Even from China Ariel and I did our fancy watch podcast. Listen in to learn about Bell & Ross selling online and why you need a nice watch to go with that suit.

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Tokyo-based (and globalized) bearing supplier NSK has announced [JP] the development of an autonomous mobile robot that one day will be able to assist people in wheel chairs. The main selling point of the so-called “Human Assist Guidance Robot” is that it can detect obstacles and guide users through them. And uneven surfaces or slopes aren’t a problem either.

The robot uses lasers and virtual repulsive forces to calculate distances to obstacles and their location. It’s able to guide people smoothly through minimizing those repulsive forces.

The way the robot works is that users apply force to a handle inside its body to control the speed and direction of travel. The harder you push, the faster the robot goes. An independent two-wheel drive and a caster mechanism (pictured above) make sure the robot drives smoothly, even on corrugated surfaces.

Via Tech-On

I’m a big fan of people who do fun stuff with computers and so I am a big fan of this. These guys programmed 20 computers to play one note over and over. The resulting cacophony turns out to be a beep-boop version of the Tetris theme.

The project is simple, using the internal speaker of each computer in the class to play a different channel (instrument) of the tetris theme.
All computers are linked with the upd protocol, so not all the computers are synchronised, but for now it will be good!

Short Version: A universal notebook adapter with retractable cabling that extends to almost ten feet in length, comes with nine adapter tips, and features two USB charging ports.

Features:

• 90-watt universal notebook adapter
• Nine adapter tips
• Retractable cables extend to provide 9.5-feet of total length
• Includes two USB charging ports
• MSRP of $99.99

Pros:

• No tangled cables
• Built-in USB charging ports
• Decent system compatibility

Cons:

• Not all that compact, despite marketing claims that it’s “up to 60 percent smaller than competitors.”

Review:

When it comes to universal notebook adapters, it’s important to keep a couple things in mind. First, the term “universal” is a bit misleading as you’ll be hard pressed to find the Mag Safe adapter tips used with most of Apple’s notebooks. But that’s more of a legal/patenting issue than an omission by universal adapter manufacturers.

Second, most of them are priced pretty similarly so it’s a good idea to focus on certain features that appeal to you. The 90-watt ReTrak Universal Notebook Wall Charger, for instance, sports two built-in USB charging ports and a retractable cabling system for $100 as its way of differentiating itself (there’s also a 70-watt version available for $80).

When I first wrote about this item back in October, I saw the product photo and thought, “Hey, this thing looks pretty tiny.” And, indeed, it’s billed as being “up to 60 percent smaller than competitors.” Here’s the product shot:

You’ll notice that the retractable cord doodads in the above photo appear to be small compared to the main adapter housing. In real life, though, they’re not nearly as svelte – see the photo I took at the top of this post for a more accurate depiction.

So my initial reaction after actually opening the packaging was more like, “Oh, it’s about the same size as most of the other adapters I’ve seen.” It absolutely may be a bit smaller than some adapters out there, but I’m not sure where that 60% figure came from. That must have been a gigantic adapter that was used for comparison.

For the sake of our own comparison, here’s the adapter next to a 90-watt Sony adapter (on the right) and a netbook adapter (on the left). As you can see, it’s actually kind of big. Remember that you get the two USB charging ports, though, and the retractable cabling extends out to almost 10 feet in length without getting tangled up in your bag.

Both retractable cables can be detached from the adapter, which is a nice feature, and you get a little carrying bag for transporting the main parts of the adapter and the tips. As for compatibility, the adapter works with various notebooks from Acer, Compaq, HP, Fujitsu, Toshiba, Gateway, Sony, and Dell (see the full list here).

The product works as advertised – I tested it with a 13.3-inch Sony, a 15.6-inch Gateway, a 15.6-inch Sony, and even an 11.6-inch Acer netbook, as well as several USB devices (iPod, iPhone, MP3 players, PMPs, pocket camcorders) with no problems whatsoever.

Bottom Line:

Even though it’s not actually all that compact, the ReTrak universal charger’s tangle-free cabling, broad system support, and nice added bonus of two USB charging ports helps it to stand out from similarly-priced adapters. If you’ve got a handful of notebooks and a pile of portables that have made travelling an unbearable mess of adapters and cables, this ReTrak adapter can help to simplify things considerably.

Product Page [EmergeRetail.com]

Like a ’70s cop team – one is the goodie two shoes and the other one is the drunk – the DuinoTagger and Talcapult allow you to shoot things and make smoke appear. The gun uses an Arduino board to control a tiny catapult that blows out a little puff of smoke.

The instructions are pretty detailed but you can see how it works here if you’re so inclined.

As the self-proclaimed “biggest fan of the WD TV Live” ’round these parts, I figured I owed it to my fellow enthusiasts to share some good news about this lovely HD media player. Western Digital has released the first new firmware update, 1.01.11, for its WD TV Live box o’ fun.

Unlike its older sibling, the WD TV, the new, Internet-connected WD TV Live HD media player can download and install firmware updates directly via Wi-Fi / ethernet. If you are not automatically prompted to download the new 1.01.11 update the next time you turn the device on and connect to the Web (as I was) for some reason, follow these simple directions:

• Turn your WD TV Live on
• Make sure you are connected to the Net
• Navigate into “Settings”
• Select “Upgrade Firmware” (or something along those lines)
• Sit back, enjoy a nice beverage, and let the Live take care of the rest

So what all is included in this first firmware update? Quite a lot, actually…at least according to the official release notes (PDF). But let’s just check out the highlights (per WD’s product update page):

* Added more USB WLAN adapter support. Click here for list of compatible adaptors.
* Added cover art display function when viewing music files in album view.
* Added user selectable on/off for fade in and fade out effect while browsing files.
* Resolved issue of no audio when there is only a single, center channel audio stream in a video.
* Other bug fixes and product improvements (see release notes).

Great, so now we’re all on the same page firmware. With that out of the way, I want to share my recent experience using Wi-Fi on the WD TV Live, as I was only able to test a wired ethernet connection back when I did our initial hands-on review.

For testing purposes, I made sure to use one of the approved Wi-Fi USB adapters per this list. Thus, I used the Belkin F5D8055 N+ Wireless USB Network Adapter (with my wireless G Linksys router).

Generally speaking, the WD TV Live’s network and Internet capabilities worked as advertised. I was able to stream video (non-HD, full DVD quality rips) over my home network with little to no noticeably latency. Connecting to and streaming videos from YouTube (including HD) worked like a charm, albeit with some (expected) buffering hiccups here and there. Connecting to Pandora and Live365 both worked very well, and streaming audio over my home network was a breeze, complete with album art being displayed.

Perhaps the most helpful feature (at least for me), is the ability to copy and paste new media files on the attached storage. In other words, I was able to copy a newly ripped movie from my desktop in the office, over the home network, and onto the attached hard drive. While not the quickest of transfers, I experience no problems copying/moving/deleting files over Wi-Fi, and thus have eliminated any need to physically move the hard drive to add new media to in the future. All in all, I give the Live’s Wi-Fi capabilities two thumbs up.

SPOILERS BEGIN HERE~!

You probably already know this, but Modern Warfare 2 has been banned in Russia because of that controversial level, No Russian. In the mission, you, an American soldier in the employ of the CIA, team up with a Russian terrorist who shoots up a fictional Russian airport. At the end of the mission, the Russian terrorist double-crosses you, shooting you and leaving you at the scene of the terrorist attack. This serves as a springboard for the rest of the game, wherein Russia uses the (what they think is) American attack as a pretext for war.

SPOILERS ARE PRETTY MUCH OVER~!

As a response to the level, Russia has recalled all copies all the game. (Here’s the original Russian source.) Infinity Ward has responded by editing the game, the edited version being expected to go on sale within the month (provided the Russian authorities even allow this version).

We’ve talked about the game a little, but I wanted to share my thoughts on the level in question.

It’s very hard to defend the level. In fact, I do wonder who at Infinity Ward thought it’d be a good idea to include such a level. And that Activision gave the level the OK! Did no one anticipate the controversy that would erupt?

I understand people will want to defend the level, and the game, and Infinity Ward (no one’s defending Activision~!), because it’s “your team” that’s being attacked. “Leave video games alone!” And for the record (get it?), I really don’t think any of us here at CrunchGear believe there’s a link between video game violence and real life violence. All of us have played violent video games, from Doom all the way on up, and we’re a bunch of harmless nerds. I wouldn’t know how to fire a gun, or carjack a minivan, or punch someone in the chest and rip out their heart if my life depended on it. Gaming is just a fun thing done to pass the time. No more, no less.

But to hide behind those excuses when it comes to examining No Russian is absurd. You realize that you’re running around an airport in a simulated terror attack, right? That’s different than you playing the role of, say, the Allied forces in WWII, shooting conscripted Wehrmacht soldiers. That’s two armies going at it; a terror attack isn’t even in the same ballpark.

Let’s put it this way: if an Iranian video game developer released a game that put you in the role of a suicide bomber, and had you roll into a mall in the middle of suburban New Jersey, shoot it up, then blow yourself up in the middle of the food court, you don’t think there’d be people in the media freaking out? I can guarantee that Drudge, Hannity, Rush, Beck & Co. would be up in arms over that. And once they’re up in arms, other news outlets would pick it up (because that’s how news works in the country), then we’d be dealing with a truly national story: should we ban the video game that glorifies terrorism, and shows America at its most vulnerable?

So why is Russia any different? Why can’t Russian gamers (and, more importantly, Russian politicians) be angry over the level? They have every right to.

Again, I’m not saying that by playing the level, all of a sudden America’s youth is going to be training how to attack a Russian airport, it’s just the the depiction of of violence is so over-the-top and so unnecessary that you wonder why it was approved in the first place.

So I officially don’t care for the level. I did enjoy the game—it’s a well-done FPS, yes—but don’t think I don’t recognize that I’m getting my kicks playing virtual soldier.

There’s a larger point you can make here, too: what does it say about our society and culture that one of the highest grossing entertainment releases of the year amounts to virtually shooting up airports filled with helpless victims, or where we entertain ourselves by virtually shooting our friends in the face with AK-47s? I’m guilty of this, too, of course, but it’s something to think about.

Well, you can’t keep a good PC gamer down. Certain cracks already allow some online play, and now the console has been enabled, allowing players to kick, change POV and FOV, and presumably do most of the stuff Infinity Ward decided had to stay in the cookie jar. Tut tut, developers. You didn’t see this coming? You could have made it easier on yourselves, but instead you turned a whole segment of your market against you.

Here’s the download link for the tool (use at your own risk) and the discussion thread at Guru3D.

We’re going to post and Tweet comment contests from November 15 until just before the holidays. The prizes will include but won’t be limited to watches, cameras, strange things I find in my ear, and calculators. What do you have to do? Watch this space for more instructions on Monday and start following us on Twitter.

Good luck!

But that’s just the usual pain that comes with convergence. Facebook integration was announced for the Xbox 360 back at E3, though it’s not yet to the point of an actual client. It’s been given a few test runs, and I have to say it looks a bit ugly in NXE form, but what doesn’t? I think what irks me the hipshot way the avatars stand. It isn’t right.

See?

The one small picture of Facebook on the PS3 is at the top (yes, that’s all there is), and it’s not even of a client. It’s a user accounts configuration screen that happens to include Facebook. So it’s not much to look at, but it was traced to Sony UK’s site, so we’re pretty sure it’s legit. Sony “doesn’t comment on rumor or speculation,” obviously, so we won’t be hearing from them, but it would be ridiculous to think that a all-in-one entertainment device like the PS3 wouldn’t have Facebook on it eventually.

While the ability to post interesting things to Facebook would be pretty limited with a Dual Shock and other inherent console limitations, I’m really loving the development of a meta-layer to the consoles that’s always floating just out of sight. Hit pause, check the latest tweets and status updates, grab another Fresca, and then back to the game. I’m not a part of it yet since the Super Nintendo doesn’t really have that level of connectivity, but I look forward to it once I actually buy into this new generation of consoles.

[via Joystiq]

Project Natal won E3 this past year. It came out of nowhere and surprised everyone. What was most shocking is how far along the system was developed. It looked almost ready for prime time, but yet the release date is seemingly far away. That’s fine but as time passes, the Wii gets a bit more stale and expectations rise.

The system has so much potential. Think about how it could change sports games, FPS, and general puzzle games. Suddenly you’re actually in the game as never before. It’s almost like Nintendo opened the door for next-gen gaming, but Microsoft could bust down the damn wall with Natal.

But not if the system is only between $50-$80 and 14 games are included like the rumor states. That’s right at the impulse buy price point - which is what MS is reportedly targeting – but also where all the novelty add-ons live. That price range shows that Microsoft wants to sell a crapton of Natals to the Wii crowd, but also doesn’t view the controller as a game changer.

It might have some sweet games that will give the Wii a run for it’s money, but unless Microsoft is taking a huge loss on each Natal sold, it’s probably nothing special. I’m not saying that an item has to expensive to be successful, but an $80 price tag on a controller that supposed to “next-gen” doesn’t exactly scream a premium product.

At $80, I expect Project Natal to be like the PowerPad: a fine accessory with a few good games, but not a must-have add-on. Now if the system were, say, $150 or more, I would have more faith in the system. The higher price shows that Microsoft stands behind the years of research and development and believes that the system is a worthy add-on to the Xbox 360.

At that price point Microsoft would have no chance in hell selling it unless there was at least one killer, mainstream game. The add-on would need the support of 3rd party companies and developers to get going, which would result in a wider variety of games. If the rumor is right, and the system is bundled with games, you can bet that, they are simple Wii Sport-ish games, which were cool about 3 years ago.

Let’s hope that Microsoft believes enough in the system to price it above the impulse buy price point. Let’s hope that the system lives up to its potential and not forced into parlor tricks but rather utilized for serious gaming too.

Also, don’t forget the prices of the Xbox 360’s current accessories. It costs $100 for a wireless adapter, $50 for a wireless controller, and $160 for a 120GB hard drive. I’m just saying, $80 doesn’t fit the pattern.

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[Individual OreoOreo-cake and stand from Williams Sonoma via The Daily What and Bem Legaus]

I played the last Zelda game on the Wii, and just couldn’t get into it. The controls felt a little odd to me, and I just couldn’t get into the game. That may change in the next game however, since in a recent interview Miyamoto said that they new Zelda game will use the MotionPlus accessory, making the sword fights more realistic and less like you are pointing at the screen.

At this point, that’s all we really know. The poster released at E3 really didn’t give us any major clues about the future of the franchise, and Nintendo ain’t talking yet. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.

And really now. “You’re not in Kansas”? Really?

[via EW]

Samsung has just announced a pair of LCD monitors with built-in TV features that promise to “eliminate the line between work productivity and HD entertainment,” according to the press release. And speaking of that press release, it appears that Samsung has also eliminated the most basic and important spec from the products’ list of features.

Price? Nope, that’s there — $250 for the 933HD+ and $330 for the 2333HD. Resolution? 1360×768 for the 933HD+ and 1920×1080 for the 2333HD. Response time, contrast ratio, that stuff is all there too.

It’s a little known fact that for every one person that writes about technology products, there are 50 public relations people. Maybe 100. It might even be 1000. I don’t know the exact number except to say that they’re everywhere and they all somehow have my phone number and they all somehow know where I live, so I certainly don’t want to brass anyone off but see if you can tell me what’s missing from this press release:

Samsung HDTV Monitors Eliminate Line between Work Productivity and HD Entertainment

Samsung’s 933HD+ and 2333HD LCD Monitors Offer Extensive Range of Entertainment Options

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, the number one worldwide brand of LCD display products, today announced the debut of its entertainment-centric monitors, the 933HD+ and 2333HD. At an estimated street price of $249.99 and $329.99, respectively, both monitors produce picture perfect HD quality in a sleek design and are now available from Samsung resellers and retailers.

“With more homes having multiple entertainment centers, the 933HD+ and 2333HD are the perfect companions for users who want integrated HDTV functionality from a desktop monitor. The added bonus is that both these monitors are self-contained and functional right out of the box, and can quickly connect to any entertainment device,” said Doug Albregts, vice president, Information Technology Division, Samsung Electronics America Inc.

COMPACT TV WITH CONNECTIVITY

The 933HD+ and 2333HD have all the benefits of a compact television including a digital TV tuner with an optional cable or satellite connection and up to two HDMI connections, depending on model, to connect digital devices such as a Blu-Ray player and gaming system. The integrated stereo sound system offers great sound and includes Dolby Digital (2333HD). The 933HD+ and 2333HD’s slick glossy black finish features a rounded bottom edge with matching crystal-like acrylic bar.

MULTI-PERFORMANCE

Whether watching movies, sports or a PowerPoint presentation, the 933HD+ and 2333HD offer Samsung’s quality performance with a dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and 5 millisecond response rate. Movies can be fully appreciated in 16:9 widescreen formats without distortion or stretching and there is ample space to run multiple applications simultaneously. Settings, such as brightness, backlight and color effects, can be quickly customized with a touch of a key using the MagicColor, MagicBright, Color Effect and Image Size functions.

“With more users viewing HD broadcast, watching Blu-ray movies and playing video games on their monitors, the 933HD+ and 2333HD are space savers for those looking for a multi-purpose monitor to place in a tight space, like a studio apartment or dorm room,” said Young Bae, director, Information Technology Division, Samsung Electronics America Inc.

933HD+ and 2333HD

• 1360 x768 or 1920×1080 (2333HD only) resolution
• Dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000:1
• 16:9 aspect ratio
• 5ms response time
• Remote control

Monitors are available through Samsung resellers and distribution channels, which can be located by calling 1-800-SAMSUNG or by visiting www.samsung.com. Samsung Power Partners receive special promotions, lead referrals, training and technical support, as well as collateral and marketing materials. Samsung also recycles all monitors through its RECYCLING DIRECT^SM Program. To find out more about becoming a Samsung Power Partner or the RECYCLING DIRECT^SM Program, visit www.samsungpartner.com.

Here’s the live copy, which will hopefully be updated by the time you read this (it’s been over two hours already, though).

UPDATE/SPOILER: Samsung e-mailed saying that the 933HD+ and 2333HD displays are 19 and 23 inches, respectively. So there you have it. Sweet, sweet closure.

Cruising Craigslist usually brings up some interesting things. And this is definitely one of the most terrible and yet oddly funny posts I’ve seen in a while.

When doing the Empire Strikes Back costume of Chewbacca, most people would just get a few C3PO parts and throw them over their back. One resident of Austin, Texas however, wants to take it the next step. This guy is looking for:

A double amputee (someone missing both legs – preferably at the hip) to accompany me as C3PO for the evening. We should meet ahead of time so that we can work out the backpack/harness system. There are a few parties that I want to hit and I think we will be the hit of any event we attend.

Hey, dude’s upfront about it. If you’ve always wanted to be everybody’s favorite protocol droid, but you’re missing a few appendages, this might be for you.

Update: New 1.01.11 firmware now available, plus Wi-Fi test results are in.

Short Version: Western Digital’s newest addition to its growing lineup of media players, the WD TV Live, essentially picks up where its older sibling (the great WD TV) left off. With the newly added networking capabilities via a built-in Ethernet port or USB Wi-Fi adapter (sold separately), the WD TV Live has taken Western Digital’s little black box to the next level. Be it photos, music, video (encoded with just about any codec under the sun), or the newly added access to YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, and Live365, the WD TV Live can handle just about any kind of media thrown its way. Overall, it is a highly capable, easy to use, and relatively affordable all-around high definition media player.

Long Version: The original WD TV HD Media Player was a great first attempt by Western Digital. Unfortunately, the lack of network and Internet access made the device less desirable to a large group of potential customers. Fortunately, WD seems to have listened to the growing community of WD TV fans while putting the new WD TV Live together and has added network and Internet connectivity features.

Hardware:

Although the WD TV Live is technically a new device, in reality it’s just a moderate overhaul of its aging sibling, the original WD TV. As such, I will try to focus more on the new changes than on the features that have remained the same.

Besides the newly added network and Internet connectivity, the most noticeable difference between the old and new WD TV Live is the actual color of the device. Where the original was clad in dust-loving, fingerprint attracting shiny black plastic, the new Live comes sporting an arguably more sleek, matte charcoal gray finish.

The device measures 1.57″ x 3.94″ x 4.94″ and weighs in at 0.67 lbs. It includes two USB ports (one on the side, one on the back), one HDMI 1.3 port, optical audio out, Ethernet, composite out, and component output. The included mini remote (below) is identical to the original version and the AC adapter is relatively small and self-contained (i.e. no power “brick”). Besides the remote and power adapter, the device also ships with composite and component cables (HDMI, optical audio, and USB storage devices sold separately). The WD TV Live is also compatible with various “universal” remotes such as Logitech’s Harmony series.

Installation:

Installing the WD TV Live couldn’t be much easier (assuming you’re using an HDMI cable). Once you’ve attached the little sticky rubber feet to the bottom of the unit, simply plug-in the AC power adapter, attach the HDMI cable to the device and your HDTV, and insert any variety of USB storage (i.e. external hard drive or flash drive) into the side and/or the back USB port(s). That’s it. Now fire up your beautiful TV, hit power on the included WD TV Live remote, and voila…you’ve got an HD media player at your service.

Interface / Functionality:

Just like the old WD TV interface, the slightly updated UI is reminiscent of many media player apps (think Windows Media Center, XBMC, etc). Essentially, you are presented with a visual navigation system to choose between video, photos, music, and system settings. Instead of trying to explain all the various screens and options, here’s a not-so-brief (kinda unnecessarily long) video overview of some of the features:

One thing I forgot to include in the video is the new “preview” mode, which joins the previously included List, Thumbnail, and Search modes. The preview feature allows you to see a file’s info (such as size, type, etc) while also showing/playing a clip of the video, photo, or audio track. This is nice, for example, if your media files are poorly labeled or if you can’t quite remember which was the last episode of Arrested Development you had watched.

Another “oops! I forgot” feature is the newly added ability to copy, move or delete files between connected USB storage drives and/or networked storage/computers. This is really handy if, like me, your DVD ripping machine (i.e. your PC) resides in room X but your WD TV Live is set up in room Y; now you can simply move your latest media files from your machine to your attached USB storage right over the network (with some patience, especially over Wi-Fi).

As for compatibility, the WD TV Live supports the following (enormous list of) file types:

• Video – AVI (Xvid, AVC, MPEG1/2/4), MPG/MPEG, VOB, MKV (h.264, x.264, AVC, MPEG1/2/4, VC-1), TS/TP/M2T (MPEG1/2/4, AVC, VC-1), MP4/MOV (MPEG4, h.264), M2TS, WMV9
• Photo – JPEG, GIF, TIF/TIFF, BMP, PNG
• Audio – MP3, WAV/PCM/LPCM, WMA, AAC, FLAC, MKA, AIF/AIFF, OGG, Dolby Digital, DTS
• Playlist – PLS, M3U, WPL
• Subtitle – SRT, ASS, SSA, SUB, SMI

Conclusion:

The WD TV Live is a definite improvement over its older sibling (the non-Live). If you are looking for an HD media solution that will play pretty much every type of media known to man (see the list above), has a very small physical footprint, network/Internet connectivity, and has limitless storage (i.e. its only limited by the amount of storage you own), then you really can’t do much better than the WD TV Live HD media player.

For those of you who love lists, here is a quick recap of all the highlights and improvements found in the new media player:

• Faster – boot-up, thumbnail loading, and overall operation
• Network access – access content over your home network via Ethernet or USB Wi-Fi adapter
• Internet – access content from YouTube, Flickr, Pandora, and Live365
• Firmware updates – update the media player’s firmware directly over the Internet
• File management – transfer files between USB storage devices, pull files off the network, and delete unwanted files
• Preview mode – in addition to List and Thumbnail views, Preview mode shows the file’s information and plays the media
• Component video – new connection choice in addition to HDMI and Composite
• Color – new matte charcoal casing

As good as the new WD TV Live is, there is still room for improvement. I’d love to see future firmware updates bring Netflix ‘Watch Now’ functionality, access to sites like Hulu, the ability to navigate by ‘chapter’ like on a DVD (with VOB, MKV, etc), and even some sort of Internet browser a la Opera on the Wii. In terms of future hardware improvements, it would be nice if the device had Wi-Fi and Bluetooth built-in, thereby providing an even better network/Internet experience and the ability to use a keyboard with the hypothetical Internet browser. And a physical on/off button built into the WD TV would be handy if you (temporarily) lose your remote (read: there are NO actual buttons/controls on the device itself).

Nonetheless, for $149.99 MSRP (or cheaper somewhere on the ‘Net) the WD TV Live HD Media Player is a highly capable and worthwhile addition to most anyone’s media center. One caveat: if you’ve already got a PS3 and/or XBOX 360 (I have neither), then you are probably one of the few who wouldn’t benefit much from the WD TV Live. In any case, with increases in speed, utility, and functionality, the WD TV Live is definitely a welcome addition to WD’s line of HD media players and a worthy successor to the original WD TV. For more, check out the new WDTVLive.com.

According to DigiTimes:

“The B series, including 32- and 40-inch models, will be priced lower than its current S series entry-level models in order to help the vendor regain its position in the global LCD TV market, the sources noted, adding that the price of a 32-inch B series Sony LCD TV is estimated at about NT$15,000 (US$462.96) or even lower.”

That “or even lower” part is important to note. I’d venture a guess that U.S. pricing would start at far lower than $462.96 seeing as though, for instance, Best Buy currently sells a 32-inch Sony LCD TV for $500 while off-brands of 32-inch LCD TVs are hovering around $350 or less. I’d think that $400 would be more realistic, assuming that Sony’s serious about competing in the lower end.

Of course, that number could fall even lower by early next year depending upon demand and panel prices. Whatever the case, it looks like Sony needs to move some TVs as the company “has trimmed its 2009 LCD TV shipment goal three times so far,” according to DigiTimes.