[CEATEC 2008] It has been reported that the video-on-demand (VOD) service for Wii will start in December (in Japan) and will feature about 500 shows (all genres). Videos will cost between 100 and 400 Wii points. Fujisoft would like to launch the service outside of Japan as well, but they are only at the “discussion” stage for the U.S and Europe. With a bit of luck, the license deals should be worked out soon, but we think that it would be unreasonable to expect something to launch outside of Japan before 2009. If you wonder, this VOD service supports popular formats like H.264, MPEG4, WMV and MPEG2. I suspect that most videos will be in H.264. [video shot by Giiks]

Add a comment | From: Fujisoft Video-On-Demand for the Wii (live video) | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Share This

Sega will be making a comeback in the hardware business, but video game fans all over shouldn’t jump for joy just yet - the Japanese company won’t be rolling out a home console in order to ignite its classic rivalry with Nintendo nor newcomers Sony and Microsoft, but will be releasing a portable media player (PMP) instead. This PMP will of course, include games as a bonus function in addition to keeping you entertained with audio and video files. No word on specifications as at press time, but it will be interesting to see what Sega can cobble together assuming they’ve studied the market thoroughly and know just what they have to do to break the iPod’s iron dominance.

Add a comment | From: Sega Makes A Return To Hardware Business | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Yeah, the wait for October 22 (or after) is absolutely excruciating; trust us, we know. We’ll take every scrap of information and imagery we can to hold us over until G1s start showing up on doorsteps in a few weeks, but T-Mobile’s really gone above and beyond the call of duty here by setting up a surprisingly functional and feature-complete emulator to satisfy our urges to touch icons and click buttons. Obviously, you’re not going to get a GPS lock, so don’t get your hopes up that you’re going to be playing around with Street View or anything wild like that — in fact, most apps lead you to a “this screen is not fully functional” message — but it’s got more goodies than the Android SDK’s emulator, and it’s just enough to get you acquainted with the phone’s personality by the time it’s actually in your paws.

[Via Cell Phone Signal]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Microsoft is still working on bringing the Zune interface to Windows Mobile devices, according to company chief Steve Ballmer. Do you think this move could help turn Windows Mobile devices (especially touch screen versions) into a pseudo iPod touch? After all, current Windows-powered smartphones aren’t exactly user friendly when it comes to multimedia playback, and it does take some sort of technical know how to get things up and running. Perhaps this Zune interface update will accompany the Windows Mobile 7 release - who knows? My crystal ball is currently broken, so I can’t shed much light on the situation at the moment.

Add a comment | From: Microsoft Zune Interface Coming To Windows Mobile | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

Now that Sony Ericsson’s mighty X1 has earned the FCC’s love and affection, you won’t be an outlaw for using one in the States — but unfortunately, you won’t be a speed demon everywhere, either. The version that just nabbed approval here is the X1i, and anyone familiar with Sony Ericsson’s naming scheme can tell you that an “i” means a phone’s not really meant for North American consumption; in this case, we’re lucky to squeak by with UMTS Band II support, which means we’ll theoretically be able to pick up some of AT&T’s 1900MHz signal. On 850, though, you’ll be stuck with EDGE. Of course, a true global launch has been in the cards for the X1 from day one, and we’re not worried that we won’t see a more 3G-rife model getting torn down by the feds — this just ain’t it.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones, Handhelds

So the good news is that T-Mobile has decided to keep right on taking pre-orders for the G1 through October 21, just one day before the handset’s official launch. The bad news, though, is that it doesn’t mean you’ll be getting your Android on come October 22. Turns out that the initial allotment of G1s set aside for pre-orders is now sold out completely, and any names taken between now and launch will be allotted phones being shipped “at a later date.” It’s not clear if a “later date” means a week, a month, or a decade after the 22nd, but for the sake of everyone involved, we hope its the former.

Update: T-Mobile’s site says that pre-orders taken from here on out will be delivered “as early as November 10,” so it looks like you early birds are going to have a nice little period of exclusivity. Thanks, everyone!

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

Nissan has a new electric vehicle concept that debuts this week at the Paris motor show known as the Nuvu. Measuring just 3 meters in length, this vehicle has a 2+1 seating arrangement, featuring solar panels on its glass roof with an overall tree theme in the design. Inside, the cabin is finished in natural, organic and recycled materials. I wonder just how many NBA stars are able to fit inside the Nuvu or other vehicles like it. As things stand at the moment, Nissan will roll out a production-ready electric vehicle at next year’s Tokyo Motor Show, with sales commencing in Japan and North America the year after. Time to get rid of our oil & gas stocks, perhaps?

Add a comment | From: Nissan Nuvu Electric Vehicle Concept | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones

We’ve long since known that RIM’s BlackBerry Bold was AT&T bound, but in case you haven’t noticed, the rumored October 2nd release date has come and went, and there’s nary a Bold on any of AT&T’s store shelves. According to RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis, the handset is still undergoing testing at AT&T, suggesting that it wanted to avoid the complaints that arose when the newest iPhone hit in July. AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel remained mum on the subject when asked, only affirming that the handset would eventually be available this year. Ah well, you’ve been looking for a reason to vacation in Chile, haven’t you?

[Via phonescoop]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This

The DataWind PocketSurfer2 has finally been released just at the turn of this month, and it will come with updated features include a touchpad, an integrated GPS receiver, a new and improved display, better Vodafone network coverage and some rather tempting data plan options. Across the pond in the US, the PocketSurfer2 is known as the PC Edge sans the mentioned updates, albeit with a price point that’s reduced by $100. This means those residing in America will fork out $200 for the unit with a $24.99 monthly fee, while folks living in the UK will fork out £200 with 20 hours of free surfing each month for the entire year. Once the initial first year honeymoon is up, UK owners can choose between a £40 annual fee or a one-time £60 fee for the Immortality Plan that provides unlimited surfing for the device’s entire lifetime.

Add a comment | From: DataWind PocketSurfer2 Launched | Visit Ubergizmo | Good deals

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones

Details on this one are about as light as can be at the moment, but The Wall Street Journal has it that HP is aiming to expand its iPAQ smartphone line into the consumer market with a new model that it’ll market to both average consumers and corporate users alike. According to “people briefed on the plan,” the phone will have both a touchscreen and a keypad and, naturally, it’ll run Windows Mobile 6.1 — oh, and it’ll be able to “send and receive emails, and access the Internet.” While there’s no indication of a price just yet, word is the device will be available in Europe first within the next two months, with a worldwide release to follow sometime thereafter.

[Via Gearlog]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Share This