All your old favorites are there, including AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS. But if you look carefully, there are directories for WINDOWS and a HIBERFIL.SYS file, so this pillow must actually be running Windows XP or a newer version. And watch out for the PRON directory – you never know what’s hiding in there. The pillow also appears to have been infected with a trojan, so you might not want to actually sit your butt on this pillow.

The Dosogus 2.0 is actually an upgrade of Lebedev’s earlier Dosogus pillow, and I have to say the new model crashes a little less frequently than the original. Want one? Head on over to Lebedev’s online shop.

I think what I like best about these cufflinks over some of those we’ve seen before is the fact that they’re thin and flat, and even a little dark. From a distance, they’ll just look like plain ol’ cufflinks. Sneaky.

Of course, if you want to be a little more obvious, you can try these other Xbox-inspired cufflinks, also from the CufflinkConnections store.

Yeah, slightly more obvious there… but not as obivous, as, say, Star Wars minifig cufflinks–which are also available from the same store. Maybe it should be named RandomCufflinkConnections. Or maybe I should stick to blogging, ’cause my store-naming skills are not so strong.

Months later, the students released a video with a proof-of-concept of the D&D-Surface mashup, which they named SurfaceScapes, including a look at how combat plays out.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Virtual d20 ftw.

[via Wired via Penny Arcade]

Here’s a party that millions of pirates will surely be having: a Windows 7 torrenting party! As if giving out tips on how to download illegal stuff wasn’t enough, there’s some (unnecessary) f-bombs at the end of the clip, so watch out mom & dad.

Seriously though, have you or anyone you know actually set up a Windows 7 party? Was the food any good?

[via TechCrunch]

The Vicon Revue was originally called SenseCam. Some of you may have heard of SenseCam before; it was developed by Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK. Basically it’s a low-res fish eye camera, about the same size as a Post-it notepad, that is worn on a cord around the neck. It automatically takes pictures based on two things: a preset time interval, even as short as once every 5 seconds, and various stimuli, like changes in light or temperature. So when you enter a room for example, the difference in brightness will prompt the camera to snap a picture. Even if you just moved from your living room to the garage. Or if you turn off the lights. Or if you repeatedly cover and expose the light sensor.

It was originally intended for people suffering from Alzheimer’s and other memory-debilitating conditions. Tests have shown that “reviewing SenseCam photos of a significant event every two days for three weeks, the person could remember it substantially better, even after months of not looking at the photos, compared with events that were not reviewed this way or were recorded only in a written diary.” The Vicon Revue will be marketed to researchers at first; a consumer version will follow next year. Here’s a sample shot from the SenseCam:

Can you see it now? People uploading shit like this with their tweets. “OMG I think I saw Steve Jobs is this him <Vicon Revue pic>” “OMG my tummy got 3 mm bigger <Vicon Revue before & after pics>” “OMG!!!! My Vicon took pictures of a cloud shaped like a penis roflcopter I didn’t even see it lololololol <17 Vicon Revue pics of a cloud that looks like anything but a penis>”

The SenseCam takes pictures at 640×480. It has 1GB of internal flash memory, capable of storing more than 30,000 of the low-res pictures. I don’t know if there will be changes in specs, if any, on the Vicon Revue. I think the reason why it’s so expensive despite it’s mediocre imaging capabilities is the myriad of built-in sensors: light-intensity and light-color sensors, a passive infrared (body heat) detector, a temperature sensor, and a multiple-axis accelerometer.

The Vicon Revue that will be sold to researchers will sell for £500 (approx. $820 USD). I’m guessing the consumer version of Vicon Revue will be a bit cheaper, and have at least double the memory. If all goes well, the internet will be flooded with billions of mundane fisheye pics in 2010.

[via New Scientist & Microsoft Research]

Something decidedly not Xbox-like.

Fortunately for all of us, this child-friendly monstrosity isn’t official or Microsoft-sanctioned. It comes from the imagination of Carl Archambeault, a recent graduate of the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design looking to break into the exciting world of industrial design.

I’m not sure if I’m ready for a portable Xbox device (I have enough handheld gaming consoles littering my desk from disuse) but I’m sure one is inevitable. I do give Carl props for actually building this contraption, though. However, I’m not sure it’s something I’d whip out during the morning train ride to work.

[via Kotaku]

Now I have never used any Linux OS, but even if it’s true that there are fewer major software that are compatible with the system, I am pretty damn sure that there at least 2 Linux apps that provide video chat – Skype and Pidgin. As for the printer and scanner compatibility GodofGrunts adds, “I’ve yet to see a printer that doesn’t have a driver. You might have to download it from the products website though (gasp!).” GodofGrunts also adds that there are Linux distros that offer official technical support, contrary to what the table above indicates.

I like how Microsoft lists “Free downloads” as one of Windows’ strengths when in fact people can legally own a Linux OS for free; same with Linux programs. Is Windows free? Is Microsoft Office free?

Again, I don’t have sufficient knowledge about software so I can’t comment on that claim – note that the training program doesn’t really claim that Windows is safer than Linux – but this forum lists a couple of advantages that Linux is supposed to have over Windows. If this training program is really being used to “teach” Best Buy employees, it means that Microsoft is just breeding technological ignorance.

Why can’t they just talk about how Linux systems aren’t that user-friendly? At least that’s still somewhat true. The original images that GodofGrunts posted were taken down by Photobucket because of bandwidth limits, but you can go to Electronista to see some of the other screenshots.

The ported program still doesn’t have a user interface, but it’s working alright. Or not. I leave it up to you to decide if the demo below is indeed running on a 360. +1 to anyone who tells me the artist of the awesome chiptune playing in the background.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

This is actually the first time that I’ve heard of a homebrew program, much less an emulator, for Microsoft’s latest console. Even though I don’t have my own Xbox 360, I’m still interested. More videos – with concrete proof  – and a how-to please tmbinc!

As you can see, Blue and Red Spartans have also enlisted to protect your spreadsheets and documents. And when you’re done working, mess around with the pre-loaded Halo goodies available in all 3 models, such as “artwork, excerpts from the upcoming Halo novel, and a special episode of Halo in-game show “This Spartan Life.”" And like all MIMOBOTs, the Halo flash drives emit sound effects when you remove them from  or insert them into your computer.

All 3 models are sold at Mimoco’s online shop. Price depends on the drive’s capacity – $20 (USD) for 1 GB, $25 for 2 GB, $35 for 4 GB, and $50 for 8 GB. The hoodie in the picture above is sold separately.

[via gameSniped]

Mundie’s sample office setting eschewed the keyboard, mouse and even the monitor. His desk was a multi-touch surface computer, and the walls were monitors as well, capable of displaying “a virtual window or collection of digital photos to a corkboard of sticky notes or various workspaces.” That’s nice, except I hope that in the future we’ll still have real views and not “virtual windows”. Mundie also showcased a Project Natal-like tech, wherein he put himself in the middle of an architectural demo. Imagine being able to see and walk through a life-size model of your house before it’s actually built. The future is going to be awesome. To those who can afford it anyway.

[via Crave UK]

You may be able to guess what ‘Splosion Man is about. If you, in fact, guessed “’sploding things,” you may already be a winner! Just not at this game. Twisted Pixel’s latest is about a guy who can explode at will, and in this “platformer,” instead of jumping, guess what you do?

Yeah, I bet you’ve got it.

Perhaps most interesting is that the game features four player local multiplayer, as well as a number of other modes, for maximum potential fun. There’s nothing like exploding all over your friends when they’re right next to you.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

‘Splosion Man is available now on XBLA for 800 Microsoft points.

[via NeoGAF]

Samus, Link, and Mario taking on the 360 a la old school Final Fantasy. Does it get better? Yes, my friends, it does–at least for the people who get to see the piece in person in Philadelphia. “Fire Wall” will be at the Brave New World comics shop, as part of the 8-Bit & Beyond show on August 7.

[Doctor Octoroc via Tiny Cartridge]

See that little guy? That’s your dog. He’s pretty cute for simple 2D. Let’s hope for his sake you know what a Zune is. See, here’s the thing: are you going to trot up to a Transformers toon in the middle of your gaming session to get information on the film? Probably not. But… what if you got paid to do just that?

The documentation on the ad avatars (or advertars, as Spencer of Siliconera calls them; I’d choose advatars, me) includes a compensation system. Talk to a bot, answer some questions, and  you get some sort of reward… which, in the examples given, can include food for a virtual pet, like the doggy above.

Is this lame? Entirely, but if it’s not too intrusive, then an optional system like this would, to me, be better than just about any other system of ads! So long as the avatars stayed away, it would be voluntary. But that probably wouldn’t be the case. Let’s hope you can at least shoot them.

[via Siliconera]

Or, if you prefer, you can hang up art of someone else’s exploits. The sky is the limit! Or rather, your Xbox 360’s capacity for pictures, and the depth of your wallet. Those are the limits.

With the help of HaloScreenshots.com, your finest moments will be touched up, glammed up, glitzed up, and even put on canvas if that’s what you want.

Don’t expect these to be cheap, though. Small unframed paper prints start at $16.99 — not too bad — but anything beyond that, and the price really begins to rise. Just how much do you love Master Chief?

[HaloScreenshots.com via Wonderland]

As someone with a love-hate relationship with the mouse, this could be really exciting to me. I might even switch back to Windows! It might be worth it to be able to really flip through my music and photos when I flip through my music and photos, though the whole idea of manipulating nothingness would probably take some getting used to.

Just as with everything else Project Natal-related, there’s nothing concrete here, just an interview, a remark, and a dream, but it’s something to keep an eye on.

[CNET via Xbox-Scene]

The Xbox 360 Portable – Revision 5 gives the luggable gaming system a svelte new shell, complete with a 17-inch widescreen LCD monitor, running at 720p resolution. This latest version improves upon Ben’s previous 360 laptops by adding better ventilation, and adds an Ethernet port for wired network access. The previous models only had Wi-Fi, but for the ultimate in network speed, nothing beats a hardwired connection, IMHO.

The design of the latest revision includes a flush-mounted DVD drawer, and manages to keep the familiar Xbox 360 light ring intact, mounted into the surface of the console, alongside the console’s control buttons and flanked by a pair of tiny stereo speakers. Here’s a pic of the laptop spilling its guts so you can see how it was built.

But you want to see the Xbox 360 portable in action, don’t you? Ask and ye shall receive. Ben has been kind enough to post a video clip of his handiwork in action here:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

[via Ben Heck's Blog]

Serious Sam: The First Encounter is getting an upgrade, a polish, and the letters HD attached to its name for its release later this summer. The revamped shooter will sell for 1200 Microsoft points, which is a steal for such a giant pile of badassery.

[via The Escapist and Eurogamer]

Yes, Microsoft is willing to pay you to use their browser. That’s all there is to it. Of course you could say that IE 8 isn’t necessarily as bad as the previous versions; it’s just that the browser’s reputation is so tarnished that people have to be given a little encouragement to try the latest spawn. Also, the ad that The Gadget Blog took a shot of must be an earlier version, as it is slightly more specific in terms of identifying who the IE 8’s archenemy is:

So how about it? Are you willing to join the hunt? Start here if you’re game. What? You want some tips? Let’s see: the instructions say that the prize in hidden is “a cleverly concealed webpage that only Internet Explorer 8 can view.” Hmmm. Well then I bet the prize is hidden in something like this. Either that or a page within the Windows Update site.

One more thing: wouldn’t it be funny though if someone using the IE Tab extension on Firefox found the hidden webpage? Or if we find out that Windows 7 will be sold for $10,001? Or…nah I’m all out.

That’s the new wallpaper; you can get the full version here. But the story doesn’t stop there;  build 7260 was also leaked yesterday, just a few hours after build 7232 came out.

No word on the difference between the two builds, but according to neowin, 7260 is an “RTM escrow build meaning vigorous testing will commence to ensure this is the final code unless there are show stopper bugs.” Let’s hope everything goes smoothly.

Although I have to ask, why is it that Win 7 has been leaked to high heavens, but I’ve only seen like 3 or 4 Snow Leopard leaks? Does that mean that Microsoft is less strict with their employees? I mean, the release dates for both systems are not that far from each other, so we can’t say that Snow Leopard is still in it’s early stages. Hmmm.

[via Maximum PC]

Unlike Nintendo’s Wii-mote, the Project Natal (pronounced “na-tall”) sensor box can detect movements of your entire body, and can also recognize voices. The compact device will mount above or below your television set and has an RGB camera, depth sensor and multi-array microphones to detect movements and voices around your room.

From the looks of Microsoft’s demo footage shown today, the system aims to significantly improve on the basic gesture control found in devices like Sony’s EyeToy. There’s also full gesture control for interactive with menus without the need for a controller.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Project Natal’s cameras can even detect faces and scan objects in real time and inject them directly into the games you’re playing. This concept footage should give you a pretty good idea of where Microsoft wants to go with Natal:

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

While most of the demo footage shown was for more traditional fare like fighters, racing and sports games, one standout was Peter Molyneux’s “Milo”.

Milo is sort of like a modern-day take on Seaman, but with a boy who can respond to your emotions, voice, facial expressions  and movements.

Click to View Embedded Video Clip

Cool stuff, but a little bit creepy. We may have officially crossed into the Uncanny Valley. Keep in mind that all of the tech demos and video footage shown at this point are only conceptual, and the features and functionality of the final product could (and probably will) change.

Microsoft hasn’t announced a release target for Project Natal, but if they manage to work out all the kinks, I’m hoping we could see the system as early as the 2009 holiday season. On the other hand, we could be waiting until some time in 2010. Stay tuned for more details.

[Project Natal for Xbox 360]