Here’s something you don’t see everday: a very rare SNES CD controller being offered on eBay for a whopping $2,999.99. Auction page. Click here for pictures of the actual SNES CD console (prototype).

On the docket today is a stupendously rare, unreleased development controller for use with the SNES CD dev kit. Yep, a unreleased controller for an unreleased system — pretty much a collector’s dream

[via Engadget - N-Sider]

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Filed under: Gaming

Since Microsoft knew you were tired of having your holiday break marred by the annoyingly frequent news of Xbox Live outages, they’ve decided to redefine the verbage, newspeak style. Apparently the term “Status: Up and running” has now been expanded to include a laundry list of “intermittent issue” caveats some users might be experiencing, including but not limited to trouble with: “Tournaments, Storage Downloads, Gamer Tile, Statistics through Arbitration, Match Making, and Messaging.” If you’re hoping to play Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4 online (you rebel, you) you’re most likely even more out of luck. There are also far-reaching problems that trace back to Windows Live IDs, so there’s a decent chance that your Zune account is on the fritz at the moment as well. But don’t worry, it’s all up and running.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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Filed under: Gaming

We already knew Nintendo’s DS was quite the popular handheld, and while the PSP recently overtook it in Japanese hardware sales, the most recent numbers show that the Big N’s famed DS has actually rocketed above the mighty PlayStation 2 in lifetime sales (in Japan). Notably, the numbers do combine DS and DS Lite units, but there’s no mention of how the systems stack up worldwide. Nevertheless, the feat is a fairly impressive one when you consider how much longer the PS2 has been available compared to the DS, and unless Sony somehow lightens the PS2 load even further and starts bundling them in with cereals, we doubt it will reclaim the top spot anytime soon.

[Via DSFanboy, thanks J]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Ah, eBay. Home to some of the rarest, most incredible devices known (and previously unknown) to man. On the docket today is a stupendously rare, unreleased development controller for use with the SNES CD dev kit. Yep, a unreleased controller for an unreleased system — pretty much a collector’s dream. Unfortunately, the controller alone won’t do you very much good beyond hooking you up with unbelievable bragging rights, but unless you’ve got $2,999.99 (at least) to blow, the above picture is close as you’ll get to this treasure.

[Via NintendoWiiFanboy]

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Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

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It’s undeniable that Sony’s XEL-1 OLED TV is a lovely piece of tech, but the only problem is that it can’t be found in the US. One finally surfaced on eBay, making it available to American consumers – or a handful of bidders at least. eBay seller Kyotostyles2 put three of these TVs up for sale, and one has already been sold. The TVs have a Buy It Now price of $1999, but don’t expect the price (or the TVs) to remain there for long. [eBay via TV Snob]

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We had a plan. After years of bitching and moaning about crappy, stock Apple earbuds, we were going to put Apple in their place, and once and for all, prove what a lousy product they were packaging with their iPods—the one kink in their plan of global music player dominance. Obviously, the $30 stock earphones in the iPod would get destroyed versus more expensive competitors like those from Shure, Ultimate Ears or V-Moda. So we ordered a bunch of earbud-style headphones all under $20 for “testing”. We use those quotes because we really meant “slaughter”. Who would have thought that the disrespected Apple earbuds would hold their own?

1. Maxell Digital Earbuds 191208

Better fit, deep in the ear. Volume control on wire. But soft sound levels, and a slight static. Music was in the other room, not my ears.
Price: $15.95
Verdict: Staticky, NOT BETTER

2. Genius HP-02 Live

Once again, deep ear fit. These bad boys are exploring places of my body I didn’t know I had. Sound doesn’t have a bad balance, but once again, nothing spectacular here.
Price: $9.99
Verdict: Frisky but NOT BETTER

3. Philips SHE2650

Design is very similar to iPod headphones, as is the sound. But these are just a hair less sparkling than Apple’s headphones with even less impressive lows.
Price: $7.99
Verdict: Has a case, NOT BETTER

4. Jlabs JBuds Hi-Fi

These had the strongest bass of any model we tested. And they gave Bolero, our test song, more of a stage feel. But fidelity was lacking. So while the headphones sound “big” they don’t always sound so clear.
Price: $19.19
Verdict: NOT BETTER

5. Coby Super Bass CV-E92

The balance reminded me of the jLab model we tested, possibly with even better clarity in some ranges. There is certainly more bass in these headphones than Apple’s offerings, but while it makes us crave more lows in the iPod stock earbuds, Coby doesn’t touch the present highs to mids of Apple. They’re a pretty sweet deal for $5 though.
Price: $4.88
Verdict: A bargain, but NOT BETTER

6. Koss BDZ1 Two-Pack Earbud Headphones with Case

Unresponsive. Very quiet at a given volume level compared to the ipod earbuds. But for this price, you get TWO sets of earbuds and a case.
Price: $8.01
Verdict: (NOT BETTER X 2) + Case

7. Philips SHS3201/37 Flexible Earhook w/ Bud -White

I’d expected these fancy white headphones to sound better, given Philips’ reputation and the solid placement coming from the earhooks, but they were loud, but less clear than the iPod’s.
Price: $8.38
Verdict: White, impossible to Shake Off, but NOT BETTER

Also of note, the iPod earbuds fit the Nano a lot better than competitors. We think this is mostly because the earbud jack isn’t bent on Apple’s model, unlike all the other models which bend at a 90-degree angle before the wire. A non-bending plug translates to less cord rotation and subsequent static/pops.

As for fitting the ears, most models on the market now offer multiple sized earplug adapters. If Apple’s earbuds aren’t fitting you correctly, then don’t think twice about finding something more comfortable or just using the black foam inserts. You’ll never get optimal sound out of any headphone that doesn’t fit you properly, anyway.

At the end of the day, Apple might not give us the best headphones around with our iPods, but they’re not highway robbery either. Given that they were better than quite a few $20 and under models, we’re thinking that $30 isn’t the most ludicrous price in the world, and “free with iPod” is looking pretty freaking decent.

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We previously told you guys about two new SLRs Pentax were rumored to be readying. Well, it looks like images of the K200D have hit the old interweb, and although we have no new word on confirmed spec—the original rumor suggested a 10MP Sony Sensor, PRIME 12-bit image processor and a 3-inch LCD—the images look solid. Either that or someone has some super sexy PS skills, in which case, we are still searching for an art intern. However, we are guessing this is the real deal, click through the gallery to see why. [Photography Bay]

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When Amtek are not taking the piss out of Gizmodo writers, they are usually busy cranking out tempting UMPCs. Their latest effort, the iTablet T221, packs in some great features, including a 12.1-inch LCD touchscreen (1024 x 768), Intel Core Duo (1.2Ghz), GMA 950 graphic chipset, 60GB HDD, 2GB RAM and supports 802.11a/b/g wireless networks.

The UMPC will run Windows Vista, but there is no pricing or shipping information at present. Naturally, we would be excited, but our morbid obesity is so severe, we can no longer sense our emotions. Yeah Amtek, we know we are fat, but even we have feelings, you know. We’ll go drown our sorrows in a high sugar content soda. [Aving via Mobilewhack]

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The SegaToys Brain Checker is a handheld game that allows you to get your gray matter flexing. Given the Japanese content of the source, we are not too sure what the Brain Checker will actually involve, but derivations of Dr. Kawashima’s Brain Age games are to be expected. From the screenshots available, the game will involve picture and number based puzzles on a pocket sized LCD screen, which will attempt to get your prefrontal cortex all hot and sweaty.

However, you may not want to organize an import, which will set you back ¥5,775 ($51), just yet. According to new research, fresh out of Mark’s very own brain, taking a 25-minute walk/day is actually more beneficial than solving puzzles from dusk till dawn. The research is actually spearheaded by Art Kramer, who states there is no conclusive evidence for any slowing of the brain’s aging with use of such video games. Hey, what the hell? It’s not going to make you any more of a gargantuan douche, right? [Product Page (Japanese Link), via Technabob]

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Yesterday we told you about some hardware enthusiasts at the Annual Chaos Communication Congress who announced that they were able to hack the Nintendo Wii using a custom serial interface. Their development will allow for all sorts of fun software, since Wii hacks up to this point haven’t been able to fully utilize Wii hardware, instead settling for watered down Gamecube-specific solutions like Gamecube Linux. Here’s a clip of the announcement from 24C3. Watch the whole thing if your a techie, or just skip to the end for the money shot. [youtube via wiinintendo]

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