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Waninkoko, infamous for his ISO loader on the Wii console, has issued a warning this week for gamers attempting to install his PlayStation 3 custom v3.55 firmware, making it clear that certain models will get bricked if attempting the update.

The custom firmware is notable because it allows for the playback of "backups" right from the hard drive.

GeoHot, the first hacker to create a custom firmware, using the root code of the console, does not allow for piracy on the system, and the firmware was created to allow for homebrew and Linux.

With the installation of the Waninkoko firmware came a plethora of reports about consoles being bricked (becoming unusable) and the warning makes it clear that only certain models of the console are succeptible.

Waninkoko does say, however that he is "Working on an alternative way, with no brick risk… No ETA."

Google quietly began testing number porting via the Google Voice service today, giving some users the chance to begin using Voice on their mobile phones as their primary number.

Confirms the search giant (via PCM):

"We're continually testing new features to enhance the user experience. For a limited amount of time, we're making the Google Voice number porting process available to users. We don't have any additional details to share at this time, but plan to offer this feature to all users in the near future."

The porting service will cost just $20, and will terminate your current mobile phone service plan.

Google warns that you may incur an early termination fee for doing so.

For now, porting will only be available for wireless numbers, but landline porting may be coming in the future.

The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry's (IFPI) latest Digital Music Report has painted a bleak picture for the music industry, explaining how its value has been cut by a third in just seven years, with no end in sight.

Digital music revenue has grown 1000 percent in the time frame, but growth has slowed from triple digits earlier in the century to just 6 percent in 2010.

The digital sales account for 1/3 of the industry's total revenue.

Adds IFPI chief executive Frances Moore:

"While record companies are innovating and licensing every viable form of music access for consumers. The music industry is still hemorrhaging revenue as a result of digital piracy."

Moore says that piracy is a "crisis affecting not just an industry - but artists, musicians, jobs, consumers, and the wider creative sector."

On the "positive" side, the report applauded the shut down of LimeWire and the traffic block of the Pirate Bay in a few nations.

Phandroid has reported today that the Motorola Xoom tablet may be headed to Verizon on February 14th, much earlier than anticipated.

The company showed off the tablet at the CES event earlier this month, to high acclaim.

Motorola's Xoom will be the first tablet to run Android 3.0 Honeycomb, which has been optimized for media tablets.

The powerful tablet will ship with a 10.1-inch display, 1280x800 resolution, a Nvidia Tegra 2 1GHz dual-core processor, 1GB DDR2 RAM, 32GB onboard memory (expendable via SD), a 5MP dual-LED flash standard camera and a 2MP front-side camera for video conferencing.

Furthermore, the tablet has a micro USB 2.0 port, HDMI-pout, 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR.

According to the Digitimes, HTC will launch three tablets during the first six months of 2011, with the first hitting in March.

Dubbed the "Flyer," the device will be a larger version of the Desire smartphone, and will run on 2.3 Gingerbread.

The device will be upgradeable to Android 3.0 Honeycomb.

HTC chose March to launch the device as it will be available right before the upcoming RIM PlayBook.

The company will launch the Flyer in conjunction with an unknown carrier.

HTC's two other tablets should launch in June, already pre-loaded with 3.0.

Within a day of iOS 4.3 beta 2 being released to developers, it is being reported that Apple may be considering adding a social network to the popular mobile operating system now used by over 100 million owners in, globally.

In the file system is a folder dubbed "Media Stream," which has in it a "Photo Stream" ability. Photo Streaming allows users can post images and invite friends to view them, similar to TwitPics via Twitter.

A secondary feature is "Find My Friends," a feature to help you locate your friends, other iOS users, using the system's GPS capabilities.

Apple recently patented "iGroups," which many now believe will be another layer of the social network.

Additionally, 4.3 will improve FaceTime, giving all iOS users the ability to video chat, not just iPhone 4 owners on Wi-Fi.

T-Mobile will re-launch the Sidekick mobile phone lineup, releasing the Sidekick 4G later this year, running on Android.

The device will be able to connect to T-Mobile's fast HSPA+ pseudo-4G network.

T-Mobile confirmed the move at a media breakfast this morning in NYC.

The original Sidekick devices were created by Danger, which was purchased by Microsoft in 2008 for $500 million. Danger founder Andy Rubin now leads Android.

As was standard with former devices, the smartphone will have a swivel screen and a full slide-out QWERTY keypad. It will also run on an Android 2.3 variant.

To date, Microsoft has hardly used Danger, only using the company to build the ill-fated Kin smartphones, which were easily the biggest flops of 2010.

Amazon has confirmed the purchase of popular European movie rental and streaming company LoveFilm for an undisclosed amount.

Different reports have placed the purchase price at between $200 million and £200 million ($320 million USD).

The e-tailing giant was already a minority shareholder of the company.

LoveFilm, comparable to Netflix in the United States, has 1.6 million subscribers in the UK, Germany, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark and offers physicals rentals and movie/TV streaming via Internet-connected TVs, PCs, Blu-ray players and the PS3.

Says the rental company (via RWW):

The deal is a winner for the members who love Lovefilm because of its value, choice, convenience and innovation in home entertainment. With Amazon's unequivocal support we can significantly enhance our members' experience across Europe.

Following up on last week's rumors that music service Spotify was close to a deal with a major American label, the WSJ is reporting today that the company has "finally signed with Sony for U.S. distribution deal."

The deal has not been confirmed, yet, but the source says the U.S. version of the popular European application will be almost an identical "mirror" of what it currently available.

There will be a free, ad-supported version, with a limited amount of hours of free streaming music, an ad-free version, and a subscription model that allows for streaming on smartphones like the iPhone and Android devices.

Before Spotify can launch in the U.S., it will need to sign at least one other major label, but rumor has it that other members of the Big 4 will not sign on unless Spotify moves completely to subscription.

Spotify has been promising a move to the U.S. since early 2009 but has had many issues bringing the popular European service Stateside.

After spending months atop the App Store top downloads list, Rovio's blockbuster smash hit 'Angry Birds' has been dethroned, by a physics game created by a 14-year-old.

'Bubble Ball,' created by middle schooler Robert Nay, is described in the iOS App Store (and now the Androif Market) as a "fun, new physics game."

In under a month, the game has seen over 2 million downloads in the iOS store and 100,000 in the Android Market, good enough to topple Angry Birds from its top spot in games.

Nay began creating the game when friends at school challenged him to create an app that would be accepted to the iOS App Store.

The teen then took to the local public library, and used books to learn which programs he needed to create the game. In just one month, Bubble Ball was submitted to the App Store.

Multiple sources are reporting today that Apple's oft-delayed white iPhone 4 model may finally be headed to retail shelves at the end of February.

An inventory screenshot from Best Buy shows the 16GB and 32GB models being available starting February 27th, with SKUs identical to those that the white iPhone had last summer before Apple pulled the devices.

Best Buy began pre-orders last summer, but pulled them when Apple announced delays on the device.

Furthermore, Vodafone Germany's inventory system has shown similar additions.

Apple said late last year that the white versions will see a "spring" release, so February 27th seems particularly early, and the date being a Sunday is unlike Apple's usual release days.

Hugh Hefner, the 84-year-old founder of Playboy has tweeted today that the adult entertainment magazine will be getting an iPad app in March.

Says the founder (via Yahoo):

"Big news! Playboy--both old & new--will be available on iPad beginning in March. The IPad Version of Playboy will include the whole magazine from the first issue to the latest and Playboy on iPad will be uncensored."

Apple has repeatedly blocked all porn or apps of an adult nature, so Playboy would be a first of its kind on iOS.

Playboy has an iPad app, currently, but it offers no nudity.

Adds Hefner:

The brand resonates today as clearly as at any time in its 57-year history. I believe this agreement will give us the resources and flexibility to return Playboy to its unique position and to further expand our business around the world.

As of today, Starbucks will begin allowing iPhone, BlackBerry and iPod Touch owners to pay for their coffee via a mobile app in 7500 stores.

The program had been tested in 1000 stores since last year, and was successful.

CW explains that "the Starbucks mobile payment system allows customers to hold a smartphone displaying a two dimensional barcode for reading by a scanner installed at Starbucks cash registers."

You will need a Starbucks card to use the service, and the Starbucks card is always backed by a credit card. Everything else is done wirelessly.

The company is currently working on an Android app for the card, with no set timeframe.

Samsung has confirmed a Galaxy S successor is in the works, with a formal launch coming during the Mobile World Congress next month.

Via a promotional ad, Samsung has teased that on February 13th they will unveil the "evolution" of the Galaxy S line.

It is unclear what the name of the new device will be, but following the recent trend, the Galaxy S 4G seems likely.

The smartphone is rumored to have a dual-core Hummingbird processor, LTE-support and Samsung's Super AMOLED display.

Samsung recently boasted of strong sales for the original Galaxy S, which hit 10 million by the end of 2010.

Liberty Media has filed suit against cyberlocker Hotfile, as well as 1000 "John Doe" Hotfile uploaders.

Additionally, PayPal is named in the lawsuit, as Hotfile has an account with them.

Liberty is looking to have Hotfile's account frozen and their domain name seized.

The suit claims Hotfile is a Panamanian company that exists only in name and takes multiple steps to "obfuscate the facts of its location, address, and principals." The company is owned by Russian named Anton Titov, who is possibly a resident of Bulgaria. Hotfile allegedly has servers in Dallas, Texas and Florida.

The 1000 uploaders allegedly "jointly and severally, with actual or constructive knowledge of or with willful blindness, reproduced and distributed certain LIBERTY-owned works through www.Hotfile.com."

Liberty does conclude that Hotfile could have legitimate uses, but its main purpose is "to profit from the illegal sharing of copyrighted materials, many of which are the intellectual property of LIBERTY."

The company says it found over 2500 links to 800 of its titles, and the company is seeking $150,000 per infringement.