Guitar Hero: Aerosmith gets unboxed, rag-covered mic stand not found

Well, what do you know? That Guitar Hero axe that was spotted a few months back on How I Met Your Mother was actually a sneak peek of the six string that comes bundled with the new Activision title. The unwavering rockers over at FW Labs were able to secure a copy of the game in Chile before most everyone else on the planet, and rather than enjoying their fortune without telling a soul, they decided to snap a host of photos and even upload a few videos of the experience. The new toys in the attic are right there in the read link.
[Thanks, David]

[Via: Engadget ]

Wall-E Animator Tops Everyone Who Ever Wanted to Make a LEGO Wall-E [Lego]

Were you thinking of building your own Wall-E out of LEGO? Pfft. I mean, no, go ahead. Just don't ever put it next to this model by Angus MacLane, who actually helped animate the film. Because, as good as yours may look, he can always play the "well, the way we do things at Pixar..." card on you. So how does he rate his own performance?

I’m proud of the overall proportions, but the eyes are still a bit too off for me...Having stared at this robot for 3+ years, I was extremely familiar with the proportions and functionality of Wall•E. It helped to know his design, but that made it hard to make the usual compromises when converting items to LEGO form.

But from our untrained eyes, it appears that MacLane is being far too hard on himself.
[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Mirage 3D DaVinci Driving Simulator Rig Lacks Wheels, Has Passenger Seat [Driving Simulator]

We could only surmise that this "realistic" DaVinci driving simulator from Mirage3D is for teaching this morning. I mean, why else would this thing have a passenger seat? Riding shotgun for a video game? Not when the couch is so comfy, thanks. Then again, this is also the perfect gift for that cousin with a penchant for racing and DUIs, as it lovingly recreates the extreme driving experience with roll bars, uber-realistic, working gauges (controlled by an on-board PC), and Dolby 5.1 surround—all without the danger of having him sloshed on I-90. Oh, and there's a seat belt. That's the DaVinci, alright: safety first, dignity second. [Mirage 3D via Born Rich]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Sony to finish shrinking PS3 chips to 65nm this fall?

According to Next-Gen, PlayStation boss and Kaz Hirai claims that PlayStation 3s have done the same with Cell chips since last holiday season, and that Sony intends to finish the process of shrinking its major chips to 65nm with the RSX graphics processor this fall. Die shrinkage will mean a lot less to PlayStation buyers than it did to 360 owners suffering from the red ring of death on Microsoft's less-reliable 90nm parts, but it still means Sony can save some cash on producing and cooling PS3s -- and you shave a bit off your power bill.


[Via: Joystiq ]

Get down and dirty with Xbox 360's DRM / license transfer tool

Since 2005, just about everyone that's ever had a RRoD or upgraded Xbox 360 asked for it, and strangely enough, our requests have been answered: Microsoft's pushing out its new web-based DRM tool in lieu of the usual spring Dashboard update. The intention is simple -- make your life a little easier when it comes to managing the worthless, arcane, irritating DRM that wraps the various bits of content (namely games and shows) one downloads from Xbox Live. If you have no idea what we're talking about, no need to worry yourself; but those familiar with the acute pain of being unable to manage content licenses across your Xboxen will be mighty relieved to see this light at the end of the tunnel.
[Via: Engadget ]

Sony unveils "Life with Playstation" PS3 service

Kaz Hirai took to a Tokyo stage today to give us a peek at the Playstation's future, and he let slip a couple of interesting tidbits. First, Sony will be launching a new program called "Life with Playstation" that will give users real time news and weather, using a globe metaphor reminiscent of the Wii's News Channel. Of course, since the PS3 has considerably more horsepower under the hood, the globe is a rendered weather satellite image showing cloud patterns, and it also supports geo-tagged photos and other content. Kaz also previewed the video-download service set to launch next month at E3, which will allow you to download or stream video to the PS3 and PSP. The store looks a lot like the current PlayStation Store, and it looks like HD rentals will run around $6 while SD purchases will clock in around $13 when it launches in the States this summer. We'll learn a lot more at E3, presumably, but for now we'll just settle for a decent screen shot of that globe interface.


[Via: PS3 Fanboy ]

Xbox 360 price dropping to $299.99 on July 6?

What's this? Could it be? An Xbox 360 price drop on July 6? According to this image, the Xbox 360 Pro will drop to $299.99, at least at K-Mart. The little image circulating shows the "Xbox 360 20GB console" with a $299.99 price, but no word on pricing on the Arcade and Elite versions of the console. We had a feeling price cuts would be coming at E3, but it's entirely possible Microsoft waned to get pricing out of the way before the gaming conference to concentrate on other goodness.

[Via: Engadget ]

Man uses Wii Balance Board to control robot, takes aim at Segway next

It may never garner quite the same broad appeal among DIYers as the incredibly versatile Wiimote, but it looks like the Wii Balance Board is nonetheless spurring on some hackery of its own, including being used as a navigation device for Google Earth and World of Warcraft. While those hacks are certainly impressive enough, the board has only just recently fully earned its DIY cred by being used to control a robot, which you can see in action after the break. What's more, the man responsible for that hack, Juan Gonzalez, isn't about to rest on his laurels, with him now promising to create a Segway-like device that's controlled simply using the Wii Balance Board. Needless to say, we'll be keeping an eye out for any progress on that one.

[Via: Engadget ]

Life with PlayStation in pictures and video

Pictures and video of Sony's new Life with PlayStation service have finally made their way across the Intertubes after yesterday's unveiling in Tokyo. It's pretty much exactly as you'd expect news and weather to be presented on a Cell-powered globe metaphor. Another snap and video courtesy of Digital World Tokyo after the break.








[Via: Impress ]

Is Sony Ditching Ericsson For a PlayStation Branded Phone? [Gaming]

According to Marketing Week, Sony may be considering launching a PlayStation branded phone by Christmas 2009. Naturally that would raise some questions about the health of their relationship with Swedish mobile company Ericsson. The report goes on to say that Sony is leaning towards modifying the PSP to incorporate a phone—which would seem like the most logical route. Citing industry sources, Marketing Week heard that the relationship between the two companies has become "frosty" and that Sony would “never give its PlayStation branding” to a Sony Ericsson joint venture. If it were true, it could go a long way in explaining the recently released F305 which is certainly not PlayStation branded and seems to fall well short of a fabled PSP phone. Could it be that Sony is throwing Ericsson scraps while they keep the juicy ideas to themselves? There have been a lot of rumors thrown out there about a PSP phone, and so far nothing has materialized. We will just have to wait and see. [Marketing Week]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Novint Falcon Force Feedback Controller Gets Valve Support [Gaming]

The long-in-development force-feedback PC game device Novint Falcon is a good idea in theory, but without actual support from games there's not a whole lot you can do with it. Good news though, since Valve just announced support with the controller for PC versions of The Orange Box, Counter-Strike: Source, the Half-Life 2 series, Team Fortress 2, Portal and Left 4 Dead. With the pistol grip accessory it'll be fine for every game, but what we really have hopes for is fiddling around with that gravity gun and feeling the force feedback with it. [Novint via Crunchgear]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Sony exec admits that PSP developer community should be revitalized

If you just can't get enough of what Sony Europe execs are saying, here's another mouthful just days after hearing from David Reeves. This time we've got SCEE's VP of publisher and developer relations Zeno Colaço shouting out on the state of PSP, and overall, his comments weren't that surprising. Most notably, he mentioned that the developer community needed to be "revitalized" so that it would get behind the PSP in a big way. When asked about the current dearth of games for the handheld, he commented that such a scenario happens "when you rely on a business model that relies on 25% games from Sony and 75% from other publishers." He continued by stating that Sony "probably suffered" from being unable to completely recover when third-party developers refocused efforts away from the PlayStation Portable. Hungry for more? You know where to head for the full interview.

[Via: GamesIndustry ]

Guitar Hero: On Tour for the DS now on sale

Alright, so Guitar Hero: On Tour technically went on sale on Sunday, but who launches a game on Sunday? Anyway, the DS version of the rocker franchise is now available, goofy Guitar Grip accessory included, for just $49 of your hard-fought dollars. Reviews of the control system have been pretty positive so far, and the game itself looks like it's a solidly fun time -- even if that insanely bad promo video had us convinced otherwise for a while. Rockers -- to arms!
[Thanks, Wraggster]

[Via: Engadget ]

WiiHD's homebrew guide: hacking doesn't get much easier than this

The folks of WiiHD, in honor of the recent Quake release for Wii homebrew, have put together an easy-to-follow guide for getting the Wii homebrew channel up and running on your little white console -- plus a pre-packaged zip file with some ready-to-go 'brew if that's the way you like it. You've really got zero excuse to hold off on homebrew with as purtiful and straightforward all these fine hackers have made the process, but if you're still unconvinced, check out the Quake video after the break.

[Via: Engadget ]

PSN Cards Are Just Hitting Stores Now [Playstation 3]

That PlayStation 3 with its PlayStation Network has been around for a while now, but Sony is juuusst getting their act together enough to produce and distribute PSN cards. To most of us with credit cards, these Sony gift cards (good for purchasing downloadable games from the PlayStation Network) are no big deal. But for the young masses who are still sneaking cigarettes out of mom's purse and wearing Groucho Marx mustaches to buy dirty magazines, this is pretty exciting news. Try PixelJunk Monsters if you haven't yet. [Kotaku]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

Dig Dug Pillows spark dreams of retro gaming paradise

We've seen folks lay their noggins on some pretty interesting pillows, but these critters just stand out like no other. Featuring Dig Dug himself along with a menacing Pooka, these homegrown cushions were created by manicmaiden for his / her brother's birthday. We know what you're thinking, but it doesn't seem as if this particularly thoughtful individual is accepting applications for adoptions.

[Via: CRAFT ]

Portable Gaming Solutions offers Xbox 360 laptops to the daring

So you're hankering for a little Halo on the go but you're not willing to put your skills to the test and build an Xbox 360 laptop yourself? Never fear -- we've got just the sketchy web store for you. For just $550, a one-man shop in Kansas called Portable Gaming Solutions promises to convert your 360 into a suitcase-sized 15-inch laptop complete with keyboard and speakers. The web site has quite a few pictures and videos of the mod in action, but we're definitely a little wary of sending our 360 off into the wild blue yonder -- although even Ben Heck had to get started somehow. Anyone daring enough to take the plunge? Video after the break.
[Thanks, Airsoft]

[Via: Engadget ]

Mousse Computer's Masterpiece V960XV1 gets down with GeForce GTX280

We're tempted to wonder if this Mousse Computer outfit is related to Mouse Computer (or if someone's S key was just acting up), but nevertheless, the Masterpiece V960XV1 is just one of the few rigs out right now with NVIDIA's potent GeForce GTX280 within. Aside from that gem, you'll also find a 3.2GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770, 4GB of DDR2 RAM, 1.3TB of SATA hard drive space, a Blu-ray burner and an 11-in-1 multicard reader. Early estimates peg this one at €3,500 ($5,427), which is probably a fair price to pay to have your face melted completely off.

[Via: Engadget Spanish ]

ASUS Eee Stick hits the FCC, our minds race in wonder

Ah, so ASUS' totally familiar looking Eee Stick wasn't just some one-off prototype. Today, said controller has just surfaced in the depths of the FCC, complete with internal / external photographs, a user's manual and a few reports certifying that no one grew a third leg during testing. Apparently the GMC-1 package will include a pair of joysticks (one with a D-pad, one with an analog stick), a USB dongle and the obligatory Quick Start guide and Support CD. Heck, these critters even come with bundled wrist straps, eliminating any lingering doubt that the inspiration for these didn't come from The Big N. Still, we can't help but be slightly excited about the possibilities here, but whether or not they actually prove useful remains to be seen.

[Via: Engadget ]

Twilight Hack returns to knock out Wii Menu 3.3

Nintendo talks a big talk, but has never invested heavily in actually protecting its systems from those nefarious homebrew junkies. While the Wii Menu 3.3 did slightly break the Twilight Hack, it didn't even bust up folks who already had the hombrew channel installed, and its protections against further hacks were minimal. Now the HackMii folks are back with Twilight Hack v0.1beta1, which bests Wii Menu 3.3, along with some other improvements for homebrew usage. We can't tell if this is incompetence or benevolence on Nintendo's part, or perhaps these hackers are just that good, but either way we're lovin' it JT-style.

[Via: Engadget ]

Ben Heck does it again with Atari 7800 portable

There's no stopping this guy, and now he's built himself an Atari 7800 portable just to make sure the kiddie hackers know who's the Heckendornest. Ben Heck built the 7800 portable with a 7-inch widescreen to accomodate that larger motherboard on the 7800 (compared to the 2600). Apparently large, complex motherboards just don't phase him anymore. The unit boasts rechargeable batteries, a combination driving / paddle controller, and an A/V output jack. Ben, you're a legend.

[Via: Engadget ]

PSP firmware 4.00 out, PS3 2.40 in-game XMB and trophies confirmed

Sony's firmware development for its game consoles is bearing fruit on two fronts today. First, the PSP firmware 4.00 network update is up and dancing for your XMB Googling pleasure. Next, and more importantly, Sony has confirmed in-game XMB and trophies in PS3 firmware 2.40 -- details promised shortly. Tap tap tap... ok, not that shortly.


[Via: Engadget ]

Guitar Hero World Tour's new gear gets previewed

We've already seen plenty of Guitar Hero World Tour's drums, but while we've heard rumblings of a touchpad for the new guitar, this is the first time we've seen it in the flesh. IGN has a preview of all the new gear, and says the strip will be used for fiddling around with notes during sustains, tapping to play notes, and for interfacing with the new music creator. The guitar is also larger than its other toy guitar predecessors. In other news, the drums are pressure sensitive, the mic is pretty plain, and the music creation software is completely off the chain. Unfortunately, you won't be allowed to record vocals for songs, but otherwise you can pretty much build anything you'd want with the software. In even better news, the Wii version of World Tour will share all these features, and while we promised ourselves we wouldn't install two full sets of fake band gear in our living room, we're starting to get some serious cravings here.

[Via: Engadget ]

Time Waster: Drink beer and throw axes LOTR style

You've seen Lord of the Rings. You've drank beer. You've thrown axes. Ok, so maybe not the last part.
Now do all 3 online for points with the Lord of the Rings Swig & Toss game! All thanks to the wonderful thing we know and love called Flash!
This is brilliant for a few reasons.

• The more you drink, the harder it is to hold the axe straight, naturally.
  
  
• The more you drink and the better you do, the more points you get!

This is the definition of a Time Waster.
As always, post your scores here...if you can type straight!

[Via: Download Squad ]

NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 280 gets cracked open and reviewed

It's not all that often we see a video card get dissected, but it's also not very often that we see a card with as much hardware as NVIDIA's new top-end GeForce GTX 280, which proved to be enough to get the folks at Custom PC to crack one open for a looksee. As you can see above, after removing more than a few screws, they were able to take a peak at the card's lone, massive GPU, which not surprisingly produces enough heat to require the huge cooler and heat sink that conceals it. Of course, they also put the card through its paces and, while they did find that it's bar-none the fast single GPU card out there, the performance compared to a GeForce 9800 GX2 makes the situation a bit murkier, especially given the GTX 280's hefty price tag and lofty system requirements. That apparently wasn't enough to keep it from getting their seal of approval, however, with it earning a more than respectable 84% rating.
Read - Custom PC, "Taking apart the GeForce GTX 280"
Read - Custom PC, GeForce GTX 280 Review

[Via: Engadget ]

PSP firmware 4.00 due "soon," adds Google search to XMB

There's no indication of an exact release date just yet, but word just dropped on the official PlayStation blog that the PSP will be getting a boost to firmware version 4.00 "soon." That'll bring with it the addition of Google search directly form the XMB interface, which Sony says "replicates the Google Internet search experience." Apart from that somewhat notable upgrade, the only other new feature they're talking about at the moment is the ability to change the viewing speed during playback of videos stored on a Memory Stick. Not exactly the upgrade we would have guessed for a milestone like 4.00, but we can always hope Sony has a couple of surprises up its sleeve.

[Via: Engadget ]

NVIDIA unearths GTX 280 and GTX 260 graphics cards

Surprise! NVIDIA has officially unleashed its new GeForce GTX 280 and GTX 260 graphics cards. The GTX 280, NVIDIA's flagship model, is reportedly 50% faster than last year's 8800 GX2 when in its overclocked AMP! Edition, and it is loaded with around twice as many transistors as the 9800. The new single-chip processor packs some serious number crunching, such as a 142 GB/s memory bandwidth with a 512-bit memory interface. Other final specs look to include 1GB GDDR3 memory, two Dual Link DVI connectors, and, of course, an overclocked chipset. In short, it's the fastest graphics card you can get. Don't go nuts just yet, though -- the GTX280 with 1GB of RAM will run you a cool $649. The lower-end GTX 260 with 896MB is a more palatable $399. GTX280 availability starts tomorrow, and GTX 260s will hit the streets on June 26. And to finally put this joke to rest: Yes, they will run Crysis.

[Via: CNET ]

Price cuts and 60GB Xbox 360 rumored for E3

E3 is set to roll next month from July 15th to the 17th. With it comes the annual deluge of gaming rumors. Today we've got a pair for Microsoft. No, not another Blu-ray Xbox 360 whisper. Rather, we've got a resurrection of the 60GB Xbox 360 courtesy of Trusted Reviews as well as a US hardware price cut (and a nod towards a new SKU) according to EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich. Trusted Reviews' source claims that the 60GB rig will drop sometime in the first 10-days of August after an E3 announce. Hear that Sony, care to respond?

[Via: Engadget ]

Intel's 3.2GHz Nehalem Extreme gamer chip in Q4?

Check it gamers, things are about to get like, so extreme in Q4. RegHardware has it from "motherboard-maker moles" that Intel will be loosing its smokin' Nehalem architecture before the end of the year starting with a trio of quad-core "Bloomfield" processors aimed at desktop users. A top o' the line 3.2GHz Extreme proc brings 8MB of L3 cache, connects to 1333MHz DDR3 memory, and rides Intel's new QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) bus capable of delivering 4.6 billion transactions per second. Front Side Bus, be gone.

[Via: Engadget ]

Wii Fit already carving up bods, finding use in rehabilitation

From the get-go, Nintendo's latest console was seen as a dream come true for folks who'd love to lose a few pounds, yet would rather log a few hours on the couch rather than the track. Shortly after the Wii Fit's launch, we're already seeing another wave of dedicated users reporting weight loss, and the trend is even bleeding into the medical field. According to Sue Stanley-Green, a professor of athletic training at Florida Southern College, the Wii Fit and other fitness-related games have "great potential for core strengthening and rehabilitation and may boost compliance with rehabilitation exercises." She also noted that these games were "being used more and more in nursing homes," and particularly with youngsters, titles such as Wii Fit are the only ones that stand a chance at getting them active. We can't decide if that's a positive thing or just downright depressing.
[Thanks, Juergen]
Read - Wii Fit in rehab
Read - Wii Fit weight loss

[Via: Engadget ]

Xbox 360's Rumored Avatars Might Be Their Nintendo Miis

Xbox 360 Fanboy found this Flash document on Intellisponse's servers, which is an online research and web-survey platform. It shows off a picture of a bunch of Mii-like characters called Avatars, that (according to the text above it) are supposed to be for the Xbox 360 and are used instead of the gamer picture. It's unclear whether or not this picture is a survey, but seeing as Intellisponse is a survey and the picture looks a whole lot like a survey, it's probably a part of a survey. That doesn't mean that Microsoft's not working on this and isn't rolling this out at the end of the year, however. Plus, when you try to copy the URL, it feeds you a "Copying this information is in violation of your Legally Binding Agreement of Non-Disclosure," which of course we've never seen or signed. We'll see what it means come E3. All we want is to be able to use the Xbox Live Cam to face map our mugs onto these things. PLEASE. [Intellisponse via Xbox 360 Fanboy]

[Via: Gizmodo, The Gadget Blog ]

AMD offers up ATI Radeon HD 3870 Mac & PC Edition

Hey Mac users, tired of looking longingly at that PC-lovin' ATI Radeon HD 3870? AMD has teased you long enough, and at long last, the Mac & PC Edition has arrived. This card is optimized for use within Apple's Mac Pro systems and includes 512MB of GDDR4 RAM, 320 stream processors, PCI Express 2.0 support and twin dual-link DVI ports for treating that pair of 30-inch Cinema HD displays like they ought to be treated. Check the read link for the full list of specifications, and get set to drop $129 when this one lands later this month.

[Via: TUAW ]

Intel wastes our time and yours with SL and WoW clients for MIDs

Don't get ahead of us here, Intel isn't building full-featured Second Life and World of Warcraft apps for handheld Mobile Internet Devices. Instead they're using a new "Interactive 3D Streaming" tech to control and view the game remotely -- similar to some to that Telekinesis app we saw playing WoW on the iPhone last year, but Intel seems to be much further along. Their Xeon 5400 server can handle 14 clients simultaneously, but we're guessing this won't be cost effective for Blizzard anytime soon -- though we can imagine quite a few addicts rigging up similar systems for themselves. The sad news here is that Intel might've just discovered the best use for a MID yet.
[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[Via: Engadget ]

PSP L2 and R2 button mod ain't pretty, gets the job done

It seems a bit of a crime against the PSP's aesthetics, but apparently some folks out there really, really want to do PS1 emulation right. Acid Modder "Electro" managed to finagle L2 and R2 buttons onto his PSP. He rates his hack a 4 out of 5 difficulty level, which basically means we aren't going near this one, but if you know you way around a soldiering iron, his tutorial is fairly detailed. You'll end up with some pretty tiny buttons up top, but it sure beats mapping those L2 and R2 to the analog stick or something even more convoluted.

[Via: Engadget ]

Sony's Wiimote competitor to come as break-apart DualShock 3?

So GamesIndustry's got word that Sony's supposedly-forthcoming Wiimote competitor is taking shape as something that sounds a lot like a break-apart DualShock 3, which would split down the middle and be used as two independent halves. Because that's really what the PS3 needs, is another kind of controller. Seriously, do they really think any new device will be greeted warmly by the PlayStation fans they first disappointed with the SIXAXIS, and then bullied into paying $55 for a DualShock 3 (and only because they spent so much time fighting Immersion over the money they clearly owed in the first place)? There's a chance we could find out at this year's E3 if this controller really is in the works, but it's a small one as they're still trying to help people get over the DualShock 3 hump, after all.

[Via: Engadget ]

Nintendo sues Nyko over nunchucks, ninjas still silent

It looks like Nyko's nunchuck controllers for the Wii could possibly be getting a whole lot more limited, at least if a recently filed lawsuit plays out the way Nintendo would like. As Bloomberg reports, Nintendo is claiming that Nyko's wireless Kama nunchucks not only infringe on its trademarks for the Nunchuk name and packaging, but that they wholly appropriate the "novel shape, design, overall appearance and even the color and materials used in the Nintendo Nunchuk controller." For its part, Nyko is not surprisingly only saying that it has "not knowingly violated anyone's intellectual property," and that they're "still examining this."

[Via: Wii Fanboy ]

Analyst foresees PS3 gaining momentum, Xbox 360 price cut at E3

Things have been relatively quiet on the Xbox 360 price-cut front as of late, but EEDAR analyst Jesse Divnich has now thankfully come through and stirred the pot a bit, saying that he thinks Microsoft is set to make an announcement about a price cut at E3 this July. That, he says, would be in response to the PlayStation 3's steady growth, which he expects to continue to out pace the 360, aided in no small part by exclusive titles like Metal Gear Solid 4. As if that wasn't enough speculation for you, Divnich further goes on to say that if Microsoft does in fact cut the price of the 360, Sony would likely follow suit with a price cut of its own within two months.


[Via: Joystiq ]

UK court rules that modchips do not circumvent copyright protection

Here in the US, we've heard some pretty terrifying experiences about selling modchips, but it seems as if higher-ups in the UK are being a bit more reasonable about the whole thing. Reportedly, UK-based MrModchips was cleared of all 26 counts against him for his role in importing and selling console modchips, as the Court of Appeal Criminal Division (Judge Justice Jacobs, in particular) ruled that said chips do not circumvent copyright protection. Better still, the defendant was "awarded full costs as a result of his successful appeal," and we can only assume he was smiling all the way out of the crowded courtroom. Chalk one up for the little guy.

[Via: Slashdot ]

Sleepless Assassin - Time Waster

Some days when you're sitting at your desk at work, don't you just wish that you had a different job? Something a little more exciting, and maybe a bit dangerous? Something that makes you feel alive... Like maybe being an assassin!

If you're looking to get a little fix of being an assassin without actually having to, you know, kill people, check out Sleepless Assassin, a Flash-based side scrolling action game. While it looks and handles much like many other games that are of a similar style, Sleepless Assassin has one very cool trick up its sleeve.

When it comes time to shoot enemies, your character has a bow and arrow. Since the default view is fairly close up, the screen pulls back to give you a wider view when you click to draw the bow. You can then aim, and an arc is shown to give you an idea of your arrow's flight path. This allows for some "trick shots" where you can kill enemies that can't see you, as well as giving you a quick way to get the lay of the land.

In terms of the fun factor of the game as a time waster, with (very) little practice you can be good enough to have a good time with this little gem.

[Via: Download Squad ]

PureDepth's Multi-Layer Display technology hits casino floors

When PureDepth said its Multi-Layer Display technology would be "shipping soon," it meant "really soon." Nary two months after the company made said assertion, we're now hearing that IGT (a global computerized game machine company) has secured the aforesaid technology for a number of slot machines and other casino-bound systems. The REELdepth family of games, which includes around 70 of IGT's classics as well as a few new AVP (Advanced Video Platform) themes, should be luring vacationers and gamblers alike in the not-too-distant future, but sadly, we're not given a clue as to what casinos will be adopting said machines.

[Via: Engadget ]

XCM offers up Mega-Cool component-to-VGA converter

Not like Team Xtender hasn't been offering something similar to this for well over a year now, but hey, nothing wrong with a bit of delayed competition. XCM has just made clear that it will soon be selling the 1080p Mega-Cool VGA box, which takes any component input and shoots it back out via VGA. The box supports PC resolutions up to UXGA (1,600 x 1,200 at 75Hz) or HDTV (up to 1,920 x 1,080). Plug-and-play, NTSC / PAL support and USB power are all included -- you just provide the ins and outs. Mum's the current word on pricing / availability, but we're hearing that e-tailer Total Console will be offering it soon.

[Via: IGN ]

Nintendo Wii USB devices on the way?

Some wily web browsers have found a job listing at Nintendo of America that suggests the game company is finally getting serious about USB support for the Wii. The job search, found a few days ago, was for a "Software/Harware Tester" who can execute a "test plan for Wii's USB devices." Some think this could mean compatibility for external USB storage devices like hard drives and flash drives given the Wii's limited 512MB internal memory. We, however, hope this means some sort of support for USB keyboards. It's about time, isn't it, Nintendo?

[Via: Engadget ]

Omen bodes well for Voodoo's gaming future

Besides the new Envy 133, Voodoo is also launching its 22-inch tall, all-aluminum (glass, wood, and leather too) Omen tower. This time, for gamers. It features a 7-inch, 800 x 480 display for secondary information on the outside and a Voodoo designed water cooling loop on the inside to keep the fire down on up to 2x CPUs (up to 16 cores) and 4x GPUs. The system tops out with a pair of 3.2GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9770 processors, 8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM, and support for "next generation" NVIDIA and ATI graphics... at a price. Starting at around $7,000 and available exclusively to existing Voodoo customers at launch sometime later this year.

[Via: Engadget ]

Rock Band's drum kit for Wii tested, actually a bit different

Oh, hey, is that the Wii Rock Band drum kit? On shag, you say? And wireless with the included dongle? Say, is that all white plastic? Well, it turns out this kit has basically the same feeling as its other-platform counterparts, with the exception of some softer drum pads and a strengthened kick pedal. Sold, Harmonix, sold.

[Via: Engadget ]

Wiispray turns Wii Remote into virtual graffiti spray can

If only Mark Ecko had a Wiispray when he was developing Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure, perhaps people the world would have understood his vision for a videogame-based, graffiti-tagging urban dystopian angst. Anyway, this Wii Remote turned into a spray can is the product of a student's thesis at Bauhas-University in Weimar, Germany. Martin Lihs crammed the controller into the can-like structure and plans (hopes?) to create a communal -- but not illegal -- virtual graffiti wall in which people can add their digital tags and keep it real clean, yo. Curious that he's using PlayStation-based triangle and square buttons, though.

[Via: SlashGear ]

Ben Heck and eDimensional's Access Controller for one-handed gamers

Leave it to Ben Heck to create something that's not only cool, but also good for humanity. We've had our eyes on the Access Controller, and now it has an actual retail channel and final design. The eDimensional Access Controller enables one-handed gaming in a completely modular design. Each control function module can be rearranged based on the gamer's needs -- even the act of rearranging of modules can be done with one hand. Ben, the nice guy that he is, also includes a custom module-creation guide if you're so inclined. The controller is also designed with a concave back to sit comfortably on either a table or leg and uses 2.4GHz wireless. eDimensional is taking preorders now, and the unit is compatible with PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, and PC. To top it all off, a portion of the $129.99 you spend will go to Children's Hospital and Veterans Medical centers. We feel all good inside.

[Via: Engadget ]

Lian Li replacement Xbox 360 case said to be "just weeks away"

It's definitely not for everyone, but if you're looking for something decidedly larger and less flashy than the usual Xbox 360 replacement case, it looks like you'll soon be able to get your fix courtesy of case-maker Lian Li, which is apparently set to release its Lian Li 360 case in just a few weeks. Among other things, this one promises a quieter operation courtesy of some air cooling and a 120mm fan, and relatively easy access to the internal components, although that of course does come at the expense of your warranty. No word on a price just yet, but Lian Li is apparently at least working to keep costs down, opting simply for aluminum side panels and standard screws instead of the more expensive thumbscrews it had originally planned.

[Via: Engadget ]