GIZMODO.COM - No rebooting with Boot Camp and no Parallels software required to make these Cider-enhanced Windows games run on Mac. The only requirement is for game developers to include the Cider software in their game-builds for Windows, and Cider will handle all the translation between Windows and OS X. No major rebuild and development required on the game-developer's part.

Interesting, but Mac games are already slower than their windows counterparts (Like World of Warcraft for example), and if there's going to be interpreting between the two APIs that may slow it down even more. Cider's people say that users may see "10 to 15 percent lower frame rates" compared to native OS X games. We'll wait and see whether Cider will be more practical than just rebooting into Windows via Boot Camp.

ENGADGET.COM - Perhaps the most notable things about the revamped Alienware Area-51 7500 are its new mood-lighting adjustable case and P2 chassis. The AlienFX case sports user-adjustable lighting in six different areas of its tool-less entry chassis, while the inside adds additional slots and inputs for the h@x0r in you - complete with AlienWare's AlienIce cooling system. Specs-wise, the new 7500 (an apparent bump from the MJ-12 7500) packs a dual core Intel Core 2 Duo processor or 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 (at the high end - default config is a Core 2 Duo E6400 2.13GHz), nVIDIA graphics (options include both single and SLI configurations, with up to dual 512MB GeForce 7900 GTXs), and as much as 4GB of DDR2 SDRAM. The new machine starts at $1,799, but our configured uber-rig (with 30-inch LCD, mind you) got us over $6,800 within just a few radio button clicks. Do your credit card a favor and take it out to dinner before you lay this one on it.

GIZMODO.COM - We’re not quite sure what the point of having a Dungeons & Dragons laptop is, considering that if you’re the type of person who might want one, you’re also most likely to be the type that never leaves their mom’s basement. Oh but wait, through the magic of portable computing and WiFi, you can count your pieces of electrum while sitting on the toilet. We understand now.

If you want one, you’d better hurry as they’re only available in a limited edition of 100, as an Atari UK promotion for Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach. Prices start at £999 for what’s actually a Pegasus 650 gaming notebook, you can customize it up to a single-core 2.26GHz Pentium M, 2 GB of DDR 2 SDRAM and a 120 GB hard drive, and your choice of either an ATI Mobility Radeon X700 or a Nvidia GeForce Go 6600 graphics card.

Pegasus 650 - Dungeons & Dragons Online Stormreach Limited Edition Notebook [rock, via Tech Digest]

Dell said Alienware will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary following completion of the transaction and will maintain its own product development, product marketing, sales, technical support and other operations as well as brand. The management and founders of Alienware will continue to operate the company as a standalone unit of Dell.

"The Movies: Stunts & Effects allows players to hone their movie making skills with features that can turn an ordinary script into an extraordinary blockbuster," said the release by Activision. "In addition to stunts and effects, the game introduces new backdrops, costumes and props, as well as upgrades to the Advanced Movie Making mode that lets players take control of even more movie features. Players are further immersed into the Hollywood lifestyle as they train and manage stuntmen, as well as compete for industry awards and achievements by uploading their movies to www.themoviesgame.com for the entire world to see."

The Movies: Stunts & Effects will release Spring 2006.