I've been saving my clams to get one of those fancy 3D handhelds from Nintendo, so it's demoralizing to read that some chump in China just jacked one off the assembly line.

News Blips:

Unofficial images of a final Nintendo 3DS appear online. The handheld was apparently stolen off the assembly line in China. Instead of attempting to overthrow his oppresive communist overlords, the thief took his time snapping pics of the 3DS posing with Yoshi dolls. (Spoiler warning: The device looks just like the device shown at last year's E3.) Posing is just about about all you can do with this particular 3DS. It doesn't appear to have its operating system installed, so the thief can't play games on it. That's good news for him, because he might have otherwise triggered his government-implanted excitement monitor. For official info on the 3DS, check Bitmob on January 19, when Nintendo holds a press event in New York City. 

A hacker named GeoHot claims to have discovered the PS3's root key, which will open the console to running Linux, homebrew software, and pirated games. The root key is a matrix of numbers that has the ability to tell the difference between Sony-approved games and copied software. This is particularly notable not just because it sounds like the MacGuffin for a third Tron movie, but because it may not be able to be combatted via a system update. Doing so would damage the PS3's compatibility with many legal games. GeoHot posted the key on his website with a message to the big three console manufactures that said, "If you want your next console to be secure, get in touch with me... it'd be fun to be on the other side." If he gets a job out of this, expect an increase of petty thievery at your local Walmart by people looking for employment. [1UP]

Angry Birds -- the popular smartphone game about slingshotting fowls into precariously constructed swine habitats -- is flinging its way to PlayStation Network tomorrow, January 4. Angry Birds developer Rovio has already experienced huge success with the game on iPhone and Android, and the buzz created on those platforms should help it as it moves to more conventional gaming turf. As a PlayStation Minis release, the title will be available for play on both the PS3 and PSP. Expect an Xbox Live and a Wii version of Angry Birds in the not-so-distant future. 

BioShock: Rapture -- a novel explaining the events surrounding the creation of the titular city -- will be released in hardcover and trade paperback on March 1. For the uninformed, BioShock is the first-person adventure/shooter from 2K Games. For the even more uninformed, a book is a collection of pages featuring a string of words constructed so as to create a narrative tale. The book will be authored by John Shirley, with an introduction from creator Ken Levine. An Amazon.com search for John Shirley returns dozens of books in the cyberpunk and fantasy/sci-fi genres. BioShock's world was its strongest aspect, so a book about its rise and fall should be interesting.

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