 Casino Royale may be several months away from its premiere, but the sleuths at MI6 have this first look at the Aston Martin DBS Bond will be cruising in. The DBS appears to be a suped-up version of the Vanquish. MI6 says the gadgets, all inside the car, will be a cut above the regular machine guns and rocket launchers. Daniel Craig, who will play Bond in the film, has already paid a visit to Aston Martin headquarters for a test drive.
Aston Martin has also revealed its beautiful Rapide four-door concept car will go into production in mid-2007.
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Xbox 360 cam gets new look and May launch date?
 It looks like Microsoft is prepping their Xbox 360 cam for release this May, along with a "Quick Charge Kit" for keeping two controller batteries primed, which includes an extra rechargeable battery. The source is supposedly an unreleased Chinese issue of the Official Xbox Magazine, and this new look matches the most recent version of the camera we've seen first hand, but there's no telling if this will be the version that actually makes it to stores. Read more..!
Sony to slap flash memory into new PSP this year?
 There's rumblings of Sony planning to add storage to a new (possibly smaller) version of their PSP, starting with a 50GB HDD rumored a year ago, but now we're hearing of a possible deal between Sony and Samsung to add 8GB of flash memory to the portable. According to "market sources," Sony has been pressuring Samsung to lower NAND flash prices by toying around with microdrives, but they're really digging on those low-power flash chips and hope to cram 8GBs worth into a new PSP due the second half of this year. It all sounds rather similar to some Sony/Samsung 8GB dealings that went down last year that we assumed were linked to an iPod competitor in the works, which maybe is still a fair assumption. In the meantime go to lik-sang.com and get a datel 4gb adapter. Read more..!
 Funky Truck is not so much driving a monster truck, but more like driving a Flash-based approximation of Motocross. That old side-scrolling physics toy made into a game, reborn again in Flash form. One arrow goes backward, the other goes forward, and if you roll over you're as stuck as a turtle in the mud. Still, it's another simple but addicting leveler. My suggestion: don't go too fast. While it's fun to see your truck fly off into space, it's more fun to get your name on the high score boards. Just for fun, here's one motocross game, one motocross trainer, and that crazy Gorillaz driving game. Go drive today. Read more..!
Japan's CERO revises ratings system
 GameIndustry.biz is reporting that Japan's Computer Entertainment Rating Organization (CERO), the Eastern equivalent to ESRB, has updated its ratings system to include a category similar to the Adults Only rating found in the US. The revised ratings system works as follows: * A: all ages. * B: ages 12 and older. * C: ages 15 and older. * D: ages 17 and older. * Z: ages 18 and older, as regulated by the government. With the exception of the Z rating, all other ratings are voluntarily followed. The new system will reportedly take effect on March 1st. It would make an interesting case study to see how a Z rating would affect a game, and how often it is used, compared to the Adults Only rating seen in the United States. Read more..!
Kenneth Cole Rolling Suitcase
 Kenneth Cole's new travel collection's wheeled canvas suitcase has leather trim and a clasp and buckle closure. Inside it has a fully lined interior with an elastic top pocket and garment restraints. What's great about this case is its briefcase-like look and the side handle so that when you are tired of wheeling it around, you can pop the top handle in and just carry it. It sells for $400. Read more..!
Sony HDR-HC3 cam is real, promises to bring HD recording "mainstream"
 The supposed HDR-HC3 high definition camcorder, has in fact been announced by Sony, and lends credence to the specs printed in the manual. At $1700, the new cam will retail for $300 less than its predecessor, the HC1 (although the latter can now be had for around $1600), and improves on some features while seemingly falling short on others. Like the HC1, the HC3 records up to 1080i onto standard mini-DV cassettes in HDV format, but it ups the ante with stills up to four megapixels (and even simultaneous widescreen 2.3 and 4:3 1.7 megapixel stills while shooting video), although it has a lower gross pixel count, no manual focus ring, and we've heard grumblings of a "noisier" picture. Still, the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD plus-powered touchscreen display, HDMI output, and relatively compact size (26% smaller than the HC1) may actually help this cam live up to Sony's hype and become the first consumer-oriented HD model to the gain a foothold upon its April debut. Read more..!
iRows the online spreadsheet
 So far this is the best online spreadsheet I've found. iRows has some critical features, like importing Excel files, CSV files, collaborative edits, and decent graphing capabilities. The site seems to work fine under Firefox 1.5 and IE 6, but Safari (as usual) had a few issues. One other neat trick: you can post your data on your own site, but make changes within iRows, and naturally it update wherever you've posted the data. These sorts of collaborative tools are exactly why web apps make a lot of sense in many situations. I can't wait to see more of these roll out of the Web 2.0 garage. Read more..!
Most promising Web 2.0 software of 2006
 Dion Hinchcliffe has a lot of things to say about this Web 2.0, and has tossed out a "best of" list here at the top of the year. Actually it's a "most promising" list, and worth a look, as there are some new spins on old favorites, and lots of new goodies all the way around. The best part, as is often the case, are the comments, where people are suggesting yet more Web 2.0 apps. Read more..!
 Trollhattan Saab, says this might be the car GM unveils in Geneva to show the future direction of Saab's styling. The Aero-X, as it's called, is a design study that supposedly sits on its very own unique architecture (likeness to the Saturn Sky, must be purely coincidental). The 400 horsepower spit out by the alleged 3.0L twin-turbo V6 under the hood will haul the vehicle via all four wheels if the "X" designation is any indication. Depending on public reaction to the vehicle, word is that it could be built on a shortened Epsilon II platform. Read more..!
 PC Magazine is building HD WMCE PC; droping over two-grand into their high-def system, with a lot of RAM, large hard drive and multiple tuners for their high-def content. Additionally, their case choice of a SilverStone LaScala LC17 looks more component-like and less PC-ish. If you're interested at all in building a high-def capable home media center, this is another good article worth the read.
Case
SilverStone LaScala LC17 $120
Power Supply
Antec NeoHE 430 $75
CPU
Athlon 64 X2 3800+ $322
CPU Cooler
Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu $35
Motherboard
ABIT AN8 Ultra $115
Memory
2GB Kingston ValueRAM $168
Graphics Hardware
ASUS Extreme N6600 Silencer $109
DVD Decoder Software
nVidia PureVideo Decoder $30
Hard Drive
Seagate NL35 400GB $315
Optical Drives
HP dvd740i DVD Writer
NEC ND-3520A DVD±R DL $78
$50
Memory Card Reader
Mitsumi FA-405M $16
Audio Hardware
Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi $116
Creative DTS-610 $99
Analog TV Tuners
ATI TV Wonder Elite (PCI) $110
PowerColor T55E-P03 (PCIe x1) $85
HDTV Tuners
Vbox Cat's Eye DTA-150 $89
Vbox Cat's Eye USB-A 3560 $109
Keyboard/Mouse
Microsoft ZV1 MCE keyboard $75
Remote Control
Microsoft Media Center Remote $35
Operating System
Windows XP Media Center Edition $125
Total Cost $2,276
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Final Fantasy XII Potion drink offers a "mysterious taste"
 The Final Fantasy XII Potion drink has finally been unveiled to the public in Japan, and samplers are willing to allow that the clear blue beverage offers a "mysterious taste." It was ascertained from Japanese press accounts that the Potion "tasted like a nutritional supplement drink with a fresh aftertaste." Until more informed Japanese translators prove otherwise, we hope that means it tastes good (in a non-medicinal way), so we can all intone together: "For relaxing times, make it Suntory time." Read more..!
Isuzu Gemini commercial from the '80s
This video is of the Isuzu Gemini showing off some physics-defying stuff -- and we all know how bad CG was back then, so it's more than likely these stunts are the real deal. Please don't try this at home with your Aveo. Not all small cars are made alike. Read more..!
Dynasty Warriors to make 360 debut
 This summer, Koei's popular Dynasty Warriors series will make its Xbox 360 debut with Dynasty Warriors 5 Empires (also available on PS2). Koei sales manager Will Curley is promising the 360 version will be the "most visually astounding" DW yet. The new Empires will include a two-player co-op mode, four unlockable scenarios, and an encyclopedia of ancient China--for those who want a more educational experience. Read more..!
Try Microsoft Commerce Server 2006 Beta
 You can try to custom code your own e-commerce site by using Microsoft's "free" Commerce Server 2006. Of course, it isn't free, it's a beta version you can test and help debug for MS at the same time. As usual, you'll have to be approved before you can participate, but if you've ever considered working in the "big leagues," this is a great platform to get familiar with. Take a look at the technical overview and see if this sort of gigantic weapon is right for your arsenal. Read more..!
Canon EOS 30D gets official
 Canon announced their EOS 20D successor, the EOS 30D shares the same 8.19 megapixel CMOS sensor as the 20D including other core components such as the 9-point AF system, 5 fps max shoot rate, and 1/8000 top shutter speed. And yes, it remains compatible with 20D accessories. Some notable enhancements include a new 2.5-inch 230K color LCD, Canon's more flexible Picture Style menu, an increased burst depth, and the welcome ability to change the ISO while looking through the viewfinder. Those of you looking for more than a refined 20D will have to wait and see if we get the rumored 10 megapixel 35D announcement before the day is up.
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NSA guide to sanitizing your documents
 NSA's guide to sanitizing your documents. What we're talking about here is actually removing content from files such as PDF's and Word docs (the two most used for docs). It's called redacting. Obviously items such as images and links might not always be fully extracted when you just delete them, so this is also an interesting look into some of the lesser-known settings in your apps. To quote the guide: "The way to avoid exposure is to ensure that sensitive information is not just visually hidden or made illegible, but is actually removed from the original document. Thus any sensitive information must be removed from the document through deletion. The procedures detailed below discuss some of the ways to maintain formatting during the process."Read more..!
Find a Windows hole, win $10,000
 iDefense labs, a subsidiary of Verisign, have announced a quarterly hacking challenge, and each quarter they will offer a different security challenge. Here are the details from their site: "For the current quarter, iDefense Labs will pay $10,000 for each vulnerability submission that results in the publication of a Microsoft Security Bulletin with a severity rating of critical. In order to qualify, the submission must be sent during the current quarter and be received by midnight EST on March 31, 2006. The $10,000 prizes will be paid out following the publication of the Microsoft Security Bulletin and will be paid in addition to any amount paid for the vulnerability when it is initially accepted. Only the initial submission for a given vulnerability will qualify for the reward." If you think you've got what it takes, go for it! Read more..!
The new Revolution mock up: boxes
 Nintendo Gal has unearthed six fan-made box art designs for Nintendo's next-geneartion offer. Most of them bear a striking resemblance to the boxes that house Apple's Powerbook line of laptops. So there you have it, 6 Revolution box mock ups. Read more..!
Korean gamers massacre Chinese over etiquette dispute
 According to recent reports, South Korean Lineage players have been ganging up on Chinese players in an attempt to wipe them from Korean servers. The recent killings are a response to rumors that Chinese gamers have not been following the unspoken rule: don't take money or items dropped by a monster slain by another player. Items from the game are sold for real money on online trading sites, and Chinese gamers have been reportedly joining South Korean servers because there are greater opportunities for making real money in these matches due to an abundance of trade. Unfortunately, Korean gamers have begun to see the Chinese presence as a threat, prompting some of these players to stage violent massacres. In areas like the Island of Dreams, where it is relatively simple to earn money, gangs of Korean players have been hunting down any Chinese player that dares to enter the region. One Korean player claims, "you can tell they are Chinese because they can't speak Korean."
Lineage continues to be plagued by identity theft, which may be linked to reports that suggest there are Chinese sweatshops where workers play ceaselessly to earn money using Korean identities. More than 220,000 South Koreans have reported their identities stolen. NCsoft, makers of the game, are aware of the virtual genocide and have begun blocking Chinese IP addresses on Korean servers. NCsoft has sided with Koreans because the company is against item trading, which NCsoft apparently considers an exclusively Chinese practice.
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ViliV P1 PMP coming to US
 The Viliv P1 PMP player will apparently make its North American debut on March 1 via a dedicated e-store. Specs include a 30GB drive, DivX and Xvid support, 4-inch display, FM radio and CF slot. Read more..!
3 bit computer for 2 bit nerds
 You can seriously up your geek cred with this 2.0 update to the classic DIGI-COMP I of the 60's. Originals go for upwards of $100 on E-Bay, but this new and improved version of the build-your-own-mechanical-computer goes for $50 and still crunches that Boolean logic like it's 1968. Read more..!
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-Lytir1
