Matrixstream 1080p IPTV streaming has made it to the next level, now calling itself MyTVPal and offering a beta version of its software video player for free download. The company also promises to roll out the Matrixstream MX1020HD set-top box (pictured above) to accompany its H.264-based IPTV video service, vowing to eventually deliver 1080p video over an everyday "best effort" broadband connection.
For now, you can try out the beta version of the MyTVPal IMX player by filling in a bit of mildly intrusive registration information, downloading and installing it. We snagged the IMX player and took it for a spin, and grabbed a screen shot for you. What did we think of this new service?
Samsung's line of ultra edition cellphones is about to expand with the release of the SCH-B630. A slider, the cellphone has a few features that make it stand out from the pack, specifically its 3.0-megapixel built-in camera and ability to pull down DMB digital TV broadcasts all within a 12.9mm (0.5 in.) thin body. Even more advanced is the fact that it has a TV-out port so you can watch DMB broadcasts on your TV should your TV not have the proper antenna. All this talk of DMB probably means that the cellphone will be exclusive to Korea for a little while. More lovely pics can be found inside.
Looks like the French love their Linux. Either that or all the Vista talk scared them off. Starting in June members of the French parliament will be ditching their Windows machines for Linux. Roughly 1,154 parliamentary workstations will be running the open source OS and using OpenOffice.org software (along with Firefox as their Web browser) in an effort to save some cash. I doubt they'll be using Linutops, but this goes to show Microsoft that pretty much anything you can do with Windows, you can do (cheaper) on Linux. – Louis Ramirez
French Parliament Dumping Windows for Linux [via News.com]
If you're fed up with Windows Media Player, the QuickTime player or any of those other pretenders to greatness, there's a new version of the open-source Democracy Player just released released that's reportedly faster and more stable than its predecessors.
Version 0.9.2 was released yesterday, and its makers say lots of its performance problems have been solved, particularly with the Windows version which is said to use 50 to 75% less RAM than previous versions. It's free. Get it now.
From kotaku.com — Aw-man, I just found out one more thing the seemingly innocuous 1.11 Playstation 3 firmware update does: It causes my console to lock-up when I try to go in and modify the Music settings. Whenever I click on that particular item I get a message saying: Setting information is corrupted. continue reading »
Toyota has designed a concept car for that time when we'll all be towing our Priuses with a team of horses, calling its creation a Renewable Lifestyle Vehicle (RLV). It takes the word "hybrid" to the next level, splitting its powertrain between pedal power and a battery-powered electric motor.
Yep, it's like that little pedal-powered fire truck you had when you were a kid. It's super light, made of aluminum, bamboo and something called "bioplastic," known to you and me as garbage. Why was this designed, anyway?
XOCMusic.com's Jason Cox has hand crafted what scientists* are dubbing The Most Awesome Thing Ever.
Jason's taken two of the most utterly badical things in the world - rocking out, and the NES - and fused them to create something so incredibly amazing that it's stunning the world, nay, Universe hasn't imploded from its sheer brilliance.
I’d like to be able to tell you that this is real and that someone was stupid enough to carve their way into one to install USB connectors but, I can’t.
The upside though is that it looks like the real deal, is tacky in a good way and will cost you less than £30 when it arrives early next year.
It sports eight USB slots and one connector and has been built with enough metal for it to weigh over 2Kgs. So, what you get is something that looks like the real thing, weighs a little bit like the real thing, but is actually more useful than something you could only stare at weekends when you visit the family vault.
Whether you actually own flares from the fashion drought that was the 1970s, or merely have a pair hanging about for those fancy dress parties, you might want to bling it up with jewellery from the same period.
Over at the great Watchismo Times, you can check out a whole heap of classic 1970s timepieces and, to be frank, they are cracking pieces. I’m talking the kind of thing you’d be proud to wear all day, everyday – even without the costume.
From the chunky to the slinky, there’s something wild for everyone. Even better you can buy them.
My personal favourites are the 30-year Mentor Mechanical Digital Jump Watch which puts Wonder Woman’s bracelets in the shade, the truly beautiful Camy Floating Case Watch and – for the ladies – the Vintage 1972 Ladies Bulova by Christian Dior.
See pics of all three after the jump.- Martin Lynch
An online service dedicated to routing out dastardly MySpace users is doing the rounds. MySpaceScum.com gives users the opportunity to post up alleged scumbags onto the main page and warns other MySpacers to keep away.
It's also a fun way to ruin the reputation of your friends!
Some examples include ArmandStyles who is accused of not actually being Italian. The cheat. There's also &spadesFAMOUSSAS& who will apparently talk to you, so watch out.
While the idea has potential, an even better way to protect yourself would be to not sign up at all. -Tamlin Magee
With all this talk of the PS3 launch and obsessed, salivating gamers waiting in queues for hours on end over in the States - something we Brits will no doubt beat them at, since we love to queue so much - we feel that Sony fans are hogging the spotlight.
So, we bring you this, an interview from the folks at GameTrailers.com with perhaps the acest geek you're ever likely to set eyes on.
Judging by his repeating of "Awww Hell No," it is apparent to us that Will Smith has let himself go and become a reclusive gamer instead. -Tamlin Magee
If you're really worried about someone stealing your phone and then making loads of calls on your dosh, you probably want some security on there. Like a lock code, which basically all phones have.
If that's not good enough for you and you won't feel secure until you can't make a call without sticking your phone up to your face and taking a picture of your eye, good news! OKI of Japan has just created software that locks your phone until your iris is recognized. Look for it to hit the phones of paranoid idiots everywhere come next March. –Adam Frucci
Wireless headphones are great in theory, but in practice they tend to be bulky and not really worth the snipping of wires. The problem is that you need to cram a Bluetooth receiver into something that's supposed to comfortably rest on your ears, which isn't that easy to do.
Apparently Sony realises this, so the company is working on a technology to send music signals directly through your body. Because the signal is sent through a tinny electrostatic charge, they can only fit 48 kbps into the transmission without it becoming a painful experience. Somehow I think that some audiophiles would love to brag about being able to withstand the pain of transmission to get hott 320 kbps quality listening, but who knows if Sony will be up for marketing to the masochists. –Adam Frucci
Crazy French skin care company, Clarins Paris, will release a Spray in January that will protect us all from the electromagnetic radiation that is emitted by cell phones and laptops.
The spray is made up of microorganisms found on plants near undersea volcanoes. The logic seems to be that the microorganisms that are found on the plants have developed ways to protect the plants from the harmful radiation put out by the undersea volcanoes. Therefore if we coat ourselves with the same junk we will benefit in the same way. No word on price, but please don't buy this.– Ben Longo
It doesn't get any simpler than this. The Linutop is a small form factor PC that comes pre-installed with Linux, and, well, that's about it. The PC has no hard drive, video card, or other components as it's meant specifically for Web surfing only and comes with just enough ports/connections for all the essential peripherals. A number of other pre-installed apps (Firefox being one of them) are also included. Cost and availability are still unknown, but if you're looking for a cheap, bare bones PC, I can't picture anyone topping this. – Louis Ramirez
The console underdog, Wii, is off to a flying start in the US selling more than 600,000 units in its first 8 days, which Nintendo works out at almost one per second. In terms of cash, sales of the console, games and accessories, represented a cool £98m. That’s about the same cost as a few thousand PS3s – only joking.
The Wii’s leading game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, has clocked up a healthy sales figure of 454,000. Compare this to yesterday’s speculative news that initial PS3 sales in the US might have been as low as 125,000 thanks to Sony failing to meet its meagre, initial units allocation of 400,000.
Nintendo looks to be on target for its 4m sales target before the end of the year and is even bragging that it can replenish stocks at 250,000 per month. Hell, even the Xbox 360 is still flying off the shelves.
Now I’m not saying that the PS3 sales machine won’t thrash the crap out of everything in sight when it finally manages to work out the glitches but, talk about letting your rivals get the jump on you.-Martin Lynch
From 
Whether you actually own flares from the fashion drought that was the 1970s, or merely have a pair hanging about for those fancy dress parties, you might want to bling it up with jewellery from the same period.
Wireless headphones are great in theory, but in practice they tend to be bulky and not really worth the snipping of wires. The problem is that you need to cram a Bluetooth receiver into something that's supposed to comfortably rest on your ears, which isn't that easy to do.
The console underdog, Wii, is off to a flying start in the US selling more than 600,000 units in its first 8 days, which Nintendo works out at almost one per second. In terms of cash, sales of the console, games and accessories, represented a cool £98m. That’s about the same cost as a few thousand PS3s – only joking. 
Editor and Contributor | Martin Lynch
Contributor | Tamlin Magee
