Want to attend a BYOC event but don't have the hottest looking case on the block? That can be rectified with you doing a good deed at the same time, thanks to this stunning custom PC casemod that is currently undergoing the hammer for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Not only does this glowing computer look solid on the outside, its innards are something to shout about with an Intel Core i7 975 Extreme Edition processor, a couple of nVidia GeForce GTX 295 graphics cards running in SLI mode, a whopping 12GB DDR3 RAM, a 2.5 TB hard drive, a Logitech G19 gaming keyboard, a custom Razer Boomslang mouse and 13 video games pre-loaded to get you started right out of the box. Its innards alone are worth more than 10 grand, but the bidding price starts at $4,000 - what are you waiting for?

An idle mind is the devil's worksop, but then again sometimes idle minds conjure up wonders like this homemade accelerometer-controlled USB gamepad which houses a PIC18F2550 from Starlino within.

The code for the firmware was written in PicBasic Pro and it implements a HID USB device with 2 axes and 4 buttons (only 2 buttons connected in the prototype). The device is detected by Windows XP/Vista as a standard USB gamepad and can be used with many games and applications. I am using a 2 Axes Buffered ±2g Accelerometer from DIMENSION ENGINEERING, it has a built in voltage regulator that allows powering the accelerometer directly from the USB bus (5V).

If you're interested in making one of your own, head on here.

In what would most probably be an unpopular move, Sony looks set to introduce a fee-based subscription for the Playstation Network sometime in 2010 or the year after that. It isn't meant to replace the free Playstation Network access but complement it instead, where they reiterate the mantra that money gets you places - in this case, perhaps an increased download speed or more detailed profile online among other exclusive benefits. What do you think of this development?

Gameloft is famous for their range of mobile games, but they have just revealed that they will be slowing down on Android game development due to a lack of potential revenue and slow adoption of the platform. According to Gameloft finance director Alexandre de Rochefort, “We have significantly cut our investment in Android platform, just like … many others. It is not as neatly done as on the iPhone. Google has not been very good to entice customers to actually buy products. On Android nobody is making significant revenue.” Oh, is this a big blow to Android as we all know that games do sell hardware. Would this result in a snowball effect for buying more iPhones?

While the PS3 is a very good gaming machine, the built-in web browser is certainly nothing to shout about. Granted the PS3 wasn’t designed to replace your computer as a web browsing machine, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a better browser. Would going around the Internet is that Sony is in talks with Mozilla to port Firefox over to the PS3. Of course, this is still firming in the rumor bin at the moment, but we’ll have to sit back and see how this works out. Stay tuned!

iBUYPOWER offers their latest Chimera 2 Gaming System which is completely redesigned with the signature Chimera Inferno II Chassis. This second generation gaming rig will feature a fiery image of what seems like a Thundercats clone logo on the outside, giving a preview of what is contained within - components that boasts searing speed, boasting Intel’s Core i7 and Core i5 and AMD’s Phenom II processors, DirectX 11 capable graphics and SSDs which reduces boot times. A quartet of chassis fans ensures everything inside keeps on running cool, while a 120 mm liquid cooling solution helps maximize performance potential.

Sony is still working very hard to turn a profit. To do so, the company is betting on (stereo) 3D, among other things, to charge a premium, in a bid to increase its margins. This was largely visible during our recent trip to CEATEC in Japan: stereo 3D was everywhere, in TVs, but also in the PS3 graphics driver itself. With it, Sony can turn the PS3 (an Uber10) user interface and most games into "3D Stereo" games. So what's in it for Sony? Sell more expensive TVs, for one.

It is not surprising to see Hollywood and TV makers are pushing (stereo) "3D". While customers have sometimes been willing to pay an extra to go from 60Hz to 120HZ, I doubt that the same is true for 240Hz. Thinness is also worth only so much: when it comes down to it, customers aren't willing to pay twice the price to get half the thickness. Instead most will patiently wait until the prices fall into the 1500-2000 range.

Tony Hawk: RIDE has finally arrived in North America across Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms, where most people would be curious to give the wireless skateboard controller a go in their living rooms. We wonder whether it is advisable to wear all the relevant safety gear just in case you land awkwardly on your floor. Interested? Be prepared to drop $119.99 for this title then. [Press Release]

Asus ups the ante where 3D vision notebooks are concerned with the G51J model, boasting NVIDIA's 3D Vision technology that caters for extensive game compatibility (currently standing at around 400 games and counting), alongside a 120Hz, 15.6" display which works best in tandem with a pair of active shutter glasses. Some say that the shutter method is more comfortable compared to a polarized version, but really, that boils down to personal preference. You won't find the G51J running out of breath anytime soon as it has a GeForce GTX 260M video card armed with 1GB of DDR3 RAM. Prices start from $1,700 upwards.

ATI has just announced the fastest video card in the world, taking over from where NVIDIA left off after a long, long time clawing its way back to the pinnacle of its game. Touted to be the speediest card ever created, the Radeon HD 5970 is one of the world's first and only graphics cards which offers full support for Microsoft DirectX 11 technology and ATI Eyefinity multi-display technology. Capable of handling just about the most demanding PC games at ultra-high resolutions and image quality settings, the ATI Radeon HD 5970 boasts unlocked overclocking potential, capable of powering three displays simultaneously for an unmatched maximum resolution of 7,680 x 1,600 pixels. Your eyes will be pleading for mercy due to the visual overload as the ATI Radeon HD 5970 graphics card delivers nearly 5 TeraFLOPS of computing power.[Press Release]

Origin PC, a new player in the world of gaming PC companies has a slight edge over the rest if history is taken into consideration - after all, it is started by former executives of Alienware. Bringing along a similar idealogy where it will target hardcore PC gamers who want machines that have tons of custom options and airbrush paint jobs. Apart from that, these machines will boast “overclocking” guarantees thanks to liquid cooling that enables the PC’s microprocessor to function at much higher speeds than normal. Could they pull it off? Perhaps, if their operations are kept lean.

Ever wanted to modify your PSP 3000 to make it looks like the lights on top of a cop car? Well, that’s what somebody out there in the world did, and he even posted the video of it on YouTube. It looks simple, but we’re fairly sure it’s not as easy as it seems. Have you modified your PSP before? What was your experience? Let us know via the comments section.

Folks who can't get enough of Facebook with a window open on your desktop permanently while your iPhone has a Facebook app running in the background, here's good news. As reported earlier, Facebook for the PS3 will make its grand entrance this Thursday with the new 3.10 firmware update roll out. It is but a first step where Facebook integration is concerned, and future updates are expected to see new features thrown into the mix.

Mad Catz also joins Microsoft by rolling out their own version of the Wireless N Networking Adapter. Basically an Ethernet bridge, it plays nice with the PS3 works, retailing for a mere $79.99 which is a good $20 cheaper compared to the Microsoft version. Shipments have already started to North American and European retailers.