FPS Freek hopes for thumbs-up from gamers

As any CrackBerry addict will tell you, it's all in the thumbs. And that basic rule of dexterity applies to game controllers too, which is why the creation of something like the FPS Freek was probably inevitable.

KontrolFreek's latest accessory snaps onto the thumbsticks of a controller to improve accuracy and provide a crucial competitive edge. This nuance is particularly important in muscle control while taking aim at targets, according to Gizmodo, which sites research indicating that "the first 20 percent of the range of motion is the hardest because of spring resistance". (The things you learn reading gadget blogs.)

The manufacturer says the device, which it hopes to release in June, will even be allowed in official competition. And if it proves as popular as hoped, there's another company that will likely benefit from the release: The maker of the Xtensor.

Via Crave CNET

Home phones never looked so good

Most people tend to fall asleep when they hear about products with words in their specifications like DECT, VoIP and telephony. Even though that was what we were faced with when looking at the Thompson Symbio's datasheet, its design alone kept us interested.

While it is obviously shaped like a landline phone, the "hollowness" of its chassis makes it more akin to a clickable icon in a graphical user interface. In fact, we think the perfect complement to the Symbio is a giant plastic mouse pointer which you can use to prod it when it rings. Aside from allowing you to make calls, it is also a set of stereo speakers which allows you to stream music or listen to FM radio.

This product was announced for Europe during CeBIT. We have contacted Thompson about an Asian release and will update this blogpost when that information becomes available.

Via Notcot

Japan launches investigations into iPod nano sparking

The recent incident, involving an iPod nano shooting out sparks while charging, has literally sparked off an investigation by Japanese authorities into the popular digital music player from Apple. It has been reported that the Trade and Economy Ministry suspects a defect in the nano's rechargeable Lithium-ion battery and has since ordered Apple Japan to conduct an investigation into the matter. The iPod nano incident occurred earlier this year in January in the Kanagawa prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.

It is estimated that about 425,000 units of the iPod nano have been shipped to Japan, though it is not clear if the same MA099J/A model, currently being investigated, is sold in other countries. The model has been discontinued since September 2006, according to the Ministry.

Not surprisingly, Apple has yet to comment on this incident or the investigation, though this is unlikely to trigger a massive worldwide recall similar in scale to Sony's defective notebook batteries.

Via Yahoo News

Sony Bluetooth Walkman in Asia soon

We first heard about the Sony NWZ-A820 series when it was launched in Japan a few weeks back. Now, the Japanese company has announced it will be available in Asia Pacific next month.

What's special about the A820 is that it has Bluetooth technology built into it. This means you can pair Bluetooth stereo headphones to it and listen to music wirelessly. This technology is, of course, not new, with devices from Samsung already sporting such a feature. It is the first from Sony though, and given how good the A800 series was, we have high hopes for the A820. This new flash-based MP3 player will come in capacities ranging from 4GB to 16GB.

For those not interested in wireless, there is also the A720 which is essentially the same device without Bluetooth. Of course, it will also be less expensive, starting from US$149. More detailed pricing information on all the different models after the jump.
Read more »

Movies on your Nintendo next

Nintendo just keeps going and going. Though I don't commute, and thus don't see the need for toting a portable console along to entertain myself on the journey, I must confess that it's very tempting to own one, given the endlessly (and endless) fascinating accessories the Japanese are coughing up for the DS Lite. Since March 6, the DS Lite has been getting its own official movie download service called DSvision.

A collaboration between Nintendo, print firm DNP and digital media distributor am3 (the makers behind GBA Movie Player), the service requires a 3,890 yen (US$37) kit to kickstart your downloading experience, which includes certain books, movies, comics, and music. This hardware comprises a USB dongle for a PC, a 512MB microSD card, and an adapter for slotting the media into the portable console's game port.

If what's been reported holds, DSvision aims to release a massive 10,000 titles for download after three years, with plans to enable this eventually over the Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection. Though why this wasn't enabled in the first place probably has users stumped. Too bad for the rest of us beyond those hallowed shores, the DSvision service is for Japan only. But as always, we can trust the pirates to do something about that.

Via Japan Today

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