There have been a whole bunch of false starts on this, but honestly, folks -- for real, we're not messing around -- T-Mobile has finally started distributing Android 1.5 over-the-air to American G1 owners. This means that anyone who hasn't taken the time to install the update of their own accord is just about to get hooked up without any intervention whatsoever, bringing third-party widget support, a virtual keyboard, email and messaging improvements, a revised UI, and of course, an endless font of delicious pastries that will make you morbidly obese if you eat enough of them over time. Honestly, while you're waiting for the update to arrive, hop on the Bowflex for a few minutes. It's not going to kill you.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

For years now, those in power at the top of the CableCARD chain have told you that installing your own CableCARD within your own HTPC was simply impossible. "OEM or bust," they said. It's a good thing they're wrong, isn't it? Over at Engadget HD, we've assembled a guide that explains how to get your existing media center PC to play nice with a dedicated internal CableCARD tuner, and the whole process just might be easier than you've ever imagined. Give it a look right here.

So far, sending files to your Kindle cost a flat fee -- one dime per document for conversion and download over Whispernet. Looks like that honeymoon is over, as Amazon's announced that as of May 4th, the Personal Document Service will be a variable fee of $0.15 per megabyte, rounding up. It's still free of charge if you transfer the documents over via USB, and sending them to "name"@free.kindle.com will return converted files to your email address gratis. If you're trying to be frugal, we might suggest combining all those pending transfers into one fat PDF and sending it off sometime this weekend.

[Via GearDiary]

Crickey! DISH Network's hotly anticipated DTVPal DVR -- which, by the way, is the first standalone OTA HD DVR to come out in years -- seems to be causing all sorts of frustration amongst owners. So much, in fact, that DISH now has engineers trying to replicate problems and issue firmware updates; in the meanwhile, the box has suddenly "sold out" from the DTVPal website. A whole swath of users over at AVSForum have reported erratic freezing, reboots and scheduling gaffs, and DISH is candidly admitting that replacement units are apt to have the same issues. In other words, those experiencing quirks have little choice but to wait things out until a solution is found and an update is distributed. Have you run into any issues with your box? Everything humming along smoothly? Tell us, dear readers.

[Thanks, Joshua]

It's been almost a year since Elgato refreshed its EyeTV Hybrid tuner, and while the addition of better reception and a FM radio tuner aren't earth-shattering, it's awfully hard to complain about how much the company has crammed into the Cear-QAM 1080i-tuning USB stick aimed at Mac users. The $150 dongle includes a year-long subscription to TV Guide for your scheduling convenience, but you'll have to fork over $20 per year for the service after that. There will be a new 3.1 version of EyeTV available later this month, but you can pick up the fresh hardware right now.

We're certain it has been a painstaking weekend for you Storm-owning Mac users, but the long-awaited OTA download for the first firmware update is finally available. For those somewhat confused, the update we covered on Friday was exclusively available via the Windows-only RIM Desktop Manager application; now, Storm owners can suck down v4.7.0.75 without a liaison. Early reports are pretty positive, with jkOnTheRun noting that the troublesome lag that came bundled with the handset was now all but history. The 14MB download (plus installation) is said to take around 20 to 30 minutes, so fire yours up and let us know how things turn out.

Oh Apple. Is it that you can't see the things you're doing, or that you simply don't care how they look? If you'll recall, few months ago Jobs and co. kicked up quite a dust storm over a seemingly innocuous application called Podcaster, which allowed you to receive over-the-air updates of new podcasts when they were released. The company rejected the app based on the grounds that it "duplicates the functionality of the Podcast section of iTunes," a claim that seemed unreasonable at the time, and should now feel downright criminal. According to a German blog which has posted pictures of the latest beta build of firmware 2.2, Apple has included functionality which allows you to download podcasts over-the-air. The new addition works with both video and audio, and over 3G / EDGE and WiFi, though the size of podcasts is limited to 10MB when using the cell network. Now we don't pretend to assume that Apple just got this idea after seeing Podcaster in action -- and it's clear that Apple is killing projects which are similar to its own -- but it's still hard to stomach the concept of the company outright refusing an application with nearly the exact same functionality, only to turn around and add it to their installed software. This kind of veiled violence against developers only serves to chip away at the support Apple has engendered in its community, and drive those hands and eyes to other platforms. C'mon Steve -- we know you can do better than this.

[Via Mac Rumors]

While many of you are still waiting for T-Mobile's RC28 update to hit your G1, at least one reader has trumped us all. KoSoVaR is sitting on fresh, over-the-air software after receiving an update notice a few minutes ago. The process rebooted his G1 "a few times" only to stabilize at RC29. Hard to say what's new at this point but we'll get back to you if we hear about anything more than bug fixes.

P.S. For what it's worth, we're still kicking it old skool back at RC19 -- waiting... and waiting... for the automagic to begin.

Update: Another reader is up on RC29 now as well. Took 5 minutes start to finish and required a single reboot. Snap of the update screens after the break.

[Thanks, KoSoVaR and David]

Well, it looks like G1 owners (or some, at least) will be getting a bit of an unexpected surprise when they turn on their brand new device tomorrow, as T-Mobile is apparently already set to start pushing out the very first OTA software update for the phone. Nothing too major, it seems, but the update will include a fix for a bug that has prevented folks from listening to songs on Amazon, as well as a number of other unspecified "enhancements." As with all OTA updates, however, it's likely everyone won't get their fix at once, and T-Mobile helpfully recommends that you simply just "wait," or "wait a little longer" to make sure you get yours, or check your software version to see if you may have gotten the update without noticing (the new release is version RC28).

[Via TmoNews]

Time flies when you're having fun, but not when you're waiting anxiously for a new piece of kit -- particularly one that has been delayed numerous times. For Europeans waiting on pins and needles for the release of the PlayTV DVR for PlayStation 3, your time has arrived. Before rushing out to get one, however, might we interest you a short unboxing and a brief overview? No pressure whatsoever, though.

And you thought Microsoft bringing back the SideWinder was gnarly. Announced today, AMD is resurrecting the long-standing AIW line with its first-ever high-definition variant: the $199 ATI All-in-Wonder HD. The PCI Express 2.0 card attempts to handle both PC gaming and HDTV duties by boasting specs like DirectX 10.1 support, a 725MHz engine clock, 600MHz memory clock and MPEG2 / VC-1 / H.264 video decoder acceleration. You'll also find Vista and AMD LIVE! certification badges to go along with the dual-link DVI port, HDMI jack (which supports 5.1 Dolby Digital transmission) and optional component video connectivity. As expected, users can capture live programs (as well as pause / rewind) in SD or HD over-the-air, and there's even support for ClearQAM. For those looking to take their clips elsewhere, the bundled Avivo software converts it for viewing on some of today's most popular handhelds (yes, including the iPod). Look for models from Diamond Multimedia and VisionTek to hit retailers in North America late next month. Full release after the jump.

As the dust settles on the iPhone 3G / WWDC blowout, we've sifted through the debris and discovered a few eyebrow-raising tidbits you might be interested to know. The first of which is news that the next firmware update (2.0) could be headed to devices as early as June 27th, at least according to Apple's Australian iPod touch features page, which touts the arrival of the app store later this month. Meanwhile, Apple's cash cow won't get those OTA iTunes music downloads that were being heavily speculated on in May. Word on the street is that record labels are -- wait for it -- still holding out for those upped premiums, or that AT&T wants a cut of the action, which Apple is reluctant to hand over. Of course, AT&T wanting their share of that revenue makes good sense when you realize that the telco is taking a major hit on the sale of these devices -- a hit which will stall profits until 2010. Perhaps that explains the new rules about activation; according to a report from Reuters, the company will penalize customers who buy a phone but don't activate within 30 days, which falls in line with their aggressive new push to lock users into a contract... which looks exactly like the old cellphone business model. On a lighter note, iLounge has some real-world spy shots of the device's shell, which they claim smudges like it's going out of style, though it may be joined by a Product (RED) variation later this year. Enjoy!

Update: Apparently Apple reps have confirmed that there won't be any early firmware updates for the masses, and that they're still on schedule for July 11th. The Australian site has since updated its info -- so put the champagne back on ice.

[Thanks, Dan and Danny]

Read - Australian iPod touch features page
Read - No Over-The-Air 3G Music Downloads For New iPhone; Labels Holding Out For Higher Price Per Track?
Read - iPhone to cut into AT&T earnings until 2010
Read - Real World Photos: Inside + Outside iPhone 3G's New Shell

According to a churning rumor-mill, Apple desperately wants to make over-the-air downloads of iTunes content a reality on the 3G iPhone. Apparently, a record label executive "familiar with the discussions" states that the Cupertino gang is hoping for a "big launch in June" which includes OTA music downloads, ringtone sales, and ringback tones (the substitute music you hear instead of a ring when calling someone). There's only one problem: the labels want a higher premium for those services than a typical MP3 download. Of course, Apple's iTunes pricing has been a point of contention for some time, though its recent rule-bending for HBO could lead to upped charges for the new services. Something tells us Apple has the tenacity and bullheadedness to make this work -- let's just hope they can temper the labels' greed with the end user's economic realities.

[Via AppleInsider]

We knew it was coming, and after waiting for quite some time for FreeSat to go from concept to reality, television viewers across the UK can finally indulge. If you'll recall, a recent survey found that just 5-percent of Europe's HDTV owners actually bothered to tune into HD programming, but now that number is likely to change. Effective today, 98-percent of the UK can fork out a one-time fee of £49 ($96) to £120 ($234) in order to acquire a FreeSat set-top-box, and after an £80 ($156) installation, users will have subscription-free access to BBC HD, ITV HD (coming soon), Channel 4's digital service and around 70 other TV / radio channels. Better still, that number is slated to rise to 200 before the year's end, and unsurprisingly, the launch is expected to boost available high-def offerings in the region. Anyone across the pond have their equipment set up already? How's the service?

[Thanks, Ivan]

If neither of Elgato's latest from Macworld tickled your fancy, there's a decent shot you may like what equinux has going on instead. The TubeStick hybrid is the firm's newly announced USB TV tuner, which is housed in a diminutive chassis that won't block nearby ports and offers up OTA reception of NTSC, ATSC and digital (QAM) signals. Furthermore, the unit comes wearing the whitest of white outfits and also touts an external antenna and a one-month trial of the TubeToGo software. Yes, this critter will play nice with Windows machines as well, but we hear it tries to avoid such predicaments whenever possible. Ready to snag your own? Catch one next month for $129.

[Via The Mac Observer]