The Neuros OSD is the successor to the popular Neuros MPEG4 Recorder 2 we reviewed a while ago. With a  higher recording resolution, Ethernet support and a USB host, the Neuros OSD allows you to digitize you favorite video content (DVD, VHS tapes, TV shows, …) in the MP4 format for playback on your TV or your portable devices.

What do you have to do to win? Just comment on this post, yeah that is it, no work required on your part. Hit the jump for more details!

With video game consoles becoming more and more commonly found in households the world over, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is now drafting plans to include game consoles in its Energy Star program. A quick look through the Energy Star 5.0 draft has revealed a few of the requirements needed for consoles to pass the Energy Star specs. Hit the jump for details.

Sony let loose with talk of a new firmware revision coming out soon for the PlayStation 3, and not long after we've sifted through the details that we were greeted with a prompt to update. So get to your units, folks, and let's choke those update servers together! I'm kidding, of course. More to be had at the full story.

Word is being passed around various internet forums about a new PlayStation 3 SKU with specs that will either make your jaw drop, or raise your eyebrows. It all started when folks found out that Sony Sony registered a certain model labeled CECHG06, similar to the 40GB PS3's CECHG01.

With Sony's mysterious machine in the records, some who claim to be insiders revealed what they stated to be the next PS3 SKU's specs straight from Sony Computer Entertainment International's (SCEI) Japan offices. Here are the details on what's supposed to be a monster package that will be made available in Japan:

• Code: CECHG06 (SPECIFICATION)
• Sony PlayStation 3
• 160gb 2.5 SATA 5400rpm HDD
• CELL Broadband Engine (65nm process) @ 3.2ghz
• PPU x1, SPE x8
• RSX GPU (65nm process) @ 550mhz
• Blu-Ray Optical Disc Drive @ 2x
• Memory Card Reader- Memory Stick Duo, Compact Flash, Secure
• Digital
• 6x USB 2.0 ports
• 2x HDMI 1.3 ports
• 3x Gigabit ethernet ports
• DUALSHOCK 3 controller

As other forum posters would say, six USB ports and two HDMI ports sound a wee bit excessive. According to someone who claims to be an insider, the 20GB PS3 in Japan will be cut off and the 60GB will receive a price cut. There won't be any Japanese 80GB SKUs, so the hardcore would have to look at the hefty 160GB package.

Keep in mind that we are yet to receive any confirmations. While there is indeed a CECHG06 model registered to Sony since September 21, 2007 as listed on Singapore's consumer protection website, the leaked specs are currently without proper credit. We're all ears for any official Sony statements, so watch this space!

It's common knowledge that the Christmas holidays are very important for boosting market sales. This also applies to the gaming industry, as Paul Hochman of Today notes. He writes that the big three console makers will be having some problems this holiday season, facing their "biggest shakeup in years," due to some deficiencies on each console maker's part.

For the Xbox 360, Hochman cites its persistent problem of product malfunctions - the now-infamous Red Ring of Death - something that Microsoft is scrambling to fix with an allocated US$ 1 billion budget and an extended 3-year-warranty. Microsoft also advised customers to wait at least one week while their console is being repaired.

In Nintendo Wii's case, all seems peachy for the console. However, there's one spot that Nintendo hasn't managed to fully fix, and that's undersupply.

With an almost chronic case of undersupply, the quest for a Nintendo Wii usually involves the following inconveniences: queuing up in long lines in Best Buy once a fresh stock becomes available, getting overpriced Wiis on eBay, and limiting the allowance of sales to one console per buying group. This problem has prompted an apology from Nintendo's CEO Satoru Iwata, who promised to use Nintendo's Mario video game factory for Wii production.

Finally, Hochman cited the PS3's current underperformance, saying that Sony's PS3 trailed behind and sold only about 90,000 units in June, compared to Xbox 360's 198,000 and the Wii's strong 435,000. He also mentioned that Sony loses about US$ 300 every time a PS3 console is sold, with the total estimated loss of US$ 2 billion for the fiscal year that ended in March.

For those wondering why Sony is willing to take such losses, there is a reason behind that: According to Hochman, when Sony's Blu-ray wins the format wars and becomes the sought-after format for home viewing - partly with the help of the PS3 - then the PS3 losses will be more than worth it.

Check out Hochman's take on each of the console's good points in the Full Article!

The PS3's launch in Europe, Australia, and other PAL territories just concluded. There's a lot of new PS3 owners out there, and to help them all familiarize themselves with their brand new next-gen videogame console, CVG has posted a rough guide to the PS3's ports.

Everything from the back of the console, the front, even the peripherals are covered in the article. Here's a short excerpt (all of these are found at the back of the console):

HDMI. High-Definition Multimedia Interface port capable of transporting you into a new era of quality visuals (but remember - a HDMI cable must be bought separately).

LAN. The Ethernet cable supplied with your PS3 connects you directly to the Internet provided you have a service provider. You can also connect wirelessly via a Wi-Fi USB dongle.

Optical Digital Out. For Dolby Digital Surround Sound, DTS and to connect to other audio devices that support digital out such as an AV Receiver.

AV Multi Out. For Composite, HD Ready, S-Video or Scart connections. The PS3 comes with a standard A/V composite cable but to get the most benefit from PS3's 1080p output you will need a HDMI cable and a HDTV that supports 1080p.

On/Off Switch. Standard switch for firing up your PS3. Obviously...

AC Power Cord. As the PS3 has an internal power supply the AC power cord bundled with your system is slim and discrete, unlike the python that's swallowed a brick you get with the Xbox 360.

For the full guide, click on the "read" link below. You guys might also want to give out a tips to new PS3 owners, so leave a comment below if you do.

Terrasoft is now accepting pre-orders on Sony PlayStation 3s with pre-installed Linux. This is pre-installed with the native PS3 OS running side by side with it. So like any good system, what specs can you expect from this modded PS3?

• DVD, installation guide, sticker, and "flippy"
  
• 60GB hard drive
• 256MB of non-expandable Rambus RAM,
• Gigabit Ethernet
• WiFi
• 4 USB ports
• Blueray DVD player
• HDMI and Sony Multi AV graphics ports

Users will have to supply their own keyboard and mouse, and must purchase separate HDMI or component-to-multi-AV cables in order to connect the device to high-definition displays (1080p).  The price is currently set at US$ 650, to most that's a small price to pay for the geek factor.

   

This is just a short heads up to those guys who want to be a little different and unique. But hey wait! All of us at one point dreamt of being unique, right? So this, we guess, concerns everyone. PlayStation 3-dedicated site PS3Center is selling on eBay a white customized PS3 unit. We remember Sony mentioning before that they will be releasing a black, a white, and even a silver PS3. Or was it just a dream? At any rate, what we have here is the first white PS3 available today.

Aside from the casing of the console itself and the Sixaxis, no other features were actually modified. It's our average 60GB PS3, complete with all the power, Ethernet, USB, and AV cables. The site also included a Blu-Ray disc of Taladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. We don't know why, maybe just for kicks.

Since this one here is a customized version (and we understand it took them 14 hours to finish this), the auction price begins a bit higher: US$ 801. Currently, there are just 10 registered bidders and bidding will stop on December 31.

IGN has an article up featuring the ins and outs of working with Yellow Dog on the PS3. Most of the article talks about how to get the OS installed into their console, and since we think it's safe to assume that our readership is already well-informed about that process, we'll skip those parts and we'll relay to you their take on the working with YDL's applications on the PS3.

What's interesting about the post they've got is that they claim that's it's all been generated and posted using YDL.

Basic Use - The interface should be similar to the experience you get when using a Windows or Mac system. The E Shelf (the main user bar) appears by default on the top center of the screens and from there you can various applications.

Networking - The PS3's Ethernet port works without any setup, aside from maybe popping in an IP address if you need to. Wireless is a different issue, however. WiFi isn't automatically detected, and while you can go and manually add a wireless adapter, the OS doesn't try to help and choose which brand it is. So if you aren't all that savvy, it's going to end up a guessing game.

Get the rest of the article after the Jump!

Ever wondered what the PlayStation 3 console looks like, up close and personal? You may observe that most images of the PS3 found in the web are angled in such a way that you only see the console as a whole, but how about the little details on its casing such as its sockets and ports? Well look no further as these images will relay more details about the upcoming Sony console in a closer perspective.

As previously announced, the PS3 will be supporting HDMI connections, which means that users will be able to enjoy sharper colors and higher frame rates, hence the HDMI port featured in one of the photos. The console will also be able to support various audio formats such as Dolby TrueHD and 7.1 digital audio.

Another thing to note is the fact that the 60GB version of the console will be able to use Memory Sticks, Compact Flash or SD and MMC cards, slots for which are also seen in the photos that we have. This would enable you to save data from your favorite games. For connectivity and communication, the PS3 also sports four USB ports and an Ethernet port, not to mention a Bluetooth EDR.

As for the power supply, it will be built into the console and for that purpose, a 3-pin IEC connector can be located at the base.

Please be reminded that the console shown herein is not yet the final version, but these images should give you an idea of what the retail units would look like once they are released to the public.