N-Control Avenger Controller Elite reaches GameStop, sells like gangbusters

We got a look at N-Control's Avenger Controller Elite just last month, and the company is rounding out the hardware's May release with a full-court press on GameStop. The retailer's online store is now selling both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 variants of the controller assist as straightforward, bundle-free $50 units. Company creator David Kotkin also tells us that the add-ons have had an extremely warm reception so far: although the Elite lineup had an unsung launch at GameStop on May 29th, it sold out on day one and is still in tight supply, with Xbox 360 examples currently on backorder as we write this. N-Control may have had a tough road in the past several months, but it looks as though that perseverance has paid off.

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Gigabyte makes 975g X11 official, claims 'world's lightest' 11.6-inch notebook (update: hands-on)

Well hello there again, Gigabyte X11. Hot on the heels of yesterday's leak, Gigabyte's just made its 11.6-inch X11 laptop (or is that an Ultrabook?) official. At 975g (34.4oz) it claims the title of "lightest notebook on earth" -- and weighs even less on Mars. Design-wise, you're looking at a 16.5mm (0.65-inch) to 3mm (0.19-inch) thin Macbook Air-like body made of real carbon fiber (!) with an aluminum hinge. Under the hood you'll find unspecified third generation Intel Core processors (read Ivy Bridge), 4GB of DDR3 RAM, Mobile Intel HM77 Express chipset with Intel HD Graphics 4000, a 128GB SSD, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth v4.0.

Ports include power, USB 2.0 and mini DisplayPort on the left side plus microSD, combo audio and USB 3.0 on the right. While the specs also mention gigabit Ethernet, there's no sign of it anywhere in the press shots. The display is a 1366x768-pixil LED-backlit affair dotted with a 1.3 megapixel webcam. A chicklet keyboard, buttonless trackpad and 4730mAh 7.4V Li-ion polymer battery (likely sealed) complete the package. There's no information on availability, but prices will range from $999 to $1299 with Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional in tow. Expect more information when we get our hands on this sexy beast at Computex next week.

Update: Our colleagues over at Engadget Chinese just got some hands-on time with this svelte black slab.

Gallery: Gigabyte X11 PR shots and specs

In addition, Gigabyte's announcing two 14-inch laptops -- the U2442 and U2440 -- which feature third generation Intel Core processors and NVIDIA GeForce graphics. Unfortunately, we're still busy drooling all over the X11 gallery, so we'll direct you to the full PR after the break for more information.

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Aereo defends itself in court over copyright infringement allegations

Controversial TV streaming startup Aereo is in court this week after being sued by broadcasters including Comcast, Fox, CBS, and others. The plaintiffs claim that Aereo, which "captures" broadcast TV transmissions and transmits them to subscribers with proprietary antennas, doesn't have the right to redistribute their content. However, the Wall Street Journal reports that Aereo's lawyers are arguing the startup is operating within the boundaries of the same laws that permit viewing recorded content via DVRs.

"The Aereo system operates just like DVRs in the marketplace. That's not the live retransmission of TV."

Since each Aereo subscriber uses an individual antenna, the argument goes that retransmissions don't constitute public...

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Google Voice brings greater control over anonymous and unknown callers

Think about it for a moment: do you recall a single instance when you were actually glad that you answered a telephone call from a blocked number? Unless that bill collector turned out to be your future spouse, the answer is likely no. Now, Google Voice users will find an extra perk in the online settings that should take the edge off of receiving calls from unknown sources. You'll now find the ability to screen anonymous callers, whereby the system will prompt the individual to state their name, and only then will your phone ring. From there, you'll have the option of answering the call, sending it to voicemail, or even listening in as the caller leaves a voice message -- kinda like back in the days of answering machines. Similarly, you'll also find the ability to apply this same screening process to callers who aren't in your address book. As proof that Google isn't a total grouch, it's also thrown in a new option that allows you to customize a warm greeting for those contacts who are, in fact, in your address book. After all, it never hurts to show some love.

NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month

Scientists will soon have a new tool at their disposal in their search for black holes and a greater understanding of what NASA describes as "the most energetic and exotic objects in space." The space agency announced today that it has begun preparing its Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array -- otherwise known as NuSTAR -- for launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, with a liftoff planned for no earlier than June 13th. The telescope is by far the most advanced of its type to date, boasting ten times the resolution and more than 100 times the sensitivity of its predecessors, as well as a new design that relies on a complex set of 133 ultra-thin nested mirrors -- a setup NASA compares to a Russian Doll. Those interested can get a brief overview of the mission in the video after the break

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Rumor: Microsoft to update SkyDrive in late July, Recycle Bin feature and Android app in development

Microsoft appears to be working on several SkyDrive updates for a launch in late July. The software giant has rolled out a number of SkyDrive improvements recently, including a Windows and Mac client to support automatic file access. Documents supplied to us this week indicate that the company is working on a Milestone 3 release of SkyDrive, due between July 23rd and July 30th. The release is said to include improvements to the company's iPad app, simple file sharing, and online web interface.

Although we're unable to immediately verify the details, the documents also reference a Milestone 4 release due later this year. This particular update to SkyDrive will focus on Android support and a new Recycle Bin feature designed as a backup...

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Japanese man to face first DS flashcart prosecution

A 39-year-old self-employed man in Saitama Prefecture, Japan, was arrested yesterday (May 30th) for selling devices that let users play pirated games on Nintendo DS consoles. Japan’s newly-amended Unfair Competition Prevention Act prohibits the sale of equipment designed to circumvent security mechanisms, and the man is the first to face criminal charges under the new rules for selling flashcarts.

"Majikon" (magic computer) devices like the well-known R4 cart for the Nintendo DS and its variants have been sold for years online and in Japan’s electronics districts, in defiance of a ban that made sales illegal, but didn't carry any criminal charges. Before last December’s amendment, the Unfair Competition Prevention Act "only"...

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OmniVision's 12.7-megapixel OV12830 can shoot 24 fps photo bursts from your smartphone

OmniVision has been on a bit of a tear introducing new mobile camera sensors this week, and its newest could well have the biggest impact on smartphones in the next year. The OV12830's 12.7 megapixels don't make it as dense as the 16-megapixel sensors we've seen, but it makes up for that with some mighty fast still photography. As long as the attached phone can handle it, the CMOS sensor can snap full-resolution photos at 24 frames per second, or the kind of relentless shooting speed that would make One X and Galaxy S III fans happy. The same briskness musters 1080p video at 60 fps, even with stabilization thrown in. Production won't start until the fall and likely rules out a flood of 12.7-megapixel phones and tablets until 2013, but the OV12830's dead-on match for the size of current 8-megapixel sensors gives it a good shot at becoming ubiquitous -- and guarantees that phones won't need a giant hump on the back for a higher resolution.

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Gigabyte's X11 laptop is all carbon fiber, weighs 2.1 pounds

Taiwanese computer maker Gigabyte is taking laptop case design to the next level with its new X11; what the company is calling the world’s first all-carbon-fiber notebook. Thanks to the light weight and high strength of the material, the 11.6-inch X11 weighs just over 2 pounds (975g) — 105 grams shy of Apple’s 11.6-inch MacBook Air. This makes the X11 the lightest 11.6-inch laptop on the market, although to put things in perspective, Sony's 11.1-inch Vaio X beats it by half a pound. The machine will have an Ivy Bridge processor, a 128GB SSD, two USB 3.0 ports, and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity when it launches in July for between $999 and $1,299, but Gigabyte hasn't come out with any more detailed specs yet. We’ll be sure to let...

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Google Translate for Android updated with Holo interface and Esperanto support

Google has updated its Translate app for Android to version 2.4. It's largely a visual overhaul, with a new simplified icon and Holo theme replacing the previous web-style color scheme. The interface has been redesigned, too, with larger buttons to activate handwriting and voice input now appearing at the bottom of the screen. Elsewhere, speech translation now works with a total of 17 languages, and for the first time on mobile there's Esperanto support for the more neutrally-inclined. From using it briefly, it looks like a pretty clear improvement all around — the app is both more attractive and simpler to navigate. Of course, Google's machine translation itself isn't without its issues, but it's good to see improvements to the...

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E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray full specs revealed, arrives in October

We already got an early peek at the trailer, but Universal has finally issued a press release that breaks down everything that will be included in the E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 30th Anniversary Blu-ray. The disc will include only the 1982 theatrical version of the movie, a Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound audio track and two brand-new featurettes. Those include an interview with the director Steven Spielberg and a behind the scenes look in The E.T. Journals. There's also support for the pocket BLU remote app, Ultraviolet and standard Digital Copy, and more. It certainly seems to be a package befitting the fourth-highest performing movie of all time, check after the break for another look at the trailer and the full press release. It's already up for preorder on Amazon for $24.49, although we'll have to keep waiting for an exact release date.

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Google adopts paid inclusion model for hotel and flight search results

Google has long been against paid inclusion, the practice of charging companies to be included in search results. As far back as 2001 the company said that it had no plans to adopt the practice, but it looks like over a decade later Google has changed its mind, at least for some results. Marketing Land reports that as of last month certain experimental Google search tools — including the flight and hotel search — have updated comparison boxes that now display "sponsored" results. These appear directly below the regular ads that show up at the top of a results page.

So what's the difference between a sponsored post and an actual ad? According to Google, in the case of ads, the advertiser has complete control over the content of the...

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Anodizing aluminum and titanium explained and demonstrated in less than five minutes (video)

Many of us use gadgets that sport gleamingly refined, anodized aluminum or titanium cases -- but have you ever wondered exactly how the process works? Bill Hammack, at it again after explaining to us how the CCD, LCDs, and hard drives work, breaks it down (pun intended) for us -- in less than five minutes. He talks about, and even shows us how the surface of titanium is meticulously rusted using electro-chemicals to grow an oxide layer, changing the color based on its thickness. He follows that up with some commentary on how a similar reaction gobbles up and transforms aluminum, creating a much thicker, porous oxide layer that can be filled with any color dye. So, just to be clear: controlled corrosion is good for your Mac, border control -- maybe not so much. You can watch the video right after the break.

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Watch this: SpaceX Dragon departs the ISS and returns to Earth, coverage starts 3:30AM EDT / 8:30AM BST

SpaceX's journey into orbit hasn't been the smoothest ride, but last week the Falcon 9 rocket finally blasted off, and a few days later the Dragon capsule successfully docked with the International Space Station. Now it's time for the Dragon to come back home, and of course it's all going to be broadcast live. The capsule's return is going to be covered in two different segments. First, NASA TV will cover the actual departure of the capsule from the ISS itself. The live coverage is set to begin May 31st at 3:30AM EDT (8:30AM BST), with the capsule not scheduled to be released from the space station until 6:30AM EDT.

The coverage will then shift to the capsule as it begins its deorbit and splashes back down to Earth. That phase is...

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Facebook fan pages see drop in Google and Bing traffic following 'Search, plus Your World' launch

When Google launched its "Search, plus Your World" (SPYW) feature back in January, there were some concerns that the service, by prioritizing Google+ search results, would have a negative impact on SEO traffic to competing social networks. Now, a report from analytics company PageLever shows that traffic from Google to Facebook fan pages has indeed dropped in the five months since SPYW went into effect, though these results are far from conclusive.

PageLever's study centered around a sample of 500 Facebook fan pages (each with a minimum of 100,000 fans), focusing on external referrals from both Bing and Google. Between April of last year and January 9th — a day before SPYW went into effect — each page in this sample averaged about...

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