Nook hacked with Web browser, Facebook, and Twitter apps for starters

And here we go. With the Nook rooted and plenty of Android devs at the ready to exploit the device's free 3G data and semi-useful WiFi connection, it's officially open season on Barnes & Noble's new e-reader. Within the last few hours the Nook has been given a web browser (pictured left) to join the Pandora hack just announced by NookDevs. A trick that adds plenty of functionality to the Nook including the ability to login to public WiFi hotspots and read the news on an RSS aggregator (pictured right with Google Reader). Better yet, the rogue band of devs have already ported AndTweet and the Facebook app from the Android Marketplace. Unfortunately, the Google Maps port failed due to some missing libraries within the Nook's Android implementation. Naturally, none of this has been packaged for the everyman yet, but at this rate we might have off the shelf Nook homebrew before those January Nook orders can be delivered. Hey Barnes & Noble, welcome to the wild west of consumer electronics.

[Thanks, Scott]

The LaCie Rikiki Is the Tiniest 2.5-inch Portable Hard Drive On the Market

With LaCie, you always expect the product to look good—and the Rikiki portable HDD is no exception. They also claim that it is the smallest 2.5-inch drive on the market.

I'm not sure if that is accurate or not, but with measurements at 4.3 x 2.9 x .5 inches it is even smaller than the popular FreeAgent line from Seagate. The USB 2.0, self-powered drives are available in 250GB, 500GB and 640GB flavors for $75, $109 and $149 respectively.

Today, LaCie introduced the most compact 2.5" hard drive on the market – LaCie Rikiki, in metal. Measuring just a mere 110mm, its sophisticated form factor holds up to 640GB of media that you won't mind storing in a pocket or purse.

Encased in brushed, sturdy aluminum, the LaCie Rikiki, which means "tiny" in French, represents a resilient aesthetic that protects your media from everyday blunders and unwelcome fingerprints. Its lightweight design makes it a perfect companion for keeping your digital world close at hand.

"We are part of a generation that wants more from our electronics, but in the smallest form factor possible, and with a competitive price," said Anne-Sophie Marchand, Consumer Product Manager. "With the LaCie Rikiki, we have done just that by fitting high-performance and high-capacity in the palm of your hand, for under $100."

Leveraging the versatile USB 2.0 interface, the LaCie Rikiki is instantly compatible with your PC or Mac. Simply plug it in and you're ready to store and share your favorite media with high-speed performance. LaCie Rikiki also offers USB Boost software for enhancing speeds up to 33% (Windows® only).

LaCie Rikiki also comes with a simplified software suite – for quick setup and easy-to-use backup management – enabling complete configuration in just a few clicks. The LaCie Rikiki is an all-in-one solution for storage mobility.

Availability
The LaCie Rikiki will be available in 250GB, 500GB, and 640GB capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Corner, starting at the suggested retail price of $74.99 (excluding VAT). For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

[LaCie]

ITG xpPhone shown off in green, and yes, you can have a different color

This isn't the first time we've seen what would appear to be an xpPhone dummy in the wild paired with a mocked-up display; that honor would go to a Computex debut earlier this year. What these new shots of ITG's Windows XP-powered wonder do demonstrate, though, is what a MID-turned-smartphone looks like with a lick of moss green painted around the edges. It's not really our style, to be honest -- and fortunately, it seems that ITG will be offering the production device in white, red, black, or silver (on top of a limitless array of 3G options, display sizes, and operating systems), but heck, we'd be happy taking it in ochre if they'd just promise a reasonably-priced release in the next century.

Sprint says Android 2.0 coming to Hero and Moment first half of next year

In the wake of Verizon's Droid Eris update announcement, Sprint couldn't very well rest on its laurels and let the world go by while its Android babies grow stale on version 1.5, could it? Indeed, the company has announced today (via Twitter, of all things) that it'll be bringing Android 2.0 to the table for its HTC Hero and Samsung Moment in the first half of 2010. Naturally, we wish they could tighten that up to the first quarter (or heck, this month, for that matter), but as far as we can tell, HTC isn't yet done prepping Sense for 2.0 so they're probably in a holding pattern there. As for the Moment, it's running stock 1.5 -- and we'd certainly expect it to run stock 2.0, too -- so we're not sure what the holdup is on Sammy's end, but you can bet we're looking forward to seeing the Google juice running in full AMOLED technicolor.

Mega-iPhone Dorks Who Idolise Rambo, Strap This On For Size

Sling this Quiver around your chest, and make like Mr. T or Rambo. No-one has to know you're secretly packing an iPod or iPhone, and hell, for all they know you could have an app that blows shit up. Right?

Exterior buttons on the stretch fabric sling mean you can control your iPod and even answer calls with the headphones cleverly tucked away near your shoulder. It certainly won't win you any style prizes, but then Mr. T and Rambo obviously never gave it a second thought when they strapped on their bandoliers. [Dew Motion]

Is Google Handing Out the Google Phone to Employees

The above is just one of many Google Phone tweets that made the rounds yesterday. Unless this is some giant Twitter prank, looks like Google is handing these things out to employees. And they're talking. Updated:

Update 2: Google speaks!

Update: We're hearing from our sources that it's the HTC Passion. We're not sure if it's the same Passion we saw a few weeks ago, but we're on the lookout for pics.

Assuming this isn't some sort of coordinated Twitter joke (trust me, it happens), here are the details we can extract:

• It's running Android 2.1 on HTC hardware (the Passion, see above)
• It should be coming out in January
• Employees were given unlocked versions
• "It's beautiful," "a sexy beast."

No one grabbed any concrete hardware details, but hopefully those are the next to come around. Great White Snark elaborated on his original tweet in the comments over at TechCrunch:

Yeah, it's a hot, sexy mess. And I mean that in a good way. Similar form-factor to the iPhone, but with a smooth-brushed-metal-looking shell instead of a glossy one. And perhaps a smidgen lighter.

Super fast, speech-to-text in EVERY app, awesome "live wallpapers" in the background that respond to touch in really beautiful ways. Like water ripples that emanate out from a touch.

Confirmation, or mass hysteria? Whatever it is, we'll be on the lookout for more details. [TechCrunch]

Google employees given HTC-made Google Phones