"Oh, boy, a new version of Yahoo Instant Messenger! Hey, what's this? I did a typical install and now my home page is different, all my search toolbars use Yahoo by default, I have a bunch of new shortcuts and software, and there are Yahoo links all over IE. I didn't sign up for that!" Bad manners, Yahoo. Very bad.

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And so it begins. Creative has lobbed the accusation that Apple is violating Creative's newly awarded patent on a digital audio player's song-choosing interface (no legal moves yet). The patent covers a three-screen process of selecting a song, which is kind of clunky, so hey, Apple, just change that and don't pay 'em.

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In the growing war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, Blu-ray is emerging as the most consumer-unfriendly format. Engadget notes a Reuters article that says networked Blu-ray DVD players will rat you out if you try to hack them in any way. One point to HD-DVD.

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Griffin Technology, makers of one of the first FM transmitters designed for the iPod, has announced an updated version of the iTrip. The main transmitter piece, which plugs into the top of an iPod, has a built-in tuner display this time around so that you don't need to install any software on the iPod itself, as you did with previous versions.

The iPod-like industrial design also incorporates a silver knob for adjusting the iTrip's frequency. The unit has two transmission modes: the DX mode supposedly transmitting a signal that's nice and robust even in cities. Also, the iTrip features U.S. and international tuning modes. Though we weren't never too thrilled with the older iTrip, this one looks like it's worth a try. Check back for a detailed review.

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A USB key opens up the Mazda Sassou.
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Mazda announced its concept car, the Sassou, which it will show off at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. The car uses a USB key for the ignition and portable data storage. For example, you could put music on the key, then transfer it to the car's hard drive. Mazda combined the idea of the keyless ignition, which we've seen in a few cars, and the SD slots found in some Audis. It seems natural to combine the two, making the key serve a dual purpose. Of course, Mazda will have to come up with a way of making it impossible to copy the ignition and unlocking information on the key.

By the way, you might have stumbled over my reference to a car's hard drive. Most cars don't yet have hard drives, a good indicator of the still primitive state of car electronics. But Toshiba pointed out to me in a press release that it supplies 81 percent of car and car gear hard drives. As for the Sassou, I'll be at the Frankfurt auto show in a couple of weeks, where I'll tell you about my up-close inspection of the concept.

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We're currently testing the high-end Niveus Denali Media Center PC here in the CNET Labs, but the company already has a new system ready to challenge the pocketbooks of the gotta-have-it crowd.

Designed with the audiophile in mind, the Niveus Media Center K2 Limited Edition takes the basics of the Denali, like the fanless case and the BNC component connections, and adds high-grade balanced and unbalanced analog audio ports, while upping the storage capacity to 1TB. With its two SD and two HD TV tuners, you'll probably burn through that 1,000GB of hard drive space pretty quickly.

How much? Don't ask. The Denali starts at $4,600, so you might want to start scrounging the couch cushions for spare change now to save up for the K2.

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