Filed under: Gaming

Sony has pulled the 2.40 firmware update from both its in-console update and website after some users reported that the firmware has bricked their system. SCEA PR director Patrick Seybold told Joystiq that Sony is “looking into it right now and will work with those customers directly to address any issues they might be experiencing.” Has it bricked your system? Let us know in the comments below.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: MPG, Legislation and Policy, USA

Though BMW was the first automaker to contact the Bush Administration with concerns about the latest CAFE rules, it didn’t take long for more to speak up. As represented by the Alliance of Car Manufacturers, the Detroit 3, Toyota, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and others have banded together to proclaim the demands too harsh. Especially considering the current state of automotive affairs, the Alliance alleges that it will be too high-priced to either meet the goals set out in the latest CAFE standards or face the fines for not meeting them. It is certainly true that most automakers are finding it tough to sell vehicles in these days of turbulent fuel prices and a damaged economy in the U.S.

Eighty-percent of the auto market in the says is represented by the Auto Alliances members, so the issues presented by the groups are sure to be taken seriously. With other groups, including Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, wanting to actually increase the CAFE stipulations even further, the auto manufacturers seem to have their work cut out for them.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req’d]

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Via [autobloggreen]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Popularity: 1% [?]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Transportation

Okay, so maybe Hope’s forthcoming Aeris isn’t that bad, but it is somewhat hard to believe that sensors were installed in the handlebars to “prevent accidents” if some demented designer didn’t fully anticipate this thing to be a vehicle magnet. Designed for the urban tools hipsters in attendance, this bike is reportedly constructed from Hybrix, a material “supposedly as tough as stainless steel but lighter than aluminum.” Beyond that, details are few and far between, but cyclists should be able to find out more when it launches this fall for around five large.

[Via ShinyShiny]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Digital Cameras

Hold up! Polaroid may not be dead just yet! A trusty reader was nice enough to give us some hands-on time with his new Polaroid Pogo Zink-based printer. The diminutive device is clearly meant to give us that old-school insta-print social feeling with its 2 x 3-inch photos, but results were less than a barrel o’ monkeys. Engadget reader David states that while the unit is “cute,” there’s nothing very instant about it as prints take at least 60 seconds — not including connection in or Bluetooth pairing time. On the plus side, prints are sturdy and don’t tear easily, but David couldn’t resist burning one of them just to see how the thermal paper reacted. In the end, he says this is a decent gadget for those in the know, but you’re not going to put this at the center of a party like you would an old-school Instamatic. Peep the gallery for David’s hands-on goodness.

[Thanks, David]

Popularity: 1% [?]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Industry, Set-top boxes, Cable, OTA, Satellite, Advertising

We have to admit that in the current ad-happy climate we didn’t think it would take some six months for an enterprising company to market TiVo’s rich data mine. TRA will be licensing and marketing the info coming from TiVo customers, and the combination of viewing, demographic and purchasing data seems like a marketer’s dream come true. Add in the growing trend towards targeted content, and you can guess what advertisers have in mind — making accurate correlations between ad exposure and buying behavior. Sure, it sounds really creepy, but rest assured that the data is anonymous, so marketers will know how someone exactly like you behaves without knowing it’s explicitly you. If you’re still uneasy, we’d suggest getting off the grid entirely, because this sort of advertisement looks like it’s here to stay.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Robots

Robots teaching robots? Check. Robots teaching humans? Check. Robots learning things on their own accord? Um, terrifying? All kidding aside, the UMass Mobile Manipulator is one smart cookie. Put simply, this intelligent robot pushes objects around in order to identify how they move, and once that’s accomplish, it begins “manipulating them to perform tasks.” If this sounds awfully similar to something your infant does, that’s because the two are indeed very much related. UMan, as it’s so eloquently dubbed, packs its own wheels, battery pack, one-meter arm, three-fingered hand and webcam in order to interact with the world, and sure enough, one researcher even mentioned the potential of it learning to operate a pair of scissors. Great, what’s next — a BFG?

[Via CrunchGear]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Laptops

If you’re exhausted of waiting for ASUS to offer a touchscreen option for the Eee Computer 900 (or you’re the proud owner of an existing unit), jkkmobile is happy to show you their shortcut to touchy-feely nirvana. As we’ve seen on all those other Eees, installing the touch panel into the 900 doesn’t seem to be extraordinarily difficult for those with a few mods under their belt and a reliable Chinese parts supplier. For those who’d like to simply watch from the sidelines, you can peek the video after the break and lots more pics in the read link.

Continue reading ASUS Eee Computer 900 gets livened up with touchscreen

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Handsets, LG, Telus Mobility, EV-DO, CDMA

We’re hearing that Telus will be ushering in a whole new age of Texter’s Thumb before too long with the launch of the curiously-named “KEYBO,” a rebrand of the enV2 found on Verizon in the Says. EV-DO data, a media player, and a 2 megapixel camera make this a solid choice for SMS maniacs who want something just a tiny sexier and fancier than the Rumour (itself a rebrand of Sprint’s Rumor). We comprehend where the name comes from — sort of — but that doesn’t mean it’s right.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals, Storage

Nyko’s got a knack for delivering some of the ugliest, most preposterous third-party peripherals on the planet, yet — for whatever reason — we can’t help but love ‘em. The latest abomination from the outfit that begins to grow on you almost immediately is the Media Hub for PlayStation 3. For those that went cheap on the 40GB PS3 and missed out on a multicard reader and the full array of USB ports, this here adornment presumably connects to one of those USB sockets and adds three more while tossing in the card reader you’ve so dearly missed. Thankfully, Nyko’s only charging $19.99 for this, so you should be okay even if your ship has yet to come in.

[Via Joystiq]

Popularity: unranked [?]