It’s Foxit Software’s turn to enter the e-book reader race.

The company famous for producing a lightweight alternative to the Acrobat Reader has revealed its new hardware e-book reader.

The eSlick can now be preordered and can be shipped in just five to seven weeks. The cost of the eSlick is $229.99 direct and with a suggested retail price of $259.99.

The Foxit eSlick uses the same screen tech that is used in both the Kindle and Sony’s own reader. The resolution is 600 x 800 and it weighs 6.4 ounces. It does not have any wireless capability (something the Kindle has) but substitute it with a USB port. It has 128MB of RAM and has a SD card slot that can read cards up to 4GB. It also has a built-in MP3 player.

Well, my house is now rich by one gaming gadget today.

I bought my son the PSP Madden ‘09 limited edition bundle as a Christmas gift. The shiny blue finish is really beautiful and, in my opinion, quite manly. Being the gadget freak that I am, I just couldn’t leave the PSP be without tinkering with its brains. With the help of a friend, we proceeded to install a hacked firmware for the PSP.

Installing was not a hassle though it took a relatively long time. When it was finally finished, the “rewards” were immediately apparent. ISO loading being the coup de grace of the hacked firmware.

This is one gift that I am looking forward to my son opening. I just tried God of War: Chains of Olympus on the pretext of testing the unit out and it took superhuman effort just to return the PSP back to its box and wrapping the whole darn thing.

After the success of Dead Space, I’m not surprised that EA have decided to take us on another horror jaunt that will include some rather terrifying images and interesting action. This time though, inspiration for the game comes from the literary imaginings of Dante.

An abducted soul, a lifetime of sins, a journey to the depths of despair. Electronic Arts announced today that EA Redwood Shores, the studio behind hit horror game Dead Space™, is making Dante’s Inferno™ – a third-person action adventure adaptation of the medieval epic poem The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri.

The dark fiction gave birth to the Tuscan Italian dialect and is widely considered to have defined the western world’s contemporary conception of hell and purgatory. The poem tells the tale of Dante who journeys through the twisted, menacing nine circles of hell in pursuit of his beloved Beatrice.

Written in the 14th Century, The Divine Comedy was published and read aloud in Italian (unlike the Bible), thereby making the poem accessible to the mass public. The poem delivers a striking and allegorical vision of the Christian afterlife and the punishments of hell. In part one, known as Dante’s Inferno, Dante traverses all nine circles of hell; limbo, lust, gluttony, greed, wrath, heresy, violence, fraud and treachery.

“The time is right for the world of interactive entertainment to adapt this literary masterpiece, and to re-introduce Dante to an audience that, until now, may have been unfamiliar with the remarkable details of this great work of art,” said Jonathan Knight, executive producer for Dante’s Inferno. “It’s the perfect opportunity to fuse great gameplay with great story.”

For more information on Dante’s Inferno, please visit www.dantesinferno.com and sign up for the newsletter and bookmark for news, features and upcoming events.

The Xbox 360 is continuing to show its steady and impressive sales for the month of November.

Despite the financial crisis, Microsoft was still able to sell 836,000 units for the month, amounting to an 8.6 percent increase from last year’s sales.

What’s pushing the 360 to enjoy brisk sales are its strong marketing and advertising as well as good incentives. For example, the Xbox 360 Arcade comes with a copy of Sega Superstar Tennis, while the Pro and Elite units ship with Kung Fu Panda and Lego Indiana Jones, respectively.

Also a big factor for increased sales is Microsoft’s decision to go below the $200 price barrier. At the rate things are going, the Xbox 360 could gain an insurmountable lead against the Playstation 3.

Oh man, do I need this like yesterday! With winter and a blizzard coming tonight, even the floors are too cold to walk on… and I’m wearing my skids! Wisconsin weather is no joke these days as the temperature has gone down below zero most of the time.

“Toasty Toes is adjustable, and may be used flat, inclined, or upright as a radiant heat panel. But at 90 watts, less than a standard 100-watt light bulb, this heated foot rest uses a fraction of the energy of a standard 1500-watt space heater. In addition to being more cost-efficient, Toasty Toes is safer than a traditional space heater as it never heats higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that space heaters, including both fixed and portable varieties, are associated with 21,800 residential fires every year. ETL listed, Toasty Toes never gets hot enough to ever cause a fire, but still delivers comfortable, radiant heat to where it’s needed most–to your feet and lower legs.”

I’m so tired of having to wear three pairs of socks… it’s become a chore. And sometimes when you’re walking it sure does add to the weight you need to bring from point A to B, even at home. So this is a cool err… a hot “solution”.

Sold right here for about US$75.

Ok, us geeks need to have some clean and funny prank. If you have a friend who seem to make his cubicle his home, which means he just comes out to pee, get java or grab some lunch, the Phantom Keystroker V2 is perfect. Ummm… just make sure he’s the kind of person who’d appreciate a prank from you.

This tiny USB thumb drive thoroughly annoys your co-workers by causing their computers to malfunction. Ummm.. what (!) you may say. Well, that’s why I mentioned make sure they’d take a prank from you. Make sure they’re not doing anything important. AND don’t you plug this in your boss’ PC! You’ve been warned!

Product Features:

- Attach this evil prank device to your victim’s computer and it makes random mouse movements and types out odd garbage text and phrases.

- Switches on side choose between keyboard garbage typing, caps lock-toggle, annoying mouse movements or all three

- Adjustment dial sets the duration between annoying “events”

- Works on any OS (Caps-Lock toggle does not work on the Mac. May not work on some Linux systems depending on configuration.)

- Victim’s computer requires USB port

Sold right here for about $15.00.

I used to own a Thinkpad T-series before I got my Macbook. Being a former Thinkpad user I’d say it was one of the most solid mobile-PC platform I’ve used in my short 20-year career as a computer geek. Now browsing across Engadget I found out that Thinkpad has recently developed a dual-screen laptop in the Thinkpad W700. That to me is great news.

Good news because they’re positioning the product to a much wider user base. These days, almost everyone has a second or third display. I’ve seen people un-cluttering their workspaces to put order in whatever they do. Trust me, it also contributes to the sanity level in my cubicle here! LOL.

Oh, Thinkpad W700 has an integrated WACOM palm rest digitizer and pen. How’s that for icing on the cake!

Let me share with you the specs right here:

The ThinkPad W700 is the first mobile workstation to deliver:
- Intel Core 2 Extreme processors
- High-capacity RAID HDDs
- Integrated color calibration
- Onboard digitizer and pen

What’s new
- Intel Core 2 Quad Core Q9100 processors
- 10.6-in diagonal second display panel
- Intel Turbo memory 4 GB support
- 4 GB memory DIMM

System features
- RAID DASD high-speed storage
- Integrated color calibration
- Integrated WACOM palm rest digitizer and pen

Displays
- 17-in WUXGA with CCFL backlight and 1920 x 1200 resolution
- 10.6-in WXGA with white LED backlight second display and 768 x 1280 resolution

High-performance features:
- NVIDIA Quadro FX 2700M, 512 MB dedicated video memory
- NVIDIA Quadro FX 3700M, 1 GB dedicated video memory
- Intel Centrino® 2 with vPro and Core 2 Extreme technologies
- Intel PM45 Express chip set
- PC3-8500 double data rate 3 (DDR3) SDRAM 1067 MHz SODIMM high-speed memory
- Intel Active Management Technology 4.0
- WLAN: Intel WiFi Link 5300 AGN (3 x 3)1
- 64 GB solid state drive (SSD) for fast, reliable, lightweight, energy-efficient storage
- DisplayPort
- Dual Link DVI
- Integrated camera
- Intel Turbo memory

ThinkPad layered security: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, ThinkVantage Client Security, hardware-based HDD encryption, and fingerprint reader

The Playstation 3 has been used for other purposes other than gaming because of the potentially powerful Cell process. In fact, Folding@Home is a standard “feature” of the console. This is Stanford University’s project for researching cures for many types of diseases. Folding@Home uses the unused processing power of the PS3 to simulate protein folding.

The University of Massachusetts is now also beginning to harness the PS3 as a super computer. University researchers have released to the public an instruction guide on how to setup the PS3 as a supercomputer. This, the researchers hope, will be a be good low-cost alternative for more expensive supercomputing research.

Universities usually rent supercomputers at $1 per hour, with usage usually reaching 5,000 hours. But with this solution they can make their own supercomputer at the same cost.

Daisy chaining 8 PS3s sounds like a cool geek idea. This could become a secondary market for PS3s especially since it’s lagging at third place in sales.

The MECH RC

Programming the MechRC is seriously easy and thanks to the software included, all programming takes place in an animation filmstrip. Manipulate the animated robot on your PC’s screen into your chosen stance and save the move or sequence. Your robot is controlled much like a video game character so programming the ‘bot is both straightforward and fun.

Add the soundtracks, sound effects and voices of your choice from your PC’s music files (MechRC is not Mac compatible) and blast them out through the speaker in MechRC’s chest.

With its agile 180 degree movement, pre-programmed motions and user-friendly programmable moves and sounds, the MechRC Robot is entertaining robotics at its finest.

Well, look here… I think this is a real cool stocking stuffer! This is a mini-cube speaker, and mini sure does land it dead spot doesn’t it. It’s almost as big as an iPod shuffle as you can see. Made by a Japanese company, Bird Electronics, this small wonder measures only 45 mm at each side.

It has a built-in iPod slot, makes compatible with most iPod models, and a 35mm mini audio plug to use with multimedia audio devices with headphone output, or your cell phone. A simple plug and play compact speaker without the need of extra wire.

You know what’s the best about this gadget… it doesn’t need batteries! Yeah, true. All it takes to work is plugging in the 35mm mini audio plug into your audio source and viola… speaker on. It doesn’t sound like a great speaker brand though but you’d hear your audio nonetheless.

Available in Red, white and Black… sad to say, it’s only available in Japan, for $33 a cube.

Available at this google-translated Japanese page… right here.

I’ve seen illuminated keyboards before and while they’re nice to look at I see the wires needed to keep them lit. This is the first time I’m seeing a wireless (via radio frequency) & illuminated super tiny keyboard (boy that was a mouthful!).

It is really small though, weighing only less than 150 grams and as you can see it’s almost as big as a palm. Looking at this I remember Bruce Willis’ movie Die Hard 4 where they have roll-up rubber keyboards. This certainly is more handy, and for those low light environments… perfect.

The USB wireless dongle gives you about 10m of operating range, the keyboard lights use 2 pieces of AAA batteries. It’s available online right here for US$47 only.

Product specifications…

Features:
- Low keycap notebook keyboard with 56 KEYS
- Fn/Num lock change function
- Small, lightweight and portable
- Illumination feature
- Slim body that save working place
- Available USB port
- Operating distance: 10 meters
- Operating frequency: 2.4GHz Radio Frequency
- Dimension: 170 x 81 x 15mm (approx.)
- Weight: 138g

Package Contents:
- Wireless Illuminated Super Tiny Keyboard
- USB Receiver
- AAA Batteries x 2

Yesterday I wrote about Pearl Jam’s Ten album becoming a DLC for Rock Band 2 this coming March. That’s really big news considering how huge that album is.

Guitar Hero is not going to take things sitting down though as it recently gave more information on its upcoming Guitar Hero: Metallica game.

In an interview that appeared in USA Today, Alan Flore, lead designer for Neversoft, as well as Metallica’s Kirk Hammet and Lars Ulrich talked about the new game.

All three agreed that the game will be extremely challenging especially when it comes to the old Metallica songs. This goes across all instruments, with the drums featuring brutal double bass playing. The game will also not be sequential because of the obvious difficulty of earlier songs.

Players will begin the game by auditioning for Metallica through two tracks and once they are accepted they will tour with the band through some real-world venues. Other bands will also be appearing on tour but no details were given regarding this.

Finally, Ulrich hinted that Guitar Hero: Metallica will most likely be made available in March.

Reading through my previous posts, I think it is pretty apparent that I have taken Microsoft to task for the shoddy quality of the Xbox 360. I am not in any way a loyal PS3 or Wii user but with money so tight right now, I won’t spring for a console that has a more than 30 percent chance of getting the dreaded RROD or, equally as common, scratching my game disks.

Even though Microsoft has already admitted to the defect on the Xbox 360 by extending the console’s warranty to three years, disk-scratching has remained a problematic thorn on the side of Xbox 360 gamers, so much so that a gamer actually filed a class action suit against Microsoft last year.

Now, new details on the case revealed that the company actually knew about the console’s ability to scratch disks even before it was officially launched in 2005. The culprit seems to be reorienting the unit while a game disk is spinning.

The more disturbing part is that three solutions were given to address the problem but all three were also rejected by the company. The first solution, to increase the magnetic force on the disk was rejected because it would intervene with the operation of the tray. Decreasing the drive rotation would increase load times, and putting bumpers on the tray would mean an additional expense that would total up to $75 million.

Microsoft’s solution was to indicate this damage potential on the manual even though it acknowledged that it would not do much because very few people read manuals.

Microsoft has said in a statement that only one-half of 1 percent complained about disk scratching. But like its initial statement about the RROD, I think the company is downplaying this again. If it’s really as small a number as they have indicated then why do establishments like EB Games sell scratch warranty on Xbox 360 games?

What about you Forever Geek Xbox 360 owners out there? Have you experienced disk scratching on your consoles?

Christmas is nearing and most of us gadget geeks are likely to be eyeing a new gadget to gift ourselves (or someone near our hearts). But this year end is also a time to look back at what the current year has given us–in terms of gadgets.

This year, I was able to buy a laptop, two netbooks, a Nokia E series phone, a printer/scanner/copier, a pre-owned Mac Mini, an LCD screen, two Canon EF lenses, a Canon speedlite, and a host of other smaller gadgets. Non-computer acquisitions include a front-load washer that has made our lives 100% easier in terms of household chores and an air conditioning unit for my home office (at last!). And lucky me–Sony Ericsson gave me a free Xperia X1 for review just recently. I hope I didn’t miss anything.

What about you? How was 2008 for you? Was it a gadget rich year? What was your favorite gadget of 2008? What was the most interesting gadget acquisition you had for this year?

Tell me, and get the chance to win a prize!

Leave a comment. Include pictures to make it more interesting. I’ll select one comment-poster at random and I’ll send five packs of Energizer Advanced Lithium batteries (4 cells per pack). That’s a lot of juice for your digicam, Wii controller, speedlite, or just about anything that needs AA battery juice. Contest will end 11:59 p.m. December 21st (GMT). Be sure you input your email address on the comment form, so I can get in touch with you.

Pearl Jam may not be as popular today as they did in their heyday during the 90’s but I still think that they’re one of the best bands in the world.

I loved playing some of the Pearl Jam songs that have managed to enter the music genre, first with the added content for Guitar Hero II for the Xbox 360, and then with Rock Band 2’s inclusion of Alive from their debut album.

Now Peal Jam fans will have the opportunity to play all the tracks from their Ten album. Rock Band 2 will release the album as a DLC on March 24, 2009, coinciding with the release of the reissue of their seminal album.

I can’t wait to play Even Flow and Black!

The Nintendo DS has gained a reputation for wholesome games that are fit for children. Being a hardcore DS owner I know that the DS offers a much more varied gameplay experience but only suffers from a lack of mature titles.

But this coming March, this is going to be remedied with the release of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Rockstar Games has pegged March 17 as the release of the DS version of its megapopular franchise. Europe will get to experience the game a few days after, on March 20.

Rockstar is trying to get a Mature rating for the game and the company has already acknowledged that the content cannot be changed to court a more family-friendly rating. And with activities like drug peddling, carjacking and violence, I wouldn’t expect them to find a succesful way of doing it.