Payback Time! [Pic]

[Source: Threadless]

This Cat Loves World of Warcraft [Video]

If he’s that entranced by the login screen, just wait till he starts raiding. – Dorkly

[Via Dorkly]

Finish Him! [Pic]

[Get it on a shirt @ Glennztees - $19.95]

Could This Be the Perfect Portable Gaming PC?

Perhaps the most innovative bit of gaming tech at this year's Consumer Electronics Show is a palm-sized, touch-screen gaming PC that comes packed with a keyboard that can transform on the fly.

But Razer isn't even sure they're going to be able to sell the Switchblade micro laptop.

Robert Krakoff, president of the computer accessory company, tells Kotaku that a lot is still up in the air about the slick prototype that's garnering a lot of buzz at this week's Vegas show.

Razer hasn't settled on the system specs of the Intel Atom chip laptop, or the price, or if they'll be able to solve a heat issue they're running into.

If the hurdles can be overcome, the device looks like it could be the perfect traveling companion for the PC gamer on the go.

The device, about the size of a small hardback when folded up, opens to show a 7-inch touchscreen and a smallish keyboard. The keys on the keyboard can all change on the fly to show anything from a standard text English-language keyboard to gaming icons to anything picture a modder whats to slap into a key.

Instead of relying on an expensive array of tiny LCD screens built into each button, the Switchblade has a second 7-inch LCD located under the keyboard buttons. The LCD can show a different picture for each button, which is projected up into the surface of the button, delivering the same effect as the mini-LCD approach.

Krakoff said they haven't decided yet if the device will be upgradable or have fixed system specs, but judging by the complexity of the design, I suspect it will shipped with a fixed chipset and memory. We know it will have an Atom CPU, perhaps in the 2Ghz range, but we don't know how much memory yet.

Krakoff added that the device will have USB ports for a mouse, if someone wants to use one to game with. It will likely also have Bluetooth support, WiFi and perhaps built-in mobile broadband support.

It also seems that Krakoff wants to make sure the Razer device has significant support within the gaming industry before they launch it. I asked if there was potential for the device, which runs on Windows 7 and has a custom user interface, to be branded. For instance, could there be a World of Warcraft or Blizzard Switchblade in the future, or perhaps a Switchblade that comes preloaded with Valve's game-download service Steam.

Krakoff says they haven't cut any deals yet, but that they're showing it around.

Valve's Gabe Newell seems extremely impressed with the devices potential, he said. The famed developer wanted to know if the device really worked, if it was doable.

Krakoff says that they're shooting for a system that will be able to play most games when it hits, but likely not something as high end as the latest Crysis.

Another significant question is how much Razer will sell the device for. Krakoff wouldn't say, but with Netbooks hovering in the sub-$500 range, I'd think the Switchblade would have to be in there too.

Send an email to the author of this post at editor@kotaku.com.

Get Ready For Aion's Next Big Transformation

Since its release, Korean-born MMO Aion has undergone a profound transformation as developers hone gameplay to suit the needs of a North American audience. NCsoft's Sean Neil tells us how the upcoming 2.5 update will further refine the Aion experience.

Aion is a massively-multiplayer online role-playing game that's been striving to please its players since the North American servers first opened in September of 2009. Players flocked to the graphically stunning title, discovering a Korean-made MMO that tasted of a more western-influenced game. The game favored questing and story development over the grind, something many Korean imports fail to do.

But Aion isn't your average Korean import, given a shoddy English translation and sent on its merry way. NCsoft has a full North American development team that springs to life as new updates arrive, making sure the content and changes will be well-received by the U.S. audience.

Even with such a strong focus on North America, the game has needed more than its fair share of tweaking. Over the course of several major patches the development team has changed the game dramatically, all in response to their player's needs and wants.

"In total we've gone through and increased the experience; we've increased the drop rates; we've increased the crafting system in the game - the basic core systems for the players," says Sean Neil, Aion's associate producer.

Not all of the changes have been well received. Version update 2.0 brought changes to the game's rifting system, which allows player from Aion's two opposing factions to encounter one another, which were not well received by the players, to put it mildly.

Neil says the negative response was a call to action for the team.

"Our immediate reaction was to poll the players, find out what they wanted, and we put in place a change to that system at the end of last year," Neil explains. "And then we actively polled the players after that to ask them what they thought about the changes we were making."

The players responded, and more changes will be coming shortly in a smaller update. Then, with experience point gain balanced, item drop rates increased, and the game as a whole more polished to player specifications, NCsoft will unleash fresh content and new play mechanics in update 2.5 later this year.

The update brings with it plenty of new content for high level players to enjoy. Two new instances will challenge players' skills to their fullest. Araka is an instance in which players of either faction attempt to cut off the supply lines of their common enemy, the Balaur. Both the Asmodians and the Elyos will also be able to prove their worth in the Academy Bootcamp, which pits them against a series of 10 progressively difficult battles for a chance at fame and fortune.

The game's Legion (guild) system is being tweaked to help prepare player groups for the challenges ahead. The Legion level cap is being increased from three to five, with more titles to help organize Legion ranks more efficiently. Legions will gain more warehouse space, and longer, sexier cloaks to show off each players' allegiance.

There's a pet mood system, enhancing the in-game companion system introduced in Aion's 2.0 Assault on Balaurea update. Each player class will gain access to new skills and powers. There's an interactive world map on the way, allowing players to make annotations and set routes. The character creation system is opening up more, giving players more options in crafting their in-game avatar. More crafting formulas will be added to the game, keeping those characters well-equipped and looking good.

The two biggest changes coming in 2.5, however, are the Group Guide system and the Superior Graphics Engine setup option.

The Superior Graphics Engine option is just what it sounds like. Players with high end machines will be able to enjoy a visually enhanced world of Aion, while players with computers on the lower end of the hardware spectrum will be able to play the same as they always have.

"The already beautiful game will be ridiculously gorgeous, " Neil says. "It's almost spooky how real they're trying to make the game look."

The Group Guide system is much like the mentoring system already present in many other MMO titles. It's a system that allows lower level players to get assistance in their quest from characters of a much higher level.

"You can play along with your friends even if they've been playing the game for six months and you haven't played at all," Neil explains. Friends will be able to help out their friends, Legion members can help their mates level alts. Even strangers will be compelled to help out low level characters, thanks to daily quests that reward players for spending time with the newbs.

"We want to give them items. We want to give them coins. We want to give them a system that makes them want to be those big brothers and big sisters."

The entire list of changes coming in 2.5 can been seen over at Aion's PowerWiki. Note that the patch notes are based on the Korean version of the game, and not everything listed in the notes will make it to North America.

"It's really about letting the players create their own experience, from their Legions to the way their character looks to the way they interact with the world around them," says Neil of Aion's update 2.5.

The update is currently on the public test realm of the Korean version of Aion, and the U.S. NCsoft team is hard at work localizing the content for North American audiences. While Neil was hesitant to nail down a release date, he did say he was confident it would be out in 2011.

"We want to get this out to our players as soon as we possibly can in the best possible form we can."

Send an email to Michael Fahey, the author of this post, at fahey@kotaku.com.

Delicious Overkill: The Gratuitously Overclocked 5 Ghz Core i7 Monster

Sometimes a computer at CES is interesting because it's functional and intuitive. Sometimes a computer is interesting because it's the size of an air conditioner, filled with heinously tacky neon lights, and overclocked to hell. Guess which one this is!

I found Origin PC's 5 Ghz, liquid-cooled "Big O" sitting on a dusty stretch of carpet in Creative's booth. Alone. Neglected. I asked a rep about it and he didn't even know why it was there. Was he feeling insecure because the computer is so fast? Perhaps. It wasn't even hooked up to anything. It was just humming along, its red tubes pulsing, green lights throbbing. Speed for its own sake. If it sounds like a sexual experience, that's because it was. The enormo-box reminds me of a bygone era in computing, when clock speeds trumped all—and just reading "5 Ghz i7" made my heart dance. CES is supposed to be about neat things we'll be using effectively in the future, but sometimes I'm okay with REALLY FREAKING FAST NEON COMPUTER, WATCH OUT, too.

Send an email to the author of this post at sbiddle@gizmodo.com.

Did You Know Facebook Has Built-In Shortcut Keys?

I was spending some time browsing around Facebook today (translation: wasting time), when I noticed that they have some shortcut keys for navigating around the site using the keyboard, so I put together a list for everybody.

Note: for each of these shortcut keys, if you’re using Firefox, you’ll need to use Shift+Alt instead of just Alt, and for Internet Explorer you’ll need to hit the Enter key after the shortcut to trigger it. If you’re using a Mac, you’ll need to use Ctrl+Opt instead of Alt.

New Message: Alt + M

This shortcut key doesn’t seem to work in Internet Explorer at all, but if you’re using Google Chrome or Firefox, it should work fine, though Firefox will use Shift+Alt+M instead.

Search Box: Alt + ?

This shortcut key is the same in Chrome and Internet Explorer, but is Shift+Alt+? in Firefox—it’s really a very useful shortcut, since the search box gets you access to all your friends easily.

Home Page: Alt + 1

This shortcut takes you to your home page—if you’re in Firefox it’s Shift+Alt+1 and IE is Alt+1 and then Enter.

Your Profile: Alt + 2

This shortcut takes you to your profile page—if you’re in Firefox it’s Shift+Alt+2 and IE is Alt+2 and then Enter.

Friend Requests: Alt + 3

This shortcut is somewhat useless unless you’re the most popular person in the world, as it opens up the friend requests page. If you’re in Firefox it’s Shift+Alt+3 and IE is Alt+3 and then Enter.

Messages: Alt + 4

This shortcut opens up the Messages dialog. If you’re in Firefox it’s Shift+Alt+4 and IE is Alt+4 and then Enter.

Notifications: Alt + 5

This shortcut opens up the Notifications dialog. If you’re in Firefox it’s Shift+Alt+5 and IE is Alt+5 and then Enter.

There’s a couple of other shortcut keys, for Alt+6 through 0 on the keyboard, which take you to the settings, privacy, about, terms, and help pages.

Via How-To Geek

Some of Tomorrow's Best Gadgets

You know what? There's some pretty sweet gear at this year's CES: tablets galore, smart cameras, cool phones, audiophile pr0n. Woot! This little trade show might have a future! Check out some of our favorites. Updated

The Best New Tablet

Tablets! Tablets tablets tablets. They're the hot ticket at this year's CES. Just about everyone's got one (not that everyone should). We've parsed, prodded, and played with the main contenders. And this one's best. Well, these ones. [more]

Money Shot: The Lady's Polaroid Glasses Look Gaga

The Polarez GL20: image capture device, display, loud fashion statement. It's weird. It's wonderful. It may or may not be the camera of the future. One thing is for sure: You want to see it! It's OK to stare. [more]

The Best New HDTV

Wow. The TV manufacturers of the world just excreted a gajillion alphanumerically named HDTVs at CES. We cruised the booths, parsed the display technologies, connectivity features, claimed performance and specs, and found the one we think is the best. [more]

This Is What Happens When Polaroid Lets Lady Gaga Design Something

Lady Gaga stood up on stage and proclaimed "This is the camera of the future." This futurecam also happens to be a set of shades with a outward-facing 1.4-inch OLED display under each eye. Funky. [more]

The Polaroid Camera, Rethought and Digitized

This solidly designed Polaroid GL30 beauty is a modern take on the old-school Polaroid camera you may own and love. It's digital, has an adjustable display, and will spit out your photos in seconds. And did I mention it's freakin' gorgeous? [more]

All Power Plugs Should Be Like the Stanley Safety Socket

For years only deep fryers and Apple laptops have had breakaway cords. Stanley's new Safety Socket adds breakaway protection to anything with a power plug. Expect it within the month for something like twenty bucks. [more]

Nyko's Feeling Trigger Happy With The PS3 Move Accessories

If you're trying to play PS3 Move FPS games with style, Nyko's got you. They just announced two new gun accessories for PS3's new motion control system, which may (or may not) have you reeling off headshots in no time. [more]

Using the Moto Atrix Notebook-Slash-Smartphone

The Atrix is a pretty great phone by itself-two 1GHz cores and 1GB of RAM makes things speedy-but it's even more useful when you dock it into their laptop for heavy duty computering. [more]

Money Shot: The Blackberry Playbook Tablet

Say what you want about its beta-fied OS, or the need to tether it to access its more powerful functions, the Playbook is Teh Hotness: beautifully built, quick, and just dead sexy. Check out our killer custom flyby video. [more]

Using Casio's Wireless Watch of the Future

Well, it's definitely a prototype. But after a proper groping, we're more excited than ever about Casio's new Bluetooth watch of the future. [more]

Star Wars is Finally on F-ing Blu-ray

Star Wars! It's arguably the quintessential geek film series and inarguably deserving of the highest audiovisual quality humanly possible. The complete saga is coming to Blu-ray with over 30 hours of special features, and you can pre-order it right now. [more]

Android Honeycomb, Baby: Google Tablets Evolved Updated

We got a video teaser of Google's tablet-friendly Honeycomb OS yesterday, but at Verizon's CES keynote this morning Google was on hand for a live demo. It looks beeeeautiful. Updated with video. [more]

This Soup Is Cooking...In Its Packaging

Quick free association exercise: What do you think of when I say "wireless power?" My answer, as of twenty minutes ago: a cup of soup cooking instantly when set on a wireless charging surface. While still in its packaging.
[more]

What Is Gorilla Glass?

The allure of Gorilla Glass is no mystery to anyone with a Droid, an iPhone 4, a Galaxy tab or a Dell Adamo. But for everyone else wondering about all the new Gorilla Glass gear at CES, here's the rundown.[more]

The Nike+ SportWatch GPS Has TomTom and an Attitude

It's a new year, which means new resolutions to get in shape. Let technology help you! Don't fight it! The Nike+ SportWatch, powered by TomTOM GPS, will bug you when you forget to run and encourage you when you do. [more]

The 1080p 3D Bloggie Leads Sony's 3D Camera Onslaught

Backlash? What backlash!? Sony's going all 3D everything this CES, and that includes all the content you're creating, too. They're pumping out 3D-ready camcorders with glasses-free displays, including a 1080p 3D Bloggie that'll go for about $200. [more]

If I had a TV this beautiful, I might never turn it on

Sitting nonchalantly in front of Sony's booth at the LVCC-so understated and elegant that you might walk right by it thinking it was just a slab of polished black glass-is the most beautiful television I have ever seen. [more]

Samsung's 9 Series Laptop Takes the MacBook Air Head-On

It looks like the 13-inch MacBook Air finally has some serious competition: the 13-inch Samsung 9 Series is a shade lighter, a touch thinner, and looks like the Air's evil twin. [more]

Motorola's Atrix Android Phone Has Two Cores And Can Dock Into a Laptop

It runs Android 2.2, with HTML5 support, and is AT&T's first dual-core processor in an Android phone. And it docks into a laptop. They're calling it the world's most powerful smartphone. ORLY? [more]

This Is the World's Thinnest All-In-One PC

At 18.5 inches deep, the Lenovo IdeaCentre A320 is the thinnest all-in-one PC in the world. Lenovo's held that distinction three years running-but this year's model packs in performance to match. [more]

Samsung's Infuse 4G: A Spectacular Google Android Phone

"Holy shit." It's not what usually comes to mind when I touch a new phone. But Samsung's Infuse 4G is spectacular. Ridiculously good 4.5-inch screen. 1.2GHz processor. 4G on AT&T. Why, exactly, wasn't this the new Nexus phone? [more]

America Will Have a Shot at 21:9 3DTVs This Year, With Vizio's Razor LEDs

It looks like American fans of Philips' 21:9 TVs can stop dreaming of moving to Europe, and actually get their hands on Vizio's Razor LEDs sometime this year, in 3D 50 and 58-inch options.[more]

Every Camera Should Be As Connected as Samsung's SH100 With Android Remote Powers

Samsung's SH100 isn't the first point-and-shoot to have Wi-Fi, but it makes better use of it than most: You can use Samsung's Galaxy S Android phones as a wireless remote and geotagger for the camera.[more]

Need Ergonomic Typey-Times? Smartfish's Engage Keyboard Will Do the Trick

There aren't many computer peripherals which cause several Gizmodo editors to gasp "sexy!" within minutes of spotting them, but Smartfish's Engage keyboard has that dubious honor today. It analyzes typing styles, and physically adjusts itself to be even more comfortable. [more]

Onkyo's New Audiophile-Grade Gear Goes Retro

Pulling design cues from products of old, Onkyo is applying a 1980s aesthetic to their high-end line of home theater gear, which includes a power amp, preamp and CD player. [more]

The Many Faces of Asus's Android Tablets

Is there a different way to design a tablet? If so, Asus is going to find it! Their new Android slabs are all special snowflakes-including the QWERTY keyboard-hiding, Tegra 2- and Android 3.0-equipped Eee Pad Slider. [more]

Spot Connect Turns Your Smartphone Into a Satellite Communicator

So you're lost in the wilderness. Thoughts of a parched, solitary death are entering your mind. Well, with the Spot Connect, you can share these final thoughts on the Internet! And also save yourself (But mainly: Tweet.) [more]

Mophie Pulse Will Make Your iPhone Buzz Harder and Scream Louder

Mophie, makers of the iPhone power packs which are keeping us running this week, have another shiny iPhone-enhancing accessory to show off: The Mophie Pulse. It's a slick case that'll boost your device's volume while enhancing every vibration. [more]

Oxygen Audio Turns Your iPhone Into a Car Stereo

Plenty of cars come with some middling form of iPhone connectivity. Install Oxygen Audio's O'Car deck and your iPhone essentially becomes your stereo. Pimp. [more]

Canon's Best HD Camcorders Kill Unnecessary Pixels to Shoot More Incredible Video

Funny thing about HD camcorders using 10-megapixel (or bigger) sensors. Most of those pixels are wasted when you're shooting 1080p video. So Canon's new HD CMOS Pro sensor is just 2 megapixels. With gianter pixels, more like a studio camera. [more]

Send an email to Joe Brown, the author of this post, at joe@gizmodo.com.