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The 404 1,134: Where it's safe to drink the water (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Amid weak reviews of Apple Maps, Google offers alternative.

- iOS 6 Maps has a bit of a ways to go.

- Apple Maps shows a post-Cloverfield NY, sans Lady Liberty.

- Fox 5 NY broadcasts fake iPhone 5 concept video

- Internet Archive launches TV News search database.

- First level from Super Mario printed as a Mobius strip.

- MakerBot revamps Replicator 3D printer, adds retail store.

- Low Latency No. 38: The waiting game.

Bathroom break video: DMX's first encounter with Google.… Read more

Nintendo sets Wii U price, unveils TVii

Wii play around for Thursday's Nintendo news roundup:

Nintendo announced that its new Wii U game console will be available in the U.S. on Nov. 18, coming in two flavors. The white "Basic" bundle is $300 and comes with a GamePad and Wii U with 8 GB of memory. But it makes more sense to pick up the $350 black "Deluxe" bundle, which includes a 32 GB Wii U system, charger, stand and Nintendo Land. Nintendo Land is a pack of 12 mini games which use the GamePad and allow 5 people to play … Read more

Super Mario Hungry Hungry Hippos munch marbles

When you think of Super Mario, do you also think of insatiably ravenous semi-aquatic animals? No? You must not be Super Mario fan Kodykoala.

The custom toy crafter created a detailed and outlandish mashup of Hungry Hungry Hippos and Super Mario. The starving hippos are turned into Koopa Kids complete with pointy little shells on their backs. These minions of Bowser are from the "Mario Party" series.… Read more

How Apple's courtroom win affects you

Monday's tech news roundup translates the Apple v. Samsung legalese:

Apple won the patent case against Samsung late Friday, but the battle between the two biggest smartphone makers is not over yet. The jury in San Jose, Cali. found Samsung products infringed on Apple's patents, such as rounded edges and pinch-to-zoom. The jury decided that Samsung should pay $1.05 billion to Apple in damages.

Next up: the judge has to decide if she wants to change the amount for damages, Samsung is expected to appeal, and Apple will ask for an injunction to ban selling Samsung products … Read more

Penelope Cruz dons mustache to play Super Mario in ad

It seems as if Nintendo has been around since Pac-Man and Scrabble were invented.

And yet the company continues to encourage people to spend hours and days in beautifully mindless pursuits. The pursuit of coins, for example, as in Super Mario Bros. 2. I wonder if they enjoy it on Wall Street.

To stimulate your feelings about the Nintendo 3DS and the new 3DS XL (90 percent bigger screen!), the company has hired Penelope Cruz and her sister Monica.

Can you imagine these two sitting by some Italian pool and whipping out their little play machines?

You don't have … Read more

New Super Mario Bros. 2: Nintendo 3DS gets a new game that's all too familiar

Jeff: The 3DS needs all the help it can get, so a new Mario Bros. game has worked in the past, why not again now? The problem with that mentality is that after a while, even the great Mario isn't invulnerable to becoming stale. And in the case of New Super Mario Bros. 2, I'm afraid it has finally happened.

Now before you gather up the pitchforks and start heading my way, you'll be happy to hear that I still think the game is fun to play. If you own a 3DS odds are you haven't bought a game in a while, so this will most likely find its way into your portable system. That said, you may fall into the same deja-vu trance that I did while playing and begin muttering, "Haven't I done this before?"… Read more

Angry Birds tangible slingshot controller lets you get hands-on

It's the app game that won't go away. Angry Birds Space is still sitting pretty on the App Store's top paid apps chart, but how many times can you pull back a virtual slingshot before you start pining for something more?

Students at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design have given Angry Birds a whole new dimension with the creation of a physical slingshot controller for the desktop version of the game. … Read more

The 404 Show Special: Jay Chandrasekhar and Kevin Heffernan

The 404's Jeff Bakalar had a chance to sit down with Jay Chandrasekhar and Kevin Heffernan, two of the members of the comedy group Broken Lizard (Super Troopers, Beerfest). The duo has a new film out called "The Babymakers" in select theaters, iTunes, and on-demand August 3rd.

In addition to a discussion about "The Babymakers," Jay and Kevin talk to Jeff about a sequel to "Super Troopers," getting "Potfest" off the ground, and what else is in store for Broken Lizard.… Read more

The 404 1,102: Where we've spared no expense (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- A preview from Jeff's interview with Jay Chandrasekhar and Kevin Heffernan. Their new movie is on iTunes, on-demand, and in theaters today.

- A real Jurassic Park might be hitting the Middle East.

- World of Warcraft is losing subscribers and Activison's stock is paying the price.

- The truth about winning Olympic medals and the subsequent taxes.

- Watch CNET Update every week day and follow the show and Bridget on Twitter!… Read more

Super Mario high heels: These shoes were made for leveling up

Etsy has turned into quite the geek-craft haven. Case in point: you can pick up a pair of custom hand-painted Super Mario high-heel shoes.

The $115 paint job from Etsy seller magicbeanbuyer doesn't actually include the shoes. You'll have to send along a pair of your choosing to have the design applied. There is one pair of ready-to-go peep-toe heels available in size 8.5 for $142 if you can't wait.… Read more