More rock legends jump on the video game distribution model – Guitar Hero: Metallica coming in 2009

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The internet-hating rock superband that was the enemy of file-sharers the world over a few years back is about to embrace technology – and create a special edition of Guitar Hero featuring its back catalogue.

There’s already an Aerosmith special edition of Guitar Hero on the way, with the likes of Def Leppard and Motley Crue also doing very well out of the music game sales scene. So it seems only natural that rock behemoth Metallica would jump on board…

Asus "Bamboo" EcoBook laptop now just slightly laminated on the inside

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Remember this thing? That was the mock-up. The dream. The reality, as ever, is much more disappointing than the original crazed fantasy. The final Asus U6 now just comes with a small strip of wood surrounding the keyboard and screen, no doubt to stop warping and to help it pass stringent modern fire regulations.

So it’s not really an “eco-friendly” laptop any more. It’s now just a regular notebook with a bit of wood stuck on the front of it. It’s more of a design statement than a planet-saving option…

Samsung backtracks over L870 "Safari" claim – it uses a standard Series 60 browser after all

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Quite a few Apple fans got rather tecthy and a little bit over-protective a few days ago, when it was revealed that their beloved – and occasionally adequate – Safari browser would be appearing on the Samsung L870.

Well, it’s OK, Apple kids – you still have the exclusive. Samsung “clarified” the situation today, pointing out that the L870 – due in August – will come with your standard S60 OSS browser. Not Safari…

Xbox 360 outsells PS3 in the UK thanks to little-known arthouse video game GTA IV

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PlayStation3 and Xbox 360 both benefited BIG TIME from the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV, but it was Xbox 360 that took the larger and more sustained win.

Sales of Microsoft’s console were up a whopping 47% over the four weeks since GTA IV launched, according to UK stat-watcher Chart-Track, with PlayStation3 managing a rather more modest – and slightly disappointing…

Amazon set to launch its own streaming movie rental service "in the next few weeks"

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Amazon’s big boss Jeff Bezos, speaking at the D6 conference, said the retail behemoth is planning to launch its own online video rental service rather soon.

That’s pretty much all he said on the matter, although he pointed out you’d be buying movies individually on an “a la carte” basis rather than paying a subscription, then watching via a streaming…

MONKEY uses its BRAIN to control a ROBOTIC ARM

More news from the world of mad scientists PLAYING GOD – this time they’ve managed to thoroughly confuse a poor monkey by hooking its brain up to robotic arm.

The serious research angle behind the monkey/robot/brain fun is something to do with it eventually being used to help humans control prosthetic limbs. So far, the boffins at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have managed to teach a monkey to pick up a marshmallow and put it in its mouth. Here is the dramatic moment in pictures:

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This development in marshmallow consumption alone…

Channel 4 embracing old-school "radio" technology and bringing DAB to mobiles

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Here’s a thoroughly educational update packed with things you probably didn’t know. For starters, telly company Channel 4 has a digital radio station license and will be launching “E4 Radio” alongside a stack of new stations later this year.

Channel 4 Radio, in an attempt to broaden its reach, is apparently sounding out manufacturers about making a C4-branded dongle to bring DAB capabilities to mobile phones and iPods. The company wants to charge about £20 for this…

European manned spaceship shown off in Berlin – Patrick Moore still in with a chance before he dies

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It’s only a prototype, but the new EADS Astrium design here is based on the existing unmanned Jules Verne pod already flying about up there, so it could easily take scientists and paying billionaires up into the ionosphere with a bit of tweaking.

Very handy if you’ve recently applied to be an astronaut or are just generally excited about space things…

Motley Crue single downloaded FIVE TIMES more in Rock Band than on iTunes

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If you pay attention, read regularly and maybe even take down some notes every once in a while, you may recall an update we did based around reformed dad-rockers Motley Crue releasing a single in the game Rock Band.

This was clearly a clever marketing ploy designed to help the ageing band reach “the youth” – and boy, did it ever work. The play-along Rock Band version of Motley Crue’s single sold FIVE TIMES as many…