Gizmodo: Console

Famicom Wii Classic Controllers Can't Wash Away Bad E3 Press Conference Memories

Jack Loftus — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 18:00:00 EDT

Still smarting from Nintendo's half-ass, arm waving train wreck of an E3 press conference? Yeah, these retro Famicom-inspired Classic Controllers for the Wii Virtual Console won't help at all with that, but they're still a pretty cool collector's item. They come in two red and gold Famicom versions, two Wii white versions, and will retail for about $15 apiece when they arrive in Japan on September 10. Import only for now, but that could change drastically in the future, just like Nintendo's marketing strategy. [Amazon Japan via Virtual Console Reviews]

Multi-Platform Universal Console Mod Plays Everything Modularly

Jason Chen — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:20:00 EDT

This game console mod does things slightly different from older mods we've seen. Instead of taking an old console and shoving it into a smaller body, this guy made a universal body and modularizes consoles—in effect, turning consoles like the N64, NES, Megadrive, Jaguar, GBA, and PlayStation into insertable "cartridges" that can be played on this main unit. He's only got the N64 working (he says it's the hardest one), but will keep working on other systems until he can pretty much play everything made before 1998 on this thing. [Modded By Bacteria]

NES Cartridge Modded into NES System With Screen, Space-Time at Risk Again

Kit Eaton — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:00:00 EDT

I've changed my mind: this has to be the most jaw-dropping NES mod ever, beating April's one. And this time the space-time continuum is at risk of ripping. Modder Darkeru over at Ben Heck forums has twisted reality around by including an entire NES emulator system, plus controls, plus an LCD screen into an original NES cartridge. It got a tiny bit beaten-up during the mod work, but I think we can forgive that because it's so ingenious. If I was wearing a hat, I'd doff it in Darkeru's direction. [Ben Heck Forums]

Ben Heck Mods Atari 7800 into Portable Retro-Gaming Wonder

Kit Eaton — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:27:00 EDT

Modding clever-clogs Ben Heck was apparently daunted by the complexity of the Atari 7800's internals at first, so he had to summon up the nerve to try this requested mod. Into the custom-built chassis he squeezed a 7-inch color widescreen display, a set of rechargeable batteries, combo driving/paddle controller and an A-V output. Though it's not exactly pocket-friendly (thanks to the 7800's large motherboard) it's still pretty awesome—check out the gallery. Ben's site has a detailed making-of story if you're interested. Now, if you excuse me... I'm off to reminisce about playing Pole Position. [Ben Heck via Hackaday]

M21 Flat Panel has Mid-Century Roots with 21st Century Tech

Christopher Mascari — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:30:24 EDT

Over the weekend at the Dwell on Design show in Los Angeles, Designer Joe Wilkerson displayed his newest furniture creation, the M21 Flat Panel. The name might not be that telling, but this beauty is a mid-century themed console that houses a 42" plasma screen. Apparently this updated retro-console was attracting a lot of attention at the show. And why not, the M21 Flat Panel combines the oh so trendy mid-century modern design with 21st century tech.

Aside from housing the plasma screen, the walnut hardwood console even incorporates room for a built-in center speaker. Made from "Fender amp screen material," the front facing speaker grill is in a perfect location to complete the surround-sound speaker layout.

This design to house electronics in a clean modern look is a complete throwback to the entertainment consoles that emerged in the 1950s. Back then it was very common to find a TV housed completely in a wood console, or a record player hidden inside a teak credenza. With entertainment technology becoming such an integral part of every household, it's nice to know that there is someone out there trying to put it it all together again.

Since the console was only on display to "test the waters of public interest," there is no word on specific specs, pricing or availability. Apartment Therapy did get a few words from the designer, and found out that his furniture company, Wilkerson Furniture, is still unsure if they should offer the console and the screen as a package. I'm glad this is a concern, because with plasma TVs currently on the way out, it could mean this console is just old stuff. [Wilkerson Furniture via Apartment Therapy]

Atari's Family Trainer Is Wii Fit Meets NES Power Pad Meets DDR

Jason Chen — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:40:00 EDT

Atari isn't going to let Nintendo hog all the video game fitness money, as evidenced by the announcement of Family Trainer for the Wii. It's pretty similar to Wii Fit in that people stand on it and do activities, but it doesn't weigh you and actually has pads for you to jump or step on. No price yet, but is there enough room in your house for both this and the Wii Fit? How many more photoshoots of Japanese people jumping around their living rooms are we going to get in this console generation? [Reg Hardware]

Virtual Console Duplicator Copies 60 USB Sticks At Once

Mark Wilson — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 09:50:00 EDT

For those times when 59 copies just isn't enough, make 60 USB copies at once with this Virtual Console duplicator. Featuring optional 128-bit encryption and the ability to duplicate actual files (rather than just writing a binary mirror), it takes the copier just two minutes to fill 60 1GB drives with whatever pictures of your dog/resume/butt you find necessary to distribute to the public. Intended for industrial use, the system runs $8000. [product via SlipperyBrick]

Phantom Lapboard Reviewed (Verdict: Holy Bees They've Shipped It And It's Only Half Bad)

Jason Chen — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:30:00 EDT

Will Smith over at Maximum PC just reviewed the Phantom Lapboard—that keyboard from the Phantom console guys which we first held for ourselves back at E3 2004. Surprise! They think the keyboard "rocks". Their official position is that the pivoting scheme is comfortable and works great for righties and lefties. The only problem is their mouse. It sucks. Not only does it have signal dropouts, the left click button is "wimpy". Probably not worth your $130 until they can work out the mousing problems. [Maximum PC]

NES Cartridge Modded into NES System. Space-Time Remains Intact

Kit Eaton — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 06:26:02 EDT

This has to be the most jaw-dropping NES mod ever ... putting a whole system-on-a-chip NES console clone into an original game cartridge. Talk about how to demonstrate the advances in shrinking electronics over the years! Modder Kotomi took an original Super Mario Brothers cartridge, gutted it and somehow squeezed in all the circuitry, chips, power switches, twin joystick ports and composite video and stereo audio sockets. And it even looks pretty neat. If I was wearing a hat, I'd tip it in Kotomi's direction. [Technabob]

PS3 Console Armor Offers Full-On Joust Protection

Sean Fallon — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:00:00 EDT

Heaven forbid your pristine PS3 console should ever get a scratch on its shiny surface. Fortunately, this potential disaster may be less of a concern after you adorn your hardware with some of this console armor from Messiah Entertainment. They even have versions for your controllers—making your system look like a some sort of freakish knight with a big head and tiny hands. The console armor will be available starting on June 13th for $19.99, while the controller armor will ship on May 16th for $9.99. [Amazon via i4u]

Homebrew SNES Emulation Hits the Wii

Chris Magor — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 19:53:20 EDT

SNES emulator SNES9X has been successfully ported to the Wii, allowing the core of original SNES fans, rapidly approaching middle-age as they are, to relive their gaming youths.

Information on the homebrew app is sketchy at the moment, but we do know that it features classic controller support and comes bundled with a whole swathe of other emulators for the Wii including: Genesis / Sega CD Emu, Master System / Game Gear Emu, PC Engine Emu, Rin Gameboy Channel, Emu Loader and Wii Paint. [DCEmu via Ubergizmo]

Home Modder Idol Ben Heck Gets Profiled

Jason Chen — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EDT

You've seen Ben Heck's homemade gaming devices featured here a lot, and there's a reason for it: Adam Frucci loves him. Which is why he slathered much praise on the hardware modder in this Reuters profile. What would you want to know about the guy that turns two handed controllers into one handed ones? How about that he used to work for a sign-making business and doesn't actually play a whole lot of games, despite the love he gives to the accessories. [Reuters]

Acer Big-Wig Misunderstood; No Games Console in the Works

Haroon Malik — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:15:00 EDT

Last weekend, we told you news about Acer's plans to build a games console to crush them all. Unfortunately, it was all an unfortunate misunderstanding. Acer's official stance on the matter was this:

That was a major misunderstanding as JT was wrongly interpreted. Acer is not going to release any game console but the idea is to develop a high-end PC targeted at the serious gamer.

Add that one to the list of broken dreams. We may cry. [Kotaku]

Xbox 360 Bill Gates Edition (1 of 1 Limited Apology Run)

Haroon Malik — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 17:30:00 EDT

A few weeks back, an unlucky Xbox owner shipped off his customized Bungie autographed console to Microsoft's repair center, and to his horrors they wiped it clean. Bungie resigned a console for him, but now, Microsoft is chiming in with a new console with Bill's signature on it and hundreds of dollars worth of new video games.

Since Nathan's Xbox was returned stark naked, his girlfriend left him, his pet dog didn't even recognize him and people on the street looked at him in disgust. (Probably.) Such was the change in Nathan's life, he could hardly bare waking up in the mornings. However, Microsoft saw this atrocity going on, and they sure fixed it:

Despite Bungie jumping (ha!) in and giving our man all of the following:

• Legendary Edition Helmet signed by most-if not all-of the studio staff
• Halo 3 Soundtrack (two disc) signed by Marty O'Donnell (with "DO NOT ERASE!" written under his name)
• Bungie Jacket
• Bungie T-Shirt
• Halo 3 Messenger Bag
• Two Halo 3 Limited Edition Wireless Controllers (one covenant, one human)
• Signed Halo 3 Faceplate and Skins for Xbox 360
• Four McFarlane Action Figures (MC, EVA Spartan, Brute Chieftan, Jackal Sniper)
• Halo Actionclix Preview pack (Target exclusive sticker on the front)
• Halo Actionclix Game Pack 4
• Halo 3 Wall Graffix
• Halo 3: Ghosts of Onyx Novel
• Halo Graphic Novel
• Halo 3 Wristband
• Halo 3 Hackeysack

M Nathan is, we presume, now back with his girlfriend, his dog loves him and people in the street can't wait to stop and chat with him. He's so cool, we want to be his friend. [Kotaku: 1, 2 and 3]

Acer Planning to Build Open Platform Console

Haroon Malik — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 18:30:00 EDT

Acer's Vice President, James Wong has said Acer plans to enter the console market. WTF?

Well, according to our German pals at GameStar, James Wong was said to take issue with the fact that the current state of the console market relies solely upon closed and proprietary systems. He sees this as an opportunity for Acer to get in on some gaming fun, and they plan to do this by creating a console utilizing PC technology, which will be, wait for it, a completely open platform. Such a preposterous claim must be taken with a large, Everest sized mountain of salt, but it is interesting nonetheless. For now, we know nothing more, but watch this space for more information. [GameStar]

Vuzix iWear AV920-C Headset: Daisy Chain for 4 Player Splitscreen Gaming

Sean Fallon — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:00:18 EST

At this year's Game Developer's conference, Vuzix has unveiled a headset with a new feature that should be very interesting for gamers—especially fans of co-op FPS titles. The iWear AV920-C is capable of accepting video from anything with a composite video out and displaying it on the internal 640x480 LCDs. That's equivalent to viewing a 62-inch display viewed from 9-feet away—but that is not even the most interesting part. The folks at Vuzix had FPS fans in mind when they included technology in the AV920-C that allows gamers to connect up to 4 headsets in a daisy chain to a single console.

That means users can engage in 4 player co-op splitscreen games with each headset displaying only their specific in-game view. So, peeking in on what your opponent is doing while playing a co-op FPS would be a thing of the past. If that sounds cool, you won't have to wait long to get your hands on one. The device is expected to be released later this month for a price that has yet to be determined. [Vuzix via IGN]

Teen Strangles Father with Gamepad Cable

Jesus Diaz — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 08:30:35 EST

A 18-year-old was arrested this week after trying to kill his father by strangling him with the cable of his videoconsole gamepad. While the videogame console brand hasn't been disclosed yet, the police have been able to establish the circumstances that lead to the almost surrealistic (but strangely understandable) murder attempt:

According to the police, the teenager was playing intensely with a game at the time of the event. The father, who warned him several times to stop playing, went into the room to demand that he turn off the videoconsole. The son ignored the father's orders and kept playing, trying to finish his game. As a response, the angry paterfamilias unplugged the power cable, making the son lose his progress in the game.

At that point, the son furiously jumped off the sofa and, angered by the fact that he lost all his game progress tried to strangle his father with the cable of the gamepad, almost achieving it. Fortunately, the wife heard the struggle and helped her husband break from his agressor. After that, the police and emergency medical teams arrived to the scene, taking the father to the hospital. A few minutes after this, the police arrested the son in a nearby street in Bilbao, the Spanish city where the events occurred earlier this week.

The son is now under custody and is going to be judged for a domestic violence crime. Now, while I don't approve of his reaction, I have to confess that sometimes I have felt an intense desire to smack someone because of similar reasons, being losing my progress in a long game or a document. I don't care if it happens because someone steps over the power cable or a general electric failure, but I have to say that I have crashed more than one gamepad and mouse against the wall. What about you?

[Gizmodo Spain]

Hands-On With The Shaft

Mark Wilson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:57:48 EST

The Gadget: The Shaft, an arcade-style Virtual Console controller for playing Wii.
The Experience: The Shaft felt good. The black version had a more rubberized texture, while the white Shaft we tried out was silky smooth. We found both to our liking, and the multi-assignable turbo button is perfect for when you want some quick play. Hit the jump for a bonus "shot."

class="center"/>We'll be scoring a review unit soon, so check out our full impressions then.

Phantom Lapboard Ships on Phantom Dates

Haroon Malik — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:10:00 EST

Phantom Entertainment has certainly got the name right; they provide an excellent source of entertainment based on phantom product releases. The most recent of such products is the long-time-coming Phantom Lapboard, which is apparently available for purchase now. The asking price is $130, and it ships on...wait a minute...when does it ship?

That's right, those comedians are promising a most excellent lapboard, which will allow you on sofa access to your PC, but they aren't giving a shipping date! If you really, really want a wireless keyboard, wireless mouse and a mobile mouse surface that looks good/exists, we say don't wait on this one. Most certainly do not cough up your hard earned cash till the sleighs are packed with the goodies. That penultimate sentence comprises part of Gizmodo's Christmas Advice for Chumps, there's no need to thank us. [Phantom Entertainment - Thanks, Donald. D]

Afternoon News: Give Gifts on Wii, Get a Cheap Mylo, New Light Bulbs for Ireland and More

Benny Goldman — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:00:00 EST

• Dealzmodo: Sign up for a Sony Visa card, get a Mylo for $49 and one free year of T-Mobile Hotspot service. Our own Chris Mascari said it best: "Kinda makes me wish I wanted a Mylo." [Sony]
• The Wii Shop now lets you send Virtual Console games to friends as gifts. First person to send me Super Mario 64 gets a gold star. [Crave]
• Ireland will ban the sale of incandescent light bulbs in 2009. Crossing my fingers that a 2010 ban on Bono is next. [Tech Digest]
• Nokia wants a cut of user revenues from carriers, like someone else we know. Jealous much, Nokia? [BGR]
• LG has sold 15 million Chocolate handsets. Kudos to them on finding 15 million suckers. [Wireless Info]

Xbox 360 Furry Faceplates Bring the Wild to Your Living Room

Adrian Covert — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:30:14 EST

Normally, Xbox 360 faceplates fail to get my attention. But in the case of these furry faceplates and controller covers, they're so strange that I almost think they're cool. They come in either cow print or leopard print, so your Xbox can look like a Gateway computer box or a tacky, middle-aged housewife (sans excessive perfume). At the very least, it makes your 360 a conversation piece. The cow print faceplate sells for $18 (controller cover for 16), while the leopard print faceplate sells for $19 (controller cover for $17). [Total Console via Hawty McBloggy via Technabob]

AOTS Builds "World's Largest Arcade Console"

Sean Fallon — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 18:15:47 EST

The folks at G4 networks Attack of the Show are vying for a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records tonight with a 13 foot arcade console that they believe is the world's biggest. Is that big enough to set a world record? You can find out tonight when AOTS airs at 7pm and 11pm EST. With any luck the segment will reveal some more specs on the machine —and if you are really lucky Oliva Munn will flip out and start kissing every woman in the studio. [G4]

Kangaroom's Stackable Console Storage Holds Games, Consoles

Jason Chen — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:20:35 EDT

We've been fans of Kangaroom's cord organizers for a while, so their newest Game Console Storage units seems like they're just the thing to keep your gaming neat and organized without a large entertainment center. Not only does the unit hold one standard-sized console (not sure if the Xbox 360 or PS3 can fit in there, though) it also holds 37 games and a couple controllers. If you have multiple consoles, you can even stack multiple Console Storage units on top of each other to form your own Captain Planet-game storage area. $40 for the console storage unit and $80 for the storage unit plus game cabinet. [Kangaroom Storage]

Korean Posdata Set to Launch Handheld WiMAX Gaming Console

Jason Chen — Fri, 28 Sep 2007 16:53:14 EDT

Although coming from a no-name manufacturer, this Posdata G100 may sound like the next Gizmondo, but the upcoming Korean handheld gaming device has some interesting features going for it. There's the WiMAX, Wi-FI and Bluetooth, which allows it to be connected on yakuza levels, and the 4-inch touchscreen LCD, which brings interesting gaming options as well. There's also the slide-out gaming buttons as well as connectivity with the U100 WiMAX terminal (left), but eventually it all comes down to what new games people can play on this—or what old games can be emulated. [Digitimes]

Nintendont Wee DVD Player

Mark Wilson — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 11:30:21 EDT

Found at a Tokyo retailer, the "Wee" is not everyone's favorite Nintendo console, but a DVD player that can...play DVDs. Yeah, it's a pretty half-assed knockoff that had better at least come with a "Weemote." Japan, we're disappointed in you. Even if you imported the Wee from China. [kotaku]

Prototype Dreamcast with Zip Drive Costs More Than 28 Xbox 360s

ybaranovsky — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:45:20 EDT

As a proud owner of a Dreamcast, I am a man that can appreciate one with a prototype Zip Drive jammed into it. And now, thanks to the Internet, I can get one — for $10,000 on eBay. Apparently, before the DC's fatal collapse, Imega Corp. made a 100MB Zip drive attachment that would help hold everything from saved games to emails. The drive was intended to help promote the DC as not only a console but as an entertainment system. The Dreamcast inevitably failed and now I'm left staring at it sadly while considering playing Virtua Tennis and mortgaging a house to get the Zip drive attachment. [DC News]

Japan to Wii - You are So Yesterday

Mark Wilson — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 09:02:07 EDT

While Nintendo's Wii has so far been a 1,000-ft unstoppable super lizard invading Japan, the country is already losing its fever for the console/giant monster. Because over the past month, Japanese Wii sales have dropped nearly 50%.

Four weeks ago Nintendo was moving around 110,000/week. Since, that number has steadily declined to just over 60,000. While it's still number two (behind the DS, I might add), now that inventory has been replenished in Japan, it's clear that the Wii is not a magical superproduct poised to break all laws of physics/logic and sell to infinity. The DS on the other hand—that just might.

Japan Weekly Sales Chart in full:

DSL: 135,729
Wii: 61,498
PSP: 33,886
PS3: 24,289
PS2: 12,784
Xbox360: 2,691
GBM: 413
GBASP: 228
DS: 75
GC: 68
GBA: 0

UPDATE: Admitted, this is at least, in part, due to normal market fluctuation. Still telling.

[Media Create via Kotaku]

Xbox 360 Price Drop Brings Sales Way Up On Amazon

Jason Chen — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:50:15 EDT

People like cheap things. Just like the PlayStation 3 price drop caused its sales to tent, the Xbox 360's slash made the Xbox 360 Premium rocket to #11 in sales in video games. The other two, Elite and Core, also went up as well. Forza 2, the 360's racing game, also benefitted from the price drop, launching all the way to #1 from #94. [Amazon]

If all those flyers are right, sometime ...

Brian Lam — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:02:44 EDT

If all those flyers are right, sometime this week, the Xbox 360 will be a few dollars cheaper. We'll have to wait and see. [Xbox]

Sony Getting Sued for PS3's Cell Processor

Mark Wilson — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 09:15:29 EDT

Despite the Cell processor being a joint venture of Sony, Toshiba and IBM, Sony is taking the fall in a lawsuit by Parallel Processing Corporation. PPC filed a patent back in 1991 for "synchronised parallel processing with shared memory," which they claim Sony has broken with the use of the Cell processor in PS3s. But the PPC is not only asking for money, but the "impounding and destruction" of all infringing units (we're guessing just Sony's stock).

While it's difficult to believe that three major corporations could violate a patent after so much time and investment in the Cell, Sony was forced to pay big bucks to Immersion for their rumble technology used in PS2 controllers (since absent in the PS3's SIXAXIS). If PPC has a legitimate claim, expect the PS3 to become even less profitable for Sony. [gamespot]

PS3 Sales Surge 135% Since Price Drop, Sony Seen Laughing on Way to Bank

kthompson — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 20:43:54 EDT

Crediting a strategic price cut and a strong E3 showing, Sony is gloating over its latest figures: PS3 sales are up 135% since the July 9th announcement of the $499 price tag. With Xbox 360 sales dropping, new firmware updates enhancing the basic functionality of the system, Blu-ray pushing hard against HD-DVD and a growing lineup of original titles including the exclusive Metal Gear Solid 4, the PS3 seems determined to become a serious console competitor before the year is over.

PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) SALES PICK UP STEAM, INCREASE BY MORE THAN 135% On the heels of a strong showing at E3, today Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) announced retail growth for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) in July. Based on preliminary internal data, PS3 sales have increased by more than 135% at the company's top five retailers since the new $499 price was announced two weeks ago on July 9th. During this same two-week period, total PlayStation hardware sales have increased by 161%, software by 15% and peripherals by60%. Also, according to NPD sales data released today for the month of June, PlayStation sales increased prior to E3, as well. Overall, the PlayStation brand continued to exhibit solid growth evidenced by a 21% increase in total retail dollars generated year-over-year in North America with total sales of $393 million. PS3 sales were up 21% over May's figures, with 98,469 units sold at retail. Furthermore, PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) witnessed an impressive increase, up 31% year-over-year, selling 290,108 units at retail, while PlayStation® 2 (PS2) once again remained one of the best-selling consoles on the market, with unit sales of 270,763 for the month. "The new price on the 60 GB PS3, coupled with our very strong software showing from E3, is certainly paying dividends in terms of impressive sales across the board at retail," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "This jump in sales bodes very well for us heading into the fall as we launch an impressive arsenal of hardware and software, leading off with the new 80 GB PS3 in August along with the unveiling of highly anticipated games such as Lair and Warhawk. That will be followed by Heavenly Sword in September and six more exclusive first-party PS3 games in October, including Ratchet & Clank Future: Tools of Destruction."

Guitar Hero for Mini Mes

gizmodo.com — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 19:10:28 EDT

If your manhood is less than 2cm; (yeah, I went metric on you), chances are your hand span is not too great either. Help is not far, Frodo, as XFPS have entered the niche market with their super-tiny Guitar Hero controllers.

Not only could this possibly be the cutest accessory to date that didn't have the Hello Kitty branding across it, it will also brighten the little lives of all those in Middle Earth. Screw the ring, throw this around your neck friends and rock on! Though it may at first seem to be somewhat of a gimmick, these tiny guitars are expertly crafted from real wood and the whammy bar is genuine metal, no less. The controllers are fully functioning with backlit buttons and are currently available for the PS2 and XBOX 360 at $69.90 each. The XBOX 360 version isn't compatible out of the box; you'll have to invest in an adapter at $69.90. The price of small time gaming, unlike the size, will be daunting to all but the most serious enthusiasts.

[Product Page via technabob]

Reee Chair is Made of Recycled Consoles

Travis Hudson — Tue, 15 May 2007 18:45:08 EDT

Rather than leaving those old consoles sitting in a closet for ages, why not recycle the oldie and get a chair out of the whole deal? The Reee chair is a chair by the Pli design company and it is constructed out of 100 percent recycled game console casings. All of those old Playstations and Xboxes now have a new home, and just to think if the chair is a gaming chair. It is like the circle of life! The Reee chair is available for $200 and is a hell of a lot better than other ways of trashing old consoles. –Travis Hudson

Product Page [Via MAKE]

Bestilt 360: Motion Sensing for Xbox 360 Now Ready to Rock, Roll, Pitch and Yaw

Addy Dugdale — Thu, 10 May 2007 05:38:22 EDT

Remember the Xilt, the hack to Wiimotize your Xbox 360 controller? Well, this is not it. At least, it seems that while Xilt 360 is still coming soon, Total Console has released the Bestilt 360. Same concept: "simply" solder it to the bottom part of your Xbox 360 pad, activate it with a switch and have fun awkwardly controlling games that weren't designed for motion sensing in the first place.

The Bestilt 360 will start shipping on May 14 from New York City and is available now for pre-order for $37.99. Wii Sports, Zelda and Mario Galaxy are not included and will never be. – Jesus Diaz

Product Page [Total Console]

Confirmation: Best Buy Has Wiis Tomorrow

Mark Wilson — Sat, 21 Apr 2007 18:54:46 EDT

We ran this story the other day but now it's confirmed. This is it—the last time I am running a "there will be Wiis" story. Nintendo, Best Buy...from now on you can buy your advertising. Given that Nintendo's pre-release production numbers were so high, I have no reason to believe that these shortages are legitimate and/or technologically justified.

There will be a 12 unit minimum per store and purchasing two of their advertised games will score you a $10 giftcard.

Bigger ad shot after the jump.

UPDATE: There will be Wiis at Circuit City as well!

Now you know. – Mark Wilson

What Do You Guys (and Gals) Want to Read About?

Mark Wilson — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 13:00:25 EDT

NOTICE: By not reading this article, your sexual organs will fall to the floor—where they will get that nasty layer of dirt that something can only get by falling to the floor. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about.

Despite loving to read ourselves talk, Gizmodo wants to know what YOU want to see more of on the site. What gadget or technology is rocking your world? And what do you plan to buy next? And while hitting the comments, do us a favor. Don't turn this into a Mac vs. PC fight, because we'll be here all night and someone will cry. And it will probably be the guy who fell on the floor and has been a complete mess ever since. – Mark Wilson

Dr. Ashen Reviews the Best Console Ever

Jason Chen — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 16:50:32 EST

Attention Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, DS Lite, and PSP. There's a new game console in town. The Gamespower 50. That's right, it comes with FIFTY GAMES. We'd like to see your high definition console come with half that many.

What does Dr. Ashen of green lasers and piece of shite MP4 player fame have to say about this? Watch and find out. – Jason Chen

Egg-Headed Analysts: Sony PS3 to Win Console War

Charlie White — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 09:35:12 EST

Navel-gazing think tankers at Research and Markets say even though the Sony PS3 has lost the opening battle, it will still win the console war, predicting an installed base of 75 million PS3s around the world by 2010. Researchers at the Yankee Group echo that, predicting the PS 3 up top by 2011 with a 44% market share, Xbox 360 in second at 40% and the Nintendo Wii trailing with 16%.

Tossing out on their asses those who forecast gaming console sales by throwing darts at a dartboard, let's take a look at the real numbers: Xbox 360 has sold 9.44 million units so far, the Wii has moved 2.2 million, compared to the measly 854,627 units of the PS3. Maybe those researchers aren't paying any attention to which gaming consoles are actually fun to play. Who's your daddy, PS3? – Charlie White

Research and Markets: PS3 To Win The Console War [Playfuls.com, via Dvorak Uncensored]

Twin Arcade System Satisfies Your Console Envy

Louis Ramirez — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 13:30:51 EST

Still haven't scored a new console? If you're looking for a way to outdo your smug PS3-owning friends, you can show them off with this twin-unit arcade system. The Ford Racing Arcade Game lets you race classic Fords across 12 tracks with force-feedback wheels, driving pedals, and authentic racing seats. So what if it'll set you back $19,000 and only let you play one game. Think of how jealous it'll make your friends. And how broke you'll be after buying it. Right, back to the contests. – Louis Ramirez

Ford Racing Arcade Game [via Uncrate]

Emulator Plays Better Games Than Wii's Virtual Console

Louis Ramirez — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 15:12:45 EST

Nintendo had a good thing going with its Virtual Console idea, but we admit to being more than just a little disappointed when we saw the launch titles. Well, now someone's managed to run an emulator on their Wii using a combination of Action Replay, SDLoad, and Nintendo's own SD card adapter. The combo allows you to launch DOL files/games directly from the Wii. Nice way to stick it to the man and get those games you really wanna play. – Louis Ramirez

[ED: Nooooo...I love Nintendo. don't put that icky thing inside of the Wii!]

Bad Man Plays Emulators on His Wii [via Kotaku]