In operating rooms today, cancer surgeons are essentially forced to operate without any definitive way of determining whether or not 100% of the diseased tissue has been removed. Thanks to a radical invention by researchers in Massachusetts, that huge limitation could soon be a thing of the past. A new system, dubbed FLARE (Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration), involves a near-infrared (NIR) imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer. These tools are used to see special chemical dies (christened NIR fluorophores) that are crafted to "target specific structures such as cancer cells when injected into patients." When these dyes are exposed to NIR light, the cancer cells light up, giving doctors an easy look at what they have left to remove. The team is gearing up to showcase the technology at the American Chemical Society national meeting in Philadelphia -- here's hoping it can be put to good use in the very near future.

We're still having a tough time labeling Intel's uniquely designed UrbanMax concept, but according to a company representative on hand at IDF, it was designed primarily to be used as a touch device. The gigantic touch panel machine (slate PC?) includes an 11-inch (1,366 x 768) display, a slide out QWERTY keyboard, a minuscule optical mousing device and Windows Vista behind the scenes. Feel free to check out the video waiting after the jump, and by the way, we dare you to tell us this isn't totally an HTC Advantage X7510 on steroids.

Just over a year ago, we were all making bitter beer faces at FCC chairman Kevin Martin for not going along with a delightful sounding "free internet" plan. Now, it seems the main man's tune has changed. During a recent interview, Martin stated that there was a "social obligation in making sure everybody could participate in the next generation of broadband services because, increasingly, that's what people want." He's reportedly looking to attach a free mobile broadband requirement to the AWS-3 spectrum that's set to be auctioned next year, which would require the winner to allocate 25% for gratis access. 'Course, we wouldn't get our hopes us for this to actually go down like it surely is playing out in your mind just now, but we won't fault you for dreamin'.

[Via phonescoop]

Ready for some excitement in the form of watching a startup squirm as it waits for its product to gain traction? Take a glance at Peek, which is churning out a dedicated handheld that handles e-mail, a few chain forwards, and more e-mails when you're done with that. At first glance, one may consider such a one-trick-pony quite ridiculous, but it's hard to say what will end up catching on these days. The biggest problem facing Peek is the pricing: it'll be $99.95 up front when it lands in Target next month, plus $19.95 per month to send unlimited e-mails over T-Mobile's network. Of course, if anyone figures out how to load Opera Mini up here, the Bulls-eye Shop won't be able to keep the shelves stocked.

[Via Silicon Alley Insider]

Remember those rumored specifications for LG's so-called Prada II? Yeah, particularly the part about the slide-out keyboard? If the image above has any traces of legitimacy, you could be looking at the Prada II. Good thing an image is worth quite a few letters, 'cause that's all the details we've got to go on for now.

We're not sure who let Yahoo! into Intel's party in San Francisco, but the two sure are getting along great. Much to the chagrin of Mark Cuban, these two actually believe that there's a future in internet TV, particularly if you force it down people's throats. Intel spent the bulk of its time talking up the Media Processor CE 3100 (formerly known as Canmore), which would theoretically be installed within HDTVs and enable users to access internet-based content without the need for an additional set-top-box ('course, the STB is still optional). That's where Yahoo! comes in -- it's hoping that its Widget Channel will encourage users to utilize its services when watching re-runs or other lackluster material in order to get news, weather and other related information right on the living room set. Not that this is a totally new concept, but these two surely have the power to push it one step further. Lots more information and pictures in the links below.

Update: It's official... surprise!

Read - Intel / Yahoo preview plans for Widget Channel
Read - Images of the tech in action
Read - Gigabyte Intel box (first product to use the CE 3100)

Wait, let's get this straight. We understood that the newfangled Xbox 360 controller would be limited in nature (though we never understood why), but now you're telling us that North Americans will have to get lucky on the international second-hand market to obtain one? According to information spilled to Eurogamer, that's the deal. Microsoft is reportedly loosing the pad in Europe, Asia and Latin America as a "promotional item" that ties in with Konami's Pro Evolution Soccer. Also, it's very green, and only green. We're still waiting to hear if Microsoft has plans to bring this stateside or use it to replace the existing controller entirely, but who knows, maybe the US edition will boast four analog sticks and a built-in LCD with real-time LIVE! status checking.

[Via Joystiq]

Time flies when you're having fun, but not when you're waiting anxiously for a new piece of kit -- particularly one that has been delayed numerous times. For Europeans waiting on pins and needles for the release of the PlayTV DVR for PlayStation 3, your time has arrived. Before rushing out to get one, however, might we interest you a short unboxing and a brief overview? No pressure whatsoever, though.

Just because you haven't gotten up the nerve to build your own laptop doesn't mean that everyone's just running out and buying pre-fabricated lap warmers, now does it? Antec sure hopes not, else its new CBB component initiative will become a serious money loser. Said outfit has just revealed a slew of new interchangeable kit designed to act as "building blocks" for folks looking to piece together their own notebook. It even goes so far as to proclaim that this is the "first time that system builders will be able to build customized, personalized laptops from individual components," and while we're pretty sure that's exaggerating it, there's no doubt the commercialization here makes it easier to digest. The new enclosures, docking station, CBB / RC2-specific keyboards, AC adapters, battery packs, webcams and more are available now for tinkerers who care.

[Via ExtremeTech]

Well, color us surprised! Here we have yet another "limited edition" PlayStation 3 bundle, this time with Uncharted: Drake's Fortune packed in alongside a PlayStation Network voucher for PAIN, a DualShock 3 wireless controller and... a 160GB PS3 console? Yep, Sony's formally introducing us to the new king, which will start shipping to North America this November in the aforementioned kit for $499.99. Curiously, there's no word as to whether it'll be released separate from the bundle (we're guessing yes), and there's no mention of PS2 backwards compatibility (so don't count on it). In related news, the "new" $399.99 80GB version is finally shipping to retailers, so you should be able to snap one up in the very, very near future.

It's not like Sony could really keep this thing under wraps for much longer, but the company finally did the deed by announcing the PSP-3000 at the Leipzig Games Convention. The unit itself will look exactly like the PSP-2000, though it will feature an "improved screen that's better outside with no glare and a built-in mic." The juicy tidbits have yet to surface, but we are told to expect the new handheld in Europe for €199 ($291) on October 15th.

Before you get too riled up here, let us point out that this Atom-based OQO is simply a prototype. According to the company's Dennis Moore, the device we're seeing here "is not a product launch or announcement," but simply a demonstration of just how amazing and utterly life-changing the OQO + Atom combo is. Really guys, if there's so much love in the house, why not get this thing on the production line?

[Via jkkmobile]

No surprise here, but the kids from MIT were (presumably) right all along. The three students who were muffled just before presenting their case at Defcon have finally been freed; the now-revoked gag order had prevented them from exposing insecurities in the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority ticket system, but during the same court setting, the MBTA fessed up and admitted that its current system was indeed vulnerable. Of note, it only confessed that its CharlieTicket system was susceptible to fraud, while simply not acknowledging any flaws in the more popular CharlieCard option. Pish posh -- who here believes it doesn't have dutiful employees working up a fix as we speak?

Putting it simply, Lucid's goal with its HYDRA technology is to "build a completely GPU-independent graphics scaling technology" which enables two completely different cards to work together in harmony with "little to no software overhead." Let that sink in a minute. Now that a puzzled look has surely overtaken your face, we'd strongly recommend hitting the read link for a (very) detailed look at the technology, an explanation of how it works and even a few hard hitting questions addressed to the company. We're trying to stifle our excitement here, but are hopes are escalating quickly.

What can we say? Intempo has launched a new pair of iPod-compatible speaker systems, and unless you're somehow just entering the market for one in the latter half of 2008, chances are you're already yawning. Nevertheless, the RDi-W (pictured) does distinguish itself somewhat by including support for DAB and wireless internet radio, and there's a 30-watt internal amplifier to kick out the jams. The much drabber Fusion keeps things small and simple by offering up just 25-watts of power and DAB / FM tuners. Expect the couple to sashay into e-tailers next month for £169.99 ($316) / £99 ($184).

Read - RDi-W
Read - Fusion