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Sprint's Treo 755p gets fresh firmware
It's that most exciting time of the year for owners of Palm's Treo 755p on Sprint -- firmware update time! Unfortunately, Palm's being extraordinarily vague about the goodies contained deep within this particular binary; they simply call it a "tune-up" that improves "audio, stability, software quality and device usability." Sounds good to us. Palm warns users to set aside a mind-boggling 45 minutes of their lives that they'll never get back for the pleasure of updating, so be warned, and make sure you have a block of time where you really don't care if anyone is trying to call you.[Via Palm Infocenter]
Hack enables gpsOne on CDMA HTC Titan variants
The clever souls at PhoneNews seem to have cobbled together info from dcd's posts at XDA-Developers and other places on how to get gpsOne -- this technology uses both satellite and your provider's network to determine location -- up and running on CDMA HTC Titan sets. Once your handset -- including PPC-6800, XV6800, Mogul, P4000, and likely others -- is tweaked, applications like TomTom, Google Maps, and other GPS tools will be available for your navigational enjoyment. This hack will require that you unlock your handset, update the device's software, and then update the baseband radio firmware to get at the goods. Instructions and all the files you'll need -- software updates are listed for Alltel, Sprint, Verizon, Bell, and Telus -- are available by hitting the read link. Of course, this'll likely blow your warranty away, so fiddlers beware and if you're even a little concerned, it may be patience will pay off as a provider update could bring this in the future.Update: Fixed credit for the work, thanks everybody for clarifying
New Sprint Mogul ROM leaks out, GPS support and all
Sprint Mogul owners dreaming of a day when they can pop open Google Maps on their handset and get a GPS lock could end up having a very satisfying weekend here. Some sort of pre-release ROM upgrade (that is to say, not cooked -- a beta build of an official upgrade) has leaked out into the public domain, and the big draw here appears to be GPS support. Rev. A -- a feature promised by Sprint to be enabled at some point in the future when the Mogul was first released -- is also apparently going to be prominently featured when this update officially hits, but it's either flaky or switched off altogether in this particular build while the devs are still hammering out some last-minute issues. If all goes well, it seems Sprint's trying to get this thing pushed out in March, but the impatient among you can have a crack at the prerelease cut now. Enjoy, be careful, and good luck![Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
'My god, it's full of StarLite updates'
Despite the legal quandaries that often follow these unsanctioned projects, progress continues on StarLite. This update (version 0.03) to the homebrew StarCraft game for the DS introduces two important features to the RTS port: 3D sprites and a local multiplayer mode.This limited build seems more buggy than usual -- we couldn't even get it running on an emulator -- but if you have two sets of DSes and flashcarts handy, you should be able to test out StarLite's two-player setup by following this series of steps: Download Starlite.nds and equipe.txt Copy StarLite.nds onto both of your flashcarts Copy equipe.txt onto the root of one cart, making sure the only text in the file is the number "1" Copy equipe.txt onto the root of another cart, making sure the only text in the file is the number "2" Boot up the DSes and load the game on both systems Mutter with satisfaction, "Excellent," while tenting your fingers %Gallery-12544%
Jump Ultimate Stars translation project forked, anxious gamers hoping to spoon with new lead
Localizing Jump Ultimate Stars, the acclaimed 2D fighter featuring hundreds of Shonen Jump characters, would be a licensing nightmare for any US publisher, so don't expect an official announcement for a US release any time soon. We've rested our hopes of ever playing the game in English on the fan-lead translation project instead.But with over eleven months passed since the effort began, we've yet to see any public patches, and many are starting to worry that the project has stalled, doomed to sit around incomplete while interest dwindles. Deufeufeu, the same ROM hacker leading the FFTA2 translation team, has stepped in to kick the effort back into gear, forking the project and bringing some much-needed organization to the process.Having already created a "working patch system," extracted all the game's text, and readied other elements important to the game's translation -- all within a week -- Deufeufeu promises to deliver a patch this weekend, with regular stable and unstable releases to follow. Bring your koma deck past the break for more Jump Ultimate Stars screenshots sprinkled with English text.
I wish I may, I wish I might: Starlite 0.02
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Starcraft_DS_Demo_2_Bug_Fixes_and_More_Features'; We're just as surprised as you are that Blizzard hasn't sent these guys a cease-and-desist letter yet, but the developers of StarLite, the unofficial StarCraft port for the DS, have put out an update (version 0.02) for the homebrew project.While the demo's changes are few -- a new tileset (Jungle), improved collision management, and a bug fix for overlapping buildings -- and it still has its share of early-alpha glitches, it's great to see that the RTS port wasn't immediately abandoned after the first release appeared and showed so much promise. You can download and try out the ROM yourself to see how the port is coming along, or you can check the revised gallery we've embedded below!%Gallery-12544%
FFIV fan translation patch for spoony bards
Once again, we're delving into the ethically dubious practice of ROM hacking (and ROM having), this time for the Japanese release of Final Fantasy IV. Impatient fans have been translating the game's script since the 3D remake's release last month, and they have already released a "semi-final beta" translation patch with most of the description text now in English! According to the group's progress table, only a few sections still need translation (e.g. monster descriptions, location names), so a full and final English patch doesn't seem too far off. A Translation Wiki is also available for those missing bits or for those of you who'd rather pass on using the patch altogether.Square Enix has yet to announce its plans for Final Fantasy IV's release outside of Japan. Our best guess? Mid-to-late 2008.
Wish upon a StarLite: StarCraft homebrew
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/StarCraft_For_The_DS_WORKING_HOMEBREW_DEMO'; Yes, dreams can come true. With no official plans announced for a DS port of StarCraft or any of Blizzard's other PC games, two French homebrew developers have begun working on bringing the popular RTS to the handheld themselves, titling the game StarLite.A limited demo (version 0.1) is available for you to test out in an emulator or flashcart of your choice, and, while it's clear there's still a lot of work ahead for the project, it's impressive how much the two-man crew has already accomplished in just three weeks of development. So far, players can select and direct units via touchscreen, build simple structures, and produce additional units. There are even a few enemy troops to attack.The team plans to continue their work, eventually implementing the rest of the units/structures and a WiFi ad-hoc multiplayer mode for two players. To do all that, however, they'll need some help from several more programmers, so don't be afraid to volunteer your skills to the effort! Hit the gallery below for more early screenshots from StarLite.%Gallery-12544%
Roguelike updates remind us to play roguelikes
Are you one of the four roguelike fans out there? If so, and if you also can't wait for Mysterious Dungeon: Shiren the Wanderer's February release, why not play NetHackDS or Powder -- two recently-updated homebrew dungeon crawler ports -- in the meantime? While NetHackDS has the edge in terms of "graphics" and name recognition, Powder has the advantage of being immediately playable in an emulator, so even if you don't have a flashcart, you can still enjoy the addictive game ... if you consider dying a dozen times while trying to figure out how to live longer than five minutes enjoyable.See also: Nethack your DSRead - NetHackDS 1.12CRead - Powder 094
Flash card latest: ESA and the Singapore police get their raid on
Bad dudes who pirate, watch out! The ESA just combined forces with the Singapore police force to raid several local stores that were selling DS flash cards, devices that let users download and play pirated games (but also, it should be noted, perfectly legal homebrew applications), and that are illegal under the Singapore Copyright Act. The haul, while not massive (200 devices worth around $5,800 were confiscated), was still big enough for the ESA to submit a press release, in which it warned more raids would take place should the piracy continue.You may recall how a series of similar raids was carried out in France recently -- looks like the authorities are beginning to really squeeze the pirates where it hurts.[Via MaxConsole]
Watch the prologue of Mother 3 ... in English!
We've informed you about the Mother 3 fan translation project before, and now it's time for you to enjoy some of the fruits of Starmen.net's labor. The project is not completed yet, but the team has at the very least finished translating and coding the prologue of the game. You can watch it in the video above (spoilers, obviously), without even having to worry about downloading any unauthorized ROMs or being involved with any yarrrrrring.The video will also help you further acquaint yourselves with Lucas, who will be showing up as a playable character in one of Nintendo's most anticipated Wii games, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.From what we've seen, Mother 3 has a certain charm about it, and we can see how fans would be so dedicated in their efforts to bring the game to English speakers. Now, if only Nintendo had the same dedication.[Via Destructoid]
Homebrew carts for Motocross Challenge and more
Remember Motocross Challenge, that cancelled Excite Bike GBA clone we raved about last April? Developer DHG Games posted a downloadable ROM for the homebrew community to play with, but for those of you who prefer tangible products, RGCD has a limited run of less than a 100 Motocross Challenge cartridges for sale for £7.00 to UK customers (£8.25/$17.00 for worldwide customers). As we made sure to mention several times in our preview, it's a terrific title, and this physical release even has a limited save function included as a bonus.Several other GBA homebrew carts are available for purchase at RGCD's shop, the latest of which is a Christmas Double Pack containing Santa's Chimney Challenge, Santa's Skidoo Scarper, and a hidden game. While you can find descriptions and ROMs for the titles at developer Ian Jeffray's site, keep in mind that Santa's Skidoo Scarper is meant to be played with your handheld turned sideways. UK residents can pick up this Christmas Double Pack for as low as £5.50, while the rest of the world will have to fork up £6.75 ($13.91).
R4 hits the mainstream media
While pirates and homebrewers alike have known about the R4 since last December, the popular flashcart received its first taste of mainstream media attention today with an article in The Times. The piece focuses on characterizing the R4 as a major threat to Nintendo's pockets, citing the slot-1 cart's cheapness (about $40) and ease of use for its popularity among pirates, dismissing its ability to run homebrew "unofficial software" as an aside.Despite its cautionary tone, the article provides an interesting look at how shops in Tokyo's Akihabara district advertise the product without actually acknowledging its features. One shop was seen putting up a sign that read, "New R4 shipment has finally arrived! You know what it does! Absolutely no questions will be answered concerning this product ..." Some salesman even refer customers to YouTube tutorials instead of explaining the R4's features themselves.We understand that the R4 and other similar flashcarts make it easy for people to download and play unauthorized ROMs willy-nilly, but we don't think it's nearly as popular with gamers as The Times suggests. Also, we take offense to the article's ignorance of the DS homebrew community and achievements that tools like the R4 have fostered. We're not all pirates!
Sprint and HTC apologize, promise GPS and EV-DO Rev. A for Mogul
Apparently Sprint's last Mogul software update -- version 2.16.651.0 -- ruffled a few feathers by unintentionally introducing new Bluetooth problems as part of the release. Sprint and HTC's advice? slip on back to version 2.09.651.3 (hit the read link to grab it) until another update is released at the end of November. The unexpected treat in all this is the announcement of HTC's efforts at developing a separate update that will include both GPS and EV-DO Rev. A, awesome! Keep an eye on these pages for more info soon.[Via jkOnTheRun]
Fans equip FFTA2 editor for translation project
Translating Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift just became serious business, as the GBAtemp community has actually built an application around the project to streamline its script-editing process. With this sort of dedication and this new specialized editor, it won't be long before the team releases an English translation patch for, uh, people with pirated ROMs.Though an official FFTA2 localization seems certain, Square Enix has yet to announce any plans to bring the SRPG stateside. Why not settle for Front Mission DS in the meantime?
One year later: Mother 3 fan translation project
Convinced that Nintendo has no intention of ever localizing Mother 3 for release outside of Japan, fans of the Mother/Earthbound series have been working on their own unofficial translation for the endearing RPG. The volunteer group has put a year's worth of work into the project so far and is celebrating that milestone with two releases: An anniversary video showing the game played with an English script. It's a preview of not only the team's progress, but of the bugs that still need to be addressed at this stage. You can watch the three-minute clip after the post break. An updated menu patch with the most up-to-date translations for Mother 3's menus and chapter titles. Of course, this menu patch and the eventual full translation patch require an unauthorized, completely illegal ROM copy of the game to be of any use. Yarr! Clyde Mandelin's celebratory post at the translation team's page also details the interesting events that went on behind the scenes, covering how the One Piece anime temporarily halted production and why Magical Starsign's failure to sell in the US could've doomed Mother 3's chances of ever receiving an official localization. As Clyde jokes, the project's history really does read like a spy novel!
English-translated Secret of Mana 2 cart on eBay
Though Square never brought Seiken Densetsu 3, Secret of Mana's sequel (which itself was a follow-up to Final Fantasy Adventure), to the states, a fan translation project provided gamers with a localization ROM patch in 2000, five years after its release in Japan. Even with just an unofficial translation, the cooperative ARPG is widely acclaimed by those who've played it, some even claiming it as the Mana series' apex. As fun as Seiken Densetsu 3 is, the Super Nintendo experience just doesn't seem "authentic" unless you're playing the game with the original rounded controllers on hardware yellowed with age. This auction on eBay plays on that sentiment, offering up a "Secret of Mana 2" set which includes the patched game on an SNES cart, a mocked-up box, and an English-translated instruction booklet.Everything about its production screams "bootleg," and counterfeit releases like these can never be trusted for their quality or reliability, but that hasn't stopped bidders from running its auction price up to $300 with 15 hours still left on the clock![Via GameSniped]
HTC S620 finally sees Windows Mobile 6 update
As promised back in April of this year -- well, the ROM upgrade was promised the date was the fuzzy bit -- the S620 is finally ready for its big day via a Windows Mobile 6 update. All you need to do to let your device soak up the glory is to hit up the HTC site, sign up for the free HTC e-Club membership -- if you haven't already -- and follow the instructions for your device. Good luck with this and remember, when flashing your handset everything will be wiped, so back it up before you get started.[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Cooked WinMo 6 ROM verified for PPC-6700, XV6700
Well ladies and gents, it seems the rumored Windows Mobile 6 update for the Sprint PPC-6700 / Verizon XV6700 is looking a little more legit. True to his word, ppcgeeks user Helmi_c showed us that the proof is indeed in the pudding with a goodly pile of pics of what appears to be a real handset running the updated operating system. It should be dropping tomorrow -- though no word of an exact time -- so feel free to hit the gallery we've put together while you wait. Gallery: Cooked WinMo 6 ROM verified for PPC-6700, XV6700
Telus Windows Mobile 6 update for P4000 is live
The wait is over patient Telus P4000 users, the Windows Mobile 6 update is here. After seeing the recent flow of HTC updates, it is grand to see a provider on top of its game and delivering the goods in a timely manner. The update process is well documented and even includes the steps and numbers needed to reprogram your phone's settings via Over-The-Air Service Provisioning (OTASP) once the update is in. Of course, if you've never flashed your handset before, know that all contents of your handset are wiped during the process, so back up any important stuff before you get started. Hit the read link to begin the quest to Windows Mobile 6 glory.[Via PocketPCThoughts]
