Video distribution coming to Japan Wiis early 2009, overseas later

Starting early next year, Nintendo will be joining the ranks of its fellow console makers in offering a video distribution service through the Wii. According to Nikkei business daily, The House of Mario will team up with Dentsu, Inc. to offer cartoons and other programs created specifically for the service, and since they're using the phrase "new revenue stream," we doubt it's gonna be offered gratis. Videophiles shouldn't expect much magic, either, given the console's 512MB memory limit and 480p max resolution. The service will launch first in Japan and head overseas later. Hey Nintendo, if you really want to emulate your competition, how about an online social network that doesn't require long strings of integers?

AT&T letting go of 8GB refurb iPhone 3Gs for $99 on contract

Ha, you or someone you love just paid full retail for an iPhone 3G a few days ago, didn't you? We've always heard that the best deals come after Christmas, but people just never learn. All smack talk aside, those who didn't get a new cellie under the tree, but did acquire a Benjamin or so courtesy of cash-stuffed holiday cards, can certainly score a big deal today. AT&T is now offering the 8GB iPhone 3G in refurbished form for just $99 with a two-year agreement, while the 16GB refurb is $199 on contract in either black or white. Call us crazy, but we don't foresee these hanging around in stock for too awfully long.

Dell Adamo rumored to boast DisplayPort, Blu-ray drive

Can you feel it? Dell's Adamo is just about here, and the anticipation is palpable. We already learned that the unit's 45-watt power adapter wouldn't be anything special, but a Google cache shot of accessories and such from Dell's own website is giving us a presumed look at what could be announced alongside the ultraportable. For starters, we get the impression that it'll boast DisplayPort (judging by the DisplayPort-to-HDMI / VGA / etc. adapters) and at least have an option for a 2x Blu-ray combo drive. We're also seeing 250GB / 500GB internal / external SATA drives and an auto / air adapter for powering the machine in your vehicle / personally owned 747. Only the suits in Round Rock know if these will actually come to fruition, but honestly, why bother hosting these up on your website if they weren't on the way?

Keepin' it real fake, part CLXXII: QQ spins iriver SPINN into lookalike K819

Man, these guys and gals are quick. Just weeks after we were finally able to hold an iriver SPINN in our own palms, along comes this marvel from China-based QQ. The K819 unashamedly apes the most telling design characteristics of iriver's latest, though the phony does come in multiple hues while boasting "high-grade texture" and oodles of "elegance and style." To be honest, we're not so sure any of these images are more than mere renders, though QQ does promise a 3.0-inch WQVGA display, MP4 support and guaranteed humiliation from your pals.

Art Lebedev outthinks the room with square Luxofor traffic lights

We can only imagine that at least a few staffers over at Art Lebedev Studios get paid to do nothing but conjure up ideas, because this one is just marvelous. And marvelously simple, but that's beside the point. The Luxofor traffic light concept improves upon a nearly archaic design that still relies on spherical fixtures when there's really no need. Lebedev's team asserts that using square lights backed with bright laser diodes would make better use of the available space and provide a more noticeable signal to drowsy motorists. The roar of "why didn't I think of that?" being simultaneously stated is downright deafening.

ClarionMiND MID on sale in the US for $649.99

Americans have been waiting with bated breath for months on end for Clarion's MiND mobile internet device to launch, and just as we were promised in September, said device is finally on sale in the month of November. Available in black, red or white hues, the MID boasts a 4.8-inch WVGA (800 x 480) touchscreen, preloaded maps of the entire US and Canada, built-in RealPlayer, Linux OS, an Intel Atom CPU, 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, Firefox browser, Bluetooth 2.0 / WiFi, a microSD card slot, 2 USB ports and a battery good for around 1.5-hours of usage. Pop one under the tree for that someone special in your life for just $649.99. Or get them a full-fledged netbook for less, your call.

Purported Dell 23-inch SP2309 LCD monitor leaked, tasty specs and all

We could tell from the past couple of Dell LCDs that the Round Rock powerhouse was moving in this direction in terms of design, but it's the specifications that have us most captivated on this one. We've received word that the above pictured SP2309 will boast a 23-inch 16:9 panel with a wicked 2,048 x 1,152 native resolution, an 80,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio, 98% color gamut (NTSC, we presume), 2-millisecond response time, 2-megapixel camera (with microphone) and VGA / DVI / HDMI inputs. We're hearing that it should be available for purchase later this month, though pricing details remain a mystery.

Standard Dell mouse gets GSR electrode implant

Looking to spark up a makeshift psychology lab in the basement of your house? Look no further than the galvanic skin response computer mouse. For those unaware, GSR electrodes can gather data about human interactions with computers, though most rigs are so invasive that test subjects end up freaking out rather than passing on useful information. This non-obtrusive method relies on a device that the vast majority of computer users already use (that'd be a mouse), and by simply installing the sensors into the left and right click buttons, you're left with an analyzing tool that may not even tip off your kid sister, significant other, or your most favorite poker pal. At any rate, hit the read link to get your mad scientist on.

Western Digital My Passport Studio: now with FireWire 800

Western Digital announced a new member of their wannabe-buddies-with-Mac My Passport Studio line today -- it's the exact same drive as the previous Studio model, only this one comes etched with your favorite character from "Friends" on it! Not really: it's got a FireWire 800 port in addition to the old hat FireWire 400 and USB interfaces, perfect for those brand new MacBook Pro owners -- if they have any cash left, that is. The 400GB model is going to run you $229.99, 500GB will be $249.99, and they're available now.

Intel Core i7 benchmarks make Core 2 Extreme look like a washed up has been

Presumably in an (utterly futile) attempt to bring down the power grid all around the Mediterranean, print magazine PC World Greece benchmarked three powerful Nehalem desktop processors -- the Core i7 Extreme Edition 965, and the apparently non-extreme Core i7 920 and 940. Names aside, performance from all three was extreme compared to most stuff currently on the market. The data for number nerds: in 3DMark06 the 920 finished ever-so-slightly behind the Core 2 Extreme QX9770's 4,922 marks with 4,818 while the 940 and the 965 both opened a can of you-know-what at 5,282 and 5,716 respectively. More titillating figures await enthusiasts through the read link, but for you normal folk only concerned that Nehalem wouldn't be fast enough to justify an upgrade (and you weren't), rest assured that it triumphed in this no-holds-barred CPU cage match.

iPhone software 2.2 features Google Street View, mass transit directions

The T-Mobile G1's Google Maps Street View implementation is one of the slickest features of the first Android phone, but it looks like Apple's going to keep feature parity the latest builds of iPhone OS 2.2 seeded to developers have Street View, as well as the ability to give mass transit directions. That's pretty useful for cityfolk like us and we're also stoked that line-in audio is now supported in the SDK, giving devs the ability to create voice recorders and other interesting audio apps. Of course, there's no word on when 2.2 will actually arrive, but until then we suppose we'll live with regular, non-data-augmented streets. Lots of screenshots of the new features at the read link.

USI introduces MID-160, 'world's thinnest' with an Atom

Size definitely matters for MIDs, what with the whole Mobile moniker in there, but features matter too, and USI's upcoming MID-160 offers most of the important ones. It's got a 5-inch 800 x 480 touch-screen, connectivity over 802.11b/g as well as HSDPA and WiMAX, plus GPS and Bluetooth, served by an (unspecified) Atom processor and 512MB of RAM with 8GB of flash storage (expandable via microSD). All that's delivered in a package just 15mm in thickness and 250 grams in heft, but sadly missing one thing we tend to use a lot when surfing the web: a keyboard. Nokia's N810 WiMAX Edition has one, plus most of the other goods (lacking the Atom and 8GB of storage), yet manages to be just as thin and even lighter -- not to mention available right now. By contrast we have no information on availability or price for MID's sleek, but perhaps unnecessary, successor to the M-150.

AMD rolls out budget-minded ATI Radeon HD 4830 graphics card

It's not quite a $39 graphics card but, at "less than $150," AMD's new ATI Radeon HD 4830 is still quite the bargain compared to ATI's higher-end offerings, and you'll get a good deal more oomph for those extra bucks. That includes a 256-bit GDDR3 memory interface (the actual amount of memory will vary from card to card), an impressive 640 stream processing units, AMD's second generation Unified Video Decoder for improved HD video playback, DirectX 10.1 support, two dual-link DVI ports, and, of course, support for ATI's CrossFireX technology. What's more, while AMD isn't willing to mention any specific prices below $150, The Tech Report has already turned up one card from MSI that's selling for just $120 after a $10 rebate and, if you're looking for a bit more information to inform your purchase, you can check out their review and benchmarks by htiting up the link below.

3G-enabled Archos 5 and Eee PC 901 announced by French wireless carrier SFR

You don't see a lot of PMPs or netbooks out there with carrier branding, but both the Archos 5 and the Eee PC have gotten themselves 3G-enabled recently, and French wireless company SFR isn't wasting any time with the silkscreen machine it's just announced subsidized versions of both. The Archos 5 3G+ comes dressed in sharp new black suit and features a smaller 30GB drive to go with its integrated 3G modem and custom SFR menu items you're looking at €249 ($320) with a monthly data fee of €19 ($24) for existing SFR customers or €24 ($30) for new subs. More or less the same deal with the Eee 901: you're getting the familiar 1.6GHz Atom with 1GB of RAM, a 16GB SSD, and an integrated 3G modem for €279 ($358) with €29 ($37) / €34 ($43) monthly contract fees.

Apple's MacBook gets a fresh face, NVIDIA graphics, original drops to $999

Apple's taking all that new MacBook Pro love and shrinking it down to size for the all-new MacBook. The laptop includes those same NVIDIA 9400M graphics, Mini DisplayPort plug, new manufacturing method, backlit keyboard and fancy glass trackpad of its big sibling, but does it with a 13.3-inch LED-backlit screen and typically friendly MacBook pricepoints. The laptop is 0.5 pounds lighter than its plastic predecessor, 0.95-inches thick, and Apple's also claiming 5 hours of battery life here, but we'll have to wait and see how realistic that number is. The base model weighs in at $1299 with a 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor, while $1599 gets you 4GB of RAM and a 320GB HDD. There's also an SSD option if you're really looking to splurge. If none of the new speed or style appeals to you, Apple's also slashing its existing low-end MacBook to $999, which is still a bit steep if you ask us. Hit the jump for a breakdown of the configurations.

D-Link debuts SharePort packing DIR-825 dual band router

It's pretty tough for a wireless router to stand out from the pack these days, but D-Link's new DIR-825 models looks to at least make an admirable stab at it, with it not only boasting dual-band capabilities to pump out 2.4GHz and 5Ghz signals simultaneously, but some fancy USB sharing as well. That latter bit comes in the form of D-Link's trademark SharePort technology, which will let you plug in any USB printer or storage device and access 'em from any computer on the network. The router is also supposedly "optimized for HD video streaming" and, according to D-Link, it'll also out-perform most other Draft N routers in general and save the planet in the process. Sold? You can snag one now for $200 even. Those that already have an 802.11n D-Link router (namely, the DIR-628, DIR-655, DIR-855, or DGL-4500) may want to think twice, however, as they can now add SharePort support to their existing router with nothing more than a firmware update, which is already available on D-Link's website.

Apple now selling iPhone 3G unlocked in Hong Kong

If you can't get your goods into China via the front door, there's always the back. Apple is now selling its iPhone 3G unlocked via its on-line Apple Store in Hong Kong. The 8GB model sells for HK$5,500 (about US$694) or HK$6,200 (about $797) for the 16 gigger. Already available since July 11th with a local Hutchison Telecommunications contract, this is the first time that Apple has sold its device unlocked in Hong Kong.

Palm Treo Pro now shipping

Listen up all you Palm Treo Pro hopefuls, your pre-order unit is now shipping with Palm's on-line store showing in stock availability. At least one tipster received a confirmation email saying his unlocked, $549 obsidian-black Treo is in the mail. Hell, Palm even did him a solid and expedited the order overnight instead of the 6-10 day standard shipment originally selected.

GE intros E1055W, E1050TW and A1030 point and shoots

Hurry on over! We had originally thought that Kodak had this award in the bag, but now that General Imaging (GE) has pumped out a trio of cameras that nearly put us to sleep, we'd say the race for the lamest introduction at Photokina is officially back on. Up first on the chopping block is the E1055W, a GE-branded point-and-shoot with a 3-inch LCD monitor, 10.1-megapixel sensor, blink / smile detection and a 5x optical zoom. Following that is the E1050TW, which packs most of the same hardware but also includes a 720p movie mode. Lastly, we've got the 10-megapixel A1030, which features a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD.

Dell's Studio Hybrid torn down for kicks and giggles

We've only one thing to say here: it's about time! Dell's Studio Hybrid has been shuffling around for well over a month, and we're just now seeing someone with the nerve to take a putty knife to this cute 'lil desktop and photograph its innards for all to see. As expected, there ain't much breathing room in the 7.7- x 2.8- x 8.3-inch box, but there's a smattering of pictures and a full disassembly video waiting in the read link below. Go on and look, sicko.

Lexar kicks out Eye-Fi powered Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card, other less interesting flash cards

We'd heard Lexar and Eye-Fi were getting snuggly back in January, and look at that -- nine months later the Lexar Shoot-n-Sync WiFi SD card has arrived on our doorstep. The 2GB card is basically just a Lexar-branded Eye-Fi Share, so you pretty much already know how it works -- you shoot, it uploads -- and it's even the same $99 price, so yeah, yawn. Hopefully these two will do something a little more interesting now that they've gotten used to working together. Lexar also kicked out a number of other cards, including a new 4GB Memory Stick Micro M2 card, a 16GB Platinum II 60x SDHC card, and a 16GB Platinum II 80x CompactFlash card -- no pricing or availability on any of those yet.

HTC's US Touch Diamond now shipping from Best Buy

It's no shock to see a US 3G-enabled Touch Diamond showing up at Best Buy (unlike the hamstrung sibling over at CompUSA) -- though we can't say we were expecting the big box retailer to start shipping this soon. If its website is to be believed (read: don't book it just yet), the unlocked Touch Diamond 3G you're about to order for $699.99 will leave Best Buy's warehouse within one business day. If that's not cool with you, you can also pick it up "at most stores." Shame there's no white option listed...

Canon's PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS for 'trendsetting techies'

Finishing off Canon's new gear launches today are the PowerShot SD990 IS and SD880 IS Digital Elph series of cameras. Both start with optical image stabilization and Canon's new DIGIC 4 image processor. The $400 SD990 IS then sprinkles in a 14.7 megapixel sensor, 3.7x optical zoom, and 2.5-inch LCD while the $300 SD880 IS drops the sensor to 10 megapixels while boosting the LCD and Zoom a bit to 3-inches and 4x, respectively. Both should land for retail sometime in October.

Sony stuns with SRX-T110 / SRX-T105 4k x 2k projectors

Picking up where the SRX-R220 left off, Sony's new SRX-T110 / SRX-T105 4k x 2k projectors are likely headed right to a museum, cinema (lucky!), or "digital planetarium" near you. Each SXRD device touts a staggering 4,096 x 2,160 native resolution and contrast ratios of 2,500:1. Separately, the T110 comes in much brighter than the T105, offering 11,000 lumens over the latter's 5,500. Those of you hoping to sneak one of these into your home cinema without placing too heavy a burden on the plastic Centurion will probably be disappointed; the T110 will ring up at ¥12.7 million ($120,460), while the T105 demands ¥8.3 million ($78,725). Both should arrive in Japan this November.

SSD shootout, round II: OCZ, Super Talent and Mtron do battle

If you'll recall, a slew of prohibitively expensive SSDs were pit against one another last summer in a battle royale of pricey HDD replacements. Fast forward a year and change, and the barrier to entry for one of these heralded devices has dropped significantly. That being the case, we've a feeling HotHardware's latest shootout will be a whole lot more relevant for the average joe / jane. The aforementioned test simultaneously reviews the OCZ Core Series 64GB MLC, OCZ 64GB Standard SLC, Super Talent MasterDrive MX 64GB MLC and the Mtron MSP 7500 32GB SLC. Interestingly, the writeup didn't conclude with a medal ceremony, but rather, it elaborated on the merits of each and where it would likely fit best. You know what that means -- time to bust out the spectacles and get to readin'.

iPhone 2.1 update is out: bug fixes and longer battery life promised

You made it. Three full battery charges and three full days of buggy 2.0.2 firmware later and the 2.1 software is now available for download. Remember, this "big update" comes with Steve's personal promise of "fewer call drops... significantly improved battery life for most customers... fixed a lot of bugs where if you have a lot of apps on the phone you're not going to get some of the crashes we've seen... backing up to iTunes is dramatically faster." We'll see.

Official: iPod nano reaches 4G, looks tall for its age

Well well. Can't say we're surprised to be telling you about the new 4th generation iPod nano. As we heard, 9 colors, bigger $149 8GB and $199 16GB capacity, and wider 2-inch display under the control of an accelerometer for automatic switching between portrait and landscape modes like those early Canon PowerShots and uh, oh right, the iPod touch and iPhone. Looks just like the spy shots eh? Steve calls it the thinnest iPod ever with new Genius playlist, shake to shuffle feature, and 24-hour battery for music or 4-hours for video. In stores by the weekend, available immediately on-line. A few more pics after the break and the gallery below.

Cagic debuts stylish new 8.4-inch digital photo frame

Still haven't found a digital photo frame that suits your decor? Then you may find Cagic's new offering here a bit more to your taste, with it boasting a simple but stylish design and some decent enough specs to back it up. That includes an 8.4-inch 800x600 touchscreen display, a mini USB port and, perhaps most notably, two separate SD card slots: one for storage and one to load photos (a 1GB card is included). At $180, however, it's not exactly the cheapest 8-inch frame around, but it is made of solid brushed aluminum and natural hardwood, and you can get it in your choice of three finishes, so that's a trade-off we're guessing some will be more than willing to accept.

AMD slashes prices on triple-core Phenom X3 processors

AMD may have some new dual-core Phenom processors around the corner, but it looks like those wanting to build an AMD rig on the cheap don't have to wait until then, as the company has just slashed the price on its triple-core Phenom X3 processors, a move that follows some similar price cuts just a few weeks ago. As of now, you can get an X3 8450 for $104 (down from $125 in July), an X3 8650 for $119 (down from $145), an X3 8750 for $129 (down from $175), or even an X3 8750 Black Edition with overclocking support for just $134. As TG Daily points out, that pits the processors up against the low-end of Intel's Core 2 Duo offerings, which certainly makes 'em an attractive option for those looking to get the most bang for the buck.

Apple patent filing details touchscreen tablet

Trying to divine what Apple's up to from patent applications is never easy, but every now and again the diagrams actually make it obvious -- and it looks like Steve and his elves are hard at work on large-format touch interfaces, possibly for a tablet Mac of some kind. The latest touch-related filing is some 52 pages long and details everything from working with multiple finger inputs to onscreen keyboards how window controls would work, but we're mostly transfixed by the claw-like demon-hands that seem to be operating all this kit -- apparently Apple engineers have the same nightmares as the rest of us. If we had to bet, we'd say that a tablet Mac is still a long ways off, but we've been wrong before -- and there's always a chance Steve's got something wild in store for next month.

Radiopaq Rp5 does DAB, FM and internet radio

Look out, Pure Digital -- you've got a new rival in town. Radiopaq, best known for bringing thousands of internet radio stations and podcasts to listeners via the web, has decided to hop into the hardware game. The Rp5 tabletop radio features a five-way speaker system, digital / analog processors, a headphone jack, remote control and a rather stylish design. There's also an integrated WiFi module for tuning into the outfit's website and even sucking down news, weather and traffic information. Of course, the more traditional FM / DAB tuners are there as well, making this one quite the multifaceted box. Word on the British streets has this one pegged for a September launch at £250 ($468).

WD's Velociraptor I/O connection issue resolved with design update

Remember those uber-fast VelociRaptor drives that had the hardcore (and IT dwellers) in a tizzy? Turns out they had some inexplicable design flaw that put the power and serial connections in the wrong spot, rendering some 3.5-inch backplane server installations basically useless. WD has announced a new solution that fixes this, and the new drives are now shipping. No word on returns and exchanges, but we have a feeling WD will be making good on this. Oops, and good job on the quick fix, WD.

Intel appeases haters, reveals USB 3.0 controller specification

For months now, AMD, NVIDIA and a host of other caps-locked companies have been harshing on the chip maker for withholding critical information in relation to the USB 3.0 controller specification. At long last, Intel can finally throw up its left hand and ask those pundits to talk to it, as the outfit has finally unveiled the Extensible Host Controller Interface (xHCI) draft specification revision 0.9 in support of the USB 3.0 (SuperSpeed USB) architecture. The spec hopes to provide a "standardized method for USB 3.0 host controllers to communicate with the USB 3.0 software stack," and it's being made available under RAND-Z (royalty free) licensing terms "to all USB 3.0 Promoter Group and contributor companies that sign an xHCI contributor agreement.

Dell Vostro 2510 now configurable online

It looks like those already sold on Dell's slightly less business-like Vostro 2510 laptop don't have to wait too long to get their hands on one, as the just-leaked laptop is now configurable on Dell's website with an estimated ship time of 3 to 5 days. As we had heard, the base price starts at a reasonable $899, which includes a 1.8GHz Core 2 Duo T5670 processor, 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, and a better than usual 256MB NVIDIA GeForce 8400M GS graphics card. If that's not enough, you can push things up past the $2,000 mark pretty easily with a faster processor, a max 4GB of RAM, an Blu-ray drive, and other premium add-ons. Hit up the link below to get started.

FujiFilm's 10 megapixel S2000HD with 15x wide angle zoom quietly introduced

FujiFilm Canada seems to have jumped the gun and outed a whole suite of cameras this morning. Starting with the headliner, we've got this 10 megapixel FinePix S2000HD with 15x wide angle zoom and 2.7-inch LCD. Listing for a thrifty CA$300, the S2000HD features a 1/2.3-inch CCD capable of capturing 3 megapixel images at 13.5fps and up to 6400 ISO at 5 megapixels with the help of FujiFilm's dual image stabilization. And "HD" in the name can mean only one thing: this cam also shoots HD video (720p Motion JPEG) in a pinch. No delivery date but we expect that to get sorted just as soon as this becomes officially official.

Lenovo busts out new IdeaPad lineup

That new X200 isn't being left all by its lonesome, not by a long shot. Lenovo is giving its fledgling IdeaPad line quite the shot in the arm, with new Y530, Y430, Y730 and U330 models, designed to give US retail that variety of stock it craves -- and which confuses consumers to no end. The real winner here is the U330 (pictured), a premium IdeaPad of the U110 variety, only this one has a full 13.3-inches of screen, a Centrino 2 processor, HDMI and a built-in optical drive. The Y430, Y530 and Y730 are basically 14.1-inch, 15.4-inch and 17.1-inch versions of the same idea, with WXGA, WXGA and WUXGA resolutions, Blu-ray options, and a corresponding scale in graphics and processor power. The Y430 sticks with integrated graphics, the Y530 is Centrino 2 P7350-based and does up some NVIDIA NB9M GS 256MB graphics, while the Y730 runs a Centrino 2 P8400 processor and ATI M86 ME 512MB graphics, and supports dual 320GB hot-swappable drives. The Y730 comes in entertainment and gaming editions, with the "GameZone" model sporting a secondary display. Pricing is forthcoming, and these all should be landing this fall.

Toshiba announces Centrino 2-based Satellite Pro S300, Tecra M10 and Tecra A10

Get ready for a flood of Centrino 2 laptops, kids -- hot on the heels of Intel's big announcement and Sony and Lenovo's updated lineups comes Toshiba with the new Satellite Pro S300, Tecra M10 and A10, and Qosmio X305, F55 and Cell-based G55. The Qosmios actually aren't that new all three of them were initially announced back in June, but they're actually available now, with the gaming-oriented X305 exclusive to Best Buy. The $1,299 Satellite Pro S300 (pictured) is a little more interesting, with a 2.4GHz P8600 Core 2 Duo on Centrino 2's 1066MHz bus and Intel 4500MD integrated graphics powering a 15.4-inch display, as well as sleep-and-charge USB ports and a docking port. The more business-oriented Tecra lappies also get a similar Centrino 2 treatment, sharing a motherboard design to reduce repair costs. The $1,399 M10 sports a 14.1-inch screen, while the 15.4-inch A10's pricing hasn't been announced. Pictures of the new Tecras after the break.

Headsets.com giving away gear to those nailed by CA's new handsfree legislation

We feel for all of you in California who are dealing with the new hands-free legislation that came down upon you today like an edict from your overlords. If you're one of the unlucky few who get nailed by the 5-0 for talking on your cellphone while driving, though, there's some silver in those dark clouds. Headsets.com is giving away the Plantronics Discovery 925 bluetooth earpiece -- worth $150 clams -- in exchange for proof that you were pulled over. Now, don't go talking on your cellphone in the hope of getting one of these, though -- that $20 fine could get you a decent headset today anyway.

Nintendo pushes back DVD-playing Wii for Japan, again

While those of us 'round these parts have pretty much given up on the idea of a DVD-playing Wii a long time ago, folks in Japan have had some cause for hope based on promises from the company that such a system was, in fact, headed for the country sooner or later. It seems like they're now about to enter the acceptance phase as well, however, as Nintendo has just announced yet another delay to the system with no word about an eventual release date. According to IGN, Nintendo President Satoru Iwata would only go so far as to say that due continuing worldwide supply constraints on the current Wii, "the priority is on the current model." One thing getting a boost in availability, however, is the Nintendo DS 1Seg TV tuner, which Nintendo says will get a retail release next month after previously only being available online.

Yamaha intros YSP-3050 Digital Sound Projector

Yamaha cranked out its pricey YSP-600 sound bar just a few months back, but the company's already looking to put the past behind and move forward with the YSP-3050. The latest in the outfit's long-standing line of Digital Sound Projectors offers up 21 beam drivers, two woofers, 23 corresponding digital amplifiers, three Cinema DSP programs (movie, music and sports), analog-to-HDMI video upconversion, HD upscaling to 1080i / 720p and a 1080p (24Hz and 60Hz) compatible HDMI interface with two inputs and one output. Aside from engulfing you in audio with just a single bar, the unit is also XM Radio / iPod-ready (via the $99.95 YDS-11), and the integrated FM tuner and bundled remote make it even easier to see in your den. You'll also find the firm's propriety automated system calibration (IntelliBeam) along with TV Equal Volume to keep those sudden bursts at bay when it comes time for commercials. 'Tis a shame this piece costs $1,399.95, but if you're tight on space, it just might be worth it. Full release after the break.

Netgear's WGR614L Wireless-G router openly plays nice with Tomato / DD-WRT

Although Linux-based Tomato and DD-WRT firmwares work with a plethora of routers, Netgear is getting savvy with its marketing by actually aiming its WGR614L at tweakers who just melt upon hearing either term. The so-called open source Wireless-G router features a 240MHz MIPS32 CPU, 4MB of flash memory, 16MB of RAM, an external 2 dBi antenna and a second internal diversity antenna to enhance range. Additionally, the unit will "soon" support OpenWRT, and there's also four 10/100 Ethernet ports in case you're looking for a bit of wired action as well. Potentially best of all, the WGR614L is available as we speak for a very manageable $69.

Sony Vaio FW and SR series show up on Circuit City

We'd already heard the Vaio FW and SR series were due in short order, but they've since apparently shown up on Circuit City's site. The pages are down now, but the shots of the 16-inch FW (which looks pretty reminiscent of the old school Vaio Z-series) and 13.3-inch SR are still live, indicating model designations VGN-FW140EH and VGN-SR140EB. We'll keep you in the know.

Sweety stress reliever hears you out, won't complain if you batter it

We'll go ahead and squash your welling excitement: from what we can glean, Sweety is nothing more than a concept, but for enough cash, designer Haishu Zhang may be willing to make your dreams a reality. Nevertheless, this highly sophisticated stress reliever somehow hears you out and can determine the root cause of the tension in your life. He'll also invite you to play interactive games to keep your mind on more peaceful endeavors, but if the world just tosses too much in your way, he isn't opposed to being maltreated if it steers you clear of the roof.

Microsoft promises to support Windows XP until 2014

It may finally be starting to move down the availability ladder with computer manufacturers (netbooks and the like aside), but it looks like Microsoft is going to be standing by Windows XP for a good while yet, with it now pledging to support the tried and true OS through 2014. According to Microsoft senior VP Bill Veghte, that support will include security patches and "other critical updates," and he adds that "customers who still need Windows XP will be able to get it," despite plans to stop selling a retail product and stop licensing it directly to PC manufacturers after June 30th. For those keeping track, that'll mean that Microsoft will be supporting Windows XP for a full 13 years since its release -- assuming it doesn't push out that support window again when users refuse to upgrade to Windows 7, that is.

ASUS gets official with Atom-powered Eee Box

Well, what do you know? Those rumored specifications for ASUS' not-secret-at-all Eee Box were spot on. The outfit has just now gotten around to getting official with said mini PC, which checks in with a 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270 processor, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, an 80GB hard drive, multicard reader, 802.11n WiFi and gigabit Ethernet. As predicted, you'll find Windows XP Home running the show, and ASUS is spicing things up by tossing its newly unveiled Express Gate fast boot technology on here too. There's nary a mention of a price or release date, but that's pretty much par for the course with this company.

ATI Radeon HD 4850 gets official: available immediately

Considering that we've already seen AMD's ATI Radeon HD 4850 benchmarked, it's not like we really needed some official verbiage to cement our belief that the unit was real. Nevertheless, said verbiage certainly doesn't hurt, and that's precisely what's been delivered this morning. The HD 4850 is a single-slot PCIe 2.0 card featuring 512MB of DDR3 RAM, a 625MHz clock speed, 993MHz memory speed, 480 stream processors and support for CrossFireX / DirectX 10.1. We're also told that at least Diamond Multimedia's HD 4850 is available as we speak from a number of fine retailers, thus we presume everyone else's version of the card shouldn't be too far behind.

Canon Rebel XS previewed, Canon's lightest DSLR ever

Canon's aiming for an all-new, entry-level DSLR class with the Digital Rebel XS / 1000D, so don't expect to have your mind blown by the specs here, but that said, Canon isn't just pussyfooting around in this market segment. LetsGoDigital calls the XS the XSi's "twin brother" on the outside, with only minor differences between the two like the smaller 2.5-inch screen on the XS. On the inside, the XS is fairly similar to the XTi, with a 10.1 megapixel resolution, but Live View, DIGI III and auto ISO to keep things interesting. The 17.7 ounce weight is the lightest ever for a Canon DSLR, with a tiny battery and only SD card memory, and the price should be similarly miniscule when the XS lands this July.

Dell's new UltraSharp 2709W 27-inch LCD

Dell just busted out a new member in its storied line of LCDs, the UltraSharp 2709W. The 27-inch LCD is Dell's followup to the 2707WFP, and features the same 1920 x 1200 resolution, 9-in-2 media card reader and 6ms response time, but bumps the contrast ratio to 3000:1 and goes for some new all-black stylings. Brightness is a mean 450 nits, but the real fun comes with ports: Dell squeezed just about everything known to man in here, including HDMI, DVI-D, VGA, component, composite, and DisplayPort. There's also a nice collection of USB ports, plus HDCP for good measure. With a three year warranty the display sells for $999, quite the steal compared to the 2707WFP's intro price of $1,400 last year.

iPhone 3G must be activated in-store and other followup questions answered

Yesterday we went over a few of the more confusing bits of the iPhone 3G launch -- and let's be honest, the details of this launch are confusing as hell compared to the original go-round. Of course, there were a lot of burning questions to be answered from the audience, so we got an AT&T spokesperson to weigh in on what's on your mind. The most surprising answer? Contrary to reports implying otherwise, AT&T pretty much categorically claims that no matter where you buy your iPhone 3G, be it from AT&T or Apple, you have to walk out of the store an activated customer. That means no in-home activation, and definitely no buying an iPhone for your friends or family. Check it out below, more questions after the break.

How would you change Wii Fit?

Okay, so you've had ample time now to shed a few pounds courtesy of Wii Fit. Whether or not you've been diligent enough to stick with it is another thing. Regardless of your level of dedication, we're certain there's a few things Nintendo could have done differently to make the entire experience a bit better. Heck, our own Ryan Block has already chimed in with a few things that he would like to see tweaked, so what's stopping you?