Nintendo just announced they are now providing free silicone Wii Remote covers for all console owners starting today. They will also be included with all new Wii systems and Wii Remotes.

A great idea since they will give you better grip and a bit of cushioning (to you, your friends, your TV, etc.) should it happen to slip out of your hand.

Request form: (Wii serial number required)
US/Canada (or call 1-866-431-8367)
Japan
For Europe, visit: http://wiiportal.nintendo-europe.com

Nintendo Press Release

Nokia today issued a warning that the BL-5C battery could overheat causing the battery to dislodge (so far 100 incidents were reported world-wide). The BL-5C is used in many different models, ranging from the 1100 series to the the multimedia handsets N70/71/72 and N91.

Affected batteries were made by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. between December 2005 and November 2006. This applies to 46 million batteries.

For more information, go to:
www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en/
(where you can enter in your battery ID number)

No, this isn't about loading that Europe song on the Apple iPhone. It's the countdown--7 days (and a few hours)--until the release of quite possibly the most hyped, most anticipated electronic device ever.

Just to give a refresher since it feels like it was announced eons ago, here's a quick summary:

• Quad-band GSM, Wi-Fi, EDGE, Bluetooth
• 4GB or 8GB flash memory
• 4.5 x 2.4 x 0.46 inches (115 x 61 x 11.6 mm)
• 4.8 ounces

Recent changes/additions:

• Scratch resistant glass screen (instead of plastic)
• YouTube Player (but no support for Adobe Flash)
• Improved battery life: 8 hours talk time, 6 hours Internet use, 7 hours video playback, 24 hours audio playback, 250 hours standby time

Be sure to check out Apple's guided tour (requires Quicktime) posted earlier today.

Last week at an industry show in California, both Sony and LG.Philips showed off prototypes of their flexible OLED full-color displays. Unlike the now ubiquitous LCDs, these displays are a lot thinner and more durable since they use thin sheets of plastic or metal instead of glass.

Specs are promising: both are able to reproduce 16.7 million colors. Sony's 2.5-inch panel has a 160x120 resolution and is 0.3 mm thick, while LG.Philips' is 4 inches, 320x240/QVGA, and 0.15 mm thick.

Looks like we're one step closer to my dream of a rollable/foldable PDA.

Check out Sony's demo video: (via Pink Tentacle)

Sony Press Release (Japanese)
LG.Philips LCD Press Release

Nokia just announced several new phone models, one of which is the 2360 aka the "Barracuda". At 9.9 mm (0.39 in) the 2360 is Nokia’s thinnest phone yet, showing evermore that thin is in. Aimed at the entry market, it still doesn’t skimp on features which include camera, Bluetooth, GPRS, MP3 ringtones, FM radio, but no video recording or playback. Due out Q3 2007 for 85 EUR (or about $115).

Nokia Press Release

Akin to something out of a post-atomic Japanese B monster movie, Solid Alliance presents the Glowing Squid USB storage device. Just in time for Christmas. Modeled by a respected lure maker at TAPP Craft (Japan), the Hotaru Ika a.k.a. glowing squid is available in 512MB for ¥5980. Compatible with both Mac & Windows.

If smoking and computers are your thing, then Evergreen has the answer for you: a USB powered ash tray that not only lights up when you open it, but also has a built-in fan so you can save your co-workers from second hand smoke. How nice of them to think of us non-smokers. The USB powered ash tray is modeled in the shape of a car (cars + cigarettes = macho!) and is not only powered by USB, it can also be powered by two AA batteries. Available in blue, red, yellow and green; for ¥500, how can you go wrong?

When I saw these, all I could think about were street scenes from Bladerunner, or any other futuristic movie for that matter. Evergreen’s (Japan) EL light cable earphones (DN-ELER01) come in three different colors to set you apart from the crowd, blue, pink and lime. They won’t dent your wallet too much either, with a price of about ¥4,980.

Fuji Film’s FinePix BIGJOB HD-3W will be released in Japan on January 13th, 2007 with an expected street price of about ¥700,000. The camera’s big draw is its 28~84mm wide angle 3x zoom lens and it’s ruggedized, waterproof exterior. The camera has a large 3 inch LCD display on back for reviewing pictures. The 6 megapixel CCD is more than adequate and produces pictures with a resolution of 2,816×2,112 pixels. The camera uses xD media and comes with 27MB of built-in memory, useful for those of us who are always forgetting to replace the memory cards back in the camera once we remove them. The camera is powered by two AA batteries, and measures in at 128.3×45×80.5mm.

Buffalo (Japan), has an iPod-like optical mouse coming out next week. Although it’s resemblance to an iPod shuffle is uncanny, it would certainly prove useful for those on the go. Buffalo’s BOMU-RHW01/S series mouse is expected to retail for about ¥ 6,993 in Japan and will be compatible with Microsoft Windows 98-XP and Windows MCE.