Byte size news: Cartoon treatment for the (angry) birds

Gamers who can't get enough Angry Birds are in luck; the compelling feathered friends are in line for a cartoon near you.
One of the most popular apps going, Angry Birds is a simple game in theory, yet fiendishly addictive in practice.
Basically you propel birds into structures via a catapult to destroy pigs that have captured your eggs.
It sounds a bit silly - and it is - but it's also simple and has great game play, turning it into one of the most popular mobile games in the world.
Rovio Mobile, the Finnish software developer, said recently it's planning to develop an animated series based on the game.
"We are planning a cartoon that would be interesting to the whole family, for both adults and children," company spokesman Ville Heijari said.
Angry Birds was recently knocked off its perch as the top free iPhone app by Bubble Ball, a game designed by a 14-year-old America in which the user tilts their phone to roll a ball around obstacles.
No word on any upcoming Bubble Ball movies at time of print.
3D gaming and Godzone
The latest in gaming technology is heading this way ... slowly.
According to a Nintendo news release, a press conference will be held in Sydney on February 6 regarding the Australian and New Zealand release date for the portable Nintendo 3DS.
The hook with this latest in gaming technology is that it allows the user to experience games and content in 3D without the need for special glasses.
"Nintendo 3DS is a category of one - the experience simply doesn't exist anywhere else," said Nintendo of America president, Reggie Fils-Aime.
"You have to see Nintendo 3DS to believe it. And it's like nothing you've ever seen before."
It will also let the user view 3D pictures and movies, and take 3D pictures thanks to two 3D cameras in the console.
Nintendo says it has more than 30 games tailored for the system and ready for release in early June.
Its world debut will take place in Japan on February 26. It'll then arrive in Europe on March 25 and the United States on March 27.
When good cables go bad

That innocent-looking USB cable might be your computer's worst enemy.
Two researchers have cooked up a way to turn USB cables into weapons that attack computers and smartphones.
Angelos Stavrou, an assistant professor at George Mason University, and student Zhaohui Wang, have written software that makes a USB drive launch a stealth attack on computers or smartphones.
Eagle eyes can spot a pop-up that flashes on the screen, but it only lasts a second or two before disappearing, leaving the computer vulnerable to whatever nastiness a hacker can dream up.
"Say your computer at home is compromised and you compromise your Android phone by connecting them," Stavrou said. "Then, whenever you connect the smartphone to another laptop or computing device, I can take over that computer also, then compromise other computers off that Android. It's a viral type of compromise using the USB cable."
There's no way to stop it and most recent anti-virus programmes won't be able to catch it, according to Stavrou. Scary stuff.
Got any news, gadgets or queries? Contact lindsay.harvey@apn.co.nz