Sure, it's not that attractive looking and it's probably awkward as all hell to use, but the prospect of programming all those buttons has me giddy. While the guy who designed the mouse thinks it'd be great for World of Warcraft or OpenOffice tasks, I know I won't be wasting a single button for either of those things. Anyone got better suggestions? [Open Office Mouse—Thanks, Joel!]

Not only can you program macros to Naga's 17 buttons however you want, but the mouse works with custom software extensions, called Add Ons, that actually add new interfaces to the game and allow you have to unlimited character profiles. Update: Oh boo, they're actually in-game, so you can't program 'em outside of WoW or Warhammer for now:

Otherwise, it uses Razer's now standard laser engine—5600dpi, 1ms response time—and goes for $80. Oh, and if you're in the market for a $50 glowing mousepad, they've got you covered there too with the Megasoma mat. [Razer, Razer]

Priceless Picks: Don't let the advertising-crap-app appearance of Priceless Picks turn you off—this free download, branded all over with Mastercard, is great. It combines loads of data collected from a number of sources, including user submissions and Amazon's Mechanical Turk army, to give wide-ranging recommendations for things to do, eat, drink or experience wherever you happen to be. There are other apps that do similar things, yes, but the dataset on this one already seems strong, the scope—not just restaurants, not just a particular company's establishments—is healthy, and the 3D map presentation is fantastically cool, and surprisingly smooth.

Griffin iFM Radio Browser: A lot of people will download this assuming it's a streaming radio app—it's something else entirely, and actually quite exciting: iFM polls your location to come up with a list of local terrestrial radio stations, providing you with access to song titles, album art, artist info and purchase links for whatever's playing on your FM station of choice. Think of it as augmented radio.

It's also one of the earliest examples of accessory integration for OS 3.0, featuring a software interface for Griffin's Navigate inline iPod remote, which has a built-in radio. Free. (The app, not the accessory. Sorry.)

Snore Patrol: Leave this app running overnight and it'll provide a decibel readout of whatever weird nostril/sinus/lung business goes down in the duration. The idea is to present a snoring partner with graphical proof of their terrible flaw, which will in turn guilt them into doing something about it. It's funny, but the pink interface and lady-oriented marketing is disheartening. Women snore too! MUST WE MEN SUFFER IN SILENCE? Your gynocentric passive aggressiveness: Free.

Squash the Street : If the economy's got you down, and you're vaguely upset about some fatcats on Wall Street, or at your banks, or something, why not direct a little bit of your pent-up aggression and/or depression into your iPhone? That's what Squash the Street is for: Pure, possibly misguided venting. Neat 3D-ish graphics give this ultra-timely voodoo doll a bit of longevity. A dollar.

Cyclops: Barcode scanning apps are a no-brainer for modern smartphones: just snap a picture of a product's label, and they'll pull down a plethora of information. That's exactly what Cyclops does. It's not the first, but it's the first designed around the iPhone 3GS's new camera, which has good enough macro skills to make such an app truly useful. Free. [Via TUAW]

iMetal: There are many rules by which app developers live, some written, some not. One of the most powerful is the mandate that no hardware feature on any version of the iPhone shall go unused, or perhaps more accurately, unexploited. The iPhone 3GS utilizes a magnetometer for its compass, meaning that it can detect when certain metals are nearby, and that someone could theoretically make an app that acts as a sort of makeshift metal detector. And since nothing stays theoretical for more than a week in the App Store, someone has: it's called iMetal, and it'll tell you when you're iPhone is next to a giant piece or iron, or hovering somewhere near a neodymium magnet. As an actual metal detector, it's basically useless; as a party trick, it's pretty neat. A dollar.

The Typography Manual: To most, this app will seem esoteric, or at worst, plain boring. To type nerds, however, this is like kerned, serifed manna from heaven. As its name implies, it's something of a typography primer and history lesson, but on top of that, it's a visual glossary, a collection of clever type tools, a directory of keyboard combinations for special symbols, and quite a bit more. Five dollars.

World of Warcraft Mobile Armory: Anyone who doesn't play WoW won't know what this is, and doesn't need to. Anyone who does can download it for free.

This Week's App News On Giz:

• Portal Gets Played On an iPhone, Sort Of

• Comcast's iPhone App Does More Than TV Listings

• Google Now Finds Stuff Nearby Using Your Location in Mobile Safari

• Pizza Hut's iPhone App Makes Pizza Ordering Easier, More Gimmicky

• iPhone Server Farm Puts Old Models To Good Use

• TwitVid for iPhone 3GS: Guess What It Does?

• TomTom's GPS-Enhancing Car Adapter Should Work With The iPod Touch

• Worms For iPhone: Same Game, Worse Controls

• TuneWiki for iPhone Is Now Fully Armed and Operational

This list is in no way definitive. If you've spotted a great app that hit the store this week, give us a heads up or, better yet, your firsthand impressions in the comments. And for even more apps: see our previous weekly roundups here, and check out our Favorite iPhone Apps Directory and our original iPhone App Review Marathon. Have a good weekend everybody.

We don't think it's fake; if it is, it's an unbelievably elaborate one and we'd prefer to think nobody is willing to put in that kind of time and effort for such a dumb prank. It's done using Vollee, which is used to stream games over 3G, so the video is actually just a stream and the rendering is done on the PC. But it's much smoother than we'd expect over 3G, and comes with enough features that true WoW addicts will be able to get their fix on the run, buying and selling elves or whatever happens in that game.

According to the comments left by the video's uploader, the game is completed but waiting for the rights issues to be ironed out between Blizzard and Apple (and, presumably, Vollee), so we have no idea when or for how much this might show up on iPhones near you. [Touch Arcade]

Built by Cati Vaucelle & Shada/Jahn, the WoW Pod is an "immersive architectural solution for the advanced WOW (World of Warcraft) player that provides and anticipates all life needs." Practically, this equates to a WoWish hut including an integrated PC with surround sound, water supply, hot plate (synced to heat when your avatar cooks) and, of course, a porcelain throne.

Seriously though, MIT, I have my WoW Pod right here. It's called a bathroom, laptop and one jumbo family pack of Hostess cupcakes. See you guys in a few days. [MIT via Kotaku]

He doesn't half-ass the WoW-themed décor either. The entrance is a real-life recreation of the opening animation from the game. The dining area, called the Hall of Snow Storms, features large plasma screens showing in-game action, as well as a towering World Tree in the middle of the room.

The owner said he'd created the restaurant in hopes that "people who share his enthusiasm for The World of Warcraft would find a comfortable gathering place." Well, my account hasn't been active for over a year, but rest assured, I. Will. Be. There. You know, for the Horde and all. [CCTV]

We want to use the massively multi-player online game as an experimental laboratory to see if they’re good enough to convince humans that they’re actually human, that can think on their own, have emotions and talk in local slang. I actually interact with virtual humans in terms of asking them questions and they’re responding.

Once they have them perfected, they want to "deploy" these soldiers using something called "quantum ghost imaging". This will allow to create photorealistic, non-cheesy-fake-CNN-looking holograms out of thin air by "pairing photons that do no reflect or bounce off an object, but off other photons," whatever that means. Parmentola explains it as "“like having a tracing tool … that goes over the image and that’s connected to another one on a piece of paper that exactly imitates what it is that you are tracing with the other pen" which leaves me scratching my head as well. He hinted that this is closer than we can imagine.

The rest of their projects are equally mindblowing. Although this used to be the subject of much rumorology and speculation, the Parmentola confirmed that they are working in:

• A project to erase bad memories, which will be critical in helping soldiers with psychological damage.
• Devices that will translate one solider's thoughts into electrical signals that can be beamed to other soliders, to help in stealth operations.
• Growing back body parts, both internal organs and limbs (Parmentola said researchers are not far away from this), using molecular-sized particles that act as nano-scaffolding for the human cells to grow, dissolving after the organ has regenerated.

Let's hope it's no all smoke and mirrors, because this research has the potential to benefit countless others outside the battlefield. [DoD Buzz]

I've never played World of Warcraft. I'm not sure if the abbreviation is pronounced by spelling out the letters W-O-W or if you just saw "wow." It seems like the kind of thing where you have to know the difference between an elf and an orc, and I gotta be honest, I just don't care. But this is so over-the-top that I'm almost interested in finding the one true ring or banging lady-dwarves or whatever you do in that game. Prepared's setup features a whopping seven separate laptops, four desktops hidden away under the desk, and an array of screens that's disorienting even in a static image. He might be the only person on earth who's capable of using the 15-button mouse. Prepared claims that $5700 a year is reasonable for a hobby, and he's totally right. I can think of at least three hard drugs that would be more expensive.

Edit: I've been informed that our industrious nerd is not Bradster but Prepared. Sorry for the commotion this must have caused Bradster and his family. [Ripten via Crunchgear]

Designed by Blizzard® and SteelSeries specifically for World of Warcraft®, The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse provides remarkable benefit to all World of Warcraft® gamers, regardless of level or play style. The mouse can be customized to fit the users personal preferences; the illumination feature allows for up to 16 million colors, programmability of all 15 buttons via an intuitive and easy to use drag and drop interface. The fluid integration of software with hardware will provide the user with an amazing in-game experience featuring superior performance, comfort and control. The World of Warcraft® MMO Gaming Mouse is fully scalable to meet and exceed the requirements of even the most discerning World of Warcraft® gamer.

* 16 million illumination choices * A total of 15 programmable buttons
* Several predefined macros and posibility to create your own
* World’s first gaming mouse designed exclusively for World of Warcraft®

• Cable (braided): 2 m / 6,6 ft.
• 15 buttons
• 800 - 3000 CPI
• 3,6 mm lift distance

November 2008

[SteelSeries]

Holy crap! It's The White House! Never mind that the "dragon fire" is a spell from Everquest. Mount the griffins and arm the bunker busters! And somebody ask Mommy for $14 because my WoW subscription just ran out!! [Danger Room]

This is a funny concept in the first place, because as anyone who has played WoW know, you do a LOT of running. Miles upon virtual miles of terrain can be covered in a short session, usually at a pretty fast clip. The guys over at Manapotions.com went to great lengths to estimate the actual speed of their avatars, then built a surprisingly effective apparatus out of some old treadmills, bikes wheels and optical mice (for speed tracking). The results was kind of like the ultimate expression of the Wii "get involved in the game" ethos, except with 1000% more exertion and 97% less fun. Click through to see the build process and gameplay notes. [Mana Potions]

This translates into 5-8 hours of grinding for gold in Warcraft, something you could pay an Asian kid $2 to do for you. Combine this with the Final Fantasy Potion, and you'll get both your HP and MP back—plus a free trip to the hospital. [Mana Potions via Wow Insider via Crunchgear]

They'll take a snapshot of your toon wearing whatever armor you've got on now, so make sure you've got on epic gear before you make your order. If you're a low-level character, we suggest trying to beg some armor off someone just for the sake of doing this, and returning it afterwards. Unfortunately WoW is so popular with 10% of the world's population currently registered that you'll have to sign up for drawing—you can't just order directly. [FigurePrints via DVice]

In a quest to nail the greatest gaming experience ever, Dell and Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. TM have joined forces to bring gamers the XPSTM M1730 World of Warcraft® Edition notebook PC. The unique gaming notebook is available for purchase today by customers who pre-registered for early access during the "It Begins" quest. It will be available to all U.S. customers on Dec. 11 on www.dell.com/gaming.

The XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition is a fully equipped for battle. The system is emblazoned with custom World of Warcraft artwork, inside and out, that leaves no question as to purpose - pure, unadulterated gaming action. Exclusive rare bonus items and a World of Warcraft backpack filled to the brim with game-themed extras are also part of the unique experience.

"This truly legendary collaboration with Blizzard reinforces Dell's commitment to design excellence and dedication to delivering the best possible gaming experience," said Glen Robson head of XPS systems at Dell. "World of Warcraft players can now have the ultimate system to reflect their passion for the game."

Surprise, Delight, and Amaze

The level of detail that the XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition delivers will delight and amaze any gaming enthusiast. In addition to a truly distinctive system, customers will receive a special Quest Envelope that contains access to truly epic items, like a Golden Ticket from FigurePrints, a company that creates custom figurines of players' individual World of Warcraft characters.

To help delve into the mysteries and surprises around the XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition, Dell invited Randydeluxe Jordan of the popular World of Warcraft podcast The Instance, to be the first to un-box a new system. Check out Randy's response to the complete out-of-box-experience on direct2dell.com and www.delllounge.com.

Special XPS M1730 World of Warcraft content includes:

* Custom design featuring original art by Blizzard artists on LCD back, and Honor Badges on the wings
* World of Warcraft and World of Warcraft: The Burning CrusadeTM pre-loaded on system, including the latest content updates
* Original desktop background artwork and screensavers
* A World of Warcraft-themed backpack that includes:
Retail box copies of World of Warcraft, World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade, and the Warcraft® Battle Chest , which includes with Warcraft III: Reign of ChaosTM and Warcraft III: Frozen ThroneTM
Latest Brady Games strategy guides for World of Warcraft, The Burning Crusade, Warcraft III and The Frozen Throne
World of Warcraft DVD with a behind-the-scenes look at "The Making of WoW"
* A special Quest Envelope that ships separately with exclusive rare items:
A Golden Ticket allowing customers to receive a special custom FigurePrint based on the actual World of Warcraft character that they play1.
An Account Upgrade Certificate enabling the upgrade of a World of Warcraft account1 to receive the Collector's Edition pets from both the original World of Warcraft Collector's Edition and the World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Collector's Edition
A World of Warcraft Beta Club Card to enable customers to take part in upcoming public beta tests.

Starting at $4,499 (USD), the XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition system includes:

* Aggressive styling with backlit Honor Badges, touchpad and keyboard
* LightFX perimeter lighting for added immersion during game play
* Full-size keyboard with 10-key number pad to help navigate games
* AGEIA PhysX mobile processor and built-in Logitech® GamePanel LCD
* NVIDIA SLI graphics power and 512MB of dedicated video RAM with DirectX® 10 realism
* Optional over-clockable2 Intel® Extreme Edition CoreTM 2 Duo processor, up to 3.4GHz
* Optional dual RAID 7,200 RPM hard drives for fast access or even faster access with an optional 64GB solid state drive
* Full HD 17-inch widescreen and available Blu-ray DiscTM to provide the ultimate mobile viewing experience
* 7ms average display response time3 to ensure quick overall system performance
* Complete wireless connectivity with built-in Optional Mobile Broadband4, Wireless-N, Bluetooth, and Dell's exclusive Wi-Fi CatcherTM
* Built-in camera and digital array microphones to clearly see and flame the competition
* Dual headphone jacks, noise-isolating ear buds and a portable ExpressCard media remote

For more information about the XPS M1730 World of Warcraft Edition notebook PC, visit www.youtube.com/dellvlog.

First-Class Service for XPS Customers

All XPS notebook computers feature Dell's first-class XPS service, which guarantees quick telephone access to Dell's best home-computer technicians and a 15-month subscription to virus and spyware protection. XPS notebooks purchased from Dell also include one year of LoJack for Laptops5 theft recovery service and one year of 10GB online storage and backup space with Dell DataSafe Online Backup. More information is at www.dell.com/firstclass.

[Kotaku]

This technological monstrosity was constructed in waves, consisting first of Shuttle systems, followed by QPack and later AOpen small form factor PCs. To cut back on heat and the massive electric bill, most machines are diskless (i.e. no hard drive) and aren't connected directly to monitors. Instead, programmable keyboards with KVM switches allow the duo to monitor and control everything from their six-monitor twin thrones. Jealous much? [Ultimate WoW Setup]