Dan’s Tech-n-Stuff Weblog

Take-Two Interactive, publisher of the hit Xbox 360 game BioShock, has announced that a movie based on the game will be made by Universal Pictures and directed by “Pirates of the Caribbean” director Gore Verbinski.

Christoph Hartmann, president of Take-Two’s 2k Games, said that “Gore [Verbinski] is an avid video gamer and true fan of ‘BioShock’. That was extremely important to us in deciding to move forward with this project.”

Writing the movie will likely be John Logan, writer of “Gladiator” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” who is in talks right now for the gig.

Speaking of BioShock, don’t forget that BioShock 2 should be coming in Q4 of 2009.

[Via Reuters]

Microsoft’s recently released SP3 for their Windows XP operating system seems to be creating some problems for some users trying to use their computer after installing it.

According to a post in Microsoft’s support forum, some users installing SP3 are finding themselves in an endless cycle of rebooting. Computers with this problem seem to have one thing in common: an AMD processor.

According to Jesper Johansson, former program manager for security policy at Microsoft, there are two separate issues going on.

The first issue affects HP computers with AMD processors and has to do with a power management drive file called intelppm.sys. HP (among others) uses the same base image for their Intel-based and AMD-based computers. When this file is install and running it generally isn’t a problem, except during the first reboot after a service pack installation where it causes the machine to either fail to boot or crash and immediately reboot.

The second issue, also seeming to affect only AMD users, involves an error about the computers BIOS though the BIOS is not likely a problem. Johansson says that it may be related to computers with the Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe motherboard but he can’t say for sure.

Thankfully, Johansson has posted a workaround for each of these two problems. To fix the first issue you’ll need to disable the intelppm.sys file, while users with the second issue will need to plug in a USB flash drive before booting.

When the Apple iPhone was first released in the US it quickly sold out as Apple tried to keep up with demand. There were soon more than enough iPhones to meet demand and the handset became pretty easy to come by.

Looks like things have changed and the iPhone shortage that has started hitting other parts of the world have now turned on New York where an anonymous Apple Store employee at the West 14th Street location said “it’s been out of stock all week.”

The supply channel is likely drying up because the updated 3G version of the iPhone is expected pretty soon and production is slowing on the current model, but with the new version not expected before June some shoppers might have to decide whether to line up to try and find an iPhone or a Nintendo Wii.

[Via TUAW]

Most Facebook’s nearly 70 million users worldwide will never, ever hit the cap of 5,000 friends that Facebook currently imposes, but for those that do it can be a real pain (no, I’m not one of them).

To help those that are running into the cap Facebook will apparently soon be lifting this limit but no word yet on whether there will just be another, higher cap or if there will be no cap at all.

The reason for the cap in the first place is believed to be because of scaling problems, though that was never officially stated.

[Via TechCrunch]

Okay, this is getting as annoying as the Blu-ray drive coming then not coming to the Xbox 360 stories that hit every couple weeks or so.

iPhone users were given free Wi-Fi at AT&T hotspots.

AT&T switched off the free Wi-Fi hotspots access for iPhone users.

AT&T changed the description of their iPhone calling plans to include free Wi-Fi for iPhone users–great, it’s back.

AT&T changed their plan descriptions again and removes the feature (see for yourself on the ‘PLANS’ tab here).

Maybe the free access isn’t something they’re ready to announce yet but they sure are doing a bad job of keeping it a secret if that’s the case.

[Via Gizmodo]

Volkswagen has announced a new two-seater vehicle that may be available as early as 2010 called the Aptera.

The Aptera will get around 235MPG from its 1-Liter engine. Sure, it’s not going to be fast (max speed will be about 75MPH) but it will get you from place to place efficiently.

The seats won’t be arranged like your typical two-seater–one will be in font of the other, like a tandem garage in San Francisco.

The car will be produced in “limited numbers” but you can pre-order it now if you’re interested–the price should be less than $30k.

[Via Engadget]

After Verizon won the Block C portion in the recent 700MHz wireless spectrum auction by the FCC, Google noticed that Verizon seemed to be ignoring the open access rules with the spectrum and doing things a bit differently than Google believed they should, resulting in Google filing a complaint with the FCC.

Verizon has responded, saying that they “understood the FCC’s rules for using that spectrum…of course we’ll abide by those rules.”

Verizon also responded to Google’s complaint saying that “Google’s filing has no legal basis…It’s really no surprise that despite not winning spectrum, they continue to try to change the rules and further their own business interests through the regulatory process.”

[Via Ars Technica]

The upcoming Wind UMPC from MSI has finally gotten a price thanks to online retailer eXpansys who let the cat out of the bag.

The Wind will go for $609.95 with Windows XP or $559.95 with Linux.

While eXpansys is a UK company, they expert to the US via their www.expansys-usa.com website which is where those prices are from.

For more details about the Wind check out this post.

[Via Engadget]

Windows users that aren’t so fond of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7 web browser might want to avoid installing SP3 for Windows XP.

Microsoft has warned that one you install SP3 you’ll be stuck at IE7 unless you uninstall SP3.

According to IE program manager Jane Maliouta, the inability to downgrade to IE6 was by design because the service pack includes newer versions of the old browsers files.

According to survey results released in late March by Forrester Research, Inc., only 30% of corporate users have switched over from IE6 to IE7.

Speaking of locking you into IE7, it’s also worth mentioning that if you installed the beta release of IE8 you won’t be offered SP3 in Windows Update because of file version problems, so you’ll need to uninstall IE8 if you want to install SP3, then you’ll be stuck with IE7.

Mess enough for you?

So…I guess I won’t be installing SP3 anytime soon.

[Via Computerworld]

According to a story at mocoNews, a source is telling that Virgin Mobile is in talks with small, financially challenged carrier Helio to potentially merge the two company’s.

Until late last year Helio had been co-owned by Earthlink and Korean communications giant SK Telecom until taking full ownership with a $70 million buyout.

Virgin, having recently announced their Q1 earnings results, isn’t exactly swimming in pools of money either.

Under one possible scenario SK Telecom would buy Virgin Mobile and do a cash infusion, then Virgin Mobile would buy Helio in an all-stock transaction.

[Via Engadget]