Microsoft doesn't think Sony can stick to single PS3 SKU

Filed under: Gaming

Since Microsoft apparently didn't suffer enough indignity with the whole J Allard-in-dreads happenings -- we were sure our caption contest sealed the deal -- another Xbox exec has gone on record making predictions on Sony hardware, unfortunately without similarly high stakes. Xbox director of technical strategy Andre Vrignaud is betting a steak dinner with the staff of Level Up that Sony's going to hit the market with a $399 PS3 SKU by Black Friday 2007. His thinking is that Sony won't want to stick with a $599 80GB PS3 as its sole offering, and therefore will drop the 80 gigger to $499 and supplement it with a stripped down $399 40GB PS3 that skips out on WiFi, a memory card reader and backward compatibility. Of course, Sony's not talking much about SKUs ever since its total PR disaster on the 60GB price cut during E3, but that doesn't necessarily mean the company is ready to take a page out of Microsoft's book and go all PS3 "Core" on us.

[Via GamesIndustry.biz]

 

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Ask Engadget: Wireless TV for the home?

Filed under: Features, Home Entertainment, Wireless

This time on Ask Engadget, Lenny's looking for a way to consolidate a couple of national past times: eating and television. What a noble quest. If you've got a similarly humanitarian tech conundrum, or just want the masses to weigh in on something more pedestrian, hit us up at ask at engadget dawt com. Last time we were picking a wireless router for Brad, here's Lenny's question:

"I'm looking for a wireless TV solution for my dining room. I want a TV
that is as unobtrusive as possible. I don't want to run coax in there,
nor any other AV cables. I just want a TV (preferably mounted on the
wall) that gets its signal wirelessly. I saw two solutions by Sharp and
Sony, but they came out in '04, and don't seem to be widely available now."

Seems like there are plenty of ways to go, and we suppose it depends on what kind of quality, resolution and picture size he's looking for, but we're sure Lenny can find an affordable solution to getting that TV where it belongs. What do you guys think?

 

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Bally bringing Pong to casino floors

Filed under: Gaming

We know, you've got a zillion ways to get your Pong on whilst lounging around in your geeked-out crib, but how in the world will you deal with the withdrawals on this year's trip to Vegas? Thanks to Bally, you may not have to suffer at all, as Nevada gambling regulators recently approved the concept behind Bally Pong, a "slot machine that would for the first time allow hand-eye coordination to affect payout." Put simply, the machine would enter a 45-second round of Pong if three bonus icons line up on the five-reel video slot machine, and regardless of one's skill, a minimum award would be doled out simply for reaching the bonus. Oh, it gets better -- Bally also said that this was just "the first in a series of skill games (including Breakout!) it had planned," so those looking to see a hint of vintage when they hit the casino floor should be very pleased if everything goes as planned over the next few months.

[Via The Raw Feed]

 

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RDISS: the Army's uber-vigilant surveillance system

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Being dropped into no man's land without a hint of what's going on around you can't be fun (or safe, for that matter), but scoping out foreign territory in a hurry just got a lot more reasonable. The Army's Rapid Equipping Force has developed the Rapid Deployment Integrated Surveillance System, or RDISS, which "can be installed quickly and with minimal training." Deemed "simple" to setup, the system is designed to "improve situational awareness for soldiers at joint security stations and combat outposts throughout Iraq," and plans are already in place to establish "hundreds" of these systems in various locales by the year's end. Nah, it's not nearly as hip as using GPS-equipped spy squirrels, but we guess it'll do the trick.

[Via The Raw Feed]

 

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False alarm: Target's not giving up on HD DVD

Filed under: HDTV

As noted on Engadget HD the other day, and further clarified by Major Nelson this morning, that story about Target going exclusively Blu-ray was false. Turns out they're just installing Blu-ray aisle end caps, thanks to a new promotional deal with Sony, but HD DVD isn't going anywhere. Hopefully you haven't chucked out your HD DVD collection just yet in a concession to defeat at Thursday's "news," but if you have it's always good to know you can score replacements at your local Target, just like always.

 

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Spotswood drum PC case brings the beat back

Filed under: Desktops

We've seen a lot of ways to use computers as musical instruments, but the L-series case from Spotswood Custom Computer takes that concept to dizzying new heights by mounting components inside a 22-inch circular shell that's a dead ringer for a snare drum. The company says the built-from-scratch case design eliminates hot spots and promotes better cooling, but we think we know a drum PC when we see one. Hit the read link for more pics of the $500 case, and be sure to check out the FAQ, which contains the answer to the following mind-boggler: "I want a quiet PC but that case looks like a drum. Aren't drums supposed to be loud?"

 

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Houston, We Have a Drinking Problem

Pcol writes "Aviation Week reports that astronauts were allowed to fly on at least two occasions after flight surgeons and other astronauts warned they were so intoxicated that they posed a flight-safety risk. A review panel, convened in the wake of the Lisa Nowak arrest to review astronaut medical and psychological screening, also reported "heavy use of alcohol" by astronauts before launch, within the standard 12-hour "bottle to throttle" rule applied to NASA flight crew members. Dr. Jonathan Clark, a former NASA flight surgeon, says it's a tradition for crew members to gather for a barbecue on the eve of a shuttle launch, and these gatherings sometimes include alcohol and a toast but that the greater problem is that preparation before a flight can leave astronauts sleep-deprived and overworked. Meanwhile at Frenchie's Italian Restaurant, a popular astronaut hangout in Houston, owner Frankie Camera disputed the reports: "The Mercury astronauts may have been a little more wild (than later ones) but I did banquets for them and never really saw any of them drink so much they were out of control or drunk.""

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Torvalds Explains Scheduler Decision

Firedog writes "There's been a lot of recent debate over why Linus Torvalds chose the new CFS process scheduler written by Ingo Molnar over the SD process scheduler written by Con Kolivas, ranging from discussing the quality of the code to favoritism and outright conspiracy theories. KernelTrap is now reporting Linus Torvalds' official stance as to why he chose the code that he did. 'People who think SD was "perfect" were simply ignoring reality,' Linus is quoted as saying. He goes on to explain that he selected the Completely Fair Scheduler because it had a maintainer who has proven himself willing and able to address problems as they are discovered. In the end, the relevance to normal Linux users is twofold: one is the question as to whether or not the Linux development model is working, and the other is the question as to whether the recently released 2.6.23 kernel will deliver an improved desktop experience."

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Researchers Crack Every Certified CA Voting Machine

ewhac writes "The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that computer security researchers throughout the University of California system managed to crack the security on every voting machine they tested that has been approved for use in the state. The researchers are unwilling to say how vulnerable the machines are, as the tests were conducted in an environment highly advantageous to the testers. They had complete access to the devices' source code and unlimited time to try and crack the machines. No malicious code was found in any of the machines, but Matt Bishop, who led the team from UC Davis, was surprised by the weakness of the security measures employed. The tests were ordered by Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who has until Friday of next week to decide whether to decertify any of the machines for use in the upcoming Presidential primary election."

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