Monday, October 27, 2008
Games
Next Gen Wii to Still Use Infrared?
11:45PM Mark Wilson | While Nintendo hasn’t even announced the next Wii, a DigiTimes source claims that a company named Pixart Imaging is already set to provide Nintendo with the infrared chips for their next generation Wii device. (Pixart already supports the current Wiimote and products from Intel and Logitech.) While not necessarily the worst news, I’m sure at least a few of us were hoping for a solution to avoid those constant “point your Wiimote at the screen” error messages. Oh well, Nintendo could release the Wii2 with non-interactive, rotting banana controller and it would still sell a bajillion units. [DigiTimes via MaxConsole] More »
Cameras
Red’s CEO Confirms ‘Incredible’ Product Re-Jig Announcement, November 13
11:40PM Kit Eaton | We already knew Red was going to totally revise its Epic and Scarlet cameras, and there was a rumour about a Red DLSR too: but Jim Jannard—Red’s CEO—has just popped up on the RedUser forums and confirmed that there’s going to be an announcement about the new Epics and Scarlets on November 13th. And if that news alone isn’t interesting enough, get what Jim has to say about it: More »
Design
Double-Layered LCD Screen Concept Adds Sense of Depth to Pics
11:30PM Kit Eaton | Exactly like the old animator’s trick of having stacked gels photographed at different depths in front of the lens, this concept display by designer Mac Funamizu has a dual-layered transparent LCD screen. The idea being that by displaying suitable images on both screens, you’ll get a sense of depth when you view it. A simple way of adding 3D-effects to things like GPS units? Possibly, or just a very funky LCD photo frame perhaps. Just a concept, but the sort of thing you expect might surface in a real gizmo sometime. [Ubergizmo] More »
Software
Google Earth for iPhone Puts Whole World in the Palm of Your Hand
11:20PM Matt Buchanan | Google has a released a custom, multitouchy version of Google Earth for the iPhone, and it rocks, turning you into a master of universe that can zoom, twirl and pan all around the world with just a few flicks of your fingers. It also uses the accelerometer, so you can pan and tilt, too. It might just be better than desktop version just because multitouch makes it so damn fun.
Robots
Robot Does Chores, Learns Not to Put Socks in Refrigerator
11:15PM Mark Wilson | The new “Home Assistant Robot” is the product of joint research between Toyota and the University of Tokyo. And while it’s not as fancy as Asimo, the 5-foot, 130kg home robot is probably a whole lot more practical—it cleans instead of dancing and packs two wheels instead of tricky legs. More »
Gadgets
Black and Decker LightsOut IR Gizmo Turns Lights Off For Lazy, Green Types
10:40PM Kit Eaton | My old office used to have those irritating IR-sensor lights, so if you were working late and popped out—say to the loo—for more than a few minutes, you’d be welcomed back to uninviting darkness: now you can have the same facility in your home thanks to Black&Decker’s LightsOut. Well, actually it’s quite a neat gizmo—it’s battery powered, and simply mounts directly over a light switch, which it then throws for you if it doesn’t detect movement in front of its sensor. Plus it turns the lights on when you enter. You can even change the “off” preset delay time, up to 30 minutes. Handy if you forget to switch the light off in your garage—like I often do. No word on pricing yet. [NewLaunches] More »
Computers
MacBook Pro Dissected in Stop Motion
10:20PM Mark Wilson | We’ve already seen the new MacBook and MacBook Pro dissected, but that’s no longer enough. We’re internet readers. We need larger and larger doses of information injections lest our bodies drop to the floor in Hello Kittyless convulsion. So here’s an entertaining, if not a little superficial, disassembly and reassembly of the new MacBook Pro. Watch it to fulfil your own morbid curiosity of seeing your favourite gadgets autopsied. [TechRestore] More »
Phones
Casio’s W63CA Exilim, World First 8.1-Megapixel Cameraphone Hits Japan
9:06PM Kit Eaton | For some reason, the W63CA mobile phone hit the FCC over on this side of the Pacific in August, but now it’s officially hit the stores in Japan. It’s got a couple of claimed world’s firsts, apparently: the world’s first 8.1 megapixel cameraphone, and the first with a 3.1-inch 480 × 800 pixels organic EL display. And it’s really trying hard to earn the cameraphone name, since it’s got a new Exilim image engine, 6-axis vibration compensation, a 28mm-equivalent lens and face recognition, and can also shoot 30fps VGA video. There’s Bluetooth, microSD memory, and a Japanese-English translator in the phone part. But unless Casio chooses to replace the CDMA guts of this machine with a more US-friendly version, it’s likely to remain in Japan. [Fareastgizmos] More »
Gadgets
Violet Mir:ror is USB RFID Enhanced-Reality Gizmo for Your Gadgets
7:59PM Kit Eaton | You won’t be chanting “Mir:ror Mir:ror, on my desk” rhymes if you buy Mir:ror and want it to tell you some interesting info: instead you’ll be waving your possessions over its USB-connected sensor, whereby small RFID stickers ID the objects, and prompt your computer to display enhanced-reality style info. For example, wave your brolly near it and get a weather forecast, or your TV remote to get tonight’s schedule. So… it’s kinda weird, but sounds strangely compelling. Which is perhaps no surprise when you learn it’s made by Violet, who also bring us the weird-but-interesting animated internet “buddy” Nabaztag. More »
Phones
