerns raised by the use of the LEIN system, any court would need to know what type of information is available on the system; how this information is obtained; who can access the information; what safeguards, if any, are in place to prevent unauthorized access to the information; whether this information was available to police prior to the advent of the mobile data terminal; what the typical police practice is regarding the use of such searches; whether there are any procedures in place to guard against arbitrary searches; what options are available to regulate the use of the technology...

The majority rests its conclusion that the Fourth Amendment was not implicated by the LEIN search on the relatively uncontroversial fact that the operator of a vehicle has no privacy interest in the particular combination of letters and numerals that make up his license-plate number, but pays short shrift to the crucial issue of how the license-plate information is used...

This approach misses the crux of the issue before the court: even if there is no privacy interest in the license-plate number per se, can the police, without any measure of heightened suspicion or other constraint on their discretion, conduct a search using the license-plate number to access information about the vehicle and its operator that may not otherwise be public or accessible by the police without heightened suspicion?

It is worthwhile to spell out some of the Fourth Amendment concerns that the use of such technology raises, as no court of appeals has yet done so. The use of a computer database to acquire information about drivers through their license-plate numbers without any heightened suspicion is in tension with many of the Fourth Amendment concerns...

In other news:

• HP scandal revives 'pretext' legislation
• Is open source getting to Microsoft?
• Airport security meets sci-fi
• News.com Extra: Biofeedback system guarantees gaming thrills
• Video: 'The Simpsons' on your mobile phone?

An individual operating or traveling in an automobile does not lose all reasonable expectation of privacy simply because the automobile and its use are subject to government regulation. Automobile travel is a basic, pervasive, and often necessary mode of transportation to and from one's home, workplace, and leisure activities. Many people spend more hours each day traveling in cars than walking on the streets. Undoubtedly, many find a greater sense of security and privacy in traveling in an automobile than they do in exposing themselves by pedestrian or other modes of travel. Were the individual subject to unfettered governmental intrusion every time he entered an automobile, the security guaranteed by the Fourth Amendment would be seriously circumscribed...

Although the license-plate search at issue here is arguably less invasive than a license-and-registration check, the constitutional concerns regarding abuse of discretion do not disappear simply because drivers are not stopped to conduct the license-plate search. First, a search can implicate the Fourth Amendment even when the individual does not know that she is being searched. Second, the balancing of Fourth Amendment interests also requires consideration of "psychological intrusion[s] visited upon" the individuals searched in assessing the extent of intrusion that a particular police practice imposes. The psychological invasion that results from knowing that one's personal information is subject to search by the police, for no reason, at any time one is driving a car is undoubtedly grave...

Star Wars Trilogy Re-Release

With all the Apple goodness going around yesterday, it seems that the release of the Star Wars Trilogy on DVD sort of slipped under the radar. The three disc set with a bonus disc is available for about $50 on Amazon.

Each disc includes 2 versions of the original Trilogy: the "enhanced" version with new scenes and special effects, and the original theatrical release.

UPDATE: I apparently linked to the wrong product at Amazon. Here are the links to all three episodes.

• Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
• Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
• Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi

iTunes 7 Review

It's hard not to fall in love with this player as soon as it loads up, even though it takes quite a few more seconds than it's previous version to boot, and consumes quite a lot more RAM (when you're browsing in the Album Cover mode, it takes roughly 50 megs of RAM).

Having tried, both Microsoft's Windows Media Player 11, I definitely have to say, that the new iTunes feels like a new version, while WMP11 feels like a skin.

In this new version of iTunes, it feels like they copied a bit Microsoft's album browser, let me demonstrate:

Some of you might be thinking "hey those are nothing alike", but if you have both players, and look carefully, you'll definitely find some resemblances.

One of the things I definitely disliked in iTunes 6 is that the album cover was only displayed when a music was playing. But now, I have 3 modes of choosing my music, and each one is useful depending on what you're trying to find.

The first mode, is the mode you had on iTunes 6. If your machine lacks a decent quantity of RAM, or decent processing power, this is probably the mode you'll prefer, for technical reasons. And that's really unfortunate, because the new modes to browse your music are really satisfying. If your music is organized.

Apple knew that it was important for you to have your album covers, and the correct information, in order to find iTunes 7 more satisfying, that is why you can now download album covers from their store. I haven't tried this feature yet, because I don't have a Visa card, however, I think that it's definitely a step in the right direction, even though I feel that just for registering, you shouldn't have to give your credit card information.

Many Apple also noticed quickly, that iTunes features a slightly different look, and some even hinted that this new look might be the look of their upcoming Mac OS X (Leopard).

The differences are very subtle, but overall, it looks a bit darker than iTunes 6, but feels more like metal, instead of plastic (just like their new Nanos). It's also a bit more "blue", but not as blue as the logo's blue.

Regarding music browsing, there aren't many differences. There's now a small arrow next to the magnifying glass icon on the search box, that allows you to search for "artist", "album", etc, or simply "All" (like 6 does). But overall, the way music is organized is basically the same.

For me one of the best features of this iTunes is the improved iPod integration. Instead of your iPod simply being a "folder" where you can drag music and playlists, you can now manage everything your iPod can offer. You can now easily synchronize your My Pictures folder with your iPod, your contact cards, update your iPod, etc. Except for the Notes, you can now update your iPod without leaving iTunes, which is great.

Conclusion: iTunes takes a bigger slice of your RAM, but definitely brings great improvements. If you have an iPod, you'll enjoy this update more than others.

As for Windows Media Player 11, I guess we'll just have to wait for version 12 for them to pickup to where iTunes is. But that will probably be an exclusive to Vista 2 or whatever (like anyone buys Microsoft's OS because of it...)

Original "Nightmare on Elm Street" Theatrical Re-Release

The original Nightmare on Elm Street will be getting a nationwide limited theatrical re-release on September 20th and 21st. In addition to the movie, audiences will be treated to a montage of "Freddy's Best Kills" from all 8 of his movies.

To see what theaters near you are showing the movie, check out Big Screen Box Office (you can also buy tickets online from them.

Wii Steering Wheel Add-on Revealed

The French Wii-loving games publisher has revealed, via an interview conducted by IGN to GT Pro's producer, Tats Myoio, what the speculated controller peripheral will look like. And... well, it looks exactly like people speculated it would, it's basically a steering wheel made to fit the Wii Controller in it. So that means, that even though it's 3rd party, there aren't many chances of it "breaking" like other 3rd party joypads or accessories.

The producer also revealed one of the very first images of the newest racing game of teh GT Pro series developed exclusively for the Wii, when asked why he chose a cel-shaded style this is what he answered:

With so many racing games in the market, we wanted a title that would stand out from the crowd and give a different experience. There have been some cel-shaded racing games in the past, but not as well-done or full-featured as GT PS.

So, will this game perhaps become Nintendo's flagship racing game? Only time will tell. But, from my past experiences with the GT Pro series on the Gameboy, I can almost surely say that it will be a title that will beat mediocrity.

And that steering wheel add-on looks like a lot of fun!

FX to test new ad to combat DVR viewers

Cable channel FX plans to show what it calls the first U.K. ad designed for viewers who use digital video recorders to avoid commercials.

The ad for Showtime's new drama "Brotherhood" will show a single image on the screen for the entire 30-second slot, and therefore retain its "sales message" when viewed even at the 12-times speeds enabled by digital video recorders, or DVRs.

Advertisers have been racing to find ways to get their messages across as higher numbers of consumers watch TV programs when they want, using such recorders and often skipping the commercials.

"There are a whole host of issues that broadcasters and advertisers are currently facing and about to face that are going to irrevocably change the business," said Jason Thorp, senior vice president and deputy managing director of Fox International Channels U.K., a division of News Corp.

"A creative response will be the only solution to all of them," he added in a statement Friday.

FX noted that when it showed drama series "Sleeper Cell" in April, one-third of the ratings for the pilot episode were from viewers watching a digitally recorded version.

The DVR-aimed ad will run Sept. 22.

Microsoft’s Zune

The Zune is Microsoft’s answer to Apple’s iPod. Highlights are built-in FM tuner, wireless technology and a 3 inch screen. It will be really interesting to follow this one. More pictures and information inside.

Full press release from Microsoft:

Microsoft’s Zune Delivers Connected Music and Entertainment Experience
Built-in wireless technology lets consumers share experiences device to device.

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 14, 2006 — Marking the next big milestone for its Connected Entertainment vision, Microsoft Corp. today unveiled details of the first products to be released under its Zune™ brand. Designed around the principles of sharing, discovery and community, Zune will create new ways for consumers to connect and share entertainment experiences. The Zune experience centers around connection — connection to your library, connection to friends, connection to community and connection to other devices.

“The digital music entertainment revolution is just beginning,” said J Allard, vice president, design and development, at Microsoft, who is leading the charge for building the family of Zune products. “With Zune, we are not simply delivering a portable device, we are introducing a new platform that helps bring artists closer to their audiences and helps people find new music and develop new social connections.”

The Zune Experience
Available this holiday season in the United States, Zune includes a 30GB digital media player, the Zune Marketplace music service and a foundation for an online community that will enable music fans to discover new music. The Zune device features wireless technology, a built-in FM tuner and a bright, 3-inch screen that allows users to not only show off music, pictures and video, but also to customize the experience with personal pictures or themes to truly make the device their own. Zune comes in three colors: black, brown and white.

Every Zune device creates an opportunity for connection. Wireless Zune-to-Zune sharing lets consumers spontaneously share full-length sample tracks of select songs, homemade recordings, playlists or pictures with friends between Zune devices. Listen to the full track of any song you receive up to three times over three days. If you like a song you hear and want to buy it, you can flag it right on your device and easily purchase it from the Zune Marketplace.

Zune makes it easy to find music you love — whether it’s songs in your existing library or new music from the Zune Marketplace. Easily import your existing music, pictures and videos in many popular formats and browse millions of songs on Zune Marketplace, where you can choose to purchase tracks individually or to buy a Zune Pass subscription to download as many songs as you want for a flat fee.

To get started with great music and videos out of the box, every Zune device is preloaded with content from record labels such as DTS, EMI Music’s Astralwerks Records and Virgin Records, Ninja Tune, Playlouderecordings, Quango Music Group, Sub Pop Records, and V2/Artemis Records.

Zune Accessories
To enhance the Zune experience, three accessory packs help Zune users enjoy their music where they want to, at home or on the road. The packs and the individual accessories, all designed exclusively for Zune, will be available at launch:

• The Zune Car Pack includes everything needed to hit the road with a Zune device, such as the built-in FM tuner with AutoSeek and the Zune Car Charger.

• The Zune Home A/V Pack enhances your experience in the home through five products that integrate Zune with the TV and music speakers: Zune AV Output Cable, Zune Dock, Zune Sync Cable, Zune AC Adapter and the Zune Wireless Remote for Zune Dock.

• Zune Travel Pack is a set of five products designed to keep friends and family entertained on the road: Zune Premium Earphones, Zune Dual Connect Remote, Zune Gear Bag, Zune Sync Cable and the Zune AC Adapter.

Providing consumers with additional options to customize and personalize their Zune experience, Microsoft is also working with leading accessory manufacturers Altec Lansing, Belkin Corp., Digital Lifestyle Outfitters (DLO), Dual Electronics, Griffin Technology, Harman Kardon and JBL, Integrated Mobile Electronics, Jamo International, Klipsch Audio Technologies, Logitech, Monster Cable Products Inc., Speck, Targus Group International Inc. and VAF Research

The Future is Bright
In addition to the features available at launch, built-in wireless technology and powerful software provide a strong foundation to continue to build new shared experiences around music and video. As Zune evolves, the device can be easily updated. The Zune software on your PC will let you know when these updates are available for download.

Yahoo Invites Users to Try Mail Beta

Yahoo on Thursday rolled out the beta version of its Mail product to all users, inviting them to switch to the new AJAX interface that acts more like a desktop e-mail client than Web site. The Yahoo! Mail revision adds technologies that the company gained from its purchase of Oddpost, such as drag and drop organization, an instant preview pane, and upgraded search capabilities.

A built-in RSS reader has also been added to the service, along with an integrated calendar. Yahoo, which is the top provider of web based e-mail in the United States, counts some 255 million users according to research firm comScore. The company did not say when it would fully replace its traditional Mail interface.

Giant catfish scares tourists

A giant catfish is frightening tourists at a Centerparcs holiday park in Holland.

The 2.3 metre European catfish eats two or three ducks a day and has even taken a few small dogs, reports Hetlaatste News.

Dutch divers reckon 'Big Mama', in the lake of a Centerparcs at Kempervennen, could be the world's biggest.

Remco Visser, head of a Dutch diving school which uses the lake for practice dives, said the fish had scared a number of divers.

But he added: "They don't have to worry because catfish don't eat humans. Most of the ducks have moved to another lake but visiting ducks, who don't know there is a catfish in the water, get caught."

Centerparcs guards patrol the lake to keep away fishermen who have been trying to climb over the fences at night to catch Big Mama.

Biologist Jean Henkes, of Centerparcs, added: "The catfish has grown so big because of the excellent water quality, enough food and rest."

Windows Run Commands

Wanted to Browse fast in windows. Remember these commands. This will really save a lot of time of your. There are many commands which you might have never seen or never knew. There are certain properties of windows which you hardly know exist in windows. Here is a list of 112 run commands.
Windows Run Commands
Accessibility Controls	access.cpl
Add Hardware Wizard	hdwwiz.cpl
Add/Remove Programs	appwiz.cpl
Administrative Tools	control admintools
Automatic Updates	wuaucpl.cpl
Bluetooth Transfer Wizard	fsquirt
Calculator	calc
Certificate Manager	certmgr.msc
Character Map	charmap
Check Disk Utility	chkdsk
Clipboard Viewer	clipbrd
Command Prompt	cmd
Component Services	dcomcnfg
Computer Management	compmgmt.msc
timedate.cpl	ddeshare
Device Manager	devmgmt.msc
Direct X Control Panel (If Installed)*	directx.cpl
Direct X Troubleshooter	dxdiag
Disk Cleanup Utility	cleanmgr
Disk Defragment	dfrg.msc
Disk Management	diskmgmt.msc
Disk Partition Manager	diskpart
Display Properties	control desktop
Display Properties	desk.cpl
Display Properties (w/Appearance Tab Preselected)	control color
Dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility	drwtsn32
Driver Verifier Utility	verifier
Event Viewer	eventvwr.msc
File Signature Verification Tool	sigverif
Findfast	findfast.cpl
Folders Properties	control folders
Fonts	control fonts
Fonts Folder	fonts
Free Cell Card Game	freecell
Game Controllers	joy.cpl
Group Policy Editor (XP Prof)	gpedit.msc
Hearts Card Game	mshearts
Iexpress Wizard	iexpress
Indexing Service	ciadv.msc
Internet Properties	inetcpl.cpl
IP Configuration (Display Connection Configuration)	ipconfig /all
IP Configuration (Display DNS Cache Contents)	ipconfig /displaydns
IP Configuration (Delete DNS Cache Contents)	ipconfig /flushdns
IP Configuration (Release All Connections)	ipconfig /release
IP Configuration (Renew All Connections)	ipconfig /renew
IP Configuration (Refreshes DHCP & Re-Registers DNS)	ipconfig /registerdns
IP Configuration (Display DHCP Class ID)	ipconfig /showclassid
IP Configuration (Modifies DHCP Class ID)	ipconfig /setclassid
Java Control Panel (If Installed)	jpicpl32.cpl
Java Control Panel (If Installed)	javaws
Keyboard Properties	control keyboard
Local Security Settings	secpol.msc
Local Users and Groups	lusrmgr.msc
Logs You Out Of Windows	logoff
Microsoft Chat	winchat
Minesweeper Game	winmine
Mouse Properties	control mouse
Mouse Properties	main.cpl
Network Connections	control netconnections
Network Connections	ncpa.cpl
Network Setup Wizard	netsetup.cpl
Notepad	notepad
Nview Desktop Manager (If Installed)	nvtuicpl.cpl
Object Packager	packager
ODBC Data Source Administrator	odbccp32.cpl
On Screen Keyboard	osk
Opens AC3 Filter (If Installed)	ac3filter.cpl
Password Properties	password.cpl
Performance Monitor	perfmon.msc
Performance Monitor	perfmon
Phone and Modem Options	telephon.cpl
Power Configuration	powercfg.cpl
Printers and Faxes	control printers
Printers Folder	printers
Private Character Editor	eudcedit
Quicktime (If Installed)	QuickTime.cpl
Regional Settings	intl.cpl
Registry Editor	regedit
Registry Editor	regedit32
Remote Desktop	mstsc
Removable Storage	ntmsmgr.msc
Removable Storage Operator Requests	ntmsoprq.msc
Resultant Set of Policy (XP Prof)	rsop.msc
Scanners and Cameras	sticpl.cpl
Scheduled Tasks	control schedtasks
Security Center	wscui.cpl
Services	services.msc
Shared Folders	fsmgmt.msc
Shuts Down Windows	shutdown
Sounds and Audio	mmsys.cpl
Spider Solitare Card Game	spider
SQL Client Configuration	cliconfg
System Configuration Editor	sysedit
System Configuration Utility	msconfig
System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately)	sfc /scannow
System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot)	sfc /scanonce
System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot)	sfc /scanboot
System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Setting)	sfc /revert
System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache)	sfc /purgecache
System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to size x)	sfc /cachesize=x
System Properties	sysdm.cpl
Task Manager	taskmgr
Telnet Client	telnet
User Account Management	nusrmgr.cpl
Utility Manager	utilman
Windows Firewall	firewall.cpl
Windows Magnifier	magnify
Windows Management Infrastructure	wmimgmt.msc
Windows System Security Tool	syskey
Windows Update Launches	wupdmgr
Windows XP Tour Wizard	tourstart
Wordpad	write

A look at the new line of Windows Live Hardware

Yesterday, LiveSide posted about about some new Windows Live Hardware that has been announced. Well, the commenters complained about the lack of photos of the products in the post (I'm looking directly at you TheViewMaster and himmel!), so here are some nice photos of the upcoming products for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.

Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000

Microsoft LifeCam VX-1000

Microsoft LifeChat ZX-6000

Microsoft LifeChat LX-3000

Official Japanese Wii box!

Everyone knows that the incredible console, innovative controller, mind-numbing list of launch games and extra features pale in comparison to the all-important box design of a new console. So, without further ado, we present to you: The Box of the Wii!

One thing Nintendo failed to mention (or, at least, we didn't catch) were the colors available at launch. White is the obvious default, but hopefully, we can score at least black for the option. Do you guys like the design? Or can you not stop to worry about this trivial little detail, after all the insanity?

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Nintendo: $213 Wii hitting Japan on December 2

[UPDATE 2] Slightly cheaper, apparently Wii Sports-less console hitting homeland two weeks after US; virtual console pricing of NES, SNES, and N64 games revealed; classic controller sold separately; 27 games by year's end.

At right around the same time that US newspaper reports were revealing details about the US launch of the Wii, Nintendo began holding an event in Tokyo to tell Japanese reporters about its launch plans in their country. (The company will reveal its European launch plans on Friday.)

According to the official Nintendo Web site, the next-gen machine will be slightly cheaper in Japan than in the US. Whereas it will reportedly cost $250 stateside, the console will cost just 25,000 yen (approximately $213) in its land of origin. The console will also arrive slightly later across the Pacific on December 2, versus November 19 in North and South America.

The price difference is partially explainable by the fact that the Japanese Wii is not being bundled with Wii sports, as the Wii is in the US. The Nintendo Web site lists Wii sports as merely being a launch title, and lists it as having a price of 4,800 yen (around $41).

In the US, over 25 Wii games are expected at launch, with first-party titles reportedly costing $50 apiece. In Japan, 16 titles will be available from 10 publishers, and will range in price from 4,800 yen (around $41) to 6,800 yen (about $58). One of those titles will be The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which will retail for 6,800 yen (about $58). In the US, the title will be available by the end of 2006--by which time some 27 games will be available in Japan, according to the Bloomberg news service.

Presiding over the event, Nintendo of Japan president Satoru Iwata unveiled the pricing scheme for classic games playable via the Wii's virtual console and downloadable via its WiiConnect24 service. NES games will cost 500 yen (around $4.25), SNES games will cost 800 yen ($6.80), and N64 games will go for 1,000 yen ($8.50). It did not give pricing for TurboGrafx or Sega Genesis games, which will also be made available. Games can be bought either by credit card or via prepaid point cards much like those used when making Xbox Live Marketplace purchases.

Perhaps more significantly, Nintendo tipped its hand to its Wii virtual-console release schedule. Iwata announced some 30 titles will be available at launch: American press reports said the initial batch of titles would include the obvious choices of Donkey Kong, Mario, and Zelda titles, and the Japanese demonstration showed that other titles, such as R-Type, were also in the works. Nintendo Japan said the number of retro-games available would increase to 60 by the end of the year. After that, the library will grow by 10 titles a month--a pace that far outstrips Xbox Live Arcade's pseudo-weekly release schedule.

According to Nintendo Japan, the Wii console will come with a standard, so-called "Wiimote" controller and corded "nunchaku" attachment. Additional "Wiimotes" will cost 3,800 yen (approx. $32) each if purchased separately, and extra nunchakus will go for 1,800 yen (around $15) a pop. The console will also come with a wrist-strap for the Wiimote, a power cord, a standard A/V cable, a sensor bar, stands for the console and sensor bar, and AA batteries.

The controller (pictured above right) for playing classic games on the Wii will be sold separately for 1,800 yen (around $15). However, for a limited time, consumers who purchase a 5,000 point Wii-point card will receive a classic controller for free. The 5,000 point card will retail for 5,000 yen ($42.50), and 3,000-point (3,000 yen/$25.50), and 1,000-point (1,000 yen/$8.50) cards will also be available. No direct US pricing for Wii point cards was available as of press time.

The Wii announcements proved a mild tonic for Nintendo stock. Shares in the company rose 0.4 percent to close at 23,100 yen ($196.25) on the Nikkei exchange.

Wii to utilize OS that allows updates

During the recent interviews Satoru Iwata conducted with Japanese Wii designers and engineers, Genyo Takeda let slip that the Wii's operating system will be able to receive updates. Takeda, who is general manager of Nintendo's Integrated Research & Development division, let this little nugget slip during the third part of the first interview.

With this being a first for Nintendo as previous systems lacked this feature, the first thing one should do is try to interpret how this could benefit and/or harm Nintendo and their console's users. Of course, the benefits come in the added service of patches and including extra features for gamers. The harm, really, is nonexistent, at least in the eyes of the Wii Fanboy staff. Sure, maybe Nintendo could charge for features or something, but do we honestly expect this to be the case?

Wii steering wheel to make you look like a dork

We aren't shy about our excitement for the upcoming Nintendo Wii. One of the cooler aspects of the console is the fact that different attachments can be stuck onto the controller, such as a gun for the updated Duck Hunt coming out later this year. Ubisoft has just announced that a steering wheel attachment will come for free with their upcoming GT Pro Series game, slated to come out for the holiday season this year. This is sweet. Just imagine how awesome you and your buddies will look, sitting on the couch wildly steering with a wheel in your hand not hooked up to anything. I can't wait to see what other kinds of attachments people dream up for the Wii controller; there certainly are a lot of possibilities there. As usual, we don't know about pricing or the release date for the Wii or its games, but the Nintendo event later this week should hopefully shed some light on those details.

Xataka, via Oh Gizmo!

Rotating fireplace is an understated addition to any living room

Nothing beats a warm fire to keep you toasty during the upcoming winter months. The problem is fireplaces are generally stationary affairs, making you stay in front of them to receive their benefits. However, with this new "Berlin" rotating fireplace, you can have the heat follow you, at least in a couple of directions. The Berlin rotates around its chimney, allowing you to turn it towards you as you go from the living room to the kitchen and vice versa. There's no word on pricing for this thing, but it looks like you need to install a special chimney to use it, not to mention the whole rotating fireplace thing, so I'm sure it ain't cheap.

Berlin, via Gizmodo

Inflatable Iceberg: 15 feet of fun and belly flops

Where was this thing when I was a kid? Or now, for that matter? The Inflatable Iceberg is the biggest, most insane, most awesome pool toy I have ever seen. Inflating to a monster 15 feet above the water, the Inflatable Iceberg is like your own private water park without as much pee in the water. Three of the sides of the iceberg have grips for climbing and are of various stages of difficulty, from beginner to expert. The fourth side is a gigantic water slide to send you plummeting back into the water after your climb. Imagine playing king of the mountain on top of a 15-foot high inflatable pool toy. The fun, the excitement, the possibility of injury and drowning deaths. My God, I want one. If only I had a swimming pool and $8,860, my life would be complete.

Inflatable Iceberg, via Coolest Gadgets

iBreath finally brings a breathalyzer to the iPod

Here's something that we're hoping Apple will include on the true video iPod we're expecting them to announce later today: a breathalyzer that hooks up to your iPod for some reason. Oh, and it also doubles as an FM transmitter. Naturally. Just fold out the little straw and blow for five seconds to see if you're drunk enough to have an excuse to be listening to Journey or if you really just have lousy taste. It seems strange that a breathalyzer would double as an FM transmitter, as once you determine that you're too soused to drive you can stream your music to your car stereo. Wha? In any case, if you're drinking so often that you think a personal breathalyzer is a worthwhile investment, perhaps you should spend that money on a cab to get your drunken ass to AA. The iBreath doesn't have a release date or price yet.

David Steele, via TechEBlog

Chinese luxury car can drive itself, apparently (people run)

Apparently Chinese auto company FAW has developed a car that can drive itself around city streets with no driver necessary. It's been tested at speeds of up to 37 mph, but the company claims it can get going up to 93 mph, which is about 90 mph faster than I feel comfortable with a self-driving car going. It comes loaded with two onboard cameras to make sure it doesn't hit too many schoolchildren and has a computer to handle all the processing that I assume is necessary when a car is driving itself around. It apparently can recognize the environment quite well, including lines in the street, different lighting conditions, and people. Who knows how well this thing can actually do, but I remain highly skeptical. Perhaps if this tech was combined with roads that talk to cars it could become safe. We'll see.

Edmunds, via Born Rich

iPod shuffle rebuttal: the iriver S10

Mere hours after Apple debuted its all-new iPods, Asia-based iriver went for an in-your-face counterattack by announcing its S10 music player, which is about the size of the new iPod shuffle, just 0.4 inch thick. But the S10 bests its iPod rival by covering one side of itself with a 1.15-inch full-color OLED screen. No video playback, unfortunately, but the display along with a simple navigation system should make using the S10 a pleasure. Having a big, colorful screen will suck a player's battery life a little faster than normal, though, and the S10's lasts just 8 hours before dying — far from the greatest in the world, but not as bad as those video iPods either. It supports your standard audio formats (MP3, WMA, Ogg, ASF) and even has more storage space (a whole 2 GB) than the shuffle. But can it beat the baby iPod's bargain-basement price tag? No word on that — or a U.S. release — yet, but if Samsung's recent K5 player is any indication, Apple's rivals are wising up to the cost factor. — Peter Pachal

CNet Asia, via Gizmodo

ViewSonic monitor has iPod dock for some reason

The drive to sick an iPod dock in every device ever continues, this time with a ViewSonic monitor. At first glance this looks to make a lot of sense, as you should be able to watch your precious iTunes-bought movies on a bigger screen than just your iPod's. But you need to have your computer on in order for the monitor to work, so you can just watch the videos through iTunes without needing the iPod plugged in. In fact, there's no video connection at all between the dock and the monitor, so it gives you pretty much the exact same convenience you would get if you stapled a dock to your current model. In any case, the monitor comes in 19- and 22-inch flavors, which are nice, big sizes for you to watch your vaguely Trent Reznoresque eyeliner-rock concert videos. There's no pricing or availability info at the moment.

Bit-Tech, via Gizmodo

AT&T | Cingular | SBC | Bell South | AT&T Wireless - WTF???

Just so we all got this right:

Cingular bought AT&T Wireless, which was a separate entity from the rest of AT&T.

At that point SBC owned 60% of Cingular. The other 40% was owned by Bell South.

SBC bought AT&T and assumed their name. so the new AT&T owned 60% of Cingular.

The new AT&T (SBC and AT&T) is buying Bell South and will now own 100% of Cingular.

Cingular which just changed all the branding from AT&T Wireless to Cingular is now looking at the strong possibility of changing Cingular to AT&T Wireless.

It doesn't make sense - but it will eventually cost us all.

Kentsfield Intel Core 2 quad-core will work in a Mac Pro

Ok Mac fanboys, listen up: if you somehow manage to have two not-yet-released Clovertown Intel Core 2 quad-core chips kicking around and you happen to have recently bought a Mac Pro, you can pop the pair of them right there into your nice little LGA-771 sockets, for some oct-awesome processing power. In fact, that's precisely what the good folks at Anandtech did. They have their silicon-stained paws on some "engineering samples" of the Clovertown chips and dropped them into their Mac Pro. What did they find? Mac OS X didn't hiccup at all, and neither did the other hardware. The CPU Monitor indeed showed all eight processors, but as Anandtech pointed out, there's not much that you can do at this point that will stress all eight processors at once, not unless you're running SETI@Home, Folding@Home and every other distributed processing program you can find -- and even then that probably won't do it.

[Via Slashdot]

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eDonkey Is Dead!!! Killed By RIAA

Today MetaMachine, Inc. settled with the RIAA, agreeing to pay $30 million to avoid potential copyright lawsuits from the recording industry. RIAA chairman and chief executive Mitch Bainwol said of the settlement, "With this new settlement, another domino falls, and we have further strengthened the footing of the legal marketplace." Along with the pay-out, MetaMachine has agreed to "take measures to prevent file-sharing by people using previously downloaded versions of the eDonkey software," which sounds like disabling the installed software remotely. The eDonkey web site has been taken down and replaced with a short message warning against illegal downloading with a distinct RIAA flavor ("Your IP address has been logged.") to it. The eDonkey network itself, of course, is decentralized and will live on as long as people keep using it, and given the popularity of eMule and other alternative clients, its vitality does not seem in jeopardy.

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Flickr supports the new Blogger beta

Blogger and Flickr are not so strange bed-fellows now that Flickr has support for the new Blogger in beta. This is great news for Flickrites (Flickr user) and Bloggerites (Blogger user) alike. It really does help to be both for this to work, just for your information. Flickr uses a secure authentication method and updated their software so it would work with Blogger's new version. You must allow access from your blogger beta blog for Flickr to access it. Your information (user and password) will not be shared with Flickr, to keep your Google account more secure. Flickr will even redirect you to Google to setup access to your blog. Pretty slick indeed, don't you think?

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AT&T web TV

AT&T made an announcement Tuesday that it will be launching an internet television service that will allow people that subscribe to watch 20 channels online. The new channels named AT&T Broadband TV will include Fox News and the Weather Channel. The service will be available to those that subscribe to the AT&T high speed at $19.99/month, for US customers only. There is a lot of competition in this area, including major Google and YouTube video channels, so it should be interesting to see how AT&T decides to distinguish itself from the market leaders.

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Korea's new fiber may give us all serious broadband

We all knew this would happen someday. Maybe it isn't quite available the whole world yet, but Korea is certainly getting there. What am I talking about? High speed fiber to your house at 1 Gbps and beyond. They have also varied the frame length so they can fit 512 users on a single line instead of the previous 16. Sure, we've heard it all before, but now that it may be a commercial possibility because of new technology, we will begin to push the limits once again of what is possible. This mega-bandwidth will change the world in ways we never thought possible. For one thing doctors will be able to perform operations from remote distances. There are many applications of the technology in the commercial sector, not to mention for consumers. What would you do with 1 Gbps of throughput at your disposal?

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International Bathroom Signs - Pick Yours!

MEN ONLY	WOMEN ONLY	GAY MEN	GAY WOMEN
BISEXUAL MEN	BISEXUAL WOMEN	CROSS DRESSER PREFERS WOMEN	CROSS DRESSER PREFERS MEN
OVERWEIGHT MEN	OVERWEIGHT WOMEN	OVERWEIGHT GAY MEN	OVERWEIGHT GAY WOMEN
OVERWEIGHT BISEXUAL MEN	OVERWEIGHT BISEXUAL WOMEN	OVERWEIGHT CROSS DRESSER PREFERS WOMEN	OVERWEIGHT CROSS DRESSER PREFERS MEN
BISEXUAL OVERWEIGHT CROSS DRESSER	BULIMIC MEN	BULIMIC WOMEN	GAY BULIMIC MEN
GAY BULIMIC WOMEN	BISEXUAL BULIMIC MEN	BISEXUAL BULIMIC WOMEN	BULIMIC CROSS DRESSER THAT PREFERS MEN
BULIMIC CROSS DRESSER THAT PREFERS WOMEN	BISEXUAL BULIMIC CROSS DRESSER

New iPod Line

 

A thinner design. Five stylish colors. A brighter display. Up to 24 hours of battery life. Just about the only thing that hasn’t changed is the name. In 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB models starting at $149, iPod nano puts up to 2,000 songs in your pocket.⁽¹⁾

Look like a rock star

Your music says a lot about you. So should your iPod nano. A super-slim design says you always have room for music — up to 2,000 songs, in fact. Durable anodized aluminum says you won’t let the rough and tumble of everyday life ruin your groove. And one of five colors says whatever you want. Choose your hue and make a statement.

Carry a tune (or 2,000)

Choose a 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB iPod nano and add a soundtrack to your life. Just use iTunes to import your CDs, shop for 99¢ songs on the iTunes Store, then sync them to iPod nano. Possibly the world’s coolest photo album, iPod nano holds up to 25,000 snapshots.⁽²⁾ iPod nano plays audiobooks and podcasts from the iTunes Store, too.

Play more encores

Imagine what you could do in a day. Fly around the world. Watch two sunsets. Listen to your iPod nano. Up to 24 hours of battery life⁽³⁾ means the hits just keep on coming. Whether you’re exercising, commuting, or rocking a road trip, iPod nano may just outplay you.

Light up the stage

While it can't stop the rain, iPod nano might make your day a bit brighter. 40% brighter, to be exact. Album art pops and slideshows stun on the iPod nano’s dazzling display. That means everything looks as good as it sounds.

Apple Refreshes Entire iPod Lineup

At a special event in San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts, Apple on Tuesday introduced two new iPods, which sport a 60% brighter screen, as well as a refreshed iPod nano and iPod shuffle.

Available in 30GB and 80GB models, the new iPod features increase battery life that ups video playback from 2 hours to 3.5 hours. The 80GB iPod can play video for 6.5 hours, Apple says. Other new features include gapless playback and instant searching by letter.

Apple has additionally added game support to the iPod. Users can purchase games from the iTunes Store for $4.99 USD each, and play them using the device's scroll wheel. The company has partnered with EA and others to make available titles such as Mahjong, Pac Man, Tetris, and Texas Hold 'Em.

New headphones, which Apple has been developing for 18 months, will come standard with the new iPod. The 30GB iPod is priced at $249 USD, with the 80GB version running $349 USD.

The diminutive iPod nano, meanwhile, has received a makeover that includes an aluminum body like the older iPod mini, as well as a range of colors including green, silver, blue, black and pink. Battery life on the nano has been increased to 24 hours, and the device will receive the same new software features as the larger iPod.

The new iPod nano is available now in three models: 2GB silver for $149, 4GB in any color except black for $199, and a 8GB black model for $249 USD.

Apple's screen-less iPod shuffle also was refreshed Tuesday. The second generation version is now the size of the iPod radio remote and includes a full metal body with white click wheel. The player comes with a USB 2.0 dock and features a 12 hour battery life.

The iPod shuffle will be available only in a 1GB model, which Apple says is the world's smallest MP3 player, for $79 USD. It includes headphones and will begin shipping in October.

Apple Adds Movies to iTunes Store

As expected, Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced "one more thing" on Tuesday: movie downloads through iTunes. Customers will initially have access to 75 films, with more being added each week. For now, however, only movies from Disney will be offered.

Disney-owned studios, including Disney itself, Pixar, Touchstone and Miramax are among those offering the first movies on iTunes. New releases will cost $12.99 USD when pre-ordered and during the first week, later rising to $14.99 USD.

Older library titles will cost $9.99 USD. Once downloaded, users will own the films indefinitely, and they will not expire like on other subscription-based services. However, the movies cannot be burned to DVD for watching on a TV.

Jobs said the movies are "near DVD quality" with a resolution of 640x480. With a cable Internet connection, downloading will take about 30 minutes, and customers can watch the films as they are downloading. Dolby Surround audio is included in each movie.

For now, the offering will be United States only, but Apple hopes to offer movies internationally sometime next year once it can work out the licensing issues. Users can watch trailers of the movies via iTunes before purchasing.

Nokia E62 Gets Warner Bros. Content

In an era that was supposed to have been defined by high-definition content -- at least, according to plan -- it is low-definition deals that are at the center of attention this day.

Not to be outdone by Apple and Disney agreeing to make Disney studios' movies available through iTunes, Warner Bros. today announced an agreement with mobile phone producer Nokia to make Warner and affiliated studios' content available through Nokia handsets' built-in portal, called Content Discoverer.

Introduced last June, the Discoverer feature was developed to hard-wire Nokia's revenue stream from content providers that want prominent position on customer equipment. At the time of introduction, Nokia announced its platform would include prominent placement for such providers as Jamster, whose corporate parent, VeriSign, just today announced it would be sold to Fox parent News Corp.

Today, Nokia sweetened the pot for Warner by announcing the release of the E62, a low-cost, color-screen, wireless e-mail, EDGE handset. The device features the S60 interface, a Symbian-based product that Nokia says reaches over 20 million customers worldwide. The E62's suggested US sales price will be $149.99 USD, and will for now only be sold through Cingular Wireless.

As the US version of the existing E61 already popular in Europe, the E62 features a 320 x 200 screen and a full, backlit QWERTY keyboard.

It could become the lowest priced alternative yet to the popular BlackBerry. Unlike the Research in Motion design, the E62 will make use of Cingular's EDGE network for high-speed wireless services. Good Technology -- the company that gambled on Research in Motion losing its patent case, and which lost that bet -- will be using Nokia's E62 as a means for re-stating its value proposition.

Today, Good announced it will be Nokia's and Cingular's e-mail service carrier, with Mobile Messaging software that promises to remain compatible with information shared from Microsoft Outlook and Lotus Notes.

And when e-mail gets you down, soon you'll be able to watch a classic Looney Tunes or Hanna-Barbera cartoon, as both are examples of the type of Warner content perhaps best suited for this device.

The E62's low price suggests Nokia's revenues from cell phones can now come from more sources than just carriers such as Cingular. For the time being, Warner content will premiere on Nokia systems in Europe and Asia, making their way soon to E62 users and others in the United States.

The fact that the recently released Superman Returns was listed among the content items customers may see, gives us the clearest clues Nokia has to offer about timing: Asia and Europe customers will probably see this service in November, based on the usual cinematic product cycle, with U.S. service likely following shortly thereafter.

80% of launch PS3s will ship with HDMI

If you do manage to get your hands on one of the 400,000 Playstation 3's expected to be available in North America at launch, there is a very good chance you'll be buying one of the $600 60GB, HDMI & Wi-Fi-equipped (but no HDMI-cable) editions. This information of an 80/20 split in launch availability comes courtesy of an analyst who met with "Sony Playstation management", that also confirmed that despite the recent change in launch estimates, Sony thinks the blue laser diode shortage will be history by January 2007 and they'll be able to produce 1.2 million Playstation 3s (plus however many BDP-S1s, BWU-100As etc.) every month. Also of note was his expectation that Sony will put their online service on display at the Tokyo Game Show, including an internet browser and "full music and video downloads". We've been enjoying high-def streaming and HD downloads from Xbox Live Marketplace for almost a year, Sony needs to prove they can put together an interface and content package that matches up.

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Apple To Release iTV Video Streaming Box In 2007

In an unusual turn of events, Apple has pre-announced a wireless video streaming set-top box to be released in Q1 2007 with the tag line "you can take content to your computer or iPod, but now... TV." Going by the codeword of iTV, the box looks like a flattened Mac mini -- apparently it's around half the height -- and features a built-in power supply, USB 2.0, Ethernet, 802.11 "wireless component video", optical audio and HDMI ports, plus regular ol' RCA stereo audio ports. Controllable by the standard Apple remote, the iTV will come with an updated version of the Front Row interface that shares Front Row's smooth 3D graphics, but differs in that it has a menu on the right side of the screen. Apparently it'll work with both iTunes on both PCs and Macs, and will sell for $299.

Biodiesel to drive up the price of cooking oil

If you think the high price of gas has been irritating, wait until you see the cost of french fries.

The popularity of biodiesel--made from vegetable matter intead of fossil fuels--"will tighten the supply of vegetable oils," William Camp, executive vice president of Archer Daniels Midland, said during a presentation at the ThinkEquity Partners Growth Conference in San Francisco.

Because agricultural prices typically fluctuate with supply levels, the vegetable oil shortage could cause food prices to rise.

Martin Tobias, CEO of Seattle-based biodiesel start-up Imperium Renewables, agreed. Vegetable oil prices have declined in the past three weeks because projected demand for biodiesel has come down from the speculative levels achieved a few weeks ago. Nonetheless, lowered levels of projected demand still seem destined to make supply difficult.

"I do think there will be a crimp in vegetable oil supplies in three to five years," said Tobias, who once worked at Microsoft.

According to Camp, part of the problem is the amount of oil required. It takes 7.5 pounds of oil to make one gallon of biodiesel.

Next, add the expansion plans. Archer Daniels Midland has already installed capacity to produce 300 million gallons of biodiesel in Europe and 135 million gallons in the U.S. It plans to open a plant to turn soybeans into biodiesel in Missouri and one to turn canola oil into biodiesel in North Dakota. Oils currently exported for food will get consumed domestically as fuel, Camp predicted.

Imperium says it will be capable of producing 100 million gallons per year by the second quarter of next year and is in the midst of negotiating the purchase of large tracts of land for refining biodiesel in North and South America.

Biodiesel's growing share
Right now, biodiesel doesn't total so much as a rounding error in the overall diesel market, Tobias said. About 62 billion gallons of diesel are consumed annually in the U.S. and 85 billion gallons are consumed in Europe. The total worldwide biodiesel production is 75 million gallons.

Biodiesel, however, should grow to 2 billion gallons in the U.S and 2.5 billion gallons in Europe by 2010, he said. Regulations reducing greenhouse gases are driving demand in both markets. At the tailpipe, biodiesel puts out 43 percent less carbon monoxide and 55 percent fewer particulates.

Biodiesel, if made correctly, can also be less expensive than standard diesel, Tobias said. Most biodiesel manufacturers churn out the fuel for about $64 a barrel. A barrel of Imperium is equivalent to a barrel of crude at $54.5. Next year, Imperium will drop prices to $30 to $40 a barrel. The government currently pays a 99 cents-per-gallon subsidy to biodiesel manufacturers.

"We've been cheaper than diesel for the year," he said. "At $30 to $40 crude equivalent, we should be able to compete with crude all day long."

Imperium's prices are lower because they can use a variety of feedstocks. The company can make biodiesel out of palm, canola or soybean oil. Palm is the cheapest to buy, but the refining is a bit more complex.

Also, Imperium produces its biodiesel in a pressurized vat rather than an open vat, as some providers do. And by locating its plants near seaports, the company puts its biodiesel on tankers and ships it more cheaply. Refiners in the Midwest have to rely on trucks.

Biodiesel, Tobias further asserted, is a better alternative than ethanol. The capital expenditure is about 50 cents per gallon for biodiesel and $2 per gallon for ethanol. Biodiesel is also compatible with existing diesel trucks and buses. Gas-powered cars can handle only a small amount of ethanol and only a few high-ethanol cars are on the market.

Next year, European car manufacturers will bring to the U.S. more clean diesel cars, which produce fewer fumes than conventional diesel-engine cars. Clean diesels can also run on biodiesel, producing even fewer fumes.

"A clean diesel gets better mileage than a hybrid," he said.

Anna Nicole Gives Birth to Daughter, Loses Son

In a strange twist of events, Anna Nicole Smith gave birth to a healthy baby girl on Thursday in the Bahamas, but lost her 20-year-old son yesterday. Daniel Smith, died suddenly on Sunday in the Bahamas and no word on the details of his death. Anna's lawyer, Howard K. Stern issued this statement:

"We have yet to learn the cause of death but do not believe that drugs or alcohol were a factor. Anna Nicole is absolutely devastated by the loss of her son. He was her pride and joy and an amazing human being."

I'm still trying to wrap my thoughts around this one. It's sad and disturbing, because we haven't been told the cause of death. It's actually quite shocking and even though Anna is a wreck, we send good thoughts her way! Why was she giving birth in the Bahamas?

Source

Memory-Tech and Toshiba Announce Three-Layer TWIN Format Disc for DVD and HD DVD

Memory-Tech and Toshiba Announce Latest Advance in Single-Sided, Three-Layer TWIN Format Disc for DVD and HD DVD; New Disc Supports High Capacities of Both Standard DVD and HD DVD on a Single Disc

TOKYO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 11, 2006--Memory-Tech Corporation and Toshiba Corporation today announced the latest advance in DVD disc technology: a jointly developed, single-sided, three-layer ROM disc supporting high capacity storage and playback of both DVD and HD DVD formats.

The newly announced disc is the latest addition to the DVD TWIN format, discs that support both DVD and HD DVD content and that are fully compatible with both formats. The new disc boosts capacity and expands versatility with a three-layer structure offering support for two HD DVD layers and one DVD layer or two DVD layers and one HD DVD layer. Memory-Tech and Toshiba will propose the new disc to the HD DVD Forum, the industry body that defines DVD standards.

In a two-layer HD DVD configuration, the new TWIN disc has a 30GB HD DVD capacity, plus 4.7GB of standard DVD capacity. Configured to maximize standard DVD content, the disc can support 8.5GB on two layers, plus 15GB of HD DVD content on the third layer. DVD content can be played back on a standard DVD player, while HD DVD players can play back both formats.

Memory-Tech and Toshiba together proposed the DVD/HD DVD TWIN to the DVD Forum in 2004, as a transitional format able to support both standard DVD and HD DVD content. The single-sided, dual-layer TWIN disc was adopted as part of the HD DVD specifications, and has found wide application since HD DVD players and PC drives were launched in the Japanese and North American markets in March this year. One advantage is its ability to support both standard definition and high definition versions of a movie, allowing users to play it back now on present DVD players, and to enjoy the high definition version once they upgrade to an HD DVD player.

The only drawback with the first generation TWIN disc was its limited capacity: support for 15GB of HD DVD content and 4.7GB of DVD content. The new 3-layer disc meets demand from movie studios and software companies in North America and Japan for a capacity boost, and offers double the maximum capacity for each format.

The new disc also maintains two defining features of the HD DVD format: a low cost and highly efficient manufacturing process. Memory-Tech has developed a new disc manufacturing procedure that adds an additional process to form the third layer, but does so on the same disc replication machines that can be used for DVD and HD DVD mass production.

Major content companies have welcomed the new format.

"We have been releasing TWIN Format titles since April," said Mr Hideki Oyagi, General Manager, Visual Entertainment Department, PONY CANYON INC. "We are getting very positive feedback from the market, and our TWIN Format titles are selling better than anticipated. The new 3-layer TWIN Format will allow us to develop even more products and I am sure it will accelerate acceptance of the HD DVD format in the market. We welcome the fact that the new format will be accepted as part of HD DVD family format in the near future."

"We offer our congratulations on the announcement of the new 3-layer TWIN Format," said Mr Kazuo Sakai, Program Vice President, Digital Entertainment Partner Program, Microsoft Corporation. "We're hoping the new format finds wide acceptance and supports content development, and promotes consumer adoption of HD DVD."

Memory-Tech and Toshiba will propose the new format to the DVD Forum and develop reliable disc manufacturing process together. Memory-Tech and Toshiba will introduce the new format to content providers and develop new business opportunities together with studio partners.

Pyramid Clock: Look Ra, No Hands

Tell time like an Egyptian with this Pyramid Clock by Brando. There are no hands on this clock, just three rotating pieces. The top represents seconds, the middle minutes, and the bottom hours. The marker on the base indicates what time it is "now", as you read up the clock. Fifteen bucks gets you this desk gadget. – Jason Chen

Pyramid Clock [Brando]

Pre-order Wiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!

Yes! The Nintendo Wii is officially on preorder! And the best part? It looks like you don't have to put any money down - at all. Many sites have had Wii game preorders for quite some time, but Liksang may be the first to allow pre-orders on the console.

With no money down (just like the Real Estate) I'm not sure how committed Liksang will be to getting you a console right away at launch, but for those who can't wait to play with the Wii, this may be a good option. – Mark Wilson

Preorder Wii thanks Adam!

The Sony mylo's first street review

While the Sony mylo isn't really meant for your lap (we envision it as more of a dual-handed device -- or, erm, "dual-core," if you will), Laptop nonetheless decided to take 'er for a spin -- one of the first in-the-wild reviews that we've seen since our recent unboxing. The verdict? It's a cute little curvaceous piece of hardware that does what it advertises -- you can surf the web, Skype, IM, and play back media from it all with ease (they even claim it plays back WMA "secure", i.e. PlaysForSure, which we somehow highly doubt). But the mylo isn't the be-all Sidekick killer that Sony would surely like it to be. The magazine described the keyboard as too small and cramped for their liking and added that the mylo didn't handle all web pages perfectly (specifically the image-heavy MySpace, whose denizens Sony is aiming at) on its 2.4-inch display. This led us to wonder if we'll start seeing mylo-friendly webpages in the near future, but nevertheless, we still think Engadget looks best on the biggest screen in your house.

Tags: mylo, myspace, sidekick, sony

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Sharing photos with Photoblog

Photoblog is a nice little tool to create a photo blog of daily life. It is a free web app for sharing and organizing personal photos. The Photoblog service is still in beta, but it is extremely easy to use and simple to get around. The interface is clean and easy to navigate though setting up entries. Upon logging in, users can create or edit entries, and create a member profile. Friends can be added, so you can keep constant tabs on what pictures they have added to their profiles. Uploading and creating entries is a piece of cake. Categories can be made to make sure your photo albums are kept organized. You can also view photoblogs from other members. Overall, great tool and you can't be the sticker price of free.

[via eHub]

The main user control panel. Very easy to add entries.

Adding new entries through the control panel.

Viewing other members photoblog entries.

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Cuckoo IP

This is certainly a new application of the cuckoo clock. Cuckoo IP was created by a college student who wanted his cuckoo clock to play back voicemail to him. The clock has a designated voicemail number you can call from anywhere and leave a message. You then give the message a time of delivery and your part is done. Meanwhile, the clock is checking every minute to see if there is a new message. If a message has arrived, it retrieves it and at the time it's supposed to be delivered, the cuckoo will emerge from the clock and play back the voicemail. Super cool.

Cuckoo IP [WMMNA via Boing Boing]

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