More Details and Video on Google Glass Emerge; Haters Defiant

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The recently-released video-commercial for Google Glass seems pretty glib: Plucky folky music plays to a montage of trapeze artists sending emails, hot air balloonists recording video, biplane pilots connecting to Google Hangouts, and artists sharing their ice sculptures online, all using Glass, and all with an endless supply of verve. It’s a merry-go-round montage of cute puppies, hot air balloon rides, being in cirque du soleil, life as a wealthy porn star doing 5 girls at once– never mind, that’s just us projecting again…

Critics, meanwhile, who have actually tried the glasses, haven’t been exactly forthcoming — and when they are, it sounds like a mixed bag. Continue reading “More Details and Video on Google Glass Emerge; Haters Defiant” »

Say Goodbye to Your Headphones: ‘Bone Conduction’ to Start Providing Music Soon

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Due to debut later this year with their upcoming Google Glass (augmented reality eyewear)? Google’s brand new technologically advanced headphones… that aren’t really headphones.

According to Business Insider, the headphones will be featured as part of the Google Glass package (which you can get through registering with Google for $1500) and enable users to listen to their songs and podcasts via ‘bone conduction.’ Continue reading “Say Goodbye to Your Headphones: ‘Bone Conduction’ to Start Providing Music Soon” »

Robotechnology is Here…Fully Operational Mecha Unveiled in Japan

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Who would have thought that the mind/motion controlled giant robots of stuff like Robotech and Mobile Suit Gundam would ever exist?

Looks like Tokyo denizen Kogo Kurata has created what may very well be the first mecha (that can fit a person inside), at least. Continue reading “Robotechnology is Here…Fully Operational Mecha Unveiled in Japan” »

Daily Tech: Apple Event: iPhone 5, new iPod Touch and iPod Nano

Apple’s big iPhone 5 event in San Francisco just wrapped up and here is a break down of the major announcements.

As we expected, Apple revealed the iPhone 5 today with a larger 4-inch display, LTE capabilities, and a new A6 processor. Most of the specs for the new device, which starts at $199 (iPhone 4S is now $99 on contract), were revealed prior to the event, but below is the full run down. Unfortunately we didn’t get an Epic Infinity Blade demo on stage this time around, and instead were treated with a trailer for the upcoming Real Racing 3 title. Head below for the specifics:

Continue reading “Daily Tech: Apple Event: iPhone 5, new iPod Touch and iPod Nano” »

Daily Anime: New iOS App Creates a Virtual,’Evangelion’-style Guided Tour of City

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Always wanted to tour a city, minus the formality of an actual tour? Minus the fanny pack-wearing, camera-toting yokels sitting next to you on the bus/shuffling around beside you on the street?

Are you also, by any chance, a fan of the classic anime Neon Genesis: Evangelion fan? Well, you’re in luck: there’s an ioS app, according to SFWeekly, officially branded as EvaNavi SF,  “that incorporates aspects from the hit Evangelion 2.0 sci-fi anime property to guide users to 60 notable attractions around the city of San Francisco.” Continue reading “Daily Anime: New iOS App Creates a Virtual,’Evangelion’-style Guided Tour of City” »

DAILY TECH: Meet The Droid X360, An Android PS Vita Clone

A new mobile gaming device out of China has surfaced today and is causing quite a controversy over its name and hardware design.

The DROID X360 (video below) has a hardware design that looks nearly identical to the PS Vita and with a name like that its sure to stir up some issues with a host of major players like: Microsoft, Motorola, George Lucas and Verizon.

Continue reading “DAILY TECH: Meet The Droid X360, An Android PS Vita Clone” »

Too Old to Learn Technology? Too Bad, Says 96 year-old Tech/Internet Whiz

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Ninety-six year old Bill Sleeper doesn’t have much patience for seniors who aren’t tech-savvy. His specific message to the geezers who can’t quite grasp the technology of today:
“Get with it.”

One of the reasons Sleeper’s so in-your-face with learning technology is that stuff like The Internet and an iPhone helps you keep in touch with your loved ones. Sounds pretty obvious, but a lot of us know that for every gaming grandma, there still seems like an inherent lack of Internet-surfing seniors.

Yet Sleeper takes things a couple things further by going around and yelling, er, speaking at seniors who aren’t willing to jump in the deep end. Continue reading “Too Old to Learn Technology? Too Bad, Says 96 year-old Tech/Internet Whiz” »

Real Life Portal Turret Tracks Targets

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An engineering student has built a real-life Portal turret for his aptly named “Advanced Mechatronics” class project at Penn State University. The turret tracks its targets using “image processing” and deals out a less than lethal blow once its locked on. This will go great with the real-life Portal gun.

Equipped with two servo mounts with two “hacked-up” USB powered Nerf missile guns, the turret also has an IP webcam mounted in the middle to track targets. The camera senses RBG colors connected to a laptop running MATLAB… Continue reading “Real Life Portal Turret Tracks Targets” »

Functioning NES Controller Coffee Table Is Worth Every Penny

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Pop Artist Charles Lushear has graced us with another wonderful piece of art. His NES Controller coffee table not only functions as a piece of art or furniture it also works perfectly fine as an actual game controller.

With a retractable cable that comes from beneath and a removable glass top, the table becomes a fully functioning NES controller…only its much bigger and much more expensive.

The table is made from “maple, mahogany and walnut with dovetail joinery and mid century modern legs.” Its dimensions: 42″ length x 18.25″ width x 18″ height. Continue reading “Functioning NES Controller Coffee Table Is Worth Every Penny” »

New Specs Published For Real Linux-Powered STAR TREK Tricorder

The device made famous by Star Trek is quickly becoming a reality. The device that allowed the fleet to explore unfamiliar areas, amongst basically everything else, would conceivably allow our modern society to do the same thing.

“The open source science tricorders that I’ve developed are very much a way to help people explore and feed their curiosity for the world,” Peter Jansen, who created and built the gadget, said.

The tricorder project is being Continue reading “New Specs Published For Real Linux-Powered STAR TREK Tricorder” »

Flying Filesharing Drones May Provide Alternative to Censorship

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We should have figured it was only a matter of time before a bunch of genius kids figured out an extremely creative, technologically innovative way around the clusterf*ck surrounding the whole Napster/Limewire/MegaUpload/ P2P and illegal filesharing debacle.

A think tank called Tomorrow’s Thoughts Today have what may be just what P2P rebels The Pirate Bay is promising: some real-life hovering file-sharing drones. Continue reading “Flying Filesharing Drones May Provide Alternative to Censorship” »

GAMEBOY Meets Transformer In Amazing Lego Set

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A brand new Lego creation brings together three of the coolest things from just about all of our childhoods – Transformers, Lego and Gameboy. Complete with a game cartridge and even the batteries, this Lego Gameboy transforms into a clone that looks a lot like the Decepticon Shockwave.

The Lego creation dubbed Domaster and Tetrawing was created and designed by Lego builder Julius Von Brunk. The name comes from the small paragraph written on the screens of old gameboys, “Dot Matrix with Stereo Sound” and Tetrawing comes from a burlesque girl who does a Tetris themed show. Continue reading “GAMEBOY Meets Transformer In Amazing Lego Set” »

Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Available For Preorder Now, Ships in September

We first told you about this iPad/iPhone-controlled quadrocopter in our holiday gift list, and today the second generation AR Drone 2.0 is now officially up for preorder. The device comes with the same $300 price tag, but packs in a bunch of new features.

The new AR Drone is capable of capturing or live streaming 720p HD video right to YouTube at 30fps with a 92° wide-angle lens. There is also a new gesture, or “flip button”, that will make the device barrel roll in the air on command. Another new addition is a new USB port for capturing video from the built-in HD to a portable drive. The overall design of the drone is pretty much what we’ve seen before, but we’re not complaining. As before you’ll need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch or Android device to pilot the device.

The company is building levels for Continue reading “Parrot AR Drone 2.0 Available For Preorder Now, Ships in September” »

Google Is Now Activating More Than 850k Mobile Devices Daily

In a post over on the Official Google Mobile blog, we learn some new stats about the ongoing race between Apple and the ever growing Android platform. Senior vice president of mobile and digital content at Google Andy Rubin explained there has been an incredible growth of android devices and its related products. What Andy calls the “Android ecosystem” has grown tremendously with up to 850,000 Android device activations daily and a total number of devices well over 300 million worldwide.

“With a year-on-year growth rate of more than 250%, 850,000 new Android devices are activated each day” Rubin says in his post on the Google Mobile Blog.

Google has an impressive booth at this years Continue reading “Google Is Now Activating More Than 850k Mobile Devices Daily” »

Augmented Reality ‘Xappr Gun’ for iPhone and Android Available For Preorder

We told you about the App Blaster augmented reality gun accessory for iPhone in our holiday list of gifts for geeks. However, that’s only because the Xappr Gun dock wasn’t yet announced. Shown off earlier this month at the Nuremberg Toy Fair, the accessory is now officially up for preorder.

Apparently compatible with not just iPhones and iPods, but also Android and Windows Phone devices, the Xappr Gun is of course paired with a selection of augmented reality apps. Among the companion apps is AR Invaders, AR Wars, an upcoming “real-world multiplayer shootout game” called ATK, and around seven others. Continue reading “Augmented Reality ‘Xappr Gun’ for iPhone and Android Available For Preorder” »

12-Year Old Building 17-inch Windows Tablet On Kickstarter

With tablets quickly taking over the PC market, one 12 year old from California is thinking about the bigger picture, literally. While the average size of a tablet’s display typically ranges from 5- to 10-inches, tech fanatic James Hardman is taking the tablet game up a notch with a 17-inch Windows-powered tab he plans on manufacturing.

With a goal of $50,000 in funding, Hardman turned to Kickstarter to realize his dreams and posted his plans for the 17-inch super tablet. Oh, and according to him, the device is 5.1x as powerful as iPad 2.

James spoke to Mashable regarding his overarching motivation behind the project.

“I personally love bigger screens,” says the 12 year old Hardman, “And I know other people did, too. I looked everywhere and nobody had anything Continue reading “12-Year Old Building 17-inch Windows Tablet On Kickstarter” »

PS Vita Gets Ripped Apart As Mortal Kombat Gets New Trailer

In case you are wondering exactly what is inside of Sony’s new PlayStation Vita that isn’t listed on the device’s specs page, the guys and gals at iFixit are at it once again, this time tearing apart the PS Vita right down to the motherboard. At the same time, we get a look at what we can expect to be playing on the device in the near future with the release of a new Mortal Kombat trailer featuring the Vita and a little background music from Skrillex.

If you’re unfamiliar with iFixit’s usual routine, their main goal is to find out how easy and cost efficient our new devices will be to repair. To do that, they have to tear them apart, and in the process we get a look inside the device and learn exactly what we’re dealing with for hardware Sony doesn’t typically disclose. Continue reading “PS Vita Gets Ripped Apart As Mortal Kombat Gets New Trailer” »

iCADE 8-Bitty Controller For iPhone And iPad, Coming Soon For $25

You’re most likely familiar with the iCade arcade cabinet for iPad. We even told you about new models (including a mobile iPhone version) that were introduced at CES. Today ThinkGeek has given us a sneak peek at the latest iCADE peripheral– a classic Nintendo-style controller for iPhone and iPad (and Android) decked out in 8-bit motifs and branded the “8-bitty”.

The controller sports 8 buttons: 4 face buttons, two shoulder buttons, and select and start (and the D-Pad, of course). It pairs wirelessly over Bluetooth (two AAA batteries required) and supports all iCADE compatible games including Pac Man, Super Mega Worm, and the Atari Classics collection (complete list here). The good news is devs (even Android) can easily add support to their apps, so the list keeps Continue reading “iCADE 8-Bitty Controller For iPhone And iPad, Coming Soon For $25” »

Next-gen Xbox Controller To Be Tablet-Like Display, Finger-Tracking Kinect?

Rumors of a next-gen Xbox or PlayStation sporting a controller with a display inevitably makes us think of the Wii U controller. However the latest rumors originating from Xbox World Magazine (viaCVG) point towards something more powerful, described as closer to an iPad or Vita than Nintendo’s new controller design.

The report claimed the controller “will be a matt-black media hub with a mission to bring games to life in your living room”. To accomplish that, it will apparently have a built-in touch HD touchscreen, augmented reality, directional sound, and be a “four-player, finger-tracking Kinect”. Continue reading “Next-gen Xbox Controller To Be Tablet-Like Display, Finger-Tracking Kinect?” »

Xbox 360 Limited Edition Star Wars/Kinect Bundle Confirmed For Apr. 3

You may have been disappointed when the original November 2011 launch date came and went for Microsoft’s limited edition Star Wars Xbox 360/Kinect bundle, but you’ll be pleased to know a new date has officially been set.

The bundle will officially be launching alongside the Kinect Star Wars game on April 3rd, and it’s already available for pre-order on Amazon for $450. If you’re unfamiliar with the bundle, you can expect an R2-D2 themed console (320GB) with a gold C-3PO wireless Xbox controller, bundled with the first ever white version of Kinect. Continue reading “Xbox 360 Limited Edition Star Wars/Kinect Bundle Confirmed For Apr. 3” »