Looking for a Linux-based media center, but don’t want to deal with setting up your own?

Well, enter Fiire and their Fiire Engine media center and it’s satellites, the Fiire Stations. The Fiire Engine is set up to be the hub of your digital lifestyle and is based around an AMD Athlon64 X2 processor, nVidia graphics, 1GB of RAM, 160GB hard drive and RAID support for up to six eSATA hard disks (that’s up to 6TB of storage for people with the scratch to buy six Toshiba 1TB disks). The system doesn’t have HDMI out, but it’s got every other input including composite (yuck), SVideo (ugh) and component (yay). The Fiire Engine will retail for around $799, bring your own eSATA disks for media storage.

The Fiire Stations are set-top boxes based around low-voltage processors that tie into the Fiire Engine to get their media. They’re set to retail between $499 and $899 depending on specs.

Finally, the Fiire Chief is a roving remote control that will tie the whole thing together for $149.

Definitely an interesting package, though we’re holding out judgment until the interface can be seen in more detail, because the interface of a media center can make or break it.

As the iPhone hype continues, it’s worth noting that while the latest must have gadget arguably combines more features in a user intuitive package than any previous generation device, that doesn’t necessarily mean that it performs those tasks better than other devices.

Choosing just the right mobile device comes down to choosing exactly what features you’ll use the most. For a phone meant just for good old voice talking, obviously the less complicated the better.

And those with photography always on their mind would probably appreciate having a top-notch camera feature set built in to the phone, even if it means skimping on other techie features. Granted, no cell phone is ever going to replace the pro photo gear, but even having decent point and shoot snapshot capability with a real lens and a flash would be a plus.

Here are 3 camera phones that out shoot the iPhone in an instant:

Nokia N95

This Nokia has a great set of photo features, including:

• 5 megapixel sensor
• Carl Zeiss lens
• Built in WiFi for uploading pictures

Sony Ericsson K790a

You can’t go wrong with this CNET Editors’ Choice featuring:

• 3.2 megapixels
• Powerful Xenon flash
• Image stabilization technology

LG enV VX9900

While not quite as competitive in the megapixel department, this camera phone is still praised for its photo quality. Worth taking a look anyway.

• 2 megapixel camera
• Blue reducing auto focus
• Built in Flash

Also, if you’re seriously considering a new device, you might consider waiting for the recently rumored Samsung SGH-G800 5 megapixel cameraphone. And we all know that iPhone will get even better with the second generation.

I know most of you out there in tech land are probably already photography gurus. After all, techies love to tote around their cameras where ever then go, right? But for the rest out there, try these pointers with your favorite point-and-shoot to get results that will impress even the most proficient.

Better Snapshot Tip #1: Turn Off the Flash

If there’s any decent natural light whatsoever available for your use, press the little lightning bolt button to kill the flash. While the flash doesn’t do much of anything for landscapes or any large scale outdoor photography, it does make your friends look like greasy ghosts. Kill it.

Better Snapshot Tip #2: Turn On the Flash

Yes, I know I just told you to turn off the flash, but now you gotta turn it back on. When taking a picture into the sun, especially of people, you really need to turn your flash to always on mode. The incoming sunrays play mean tricks on your camera’s logic. Eliminate the silhouette factor by fearlessly flashing.

Better Snapshot Tip #3: Rule the Thirds

You’ve surely hold the phrase “rule of thirds” before, but what does it mean? Without getting overly technical and explaining the definition of the number 3 (brain teaser: can a number actually be defined with words?), the idea is to put your subject in one 33% segment of the picture, but just not the middle. Offset to be a ruthless ruler of thirds.

Better Snapshot Tip #4: Experiment with Angles

Angles, not angels. Angles and perspective make all kinds of boring subjects fascinating. For example, next time you’re taking a picture of a house, try laying on the grass and taking it from the view point of an ant. Or try taking a picture looking down at your subject instead of dead on. Unique angles, when not abused, just make photography interesting.

Better Snapshot Tip #5: Time Your Photos

Specifically, take your outdoor photos about an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset. The sun basically does all kinds of funky things during these times, including creating thick and artistic shadows. Overhead midday sun is a photographer’s enemy, washing out all kinds of detail and contrast.

Better Snapshot Tip #6: Get Free Software

Unless you’re an expert, forget about the photo management and editing software that came with your digital camera. Windows users, try the super user friendly and free Picasa software from Google. It gives you all of the essentials to edit your photos to perfection and lets you store and share them in the most practical ways also.

LinuxDevices has a good writeup on building a Linux-based home music server system using an Infrant ReadyNAS as the backend for a MiniITX frontend.

The writeup is pretty complete, if a bit technical in spots (hey, we’re all geeks here, right?). It’s a good intro to the hardware and software involved in building a Linux-based music device that won’t have disks spinning in your living room.

Now, we just need our pal Josh to do a writeup on the home media system he’s got based on a Mac Mini and the venerable Infrant NAS device.

If you’re the ultimate Transformers fan and have many thousands of dollars burning a hole in your pocket, you may be interested in buying the actual 1977 Chevy Camaro used to play Bumblebee in the movie.  It doesn’t transform, but it has that nifty Autobot logo steering wheel.  The disco ball, “Bee-otch” air freshener, mini-dog  and license plate are sold separately.

No word on whether the radio switches stations randomly or if it can shatter the glass of other cars in the parking lot, but we’re pretty sure Megan Fox is not included.

On a positive note, all proceeds from the auctions of Transformers items go to Fisher House Foundation, an organization that allows military families to be with their serving loved ones while hospitalized and recovering.

In what will surely be heralded as the new current future death knell to HD-DVD (and to the Blu-Ray crowd, what isn’t heralded as a death knell to HD-DVD) Blockbuster is expected to only stock Blu-Ray titles on the shelves of their retail stores.

Honestly, with the struggles Blockbuster’s had in the recent past competing with online rentals from Netflix I’m not sure how relevant they remain to be. While a lot of consumers still use the brick and mortar Blockbusters and Hollywood Videos of the world, most of the home theater buffs I know use Netflix for their rentals. These are the same consumers who’ll be more likely to have an HD-DVD or Blu-Ray player.