What else can we say? The concept here is pure genius, and it totally makes those pricey security systems seem way pointless (okay, slightly less critical). The FakeTV is a strobe that sets up in an occupied room at night and flashes up beams of light. From the inside, we can imagine it looks fairly curious, but from the outside, it gives prospective burglars the idea that someone is actually awake and watching a television program. It promises to produce the effects of "scene changes, fades, swells, flicks, on-screen motion and color changes," just like they were generated by a bona fide set. We can't speak for how well (or not) this thing actually works, but at just $49, we'd say it's a solid buy if you're the paranoid type.

[Via BoingBoing]

As if you weren't scootin' around the AACS protection on your high definition films already, the finalized spec for the Advanced Access Content System could be delayed even further thanks to the somewhat surprising ruling given in Kaleidescape's recent ruling. According to Michael Ayers, a senior attorney with Toshiba America Information Systems who also manages the group that licenses AACS, there will "absolutely be increased scrutiny of the AACS documents after this court decision," meaning that managed copy decisions could continue on the perpertual delay path its already on. Still, we highly doubt the savvy ones are waiting around for someone to tell them how to "make copies of movies on a controlled basis," but it could be quite awhile longer for those that are.

[Via eHomeUpgrade]

Since "muslix64" posted his BackupHDDVD tool there has been much discussion across the internet over how it works, and if it works at all. So far others haven't been able to obtain the necessary keys to decrypt high definition content, and now Cyberlink, makers of the PowerDVD software many assumed was exploited for the attack, is denying vulnerability. In an email to blogger Chris Lanier, the company stated not only is it confident that PowerDVD "fully protects" HD DVD contents, it does not keep the encryption "Title Keys" in system memory -- which is how muslix64 was presumed to have obtained them -- and finally that there is no evidence in the YouTube video released indicating PowerDVD was in any way actually used to crack HD DVD content. Other questions surrounding news of the crack center on the usage of PowerDVD version 6.5 instead of the just released (and Xbox 360 HD DVD player compatible) Power DVD Ultra. The video promised more details in January, and being that it's January now, we shouldn't be waiting very long to find out if this is truly a chink in the AACS armor -- and if so, where it really lies.