Gizmodo: mgs4

Custom Metal Gear Solid 4 PS3 On eBay Blows Minds and Wallets

Sean Fallon — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:45:00 EDT

Don't get me wrong, the limited edition gun-metal grey PS3 was badass and everything, but as you can see, this MGS4 tribute is on an entirely different level. Crafted by Morpheon Mods—aka, our buddy Ramon who was responsible for many, many other console mods—the entire console and controller is a combination of carbon fiber and midnight black done in a digital camouflage technique and protected with nine coats of DuPont Chroma clearcoat. If that wasn't enough, the laser-cut stainless steel marquee artwork is illuminated by 15 white micro LEDs and Hideo Kojima himself was kind enough to autograph it. Oh, and there is a working backwards-compatible 60GB PS3 hidden in there somewhere as well.

As mentioned, you can actually purchase this beautiful piece of machinery on eBay along with a bonus bag of rare MGS gear like t-shirts, decals, dog tags, strategy guides—even a GA-KO alarm clock thrown in to sweeten the deal. Not surprisingly, it is going to cost a fortune when all is said and done (bidding is at $1625 with about 6 days left), but keep in mind that 15% of the proceeds will go to Penny Arcade's charity, Child's Play. Nice work as usual, Ramon! [eBay]

Lightning Review: Metal Gear Solid 4 Bluetooth Headset

Jason Chen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 17:40:00 EDT

The Gadget: The official Metal Gear Solid 4 Bluetooth Headset, which takes its design cues from stuff Snake actually wears in the game, like his Solid Eye and that body suit made for sneaking.

The Price: $59

The Verdict: Passable only for gigantic MGS4 fans. Here's what we found. First, it's very uncomfortable to wear for more than 15 minutes at a time due to the shape of the ear-piece. It loops behind your ear and basically pinches itself in place. The back of the plastic part jabs into our ear painfully if worn too long. Not good.

When paired with the PS3, we got significant feedback and static when we were sitting on our couch, which didn't get better as we moved closer to the PS3. The guys on the other side claimed that the headset generated a noticeable amount of echo. The incoming sound quality wasn't that great on our side either. In comparison, the Callpod Dragon Bluetooth headset we synced with the PS3 sounded fine, with no echo and very little static. It was slightly better if you turned down the volume via the earpiece, but still nothing we'd call "great" or even "good."

On a side note, it's not that great for cellphones, seeing as it gets very staticy if you move beyond a few feet away from your phone (we tested it with the iPhone). So there's no redeeming it there either.

Still, if you're a huge fan of Snake and can make do with the uncomfortable form factor and lousy sound quality, here's a headset that kinda makes you look like Snake, provided you grow a moustache and/or a mullet.

[Newegg]

Homemade Gunmetal PlayStation 3 (Ooh, Looks Violent)

Mark Wilson — Wed, 21 May 2008 15:40:00 EDT

You could wait until Metal Gear Solid 4 comes out to get your gunmetal PlayStation 3. Or, you could make your own, spiting Kojima, Sony, all MGS4 fanboys and people who just like the color black. One modder did just that, repainting his case in dark weapon-happy silver (Tamiya Gunmetal TS-38 spray paint). And it actually looks pretty good. Here's another shot:

That's some very clean detailing work for sure. The only catch was that he missed a spot—right under the Blu-ray drive the touch control panel was left glossy black. (Yes, we're total dicks for pointing that out, but the internet is a cruel place, friends.)

Besides, how else would the console properly collect finger grease? [Sony Boards via PS3 Fanboy]

Metal Gear Solid 4 Bluetooth Headset Takes Crown For Best Headset Ever

Jason Chen — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:55:00 EDT

This is, without a doubt, the absolute best Bluetooth headset ever made by human hands. We have no idea whether the battery life is acceptable, whether the noise reduction is adequate, or whether it even fits well over our ear. What we do know is that it's a Metal Gear Solid 4 headset, which means it belongs to Snake. SNAKE! This alone makes it worth our $59.99. Look for a simultaneous release on June 12 with the MGS4 game on PS3. Again: best headset ever. [Kotaku]

80GB PlayStation 3 Not Exactly Discontinued, Just Bundled With Metal Gear Solid 4

Jason Chen — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:15:00 EST

The fact that stores everywhere, including Sony's own SonyStyle, were dropping the 80GB seemed to point to a conclusion that the 80GB was on its way out. Not exactly. As we found out today, the 80GB version is going to be back on June 12, but it's going to be packed with a copy of Metal Gear Solid 4 and a DualShock 3 controller. All this for the same price of $499. Yes ma'am. [Kotaku]