The Demo Site

On top of Verizon's teaser site, Sprint has thrown in their hat by announcing the BlackBerry Tour will be for sale on their network later this summer for $199 after $150 worth of instant and mail-in rebates. [Sprint]

Two enterprising modders tore down an Acer Aspire One netbook and crammed it into an SNES to create one of the most droolworthy mods we've ever seen. The highlight? A Super Mario World cartridge refashioned as a slot-loading optical drive.

Modders quangDX and DuPPs managed all kinds of sweet tricks; the SNES's "Eject" button actually ejects the disc from the optical drive, the "Power" button turns the system on and off, the system's USB ports are found in actual rewired SNES controllers, and the main circuitboard is mounted with Legos. I mean, it's like they deliberately tried to pull our heartstrings with that last one.

Other than that, it's got everything you'd want, including VGA-out, audio, ethernet, Wi-Fi, and an LED-lit SNES logo. You can't see it, quandDX and DuPPs, but we're applauding you. [AsoBitech via Engadget]

The BlackBerry Tour, which we've called "The BlackBerry You've Been Waiting For," is apparently near launch—Verizon's popped a teaser site online (admittedly with no new info), so our July estimate is certainly feasible. [Verizon via CrackBerry]

Here's the stuff that we didn't post today. (Until now, obviously.)

Sony Insider turned up an early 1950s Sony Model 101 Tapecorder on eBay. The thing is Deco smooth, with mellow earthy tones and iconically simple controls. There's even a video of it playing some swing tune—hauntingly beautiful in its own vintage way. But since it's still up there, at $79 with zero bids, it's probably safe to say most Giz readers care about this a lot less than I did. (Bonus for the three people who care: a service manual for said 101, also on eBay.) [Sony Insider]

I love a robotic ferret as much as the next guy, maybe more. But this slinky robot with magnetic wheels—which uses lasers, optical sensors and CO2 detectors to search metal shipping containers for illegally transported drugs and people—is little more than a plan on paper at the moment. Until it's flesh and blood, or at least, ball bearings and WD-40, it won't be much in the way of border defense. [GizMag]

If Apple—yep, them—had stuck with PowerPC, IBM would have allegedly migrated them to the Cell processor, that chip found in the PlayStation 3 that's known for extreme graphics prowess. Could this have meant a PS3 Hackintosh? I don't know. But "what if" only gets you so far. What if Woz had stuck it out with Jobs? Would Apple have a Segway competitor today? Makes you wonder, or not. [9to5Mac]

As someone who's enjoyed a fair share of shabbat dinners, I was tickled to see the name of a new "kosher" website: Koogle. If you don't get the reference, this item is not for you. As great as it is, this shomer-shabbat modesty-minded Hebrew/English shopping and research hub wasn't a fit for Giz, being softwarey, localized to Israel, and pretty much the opposite of Bing. [Reuters]

Using sound beams to control crowds isn't new, but never before have systems been able to create sounds reaching terahertz frequencies, earning them the name "saser."

Signaling the dawn of the true saser era, physicists from the UK and Ukraine have broken this apparently elusive terahertz sound barrier. Unlike lasers that shoot photons in a tight beam of light, sasers are able to emit dispersed vibrations in high frequences of sound waves, creating nausea and confusion when used on humans.

The latest and most powerful saser has proven to be able to produce phonons—some quantum-level measurement of vibration that could (one day) be used to cure cancer or shoot enemies, among other things—in distant objects. These early tests of the saser reveal its potential of one day (we think) being able to make someone explode, from the inside out, using just a handful of terahertz—similar to what would happen to your brain at a Hannah Montana concert. [New Scientist]

Coloratura in a song brings colorful melodies to our ears—but what about our eyes? This DIY demonstrates how to make a vibrant, simple eight-note sequencer that turns our music into rainbows. [Instructables via Makezine via BBG]

Although BlueLounge's StudioDesk doesn't exactly organize your cables, it features a slide-out desktop surface that allows you to hide your cable clutter in a hidden compartment—kind of like shoving all your junk under the bed.

Most cable-tamers we've seen manage to untangle wires and keep them somewhat organized, but these gizmos lying around on our desks also tend to add to the clutter. With the $600 StudioDesk, there's no need for external cable organizers because it completely conceals all of the wires—except for one—connected to your laptop. Now if only they can figure out how to hide cables snaking down your wall. [BlueLounge via Uncrate]

Released alongside iHome's iStand, the iConnect is an iPhone-ready keyboard with a built-in dock that allows you to sync and charge your iPhone/iPods automatically from the peripheral.

There are different two versions of the keyboard built for Windows and Macs, and although they both contain two USB ports, the Mac's version has extra keys that allow you to quickly access applications such as iCal, iChat, Mail, Safari and Front Row. For $150, you can purchase the iConnect sometime this summer. [Lifeworks via CNet via iPodNN via Technabob]

Short of physically inserting the waterproof Cube H100D into an open orifice, I can't imagine this ad for the Chinese PMP being any more suggestive. [imp3 via Le Journal du Geek]

Oklahoma City police caught this woman shoplifting at a local Target with 33 Blu-ray discs shoved down her pants. I just want to know, where was she hiding the player?

And dear god, lady, have you not heard of Bittorrent? The cherry on top is that she was also charged with assault and battery. Pretty hard to put a fight up with that many movies in your panties, but I suppose it would nullify all hits below the belt. [newsok via Obscurestore]

At 12:01AM PST tonight (in a few hours) Xbox Live and Zune services will be down for scheduled maintenance. The outage could last up to "24 hours". [Ars and AVForum]

This Saturday (June 20th) Sloan Fine Art in New York will be featuring these oil paintings of beautiful women wearing headphones and only headphones.

Jonathan Viner, the artist, calls the collection harem, and the pieces are oils on 12"x12" panels.

[Sloan Fine Art , Prints available through store.vinerstudio.com]

JONATHAN VINER: "HAREM"
Exhibition: June 20 through July 18, 2009
Reception: Saturday, June 20th, 4 to 6pm

With "Harem" Jonathan Viner touches on a variety of issues including the urge to possess rare specimens and organize them into collections, the intense but fleeting power of youthful beauty, and the growing appetite for material and status in a globalized world. Never one to be too heavy handed, he prompts the viewer to consider these topics with elegant subtlety.

On its surface, "Harem" is a group of ten portraits of young Russian women, each one apparently alone, nude, and listening to vintage, high fidelity headphones. Upon further consideration, the tight, close up compositions, leash-like headphone chords, and ambivalent facial expressions give us a sense that these women are perhaps unwilling captives. But their relaxed postures, soft surroundings, and vague facial expressions convey an atmosphere of calm and comfort. This contradiction is embodied by the headphones themselves, which isolate and tether these harem girls while simultaneously providing them with enriching, faithfully reproduced sounds.

Each work stands alone - a solitary, frozen specimen. But when presented together, with their uniform size and similar palette, within the confines of a small space, they convey the feeling of a coveted collection.

A native New Yorker, Jonathan Viner earned his BFA from Rhode Island School of Design. This project will be his third solo exhibition in New York.

Running concurrently with "Harem," in the front gallery, is "+2" a group show with small works by 66 artists.

If you are an iPhone owner on a pay-as-you-go data plan, the end is near: AT&T has announced that the iPhone OS 3.0 upgrade will terminate your data service. The reason: A "technical change." Update from AT&T.

This the message that that some prepaid users got:

AT&T Free MSG: A new software upgrade for iPhone will be available on 6/17. This upgrade may affect your data service. Please visit att.com/iphone or call 800-901-9878 for a representative. If you download the software and are not on an approved iPhone data plan, your data service will be interrupted.

Meanwhile, Erica at TUAW has called AT&T and confirmed that they want pay-as-you-go users to move to a full data plan. According to the technician: "Based on your plan [official iPhone GoPhone plan], you will not receive the same quality service on your GoPhone plan, even with the same equipment. This is a technical change on AT&T's end on how we service that data plan."

Update: Apparently, Erica was misinformed, according to our contact at AT&T. This is not a change in policy at all, and the pay-as-you-go data plans were really never approved for iPhone.

• If you are a Pick Your Plan Customer with the required unlimited Data Plan for iPhone, you should not experience any interruption in your data service due to downloading the iPhone OS 3.0 Software Update which will be available on June 17.
• If you are a Pick Your Plan Customer who does not currently have the required unlimited Data Plan for iPhone, you will experience an interruption in your data service. To avoid this interruption, you should call 866-499-7888 to have the required Data Plan for iPhone added to your service.
• Pay As You Go rate plans are not approved for AT&T iPhone customers. Customers currently using an iPhone with a Pay As You Go rate plan should call 800-901-9878 so they can move to an approved rate plan with the required unlimited Data Plan for iPhone.

Still, a new unlock is in order. [TUAW]

Here's a peek at this week's episode of Time Warp, where hosts Jeff and Matt join up with magicians Penn and Teller in Las Vegas and get a behind the scenes tour of Cirque de Soleil's O.

Also in this episode, you'll get a look at the technology being used on the show, including an explanation of how their high speed cameras work.

Time Warp—a show that uses high-speed cameras to capture every-day actions in slow motion—airs every Wednesday at 8PM on the Discovery Channel. [Time Warp]

Last year I posed the question "Do You Wall Mount Your TV?," and discovered that about 30% of you have freed yourself from the stand. But I'm curious to know—what about those unsightly cables?

To be honest, I have this thing about cables running from a wall-mounted TV. It...it just bothers me. So, do you make an effort to hide them? How do you do it?

How Do You Hide The Cords From Your Wall-Mounted TV?(poll)

According to our poll "Do You Have a Surround Sound Setup?," 76% of the total respondents had either a HTIB or a system they compiled from separate components. That beats virtual surround respondents nearly 11 to 1.

So the bottom line is this—you guys are into the real deal. In fact you are so hardcore that you prefer to put together a system yourself as opposed to buying everything in a ready-made package. Bravo. On the other hand, 3% of respondents have a full system, but never hooked up the rear speakers. That handily beats the 35-50% average that experts have tossed around—but still...what the hell? There are ways to hook up a surround system yourself on the cheap that won't require a lot of cash or even tearing up walls. Using flat speaker cable is one soluton—and you can probably get the job done for under $60.

What happens when you ask brilliant humor essayist David Sedaris to sign your Kindle? You get a hilarious quote doomed for finger smudging on your expensive gadget. [NY Times]

A new solar power plant is set to open its doors on June 24th in Kibbutz Samar, Israel—but this is a one of a kind complex thanks to a hybrid-microturbine.

The plant can generate 100 kW of on-demand power and 170 kW of thermal power and consists of 30 mirrors that concentrate the sun's rays to the 30-foot Aora Tower. The rays are used to heat concentrated air to drive an electric turbine and the microturbine kicks in at night to fill in the gaps. It is capable of running on biodiesel or natural gas, which means power 24-hours a day—rain or shine. Because it is so versatile, this technology could help power up off the grid communities without having to expand existing grids. Aora is already looking to expand into other countries—and I say bring it on. That tower reminds me of the Eye of Sauron—only more flower-y. [Aora Solar and Treehugger via Inhabitat]

If everything goes well, soon we will be able to reach the center of the Earth using 7200ºF flame jets that can go into any kind of material at 100 feet an hour. Wait, "if everything goes well"?

Yes, apparently this is a great idea because it can be the key to obtain cheap geothermal power. These drills—created by Jared Potter—will go deep into Mother Earth to reach the magma to make geothermal energy wells. The magma will be used then to superheat water and produce electricity using steam and turbines—forever and ever—something that is impossible now even with today's state-of-the-art drilling technology.

Unlike current drilling methods, the flame-jets make holes without touching the rock itself. Potter has two prototypes so far, both with the same results. The first fires a 3200ºF hydrogen flame to heat the rock, making cracks that expand into a full hole in a matter of minutes. The other one superheats a jet of water at 7200ºF and can work at super-deep levels, with extreme pressures.

They are both in the preliminary testing stages, but as you can see in the video, they show promise. If they work, it will be great idea with—hopefully—great benefits for all of mankind.

My primitive self, however, has a funny feeling about this. You know, why do people insist on doing things that may end up badly? Don't we have enough with pandemics and the bloody Apophis and its 3,000 dark comet friends coming to destroy the planet with Pink Floyd music playing on the background soon?

Maybe Mr Potter should get a job as a birthday party magician.

The wonderful Improv Everywhere just posted the report from its 6th MP3 Experiment, where 2,000 people all got together and listened to the same instructional MP3. It looked like a crazy amount of fun.

You may be familiar with some of Improv Everywhere's other pranks, such as Frozen Grand Central and the No Pants Subway Ride, but the annual MP3 Experiment is one that looks like it may be the most fun to participate in. I mean, come on, watch that video and tell me everyone doesn't look like they're having a blast. [Improv Everywhere]

Lego may be all into consumer gadgets these days with their fancy cellphones and camcorders, but Tyco beat them to the punch in the 80's when they created this charmingly hideous landline phone.

The device had traditional features like ring and pulse tone switches, but it also allowed users to build on the phone itself using bricks stored in a drawer that pops out the side. The good news is that if your Mom didn't want this thing in her house back in those days, you can still grab one today for a decent price on eBay. [eBay via CraziestGadgets]

We're a bunch of dorks. You're a bunch of dorks. So screw it. Let's stop trying to constantly impress girls and just pick up some Bumblebee voice-changing masks already.

Much like the Optimus Prime mask demonstrated by our very own Autobot-aspiring Brian Lam, this Bumblebee mask uses the power of three AAs to transform your voice into a modulated mess. The good news, however, is that since it's a mask, few people will know who's wearing the ages five to adult toy. And even fewer people will risk life, limb and general reputation to check. [Hasbro via 2dayBlog via Botropolis]

In a nutshell, "AT&T will make multimedia messaging (MMS) available at no extra cost to customers with a text messaging bundle," says AT&T. [PCWorld]

I don't care about Rock Band. Or Beatles Rock Band. Not even Lego Rock Band. But I do care about The Beatles, and the game's opening cinematic is just a perfect, beautiful summary of their history. [Thanks Omar]

Palm may have warned against hacking the Pre for tethering, but instructions on how to accomplish the task have already made their way onto the internet. Attempt at your own risk. [isyougeekedup via Engadget]

If you've been looking to get a Blu-ray player but still haven't taken the plunge, here's a brand new $130 Insignia. And in the epic battle between which one's better: Cake or pie? I must say, "Let them eat cake!"

Computing and Peripherals:
• Dell Inspiron 15 Dual Core Laptop with 3GB RAM for $449 (normally $519).
• 24'' Dell S2409w 1080p Full High-definition LCD Monitor for $199 plus free shipping (normally $279 - use coupon code HT6G73V?WFV7L5).
• 22'' Acer X223WBD Widescreen LCD Monitor for $139.99 plus free shipping (normally $169.99).
• 19" Samsung 943SWX Widescreen LCD Monitor for $99.98 plus free shipping (normally $140).
• 1TB Iomega Prestige USB External Hard Drive for $97.99 plus free shipping (normally $114.99).
• Rosewill RSV-S5 5-Bay RAID Storage Enclosure System for $174.99 plus free shipping (normally $519 - use coupon code SERVER6125).
• Brother FAX-575 Personal Plain Paper Fax/Phone/Copier for $30 plus free shipping (normally $60).

Gaming:
• Nintendo Wii Console for $204.99 plus free shipping (normally $249.99).
• Godzilla Unleashed on PS2 for $2.90 (normally $19.99).
• Celebrity Sports Showdown on Wii for $9.90 (normally $19.99).
• Disney's High School Musical 3: Senior Year on Wii for $9.98 (normally $29.99 - valid today only).
• Dead Space on Xbox 360 for $31.49 plus free shipping (normally $39.99).
• Final Fantasy III on DS for $14.99 plus free shipping (normally $19.99).
• 120GB Hard Drive for Xbox 360 for $119.97 plus free shipping (normally $159.99).

Home Entertainment:
• 40" Toshiba 40RV525R 1080p LCD TV for $694.95 plus free shipping (normally $750).
• 19" Sharp LC19SB24U 720p LCD TV for $199 plus free shipping (normally $280 - use coupon code 03SJ5LZW1RWGFH).
• Insignia Blu-ray Disc Player with 1080p Output for $129.99 plus free shipping (normally $199.99).
• Yamaha YHT-491BL Home Theater in a Box for $358.07 plus free shipping (normally $489).
• Ocean's Twelve on Blu-ray for $11.99 (normally $28.99).

Personal Portables and Peripherals:
• V-Touch 8GB MP3/MP4 Player for $59.99 plus free shipping (normally $90.92).
• Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime iPod Speakers for $64.99 plus free shipping (normally $99.99).
• BlackBerry HS-655 Bluetooth Headset for $9.99 plus free shipping (normally $39.99).
• MyVu Shades for iPod for $69.99 plus free shipping (normally $99.99).
• Nokia BH-102 Bluetooth Headset for $1 plus free shipping (normally $16 - use this rebate form).

Hobomodo:
• Piece of Chocolate Cake from Romano's Macaroni Grill for $0 (must bring in this coupon to participating locations only. Valid through 7/20).
• Subscription to Vegetarian Times Magazine for $0.
• 2-Year Subscription to Time Out New York Magazine for $0.
• Nexcar Bandages for $0.
• 12oz of Seattle's Best Coffee for $0 (at Borders bookstores only. Valid through 6/18).
• "Let Your Love Flow" by Petra Haden (from Prius Commercials) MP3 Download for $0.
• "Waiting for the Night to Come" by Mundy MP3 Download for $0.
• "A Bar in Amsterdam" by Katzenjammer MP3 Download for $0.

If a deal looks too good to be true, investigate the store and see if it's a good, reputable place to buy. Safe shopping!

[Thanks TechDealDigger, Fat Wallet, GamerHotline, Cheap College Gamers, CheapStingyBargains and TechBargains.]

British cable operator Virgin Media is set to offer up an unlimited music download subscription program with Universal that would give you access to DRM-free MP3s as long as you pay a set monthly fee.

The service is set to cost £10-15, or about $16-$25, per month, and it would allow users to either stream or download as many tracks and albums from Universal's catalog as they want.

It's a great first step, but not one I would sign on for just yet. While a flat rate for unlimited MP3 downloads is amazing, having it only work for one label's catalog limits the value, even if it is a gigantic label such as Universal. If I'm gonna pay $20 a month, I want that to cover everything, not just some songs.

If you were looking for the catch, it's this: Virgin has agreed to be really strict about searching for piracy and cutting off the service of offenders.

It's a great precedent, however. If other labels jumped on board and the selection was more all-encompassing I can't imagine many people would be able to say no to legit all-you-can-eat music for a reasonable monthly fee. And if that existed, the excuses for piracy would be harder to justify. [Reuters]

The Sunday Times Magazine took a look at data centers, detailing the gear behind the "cloud." Here's the emergency shut-down button at Microsoft's 500,000-square-foot center in Washington. You would infuriate a boatload of people if you pushed it. [NYTimes]

Just a quick note to our faithful Giz readership: While we usually publish major product reviews in a timely manner, you won't be seeing a Wii MotionPlus review on our site any time soon.

Even though it's been officially released with Tiger Woods 2010, the platform is simply too young to fairly adjudicate. Matt Buchanan performed quite a bit of testing at E3 if you'd like to read his impressions. But in reality, it's just not the time to make any sort of worthwhile verdict on the device because even Nintendo hasn't shipped their first Wii MotionPlus title yet. Still, have you picked it up yet?

Bing is so good at finding porn and displaying it that Microsoft will serve all the adult-oriented content from an specific domain. That way it will be a lot easier to filter:

First, potentially explicit images and video content will now be coming from a separate single domain, explicit.bing.net. This is invisible to the end customer, but allows for filtering of that content by domain which makes it much easier for customers at all levels to block this content regardless of what the SafeSearch settings might be. This makes it much easier for filtering software to block unwanted content if SafeSearch has been turned off.

In addition, we will begin returning source url information in the query string for images and video content so that companies who already use this method of filtering will be able to catch explicit content on Bing along with everything else they are already blocking for their customers.

So no, it won't affect your ability to get some bada-bing in the privacy of your own home, but your company or school will be able to filter all of it easily. Kudos to Microsoft to think about those who care about these things without affecting those who don't care. [Bing]

The Eee Keyboard PC was pretty amazing before, but now that we're seeing it running Intel's Moblin OS, we want one even more.

We've only seen Windows XP versions of the computer-inside-a-keyboard before, but sticking Intel's Linux-based Moblin on there actually makes sense. I've always pictured the Eee keyboard as something you'd have hooked up to your TV rather that a traditional monitor, and Moblin looks like it'd be great for casual internet use from the couch.

No word on if it'll actually come as an option on the Eee Keyboard, but we'll keep you updated. [NetbookNes.de via SlashGear]

Speaking at the Wired Business Conference in NYC, Shai Agassi, the founder of green transportation company Better Place, made a bold statement about near-future electric cars:

From WiredBiz's twitter feed:

A sub $10,000, zero-emissions car will be the most desirable consumer electronics device in history.

Apparently, the quote came up while discussing Tesla with founder Elon Musk. When asked how he is reacting to the Detroit meltdown, Wired editor Chris Anderson noted in his twitter feed that Musk would like to buy a car factory and build 100,000 cars a year. That having been said, do you agree or disagree with Agassi's assessment? [Wired Biz]

Rejoice, Microsoft Office and iPhone users, because now you can edit, create, and view Microsoft Word files. Dataviz Documents To Go doesn't bring Excel editing as promised, but at least is here now for $5.

The Excel creation and editing will be a free upgrade if you buy now. Like the rest of the Dataviz mobile editors, Documents to Go for iPhone uses InTact, which retains the format of edited files at all times.

They also have another version for $10, which also supports Exchange attachments. [Documents to Go and Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments]

With gun laws being a little stricter in the UK, the weapon of choice for day to day murdering can often be found in the kitchen. That's why the first anti-stab knife is now ready for sale there.

As the designer notes:

Mr Cornock, 42, from Swindon, said that the knife will cut vegetables, but will make it almost impossible to stab someone to death and will reduce the risk of accidental injuries.

He said: "It can never be a totally safe knife, but the idea is you can't inflict a fatal wound. Nobody could just grab one out of the kitchen drawer and kill someone.

Really? Couldn't you go all Jack the Ripper on someone's throat with it? At any rate, if your wife or husband decides to replace your current knives with these anti-stab versions, that really says something about how they feel about you. Either they have the wrong impression, or they are on to you. [New Point Knives and Times Online via Fark]

The stripped-down, reduced-cost Windows 7 Starter Edition has already done its part to squander the public's recent good will for the new OS, but an ultra-low price could turn things around. Unfortunately, early signs aren't overly promising.

Starter Edition will serve two primary purposes for Microsoft: it'll provide a low cost, serviceable OS for markets where regular Windows pricing is simply unrealistic; and it'll give OEMs (and only OEMs) a more affordable version of the OS for netbooks, which Windows 7 has been thoroughly optimized for. Now, OEMs are telling Digitimes that Microsoft is asking $45-$55 for Starter Edition—a good price for Windows at retail, but prohibitively high for manufacturers that are used to paying around $15 for XP.

If Microsoft wants Windows 7 to become the de facto notebook OS, which it is well-positioned to become, this could be a serious miscalculation. The difference may sound relatively small, but given the choices of sticking with XP (or Linux) or hiking prices by $35+, netbook manufacturers—a proudly stingy bunch—wouldn't have a hard time choosing. [Ars--Thanks, Sicarious!]

If you put in an iPhone 3GS preorder, chances are that this won't be news to you. But several readers have reported receiving UPS tracking numbers for their new iPhone 3GSes. Hooray for them! In the meantime, we're going to just tell people we have an iPhone 3GS while shying away from requests to see the new Compass app or video recording. [Thanks Jeremy, Ken and others!]

This may not be the most attractive USB hub, but it's only $20 and it uses the power of the sun to charge your mobile phone and USB gadgetry.

Brando say the USB Solar Charging 4-Port Hub (catchy name I think you will agree) can be used either as a traditional USB hub, or as an eco-friendly charger - using the sun's rays to keep your gadgets going.

The lightweight 54 gram device comes with six mobile phone connectors and houses a built-in battery meaning you don't have to have all your tech attached while it's soaking up the sun. It can also be charged by an AC power supply should the clouds be out or you just want to stick it to the environment. [Brando]

I like to assemble audio and video components, so I don't get these all-in-one systems, specially when they try to do it all, like this Akai AISS010. There's nothing left out of this unit:

- Docks and charges iPod
- Compatible with CD/ DVD/CD-R/CD-RW/MP3/WMA/VCD/JPEG/DIVX/MPEG4
- AM/FM radio with digital readout
- HDMI 1080P
- Supports USB and card audio playing
- Built-in DVD player
- LCD clock display
- Composite video, S-video, Y, Cb, Cr video output
- Supports all iPods
- Digital coaxial & optical audio output
- VFD Multi-function display
- Automatic age lock and screen protection function
- Remote control unit
- 2.1 + 1 track power output (double sub-woofer)
- 4" x 4 + 5" x2 bass speaker 40w + 20w*2 (RMS 10% THD)

Still, I'm sure some people will find this $1,000 unit useful. [Audion via Gizmodo Australia]

The evolution of the computer desk seemed to stop somewhere in the mid 90s. But this bar-style desk made (entirely?) from IKEA components is a refreshing way to hide a hefty tower PC.

Anyone who speaks un-English is welcome to pillage Ikea's Swedish forum for more details than we could excavate with the assistance of Google Translate, but from what we can tell, this bar desk is a quasi-custom job that could turn your shameful WoW addiction into a mature, metropolitan hobby that's fully capable of wooing the most reserved of Banana Republic lady's section employees. Just stash any snacks that end in a Z when company comes around. [IKEA via Unplggd]

My job here is done.

OK, it's not. This is the Pūrleve, described by the manufacturer as a hygienic door handle.

As someone who has mastered the art of opening and closing toilet doors without touching the doorknob, I've to admit that the idea of the Pūrleve is a good one: Every time someone uses it, a mechanism will cover the handle with an "antimicrobial-treaded sleeve." In other words: A doorknob condom.

As the company puts it:

Pūrleve reduces the amount of disease-causing germs and bacteria, helping in the global fight against germ cross-contamination.

Yes, yet another product that appeals to the global paranoia about infections and our hysteric need to sterilize the world. As far as I'm concerned, I just think that bathroom doorknobs are gross. [Purleve via Core77]

Here's the Samsung Jet—it's got an 800MHz processor (obviously they want you to know what's inside, unlike Apple), a pure Samsung six-sided Cube interface, and a WebKit browser.

Samsung calls the browser Dolfin, and it'll come to other Samsung phones in the future (okay, that's what I'm most excited about). No carrier in the US yet, but it's UTMS, so probably AT&T, if it comes here at all.

It feels surprisingly nice for an all plastic handset, and the touchscreen's pretty decent for being resistive. Ironically, the menus seem way more sluggish than you'd expect given the processing power inside. [Samsung]

Samsung Jet Specification
Network: EDGE/GPRS Class 12 (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz)
HSDPA 3.6Mbps (900, 2100 MHz)
Display: 3.1" 16M WVGA AMOLED
Camera: 5.0 Megapixel AF camera+ Dual Power LED
Face Detection, Smile Shot, Panorama Shot, Blink Detection,
Geo-tagging, Photo Editor
Video: D1 Video Playback/D1 30fps Video Recording
MPEG4, H.263, H.264, WMV, DivX, XviD, Video Editor
Audio: Music Player with DNSe & SRS WOW Sound Effect
Find Music, 3.5 Ear Jack, FM Radio/Recording
MP3, AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, WMA, AMR, MIDI, SP-MIDI,
i-melody, WAV, MMF, XMF, OMA DRM v2.1, WMDRM,
DivX VOD

Value Added: In-house developed Dolfin Browser, WAP 2.0, One finger Zoom
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, Share Pix & Mobile Widget,
A-GPS, On Board Navigation(3D Map), TouchWiz 2.0,
Motion UI, Media Gate 3D, Multi-tasking Manager
Connectivity: Bluetooth® v2.1, microUSB (USB v2.0 Hi-Speed), Wi-Fi
Memory: 2GB/8GB, External MicroSD slot (Up to 16GB)
Battery: 1,100 mAh - Talk time : 2G/492 minutes, 3G/300 minutes
- Standby : 2G/422 hours, 3G/406 hours
Size: 108.8 x 53.5 x 11.9 mm

SAMSUNG JET: 'SMARTER THAN A SMARTPHONE'
Samsung Mobile is proud to launch the Samsung Jet - a high end innovation to mark a new chapter in full touch phones. Packed with features, Samsung Jet delivers the very best in power, speed and brilliance, all housed in a sleek and stylish design, to produce a unique touch experience.

Smart features with user-friendly interface
Samsung Jet's innovative smartphone-like features take the handset to the realms of being 'smarter than a smartphone'. Opening up a whole new world of web experience, its high performance Dolfin web browser has been developed in-house and allows easy, super fast surfing. Samsung Jet also supports the option of multi-window browsing to surf several web pages simultaneously - up to five pages at any one time. Also, it allows for multi-window web browsing and for book marking widget to save your favourite websites. Samsung Jet features a bespoke multi-tasking manager, making it little bit easier. In addition, the multiple background download, multi-purpose address field and ad-blocker ensure users only need to focus on what they really want to. Samsung Jet is the first feature phone to adopt the Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync Email system, with a more convenient user interface as a result of more streamlined push-email for business users. Breaking away from multi-touch zoom technology which requires the use of two fingers and two hands, Samsung Jet gives our consumers the ultimate in usability, portability and convenience through the brand-new concept - 'one finger zoom,' which enables one hand operation to zoom in and out. One finger zoom can be used not only for the Internet browser, but also for Photo browser and file viewer to see TXT, PDF and PPT files in four times bigger size - all just with one finger tip while you're on the move.

An Ultra Brilliant Display with AMOLED
The Samsung Jet has a display which offers unrivalled quality and brilliance for its users. The 3.1" Samsung WVGA AMOLED display is four times sharper than a WQVGA screen. Samsung Jet's screen provides stunning, super bright and vivid images in perfect natural colours, with the very best high resolution display for viewing multimedia on the go. Samsung Jet's ultra brilliant display has a 180° viewing angle, gives a super fast touch response and is also very efficient in its power consumption. Thanks to WVGA AMOLED technology, Samsung Jet consumes 40% less energy than a mobile phone equipped with TFT-LCD display. The remarkable image quality transforms mobile content into amazing visuals. Thanks to the 480dpi brilliance in its WVGA AMOLED display, Samsung Jet provides a high quality multimedia experience, transforming mobile video into pure viewing pleasure.

Speedy Performance with an Accelerated Application Processor
Samsung Jet takes the meaning of performance in full touch mobile phones to another level with its revolutionary speed, which is all thanks to the 800MHz Accelerated Application Processor. This sophisticated high performance processor is Jet's secret to speed and versatility, integrating multiple applications into one marvelously seamless experience. Instant response from a 3D touch interface matches the speed of touch. The accelerated application processor can integrate various functions such as navigation and viewing, so users can access them all without usual lag time or blurred visuals that can disrupt the pleasure of the experience.

Intuitive Interaction with TouchWiz 2.0
To ensure the most hassle free and pure experience for its user, Samsung Jet features TouchWiz 2.0 user interface (UI), an upgrade from previous TouchWiz user interfaces seen on the F480 (Tocco in UK) and other Samsung full touch mobiles. Building on the strong reputation of the interface of the F480, Samsung Jet houses an advanced TouchWiz 2.0, giving outstanding touch capability in online browsing and a powerful and responsive reaction. Multiple applications run both seamlessly and simultaneously through the use of Jet's powerful application processor, enabling users to dip in and out of the features as they wish. With its intuitive 3D media gate UI and motion-response UI, users can enjoy a dynamic, content-based experience. The 3D media gate on Samsung Jet offers easy access to six key multimedia features, such as Photo album, Music player, Video player, FM Radio, Games and internet, all simply accessed by rolling a six sided cube UI on the screen. Samsung Jet features 'motion gate', Samsung's own motion recognition engine which brings you access to your multimedia favorites as well as speed dialing just by tapping, tilting or flipping the handset. To enhance the usability in full touch screen, Samsung introduces 'smart unlock', a feature which enables users to unlock the phone and execute the menu directly by drawing an alphabet letter on the screen. Users can set up the menu that they want to go to directly according to the alphabet letters from A to Z. The 'smart unlock' technology allows users to programme their own, customised movements in order to operate the handset, bringing the ultimate in personalisation. Samsung Jet has an online widget function to access useful mobile applications and get live information such as weather, news and search engines by online widget downloading. There are more than 30 widgets already available on Samsung Jet and users can download more from the website. These include a personalisation widget to adapt the screen layout and wallpaper. A three-page main menu and three-page widget screen offer quick and easy application search and reuse.

Powerful, Fun and Easy to use Features
Samsung Jet also has an A-GPS application, to provide navigation services in life-like 3D, to convey real places, information and directions in real-time. This incorporates 3D Map Navigation, GPS on Google maps and location-Based Services. The GPS system features Geo-tagging, enabled through a Geo- magnetic sensor to send location information and updates on traffic conditions by SMS, link location information to navigation, and a compass. Samsung Jet's GPS application can run on 'Drive to' or 'Walk to' modes. When it comes to music, Samsung Jet's unique features give users the option to operate simultaneous playback audio and scroll through the phone's music library with superb sound quality. For video, the DVD-like video playback recording (with D1 Video Playback and D1 30fps Video Recording) enables seamless playback without residuals and the ability to instantly download and play DivX and Xvid formats without converting, resizing and lateration - all in HD-like quality on its brilliant AMOLED screen.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of two business units: Digital Media & Communications and Device Solutions. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com

Samsung's dropping a whole lotta Omnia, if you haven't noticed. Verizon's getting the Omnia II (Sammy's leaving when and for how much for Verizon to announce), which has the biggest AMOLED display yet in in a phone—3.7 inches at WVGA resolution. It's going to have TouchWiz 2.0 as well, meaning it's got more widget power, with what Samsung calls "smart unlock," so you can directly access apps from the lock screen.

Oh, and it'll be updateable to Windows Mobile 6.5 from the WM 6.1 it ships with.

All-in-one Redefined: Omnia II (I8000)
The Omnia II is designed for the smartphone user who demands an enhanced and convenient multimedia experience featuring Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

Featuring the world's largest 3.7-inch AMOLED display with crystal-clear WVGA resolution, the Omnia II offers unbeatable screen clarity, even under the day light.

Complete with larger icons and a simpler structure, Omnia II's user interface has been deeply customized to provide touch-optimized usability. Also, innovative TouchWiz 2.0 User Interface and 3D effects make enjoying multimedia and multi tasking convenient and fun. Advanced R Touch (Resistive Touch) enables faster, more accurate touch response for a touch experience that's 100% user friendly.

The much enhanced display and user interface make it even more pleasurable to enjoy the rich multimedia functions of the Omnia II, including its DVD-like(480p) video recording/playback, smooth internet browsing as well as interactive 3D games. Users can also access and download content speedily while on the move thanks to the Omnia II's HSUPA 5.76Mbps, HSDPA 7.2Mbps and Wi-Fi capabilities. Generous memory up to 48GB lets users store more of their favorite content for on-the-go access.

Omnia II (I8000) Specification
Network: HSDPA 7.2 Mbps / HSUPA 5.76Mbps
EDGE/GPRS 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900MHz
UMTS 900 / 1900 / 2100MHz
Display: 65K WVGA AMOLED Display (3.7", 480 x 800)
Advanced R-type Touch Screen
OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Camera: 5 Megapixel CMOS / Auto-Focus /
Dual Power LED / Face Detection / Smile Shot
Mobile Blogging / Geo Tagging / Photo Editor
Audio: Audio Format Support (MP3, AAC, AAC+, WMA)
WMDRM, OMA DRM 2.1 / Find Music (Music Recognition)
Bluetooth® Stereo Headset (A2DP)
FM Radio with RDS / 3.5 earjack
Video: Video Format Support (DivX, XviD, H.263,
H.264, WMV9, MPEG4)
Video Recording & Playing (30fps@ D1(720x480))
Video Editing (Trim video, Audio dubbing,
Live dubbing, Add subtitle)
Value Added: A-GPS with Navigation (3D Map) / LBS
TouchWiz 2.0 UI with Mobile Widget / 3D Media Gate
Multi-task manager / 3D Interactive Games
Connectivity:Bluetooth® v 2.0 / USB 2.0 / Wi-Fi
Memory: Internal Memory : 2GB/8GB/16GB
External Memory : microSDHC™ (up to 32GB)
Size: 118 x 60 x 11.9 mm
Battery: Talk time : Up to 10 hours (3G)
Standby time : Up to 430 hours (3G)

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2008 consolidated sales of US$96 billion. Employing approximately 164,600 people in 179 offices across 61 countries, the company consists of two business units: Digital Media & Communications and Device Solutions. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com

Over the weekend, we got a number of reports that Apple has downgraded the SATA controller in the latest MacBook Pro 13-inch and 15-inch update, capping potential drive speeds. Going over the evidence, it looks like they were right. UPDATED

The issue has been examined at length in the MacRumors forums, where dozens of users are sharing their experiences, benchmarks and varying levels of disappointment. Here are the kinds of numbers they're finding with faster SSDs (excerpted):

Older 13" MBA, 13" MB, 17" MBP (and old versions of 13"/15" MBP):

Sequential READ = 225 MB/sec
Sequential WRITE = 180 MB/sec

New 13" MBP, 15" MBP

Sequential READ = 115 MB/sec
Sequential WRITE = 95 MB/sec

This sounds terrible: the potential read speeds on the new MacBook Pros have essentially been cut in half. In real-world scenarios, though—particularly Apple-sanctioned real-world scenarios—the speed differences shouldn't matter much; since the MBPs ship HDDs that aren't quite fast enough to max out a 1.5Gb interface, the issue will go unnoticed by most users.

The problem, though, is with upgrades: there are SSDs on the market that can reach and pass the 1.5GB/s threshold, and in the near future they'll become much more common, and cheaper. There's speculation that this could be remedied with a firmware update, but many are saying this is unlikely; after all, reverting to an older firmware wouldn't have saved Apple any money, while reverting to cheaper hardware could have, albeit barely.

UPDATE: Hubert from UberGizmo, a guy who knows his Nvidia hardware, sees a software issue at most:

First of all, I believe that NVIDIA has never produced a single GeForce 9400M motherboard chipset (aka ION) that doesn't handle SATA-2 (3Gbps). And even if they did, it would not really save a buck on the chip, as long as the chip size is identical. Most importantly, a 1.5 Gbps SATA-I Geforce 9400M chipset does not exist, as far as I know.

Then what happened? We're not sure, but consider these scenarios: what if some computer shipped with a SATA-I disk? What if 1.5Gbps consumes less power? Because the hardware supports SATA-II, there is a slight chance that this can be updated in the future. We'll be waiting for an official statement from Apple.

[MacRumors —Thanks, James, Serrada and Kim!]

Google is having artists make custom skins for its Chrome Browser, which is pretty cool. Much less cool, however, is that one of the biggest companies in the world refuses to pay the artists.

Many of the established artists are refusing to hand over their work to Google for no cash based on promises of free exposure.

"I have done gift cards for Target that are in stores nationwide and animations for Nickelodeon that run 24 hours a day worldwide on cable TV," Melinda Beck, an illustrator who is based in Brooklyn, wrote in an e-mail message to Google rejecting its offer. "Both of these jobs were high-profile and gave my work great exposure but both clients still paid me."

It's tough to see Google's position as reasonable here. Sure, these artists will get exposure, but if they can't get paid by Google, who will pay them? The paid-in-exposure deal is something you see offered by student films looking for actors and new publications with no money looking for writers, and it's only justifiable when the employers in question are completely unable to pay for work, and even then it's questionable. But Google? Google can afford it. Exposure is great, but as anyone who's ever tried to make money on the internet can tell you, you can't pay your rent with exposure.

Whatever happened to "Don't Be Evil," Google? [NY Times]

The Loop really impressed us back at CES...2007. A circular remote that functioned a lot like the Wiimote, the promising Loop turned heads before disappearing into the bowels of the tech world. (Until now.)

Today, the Loop goes on sale for $100.

Far from a universal remote, the Loop is intended specifically for home theater PCs (HTPCs), the PS3, or AppleTV. The remote has just four buttons and a scroll wheel, but its extremely fluid in-air mouse makes it simple to browse webpages and icon interfaces.

You can see our vintage demo video here in which Adam tests the remote. Note that internal sensors determine mouse position, not line of site infrared as in the Wiimote.

The Loop requires an RF USB dongle to function, so don't expect to use it for every home theater component you own. But it still might be worth its $100 price to get the mouse and keyboard out of your lap.

Hillcrest Labs Introduces the Loop™ Pointer: In-Air Mouse for TV

- Before Father's Day, Award Winning Product Now Available to Consumers -
- Targeted to Consumers who Connect their TV to a PC or Mac® -
- Available for $99 via Amazon.com or www.hillcrestlabs.com/loop -

Rockville, MD – June 15, 2009 – Today, in time for Father's Day, Hillcrest Labs launched its award-winning Loop™ pointer to be sold directly to consumers. The Loop pointer is a unique Freespace® mouse that lets users control an on-screen cursor with the flick of wrist. The Loop pointer is designed to be used by the growing number of consumers who connect their PC or Mac® to a TV.

According to data derived from a recent Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) ® report, there are now more than 7 million US households that have connected a personal computer to their home television sets (1). With the Loop pointer, these consumers now have an engaging new way to search, browse, and navigate the Web or their home media content on TV.

The Loop pointer's distinctive design is round and ergonomic including just four buttons and a scroll wheel. Originally developed as a concept product to showcase Hillcrest Labs' Freespace in-air pointing and motion control technology, the Loop pointer is available to consumers for the first time for just $99. Consumers can purchase the Loop pointer at www.amazon.com or www.hillcrestlabs.com/loop.

"As our flagship Freespace product design, the Loop pointer has captured the imagination and interest of most people who have used it," said Dan Simpkins, CEO and founder of Hillcrest Labs. "Although today we are introducing our first product directly to the public, at our core, we remain a software and IP licensing company."

"Hillcrest Labs is recognized as one of the most innovative developers of motion control technology and graphical user interfaces for television," said Colin Dixon, principal analyst at the Diffusion Group. "Their new Loop pointer is a simple, elegant product whose unique design will make it a great conversation piece in the living room, dorm room, lecture hall, or board room."

Examples of Applications and Uses

To use the Loop pointer, consumers simply plug a small, USB 2.0 transceiver that comes with the device into a compatible computer or device. As with a conventional mouse, no special driver software is required for use on a PC or Mac. Device applications include:

• Mouse for TV: For consumers who connect a PC-to-TV or Mac-to-TV, the Loop is an in-air pointer that offers the industry's highest performance. Users can relax comfortably on a couch, hold the Loop pointer in any position, and control their favorite online video sites, photo sites, music sites, and more. Using the standard on-screen keyboards that are included with the Windows or Mac operating systems, people can enter search terms, passwords, and more.

• Presenters: Executives, professors or other PowerPoint™ users now have a far more useful and eye-catching tool for use with keynotes, company presentations, or lectures. The Loop pointer also makes it easy to switch between presentations, web pages and other applications, all while walking around the conference room or lecture hall.

The Loop pointer can also complement the following products:

• KODAK Theatre HD Player: Owners of the highly acclaimed KODAK Theatre HD Player can use the Loop pointer as a fully functioning alternative controller to interact with pictures, videos and music, and more.
• PS3™: The Loop pointer is not a game controller for PS3, but it can be used as a complementary device to navigate the Internet using the PS3's web browser.
• Apple TV: While Apple TV does not support mouse controllers, consumers who use aTV Flash, from Fire Core (version 3.6), will be able to use the Loop pointer to navigate content on the device and the aTV Flash web browser.

Freespace Technology

The Loop pointer incorporates Hillcrest Labs' patented Freespace technology. Attributes of the Loop pointer that are made possible by Freespace technology include:

• High Accuracy/Precision: The Loop is a highly precise pointer which allows users to point to individual pixels on a high-resolution screen.

• Orientation Compensation: Regardless of the orientation of the device in space (e.g. pointing at the ground, turned sideways, etc.), Freespace generates intuitive cursor motions on the screen. MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) sensors combined with Hillcrest's proprietary software enable consistent control of the device from any position – standing, sitting or reclining.

• Adaptive Tremor Removal: Hillcrest's technology can distinguish between intentional and unintentional movement, including natural hand tremors. Instead of filtering out the entire range of human tremor, which would reduce the accuracy of the pointer, the Loop pointer dynamically measures each individual user's specific tremor and unintentional movements and removes them.

• No Line-of-Site: Unlike conventional Infrared devices and optical motion-sensing devices that require "line-of-site" operation, the Loop pointer uses RF (radio frequency) technology, so users do not need to point directly at the computer or TV screen. This gives users greater freedom to move around at a range of up to 30 feet. It also means that the PC or Mac could be stored in a media cabinet while in use.

Freespace technology can also be licensed by companies as a complete hardware and software platform to create peripheral devices that accurately track motion with six degrees of freedom. Companies that have licensed Freespace for use in their products include: Eastman Kodak, Logitech, UEI, and ZillionTV. In addition, Hillcrest Labs licenses a broad set of intellectual property including more than 40 issued patents, out of more than 190 filed by the company.

Loop Pointer Specifications

• Diameter: 4.8 inches (approximately the size of a CD or DVD)
• Width: 1.2 inches
• Weight: 4.9 ounces
• Color: Black with silver buttons
• Connectivity: USB 2.0 antenna with built in RF (radio frequency transceiver)
• Power supply: 2 AA batteries (included)

To order the Loop pointer, consumers should visit www.amazon.com or www.hillcrestlabs.com/loop. For more details about Hillcrest Labs, visit www.hillcrestlabs.com.

[Hillcrest Labs]

A year after Nvidia's monstrous GeForce 200 series graphics cards first stomped onto the scene (literally the biggest GPUs ever), Nvidia's finished making them mobile, delivering double the performance of current 9M series using half the power.

The first GeForce 200M notebook cards—the GTX 280M and 260M—were for crazy gaming rigs, and were actually based on the previous-gen G92 architecture. (Nvidia did pulled some confusing re-branding jujitsu a few months back.) The new 200M cards are based on the "current high-end desktop architecture" (so, actually the G200 architecture) and round out the 200M series, replacing the current 9M series across the board: GTS 260M, GTS 250M, GT 240M, GT 230M, G 210M. Here's how the specs break down:

So to recap in English, all the Nvidia notebook graphics cards that are like "GT 9600" are going to be replaced by ones that are like "GT 240" which are faster but use less power. I don't know why Nvidia went from 9000 to 200, so don't ask me. It's actually kind of a bummer they didn't make it into the new MacBook Pros, though, since they now have officially old and busted graphics chips inside. [Nvidia]

Why do we reserve the glory of carbon fiber for lightweight performance items? You know, other than durability and expense?

This custom controller's carbon fiber and fiberglass chassis may be eye-catching, but maybe more impressively, the stick is constructed with dual circuitry for maximum compatibility. Filled with both the guts of a MadCatz Xbox 360 controller and a Chtulhu PCB (for PC/PS3), it works on every major platform. Meanwhile, the actual play components are from Seimitsu, though Sanwa buttons will fit as well, fanboys.

Still, even with the blessing of a carbon fiber body, this arcade stick still weighs almost 4lbs. Next time, let's just go with marble and iron. [Shoryuken via CarbonFiberGear]

Samsung "revealed" a few handsets today at an event in Singapore, first and foremost confirming that the OLED, WXGA, Windows Mobile Louvre B7610 is, in fact, the rumored Omnia Pro, pictured second from the right. Also present were the already-announced I7500 Android phone, the megapixel-obsessed Pixon 12 and the Jackie B7320, an Epix-like candybar.

Details for now are tentative—though the rumored specs look likely—so we'll have to wait until the almost-certainly-related English language Samsung Unpacked event scheduled for a bit later today to get the full rundown. [Akihabara]

Palm have "politely" warned the Pre homebrewers behind the Pre Dev Wiki not to talk about hacking the handset for internet tethering on their site ... because Sprint might complain.

The caution from Palm suggests that 'they' don't have a problem with someone figuring out a tethering solution for the easily hackable handset, but that Sprint - who don't allow tethering, even on their $99 everything plan - might.

Palm warned that if Sprint complained, they would be forced to react against the people running the site with legal action. As a result the guys at Pre Dev Wiki have pulled any tethering chat and posted an explanation as to why it has gone.

We have been politely cautioned by Palm that any discussion of tethering during the Sprint exclusivity period (and perhaps beyond-we don't know yet) will probably cause Sprint to complain to Palm, and if that happened then Palm would be forced to react against the people running the IRC channel and this wiki.

They have however, added a note stating that Sprint does not have a Pre plan which allows tethering under the Terms Of Service. It seems like everyone involved is sticking a finger up at Sprint, though not necessarily to their face. [Pre Dev Wiki via PreThinking]

The Olympus E-P1 Micro Four Thirds rangefinder-style camera (and Gizmodo lust object) has revealed itself in an official, full-frontal shot, accompanied by some iffy specs.

According to 43rumors, the E-P1 will shoot 720p video, and retail for just under $1000:

SD storage
13MP RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG modes
1280×720 video for 7 minutes at a time (presumably due to sensor heat)
640×480 video for 14 minutes
3" LCD with Liveview
ISO 200-6400
Shutter speed 60sec-1/4000sec

All we know for sure is, the styling is a bit more retro-sexy than expected, thankfully, and an official (Japanese) announcement is due tomorrow. [43Rumors, Akihabara]