It's hard to believe but YouTube are celebrating their sixth birthday today and announced they receive more than 3 billion page views per day, a 50-percent increase over last year. Another impressive feat is that 48 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, a 37-percent increase over the last six months and a 100-percent increase from last year. YouTube are congratulating the improvements to these numbers to their job of making the processing of uploads faster, increasing video length limitations, tweaking the homepage, etc.

YouTube was founded on Valentines Day (Feb 14), 2005 and by May 2005 they had launched YouTube.com. Since then the site has gone through various news headline grabbing problems, with intellectual property infringements and even after the impressive numbers, has yet to make a profit for Google since they acquired YouTube in 2006.

Originally, Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Tab 10.1 was meant to ship with Android 3.0 but plans have changed. Instead of receiving the Android 3.0 and having to upgrade the Galaxy Tab 10.1 to Android 3.1 when you get it, it will now ship with Android 3.1 by default.

The Wi-Fi only version of the 10.1 will ship on June 8 in 16GB and 32GB sizes, with prices of $500 and $600 respectively. There's also an 8.9-inch version which will come in both 16GB and 32GB units, priced at $470 and $570 respectively. Samsung is quite proud of their new devices, touting them as the world's thinnest mobile tablets at just 8.6mm thick. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 weights just 595 grams while the Galaxy Tab 8.9 weighs in at 470 grams.

Both the 10.1 and 8.9-inch tablets pack quite the hardware punch, including support for HSPA+ network speeds of up to 21Mbps, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n. Also included is a 3-megapixel rear facing camera and a 2-megapixel front facing camera, providing seamless 1080p HD video. Both Tab's are powered by a 1GHz dual-core application processor and both tablets feature a 1280x800 resolution WXGA display.

Twitter has officially won the race with Ubermedia to acquire TweetDeck, the third-party Twitter aggregator. I'm still curious how this is going to play out, as a 3rd-party Twitter app would undoubtedly compete with Twitter's official apps on desktop and mobile, as well as unique views of their social network- but hey, both parties seem pretty psyched about it. We'll start with Twitter's, followed by that of Iain. See the official announcements here and here.

Now from Tweetdeck:

Not entirely sure why Microsoft didn't announce this when they announced Mango, but hey, today it's confirmed: Microsoft Mango will have a Windows Phone Marketplace, just like Apple or Android.

Once again, I don't know what it is with tech firms and naming their operating systems after edible items, but the Mango update should bring a lot of new features and functionality to what has been a fairly silent contender in the mobile front. Check out the press release below for more info.

This is something I just don't understand, these hackers are targeting Sony - for whatever reason I don't care, that is not my business and I'm not employed by Sony. But, another hack has just happened and it appears Sony BMG Greece was hacked on Sunday using an SQL injection attack and lost more than 8000 customer records. LulzSecurity, known for hacking fox.com's login database are responsible and it seems that Sony just aren't really caring about the amount of attacks happening to them.

Now the question is, what are Sony doing? The message is clear, customers can't trust Sony anymore. Sophos Security researcher Chester Wisniewski wrote about the Greece intrusion, saying:

Telstra has done it again, not only have they recently reduced pricing and increased value in their plans but they have now revealed plans to start throttling data speeds on customers mobile phones when they exceed their included monthly data allowance. This move is to avoid the "bill shock" phenomenon when customers go over their data allowance and receive a massive bill at the end of the month.

This move is not something new for the fixed-broadband world, with caps allowing x amount of GB and when exceeded, receive speed throttles to 64Kbps for example, the same speed as a dial-up connection. Telstra finance chief John Stanhope said that customers deserve to be able to enjoy the full capabilities of their Telstra mobiles on plans without fear of a large, unexpected bill.

No, really. After 15 years of "development", we're finally going to get to see the title that everybody- well, by now, probably at least some people are waiting for. Gearbox Software and 2K reportedly confirmed that the development of the game was at long last completed. The game is set to ship internationally on June 10th, domestically on June 14 for PC, XBox 360 and PS3. Players that buy the Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition and/or pre-order the game itself will we treated to a special demo on June 3rd.

Christoph Hartmann, president of 2K Games, told IGN:

Dell have finally released their aimed-at-the-Apple-MacBook-Pro notebook in the form of the Dell XPS 15z, a 15-inch, powerhouse of a system that looks virtually identical to the stylish-yet-expensive MacBook Pro. Dell's XPS 15z starts at a decent $999 and can be ordered today. The XPS 15z features both Core i5 and Core i7 options from the second-generation Core architecture, weighs in at 5.54 pounds and is under an inch thick.

Dell is making claims that it is the thinnest 15-inch PC on the market (key word there being PC). Display options come in the form of 1366x768 standard or the option of upgrading to a 1920x1080 screen. The XPS 15z can be optioned with 8GB of RAM and features the Intel HM67 chipset. Two GPUs are on the block here, the GeForce GT 525M with Optimus technology including 1GB of RAM. For those who want some oomph in gaming performance, the same GPU is offered but with 2GB of RAM.

Battery wise, we have an 8-cell, 64WHr polymer battery. Finishing off the notebook we have a plethora of details, a 1.3MP HD resolution webcam with digital array mic for video chat and recording, Wi-Fi in the form of the standard a/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0 and Intel Wireless Display tech. HDMI 1.4, mini DisplayPort, Gigabit Ethernet, three USB3.0 ports and an eSATA port. Finally, a 9-in-1 memory card reader and a great looking chiclet keyboard which is backlit and spill resistant. The trackpad also supports multi-touch with gestures.

Seems like we're all just talking about conferences lately. The online version of the annual San Francisco Game Developer's Conference will occur in Austin, TX this fall, and will feature some pretty heavy hitters organizing it, including reps from Zynga, PopCap and even Blizzard that will be orchestrating all of the fun and, especially, games going on at the conference.

The conference will once again be in Austin, TX, from Oct 10-13, in the Austin Convention Center. More information at the GDC online website, and be sure to check out the press release below about some of the developers and luminaries advising and speaking this year.

Electronic Arts announced today that they will be broadcasting their press conference, live from, ah, Spike TV of all places. You all remember Spike TV, right? It used to be called TNN and only showed reruns and the Grand Ol' Opry? And then it turned into something resembling a bastard child of the NASCAR channel and G4? Yeah, well, that's where EA's press conference is going to be, June 6th, 12:30PM PDT.

EA has already stated they're going to be showing a new Battlefield 3 Demo, gameplay from Mass Effect 3 (sick!) and "news on unannounced projects." So if you have American cable, tune your Tivo to Spike- otherwise...well, I'm sorry you don't have Spike TV?

Also, kids: please don't confuse Spike TV with the Spice Channel (not a food network).

The next installment of tickets for this sure-to-be insanely fun conference goes on sale 5/25 7PM PDT, so if you're located in the US you'll have plenty of time to get home from work only to post up on your computer, eagerly awaiting the the clock striking sevenfold. Or something. Either way, you'll get another chance, and tickets are actually a very decent $175- though if you miss out on those, you'll have the opportunity to spend $500 to go to a dinner with the Blizzard / Activision Execs. Oh, c'mon, it's for charity.

Readers will recall that BlizzCon tickets first went on sale the same day as the prophesied Rapture, which we believed had the potential to drastically interfere. The event however weathered the End of Days (I refuse to repost the trailer, go watch it yourselves) without a hitch, as the allotted tickets for that round sold out in less than 24 hours.

Check out more information at Blizzard's BlizzCon site or check out the posts below.

Boo yah! If you're not making the trek to this year's E3 (or paying for the horrendously expensive passes), you'll at least be able to catch Nintendo's presentation at 9AM PDT, Tuesday June 7. Also, bonus if you're a Wii player: exclusive Wii-only content following the presentation. Make sure to watch, as Nintendo will be announcing their brand new system, which is basically SNES controllers with touchscreens in them. Awesome.

Nintendo did something similar for this past winter's Game Developer's Conference here in San Francisco- gotta say, I really wish more tech and game firms would do this type of thing, as those conferences never get any cheaper! Press release to follow, or check out the blog post.

If this were my own tech site, where I didn't have to type up a few paragraphs on the news I post, the only word that would accompany this news would be: Wow. I would end it with "Wow" and a link to the YouTube video - but holy bloody crap, Sharp and Japanese national TV broadcaster, NHK (Japan Broadcasting Corporation) have jointly developed an 85-inch LCD compatible with Super Hi-Vision, a next-generation television broadcast format.

The new format comprises of 33 megapixels, or 16 times the resolution of HDTV, Super Hi-Vision is being pushed as offering a powerful, life-like image reproduction. R&D began in 1995 (!) and they aim to have trial broadcasts before the decade ends. Sharp used their UV2A2 LCD technology which allows them to create the first direct-view LCD compatible with the insanely high resolution performance of Super Hi-Vision.

Sharp's TV features a Super Hi-Vision-compatible LCD, 85-inch in size, a native resolution of hold-onto-your-pants 7680x4320, a brightness of 300 cd/m2, a gradation of 10 bits for each RGB color and a refresh rate of 60Hz (boo!). The new LCD will be shown to the public at NHK's Science and Technology Research Laboratories in Tokyo from May 26, 2011 until May 29, 2011.

Ah, Logitech. You've put a smile on my face today. Logitech have released tablet-based accessories for the iPad and Android users out there, this includes keyboards, bluetooth mice, wireless speakers. First up Logitech have the Tablet Keyboard for iPad, US$69.99, Bluetooth compatible, includes a case and stand and also media controls.

Next up we have the Keyboard Case for iPad 2 which sells for US$99.99, it includes a very swish-looking keyboard (of course!), Bluetooth, rechargeable battery and 10-hour battery life. This is one of the best accessories, as the iPad 2 can dock into it and act like a netbook, or click on top of it and be used as a case to protect the screen. The final accessory from Logitech for the iPad is the Logitech Wireless Speaker which retails for US$99.99 and is a Bluetooth-based speaker setup which allows you to play music directly from your iPad without any wires, it features dual two-inch drivers which Logitech say are set to deliver rich, stereo sound and plenty of bass. The speaker lasts for up to ten hours straight playing, and is rechargeable (includes an internal battery).

Android-based Logitech accessories next! The Android accessories are virtually identical, including a Logitech Tablet Keyboard for Android 3.0+ at US$69.99, this version does not include the case, but is an actual separate dock and keyboard. It still features that Bluetooth goodness and is capable of being used within 30 feet of your tablet. Next up is the Tablet Mouse for Android 3.1+, this mouse retails for US$49.99 and features an ambidextrous design, laser-tech and of course, Bluetooth.

Newsflash, Blizzard: A lot of people (who probably wouldn't be attending BlizzCon anyway) in the California area are very aware of May 21, as it's the day that Armageddon officially begins. And I'm not talking about a level-mod or Diablo 2 marathon gaming session- literally, the End of Days. Not this End of Days though, unless that Jeffersonian scandal of his was some act of divine intervention to clear his schedule in time to save the world.

I digress.

Anyway, in case the Earth isn't consumed by heavenly fire tomorrow morning (On that note, does Armageddon have a time zone? Does that mean midnight tonight? Could a cosmic-level event really be dependent on an arbitrary measuring system created by humans? I think I'd be more trusting of this if it coincided with the passing of a meteor, or an eclipse. Or, I don't know, even a solstice. C'mon Zealots, step your game up), BlizzCon tickets will be on sale for a limited time only. More information below from the blog post and more information on what could just be a religious conspiracy to sell T-Shirts.

Developers have complained for the longest time that piracy is the number one killer in sale numbers but it is now looking like the used-game sales could be an even bigger problem. Fable III designer Mike West says that the sale of second-hand Xbox 360 games costs the developer more than piracy on PC.

He elaborates by saying:

Apple is set to inject their ultra-thin MacBook Air range with some Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt goodness come this June/July. The refreshed models will bring the Air range in line with the Sandy Bridge-refreshed MacBook Pro and iMac range that have just recently been updated. DigiTimes is citing industry sources saying that the supply chain makers for the new models remain the same.

Quanta Computer doing assembly work, Catcher Technology supplying casings and Simplo Technology and Dynapack supplying the batteries. The refresh should cause quite the stir as it'll give Apple the much needed speed boost in their ultra-thin notebook line at the same time as winking toward competitors like Dell and Samsung who are tripping over themselves trying to compete.

ASUS are really going for gold with the AM3+ platform by including the Republic of Gamers (ROG) teaming of two motherboards in the form of the ASUS Crosshair V Formula and The Ultimate Force (TUF) Sabertooth 9900FX which go hand-in-hand with AMD's 990FX chipset that is designed to run up to four discrete graphics cards. ASUS are keeping the color scheme in line with other TUF-series boards and it doesn't look too bad at all.

The board comes with ultra-durable components, 10-phase Digi+ VRM, four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel DDR3-1866MHz memory and connects to the 990FX chipset over a HyperTransport 3.1 link. The board includes four PCI-Express 2.0 16x (capable of 16/4/8/8x or 16/4/16/nc - depending on what is installed). The electrical x4 slot is wired to the SB950 southbridge and is placed there to hold PCI-Express SSDs (such a great addition).

One each of the PCI-E x1 and PCI end the slots in a slower fashion. Storage wise the board sports six internal SATA 6Gbit ports supporting RAID, two internal SATA 3Gbit from a third-party controller, one power-eSATA/USB combo and one normal eSATA on the rear. To finish the board off we have 8+2 channel HD audio powered by a Realtek ALC892 with optical SPDIF output, one GbE port, four USB3.0 ports (two rear, two via header), a bunch of USB2.0 ports and Firewire.

Rovio's famously awesome Angry Birds has reached a very amazing milestone. Downloads have topped 200 million, Apple's iPad and iPhone have contributed to this success by a large portion but the franchise has grown up a little bit. Angry Birds has seem phenomenal success even on Google's Chrome Web Store with 5 million downloads.

Keep in mind that Rovio had more than fifty games before they struck gamers across the globe with the amazing Angry Birds. Rovio's Peter Vesterbacka has shown off Angry Birds hoodies (omg!) and has said that he sees Angry Birds as a huge entertainment platform which isn't just limited to merchandise and movies but he will be experimenting with location-based services and other schemes to blend the game's footprint into the real world. Interesting, huh?

Seven customers have been connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN) trial services in Armidale ahead of the official launch. The launch of the NBN marks the start of trial customer services for various ISPs such as Telstra, iiNet, Internode and Primus. iINet and Internode have two customers each, Primus with a single lucky customer and Telstra has a "handful" of customers on NBN services.

Each telco had connected to the NBN on a trial basis with no cost to the customer (where's my invite?). iiNet has their two customers on 100Mbps services with 1TB of data per month. One of the iiNet customers said he would use his new 100Mbps NBN service to work from home. Peter Erskine is a researcher at the University of New England and has said: