My BlackBerry Storm review ended up a lot more lukewarm than I would have liked, because of one problem: bugs. RIM's on top of the situation, though. They told us that the BlackBerry Storm would get an over-the-air software update "within weeks" to improve several aspects of the device - and I look forward to re-rating the phone when it does.

BlackBerries used to be known for their absolutely bulletproof reliability - they never shipped with bugs. But I think that RIM has now bit off more than they can chew. First with the BlackBerry Bold (if the fiasco where Orange took it off the shelves is to be believed), then with the BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220, now with this device, they've let products out of the gate just a little bit - a few weeks - before they were 100% ready.

I have to believe that's connected to the forking RIM OS platform. For years, they generally ran all of their devices on one OS and one platform. The Curve, Pearl and 8800 are actually all pretty much the same thing, and their software moved in lockstep. But now RIM has three platforms running in parallel: 4.5, for their older models; 4.6, for the Bold and Flip; and 4.7, for the Storm. Do they just not have the staff to QA all of those at once?

Senior Editor Wendy Sheehan pointed out to me that she thinks her iPhone is as buggy as our Storm was - it's just that the iPhone's bugs didn't appear during the initial review period. That may be the case. I very much look forward to updating our review based on the new software build.

Announced with a slew of new phones earlier this month, the DoCoMo PRIME F-01A handset has officially been released in the country. The PRIME F-01A is a Symbian-based phone manufactured by Fujitsu. It's a waterproof handset (it can stay at a one meter depth underwater for 30 minutes) with a 3.5-inch wide VGA touch screen panel and is compliant to Fujitsu's FOMA specifications.

The HSDPA phone has a 5.2-megapixel camera with both auto-focus and face detection, VGA video capture at 30 fps, expandable microSD card slot of up to 8GB, and for security purposes; a fingerprint reader. Of course, since this is a keitai we're talking about, expect the usual Japanese phone features including e-Wallet and 1-Seg TV tuner.

A professor from the Tokyo Institute of Technology developed a robotic device that could be attached to an arm and be used for rehabilitation of non-working joints at home. Called the Tail-wrist-II, the device prevents the loss of retractility in patients with half of their bodies paralyzed. Having the option of doing rehabilitation at home on their own rather than going to hospitals or hiring professionals would be economically advantageous to patients.

The device is fitted onto a patient's arm and controlled by a joystick which can be maneuvered by the unaffected arm (or another person in case of full-body paralysis). The joystick adjusts the air pressure inside the helical tube that runs along the length of the Tail-wrist-II to induce movement. This particular device was designed for wrists only, but the same principle could be used to manufacture similar devices for legs. In the future, the creator aims to develop a system that could let professionals in hospitals remotely control the device via the Internet.

Asus has placed two all-in-one PC designs on its Web site, probably in preparation for an imminent launch. The Eee PC ET1602 and Eee PC ET1603 are both based around touchscreens, similar to the Dell ONE, the HP TouchSmart all-in-one, and other designs.

Assuming Asus sticks with its low-cost approach to the Eee PC brand, however, the two new models will probably be priced at a much lower price. What that price is, however, is unknown.

Both PCs are essentially identical, designed around a 15.6-inch touchscreen panel, an Intel Atom N270 microprocessor, a gigabyte of RAM, wired Ethernet and an 802.11n connection, and 160 Gbytes of storage. The two models differ in the graphics used -- the ET1602 uses integrated graphics, while the 1603 incorporates a ATI Mobility Radeon HD3450 graphics card. The ET1603 also includes an integrated battery; does this mean that the 1603 will double as some form of tablet? Since the unit weighs 4.4 kilograms (9.7 pounds) that seems doubtful. We'll have to wait until Asus launches this to find out.

Every so often a gadget comes around that manages to transcend the cheap plastic frame in which it's encased. The first Buddha Machine was one such device. Created by a little -known Chinese company called FM3, the ambient-musical-loop-playing gadget proved a bit of a surprise hit, garnering a writeup in the New York Times and a compilation record of remixes, and eventually went on to sell an impressive 50,000 units.

Last week, Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian, the duo behind FM3, announced the release of the second-gen Buddha Machine. Save for the three new color selections (burgundy, gray, and brown), the second incarnation of the box looks nearly identical to its predecessor--something along the lines of a cheap transistor radio you might pick up in Chinatown.

A California district judge on Tuesday dismissed a counterclaim filed by Psystar that accused Apple of violating federal and state antitrust laws.

Psystar argued that Apple's operating system is an independent market with no competitors, but the judge disagreed.

"Psystar has cited no decision lending support to its single-brand product market theory," Judge William Alsup wrote in his decision. Psystar's own claim explains that the Mac OS performs the same functions as other operating systems, he said.

Apple sued Psystar in July for copyright infringement, breach of contract, trademark and trade infringement, and unfair competition after Psystar started selling the Open Computer, which uses a modified version of Apple's OS X.

Psystar filed a counterclaim in August, arguing that a market could exist for third-party Mac clones, if not for the legal and technical barriers that Apple has set up.

Psystar argued that demand would not be affected if Apple increased prices for its OS and said that similarly configured computers cost much less than Apple machines.

Microsoft on Wednesday unveiled a revamped Xbox gaming console that includes streaming HD movies from Netflix, a revamped dashboard, and movie and game purchases via Xbox.com.

The upgrade, dubbed the New Xbox Experience (NXE), is available to members via Xbox Live.

"The next time you turn on your Xbox 360, the way you enjoy entertainment in your home will be changed forever," Marc Whitten, general manager of Xbox Live at Microsoft, wrote in a Wednesday blog post. "The New Xbox Experience will not only be easier to use from the very beginning, but it will give you new ways to connect with your friends and family and offer up more entertainment choices than any other device connected to the TV."

The Netflix offering will be open to Xbox Live Gold members who also subscribe to Netflix. Users will have access to approximately 10,000 movies and TV shows, including 300 HD selections.

What else is included?

Half over, or another half left? No matter which way you view this week, you'll be happy to know about these great deals for Wednesday.

1. This one's going fast, and I mean fast. The iRobot 418 Roomba Robotic Vacuum Cleaner Bundle from Woot! is selling like hotcakes. A special and rare Woot-off (a short term, new product which is launched after a previous deal sells out), the bundle costs only $149.99 and includes the Roomba 415 Vacuum and the Roomba 4900 Self-Charging Drive-On Home Base, made specifically for Woot. It also comes with a cleaning tool, fast charger, rechargeable battery, filter, two virtual walls, and two brush sets. The Roomba usually runs at $199.99, so hurry!

2. If you're looking for a gift to give a tech-savvy book lover, than the Kindle is a good suggestion. But it's on the pricey side. Thanks to the Bargainist, you can find a coupon code for $50 off of a Kindle, via via coupon code OPRAHWINFREY. So, if you're set on buying one, you'll be happy to know that the price will go down from $359 to $309. Make sure the coupon code is still in effect before you purchase your new Kindle.

Feeling the pains of your monthly utilities a bit more in these troubled economic times? You might want to think about switching off your gaming system every so often. According to a new study issued by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Americans are taking a huge energy hit from consoles that are left on while not in use.

"If you leave your Xbox 360 or Sony Play Station 3 on all the time, you can cut your electric bill by as much as $100 a year simply by turning it off when you are finished playing," said NRDC's Noah Horowitz. "With so many struggling in today's economy-it's important to realize there are simple steps gamers can take to lower their energy costs. And if manufacturers make future systems more energy efficient, they'll be doing the right thing for consumers' pockets, for our clean energy future, and for the environment."

According to the organization, power saving features implemented by the big three--Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft--could save consumers some $1 billion a year, reducing greenhouse pollution by a rate equivalent to the yearly output of all the cars in San Jose, California.

For years the computer industry has been pushing consumers on concept of the tablet PC. But save for a small percentage of professionals in specialized fields, the form factor has largely failed to catch on. While plenty of mobile phones have long since proven that consumers love touchscreens, on the whole, that love hasn't translated to the PC market.

Recently, however, Hewlett-Packard took some interesting baby steps in that direction when it first launched the TouchSmart "kitchen" PC. Designed for family use, the PC proved its usefulness when it came to multimedia, letting users get more hands-on with things such as digital photos.

The company is now looking to expand the relative success of the TouchSmart IQ816 all-in-one with a new touchscreen notebook. Introduced today, the TouchSmart TX2 is the first multi-touch tablet for Windows.

Last month, Plantronics held a contest called TeleWho?, "to coin a new, more accurate and relevant term for professionals who work beyond the office."

The winner: Cloudworker, sent in by Venkatesh Rao of Ribbonfarm.com.

Even though it sounds like Lobot's job on Bespin (he worked for Lando... c'mon, that's not that obscure a reference...), I can get behind the name far more than I could support a couple of the honorable mentions. Some of the runner-ups included names such as "Porta-Pro," which only conjures images of hosing out portable toilets, and "Robe Warrior," which sounds like what you call the creepy guy on the block who never gets out of his PJs, even to fetch his snail mail.

So, here's Gearlog, doing our part to spread the word and re-moniker people like me a "cloudworker." But it won't mean squat; nothing will change the term telecommuter (or even teleworker). After all, there's still people out there referring to PDAs as "Palm Pilots."

If you like to move fast on the computer, then the RoadMice Camaro Wireless Mouse is just what you need. Car lovers will be happy to know that RoadMice come in a plethora of models: You can choose from various Chevy, Chrysler, Ford, Dodge, and even highway patrol and police cars. The mice are both PC- and Mac-compatible and cost $44.95.

I tested out a black Chevy Camaro mouse.

Winter's on its way. You'll probably be spending money on new boots, scarves, hats, and gloves... but never fear, these cheap deals may also fit into your budget for the chilly season.

1. From eCOST.com, Samsung's WEP250 Bluetooth Headset is on sale for only $12 with a $15 rebate. The headset is usually $39.99, but is on sale for 55 percent off of the original price. It's a pretty basic Bluetooth headset, so if you're looking for a cheap headset, this is a safe bet.

2. The Verbatim Wireless Multimedia Keyboard and Mouse is on sale from Buy.com. The set usually runs for $70.74, but is on sale for $19.98 after a $34.98 rebate. The keyboard has a media console that allows you to play and navigate through your music and Internet browser controls. Also, the mouse has an ergonomic design. How swell.

3. Another great find from Buy.com, the Kingston 8GB Multi-Kit Mobility Kit is only $20.96, down from $36. The all-in-one media kit combines a single card with dual adapters and a USB card reader to give mobile users a compatible storage for all SD and USB-compatible devices, including mobile phones, notebooks, digital cameras, and media players.

LG today announced the release of its first-ever US smartphone, the Incite. The phone, which will be released exclusively for AT&T users, features a touchscreen with tactile feedback and a virtual keyboard.

The Incite runs Windows Mobile 6.1, features Wi-Fi, AT&T Video Share, and built-in GPS. The handset also offers Bluetooth 2, Windows Media Player, Office Mobile and Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5, and a 3.0MP camera.

The handset is available now through AT&T retail locations for $199.99 with a two-year agreement and mail-in rebate.

While there are those with a penchant for the big picture, there are also those who see beauty in details. For me, however, the Kenko Digital LED Microscope Camera could have meant something much more. As a science major back in college, we had to document not only tiny insects but microscopic seeds and cells among others of the size and this would have been a tremendous help.

The Kenko digital microscope camera utilizes high power LED lights to illuminate most things up close that can be viewed onscreen. Magnification is between 20 to 100 times depending on the display connected to the microscope camera (hit the jump if you want to see sample pictures taken by using the device). The device is made of ABS plastic, runs on three AAA batteries, shoots videos in NTSC format, measures a handy 50x58x132mm, and has two LED lights for illumination purposes. You can grab a Kenko Microscope Camera at Japan Trend Shop for $111.