Move over Wii, Apple 3D game

With WWDC around the corner, the blogosphere is aflutter with talk of the 3G iPhone. But what else does the mothership have in store for us next? Try 3D gaming.

Earlier this month, AppleInsider reported that Apple had published its patent for a 3D remote-control system. The report suggests that the remote-control system will be able to detect the absolute position of the remote on an X, Y and Z axes, similar to Nintendo's Wiimote.

AppleInsider suggests that Apple TV would serve as the game console. Supporting AppleInsider's speculation, PopCap vice president of video game platforms Greg Canessa said in a Wired interview that he would be "customizing [PopCap's] user interface and display for Zune, ipod, [and] Apple TV."

Details on the 3D-gaming experience itself are scarce; when questioned about gaming in interviews, Steve Jobs has been tight-lipped as usual. But keep in mind that Apple is an overachiever and strives to be revolutionary. Jason Schwarz, a writer at Seeking Alpha, suspects that Jobs is going to blow us away with true 3D gaming: "You actually want to learn to fly a plane, to sail, to race Nascar, or to improve your golf swing? 3D Apple could bring these real life simulations to the mainstream," he wrote in a Mar. 14 blog.

Among Windows-PC enthusiasts, the most echoed criticism of Apple is its relatively diminutive grip on the gaming industry; despite the ability to run Windows on Apple's Intel machines, gaming remains a concern. Will the digital-music giant strive to conquer new territories by revolutionizing 3D gaming? Or will Apple TV just let us play crappy iPod games like The Sims Pool? We'll keep you posted.


wired.com

A Vista theme for iPhone? Yes, really

Posted by Jessica Dolcourt

Does this logo look familiar?

(Credit: ModMyiFone)

The latest third-party iPhone app to draw blogosphere buzz this morning is most definitely not Apple-approved.

The object of hilarity and defamation is VistaPerfection 2.0, a theme by developer Spec-Works that plops the Windows Vista GUI onto the iPhone. To run it, you'll need a jailbroken iPhone (see video), the SummerBoard app, and a wicked sense of humor.

Spec-Works reports that the application took "a couple days" to create and includes more than 90 icons, wallpaper, and sounds, including the Vista log-in and log-off chime and a revamped taskbar.

Your eyes do not deceive--Spec-Works has made iPhone Vista-friendly.

(Credit: ModMyiFone)

Quite a few tech bloggers have been happily jabbing away at the oxymoronic theme. Technabob, for instance, recommends it for those who are "ready and willing to deface [their] glorious chrome and glass iPhone with Microsoft's bloatware user interface."

The general consensus excuses VistaPerfection as a hack created for its own sake, though Zach Epstein of The Boy Genius Report charitably concedes that it might be useful for "a Vista addict [who has] begrudgingly picked up an iPhone but always loathed its clean UI."

It's true that design currents carry the visual style of Apple products into third-party Windows themes and apps, like ReadAir, ObjectDock, and the Macfox Firefox theme, and not the other way around. But that turning of tables is what makes the theme so deliciously amusing. VistaPerfection 2.0 does not come bundled with an installer, and those who want to play with the stuff of Steve Jobs' nightmares should consult ModMyiFone for the installation guide and tips.

[Via The Boy Genius Report]

Super Slow motion Camera! What brand?

Users can take photographs while, in the monitor, the momentary action that is before their eyes is displayed in slow motion. It is just as if they have slowed down the passing of time. Users can unhurriedly observe the motion of the subject as they press the shutter, ensuring that they never miss that crucial moment.

This camera is the anti-DSLR. It's as digital as you can get, so you have to expect some photographic shortcomings. But the tradeoffs are reasonable, with still options that are not available anywhere else. You can shoot full-resolution 6-megapixel stills at up to 60fps, to ensure that you get a decent pic of a fast-moving subject. I preferred to use something more like 7fps or 15fps with pets and kids, since they're not that fast, and you have no idea how annoying it can be to flip through 60 or more identical-looking shots.

GIZMODO-full review

New Firefox 3 Up Now

Firefox 3 Release Candidate 1 is available in more than 45 languages as a public preview release intended for developer testing and community feedback. It includes new features as well as dramatic improvements to performance, memory usage and speed.

firefox 3

Globe Telecom Brings iPhone To Philippines

MANILA, Philippines--Globe Telecom will be among the first telecom operators in Asia to officially carry Apple's popular iPhone handset.

Manila, 12 May 2008 – Globe, SingTel, Bharti Airtel and Optus today announced that they have signed an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to the Philippines, Singapore, India, and Australia later this year.

via[inquirer]

The New Philips Xenium Phone

A couple things you should know about this purported Philips Xenium X-Connect before churning your gadget juices through the emotional Osterizer. First, it's clearly a product rendering. Second, Philips Xenium cellphones are primarily found in Asia Pacific region -- as such, a European or North American launch is likely out of the question. If the X-Connect is the real-deal, however, here's what we'll be missing: Windows Mobile 6, 3G UMTS/HSDPA radios, GPS receiver, AA/AAA battery backup, microSD slot, and Bluetooth 2.0 all powered by a 624MHz Intel processor beneath a 3.0-inch (presumably touchscreen) display. Still, as a broadly positioned "communication device," maybe we'll see Philips reach out to different geographies this time around.

via [engadgetmobile]