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Finally, a Good Reason to Drink Starbucks

Chelsea Thompson — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:46:16 +0000

If you were anything like me, your favorite movie growing up was (is?) the original Star Wars Trilogy. In fact, even if you aren’t anything like me at all you probably love the original Star Wars movies. As a result, you get a lot of crazy fan art like homemade storm trooper outfits and, you know, Lego Han Solo in carbonite.

One Star Wars fan decided to go green and make his own TIE Fighter out of Starbucks garbage. Using stirrers for the skeleton, ribbed cardboard for the two outside panels and a cut-up coffee lid for the front of the cockpit, Star Wars fan Dan Winters has made a pretty fancy looking replica. “Pew pew!” sound effects not included.

As a result of Dan’s ingeniuty, Wired.com is also starting a contest to see who can make the coolest stuff using only Starbucks materials. Don’t let this dude show you up; save the environment and your money by making your own toys. Grab some cardboard cups and get cracking.

Source: Wired.com

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Prices for Older PS3s Double in Japan

Ian Ennis — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 20:54:48 +0000

If you’re an early adaptor of the PS3, consider yourself lucky, because it might have paid off. In Japan, the 20GB model is burning up Amazon Japan, and most local retailers are now charging twice the price for these backward compatible machines as the newer 40GB model.

This also applies to the trade-in value from Japanese game retailers, which has skyrocketed from 15,000 to 40,100 Yen for the 20GB Model. Surprisingly, this used price is the same price the shops charged one year ago for a brand-new console.

But here’s the sweetest plum: a brand new 20 GB model is retailing at 63.800 Yen (US $616), and the 60 GB model is retailing for 74.800 ($723).

Early 60GB PS3s have recently sold on Ebay for double retail price not just for backwards compatibility, but also for SACD functionality.

Many music geeks love their 5.1 albums, and the PS3 was a system that could afford them this luxury. However, later PS3 models have had this functionality removed.

It seems the Japanese really miss these features, so much so that retailers are getting away with these murderous prices.

New Xbox 360 Sku on the Way? Amazon.com Confuses

Patrick Steen — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 19:41:12 +0000

It’s safe to say, it won’t look like this.

There’s been quite a bit of evidence for a new Xbox 360 sku, or at least a sign that Microsoft will be putting out new models, whether they have any major hardware additions or not. Apparent shortages in the United States, a bigger appearance at this weeks GDC, and now Amazon.com are adding to the pile.

After January’s NPD numbers were released, the Xbox 360 fell behind the Playstation 3 for the first time in the US. Microsoft and gamers alike pointed to a console shortage for the lower sales numbers. It is unlikely that Microsoft simply misjudged their market, since there has been no major growth in sales over last year. So with shortages expected to continue until March, Microsoft may well be holding something back.

It’s possible that production has ended on the current consoles and has moved onto a newly improved selection, either with new features, or simply with an improved chipset.

Amazon.com adds to the intrigue by suggesting that almost every Xbox 360 sku has been “Discontinued by the manufacturer.” Many of the consoles appear to be in stock on the website, but with such an odd statement underneath each of them, it’s hard not to infer that Microsoft are getting ready to re-stuff the channels with new and improved consoles.

Will Microsoft be announcing a new Xbox 360 at this weeks GDC? Or will things carry on as normal, while they improve the chipset behind closed doors?