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Earlier this week the Eee Pad Transformer scored itself a sweet upgrade in the form of Android 3.1, and with it came USB host support. When we did our hands-on with the Honeycomb update we couldn't demo the feature because, well, the Xoom doesn't have any USB ports. But that Transformer keyboard dock has a pair of 2.0 jacks and someone was kind enough to post a YouTube vid of a PS3 controller and the ASUS tablet getting their game on. Theoretically, this should work with any USB gamepad, including those for the Xbox 360. The only drawback? You've got to be wired in -- no Bluetooth support here. Follow the break to see it in action and satisfy your Android-loving curiosity.  Update:  We managed to have a quick go on the same setup at Computex, and the tethered PS3 controller worked perfectly. Unsurprisingly though, we had no luck with the Bluetooth connection. Quick hands-on video after the break. HKtech ASUS UK (Twitter) ,  MrEverb...

If multiple batmobiles, a bat-usb stick, and a bat-puter aren't enough to convince you Bruce Wayne is a vain egomaniac, maybe these  Batman: Arkham City  batarang controllers will give you pause. In traditional bat-gadget fashion, these Xbox 360 and Ps3 controllers boast a cheesy bat-aesthetic (such as bat-start and select / back buttons), dual rumble motors, comfort-soft grips, and seven switchable splashes of LED color. Although physically the two controllers are pretty similar, Ol' Bats seems to favor the PlayStation 3, giving its controller not only the popular Xbox 360 button / analog layout, but an internal battery, detachable charging cable, and batman-themed USB RF receiver, to boot. The Xbox variant? A dated, wired affair -- but hey, at least it's got that Xbox guide button, right? The controllers will be on display next week at E3, courtesy of Power-A, and will hit store shelves when  Batman: Arkham City  ships in October, leaving ...

If you work for Sony you might want go watch TV right now -- there's something on  Discovery  about ostriches and sand. Meanwhile, Microsoft just let us know that it's sold 55 million Xbox 360s globally, which is very probably enough to maintain its lead over the PS3. Moreover, 360 sales in the US are still accelerating  six years into its life-cycle, thanks largely to updates like Kinect -- and Microsoft boasts that "no other console in history can make that claim." Huzzah. Now, we're not ones to snatch the pen from the victor's hand, but remember: this claim is based on US stats, whereas the PS3 has generally been doing better in other regions. What's more, neither the Wii nor the PS3 has yet reached its sixth birthday, so the story isn't over. Nevertheless, the chart after the break does make Microsoft's performance look damn impressive. Why is it that when you're down, life just keeps on kicking? Major Nelson

The Nintendo DS line has had many redesigns up to the present 3DS, but one thing that hasn't changed are the tiny, easily lost cartridges. Enter Memorex's $20 Universal Game Selector Case, announced as part of its gaming accessory lineup for E3. The UGSC stores up to three games and hooks up to the cartridge port on any DS, letting you swap between them using a signal routing switch. We've seen cases similar to this in the past, but Memorex's take is the first to support 3DS titles as well. Based on the renders, the unit looks to make for a weird fit and some noticeable extra thickness (10.5mm to be exact), especially on the DSi XL, but hopefully we'll get a better idea of how it feels in hand at E3. From a functionality perspective, the case does seem rather useful for those with forgetful tendencies, if a bit underwhelming for anybody else. Memorex will also be displaying its new third-party PS3 and Wii motion controllers at the E3, which are viewable in the ...

In the market for a new PS3 but find the portable version a little out of your price / taste range? Then you might consider Sony's just-announced  Tales of Xillia  X Edition, which bundles everyone's favorite RPG of unwavering convictions with a 160GB limited-edition console. The rig comes in the standard charcoal black, adorned with metallic red and gold artwork featuring characters from the series. It will also be Japanese-only for now, though  Tales  die-hards can always have it exported, if you're willing to go above and beyond the MSRP of ¥37,980 ($470). The set goes on sale September 8, giving you plenty of time to consider trading up your Michael Jackson  This is It  pack. Joystiq Sony

Have you ever thought to yourself, "my CNC mill is pretty cool, but I really want to make it more awesomer"? Well, first, "awesomer"  totally  isn't word, and second, have we got a hack for you! A reader wrote in to the DIY hub Adafruit to show off his CNC being operated by a PS3 Sixaxis controller -- mimicking features found on high-end machines that allow you to trigger jobs from a distance and manually control the mill. Best of all, it's a pretty simple mod that uses a program called QtsixA to map the gamepad as a keyboard and mouse, allowing you to interact with a Linux box running EMC2, which is used for controlling the mill, lathe, plasma torch, or a number of other fun and dangerous tools. Check out the video after the break. Adafruit dammitdarrell (YouTube)

We've seen plenty of handheld console mods, but only a few laptops -- most impressively, Ben Heck'ssleek PlayStation 3 -- and  PSHax  member Pirate recently finished his water-cooled take on the notebook PS3. The cooling system replaces the stock heatsinks, allowing for a slimmer design, and one much more polished than the last water-cooled version we saw. Weighing in at 15 pounds, it's also got a built-in keyboard and speakers, a 500GB hard drive, and a 720p / 1080i screen. If this sounds like your type of machine, Pirate's put it on eBay, where it's currently heading north of $1,500. He's not looking to make a profit, promising that after costs a portion of the selling price will go to server expenses at  PSHax , with another portion dedicated to tornado relief efforts in Joplin, Missouri. Check out the video after the break to see this beast in action.  PS3Hax ,  eBay

Mourn no more PS3 owners: what Sony hath taken away, the hacker community has given right back. The team at Gitbrew.org  have returned Linux to the Cell-based gaming console with OtherOS++, which boasts a number of benefits over Sony's official stab at supporting other operating systems. For one, Linux is no longer relegated to a performance-degrading virtual machine and has full access to the PS3 hardware, and two, it works on both old-school "fat" models and the newer "slim" ones. We warn you, though -- this install is not for the faint of heart, and some older models that use NAND flash instead of VFLASH aren't compatible (check against this list). If you're undeterred, hit up the source link for downloads, instructions, and (most importantly) to stick it to the man. Hack a Day Gitbrew.org

Bored of blowing stuff up on your PS3 or 360? Then take some time out to paint flowers, butterflies, fruit and other lovely things with the uDraw Game Tablet. It's coming to the big boys' consoles after adecent debut on the Wii. Don't worry though, you won't have to sully your hardcore gaming shrines with any soft-edged blue and white silliness -- manufacturer THQ says it has "exclusively designed" the tablet for the more serious platforms. Unfortunately the company paints a pretty ambiguous picture when it comes to a release date - it merely says the tablet will be out "this holiday". Fine, we'll just go back to blowing things up until National Applesauce Day rolls around. joystiq THQ

Sony's PlayStation Network has been down for over a week, and it's a royal mess for all involved -- as you've no doubt heard, an external intrusion by unknown hackers compromised the personal information (supposedly including everything but credit card numbers) of potentially millions of users. This morning, Sony VP Kaz Hirai (formerly of the PlayStation division) will address the world from the company's headquarters in Japan, and our friends at Engadget Japanese are on the scene to bring us first-hand details in just a few minutes. Additionally, there appears to be an official livestream that will begin at 1AM ET, so keep it locked right here and potentially find some video at our source link. Update:  We're hearing that Sony's "goodwill gesture" may not be an incredibly significant one -- affected users can expect a free 30-day subscription to PlayStation Plus and a free software download of some sort, while Qriocity customers will get ...