Canada Has Its Very Own Version of the AT&T vs. Verizon Ad Lawsuit

Telus and Rogers are sworn enemies in the Canadian wireless carrier arena, sort of like AT&T and Verizon but on a much more quaint, socialist and cold scale. And like our own two big dogs, Telus and Rogers have been at each others' throats recently about advertisements—Rogers has ads claiming it's "Canada's most reliable network" and that its speeds are twice as fast as any other network. Telus hit back, claiming it's not true (Telus did after all just launch a 21Mbps HSPA network) and Canadian courts actually forced Rogers to pull the offending ads, an interesting twist on the lawsuit pattern we Americans pioneered. Anyway, I know we're going to be crushed in the comments with high-larious anti-Canadian jabs, so let me pre-empt:

Igloo, cold, eh, hockey, The Arcade Fire, Bob and Dave MacKenzie, Pamela Anderson, who cares. [Boy Genius Report]

CollegeHumor Tackles Modern Warfare 2 (With Bonus Giz Appearance)

CollegeHumor just posted a video in which comedy nerds play (and are subsequently killed during) Modern Warfare 2, with a bonus appearance by our own Adam Frucci. I can exclusively report that Adam Frucci is a very old man who is several years removed from college, but the video's pretty funny despite this factual error. Discussed within: MW2's similarity to Crash Bandicoot, Dick Cheney quotes, a tax-funded sequel to Psychonauts, and why the glamorization of war is awesome. [CollegeHumor]

LG BL4 Gets Christmas Edition

You know, in America, Christmas editions are usually red and green, but in South Korea, it looks like they hang black tinsel on gold trees, because the LG BL40 Christmas edition is decked out in those colors. It's a small upgrade from the original BL40, with an 8MP camera (up from 5MP, though who knows if it's any better), a fancy case and entry into a contest with lots of prizes. It's in Remainders because only those black-and-gold-loving South Koreans can get their hands on it so far. [Engadget]

VUDU Adds Wikipedia, Possibly the World's Most Boring Update

VUDU is a pretty nice media service, built into set-top boxes and TVs and offering nice 1080p streaming, and adds to its repertoire Wikipedia integration. It's previously added Rotten Tomatoes, which is a little more obvious (and dare we say useful), and I personally might prefer IMDB rather than scrolling through prose paragraphs on my TV in Wikipedia, but it's good that Vudu is constantly updating its product. If you have to ask why it's in remainders, you probably haven't read this far: Vudu, Wikipedia, snore. [Engadget]

First Place—Jim Chitwood

Second Place—Andreas Kokkinos

Third Place—Sergio Hikawa

Even More Star Trek Online Screens
Confession: I downloaded these off Atari's press site, just for my own personal "use."

Star Trek Online Preview: Ignoring Regulation
Btw, Jason Chen and I are also very actively begging our way into a press beta. Wish us luck.

LEGO Rock Band Review: Redefining The Rock Block
Spoiler: It's like every other Rock Band title, but with LEGO.

Avatar: The Navi Side Of The Story
Which will lose more money, the movie or the game?

StarCraft II Expansions, Diablo III Coming in "Next Few Years"
Just like I predicted, Diablo III won't be here until 2011...at the earliest. Being right can suck.

Diabloriffic Torchlight Coming To Retail
So since Diablo III will take so long, feel free to sleep around a bit.

Modern Warfare 2 Sells Nearly Five Million Copies In A Day
That's a launch of over $300 million in revenue.

Borderlands Sequel A "No-Brainer"
My siren is level 28. Frucci's hunter is like level bajillion.

They Made The Wii Bowling Ball, And They're Not Done Yet
There's plenty more plastic crap where that came from!

Oh...and as a little bonus, the worst lines in the history of video games:

[Today's Big Thing]

Price

$30 for the throat mic. $50 for the controller.

Verdict

Both peripherals are decent, but both could stand a $10-$15 price drop, too.
The throat mic is pure adolescent fun. You wrap the ring around your neck and stick a headphone in one ear, and you either feel like a special ops assassin or an erotic asphyxiation aficionado. Either way it's a joy. Unlike a real throat mic, you actually speak at normal volume rather than whisper. Testing online, I was told my voice sounded "fine," just like the standard 360 headset. Unfortunately, the audio I received wasn't quite as good—I noticed an abnormal amount of digital compression in my ear—abnormal but far from inaudible.

The controller, on the other hand, is designed for practicality. Look beyond the green LEDs and the snow camo finish, and you'll notice two mappable buttons on the underside of the controller. They allow you to relocate the XYAB buttons to a position that won't require you take any fingers off the analog sticks. (If you've ever tried to aim in an FPS and melee at the same time, you know what I'm talking about.)
At first, I found the controller off-putting just because it's different from your stock controller. But when I actually played a game with it, I quickly adjusted to less grippy analog sticks and the somewhat awkward position of the small, mappable buttons.

Still, I'd like to see Mad Catz refine their modded controller. At the moment, it's wired (be it wired through a very practical nylon woven cord). And as I said, those mappable buttons are pretty minuscule. As long as Mad Catz is breaking the rules of the traditional controller, I'd like to see them create an even more practical, polished rendition.

But if you're OK with the price and above mentioned limitations, I'd say you can buy either product without resignation. Also, how great is it that mainstream generic controllers are finally incorporating mods and innovative into the mix?

Xbox 360 Throat Communicator

Clear audio out

Functional, faux badass design

Compressed, digital-sounding audio in

Xbox 360 Combat Controller

Controller itself feels decent in your hands

Mappable buttons are as handy as you'd hope

Corded, but the cord itself is premium

Mappable buttons could be larger and better positioned

Now it's your turn. What sorts of ridiculous secrets do you wish Infinity Ward put in their latest blockbuster if only they didn't take themselves and their game so goddamned seriously? Send your best entries to me at contests@gizmodo.com with Modern Warfare Easter Eggs in the subject line. Save your files as JPGs or GIFs, and use a FirstnameLastname.jpg naming convention using whatever name you want to be credited with. Send your work to me by next Tuesday morning, and I'll pick three top winners and show off the rest of the best in our Gallery of Champions. Get to it!

Predator Missiles—You call these bad boys down from a UAV flying above. Pop open the laptop, aim towards the bad guys, and let her fly.

Heartbeat Sensor—With this attached to your guy, you'll always be aware when someone is nearby, even if there's fog or a door in the way. Perfect for sneaking up on people that don't know you're there.

Turret—When you want to take down enemies without being there in person, the turret is a great way to get the job done. You can move it around and place it wherever you want, then let it take care of the rest.

Thermal Scope—If there's smoke in the air, this scope lets you see right through it, pinpointing warm human bodies against the cold background.

Motorboat—OK, so this one isn't a gun or a weapon, and you can only use it briefly in the one-player game, but man is it fun. Who knew that piloting a boat with one hand while firing a small machine gun with the other could be so satisfying?

It really does look nice, like an Xbox 360 Elite with military-ish decals all over it. For most of you it's not worth trading in your current Xbox 360 for, but if you're new to the game, or you just want to upgrade from a 20GB drive to the massive 250GB drive contained (and only available) here, it's not a bad deal.

Yes, Microsoft continues to dick us around with their ludicrous hard drive prices, continuing to charge $150 for a 120GB drive. If they sold this 250GB model seperately, they'd need to either charge like $250 for it or drop the price of the 120GB, neither of which Microsoft feels like doing.

Seriously, Microsoft, people won't pay to download games and content to your lovely console if they don't have the space for it. That's the bottom line. What is the fucking deal? [Kotaku]

Anyone who's played a FPS on a console knows that having to move your thumb to reload or jump puts you at a momentary disadvantage. Having those buttons on the back are awesome. The controler also has rubber grips and a "soft-touch finish for extended gaming sessions." The downside is that it's not wireless, but Mad Catz claims that will provide a "robust and latency free connection with the console." Right. I don't remember ever having issues with latency with wireless controllers, but that's just me. And seeing that the PS3 version of the same controller is wireless, it was clearly a cost-cutting move because Microsoft won't let them do it.

The other official MW2 peripherals include a "Throat Communicator," which is a bit too much for me, and a series of keyboards and mice for PC gamers. Here's a gallery and the full presser with the entire list:

Mad Catz® Announce Licensed

Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 2 Accessory Range for Consoles & PC

Range to Include Combat Controller, Throat Communicator, Elite Keyboard and Sniper Mouse

San Diego, August 24, 2009

Mad Catz® Interactive, Inc. (AMEX/TSX: MCZ), a leading worldwide third-party interactive entertainment accessory provider, today announced a full range of licensed Modern Warfare® 2 accessories for Xbox 360®, PLAYSTATION® 3 and PC, which are expected to ship across North America and key European territories with the release of one of the year's most anticipated games in November 2009.

Developed by Infinity Ward and set for worldwide release by Activision Publishing, Inc. on November 10, 2009, Modern Warfare 2 is the sequel to the best-selling first-person action game in history, Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare®. The title is rated "M" (Mature) for Blood, Drug Reference, Intense Violence and Language.

The products expected to ship as part of the range include:

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Combat Controller – Xbox 360

Complete with a host of features designed to customize the in-game experience, the Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller has Rubber Grips and a soft-touch finish for extended gaming sessions. Featuring two unique buttons located on the rear of the Controller, players can re-map Action Button or Thumbstick commands empowering players to shift melee or sprint to the rear buttons in order to maintain full motion control on the analog sticks. Immersive Analog ThumbStick Backlighting enhances the in-game atmosphere while Dual Vibration Feedback allows the user to experience every shot and explosion. Lastly, the fully braided connection cable provides a robust and latency free connection with the console.

MSRP: $49.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Throat Communicator – Xbox 360

Based on authentic military design, the Modern Warfare 2 Throat Communicator allows gamers to comfortably communicate with teammates and other Xbox LIVE® players. Fashioned in authentic graphics, the unique microphone design reduces background noise and allows gamers to clearly communicate with each other, bringing them closer to the field ops experience. The Throat Communicator is fully compatible with the official Microsoft® controller as well as the Mad Catz Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller.

MSRP: $29.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Faceplate and Console Skinz – Xbox 360

Featuring custom Modern Warfare 2 artwork, both the highly collectible Controller Faceplate and Console Skinz allow gamers to customize their Xbox 360 and official controller. Depicting official in-game art, the Console Faceplate attaches simply and safely, transforming your console in seconds and the removable Console Skinz wrap around the sides of the Xbox 360, providing a fully immersive themed landscape.

MSRP: $29.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Wireless Combat Controller – PS3™

Modern Warfare 2 Wireless Combat Controller for PLAYSTATION 3 utilizes a secure 2.4 GHz wireless link to connect with the console for accurate wire-free action. Featuring two unique buttons located on the rear of the Controller, players can re-map Action Button or Thumbstick commands empowering players to shift melee or sprint to the rear buttons in order to maintain full motion control on the analog sticks. The Controller features Immersive Analog ThumbStick Backlighting and an internal Rechargeable Battery that allows for charging directly from the console's USB port and provides up to 60 hours of game play from a single charge.

MSRP: $49.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Wireless Headset with Bluetooth® Technology – PS3

Sophisticated, discrete and fashioned with Modern Warfare 2 graphics, the Headset for PLAYSTATION 3 allows for wire-free communication with teammates and PlayStation Network™ (PSN™) users. Featuring a high-quality, noise-reducing microphone, ideal for frantic game play, the Headset utilizes Bluetooth 2.0 wireless technology, and operates at a range of up to 30 feet from the console.

MSRP: $39.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Controller Faceplates – Xbox 360 & PLAYSTATION 3

Depicting official artwork from Modern Warfare 2, the highly collectible Controller Faceplate allows gamers to customize their official Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 controllers in style. Highly durable and featuring a high-gloss finish, the safe and removable Controller Faceplate attaches in seconds to the official controller and features authentic artwork to support the game (Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 Controller Faceplate sold separately).

MSRP: $14.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Combat GamePad – PC

For those who enjoy gaming on their PC but prefer the feel of a gamepad over a keyboard and mouse, the Modern Warfare 2 Combat GamePad provides a comfortable and highly ergonomic method of play. Featuring full analog control, the Combat GamePad is fashioned in authentic Modern Warfare 2 artwork and comes complete with a complement of four Action Buttons and four Trigger Buttons as well as a stable eight-way D-Pad delivering precision and accuracy where fast response is crucial to survival. Pre-programmed for Modern Warfare 2, the Combat GamePad ships with software that allows gamers to reprogram the four Action Buttons to suit their personal preferences or for use with other software titles. The Combat GamePad is compatible with Windows™ 7, Vista™ and XP™.

MSRP: $24.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Sniper Mouse – PC

Fine-tuned for razor-sharp assault, the Modern Warfare 2 Sniper Mouse allows for precision in-game control. Instantly adjustable DPI (‘Dot Per Inch') allows gamers to adjust the speed of the mouse cursor at any time, ideal for a multitude of missions and varying styles of play. A built-in weight cartridge allows gamers to add or subtract weights from the Mouse tailoring the feel for personal preference. Fashioned in fully authentic graphics, the Sniper Mouse is certain to be the weapon of choice for PC enthusiasts. Pre-programmed for Modern Warfare 2, the Mouse ships with software that allows gamers to reprogram the Mouse Buttons to suit their personal preference or for use with other software titles. The Sniper Mouse is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP.

MSRP: $49.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Combat Keyboard – PC

The Modern Warfare 2 Combat Keyboard features ‘Anti-Ghosting' in key action areas and a Windows Key Lock to prevent accidental disruption to game play. Easily accessible Media Keys provide instant access to volume control, play/pause and other essential media-related functions and a weighted base with strategically placed large rubber feet that prevent the keyboard from slipping off the desk. Pre-programmed for Modern Warfare 2, the Combat Keyboard ships with software that allows gamers to reprogram Function Buttons to suit their personal preference or for use with other software titles. The Combat Keyboard is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP.

MSRP: $49.99

o Modern Warfare™ 2 Elite Keyboard – PC

Built on the successful ‘Cyborg™' Keyboard platform, the Modern Warfare 2 Elite Keyboard is ideal for those who take their gaming seriously and will prove to be an essential ally in the field. Multi-Color backlighting, including adjustable brightness and ‘Tru-Vu™' illumination, provides gamers with the ability to set ambient lighting, ranging from red through to amber and green. Touch-Sensitive Back-Lit Dashboard controls provide access to keyboard lighting and media functions. Further aiding in the custom nature of the keyboard, the WASD, cursor, ‘Cyborg™' and NumPad keys can all be lit independently from the rest of the keyboard, allowing players to highlight keys commonly used in-game. One-touch ‘Cyborg' mode instantly disables the Windows™ keys and adjusts the keyboard illumination to desired settings for simple set-up and no fewer than twelve Cyborg keys can be programmed to replicate any sequence of keyboard presses in a single button. Durable Metal-Plated key caps provide reinforced strength on the most commonly used gaming keys and gold-plated connectors for USB and microphone inputs allow other accessories to be passed through the keyboard without accessing the PC. Pre-programmed for Modern Warfare 2, the Elite Keyboard ships with software that allows gamers to reprogram Keyboard Buttons to suit their personal preference or for use with other software titles. The Elite Keyboard is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP.

MSRP: $99.99

Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz commented, "This new range marks our first full line of licensed PC products launching alongside the console accessories. The Saitek and Cyborg names are brands respected by PC gamers worldwide and we believe that consumers will respond enthusiastically to these high quality licensed products. Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most anticipated software titles this year and we are excited to support it with a comprehensive range which is certain to enhance the gaming experience."

We don't know much about the night-vision goggles, except that they're MW2-branded and feature "alternating modes" (alternating between what?), but the package comes with enough extras to keep you busy while you figure out how to show the goggles off to your buddies yet keep them easy to hide when girls come over. Seeing as how the Collector's Edition of the game costs $80, and the Prestige Edition includes that in addition to the goggles, it'd be fair to expect these to cost a wallet-pounding amount. [via Twitter]