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Windows users still drooling over Apple's multitouch Magic Mouse might finally have an excuse to step into an Apple store, thanks to "a little hackery" by UneasySilence.

The hack exploits a vulnerability in Apple's latest Bluetooth Update, uncovering Magic Mouse drivers for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows from XP to 7. We've yet to put it to the test ourselves, but users online are reporting success with full use of the Magic Mouse's vertical touch-scrolling. Leave a comment and let us know if it works for you.

We should mention that since this is a hack, there's no guarantee Apple will allow the mouse to work with Windows indefinitely, so enjoy it while you can. Of course, if you share our hesitation about buying a $69 pointing device with no buttons, you can always check out our updated roundup of CNET Reviews' top-scoring mice or go nuts with the OOMouse's 18 clickable buttons.

(Credit: CNET / Josh Lowensohn)

Ever wondered what some of the graphical differences are in games that make use of the newer hardware in the latest versions of Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch? So were we. That's why we put together a screenshot comparison gallery of 13 games, all of which are either packing extra OpenGL ES 2.0 goodies, or that more complicated graphics modes that run a whole lot better on the beefier hardware spec.

As for our testing, we ran each title on an iPhone 3G and a third-generation iPod Touch, the latter of which packs the faster innards required for some of the advanced OpenGL effects.

To our surprise, there were very few apps on the App Store that made use the new graphical spec, and even fewer that required a standalone version of that application to do so. However, many of the developers we talked with said that they were cooking up new titles that would be pushing these new devices a little further than what they had already created. That's good news for those with a newer iPhone or iPod Touch, but a definite thorn in the side of those who might not be able to play some of near-future App Store releases on their original iPhone or iPhone 3G.

Click on our slideshow link below to get started. We've also included links to each version of each app (in case there are variations), all of which open up in iTunes. Also, in case we missed any, feel free to leave them in the comments and we'll try to add them later.

Update: We've added bonus screenshots of Ravensword, the upcoming 3D RPG, as well as top-down pinball game Wild West Pinball.

Images: iPhone games graphics showdown

See also:
The future of iPhone games
For games, no big rush to speedy iPhone 3GS
iPhone developer: 3G S graphics will be sooo much better than PSP's

The image of a red curtain hides the construction of Apple's latest store.

(Credit: David Carnoy/CNET)

While it was confirmed several months ago that Apple would open a fourth Manhattan retail store on the Upper West Side, the company appears to be just days away from taking the wraps off the somewhat secretive project.

Located on the northwest corner of Broadway and 67th Street just up from Lincoln Center and The Juilliard School, the new Apple Store, after over a year of construction, was recently embellished with an Apple logo and the words, "Opening soon." In dramatic fashion, Apple also has an image of a giant red curtain covering the entire front of the structure, which is made of glass and covered in plastic.

Ifoapplestore.com, a site dedicated to Apple's retail endeavors, predicts that the new store will "mimic some of (Apple's) Fifth Avenue glass cube and basement retail space," as well some of the George Street storefront in Sydney, Australia. The site reports that the glass is 54 feet tall, 75 feet wide, and 30 feet deep and that when the plastic film is peeled off, the storefront will "present a blue-green, filtered view into the store, which building permits indicate will be one level above ground, and two below ground." A circular glass staircase will link the street level to the first basement level, while the sub-basement will house back-of-house operations, tipsters said.

While it may not do as much business as the Fifth Avenue location, the new store is perfectly situated in a densely populated area that's filled with legions of Apple fans, so it could do extremely well.

As for a Manhattan Microsoft store, rumor has it the company is looking to possibly set up shop in Times Square.

Comments?

Here is a speculative rendering of what Apple's Upper West Side retail store may look like.

(Credit: Ifoapplestore.com)

The PortableApps Suite is a storehouse and management system for "portable" versions of some of the most popular freeware around. That collection used to be limited only to open-source programs. But on Wednesday it started making portable versions of closed-source freeware to users. The first batch of portable freeware includes Web browser Google Chrome, VoIP client Skype, BitTorrent client uTorrent, antispyware tool SpyDLLRemover, and three others at the time of writing. The new portable versions of these programs work both independently and in tandem with the PortableApps suite.

In a statement published on its Web site, PortableApps.com founder and CEO John Haller said that PortableApps "remains committed" to open-source software, but that closed-source freeware publishers would find other venues for USB stick-friendly versions of their programs if PortableApps didn't open its doors to them. For users that want to support only open-source programs, he said that the PortableApps directory will soon be filterable.

PortableApps is also planning to accept portable versions of commercial software, although it hasn't announced a timeline yet. Readers can check on the latest updates to the PortableApps catalog at their Web site, although we do host most of them at Download.com as well.

While Microsoft didn't have anything new to announce at its first annual Open House in New York on Tuesday, it spent a lot of money turning the huge New York Armory into a showcase for its fall product line.

Robbie Bach, head of Microsoft's entertainment and devices division, delivered a 30-minute opening presentation highlighting everything from Windows 7 to Windows Phone to Xbox Live and Zune. But the Open House was really intended to be an open house, with a heavy emphasis on lifestyle applications for the company's various products.

There was also some rather funky stuff (read:weird) that included women dressed up in bird costumes. So check out the slideshow below--and Natali Del Conte's video report, above--to get the full flavor of the event. And as always, feel free to comment.

Microsoft Open House 2009

(Credit: Sinapsis)

I know many of you think we bloggers are pimple-faced, bloated nerds who live in our mother's basement and survive on Fritos and Mountain Dew. While that is certainly true for some of us (Hi, Devin!), it's not the case for all of us. In fact, many tech bloggers, myself included, are socially well-behaved people. Who drink beer. A lot of beer.

And sometimes we have occasion to swap our T-shirts for button-downs and ties. But as geeks, we prefer that everything, including clothing, has a utilitarian angle. Thus, the After Office Tie by Argentinian design house Sinapsis.

It's a regular black tie for wearing to conventions, meetings, interviews, parole hearings, and other things bloggers need to attend. But unbutton your jacket and you see the magic: a bottle opener integrated into the tip of the tie. Imagine, no more church keys taking up precious room on your key ring where an eighth USB drive could be clipped!

Sadly, the After Office Tie--an entrant to a Designboom competition whose winner will be announced October 4--is just a concept at this point. Until then, we can wear the ThinkGeek Power Tie. Also, more photos of this handsome be-mulleted man after the jump.

Marc Levoy, a Stanford professor of computer science and electrical engineering, is the son, grandson, and great-grandson of opticians. Holding the Frankencamera, which is programmable and can be connected to the Internet, is graduate student Andrew Adams.

(Credit: L.A. Cicero/Stanford University)

Photo scientists at Stanford University's Computer Graphics Laboratory have conceived of what is probably the world's first open-source camera. Their contraption, dubbed the Frankencamera, consists of a Nokia N95 mobile phone camera module; a circuit board; a couple of lenses from Canon; and Linux for all the open-source goodness.

The current prototype of the Frankencamera is constructed from off-the-shelf parts.

(Credit: Stanford University)

The current prototype of the Frankencamera is constructed from off-the-shelf parts, in some cases borrowed from dead cameras. Its creators say it's ugly--thus the name.

Now, you may be wondering what the big deal is about having an open-source operating system on cameras. Well, it means programmers can create algorithms to process images differently or even better than what brands such as Canon and Nikon are currently offering.

An open-source platform will also give savvy users a wide range of customization options. For instance, photojournalists can program their dSLRs to activate certain settings when a particular lens or accessory is attached.

For now, the scientists have tweaked their Frankencamera to snap high dynamic range pictures, but they are trying to make their snapper churn out better-quality videos by using high-resolution pictures. In a year, they hope to distribute the platform at minimal cost to computational photography researchers and courses worldwide. Check out the video for more details.

(Source: Crave Asia)

Tennis, anyone? The 2009 U.S. Open app gives you tons of tournament goodies.

Good news, tennis junkies: The 2009 U.S. Open iPhone app is the next best thing to being courtside.

Available now from the App Store, this American Express- and IBM-sponsored freebie serves up tournament news, live scores, and schedules. It lets you view the draws on an interactive bracket and read player bios.

Alas, you can't watch live video of the actual matches, but the app does offer prerecorded videos of the players, special events, past highlights, and the like. A photo gallery is on tap as well.

You may not be able to watch the Open, but you can listen to it live courtesy of USOpen.org radio, which streams from within the app. (A tennis match on the radio? Better than nothing, I guess.)

Anyone lucky enough to be in Flushing for the actual matches can view a venue map, seating charts, and even dining and transportation options.

Bottom line: This is a must-have app for anyone with even a passing interest in the U.S. Open. Game, set, match!

China Mobile introduced a new mobile platform Monday, and one of the presenting partners on hand has raised a few eyebrows.

Details of a Dell phone, reportedly called the Mini 3i, began to circulate on the Web almost immediately after being presented at the event, but Dell says it has not yet announced any smartphone for the China market.

A prototype of a Dell smartphone seen at a China Mobile event.

(Credit: Mobile.163.com)

"Dell was there supporting China Mobile as a development partner. We did not confirm or announce anything," said Dell spokesman Matt Parretta.

There was, however, a "proof of concept mobile device prototype" shown off at the event, Parretta said. That explains the photos, which depict a black, candybar-style handset that had a touch screen and was stamped with the Dell logo on the back.

Reports from the China Mobile event, which introduced the wireless operator's Android-based Open Mobile System, or OMS, say the Mini 3i was confined to operate on a 2G GSM network--no Wi-Fi access--but had a 3-megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and a slot for a microSD card.

Industry observers and market analysts have been largely underwhelmed both by the idea of a Dell smartphone, and according to some who saw early prototypes, the execution of it as well.