Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals

Merely days after we caught Wolfking’s astonishingly bizarre gaming keyboard lurking in the FCC’s database, it seems that the firm is giving the pup a proper (and we mean proper) name. Just as Elmo would attest, things just seem a little more hardcore with any variant of “extreme” in the title, and the Warrior Xxtreme goes the xxtra mile by doubling up on the x’s and kicking the e to the curb. The self-proclaimed “hybrid two-in-one PC gamepad / keyboard” supposedly combines the utility of a full-fledged keyboard with the “ergonomics and space saving design of a gamepad.” No matter how you slice it, this thing certainly won’t please everyone, but hopefully we’ll have a price to pass along in the not-too-distant future for those already gearing up for battle.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Gaming, Portable Audio

While we’re sure that some Wii updates have been more highly regarded than others, it seems that MP3 diehards will want to pass on a forthcoming Photo Channel update if you just can’t bear to lose support for your favorite music format. Apparently, the aforementioned channel will be revamped early next month, and while users will then be able to personalize their menu by implanting an SD-based digital image into the Photo Channel icon, gamers who previously used their Wii to play back MP3s will no longer be able to do so. For whatever reason, the Big N will be axing MP3 support and adding in AAC compatibility, and the company even goes out of its way to make sure that you realize downgrading will not possible once you install v1.1. Mark it down folks — don’t be left full of regret (if you’re partial to MP3, that is) after carelessly downloading an update without reading the changelog first.

[Via GameBrink, thanks J]

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Robots

We’ve seen a plethora of robots crawl over all sorts of obstacles without blowing a gasket or anything, but the Galileo prefers to handle rough terrain by simply changing the shape of its treads rather than blowing up anything in its path or finding clever ways to scoot around. Judging by an informative (if not monotonous) video clip of the robot in action, this “hybrid tracked” creature sports a pair of wheels along with flexible treads on each side, and it can reshape the tracks as necessary to achieve the desired grip when meeting stairs, cinder blocks or a wide variety of slumbering animals in the wild. There’s also a built-in camera integrated into the oh-so-helpful “tail,” which can apply downward pressure in order to give the creation a boost when needed. We’ve inflated this thing’s ego enough — just click on through to see the Galileo gettin’ into (and out of) all sorts of trouble.

[Via SciFiTech]

Continue reading Galileo robot sports hybrid treads, tackles most any terrain

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones

Bringing the iPhone to Europe was big, but potentially bigger for Apple is the Chinese market, which probably explains why China Mobile CEO Wang Jianzhou is in talks with the company over its much publicized handset. Mr. Jianzhou admitted in a speech at the GSM Association’s Mobile Asia Congress that he doesn’t like the revenue sharing agreements that Apple has managed to wrangle: you and every other mobile executive worldwide, Wang! But who knows, maybe the fact that China Mobile has 349.66 million subscribers will be enough for Apple to make one two very big exceptions and do a more traditional deal. Whatever happens, the Chinese market is likely to throw some curveballs at Apple’s usual pitch.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

Filed under: Cellphones

Let’s face it: the device pictured above isn’t likely to arrive in America (in that form, anyway) anytime soon, but apparently, the hardware is the least important aspect. InfoSyncWorld was able to get its paws around Keynetik’s prototype handset, which currently sports the same name and relies on a user interface with (surprise, surprise) the very same title, too. Apparently, this mobile — which looks like a cross between a mobile gaming unit and a PDA — includes a UI that is surprisingly intuitive thanks to the motion tracking support and its ability to take commands from two joysticks and four buttons. For instance, users can select icons by simply tilting the device in the desired direction and subsequently pressing a button, which reportedly makes browsing through tunes and contact lists a lesson in simplicity. Unfortunately, there’s no telling if or when Keynetik’s creation will ever go commercial, but feel free to check out a few more glimpses of the first edition after the jump.

Continue reading Keynetik’s motion tracking prototype handset spotted in the wild

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Office Depot Featured Gadget: Xbox 360 Platinum System Packs the power to bring games to life!

Share This

We kinda forgot all about this little box for old folks with old TVs that was announced way back at CES and promised by the end of this year. It’s got a fresh paint job and later street date (January), presumably because analog support’s been somewhat extended through 2012, with cable operators performing the conversion voodoo themselves or giving you a free box. If you’re not getting the freebie, or rolling down to Best Buy, you can knock $40 off the DTA800 and keep on trucking with your grandma TV. More pictures:

[Keep My TV]

Share This

Sometime late this year, Monster (yes, that Monster) will roll out the iSonicast, a two-piece system that turns your iPod into a wireless remote control that streams music to the base station, located at your stereo. It’s a simple system, and at $100, a pretty low price, especially for Monster. It uses 2.4GHz RF to transmit, and though it’s currently spec’d to get a range of 30 feet, Monster’s Noel Lee tells us they might try to jack up the range, though the downside may be less battery life. I know what you’re thinking: I’ve seen this before. Logitech had something like this about two years ago, using Bluetooth. Not sure what became of it, but the sound quality back then wasn’t great. Here’s hoping Monster can live up to its reputation and get some decent sound. [Monster]

Share This

Optoma’s new 720p HD65 projector is a revamped, dwarfened version of the HD70. While holding on to the same resolution, it’s 15 percent smaller and almost a third lighter, shaving off two pounds to tip the scales at just five. The HD65 also includes HDMI 1.3 and maintains the HD70’s $1000 price tag. [Optoma]

Share This

ATI’s TV Wonder 650 TV tuner series has been out for over a year, but a Mac version of the Combo USB variety’s arriving just this month for $149, and it comes in a special white case—guess they didn’t get the memo silver’s the new white. It’s also sporting a polished new interface and parental controls, though spec-wise it appears to be the same as before (OTA Analog and HD, Clear-QAM, etc.), making it a pretty decent solution for a Mac mini HD PVR setup. This way for more photos.

Share This

Today SanDisk revealed Vaulter, a 8GB or 16GB flash drive that can hold your entire OS, designed to sit on the PCIe port inside a laptop. In Windows, this creates a separate letter drive, which speeds the hell out of your computer, without taking the place of your 2.5″ SATA-connected HDD. It’s not a Santa Rosa “Robson” thing either—it’s a real drive, not some caching assistant. (In case you’re wondering, Mac support is coming.) Performance acceleration comes from “pre-controlling the distribution of storage data between itself and the hard drive.” The fact that it’s on the PCIe port means that both storage devices can work in parallel. Now, the bad news: SanDisk is only offering it to OEM partners at first. We won’t be able to buy them a la carte for a little while. [SanDisk]

Share This