What's new on SlashGear.com |
- Verizon Axes New Every Two Upgrades Beginning January 16th
- Google Translate Updated to Support Conversation Mode
- iOS 4.3 Beta Released
- Sony Sues Geohot and fail0verflow Team for PlayStation 3 Jailbreak
- Ion Audio Book Saver Book Scanner Scans 200-Page Books in 15 Minutes
- Sony Closing Down CD Manufacturing Plant in New Jersey After 50 Years
- Silent Hill: Downpour Details Emerge
- John Carmack Believes NVIDIA Can Make a Good ARM Core
- Sprint Announcement Coming February 7th, Promises Another Industry First
- Karotz Rabbit Robot Will Tell You the Weather After it Wakes You Up [Video]
- The Impact of the Verizon iPhone on Android’s Growth
- Nintendo 3DS Listed for March 18th Release Date in the UK
- T-Mobile UK backtrack on data slash: Only new customers affected
- PrimeSense score new funding; Motion-sensing STBs, TVs & HTPCs incoming
- Sony PSP2 to make January 27 Tokyo debut?
- SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: January 12 2011
- Verizon fire up 16 new New York 3G sites ahead of iPhone 4 release
- World IPv6 Day will see Google go all-IPv6 on June 8 2011
- ASUS Eee Slate EP121 hands-on
- Kinect hack motion-controls Flash UIs [Video]
- JOYSTICK-IT iPad Arcade Stick for Superior Pac-Man Playing
- Antimatter thunderstorms surprise NASA
- PlayStation Phone gets teardown treatment
- Rotor Concept R/C ‘copter borrows cool Japanese styling [Video]
- iPhone Personal Hotspot coming to all in iOS 4.3
- ASUS Eee Pad Slider & Transform hands-on [Video]
- Geek cools computer with cold winter air
- Sticker makes your iPhone look like old school Polaroid camera
- V.I.O. POV.HD sports camcorder up for pre-order
- Yantouch Black Diamond reminds me of Epcot Center
| Verizon Axes New Every Two Upgrades Beginning January 16th Posted: 12 Jan 2011 02:08 PM PST Verizon’s had their New Every Two upgrade program instilled for a long time now, but the wireless carrier has apparently decided to kick it to the curb. Verizon has confirmed with The Wall Street Journal that, effective January 16th, their New Every Two upgrade feature will end. That means that customers will no longer be able to take advantage of a credit towards a new device, which range between $30 and $100, on new equipment every two years.
In the new deal, Verizon has confirmed that they will not let new customers, beginning January 16th, take advantage of the New Every Two upgrade when that time rolls around. As for current customers, once they’ve upgraded the first time through this program, they will not be able to do it again. But, the company is also extending the length of time customers must hold onto their devices, before they become eligible for any kind of discounts. Previously, Verizon allowed customers to hit about 13 months in their two-year contract, and start shopping around for new devices. But, part of the new agreement is that this will get extended. Now, customers will have to keep their devices for 20 months, before any kind of discount on a new device will be allowed. Whether or not this has anything to do with the Verizon iPhone 4, which launches two weeks after this new deal kicks in, is anyone’s guess. [via The Wall Street Journal]
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| Google Translate Updated to Support Conversation Mode Posted: 12 Jan 2011 01:55 PM PST Google celebrates random things, especially when it has to do with applications or software they’ve created. For example, Google Translate has officially been available in the Android Market for one whole year now this month. Which means that it is the application’s birthday. To celebrate this, Google has updated the application with a massive feature set, now including what they’re calling Conversation Mode.
The new Conversation Mode is meant to make it possible for someone to have a conversation, while slightly delayed, with someone who speaks a different language. It’s built as a real-time translation tool. You speak, it will translate for the other person, and vice versa. The technology inside isn’t instantaneous, though, but it’s quick enough that using the software would be worth it, versus having no idea what the other person is talking about, and trying to figure it out in some other, perhaps book-bound fashion. Accessing Conversation Mode is easy enough. Just translate something initially, and then the mode will pop up as an option. From there, you’ll be able to have a conversation with someone speaking another language. You can watch a demo of the technology at IFA last year, in the video below. The update is available in the Android Market right now. [via Android Community]
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| Posted: 12 Jan 2011 01:05 PM PST Earlier this morning, there was a confirmation that the mobile hotspot feature, which the Verizon iPhone 4 has already installed, would be made available to all iPhone 4s in the wild, once iOS 4.3 landed in the future. Apple has made iOS 4.3 one step closer to reality, by releasing the first official build for developers, courtesy of their developer portal on Apple’s website.
Details regarding the first beta for iOS 4.3 are still lacking, but we imagine that as more developers get their hands on the build, we’ll find out more. If you’re not signed up for the development program, you can still sign up and get your hans on the latest build of iOS through this link. If you’re a developer and you’re testing out iOS 4.3 right now, let us know what changes you’re seeing in the comments below. Here is the list of supported devices: Supported Devices
Second generation Apple TV [via MacStories]
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| Sony Sues Geohot and fail0verflow Team for PlayStation 3 Jailbreak Posted: 12 Jan 2011 12:56 PM PST Geohot and the rest of the fail0verflow team are getting a lot of attention from Sony, all of which is focused around the group’s creation of a PlayStation 3 jailbreaking utility. George Hotz (Geohot), Sven Peter, Hector Martin Cantero, and the rest of the team behind the jailbreak are now officially being sued by Sony. A step that seemed obvious after the company’s movement to acquire a restraining order, to prevent people from obtaining the utility.
The group are facing several counts. Of which, Sony is saying these individuals are guilt of violating the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which forbids accessing computers without authorization. The suit also includes violating §1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, which forbids bypassing access control measures. Sony also says that the group is guilty of contributing to the copyright infringement by sharing the jailbreak to others, and helping them crack the videogame system. Other violations include: Violating the California Computer Crime Law, which is the state computer fraud act. Trespassing on Sony’s ownership right to the PS3. Interfering with Sony’s relationships with other PSN customers. Violating the PlayStation Network’s Terms of Service. And finally, misappropriating Sony’s intellectual property. Sony is focusing their efforts in preventing Geohot and the fail0verflow team from passing out the jailbreak any longer, by asking the court to forbid it. Sony also wants all of the hardware and software used in creating the jailbreak code to be handed over. [via Engadget]
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| Ion Audio Book Saver Book Scanner Scans 200-Page Books in 15 Minutes Posted: 12 Jan 2011 12:22 PM PST Carrying around books seems to be getting phased out. Even for students, there are plenty of different options out there, whether it be tablets or laptops, to provide an option for minimizing the usage of physical books. eReaders, of course, have made it easier for everyone to get rid of those space-taking novels, or back-breaking college textbooks. But what if you’ve got a book already, and you want to put it on your eReader without having to pay for it again? That’s where Ion Audio’s Book Saver Book Scanner comes in.
The Book Saver Book Scanner uses a unique design to give you the best possible way of scanning each page accurately. Unfortunately though, you’ll have to flip all of the pages yourself, as the scanner won’t do it for you. However, it does feature an angled cradle, putting the book in the best possible position for scanning each page. There are two cameras with built-in flash on each side of the upper-frame. You just click the button to take a picture, flip the page, and repeat until you get to the end. Ion Audio says that you’ll be able to scan a 200-page book in about 15 minutes. For the $149 price tag, and the possibility of saving some space in your locker or book bag, the Book Saver Book Scanner may be the perfect gift for a student. Saving the scanned book onto a microSD card will make loading it into an eReader easier, too. [via Mobile Magazine]  
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| Sony Closing Down CD Manufacturing Plant in New Jersey After 50 Years Posted: 12 Jan 2011 11:50 AM PST
Sony will be closing down one of the company’s largest CD manufacturing plants, located in Pitman, New Jersey, on March 31st, 2011. The company will be closing the doors for the final time after 50 years of being in business, where the plant originally manufactured vinyl records. When the plant closes, it’s reported that almost 300 individuals will lose their job.
The closing of the plant is said to be attributed to the pick-up in digital music downloads, as well as influences in other economic regards. The plant itself is half-a-million square feet, and at full capacity was able to turn out over 18 million CDS every month. CD sales dropped 18 percent between 2008 and 2009, while vinyl record sales have actually climbed 33 percent in the same time frame. However, it’s not enough in Sony’s eyes to keep the huge plant active. Sony will now move the CD production to another plant, which is located in Terre Haute, Indiana. This plant is currently being used to produce video DVDs. [via NetworkWorld]
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| Silent Hill: Downpour Details Emerge Posted: 12 Jan 2011 11:16 AM PST A couple of days ago, we reported that the eighth entry into the Silent Hill series would be called Downpour, and that water would be playing a big role in the game’s mechanics. Published by Konami, Silent Hill: Downpour is bringing back fan-favorite features, as well as including a big addition to the series that may breathe a breath of fresh air into the long-standing series.
In the title Silent Hill: Homecoming, players were actually able to control the camera, moving it around when they needed to. Because of that, many people believed that the title was not as “claustrophobic” as previous releases, and therefore the fear was gone. And for a survival horror title, losing the fear that people experience while playing it means that a huge mark has been missed. According to MTV’s Multiplayer Blog, developer Vatra Games has chosen to go back to the franchise’s fixed-camera system. This should help scary moments return to Downpour, after the brief absence they’ve made through the last few titles. But, the big addition to Downpour, according to Design Director Brian Gomez, is going to be sidequests. Vatra Games has apparently chosen to include additional “quests” that players will be able to take the main character on, if they choose to do so. It should open the town of Silent Hill even more than what we’ve seen in the past, and give more of a glimpse into the town’s history. Or, it could just be quests focused on the main character, and showcase more of his story. As for the new main character, his name is Murphy Pendelton, but there’s no other details regarding him, or why he has shown up at Silent Hill. More details should hit in the coming weeks. [via G4TV]
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| John Carmack Believes NVIDIA Can Make a Good ARM Core Posted: 12 Jan 2011 10:40 AM PST During the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week, NVIDIA announced that their “Project Denver” was moving forward, and that they would be focusing some attention on building an ARM core. In a recent tweet, gaming legend John Carmack told the world that he believes NVIDIA “can make a good ARM core.” It’s a mild vote of confidence for NVIDIA, but even a small one like this from Carmack is a step in the right direction.
NVIDIA is not a stranger to using ARM, as the company is already using an ARM-based design for their Tegra chips. However, the difference in Project Denver, is that NVIDIA will be using an ARM design to create a new GPU/CPU amalgamation. It’s a new step forward for NVIDIA, and it’s good to see someone like Id Software’s John Carmack pulling for them. In his tweet, Carmack also mentions that it’s “probably fun for their engineers.” It will probably be some time before NVIDIA shows off the first fruits of Project Denver development, but it will be interesting to see how the CPU/GPU hybrid stacks up against the competition in the future, and whether or not industry leaders like Carmack and Id Software support the new hardware. [via TechRadar]
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| Sprint Announcement Coming February 7th, Promises Another Industry First Posted: 12 Jan 2011 10:09 AM PST The invites are pouring in. We’ve already heard from Verizon, and we’ve still got HP’s webOS announcement around the corner, but it looks like Sprint wants to get into the madness as well. We’ve received an invitation to an invite-only event on February 7th, where Sprint’s CEO Dan Hesse will be on hand to unveil something.
This particular invite has “master illusionist” David Blaine on the front of it, where the man will be on hand for something. We’re not sure how it relates to whatever Sprint is announcing, but considering the “See what Sprint has up its sleeve” line at the top, we’re assuming that the carrier believes they’re about to pull a magic trick in the wireless industry. Speculation about a Sprint iPhone is already picking up speed, along with the fact that there could be 4G tucked away inside. We know that Apple chose not to go with 4G for their Verizon device because of modifications to the device that they were not prepared to make, so it would indeed be a magic trick for Sprint to land the first 4G-enabled iPhone. Though, it’s probably more likely that the carrier has another Android-related announcement to make, which makes the “another industry first” part quite interesting. Anyone want to take a guess as to what Sprint has ready to announce? [via Android Community]
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| Karotz Rabbit Robot Will Tell You the Weather After it Wakes You Up [Video] Posted: 12 Jan 2011 09:50 AM PST Having a personal robot tell you all of your pertinent, and need-to-know information every morning is probably a dream come true for some people, especially if it’s a small rabbit-like robot that kids would find adorable. That’s exactly what Karotz is. A small, rabbit-looking robot that’s meant to help you throughout your day, from waking you up, to telling you how the weather is outside before you step out the door.
The device made its presence known at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where the company behind the small robot showed the device off. Karotz is your “smart little bunny,” and it’s filled with features. It has voice recognition and voice control, an integrated web cam, and even an RFID chip inside so that if you lose it somewhere in your home, you’ll be able to find it again. The rabbit robot will be able to read your friends’ Facebook status messages out loud, give you traffic conditions, horoscopes, and more, all based on your verbal requests. It’s able to do this thanks to the integrated WiFi. The Karotz robot is a media player, too, able to play your music when you request it to. For the $199 price tag, the small robot rabbit isn’t a bad deal, especially if you’re looking for a small robot to spruce up your life. It’s up for pre-order now. [via GearDiary]
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| The Impact of the Verizon iPhone on Android’s Growth Posted: 12 Jan 2011 09:25 AM PST Typically after press conferences I attend or when major industry announcements happen, I take a lot of questions from the press asking my opinion on the news. I'm always happy to speak with journalists on stories they are working on and provide them a quote. As a professional analyst, this is part of my job. Yesterday was no exception. After the Verizon iPhone launch press conference I spoke with a number of folks in the press, and one question in particular came up which I thought required further analysis. That question was what impact would iOS’s presence on Verizon have on Verizon's current and future Android devices.
This is a question I have been asking myself for some time, and I felt it would only be answered when the iPhone was available on the two largest US mobile carriers, AT&T and Verizon. In fact I’ve been wondering for some time whether Android would be experiencing such growth if the iPhone had got to Verizon sooner. Although it is still too early to fully answer my first question, I feel we have some key data points that may present themselves and give us some signposts pointing us to the answer. Data Point #1
Now, some will argue that the AT&T had first-mover advantage with the iPhone therefore it is the smartphone that defined and grew the category for AT&T. That is true. However, it is still moot given that Android devices have been present on AT&T for some time and still people overwhelmingly prefer the iPhone to Android on AT&T. You may also argue that AT&T’s Android lineup has been less than impressive and you will be correct. Verizon has a very strong and competitive Android lineup which is what makes this question fascinating. Data Point #2 So does AT&T have more smart phone owners because iOS was the first and Android was behind? Possibly, but comScore's latest data also shows that Android's growth on Verizon came at the expense of RIM. Meaning, people switched from RIM to Android on Verizon’s network. So, will people switch as easily from Android to the iPhone on AT&T? I think it is possible that a number of Android owners will switch from their DROID to the iPhone. If I was forced to guess a number I’d say it’s less than 20%. I believe the largest opportunity for the iPhone on Verizon is with the 75% of consumers on their network not yet on a smartphone. I fully anticipate the level of interest in the iPhone to continue and now that it is on Verizon I do believe there is significant pent-up demand. One other point is that we know that iPhone drives higher ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) for AT&T. Verizon desperately wants this so they will market the iPhone heavily, possibly even more so than Android devices. This question will get answered when we see the numbers of pre-orders for existing Verizon subscribers as well as how long the lines are on February 10th. Keep in mind, though, that Android is certainly not going anywhere and will continue to be a viable, growing force in the marketplace. I do, however, feel that its growth will take an initial hit as the Verizon iPhone enters the market. Verizon has more Android owners than AT&T; that point is clear. Android's growth on Verizon has directly benefited from the iPhone not being on Verizon. That is no longer the case, the playing field is now level, and we will see what happens as both platforms and networks compete for customers. Final Point.
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| Nintendo 3DS Listed for March 18th Release Date in the UK Posted: 12 Jan 2011 09:11 AM PST At the beginning of January, a leaked image showed that the Nintendo 3DS would be launching in the UK on March 1st, 2011, and allowed interested customers to register their interest in the device before the launch. While it was believed the leaked promotional material was from game retailer Gamestation, nothing has been confirmed. We know the device is set to launch in Japan on February 26th, 2011, but with new listings from UK retailers, it may be a bit longer before the 3D-enabled portable gaming unit lands in the UK.
The new listings have appeared at retailers Woolworths, WHSmith, Best Buy, and The Hut. All of them have listed the 3DS with a release of March 18th, where customers can pre-order now. The blue, black, and red versions are reportedly the color of choice for the UK release date. Something of note, as MCV points out, is that all of the above retailers pull their listings from The Hut’s database, so while multiple sites are listing March 18th as the date of choice, it is all coming from one source. As for pricing, the sites had listed the 3DS at £299 initially. However, earlier this morning it was switched to £250. Pricing for the 3DS is still up in the air, as is obvious from the sites changing their own placeholders this morning. However, Nintendo has a press event on January 19th, 2011, that will more than likely outline when the 3D device will launch. [via Eurogamer]
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| T-Mobile UK backtrack on data slash: Only new customers affected Posted: 12 Jan 2011 08:49 AM PST T-Mobile UK has done a U-turn on its controversial data cap modifications, which had threatened to cut some subscribers’ allowances to just a sixth of what they originally signed up for. According to a statement from the carrier, the changes will now only be applied “to new and upgrading customers only – not existing customers.”
While this is likely to come as a relief to existing T-Mobile UK subscribers, who had argued that the carrier had given insufficient time in-between announcing the alterations on Monday and enacting them on February 1 2011 and as such left them eligible to cancel their agreements without penalty, it does leave the network looking less than palatable for heavy data users looking to sign up to a new contract. From February 1, new users will get 500MB per month but be unable to download files or stream audio/video if they exceed that, unless they pay for a “Mobile Broadband Booster.”
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| PrimeSense score new funding; Motion-sensing STBs, TVs & HTPCs incoming Posted: 12 Jan 2011 08:41 AM PST PrimeSense, the motion-tracking company behind Microsoft’s Kinect and ASUS’ WAVI Xtion is obviously doing something right, as the company has just secured a new round of funding. The exact nature of the deal hasn’t been disclosed, but when we talked to PrimeSense the company confirmed it was “extremely focused” on the “living room experience – browsing your media centre on your television.”
As a result, PrimeSense is in talks with TV, STB and HTPC manufacturers, as well as service providers including traditional cable and satellite, and newer IPTV networks. While the company describes gaming as the kick-off point for “a revolution [in] changing the interface between man and machine”, it’s describing living room entertainment as “the next natural step for this technology.” That could include PrimeSense motion sensors embedded into mainstream TVs and set-top-boxes, controlling UIs in the same manner as BLITZ has shown today with their Kinect Flash hack. While we couldn’t get PrimeSense to name any specific vendors it is dealing with, they did say there was another partnership agreement in the very near future, and confirmed that “other companies are also planning to launch PrimeSense-based systems this year.” Press Release:
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| Sony PSP2 to make January 27 Tokyo debut? Posted: 12 Jan 2011 08:26 AM PST Sony is tipped to unveil its PSP2 portable console in an exclusive Tokyo event on January 27 2011, according to multiple sources. Both VG247 and MCV report tips that a “business overview and strategy meeting” has been scheduled for “very select press”; Sony itself has declined to comment on the speculation.
Games publishers have apparently been working on titles for the new PSP2 since late in 2010, with both Netherrealm Studios and EA confirming that they are readying software. Although full details of the new handheld are unknown, it is believed to have twice the RAM of an Xbox 360, an HD display and, despite renders based on leaked shots of the PSP2 development kit, a monoblock form-factor. The Sony PSP2 is expected to launch in fall 2011, with dual cameras and a touchpad.
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| SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up: January 12 2011 Posted: 12 Jan 2011 08:09 AM PST Yesterday was all about the iPhone being on Verizon. Today is all about… well first there’s a little iPhone news: iPhone Personal Hotspot coming to all in iOS 4.3, then it’s all about the ASUS Eee Pad Slider & Transform hands-on [Video]! Wowzers. Then take a peek at the possible Android Facebook Phone, and see the unfolding story surrounding Sony’s legal action against the Geohot PS3 hack. Get yourself a tasty treat over at Android Community with the revealing of Android 2.4 Ice Cream SANDWICH, and finally take a guess at which phone is coming packaged with Inception – yes, the movie, the one with the BWAAAM and the folding cities and the dreaming and the whatnot. All this and MORE on SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up!
R3 Media Network Editor’s Choice SlashPhone Android Community SlashGear To see more Daily Slash posts, click here: [The Daily Slash] or here: [SlashGear Morning Wrap-Up]
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| Verizon fire up 16 new New York 3G sites ahead of iPhone 4 release Posted: 12 Jan 2011 08:04 AM PST Verizon Wireless has announced it is switching on sixteen new 3G cell sites in the New York Metro region, as part of its commitment “to holding our position as the most reliable 3G network in the nation.” The news comes just a day after the carrier announced it would be offering a CDMA/EVDO Rev.A version of the iPhone 4, which would use the 3G network rather than the newer 4G LTE network.
It’s hard not to see the news as connected with the Verizon iPhone 4 launch, with the carrier obviously wanting to ensure that it has sufficient network capacity to accomodate a rush of new users. The strength of its network was a constant refrain at yesterday’s launch event; it will also go some way to making up for the limitations of CDMA in their inability to maintain simultaneous calls and data connections. There’s a full list of the new cell sites in the press release below. Press Release:
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| World IPv6 Day will see Google go all-IPv6 on June 8 2011 Posted: 12 Jan 2011 07:55 AM PST World IPv6 Day may not have any cool floats or a parade, but if you spend any of your time online then it’ll arguably be more important. Set to take place on June 8 2011, the day will see Google and others run a “24-hour test flight” of the next-gen internet protocol, switching their sites to IPv6 for a whole day.
According to Google, “in rare cases, users may experience connectivity problems, often due to misconfigured or misbehaving home network devices” when that happens, but the search giant will be working with developers, OS vendors and network device manufacturers to try to make sure the test – and the eventual IPv6 transition – goes smoothly. In fact, the company reckons that 99.95-percent of people won’t notice any difference. If you’re interested in testing your IPv6 readiness now, the Internet Society has a test you can use. If you run a site, meanwhile, you can find guidelines to ensuring it’s IPv6-ready here. IPv4 addresses are predicted to run out this year, so the changeover isn’t something that can be put off indefinitely.
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| Posted: 12 Jan 2011 07:36 AM PST The Eee Slate EP121, ASUS tells us, is the world’s fastest tablet, packing an Intel Core i5 processor. It’s also going to be expensive among the latest breed of consumer tablets, kicking off at $999 when it arrives later this month. We grabbed some last-minute hands-on time with the 12.1-inch slate to see if it’s everything ASUS promise.
Compared to the similarly keyboard-free Eee Pad Transform, the EP121 is a fair amount thicker. That’s because it has to fit in a lot more active cooling – three edges have slots for vents and speakers – since the Core i5 processor runs hotter than NVIDIA’s Tegra 2 on the new Eee Pad range. It’s still surprisingly light, although the sheer width of it means holding with one hand and tapping with the other can get uncomfortable after a while. Better to cradle the Eee Slate in the crook of your arm instead, or use the bundled folio case which flips open to form a stand. Inside there’s WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth and a 64GB SSD, along with HDMI and USB ports, but you also get a dual-mode touchscreen. That can respond to finger-input – including multitouch pinch-gestures for zooming – as well as an active stylus using a Wacom digitizer. It’s a considerable step up from capacitive styluses, and while Steve Jobs may say any tablet with a pen has failed, the Wacom experience is considerably better for art, handwriting recognition (which, in Windows 7, has become quite polished and accurate) and more precise control. It also supports pressure recognition, which is handy for the pre-loaded ArtRage graphics app but will also work in more serious design software.
In case handwriting recognition isn’t cutting it for you, ASUS will also throw in a Bluetooth keyboard which, we discovered, happens to be Microsoft’s well-esteemed Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000. It’s compact, but if you’re carrying the EP121 in its case, the keyboard and – optionally – a wireless mouse then it’s arguably easier to bring a regular laptop (which are available with dual-mode touchscreens as well). Battery life is “up to 8hrs” but the ASUS reps admitted 4-5hrs was more likely if the Core i5 CPU is used in earnest. Windows 7 remains only partially finger-friendly, however, and there’s no custom software or reskinning done by ASUS to address that. The $999 price tag will be the Eee Slate EP121′s biggest hurdle when it goes on sale imminently, and ASUS will have to do more than bill it as the most powerful tablet to put that price tag into context.              
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| Kinect hack motion-controls Flash UIs [Video] Posted: 12 Jan 2011 07:12 AM PST The awesome Kinect hacks continue, and BLITZ have delivered what could turn out to be one of the more interesting adaptations of Microsoft’s motion-gaming peripheral. They’ve figured out a way to get the Kinect sensor-bar to work with Flash-based interfaces via Node.js, opening the door to Flash, Silverlight and Unity apps being directly controlled by Kinect-recognized motions.
Video demo after the cut
While we’ve seen integrations of Kinect and DIY apps before, this generic link promises to take the headache out of hooking up the Microsoft peripheral. The prototype they’ve thrown together uses hand gestures to navigate a TV UI, something that could be pretty useful if you’ve ever been given a headache by a button-encrusted remote control. BLITZ is expected to release the code imminently, at which point we’re expecting a flood of Kinect-enabled HTPC apps. More details in the video below. Click here to view the embedded video. [via MAKE]
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| JOYSTICK-IT iPad Arcade Stick for Superior Pac-Man Playing Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:58 AM PST So you’ve got your iPad and you’ve got your arcade games and you’re having tons of fun, but after a while you notice your thumb starting to hurt. Why? Because you’re jamming it down way too hard on the surface of the machine! You know what you need? Something awesome. Something three-dee. This is that. This is JOYSTICK-IT, an iPad arcade stick that suction-cups down to your pad and allows you the classic control you never knew you wanted, but are about to know you need! It’s a vintage fantasy that fits just so very nice right here in the now!
This joystick also not only works on the iPad of course, it works on whichever kind of capacitive touchscreen you want to use it on (but works best on tablets because it’s pretty much giant.) The bulk of the object is made of solid milled-aluminum and the bottom is padded in a way that will not harm your device. And what’s best about this thing, other than it’s totally awesome and neato looking? It’s a ThinkGeek exclusive – invented and designed by ThinkGeek for sale on ThinkGeek! NOTE: Unfortunately JOYSTICK-IT is not in stock yet, but they say they’ll have it by the end of this month!    [Via ThinkGeek]
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| Antimatter thunderstorms surprise NASA Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:56 AM PST Last we heard, matter and antimatter couldn’t be put together in the same picnic basket lest the universe explode; now scientists are telling us that the stuff is actually streaming out of storms. Researchers manning the Fermi telescope have discovered that violent thunderstorms are giving out both gamma rays and positrons, the antimatter-equivalent of electrons.
Those positrons (and the electrons) align with the Earth’s magnetic field and spar out for huge distances. When they collide, it produces a flash of light and a distinct color; it’s that color which the Fermi telescope spotted.
The results of the research will be presented at the American Astronomical Society, and are expected to help researchers understand how lightning works. Scientists don’t exactly know the implications of the discovery yet, but they’re already calling it “truly amazing.” [via BBC]
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| PlayStation Phone gets teardown treatment Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:44 AM PST If the preview, group shots and video demos weren’t enough to convince you that the Sony Ericsson PlayStation Phone is real, how about a pre-release teardown? TGBus whipped out their screwdriver set and got to work stripping the smartphone down to its bare boards.
Inside there’s a Qualcomm MSM7x30 series chipset – interesting, since previous reports suggested the QSD8255 – paired with Broadcom wireless. No great surprises anywhere, but it’s getting increasingly difficult for Sony Ericsson to say “no comment” and keep a straight face. If this doesn’t get official at MWC 2011 next month, we’ll eat our proverbial hat. [via Android Community]
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| Rotor Concept R/C ‘copter borrows cool Japanese styling [Video] Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:25 AM PST We’ve a big soft-spot for helicopters here at SlashGear, and while we’d prefer Igarashi Design’s single-person ‘copter concept to spawn a full-sized model (and allow us to whirr above rush-hour traffic), we’ll make do with Rotor Concept‘s scaled-down R/C version. On show at CES 2011 last week, the futuristic chopper has over 19-inch blade-span and beams back live video to the remote control.
Video demo after the cut
Flight time is around 15 minutes on a full charge of the 1,500 mAh battery, but this is no toy. Range is quoted at up to a mile, there’s 3-axis gyro control and the ‘chopper can reach up to 2,000ft high. Despite all that, Rotor Concept reckons it’ll take most users just 30 minutes to get the hang of flying it. MAKE stopped by the stand at CES last week and found Rotor Concept were offering the ‘chopper for $299 as a promo. It’s available to order now via their site, priced at $499. [via Hobby Media]
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| iPhone Personal Hotspot coming to all in iOS 4.3 Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:17 AM PST The personal hotspot functionality unveiled on the Verizon iPhone 4 yesterday is coming to all iPhones in iOS 4.3, though it will require carrier blessing before users can actually take advantage of it. According to BGR‘s source, the new firmware is expected to hit technical acceptance in March 2011.
The new functionality will allow the iPhone to work as a mobile hotspot, sharing its 3G connection with up to five WiFi-attached devices. It’s the same functionality that we’ve seen on Android and other devices for some time now, but will make its iPhone debut on the Verizon model. However, since WiFi tethering of this sort can have a significant impact on carriers’ 3G networks, we’re expecting some players – AT&T comes to mind – to be cautious about enabling the functionality. Still, with Verizon gung-ho about mobile hotspots, AT&T may have no choice but to follow suit if they want to remain competitive.
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| ASUS Eee Pad Slider & Transform hands-on [Video] Posted: 12 Jan 2011 06:10 AM PST ASUS wasn’t taking any chances with its tablet options at CES 2011: the company had two full-size Android models, the Eee Pad Slider and the Eee Pad Transform, to cater to those wanting to do content-creation on their tablets rather than just consumption. We grabbed some last-minute hands-on time with the pair ahead of their return to Taipei; check out our impressions after the cut.
Both pre-production prototypes were looking reasonably well-used from their time as demonstrators, and the Eee Pad Transform had expired altogether. The software experience for both will be the same, however: Android Honeycomb – though Froyo 2.2 was loaded on the demo units – running on NVIDIA’s dual-core Tegra 2 chipset. 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models will be on offer, along with 3G variants in Q3 2011, and each has a front-facing 1.2-megapixel webcam for video calls and stills, and a rear-facing 5-megapixel camera for more general photography and video capture. Bizarrely there didn’t appear to be a way to flick over to the rear camera in the Android photo app on the prototype.
Of the two, ASUS expects the Transform to be the more popular. It has a 10.1-inch capacitive touchscreen in a slimline slate chassis, but then can dock into a detachable netbook-style keyboard for easier text-entry. Rather than being just a dumb ‘board, however, the dock section also holds a second battery: ASUS reckons 16hrs of runtime when the two are combined, and while we don’t expect real-world use to reach that, the Eee Pad Transform should at least last a whole work-day. Key feel is on a par with a netbook, unsurprisingly, and there’s room for a touchpad underneath; we’re most reminded of the old HP tc1100, though the ‘board unfortunately lacks a swivel hinge so that you can leave the key section attached but still use the touchscreen in slate orientation. ASUS Eee Pad Slider hands-on: The Eee Pad Slider, meanwhile, feels a little more like a case of “because we could” from ASUS’ engineers, though that’s not to say it isn’t an impressive little netbook alternative. Closed, it’s on the chunky side in terms of thickness, though not too heavy, and open the keyboard is the same size as a regular netbook. No room for a trackpad, however (and ASUS didn’t bother with a trackpoint nub either), and you can only have the screen set at the default angle. The prototype was feeling quite precarious in its hinge action – the ASUS reps said they’d already broken another unit – but felt reasonably sturdy once locked open. Expect this aspect to undergo significant tweaking before launch, with a new catch mechanism in the works.
Software is still very much undecided, according to ASUS, and we couldn’t draw them on what would make the Eee Pad Transform and Eee Pad Slider content-creators rather than just more Android tablets. The intention is that they’ll be ready for use out of the box, rather than requiring further app purchases for things like Office document creation, but they wouldn’t say exactly what software would be preloaded. Still, there’ll be Android Market access in case the default options aren’t to your liking.
A custom email app looks reasonable, but the system as a whole felt unoptimized; screen rotations could be sluggish, as was touchscreen responsiveness at times, and the accelerometer had trouble figuring which way up the slate was being held. The display itself was bright and clear, though highly reflective, something that could prove frustrating with the fixed angle on the Eee Pad Slider. Pricing will likely be the deciding factor, and the two tablets suffer a little when compared to ASUS’ Eee PC netbook range. The Eee Pad Transform will kick off from $399 when it lands in April, though you’ll have to pay extra for the keyboard section; the Eee Pad Slider starts at $499 and goes on sale a month later.                                    
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| Geek cools computer with cold winter air Posted: 12 Jan 2011 05:23 AM PST A geek has decided to take cooling his PC to a new extreme and use the cold winter air outside to keep his rig chilly. The way he went about it is easy enough, even if there are some apparent issues with the system.
The geek took a board cut to window size to wedge under the window. He cut a hole in it and used a dryer vent kit outside hood and hose to connect to his PC. The system uses a fan inside the computer in a pull configuration to suck in cold air. It appears that he used a mesh Scotch-Brite pad to act as a filter to keep bugs and dirt from getting to his hardware. The big issue I see here is that the cold air could cause some condensation inside the PC at some point, which could lead to a quick death for his rig.   Via Hack A Day
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| Sticker makes your iPhone look like old school Polaroid camera Posted: 12 Jan 2011 05:06 AM PST I really like quirky accessories for the mainstream gadgets that we all know and sometimes love. The iPhone is a device that tends to spawn all sorts of quirky accessories like the latest sticker for the back of the phone spied over on Laughing Squid.
The sticker adheres to the back of the iPhone 4 and makes your phone look like that Polaroid instant camera your mom had back in the day. I know we all remember that camera. What this sticker really needs is an app to go with it that makes that noise the Polaroid instant made when you hit the shutter button. The sticker looks cool and has another use as well, it should prevent the glass back of your iPhone 4 from being scratched with use. This thing doesn’t appear to fit the 3G or 3GS devices with the rounded design and it leaves the flash and lens on the iPhone 4 uncovered.  
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| V.I.O. POV.HD sports camcorder up for pre-order Posted: 12 Jan 2011 04:55 AM PST I have a Go Pro HD camera that I use for recording things in a car and for a few other purposes. The camera is a waterproof sports camera, but for it to be waterproof it has to be inside a plastic shell. V.I.O. has unveiled new sports camera called the POV.HD that is waterproof and doesn’t need a plastic shell to survive the rough world of sports recording.
The camera is up for pre-order right now and it’s not cheap at $599.95. The camera records in 1080p HD resolution and can be mounted on helmets, goggles, and in other places. When in 1080p mode the camera has a 142-degree field of view and in 720p 60fps slow motion mode the camera has a 95-degree field of view. The camera comes with a small control box that allows the viewing of video in the field, which is something the cheaper Go Pro camera lacks. That box has a TI Da Vinci processor inside. The processor allows for automatic lens distortion correction, vignetting correction, and lens softness correction. The camera also has a wireless remote for controlling the functions that can be mounted as well. The cam can survive submersion in 1 meter of water for half an hour and has an environmental rating of IP67. Video is stored to SD cards.    
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| Yantouch Black Diamond reminds me of Epcot Center Posted: 12 Jan 2011 04:40 AM PST I have seen a bunch of different docks and charging devices for the iPhone over the years, but the Black Diamond is certainly the most unique. The thing reminds me of a trip to Epcot Center in Florida we took when I was a kid with the facets of the dock.
The dock works in conjunction with an app and sound sensing technology. The ball brings the colors of the iPhone screen into a 3D light experience. That’s all the details that the company offers on the device, which looks more concept than real product to me. It reminds me a bit of the Phillips AmBx technology that was for gamers that wanted to get the colors on the computer screen into the room for a bit more immersion in their games. The concept of the Black Diamond is cool, who knows if the thing will ever hit the market for fans to purchase.   
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