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Sony Reader: Danielle Steel edition available now for suburban escapists
It's been a wild day so far for all you Kindle fans, but Sony doesn't want you to forget that it has a little e-reader of its own. And since the company knows how you can't resist a good romance, it's now bundling the Reader with (count 'em!) three books by Danielle Steel. That's right, Danielle Steel: the one woman single-handedly responsible for bringing the glamor, the fame, the triumphs, and the heartbreaks of the imaginary jet-set to your seat on the bus as it takes you to your lousy retail gig every morning at 6:30 AM. Not only is her name embossed on the e-reader's elegant red cover, but the whole shebang comes with a personalized form letter from the bestselling author herself. This bad boy is available to the Lifetime Network-set as we speak for a cool $279.99, so grab your plastic and hit that read link.[Via Electronista]
The Daily Grind: Do you only play MMOs?
We cover a lot of MMOs here at Massively, but that doesn't mean that it's the only type of game we're interested in. Many of us on the team love to rip into a good console game too, or other PC games of the non-MMO variety. Sure, being involved in more than a single MMO can take up a significant portion of gaming time, but it's safe to say that we do enjoy other types of games as well.If you've come to Massively, you likely at least have an interest in MMOs, if you aren't currently playing one or more of them -- but is that the only genre of game that you play? Do you like to play any of the current generation of consoles? Or perhaps you kick it old school with one of the awesome consoles of bygone eras? When it comes to the PC, do you only play the bigger games, or do you dip into the casual realm with titles such as Peggle? And what about those nifty handhelds, and cellphone games -- daily commute anyone?
GamesforHeroes.com seeks handheld games and systems for troops
OK, we've said it before, but other than the constant threat of dying, one of the things we know troops serving in Iraq or Afghanistan suffer from is boredom. So, when Peter Gallagher sent us a tip about his site GamesForHeroes.com, we felt the least we could do was give it some attention. The Games for Heroes charity, which has a registered donor number with nonprofit MarineParents.com, is simply looking to collect handheld games and systems (Game Boy, DS, PSP), which will be sent to troops serving in a place of war. Information on where to send items or make cash donations can be found on the site. A similar charity called "Fun for our Troops" began last year, but without the portable gaming focus.
HP's new iPAQ lineup surfaces with fresh photos
Hot on the heels of those blurry, low-quality photos of the upcoming HP iPAQs, come these shiny new pics sure to have waiting fans foaming at the mouth. As you can see, the new handhelds are definitely a reality, and now we've got details on added models to the lineup, as well as rumored release information. First and foremost is the iPAQ 914 (pictured), a Windows Mobile smartphone with a 3-megapixel camera, GPS, WiFi, and HSDPA support. HP is also intro'ing the 614, another Windows Mobile device (this one presumably with a touchscreen), plus GPS, WiFi, and HSDPA -- both new phones are said to be selling for around $800. The company is also introducing the 314, a GPS navigator with custom HP software, and the iPAQ 214 and 114 ($500 / $430), two Windows Mobile-based PDAs without any phone functions (though they have WiFi, allowing for VoIP). All of the devices are said to be hitting shelves in October, save for the 914, which is due (supposedly) in November. Feel free to hit the read link for more info, though we warn you, it's in Swedish.[Via Unwired View]
The DS Life: The Game Boy lives on
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/The_Game_Boy_Lives_On'; The DS Life is a weekly feature in which we scour the known world for narrative images of Nintendo's handheld and handheld gamers. If you have a photo and a story to match it with, send both to thedslife at gmail dot com.Though the Game Boy brand's days are numbered, making way for Nintendo's dual-screened future and profit plans, at least one young gamer is doing his part to keep the old, gray brick's memory alive. Step past the post break for the full story and this week's edition of The DS Life.
PSP remains leader of EA handheld revenue
Sony's handheld continues to drive profits to mega-publisher EA. According to Pocket Gamer, PSP games generated $258 million last fiscal year. In comparison, DS games only managed to generate $104 million. Similar figures were revealed last year, when EA admitted that they'd rather focus on Nintendo's handheld than Sony's, calling it a more "fun" system.Although PSP sales make the largest portion of EA's handheld revenue, the company may spin the fact negatively. While $256 million is a sizable figure, it represents a 28 percent loss compared to last year. On the other hand, the DS platform seems to be gaining momentum for EA, as it has shot up 149 percent. We don't care too much about these numbers, though. As long as EA continues to make good, original games for our platform, PSP gamers have nothing to worry about.
Panasonic's Word Gear e-book reader in the wild
Now that Sony has run out of its PRS-500 Portable Readers (online, at least), it seems like we'll have to look elsewhere to feed our e-reading jones, and since we're not quite ready to shell out the big bucks for iRex's iLiad, we have may have to resort to a little import action. We first spotted Panasonic's so-called "Word Gear" reader last week, and at $350, it's priced comparably to Sony's offering -- though you're not getting any of that sweet e-ink nor the massive battery life that goes with it. Still, these "in the wild" shots from CEATEC prove that the 1,024 x 600 Word Gear is definitely quite readable, and the multimedia functionality makes it a great alternative to DAPs or portable DVD players as a trusty travel companion. Our only complaint is the use of scantily-clad women to try and make this product more appealing; if you really wanted to catch our attention, Panasonic, you'd use that screen real estate to feature even more sexy gadgets -- like your latest AVCHD camcorder, for instance. Luckily the other pics are a little more on point, as you'll see after the break...
GamePark poised to release "XGP kids" handheld
Many people look upon GamePark's GP32 handheld console as a revolutionary product in the world of videogames -- it was, after all, one of the first platforms to actually encourage homebrew and emulation -- and now DCEmu is reporting that the company is poised to launch what it's calling the GP32's successor, the "XGP kids." Shaped more or less like a tiny PSP, this new model is the third in the XGP lineup (following the original XGP and XGP mini), none of which should be confused with the similarly-named GP2X (this latter console is manufactured by GamePark Holdings, a company composed mainly of disgruntled ex-GamePark employees). Although not all its specs will be revealed until September 16th, we do know that it will be powered by a 140MHz ARM processor (probably overclockable), sport a 2.2-inch, 220 x 176 LCD, feature 8MB of RAM and 2MB of flash memory, and support USB 1.1 file transfers, but unlike the GP32, will eschew the old school SmartMedia slot for more modern SD cards. The best part here is the anticipated price (according to Wikipedia, at least); unlike the $300 XGP, $230 GP2X, and $150 XGP mini, the XGP kids is expected to slide in at under a C-note -- $75, to be exact.[Via DCEmu]
PSP to see $50 price cut, sez analyst
With Nintendo's DS and DS Lite clearly showing the most momentum in the portable gaming space (who knew that a dedicated product could trump one with more bells and whistles?), word on the the street is that Sony is expected to drop the PSP's retail price down to $150. American Technology Research's P.J. McNealy feels that a slew of popular games such as Brain Age and New Super Mario Brothers have given the DS a much-needed boost in popularity, while the multimedia-centric PSP hasn't had a real hit since the last Grand Theft Auto title. Combined with the fact that the UMD is all but dead, McNealy believes that Sony's gotta do something to reinvigorate interest in its portable device, and a price cut seems like the best way to woo potential DS purchasers away. At $150, the newly-priced PSP wouldn't be that much more expensive than Nintendo's offering, and the company's recent push to offer movies on MemorySticks might be just the differentiating factor that would convince consumers to choose feature sets over games. Still, with its innovative input system and non-traditional titles, the DS would seem to appeal to a larger potential audience than the PSP, so even a price drop might not be enough to turn things around for Sony.[Thanks, Scott]
Incredibly old DS Vs. PSP video
Sometimes, you discover (or re-discover) a piece of internet gold. I searched and search the archives of PSP Fanboy, but I simply couldn't find this video anywhere! This video is a slick depiction of the DS and PSP battle, using two girls dressed up as the systems. Wow! These handhelds are pretty good at attracting women, huh? Although entertaining, the battle makes me recall Sony's awful black versus white advertising. And, I wouldn't necessarily agree with the bias of this fight: the winner in this video is played by the video's executive producer. Hmm.
How-to overclock your Nintendo DS
If you've gotten just a little too good at your Nintendo DS games and are looking for more of a challenge -- and also looking to void your warranty -- now there's a way to hack your console for making everything run almost twice as fast. A Japanese modder has just posted step-by-step directions (in Japanese, unfortunately) for re-wiring a DS Lite to perform at a claimed 1.7x speed, complete with a toggle switch in case you decide that turbo mode isn't appropriate for all occasions. It looks like you have to be pretty handy with a soldering iron to tackle this particular project, so if you've got the skillz and about four hours to waste on tinkering around with your DS's sensitive circuitry, then accelerated performance -- and funny-sounding audio -- will be your reward.[Via Maxconsole]
Keepin' it real fake, part XXXI: This PSP is not a PSP
Reader Matt Z. spotted yet another PSP knockoff in the wild, this one at a computer show in Pittsburgh. C'mon, guys, if you're gonna have the nerve to copy a product's name along with its design, at least take the time to get the logo right.
BlueBird's BM-300 Pocket PC does DMB too
It takes a pretty special phone-less PDA to pique our interest these days, and even though Korean manufacturer BlueBird's new Pidion BM-300 doesn't really push the envelope in areas like processor speed or screen resolution, the fact that they threw a DMB tuner into the mix puts this model in some pretty distinguished company. Besides the PM80 from LG, in fact, we're hard-pressed to think of another palmtop that sports a built-in digital TV receiver -- which is probably because there's little demand for this feature anywhere outside of Korea for now. Specs-wise, the WiFi- and Bluetooth-equipped BM-300 definitely comes out on top, as its 512MHz Bulverde CPU, 64MB/128MB RAM/ROM configuration and Windows Mobile 5.0 OS are all superior to what the LG model offers, though the two do share the same unfortunate 320 x 240 resolution. South Korean TV fanatics can expect these to hit stores sometime in October -- from the look of things, they need some time to polish up that design a little -- for a price that's yet to be announced.[Via Digital-Lifestyles]
Nokia 770 OS upgrade now available
As promised, Nokia has just posted the Internet Tablet 2006 operating system for download -- although as of this writing you get redirected to an error page -- giving 770 owners access to those handful of new features announced last month. You'll recall that instead of dropping a QWERTY-equipped version of the tablet as we were hoping/expecting, Nokia disappointed more than a few fans by only unveiling a software upgrade that adds an on-screen keyboard along with the Google Talk client. Even worse, Nokia warns that "installed applications designed for OS 2005 will not be compatible with OS 2006 edition and will not be restored even from backup," so kiss your old apps goodbye if you're planning on upgrading. Still, current 770 owners will probably want to take plunge just so they can run programs developed exclusively for the new OS, and hopefully the software 'board will suffice until Nokia takes our advise and changes up the input style in the next generation of WiMax- and webcam-sporting tablets.[Thanks, Alessandro Z.]
Palm and Xerox finally settle Graffiti dispute
So we weren't even aware that this was an issue anymore, but apparently Xerox and Palm have still been battling over that "Unistrokes" handwriting recognition patent which caused us to waste several minutes of our lives learning a handful of new Graffiti 2 characters oh so long ago. Battling up until today, that is, because after nine years the two companies have finally come to a mutually-acceptable agreement, wherein Palm caves and pays Xerox $22.5 million. The deal does net Palm paid-up licenses on a total of three Xerox patents -- licenses that also apply to Access PalmSource and 3Com -- as well as a so-called seven-year "patent peace," in which the two sides agree to stop fussing and fighting about infringements pertaining to certain technologies. Does this agreement mean that we can expect to see the triumphant return of Graffiti 1 on future Palm PDAs? We're not sure, but frankly, now that we've moved on to packing QWERTY-equipped Treos, we don't really care.
New Archos PMPs appear online
A trio of new PMPs from Archos have been popping up around the web courtesy of a snapshot from the Trois Suisses winter catalog, but details are still scarce as all that's known about these models comes from the little big of information we can glean from the included French description. Making matters even more confusing is the fact that the so-called 604, with its 10.9-centimeter screen and 30GB hard drive, appears to cost about $130 more than the $500 504 which has the same screen but 10GB greater capacity -- although its seemingly slimmer design may account for some of the disparity. Meanwhile, the 404 sports an identical drive to the 604, but only an 8.8-centimeter screen, and is supposedly priced at $440. Both 30GB models are said to be scheduled for a July release, while the 504 should be available in August, but we'll do our best to get specs on these before then, because we like knowing about stuff before anyone else does.[Via GenerationMP3]
iRex poised to take B2B orders for iLiad e-book reader
We've had our eye on Philips (that's Royal Philips Electronics to you) spinoff iRex Technologies ever since we heard that the company was developing a Sony Reader-like e-book device with some pretty compelling features, but there's been no word on the so-called iLiad since it failed to ship last month as we were expecting. Well now iRex has finally updated its website with some new information about the 400MHz, multi-format reader, and the news is not so good if you're hoping to get your hands on one of these any time soon -- consumers will have to wait until at least September to order a model with "extended functionality" being designed for the general public. Businesses, on the other hand, can start placing their orders for the regular, "less-functional" models within the next month, with Europeans getting a shot at the e-ink-based 'books a month ahead of the rest of the world. We're hoping that along with the new features promised in the consumer version, iRex also manages to shave a few bucks off of the cost, as that $800+ pricetag we previously reported is pretty steep no matter how much you like to read.[Thanks, Alex]
Nintendo releases Rumble Pack for DS Lite
No surprises here: Nintendo has loosed a version of the venerable Rumble Pak on Japanese DS Lite owners, with a US model forthcoming. Besides being smaller than its big brother in order to fit flushly in the Lite's cartridge slot, the new Rumble Pak sports all the same vibrating goodness, and for the same price too. (In case you don't remember, that price is a mere $10). Unfortunately, both versions of the Pak are still only supported by a handful of games, so here's to hoping you haven't beaten Metroid Prime Hunters yet.[Via DS Fanboy]
Microsoft already planning "Vistagami" UMPCs
If you had as much fun as we did with Microsoft's Origami teaser campaign, then you'll probably be excited to learn that we may be in store for another one next year, as the software manufacturer is already working towards the next generation of Vista-powered UMPCs. It'll be a little harder to keep us guessing this time around, however, as once we start seeing ads for the "Vistagami" -- which is the project's awkward internal codename -- we'll have a pretty good idea that Microsoft and friends are trying to loose yet another mini-TabletPC on the world. Like so many other products we've covered, the new devices are scheduled to be released at the same unknown time as Vista, and by necessity, will sport either the Home Premium, Ultimate, or business versions of the oft-delayed OS. Oh, and if you were curious as to Microsoft's thoughts on the hefty cost of picking up a current-gen UMPC, the company's Mika Krammer openly admitted that Redmond was disappointed, saying that "we would have liked to have seen a lower price point." Hey, us too!
POSDATA shows off WiBro PDAs for Korea
When a manufacturer takes styling cues from a number of popular devices -- in this case, the RAZR, the Wizard, and the gone-but-not-forgotten Clie -- and throws in a number of high end features whose acronyms make us a little weak-kneed, the resulting products are bound to be pretty sexy. Such is the case with a trio of WiBro-capable PDAs being marketed under the Flyvo brand by POSDATA, all of which run Windows CE 5.0 Professional Plus on an ARM processor and let you get your 'net on with WiFi as well in case you have to travel outside of Korea. Introduced at this year's Wireless Broadband World Forum, these upcoming devices (which frustratingly lack either names or model numbers) also feature either 512MB or 1GB of flash RAM, with two of them adding T-DMB and VoIP capabilities, and the high-end model throwing in a little GPS action to boot. Lucky Koreans will be able to pick these up -- and possibly even drop their cellphone services altogether -- sometime early next year. Keep reading for more pics...Read- The one that resembles a WizardRead- The one that resembles a PSPRead- The one that resembles a Clie
