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It’s not that Brizzly’s perfect, or that it does justice to its source material (the unassailably pretty, wonderfully lean Birdfeed)—it’s that it comes close enough, and it’s free.

First, a quick lesson in the history of iPhone Twitter apps! Once, there was an app called Birdfeed. It was clever, fast, and visually distinctive. In fact, it was (up until just now) quite possibly one of the best Twitter apps available. It was also expensive, at $5. The developer, who was tired or something, sold the app to a little startup called Brizzly, which aggregates Twitter and Facebook feeds into a single interface (it’s actually kinda neat, as an online service.) And so here we are.

Brizzly’s rerelease (not an update; Birdfeed is no longer in the store) of Birdfeed changes the name, tweaks the UI, and slashes the price down to zero. The interface isn’t as dazzling as it was before, and Birdfeed’s trademark lack of a menu bar has given way to a standard row of icons. Brizzly actually adds a few new features, including a trending topics-esque News tab, for explaining what’s going on in your feeds, and the same lovely pull-down feed refreshing as the other best iPhone Twitter app, Tweetie.

Even its apparent shortfallings aren’t so bad: Yes, you have to sign up for a Brizzly account in order to use the app, but one you have, it’s completely transparent. It’s like Meebo in that sense. And no, the app doesn’t have push notifications of its own, like Echofon does, but premium Twitter apps have long offloaded that responsibility to dedicated push apps like Boxcar. (Which is great beyond Twitter, by the way.)

In short, if you need a Twitter app but don’t want to pay, Brizzly’s the one. [iTunes]

The OnLive streaming game service that takes console and PC games, renders them server-side, then streams it to your Mac or PC, will go live on June 17 in the US (lower 48).

A year after our first hands on, they’ve improved speeds to a point where it actually looks really good. Latency didn’t seem like it was a huge problem (on stage, in their demo), and in controlled quarters, they’ve said that focus group participants had no idea that they were playing a game streaming over the internet.

Some slightly new details. They’ve got two ways of rendering games. You can either natively on their own servers using their own SDK system—which requires game publishers to go and adapt existing games onto their platform (an easy task if it’s a Windows game, slightly more difficult for, say, PS3 games)—or they can render it natively on the console it was intended for, and stream that to your PC/Mac, which causes more latency than the “native” method.

OnLive will charge you $15 a month for just having the service, which includes playing demos and live-spectating people who are playing games (which is essentially in real time, letting you, combined with the chat function, basically play a game with a buddy across the country and give him real-time tips as he goes). If you want to play a game yourself, they’ll sell you both games and rentals, with a price TBD. The subscription service is preliminary, and they’ll have cheaper packages if you sign up for 3 or 6 months.

The upside for the platform, as OnLive puts it are the instant play (because games are rendered and already slotted up on the server), easy multiplayer, saving games in the cloud, always-updated games and instant downloading of add-ons, because there are no downloads (it’s all server-side).

A couple future-looking announcements they made were that they’re going to focus on Macs and PCs first, but have a Microconsole TV adapter in the future in order to get this onto your TV, plus maybe support specialty controllers and motion gestures depending on the demand for these games. They’ll also have 1080p, 60FPS streaming some time in 2011, depending on how many of their customers actually can support 1080p60.

One illustration of how this thing actually works is when the developers pulled out an iPhone and streamed Crysis—downrezzed, of course, to the iPhone’s native resolution—and played it quite smoothly. There’s no way the iPhone can get anywhere near running Crysis in full details, so this demo can drive home the point that all this processing is going on on the server side. They then spectated the same game, using another account, and that ran at full resolution smoothly as well.

Again, the ultimate test is getting this into our homes and hooking it up to our Comcasts, or DSLs, or U-Verses and our FIOSes and seeing whether or not it performs up to par, compared to a standard console experience. If it actually is as transparent as they say, it kinda paves the way for people to eschew consoles in order to get straight to the gaming. And the way OnLive is positioning themselves really is as an Xbox Live-esque service, which is kinda impressive if they can pull it off. [Onlive]

Sam Fisher will be a busy man next month. Just as Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Conviction rolls across Xbox 360 and PC in April, the former Third Echelon agent is also infiltrating the iPhone. At the Game Developers Conference today, I sat down to ride shotgun through a handful of missions in the upcoming iPhone stealth action game.

Conviction on iPhone borrows a lot from the console edition. The plot is very similar, with Sam being pulled back into the world of Third Echelon and international intrigue. Michael Ironside voices Fisher in the iPhone game, as does the remainder of the cast. Conviction also mirrors several gameplay concepts from the console game, such as the use of mark and execute to tag enemies and then eliminate them with lightning fast shots before they can react. Fisher can also use a last known position technique to lure enemies into disadvantageous positions, which is something I employed in the windowless building mission to get an enemy to step into Fisher’s home turf: the shadows. As he investigated where I was recently spotted on the rooftop of a security checkpoint, it was easy to creep down and pull him into a hand-to-hand kill.

These hand-to-hand kills are critical in Conviction because that’s what awards you the ability to use mark and execute actions. There are multiple types of kills, from pulling an enemy over a ledge if you shimmy beneath them to drawing them into a human shield position, which protects you from incoming fire.

Please remove your belt and shoes before stepping through the scanner.

Though the version of Conviction I played was in that nebulous zone between alpha and beta, it was already featuring some nice touches, like the painting of objectives on walls. The controls are a little touchy right now, but moving Fisher around with the virtual stick was fine. Scrolling through gadgets such as frag grenades and camera grenades, though, needs some tightening. Too many times I wanted to use a camera to spy on an enemy outpost, only to roll a frag into their midst and reveal my position.

Conviction on the iPhone lacks multiplayer, so no co-op missions or deathmatches. But with 10 missions stretched from Malta to Iraq, there should be plenty of action to keep gamers busy. As Conviction draws nearer, look for additional details on IGN.

I spoke to Imagination Technologies—maker of the PowerVR chip that powers smartphones like the iPhone, Droid and many others—and they said, definitively, that you’ll have graphics comparable to the PlayStation 3 in 3 years.

They know this because these are the chips they’re designing right now. The way the development process works for phones is that Imagination comes up with a chip, which they license, and that works its way through development cycles and people like Apple or HTC, which then incorporate them into their phones, which they in turn have to productize and bring to market. The whole thing takes three years. But in three years, says Imagination, you’re going to have a PS3 in your pocket. And that’s not just running at the 480×340 resolution that most phones have now, that’s PS3-esque graphics on 720p output via HDMI to a TV. Hell, some phones in three years will have a 720p display native.

But there are going to be some interesting things between now and then. Imagination is still working on support for the products out now—the chips in the iPhones and the Droids and the Nokias that use PowerVR. The two most interesting things are Flash acceleration in hardware and OpenCL support, which enables GPGPU computing.

The first is obvious. By utilizing a software-based update, phones on the market right now can run Flash acceleration. Imagination’s been working with Adobe for about three years now, and they’ve gotten the acceleration up to about 300% compared to using just software. They think they can do even better. Even still, 300% is pretty damn good for just pushing what you can do with your current phone.

Secondly, there’s OpenCL support, which allows devices to utilize the GPU—the graphics chip—to help out in general purpose computing. For a more in depth look on what this means, check out our feature on GPGPUs, but in essence it’s going to allow multi-threaded tasks to be executed faster than they would be otherwise.

I also asked Imagination about what’s going to be different about their chips that will hit the market one, two and three years from now, and they say one of the big things is going to be focused on multiprocessors. Theoretically you can get about three or four into a phone without going too crazy on power demands, which will help them pull off that PS3-equivalency we talked about earlier.

Keep in mind that this stuff is what’s “possible” in three years, based on what hardware is going to be available in the phones released then. A lot of this is still based on phone makers like Apple or HTC or Palm or Motorola to make these features available. But since most of the major phone manufacturers are going to have essentially the same chip, it’s in everyone’s self-interest to push as much power out from their phones as possible.

But if you’re looking forward to what’s coming one year from now, check out the screenshots in the post, taken from the demos they had running on sample hardware.

Sorry, everybody who bought a Zune HD! You screwed up. It won’t be a part of the XNA Game Studio 4.0 party—meaning it won’t play those new mobile Xbox Live games for Windows Phone 7—unlike the Zune HD2.

It’s through MIcrosoft’s XNA Game Studio 4.0 that developers get access to the Xbox Live goodness, using Gamer Services APIs. And that’s not in the cards for the plain old Zune HD, according to Microsoft’s Klucher:

“Development for the Zune and Zune HD will continue to exist in XNA Game Studio 3.1, however, in XNA Game Studio 4.0, we’re encouraging you to migrate your games over to the Windows Phone 7 Series platform.”

That’s where the Zune HD2 comes in, which Mary Jo Foley hears is in the pipe, and “will be similar to an iPod Touch,” and could ship as early as this year. In other words, it’ll presumably be a part of that “Windows Phone 7 Series platform” and run Windows Phone 7 apps.

Which is what Microsoft will need—as many devices as possible running WP7 apps to give the platform a running start, and a wide base of them that don’t require carrier contracts isn’t a bad idea. Like Steve Jobs once supposedly referred to the iPod touch as “training wheels for the iPhone,” devices running around with Xbox Live games and Zune music, getting people hooked on the platform early, the people who aren’t quite ready for a full phone (though maybe that’s where the mysterious Project Pink comes in), is almost a necessity, really.

But, uh, everybody who already bought a Zune HD. Um, yeah. Sorry? [ZDNet]

Wow. The PS3 is getting HD purchases and rentals from all six major studios. A quick search turns up that Xbox is missing Fox and, duh, Sony.

It’s nice that Sony isn’t handicapping the Playstation 3 in order to protect its blu-ray business.

Sony’s got deals with Fox, Disney, Paramount, Itself, Universal and Warner. I’m impressed. Now I just have to remember my login for PS network.

From Movie Theater to Home Theater: PlayStation(R)Network Delivers High Definition Movies From Six Major Movie Studios in the United States

PlayStation(R)3 Computer Entertainment System First to Have High Definition Movies for Purchase from All Major Studios

FOSTER CITY, Calif., March 9 /PRNewswire/ — Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced that 20th Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Universal Pictures, and Warner Bros. Digital Distribution will offer high definition (HD) movies for purchase and rental on the PlayStation®Network video delivery service in the United States. PlayStation Network is the first to offer high definition movies for purchase from all of the major movie studios, further establishing PlayStation®3 (PS3®) as the preeminent home entertainment platform for this year’s most popular and critically acclaimed high definition movies.

“Securing high definition content from these studios is another significant milestone further validating PlayStation Network as a complete entertainment network in the home. PlayStation Network is the first and only service to deliver high definition home entertainment from all six major studios, directly to consumers for download,” said Peter Dille, senior vice president, marketing and PlayStation Network, SCEA. “PlayStation Network continues to offer the most comprehensive catalogue of HD movies to PlayStation Network members that realize the wide-ranging entertainment power of the PS3 system.”

The PS3 system is the most complete home entertainment solution on the market today, enabling consumers to enjoy high-definition games and movies, as well as listen to music, view photos, browse the Internet and more. Today’s announcement joins one of the industry’s strongest home entertainment brands with the major media companies that produce and distribute a substantial number of films. At launch, the content will be available in the U.S. only, with plans to launch soon in the U.K., France, Germany, and Spain.

New titles available today on PlayStation Network include:
· 20th Century Fox – “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”, “Jennifer’s Body” and “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (on March 23)
· Walt Disney Pictures – Disney Pixar’s “Up”, Jerry Bruckheimer’s “G-Force” and Disney’s “Earth”
· Paramount Pictures – “Star Trek”, “Paranormal Activity” and “Zoolander”
· Sony Pictures – “This Is It”, “2012″, “District 9″ and “Zombieland”
· Universal – “Inglourious Basterds”, “Couples Retreat” and “Public Enemies”
· Warner Bros. Digital Distribution – “The Hangover”, “Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince” and “The Wizard of Oz”

The TX-SR608 receiver will be available in April for $599, just in time for pairing with a Panasonic or Samsung 3DTV, and with a whopping six HDMI inputs it’s very well-specced for its price.

All six HDMI 1.4 inputs are capable of passing 3D video, and upscale to 1080p if needed—with one of the inputs handily located on the front. All HD audio formats are able to be decoded, and it uses 192kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown DACs. Dual subwoofer outputs and 7 x 100W output is a definite upgrade over the previous TX-SR607 model, which had just 90 watts per channel.

Both Onkyo’s UP-DPT1 DAB/DAB+ peripheral and UP-A1 iPod Dock are compatible with the receiver, which can also manage an analog RGB input for connecting to PCs. The Onkyo TX-SR608 will cost $599 when it hits next month, but take a look at the press release below for the full line-up of products. [Onkyo]

Onkyo USA has announced March deliveries of its first 3D-Ready home theater receivers and home theater in a box (HTiB) systems. The new models consist of three A/V receivers and three HTiB systems ranging in price from $299 to $599, and all of them support the new HDMI v1.4 connectivity standard for new 3D video displays and Audio Return Channel capabilities. All are exceptionally well equipped to provide a superior music, home theater sound and video experience, with high build-quality and offering excellent value.

For Onkyo, a name that translates roughly to ’sound harmony’ in Japanese, sound quality is preeminent. All these new receivers and HTiBs now decode lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio bitstreams, and include new 192-kHz/24-bit Burr-Brown PCM1690 DAC’s that are highly resistant to clock jitter and provide a remarkable 113-dB dynamic range. The lineup includes Onkyo’s new easy-to-setup overlaid onscreen graphical display that lets the user watch the program in the background while using the function menus. Additionally, all 2010 HDMI v1.4 models include a new feature call HDMI Thru. HDMI Thru allows content to pass through to the TV when the receiver is in a standby state.

The new TX-SR608 7.2-channel THX-Select2 Plus certified receiver has new power amplifier section that uses three-stage inverted Darlington output topology, and a power boost from 90 to 100 watts. Audyssey DSX dimensional sound processing has been added to its predecessor’s Dolby PLIIz capabilities. Additionally, all video sources, including those using the new PC input, and regardless of source resolution, can be upscaled to big and beautiful 1080p via HDMI and Faroudja DCDi Cinema™. The TX-SR608 will also include a front HDMI input, a feature first introduced by Onkyo in 2009. The TX-SR608 will be available in April at an MSRP of $599.

The 5.1-channel TX-SR308 and 7.1-channel TX-SR508 round out this initial announcement of A/V Receivers from Onkyo. The TX-SR308 will be available in March with an MSRP of $299, a followed by the TX-SR508 in April for $399.

The HTiB package systems, which each consist of a receiver, speakers and a subwoofer, are the 5.1-channel HT-S3300 and 7.1-channel HT-S5300; the latter also includes an iPod dock. Thanks to the HDMI interface and the use of advanced Dolby and DTS codecs, all of these receivers and systems are also capable of decoding lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. The HT-S3300 will ship in March with an MSRP of $379, followed by the HT-S5300 in April for $599.

A third packaged system departs from the traditional HTiB form factor and uses a combination subwoofer and 3D Ready A/V receiver plus two front speakers. It uses Onkyo’s own Theater-Dimensional processor to create an immersive and convincing surround effect through just 2.1 channels. The HTX-22HDX has three HDMI v1.4 inputs, handles HD audio formats from DTS and Dolby; offers four distinct audio modes for gaming; and outputs for additional speakers. The HTX-22HDX will ship in May with a $349 MSRP.

“Onkyo’s 2010 entry-level product line represents a significant jump over last year’s line,” said Paul Wasek, Onkyo USA’s marketing manager. “We are excited to deliver this first wave of 3D capable products. By upgrading to 1.4, even on the least expensive HTiB, we have eliminated all HDMI pass-through products and allowed HD audio formats to be used across the line. The fact that consumers can now buy a THX-Certified receiver with 1080p upscaling, Burr-Brown DACs, PC input and more for under $600 shows Onkyo’s clear commitment to delivering performance and value to consumers.”

All of Onkyo’s receivers offer exceptional connectivity options with as many as six HDMI inputs, plus component and composite video, numerous stereo input jacks, optical/coaxial digital inputs, and the popular front-panel connections on many models. Two models include Sirius Radio connections, and all these receivers incorporate Onkyo’s proprietary Universal Port (U-Port) connector which simplifies connections to optional HD Radio tuners and iPod Docks (included with the HT-S5300).

We already know it’s Hollywood’s biggest night. Now, Silicon Valley is having an event of its own. Why? Because Apple just debuted its first iPad commercial during the initial break of the Oscars telecast. Inside, video of the 30-second spot.

According to the ad, the iPad will be released on April 3.

[ABC]