Motorola and Verizon announced today that the new Motorola Droid smartphone will be officially launching next week. It will be the first smartphone to feature Android 2.0, the latest version of Google’s Linux-based smartphone OS, as well as the new Google Maps Navigation software. The handset will also be the first of the new crop of smartphones on Verizon’s network that isn’t one of RIM’s Blackberry devices.

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Not only is Microsoft reselling select Windows 7 PCs normally sold by its hardware partners, but the company is making sure they come only with the software it wants. Yes, that means that if you buy a PC from Microsoft, it won’t come with the usual “crapware,” though it won’t be a clean install either. Microsoft is still bundling its own software, including Windows Live Essentials and Microsoft Security Essentials, as well as Adobe software.

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Psystar’s latest tactic in making money off the hackintosh community, Rebel EFI, promises to help install Mac OS X Snow Leopard on any generic Intel-based PC. As Computerworld recently discovered, it tends to work OK as long as your hardware is close enough to what Apple ships and drivers are available. However, the $50 you spend essentially pays for software that’s freely available online and doesn’t guarantee a better working system.

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A few short months have seen some amazing developments in the world of computers. They’re not revolutionary—at least, most aren’t—but looking at their effects on the System Guide, we see some nice new options for us to consider.

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Evidence has surfaced pointing to support for new MacBook Pro models in the latest developer builds of Mac OS X 10.6.2. However, even though Phil Schiller has issued a “final” word on the matter, he hasn’t explicitly ruled out a possible update before we toss out our old calendar and hang up a new one. Still, new MacBook Pros likely won’t launch until early next year.

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Roku, makers of the popular Roku Digital Video Player set-top box, announced new hardware options just in time for the holiday shopping season. The new options include a lower priced, SD-only $80 option, while a new higher-end device will sell for $130. The company is also readying its Roku Channel Store, which will bring even more content to a collection that already includes Netflix streaming, Amazon Video on Demand, and MLB.tv.

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As AT&T continues to benefit from its exclusive contract with Apple, Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg has told analysts he is still hoping to sell the iPhone. His comments suggest that Apple isn’t actively courting the carrier—no surprise given recent ad campaigns that are aimed squarely against the iPhone and AT&T’s 3G network. They also sound like so much sour grapes, since Apple originally offered to partner with Verizon for the iPhone before the deal went to AT&T.

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We’ve explored what it takes to collect and refurbish existing pinball machines, but what if you want your own, custom game? Creating a one-of-a-kind pinball experience is a much different beast, but we were able to catch up with Wade Krause and Tanio Klyce, two men who put together a special table for some big pinball fans: Metallica.

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We’ve explored what it takes to collect and refurbish existing pinball machines, but what if you want your own, custom game? Creating a one-of-a-kind pinball experience is a much different beast, but we were able to catch up with Wade Krause and Tanio Klyce, two men who put together a special table for some big pinball fans: Metallica.

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What an exciting week for Apple fans! Not only were tons of new products updated—Including desktops, accessories, and other gadgety items—the company also reported another record quarter in sales and revenue. The good news was sprinkled in with autopsies and lawsuits, so read on to catch up with the week’s top news:

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