Gearfuse

Remember a few years ago, when Microsoft and the EU got into a tussle over the bundling of Internet Explorer with the Windows OS? Microsoft lost, got hit with a billion dollars in fines and was forced to remove IE from Windows in future versions. Now, with the release of Windows 7 on the horizon, Microsoft isn’t taking any chances and has confirmed that IE will be missing from European versions of Windows 7.

While I understand this entirely, what I don’t get is how this benefits the consumer. With no web browser installed on the OS by default, how the hell is somebody supposed to download an alternative browser like Firefox or Safari? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

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It might seem like the Playstation 2 is going the way of the dodo, but it’s not even close to burning out. That’s because Sony Europe’s developer relations manager George Bain announced that it’s no longer necessary for developers to submit upcoming titles to Sony for content approval. This makes the Playstation 2 officially an open platform, allowing indie developers to make their own games without having to pay licensing fees.

You’ll still have to purchase a development kit if you want to create anything worth playing, but with a little persuasion and charm, you can get Sony to lend you one. You’ve also got a better chance of kicking Chuck Norris’ ass.

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While enjoying my European adventure I saw the renowned Jedi Master Yoda in Madrid’s historic Plaza Mayor. Apparently, Yoda’s fallen on hard times since filming the Star Wars movies and now he’s resorted to begging for money from tourists in Spain.

It was cool seeing my favorite sci-fi hero in the flesh, but I’d rather have a chance to get up close and personal with a hottie like Princess Leia or Queen Amidala. I hear Natalie Portman’s single again, so maybe I can make that happen. I’ll have my people get in touch with her people. As Yoda himself once said “there is no try there is only do.”

What up everybody. This cool Lego creation is a model of Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport that I spotted when I landed in Europe yesterday morning. Thanks to the folks at Eurail and various tourism ministries, I’m here on a ten day trip through Portugal, Spain, and Amsterdam.

While I’m traveling, in addition to all the regular Gearfuse goodness, expect weekend updates on the hottest street art, design, and high tech goodies from across the pond. It’s going to be awesome.

Sharp’s first dual-mode transmitter, the VA3B5EZ915, is capable of tuning in on both T-DMB and DVB-H terrestrial digital broadcasts. Sharp claims this device to be the first of its kind. With the launch of One-Seg in Japan, other similar services have started popping up in other areas in the Eastern Hemisphere, including DVB-H for some areas of Europe, and T-DMB for Korea.

The device is made to be implanted in mobile devices, and as can be seen from the image, its size (8 x 8 x 1.25 mm) is definitely compact enough to please many manufacturers, as the demand for smaller tuners continues to grow. — Andrew Dobrow

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Thanks to the inept companies who update their product lists early, there is a rumor going around that Nintendo is planning on releasing several new color options for the Wiimote and Nunchucks. The new colors listed on the product list of the retailer in question are silver, blue, and pearl pink.

According to the retailer, the new colored hardware is set to ship June 29th in Europe. No word of any U.S. date or price information. And while this in no way confirms an official announcement from Nintendo, these retail lists have been known to be spot on in the past. — Andrew Dobrow

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Opera announced that the Nintendo DS will be the next gaming console to use its browser for console web surfing. Starting June 4, Opera will be available to all U.S. gamers. Opera has been available to Nintendo players in Japan and Europe since the tail end of 2006, with the beta version for the Wii available in the U.S. since December 2006.

Comparing the size of the PSP screen with the Nintendo DS screen makes us hesitant to jump on this idea. The PSP screen, bigger than the Nintendo DS screen, already strains the eyes to read text. Opera on the DS is sure to be a literal eyesore unless some kind of interface change is planned. There is no pricing information available for the Opera DS software, but we can expect that soon enough. — Andrew Dobrow

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