The folks at G4 have a juicy tidbit on the upcoming Guitar Hero World Tour cacophony of simulated instruments: there might be another one in the works. G4 cites Neversoft's Brian Bright, who let slip that a new peripheral is coming, and will be designed specifically for the music-creating Studio mode (pictured above). The logical choice is a keyboard, since it's the preferred method for entering melodies and other mundane tasks by boring people, but we're secretly gunning for Guitar Hero Bassoon -- check out the video after the break to see why.

[Via Joystiq]

We've seen a number of wireless power systems come and go, but for all the hype-filled bombast and occasional working demo, the tech just hasn't gone anywhere -- but even with that background, Intel's demo of a wireless power system that can broadcast 60 watts of power up to three feet at IDF with 75 percent efficienyc has us giddy with excitement. The system works using essentially the same magnetic induction principle as all the others, but Intel's seems the furthest along, and the company hopes to one day be able to charge laptops with it. Yeah, we'll take three.

Read - NYT article
Read - Pictures from the presentation

Remember a million years ago when Nintendo first introduced the "Revolution," later to be known as the Wii? It wasn't white, and it seemed multiple colors were a shoe-in for the shiny plastic console. Since then, Nintendo has sung a very white, supply-limited song with the Wii, and we're ready for some change. This is not that change. But at least Nintendo is acknowledging that, indeed, other colors do exist, and look just smashing when waved around in the air, in the form of fancy new pastel-colored Wiimote straps for Japan. They cost a few bucks each, or you can get the whole pack for $10. No word if they'll be heading Stateside.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]

The iPhone 3G hits 20 more countries tomorrow, and while we doubt the hype will match the craziness of launch day, that's not stopping Orange from trying to re-create the madness in Poland -- it's hiring "dozens" of actors to line up at 20 stores around the country to "drum up interest." Yeah, that's just sad -- especially since there aren't any real customers in line at Polish T-Mobile stores, which is also carrying the phone. Good luck selling phones to your own actors, fools -- when will these companies ever learn?

PS.- That's a pic from launch day in Chicago -- any Polish readers have a shot of the actors for us? Send 'em in!

Maria Sharapova has already had her greatness spread over a number of Motorola handsets, but now the tennis queen is partnering up with long-time associate Canon in order to make five lucky individuals extraordinarily happy. As part of an elaborate marketing scheme, Canon and Maria (but mostly Canon) are cranking up a contest in which five Canon PowerShot SD1100 IS's are given away. But these aren't just any SD1100 ISs -- these are diamond-encrusted editions worth around $12,000 apiece. No word on whether Maria will actually touch the cameras before they're shipped out, but a boy can dream.

[Via Luxist]

So there's good news and bad news, and we're not even giving you the option of choosing which you'd prefer to hear first (hint: it's the good). Sprint has dropped the price of its Phone-as-Modem plan (capped at 5GB monthly) to just $15 per month. Now, the rest of the story. First off, you must own a Power Vision phone with connection capabilities to a laptop. Next -- unlike the old PAM plan which ran $49.99 / month all by itself -- this "attachable plan" requires you to have another data plan already on your account. For instance, the BlackBerry Personal Pack ($30 / month) or the Worldwide Data Plan ($70 / month). In the end, it looks as if tethering in and of itself got cheaper, but those newfound strings that are reportedly attached will likely cause some frustration.

[Via phonescoop]

Reuters reports that a "market source" has confirmed that Apple has finally sealed a deal to bring the iPhone 3G to Russia in an official capacity, launching on Mobile TeleSystems "likely" in Октябрь (October, that is). Neither MTS nor Apple would agree to comment on the situation -- no surprise there -- but seeing how Russia is one of the remaining gargantuan markets where the iPhone has yet to materialize, it seems like a no-brainer deal for all parties involved.

[Via mocoNews]

Say what you will about Bose's price to performance ratio, that company knows how to move iPod docks. The Bose SoundDock and SoundDock Portable have an astounding hold on the premium end of the iPod accessory market, and the SoundDock Series II followup likely won't be breaking that streak. The new Series II dock has a slightly refined look, more akin to the SoundDock Portable than the original, includes an aux-in jack (at last), and can charge the iPhone 3G -- a sore point for folks who've been charging their iPods and iPhones just fine on the original SoundDock for years, only to have the legacy-free iPhone 3G do them in. The Series II dock also includes the Portable's more advance remote for browsing playlists and such. Price is $299, it should ship starting in September.

Any halfway dedicated nerd already owns at least one desk fan that's either USB-powered or features some sort of dual purpose, but if you're a budding star in the kingdom, this might be the one to get you going. The way-too-loudly-colored Cute Green Desk Cool Fan plugs into any spare USB port, moves a small quantity of air around and doubles as a 4-port USB hub. There's even an On / Off switch for the fan for those times with stagnancy is preferred. Not too shabby for $14.99 delivered, we say.

[Via Protein OS]

Now that the BlackBerry Bold's made its official North American debut, there's a lot of talk about a video Mobile Computer did of the Bold getting blown away browsing head to head with an iPhone 3G over WiFi -- but there's a slight problem there: the Bold was actually using 3G and EDGE. Yeah, that's not a fair fight -- and given how flaky the iPhone 3G's data speeds can be, it actually reflects quite well on the Bold. Head to head on WiFi, the Bold does seem a tick slower, but we'll let you judge that for yourselves -- videos after the break.

Read - BGR browser vid
Read - Mobile Computer browser vid

Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies certainly has plenty more ambitious fuel cell products in the works, but it looks like it's not leaving any potential opportunity to make itself known untapped, with it now introducing the education-minded Bio Energy Discovery Kit to spread the fuel cell word to students and educators alike. According to the company, the kit is actually the "fuel cell industry's first direct ethanol product," which means it's able to take plain water and any household alcohol (like diluted vodka) and, in this case, provide enough power to run a fan non-stop for days on end. That wonder of science doesn't exactly come cheap, however, with the kit running a full $100.

[Via Blast]

Sure, you could dismiss this round of iPod rumors -- so carefully culled by the fine folks at 9 to 5 Mac and AppleInsider -- as baseless speculation, but we'll have none of your dowdy skepticism. We're talking about rainbows here, people. AppleInsider claims that retailers are seeing current iPod models being switched to "discontinued" in inventory systems, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster says to expect iPod refreshes across the board, including a slightly redesigned $200 iPod touch, and meanwhile 9 to 5 Mac has it from an unnamed source that the new iPod nanos will have enhanced features, double the storage and rainbow color schemes. It's almost like somebody in Cupertino is reading our mind! We'll know for sure when new iPods arrive mid-September filled to the brim with "Run's House" episodes and bedecked in rainbow-hued gummy bears. It's going to rock.

[Thanks, Kiwi616]

Read - AppleInsider
Read - 9 to 5 Mac