Microsoft's digital media player business will see two major changes this year. The first will be the addition of a Zune section to Xbox Live, their online network for the Xbox 360, a move the company says will allow the two devices two exchange video content, but also one that will expose and create better awareness to their large community of video game players. The update to Xbox Live to offer this connection will be available to all of the network's international markets. The same cannot be said for the Zune HD, an updated version of the digital media player that includes the ability to output HD video to a television and a built-in HD radio receiver. For now, the company plans to only offer the Zune HD in the United States, with plans for a fall release. [More]

The LEGO designers at NeXTSTORM have really pushed their craft with their latest piece, an automated theatre displaying a pirate adventure. What you're looking at in the video below is not a form of still animation or puppetry, but programmed movements accomplished using LEGO's Mindstorm and NXT robotics sets. A shark leaps out of the water, boats collide and fire cannons, it's quite a stunning achievement. Make sure to watch right to the end to see the reveal of the mechanics behind. You can see more of their creations, including a bionicle head, thermometer, and cyclebike at their online video vault.

[More]

I’ve been testing Rogers’ latest prototype build of the HTC Dream smartphone running Google’s Android operating system and, as you’d expect so close to its June 2nd launch, it’s near complete. The only tweaking left is to its support for Active Sync, a feature missing from the phone’s launch in the US, one that allows for better access to work e-mail accounts. [More]

This morning on Canada AM we featured a selection of video clips shot by our hosts Bev, Marci, Jeff, and myself as part of my review of the Flip UltraHD and Flip MinoHD camcorders launching this week. Here's the full version of my own assignment video, a behind-the-scenes tour of the Royal Ontario Museum's private Ornithology collection courtesy of Brad Millen who handles the department's Database Prep. This was completely shot, edited, and uploaded using the Flip's own software. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know I was at the museum this past Friday, tweeting photos of their live animals on display on their sidewalk. Now you know what I was really up to. I will be posting more details on my visit to ROM later this week including a better version of this video, a second video showcasing a harrowing visit to the museum's infamous "Bug Room" and articles with details on the collection and the specimens included in the footage.