Bumuckl from QJ's PSP Development Forums has been hard at work since the release of Bermuda CS 7 'patched' to bring us an update to his portable image editing studio for the PSP. Today that hard work has paid off with the hopefully bug-free release of Bermuda CS 8. Many new features have been added, including the option to add your own fonts and brushes in order to customize Bermuda CS.

However, bug fixes was the name of the game and along with the 'thousands' of bugs that bumuckl has fixed for this release comes a lot of code optimizations to make Bermuda CS run faster and more smoothly on the PSP. Let's just say it runs a lot faster than Photoshop does on QJ Office computers! Anyway, back on topic, here's the giant changelog:

• New interface GIMP-style Interface with new menu navigation
  
• Fixed bug that made the app crash during creating a new picture
• Improved menu-handling and code optimizations
  
• Grafitti-tool added
  
• Line-tool has been improved
• CPU speed an be changed to 333 mhz, 222 mhz and 100 mhz
• Fuzzieborad has been improved, now capital letters can be used as well
• New fonts and brushes added, as well as the option to add your own
  
• Added option to save your picture as a brush
• Small canvas preview with cursor positions
• Option to change default settings using the CONFIG.CFG file

If you are a graphic geek and enjoy manipulating or creating images on the move, then this app is for you. Catch the download below.

Download: Bermuda CS 8
Visit: PSP Development Forums

We need you! The QJ community has ventured into a new game, and has a new bid for galactic conquest through a web-based online strategy game called Ogame. You might have heard the name before, as the game itself has been going for a very long time. But now QJ.net forum members have ventured into this online strategy game in a bid to take over it, and we are already causing a stir. The so-called QJA (QJ Alliance) already has 32 members, and we are growing every day.

Start out with just one undeveloped world and turn that into a mighty empire able to defend your hard earned colonies. Create an economic and military infrastructure to support your quest for the next greatest technological achievements. Wage war against other empires as you struggle with other players to gain the materials. Negotiate with other emperors and create an alliance or trade for much needed resources. Build an armada to enforce your will throughout the universe.

That's the description of Ogame, and it can't be too far from the truth - as more QJ forum members are signing up to the RTS/In browser MMO hybrid each day.

Read the full article for more information, including how to sign up and how the QJ community are doing their part to dominate the universe that is Ogame.

*UPDATE* The file uploaded earlier was the wrong size; we've updated the DL to the actual file (which is supposed to be in the neighborhood of 21MB). Thanks to those who've pointed out the discrepancy to us!

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The sheer number of versions of Winnydows' XviD4PSP on QJ may make you start to feel dizzy, but we're here to give you another update from one of the best free video converters out there. All you need to know is that as of today, this is the latest version. This converter will convert pretty much any video format into another, whether it be for the PC, PSP or iPod, so it contains all you could want in a 3-in-1 converter.

This application runs on Windows XP SP2 as well as Windows Vista and as with every single previous version of Xvid4PSP, a large changelog accompanies this release Here it is:

4.111 changes:

• Fixed many old and new bugs.
• ForceFilm work again.
• Now possible select subtitles from MKV and OGM.
• Sound extraction from MKV and OGM now work correct.
• Now possible fix aspect with changing window size.

4.110 changes:

• Fixed audio track selection.
• Fixed small bugs in DVD importing.
• MP4 PSP 3.10 OE format now support any resolution and aspect without black correction.
• Now video in MP4 PSP 3.10 OE format start play with correct aspect.
• MP4 PSP 3.10 OE now divided to two formats A and B.
• A - free level, free bframes, MAQXXXXX.MP4 name mask, 48000 khz sound, AAC LC, THM.
• B - level 2.1, bframes 1, any name, any sound rate, any AAC type, no THM.
• Added MP4 PSP 3.30 format.
• Added work with Custom Matrix for x264 (but files will be compatible for PC only!!!).
• Removed 32000 khz audio rate (unsupported by AAC).
• Removed DirectX dependency. Now DirectX used only for 3D GPU filter.
• Video player and THM creator now work over DirectShow.
• x264 updated to version 636.
• Fixed audio track selection in OGM files.
• OGM splitter replaced to more fast and stable (Gabest).

Thanks to Winnydows and Silver-Tiger for the tip!

Download: XviD4PSP 4.111 Final

  

If you, like most of the QJ writers, find it hard to get out of bed in the morning waking up to a days work - whether it be administrative, physical, or school work - then why not wake up to something a little more fun. Mexicansnake has today popped by our forums to tell us of a new release of his - the PSPirate's Alarm Clock. The difference with this alarm clock is that you're not only greeted by a friendly tune, but a video game as well.

Not satisfied with just waking you up in the morning, this application/game hybrid wakes you up to a mellow song, then starts up a single player game of PSPirates! This version includes animations, an analog clock, digital clock, date, PSP version spoof, battery level indicator, and much more. You can download the alarm clock and game from via the DL link below.

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Update: For those of you having issues with running this application on PC, this is because the application reads the flash0 of the PSP and therefore only works on the PSP. Do not try using it on Lua Player for Windows as you will just be greeted with an error message. And PSP users, this only reads the flash0 and does no flashing at all, so there is no chance of a brick!

Download: PSPirate's Alarm Clock v0.1
Visit: PSP Development Forum

How do you define yourself as an ultimate Xbox geek pro? Well, Xbox MVP Microsoft MVP Award 2007 in the Xbox category">DeaconBlade 360 gets goodies sent to him from Microsoft regularly, and this is just one of the things he has received - his very own personalised Xbox Live Gamertag jacket. Before you all start saying "I want one, I want one!!!", stop and consider whether you actually want everyone in the street to know your gamertag.

Privacy issues aside, the Xbox Gamertag jackets do look quite cool and if you want one, you have to either become an Xbox MVP or get down to your tailor to get one made for you. Some people say it's geeky, but true Xbox gamers will be willing to wear the jacket as a matter of pride.

Some of you may be wondering if this is yet another of the many April Fool's jokes that go around at this time of the year, and all we can say about that is that the photo of the gamertag jacket was posted on Deacons blog on March 30th. Now... anyone know where we could get some good silkscreens and some fabric paint?

The iPhone is possibly the most wanted cellphone since the mighty Blackberry, and sporting loads of features, including a mini OSX Operating System and devilish good looks, who wouldn't want one? We know that the iPhone doesn't have everything, but the sheer appeal of the phone, just like the iPod, makes everyone want one.

There has been rumor of an early release for the iPhone, but until now no solid dates have been revealed. Cingular is confirming that the release date will be June 11, and although this isn't coming from Steve Jobs' mouth, June 11 coincides with the first day of Apple's World Developers Conference.

We're still awaiting a response from Apple, but as soon as one comes in we'll have it ready. Any confirmation on this date would be helpful so we can get our pre-orders in!

 

Yesterday's release of the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer was very much anticipated. Avid GTA fans will have noticed that the release brought down Rockstar's website, as well as other large gaming sites such as GameTrailers and GameVideos. Granted, our servers were a little loaded and some people couldn't get through, but luckily we found a YouTube video of the trailer just in time to save you guys from the awful wait.

So what came of this trailer? Well, it was amazing graphically, representing the city of New York in amazing detail. However, the developers at Rockstar Games have decided to keep hush about the trailer and have not enlightened us on anything we had the pleasure of viewing.

Luckily the internet has come to the rescue, with the trailer picked to pieces by eagle-eyed fans. In order to prevent confusion we'll only post the fact and let you speculate amongst yourselves! Here's what the trailer tells us:

• GTA IV is based loosely on New York, but is in fact the Liberty City (maybe the state, not just the city) you remember from GTA III. You can find the words "Liberty City" plastered on a docked tanker in the trailer, a ferry and the infamous "LCPD" squad cars in the trailer.
• The vehicles look post-2000, including BMW and sports car lookalikes
• GTA IV ditches the old Renderware engine for Rockstar Games' superior Table Tennis RAGE engine. A Rockstar representative told Gamespot: "We can confirm that all footage in the trailer was captured directly from 720p gameplay running real time in our Rage engine on a next-gen gaming console."
• An in-game ad on the trailer shows a sign which says "Visit Vice City - $300". Is this evidence that we will be able to visit the city or just a gimmick? For the next-generation GTA, we'd bet on it being the former. Will it resemble the PS2/PSP Vice City?
  
• Birds, pedestrians and drivers have advanced physics in the trailer, for example, a driver can be seen adjusting a rear view mirror. It's the small things that count.
  
• Finally, will the Russian chap be the main protagonist?

All of these points can be confirmed by watching the trailer, however we suggest that you view the HD trailer on Rockstar's website rather than the YouTube version if you want to be able to see all of these. Rockstar estimates that GTA IV will be shipped on October 19 for both Xbox 360 and PS3.

As you've probably heard, Sony released firmware 3.30 yesterday in the latest of their attempts to add new features to the PSP, and in turn keep up with the homebrew hackers.

One of these new features was the "Use Wireless Hotspot" option under the PSP Settings menu. In Sony's latest ploy to convert more people to the do the evil upgrade which prevents access to homebrew games and custom firmwares, it sat down with cellphone operator T-Mobile to get free Wi-Fi for 3.30 PSP users.

All you have to do is use the T-Mobile Hotspot locator and find the nearest Hotspot, go there, and select the "Use Wireless Hostpot" option in the settings menu. T-Mobile HotSpots can be found in quite a lot of places like Starbucks coffeehouses, Borders Books & Music stores, FedEx Kinko's Office and Print Centers, and more.

The free Wi-Fi promotion runs for six months, however as we said yesterday, be wary about upgrading your PSP's firmware. It is possible that you could go for a very long time without homebrew or custom firmware.

GAME UK, one of the largest videogame retailers in Britain, has sent an e-mail out to their newsletter subscribers today announcing that they have started to accept pre-orders for the three different versions of Halo 3 due to go on sale in November 2007 - around 8 months from now. The early pre-order status just proves how many copies of Halo 3 they plan to sell, and the UK videogaming giant has also revealed the price list for each version of the game.

Here are the details:

• Halo 3 Standard edition: includes the game - £39.99
• Halo 3 Limited edition: includes the game, a metal collector's case, a bonus disc and a special Halo fiction and art book - £49.99
• Halo 3 Legendary edition: this is the big one. This package includes the game, two bonus discs, the Spartan Mjolnir helmet case and Halo storyboard art from Lee Wilson.

GAME expects all 3 to be released in November 2007, adding evidence to support our estimate of a September release in North America. Remember guys, if you want to get a Legendary or Limited edition model, you best get your orders in now.

 

We already told you that PS3s weren't doing too well on eBay on the night of the UK launch, but for the touts it seems to have gotten worse instead of better. This claim was made two hours before the UK launch of the PS3 and most of the QJ offices expected prices to rise as UK gamers actually got their £400 consoles in their hands. Apparently, we were wrong. Prices actually appear to have dropped since our last report.

Despite UK PS3 sales hitting a console record of 165,000 units in one weekend, it appears that Sony's stocks were in fact about right for the demand of the console, and they didn't sell out like the touts expected them to. We can all take a valuable lesson from this and of course, profit from it. Sell-outs don't necessarily mean high sales. The Wii sold out in the UK, but it still sold less on launch weekend than the PS3. Although this may be down to the traditional British shopping ideology: buy the brand you trust.

And yes, we know you're just dying to ask: "What's in it for me?" Well, about now you can pick up a PS3 on eBay.co.uk for around £ 380, that's £ 30 less than the bargain we showed you yesterday and if you search around you may be able to find one even cheaper.