custom
Latest
Minefield offers custom builds of Firefox 3
If you think Firefox could run a little faster on your Mac, then you might want to download one of BeatnikPad's custom builds of Firefox 3. "Minefield" (previously known as BonEcho for pre-3.0 releases) is Neil Lee's custom build of Firefox. He is currently offering custom builds for: Minefield (Firefox) 3.0 for Intel Minefield (Firefox) 3.0 for PowerPC G5 Minefield (Firefox) 3.0 for PowerPC G4 Neil Lee has been offering custom builds of Firefox for many years now. They can make Firefox run a bit faster and smoother on older Macs. You can download them for free (though donations are accepted) from the BeatnikPad website.[via IGM]
Condi Rice's custom DS lite: proof that G8 globalization is important
It really does pay to be a foreign minister representing the 8 richest countries in the world. This Japanese-lacquered DS lite is just one of the items presented to the G8 ministers participating in last week's talks in Kyoto. The other items included a scented perfume ball and manga-styled stickers for each of the participant to attach to their diplomatic tricycles.
PocketMac Ringtone Studio for iPhone
Information Appliance Associates, the company that brought us the PocketMac series of sync software, has announced PocketMac Ringtone Studio for iPhone.While the $14.95 application doesn't do anything that you can't already do with GarageBand and a little bit of knowledge, it does make creation of custom iPhone ringtones a lot easier. You can drag any unprotected music or QuickTime movie file to PocketMac Ringtone Studio, select a 30-second bit for the ringtone, and then export the ringtone into the iTunes "Ringtones" folder. The video above shows the entire process, along with a strange "jazz and random banging on the piano" soundtrack.There are some other alternatives available for creating your own ringtones: Rogue Amoeba's MakeiPhoneRingtone (free) Ambrosia Software's iToner (free to try, $15 to buy) As usual, the PocketMac folks offer a 90-day "no questions" money back guarantee on their software.
Wii Hulks out for charity
No, the Wii isn't getting bigger (unless you're buying a lot of peripherals!) -- the Hulk has taken it over! This hand-painted system is both random and spectacular; random because, well, we don't really think of the gigantic Hulk and Wii together that often, and spectacular because ... you did see it, right? At the moment, the modded Wii is bidless on eBay, but we expect that will change directly. A portion of the sale price will be donated to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, too, so you can feel good about Hulking out.Oh, and, uh ... you get The Incredible Hulk game as a bonus. Y'know. In case you really just want that instead.
Famicom Lite
Genius modder Kotomi is at it again. A couple of years ago, he redid a DS Phat in the old Famicom colors -- his favorite console, apparently -- but as he recently came into some free time, he realized it was time to live in the now. At least, as "now" as you can be when doing a modern system over in the colors of a retro console. With a black DS Lite as his base, the modder worked his magic, and the result is simply stunning (and shiny!). Kotomi says he's got some more projects in the pipeline at present, so we'll be keeping an eye on this master. Want more? We've got a few of his other, older projects in the gallery below. %Gallery-25220%
Win an Anarchy Online-themed desktop from Funcom and GameRigs
It seems to be the year of the Science Fiction MMO-themed desktop PC. A couple months back, CCP and Commodore joined forces to sell us EVE Online enthusiast desktops. This time, GameRigs and Funcom put together the above-pictured Anarchy Online computer, and are giving it away in a sweepstakes.It looks sexy and all, but we were disappointed to see that the provided system specs are rather vague. It has an "Intel Core 2 processor" and an "NVIDIA GeForce graphics card." Well, that could be anything, but hey, it's free, ain't it? And do you really need a GeForce GTX 280 to run 2001's Anarchy Online? Not so much!It looks like you don't have to do anything but fill out a form to enter the sweepstakes. You don't even have to be an Anarchy Online subscriber. You do have to be a legal resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec; now that's not fair!), though.
DS Daily: For sale
These two redone handhelds -- a Phat and a Lite -- popped up on eBay, courtesy of seller rebelforever33, and since we post the occasional auctioned-DS, we thought it might be a good time to ask: have you ever considered buying one of the gussied-up systems that turn up there? We've seen some incredible mods up for auction, but redoing a DS can be a delicate undertaking.Sometimes, though, it just might be worth it.%Gallery-25220%
Someone that isn't us has this limited edition system
Whenever anyone announces one of these limited edition DS Lite systems in Japan, we try to push them out of our memories immediately after reporting them here, afraid that if we dwell on these designer handhelds too long, we'll only make ourselves even more depressed than we already are. Just when we think we've put these fantasies of owning rare portables behind us, however, someone always has to remind us that they exist.DS Fanboy reader Supa_s, for example, sent in photos of her Honeyee x Fragment Design DS Lite, a slick, duotone system from seminal streetwear designer Hiroshi Fujiwara. Though she's hesitant to reveal where she obtained the remarkable handheld, she admits that it wasn't cheap -- approximately $400. Yeah, totally banoodles. Buying the accompanying Honeyee x Fragment Design case would have cost her an additional $100, so she skipped that extra purchase, using a Club Nintendo case instead to carry the system. Her impressions on the system? "I love it, but I worry about the L & R buttons getting yellowish. I like the way it feels -- it's kind of like the bottom part of the Cobalt DS, but much smoother." Hit the gallery below for more photos of the Honeyee x Fragment Design DS Lite. If you need us, we'll be staring at our plain, ordinary DS Lite from across the room, crying over dreams deferred, haunted by the ghosts of what should have been.%Gallery-23956%
Frankengrip hits a Wii Remote near you
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Frankengrip_hits_a_Wii_Remote_near_you_2'; Among the debris of the more useless Wii Remote attachments, we occasionally find a gem that may just turn out to be totally awesome. Happening upon this intriguing development certainly has us fiddling with our Wii Remotes, wistfully wondering what life would be like with more controller to hold.Basically, the box comes with a little plastic sleeve that slips over your Remote. Along the back and sides, a series of indented grooves allow you to attach these shark-fin style grips, which could potentially make for a more comfortable experience. There's four in the box, so you can make a wheel, a gun, and even fashion up a crossbow. Those are all good, of course, but they just aren't very long.Hit the break for more close-ups of the Wii Custom Grip in action. We want to give it a try. No, really!
Commodore Gaming offers EVE Online themed desktop PCs
Commodore Gaming and CCP have teamed up to produce EVE Online themed, gaming-focused desktop computers. There's not much to them; you get a case with some EVE artwork, and you choose between a pre-built system (which features an Intel Core 2 Quad processor and an NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX video card) and a custom system with components you determine.Official case-mod deals make up a chunk of Commodore's strategy to compete with the big boys of enthusiast gaming PC sales -- like Alienware (now owned by Dell) and VoodooPC (now owned by Hewlett-Packard). Given the prestige of the old Commodore brand, this new iteration has a long way to go.If you're a really hardcore EVE player in the market for a new computer, going this route couldn't hurt; you can even configure the case to match your faction of choice. Then again, do you really need a 9800 GTX to play EVE Online? Not so much, but it's up to you!
Custom Illuminated Confusion Nikes light up the streets, your life
Personally, we'd prefer slipping our feet into the WiFi-detecting Nike Dunks if given a choice, but it's hard to argue with the smooth factor bundled with the highly customized kicks shown above. Dubbed Illuminated Confusion, the shoes feature a pattern print with "neon green light-up lateral sides that either blink or glow." The lighting on each shoe gets powered by a single AAA cell, and you'll even get a free "custom box" with you order. And considering the $400 price tag and two to three week wait time, we wouldn't expect anything less. Vid after the jump.
The Legend of this painted DS Lite
The ancient prophecies foretold of the one time someone would put a custom painted DS Lite on eBay and it would not look terrible. This Hero of Painted DS Lites, now revealed as viper640_0 from the idyllic POWER SELLER VILLAGE, whose early efforts lacked magic.Now, however, he has acquired the Airbrush of Paint and defeated the Impulse to Use Questionable Color Schemes, and has returned from his quest with the Triforce of Pretty Good Paint Jobs. And, uh, he's selling it on eBay. We would be proud to carry this DS Lite around in Hyrule or even somewhere that existed.
Probably the coolest Game Boy Color you'll see today
Blurry pictures aside, this modded and painted Game Boy color looks pretty good! It's been Zelda-fied and is now available on eBay, though the Buy it Now price of $70 seems a little ambitious, but maybe with the upgraded sound and the new look, seller auron5881 might get lucky.It's starting to seem as though Zelda-themed mods and paint jobs are among the most common for Nintendo fans. How's this rate among all you've seen?
Burnout Paradise for PS3 getting custom soundtracks
On top of the previously announced three new online modes to be introduced in Burnout Paradise's so-called "Cagney" software update, developer Criterion has revealed that the forthcoming download will also level the pavement between the open-world racer's two console versions, finally bringing custom soundtracks to Burnout Paradise for the PS3.After the update, PS3 owners will be able to get at their own music using the game's Easy Drive in-game menu, allowing them to cycle through their own collection of tunes while trying to avoid careening into oncoming traffic. Even better, this update, welcome as it is, is just one of several Criterion has planned this year, ensuring many repeat visits to the junk yard in the months ahead.
Forget Chuck Taylor: Nintendo All-Stars
We're gonna go ahead and warn you up front: these shoes are not for the faint of heart (or wallet), but they are just so, well, Nintendo-y, that we had to share them. Our fanboy hands were tied. These custom-painted Converse are a (very, very expensive) Nintendo love song you can wear on your feet, and they're available on eBay for the low, low current bid of $255. But wait! You're not actually bidding on these shoes (which is good, because they probably wouldn't fit you anyway). Instead, you're bidding on a commission. Win, and seller Cole Ranze will do up a pair to your specifications (and size).[Via GameSniped]
Show and Tell: Minty inspiration
You may be wondering just what this is. Stark white slabs, neatly stacked ... no, it's not the preliminary plans for Apple iChocolate (available in white only), but rather, the work of a DS owner in need. Reader PeZ had a problem: a lost game. And while the missing game turned up later, it revealed a flaw in his DS cart storage system. Nothing quite fit his needs; either everything was too big, too small, or unsafe. One day, as he finished off some Läkerol mints, an idea struck. Surely that neat little tin would be good for something.And so PeZ got to work. As a designer, he had some idea of how to start -- he drew up plans for the perfect cart case. To the right, you can see the plans, which were eventually cut from black cardboard and glued to the inside of the tin. PeZ reports that, with slots cut in, the carts are perfectly secure, even with the tin held upside down! But with the practical inside complete, the outside needed a little work. To see what he came up with, jaunt on past the break.Got something you want to show off to all the other DS fans? We like just about anything with a little Nintendo flavor, so snap a few pics and send 'em off to tell us what's up, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.
CE Pro hands out suggestions for HDMI
Custom installers and everyday consumers don't always have the same requirements for A/V gear. As we've mentioned before, HDMI has had some problems, but it is taking off. Follow the "read" link to get CE Pro's suggestions on what HDMI can do to help win over installers; we've got a feeling the proposed changes would make Joe and Jane Six Packs alike happy, too. We'll start off with our biggest HDMI pet peeve -- captive/locking connectors! Simply put: HDMI needs 'em. Next up, the major teething problems associated with HDMI versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 seem to be behind us and 1.3 seems to be a stable spec; the task at hand is to spread this info among installers (especially ones who were bitten by earlier version problems). To CE Pro's list, we'd add that all the various flavors of HDMI-CEC need to be brought under control -- when units like the Onkyo TX-SA606X get singled out for interoperability, it means lots of consumers aren't enjoying any ease of use. What would you like to see in the HDMI spec?
Show and Tell: Lies, damned lies, and DS Lites
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/DS_Lited_Companion_Cube'; If there's anything we like, it's customization. Call us crazy, but even if it's, uh, not the best, we'll usually find something to say about it*. Lately, though, we've been blessed here in the Show and Tell corner with some really awesome submissions from readers who've been taking the look of their Lites into their own hands. Reader Josh didn't draw the art that he's used to adorn his DS, but he made it work on the case, so we'll credit both him and the artist. Can you puzzle out what it is? If not, teleport past the break to see it in full-sized glory. Actually, go whether you can guess or not!Got something you want to show off to all the other DS fans? We like just about anything with a little Nintendo flavor, so snap a few pics, tell us your story, and send it all to showmeit [at] dsfanboy [dot] com. We'll take care of the rest.*We didn't say it would be necessarily positive, but in that case, the artist herself seemed to be with us!
Hu, for when you believe something else is the new black
When asked about color coordinating HT gear is brought up to us, our first response is simply to get all the components in black. It's a high tech color and it's got a slimming effect as well. Or so we hear. But if the absence of color isn't going to fly in your abode and you've got to get everything "just so," check out the aptly named Hu service provided by the Home Technology Store. Any of the displays, speakers, display mounts and speaker brackets that the vendor has tagged with a "Hu" stamp can be colored to match a paint swatch you provide. It's a new service, so we're sure that the absence of any designated speakers on the website is just an oversight. Pricing is pretty reasonable: $299 for TVs up to 42-inches; $399 for larger TVs; $159 for TV mounts; and $175 for a pair of speakers. But really, how can you put a price on your HT being so "well groomed?" [Via Cybertheater]
Hope for all of us too scared to mod our DS Lite
As folks who love the DS to be all kinds of different colors and modded in all manner of amazing ways, we often stare at our boring white DS Lite and wish we could punch it up with some color. But, alas, we are far too afraid that even an attempt at taking out the screws would result in the handheld's failure to work any longer. Seriously, you should have seen the spice rack we tried to make back in wood shop. The thing was fugly.Yet, we have found hope through a flickr photostream. One soul, who describes this ambitious project as their "first time to paint such a demanding job," really managed to set the bar for first attempts. Just looking at this thing, we can hardly believe that this person has never taken apart and painted a DS before. It's quality.Does this give you a yearning to try and paint your own DS? Still too scared to give it a go?[Thanks, Jesus!]
