All about Tech News

As we all know, electronics are like dust super magnets. Your house could be completely sterile and your favorite console will still somehow manage to accumulate copious amounts of dust over a short period of time. Thankfully, half of that dust can easily be wiped off with routine cleaning rituals. The other half on the other hand is more troublesome both in effect and treatment. This is of course the dust that enters through the ventilation and proceeds to lie dormant inside the console until it builds up to a level which either overwhelms the circuitry or leaves your home in ashes.
Sony have seemingly thought of an answer to this with a unique feature on the PlayStation 3 which effectively allows it to clean itself. Owners of a 40Gb PlayStation 3 feel free to try this at home. By turning the console completely off from the switch at the back of the console and turning it back on while holding the eject, the PlayStation 3 console will enter a self maintenance mode. All of the fans instantly go for maximum revs and in the process makes and noise that we all thought the PS3 incapable of. Ten seconds later and the sudden burst of air from the fans has cleared the internals of all dust.
As it stands, this is functionality unique to the 40 gigabyte SKU and as such will not be relevant to owners of the 60Gb console. Now that the cat is out of the bag on the hidden functionality, fans across various message boards are calling for the inclusion of this feature in future firmware updates so that all users can benefit. While they’re at it, Sony should code up a firmware which makes the PlayStation 3 impervious to fingerprints and teach the designers of all electronic companies that Piano Black is the worst idea ever. [MyGen]
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rTHw497f2Gg

The ASUS´ Intel G35 chipset motherboards allow users to enjoy enhanced Microsoft Vista DirectX 10 graphics on a motherboard solution “right out of the box”. This series of motherboards are the world´s first to provide an Intel platform with an onboard integrated VGA solution that features built-in support for Windows Vista DirectX 10. [ASUS]

ASUS´ unceasing drive towards offering the latest and the best technology to users has brought about this series of motherboards; which feature enhanced graphical support to allow users to experience a whole dimension in realistic gaming through more life-like character animations and special effects for true-to-life gaming.

Models that support this unique feature include the ASUS P5E-V HDMI, P5E-VM HDMI and the P5E-VM SE motherboards.
Specifications
Model P5E-V HDMI P5E-VM HDMI P5E-VM SE
Chipset G35/ICH9R G35/ICH9R G35/ICH9
FSB 1333/1066/800 MHz 1333/1066/800 MHz 1333/1066/800 MHz
VGA Intel® GMA X3500 Intel® GMA X3500 Intel® GMA X3500
HDMI Support Yes Yes No

Details on the forthcoming European Metal Gear Online beta have surfaced today courtesy of Konami Digital Entertainment. 
As reported earlier, the client itself will be available to download via the PlayStation Store on April 17, with Konami today announcing that the beta will run from April 21 – May 6.
The company revealed that two of the five planned maps would be available to play on, namely Blood Bath and Groznyi Grad, the latter of which is an updated version of the area of the same name from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. 
Ambush Alley, Midtown, Maelstrom and Urban Ultimatum will follow when the full game launches alongside Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots on June 12.
The game will allow for up to 16 players to compete against each other in various online modes, including Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture Base and Sneaking. [Konami Europe via PSU]

Is everyone getting psyched for the stunning re-imagining of the PlayStation Store? Perfect; let’s celebrate the Store’s return with some awesome classic rock. Jam out in Rock Band with the upcoming Classic Rock pack:  
“Call Me” by Blondie (master) 
“Simple Man” by Lynyrd Skynyrd (master) 
“Message in Bottle” by the Police (master) 
The new content will be up next Thursday, just in time for the relaunching of the PlayStation Store. These tracks will be accompanied by the last two weeks of DLC that we’ve missed due to the current renovation of the PS Store. The songs will run for $1.99 individually or for $5.49 as a three-pack. [RockBand]

UK retailer Shopto has confirmed to GamesIndustry.biz that a PlayStation bundle with Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV is due for release in Europe on April 29. 
The retailer said that there was some confusion as to who would be distributing the product in the UK – Gem, which has the exclusive distribution contract with publisher Take-Two, or Centresoft, the company that handles distribution for Sony.
“We know for a fact it is coming out in Europe and we are expecting an announcement in the UK any time,” confirmed Igor Cipolletta, COO of Shopto.com.
“We are not sure if Gem or Centresoft are distributing it yet, that seems to be the hold up,” he added.
The bundle has a RRP of GBP 299 and will go on sale the same day as the release of the highly-anticipated Rockstar game. [gi]
Buy it: Buy it now

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is in talks with Microsoft about joining in its contested bid for Yahoo, according to people involved in the discussions. The combination, which would join Yahoo, Microsoft’s MSN and News Corporation’s MySpace, would create a behemoth that would upend the Internet landscape. 
The talks are a surprising twist in the two-month-long takeover story that began when Microsoft made a $44.6 billion bid for Yahoo. Yahoo has resisted Microsoft’s overtures, contending that it will not negotiate unless Microsoft raises its offer. Yahoo, which wants to remain independent, has been in a desperate search for white knights, holding conversations with Time Warner’s AOL and News Corporation.
If News Corporation throws its weight behind Microsoft’s offer, that could allow Microsoft to raise its bid, putting even more pressure on Yahoo and its shareholders. At the same time, the alignment of Microsoft and News Corporation would remove a possible alternative for Yahoo, leaving it with fewer opportunities to escape Microsoft’s grasp.
View: Full Article @ The New York Times

It’s no secret that we’ve been drooling over all the hot limited-edition Metal Gear Solid 4 swag that Sony and Konami are dishing out in Japan, but it looks like a select few in this country will be able to score the baddest of them all: the gunmetal gray PS3 / MGS4 bundle with matching DualShock 3. Yep, it’s coming Stateside on June 12th like the rest of the MGS4 editions and the standard 80GB PS3 / MGS4 bundle, but you’d better get in line now, because we’re told it’s going to be extremely limited in availability, and we’re calling one. We can do that, right? Say yes.
[Via Engadget]

Yahoo’s done its best to fend off Microsoft’s aggressive advances until now, but it suddenly looks like the struggling company might be getting some help — both the Wall Street Journal and Reuters are reporting that the Yahoo is “closing in” on a deal to merge with Time Warner’s AOL division and partner up with Google on search advertising. Yeah, that’s pretty major, and it would probably do something about those declining shares Microsoft’s been making noise about. The idea is for Time Warner to sell AOL to Yahoo and make a large investment in the new company, which would probably be valued at around $10B. There’s apparently a lot of work left to do on the deal, and it would still have to be approved by Yahoo and Time Warner shareholders, but it looks like Yahoo is no longer stuck taking Ballmer and Co. to the dance. [Engadget]

Read - WSJ article
Read - Reuters article

Wouldn’t you know it? No, really — didn’t you completely understand that Nintendo wouldn’t be releasing something as magnificent as a stark white GameCube controller in the States? Okay, so maybe NoA hasn’t made that official, but we’re betting the unit you see there on the right will be a (highly coveted) Japanese exclusive. Apparently the Big N is re-issuing a Wii-white GameCube controller in its homeland this month with an extended (3-meter) cord, and while we can’t glean any pricing information from the crumb of information out there right now, go ahead and start stacking those pennies for use on your favorite importer. It will cost around $20.
[Joystiq]

As wonderful as Logitech’s Harmony universal remotes are, there’s still one major piece of media entertainment equipment that it still cannot command: the PlayStation 3. Enter the iPhone, which will soon be able to interface with Sony’s console.
Blu-ray Disc solutions provider Netblender will announce later this week a new SDK for iPhone developers which will expand the features of movie playback on the PS3. One immediate benefit is that the iPhone will be able to act as a wireless remote for the PlayStation 3, perhaps robbing away several sales of Sony’s multimedia remote. [DailyTech]

There is reason to believe that Home version 1.00 is already finished and ready for the open beta to hit shortly. There is definitely no confirmation out of the Sony camp about this; however, a guy over at PS3News has discovered a way for you to download the 1.00 version of Home onto your PlayStation 3.
According to his thread, “I found some interesting thing when i was ‘playing’ with PS3.ProxyServer. I replaced some xml files, and now I can install PlayStation@ Home public BETA Trial from PLAYSTATION@Network servers in XMB. I think it’s to prepare for real open BETA, and that will be unlocked very soon by Sony.”

For those of you wanting to jump onto this wagon and get the client installed onto your PlayStation console, the more power to you. Unfortunately, though the client is obtainable, it will not connect to any servers for you to enjoy the Home experience itself.
With all of the recent Home news coming to the surface like the Warhawk update and SCEE promising users a “special update” once the store’s redesign is complete, it is easy to see how people could be lead to believe that the Home Public Beta is just around the corner. [PSU]

Play.com has sold out of its allocation GTA IV pre-orders - whilst GAME and Gamestation’s online offerings have already put up warning of stock running low.
Play.com’s head of games Gian Luzio told MCV that the title was “far and away the biggest selling title” he’d ever seen on PS3 – but predicted the site would have more stock back in for the game’s release date of Tuesday, April 29th.
He added that it was “already proving a real hardware driver” – especially for Sony’s next-gen console.
Luzio told MCV: “This is the biggest ever title for PS3 by a long way - and probably 360 as well. I’ve been really blown away by how quickly it’s sold on PS3.
“Sales have gone crazy and have proven to be a real hardware driver already. We’ve sold out now, but will be getting in more stock as soon as it becomes available.
“We expect to have some stock back in for the day of release on April 29th.”
GAME’s website at www.GAME.co.uk says: ‘We cannot guarantee delivery on the day of release for orders placed on or after the 7th of April’.
Gamestation’s site reports: ‘Due to unprecedented demand for the standard editions of Grand Theft Auto IV, we are no longer taking pre-orders for this version.’ [mcvuk]

Apple Inc.’s existing MacBook and MacBook Pro notebooks will be the last of their breed, as both product families are destined for major design changes upon their next refresh, AppleInsider has learned.
Of the two, the 13-inch consumer MacBooks will undergo the most significant metamorphosis, shedding their plastic enclosures for ones constructed from more eco-friendly materials such as aircraft-grade aluminum and stainless steel, people familiar with the matter say.
The move, which makes good on a promise by company chief executive Steve Jobs to push towards a “greener Apple,” will also mark an end to Macs that come clad in the now tawdry looking white enclosures that began with front face of original iMac nearly a decade ago.

View: Full article @ AppleInsider.

Microsoft is planning to make available to a private group of external testers a first beta of Live Mesh by the end of this month, according to sources claiming familiarity with Microsoft’s plans.
Live Mesh is the future of synchronized storage! Live Mesh would seem to specifically supersede Foldershare; and SkyDrive would have very limited value in such a scenario. Offering a seamless mesh of devices all tied together, including a cloud storage piece allowing for access to information even without access to your devices (kiosk, friend’s house, etc.), collaboration on files with the conflicts handled painlessly, and access to a mesh of devices, it could solve lots of problems in a world that increasingly not only uses computers but many types of devices, all with a desire to be in sync. [WinVistaClub]

The Board of Directors of Yahoo! Inc., today sent a reply to Steve Ballmer, Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft Corporation.
The response letter states “At the same time, we have continued to make clear that we are not opposed to a transaction with Microsoft if it is in the best interests of our stockholders. Our position is simply that any transaction must be at a value that fully reflects the value of Yahoo!, including any strategic benefits to Microsoft, and on terms that provide certainty to our stockholders.”
The letter also states : “We consider your threat to commence an unsolicited offer and proxy contest to displace our independent Board members to be counterproductive and inconsistent with your stated objective of a friendly transaction.”
In short, either Microsoft pays more for a peaceful takeover, or prepares itself for a Corporate War !
View: Yahoo!

A Swedish retailer known as Webhallen today shown off the image of a new PS3 bundle which should hit Europe alongside the launch of GTA IV. The bundle includes a 40GB PS3 console and an actual copy of the game.

Swedish retailer Webhallen has today revealed the first image of a new PlayStation 3 bundle which will be launching in Europe alongside Grand Theft Auto IV. The bundle includes the standard 40GB PlayStation 3 console and a copy of the game.
The price listed is 4499kr, which is the same as the Gran Turismo 5 bundle which launched just over a week ago. While availability in other countries has not been announced, this indicates that the GTA bundle should sell for £299.99 in the United Kingdom and €399.99 elsewhere.

Source: Maxconsole
Bundle: Webhallen

After announcing last month that the next PlayStation 3 bundle would feature Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, new images of the bundle box have been revealed, bringing with it some fine details.
Amazon.com has shown off what looks to be the official box art for the MGS4 bundle and it is a bit different from the original showing that Sony had displayed a little over a month ago. The bundle packaging has been changed from the original black box to a white box and it now features a “DUALSHOCK 3 COMPATIBLE” icon as well as the PlayStation Network logo. The bundle cover also shows the Metal Gear Solid 4 official game box.
This new bundle will come packaged with a 80GB PlayStation 3 console, the Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots game and a DualShock 3 controller. It will be available on June 12 2008 for $499.99 in the US, alongside the standalone release of the title. [GamingBits]

In a letter addressed to Yahoo’s board of directors, Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has given Yahoo has three weeks to accept Microsoft Corp’s $31-a-share cash-and-stockoffer. “If we have not concluded an agreement within the next three weeks, we will be compelled to take our case directly to your shareholders, including the initiation of a proxy contest to elect an alternative slate of directors,” Ballmer wrote.
Then he threatened to reduce Microsoft’s offer if Yahoo failed to meet the deadline: “That action will have an undesirable impact on the value of your company from our perspective which will be reflected in the terms of our proposal.” According to a person close to the search engine, Yahoo’s board is currently reviewing the letter.

View: Full Story on Reuters

Future generations will most likely divide the timeline of history at this point: when Quake 3 achieved motion-sensing, wireless network play on two iPod touches. Just think, less than a year ago we were salivating (or at least mildly enthused) at the prospect of rocking Doom on this thing, and now Quake 3 Arena is yours for the taking — or at least will be once we get any sort of hard info on this app. [PMP Today]

Microsoft Corp is evaluating its bid for Yahoo Inc because the Internet company may have lost value since Microsoft made its offer, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The news, sent Yahoo shares down more than 5 percent in extended trade. 
After weeks of silence, recent comments from various sources to journalists suggest the software maker is hardening its stance and pushing Yahoo for action. The sources told Reuters that Yahoo has lost key personnel, making the company less valuable, while generous severance packages it handed out to executives and full-time employees in the case of a takeover have made it more expensive. [Reuters]

Windows 7 will provide a standardization on the different versions of libraries as its base API instead of managing multiple versions. The reason for the original problem was that certainapplications relied on specific quirks exhibited by libraries that were not properly documented, and therefore fixes to these libraries would break the applications. This clean break will allow MS to focus on a leaner codebase, and will relegate backwards compatibility to a legacy environment similar to the way OS X has “Classic” to run applications from OS 9 and previous. However, this also has interesting implications on the antitrust situation:

This also allows Microsoft to neatly sidestep the DoJ and EU anti-trust rulings, as including the MSHTML library (Internet Explorer’s rendering engine) in the monolithic libraries would provide support for the old rendering functions of Explorer to legacy applications while still remaining hidden from the end-user, the primary complaint in the antitrust cases. [The Beta Guy]

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates on Friday indicated that Windows 7, the next major version of Windows, could come within the next year or so. In response to a question abo ut Windows Vista, Gates, speaking before the Inter-American Development Bank here, said: “Sometime in the next year or so we will have a new version.” Referring to Windows 7, the code name for the next full release of Windows client software, Gates said: “I’m super-enthused about what it will do in lots of ways.” 
Unclear is whether Gates was referring to early testing of Windows 7 coming within the year, as opposed to a widespread release or debut. An early test geared toward developers would be conceivable. [news.com]

Hi everyone. Just a reminder that there’s no PLAYSTATION Store update today, but the Store remains open for business. As announced last week, Warhawk is still on promotion for $29.99 (regular price $39.99). We’re working hard on getting the revamped Store up and running. Keep an eye out for a walk-through video next week. In the meantime, take a peek at a few screens from the new interface. [Playstation Blog]

No, there is no plan to extend sales of other editions of Windows XP beyond June 30, 2008. We are very proud of the progress that we have made with Windows Vista over the last sixteen months. Since its launch, Windows Vista has become the fastest-selling operating system inMicrosoft history, and more than 100 million Windows Vista licenses have been sold worldwide.
Last fall, our OEM partners asked us to extend sales of Windows XP to give their customers more time to transition to Windows Vista while we worked with other software vendors to expand application compatibility. Today, more than 2,500 applications have received the Windows Vista logo (a ten-fold increase since launch) and more than 78,000 devices and components are supported by drivers either in-box or on Windows Update. On NPD’s list of the top 100 consumer applications selling at retail, 98 are now compatible—and the latest versions of the top free downloads (Adobe Reader, Shockwave and iTunes) are all compatible. 
Given this landscape and after consulting with our partners, apart from today’s announced extension of Windows XP Home for ULCPCs, we are maintaining the timelines we announced in September. 
I should also note that there will also be no impact on our technical support plans—mainstream technical support will continue to be available until April 2009 and extended support will continue until April 2014. [Microsoft Presspass]

Vehicle damage, community building features coming later this year, Yamauchi reveals to CVG
Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi has revealed that a “major update” is coming for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue later this year, which will add among other things long-awaited vehicledamage.
In an interview with CVG this afternoon, Yamauchi said that the update will also have a big focus on enhancing Prologue’s online modes, starting with the addition of various “community building features.”
The last bit will come as particularly excellent news to PS3 owners, as the GT5 preview is currently lacking somewhat in the online department.
You can expect the full interview with Mr. Gran Turismo very shortly. Who says it’s ‘just a demo’ now, eh? [computerandvideogames]

I got my DualShock 3 controller from Sony today. The new controller, which goes on sale in North America this week, will make my Sony games start rumbling ASAP.
But unboxing my DualShock 3 made me wonder ab out my PS3’s Sixaxis controllers. Are they the old hotness?
A Sony rep tells me that the Sixaxis is indeed on the way out: “Sixaxis will no longer be offered after it’s completely sold through at retail (likely by the summer timeframe).”
The original rumble-free motion-controller won’t make it out of 2008. So seeya, Sixaxis. Hello, motion-sensitive, rumbling Dualshock 3. [MTV]

The fact that Microsoft has relaxed its antipiracy mechanism built into Windows Vista concomitantly with the release of Service Pack 1 failed to stop hackers from providing a crack for the latest version of Windows Genuine Advantage Validation. Various reports point out that Genuine Advantage Validation and Notifications versions 1.7.69.1 (1.7.0069.1) and 1.7.69.2released in March 2008, following the March 18 availability of Windows Vista SP1 through Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center, have been cracked.
The workaround is designed to be integrated with pirated copies of Windows XP and Windows Vista in order to render useless the WGA Validation mechanism. According to the reports, applying the WGA crack will permit users of counterfeit versions of Windows to access and download items from Windows Update, Microsoft Download Center and Microsoft Update. The pirated operating systems with the cracked WGA will pass all validations on Microsoft’s websites and offer anything from updates to applications that are restricted to users of genuine operating systems only.
View: Full Article @ Softpedia

In Las Vegas Sprint has announced a new mobile called the Instinct made by Samsung. It weighs in and is about the same size as the iPhone, and seems to use similar interface ideas. One of the most touted features of the Instinct over the iPhone is the ability to run on EVDO Rev. A, which can achieve much faster speeds than AT&Ts EDGE network. Instinct will come with a 2GB microSD card and it can be expanded up to 8GB. It also features a 2 megapixel camera, GPS navigation (using Telenav), Visual Voicemail (using the touch screen to scan through and browse voicemail messages), and two 1000 mAmp batteries giving up to 5.75 hours of talk time each, as well as some other accessories.
No price was announced, but Sprint claims it will be competitive to the $399 iPhone and should be available to purchase in June. [Detroit Free Press]
Click Read More for photos
View: PhoneScoops Video of the Instinct
View: Sprints Instinct Website and Order Reservation

Mozilla Corp. Thursday confirmed that it will release the final beta of Firefox 3.0 shortly, and that it expects to deliver the finished browser to users in June. Firefox 3.0 Beta 5 has been code-frozen, said Mike Schroepfer, Mozilla’s vice president of engineering, and is working its way toward release. “That will be the last beta for Firefox 3.0,” he said. Once Beta 5 is out of the way, developers will move to the Release Candidate (RC) stage.
Release Candidate 1 (RC1) should be ready sometime in early May, said Schroepfer, assuming Mozilla meets its current schedule. “The release candidates will move a little slower than beta,” he continued, noting that the company must make allowances for public feedback.
View: The full story @ PCWorld

At CTIA Wireless 2008, Robbie Bach unveiled new features for an update to Windows Mobile, which includes enhanced features for socializing like threaded text messaging and features for simpler navigation. He also announced Microsoft’s plans to bring desktop-grade Web browsingexperience to the Windows Mobile phone with an upcoming version of Internet Explorer Mobile.
Updates and new phones are expected to be available beginning in the second quarter of 2008. IE Mobile will be available to mobile phone partners in the third quarter of 2008 with the first Windows Mobile phones using the new version to be available by the end of 2008. 
For Windows Mobile phones used in businesses, System Center Mobile Device Manager 2008 is now available. 
The Microsoft Mobile Services Plan (MMSP) was also announced today in partnership with AT&T, O2, Orange, TaTa Teleservices Ltd. and Verizon Wireless. The plan will help businesses with:
• Securing Windows Mobile phones with the same ease and flexibility as Windows-based PCs and providing access to information behind a company’s firewall. 
• Helping businesses meet their mobile device management needs through mobile operators with the MMSP. 
• Managing and securing phones with Exchange Server 2007 SP1 advanced mobile policies while enabling people to find, share, and use information no matter where they are
View: Microsoft Press Release

As the dust from the high-definition DVD format war starts to settle, Dell is jumping on Sony’s Blu-ray bandwagon by offering an optional Blu-ray disc drive on its Inspiron 1525 notebook, with a sale price starting at $879. “Dell has been a backer of Blu-ray from the beginning, and we’ve actually been offering Blu-ray notebooks for close to 18 months now,” said Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden. “The big news now is we are actually able to offer it at a price that puts it at a mainstream user’s reach.” 
A company release said the disc drive is fully backwards compatible, and will play as well as burn traditional DVDs and CDs. The company is also offering consumers a Blu-ray burner drive, which Dell recommends for backing up and storing files like digital photos, videos, financial records. Blu-ray discs have a significant advantage over standard DVDs, with 50 GB of data available versus 8.5 GB available on a typical DVD disc. 
View: The full story @ CRN

Sony Pictures Television is looking to launch the first movie network on mobile phones in the United States. 
The studio has signed a deal with AT&T and MediaFLO USA to launch the linear channel as one of two exclusive channels coming to the newly announced AT&T Mobile TV with FLO service in May.
The channel, to be known as PIX, will be stocked with such titles as “Ghostbusters,” “Philadelphia” and “Stand by Me.”
Mobile has been viewed mostly as a marketing platform for theatricals in the U.S. With the domestic mobile video category for even shortform clips lagging behind markets in Europe and Asia, Sony is looking to entice viewers with more diverse content offerings.
“What you see a lot on the carrier decks is promotional content that people can snack a little on,” said Eric Berger, vp mobile entertainment at Sony Pictures Television. “There’s nothing currently there as deeply entertaining as these movies.”
Films have been made available on handsets on an on-demand basis. Sony was one of several studios that contributed titles to content aggregator MSpot, which teamed with Sprint to launch MSpot Movies in 2006. [Reuters]

After Mac was hacked in 2 minutes at the CanSecWest Conference, it was now the time for Vista to get hacked on the 3rd day. Vista’s security was compromised through the popular 3rd party software, Adobe Flash.  
“The contest, which saw a MacBook Air get hacked on Thursday, relaxed the rules even further. On the first day of the contest, only the operating system could be targeted, but on the second day that was expanded to include standard applications. An undisclosed Safari flaw led to the MacBook Air’s downfall through the OS X operating system.” 
The MacBook Air went first; a Fujitsu laptop running Vista was hacked on the last day of the contest; but it was Linux, running on a Sony Vaio, that remained undefeated as conference organizers ended a three-way computer hacking challenge Friday at the CanSecWest conference. [WinVistaClub via Neowin]

Microsoft has in Japan, combined Windows Vista Home Premium with Windows Live OneCare in one eye-popping hot pink box. 
As a special promotion for the Japanese market, an upgrade version of Windows Vista Home Premium is bundled with a year’s subscription of Windows Live OneCare and a copy of a Vista tips and tricks book. The pink flowers are called sakura (cherry blossoms) and this is being released for the Sakura or ‘Cherry Blossom’ season, which is a BIG event in Japan.
Image: Box Shot
View: istartedsomething

It may be the quickest $10,000 Charlie Miller ever earned. 
He took the first of three laptop computers — and a $10,000 cash prize — Thursday after breaking into a MacBook Air at the CanSecWest security conference’s PWN 2 OWN hacking contest. 
Show organizers offered a Sony Vaio, Fujitsu U810, and the MacBook as prizes, saying that they could be won by anybody at the show who could find a way to hack into each of them and read the contents of a file on the system using a previously undisclosed “0day” attack.
Within 2 minutes, he directed the contest’s organizers to visit a Web site that contained his exploit code, which then allowed him to seize control of the computer, as about 20 onlookers cheered him on. He was the first contestant to attempt an attack on any of the systems.
Miller was quickly given a nondisclosure agreement to sign, and he’s not allowed to discuss particulars of his bug until the contest’s sponsor, TippingPoint, can notify the vendor.
Contest rules state that Miller could only take advantage of software that was preinstalled on the Mac, so the flaw he exploited must have been accessible by, or possibly inside, Apple’s Safari browser. [Yahoo! News]

How best to sum up this new lineup? I guess it’s a case where that old phrase “something for everyone” actually fits the bill pretty well. We have processors aimed at both the high-endenthusiast who wants to squeeze as much power out of their components as well as processors aimed at the budget-conscious. We also see a revolutionary new energy efficient processor aimed at home theater enthusiasts who want quad-core power without having to put up with large PC cases in their living rooms or the noise generated by extravagant fans.
So, finally, some cool stuff to drool over from AMD. Let’s take a closer look starting with the tech specs. [zDnet]

Here are the new processors, seven in all, five quad-core processors and two triple-core units:
AMD Phenom X4 Quad-core - Socket AM2+
X4 9850 Black Edition (unlocked multiplier)
- 2.5GHz
- 125W TDP
X4 9750
- 2.4GHz
- 125W / 95W TDP
X4 9650
- 2.3GHz
- 95W TDP
X4 9550
- 2.2GHz
- 95W TDP
Some of the highlights of this lineup include:
Up to 20% faster than previous models
B3 revision (TLB bug free)
2MB L2 cache
2MB L3 cache
DDR2-1066 support
65nm process technology
Integrated Memory Controller
Fast HyperTransport 3.0 technology
Cool & Quiet v2.0
Also added to the quad-core lineup is a new energy efficient unit:
X4 9100e
- 1.8GHz
- 65W TDP
Some of the X4 9100e energy-efficient features include:
Cool’n’Quiet 2.0 technology, which helps users achieve more efficient performance by dynamically activating or turning off parts of the processor as needed
Independent Dynamic Core Technology, a fully independent frequency control per processor core that can reduce processor energy consumption by adjusting power usage according to core utilization
Dual Dynamic Power Management, which splits power plane design, allowing independent voltage planes for processor and memory controller for greater control over performance based on system demands
AMD Wideband Frequency Control, that simplifies performance state transitions to reduce power consumption, latency and software overhead of performance states changes
Multi-Point Thermal Control, featuring multiple sensors across processor silicon designed to automatically reduce speed and heat when temperature exceeds pre-defined limits