Xbox 360 Firmware Hacked?

Posted by Jared Hislop Categories: Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Video Games,

It looks like even the Xbox 360 is not the impermeable fortress that Microsoft expected it to be. Recently, a group of hackers have not only managed to hack the firmware, but they got burned copies of game discs to play as well.  The team responsible for the hack has declined to release the hacked firmware for the masses - probably to avoid issues with Microsoft.  The hack does not allow region free playing of discs, nor does it allow the execution of unsigned code. It merely allows the playing of directly copied discs.  Technical details here, and here.

Read More | MaxConsole

The Bleeding Edge 007: PlayStation 3, MacBook Pro vs PowerMac, 802.11n

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, Internet, Mods / Hacks, Movies, PC / Laptop, Video Games, Videocasts, Wireless / WiFi,

This week we go over PlayStation 3 news, 802.11n, and put the MacBook Pro against the Dual G5 PowerMac:

THE WIRE
PlayStation 3 News
802.11n Interference
Windows XP On Intel iMac

HEAD TO HEAD
MacBook Pro vs Dual G5 PowerMac

GIZMATIC
Archos AV700
Vaja Choice 5G and nano Cases

WEB GEMS
Make My Day DVD Interview: Enter contest here.

GIVEAWAYS
Don’t forget - in Episode 005, we told you about two giveaways we are doing on the show. If you didn’t see it, go download it to find out how you can enter to win an Xbox 360. Also, we have the results of the OHSO giveaway.

Here’s how to get the show:
Subscribe: iTunes iPod / H.264 | iTunes MPEG-4 | RSS iPod Feed | RSS MPEG-4 Feed

|Download| - iPod-formatted H.264 (Mirror)
|Download| - DivX
|Download| - MPEG-4 (Mirror)
|Download| - PSP
Length: 30:58

IMPORTANT: We are surveying the viewers of our show to see what it is that people like, and more importantly, what they don’t like. It is anonymous, and just takes a couple of minutes. If you have the time, we would appreciate it! As always, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

The Easy Way To Play DivX On Your Xbox 360

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Home Entertainment, Mods / Hacks, Software, Video Games,

We have hated that face that there is a severe lack of DivX support on the Xbox 360 on Microsoft’s part. While a hack was created back at the beginning of the year, it wasn’t something that people wanted to go out of their way to set up. Finally, thanks to our friend Jake Ludington, you can watch your DivX content on your Xbox 360 with minimal fuss using a free product called MCE Video Encoder. Check out MediaBlab for all the information, including screenshots and instructions.

Read More | Jake Ludinton’s MediaBlab

12-Foot Wide GPS Wall Clock

Posted by John Goulden Categories: GPS, Mods / Hacks,

Timepieces can be fascinating objects, and they come in an enormous range of styles, sizes, shapes and methods for keeping time.  Nixie clocks are quite popular, and Persistence of Vision (POV) clocks certainly have their place, but the crew over at Spark Fun Electronics just had to have something bigger.  As in

bigger.  Using a series of green LED strips, some Ethernet cable, and vast amounts of styrofoam and hot glue, they created a glowing green behemoth that is near impossible to miss.  Connected to a GPS, the clock is able to set itself and even keeps perfect time (within 100 nanoseconds). 

A tutorial is available should you feel the urge to follow in their footsteps, but be sure to set aside a few days (at a minimum) for the project.

Read More | Spark Fun Electronics via Gearlog

XP On Mac Contest Over - Instructions Included!

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Software,

We had a few people write in who were salivating over the video we posted yesterday of Windows XP being installed and running on an Intel iMac. Your wait is over, dear friends. narf2006 and blanka have claimed the championship, and will soon be the proud recipient of $13,854. In the meantime, you can download the instructions and files needed to get Windows XP up and running on your Intel-based Mac (be it an iMac, MacBook Pro, or mini) here.

Read More | XP on Mac

Video: Windows XP Installed and Running On Intel iMac

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Software,

So, narf2006 seems to have cracked the code, so to speak, on getting Windows XP to run on an Intel Mac. Using one of the new iMacs, narf recorded a video of the installation of Windows XP, followed by the rebooting of the platform, creating user accounts, logging in, and checking out the Device Manager. We must say, this one is very convincing. He goes out of his way to prove that this is authentic, and has sent his instructions to Colin Nederkorn (who has raised over $10,000 to award to the first person to get this figured out.) Once they are validated, and the check is cut, we can all hack up our iMacs to dual boot, despite all the roadblocks we have faced.

Back to reality for a moment. We don’t see what the practical, real-world benefit of this is. In our offices, we have Macs and PCs right next to each other. If we need to get to something in the other OS, there is no need to shut down, and reboot. What we need is a version of Virtual PC that is fast, and runs on the Intel Macs. Better yet, we need to be able to run Windows programs on the Mac. When that happens, give us a call. We will squeal like schoolgirls.

Read More | OnMac

Mactallic iMac Designer Overlay

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Apple, Mods / Hacks, PC / Laptop,

Apple fans do know that there really isn’t much variety as it pertains to the color of their desktop computers. In the past, if you wanted to add stunning color to your iMac, ColorWare PC happened to be your only option. We have talked about ColorWare’s service in the past, and we have been genuinely impressed. However, getting them to paint your iMac will run you over $400. Instead, why not go the cheap man’s route? Mactallic aims to pretty up your iMac using overlays that are available in silver, blue, pink, green, black, and orange. The price is $39.95 for the 17-inch iMac, and $44.95 for the 20-inch iMac.

Read More | Mactallic via

Gizmodo

The Bleeding Edge 006: Scott-O Cherub Interview, Windows Live, Delphi Eye Tracking Software

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Features, Home Entertainment, Internet, Mods / Hacks, Transportation, Videocasts,

In this episode we chat with the director of Internet comedy ‘Cherub,’ check out technology that is meant to keep your eyes focused on the road, and much more:

THE WIRE
Windows Live Search
TiVos New Pricing Plan
Brain to PC Interface

GIZMATIC
Delphi Eye Tracking Software

WEB GEMS
Scott-O: Cherub Interview

HACK ATTACK
Wireless Motion Sensor

GIVEAWAYS
Don’t forget - in Episode 005, we told you about two giveaways we are doing on the show. If you didn’t see it, go download it to find out how you can enter to win your own OHSO and Xbox 360.

Here’s how to get the show:
Subscribe: iTunes iPod / H.264 | iTunes MPEG-4 | RSS iPod Feed | RSS MPEG-4 Feed

|Download| - iPod-formatted H.264 (Mirror)
|Download| - XviD
|Download| - MPEG-4 (Mirror)
|Download| - PSP
Length: 37:23

IMPORTANT: We are surveying the viewers of our show to see what it is that people like, and more importantly, what they don’t like. It is anonymous, and just takes a couple of minutes. If you have the time, we would appreciate it! As always, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.

Mac OS X: Hacked Root In Less Than 30 Minutes

Posted by John Goulden Categories: Apple, Microsoft, Mods / Hacks, Software,

Windows detractors are generally more than happy to point fingers at Microsoft’s failings in making their operating systems secure.  It’s hard to blame them, as it does seem that barely a day goes by without some new exploit popping up.  However, one has to look at the percentages of installed systems.  With Microsoft products commanding the vast majority of the market share, they make prime targets for anyone with too much free time or a grudge to bear.  In contrast, Mac OS X and Linux seem to blend quietly into the background noise, with nary a peep to be heard with regards to security problems.  Okay, that’s oversimplifying things a tad, but the basic idea remains the same - Microsoft products appear to have more security holes than their competitive counterparts due in part to market share and their public presence. 

As a case in point, an obliging Mac user set a Mac mini up and told would-be hackers to give it their best shot.  Within six hours, the mini had been compromised and root-level access obtained.  Total time to actually hack the mini?  Less than 30 minutes.  Granted, there aren’t a lot of details as to patch level, security measures taken, etc., but the hacker claimed the use of an unpublished hack that would have worked regardless of counter-measures implemented.

With regards to recent viruses and exploits related to Mac OS X, a senior director of Symantec’s Security Response Division is quoted as saying, “The lesson here is that if we look at Mac OS X and compare it to, say, Windows XP, we find that, in terms of the number of vulnerabilities, they are actually quite comparable.” 

Keep in mind that we’re not out to bash the Mac by any means, and many Gear Live members love the Mac.  Would an equivalently configured Windows or Linux system have fared any better?  Not likely.  Therefore it’s important to be mindful, that regardless of your operating system of choice, security holes do exist and it’s better to be as prepared as possible than sorry due to blissful ignorance. 

EDIT: Turns out, this is a lot less important that it first seemed. Check out the comments section, and you will find that the “hack” was made to be extremely simple - this is not something that took place in a real-world scenario.

Read More | Top Tech News

The Bleeding Edge 004: Wicked Lasers, Gillette Fusion, Wireless Network Music Player, Vaja PSP Case

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Accessories, Features, Misc. Tech, Mods / Hacks, Product Reviews, Video Games, Videocasts,

This week we bring the pain as we set up a Wicked Laser playground (geeky Light Saber fight included!), put the Gillette Fusion against an old-school razor, show off a homebrew wireless network music player, and more:

THE WIRE
AOL Raises Broadband Pricing
MacBook Pros Finally Arriving

HEAD TO HEAD
We take the Gillette Fusion Power and put it against a traditional old-school razor to see which is truly the best.

HIGH SCORE
If you are looking for some protection for your PSP, we take a look at the Vaja i-Volution leather PSP case.

GIZMATIC
If you want to see something that is just cool, we have it. We show off a couple of Wicked Lasers, setting up a couple of different environments to display how awesome lasers can be.

Here’s how to get the show:
|iTunes| - Subscribe to our iTunes video feed
|RSS| - Subscribe to our video RSS feed

|Download| - iPod-formatted H.264 (Mirror)
|Download| - XviD
|Download| - MPEG-4 (Mirror)
|Download| - PSP
Length: 30:08

IMPORTANT: We are surveying the listeners of our podcast to see what it is that people like, and more importantly, what they don’t like. It is anonymous, and just takes a couple of minutes. If you have the time, we would appreciate it! As always, feel free to let us know what you think in the comments.