In our perpetual search for the perfect "miniature PMP that just so happens to play SNES games with a reasonable control scheme," the Oppo Muse G11 is certainly a forerunner. We swooned when we saw those swivel-display technical drawings, and now Oppo has the first prototype of the device out and about. We're still a little short on tech specs, but as long as that mystery processor is prepared to draw Chrono Trigger with pixel-perfect precision, we couldn't care less.

We haven't heard from Clarion since June, and as fate would have it, it was then when the company told us to expect a GPS-equipped MiND in the foreseeable future. Fast forward a few months, and here we have the formal (re)introduction of the ClarionMiND. Definitely dubbed a MID, this Atom-powered handheld is currently scheduled for release in US / Canada this November, while Europeans will have to wait until January 2009. Outside of the oh-so-fresh CPU, you'll find a 4.8-inch (800 x 480 resolution) display, 512MB of RAM, a 4GB SSD, 802.11b/g WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR, a SiRFstarIII GPS module and a rechargeable Li-ion good for two hours (four hours with the optional extended cell). You'll also get a pair of USB 2.0 ports, a microSD card slot and optional real-time traffic support. The just described "standard" model will demand $649.99; the way-more-delicious Premium version doesn't yet have a price, but it should be out next Spring with integrated 3G.

Resident Evil, the survival horror franchise that really got things moving for the genre is back, this time round targeting the mobile platform known as N-Gage. Resident Evil Degeneration will feature a couple of separate play modes, different mission types as well as 3D quality graphics. I'll have to be rather skeptical about the graphics segment as we all know that cell phones aren't exactly the best platform when it comes to stunning graphics in video games. The storyline remains more or less the same, where terrorists have taken hold of a deadly virus, releasing it at a US airport with Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield hoping to stop the carnage before it spreads elsewhere.

Long road trips are bearable if you love driving alone or with your partner, but factor in a bunch of rowdy kids behind and you'll have a tough time on your hands unless you're as authoritarian a figure as the Army's general. Kinwei Technologies aims to make your journey more bearable with the KW-GM4306TG GPS navigation system that features a built-in 8-bit gaming system. Other features include :-
Samsung ARM9 400MHz processor
64MB ROM
256MB NAND flash
SiRF Star III GPS chipset
ARMV4I navigation software
Bluetooth connectivity
Hands-free communications
SD/MMC memory card slot
Supports multiple languages
This Windows CE.NET 4.2-powered device will come with its own controller for you to play all those emulated games. I'd say get a more noteworthy standalone GPS device and leave your kids to their Nintendo DS Lites or Sony PSPs. Everyone (but your wallet) will be happier this way.

It's been just over a week since we ran a smash-and-grab at Apple's unveiling of its newest entries to the iPod family, the nano 4G and touch 2G. The devices, both set along an evolutionary (rather than revolutionary) path have certainly been nipped, tucked, and updated -- but we wanted to know if they'd been improved at all. For the nano, we've seen some iteration of the same device for years now, leaving questions as to how much further you can take a low-end music player, while the touch is another story completely; a handheld which treads that ever-thinning line between entertainment device and micro-computer. Do either of these products hit their marks, or has Apple overextended itself in its pursuit of market saturation? Keep reading to find out.

So, a top-secret document has popped up over at the Cheap Ass Gamer forums from a reliable source, detailing some Xbox 360 name changes. Unfortunately, we have no idea what those names mean for us, since they're fairly idiotic, could just be internal code names, and could be fake altogether. We're trying not to believe Microsoft is going to hit the market with the Xbox Lean, Xbox Granite and Xbox Pure, unless the "Lean" is actually slimmed down, and the "Pure" version is truly the purest of all Xboxes. HEXUS has a theory that these could be names for that 65nm unified-chip Valhalla Xboxen due for the end of the year, which may actually be feasible, but implications that the Pure could be a full-on sequel to the 360 seem preposterous at best.

It's a common issue, really. Having to peel that sticky, icky silicone skin from the Wiimote each time you try to swap out the batteries or plop it down in a recharging station is a real pain, but TeknoCreations has a better way. By utilizing a contactless induction charging system, its InCharge remote charger can actually reinvigorate Lithium Polymer battery packs that are encased within those newfangled silicone grips that the Big N recommends so heavily. The system reportedly offers a 25-hour battery life, and unlike contact-based chargers, the aforementioned dirt and grit won't gum up the juicing process. The InCharge Wiimote charger should be available real soon for $34.99, and for PS3 owners feeling all left out, fret not -- the company just received certification to go forward with a similar product for the SIXAXIS.

It was bound to happen sooner or later, and now we're hearing that the infamous Wii Backup Loader -- the hacks that allow you to run "backup" Wii games without a modchip -- is out riding the 'net thanks to an overzealous beta tester. At this point, only the patient and hardcore should apply as the v0.1 loader is in a very (very) early beta and apparently still buggy. The rest of you should just wait for the final release assuming Waninkoko doesn't just throw up his hands in disgust and abandon the homebrew community already irritated by the introduction of warez.

Ah, how easily phrases can be misconstrued when you're not absolutely precise in what you say. While the intarwebz have been ablaze with speculation about the elusive "new peripheral' on the forthcoming Guitar Hero: World Tour title, Neversoft project director Brian Bright has delivered a copious amount of non-potable water to the scene in the form of this sobering news. There actually won't be any new "instrument," per se; rather, the PS3 version of the game will include a MIDI import feature that gives PC-using musicians the ability to import rhythm guitar, lead guitar, bass, keyboards and drum tracks in as a GH Tunes song. For undisclosed "hardware reasons," the Xbox 360 version can only handle the skins. Eh, 2 stars.

After making a false start earlier today, Sony Computer Entertainment just announced the official, global launch of its free, life with play station PS3 service. Initially, Live Channel will deliver worldwide news and information such as weather and live camera images from 60 cities around the globe -- more interactive content will be delivered in time. Check the video demonstration after the break for setup instructions and quickie overview.

British modder Bacteria has a great love for cartridges, and his latest creation is known as the Mini-Platform Plug'n'Play Console System. The system might not be aesthetically pleasing in any way, but it does boast the ability to play both GBA as well as old school Game Boy titles on it without missing a beat. Why, that's due to an old school GBA hanging off the back. I guess devices the size of a GBA ain't that portable anymore these days, so the adjective "Mini" here might be wee bit misleading