by Thomas Ricker, posted Aug 27th 2008 at 2:45PM Come now, you didn’t think we’d let something like IFA pass by without shipping a few editors off to Berlin did you? We’re on the ground and taking names in the best ninja gear we could sew with $5 worth of felt and tin foil. But hey, it’s not the costume that keeps you coming back, it’s the content. So stay tuned.PermalinkEmail this19 CommentsTags: AAC, plasma, consumer technology, Hi-fi (Read the full post about ‘IFA Berlin: yeah, we’re here’…)
The internet rumor mill is typically a nebulous thing, following a circuit of low-rent websites no one has ever heard of claiming to have inside information on wildly ridiculous claims. The gristing of said mill feels different this time, concerning surfacing rumors of a Halo 4 installment on the next Microsoft console (which hopefully is called anything other than the “720″.)
Obviously, the ending of Halo 3 leaves such a possibility open. Anyone who has seen the full ending of that game should also immediately get an idea of where that game would take place and what it would encompass.
by Joshua Fruhlinger, posted Aug 27th 2008 at 10:33AM Immersion, the company that owns virtually every vibration and haptic tech on earth, is getting a taste of its own medicine now that it owes Microsoft $21 million. You may remember back in 2003 when Microsoft floated an unknown sum of cash in the direction of Immersion in order to include patented vibration technology in its Xbox 360 controllers. Around the same time, Sony told us all that we don’t need no stinkin’ vibration and passed on paying up. Las year, though, Sony bowed to customer pressure and paid Immersion $121 million in order to unleash the Dual Shock 3. Immersion was supposed to share some of that Sony booty with Microsoft — and they didn’t. (Read the full post about ‘Immersion to pay Microsoft $21 million, Sony groans’…)
Ask any dad and he’ll tell you that he wears many hats, and among the more popular ones would be that of a driver - at least until the kid is old enough to drive. Enter the Dad’s Cab novelty taxi meter. Gifts for dads don’t come much better than this Gift of the Year Award winner, Dad’s Cab. Dad’s Cab is a novelty taxi meter that comes with an assortment of forfeit cards that overworked dads can dish out to their blood-sucking children by way of a bill. Payments include ingenious tasks like ‘tidy your room’ and ‘make dad a cup of tea’ – that’s no more free rides for the kids and some well-deserved rewards for dad! (Read the full post about ‘Dad’s Cab novelty taxi meter’…)
Sixense has spent the last 18 months working on a new 3D input device that could potentially revolutionize the way we use the computer, and will definitely draw comparisons with the Wiimote where gaming is concerned. It relies on realistic movements to control how you interact within the game, but is way more advanced than Nintendo’s offering since it is based on precise tracking relative to a base station and will be able to react to movement in six degrees of freedom. The degree of accuracy falls to the nearest millimetre or degree, and is updated once every ten milliseconds. Being highly sensitive, I don’t think I will enjoy using this input device since my hands tend to shake by itself a whole lot, so anyone watching me play an FPS will probably suffer from a really bad headache later on. (Read the full post about ‘Sixense 3D Input Device’…)
SanDisk is a household name when it comes to flash storage solutions, and their line of Extreme SD memory cards are pretty famous with professional photographers as well as computer enthusiasts. This time round, SanDisk’s new Extreme III SDHC memory card will feature a transfer speed of 30MB/s, hitting the market from next month onwards in 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities. You can purchase the 16GB version for $179.99, so you do the math as to whether this offers enough bang for your buck. (Read the full post about ‘SanDisk SD Extreme III Touches 30MB/s’…)
by Darren Murph, posted Aug 27th 2008 at 9:44AMThe always-imaginative gurus at Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft never cease to amaze, and at this year’s IFA, they’re delivering once more. The so-called “virtual mirror” gives to-be garb buyers an accurate look at what different outfits look like on their person without requiring them to try a single thing on. Granted, shopaholics are apt to detest this thing, but anyone with better things to do than try on four sweaters to see which one makes them look fat should be completely in love. The concept here is far from new, as we’ve seen both virtual makeover machines and fitting room enhancers before. (Read the full post about ‘Virtual mirror destroys all the fun you have trying on outfits’…)
Palm Treo Pro Until Palm unleashes the JesusTreo (rumored to descend in 2009), this re-worked, dolled-up device is as good as it gets for the once-mighty smartphone company. We recently had the displeasure of testing the upcoming 800w. Yuck. This disappointing misfire is essentially a chintzy blue brick with minimal added functionality (aside from Wi-Fi). Then the Pro showed up with its shiny, rounded, tuxedo-black exterior and a handful of practical OS “shortcuts." Aside from the industrial iphone-like design lines, those shortcuts are enough to make even the most diehard Machead grin and bear Windows Mobile (almost). (Read the full post about ‘Review: Palm Treo Pro Fronts Handsome Styling, Half Baked Touchscreen’…)
by Nilay Patel, posted Aug 26th 2008 at 10:14PM Dell’s Inspiron 13 made its Wal-Mart debut earlier this month, but now the budget back-to-school lappy is ready for you to trick it factory-style on Dell’s site. (Read the full post about ‘Dell Inspiron 13 now available build-to-order’…)
Nintendo has a heart for kids, and they have teamed up with Starlight to create a new version of the Fun Center. What do you find inside the Func Center? Well, you get a customized working model that holds a Nintendo Wii, a Sharp AQUOS LCD HDTV and a DVD player for your entertainment pleasure. This is perfect for patients who are bed-ridden, as the Wiimote will still function just fine as long as it is within range. In addition, the Wii’s control scheme makes it easier for kids to indulge in physical therapy as well as motor coordination exercises. Research indicates that children who engage in Fun Center programs enjoy a variety of benefits: perceived decrease in pain and anxiety; greater willingness to return for treatment; alleviation of stress, loneliness and isolation that often accompany prolonged illness or injury. (Read the full post about ‘Nintendo Fun Center’…)
