UK peeps may want to visit Samsung’s new movie store. These 16:9 movies for download are obviously legit, and for £5 are yours forever! You get 1 license for PC/TV use, and another for viewing on your portable device.

Shiny Shiny reports that 500 movies are currently available through the store, with plans to include another thousand. That’s once deals with the other studios are made. Of course you’ll need a fast connection to maximize the store, since movies take up 1.5GB on average.

To keep things weighted in their favor, only Samsung portable devices (mobiles and media players) within the current compatibility list can play these movies on the go. Though according to the FAQ: “Any PC user can download and enjoy our films”. Windows Media Player 11 required.

Well duh. That makes sense, like Steve Ballmer banning Google and iPods for his kids. Then again, Gates and Ballmer could be missing out on crucial market research opportunities.

English goalie Ben Foster of Manchester United, having to defend his goal during a penalty shoot-out, watched footage of opposing players taking penalties before the dueling started. Manchester United won 4-1 in penalties, thanks in large part to Foster’s save.

I call that being prepared for a game, but some people may not agree:

Former Premier League referee Graham Poll told the Daily Mail that using iPod technology “had the potential to exploit a loophole in the laws which should be referred to FIFA”.

Whatever man. It’s not like Ben Foster injected himself with chemicals to increase his speed or strength artificially right? (At least, for the situation we’re talking about here). No, what Mr. Foster did was simple: he used technology to realize his potential, by giving himself the mental insights that let him maximize his physical training and natural talent.

This is a clear example of a gadget used as a tool. Apple designed the iPod to play music and show videos on-the-go. If millions of people use it for that, why can’t Ben Foster? In any case, don’t professional sports team already make their players watch footage to understand their opponents better? What’s wrong with doing that right on the field, during a dead ball situation?

(image from sky.com)

The internet is currently buzzing over what David Perry, the chief creative officer of Acclaim, surmised in a conversation with kotaku.com yesterday: “I spoke to a developer who is working on it right now. I know this developer is already working on it, so that means they have a prototype. That would sound like a fall release to me.”

Other juicy tidbits: the PSP 2 will be entirely digital, meaning all content will be stored on-board. If true, then the UMD format is now scheduled for obsolescence. Just rumors for now, so stay tuned for updates. Maybe it’s time to start budgeting for a new console purchase.

Thanks Gearlog!

For under $50, you can get a Coby Portable Media Player with 4GB of onboard memory, a two-inch display (176 x 220), and a built-in FM radio. A standard 3.5mm audio-in jack supports standard earphones and headphones, and USB 2.0 capability allows fast file transfers.

This 4GB Coby also claims “touchpad control”, 8 straight hours of video playback, as well as support for MP3s, WMAs, OGGs, WMVs, FLVs, AVIs, JPGs, BMPs, and even text files. All these features in a package that’s 0.6″ thick, 1.7″ wide, and 3.7″ long. As Devicepedia reports, ” you’ll struggle to find more for your money”.

Too bad Amazon won’t ship this out of the US, and too bad a lot of people will ignore this option for the sake of the i-Word. Check out the product page on Amazon for more details

(Image from Amazon)

It’s definitely a sign of the times when practically anyone can buy a pen with a functional video camera hidden inside. Even more so when said gadget uses consumer standards like USB 2.0 and the AVI video format for easy transfer and review of all that illicitly-acquired evidence.

With 2GB worth of storage, the SAS Spy Pen promises up to 15 hours of recorded video at 352 x 288 CIF resolution (not clear though if it can record audio as well). The lower part unscrews to reveal the USB plug, conceivably making video uploads possible right after the recording session. And if the product photos are to be believed, the SAS Spy Pen does a great job of scribbling as well. Available from Boys Stuff for £75. (Images from Boys Stuff. Thanks DVICE!)

It’s cool that app developer Freeverse has utilized an undocumented feature on the iPhone to turn it into a TV gaming device:

Just how much is Apple willing to keep everyone in the dark? Freeverse was able to tap undocumented SDK features to give their demo TV-out capability. To what degree will Apple allow its developers—and customers—to tap the iPhone’s TV-out functionality? Will they give programmers free reign to maximize it, or limit this ability for the its own sake?

Nikon’s new creation is kinda cool. That’s because the Media Port UP is a headset with a built-in display and features up to 8GB of memory (the higher-end 300x model). Aside from making you look like a borg, this so-called multimedia headset can even do WiFi! Even better, true-handsfree playback control is possible, thanks to the headset’s apparent ability to sense distinct head movements.

It’s just too bad that the Media Port UP apparently can’t connect to a dSLR. Imagine: photogs who can frame a scene without looking through a viewfinder, even if the camera is faced rearwards! Ah well, most people can’t afford to pay $680 for the basic 4GB 300 model anyways. Another requirement: you have to be in Japan to accept shipments of this gadget (link in Japanese).

(image by Crave Asia)

Yes, in less than two hours, Steve Jobs will reveal official details on whatever Apple’s planning to offer the world this time, and most likely updates on current projects. And the noisy Mac-loving minority has made sure that tech writers will hang on every syllable coming from Jobs’ mouth—for the “benefit” of their own readers. Read more

Have you visted memorex.com lately? The site sports a new look and puts the brand’s new products front and center.

It’s obvious that selling recordable media is no longer that lucrative—if it ever was in the first place. Will Memorex’s new approach prove fruitful, or is it only delaying the inevitable?